The very elegant Burlington Arcade has its own shoe-shiner. Have you had a chance to see him? Try lunch time or the end of a working day to see him busy -  there will be plenty of expensive hand-made or Bond Street bought shoes them. The customer usually is half hidden by the wide pages of the Financial times… Some even have a wide knowledge of the subject (which got me to learn that British shoes need less water with the polish than Italian ones).  Strolling the web, I discover this shoe-shine culture is still very much present in New-York but also is takeing roots again in England – look here, @ the Ledenhall Market… Well, of course, this is a couple minutes away from the City, my dear…

Burlington Arcade
51 Burlington Arcade
London
W1J 0QJ
£3.50

For a detailed experience, click here… Have you seen shoe-shiners anywhere else in London?

For a more picturesque time, I love Paxton and Whitfield. They hold a quaint shop in the gentlemen’s quarters, Jermyn street. And trust me, it hides wonders. It used to only be a stall @ Aldwych market in 1742… Thanks to the partnership of Mr Paxton and Mr Whitfield, it could settle here in 1797. So chic royalty fell for it too -  Queen Victoria appointed them official cheesemongers in 1850. And they still have the honour of servir her Majesty the Queen and Prince Charles.

XXth century proved harder – competition of continental cheese, two world wars… Still they made it -  switching to grocery style, adding cream, eggs, milk, butter to their shelves. Even Winston churchill was a fan, swearing that A gentleman only buys his cheese at Paxton and Whitfield…

Just step in and smell… How wonderful! You’ll find here the very best of French and British spcialties… The inside is adorable, the counter is covered with delights, here and there a touch of another time… The team is also so very friendly (even though you’re only taking pictures) and are happy to make you taste this or that novelty.

Fancy a different celebration / wedding? Try this, order a cheese – pyramid!

Sliding to modern times -  you can now order online.  Or join the cheese club for £35 a month and get a special delivery of 4 cheese by courrier…

Paxton and Whitfield
93 Jermyn St
St James
London
SW1Y 6JE

The National Geographic shop proposes a travel through time with blacn and white pictures of the capital. Some are classical – London definitely defies time – others are extraordinary, like those ice-skaters on the Serpentine in 1940…

Entrance is free and it is really worth stopping by.

National Geographic Shop
83-97 Regent Street
London
W18 4EW

Until July 18, 2010 – free
Pssst: just around the corner, you’ll find Freggo - delicious Argentinian ice-creams. You’ll be hooked on the dulce in no time!

An alternative to cope with the frustration is to try the Wolseley, neighbour to the Ritz. Of course, the addess is well known and often full but I have always been lucky around 14.00-15.00.

The atmosphere takes me back to the cafes in Vienna. The attention to detail, the golden touches, the art deco style, the amber light… Do prefer the small room on the left to the entrance. Cosier and you can glimpse at the bigger room’s counter through the window and see the afternoon tea towers all ready to be served. Mouthwatering and so elegant…

In the center, a round table presents today’s cake, all sheltered under a glass bell, like pretty jewels… Raspberry tart (my favoury, pastry, a layer of raspberry coulis, thick vanilla cream, a crown of raspberries), battenberg, kougloff, apple and poppyseed cake… I’m amazed you cannot see a round circle IN the floor where customers have circled this again and again, unable to choose.

The list of teas is not extensive but is of premium quality. You’ll only find classics here: Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Ceylon, Assam, Jasmine, Green Tea… but the pleasure is in serving it. A huge silver teapot and silver milk jug, silver forks and spoons, silver tea strainer…

You can of course go for a cream tea (£9.75, fruit scone and tea), an afternoon tea (£19.75 – scones, sandwiches, pastry, tea), the champagne afternoon tea (£27.50, same as before but with a sparkling glass of Pommery champagne).

I prefer to come for breakfast. The pastries are deliciously French… croissants with butter, sugay bread wit Normandy butter, even my childhood pastry from Bordeaux, a cannele… Or go for a brunch! This is where I first tried haggis and I fell in love with their peppery version served with fried duck eggs. Alternatively, go crazy, ask for the caviar omelette (£55 though)!

However the Wolseley was never meant to be an trendy cafe/restaurant. In 1921, this beautiful marble on the floor, those decorated arches and pillars sheltered a car showroom for the Wolseley brand. They bankrupted quickly – 1926 – the sold the palace to the Barclays Bank who settled there till 1999. This sweet oasis only welcomed hungry customers in 2003. Good for us shall I add. Now, will you want a cloud of milk in that tea?

The Wolseley
160 Piccadilly
London W1J9EB

Count £10 for a tea (the teapot serves 3 cups) and a lovely slice of cake. But oh! The luxury and pleasure of the moment!
Would you rather go for chocolate heaven? Try La Maison du Chocolat, just opposite Fortnum and Mason, a 5mn walk from there.

- Museums will be open late this week-end – check the events here!

- Happy Birthday to the Tate, 10 years old! A fab program is planned for the coming days. The occasion to see their community garden too, generally closed to the public (a few pics here)

- Stop at Fortnum and Mason, skip the delicatessen part, head for the first floor and have a look at some calorie-free but appetizing works of art…

- Chase a giant banana, it’s for a good cause… Or would you prefer a few steps of tango?

- Surely you will not resist a little shopping? The Spirit of Summer Fair will compensate for the missing sun…

- A little girl’s dream: the dollhouse festival. So cute!

- Why not a pop-quizz @ Selfridges? (And if you are hunting elephants, you’ll find one close to their official elephant shop)

- Finf out more about the Women’s library archives…

You’ll find me… savouring tapas @ Casa Brinsida, discovering the newly re-opened Florence Nightingale museum, and -so not laugh!- at the cress festival to enjoy their farmers’ market. Your turn: what are your advice for the week-end?

Fabienne organise le premier rendez-vous Apero sur Londres ce mercredi 12 mai a partir de 20h00.

J’y serai. Enceinte de 6 mois avec un enorme appareil photo, vous ne risquez pas de me rater. Venez donc trinquer avec ma pinte de limonade au gingembre!

Rendez-vous au:
Pub Captain’s Cabin
4 Norris Street
London
SW1Y 4RJ

Un site web a ete cree pour l’occasion, qui j’espere, forte de son succes, deviendra reguliere!

Not those collectables or cute ones you put on your shelves. The broken ones which you brush quicly to the nearest bin.

Recycling, and using an objets for anohter use – we all know that. But here, it is turned into an art, transformed into better objects than they ever were. You have no idea what gorgeous chandelier those spectacles glasses could become…

…or their branches! Actually, you have never considered glasses at all before. Their shape, any details suddenly becomes extraodinary.

Same goes for car viewing mirrros -  shattered, they suddenly star in a room. Spendid work on lighting.

By the way, I’m sure you’ll find a new interest in your grandma’s collections, the ones you previously labelled as absurd!

A small show, but so worth the stop. And free as well!

Found
Haunch of Venison
6 Burlington Gardens
London W1S 3ET

Free
Until January 30, 2010

Why not discuss it with friends over a scrumptious cake of the Sketch pop-up?

Try their new pop-up room in parallel of Earth, the new show of the Royal Academy of Art. Cute little boutique, elegant as the parlor is, aceent put on recycling, sustainable products, do and mend, turning unused objects into art, and the little crazyness touch we love so much in them. Of course your favourite treats will be there. You can even enjoy breakfast, lunch and tea-time.

A pity though – there is a canteen side to it: plastic cutlery, cardboard plate, not even a glass with your fruitjuice. Recyclable, for sure, nice touch but you lose the golden side of the place in a few steps. Same enthusiasm as ever looking at the jewel-cakes… but somehow they’re a little less savoury once you step away from the sparkly counter.

However, if you have a sweet tooth, this won’t stop you. What wouldn’t one do out of curiousity for a brioche-camenbert-green apple jelly? Or a pear tarlets with fruit infused in a cucurma syrup?

A little smarter, you can also choose to enjoy oysters on the external terrasse. Hot water bottle are on the side!

Pop-up Sketch cafe

In the building hosting Haunch of Venison, at the back of the main entrance for the Royal Academy of Art
6 Burlington Gardens
Royal Academy of Arts
London W1S 3ET
Until Jan 03, 2010

A moins que vous ne preferiez les trucs en plume?
Unless you prefer a gift hunting approach?

Chez Ted Baker, les festivites s’annoncent cocasses…
Ted Baker much prefers a humorous xmas…

Les petits et grands enfants prefereront Winter Wonderland dans Hyde Park. De jour, simple fete foraine, un peu factice, mais ideale pour les petits. De nuit, la magie surgit, elle brille de mille feux…
There’s something for everyone, though @ Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.  By day, it does look a bit tacky, a giant fairground, ideal when you have kids. But by night, oh, how magical!

Inutile de resister, la grande roue vous tend les bras… Vous apercevrez l’autre roue de Londres, the Big Eye et Westminster. £7.45 la place, mais largement le temps de remplir vos yeux d’etoiles…
Don’t even think of resisting, how could you not go on the big wheel? You’ll even see the London Eye and Westminster from up there. Not cheap @ £7.45/person, but well enough time to fill your eyes or camera with pretty lights…

Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park
London

Jusqu’au 03 janvier 2010
Until january 03. 2010

London is switching her Xmas lights on,  little by little, each  one turning into a mini-party (as much for the celebration as to boost sales in the shops)…

Covent Garden chose recoving chandeliers, hypnotising…

While outside plays with blue…

Rudolph even makes an appearance…

A detour for my friend Lupin who, like me, never resists Fortnum and Masons’ displays.

A very original and elegant theme this year, the Swan’s lake…

The royal birds even remplace Santa for carrying gifts…

Very soft deco with white feathers everywhere…

Stop nearby -  the Prince’s arcade has a Victorian Xmas feeling to it…

What? You haven’t started on this shopping list yet?