Join me for the Perfect Winter Day in London (& my birthday!)
9:00 AM Sipping tea from the kettle in the hotel room, watching a trashy but funny Made in Chelsea rerun as we get ready for the day.
9:30 AM Following Melanie‘s advice, we gingerly stroll to The Breakfast Club by London Bridge*
10:00 AM Bloody Mary’s arrive. Spicy with crunchy cucumbers, just the way I like it.
10:10 AM The Bloody’s are joined by a mountain of french toast draped in apples, cinnamon and syrup. (!)
10:30 AM I’m dubbed a member of the clean-plate club.
10:50 AM Pop over to the bustling Borough Market just around the corner.
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11:15 AM Despite the chilly temps, absolutely loving the vibe! Wonderful smells in the air, beautiful pottery and artisanal delights, this is my kind of place. (Also noticed that the signage and color palate looks verrrry similar to Whole Foods, hmm.)
11:30 AM Back on the street we wind our way, by foot and Tube, to Oxford Circus.
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Noon The last of the holiday decorations are still up, yay! The pace slows for window shopping and instagraming…
12:30 PM We hit The Photographers’ Gallery for a little photography inspiration and absolutely love the Edward Steichen exhibit featuring his shots for Vogue in the 1930’s.
1:15 PM Hungry again, this time, for Ramen. Followed the line to Shoryu Ramen off of Carnaby Street. Holy monkeys, their ‘Shoryu Ganso Tonkotsu’ bowl is a total win. Tasty broth, fresh noodles, a nearly-hard-boiled egg (you know, when it’s just a touch runny inside?), kicks of green onion and flavorful slices of pork – the whole combo is deliriously delicious.
2:00 PM Arrive at the ticket office for The Book of Mormon. Collect our tickets, a birthday gift from my sister, and meander to Leicester Square with 15 minutes of time to kill. (Thanks, Liz!)
2:10 PM Arrive at The Casino at the Empire and instantly – and amazingly – turn 5 pounds into 50 at the first slot machine we see, closest to the door. “I’m so good at the slots!” I proclaim as Dan roles his eyes.
2:20 PM Back to the theater for the show. We take our seats then spend the next 2 1/2 hours alternating between blushing and laughing our head’s off. Written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez, of South Park fame, it’s certainly the most crude but entertaining show I’ve ever seen.
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5:30 PM Show concludes, on cue a traditional London telephone booth appears, begging for a cliche tourist shot. Done.
6:00 PM Recounting the play, we find ourselves at Covent Garden, standing before a Chanel boutique. Oh wow, what a coincidence, I’ve got 50 pounds to burn!
6:30 PM Exit Chanel with my first full-priced purchase: Rouge Allure Velvet lipstick in La Fascinante #38. A bold red for a bold blogger (?). Feeling saucy.
7:00 PM The Shard beams from above. Dan surprises us with reservations to get drinks from the top.
8:00 PM Ascend 31 floors at lightening speed to the chic Aqua Shard bar.
8:30 PM Assigned velvety purple seats, I can’t wipe that #38 grin off my face. The views, the ambiance, the views, the wine, my hubby… oh the views!
9:30 PM Befriend the waiter (from Tenerife!) and proceed with a 2nd round of drinks.
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Midnight: My special day is over. Pack into the pumpkin patch, we descend and make our way back to the hotel.
I know one thing is for certain, if day 1 is any indicator, 29 is going to be a good one. Thanks for joining me, friends!
*Londoners, I know, the Breakfast Club exterior shot isn’t accurate for the location I visited in Borough Market. Ya caught me! 😉