Before I begin this piece, I need to make a disclosure: I’m no fan of Valentine’s Day. No matter whether I’m single or coupled up (and I do, in fact, have rather a lovely man in my life at present!) there a few days that fill me with this level of dread.. For me this ‘day of love’ is on a par with New Year’s Eve - high pressure, high cost, and often low yield. The commercialisation, the gooey tv ads, the cloying red chocolate boxes in every store - no, it’s not my shtick.
So, it was to my own surprise that, this year, I made a concerted effort to wander the streets of central London, in search of pictures to mark the day. And lo and behold, look what I found…in the backstreets of London’s elegant, fashionable and quite timeless Mayfair…
Pulbrook & Gould Florists
This has to take first prize, in terms of sheer beauty.
No doubt it’s been instagrammed to death, but there’s a reason for that - it’s sheer perfection.With its hues of red and pink, and its crafted, curvy letters, I could have sat and stared at this all day.
(I admit that I did force my friend to pose next to it, then send the picture to his amorata, who is currently overseas. To save him embarrassement, I left this picture out!)
2. Unnamed grand building in the Mayfair backstreets
I believe this building is a hotel or restaurant, though I didn’t peek inside. I loved the way the roses were casually strewn around the entire door.
3. Maddox Street Gallery
It wouldn’t be fair not to stop at the Maddox Street Gallery and see what they have, in the way of a floral display.
This year, they had an enormous blue florescent “I think I love you” sign above the store, and it certainly was eye-catching, but in the end I’ve chosen to include this shot - a classic pink heart, around the front door.
And the wonderful thing about Maddox Street is that the next floral installation is bound to be just as wonderful - because whoever’s on their design team knows what they’re doing!
4. Valentine, the Doorman at the ‘34 Hotel’
I kid you not, this handsome young man had exactly the right name for the job on this day. He told me he had been called Valentine by his mother - and even if he was kidding me (and I don’t think he was) he was happy to oblige and pose for a photo outside the elegant and understated ‘34 Hotel’ in Mayfair, close to Grosvenor Square.
5. Top Shop
I couldn’t leave this one out - it’s the store front of Top Shop, on the intersection of Regent Street and Oxford Street.
And although I’m not a huge fan of pink, I really do like that cute little lingerie set, set amongst red and purple balloons.
“Do you love me?”
“Will you be my valentine?”
“Let’s kiss?”
It’s all so pretty that I’m almost ready to become a convert to this Day made for Lovers!