South Bank and Selfridges

Midweek days off are a treat, especially in the run up to Christmas. Working in Soho and battling the daily Oxford Street crowds is enough to drive anyone mad, let alone braving it on a weekend. So with some holiday to use up before Christmas (even now, I still have seven days left) and the late night Hunger Games showing, I decided to make the most of a three day week and trip down to the South Bank.

I wanted to check out the secondhand book stall (outside the BFI and open seven days a week) to try and find a few books for the Blogger Book Swap (I have the lovely Claire of Jazzpad) but after no luck, I had a quick wander round the Christmas market. Whilst not as impressive as its Parisian counterparts (particularly the ones in Montmartre and on the Champs Elysees), there's something very cute and, of course, seasonal about the little wooden chalets selling hot wine and decorations.

And the old classic merry-go-round of course...

From there, I set off for Selfridges (a girl's got to treat herself sometimes, right?) and headed over the bridge, returning the waves from boats passing below, up Northumberland Avenue, through Trafalgar Square (and The Pig Idea), up the illuminated Regent Street and along to the beautiful windows of one of London's most-loved department stores.

Ignoring the temptation to venture from floor to floor, I made a beeline for Illamasqua and yielded to the need for a new face...but that little story is a tale for tomorrow...