Thanksgiving in London

We arrived midmorning at Heathrow and made our way the VRBO (Shepherd's Bush - West London) that we rented with friends. Once there, we got situated, refreshed, and then left to explore the city. Getting around London from this area was simple. We many walked or used the tube the entire trip. Getting a taxi/uber was easy too even though we only used a few times.

With no real agenda, we ended up at Harrods, which is a must see. It was bustling with people and there are many floors to explore. They have a great market that is worth checking out. We manage to grab a bottle of our daughter's favorite champagne. There gift shop is a perfect spot for souvenirs or gifts to take home.

Nearby was the seasonal, Ever After Garden, in Grosvenor Square. This illuminated rose garden is a space for visitors to pause and reflect. For a nominal fee you can dedicate a rose in memory of a loved one. I loved it...it was such a beautiful and tranquil spot which provided us a deliberate moment to honor and remember my mom.

We finished the night with dinner and a pint in a cozy pub nearby.

To start off our non-traditional Thanksgiving, we took off to see a few sights before our scheduled high tea at the Savoy. We took a stroll by Buckingham Palace and also made our way over to see Big Ben. Eventually, we walked over to the Savoy. Our family loves Christmas and London was decked for the holidays. So while we were not home, the holiday spirit was in the air and that was all we needed.

High tea at the Savoy was fabulous. The hotel was so beautiful and the decorations were lovely. We were seated in an atrium area that was decorated with whimsical flowers and lights. It was so festive and a fun experience for all. The food was delicious.

Our next stop was purposely picked for our kiddos. If you like escape rooms, you will love Sensas. This was an immersive activity that will take aways your some of your senses to heighten others. For example, we had to go into a dark room, reach into container, and eat different "foods". During this activity, we needed to guess what we were eating while the other team members waiting outside found pictures of our hopefully correct answers. One item, my husband could not identify - thought it was a crunchy wonton. My daughter and I kept tasting it...we knew it wasn't a wonton but couldn't quite guess it either...and no wonder... it was a meal worm - yuck! I won't spoil all the fun but it was truly a unique experience and challenged you to face fears and/or step out of comfort zones.

With some time before dinner, we made our way to Covent Garden to take in some sites, window shopping, and to just hang. It is a pretty cool place to visit and I highly recommend. Dinner was spent at Din Tai Fung - this is a favorite of ours. We first experienced Din Tai in Shanghai many years ago. Our family loves the soup dumplings so most of our dinner consists of baskets and baskets of them. That said, there is a lot on the menu - plenty to enjoy. Our favorites: both the chicken and pork xiao long bao, chicken spicy wontons, broccoli with garlic, fried rice, and chocolate xiao long bao. So good!!

It was a great day!

Today we made our way to the Borough Market for a food tour! While we went on an organized tour, if you just want to walk around and explore, there is plenty there and so many delicious food options to try...this market definitely worth exploring.

Our food tour started with visiting a butcher in the market for traditional sausage roll. There are two types: butcher cut and bakers cut. The butcher cut has more meat than pastry. This was a great way to start the tour - it was so tasty and they gave us a very generous portion. Our tour leader was extremely informative and gave us great insight into the history of the area while we were walking around too. Our next stop was the humble crumble (various locations in London). We were served an apple crisp that was so amazing. The crisp was shortbread, yum, and the treat was topped with a toasted marshmallow top dusted in rose gold. This was my favorite tasting of the day! We also stopped for fish n chips, cider tasting (non-alcohol and alcohol), cheese from a cheese shop, and figgy pudding - too sweet for my taste. We were definitely full after the tour but it was such a great way to get a taste of London and learn more about the area.

After the tasting, we walked back across the river and eventually made our way to Savile Row to explore some different classic men's shaving kits for some of the young men in our group. :)

Our evening was spent in Notting Hill. We explored a few shops, including a vintage clothing store and "the" bookstore from the movie. We enjoyed an Italian meal at La Mia Mamma...my husband decided to try since it was recommended by Stanley Tucci (searching for Italy). It was delicious.

Today was our day dedicated to football (aka soccer)! We went toured the home of the Queen Park Rangers (founded in 1882) - currently part of the Championship League. It was a beautiful day to visit the stadium and our tour was comprehensive and informative. We were taken into the locker rooms, press room, hospitality areas, the recreation/hang out area for the players, the president's suite, and down to the pitch. It was cool to see all that goes into the club and learn about the football history in England.

Later we made our way to a Millwall Football Club match against Conventry City. Millwall has a reputation for not being liked and their home chant is quite amusing - google it! At any rate, before the game people are outside the stadium drinking pints at adjacent pubs, buying souvenirs at the stadium shop, or grabbing food and drink from the various vendors outside the stadium. It was a lively and exciting environment which got us ready for the game. Once you enter the stadium, you are still able to get food but alcoholic beverages are not allowed at your seats. This wasn't a big deal, just noting the difference. Spectators are seated in specific locations, meaning home fans in an area and away fans in a different area...there is no mixing. We sat on the home side behind the goalie. We were close to the action and it was such a fun experience. Millwall lost and as we exited the stadium the spectators were closely monitored and guided to avoid any potential or unforseen confrontations. Luckily it was a peaceful ending, albeit disappointing.

We ate dinner at one of our favorite steak and frites brasseries from Paris, Le Relais De Venise L'Entrecote. The meal is served family style. They serve a simple green salad, steak with a yummy green sauce, and fries. You have a choice of red or white wine. The biggest choice of the night is dessert! It's delicious and we love that you know exactly what you are gonna get. Please note that they do not take reservations and there is usually a line outside. The wait is worth it but plan to arrive early if you want to shorten or eliminate the line.