Posting a letter the other day, I found myself pondering the concept of the pillar or post box and wondering about its origins. I love a good functional design and the pillar box is perfect for its job – safe, secure, easy to post and to retrieve mail, able to withstand the elements – a design…
Category: Art & Culture
The Red Telephone Box – a design classic
When I was growing up, the urban streetscape included many everyday items that are fast vanishing from modern day life – and I never knew I would miss them until they were gone. Take the iconic red telephone box or kiosk. It’s been here since the 1920’s and formed the backdrop to my everyday life…
Why is Piccadilly Circus so named?
As the historic lights on Piccadilly Circus go dark this January for the longest amount of time since World War II, I find myself musing on the name Piccadilly Circus and why it became synonymous with advertising hoardings. My first query is easily answered – thanks to Wikipedia. The word Piccadilly was originally linked in 1626…
Rediscovering Annick Goutal, an old favourite
Annick Goutal fragrances were all the rage when I started working in the hotel industry, blah blah years ago. They were happily everywhere in fact especially in France for this perfume house is “La Belle France” personified. Then they seemed to fade a little from my view to be replaced by globalisation and its ubiquitous amenities. So…
Why is a stamp called a stamp?
As followers of this blog will know, I do love everything miniature so it should come as no great surprise to learn that I collect stamps, or to be precise, am an enthusiastic amateur collector of British stamps. Thanks to eBay, I am reliving my childhood interests and discovering the very early British stamps but this has left…
The Model Village
This Easter saw the successful re-launch of a much-loved tourist institution – The Model Village in Southsea. It was once run by a Mr West who also owned the two shops fronting South Parade Pier and wonder of wonders, I used to work for him at weekends. Although work was a sideline – we actually…
A new investigation into the past …
As readers of this blog will know, last week, I discovered the youth of my Great Aunt and Uncle and found out that they were intrepid travellers, regularly visiting Europe and Africa in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. A couple of images however reveal a family mystery which I hope, over the next few…
A design classic: Spode’s Blue Italian
I’ve always loved blue and white ever since I was a little girl. I like its crispness and clarity and its affiliation with all things seaside. As I’ve got older however, and have started to inherit things, I’ve begun to realise it might also have something to do with hanging onto my memories of cherished…
RIP David Bowie
Few artists command the level of respect that David Bowie has. He left this world as stylishly as he graced it, with tributes – some surprising – coming from far and wide. Who else would have fans in the Vatican, let’s face it. I have been a follower of his music since his early days…
Foyle’s Hastings
Take the East Hill Lift for a view over Hastings If you loved Foyle’s War, then this post is for you. Hastings, (East Sussex) where GreenLit Productions filmed the first six series, is as much of a cast member as Michael Kitchen and Honeysuckle Weeks and is showcased to its best through the high production…
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