Shoes... and Lozzie!

Today we went shopping. To be more precise; shoe shopping. It was MAD! (silly British saying meaning it was AWESOME!)

To put the day into context, I will elaborate quickly... Emma and I woke up, I met her cleaner Gwen (momentous as Gwen was often cleaning around Emma as we skyped, while Em was unemployed...) and caught a taxi into Maidenhead where I had a physio appointment to fix my gimpy knee (havent mentioned this previously - sore since Relay for Life and turns out its ITB getting irritated from not resting it... ouchies but getting better!)

For some fine-dining lunch we went to Noodle Nation - delicious! It definitely lived up to Emma's hype (apparently every food establishment in Maidenhead is amazing/delicious/great (especially the Italian!)!!) and well worth the £7... Once full of delicious noodles, we caught the train to Paddington then onwards to Oxford Circus...

Where we surfaced outside the flagship Topshop store - convenient for those who want to spend 2 hours in one store! Two rounds of changing rooms, many armfuls of clothing, about 20 pairs of shoes, accessories, bags, scarves.... Ridiculous.

More about the shoes:

• I met a very pretty pair of emerald green suede pumps - they looked lovely.
• My love of wedges was heightened by a beautiful pair of tan leather heels with a gold buckle. Very lovely...
• There was also a bright pink pair of clog wedges. Funky, a little bit Barbie, a lot exciting...
• I was introduced to FLATforms since arriving in London - what the hell?!! Having said this, I tried some on today and they look rad, I may be investing in some to bring back to NZ.... These ones were gold. Say nothing!
• HIGHLIGHT! I got to try on some Jeffrey Campbell (fave shoe designer) Night Walk Platforms.... These shoes have been in my dreams for some time. They are odd, they are funky, and they are seriously high - as experienced today. I didnt take a photo as I was being questioned by some British chicks "aren't you going to fall backwards??" They look like this - http://www.solestruck.com/jeffrey-campbell-night-walk-nude-leather/index.html

Following Topshop, we went to our second and final store of Oxford St - ALDO!!!!!! My love of shoes began here; I am currently in lust with a very beautiful pair of white leather and grey suede wedges with a high ankle buckle. Very much my mother, its almost embarrassing.

The other pair high on my List o' Desire was a pair of royal blue satin pumps. Very Carrie Bradshaw, I almost cried with happiness...

MOVING RIGHT ALONG!! We tubed down to Highbury & Islington on the Victoria line to meet my awesome-sauce cousin Lauren and her hubby Scotty from Aussie; they're living here, working and traveling and being generally fantastic...

We met in a pub called The Famous Cock (yes, I chuckled too) where our 'quick drink' turned into an hour-long glass of wine!

We eventually left The Famous Cock (hehe) and went to a funky restaurant down the road called Zilofs - which looked and subsequently tasted amazing!! I had the tempura prawns as an entrée and smoked salmon with pickled capsicums and other delicious veges... YUM! Dessert was three scoops of the most amazing, super flavoursome raspberry and mango sorbet, with chocolate ice cream and fresh berries.... Teamed with amazing company, I had a fantastic night - talking about everything from travel to history to jobs to imminent babies being born (Lozzie's about to become an aunty!!)

At the end of the evening, saying goodbye was tough. But after many hugs we parted ways, caught the train back to Paddington and on to Maidenhead, and now we're tucked up in bed ready to do LOTS more tomorrow!

xx