Day Ten: Hitting the Streets-Bond and Picadilly!

Since today was one of the days Richard does not have class, we decided to check out some of the most well known tourist areas of London, Bond Street and Picadilly Circus.
  I may have been the only person on the street not actually there to shop in these famous shopping districts.However, I did take a TON of pictures. A little British history background.  Bond street was established in the early 1700s as a shopping district for the town of London.  It grew in fame and distinction, until in the Regency era (Jane Austen), a time of excess for the British and French aristocracies (French revolution anyone?).  By this time Bond street was renowned mostly for it's Gentleman's shops, and as a place that Ladies did NOT go unescorted. Today it is one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. (As seen by the shops present on it).

In 1996, the merchants and shops on Bond Street got together and commissioned a sculpture to commemorate 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. It is a charming life-like sculpture depicting Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt chatting on a park bench like two old codgers in Hyde Park. It is simple, unassuming, and totally easy to miss if you are not looking for it. (But I WAS, thanks to my trusty guidebook and the Map of Wonder.) 

Bond street is also home to the famous and oh-so proper auction house of Sothebys, also with a long and prestigious history. The world's fourth oldest continuously operating auction house, it was founded in 1744. More importantly for me, it was always Sotheby's that was called in to sell off the belongings of the unfortunate noble family whose wastrel son had lost all their money gambling in all the novels I read as a girl. 

In the pictures, note the very proper gentleman with a frown standing just behind me.  We lucked upon Sotheby's during an open house hour, and so were allowed to peruse the items on display (after we made it past this door guardian guy) and chat loftily to ourselves about how we thought that marble parquetry dressing table from the 18th century really wasn't quite worth £29,000.

Also located on Bond street is Smythson's, established in 1887, and with the honor of being the current stationers to the Royal Family of England. If you were one of the lucky ones invited  to Kate and William's wedding, your invitation would have arrived on Smythson's stationary.They specialize in stationary and leather goods.  I told Richard if he ever wanted to blow £1000 on a purse for me, definitely go to Smythson's over some bourgeousie newcomer like Coach. Notice the cute little old guy just beyond the glass door, doing the actual engraving on these oh-so-upper-crust engraved invitations. The sign discreetly advertises that Smythson's offers 'Bespoke Stationary.'   

That was it for Bond Street, so we walked a few quick blocks, and found ourselves on Piccadilly.  I hadn't planned to stop at the following two locations, but thankfully was informed enough to actually stop at them, rather than wander on by like your typical ignorant tourist. (Something that is shockingly easy to do with fabulous sites in London). Below you will find pictures of Hatchard's, the oldest bookshop in London, and the 2nd oldest in all of England.  It occupies, like Smythson's and Sotheby's before it, the original building in which it was established in 1797. Hatchards was the place that people like Elizabeth Bennet got all of their reading material, a popular excursion for young debutantes and their chaperones during the London 'season,' where they could trade juicy bits of gossip and show off their new gowns. Inside, the bookstore carries books similar in look and price to anythng you might find in Barnes and Noble.  Little things like a framed original advertisment for Hatchard's dated 1911, and a portrait of the Queen hanging jst above the travel literature remind you you're not in Kansas any longer.  Also the fabulous winding staircase going up 5 stories. That's me taking a breather halfway up.

 

Just after Hatchard's was the fabled Fortnum and Mason's. Founded in 1707 as a grocery store, it is renowned for the quality of its goods, and particulary it's tea. Quoting from wikipedia:

'Fortnum & Mason is famed for its loose-leaf tea and its world-renowned luxury picnic hampers, which the store first distributed to Victorian High Society for events such as the Henley Regatta and Ascot Races. These hampers — which contain luxury items such as Stilton cheese, champagne, Quails eggs and smoked salmon — remain popular today, especially at Christmas time and can cost (as of 2008) anything from £35 up to £25,000.'

Fortnum and Mason's street display windows were also fascinating and full of colorful antiques that rival many an American museum collection. Once inside the building, you are greeted by gold-finished discrete wire baskets to hold your purchases, a less discrete crystal chandelier, and tuxedoed shop assistants. Also the famously nasty British Christmas Puddings are already on sale. Richard stopped me buying them as presents, claiming it was just not nice to give a present known to be nasty, no matter how historical.

I know these pictures are organized strangely, but I don't have time to fight with blogger anymore. It took a bit of maneuvering to get a picture of the shop assistants, but I finally caught a couple pausing for a quick exchange.  Probably about the crazy American who thinks she's faking them out. Our final stop on Picadilly before getting on the subway to go home was Picadilly Circus, a big roundabout that features a statue of cupid (actually, it's the Angel of Christian Charity statue, but everyone just calls it cupid. Go figure, it's a short naked dude with wings and a bow and arrow!)

Parliament as seen from Picadilly Circus as the wind was picking up and it was gettin ga little stormy

Cupid/Angel of Christian Charity monument at Picadilly Circus. It's a popular meeting place because it is the intersection of a bunch of underground tube lines from all over the outskirts of London.