Our time in London was short but very sweet! I dub it the city of cool cars, perfect facades, and endless charm… I swear I was European in my past life. I could spend hours roaming aimlessly just admiring each stoop in all the cute neighborhoods. The old buildings, ivy-covered walls, cobblestone streets–my kind of happy place. Marylebone and Notting Hill, in particular, were my favorites, but I knew that was coming (from 5,351 miles away). London is such a special place, especially the story behind our trip and getting to know the Jo Malone team… it will always be near and dear to my heart.

I’m excited to share a bevy of photos I captured around the main events, however, I took a lot less than I usually do while on trips. I haven’t experienced jet lag in ages, and this was my first time where it struck heavily upon arrival. The first few days were a little rough on my under eyes, to say the least! We never fully adjusted, which was a slight speed bump in terms of packing in our free days, but that just means I will have to come back again in the future!

The Jo Malone events were, of course, the highlights of the trip. The inspiring energy and warmth of their team fueled me right into gear both days we got to spend time with them and other creatives from all around the world. I will be sharing this dreamy part of the trip and waxing more poetic on the brand on Friday morning so come back and visit then.

Below are a few things we did in London, and here’s a list of the places I researched before our trip in case you need some more ideas!

Stay

When we arrived at The Rosewood Hotel, we quickly freshened up and headed down to their restaurant, Holborn Dining Room, for a couple of cocktails and snacks before dinner (parmesan fries hit the spot). This place was so beautiful and their food and drinks were fantastic. We popped in a couple of times throughout the week. We loved this hotel so much… couldn’t recommend it more. If you do stay here in the future, be sure to also check out the marble staircase (50 different types of marble, some of which are extinct), the bluebirds on site, the Scarfes Bar (live jazz every evening at 7 pm), and the Botanist Greenhouse in the courtyard.

EAT

Chiltern Firehouse | We had dinner here one of the first nights with the JML team and the other US blogger on the trip (Erica of Egg Canvas and her hubby, who were very sweet!). It’s one of London’s most coveted spots and it did not disappoint. We came back later on the trip one evening for drinks because the vibe is just so fun and lively.

Dishoom | Okay, so I thought I hated Indian food until Dishoom came into my life. So many people recommended this spot to us, so this was Matt’s perfect opportunity to get me on board, which was a success. Wow… I have to say it was one of my favorite meals while we were in London! So so good, and worth the hour-long wait. I hear there’s always a queue, so be sure to come prepared for that!

Granger & Co. | Another line worth the wait! While we were in Notting Hill we sat down for brunch before heading off to the Chelsea game, and this place was so charming (and so delicious). I got the white peach bellini (can’t say no to bellinis at brunch) and we split the banana and ricotta hot cakes and the eggs and toast. Loved this spot and the interiors were just as good!

Bernardi’s | We randomly stumbled upon this Italian spot and loved it. We had dinner here on our last night and it was definitely a noteworthy meal. We got the burrata, fresh focaccia, a couple of pasta dishes, and a bottle of wine to share. Happy campers closing out our week in London with some gourmet comfort food.

Drink

Clarette | My friend at Jo Malone recommended this spot for drinks! The JML townhouse is close by, so this is their local wine bar, and it was so charming. We popped in for a glass of wine before dinner.

Vinoteca | We stumbled upon this wine bar while exploring Marylebone and had such a nice time there. We ordered wine flights and enjoyed the romantic and rustic setting, and people-watched out the window.