The loveliest blush pink paint colours. A deliciously colourful house in Chelsea A new Pride and Prejudice starring Olivia Coleman and directed by Dolly Alderton. Yes, please! Traveling the world without getting on a plane. 14 little things people stopped worrying about. The mental health benefits of a social media detox. Particularly beneficial for the holiday season. Just watched: Stonehouse The outlandishly true story of rising Labour MP, John Stonehouse, who in 1974, found himself in a spot of financial and espionage bother. He is blackmailed—via a honeytrap—into spying for the Czechs, but also paid handsomely with large sums of…
Pudding&Mess Posts
These shows have a few things in common. They are neither violent, nor aggressive, nor depressing yet are substantive enough to make them worth watching. They are undemanding, kinda cozy and provide lots of love and laughter with some getting bonus points for exquisite scenery and beautiful settings. Basically they tick all the boxes for enjoyable, bingeable TV. (And yes, I am shamelessly stretching British to include the Commonwealth – two of these shows are Australian. ~Brief Encounters In 1980’s Sheffield, a group of women of all ages and walks of life are brought together when they get into the…
Galileo’s Daughter Dava Sobel Sister Maria Celeste, a cloistered nun, is the oldest of Galileo Galilei’s three illegitimate children. She wrote to her father regularly and her letters set up a nice framework for this book which is, essentially, an account of the trials and tribulations that faced Galileo throughout his life. Maria wrote beautifully and despite the fact that her father’s return correspondence no longer exists, it is clear that the two enjoyed a deep regard for each other and were able to share their mutual love of both science and faith. No need to be a science geek to…
As the cool of autumn collapses into the cold of winter, as the late afternoon sunshine burnishes the remaining stubborn leaves on the tree tops to a gorgeous glowy copper, a world is created where the cosy comfort of an apple crumble is simply divine. While I adore a good crumble with spring and summer fruit, there is nothing quite like the simplicity of the humble apple at this time of year, and apple crumble feels like the crisp white shirt of the crumble world: elementary, yet classic, with hidden depths. You can, of course, use any apple your heart…
The English It’s the 1890’s in the days of the Wild West and Lady Cornelia Locke (Emily Blunt) arrives at a remote outpost in Kansas in pursuit of the man responsible for the death of her son. She is met by Mr. Watts (a deliciously wicked Ciaran Hinds), who has the body of Eli Whipp (Chaske Spencer), a Pawnee Indian and former scout for the US army, currently strung up. When Cornelia tries to buy Elis’s freedom, she is beaten for her trouble. Some pretty awful things take place next but, ultimately, Cornelia asks Eli to accompany her on her…
Step inside Sienna Miller’s Charming Cottage. Some really fun Halloween costume ideas based on your zodiac sign. In a veritable sea of banned books in the US it would seem that Stephen King novels are the most banned of all. Ten of the best bookshops in Paris. When the icebergs came to town. Fun Charcuterie for kids. An entertaining video about Britain’s major regional accents. For weekend watching ~ Anatomy Of A Scandal A political scandal involving an affair, an accusation of rape, an Oxford days dark secret involving the current Prime Minister and lots of courtroom drama. The plot…
~The Lost Garden Helen Humphreys A slender, beautifully written and lyrical story of horticulturist Gwen Davis who flees London during the Blitz to take charge of a group of Land Girls on a rundown estate on the Devonshire coast, which also happens to have a requisitioned stately home inhabited by a regiment of Canadian soldiers. Upon arrival, Gwen, somewhat socially awkward, struggles to connect with people and, feeling lonely, takes solace in bringing back to life a secret abandoned garden that’s she’s discovered. Over time, Gwen softens to those around her and begins to form deep connections with the girls…
Custard in its most simple form is a mixture of eggs and milk, gently heated so that the eggs can provide the necessary thickening. Possibly around since Ancient Rome, but certainly finding its groove in the Middle Ages, the word “custard” is thought to come from the French word “croustade” meaning pastry crust, because custard was frequently baked into tarts. But custard has a variety of guises. Freeze it and you have ice cream. Put it in a crust with savory flavorings and you have a quiche. It serves as the base for creme brûlée, chocolate pudding, flan, and creme…
Mrs Harris Goes To Paris The always wonderful Lesley Manville stars as Mrs. Ada Harris, a widowed char woman in 1950’s London. When she becomes smitten with a gorgeous Dior dress at the home of a client, Mrs Harris sets her sights on having one of her very own. Eventually, the stars align and Mrs Harris finds herself in Paris, at the iconic House of Dior, where she immediately ruffles a few feathers. Turns out Dior is run by a rather snooty bunch who are certainly not interested in dressing the likes of Mrs Harris. But a lovely gentleman steps…
The classic Pimm’s Cup No.1 has a longstanding reputation for being a fun and flirty summertime party goer. It’s a smash hit at Wimbledon and an elegantly dressed guest at garden parties and the odd polo match (not that I can personally attest to this). It charms everywhere it goes with its low alcohol content and light and fruity taste. Pimm’s is a gin based spirit made with a mixture of herbs and spices with a fruity, slightly bitter kick, in the vein of Aperol. It was created by Englishman James Pimm in 1823, when he was searching for something…