Wednesday 25 September 2013

Another Sunny Day in London: Oxford Street & Liberty

After skipping a week thanks to a horrid cold I was determined to enjoy a Nice Day Out last week and was really looking forward to it, but when the day rolled round I was still feeling a bit sniffly and foggy-headed and also feeling guilty about the stuff on my To Do list that I needed to "catch up" on thanks to being ill. So, I made a "must do" list and worked through it at home that day and then had my day out the day after (Friday instead of Thursday)... but even then, it was sooo tough to make myself actually get out of the house and onto a train.

Each week I look forward to having a nice day trip somewhere but on the day it's so very easy to wake up and feel a bit tired and think "maybe I should just stay at home instead?", or to think "oh my gosh but I've got so much work to do!"

I'm very glad that I've got to "report" to you guys each week about my travels, having that small bit of accountability is really helping me stick with it. Which is lucky because, almost without fail, when I do actually get out of the house and onto a train and start wandering around wherever it is I've gone I have a lovely day and then the next day start work feeling fresh and de-stressed.

So... for my Friday trip I went into London to a) do some shopping and b) enjoy another lovely day of autumn sunshine.

I started with a walk down Oxford Street...
 
 

... from Marble Arch to Oxford Circus. I did a bit of shopping (including a visit to Uniqlo where I got a couple of super cosy faux-fur-lined hoodies to keep me toasty warm in my studio this winter) but mostly window-shopped and looked at nice/interesting bits of architecture.

 

Oxford Street is always so busy, it's not exactly the world's most relaxing place to be but it was nice to be out in the sunshine. I also wandered down a few side streets and in the process found somewhere I've walked past many times but never noticed: St Christopher's Place. The entrance from Oxford Street is really narrow, a tiny alleyway squeezed between two shops...


... but then it widens out into a lovely pedestrianised shopping street full of smart boutique style shops and restaurants and cafes with al fresco dining. It almost feels a bit through-the-wardrobe-and-into-Narnia, it's got such a different feel to it than the rush and noise of Oxford Street. 


Then I had some lunch and went to Liberty which really is like stepping into another, much more magical, world. Such a wonderful building, jam-packed with so very many wonderful things!

 
"No minute ever comes back again. Take heed and see ye nothing do in vain."

I couldn't resist visiting their Christmas shop, despite it only being September (so much sparkly deliciousness plus some pretty awesome life-size furry reindeer). It reminded me that I've had "visit all the Christmas shops in the nice London department stores" on my winter To Do list for years but never got round to it so I shall have to try and fit that in to a Nice Day Out in a couple of months time and really get myself in the mood for the festive season.

Oh, and I was also quite delighted to spot a pile of copies of my first book in their haberdashery department!

Then I walked down Carnaby Street...

 

... bought an icecream and walked to Trafalgar Square, getting a little bit lost a couple of times but not really minding. Just look at that blue sky...


Then I popped into the National Portrait Gallery to visit a couple of their temporary exhibitions (including the brilliant portraits by Jonathan Yeo) and their Tudor galleries (again) because I cannot resist their awesomeness... then I had a cuppa in a nearby cafe and headed home.

Note to self: this Nice Day Out thing is great, Laura, don't be a lazy idiot, don't fret about your To Do list so much, stick with it!!

8 comments:

Charlotte said...

what a wonderful day!

angharad handmade said...

Sounds glorious, Laura!

RuthDesigns said...

What a delightful day! I so wish I had your stamina for the walking, I haven't been to London in years as the MS makes walking any distance a pain. So... you have to keep going on your days out so I can enjoy them with you :). Thanks Laura for another lovely day!

http://thankfullga447 said...

Love Love the photos, my feet hurt already. Lots of walking but so much fun. I have passed the Liberty store so many times, I was at the theater
across the street to see Chitty.

Wendy Ward said...

thank you for going out and about I enjoy your walks so much as I love to see the places others are from. I know the feeling of thinking other things are important and not actually going out but I am sure this sort of thing inspires the creative juices- and I missed you travel post last week :) Keep up the good work

Tumus said...

I consider these post a mini tour of London and surrounding places :) Makes me want to make a list of places to go should I ever have enough $$$ to head overseas one day.

Anonymous said...

Snap! I was in Liberty's just today. Also visited the Christmas shop, full of lovely things but far too early yet. I saw your book there too, which is really full of great things. I bought a little pincushion needlepoint kit with squirrels on it. I trudged around on foot all day and am suffering for it now!
Sara

Bugs and Fishes said...

Thanks for the comments everyone, this really was a lovely day out - I was so lucky with the weather!

RuthDesigns - I'm glad you're enjoying my day trips! I love the amount of "exploring" we can do from the comfort of home these days thanks to the internet :)

ga447 - you definitely need to have a pair of comfy shoes for a day like this!

Wendy - thanks so much for your comment, it really is great to hear that people are enjoying these posts :)

Tumus - I do that in my head when I read peoples blog posts about cool places they go in the US! :)

Sara - The Christmas shop is so lovely, isn't it? It really is too early to be thinking about Christmas... though I was designing/sewing some Christmas things way back in the spring this year, things get so muddled up when you design patterns :D