Francesca reporting from London

I'm really excited to start this Monday and Bloesem's World Tour in London...the very lovely Francesca Iannaccone aka Birdie from Mrs.EliotBooks was kind enough to send us some really  nice images and information about a  street/area in London you definitely must not miss when visiting London...Brick Lane...thank you Francesca for writing today's post:
"One of my favourite things about London is its history, especially in the little things like the street names that evoke times gone by – Cowcross Street, Petticoat Lane and Coldbath Square to name a few. One of my favourite places for weekend mooching is Brick Lane, an area that through the centuries has been home to Huguenot, Jewish and Bangladeshi communities. Now, like so many run down areas of London, the trendies have moved back in, while preserving its eclectic past. So among all the great shopping you will find a stretch of curry houses all vying for your custom; 19 Princelet Street - a tiny synagogue hiding inside an 18th Century Georgian townhouse, and arguably the best bagel bakery in London.

Just off Brick Lane is Cheshire Street, where you will find several special little shops:

Unless you’re a 1940s housemaid or in the market for a £15 ball of twine, Labour and Wait may not be the place for you, but people swarm to this shop for its unique collection of utilitarian products for the home and garden and its timeless feel. Yes, even my cynical old man left the shop with two enamel camping mugs. They really know their market.

{one of the shelves at Labour and Wait}
Comfort Station is a gorgeous boutique owned by my sister’s friend Amy Anderson. She uses text, plays on words and ironic messages to produce distinctive jewellery and accessories, and the shop’s interior is as stunning as its products, with vintage suitcases used as display shelves.

Finally, Shelf is one of those chin-hits-the-floor shops, where if you’re not careful, you could spend a fortune on precious little things to fill your pockets. It has gorgeous stationery, cards, homewares, books, ceramics, all with a handmade, folky quality, including cushions in Stig Lindberg fabric and those amazing Liz Loveless screen printed books. Yes, this is the shop where I first encountered Atelier lzc. Enough said."

* * *Francesca's blog
* * *Mrs.Eliot Books
* * *Birdie Shop