The last time I wrote about London, I made a promise to myself that the next time I visited I had to venture further than my little happiness triangle consisting of the beauty counter in Liberty, the shops on Regent Street and the tea emporium at Fortnum & Mason.
This little trajectory is based around seeking out a travel bookshop in Holland Park, and covers ground around South Kensington and Notting Hill Gate tube stations.
I started at the café at the Victoria and Albert Museum which is possibly one of the prettiest place I've ever had a cuppa.
Even the trays and takeaway cups are beautiful...
The gift shop at the museum is full of trinkets that would make perfect gifts, like William Morris print writing paper, pretty little pairs of scissors and seed packets. There is also a separate bookshop which I sadly discovered about three minutes before closing time...
Heading over to the tube station I chanced upon South Kensington Books, an independent bookshop with a small but lovely selection of art and travel books at very reasonable prices.
Nearby is the Hummingbird Bakery. I realise I'm a little late to the party on this one, but their red velvet cupcakes really are amazing - deliciously moist and smothered with lashings of cream cheese frosting.
I took the tube to Notting Hill Gate and walked all the way down Holland Park Avenue to find Daunt Books, which I purposely sought out for its excellent travel selection. I bought a lovely little book called 'Loving Venice' by Petr Kral, published by Pushkin Press.
Next I wandered up towards Notting Hill, discovering pretty pink mews...
... walls of flowers...
... and rows of houses in ice-cream shades.
Finding this purple lovely on Portobello Road right before I had to head back to my hotel was a lovely way to wrap up my wander.
Which neighbourhoods of London should I explore next?