TWO THINGS I LIKE...

That nature is into monogramming as much as I am, and that this photo of a field of cows in Normandy was taken on my phone, by randomly sticking my arm out of a moving car window.

I like a lot of other things too...

SPRING RUSHES FAST...

{Hampshire, April 2013}

APRIL IS...

Almost over. How did that happen?

SPRING...

...into action.

TRANS-SEASON EXPRESS...

Autumn is here. I know this because I've already got my regular trans-seasonal cold. Making the bitter pill of impending winter easier to swallow: The first sighting of parrot tulips this week, burgundy Bass Weejuns, which bring my current shoe rotation up to 100% mens / unisex shoes. But that's ok, because I'm still into silly girl stuff like the new *FRENZY* nail polish from Chanel. I didn't know it was a thing until the girl at the Chanel counter told me I was lucky they'd just got a new batch, which would be gone in an hour. I'm also in quite a lather about this cute little wool navy Sessun top with tobacco coloured Peter Pan collar, cuffs and hem.  Autumnal pursuits: reading The Gentlewoman - obviously; picking blackberries with Little Friend Susan and drinking tea out of my new fave stoneware mug.

On the subject of mens / unisex and somewhat related to the above: I've been skulking around mens clothing shops, looking at socks and knitwear usually, and I bought the Bass Weejuns at Present. They happen to have them in girl sizes, which was lucky, cos I have tiny delicate feet. When I look at mens shoes is the only time I wish I had bigger, sturdier feet two sizes larger. Why don't more mens labels just make the EXACT SAME THING in womens sizes? It would be such a winner. Anyway, this mens shop in Greenwich called Meet Bernard has opened a womens shop next door and I love it. It's where I got the Sessun top from and they have just the kind of basic, well made, laid back cute, chosen by the boys, girls stuff I love to wear.

HI...

 Here is an unwinding spool of Instazzes from July in no particular order except chronological, which it seems pertinent and useful to post here on the assumption that there might be one or two people left in the world who aren't checking Instagram every three seconds. I guess it really is summer, even if the weather doesn't often feel like it. A summer of eating, drinking, friends, children, animals and getting in the sun whenever there's a bit of it.

YES I MEXI-CAN...

Some published and unpublished Instagrams to tide me you over until I get my three films developed. I didn't have my phone on me much in Mexico or at all when we went out, so these are taken around and about our hotel and beach.

I so enjoyed seeing hibiscus, bougainvillea and oleander blooming profusely everywhere - plants which just die in our English climate. I would look at the hibiscus flowers early in the morning all closed up for the night and watch them open as the sun rose higher. Not a bad start to the day.

This reef seaweed was pretty - I thought Tommy would like it.

Warm, clear aquamarine sea I love you.

It's true what they say about Mexican Coca Cola - it's so tasty (no chemicals).

I was there.

ROVERSI/TURBEVILLE...

 Paolo Roversi shoots Prada for Vogue Italia. I love the mix of colour sliced with black and white.

Deborah Turbeville for Vogue Italia Couture supplement (which I've never seen in England?) Valentino Couture - wow. Turbeville also shot the spring/summer 12 Valentino campaign, which I love for its natural dappled light and shadows. Models who look like humans in natural poses who happen to be wearing devastatingly beautiful dresses. (In an archaeological ruin?) When you come across it in a magazine, it stands out through its subtlety against all the other digitally enhanced bright and glossy campaigns.

{Instagram snaps posted here for the benefit of the iphone-less.}

MARTEDI TRIPPE AND MR G'S ORANGES...

Whenever I come back from Venice, after first thinking about how I miss my friends, I think about the food I can't eat anymore!

I have a lot of Instagram photos I didn't post on there during my trip - but sometimes it's just not possible to take a photo with the camera (though I have 2 rolls of film to be developed), especially in an exhibition or somewhere you're not supposed to take photos - so I'll be posting those orphan Instagrams here in the next few days.

But first - I'm hungry!

From top: pink grapefruit gelato; spritz in Trieste; porchetta at Da Pepi; a pitstop in Gradisca d'Isonzo for aringa con polenta (they have tripe on Tuesdays); linguine with bottarga; Mr G's oranges on Monday, Mr G's oranges on Tuesday; cicchetto with artichoke and fish eggs; the last spritz.

3 SECONDS OF 12 HOURS...

The recently opened to the public National Archives garden early yesterday evening. 

At a party at Candelaria later on. Mmm, tacos, mmm weirdly spicy yet cucumbery cocktails.

Somewhere in a mist shrouded northern France early this morning.