I went in for a potato masher…read more I came out with a potato masher, a loaf tin and a mini roasting tray (which were BOGOHP... ok buy one get one half price, might take a bit longer for that to catch on!), a vegetable spiralizer and a new mini draining mat. I'm not sure what happens to my brain in this place but I suddenly want to buy everything in the shop for my own kitchen. Extra brownie points for the friendly happy staff that served me at the till - she was so sweet she even had me signing up to their email mailing list which I usually avoid at all costs. Most of the staff on the shop floor seemed to just be chatting to each other - but I actually preferred not being harassed. The products all seem to sell themselves anyway! They have a range of value to premium brands, and for added smugness I found the branded draining mat was more than twice the price in John Lewis next door straight after this ;)

At the last minute, my older daughter asked my younger daughter to make a cake for her Walima - a…read morepumpkin cake. We were visiting from the States, and had no supplies. We happened upon this store, and voila, everything we needed was here. The store assistants were excellent, helping us find everything we needed (and/or wanted). I would definitely shop here again, and will likely give my older daughter, who now lives in London, gift cards to shop here.

I hired Katie for an embroidery workshop for our staff Pride party and it was one of the clear…read morehighlights of the evening. Katie is such a nice person and I loved how she interacted with everyone and explained the process. We decided to embroider patches in rainbow colors so that folks can afterwards proudly attach them to a bag, a garment or anywhere else. I would highly recommend hiring Katie for an embroidery event - it's a definite (interactive) asset to any party! Check out Katie's IG site via her handle: @katie_wells_

My kid (age 7) was caught underneath the slide with his trousers down and another kid was sucking…read morehim after that incident I pulled out my 22 cal revolver and all of the little failed abortions in there 10/10 ~ didn't see any black kids either

It's A Kids Thing is so good it's won an award (LBC's 2006 Living London Award for best…read moreneighbourhood sports facility). Kids can play in the indoor playground and soft play area, while parents relax with a coffee in full view of the children. There's a cafe full of yummy food, and it caters for babies too. It's fab for kids' birthday parties. There are also a range of classes you can book, including socatots, messy art, singing and ballet.

I love cheap stuff - market produce, charity shop clothing, dodgy prostitutes (did I just say that?…read more Oops. Perhaps that was an inappropriate thing to say...). Sometimes, however, 99p stores, no matter how cheap they are are just a load of crap - like a cesspool. (Let's dub this the review of bad humor and see how far I can carry it.) This store, happily, did not disappoint just like a good dead baby joke (I actually abhor those). What kind of things did they have there? Biscuits, soups, cereals, tea, coffee, toiletries, socks, toys, S&M paraphernalia, brooms, stationary, unidentified flying objects filled with strange little creatures and more. All for 99 pence a pop or less. This is an ideal place to go for snacks and household items if your looking to stretch your pound like the lines on the stomach of a woman pregnant with triplets.

Stardust is a cross between a boutique, a gift shop and a quirky knick knack store. It works well…read more When I walked into the store the first thing I saw was a row of fantastic black party dresses selling from £40-£80. On shelves above the clothes racks they sold jewellery sets, vintage telephones, keychains and purses. At the front of the store they have a fantastic selection of coffee table books and hundreds of greeting cards. I couldn't put down Little Dogs, a book with hilarious pictures of cracked out chihuahuas. There is also a children's clothes section if you need some garments for the young ones.

Jolting out from the side the side of Herne Hill, like a big red sore thumb, resides the children's…read morefashion boutique, Stardust. I manage to let the curiosity of the eye-sore get the better of me, and upon entering nearly regretted it. Although the sales-lady seemed affable enough, the environment was sterile and sparse. Camp knickknacks were neatly shelved at the sides of the store, and there's an array of tongue-in-cheek children's outfits; I'm sure the political activist hip-hip group Public Enemy would be dead chuffed to find their name sprawled across an upper-middle class child's t-shirt! I was far less than impressed with garbage displayed Stardust, but I'm sure it appeals to some with puerile fascinations.

I came across this shop by chance, and agree that it's a great place to buy cards, gift wrap, etc…read more which are slightly out of the ordinary. It's not the cheapest place to buy cards, but not the most expensive either - there's a fair selection around £1.50 to £2, which compares favourably with places like Clinton's and Paperchase. Staff were very friendly and (and here comes a really embarrassing admission) they were playing some really cool music - not the usual 'piped music' tat - which actually lifted my spirits, and probably lulled me into buying something I hadn't meant to

Diva Card Shop is one of the best places to go if you want something different. I have found lots…read moreof hilarious cards and this is the shop I always go to when getting cards for friends. In addition to cards Diva has great accessories and other items that make great gifts. I have purchased earrings, pictures frames and even wrapping paper. The staff at Diva is friendly and they always go above and beyond. I bought a picture frame and the salesgirl dug the box out of the back so I wouldn't have to worry about the frame breaking. Diva's great selection and excellent customer service make it one of the best card and gifts shops I've used.

The first time I saw this shop, it was closed, so all I could do was peer in the window, but I was…read morenonetheless enchanted. The pottery workshop is housed in a tiny and endearing standalone brick dwelling about a five minute walk from Victoria Park. Don't miss your chance to see it if you happen to be in the area. The woman who runs this charming cottage operation lives upstairs, and works and lets strangers roam around downstairs. When you walk in, she will no doubt be at her potter's wheel, turning out the merchandise that will soon furnish her shelves. All manner of piggy banks, and cups, and butter dishes are on offer - some glazed, some not... some decorated, some not. I know people who find her work very appealing... but I *do* wish it were a little less rustic and suited my taste just a little more... I swear, if that were the case, I'd be all-too-tempted to buy up a whole shelf's worth of pottery, just for the sake of the magical charm of it all.

This is a really cute little pottery workshop run by a really jolly woman. There is a little shop…read morewhere you can buy all sort of things like mugs which are made in the workshop, little wooden toys, playing cards, greeting cards. I have never tried the workshop but it looks like it could be fun.

One expects a bit more when everything in the store is a good 40-50 percent marked up…read more I was after a new baby gift, and thankfully Igloo has this covered. I picked out a few pieces of clothing (Petit Bateau) and a book. Everything was sort of tossed in the bag without any regard for it (it's expensive stuff, too!) -- no gift wrapping offered, not even bags anywhere to be bought. Seems like an oversight. There is a shoe section in the back that was absolutely rammed with kids and parents. NO THANK YOU. I ordered online at Amazon after waiting forever to be helped and no one coming. They have a lot of toys, again -- all overpriced, but sometimes that's what you get for the convenience of shopping locally. I'm happy to support small local stores and pay the upcharge but do expect the experience to match. I tried to purchase a ball my son had taken a shine too but after 10 minutes of her trying to ring it up I just said "forget it" and she let me. Weird. This felt rushed and hurried and not overly friendly. It's a kids store, c'mon people!

Nice little boutique for little tots and all those fashionable yummy mummies of Islington.Cries of…read morethis will look so cute on Crystal oh Poppy looks so lovely in that bonnet are the order of the day.