This is London | Part Two

We contrasted our second day in London with the first by keeping our feet mostly up and seeing the city by way of a red double-decker bus. We saw lots of delights like the below garden accessible only to those living in the surrounding square - lovely!

After cruising around for much of the morning, our first main stop was Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard. While I do agree that it's a spectacle every visitor to London has to see at least once, once is all I needed (and Hank would certainly agree). 

While the Royal Guards looked great, your packed in tight for an hour long ceremony.

We ducked out of the ceremony a tad early and happened upon A Taste of London - a street fair serving up delectable treats. This find was pure luck, and we were happy.

We met a pair of locals serving none other than... Carolina barbecue! And would you believe it, that line was the most packed, with locals! They imported North Carolina sauces, and we were excited to chat barbecue with them - one chef having visited N.C. for inspiration.

We made an unplanned turn from the street fair and landed in front of Laduree. I first tasted these macarons in Paris, and they are amazing. Rose petal is my favorite flavor.

I blissfully ate my macaron as we walked to a spot I saw on Pinterest - Neal's Yard. It's a turn off a main shopping street splashed with every color you could dream of. 

After that side trip, we hopped back on the bus and cruised by {St. Paul's Cathedral}

{Tower Bridge}

Love this photo capturing the new city up against the old. {Tower of London}

We spent the afternoon at the fascinating Churchill War Rooms. We walked through the underground headquarters of the British government's fight against the Nazis in the darkest days of the Battle for Britain. The war rooms were neat and the museum top notch.

Loved this quote (so true!):

We started making our way back to Soho, capturing one of my favorite shots on the way. 

We made a stop at Picadilly Circus, and it was packed. We quickly learned it was the Star Trek Into Darkness London premiere. Here's our celebrity sighting, Chris Pine (loved him in the chick flick, This Means War). 

Once back at Hazlitt's, it was tea time in our room before heading to dinner.

That night we dined at St. John - a much anticipated restaurant for us as it has frequented the world's 50 best restaurants list. Like Hazlitt's, it's unassuming but what a gem. I had one of the best things I ever ate - roast bone marrow. It's fatty, buttery goodness that you put on toasted bread and top with parsley salad.

It's hard to find something "typical" at St. John. We also dined on salted pig's liver, veal and braised rabbit - all adventurous to me but all great. The above menu is now framed in our kitchen, and it's one of my favorite souvenirs from the trip. I fell more in love with this city each day.

{This is London | Part One: Hazlitt's; Tower of London; Westminster Abbey}

This is London | Part One

We arrived to a week of beautiful blue skies in one of the world's greatest cities to celebrate our second anniversary. We had an itinerary (that later blew into the Queen's fountain) that we based on travel shows, personal recommendations, some internet but mostly on our beloved, Rick Steves (who we previously met in Rome!). After minding the gap and a tube ride into the city, we walked to our hotel, Hazlitt's. 

Hazlitt's was unassuming, located in the heart of London's cosmopolitan Theatreland, Soho, and was surrounded by lovely restaurants and bars. There was a park down the street that quickly became our favorite for people watching. This hotel was away from the roar of traffic but within a very short walk to the most frequented sites. Hazlitt's was built in 1718, and Hank knew we had to stay there after he saw it on Anthony Bordain's show No Reservations. This hotel had an intimate charm that no large hotel can match. Furnished with antiques, no two rooms were the same, and well, that's just my style. The staff was legitimately great, and they sent us on our way to our first stop, Dog and Duck.

Dog and Duck was a nice pub right down the street. I started off with (surprise!) fish and chips, and Hank dined on beef pie. We both had local brews and said our first of many cheers! When people ask about my favorite part of London, I give a loaded answer, that it truly was the pulse of the place. I love that we walked right into a new to us city with no language barriers. I love how relaxed the locals were, they all said cheers!, the bars were packed with businessmen grabbing a drink during lunch, and everyone congregated outdoors at the end of the work day to share a pint and chat. 

After lunch, our lofty day one goals were to see historic Big Ben, bustling Trafalgar Square (pictured above), tour the Tower of London, home of the crown jewels, and walk the aisle of Westminster Abbey. You'll see the Tower of London below. We took their Beefeater Tour and learned this tower is where traitors, such as Anne Boleyn, were decapitated... Yikes! 

The view of Tower Bridge was gorgeous, the lawns inside were as nice as they could be, and I spotted this cutest home on the Tower Green with a Carolina blue door. Hello, charming.

(Royal Guard}

{Tower Bridge}

In regards to the crown jewels... just wow. We saw the Sovereigns's Scepter which is encrusted with the world's largest cut diamond at 530 carats. It. was. huge.  

We caught a boat at Tower Pier and cruised on the Thames River to Westminster Pier.

{See ya, Tower of London}

{Cruising by the London Eye}

{And... Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben!)}

This is our London in a Photo: Big Ben, Eye of London, Black Taxi. 

We have arrived... Westminster Abbey! 

The Abbey was built in 1065, and it was truly breathtaking. You can feel the rich history radiate from the walls around you. I couldn't believe I was standing in the most famous English church in Christendom, where royalty has been wedded, crowned and buried since the 11th century (!!!). 

Whew... I was mind blown. We took a rest on the lawns of the Abbey before heading back to our hotel to do as the locals do. We saw lots of pretty on our walk back "home."

And we certainly knew it was the end of the work day after a walk back past Dog and Duck.

Once back at Hazlitt's we soaked our feet and got ready for dinner. London is known for a lively, trendy and pleasantly surprising cuisine scene. Our Hazlitt's staff sent us back on our way to start the night at The Red Fort. Eating Indian food in London is "going local," and we had some good eats and wine at this Indian restaurant. Cheers to a fun first day!