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Anita Doherty

@theabodeclub

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Generation X Cool with elegant lifestyle reviews, shaped by quiet luxury.
Arts, Books, Interior Design, Music, Places, Sailing, Wellbeing, Wine & Food
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Film Review: Life is Beautiful ~ Italian Cinema I remember Roberto Benigni coming to collect The Oscar not realising at the time, he was Italy's top comedian - he was collecting it in the capacity of the film-maker I think or best foreign film I can't remember exactly. Anyhow his speech; just made me want to see the film. This film had its critics. Which I can wholly understand considering its' subject matter and the role of comedy within the film. I initially found Roberto Benigni performance at first a little jarring - it took me a while 'to get' what he was trying to do in the lead role of Guido Orefice. Only because I was flinching, knowing what was to come then trying to square that circle with the humour of the film was hard. So hard! But the brilliant mastery of Roberto Benigni's comic timing and delivery as illustrated with the German translation into Italian by Guido Orefice, "no spoilers"; in short was genius, by creating hope in a tragic situation. In that moment for me; elevated the film; as I nearly stopped watching it before this point. Then I 'got it' and continued watching the film. - Will you get it? [I had a similar experience when reading Schindler's Ark; a couple chapters in hurled the book across the café like a missile at my utter disgust of Thomas Keneally treatment of the subject matter that he was writing about. Then I 'got it', picked up the book and continue reading.] This is a film where delightful, harrowing, funny and heart breaking all belong in the same sentence! Wow you are on such a roller coaster of a ride! But it was brilliant with that ending! Well you are going to have to watch it. Heart Wrenching. Box of tissues, deffo! #LifeIsBeautiful #LaVitaEBella #MovieNight #ItalianCinema #worldcinema #FilmReview #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
Postcard Three: "Wish you were here" :- Partying! Another genre of music discovered; listened and explored on YouTube initially - saw an opportunity to experience the same DJs live and I thought why not. Great Day, partying outside, the sun shone. Numbers were exchanged and plans made! So wonderful, every tempo of 'fluid flow' was danced to; in bare feet! - Well that's GENEGERATION X COOL for you! Just go and do it........ #downtempo #downtempomusic #musicfestival #GenerationXCool #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
INTERIOR DESIGN ~ Textures Textures are a great way to inject interest, by selecting pieces that are timeless and practical into a small corner of your home without a total revamp! A Whitney dining chair, with the texture of a rush seat. A hall chair perhaps, for your reading nook or in a guest bedroom. Take it up a notch, by draping a Grey Icelandic Long Hair Sheepskin over it. The cosiness it portrays, is just wonderful. The pair of lamps are my own; loving their ceramic texture which diffuses a soft light when turned on; another layer of texture. Tad of rustic texture can be added to a room in a subtle way with a milking stool, many of them dating from 1800s. Here, you can mix the textures, a Selsey Herringbone Throw rolled up with a soft fringe just falling over the stool's edge. Wonderful. Just place beside a sofa, where the throw is to hand and the stool can double up as a small table. Beautiful so practical, textures that are just timeless! The wooden blocks, I bought a few of these at Adams Antique Fairs some years ago. Their simplicity and patina I love; where I can prop things up onto, for table-scaping. Plus printing blocks too which in their day were used to print on fabric. All small enough to add to the narrative of the room displaying hints of texture either on a table, or on a shelf or even on a sideboard. Adams Antique Fairs there is always a queue to get in. This Rather says it all! www.adamsantiquesfairs.com Hyde & Hare - Celebrating the inherent beauty of natural fibres! www.hydeandhare.com So a shout out to the following:- • Whitney dining chair ~ @marksandspencerstyle • Grey Icelandic Long Hair Sheepskin ~ @hydeandhare • Selsey Herringbone Throw ~ @hydeandhare • Printing Blocks ~ @adamsantiquesfairs • Milking stools ~ @adamsantiquesfairs • Wooden Blocks Fairs ~ @adamsantiquesfairs #AdamsAntiquesFairs #HydeAndHare #MarksAndSpencerHome #texturesinthehome #interiordesignforthesoul #antiquecollectors #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
Travel Journal an Entry ~ Bill's - A Café in Darlinghurst. The wonderful chef, Bill Granger was very much self taught. So GenerationXcool where his recipes; truly puts sunshine onto the plate. When I visited his café in Darlinghurst; it was to me, the perfect café; a great vibe. I joked you need to come to London; not expecting they would as they only had a couple cafes at the time. But my wish came true a decade later! Naturally I had the Avocado on Toast with porched eggs, as it was brunch time. This is where Avocado on Toast was born! The interiors reminded me of the 1970s with a contemporary twist so it did not feel dated. Lovely just sitting there watching the world go by! I am ashamed to say, I have only two of Bill Granger's cook-books which I hasten to add are amongst my favs; as all of his recipes, are just pure sunshine and uplifting. The two books I have are Every day and Feed Me Now. I think there are twelve or fourteen books in total. In the 'Feed Me Now' there is an ice-cream tiramisu cake! Whilst it is a bit of assembly job really, but you can't fault it for that, as it is such a crowd pleaser. I have done it many a time and naturally you can do well in advance and keep it in the freezer which does rather add to its appeal. Then you whip it out for dessert and everyone's eyes widened with delight - Great Stuff! What I love about Bill Granger's books are the photos. They are very compelling and encouraging to give a recipe a try! One of which is cod and miso; to date I have not attempted it, yet due to not really being a fish eater. EVEN CONSIDERING TO ATTEMPT the recipe; this chef has taken me out of my comfort zone! With a 'There you are Sheila go on give it a go' attitude! Wonderful collection of recipes fuelled by an adventurous spirit of pure sunshine! #SunshineOnAPlate #BillGranger #BillsDarlinghurst #SydneyBrunch #AvocadoOnToast#culinaryarts #FoodieCulture #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
APP REVIEW: Bloom by Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers. Well this is my first app review and it was the first App I ever downloaded shortly after it came out. And to this day I still love it - what is it? Bloom is an immersive musical experience. It is as much as a musical tool by using touches on the screen. This allows the user to compose musical patterns visually, continuing to generate evolving sounds and patterns if left on its own. Setting it off in motion, just sit back and marvel at the masterpiece you have created! Want an idea what it is all about I found this on YouTube. If you want to take a look just paste the link into your browser bar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwfudk4jftI Brian Eno & Peter Chilvers - Bloom: Recorded 4th June 2024 So a shout out to Brian Eno @brianeno If you have not really play a musical instrument before you will feel you have now! Well why not? Via the screen very 21st Century! #BrianEno #BloomApp #AmbientMusic #Soundscapes #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
FLIM REVIEW Casablanca Wow all I can say is; if anything the hype, around this film was actually an understatement. Casablanca, as a film is not at all dated; it has a classic timeless quality about it. Beneath the famous quotes and glamour is a deeply moving story. A story about love, loss and doing the right thing when it matters most. With unforgettable performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, this wartime romance blends love, sacrifice and moral courage into one of cinema's greatest stories. The dialogue is so iconic, the atmosphere is pure Hollywood magic, and the ending is as powerful today as it was over 80 years ago. Love it brilliant; beyond brilliant, I have to say. Well talk about being late to the party with this one! BUT! Got the dvd now folks and its there for future movie nights! #Casablanca #FilmReview #ClassicMovies #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
BAKING REVIEW: THE DUAKSIS BROWNIE - The Holy Grail SO why the Dukakis Brownie? I applied whilst at university to work on the USA Presidential Campaign in Massachusetts where the Democrats had their HQ it was a long shot. But I got the job to work with them for four weeks in the summer. So chuffed! So why the Brownie - Well it seem to be a thing, everyone brought in Brownies, whilst I was working in the press office, I just took them for granted - " Awesome Brownies" Alas when I came home, the quest to find "The Dukakis Brownie" was on par with the Holy Grail! I just gave up trying and took the view they just taste better across the pond and my baking attempts at them where not that great really. Finding a Dukakis & Bentsen Campaign Badge in a drawer. I wonder! So, I asked Christian Gott, if he could help in the light of my success with his Victoria Sponge recipe [details in an earlier post below] with a brownie recipe. "The secrets to your best ever brownie are first, whisking up the eggs to mix in as much air as possible" says Christian Gott Well I think in the past I never really did this. But working through his recipe - well the Brownies where so good - Yep I created THE DUKAKIS BROWNIE on this side of the pond! Here is the link - https://anislandchef.com/2020/04/16/best-ever-chocolate-brownie-by-an-island-chef/ There is information about the Brownie's history. The recipe to "print" or "pin" step by step photos what not to like! Great tips how to adjust the timings to create your own perfect brownie from the fudge to a more crumble or cake texture. Whilst you're there do check out the rest, lots of fab stuff there. Please note there are no annoying pop up ads etc - Bliss you can explore without being bothered! So would like to give a shout out to:- - Christian Gott @anislandchef A great chef based in the Channel Islands. The bake brought back wonderful memories - Whilst on the US Presidential Campaign Trail did he win? Err no - George Bush did! But Michael Dukakis lives on now in THE DUKAKIS BROWNIE. #brownie #homebakingrocks #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
Fashion Tips ~ Capsule Wardrobe ~ No.1 Just for the season - A faux fur jacket - I was surprised how many commented upon it; where I quipped 'Yep Bambi is DEAD!' ~ which caused plenty of smiles and giggles all round! So what about creating a mood board, some ideas for a capsule wardrobe. Could be a plan! SO! Here is my first post: Capsule Wardrobe ~ No.1 ! Starting off with this jacket! Plus trainers [still waiting to come out of the box] which I have, along with the cream jeans and the white long sleeve top. So I used them as my starting point, anchor pieces if you like just to see where they would go and what combos would materialised. So a shout out to the following:- • Jacket - TK Maxx ~ @tkmaxxuk • Guess shoes - Guess ~ @guess • Pink bag - Zara ~ @zara • Pink dress - Zara ~ @zara • Necklace - Zara ~ @zara • Cream Jeans - Marks Spencer ~ @marksandspencerstyle • White long sleeve T-shirt ~ @marksandspencerstyle • Brown earrings ~ @marksandspencerstyle • Brown Skirt - Hobbs ~ @hobbslondon • Gold earrings - Whistles ~ @thisiswhistles • Pink Jumper - Whistles ~ @thisiswhistles • Sunglasses - Whistles ~ @thisiswhistles • Belt - Phrase Eight ~ @phaseeight • Silk scarf - Liberty's ~ @libertylondon I love the combos! I hope you too like some of ideas here. My first capsule wardrobe here on The Abode Club. Let me know comments if you do and which combo did you like the best. #CapsuleWardrobe #CapsuleStyle #FashionOver40 #FashionGenerationX #UltraStyle #QuietLuxury #QuietLuxuryLifestyle #PersonalStyle #StyleInspiration #WardrobeForTheSeason #TheAbodeClub by @theabodeclub
Winnie the Pooh ~ Poohsticks October 14th 1926 - October 14th 2026 One hundred Years today! 🙂😀🙂 But this is just the second most important date in British history! THE FIRST - WELL THAT IS - October 14th 1066! 🙂 So Winnie the Pooh is in good company and has brought us the wonderful world of Poohsticks! The Game of Poohsticks is a delight to all ages. I introduced the game to a ninety-two year old this summer and she thought I was quite mad. But the fast flowing river meant we had to up our game and give up on the twigs and go for couple sizes up. And after a few goes she started to see the joy in the game as we all giggled in delight. Just wonderful to discover the magical world of Poohsticks at ninety-two years old. However, in pursuit of the perfect Poohsticks; Dr Rhys Morgan, from the Royal Academy of Engineering, devised a formula to aid budding players of Poohsticks - The formula uses area, density and a drag coefficient to help competitors find the perfect twig. But I was not armed with this vital info back in the day! BUT NOW! I know and no doubt armed with this vital info:- 'PP = A x I x Cd' My Poohsticks will be much improved HOORARY! Time to return and to Keegan Bridge once again and put this formula to the test! Where did you play Poohsticks I would love to know leave in the comments below #poohsticks #winniethepooh #literaryfiction #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
INTERIOR DESIGN ~ Antique C18th Cellaret Cellarets were quite a status symbol in the grand Georgian dinning rooms. Whilst today, it would not really be used to store wine due to the fact the bottles are much taller now, perhaps it could accommodate half bottles of Clarets! I have always wanted one though; but always found myself outbid at auction until I got this one! It was; "in the rough" and in need of restoration. But I found by adding a tassel to the key brightened it up no end! It does not really need restoring! Ah, well that is not quite true - it could do with the French polish being revived. Something I could undertake, but you know at the moment, I don't feel I want to add to the narrative, as I find it's story absolutely delightful as it is. But should I want to add to the next chapter of my cellaret; well that is something to consider.... The cellaret none the less is a very useful piece of furniture despite the fact it is not really used in the main how it was originally intended. It can fit into today's interior's narrative easily by sitting at the end of a sofa, bedside cabinet, an addition to a reading nook, or in the dinning room even. All the while creating an interest and offering an understated elegance. This is what I found for my cellaret as it travelled through different rooms adding a subtle hint of the eighteenth century into the everyday. Being small and light enough to move about easily, the cellaret is trying something new wherever it goes - offering a different type of storage in each of those rooms. So a big shout out to Rosbery's Auctions where I eventually got one YAY! So please @roseberysauctioneers and to John Lewis @johnlewis for the key tassel! The cellaret is one of my favourite pieces in the 'Interior Design Posts Series' where I write about things I owe and love. I particularly love how the cellaret offers so many uses with such style. I like antiques that do that. It is recycling at its very best! What is mine one doing right now? Housing some of my records and LPs, I know brilliant! #cellaret #roseberysauctioneers #interiordesignforthesoul #antiquecollectors #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
OPERA REVIEW Saul by Handel at Glyndebourne It was actually an oratorio as oppose to an opera; this was due to biblical themes could not be performed through opera back in the day. This allows scope for its staging, here the director Barrie Kosky creates a performance which looks like an animated painting inspired by the Old Dutch Masters with a surreal twist in the style of Derek Jarmen. I love that so brilliant. The dance sequences were trying to be dark and surreal in effect I found them to be "dad dancing" 18th century style, an opportunity missed in what was over all a fantastic performance. We saw Christopher Purves as Saul able to inflict rage and jealousy with such vigour; it was quite scary. For me the joy of seeing Iestyn Davies again at Glyndebourne, this time in the role of David. Here his voice was so bright, beautiful, and mellifluous. It lends itself very well to what we think of countertenors as being good at – that spiritual and ethereal beauty of tone. So shout out to @glyndebourne @artatglyndebourne @wessexglyndebourneassociation The production was sheer Baroque Brilliance Awesome! #HandelSaul #Glyndebourne #opera #culturevulture #quietluxurylifestyle #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub
Postcard Two - Books & Trains "Wish you were here" - Being lost in books whilst waiting for a train they were so good I missed the trains; but the moral of the story don't worry there will always be an other train....... The woman in white by Wilkie Collins. Missed the train well had to explain that to my friend why they were left waiting for me! But happily enough listening to Radio 4 in the car, No Biggie! A book they had not read; so borrowed my copy and read it; then told someone about it; gave them MY COPY; I never got it back, still somewhere in Budapest I reckon! The Prince by Nico Michevelli Ah Well, unlike the above book I got into a little bit in trouble there. As it so happens I was heading back down to University at the time, to present a paper in a seminar - But with two trains missed - left me with a Professor not very amused but totally intrigued by me being so engrossed in "The Prince" - Well not quite left off the hook had to present a paper following week something along lines of if Michevelli was an economist where would he be on the economic spectrum and why! Any books caused you to missed a train. Do drop me a comment below, I would love to know! #thewomaninwhite #theprince #niccolomachiavelli #wilkiecollins #culturevultures #quietluxury #elegantlifestylereviews #theabodeclub by @theabodeclub

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