Mahjong Soul App - offers Mahjong 101 to anyone of any age looking to master the Ancient Game

An Amazing Challenge And Different Game For An Alternative End Of Year Break From Tradition

Headie Aster

2026-01-12T11:49:00.0000000 2026-01-12T12:15:30.3900000

This holiday I learned to play Majong on a free app!!! Majong Soul, is a free to use app I downloaded to my iPhone. It taught me how to play Japanese Riichi Mahjong although I cannot tell you how that differs from the original ancient Chinese game.

We love playing games in our family especially at the holidays. Risk, Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuits, even Chess, backgammon, cards. A way to pass the time for people who don’t live together and don’t all always get along, extended family. A board game beautifully shifts the focus and brings kids and adults together.

This year my kids went away on holiday and Christmas for me took a different beautiful turn. No pressure, time for myself, no tree, no wrapping (everyone got money) no cooking and more fantastically no washing up. People found it weird, when I said we’re not doing Christmas this year, they looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Responses, reactions came in different ways, “what will you do?” “What do you mean you’re not doing it?” “God I wish I could do that!!”

I didn’t miss anything except the game playing. I didn’t over eat, didn’t overspend, didn’t drink too much and didn’t come out the other side of Christmas more exhausted and financially strapped than I went in. I didn’t even miss the presents. All that unwanted stuff that ends up in the regifting cupboard was avoided this year. Phew.

With a few empty days I decided to take on a new challenge. I’d seen an incredible film online of an automatic Mahjong table resorting and reshuffling the game tiles, I was absolutely fascinated by it and had decided I wanted to learn to play. I looked into purchasing a Mahjong set, I was shocked to discover the prices vary from about £30 up to several thousands for the type of automatic set I’d seen online. And a Mahjong set requires 4 players, so buying a set wasn’t the answer. I didn’t know how to play and didn’t have people to play with this year at least.

I am not that tech savvy and have never played a game online, definitely not a gamer, but Reddit discussions guided me to Mahjong Soul an app you can download for free and practise against other AI generated players, new quieter friends who don’t argue, cheat or smash up the board when they lose.

I had no idea what I was doing. Once the app was downloaded I watched a couple of films on You Tube, Play In Games Mahjong 101 Beginners Guide was great and got me started.

The principle of the game is to make sets like Bridge or Rummy for card players. You start with 14 tiles and begin the game by discarding one tile. The idea is you need 4 sets of 3 tiles, either runs, or three of a kind and like cards the tiles appear in suits, I am still not sure of the specific names for the all outside of BAMS, (these look like bamboo sticks) DOTs, self explanatory and CRACKs, the most difficult to learn as they are Chinese numbers depicted by characters difficult to distinguish at the beginning if you don’t have any experience in Chinese.

Play moves very fast on the app, each player receiving and discarding a tile, and if you don’t choose a tile to disguard in time the app chooses for you which isn’t always the correct tile, so you have to really keep your wits about you. There are mid game rules like Pons and Chis, where you can pick up a discarded tile from another player to make a set that is publically displayed, giving other players a chance to see where more tiles are but it was recommended for beginners to avoid this more tactical game play until you really get the hang of it. In the app you get prompts to help you but this is an easy switch off option in the menu on the left hand side of the screen in game play until you get better at the game.

Everyone starts with the same amount of points and points are won and lost depending on how well you do against your new AI friends. I have kept Mahjong Soul at the easiest level and after a few days spent trying to understand the game, I have gone from coming last every time to coming second and even winning one or two matches.

Kai’s mean you have collected 4 of a kind tiles I learnt the other day however I wasn’t quick enough to accept this advantage so not 100% sure how it affects the end result. You can opt to call Riichi when you are one tile away from finishing and then you just have to wait and hope you are dealt the final tile you need before some else calls Tsumo or Ron, I don’t really know what the difference is except Tsumo when you get one scores much higher than Ron.

I realise it’s a game of strategy and you are supposed to be watching what everyone else is laying down to work out if the tiles you need are coming or have already been discarded. I haven’t got to this stage yet. The game moves very fast so with 14 tiles as a beginner it’s quite tricky and challenging to know exactly what you have and what you need.

All this said it has been quite a learning curve, very fun and quite addictive. You have to make sure you have time to play a match, which is five or six games on Mahjong Soul because you cannot stop and start once you are going. It’s great for beginners because the app will play for you until you can pick up and play for yourself.

Learning to play Mahjong has reminded me of a deathly cruise I took years ago to Mexico where it was so grim, I spent 5 days playing Bridge making up a four of then 80 year olds and being constantly told off by my partner for not being a good enough player.

I’ve got some practising to do before I invest in a set of my own and invite some real humans to play with me but I would recommend Mahjong Soul to anyone who wants to have a go learning the ropes without embarrassment or simply being too slow.

I don’t know if this is common but I’ve had quite a lot of exhaustive draws, when no one can get out. I do wonder if that’s down to me not knowing what I am doing and my current erratic game play strategy.

Wimbledon and The AELTC AI Takes Over Calling The Lines

And 300 line judges are either unemployed or watching computer screens in a basement somewhere

Headie Aster

2025-07-14T11:49:00.0000000 2025-07-14T14:05:52.9100000

Free image courtesy of Shep McAllister on Unsplash.

I am grateful to have got to watch 2 weeks of fantastic tennis once again on TV, via the BBC coverage and most matches being available to Pick and Mix on IPlayer. And this snoop is not to have a moan again about my unsuccessful Wimbledon ballot submissions over the last 20 years. Although it does drive me batty I cannot get a ticket despite my persistence, patience and loyalty to the championship and the sport as a whole. I do genuinely follow the sport and players all year round not just get my strawberries out the last week in June. The odds for the Wimbledon ballot which state online are about 1 in 10 chance of being successful. So clearly a lot more people want a ticket than they have available to allocate. I obviously have been particularly unlucky. This year I have even joined the LTA lawn tennis association. I was tempted to pay the £25 for an advantage membership entitling me to entry into their ballot as well, the only real benefit for paying the fee I could see however I read the chances of getting a ticket in the LTA Wimbledon ballot are no better than the public ballot at 1 in 10 so I saved the £25 quid.

I was very happy to find the free image at Wimbledon on Unsplash, now a somewhat historical archive showing the line judges of old, a tradition at Wimbledon for the last 147 years in action, a job now eliminated following the US Open and the Australian Open electing to rely solely on AI ELC using only Hawk eye live technology and a computer generated voice to call the balls out. Only the French Open of all the grand slam tournaments still employ the traditional officials on court.

I love tennis, and have for almost five decades. And as many of the players agree. Wimbledon for me is the most beautiful tennis championship in the world, something many people look forward to every year. I remember a science teacher Mrs Fairbanks always rushing home straight after school usually around the last week of term to make sure she didn’t miss a moment’s more action than absolutely necessary. I am sure her commitment to the tournament, a favourite teacher rubbed off on me.

I love seeing the ball girls and ball boys in their smart uniforms now provided by American fashion designer Ralph Lauren and even the players purloining the beautiful plush towels provided by Christy’s, collectors items that change every year. The pastel blues and pinks. striped shirts and chinos for the lines men and women and chair empires completed the on court set in preparation for the on court action.

I have to say they were truly missed this year. And I just don’t believe it’s the players who think the AI 10 camera set up around every court is better reported in the press just probably cheaper if the truth be known. They already had hawk eye installed as a back up when players felt the need to challenge the keen eye of a focused and dedicated professional. I thought it quite funny to see courses being offered to become a tennis official on the LTA Lawn Tennis Association website when if they carry on, it’s not going to be long before the human chair umpire or tournament referee is no longer needed either. Someone suggested sarcastically in a press article getting AI to randomly kick up the balls on the grass instead. Or maybe the net calling the lets.

Becoming a tennis official was something I considered doing because of my passion for the sport (and I did love the uniform:) to get on centre court another way, going around the outside until I realised the jobs had been axed anyway.

I am all for progress if things are actually improved but I’d guess for the ladies and gents who all lost their jobs this years tournament was a bit of a downer.

Wimbledon is recognised as an elite sporting event around the world and anyone who has been fortunate to get a ticket in years gone by will understand why so many people want to go yet even if you have the money to pay a premium,

unless you purchase at corporate level or a debenture seat available on exclusive websites literally for sometimes thousands of pounds it is virtually impossible to secure a seat for a show court.

I have loved watching this years championship on TV and also enjoyed the camera scanning the audience as it always does to show us the stars in the stands, Leonardo Di Caprio, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightly, Hugh Grant,John Lithgow and so many more younger faces I didn’t know the names of.

The winner of the men’s championship Jannik Sinner joked about being hit with a champagne cork in between first and second serves in his winners chat with former British tennis pro, the lovely Annabel Croft, “It’s a very expensive tournament”

I fear it has become so expensive you can now realistically only get a ticket on a black market or through an elusive Hollywood agent never revealed to the mere mortals, the genuine tennis fans entering the Wimbledon ballot year in year out and when February rolls around and the letter doesn’t land on the mat by post offering pre selected tickets for purchase we just think “Maybe next year?”

Parking the Pay By Phone app and the price of convenience

You could be paying 20% more by using a parking app

Headie Aster

2025-07-10T10:00:00.0000000 2025-07-10T10:16:04.8070000

I’ve got used to using my smart phone to park. In London they’ve completely done away with machines you can put money in so I am in the habit of using one of the few parking apps available depending on where you are across the country, Pay By Phone, Sippi, Ringo, there’s a few different ones.

I would never have discovered in a local car park in Leicestershire I paid a 20% premium for the privilege and convenience of using an app had it not been for an older gentleman asking for my assistance on how he might pay for his parking without the aid of a smartphone.

Yes there are people left in the world whose whole life is not centred around their phone.

I am still in the habit of keeping loose change in the ashtray in the car for grabbing a quick cup of coffee or historically paying for parking, a practise I have been forced to abandon in favour of digital app convenience training and too many times encountering poorly maintained payment terminals that eat your money, something that has happened to me quite a bit in the past.

Tasked with offering assistance to someone without a smartphone phone I discovered the same parking period would have been 20% cheaper had I paid cash and not used the Pay By Phone app. Which admittedly isn’t much money when the time purchase is short but in high value neighbourhoods that 20% can be significant.

I don’t know if it is true for all car parks and on street parking spaces across the UK but might be worth considering if you happen to park somewhere where paying with cash is still an option.

Of course the app doesn’t tell you would save money by not using it.

Personally I don’t find it that big a deal to pop money in the machine if the option is available and the parking payment machine actually works.

If you spend a lot on parking like me it could work out at quite a saving over the whole year paying cash instead even if you have a smartphone and are comfortable using the technology.

I am all for progress but surely technology should make things cheaper and easier for the community. I don’t see the value in technology if I can save 20% just by putting money in a machine instead. Where’s the value for me in that?

Abortion Is Decriminalised UK against Reform Party Wishes

Voted for overwhelmingly by Lib Dem’s and Labour M.P.s

Headie Aster

2025-06-18T07:10:00.0000000 2025-06-18T10:41:29.5670000

I didn’t have my own image of Westminster or the Houses of Parliament why you’ve got Trafalgar Square instead, signifying another epic battle in UK history.

I was very pleased to see the bill to end the locking up of vulnerable women seeking an abortion brought forward by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, the female M.P. For Gower in Wales elected in 2017 who tabled the so-called "New Clause One" (NC1) has passed overwhelmingly by 379 to 137.

Showing the world the UK will not follow Donald Trump and the US Supreme Court who overturned Roe Vs Wade in June 2022 when it comes to abortion rights for women.

In the US the Supreme Court, a body of judges nominated by the President (confirmed by the senate) the checks and balances system, who serve for life, basically eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion, effectively returning the authority to regulate or ban abortion to individual states. As a result, some states have banned or severely restricted abortion access for all women something I view as more misogynistic than “Christian” in principle. And whilst I

Understand personal faith plays a big part for many in this controversial and possibly divisive issue, my opinion is based on common sense as a women not any religious affiliations.

It was very interesting for me to see Reform UK oppose the bill by all but one M.P. Nigel Farage abstaining from the vote.

Calls for abortion law change had grown louder after two women, Carla Foster and Nicola Packer had been the subject of two very high profile legal cases in the UK, Carla Foster was jailed for an illegal abortion, her sentence later suspended after being forced to take medication to end her pregnancy by an abusive partner. Nothing happened to him and Nicola Parker who was investigated and faced the threat of jail after suffering a stillbirth in hospital and later being cleared of any wrong doing by a jury. The only terrible part of all this these two women had to suffer so horrifically at the hands of a state supposedly there to protect them before action was taken to ensure this doesn’t happen to anyone else on British soil.

I am delighted to see M.P.s in the UK pretty unanimously standing up for a woman’s right to choose in what has become a contentious issue especially after Roe Vs Wade being overturned in the US after 47 years.

For me this was a massive backwards step for all women globally still being subjected to brutalisation, FGM, and being married off as children when in a civilised and democratic country where women supposedly share the same equal rights as men, are subjugated in this way.

In the UK where we have a multicultural society from many different religious traditions it has been suggested the decriminalisation of abortion will lead to more gender selection within some communities where families prefer male heirs to female. And this could be true however in my view restricting the rights of the many to stop the few doing something abhorrent based on prehistoric beliefs about the value of one sex over the other only keep us stuck in an antiquated social template where women have to rely on men for their security and survival.

Whilst I am delighted to see our sometimes Victorian laws being thrown out in favour of a more just common sense approach to protect the most vulnerable people in our society as a whole I did not vote Labour and don’t think this government has the skills or experience to navigate and represent the public’s desire for peace and I think their should be much stronger positioning against war of any kind and votes cast like Brexit about our position and participation in it.

Government leaders who instigate war are in my mind no different from the “terrorists” they label, accuse and use to justify actions that are in effect exactly the same.

In Post Locker Postal System Is Great Until it Is Not

Good grief could it have been anymore stressful picking up a package

Headie Aster

2025-06-07T08:29:00.0000000 2025-06-07T15:45:09.7000000

I am sure everyone has seen the posting lockers popping up outside convenience stores around the country, a solution to Hermes and Evri and the posting and receiving calamity of online shopping. There’s an ongoing joke in our village, we saw the Evri guy last week so don’t expect him back for six months.

As our habits have changed, much more shopping for what we need now done online, low cost posting and delivery services have changed and developed with new players like In post offering convenient drop off and pick up lockers, providing a different solution, yet still as consumers our acceptance and tolerance of basically terrible stressful solutions, has not.

We still have to deal with not knowing if a parcel will turn up or not unless you opt for a much more expensive courier like FedEx or DPD.

About 6 months ago I started using Inpost and directing my purchases to a locker installation I have to pass on my way to and from work so very convenient for me to get an email or text telling me my parcel has arrived in the locker and to go and collect it.

The system is really easy, I pop a QR code under a scanner, a door opens, I get my parcel, close the door and press an acknowledgement to say all is well. Job done. It’s worked a charm and has become the way I receive and send everything.

That was until yesterday I hit a road block, my QR code didn’t work and when I tried to enter the six digit code that didn’t work either.

I called In Post and after speaking to someone a long way away on a terrible line I went into the convenience store where the locker installation is to try and find my parcels.

I was told they were not there but at another location around the corner.

I drove there and managed to collect two of the three parcels I was awaiting.

I only had emails for two of the three parcels so could only provide the information needed for two of my three items.

In my inpost app it said the 3rd parcel had arrived on the 4th June but had been returned to the sender on the 5th June, it was now the 6th June.

The shop keeper told me not to panic because that information was probably wrong and he would try to find it.

But with no email the code I needed for him to release the parcel I didn’t have.

I cannot believe this important code is no where to be found in the inpost app, a hundred digit tracking number sure but that’s no use when it comes to collecting from a shop.

I spent at least 30 minutes outside the shop with the parcel, the shop shopkeeper was kind enough to let me take it outside as I didn’t have the long tracking number I needed to get the six digit code I needed to get the package released.

The problem was exacerbated because the person I was speaking to was in a call centre miles away, the line was terrible and we couldn’t hear each other so it didn’t matter how pleasant and helpful the customer service person was, it was impossible to manage the phone, the parcel with the very long tracking number and remembering the six digit code I needed.

I was lucky it had a couple of double digits in it otherwise in all the commotion I’d have probably forgotten it by the time I got back into the shop.

I cannot say I’ll never use inpost again, that would mean never shopping online again so I probably will have to but it will definitely take a while for the stress of this whole experience to wane.

It was a complete nightmare, and the logical place to find the code necessary, in the app, NOT THERE, only in a text or email I never received.

Like every new high demand business they have probably out grown their locker network and transitioning to leaving parcels elsewhere without the customer knowing caused havoc for me and maybe other people too.

In post went from HERO to ZERO for me in the delivery of one parcel. No email notification, no text message to say it had actually arrived on 2nd June I later found out, why it was scheduled to be returned on 5th June and no notification the pick up location was in store not in a locker, something I’d never seen experienced before.

An experience so bad that in one fell swoop has completely put me off.

The Prince and The Paedophile

Dispatches Documentary led by the Indomitable Cathy Newman

Headie Aster

2025-03-14T10:16:00.0000000 2025-03-19T09:03:17.5330000

I cannot believe it has taken me so long to watch this bloody unbelievable piece of television from the champion for the truth, Channel Four’s Cathy Newman. That woman’s got guts for sure.

I went to bed staggered, knowing we’re really no different from Saudi Arabia here in the UK. We know it’s going on but there’s not a single thing we can do about it.

Cathy Newman made this Dispatches documentary in 2019 and after the late Queen contributed to Virginia Giuffre’s charity in a 16.3 million dollar civil sexual assault case settlement (2.7 million paid by the late Queen Elizabeth) to her charity and law enforcement agencies across Europe are still investigating and persuing individuals allegedly involved in Epstein’s sex trafficking of women the UK police has done nothing and considers the case closed.

I am writing this to encourage more people to watch this absolutely spectacular piece of news reporting.

Men and women around the globe should watch and take in, not just the how hard Virginia Guiffre has had to fight for all the other women and girls who have suffered, not just at the hands of Epstein but all the other powerful men across the globe.

When you see all the people in the photographers frame, the notorious picture of a 17 year old Virginia with Prince Andrew taken by Epstein on Virginia’s camera, (the only reason she got it) they’ve got shocking footage of Donald Trump and Epstein “hanging out” thanks to a photographer at a party at President Trump’s Mar a Largo home in Palm Beach Florida. The only powerful leader missing from the frame is Vladimir Putin.

It’s so obvious who is telling the truth and yet there is still no one held accountable.

Prince Andrew used to receive about 2 million dollars a year allowance (1.3 million pounds) he sold his Sunningdale mansion in 2007 for about 6 million but reports say King Charles III has cut him off and the only income he seems to have is a very modest navy pension.

It’s still a big question mark how he is surviving and what he is actually doing at His Majesty’s Pleasure.

J and M Davidson Bags

The plated bag and carnival bag are still considered iconic bags today

Headie Aster

2025-03-08T10:29:00.0000000 2025-03-08T11:03:25.7830000

Have you given up on Google? I used them today. I searched for one of my favourite British handbag brands online and the first thing Google showed me was a copy of a bag from a site called DHgate. I even have VPN on my phone to try and disrupt my search results searching from a different country.

That aside I want to tell you about J and M Davidson, a British handbag brand I love for it’s unusual quirky yet modern yet classic design that started in NottingHill gate in the 1984 and has grown to superstar understated success with customers around the world, with 7 glamourous flagship stores across Japan.

It’s the type of brand where those in know want to keep it exclusive, like that private members club once over subscribed it loses it’s appeal these bags don’t immediately tell you who they are, you have to know. You have to spy the design, you have to recognise the quality.

These bags are for the women who don’t want you to know who they are wearing, they want you to be intrigued, they want to inspire curiosity, they want to look so super stylish in an understated way everyone wants to know.

That’s who J and M Davidson are to me.

Founded in 1984 by photographer and design duo John and Monique Davidson (who incidentally are no longer with the brand) all the bags and belts were made in UK. And even though most of the bags are now made in Spain and Italy the belts are still made in the UK like iconic French brand Hermes using bridle tradition something I absolutely support. I been a customer for over 30 years.

The J and M Davidson store on Mount Street in London is currently closed as the brand searches for a new location. I cannot wait to see where they pop up.

Drunch: Unique Dining with a Conscience Across Three London Locations

Holiday Vibes £54K of our restaurant spend has gone to help Syria

Headie Aster

2024-12-28T08:42:00.0000000 2025-10-07T15:50:31.0000000

There are three in total in London. I often go to the one in Mayfair on Woodstock st. Perfect spot when shopping in the West End situated right in between New Bond St and Regent St.

But my favourite is Regents Park. I love the one in St John’s Wood.

We sat outside on a gorgeous heated patio. Loads of people enjoying the break between Christmas and New Year so a really fun vibe.

Gorgeous roaring fire inside and beautiful stylish holiday decorations. Feels like you are right at home inside where the piping hot coffee smells swelled around chatter and laughter.

The food was good, not a massive menu but certainly something for everybody. They have a full bar but not the kind of place people get drunk. More of a coffee and cake place, a bite to eat than a place to languish over a three course meal. The customers looked like a collection of cool couples, young families and visitors all enjoying eating outside on a crisp winter day.

The most special thing I thought was the staff. Our waitress could not have been better. Made us feel like she really cared we were having a good time.

I know this restaurant was started by Syrian refugees also I believe they give a portion of the bill to help which couldn’t be more timely right now.

A job really well done on every level. Even the loos are super architectural and cute.

I should have taken more pictures inside, aside from the gorgeous bathroom, I love the art in there, the shot from outside doesn’t show you the magic that awaits.

They are Halal friendly which as a vegan isn’t ideal for me and may not work for other people too but the staff always happy to try and accommodate dietary requests

Drunch Mayfair

- Address: 1 Woodstock Street, Mayfair, London, W1C 2AA

- Vibe: This one, nestled in the chic and opulent neighbourhood of Mayfair, Drunch Mayfair is the first of its kind, establishing the drunch culture within London's dynamic dining scene. It offers a cozy, intimate setting perfect for those who enjoy dining in a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere. The menu boasts contemporary European dishes with a creative twist, ensuring there is something to satisfy every palate.

Drunch Regent’s Park

- Address: 38 St John's Wood Terrace, St John's Wood, London, NW8 6LS

- Vibe: A stone's throw away from one of London's most beloved green spaces, Drunch Regent’s Park offers a tranquil escape from the city's hustle and bustle. With a focus on hearty, nutritious meals, this restaurant features a garden terrace that provides a serene backdrop for diners looking to enjoy fresh air and quality cuisine. It’s the perfect spot for weekend brunch enthusiasts and families alike. This is my local Drunch and the one I visit most frequently

Drunch Eatery & Lounge

- Address: 6 Blenheim Terrace, St John's Wood, London, NW8 0EB

- Vibe: Blending modern aesthetics with a homely feel, Drunch Eatery & Lounge is the newest addition to the Drunch family. This location serves as a social hub, where art meets culinary innovation, offering a menu that caters to health-conscious diners with a penchant for artistic flair. The lounge area, perfect for casual meetings or relaxed afternoons, complements the vibrant energy of its cuisine.

OMIS HAIR

Only been once

Headie Aster

2024-12-27T13:32:00.0000000 2024-12-31T11:03:30.5630000

Whenever I am in St John’s Wood I try and get my hair done. There are loads of salons, mainly Turkish and for anyone looking for the ultimate bouncy blow that will last one week maybe two this is a good neighbourhood to explore the offering, not inexpensive and highly competitive. Expect the charm and volatility in combination you might find in a Middle Eastern souq.

I have walked past Omis loads of times, a small salon but always a hive of activity full of ladies will expensive accessories sashaying in and out.

My regular stylist was unwell so I decided to pop in on the off chance I could get a blow dry.

I walked in expecting to be turned away as three blow dries were happening one next to the other, young professionals smartly dressed all in black like three machines meticulously working the hair until it shon.

_

The wash was great, good pressure, no talking. I waited patiently about 10 minutes until an older lady, out of breath who looked like she’d just been cleaning came out of the back. She didn’t introduce herself she just picked up the brush and started blow drying my hair, not as I’d expect in an ordered fashion starting at the back. It was very strange.

She even kept getting the brush tangled in my hair which was a bit awkward as she tried to manage freeing the brush without having to cut it out.

The salon is small yet professional and as I said always packed so I could have just been unlucky and got someone with not much experience.

The result. Not the best. Although when she said she’d finished I was glad to get out of there.

I paid £40 no tip.

Mary’s Living and Giving Shop Little Venice

Easy to park

Headie Aster

2024-12-03T11:52:00.0000000 2024-12-03T12:22:56.7900000

The last time I was in Maida Vale, I popped into Save the Children, Mary’s Living and Giving and found the most beautiful, slightly too small for me Armani Collection, the expensive Armani, jacket. It was just too tight for me across the back and under the arms but the lady in there told me about a clever person at The American Dry cleaners, a few doors down on Clifton St, that for a few quid would let it out for me. We immediately looked to see how much salvage edge was available and good old Armani, there was 1/2 an inch.

The jacket was £50, the tailoring an additional £40 and I ended up with a jacket tailored to fit me for under £100.

I was delighted. This is another gorgeous boutique style charity shop in Little Venice. I like this one because it’s very easy to park and I used to love popping into Raouls Deli across the street before it closed for good a year ago after 30 years. It does make me sad to see our friends and neighbours struggle to keep the lights on, only to be pushed out to make way for a cafe Nero or Starbucks (I know another snoop entirely)

This wonderful charity shop chain, spearheaded by Queen of Shops Mary Portas is more than just a horrible old charity shop run by a bunch of do gooding old ladies, far from it. They are run by stylists and fashion people, the people who can get big brand names like Alexander McQueen to give them stuff never worn, never, used, tags on.

It’s a network of women and men, from the volunteers, the donators, the customers, who all appreciate, hard work, good taste and great value, whilst enjoying shopping for more than another new top if you get my drift.

It’s a different kind of atmosphere when you visit, you feel part of a bigger movement, something I like. You are remembered when you visit, something I also like.

It’s an atmosphere, energy I like to shop in.

The goods are unique and incredible, the staff warm and friendly, you don’t get pounced on or pushed into something you don’t want and the prices are incredible.

What’s not to like.

Russell and Bromley Oxford St

Posh British Shoe shop

Headie Aster

2024-12-02T16:17:00.0000000 2024-12-02T16:58:21.9230000

Not many British companies are still owned and run by the family that started them. Something I think brings a certain credibility to a brand and brand name, what and who is behind it.

My mother loved the store in Leeds, Yorkshire where I grew up and I remember the whole experience, another time, feet measured, a very special purchase made, a little too big when first purchased in the sale, scarlet patent knee high boots, size 36, for a girl barely a size 2 never mind a size 3. I was gutted when my feet grew to 38 and I could no longer squeeze my feet into the shiny red boots.

For shoe lovers in the UK quality seems to have gone a bit by the way side. Brands like Dune and Office I think the quality has definitely deteriorated over the last 10 years. You can get Dune still in John Lewis and a few high street shops not sure if Office even exists, the likes of Moda and Pelle went years ago leaving us with, yes the school shoe specialist Clarks, Jones the bookmakers which has turned into old lady shoes even old ladies won’t wear and that ‘s it.

So a jaunt down Oxford st to poke my nose in for a browse is always a welcome respite. The assistants can be a bit hungry for a sale and you won’t get much change out of a couple of hundred quid for shoes, £300 plus for boots that said it’s still the best British option for women who appreciate Stuart Weitzman or LK Bennett shoes at a marginally less expensive price point.

The product range is stylish and not run of the mill. I bought a beautiful evening bag a couple of seasons ago I just loved for its quirky modern edge and timeless style. Unbranded and unrecognisable I get compliments on it all the time. “Where did you find your little bag”

Check out the sale when it happens. The selection is usually great and the reductions significant.

Lagom Design Cards

Cutest little card company

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If you like the sensibility of Martha Freud pottery you’ll love this little card company. Did I mention they are French? 🇫🇷

They focus on simple messages placed on brightly coloured cards with messages like “sorry” or “you are the bees knees” super cute and super affordable at £1.95 when a hallmark card can cost you £4 or £5.

I tend to avoid big brands and convenience when it comes to things like this. I prefer good design to mass produced.

I stopped sending Christmas holiday cards about 10 years ago. The exercise proved to me it is simply a card swap as I used to get Christmas cards from everyone on my list, 9 years later now I don’t send any I don’t receive any either. Not a complaint just an observation.

I do love hand writing a note and have not given up that small pleasure for the planet yet. Until I do Lagom designs are the company I buy my small notecards from. I love the quirky humour and original simple designs and messages.

The paper quality feels substantial too, not all flimsy and washed out ink.

Ozzie Rizzo

Shishi Mayfair Hair salon

Headie Aster

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Going to Ozzie Rizzo, even if only once is certainly an experience. There’s British hairdressing history here, you can definitely imagine Vidal Sassoon, Trevor Sorbie and Christopher Brooker all hanging out discussing the latest blow out technique.

I am got a £100 voucher as a present. It bought me a blow dry and I had to add a bit extra for the tip.

The experience was good. Very very professional, not personal or holiday chit chat, all about the hair which I liked. For some it might feel a bit stand off ish.

The salon is split in two halves, the downstairs a bustling hub of independents renting chairs and there is a busy stream of lots of different types of customers heading downstairs. This is somewhere completely international where lots of different languages are spoken and lots of different looks walk out from bright blue K pop styles to slick Parisian bobs. There are also beauty treatment rooms downstairs for the full salon experience.

The upstairs is light airy and bright, very spacious and the clients upstairs in my visit were older and seemed definitely used to first class service. I enjoyed a little bit of eavesdropping about planned dinner parties to host and chefs to hire.

At Ozzie Rizzo nothing is too much trouble, they’ll provide anything you want, even lunch can be brought in (for a price)

My appointment lasted about 45 minutes and my hair, felt nice afterwards.

Would I go back? Um if I needed a quick juzz and I was in the area, sure.

Bicester Village

Luxury shopping mall in Oxfordshire

Headie Aster

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We combined our trip out to Bicester village with a look around Blenheim palace which is close by. And I’d recommend, if you have a family like mine, impossible to please everyone all at the same time this is the perfect combo for the cultured consumer. We went to Blenheim first had something to eat and then finished the day with a couple of hours browsing at Bicester.

Bicester Village is a collection of chalet style retail units, almost like a small housing estate, interspersed with interesting food offerings, a sandwich shop,

Pret A Manger, Italian restaurant Tua Pasta and kiosks selling posh French macaroon brand Ladure and luxury French pastries, hold onto your wallet, two eclairs cost us nearly £20.

I’ve been a few times and tried all the restaurants and the best one at the moment is Otto Lenghi, delicious, super fresh, healthy and affordable.

The shops are super, all the luxury brands, Dior, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne westward, Prada, Bamford, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Valentino, everyone you can think of, Caroline Herrera, the only one not there is Chanel.

Bicester Village opening hours are 9.00am to 9.00pm and you’ll need a couple of hours to look at everything.

The parking is free unless you valet for £35. With valet you do get discounts in some stores on non sale items but the only place we’ve successfully got the discount is in the restaurants, Tua Pasta and Cecconis. You’ll

find nice service in both these restaurants at opposite ends of the village, the food’s average but they have a captive audience.

When you arrive you’ll see parking people directing customers to parking further away but we always ignore this and park closer for free. On the weekends you do have to drive around a bit but we’ve always got one in the end.

To sum up, it’s a unique place to visit, nicely laid out, lovely flowers, visuals and recently a sensory garden has been added with beautiful smelling plants, not quite the capability brown experience at Blenheim but a really pleasant resting spot when you are all shopped out.

Bathrooms and baby changing facilities are 5 star and they even have apartments up by the Tua Pasta and Ralph Lauren, I think they call them Bicester Suites where companies just events and shopping marketing show and tell.

I went to a Hermes event hosted by Charlotte Rogers at This Old Thing London, she’s an expert in secondhand and vintage Luxury goods and it was very well organised and a great networking opportunity in comfort and in private. All in all a lot on offer including recent new additions from Canada and the US, athleisure brands Lululemon and Anine Bing.

They are good at keeping the offering fresh and exciting and you can often find things you’d never otherwise find like a limited edition collection of cushions and home wares from British designer Richard Quinn. Things purchased only a few years ago have turned out to be collectibles.

Mary’s Living and Giving Shop Primrose Hill

Mary Portas for Save The Children

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It’s a beautiful unique flag ship charity shop, one of the remaining shops used to showcase Mary Portas’s TV show “Mary, Queen of shops” a few years back when retail business guru took on the challenge to revive and revitalise the nations “Save The Children” charity shop chain and encourage us all to shop secondhand and recycle more.

It’s in the beautiful picturesque north london suburb of Primrose Hill where quite a few TV actors and celebrities hang out, John Snow from channel 4 news, Claudia Winkleman and Mary Portas herself I’ve actually said hello to walking her dog in nearby Regents Park, so if you are a visitor looking for somewhere interesting to go a bit off the beaten tourist track of Camden Lock, it’s a very quick walk over the railway bridge from Chalk Farm tube station.

The prices aren’t super low as they get donations from actual design house like Alexander McQueen. I’ve bought a pair of brand new Chanel boots for £300 and a Fendi cuff for £80. The goods they sell are very high end but they also have a sale rail and a bargain bucket which if you are lucky like me you might find brand new Michael Kors sneakers.

The volunteers are friendly. There’s a great curated book section in the cute reading room at the back and you can buy hand poured scented candles 175g that are really very good quality for under £15 when an equivalent branded one would cost about £35.

Monica Vinader

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Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be.

I’ve physically been into three different stores, Chelsea, South Molten Street and then finally came across a store in an outlet mall in Oxfordshire.

So I’ve seen this somewhat new jewellery brand advertised in a glossy here and there so when the time came for me to buy a pair of small practical stud earrings I decided to buy them from here. I browsed online but I like the in store experience so when I was on South Molton St, London recently, a Monday lunchtime I decided to go in to get them. The shop was surprisingly busy with people returning, and even though there were three assistants I couldn’t get served so I left. I tried again in Chelsea a few days later.

I decided to pop into the Sloane St store to buy the earrings but no luck. The assistant was quite pushy like she hadn’t made a sale all day and it put me off.

I didn’t think about the earring again until I was in Bicester village this last weekend saw the store and said to my friend I wanted to buy the earrings I had seen. Once again the shop was quite busy, a greeter, two assistants serving customers and one lady behind the till also serving. I quickly looked at all the cabinets to see if I could locate what I needed, I couldn’t, so in a small shop it was clear I needed help.

The greeter recognised this and told me someone would be with me. I waited patiently while the two occupied assistants gave 5 star service to two browsers who when they didn’t purchase got frustrated and completely missed me. One started cleaning and the other went in the back.

I do love the Monica Vinader range and maybe I’ll have another go when I am passing but ended up buying my earrings from Daniella Draper this time in the end. I really loved the shopping experience as well as the product.

Wimbledon

My favourite sporting event of the year

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The first time I went to Wimbledon was in 1985 and I went every year after that for 10 years never having any problems getting a ticket.

I moved abroad in 1995 and didn’t return to the UK for 10 years. As soon as I returned I began submitting my ballot entries.

Yesterday when I watched the ladies quarter final between J Polini and Emma Navarro on Centre Court (on TV) I couldn’t believe they were playing to an empty house. I had to have a rant.

I am not sure why everyone accepts it’s impossible to get a ticket. I heard yesterday if you were in the grounds the turnout was so poor they were letting people into centre court for free.

I am a genuine tennis fan desperate to watch in

person, happy to pay, but not wishing to stand in a queue from 3am to get a seat. I want to plan ahead, get dressed up, eat, drink, shop and enjoy my first love tennis and my second a great day out.

Be careful Wimbledon, when you haven’t got anyone coming anymore you might just find your loyal supporters are not so loyal anymore.

Bazuka

Headie Aster

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WORKS LIKE A CHARM

No one likes to see a wart do they now. They’re embarrassing for a start. We've just had an epidemic in our house why i was delighted to discover this stuff.

Bazuka is an excellent over the counter treatment for warts and verrucas. Pop it on once a day it's very easy to apply, like a drop of super glue on the affected area, it stings only for a minute or so and then forms a white protective seal over the problem area minimizing the spread of the infection (HPV) to other areas of the skin. (you can get them anywhere, I didn't know that.)

Why this is a must have in the medicine cabinet particularly for parents as kids are prone to picking up warts and verrucas particularly at the pool and these blighters can be very resistant and hard to get rid of.

When we were kids it took months to get rid of them; with Bazuka they’ll be gone in a couple of weeks.

Worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.