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Recently, I have gotten loads of emails with questions about London; where should we eat, where do you shop and what is your top tea recommendation? While I am far from any sort of tour guide I have compiled a short list of some of my London MUSTS. The list includes some of my top choices, but obviously does not included everywhere I frequent (I am saving you from that mile long list). So whether you are about to hop on a plan or dreaming of getting out of town, enjoy!
Laduree: The Harrods location for lunch or tea and the Burlington Arcade location for a snack. The Laduree Club is divine as is the strawberry passion fruit tart and you cannot forget the caramel tea! 
Pickett: The Sloane Square location is a MUST, it is too cute!
French Sole and Pretty Ballerina: Ballet flat HEAVEN. Get you snakeskin, patent croc and glitter ones in every color imaginable! 
Laduree: The Harrods location for lunch or tea and the Burlington Arcade location for a snack. The Laduree Club is divine as is the strawberry passion fruit tart and you cannot forget the caramel tea! Pickett: The Sloane Square location is a MUST, it is too cute!French Sole and Pretty Ballerina: Ballet flat HEAVEN. Get you snakeskin, patent croc and glitter ones in every color imaginable! Fortnum and Mason: Stock up on tea and shortbread to bring home. Be sure to check out the limited edition Hunter boots while in as well.
Burlington Arcade: No trip to London is complete without a stroll through Burlington Arcade. There is a lovely glove store, there are antiques and another darling take and go Laduree and a HUGE Pickett as well.
Bond Street: everything about the street is luxury and it is wonderful
Colefax and Fowler: You CANNOT miss Nancy Lancaster's famed 'Yellow Room' or all the beautiful florals and exquisite furniture.
Burlington Arcade: No trip to London is complete without a stroll through Burlington Arcade. There is a lovely glove store, there are antiques and another darling take and go Laduree and a HUGE Pickett as well.
Bond Street: everything about the street is luxury and it is wonderfulColefax and Fowler: You CANNOT miss Nancy Lancaster's famed 'Yellow Room' or all the beautiful florals and exquisite furniture.
Heywood Hill: This is one of the best book shops in all the world. There is always at least one old school WASP browsing the first editions in the back while to debate what books need to go home in your suitcase up front. Nancy Mitford worked here in her day! (10 Curzon Street)
Kensington Palace: Diana's dresses are on permanent display in her old residence, but if you are hitting up London before January 30th, 2010 you MUST see the exhibit The Last Debutant.
Liberty of London: Stop in and take a look at all the fabrics that made them famous. They have some great ribbon too!
Tea at the Connaught: skip the Ritz, in my opinion it is not very good at all. Have a four course, champagne tea in the heart of Mayfair instead! (Carlos Place)
Poilane: the famous French bakery has a location in London, they have the world's BEST pain au chocolate! (46 Elizabeth Street)
Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park: If you loved the book and movie like me you CANNOT miss this!
Kensington Palace: Diana's dresses are on permanent display in her old residence, but if you are hitting up London before January 30th, 2010 you MUST see the exhibit The Last Debutant.
Liberty of London: Stop in and take a look at all the fabrics that made them famous. They have some great ribbon too!Tea at the Connaught: skip the Ritz, in my opinion it is not very good at all. Have a four course, champagne tea in the heart of Mayfair instead! (Carlos Place)
Poilane: the famous French bakery has a location in London, they have the world's BEST pain au chocolate! (46 Elizabeth Street)Peter Pan statue in Hyde Park: If you loved the book and movie like me you CANNOT miss this!
Coming soon: Hopsy's travel tips which will include how to beat jet lag!
35 comments:
I feel like calling my travel agent. That picture of you is beautiful & my compliments to the artistry of the photographer!
I love your picture Hopsy! Tres adorable and sweet. I always do Portobello Road but I think I will check out a few of your rec's when I do London next spring. LOVE Laduree!
I want to skip across the pond! What a great review- thanks and love all the pictures.
Thank you for posting this! My mother and I have a thing for Fortnum and Mason tea and she is anxiously awaiting my trip over there so I can get her some!
The Connaught is the greatest. They also have an amazing breakfast if you are hungry in the morning.
I cannot wait to visit London! Both my fiance and I are sying to go! What a fun "trip guide"! Thanks!
Fancy! Oh please give jet lag tips. I recently went to Hawaii on my honeymoon and think I had altitude sickness. I felt like I was walking on a trampoline for 4 days. I had to take Excedrin, drink lots of caffeine, and take Nauzene pills. NO FUN HOPSY, NO FUN!!!!
Love this post and love that picture of you!
I love your list!!
This is a delightful list! Now I want to take a vacation to London!
The picture of you walking down the road is so pretty! I want to go to London so bad!!
Thank you very much for tell us your secret london shop list!!
PS: I love your picture, you look so pretty!
Love your list!
I think Brown's Hotel in Mayfair does a wonderful tea!
F&M is great fun - they have signature green/blue bag of Hundreds and Thousands that is a very pretty gift.
Have you been to Coast? I love all of their race day matchy-matchy outfits.
Great list!! I hope to use this list in the near future!!
Loved this post!! When I was visiting London in May we saw the production of Peter Pan performed in Kensington Gardens. It was amazing! A must see if you happen to be going back before the end of the summer!
excellent concise list! thank you!
Thanks Hopsy! Long time reader of your blog, 1st comment! I'm moving back to London for grad school this fall (after a long time away!) and this info is great! :)
I just love all these beautiful pictures and ideas! I must get to London asap. Thanks for sharing your list of top spots! Love that picture of you - you fit right in in Londontown.
What a fabulous list Miss Kappa Prep, many of them are also favorites for us, although French Sole is a new one that looks too wonderful.
If only we could be there in time to see the Last Debutantes, it has to be incredible!
Fun post!
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Hopsy...this is so helpful! Coincidently I just arrived in London today for my first trip here! I have already hit the Arcade and Fortnum and Mason, but I can't wait to tackle the rest of the list! Thanks so much!
Love love LOVE your list! I've started a "things I must do" list for our next trip -- we haven't been since our honeymoon over a year ago! I can't wait to go back! Oh, and if you ever do decide to write out ALL the places you visited on your trip I'd love to read that as well! You can never have too many London travel tips! :)
Très cute! I am moving to London soon and these recommendations are perfect. I would also add - stop for a drink at Claridge's! Their bar menu is fabulous and the last time I was there I saw Orlando Bloom :)
I would love to go to England and if I ever get there, I think I would follow your guide!
Thanks for sharing this. I'm going to print it off and save it for my next trip to the UK. I'd love it if you did the same for the wonderful places you went in India!
Love this photo of you. Just beautiful.
London is my favorite city in the world. LOVED this post. I'm a museum addict so I usually end up in the Wallace or the Courtauld within the first few hours after I arrive. Burlington Arcade always makes the list, I enjoy Queen Mary's Rose Garden in Regent's Park, but the place I must go is the Duke of York pub in St. John's Wood - it's out of the way of swarms of tourists and a great place to have a pint or a Pimm's.
That first picture of you looks like something in a magazine with you as a model. I LOVE it!
Fabulous post and I love that first picture of you. So modern day Mary Tyler Moore! Also, thought you may be interested in
http://www.amazon.com/Taschens-London-Christine-Samuelian/dp/3836511185/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1QXY9SV7NN6IM&colid=3TW0FWA03U62V
I want to go back! Your list is fabulous. Have you been to the Orangerie for capuccino and pasteries next to Kensington Palace? This was a fav of mine from our trip.
Love your post, such great recommendations. I love reading about what others do on their trips to far away lands, ha! And your first pic is SO cute. Perfect shot.
I love your London post. I studied abroad for a semester in London and loved it so much it's now my favorite city. I haven't been back in so long and now I think you've planted the bug.
I love your faves!!! Laduree is the best
Interesting!
JEALOUS!!! The only time I've been to London, I was with a hater who refused to go to Kensington Palace! ICK!!! Next time I'm there, I'm hitting that first - have always wanted to go! Looks like you had a lovely time!!!
I spend a year as student in London and I immediately fall in love with the place. Viewing these photos makes me want to visit London again.
Thanks,
Norman Chandeliers
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