Liberty in London

As much as I adore my long-coveted Gigi Storksak baby bag – a treasured gift from treasured friends - I also delight in the times I can skip out the door unencumbered by my big bag. These days nothing feels quite as liberating as a nearly empty handbag. So imagine my joy this morning. Not only was my handbag carrying just a wallet, phone and lipgloss but I was hopping aboard a train headed for London accompanied by my mum. All the way from home.

Our first stop was The Providores in Marlyebone where we had the breakfast to end all breakfasts. Turkish Eggs – perfectly poached eggs served with whipped yoghurt, chilli butter and sourdough toast. It is seriously to die for. I know it doesn't sound that way but it is. Heaven on a breakfast plate. It's clearly not a low-calorie dish but anything as laden with flavour and taste as these eggs is entitled to carry as many calories as absolutely necessary, in my books.
After breakfast we meandered along the High Street where we quickly fell into interiors heaven. Mum found the perfect green paint for her study in her soon-to-be-built new home in Farrow and Ball and then we walked into the Designers Guild and I didn't want to go anywhere else. Ever. I'm normally quite scared by interiors shops. I've never had a place to decorate and I'm not at all savvy in aesthetic matters of the home. But this shop made me want to get savvy really quickly, right there and then. It's beautifully colourful. Bright fuchsias, citrus greens, Hermes orange, vibrant blues in fabulous patterns which make everything - furnishings, towels, wall paints, fabrics, bedding, tableware, blankets - pop. If I'm ever rich, this is one place I'll frequent. A lot.
From there we stumbled across a little gem of a baby shop – Rachel Riley – where Mum bought a very special dress for a very special birthday her middle granddaughter will soon celebrate. Are you getting a sense for how much fun we had?
Our next stop was Fenwicks, a small and divine department store nestled between Oxford Street and Regent Street where we ogled jewellery, salivated over clothes and tried on countless hats. At one point Mum pointed out a family battling with a pram and a crying baby and for just one tiny moment we rejoiced. Ok maybe more than a moment.
Liberty – how fitting – was our next stop. More ogling, more scarves and we even found the fabric Mum used to make my sister and I flowergirl dresses for my Auntie's wedding in 1987. We had a quick, late lunch at Fernandez and Wells before hopping on the tube for a small taste of culture.
We arrived at the Mall Galleries to catch the last day of the Royal Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition. I wish I could share some astute commentary on the fabulous paintings we saw but I can't. That's completely beyond me. I will say though it was a thoroughly beautiful collection to see. A real joy.
Not at all unlike the day itself.