Louis Mariette, milliner

Royal Ascot? Epsom Derby? Don’t mind if I do!

The equestrian season is upon us ladies and gents, and I’m delighted to have teamed up with the Milestone as their official ‘milliner in residence’. The style and clientele of this historic hotel are a fabulous fit for me, and I’ll be there for the duration of the season.

For 300 years the crème de la crème have primped and primed and flocked to the races to enjoy what turns out to be a scientifically proven day of relaxed inhibitions and exceptionally good manners. Quite seriously, 12 months of fieldwork by researchers indicates that nowhere in the world do crowds behave in a more affable and pleasant way than at English equestrian events. At races and polo-meets guests make eye contact and smile at strangers in ways usually never seen in large crowds. It seems that unprecedented friendliness and sociability abounds in the affairs of race-goers. Sounds good to me.

Now this might just be due to all those rules and dress codes, so I think it’s time to brush up on race-day protocol. I’ve seen my fair share of ladies who can strike a pose, so take a look at my list of do’s and don’ts:

Do…

• Go utterly British! Luckily this season is filled with pastels and floral prints that are both bold and quintessentially English.
• Find a sensational hat, it’s crucial for any event where horses and high society are concerned.
• Be confident. While you’re getting ready, practice your pose till you’re picture perfect. Photographers should capture arched backs, full chests and elongated necklines (all the better for showing off your hat!).
• Have a co-ordinated umbrella; we all know what it means to live in England.
• Double check the dress codes for your chosen event, some rules have changed this year!
• Enjoy yourself. After all, that’s really what it’s all about. Wear an outfit that’s stylish and individual, but make sure it makes you feel comfortable.

Don’t…

• Show too much skin. Spaghetti straps and mini-skirts aren’t well received by race-going veterans and you’ll be denied entry at certain races.
• Get caught in the society pages with a cigarette. Smoke signals are très passé.
• Try to do too much with your outfit. When it comes to bold millinery, it’s advised to downsize your accessories, especially the earrings.
• Get frazzled in the face of gambling stakes. Keep your composure after a win or a loss.

So there you have it folks, straight from the horse’s mouth. It’s time to put your look together and get racing.

While you’re about it, check out the Milestone’s fantastic Horses, Hats and High Society package. It includes tickets to Royal Ascot, the Epsom Derby or a Hurlingham Club Polo meet, Bentley transfers, and a private consultation with myself, Louis Mariette, to create a millinery masterpiece to complement your outfit.

It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to enjoy a cocktail at Stables, the Milestone Hotel’s equestrian bar afterwards. I’ll see you there. *wink*

by Louis Marriette resident milliner at The Milestone Hotel.

The National Croquet Center, built on ten lush acres in West Palm Beach, is the headquarters of the Croquet Foundation of America.  It features a magnificently elegant 19,000 square foot Florida Keys style clubhouse that sits in the midst of a vast and near-perfect lawn divided into 12 full-size croquet lawns.
But what is croquet, and how did it originate?

It is a lawn game, played both as a recreational pastime and as a serious competitive sport.  It involves hitting plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through hoops (often called “wickets” in the US) which are embedded into the grass playing court.

The oldest document to bear the word “croquet”, with a description of the modern game, is the set of rules registered by Isaac Spratt in November 1856 with the Stationers’ Company in London. In 1868 the first croquet all-comers’ meeting was held at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire and in the same year the All England Croquet Club was formed at Wimbledon, London.  The game swiftly took England by storm and then spread around the world.

The Mall in London, a road which takes its name from pall mall, an early version of croquet

The origins of the game, however, go way back before this – and are to some extent lost in the mists of time.  One theory has it  that the ancestral game was introduced to Britain from France during the reign of Charles II of England, and was played under the name of paille maille or pall mall, derived ultimately from Latin words for “ball and mallet”. This was the explanation given in the ninth edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica, dated 1877. In his 1810 book entitled “The sports and pastimes of the people of England,” Joseph Strutt describes the way Pall Mall was played in England in the early 17th century.  It became a fashionable amusement in the reign of Charles II, and the walk in Saint James’s Park, now directly in front of Buckingham Palace, was where he liked to play with his courtiers.  It is still called The Mall to this day.

A second theory suggests that croquet arrived from Ireland during the 1850s, perhaps after being brought there from Brittany where a similar game was played on the beaches. Records show the similar game of “crookey” being played at Castlebellingham in 1834, which was introduced to Galway in 1835 and played on the bishop’s palace garden, and in the same year to the genteel Dublin suburb of Dun Laoghaire where it was first spelt as “croquet”.

Regardless of when, and by what route, it reached England and the British colonies in its recognizable form, croquet is, like pall mall, trucco, jeu de mail and kolven, is clearly a derivative of ground billiards, which was popular in Western Europe in the 14th century, and can actually trace its roots back to classical antiquity.

The rapid rise in the game’s popularity, however, was short lived.  By the late 1870s it had been eclipsed by tennis, and many of the newly-created croquet clubs, including the All-England club at Wimbledon, converted some or all of their lawns into tennis courts.

There are several variations of croquet currently played, differing in the scoring systems, order of shots, and layout (particularly in social games where play must be adapted to smaller-than-standard playing courts). Two forms of the game, association croquet and golf croquet, have rules that are agreed internationally and are played in many countries around the world. The United States has its own set of rules for domestic games. More unusual variations of the game include mondo croquet, extreme croquet, and bicycle croquet (perhaps influenced by polo). Gateball, a sort of five-a-side speed croquet, played mainly in Asia and the Americas, can also be regarded as a croquet variant.

Other strange facts about this oddball game include the fact that it was the first outdoor sport to embrace equality, allowing both sexes to play the game on an equal footing.   It became a one-off Olympic sport in 1900 – although it was so poorly organised that one competitor went to his death without ever having known he was an Olympian. Sadly for croquet fans, there are not enough countries who play the game for it to be accepted for London 2012.
Rapper P Diddy held a croquet party in May to celebrate becoming the first rap performer to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and croquet reached the South Pole in 2005 when American scientists became the first to play a game outside the South Pole Observatory.

Lewis Carroll featured a surreal version of the game in Alice in Wonderland. A hedgehog was used as the ball and a flamingo as the mallet, while soldiers doubled over to make the hoops.

So, there you have it.  A wacky and eccentric sport of many variations that has firmly taken root in West Palm Beach!

Afternoon Tea at Butlers, The Chesterfield Mayfair

I wish I was in Mayfair where the Gods materialise
tiers of cake that cry in sweet
planting taste-buds in my eyes

I wish I was a dancer, tracing with my feet
the lines of Butlers’ menu
where tea and cake and champagne meet!

I wish I had a lover so our secret rendezvous
could be in The Conservatory
I’d order Chocolate Lover’s Tea and Starlight Rose for you

I wish that I could gather all my friends and family
and invite every passer-by
to take a table here with me!

I wish I was a businessman with a deal to ratify
I’d serve it up on a Butlers’ plate
each contract clause a tempting bite – bound to satisfy

I wish I had a reason to ‘tea and tête-à-tête’
could the fact it’s afternoon
be cause enough to celebrate?

I wish I was a bride-to-be or on my honeymoon
admitting my love’s Butler’s food
and humming in my head a tune
that sings of tea, champagne and cake and ends with gratitude.

© Elizabeth Darcy Jones
August 2011

Elizabeth Darcy-Jones, Britain’s Tea Poet, brings her unique form of “poetea” to our award winning afternoon tea, on the second Saturday of each month. Whether you’re choosing a Lapsang Souchong, Earl Grey or Jasmine tea, Elizabeth has a special poem for each one and will charm and entertain, as you sup and sink in to freshly baked scones, pastries and sandwiches.

London has many fine museums visited by millions every year, but there are quieter spaces bursting with eccentric curiosities. The Wellcome Collection and the Grant Museum of Zoology are two such museums.

The The Wellcome Collection and the Grant Museum of Zoology are both just a stone's throw from London's Euston Station

Sir Henry Wellcome was a 19th century pharmaceutical magnate and zealous collector of all things medical and corporeal. From Napoleon’s toothbrush to shrunken heads of New Guinea, his collection housed over a million objects from the four corners of the earth.

Though parts of the collection have been exhibited in the London Science Museum since 1976, it was only four years ago that the Wellcome Trust opened to the public. Exhibits across three galleries explore the connection between medicine, life and art, covering anthropology, witchcraft, ethnology and alchemy. From Leonardo da Vinci to Andy Warhol, works hang between antique sex aids and Aztec sacrificial knives.

The Wellcome calendar is packed with events, guided tours and discussions, ranging from ‘Packed Lunch’ talks about meteors or formaldehyde (for those who have a free lunch hour), to ‘The Christmas Story; Told the Wellcome Way’. To find out more about the highly recommended collection, go to http://www.wellcomecollection.org/

Next on our journey down Euston Rd, we find The Grant Museum of Zoology. Though just one large room, from floor to ceiling, in jars, on mounts and behind glass cases, are 67 000 creatures, bones and pickled bits covering the entire animal kingdom; the natural history collection of your dreams.

Robert Grant was the first Professor of Zoology in England. Upon arrival at University College in 1827, he found no teaching materials with which to conduct his courses, and began to amass specimens and materials for dissection. Many exhibits are from Grant’s original collection.

Highlights include extinct Dodo, Quagga and Thyceline (Tasmanian Tiger) specimens, and an exquisite collection of Blaschka glass models of sea anemones and jellyfish. These are fantastic examples of the skilled Czech glassworks, popular at the turn of the century.

This museum is a wonderland of Darwinian proportions. To find out more go to http://www.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoology

The Montague on the Gardens hotel is situated within walking distance from both museums and is a great place to enjoy afternoon tea or a cocktail after a day on your feet.

The extraordinary fynbos vegetation of the Cape is often mentioned when we talk about Bushmans Kloof or the Twelve Apostles Hotel. But why do locals get so terribly excited about their flora? Beloved South African staple, Rooibos Tea, comes from this group, but that’s just the beginning of a long list of impressive characteristics.

The Cape Floral Kingdom has the highest concentration of plant species in the world

The Cape Floral Kingdom (of which fynbos makes up over 80%) is the smallest of all plant kingdoms and yet has the highest concentration of species in the world. The area sees 1300 plant species per 10000 km2. To put that into perspective, the Amazon rainforest (fynbos’ closest rival) has a concentration of only 400 species per 10000 km2.

Vast numbers of species are endemic to exceptionally small areas. The total world range of some species live in areas smaller than half a football field. Case in point, the 470 km2 of Table Mountain/Cape Point is home to over 2200 plant species. That’s more than are found in the whole of Great Britain, an area 5000 times bigger!

The numbers are certainly remarkable, but it’s the unique character of these herby reeds, heathers, wild flowers and succulents that make them so treasured, and go a long way to define the geography of the area. Famously, fynbos releases tannins into the earth, tinting Cape rivers the colour of tea.

Both Bushmans Kloof Retreat, and the Twelve Apostles Hotel are perfect vantage points to enjoy this singular, fragrant, fragile world, which supports half the frog species of South Africa, as well as innumerable insects, mammals and birds.

Photograph by Cecelia Van Straaten: Fynbos geophyte, the carnivorous Sundew, eats a small insect.

Royal Carriages pass past several London parks including Hyde park and Green Park

While a stay at the Rubens at the Palace evokes something of a country manor feel, there’s no escaping the fact that London is, clearly, a big city. With a population of  around 10 to 12 million, depending on where and how you draw the borders, the terraced houses, the monuments, the skyscrapers and the underground can sometimes leave you gasping for fresh air.

Some of my favourite parks live and breathe right in the centre of London: Hyde Park is one, and then there’s St James’s as well. All have real grass, not fenced in concrete or wooden chips like you’ll find in some other capital cities.

Yet that’s only the beginning of London’s green space. Travel just a short while further and you’ll experience rolling hills, wild deer, history and some of the best views of London.

Here’s a hand-picked selection of some of my favourites:

Primrose Hill, Regent’s Park
Climb the 78 metre hill in Regent’s Park to look back at the city of London spread out right before you. Primrose Hill not only describes the hill itself but also the fashionable and upmarket district that surrounds it. In fact, you’re only a stone’s throw away from Lord’s, the home of cricket.

Greenwich Park offers fantastic views across the whole of London

Greenwich Park
Greenwich offers less in terms of spectacular views but more, much more in terms of history and even the concept of space and time. The Greenwich Observatory lives in Greenwich Park, where the Meridian Line defines zero degrees longitude. It’s also the home of Greenwich Mean Time and makes for an invigorating stroll between the Observatory at the top and the market at the bottom.

Richmond Park
Surely one of the wildest parks in London, Richmond Park covers more than 2500 acres and houses more than 600 deer. Its steep hills and leafy off-road tracks make it a popular spot for cyclists but there’s also plenty of peace to find in the flowery Isabella Plantation. Walking here makes you feel as though you’ve left London completely behind, until you reach the spot where you can see St Paul’s, more than 12 miles away.

Bushy Park
With a swan-filled lake and wide expanses of grass so long that deer can hide in them, Bushy Park really brings the countryside to London. It neighbours the notorious Hampton Court Palace and the Hampton Court Maze but provides a welcome escape from all the politics of the realm of Henry VIII (and the 21st century world as well.)

By Abigail King

Abigail  writes for Inside the Travel Lab about the art and science of unusual journeys.

Busy schedules, unhealthy lifestyles, demanding jobs, and stressful environments – sometimes you just have to say “enough is enough”.  And at moments like this there’s only one thing for it.  A spell at Summer Lodge, and a few sessions in the spa.

Summer Lodge is that rare and precious thing – a luxurious and indulgent retreat which provides a delightful escape from the incessant pressures of twenty-first century living.

The setting, deep in the green and pleasant heart of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, is therapy itself.  The rooms, with their fabric lined walls, gorgeous furnishings, sumptuous beds, fine linen and spectacular bathrooms, are cosy cocoons you never want to leave.  There’s the intimate bar, with its inviting open fire, leather armchairs, wood panelled walls and the light and airy drawing room, designed by Thomas Hardy himself.

But what makes Summer Lodge truly remarkable, however, is the quality of the food and wine, and the sheer relaxation provided by the spa experience.  These two elements really put the icing on the cake, creating a total feast for the senses – it’s no wonder guest leave feeling so deeply refreshed, rejuvenated and relaxed.

Taking time out isn’t just pleasurable – it’s essential
Rosemary Sumner, Spa Director, comments that “Many of those who stay here have high powered jobs, so the stresses and strains on them, and their families can be enormous.  Even if you are not in such a situation the pace and pressure of modern life incessantly wears you down.  Summer Lodge enables you to completely remove yourself from that environment – it gives you the time and space to take a deep breath, relax, reconnect, and rediscover what really matters in life…your health, your wellbeing and the ones you love.”

The Spa at Summer Lodge gives you the time and space you need to really relax

A spa experience par excellence
Because of this the most popular treatments in the spa are relaxing facials and massages, rather than essential treatments like waxing. “This is not a big high tech spa” Rosemary continues, “we don’t have all the latest electronic gizmos.  We’re a small and very personal spa that’s very high touch and hands on.  We specialise in soothing treatments that refresh and rejuvenate body and mind – the emphasis here on purifying, detoxifying and rejuvenating.”

“There are spas with a higher profile than ours” she adds, “but they are crowded and busy…almost like a production line.  We can give guests more time and personal attention.  Some people, their backs are like wood, or concrete, they are so tightly wound up.  It takes time to release all that tension, and sometimes this can be quite emotional – if they need the space to talk we don’t say ‘sorry, time’s up, I’ve got to see the next person’.  We don’t offer every treatment under the sun – but we aim to give people the best they’ve ever had.”

The finest French formulations
The spa uses the Darphin range, probably the most highly regarded products and treatments amongst discerning French women.  These high potency indulgent skin care formulations combine the best of nature and science to create uniquely luxurious plant based treatments.

Facials include the Ultimate Rejuvenating Facial, the Enviro-Recovery Vitamin Infusion and the Rose and Linen Age Reversal.  There are five body treatments, from the Bergamot and lemon Grass Stress Relief to the Palmarosa and Jojoba Firming Lift.  Body massages range from Swedish Massage and Deep Tissue Massage to Head Massage and Aromatherapy Massage, with Reiki, Reflexology, Stone Therapy massage and even Hopi Ear Candling Facial Draining massage.

Everything comes together to lift your spirits
“The difference between when guests arrive, and when they leave, is extraordinary” says Rosemary, “you wouldn’t recognise them.  They come in so tight and tense, but over the course of a few treatments spread over the next two or three days the transformation is truly remarkable.”

Summer Lodge's spa is very high touch and hands on

“The spa team would like to take all the credit” she laughs, “but that’s not really fair.  The setting here, with the gardens and the surrounding countryside, plays a huge part – the pace of life down in Dorset couldn’t be more different from that in a city.  Also, the management team has been together here for about eight years, and we all get on so well, which creates a wonderfully warm environment.  Then there’s the lovely food and wine, with menus that features the very best local produce from nearby farms – that also enhances your sense of wellbeing and reminds you why life is worth living.”

Listening to Rosemary, and having experienced the hospitality at Summer Lodge, I couldn’t agree more.  I now realise that a break down here, whilst a luxury, is also a necessity – the demands on each of us these days are so great that it’s essential to take proper time out in which to relax, recover and refocus.

By Jim O’Connor

I can quite honestly say that the V&A late openings make for the perfect Friday night out. These wonderful affairs happen on the last Friday of every month, and are jam-packed with live performances, debates, installations, special guests, Djs, craft tables and more.

Of course it’s also a glorious opportunity to ramble through the upstairs galleries with little to no company at all, since most of the throngs are more than happy to get a drink at the cocktail bar and mingle around special installations. It’s an absolute pleasure to wander through ancient Grecian, medieval and Japanese works of art – all alone, with the distant (and somewhat comforting) sound of world beats emanating from DJ tables far below.

But when it’s time to return to the soiree, there’s plenty to enjoy; fashionable crowds, live music, craft stations and great conversation.

The V&A museum is just as stunning when lit up at night as it is in the day

Late openings might seem like a modern idea, but the introduction of gas lighting to the V&A in 1858 made late openings popular. The Museum’s first director, one Mr. Henry Cole, described the benefit as, “to ascertain practically what hours are most convenient to the working classes.” He particularly emphasised the collections of applied art and science to help boost productive industry for the country.

A noble thought indeed, but Cole would find himself agog at the haute fashion and eccentric events that characterise the V&A late openings today. Past events include Camp Make; a special season of events to unpick the design process and engage with crafts and activities. Other themes have included Afropolitans; African style, photography, fashion and identity, and The Playhouse; a playful evening of live performances and sessions with actors, writers and directors of all things thespian.

A current exhibition is The Queen by Cecil Beaton exhibition. This is an exhibition which features photographic portraits of Queen Elizabeth II as princess, monarch and mother. The exhibition is timed to coincided with the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the thrown and is on from 8 February until 22 April.

For more information go to www.vam.ac.uk/page/f/friday-late/

By Lucy Heavens

Night photo courtesy of Kotomicreations

From The Twelve Apostles Hotel, it’s a mere 15 km hop over the peninsula to Groot Constantia. One moment you’re gazing at the sparkling Atlantic and the next, it’s the Indian Ocean you’re viewing from the rising vineyards of this historic estate.

Groot Constantia is the birthplace of South Africa’s wine industry. From its founding, Constantia wines made gifts for the Kings and Queens of Europe, as well as historical giants such as Sir Walter Scott and Napoleon Bonaparte. Indeed, Napoleon was supplied with Constantia wines throughout his exile on St Helena. As he lay on his deathbed, so the story goes, his final request was to be served a glass of the ‘liquid gold’ of the Cape.

Today the estate retains the elegance of its heyday. Approaching the original manor house through a valley of antique cultivars, it’s easy to tumble through history, and see the vineyards as they were seen by the estate’s founder, Governor Simon van der Stel.

Van der Stel was born at sea, and his innate sense of adventure led him to a job with the Dutch East India Company, running the Cape settlement as a refreshment station for ships en route to the Spice Islands. Van der Stel saw more in the station than just a ‘tavern of the seas’, and chose the Constantia Valley for his farm in 1663. As an experienced vintner, and stickler for quality, van der Stel’s wines quickly rose to prominence, a position retained to this day.

Groot Constantia offer tours of their vineyard as well as cellar (above)

Groot Constantia now offers wine tastings, and cellar and vineyard tours. The estate has three museums. The Manor House is a 300 year-old Dutch-Renaissance beauty, replete with gables and 18thC furnishings. The Orientation Centre houses artefacts, photographs and paintings depicting the history of the estate and slavery. Lastly, The Cloete Cellar showcases antiquarian drinking vessels and winemaking equipment. Best of all, you know that a chilled Sauvignon Blanc awaits at one of the restaurants.

Groot Constantia has two restaurants with panoramic views of the vineyards and False Bay. Try Jonkershuis for more traditional Cape fare (or a picnic basket to be enjoyed on the lawns), or Simons Restaurant for more avant-garde, fusion cuisine.

For more info about opening times and tours, go to www.grootconstantia.co.za

Experiencing new destinations, exploring new cultures, enjoying new friends… travel is rich and exciting. While there are always new places to go, there are also some that require more than one visit. London is one of them. I recently went to London for my fourth time (second time as a solo traveler) and there was still more to discover because, you see, there is the London of tourists and the London of Londoners. When I go to this fabulous city, I like to enjoy a bit of both.

I like to see the major historical and cultural sites but I also like to explore the neighbourhoods that Londoners love. I find that this is best achieved by choosing a hotel located centrally but nestled in a community. This time, I stayed at Montague on the Gardens in Bloomsbury; it was perfect for this approach to the city.

Bloomsbury – a London of Londoners
Bloomsbury, as a neighbourhood, is known as a centre of the arts and education. London University is there and, of course, it is home to the famed Bloomsbury Group that included Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster. It continues to attract artists and is home to students as well as the wealthy.

At one end of the block where the Montague is located is Russell Square, a beautiful garden with a cafe that I can recommend. At the other end is the famed British Museum which is free to the public. Go a little farther afield and you enter more residential streets and more squares including Bloomsbury Square, Gordon Square and Tavistock Square. I loved wandering there, looking at the architecture and watching the people. It is very safe for a solo traveler.

Cool Hand Luke is just one of the many plays, musicals and operas on and around The Strand

Beyond Bloomsbury – easy walking to London Highlights
While I do use the London Tube if going farther afield, I prefer to enjoy this city (and just about every city I visit) on foot. Wandering south from the Montague I made my way to the Strand and London’s West End theatre district. From major musicals, to serious plays to the Royal Opera House, it’s all there.

Near the Opera House is Covent Garden, a great place for lunch and a little shopping. When I was there it was delightfully decorated for Christmas. After lunch, I ventured a little further south and walked along the Thames.

Returning back to my hotel, I had time to stop into the National Portrait Gallery and just a quick peak into St. Martin’s in the Field to see what this remarkable church is like. It was a full day, to be sure.

North Americans are not accustomed to fine hotels located in a neighbourhood environment, but in London, some of the finest hotels are not on main streets. Hotels like The Montague on the Gardens offer visitors a taste of the London that Londoners love.

Janice Waugh is author of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook, publisher of Solo Traveler, the blog for those who travel alone and moderator of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook, with almost 5000 members. She has been quoted in many media outlets including the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, LA Times and USA Today. Janice also speaks about travel and the business of blogging.