I most definitely need a weekend to get over this weekend. A jam-packed few days of London firsts and ticks off my list. My friend’s boyfriend conveniently works at one of the most iconic buildings in London, ‘The Gherkin’ and he was our in to the 40/30 bar on the top floor. As we waited for the rest of our party to arrive, we headed to the Heron Tower just around the corner from 30 Mary St Axe. As we rode in the fastest glass elevator in Europe to the 38th floor we were welcomed into a very popular watering hole for city slickers. To admire the view we stepped out onto the sky bar terrace for a drink. The terrace housed a huge golden tree surrounded by champagne bottles with a few couches for intimate drinks. We continued exploring the other two levels and enjoyed the view of the Gherkin from a different angle (a higher one).
Skybar Champagne Tree
Skyline view from the Heron Tower
I felt like Spiderman as we skyline jumped back to the Gherkin to enjoy our time at the 40/30 bar. We all ‘checked in’ at the front desk and cleared security to gain access to the bar on to the 40th Floor. You definitely know you’re at the top of the Gherkin with its unique dome ceiling and 360° views of the London skyline. We got our personal tour from our friend around the bar and he pointed out other London attractions and buildings before we sat down to enjoy our drinks and the great company. The drinks were fairly expensive but it is a member’s bar so they weren’t too crazy (£36 for a bottle of wine, £14 for a cocktail, £4 a beer).
Saturday 1st of December and we started our Christmas celebrations with a beautiful lunch at Gordon Ramsay’s gastro pub The Narrow. With a party of 11 we were able to book the ‘Captain’s Table’ which is the restaurant’s private dining room. It was a great way to have some privacy and catch up with friends without hearing other patrons’ conversations or vice versa. It was a big enough room to allow for reception drinks and mingling before we sat down for our meal. The room looks onto the river, has a cosy fireplace, plasma TV (great way to keep the boys entertained with the rugby) and is very homely. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals and the food was reasonably priced for a Gordon Ramsay’s establishment.
Captain’s Table decorated for Christmas Lunch
Still in the Christmas spirit, we headed back to the west side to check out the Rooftop Gardens. We rode the elevator to the 7th floor to the Babylon restaurant. After a massive lunch, we weren’t interested in more food so we settled for Champagne and Espresso Martinis on the terrace in a little private lounge area. We were blessed with a clear evening and we could see Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland and well into the city. Although the heaters were on full blast, the December crisp air was too much for us and we had to finish our drinks inside. Half of the group were keen to keep the party going down in the club but after a solid 12 hours of drinking, I was ready to call it a night.
Espresso Martinis & Christmas decorations
To end my amazing weekend, my friend and I had a reservation for the Pret-a-Portea High Tea in the Caramel Room at the Berkeley Hotel. Pret-a-Portea is designed around this season’s trends and key pieces straight off the catwalk. We ate a red polka dot chocolate sponge cake that was inspired by Manolo Blahnik’s A/W12-13 collection, a three layer mouse cake symbolising this season’s ‘it’ Burberry trench and a pistachio flavoured green bag created to look like a miniature Yves Saint Laurent Green Muse Bowler Bag. The delicious petit fours were beautifully presented on our three tier stand that I felt guilty eating the detailed sweets. The High Tea was unlimited and our waiter kept topping up our plates to ensure that we both had a chance to try each scrumptious sweet. To make it even better, we were given a doggy bag with a few extra treats to enjoy once we had recovered from our initial sugar overload. It was a very pleasant afternoon and I enjoyed the stylish twist that the Berkeley have given to High Tea.
Pret-a-Portea
Deliciously detailed sweets
A/W12-13 Inspiration from the Catwalk
I’d love to say the all my weekends consist of rooftop drinking, celebratory chef dining and Mayfair hotel high tea but unfortunately not. I’ll be living on rice and pasta for the rest of the week after a budget blowing weekend. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way!
deelightfully deevine 