Monday, September 17, 2007

gardener's London

spent the weekend in London, and managed to get up early enough on Sunday to visit the Columbia Flower Market...if I had a garden, a balcony, or even a windowsill in London, this is where I'd spend a lot of time. Azaleas to zinneas, tropical grasses and winding vines--you can buy just about anything for 5 pounds. Since my old fave market Spitalfields is currently being turned into an upgraded mall experience, I was happy to wander down Columbia road listening to the flower hawkers and admiring a truly fabulous straw cloche at the Fred Bare hat shop.

Appropriately, that night we stayed in the Pavilion Hotel's "flower power" room (floral wallpaper, wrought iron furniture, floral-painted antique headboard, floral bedspread, thistle-shaped lighting fixtures...ought to be hideous but in fact it's gorgeous) Unlike the thousands of deadly-boring, peeling-wallpaper hotel rooms across London, the Pavilion has personality to spare--which makes it a great place for decadent rock&roll photoshoots. But even with all the antique furniture, faux-marbling, and rock star lighting, it's inexpensive and quiet--not what you'd expect in a place with a purple Lamborghini parked outside.
this is the hallway's fainting couch...ideal for changing your shoes after a very long day of shopping & sightseeing...

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