If you've never been to Liberty and Co., the luxury department store in London tailormade for modern-day eccentrics like you and me, call British Airways now. I just purchased a roundtrip ticket from LA to London in March for the crazy low fare of $499. At a price like that, I bought one for The Little Prince, too. Since the Divine Italian's going to be there on business, I figure Luca and I will crash his hotel room and live it up for a couple of days.
I have it all planned out: once onboard, Luca will be granted unlimited use of his Nintendo DS (my restrictions on it ease up during air travel, especially transatlantic legs), thus guaranteeing me near silence for the duration of the flight. As for me, I'll load up on my favorite podcasts, "The Bowery Boys" and Arun Krishnan's "Learn Hindi from Bollywood Movies", wrap a cashmere travel blanket around my shoulders, pop a Skittle, close my eyes and dream of what awaits me.
Where to begin? Founded in 1875, Liberty and Co. began by selling an eclectic mix of objets and fabrics from the Far East, but went on to develop its own distinct aesthetic style linked to Art Nouveau. After they began to produce their own fabrics for clothing and furnishings, their store soon became the most elegant emporium in London, catering to a wealthy and exotic clientele. It remains so today, and half the fun in going is rubbing shoulders with the outrageous assortment of chic London mummies, dandyish "heirs and spares", and newly-hatched Bright Young Things.
Being inside the Tudor Revival building is like being in a Grade I-listed museum; in fact, its very timbers were taken from two British naval ships, the HMS Impregnable and the HMS Hindustan. The interior is arranged around a huge wooden 5-story atrium, with open balconies at each level, dripping with gorgeous antique rugs.
Feeling peckish? There is a tea room...
a cafe...
and a Champagne and oyster bar. (Ooh, yes please.)
Fingers crossed that The Little Prince allows me some shopping time. The last time we were there, it was a late November afternoon and he was in a black mood. He demonstrated this by lying prostrate on the ground directly in front of the massive revolving door and refusing to budge, despite my desperate pleas and a tsunami wave of approaching boots. Ah, the unpredictability of children. Let's just say that although the English are by nature unfailingly polite, my son had them at breaking point.
Anyway, Liberty is a marvel of a place. If you've been, you know what I mean. And if you haven't, I promise if you ever have a chance to go, you won't be disappointed. Usually, by the time I manage to drag myself out of there, night is falling and the store looks prettier than ever.
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On the occasions I exit clutching one of their instantly recognizable purple shopping bags, I consider myself a very lucky girl indeed.
Here are a few of my favorite purchases over the last couple of years...
A leather-bound blank book imprinted in Liberty's iconic "Ianthe" pattern, which I haven't been brave enough to write in yet (what could merit such importance?)...
...a velvet peacock feather pillow...
...some assorted pocket handkerchiefs and scented sachets, all in various Liberty prints...
...and my favorite toiletry bag ever, which sadly has been discontinued.
I'm counting down the days.