I feel better today. I got out of the house, met Laura for crepes, and ended up walking all over Kensington and Chelsea window-shopping and catching up. (For those who don't know the story, Laura was my best friend in grades 2 through 4, until her family moved back to England. Today makes only the second time I've seen her since grade 4, so it's always a special occasion.) Retail therapy and chocolate therapy make me happy, and I definitely needed the walk, but holy crap is Harrods crowded on a Saturday getting close to Christmas. It usually bugs me when stores set up their Christmas stuff so early, but not when Harrods does, because they do it so well.

I posted before about the food halls in Harrods, but today was the first day I'd been upstairs. Harrods' motto used to be "Everything, for everyone, everywhere," and while you can no longer order a genuine Indian elephant, it's still pretty much true. Harrods is the only store I've ever heard of that provides, among its other services, tailoring for your dog's coat (no, not the one it grows naturally). They sell everything from the usual department store stuff to pianos and sports equipment, there are 25 restaurants, cafes, and bars inside, and most of the fifth floor is a luxury spa. Harrods also has a section where you can buy stuff with the Harrods logo, to bring home for souvenirs or just to impress people.

It is, in short, insane. It's also a hell of a lot of fun.