It's Hardly The Ritz Is It?

My mum and I have had a fabulous day in London today. For her Christmas present I booked us afternoon tea at the Ritz.
When I booked I was disappointed that the only seating I could get was at 11.30am which seemed a tad early for afternoon tea. But it worked out brilliantly and when Mr K takes me if I ever go again I'd certainly book that time for preference.
We had a lovely train journey down and got to The Ritz at about 11.15am. We checked our coats and were shown to our table immediately in the spectacularly beautiful Palm Court.
The whole experience was amazing - stunning surroundings, a lovely atmosphere, lovely music from the pianist, so many teas to choose from, delicious sandwiches, scrummy pastries and cakes, scones with oozing clotted cream and jam, AND more cakes from the cake trolley.
When the sandwiches ran low they bought more and we had second pots of tea.
I'd read reviews that the tea was skimpy. Well, when my mum and I can't finish a meal it's certainly not skimpy!! We left scones and cake which is unheard of!
We had a wander round the hotel before we left, checked out the menus for future lunches and dinners and I bought a tea caddy full of Ritz tea. It won't be quite the same drinking it on my sofa but it'll make me smile!
From there we walked up Piccadilly to Fortnum & Mason. With a quick detour into Kath Kidston to buy a new purse each.
I've never been into Fortnum & Mason before and I loved it. So old fashioned and SO much lovely food! I bought a couple of Christmas decorations which will make me so happy when I get them out next year. Reminders of a special day with my mum.
Then - continuing our tour of high end establishments - we carried on to Libertys. Where we stopped for more well earnt tea.
Then we went on a hunt for a coat for my mum. Selfridges, John Lewis and lastly into the worst Marks and Spencers I have ever set foot in. Filthy dirty, half empty, clothes strewn all over the floor in scratty heaps, unspeakably grim toilets, random (and different!) signs on the inside and outside of the lifts. The cafe apparently was on floor 2 and 3 but when you got out at 2 the sign outside had no cafe on any floor. Grrrrrrrrrr!!!
It didn't help that my blood sugar had suddenly crashed and I felt like I was about to collapse but rather than just getting something to eat became completely fixated on getting a sausage roll from Greggs!!! Google unfortunately showed the nearest Greggs was miles away!
Eventually my mum made me buy a sandwich and a bottle of water and I felt much better!!
We decided to get on a bus and go for a random ride before heading home. We headed back up Oxford Street, down Regents Street, past Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square, then over Westminster Bridge past the Houses of Parliament.
We hadn't realised that by now it was 8pm - the day has gone by in a blur!
We got off and walked back over the bridge taking in the beautiful views and lights. Fabulous!
Then we got on a different bus to Marylebone for our train.
Popping in to M&S for a last chocolate covered marzipan bar before healthy eating begins again tomorrow.
What a fabulous day!