Writing about things I love and things I didn't know - oh and things I want to eat and cook

Thursday 26 May 2016

Queen Victoria, Winnie The Pooh, The Samaritans


There is a Chinese saying, I think. May we live in interesting times. I am about there. I have had cardiac dramas, not mine. A couple of suppers with the most unlikely yet deeply amusing group of people.

Anecdotes about past generations - including peerage earning wonderfulness. I met a nice Milanese insurance man ( nothing dodgy just business ) in a fabulous Italian restaurant in the City - the chicken liver parfait the stuff of legend and my scallops just perfect.

I went to Eucharist at St Paul's  - the Colet Court choristers in rehearsal an extra joy.

I have been commissioned to write about City churches. I stumbled, literally across St Stephen's Walbrook. I'll be brief but designed by Wren, the dome the prototype for St Paul's. In 1953 the then Dean Dr Chad Varah commissioned a social outreach programme - the birth of the Samaritans.

The Foundling Museum - I am the descendant of a Foundling and my book is based on this wonderful inspiring hospital as was - will curate the Found exhibition.

I am going to post here and Facebook which has become my new playmate ideas on that - an object - which object -makes you think you couldn't live without or sends you into a madeleine reverie.

I am thinking still.

May the 24th 1819 was the birthday of Queen Victoria. Those who know me know I am huge fan of the Victorians' - social engineering, literature, pioneers, engineers, the Great Exhibition. Hard to know what image to select to celebrate her so I went for this, a book I love and refer back to daily :



James Smithson who would go on to found The Smithsonian graduated from Oxford on May the 26th 1789.


This from the Bronte Society on Facebook. On May the 26th 1853 Charlotte Bronte would find Arthur Bell Nicholls by the Parsonage Gate in 'paroxysms of anguish.' A friend went through one of those earlier this week.


Food. I'm off to the South of France next week. Has to be the pan bagnat this links to Hugh FW's great article and recipe but if you have a chance take a look at this :