The "Pimlico charity shop triangle"

I've only recently discovered this cluster of well-stocked charity shops in fashionable Pimlico! The outlets are conveniently located close together in a triangle - perfect for a quick rummage!     

Each shop is full of good as new designer labels, high street and vintage pieces at baragain prices! The Trinity Hospice shop on Wilton Road also sells new wool. I opted for a Monsoon linen jacket for £4 which looks brand new! The shop is hosting its next special vintage evening on 31 May 2012.

This FARA Retromania is a gem of a shop round the corner on Upper Tatchbrook Street. Stocking purely vintage fashion from Vivien Westwood to 1920's ball gowns and a basement packed full of home ware and other tempting retro goodies...

...I was good and only bought an old fashioned soap bowl! Retromanias sister shop on Warwick way feels like a stylish boutique, stocking designer labels. I saw a pair of pretty Miu Miu shoes waiting to be snatched up....

....but I decided to pass on designer labels and indulged in this delicate pink, spanish lace detail 1960s bed jacket that I'll wear with my jeans. A snip at £3!

There was a very funky atmosphere in The Crusaid shop on Charlwood Street. They stock a huge selection of books and LPs at the back of the shop and play tunes whilst you browse. Nice bitses are also on sale - I almost bought another glass decanter for my bubble bath, but my hands were full with my chicken kebab (An added bonus - I had to walk through the gorgeous food market on Tachbrook street to reach this shop!) Although a few minutes outside the "triangle", The Cardinal Hume Charity shop on Horseferry street is worth a visit too - some nice glass was on sale the day I was there.

All of these shops are on Warwick way. I only bought a card from Oxfam, but was nearly seduced in the basement downstairs by some lovely fabric and frames and loved their hamper basket upstairs with neatly folded mens ties for £3! Hospices of Hope sold new items also and some second hand furniture - I was very fond of an old captains wooden chair - but just a little too big to carry home with me on this trip! I also spied a brand new pair of Hobbs ballet pumps but not my size unfortunately! Sue Ryder had a lovely selection of well laundered clothes donated by stylish Pimlico folk.

"The Pimlico-charity-triangle" is a top destination for anyone who loves
 rummaging for vinatge and second hand bargains!

The India Club!

A hidden London delight: The India Club on The Strand. A 1940's lounge bar and restaurant within a budget hotel, serving home-cooked Indian dishes for over 60 years. Unless I'd been told about this wee gem, I would've walked straight past!

This is an unpretentious restaurant, accessed via a shabby flight of stairs. Once inside the dining room, you are greeted by formica tables, old chairs, waiters wearing stained white jackets, lino flooring and the scent of beautiful culinary delights.

Situated close to the Indian Consulate and the High Courts, diners are professionals "in the know", who are not interested in fancy frills or flock wall paper, just tasty, reasonably priced food.

Alcohol can be purchased in the "1940'S" lounge bar downstairs - worth visiting to see the stained glass windows - but I recommend a glass of Lassi! A peaceful atmosphere pervades, a contrast to the hustle and bustle on the Strand below! An unusually delightful experience for all the senses!

Move over Ben & Jerry...!

Recently, a friend with very good taste, introduced me to Marine Ices. I'm so glad!

Located on Haverstock Hill in Chalk Farm, this ice-cream parlour
and Italian restaurant has been owned by the same family for over 80 years!

In the 1930's, Aldo Mansi rebuilt the parlour, modelled on a boat &
introduced a porthole window to serve icecream.This window survives today!

The Fourth generation of the Mansi family now run the parlour! The ice-creams, 28 varieties,
flavours ranging from Tiramisu to blue bubble gum, are delicious...as is the chap serving..
...resembles a Russian looking spy with beautiful eyes - but that's just an added bonus ;-)

Another, more upmaket, hidden gem, is The Parlour in Fortnum and Mason. Often overlooked in favour of afternoon tea, The Parlour serves the most indulgent ices; 3 cones all at once, reasonably priced and with a lovely view over the Royal Academy opposite! Flavours range from strawberry with 12 year old balsamic vinegar to stem ginger with borage honey!  

Mr Cornrow and his beautiful blooms!

I recently stumbled across one of the best florists in London...in Liverpool street station. As I later mused to anyone who'd listen, I was actually mesmerised by the stall...not only by the variety, scent and colours of the blooms, but by the strapping chap, wearing his hair in cornrows, who took exactly 3.5 minutes to produce the most beautiful and inexpensive bouquet! Floral porn at its finest!!

Coincidentally, I've needed a quite a lot of flowers lately, but unfortunately on my latest trip, Mr Cornrow wasn't there, although his hat wearing colleague was! (Pic to be updated in due course ;-)

Darling Lakeland!

These products are the darlings of my cleaning cupboard! Sadly, I derive endless pleasure and satisfaction from them! Highly recommend.Good old Lakeland! 

Din Tai Fung or McDonalds?!

In the UK, dining outlets in shopping malls are often fast food joints. In Singapore, it's a very different story. I was lucky enought to be taken to Din Tai Fung, a dim sum restuarant that was in the basement of a retail centre. The food was just gorgeous!

  

The kitchen was on full view to the customers and watching the steamed dumplings being produced was pure theatre; an art form in itself and all part of the culinary experience! Chefs resembled surgeons wearing masks and white uniforms!

The speed at which they created the dim sums was also amazing.

A far cry from McDonalds!

Meanwhile at one of the Hawkers in Singapore,

this chap was busy making delicious "Curry puffs".