London For The Holidays

There are a few perks to dating a British born babe like spending the holidays in England while indulging in Cadbury chocolates and a whole lotta fish and chips! But, there’s also family time, shopping on Oxford and Regent Street, and the chance to be a tourist.

London For the Holidays

Our trip began on Christmas Eve with a late night flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, arriving at London Heathrow on Christmas Day. It was my first time traveling on Christmas Eve; it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The flight was quick and smooth. AND… since my partner is a British Citizen, we breezed through customs and collected our bags in no time!

We spent the first couple of nights at her father’s house, which is tucked away in a small town called Olney. To be honest, our time there was primarily spent stuffing our faces and recovering from jet lag. My partner’s brother is a chef, so, as I’m sure you can imagine, he cooked a feast for the holidays. Just to give you a snap shot of my first proper English Christmas super, here’s what was on the menu: roasted duck, standing rib of beef, potatoes roasted in goose fat with rosemary and thyme, roasted root vegetables (carrots and parsnips) marinated in orange juice, chili, and garlic, pigs in blankets brushed with apple juice and white grain mustard, sage and thyme stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts with pancetta and flaked almonds, cauliflower cheese, and the British staple, Yorkshire puddings stuffed with beef shin. But wait, I’m not done yet, for dessert, we had a homemade dairy-free chocolate cheesecake with an Oreo crust and my partner’s grandmother (on her fathers side) baked a blackberry apple pie. It was all amazing! I’m salivating right now just thinking about it!

Our next stop was visiting her other grandmother who lives in South East London. I always enjoy visiting with her grandmother because, sadly, my grandmother passed away when my mother was very young, so I never got to meet her. Now, my partner’s grandmother has kind of become the grandmother I never had. She is feisty, slick at the mouth, and yet, the most caring, thoughtful person that I’ve ever met. She’s my girl! I love her dearly. Most of the time, we are sitting two feet apart from each other playing Words with Friends and sipping tea 😊

Being a Tourist

We spent the second half of our trip being tourists. After the New Year, one of my partner’s best friends flew out to meet us. It was her first trip to London, so we took her to all the staple landmarks. We walked from the Abbey through Westminster, down the river Thames to Tower Bridge, visited Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guards, stuffed our faces at El Pastor in Borough Market, went shopping in and around Oxford Circus, Regent Street, Covent Garden, Liberty’s – one of the oldest department stores in the world, and Harrod’s – whilst stopping for a few sushi rolls at the famous Harrod’s restaurant hall, watched live jazz, and, of course, a British favorite, afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason. In case you missed my InstaStories, check the highlights out on my Instagram page.

Thinking of taking a trip to London? Here are a few recommendations on places to stay, eat, and visit. Happy travels!!!