Pretending to be Lady Mary Crawley... Tea at the Ritz!

| Puttin' on (Tea at) the Ritz! |

2015 England Trip Travel Journal Entry

Tuesday, March 10

Logistics: 

1. The Tube from Stockwell Station to Green Park Station on the Victoria Line
2. The Tube home from Green Park Station to Brixton Station on the Victoria Line

(9:32 AM) I just saw the most adorable thing on the BBC news: after reporting a story about a four-year-old girl being told off by a policeman for riding her bike on a certain path, the two anchors behind the desk (who usually don't make any comments on stories) were practically shaking their heads and seemed to be in disbelief that this would happen. Yep, we're definitely in England. :)

The Palm Court at the Ritz.

(4:57 PM) We are definitely walking in the world of the most elegantly fashionable here in Picadilly. I feel as if I can fit in, yet at the same time I feel like a total imposter, and I am terrified of committing some unforgivable social blunder. :) It was rather overwhelming when we first sat down at our table in the Palm Court of the Ritz. I was trying to act and think the way Lady Mary Crawley would, which helped slightly, but mostly made me feel how different my world is from hers... At least it made it much more fun!

The waiters pull your chairs out for you, pour and refill your tea cup for you and are always vigilantly, yet discreetly, checking on you to make sure you want for nothing. I feel like Lady Mary would basically ignore them when they're refilling her cup, but Mom and I always went silent until they finished. :) The entire experience is a literal feast for the senses, especially the eyes and the taste buds. The room is is a light, airy Edwardian display of white, gold and pink opulence, with a large opaque glass ceiling and mirrors nearly covering three sides of the room.

So much opulence! It's like being on a Downton Abbey set. :)

We had a very obliging waiter, who took our photo several times to make sure it looked right.

The lovely china.

The centerpiece is an eight-foot tall flower arrangement with dozens of roses. The tables have cream colored cloths and napkins, and the chairs are the color of clotted cream. The tea things are all silver, along with the utensils, and the tea cups and plates have a simple blue flower pattern scattered all over.

The waiters were all very courteous, being very obliging in taking peoples' pictures. The live pianist was a feast for the ear, and we were particularly delighted when we heard two of our favorites: 'La Vie en Rose' and 'Unforgettable.' The whole experience couldn't be be more conducive to spoiling spoiling a person. :) It was another moment where I felt I had been dropped into a fictional and historical world - the world of the debutante.

The never-ending dessert and sandwiches.

Pretending to be the Crawley family. ;)

Shopping in Fortnum and Mason and Hatchard's felt the same to me. Fortnum and Mason still looks just like I think Selfridge's did when it first opened in 1909. It seems to sell only the finest. We wandered around accessories where we saw the smartest looking hats. What I wanted most was a pair of the softest, reddest leather gloves. Alas, they cost 80 pounds! They reminded me of the gloves Harry Selfridge bought for Agnes in the very first episode of 'Mr. Selfridge.' :)

The sparkling Fortnum and Mason department store, established in 1707.

We now smell of a most sparkling, refreshing perfume that we were allowed to sample as we left accessories. I keep thinking, "Where is that fancy smell coming from? Oh yeah, it's us!" :) The tea china and silver section is really stunning, as well as the ground floor where the tea and chocolates are. I almost gave up on getting any, but we found the very tea blend I had ordered at the Ritz! So we decided I had to get it. :) It is called Russian Caravan, a blend of Lapsang Souchong and Darjeeling. I felt so smart with my little sea-green Fortum and Mason bag on my arm as we walked around Picadilly. :)

The most elegant department store I have ever seen.

One of the lovely tea displays in Fortnum and Mason.

We walked through the Burlington Arcade. There was a sort of guard wearing a short cape and a hat, looking as if he'd stepped out of a Poirot episode. There were several stores with dazzling jewelry, and some with vintage styles, including watches and pens. As we turned right and down the street we passed Ede and Ravenscroft - my graduation gown tailors! Then we turned right again down Sackville Street and stumbled upon a little antique market in St. James Church yard. We just happened to be here on a Tuesday, the only day the market is there. I almost got a little Wedgewood box, but it wasn't a thing I especially wanted, so I decided to save our money. :)

The posh Burlington Arcade.

The jaw-dropping London section in Hatchard's. Can I have them all?

I'm glad I did, because the book we chose at Hatchard's was eleven pounds. We looked for what seemed like an hour, trying not to spend too much money. :) But it was so fun! They are officially appointed by HRH as booksellers, and have the best British and London history sections I've ever seen! One book I thought of getting was Scone With the Wind by Miss Victoria Sponge, a collection of literary inspired recipes. There were things like "Woopie Pies and Prejudice" and "Mansfield Tart" - it looked hilarious! But a more useful, and even more fitting book for the purpose of this trip was what we at last took out in that little green bag: Walking Literary London. :) And now we're resting our feet in a Caffé Nero across the street.

(10:35 PM) We're making an "early" night of it, which means that when we got to the southbound Victoria platform at the Green Park Station to go back home we were in the middle of rush-hour commuting... We let two trains go past before finally getting on because they were literally packed. But at least the bathrooms weren't - which I mention because Mom and I did something rather ingenious - though now I think of it, probably not that original. We both managed to squeeze through the turnstile where you had to pay to get into the ladies' room, for we consider it rather an injustice to charge people for such a thing.

After the crush to get out of Brixton Station (which reportedly lasts from 7-9 AM and 5:30-7:30 PM), we walked straight to the little flower stand just outside so I could at last get some daffodils and tulips. :) They only cost 3.50 in all! And they look quite cheerful on the sitting room table. They are my graduation flowers - the graduation that is at last tomorrow...

Oh, I must record our delicious dinner of sausage, grilled peppers and onions and mashed potatoes. :)




© 2015 Anna Morton