Borde Hill 25 May 2018

Happy birthday to me! The big one too - 60. We had a huge party in 2008 at Ann & Revel's house in Kalk Bay, but you're all still there and I'm here. So, no party. Lots of messages and phone calls and a walk around Borde Hill with Dayne. Dinner that evening - amazing Tapas in Haywards Heath.

The sun was trying to shine. There was colour to be seen but it still felt like quite early in the season. 

The garden was created in the early 1900s and Colonel Robert Stephenson Clarke was the first owner to plant the gardens and woodlands.  Plants were gathered by plant collectors from their travels to China, Burma, the Himalayas, Tasmania and the Andes. Someone must have been to Africa too. The first record of the estate dates back to 1534 and the house was originally constructed by Stephen Borde in 1598.

The Italian Room with its tranquil lily pool and views across the South Park - always a winning combination.

The entrance to the disused potting shed. These two buildings now showcase southern hemisphere plants.

On the other side of the estate are more views of the South Downs...

and in the distance, the Ouse Valley Viaduct.

Birds are difficult to photograph, they just don't stand still long enough to get a decent pic!

Back round to the azalea ring.

To the house and Jay Robin's rose garden, but not a rose to be see. Way too early in the season. Still pretty though.

So that was the gentle introduction to my 60s. Definitely something stronger than tea required after that.

Nopi 6 May 2018

Here's an invitation - if you come to visit, we will take you somewhere nice.

Ann and Andi (my sister and niece) were on the Grand Tour. Not really, just around England. This was their final week in London so we braved the trains - what a schlep! Engineering works between Three Bridges and Gatwick meant long queues and bus trips inbetween, but we persevered. Judy joined us, so it was a family do. I've been hankering to get to an Ottolenghi restaurant and jumped at this opportunity. Nopi (the name comes from 'North of Picadilly') in Soho, in the basement communal dining room so you can keep an eye on the kitchen.

Friendly staff, great service, pleasant companions - what an experience!

Oh, the food. Lots of small plates, shared. Startling depths of flavour, it made dinner for the rest of the week entirely one dimensional.

But dessert, no one shared their dessert - and who can blame them when just one of this dishes looked like this. I didn't even get any pics of the others, too distracted.

Look at this bathroom! People must have been lost for hours, so the need for a sign becomes obvious. 

Such a good way to spend a Sunday - come back soon.

Two Temple Place 22 April 2018

Heard of it? No, me neither. One of those hidden away places that suddenly come to your attention. This was the final weekend of a Jazz exibition in the mansion and I made plans to meet up with Karen - one of the lovely ladies from Eacotts who I hadn't seen since I left there.
 
Dodging London marathon runners, spectators and emergency services I eventually found this spectacular neo-Gothic mansion just off The Embankment overlooking the Thames. It was designed by John Loughborough Pearson and completed in 1895.  As the home/office of the richest man in the world at that time - William Waldorf Astor - it contained the largest strong room in Europe as well as two enormous safes. According to a really friendly, knowledgeable (possibly over-imaginative) volunteer, this is where he kept all the deeds of his property empire and huge amounts of cash.

The interior is wood panelled with wood carvings representing characters from the Three Musketeers - vintage Disney, but lovely.

There are spectacular stained glass windows and ceilings throughout the mansion.

If it looks somewhat familiar - then you've probably seen Downtown Abbey, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones’ Baby, The Crown, Sense 8, Made in Chelsea, The Royals, Undercover, Silent Witness, The Martin Lewis Money Show or Mr Selfridge, amongst others.

I was more interested in the mansion than I was in the exhibition. I do feel lucky though to be able to wander around places like this and gawk at a lifestyle beyond comprehension.

But, it's always good to have a book with you ...

The property isn't owned by the National Trust as I would have expected, but rather by a charity - The Bulldog Trust. It's only open during exhibitions or otherwise can be hired privately. Imagine a wedding here?

Then it was off to Chinatown to meet up with Sue and a fabulous lunch - the real thing - dumplings and all. Such a good way to spend a Sunday! Bring it on summer ...

Hampton Court 20 April 2018

On a very fine day in April I met up with these two lovely ladies at Hampton Court. I'm not really sure why it's taken so long to get here - it's on every tourist radar. Getting there is a bit of a mission - an hour and a half drive or even longer by train, but so worth the effort. Also a place which will begs for return visits.

First, plan of action. Gardens. Well, part of the gardens. The whole estate is huge  The gardens cover an area of 26.7 hectares (66 acres) and the wider estate covers an area of 304 hectares (750 acres). It's spring time and there are blossoms and blooms everywhere. You'll have to imagine the fragrance.

A few of the biggest attractions were closed for maintenance - the Maze, Henry VIII's kitchen, the Mantegna Gallery - quite disappointing considering the entry fee of £22.70, no reduction there.

Still, lots to see, so let's not get snotty, just relax and have some fun.

 

Where to now? For me, first time visits are all about that initial impression. I tend not to do much initial research. Preparation for the blog is when I read and research and overlay my initial impressions with facts. Follow up visits are more focussed. I know, backwards, and what happens if I don't go back? My impressions today - warmth, sunlight, bees, space, time, age, wealth.

The Palace ...

 

As it was still relatively cool we decided to walk through the Palace to the Great Fountains Garden and then explore the Palace in the heat of the afternoon. But it was hard not to be distracted by the amazing buildings. More of those later.

There were originally thirteen fountains between 1689 and 1702, but only one remains. 

The Yew trees were planted by Queen Anne between 1702 and 1714 - so these specimans are more than 300 years old!

Lunch time... The Privy kitchen. Where the hoi polloi gather.

In the heat of the afternoon, it was good to be inside. So much to see, so much history to ingest, so little time. Back in the day, though we did cover African history, a large part of the syllabus was European and English and of course, with an English mother, taste and direction in literature was heavily biased. Stories of the kings and queens are embedded in my consciousness, so to be in this Palace and see all the historical objet and accoutrements is surreal.

From Cardinal Wolsey in the 16th Century to Henry VIII who took it away from him and brought all six of his wives here, to William III and Mary II, to Queen Victoria who opened the Palace to the public in 1838, this Palace has seen it all.

To this sneakily shot pic of Queen Elizabeth by Andy Warhol which is apparently a screen print with diamond dust. I do rather like it. In a day filled with history and age, it's so refreshing to come up against something so modern and bright.

Now, for aspiring hostesses, this is how you fold napkins ..

From the 1760's the palace was used for grace and favour apartments awarded rent-free to applicants for past service to the crown.  Apparently up until 2015 there were still a few residents!  Presumably that is what these labels are.

This is the Copernican Astronomical Clock installed in 1540 and is still functioning. Showing the time of day, phases of the moon, the month, the quarter of the year, the date, the sun and star sign and high water at London Bridge! This is of interest to those travelling by boat where apparently the low water at London Bridge created dangerous rapids. Isn't it beautiful?

The King's staircase by the Italian painter Antonio Verrio.

  

This is the King's Guard Chamber and it took me a while to realise that the displays are all firearms and weapons and pieces of armour. I suppose, what else would you do with this number of unusable guns? They make for interesting patterns.

Moving on. The King's ceremonial bedchamber. There was a fair bit of Hampton Court that reminded me of Versailles.

 

So interesting, but lovely to be back in the gardens ...

What a glorious day. Thanks Heather and Judy - it's definitely better to do this with friends.