A Shopping Day

A Proper Good Morning to You,

I leave tomorrow, so I shopped today.  I'll tell you where I went, and those destinations provided unparalleled opportunity for window licking, but I'll only say what I got for myself.
I went to the Sainsbury's down the street for a last bottle of cidre and a couple of boxes of tea.  I'm going to have to take the bags out of the boxes in order to fit all this tea into my suitcase.  I'll be glad when I have it to drink at home, but I won't like carrying it!  Too bad I am leaving just as I have almost mastered the self checkout machines.  I wonder if the skill will carry over until my next trip.
Then I went and got some cash and took a stroll down Covent Garden way.  This is primo shopping territory, but not necessarily for me.  In the old days the neighborhood was--shall we say sketchy, but it got nicely cleaned up for the tourists and featured a lot of quality arts and crafts sort of shops.  No more!  This is a high rent district now, and the street surrounding the Piazza and the Piazza itself are Brand Territory.  It made me wonder.  What sort of travelers are so awash with cash that they come to London to frequent Dior and Prada?  I mean I know people who travel with the purpose of shopping, but they don't need to go overseas to do it.  And the rich folks I know are on trips for reasons other than picking up luxury items.  There's a big Apple Store, too, that seemed to be very popular.  There was a queue to get in.
Then I took the tube from Covent Garden Station to Knightsbridge.  I walked down Sloane Street because I wanted to visit Chelsea, a part of London I had not been to.  Before Chelsea became a popular girl's name it was a London suburb. The original Saxon name of the place means chalk wharf.  Ok.
It's very tony, or at least the parts I saw were.  There are expensive-looking flats, and all the major brands are represented.  I saw a lot of beautiful items.  Of course I also saw goods that I thought were ridiculous and solely for the purpose of conspicuous consumption.  Each shop featured an attractive and elegantly dressed attendant, who looked bored and lonely.  I wonder if they work on commission?  And if it pays.
I wandered Chelsea for a bit then walked back down Sloane Street to Knightsbridge and Harrods because I needed a toilet.  I walked around the store, and it is beautiful and worth seeing.  I saw a few people buying or at least seriously looking at the luxury goods.  I helped myself to a squirt of high end perfume from Jo Malone, but I explained to the cheerful and gracious shop assistant that since I was a tourist that was all I was after.
I tubed back to Holborn, which for all its bustle is more of a real people neighborhood. I felt more comfortable shopping here.  For one thing I got some food.  I have a nice baguette sandwich from Pret a Manger.  All their food is good!
Everyday I passed a chain called Patisserie Valerie acknowledged to be one of the best French bakeries in London.  Today I succumbed.  I got a slice of double chocolate gateau.  Hey I am just test driving the place for a friend who loves pastry and wants to visit London.  The sacrifices I make . . .
Also I saw a lot of Priuses on the streets today.  Go hybrids!  On the other hand I don't--truly don't--understand why anyone tries to drive in London.  You can get anywhere on public transport and your own feet.
Also Londoners smoke or a lot of them do, and since they can't indoors, that means they smoke on the streets.  Ugh!
You have lost focus, Pil.  That double chocolate gateau--that means cake, right?
It's French.  The French have a lot of word for cake.  Gateau means sweet cake with frosting.  So this particular one has a knob of choux pastry filled with cream on top like a tiny eclair.  I'm eating it first.
Good for you! And?
The main event is chocolate cake with thick chocolate frosting.  The cake part is very light and fluffy.  The frosting is dense, dark, rich chocolate.  Perfection!
Thank you to my many readers!  I appreciate your support of my blog, and I hope you enjoyed following along.