Pink chintz and charming country style

I’m saving the middle part of my Christmas story till later, but early in the New Year I spent a couple of days visiting friends in rural Derbyshire. I wanted to share this with you first, because if you happen to find yourself in that part of England, I’ve discovered a rather lovely place to stay:

I can thoroughly recommend Park View Farm near Ashbourne. An eclectic mix of granny’s attic style meets faded chintzy boudoir chic, this has to be amongst the most charming Bed and Breakfast accommodation in the country.
















There’s a creaking wooden staircase, four poster beds, free standing roll-top cast iron baths and the main house is adorned with characterful vintage prints, chiming clocks and quirky curiosities.


The traditional pink chintz curtains made me feel completely at home – I have a feeling they’re made from the same Laura Ashley fabric I had in my flat in the late 1980s.















There are wonderfully dated festoon blinds, which are perfect for collecting Jack spiders, so they don’t nibble you in the night. A painting of a curiously cute rabbit hangs above the loo - and, amidst the memorabilia, there are even some old fashioned costume prints to keep us fashion hounds amused.












If you’re in a big party, there’s plenty of accommodation in additional guest cottages with pretty names like Honeysuckle Cottage, curiously appropriate since honeysuckle pink is Pantone’s colour of the year.













There’s also a large breakfast table, where you can congregate for a home-cooked breakfast that (to borrow a word from Jamie Oliver) is utterly delish… What’s more, the table is beautifully set with Willow Pattern crockery, plus there are crystal serving bowls and twirly-stemmed antique candlesticks.




















In terms of practical comfort and simple but stylish home decoration, you can’t go wrong with a country farmhouse style kitchen, especially if you actually live in a country farmhouse and can look out of the window onto an authentic field of grazing sheep.

The host and hostess are a lovely couple who are polite, friendly and amazingly available for a chat at the same time as running a farm and preparing a full English fry up (with mouth-meltingly buttery mushrooms, freshly laid eggs and unusually tasty wholemeal toast). Radio 3 burbles along in the background, though apparently the cows in the milking parlour prefer Classic FM.








Anyway, if you’d like to ‘get the look’ we’ve some uniquely arty Willow Pattern placemats at ShopCurious, along with this fabulous antique porcelain cherub mirror. Perfect if you’re suddenly feeling all romantic.

Are you?

Gifts for the gentleman father

Over the next few days, I thought I’d feature a few books and unusual gifts for Fathers’ Day, in case you’re stuck for ideas. I think our men’s book week should start at the highest level of refinement, with Debrett’s The English Gentleman Series - a wonderful vintage boxed set of whimsical etiquette books by the late Douglas Sutherland.

The three slim volumes are written especially for men wishing to clarify the quirky eccentricities of the English gent and confirm their place amongst the English upper classes. The books are full of useful tips and advice for aspiring gentlemen too, for instance:





“A gentleman always has well polished shoes, which are handmade and last a lifetime. They are polished with ox-blood, which is a similar eccentricity to washing his riding breeches in urine.”

Apparently, no gentleman ever has a garment called a ‘sport’s jacket’, nor a blazer with a badge on the pocket (Rod Stewart, be warned), except at events like Henley, where old rowing blazers are worn.



A gentleman also carries the minimum of accessories, “Those who go around with what is know as the Cartier set – gold lighters, gold cigarette cases, watches with crocodile straps and so on are put down as bookmakers or confidence tricksters.”

I’m sure there must also be some comments on the wearing of cravats, beards and knitwear under jackets…


And I wonder what Sutherland would have made of the curious new trend of brooches for men?

The English gentleman’s mistress is the subject of one of the volumes, which should bring a smile to Dad’s face. Sutherland asks if the demise of the English gentleman means that his mistress must also be “swept away in the avalanche” of change.

Another book in the set is devoted to the gentleman’s long-suffering wife and broaches tricky topics like divorce and unmarried ladies – though stands firmly on the side of tradition and the preservation of the classic, old-fashioned English gentleman, of course.

All said and done, this curiously characterful and informative book set from ShopCurious is perfect, if you’re looking for a reasonably priced, fun Fathers’ Day present for someone with the most important prerequisite of any gentleman - a jolly good sense of humour.

Are you?

Chelsea's traditional Summer charm

The Chelsea Flower Show has to be one of the ultimate occasions of the Summer season. Although it’s very much an international event, attracting landscape gardeners, growers and sponsors from all over the world, the setting and style of the show are quintessentially British.














The Royal Hospital, home to the Chelsea Pensioners, is as full of character and charm as its curiously colourful occupants, whose bright red jackets vie for attention with the exotic floral displays. Of course, they’re always on hand to give directions, perform on the bandstand, or simply have a little chat about whatever takes their fancy - which often seems to be a pretty young girl!


The State Apartments make the perfect venue for an authentic English afternoon tea, where ladies in hats find it hard to resist the temptation of pastries that look as magnificent as the works of art adorning the walls.

































The traditional English country garden, with a slightly wild and overgrown feel about it, is the variety I often find the most appealing – and there are plenty on display this year. Incidentally, you can vote for your favourite garden design on the Royal Horticultural Society website.




















There seems to be an even larger selection of merchandise on sale too, from a multitude of specialist retailers. You can buy all sorts of products, from packets of seeds and gardening gloves to garden furniture and rather impressive looking tractor type things.







However, of all the gadgets I saw, the one I most coveted was this chap’s mobility bike… perfect for getting about the sprawling site - and for carrying all those heavy information packs.

Most of the clothing stands at the show are geared towards outdoor types: there’s an abundance of brown and green accessories like wellies, oilskins and cloth caps. This contrasts with the stylish dress of many of the visitors.





Anyway, if you’re looking for something that’s appropriately understated, yet still rather unique, to jazz up an outfit for a Summer garden event, I can recommend this vintage polished natural stone brooch from ShopCurious.









By the way, someone left their specs behind - I was wondering if anyone happens to know who these belong to…

Do you?

Style is but a fruit tree

On Sunday, I was a guest at a rather lovely lunch on a tiny rooftop in deepest inner Hillgate Village (a curiously colourful and hidden secret part of Notting Hill). It was memorable for several reasons: chiefly, it just happened to be one of the rare sunny days that we’ve had this summer in London – no umbrellas, tarpaulin or alternative venue required.




The setting was so unusual – a cottage garden in the sky with far-reaching views across the city - plus plums, cherries, tomatoes and grape vines growing all around. We enjoyed a sumptuous array of summer salads and desserts - like homemade tangy lemon ice cream, accompanied by succulent fruits of the roof terrace. The naturally beautiful bark-edged oak dining table was handmade by the host (the architect and creator of our surroundings) and the table was set with fabulous blue and white willow pattern style place settings and adorned with an abundance of freshly made fare.


Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so I'm unable to show you how absolutely perfect it all was.


Anyway, I reckon that some fruits almost grow by themselves, if you just take the time to plant them. Most soft fruits even grow quite nicely in containers and, if well watered, can be surprisingly hardy - like the figs, shown here, that I’ve grown in a couple of pots – quite remarkable for a wet summer in London (plus a bit of good karma).



Due to the vagaries of our (un-great) British climate, the figs may not ripen properly, but can still be used to make the tastiest jam. I’d suggest you go out and find somewhere to plant them now … even the smallest space will do – and I can recommend an architect who’ll find you room where you didn’t know you had it. Why not bring a touch of the stylish English country garden into town?



Just thought I’d also mention that we’ve got this wonderful retro 1960s raspberry jam pot at ShopCurious – a collectable curiosity for fans of vintage perspex, or a curiously simple and suitably sweet gift for lovers of sensible style and old fashioned English country pastimes like jam-making.










I’d suggest you think seriously about 'growing your own' – and you can blow a raspberry to anyone who tells you it’s not better to eat organic.

Will you?

Curiously colourful opera fashions

Our theme for July is ‘multi-colour madness’, so it was a really pleasant surprise to find that the opera I was very kindly invited to at Garsington last Thursday was as curiously colourful as they come. The amazing variety of English summer flowers in the stunning grounds paled into insignificance beside the strikingly vivid colours on the stage. The set was in itself a work of art - rather reminiscent of a cubist painting – and the costumes, designed by Francis O’Connor, were a comically creative masterpiece.




As for the opera, it was simply adorable: witty, funny, thought-provoking, charming and one of the most thoroughly enjoyable I have seen. This was the UK premiere of Mirandolina by Martinu, written in the 1950s and first performed in 1959 in Switzerland. According to Safranek, Martinu described his opera as “a light, uncomplicated thing … gay from start to finish.”






The story is based on a work called La locandiera (the mistress of the inn) by 18th century Italian playwright, Goldoni, who has the somewhat unfavourable reputation of being ‘author of between two and five hundred comedies, all with happy endings and all exactly the same’. It’s a wonderfully compelling tale of the beautiful lady proprietor of an inn, the feisty Mirandolina, who has an unfailing ability to charm and win over men. Using her feminine wiles, she even works her magic on the ultimate misogynist, the Cavaliere of Ripafratta (brilliantly performed by Geoffrey Dolton, whose facial expressions alone are worth a trip to this production to see).


The opera notes read ‘The craft of the playwright depends on fashion as much as that of the couturier: in each case some follow and some lead, but both depend on immediate public approval.” Well, this performance certainly got my vote. As did some of the fabulous dresses in the audience, like the colourful one-shouldered creation worn by Minnie, above left (presumably spelt as in Minnie Mouse? Though she doesn’t look in the least bit mouse-like to me).


It's almost as bright as the hot pink and coral outfit I wore to the opera at Grange Park a couple of weeks back (see right). By the way, if you’re looking for something stylish to make you stand out from the opera crowd, might I suggest this vintage Clements Ribeiro hot pink torn silk apron dress from ShopCurious.




I’m so pleased to hear that the talented design-duo are returning to London Fashion Week this year.

Are you?

Curiously English cravats

I’ve noticed something of a revival in cravat wearing recently and wondered why it is that the really smooth, suave, debonair English gentleman always wears a cravat rather than a plain old tie? I wanted to ask that iconic figure of traditional Home Counties charm, Nicholas Parsons, but he was unavailable for comment.


I have to admit that I’m very fond of Mr Parsons, though even back in his Sale of the Century and Benny Hill days, he never really struck me as being much of a sex symbol. Funny then that I should find myself reading about his ‘love affair with leather’ in a 1967 issue of Penthouse Magazine (see below and click on images to view).


























If you like the 'old smoothie' look, we’ve got some fabulous vintage cravats at ShopCurious that would make perfect Fathers’ Day gifts – especially if your father happens to be a suave, sophisticated or aspiring traditionalist, (though cravats can make younger guys look really quirky and cool too).

A more curious and original gift, if your Dad's into the unique and unusual, would be a vintage copy of Penthouse Magazine. Something that's a very sensible investment, as it's not only collectable, but you can also borrow it later to study the groovy fashion shoots and awesome retro trends.

Now just a minute, how about a Fathers’ Day gift for that stylish old stud, Nicholas Parsons? I have a feeling he might appreciate a nice leather cravat …

Do you?