Saturday 15 February 2014

For we're like creatures of the wind


Wild is the wind. 

It certainly has been blowy. I think our slates and chimney are intact, although some storm debris has ended up in our garden; it must have blown there from another roof, I can't see any damage on ours.




I've had one beret or another clamped to my head for days, it's the only way to defy the wind and rain and retain a modicum of order in the hair department.



1960s Kenrose dress and peacock necklace - flea market
Coat - vintage fair
Beret - charity shopped
Leather gloves - gift
Boots - retail (old)


I popped into town yesterday to meet my friend Sue at Bank Street Arts, where she works. Shamefully, I had never been before; how is it that there are places to visit right under my nose which I don't know about?



It's a not-for-profit arts centre with gallery and workshop space, based in a Georgian town house with all sorts on interesting nooks and crannies.



There are quirky decorative ideas galore.



Through the keyholes...


...fictional characters explore other books.

After a look at the exhibitions, I pottered about in the rain taking photos.

Bank Street and Paradise Square have some wonderful Georgian architecture, mostly used by businesses, especially law firms.




This house is actually still a residential property, and currently for sale, if you're interested.

This ornate building is next door;



up for lease at the moment. I'm seeing a vintage emporium with cafe bar, aren't you? 




While I was taking photos of this imposing building on Paradise Square...




...the man you can just about see in the window (left, middle) came out of the front door to ask what I was doing.

I blathered on about my blog and what a lovely building it is and surely I didn't need permission to take pictures until he went back inside, through boredom probably.







I don't generally think of Sheffield as having much in the way of beautiful historic architecture (it suffered from being a target for bombing in World War II) but as with most places, there is still plenty to enjoy if you know where to look.

Krista probably won't even remember this, but when she visited the UK and we met up, we strolled down Walsall's pedestrianised shopping area, full of your usual modern high street shop fronts. Nothing much to see, you would think, but Krista said look up.

And of course, there were some grand Victorian windows and decorative features (do I recall a lion's head, or have I made that up? Vix will know), all high above street level and missed by shoppers hurrying on their way to Primark.




(Left to right) Louise and her mum, Krista, Lucy, Vix and Clare, Walsall, September 2012.

Only Krista, Vix and I are still blogging out of this colourful crowd.



I often think about Krista's advice.

Look up.
Look around.



 I like looking at the details too.




Which is probably why I spotted this little tin on a stall on Chesterfield flea market. It did make me laugh.




Bile Beans for your biliousness, female weakness, and lack of charm, a bargain at a shilling and threepence.




And I'm back where I started, talking about wind... It's not just thrown together, this blog.

You're welcome.
xxx


39 comments:

Asparagus Pea said...

Never thrown together - honed and crafted! I look at the farmhouses at work with their low beams and small windows, and I know that it's Georgian all the way for me. Jane Austen or bust huh?

Señora Allnut said...

mwahaha, you don't need any of those pills for your lack of charm, dear lady, you're Charming indeed! so funny old advices!
Love that you share some pics of your neck of the woods, they're really picturesque for a non-english lady like me! (fabulous victorian architecture!)
and you look so gorgeous wearing your maxi with all those turquoise and citron accents, and your coat and beautiful gloves!.
Glad you haven't problems with that awful weather, news programmes show a very worrying situation!
besos

Ivy Black said...

Look up indeed. I like to walk about looking up, we have some lovely architecture in Winchester and every now and then you'll spot someone who's stopped to loo up. Usually a tourist.
Love your outfit...that pattern is a killer and very springlike you look too. We are having spring aren't we?
Have a lovely weekend.
xxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Who doesn't love a beret? You're looking my stylish and lovely in that patterned dress and your gloves are a most perfect shade of green. What awesome words from Kristia.....indeed look up, ones outlook or what they'll see will never changed when fixated down. Loved the pics of town.

I best be on my way I feel a serious bout of female weakness coming on baaahaaaaa.

freckleface said...

No sir, crafted with skill, intelligence, glamour and a bit of Curtise je ne sais quoi, I'd say. That frock is fantastic, i love it, suits you from the top of your gorgeous titian bob down to the tips of your toes. What a treat all this fantastic Georgian architecture. Fancy having to justify taking a photo of a building. What did he think you were, an international architect spy? He must have picked up on your beret and je ne sais quoi. Not just thrown together, this comment you know!! :) xxxxxxx

Connie said...

Oh yes. You are a gifted crafts person! So impressed that you ventured out into the scary weather hat firmly in place. I love the pipes on old ads. And bile beans? Sounds yummy. I remember seeing that post when Krista came to visit all of you. I thought it all looked like so much fun. And the world keeps spinning round and I love all the work that you put into your wardrobe and your life and your blog.

Annie said...

Gorgeous buildings, and Bank Street Arts looks fab. I'm afraid I'm guilty of overlooking interesting places on my doorstep too.

Your dress is fab, and looks perfect on you and I love the jewellery.

The Walsall pictures made me smile, especially the one outside Second to None. Hopefully I'll get to go there with you soon.xxx

Caroline said...

I live in a particularly shitty town. The high street is a mishmash of old buildings from various eras.

Unfortunately at ground floor level it's all crap. It is only looking up that allows you to see the buildings previous glory.

When you've finished with that coat, could you pass it to me? It's fab.

Natalia Lialina said...

That is exactly what I mean - you could wear this amazing dress with all the jewelry with those funky shoes of mine - would be perfect! I adore your coat too.
You are such a fun, colorful bunch of vintage fashion lovers. It would be such an honor to meet you some time! :)
The architecture shots are very beautiful, thank you for sharing! And we too experience wind these days - what's with that?! Don't fly away! :)

Jayne H said...

Great post and great look. I grew up in Chesterfield but don't get back there much.

Patti said...

Love the dress and the hat, Curtise. And the discoveries in your town. I really enjoy walking our downtown too - but we haven't a single building older than 1890's (young rebel scum we are). xoxo

Trees said...

Krista's advice is most excellent - look up and look around! Sometimes I look around the streets that I walk every day and if I look up I see something new! I love your green maxi frock - I really hope the weather improves soon!

bonsaimum said...

You have some beautiful buildings where you are. Sometimes we can be so busy that we forget to see what is around us.

Miss Magpie said...

I always look up thanks to Bill Bryson, he advises it in 'Notes from a Small Island' it's amazing what you miss otherwise.
I am so over this weather.

Peaches McGinty said...

Sheffield looks fab, mind you same with us, there is parts of Liverpool which was bombed out, and there was a POW camp not far from us, but like Sheffield there is still a lot of beautiful historical buildings around. The exhibition looks pretty cool, I like the keyhole piece- I do like your frock too, the velvet ribbon is fab - I think if bile beans were available now I'd buy them! bloody marvelous stuff, seems to resolve everything and then on top of that make me charming too! priceless! x x x

Unknown said...

Bile beans hey? I do suffer terribly from female weakness and can cause biliousness in others so what a shame I can't get hold of some of those little beauties. Gorgeous dress and as ever, loving that fur coat. It is good advice to take in and appreciate the details and we can always take some time to appreciate the city we live in. XXX

Melancholy and Menace said...

So glad the wind hasn't damaged your home. It's surprisingly suny here today.

I do love your 1960s Kenrose dress and the peacock pendant...the coat is gorgeous too...and the boots...hell I love it all!!

It is sad that so many people miss such wonderful architecture. What I'd do if I had the funds!! There are so many derelict churches and chapels down here, it's unbelievable. I may pop around and take some pics of them all. The only thing that stops me at times is people asking what I'm up to.

I came across a poster for Bile Beans a few years ago, so I looked them up and discovered they were still on sale in the 80s. I think they were just glorified laxatives.

Have a splendid Sunday xx

Olga Rani said...

Beautiful area that you have shown on these photos, Curtise. All those buildings, architectural details and the pave - amazing! Love your dress with such a lovely summery print. And that peacock pendant - I would not mind to have it in my collection too, I am kind of a sucker for peacock motif.

Angels have Red Hair said...

Oh my … I think I may need some Bile beans … but then again I just had a curry for dinner … so that should take care of things ;0)
I love looking at buildings … it's one of my "things" … specially ones with coloured front doors.
xx

Val said...

In my house it always comes down to wind!

Lovely post, lots of great pictures. I love the painted books at Bank Street Arts, and it's lovely seeing those photos of the blog posse!

One thing I really miss here in a bland little town is old buildings. A lot of them were taken down in the '60s and '70s - sacrilege! I love all the details of the old buildings and the way they look so solid. One problem I found with looking up to appreciate them, though, is that I was always tripping off curbs, running into people, or stepping into dog messes!

Vix said...

Bloody gorgeous and practical, too with that groovy beret and rock star coat. No fleeces on our Curtise. Kenrose's frock is a beaut.
So many Georgian gems in Sheffield, just lovely. Bank Street Gallery looks great, too. We've a similar not-for-profit community gallery in the next street which shamefully I haven't set foot in. Must do better. i'd be the first to moan when its gone.
Look up, indeed! Our Krista's words of wisdom. So many people dismiss our towns and cities as crap when they've only to tear their eyes away from the lurid shopfronts and see beautiful remnants of our heritage. Yes, it was a lion!
What a wonderful day that was, the sun, the shopping, the company and the cocktails!
You don't need Bile beans, you've health, figure and charm by the bucketload (fab tin, though!)
Lets hope that roof holds up, its back to battening down the hatches next week...
Love you! xxxxx

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

Ah, it's lovely to see the Bile Beans tin! They have an ad painted on the side of a property in York (where I'm off tomorrow) which was restored a few years ago.
Glad you survived the wind. I've been boarding up the windows we lost in the garage. To be fair, they were sort of dropping out naturally before the storm...xxxx

Veshoevius said...

Look up, look around - good advice indeed! I love this dress! It's like a beautiful garden. And the flea market coat is gorge too - bet you paid buttons for it and it looks so luxurious. I love Victorian architecture and I like your idea of the vintage emporium and cafe for that building!

Unknown said...

Love that rocking coat of yours !
xxx

Anonymous said...

Lovely outfit, and beautiful jewellery, your carved bangle looks like jet. So right about looking up, Birmingham is much the same, demolition by WWII, but when you look above the shop facades, beautiful stonework and brickwork appears.

silvergirl said...

Love the photo's of the doors and window
Such a sucker for that sort of thing
Brett

Kezzie said...

I really miss Claire. I wish she was still blogging! I know what you mean about the berets. I cannot go anywhere without a hat and last night, we went out to Southend for a party and I was wearing a feather fascinator so couldn't wear a hat- it was sooooo cold and blustery!!!
Love your sequinned beret- wish I had one like that- I saw a silver one one and regret not buying it!
I like that'Look up and around'. I did that today and saw an awesome cloud!!!! xx

Helga said...

Krista is a fecking gorgeous smarty!!!
Now, I am fair dribbling over this divoon outfit! Such perfection in the details, and I'm loving the black ribbon trimming the frock-it just makes the pattern and colours all the more punchy!!! GRRR!
Bank Street Arts is brilliant! I;d love to spend a few hours in there!!! We could do with something like that. Such a great use for a building.
Look up, look around-so often I find myself staring at the ground. It's bloody ignorant, I must stiop doing it! I get caught up in my thoughts, I think, and lose connection to where I am.
You are divoon, and I adore you!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sheila said...

LOL, from wind to bile beans, you have it all, Curtisse! Some great advice: look up! Although my city is not nearly as historic as anywhere in England, we also have some wonderful architecture that's worth looking up for.

You're looking gorgeous as always!

Suzanne said...

You clever girl you!

I wondered where you were going with the beans! LOL

How I love your long coat and your green dress. The colours and pattern are fantastic.

I'm always looking around at details.

I loved the photos of the doors!

bisous
Suzanne

bohemian vanity said...

The architecture is amazing, i like those bright colored doors! And funny old man asking what you are doing.... something really bad obviously! haha.
Love your dress, that little black bow detail makes it so pretty! Have a fab monday dear! xx Tani

Goody said...

I think I need some of those tablets.

Your garden really seems to be benefiting from the rain-so nice to see green in the dead of winter-and it matches your beautiful dress.

Unknown said...

Love it when you show us bits of your world- I'm a great admirer of your gorgeous architecture -
I look up all the time in my city or anywhere else- The best stuff is always up i say!

Arianexo

Unknown said...

ahhh how wonderful! lovely outfit, lovely photos, a wind cure and some amazing art! Oh those keyhole pieces i adore!

Sue said...

You are the queen of berets, I love all your fabulous photos and the Bile Beans didn't half make me laugh!!!

Vicky Hayes said...

I know it's not thrown together Curtise - you have a real talent for writing and I would so much rather read your stuff in the Sunday Times Style magazine that all that irritating nonsense about women and their successful careers and ridiculously expensive clothes and 'accessory' children as if these are the things we'll be thinking about on our death beds. Great advice to look up and around you - we may live in an increasingly ludicrous society but we don't have to play all its games. Vicky x

Diane said...

I've never been to Bank Street Arts either - didn't know about it!! I really lovee Paradise square though xxx

thorne garnet said...

Look up is great advice. Look at the building across the street, too! Walk around your own street and you can see some amazing things.



at my dressingtable said...

Great post once again , love the outfit and the coat, thank you for the comments you leave on my blog best wishes xxx.