Having lived in the English countryside for four years as a child, England holds a special place in my heart. This summer, my mother and I decided to escape the D.C. heat and go back to some of our favorite places in England, as well as to visit a few sites inspired by art, literature and film favorites.
We started our trip in Harrogate, a town we lived near in North Yorkshire. Harrogate is most well-known as a spa town, with historic baths dating to the 17th century. To me, though, the number one thing to do in Harrogate is eat at Betty’s Tea Room. I could eat every meal, every day at Betty’s, and I often do because it is one of those places that never changes and never disappoints. My “usual” order consists of Yorkshire Rarebit (toast with lots of melted cheese) with heaping spoonfuls of their AMAZING tomato chutney and a pot of Betty’s Tea Room Blend tea. I am so obsessed with their tomato chutney and tea that I regularly order boxes of them from Betty’s By Post.
Next, we went to Derbyshire to tour the beautiful, historic Chatsworth – the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. I had recently read Amanda Foreman’s biography about one of Chatsworth’s most famous residents, Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, who was the wife of the 5th Duke of Devonshire, a friend of Marie Antoinette, a fashion trendsetter, a political advocate and an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales. The house and grounds have been featured in several films, including as Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley in the 2005 film production of Pride & Prejudice. I found this herringbone and plaid riding coat at TopShop. Wouldn’t it be perfect for riding through the flowering poppy fields with my own Mr. Darcy?!
We then drove through England’s beautiful countryside on our way to Cornwall and the charming sea-side town of St. Ives. St. Ives has been a draw for artists since the early 1900s because of its endless supply of breathtaking beach scenes and its unique quality of light. I was inspired to buy this nautical striped tunic from another of my favorite British stores, Warehouse. My mother is an artist and I like to dabble, so we spent our days capturing the scenery with brushes and cameras. On our second night, we discovered Alba Restaurant on the main promenade - they have INCREDIBLE fresh, delicious seafood and stunning local artwork.
Our trip came to an end in London, where the shopping, eating and people-watching were at their usual heights. I’m super excited about this lovely fascinator that I found at Miss Selfridge and this perfect little black dress by Ted Baker to bring a little extra something to my event wardrobe. By far the highlight of our time in London was our dinner at Yauatcha, the new Michelin-starred dim sum restaurant from Alan Yau, the talented restaurateur behind Wagamama (which, incidentally, will be opening in my neighborhood in DC in 2010). The dim sum was delightful, the pastries combined unique flavors and looked like pieces of sculpture, the décor was tranquil and contemporary and, seriously, I had one of the best cocktails ever – a citrus martini featuring passion fruit juice. To top it all off, Leonardo DiCaprio was seated two tables away from us!
Back in D.C., things are full swing with a busy fall season. Thankfully, here are just a few ways we can all enjoy a touch of Britain right here in D.C. - throw a tea party for friends or enjoy the high teas offered at the Washington National Cathedral or the Hillwood Estate and Museum; some tasty eats at CommonWealth, a new gastropub in Columbia Heights; see As you Like It at the Sidney Harman Hall.
Photo credits: 1. Betty’s, 2. Betty’s By Post, 3. Flickr-DanLewry, 4. Elizabeth Duncan , 5. TopShop, 6. Elizabeth Duncan, 7. Warehouse, 8. Alba Restaurant, 9. Elizabeth Duncan, 10. Elizabeth Duncan, 11. Ted Baker, 12. Lavendermoon.co.uk, 13. Flickr-Boxbuilder, 14. Flickr-Issarocks
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