STRAWBS - Plan 'B'

Due to the winter blast and the small, (but very good-looking) number of members able to attend, this month's meeting of the STRAWBS was held at The Builder's Arms on Britten Street in Chelsea at 2:00 p.m.. It is a gastro pub tucked away from the bustle of Kings Road. We enjoyed a great Bloody Mary at the bar while waiting for a table at the busiest time - no reservations here! Our Sunday roast beef was medium rare and delicious followed by warm sticky toffee pudding. I love this tradition!

We will have to reschedule our walk through Hampstead Heath and brunch at The Bull and Last for another month.
Cheers and meeting adjourned!

Got your attention.....

It's snowing in London....again!

A magic carpet ride....

I will be the first to admit that my knowledge of the world of carpets is lacking...uh, "shag" and "wall to wall" seem to have dropped from the designers vocabulary! So I signed up for the Carpet Warehouse tour and I was overwhelmed with the choices. We saw a selection of hand-made carpets and rugs - both old and new from Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, China, and Tibet. The brothers who own and import these beautiful rugs showed us the difference in tribal rugs and those made with only the finest silk and gold thread. Some of the rugs are woven so tightly that they could smother a fire and not burn.
I learned the difference between a Zeigler, a Shirvan, and a Bokhara...now aren't you impressed?!









Our contact there was Claudia Watson and she would be happy to visit your home, take measurements, and use your color schemes to present you with a selection of carpets that will "harmonize perfectly" with your style. Here in London or in Boston!

THE luncheon!

The 111th American Women's Club of London Founder's Day Luncheon, that's the one!
It was another success this year.......the Thames Yacht Club was beautiful, the tables and orchids were elegant, the speeches were short, the menu was delicious, the wine perfectly chilled, and the auctions raised more money than last year!









Once the tables were set and the auction baskets were in place, I changed from my walking flats to my "Carlton" shoes. We welcomed 67 women this year and everyone had a great time. It is with mixed feelings that we left the event that afternoon knowing that many of our gang....AKA "the worker bees"...will be going back to the States this spring. The grand life of an expat does not last for long so we make the most of our time together.

playdate or fieldtrip?

On my way across Hyde Park this morning I noticed several doggie playdates.....Tucker's dog walker calls them "field trips". Whatever they are called , the dogs seemed to be having a blast running, rolling , barking...
before long I realized that my teeth had stopped chattering, my step was brisker, and I was smiling at the chaos. Is it possible that seeing these dogs in such a happy mood actually changed mine?



















I do believe so!

Antiques in Petworth

I had been to Petworth House, an incredible collection of artwork, on an outing with Consuelo but today's adventure was all about the antique shops in the village of Petworth. It is not an easy place to get to ..... First, we met at Victoria Station in London to catch the southern rail to Pulborough. We had to sit in the correct car because the train split half-way. Rita had arranged a Taxi/Van to drive 8 of us to the village and she scheduled our pickup for later that afternoon - after the driver made his school runs! The day was cold but perfect for browsing and we enjoyed a bowl of soup and a cup of tea for lunch before returning to purchase the things we could not leave Petworth without.














You know me, I am attracted to small oils, especially ones in beautiful gold frames. This little strawberry caught my attention when I walked in the door but it wasn't until I turned it over and read the inscription on the back that I knew it needed a home. This is what it says on the back;
To Dear Diana (Lady Diana I'm sure!)
Happy Birthday 1988
Love from Lee X
NOT TO BE GIVEN AWAY!





Who do you think gave it away? This could be the start of a great romantic novel!

Saturday on Portobello Road

Always crowded with tourists and locals, shoppers, merchants, entertainers, peddlers, and pickpockets....
a Saturday afternoon on Portobello Road is an adventure!





















Anyone need a GREEN fur coat? A wedding dress?