Postcard from London - part one: Belgravia

It's been quite a while since I lived in London for a few years, and whenever I go back, it's great fun to see the changes in this vibrant place, but I also love to visit old favourite spots. Back then (DS was still a toddler), I used to make frequent trips to the Poilâne bakery in Elizabeth Street to get some of their wonderful bread (they've opened a second store in Cadogan Gardens, Chelsea since then).

I never rushed straight back home, as Elizabeth Street is a such a lovely place to be. Lined with cafés, shops and restaurants, it feels more like a little village than a street in a big city.

Some shops have changed since I was last there, but many others are still the same. You find a hat maker, picture framers, perfumers, stationers, wine merchants and wine bars, clothing shops, a cigar cave, cake makers and many more.

Peggy Porschen is one of the newer additions, in 2010 she opened her beautiful little cake shop on the corner of Ebury Street. Her cakes and cookies are the prettiest you'll ever see, and on a sunny day you can enjoy her beautiful creations on pastel coloured tables and chairs on the pavement, with a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of pink champagne.

With so many inviting places, Elizabeth Street is also a perfect place to visit around lunchtime

The Ebury Street Restaurant and Wine Bar, on the corner of Ebury Street

At No 42, you find Jo Malone's new 'Jo Loves' shop, which carries a beautiful array of scented candles, bath colognes and perfumes. The store opened in 2013, seven years after Jo Malone sold her last remaining shares of her previous company, which was bought in 1999 by Estée Lauder and then turned into an international brand.

A Philip Treacy hat creation at No 69, and correspondence cards by the Grosvenor Stationary Company at No 47.

Almost across from Peggy Porschen on Ebury street, you'll find Floris, the oldest independent family perfume maker in the world (established in 1730) and the only appointed perfumer to the Queen. In beautiful traditional packaging, Floris offers more than 40 fragrances, a bespoke service and a line of scented  body and bath products.

If you follow Ebury Street further down, you'll get within a few minutes to Pimlico Road.

The square where both streets meet is called Orange Square (or 'Mozart square' because of the statue of the Austrian composer at its centre), and on Saturday mornings this is where a most charming farmer's market takes place. It used to be our favourite, and always a lovely way to start the weekend.

The square is lined with beautiful furniture, decorating and interior design shops, a cute children's toy shop (Semmalina), Nikki Tibbles' 'Wild at Heart' flower shop, the Orange Pub and the french 'Poule au Pot' restaurant, which is always wonderful and fun

'La Poule au Pot'

The quaint and picturesque Fox and Hounds Pub, located in a little side street (Passmore Street) off the Pimlico Road

Just before you get to Passmoore Street, you come past David Linley's Shop, where you can buy exquisitely made wooden furniture or order outstanding bespoke pieces. The small items on offer make wonderful gifts or accessories for the home, and the cheese knife I've had for more than fifteen years is still my absolute favourite.

• Peggy Porschen: Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RB, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 1316, www.peggyporschen.com
• Ebury Street Restaurant and Wine Bar, 139 Ebury Street, London SW1W 9QU, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 5447, www.eburyrestaurant.co.uk
• Jo Loves, 42 Elizabeth St, London SW1W 9NZ, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 8611, www.joloves.com
• Philip Treacy, 69 Elizabeth Street, Tel: + 44 (0)20 7730 3992, www.philiptreacy.co.uk
• Grosvenor Stationary Company, 47 Elizabeth Street, Tel: + 44 (0)20 77304515
• Poilâne, 46 Elizabeth St, London SW1W 9PA, +44 (0)20 7808 4910, www.poilane.com
• Floris: 147 Ebury St, London SW1W 9QN, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0304, www.florislondon.com
• More info on Elizabeth Street's website: www.elizabethstreetlondon.com

• Pimlico Road Farmer's Market: http://www.lfm.org.uk/markets/pimlico-road/
• Semmalina: 225 Ebury Street, London SW1W 8U, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 9333
• Wild at Heart, 30a Pimlico Road, SW1W 8LJ, Tel: +44 (0)20 7229 1174, www.wildatheart.com
• La Poule au Pot: 231 Ebury St, London SW1W 8UT, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 7763, www.pouleaupot.co.uk
• Fox and Hounds, 29 Passmore Street, London SW1W 8HR, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 6367
• David Linley, 60 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8LP, Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 7300, www.davidlinley.com
• More info on Pimlico Road's website: www.thepimlicoroad.com

You might also like:

FSH inspiration - corail

Inspired by the fabulous color combinations of the summer windows at FSH,

I wore my paisley patterned Zara silk tunic for a trip to the beach today.











Lunch was followed by a wind swept walk, and a rather energetic game of beach tennis

Capsule pieces: white linen trousers and printed silk tunic

Accessories: Hermès Fantaisies Indiennes mousseline GM, clic-clac H bracelet in bourgogne and Picotin in sanguine. 

Scarf tying method: basic bias fold wound once around the neck

London postcards coming next (sorry about the delay!)

Beach restaurant: Effet Mer, Route des plages, Le Grand Travers, 34280 La Grande Motte, 
Tel: + 33 (0)4  6756  0214

Have a fabulous week ahead everyone xx

You might also like:

Postcard from England

It's been a while, and I hope everyone has enjoyed a happy and beautiful summer. We've been on a round-trip through England, from the North down to London, to the South West and Wales, seeing family and friends.

Back home, July and August are the hottest months of the year, and so it was wonderful to breathe some cooler air, and to walk across green hills and fields. We were so lucky with the weather, most of the time it was clear and sunny, and nothing beats the beauty of the English countryside on days like this.

My capsule wardrobe makes packing easy, and trusted combinations of staple pieces sometimes only need slight changes to adapt them to different times and places. The style sheet below is a variation of what I wore in Paris a couple of months ago, only that I changed the trousers from red to blue, and left out the blazer, which made it a perfect day look for a walk in the English countryside. 

You might also like:

FSH summer windows - final part (corner window)

You might also like: