A day at the baths

After my whirlwind trip from Cambridge to Hither Green and to Bristol these old bones were a bit weary!
Angela saved the day by kidnapping me on Thursday off to Bath to spend a day at their new spa.

We plunged into steam pools overlooking Bath Cathedral, sweated it out in steam rooms infused with peppermint and doused ourselves in ice cold showers in a vain attempt to squeeze all the toxins out of our pores.

It was a day of much needed bliss!
Afterwards we both passed out in the train back to Bristol, we were so relaxed and refreshed.
Well, not for long...

Come Hither!

Sunday afternoon the Kiddy's took me to The Cock, their local pub for a proper English Roast. YUM!
We reviewed the events at the ball, finished our Guinness and headed to the train station.
Au Revoir countryside!

I ended up at Kings Cross at 6pm and inhaled the polluted air. Uncle Cator was back home.
Charlotte and Perry picked me up and we headed to their house in Hither Green, South London. It was so good to see them. Charlotte was my best friend when she lived in New York. Until Perry snatched her away and brought her back to London.
They have a darling little girl Isobel who I hadn't seen since she was one month old.

Their new home is huge and lovely. The garden is the golden ticket with coy pond and trampoline.
Perry made dinner while Lottie and I caught up. Bliss!

Monday Charlotte went to work while Perry and I stayed at home with Isobel. I got loads of writing done while Perry got nothing accomplished. But it was fun. Isobel is a stitch. She loves her rocking horse and her favorite thing in the world is her blanket mom made for her! She calls it her 'gee' and is so attached to it they had to cut it in two so they could change them out to wash them. Mother was pleased.

That night we headed to London Bridge to The Roxy, a cinema/cafe. We feasted on Greek food while watching Atonement. I thought it was interesting. But how many WW II movies can we have?
Perry hated it. Alas!

Tuesday Charlotte and I stayed at home and worked for a bit and later in the day I headed into the city to see my friend Jurgen at the White Cube. We toured the Marc Quinn exhibit and then headed to a pub for 'one drink'. That was at 4pm. We didn't stop until 2am and had a blast! I haven't spent time with Jurgen for years since he moved to Rio. We ended up at Vauxhall and then I crashed at his friend’s house in Elephant & Castle. Good times!

Wednesday was not pretty. But I managed to get home to spend a bit more time with Charlotte and Isobel before I dashed off to Bristol. At 4pm we headed out the door with Sprout and Ernie (their adorable Staffordshire Terriers) in tow.

They dropped me off at the train station and off I went on another adventure.

PS- Charlotte darling I don't know how I didn't manage to get a picture of you. I promise I shall remember this experience together for ever and ever...

Throw down at the Thurlow hunt ball

Sorry, I seem to have muddled up my posts. I am not that computer literate and have no idea how to get them back in order. No matter, onward and upward!

After the point to point the girls took me home to rest and dress for the big hunt ball that evening.
I hauled my tuxedo, evening shoes and top hat over for this one event so it better be worth it!

I had my dressing cocktail, clicked on some Noel Coward (the only person to listen to when dressing in black tie) and dolled up for the evening.

The Kiddy's picked me up at my cottage around 6 and we made the rounds collecting friends around the area. We finally made it to the ball around 7:30 eager for a drink.

The event was held in a 500-year-old barn completely restored and decked out in a wintry theme. As soon as we walked in we were offered champagne as we hung our coats ourselves. I like the mix of elegant and relaxed. Hanging your own coat while men in tailcoats offer fizz.

It was all very fashion week set in the country! There were young sassy looking lassies in purple pumps and pink gowns. A Patrick McMullan-esque man was in the entrance hall to take pictures of all the guests and the booze flowed. The most impressive dressers were the leaders of the hunt. They wore their red coats with light blue lapels (the color of the Thurlow club), white ascots and gold pins.

All of the people I met were good fun and went on to become more amusing after they cleared their tables of the champagne and wine.

We sat for dinner and Jeremy had us all switch seats after starters, which was a great way to meet more people. We dined on Guinea Hen, which was a real treat and topped it off with sticky toffee pudding, one of my English favorites.

By now everyone was going on all cylinders and after a toast to the Queen the DJ revved up the turntables and everyone hit the dance floor.

I stood in a corner taking it all in. A rarity for me! I noticed lots of people I had seen at the point to point were in attendance and some of them looked like they would be good fun. One of the guys in question ran into me in the bathroom. Donning my top hat and taking a 'waz' as people say over here he looks over at me and slurs, 'So are you a magician or what?"
"Well no I'm not but you should see what I can pull out of my hat!"
With that he about barrels over laughing and we hang out for the evening with his gang boozing up and talking about New York. He is the one holding the wine bottle in one hand and a lady in another.
Hmm.. Reminds me of a quote I recently heard- "Always grab your ladies by the waste and your bottle by the neck!"

I finally hit the dance floor with Gilly for 'Love Shack' and later with Cleo for an array of boozy tunes. I was thoroughly irritated that we had run out of champagne so I bought a bottle and Cleo and I hid it in the corner, hitting it after each song.

And THAT my friends is all I remember.
The Kiddy's have been way to polite to tell me what happened the rest of the evening. All I know is that the ball was truly Top Drawer.

Victoria's visit

A big highlight to my sojourn in the Cambridge area was a visit with my good friend Victoria.
She lives in Imola, Italy currently with her husband and two children.
Last time I saw her was when I was in London with Jorgen three years ago.

We toyed with me meeting her in Imola but she decided to head back home to spend some time with her family.
On Friday morning we met in Cambridge and toured around the town. Had a lovely lunch and strolled little Isabelle around the colleges and high street.
In the afternoon we took a beautiful drive through the countryside while Izzy passed out.
We arrived back to her parents home in Mepal around 5pm in time for tea. We chilled for a bit before Vic and her dad started preparing dinner while I played with the family dog, Zulu.

Dinner was lovely and we managed to clear a couple of bottles of wine. But the fun ended early. We had to take Victoria to the airport at 4:30am so we all headed to bed at 10:30!

A short but sweet reunion.

I love a Point 2 Point!

Saturday Gilly, the kids and I piled into the Land Rover and headed to Horseheath for my first point to point.
A point to point is kind of an informal horse race. It is a practice run for hunt horses before the bigger races.
People can place bets but its really more just a fun day out in the country.

We arrived at noon and stayed for five races.
The girls whizzed off to find tempting things to buy and eat while Gilly and I toured around the course.
We started off at the entrance where the huntsmen kicked off the show in their redcoats. Then we went to the Paddock to watch the horses being paraded around. We picked the horses we wanted to bet on and headed to the 'tote' to place our big one pound bets. I think I betted on Loose Morals. The jockey ended up falling off! Loose indeed.

After the first race Gilly and I headed to the bar tent for our tipple of whisky for me and port for her. We stood in the corner next to the heater and watched the crowd mix, mingle and booze up.

I have to stop here and just tell all of you readers how over the top this experience was for me.
It was like jumping into a British novel. EVERY man was sporting the same uniform:
Green Wellingtons that were usually so muddy they were brown
Jeans or khaki pants tucked into their boots
Collared shirt under a cashmere jumper
Green of brown Barbour coat
Plaid cap

I was in hog heaven. Not only were many of the men dashing but they were all in my favorite English country gentleman drag.
Well done boys! Charles Ryder where were you?

I felt so out of the loop in the looks department that I sallied over to 'Joules' tent and bought me self a right handsome olive and blue plaid cap.

After a couple more whiskeys we watched some more races, chatted with some of the family friends about the hunt ball happening that night and placed a couple more bets.

Around 4pm temps were dropping and the whiskey was waning so we decided to call it a day.

A perfect day at the races!

Out in the Sticks!

Tuesday afternoon I packed my bags and headed on a fast train to Cambridge.
I am spending the week with the Kiddy's, a couple I met on the Orient Express a while back.

They have kindly offered me a cottage on their property where I can mole into and write, work and relax.

I met Gilly in town and we headed out in her Land Rover to pick up her twin girls, Cordelia and Pandora. They are 12 and VERY excited to meet me. They are both quite sweet and very curious about me. They burst out giggling as soon as I spoke since they never have met an American. Then they proceeded to take pictures and video of me with their mobile phones. Now I know how Brad Pitt feels.

My cottage is lovely and perfect. My favorite feature is the Aga oven. A one-ton cast iron heating machine with no temperature, you just pop a kettle on the top, chuck bread in the bottom and a dinner in the middle and it all comes out piping hot.

I had dinner at their charming Tudor home with the girls and their two boys, Travis and Jesse. After dinner I went with the girls out into the pitch black to feed the Basset Hounds, Jack Russell puppies and the horses. Thank God for mobile phone flashlights! All the animals were quite sweet but I was a bit worried about the massive Rottweiler that is chained up in the back. Gilly said if it saw me I would be a goner. Charming!

After the feeding we headed in, the girls took baths and Gilly, Jeremy and I had a cuppa before bed.
It is going to be a very Green Acres Week!

The next day I spent the entire afternoon writing and figured I would go to the house to use the Internet around 4.
I strapped on my duck boots and headed out. The road was ankle deep in mud and there was no way I was going to make it.

I turned around and called Gilly to ask for a ride to the house when she was home from work.
She came by with the girls to pick me up around 6pm and when I showed them the path I took to the house they all burst out laughing- I had taken the wrong road!
I felt like a total peanut.
It was dark last night! How was I supposed to know the route?
We then took the high and dry driveway back to the main house for a lovely dinner and some time catching up on emails.

Urban Dandy down one point

Fun at the Flower Market

Sunday Morning Anna was alive at 5 and ready to roll. I was a bit dreary from our boozy dinner but up for anything.
We dressed and jumped into her car to head to the Flower Market on Columbia Road.

I had never been and it was such a romantic and cozy event. Albeit LOUD with flower vendors screaming and kids tugging, it was amusing none the less.

We strolled about and found some hyacinth and lillys for the house, stopped into a cafe for sausage on pap and then tooled around the flea market.

Anna found this darling kiddy coat that is a spitting image of the current Prada collection!
Well spotted you trend forecaster you.

I spent the rest of the day in Clapham Common visiting a friend and drinking pints.

Perfect Sunday!
x

Dinner Party at Anna's

Yes, this was the most excitement I have had in one day since arriving.
After the moustache pub we headed to Anna's for a delicious philo/spinach/feta dinner with copious amounts of wine and champagne.

I adore how everyone here has dinner parties. They are so much more informal and fun. And one has much more quality time with ones friends than in the trenches of the Beatrice.

A highlight of the evening was poor Lina who had a claw removed. Her vet sent a note home about keeping her Elizabethan Collar on at all times. ONLY IN ENGLAND would the vet call a dog cone a fashionable piece of jewelry!

Of course I had to model it.
Curtain down...

Moustache Mania

To celebrate our afternoon jaunt through the park Ashleigh and Billy wanted to take me to a special pub they knew I would love. The Windsor Castle off Edgware Road used to be their local when WGSN was located in that neighborhood so they knew it well.

Decked from floor to ceiling with tea boxes, figurines, pictures of royal weddings and royal commemorative wedding plates with a stone stacked fireplace as the centerpiece, the Windsor is straight out of Mary Poppins.

One corner is especially entertaining, the Moustache Members table. Again, not an inch of space is spared a picture of all the the members drinking pints, celebrating a birthday or attending a football match. I was very jealous of the red sweaters all the members have with a little moustache logo on the left breast. We downed several pints of lager, consumed vast amounts of crisps and marveled at all of the upper lip action that surrounded us.

My favorite pub so far. I was just sorry I could not compete with the pictures on the wall. I'm starting to grow mine out again today!

Horse Ride in Hyde Park

Look! I’m doing something amusing! After days of working away and nights at pubs Ashleigh and I decided to book a ride in Hyde Park.

We were looking forward to a brisk canter through the bridle paths and the famous Rotten Row as tourists gawked and swans flew overhead.

Well, it wasn’t all we had hoped but pleasurable all the same. We found the stables quite charming and the owner a bit oddball. But what city stable have I been to where the owners aren’t a bit off? The wouldn’t let Billy ride because he was vastly overweight (!) This tall and skinny Scot didn’t weigh in at the 180-pound limit (and I barely did) so he had to wait it out at a local pub.

Ashleigh and I waited around until the horses came back from the last tour of the park and we mounted and were ready to trot off when we see a lead tied to our horses. Surely this is just for getting us through the streets of London. Wrong! We are tethered the entire trip! Ashleigh was quite smooth. She found out her guide was an Iranian show jumper and she spouted off that she was indeed a jumper for the Scottish National team. And with that she looked at him doe eyed and said, "So you think you can un tether me?" Nope.


So we had a nice hack and a bit of a trot around the park, which was lovely but not all, we had hoped. Ashleigh was irate that our horses were not thoroughbreds. I had an Irish Cobb and she had a mutt, but her horse had a moustache! Check out the picture. Perfectly sausage curled and all! It was foreshadowing our pub experience later. But I didn’t mind. They still smelled delicious and were good boys.


Afterwards to celebrate our ride we headed to The Windsor Castle. That is another post!

Just living in London

People keep on griping I am not posting enough, but honestly there is nothing to post!
Just working alot.

Went to Geo Trumper on Jermyn Street for a hair cut and beard trim. Total heaven. Ended up snoring in the chair with a hot towel on my face. Classy!

Went to the Covent Garden Hotel last night for an unexciting drink. We ended up next door for an amazing french dinner and ended the day at a local pub mourning Heath Ledger. I tried to put my HP in my London Pride. It didn't work...

Off to the V&A for tea with my friend Leela who works there. More soon!
x

Love from Leatherhead!

I can't believe I am finally here doing this damn thing I've been talking about since May. I have been a bit under the weather since being here but I think it is mostly my body just detoxing from all the stress build of of coming over. It couldnt possibly be from my last wild night in New York with Fay, Alexis and Justin. NEVER again will I fly with a hangover. It was truly horrid.

London has been great. Ashleigh and Billy have been the best hosts. Ashleigh gave up her flat and has ben camping at Billys. She lives on a swank street in Notting Hill called Dawson Place. Madonut just bought a house four down from her flat. My time in London has been pretty low key except for the night we decided to start drinking at 4pm and didnt stop until 11 when I passed out in a cab on the way to another bar. A proper English session!

Briony invited me, Ashleigh, PHJ and her hysterical friend Marilyn over to her new house boat under Battersea Bridge for an amusing dinner. Briony is a great cook and it was good to catch up with everyone.

Now I am in Leatherhead with my old friend Teresa. I havent seen here in about eight years and she is now married with three kids, Oliver 4, Milo 2, Emily 1. Chaos! But good times. I about lost it though this morning when Oliver called me into the bathroom and I found him on all fours with his ass in the air, "I just took a poo and I need you to wipe!" Teresa came to my rescue just in time.

I have not watched so much kiddie TV in years. I love 'Something Special' created for disabled kids. The clown narrorator signs through the show and all the kids on are a bit re re. Its quite sweet and progressive. I also love 'Midnight Garden' created by the Teletubbie man. Wow, he has done some good drugs, these little characters are insane!

My online writing course has just begun and so far has been a huge help. Looking forward to getting into it!

Here is a retarded picture of Teresa, Emily and me, one of Milo and one of my favorite Midnight Garden character. More soon!

London Bound!

Tomorrow morning I head over the pond for a month in London and surrounding areas.
I am taking a 4-month sabbatical from freelance to work on the book I have been talking about for YEARS.

I'm back in NYC February 11th and will split time between here and Atlanta with a definite pit stop in San Francisco to see Tali and Adam's new digs.

I have been worried for months about what to pack.
Luckily at lunch last Monday, Patrick eased my fears with two great packing tips:

1) Doll, pull a Quinten Crisp and bring just one suit and loads of different accessories!
2) Remember six pairs of panties can turn into 12 when you flip them inside out!

Thanks Patrick! I’ll send you my cleaning bill.
I will be posting updates often so stay tuned...

Vermont with the Pimps!

For a fun company retreat, the Brand Pimps decided to take the entire crew to Stratton Vermont for a long weekend of skiing and bonding.
I am neither a skier nor a snow boarder but I do love a roaring fire and hot toddy while peering out on the majestic mountains and that is exactly what I did for three days.
Since Minya is preggers and Bahr and Joy don't ski either we spent Saturday in town shopping at outlets in quaint little Victorian houses and eating the best damn meatloaf sandwich on earth!

The best part, our chalet was called, 'The Bear House'!
Who's your daddy?

Fire and Brimstone!

On January 3rd, the carriage house turned church on my block went up in flames.

Luckily nobody was hurt (even the trannie living on the top floor gurl!)

But we are all wondering what will happen to 215 West 122 Street?
Nobody seems to know where Bishop Mark's is and nobody knows who owns the church.

What we do know is that it is one of New York's oldest carriage houses and that Harlem real estate is on fire! (pardon the pun)
Stay tuned to see what happens to this gem of Harlem.

Thanks to Frankie for climbing to our roof for his Live at 5 coverage!

Oyster Roastin' on New Years Day

We all seemed to survive New Years Eve unscathed. I slept in a bit and Claire prepared her newly discovered Gourmet Magazine recipe for eggs in a ramekin, cheese grits and biscuits. YAY I’m in the South!

We feasted and then dressed to head to a neighbors country home for an oyster roast. Rockville is like the Hamptons of Charleston. Originally plantation owners built small homes out here to escape the heat and be near the cool marshes. Today Charlestonian's have bought up these old homes for weekend retreats. We arrived to find a steaming pot of oysters, children and dogs running rampant and the largest oak trees I have ever seen.

All of the guests were lovely and low key watching their kids with lots of eye rolling and paying more attention to the dogs, food and beer. My kind of people!

After several mounds of Hoppin' John for New Years luck, Claire, Marco and I toured the area and found the old Sea Island yacht club where a rough looking Hell's Angels type told us he was coming back shortly with his cannon to shoot off for the New Year. Why don't you?

We also found our dream home on an amazing piece of land that had just been restored. We poked around and decided it would go for around $1 million. As soon as we get home we google it and find it is going for $2! Oh well.

Later we bid farewell and head over to visit Angel Oak, a Lowcountry marvel at 1400 years of age.
The park was closed but we peaked through the fence and marveled at massive limbs reclining all around the trunk.

The evening was spent watching Current TV and feasting on leftovers.
The perfect way to start the year and it was the one day I could say, "I haven't had a drink all year!"

New Years, Charleston style

For the third year in a row I drove down to Charleston to spend some festive time with my C- town gang.
As always, the weather was perfect, the food was amazing and my dear friends, wild as always.

For the big night we ate at Fig, our favorite 'farm to table' restaurant.
We then headed over to Abby's home where her brother, Nick, was hosting a bevy of frat boys for dinner. I of course fit right in! I motor boated all of their girlfriends and at the strike of 12 brought out the sparklers. We then all took turns giving our best Olin Mills looks in front of the massive Christmas tree.

Thank God some of us were not drinking because I had to get to the 'Groovers Reunion' which was put on by all the party promoters and DJ's that were hot on the scene when I was a raver in Charleston back in 1994.
It was surreal seeing everyone still kickin', doing well and with their partners. The music was amazing and we all got our groove on for a while and reminisced about the olden days.

Around 1am we headed home where we all put on our pj's and I feasted on peppermint pie, cookies, more pie and washed it down with some Vodka. Claire was sure I was going to be worshipping the porcelain God but alas, I passed out at 2 and woke up fresh as a daisy.

2008 is gonna be great!

Dinner at the House with a Heart

For ages I have sworn that I would take some time out of the whirlwind holiday week and spend some time with the guests at the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House.
AHHH is a non-profit that is very close to my heart.
As their website states, "The Hospitality House has strived to provide a "home away from home" to outpatients and relatives of patients hospitalized in 21 Atlanta area hospitals. We offer lodging, meals, supportive companionship and comfort from a committed staff, volunteers, and fellow guests, during what is often a crisis period."

It was also the home of my great grandfather and namesake, Cator Woolford. It is always such a pleasure to visit the house and meet these people who are going through such a difficult time and regale them with stories of the house in its heyday, the garden parties, the Christmas fetes and of course the antics of my grandmother and great aunt who grew up there.

My sister, niece, mother and I drove down to have dinner with guests and employees and had a blast!
We brought a mound of scrapbooks and photos and chatted with guests about their family members and the holidays as we feasted on fried chicken, greens and iced tea.

It was a quiet, cozy and special night for everyone and we also learned about the progress of the new building they are hoping to start on soon. My grandmothers 'dollhouse' has served as a handicap accessible guesthouse for decades. After 70 years the termites got the best of it and it is time to scrap it and build a new one better suited for guests. The renderings look great and we are looking forward to seeing the progress.

When I'm back in Atlanta in March I should have more information on the project, stay tuned!

Christmas Cheer!

Christmas was a bit more mellow this year but just as fun. Happy and her crew went to Mark's family in Virginia and Pop and Dot spent the holidays in Ponte Vedra. So it was just us, Gay's crew and my grandmother, Yaiyai.

We woke at 9am and mother began her dance of a thousand baking pans. We started out with a strawberry/cream cheese souffle and mimosas!
Then we checked our stockings and had 'The Great Rip Off'. Paper went flying and I wound up with some great books, door mats from the Whitney, vases from our Portugal trip and other fun trinkets and much needed cashola.

Later I jogged and collected trash that inconsiderate people have littered all over our street and then, in a Tony Duquette inspired moment, taped all the bottles and debris around the 'NO LITTERING ALLOWED' sign. I must say it looks very festive and hopefully will catch peoples eyes.

At 2 Gay and her family filed in and we had rip off part deux. I came away with a much needed pair of LL Bean duck boots for wintery days in NYC.

Mother made, as usual, an amazing lunch of turkey, ham, stuffing, dressing, spinach casserole and sweet potatos and we all had seconds and thirds. Ashley and I almost finished a bottle of wine but I drink so much anways it was no great feat to polish one off on Christmas!

The rest of the day was spent cleaning, lulling and reading.
That evening we popped in a dvd from my new Noel Coward collection (which was given to me by Noel's former assistant!) and watched Hay Fever, a hysterical play of his that was a BBC special in 1984.

A night of Noel was the perfect way to end a special day of family, food and festive attire.
Cheerio!

Home for the Holidays

This year, coming home is more like a test run for my month long stay here in March. So I havent decompressed as quickly, but getting there!
Saturday was spent at my cousins home in Covington where we have an annual reunion of all the ladies in the family, or as my niece titled it this year, "Estrogen Fest 07"
I, for some reason, am always included in this. I guess because I always sat with the ladies at holiday events discussing fmily gossip, culture, travel and fashion while the men gathered round a TV and grunted over football, hunting and beer. Can you imagine?

Sunday I spent at my aunts farm running around grooming and talking to as many horses as possible. It was too wet and muddy to ride so we just chatted with the stable staff and gave some holiday love to some of the animals.

Sunday night I had a 'Gays Gone Wild' annual booze cruise with Adam and my ATL gang. It wasnt as wild as usual, Thank God, but we managed to get pretty poppin. We spent the evening in Avondale Estates at the James Joyce pub and then at Track Side for some merriment. The polar bear mask was a huge hit!
Check out the post on www.gayzofourlives.com shortly.

Big news!! I bought a car! Since I am here for 10 days and then back for a month renting a car was going to be a huge hole in my drinking budget. As luck would have it my 87 year old grandmother is getting rid of her car so I am now the proud owner of a 1993 Lilac Cadillac Sedan de Ville! With tape deck for all of my old mixed tapes!

Adam nicknamed it 'The Tank' and we had fun pimping around town from Lenox to Midtown.

Good times!