FEELING FESTIVE...

Or maybe not yet? I'm here to help! 

To help get you into the mood, I've put together some of my favourite spots for a fun day out in London, starting with a rare good old fashioned English breakfast in the East End, and ending up in bougier parts of West London. 

Hope this inspires and lifts your spirits! And to our cousins heading over from across the pond in the States, I hope this helps you configure a fun Christmas getaway.

Big hugs, and wishing you all a wonderful start to the Christmas and broader festive season! 🎄

Andrea xx 
🤶

P.S., full disclosure - no one asked me to give any of these places a shout-out or rewarding me for it (sadly! 😭) 

CHRISTMAS-IN-LONDON DAY OUT!

Stop 1: Riccardo's

Our journey starts in the East-Central London, at Riccardo's - a good 'ol fashioned car on Paul's Street, right in the heart of the City. Nestled between Shoreditch, Spitalfields, and the London wall, on a weekday you'll encounter a more professional crowd, and on weekends, the locals. 

It's independently owned, and managed by a septuagenerian ex-squaddie, Mike, who took it over after retiring from the army and turned it around. "I just cleaned it up!" The service is impeccable, the food's basic and great (portions are generous) and the staff are lovely. 

Cost: £8-£10 

Stop 2 - The Tate Modern

From Riccardo's, take a walk over to the Tate Modern, through the Barbican, by St. Paul's Cathedral and across the Millennium Bridge. The Tate has countless free exhibits, and if you're happy to pay for one, I'd recommend the exhibit on Nigerian Modernism.

(There's a really cool Turner/Constable exhibition at the Tate Britain but that's in a different part of town.)

Cost: £0-£18

Stop 3: Take a historical walk and go Christmas window shopping

Once you've had your fill of The Tate, choose between two options for a walk West: amble along the River, or  zig-zag through Inner/Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn, north of the river. The Inns of Court are cities onto themselves (with a right to their own police force, as I understand!) and have beautiful estates and gardens. Visit Temple Church (of Knights of the Templar (or Dan Brown!) fame);  grab a coffee at Pegasus Bar or The Garden Room on Middle Temple Lane and walk through Temple Gardens.

After taking in some of that history, head West to the Burlington Arcade - because there's no better place to feel festive during Christmas. Everything there is fairly spenny, so I'd recommend keeping your wallet out of reach!

Cost: £0-££££££

Stop 4: Afternoon Tea at Claridge's

By about 3 or 4 o'clock, you'll be famished. So to continue stocking that Christmas feeling, I recommend Afternoon Tea, at Claridge's. A friend who was visiting over from the States treated me to this last week and it really got me into the Christmas spirit. I LOVED their Christmas cake - it's well worth having; the desserts kept me going for days, and the food and service was impeccable.

Cost: £95-£110 (with Champagne)

...And then? The possibilities are endless! I'd probably head up to Marylebone high street (bisecting but avoiding Oxford St), or you can further West into Knightsbridge. Wherever you go, just end your day at a cosy little pub!

And if you're wondering what to wear to take you through such a busy and varied day? Well here's some inspiration from Keeya-Lee, over in the States. Keeya sent over this cute photo with my favourite trousers from our new range - the Empress Palazzo (genuinely a styling sensation, but then again... I'm biased!!).

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas! 

🎄💕