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OUR DELIGHTFULLY DIFFERENT, over-the-top tour of London for The American Friends of the Zandra Rhodes Museum was months in the planning. Our goal for this members-only soirée was for it to be a real insider view of fashion, art and royalty.
My husband and I decided to arrive a day early, allowing us time to enjoy our stay at the Milestone Hotel & Apartments in Kensington—and to dine at Cheneston’s, the hotel’s highly acclaimed restaurant. This five-star hotel is a favorite among celebrities because of its privacy. Situated in one of London’s most coveted locations, it provides panoramic views of Kensington Palace and the gorgeous gardens.
Cheneston’s was beyond our wildest expectations. I love salmon, and I would rate their salmon burger as one of my all-time favorite preparations. I was so impressed with this dish, I asked the chef for his recipe.
THE RHODES TO ROYALTY TOUR started when we all met Zandra for a private, after-hours tour of Westminster Abbey. Our special guide for this remarkable tour was the Reverend Dominque Fenton, a longtime abbey precentor who’s now a priest/vicar. What a thrill it was to be guided privately through the vast abbey, which is usually packed with people.
Westminster Abbey dates from the 13th to 16th centuries and presents a unique pageant of British history: Edward the Confessors’ shrine, the tombs of many kings and queens, countless memorials to the great and famous. It has been the setting for every coronation since 1066, as well as numerous other royal occasions, including the funeral service for Diana, Princess of Wales.
The following day, we were invited to lunch at the private home of Miranda, Countess of Iveagh at Wilbury Park. This historic residence is Britain’s earliest Neo-Palladian house. In the heart of the Wiltshire countryside, it was built in 1710 in classic proportions, with a symmetrical layout in the middle of its own park. The house has been incredibly restored to its original glory and beyond by Lady Iveagh, of the famous Guinness family. With its decorative and perfectly restored plaster ceilings and original scagliola floors, it is like stepping into the 18thcentury world of Jane Austen.
With a full-size Guinness pub in the basement, plus a feast of paintings, prints, statues and drawings, this was an experience never to be forgotten. Lady Iveagh’s private residence is not open to the public. Fortunately, she is a personal friend of Zandra Rhodes, and we were her invited guests.
After returning to London, we were off to Zandra’s Fashion and Textile Museum, where she conducted a personal tour of her retrospective exhibition, titled a “Lifelong Love Affair with Textiles.” Though she’s recognized as one of the more influential fashion designers of the past 30 years, this is her first such exhibition.
Following our private tour, we were in for another treat: Zandra’s penthouse—a jewel-like crown on top of the museum. It is a luxurious, long rainbow space with a colonnade of windows and three spacious terraces with views of the spires and rooftops of ancient London, including the Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. My favorite objet d’art was a mirrored bust of Zandra by Andrew Logan, a copy of the one he did for the National Portrait Gallery.
In this almost ethereal environment, we were exposed to one of Zandra’s many other talents: her cooking. She personally prepared a casual buffet-style dinner featuring a superbly poached salmon, fresh garden peas, potatoes Zandra and a divine fruit crisp.
THE NEXT MORNING, we were off to a private tour of Kensington Palace. A favorite part was the royal dress collection, including dresses worn by Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana.
We were joined for lunch by Princess Michael of Kent and her lady-in-waiting, Emma Kitchener-Fellowes. I couldn’t help but ask how one becomes a lady-in-waiting. First, I was told, you have to come from a prominent family—usually titled— and be independently wealthy. You are expected to be both well-dressed and well-traveled, and you receive no pay.
Also joining us for lunch were royal fashion designers Jacques Azagury, Bruce Oldfield, David Sasson (who designed Princess Michael’s wedding dress) and Elizabeth Emmanuel (who designed the wedding gown worn by Princess Diana).
After lunch, we checked out of the Milestone Hotel and into the Chesterfield Mayfair, in the heart of Mayfair, close to superb shopping in both Bond and Regent streets and the West End theater district.
We visited the etching studio of royal academician Norman Ackroyd. We had the great fortune of being there while he was using the press gifted to him by James Whistler. We learned that great people in this field never sell their presses; they will them to others they consider most talented and worthy.
After leaving Norman’s amazing studio, we went around the corner to The Glass House, the studio of glass sculpture Andrew Logan. Before leaving, I fell in love with an enormous crystal-and-mirror spider necklace. I went from wanting it to needing it, and I plan to wear it soon and often.
That evening we were back at the Chesterfield for dinner in The Restaurant, famous for the best grilled Dover sole in London. That is what we ordered, and we were certainly not disappointed.
Following dinner, we went to see Women in White, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical, at the Palace Theatre. I would highly recommend this musical to anyone going to London, if only to see the amazing and uniquely different sets.
The next morning, we were treated to an exclusive tour of the new Matisse exhibit in the Sakler Gallery at the Royal Academy. Our tour leader was the curator for the exhibit, titled “Matisse: His Art and His Textiles, the Fabric of Dreaming.”
The Royal Academy of Arts has been the center of cultural and artistic life in Great Britain since its founding in 1768 by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Located in the magnificent Burlington House in London’s West End, the Royal Academy attracts more than 3 million visitors a year.
Our farewell candlelight dinner in Zandra Rhodes’ rainbow penthouse was a stunning close to a fabulous four days. The elegant catered dinner included many of London’s most famous fashion stars and artists, as well as our own contingent.
AFTER OUR FAST-PACED TIME IN LONDON, my husband and I were ready for the country. We boarded the train at Waterloo Station the next morning for Summer Lodge Country Hotel, Restaurant & Spa, about two hours outside of London. Summer Lodge, a member of Relais & Chateaux, is a Georgian manor built in 1789 in the heart of Thomas Hardy’s Dorset, in the charming and completely unspoiled village of Evershot. The 24 individually designed rooms and suites range in style from classical to contemporary. The award-winning restaurant, with an extensive wine list, attracts wine and food lovers from all over the world.
A popular destination is the Acorn, a posh pub just down the street from Summer Lodge. It was previously the Sow and Acorn of Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles. This lovely 16th-century stone inn, set in the heart of the author’s beloved Wessex countryside, is steeped in history. With its extensive oak paneling, beamed ceilings, flagstone floors and open fires, it evokes a tangible presence of the past.
We were sad to leave this idyllic setting the following morning for the train ride to London and taxi to Gatwick Airport. However, we will forever remember this trip as one of the most interesting, educational, fun and truly special travel experiences we have ever had.
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