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Beautiful Bath in wonderful company

8/5/2017

11 Comments

 
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Bath is one of the places closest to my heart, one I could go back to over and over. Not only because it's exquisite in itself and has a very strong connection to Jane Austen, but because this is how I imagine Regency London might have looked like, were it not for 200 years of inevitable changes.

Today I had the great joy of visiting it again, in wonderful company: Beau North and her friend and travelling companion, Crystal - two amazing ladies who made the trip an absolute delight. I wish I could have stayed all day, but this time I couldn't stretch it too far beyond the end of school hours. Still, the few hours that we had there together couldn't have been better! Bath greeted us with brilliant sunshine that made the beautiful buildings glow - and none more than those in the Royal Crescent.
We walked up the usual route, past the famous bow window in Milsom Street, up the hill towards the Assembly Rooms, stopped to admire the Circus and made a beeline for No. 1 Royal Crescent.
What an amazing place!! You can absorb Georgian lifestyle in every room, but the dining room is out of this world - literally. To say that it's exquisite is simply not enough. I love it! And even more so because every detail of the beautifully ornate table and sideboard brings to mind an elegant, yet quite intimate dinner that our dear Mr and Mrs Darcy might have hosted. You can almost see them sitting to partake of the confectionery that can't fail to please the eye (the palate - not so much; the display is made of silicone and other materials. There are fascinating details in the house about the project undertaken several years ago, when real moulds from the kitchen were used to make working moulds, and the latter used to create the beautifully intricate confectionery).
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(All photos below: click to enlarge)
Across the entrance hall there is the morning parlour, with the table set up for an even more intimate breakfast, and beyond it there is a room where Mr Bennet might have sat to read the paper in peace and quiet whenever he came to visit his favourite daughter - usually unannounced ;) . And alongside there is a writing desk Mr Darcy might have vacated, for Mr Bennet to write home. Not that Mr Bennet would trouble himself to. But he must have used it, because this is where he left his spectacles.
If you climb the very elegant staircase you'll discover the drawing room, and you might be treated to some musical entertainment (this time we weren't; the photo on the left is an older one, from last year's Jane Austen Festival).
The tour then takes you down a far less glamourous staircase towards the kitchen and the servants' quarters. The kitchen is a delight, full of all manner of implements, from moulds to sugar clippers, coffee roaster and spinach mashers. And nearby is the housekeeper's parlour, where we can picture Mrs Reynolds sitting to do the household accounts or have a well-deserved rest and a cup of tea when the day's work is done.
It was a lovely tour, and great fun to share it with Beau and Crystal! I wish I could have joined them for lunch at Sally Lunn's, but we enjoyed the No 1 Royal Crescent tour SO much, we simply couldn't just zoom through it, and soon after that I had to catch a train back.

Lovely ladies, I hope your lunch was delicious, that you enjoyed your time in Bath as much as I did, and that you come back soon. Nudge, wink, I hear Bath is fabulous at Christmas, and real and very yummy goodies are baked in the kitchens of No 1 Royal Crescent!
11 Comments
Claudine DiMuzio link
8/5/2017 09:34:27 pm

What a fabulous day you ladies shared together. The pictures are gorgeous and Joana, the way you sprinkle little morsels of our beloved characters into your post made it that more delightful to read!! I'd love to visit Bath too.

Reply
Joana Starnes
8/5/2017 10:05:41 pm

So glad you liked the post, Claudine!! Wish you were there today too :) I do hope you get to see Bath, you'd LOVE No.1 Royal Crescent! So much to do, places to go, people to see!!!! Yep, sleeping is optional :)

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Crystal
8/5/2017 10:10:35 pm

We had a lovely time with you too! I was so happy to meet you and I will forever remember you find for recommending such a delicious meal.
Here's a link to the estate in North Carolina that I was telling you about. It's not Regency but I think you'd love it if you ever make it over to the states. http://biltmoreestate.com

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Crystal Alifanow
8/5/2017 10:11:30 pm

*remember you fondly

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Joana Starnes
10/5/2017 10:09:59 am

It was so good to meet you too, Crystal! You're such fun to be with and I bet you and Beth get on like a house on fire and have an amazing time on your travels. I so wish I could have stayed longer for a proper chat, and I'm so glad the meal at Sally Lunn's was well worth the trek back down from the Royal Crescent.

Thanks for the Biltmore link. I heard about this amazing house, wow, grand indeed! I'd love to visit it someday. Hope you and Beth have a safe trip back and that you come back soon!

Pouran Yousefi
8/5/2017 11:48:41 pm

Thank you for sharing these lovely photos. Your commentary made me feel that I was there with you guys and touched and saw everything myself. The association with our favorite characters from P&P was so spot on. I will make sure that Bath is one of my destinations in my tour of U.K. next year.

Reply
Joana Starnes
10/5/2017 10:12:16 am

Thanks for stopping by to read the post, Pouran, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I hope you do visit Bath soon, it truly is an amazing place. And with your love for Mr & Mrs Darcy and their world I'm sure you'll have a fabulous time there!

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Glynis
9/5/2017 09:57:58 am

Absolutely lovely Joana. Looks like you had so much fun. Unfortunately when my daughter took my mum and I to Bath we spent so much time in the fashion museum in the Assembly Rooms (which we loved) that we didn't have time to go in No1 so your photos are much appreciated (along with the commentary!) Such a joy thank you!

Reply
Joana Starnes
10/5/2017 10:17:32 am

Oh, the Fashion Museum is so amazing, Glynis! I can well imagine you couldn't bring yourself to leave too soon. Just the thought that those were real dresses, worn by real young ladies at balls and assemblies! I remember there was one that had a little tea-stain or something on the bodice, and it made it so much more real and touching. I could easily imagine the young lady being upset that her dress was ruined. But maybe she spilled her tea because she was all aflutter due to some beau's attentions, so hopefully it was well worth it :)

Hope you get to see No 1 Royal Crescent one day too. All the best and thanks for reading and commenting.

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Beau North link
14/5/2017 04:00:55 pm

Joana, it is always wonderful spending time with you! This day will be a treasured memory, I'll never forget the chills I got walking through Bath! Thank you for sharing this with me!

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Joana Starnes
19/5/2017 12:11:51 pm

I'm SO happy you could come, Beth!! Thank *you* for a magical day and your wonderful company. I do wish I could have stayed for longer!! We'd have spoken for hours, just like last time :) Hope you'll come back soon, it's so wonderful to see you! Hugs and all the best!

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