Banana Coladas, Summer Scarves, Baby Feet, The Return Of Rigaud, Salad Love, Design Classics & Corking Mats!

Banana Coladas, Summer Scarves, Baby Feet, The Return Of Rigaud, Salad Love, Design Classics & Corking Mats! Good Morning! Hasn't the weather been absolutely glorious! My garden is back under control, with all the bushes neatly trimmed apart from the ivy as this has several pairs of sparrows nesting in it, so I shall have to wait until the chicks have fledged. This happens almost every year - I intend to trim before the bird's nest so that I don't disturb them and they always beat me to it! It's a lovely problem to have. Unfortunately the GD took a tumble down my stairs at the w/e and has a sprained ankle. I have learned that Dr's do not make very good patients and that my house has too many stairs - especially when carrying trays up and down them. I have worn a smile of slightly strained forbearance and believe that Ms Nightingale would have been fairly proud of me! Shop Now - The Cocktail Garden: Botanical Cocktails For Every Season- £12.99 To help cheer the convalescent I purchased 'The Cocktail Garden' as it promised 'drinks for long, hot summer afternoons spent among the flowers' which sounded just what the doctor ordered (literally!). The 'Banana Colada' slipped down very nicely and has restored the GD's beatific features. I have been oscillating between 'Pear & Green Tea Bellini' which is delicious and very refreshing and the 'Blood Orange Spritz' which has Prosecco, blood orange juice and sugar syrup and is far, far too easy to drink! I like this book a lot as I have never encountered any of these recipes before and they are adventurous, contemporary and gourmand but simple - a great combination! Shop Now - Cotton & Wool Mix Scarves - £20 Our voluminous summer scarves have arrived and it is soooo nice to see some vibrant colour again, including Mustard and Red/Orange, Duck Egg and Cornflower. 80% cotton and 20% Wool, these scarves are extremely generous in size at 180x105cm and will work well for day and in the evenings as a wrap as it is still quite chilly if you are taking a stroll at sunset ! The price of these is absolutely amazing and I give them as gifts all of the time - in fact I must send one to my mother as I am sure  she would love them.  Speaking of family, my niece had a baby boy this week - her second - and although this is perhaps not the best time in the world to endure childbirth we are all over the moon. I have been designated the baby monitor as my gift (boring) so I have decided to augment with a baby feet casting kit from my friend Alison's company The Edinburgh Casting Studio (shop.edinburghcasting.com). This will make 4 little feet in plaster (so they’ll have extra attempts in case of wriggling) and it will be a fun family thing to do at home - you just pop the tiny foot into what looks like pink porridge, mix up and add the plaster and minutes later an extremely detailed replica emerges in white so it looks like marble! It's a really fantastic product and great for adults too as they have a whole selection of different kits to choose from. I quite want to caste Lola's paws but not sure she will allow it! Shop Now - Rigaud Complete Candles With Lid - £68 I was completely indulgent this week as the long sunny days made me long for Rigaud's Tournesol scented candle which is, in my head a least, the smell of sunshine in the garden. I then realised that we had sold out of every Rigaud candle in the store so called Paris to see if they had re-opened and thankfully they had. Still the finest in the business, Rigaud candles are elegant and chic so I spoiled myself and bought the Gardenia candle too! I now have 'Sunflowers' in the Sitting Room and 'Gardenias' in the kitchen - heaven! Shop Now - Recipe Book - The Salad Bowl - £9.99 We have been making salads all week including a delicious Roquefort, pecan and apple salad from new acquisition 'The Salad Bowl' - 75 recipes from sumptuous sides to substantial main courses. In the summer I like to 'assemble' food rather than slave over a hot stove so this is a very welcome addition to the bookcase. When you work in retail the temptation to order 'New' product all of the time is immense, however I am a firm believer in classic design i.e. pieces that combine form and function perfectly - if a design cannot be bettered then why change? New does not automatically mean better! This is true of much of our stock, from the graceful simplicity of IIttala Essence Wine Glasses (2001), the retro glamour of Kaymet Trays (1947), the Chemex Coffee Maker (1941) and the aforementioned Grand Dame of scented candles, Rigaud (1950).  Shop Now - Egg Coddler - XXL 2-3 Egg - £22.00 I suppose my true quest is to discover classic designs of the future and we have quite a few that I believe are in the running. I have been using my large Egg Coddler almost daily during Lockdown. It is perfect for breakfast and lunch - is quick, delicious, exciting to play with and, I have found, it seems impossible to make anything that isn't delicious. I love the cool Skandi style and the fact that it is a contemporary interpretation of an old English piece. Shop Now - Stoneware - Giant Serving Dish 40cm - Pink & Grey - £79.95 Another model that may well turn out to be a 'classic' is my pink salad bowl. Again it is used every week and is the most adaptable piece of ceramic that I own. It is currently being used for salads, and a 40cm diameter gives one endless possibilities for styling! I also love it as none of the good stuff falls to the bottom as it is a shallow bowl - so pine nuts, prawns and avocado stay where they are placed and the last person served doesn't get all the nice bits! In the winter I used for pasta - spaghetti, penne, fusilli etc all look terrific scattered with sauce and intense green basil leaves. It is easy to hand around the table too which brings me to my final words of praise. This piece is lovely for two people - you just place the food in the centre of the bowl, however if you fill it then it will feed 6 plus! When not in use for serving it is a fruit bowl  and is certainly beautiful enough to be used as a centrepiece just as it is. Will these one day be considered design classics? Only time will tell......! We remain in London this w/e until the GD's foot heals - I am rather sad to be painting when the sunshine beckons however the store is looking lovely already so there is satisfaction in this. Next week we take delivery of some Belgian glass that I think is the most beautiful that I have ever seen so I cannot wait to share it with you. Until then, have a lovely w/e, stay safe and don't forget the factor 30 (at least!) My best as always, Michaelx Shop Now - Cork Mats - Set Of Six - £12.00 P.S. I know that we have several customers awaiting the return of our cork mat sets which have just arrived. These offer essential protection for wooden tables and stop granite and marble from getting scratched so I always have a pile of them in the kitchen drawer. Light, tough and eco-friendly they will earn theirplace in any home!

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