Solo in Soho

Over the years I have become accustomed to staying outside of central London when I visit. Based usually in Esher, Surrey, I catch the train into Waterloo and enjoy myself wandering around the shops, galleries and museums but this visit, something new was in store. Flying from Dubai into London Stanstead airport and with three days spare before my next destination, I decided I would stay somewhere new, Soho!

At Hazlitt's Hotel near Soho Square, I was delighted upon my arrival, to be shown around the hotel's glamorous but homely library and lounge which was available for my use. A delightful bar of bottled wines and snacks were available via the 'honesty system' for residents use. Lovely.  My room named the John Raphael Smith, is a small double room. The rooms are not numbered, that would be too impersonal, but named after past residents and rascals. My room features a large, ornately carved Jacobean inspired bed-head, the thickest duvet I have ever used and the most comfortable feather pillows. The bathroom features a Thomas Crapper (rejuvenated original I should think) and the most ornate silver bathroom sink stand I've ever seen in a hotel room. The room is comfortable, delightful and I awake feeling like I am existing in the 18th century.

I should admit to not really being solo in Soho. I am fortunate to be spending time with a friend AW and so together we are exploring this wonderful city. 40 years of friendship was being celebrated as we walked the streets of London. It was a cold and breezy afternoon so we grabbed a taxi and headed to that icon London building, the Gherkin. It was on AW's bucket list and she had made a reservation for cocktail hour at The Iris - the new bar located at the very apex of the building. Through a security regimen more intense than entering the country (!) we took the lift to the 44th floor to then change lifts to travel to the 49th floor and the Iris Bar. The view from The Iris is quite simply breathtaking. We looked across the city as the sun set and the lights came on like a myriad of tiny stars. Tower Bridge and the Tower of London could easily be seen as darkness fell. The Thames stretched out into the distance. We toasted the view with extraordinary cocktails and Mumm Champagne.

I have one tattoo and it is of the London city skyline. Tower Bridge, Big Ben, the Gherkin and the London Eye feature. I had visited all before except the Gherkin, so this was for me also a bucket list moment. Of course I had to take a picture of my tattoo Gherkin inside the 'real' Gherkin! 

In 1983 AW and I stood for hours in the Bendigo Mall to see Lady Diana and Prince Charles on their first tour of Australia. For both of us it is a special memory so together we paid our respects to Diana and visited Kensington Palace. On exhibition there are a number of her gowns. Featured items include the tweed suit she wore when the Royal Engagement was announced, the blue velvet  evening gown she wore dancing with John Travolta and the beaded Versace gown featured in her last photo shoot with Mario Testino for Vogue.

An added delight was an exhibition of the costumes used in the film The Favourite. Resplendent costumes of the 18th century but with a modern twist and monochrome palette, they were displayed along the length of Kensington Palace's long gallery. It became so easy to imagine the clothes being worn,moving and existing in the space that the people lived. Queen Anne the centre character in the film is a tragic story in many ways, 17 dead children, ill health and as the film suggests, swayed by partisan and manipulative courtesans and potentially scandalous relationships. Sarah Churchill and Lord Marlborough feature and  of course are themselves well known as the recipients from a grateful nation with the gift of Blenheim Palace which to this day is still in private ownership. 

As we walked from Lancaster Gate tube station through the gardens to the Palace, we relished the clear blue sky and fine day. Large white swans glided past us on the lake and we were amused by the fattest pigeons we have ever seen, plump and sombre from all the feeding by the tourists that are forever near by. Our return however was different. The clouds had descended and the temperature started to decline. Coming up at Tottenham Court Road station, the rain began and it was like small droplets of ice hitting you. By the time I had returned to Hazlitts, my leggings were very damp and I had begun to feel like my fingertips were frost bitten! Thank god the rest of me was warm and dry from my heavy warm and waterproof Barbour coat. I warmed myself up as quickly as I could - the hairdryer dried off my legs and damp tendrils of hair and a cup of tea warmed me up from the inside out.