Price Tag

Too high or a bargain? What do you think?

Get Paid to go Shopping

Quidco launched their new shopping app at this pop-up Boutique last Thursday. The crowds enthusiasm was understandable given that they were in with a chance to win £100 just for downloading the app and 500 walked away with the cash.

The pop-up store is gone but you can still win cash when you go shopping. How? Download Quidco's app, it's free. It pays 'cashback' when you make a purchase at any of the 3,300 retailers listed on their website. Get paid for shopping sounds good to me. What have you got to lose?

Grape?

Oxford Street has been a work sight for what seems like forever, however the other day I saw some of the results. A wider pavement. That might not sound much if you've never tried to battle your way along this street before, but believe me it's a bruising experience. The fruit vendor was a welcome sight rather than another obstacle to negotiate as a result of the wider pedestrian way.

Boxing Day Sales

I must have been crazy to venture anywhere near the shops yesterday. Queuing began at dawn, elbowing the norm, arms loaded with bags. I need a coffee just thinking about it.
Tradition has boxing day the first day of a three day sale bonanza. Then the rest of January is sales. Economic crisis? Hard to imagine if you were any where near Oxford St.

Pretty Piccadilly

The art deco Piccadilly Arcade in its Xmas frock. Take a deter from the busy main street and wander through this lovely arcade and do a bit of leisurely window shopping.

Brixton Market Leads the Way

Shopping Queen Mary Portas was challenged by the Prime Minister to come up with a solution to resolve the decline and slow death of the High Street. Her solution? Treat them like small businesses and incentivise them accordingly.
Did you take a look at Brixton Market Mary? It has already happened here. A mixture of pop-up stores, small cafes, artisan boutiques, take a look if you haven't been there for awhile you will be pleasantly surprised.

Wellies for the Wet

Forget the Jimmy Choo's give me a brightly coloured wellington to slosh about in the rain thanks.

Bargain Hunting

I was trying to find some pieces for a photograph project I am putting together, it was the stalls on the side streets off Bricklane that were the best. You can find anything here. I can report my bargain hunting was hugely successful and cost me all of £1.

Man in a Box

Ok now this comes under my bizarre category. Febreze, yes those people who make products to make your home smell lovely, are conducting an experiment at Westfield Stratford City shopping centre. The man has been in the see through sealed box since Wednesday. Hosted by TV presenter Stephen Mulhern encourages the public to assist him in creating even more smelly activities for the man to partake in. (you can vote via the febreze facebook page). Wednesday's challenge was grooming a dog. Thursday he is slicing a box of onions and peeling hard boiled eggs then tossing them into the bin, that will remain locked in the box with him. YUK.


He will be let out Saturday morning. Pooh!
Febreze will then go in and spray everything with their products.

Guess they have fingers very crossed hoping the experiment works. You can go down and check for yourself how bad it smells as they open the door.

To get to Westfield from London take the new fast train from St Pancras. It takes 7 mins! Although my journey came in slightly under that. Very impressive.

Colour

Choose a scarf.

Food dilemmas

Food shopping. Like death and taxes, there’s no avoiding it.


Whether we like it or not, food choices have always been inextricably linked with class and morality. Our attitudes to food reflect underlying fears about changes in lifestyle, family and society as a whole, and food is a powerful tool for criticising the behaviour of individual consumers.

On the face of it, the complex judgements we face today when shopping look remarkably similar to those faced by 17th century consumers, revolving around issues like price, ethical sourcing, and nutritional content. But scratch below the surface and not all is quite as it seems, with very different belief systems coming into play.

This autumn, Wellcome Collection is holding three free events exploring the relationships between food, health and morality. On Thursday 29 September, join a panel of expert commentators to discuss contemporary food dilemmas in Bad Behaviour in the Kitchen. And for the 17th century perspective, come along on 25 October or 3 November to take The Cook’s Tour.

Put our events in your shopping cart for an affordable, nutritious and guilt-free consumer experience.

Shopping List

Not sure this number is on the shopping list.

Ice-Cream or Beer

Less and less of these iconic cones are seen outside the corner store. Postcards, beer, ice-cream, bread, cleaners and more. All those handy things if you just pop down the street.

Elevator

An original elevator from the department store Selfridges, now in the Museum of London. Just over a hundred years old Selfridges was the first store to allow customers in to "just browse". In Victorian times one only went into a store to make a purchase. It was unheard of to actually leave without having bought anything.

A Little Extra for the House

A charming decor shop in Islington.

Victorinox more than a Swiss army knife.

Swiss army knives and luggage. Well that was what I thought of when Victorinox invited me to their store in New Bond St. I soon learnt there is a lot more.
For starters the impressive range of kitchen knives. I'm a sucker for a great kitchen knife. Testing the ceramic knife (above) was my idea of kitchen fun, just throwing the tomatoes at it produced great slices.

I did check out the Swiss army knives of course. I chose this one. Encrusted in diamonds and just a mere £63,000.

The clothing range was a big surprise. I'm still thinking about that lovely woollen jacket.

Victorinox are promoting their clothing range as a mix of workwear, military wear, ski wear and motorcycle gear. Did I mention the perfumes and watches?

Definitely more than Swiss army knives and luggage.