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| St James Street, photo courtesy of S. McKee |
London: So you’ve
viewed the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, heard the Beefeaters’
fascinating stories of lopped off heads and deep dungeons at the Tower of
London, scaled the heights of the London Eye, and glimpsed St Paul’s from the
all-metal Millennium Bridge.
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| The St James Palace |
Time to get off at the Green Park tube station and find your
way to the St James area, which I choose to call Posh London. In truth there are lots of Posh Londons, but
my favorite is the few blocks near the Palace of St James. You know about the Palace, right? Once the home of the Royal Family, it is now
used for ceremonial occasions and not opened to the public. One of those occasions was the signing of the
treaty creating the Charter of the United Nations in 1941.
Did you know Ambassadors to Great Britain still present their
credentials there? Yes, the U.S.
Ambassador’s title is Ambassador to the Court of St James.
That’s the nutshell version.
But, you might want to know it was built by Henry VIII on the site of a
leper’s hospital, and often served as a
royal residence until 1837, when Queen Victoria officially moved her residence
to Buckingham Palace. Some lesser royals still have apartments
there.
Besides the historical references, why even mention this red
brick wonder to an avid shopper and bon vivant?
Simple. In early England, where there was royal blood, there was tons of
money. So, it’s here that London’s
oldest shops sprang up, many of which still open their doors to those of lesser
bloodlines, with fat wallets, who crave the finer things in life.
Here’s a very short list and one that will occupy a very full
Saturday.
1676 – Lock & Company, 6 St James Street. It’s both the world’s oldest hat store and
one of the oldest family businesses.
Winston Churchill bought hats here and so did Admiral Lord Nelson,
Britain’s greatest naval hero (Trafalgar Square is named after him.) Walk to the back of the shop to see history
behind glass. Go upstairs to find ladies hats.
All hats are designed and made locally.
http://www.lockhatters.co.uk
1698 - Berry Brothers & Rudd, 3 St James Street. London’s oldest wine store. They also sell
spirits to everyone, including the Royal Family. Been in the same spot and run by the same family
for eight generations. Walk into the
shop and be greeted with smiles and cordiality.
Check out the ancient plank floors and gasp at the variety of wines and
spirits from around the world. They also
do special events and tastings by appointment. Ask to speak to Alice! http://www.bbr.com
AND! For more, check
out my blog on BB & R at: http://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2015/03/berry-bros-rudd-londons-oldest-wine.html
Don’t neglect the narrow alley right beside Berry Bros &
Rudd, Pickering Place. Walk through the
alleyway to the smallest square in London, which used to be called Stroud’s Court and was also the site of the Embassy of the Republic of Texas.
1707 – Fortnum & Mason (around the corner), 181
Piccadilly, a fine food emporium, which also has floors of other luxury
goods. The store was begun by William
Fortnum, a footman to the court of Queen Anne, who began selling candle stubs
from the palace, and used his earnings to establish a grocery store. https://www.fortnumandmason.com
1730 – Floris, 89 Jermyn Street. Begun by a Spaniard, Juan Famenias Floris and
still on the same site, owned by the same family. A perfumery?
So what? So, Floris 89 is the
scent favored by Ian Fleming and also his creation, James Bond. The counter and wooden display cases date to
the Great Exhibition of 1851. Walk in
and be lovingly cloaked by a wonderland of scents.
The soaps are so luxurious I use no other. But, on the off chance you don’t see what
you’re looking for, Floris is happy to blend a bespoke scent for her
ladyship. If you’re lucky, as we were,
the owner will be traipsing through and if so, be sure to shake his hand,
mention my name and note the perplexed look on his face. However, if you see Donika, please say
hello. http://www.florislondon.com/en_eur/
1787 – James J. Fox (once Robert Lewis), 19 St James
Street, is a cigar store. Even if you don’t smoke, at least take a
moment to peer through the window at the store where Winston Churchill bought
his Habanas. https://www.jjfox.co.uk
1790 – D.R. Harris & Company, 29 St James Street, began as Harris’s
Apothecary (Harris was a surgeon)
Another place for wonderful floral perfumes and shaving products, still
at the original spot. http://www.drharris.co.uk
1797 – Hatchard’s Books, 187 Piccadilly. Back up a second and let’s go back to Fortnum
and Mason’s. Hatchard’s, Britain’s
oldest bookstore is right next door.
So? If you’ve seen one
bookstore…..forget that old saw.
Hatchard’s is home to many of the world’s wonderful authors, and by that I mean they stop here frequently. Want a
signed copy? Autographed books seem to
be on every shelf, in every room, and there are lots of rooms. https://www.hatchards.co.uk
1805 – Truefitt & Hill, 71 St James Street. Although not on the Bond Street site where it
began, I cannot but mention the Guinness Book certified ‘Oldest Barbershop in
the World.’ They’ve been cutting hair
for the families of nine British monarchs, dating back to George III. Mention a man of note and he’s probably had
his hair cut here, from Winston Churchill to John Wayne and a galore of blue
bloods, extending to the present day.
Yes, Truefitt & Hill’s barbers journey to Buckingham Palace to cut
the hair of H.R.H. The Duke of
Edinburgh, but other Royals come to them.
I chatted with some of the employees who had nothing but good to say
about The House of Windsor. Gentlemen
all. Of course services come at a price.
Walk in, sit down and tell them how you want your $65 haircut done. While you’re there, be sure and say hello to
U-la. (U = oo, as in school)
As a personal endorsement, I use no other products than T
& H shaving cream (Sandalwood), aftershave balm, and men’s cologne, all of
which come in a variety of scents. Once
I discovered these exceptional products, I suddenly looked forward to shaving
again.
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| photo courtesy of S. McKee |
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| photo courtesy of S. McKee |
So, now it’s time for a drink. No better place in St James than Dukes Bar in
the Dukes Hotel (35 St James Place, a small alley off St James Street). It’s where Ian Fleming came to loiter, drink,
and plot Bond’s exploits, and where they serve the Vesper martini described by
007 in Casino Royal. Yes, it is pricy
(about $27), but it’s worth every penny
to settle into a bit of butter soft leather, feel the comfort that permeates
the gentlemen’s club atmosphere, hear the history, and see such a famous drink
mixed just for you, at possibly the most famous watering hole in London. For more, see my blog at: http://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2015/04/a-martini-worthy-of-james-bond-dukes.html
Which brings up the question, what does luxury mean? More expensive? Exclusive? Often, but that’s far from the
whole story. In the St James area, not
only do you get shops that withstood the test of centuries, but shopkeepers and
clerks and hairdressers and bartenders who absolutely know their business and
their exclusive products. Take the case
of footwear.
1866- John Lobb Bootmaker, 9 St James Street, which is called
by Esquire Magazine the most beautiful shop in the world. Here you can have footwear made that fits
your foot exactly, and with quality
you find in few other places. Many of
the greats I’ve mentioned came here for their shoes and boots, as did Frank
Sinatra and Dean Martin. Ladies, they will make your shoes, too. Buy Lobb footwear and you own them for
life. Never out of style. Need repairs?
Easily done. After all, the
people who make your shoes know your
foot. The fitter. The last-maker (wooden form). The pattern cutter. The clicker. The
closer. The maker. The socker.
The tree maker. Check out the web
site to read about all these meticulous people who hand construct every step of
the way, from precise measurements to finished product. A pair of men’s shoes run in the neighborhood
of $5500. But, check out the complete
price list.
More about luxury. How
about the less expensive items, such as perfume and toiletry? At Floris, you’ll find a package of three
bars of soaps that cost about $15. Pay
about the same price for a tube of shaving cream at Truefitt & Hill. At both places the clerks will explain the
exact ingredients and how each item is made.
What do you get for your money?
Soaps that feel like silk on your skin. Bars of soap that never crack because they’ve
been triple French milled. Shaving cream
that will make you look forward to your next shave and make you swear you’ll
never use anything else.
On your next trip to London, do yourself a big favor and
wander the streets around St James. What
an experience! Craftsmanship and service
still live! Now, I’m going to sit back
and have another sip of this almost indescribably delicious martini…want to
join me?
