That Time of Year and it's Back to Black

I was vaguely tempted with the New Year Decadence Ball night out being held at the Masonic Hall in St Leonards (which I'm now wishing I'd purchased tickets for when I had the opportunity). Characters such as The Lambrini Sisters, The Cad and The Man of Aran are making appearances. I personally loathe Christmas and the New Year nonsense and would be far happier this evening watching Christopher Lee on telly dressed up in his turn of the century Oxford don clobber reading a stack of M. R. James' creepy stories about rather unfortunate paranormal things happening to other people - absolute heaven! There, I've said it, but it's all true! Roll on January 2nd I say. And, no, I don't make any flaming resolutions!

Photo Credit: Grey Area

Day of the Dead

November 2nd is dedicated to remembering those who are no longer with us. A thought will be going out to David A. Viner who had the most exquisite taste in books (the majority of them first editions) and the most breathtaking record collection I have ever seen. He made work seem less of a chore and took pleasure in taking long walks and was generous on exchanging ideas on obscure films, forgotten books and bizarre soundtracks - and we like people like that.

Urban Ghost Story

Urban myths were the stuff of much shared classroom and playground discussion. Listened to with an acute degree of curiosity, laughed at and dismissed, but the stories were secretly stored away and dwelled upon for those moments when walking home alone at night on the empty inner-city streets where myth could somehow, just possibly, slip into reality. Genevieve Joliffe's film, Urban Ghost Story, set in the built up and densely populated Glasgow of the late '90s hits just the right note in this supernatural thriller - a mix of Ken Loach and Glasvegas topical scenarios meeting up with paranormal happenings and you get the picture - and is being shown on BBC2 at 12.50am Friday 29th October.

Photo credit: Jason Brown

Quietly the Watcher Waits...

Long nights are drawing in and on those long dark evenings alone in the house with the slow tick-tock of the heavy clock on the mantlepiece, do you ever get the sensation that from some dark corner or quiet place you are being watched? Thursday 28th October at 11.30am on Radio 4, The League of Gentleman 's Ghost Chase with Reece Shearsmith leading Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton on a real-life paranormal adventure. Listen with amusement and pleasure...

Edgar Allan Poe - Drunkard, Snob and the Art of Self Destruction

Yes, yes, I'll promise to end my October fascination with tintypes, ambrotypes and all that is Victoriana on the 31st October. However, until then, to put you in the mood for tonight's broadcast of Edgar Allan Poe: Love, Death and Women on BBC4 at 9pm, here's a suitable image of a tintype brooch - most probably a mourning brooch. Unfortunately, the chap who is immortalised by camera is unknown. After that, dear viewer, stay seated, as the marvellously dark Mr Mark Gatiss presents A History of Horror:Home Counties Horror. How splendid.

Photo credit: Lisby1

Finnish Gothic

I just adore this beautifully shot image of photographer Onyxei Haapala who is wearing one of milliner Fiona Timantti's hats. Onyxei is the owner of the performance art project 'Atelieri O. Haapala' which produces neo-victorian scenarios set in character role play with scenic backdrops; such as a sanatorium and arctic hunting scene. A collection of these images have been exhibited at the Finnish Museum of Photography.

Photo credit: Riku Ryynanen

Shattered

The shattered glass of this ambrotype lends an extra melancholic air to this image. But what is the relationship between the two sitters? Look closely at the image for possible clues.

(Ambrotype Image: The Theodor E. Ulieriu Collection)

Isolation

An eerie isolated and broken down farm house - would you dare to spend the night here if you were forced to take shelter?

(Ambrotype image courtesy of Christopher Perez)

Get Stuffed

As the days close in and All Souls Day/Halloween draws near, October will be dedicated to the odd. First up is the wonky Victorian world of taxidermist and diorama maker Walter Potter. When the Walter Potter Museum based at Jamaica Inn, Cornwall closed a few years back, Damien Hirst made a bid to buy the whole collection of stuffed animals, however the collection was split into lots and sold world-wide. Walter's favourite animal of choice was the kitten; the poor fated things were taken from this mortal coil and ended their days encapsulated in strange tea party scenarios or as pictured here preparing to getting married complete with button hole and hymn book. Polly Morgan is another artist dealing with taxidermy as art and makes beautifully strange 'mini world' dioramas.

Photo Credit: Stefan Richter

Sartorial Sirs

Antonio, who worked at Penguin Books a few years back, told me stories about the Neo-Edwardian, Neil Munroe Roger, aka 'Bunny Roger' as he had met him on a few occasions. An article on Bunny is in the October edition of Elle Decoration and further reading can be found on Mr Peacock's blog dated 8th June. It was said that he had gone into battle 'wearing a chiffon scarf and clutching a copy of Vogue'. Talking of peacocks; I attended a mod club in the old banking district of EC3 the other weekend, the venue was full, the vibe was friendly, relaxed and easy going but on the packed dance floor one couldn't help but notice the slick suited sirs checking their appearance in the mirrors, frequent adjusting of the cufflinks, ensuring the 3 pronged handkerchief in the top pocket hadn't worked itself out of place and keeping that' just so' haircut in check after a dance to a Trojan or Northern Soul classic tune.

Just heard on Radio 4 the sad announcement - RIP: Tony Curtis.

All in Black and White

I've read this a few times over the past few years by Justine Picardie published by Picador. Daphne is also fascinating reading on the life of Daphne Du Maurier. Making a trip to Greenwich Waterstones to buy Coco Chanel: The Legend The Life (published on 16th September) before catching the train to the South Coast for a day or two; I need some evening reading as I've no telly there.

(Book Jacket designed by Richard M. Evans at Macmillan Books)

Glow Frocks

Tim Walker's beautifully styled photographs for Vogue. Perhaps I should illuminate my wardrobe and hang it outside now that Autumn and the early dark nights are slowly creeping in?

Steel Grey for Today

A day off today, caught up with a few chores, leafed through Annie Bell's delicious Country Cook Book and decided to make an aubergine lasagne as there is something quite satisfying about making a bechamel sauce, then trying to finish off a scarf that I began knitting approximately a year ago now. But it's raining and grey outside now, so I'm running the taps and going to spend a leisurely half hour in a hot bath reading back editions of Selvedge in the hope it will give me motivation to pick up the knitting needles again.

I-Spy

I always admire the spartan quality of Myerscough and Mairs styling, less is definitely more in this case. Bells Bicycles just a few doors away in the High Street and is a reminder to get my 1970s Rayleigh Caprice, which I was given for free by maverick genius willow weaver Lee Dalby, revamped and while I'm at it give the Rayleigh Chiltern a check up which I bought a few weeks back for £10 at the local Greenwich and Bexley Hospice as the chain doesn't engage.

Just noticed that Blacklands in Ore is currently up for sale on The Modern House website which lists all architect built houses for sale. This space was Jake Chapman's studio, designed by architects Waugh Thistleton. I've also just come across the recent article on Derek and Tony's house in Hastings Old Town. Tony Howard is Head Gardener over at Fairlight Hall.

PS I Love You...

Here are two of the shop shutters by Ben Eine which are in the High Street. Ben did similar in Hoxton so along with the Dragon Bar there's a little bit of the East End taken up residence in the High Street. Unlike the Banksy graffiti up the road, no one has dared take a spray can to these.

Where's the Muck there's Wave

Just had a read through the office's copy of Creative Review and spotted that Wave have been commissioned to whip up some new posters aimed at trying to deter the amount of dog poo being deposited on the streets. This reminds me of an incident. When I was walking back home a woman had come out of her house and was complaining energetically to anyone who would listen about a bit of dog crap outside her house. To highlight this, she then for some bizarre reason covered the offending canine by-product in bread crumbs. As the area is populated with seagulls permanently on guard on the roof tops, they were soon casting a beady eye on this breadcrumbed coated delicacy, and noisily began circling in on their quarry. At that minute, a dog walker was miffed when their dog made a beeline for this apparently appetising looking bit of street food. Thankfully a decent neighbour intervened and stopped the ongoing chaos by calmly removing said offending item wrapping it in paper and depositing it in the local dog poo bin. Let that be a lesson to you if you ever allow your dog to foul on the streets o' Hastings town - caution: women armed with breadcrumbs are lurking in the doorways.

Late August, And Brown Is The New Black

Little Carthorse has been doing the rounds again with a camera on the streets of Hastings Old Town and didn't have to venture too far from home to find one of the houses on the High Street undergoing an interesting renovation project. The other week I began to notice that the hoardings over the windows had been removed and a truly chunky and most marvellous clock added to the Georgian/Victorian facade; will be watching this one to see what other changes take place. Is this one going to be for residential use or one of the many new unique independent shops which are quietly springing up all over the Old Town? Quite liking the colours on the Old Town Festival Week street bunting too by the way - flippin' sweet!

It's The Cat's Whiskers

I remember being a bit taken aback at all the local protest against the news that the Jerwood Foundation wanted to locate a second gallery here on the South Coast. This could be a chance to turn Hastings fortunes around and make it stand out among the deflated and jaded seaside resorts dotted along the south coast - think Morrissey's 'Every Day is Like Sunday' and you get the picture. Thankfully the Jerwood Foundation finally received the green light from then Arts Minister, Margaret Hodge, in 2009 to stop further delay and go ahead and start the build. The hotly contested area of 70s tarmac which served as a tourist coach park alongside the historic fishing huts was the chosen site for the gallery. The decision was made as a regeneration opportunity for the area which outweighs the coach park's income revenue and encourage other businesses to root up. The Jerwood will have a designated communal space to host outdoor events. The Jerwood is to open its doors to the public in September 2011.

Something Fishy Going On...

And that something is Hastings Seafood Festival taking place on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th of September at Rock-a-Nore in the Old Town where you get a chance to taste and buy seafood which is caught and landed in Hastings by the local fishing crews (the catches of dover sole, herring and mackerel are sustainably managed under the Marine Stewardship Council accreditation scheme which certify the fish caught). Other produce include locally sourced wines, ciders, ales, locally baked breads, lots of gorgeous cheese and preserves - and there is a great selection of local produce - you just have to nip in to Judges Bakery based in the Old Town High Street to see what is produced in this region; Bookham cheese and butter being one of them; Neal's yard stocks their vegetarian version of Parmesan - which Delia Smith is also a fan of. The wet fish shops in Rock-A-Nore are a treat and I'm now hooked on squid marinated in oil with garlic, red and green chilli and szechuan pepper fried for a minute in oil (served with the best local chips in town from The Dolphin - there's always an eager queue). The razor clams, samphire, herring and mackerel are top of the list. If you are feeling in the mood for a quick bit of street food at the weekends, try Tush and Pat's Fisherman Rolls served from converted boat situated by the tall black netting huts - the ultimate fast food! When Tush and Pat start to power up their cooking apperatus and the first wafts of that fishy-tinged blue smoke snakes its way into the air, just watch the queue of hungry passers by start to form a queue on the pavement.

The Talented Ms Howell...

I have just read through the August edition of Vogue and spotted this really fab photograph of Margaret Howell by photographer Jason Bell. At the end of Summer 2009 I was thinking of possibly buying a place in the Old Town, Hastings and I'd arranged to view a couple of properties. The third house I visited was owned by a woman who I thought I'd seen or perhaps met somewhere before, but I couldn't quite place where. She noted that she had previously lived in south east London, quite near me. We got talking some more and I mentioned I'd put on a small exhibition by photographer, Ellen Nolan, back in May who had recently shot a fashion campaign ad for Margaret Howell's latest collection. The owner turned out to be Margaret's sister. No wonder she looked so familiar. I eventually bought the house. She moved into a very pretty cottage in the Old Town. As a talented garden designer, she wanted to take on a much larger garden project; looking forward to seeing the end result.

I've Got A Pocket Full of Pretty Green

...and I won't be spending it in your shop Mr Gallagher and Mr Weller!

Herve's Marvellous Medicine

I've recently made 4 bottles of moonshine from a French recipe using unripen green walnuts as its key ingredient to give this aperitif its distinct flavour. When I was passed the recipe from family (an ex-nun) living in the North East of France, I was told rather firmly that it was best to make the drink by the 14th July. However, the carefully packed stash of walnuts got a bit delayed in the post from France to the UK, but fingers crossed this is not going to affect the flavour too much. The only problem now is that I have to store the bottles, give them a shake every couple of weeks to encourage the fermentation, and keep this up for an agonising 12 months until it is ready to quaff. Hopefully at the end of this process I should have some rather pucker aperitif to warm the cockles on a chilly autumnal eve...2011!

You're Awful, but I Like You...

I couldn't resist buying this little oddity from one of the shops in George Street; they sell a good selection of old fabrics, some second hand books with beautiful covers and a crop of old games. They have an old haberdashers cabinet crammed to the gills with old worn odd-bod

toys. However, when I got this home, I decided to remove it from the temporary resting place in the bedroom as I felt its sombre thousand-yard stare was not really complimentary to a good nights sleep. I can't decide if this is original or it's an old doll's head which has been carefully sewn onto a body which appears to be in some style of Dutch costume. It has super large feet, which I think is trying to denote a pair of wooden clogs! .

Through the Keyhole

Again, the sun prompted me to go on walkabout with my camera and snoop about when I should have been working. I hereby award myself 2 out of 10 for work completed or an equivalent of a D+.

View From Up in Suze's Room

Slow, slow progress in the house but the sun is out and I snuck off for a long walk along the beach to celebrate, purchasing a copy of J L Carr's 'A Month in the Country' along the way. I was in that kind of mood. Having to take the sewing machine in this car this weekend to fathom out how I sew up the heavy jute curtains with a calico lining. Unfortunately, I've noticed the jute starts to pong a bit; not in a bad way I may add, but there is a definite waft of 'eau de shredded wheat' permeating the air once the sun shines directly on the material. I should have been watching the chaps don their tweed on The Tweed Run this coming weekend with Mr Sutton, but since I've been a tad slack at the old DIY malarkey, I'm just going to have to pull my socks up, take the paint brush between the teeth, and jolly well get cracking and put all thoughts of being in Barcelona out of my head until at least Monday. Oddly enough, Mr Sutton's friends have a place in Hastings too.

La Electric Palace - La Electric Landlady

All day Saturday was spent ripping up carpets with a Stanley knife and scrubbing down floorboards here in Rosemary Cottage. Floorboards are being painted over the Easter break as I should have my first let of the year in early Summer. Just need to find more time and money to finish off the house. I needed a break from the housework, so slipped two minutes across the road to the lovely little Electric Palace Cinema for coffee and a film. Before heading home on Sunday morning, a super early 7am breakfast was had on an empty beach outside Rye. Just me watching a little group of Sandpipers making their sporadic mad dashes tight along the very edge of the shoreline in their hunt for food. I'm starting to think about a short trip somewhere in late April/May; France, Barcelona or Amsterdam, or maybe back to Copenhagen again? Just the weather to be sitting outside at the cafe of the Black Diamond Library next to the riverside.

Alfa Romeo Giulia 1968 - Faggio Vs Ochre

Currently running errands to the house in Old Town Hastings in the 'Ginger Carthorse' aka the 1968 Alfa Romeo Giulia. I was sad to see the trusty dark fig Alfa (1975) traded in for this oddity of a colour. There have been a few early mornings getting the breakdown chaps to come out to try and coax the car to start in the recent cold weather. The London climate is not quite suiting the little Italian at the moment, I'm afraid. If you see Old Ginger on the A2, don't be fooled into thinking the drivers are 70s sitcom types 'George and Mildred' at the steering wheel; give a wave as we hare past! Hats off to the lovely Titus Rowlandson, the Alfa guru based in Eye, Suffolk, for working his magic and keeping this oldie on the road. By the way, do keep a look out for Jasmin Rowlandson's ceramic work which is making regular appearances designing ceramics for interiors and galleries across the UK.

Anticipation of Spring

Still all grey skies, chill winds, weather reports threatening snow and multi-layers of clothes to keep warm. Looking for some sure fire signs of Spring. My first blog post, so I've added some pictures taken last year on holiday, courtesy of Vintage Vacations, in late Autumn where I hired an Airstream Caravan built in 1965. This is to remind me of what the sun felt like and that colour exists! Lots of longs walks in the surrounding countryside and trips to the sea with the odd stop for a cup of tea. At the moment, I've got the kettle on the go permanently to make cups of tea to keep me feeling warm. Come on sun, we know you're there...