{London calling...2012}

{via glitterguide}

It's not very often that it's 30 degrees and sunny in London. But when it happens, Londoners take advantage of the gorgeous weather and they're out. Out in full force. The parks are crowded with bathing beauties, the streets & pavement are full of people overspilling from the pubs, and the outdoor cafes are packed. It's a lovely feeling.

This past week I ventured into London a couple of times to get some work done at the Warburg and pick up some images from the British Library for my latest article. I also spent one day strolling through my favourite haunts: the V&A, Harrods, Liberty, etc... The train I take from my cousins' outside London passes through Stratford, where you can catch glimpses of the Olympic park and the Orbit. London is teeming with excitement, but I've actually avoided going in today because of the travel disruptions predicted.

Here are a few shots of one of my favourite cities in the world...

{lunch at the V&A, Morris Rooms}

{sunshine is out in the courtyard at the V&A}

{Food Hall, Harrods}

{stroll through Hyde Park}

  

{LIBERTY}

{Liberty's interiors are just amazing!}

{I think this is too cute!}

{more lovely displays at Liberty}

{Liberty fabric}

{Soho was packed with people drinking in the streets}

{as was Covent Garden}

{I love Pimm's!}

{at home in my room at the country estate}

Tomorrow I'm off to Warwickshire & then on to my mini-break at the cottage in County Durham, & hopefully I'll force myself to take a break & be offline, so until I return...
Cheerio,
L

{fun shopping in London~Harrods & Liberty}

{Liberty London--all photos mine}

My three favourites shops in London have to be Fortnum & Mason, Harrods & Liberty. I blogged about F&M here...but yesterday I ventured into the V&A (one of my fave museums--more on that later), and then walked around knightsbridge to Harrods & then up to Liberty. The thing I love most about these shops is that they are the only surviving department stores that still have an old-world feel about them, and still are absolutely classy. They still have food markets (save for Liberty) which surpass the poshness of Dean&Deluca, yet they also sell fantastic designer clothes & handbags, & have amazing branded products that are lovely to buy--not tacky at all (well mostly not).
I love the food halls in Harrods--each room themed for what they sell--seafood; fruit & veggies; tea, coffee &  chocolates etc...What I also love is there's bar stools along many of the counters in these halls, offering dining service for shoppers--sushi bars, oyster bars, you name it.

{meat & poultry hall at Harrod's}

{delicacies at Harrods}

{Harrods teas--I love their packaging. their tins are always lovely to keep tea in}

{coffee at Harrods with samovars}

{love this packaging!}

{fruit & veg hall}

{more sweets}

{Laduree chez Harrods--divine!}

Then on to Liberty. While Harrods is a little over the top & one might say a tad gaudy, Liberty is the opposite. Housed in a tudor building, Liberty exemplifies classiness in a paired down elegance. The history of Liberty is pretty interesting. It was started by Arthur Liberty with a 2000 pound loan & three staff. He began  in 1875 selling fabrics & various objets d'art from Japan & the East, and finally in the 1920s the tudor building was constructed from the timbers of two ships, the HMS Impregnable & HMS Hindustan. You can read the fascinating history here.

{lovely liberty of london... & no, I don't think that's Jennifer Anniston in the Chanel top, but it kinda looks like her!}

{wonderful interior decoration displays}

{excellent lighting section}

{the many floors of Liberty--all gorgeous wood}

{funky merchandise for sale}

{sale/clearance area}

{signature floral Liberty prints}

{I love how the place feels like a home--with original fireplaces}

{Liberty floral print origami birds}

{they have an amazing fabric & sewing section with all that is necessary to make wonderful fabric creations--buttons, bunting, & appliques}

{wonderful window displays at Liberty}

{witty signage: more tea vicar?}

{the stationary area is definitely worth checking out}