Quite apart from having six floors of books (you can happily spend hours browsing) this store has a handy cafe and bar on the fifth floor which I found nice and relaxing having dodged into the store to get out of the rain!

www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=200003
203-206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LE
+44(0)843 290 8549
Google map: bit.ly/W4Nfj8

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A well established vintage fashion fair running one Sunday per month in Primrose Hill. The fair is the perfect way to spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon and find some amazing vintage pieces.I got a really beautiful 1950's lace dress for under £30!
The fair has a great selection of stalls with a range of vintage clothing, shoes, accessories and textiles from a variety of decades with stallholders that really know their stuff and are approachable and happy to help. There is something to suit most people with clothes ranging from really affordable to some really special designer pieces and menswear. The pretty little cafe downstairs is also great for a cup of tea and slice of cake afterwards.

www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regents Park Road, London NW1 7AY
Google map: bit.ly/UGKt2v

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I stumbled across this great little shop called Snowden Flood in the Oxo Tower. I've walked past the Oxo Tower building so many times and never realised there were so many interesting boutiques.
I bought a lovely Tower of London mug from there. I was with my friends who were visiting from abroad and it was so refreshing to find good quality locally made souvenirs and it was a bonus to meet the designer too.

www.snowdenflood.com
Unit 1.01, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, SE1 9PH
+44 (0)20 7401 8710
Google map: bit.ly/KNFIRU

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So many visitors in the crushing crowds inching down Portobello Road completely miss the wonderful antique stalls in the rambling arcades. So go early - 8 o'clock on a Saturday morning - and enjoy the opportunity to talk unhurriedly to experts in their trade, then buy some beautiful, unusual presents for your friends or yourself. At 10 o'clock have coffee and freshly baked cakes at 'Books for Cooks' and leave the Road to the growing throng.

Portobello Road, Notting Hill, W11 www.portobelloroad.co.uk/
Google map: bit.ly/GYCQzz

Books for Cooks:
www.booksforcooks.com
4 Blenheim Crescent, Notting Hill, W11 1NN
+44(0)20 7221 1992
Google map: bit.ly/Hi7DVH

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On an unassuming road in Hackney, tucked between hip coffee shops and scruffy auto repairs, you will find Viktor Wynd's Little Shop of Horrors.
Upon entering you will be greeted by a party of giant taxidermied antelope heads and African voodoo masks. Tomes of mythology and the occult line the bookshelves while armies of butterflies and beatles roam any left over spaces on the walls.
The resulting experience is a bit like falling down Alice's rabbit hole and re-emerging in a world that is part 17th century curiosity cabinet, part 70s sci-fi movie gone wrong.
As well as being toted as a museum of the weird and wonderful, the shop also holds regular art exhibitions. Framed works by the likes of Mervyn Peake and the Mexican surrealist Leonora Carrington have recently been displayed. There are also regular lectures (on subjects you never knew existed), workshops, puppet shows and films.
The shop is part of the wider 'Last Tuesday Society', who are also known for holding some of the most decadent masked balls and afternoon tea dances in London.

viktorwyndofhackney.co.uk/
11 Mare Street, London E8 4RP
+44 207 998 3617
Google map: bit.ly/v1XqfH

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Let’s be honest you thought they were pretty weird as a child, small furry animals, dressed in clothes? But still, stumble on Sylvanian Families tucked away in residential Islington and you’ll start to develop a nostalgia you never knew you had. Selling solely the little critters and their paraphernalia – the Moss Reindeer Family now available on Christmas Cracker Deals – it’s a great opportunity to drag the kids away from the computer and show them exactly what fun Mum had when she was young. The bars of Stoke Newington’s fashionable Church Street are just minutes away to help take your mind of all those glass eyes, and your misspent youth.

www.sylvanianfamilies.com
68 Mountgrove Road, London N5 2LT
020 7226 1329
Google map: bit.ly/u8FFjQ

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With the chaos and cars of Kingsland Road, Dalston’s busy high street just around the corner, the Farm Shop on Dalston Lane makes a welcome escape. Slightly bizarre stark white décor greets you on arrival in their first room with ‘aquaponic’ fish tanks and a wall of plants. There are signs explaining that the water is circulated between the fish tanks and the plants and this is all harvested off the roof, which incidentally is where they keep their chickens! Wandering through the shop is more like a science museum with gems of sustainable inspiration and you can even hire out the polytunnels for parties complete with a disco ball! Once you’ve finished exploring the shop sells a range of delicious foodstuffs – from London honey to today’s eggs to fish to fairtrade organic coffee. There’s also often art on the walls up for grabs and the café serves the best bacon sandwich in London! Much loved and recommended for an intriguing shopping experience – who knows, you could come away with a chicken!

farmlondon.weebly.com/index.html
20 Dalston Lane, London, E83AZ
+44(0)7736 002006
Google map: bit.ly/vsWMvb

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It's a shop minutes from Oxford Street selling rare and unusual teas and tea paraphernalia.
If you want to learn about tea, have a tea tasting session.

www.postcardteas.com/
9 Dering Street, London, W1S 1AG
+44(0)20 7629 3654
Google map: bit.ly/tJdKnp

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In the heart of historic Bloomsbury, just opposite the British Museum on Bury Place, lies the wonderful Blade Rubber Stamps shop. I have spent hours enthralled by the weird and wacky stamp designs on display. This shop takes me back to a time of traditional innocence and reinvigorates and inspires the dormant creativity left behind in childhood. The shelves are lined with stamps in all shapes and sizes but if you want something more personal, customised designs can be made-to-order. Ink pads can be found in a delightful array of colours. There are seasonal designs and plenty of Santa Claus', tree designs, angels and snowmen ready to be stamped onto personalised cards in time for Christmas. The shop also stocks everything you could possibly need to make beautifully designed scrapbooks including glitter, stickers, buttons, brads and eyelets. Once you are hooked or if you need to kickstart your creativity they even offer classes to help improve your decorating skills.

www.bladerubberstamps.co.uk
12 Bury Place, London WC1A 2JL
+44(0)845 873 7005
Google map: bit.ly/ublTzt

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Borough food market is not a London secret, in fact its one of busiest attractions in South London and one of London’s most famous markets. This however doesn’t make it any less appealing. I visit Borough for breakfast or lunch and snack on my buys while exploring the Southbank. It’s the perfect start to a day out in the city and launches new visitors headfirst into the reality of London. It is full to bursting with people and offers huge choice and variety (it’s also a little dear on the pocket).

www.boroughmarket.org.uk/
8 Southwark Street, London SE1 1TL
+44(0)20 7407 1002
Closest tubes: London Bridge and Borough Closest station: London Bridge
Opening hours: Thurs, Fri and Sat 8-4 (but the earlier you get there the better your chances)
Google map: bit.ly/nj08Mm

* Sophie is our Been there local for London. You can view her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/london-local-sophie-mitchell-intro.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/SophieMItchell

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Located in one of the arches under the railway line, Secondo is a delightful cafe and second hand clothing emporium. The arch is crammed with all manner of retro clothing, furnishings, there's even a caravan and a dinky bubble car! The menu is great and customers can request bigger portions if required to give strength to sort through the vast selection of vintage and retro clothing. A DJ plays music from the 1950s and 1980s in the caravan on Friday and Saturday evenings. Great idea, great place.

www.secondouk.com
642 Voltaire Road, Clapham SW4 6DH
+44 7525 026 962
Northern Line tube to Clapham North
Google map: bit.ly/nXuugB

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Caledonian Road which has a number of sophisticated eateries. If you’re just after a pick-me up visit the fun and friendly Drink, Shop, Do a bright open space with knick-knacks to look at and admire and a great selection of cakes.

www.drinkshopdo.com/
9 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DX
+44(0)203 343 9138
Google map: bit.ly/qGCeSH

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Greensmiths is an amazing food emporium, café, cheese heaven and bakery.
The aroma from the cheesemonger’s section reminded me of old fashioned speciality shops last smelt in my early childhood. So evocative. I was offered a tasting nugget of Coolea cheese made by a Dutch couple who moved to Cork, Ireland, it is a bit like a hard, tangy Gouda, and very moreish!
Fresh meat is delivered from the Ginger pig farm in North Yorkshire, while bread, pastries and cakes come from the superb Old Post Office organic bakery in Clapham’s Landor Road.
The Waterloo wine merchant provides the bevies, and the Solstice fruit and veg department looks like something out of Harrods food hall, with every aubergine polished to within an inch of its life and every grape gleaming in the sunlight.
The café is located upstairs and outside on the pavement. My friend enjoyed the all-day veggie breakfast and I wolfed down a roast beef and horseradish ciabatta sandwich, refreshed with specialist coffees and other brews from Caffe Antica.

www.greensmithsfood.co.uk
27 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RG
+44(0)207 921 2970
Google map: bit.ly/lv6Hte
Open Mon-Fri 08.00—20.00, Sat 08.00—18.00, Sun closed
Overground train or Northern Line underground to Waterloo, Bakerloo Line underground to Lambeth North, bus 12, 53, 148, 159, 453, N109, 171

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Radio Days is an Aladdin’s cave, crammed to the rafters with vintage clothing, memorabilia from the 1920s to the 1980s, piles of hats, Bakerlite telephones, radios, jewellery, old advertising boards, plaques, retro packaging, old clocks and watches, sheet music, Art Deco objects and large dollop of kitsch.

www.radiodaysvintage.co.uk
87 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AB
+44(0)207 928 0800
Google map: bit.ly/jy6ydb
Open Mon-Sat 10.00—18.00
Overground train or Northern Line underground to Waterloo, Bakerloo Line underground to Lambeth North, bus 12, 53, 148, 159, 453, N109, 171

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A store in Hackney that is full of interesting films, posters, projectors, batteries and old cameras - EVERYTHING is Super 8 or Super 16 and you can even get the owner to come round your house and project a film the old fashioned way!

35 Lower Clapton Rd, Lower Clapton, E5
+44(0)20 8985 1766
Google map: bit.ly/iPHf7y

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A true rarity amongst an ever increasing, all consuming swarm of commercialisation.
Haggle Records is one of a kind, a visit to this record shop is essential to any vinyl enthusiast or music afficionado passing through London.
The owner, Lyn, is a truly captivating man. Always with a story to tell, always offering advice when it is requested. A quintessential English gent - with a wealth of knowledge of all genres, in particular, jazz.
I have spent hours in Haggle, on my hands and knees, (trying) to trawl through as many of the 40,000 plus titles as possible. Everything from Rock to Soul, Jazz to Dance, Classical to Punk - and everything in between!
If you're looking for a second hand record shop experience, you will not do wrong by checking out Haggle records.

www.hagglevinyl.com/
114-116 Essex Rd, Islington, London, N1 8LX
Opening hours: 9-7pm Monday-Saturday
9.30-4pm Sunday
+44(0)207 704 3101
Google map: bit.ly/lrX7XO

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Columbia Road is East London at its best. On a Sunday it has a carnival feel as hundreds of people descend on this thin little street in pursuit of beautiful flowers. The flower market takes over the street completely; flower sellers yell out their latest bargain prices and you can’t move for bouquets and stalls. However it is also worth squeezing through the masses to visit the street’s art and design boutique shops. Do try and pause for 15 minutes to listen to one the many impromptu live music performances. To avoid the worst of the crowds and to find a seat in a cafe try and arrive near opening.

columbiaroad.info/
Columbia Road, E2
Google map: bit.ly/jr5C55

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Rough Trade East is an independent record store situated just off Brick Lane in east London. They frequently host in-store gigs for artists predominantly from the indie scene and those still emerging.
I like these gigs because they are small and I can always manage to get to right to the front, just a few centimetres from my favourite band, while being able to see them properly - something I rarely experience at other gigs. After their performance we can meet the artist and get a signed album/single.
Each an every gig is like a once in a life time opportunity and you never forget them!

www.roughtrade.com/
'Dray Walk', Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
+44(0)207 392 7788
Google map: bit.ly/lw2pbQ

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Brixton Market is a place of two halves. It is full of its famous multi-cultural food stalls which never fail to make me feel like I’ve been transported far from London with their smells and noises. Yet it is also developing into a bohemian hub. Next to the fish and vegetable stalls you can now find quirky independent vintage shops, cafes and restaurants. There is something for everyone here and it’s a real experience. While in the area why not see a film at the Ritzy cinema or visit the Viewfinder photography gallery.

www.brixtonmarket.net
Electric Avenue, Brixton, London, SW9 8JX
Not open Sundays, late night opening on Thursdays – check the website for exact times.
Closest tube: Brixton (Victoria Line) Closest station: Brixton (National rail)
Google map: bit.ly/ii1kHq

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Situated within an old train carriage this café is truly individual. Its exterior is regularly up-dated with brilliant local graffiti art and there’s a great outdoor terrace in the summer. Inside it’s bright and airy with interesting art hanging about. The menu is great value and everything is freshly made. It’s got a buzzy atmosphere and friendly staff. It’s run by a local art collective and in the community space surrounding the café there are often special events and craft markets. Visit on a Saturday morning and combine your trip with a visit to the Deptford junk market.

www.thedeptfordproject.com
123 Deptford High Street, London, SE8 4NS
Closest tube: New Cross (Overground) Closest station: Deptford (National rail) Open everyday 9 -4.
Google map: bit.ly/g8H352

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