a curious friendship

I'm reading A Curious Friendship: The Story of a Bluestocking and a Bright Young Thing by Anna Thomasson at the moment and it's a real joy. Thomasson's first book is an account of the intense but platonic relationship between the artist Rex Whistler and writer Edith Olivier, set against a backdrop of the madcap parties of the 1920s.

Stephen Tennant, William Walton, Georgia Sitwell, Zita Jungman, Rex Whistler and Cecil Beaton, Wilsford, 1927.

A Curious Friendship is part dual biography, part social history, part study of the circles within which Olivier and Whistler moved, charting the ebb and flow of their relationship and their interconnected histories.

View of Daye House with Edith Olivier, Standing on the Lawn by Rex Whistler.

I was drawn to the tome (with its handsome pink and gold dust jacket) because I'm a big fan of Whistler's work, and getting to know his story has been utterly fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the description of Whistler's first impression of Stephen Tennant: 'a slender figure with extraordinary beauty, like a more delicate Shelley'. The boys shared a love of fairy tales, mythology and legends containing magic spells, as well as the romance of the English countryside. Oh how I wish I could travel back in time and discuss Pagan rituals and poetry with those two.

Rex photographed by Cecil Beaton on the rocks at Cap Ferrat, 1927.

Only halfway through, so back in I must dive! Do pick up a copy!

in the press... a little bird guest blog 03/11/2014

O ho! My Guest Blog for A Little Bird is now live. I've written about my favourite big (design) books. Read it here.

last tango in tisbury

We spent last weekend in Wiltshire, not too far from where we were at the beginning of the month. We were staying with our good friends Edward and Charlotte, at Edward's parents' charming house in Tisbury. I cannot tell you how much I'm enjoying getting out of London on the weekends at the moment - it's such a cliché, but it's so good for the soul, and one gets to enjoy the countryside in all its springtime glory.

Edward's parents' living room. I think Ed's mother was an interior designer for several years, which explains why this room looks so warm and inviting.

Clearly, we had rather a good time on Saturday night. Several roast chickens and carrots from the farm next door and lots of wine. The rooms at the back of the house, including the kitchen, enjoy this incredible view over the hills. We woke next day to a view of brilliant green, soft grey mist and hoards of lambs.

After a long lunch at The Beckford Arms complete with several post-feast games of pétanque and a healthy country walk, we spent most of Sunday afternoon lounging around, surrounded by stacks of books and newspapers. I discovered this copy of Love in a Cold Climate stuffed away in a downstairs bathroom - what a cover!

In other news: I'm in dire need of an orange Smeg fridge.

On Monday morning we headed back to London via Salisbury; we wanted to take a look at the cathedral, and even more excitingly, the Cecil Beaton at Home exhibition, which has just opened at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. I've always loved the cathedral (I used to spend the odd weekend in Salisbury as a teenager), but my favourite thing about the place this time might have been the brightly coloured needlepoint prayer cushions - this swan version in particular. Outside, the surrounding Cathedral Close (the largest in Britain) was quiet and lovely.

Another weekend in Wiltshire, another Cecil Beaton exhibition. I cannot recommend this one enough. It presents a biographical view of the legendary designer, photographer and artist through his two Wiltshire homes - Ashcombe and Reddish. Simultaneously a retreat, an inspiration and a stage for impressive entertaining, these two houses also fuelled his passion for gardening and delight in village life.

Ashcombe as portrayed by Rex Whistler.

Gosh, there were so many incredible things to see. Particularly fascinating were the recreations of Beaton's extravagant interiors at Ashcombe - the famous Circus Bed, complete with gilt unicorns and seahorses - being the highlight. (The Circus Bed was actually manufactured by a maker of fairground carousels, a detail which I totally love). I left feeling completely invigorated and inspired, with a copy of Beaton's Ashcombe: The Story of a Fifteen-Year Lease in my pocket. Now we're wondering, could we rent a folly, a tower or a little gatehouse in the countryside? I suppose perhaps not for a while, but it's something to aim towards at least...

Beaton in the Circus Bedroom at Ashcombe. I think I'd eventually love to have a Circus (Guest) Bedroom, complete, of course, with ridiculous bed.

springtime in somerset

We spent last weekend in Somerset (my spiritual home - the county in which my ancestors lived), exploring, resting and enjoying the early May sunshine. We came down from London on Saturday via Wilton House, the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years. This is the impressive two-storeyed gallery, designed by James Wyatt in the early 1800s to display the Pembroke collection of classical sculpture. We were pretty amazed, especially when the light began streaming through these huge windows - it was my favourite part of the house.

Apollo!

We'd come to Wilton, first and foremost, to visit the newly unveiled exhibition of never-before-seen photographs from the archive of Cecil Beaton, a close friend of the 16th Earl and Countess of Pembroke. Beaton first visited Wilton in 1927 and found it 'unfailing in its beauty'. He spent the next four decades photographing three generations of the Pembrokes, often in costume for the regular fancy-dress balls hosted by the 'bright young things' - that notorious gang of bohemian young aristocrats and socialites.

Stephen Tennant, William Walton, Georgia Sitwell, Zita Jungman, Rex Whistler, and Cecil Beaton at Wilsford, 1927. See more images from the exhibition via Vanity Fair.

After lunch at The Beckford Arms, we made our way further west and on to Bruton. We'd booked a room for two nights at At the Chapel - one of our favourite West Country haunts. We'd stopped here for lunch on several previous occasions; it turned out to be the perfect place to stay too. Our bedroom was simple and very comfortable, with Gothic windows looking out over the 12th century Saxon rooftops of Bruton and a huge, gorgeous marble bathroom. Bliss. Rather excitingly, Hauser & Wirth will be opening a gallery complex in renovated farm buildings nearby this July. The Wirths are regular diners at the Chapel (they curate the artwork on show in the restaurant and bedrooms) and the Chapel team will in turn be running the restaurant at the new gallery. Read more about Hauser & Wirth Somerset here.

We rose early on Sunday, and after a breakfast of croissants, coffee, sausages and eggs (we were on holiday, after all), ventured over to nearby Montacute House. Before our trip, I spent some time looking at local houses to visit and came across this Elizabethan Renaissance gem. It didn't disappoint. In fact, it was one of the most incredible country houses I've ever visited. With its towering walls of glass and glow of ham stone, the whole place seemed to be glittering in the spring sunshine. A highlight was the Long Gallery, which houses over 60 Tudor and Elizabethan portraits on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.

Inside the house, I loved this tapestry. I think I want a tapestry.

Back outside, I loved this fountain. I really love a fountain.

D. taking a quick pit stop on the front lawn lawn.

Perfect wisteria creeping up the outer walls of the estate.

We headed over to The Talbot Inn in Mells for a long, lazy Sunday lunch. I had salt cod croquettes, a pea, mint and goat's curd pithier and a lemon posset - fresh, delicious, full of springtime joy. The Talbot serves the same great food as its sister pub - The Beckford. They both have wonderful gardens too; I highly recommend. We noticed this wild garlic on a post-lunch walk through Mells - so beautiful. We spent the rest of Sunday hauled up at the Chapel with newspapers and pizza (straight from the restaurant's custom designed floor to ceiling wood-fired oven). Heaven.

On Monday we reluctantly left the Chapel (clutching loaves of bread from their excellent in-house bakery), and made our way over to Longleat. I had fond memories of Longleat from childhood (although, admittedly, memories based more on the attached safari park than the stately home). We took a tour around the house, and whilst some parts were of course very impressive, I was left feeling more than a little uneasy after seeing several of Lord Bath's private rooms, fitted out with his own enormous murals... Alas, each Lord to their own. This ceiling on the other hand, based on an original in the Doge's Palace, was magnificent to behold.

I adored this wallpaper, found in a tiny bedroom somewhere up high in the house.

I love this view of Longleat by Jan Siberechts. Pure Grand Budapest Hotel, no!?

We sped over to Babington House for lunch, and seeing as the weather was still so wonderful, spent the rest of the afternoon floating around the grounds with glasses of pale rosé. Seen here is the Church of St Margaret, which sits opposite the main house. It's a Grade I listed building - I've always thought it quite perfect. We were on the road by early evening, bound for London, feeling very much inspired and revived, which is surely all one could hope for after a quiet weekend in the country. We'll be back soon, Somerset.

we could grow up 2gether

I met the NYC-based photographer Kwannam Chu of we could grow up2gether for coffee in Bloomsbury one bright, early morning in late September. I gave him a quick tour of the area - pointing out my favourite streets and shops and what have you. I've been following Kwannam's brilliant blog for years; his colourful taste in everything often reminds me of my own... Read his blog post here. Good to meet you, Kwannam!

k1000

I often take pictures with my big digital SLR, every now and again I'll buy a disposable, and I'm forever on Instagram, but I haven't shot on film for years, and you know what, I miss it. So I decided to search on eBay for a 35mm camera, and after a bit of hunting around, this is what arrived with the post yesterday morning. (Did I just buy it because its name makes it sound a bit like a Star Wars robot? Perhaps.) I'm very much looking forward to getting to grips with it...

juergen teller

Australia, 1990