Winston Churchill: Painting as a Pastime

Dear Imaginary Friends,

Winston Churchill, who surely needs no introduction, wrote a wonderful little book called "Painting as a Pastime," in which he extols the virtues of oil painting. He and I are on the same page!

The book, published in 1932, is a love letter to painting. It also features several color plates of his work. 

Some of my favorite quotes: 

"I must say that I like bright colours. ...I rejoice with the brilliant ones, and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns."

"Painting is complete as a distraction. I know of nothing which, without exhausting the body, more entirely absorbs the mind. Whatever the worries of the hour or the threats of the future, once the picture has begun to flow along, there is no room for them on the mental screen. They pass out into shadow and darkness... Time stands respectfully aside."

All paintings shown are copyright, Winston Churchill. 

Betty's in York, England

Tea Time at Betty's

 There is only one destination to remember when taking tea in York, England: Betty's. A bustling business, Betty's also serves up the finest Eton Mess that you will ever find.

An Iced Tea and an Eton Mess

York is the source of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde: An actual York doctor was suspected of murdering by night, and healing by day. I wonder if Dr. Jekyll ever ate at Betty's?

Yorkminster Cathedral, York, England

The Shambles in York, A Narrow Lane

A ceiling in Yorkminster

A Chapel in Yorkminster, the huge cathedral in York, England

Downton Abbey: On Location

Dear friends of all things Anglophilic,

The English are at it again. Julian Fellowes is shooting another season of Downton  Abbey, and today, Carlo and I stumbled into it. 

We were touring Alnwick, north of York, England. We stopped to admire Alnwick Castle, which was used to portray Harry Potter's Hogwarts Castle. As if that were not enough, two antique Rolls Royces pulled up behind us, with leather suitcases tied on in back. It was surprising to see that a lady inside the second car was dressed in period costume. Lo and behold, it was a location filming of Downton Abbey. To make me totally fly off my feet, Hugh Bonneville was having a cup of tea in Alnwick, just as we were!

I am still quite beside myself. 

Your friend,

Patsie

Cardiff, Wales

It is a sleepy city of a quarter million. Cardiff is a charmer. It boasts some old Victorian enclosed markets with lovely iron and glass skylit ceilings. 

All to the peril of pedestrians, the streets and the sidewalks are all the same. 

The Welsh language is surely a mystery. Celtic in nature, it contains fewer consonants than we Americans are accustomed to. 

Cardiff is the main city here, but Fishguard is the town where one catches the large ferry to Rosslare. It is a three and a half hour ferry ride. 

Cardiff, Wales

It is a sleepy city of a quarter million. Cardiff is a charmer. It boasts some old Victorian enclosed markets with lovely iron and glass skylit ceilings. 

All to the peril of pedestrians, the streets and the sidewalks are shared. 

The Welsh language is surely a mystery. Celtic in nature, it contains fewer consonants than we Americans are accustomed to. 

Cardiff is the main city here, but Fishguard is the town where one catches the large ferry to Rosslare, Ireland.  It is a three and a half hour ferry ride. There must have been ten thousand small children leaving Wales for Ireland on the ferry. It was a tad noisy. As we set out on the Irish Channel, the wind was ferocious, but the seas were tame enough. No motion sickness nor children flying through the air!

Stonehenge: Weirdos Are Welcome

The famous Neolithic mystery known as Stonehenge attracts all kinds: families, tourists, etc. And not to mention the occasional Druid and Manly Cat Lady with Pussy Cat tail, purple cloak and hat, et all. I believe he was a man. I also believe he very much wants to be a magical purple lady cat. 

Help. 

Patsie,

Reporting from Stonehenge

The British Embassy: America's Answer to Downton Abbey

The Drawing Room, Fabrics Designed by Brown Davis

The State Dining Room in the British Embassy, set as it was for Queen Elizabeth's visit

Andy Warhols' Portrait of Queen Elizabeth Hanging in the Embassy State Dining Room

Architectural Details Abound

The Grand Hall of the Embassy Residence

Irises and Tulips

Allium Against a Backdrop of Boxwood

The Azalea Garden

Wisteria

The Lovely Luytens Bench in Front of the Luytens Architecture

Side Portico

Would Not Mind Living Here!

The Sticky Toffee Pudding Was Pretty Yummy

 

 

We Stood in a Long Line on a Muggy Day, But It Was Worth It!