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The Journal.

Notes on London done properly — the rooms, the evenings, and the small disciplines that make them. Written from inside the weeks they describe.

Afternoon tea, done properlyRooms, timing, and what to wear — the most civilised two hours London offers.

Mayfair, after tenThe quiet hotel bars where conversation is still the point.

The opera, dressed forWhat the Royal Opera House expects, and what it rewards.

Dining aloneLondon does it beautifully. That is not quite a recommendation.

The plus oneThe smallest line on an invitation, and the one that decides the evening.

The lobbyThe grandest free rooms in London, used properly.

The better shopsBond Street and Knightsbridge, done with method and tea at four.

The first eveningHow to begin London — height, one walk, and a table worth flying for.

Champagne, taken seriouslyGlasses, growers, and the six o’clock rule.

The gallery afternoonOne show, ninety minutes, and the argument afterwards.

Dressing for dinnerLondon stopped requiring it and never stopped rewarding it.

London, from aboveRooftops and high rooms — and why it is always dusk.

Travelling lightPacking as though you trust yourself.

The West End eveningCurtain up is the middle of the night, not the start.

SundayThe city’s one slow day, spent rather than survived.