​Do not get me wrong, a European destination isn’t imperative for a romantic recharge, but if it’s feasible, and you can take the trip across the pond, you absolutely should consider visiting London. First off, what does a romantic recharge really even mean or entail? For me and my husband, we love our uninterrupted time. We both crave it. While we have a great partnership, with four kids at home, we only get a bit of alone time interspersed throughout the day, namely at the very beginning and very end of the day, and then our planned date nights throughout the month which come with significant logistical planning.

While it needs not be said, we also absolutely adore our family time, but this piece highlights the importance of the uninterrupted, romantic recharge. That’s that extended period of time where we can talk in bed— without a child running in, go to bed— without needing to go check out why the baby is crying on the monitor, and do what we love doing together in the hours sandwiched in-between. Both of our favorite places to be together are European cities, as they have everything we love in one place; the best of the best food choices; endless nooks to explore; streets to get lost in; culture; and an excuse to walk around hand-in-hand for days on end. Not only does this infuse our relationship with opportunities of intimacy, but it resuscitates us in a way that keeps the bond strong, long after the vacation ends while immersed in the thick of parenting.

London- Chaos, Charm, & Cheeky
Admittedly, we did have a bit of a rocky start… however, we also planned the trip within about 48 hours. With four kids and even busier schedules, we often struggle with advanced planning. However, this was definitely our most procrastinated travel planning to date, as we were booking flights well into the late evening from bed, and looking at hotel accommodations the next morning for the following day while in the Uber en route to the airport. With that said, everything fell into place beautifully. Now, I realize most sane people wouldn’t do just a weekend in London when traveling from California, but I would highly advise you rethink that notion, because what you may lack in time, you’ll well make up for in a whirlwind, exciting chock-full weekend that you’ll never forget.

We arrived in London and headed straight to the Ned hotel. We used a travel advisor for this part of the trip as she was able to get a lower rate and more perks than I could get at any hotel- her name is Sara Stith, and she covers all locations (646.489.2113). Upon arrival, it was immediately apparent we’d chosen the perfect spot, as it exuded that authentic London feel (after all, the hotel was previously an old historical bank). We walked into what felt like a dance party with amazing live music with a great local scene—but fear not, despite the liveliness of the lobby, the rooms themselves were as quiet as could be. As you make your way around the Ned, you discover the amenities are anything but scant, featuring live music around several nooks, a super cool lounge within the old bank’s vault, fabulous lattes for your morning pick-me-ups, authentic Mexican sodas with tequila, mezcal, and salted rims, a fully loaded gym with a beautiful pool, botox and filler options for aesthetic offerings, a full spa, no less that 15 hair and skincare products to sample in-room, and the most wonderful, attentive staff.

Day 1: We started off by heading to Borough Market. Both of us had been to London before, but it was our first time together and a first at this market. Saturday was packed, perhaps a little too packed for our liking, but I did have the best melted raclette of my life. You must start with this and go in knowing that Saturdays might be the only day it’s available. Drizzling raclette on smashed potatoes was my best bite at the market. We stood in a long line to try the salted beef on chips. You can’t miss this booth and it’s well worth the wait.

From the market, it’s an easy jaunt to the London Bridge as well as the Tower of London. From here you can take an Uber boat around, but we opted to just enjoy the view by way of walking around the beautiful neighborhood. Next stop was Harrod’s. We aren’t big shoppers, but we both enjoyed going floor to floor. There is an entire room dedicated to chocolate and delicious iberico ham being sliced. The champagne bar is quite enjoyable and the tea rooms are cute, especially the Tiffany’s one. Take the time to see the glasses, purses, and styled mannequins. I felt like I was studying for a fashion exam and was hopeful I could implement these same fashion tips into my wardrobe. Hyde park is also not to be missed, so put that on your walking tour. We eventually made our way to Sketch, as should everyone who hits London. Sketch is perfect and weird and just wonderfully unique. We had beer & champagne and from the tea menu, ordered a la carte; think pink sponge cake, sandwiches, and fantastic tea options. This was the perfect place to relax and take in the great music and partake in some fantastic people watching. We also walked by the Parliament House, St.Paul, the Stock Exchange, and the Natural History Museum, but opted for sight-seeing as opposed to touring.

Part of a vacation is making time for relaxation and knowing when you need some downtime, especially on a short trip such as this, so we made sure to carve out our own siesta time. Early evening we headed down to the basement level to the vault for a cocktail before dinner. It’s a very unique space, as you actually enter into the old vault, with old safety deposit boxes lining the wall. From there, we went to Brat for dinner. This is an absolute must. They smoke everything and it was beyond tremendous. We had cockles in cider, lamb chops, smoked bread, duck rice, smoked cheesecake, and delicious French wines. Try to stick with the french wines and sparkling, there are great options. By this time, it was past midnight, so we retired back to our rooms for some much-needed rest before another full day.

Day 2: The next morning we hit the gym, got a latte in the lobby and headed on foot to explore. We walked through the incredible charming Spatfield’s neighborhood. There is so much charm and surprises hiding around each turn— the first being Ottolenghi. We stopped in and marveled at all of the pastries, meringues and macaroons. We sampled the coconut macaroons and a latte, enjoyed checking out the colorful plates of all the diners, and of course checked out all the cookbooks. They also happened to be the author of our favorite cookbook, so it was very fun to see all of the beautiful recipes in person. And yes, we saw the infamous glazed carrots! We made our way to the Spatfield’s market which had art, clothing, jewelry, and was just lovely to explore. We then walked to Brick Lane Up market where the tantalizing aromas of varied ethnic food filled the air, beckoning you to visit. We decided to try something that we didn’t think we could find easily at home and we went for the Cuban booth which did not disappoint. We had the pork and plantains which had nice flavor. After, we made our way to Brick Lane where we watched a good chess match, saw endless street graffiti art, found a great baby clothing shop, Dress Up Baby (known for their signature rabbit ear coats), and endless booths of everything and nothing (all-in-one).

We jumped into a cute London Taxi (must take at least one) and headed back to Borough Market. I am so glad we did so because by this point, the crowd was gone! Note to self: Sunday at Borough is magnificent! We grabbed lunch at Black Pig, let them guide your meal and clue you in to what the signature sandwich is of the day. So worth it! We then hit the social media crazed chocolate-covered-strawberry booth. Great melted chocolate and super fun to watch the chocolate drip. From there, we indulged in yet another champagne tea time at Mad-Hatter and got to head through SOHO en route. It’s essentially out of a scene of Alice-in-Wonderland and was so interactive. The platter and little touches are darling, champagne and teas were tasty, and the cotton candy was a very nice touch. Next up: siesta time! Later that evening, we went to Manteca for a late dinner following numerous locals’ suggestions. It is excellent Italian cuisine with beautiful British touches to every dish and a packed great scene. Get all of the pig options on the menu and you cannot go wrong with any of the homemade pasta dishes on the menu. At this point in the evening, it was already midnight and we were ready to unwind in our room.

Day 3: We woke up, and enjoyed a nice, relaxing morning at the Ned. It is so quaint and fun, you don’t want to skip some downtime at the hotel.

It was then time to pack up and start our departure home. While we didn’t get the opportunity to explore every landmark we’d set out to, we felt like we’d experienced so many authentic, local spots and accomplished exactly what we’d set out to do. I left London feeling like I’d gotten to know it better this time around in my 40’s than I had in my 20’s, and it went from being a place I enjoyed visiting, to an absolute favorite destination within Europe.

Make the time for that weekend away with your partner. If not Europe, choose somewhere closer or even local— but do follow the basics: make it an adult-only trip, don’t over plan the schedule, don’t sweat the little things, and focus on the mission at hand which is deep connection. Choose places and activities to do together, and let the locals help guide you. If you aren’t too regimented in your schedule, it allows for experiencing the new things, together, with a sense of ease and wonderment. Most importantly, focus on the rebooting of your romance which will carry you far into the hectic days… until the next adventure.