Xmas Weekend in London
A certain climate of austerity? Less shopping than usual? Honestly, I did not notice, distracted as I was by the thousand lights and incredible illuminations. Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden … each neighborhood competes to be the most sparkling and to amaze with glitzy shop windows. Let’s go! Harrods Let’s get off to a great start with the legendary department store featuring party animals, beautiful gift boxes, snowy scenery and mega teddy bears, Liberty It took 8 days to create these extravagant showcases dedicated to the Tree of Life, an unearthly utopia full of gifts. Harvey Nichols Elegant show in purple and green inspired by the Northern Lights among cedar panels and beautiful Christmas wreaths Fortnum & Mason In this gourmet paradise, the protagonists are many kittens from the crafty area intent on producing everything needed for a royal party, from champagne to succulent cakes. Hamleys The spectacular 4-storey shop dedicated to the little ones, The adorable Christmas windows take us to a wonderland populated by many Ty Beanie Boos. Selfridges, the realm of fashion features metallic and futuristic shop windows, perhaps the most spectacular in the city. A “future fantasy” in silver, white and blue tones, “Cinderella’s Ballgown” triumphs, a splendid dress of a true fairytale princess. London, the capital of innovation and design, certainly does not spare the Christmas tree, even offering it in unusual versions, such as the gigantic pyramid of the exclusive Club Annabel’s inside which it is literally possible to enter. St Pancras International station, with the hand of Lancome, pays homage to the Eiffel Tower while the geometry of huge luminous triangles appears in Granary Square. One of the most chic trees is that of The Royal Exchange, a historic structure with breathtaking architecture that houses boutiques and restaurants. Decorated with traditional blue packages and baskets containing the exquisite food and wine products of Fortnum & Mason. (my favorite gift, in case anyone is in the mood to surprise me … lol) The Claridges Hotel dedicates not only its tree but also a train to its creative director Christian Louboutin, the king of red-soled shoes, while the spectacular Covent Garden market, a must-visit in London, makes shopping sparkle with a traditional tree a thousand lights. The invitation to recycle this year is particularly felt, both in the trees and in the decorations of Carnaby Street which takes us deep into a suggestive ‘recycled ocean’, from jellyfish made with plastic bags to whales made with soda cans. Beautiful! We go to the very trendy area of Shoreditch, and we find decorations of recycled material also for the tree of the Hotel The Curtain, while the designer Yinka Ilori synthesizes the tree of the Dulwich Pavilion using colored wooden sticks. Do you want to ice skate? Head to The Somerset House, a spectacular neoclassical building located in the heart of London. or combine culture with fun, with a visit to the extraordinary Museum of Natural History followed by a fun skating on the rink of the Natural History Musem Ice Ring Sexy Santa Claus! In the Christmas walks, Oxford Street cannot be missed. Under a sky studded with angels you will find the most attractive shops and windows. starting with the fashion that this year wants the whole family in relaxing elf outfits. The funny sweaters with an unusual half-naked Santa Claus are selling like hot cakes … Even the best hotels compete for the most original tree: The Connaught has hired artist Sean Scully to create a glowing tree with a mesmerizing effect, while the Savoy has bet on the 372,000 pieces of LEGO that have created a tree. puppet that looks like it came out of the Muppets’ house. The London Edition hotel, the realm of design, snubs the traditional colored glass bowls and replaces them with black and white ribbons and sketches, which vaguely reminded me of Cocteu’s drawings. The sketch restaurant, considered one of the most elegant in London, marries the Japanese concept of ‘beauty is imperfection’ by presenting a twisted tree and decorating the tables with crooked branches. On the 39th floor of the spectacular The Gherkin skyscraper, a fantastic cocktail bar awaits you with one of the tallest trees in the city, decorated in a classic style with red and gold spheres. Call me demodè … but this tree. so traditionally old fashion is, of all the ones I’ve seen, my favorite!
