Go to Your Happy Place
Even if it’s 3,500 miles away
When I booked an international flight a few months back, I didn’t think much of it being right after the election. In hindsight, maybe part of me was planning some self preservation.
This last week has been soul-crushing. Like roughly 72 million other Americans, I’ve struggled to wrap my head around more than half of the country’s decision to return a man to power who has: raped and sexually abused women, ignored scientific research including blatant disregard for climate change and multiple warnings during the early days of the pandemic, repeatedly disrespected communities of color as well as disabled people and LGBTQIA folks, incited a riot/insurrection on the U.S. Capitol building while contesting the election results, actively praised autocrats and dictators, wished pain be inflicted upon the free press, and now plans to deport millions of people with help from someone who got his start working illegally in the US himself. Not to mention he’s a convicted felon. The list literally goes on and on; it will only continue to grow.
Ruminating on this reality has made me both mentally and physically ill. The first forty-eight hours post-election, I struggled to sleep and eat and move. I did manage to scream. If I’d had the energy, I would’ve cried. My Twitter feed was filled with quote-Tweets from young men proclaiming, “Your body, my choice.” Scrolling through Instagram brought advice on what items to stockpile—including birth control pills—ahead of January 21. The TV wouldn’t stop playing his hateful, ignorant voice.
I appreciate the scathing (and accurate) criticism of the Democrats’ campaign from Bernie Sanders alongside calls for hope from activists, but what I really need in the wake of everything is the chance to run away. So, I’m glad past-Rachel planned it for me.
Most people who know me are aware that I have a special connection to England. Partially because of family ties. My grandmother was born and raised in Nottingham (she met my grandfather during World War II, in one of England’s oldest surviving pubs) where my cousins still reside, and my mother lived in Notting Hill when the chic neighborhood was still affordable. I’ve been traveling back and forth to the UK since I was little. I even fulfilled the dreams of attending Oxford for graduate school and working briefly at a boutique London literary agency. That was one of the few times in my life I’ve cried on my way to work not thanks to all-consuming dread but because I couldn’t contain my happiness
Even if US politics aren’t wearing me down, I’m a different version of myself in London. A calmer, happier, and fulfilled person. I breathe deeper. I have greater creative inspiration. I find myself again. It feels like home in ways New York has never quite reached.
My list of favorite things to do in London is extensive and indulgent. My first stop is Fortnum & Mason, a department store on Piccadilly dating back to the 1700s. They sell everything from tasty handmade chocolates (the marmalade caramels are scrumptious) to a dozen different varieties of mustard. Afternoon tea in their Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is an essential experience to taste their extensive selection, as is saving enough room to visit The Parlour for an ice cream treat. This time of the year the shop also features old fashioned Christmas windows.
Admittedly, I indulge myself in many tea times when in London. The Drawing Room at Brown’s Hotel offers a full service in an elegant setting. There’s a lit fireplace, a pianist, and the kindest staff . The Goring puts on an award-winning tea service at their hotel, the same place Kate Middleton stayed in the night before her wedding. Certainly the spot to be princess for the day.
Not all of my dining options are quite this posh. I love ambling about food stalls, whether that’s getting a delicious lamb wrap or cheese wheel pasta from the Portobello Food Market, or a tasty chicken sandwich and a cup of chocolate covered strawberries from Borough Market. Evenings are spent with fish and chips in the pub (The Spread Eagle, The Sun in Splendour, and Churchill Arms are a few of my central favorites), though I may go out for North African food at The Barbary in Neal’s Yard or some fresh fish at Scott’s in Mayfair. But I’m also perfectly happy to grab something from the grocer as the options are better—and fresher—than those in the states.
Returning to Christmas windows, London really goes all out for the holidays. Lights illuminate the central streets, including Oxford, Regent, and Bond. St. Martin’s Lane in the theater district and iconic Carnaby Street get in on the fun, too. It gets dark early in London, so I enjoy going for a late afternoon walk to see the shimmering magic. Covent Garden has a gigantic tree and big bells perfect for pictures. You can imbibe in a gin-tastic drink from the Sipsmith pop-up there, as well.
You’ll find more holiday magic inside London’s department stores. Liberty decks out a whole floor of their Tuder-style store in glitter and tinsel starting in November. Selfridges has visits from Father Christmas alongside their decorations on offer. John Lewis and Marks & Spencer have reasonably priced items, whereas Primark is your home for a festive jumper. I’d also recommend treating your inner child with a trip to Hamleys, London’s biggest toy shop.
Staying true to my brand, I spend a fair amount of time in bookstores while here. A classic spot is Cecil Court, a Victorian Street entirely dedicated to vintage bookshops. Hatchards has been recommending reads since 1797, claiming to be the oldest bookselling establishment in the UK. Another classic is Daunt on Marylebone, which occupies an Edwardian building. I used to work at the agency located within Lutyens & Rubinstein in Notting Hill, so it will always hold a special place in my heart. In warmer temperatures, I have a look through Word on the Water, too, a bookshop on a barge in the Little Venice canal.
The only thing I enjoy more than buying books is taking one to the park to read. London is made up of 40% green space (over double what New York has) and regardless of weather, I like to take advantage of as much of it as possible. Kensington Gardens is my usual spot, specifically around the Italian Fountains or watching the birds at the Round Pond. Sometimes I’ll just take a seat and close my eyes, imagine a very different version of my life: with a flat, with a corgi, without so much stress.
I still don’t know where me, personally, or society at-large goes next. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe I can just focus on my favorite city in the world, taking a little advice from its former monarch: keep calm and (try to) carry on. Maybe for a moment you, dear reader, can do the same.
Rachel’s Weekly Recs:
Everybody could use a feel good movie right now, and Paddington in Peru delivers. The bear in the big red hat is taking the Brown family on an adventure through his homeland. Expect award-winning villains, aww-worthy moments, and many marmalade sandwiches.
‘Tis the season for pie, and the New York Times annual guide to the dish will soon be upon us. I’m itching to try this Cranberry Citrus Meringue Pie recipe, a take on the classic lemon dish.
A good outfit always puts me in a better mood. I absolutely don’t need it, but I have my eye on this dress from Sister Jane, a London label known for its romantic, dreamy fits.
Just reading about your trip calmed me down.🖤