Friday, February 23

Thank You!

A sincere thank you to everyone who left comments and/or emailed me over the last week - I am very touched by all your kind wishes.

Yesterday I traveled to London with my friend Louise who is over form New York; we kept it simple just calling into the Persephone bookshop and Liberty's.

I would really recommend calling into Persephone Books should you find yourself in London as it is worth it purely for the delightful ambiance that draws you into a feeling of a past time -going through a portal where a gentle, genteel feeling prevails that perhaps I can only compare to visiting spinster aunts, or Miss Marple( not that I have visited Miss M apart from in my imagination); the heady scent of the hyacinths that were artfully displayed, the pieces of object 'art that were sprinkled around the shop and the staff who obviously loved working there all added to the overwhelming feeling of warmth and inclusion.
Needless to say I made a purchase.....

Those of you that maybe aren't familiar with Persephone is that they use fabric prints that are historically accurate with the time the books were originally published.

This is a Duncan Grant screen print - lovely isn't it?

Liberty's although a guaranteed visual feast was disappointing; we both felt that quality of the merchandise wasn't what it once was; it no longer feels like a little piece of Merry England so we consoled ourselves with champagne with our lunch which compensated slightly:)

I was glad to get home as I always feel going out for the day makes me appreciate home more.

6 comments:

  1. What is it about champagne? We had champagne in the hotel bar in Barcelona and felt truly decadent, out of all proportion to the cost or the alcohol.

    I used to work as a print curator and love anything printed properly - the book looks beautiful - I find these Bloomsbury designs oddly calming. I'm sure I shouldn't.

    J

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  2. Hi, i think we have quite a lot in common, I have always loved Libertys but it seems to be full of the same old same old, i usually buy a few buttons and a yard or two of ribbon, but it does seem to have lost a little of it's charm. And i have always found the Bloomsbury set intruiguing, i can see myself wafting around in a silk kimono and a sash around my head, both the literature and the art is lovely. Have you ever visited Charleston? i would love to go there some day, glad to see a new post take care.........x

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  3. How wonderful to get together with a friend and get away to London! My hubby and I LOVE bookshops and have never made it to Persephones. We will put it on our list for our next trip to London (I hope sooner rather than later, but that is doubtful with 4 little kids). I've been to Liberty's only once, and I was soaking in everything "English" at the time, so it was all new to me. So happy you are posting! =)

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  4. Anonymous2:52 PM

    Good to see you back.

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  5. Really pleased to see you back. Sounds like you had a lovely day. I've kept meaning to go to Persephone. I'm on their mailing list but have never bought anything. Really I should just go up to the shop. I know what you mean about Liberty. It is one of my favourite shops but the last time I was there it wasn't quite the same as it use to be. Champagne always makes things seem better though!

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  6. Hi,
    Ginny said I should look at your blog because I too have a beautiful Liver coloured Springer Spanniel. His name is Silas and he's 3 years old and I love him very much! I have actually looked back to this post because I read your most recent one saying you had been into liberty and was disapppointed. I worked in Liberty for around 10 years in the 1990's -first of all selling beautiful silk fabric and later running their sewing school and I pinpoint the demise of innovative and eclectic design in the store to when the Liberty family were bought out in a takeover. Once the family no longer had direct influence, chairmans and chief execs came and went on a regular basis. I haven't been in the store since my youngest son was born 6 years ago, but at the time I felt great sadness that a once great and beautiful store selling things that were exclusive and fantastically designed felt just like Army & Navy, Debenhams or any other department store. Liberty prints - one of the most recognisable aspects of the company have now been squeezed into a tiny area - a tragedy. I enjoyed reading your latest post. There's something about purchases wrapped in tissue but I know what you mean about feeling guilty for enjoying the experience. Lucky it can be reused!
    Alice

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