New hatchlings

I'm still buzzing after my visit to Queen Charlotte's hospital last night to see my dear friend and her gorgeous brand-new baby daughter. Since I've been immersed in the world of babies over the past nine months, I've become acquainted with some ace baby boutiques - both in London and online.

So I'd thought I'd post a few of my favourites. And if babies aren't your thing right now, just admire the fabulous vintage-style Liberty prints - which as UK womens' mags would say are 'bang on trend' right now...


Couldn't resist buying this ultra-sweet smock and bloomer set for my friend's baby girl. It's from Marie Chantal in Notting Hill.

Marie Chantal
61A Ledbury Road
London W11 2AA
Tel. 020 7243 0220

and

148 Walton Street
London SW3 2JJ
United Kingdom
Tel o20 7838 1111

London shopping: Pedlars

Back in May, one of my favourite UK online shops, Pedlars, opened for business in Notting Hill. Situated just off Portobello Road and next door to Rough Trade, this London newbie offers a superb range of premium vintage homewares and unique British and European design-led products.


Pedlars hails from Banchory, Scotland, where it’s been trading for 11 years primarily as a mail-order company. Not surprisingly, the business really took off when they started trading online four years ago. And now it’s translated beautifully into a real bricks-and-mortar shop, with its nostalgic-meets-modern approach reflected in an eye-catching long orange front counter and over-sized pendant lamps.


One of Pedlars’ major drawcards is its collection of rare vintage Underground signs and iconic Routemaster destination blinds. The one-off pieces of London transport memorabilia are available as framed artworks (from £199 for a Routemaster destination blind) or as expertly-crafted lightboxes (from £285 for a number light box). There’s also an excellent range of framed vintage Underground signs (from £150) and carriage maps (from £225). Specific destinations can be sourced upon request.


Other unique gems include unused ‘60s Hovis bread tins (£28.50 – they make perfect herb planters), handmade wooden toy battleships (£3 – they’re from a 1940s English fairground attraction), industrial-style Welsh pendant lamps (from £42.50), and vintage Smiths Wall clocks (from £95). There’s also a range of typographical stock including large painted wooden letters (on sale now for £17.95) and vintage printers blocks (from £7.50), adding to the extensive selection of indoor and outdoor homewares, fashion, stationery, games, toys and music.


It’s one of the best new shops to open in London (surely a shoe-in for inclusion on future “best of” shopping lists?) and the place to head for a unique gift or an authentic vintage London souvenir.


Pedlars
128 Talbot Road
London W11 1JA
Tel: 0207 727 7799

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday 9am-6pm
Sunday 11am-5pm

Nearest tube: Ladbroke Grove

Where to eat in London: Tom's Deli

Like most Londoners, I suffer from the worst case of decision fatigue. My notebooks are filled with long lists of shops, art galleries, exhibitions, restaurants, cafes, parks, museums and markets that I Simply. Must. Visit.

So when B suggested we head to Tom’s Deli in Notting Hill for lunch last week, I was not only grateful for (a) her quick, decisive action, but (b) the opportunity to visit one of the top spots on my “to-do” list.


I love Tom’s. It’s where disco meets old-fashioned deli, thanks to the mirrored disco ball hanging from the ceiling and nostalgic wooden display shelves crammed with beautifully packaged treats. Little wonder the visual merchandising gets full points, since Tom is Terrence Conran’s son.


The buzzy café at the back is a cosy retreat from the bitter wind outside, and its full English breakfast is almost as legendary as the crowds and queues on the weekends. But it’s Thursday so it's relatively quiet, and the squish factor is minimal.


Tom’s makes an ideal shopping pit-stop in the Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road area, where you’ve got such gems as Twenty8Twelve, Nicole Farhi, Aime, Joseph, Smythson, Emma Hope, Comptoir des Cotonniers, L'Artisan Parfumeur, Mulberry, Paul & Joe, Diane von Furstenberg and Matches. And then there are the exclusive French children’s boutiques like Petite Bateau, Petit aimé, Bonpoint (where I spotted Claudia Schiffer shopping with her wee bebe), and Marie Chantal.

The café’s changing menu features an impressive line-up of hearty salads, soups, pizzas and sandwiches. After devouring an artery-challenging but delicious breaded goat’s cheese and beetroot salad, I descended on the Easter goodies out the front. Amongst a selection of chocolates by the likes of Rococo and Prestat, there’s also a great range of European foil-wrapped chocolate chickens and bunnies.


I like this delightful gingerbread family (with requisite cat), £4.50, and gingerbread chick & egg set, £1.95. A rather tempting alternative to chocolate, no?



And if you’re just after tea and cake (a very pleasing combination for shopping pitstops), there’s a delectable selection of eat-in or takeaway cakes and pastries including hot cross buns, lemon crunch cake, carrot and pineapple cake, chocolate sponge, deep-filled treacle tarts, and Primrose Bakery cupcakes.


Don’t forget to pop downstairs for traditional deli items, take-away dishes and sandwiches.


Tom’s Deli
226 Westbourne Grove
London W11 2CH
Tel. 020 7221 8818

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 8am - 7.30pm
Saturday and Sunday 9am - 6.30pm (check times for bank holidays)

Nearest tube: Notting Hill Gate
For more shops in Notting Hill, click here.

Buying cashmere in London

As I mentioned in a previous post, the streets are awash with the soft, soft touch of cashmere.

If you’ve ever thought about investing in a quality cashmere piece, now is the time to make your move, with the winter sales currently in full swing.

And while all cashmere is luxurious, some cashmere is more luxurious than others (apologies to Orwell). Here’s my pick of the best places to buy the good stuff in London:

N.Peal
Founded in 1963, N.Peal is one of the luxury cashmere brands located in the historic Burlington Arcade, with separate men’s and women’s stores. The knitwear is made and designed in Scotland, using Mongolian and Chinese wool. Cashmere scarves are currently on sale for £79 (down from £99), with certain lines reduced by up to 50 per cent.




www.npeal.com
37 and 71 Burlington Arcade
Mayfair
London W1
Tel: 020 7499 6485

Berk Cashmere
One of London’s more traditional cashmere specialists located in the Burlington Arcade. Think classic cashmere twinsets, sweaters and cardigans. House-brand cashmere scarves start at £99.75.
46-49 Burlington Arcade
Mayfair
London W1
Tel: 020 7493 0028

Brora
This Scottish brand is renowned for its high quality cashmere and classic investment pieces. Cashmere scarves start at £45. If you’ve got your eye on a cashmere sweater or cardie, hold off ‘til 16 January, when the sale starts.



Loving the adorable cashmere baby range:


www.brora.co.uk
344 Kings Road
London
SW3 5UR

186 Upper Street
London
N1 1RQ

81 Marylebone High Street
London
W1U 4QJ

66/68 Ledbury Road
London
W11 2AJ

17 High Street Wimbledon
London
SW19 5DX

Pringle of Scotland
One of Britain’s leading luxury knitwear brands, Pringle started knitting cashmere in 1871. The argyle cashmere sweater is a Pringle classic staple.

Check out the cute kids Autumn/Winter capsule collection for argyle au go go:



(Cashmere aside, here a couple of my favourite looks from their younger and more directional 1815 collection for Spring/Summer 2008:)



Head to Pringle now for 50 per cent off selected items.
www.pringlescotland.com
London stores:
141 Sloane Street
London SW1
Tel: 020 7881 3060

112 New Bond Street
London W1
Tel: 020 7297 4580

High Street picks:

Marks & Spencer
Excellent range of everyday cashmere pieces at reasonable price points, starting at £20 for a cashmere scarf, and £39.50 for short-sleeved sweaters. Sale on now.
www.marksandspencer.com
Find stores here.

Uniqlo
The fun marketing campaign featuring cashmere-clad sock puppets has been hard to miss on London Tube escalators in December, and so is this Japanese brand’s ultra-affordable prices and huge range of fashion colours.


Prices start at £39.95 for cashmere tops. Sale on now.
www.uniqlo.co.uk
Flagship Store
311 Oxford Street,
London,
W1C 2HP
T: 020 7290 7701

170 Oxford Street,
London,
W1D 1NQ
T: 020 7307 9671

Cashmere Clinic
If your cashmere gets moth holes or needs to be repaired, send it to a cashmere specialist. This place is the best in London.

The Cashmere Clinic
www.cashmere-clinic.co.uk
Flat 5, 53 Redcliffe Gardens
London
SW10 9JJ
Tel: 0207 584 9806

London shopping: What you need now

After one too many trips on the tube emerging like a soggy chip wrapper (hold the vinegar), it’s time to crack open the emergency summer survival kit.
What you need right now is a handpainted Chinoiserrie fan from Coco Ribbon. It ticks both stylish and practical boxes, and at £6.95 it’s a snip for staying cool and sweet next time you’re wedged under someone's armpit on the central line trip home.

Oh, and did I mention that you can also update your flirting-on-the-tube technique with the secret language of fans?
Sure beats putting a “lovestruck” ad in The London Paper …

Coco Ribbon
www.cocoribbon.com

21 Kensington Park Road
Notting Hill
London W11 2EU
United Kingdom
Tel: 0207 229 4904

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Opening Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10.30am-6.30pm
Thursday 10.30am - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 12.30pm-5.30pm

Tube: Notting Hill Gate and Ladbroke Grove

For more shops in W11, click here.