Hi, hi. I’m back in England, the kids are off at school, and I finally have settled back into my routine. Have you been following the shows at New York fashion week? I have a bit. After years of going to as many shows I could fit on my calendar, it’s a luxury for me now just to look at the ones I really, really love. Of course it’s better to be there in person, but looking at them on style.com is enough fashion for me at the moment...
I’ve been in and around New York since the 15th of July. It feels good to be home, except that I miss Ginger terribly. I even had a dream that Christopher surprised me and flew her in from England to visit all her favorite New York places with us. Wishful dreaming. Anyway, I was in the city for two weeks taking care of business, and then we spent a heavenly ten days in Southold, on the North Fork of Long Island. We have a beach house there and we are always debating selling it, because we don’t get to use it enough to justify the expenses involved. When we left for England, some friends asked if they could rent it year round, except for the 10 days they go to Maine, when we could have the house back. Pretty good deal, right? So we happily agreed and now get to be there for a good long dose right at the height of the summer, no doubt the house’s peak season. ..
So at the end of our first full day of riding, we arrived ready for a rest and a cup of tea at the home of Christopher and Marian Houghton near Broadway. To me, this quintessentially British couple and their home epitomised the best of English country life. Christopher has been the secretary and then chairman of the North Cotswold hunt for 25 years, and his family’s affection for the sport is evidenced as soon as you walk in their door with an impressive and worn collection of hunting coats, boots, hats and whips in the front hall...
About a year ago, my husband mentioned a company that a childhood friend had started. It’s called Stately Rides, and it gathers a small group of people together and gives you on a horse riding tour of some of the most beautiful countryside in Gloucestershire while staying in a beautiful private home each night. I knew immediately that I would have to go on this trip and I knew when and with whom. Each summer our family friend Regena comes to stay with us with the simple goal of riding horses incessantly with my daughter Coco and me...
Our whole reason for being in New York for half-term was to go to my sister Kim’s wedding. She got married in the Adirondacks, the dramatic mountains in upstate New York where we have spent summers since early childhood. Kim had always maintained that one day she would marry in The Uplands – a charming, eccentric and huge old wooden house in Keene Valley that belonged to a family friend. The whole thing was a scene right out of The Royal Tenenbaums – kooky WASP chic – a three day adventure of frigid lake dipping (we didn’t stay in long enough to call it swimming), dancing to blue grass by a bonfire, toasting and roasting the bride and groom, and cheering them on as they had their first make-out as husband and wife...
In most cities I visit, I find myself on a manic dash to visit all the cool new stores, restaurants and museum shows I’ve read about or heard about from friends. Not in New York though. When I return to the city (there’s only one, right?) these days, I find myself wanting to go back to the same places over and over. I want to feel like I’m home. I want to go to all the places that make it feel like mine. On my most recent trip, because Christopher and the kids were with me, we woke up on our first day there, left the house and found ourselves doing our usual weekend routine – walk down Houston, get the kids a smoothie at Miss Lilly’s, get ourselves a coffee at Third Rail and then head to Washington Square park – except because we didn’t have Ginger with us, we went to the playground (for old time’s sake) instead of the dog run...
I’m laughing to myself while putting “Spring” in the title of this post because there is nothing Spring-like about England in the last few weeks. Yes, the weather has finally gotten me down. I made it through the winter just fine with the right outdoor clothes and a constant roaring fire in the living room. But now I am just over it. The kids have a three and a half week end-of-term break, and we thought we’d stay here so that our daughter Coco could catch up with her riding having been away in France for 12 weeks...
The other day I was driving back from Bicester Village (I bought a Céline silk blouse and Marni guipure lace top) with my friend Miranda who is a renowned landscape designer. When she saw the sign to Rousham, she insisted we take a detour. Before the house even came into view we had already seen a stone cow shed in the shape of a mini-castle and a charming gate house with three uniquely decorative chimneys. Then we saw the house in the distance. It was first built around 1635 and has stayed in one family the entire time. Even on a gloomy, frigid early spring day, the house was magnificent. ..
Just got back from a skiing holiday in the French Alps. It was so great. I was weighing whether or not to go because it meant missing London Fashion Week. But then I realised that I have no real reason to be at fashion shows right now, and I don’t have forever to take my son skiing on his half term break. So the decision was easy.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the French Alps. I’ve been skiing in the Swiss Alps before, and it was pretty much what you would imagine – very charming, lots of chalets with red and white checked tablecloths, and floral motifs everywhere...
