That hat, with its opulent, cascading plumes, like a fountain in St James Park! Those silken swathes of fabric, richly draped across her shoulders. And that slightly glum expression she holds, borne of someone with a story to tell. ‘I know that woman!’ Finally, the glimmer of recognition that is so rare when rifling through… Continue reading Sarah Siddons: from stage to print
If you’ve been in London at all this summer it can’t have escaped your notice that there is a big anniversary this year, being celebrated throughout the capital. On 2nd September 2016 we commemorated 350 years since that famous fire caught flame on Pudding Lane and ravaged the medieval City for four long days. The… Continue reading Exhibition Review: Fire! Fire!
Whenever I step onto the streets of Soho, even today, I am filled with a sense of wistful nostalgia. I am transported back to the day I got my first job as a TV runner, at a post production house on Old Compton street. I remember that afternoon as I left the interview and wandered… Continue reading For the love of Berwick Street
One thing that is becoming quite apparent to me the more historical guidebooks I peruse, is that the only thing that really changes throughout time is fashion. The quest for novelty means that we feel like we are continuously progressing and getting more and more ‘civilised’ with each decade that passes. But all that really… Continue reading Eighteenth Century Rough Guide. Part Two: Dinner is Served.
Part One: Take care of your lungs. I recently visited Cyprus for a short holiday to get away from it all and immerse myself in a different culture. It was probably the first time I have travelled abroad without purchasing a guidebook beforehand. Maybe that’s a sign of the times.. with free wifi in the… Continue reading The Eighteenth Century Rough Guide to London
I am something of a Londonphile and usually venerate all of the things the big city has to offer. But living in the capital doesn’t come without drawbacks and even I can recognise that. One Trip Advisor complainant summed it up well in their review of the London Eye when they concluded, ‘nice views, too many people’. I’m… Continue reading Advice for walking on the streets of London, 1780
Georgian vice 