Chelsea Design Centre

Headed to the Chelsea Design Centre today to check out all the latest collections at a variety of showrooms. It was a grey old London day but the rain held off luckly.

Brunschwig & Fils Showroom display

Interior of Chelsea Design Centre

Zimmer & Rohde - Etamine latest collection window display

GP&J Baker

Sonia Rykiel - Missoni fabric

The streets of London

Here are a couple of snaps of the streetscapes in London, that caught my eye as I was wondering around Knightsbridge and Chelsea.

Paris Flea Markets

Headed off to the Porte de Clignancourt flea markets while in Paris. Picked up some items for home and enjoyed looking around at all the vintage and quirky items available.

I leave my husband with the camera and end up with a photo of a planet of the apes chimp in a space suit, next to a large stainless steel shark (you can just see the tail) suspended from the ceiling. Told you there were some quirky items.

That's me shopping for vintage Chanel - lots of bags and jewellery.

Amazing stalls full of beads, trims and tassels.

Wish we had something like this closer to home.

Sweet Tooth

Laduree is a french institution -think of all the glorious cakes from the Marie Antoinette movie and look at the window displays and packaging. Who can resist?

I love macaroons and where better than to fulfill this guilty pleasure than Laduree. To many divine flavours to choose from so we settled for chocolate, lemon, coffee, licorice and orange blossom. They melted in the mouth......

Paris Showrooms

While in Paris, I visited a number of textile showrooms. I got to see some new collections before they are available here and its also great to see their window displays and get inspiration.

Paris - Lourve

Some snaps inside and outside the Lourve - topped off with dinner at Cafe Marly, with a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower as the sun set.

The Levin

Back in London again and we are staying in Knightsbridge in a boutique hotel called The Levin. Its in a great location....maybe a bit to close to Harrods for the shopping and with lots of great restaurants within walking distance. Here are a couple of pic's of the interior:

London - Part 3

Some more images from London. Heading off to Paris for a week and then back to London.

My husband got to go to the FA Cup Final, which he said was amazing....good to keep him happy too.

London - Part 2

Out and about in London - horseguards, palaces and gardens.
Weather has been wonderful and my feet are tired...but plenty more to see and do.

Haymarket Hotel

We arrived in London and made our way to the lovely Haymarket Hotel - one of Kit Kemps boutique hotels in the Theatre district of London. Here are some pictures of the interior of our room - love the Kenzo floral fabric used on the sofa.

Time for a wander, food and a rest.

Bon voyage

I'm heading off on a much needed holiday...as my 40th birthday present to London and Paris for a couple of weeks. My blogging has been lacking in the last week or so as I prepared to head off.

Sitting here in candlelight

Since about 3pm on Monday, my power in the shop has been out. Boy has it been fun dealing with Energy companies and the agent who looks after the property. Needless to say, I'm now sitting here in the dark waiting for the Energy company to restore the power.....and they may still be one plus hours away..... and it is dark and cold.

Thank goodness for my neighbour, who has allowed me to run a powercord from his business to enable me to use my computer and do some work.

Hopefully tomorrow I will be bathed in light.....