It’s not just the monarchy that gets two birthdays! On Denise’s “official” birthday (actual birthday last week), we indulged in a three night break in London at the Rubens Palace Hotel. First afternoon we had an excellent afternoon tea at the hotel and, following the leaked news that the break was a delayed birthday bash, the hotel very kindly provided a couple of glasses of champers, a ‘birthday cake’ and happy birthday in chocolate in the tea selection (and a birthday card). Lovely service and a pretty good reflection of the hotel generally.
On the first night went to see Bad Jews at the new(ish) St. James Theatre, just around the corner from the hotel. Based around a feuding Jewish family (plus one outsider), there is great skill on show in generating appalled laughter and serious thought in equal measure. No-one is entirely awful and no-one commands total empathy either, sympathies swinging throughout the play. Most of all though it is incredibly funny as it makes its finer points about the nature of Jewishness in the 21stC.
On Saturday afternoon, Denise finally got to see The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night at the Gielgud. Been trying (and failing) to get to this over our last few visits to London. Don’t know what I was expecting, but it was a fantastic piece of theatre. Haven’t read the book, but I wonder if it could have possibly been reimagined for the stage any better – will now have to read the book to see if the assumption holds true. If you’ve ever wondered if there was anything new to theatre presentation of drama nowadays, try this. (Although as we are very late to this production, you probably already have!)
On the Sunday we took the tube to Turnham Green ‘village’, had a quick wander round and then strolled down to Hogarth’s House and Chiswick House Gardens. William Hogarth’s 18thC house was a real find, with an excellent selection of his most famous prints spread over around four or five rooms of the house that are open to the public. Fully refurbished in 2011, it’s a little gem and has free entry – it could easily justify an admission price. On the way back to the hotel, popped into Westminster Cathedral which, despite numerous visits to the capital, we have never previously been inside. A quick mention as well for a lovely evening meal in the hotel’s Library restaurant – excellent food and very reasonably priced, although wine prices are a tad steep!
On the final morning, took the opportunity to visit the Royal Mews, which our hotel room looked directly over. Very interesting, especially the detail around the complexity of carriage making through the ages. And you cannot argue against the grandeur and magnificence of the 1762 Gold State Coach. Can’t help feeling there is a sense of irony at play in paying a not insubstantial admission price to view part of an estate that I’ve already paid for. The stereotypical Yorkshire man isn’t overjoyed to pay for anything once, never mind twice. Finally, a walk around lower Belgravia (another of London’s ‘hidden villages’) and then the train home after another excellent weekend.