Shocking, I know. I adore old movies and have seen most of the notable ones many times. I have a particularly fondness for black and white movies, especially when they involve holidays. So how this Christmas Classic slipped through the cracks all these years, I do not know.
But after a full day of shopping the tourist-packed streets, checking off my Christmas list - I was totally exhausted and happened upon the Curzon Theatre in Mayfair. The Curzon has been there since 1934! The enormous screen and theatre that seat 400 is nothing less than gorgeous. It's primarily an art film house, showing a small selection of artistic films, Operas, Ballets, and select old movies. Instead of popcorn and soda the concessions included champagne, chocolates, and mince pies. It's a classy, old-fashioned joint and I love it!
The 8pm showing of "It's a Wonderful Life" seemed like destiny.
Seeing a movie that wonderful for the first time was so, just, brilliant! I felt like I felt the first time I saw "Gone With the Wind" when I was 16. Like my life had been changed.
It literally has everything I believe in wrapped into one perfect film: Heaven, angels, true love, friendship, family, giving, morals, kindness.
I laughed, I cried - of course. I left with a heart full of joy, and just feeling so good about life.
I don't understand why it has a reputation of being a sad Christmas movie, because I have never felt so wonderful as I felt after "It's A Wonderful Life."'
Earlier in the day I floated in and out of the shops on Regent Street and in SoHo picking up a few "parcels" and "stocking fillers" for the people on my Nice List, and discovered yet another amazing department store: Liberty.
Liberty first opened it's doors in 1885.
1885! It's so fun just how old everything is here! In 1885 the Statue of Liberty was just arriving in New York - and London already had a killer department store.
Liberty has this amazing tudor facade and the inside is so wonderfully old that the wood plank floors squeak as you wonder in a state of awe from one lovely to room to another. They are known for their beautiful, floral-print fabrics which are famous world-wide, and their fancy stationery and "diaries."
Having a fine, leather-bound diary with your initials embossed on it is very important here. By diary, I am referring to a yearly planner, that's what the English call it. So when planning a meeting or dinner with a Londoner, they will often say, "hold on, I've just got to write it in my diary," or "make sure you bring your diary so we can arrange something" and it's very strange and confusing when you think they mean a diary full of secrets and feelings and nonsense thoughts - like mine is.
After exploring the 4 floors of Liberty, I decided that London officially has the best department stores in the world. Even better than Paris - which coming from my lips, is truly saying something. Between Harrods, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Fortnum and Masons, and Liberty - they really have outdone all the other cities of the world. Touche, England.
They also definitely win for the top selection of cards. I picked up all my Christmas cards today, and rather than desperately trying to find one that was nice, I spent nearly an hour in the shop trying to choose between the hundreds I loved. This was my favorite...
"Trod on me" is the main reason I love that card.
I ran all day on the quarter loaf of apple and plum bread that I got bought this morning at the outdoor Market in Duke of York Square. I always start my Saturday off there, and get something nice to nibble for breakfast. This morning I went for this...
For your sake, I wish that picture was a scratch and sniff. Or scratch and lick, actually.
This woman wakes up at 4 am every Saturday morning to bake all her breads fresh for the market at 9. She had little samples of the different types on a tray, and the smell alone called to me from across the street. Mango bread, apple crumble, coconut, blackcurrant and berry, ginger and fig! Deciding which flavor to buy was like trying to choose which color of Repetto flats I'd pick if I ever decide to give in to my obsession with owning some.
Photo taken in the Shoe Gallery at Selfridges
This plum and apple cake was so moist, dense, flavorful, and fresh that I can honestly say it was best quick-bread I have ever had, anywhere - including things I've made myself. I wish I had a tower of it all to myself, covered in cream cheese frosting! I'm thinking of going back and begging the woman to give me the recipe. The huge chunks of baked apples and plum, the spice cake, and the oatty, cinammony, crunchy topping! Her stand should be called "It's A Wonderful Bread."
So from the brilliant bread, to lovely shopping at Liberty, to the fantastic film, I will always remember this Saturday in London, my last Saturday before returning to the US for Christmas, as "It's A Wonderful Day."
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