The Department Stores
Contrary to popular belief, Harrods is not the only department store in London. The British invented the department store, and they have lots of them, mostly in Mayfair, and each has its own customer profile.
Go East, Art Lover
The East End neighborhood of Hoxton used to be a tawdry backwater until artists starting flocking here and opening studios, cleaning up the discarded mattresses and rejuvenating abandoned buildings.
Success was assured with the opening of White Cube 2, 48 Hoxton Sq., EC2 (tel. 020/7930-5373), owned by Jay Jopling, the leading dealer in modern English art, whose artists include Britain's most contentious, Damien Hirst. The other hot gallery is Victoria Miro Gallery, 16 Wharf Rd., EC2 (tel. 020/7336-8109). Some of London's most controversial art appears here. Miro represents Chris Ofili, whose "Madonna and Dung" painting enraged former New York mayor and art critic Rudolph Giuliani.
These art dealers and the artists themselves (that is, those who've sold a painting recently) can be found dining at Cantaloupe, 35 Charlotte Rd., EC2 (tel. 020/7729-5566), which serves Mediterranean cuisine and great tapas. This informal bar/restaurant, with its wooden tables and industrial fittings, prepares such superb dishes as chargrilled Aberdeen Angus steak with rosemary butter or fried halloumi (a white cheese from Cyprus) with olive salsa. Open Monday through Friday from noon to 3pm, and Monday through Saturday from 7 to 11pm. Main courses cost from £8.50 to £15 ($13-$23).
Take the Tube to Old Street to arrive near the doorsteps of all of these establishments.
Bookstores
In addition to the bookstores reviewed, you'll find well-stocked branches of the Dillon's chain around town, including one at 82 Gower St. (Tube: Euston Sq.).
Fashion
Classic -- While every internationally known designer worth his or her weight in Shantung silk has a boutique in London, the best buys are on the sturdy English styles that last forever.
Cutting Edge -- Currently, the most cutting-edge shopping area in London is on Conduit Street, W1, in Mayfair (Tube: Oxford Circus). Once known for its dowdy airline offices, it is now London's smartest fashion street. Trendy shops are opening between Regent Street and the "blue-chip" boutiques of New Bond Street. Current stars include Vivienne Westwood, 44 Conduit St., W1 (tel. 020/7439-1109), who has left her punk origins behind and is now the grande dame of English fashion. See below for her flagship store. Krizia, 24 Conduit St., W1 (tel. 020/7491-4987), the fashion rage of Rome since the 1950s, displays not only Krizia's clothing lines but her luxury home goods as well.
For muted fashion elegance, Yohji Yamamoto, 14-15 Conduit St., W1 (tel. 020/7491-4129), is hard to beat, and Issey Miyake, 52 Conduit St., W1 (tel. 020/7851-4620), is the Japanese master of minimalism.
The Comeback of Carnaby Street -- What happened to Carnaby Street? A faded echo left over from the Swinging '60s? That was true for a long time. But Carnaby is rising again. A new influx of talented designers and offbeat shops are popping up not only on Carnaby but along its offshoot streets -- Newburgh, Foubert's Place, Kingly Street, Marlborough Court, and Lowndes Court. Innovative boutiques seem to open each week behind small Georgian shop fronts.
Among the zillions of shops are such favorites as Mikey, 26 Carnaby St., W1 (tel. 020/7437-1101), London's pioneering jewelry shop, which has chosen Carnaby Street for its flagship store. Lambretta Clothing, 29 Carnaby St., W1 (tel. 020/7437-7078), retains the mod lifestyle philosophy and has launched a range of casual wear for men and footwear for men and women. The line has a retro feel, but uses the latest fibers and fabric finishes of today. All Saints, 1 Great Titchfield St., W1 (tel. 020/7323-3883), is the creation of noted designer Stuart Trevor, one of the most innovative British menswear designers.
Where Top Designers Go for Inspiration--Just for fun, head for Brick Lane in E1 in London's East End, taking the Tube to Liverpool Street, then bus 8 heading toward the emerging district of Shoreditch. Here, along Brick Lane, beginning at 7am (winding down around noon), vendors from the far corners of the long-gone British Empire sell all kinds of clothes and fabric. The street is lined with inexpensive Indian restaurants, the best of which is Beigel Bake, 159 Brick Lane, E1 (tel. 020/7729-0616), if you find yourself hungry.
If you'd like to see African-Caribbean life in London, head for the Brixton Market along Electric Avenue, SW9. Take the Tube to Brixton. To the sound of reggae, including lots of Bob Marley, you can munch on jerk pork and other West Indian eats and search for bargains, including the cheapest clothing sold in London.
Electric Avenue is the main street of London's African-Caribbean life; it was immortalized by Eddie Grant, the Jamaican singer. As you stroll the avenue, which is rife with fruit and vegetable stalls, duck into Granville Arcade for Britain's widest selection of African fabrics, reggae CDs, and other shopping surprises. The market is best visited Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 8am to 6pm; Wednesday from 8am to 1pm; and Friday from 8am to 7pm.
Vintage & Second-hand -- Note that there's no VAT refund on used clothing.
Music & Video
Collectors should browse Notting Hill, because there are a handful of good shops near the Notting Hill Gate Tube stop. Also browse Soho in the Wardour Street area, near the Tottenham Court Road Tube stop. Sometimes dealers show up at Covent Garden on the weekends.
The ubiquitous Our Price chain is worth checking out for current chart-toppers at great prices.
Americans should beware of buying videotapes in the United Kingdom; the British standard is PAL, which is incompatible with the U.S. standard NTSC. Even if a tape says VHS, it won't play in your machine at home. The same is true for DVDs. What plays in Britain won't play on U.S. machines.
