Arts, Architecture & Design

Cool for Cats – 1

ijstock's avatarijstock Leave a comment
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The little character shown below was a bit of an impulse arrival, being a local rescue cat, and he has been excellent ‘therapy’ during my period of convalescence.

20170627_190843

We’d discussed having a cat many times before, but always put the decision off. Cats, interior design and model-making don’t really go together. And we weren’t sure how he would cope with the ‘pipes either. (More on that another time…)

Anyway, he arrived in early February and is a delight. But we were keen not to fill the house with fluffy pet tat, as seems the norm. The usual internet search revealed plenty of nicely designed pet furniture – but most of it is in the States or mainland Europe and much is not available in the U.K. What does our choice of pet accoutrements say about our national character, I wonder?

Eventually we were able to track down some essential items that have if nothing else not detracted from their surroundings. This piece in question is a cat cave and comes from Meyou in Paris. Not cheap, but we decided to bite the bullet on this one, and it is certainly an attractive, tactile item. But despite ‘encouragement’ Notley refused to go near it for several months, until one day my wife discovered him curled up asleep inside, and the cave now receives regular use. Which just goes to show that you can take the cave to the cat but…

http://www.meyou-paris.com/en/

(unsponsored post) 

Arts, Architecture & Design

Gallery in the Lanes, Norwich

ijstock's avatarijstock Leave a comment
bowl

While walking through my old haunts in Norwich a couple of months ago, my wife and I discovered a new opening: The Gallery in the Lanes. Newly-opened and pristine-looking, it is something of a Tardis, with a much larger interior than one might expect.

We immediately liked the window display and decided to investigate. Inside, we found a range of wall art, ceramics, jewellery and more. In particular, we admired the ceramic work of Richard Baxter, whom, it turns out works from a studio in Leigh-on-Sea, not a million miles south from where we live. We looked at each other; it was one of those occasional moments that results in a no-dispute impulse buy. We walked on it, but did return later in the day to acquire the bowl shown above.

Baxter works in Limoges porcelain, which allows him to produce beautifully fine pieces, and we like his palette of bold and vivid colours too.

The gallery does sell online and also operates the Own Art interest-free credit scheme, but if you are within reach of Norwich, it is well worth browsing at first hand Both artist and gallery (with enthusiastic, approachable staff) highly recommended.

https://www.galleryinthelanes.co.uk/

(Unsponsored post)

 

 

Sartoria

Will Olga deliver?

ijstock's avatarijstock Leave a comment

italian gent

It hardly takes me to mention how the internet continues to transform our lives. Since I stopped full-time work I’ve had the chance to delve a little deeper into a few things that have always been on the ‘to-do’ list.

I’ve never particularly liked what the British High-street offers by way of men’s clothing. I dislike denim and trainers and branded clothing and am not into the ultra-casual mid-Atlantic look. There are still plenty of excellent clothes manufacturers in the U.K., but traditional English style has always struck me as rather fogeyish.

No, what I really like is the Italian style – superb fabrics and cuts and the chance for a little well-judged individualism. I like the fact that it comes much freer of heritage or class connotations and the cuts are rather sharper and more contemporary than most English style. (I will be reviewing some of the exceptions to this in due course). I like the fact that it combines casualness and formability and in part glories in personal tweaks rather than mindless conformity.

I am very reluctant to part with good money for anything that I don’t really like, and which will hopefully last well, and the consequence in recent years has been an increasingly severe clothes famine.

Whatever Italy’s other shortcomings, menswear is one thing they do beyond compare. And now I’ve had the time to see what could be done about my rapidly depleting wardrobe.

I have found several suppliers who will ship to the U.K. (and elsewhere) either free or at reasonable prices. More on them another time; for now I want to describe my latest experiment.

How shall I put this? Age has worked no wonders for my body shape, and so when it comes to off-the-shelf clothing what fits in one direction doesn’t always work in another. It is particularly bad when it comes to shirts; aside from the fact that in a world where body-sizes are increasing I don’t know who is wearing all these extra-slim cuts, a badly-straining shirt can destroy any outfit.

Italian gent 4
Not only for the younger man…

So I’ve taken the plunge into made-to-measure. There are numerous online tailors doing this now, and some of the prices are not as high as I had expected. My first shirt was from Studio Suits. It is well-enough made and the improved fit is definitely worth the trouble. Cost: £39 plus postage, and it arrived in a couple of weeks. But I am not so happy that they manufacture in Mumbai, presumably in sweat shops.

So I now have an order in place with Camiceria Olga, based in Milan since 1948. Most Italian online made-to-measure still starts at not much below €100, but Olga’s ‘everyday’ shirts come in at €55 plus postage.

By reputation, they are very obliging, and I have already had a little chat with a lady called Sara who wanted to be precise about my measurements. She struggled to understand why anyone would own shirts with a 2.5cm variation in shoulder width. I reminded her that I am not Italian!

Anyway, a yellow poplin shirt is underway for me in Milan. It will take around three weeks to deliver and I will report again on findings when it arrives.

https://camiceriaolga.it/en

(This post is not sponsored)