Best of the High Street
If London is great for one thing, it's High Street shopping. Oxford Street is lined with shops offering up the latest fashion trends for the lowest prices. Trends in London turn over pretty quickly, so if you want stay current you have to shop all the time. If you're not the son or daughter of a former Beatle, chances are you're shopping on Oxford Street. These are my favourites.
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The mecca of High Street shopping. Whether you're rich or poor, you've got something from Topshop in your closet. This is where Kate Moss has her collection.
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This place features more down-to-earth versions of the latest trends. UK celeb stylist, Gok Wan, is the spokesperson for this chain.
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The best way to describe this place is that it's the Japanese version of the Gap. Best. Jeans. Ever. Japanese denim is like its beef - soft.
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A whole London block long and about three floors high. Despite its size, it is always packed. Why all the fuss? The trendiest clothes for prices that you can't beat anywhere. A raincoat for £15? T-shirts for £4? It's almost like they are giving it away. Almost.
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Very girly. And very cheap. A lot of London's under 20 crowd can be found here fighting over the last pair of ankle-length leggings.
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Waiting at Wimbledon
Come the end of June, you cannot talk to a Londoner without talking about Wimbledon. Everyone always knows who the English hopefuls are, even if they are unseeded. While the English definitely make time to go to Wimbledon, it’s also very much open to tourists looking to take part in an old English tradition.
Tickets are still available for purchase each day of play. 500 tickets are released to those who are committed enough to line up. A very good friend of mine who is also a huge tennis fan, started lining up at 5AM for same-day tickets one year, only to discover that she was not the first one in the line.
Needless to say, there is a lot of waiting that goes on at Wimbledon. If you’re going to make a day out of it, here are a few places to check out in and around Wimbledon:
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Opened its doors in 1999 and has since become a Wimbledon institution. Nip in for their set lunch (£14 for two courses) or cap off the day with one of their set dinners (£18 for three courses, Monday to Thursday).
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With branches in Mayfair, Notting Hill and Richmond, Matches adds a bit of West London glam to Wimbledon Village. As we all know, tennis ensembles are less than fashionable. Why not re-charge your fashionista batteries and pick up a McQueen frock in between matches?
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It's a pub. 'Nuff said.
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London lounging in the heart of Wimbledon Village. An off-shoot of the popular Eclipse bars in Notting Hill and West Hampstead, this is the place to go when you want a cocktail. Don't miss their Fig Old Fashioneds.
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Yes it's a chain. Nevertheless you cannot beat their avocado bacon burger, garlic mayo or vanilla milkshake.
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