Day 2 was all in the West End of Central London, and the dogs were barking! 23,000 steps, but worth it. I’m breaking day 2 up into a few posts. One will be all about music, one about afternoon tea, and this one about everything else from day 2.
The day started with a stroll through Richmond, included a performance of the longest running play in the world (Agitha Christie’s The Mousetrap – 72 years running), shopping, some important (to me) music sites, and Christmas displays. The window displays at Fortnum & Mason were stunning, but it was too packed to get good photos (although we certainly tried).
Covent Garden
We took the tube from Richmond to Covent Garden in Central London’s West End. The trip was about 45 minutes with one change of trains. We were a bit early, but a handful of spots were open.
Neal’s Yard
After some hot cocoa at Covent Garden, we meandered over to Seven Dials, then up one of the spokes to Neal’s Yard. Tucked away between Shorts Gardens and Monmouth Street lies the hidden but colorful Neal’s Yard. This courtyard is filled with charming shops, including the ever-popular St. JOHN Bakery where we grabbed a late-morning snack. There was also a great looking pizza place, Homeslice, but it was a bit early for pizza.
On the walk from Covent Garden mall to Neal’s Yard, we passed by the famous street art piece by Bambi, featuring Diana as Marry Poppins. We also passed by The White Lion, which has no significance – I just liked the name and the front of the pub.
Fitzrovia Chapel
We stopped at a few music-related spots (to be covered in another post), on the way to Fitzrovia Chapel. We stopped at the (new) flagship Foyles bookstore (not pictured) on Charing Cross Road to use the restroom and do some browsing. It’s huge! Foyles was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest bookshop in terms of shelf length, at 30 miles (48 km), and of the number of titles on display. The original flagship was in the building next door.
We also passed by Whitfield Gardens, a nice little green space with a huge mural on the side of a building, and a store called TK Maxx (which we thought was funny, because we have TJ Maxx here in the U.S…are they cousins?)
Fitzrovia Chapel is a historical Grade II listed building that’s hidden away in a courtyard. It was originally built as the chapel for the Middlesex Hospital. The hospital buildings were demolished between 2008 and 2015, with residential buildings put up in their place. The chapel remains because it’s a protected building, and is now surrounded by the residential buildings. It’s a tiny chapel, , designed by John Loughborough Pearson in the Italian Gothic-style. Unfortunately for us, it’s closed on Thursdays, so we weren’t able to go inside. Oh, well. Next time!
The Mousetrap
Our first (of three) plays on our trip: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, which is the longest running play in the world (72 years and counting, as of December 2023). We loved the play, and St. Martin’s Theatre where it’s performed was charming. Be sure to book in advance!
Christmas Displays
After the play we grabbed dinner at The Ivy (the original Ivy, not its little brother where we took the picture earlier), then headed off towards Piccadilly Street for the shopping arcades and Christmas displays. Our favorite was Fortnum & Mason. The outside facade was decorated to look like a huge red advent calendar. The window displays, which change each year, were very elaborate, but the crowds were so thick is was impossible to get a good picture. Inside the store (also very crowded), the atrium has a moving Dance of the Piccadilly Puddings display.
Soho and Carnaby Street
The rest of the evening was spend wandering around Soho, including the very cool Carnaby Street. It was packed, but the sights were worth it. When we passed by the neon Soho sign it was raining, which immediately reminded me of the best opening lines to a song ever recorded:
I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook’s
Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein– Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon
Here are a few more pics from the area, including a couple more short video snippets:
Leave a reply