My Knightsbridge: Sandra Choi

School trips to London, with Harrods and the V&A being the ultimate destination. I remember that all I wanted at the time was to buy something from Harrods and something from the V&A just so I could have the shopping bags with the logo on them. It was my first introduction to the life of luxury, the cosmopolitan culture of London.

I think it’s the contrast – you have the giant luxury shops on the main drag of Knightsbridge and Sloane Street and then you step into the side streets and it’s like you’ve entered a little village of boutique shops and that’s where the British personality of London shines through. The juxtaposition makes Knightsbridge unique.

Motcomb Street – Pantechnicon has a wealth of different spaces; Sachi is great for Japanese. Café Kitsuné for chic coffee and quick bites to eat.

Beauchamp Place – Mooboo bubble tea and Maroush kebabs.

Harrods for takeaways from the Food Hall for a treat at home that feels like a meal in a top restaurant.

Thurloe Square – beautiful architecture with a hidden garden where you can pause for a moment of peaceful contemplation.

St Paul’s Church and Berkeley Square.

The contrasts, the local next to the international and the culture. It’s a melting pot – home of the Sloane next to an international jet set.

Harrods – the store lit up at night, it’s a globally recognised London landmark.

Luxury with a vibrant spirit and the early days of Choo plus the V&A – an encyclopaedic destination of fashion references and inspiration.

The Cosmos trainer to walk the streets and shop the shops. Something to strut out in – the Blake wedge boot for elevated winter style, day to night. And something dazzling, like the Saeda shoe, for glamour on evenings out.

Walk around to immerse yourself in the beautiful contradiction that makes Knightsbridge so unique – explore this London village with its pretty and peaceful backstreets full of surprising discoveries. Retail therapy. Culture at the V&A and Natural History Museum. Take a stroll in the urban nature in the park and grab a Maroush kebab for refuelling followed by a bubble tea.

There’s only one Harrods in the world.

The Berkeley Hotel for “Prêt-à-Portea” (its fashion themed afternoon tea), which Jimmy Choo has featured in, and Cédric Grolet for a pinch of Parisian culinary art. The Nags Head pub for pre-dinner drinks. Zuma for great modern Japanese food – it’s also surprisingly good for kids.

Fusion Japanese – for this I go to Zuma; kebabs with all the spicy sauces – Maroush is a must (after the party!).

Natural History Museum for the drama of its perspective and gothic architecture.

Sparkly chic.

Wilton Crescent and the V&A.

Harrods – everything from the Food Hall.

St Paul’s Church, Wilton Crescent and the V&A

I love it when you see tradition among the modernity like the Household Cavalry out on a morning exercise – the horses trotting along the street makes you imagine for a moment what London used to be like.

Harrods – Knightsbridge is Harrods to me.

The Cadogan Hotel, Maroush.

The juxtaposition – cosmopolitan yet quintessentially British.

Shirley Bassey, Big Spender.

Vibrant, London, grandeur.