I’ve always been wary of Samuel Johnson’s adage "tired of London, tired of life". It’s synonymous with any conversation regarding leaving the Big Smoke. After two and a half decades, I’m whisking my family out of the city for the next chapter of our lives. I’m shortly going to say goodbye to this place I’ve loved, but will my decision to depart be a regretful one?
25 years later
Fresh-faced and in awe, I strode into London like most twenty-somethings with a smattering of dreams I hoped wouldn't be decimated in the bottom of a Soho pint glass. Out of the other side with my health, some of those dreams manifested and a family in tow, I now seriously look at what the next ten years will bring into retirement. It’s a thought we all have to take seriously at a certain age, but as I leave London, I wanted us to bid adieu in style.
Be a tourist in your city
Amidst the hypnagogic state of packing boxes, we elected a weekend adjacent to the move date, but free enough so that panic wouldn’t ensue for taking a break. Kids in hand, my wife and I jumped on the overground with a rose-tinted view that this type of commute would be a distant memory. Red buses, black cabs and all the grumpy commuter admonitions to be relegated, it was time to enjoy the city as most of the 38 million yearly visitors to the UK do; as tourists.
Mayfair has always held a fascination for me. Having worked amongst its streets in one of my first jobs and terrified to consider purchasing anything from its innumerable boutiques, we decided to add just a scintilla of luxury to our trip and book into one of The Residences at The Athenaeum.
Nestled comfortably next to both Green and Hyde Park, where the masts of Buckingham Palace stand visibly proud, the hotel boasts its own serviced apartments which boast the unique feature of having a door to your own private mansion block. You can also enter through the basement of the hotel from a private corridor reserved for mansion guests. This all adds to the clandestine and exclusivity of the whole experience.
Upon entering, we were suitably impressed by the high ceilings, a billowing behemoth of a bunk bed ready for the children and a bijou bathroom replete with underfloor heating. There is also a kitchen with a fridge, oven and utensils along with some soft drinks restocked daily. Home away from home, but in a luxury hotel. One slight gripe is that if want to use the lounge area when children are asleep, there is no partition to ensure your sweet little cherubs remain lying undisturbed. Our solution to this was to book a meal at the hotel’s restaurant 116 and enlist the help of a babysitter. We snuck in later on that evening as they snored peacefully.
Memory lane
Intermingled with serving the city our obsequies we visited flats we’d once inhabited, front doors to offices frequented and pubs we’d stumbled out of. We still couldn’t bring ourselves to jump on a tour bus or try the London Eye, however. We subsequently decided to mix canteen-style dining at the infamous Wong Kei in Chinatown (solid food, wonky service) with a more luxurious element to balance out the day.
Afternoon tea, The Landmark London
Once a London libation staple, the afternoon tea has recently become somewhat of a competition between luxurious hotels to see who can be crowned the king of cakes. I was fortunate to try a sublime offering outside London at the Carlton House, Fairmont in Dublin not so long ago. Would the Landmark’s offering be up to their impeccable standards?
Perched within the hotel’s atrium, soothing jazz piano notes resound around as you sit beneath the shadows of the palm trees adorning each corner of this impressive space. The children upon glancing at the menu, were subsequently overjoyed at being able to consume a plethora of cakes and sandwiches. Admittedly, so were their parents.
Attentive staff first served delightfully set-square-cut sandwiches, for me the highlight being the egg and truffle with chives. This was followed by a bouquet of pastries designed by award-winning Pastry Chef, Mauro Di Lieto. The cakes were beautifully ornate and splendiferous with the Citrus Pavlova, Mandarin and Yuzu Curd a particular marvel. I admire simplicity when executed perfectly and being a South Westerner, the scones were just that. Cream first of course being the only way to enjoy them. Mixing British tradition with a unique atmosphere, for me this experience is something I would come back to London to happily consume again.
The countryside beckons
Following the weekend of old haunts and new experiences, it was time to sadly continue the packing. I’m always intrigued by the notion that people move from the countryside to the city, experience hardship, and then back out once again when age starts to bite. It feels like an odd right of passage. It also feels decidedly strange to now be on the periphery of the city, albeit I will still be working here.
Not having to endure a commute at weekends, spending a ludicrous amount of money as soon as you leave your front door and embracing cheaper insurance premiums are many dull reasons to leave, but not mine. I’ve loved living in London, but I don’t regret our decision to leave. London will always be here. It’s bestowed me with a varied career, shaped me into the person I am today, and blessed me with friends and a beautiful family. It’s certainly not been a smooth ride, but there’s nowhere else I could have felt fortunate enough to have called my home.