Yesterday I became, very briefly, a lady who lunches. P's sister is visiting from Switzerland for a few days so I went up to London to meet up with her (and P) for lunch. P works in the City but none of us particularly wanted to eat there so we walked just a little way out and ended up in Spitalfields. What a beautiful area it is, and so so different from the gleaming glass towers just around the corner.
We had a VERY nice lunch here.
Just around the corner was this shop.
And this interesting looking place too - nice bags!
After lunch P's sister and I headed towards Brick Lane, and ended up walking along a beautifully-preserved Georgian terraced street with the huge attic windows that were installed by the Heugenot weavers who made their home here in the late 18th / early 19th century. They set up their looms in the attic rooms and continued to weave in their adopted city.
Brick Lane was not only full of curry houses - each complete with a doorman who always asked, most courteously, if we were at all hungry as we walked past. After the lovely lunch we'd just had we were most certainly not - although the food did look and smell wonderful. At the far end of Brick Lane we discovered the most fantastic selection of vintage clothes shops and spent a very happy couple of hours perusing the racks and wondering where on earth they manage to find such amazing vintage clothes.
The window displays were gorgeous - a vintage sewing machine, tea cups and lace.
And a very imperious 'head' with a seriously feathery hat.
When I was a kid, I SO wanted to live in Spitalfields. Then I spent a day working in a bookie's there and walking round the rotted fruit left behind by the market put me off a bit...
Posted by: Ponytail | 10/10/2009 at 10:32 AM
Sounds like you had a really nice day. I love looking through vintage clothes, so much fun.
Posted by: Jennifer | 10/10/2009 at 01:13 PM
I so loved reading this post and seeing the pics. It took me right back to when I lived and worked in London before getting married and moving to Wales.
One of my favourites, Dan Cruikshank, lives in Spitalfields and owns one of those wonderful large town houses. Pleased that you had a lovely day (and that you took your camera!)
Posted by: Wendy | 10/10/2009 at 02:36 PM
What a wonderful way to spend a day!
Posted by: Darling Petunia | 10/11/2009 at 03:18 PM