> RAW < denim

For the first time in years- five, to be exact- I bought a pair of blue jeans.  I knew I wanted to break in a pair of raw denim, knew I wanted them to be a pair of Nudie Jeans.  David bought his first pair of Nudie raw denim two years ago.  He's washed them twice, wears them often, and still they look terrific on him.  Those jeans, they are him, tell a little bit of his story, and I knew I wanted my own pair to help tell mine, too.

Nudie Jeans is a brand I admire.  I support their initiative to use organic cotton, to recycle, and to pay their employees a living wage (which should really be a no-brainer, amirite?).  Their clothing is offered at a great price point, they completely deliver on the quality of their product, and they give their customers a memorable brand experience.  There's a Nudie Jeans wearin' tribe of people out there, and after four days with mine, I'm proud to say I'm a part of this tribe.  I'm going to bang my denim-loving drum for all to hear and I'm going to look damn good while doing it.

If you're looking for a new best friend pair of denim, you can find your nearest Nudie Jeans retailer here.

Harriet Clare @ Margaret St. Gallery

I went to the Transient opening at the Margaret Street Gallery last night and was really taken by Harriet Clare's 'Woebegone' series; the kaleidoscopic images, which were printed on large sheets of heavy paper and hung with bulldog clips, felt modern, minimalist, and casually chic.  Natural elements like tree branches, leaves, and snow, were imaginatively manipulated to create something familiar yet fresh and the pieces invited the viewer to find symbols and shapes in the converging lines.

I really love her work and think it would show well in many settings (like my hallway, living room, or office, for instance).  If you're in London, I encourage you to stop by the gallery and check it out for yourself because these pictures, they're not doing the work any justice.  Trust.

> Transient will be on exhibit until Frebruary 26th at the Margaret Street Gallery in London <

Tuesday With Moi

Tuesday, January 29th
Collector's Edition

 Yesterday morning was cold- so cold- so I sat in bed, shivering and reading, until the heater kicked in and the room warmed around me.  Did I tell you, dear reader, that I joined a book club?  Cloud Atlas is our next book. Have you read it?

As I was walking through the flat, I found a £1 coin and realized I'd never seen this design on the back before.  Did you know that there are 19 different reverse sides of the £1 coin? The designs represent the United Kingdom and its four constituencies: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England.  This design, which was issued in 1985 and 1990 and depicts a leek and royal diadem, is representative of Wales.
I imagine some people collect all the different designs.  Me?  I don't really collect things...

Except Blanton's Bourbon corks, which I keep in my collection of Arabic cups on the window ledge.

Right next to my collection of old books.

Oh, and I suppose I collect ribbons that strike my fancy, too.


Slowly, I'm also trying to build a collection of useful and decorative houseplants, but sometimes they die, or Le Chat eats them.  Other than all that, I don't collect too much.

Around 3:30, I went to my bedroom to work on a hand-sketched post card for this project.

The wind was blowing mightily outside and, as I was working, I accidentally fell asleep.

When I awoke, the lamplight came in through the window and shone on the rain-splattered glass like fire.

For dinner, I made a rice stir-fry with tofu, miso, yellow peppers and green beans.  So easy, so cozy.

My basil plant is looking a little lonely on the windowsill since the mint plant's passing.  

Over the summer, I'm going to really focus on growing my herb collection.  I want this flat to be a greenhouse! 

Shoes, you guys, shoes.  I also collect shoes.
Because the rain was falling sideways and the wind was straight from Oz, David said he'd drive me to my Tunbridge Wells Writers meeting.  Since I didn't have to schlep through town, I changed out of my winter boots and skinny jeans and opted instead for something snappier- namely my pony hair leopard print booties.  It's so exciting when I get to dip into my shoe collection!  I'm afraid I haven't done so with any kind of frequency since our move... 

Every other Tuesday, our writer group meets at the Black Pig.  I arrived a little early- just before eight- and settled in with a glass of wine as the room filled with people.

We had a great turnout last night.  Over wine and lager, we shared stories and inspiration, complaints about the weather and our dreams for the future.

It was lovely.

I guess you could say that we collectively collect empty glasses, too... I do not envy the dishwasher!

 A little after 11:00, my chauffeur took me home and, eventually, to bed to collect some ZZZs.

Thanks for reading! xox

p.s.  Mrs. Anke visited our writers group last night so she could snap pictures and write about what it is we do (umm, what is it that we do, again?)... you can find her post here.  Enjoy! 

@ Blessings

My friend Lauren is one of those women with a signature scent.  In her case, it's Chanel No. 5, but I've never known another woman to wear it with the same finesse.  The perfume joins with her own personal fragrance to create a scent that's distinctly her own--- Tenacious, luxe, Lauren.  You can sense when she enters the room, know when she's just walked past, and track her movements through a crowd.  I hadn't seen Lauren since May, when we were back in Boston and saying sloppy goodbyes after a long night at the F; but we saw her yesterday and picked up right where we left off nine months ago- continued with laughter and stories, photos and dreams.  And Lauren, she smelled exactly the same.  Some things, like friendship, just don't change. 

>  Photos taken at Lauren's friend's new bar in East London, Blessings.  <

Monmouth Coffee

David and I are coffee drinkers.  Drip coffee, filter coffee, french pressed* coffee, we guzzle it like gasoline as our gears warm in the mornings.   We like our coffee hot out of the pot and, when it's good, we drink it black and let the blend of unique flavors wash over our tongues and warm our bellies.  'Round here, we love coffee. 

As you can imagine, we're quite particular about our coffee, and good coffee in these parts is mighty hard to find.  A couple times, my mom has sent my favorite roast all that way from Minneapolis, but too often we've had to pinch our noses and buy something off the grocery shelf.  But not anymore!  Thanks to the good people at our favorite local coffee stop, The Black Dog Café, we can now buy responsibly-sourced and sustainably-harvested coffee by Monmouth Coffee Company.  It may seem a little pricey at £12 per 500 g, but I can assure you that it's worth every pence.  The coffee, it is good, and using our spending power to help support a UK-based roaster, a local café, and two fantastic businesses feels pretty darn fine, too.  Quality, it can't be beat, and I'm looking forward to enjoying more of Monmouth's roasts as well as many more of Black Dog's exquisite flat whites.

Are you a coffee drinker, dear reader?  What are your favorite roasts and how do you drink your coffee?  I'd love to know and I wish you a lovely (snowy?) weekend full of hot coffee, wool socks, and cozy duvets.  xox! 

*Or Cafetère, as they say here.

> Open Hearts, Open Doors <

Let me preface this post by saying that today, I wanted to get personal.  It's been too long since I cracked my heart open like a chestnut and shared some feelings with you.  Truth is, I haven't needed to.  Things have been going well– so well!– and I'd almost forgotten to acknowledge my blessings and show thanks for them.  But these past few days, I've remembered; this post is an offering of thanks and a small representation of my psyche.  I wish I could say it better, but for now this will have to do.

You know that part in Pride and Prejudice when Elizabeth realizes that she's the one who's been too proud, too prejudiced, and too blinded by her own stubborn judgements and vanity to see the goodness that stood directly before her?  Well, you guys, I am Elizabeth, and it turns out that Tunbridge Wells is my Mr. Darcy.

Since hanging up my freelance saddle at the beginning of the year and promising myself that I'd live in the present and experience all this town has to offer, I've been overwhelmed by the diversity, creativity, and kindness of the people I've met.  I've been touched by their helpfulness, flattered by their curiosity, and so encouraged by their spirited discussions and visions for the future.  Already, I have friends I cherish and places in which I know I'll feel welcome.  More than once, I've been moved to tears by the richness of this town and the goodness of its people.  Slowly, I'm finding my tribe, and my only regret is that that I let my spirit be clouded by hasty judgements and fear for all those months before.

As I look back on these first eight months (nine, almost nine), I wanted to implore you to remember that an open heart opens doors and an open mind is keen to grow.  This world is a beautiful place, dear reader, but sometimes we need to stop squinting to see this to be true.  I don't know where these coming months will lead me, but for once I don't feel troubled by uncertainty.  I'm happy here.  Happy to learn, happy to grow, happy to meet new friends and have adventures.  And oh, what a wonderful adventure this is!

Thank you for being here (there), dear reader, thank you for putting up with me, and thank you for reading.  xx 

>   A Captive Audience? by David Reekie, 2000.  Photo taken at the Victoria & Albert museum.  <