We ascertained there were several furniture shops and places for ‘style’ near Penzance so that’s the direction we took today. Lots to interest us. The best and of course most expensive place was Iroka….if you need some inspiration for re-designing your home it could be here. We then needed some relief from shopping (more accurately window shopping), so off we went for lunch to our favourite spot in St Ives – Porthmeor Beach Cafe. What you get is fantastic service, great fresh food at a reasonable price and the best view in the world. It’s absolutely a no-brainer for us to visit, and whatever time of year we come – March, July, October – the weather and of course the light for which St Ives is so famous never lets us down. After lunch, why a stroll on the beach…and who is to say this is not the Mediterranean? Whilst St Ives is always busy, there are many ways in which you can get away from the crowds, whether it’s getting a nice spot for lunch above everything, trying a different beach (there are several), or going for a walk on the Coast Path (you’ll soon be pretty much on your own). I have given this considerable thought, but I have to say St Ives is my favourite location in the whole world, and for me it always lives up to its billing. Opposite Porthmeor Beach Cafe is Tate St Ives, a most impressive structure, and there are literally dozens of studios to visit and browse. So the mind is catered for too. Utterly magnificent.