I’ve always loved the idea of going away for New Year’s Eve. So, I was THRILLED that Sam planned a two-night trip for us to London to ring in 2023. The sweetheart that he is!
After rushing around over Christmas and prioritising family, I was grateful to spend some quality time with him before going back to work. London, let’s go!
Friday 30th December
We arrived on Friday and after dropping our bags off at Grand Royale London Hyde Park and parking, we headed to Oxford Street. It’s chaos on a normal day but during the post-Christmas sales, it was bedlam. So much busier than usual!
After wandering around Selfridges, we had a bite to eat at The Wine Place in Covent Garden. We hadn’t rigidly planned this trip so we were relying on restaurants doing walk-ins. Very risky in the festive period but hey, we like to live dangerously. The restaurant was great though – it’s hard to go wrong with authentic Italian places. Sadly, I didn’t take any photos as I was far too deep in hangry mode.
Then, we ambled around Covent Garden for the rest of the afternoon. It was nice to stroll and go with the flow. Later, an Itsu delivery to the hotel and watching tv in bed with Sam made me a very happy girl!
Saturday 31st December
Feeling refreshed, we headed to Notting hill for breakfast at Eggslut and coffee at Gail’s Bakery. The weather was terrible but it didn’t stop us browsing Portobello Road Market and doing some vintage shopping. Along with Covent Garden, Notting Hill is one of my favourite areas in London. Colourful, quirky and stylish, don’t you think?
We did attempt to visit the Museum of Brands, which I was really excited about, but it was closed for some reason. A shame for those who actually bought tickets and were waiting outside. Never mind, maybe next time.
Fortunately, we were able to get a reservation for lunch at The Shard, which was lovely as we hadn’t been together before. Of course, the backdrop of the London skyline was amazing but as I said, the weather was dreadful so the photos didn’t do it justice.
After that, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening. We did have a reservation at STK but had to cancel as we didn’t make it in time. Not like us but it wasn’t the end of the world, there isn’t exactly a shortage of restaurants in the Big Smoke!
We managed to get in at the Electric Diner in Notting Hill before making our way to Primrose Hill to watch the fireworks. It was a brilliant spot and even though I couldn’t see much with people towering over me, it was still fun.
Sunday 1st January
Before making our way home, we had breakfast at Les Filles. The whipped goats cheese with fig and honey was incredible. An perfect end to a wonderful trip. It was our first time in London together and we’re already looking forward to the next outing.
