Spring Travels: Theatre in London

I’m not the only traveler who plots escapes around theatre or museum exhibitions – I’ve added a few days in London to see Ralph Fiennes and Tom Hiddleston, our Man in London always has the best seats, even at the last minute!  I’ve included an extra day in Paris for blockbuster Exhibition at Foundation Louis Vuitton or a special performance at Opera Garnier.

London is especially enticing as the small playhouses rarely have a bad seat. Some theatres now offer beverage delivery services, we were tucked into our stall seats, when our seat neighbors popped the bubbly and began noshing on fine nibbles! Who knew? Our heads spun at the burst of the cork, how did we miss this stylish feature?!

Plot now for spring in London, to see one of my favorite stage actors, Ralph Fiennes. He is slated to star in David Hare’s play Grace Pervades at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London’s West End, with performances scheduled to begin in April 2026 for a limited run. He will be joined by Miranda Raison in the production, which tells the story of Victorian actors Henry Irving and Ellen Terry. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the play tells the story of Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, stars of the Victorian stage, and Ellen’s troubled yet brilliant children, Edith Craig and Edward Gordon Craig. The creative team also includes set designer Bob Crowley, costume designer Fotini Dimou, lighting designer Peter Mumford, sound designer Elizabeth Purnell, composer Paul Englishby, and movement director Lucy Cullingford.

The play premiered at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2025 before transferring to the London theatre.  Legendary star of stage and screen, Ralph Fiennes, stars opposite Miranda Raison (Spooks) in David Hare’s ‘fascinating, absorbing and very funny’ (FT) play, transferring from a sell-out season at Theatre Royal Bath. Ralph Fiennes gives a career defining performance as Sir Henry Irving, the first actor ever to be knighted and the greatest star of the Victorian stage. Miranda Raison plays Ellen Terry, the most loved and highest paid actress in England and recruited by Irving to join his renowned company at the Lyceum Theatre.

Euphoric Sassy Saffron Champagne Cocktails

Last fall I visited Zahour Saffron, outside of Marrakech and have hoarded the Saffron Bitters, a Big Birthday Celebration was a cause for creating a splashy Cocktail. Don’t take my word for it, when there are Culinary Experts who rave about this small saffron farm. Gordon Ramsey proclaimed Zahour Saffron – Producing some of the highest grade saffron in the world.”

I’m addicted to Moroccan spice souks; actually, any spice vendor is a travel temptation. Saffron is one of Morocco’s leading exports. The Arabs brought Saffron to the kingdom of Morocco around the 10th century. The small farm grows ISO certified Class 1 Saffron, known as red gold, due to the high value.

Saffron is valued for its varied uses – from being a gourmet ingredient to being an aphrodisiac, who knew? Being the most expensive spice in the world, hopefully a small dose will stimulate amour!

A collaboration with Zahour Saffron, there are 135 strands of grade 1 organic saffron in every bottle of the Atlas Gold Bitters. Use in cocktails or enjoy on its own. My Concoction, served UP in a cocktail coupe. Toast the saffron, I had never toasted Saffron, but an online video helped…line a small saucepan with foil, heat the pan until hot, remove from heat, drop in a few threads of saffron, close the foil, and it toasts. Place saffron in mortar & pestle to crush the toasted threads. I placed the saffron in a small silver bowl with spoon, creating a dramatic presentation. Fill coupe with Champagne, dribble in a few drops of Atlas Gold Saffron Bitters into glass and sprinkle toasted saffron to float in center of glass. Sparkling Saffron!

Although it’s grown in only a few regions throughout the country, it’s sold in the spice markets. Taliouine, a little mountain village in the south of Morocco, and at the foot of the Atlas Mountains near Marrakech are two well-known regions where saffron crocuses grow. Taliouine itself is small – just under 6,000 people – but produces more saffron than any other place in Africa. Every November, a festival is held at harvest time and people from around the world come to watch and celebrate.

In Morocco the saffron is harvested between October through December whenever the six-petalled flowers appear. During this time, the local Berber women start picking the flowers at dawn. Picking the flowers in early morning ensures that the unique compounds within the filaments are preserved. The bees love the pollen in the saffron flowers and jostle with the pickers for access to the flowers. Which is why after the stigmas have been removed, the local farm will leave the flowers outside for the bees to collect the remaining pollen.

Highly Recommend Saffron Bitters Champagne Cocktail!