What’s a Blog Tour?

Blog Tour. Blog Tour London. What’s a BlogTour and why do you keep hearing about it? A Blog Tour is when a selected group of bloggers are invited to a sponsored tour of a certain place or destination that is directly or closely related to the type of blog they write and the industry in which they work for the purpose of exposing these bloggers to products or experiences for press release. In this case (Blog Tour London), its design. Interior Design. Designers and Design Bloggers. Come along and see exactly what we did and what we took away from it. All the photos from my recent excursion to London via Modenus really make me smile, bringing back memories of wonderful experiences in international design, meeting fellow design bloggers and international designers and businesses that I am connected to via Social Media in real life. I’ll be sharing many photos with you, to illustrate our escapades.

Let’s begin with post flight. Along with two blogging companions that were on my transatlantic flight, we checked into the oh-so-chic CitizenM Hotel newly opened in London. My first impression:

CitizenM Lobby – Photo: Patti Johnson

CitizenM Hotel Street shot, Photo: CitizenM

The CitizenM Hotel is new on Lavington St. just having opened this past summer! The contemporary furnishing installations in the public spaces are from Vitra. My initial impression of European furniture is that it is much smaller in scale than American furniture.

“Vitra is a furniture company dedicated to developing healthy, intelligent, inspiring and durable solutions for the office, the home and for public spaces.

Vitra’s products and concepts are developed in Switzerland by applying a diligent design process that brings together the company’s engineering excellence with the creative genius of leading international designers. It is our goal to create products with a high functional and aesthetic life expectancy.” ~ Vitra.com

Example of CitizenM lobby. Photo: CitizenM

We then deposited our bags and checked out our rooms….and they even spelled my name right!

“IPad” type device controls temperature, lighting including mood lighting, (yes, you can select your mood), alarm, television etc. One tap turns off the lights once in the comfy bed. Photo: Patti Johnson

The technology in the United Kingdom is… a bit more progressive than in Ohio let’s say, but a few of us Americans became, let’s say a bit umm, perplexed on how to work it. That’s all I’m gonna say about that, and I didn’t slip it into my bag either. The beds were great and the hotel was very accommodating and I would recommend it for international travelers. CitizenM is soon to open a location in NYC!

First on the agenda for #BlogTourLdn for our arrival time was lunch at Berkeley Square at noon, courtesy of the The Lapada Art and Antiques Fair! After securing directions we headed out to the tube or the London Underground. As you can see, we made it to “Chalk Farm” but oh my, that wasn’t even in the right direction! We asked directions again. And again.

Doesn’t Mr. Goodwill Hunting look sophisticated with his leather brief?

After two hours and a few more rides on the tube, we found our way to Berkeley Square. No time for sight-seeing, all we could think of was that a very lovely luncheon awaited us at the Lapada Art and Antiques Fair and by now we were determined to get there and EAT! Although we were extremely tardy, the staff cheerfully and very graciously prepared for us a wonderful meal of lamb and herbs. It was also here that we first met our fearless leaders Veronika Miller and Tim Bogan who arranged this wonderful tour with help from the lovely Erin Tye. After much conversation and introductions, we enjoyed a delicious dessert and a cappuccino.

I also had the privilege of sitting next to Sarah Percy-Davis, the Chief Executive of Lapada who was extremely cordial and told me a bit about the show this year and the high volume of visitors and sales. With our appetites satisfied, we headed out to ooh and ahh over the show floor. The Lapada Art & Antiques Fair is the UK’s Largest Trade Association for Professional Art and Antiques Dealers. The fair’s primary sponsor is 1st Dibs which according to their tagline: “THE WORLD’S LEADING ONLINE MARKETPLACE FOR THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THINGS ON EARTH” so that may give you an idea of what was there to feast your eyes upon.