couture

Rose has another lovely shop in Hastings. Much larger, full of lovely home things, vintage, shabby French chic. I've gone for days trips with my family many times and never fail to bring something Back from her store. She said to me months ago she would Let the east Dulwich store go. Visit her in Hastings, you'll not be able to leave.

A friend of mine was burgled during the day just off Townley Rd on Thursday. Back door was broken into (glass smashed with shovel taken out of shed), they took recently deceased mothers jewellery, new laptop, tablet and back pack to put it all in, then mysteriously unlocked front door. Door has numerous locks, locked that morning when he left for work but they unlocked with magic key then left front door open. Locksmith says not even master key exist for this lock and now everyone baffled as no spare keys missing. He was burgled a couple of months ago, through back door and in daylight but police say different people broke in then as they were organised with tools and had a different pattern to the breakin. My friend is now getting new higher fences, alarm system, had locks changed, and security camera out back. He has to invest thousands now to secure his home and he doesn't have a house full of objects of value to steel. The saddest bit is losing his mothers jewellery - she died in the summer and it was only a few pieces of sentimental value. JUST ANGERS ME.

I have a dairycrest milkman deliver milk in Forest Hill. He started his round in our street a few years ago by knocking on our door of an evening and introducing himself to gain new customers. He didn't have id or uniform but took details on dairycrest booking form.

Positive interest = more customers = more trade = business expansion = increased employment

I've just flicked through latest issue of Living Etc mag which I picked up today and low and behold...whole page at back of magazine titled 'London Neighbourhood, East Dulwich SE22'!!! How cool is that? Lovely shops listed, very positive, bound to be a boost for the area! I Love East Dulwich! Couture xx

People take your donations elsewhere too. I left 8 full sacks of genuine donations for the heart foundation to pickup as a special request, labelled and at my door 30 mins before they were due to arrive. I have a front garden so my door is not on the street. Less than 10 minutes later 6 bags were nicked. The truck was still on it's way, leaflet deliverers saw nothing and police say it happens all the time and is illegal. Have to say I was fuming as this was not your typical street donation pickup as they made a special arrangement to collect these bags. There apparently are trucks of people driving around was for bags to be put out to take.