In March, I’ll be boarding a flight with Virgin Atlantic to celebrate their inaugural non-stop flight from London to Seattle and I could not be more excited! Rumor has it these inaugural flights are a par-TAY, and I cannot wait to experience those lay-down beds in Upper Class (hello luxury!). Trust me when I say, you’re gonna want to stay tuned for all of it.
But in the meantime, we’ll have a few quick days to jaunt around what I like to think of as our sister city across the pond.
It’s been 15 years since I’ve been to London. FIFTEEN. (Man, I feel old.) So in preparation for this trip, I’ve been researching fabulously designed restaurants, the best home goods stores, and – of course – the most instagram worthy moments. And I think I’ve found two spots that most perfectly capture my contrasting natures.
The first one? Unapologetically feminine, with a dose of old Hollywood glamour:
Welcome to the Sketch Gallery – apparently the place to have your afternoon tea. This room alone is enough of an excuse to require a purchase of a new ultra-chic dress just for this trip. Not to get all personal here, but I feel like this is what it would feel like to crawl into Beyoncé’s womb.
I cannot. Get. Enough. Pretty sure I can convince all the ladies on the trip that this will be a must stop for us!
And now to address my other personality – The laid back-but-still-chic Southern California bohemian:
A more practical and inviting vibe at the Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings Restaurant where all my fantasies of dining in a greenhouse basically get to come true.
On one side, a little sunroom where the chairs are upholstered in fabulous fabrics that invite you to stay a while (hello, long Sunday brunch!).
On the other side, a more minimal restaurant and bar area with the most fabulous bench seats I’ve ever laid eyes on. Honestly, this restaurant feels very Seattle to me, which may be why I’m drawn to it!
The whole atmosphere here is quite loungy if I do says so myself. And every corner a new instagram opportunity too! I hear the food is fantastic on top of it all, which is super clutch when you have to be selective about places during a quick weekend of travel!
And if you’ve made it this far down the post, congratulations because you’re about to find out how you can get in on this London action! First off – you have to live in Seattle. Yes, for once, we Seattleites get something those New Yorkers and Angelinos don’t! Woop!
Second, here’s what you do.
- Upload a Seattle based photo to Instagram or Twitter.
- Tag your favorite Seattle ‘reignmaker’ (that’s someone who you think is basically awesome, inspiring or influential in our city!) and tag @VirginAtlantic
- Don’t forget to use the hashtag! #Seattlereignmaker
Hold your breath, cross your fingers, and wait to hear if you and your Reignmaker win! You can enter through February 28th, and all the official rules are right here.
Now – any other places you highly recommend to add to the list? I’d love to hear about incredible home stores that we don’t have in the States, and of course, coffee shops… give ’em to me and Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!
