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A Weekend in Londonby Janice Rossen
From the National Gallery, I love to stroll around Trafalgar Square and look at those lions. Then I always pop around the corner to my favorite dress shop in the world, Droopy & Brown's (which can be found at 99 St. Martin's Lane), and I came away with a dress that must have come straight out of a Grace Kelley film.
Since Barbara and I both grew up in Los Angeles, we were eager to try the Beverly Hills Bakery, just down the street from the hotel, and we had a lovely breakfast there.
The great feature of this mini-trip, for me, was the chance to rush around London with Barbara. Sometimes travelling is important because it introduces us to an exciting place. Other times it allows us to connect with a spot we already love, and to find ourselves again. On still other occasions, it brings the warmth of friendship from out of the past. The following addresses may be helpful in planning a trip: The Franklin Hotel, 28 Egerton Gardens, Knightsbridge, London SW3 2DB, tel. (020) 7584 5533, www.franklinhotel.co.uk The Beverly Hills Bakery website is: www.beverlyhillsbakery.com . Clarke's is located at 124 Kensington Church Street, (about two blocks away from the Notting Hill Gate tube stop), tel. (0207) 221-9225. The web-site is: www.sallyclarke.com |
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My cousin
Barbara and I have not met up for a slumber party since we used to spend the
night at my grandmother's house in Los Angeles, watching old films and
baking chocolate chip cookies. A few weeks ago, however, we both happened
to be in London at the same time (I felt extremely grown-up), and spent a
fabulous couple of days strolling around one of the great cities of the
world.
My plan was to
rush straight to the National Portrait Gallery, an all-time favorite of
mine, and dine at their new restaurant on the top floor. This offers a
breath-taking view of London--the river, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben .
. . not to mention some of the best food you could wish for: their salad
nicoise was perfect. And the museum itself is fabulous--a series of faces,
since every piece in it is a portrait. If you begin at the top of the
gallery, with all of the Tudor kings, you can make a dizzying progress
through the following centuries, ending up with contemporary film stars,
rugby players, politicians and eccentric artists in a variety of media.
But the best
of our stay in London was the hotel which Barbara had cleverly chosen. The
Franklin Hotel feels like a country house hotel, though it is located in
Knightsbridge. (Yes! More good shopping nearby!) There was a real wood
fire in a pleasant drawing-room, and one evening we ordered a tarte tatin
and a pot of tea, and sat quietly admiring the huge bouquet of Star-gazer
lilies. The hotel staff were quick and bright, and eager to help us find
what we needed, or to point out directions on the map. The room itself was
absolutely sumptuous.
My other
secret ambition was also met, on this trip: at last, I found the perfect
little French restaurant. (I knew that there had to be one, in London.) I
am indebted to my friend Max, for introducing me to Clarke's, where the
genius of Ms. Sally Clarke creates a new menu daily from the freshest of
fresh ingredients. A crab blini delighted me, followed by scallops and the
Perfect Tarte Tatin. Her cookbook, which I bought immediately, inspires one
merely by its photographs. One of the best features of Clarke's is the tiny
shop next door to the restaurant, where you can purchase exotica such as
"exquisite candied violets," a variety of gorgeous cheeses or breads, or sit
and have a cup of coffee.