**June 2022: Late Afternoon Friday Visit**…read more My friend and I were walking down Monmouth St. and I was enamored by the beautiful window display. The jewelry were bright and bold and evoke such Betsey Johnson vibes except with an emphasis on acrylic as their creative medium. We entered the store and oh my goodness everything was so eye catching - both in terms of designs as well as color palette. If you're a gal (or guy) who loves subdue understated jewelry this isn't the shop for you, as everything is extremely playful and witty. There were multiple items I wanted to purchase; however, the pricepoint is much higher than what I am use to; yet, you can think of it as paying for the design, and the fact that it's handmade by UK individuals. The smaller designs range in the £50 - £150 whereas the really stunning statement pieces around £200-£400. The extremely orange pieces can go up to £500+ I ended up getting a really beautiful blue parrot statement necklace that I'm sure would be a head turner. Can't wait to see more of their beautiful collection!

I've found some really lovely items from this store and I'd definitely come back for more.read more

Me: "I'd like to speak to Mister Conran, please."…read more Sales clerk: "Certainly. May I ask why?" Me: "Yes, I'm here to write that Yelp review and I'll need several pieces of your furniture for, uh, long-term testing." That's the conversation that played in my head because the only way I'll be having any of this super-cool stuff is in my dreams. Conran sells amazingly high quality designer furniture and housewares. While most of it is very functional, some of it is... designer and therefore is very nice to look at but maybe not as functional. On the minus side, the prices are all perfectly displayed.

The Conran Shop is the best shop. I love the Conran Shop…read more Maybe I've got a little infatuation going on but I can't help it. This shop has so many things and it's overwhelming and hilarious and fun at the same time. For example, I bought a little popcorn set for my mom here for 8 pounds, and then I saw those crazy purses here, you know, the ones that look silly and are made up of shiny triangles and you think they look stupid but then when you touch them you start to think you want then? You know those crazy purses? the 500 pound ones? You know those kinds?!?! And then I guess they sell furniture here. But they also sell funny little games, and also these intricately designed santa cookies, and cards and just weird freaking stuff! That's the funny thing about the Conran Shop. It has a lot of fun stuff and maybe something is 8 pounds, or 800 pounds, you just need to check. But the best thing about the Conran Shop is their little cafe in the back. It's decorated beautifully and they serve food as well. I love going there. They've got wifi and it's a great place to escape... also because there aren't usually a ton of people there. So hopefully I've lost everyone with my crazy purse description to read the end of this review. ;)

When I've been to London and Paris with my daughter we always hit the handbag stores. There's…read moresomething about buying handbags in Europe that makes us feel like we are getting a better deal! My Orla Kiely handbag is laminated for use when it rains. I love the bright cheerful color and the zipper inside pocket plus key fob. The print on my bag is her signature design. I highly recommend this designer's handbags. I love mine. I can't wait until Spring and Summer when I wear my bright colors. Although I use this bag any time of year. Orla Kiely, is an Irish fashion designer based in London. She began her career designing hats, and moved on to design work on handbags and a variety of other items including kitchenware and cars. She received a master's degree from the Royal College of Art. She worked with several companies before setting up her own business. She's very popular and her products are well crafted.

...Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what…read moreyou've got 'til it's gone... I never knew how much I enjoyed using a wash cloth in the shower until I moved to Europe, where they're not widely used (they're rarely in hotels and I couldn't even find any at IKEA!) While perusing the bath section at Orla Keily I spied some sweet stem jacquard "face cloths". They were £3.00 each - I bought four - and they've already provided enormous enjoyment! Plus, Orla Keily prints just can't help but make me smile! In fact, they're so soft I'm thinking about going back for towels too! And did I mention the dresses?

They have some really great vintage pieces here at the Dog and Wardrobe. Upon entering we were…read moregreeted with a cast of a grey and white dog. Well if you can't have a real dog maybe a statue will hold you over till you can. There was a really great leather chair that I wanted, and old trunks that were of course already sold, crazy naked baby dolls (that I didn't really get but assume they are for doll collectors) desks, chairs, tables, and all at affordable prices. They are only open on Saturdays, and are conveniently located around the corner from the Broadway Market. If I owned my own house and could decorate as I wanted I would start my search of unique classic pieces here.

Only open on Saturday's to coincide with Broadway Market, the Dog and Wardrobe is a hidden gem on…read morethe ground floor of Regents Studios. Filled with vintage and contemporary furniture, art and clothing, it's always worth a look. I love the big vintage suitcases, they remind me of my Grandpa's school case from when he was a boy. Shame about the price tag though, but it's got to be cheaper than the extortionate amounts set by some of the shops in Shoreditch. My friend bought her vintage bike here for a reasonable price and it's still going strong, so you can find a bargain if you look hard enough.

Sass & Bell is the most amazingly magical place to spend an hour browsing, yes a full hour. This…read morelittle shop use to be on Neal street but has now moved to this bigger location opposite Scott's on New Row. Basically it is full of a huge selection of RJB Stone goodies. For those of you who don't know this is a company that makes adorable tat that appeals to teenage girls and ridiculous women like me who insist of super cute nonsense in their homes. These guys only sell wholesale and I have never seen a collection like this in a shop. We are talking appliqued pirate bunting and hand painted Russian Doll photo pegs, white bird cages with stuck on flowers and butterflies. If you are looking for a new baby gift they have brilliant kiddies room decoration stuff, and as for stocking fillers, well this place is ideal. Nothing is more than £20 and some start from as little as £2.95 so you can really go nuts if you wanted to. As I have mentioned before I have happy places in London, this is one of them. I hate to Yelp this but I will and I am sharing this happiness with you.

After hours of looking round London for presents for my Mum and a wedding gift for my friend. I…read morefound them all under one roof! The store has loads of great things to hang up in your home. Not being that descriptive i know but if you go in there you will be amazed at what they have. I'm definitely heading back here to shop again as not only did they have so much choice for a small shop. It was reasonably priced!

I absolutely love 'In...'. If you're not careful you may miss it but if you work your way through…read moreall the stalls in Spitalfields you'll fihnd this gorgeous home furnishings shop. They have beautiful furniture (dinning room tabels, chairs, cabinets and shelving) all of which have great individual style. My favourite items in here are the trinkets and decor. They have beautiful bird cages for decor that you can put candles in as well as beautiful lighting and ornaments. It's a brilliant place if you're looking for gifts as they have stuff for men, women and children. The prices are reasonable and the staff are great.

I love this unique shop. They sell mainly quirky home decor items, as well as a small selection of…read morebooks (pop culture, fashion etc), jewellery, cards and gifts. It's a great place to head for an unusual gift or for someone hard to buy for. A lot of the stuff is a bit pricey but you can tell it's good quality. I'll definitely be popping in here when I move house to get some of the kitsch lighting and kitchenware they stock.

This is the flagship store of Paul Smith and it's located in a 3-storey classic mansion. Very…read moregorgeous. You walk into the townhouse and instead of it being someone's home, it's the Paul Smith boutique. I went in looking for ties for my husband who is a big fan of Paul Smith. Such a shame that there isn't a Paul Smith boutique in Chicago. Sure we can get Paul Smith merchandise from the departmental stores in Chicago but it's not really the same. Excellent customer service from the associate whom I did not get his name. He gave recommendations and suggestions on what types of tie designs (stripes vs dots) would be a good match for what types of shirts. While he recommended his favorite designs, there was no pressure at all from him. My personal favorites from the selection also turned out to be his favorite recommendations :) Gentlemen, if you're into good shoes....Paul Smith also has frequent collaborations with reputable and solid British shoemakers. Some time back, they partnered with Crockett & Jones. Currently, some of their shoes are partnered with John Lobb, also another distinguished British shoemaker. Trivia: Crockett & Jones and John Lobb designed and made shoes for James Bond. For those who don't live in the UK, Paul Smith participates in VAT refund (tax refund). So when you're making your payment, be sure to ask for the VAT refund form. They'll fill in the form and hand it to you. When you leave the UK, present the VAT refund form at the airport to get back the portion of tax you paid on your purchase.

Paul Smith is an icon in the British fashion world. This is handy if you're on the west side of…read moretown for some quirky gifts for friends or maybe a treat for yourself. Located at a cross roads in Notting Hill, on one side there's a men's store, on the other a women's. In both you get all sorts of accessories such as iPod holders, wallets, keyrings, purses, bags, scarves etc in the trademark Paul Smith designs, be that the mini, 40s babe or football motifs for men or candy-stripe for both sexes. There's also a limited supply of clothing - more in the woman's shop - showing off PS' high quality British tailoring. Head to Floral Street in Soho though for the full range.

I came for the KKNEKKIs and stayed for a chat. The ladies here are smart, practical, and an…read moreabsolute delight! Their KKNEKKI selection is top-notch. Come see for yourself! I'm so very, very glad I stopped in, and probably will again before I leave! Update: I absolutely went back, and had a terrific time again!

Any shop that "meows" at me as I walk through the door is going to be a hit with me. Glitter on the…read morefloor as you enter, masks lining the walls, rows of petticoats, long gloves and fur hats. It's like a dream world of wonderfulness. Now I don't think this is a fancy dress shop, but they do sell a lot of fancy dress. I just think that the people who work here and their regular shoppers think it's quite normal to walk around London wearing cat ears. I popped in to grab some bits for halloween and for £20 walked away with a bag of goodies that will ensure I'm all fright on the night! It's not cheap, but I've seen pricer. Although their staff are super duper helpful and I was in and out in under five minutes with everything I needed. Yay for Ad Hoc.