I did this magazine interview a while ago and it never eventuated, so I thought it shouldn’t go to waste. Enjoy reading about some of my all-time London favourites!
What are your favourite local stores, boutiques or markets for great fashion finds and bargains?
I adore Liberty. It’s quintessentially London and the most stunning shopping experience. I’ve been known to while away entire afternoons on just one floor, and it has the best Christmas shop in town. It’s the first place I drag visitors from overseas, and the buying team have done a damn fine job with the most incredible mix of fashion accessories, stationery, cosmetics, homewares, and crafty things. It’s my one-stop London present-buying shop.
If you’re after cutting-edge, avant-garde designers, head straight to Dover Street Market in Mayfair (which is more department store than market). You can also lose yourself in there for many an hour (and don’t forget to revive yourself at the Rose Bakery on the top floor).
You really can’t go past Britain’s high street fashion chains, and COS, the older, more sophisticated sister of H&M, is my absolute favourite. Think Marni-style cuts and gorgeous fabrics at moderate high-street prices. They do men’s clothes too, as well as a small children’s collection. (Forget about Zara, I want a COS shop in Sydney!)
If you’re up for a day trip outside of London, you’ll be rewarded with serious designer bargains at Bicester Village, which includes outlets by the likes of Alexander McQueen, Burberry and Marni.
Liberty Great Marlborough Street, W1B 5AH. Tel. 7734 1234.
Dover Street Market 17-18 Dover Street, W1S 4LT. Tel. 7518 0680.
COS 222 Regent Street, W1B 5BD. Tel. 7478 0400 (go to the website for all locations).
Bicester Village 50 Pingle Drive, Bicester, Oxfordshire. OX26 6WD. Tel.1869 323 200.
Best local hairdresser for a Saturday night blow-dry or a colour touch-up?
If I’m just after a blow-dry, I go to Headmasters in Mayfair. It’s centrally located and offers a seasonal ‘menu’ of on-trend blow-dries and pretty going-out ‘dos at very reasonable prices (from £24). They’ve never put a hair out of place.
But I also have to mention my London hairdresser, John Vial at Realhair in Chelsea, who does an amazing job with my pretty ordinary long-bob. The man is a cutting genius! Of course, I’m not the first to think this, as he also looks after many a Conde Nast editor, as well as the likes of Gwyneth, Elle and Vidal Sassoon’s wife’s hair (he worked alongside Vidal for years). He comes at a price (£200) but he’s worth every penny.
Headmasters Mayfair 11-12 Hanover Street, W1S 1YQ. Tel. 7408 1000 (go to the website for all locations).
Realhair 6-8 Cale Street, SW3 3QU. Tel. 7589 0877.
Local salon you’d suggest for waxing?
Otylia Roberts Beauty Centre 23 George Street, London, W1U 3QA. Tel. 7486 5537.
The best place to get a facial?
Vaishaly Patel at the Vaishaly Clinic is considered the best facialist in London.
Vaishaly Clinic 51 Paddington Street, London W1U 4HR. Tel. 7224 6088.
Where to go for the best spray tan?
I never do spray tans! But I AM a threading convert (I know it’s got nothing to do with tans, but it’s my must-have beauty-maintenance procedure.) I’d never had it done before I moved to London, and now I get my brows threaded and tinted every six weeks. I like Malika salons (great prices, too), but whatever you do, don’t let them put you in the chair next to the window at the Westfield Shepherd’s Bush salon. I once sat there and attracted a small audience, including a little boy who was mesmerised by my grimacing performance while I was getting my upper lip done. His eyes just about popped out of his wee head.
Malika at Trevor Sorbie, 27 Floral Street, WC2E 9D9. Tel. 0844 445 6901 (go to the website for all locations).
Best affordable mani/pedi?
I love Cowshed near Carnaby Street for immaculate manis and pedis (a mini shape and polish is £17). But a little secret find is the salon at the London College of Beauty Therapy, just down the road from Liberty. Students do all the treatments but they’re supervised by experienced staff. You can get a mani for £10 (unheard of in central London!), as well as a host of other beauty treatments. Inside the actual treatment area, it looks just like any other beauty salon. And they do a really great job. Just leave a bit of time because while the students are super-careful, they can sometimes be a teensy bit slow, and they have to get their supervisors to sign off on each job.
Cowshed 31 Fouberts Place, W1F 7QG. Tel. 7534 0870.
London College of Beauty Salon 47 Great Marlborough Street, W1F 7JP. Tel. 7208 1302.
Day spa or massage parlour you’d suggest for relaxing body therapy?
The Agua bathhouse spa at The Sanderson is incredible, but the Elemis flagship Day Spa is an all-time London favourite.
Elemis Day Spa 2-3 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EX. Tel. 0870 410 4210
Agua Spa at The Sanderson 50 Berners Street, W1T 3NG. Tel. 7300 1414.
Your favourite café for a weekend brekkie/brunch?
I love a traditional full English breakfast at Tom’s Deli in Notting Hill. Especially when it’s snowing outside.
Tom’s Deli 226 Westbourne Grove, W11 2CH. Tel. 7221 8818.
Your favourite restaurant?
Andrew Edmunds in Soho is perfect for a romantic dinner – expect flowers on the tables, candles and a modern European menu. It’s by no means the best restaurant in London, but I love its cosy atmosphere. And Lexington Street just might be one of my favourite little streets in London. I love Bocca di Lupo for dinner with friends, where you can share delicious tapas-style Italian dishes. Oh god, the scallops there are melt-in-the-mouth.
Bocca di Lupo 12 Archer Street, W1D 7BB. Tel. 7734 2223.
Andrew Edmunds, 46 Lexington Street, W1F 0LW. Tel. 7437 5708.
Your favourite pub?
I’ve had some rather tasty Sunday roasts at Charles Lamb in Islington, which is a small and cosy pub in Islington. It’s a tad off the beaten track but it’s popular with the locals, which is always a good sign.
Charles Lamb 16 Elia Street, N1 8DE. Tel. 7837 5040.
Where to go for a scenic run/walk?
I love the walk along the canal tow path from Little Venice to Regent’s Park. The colours in autumn and the blossoms in spring are incredible. And it’s fun looking at all the narrowboats moored at the side of the canal, with their own carefully-tended mini gardens.
Otherwise, head to Hampstead Heath’s Parliament Hill or Greenwich for superb London views.
Is there a great yoga or Pilates class to check out?
I’ve been to Triyoga in Primrose Hill a few times. It has a beautiful spacious studio, as well as its own (healthy) café and some of the best yoga teachers in London.
Triyoga 6 Erskine Road, NW3 3AJ. Tel. 7483 3344.
Where to go for alterations/dry cleaning
Designer Alterations is in South London, but they can do fittings at your hotel, work or home. Head to Celebrity Cleaners in Soho for pristine dry cleaning.
Designer Alterations 220A Queenstown Road, SW8 4LP. Tel. 7498 4360.
Celebrity Cleaners 30 Brewer Street, W1F 0SS. Tel. 7437 5324.
What’s the best hotel in terms of location (close to bars, restaurants), great facilities, good rates etc
The Hoxton in London’s East End is brilliantly located near all the best shops, markets, bars, pubs and restaurants in Shoreditch, as well as Old Street tube. Sign up to their newsletter and keep an eye out for their crazy (but rare) £1 room specials.
Alternatively, if you’re staying in London for an extended period, consider renting an apartment. Ivy Lettings has an excellent reputation with really lovely options in fantastic locations.
The Hoxton Hotel 81 Great Eastern Street, EC2A 3HU. Tel. 020 7550 1000.
Best time to visit London?
I love the UK in early April, when all the blossoms are out, the new spring/summer collections are in store, and Londoners are cheery after the long cold winter. And the field of wild buttercups in Greenwich is pretty special, too.
All photography by Wee Birdy, except photos by Headmasters.
Londoners, may I suggest a little ice-cream to relive that glorious Indian summer you were enjoying last week? The retro delight of Knickerbocker Glory at Fortnum & Mason’s Parlour Restaurant is beckoning, and it’s been doing so since 1955.
The Parlour is located on the first floor of Piccadilly’s 300 year-old department store, and the Knickerbocker Glory arrives in a tall glass on a stainless steel tray, with a long spoon to scoop up every last skerrick of chunky-creamy goodness.
The £12 ice treat, which boasts vanilla bean, strawberries and 12-year old balsamic vinegar, as well as frosted strawberry and shortbread ice-cream with raspberries, pineapple chunks and raspberry coulis, is an updated version of the original recipe, which F&M first served to curious Londoners in 1955.
While today’s creation isn’t exactly traditional, it succeeds in transporting me to 1950s-formica-and-soda-fountain heaven at Morellis and the Kentish seaside (and if you just clicked on that link, you’d be transported to Wee Birdy circa 2009 – check out the smaller column and photo format! Awww, look at that: blog nostalgia.)
The Beekeeper sundae is also a winner, featuring stem ginger with borage honey, vanilla bean and praline ice-cream topped with Fortnum’s honey (from the rooftop beehives) and honeycomb chunks. It’s not on the menu at the moment, but hopefully it will make a return in spring next year.
Just as delightful was the cappuccino, which arrived with a bonus mini icecream cone attached to the saucer. My one small complaint? While the Parlour attempts to replicate a relaxed‘50s vibe, it somehow lacks some of the old-fashioned elegance of the Fountain Restaurant downstairs, or the loveliness of the classic mirrored walls and glass sweet jars on the ground floor.
I guess the café table set-up just feels a tad ‘ordinary’ by comparison. Still, it’s a gorgeous light and bright space overlooking Piccadilly, so head to one of the tables by the window, or if you have kids, perch on the stools at the bar.
The Parlour at Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly
London W1
Tel. 020 7734 8040
Nearest tubes: Piccadilly and Green Park
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 10am-7.30pm
Sunday 12Noon-5.30pm
Bank Holidays 10am-5.30pm
Dress code: The Parlour requests that “both sexes lean more towards elegance”. Quite.
For reservations tel. 0845 602 5694 9am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday or book online.
{Photography by Wee Birdy.}
Fortnum & Mason is one of my first stops if I’m looking for something quintessentially London to send to family and friends in Australia – whether it’s a canister of their iconic tea or a jar of Rose Petal Jelly.
Now I can add Fortnum’s honey to the list, which is actually harvested from the hives on top of the building in Piccadilly. I love the idea of bees getting busy high above the bustle of Piccadilly. The bees feast on pollen in the nearby gardens of Green Park, Hyde Park, and Buckingham Palace, and the honey is limited to just 400 jars. But apparently there has been a rush on pre-orders, so there are just 60 precious jars left.* Available now for £10.
Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly
London W1A 1ER
Tel. 020 7734 8040
Nearest Tubes: Piccadilly and Green Park
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
* NB. I've just been informed by Fortnum's PR that there's been such a buzz (sorry, couldn't resist) about the honey, that stocks may in fact be depleted. Best to call customer services on 0845 300 1707 first. If they're out of stock you can put your name on the waiting list for the next harvest. Can you imagine? The bees have a freakin' waiting list!
In the latest instalment of My Secret London, I caught up with Marylebone's organic beauty queen, Imelda Burke, owner and founder of Content Beauty/Wellbeing. She opened up her little black book to share some of her secret London gems…
Best for a books?
Books are an ongoing obsession – our house is covered in them. We’ve got everything from art and photography books to medical encyclopaedias – it’s quite an eclectic collection. I go to Donlon Books for the hard-to-finds. It has the best photography and art collection and books on subculture. It’s now got two stores – one in Bethnal Green and one in Broadway market.
For books to give your brain a workout, I love The School of Life. Their faculty have read their way through thousands of books to bring you a carefully edited selection. They have the best categorisation of any bookshop I’ve been to. Shelves are organized in the following topics:
How to turn over a new leaf
How to know you’re in love
How to be green on the cheap
How to be more creative
How to enjoy your own company
How to make the world a better place
How to find pleasure in everyday things
How to understand your childhood
How to survive melancholy
How to find a job you love
How to think deeply about life
How to get on with other people
Charlotte Mann's hand-drawn walls at The School of Life.
Best for vintage?
The Peanut Vendor, a mid-century furniture shop based in Newington Green in Islington. It’s filled with wonderful, previously-loved pieces of furniture and homewares as well as design classics. Look out for G-Plan and Ercol classics.
Best for interiors and gifts?
Rob Ryan’s store on Columbia Road, Ryantown, would have to be my favourite. From tiles to prints, glassware and now cushions – we decorated the treatment room at CONTENT BEAUTY/WELLBEING with his ‘No other planet could be as beautiful as this one’ print.
Best for stationery?
I love a notebook and the best come from www.o-check.net. Their ‘Another Day, Cloudy Memory’ notebooks are sometimes available from twentytwentyone. Made from old-school heavy newsprint paper, numbered and fabric-bound.
I also love their cards, especially the ‘Spring Bird’.
Others I love are from the Monocle shop in Marylebone. Great linen-backed notebooks designed by the Monocle team in London and produced in Germany by Brandbook.
Best for kids?
Jabberwockie in Islington has the best clothes, gifts and shoes for kids. Great for presents, skincare and quirky Japanese ranges. Don’t bother with the mainstream.
Best for beauty/skincare?
That would be my own shop, CONTENT, of course! A selection of the best organic brands such as Dr Alkaitis and Pai Skincare and established near-natural brands like Ren and Nude. We also have one of the most extensive collections of natural perfumes and hold CONTENT wellbeing evenings once a month, which include food and wine tastings and tips for keeping healthy from our team of naturopaths.
Best London souvenir?
I think the best thing to take home from London is an appreciation for the diversity living in a large city brings and the energy it creates.
Best place to eat?
Saf vegan restaurant in Curtain Road.
Click here for a Wee Birdy map of Imelda's secret addresses.
Click here for more Secret Londons.
Anyone who's spent a little time in my company knows that I fully appreciate the finer qualities of a well-made, full-bodied Bloody Mary. I won't linger on the makings of the perfect Bloody Mary, suffice to say that it usually comes down to good quality tomato juice (and vodka), as well as just the right balance of Worcester sauce, chilli sauce/Tabasco, salt and pepper. And a deft squeeze of lemon is crucial. Too much lemon can be a great Bloody Mary's undoing. Same goes for too much ice (watered-down spicy tomato juice is not very pleasing).
I've had quite a few excellent Bloody Marys in London (The Wolseley, The Narrow, and The Diner) but I love visiting Automat on a late Saturday morning, usually following a prolonged tour of Dover Street Market. May I suggest that the Bloody Mary goes down particularly well with the classic Automat burger, which comes complete with pickle and a side-serving of fries. Very pleasing, indeed.
Happy Saturday!
Automat
33 Dover Street
London W1S 4NF
Tel. 020 7499 3033
Nearest tube: Green Park
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
For shopping in Mayfair, click here.
In part two of My Secret London with Neal from Present & Correct, we find out exactly where he shops for stationery, children's toys, skincare … and stacks more. Dig in, birdies.
Best for stationery?
Present & Correct of course! I always check out Magma, Muji and Shelf too to see what they are stocking on their shelves. Most of all I think that there are some brilliant old-school stationers dotted around. Belsize Stationers in Hampstead is a good example. Lots of binders, school notebooks and an eraser for any mistake. Holloway Arts, on Holloway Road is another good one. They have an old Letraset sign that I have been coveting for around 8 years.
Some of the design and stationery goodies from Neal's online shop, Present & Correct.
Best for kids?
Caramel has a great selection of things. The museum shops too, especially The Natural History Museum. And Couverture. Anywhere that sells traditional wooden toys makes me happy.
Above: wooden toys at Couverture.
Best for skincare?
I always buy Aesop products for myself and as gifts, I love the old-style apothecary packaging. The store itself is original and fun. You can’t beat Boots though. A good long walk in any London park will work wonders, too.
Neal out for a stroll on Hampstead Heath.
Best London shopping secret?
My friend Emma introduced me to Sunbury antiques market in Kempton. Get there early and be prepared to dig through lots of nonsense to find a great gem.
Above: Treasure to be found at Sunbury Antiques Market.
Best London souvenir?
A bag of Brick Lane bagels and something to put on them from Fortnum & Mason.
Best place to eat?
There are a few, because I love to eat lots and try new places. For breakfast The Modern Pantry on Clerkenwell Road is brill, as well as Bob Bob Ricard in Soho which is an OTT diner/brasserie where the staff have gold and pink uniforms and the menu features Farley’s Rusk milkshake!
Above: the fabulous interior of Bob Bob Ricard.
Ottolenghi is always good for lunch, as is Leilah's at Arnold Circus near Brick Lane. Market on Parkway in Camden is great and not dissimilar to the brilliant Quality Chop House in Farringdon – hearty British dinners.
Café Paolina on Kings Cross Road is a wonderful, cheap Thai café. Wood panelling, fake flowers, melamine chairs. An old greasy spoon now run by a super-friendly Thai family. Monmouth is always great for coffee, at Borough Market or in Covent Garden. I plan to go to Petersham Nurseries this year as I have been wanting to go for ages.
I like eating on the sofa at mine, too. It’s BYO at P&C headquarters.
For all addresses and a Wee Birdy map of Neal's secret London, click here.
Read more about Present & Correct here.
For more secret Londons, click here.
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