March 20, 2018 Tuesday
It’s our second day in London and we’re just playing it easy. The weather is cooperating, giving us a lot of sunshine contrary to a possible rainy forecast. It’s a good day to visit Bicester Village, the premium shopping outlet in the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.
We took Uber driven by a female from Thistle Trafalgar Square Hotel to Marylebone Station. It was soooo traffic. Paikot-ikot at pasikut-sikot thru narrow London streets.
The train leaves every 30 minutes.
I was so slow in deciding whether to buy or not to buy this turmeric hot chocolate. I should’ve bought while my daughter was buying our train tickets. Now it’s time to run, the train is leaving soon.
It’s overcast and raining while we’re on the train but when we reached Bicester Village, the sun was up.
We were here only last year but I noticed some changes. There are more food kiosks situated around the area unlike last year when there were only a limited number of food stalls. Most visitors were packed inside Pret A Manger. Now, diners are spread out.
creperie
Oyen bought two pieces but she was given extra two pieces free. Happy birthday daw. Bait naman nila.
The three of us split directions so we don’t interrupt each other’s shopping pace. I went inside Roger Vivier to look at shoes.
I left the store in 3 minutes.
I have developed a bad habit, I always ask the sales ladies where the items are from. They were trained to be defensive. Their diplomatic answers are British designed, British brand, or European designed, or Italian leathers, Canadian brand, or the materials are from Spain. I always deliver my second and final punch “but where was it made? China?”
L K Bennet is a British luxury brand. Their products could be made in Spain or Italy.
I really liked this blush colored sandals, hinawak-hawakan ko na and I checked out the price but when I looked at my winter shoes, tinamad ako bigla. Sobrang hassle. I felt lazy to take off my winter boots and two layers of socks.
Max Mara red pumps, ay mahirap maghubad ng boots.
I’ve decided to retire from buying Salvatore Ferragamo shoes and sandals. I currently have… teka bilangin ko…. 10 or 12 pairs pero 80 % ang sakit sa paa. Ewan kung tumaba ang paa ko pero masakit talaga. So pass muna. Baka 10 years from now bibili uli ako.
There was a time when Filipinos were crazy over Balenciaga bags. I once attended a dinner party and those at the table just talked about bags. A young wife (of Edmund’s golfmate) talked and talked about her new Balenciaga. Tila ngayon bihira na akong makakita ng merong Balenciaga.
I took a lot of photos of the village’s decor. In my opinion, among the premium outlets I’ve visited so far, Bicester Village is the prettiest. It’s not the biggest, but I find it pretty. They have very good stylists / decorators. Second is the one in Milan.
I took a photo of this cottage house -style store because I found it cute.
I can live in one like this, kahit maliit kung mag-isa lang naman ako.
Anak ko masipag magsukat, mana sa tita Aileen nya. Nung bata pa si Aileen, laging nagsusukat ng mga damit at nagpa-parada sa bahay namin. Sukat-ng-sukat at harap ng harap sa salamin. Pati ternong sapatos, isinusukat rin nya. Kumpleto from head to toe. Pipiliin na nya yung isusuot nya for the following day. Meron sya laging dress rehearsal. Ako naman, naku po napaka tamad magsukat. Until now, even for special occasions like weddings, events, madalas pagka shower ko at saka lang ako pipili ng isusuot.
Oyen spent an hour in this store, kala ko she would buy shoes. Walang nabili for herself. She bought a pair of shoes though for her friend na nakibili.
When I saw the Gucci store, I suddenly remembered that I was planning to buy a pair of sunglasses kasi puro sira na yung sunglasses ko, except for one. One pair na lang is all I have.
There were some Filipinas looking at the sunglasses also.
I was right beside them that’s why I could hear their conversations.
“Gucci, nagmumura”.
“Tita huwag na tayong maglokohan”.
“Wala na kayang bawas ito?”
“Baka ibigay na sa’yo ng mura”.
“Last piece na yan”.
“Wala akong plano”.
“Promise, ibigay yung wallet”.
I liked the shape and color of the sunglasses but I didn’t like the big Gucci logo, naninigaw nga.
The sales guy gave me a piece of paper and wrote down my name on it. He said he’ll reserve a new pair for me while I go around the big store to shop for more. Para daw I would just pay at the cashier one time. He said I have three hours to come back and pay for it. Okay then. Balikan ko na lang.
I went around the store and took photos of mannequins, shoes, bags, etc.
Nice din ito, it reminds me of our safari.
The white YSL bag was stunning but pag puti kasi mabilis maluma.
Ahh I feel lazy shopping for shoes and clothes. I wish there are antique shops around here but people don’t go to shopping outlets to shop for antiques. They go to Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill.
Every time I go to London I always tell myself I would shop for china wares in Portobello but I never do. Kasi my trips are always short and my companions’ interests are different. I need to spend a day just to shop for antiques. Next time if I get the chance to visit the Queen, I will devote a day for myself to scour the area for some majestic looking plates.
The only store selling housewares is the Villeroy and Boch. I bought that table runner with chicken design. Manok na naman.
Of course I inspected muna where it was made.
I bought a box of this flatware, good for 8 people. I wanted to buy good for 20 pero sobrang bigat naman. I asked if they do shipping, no daw.
While I was paying at Villeroy & Boch, my husband appeared from behind. He knew where to find me. He needed me to go with him to Lacoste because I have my passport for the Global Tax Refund. He told me the sales girl there is super pretty. I went with him and met the young cashier manning the counter Kamukha ni Brook Shields in her teens. The cashier is 19 years old, too young for my son. I took her photo and told her I am going to show it to my son. She asked “is he single?”. I said “of course”. Edmund told me if she’s going to marry my son he will give her all his cars. Basta bibigyan daw kami ng apo. I asked, bakit ilan ba ang kotse mo? Tatlo daw. Eh bulok naman yung isa, 14 years old na yata. Baka hindi tanggapin.
We took the train back to Marylebone Station
The two refilled their Oyster cards. I got a new one. Oyen’s was more than 10 years old, the cards pala don’t expire. She first got hers when she stayed in London for the summer classes when she was a college junior.
We transferred to another train that goes inside London.
Aptly called the tube.
Our stop would be Trafalgar Square.
The train ride only took 15 minutes.
Makes me dizzy just looking at the bottom of the tube. Para akong mahuhulog.
Teka, I forgot to get the Gucci sunglasses.
