A day of shopping, culture and cuisine in London...
A great start to a day in London is with an amazing Pimm's cup full of fruit and herbs. I met my friend Max here at The Orange for a quick brunch before a long day of shopping ahead!
Pimlico Road is one of the best locations to shop for antiques and interior design sources.
These wonderful topiaries looked great with the green scalloped awning.
Soane is one of the most amazing British antique and reproduction stores in London. The company started as a bespoke collection fulfilling the desires of designers in search of something special for a home. Soane now produces more than 250 pieces including copies of 18th, 19th, 20th century originals as well as new designs.
This fabulous spinning vanity chair rolls so you can multi-task and spin some fun into your day!
We browsed Soane's collection of eccentric and bold antiques.
Max and I are reviewing the custom lampshade selection that would make any lamp extra special with detailed trimmed shades in many shapes and sizes.
The Organic Food Market was a must-see destination to view the fabulous and unique displays of vegetables, eggs, and cheeses. The market's magnificent design boasts marble floors with all marble encased freezers, and refrigerators with little chalk board plaques at each location. The organic food selection was unbelievable.
Jams and Preserves
Must stop and taste test the cheese selection.
Known for their exhibit of the Michael Smith famous giraffe, Jamb carries not only the world's best mantles and exquisite antiques, but also Michael Smith's luxurious Jasper fabric collection.
Max testing out the durability and comfort of this small settee for a client.
John King Antiques
Rose Uniacke has a select collection of antique and 20th century furniture, mirrors and lighting.
Later in the day, we decided to make a cultural stop at the Leighton House Museum, the house and studio once owned by Victorian artist Lord Leighton. Originally constructed in 1864, the house was expanded over decades to become a "private palace of art".
His home was filled with beautiful Portuguese tiles and exotic birds and rugs.
This chamber room had extremely high ceilings and walls covered in Portuguese tiles.
After Leighton House, we walked to Holland Park to view the arrival Spring!
Many of the houses in Holland Park are very large and exquisitely built. This is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in London to call home.
If only New York would have these at the end of every few blocks for all the dog walkers!
Beautiful fountain in the park.
It's Tea Time!
As many of you know, the English enjoy tea time every day around 4 pm. So, of course, we took a break and stopped in at The Orangery restaurant to experience their world famous tea service. We savored our tea and cake in The Orangery's luxurious setting in the gardens of Kensington Palace.
The orange trees on each table made a great statement.
The view inside The Orangery.
Later in the evening, we arrived for our dinner reservation at Bob Bob Ricard, one of London's most chic restaurants known for its classic English and Russian dishes. The restaurant's monogram was an important element of the decor - displayed on everything from placemats to bread plates. The atmosphere reminded me a lot of David Hicks with all of the wild patterns and prints.
A toast to a successful day!
A reading light at each table so that you can see your menu clearly.
The chic pink bordered placemats with modern monogram in the center along with the coordinating monogrammed bread plates.
To top it off...my mash pie was monogrammed too!!
