When London Calls: Celebrating Spontaneity – Part II

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The Story: I suddenly found myself with an amazing opportunity to head across the pond and spend five glorious days in London, England. With only a one-week notice, there wasn’t much time to plan for anything, but when London calls…

The Inspiration: Ahhhh London, it’s one of the most cosmopolitan cities I’ve ever had the pleasure of exploring. It’s a city of juxtaposition – from iconic landmarks butting up next to modern, high-rise structures in the skyline — to long-standing, English traditions being infused with modern, urban sensibility — it’s a city that I simply adore. From cutting-edge, urban fashion at every turn, to an array of languages that buzz in your ear as streams of people pass you by, there’s a frenetic pace and energy that envelopes you and makes you longing for more.

The Takeaway: When an unplanned travel opportunity comes your way, make the most of your time and explore, even if it’s not a vacation. Celebrate the opportunity you’ve been given because you never know if you’ll ever be back again.

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Click here for Part I of this story.

[dropcap] I [/dropcap] was tempted to hop on the Tube and make my way to Oxford Street for some shopping – I was on a mission to find some sort of coat. But Katia, the lovely receptionist at my hotel, had suggested that I visit the markets and shops at Old Spitafields Market which was within walking distance and so I quickly changed plans since this was a part of town I had never explored.

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Just down the street from my hotel in the City

After a quick 10 – 15 minute walk, I stumbled upon the marketplace by accident. I sort of just found the main street and let my feet guide me to wherever. Along the way, I found one of my favorite places to eat, Pret a Manager – two locations to be exact – I was a happy camper. Talk about some of the freshest sandwiches, soups, salads and baked goods and not to mention at a very reasonable price for London. Let’s just say that I lived at Pret for my daytime meals.

Upon arriving at the entrance to Old Spitafields Market, where there’s been a market in existence for over 350 years, I discovered a lively venue housing a range of goods from clothing, to hand-made crafts, leather goods, food stalls and restaurants. There was a throng of people shopping on this day – it was hard for me to focus between the variety of stalls with different wares to the range of people passing me by. After a wandering through the maze of stalls, I climbed some steps to get a birds-eye view of the market.

Old Spitafields Market

An aerial view inside Old Spitafields Market

I headed out after wandering through most of the aisles and stumbled upon a store where the real shopping began! After plopping down some pounds on a new coat and then shoes at another store nearby, I called it quits. I had only been “shopping” for a few hours and had already spent more than I was planning for the entire trip. I didn’t even attempt to convert anything or else I would have been unhappy with how much I actually spent.[/text_output][gap size=”2.0em”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column width=”1/1″][gap size=”1.313em”][text_output][alert heading=”The Giveaway ” type=”muted”]To see Danny’s Anniversary Giveaway, scroll down to the end of his story.[/alert][/text_output][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row inner_container=”true” no_margin=”true” padding_top=”0px” padding_bottom=”0px” border=”none”][vc_column][text_output][custom_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”true”]Home Away From Home[/custom_headline]

I made my way back to the hotel, before I could get my credit card into more trouble, to drop off my purchases. Upon entering, I was quickly greeted by the reception staff and made my way to my room.

I have to tell you, I’ve usually stayed at larger chains when I travel. There’s something reassuring about a familiar hotel chain when traveling out of the country. But for this trip, I took a chance and booked at the Hotel Indigo Tower Hill – a boutique hotel in the heart of the financial district.

It’s not much to look at from the outside, just 6 stories tall and rather plain. But there’s something special about this hotel that by the time I checked out, I was in love with everything about it.

Hotel Indigo Tower Hill exterior

Located on the second floor, my room was rather large with a huge 4-poster bed, sitting area, large modern bathroom, ample closet space and overall, was beautifully decorated. There’s an eclectic vibe to the decor of the hotel and I was beginning to understand the appeal of boutique hotels. Each room has a unique personality. The bed was amazingly comfortable, I couldn’t hear anything from the street where construction was going on during the day thanks to the super-thick windows, the minibar was complimentary and filled with goodies and beverages and I felt at home every time I walked in or out of the hotel by the wonderful staff and their smiling faces.

Hotel Indigo Tower Hill — 4 poster bed and seating area

Hotel Indigo Tower Hill — work space and TV

Hotel Indigo Tower Hill — stylish and modern bathroom

And as far as location, I was sandwiched between several train stops on either end of the street. And best of all, there was a Pret a Manger right at the corner – yum!

Now for the negatives — there wasn’t much of a view from my room, but all you need to do is head outside and start walking to see things. The closest historical landmark is the Tower of London just down the street and adjacent to it is Tower Bridge.

Also, you’re in the financial district so after it gets dark, the crowds die down and there isn’t much nightlife in the area, but there are numerous restaurants up and down the street so you’ll never go hungry. The plus side to the location is that it’s quiet at night and less congested. I actually enjoyed the location since it was easy to get anywhere with the nearby Tube stops and there wasn’t always a sea of humanity ready to trample you over as in other parts of central London. I’ve stayed by Hyde Park and also Piccadilly Circus in the past and there’s always a crowd in those areas.

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[custom_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”true”]Connecting for the First Time with Old Friends[/custom_headline]

While in London, I also had the opportunity to meet up with the newest Editor on the team, Jaime James. We arranged to meet at Oxford Circus and it was quite a departure from my hotel area in the City. Taking the Tube was an experience on its own —I was back in the thick of things — following the crowds as a lemming and just trying to make sure that I was walking on the right side of the path (left) and properly making the correct turns to get to my connecting trains.

Tip: make sure you know which stops are your connections and where you need to end up — this makes it easier to quickly eye ball and determine which corridor you need to be walking. If you’re not quick, you could a) get quickly trampled and/or b) get swallowed up and pushed into the wrong path. You’ve got to be quick!

Once on the platform, I found that often times you have a better chance of getting a seat if you pick either the first or last trains. Everyone seems to congregate on the center of the platform and so those train cars are often the most crowded.

Steep escalators in the London Tube

Once on board the Tube, it’s quick travel through London — barring any delays. From the minute I walked out of my hotel to arriving at the top of the steps at Oxford Circus, it only took 30 minutes. Upon exit onto the surface, all I could see were crowds criss-crossing in every direction. I eventually found our meeting point and just watched the people around me. Next thing I knew, I saw people backing up and at a standstill from each of the Tube entrances on each corner. People were stopped on the stairs to go in and the crowds were piling up surrounding the exits. I wasn’t sure what was happening but I had to snap up a photo.

Oxford Circus

As I stood there like a total tourist with camera in hand, I heard someone shouting my name and there was Jaime or Jaim as we all know her. She is just as beautiful as her photos and with a warm and friendly smile to match.

Jaim quickly guided us away from the main thoroughfare and we found ourselves on quieter streets lined with one amazing little restaurant or food shop after another. I was getting fat just looking at all the food in every window – we were in Soho, one of Jaim’s favorite areas of London for delicious eats and some of the newest trends. I’ll be completely honest — I got side tracked with all the restaurants and all the great information that Jaim was telling me, that I forgot to take a single photo.

We ended up at one of her most favorites restaurants — a French Bistro called Pierre Victoire on 5 Dean Street, Soho. We entered and there was a gentleman playing a piano and it was just a cute little place where you immediately felt at home and very welcomed. The food was wonderful and the conversation and company were even more wonderful. We topped off our meals with desserts and I indulged in a Sticky Toffee Pudding with Ice Cream.

The lovely Jaime James, our London Food Editor, taking me to one of her favorite restaurants in London.

Several hours later we found ourselves back at Oxford Circus to say good bye and catch our respective trains. Even at the late hour, there were still so many people everywhere you turned. There’s such an energy in London!

[custom_headline type=”center” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h4″ accent=”true”]Spontaneity and Saigon, Miss Saigon[/custom_headline]

Since this was a rather unexpected trip to London, I didn’t have time to plan much. I barely got a hotel room 3 days prior to my arrival and my flight was booked only a week prior. For those that know me, I am “Mr. Planner” with schedule, timetables, lists, etc. in hand and knowing what will happen on a day-to-day basis. Being spontaneous and just celebrating the moment at hand is often difficult for someone like me.

On my last night in London, I decided to be totally spontaneous and see a play in the West End. I had no idea what was playing in town so I quickly Googled the shows and landed on Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theater. I was going to be completely daring and just show up at the box office and see if I could purchase a ticket. If they were sold out, at least I would be in another part of town to explore. Honestly, this was nerve wracking to just “wing it”.

I hopped on the Tube and after a quick transfer, I found myself at Leicester Square. Upon emerging at the surface, there was once again a sea of humanity and after finding a spot along a brick wall, I tried to get my bearings. For some reason, none of the streets looked familiar. I quickly pulled out my map and still couldn’t make heads or tails of where to go. I crossed over to the other side of Leicester Square in hopes that I would find a sign. I found myself in front of a map and a kindly gentlemen, who looked like some sort of security, pointed me in the right direction. The theater was only 3 blocks away — I knew it was close by.

I walked away from the box office with a prime seat in row “L”, smack dab in the center — my view of the stage was wonderful. It should have been for 65 pounds! My biggest gripe about the theater is that those seats are so narrow. Let’s just say that you get very cozy with your neighbors. The curtain came down and I sat mesmerized for the next 2 1/2 hours.

The main reason I chose Miss Saigon was because my brother and I had given my parents an anniversary gift many years ago to see the play when it had first made its way to Chicago. In the years that followed, I never had a chance to see it for myself and now that it had been revived for its 25th anniversary, seeing it London where it first originated only made sense.

I knew some of the songs and part of the story but I had no idea that it was a bit raunchy in some parts with language, hand gestures and scantily clad dancers. I also had no idea how it would end, but all in all, it was a fantastic musical and the music and story flowed from start to finish. If you ever get a chance to see it, don’t bring the kids and be prepared for the big helicopter scene!

Leicester Square, Miss Saigon and the vibrant West End of London

As I strolled back to Leicester Square and found my way to the platform, I couldn’t help but notice how packed the Tube was still at this hour. And no, these weren’t theater goers, just regular people out and about on a weeknight. They all looked to be celebrating something or another, or was it simply me in my state of mind?

As I came up onto the surface at my stop, I saw the Tower of London across the street all lit up. I took a moment and stood there gazing upon it and wishing that my trip wasn’t over.

Tower of London

I had capped off my quick visit to London with a wonderful play and had a brilliant time throughout my stay despite my lack of planning. I celebrated the opportunity presented to me and made the most of my time in this amazing city. What more could I have asked?

Oh, did I mention how much I love London?

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So here is my way of thanking you as we celebrate our 1-year anniversary. Travel has become such a big component of my life and I want to be able to encourage you to do the same with this e-gift card from Hotels.com — so travel well and good luck! To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below:

• This giveaway started Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 12:00 am CST and ends Sunday, May 3, 2015 at 11:59 pm CST.
• This giveaway is open globally to anyone 18 years of age or older.
• For all Terms & Conditions, please see the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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