After the excitement of the wedding, we drove and flew on to Vancouver to see in the new year…and do a bit of shopping. After hitting the chain stores along Robson St, some time was found for purchases of a more vintage nature. Searches on the internet had shown Main Street, between 6th St and […]
In search of the elusive ‘White Christmas’, this year the banker and I travelled to the Canadian Rockies, where snow is pretty much guaranteed. So is icy cold, and with temperatures as low as -27 degrees, it’s certainly the coldest I have ever been. Still that didn’t stop us getting around, driving through the beautiful […]
I’ve just spent one of the most enjoyable days of the year in Reading, Berkshire, at Mid20C, owned by my friend and long-time antique and 20thC design dealer Al Baynham. Those who have bought the Fat Lava DVD will have seen him being interviewed at the original Fat Lava exhibition in 2006. It was unsurprising, […]
This weekend saw a series of special events at Isle of Wight Studio Glass, nestled under the cliffs near Ventnor. I had been invited down to sign copies of my book, and to chat to collectors about pieces from their collections. And collectors and glass fans certainly turned up, creating a buzzy atmosphere that was […]
Last night, cool collectors and fabulous 20thC design fans gathered for one of my favourite pre-Christmas events – the Christmas party at Alfie’s Antiques Market in Marylebone, London. Drinks flowed and the live music, provided by a gypsy band walking around the centre, was punctuated with excited conversation and laughter. It’s always a superb time […]
A note about days, before I continue my Buenos Aires collecting blog. Plan your visit well! The main day for browsing and buying is Sunday. On Mondays, and often Saturdays, many of not all stores, malls and arcades are closed. You’ll notice that my last blog entry was on Tuesday – plenty of time to […]
The undoubted heart of BA’s antiques scene is the historic San Telmo district, the first district of this mega-city to be settled and built. Divided into a grid, head towards Defensa, starting at the crossing with Av. Belgrano, only minutes walk from the famous Plaza de Mayo. You’ll soon be confronted with an unparalleled array […]
Our flight back from Cusco to Lima has been ‘delayed’. Apparently, the airline sent a smaller plane than was expected, so it was either a seat on the wing or a later flight. I opted for the latter! This means I am writing this entry sitting on a balcony in a fabulous eaterie in Cusco […]
I hadn’t really relished the thought of spending a few days in Cusco. After the chaotic – but honest – hustle and bustle of the developing city of Lima, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to a city described in all the guides as ‘touristy’. How wrong they were, as it proved to be one of […]
A nice new discovery this one. I wrote some time ago that it’s often easy to ignore things right on your doorstep. I had heard about this thriving antiques and collectables market, run by Sherman & Waterman every Thursday close to Liverpool Street railway station, but I had never actually made the effort to get […]
Can it really be the twelfth fair? I remember going to the first, held in the city centre of this glorious and quintessentially English city. Now they are held in the pastoral environs of Chilford Hall Vineyeard. How time flies when you’re having fun. And, as ever, fun was had at this fair. Despite the […]
At least that was the question that I was asked by some confused colleagues the Friday morning before leaving! Well if you don’t know already, Riga is the capital of Latvia, one of the Baltic states. I have to admit to a personal fascination with these ex-Communist states that curve northwards around the Baltic towards […]