That's...... Devoré, Double Velvets, Roasting Rubs, Spanish Scentsation & The Best Blankets In The Whole, Wide World!

 

That's...... Devoré, Double Velvets, Roasting Rubs, Spanish Scentsation & The Best Blankets In The Whole, Wide World! Bonjour tout le monde!  And how are we all this fine morning? Flagging or raring to go? We are raring, as have so much to do before our last w/e in London - we need a microwave (not pronounced a la Nigella!), toaster, coffee machine and kettle as our old ones were either integral and left behind or had reached that point where we were slightly nervous around them, half-expecting a flash and a bang!  At the store it has been a juggling act this week, as international supply chains continue to make Christmas slightly challenging, however we have some absolutely glorious designs winging their way .............SLOWLY(!!!).... toward us. We have been working with our lovely suppliers to ensure a degree of normalcy this festive season - although, with the international steel shortage, what one has had to do to secure a teaspoon I couldn't possibly share - I'm blushing! Now, onto newness and I hope that you will adore these as much as I do! Shop Now - Silk Devoré Scarf - Loquat - £37.00 Over twenty years ago, a friend in New York bought me a silk devoré scarf from Bergdorf Goodman. I admit that when I received it,  I was not at all sure that this was a fabric suitable for gentlemen(!), but it was not floral and a very smart, silver-grey, so thought that I would give it a spin. Flash-forward two decades and it has been, without doubt, my most worn accessory and is, very sadly, coming to the end of its life as it is literally threadbare! Silk devoré is an extremely classy and rather theatrical fabric, which reflects light as one moves and so is very flattering worn next to the face. It is also very warm, light and as soft as kittens! Back in halcyon, pre-pandemic days, I happened upon a lovely designer specialising in this exquisite textile and wrote her several fan letters - however we have missed each other for the last two years but were reunited in September. I was so excited to find her again and immediately commissioned a collection of scarves in 4 colourways in a pattern called 'loquat', based on the eponymous, fruiting, japonica tree in her garden.  These scarves are beautiful - hand dyed and hemmed, with an exclusive pattern - and will make the perfect Christmas gift (they do come boxed) for a particularly elegant friend or relative. Alternatively, I would recommend treating oneself as they will last for decades and really glam-up a coat or winter sweater! Choose from pink, emerald, silver or crimson & black! Shop Now - Double Silk Velvet Scarf - £74.00 And - just to add a cherry on top - we have a double-velvet scarf in either a stunning 'mimosa' or 'clematis' design that has been hand - dyed in the most glorious colour combinations. Choose from turquoise, with splashes of purple and olive, or a two-tone pink with purple background. The pile is deep and incredibly soft and these long, luxurious scarves cut quite a dash! Shop Now - Roast Dinner Kit - £22.00 Also in September, I lighted upon a really charming gentlemen selling a truly unique collection of vittles from the Cotswolds! We are totally enamoured of the concept and the flavours as how can one possibly not fall for 'Brussel Sprout Dust’ (ginger, garlic, chilli, cumin, coriander, cardamom and paprika) or 'Roast Potato Oil' (with rosemary, garlic and smoke) ?! I have indulged in three boxes that will augment the flavours of traditional, British, Roast Dinners, with a series of herbal/spicy rubs and oils that are easy to apply and will raise the culinary bar ! The 'Veggie Roast Dinner Kit' has three rubs to be a used-on vegetables, and 'Roast Potato Oil' to set tastebuds tingling! The 'Christmas Roast Dinner Box' adds 'Pigs in Blanket Dust' and a 'Roast Turkey Rub’ (sweet paprika, juniper, coriander seeds, nutmeg, sea salt, onion powder, sugar, celery seed, tarragon and sumac) to the mix. Finally, we have the 'British Roast Dinner Kit' which augments with 'Roast Chicken Rub' and a 'Roast Dinner Dust' (an all-purpose seasoning that can be used in gravy, on veg or Yorkshire pudding etc.) I think this is clever, practical, original and, best of all, fun! The GD and I have tested the veggie rubs over the last week and are getting increasingly adventurous - we have been rubbing pumpkins this week - delicious!!! A portion of sales goes to 'Fareshare' to help end child poverty and these are gluten-free, dairy-free, suitable for vegetarians, and with no nuts, eggs or soy - so suitable for the whole family! Shop Now - Hierbas de Mallorca (EdC) 100ml - £28.00 We have a new fragrance that has just arrived. Sadly, my beloved Alveraz Gomez collection is no-longer available in the UK - the result of the registration complications created by Brexit - and so I have been on the hunt for something lemony/herbal that reminds me of Spain. Enter 'Hierbas De Mallorca', a unisex fragrance that uses the indigenous plants from that beautiful island to create an uplifting, clean and delicious scent that is suitable for all occasions. At the opening, bergamot, orange and lemons bring their zesty energy, whilst the heart is a serene blend of lavender, chamomile and sage. At the base is nard (a relation of honeysuckle) and jasmine. 'Hierbas De Mallorca' effortlessly captures the sunshine and will raise a smile..... even in the depths of winter! And now for the pièce de résistance! Shop Now - Wool Blanket/Throw - Lagoon - £125.00 I have been saving these for weeks, as wanted the temperature to dip just a little before I unveiled our new........ blanket collection! Well, they could be blankets or throws, whichever suits, as they are a generous 180cm x 130 cm! Shop Now - Wool Blanket/Throw - 1950's Check - £125.00

I was captivated by the designs and believe that we are the only store in the UK to have discovered them. The company is relatively new and a heart-warming story of a group trying to save an old factory and their village when the old mill was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. With new hands at the helm, they looked to the firm's archive and found the most wonderful patterns from the 1950's and 60's and brought them back to life. They are absolutely stunning - I have chosen three patterns in a variety of rich/ bright hues that will add zing to a bedroom or look fantastic strewn across the back of the sofa ready to snuggle under with a cup of hot chocolate! This brand has it all, quality, comfort and great style. I have sculptural cushions from them too, but am going to tease and ask that you wait for a couple of weeks! Speaking of which, I am going to begin my annual Christmas Gift Guide next Saturday, purely because the feedback that I am getting from customers is that everyone is a) trying to spread the cost this year and b) we are all trying to be organised and really put some thought into it.  The pandemic has shown us what it is to live without our friends and family and I for one have never valued them more! This Christmas we will all do our very best to make them extra happy! I'm a soppy so and so!  The theme will be 'Gifts For The Five Senses' as there is a little luxurious indulgence already implied....... and that is what gifting should be all about! Shop Now - Black Lasagne Dish - £32.50 Finally we have a new, lovely and large Lasagne Dish made on the island of Lombok! It has been baked in the ground (hence the colour) and will cook on the hob as well as in the oven. It looks spectacular taken straight to the table and will feed the whole family (or the GD and myself for 2 days!) The clay not only diffuses direct heat so that the contents do not burn, but holds the heat for ages afterwards, so will continue cooking after the power has been turned off and keep food warm for ages. I also think that the design is very beautiful! This w/e we are having brunch with our neighbours - I am very excited about this as have a sneaking suspicion that the food will be fantastic! It's also a real treat not to have to cook on a Sunday and only to have to walk around the corner to get home! Heaven! On Monday we begin the final countdown to the big move - I get to decorate another house (yay!) and to count sheep - literally! Wishing you all a warm and wonderful w/e. Michael x