tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5968219657375548612024-03-18T03:57:40.940-07:00Red legs in Soho.Vintage Londoner with retrocentric tastes. Interested in the uncommon,artistic,cultural and visual life of this old tart of a city and its tawdry glamour. Tinctured with cocktails, swear words and the odd rant. I'm friendly but bolshy and my opinions are honest and sponsor-free. P.R and marketing types please see 'About Me'.
redlegsinsoho@me.comRedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-10215596046128116892013-10-01T05:15:00.001-07:002013-10-01T05:15:48.109-07:00This blog has moved.Sadly due to ridiculous unstoppable spam monsters this blog is moving to Wordpress. Find me there at:<br />
http://redlegsinsoho.wordpress.com and please follow me if you would like. Minn xRedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-39345425349604594802013-02-06T06:58:00.001-08:002013-02-07T03:17:48.885-08:00Penhaligons relaunch flagship store in Regent Street.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Let me start by apologising for lack of blog posts recently, paid work got in the way and words for lucre were hard to resist with the festive season fast advancing upon me! Hello to new readers and thank you to those who have persevered!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I used to wine taste
competitively. This was not an excuse for inebriation; I don’t require one of
those although it was sometimes a consequence. Generally the wines were
spat out; the taste swilled from your mouth with water and then blotted out with dry
crackers before ingesting the next liquid. It was almost entirely about smell.
Smell has always mattered to me, I think that a childhood of allergies and near
constant colds made those periods when I could smell precious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And growing up in households where food was
constantly being cooked, cakes baked and pipes smoked but where the actual
physical environment could be grim it was smell rather than sight that made my life richer.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
When not afflicted with a cold I
have a keen sense of smell. It was easy for me to identify notes of leather,
bark, petrol, damp feathers and moth balls in expensive wines. I’m not precious
about niffs, even noxious ones can be intriguing. There is a fine line between
nasal beauty and disgust and I have always thought that the best smells have
and edge of decay or body fluids to them. I’m considering them at the moment
because a history of one of the famous wine tasting competitions I was involved
in is shortly being published and because I have also recently been to a few perfume
industry related events. Perfume or wine, the act of deconstructing them is a
very similar process. The major difference is that perfume is ingested in a
different way. It lies upon our skin reacting with our bodily temperatures and is thus transmuted. Wine works its transformation more internally and
corporally. But both affect our mood, behaviour and physiology. Whilst some
experience a graphic physiological synaesthesia response to smell anyone with an ounce of
imagination can make the obvious connections. A wine is a sharp grassy green; a scent
is a warm bronze. The language of wine is imbued with rich deep shades,
leather, pewter, flashing glass and the patinas of old woods. The interiors of
the best bodegas, chateaus and wine merchants reflect this sensual language of
wine, a language of smell supported by taste and vision.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5hgi7CwzDpc/URJuwZkbqEI/AAAAAAAAB_c/6qrodyoZSWo/s1600/Penhaligon%27s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5hgi7CwzDpc/URJuwZkbqEI/AAAAAAAAB_c/6qrodyoZSWo/s320/Penhaligon%27s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penhaligon's previous decor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljRdXKxTuYA/URJq1L3GtSI/AAAAAAAAB-s/cjnZBJiKPio/s1600/Penahaligons_Regent_Street_Christopher_Jenner_Design_Hunter_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljRdXKxTuYA/URJq1L3GtSI/AAAAAAAAB-s/cjnZBJiKPio/s320/Penahaligons_Regent_Street_Christopher_Jenner_Design_Hunter_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the new Penhaligon's store interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Scent has a wider range of
ingredients and source materials than wine and is perhaps a more overtly sensual
experience. Yet it seems to me that its visual language has been demeaned. I
know I have a weakness for luxury but that does not exclude simplicity. I love
the scent of Jinko, Cedar and Yuzu, and I love the simple wooden lines, woven
tatami and delicate traced papers that visually accompany it; in my mind at
least. However I find the shiny cheap metallic trim, the polished white.. what
is it; Formica? - the black faux onyx ‘simplicity’ of many perfume
stores/counters utterly depressing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one is going to deny the importance of ‘branding’, identity or advertising to
any company but you look back at the elegant illustrations used to advertise
scent in the thirties and compare them to the soft porn photography that is
common currency today (and yes I know I have banged on about this before) and
despair. Overt sex is not sexy nor sensuous nor erotic: it is tacky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qw95JpQxJgE/URJroyEewdI/AAAAAAAAB_M/4QGkdObMG84/s1600/penhaligon_wa_s_cornubia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qw95JpQxJgE/URJroyEewdI/AAAAAAAAB_M/4QGkdObMG84/s320/penhaligon_wa_s_cornubia.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cornubia, my favourite Penhaligon's scent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Recently I attended the re-launch
of the Penhaligon’s flagship store in Regent Street which has been redesigned
by Christopher Jenner, who has form due to his work with Diptyche. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Penhaligons are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>heritage brand and particularly good for daytime
scents and male niffs (always had a soft
spot for a finely scented male). Their traditional square cut glass bottles
tied with bows and interesting scent specific labels are established motifs.
The challenge for them as with many ‘traditional’ brands is how to avoid Laura
Ashley style ossification whilst not taking the (not necessarily bad) faintly
Eurotrashy route of Burberry. Their bottles are to some degree an ‘untouchable’
and effective design formula and to some degree sacrosanct. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LU5jHo3SANM/URJrLWRIxbI/AAAAAAAAB_E/k9deV5V-1JU/s1600/Penhaligons_Regent_Street_Christopher_Jenner_Design_Hunter_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LU5jHo3SANM/URJrLWRIxbI/AAAAAAAAB_E/k9deV5V-1JU/s320/Penhaligons_Regent_Street_Christopher_Jenner_Design_Hunter_8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior, note marquetry.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Regent Street Store has, with
its vintage glass fascia always had a touch of the jewel box about it, I liked the old dark shop too but perhaps it was a little forbidding and had a look that has been adopted by too many other brands. The
current designer appears to have appreciated this, it still looks like a jewel
box but one that has been smuggled into Mayfair via a Victorian lady travellers
travelling chest, with detours to China and the Raj. The colour scheme of Eau
de Nil and purple pink zings and appeals to me intensely. I love that uncertain and
slightly corpse-like green-blue. Despite its Frenchified name it always seems
to me to be peculiarly English: the colour of an Aesthete's jade tie pin, English utilitarian tea cups,
1920’s tea gowns and onyx Deco cigarette lighters. As a counterpoint a Schiaparelli
like pink with a mauvish hue has been used, particularly effectively in the
large pendant lamps hanging from fortuitously high ceilings. These have, in
their turn been decorated with a tribute to English tudor ceiling fretwork. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The square shapes of the iconic bottles and
the bows adorning them have been worked into most elements of the store’s
design including the beautifully tiled floors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides the entrance the range
is placed in back-lit chamfered boxes for no reason other than to display the
bottles as desirable objects. Yet these are placed in a tactile studded leather
wall which invites touch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqLbs3083tc/URJq9kP-PJI/AAAAAAAAB-0/7zVyPuHOPj4/s1600/pen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WqLbs3083tc/URJq9kP-PJI/AAAAAAAAB-0/7zVyPuHOPj4/s320/pen.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The overwhelming ambience of the shop
is of an opulent ladies drawing room of the high Edwardian era. This kind of
interior is not unusual, various brands utilise it. Penhaligon’s have staked
their claim to difference by incorporating what could almost be described as a ‘chappist’
approach. Paper labels from perfumes decorate feature walls and things are just a
bit eccentric. This was reflected at the launch by their collaboration with
Hendrick’s gin and the presence of the delightful Kit and one of their always
decorative barmen. Their now established uber-English take on gin cocktails served in the almost ubiquitious tea cups complemented
Penhaligons approach well. And in any case who can argue with good gin,
especially when accompanied by pretty macaroons?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8-G7b326Ns/URJrDaSnm5I/AAAAAAAAB-8/NFTNo8zkZCk/s1600/hend.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p8-G7b326Ns/URJrDaSnm5I/AAAAAAAAB-8/NFTNo8zkZCk/s320/hend.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hendrick's gin cornish cocktail.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Money has been spent on the
redesign in terms of craft, most notably on the floor and the
marquetry walls. Is it just me, or does a properly crafted environment reflect
a properly crafted product? Luxury can be off– putting but efforts have been
made here to counter this by making the store more interactive. The bottles are
arranged traditionally on shelves but in addition there is a table with the
entire range accompanied by sample strips; a kind of ‘taste me’ approach. This
encourages a browsing of scents, of comparison and double checking. Personally
I dislike having a member of staff interceding in my sniffing but I like them
there when I have a question or can’t find something. This is why Liberty's
often get my money, they seem quite tolerant of the customer just getting on
with things.<br />
<br />
Penhaligons are sensible to have designed their shop to appeal to
different kinds of customer. In a sense this is ultra-modern, reflecting the
move to niche and personally designed scents at the top end of the market. Yet
is still operates within the ambit of a major commercial brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is possible to market democratically
whilst luxuriously and it is possible to use conventional imagery
imaginatively. Shops like Penhaligons<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and their attitude to their perfumes and their customers are a standing
challenge to an industry that increasingly relies on a faux puritanical imagery
or pseudo-scientific hygiene fetish to sell products that often deserve
better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be countered that a
quality scent doesn’t require excessive adornment but perfume, like wine is a
balm and excitement to the senses. We have proved resistant to good wine being
stored in cartons or sold in sterile environments, which as it is a food stuff
makes more sense than in the presentation of scent. Penhaligon’s approach suits
their perfumes and the shop is a joy, like suddenly coming across a violet cream
in a box of plain truffles. Certainly the Malabar skin cream I was given makes
me smell rather like a delicious piece of confectionery.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLrkzZAnsSc/URJsR_hQKrI/AAAAAAAAB_U/2n9BRe0oGe4/s1600/penwall.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eLrkzZAnsSc/URJsR_hQKrI/AAAAAAAAB_U/2n9BRe0oGe4/s320/penwall.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Padded leather wall.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Penhaligon's website can be found here.<a href="http://www.penhaligons.com/shop/home.html?currency_code=GBP" target="_blank">here</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com197tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-51428421856526568062012-11-23T06:16:00.001-08:002012-11-23T06:23:34.153-08:00The two worst words in the English language ?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If you work in an environment
where the sick and dying are never far you are naturally reminded of your own
mortality. However I like many readers of this blog I am intrigued and
fascinated by decades gone; I’m a Historian. I’d like to think of myself as
having one foot in the past rather than one foot in the grave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is curious however, that in an age of ever
increasing life spans and good health we seem less equipped to deal with the
passing of time and our mortality or more to the point living the life we have
fully. I’ve been struck in the last couple of months about how cautious and
guarded people are: with their time, their affections and their passions. Those
who are older seem constrained by what has happened to them already, often
rather than learning from the past they are living by it and seem constrained
and over analytical. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
More curious however is the
conservatism of the young, is it a generational thing this strong sense of
caution? Perhaps the post-Thatcher generations, technology savvy and entitled
have been hit harder by the recession and the removal of things the
baby-boomers (I’m not one) saw as ‘rights’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It cannot be because I become from a particularly privileged group
generationally (1980’s working class Britain was quite grim) that it appears
that we were and remain somewhat livelier. I did always think that recession
resulted in a greater appreciation of the things that matter in life: love,
friends and living. Is technology to blame? After all enough money for a half
pint of strongbow in a pub, an evening of leaping around in a darkened room
with a noisy band or tearing around London causing mayhem were all you could do
to alleviate boredom in the 80’s. No computers, no internet, no Nintendo WII.
The best freely available entertaining activity generally simply required
another reasonably attractive human being who was ‘up for it’. No accident that
we were all fairly slim too..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Now many life decisions appear to
be sadly reliant on one of the worst words in the dictionary: ‘caution’. I’m
not complaining about common sense but caution- that mealy-mouthed Daily Mail
of a word. The word that stops people from trying things, jumping in feet first,
asking people out, having fun, staying up late, taking a punt, having a fling,
placing a bet. Caution results from being scared, nervous, underestimating
yourself and others and every time it wins it results, to my mind, in a small
death. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t mean you should do things
you don’t want to, or dangerous things or that you have to be some insane loud lunatic
throwing dice in the air although that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The
phrase: ‘throwing caution to the wind’ has a meaning of liberation and
freedom<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for a good reason. Caution is not
‘taking care’, rather it is not caring; a flattening of experience. So we end
up with corporate clothing, corporate lives, dull lives. I’m not known as a
cheerful soul myself but I have made the trade-off between hard work and wealth
in favour of useful work and enough to pay my way. Enough to spend a good
weekend (just gone) at Rhythm Riot, the rockabilly weekender with hundreds of
people who were together and determined to enjoy themselves. Every single risky
decision I have made has done me no actual harm, caused no regrets and more
often than not enriched the life I have managed to have so far.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm8AC-n4mX4/UK-FEL6uz-I/AAAAAAAAB98/MIkCP2DFGUo/s1600/happybus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xm8AC-n4mX4/UK-FEL6uz-I/AAAAAAAAB98/MIkCP2DFGUo/s320/happybus.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the happy bus at Rhythm Riot (picture courtesy of Bex Shaw).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Enjoyment and pleasure in others,
the world, your surroundings is an admirable aim not an irresponsible one. If
you can help others to feel the same even better if this can be done without
causing problems or at cost to others. Because if one truism really is a truism
it is that life is very, very very short. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
NB: the other word I dislike is ‘Stilton’</div>
RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-27158474062872797522012-11-01T04:45:00.001-07:002012-11-01T05:07:23.128-07:00All Tomorrow's (and yesterday's and today's) Parties.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It is only appropriate now that
Halloween has just passed us by like a phantom in the hallway and the festive
season fast approaches that I find myself having read two very different books
on the subject of parties: Suzette Field’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>‘A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature’ and
Angel Adoree’s ‘The Vintage Tea Party Year’. One is concerned with the literary form the other with the literal..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MZybo_zgqi0/UJJaL1ZFeuI/AAAAAAAAB8w/GengguBbf9U/s1600/curious+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MZybo_zgqi0/UJJaL1ZFeuI/AAAAAAAAB8w/GengguBbf9U/s400/curious+.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Curious Invitation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In literature the party can indeed be a curious thing. As a device it is extremely useful yet demonically difficult to write.
Try it. The combination of ambience, multiple characters and narrative are a
challenge. Most of us can
rely on the anthropological mesh of convention to hang our own idea of what an event is upon:
weddings, Christmas parties, bar mitzvahs. The party in literature is a crucial
route in writing to bring characters together in a way that we can recognise and personally I find it far more convincing than the convention of accident. For me it is more natural that an Austen heroine should be made to wince at a Ball than be scooped up by a handsome stranger in a storm. Where would the traditional British crime novel be without the cocktail party, surely as essential to the genre as a locked room? We all,
love them or loathe them, find ourselves in a party at some point in life and they
provide a microcosm of all the loving and loathing and hating and joy life
provides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It is therefore surprising that a
book on this subject has not yet been written and fortunate that it has
been written by someone so well qualified to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I used to go to a lot of parties, events and balls before I was ill and it is how I am
acquainted with the writer. She was and is involved in throwing parties, soirees and events that sometimes frankly defy description. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be that throwing a good party requires
the same insights as the creation of an imaginary one and I feel that this reveals itself not only
in the quality of the writing in this book but the choices the author makes.
You may, like me, find there are some included that are surprising
and others that are omitted. I was delighted to see The Masque of the
Red Death Party from Poe's eponymous work, The Beverly Hills Party (Hollywood Wives, Jackie
Collins) and Satan’s Rout (The Master and the Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov) included in the selection. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have added one of Anthony Powell’s or
Ford Madox Ford’s parties myself, there are several memorable examples. But this is one of the points of the book, it makes you think about what you have read and how
novelists write about the party. It would be a good read for a book club; another kind of party.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6dpH56F-SB8/UJJaUbl5jiI/AAAAAAAAB84/wLkmoZkpRHY/s1600/Suzette_BW_by_Sin_Bozkurt_25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6dpH56F-SB8/UJJaUbl5jiI/AAAAAAAAB84/wLkmoZkpRHY/s320/Suzette_BW_by_Sin_Bozkurt_25.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzette Field (photo Sin Bozkurt)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The party, the get-together, the
piss-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These may be viewed as
ephemeral, flippant and superficial to some degree in literature. Suzette Field’s
book is a firm reminder that this is not in reality the case. Cinema gets this. Think of
the wedding in The Godfather, or a film such as Greenaway’s The Cook The Thief
His wife & Her Lover. Even Star Wars contains in its early scenes characters
partying away in Chalmun’s Cantina. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It does seem that we plan our parties today with less attention, less finesse. The excuse is ‘lack of time’, but this cannot be true.
Do we have less leisure time than our grandparents? I look back at photographs
of knees ups in the depressed twenties and wartime Britain. Decorations, special
food, special clothing and special drinks. My favourite picture is of my great grandparents in
early fifties austerity Britain wearing jaunty cowbow hats decorated for some
reason with bells. Now we have more time, more money but we farm our events out
to ‘planners’, buy in all our food and decorations, the latter often cheap and
shiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The holding of an event is a
chore rather than a pleasure and one of the most endangered social creatures at
present seems to me to be the thrower of parties for the sake of it, the salon
hostess, the master or mistress of ceremonies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-athbnJLxPzE/UJJawE4ZYCI/AAAAAAAAB9A/2cqgPaRUFOs/s1600/51pmQyOvoxL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-athbnJLxPzE/UJJawE4ZYCI/AAAAAAAAB9A/2cqgPaRUFOs/s320/51pmQyOvoxL.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vintage Tea Party Year</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The other book about parties I
have read recently is Angel Adoree’s The Vintage Tea Party Year. Don’t be too
taken in by the ‘vintage’ element of the title, this book is not another field
guide to polka dots, cupcakes and penny black nostalgia. It contains recipes,
but many are meaty, strongly flavoured, unusual and historic in origin and
flavours. The book is quirkily and charmingly designed and suggests ideas for
parties, not necessarily tea based. There is plenty of alcohol involved too.
What is refreshing here is Angel’s mission to suggest that flamboyance,
imagination and not too much effort should be put into holding things. I
commend her suggestion that written invitations should be used (we all rely too
much on the horror of the Facebook invitation) and that any kind of object can
be brought in to make a party memorable. It is really not a case of spending
money, showing off or making your life stressful. I can vouch for the recipes
which are makeable, some are simplicity itself. This isn’t a prescriptive book,
it is creative and inclusive, I particularly enjoyed the chapter which
suggested that, shock, horror, the boys might want to play with tweed, alcohol,
savoury food and male fripperies without a frilly petticoated girl-wife in
sight. Despite the physical charm of the book there is something subversive here; don't buy it, don't do it the way the glossies tell you to do it, don't get new stuff, make it, grab stuff where you can if it suits....</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lSCejH6HQ8/UJJbKg8hmbI/AAAAAAAAB9I/nW6o50OYVNA/s1600/71FGCZWhyRL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2lSCejH6HQ8/UJJbKg8hmbI/AAAAAAAAB9I/nW6o50OYVNA/s400/71FGCZWhyRL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any one can make a cheese and pickle sandwich...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I think the books
actually work quite well together, even though they are very different. I’d be
delighted to receive both in a hamper with a bottle of champagne, a waitrose voucher
and an exhortation to ‘have a ball’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
these mealy-mouthed times of corporate boredom, mass-produced living and sheer ennui our contribution to ending the recession should be to spending our time making some investment in our social lives and trying to make life a little less mundane.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
'A Curious Invitation: The Forty Greatest Parties in Literature. Suzette Field (Picador 2012)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
‘The Vintage Tea Party Year’
Angel Adoree (Mitchell Beazley 2012)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Both hardback, both available on Amazon. </div>
RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-36012355445399322842012-10-02T03:55:00.000-07:002012-10-02T03:55:06.536-07:00Goodwood Revival 2012<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQjAVFXQq4Q/UGrHfFcVMgI/AAAAAAAAB8U/u5lp4yk5o00/s1600/images_goodwood_good1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hQjAVFXQq4Q/UGrHfFcVMgI/AAAAAAAAB8U/u5lp4yk5o00/s320/images_goodwood_good1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It has been a while since I
posted here, Summer raced by and what a nasty wet one it was. Now it is
shocking to see the mince pies on the supermarket shelves and a pleasure to see
the leaves change colour; Autumn is my favourite season.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1d9FsGj_gyE/UGrHIv-giQI/AAAAAAAAB8M/p2aEsLEHM84/s1600/Goodwood-1_2324953b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1d9FsGj_gyE/UGrHIv-giQI/AAAAAAAAB8M/p2aEsLEHM84/s320/Goodwood-1_2324953b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The stand out event of the last
month was for me the Goodwood Revival. I haven’t been before, I am not a ‘petrol
head’ and have always been more drawn to the horseracing. This year however
things came together, I was able to join the Chap Magazine Olympiad crowd who
had been invited to display their sporting prowess at the event. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally a kind friend was prepared to put
me up in Lewes which is one of my favourite English towns. I knew it would be a
good weekend when I arrived and a cosy drink in the Lewes Arms was followed by
a delicious meal prepared by my friend’s parents.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PwScz6R7R5Q/UGrFUPV2ccI/AAAAAAAAB70/Zw8QWXN7PYE/s1600/goodwood1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PwScz6R7R5Q/UGrFUPV2ccI/AAAAAAAAB70/Zw8QWXN7PYE/s320/goodwood1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleur de Guerre (photo), Bethan and myself on the flying chair thingy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I knew that the Goodwood Revival
was the ‘vintage’ inclined event and that Goodwood had dabbled with the scene
by holding with Wayne Hemingway a Goodwood Vintage event a couple of years ago
which had spawned various controversies. At the same time I was aware this was
a serious three day weekend of motor racing, motorbike racing and aeroplane fly
bys and displays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not sure how I
would find this, I don’t even drive. In fact I did actually have to stop one
friend mid eulogy about some automobile engine and say ‘I am very sorry but I
don’t have the faintest idea what you are talking about’. Basically for me a
car is pretty, glamorous or suits my outfit. I care rather more about the
person driving it and whether I can have a ride in it than any technical
specifications. But I do have to say there were a great many very very pretty
cars. There is also pleasure to be derived from being around enthusiasts having
a great time in nearly all environments ( although some things, like dogging,
or EDL demos are best avoided).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PCUlKwACNh8/UGrFgdVt7gI/AAAAAAAAB78/eQf1h9T-2NI/s1600/goodwood2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PCUlKwACNh8/UGrFgdVt7gI/AAAAAAAAB78/eQf1h9T-2NI/s320/goodwood2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gustav lighting the Olympic Pipe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There was a great deal to keep
the vintage/retro/history fiend busy. The roar of racing engines is a fine
backdrop to pootling around in your finery, even better were the aeroplanes
whizzing around the skies, wellington bombers, spitfires and on one evening a
plane with a brightly lit propeller were constantly whizzing through the skies distracting
you from the shopping, drinking, eating and automobile porn all around. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0AKkmXMhciA/UGrEKUDNt5I/AAAAAAAAB7s/sGRA1y-qhOA/s1600/goodwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0AKkmXMhciA/UGrEKUDNt5I/AAAAAAAAB7s/sGRA1y-qhOA/s320/goodwood.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 40's housewife look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Retro wise there was something
for everyone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were various high
points. I loved the jolly faux fight between mods and rockers outside the retro
Tescos, just typing that makes me smile. The Dad’s Army re-enactors were fun,
and whilst in forties civvy street clothing on the Sunday I found myself
flanked by Lance Corporal Jones trying to give me some sausages and Private Joe
Walker trying to sell me black market nylons. Shortly after this we had a very
civilised cup of tea with Harry and Edna in their CC21 display area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearby there were also live camels, party of
a Lawrence of Arabia themed exhibit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Chap Olympiad fitted extremely well into all this, providing an extra dose of
surreal nonsense and particularly delighting families, after all what child is
not entertained by men in hats battering each other with umbrellas? We were ‘on’three
times a day, the audience were happy to participate and groups of people came
back to watch it again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
diverse range of entertainment available, including Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer
in the Speckled Hen Tent and Black Elvis in the Butlins tent. There was also
dancing, lots to drink and eat and of course, the racing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-zH1FsfSWQ/UGrHCIiIYSI/AAAAAAAAB8E/UJEwaPtB91I/s1600/goodwood3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T-zH1FsfSWQ/UGrHCIiIYSI/AAAAAAAAB8E/UJEwaPtB91I/s320/goodwood3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chap Olympiad participants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This is an expensive event, but
unlike some others I won’t be churlish enough to mention it was good value. The
sheer number of vehicles, the racing, the vintage events, the shopping and the
atmosphere were excellent. Lord March and his team seem to be pitching it very
well to appeal to a wide range of visitors whilst, despite the crowds still
maintaining an element of glamour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would love to obtain access to some of the ‘clubs’ and private pavilions but
was very happy to meander around generally. The cold war theme adopted this
year was applied with humour, I particularly liked the Sputnik satellite that
had crashed by the entrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This event
is great fun and I am looking forward to next year. I could even grow to like
the smell of petrol and the roar of engines..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-90217077728369845232012-08-09T06:45:00.003-07:002012-08-09T06:45:41.136-07:00Legs eleven - tights in the summer.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Recently I have noticed a few
comments wondering why on earth, in the heat, some women insist on wearing
opaque or woolly tights and stockings, often with proper shoes, on hot sunny days? Some merely wonder, some are critical. I am however one of
those women who stockings in the sunshine. And I have good reasons for doing so, some of which stem from
living for several years in a country whose summers in terms of humidity and
heat are never equalled here in London:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FA_AK4mlPLQ/UCO-t0CmckI/AAAAAAAAB7A/3DK5yr-bSBw/s1600/wolford-satin-de-luxe-tights-black-opaque-tights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FA_AK4mlPLQ/UCO-t0CmckI/AAAAAAAAB7A/3DK5yr-bSBw/s320/wolford-satin-de-luxe-tights-black-opaque-tights.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer legs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Vanity.</b> Legs unless long, slim and brown look a bit rubbish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And toes are ugly. Pasty legs and knees and
toes sticking out from shorts and cotton skirts are not my cup of tea. In fact
I don’t think even beautiful bare legs ever look as good as they would in
seams, just don’t like them. It’s a taste thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Comfort.</b> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find my feet
blister easily in sandals and shoes in the heat if I do not wear socks or
tights.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hygiene.</b> Without socks or tights you sweat directly into your
sandals and shoes. I feel drier and less damp in opaques. I hate sticky skin
and I don’t want London dirt over my feet. I found in Asia that like the locals
being covered up was sometimes more effective than light clothing in keeping
cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Health.</b> Tights and socks keep the sun off and mosquitoes away. Also
if I am doing anything active I want to be able to move around and I find
sandals impractical, apart from the blisters they feel flimsy. And men do have
a habit of standing on one’s feet in tube trains.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Aesthetics.</b> The sun n’ surf, wear a kaftan, look like a festival
goer or a sweet forties land girl in a field look is never, as anyone who knows
me will testify, the way I am going to choose to look. I like hard edges, good
heels and dark colours. These don't work with bare legs and painted toesies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not saying that this is the
fact for everyone or that I hate the sun but just that when you see a girl in
opaques wandering the city, like me it might be what is comfortable, cool and clean feeling for
her not sheer eccentricity or stupidity. xx</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fx79aLCzK0Q/UCO-zc1tuGI/AAAAAAAAB7I/p4HUHGBKRtM/s1600/FlipFlopsLegs480x329.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fx79aLCzK0Q/UCO-zc1tuGI/AAAAAAAAB7I/p4HUHGBKRtM/s320/FlipFlopsLegs480x329.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fine for the beach but....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-18944410654216329532012-08-06T08:57:00.003-07:002012-08-06T09:01:10.784-07:00'Olympic' London.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Before I start let me warn the
reader, I am an Olympic cynic and whilst I am happy other people are having fun
and feeling proud, I’m not an Olympic bunter myself. I thought the views of a
dyed in the wool born and bred Londoner on how the place feels might be
interesting. It is just an opinion, if I wrote about the Olympics per se it
would turn into a long rant!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfIuV5l6ZeA/UB_jMBPWT_I/AAAAAAAAB5s/jC7Q27GsvMU/s1600/olympics460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wfIuV5l6ZeA/UB_jMBPWT_I/AAAAAAAAB5s/jC7Q27GsvMU/s200/olympics460.jpg" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ugliest logo in Olympic history?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What is it like to be in an
Olympic City? Well quite peculiar, it is as if a large alien parasite has
suddenly landed, crablike on the city and taken it over. Or maybe
it is more an like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. We knew stuff was being
built in a bit of London most of us never go near at great expense but
suddenly, with fireworks and a lot of entertaining Danny Boyle directed guff it
was upon us. London is again festooned with flags, a riot of international colour
this time rather than the red, white and blue of the Union Flag. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This flag business is a good thing and is very
attractive, we should have more flags every summer; I’d like to see a load of Jolly
Rogers on Regent’s Street! Unfortunately the official designs for the Olympics are
uniformly ugly. London is enveloped in purple with a cerise accent (it is like
someone chewed a wine gum and spat it out over the city), an ugly font and an
inelegant symbol outdone in ugliness only by the grotesque mascot who bears the
kind of name you expect a Dickensian murderer to have. Not that that is a
problem, I like the name ‘Wenlock’. I think the swimming pool should have been
called the ‘sink’ and the main stadium the ‘bear pit’ for true London
authenticity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qS24FVooYVM/UB_nwt4adLI/AAAAAAAAB6c/QjG8yLnRGgs/s1600/burberry-mascot415%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qS24FVooYVM/UB_nwt4adLI/AAAAAAAAB6c/QjG8yLnRGgs/s320/burberry-mascot415%5B2%5D.jpg" width="193" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wenlock!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
London has also been invaded by
an army of happy volunteers wearing <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>shell
suitey type things in the aforementioned nasty colour scheme, the whole place
is awash with garish nylon. The city is also full of people often proudly occasionally
smugly wearing big plastic squares with the word ‘OCOG’ emblazoned on them. Those
that are not Olympic storm troopers are similarly generally wrapped in
sportswear. Everywhere you look people are got up like seven year olds in
crackly brightly coloured clothes. The static generated must be fantastic. When
you are not party to the sea of Olympic spectators it is an odd feeling,
curiously Kafkaesque, of suddenly being a stranger in your own home. Like
coming home from holiday to find someone has moved into your flat, but in a
friendly way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ByMbpV0BiMU/UB_lzZ-eGUI/AAAAAAAAB58/g0CZ5fEgYQw/s1600/Ambassadors2_16_march.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ByMbpV0BiMU/UB_lzZ-eGUI/AAAAAAAAB58/g0CZ5fEgYQw/s320/Ambassadors2_16_march.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terrible uniforms invade London Streets...but I like the grins.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There are only two ways to
approach the thing really; one is to wholeheartedly throw yourself into it and
indulge in Olympic Spirit until the British position in the medal league
becomes your sole overriding obsession. The bread and circuses approach is not
to be dismissed, the money has gone, it will be gone when this is over so some
might as well have a bit of fun and entertainment while it is here. The other
approach is to quietly let it be, avoid the areas where it is happening or
leave the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no real
escape however short of moving to a cave and if you are not a sports fan you
just have to quietly grit your teeth and get on with it, it is only a couple of
weeks after all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJKhDKWgV5A/UB_mO2gmOnI/AAAAAAAAB6E/6KLELB1xhxg/s1600/flags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pJKhDKWgV5A/UB_mO2gmOnI/AAAAAAAAB6E/6KLELB1xhxg/s320/flags.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty flags, we've got them now, can we put them out every summer?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There was a lot of scare
mongering before the whole thing kicked off. Yes London Bridge station was
doing a good impression of a scene from Bosch when I visited it, the rudeness
of some of the visitors was startling (so much for Olympic Spirit) but the
volunteers were doing a good job. It takes a certain amount of verve and
fortitude to answer the same daft question forty times in a day. But they have
seemed to be unremittingly cheerful and good natured which should give visitors
a totally unjustified impression of Londoners as a jolly welcoming lot, like
Italians but without the sunshine. Mind you the system of 'penning' travellers in was worrying, especially as the queues for particular platforms suddenly switched, a bit like the railway version of Hogwart's corridors.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_y-UeSF8Us/UB_msuniFAI/AAAAAAAAB6M/CWVw1NbcVcs/s1600/pens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X_y-UeSF8Us/UB_msuniFAI/AAAAAAAAB6M/CWVw1NbcVcs/s320/pens.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 'pens' for commuters at London Bridge.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Lots of people have heeded these
doom laden warnings and taken the avoidance approach. I have never seen central
London quieter; there were more people around after the bombings. Seats can be
obtained on tubes and trains, theatres, pubs and clubs are quiet and last
Saturday I could see broad expanses of pavement on Oxford Street. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
was very pleasant for me but not so good for traders and businesses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>This was even the case during the hugely
popular torch relay; people didn’t really buy much from local bars or cafes who
were advised by local councillors to get extra staff in. But as a relative of
mine said regarding the popularity of the torch relay ‘Londoner’s will go and
watch the opening of a curtain if it is free’ and restaurants and pubs aren’t.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QxpRq4ymcY/UB_nkXOmtHI/AAAAAAAAB6U/gyPzOfo1Qng/s1600/late.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QxpRq4ymcY/UB_nkXOmtHI/AAAAAAAAB6U/gyPzOfo1Qng/s1600/late.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothern line was still running at 1.00 am, why only during the Olympics?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I haven’t watched much of it but
ultimately it hasn’t had much negative impact on me or much impact at all
really. I may get cross when the next big sweep of nurse sackings takes place
especially as some of those dancing nurses are likely to get the chop. But for
now I can at least, if nothing else, appreciate the surreal quality of Olympic
London. There is however one aspect of it that I am complete impressed by: the
underground trains running later, significantly later on Fridays and Saturdays.
For a single London lady about town it makes a big difference. Why not have the
late Friday and Saturdays all year? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any
future mayoral candidate who pushes this will get my vote. I also realised on
Saturday that my Chinese dress was in the Olympic pink and purple (don’t ask),
is the body snatching Olympic crab parasite subconsciously taking me over too?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBwGWMCXZuw/UB_oe1F-YWI/AAAAAAAAB6k/JVFSkPKhCbU/s1600/olympic_stadium_lights_p211210_45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oBwGWMCXZuw/UB_oe1F-YWI/AAAAAAAAB6k/JVFSkPKhCbU/s320/olympic_stadium_lights_p211210_45.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But what will our government do with the used and finished article?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-58129393645330046892012-08-06T06:45:00.000-07:002012-08-06T06:45:08.221-07:00The 'Vintage Dream Team'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I considered the other day who my
vintage ‘dream team’ might be? If the vagaries of time and motion could be
overcome, bank accounts were full of shekels and I could beam myself around
London Star Trek style?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
First of all the basics, eyebrow
shaping, facialistic fiddling, eyelash lashing the clipping of nails and the
waxing of, well whatever needs to be waxed. For this I would find myself in
Anerley Hill in the elegant surroundings of<a href="http://www.labellejolie.com/" target="_blank"> La Belle Jolie</a>, listening to Ella
Fitzgerald whilst talons are painted jungle red by the charming Renee. Basic
canvas prepared and polished I would need to consider my hair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNgdDQ82kVY/UB_FvI0QUCI/AAAAAAAAB4c/IsGnlbXAmx8/s1600/LBJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNgdDQ82kVY/UB_FvI0QUCI/AAAAAAAAB4c/IsGnlbXAmx8/s320/LBJ.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
On my magic carpet to Carnaby
Street to<a href="http://www.itssomethinghells.com/home" target="_blank"> Miss Betty’s </a>in Kingly Street for a sharp cut, zinging colour and a
proper fringe. Here I can relax with a cup of coffee from Sacred coffee on the
ground floor and listen to the best rock and roll in a red rockabilly paradise
of a salon whilst wishing that my French was better…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCKfIXEVuoY/UB_GkfRoMgI/AAAAAAAAB4k/vM1gllJ4ozc/s1600/ItsSomethingHells-TotalTatto3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MCKfIXEVuoY/UB_GkfRoMgI/AAAAAAAAB4k/vM1gllJ4ozc/s320/ItsSomethingHells-TotalTatto3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Should I want a perm with a
vintage set I might jump on a mystery train to deepest darkest Walthamstow to
see <a href="http://www.thevintageguidetolondon.com/meet-roving-vintage-hair-dresser/" target="_blank">Claire</a> who knows her way around a set of perming rods. I’d get a mug of tea
and a complimentary cute dog.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mnXbAY_bnw/UB_JzkdmubI/AAAAAAAAB5U/Ls6bCpjbzyA/s1600/vinnaom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2mnXbAY_bnw/UB_JzkdmubI/AAAAAAAAB5U/Ls6bCpjbzyA/s320/vinnaom.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If I wanted to then trip off and
buy the perfect little thirties day dress in mint condition I might board a
steampunk airship to the <a href="http://www.vintageemporiumcafe.com/" target="_blank">Vintage Emporium</a> off Brick Lane, which also sometime
provides good dog stroking opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If in need of vintage shopping advice I might turn to the lovely <a href="http://www.vintagesecret.com/styling/" target="_blank">Naomi Thompson</a>
to come and help me out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJ3Q-je2b1M/UB_IAPNHOUI/AAAAAAAAB4s/9mtdaAHq7Pg/s1600/vintage-emporium-shoreditch-motilo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NJ3Q-je2b1M/UB_IAPNHOUI/AAAAAAAAB4s/9mtdaAHq7Pg/s320/vintage-emporium-shoreditch-motilo.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
My underpinnings would be
provided by <a href="http://www.whatkatiedid.com/" target="_blank">What Katie Did</a> as second hand undies are not my thing and WKD’s
mesh seams are amongst the toughest most glamorous hosiery items there are.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t3_2-zBLcMU/UB_Jpe2PSkI/AAAAAAAAB5M/pXAjCTo0CLg/s1600/Knickers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t3_2-zBLcMU/UB_Jpe2PSkI/AAAAAAAAB5M/pXAjCTo0CLg/s320/Knickers.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If I want to set my look off with
a nice brooch I would then find myself at the little retro fair at <a href="http://westnorwoodfeast.com/" target="_blank">Norwood Feast</a> with friendly sellers, funky music, cheap prices and that relaxed Sarf
London vibe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would top it off with a
bespoke hat from <a href="http://www.facebook.com/keziaarguedesigns" target="_blank">Kezia Argue</a>, <a href="http://atelier-millinery.com/" target="_blank">Atelier Millinery</a> or <a href="http://www.piphackett.co.uk/" target="_blank">Pip Hackett</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--P3k9hY98lU/UB_IVo8aHII/AAAAAAAAB40/XLJh9d-nA-I/s1600/KAD-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--P3k9hY98lU/UB_IVo8aHII/AAAAAAAAB40/XLJh9d-nA-I/s320/KAD-3.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Shoe wise the <a href="http://www.misslfire.com/" target="_blank">Miss L Fire</a> website
would magically transform into a physical shop with handsome boys in tops and
tails offering a range of colourful shoes for my perusal.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQzNI-vMXNY/UB_JY9pY4mI/AAAAAAAAB5E/nj1SrkcLQv0/s1600/MISSLFIREGABRIELLABLUEtemp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQzNI-vMXNY/UB_JY9pY4mI/AAAAAAAAB5E/nj1SrkcLQv0/s320/MISSLFIREGABRIELLABLUEtemp.jpg" width="295" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Finally I would trot into a <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/fashion/gallery/2012/jul/08/gentlemen-compete-chap-olympiad-in-pictures" target="_blank">ChapOlympiad</a>, drenched in sunshine with a Fortnum and Mason’s hamper on one arm and
a moustachioed gent with a twinkle in his eye on the other. Well that is my
London Dream Team, what’s yours?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
xxx</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-64265243624596717682012-06-23T09:13:00.001-07:002012-06-23T09:13:22.592-07:00Themed bars of Barcelona<div style="text-align: justify;">
Recently I have been a bit here, there and all over the place, thus my lack of blogginses. One of the there's I have been to was Barcelona, my brief to combine a bit of healthy R & R to recover from a rather unpleasant year, see a friend of mine and cast my eye over Barcelona in vintage terms. Of course Barcelona wasn't named for it's bars, that would be silly. But that is where I am going to start. With bars, the silly ones.<br />
<br />
Some of my friends are very fond of faeries and I found the idea of a fairy inspired bar/cafe hard to resist. Especially when I found it was next to a waxwork museum. So my first touristic visit in the city of Gaudi and Miro in the bright sunshine was the waxwork museum. An odd but enjoyable experience, the waxworks were dreadful yet strangely the place was better for it. I was pretty much alone, you know that feeling when portraits follow you? well imagine the eyes of 20 waxwork figures following you around, deliciously spooky. I felt the need afterwards for a quick cervesa before heading out into the sun and popped into the El Bosc de les fades (Fades is fairy in the local lingo).</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R1a49QPhgWI/T99L1n5Y8XI/AAAAAAAAB2A/NDO5F8HmOgw/s1600/IMG_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R1a49QPhgWI/T99L1n5Y8XI/AAAAAAAAB2A/NDO5F8HmOgw/s320/IMG_0841.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It was wonderfully loopy as the pictures below indicate, a fantastical dark grotto full of tiny lanterns, little pools and tree branches and leaves. Perfect for my faerie, Tolkein, Game of Throne loving friends and really very pretty. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-491oR8H80KQ/T99MH3P0OeI/AAAAAAAAB2I/upVrSD61-1Y/s1600/IMG_0842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-491oR8H80KQ/T99MH3P0OeI/AAAAAAAAB2I/upVrSD61-1Y/s320/IMG_0842.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1XGzIRfKly0/T99MlzitgyI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/2UnIIGJYp_c/s1600/IMG_0844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1XGzIRfKly0/T99MlzitgyI/AAAAAAAAB2Y/2UnIIGJYp_c/s320/IMG_0844.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It wasn't all like a scene from a Dadd painting, another smaller part of the bar consisted of a rather more eery twisted fairy tale room (bad picture below). Drinking in here would have been strange, note the levitating figure in the corner. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz-VIdqDZrY/T99M4Oi2WiI/AAAAAAAAB2g/6SNFvGjpCbM/s1600/IMG_0847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Iz-VIdqDZrY/T99M4Oi2WiI/AAAAAAAAB2g/6SNFvGjpCbM/s320/IMG_0847.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Another fantastical bar was 'Hook', pirate themed it was jammed full of fairy lights, galleons hanging from the ceiling, swords, parrots and obviously anything the owners found appealing. What was particularly attractive was the presence of bric a brac that didn't ostensibly have anything to do with buccaneers. A 1950's radio, photographs of hollywood stars, and for some reason nutmeg on their pina coladas. Various photographs below.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIlwJwNaaNU/T99NHG45-qI/AAAAAAAAB2o/FEiXCiHnypg/s1600/IMG_0888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xIlwJwNaaNU/T99NHG45-qI/AAAAAAAAB2o/FEiXCiHnypg/s320/IMG_0888.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OzN-k_ll0I0/T99NgCBxdfI/AAAAAAAAB20/91N52x-QIgk/s1600/IMG_0889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OzN-k_ll0I0/T99NgCBxdfI/AAAAAAAAB20/91N52x-QIgk/s320/IMG_0889.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gey0OthwZY/T99NyQ7XN8I/AAAAAAAAB28/JZ_9sjMismA/s1600/IMG_0890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Gey0OthwZY/T99NyQ7XN8I/AAAAAAAAB28/JZ_9sjMismA/s320/IMG_0890.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Perhaps the most unexpected was Club Pipa, this bar was above one of the prettiest squares in the city, Placa Real. It reminded me a bit of Gerry's in Soho, you wouldn't know it was there, it is just a doorway with a small metal sign and does not open until very late. Go up a flight of stairs and you find yourself facing a small bar surrounded by a series of rooms. Most surprising is that Pipa means Pipe and the whole bar is devoted to Sherlock Holmes. It was by far the louchest place I visited in Barcelona. Some very dodgy photographs below (what do you expect?, I was having fun...).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeSxGOOwj_c/T99OBWGj1pI/AAAAAAAAB3E/JODcP51K3ns/s1600/IMG_0864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeSxGOOwj_c/T99OBWGj1pI/AAAAAAAAB3E/JODcP51K3ns/s320/IMG_0864.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxA2lKIN3sQ/T99OTJG8rHI/AAAAAAAAB3M/oykOPwptLqY/s1600/IMG_0868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxA2lKIN3sQ/T99OTJG8rHI/AAAAAAAAB3M/oykOPwptLqY/s320/IMG_0868.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aiodv5JjNnU/T99OjJL2dQI/AAAAAAAAB3U/QeG9HxlIPLw/s1600/IMG_0870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aiodv5JjNnU/T99OjJL2dQI/AAAAAAAAB3U/QeG9HxlIPLw/s320/IMG_0870.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All of these bars are not particularly designed for tourists but the last one I'm mentioning does perhaps fall into this category although it is more an ex-pat joint. Obama's does contain a life size model of the US president in the front part of the bar but otherwise the whole place is themed around English Colonial Africa. The combination of the anti-colonial politician and an array of pith helmets and militaria does not bother the locals at all. Most peculiar. This place seemed to be more of an all day meeting place for Barcelona's numerous foreign residents, was open all day and served food. Photographs below.</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gO2hviXakD0/T-XobW-4UVI/AAAAAAAAB3g/TtS8QTFD4r8/s1600/IMG_0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gO2hviXakD0/T-XobW-4UVI/AAAAAAAAB3g/TtS8QTFD4r8/s320/IMG_0893.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9gEMQqU2VU/T-XoqYLqYjI/AAAAAAAAB3o/QTOJz2TPv0Q/s1600/IMG_0894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9gEMQqU2VU/T-XoqYLqYjI/AAAAAAAAB3o/QTOJz2TPv0Q/s320/IMG_0894.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtVgj6qfEI0/T-Xo68tg2AI/AAAAAAAAB30/AEGL6hWquss/s1600/IMG_0895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtVgj6qfEI0/T-Xo68tg2AI/AAAAAAAAB30/AEGL6hWquss/s320/IMG_0895.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I recommend Barcelona as a place to visit, great food, beautiful buildings, lovely people and of course wonderful sunny weather. Being there was not only cheering but gave me space to think about my future and surrounded by Gaudi buildings, sunny gardens and smiling faces it was hard not to be optimistic. Roll on the rest of the year! </div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-18224546205289056772012-05-30T03:43:00.003-07:002012-05-30T03:44:15.916-07:00Vintage shopping Event: Raise money for Save the Children.<div style="text-align: justify;">
For vintage lovers in the capital this shopping event is well worth a ganders. It is also a good 'entry-level' evening for those who want some friendly advice. 'Entry-level'? I can't believe I just used that term, makes it sound like learning Serbo-croat, or ballroom dancing....this event won't be like that at all! It is also entirely for charity and the perfect opportunity for those of you with a too small, too big vintage item that could be passed on to someone to love. Organised under the auspices of the tireless and rather omni-present Mary Portas (gotta love a woman with a ginger bob!) it is likely to have some good stuff available and to be well attended. In addition the lovely Naomi and Jenni will be wafting (or more likely bouncing) around to help those who need either reassurance or just a reliable second opinion. Blurb below. If not exhausted by my day I hope to trip along, if I do my donation will be an absolutely fantastic scarlet 1950's straw skull cap trimmed with berries</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fHmNvfiTFTw/T8X5H8TvUeI/AAAAAAAAB1o/Fe_nlbpLfQM/s1600/Regents-Park.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fHmNvfiTFTw/T8X5H8TvUeI/AAAAAAAAB1o/Fe_nlbpLfQM/s320/Regents-Park.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living and Giving Shop Primrose Hill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">'Love to put a fabulous retro look together but unsure where to start? Then come to </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Mary’s Living & Giving Shop at Primrose Hill</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"> on</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Thursday 31 May 2012, 6pm-9pm,</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"> to hear </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Naomi Thompson</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">, vintage stylist and shopping specialist talk about all things vintage.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Naomi will be reading from her new book ‘</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Style Me Vintage</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">’
which is packed full of fantastic tips. She will explain what to look
for when shopping vintage, when to part with your cash and most
importantly what to av</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">oid.
In addition to signing copies of the book on the evening itself, Naomi
and her trusted cover girl, Jennifer Siggs, will be on hand to answer
your personal questions - anything from ‘How to buy and date vintage?’
through to ‘Is Fifties à la Mad Men or Sixties Le Chic best for my body
shape?’ No need to book an appointment for a one-to-one session with
Naomi or Jennifer, just come along on the evening and pop your name down
on the list (first come first served basis).</span></i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QfiY_h2Syp0/T8X5Ool_S-I/AAAAAAAAB1w/7bGaUuD5GiM/s1600/naojen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QfiY_h2Syp0/T8X5Ool_S-I/AAAAAAAAB1w/7bGaUuD5GiM/s320/naojen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The friendly and fabulous Jennifer and Naomi (photograph <a href="http://hansonleatherby.com/">http://hansonleatherby.com/</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"></span></i></span></b></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 1.35em;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">The sensational 1940s inspired trio </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">The Three Belles</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"> will
provide live music whilst you shop pieces that have been donated by
some of the most coveted vintage stores in London as well as vintage
inspired pieces from an A to Z of designers, </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Allegra Hicks</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"> to </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">Zandra Rhodes</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">.</span></span></i></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QoYa9F9PN4o/T8X5DMeIkcI/AAAAAAAAB1g/5AlGe6JB5Dk/s1600/the-three-belles-union-jack-1329119763-view-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QoYa9F9PN4o/T8X5DMeIkcI/AAAAAAAAB1g/5AlGe6JB5Dk/s320/the-three-belles-union-jack-1329119763-view-0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 1.35em;">
</div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">We are expecting a big turn out and are offering </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;">VIP QUEUE JUMP</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 17px;"> entry to anybody bringing a vintage donation.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span>Any donations donated before the evening will also be hugely appreciated.</span></span></i></span></b></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="color: red; text-align: center;">
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',serif;"><i>Whether
you want to buy a glamourous 50’s inspired dress, learn how to mix
modern and vintage together, or enter the raffle and be in with the
chance of winning several fabulous prizes, then this is the event not to
be missed. Rumour has it that Naomi will also be donating a few
personal pieces from her wardrobe, so you never know…you may even find
that special something you’ve always been searching for!</i></span></span></b></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-92148139564617381232012-05-21T08:59:00.001-07:002012-05-22T01:33:26.517-07:00Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London Event Guide.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Well a long weekend of bunting, fairy cakes, union jack-
waving and boozing approaches. The shops are full of souvenir tat, there is an
extra bank holiday and London is bracing itself for an influx of visitors and
patriotic chaos. It would be remiss of me, despite republican leanings not to come up with some ideas of how to fill
the weekend in London whether you are visiting or battening down the hatches. I
am either going to, or would be if could, to the following shindigs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Friday the 1<sup>st</sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u4Mg7q5iJYA/T7pik6emtjI/AAAAAAAAB08/TEtNz8s6LGc/s1600/Audacity-Chutzpah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u4Mg7q5iJYA/T7pik6emtjI/AAAAAAAAB08/TEtNz8s6LGc/s320/Audacity-Chutzpah.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Breast of British Bluestockings Jubilee Cabaret</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Excellent line up of cabaret for the evening including
Ophelia Bitz, Fancy Chance and Tricity Vogue. Likely to be a highly
entertaining mischievous witty night, with the odd boob thrown in. Which makes
sense as Elizabeth the 2<sup>nd</sup> has always had a rather impressive
décolletage herself. Although if you want to know where these ladies store
their diamonds you’ll have to go along. Convenient West End location and good
value with tickets at a tenner a pop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Details<a href="http://7onred.com/friday-1st-june-breast-of-british-bluestockings-cabaret" target="_blank"> here. </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patriotometer: Subversive!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday the 2<sup>nd </sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9e4Zs8y7TZk/T7piTqh_sPI/AAAAAAAAB00/HfL92VRDhUk/s1600/righroyaln.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9e4Zs8y7TZk/T7piTqh_sPI/AAAAAAAAB00/HfL92VRDhUk/s400/righroyaln.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>1953 Themed Jubilee Dinner.</b> Ella Armstrong Lach of the London Vintage Kitchen, who for
some reason is rather keen on cooking is organising a pop up dinner party
serving food from the same era as the coronation in a secret location, which I
have been assured is not Dalston. A three course meal from the era and drinks
will be accompanied by singing, party games and dancing. All for the rather
economical price of £25.00. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Details<a href="http://www.londonvintagekitchen.com/" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br /><a href="http://./"></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patriotometer: God
Save the Queen!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday the 3<sup>rd</sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jBCLC7sLjbg/T7pmN2VjenI/AAAAAAAAB1U/RMN9TvfPUPY/s1600/welcomeboat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jBCLC7sLjbg/T7pmN2VjenI/AAAAAAAAB1U/RMN9TvfPUPY/s320/welcomeboat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Diamond Jubilee Flotilla</b>, the river, your local hostelry,
your sitting room.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Now if you are lucky enough to know some rich git with a
view the place to be is in their place watching the pretty ships. For the rest
of us it will be the usual scrum, millions of tourists shoving, screaming kids,
people blocking your view. The screens are all North of the river which means
most people may get rather stuck when it comes to moving around. The native Londoner will find a nice screen, in a nice pub,
settle down with a glass of English ale and and watch it in comfort. After all
most of us see a Royal at some point every year…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Details<a href="http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/" target="_blank"> here </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patriotometer: depends, some will merely be interested in
the pretty boats.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday the 3<sup>rd</sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2twlhLUXm3k/T7pjdiKfNcI/AAAAAAAAB1E/Vtc0fzpOktk/s1600/wtbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="118" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2twlhLUXm3k/T7pjdiKfNcI/AAAAAAAAB1E/Vtc0fzpOktk/s320/wtbs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What the Butler Saw</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Large Ball/Party in Farringdon channeling a
perverse version of Downton Abbey. Confirmed performers include Frank and Nancy
Sanazi and Fifties style singers plus cabaret, burlesque and DJ’s from Torture
Garden amongst others. Continues until
3am the next day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Details<a href="http://whatthebutlersaw.eventbrite.com/" target="_blank"> here.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patriotometer: Unsuitable for a modern monarchy but Edward VII
might have rather liked it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Monday the 4<sup>th</sup></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8816gUZxP4/T7pkJK_QXjI/AAAAAAAAB1M/lbWs16qpgPI/s1600/batr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8816gUZxP4/T7pkJK_QXjI/AAAAAAAAB1M/lbWs16qpgPI/s320/batr.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Battle Royal</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Double RR crew host a cabaret night in their own
inimitable style. Cabaret in the atmospheric Bethnal Green Working Men’s club
with performers taking a republican stance. The performers are likely to be
amongst the best in London, instead of being the first to be lined up in front of
a wall come the revolution, be the first lined up at the bar (which has pub
prices). Additionally all the money raised goes to charity. Highly recommended.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Details<a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/359485487441135" target="_blank"> here.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patriotometer:
Traitor’s Gate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-6665884150004642662012-05-17T07:13:00.002-07:002012-05-17T07:13:47.125-07:00One Aldwych - Martini Movies<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Going on a date in London can be
tricky, keeping yourself occupied stylishly in the evening when on a romantic
trip to London can be equally trying. You can go for the tried and tested ‘see
a show’ approach. But for the amorously inclined the large part of the evening
will be spent not talking, and when you do get a chance it will be for fifteen
minutes in a crammed theatre bar. That is if your date has not had to queue for
a quarter of an hour to use the loo. Drinks and/or dinner will be crammed in
before the play, or shoved down at an anti-social hour afterwards. Leaving the theatre aside the simpler option of a
nice meal can be equally challenging. That is hours of conversation, and finding a good
restaurant, and booking it (many fashionable eateries have this infuriating ‘no-booking’
policy at the mo). Of course you can always wander through a glamorous city by
night, if it isn’t raining. More
vulgarly there is the issue of cost; two theatre tickets, meals and drinks will not leave
much change from £200. It’s enough to make you grasp singledom with enthusiasm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fkYnu_ZJy3g/T7EqgesgDXI/AAAAAAAAB0U/TQfnZnXjsJ0/s1600/lobby_bar_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fkYnu_ZJy3g/T7EqgesgDXI/AAAAAAAAB0U/TQfnZnXjsJ0/s320/lobby_bar_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bar at OneAldwych</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
One good alternative is provided
by <a href="http://www.onealdwych.com/home.aspx" target="_blank">OneAldwych</a>, a modern sassy boutique hotel in Aldwych. Their Martini Movies package
offers a cocktail, a film in their small private cinema and a three course
meal, all for £42.00 a head. There are a number of advantages to this option; you are
a guest, not just part of the cattle train of hen nights, confused tourists and
predatory suits thronging London. One of the hotel’s strong points is its level
of service and especially if dating or going out after a day at work a bit of care and attention makes a difference. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TlVu6EIXvDo/T7EqAAKYABI/AAAAAAAAB0E/3csAY-Vr2VY/s1600/screening_room_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TlVu6EIXvDo/T7EqAAKYABI/AAAAAAAAB0E/3csAY-Vr2VY/s320/screening_room_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comfy seats and cocktail to accompany your viewing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
A wide range of films are shown and
the small cinema has large comfy leather chairs. On popping yourself into one
you are presented with a cocktail. Even if it were fully booked the cinema is bijou: there wouldn’t
be hordes of you and certainly no yallering teenagers or crisp bag rattling
morons. In addition a film is not too long, but it does provide good
conversation fodder. Amongst the films coming up are ‘The Artist’ and ‘Midnight
in Paris’, which if you haven’t seen them already are superb romantic fare.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wH0Nf7zW2ME/T7ErC5xfBFI/AAAAAAAAB0k/f6zt6myrgLo/s1600/indigo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wH0Nf7zW2ME/T7ErC5xfBFI/AAAAAAAAB0k/f6zt6myrgLo/s320/indigo_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the retaurants that provide dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The evening also includes a three
course meal; I ate at OneAldwych some time ago and enjoyed it. Just being able
to wander out from the auditorium and into a nice restaurant with a table waiting
for you is a treat. No fighting your way through crowded London streets weighed
down with coats and umbrellas to squeeze your way into some noisy restaurant that is
already jammed. The screenings are also timed so you sit down for dinner at
a civilised hour and don’t have to rush your food so you can grab the last
train home. Being a hotel of course it has a bar and it would be quite possible to just finish your meal and move in there for a digestif.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8metcmYY04U/T7EqFtKdbQI/AAAAAAAAB0M/Cs-Z_fJ3new/s1600/vintage_evening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8metcmYY04U/T7EqFtKdbQI/AAAAAAAAB0M/Cs-Z_fJ3new/s320/vintage_evening.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage lovelies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Last week along with some of
London’s vintage finest I was treated to a truncated form of the evening and if
the excellent canapes were anything to go by the food remains good. The cocktails and champagne certainly hit the
spot as you can see from the pictures above and below.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--qPRyyYWY64/T7Eq46LaRLI/AAAAAAAAB0c/7AY9Iv88o0o/s1600/onealdwychetc+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--qPRyyYWY64/T7Eq46LaRLI/AAAAAAAAB0c/7AY9Iv88o0o/s1600/onealdwychetc+013.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself on the left (picture courtesy of<a href="http://katiechutzpah.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Katie Chutzpah</a>).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I think this would be an equally
good option for those based in London, who have a busy enough life and want a
stylish evening with minimal hassle. I also think it would be good for those
who are here on holiday and want an evening away from frenetic tourism. Indeed who needs a date? Not me, a girls night out would be great fun, we certainly enjoyed ourselves (we watched My Week with Marilyn, and I still don't understand the enthusiasm for Mr Redmayne!). Finally
for London’s West End it is very reasonably priced.<br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Details of the film club can be
found<a href="http://www.onealdwych.com/food-drink/martini-movies.aspx%20" target="_blank"> here</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-45815079627759773272012-04-27T07:41:00.002-07:002012-04-27T07:42:23.305-07:00Chap Magazine Savile Row Demonstration.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Last Monday I attended a
demonstration held in Savile Row to demonstrate against Abercrombie and Fitch
opening a branch of Abercrombie Kids in the least appropriate place: Savile Row
itself. This was organised by the <a href="http://thechap.net/content/section_news/?p=1050" target="_blank">Chap Magazine</a> and is a welcome return to the ‘agit-fop’
of the past. The magazine is incorrectly regarded by the idiotic as
reactionary. Anti-corporate and touch
anarchic is closer to the truth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I arrived at 9.15 to find a
picket line already formed and slipped in between a couple of friends. Gustav
Temple was there to attempt to lead the troops and Atters, well Atters was
there messing around with a whip. Having walked around the corner the ever
excellent <a href="http://mr%20b%20the%20gentleman%20rhymer/" target="_blank">Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer</a> led us in a chorus of Give Three Piece a
Chance. The building Abercrombie Kids wants to occupy is the former
headquarters of Apple, the Beatle’s company. Having made our opinions known we
dispersed, predictably to the French House for a debriefing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Impressions of the day? The
vehicles ranging from the omnipresent white van to the odd Jaguar tooting their
support or vocally expressing it from windows. The very stylish arrival of the
vintage news team in the Row, emerging from an equally stylish vintage car. A
passing Chief Inspector of the Metropolitan Police nipping over to tell Sara
and I that this was the most stylish demonstration he’d ever seen. The pleasure
of seeing so many smart ladies and dapper gents loitering on one of London’s
most stylish streets. Meeting the charming lady who said she read this blog
(always a pleasure to run into people) and finally the amiable jolly
atmosphere.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There was lots of press, perhaps
unsurprisingly. What did surprise me is that on Tuesday there was a picture of
me with the lovely Sara and another comrade in the Times (see below). I like the rain
and wind proof tweed I am wearing but it would have to have been one of those
days when your hair just won’t set!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQHb58VjKF0/T5qvg0EGrzI/AAAAAAAABzk/I6rIVVz_PHI/s1600/times.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sQHb58VjKF0/T5qvg0EGrzI/AAAAAAAABzk/I6rIVVz_PHI/s400/times.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-77774877700116839482012-04-26T08:50:00.000-07:002012-04-27T03:41:03.571-07:00Let's face the music and Dance!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I have catholic tastes in music,
I love ska, early 80’s Goth, classical overtures, musical theatre and Buddhist
chants. All of these have the added advantage of being easy to dance around to.
Yes including classical: have you never marched like a monster to Peer Gynt or
swung around the room to Liszt? No? your loss! Buddhist chants you can slowly move from side to side to, mind you the same could be said of most sounds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
However some of the other music I
love such as 20’s dance music, big band sounds and fifties R & B pose a
dilemma. They are difficult to dance to, you need a partner, you need to
actually learn to dance and you have to know how to dance! Quite apart from
this there are personal factors, are you fit? Do you have any
aptitude at all?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This post is for those like me.
The ones who have the co-ordination of a drunken bumblebee, who have to hold
their left hand up to see that the thumb and forefinger form an ‘L’ just to
confirm that it is actually left, those who are single and feel guilty at
inflicting their cumbersomeness on some poor stranger and those who cannot
actually move their hands and feet, at the same time, in any meaningful way. Is this you? If so welcome to the
club. No doubt you have spent years like me, propping up the bar watching
shimmying slippery eels of couples bounce sway and hop their way around each
other . Very entertaining, but you do feel left out and let’s face it: dead
jealous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbmvyqG9oak/T5lp4lDQKVI/AAAAAAAABzI/bt7-vSTV6Hw/s1600/wallflower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JbmvyqG9oak/T5lp4lDQKVI/AAAAAAAABzI/bt7-vSTV6Hw/s400/wallflower.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting out the dance...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Finding myself single and with a
bit more time on my hands I finally determined that even if was a bit rubbish this was
becoming a bit ridiculous and I determined to have a go. You cannot go through life only doing things you are naturally good at. At the very least I might
master a couple of the group dances. At worst I would at least know that I
really can’t dance but have had a bit of exercise. At best I might even enjoy
myself. The next question was what to
learn? For my money Salsa and Ceroc have an element of being 'a good place to
meet the opposite sex' about them, something that is not my priority. I had attempted Lindy Hop in the past but it hadn’t worked at all.
Perhaps because the class was too big and I kept on having to sit it out due to lack of leads. In retrospect Lindy did not seem to be at all
simple, a bit fussy and I was simply bad at it. So I settled, because I am particularly fond
of fifties music, on Jive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The question next was where to go?
there are a plethora of classes out there. Location is important, after a day
at work travelling across London and back is a trial and exhausting to boot.
The risk is that after a particularly hard day it would be too easy to just
back out and head home for a plate of pasta in front of The One Show. I also
determined to do a small set of classes for beginners and pay up front in order to encourage me to keep on going. Finally
and perhaps most usefully I went with my similarly dance phobic friend Ed
(thanks Ed!). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuoPaMdLaY4/T5lqA-_Y-rI/AAAAAAAABzQ/9qMvKTF19VU/s1600/telegr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BuoPaMdLaY4/T5lqA-_Y-rI/AAAAAAAABzQ/9qMvKTF19VU/s400/telegr.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Telegraph Jive.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I took five short classes at
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Telegraph-Jive/112310132177784?sk=page_map" rel="nofollow" style="color: red;" target="_blank">Telegraph Jive</a>, it was held upstairs in a pub in an area which was easy for me
to get home from at night and was taught by two people I know and like: David
and Kezia .It was a small class
with friendly people and a relaxed enthusiastic approach. Predictably I did not emerge as a natural dancer and would gripe and grump during the sessions. I also had to deal
with a minor operation which resulted in one lesson where, rather than twirling
I was staggering around like an inebriated Tinkerbell! Having persevered though I was much better after
this very short course than when I started but perhaps more usefully it removed
some of ‘the fear’. Most pertinently I occasionally even started to enjoy it.
So for a beginner in South London I cannot recommend these classes highly
enough. The pub was quite nice too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So where does that leave me? Well
my friend and I went to <a href="http://www.hulaboogie.co.uk/">Hula Boogie</a> which was great fun, but involved little
dancing as I was a bit cowed by the quality of the people there, entirely my fault. I would always
recommend Hula Boogie as a good night out with cheap cocktails to anyone
though, dancer or not and will pop along again next month. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Diamond-Jive/1798816654" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Diamond-Jive/1798816654" style="color: red;" target="_blank">Diamond Jive</a> classes
and nights are also held in my local area, I tried their drop in class last
Monday and although I’m not really up to scratch at all the people there were
friendly and I like the teacher: Frankie. So I hope to get to make it to more of these.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lj8PmVcDq70/T5lqO5wTvUI/AAAAAAAABzY/JjWWa2R_jhQ/s1600/swing-dance-vintage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lj8PmVcDq70/T5lqO5wTvUI/AAAAAAAABzY/JjWWa2R_jhQ/s320/swing-dance-vintage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bit mystified by the legs here...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Will I ever be able to jive
properly? Who knows? It might take, I might be able to try other types of
dance, or not. On the other hand it is actually enjoyable and seems to be a
scene where most people just want to enjoy themselves and the music. Even this
non-dancer has picked up a certain tendency towards aloofness and up-themselvesness in some dancers/scenes.<br />
<br />
One of my problems has always
been that I often look like I can dance, my soft spot for wide trousers,
bandanas, red lippy and retro frocks signals a capability that is absent. It is worth pointing out that many of us spend our time in a dance rich environment, it comes with the territory. At
least if some brave man asks me to dance now at one of the many dance rich events I attend I can
point out that I am a beginner but actually get up and have a go; when you are
a ‘can’t dance, won’t dance’ person that is real progress. So my advice to my fellow ‘two left feeters’
is to give it a try, it can't hurt. xxx</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-48227354380474745962012-04-24T08:50:00.000-07:002012-04-24T08:55:10.319-07:00Jubilee celebrations: Victorious Vintage.<div style="text-align: justify;">
You cannot have failed to notice the sea of red, white and blue taking over the shopping aisles at the moment. So far fortunately the Jubilee memorabilia is overtaking the tatt on sale to mark the sporting event we have to endure later in the year. Currently you can even buy red, white and blue fondant fancies. Of course there are lots of events, and if you don't have jelly, ham sandwiches and warm beer on trestle tables lined up for your street a number of things are being arranged to tap into any need for public celebration. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5n5H5jCN9yo/T5bK_l-tEjI/AAAAAAAABzA/NXvhODA5gK0/s1600/vvfleur3banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5n5H5jCN9yo/T5bK_l-tEjI/AAAAAAAABzA/NXvhODA5gK0/s320/vvfleur3banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the vintage front, with the coronation having been in the fifties and the dumb vintage obsession with bunting and cup cakes, plenty of so called 'vintage' events have jumped into the breach. I'd be very wary of most to be honest. For my money the best is likely to be <a href="http://www.victoriousvintage.co.uk/">Victorious Vintage </a>which is being held on 2 - 3rd June. My reasons for suggesting this one are threefold. One is that it is being held in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. We are a maritime nation shaped by the sea and our most iconic boat, Nelson's Victory is docked there. I think being beside the sea rather than in say a big park and being surrounded by our naval history makes this a wonderfully patriotic venue. And if you cannot be overtly patriotic on a royal jubilee when can you be? I also think that being near ships will be a nice mental counterpoint to the flotilla sailing down the Thames.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqEWSmaPv00/T5bKuCHbgTI/AAAAAAAABy4/eZFNi-w5wvI/s1600/hms_victory_portsmouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqEWSmaPv00/T5bKuCHbgTI/AAAAAAAABy4/eZFNi-w5wvI/s320/hms_victory_portsmouth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My second point is that it is actually free, no venal bandwagon-jumping types will be charging you entry, the museums and so forth will still charge but the music, vintage fair and performances will be free. The music is eclectic but concentrates on simply entertaining visitors. Headlined by Dodgy and the Lightning seeds there are a number of tribute bands and a variety of musical tastes but all tending towards the celebratory will be playing.You can see a list of performers in the flyer below.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Hr0ytkuzxQ/T5bKQDQYN9I/AAAAAAAAByo/FAIVoqlDkwY/s1600/vv-list-51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Hr0ytkuzxQ/T5bKQDQYN9I/AAAAAAAAByo/FAIVoqlDkwY/s640/vv-list-51.jpg" width="448" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lastly there is the fact that Portsmouth is a very English city, from it's Georgian captain's housing, it's raucous football fans, it's fish and chip shops and general airiness make it English. It is not too much of a hike from London and hotels and b&b's tend to be inexpensive. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9mttWTYg-g/T5bKWcT8o-I/AAAAAAAAByw/80CfYQ3YVaw/s1600/vvfleur2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t9mttWTYg-g/T5bKWcT8o-I/AAAAAAAAByw/80CfYQ3YVaw/s320/vvfleur2.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleure de Guerre enjoying Portsmouth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Basically I get the idea that although this has vintage in it's moniker, being by the brine, with the Victory in the back ground and the seagulls crying it will not have to try hard to feel retro. It seems more that the intention is to provide a good happy day out. By not charging it is not being limited to being a day out for afficianados or those who think the whole thing is trendy but should be full of children, their grandparents, everyone else in between and local people. If the sun is out it could be, other than in a barge on the Thames, the best place to be. It is also the perfect excuse to put on something naval and see if you can pick up a sailor! xx</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-62485586752203088402012-04-12T03:50:00.000-07:002012-04-12T03:50:50.007-07:00*Stop press* Chap Olympiad Tickets on Sale.<div style="text-align: justify;">I don't like sport, it bores me rigid. I don't begrudge those who do their fun, but I regard the Olympics as an immoral corporate money making exercise. Small nations cannot afford to send teams and those that do are patronised. It is supposed to be a beacon of equality yet nations that effectively ban an entire gender from sporting life are welcomed. Londoners have paid towards this yet receive nothing but inconvenience, danger and hordes of tourists (which we have any way during any given year). Wonderful cultural projects have been shelved perhaps permanently and heritage projects abandoned which may permanently damage our country. Large numbers of the transient jobs created went to non-Londoners and many of the contracts were filled abroad. We are likely to make a loss on this and Stratford's new facilities are of no use to us in South London where our sporting facilities are being allowed to rot.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3nLEw0Tx7-c/T4azLd1-90I/AAAAAAAABxo/YPKyc6qG4dc/s1600/chap1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3nLEw0Tx7-c/T4azLd1-90I/AAAAAAAABxo/YPKyc6qG4dc/s1600/chap1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">However fortunately we have the Chap Olympics. It is amateur, anyone can come and everyone has a chance of competing. This year it is spread over two days, the Sunday already being termed by many the Para (lytic) Chap Olympics. There is the option to sit around and do very little, the option to dance, you are in the generally civilised environs of Bloomsbury and there is no need to don revolting lycra or even more revolting trainers. Additionally little chaps are welcome as are little canine chaps (although the latter can end up suffering from sausage fatigue as everyone feeds them).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mg0Tuona-1g/T4azRuvAZqI/AAAAAAAABxw/RMItS6g3vqs/s1600/chap-olympics-tweed-london-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mg0Tuona-1g/T4azRuvAZqI/AAAAAAAABxw/RMItS6g3vqs/s320/chap-olympics-tweed-london-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course every event has it's set backs. The weather is unpredictable (veterans of the great deluge of 2011 will recall enjoyment was wrung out of damp picnic blankets anyway). And the booze prices can seem steep, although I suspect they will be a darn sight cheaper than those at the 'other' event. Also you do have to pay, twenty squiddlies a day (£30.00), which seems perfectly reasonable to me for hours of good sometimes decent fun. Security and licensing are not cheap in London. On the other hand all Londoners have to factor in is the price of the night bus home, and the alcoholic refreshments.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iq6NraN3WCw/T4azXoFCp2I/AAAAAAAABx4/uWe76Tr3NE8/s1600/chap2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iq6NraN3WCw/T4azXoFCp2I/AAAAAAAABx4/uWe76Tr3NE8/s320/chap2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
One of the nice elements of the event is the diversity of competititors and spectators. Steampunks, Goths, tweed clad explorers, fifties pin ups, stray RAF officers, wandering bedouin, swimmers looking for water, evening dress clad gigolos and victorian clergymen all wander around happily. The people in fake taches and flapper headbands are in a minority that can be happily welcomed. Hopefully the fun had at this event will survive in my memory long enough to cancel out what is to follow (I am planning a twin peaks/game of thrones dvd watching marathon for the end of the month to replace the hours of lycra on television).<br />
<br />
Tickets and details can be found<a href="http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user?query=search&region=xxx&category=misc&search=the+chap+olympiad&x=4&y=14/"> here </a><br />
Also information about past Olympiads<a href="http://www.thechapolympiad.com/next-event"> here</a><br />
<br />
Hope to see some of you there! xx</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-36665461610096079102012-04-11T08:56:00.001-07:002012-04-11T08:58:45.402-07:00West Norwood Feast.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRxfYeAW-uU/T4WpuEMYkaI/AAAAAAAABxg/FX7sjrCWyoE/s1600/West+Norwood+Feast+Mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vRxfYeAW-uU/T4WpuEMYkaI/AAAAAAAABxg/FX7sjrCWyoE/s320/West+Norwood+Feast+Mosaic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bit of London that is Norwood is an enigma to many Londoners, especially those who live up North. It is actually one of the largest areas in the capital, stretching all the way from Tulse Hill to South Norwood and including areas like Belvedere, Sydenham, Crystal Palace, Norwood Junction, Central Hill, Knights Hill and Gipsy Hill. For most it is merely the place that has three identifiable train stations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It doesn't help that until very recently Lambeth council has virtually ignored its Northern regions pouring millions of pounds into that virtually unsalvageable wen Brixton (also loveable in a few scuzzy ways) and allowing Norwood and Streatham to slowly decay. Of course we also have our fair share of shootings, monosyllabic morlocks in hoodies and those twin signs of poverty: all night barbers and friend chicken shops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This aside the place is diverse, the rich and the poor are still shoved together unlike other London areas which have been totally gentrified. The place is a rich artistic stew of influences and activities. With a roll call of famous past residents, a heavy presence in classic films and not a few artists and craftmans plus some industry it is an interesting place; just one that hides it's charms.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dB5KzxUJKHc/T4WpPikX94I/AAAAAAAABxY/wEt7nEFQtNU/s1600/map_740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The residents of West Norwood, most famous for it's cemetery, grand Spurgeon church,literary connections and the fact that Adele used to live above the local plastic shop, have decided to take matters into their own hands. On the first Sunday of every month a stalls and traders appear like mushrooms clustering in little patches and corners of the area to do what the locals do best, meander about, eating and drinking. Especially the drinking.I had a quick wander around the first one of the year, fortuitously on a fine sunny day and took some photos. The home page for the West Norwood Feast can be found <a href="http://westnorwoodfeast.com/">here</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is called the Norwood Feast and has a little vintage market, crafts market, food area and garden market. Additionally there is live music and a play area for local urchins. I wandered around and took some piccies:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DashN-ZZDB4/T32GJnU-XRI/AAAAAAAABv4/HFg3o8dlIMA/s1600/nf1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DashN-ZZDB4/T32GJnU-XRI/AAAAAAAABv4/HFg3o8dlIMA/s320/nf1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Jerk chicken boys, South London has the best jerk chicken, stuff Nandos.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTYK0LSRo9I/T32GOmjw75I/AAAAAAAABwA/ZYkFx3jxe9w/s1600/nf2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MTYK0LSRo9I/T32GOmjw75I/AAAAAAAABwA/ZYkFx3jxe9w/s320/nf2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sitting in the sunshine in front of the beer, cider and mead tent.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EeUHMN09Uhw/T32Gbi9zLvI/AAAAAAAABwI/txh6N5hFEIk/s1600/nf3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EeUHMN09Uhw/T32Gbi9zLvI/AAAAAAAABwI/txh6N5hFEIk/s320/nf3.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage suits</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zfgh-H1TNAs/T32Gg890IOI/AAAAAAAABwQ/CZDYD056Zbg/s1600/nf4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zfgh-H1TNAs/T32Gg890IOI/AAAAAAAABwQ/CZDYD056Zbg/s320/nf4.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2LdGjUW8jnU/T32GlcdQluI/AAAAAAAABwY/azAJy1I61MY/s1600/nf5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2LdGjUW8jnU/T32GlcdQluI/AAAAAAAABwY/azAJy1I61MY/s320/nf5.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crockery</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkhmNufI5_o/T32GtVdD-cI/AAAAAAAABwg/lATkMCwqT-c/s1600/nf7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkhmNufI5_o/T32GtVdD-cI/AAAAAAAABwg/lATkMCwqT-c/s320/nf7.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1930's manicure case</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8dMYrNxwkw/T32G0ljIH7I/AAAAAAAABwo/Aw29lPjmozg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8dMYrNxwkw/T32G0ljIH7I/AAAAAAAABwo/Aw29lPjmozg/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food stalls outside St Lukes.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-30171267815134132962012-04-10T08:02:00.005-07:002012-04-10T08:17:42.783-07:00Save Savile Row! from a sea of buggies and expensive tot wear.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Abercrombie and Fitch have decided to open a store on Savile Row, not unsurprisingly the bespoke tailors that the street is famous for are not happy. Some media commentators have gleefully seized upon this as a battle between new brash American company and snobby backwards London tailors. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAuFxJwyd9A/T4RKIErXGvI/AAAAAAAABww/jCKosEp-ec4/s1600/afitch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAuFxJwyd9A/T4RKIErXGvI/AAAAAAAABww/jCKosEp-ec4/s1600/afitch.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The issue here is not one of elitism vs clothes for the masses. Nor is it down to snobbery. I have to declare myself as being someone who is mystified by the appeal of cheaply manufactured, logo-rich infantile clothing, Abercrombie and Fitch, Jack Wills and Superdry are all equally guilty. At least in this case the fact that the clothes are infantile is justified by the plan to open a kids store on Savile Row. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MsJ_m-xr8CY/T4RKNybtKOI/AAAAAAAABw4/Pp4snpeeDew/s1600/abercrombiekids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MsJ_m-xr8CY/T4RKNybtKOI/AAAAAAAABw4/Pp4snpeeDew/s320/abercrombiekids.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I might think the clothes are crap but each to their own, and in a recession any business hiring British labour and paying taxes is very welcome, even if A & F’s recruitment policy is infamously eugenic in nature. The issue is the location and the nature of London, its character and its long term future as a destination of charm and character. This shop would have been perfectly at home in Oxford Street, Regents Street, Westfield, Knightsbridge or a dozen other locations all of which are more suitable for those with buggies and children in tow. Please, Abercrombie and Fitch, pitch yourself there. Look at the habitual queue for the nearby adult store, it is nice that it is popular but this kind of kerfuffle will ruin the atmosphere of Savile Row proper, what about the unfortunate smaller tailoring businesses? it takes concentration. Will their international clientele be prepared to push through groups of parents, toddlers and teenagers yearning for bright hoodies and baggy shorts?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lVpY7XtTboo/T4RK4ChgLHI/AAAAAAAABxQ/fehKMwmEtpc/s1600/aber.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lVpY7XtTboo/T4RK4ChgLHI/AAAAAAAABxQ/fehKMwmEtpc/s320/aber.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It is completely inappropriate in a small street with centuries of links to artisans who have been steadily squeezed out of many parts of London. There will be a sector who will respond with a shrug, after all who cares about an elitist trade that many people will never be able to use? It is progress for commerce to take precedence in a city. But the fact is that is not the entire story with London. Savile Row suits are more than a luxury indulgence; they are part of the fabric of this City. A major appeal for tourists is this heritage/historical/individualistic element and we need tourism. London already has areas, like Oxford Street or the City of London where traditionally bugger all attention is paid to atmosphere or style.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jX7k-joQbg/T4RKWr0VVbI/AAAAAAAABxA/4qhWTrPPoEE/s1600/Savile+Row+Field+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jX7k-joQbg/T4RKWr0VVbI/AAAAAAAABxA/4qhWTrPPoEE/s320/Savile+Row+Field+Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Savile Row has a timeless stylish sophisticated edge; Love 'em or loathe 'em children kill style, elegance and sophistication. What they are about is noise, buggies, colour, fun and mess. Savile Row does not have wide pavements and car parks, I already take a detour to avoid walking in front of Hamley’s Toy Shop on the capacious Regents Street to avoid the chaos, I'd hate to have to do the same for part of Savile Row.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPtmota3zu8/T4RKeqsnrAI/AAAAAAAABxI/2uRcwp_01Ks/s1600/Poole_and_Co_Tailors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HPtmota3zu8/T4RKeqsnrAI/AAAAAAAABxI/2uRcwp_01Ks/s320/Poole_and_Co_Tailors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I can see why Abercrombie and Fitch want to ride, for status and to justify their silly prices (far sillier in real terms than the price of a Gieves and Hawkes shirt) on Savile Row’s elegant coat tails. But they have already diminished the character and suavity of the street with another shop in the vicinity. This isn’t about snobbery, I am female, I am not going to buy a suit or jacket there, but it is another lovely little street to dawdle about in and one that is world famous. So synonymous with good quality is it that in Japan a tailored suit is simple known as a sebiru (a Savile Row). The quality of streets are easily damaged by bad planning and the tendency to back commerce at all costs. Look at the once famous book shops of Charing Cross Road? Now replaced with TK Maxx, chain restaurants and grubby tourist tatt. I’m not convinced that the increasingly venal Westminster Council care, but there have been a few wise council decisions recently in London so one can only dare hope.</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com93tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-25169164506400528192012-03-30T08:17:00.000-07:002012-03-30T08:17:13.731-07:00Jerwood Gallery opens in Hastings.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I visited the new Jerwood Gallery in Hastings a couple of weeks ago. I’d seen it during various stages of construction and was very curious. For those of you that know Hastings the gallery is located right on the beach on the Stade next to the Staithes, the towns famous old fishing huts. <span> </span>In front of the museum is Hastings Old Town (which most people are familiar with from the TV series Foyle's War) and behind it a boat yard used by local fishermen.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A3ECfkZ2UPg/T3XFIk6JpYI/AAAAAAAABu4/t4xHt9lgTik/s1600/edhast3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A3ECfkZ2UPg/T3XFIk6JpYI/AAAAAAAABu4/t4xHt9lgTik/s320/edhast3.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the gallery over the boat yard.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Hastings needs regeneration. It has suffered the two prong attack of a downward spiral due to declining visitor numbers and the unfortunate policy of governments past of dumping the long term unemployed often junkies and mentalists into cheaper B&B’s on the coast.<span> </span>Even on my bus journey from the train station on a Friday morning I was accompanied by a couple of stinky smelly alkies. On the other hand the Old Town is charming and quaint, the town has a considerable history and other parts of the city are bohemian and attractive. It’s a schizoid place.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikc7O1WM_lM/T3XFQOEQaFI/AAAAAAAABvA/DcXrgZMTD4c/s1600/edhast4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikc7O1WM_lM/T3XFQOEQaFI/AAAAAAAABvA/DcXrgZMTD4c/s320/edhast4.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View out of ground floor window</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">An accepted route towards regenerating a seaside town has become the opening of a gallery, the Tate in St Ives blazed the trail. The South Coast has the Turner in Margate and the re-vamped De La Warr pavilion just down the road in Bexhill on Sea.<span> </span>The fact that Hastings desperately needs regeneration but has an artistic community <span> </span>would seem to make it a perfect candidate for a new gallery. The building, erected on the site of an old coach park is sensitively designed in a style that quotes the nearby fishermen’s huts and its environment. As a result,whilst it is a statement building the statement is sympathetic to its surroundings.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wpvYbo4d6Fc/T3XKRXx0VyI/AAAAAAAABvo/ZOCyVYNIEq4/s1600/v0_master.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wpvYbo4d6Fc/T3XKRXx0VyI/AAAAAAAABvo/ZOCyVYNIEq4/s320/v0_master.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From my window at Ditchling. Frank Brangwyn.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Yet there was opposition, foolishly in my view. I can understand the argument that the coach park brought in customers. <span> </span>However I cannot believe that people really felt an unsightly coach park in the picturesque part of town was really going to be allowed to survive in any place with ambition or a view to the future? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I suspect an element of the objection is more related to a feared culture clash. Hasting’s down at heel recent history has at least preserved an element of bohemian down to earthness and the place is affordable, a rarity on the South Coast.<span> </span>The chattering middle classes of Southern England do not realise that they can be insensitive, braying and annoying with their Kidston bags, badly behaved children and sense of entitlement. The locals understandably don’t want Notting Hill day trippers pushing their rents up or pricing them out of the market. Look what happened to Cornwall. On the other hand who wants a town that is dead in the Winter with businesses that have problems staying open? The fishermen selling their catch should make money from this year round, having the Petersham Nurseries crowd yomping around your boatyard is a small price to pay. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kxBiHrx867I/T3XFXD8qtSI/AAAAAAAABvI/m3MchjeL8is/s1600/edhast2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kxBiHrx867I/T3XFXD8qtSI/AAAAAAAABvI/m3MchjeL8is/s320/edhast2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ed Burra Churchyard in Rye.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Jerwood has therefore had a difficult time of it. But they have tried hard, it has introduced a much reduced entry fee of £2.00 for locals and will open for free once a month.<span> </span>It is a good piece of architecture and well located.<span> </span>The building essays local traditions and has a collection of largely but not exclusively 20<sup>th</sup> century art.<span> </span>Entering the ground floor I was not as impressed with the interior as the exterior with its beautiful faintly iridescent dark tiling. God save me from the convention of big cold unfriendly white rooms. The art hung here was not particularly to my taste to be fair, but was again an entirely conventional selection. I do like Terry Frost but the example of his work was chilly and lacked the emotive power of most of his paintings. It was all a bit chilly for a warm lively place like Hastings. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cHPqvc6O66A/T3XFhUjGSYI/AAAAAAAABvQ/4yodTTIuhrg/s1600/edhast1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cHPqvc6O66A/T3XFhUjGSYI/AAAAAAAABvQ/4yodTTIuhrg/s320/edhast1.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Staithes from the Gallery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Things improved dramatically once you tripped up the stairs to the first floor. The architects stated that<span> </span>here they had been purposefully more ‘domestic’, still more white walls but with softer wooden floors. This idea of ‘domestic’ is interesting, a large amount of art is domestic, a lot of my favourite stuff is anyway. Once you have huge canvasses in white rooms you get art as statement, as corporate gew gaw, as institution. The Stuckist hiding inside me bridles at this and I felt a real relief to be in smaller more intimate spaces with their squeaky wooden floors.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpsGr2HVsso/T3XKHBnc7qI/AAAAAAAABvg/IHAVwMRrsOo/s1600/2754224_1429c33b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dpsGr2HVsso/T3XKHBnc7qI/AAAAAAAABvg/IHAVwMRrsOo/s320/2754224_1429c33b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exterior of Gallery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Here there were several really very good paintings including a fine brawny Maggie Hambling portrait and an excellent Edward Burra painting of Rye churchyard.<span> </span>The selection in the second floor was I felt well-chosen and suited both the gallery and Hastings. Although these paintings, more figurative as they are might seem more accessible and conventional in reality they were far more radical and left-field than anything downstairs. A faintly hallucinogenic painting of flowers by Cedric Morris looked fresh in its oddness and lack of trendiness. Interspersed throughout the gallery were full height picture windows which acted to convert the splendid views of town, sea and fishing boats into live landscapes and further make the connection between the art within, British, and the world without. The views through these were unsurprisingly more impressive on the first floor.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jri8sEN_ikw/T3XHd_qmKcI/AAAAAAAABvY/SVHJheJ84vs/s1600/edhast6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jri8sEN_ikw/T3XHd_qmKcI/AAAAAAAABvY/SVHJheJ84vs/s320/edhast6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big White Square (like the skylights though).</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Another pleasure was the small café, basically in a small glass box with a terrace overlooking the sea. They are concentrating on fresh fish, much bought from the fishermen around them and it would be worth paying the two quid just to secure a table on the terrace on one of this country's rare sunny days.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-967lnI5yaDU/T3XKak_LPkI/AAAAAAAABvw/I11YsW0u8aE/s1600/caff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-967lnI5yaDU/T3XKak_LPkI/AAAAAAAABvw/I11YsW0u8aE/s320/caff.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe (yes, it sells wine!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Generally I am optimistic that theJerwood Gallery will ultimately be good for Hastings and good for the South Coast in general as there is certainly now scope for a small art tour along the coast. It joins the other small pleasures Hastings has to offer which combined make it well worth a visit and might tip the balance in persuading those who might otherwise pass it by to visit.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Vintage Hastings post here: <a href="http://redlegsinsoho.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/hastings-is-wonderful-place.html">http://redlegsinsoho.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/hastings-is-wonderful-place.html</a><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Jerwood website here: <a href="http://www.jerwoodgallery.org/">http://www.jerwoodgallery.org/</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Favourite B&B in Hastings:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.hastingsbedandbreakfast.co.uk/gallery-53.htm"> http://www.hastingsbedandbreakfast.co.uk/gallery-53.htm</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Favourite local bar here:<a href="http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/hastings/revolver-lounge"> http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/hastings/revolver-lounge</a></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-90224116867684860392012-03-09T09:11:00.000-08:002012-03-09T09:11:55.605-08:00Vintage weddings.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mdoElYF4MhI/T1o0s7FbKYI/AAAAAAAABuQ/SlyDs97WxlU/s1600/Bride+Of+Frankenstein+25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mdoElYF4MhI/T1o0s7FbKYI/AAAAAAAABuQ/SlyDs97WxlU/s320/Bride+Of+Frankenstein+25.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waaaaaahhh! He said 'yes'.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The season for weddings approaches, men continue to propose and it has been a leap year to boot. I recently helped at a wedding fair and it occurred to me that the whole business of this matrimonial event, and I mean business, has not grown any easier over the decades. I have been to dozens of weddings and over the years a few things have become clear, to me at least and I thought I would throw them on to paper. This comes with the caveat that these are MY thoughts and if I offend any burgeoning bridezillas out there by being less than flattering about one of their cherished matrimonial elements it is just my personal opinion; we all, happily, have the right to them! So here goes:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSXDMe7jfy8/T1o3ek22OtI/AAAAAAAABuo/nERuk2RfqmQ/s1600/weddingdresses-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSXDMe7jfy8/T1o3ek22OtI/AAAAAAAABuo/nERuk2RfqmQ/s320/weddingdresses-18.jpg" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day goes by in a blur: enjoy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Don’t be a bridezilla, the day goes in a trice, three weeks later it will just be another party albeit hopefully one with good memories. Anthropologically speaking it is a rite of passage, and culturally speaking it is there as a public announcement of commitment. Once you have signed the papers and made your public legal vow you could mark this event by standing and screaming “we are married!” in your local high street outside Poundland. <span> </span>It would basically be no less meaningful than having 500 friends in a marquee and releasing doves. You will probably not even really register all the elements you may have spent hours stressing over on the day itself. Unless the arrangements go wrong, or you don’t get exactly what you want. Perversely this will stick with you FOREVER and every time you look at your wedding photographs the fact that the roses in the bouquet were baby pink instead of dusty pink will be recalled. So the best idea is to make your choices but realise that ultimately the small things don’t matter much.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand there are certain things which, unless you are a specialist or totally in love with the idea of DIY that should be avoided. Brides should not do their own hair and nails or arrange all the table decorations or sort things out on the day because a) everyone wants a piece of you b) you don’t have enough time to talk to everyone as it is c) chaos reigns d) something or someone will play up and e) wedding day minutes and hours are accelerated to warp drive. This is why the bride should choose her bridesmaids as they need to be either calming, entertaining or capable. There is no space for dead wood, flower girls excepted. But they do have to be little so that if they demand to go to the loo loudly during the actual thing it is actually cute. Delegate, delegate, delegate.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kIuUkX6-7qo/T1o3OkbxKmI/AAAAAAAABug/p--l5UgqjvM/s1600/276438377_a23528c423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kIuUkX6-7qo/T1o3OkbxKmI/AAAAAAAABug/p--l5UgqjvM/s320/276438377_a23528c423.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get a bridesmaid who can pull her weight!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The reception or party is a modern version of a traditional <b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">feast</span></b>. Not a performance; that happens in the church/temple/mosque/venue. You have to feed your guests and if applicable, provide plenty of alcohol. This is more important than the bride’s dress, the venue and the honeymoon. It doesn’t matter if it a silver-served meal, a buffet or indeed sausages and mash as long as there is lots of it. And drinks should be free with the food but no need to spend a fortune. Personally I’d rather have lots of decent cheap cava than one measly glass of a pricey champagne. There is nothing wrong with cash bars in the evening. But to be frank if you can’t afford to feed guests, hire a church hall and get your family to cater. It really pisses me off if I end up with a few canapés, some scones and a 3 glasses of wine whilst the bride swans around in a Vera Wang dress.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eH_Y9cbyWy0/T1o3G3DRQrI/AAAAAAAABuY/srrMtP6JOEQ/s1600/Woman+eating+spaghetti+in+restaurant.+%235+of+sequence+of+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eH_Y9cbyWy0/T1o3G3DRQrI/AAAAAAAABuY/srrMtP6JOEQ/s320/Woman+eating+spaghetti+in+restaurant.+%235+of+sequence+of+6.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feed us!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I hate the phrase ‘cookie-cutter’ wedding. This is because it infers that there is something wrong with the straightforward traditional approach. This is there to help people and provide a base on which to hang the kind of planning that most people have no experience of. Instead there is this stress on making it unique, memorable and different. The sodding fact is that every wedding is different because the couple getting married, their families and friends are different. If you want your guests to dress up as Klingons fine, but if you just want a straight forward wedding, also fine. I can honestly say that I have been to both quirky and classic weddings and neither is more memorable than the other in the long run. People should do what they flipping want to, as long as they are feeding their guests (you can see I feel strongly about this..). </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This leads me on to so called Vintage-inspired weddings, or rather what it means to the media. It is a peculiar idea really as most wedding traditions were formed during the Victorian era you could say that all weddings are antique. <span> </span>I do love the idea of fifties fans having weddings in bingo halls, or the idea of slap up meals in deco dining rooms, or elegant evening weddings in black tie with a band, or Glenn Miller swing dancing soirees in village halls. The permutations are endless. But what does seem tiresome is the habit of rather rich entitled young people enjoying the modern equivalent of Marie Antoinette dressing up as a shepherdess. Distressed everything, everything from ‘artisan’ (code for bloomin’ overpriced) providers and artful little posies of wild flowers; all expensive in that Petersham Nurseries way. The vintage wedding ensemble is some floaty seventies number, they drive off in an old Morris Traveller and the bridesmaids all have hair in sloppy round big vintage rolls. They get a ‘vintage’ dj in, who isn’t and the groom wears skinny jeans and a faux Edwardian style waistcoat. Fackin’ ell, there are even a couple of vintage mags that peddle this nonsense as the avatar of a ‘vintage’ wedding day. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iBo7E22VBGQ/T1o5sJENX7I/AAAAAAAABuw/FcqlHCloz-U/s1600/Las+Vegas+Wedding+Chapel+collage+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iBo7E22VBGQ/T1o5sJENX7I/AAAAAAAABuw/FcqlHCloz-U/s320/Las+Vegas+Wedding+Chapel+collage+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mdoElYF4MhI/T1o0s7FbKYI/AAAAAAAABuQ/SlyDs97WxlU/s1600/Bride+Of+Frankenstein+25.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’d rather go to Vegas…</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-16013230178729026032012-03-07T06:52:00.000-08:002012-03-07T06:52:52.037-08:00'What a lot of old coddlers!' Vintage eggs anyone?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The full English breakfast is in my opinion the king of breakfasts. The Americans ruin theirs with maple syrup, pancakes and dodgy bacon, Chinese dim sum is really lunch, the continental breakfast is dull and the Japanese breakfast is vile. Having nailed my colours to the wall I must admit that an English breakfast, designed as it was to fuel an industrial revolution and an empire is a bit too heavy for lazy types like me. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TVJeUJffD8o/T1d0tAPFkFI/AAAAAAAABt4/6weA46MCCwo/s1600/Coddled-eggs-image-from-fotobank.ru_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TVJeUJffD8o/T1d0tAPFkFI/AAAAAAAABt4/6weA46MCCwo/s320/Coddled-eggs-image-from-fotobank.ru_.jpg" width="254" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs cooked in glass coddlers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The non-negotiable element of the English breakfast is the egg, eggs are the perfect breakfast food, light, nutritious and yet they fill you up until midday. One of the nicest ways to cook an egg is to coddle it, this can be done in any container, just add egg, place in steaming water and cover. But a china egg coddler is so much nicer. One of my recent Crystal Palace charity shop bargains was one of these. Brand new it cost me £2.00. I subsequently amused myself by asking everyone I met what it was? The answers were mainly sugar dish, jam pot and face cream holder. All sensible. Only one lady knew, she looked at me as if I was a gibbering idiot and retorted that it was an egg coddler, of course! She was also the only older lady I asked. Egg coddlers stopped being widely used in the 1960’s.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkooshInBoI/T1d04cpHT3I/AAAAAAAABuA/nw22Nfv989w/s1600/eggy+coddler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WkooshInBoI/T1d04cpHT3I/AAAAAAAABuA/nw22Nfv989w/s320/eggy+coddler.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The exact same coddler I bought recently for £2.00.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Here is a picture of the one I bought. You place your egg in it, pop the lid on, and cook in steamed water for as long as suits your preferences. You then eat from the delicate pot with a spoon as you do with a boiled egg. The difference is that you can add things to the egg: cheese, spinach, onions, ham, the options are endless. See the V<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vintage-Tea-Party-Book/dp/184533647X">intage Patisserie Vintage Tea Party </a>book or look on the interweb for recipes. And if you see one nestling amongst the cracked tea pots or chipped plates in a charity shop, pick it up.<span> I think a china egg coddler filled with chocolates would be an excellent alternative to the traditional Easter egg. xx</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0t-08e6cpJA/T1d1EmIqbkI/AAAAAAAABuI/vfCKTbF03a8/s1600/EGGCODDLER102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0t-08e6cpJA/T1d1EmIqbkI/AAAAAAAABuI/vfCKTbF03a8/s320/EGGCODDLER102.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Downton abbey version!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span><br />
</span></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-54009956074580875432012-02-27T06:52:00.000-08:002012-02-27T06:52:59.662-08:00Tea at Vien Vintage<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/> <w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/> <w:OverrideTableStyleHps/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I have had some technological problems, my little Mac and BT broadband wireless does not get on which means it is impossible to upload my photographs. But I have decided to press on regardless. <span> </span>Recently I have found myself spending more time in Crystal Palace.<span> </span>A bout of flu, tiredness and a certain sense of ennui have taken over. I couldn’t even get myself to Soho last weekend which shows how bad things have been. Even the V&A Cecil Beaton late event couldn’t get me South of the River!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sMbObQjDmE/T0uV2Nsp5MI/AAAAAAAABto/dERh-vcHQ9U/s1600/crystalpalace_72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sMbObQjDmE/T0uV2Nsp5MI/AAAAAAAABto/dERh-vcHQ9U/s320/crystalpalace_72.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Steadily the Palace continues to get better from a vintage point of view and I like to pop up for lunch, mooch about the markets and vintage shops then grab a glass of wine at one of the many pubs. Recently I have bought a brand new Royal Worcester egg cobbler in a charity shop, a lovely pair of vintage earrings in Haynes Lane and a Stratton compact case with a design of top hat and gloves in Vien. Yesterday I saw a fantastic 50’s occasional table with a design of cocktail shakers and martini glasses; if only I had a home to put it in! If I get my own house I could decorate the whole place from the Palace’s pavements and yards.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ou9aGGRbXQ/T0uUvuEnU2I/AAAAAAAABtY/AtU260RhnD4/s1600/Vien+Vintage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4Ou9aGGRbXQ/T0uUvuEnU2I/AAAAAAAABtY/AtU260RhnD4/s320/Vien+Vintage.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vien vintage interior</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(photography copyright design for life blog)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Palace is not, mercifully, the East End it; is so much nicer and has a communal bohemian feel that has been eradicated in many other areas. As a result many businesses seem to have a social purpose as well as a commercial one. Bambino’s the bric a brac and collectable shop now spews people drinking coffee and nestling amongst the second hand items spread over the street. <span></span>Vien has opened a small, chic tearoom into the back of its store on the same road offering a more refined but equally welcome chance to refuel.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLtz6CHiBNM/T0uTdFNNnCI/AAAAAAAABtI/tkngBY9J7LA/s1600/vientearoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XLtz6CHiBNM/T0uTdFNNnCI/AAAAAAAABtI/tkngBY9J7LA/s320/vientearoom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tea room Vien Vintage</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I popped into Vien yesterday, it can always be relied on to have some good vintage stock and I am keeping my eyes open for a fifties day dress, something that on my last few visits they have had in stock. Unfortunately pulling the dresses aside I managed to demolish an entire rack of frocks! Still they were very nice about it, and I took the opportunity to sit down, catch my breath and have a nice cup of Earl Grey.<span> </span>Sadly they didn’t have a dress for me, there was a lovely mint never worn and still labelled fifties German day dress which I liked but my cheese eating habits meant the waist was a tiny bit too tiny. As ever with the vintage market it is a case of repeatedly popping in to see what turns up. It was nice to have a chat with Vivien Bartholomew the proprietor and dealer who runs the place. I have been known to be unkind about vintage clothing dealers but Vien charges the right price for the clothes (many around the £50) which are clean, carefully chosen (no kilo sale raids here) and honestly presented. I’m also appreciative of a lack of preciousness because whilst there are plenty of authentic collectable vintage pieces (including a beautiful 30s/40s patterned navy day dress) there are also a few gothabilly fifties style new items. In addition, for about £80.00 there are some twenties inspired dresses made from antique lace and vintage fabrics which I was impressed by and that are made under Vien’s own label. I have never seen any reason why new, reworked and vintage should not be side by side as long as the provenance is clear; I think it works.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYSfy64uqyc/T0uTks7kHCI/AAAAAAAABtQ/8zTYktUMpdw/s1600/vivien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HYSfy64uqyc/T0uTks7kHCI/AAAAAAAABtQ/8zTYktUMpdw/s320/vivien.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vivien, Vien proprietor in her shop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday I will be in the Palace yet again, having my marmalade hair set for a wedding fair (the closest I expect I will ever get to matrimony!) and I am hoping the sun will be shining again. Yesterday the view across London was lovely (the second highest vantage point in London) and the place was full of locals enjoying their drinks in the sun. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Vintage Vien online shop:<a href="http://www.vienvintage.co.uk/zencart/"> here </a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Vintage Vien Samadhi tea shop: <a href="http://www.vienvintage.co.uk/joomla/">here</a></div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-62306721187617089742012-02-16T04:39:00.000-08:002012-02-16T04:39:30.678-08:00Bad times may be just around the corner - but we could just cheer up!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Various controversies rage and then go away and rear their heads once more. Body image, sexism, ageism are things that are like an itch, we scratch ‘em but they keep on coming back. The problem is that in seeking to find a plaster for every sore we often miss the point and in my case there are always a lot of ‘sore’ points. In the general scheme of things our gripes as western woman are indeed minor compared to our sisters in more difficult regions of the world, on the other hand those women are not what we should be comparing ourselves to. We should compare ourselves to the situation of blokes, here, in our own country. But we don’t, we compare ourselves neither to less privileged women nor to everyone else but to each other and then find ourselves lacking.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QJNPo_WTDs/Tzz06I2qLFI/AAAAAAAABs4/zBSdMtXXdbU/s1600/sad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QJNPo_WTDs/Tzz06I2qLFI/AAAAAAAABs4/zBSdMtXXdbU/s1600/sad.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Time perhaps to stop hitting ourselves over the head, to stop being miserable and to stop sharing our miseries automatically and electronically with the whole world. It should be share the love and laughs, not share the angst and ennui. I’m not referring to when things go really pear shaped and a bit of a rant, a few tears or bit of sympathy from your mates is required. I’m also not talking about clinical depression or bi-polar conditions. These are ironically more common than our parents or our grandparents would have admitted yet actually far less common than we think. A very few of my friends suffer from these and they know who they are. I am becoming a bit frustrated at a fashion for misery in those who are really just, well, living life. Because, like most fashions it rubs off and really, as so far this year has been a bit rubbish I could do without it. We all have to deal with real causes of unhappiness, illness, bereavement and broken hearts. Why freak out over life in general, our looks and our perceived ‘lessness’? Could we not be magpie like and select some vintage attitudes to match our best frocks? I am of course cherry picking here but why not? We cherry pick the positive things stylistically from the past all the time. So here goes, inspirations to ‘woman – up’ from the past, I would be interested in anything anyone would add:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1910’s.</b> The Suffragettes saw being feminine and feminist as flip sides of the same shilling. I think they would be horrified to see young women starving themselves on purpose for their looks when they were on hunger strikes or being force fed for equal rights. We need to register the fact that the current government are very particularly attacking women and get angry about that, not the fact we have bingo wings, are not slim enough or have the odd wrinkle. Being a woman is a bloody good thing to be, adjustments not required.<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-58OI0qCOoME/TzztxugGhiI/AAAAAAAABrQ/2uodLjOs8xU/s1600/suffragettes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-58OI0qCOoME/TzztxugGhiI/AAAAAAAABrQ/2uodLjOs8xU/s1600/suffragettes.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1920’s.</b> Mass unemployment, depression and the realisation that industrialisation and capitalism could make you poor as well as rich. But it was also an age of speed, of deco, of style and the Charleston. Sod constantly worrying about mortgages, salary freezes, lack of promotion and austerity, pour a drink, put on some jazz and dance. We have the whole world to listen to and dance with.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9xLzjc4eCE/Tzzt496iS2I/AAAAAAAABrY/L6WRT9YlvZc/s1600/flapper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9xLzjc4eCE/Tzzt496iS2I/AAAAAAAABrY/L6WRT9YlvZc/s1600/flapper.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1930’s</b>. Most women still lived proscribed, limited lives as household drudges. But the movies and their stars offered glamour and escapism and it began to rub off on female expectations. Heroines in films were sassy and even ambiguous. Finding your man was still important but being a journalist, a writer or an artist was also desirable. Using your brains and your talents still is, more important than glossy locks or a toned botty. Women in the 30's dreamed of escaping, we have every opportunity to do so. <br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XkMC8QxVR_I/TzzvGutQ0nI/AAAAAAAABso/EySil0Oqbcw/s1600/poverty-792102255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XkMC8QxVR_I/TzzvGutQ0nI/AAAAAAAABso/EySil0Oqbcw/s320/poverty-792102255.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uDVK_zQJl6s/Tzzt_MEbm1I/AAAAAAAABrg/fL3PYMtfcVY/s1600/marlene-dietrich-portraitc-1930s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uDVK_zQJl6s/Tzzt_MEbm1I/AAAAAAAABrg/fL3PYMtfcVY/s320/marlene-dietrich-portraitc-1930s.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1940’s.</b> War, deprivation, death, rationing and possibly the most miserable period possibly to be alive in and what did our nans do? Rolled up their sleeves, put on their red lippy, danced to Glen Miller and fought a war. All we have to do is stop whinging and stop allowing ourselves to be down trodden by elements who, to be quite frank, are a lot less intimidating than the Nazis.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EekubBRBzug/Tzzu-4tGF_I/AAAAAAAABsg/fu8N3pl1-Yc/s1600/warwomen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EekubBRBzug/Tzzu-4tGF_I/AAAAAAAABsg/fu8N3pl1-Yc/s1600/warwomen.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRPuvqHq1Ds/TzzuDAdhsvI/AAAAAAAABro/UiegWEktndw/s1600/1940s_Dance_Party_vintage_photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRPuvqHq1Ds/TzzuDAdhsvI/AAAAAAAABro/UiegWEktndw/s320/1940s_Dance_Party_vintage_photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1950’s.</b> Society tried to put us back in our domestic box. But even the WI rebelled over rationing and government strictures. New fridges and ovens turned out to be helpful but really not enough to fulfill women who’d built bombs and put out fires. Jazz clubs, rock n roll, teenagers and beatniks appeared. Proved that if you have the chutzpah you can wear a big fluffy dress, a bullet dress and still kick ass. So why are we now apologising for our femininity and allowing ourselves to be either coerced into fabric coffins or dressing our daughters up in a million shades of pink?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_VfqiUzNtI/TzzuIJR3s9I/AAAAAAAABrw/k95MvYvgOrU/s1600/beatnik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_VfqiUzNtI/TzzuIJR3s9I/AAAAAAAABrw/k95MvYvgOrU/s320/beatnik.jpg" width="275" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1960’s</b>. We may have been over sexualised but at least it was our sexuality. The pill gave us the chance not to become mating machines and the legalisation of terminations gave us some choice over our futures. Don’t fall for the biological clock myth and become a mother if you want to, or not. All this deranged depilation, obsessive tweaking, branding and face carving is a sign that certain interests want us self-hating. Why sneer at wags and ex-glamour models when there is so much else that deserves a bit of hate? Female mutilators and people traffickers for example?<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Es8cHGga9Mg/Tzzuz6xMwyI/AAAAAAAABsY/8sz5-EuvRN8/s1600/womenslib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Es8cHGga9Mg/Tzzuz6xMwyI/AAAAAAAABsY/8sz5-EuvRN8/s1600/womenslib.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-If1Y8PibKHE/TzzuRKrRRKI/AAAAAAAABr4/2w0NC-8yLN4/s1600/sixties+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-If1Y8PibKHE/TzzuRKrRRKI/AAAAAAAABr4/2w0NC-8yLN4/s320/sixties+woman.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1970’s</b>. An age of Watneys beer, sexism, violence on the terraces and power strikes. Yet the period also say women running governments, Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher. The chance to slug beer from the bottle, wear big boots, pierce your nose and stick your fingers up at anyone who didn’t like it was grasped quickly by some. But although it seems like some kind of Gene Hunt peopled nightmare decade it also saw a steady increase in female presence in almost all spheres accompanied by a Spare Rib tendency to shout at inequalities and a stoic strength. We spend so much time looking inwards we are taking our eyes off of the ball here. Glass ceilings, lower salaries, sexual harassment and lack of representation in business and politics are not what women in this decade anticipated 30 years on.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h864Ub_BqZY/TzzuYHCAD5I/AAAAAAAABsA/4X0piv6XQm8/s1600/caarad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h864Ub_BqZY/TzzuYHCAD5I/AAAAAAAABsA/4X0piv6XQm8/s320/caarad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Odvtz7NoInI/TzzvfUBJWLI/AAAAAAAABsw/o_0lacTQDpA/s1600/The-Slits-23.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Odvtz7NoInI/TzzvfUBJWLI/AAAAAAAABsw/o_0lacTQDpA/s320/The-Slits-23.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 1980’s. </b>Two major recessions, the Miners’ and Dockers’ strikes. Things were grim in the 80’s. At the same time they were wildly imaginative, you could go to a party as a pirate, a nun in a see-through habit or just yourself. Alternatively you could wear a pie crust blouse and pearls or arrogantly swig champagne in your power suit. This was not a homogenous decade, we were not all scrabbling about trying to be super yummy mummy and professionally satisfied employee. Talk about making a cross and then crucifying ourselves on it.<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HBLX69rIBY8/TzzueNXrthI/AAAAAAAABsI/NhwEDU-iFGU/s1600/bob_collier_newstead_wivesj_470x321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HBLX69rIBY8/TzzueNXrthI/AAAAAAAABsI/NhwEDU-iFGU/s320/bob_collier_newstead_wivesj_470x321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1k_O-UbTok/Tzzuj7KO8vI/AAAAAAAABsQ/kxDr9FUXbmk/s1600/Siouxsie+and+the+Banshees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F1k_O-UbTok/Tzzuj7KO8vI/AAAAAAAABsQ/kxDr9FUXbmk/s320/Siouxsie+and+the+Banshees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’m not sweetness and light and fairy cakes myself but perhaps it does come with old bag status; the acceptance that whilst life can be rubbish it is also rather wonderful. I think that perhaps in the early 20<sup>th</sup> century the sense of entitlement that seems to be a problem now wasn’t there as much. This entitlement has been creeping up on us slowly since the 1960’s but seems to be virtually epidemic now. We don’t have a right to happiness or anything else. But I have always agreed with Buddhists in suggesting that we owe it to ourselves and others to make as much happiness as we could. Our predecessors did not accept their lot, but whilst enduring it seemed to make the most of what they could. So rather than enhancing my sense of self- worth or content via vintage style and looks in this post I am proposing a bit of vintage/retro 'get – happy'. I apologise if I sound a bit like a preachy Jehovah’s witness! Also this has been a bit gender-centric but to be honest that is because the chaps, to their credit, don't tend to subscribe to a lot of this self loathing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3SyLE61EME/Tzz1Dou5CUI/AAAAAAAABtA/gGpcBGWWP_8/s1600/laughing+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z3SyLE61EME/Tzz1Dou5CUI/AAAAAAAABtA/gGpcBGWWP_8/s320/laughing+women.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-52388853395363647252012-02-10T07:54:00.000-08:002012-02-10T07:55:26.299-08:00'Style Me Vintage, Clothes: A Guide to Sourcing and Creating Retro Looks'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGW_X9FD2Yk/TzU5DaSHjII/AAAAAAAABqw/-aqHOPf5AHQ/s1600/smv1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGW_X9FD2Yk/TzU5DaSHjII/AAAAAAAABqw/-aqHOPf5AHQ/s1600/smv1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I must admit that when I buy books about fashion or design they tend to be monographs about particular designers or art and design history related. This makes sense as I have a degree in Art History. I haven’t really been tempted by many of the guides to vintage/shabby chic/retro style type tomes, partially because I am probably past needing them having hopefully learnt from my many mistakes. However there are a couple of things that put me off some of those already published. One is that advising me to look out for vintage Dior or pieces of collectable Ossie Clarke is just pointless, I don’t have the money and if I wanted to know about them I would refer to a fashion historian not some vintage ‘expert’. Another is styling, I hate seeing that gawky modern fashion pose and gormless stare beloved by the contemporary fashion world combined with a thirties day dress. Also I don’t like ‘fancy dress’ styling, you know sticking someone in a wig or having them throw a ‘pin-up pose’. The final thing is tone, that ‘imperious’ assertion that certain things have to be worn in a certain way because that is 'how it was done' in some past decade that often rears it's head is the worst. As a historian that really peeves me. Or you get the breathy amateur approach which is to writing what cup cakes are to baked goods. You can imagine that it is with trepidation I received Naomi Thompson’s new book: 'Style Me Vintage, Clothes: A Guide to Sourcing and Creating Retro Looks.' She is a friend and I know she knows her stuff, but publishers and editors can wreak havoc on even the sanest prose; happily I am impressed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_uVwr2bPmQ/TzU5P6J_vnI/AAAAAAAABq4/iW8BJ2hV_SI/s1600/naomi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_uVwr2bPmQ/TzU5P6J_vnI/AAAAAAAABq4/iW8BJ2hV_SI/s320/naomi.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The author in her cossie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The book is part of a set of publications which aim to help introduce elements of vintage style, sort of how to ‘be vintage’ or ‘buy vintage’ or even just ‘look vintagy’ and with it’s pretty design and light touch it is, I feel very accessible to people just dipping their toes into polkadot-infested waters. However the dainty booklook is a bit of a Trojan horse because slipped into its pages is a lot of serious, useful and downright educational material. For example the vital details about checking for holes, inspecting armpits and counting the buttons are clearly explained. The dodgy element of vintage; the pitfalls of being conned into paying for a ‘vintage’ dress that has overlocking, a zip, and care instructions are all mentioned. This is however nestled away in the recesses of text that expresses the author’s enthusiasm for enjoying clothes and her tone is friendly and conspiratorial rather than didactic, something emphasised by the occasional reference to her own life experiences. Naomi tends to enthuse about all the enjoyment to be had styling clothes rather than elucidating rules or condemning any particular approach. The whole point is not to slavishly follow some cult of 'what is vintage' but to find your own way, something this slim volume somewhat subversively encourages. Possibly that is why she has kindly included this blog in the resources section of the book. If her publishers are interested in 'Style Me Vintage: The Dark Side' they know where to find me!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwWVJLsoVa4/TzU5XiKjwvI/AAAAAAAABrA/3PgrKi_x5Eg/s1600/smv2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwWVJLsoVa4/TzU5XiKjwvI/AAAAAAAABrA/3PgrKi_x5Eg/s320/smv2.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fleur in swirl dress</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The book is divided up into decades, and covers vintage fashion (20’s – 60’s) and retro collectable fashions (70’s – 80’s). The book also provides useful advice on accessories. The aim seems to be more to give readers a general feel for the things that condense the feel of a period. What is refreshing here is the use of real enthusiasts as models, not just some volunteers who work for the publishers which has been the case with some previous books on the subject. This works because the clothes are worn by ordinary women who love them. Christina Wilson's photographs for the book are lovely and it would not let the top of anyone's coffee table down. The poses quote the eras discussed and the magazine-like punchy page design gives the impression of a book you dip in and out of rather than having to study and digest. What I particularly appreciated was that whilst Naomi stresses the uniqueness, history, collectability and high quality of genuine vintage the usefulness of good repro brands and regular trawls of High Street stores is also mentioned. That makes this book useful to those who may not be able to afford authentic vintage or live in areas where markets and fairs are not readily accessible. This egalitarian approach is reflected by the fact that the book refers the reader to vintage dealers, repro brands and resources they can use to find their own way into styles from the past. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMdjpKhruwE/TzU5gnXGhGI/AAAAAAAABrI/Hr4sGKWgGls/s1600/smv3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lMdjpKhruwE/TzU5gnXGhGI/AAAAAAAABrI/Hr4sGKWgGls/s320/smv3.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gemma </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If I have any criticism it is that this book could have been longer but as it is the volume is useful, well written and has considerable charm. I don’t think that anyone could read it and not be tempted to invest in, at the very least, a pair of gloves or a vintage brooch.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>It can be purchased from good bookshops or via Amazon here: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Style-Me-Vintage-Sourcing-Creating/dp/1862059365">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Style-Me-Vintage-Sourcing-Creating/dp/1862059365</a>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-596821965737554861.post-46563871211650911572012-02-08T08:32:00.000-08:002012-02-08T08:51:47.080-08:002012: A vintage year or just a load of old jumble? Mystic Minn predicts.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The estimable Katie Chutzpah has suggested that 2012 will be better than 2011 if only because it sounds more stylish; ‘TwentyTwelve’ does have the ring of fashionable brand name. So far however I am distinctly underwhelmed. Certainly the Chinese dragon that is supposed to bring good fortune and wealth is not doing its job. It feels like a good old fashioned English dragon so far, belching noxious fumes across my life, picking at its claws and deterring any knights in shining armour. Admittedly the Chinese year has not been here for long and dragons are infamously temperamental. But what of our own no more scientific traditional astrological system? What does this year hold in store for us? Well I have gone through several ‘respectable’ horoscope sites and one almanac and I present to you: 2012, A vintage year or just plain rubbish?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AYveUkRjTY8/TzKgjKTzV-I/AAAAAAAABqI/hl6i5lAzxBs/s1600/fortune.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AYveUkRjTY8/TzKgjKTzV-I/AAAAAAAABqI/hl6i5lAzxBs/s320/fortune.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Aquarius.</b> Beware of moths in your tweed, bugs in your bed and squatters of indeterminate origin in your garden shed. When under pressure LSD may help. A good year for flamboyance, so now might be the time for Aquarian ladies to buy a big poufy 50’s skirt. Chaps may try multi-coloured brogues,but best not combine the wearing of these with the LSD. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pisces.</b> Neptune your ruler is in your house (hopefully not squatting in the shed). You will be right all the time but no one listens. A good year for consuming huge amounts of cava or gin and crying into your duvet. Especially good for Piscean perverts. Beware of shoes and feet in general: travel barefoot on a mobility bike and don’t talk to chiropodists.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Aries.</b> Gambling is a good activity this year and any winnings should be invested in gadgets. Whilst steam punk goggles and Theremins will endear you to your friends beware of buying a new Ipad and boring your companions to death. Something will fall on your head; possibly a bit of satellite. Also ghosts find you appealing, creepy. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXMp2U_z1v8/TzKguEW3fVI/AAAAAAAABqQ/AT0UkAq89dw/s1600/zoc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXMp2U_z1v8/TzKguEW3fVI/AAAAAAAABqQ/AT0UkAq89dw/s320/zoc.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Taurus.</b> This is a gaudy year. Brightly coloured cord trousers and luridly dyed lady locks are necessary. Acquire precious gems wherever possible. Ladies may become engaged, gents may engage in cat burglary. A good year to cross-dress. Gets a bit dodgy in December, best stay indoors for the month. Things tied up with knots are good so perhaps pass the time with a bit of light bondage?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Gemini.</b> Spiky things must be avoided along with all sharp objects. Please eat your dinner with a big plastic spoon lest you injure yourself or others. You need to be careful with money but horses will bring you luck so perhaps a small bet on the Derby? Sporting events are starred, so remember to enter the Chap Olympiad. Peas are dangerous, very dangerous. Oh and someone loves you, secretly. Best check you are not being followed home from the bus stop.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>Cancer</i>.</b> This is the party year. You should chase the sun, wear bananas and do a Carmen Miranda impression. If male you should smoke cigars and choose loud Hawaiian shirts. House work is very unlucky so avoid it. Something will bite you, don’t bite back. In fact don’t get into any fights because although you seem friendly you are apparently a bit of a thug and quite frankly I'd like to keep you in the sunshine, in broad sunlight, where we can all see you.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eaSns694GqI/TzKg1wSa2eI/AAAAAAAABqY/8qgPUhQ6yPk/s1600/zodiac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eaSns694GqI/TzKg1wSa2eI/AAAAAAAABqY/8qgPUhQ6yPk/s320/zodiac.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Leo.</b> This is potentially the year of delhi belly and problems ‘down below’ so avoid those kebabs. When not on the loo however you will be very attractive to others. Bed-hopping may of course lead to the problems ‘down below’ so you will develop natural wisdom, or wear iron knickers. Start playing an instrument, if nothing else it will distract you. Also don't go North, pointless advice really as it seems you'll spend most of the year 'south'.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Virgo.</b> This year you may find yourself being a bit manic, please sit down, have a nice cup of tea and calm down. A good year for country pursuits, as long as this doesn’t include shooting everything that moves or joining a drinking excursion in Newquay. Painting would be a good thing to take up (this obviously includes painting your nails or the town red). Food is a good idea, as opposed to it being a bad idea, not sure what kind of food, sausages?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Libra.</b> This is the year for a major overhaul of appearance and style. You should also spend the first part of the year saving. As a result you will be able to afford plastic surgery or a decent Savile Row suit. This is a good year for body modification and tattoos. Do not join any Cults, even if they offer you a free pen and a fried breakfast.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-KFjwh4chU/TzKg8XkTrPI/AAAAAAAABqg/4mPhogcurko/s1600/vintage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-KFjwh4chU/TzKg8XkTrPI/AAAAAAAABqg/4mPhogcurko/s320/vintage2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Scorpio.</b> This is a year with a distinct risk of community service so don’t commit any crimes until 2013. You will have a lot of fun with a cad or scarlet woman or both depending on your proclivities. Do not under any circumstances get engaged (particularly watch out for Taureans) or sit under trees in storms although if you have the choice I'd plump for the latter. Black and white things bring you luck (badgers? Zebras? Zebra crossings?).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Sagittarius. </b> A year of education and the perfect time to pick up a new skill. All things furry and hairy are good: might I suggest taxidermy? Or an affair with a very hairy man or woman? You could grow a moustache. A hat brings you luck. Fish are dangerous. As are shoes (again). So a hairy person in a hat with no shoes and no kippers. I suspect you'll need to go to Hoxton.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Capricorn.</b> Oh dear. This is a year for giving up bad habits. Particularly smoking, drinking, overeating and ‘habitual bad life choices’. On the other hand you have to have these problems to give them up so you need to start smoking, drinking and screaming at barmen in Soho post-haste. It is also a very healthy year, which just goes to show that fags, tequila and a few nights in a cell have their own bracing qualities.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQlnpUdmLFg/TzKhdNjcP_I/AAAAAAAABqo/AgUY27_RtpE/s1600/4185362729_7d2814247a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQlnpUdmLFg/TzKhdNjcP_I/AAAAAAAABqo/AgUY27_RtpE/s320/4185362729_7d2814247a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Obviously these predictions are all nonsensical but they have all been culled from actual predictions before being adapted (ie small spherical objects = peas). Should any of this come to pass it will be your own fault and nothing to do with Mystic Minn or Redlegsinsoho. Having said that if you want to bung me fifty quid for your own personal tailored nonsense I am quite happy to help out, especially as I want to buy a new dress. I can cast the prunes and read tea leaves too. I also have a crystal ballcock. xxx</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>RedlegsinSohohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14180863811636762469noreply@blogger.com60