I'm dreaming of a wifi Christmas

I used to work at a office based in Soho, and had a very enlightened boss who when it got to December, would let my department take our lunch hour at any time, so we could do our Christmas shopping in the non peak times. It was bliss - you could pop out at 11 and get a few presents and there would be no-one else around. Times have moved on, and I've never had it so easy since. However, recently my shopping woes have been put in perspective. I have a lot of friends with small children - and if you think it's hard to do your Christmas shopping solo, but tied to nine-to five office hours, imagine trying it with a large wailing, wriggling bundle as well. Thought so....

So what are the alternatives? Internet shopping is easy, but can be very - well - boring, dare I say it... Amazon or John Lewis online is fine, but it's not the same as rootling through those little shops you keep secret, finding the perfect thing for that difficult to please friend or relative is it? But all is not lost - now some of the best and quirkiest items are on the web - and here's a line up of my top websites to shop at when you can't get out of the house...

Ho ho ho

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/

http://www.etsy.com/

http://www.littlebabycompany.com/default.asp

http://www.retrosixty.co.uk/index.html

http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/

http://www.toast.co.uk/

http://www.pedlars.co.uk/

local questions for local people

As this is a blog - I thought I should really reference some of the blogs that I get my questions answered - at least some of the local ones! So this isn't really a question - but hopefully you might find these blogs of interest too:

http://brockleycentral.blogspot.com/

http://transpont.blogspot.com/

http://thedeptfordgirl.blogspot.com/

http://www.weebirdy.com/

and this one - I just like...

http://www.ninakatchadourian.com/languagetranslation/sortedbooks.php

Next post will be about the daily emails that really do give you info you want - worth signing up for...

askhat

Kitchen crisis

Dear AskHat,


Where do I buy a new tap for the kitchen sink from? Ours is either full on splash or off..nothing inbetween! (you know about things like taps don’t you?!!)

D

Dear D,

Taps are surprising expensive, and I assume you want a mixer tap? If you're going to change it you could go wild and get either a quooker tap as well - which replaces the need for a kettle (and is eco friendly) or one that gives you filter drinking water as well or a spray tap, which you can use to wash down the sink etc as it has a removable head. Try some of these places below - as well as the usual John Lewis, Band Q etc who are often a v good place to get these things from. Avoid magnet /mfi etc as they are wildly overpriced and you might find something good at a local buildings merchant - we've got two good ones near us - sids bathrooms, and he olby which are used by pros and diy'ers alike...

http://www.tapstore.com
http://www.heolby.com/
http://www.quooker.com/
http://www.sink-shop.com/category-71-Pull_out_Spray_Taps.aspx

Shopping for dirty stop outs

In my misspent past, I might have occasionally spent the night somewhere that wasn't home...and then had to go to work the next day. Despite working in Soho (home of the walk of shame surely) it was very difficult to find anywhere that opened before 10am to buy something to wear to the office - where I was expected at 9.30am! In those days, Topshop (ever after known as slapper shop)was the only option, but here's a list of weekday opening and closing times for various useful shops that can save your blushes. After all, if the evening's going well, why not pop into one of them on the way home - and give yourself a few more hungover minutes in bed in the morning!

In order of earliest opening:

Primark:

mon - friday: 8.30 -9

Topshop:

mon -weds, friday: 9 -8
thurs 9 -9




H&M:

mon -weds, friday: 9 -8
thurs 9 - 8

John Lewis:
mon -weds, friday: 9.30 -8
thurs 9.30 -9

Selfridges:

mon - friday: 9.30 -9

Liberty:

mon -weds, friday: 10 -7
thurs 10 - 8

Reiss:

mon -weds, friday: 10 -7
thurs 10 - 8

Cos:

mon -weds, friday: 10 -8
thurs 10 - 9

Zara:
mon -weds, friday: 10 -7.30
thurs 10 - 8

Harvey Nichols:

mon-fri: 10-8

Any other clothes shops with particularly useful opening hours?

Other types of shops will follow...

askhat

A reader asks...

Partying in 40's style...

Dear askhat,

I wanted to ask you if you could ever came across what would make a great location for a 40s theme party. Somewhere a bit homely / shabby / retro and not too expensive. I am trying to organise a party and struggling to find the perfect spot. I realise I might have to compromise as what I want probably doesn't exist but still... Wanted to have the party next month but at this rate it might have to be later in the year.
All suggestions welcome.

Love

K.


Dear K,
What about the Rivoli Ballroom, just opposite Crofton Park train station in SE4 - very cool, totally 40's/50's and I don't think it's horribly expensive. The main hall is very big, but apparently they have a half size one too at the back and the bar is fabulously well priced. Talk to Bill @ The Rivoli on 020 8692 5130. No website of it's own, but lots of pictures on other people's websites...

Hoxton hall is another possibility as well. It's got a range of rooms, again for hire and not fearfully expensive. The website is:

http://www.hoxtonhall.co.uk


For more tongue in cheek 40's - and not much work for you, try the Bloomsbury Bowling alley. It's not as shabby, or as realistically atmospheric, and it will probably be much more expensive by the time you factor in drinks etc. Their website is:

http://www.bloomsburybowling.com

I hope this helps - and if anyone else has any suggestions, please do add them.

askhat

In the beginning...

There was a girl, who had a brain that retained useless and obscure information. As she grew up the useless information became less useless, and more useful and after a while friends, and friends of friend would ring her and ask - "where's the nearest postbox to gt malborough st" (answer on poland street) "What time does x shut", and "where's a nice restaurant near london bridge that isn't the garrison?". All these questions, and many more have been answered, so now it's time for more queries...

The answers will be subjective, and Londoncentric, but hopefully useful and/or interesting. I'll try and answer any question.

fabhat