My experience has been that the fall is the best time to travel. It’s less crowded. The heat of the summer has mostly simmered off, with days still warm. So I was excited when my friend invited me to go to London with her. It’s also where my godparents live so another reason. I was already headed to Munich later in October to visit a friend so I was happy to have a longer vacation.
I’ve been to London several times before, with family, with friends, by myself, and for business. I remember the first time I visited my godparents and being fascinated by their residence in Eaton Mews, their cat, and their art collection. Intrigued also by London’s famous black cabs. Less so, after my godfather warned my mom never to let us kids ride alone in them. Or herself, as a woman.
Other fond memories of visits to London include my godmother driving me and my sister to visit Stonehenge, seeing Phantom of the Opera in a small theatre (with the whole swinging chandelier and all), seeing The Mousetrap with my sister (we’re both Agatha Christie fans and astonishingly, this play has run continuously since its debut in 1952), tea at Harrod’s café, riding the double decker bus, the pigeons at Piccadilly Square…
The London Bridge and the outside of the Tower may have been the only tourist site we visited.
FishWorks
My godparents invited my friend and me to have lunch at FishWorks on Marylebone High Street and then back to their apartment.
It was a busy day in a busy part of the city. We sat by the window where the light flooded through. Lunch was delicious. Their menu and daily specials are extensive, so much to choose from. Everyone’s meals looked great and we finished with dessert. I had a sorbet.
Walking out after lunch, I realized that FishWorks has a traditional wet fish counter and a place to buy quality and fresh seafood. The fishmonger was busy at work.
Victoria & Albert Museum
We visited the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk from where we were staying at The Cranley Hotel. It was a short visit, just stopping by because it was on the way. I actually didn’t realize it was the V&A and was intrigued by the architecture. I also stopped because I saw a Great Dane walking briskly by and I took a photo.
This is the first location of the V&A collections and was established in 1852, formally known as Museum of Manufactures, South Kensington Museum. Here’s 100 facts about the V&A, from the V&A. Over the years, because of all the amazing exhibitions held there, I have wanted to visit so here I was.
In the main entrance, from the rotunda hangs a blown glass chandelier designed by Dale Chihuly. The V&A (Rotunda) Chandelier. Originally named Ice Blue and Spring Green Chandelier, it was installed in 1999 and enlarged in 2001. It measures 27 × 12 × 12 feet. A similar/duplicate one hangs in Scotts Square in Singapore. I’m not a fan of all of the American sculptor’s work though this one, with its tendrils and amorphous shape, really drew me in.
Another chandelier installation is 28.280 by Canada-based Omer Arbel. This custom-made installation hangs almost 100 feet from the atrium and is part of the 11th annual London Design Festival this year. All of the 280 pendant lamps were handmade at the Bocci glass factory using a special technique developed by the designer. The intermittent heating and rapid cooling yields different spherical shapes with various inner ones, one of which is opaque. It’s mesmerizing to look at.
On our brief visit to V&A, we also saw the Crucified Christ, a late 13-century elephant ivory carving by Italian Gothic sculptor, Giovanni Pisano (c. 1240 – c.1320). It was acquired by the museum from a 19th century collector, John Webb, for £15. Due to its small size at 15.5 cm, this carving was likely part of an altar in a small or private chapel, according to the V&A information. This was a beautiful piece of work and I spent some time with it.
The Cranley in Kensington
We stayed at The Cranley Hotel, a boutique hotel located on 10 Bina Gardens in Kensington and Chelsea. It’s a townhouse built in 1869 on a tree-lined tree in a residential area. It was a convenient location and also close to where my friend’s son lived. We easily walked to a train station – Gloucester Road, South Kensington, and West Bromptom are all closeby. We also found a tapas place nearby.
