Just under an hour from London by train, the seaside enclaves of Brighton and Hove are a world apart from bustling London. The pace is slower, the scale of things more manageable, the locals friendly and, perhaps most importantly, a more provincial side of life in Great Britain comes into view. It’s the sort of place where you can slow down and truly experience life as real Britons do.

DAY 1

11:00 a.m.
Land at Heathrow via Air New Zealand, whose daily direct flights from L.A. to London are one of air travel’s best kept secrets. With a premium economy class that excels business class options on other airlines, and innovative offerings like the life-altering Economy Sky Couch (perfect for couples), Air New Zealand is without question one of the best options for making the long-haul. airnewzealand.com

2:00 p.m.
Board a train at London’s Victoria Station for the hour-long train ride (from the airport, take the Heathrow Express to Paddington, transferring from there to Victoria). Or you could simply book a car and travel directly from Heathrow to Brighton; you’ll find yourself in the heart of the seaside village in little over an hour and a quarter, depending on traffic.

3:30 p.m.
Once in town, accommodation options are plentiful. For authenticity, check-in at the stylish Blanch House. Just steps away from the beach, it’s a boutique hotel set in a charming Regency townhouse, on a residential street, right near the hub of Brighton’s bohemian life. Rooms commingle modern conveniences with classic furnishings to create elegantly comfortable spaces. (Request the Perrier Jouët room for a real treat.) For a more ultra-modern experience, book yourself at My Hotel Brighton. blanchhouse.co.uk;myhotels.com/brighton

4:00 p.m.
Take a seaside stroll. No matter the temperature, a walk along the sea in Brighton is a brilliant way to get to know the city. On a pleasant day, you might even walk all the way down to Hove. Along the way, stop by Brighton Pier, where kitschy arcade games abound and a spin on the Brighton Wheel ensures the best views around.

7:30 p.m.
There’s no scarcity of fish-and-chips joints in Brighton, though recent years have seen a wave of exceptional eateries take up residence. Case in point, Kooks, a self-described “boho bistro” that might seem as at home on SoHo’s Old Compton Street as it does in its Brighton hipster outpost. The menu is diverse—offering everything from a darn good cheeseburger to rosemary salted pork cubes and Mascarpone mash—and the setting is decidedly urban chic. Also of note is the cocktail menu, which is superlative and a rare find in these parts. Needless to say, Kooks is a favorite of local creative types. kooksrestaurant.com

10:00 p.m.
It’s time to mingle with the locals. Brighton is well-known for its thriving gay scene and plentiful gay bars, including Charles Street and Legends, which peers out over the beach and offers a hotel of its own. Pop by one or a few of these hot spots after dinner, as most are clustered within a few short blocks. charles-street.com; legendsbrighton.com

DAY 2

9:00 a.m.
Get a jump on the day with breakfast at Kemptown’s quirky Cup of Joe cafe. As the name suggests, patrons can grab a fortifying cup of java and enjoy selections from a small but broad range of breakfast/brunch items, ranging from a traditional English breakfast or eggs benedict to French classics like a Croque Monsieur. After breakfast, stick around and wander around the attached Kemp Town Trading Post, where stalls contain all sorts of locally sourced and vintage items, including names like Hermès and Gucci.

10:00 a.m.
Since the late 18th century, shoppers have descended upon Kemptown and, more than three centuries on, the village’s enduring appeal remains. You’ll find no chain or department stores, but instead independent wine stores, quirky antique shops, galleries and vintage clothing boutiques overflowing with booty for the most zealous shoppers. Time permitting, venture over to the Lanes and North Laine, where you’ll encounter more unique shops along with an outpost of famed chocolate shop and café Choccywoccydoodah!

Noon
Built as the summer pleasure palace for King George IV, the Royal Pavilion is a spectacular example of the Georgian era’s excesses. Unlike any other royal residence in Great Britain, here weaves the exoticism of Indian and Chinese design and architecture with stylistically defining elements of the Regency era to grandiose effect. On warm, sunny days the lawn of the Royal Pavilion is quite the gathering spot.

2:30 p.m.
When in Britain, do as Britons do. Step back to a more genteel time by booking afternoon tea at Metrodeco. This Art Deco-themed 1930s tea salon serves sweet and savory treats with vintage style, as well as wine, cocktails, artisan gins and local beer. metro-deco.com

7:00 p.m.
Steps away from the sea sits the Hotel du Vin Bistro, a bright, vibrant Parisian-themed boîte serving a menu inspired by French homestyle cooking. Think classic French faves like cassoulet and French onion soup along with a few unforgettable signature British dishes like Sunday roast, and you’ve got the gist of this little gem. hotelduvin.com

9:00 p.m.
Next door to the Hotel du Vin Bistro sits the clubby Pub du Vin, a traditional British pub with an upscale twist. Stop by this inviting pub for a tankard of its legendary ales on tap among its well-heeled locals.hotelduvin.com

10:00 p.m.
The ultra-sleek bar at My Hotel’s Merkaba is well-known for its artisan cocktails, making it the perfect stop for a civilized after-dinner libation. The vibe is also notably upscale for Brighton, as management has instituted a “smart casual” dress code. merkababrighton.com

Midnight
Close out your visit to Brighton with a final twirl through the gay nightlife hot spots you missed on previous nights. Perhaps hit the Basement Club below Legends, or nip into the venerable Bulldog for a pint. As you might expect, weekends are busiest, but every now and then you’ll encounter a particularly raucous crowd of party people on weekdays, particularly during summer months. legendsbrighton.com;bulldogbrighton.com

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Chic is in the details and if there’s one thing that Williams Handmade Luggage, some of the most luxurious luggage on the planet, gets absolutely right, it’s the details.  Moreover, unique handcrafted pieces from Williams Handmade Luggage revisit a time when travel and style were not exclusive but were instead wholly intertwined.

Translated to meet the needs of the modern traveler, a piece of luggage produced by Sarah Williams, the award-winning designer behind the Williams Handmade brand, doesn’t merely make a fashion statement, it celebrates practicality with an artful flourish. By combining traditional skills and techniques, timeless designs, the finest English Bridle leather along with materials and fittings sourced from Britain, each piece from the Williams proudly bears the stamp ‘British Handmade’.

Bottom line: Just because travel has become nearly devoid of glamour, you don’t have to give in to the trend. We say bring back the glam by gifting yourself or someone you love with these truly one of a kind pieces and turning your destined terminal into a runway of a different order.

www.williamshandmade.com

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Who says you need a tiara to live like a royal?

Sure…royalty may be to London, as Wall Street is to New York or as Hollywood is to Los Angeles but it does not necessarily follow that one needs either a crown or a royal bloodline in order to live like a queen in England’s capital city. In fact, all one actually needs is a modicum of desire, a speck of pluck and a few exceptionally well-documented connections.

Though many significant arteries may flow from London’s thriving core, all roads ultimately lead back to the seemingly inescapably regal force that feeds and energizes the city. From its museums to its street names to its numerous palaces and parks, threads of royalty are woven into nearly every turn one takes in Londontown.

So with that notion in mind, I set out to make my last visit to London all about living like a royal, with the first step being to explore that exclusive coterie of persons and companies who provide goods and services to the royal family “By Appointment”.

Officially known as Royal Warrant holders, this prestigious collection of purveyors, filled with brands whose pedigrees date back centuries, is personally selected by either Her Majest The Queen, her husband, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, or her son, HRH The Prince of Wales. Unremarkably then, given the source, the current roster of around 800 royal warrant holders represents not only a who’s who of commerce in the United Kingdom but also some of the finest products and services Her Majesty’s realm has to offer.

Armed with this prized list, the first and most important step on my agenda was to select a suitably royal hotel, which turned out to be a much simpler affair than I had originally anticipated because the only such warrant ever granted for Hospitality Services by Her Majesty The Queen (or any other reigning monarch since the Middle Ages) belongs to The Goring Hotel. Serenely tucked away on a quiet street adjacent to Buckingham Palace, The Goring has a rich and storied history that offers more than adequate explanation for its designation as the royal favorite.

Not only has the hotel served as an unofficial annex to Buckingham Palace by playing host to a cavalcade or European royals, its very existence has featured prominently in the lives of the Royal family. For instance, in the early 20^th century, when Lady Randolph Churchill frequently visited her son, the future Prime Minister Winston Churchill who would see England safely through World War II, it was at The Goring that she took up residence.  Fittingly then, when peace was declared at the end of the war, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth celebrated by dining on sausages and scrambled eggs at The Goring with the Princesses Royal in tow.

Years later, with the scourge of war behind them and a new monarch on the throne, the Royal kin engaged the pastry chefs at The Goring to mark the christening of Prince Charles with the creation of a christening cake. And when it came time for the intended of Prince Charles’ son and heir, Prince William, to settle down to selecting accommodations for her final night as a single lady, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, opted for The Goring’s Royal Suite, the bathroom shower of which is fittingly adorned with a painting of a watchful Queen Victoria encased in glass. Even the hotel’s dining room, right down to the glittering, much-talked about Swarovski chandeliers that dangle above it, bears the royal imprimatur in that it was decorated by Viscount Linley, son of the late Princess Margaret and nephew of Queen Elizabeth II.

And that’s just an abbreviated history.

However, despite its very British-ness combined with the fact that it has been owned by a single family for more than a century, The Goring is not a hotel that finds itself stuck in a fussy, old-fashioned time warp. In fact, each of the hotel’s 69 rooms and suites has been individually decorated by one of London’s most acclaimed interior designers, with the result being an assemblage of rooms that, while all feeling quintessentially British, simultaneously represent a spectrum of styles that run the gamut from the very modern to the very traditional.

Likewise the Goring’s service, though thoroughly modern, also offers a nod to some of the better old traditions of English country estates. Honestly, I dare any guest not to be charmed by playful touches like the sheep that find their way into the décor of every room and suite or hear the echoes of a bygone Downton Abbey-esque era resound through their thoughts each night before turning in as they set their shoes outside the doors of their well-appointed rooms and awake to find them freshly shined alongside their daily newspaper of choice (compliments of the hotel, of course).

It is all quite enough to make one feel very noble indeed.

To find out more about Royal Warrant Holders, visit www.royalwarrant.org. For more information about The Goring Hotel, visit www.thegoring.com.

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Once safely (and royally) ensconced in my accommodations at The Goring, I set off to explore a few more of the more interesting names on my roster of Royal Warrant Holders, that grand coalition of people and companies whose products and services buttress the royal patina “By Appointment”.   At the top of my list was a bit of shopping at Fortnum & Mason, which was just recently graced by the first official joint appearance by The Queen, The Duchess of Cambridge (the former Camilla Parker-Bowles) and the Duchess of Cornwall (the former Kate Middleton). Does it really get any more royal?

Known simply as Fortnum’s to regular patrons, this emporium of high delights has supplied the Royal household with the finest wares and treats since a royal footman (Fortnum) opened the store with his friend and landlord (Mason) more than three centuries ago in 1707. From truffles, cheese and tea (specially blended of course) to jewelry, perfume and high fashion, Fortnum’s has served as the thoroughly elegant department store of choice for kings, queens and their titled flock since its inception. Still a fabulous place to be seen after all these years, Afternoon Tea at Fortnum’s remains a treat to all savvy enough to book a reservation.

From Fortnum’s I made my way to Piccadilly and the Princes Arcade to sample the sweet confections of Prestat, which I can only describe as the ultimate sugar rush wrapped up in ribbons of fantasy and stamped with the Royal seal of approval. At more than one hundred years old, this esteemed chocolatier has not only been awarded Royal Warrants by both Her Majesty the Queen and the late Queen Mother, but was also notably a favorite of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory author, Roald Dahl.

Small in area but outsized in whimsy and magic, all manner of chocolate commingles with everything from nuts, caramel and tropical fruit to Champagne, Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and gin in this fantastical little shop where brightly colored packaging embossed with the symbol of the Royal Warrant fills every corner of the space. Meanwhile, the counters are chock full of delicate creations, including a variety of truffles, which the family of Prestat’s original owner, Antoine Dufour, is credited with having created. That’s right…, the very first truffle was the creation of the Dufour family (and perhaps of Antoine himself).  And it was said to be so intoxicatingly delicious that it led Roald Dahl to formally express his predilection for the Dufour’s recipe by declaring “I also adore so-called truffels as Prestat makes them.” With such high praise, is it any wonder then that the Royal court has maintained such a longstanding affection for this precious chocolate shop?

The final stop on my Royal Warrant tour was in the Burlington Arcade at the Victorian era perfumer, Penhaligon’s which like Prestat also holds two Royal warrants from two generations of Royals – one from Prince Phillip and the other from Prince Charles. Venturing through the store is like taking a trip down through the history of scent, particularly as many of Penhaligon’s signature fragrances were created as much as (or more than) a century ago and as such reflect the sensibilities of a different time. If you have a hankering to smell the noblesse oblige of 1902, you need only pick up a bottle of the popular Blenheim Bouquet which made its debut in that year.  Or flash forward a few years and try 1910’s crisp, clean English Fern.

What makes the Penhaligon’s experience special is the uniqueness of the fragrances which stand apart in the world of cookie cutter scents that populate the market today. Anything but ordinary, a Penhaligon’s scent reeks of privilege and good taste and the wearers thereof feel a part of an exclusive club, membership to which can only be achieved by royal appointment, of course.

So again, I ask, ‘Who needs a tiara to live like a royal?”. As a commoner with no lineage to speak of I managed to sleep, eat, shop and even smell like a royal in a single day. And they say, you can’t turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse. Clearly the believers of that old wives tale are most unfamiliar with my favorite new saying ‘When in London, do as the Royals do.”

To find out more about Royal Warrant Holders, visit www.royalwarrant.org.

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The moment I stepped into the dining room of the restaurant on a recent visit, I was confronted by the sweep of time and history it represents. This is after all an establishment that has played host to Prime Ministers (Winston Churchill and David Lloyd George famously had some very heated wrangling in the elegant dining room) and inspired the meeting place for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. But even more than its history, it is the grandeur of the room that throttles the senses. Under a simply dazzling ceiling of golden mosaic tiles, rows of marble columns stand watch over the dining room, which is so authentically British, it almost feels like a set (which is precisely what it served as on the season 4 opener of Downton Abbey when Lady Edith sneaks into London for a romantic dinner with her oh-so-very married paramour). Quite frankly, it is one of the lovelier rooms in all of London, the like of which is most certainly unparalleled in Piccadilly Circus.

As for the menu, it is, as you might expect, a decidedly British affair. For starters, there are options like Colchester oysters dressed with apple, samphire, lemon and mirin (my choice); a Game terrine with wood pigeon, rabbit, partridge, pheasant, foie grass, pancetta, pistachio, red onion and cranberry and aFoie gras parfait with home cured duck breast, redcurrant dressing, ‘Melba’ pain brioche and red sorrel cress. Meanwhile the mains include more traditional English fare like ‘Bronze’ turkey fillet, stuffing, black pudding, sausage roll, brussels sprouts, ‘bread sauce’ and cranberry jus and ‘Hereford’ beef fillet, swede, baby turnips & carrots and braised ox cheek. It’s all perfectly fine, but if, I’m honest, the food only feels like a convenient (and completely palatable I might add) reason to experience the luxe and wonder of bygone era.

As an added bonus, if you’re making an evening of it and heading to the theatre as I was, the location of The Criterion makes it an optimal choice for a pre-theatre bite along with a cocktail or two, of course. Just be sure not to cut it too close because the Criterion in keeping with its storied history is an experience to be savored, rather than rushed.

To find out more about The Criterion Restaurant or to make a reservation, visit www.criterionrestaurant.com.

To read this and other stories from Duane Wells on the Huffington Post click here.

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If you’re a fan of Jane Austen or 19th century English literature in general, then you are probably already familiar with the phrase “taking the waters.” However, to the uninitiated, the meaning of the phrase may seem somewhat dubious, so allow me to illuminate. Essentially, “taking the waters” refers to drinking or bathing in the famed, mineral-rich waters of Bath, which have been enjoyed by everyone from the Celts and Romans over 2,000 years ago to the Elizabethans in the 16th century to modern day revelers like myself. While the medicinal qualities of the waters—which contain some 42 minerals and trace elements—are subject to dispute, I can assure you that the pleasure of relaxing in them is not.

But before I get to the waters, a little historical note…

Committed Anglophile that I am, I arrived in Bath with grand expectations of the town that featured so prominently in books like Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Almost immediately I found those expectations met and exceeded, particularly given the architecture of the city, which brought to life images of the world inhabited by the fashionable set that first brought popularity to Bath centuries ago. One look at the Royal Crescent, the Pulteney Bridge and the Circus, and I felt overcome by the sense that my common jeans and boots were somehow inadequate in the face of such grandeur.

The feeling was only reinforced when I set off on a walking tour arranged by Experience Bath and found myself face-to-face with Thomas, my exceedingly knowledgeable tour guide who was dressed head-to-toe in period costume (top hat included). However, a little bit further into the tour, thanks to Thomas’ vivid description of life in Bath during the 18th and 19th century—which even managed to bring the smells of the period into perspective—I began to feel quite comfortable with the idea of visiting Bath in the here and now rather than its earlier heyday. Which is not to say that visiting the Jane Austen Centre and Number One Royal Crescent, among other sights, with Thomas did not offer amazing insight into 18th century life in Bath, because it most certainly did. I only mean to suggest that the glamour hinted at in most of our Hollywood-tinted images of the period, courtesy of films like the Kiera Knightley vehicle The Duchess, sometimes stand in stark contrast to the reality of the times, fascinating though they may be.

Having spent the morning exploring the history of Bath, I opted to spend the afternoon literally diving into it at theThermae Bath Spa (after all, Bath is all about ‘the waters’—hence the name). The Thermae Bath Spa, Britain’s original and only natural thermal spa, is a spectacular blend of old and new. In the ultra-modern New Royal Bath, I made my way up to the open-air rooftop pool, where I splashed around with my compatriots in the naturally warm waters from Bath’s renowned springs while taking in breathtaking views of the city of Bath and surrounding hills. Then it was off to the Aroma Steam Rooms, where the steam is infused with the essence of lotus flower and eucalyptus among other soothing aromatic scents. The final leg of my visit involved a dip in the Minerva Bath, the largest of the thermal baths, and a moisturizing candle massage in the spa. Now this was the Bath I had envisioned. From that particular vantage point, it wasn’t hard to imagine why British nobility favored packing up and settling into this place for long stretches of time to luxuriate in the waters daily.

I wound down the day with an evening visit to the Roman Baths, where I toured the extensive ruins and temple constructed by the Romans around the springs. Talk about living history. To this day, excavation continues around the ruins where new treasures are still being unearthed. There’s no denying the wonder in walking on stones that date back thousands of years.

As it’s only about a 90-minute train ride from London, Bath is a great, quick side trip, and well worth it. Visit the Thermae Bath Spa and dive into that wonderful rooftop pool, explore the world of Jane Austen, take a cruise down the canal on a narrow boat or just walk around the city or spend a day or two soaking up all that grand architecture. It truly is a bit like living in a novel for a spell, and nowadays who couldn’t do with a little escape like that?

Find out more about Bath at visitbath.co.uk.

Stay

The Francis Hotel, Queen Square | BA1 2HH, Bath, United Kingdom |T: +44 (0) 1173 199 006

Recently refurbished, the hotel offers classic elegance mixed with a modern, eclectic edge that reflects the vibrancy of the regency period from which it takes its inspiration.

Eat

Circus | 34 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN

Circus, a popular family-run restaurant in Bath serving seasonal, locally sourced food with a British bias, and favored by locals, including Nicholas Cage, who owned a townhouse steps away from the restaurant for years.

Play

Mandalyn’s Bar | 13 Lansdown Road, City Centre, Bath BA1 5DX |T: +44 (0) 1225 425 403

If you’re so inclined to get current after all that history, Bath does have a gay bar, and it has regular theme nights and karaoke.

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However, in all the years I had been visiting London, it was not until after it was announced that London would host the 2012 Olympic Games that East London ever showed up in earnest on my radar (that is, of course, beyond my knowledge of British television shows like The East Enders and accounts from friends about the scrappy, scruffy nature of the then-rough-and-tumble section of London). Prior to that time, my London stomping grounds had been limited to the likes of Knightsbridge, Soho, Hampstead Heath, Notting Hill, Mayfair and Trafalgar Square, among other well-tread haunts.

But then something happened around 2007. There was suddenly an energy that drew me out of my London comfort zone. Around that time I discovered glimmers of fabulousness that made the voyage to Canary Wharf, Bethnal Green and Shoreditch worth the trip. Subsequently I ventured to Brick Lane, which became a regular stop on my visits, and later to Greenwich.

Finally, I came full circle when I set upon the new and improved East London just a few weeks ago and felt the full weight of the renaissance the area had witnessed. What was once something of a ‘no man’s land’ had been transformed into one of London’s trendiest, coolest neighborhoods in large part thanks to the Olympic Village that was now its centerpiece. The streets, crowded with hipsters, were lined with edgy new shops, galleries, bars and restaurants. I wouldn’t exactly call East London shiny and new, but I would say it is without question gritty, urban, young and possessed of a definitive and magnetic personality all its own. And, after all, is that not the very essence of cool?

One of the favorite new spots I unearthed during my discovery of East London 2012 included the swank bistroLes Trois Garcons, a converted Victorian Pub in Shoreditch that is now awash in a whimsical, eye-popping medley of crystal chandeliers and taxidermy. From the decidedly French menu, I sampled the Escargot de Dorset, Homard Ecossais (Scottish Lobster served with Lobster Butter Sauce), Côte de Veau et Ris de Veau aux Asperge (Veal Cutlet served with Sweetbread Wontons and Asparagus) and Tarte Tatin aux Pêches (Peach Tart Tartin). Classically French and utterly elegant, the combination of the service, the ambiance and the food at Les Trois Garcons only reconfirmed what I already knew—East London had entered the big leagues, more than able to compete with the London’s heretofore most-buzzed-about neighborhoods.

Steps away from the restaurant, I ventured into a cult gay pub, The George and Dragon, where the party was in full swing on a Friday night. Packed to the gills with sweaty, sexy alternative types grooving to one dance classic after another, it was immediately clear that I was no longer in Soho but in a parallel community that thumbed its nose ever so slightly at the established gay centers in London.

Jacket off, hands raised, I think I actually might have danced liked nobody was watching until the sheer heat in the place forced me on to my next and final stop, the cult gay pub The Joiners Arms. In this larger yet similarly intimate space, resident DJs spin the crowded dancefloor into a frenzy each week while more low-key patrons mingle on the packed smoke-filled back patio. Another winner, the mazelike bar/club delivered the fun with a uniquely funky East London spin.

Riding home at just around 2 a.m. (admittedly early), I contemplated just how much not only East London but London in general had changed since my first trip all those years ago and I felt reminded of why my love affair with the city has remained so passionate despite the passage of time. Like a great lover, London has evolved as I have evolved, and after more than a decade and a half, it just keeps giving me more reasons to love it. Now that’s my kind of romance.

Until next time, cheers!

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There are those exceptionally memorable times in life when all just seems to gel perfectly. You know the ones—those rare occasions when you find yourself wiggling uncontrollably with anticipation like a puppy laying eyes on a furry ball for the very first time.

Well, one such moment occurred for me just recently when I, along with a group of other journalists from North America, was invited to Afternoon Tea with Lady Ashcombe at the historic Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

Now, to fully understand the import of the moment for me, you also need to understand that all my life I have had a sort of ‘to the manor born’ mentality despite my ‘to the apartment rented’ reality. Yet last week on a rainy, gray day, there I stood … to the castle invited … in the award-winning gardens of Sudeley Castle with the lushly green Cotswolds Hills staring down at me. I could not have scripted the whole affair any better.

Devout students of Tudor history and fans of Showtime’s The Tudors alike will find much to be intrigued by at the more than 1,000-year-old Sudeley Castle. Not only was it the home and final resting place of King Henry VIII’s sixth wife and widow, Queen Katherine Parr, Sudeley Castle’s storied history is marked with everything from visits by King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth I to its seminal role as both a prisoner of war camp and ‘safe house’ for much of the Tate Gallery’s art collection during World War II. History aside, perhaps the most fascinating thing about Sudeley Castle is its very Downton Abbey-esque contemporary existence as a working castle and the primary family home of Lord and Lady Ashcombe along with her children from a previous marriage.

So, the story goes, after passing through a series of royal and noble hands for centuries, Sudeley was purchased in 1837 by the wildly successful brothers John and William Dent, who had made a fortune in the glove-making trade and began the restoration of the then-decaying castle. The brothers then left the castle to their nephew John Coucher Dent, who married Emma Brocklehurst, who devoted herself to completing the restoration of Sudeley until her death in 1900, when the castle was bequeathed to Emma’s nephew Henry Dent-Brocklehurst.

Through two World Wars and dramatic shifts in fortune, Sudeley Castle has remained in the Dent-Brocklehurst family since that time, a feat that has in no small part been accomplished due to the ingenuity and tenacity of its current American-born mistress, Lady Ashcombe. Over tea, Lady Ashcombe recounted that, despite being taken with Sudeley Castle when she first visited it in the early ’60s, she had little desire to live in the grand, if decaying, estate when she married her late stockbroker husband Mark Dent-Brocklehurst. In fact she was enjoying her life in London so much at the time, she was a bit taken aback when her husband’s mother suddenly announced that she was leaving the house to the care of her son and his young family in the late ’60s.

To support the repair and ongoing maintenance of the massive estate, Lady Ashcombe (then Elizabeth Dent-Brocklehurst) and her husband embarked on a two-year renovation of Sudeley, with the goal being to throw open the doors of the estate to the public. Shortly after the renovation was completed, however, tragedy interceded. Mark Dent-Brocklehurst suddenly died of a heart attack, leaving his wife to raise their two young children while managing the death taxes, the castle and its new dual status as both a private home and tourist attraction.

Undeterred, the young Elizabeth Dent-Brocklehurst, who would later marry Lord Aschombe in the 1980s, continued what she and her husband started and her perseverance paid off. Today Sudeley Castle remains one of the most popular and spectacular tourist attractions in the Cotswolds.

It is absolutely fascinating to stroll through the rooms of Sudeley, where history and modernity commingle so effortlessly. Framed family photos dot antique tables, while the works of old English and Dutch masters nuzzle up next to flat-screen televisions and walls lined with bookshelves containing first editions of the likes of Dante’s Inferno. It is perhaps this continuing life in the castle—its living history, if you will—that make it most appealing. Sudeley Castle is more than a historical relic—it is a representation of the brilliant passage of time, of centuries of history that continues to be written to this day through the very personal stories and lives of Lady Ashcombe and her family.

All year long, Sudeley Castle is celebrating the 500th anniversary of Katherine Parr’s birth with a season-long festival of events including talks from renowned historian Dr. David Starkey, Michael Hirst, creator of Showtime’s The Tudors, and author Alison Weir.

Find out more about Sudeley Castle at sudeleycastle.co.uk or on Facebook at facebook.com/sudeleycastle.

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Mancunian: A person from Manchester.

Mancunian Life: Fierce, fun, vibrant, independent, sometimes raucous, always original, forever unbuttoned and decidedly passionate about music.

Now, with that settled, if you follow this blog, you already know that I just returned from my second thrill ride of a visit to Manchester Pride. Last week I told you about the city’s annual Pride event, which has long been one of the most highly anticipated events on the Pride circuit. But I would do Manchester a great disservice if I didn’t offer up a guide to some of my favorite places in the city itself. So, with that in mind, this week I’m doing just that, with an eye toward some of the hotspots I discovered for the first time on this recent visit.

For many in the LGBT community, Manchester may have only come into their purview thanks to the original version of the hit series Queer As Folk, which was set in the city’s gay village and spawned the equally popular American offshoot that pulled back the covers on gay life as some knew it. But long before Manchester’s queer culture took center stage, the city had developed a world-class reputation of its own. From music to commerce, Mancunians have, over the centuries, distinguished themselves with their industrious spirit and propensity for living life to the fullest.

The industrial revolution? Manchester was its birthplace. The Smiths, The Bee Gees, New Order, Oasis and Badly Drawn Boy? All Mancunian artists.

Beyond that, Manchester’s gay village is amongst the most bustling I have ever encountered. In fact, with over 70 bars, clubs and restaurants, visitors to Manchester are spoiled for choice in terms of gay outlets—in a way that actually defies the city’s somewhat modest size. Canal Street, the hub of gay life—with its menagerie of watering holes and packed dance clubs—is on its own an adventure in gay sensory overload.

Lest I run the risk of sounding like a history lesson or being reductive, I’ll direct you to the Manchester Media Pack App on iTunes or Google Play for more historical information about Manchester and instead turn your attention to the city’s highlights. Below were some of the spots that topped my list of my faves from my recent visit:

EAT 

Richmond Tea Rooms
Richmond Street, The Village, M1 3HZ
T: +44 (0) 161 237 9667
richmondtearooms.com

Alice in Wonderland comes to life in this wonderfully over-the-top yet strikingly traditional English-style tea room where a delectable menu of nibbles and teas are served throughout the day and evening. Meanwhile, when night falls, the adjoining cocktail lounge, with its quirky fixtures, serves up a sparkling array of handmade cocktails befitting the fantastical quality of the space.

Australasia
1 The Avenue, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3AP
T: +44 (0)161 831 0288
australasia.uk.com

Popular among Manchester’s in-crowd, this utterly modern restaurant delivers wow factor from its chic entrance, which draws aesthetical comparisons to the Louvre. Serving a menu of Pacific Rim flavours that combines an exotic blend of Indonesian and Southeast Asian influences, Australasia delivers a palate-pleasing experience combined with top-notch service. Popular footballers including David Beckham have broken bread in this sprawling restaurant, which becomes a bit of a scene in its own right as the evenings grow late and popular local DJs spin the hottest tunes on the restaurant’s state-of-the-art sound system well into early hours of the morning.

Bakerie
43-45 Lever Street, Northern Quarter, M60 7HP
T: +44 (0) 161 236 9014
bakerie.co.uk

Utterly charming, dining at this restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is like sitting down to a perfectly appointed picnic. Choose trays of cheeses, cured meats and vegetables along with a few bottles of good wine and while away a blissful afternoon on the communal benches in this perfectly inviting hipster hotspot.

Vermilion and Cinnabar
Hulme Hall Lane, Lord North Street, Sport City, Manchester, M40 8AD
T: +44 161 202 0055
vermilioncinnabar.com
@VermilionUK

Designed by Miguel Cancio Martins, the man behind Buddha Bar in Paris and Alain Ducasse’s Crystal of Marrakech, Vermilion and Cinnabar is a massive concept restaurant, located near the Etihad stadium. Since opening in 2007, the destination attracts more than 2,000 customers a week. While the restaurant’s menu offers authentic Thai and Indian cuisine, along with a range of fresh seafood, the cocktail lounge attracts fashionable locals, VIPs and celebrities in addition to a fair amount leading DJs.

SLEEP

Radisson Blu Edwardian

A five-star experience wrapped up in one of Manchester’s most celebrated buildings, the historic Free Trade Hall, Radisson Blu Edwardian offers style and luxury in the heart of Manchester’s city center. It also offers the rejuvenating Sienna Spa and the decadent Opus One bar and restaurant where braising is all the rage.  radissonblu-edwardian.com/manchester

DRINK

The Alchemist on New York Street
New York Street, Manchester, M1 4BD
T: +44 (0)161 817 2950
thealchemist.uk.com

Cocktail culture comes to life at the Alchemist in Spinningfields, Manchester, as expert mixologists concoct a dizzying selection of signature cocktails. When you want a proper cocktail, this is the destination that you want to favor with your presence.

PLAY

G-A-Y Manchester
63 Richmond Street, M1 3HW
T: 0161 228 1631

Like its sister outpost in London, G-A-Y Manchester attracts a pretty, younger crowd with a mix of contemporary hits, cheap cocktails and amiable bartenders.

The Thompsons Arms
21 Sackville Street, M1 3WF
T: 0161 228 3012

Prepare to dance the night away in this multi-level space, where the DJs play dance-pop anthems to throngs of friendly patrons well into the wee hours of the morning.

Velvet
2 Canal Street, M1 3WF
T: 0161 236 9003

More of a lounge than a bar, Velvet is a relaxed space where you can enjoy a cocktail or get frisky on the bar’s tiny dance floor—you choose. That said, the crowd is always fun and eclectic, which alone makes a visit to this Mancunian hotspot a must.

Queer
4 Canal Street, M1 3HE
T: 0161 228 1360

As the name suggests, Queer is a big gay club with multiple dance floors and a gay hipster clientele.

If you don’t already know Manchester, it’s time you got better acquainted. Find out more atvisitmanchester.com. Until next time, be well, live Wells!

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