Thursday, October 30, 2008

HAPPY VOODOO...


I've been meaning to post about this house for a while now. There have been art student films made about it and it was even used in a shoot for Vogue Korea, which reached the chicest corners of the interwebs.


{Lonely Birthday - Vogue Korea - Photographer: Louis Park}


I've known this house for a long time and it's one of those places that's passed into local folklore due to its somewhat eccentric appearance.

It's generally known as the voodoo house or crazy voodoo house and over the years, many rumours have surrounded it. You can't tell just how big it is from the pictures but it's an enormous, rambling Victorian villa on a corner plot. People say it's owned by the council and that they're letting it crumble so that when the elderly Jamaican man who resides there is gone, they can knock it down and build yet another ugly block of cheap flats in its place. Also well reported is that the man who lives there is crazy and stands on his porch all day shouting at passers by - and I'm pretty sure I've perpetuated that story myself.

However; whenever I've passed the house on foot I've noticed the beautiful, well kept rose bushes in the garden and pots of geraniums on the steps. The planks of the broken down old fence have been repaired and there's a new garage next to the burnt out one. Some windows have holes, it looks like where people have thrown stones, the paint isn't perfectly applied and the colour scheme is definitely not to everyone's taste. Some people think of it as an eyesore, some think of it as a landmark. It's creepy and cheerful at the same time.

In honour of Halloween approaching I decided to pay the spooky house a visit on a blindingly sunny and cold morning.

When I got there I started snapping away at the garden and exterior of the house. You can find photos of it on Flickr and elsewhere but I wanted to show the garden. Frankly, I wasn't bold enough to go and ring on the doorbell to ask permission; but since it's not at all unusual to see people taking photos of it I felt it was ok.

Then I saw movement in the garden and my heart skipped a beat. It was a little like when you're a kid and your imagination is in overdrive making up stories about people in the neighborhood - for example, when I was a wee tot there was a lady in the neighbourhood who worked for Superdrug (like a cheaper version of Boots The Chemist) and my little friends and I thought that meant she was a drug dealer and ran away terrified every time we saw her.

Thankfully I am now an adult and he looked so sweet pottering around the garden that I walked around (still outside the fence) and said hello. At this point I had no idea of the reaction I would get and he was holding a fairly sharp garden fork. And guess what?

He was the sweetest man ever. We had a little chat and I told him I'd seen his house in a magazine and he said, oh yes it's been in magazines all over the world. Emboldened by his response I asked if I could take his picture because his yellow trousers the same colour as the masonry were just too fabulous not to record. I kept saying back a bit, back a bit so I could get his trousers in...


{photo by me}
So there you go. I forgot to ask his name but I'm glad I was able to debunk a myth and next time someone Googles the "The House on Loampit Hill" or "Voodoo House", hopefully this post will come up to balance out all the 'crazy voodoo' talk. It makes me so happy that there are houses like this and so many interesting characters like this around here. Sigh, I'm so in love with the 'hood.

*EDIT* Since I wrote this, in the interests of honesty I must admit I have seen my friend apparently ranting uncontrollably at passersby quite a few times. So I wouldn't just bowl up to the front door and invite yourself in for tea if he's having a bad day.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

AAAAaaaaRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH...

Just had to get that out.
I need a telephone directory sized pile of these.

Friday, October 24, 2008

THINGS I LIKE TODAY...


Studio Violet is like studio porn for budding garage renovators...


Adorable DJs The Broken Hearts at the House of Masquerade launch party last night in Redchurch Street. If you like vintage clothes, Daisy de Villeneuve's illustrations and/or Absolut vodka (who doesn't?) you must go there before it ends on Monday. More details here... {my photo}


Chanel Beige Perfume. Beige! Ha! Sounds lovely though...

Zooey is still the prettiest girl in the entire world...


This vintage YSL dress on the cover of Tank magazine renders me all aflutter...

{Images: 1. Studio Violet, 2. By me, 3. Chanel, 4. Still from The Go-Getter, 5. Juergen Teller}

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

D.V. SPEAKS...


Some very juicy questions for D.V.! Bloody hell: recession, pre-mid-life crisis, boy trouble, work/life balance...let’s consult The Oracle and see what she comes up with.

{All quotes in the answers are not the result of a candlelit seance but are from the book D.V. by Diana Vreeland, published by Da Capo Press - and well worth buying by the way}


Bombay Beauty said...

Dear DV,

I think I'm in the midst of a pre-mid-life crisis. To wit, I feel generally anxious at most times, don't want to get out of bed, and none of my usual remedies seems to work. How do I cure it?

BB

D.V. says: “All my life I’ve never gone out before lunch.[...]"This started as a form of laziness, but now I believe totally in metabolism." And; “A good massage - that’s what I believe in! It’s all we need. We’d live forever! My dear, it’s the ABC’s.”


Anonymous said...

Dear DV,

Sorry to bother you with such a huge question, but how do I manage my anxiety about impending recession?

Mia

D.V. describes the thirties - the period between the start of the Depression and the outbreak of WWII: “Everything was weakening...I knew that we were heading towards rien.” Funnily enough that period also seems to have been the most exciting for her. She talks about loving her clothes from Chanel and Schiaparelli, travelling all over Europe, and in the US going out to illicit speakeasies every night, where you’d find everyone from high society to gangsters and their molls downing pints and pints of gin.
D.V. says, of The Abbaye, a favourite speakeasy she frequented in 1931, during the Great Depression and before prohibition was repealed; “It was after the Crash, but it was still a very opulent time in New York.” But since boozing isn’t your thing:

She also says; “Fashion must be the most intoxicating release from the banality of the world.”


Anonymous said...

Dear DV,

I am absolutely smitten by this one boy...but sometimes it takes him forever to reply to my sms's...and then I panic...
How do I stop myself from panicking??

nb

Oh dear, D.V. has taken quite a while to respond - don’t take it the wrong way! Hmm. I think D.V. would find “social lying” perfectly acceptable - and not responding to texts for ages is a subtle manipulative form of that. Or a sign of laziness, which also gets the D.V. seal of approval I’m afraid. But she did have her own made up form of yoga. Try it when panic sets in:
Relax your arms and your legs. [Ed note: switch off your phone!] Close one nostril with your hand and breathe in. Release it. Now close the other nostril and breathe in...and repeat about 20 times....What you’re getting is circulation in your head...One minute can change the whole body.”


mes petits secrets said...

Dear DV,

How do you balance your personal life and work? I fear becoming one of those ageing bitter magazine editors who always put her job first and now has no friends or companions, just a bitchy reputation.

MC

D.V. says: “I think people forget that I have a family.” [D.V. had two sons - Timmy and Frecky.] “In London people never thought of me as having any children. They thought I was only involved with clothes - and I was. But the family was very close. On lunchtimes at Vogue: “I had a bridge table brought in with my lunch on it - a peanut butter and marmalade sandwich. And a shot of scotch. Never took anyone out to lunch. Never, ever. The business lunch destroys the work of the day. It’s got to go.” Then, "I have wonderful friends of my generation, but I've never made a fetish of it."

Oh, D.V.'s transcriber is feeling very tired now and hopes that wasn't all an insanely confusing muddle. Please leave any further questions for D.V. in the comments...

Monday, October 20, 2008

Thursday, October 16, 2008

THE CASE OF THE ELUSIVE PYJAMAS IS SOLVED...


You know the APC Madras pyjamas I was going on about but couldn't find a picture of anywhere? Ta-da!


They are being worn by the lovely Pippa of Shop @ Maison Bertaux who kindly agreed to send me a picture. She also still manages to look glamorous wearing them. How does she do that? Must ask for tips.

I do love those PJs but they look a bit silly on me for some reason; so I'm demanding that someone else goes to Shop asap and buys them (they're only 55 quid, really quite reasonable) instead. I'm told they've also now got a few of those gorgeous grey ombre dresses as well.

And the adorably cute slippers are, yes, also APC. What next: saucepans? Wouldn't it be great if APC just provided everything you need. Since I am without a child of pre-school age I'd settle for an APC mug to drink my tea out of. Shall I write Jean Touitou another poem?

Thank you so much Pippa...

EDIT: And the Madras collection is now online with the PJs in rose/brown...

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

ASK D.V....


I'm going to forgive you for not picking up on the new Ask D.V. feature, because I buried news of it at the end of a rambling post which began by telling you not to read it, then got busy and forgot about it for a bit.

So anyway: relaunch!


I've re-read La Vreeland's memoirs D.V. so many times that it's now firmly lodged in my subconscious. It's so full of snippets of fabulous wisdom that I feel I could summon her advice on any given subject at all.

So the idea is that you leave a comment - at any time, on any post - only remember to put "I'd like to ask D.V." or "Dear D.V." or whatever so I don't get confused. Then ask her about whatever troubles you; I will consult the oracle and respond. Like this from Rose*:
Rose said...

Fun! Dear DV- How can I cure the sore throat I seem to have developed from excessive weekend drinking and only sleeping during the day?

Lola Is Beauty said...

This is all straight from the horse's mouth (D.V.'s memoirs): D.V. says: "There's no drink that kills, except the drink you didn't want to take, and there's no hour that kills except the hour you stayed after you wanted to go home."

And, "All my life I've never gone out before 12 noon." So you're OK there.

She also recommends Tiger Balm and Ginseng Tea for your throat, but the most amazing hangover cure is this: "Soak a sponge in ice cold water and press it against your gallbladder [to reduce swelling after overindulging]. Never lose sight of your gallbladder!"

See? She is the oracle. I'm afraid she doesn't say how to locate your gallbladder...

You can ask D.V. about anything you like, not just fashion - after all as well as pretty much inventing fashion as we now know it, she lived through two world wars, the Great Depression and the invention of polyester.

*{Thank you Rose - hope you don't mind me re-printing your comment}

Red photo: unknown source
Other photo: Bob Colacello

Monday, October 13, 2008

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE...

*When your friend comes over, takes the book you're reading, (Irene Nemirovsky - Four Novels) removes the bookmark and squeezes the book shut; then flips to the last page and holds you down screaming as they read out the ending...

*When you go to the cinema and your other friend happily agrees to watch possibly the most braindead, cheesy film made (from a fairly decent book) in recent times because you can't handle any more fraught emotional drama - and the only other film on is Brideshead Revisited...

*When your next door neighbour disposes of the mouse Lola brought in to welcome you home so you won't have to deal with it...

*When you know you can get up and go for breakfast at a cafe where everyone knows you and will chat if you feel like it, or leave you alone as you prefer...

*When you can spend time bobbling around on the internet looking at daftly amusing things...

*EDIT: And when you pick up your post and amongst the utility bills is a package containing a vintage cocktail dress from your friend in Venice. Thank you! xoxoxox

Then, you know you're home.

Thursday, October 09, 2008

FUEL...




More fuel needed. Send some. Too busy. Am chief bridesmaid and incidentally chief hand monogrammer, cushion maker, calligrapher, dressmaker, interior designer. Also photographer. And oh (sweet) - tiny kitten babysitter.
Back after weekend.

Friday, October 03, 2008

A.P.C. MADRAS + PYJAMAS = DREAM SCENARIO...


It's the first time A.P.C. and Jessica Ogden have done a full winter Madras collection.



They had these two sweet dresses at Shop but not the pieces below which look gorge, or do I just think that because they didn't have them?



I can't find a photo of them anywhere online and the new collection isn't on A.P.C.'s site yet but has anyone else seen the A.P.C. Madras pyjamas? Yes, pyjamas. They're completely adorable with little Swiss polka dots and a peter pan collar - either in white with royal blue dots or dusky rose pink with dark brown dots. I tried the white/blue ones on at Shop yesterday but even though I'm extremely committed to both pyjamas and A.P.C. - seriously it even says so in my Blogger profile - I couldn't shake the feeling that they made me look a bit like I was committed. And had escaped from a mental asylum in 1953. And also a bit creepy, like I was dressing up as a child. Hmmm.

Still - in theory A.P.C. jammies should make my life complete.

UPDATED TO ADD: APC Madras is online now with the PJs in dusky rose and brown...

{image source}

MERCHANT BANKER...

Changing tubes at Bank I see a young man on the platform wearing a beautiful suit. His posture: one leg thrust forward, a Financial Times rolled up in one hand like a weapon, makes him hard to miss. I notice his slicked back hair, Hermes tie, cutaway collar Jermyn Street shirt, fancy big watch, well polished shoes. Everyone is staring at him, he clearly believes with admiration of some sort. On the tube he begins reading the two sections of the FT, casually dropping the one he's finished with on the floor. His cocksure stance doesn't flicker as he continues to read (or pretend to read) headlines about the economic crisis.

*Non-English readers: Merchant banker is cockney rhyming slang