Royal Wedding: Celebrating Harry, Meghan & Windsor Castle

How could I be so lucky? I am in a new neighborhood and some ladies on another street put together a Royal Wedding viewing party. It was festive, fabulous and I met some terrific women. When Prince William & Kate married in 2011, I had my family over for a party at 4 am. Remember my Royal Brunch?

The invite to this party suggested wedding attire and a facinator of your choice. I accepted the challenge and made mine out of a sheet music, burlap roses and leaves (Hobby Lobby), pleated brown silk ribbon and a Steampunk-esque metal/crystal brooch attached to a headband with duct tape and luck. 

The group went all out for this British buffet, including authentic sausage rolls from a shop called The British Pantry in Redmond, WA. How have I not heard of this place before? I was told that it is a pub and a gift shop. I'm hoping that they sell mugs to commemorate the marriage. Stay tuned.

I brought a jar of homemade lemon curd and a plate of mini scones and brown sugar shortbread. They were a welcome addition to the party.

Brown Sugar Shortbread

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour

3 T. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

3/4 t. vanilla

Combine flour all ingredients in a food processor (fit with a blade) and pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling to itself. On a clean surface, form the mixture into a ball and knead until smooth. Roll onto a lightly floured surface (I love this baking mat) into a 8 x 6 inch rectangle. Cut dough into strips and place on ungreased cookie sheet (using parchment paper on your cookie sheet is okay). Bake at 325 degrees  for 20 min or until just beginning to brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy alone or with lemon curd. 

Did you know that I've been to Windsor Castle? We went specifically to see Queen Mary's dollhouse. Cameras were not allowed inside, but my memory of that visit is vivid. Grand canopied beds, intricate wallpaper, tiny exquisite paintings - all created by craftspeople in the 1920's. The link includes a video of the dollhouse; I highly recommend viewing it.

One of the neatest things I photographed outside of Windsor Castle was this wall that shows how men were able to shoot arrows out of the fortress to protect the monarchy. Simple and ingenious. 

This Royal Wedding was everything I could hoped it would be. I found some kindred spirits, had a chance to eat some favorite British fare and I witness every moment of this grand occasion. Best Wishes to the happy couple.





#royalwedding #royalwedding2018, #harryandmeghan #windsorcastle #england #shortbread #recipes #britishfood #britishrecipes #royalfamily #royalcouple  

Fortnum & Mason: A Trip to Bountiful

When I put Fortnum & Mason on my Delightful Tour of England itinerary, I really didn't understand how much I would love it inside. Our trip was several years ago, but I remember ever detail. 

The store ia packed with my favorite things: sweets & treats, beautiful packaging, picnic supplies, gorgeous displays. It was marvelous. I remember turning to Dan after I had scanned the first floor, I said, "I can't ever leave." He understood and we ended up strolling every inch of the store by way of this magnificent staircase.

Can you see the fresh fruits on display at the very lowest level - if I had to use one word to describe Fortnum & Mason, it would be bountiful.

The store was handing out samples of their homemade marshmallows and I nibbled a raspberry one while I tried to absorb the store and my options. The entire ground floor is dedicated to tea, jams, honey and sweets. Knowing how I love the use jam jars and biscuit tins as flower vases, my mind was overwhelmed with the potential.

I wandered the entire store (established in 1707) and made mental notes of all the things I wanted to buy. I was conservative and did not buy almost anything. It was a case where I thought we would have time to double back later, but we never did. Honestly, my kitchen had aqua accents, you'd think I would at least have bought an aqua tea tin! 

The good news is that the Fortnum & Mason has a special collection available through Williams Sonoma! They even offer 2 luxury F & M hampers full of their products. That is my heart's desire, to receive a Fortnum & Mason hamper and a chance to taste some of their teas, cookies & jams AND have one of their wicker picnic hampers to keep! I'd use it on adventures for the rest of my life. *Sigh* 

Thank you Williams Sonoma for making the best of England within reach.

#williamssonoma #fortnummason #london #tea #shoppinginlondon #england #aquaismycolor

Queen Elizabeth 60th Anniversary of Coronation

Long live the Queen! My collection of china pieces that commemorate life events of the royal family just got bigger.  You probably remember from earlier blog posts that I started this Princess Diana collection when Diana and Charles were engaged.  I was eleven years old.  

Then my cousin in Germany bought me this mug when William and Kate got married - yea!  My friend, Renate, in England has promised to get me a plate or mug when William and Kate have their baby next month.  I can't believe that I have a plate commemorating William's birth and now he's having a child of his own.  And I haven't aged a bit!

This year, the Queen has had a huge milestone of her own.  The Diamond Jubilee mug (shown above) honors Queen Elizabeth's sixty year reign.  My niece was studying abroad in London 2012 during the Diamond Jubilee Celebration (I was so jealous!) and she was able to bring this mug back safely to me.  The perfect gift for me, don't you think?

Now this is where the story gets interesting.  This week is the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.  A special service to honor this milestone was held at Westminster Abbey - click this link to watch a clip of the service.  

When I was at my church's rummage sale last month, I found this cup and saucer (above) for sale...an original souvenir from Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953!  A sixty year old treasure that happened to be donated to the church sale a month before the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.   

The inscription on the saucer reads: 

"Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II  June 2, 1953." 

Can you believe that I found it?  I can't. I love that both pieces have a portrait of the Queen - one showing the beginning of her reign and one now, after 60 years of dedicated service.  Fascinating.  If you want to get a souvenir for your china cabinet, you can order  a little something from the Royal Collection shop.  

Wander an English Garden

When I was in England, I was in the right place at the right time.  For whatever reason, the route I chose to travel was quiet and free of tourists.  It was as if I entered a store and went left, when everyone else walked to the right. Do you know what I mean?  As a result, everyone I encountered was surprised and happy to see an American and had all the time in the world to chat, answer my questions and suggest things that I might like to see.  

That is how Dan and I came to have this private estate garden all to ourselves.  We were staying at Frampton Court Estate in Gloucestershire and the woman that minds the estate arranged with the owner for us to have a self-guided tour of the garden at the Manor.  We walked through a door in the garden wall and wandered the paths, walked across green spaces and sat happily on the bench you see here.  

Isn't it remarkable how many layers and textures there can be in one place?  So many shades of green, all of it alive and all of it perfectly suited to the surroundings.  I loved it here.  Can you imagine having a real English garden to tend?  The pink flower is a Bombast Rose peony. I felt as if the pages of The Secret Garden had come to life.      

Downton Abbey, Season 3

Kindred Spirits Unite!  Tomorrow night (January 6, 2013) in America, PBS is broadcasting the premier of Season 3 of our beloved miniseries, Downton Abbey. 

It has been a long wait.  I absolutely love this mini-series and have had fun introducing it to my friend, Corinne.  When I was in Hawaii visiting her last January, Season 2 started.  I wanted to watch, but she hadn't seen any of Season 1.  So she bought Season 1 "on demand" and every night we watched an episode of Season 1 together.  By Sunday we had caught her up on 8 or so episodes and she was ready to continue the saga with me.  It was so much fun seeing her gasp (the bar of soap left on the floor!) or look at me (Mr. Pamuk!) as Season 1 plots twists happened.

It looks like you can watch prior episodes for free on www.pbs.org, if you need a Downton refresher course.  Enjoy! 

And be sure to set your DVR to record tomorrow night!  My friends in England and France have already seen the complete Season 3 and they loved  it.  This feeling was corroborated today by a woman at IKEA.  I was sitting next to a woman and mentioned that we were a bit crazy to be out shopping in the crowds today.  She agreed that she had never seen it so busy.  I said that it was okay because at least tomorrow we could reward ourselves by staying home and watching Downton Abbey. She practically shrieked when I named the show and she quickly gave me a high five.  She said her friend has an advance copy of the new season and that she had watched almost all of Season 3.  She told me that I was going to drop what I was holding during certain scenes - it's that good!   

Secret Garden

I read The Secret Garden when I was about eleven years old.  I loved the idea of a neglected garden coming to life.  When I was reading, I felt like I was tending the garden with the children and seeing the results.  I couldn't think of anything lovelier than quiet refuge populated by birds and blooms.  If you know a little girl in this age range, I recommend this inspiring book!

When I was in England, staying near Gloucestershire, Dan and I were invited to take a peek at the grounds of the Manor House associated with the Frampton Court Estate, where we were staying.  While we were walking around the expansive gardens, the owner came out and welcomed us onto his property.  I thought that we might be intruding, but he was happy to show us around and we found that we had so much in common.  When he heard that we watched "Foyle's War" on DVD in America, he knew we were kindred spirits.

This is the arched brick doorway into his secret garden.  Isn't it lovely!  There was a hitch in my breath when I came around the corner and saw it.  An entrance to a garden that comes straight out of my imagination.     

Downton Abbey: Season Two

Wonderful news!  For a limited time, you can watch the first season of Downton Abbey (for free!) on the PBS Masterpiece Theater's website and prepare yourself for the long-anticipated Season Two which airs next Sunday January 8th!

Doesn't this kind of news just proclaim Happy New Year!

City Series, Houston: British Isles

And these are just the teapots!  Have you ever fallen for a place online and were then able to visit it "in person" later? 

I found British Isles online when I was searching for more tin plates, like the ones I bought at Windsor Castle.  Voila!  I found the plates and when they shipped I noticed that the business was actually a bricks and mortar store in Houston.  I go to Houston, I thought, and I put it on my list.

Well the "real" store exceeded my expectations and my sister-in-law recalls me saying, "Just to be clear, I want to stay 9 more days, just in this store, so that I can look at everything."  Ha!

British candy, English tea, Scottish sausages, paper goods, sweaters, linens...it is amazing.  Just look at this selection of tea and biscuits!

 I want to back...to England and to British Isles in Houston.  What a delight!

Royal Wedding and The Goring

I just went to a party where I heard that Kate Middleton and her family will be staying at The Goring hotel in London during the week of the Royal Wedding!

I couldn't believe it!  I absolutely love The Goring hotel - I stayed there in June and it was one of the finest hotel experiences I have ever had.  Gorgeous accommodations, an exceptional staff, delicious food.  If I felt like a princess, it's no wonder she wants to stay there! 

The photo above was taken in The Goring's large formal garden behind the hotel.  It is enclosed on all four sides by buildings, so it should offer a wonderful place for a private outdoor party.  What fun they will have!

I also thought you might like to see inside.  I took this photo at High Tea in the lounge overlooking the gardens.  I loved dining in a bright, yet cozy, enclosed porch with vibrant yellow china.  I thought it was just plain good luck that my cigar box purse (shown on the table) matched the room!  I think this will be a lovely place for a bride to have her morning coffee, don't you?

Foyle's War

I subscribe to Netflix, a mail-order movie rental service that let's you manage an online account of the movies/shows you want to watch.  After you watch a movie, you mail the DVD back and the next item in your queue is automatically sent to you.  I love it, mostly because I can get Independent Films and British movies/shows that aren't readily available at a video store.

Last night I was happily watching the latest DVD of the British television series, Foyle's War.  I have loved this gentle World War II drama for ages.  It has wonderful loving characters, fun detective work and the  beautiful scenery of rural England.  It revolves around a police station on the southern coast of England and the issues and crimes that happen in small towns everywhere.  The war and its effect on the homefront also features prominently.

So imagine my shock last night when the characters started "shutting down the precinct" because Winston Churchill was about to announce VE Day.  What?

The loyal driver was looking for a new job.  The steadfast Sergent was promoted.  The main character (and father figure to all) was retiring.  Good grief - what was going on?  It finally occurred to me that this must be the final episode!  I was reeling.  I actually had to pause the show and collect my thoughts.  I decided right then and there that Foyle's War would be today's blog post.  I have come to love this show (and its characters) and I want you to too.

And then as I was finding the links to write this post - oh joy!  The original series ended back in 2007 (who knew?) and fans devotion to the show caused them to write 3 new episodes this year!  They aired in England in Spring 2010.  I found out that PBS' Masterpiece Theater also aired Foyle's War.  Woosh!  So now I have another 3 episodes to enjoy and you can start the series from the beginning.  I know it will bring you delight.

Tin Plates

I was the happiest girl at Windsor Castle (okay, except for maybe The Queen, because she gets to live there).

I only had a few minutes to shop in the gift shop because we were on a tight timeline to return our rental car to the airport and meet up with our ride back to London.

So when I ducked in the shop, I thought I would pick up a little something, like a charm for my bracelet.

What did I find? The entire line of Commemorative Plates from the Royal Collection! I had seen these tin dinner plates in a catalog a long time ago and I have wanted them ever since. They look exactly like fine china and bear the design from different eras in royal history.

On the back of this plate it says, "The Great Exhibition Plate: This design is from a dessert service by Coalport. The service was used at the Royal Table at the banquet given by the City of London at the Guildhall, to celebrate the opening of The Great Exhibition, 9th July 1851."

Isn't that neat? I alarmed the teenage girl working there and did some serious speed-shopping. She wrapped as I put things on the counter. I decided my best bet was to select one of each. Love them! I have been displaying them separately around the house and so far this vignette has been the prettiest.

What do you think?

Visiting England: The David Austins

As I end my series on "Visiting England", it is time to tell you about the greatest moment of my trip.

When I contacted the David Austin headquarters for some hotel suggestions (I stayed at the Park House Hotel and loved it!), I ended up corresponding quite a bit with a lovely woman named Cheryl. She started reading my blog and it was like we were old friends by the time I arrived for my visit.

I knew that the David Austins (father & son) were private, hard-working men and that meeting them was not "the norm" for visitors to the Rose Garden and Plant Centre. But if anyone loves their roses, it's me, so I let my wish be known to Cheryl.

Lo and behold, they both happened to arrive at the gift shop while I was there! Cheryl introduced me to David Austin Jr. and prompted me to show him my DELIGHT tote that features their pale pink English Rose Heritage on the cover (to see my bag click Delight Totes button, then scroll down to "Visiting England"). He loved it and handed me the cut rose he was carrying in appreciation.

Next walked in the rose genius himself, David Austin. Cheryl introduced me as an inspirational writer that came "all the way from America" to meet him (true!). It was so wonderful to be able to look this gardener in the eye and tell him: "Your roses make me the happiest and I wanted to thank you myself." He seemed genuinely pleased, liked my DELIGHT tote and loved that I had a "Lillian Austin" rose (which he named after his mother) in my garden in America.

It was at the point when I started naming which of his roses I had in my garden, that I started crying. Yes, it is true. You know me by now and sometimes I love things so much that my emotions hit "tilt." He didn't seem to mind, though, he simply offered me the cut rose in his hand as well. A David Austin rose from David Austin himself.

Hoping to capture the moment, I took the photo above. These are the Gertrude Jekyll roses they gave me on a chair in the Plant Centre, along with a map of the grounds and the rose-print tissues I had to buy to dry my eyes.

Visiting England: Bombast Rose Poppy

I felt a little like I was Alice in Wonderland when I found these Bombast Rose poppies blooming at the manor house on the Frampton Court Estate. I thought, "I have no idea what this is, but I have to have it!"

Have you ever felt that way about something? The petals of this gorgeous "peony poppy" are like shredded pink tissue paper. I've never seen anything like it - such big blooms! It is on my garden list for Spring 2011 - please don't let me forget.

Visiting England: A Museum of Garden History

Now that I am home from London, everyone wants to know if I went to their favorite monument. They ask, "Did you visit Buckingham Palace/The Tower of London/Westminster Abbey?" Ummm...no. I might someday, but this trip was all about delight and I had to stay focused.

While I didn't have time to visit some of the classic British sights, I did make it to this gem, The Museum of Garden History. Housed in a 14th century deconsecrated church (St Mary-at-Lambeth) near the banks of the Thames, this Garden Museum is dedicated to both historical collections and the pursuit of gardening in modern times.

I loved wandering through their permanent collection of garden artifacts. A vintage glass cloche, a Sweet Pea seed counter (dispenser) from the 1900's and this miniature iron garden.

This display is about 2 x 3 feet and is protected in a glass box. I peered into this secret garden for quite a while and decided that my favorite part was the man pushing the vintage lawn roller (in the back right corner).

What do you like best?

Visiting England: Practically Pride and Prejudice

When I was plotting our drive through England, I kept thinking about how much fun we would have in "Pride & Prejudice" country. I decided that as we whirled through the countryside, I would want to know if we drove through an area that was featured in the movie.

So I did some research and found a few references here. I also Xeroxed a map from my copy of "The Making of Pride and Prejudice," a great book that shows behind the scenes images, filming locations and includes an insider's peek into the making of the film. This book is a must for anyone who loves the Colin Firth version of the movie, Pride and Prejudice.

To make a long story short, I never tracked down an actual location. Yes, I was definitely within reach, but as you have seen in this blog series, we were moving every second! But I decided that it didn't matter when I arrived here (see above).

This was the "bed & breakfast" we had booked for the night - Frampton Court Estate! The look of this incredible estate was right out of my imagination! We were the only guests that night and it felt as if we had stepped back in time. The furniture in our bedroom was built long before the Declaration of Independence was written! There were sheep grazing in the field and a view from every window.

So while we weren't technically following in Jane Austen's footsteps, we were awfully close!

Visiting England: Full English Breakfast

You will often see that a bed & breakfast in England will offer a "full English breakfast." This is it, minus the Black Pudding!

We had a lovely room at the Frampton Court Estate (more about that tomorrow) and came down to the dining room to find a gorgeous breakfast spread. We started with yogurt, fruit and granola and then were served what you see above:
an egg, roasted tomatoes, back bacon, mushrooms, homemade bread with local jam, plus coffee and juice!

It was a lovely way to start the day and tasted delicious after getting so much country air on our walk the night before. From my seat at the table, I could look out an unscreened open window into the lavender garden and to the pasture beyond.

(Sigh) It was hard to leave this lovely country spot and being that we were the only guests (!) at the estate, we lingered over the coffee for as long as we could.

Windsor Castle

Looking for a knight in shining armour? Try
Windsor Castle!

It seemed like Windsor Castle was a "must see" on our first trip to England. I wanted to see Queen Mary's famous dollhouse (complete with a working elevator, running water and wine bottles full of real wine!) and Dan was there for the history - it's a match!

No cameras were allowed in most areas, so alas, you'll have to watch this video to see inside the dollhouse. I loved it!

This is my favorite photo from the grounds. Care to take a turn about the garden with me?

Visiting England: Lunch at David Austin's

Could this be any prettier? I was so happy to have a very girl-y lunch at David Austin's Plant Center, Tea Room and Garden Shop.

I toured (and photographed!) David Austin's extensive rose gardens for almost 2 hours before settling at a table with Dan for a nice relaxing lunch.

This is definitely a destination spot for ladies. I saw clusters of old friends, mothers & daughters and happy women everywhere.

My lunch was a delicious open-faced ham sandwich served on a gorgeous "Redoute Rose" plate (a china pattern that is available in the gift shop!). Such attention to detail!

I had every intention of coming back for a slice of this Lemon & Elderflower cake, but I ran out of time.

One more thing to add to my "Return to England" list.

Visiting England: Rooftop Garden

What a surprise! Who knew that the Emma Bridgewater Factory & Store in Stoke-on-Trent had a rooftop garden? And chickens too! A perfect wire-front coop is off to the right of this picture and houses a happy clan of chickens.

Inside this building, the new cafe has an Aga stove (jealous!) that has an Emma Bridgewater polka dot front. I was told that the chickens provide the fresh eggs that go into the scones and pastries that are baked in the Aga for the cafe. How neat!

Apparently I arrived just after the baker had gone for the day and the Aga was still warm from the latest batch of scones. Remember the delicious cake I had with tea? The entire experience was a delight!

Visiting England: Emma Bridgewater Black Toast

This is one of my favorite photos from the trip..."Black Toast" by Emma Bridgewater as far as the eye can see. I bought 2 of these mugs and salad plates and matching napkins so that I can have a friend over for tea.

Part of what made my trip to Emma Bridgewater's factory, gift shop and cafe so successful was a salesperson named Sharon. She loved that I was calling my Mom from the store with my international minutes and she could hear (through the earpiece) that my Mom (who collects Emma Bridgewater) was so thrilled that I was actually standing in the shop.

She wanted to know which pieces my Mom had and as she wrapped my purchases in tissue, which items were a surprise for her. Sharon caught "the fever" and was having just as much fun as I was. She even took us up on the roof to see the garden! I'll show you that tomorrow.

As I took my bags and said good-bye, she said,"Say Hello to your Mom for me!"

Thank you, Sharon, she loves everything we picked out and said to say Hello right back!