London-themed Gifts

      ,   No comments
For £35 or less

Gibsons : London from Above Puzzle — £14.99
Gibson is an independent, family-owned company is one of the oldest of its kind in the UK. Illustrated by Phil Dobson, the aerial perspective includes 75 historic landmarks and sights in London (a summary of these can be found on the back of the box). Although it is only 500 pieces, the combination of small pieces and details makes it a bit more challenging the expected to put together.
www.amazon.co.uk/Gibsons-London-Above-Jigsaw-Puzzle

Fortnum & Mason : Trio of Teas — £16.95
Founded in 1707, Fortnum & Mason located in Piccadilly is considered to be London's oldest department store. Three of their most popular loose leaf teas: Afternoon Blend, Early Grey Classic and Royal Blend are included in this taster pack (25 g of each).
www.fortnumandmason.com/three-mini-fortnum-s-famous-teas


Accessorize : London Umbrella— £18
Accessorize is a fast fashion brand with 150+ stores in the UK. The umbrella features London’s iconic landmarks and transport and is both compact and lightweight. Since it is made from recycled materials, it is even environmentally friendly too.

Harrods : Landmarks Card Holder— £22
Harrods is a luxury British retail institution known throughout the world. This card holder with intricate designs of London landmarks includes three slots - just enough for a driver’s license and a credit card or two along with a handy zippered pouch for cash.
www.harrods.com/en-pa/shopping/harrods-landmarks-zipped-card-holder


Emma Bridgewater : Union Jack Mug— £25
Established in 1985, Emma Bridgewater is the largest pottery manufacturer based in the UK. Her mantra is 'the necessity of getting the thought and design absolutely right'. The classic Union Jack mug with red and blue bunting on the inside edge is the perfect size and weight for a cuppa anytime.

Bonus : Order now for 15% off and free shopping for orders over £50.
www.emmabridgewater.co.uk/products/union-jack

Harrods : Small Logo Bag — £35
The well-designed ‘shopper’ bag from Harrod’s Signature Collection is both functional and fashionable. The outside is waterproof and wipes clean while the inside includes a magnetic snap closure and a zippered interior pouch.

Tip : Accessorize, Fortnum & Mason and Harrods all have shops at the airport that tend to stock London themed items - making it easy to pick up gifts that won’t be counted as a part of your luggage allowance.

Gift giving that won’t break the bank!

Favorite coffee table books

      , ,   No comments
Despite an increasingly digital world, coffee table books remain popular. Here are four of my favorites:


Love London — This book features 200+ black-and-white and color photos of iconic London sites and day-day-scenes accompanied by quotes about London. Compiled by famous photographer, Barbara Chandler, described by the Evening Standard as the sharpest eye in London.  What’s not to love?



London in Bloom — Notable photographer, Georgianna Lane, captures all things floral in the capital. The book includes stunning full-color photographs of London’s floral markets, florists, gardens, parks and more. If there is nothing better than London in the sunshine, it’s on another level when it blooms!

Bonus : Lane has two other similar books - 'New York in Bloom' and 'Paris in Bloom'.


London Sketchbook : A City Observed — Over 150 pencil drawings and watercolor paintings by Graham Byfield grace the pages of this beautiful book. The informative text is broken up by architectural renderings of full facades to the smallest of details. Such a wonderful way to see London in a whole other way!

Bonus : Byfield had done similar books for Cambridge and Oxford and further afield (Amsterdam, Bali and Barcelona).


Keep Calm Carry On —While there are no photos in this book, it is full of timeless, uplifting mantras, proverbs and quotes. It is hard to imagine a World World II poster by the British Ministry of Information would still be popular and hold meaning today.

It is nice to know as much as things change, there are some things that stand the test of time!