London: Tea Time in Wonderland

I am amazed. Londoners seem to be immune to autumn morosity. This week, the city is coming alive with all kind of celebrations. Just grab your umbrella and slalom through the raindrops!

* Tonight all fashionistas will meet in town for the Vogue Fashion Night.

* To be a VIP at Topshop this Friday, don’t forget to grab a copy of Metro.

* Stay with David Lynch the whole night.

* The Thames festival is always worth going to, no matter how crowded it might be. This year, you can play at being at artist. our favourite place is Southwark Bridge, close to traffic on Saturday and which will welcome communal table and a very cheerful spirit. Click here and here for the program. It will close on Sunday on an amazing carnival and fireworks.

* Jermyn Street still is the gentlemen’s street and will, this Saturday turn particulary festive with a street party dedicated to the British style: demos presentating those geniuses tailoring the accessories, catwalk, lessons of refinement with butlers, dance lessons with the Ritz… Children are very welcome and there will be delicious treats to eat along the way.

* If you do not know Dan Hillier yet, rush to discover his refined and enigmatic drawings.

* Don’t you like china with a touch of cheerful crazyness?

* Abracadabra!

* It’s game season! The edible one, I mean.

* Dance finds inspiration in mangas.

* Visit the Olympic Park for free.

Pssst: Seafood lover? The Botanist will open a pop-up from Sept 16-18. Native Oysters, langoustines, Dorset crab will all be on the menu. bring the holiday feeling back and book a table quickly!

Ask any Froggie where his cheese heaven is in London, and he will answer Neal’sYard Dairy, La Fromagerie or la Cave a fromages.
Alternatively, the Borough Market is quite an experience (especially if like me, you do stop at every stall to taste).

For a more picturesque time, I love Paxton and Whitfield. They hold a quaint shop in the gentlemen’s quarters, Jermyn street. And trust me, it hides wonders. It used to only be a stall @ Aldwych market in 1742… Thanks to the partnership of Mr Paxton and Mr Whitfield, it could settle here in 1797. So chic royalty fell for it too -  Queen Victoria appointed them official cheesemongers in 1850. And they still have the honour of servir her Majesty the Queen and Prince Charles.

XXth century proved harder – competition of continental cheese, two world wars… Still they made it -  switching to grocery style, adding cream, eggs, milk, butter to their shelves. Even Winston churchill was a fan, swearing that A gentleman only buys his cheese at Paxton and Whitfield…

Just step in and smell… How wonderful! You’ll find here the very best of French and British spcialties… The inside is adorable, the counter is covered with delights, here and there a touch of another time… The team is also so very friendly (even though you’re only taking pictures) and are happy to make you taste this or that novelty.

Fancy a different celebration / wedding? Try this, order a cheese – pyramid!

Sliding to modern times -  you can now order online.  Or join the cheese club for £35 a month and get a special delivery of 4 cheese by courrier…

Paxton and Whitfield
93 Jermyn St
St James
London
SW1Y 6JE

Ah, Jermyn Street, just behind Fortnum and Mason. I often take visiting friends there – it seems to belong to another time with old stules window shops, wooden counters… This is where gentlemen came to buy their shirts or have their suits made, choose a cane, shoes, perfume, shirt collar stiffeners, any accessory. I remain fascinated by the shelves covered with shaving brushes…

Had you ever notices this statue? Meet George Bryan Brummel, renamed Beau Brummel. Initiator of dandyism under the Regency. At  16, he inherits a fortune from his father, he completes his studies at our famous Eton… with the Prince of Wales, with whom he becomes friend.

Un style discret, sobre – il affectionne les couleurs sombres – mais minutieux et elabore. Il est toujours impeccablement rase, parfume, ses vetements fraichement amidonnes… C’est le premier dandy.

At the time, male fashion is… very bright, heavily loaded with lace, accessories. Until now, France had led the dance for clothes, style, even fabric. Since the French Revolution than Napoleonic wars, it would be badly judged to support a country that jests with their leaders…

Enters Beau. He first decides to give up the wig and the excess of powder. In high circles, he is quickly noticed for his wit… and his extreme elegance. Each detail has been though of, calculated. He claims to need 5 hours to get dressed, advices champagne to polish boots… He will completely modify the British fashion: giving up knee breeches for pantaloons, using a jacket with no waist line, bringing attention to neckwear, and shows affection for dark colours… The first step to our modern suit!

His style is a sober yet elaborate and minutely prepared. He always is perfectly shaved, perfumed, his linen freshly starched… The very first dandy…

Sadly, his game debts increase teribly and he will need to exile to France to escape prison. He sure should have negotiated dividends from Jermyn Street taylors which he helped making a fortune!

Jermyn Street
London SW1Y