Saturday May 5th

We started the day with... grocery shopping.  Went to Sainsbury on the bus and came home with 2 backpacks and 3 bags full of groceries.  We're stocked up for most of the next week.

Lunch at home and then a semi-purposeful wanderweg.  It was sort of a treats exploration.  I had the addresses of 2 chocolate shops and a Pierre Herme's macaron shop.  We took the bus down to Chelsea (surprisingly near to the apartment).  Wandered around looking at old houses, small retail shops.  Bought some chocolates and walked some more.  It was all very pleasant.  As we got to the 2nd chocolate shop, Maxine discovered that it was next door to French Sole, a shoe store specializing in ballet-style slippers that she'd heard about.  We spent about a 1/2 hour there and she found some really nice red 'slippers'.  At one point, another couple and their teen daughter came in.  Both mother and daughter were wearing French Sole shoes (by the way, it's an English company, not French).  The mother picked up 2 more pairs and the husband tried to encourage Maxine to do the same!  But, she limited herself to one pair.  A very interesting take on ballet slippers.

Did I mention that the weather was nice and it made for a VERY pleasant walk through a nice neighborhood?

Really, finally good weather?  OK,at least for a while.  I had rained (or drizzled if you prefer me not to be dramatic about it)  EVERY (!!!!!) day in the over 2 weeks that we've been here.

Kept walking and looking at interesting stores.  Ended up near Sloane Square and hopped a bus to Pierre Herme's shop.  We could have walked.  Maxine got a 1/2 dozen macarons, which are probably her favorite sweet snack.  And his flavors are particularly intense with a clean honest flavoring, not chemically.  And, it was good for me since I finally got to go into a Pierre Herme store!  There was one 2 blocks away when we spent time in Paris in 2006 but I'd stay outside with Cassie while Maxine shopped.  So, I guess I'm also saying that being at this shop made me miss Cassie...

Early dinner (6pm) at Tom's Kitchen.  We've found meals to be largely quite expensive here.  This was nearly $100 for a burger (me) and etc.  In general, we're also not that impressed with British food on a price value standpoint.  Was the food here good -- yes.  But worth the money?  No.