The Perfect Morning In London

Sometimes only caffeine, fried dough and chocolate will do, so today started with breakfast at Churreria Espanola on Queensway with Moby, Maggie and Martin Amis. OK, so Martin Amis wasn't actually with us and I didn't actually recognise him but I never see famous people so I had to mention it.

This was a bit of an excursion for me. Since moving to Islington I rarely venture far from the number 19 bus route, but I took one of those lovely little black buses that drop you just where you want to be and beat the rush hour. 8.30am seemed like a hellish time to meet, especially as I knew that Arbutus would be a late one, but a croque monsieur, two caffe con leche, some chocolate espagnol and three churros with sugar and cinnamon soon put me right.

From here it felt like London was all mine and so I headed to the West End for a little more retail therapy before I leave. TopShop was my first shop, and is actually slightly less hellishly frantic than usual at 10.30am. It's no wonder that Kate Moss always looks so good, not having to shop on a Saturday when it's total carnage in here. Next up Jaeger and probably the cutest dress I have purchased in, oooh, three days. A walk through the back streets of Soho in the sun (with the wind making sure that the whole of Carnaby Street saw my M&S control tops) took me to Liberty, my favourite shop in the whole world. Who knew that I needed a peacock feather Liberty print, silk jewellery roll? Who even knew one existed...I restrained myself (a little) and just purchased some thank you cards from Billet Doux that are really sweet. Given that I still haven't got round to sending my thank you cards from my trip to Jo'berg before Christmas, it may be sometime before this self-gift becomes useful.

Next up, Covent Garden. Rough Trade records for a friend's musical education, Neals Yard Dairy for some samples of cheese (because I haven't had enough saturated fat yet today) and I end up buying some Berkshire, gherkins and petit lucque olives. I can't miss out on the Monmouth Coffee store, the best coffee in London, either. Even their decaf is delicious. Next I decide that I will try on bikinis and discover that they look much better if you're wearing hold-you-in-tights. Who knew? I decide not to buy as I am not yet sure that Bondi is ready for this beachwear innovation. It strikes me that I might look better in a bikini if I ate less, but lo, I magically find myself next to Beard Papa.

A trot up Tottenham Court Road takes me to FOPP for some more CDs not bought in a chainstore environment and then to Heals, for more lovely things for a little girl to have. It's not far to Drummond Street from here and great Masala Dosa at Diwani.

Then its home and I spot a chap wearing a bowler hat, entirely unironically, on the bus.

I can't tell you how much I am going to miss London.