A Win-Winn Situation

In the ’80s I discovered from a friend that a few artists living along the river in Chiswick opened their studios one weekend a year. I got to know Mary Fedden and Anthea Craigmyle this way and bought some of their work.

Bonjour Tristesse

The title of Françoise Sagan’s debut 1954 novel seems appropriate today.

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Categorised as Politics

Three in a Canoe

In museums I find that I’m often looking at the exhibits through a prism of my family history. There was no question of this today.

Animal Art

This morning’s entertainment was to go to a complex of limestone caves. There is an electric train which carried us a kilometre into the hillside.

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Categorised as Art, Travel

Un Déjeuner Sérieux

This week I’m a guest in an old farmhouse rented by friends. It’s in the Dordogne, favoured destination for the English since the 14th century when for a time it was under English rule. My first visit to this part of France. The country is more heavily wooded than the Gers and the contours much… Continue reading Un Déjeuner Sérieux

Train Trip

The summer solstice is a day early this Leap Year. In London today (that’s today Me Time, yesterday You Time) dawn broke with leaden skies dumping loads of rain on the city.

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Categorised as Travel

All the Fun of the Fair

We’re not off to sunny Spain this morning, we are going to County Cork, specifically Crosshaven, home of The Merries, otherwise known as Piper’s Funfair and Amusements.

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Categorised as History

Viva España

In this seemingly endless EU referendum debate there is one thing that has not, I think, been mentioned and it is crucial.

A Walk in the Park

The Yellow Earl’s London house was in Carlton House Terrace. It was in fact two houses knocked into one. Here is an extract from The Yellow Earl, Douglas Sutherland’s excellent biography of the 5th Earl of Lonsdale.

In the Soup

The family snap I posted a few days ago brought back some memories of growing up in the 1950s and 60s in rural Ireland that might, perhaps, amuse you.