Hope or No Entry?

Two weeks into 2021 and London has started the New Year with a lockdown. It’s hard to imagine London empty and shut down.  I hope these photos from Bank , down to the Thames and onwards to Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Kensington capture the emptiness and beauty of this silent capital city.

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For all the trials and difficult times I’m sticking with with ‘Hope’. Stay safe, well and creative, the days are getting longer, we’re on track for better times.

No handbag???Keeping things to a minimum, going out with my Zrow Lifestyle Phone holder and that’s it.

From inspiration to presentation

After months of preparation the first showing of our Spring/Summer 2017 collection kicked off during Scoop & the City, held at The Old Billingsgate Market mid-July.

Having drawn our inspiration from London, from nature and from living a life of handbags & jewellery, with a clear vision and complete conviction we finalised our range, instructed and waited for the samples to arrive.

It was a painful wait, because the bulk of the samples just didn’t turn up and as the deadline drew closer… a week closer, 5 days closer, 3 days closer we were beginning to doubt our chances.

With 2 days to go, the samples arrived, last minute is far from ideal but it’s a whole lot better than a ‘no show’.

I often wonder, once the stand is all set and the show opens its doors to buyers and press if anyone really knows the true trials from inspiration to presentation.

 

It was a great show, the new collection was much admired, new orders, new contacts, old contacts renewed. Circle closed, now we go from presentation to new inspiration.

The Mayor’s view

Years of hard work do pay off, these days I am often invited to events held in what I can only describe as rather ‘fabulous’ places. My idea of a fabulous is a place that visually takes my breath away.
I know I wax lyrical about London and my love of this metropolis so whilst I believe I know it pretty well (which I do, of coruse :))  there are always new places, new buildings, new cafes and new views to explore.
So this week I was invited to a meeting at City Hall, 9th floor to be precise, the floor with the view!!

London had gone from winter to summer in the space of a day, it was a sizzling 25c, (which us Londoners really consider as summer) and the streets were positively pulsating, especially Thames side- who wouldn’t want to take a stroll along the river on a hot sunny eve?
Following some security questions and having had my bags checked I headed up to the 9th floor of City Hall. I’m quite sure that London’s Mayor Boris Johnson never tires of the view from this, his ‘office’, it is quite some view and certainly thrilled me.

The main problem was trying to concentrate on the meeting whilst wanting to hang-out on the balcony and London gaze.

Tower Bridge during golden hour:

 

 

 

The ever changing skyline of the City of London, this is one spectacular view:

 

 

The Tower of London still holds it’s own, surrounded by it’s modern ‘neighbours’:

The tallest ‘kid’ on the block, London’s The Shard towers over the South side of the Thames:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, yours truly, loving the view ( and the sunshine):

 

 

The wonders of Tooley St, London SE1

Tooley St in South London connects London Bridge to St. Saviour’s Dock, it’s as exciting as it is long and whichever way you choose to walk down, you’re in for a treat.

Today, was a perfect autumn day in London: unexpectedly warm and beautifully sunny. A work engagement took me down to London Bridge station and a right turn down Tooley St, SE1, the joy! first up, The London Dungeon- I don’t do scary but the entrance to this place is quite something

Next up, the Hayes Galleria and ‘More London’ building

#88 Tooley st is the historic pub ‘The Shipwrights Arms’

Tower Bridge rd was closed for traffic but open for ships! the result: no traffic down one side and an endless queue down the other

The City Hall looked quite spectacular from The Potters Fields

The old Fire Brigade Station is now ‘Brigade’ bar and restaurant

 And finally, a glimpse backwards sums up this rd, the marriage of old and new- The old buildings and arches of  London Bridge station and London’s newest ( and tallest) landmark, The Shard

Old V New

The ever changing London skyline, from Tower Bridge through the new City Hall to The Shard. I love this city!

Checking the progress in the City of London

 

Quite time in the City of London was the perfect opportunity for me to go and check out the progress.. so much construction going on, so many wonderful new modern buildings springing up. With the City of London virtually dormant over the festive season, I saw this as my time to ‘inspect’ the new buildings up close and re-visit the old markets and cobbled streets. I ended up at the Thames to view the now complete, open and spectacular Shard and down river to the very old and equally spectacular London Bridge.. with it’s Christmas lights on.  I know I have said this so, so many times but there’s nothing quite like London!