Litsiana`s Diary : Duke`s of York Square

Monday, 9 December 2013

Duke`s of York Square

Dear Diary,

The weather was cold but the sun rays made it smoother and I decided to put on cozy clothes and explore my neighborhood. Some say that this region is beautiful, attractive and graceful. They actually use the two following adjectives: elegant and posh. For me, it`s a brand new area that I MUST explore after all that much been said.

The pedestrianized Duke of York Square, just of the fashionable King's Road at the Sloane Square end, is an oasis of traffic-free calm. Modern glass fronted shops house chic boutiques, hair salons and coffee shops. You can combine shopping at Zara, Joseph, Banana Republic, Massimo Dutti and Liz Earle with a coffee at Patisserie Valerie or something more substantial at Manicomio, the Italian restaurant next door. You can even throw in some culture with a visit to the Saatchi Gallery in the south west corner of the square. Less hectic than the King's Road and away from the traffic fumes, it gets really busy on a sunny weekend when half of Chelsea descends on the square for some al fresco eating.

The every Saturday market sells everything from good quality French cheeses to cup cakes, Malaysian cuisine to Moroccan food. More than 150 small food producers are involved with an average of over 40 stalls setting up shop each week. Started by the upmarket food shop Patridges back in 2005, the market gives small, artisan producers and family businesses the chance to trade in this expensive part of town. Popina, winner of the Waitrose 2006 Small Producers of the Year Awards for Bakery, is a good example. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon and real foodies always drop into Patridges while they're at it.

What I found so catching in the following photo is the case of TRUE LOVE!! It`s so cute and romantic watching this old couple holding each other hand whilst walking, isn`t it???