London Conversations

London Conversations

You want to be a traveler instead of a tourist?  Simple.  Stop reading the signs, snapping the photos, then climbing back on the bus.  Talk to people.  Ok whiners, I know what you’re thinking.  I don’t speak the language.  I might make a mistake and say something awful.  What the hay!  You may already say awful things in English.  But, wait a sec, they speak English in London and it’s definitely more gooder English than most Mericans speak.

So, cheer up and speak up!  I’ll give you some examples:  

David (barber at Trufitt & Hill, the world’s oldest barber shop)

As everybody knows, having your hair cut draws out conversation with every snip of the scissors.

“You’ve got a job ahead of you, David.  This is my unfashionable shaggy look.”

“I’ll soon have you looking like a gentleman.”

“My wife will be surprised, but I like an ambitious man. By the way, I’ve found a way to regrow hair.”

“Really?”

“So far it only works on ears and eyebrows.”  David chuckles.

I’m attracted to people who laugh at my jokes.

There follows a short exchange of how I want my hair cut. “Like yours, David.”

Michael had cut my hair on previous occasions and turns out that’s who cuts David’s hair.  Small barbershop ain’t it.

“How long are you in London? Where are you from in the States?”

Which swings the conversation doors wide open.

“Taking in three musicals,” I say.  Which leads to finding out David’s not just excellent with the scissors, but is also a singer and has his own cabaret troupe.  Which led to dancers and singers as athletes. 

“Matter of fact, we singers refer to ourselves as vocal athletes.  Takes hours of daily practice to get your voice to do what you want it to do.”

Don't doubt it.  I often have trouble getting my lips move in the right order.

David is also a philosopher:  “Our lives are formed by our mistakes.” Fortunately, he wasn’t talking about my haircut.

Then he talked about his hometown, Bristol.  “It’s a great city and so much to see and do.  Been there?”

“No, haven’t had the pleasure, but one of my favorite authors, Derek Robinson is from there.”

Haircut over and perfectly done, I struck up a conversation with Poppy, a bright young woman who offers the potions and lotions at the front of the shop.  She’s also a singer in David’s troupe.

My purchases complete it’s time for some light shopping and some thirst quenching refreshment.

(More links to my blogs on Truefitt & Hill at the bottom of the page.)

Veronica (barkeep at 45 Jermyn Street) pronounced German Street

As with all the other barkeepers at 45 Jermyn Street, Veronica knows her stuff.  We ordered coffee and when we also requested an Armagnac, she smiled and quickly produced a bottle of exquisite, ten year old Baron de Sigognac.  That it was before noon raised not one eyebrow, but which began our conversation.  She’s Italian and Italians never blink twice at the chance for alcohol.  We moved on to travels and why she came to England.  “I like to travel.  I’ve also lived in Brazil and Columbia, plus I’m half Korean.”

Italian-Korean?  She laughed.  “Crazy! You know how Italians are so emotional, with hugs and kisses?  When I go to visit my grandfather in Korea, he has no idea what to do when I rush up and hug him and kiss him on the cheek!”  She laughs again.

Veronica has lived so many places! So does she speak a bunch of languages?  Yes. In addition to her native Italian:  Portuguese, Spanish, and English.  How about Korean?  “No.”

Now I’m fascinated with a young adventurous woman and fearless traveler.  “Lived anywhere else?”

“Germany, but I don’t speak German. It’s too hard!”

By this time, she was making other drinks and I watched her concoct a Bloody Mary.

“First you need some really good tomato juice.”

Made with fresh tomatoes?

“We tried it with fresh tomatoes, but the flavor wasn’t intense; we use a quality juice and add a blend of spices and cream of horseradish.”

I’ve had one of their Bloody Marys. It’s well balanced, intense and sensational. You remember the spice, but it doesn’t deaden your tongue.

Then the 45 Jermyn Street’s general manager (another David) arrived with a complimentary plate of melt-in-your-mouth chocolates, both dark and white, filled with raspberry cream, hazelnut caramel, and dark mousse.  He saw us drinking coffee and Armagnac and wanted to help us ease into the rest of the day.  “Enjoy,” he said, and we followed his instructions to the letter.  By the way, David is also Italian!  Then the maître d’ floated over to congratulate us on our libation choices.  Yes, we will come back here, every chance we get.

(More links to my blogs about 45 Jermyn Street at the bottom of the page)

Jane (clerk at Jo Malone, Covent Garden)

Being a man, I don’t expect anything more than a perfunctory ‘Hello’ at a perfume emporium.  But, Jane is the kind of woman that wants to chat and you immediately want to chat with.  She’s smiling, cheerful, and brimming with information, both product and background. 

“So, is there a real Jo Malone, or is that just a brand name?”

She explains, ”She’s real!  Jo Malone began making lotions in her kitchen and giving them to friends as presents.  Then friends told friends and the business grew.  Now, as you may know, the brand is owned by Estée Lauder.  Jo Malone had breast cancer and needed to slow down, so she sold it in 1999.  Now she’s started another company, Jo Loves.”

“Are there fragrances for me?”

“Originally, Jo Malone’s idea was to create unisex fragrances and that’s still mostly true, but now some of the fragrances have a more masculine scent.”

The things you learn when your wife wants/needs some more Jo Malone Red Roses lotion.

Alina (at the Caffé Concerto on Piccadilly)

Alina is from Romania (Romanian is another romance language).  By the way, she speaks perfect English.

“So, was English difficult to learn?”

“It took me a long time.”  Can’t tell if that’s a groan or a wince, but whatever, it looks fetching on her.

“So now you don’t care if someone speaks Romanian or English to you?”

She smiles (and it’s a gorgeous smile!). “No, makes no difference to me.”

Lanja (a waitress at Strada, a restaurant at the Heathrow Airport)

Lanja is from Iraq and her English is also perfect, as is her cheery disposition.  “So how long have you been here?”

Another wonderful smile. “I’ve been here twenty-two years.”  Either she’s discovered the secret of eternal youth, or she got here when she was still an egg.

 She seems disappointed that neither of us finished the delicious linguine Bolognese.  “You didn’t like the food?”

“We did, but it was too much. Our stomachs are too small.”

Lanja waves a dismissive hand and smiles again. “Your stomach isn’t as small as mine.” 

Show me yours first.

She’s right.  I’d be surprised if she weighs a hundred pounds (about 45 kilos or 7 stone). The Brits lead the world in obtuse ways of measuring weights and distances.  “I carried ten stone for a hundred furlongs.  Took me a fortnight.”   Could you give that to me in rods?

For your edification:

1 stone = 14 pounds. 

1 kilo = 2.2 pounds.

1 furlong = 1/8 Mile, 660 feet, 40 rods, or 10 chains.

1 fortnight = 2 weeks

1 rod = 5.5 yards

Ok, with the kilos you caught me. A kilo is really 2.20462 pounds, so go ahead and work that out in your head.

But, let’s pick up our instruments and get back to the music.  When it comes to travel, it’s the people you meet that leave the most lasting impressions.  Sure you can remember what la Tour Eifel looks like, but what does it mean to a Frenchman?   What does he think about Americans? What are people like in Germany or Belgium or Japan?

Everybody has a story and if you ask and listen, you’ll find out more about a country than ever gets in a travel book.

So, here’s a thumbnail guide on how to travel:  First you get a haircut, then find a nice spot for coffee and Armagnac.  After that you’re on your own.

Links to other times I've written about Truefitt & Hill, and 45 Jermyn Street.

https://stroudallover.blogspot.com/2017/12/haircut-at-londons-truefitt-hill.html

https://stroudallover.blogspot.com/2017/01/truefitt-hill-shave-thats-pure-silk.html

https://stroudallover.blogspot.com/2016/01/posh-london-tour-of-st-james-street.html

https://stroudallover.blogspot.com/2017/12/people-of-london-part-ii_2.html

Haircut At London's Truefitt & Hill

I had the world’s greatest haircut at the world’s oldest barbershop.  Just hyperbole?  Nope.  Men, I have to tell you Truefitt & Hill, of which I have previously written, is a man’s world of tonsorial artistry.

https://stroudallover.blogspot.de/2017/01/truefitt-hill-shave-thats-pure-silk.html

Yes, T & H has served the grand and the famous for over two hundred years, including British royalty who still have their grooming needs cared for here.

Truefitt & Hill also sell magnificent shaving products.  As a matter of fact, I used Truefitt’s Sandalwood shaving cream this morning, as I do every morning.  And just over a week ago I experienced a Truefitt & Hill haircut.

If you’re used to a hop in the chair, hop out and think to yourself, “Well, I guess it looks OK,” you haven’t experienced Truefitt & Hill’s barbershop.  I’ll tell you upfront it’s not inexpensive, but then neither is it a normal haircut.

https://www.truefittandhill.co.uk/collections/barber-services

I know you’re skeptical. How much better could a £45 (approx. $60) haircut be?  In my case and my friend’s case, a lot better.  But, before I explain why, let’s put things in perspective. Number one, you generously shell out over $100 for your wife to get her hair styled, snipped and colored, right?  Why not just send her to Simple Sally’s Beauty Salon and Dog Grooming Parlor, for a $15 cut and $15 coloring?  Easy answers. You’re a husband and used to saying, “Yes, dear,” Answer number two, you are a wonderful man and generous to a fault when it comes to the needs of others.  And, finally, you know it’s important to your wife that she look her best in front of her friends whom you can barely tolerate. Doesn’t matter if you have to put off buying that new Porsche.  Yes, you are a selfless and jolly fellow.

But, think of yourself for once. Don’t overdo the selfless bit.  You need to look sharp too and you need the confidence builder that a great haircut brings.

So, here’s my experience and one I will again relive every time I come to London.

I walk into the small, blue fronted shop on 71 St James Street and into a man’s world of shaving paraphernalia.  The shopkeepers, men and women, greet me with genuine smiles and ask if they may assist me. “Yes,” I say,  I give them my name and say I have a barber’s appointment for ten o’clock.

Two clerks give the scheduling book a rapid search, see my name and usher me into a barbershop reminiscent of  the men’s club of Sherlock Holmes’ London days. There are barber’s chairs, but also generously opulent leather arm chairs, both of which I would gladly whisk away to the comfort of my living room.  “Please have a seat, sir, and Michael will be with you in a moment.”  I happily do as I’m told and moments later, a well groomed man appears, tells me his name and escorts me to his station.

In a normal barbershop, the haircut would begin pronto.  Not here.  When Michael asks me how I would like my hair cut, it’s the beginning of a discussion about length and part and style.  Meanwhile, as he listens, he also examines my hair, my scalp, and the shape of my head.  He asks questions to clarify what I want.

What I’ve just told you is the crux of a fabulous haircut and what is so rare in American barbershops.  Michael listens.  My haircut is important to him.  He seeks to understand.

It is only then that the cutting can begin.  This is no ordinary barber, this is a tonsorial artist and his canvas is my hair.  If you think I’m overstating the case, think again. After a light spray of water, he combs and measures, holding up a strand of hair for me to see the length he has gotten from our conversation.  “Yes,” I say, “Exactly that much.”

The haircut goes on with calm and careful assurance. A snip here and there, a re-combing to this side and that.  The artist chats along, as only a man who knows his business can do.  He’s not imparting information as much as he is reassuring his customer.  We talk about his Cypriot background, his wife and kids. He does the calming part well. I’m as relaxed as a man can be, but also intensely curious.  I don’t want to miss a clip a snip, or an instant of the experience.

When the cutting is finished, I lean over a basin and he washes my hair.  After a toweling, he puts a splash or two of Athenian Water on my hair and massages it into my scalp.  It tingles and Michael tells me it invigorates the scalp and helps with healing any naturally occurring abrasions. 

Dried and combed, I’m ready to hop out of the chair.  As I stand, he lightly brushes any stray hairs off my shoulders, then helps me on with my coat.  “Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m short of some shaving products and I want a bottle of Athenian Water also.”

So, what’s the final word on my haircut?  The final word is that after a little over a week, the haircut is still wondrous. With only a touch of a brush, my hair falls perfectly.  I can barely believe that even the part falls perfectly. That’s never happened before.

And finally, for $40 less than my wife pays, I exude so much confidence that I’ve even won a few matrimonial discussions.  Michael, you have achieved the impossible! 

 

A Royal Warrant

Truefitt & Hill, you are not only the world’s oldest barbershop, but also the best!

Truefitt & Hill: A Shave That’s Pure Silk

Truefitt & Hill has been a British institution since 1805, or at least the Truefitt part.  That’s when Francis Truefitt opened his shop. The date ring a bell?  Admiral Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar?  Yep, same year.  This barbershop, the world’s oldest according to The Guinness Book of World Records, has served British royalty since the time of George III.  Remember that name?  He was the British sovereign during the American War For Independence (1776-83).  Didn’t know it lasted that long, did ya!

Long time to be in business.  They must be good.  Better than good.  They must be special. Yes, they are.  I’ve never sprung for a $50 (approx.) haircut, but I do use all their shaving products.  Just for the name?  No way.

If it’s good enough for Queen Elizabeth’s husband, The Duke of Edinburgh  (T & H go to Buckingham Palace) and all the other royals (They come to T & H), then it’s good enough for the lowly likes of yours truly.

So, what’s the deal with the Royal Family? I asked.  What happens when one of the royals comes in?  Are the streets a mess?  A dozen bodyguards?  No, said the person I asked.  Usually a bodyguard or two come in, along with the royal personage, but if you look out to St Jame’s Street, you’ll see cars parked here and there that are not usually there.

Without mentioning names, how nice are the royals who come to you?  Doesn’t matter what name you mention, came the reply.  They are one and all sincerely polite.  True gentlemen.

Now let’s move on to shaving. You may wonder why I bother to use these fairly expensive Brit products when there are dozens of perfectly good shaving creams and aftershave balms and men’s scents on the market, most of which cost much less.  Let’s not dwell on the initial cost. With a T & H product, you don’t have to use much.  Unlike a palm full of foaming cream, you only use an amount of T & H cream that would barely cover a dime.  No telling how many shaves I get from one tube.  You can easily get 4 shaves from one sample.  Perfect for that weekend surprise trip you promised the missus.  Scents are the same way, so are the shaving balms.  Couple of dabs and you’re good for the day.

Believe me, I’ve tried a lot of shaving products, including everything from Wal-Mart selections, to higher end products from department stores. I live and die by results.  No matter how much or how little you pay, there is no comparison. These T & H shaving creams let the razor glide as if it’s on soft satin.  You have to feel it to believe it.  And such a variety of scents:  Trafalgar (spicy wood), Grafton (warm and spicy), West Indian Limes, Number 10 (a gel with several oils), Sandalwood, Almond, 1805 (fresh sea breeze, and Ultimate Comfort.

My suggestion is, if you can’t walk in the door at 71 St Jame’s Street and get a few samples, order a sample pack.  Must you go all the way to London?  Heavens no.  T & H has shops across the globe, from Europe to Asia, to Chicago, but personally, I’d go to London!  The beer is the best in the world and the theatre is superb, also you get to chat with the very helpful staff on St. Jame’s Street.

If you’re lucky enough, or plan well enough, and are in London on 21 October, drop into Truefitt & Hill and help them celebrate Trafalgar Day, with champagne and 25% off on all products bearing the Trafalgar name.

While you’re there, ask about the other celebrities who have dropped in for the royal treatment.  Winston Churchill, Charles Dickens. Oscar Wilde. Fred Astaire. Alfred Hitchcock. Frank Sinatra. John Wayne.

Next time I’m letting my hair grow long enough to sit in the chair and get treated like royalty.  If you’re going for a night at the theatre, you might as well look the part.