To A Tea: The Orangery at Kensington Palace



Obviously, I want to be friends with Kate Middleton.


Excuse me, the Duchess of Cambridge.

We live so close by each other,
we're both tall, &
we both have brown hair.

It just makes sense.

And obviously, she wants to be my friend, too.

Her wedding dress had lace sleeves like mine
{I don't mind that she copied me},
and she jumped on the baby train right after I did,


It's nice to know the feeling is mutual.

So until our paths collide
and we become the best of friends
pushing our prams around Kensington High Street,
browsing the sale racks of Reiss together,
and sipping tea from their royal apartment in Kensington Palace...

I'm happily settling for afternoon tea at
The Orangery
at Kensington Palace.

Pretty much the same thing...
minus the whole 
"hanging out with the Princess" bit.

Either way,
if you come to London
and find yourself having tea at the Orangery,
you won't feel like you've settled in the least.

In fact, you may feel a bit like royalty yourself.

______________________


at Kensington Palace


While Kate might be everyone's first choice
for companionship over tea at The Orangery,
I was lucky to share my afternoon
with long-time blogging friend, Ashley,
and her adorable daughter, Claire,
who were in town visiting from Senegal.

It was a lovely afternoon, 
and the chilly weather even behaved enough
to give the place some 
gorgeous sunlight for our little date.





The Orangery is a gorgeous tea room
and the setting is perfectly palatial
with clean walls
and bright floral arrangements.





The afternoon tea is £19
and includes all the trimmings 
expected at afternoon tea.








{Sandwiches, scones & cakes served with a pot of tea.}





Or you can opt for the cream tea for £9...
which will get you a pot of tea + two scones 
served with jam and cream.

Though it's only served on a small plate and is a bit less glorious in presentation,
if that matters to you.

You can also order food off of their seasonal menus
if you'd rather opt for something a bit more substantial.





The setting really is perfect though.

Not too girly that you can't bring a man...
in fact, there were more men present here
than any other "tea room" I've visited.

But it's also perfect for an afternoon of catching up 
and lingering over sweets with friends.

And if you can snag a table outside in the summer,
well... I think you'd really be feeling like a princess.





And yes...
as this picture proves,
I am taller in real life than most people think.

5'10" and 9 months pregnant, folks.






___________________


If this place isn't your cup of tea,

you can check some of my other blogs
about places to have tea in London here.



*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

To A Tea: COCOMAYA


Right as I started on this quest
to find great tea rooms in London,
it seems the requests have been pouring in.

That, my friends, is what we call "perfect timing."

I'm really excited about the tea room
you're getting to see today.

Not only is it fantastic,
but it's also really central
so it's perfect for anyone visiting the city...

It's also a short bus ride directly to/from my flat,
so I now know that I can easily access 
this cute place whenever I so desire.

And that my friends, is what we call "trouble."

_______________


This little tea shop + chocolaterie
is the brain child of some very hip people:
the former head of concept (Joel Bernstein)
and former accessories & fashion consultant (Walid al Damirji)
of the hippest store in London
(and my personal favorite), 
LIBERTY.

It's only natural that the aesthetic would be hip
and that the vibe would be cool.

Coming from two people like this 
-with experience like theirs-
how could you expect anything else?

Well, you shouldn't...
because COCOMAYA delivers.





It's located in central London,
right near Marble Arch
and a few blocks from Oxford Street.

It's basically in the perfect spot
for you to melt in
after several hours of working your way
through the shops of Oxford Street.






The shop's location is tucked back a bit, 
so you'll avoid most tourist traffic.

Tea is served in vintage tea pots
and mismatched tea cups....





...cakes are served up on randomly cute china plates...

and the overall feeling is,
well, just really lovely.

The prices aren't crazy
and the selection of delicious cakes & pastries
will allow everyone to find their heart's desire.







{Mine happened to be a raspberry & vanilla cake. Oh my.}

Don't expect too much privacy, 
as the main seating area is one large shared table...

but it adds to the ambiance of the place.





If you want to opt for the fancy high tea
or cream team,
they do these also.

{In fact, there is even a second room to the shop
that hosts private parties and fancy tea time.}

There are also small cafe tables outside 
that can be huddled over
if the weather allows for it.

All in all,
this place is great.





I loved getting to spend a few hours 
in Cocomaya with a new friend...

....and I'm looking forward to many more
afternoons there in the future.

___________________


COCOMAYA
12 Connaught Street
London W2 2AF

+44 7706 2883

Tube Stop: Marble Arch

*check the website for additional locations*






*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy

Buon Viaggio! Visiting Italy


It's that time of year.

Everyone is starting to plan 
their spring break travels
and begins to dream 
of a summer vacation somewhere fabulous.

I love that we all have this in common.

One of the most common places people want to visit is Italy.





Duh.

It's incredible.

I get a lot of questions asking me logistics 
about traveling to this amazing place...
and I'm flattered to have you associate me
with such an amazing place.

I'm happy to answer specific questions for your planning,
but general "advice" for an entire country or multi-day itinerary
is a little tough for me to field at the moment.





There's just so much to say
and because it's such a loaded question,
 it takes me about an hour to reply to each email.

In efforts to help make my travel posts a bit easier to find
and to prevent you from waiting weeks for a reply
while planning your own trip to Italy,
I thought I'd put them all here
in a central location.


Look at these sexy blogger husbands (liz's corey, my tyler & megan's stephen in florence.)

So if you aren't sure about my opinion on training somewhere
or if you are looking for a particularly special souvenir,
email me and ask!

For the rest of it,
I've put down most everything I know in these links
in efforts to help you out.

Happy Planning!





Other great places you might be dreaming of are:





*images original to Aspiring Kennedy & Liz Denfeld
**if you saw the original version of this post, sorry. it was written before delivery.

A Group Effort


Many of you have said 
that you can't pretend to understand how we must feel...
but actually, 
I think most of you actually can empathize 
with what we are going through...

It's evident in the way you have taken care of us.

I actually think you can imagine what this feels like
and that's why we have been covered in loved 
through the past few weeks.


_____________


From the immediate arrival of family
  to be by our sides
as we said goodbye to our daughter...

Family stroll through to Kensington Palace in an attempt to get some fresh air.

Grandparents out for lunch in Notting Hill
A field trip out of the house for tea at Fortnum & Mason with my mom & Tyler's mom

... dinners & groceries dropped at our door...


... gorgeous flowers & sweet gifts sent 
to brighten our day and remember our girls ...



She likes our shenanigans, don't be fooled.

messages of encouragement sent with perfect timing...


... and the faces of loved ones that come 
and offer hugs of support
 or that stay for a while 
reminding us that life is good
and that we are blessed.




You've rejoiced with us for the arrival of Viola
and you've grieved with us for the loss of our daughter.

Going through this with others
has made it bearable in a way
I hope that I never forget.

Thank you so much
for helping us calibrate 
to our new normal.


Viola's first Saturday morning on Portobello Road


I've read every single email that has come to my inbox.

Some make me cry big tears
and some make me laugh...
I'm so grateful for the friendships 
I've made with so many of you.

The blogging community
is an amazingly cool, smart 
& good-hearted crew.


______________


And yes, the blog posts you've been seeing 
were written in advance
in anticipation of having my hands full post-delivery.

My brain isn't that functional yet. ;)




*images via instagram. Username: aspiringkennedy

Pack Your Bags: Florence, Italy



Its probably been said on this blog
{one too many times}
how much I love the city of Florence.

For a long time, it was a city that captured my heart
and had me constantly dreaming of return.

I studied there in college,
returned for summers to visit my college boyfriend, 
and eventually, 
all of that time spent during my young adulthood, 
endeared me to Florence in a way
that is still difficult to articulate.

I didn't know I could feel that way about another place
until we moved to Oxford.

While there are some smaller, 
more local places that I never miss when I'm in Florence,
(or in the surrounding suburb of Scandicci
where I escape to spend quieter time with local friends)
the places I want to share with you now
are spots in downtown Florence
that are guaranteed to make 
your first or second visit really special.


To Do:



          In between the train station (Santa Maria Novella)
and the famous Duomo of Florence,
this sprawling market is a must for visitors.

Pick up your leather goods,your souvenir t-shirts,
any type of scarf imaginable,
or a slew of (completely decent) silk ties for a couple of euro a piece.

It's more than okay to haggle here...
in fact, it's expected when you buy multiples of anything
or higher ticket items like leather bags.

***

In a large piazza in the market,
is a large building, The Central Market,
which is a really good food market
that can quickly endanger your limited suitcase space.


Gorgeous olive oils, spices, pasta mixes, truffle spreads, chianti wines
are all there waiting for you.


There are small stalls in here that give locals & tourist alike
an affordable- and delicious- option for lunch.

Look for the stands where old Italian men linger
around nearby tables with small tumblers of wine...
it's a tell-tale sign that the food is good.





                            Go here for sunset for the most stunning view of Florence
setting in the valley of the Arno.




Either hike the walk, 
take a bus (which can be a bit complicated),
or splurge for the taxi up to this famous look out.



Regardless of how you arrive there,
when you see the amazing view before you...
you'll be glad you did.




The Accademia

Go see (one of) the massive masterpieces of Michelangelo, David, here.

Lines can get pretty terrible in summer months,
so save the trouble and book online.

You'll be glad you saved your time for sitting in a cafe
instead of along the crowded street in the hot sun.


Climb the Duomo

Yes, it's a haul to climb all the 463 steps 
up to the "cupola" of Florence's landmark church...
but when you see the city of Florence
sitting in the gorgeous Tuscan valley
in the glow of the late afternoon sun
{yes, you should go in the late afternoon}...
you'll know why this lethargic lump of a woman
would ever recommend such an outing for you.

{FYI: The last time I climbed, it was  €8.00. More info here.}



To Eat:


                             Trattoria ZaZa


Read more about this popular eatery
specializing in Tuscan cuisine
and perfectly situated in the San Lorenzo Market here.

Recommended dishes: 
the bruschetta, the ribollita 
& anything with truffle that you see on their menu.
  



Dinner reservations recommended.





Some people love it.
Some people think it's overrated.
Regardless, you can't argue that gelato is delicious.
I happen to fall in the camp that loves GROM.
like peach, raspberry & sicilian orange win me over.

Though to be fair,
it's now a rapidly growing chain
that even has locations in Manhattan.





This place is special to me.

I've spent many epic nights here...
along with way too much of my money.

But it's always worth it.

The four cheese ravioli introduced me to the truffle 
long before I even knew of it's existence.

I didn't know what the flavor was,
but could only explain it as "an explosion of magic in my mouth."

{Editor's Note: Maybe I wasn't the most articulate 19 year old.}

I've been back countless times since and seen the restaurant evolve
into a favorite of tourists and locals alike.

for the best view of the Ponte Vecchio in town.





This cafe is a gem.

It's discreetly tucked at the top of the busy department store, 
La Rinascente, located in Piazza Repubblica.

Up, up, up you go in the store
all the way to the home section at the top.

When you get there, 
go up the stairs into the cafe...
then up the small set of stairs onto the balcony.

Pay too much for a cup of coffee 
and enjoy a magnificent view of the cupola of il duomo.





While locating this legendary gelateriawas the catalyst for a near-divorce 
between Tyler & I,
it's hard to say that it wasn't worth the trouble.

The gelato really is fantastic
and if you can put up with crowds of people,
a great place to try Florence's "best gelato."



Owned by the famous Ferragamo family
(yes, that Ferragamo)
this swanky boutique hotelsits pristintely adjacent to the Ponte Vecchio.

If you can't splurge on staying in their apartment style hotel,
and pretend you are living the fabulous life.

{Which, if you've found yourself in Florence, is not really pretending.)










For 12 euro, you'll get a fancy cocktail
followed by well-manicured antipasti 
such as crab cakes and bite-sized cured meats.






To Stay:


Medium: AirBNB apartment rentals. {Seriously, I'm a fan.}

Budget: Avanti Italia
Ok, so this is an out of the normal option, 
but it's so affordable and helps out an awesome ministry.

At only $15 per person per night, it's a pretty decent option.

It's about a 20 minute bus ride out of the center of town, 
but it's actually really simple to get in & out of the downtown to Avanti.

I've stayed there countless times when visiting Florence with a small budget.

***

Florence is an amazing city
that captures my heart every time I visit...
and I know that I'm not alone.

What are some places and things 
that have enchanted you while visiting Florence?


Was there a special place that made your trip to Florence special?
Post it below so the rest of us can make sure to hit up the fun!



*images original to Aspiring Kennedy & Liz Denfeld


To A Tea: Fortnum & Mason


In efforts to help out your future adventures in London,
round out the final days of my pregnancy with shocking caloric intake,
& spend time with my girlfriends in cute places...

I took on the task of trying out different places for tea in London
for you to enjoy during my transition into motherhood.

See, the thing is-
visitors always seem to have this on their bucket list 
when planning a trip to London.

While there are many institutions 
that do tea service well,
my goal is to give you a handful of opportunities
at several different price points & styles
within different neighborhoods in London.

While most of the places I'm trying
are smaller and lesser known,
it only seemed right to start with 
a real London classic for afternoon tea.

So here you have it...
Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Tea.

__________________


Within the famous department store,
Fortnum & Mason,
is one of London's favo(u)rite tea rooms.

It used to be known as the "St. James Tea Room,"
but was recently renamed "The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon"
in honor of, well, you guessed it-
the Queen's Diamond Jubilee last summer.

My mom treated her daughters
{and their daughters} 
to ladies tea on Christmas Eve,
and while it was a pretty big splurge,
I think we would all agree-
it was an awesome memory.

My mom & me, fresh in from the winter rain.

Here are a few things to know about having tea
in this special place:

It's fancy.

Yes, you need to make reservations...
which I recommend doing online to avoid the long-distance call
and to have a physical, printed copy of your reservations. Never hurts.




You need to dress appropriately.

People go here for a splurge...
so don't yucky up their special day
with eyesore fashion like tennis shoes & ski jackets.

You'll have more fun dressing up
and sitting like a well-heeled Londoner, too...
take my word for it.

{Plus, certain dress requirements are required by guests.}


Tea Time here is a feast.




With "Afternoon Tea,"
you can expect
the standard silver-tiered tray 
of yummy sandwiches,
scones with clotted cream & jam
& tiny cakes and sweets
served with your choice of 
one of F&M's famous green pots of tea.

{£40 per person}

***

With "High Tea"
you start with a main plate
{think eggs benedict, lobster omelette, cheddar & haddock soufflĂ©}
and THEN you have the tiered tray
of scones & cakes
served with your choice of tea.

Definitely don't plan on eating anything before this,
or you won't have any room to enjoy it.
Go on and consider it your lunch... and then some.

{£44 per person}

***

You are going to be unbuttoning your fancy dress pants
under the table to make room for all of this goodness.

Editor's Note: If you flip back a couple of pages on the menu,
you can find a la carte items, which has more variety
and can be a slightly less expensive way to craft your visit at F&M.
If you'd like a main + scones or cakes, the staff is happy to piece together whatever you like.

***

If you have kids,
don't hesitate to ask for the Children's Tea
which comes with their own tea pot of tea, hot chocolate or juice
and a special selection of treats...
which, if your kid is anything like my niece,
will absolutely tickle their fancy.

{Children's Tea: £20}



________________________


I'll be posting more great places to enjoy tea
in the great city of London over the weeks to come...
 but in the meantime, 
have you had tea anywhere special 
while you were visiting the UK?

{I may need some more places to add to my list!}



*all images original to Aspiring Kennedy
** If you'd like additional information, you can read about my previous visit to Fortnum & Mason for tea here.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...