Whether I’m browsing, looking for the latest deal, or wanting to find a favourite novel without
paying the full price, I always head to BMV Books, which offers an enormous selection of mostly used books in near perfect condition. With three locations in Toronto, my favourite and
biggest is in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood – this one has three jam packed floors of books,
magazines, and videos.
I love supporting independent bookstores and this one is my favourite because of the fantastic
prices and great finds, including a very intelligent selection of books. I’ve located copies of classics and novels by foreign authors for less than $10 CDN. Several years ago, at the uptown
location, I bought treasures such as Elie Wiesel’s “The Jews of Silence”, signed by the author, as well as a very old leatherbound “Alice in Wonderland” with beautiful water colours.

www.bookstoronto.ca/bmv-books-annex
471 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Canada, M5S 1X9
+1 416 967 5757
Google map: bit.ly/RQP5Yh

* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

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If, like me, you enjoy visiting grocery stores when you visit a new city, then I recommend the
Loblaws supermarket chain – with over 10 locations in downtown Toronto – I prefer the recently renovated one that has opened up in the former Maple Leaf Gardens – a venue that hosted the likes of Elvis Presley, Mohammed Ali and Frank Sinatra, not to mention some of Toronto’s best hockey.
The newly renovated space now hosts a theatre of food: a sushi bar where chefs prepare their
latest creations, a bakery offering artisan breads, a variety of pastries and baked goods, a tea emporium, and the famous 18 foot “Wall of Cheese” with over 400 varieties of cheese to choose from – don’t be shy to approach a specialist and ask for a sample. Besides the rows of organic produce and general grocery merchandise, there are also other items such as cookware, linens and home accessories, as well as a large area devoted to those who want to grab something to eat, sit and relax. This place is open seven days per week, 7AM until 11 PM.
And when you’re done here, head up to the second floor, where there is a cooking school
offering demos and classes certain days of the week, as well as Joe Fresh, www.joe.ca, a fashion retail chain that sells mostly at Loblaws, offering adult and children’s wear, shoes, accessories and bath items.

www.loblaws.ca/60carlton
60 Carlton Street, Toronto, Canada M5B 1J1
+1 416 593 6154
Google map: bit.ly/U53Io0

* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

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This record shop is on the same road as the Rock Church and has a good selection of vinyl and CDs, including a metal section. The staff were helpful in pointing out Finnish bands and there is a section of the shop where you can listen to records or CDs to see if you like them, complete with a comfy chair.

www.levykauppax.fi/En
Arkadiankatu 14, 00100 Helsinki Finland
+358 9 458 7421
Google map: bit.ly/MVFasF

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Those who have visited Southeast Asia know how much fun the night markets are: one can spend hours strolling through the closed off streets, shopping, eating, browsing and catching some live entertainment.
Toronto’s oldest Chinatown – there are six in the Greater Toronto Area – is hosting the second annual Toronto Chinatown Night Market, giving visitors and locals an opportunity to experience a traditional Asian night market without spending the exorbitant airfare to get there.
The free event runs from July 20th until September 7th, 2012, from 5pm until 10pm every Friday and Saturday night. The area where the market takes place (Huron Street, south of D’Arcy Street) will be closed to vehicles between 3pm and 12am.
Street vendors sell everything from handicrafts to toys and household items. There is fortune telling – both English and Chinese, as well as games, giveaways, and music. This year, the focus of the event is food, with many food stalls set up, as well as street food eating contests.

www.chinatownbia.com
Google map: bit.ly/P8MIgU

* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

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Trulli are typical of the region, circular limestone buildings with a conical roof, each slightly different, kind of resembling a Moor's turban from an Aladdin film. They are dotted around the area, and come in different levels from basic to luxury. Rent one near Ostuni (The White City), only about 10km from the crystal Adriatic, visit different villages for dinner every night from Locorotondo (great outdoor club called Mavu) to a meat feast at Ceglie Messapica, or passegiata at Martina Franca. But maybe best of all is to go to the market in the morning to buy fresh Buratta, Altamura bread, Primitivo wine and orechiette. I'm dreaming again ...

www.vacanzeinpuglia.it
Google map: bit.ly/PQu34q

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The butchers in this village are open well into the evening and they give you the option to choose the meat you like from their fridge, and they will
cook it for you fresh and then serve it with chips, salad and regional wine; this is something so typical for the region but that no tourists would know to do, I was shown this by a Pugliese friend and would never have discovered it otherwise!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisternino
Google map: bit.ly/NF1Flc

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The butchers in this village are open in the evening as well, customers have the option choose the meat they like straight from the butcher's fridge, and they will cook it for you fresh, with chips, salads and regional wine; really typical way to eat and amazing food!

Google map: bit.ly/NkCD0R

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L'Isle sur la Sorgue is a pretty town built around the river Sorgue, it’s a colourful place filled with flowers. The town is a haven for antique lovers with 300 specialist shops; from gold laden cherubs to rusty horseshoes, there is something for everyone. Irresistible deli’s sell fresh bread and local produce – great for a picnic on the riverside.

Google map: bit.ly/ONuKil

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Every Monday from around 9am to 2pm there is an amazing regional market in the adorable little village of Forcalquier. It's year round but in the summer it's absolutely heaving to capacity - in the best way. Mouthwatering produce of course but also a fantastic variety of other things like beautiful Provencale tablecloths, homemade soaps, artisan crafts. It seems to take over the entire town and extends onto the "ramparts" and upper square. There are often second-hand clothes bargains to be found (tables of lovely stuff to dig through for 1 euro!) and usually there is some extremely funny demonstration going on of the latest cooking implement like a frites-cutter. It's definitely the type of place you can pass the whole morning (and fill your shopping baskets).
I also love dining at any "Bistrot du Pays" whenever I'm in Provence (they have them in other regions as well). This is a regional network of bistrots in very tiny villages that are the lifeblood of the villages. They all serve tasty, inexpensive three course lunches and most serve dinner too. The focus is on regional traditions and local food. My two favourite near Forcalquier are Pierrerue and Cafe de la Tonelle (reservations recommended at both).

www.forcalquier.com/
Google map: bit.ly/MVFCsz
A list of Bistrot du Pays is at:
www.bistrotdepays.com/
Cafe de la Tonnelle:
04230 Ongles
+33(0)4 92 73 19 89

Pierrerue:
Rue de la ferraille
04300 Pierrerue
+33(0)4 92 75 33 00

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Ly Quoc Su is a street on the western edge of the old quarter and is full of interesting and good cafes (Joma), pho restaurants and tourist shops, it has less hawkers than the other streets and is popular with locals as well.

Ly Quoc Su
Google map: bit.ly/OCy2qf

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Kensington Market in downtown Toronto represents true multiculturalism, with people of many backgrounds owning shops side by side, including Portuguese, East Indian, African, Asian, South American and Caribbean.
This bohemian neighbourhood offers everything you could ask for, with over 245 local, independent businesses, including some of the best vintage clothing shops in the city, eclectic cafes, funky art galleries showcasing local talent, ethnic butchers, grocers, fishmongers and cheese merchants, several bakeries, spice and dry goods stores, as well as a wide variety of dining options, ranging from classic French to Jamaican patties, and Central American treats such as empanadas and arepas.
I’ve been visiting this area since the early-80s and it hasn’t changed much: brightly painted Victorian homes, some of which have been turned into shops lining the narrow streets, alleyways covered in graffiti, modest family-run stores, grocers displaying a colorful outdoor array of exotic fruits and vegetables, and in summer, many cafes and restaurants offer live music on their patios. While real estate prices in the area have increased sharply since then, Kensington still remains a predominantly working class, immigrant community.
This tight-knit neighbourhood has worked hard to preserve its heritage: there are no chain
stores of any kind here. In fact, when Nike opened a shop here about 10 years ago, the locals forced them to shut down and move away. This is a very friendly enclave where organic bakeries take the place of fast-food restaurants, and vegan and vegetarian restaurants are the norm. Remember to bring cash, as many of the smaller shops do not take credit or debit cards.
Because the narrow streets make it challenging for both pedestrians and drivers, the local
businesses have organized a series of Pedestrian Sunday events in August and September from 12pm to 6pm where some streets are closed to motorized traffic.

www.kensington-market.ca
Google map: bit.ly/MwAbAj

* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

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Barcelona is the most fantastic city, but many people have had their holiday ruined by the world expert pickpockets for which the city is unfortunately famous.
My advice would be to buy a handbag with an outside pocket, a zip, plus, more importantly, a flap; they, apparently, are the most difficult to pick. So now they just take a Stanley knife to the strap, usually from a motorbike!
So, pop along the calle Hospital (down the side of the Liceu Opera on the Rambla). There are a couple of shops there that will sell you a length of chain cut to size, and fit a clip fastener to each end which you can then clip on to your bag, which of course needs to be one with rings to which the strap is attached. It will only cost you a few euros.

More very useful tips: always put your train/bus ticket in the outside pocket, NEVER in your purse. They watch at the entrance to the metro to see where you put your purse, and check its colour and size, so that they know exactly what they’re looking for. Avoid being jostled in crowds. If you’re wearing a back pack type bag, put it on your front.
Another good tip is to make a reduced colour photocopy of the relevant page in your passport. Then have it authenticated by a official stamp on the pack by taking the photocopy, plus your passport, to a post office? bank? police station? town hall? and when that is done, have it laminated. You now have a neat ID card, which you will need when you use your credit card, and you can leave your passport safely in the hotel. And keep your credit card separate from your money.

While you’re at the shop in calle Hospital, why not buy a made to measure belt? Choose your belt, have it cut to the exact size you want, and choose a buckle from a huge variety. It will cost you about 10 euros.

So all those who have had a holiday ruined, take my tips on board and give it another go!

Barcelona, Rambla - they don't use the plural any more

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They are based online but are currently doing some pop up shows. It's great a local gallery is looking for new and up and coming artists and not only that what they sell is pretty damn cool. Their framing is second to none and to be fair I dont know of anything or one like them in the Midlands.

www.thegallerycourt.com
+44(0)121 236 7557

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Inverary is a great little place on Loch Fyne, with mountain views, a castle and a perfectly-preserved 18th century small town layout. Plus a jail to visit. But there is also the Woollen Mill, with all the clothing that you could want - and that's sometimes a lot(!) - a whisky shop and a cafe upstairs, where they do two cream teas for £4.95, including cakes, sandwiches, scones and cream. Worth the trip.

The Anvil, Front St, Inveraray, Argyll, PA328LY
+44(0)1499302166
Google map: bit.ly/KLi2xC

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The David Mellor Design Cafe is a quintessentially British place for a cup of tea and cake, just don't expect it to be served in a floral cup and saucer. As one of the key British designers of the 20th century, the cafe epitomises David Mellor, simple, modern and stylish. The food, soups, sandwiches and cakes, come in delicious combinations of flavours. The white chocolate and cranberry scones are a particular favourite. On your way out don't forget to spot the set of working (David Mellor designed) traffic lights in the gardens!

www.davidmellordesign.com/visitorCentre/cafe.php
The Round Building, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BA
+44(0)1433650220
Google map: bit.ly/NcuJ5G

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Only three weeks ago I sat by a roaring fire on a miserable day, enjoying the biggest, moistest slab of carrot cake I’ve ever rejoiced at. I was at Barter Books in Alnwick, one of Britain’s largest second hand book shops, situated in a restored Victorian railway station. After a prolonged browsing session, the old buffet and waiting rooms are the cosiest place imaginable for a light lunch or comprehensive tea. I was torn between scones, cupcakes, traybake, and various fresh home-made cakes including fruit cake made to a secret family recipe. My companion suggested we share the carrot cake but I scoffed mine to a background of rain hammering on the glass roof, then polished off his remaining flapjack. Cake and books – a sublime duo. Kindles to be parked at the door. (I wish!)

www.barterbooks.co.uk/
Alnwick Station, Northumberland NE66 2NP
+44 (0) 1665 604888
Google map: bit.ly/JKu2mO

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Yummy sandwiches, cakes and scones up in a treehouse - what more do I need to say? Fanny's Farm Shop has several quirky teasheds and a delightful treehouse (which has to be booked) for birthday treats or a lazy Sunday afternoon. The surrounding pretty gardens are rather cluttered with signs but the huge slices of Victoria sponge and thrill of high dining between the branches make it worth the trip. At the shop, you can buy farmhouse treats, including marmalade sausages! Cream teas, packed in organic popcorn for the birds, can be ordered by post.

www.fannysfarm.com/
Markedge Lane, Merstham, Surrey, RH1 3AW (off M25)
+44(0)1737 554444
Google map: bit.ly/KW5pyr

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Portugal isn't known for its great gastronomy, and outside of Lisbon its hard to find restaurants without the decor of a UK public toilet with stark white tiling from floor to ceiling, though these restaurants run by their owners with the wife generally doing the cooking do delicious home-cooked food.
In the little visited Alentejo I would recommend Estremoz Saturday market in its large marble lined main square, where even the kerb stones are made of marble. Here little old ladies sell whatever is fresh in their vegetable garden and from their fruit trees, and their husbands sell their olive oil, olives and honey. Ask "posso provar" can I try in Portuguese and everyone will be willing to offer you a taste. The market is famous for its cheeses and cured meats all hanging on public display ripe for a tasting. After you have shopped try a tiny restaurant near to one of the old town gates, restaurant Azul, where every Saturday the kitchen offers three main meals, usually one fish and two types of pork, sometimes chicken served with plenty of homemade chunky bread, fresh olives, chips and salad. A main meal will cost around five euros without wine, hang your flat cap on the wall and sit down and enjoy!

Estremoz market, every saturday early until around 12.30pm, many buses from Lisbon or drive from Lisbon around 1 1/2 hours
Azul: Rua Victor Cordon n0 39, 7100-560, Estremoz, Portugal
Google map: bit.ly/LlaQ8W

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Although India is justifiably famous for its tea, Karnataka and Kerala are also renowned worldwide for the distinctive spicy coffee produced in the Western Ghats. Indians prefer to export this treasure to the world's enthusiasts, rather than drinking it themselves. But if you are prepared to hunt for the perfect present to take home, you'll find the beans in the commercial district of Ernakulam in Kochi. An unremarkable single-story building on Chittoor Road is home to Leela Coffee, where the thick chocolaty scent of roasted beans will draw you to the shop long before you see it. A counter stretches the width of the interior, and behind it looms an enormous grinder. They sell the beans by the kilo, or you can choose a vacuum-packed bag of ground deliciousness for 240 INR. However many bags you buy, you'll wish you bought more when you arrive home.

Leela coffee, Chittoor road, Valanjambalam +91(0)484 2375706

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Helmsley is a very nice town. I really appreciate the Verbena spa, it is one of the best I have been to! Helmsley has really nice surroundings and many small boutiques with friendly, helpful staff. I'm especially fond of Libby Butler's jewellery. It is a great place for a romantic weekend, or a fun and relaxing weekend with friends.

Google map: bit.ly/KYN5Fg

Libby Butler:
www.libbybutlerjewellers.co.uk/
1, Borogate, Helmsley, York, YO62 5BN

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