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Now that we’ve been back from London for about a month, I’ve really had time to digest the trip and sit with how wonderful it was– even if it didn’t start off so wonderful! If you follow me on social media, you know that I decided to spend my 40th birthday in London with my family on a very special trip. The whole idea came about because my Stepdad is shooting a TV show in London and living there right now for a portion of the year. We had gone to visit him two summers ago during the first season of the show, and we had such an incredible time. Having access to an apartment with a kitchen, multiple bedrooms, a laundry machine, and an indoor pool in the building made the stay super easy and comfortable for our family of 5– plus it was nice to not have to pay for a hotel room while traveling! Plus, we had built-in family help if Ian and I wanted to pop out for dinner or a museum while there.
Pappy T (my Stepdad’s Grandpa name) offered to bring us out to London to stay with him for my 40th birthday present, and I immediately said yes! It felt like such a fun way to ring in this new decade of life– with my kids and hubby by my side. This time, we decided to stay in London for 10 days in order to really get to explore and experience it at a less rushed pace. The apartment was in the Primrose Hill neighborhood, with Regent’s Park right nearby. This helped immensely because we basically had an enormous backyard where the kids could roam! Ian works 100% remotely, and ended up working for half of the days of our trip from an office in London– so having Pappy T to help me out with the kids ended up being really necessary and SO lucky. I think navigating the city on my own with the three kids would have been tough, and we would not have been able to see as much as we did.
It was really lucky that we had booked a bit of a longer trip, because sadly I got SO SICK right at the beginning of it with the flu. In fact, I came down with it on the plane, and by the time we landed, I was in a really bad way. I can’t even remember the last time I was so ill. We found an IV nurse to come to the house and give me a drip with medicine, hydration, and vitamins, and luckily, I was better sooner rather than later. But I did spend my 40th birthday in bed with a 104-degree fever. And we lost 3 days of the trip! As soon as I felt well enough, we started venturing out, and I have to say that starting the trip unwell made me so appreciative of the fun days we had after that. We really packed so much in! Shockingly, nobody else in the family got sick, and the kids loved exploring the city of London and getting in tons of museums, restaurants, and shows.
A huge highlight of the trip for all of us was getting to see so much theatre! When I was growing up, my parents took us to see everything. Even from a young age. Musicals, plays, dance, and art exhibitions– I really believe it played a huge part in who I am today, and the context I have for my own creativity. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but I make a point to repeat this with my own kids– and really expose them to art in all its forms. Major, in particular, has caught the theater and dance bug, and his favorite thing to do is see shows! We saw plays or musicals most of the days we were in London, and it’s definitely what made our trip extra special.
I thought it would be nice to do a little recap of the things we did and loved, as well as my recommendations for shows and restaurants. I’m adding some from our first trip to London as well! I’m including kids’ activities as well as adult activities. Any activity, show, or restaurant that has an asterisk next to it is one I’d recommend for kids, too! Unfortunately, I didn’t get to as many restaurants as I would have liked because of my flu recovery, but we did get to experience some wonderful ones that I’ll share. Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I’ll do my best to answer!
To Do
The Paddington Tea Bus * – This was a cute way to see a lot of London Landmarks in a short period of time. Plus, it was Paddington themed, which the kids enjoyed, and you get to ride in a vintage double-decker bus! I won’t lie- the tea/food itself was not great. Full stop. But the kids really did retain a lot of the tour, and it gave us a good overall understanding of the city.
Thames River Cruises * – A beautiful and exciting way to see London- from the water! And great for kids who need/want to be outdoors. Bring a jacket, it can be windy!
The Tower of London * – This medieval fortress and jail is SUCH a cool place to explore, and learn about London’s history. I highly recommend doing the audio tour– there is even a special one geared towards kids! Don’t miss the Crown Jewels exhibit with all of the coronation crowns and jewelry on display.
Fortnum & Mason – Any tea lover will swoon visiting this iconic London department store. The experience is very Instagram-worthy– pick up your favorite teas to take home, or try your hand at creating your own tea! But there is so much more than tea in these stalls: chocolate, coffee, specialty foods, and an entire fresh food level to grab lunch. I hear their Afternoon Tea is very lovely but I haven’t tried!
London Postal Museum * – A lesser-known, and super interesting little museum that teaches the history of the postal system in London. You can even ride on a postal train to get a sense of how the mail used to be delivered! A cute play space for kids, too.
TO EAT
Wagamama * – This is a super easy, really yummy, and kid-friendly spot with great ramen and delicious katsu curry bowls! It’s a chain, and they have spots all over town.
Umu – Ian and I went to this tiny, exclusive Japanese spot for my birthday dinner and did the Omakase. It was out of this world, and SUCH a special experience.
The Wolsely – This iconic London spot is solid, and really a great people-watching experience. We loved everything we ordered for dinner, and I got a very perfect ice-cold martini!
The Ivy – The decor in this restaurant is a 10/10. It is simply a lovely place to perch and enjoy a drink. The food is good, not great, but the atmosphere makes up for it, and the cocktails are fantastic.
Oka * – This Primrose Hill Japanese restaurant was super solid, and even delivered!
Cocoro * – We ate at this tiny, family-owned Japanese restaurant after playing at Hyde Park, and we were blown away. It was absolutely delicious, very casual, and great for the kids.
The Queens Pub * – I had the best pub meal of my life at this Primrose Hill spot! The bangers and mash were amazing. The fish and chips were, according to Ian, “The best I’ve ever had”. We tried a Sunday Roast there, too, and it was fantastic. Limited outdoor seating, but they do have a great roof patio.
Cecconi’s * – One of the best meals we had in London this last trip was at Italian eatery Cecconi’s. We sat outside, and the dishes were all fantastic. You know how picky I am with Italian food! Spaghetti with lobster, vitello tonnato, and a bresaola with rocket salad were faves.
Ripe Kitchen * – This was our little neighborhood breakfast spot in Primrose Hill! Excellent coffee and really yummy baked goods as well as hot dishes from the kitchen. Don’t skip the Primrose Hill Bookstore next door!
Soutine * – This French bistro looks like something out of a movie. Great for groups or romantic dates. The French fare was on point, and it was surprisingly good for kids!
Tea at Claridge’s – The only British “High Tea” I’ve ever done was at Claridge’s, and it was exquisite. Every morsel of food was delicious, and the rooms are so fancy and gorgeous! This place really makes you feel special.
Gold’s Restaurant – This was a recommendation from my sisters! Delicious Mediterranean fare in trendy Notting Hill. Industrial chic vibes, and a prominent vegetable menu!
THEATRE WE LOVED
My Neighbor Totoro * – Runnnn to this unbelievable show. It is so artistically interesting, completely captivating, sweet, grounded, funny, and based on a Japanese Animé cartoon! This is certainly not just a “kids’ show”: Pappy T and Mateo were equally obsessed (and all of us in between). It’s that good. I hope they bring it to Broadway so we can go again!
Mamma Mia * – I felt like this one was a must, especially because the kids are super into Abba lately! I was a little nervous, because sometimes long-standing shows can veer into cheeseball territory… but it was great! Such a crowd-pleaser, and a really uplifting and energetic ending. Kind of random, but the theatre itself is STUNNING in a way I wasn’t expecting!
The Play That Goes Wrong * – I’m not entirely sure how, but six months ago, Major developed an obsession with a British play that he had heard about and seen tons of snippets of on YouTube. It’s a slapstick comedy that breaks the fourth wall, and has a ton of physical humor and really broad jokes. I knew since it was playing in London that we HAD to see it for Major’s sake, but I wasn’t sure I’d like it. It turns out the kids and I were all dying laughing the whole time! I highly recommend it (Probably for 8+ )
Matilda * – This show is just so well done. As a Millennial, Matilda pulls at my heartstrings and makes me so nostalgic, and the music in the show is fantastic as well! The kids loved seeing a show comprised mostly of kids their age, and it was fun to experience so many children and families in the audience as well!
Titanique – Pappy T told Ian and I to go for a date night to see the comedy/musical Titanique, and omg it was kind of the best night we had. The premise is that it is Celine Dion retelling the story of Titanic. Featuring her own songs. If you’re scratching your head about how that actually works, all I can say is IT WERKSSSS. I really didn’t know if Ian was going to like it, but he said after that it was one of his favorite parts of the whole trip! We were dying laughing the whole time.
