La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
We had the great pleasure of dinner Tuesday night with Lulu and her husband Mikko. Mikko is not here as often as Lulu because he’s got a business to run in Finland. So we’re always grateful for a chance to spend time with him. We went to Tapy y Tai where the conversation flowed easily. Lulu and Mikko are unusual for Finns who are known for their silence. Lulu shared the above meme to explain it.
We stayed at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel in London. Every single member of staff was a delight. Well, there was one in the dining room who marched around like a martinet, but maybe he was having a bad day. Breakfast was excellent. The decor was beautiful and the location was very convenient — in South Kensington just a 4-minute walk from the Gloucester Road underground station and a 10-minute walk from the Museum of Natural History. Victoria and Albert (the museum), 14 minutes away.
The recessed spotlights in the very high ceilings in our room drove San Geraldo crazy. No lights on mirrors. No lights at the desk. Like many old buildings, water pressure was problematic. Also, we had to wait 10 minutes just for the water to get hot. So much for asking us to “save the planet” by not having our towels washed every day. But the bathtub was an especial nightmare — so narrow my feet didn’t fit sideways when I showered. My bunion on the left foot and plantar fasciatis on the right were put through hell daily when they hit the curving porcelain sides. Very awkward. Still, I’d stay there again. I’d ask for an accessible room with a walk-in shower and put up with the lighting and the water pressure.
Tuvimos el gran placer de cenar el martes por la noche con Lulu y su marido Mikko. Mikko no viene tan a menudo como Lulu porque tiene un negocio que gestionar en Finlandia. Por eso siempre estamos agradecidos por la oportunidad de pasar tiempo con él. Fuimos a Tapy y Tai donde la conversación fluyó con facilidad. Lulu y Mikko son algo inusual entre los finlandeses, conocidos por su silencio. Lulu compartió el meme anterior para explicarlo.
Nos alojamos en el Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel de Londres. Cada miembro del personal fue un placer. Bueno, había uno en el comedor que andaba como un martinete, pero tal vez estaba teniendo un mal día. El desayuno fue excelente. La decoración era hermosa y la ubicación muy conveniente: en South Kensington, a solo 4 minutos a pie de la estación de metro Gloucester Road y a 10 minutos a pie del Museo de Historia Natural. Victoria y Albert (el museo), a 14 minutos.
Los focos empotrados en los techos muy altos de nuestra habitación enloquecían a San Geraldo. No hay luces en los espejos. No hay luces en el escritorio. Como muchos edificios antiguos, la presión del agua era problemática. Además, tuvimos que esperar 10 minutos para que el agua se calentara. Se acabó pedirnos que “salvemos el planeta” no lavando nuestras toallas todos los días. Pero la bañera era una pesadilla especial: tan estrecha que mis pies no cabían de lado cuando me duchaba. Mi juanete en el pie izquierdo y la fascitis plantar del derecho sufrían un infierno todos los días cuando golpeaban los lados curvos de porcelana. Muy incómodo. Aún así, me quedaría allí de nuevo. Pediría una habitación accesible con ducha a ras de suelo y aguantaría la iluminación y la presión del agua.
• El vestibúlo.
• San Geraldo había escrito con antelación y dijo que llegábamos tarde a celebrar nuestro 42º aniversario. El conserje envió este delicioso trozo de decadencia a nuestra habitación justo después de nuestra llegada.
• El repugnante o delicioso desayuno diario de San Geraldo. Supongo que todo está en tu perspectiva. Detesto los frijoles horneados. Todo ese plato está contaminado.
• El bar. Llamado The Scoff and Banter (La Burla y las Bromas).
• Me tomó un momento darme cuenta de esto.
Finns, quiet?! Our late friend Alistair had a lodger from Finland, and you couldn’t shut him up!
Sumptuous hotel, by the looks of it – Radisson specialises in luxury. Not baths for tall people. Jx
Jon:
Alistair’s lodger must have been unusual for a Finn. That bath wasn’t for any people, tall or short. Poorly thought out, including dodgy faucets and taps. Still, very nice overall.
That is one huge bunny on the mantel. That last photo has many mysteries, including what is on his phone screen.
David:
Isn’t that rabbit great. I would love to have it! Another mystery is what is on HER phone screen.
Love the huge rabbit on the mantel! Say, is that Boris Johnson in the last photo? So THAT’S what happened to him.
Debra:
I love that rabbit, too. Funny! That DID look a bit like Boris Johnson! I wonder who the woman was.
Radisson Blu Edwardian Vanderbilt Hotel is quite a mouthful. Nice bunny!
wickedhamster:
I think there are 9 Radisson Blu Edwardians in London. A royal pain when you’re doing a quick search or telling a taxi driver where you’re going.
I sometimes call myself The Scoff and Banter … emphasis on Scoof.
The hotel looks pretty thought hat tub? WHY????
The same ‘why’ goes for the baked beans at breakfast! Oy!
Bob:
Baked beans at breakfast, very popular in England. Baked beans other times of day, very popular with SG. He never has them at home because I have to leave the room.
Mitch, despite there being so many Radison Blu Edwardian hotels in London, this is EXACTLY the one that we stayed at, too! I loved it… especially for the lobby rooms and the fantastic breakfast and the overall look, and the area. It was 20 years ago, now, but I know this was the one. When we stayed there, the rooms had Plantagenet lions on the bedspreads (have you seen The Lion In Winter? Those Plantagenets… King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, King Richard I)… so I was sold. Ha!
Judy C:
I love that you stayed there, too. No Plantagenet lions on the bedspreads but the crest does loom large in one of the public spaces. Did you know SG is descended from those Plantagenets? I’m sure plenty of people are (although I’m not one) but he can actually officially trace his connections. Henry III, for example, is his 22-greats grandfather. Eleanor of Aquitaine, 25-greats grandmother. Right now I’m staring at a book om the shelf titled Plantagenet Ancestry and further along the shelf is Gudrun’s Kitchen!
What, no photo of the bath tub? How disappointing…. but I also LOVE that bunny on the mantel! Too big to stuff into a suitcase though — did they sell any small replicas in their gift shop?
Tundra Bunny:
I don’t know why I never took a picture of the tub. I want that rabbit on the mantel. No gift shop.
I was eyeing that up myself Tundra Bunny!!!!
Mistress Borghese:
So was I.
Mitchell & Maddie: I did some sleuthing and that rabbit we covet looks like it might be a “Frith Hare” bronze sculpture. They come in different sizes and poses too. Check them all out at http://www.frithsculpture.co.uk and be prepared to dig deep for shipping outside of the UK!
Tundra Bunny:
Sue Mclaurin’s sculptures are very similar. I don’t even want to think about what shipping would cost for something that size and weight.
Bad light, cold water and small bath. I’d overlook. I LOVE places like this! Such style and panache!!!! If I ever get to London, I’ll have to remember this place. I also love when a chic place also has touches of whimsy. I would love to have that huge cast iron rabbit!!! My only stay in London was the half day and overnight spent before catching the British Pullman to take us to the Orient Express. We dined at a place called Sketch and stayed at the LaLit Hotel
Mistress Borghese:
The rest of the hotel and staff made the bad light, cold water and awful bath pale. I’d definitely go back. Elegant AND playful decor. Just what I like. Speaking of which, Sketch looks like just your kind of place and so does the Lalit. Wow!
Is there a story behind those colorful head mounts? And what is the purpose of that black stick thing on your anniversary treat (which for some odd reason looked like olives without their stuffing to me).
Kelly:
If there is a story, I don’t know it. The stick was dark chocolate. That’s funny. It does look like olives in the photo. Bad lighting and photographer. It was a ribbon of chocolate.
Ha! I had the same thought as Kelly about your anniversary treat. I thought it was green olives!
I kind of dig the colorful animal heads.
That “legs” photo is very mysterious indeed. I get that the woman is reclining in the man’s lap, which makes me wonder what they’re doing given that they’re looking at porn!
Steve:
Odd-looking cake and my poor photograph. I would love those animal heads here. That sofa pose really caught my attention. It wasn’t until I loaded it on my computer that I saw what was on the mobile screen!
The bar should be called The Scoot and Banter. I want the rabbit, too. What is that stuff on your anniversary treat? I don’t want baked beans with any meal, but I especially don’t want to see them served with breakfast. Nasty!
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
A ribbon of chocolate and a dark chocolate stick. Those beans are part of many a traditional English breakfast. That’s why the American colonies were settled.
Like everybody else I like the giant rabbit, and the dayglo animal heads is a surprising but delightful touch to the elegant surroundings.
Kirk:
I love the playfulness of the decor and would be happy to have those pieces here at home.
Oh those crazy Finns. It’s the latitude that does it
Urspo:
And they’re the happiest people in the world apparently.