That’s art, baby!
* Knitting obsession.
* Step back in David Lynch‘s world.
* Redefine art.
* A poetic page.

Yummy time ahead:
* A special one for meat lovers.
* A suivre, donc! Try Pierre Hermé‘s new macaron: Jardin enchanté (Enchanted garden). Lime cream, a heart of cherries, a touch of Espelette chilli to wake up the tastebuds. There will be a different edition on the garden theme every month – do not miss any!

Love, love, love:
* Add some glitter with Tatty Devine on Thursday.
* 50 romantic ideas in London.

Take the little ones along:
* Get those roller skates out and spend a disco time with the family.
* Re-celebrate the Chinese New year.
* The Somerset House too has craft workshops for kids this week-end

Royal London:
* Discover Queen Elisabeth II’s life through Cecil Beaton’s pictures of her. At the V&A until April 22, 2012.

So British:
* The best pubs in London? Click this way. Cheers.
* This week-end, your pint could also be rock’n'roll.

Out of the ordinary:
* Daniel Radcliffe fan? Meet him Thursday evening.
* Walk through Dickens‘ world (free, no need to book)
* Street art gets colourful with Jimmy C.
* London plays the high tech card (yeah, it seems we have a budget for that)
* Saturday, see the best slices of Bollywood movies.
* Meet the London clowns and tip your hat to Grimaldi.
* Follow the street art. Litterally.
* Tropical extravagance at Kew Gardens.
* After the Chinese New Year, the Russian one. This will be on Sunday and on Trafalgar.
* Snowdrops are already blooming at the Chelsea Physics Garden.

That’s art, baby:
* Facebook inspires street art.
* Rainbow of colours with David Hockney.
* 21st century art: 3D printing.

So British:
* Become a cricket fan.

Sing it:
* Keep a coin for the juke box.

Take the little ones along:
* Street art: follow Stik around.
* Sunday, robotic camera workshop.
* In honour of the musical Mathilda, Roald dahl fans will not resist the stupendous afternoon tea.

Yummy time ahead:
* Hate detoxing? Oh but it can be quite fun at The Botanist et au Chiswell Street Dining Room.  Until February 12, you can sip  on Lemon Aid (white tea sirup and apricot infused gin), de Green Business (vodka, cucumber, basil, spirulina) et Hazy Days (gin, green apple liqueur, fresh ginger, goji berries). We promise those are filled with good things for you!

Out of the ordinary:
* This Thursday evening small is beautiful and fun at the Wellcome Collection.
* Still on Thursday, stop at the Imperial War Museum for a free movie.
* Nostalgic touch -  see a silent movie at the Barbican.
* Note the London tips of the fantastic Luiz Hara.
* Galop at the O2.
* You might think it is Halloween with this coffin exhibition.
* Discover Three Mills Island.
* The Take-away shop proposes to share… anything from anedotes to skills vis London histories and craft. I tip my hat to that.

That’s art, baby:
* Pretend you are Mime Marceau.
* This ice-sculpting festival should be pretty cool.
* Let’s be serious – Sky News and the Somerset House have put together an impressive collection of pictures.
* A colorful and fun exhibition that should delight curious minds -  at the London Transport Museum.
* find your luck at the Wellcome Collection.
* Love the glass sculpture at the entrance of the V&A? Why not go and see what else the artist can do?
* And from the first floor of your double decker…

So British:
* Warm up in front of a lovely chimney fire in a pub.
* Or listen to classic albums there.
* Or enjoy a traditional treat.
* Get to know everything about gin with this craze walk.

Take the little ones along:
* And rediscover Quentin Blake.

Yummy time ahead:
* Cheers to you!
* Dine in a cinema.
* Fancy a squirrel pie?

Out of the ordinary:
* Take those ice-skating shoes and dance.
* White your thank you cards at Tatty devine.
* Lord of the rings will take you through the night.
* Sing a cappella.
* Sip a drink in a tipi on a London roof. You read that right.
* Try this Pay what you want guided walk.
* And now, you can even personnalise your soup tin.

* Wander through the 9th arrondissement. Not the most touristic and yet, such an atmospheric place -  lots of bistrots, patisseries, independent shops and delis. A little village, a slower pace of life and you will even glimpse Montmartre.

* Stop by at the Cakes de Bertrand boutique. Nothing to do with the pastry but you will melt for the adorable vintage inspired jewels. You cannot walk by and not get one.

* Marvel at the beautiful jam collection at La chambre aux confitures. Summer tastes of fruit filled with sun and juices, floral fragrances such as raspberry and rose and even chocolate conconctions to die for. The cacao-Morello cherry is to be enjoyed straight with a spoon…

* On the Champs-Elysées, ignore Sephora. Go next door – number 68 – instead:  Guerlain is a temple of beauty indeed -  every bottle, every detail looks fit for the most gorgeous of boudoirs.

* Look out for street art, especially the refined drawings by Fred Le Chevalier, very poetic.

* A must stop for cake lovers : Un dimanche à Paris. This patisserie serves the best hot chocolate in town -  velvety and rich. The boutique is filled with amazing creations like fennel or rosemary in chocolate, raspberry and tarragon tartlets… Look at this succulent pistachio and red fruit cream puff – silkiness of the cream against the tangy tastes of the coulis and a heart of fresh fruit compote…

* At Sabre, fall for the collection of spoons (like I did).

* Rather than yet another guide, buy this sketchbook -  Paris as we love it, defying time.

* In the marché Saint-Germain, have a look at the Flanders cheesemonger. The names sound as little poems. Rovethym, Cabri aux épices, Figue rose…

* If you are passionate for tea, you will marvel at Jugetsudo. The shop offers a magical collection of tepots and high quality leaves and also serves perfect cups of Matcha, Gyokuro, Hojicha with a macaron, sweet or chocolate of your choice. A little expensive, from 12 to 15€, but the peaceful atmosphere and the perfection of the brew are so very worth it.

* Even if this is way over your budget step in the Hermès shop (17 rue de Sèvres). The atmosphere is very magical indeed and the staff will not pressure you with questiosn nor funny looks, on the contrary. The architecture at the heart of the building is splendid – fascinating huts of curved, braided wood, playing on transparency and illuminated from inside by a warm light.

* Resist, not resist? There always is a little treasure to be found at the Bon Marché…

: We wish you a merry Christmas:
* Quick, a few days left to have a look at this life-size Advent calendar.

Tick-tock, tick-tock, there is shopping left to do:
* Cup of tea, anyone?
* A few places for late/last minute shopping, inclusing on the 24th.

Yummy time ahead:
* Add a little exotism to your last minute preparations and have a Turquish coffee. And maybe a cake. Or two.
* Eat smart. For lobster, click this way, we promise it will not break the bank.
* Fed up with the cooking spirit? Have a break. and a champagne brunch.
* Quick – note in your 2012 agenda your Monday appointments: delicious ramen.

That’s art, baby:
* Apocalypse at the Tate Britain.

A little touch of magic:
* Look out for leaves on the pavement. Between autumn and spring.
* Marvel at one of the most beautiful synagogues in London.
* Royal Mail will launch Roald Dahl stamps in January -  preorder them, they will be gone in no time!

I ♥ London:
* Fall in love again with the city.
* Well done! Fans of the inspiring blog Tired of London, tired of life will be delighted it will soon be followed by a book beginning of January. Well done to the gentle author!

* Haute-Pâtisserie is not all about macarons. You will even find savoury twists such as this salmon mille-feuilles in Fauchon. A little horseradish in the cream, grilled sesame seeds, a slice of luxury.

* A minute walk from there is the adorable Maille boutique – old fashioned type of shop, wooden counter… This is a foodie even with countless types of mayonnaises and mustards – saffron, dried tomatoes, ginger and orange… all at very affordable prices.

* Even if you do not have the time to visit the Opéra garnier (though the decor is absolutely fabulous, note it down for a future citybreak), do stop and glance at its richly sculpted roofs and omes.

* My favourite Metro station probably is Art et Métiers, which has a platform dressed in copper and presents through ship type windows, minitaure historical inventions.

* Cross the Seine via the Pont des arts bridge. The view is gorgeous, no matter the weather or the time of the day. I am always amazed at the quantity of locks left by lovers on its side. Hundreds! well, you might as well leave one too…

* Step in a bookshop and get this book – romantic touch and French kiss combined. Oh, and yes, it is in English.

* Look out for street art – plenty in the city!

* Marvel, in Le Marais, as the door knobs. Quite something.

* Still in Le Marais, stop at the Cloître des billettes (22 Rue Archives  75004 Paris) which often has free art exhibitions under its arches.

* In Fragonard, you will find an incredible Mimosa fragrance -  a mere 13€ to carry the scent of summer on you.

* Have a café gourmand (coffee with a selection of  miniature deserts) at Le Tambour. This bistrot is an extraordinary mixtre of detaisl from the past, many inspired by the Métro (41 Rue Montmartre  75002 Paris).

* Remind the kids that art is fun and take them to the fountain aside the centre Pompidou – they will love the colourful creations by Niki de St Phalle. Or take them to the Musée en herbe who is specially thought for little ones.

* On Sunday mornings, go the organic market on boulevard Raspail. One of the best in Paris, it offers fantastic products and seasonal soups, tarts… Everyone takes the time to chat there. Go to the métro Sèvres-Babylone, it is only a two minutes walk away.

* Forget Ladurée and go to Pain de Sucre for jewel cakes. Floral or abstract art inspired decoration, extrardinary tarts, home made sweets, crystallised coriander leaves… Try the Folie Douce (mango, lime and pineapple marmelade,  almond and orange blossom cream), the Champcella (lime cream, caramelised apple, rosemary cream), the Ephémère (coconut cream, blueberry marmelade, meringue biscuit with coconut and hazelnut).

* Try something more original and elegant than champagne -  the Boudoir serves gorgeous absinthes and will make you travel in time.

* Hop, pop-corn and movie on Trafalgar. Do bring a blanket.

* American Apparel is sure to make you sprint towards your new wardrobe with prices starting from £1…

* Go an extraordinary banquet.

* American football fan? Stop at Trafalgar Square and cheer.

* Look out for pub cats.

* Try this photo challenge alonge the Thames.

* Marvel at the multitude of artistic travels and installation that make the Bloomsbury festival.

* Celebrate Diwali -  particularly at Dishoom with their family activities on Saturday!

* See London unroll in front of you in digital.

* Add a spoonful of sweetness to your life with this London honey made on Bermondsey street. Chérie City had a chance to taste it.

* One apple a day… Oh well, make it plenty of apples in one day at the Borough Market.

* Pop-ups are not dead. They just turned into vampires…

* A cash machine speaking cockney? Yes! On Roman Road. Brilliant.

* The National Portrait Gallery plays the sexy card.

* Prepare your anecdotes for Halloween.

* Gold stars to be awarded for those preferring walking to public transports?

* Looking for a cute present? One can never tire of the Biscuiteers seasonal shortbreads – have a look!

*

Don’t forget…

* Friday evening, celebrate Malaysia on Trafalgar.

* Come and listen to the waves crash on Euston Rd pavement.

* Look out for Ludo.

* Cheers, my friends!

* Beware -  gorillas around!

* Greenwich market plays the green card.

* Admire Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels.

* Hello Kitty plays hide and seek in Liberty’s delicate fabric.

* Try Oh La La Bakery‘s strawberry tarlets with a little lemon zest. They are just divine.

* Amazing opportunity – the Royal Opera House will be selling some of their costumes at affordable prizes…

* Yummy German treats this way – forget the diet.

* Celebrate Eid, the end of ramadan, with a twirl of festivities on Trafalgar Square.

* Festive apple day this way.

* Tea, vintage cups and cute cakes, right here, on your doorstep.

* A dose of whisky, another of music, mix, enjoy.

* Open day for the whole family at the famous Wiltons Music Hall.