Tuesday 29 March 2011

GARDENS IN PROVENCE AND LONDON


front door in summer

Some time ago we were invited to stay with friends in the South of France. What started as a two week holiday became  an adventure, we came back to London the owners of a beautiful villa situated in rolling countryside in the Var about 50 km due north of St Tropez. As we drove south we had discussed the possibility of buying a house in France and decided that.......IF.....  we did get something,  it would be by a raging torrent or in the mountains............this is neither. You approach the house down a lane surrounded by vineyards and in the spring wild flowers. In May the house is covered in wisteria and you can sit on the terrace outside the sitting room watching the sun setting behind the hill.

Pergola dining room with wisteria

We have a wonderful garden with mature trees,  a lavender field and an olive grove, that this year produced our own olive oil!

View from terrace

We are now letting the house when we aren't there and details can be seen at VILLA LES VIGNES





Meanwhile back in England spring has arrived. The clocks went forward last Sunday and finally we have longer days. The conversation turned to "blogging" last night. One of my oldest friends Andrew Carmichael a vet for many years in Holland Park came for dinner and the conversation turned as it does to what you can.......should........or.......shouldn't say on your blog. It was decided that the old maxim that covered dinner parties in London in the 1950's should apply...........no politics, no religion and never discuss money! So this blog looks like it will remain as it is...............

Friday 25 March 2011

MERLIN

I was privileged and lucky enough to live for 13 years with an English Pointer, he was called Merlin. He had great dignity and in my eyes was particularly handsome. He had two godfathers, one to teach him about  country pursuits who took him grouse shooting in Scotland and the other a classical dancer taught him to swim in the Serpentine.



Born in 1984, we first met in Ladbroke Square, Notting Hill Gate. He became an integral part of my life for the next 13 years. Dogs have a way of becoming part of you, their love is unconditional, they are dependent on you in a way that reinforces the bond between human and animal. Grown men who have never been known to cry weep unashamedly  at the loss of a loved dog, my father was no exception.


Merlin at Castle Howard


Merlin and other dogs at The Decorative Antiques Fair


Merlin, "one who loved us and whom we loved"

One of the most touching things I ever read is by the American writer Eugene O'Neill. This is a moving essay about the thoughts of  what must have been a very greatly loved dog written in 1940

Friday 18 March 2011

ANTIQUES & ANIMALS


The part of dealing in antiques that I love the most is the hunt, trying to get something that you really want, yesterday was a failure..........I was in love with the most wonderful tapestry of a horse, late 17th century drop dead colours............but not to be!

Two elephants instead........


My great friend and colleague France Lasserre is exhibiting at an antiques fair in the Paris suburb of Chatou,  known as the "Foire nationale aux Antiquités, à la Brocante, et aux Jambons" Her signature stand of blue linens and decorative antiques is always a success. The fair finishes this Sunday.




Meanwhile back with the children's drawings the beginnings of a first book are fluttering to life. Names and characters are developing...........mice, clowns, dogs and monsters,  they started on Children's Name Pictures, but they are escaping into their own adventures


More soon............you can see more characters by clicking on the clown





Wednesday 9 March 2011

ANTIQUES AND OTHER THINGS

I particularly love the shop when we have just had a delivery of new things. Sometimes furniture, but this morning it was pictures and a tapestry. 

The loves of the Gods........ woven in fine wool in the 1680's, the colours are wonderful the blue wools are probably dyed with "bleu de pastel"  woad in English, Isatis Tinctoria was until the 17th century,  the only source of blue dye in Europe, this all changed when Indigo was bought over from India. 

Other tapestries in the shop
Food is an important part of life and it's presentation is part of the pleasure. Mixing the old and the new can work so well, antique linens,  silver forks and spoons with the dull shine of 19th century French steel knives.                                                                                              

This white faience Cabbage Leaf Tureen is one of the things that we have to decorate the dining room...which makes me think of entertaining. All antiques can be seen at Julia Boston 

Last week old friends from school days came to dinner, we had lost touch, they had moved to Canada by way of Tehran, we talked of old times, our parents and brothers........years matter but they don't alter friendships, you just need to look after them. My brother Charlie Boston became an expert in leasehold enfranchisement and a musician;  Farrokh's brother became a marvelous photographer. Firooz Zahedi whom I did A levels with, whose mother taught me how to play back gammon, and who will be hopefully having an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery here in London.
more signs of spring........









Tuesday 8 March 2011

BLOGS I LOVE.......BY FRIENDS AND OTHERS

These are what proper blogs are like, and I think that a deep depression is going to set in, however in the mean time...............

This is one of the most beautiful, SLOW LOVE LIFE by Dominique Browning

This is by a friend BURY ME STANDING by Allison Reynolds, newly relocated from New York to London

This is a wonderful blog by a great photographer Tim Clinch


more soon.............

A WEEK END IN THE COUNTRY

The road to the West Country takes you past Stone Henge in Wiltshire, one of those magic places still shrouded in the mists of time. Erected by an unknown people for an unknown reason.

There is still no motorway leading to Dorset from London, and so if you are not in a hurry you can enjoy the country side on the way down. The views are breathtaking.


Tea, an almost forgotten meal, complete with little cakes and in the excellent company of an intelligent and amusing old lady of 94 is followed by a week-end in Lillington near Sherborne. Sherborne Castle, built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1594 is one of the many wonderful buildings in the area.



An old family friend Anna del Conte came to lunch on Saturday, a tremendous cook and writer of books about Italian cooking, she and her family lived down the road from us in Holland Park when we were children and in her book Risotto With Nettles: A Memoir with Food she talks of those happy days. A wonderful account of a childhood in Milan before and during the last war and then life in England.






There are so many cookery books now available by famous and infamous cooks, but Anna's books are the best on Italian cookery.
As Nigella Lawson says she should be a household name.











The signs of spring are every where, in the trees that from a distance are loosing their winter lack of colour for hints of green and orange................


Dorset is a county of dry stone walls


Ancient woodlands


and wild flowers............



Back to London where the hellebores in the garden are in full flower





New paintings arrived today and a late 17th century tapestry with glorious colours................





Friday 4 March 2011

ANTIQUES ARE GREEN..........

On Tuesday morning we were invited by Kate Slesinger, publishing director of  House & Garden to the launch of their Trend Report given by Carole Annett and Julia Page. It was a time to catch up on what is happening in the outside world...........it was a great presentation and very interesting.



Green and Recycling is in and can be stylish, great news for an antiques dealer, these were words that warmed my heart, as after all recycling furniture, pictures and objets d'art are what all antiques dealers do.....


Louis XV Commode by Guillaume Schwingkens c 1750 


From the house, to furniture, clothes and food, organic and sustainable is the way forward.  This is where the old or antique is able to shine. Almost always organic, and due to it's value and artistic merit less likely to be thrown away,  antiques are in a semi permanent state of being recycled.

I have always believed that furniture and paintings are only temporally given to us to enjoy and maintain for a period of time, that they don't really belong to any one, we are just custodians until it is time for them to move on.

London is freezing cold but sunny, there seem to be more people around and today we had a wonderful and glamourous American in the shop. She bought a very chic Deco dressing table and was such fun. What a joy it is when fun, nice people come in.

Despite the cold there are signs of  spring in the garden................