Oh my goodness!!

Count me in please, Angie. I can do any of the days you've listed - wild horses couldn't hold me back!

How exciting! Really looking forward to meeting you all.

I'll be joining you on this one

Feeling just a tad envious:) Angie don't you and Greg need to visit Australia

Argh it's times like this I hate working in schools

Thanks Angie and Diane - cheapest flights from Berlin are with Ryanair and the flight wouldn't be the problem, but if you add in public transport, the hotel and so on... London is expensive. And I've only been last year, so I really have no excuse.

Would love to be there. Hoping there will be a next time. You will have a blast, for sure.

Ramya - we'll make it next time, right?

I'm going to try to be there. Can't promise anything, but I'm probably due a visit. Watching this space!

OH, WOW. LONDON IS CALLING. Our gathering is taking fabulous shape. Wooohoooooo.

(Gaylene and Diana are Hat Shop Kindred Spirits).

Shevia, I HOPE you convinced hubs. Meeting for your b-day - which is close to my own birthday - should be an annual tradition.

Astrid and Louise, next time.

Beth Ann, Debbie, Debs, Deb, Karie, Suz, Harmonica, Style Fan and Sveta - you will be there in spirit. SOOOOO having the best scones in London.

Woohooo, Rio. HOPE you make it.

YAY, Ruth. Very exciting to hug you again.

Irene, I was hoping you’d make it too.

Maybes: Approprio

Confirmed: Angie, Diane, UKSue, Ruth M, Irene

Ladies who are confirmed for this gathering, I need your help, please. Between you, I would greatly appreciate if you can organize the gathering. Where to meet, eat and shop - and eat and shop again. I usually love shopping in Convent Garden (and Regent street is fab too). I love Selfridges, although that does take us to Oxford street, which is hectic. Sloane Square used to be fab, but don’t know if it still is. I haven’t been to London for 9 years so I bet there are new places to shop and eat. Please guide us. Open to all suggestions. Greg and I are foodies, so we would prefer to eat great food. It's as important as shopping for fun stuff.

AND we have to pick a day in that week. So far, we are open.

VERY EXCITED.

Oh, heck, I haven't a clue about the whys and wherefores... I've only been to London a couple of times in the last two years to just go to a specific place like a museum and I don't know London AT ALL I'm not too fond of the underground much either. I'm thinking that I may be better travelling down the afternoon of the day before and stay over somewhere as I would miss half the morning if I came on the day.

I meant to say that I love the sound of Covent Garden and Regent Street. Sorry I'm no help on eateries.

I have an idea for a high fashion walking tour of the quieter parts of the West End. I've done this myself and it is a lovely stroll. It has the advantage that you don't spend much money because you can't afford anything until you get to Regent's Street.

• Begin with an hour gawping at Comme, Celine, Alaia, Ann D, MMM et al in Dover Street Market, Rei Kawakubo's cutting-edge department store.
• Then a stroll along Conduit Street to look in Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto and Nicole Farhi.
• Spend money (or not) on Regent's Street where all the affordable shops are. (&Other Stories, COS, BR, Uniqlo, All Saints)
• Round off with a tour of Liberty's.

OOOHHHHHH. YAY. That sounds perfect, Rio. Thanks for chiming in. Really hope you can join us.

Diane, sounds like a plan. Extra cake for us that day, and a little bop to Depeche Mode along the way.

Shall we do the 23rd?

Gosh, we are heading to London and Paris in July. Leaving Aus on July 15th......had our dates corresponded, it would have been nice to join in.
Approprio's plan sounds fabulous.

I wouldn't miss this for the world!! The first official British YLF Gathering! This is beyond exciting and fun!!
23 June works for me, Angie.

I plan to arrive the day before too and stay the night, so Diane (and any other "out-of-towners") do let me know if you'd like to share a hotel room or flat.

Approprio - Loving the sound of this walk! If we need tea and cake afterwards, there's a great Le Pain Quotidien on the same street as Liberty's.

Can't wait to meet everyone!

WOOOHOOOOO, Inge. This just gets better and better. *happy dance*

DEB, what a shame we will miss each other by a few weeks.

Are we good on the 23rd?

Maybes: Approprio

Confirmed: Angie, Diane, UKSue, Ruth M, Irene, Inge

Man. I'm excited for everyone and the teamwork going on. I cannot wait to see all the YLF together.

Oh yes next time for sure harmonica

Yeeessss! I was hoping you could come Inge! I will be there the night before too, so yes, same hotel, or room or flat, sounds good to me. I will pencil in 23rd and plan to arrive 22nd. Fun times! Rio, I love the sound of that tour. Great plan. Hope you can come and we can talk sewing too.

Hah yeah Diane G - and we can head off to The Cloth House while the others aren't looking...

So hoping I can make it!

sounds like a plan Rio!

WOOHOOO. This is going to be another epic gathering.

It sounds like so much fun!

I love YLF gatherings ... like family reunions without the drama.

23rd good for me too.
I also know the Hat Shop in the market in Oxford from when I used to live near there - small but perfectly formed. I store my few hats in their lovely hat boxes to this day. How fab!

Mouth gaping open. The 23rd is my birthday! DH is very indulgent Angie - it is more a question of budget and practicality. Approprio's shopping tour sounds like a dream. If I can work it out I may be able to stay with friends in London, but if not will definitely be interested in apartment sharing Inge!

Pencil me in. I'm trying to make it work around commitments either side.

Also looking at tickets for Alexander McQueen at the V&A the next day. They are still available, but limited to 4 per transaction. It would have to be early in the day as I'd need to fly back in the evening.

Anybody?

Ooh, possibly. That does sound rather tempting, Rio...I will have a think. Depends whether my boys will mind if I escape for another evening :)Thing is, if Shevia comes (which I'm very excited about), there may even be some birthday celebrations on the evening of 23rd, so it's entirely possibly that I may want to return on the 24th anyway. It's all turning into a bit of an epic...

Much as I'd love to meet you all, I'm afraid I won't be able to join you. I'll have to be with you in spirit only. Have a wonderful time.

You're coming to Europe !
I could meet my fellow 5 a.m commenters !
and Inge, too !

Count me in, please.

OH MY GOODNESS. This gets more fabulous by the comment.

*virtual happy hugs all round*

Summer, hopefully we can meet next time.

Thanks for the cheerleading, Ledonna.

Denise, you crack me up.

Skylurker, WOW. That's AMAZING. WOOOHOOOO. I think you'll be coming from France? We used to live there actually. I'm extra excited.

Rio, YAY. That's more brilliant news.

Jaime, I'm fainting at the prospect of having you with us on your birthday IN LONDON. Hoping with all my heart it can happen. Much love to you in the meantime.

Maybes: Jaime

Confirmed: Angie, Diane, UKSue, Ruth M, Irene, Inge, Approprio, Skylurker (8)

Date is set for the gathering - 23rd June. Now we need a time and a meeting place. I vote 9.00am - if that's workable. From experience, it's important that we all meet somewhere and sit with a cuppa before we head out on our shopping adventure. It breaks the ice and sets the tone for the day. Perhaps Rio, you can suggest a place?