Florence and I

This is summer?

The oldest perfume shop in London

Amazing museum at the back with lots
of royal connections

Super star perfume lady who knew everything
about the history and scents

Couple arguing at Royal Academy
Summer Exhibition about which
painting to buy

One of my favs, a little bit of
inside / outside going on here

Royal Arcade

Important discovery - a chocolate schnauzer
 at choccywoccydoodah

Learning how to use a new type of marker

They call this summer? Rain. Wind. More Rain, Peak of sun. Rain. But a tourist must soldier on. My fav blog about all things London is taking me on a detour to Jerome St and the oldest perfume shop in London, Floris. 

The plan is to take a photo of the outside and move on, alas it is raining again. So in I go. Can I take a picture? Yes, madam go right ahead. Let me show your our little museum out the back. Now lets try some scents:

• White Rose, the favourite of Florence Nightingale  (there is even a letter in the museum from Florence saying thank you)
• The scent Queen Victoria wore on her wedding day
• This one is Ian Flemings favourite - it smells like Dad
• Now just move over a little bit, right smell this bubble bath, you are now standing in the same spot Marilyn Monroe did when she smelt this and immediately brought five bottles

My favourite is White Rose. What an experience. What a shop!

Now onto the main evert, the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. The place is heaving, school kids, ladies who lunch, millionaires snapping up artworks - its all happening. Tracey Enim has done her usual half arsed effort, there is a new way to display photos, lots of video this year I wonder what the original trustees would say about including multimedia and plenty of great works to enjoy. This has to be the number one exhibition to do every summer in London.

Back outside is it raining? Just spitting so into Burlington Arcade out onto New Bond St and all the fancy shops. Diamonds, chocolates, high fashion, a rest at Sotherbys to watch the bidding, Liberty, Diseguel. My shoulders are getting sore from shopping bags but must push on. 

Time to get out the phone and use google maps to get me up to, Islington. I must be getting more acclimatised to London, I used to find the underground (tube) exciting. Now I just think it is hot, smelly and overcrowded. Though am still impressed by the frequency of services and love the masses of people. 

Right I have made it to my destination, its miserable, windy and cold I need a cup of tea. This place looks nice, whats that French music playing. How divine and look at the cakes. This must be the nicest cafe in the world - I feel like I am transported to Paris in the 20’s. (Later when I get home I find out this is one of Jane’s clients and they have plenty of other establishments to try out!)

Now I am off to art class. Bye.