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Flowers, flowers everywhere - May in London
Got back late Wednesday night from a jam packed trip - two nights at Sissinghurst, three nights in Chelsea, and a night at LHR.
First a bit of background/whys and the basic highlights with more details to come: Made most of the plans/bookings in Jan/early Feb. This would have to be a short trip squeezed in between a family wedding and week at Tahoe. Thought about a couple of days in Paris or maybe Liverpool. But in the end the timing worked for the Chelsea Flower Show. I hadn't been for several years and belonging to the RHS, could attend on one of the 'less crowded' - yeah right(!) - member days.I have a major bucket list and a mini bucket list. - one of the things on my ‘mini’ list is to stay at the Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse B&B. Not just stay there but stay in a specific room — one of the rooms has a diamond shaped window (sort of like a porthole) looking straight out to the Sissinghurst tower and garden. While I was mulling over where to split with my London visit - I was reading an article about Sissinghurst - hmmm - just a thought and went to the B&B website and the couple of days I was considering was completely booked up . . . except for the ‘porthole’ room!! So that was decided. First two nights at Sissinghurst. Then I looked at airfares . . . OMG -- business class SMF > LHR was running nearly 8000 USofA dollars. And that was for nasty schedules with 0-dark thirty departures and two connections in the States. For the best options like SMF>LAX or DFW>LHR with a reasonable time on the ground/total transit time it was approaching 5 figures. WHO pays these fares anyway???? Business over and Economy home was still over $6000. So I again turned to AAVacations to see what sort of deals were out there. Home run! Could book Business Class: 1PM SMF > SEA on Alaska connecting to a 6:45 PM AA flight to LHR arriving around noon, plus 3 nights at a wide range of London hotels, then LHR > DFW > SMF w/ good timings - the total cost would depend on the chosen hotel. I picked San Dominico House in Chelsea since it looked quite nice and is walking distance to both Chelsea Hospital and to Sloane Square . . . and the total for everything was $3,680.05 . . . Yes, more than $4000 less than just the airfare alone! (I asked the manager what my room would have cost during the run of the Flower show if I had booked w/o the AA package -- they were 100% booked up but IF my room was available now it would be £520 ($645) per night - so that comes to nearly $2000 for the room alone). Booked it! Booked the last night at a LHR Holiday Inn Express free on points. Then I looked at events/exhibitions/plays during my visit -- the David Hockney immersive at the Coal Yards was a must. The Wallace Collection was running Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney, which sounded fun. Tate Modern has Hilma af Klint & Piet Mondrian - Forms of Life. For theatre I booked Sheridan Smith in Shirley Valentine which had received rave reviews, and Jersey Boys which somehow I've managed to miss over the years. And finally my one 'posh' meal -- Sunday lunch at Elystan Street which is also walking distance from the hotel. Basic framework set, I filled in the details over then next couple of months . . . a GTG with kmowatt, train tix London to Tunbridge Wells/return, other exhibitions, etc. This TR will have lots (too many probably) of flower pix for sure - between Sissinghurst, Chelsea in Bloom, and the flower show. Need to start sorting through them this evening. Hope to get to the actual report in the next day or two . . . |
Can’t wait to see!
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I am excited to hear all about Sissinghurst and I love that you had a specific room at the B&B you were stalking.
also have caught lots of great photos on Insta for the Chelsea Flower Show. Can’t wait to see yours! |
^^^”I have a major bucket list and a mini bucket list.”
This is a wonderful concept and I plan to refine my own list ~ Flowers are not a major draw for me, but I do love the logic and logistics of your travels; will be reading with great interest! |
Looking forward to a good read and lovely visuals.
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Me too looking forward to your TR JJ. Just read that Monty Don has been involved in a controversy at the Chelsea show.
yours in blossom I am done. the Tibetan elm |
Read all the Nicolson diaries years (decades?) ago and have such great memories of their life at Sissinghurst. Sounds like a great trip. Had to Google your airport-Sacramento! I’m at SBA (also hard to get to places).
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Wed/Thurs West coast USA to Sissinghurst:
I knew it was too good to be true :( The original schedule had about 3.5 hours on the ground in Seattle and noon arrival at LHR. The plan was to freshen up/shower and have lunch in the LHR AA Arrivals Lounge, take the tube to Charing Cross and train to Tunbridge Wells or other nearby village and taxi to Sissinghurst - getting there around 4PM-ish. Easy peasy. Then about 3 weeks after I booked the flights I received the dreaded "There has been a change in your trip" e-mail. Now instead of 3+ hrs at SEA, the AA flight was now departing at 10:35PM -- meaning not only having to kill more than 7 hours at SeaTac, I wouldn't arrive at LHR until around 4PM. Which made the travel day a lot looooooonger and the trek to Sissinghurst a lot later. I contacted the B&B to ask if there was a taxi company or transfer service they could recommend to drive from LHR to Sissinghurst. She said yes -- the charge would be £125 cash which I thought was actually pretty reasonable since its about 75 miles. Later I contacted her to get the driver's e-mail/phone number so I could contact him directly if there were any glitches . . . "Not to worry, its my husband, you can go through me." ;) The AS flight was fine -- some people complain about Alaska but I've always had really good experience with them. I'm a pretty lowly Platinum w/ AA, yet when flying a code share or on an AA PNR, AS cabin crew always addresses me by name (which AA doesn't always do) and even when in coach gives me extra snacks. The flight was about 50 miles too short to get an actual meal but that was OK since I'd had a hummus/charcuterie plate at SMF and now had HOURS on the ground in SEA to eat and drink myself silly. I had left things too late to order ££ from my bank and only had about £20 left over from my last trip so, aware it would be at a premium, decided to but some ££ at SEA. Should have just waited to use the ATM at LHR - When we tell Fodorites that buying foreign currency is expensive we mean it - the £ was about $1.24 the day I flew,- and the Bureau de Change charged $1.55! AA doesn't have a lounge at SEA so I used the N gates Alaska Lounge which was very nice. Not a lot of real food but great views, friendly staff and craft beers. Knew even though we weren't departing til really late there would still be a full dinner service on board I limited myself to snacks and a couple of really good stouts. The over night flight was really smooth and I slept maybe 4.5-5 hours. Dinner was a harissa Prawn appetizer, salad, and Honey/soy glazed salmon followed by a cheese plate. The pre-arrival 'snack' was a mini chicken, leek and mushroom pie. Let's just say the salmon was better than the pie ;) Arrived at T-3 a few minutes early, and with no checked bags and the quick e-gates I was out through the customs door facing the gauntlet of drivers with signs in just a few minutes. Fastest I've ever cleared arrival at LHR. Walked up and down the line of drivers with no luck. Phoned the B&B and she said he should have been there by now -- that I should call him . . . Uh - you didn't give me is number. 'Oops - sorry. I'll just ring him - he'll be there in about 5 mins" Told them I'd be over in front of WH Smith away from the throngs. Come to find out, she had originally sent him to T-2 and he had to leave that car park and drive around to the T-3 short term lot.. If I had been able to call him myself I could have told him to just stay where he was because its a reasonable walk from T3 to T2. But never mind -- there he was and we jumped in the car and wizzed out of LHR and on to the parking lot that is the M25 :) He is a newly retired vicar and still an advisor to the Rochester Diocese. Really interesting guy and we talked about everything - which is a good thing because much of the drive was standing still -- no real issues on our side of the motorway but a series of major and minor wrecks on the other side cause rubber neck slow downs on our side. Two and a half hours later we walked in the door of the really lovely Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse B&B. Anna and Richard are relatively new having taken over the leasehold from the National Trust in 2019. What a joy -- the property is drop dead gorgeous, the breakfasts are terrific, the staff are great - more on that later. I unpacked and went out on the terrace with a glass of sherry while Anna made up a version of a ploughman's for my supper. . . . Day one had been looooooong but now I'm here and it was all worth it. Next: Friday - Sissinghurst Gardens, perilous trek through the woods, nice pub dinner. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...17a9402a59.jpg My bird from the Alaska Lounge https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...81c81d9b96.jpg Harissa Prawns / salad https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...626413267e.jpg Salmon main course https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...01c1ebc05b.jpg Sissinghurst farmhouse B&B https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8159cddbe0.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ec769d6e95.jpg Residents lounge https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9188ea6b19.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...5f6e80c38b.jpg My room https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...168d0a0119.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a4d40431e.jpg Sissinghurst Tower from my diamond window https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...86018a048a.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a53cfe6742.jpg Breakfast room https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...da5d61dc32.jpg Wisteria everywhere |
Thanks everyone - it may take me a few days to get my photos sorted and get this thing finished.
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God…the airlines. It’s always something with a schedule change. The B&B looks really nice and I love wisteria!!!
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What a lovely B&B.
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Friday May 19 - Sissinghurst Gardens, perilous trek through the woods, nice pub dinner.
Slept like a baby --wonderfully comfortable bed. Breakfasts here are wonderful. Choices from a FULL English (everything including the baked beans and black pudding), cold cereals, pastries, yoghurts, avocado toast, various types of Benedicts, etc. This morning I had the full English with poached eggs and everything was superb. Had planned on eating lunch at the Granary in the Gardens but between that breakfast and a 6PM dinner reservation no mid-day noshing was required. Wandered over to the Garden - literally a 2 minute walk a little before the 11AM opening time and had a cup of tea and explored the gift shop. I was disappointed they didn't have any gardening gloves that fit (but heck, I'm going to Chelsea which will have Basically I spent most the rest of the day wandering through the gardens - plus took a walk out through the meadows. and took a short break back at the B&B to shed a sweater and put on a lighter blouse. It has been a weird spring (isn't that so every year?? ) so it was sort of between seasons - no spring bulbs except for some tulips, the roses not yet in bloom . . . but the white garden was glorious, wisteria in full bloom. This is my third visit over about 25 years - all in either May or June and every time what's in bloom has been different. Watched volunteers and staff trimming hedges and planting annuals, chatted with lots of interesting people. Felt so sorry for one group of Americans on a garden tour - I asked where they were going after Sissinghurst and it turns out they would only have one hour for Sissinghurst before moving on to Scotney Castle :( Ask me why I Wandered back 'home' about 4:30. Needed to book a cab for Tunbridge Wells to catch a train Saturday morning. Already knew Richard couldn't drive me over because he had a morning tee time in the opposite direction. The info book in my room had a list of 4 taxi companies, but for some reason my phone wasn't letting me make an outgoing call (got that straightened out later). Went downstairs and one of the staff got her phone and we tried all 4 cab companies. 1st one fully booked, 2nd one didn't answer, 3rd one couldn't take me until after 2 PM, and 4th one - "Tunbridge Wells is out of our area". OMG -- here I am 15 miles from Tunbridge Wells and no way to get there - damn! Anna and her other two staffers all put their heads together to come up with a solution - none of them could do it because there was a complete turnover on Sat - all eight rooms checking out and the entire place filling up Saturday afternoon with one party who were also having a private dinner that night. I could catch any train so timing wasn't urgent but I did have to get to London by 1:30 or 2PM at the very latest because had a GTG arranged for 3PM. We finally settled on a plan than Anna would take me the 5-ish miles to Staplehurst and I'd catch a train there, changing at Tonbridge (not to be confused with Tunbridge Wells) which would hook me up with the original train from Tunbridge Wells. (On Saturday things were a lot more dramatic -t but we didn't have any idea about that on Friday afternoon! ) Phew -- that settled . . . I had booked dinner at the Milk House pub which is a little over a mile from the B&B. They said its about a 20 minute walk whether I take the road all the way take the foot path cut off through the bluebell woods - "We haven't had any rain, the path will be dry. Just keep heading towards he church steeple." - so I set out about 5:20 thinking I'd have a drink in the beer garden before my 6PM dinner. Well - I managed to turn a 20 minute stroll into a 42 minute ordeal. Now this may sound posh but isn't really -- I was wearing Prada shoes. They are actually really comfy fine leather driving loafers with good supportive soles which I've taken on on at least 6 overseas trips and probably walked a hundred miles in them. Why is this important you ask . . . because I get to the footpath and it looks easy -- so I turn off the road. Big (HUGE) miscalculation. I walk maybe 100 yards down the path and came to an area that looked solid / crusty but took one step, raised my foot and the shoe stayed in the very deep mud. I hopped up on the bank and managed to dig my shoe out of the mud. But now the mud was between me and my path back to the road - What to do now . . . looked ahead - could see the steeple and the path looked totally solid ahead. BUT about another 150 yards came to a muddy area that was narrow but gooey so I laid moved some branches to span is - worked great and I'm back on my way. But another 50 yards or so came to another large muddy expanse that was chewed up with horse tracks and no way at all to get around it -- the bank was too steep and the mud was impassable. DAMN -- all I could do was turn around and retrace my steps - cross the branches, and when I got back to the first disaster area I went off piste up the bank and through the undergrowth and managed to get around it without losing another shoe. Eventually made it back to the road and on to the pub -- walked in the door at 6:02! Needed a stiff drink -- well, not that stiff - ordered my first Pimm's of the trip. When they heard my of my trek -- they comped me a glass of wine. :) Dinner was very good - starter was prawn, cucumber, green papaya with a bit if heat but not too spicy. My main course was rosemary and lemon lamb loin with spinach. And a free glass of wine ;) Walked back to the B&B and (successfully) managed to clean my poor shoes. Next - Saturday May 20: body on the tracks, take this train - no take that train, San Domenico House, mini GTG, Shirley Valentine. (this is getting long so I'll post photos separately . . .) |
top quality write up as usual
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loving your trip report.. and your poor shoes.
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OMG…tromping around in Prada shoes …glad you got a complimentary glass of wine after that bit of fun.
the photos are beautiful! |
Saturday May 20: body on the tracks, take this train - no take that train, San Domenico House, mini GTG, Shirley Valentine.
Another great night's sleep and a good Avocado toast and poached egg breakfast. Because Staplehurst station is nearer, Richard was able to drive me over on the way to his golf club. The plan is to board the next train which will go to Tonbridge, where I transfer to the train coming up from Tunbridge Wells. Richard figured my Tunbridge Wells to Charing Cross ticket would be fine because they don't usually check tix between Staplehurst and Tonbridge - "Just stand on the platform on this side and the train will be here in about 5 minutes." "Great thanks so much!" and I waved good bye. But still a teensy bit unsure if my ticket was OK . . . instead of going directly to the platform, I went to the window and started to explain/ask. "No trains are running that way - a body was found on the tracks. Go over and across the tracks and get on the train to Ashford, then the fast train to St Pancras. Tickets to anywhere are valid for the journey." Apparently it had just happened because when Richard looked at the app before dropping me at the station it showed service as normal. I climbed the stairs and crossed over and boarded the next train with several other very confused people. When we arrived at Ashford it was total chaos and staff were directing people to get on any train no matter which London destination. Well, the next train is in to Victoria (!). Victoria would have been my preferred destination in the first place but from Tunbridge Wells, Charing Cross was it. So now I'm on a train to within a mile of my London hotel. :D It was a bit of a milk run with a lot of stops but still quicker (and a lot less hassle) than the fast St Pancras train then the tube to Sloane Sq. At the second stop a group of about twelve 20-something women and maybe three moms/aunties boarded dressed for a night out, carrying champagne bottles/glasses . . . yes, a hen party on the train. They proceeded to party all the way into Victoria getting more boisterous with every newly opened bottle. And you thought Americans were loud ;) Arrived a Vic Sta about 1:30 and needed to top up my Oyster. Heck, I can do that later - after the morning I've had I earned a taxi. Quick trip to San Domenico House in Draycott Place. Wow!! What a lovely property. It is a small boutique hotel -- just 19 rooms. No restaurant or bar, but beautiful public spaces, enormous rooms for London, roof terrace, and really helpful staff. Apparently it is owned by an Italian hotelier and its styled after one of its resorts in Italy. Most of the staff also appeared to be Italian. My room wasn't yet ready so I first had tea in the lounge, then went up on the roof terrace. About 2:15 the room was ready so I unpacked and freshened up and headed out to the Botanist in Sloane Square to meet up with kmowatt and 3PM. (I hadn't tried to organize a London GTG because my days were pretty jam packed but kmowatt saw one of my posts about attending Chelsea Flower Show and realized he be in London at the same time) We had a lovely time -- conversation, wine, nibbles, charcuterie, more wine, more conversation. I had wanted to see Shirley Valentine with Sheridan Smith - but forgot to book until the reviews landed on March 1. Damn — by that time the whole run was nearly booked solid. The only evening I have free is the Saturday night. Double Damn - Fri/Sat are an even tougher ticket. All that was available were £10 seats up in the rafters (which I'd have considered if it was a big musical - but for a one woman show — uh, nope. Or there were a couple of £90 seats far stage left or far stage right in the stalls - which at the Duke of York’s don’t have greatest sight lines . . . OR . . . £180 tix in the 3rd row including the 'Diamond Lounge ‘Experience’. The Diamond Lounge is access to a private lounge up to 90 mins before curtain, three (yes, three) glasses of champagne — why they think 3 glasses is a good idea??? But two before and one during the interval is pretty nice. Light bites/ice cream/ a program - and a toilet/cloak room. IMO - Champagne X3 and no queue for the toilets — that's worth close to the extra £90 right there ;) So That’s what I booked. What a marvelous show! Sheridan Smith was absolutely dazzling - a real Tour de Force including a bit of cheeky interaction with the audience. Act one was in Shirley's kitchen and the set was very nostalgic -- looked pretty much like my kitchen when I lived in the UK in the 80's. Act two is on a Greek Island and the set was like an abstract painting of sky, sand, and boulders - both sets were very effective. Enjoyed it more than the original film. I think the one-woman staging is more effective that the full cast, as good as that cast was. Back to Sloane Sq and short walk yo the hotel after a long but wonderful day. Next: Inside Harrods before opening (WHAT a difference!), V&A, Elystan Street, Chelsea in Bloom, Tate Modern https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b75bf5d12b.jpg San Domenico House Lobby https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...014ff1fe36.jpg Residents Lounge https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a633149587.jpg Residents Lounge https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f1bb75fc84.jpg Roof Terrace https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fd3cbf6c0d.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a6895ddbe9.jpg My room (no, it wasn't quite that purple, more claret-ish) https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d9b812d582.jpg The walls are entirely padded/upholstered toile |
Enjoying your report too. Always like learning about new gems in London town.
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Was working on the next entry and got interrupted and somehow lost it. Not a big loss - easy enough to recreate-ish.
But I'm done for tonight -- thought I just post a few photos of Chelsea in Bloom. It's a tradition that during the run of the Chelsea Flower Show restaurants and shops throughout the neighborhood put out fresh floral displays. Some are in windows but most are on the business exterior. Some are huge and very elaborate, some have figures, some aim for pretty. I only shot a few of them while walking back and forth the the tube station. Just a small representation: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78c1a2ca6a.jpg Local plumbing supply shop https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...59621f8025.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...abfba24d84.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...94d2195454.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8f6f120032.jpg Cartier https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...77fcffdfa0.jpg Tiffany & Co. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...085ce99eb2.jpg More Tiffany https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c403ba4333.jpg Tiffany & Co. entrance 'necklace' |
Wow…Sissinghurst, your room, those flowers 😍😍😍
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