Denver friends heard we were visiting London this past September and told us,…”We will meet you there and show you…our London”. They visit London 4-5 times a year and Mary went to the London School of Economics so we thought…”What a great idea!”

I chose Dukes Hotel in Mayfair because being an Ian Fleming fan, I wanted to go to their famous bar where he penned his now famous, “shaken but not stirred”, for James Bond and his martinis.

I spotted this plaque near the hotel.

Mary suggested going to the “Courtauld’s”, one of her very favorite museums!

This was our first visit to the Courtauld.

At the top of the Courtauld’s historic staircase is the Cecily Brown painting, “Unmoored From Her Relection”.

This is the famous Edouard Manet painting, “Le Dejeuner su l’herbe”. (The Luncheon on the Grass)

Marla is fascinated by a painting.

This is Mary’s favorite painting and one of mine as well. It is the 1882 Edouard Manet painting, “A Bar at the Folies-Bergere.”

Edouard Manet’s “The Banks of the Seine at Argenteuil” created in 1874.

I’ve always been a big Agatha Christie fan. This sculpture was unveiled in 2012 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of her play, “The Mousetrap“.

Mary and Jerry in London’s Chinatown.

At the Rolling Stones’ flagship store on Carnaby Street.

Having a nice chat.

We loved the Indian restaurant, Dishoom!

Judging from the line outside, others must like it to!

Walking on Little Marlborough Street.

Near the famous Liberty London department store.

London has fabulous shop windows to rival anywhere in the world!

Gorgeous!

I actually was hoping for something larger!

Dege & Skinner is one of many bespoke tailors on Savile Row.

Most of the workshops are in the basement.

This plaque is easy to miss.

Beatles’ fans in front of the building where they performed their last live performance…on the roof.

“Ok,…now we are getting serious!”

Jerry and Marla check out the fabulous items on display at Wartski.

The Burlington Arcade is an historic shopping arcade in Mayfair, built in 1819.

I need to up my style a notch or two!

I could like this…a lot! A 1929 4 1/2 liter Bentley Blower.

Mercato Mayfair….where food and faith come together. Well, hardly,…but it is an old church now converted into a food hall with bars.

Oh nice!!! I love a nice pulpit overlooking the bar!

Gray’s Antique Market was wonderful!

A wonderful dinner at La Poule au Pot close to Sloane’s Square.

Late night window shopping.

Being an old textile guy I had to check out Chelsea textiles near the restaurant on Pimlico Road. They had oodles of beautiful embroideries.

Time for a fabulous martini in the bar at the Dukes Hotel.

Now THIS is a martini!

We have a friend who to loved martinis at Dukes. One evening he liked them so much he couldn’t walk out of the bar on his own. The staff carried him to his cab. Now that is service!

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.