The Idler Academy
(Image from www.idler.co.uk)
Part bookshop, part coffee house, part school. Open from 10am - 6.30pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays, so clearly aimed at loafers those of us who are free from the constraints of a regular 9 - 5. They have a decent stock of beautiful and educational books (Plato, Aristotle Virgil...), serve pretty good hot chocolate and cakes, have a shop selling old fashioned games, playing cards, protractor sets, exercise books, pencils etc, and offer classes in old fashioned subjects such as Latin, Classical Philosophy, Calligraphy, English Grammar, Embroidery, Ukulele, Life Drawing, Herb Growing... What's not to love?
The Idler Academy - 81 Westburne Park Road, London, W2 5QH.
The V&A Reading Rooms
Part bookshop, part wine bar. Open daily from midday, the V&A reading rooms are small, intimate, book lined rooms with lots of original architectural features. A place to read, enjoy a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and shop from a large, eclectic selection of books. (They are also holding a series of informal reading and discussion evenings in March. The next one is on the 17th of March with London restaurateur Duncan Ackery).
V&A Reading Rooms - 8 Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2HF.
