Archive for June 2009

The Rugby Street Summer Party

A beautiful warm evening last Thursday, and a big thank you to everyone who came along to the shops and made for such a fun night!

img_5833img_58281

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The party, with all the Rugby Street shops, Charles Morris of The English House, Maggie Owen and the boys and girls of French’s Dairy, and Susannah Hunter – spilled out along the street and for hours Rugby Street was filled with the noise of chatting neighbours and friends. It was a great sight and sound.  But next year we might have to do something about the cars…

If you missed our party, please come along for the open air film night on Thursday 27th August at 8pm, when we will be screening a summer viewing of Le fabuleaux destin d’Amelie Poulin, open to all… More details will follow shortly.


Posted by: Ben Date: 29th June 2009 Comments: 1 Comment

A Lease of life

The still of evening; a quiet, soft pink sunset on the longest day of the year. At the end of a wonderful weekend, I have just spent an hour alone at The Old Parsonage, in a tiny village tucked away in a valley in far West Dorset, and at the house on which I have today taken a ten year lease.

The house is silent, empty, somewhat forlorn; the garden is overgrown with thistles and brambles. In a week, the builders, house painters and carpenters arrive, and its melancholy calm will be broken.

oldparsonage6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But for now, here it is. I am not sure I know a more wonderful house. Some thirty years ago I spent some of the happiest summers of my life here, with my best friend, age seven. It is strange and brilliant to be back. Moments like this feel life changing; an amazing lease of life.


Posted by: Ben Date: 21st June 2009 Comments: 2 Comments »

Attention All Stationery Enthusiasts!

Passers-by have been stopping in their tracks outside the new window display of Tessa Fantoni Photo Albums, Box Files and Magazine Boxes. Those who’ve then come in have been heard muttering that it really is time to start getting organised, eyes glazed over no doubt fantasising about immaculate desk tops, pads of crisp white note paper, jars of freshly sharpened pencils and now Tessa Fantoni box files and magazine boxes.

img_0079

We can’t believe our luck that our friends Rose and John Randle at the Whittington Press recommended us to Tessa to stock her beautiful wares. Here we are a couple of weeks later in possession of her unbelievably well crafted, absurdly tasteful boxes and albums and a little bit in love with Tessa.

Thirty odd years (sorry Tessa) in the book binding trade has given her an expert understanding of how the albums should be built. With guards on the spine edges to take the strain once photographs and cuttings have filled it up and to then last a lifetime.

img_0082

The box files come in A4 and A5 sizes are hugely practical . The magazine boxes come with a proper (of course) brass label holder riveted to the spine. All covered in the most wonderful selection of papers, designed by some of Britain’s best artists of the Twentieth Century.

img_0086               img_00851

So Attention All Stationery Enthusiasts! Come in and take a look. All will be available to peruse on-line as soon as I can enter them. While you’re at it take a look at our gilt edged notebooks from Astier de Villatte and our linen bound artists books by Sennilier. They make me want to become a better person or artist at least. And yes that mug of pencils in the window has come from my desk and yes they are all freshly sharpened.


Posted by: Bridie Date: 18th June 2009 Comments: No Comments