miss b loves ........ exploring London, past and present.

London is one of those cities where there's always something new to discover, no matter how many times you visit.....

A couple of weeks ago on a rainy Thursday, after checking into St Ermin's (a hotel which deserves its own post!) I set off to Spitalfields, in the east end of London. At the heart of the area is the preserved Old Spitalfields Market (London's oldest market dating back to 1638!) five minutes from Liverpool Street station and Thursday is Antiques and Collectibles day......

The market is surrounded by modern restaurants, cafés, bars and independent shops including The Cambridge Satchel Company and The Lollipop Shoppe, a very stylish design store .....  

I was tempted by Lola's cupcakes .......

.... but I resisted as I was on a mission to find Nude Espresso which I'd heard was one of the best coffee shops in London ...... and I wasn't disappointed with my flat white or the Florentine which I'm determined to recreate using this recipe

Brick Lane, the curry capital of London is nearby..... 

Curry is often a good choice in the evening but preferring something lighter for lunch, I opted for Albion in Shoreditch. Co-owned by renowned designer and restaurateur Terence Conran, the vast majority of Albion's food and drink is British and the in-house bakery produces award-winning bread too. 

Day 2 ... St Paul's Cathedral ......

.... morning coffee at Bea's of Bloomsbury, decorated for Valentine's Day.... 

.......and a five minute walk to the Museum of London which documents London's history from prehistoric times to the present through reconstructed street scenes, artefacts and video clips.

A few highlights ......

Young Londoners have helped museum staff to refresh the Roman London gallery exploring the links between Londinium and the city of London today. Modern objects displayed alongside Roman artefacts were chosen by young people to show the links between the past and present. 

Must-have imports then and now.... Samian pottery bowl, a luxury piece of Roman tableware made in France, stands next to....an iphone....

This is a museum which is relevant and interactive. It's no wonder the groups of school children were so interested and enthusiastic!

This Selfridges bronze lift was installed in the store in 1928 and the uniformed young women who operated them were apparently quite a novelty! (I'm sure I spotted a similar lift in Sunday's episode of Mr Selfridge!)

Three distinctive but very different dresses caught my eye ....

1.Dress worn by Helen Clark to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. The fabric features iconic London buildings.

2.Beatles dress worn in 1964 by Pauline Richey when selling programmes at the premiere of the Beatles' film 'A Hard Day's Night.' 

3.Volunteer dress worn during the Olympics opening ceremony. Every face on the dress is someone who volunteered his or her help at London 2012.

Surprisingly, many visitors to London don't seem to know about this excellent museum but it's well worth a visit!

Talking about the present....there are so many striking modern buildings in London and although opinion is often divided, many of the imaginative designs appeal to me and I like the contrast between the old and the new ....... 

Bank Junction with 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin)
just visible in the background

Next to the Gherkin is the brand new Leadenhall Building nicknamed 'The Cheesegrater' because of its distinctive wedge shape! 

One of the most eye-catching additions to London's skyline is of course The Shard .......

The Shard in the background

I doubt that I shall ever tire of London...in fact my next mini trip is already being planned.... 

......more London posts here and here