An oasis born of a phoenix

Brown Hart Gardens is a typical London story and one of the reasons I love the place so much. Originally a set of gardens in a working class district, the area was buried due to the need to develop an electricity sub station; an elevated replacement with classical Italian architecture replaced it but the 1980s saw it closed after it had fallen into disrepair. Seven years ago it re-opened then closed again; a year ago they were re-opened and it is now a beautiful place of calm with a lovely coffee shop just three minutes from Oxford Street in one direction and about the same distance from Grosvenor Square in the other.

TSM and I walked Mayfair afterwards but it had a seedy atmosphere today. Wealth is not synonymous with good taste; there were lots of chauffeurs with beer bellies having whispered conversations 'round the back of posh hotels, and a whiff of casinos and surly men being trailed by unhappy women.

But on the whole a very good day, a lovely lunch with The Yoga Mama and TSM bought no less than two new pairs of shoes...