One thing you'll never find here...... A Bargain!…read more Seriously though, I've lived in other parts of the UK and it seems to me that wonderful as this antique market is, it's very expensive. I find myself looking around and seeing that there are a lot of tourists and not so many 'locals' who are buying - but that's probably because it's so well known right? - well maybe half right, but the other half has got to be pricing. Don't get me wrong, i'm sure if you look hard enough you can find a bargain or two, and even haggle the guys prices down too 'a-la-bargain-hunt' but for me it does'nt seem real enough. All a bit Islington trying to be chelsea kinda thing. On the plus side - there is an excellent cafe in the market area that does fantastic breakfasts (although they're about £14 pp) - Go and have a look if you are in the area, browsing can be fun - just have in the back of your mind it's probably 20%-40% more expensive than it should be.

In general I love markets, they are honest and raw and there is no pretentiousness about them…read more This one has a bit for everyone, even things you didn't even know you liked, you will end up browsing for ages. You can't miss Paul & Georgina Rooin's printing stamps. All shapes and sizes, quite bizarre, crowns, emblems, stars, I can just imagine buying a few and making an incredible print with them. Or how about the stalls with second hand books (I love the smell), or Objets d'art with really quirky art deco artifacts and unique jewellery. Although there are many vintage places July Eden's stall might have a nice surprise in stall, her specialty is whatever she can find. The market's trading days are Wednesday and Saturday, but there are a few stalls open during the rest of the week.

The last time I was at Ooh La La, I fell in love with a Victorian, mint green, children's frock…read morecoat. This is the caliber of stuff we are talking about here; the kind of thing usually seen in stuffy museums, irritatingly in untouchable glass cases. To be fair I couldn't touch this either because it was hanging up on the wall and I didn't ask to get it down because I couldn't afford it. When I can though, I'll go back in the hope it's still there because teamed with skinny jeans and some Westwood heels it's got New Years Eve outfit written all over it. Ooh La La is an antiques store hired out by various magpies who I imagine would do a pretty good job if they went on daytime TV gem, Antiques Roadshow. It's bursting at the seams with oodles and whatsits and gizmos galore, definitely enough to rival The Little Mermaid's collection. They have furniture, clothes, accessories, postcards, clocks, watches, pretty much every invention ever all under one roof. Also, Robbie, the man that rents the most space in the shop is really friendly and not at all like some of the grumpy old men that run antique shops and only talk to cats.

Don't be put off by the horrific name of this renowned vintage / antique shop. Be sure to have a…read moregood look around or you could easily miss a lot of this fascinating place, it's not huge but there are little things packed in everywhere. There's a fair bit of French stuff as the name suggests, but there are some interesting bits of British history too - including nice old telephones, and a small section of clothing at the back (only women's I think). The ladies might also be tempted by the collection of vintage handbags on offer, which ranged from about £25 - £60 from what I saw. All in all it is possibly a little pricey, but still much more realistic than you'd find in The Mall in Angel, and although the owner wasn't particularly welcoming, he seemed very knowledgeable - and I'm giving him the benefit of any doubt as I did hear him mention to someone else that he 'felt like shit'.

This is such a beautiful historic market with intricately designed gateways and interesting…read morebric-a-brac on offer. I've never ventured this far in Camden and so I was quite surprised and how alladins cave like this section of Camden is compared to all the cut price London souvenirs and generic tshirt stores on the outside. The markets date back to 1854 and have been loving restored. It's worth walking through, even if you don't buy a thing.

Quite an interesting place for shopping. It's a huge place with shops and stalls selling all sorts…read moreof stuff like clothing, trinkets, artwork, crafts, souvenirs, and much much more. There are plenty of places to eat as well. The place is like a large maze which makes it fun. This is quite a popular place for shopping in the greater London area. This market leads you into other markets such as the Camden Lock and Camden Market to name a few.

I used to work close by to the market, not many people notice this but if you after a cheap eat try…read moreupstairs. There are about 4-5 stall type eateries offering a range of world cuisines. If I remember correctly they had Indian, Chinese, Jamaican, Italian and something else. The market itself is quite quirky and if I'm honest a bit of a tourist trap. In the sense that prices don't quite beat other markets such as Camden or Portabello. But I guess it depends what your after. Atmosphere though is fantastic. Especially in the summer, you can sit down with a ice cream or coffee and people spot whilst enjoying some of the free street performances. There is also a band located in the basement which fills the air with familiar classical tunes. In the winter the atmosphere is very different, warm, cosy and bustling.

Covent Garden Antique Market is certainly worth a visit, particularly if you are on holiday in…read moreLondon and want to see the sights. Tere are lots of little shops and stalls to wonder around, but most enjoyably yu can spend time in central London just enjoying the atmosphere. There are quite often street performers at one end of the Market and it is just possible that you will find something nice to purchase too. Covent Garden is the closest tube station.

"This is a hot mess."…read more A hot, sexy, shoreditchy, junky-treasure-filled, narrow, jammed up --- MESS. I mean this in the nicest of ways. Basically this is a storage space that is unloaded and reloaded for the flea markets. ANd we hit it on a day that it was "full." As in, nothing out to pasture to be sold. This mean we walked into a long and narrow space toppling with chairs, art, glamour shots, furniture, nudity --- basically, we stumbled into a hipster wonderland. The music is so loud you won't be able to talk to the person that is barely visible behind all the "junk." This seems to be by design according to their web site. It's a free-spirited shop. No organization, no price tags...and no way to really find out what things are or how much they cost. I guess this is part of the fun. We admired the action figure window display, flipped through a few of those ridiculous Glamour Shots, admired the cushioned headboard hanging from the far back wall that resembles a "moneyshot" woman -- and were on our way. Their website gives a great story. I wouldn't hesitate to stop in again. I'm pretty sure if I wanted to buy something they'd list out a price -- but maybe not. That's the fun of... a HOT MESS.

Avoid Eddy the obnoxious and grumpy old man, otherwise ok selection of stuff…read more This morning I popped in with my 1 year old toddler to look at a second hand ironing board. The younger owner wasn't in (he's friendly) so I asked Eddy, an older man who works there and does collections. I've never seen him smile or talk very much. He told me it was £25. I inspected it further, then asked if he knew the make. During this time he was walking about and not really looking at me. He didn't even turn to me, but just said "How do I f**ing know. I don't have time to deal with f***ing idiots like you" I wasn't being irritating and I didn't haggle - so I'm shocked he would behave like this, especially in front of a young child. I left immediately and I will not be coming back again. If you agree that this was unacceptable then I urge you to boycott this shop.

Unlikely gem of a second hand furniture shop, hidden just off Hornsey Road, by Elthorne Park. You…read morewouldn't really venture here unless you knew about it. Every time I visit I want to buy almost everything in the shop. Lots of stylish, well-made wardrobes, cabinets, dressing tables, bookshelves, archairs. I bought a wooden rocking chair and an art-deco tallboy, a 30s filing cabinet, a small 50s cupboard the people are friendlier than they look and often let me barter a little, or lower the delivery price. Nothing here looks like junk - lots of solid wooden furntiure obviously made lovingly to last.

An unexpected treasure trove!…read more I was hit with a very big dilemma: there are no closets here. Not in my flat, not in the UK -- nowhere!? And despite my best efforts, I have a lot of clothes. I think they mate when the lights go off. So I was on the hunt for a wardrobe/armoire. I checked all the stores that deliver and besides looking like they came straight off a factory belt in ugly finishes and faux wood colors -- they were EXPENSIVE. Pricey and ugly? No thank you. So my stuff just sat all splayed out on the floors driving my neatnick husband insane. It was fun for awhile but then he started really getting annoyed and so I got serious about this mission: FIND A WARDROBE. The Restoration is a gold mine of vintage, refinished wardrobes for a fraction of what you'd pay on the High Street. I scored a massive (seriously - huge!) double pine wardrobe for 330 + 5 for delivery. They disassembled it, drove it here, hauled it up the stairs, reassembled it and then even offered to move it around the room until I had it where I liked it. Free (or close to free) local delivery depending on where you live. Beats the hell out of a box from Ikea that not only would I have to figure out how to get here, but would hate myself trying to put it together. There were no less than 15 really great pieces to be had plus a really lovely collection of tables, chairs, dressers, bookshelves and the like. Everything is lovingly refinished and pried competitively. Sophie (the owner) is absolutely great to work with. The showroom (on Bouverie Mews) is on the tiny side street off Bouverie -- if you can see the Daniel Defoe pub, you are close! It's across the street from Cobbled Yard (also worth a look at if you are here in the area). *cash, cheque or bank transfer only (upon delivery). My clothes are off the floor and my flat feels organized -- mission accomplished. I'm going back for a few more items. They keep their inventory on their web site, too -- they have really great pieces that are way more affordable and unique than the big box shops.

Fantastic shop, I always find hidden gems and the owners are friendly and offer a great local…read moreservice

Attentive service. Great eclectic choices. Overall great vibes. Charming decor. Great place to find…read morethe original gift for someone hard to please.

I'm delighted to learn about their products. I didn't think I'd be able to afford an outdoor dining…read moreset, but the prices were quite reasonable. Since it was delivered, I've been sitting in my garden every day, so I'm really satisfied!

Its pricey but fun for a browse, just to look at random stuff to add to your house for a fun…read morechange, or to get an eccentric present. That should sum up the variety of stuff that you can find in the store. I went furniture shopping with a friend, and we stopped by just to have a look as they had a wide range of furniture just outside the store front. We walked away with a small bamboo coffee table, that looks great to this day. It was a great buy, and there are many more to be found here. Something for everyone, like s suitcase for Felix, a mannequin for Prudence, or just some chutzpah for yourself.

Past Caring is a surprisingly cool vintage store on Essex Road, just a short stroll from Angel Tube…read moreStation. Filled from floor to ceiling with nick nacks galore, it boasts a great range of crockery, cutlery and other bits and bobs for your home. But it's the furniture out the front which always draws my attention - cane chair, awesome old chests and glass coffee tables are just some of the pieces you'll find out the front - rather reasonably priced too.