Where to go for a celebratory supper? Quaglino's, of course, which positively pulsates with glamour. Secreted away in St James', at 16 Bury Street, the sweeping staircase to the restaurant is like descending the stairs of a great ocean liner, albeit one anchored in Mayfair. For the occasion, there was only one dress to wear: a mid-century satin number weighed down with beads and pearls. A hand-made piece, purchased in Pimlico's Cornucopia (long-gone but one of my very favourite shopping haunts), this gown never fails to make me feel that I'm "Puttin' On the Ritz" - coincidentally just around the corner. Worn with brown satin heels, a deep-red vintage fur, and a statement pearl ring from Jessica Walker, plus a perfect dining companion (my daughter), in an Isabel Marant for H&M metallic dress.
Last weekend I took myself along to the celebrations in Chinatown, in London's West End to welcome in the Year of the Goat/Sheep. What to wear? My favourite vintage cheongsam in green, a colour which is said to promote health and harmony in Chinese culture. To keep out the chill factor, I put on my newest purchase, a Michael Kors puffer jacket, in flat-out orange, along with a home-knit scarf (thank you, Mary). More shades of orange with my vintage jewellery and woven nylon bag. And what to wear in my hair? Why, a handful of cocktail sticks, of course. And after the jam-packed festivities, I beat a hasty retreat on a Boris bike. Gung Hay Fat Choy!
It is always a pleasure to hotfoot it to Battersea Park to wander and wonder around the thrice-yearly event, which is the The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair. 2015 marks the 30th anniversary of the Decorative Fair! This year's foyer theme, Chalet Chic, suited the season with its skis, sledges and snowy scapes, along with reindeer fur and boiserie. If there was simply nowhere else to shop in the world for interiors, you would likely find everything you desired for the fashionable home. There are commodes and chandelier aplenty, French day-beds and chaises to languish upon, Swedish Gustavian pieces, art and collectables, and magnificent one-offs, such as a submarine-shaped beaded light, reminiscent of a Jules Verne story and the charming in the form of Barbudian shell valentines, made for passing Victorian sailors. All in all, a marvellous feast of interior styles!
Save the dates for the Spring Fair: 21 - 26 April.
