Monday 4 November 2013

Christmas Country Living


My Mum and Dad's annual visit to London is always timed to coincide with the Christmas Country Living Fair so that Mum and I can rush, arm in arm around all the pretty stalls and tick off some of the names on our Christmas lists (as well as coming back with a few presents for ourselves!) My Dad tends to visibly blanch at the mention of the CL Fair so he and my husband go for a wander around Camden passage, usually enjoying a warm beverage at the Austrian coffee house, Kipferl and then they wait for us at Carluccio's.


I think I've said this before, but this fair is not for the faint of heart! It gets incredibly busy and rather fraught. Mum and I were under strict instructions not to spend all day in the fair this year as we had tickets for the first night of Jeeves & Wooster at 7pm (which was absolutely excellent!) So we quickly perused Caroline Zoob's stall which is always a feast for the eyes!


Then we whizzed off (stopping at a few stalls along the way) to see Chloe Antique's stall which is always so pretty; filled with mercury glass, delicate china and lovely linen cushions. It's always so nice to go and see Chloe and Emma, despite the swarms of busy shoppers surrounding their stall they always have a minute to say hello and have a quick chat. Mum and I left the fair, weighed down with shopping bags and ready for a nice lunch and a perusal of our goodies!


11 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a wonderful time!!
    xx

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  2. It sounds and looks wonderful! Hope you found lots of treasures.

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  3. Oh now I'm feeling a tiny bit jealous! Big Sis is living just up the road from here at the moment on Holloway Road and it would have been the perfect opportunity to visit but bad timing meant I was already booked up. Looks fab though - I especially like those sweet stockings with the pocket bunnies. Thanks for giving me a glimpse x Jane

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  4. Thankyou for a lovely post,the photo's of all that gorgeous stuff! delightful.Will you post photos of the things you purchased? I like the sound of a porch ,a garden room how lovely it sounds!'bye for now Pam.

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  5. Looks great! I've never been to the Country Living Fair, I really want to. And Carluccio's is my all time favourite restaruant x

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  6. Your photos are lovely. I would have liked to have gone to the Country Living Fair but couldn't this year.Thank you for sharing your posts, I will call again. Just bought the latest copy of CL magazine today. Sarah

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  7. What a beautiful fair! I would have loved to go there! Thanks a lot for sharing these impressions,
    Monika from Germany

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  8. Ooh Charlotte, I'm so excited! I have been to the Islington fair before, but I'm going to the CL Fair in Harrogate this year, much nearer to home! I went last year and it was fab ... afternoon tea is going to follow at Betty's too. Looks like you had a fab time and so nice to spend a lovely day with your Mum

    Love Claire xxx

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  9. I love the fair but always get a bit frazzled with the crowds. I went on Friday this year and got to see Kirsty Allsop do a Q&A - really warmed to her.

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  10. What a coincidence, my daughters and I visited the CL fair on Friday and we went to Carluccios for tea and cake afterwards...the fair was very busy wasn't it...too tight for comfort, and I didn't get to take any lovely photos like you did.
    Caroline Zoob's stall was one of the loveliest there though. Sharon

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  11. I love the term "fair": and the term "stall". I think our antique malls here should call them stalls and not booths. This looks like great fun. I am enjoying your blog as I sit here seeing 8" fresh snow from yesterday. I have a shop though and must open so the party is about to be over!

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