London, England

London, Wonderful Timing

November 15, 2025

Work kept bringing me to London. A conference pulled me back more than once, and our hotel in Brompton sat so close to everything that the city was waiting right outside whenever the sessions ended. The Walton Cafe knew me at breakfast, and like a homing pigeon I always found my way back to the London Review Bookshop.

And every visit, the city seemed to have tickets ready for me. Serenade at the Royal Ballet one evening, Marie Antoinette at the V&A another, a lucky walk through Hyde Park in between. Wonderful timing, every single time.

Moments from the trip

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St John Cafe “delicious pairing” with the London Review Bookshop. A must for every London landing. Like a homing pigeon; heading for my favorite bookstore.

See more through my eyes

A few more glimpses from this trip.

Star lanterns strung along a shopping arcade — Stars over the arcade

The red and gold tiers of the Royal Opera House auditorium, seen from the balcony — The London Royal Ballet and Opera House.

A shimmering gold court gown from the exhibition

A bronze statue of Mercury above the museum café — Lunch with Mercury at the V&A South Kensington Dining-Room.

St Paul's and the Millennium Bridge at dusk, seen from the Tate Modern with a glass of wine — Tate Modern Restaurant and Bar. Panoramic view of London with wine. 6th floor. A family favorite.

Palms beneath the iron-and-glass roof at Kew

Pink angel's trumpet flowers inside the glasshouse — Kew Gardens

The treetop walkway threading through bare autumn trees — Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens, elevated views.

White townhouses on a quiet Brompton street — Brompton, London; stately rows of the British understatement at its elegant best.

A red-walled gallery under a gilded dome at the National Gallery — The National Gallery

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