Category Archives: London
Fanfare: The Noble Rot Mayfair
The email was addressed to Noble Rot Friends and Family; it was a first-come-first-served invitation to the brand new Mayfair soft launch. Happily, at 7:23pm on a Friday, I was still slaving over a hot keyboard and replied in seconds. … Continue reading
Posted in Eating out, enterprise, Entertaining, Food and wine, holiday, Life and romance, London, restaurant, Uncategorized
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Landlords, tenants and an uneven playing field.
“Remember, tenants should be aware that at any time, in the periodical phase of their tenancy, they can be evicted by landlords – tenants should bear this in mind when standing up for their rights.” This telling phrase appears in … Continue reading
Posted in Business, Consumer rights, Design and architecture, Family, Home, Landlords, Life and romance, London, property, Property agents, Property rental, Tenant rights, Uncategorized
Tagged banks, building society, business, councils, Family, Home, housing, Innovation, Landlords, legal, life, Local Authority, London, maintenance, mortgage, private tenancy, property, property law, Property rental, rent, repairs, rights, tenants
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Independent retail: the personal touch and a bit of a natter
Many moons ago, my then partner invited me to accompany him to a corporate Racing Day. I had a hunch there was something going on between him and his client so decided my look had to pack a punch. A … Continue reading
Costa del Wick: meadows, marshes and meanders.
A hen party nailed it. Enforced listening to fifteen twenty-something women singing Bohemian Rhapsody at un-rhapsodic volume just fifty yards from our bedroom was not making us happy; the fifth rendition at 5am broke our will to live … there. … Continue reading
Posted in AirB&B, architecture, Buildings, Design and architecture, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, property, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Bicycle, birds, bridges, bushes, canals, countryside, East London, fish, grass, greenery, Hackney, Hackney wick, heron, holiday, lockdown, magpie, parkland, riding, skies, wetland
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Frames, facades, finials and flourishes: how buildings tell stories.
I have a window fetish. There, I’ve said it. Mullions or muntins* of different widths make my hair stand on end; they let the building down, its facade a jumble. Simply put, both God and the Devil are in the detail … Continue reading
Posted in architecture, Buildings, Craft, design, Design and architecture, Life and romance, London, property, Uncategorized
Tagged architecture, Art, balconies, brick, building design, Buildings, cities, Craft, design, finials, glass, history, life, modernism, sculpture, sculture, steel, streetscape, towns, urban design
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Moving house, Spandangled, Spain … and the joy of magic pants.
Fortewinks’ May post was delivered with little insight as to the Very Difficult Time that was unfolding. Because every now and then the outcome of precipitous events does not become clear until later: this was such an episode. Shortly after … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Design and architecture, Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Art, boyfriend, business, Dance, design, East London, france, girlfriend, holidays, Home, humour, investment, lettings, life, love, spain, Texas
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Hello to half a century (and then some).
Fifty-five is not an insubstantial age but not as old as I hope to be one day – assuming I will remain in fine fettle of course. This year’s birthday celebrations extended to before and beyond the day itself and … Continue reading
Posted in Entertaining, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Health, holiday, Home, Life and romance, London, Motherhood, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged 55, Arcadia Spectacular, Art, Entertainment, Family, Food, Fun, GranCanaria, happy, holiday, humour, Idyll Suites, Innovation, life, Maserati, middle age, Party, sun, Sunday Times, wine, work
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Brighton: a weekend away with the Boss
He proposed the idea with such excitement and enthusiasm that I felt guilty saying no. It just didn’t feel right, didn’t strike the right chord. No brought dismay and disappointment to his face and for several days he tried to … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Entertaining, Family, Friends, holiday, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged boyfriend, Brighton, Cocktails, fireworks, happy, Lewis, mototbike, promenade, Royal Enfield, sea, seaside
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Eyre today, gone tomorrow.
Bars: I’ve known many, too many to mention. But none quite like the one that for over fifteen years lived at 70 Leonard Street, London EC2. The Eyre Brothers was launched by David and Robert Eyre in 2001, a luxe … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Business, Entertaining, Eyre Brothers, Family, Food and wine, Friends, Home, Life and romance, London, Uncategorized
Tagged business, David Eyre, Eyre Brothers, food and wine, forte, friends, Hospitality, London, Shoreditch
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Austin power: an idyllic week.
Times they are a-changing and Texas beckons; my modest business has found a greater appetite for its wares in the USA than on home turf. With opportunity snapping at our heels and new horizons long overdue, BB and I decided … Continue reading
Posted in Art, Austin, Business, Design and architecture, Education, Entertaining, Export, Family, Food and wine, Friends, holiday, Home, Hospital, Life and romance, London, Travel, Uncategorized
Tagged Austin, business, Cocktails, Cy Twombly, Dell Medical, Dylan Moran, education, Houston, life, Menil, Rothko, Texas, travel, work
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fortewinks 