My Latest Trip to London

Travel writer Bows & Sequins in London

This past trip to London (my 4th time visiting the city!) was one I’ll never forget! Visit Great Britain invited me to experience the best of British luxury (pinch me!) to coincide with their #LuxuryisGREAT campaign and it was four days of absolutely incredible travel, dining, shopping, and sight-seeing. Luxurious living at it’s finest! But let’s dive right in, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover…

Traveling to London

I flew Virgin Atlantic to London in their Upper Class cabin and it made the time change an absolute breeze. Virgin Atlantics’s Upper Class experience was so much more elevated than any other time I’ve flown business on an international flight! (Which has honestly only been a handful of times, to be totally honest. Usually I’m slumming it with the common folk in Economy Plus, haha.*) My overnight flight from New York to London was honestly like being in a hotel 30,000 feet above … Full lay-down beds, comfy duvet covers and pillows, a wide menu selection (of actually really tasty food!), turndown service, and even a full bar area. At the bar, you could actually help yourself to light breakfast options in the morning if you were opting to sleep through the full breakfast service. (Continental breakfast, anyone? You know me, though, I obviously opted for the eggs, bacon, coffee, & OJ.)

*Actually though, blog post on surviving long haul flights in economy coming soon!

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at JFK in NYC at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Luxury Lounge

There wasn’t a detail that was left unattended … Long-sleeve pajamas, socks, toiletry kits (from Rituals!), over-the-ear headphones, you name it. It was honestly like I didn’t need my entire carry-on bag of all of my essentials that I had packed myself… Virgin provided it all! And I loved how my crew member (hi Daniel!) took the time to ask the important questions before the flight took off. You know, like, “Would you prefer to be woken for meals?” YES. The answer is always yes, Daniel.

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins flies Virgin Atlantic Upper Class cabin from JFK to LHR

It’s a pretty ‘short’ flight from JFK to LHR* (just over six hours!) and I wanted to maximize my snooze time, but part of me honestly didn’t want to fall asleep in fear of what I’d be missing out on in the Upper Class cabin. (*Short for an international flight, let me clarify.) I may or may not have been battling some extra bouts of sleepiness on Monday because I was too busy enjoying my flight to actually put my eye mask on. Whoops! FOMO, talking me into making poor life choices since 1989. JK, kind of, haha.

Anyway, I landed at Heathrow around 6am on Monday morning and could have never imagined what was to come next! I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’ve probably never heard of Heathrow VIP, I know I sure as heck hadn’t. It was, hands down, the most luxurious travel experience I’ve ever had. Picture this, I’m deplaning with my eyes half open and there’s a woman in the jetbridge with my name on a sign. Whoa, wasn’t expecting to see someone until I was at least *in* the actual airport. From there, I was whisked away through a private side door, down a flight of stairs, and before you know it I’m underneath the plane with a black BMW waiting for me (and only me) to get in. My bags were placed in the car, my checked baggage tags were given to someone who was going to fetch them, and I was being driven through the tunnels under Heathrow. Blame it on the jetlag, but it all happened so fast that I honestly had the thought, “Am I being kidnapped?” And if this is how it goes, I’m all in.

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at Heathrow VIP in London

After about 10 minutes in the car, we arrived to my private (very chic) suite while I waited for my bags and for the border patrol officer to come to the suite to check my passport. Umm, what? Yes, you read that correctly. They come to you with Heathrow VIP! While I was waiting, I was able to place an order for breakfast, watch TV, get a newspaper, and freshen up in my private bathroom. It was my second breakfast of the morning so I just went with coffee and fruit, but the whole menu looked incredible. (It was created by chef Jason Atherton!) The whole experience felt like a dream and my trip had barely just begun!

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy at Heathrow VIP luxury airport lounge in London

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at Heathrow VIP luxury airport concierge in London

I hopped into the car (another black BMW, if we’re keeping track) to make my way into the city. I’d been to The Berkeley once before for tea, but I was excited to stay for more than an hour or two this time around! I figured there was no chance I’d be able to check into my room since it was only 8am, but service is the name of the game at The Berkeley. I was able to promptly get into my room, which was an incredible suite on the 5th floor. I was so thankful to have plenty of time to unpack, shower, and get ready for the day with the Visit Great Britain team!

Day 1: Monday, October 9th

We kicked off day around noon with lunch at Sketch. You’ve probably seen their gorgeous pink tea room on Instagram (I’ve been a few times!), but they also have another dining room downstairs (the Glade) where the decor is completely switched out every few months. When I was in London this past April, the room was a tropical paradise… Wicker chairs, palm prints, etc. But this time, the room was transformed with green shag carpet and velvet upholstery. Such a fun place to have a meal! I had the Mango, Passionfruit, Gojiberry, and Pomegranate Juice with a salad, I believe it was the Pierre’s Salad. So tasty!

Chicago travel blogger Jessica Sturdy visits Sketch in London

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy at the Sketch London Glades Room

Blogger Jessica Sturdy shares her London Travel Guide, Tea at Sketch

See my outfit here!

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy at Sketch in London.

From Sketch, we walked over to Charbonnel et Walker for a chocolate tasting and it was the perfect pick-me-up! Do yourself a favor and get a few boxes of their truffles to take home. I just finished the last of the three boxes I brought home (Hey, they’re small, okay?! And I had some friends who helped.) and I’m already sad they’re gone. My favorites are the Milk Sea Salt Caramel Truffles, but you have to also get an assorted selection of their milk and dark chocolates. The Crowns, Praline Noisettes, and Truffle Cafés are soooo good. But have yourself a tasting in store to see what you like best! Oh, also worth mentioning… The boxes are *so* chic. You can easily use them for organization of jewelry or makeup or house little trinkets around the house when you’re done!

Charbonnel et Walker Chocolate Tasting in London

London Travel Guide Charbonnel et Walker Chocolate Tasting in London

Post sugar-high, we made our way to The House of Elemis to try their Biotec Facial in the Penthouse! To start out, my esthetician took a photo of my skin with their facial mapping tool to see the areas where I was dry, oily, showing signs of aging, etc. You guys, I would love to tell you more about the facial, but it was so dang relaxing that I fell asleep. At the end of the facial, kind of embarrassed, I was like, “How long did I fall asleep for?!” She politely responded, “You pretty much fell asleep two minutes into it.” Yep, beauty blogger of the year over here. I will say, though, my skin looked super radiant afterwards! 😉

House of Elemis in London

Once I had a little nap, we headed to Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street, one of the oldest and largest cheesemongers in England. If you’re thinking, “Oh my goodness, this sounds like heaven,” you would be correct. Much like I feel after any time I spend time at wineries, I left Paxton & Whitfield wanting to become a cheesemonger. What can I say, I just really love learning about things I’m passionate about. Wine and cheese, specifically. We got to sample some of the most incredible cheeses and I so badly wanted to ship some home, but when you live alone, that’s probably not the best idea for the waistline. Next time for sure! I’d highly recommend swinging by the shop for some samples of the different cheeses and picking up some provisions for a little picnic in Green Park or St James Park.

If you get overwhelmed in the shop, here’s a list of my four favorites that we tried… Bosworth Goat Cheese, Stinking Bishop (a brie), Lincolnshire Poacher (cheddar), and Cropwell Bishop Stilton (blue). My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy visits Paxton & Whitfield Cheese Shop in London

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy at Paxton & Whitfield in London

That evening, we had cocktails at The Blue Bar at The Berkeley before heading to dinner at OXO Tower. Yep, more eating… It’s a wonder my clothes still fit the next day! All I can remember from dinner was bone-marrow-crusted fillet (!!), delightful red wine, and pumpkin cheesecake to finish. I’m sure there were some appetizers in there, but I was too busy chatting with the group to write them down. Again, blogger fail. The city views from the restaurant are phenomenal, though!

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at The Blue Bar at the Berkeley in London

See my outfit here!

The Blue Bar at The Berkeley in London

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy visits OXO Tower for dinner in London

Day 2: Tuesday, October 10th

Day Two might have been my favorite day! I started off with breakfast in the Collins Room at The Berkeley before heading to Jo Loves on Elizabeth Street, which was an easy walk from the hotel. I can’t even put into words how fun and inspiring the morning was. Jo Loves is Jo Malone’s new fragrance brand and it’s the cutest (and most delicious-smelling!) store.

Blogger Jessica Sturdy visit Jo Loves in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy with Jo Malone at Jo Loves on Elizabeth Street in London

But oh my gosh, guys. WE GOT TO MEET JO MALONE!! And not even like a little, “Hey, how are you?” We literally spent the entire morning with her and I cannot say enough nice things about her. Her energy was simply infectious. I had tears in my eyes when she was telling us her story of being diagnosed with cancer and leaving her Jo Malone brand, goosebumps when she was chronicling the synchronicities of her career, and I probably had tears in my eyes again from laughing so hard at other points throughout the morning. She’s so witty, an incredibly innovative business woman, and I can’t tell you how many inspiring “one liners” I wrote down in my phone throughout the conversation. But the best part was that she wasn’t trying to be emotional or give inspiring quotes, you could tell she was just being her (very cool) self. In fact, as we were walking outside for a photo afterwards, I whispered to Gregory and Ryan, “I REALLY LIKE HER!” Typical Jess, I didn’t realize she was standing right behind me. Haha! So she knows how much I was fan-girling. 😂

Blogger Jessica Sturdy with Jo Malone at Jo Loves in London

I have to tell you more about the brand, though. Jo Loves is her newest fragrance concept and the products are so fresh and fun! Sure, there are candles and colognes, but the in-store experiences are not to be missed. We got to create our own custom candles with Jo, Shot Candles. You can see a few combinations online, but in-store, you can select your base and your “shot” for a bespoke fragrance that changes as you burn it. So cool! (See more in the video below!)

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy with Jo Malone in London

Jo Malone Shot Candle at Jo Loves in London on Elizabeth Street

Jo’s newest creation is Fragrance Paintbrushes. They’re essentially a whole new way to wear and layer fragrances! They’re gel-based fragrances that are applied by, you guessed it, a paintbrush. So, so cool. You’ve got to check them out… You can find them at Sephora! Great for travel and easy to toss in your bag during the day.

Jo Malone Jo Loves Fragrance Paintbrushes

From the cute little shop on Elizabeth Street (a great area for shopping, wandering, and eating!), I took home the Pink Vetiver fragrance, the Pomelo Fragrance Paintbrush, Jo Malone’s book (cannot wait to read!), and my custom Shot Candle creation, a base of Tahitian Gardenia and a shot of Saffron Oud. I could go on for days, but you’re probably getting hungry at this point. I know I was after our fragrance tapas experience after the candle making!

Afterwards, we went to lunch at Thomas Cubitt next door and it was one of my favorite meals! We basically tried the entire menu in the upstairs dining room. We had oysters to start, I had the chicken for my main, and we got ALL OF THE SIDES… bone marrow mash, truffle fries, broccoli, and rainbow carrots, too. So, so delish. Highly recommend having lunch or dinner here!

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy at Thomas Cubitt in London on Elizabeth Street

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins shops at Heidi Klein in London

We shopped at Heidi Klein afterwards (picked up the cutest striped swimsuit that I can’t wait to wear on vacation this winter!) and then got picked up in vintage mini coopers for a tour around London with smallcarBIGCITY. I’m not one for tourist attractions while traveling, but this is an experience I would do again and again! There’s no better way to see the sights quickly. And I mean, vintage mini coopers… Say no more! (There’s also a Harry Potter tour… Noted for next time. ✔️)

Small Car Big City Vintage Mini Cooper London Tour

The cars dropped us off at Halfpenny for a fitting with Kate Halfpenny herself, and the fan-girling continued. Kate’s bridal designs are stunningly beautiful (she designed Kate Moss’ wedding dress!) and it was a dream to spend time in her atelier. Earlier this fall, Halfpenny launched The Black Edit, which is a collection of some of her most well-known silhouettes reimagined in classic black for endless wearing opportunities. We each got to borrow a dress for dinner that evening and I chose a sleek silk gown with an open back and a big bow-tie at the neck. How could I not?! And to top it off, Kate suggested pairing this stunning chiffon cape with a bigger-than-life bow at the front of the neck. Does it get any better?!

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy at a fitting at Kate Halfpenny in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy at a fitting at Kate Halfpenny Atelier in London

Blogger Jessica Sturdy at a fitting at Kate Halfpenny in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy in Halfpenny The Black Edit

Wearing this black-tie ensemble to dinner at City Social on a Tuesday evening brought new meaning to “Goin’ up on a Tuesday!” It didn’t feel like real life, that’s for sure. Dinner was INCREDIBLE… You have to go to City Social next time you find yourself in London. The chef, Jason Atherton, came out to greet us and I’ve never been more giddy. (Pictures prove it.. What a cutie!) We had a giant sampling menu and honestly tried it all… It was a group of about 20 of us at dinner! I’m convinced you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. But do yourself a favor and get the Espresso Martini after your meal!

Travel blogger Jessica Sturdy with Jason Atherton at City Social in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy in Kate Halfpenny The Black Edit at City Social in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy in Kate Halfpenny The Black Edit at City Social in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy in Kate Halfpenny The Black Edit at City Social in London

Fashion blogger Jessica Sturdy wearing Halfpenny Black Dress at City Social in London

Day 3: Wednesday, October 11th

Sheep roaming on the EJ Churchill Estate in the English Countryside

We were up bright and early on Wednesday morning for a train to the English countryside! We took the train from Marylebone Staton to Wycombe to the EJ Churchill estate, less than an hour away. I’ve only ever spent time in London, so it was really fun to see a different side of Great Britain. We got to tour the estate and even take a clay pigeon shooting lesson. I’ll be honest, I was scared sh*tless for the shooting lesson… I’d never held or shot a gun before! But the guides at EJ Churchill were SO GOOD. I can’t say enough good things. They made me feel so comfortable and confident! Naturally, I totally missed my first few shots and Daf instantly told me to look a little to the left of the clay. Got it on the next one! How he was able to pick that up in a matter of minutes is beyond me. It ended up being *really* fun, actually! Just goes to show how good it is to get out of your comfort zone sometimes. (It was also really eye-opening to learn about Great Britain’s gun laws… Not going to get into politics here, but look them up if you have the interest!)

Blogger Jessica Sturdy at EJ Churchill Estate in High Wycombe taking a Clay Pigeon Shooting Lesson

Blogger Jessica Sturdy at EJ Churchill Clay Pigeon Shooting in Great Britain

Blogger Bows & Sequins at EJ Churchill outside of London

Blogger Jessica Sturdy at EJ Churchill Estate taking a Clay Pigeon Shooting Lesson

Blogger Jessica Sturdy at EJ Churchill Clay Pigeon Shooting in England

We made our way back to the city and went straight to the City of London Gin Distillery. This was such a fun experience! If you’re visiting London when it’s chilly, spend an afternoon here making your own gin in their gin lab. Another one of those moments where I wanted to go into the gin business! (The owner may or may not have voted my gin the best out of the group! 🎖I’m a pro, what can I say.) We learned that most all gin has varying amounts of Juniper, Coriander, and Angelica Root. I then added Elderberries, Lemon, Pepper, and Orange Peel. We distilled it in the gin lab, sealed the bottle with wax, and even put a printed label on it! The bottle of “Dirty Sturdy” is now proudly sitting on my bar cart here in Chicago. (And yes, I saved my award-winning measurement sheet. So if you need a recipe, hit me up. It will cost you though! 😉)

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at the City of London Distillery Gin Lab

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at the City of London Gin Distillery

Travel blogger Bows & Sequins at the City of London Gin Lab where you can make your own bottle of gin.

City of London Gin Distillery Gin Lab

We raced back to The Berkeley for afternoon tea with Jane Lewis (founder of Goat Fashion) and Samantha Conti (head of WWD in London)! The Berkeley’s fashion-inspired Prêt-à-Portea is not to be missed! This was actually my second time getting to have it, but the company this time absolutely made the experience. Expectedly, Jane was one of the chicest women I’ve ever gotten to sit down and talk to, and it was so, so inspiring hearing about the evolution of her brand, Goat Fashion. (PS: I got to take this sweater home with me and it’s incredible… Such a great shape and it’s SO soft.)

Pret a Portea at The Berkeley in London

Fashion and travel blogger Jessica Sturdy at Pret a Portea at The Berkeley in London

Pret a Portea at The Berkeley Hotel in London

I feel like a broken record using the term “inspiring,” but there’s no other way to sum up the trip! While this was such a once-in-a-lifetime few days with unforgettable experiences, my favorite part had to have been the conversations with such inspiring women. Getting to meet and spend time with Jo, Kate, and Jane was so motivating, uplifting, and refreshing. A whirlwind of a few days that I’ll remember for years and years to come! Thank you a million times over, Visit Great Britain. xx

Jessica Sturdy and Kate Halfpenny at the London Atelier

While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out my Travel Guide… The London section has been updated with all of these recommendations!

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12 Comments

  1. 11.14.17
    Cory said:

    Wow…this looks like the trip of a lifetime and you look like an actual million dollars in that black dress.

    • 11.14.17
      Jessica said:

      Thank you!! Isn’t that dress stunning? Life Goal: Have Kate design my wedding dress one day!

  2. 11.14.17

    What an awesome opportunity!! Looks like such a fun trip – London is #1 on my list on international travel!

    • 11.14.17
      Jessica said:

      London is incredible! I always say it’s kind of like “a European New York.” It’s a bustling city with so much character and different neighborhoods, but it’s *so* much more relaxed than New York. It’s the best of both worlds, in my opinion! I’d move there in a heartbeat given the opportunity. 🙂

  3. 11.14.17
    Briana said:

    I am hopefully going to study abroad next summer! Now I cannot wait!

    Briana
    https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/

    • 11.14.17
      Jessica said:

      Ahhh I’m so envious!! Crossing my fingers it works out for you, you will LOVE IT!

  4. 11.15.17
    Mom said:

    What an amazing trip you had. You always look like a million dollars but the black dress designed by Kate Halfpenny was beyond gorgeous… I hadn’t seen you wear your hair up since your senior prom! I also loved the outfit you wore while shooting clay pigeons … especially the olive green hat. The attention to detail in your writing is unmatched. XOXO

  5. 11.15.17

    I grew up in London!! So lovely to see my old spots. Glad you had a great time!

  6. 11.15.17
    Carolyn said:

    Such a wonderful read Jessica!! Your a beautiful writer! Such detail! Felt like I was there! Defiantly picking up some of the Jo! Roses is one of my favs from her!
    cheers!

  7. 12.29.20
    Naomi said:

    Thanks so much for sharing your amazing trip! I can’t wait to travel again and your visit was super inspirational.

  8. 6.20.23
    Emma said:

    I love traveling to the UK, it’s like a paradise that you come back to every time and discover something new. The last city I visited was Leicester and it fascinated me with its mystery. If you want to come here, I advise you to rent a car because the city is quite large and to see it better and visit as many places as possible, I advise you to have a car Rental24.co.uk