Living in London

On Saturday evening we went to our village church to see a local theatre company perform Tom Stoppard’s play Arcadia. The performances were unbelievably good! Most professional, and very well done for what seemed to be a fairly complicated play. We enjoyed wine and snacks as we sat in the front pew completely entranced!

We walked home through the church cemetery on a wild windy night feeling totally satisfied.

Today we had a very luxurious experience at Berry Bros & Rudd, at the store and cellars where they have been operating for over 300 years. Still managed by the same family, this place has an amazing history, and really ‘gets’ the concept of service.

Established in 1898, they were originally an 'Italian Warehouse.' They not only supplied coffee beans, but also weighed their customers on their giant coffee scales. They showed us ledger books with the records of customers’ weights spanning three centuries. It was apparently very fashionable to get dressed up and head over to Berry Brothers for your annual weigh-in. Customers who visited the store include Lord Byron and Beau Brummell, Pitt the Younger, the Duke of Wellington, Napoleon III, prime ministers Balfour, Melbourne, Peel and Asquith, John Nash and Edwin Lutyens, Gertrude Lawrence, Laurence Olivier and Evelyn Waugh, and of course, us! [Note: we did not weigh in ]

In 1923 Cutty Sark Scots Whisky was created here. In 2000 they began a wine school and this was one of the classes we attended.

Our class included a tour of the store and cellars, a couple of hours tasting champagnes, and a fabulous lunch paired with five more wonderful champagnes. The tastes were generous and the air was spiced by interesting conversation with the other patrons. Very enjoyable afternoon.

Take a virtual tour for a 360 degree view of many of the rooms in the store and cellars.