Goodbye England Part 1: My Favo(u)rite Places

A view of part of the Victoria and Albert Museum from its inner courtyard

Well, the time has come, and suddenly I'm down to my last three days in London. As I'm reflecting on the past year, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite places I've discovered, what I'll miss, and what I've learned. (Hoping to do a post each morning for the next couple of mornings, but we shall see...)

It's difficult to narrow my favorite places down to just a few, but after much struggle, I've decided that these are the eleven places I'll miss the most in London (besides the school where I was teaching), roughly in descending order of preference. (There's a separate list of tea rooms below because if I included those here, they would dominate the list!)

1. The Victoria and Albert Museum: This place is without a doubt my number one favorite in England. I've spent hours and hours and hours there and never seem to tire of it. One day, I decided that I was going to look at all the displays in the European wings in detail, and I've been back on an almost biweekly basis since! I have learned SO much about British history here and made countless connections with the literature I teach and the customs and habits of the people I see around me here in London. I'll truly miss this place.
2. The Brompton Oratory: I have never had the privilege of hearing mass said in such an awesome (in the original sense of the word) cathedral. The moment I walk in, all my stress disappears, and I gaze in wonder toward the tabernacle. This is the first church I've found that still uses the 1962 missal regularly. Unfortunately, I never made it to one of those masses, but I did attend plenty of Latin masses and grew considerably more familiar with the format than I've ever been. What a beautiful way to worship.
3. Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park: Definitely my favorite place to walk in London. Strolls past Kensington Palace, along the Serpentine, and through the rose gardens always made my day. My long walk among the flowers on Easter Sunday will always be one of my most treasured memories of my year here.
4. Holy Trinity Church, Brook Green: This was my home church for the year (partly because I lived down the street from it), and I attended mass here more than anywhere else. It was also my go-to spot for confession, adoration, and general quiet contemplation with Christ. I loved the old stone building, the welcoming nature of the priests and sisters, the tight-knit community, and the music. It was a special part of my time here in London.
5. The British Museum: Another one of my favorite museums here. Even if I lived here another fifty years, I don't think I would ever tire of wandering its galleries. Every turn brought into sight another treasure, and the hours I spent there were some of the most thought-provoking I've had here.
6. Harrod's: Although my first time in this department store actually scared me so much I had to leave (because I accidentally brushed up against a dress worth 700 pounds and then had visions of somehow breaking something else that cost more than my monthly salary), Harrod's still makes the list. I've never gotten so lost in a department store before, and it's incredible to me that any store can look so much like a museum. Plus, my sister and I had ice cream in their ice cream parlor last week, and that was one of the cutest things I've done in awhile. Selfridge's was cool too because I love the show Mr Selfridge, but I think Harrod's wins out as a slightly more absurd (and therefore more fun) store.
7. Cath Kidston: My love for this store is infinite. So much vintage, so many florals. Oh, Cath Kidston, please open a branch in Boston!!
8. The National Gallery: I'm sure you're noticing my intense affection for the museums here. They're such a treasure trove of knowledge, and they're free! It was difficult to choose my favorite art museum (runners-up were the Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery), but the National Gallery wins just because of the breadth of its collection. I could go from admiring a Rembrandt to a Renoir or a Titian to a Turner in a matter of minutes.
9. The residential neighborhoods of Brook Green: These neighborhoods were my stomping ground this year, and I have many memories of pleasant after-dinner walks, meandering through the streets and admiring the fine Georgian townhouses. The neighborhoods are dotted with so many old school buildings too that the walks were always very fun for this school-obsessed girl ;)
10. The Globe Theatre: I've only seen a handful of plays at the Globe while here, but watching some of my favorites as Shakespeare intended them to be staged was such a privilege and a pleasure. 
11. Pret a Manger: A silly way to end the list, I know, but this chain of restaurants really stole my heart. Fresh, healthy, and affordable fast-food?? Yes, please. A few have opened in Boston, but I think it'll be awhile (if ever) before there are nearly as many open in the U.S. as there are here.

Tea Rooms

1. Betty Blythe: Around the corner from me and 1920s themed. I frequented this spot so regularly that the girls there knew I don't take milk in my tea! It was one of my favorite spots to read, mark students' papers, and take visiting friends.
2. Tea House Theatre: This tea room is rather hidden-away in Vauxhall, but it is worth the trek for anyone interested in a good cup of tea. The atmosphere is just lovely, with colorful bunting adorning the ceiling, an eclectic mix of antique furniture, a fireplace, books and board games for the patrons... Plus, they bake fresh cakes every day and leave them on the dining tables around the room. So before ordering, a leisurely walk through the room to gaze at the mouth-wateringly beautiful cakes is a must.
3. Clarinda's: Okay, so this one is in Edinburgh. But it had to make the list anyway because it is probably the cutest tea room I've ever seen, with antique china hanging on the walls, lace tablecloths, and classical music in the background. I posted about it in October/November when sharing my photos from Scotland.
4. The Rose: Also not in London, but at least it's in the right country this time! This gem of a place is in Oxford and was the first tea room I learned to love, a whole three years ago on my fist sojourn to England.
5. The V&A Cafe: The decor is gorgeous and kind of makes me feel that I've slipped back in time and am taking tea on a White-Star-Line-type ocean cruiser. I can't count the number of times I've had cream tea here after a long afternoon wandering the halls of the museum.
6. Cocomaya: Tucked away off Oxford Street and one of the widest assortments of tea treats I've ever seen. I spent a wonderfully lazy few hours here one afternoon, decompressing after the stresses of walking Oxford Street.
7. The Original Maids of Honour: A friend and I tried this place for the first time just a few weeks ago after visiting Kew Gardens. The 'maids of honour' tart is an old recipe harkening back to the days of King Henry VIII. There are several versions of the story, but they seem to be linked to Anne Boleyn, either while she was queen and eating the tarts with her maids of honor, or while she herself was a maid of honor to Queen Catherine of Aragon.
8. The Orangerie at Kensington Palace: Since this was the first place I ever had true afternoon tea with the tiered tea tray, I'll always consider it one of my favorites. It was a pretty cold day, but we sat outside, and the entire affair felt very dignified.
9. Primrose Bakery: Another out-of-the-way tea room. This one is a short walk from Regent's Park and boasts some of the most creative cupcakes you'll ever see. I had a salted caramel cupcake with tea and enjoyed the afternoon with my friend immensely.
10. Bea's of Bloomsbury: A short walk from the British Museum, this small tea room sells a marvelous innovation called a "duffin," a mix between a doughnut and a muffin. Terribly unhealthy, but so good.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I found a lot of these tea rooms from Lauren's blog Aspiring Kennedy, which you can find here. She blogs about her favorite places in London (as well as her travels elsewhere), and her 'To a Tea' series was an inspiration for many of my own tea adventures this year. 

If you happen to be planning a trip to London, let me know if any of the places above pique your interest! I'd love to hear from other people who love England as much as I do.