Wee Birdy

Wee Easter finds: Hand-painted Rococo chocolate

Clockwise from left: hand-painted gentleman hare, made with dark and white chocolate, £30; hand-painted dark chocolate egg with Japanese bird design, filled with a mixture of Grand Cru ganache-filled mini eggs and truffles, £25; and hand-painted egg with leaping hare, filled with Grand Cru ganache-filled mini-eggs, £18.95, all by Rococo chocolates.

Rococo shops in London:
321 Kings Road
London SW3 5EP
Tel: 020 7352 5857
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Monday 12pm - 5pm
Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 6:30pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

5 Motcomb Street
London SW1X 8JU
Tel: 020 7245 0993
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 6:30pm

45 Marylebone High Street
London W1U 5HG
Tel: 020 7935 778
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 6:30pm
Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Feathers at Ralph Lauren A/W 2008

Just catching up on the last of the New York a/w shows at style.com (I know, I know, I'm way behind) and spied
some of the fabulous feathered hats and brooches at Ralph Lauren.

If you like the look, head to London's ribbon and haberdashery emporium, VV Rouleaux, which stocks a fabulous selection of all sorts of feathers and materials to make your own brooch or head piece.

But if that's all too hands-on, seek out their own range of stunning feathered brooches from £12. On a recent visit I picked up a bold black feathered number, just like the ones pinned to the lapels in the Ralph Lauren show.

VV Rouleaux
www.vvrouleaux.com
102 Marylebone Lane
London W1U 2QD
Tel. 020 7224 5179

54 Sloane Square
Cliveden Place
London SW1W 8AX
Tel. 020 7730 3125

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Ralph Lauren photos courtesy of style.com

Where to buy Australian in London

Happy Australia Day, birdies. Just before I head off to inhale a pile of lamingtons, here's where to buy the best of Australian in London.

Check out Australian designers at:

Austique
330 Kings Road
Chelsea
London SW3 5UR

Tel: 020 7376 4555
• Rachel Gilbert
• Cohen et Sabine
• Alannah Hill
• Alice McCall
• Anna & Boy swimwear
• Camilla & Marc
• Zimmermann
• Fleur Wood
• Leona Edmiston
• MOR cosmetics
• Vani-T tanning and body products

MOR beauty products

Fleur Wood

Liberty
Regent Street
London W1B 5AH
Tel: 020 7734 1234
• Mozi homewares (Australia’s answer to Cath Kidston)
• Ghost & Lola jewellery
• Yeojin Bae womenswear

Harvey Nichols
109-125 Knightsbridge
London SW1X 7RJ
Tel: 020 7235 5000
• Wheels & Doll Baby
• 18th Amendment jeans
• Metalicus (essentials for layering)

• Sass & Bide
• Juliann lingerie and slips
• Camilla
• Flamingo Sands swimwear
• Jets swimwear
• Becca cosmetics (My make-up bag staples are Luminous Skin Colour foundation and Crème Blush in Wild Orchid)

Becca Luminous Skin Colour foundation (pssst apparently Kylie's a fan)

Mimi London
309 Kings Road
London SW3 5EP
Tel: 020 7349 9699
• Collette Dinnigan
• Willow

Collette Dinnigan

Collette Dinnigan
26 Cale Street
Chelsea Green
London SW3 3QU
Tel. 0207 589 8897

KJ’s Laundry
74 Marylebone Lane
London W1U 2PU
• Carl Kapp
• Ginger & Smart

Ginger & Smart

Browns
23-27 South Molton Street
London W1K 5RD
Tel: 020 7514 0063
• Josh Goot
• Lover
• Tina Kalivas
• Michelle Jank accessories
• Sass & Bide
• Anna & Boy swimwear

Josh Goot

Selfridges
400 Oxford Street
London W1A 1AB
• Jayson Brunsdon
• Nobody denim
• A’kin (gorgeous organic botanical beauty range) at Farmacia

Jayson Brunsdon

No-one
1 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA
Tel: 207 613 5314
• Alice McCall
• Ksubi
• Elke Kramer jewellery

Alice McCall

Elke Kramer

Get your Aussie beauty fix at:

• SpaceNK
• Jurlique (I love the Rosewater Balancing Mist)
• ModelCo (The Lash Wand Heated Eyelash Curler is one of their bestsellers)

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist

And check out Innika, an excellent Australian mineral cosmetic brand which is 100 per cent vegan.

For essential Australian treats, like Iced Vo Vos, Violet Crumbles, Twisties, Minties, Vegemite and Tim Tams, head to:

The Australia Shop
27 Maiden Lane
Covent Garden
WC2E 7JS London
Tel: 020 7379 0723

Harvey Nichols also stocks a range of Australian gourmet food, including:
• Maggie Beer
• Bird in Hand olive oil
• Aunty Joan’s Gourmet Toffee
• Byron bay Cookie Company

Head to Waitrose for:
• Anzac biscuits
• Bundaberg Ginger Beer
• Dandaragan Olive Oil

Pick up a bottle of Aussie plonk from any Tesco or Marks & Spencer, or look for a boutique wine at:
• Aussie Wine Direct
• The Aussie Wine Company
• Australian Wines Online

And dine out with an Australian chef at:
Pied a Terre, tel 020 7636 1178 (Shane Osborne)
Smiths of Smithfield, tel. 0207 236 7666 (John Torode)
Nahm at the Halkin Hotel, tel. 020 7333 1234 (David Thompson)
The Ledbury, tel. 0207 792 9090 (Brett Graham)
Petersham Nurseries, tel. 020 8605 3627 (Skye Gyngell)

Phew. I can't believe I got through all that without a Walkabout pub, can of Fosters or a flamin' galah in sight.

p.s. try this lamington recipe from the Australian Women's Weekly (another Aussie icon).

Top bird loves ... Cutler and Gross Spring/Summer 2008

Sixties-inspired eyewear by the kings of cool specs, Cutler and Gross. Can it get more heaven than this? I adore the seductive styling of our star-crossed lovers.

Here's to you, Mrs Robinson.

Cutler and Gross
www.cutlerandgross.co.uk
16 Knightsbridge Green
London SW1
Tel. 020 7590 9995

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Nearest tube: Knightsbridge

For more shops in SW1, click here.

Buying cashmere in London

As I mentioned in a previous post, the streets are awash with the soft, soft touch of cashmere.

If you’ve ever thought about investing in a quality cashmere piece, now is the time to make your move, with the winter sales currently in full swing.

And while all cashmere is luxurious, some cashmere is more luxurious than others (apologies to Orwell). Here’s my pick of the best places to buy the good stuff in London:

N.Peal
Founded in 1963, N.Peal is one of the luxury cashmere brands located in the historic Burlington Arcade, with separate men’s and women’s stores. The knitwear is made and designed in Scotland, using Mongolian and Chinese wool. Cashmere scarves are currently on sale for £79 (down from £99), with certain lines reduced by up to 50 per cent.

www.npeal.com
37 and 71 Burlington Arcade
Mayfair
London W1
Tel: 020 7499 6485

Berk Cashmere
One of London’s more traditional cashmere specialists located in the Burlington Arcade. Think classic cashmere twinsets, sweaters and cardigans. House-brand cashmere scarves start at £99.75.
46-49 Burlington Arcade
Mayfair
London W1
Tel: 020 7493 0028

Brora
This Scottish brand is renowned for its high quality cashmere and classic investment pieces. Cashmere scarves start at £45. If you’ve got your eye on a cashmere sweater or cardie, hold off ‘til 16 January, when the sale starts.

Loving the adorable cashmere baby range:

www.brora.co.uk
344 Kings Road
London
SW3 5UR

186 Upper Street
London
N1 1RQ

81 Marylebone High Street
London
W1U 4QJ

66/68 Ledbury Road
London
W11 2AJ

17 High Street Wimbledon
London
SW19 5DX

Pringle of Scotland
One of Britain’s leading luxury knitwear brands, Pringle started knitting cashmere in 1871. The argyle cashmere sweater is a Pringle classic staple.

Check out the cute kids Autumn/Winter capsule collection for argyle au go go:

(Cashmere aside, here a couple of my favourite looks from their younger and more directional 1815 collection for Spring/Summer 2008:)

Head to Pringle now for 50 per cent off selected items.
www.pringlescotland.com
London stores:
141 Sloane Street
London SW1
Tel: 020 7881 3060

112 New Bond Street
London W1
Tel: 020 7297 4580

High Street picks:

Marks & Spencer
Excellent range of everyday cashmere pieces at reasonable price points, starting at £20 for a cashmere scarf, and £39.50 for short-sleeved sweaters. Sale on now.
www.marksandspencer.com
Find stores here.

Uniqlo
The fun marketing campaign featuring cashmere-clad sock puppets has been hard to miss on London Tube escalators in December, and so is this Japanese brand’s ultra-affordable prices and huge range of fashion colours.

Prices start at £39.95 for cashmere tops. Sale on now.
www.uniqlo.co.uk
Flagship Store
311 Oxford Street,
London,
W1C 2HP
T: 020 7290 7701

170 Oxford Street,
London,
W1D 1NQ
T: 020 7307 9671

Cashmere Clinic
If your cashmere gets moth holes or needs to be repaired, send it to a cashmere specialist. This place is the best in London.

The Cashmere Clinic
www.cashmere-clinic.co.uk
Flat 5, 53 Redcliffe Gardens
London
SW10 9JJ
Tel: 0207 584 9806