my happy place

So it turns out there is no such thing as flattering maternity wear. Trust me, I've spent the weekend testing all that North London has to offer, and now have evidence (as if proof were needed) that you cannot polish a turd. Maternity wear makes you look fat... because at the end of the day, a waist measurement in excess of a metre means that (in conventional terms) you are fat. So don't believe the hype, flattering maternity wear is like a painless wax or Nigel Slater's recipe for chicken and coriander laksa: a contradiction in terms.

But other than clothes making me want to bury my weeping face in a large bag of Oxford Street Topshop's finest pick'n'mix, we have just spent a magical few days in the big smoke. Eating in favourite places, old and new, visiting the best markets and spending time with some of our most precious people.

There's one place in London where you'll always find me on a Sunday morning - no later than 8.30am - it's my happy, happy place and so photogenic that I thought you might like to see. Londoners (as a rule) are a pretty cynical bunch, and many might dismiss this place as a bit touristy. But during the years that I lived a stone's throw from here (even marrying into a Hackney family whose bone marrows read "E8" like sticks of rock) this place was my regular solitary Sunday morning escape. Ergo it's not just for tourists. Not if you do it properly.

Columbia Road flower market, Sunday Morning, no later than 8.30am. There's nowhere I'd rather be.

no knitting or reading to report for yarn along this week, but you do pass a bit of neat yarn bombing (including pom poms!) on the way :-)

first stop, breakfast at Jones Dairy, hot chocolate and raisin buns all round

Jones breads, colourful shops yet to open, bagels bagels bagels

fabric, ribbons and knicknacks once the shops start opening

junk (sorry, Royal memorabilia!) stands, thrift stalls and... ooh... a vintage solution to the lighting conundrum in the new kitchen! I'll take three!

and of course, flowers, flowers and more flowers

the real stars this weekend were the peonies and sweet williams - true British June blooms - naturally a few bunches were taken home for Granny

My happy, happy place. If you ever find yourself in East London on a weekend, get there before the crowds do.