Window Shopping

I headed for London's Oxford Street this afternoon to recce a few laptops on the 5th floor of John Lewis, with a view to ordering one online when the time is right.  After a fruitless search for some tan low-heeled court shoes (the shops are currently filled to capacity with rack upon rack of boots), I met my friend Sue in the reception of Broadcasting House.  We had a good catchup over a meal, resisting the temptation of pizzas in favour of salads so that we could blow all our calories on naughty desserts.  And a cheeky Prosecco for me as well.  While I'm here, it would be churlish not to give Sue's book The Assassination of the Archduke a quick plug.  Highly recommended if you want a different take on the characters of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his beloved wife Sophie, or are looking for a Christmas gift idea for your history-loving family and friends.

The Christmas lights are now shining brightly over London's West End and my favourite is Debenhams' colourful star theme, which really made it stand out from all the other stores on Oxford Street.