Keep Calm and Go To...

ENGLAND! 

Yep, I'm off today with 5 members of our book club to visit our fellow book club member, Diane, who lives in Nottingham.

Diane and her husband have a home here in Nashville (otherwise how could she be in our book club?). Her daughter and family lives here. She's in town about 3 months out of the year. She has hosted many times---and prepares high tea for me every time. I say me, because I am the most passionate about tea and she knows that! She's even brought me homemade scones, raspberry jam, black currant jam and clotted cream!

Anyway, I joked with her one time that we needed to have book club at her house in England. She said, "Come on!" Or maybe she said something decidedly more British. I don't really remember. I put it out to the bookclub and we got it together!

I've been planning the itinerary for months, tweaking it here and there. Two of the girls have never been, so I was trying to make sure they see the most important things. We'll be in London for 3 1/2 days. We arrive Saturday, but it will be afternoon before we're ready to start. Westminster Abbey---which I think is a definite "must see" won't be open long enough for us to get their Saturday and it's closed to tourists on Sundays. Unfortunately, there's no other time we can work it in. Selfishly, I've put some things on the list that I want to do. Of course, I told everyone that this is just a guide---they can each do whatever they want. Besides that, it will be pretty hard to keep 6 people together.

Here's our "Tea and Tales" itinerary! It was my travel agent friend, Mary, who thought up that title. Appropriate for sure! Everything in italics is for me to do/remember.

Tea and Tales

England Trip

September 7-15, 2018

Saturday, 9/8

Private transfer—Grange City Hotel St. Pauls

*Ask concierge: best way to get to Tower; Dickens Museum

St. Paul’s—Walk up to the whispering gallery

Tower of London—arrive around 2:30 for those going here--open until 5:30.

The Dickens Museum—48 Doughty St.—Last entry 4 p.m. 

London Silver Vault—Chancery Lane

Oxford Street & Selfridges—Open until 6 p.m. Kitchenaid store on Wigmore St. around the corner (I’ve also added this on Tuesday since there may not be time today)

Paternoster Chop House—Dinner—Warwick Court near St. Paul’s

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Sunday, 9/9

*Ask Concierge—1. How to get to Paddington Station to go to Windsor? 2. Which train to get there by 10 a.m; 3. Which train to Hampton Ct. to arrive by 9:45.

Hop on Hop off bus tour—Golden Tour—9 a.m.—catch bus at stop #24—red line.

Buckingham Palace—changing of the guard at 11 a.m. (bus stop #2)

Harrods—opens 11:30 (bus stop #14)

Bar 190—The Gore Hotel—190 Queen’s Gate—Kensington; drinks/lunch.

Fortnum & Mason—181 Picadilly—opens at noon—tea.

Kensington Palace—opens 10 a.m. (bus stop #11)

Dinner—The Lyric Soho—37 Great Windmill St.—6:00 dinner reservations; traditional British food

Theater performance— Thriller at The Lyric Theater 7:30 pm (pick up tickets with voucher at 7 p.m.

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Monday, 9/10

• To travel free to Windsor—Get to Paddington Station—go to the manned wide aisle gate and show London Pass—do not use Oyster Card—take train to Slough and transfer to train to Windsor

Browse the town of Windsor first and have lunch before tours.

Windsor Castle and St. George’s Chapel—9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Dinner at the Dickens Inn—Marble Quay; St Katharine's Way—The Dickens Inn is an original warehouse building near Tower Bridge, Tower of London—5:00

Jack the Ripper—Discovery Tours 7 p.m.—arrive at Aldgate East Station by 6:50. 020-8530-8443—10 lbs.

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Tuesday, 9/11

Hampton Court—Get 8:30 train to arrive by 9:45.

Lunch—tea or other food at the Fountain Court Cafe or The Mute Swan—across from the palace gates.

Take the train to Charing Cross—Covent Gardens—open until 7 p.m.
Big Ben; London Eye

Twinings—216 the Strand—closes 5:30.

Dinner—Covent Gardens Market—Prima Sapori Italia 1-13 Jubilee Market Hall—Tavistock St(a block away)

Selfridges—open until 9 p.m.

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Wednesday, 9/12

Head to Nottingham—9 a.m. private transfer to train station—first class train tickets—arrive 12:15—private transfer to Hart’s Hotel

Meet Diane for lunch

Walking tour of Nottingham

Dinner TBD by Diane.

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Thursday, 9/13

10 a.m.-5 p.m.—Private driver to Derbyshire with our private guide, Diane. 

Chatsworth House. 

Drop off at Diane’s for book discussion--The Forgotten Seamstress.

Dinner TBD by Diane.

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Friday, 9/14

Private driver to Southwell.

Tour the Minster; Workhouse; lunch at Reg Taylor’s

Farewell Dinner Mr. Manns—see Wollaton Hall next door

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Saturday, 9/15

6:00 a.m. Private transfer to Manchester Airport—fly to London and then home.

As you can see, we are making the most of our time. 

I'm tired already!!!

I won't be blogging from England as there just isn't any time! However, I did get a couple posts done for next week. 

Don't do anything too fun while I'm gone!!