After three incredible weeks in Scotland, I headed south to London. My schedule included 11 nights in England -- 8 in London for the Chapeaux Tea Tour of London plus 3 along the English Channel in Dover.
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| Karla in love at the Tate Modern. |
First on the itinerary was the Royal Ascot horse race. Because I travel with a carry-on suitcase, I did not have room to pack a finished Chapeaux. So I booked a first class seat with a table on the train to London, and I sewed my Ascot fascinator along the way.
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| The Chapeaux Tea Tour guests looked lovely leaving Royal Ascot. |
Royal Ascot did not disappoint! Our group -- Jenn, Terri, Ranleta, and me -- had a trackside table in the Queen Anne enclosure, where we watched the Royal Family parade by in horse-drawn carriages. Sure, that was impressive, but the fashion on display amongst the guests was incredible! If you a Royal Watcher or a fashionista, Royal Ascot should be a bucket list item -- even if you don't care about the races.
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| Lovely Chapeaux ladies at Royal Ascot |
As part of the Chapeaux Tea Tour, we enjoyed three tea experiences: one on a vintage bus which included a tour of the London highlights, one at The Georgian (a gorgeous restaurant inside Harrods,) and one on a river cruise along the Thames.
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| The Chapeaux ladies had a lovely tea with Brigit's Bakery! |
In addition, we took one day trip to the Cotswolds. What a beautiful part of the country! While Blenheim Palace was beautiful, I especially loved the village of Bourton-on-the-Water, often called "the Venice of the Cotswolds." While it is nothing at all like Venice other than a small water feature running through the middle of town, it is quite a charming destination! All of us were contemplating whether we should add a weekend stay in Bourton on our next trip to England!
Of course there was theatre. What's a trip to London without a few West End shows?! My son Drew joined us for a few days, and he saw 6 shows over 6 days! (Read his blog about how to choose a show here or check out his regular "favorite show" post here.) I saw only 6 over 8 days, so Drew wins the award for Most Theatre Per Day.
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| Drew joined Karla for a theatre production of her favorite story! |
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| Evita 2025 was amazing! (And the Evita actress won the Olivier Award!!) |
And I finally made it to Greenwich! This was my 5th trip to London, and each time I have managed to miss out on seeing and standing on the line demarcating Greenwich Mean Time. But finally, I made it! Drew and I took an Uber Boat along the Thames to Greenwich, and we took the train back to our hotel. Add in the Greenwich museums and a delicious waterfront lunch, and it was a perfect day!
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| Standing by the Prime Meridian Line in Greenwich |
I also spent some time with my travel company. I had the great opportunity to attend a workshop at (and take a tour of) the fabulous Soho Hotel. And I do mean fabulous!
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| Karla touring London's Soho Hotel |
Finally, it was time to leave London. Drew left a day before the rest of us, and on the last morning, the ladies celebrated Jenn's birthday with brunch near St. Paul's Cathedral. In 2024, Chapeaux designed almost 20 fascinators for a wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral, so the cathedral was the central point of our visit. Our hotel was nearby, our photoshoot began there, and our final London meal was enjoyed with a view of the St. Paul's dome.
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| Our official photoshoot in London. |
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| One last snapshot with St. Paul's before leaving London. |
From London, Jenn and I headed to Dover to begin our Chapeaux business retreat. While looking back on a busy Derby season and planning our future, we enjoyed the charming seaside town. We hiked along the White Cliffs of Dover, crashing a commercial photoshoot at the lighthouse! While Jenn enjoyed the sun atop the cliffs, I joined a boating excursion to see the impressive White Cliffs from the sea. Truly impressive!
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| The entrance to the trail up the White Cliffs of Dover. |
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| The views of the White Cliffs were simply stunning! |
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| My view from the boat. Hard to believe I was at the top of those cliffs just a couple of hours earlier! |
Why did I choose Dover for this part of the trip? It was a place I had previously visited with my mother -- in fact, that was one of the primary things she wanted to see on our trip to England. It's also a great base for day trips to places like Canterbury Cathedral and the town of Sandwich (yes, where the lowly sandwich originated!). And importantly, it was the location to board the ferry to cross the English Channel on the way to France.
NEXT UP: Curated in Residence: Looking Back (Part Three): France the First!
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