September 2013 Instagramy Post - Part 1

The turn of season has come.

Even inanimate objects are polite in Britain,

summer never overstays its welcome.

The first foggy morning of the season seemed atmospheric 

and very Bronte-esque but that very morning 

there was a car crash involving 130 cars.

Pumpkins or is that squash has come out already.



Due to my new area, I got on the wrong train like a bloody tourist but went past the Battersea power station and had a good look at it from an angle that I rarely see it in. 



It is finally being developed after being left dormant for 30 years! 
It is going to be a modern complex of shopping center/flats 
because God knows London needs more shops 
and more unaffordable accommodation.

I have relied on Mr CSW more than usual and 
hitched rides on his Vespa.
That is me taking a picture commemorating our survival on 
the Hyde Park Corner roundabout.

I have been dreadful catching up with friends due to my new commute but did manage a lunch at Royal China which is London's best dim sum. I love the lanterns.


I had time to kill before going to the theatre so went to Hatchard's.

I love their staircase, even the stair runner gives me a sense of calm.
They have such a great selection of coffee table books which 
I have banned myself from buying.

I don't know how this book passed me by as I had my wedding breakfast in the room that is on the cover of this Oliver Messel book.

Opposite Hatchard's is one of the places 
I would loooove to live in London.
Not only for the architecture but it has an amazing pedigree.
If its walls could talk!

It's the Albany just off Piccadilly. 
You'd never think there was a courtyard foyer behind the street.

Via

I had a friend who lived there in the 90's but had to subsequently sell it and I haven't been since then.  
Flats rarely come up for sale though...

The building below is the Bafta Building on Piccadilly.
Went to a party that hired the space but if you ever watch a movie there, be warned that they won't let you out until every single credit is shown and you see "The End". 

Jamie Oliver's pop up hot dog stand in Piccadilly is taking food porn a little too seriously in his menus.

I opted for my new reliable pre theatre dinner at Shoryu and had the Hokkaido curry ramen with a skillyfully boiled egg.

A little bit of sun and Londoners take advantage of it.

The play was at the Gielgud.
Private Lives is a classic Noel Coward play.

I wasn't going to see it but my friend's daughter is in it so I went.

I saw it 10 years ago with Alan Rickman and didn't think any production could be topped but this one was even better than that one!  It has had glowing reviews.

The set

Toby Stephens and Anna Chancellor had explosive chemistry and Anna Louise Plowman who is in real life married to Toby Stephens play his stage wife as well brilliantly! 
Anthony Calf was also a great supporting actor.

The decor inside is also beautiful.

Mr CSW kindly picked me up and took me back home on the Vespa - we never use the car within London.

We went over Tower Bridge which is more beautiful at night.

Sorry for the blur but we were moving and I couldn't hold up London traffic.

Meanwhile I am learning to appreciate my new village...

It has a certain English village feel to it and is rather pretty with all the detached houses dotted around the common.

It's an up and coming area so I like the pub's placard as housewives willingly join husbands as it is subliminally channelling aspirational  Osborne and Little wallpaper.

Via Or is that a reach?

North Cross Road and its Saturday market 
is a mini version of Portobello.

But with much better popcorn.

Cinderella lost her diamante flip flop.

If any of you out there know her, tell her it's in my 'hood.

Walked by an open house selling a fixer-upper three bed house 
and I couldn't resist having a look.

There were a lot of people scouting the property.
There seems to be a mini housing boom at the moment.

No shopping for me after the trauma of decluttering but couldn't resist a browse through Tiger.

For those of you unfamiliar with this store, it is a Swedish store and almost like an Ikea but with no furniture but so many bits and bobs at a cheap price.

I don't need ribbon but still thought about getting some.

No purchases for me, in fact one morning I even lined up to get up a free cup of a new brand of coffee! 

Yes, I love a freebie me! 
Hope your September is treating you well so far x