A great little shop that is miles away from High Street chains. If you're looking for an accessory…read moreor household item with a Moorish theme, you're likely to find it in this modern Moroccan treasure trove. The leather accessories - choose from beaded slippers, elaborate belts and authentic bags - appear to be handmade and good quality. The white birdcage-style lanterns are prettily intricate, yet still simple and elegant. Lots more unusual items, large and small, are available to provide a hint of the exotic for your home. Good for gifts when you're after something a little different, too. ************************** Update - May 2008 Sad to say that Skoura has just closed-down, although I have heard rumours that they are likely to re-open, close-by, in the near future. Hope so! I'll keep you posted.

This little gem sells weird and wonderful furniture and accessories for your house. If antique…read moredesigns and funky items appeal to you, then this shop can't be missed!

What an addition this place is to the already wondrous bazaar that is the Uxbridge Road…read more It is essentially two rooms with wall to wall jewellery and accessories for £1-£5. Wall to wall, my dear readers. Like a cheap jewellery gallery. And the stuff is actually quite nice, you know, fashionable and interesting as well as the more ethnicy stuff. Most of the things here you could find in a simlar guise in Accesorize for about 20 times the price. They also sell shoes for a whopping fiver a pair. A huge range of beaded slippers (with reinforced soles so they won't fall apart within minutes) and quite a few fancy going out heels. For only five pounds a pair! That's insane! Gloriously insane! It really is pound crazy. Sometimes I will even dress up for a night out and then buy my jewellery on the way to the tube station so I can get an excellent match.

Disgraceful shop. Unlike Poundland, this place suggests by its name [ which includes a tiny + sign…read morethat the staff point to if you complain that the name of the shop is misleading ] that it sells items for a pound. What a scam.

Hermes is a store that I cannot pass by without a quick pop-in. Although the location is smaller…read morein size, I found the London Heathrow location (Terminal 3, I believe) to be equally as grand as a larger shop. Was able to find a a blanket and scarf for my new home. Thank you to Liz for being so helpful. She was very kind, as well as patient while I was trying to determine which scarf to purchase. Thank you to Hermes for helping me create a beautiful space in my home, and thank you to Liz for making a poption of my 34-hour journey home, enjoyable. Lara D.

So much beautiful bling to adorn any special lady, preferably me! So little time to shop, oh well,…read moreI will miss my plane connection. You've got to have priorities. The shop was small with cases of one of a kind artisan jewelry. Thick gold rings and bracelets and mostly precious metals. The clerks were not anxious to wait on me. I must have not looked like a serious shopper. Or perhaps they were busy with Valentine shoppers. In any case, their target audience is the impulse buyer internationally entourage. All the shops are duty free so you save on tax. I left empty handed but carried a few sparkly dreams away.

Was getting quotes for signet rings recently. The server was rude, patronising and short. He…read moreopened a box full of examples but unhelpfully made no effort to explain products, even with prompting. Anything he did say was delivered in way that made it feel as though he thought I was either an idiot or not worthy of his time. I visited the shop with a friend, who said it was such a frosty and hostile experience that he could barely look up from his phone out of sheer awkwardnesses. This is in contrast to the other jewellers nearby, such as Hancocks or Deakin and Francis, where the service was exceptional. I actually mentioned one of these stores, hoping the server might try to employ any form of salesmanship at all, but instead he barked "why don't you go and ask them". I will be returning to one of their rivals to buy a ring next week and would highly recommend anyone else avoids Bentley and Skinner at all costs. In my experience both Hancocks or Deakin and Francis seem to actually value their customers. The staff member I encountered here should try a different job.

By Royal Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Bentley &…read moreSkinner, the Bond Street Jewellers, have between them been buying and selling the loveliest jewellery since 1934. The company has its own workshop on-site, where its exclusive bespoke items are made. Plans are in place to launch a small range of jewellery under their name, all unique designs made here, that will be sold in the Piccadilly shop. The bespoke tailor and couture dress maker, Roubi L' Roubi, presents his collection on the fitting salon within the premises. Comprising; evening dresses, cocktail and day dresses, suits, jackets and coats, the collection is available by appointment for women who are seeking bespoke making.

This light contemporary space in West Smithfield is attractive with its floor to ceiling glass…read morewindow front, allowing the art to be seen from across the street. There was work 15 living artists when I visited, all from Barcelona, and there was a predominantly 'street art feel' to the exhibition. However the shows change every couple of weeks and the gallery does not specialise in any one particular style of artwork. It was totally unintimidating and although my friend and I were the only two in there, we felt at ease taking our time around the room. It is nice place to pop in when passing by, and to enjoy a creative talent of living artists without needing to dedicate a whole morning or day to doing so.

This gallery for hire is a well appointed space to the north (City-side) of Smithfield Market. Very…read morenear Farringdon Station (and actually not too far from Barbican or St Paul's Tube stations), it's nearby a handful of excellent restaurants, cafes and pubs ... as well as some interesting sites such as St Bartholew's Church and, of course, Smithfield Market. The lighting is awesome (surprisingly, this isn't always the case in London galleries) and the exhibition space is open and "vanilla" enough for any variety of shows to slide in and set up. I was there recently for the awesome Barcelona XL: Homage to Catalonia (http://ontolondon.blogspot.com/2008/12/barcelona-xl-spanish-street-art-at.html) street art exhibition. I was really blown away by that show and felt that the gallery was perfect for displaying the exhibition's different artists and their varying styles. It wasn's my first time to the Smithfield Gallery but it was the catalyst which will now ensure I keep better track of what' s on there.

I love looking at this shop, usually through the window because it is hardly ever open. The shop…read moremainly deals with antique furniture but has other bits and pieces as well. The best thing about the place is that everything is of a good quality, the worst thing is that it just isn't very cheap. I had my eye on a very simply designed old school chair, unfortunately it was about 70 pounds. I guess for people with a disposable income that wouldn't be a problem, at least your getting a quality product, albeit simply and small. The shop is located on Broadway Market and is well suited amongst all the other specialty shops on the strip. Even if you are just going to browse, you will have a nice time just being around all the lovely items in the shop. Stella herself is always around to give advice and point you in the right direction. It is nice to talk to her as she is obviously passionate about what she does. Opening hours are few and far between. Maybe if you head down for the Saturday market you can take the time to pop in to Stella Blunt.

This little shop is one of the many that have cropped up in the area in the last 4-5 years…read more Broadway market has changed and grown to such a size that almost everything can be bought here now. It has become so popular with its cafes , boutiques and amazing selection of foods available on Saturdays. This shop of vintage objects and furniture has a cute handpicked selection of different pieces from lots of eras from art deco mirrors to 50's tables -but at a price. It amazes me that just down the road close to the tube and with easy public transport service available in Bethnal Green a 50s coffee table can barely demand £30.00 yet this area now has such a"cool" factor that the same table could show up in a place like Stella Blunts and command £200.00 !! There were alot of special pieces which granted have value - but a 50s wood irregular wood table for £280.00 is high - but incredible too if it is selling - it just shows how much this area has changed and is now perceived .

We stumbled upon Apple Market. And it was such a nice find!…read more There was such a variety of trinkets / treats / souvenirs to be found here. There were some great prices on logo t-shirts and bags if you're looking for such things. There were also artsy and unique items to be discovered. What I liked most about this little market was that it was actually not that little. It appeared to be quaint in size, but when you actually wander the alleyways, it was quite expansive. We ended up buying some tea, biscuits as they call it here, and wired art to bring home. I'd say this is a great spot to browse if you're unsure of what to buy as a gift.

Today we're stepping into one of my favourite spots in London ~ "the Apple Market" in Covent…read moreGarden. A place where handmade art, street performers and stylish shops blend together in perfect harmony." Whether you're looking for unique souvenirs, an inspiring atmosphere or simply a relaxing wander, this spot is a must-see. Join me on a stroll through the Apple Market in Covent Garden, London. Don't forget to like, comment and subscribe. When I visit London, I always make sure to stop by the Apple Market in Covent Garden. Here you'll find everything from unique handcrafted items by local artists, to live street performances sharing their art with the crowd ~ and of course, it also includes various affordable brand-name stores to various high-end boutiques, from jewelry to chocolate, from restaurants to farmers' markets, this market has it all. One of my must-visit spots is a centuries-old British tea shop inside the market building, I always buy some tea gifts to bring back to friends. Every time I come here I can spend at least half a day simply enjoying the mix of art-and-commerce vibe.

Stylish window displays tempt passers-by to step over the threshold, into this well laid-out,…read morespacious interiors store. Once inside, it's easy to be tempted by the wide array of accessories and household treats on offer. Prettily-packaged, scented, glass-filled candles start at £3.75 and come in a delicious and unusual range of fragrances (including spiced pear). In November, much of the focus is on seasonal decorations with many 'twinkling' items ('gold' and 'silver'-hued angels, cherubs, hearts and stars) from just 75p. If you're looking for a gift, at any time of year, you'll be spoilt for options and budgets here. A plethora of photo frames, glassware and candle holders have a wide appeal. I was almost tempted to pick-up one of the vibrantly colourful door mats by Bombay Duck but thought them a little pricey (and potentially impractical) at £22.75. Staff are enthusiastic and helpful.

Lots of lovely little treats in this shop. Great place to buy a unique gift but to be honest, I…read morefind it's a great place to find yourself a little 'cheer up' treat. Beautiful costume jewellery, pretty candles and funky household nick-nacks. Fabulous! Staff also really friendly.