May, 2025 in London: Day 4
In front of a restaurant in Kensington, London.
I was on my way to the Sambourne House and, not meaning to, ending up exploring Kensington High Street. You will want for nothing on Kensington High Street: Boots pharmacy, Whole Foods, clothing stores, loads of restaurants. It made the consumer in me very happy.
On my way, I stumbled upon The Design Museum which just happened to be exhibiting The World of Tim Burton. Unfortunately, the tickets were sold out but the museum had set up a Tim Burton gift shop and that was open…
Edward Gorey book and printed tote.
I’ve never forgotten Edward Gorey’s ghastly intro to Masterpiece Theater on PBS. It’s a part of my youth. I couldn’t leave the gift shop without some items printed with his illustrations. If you have a dark sense of humor, you’ll love his book, The Gashly Crumb Tinies. It’s wonderfully demented.
A lovely neighborhood in Kensington.
After I left the gift shop, I continued my trek to the Sambourne House, the house of a deceased English illustrator and writer. This was the highlight of my trip. I grew up with parents who had an appreciation for lush antiques. We had a hundred Tiffany lamps in the house and, even now, I can smell the musty odor of the velvet upholstered couches and the scent of brass polish. I was brought back to my childhood again with the Sambourne House…
Sambourne House
Even without the nostalgia for old homes, one must appreciate the exquisite decor…
After the Sambourne home, I stopped in at Balans on High Street for breakfast. I did a little shopping afterward and then come upon a church. My mom would call me a “lookey loo”: if there’s a space I can walk into and explore without invitation or having to pay a fee, I sure will especially if the space is beautiful and old. So, I had to stop inside St. Mary Abbots church…
St. Mary Abbots church.
I ended my day after Kensington. I found more treasures that I’d intended and did some shopping so it was a very successful day. Besides, I needed to rest up for my date with Jon Lithgow at the West End!
To see more lovely photos of my trip in London, view the “London” Highlight in my Instagram profile.
