After last week’s glittering opening of The Great Gatsby at the Cannes Film Festival and the film’s debut in theatres across the UK, the glamour of the Roaring Twenties has taken over London with the magical windows at Harrods. Just take a peek at the video above to be swept away by the glitz and style of the Great Gatsby inspired windows at Harrods! The windows celebrate Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel with official artwork, costumes from the movie designed by Catherine Martin and film trailers. But the Gatsby mania doesn’t stop at the windows! The famous Harrods flags at the entrance to the store have been replaced with Art Deco Gatsby inspired designs in black and gold. Step inside to find 20s music, Art Deco designs and more to create a an exceptional shopping experience – perfect for Gatsby himself!

For a peek at The Great Gatsby windows, visit the Harrods Windows Pinterest page here. While you’re there, why not take a peek at our London Perfect Pinterest boards, too?

An August picnic in London’s Green Park

Lately we’ve been asked quite a few times about visiting London in August. What is the weather like? What is there to do? There seems to be a myth that London shuts down during the month of August like many big cities in France and Italy. But precisely the opposite is true about London! August is one of the best times of the year to visit London because of the fun outdoor events, absolutely lovely weather and the rare chance to visit sights like Buckingham Palace that are only open during the late summer.

And the weather … well, it’s just about right in August! While Paris sizzles and Italians are burnt by the Tuscan sun, August temperatures in London peak around the 70s with temps over 80 a rarity. Now that’s perfect weather for sightseeing or picnicking in the park. Here’s a look at a few of our favourite summer events and reasons to visit London in August!

Buckingham Palace Summer Opening

See the beautiful State Rooms at Buckingham Palace during the Summer Opening

You’ve seen the Changing of the Guard. You’ve admired the stunning carriages at the Royal Mews. But have you toured the exquisite State Rooms at Buckingham Palace? Every summer the palace’s nineteen State Rooms are opened to the public for two months. Visitors have the chance to discover the lavish rooms and experience the royal lifestyle while touring these important rooms that are still very much used by The Queen and the Royal Family for entertaining guests during state and ceremonial occasions. These rooms are full of history as well as incredible works of art that can only be enjoyed during the Summer Opening. This year the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will be open from:

27 July -31 August  2013
Open daily 09:30-19:00

1-29 September  2013
Open daily 09:30-18:30

Find out more and book your tickets online here.

Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House

Popular outdoor film screenings at the Somerset House in London

One of London’s most popular open-air film events of the summer happens in the stunning 18th-century courtyard at the Somerset House. With a giant screen, full surround sound and a fun summer atmosphere, the Film4 Summer Screen presents 14 nights of cinema in London with an eclectic mix of romance, comedy, thrillers and classics. Stay tuned to the Somerset House website for the release of the 2013 summer calendar … grab a blanket and head to Somerset House Summer Screen this August!

Peter Pan: The Never Ending Story World at London’s Wembley Arena

If you’ve seen the statue of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and know that the author JM Barrie used to stroll through the park then you know the strong connection between London and this classic children’s book. Peter Pan: The Never Ending Story is a spectacular £10 million remake that brings movie quality backdrop images, Cirque du Soleil acrobatics and imaginative choreography to the Wembley Arena in London from August 21st to 26th, 2013. Fun for the whole family … or perfect for the kid in you that has never grown up! Find out more about ticketing here.

West Side Story

West Side Story at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London. Photo by West Side Story, London – Image by Nilz Böhme

Theatre and dance lovers will want to book their tickets now to see West Side Story at Sadler’s Wells this summer. One of the greatest musicals of all time, the original Broadway classic with Leonard Bernstein’s famous score will surely be one of the hits of the season! West Side Story comes to London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre in Islington this summer from August 7th to September 22nd  2013.

The Sound of Music in Regent’s Park

The Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park presents The Sound of Music this summer!

Stroll through the beautiful Regent’s Park before settling into your seat at the Open Air Theatre to be transported to another time and place with their summer production of The Sound of Music. With timeless classics and a gorgeous setting, this is one summer show we don’t want to miss. The Sound of Music will run from July 25th to September 7th, 2013. Visit the Open Air Theatre website for more information and to book your tickets online.

Open Air Cinema at Kensington Gardens

Visit Kensington Palace and stay for the Open Air Cinema from August 1-3, 2013

August is a wonderful time to visit all of the parks and gardens in London and Kensington Gardens is one of our favourites! Enjoy visiting Kensington Palace, a real working Palace, explore the gardens and in the evening pack a hamper picnic and enjoy a good flick with the Open Air Cinema at Kensington Gardens. On August 1st you can catch the always popular Top Gun, on August 2nd the latest James Bond blockbuster Skyfall and on August 3rd the classic Casablanca. Set up in the gardens by the Orangery at Kensington Palace, this is one lovely spot to enjoy cinema under the stars in London!

Image Credits: Picnic in Green Park by Kate Gardiner, Buckingham Palace State Rooms from Beacon Radio, Summer Screen by Ian Nichol, Orangery at Kensington Palace by leeno

Now that driveway looks rather familiar. Welcome to Highclere Castle! Also known as Downton Abbey.

Downton, Downton, Downton, DOWNTON!

It may surprise you fans from the Americas and Antipodes but us Brits are as infatuated with the Edwardian magnificence that is Downton Abbey as you lot are. The narrative twists and turns that drive the lives and romances of characters such as Lady Mary and cousin Matthew, Lady Sybil and Branson the Chauffeur, Anna the Housemaid and Bates the Valet, punctuated by the acerbic bon mots of the Dowager Duchess are utterly, utterly compelling.

And did I mention the costumes? Ooooh.

Credit: Masterpiece/Carnival Film & Television Limited

And as for the setting, well, you can’t do much worse than Highclere Castle. Which is a real place. A proper 19th-century grand house built upon the site of various other castles that have stood in this corner of Hampshire for about 1,000 years. The Carnarvon family has owned Highclere Castle since the 17th century.

Yet this is not only the impressive setting for the most successful costume drama since Mr. Darcy emerged from a pond with a wet shirt in the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice. Indeed, no.

In 1922 the 5th Earl of Carnarvon with Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. As a result there’s a rather superlative collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts on display at Highclere that makes one go quite giddy at the knees.

Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter giving each other a very well deserved handshake in 1922.

So the combination of Ancient Egypt AND lots of Downton excitement brings me to the crux of the matter. A spot of controversy for the London Perfect blog…

… for I am about to suggest * sotto voce * a day trip out of London.

Gasp!

C’mon, though. It’s for Downton. Just get yourself to London’s Paddington Station, pop onto a train to Newbury (although best check the timetable before you go) and in 52 minutes you’ll arrive at the station. Hail a cab and in moments you’ll be at Highclere Castle. Just take a peek at what you’ll see!

Now, before you get all spontaneous with this idea I urge some planning. Firstly Highclere is only open to the public on Bank Holidays and Sunday to Thursday during the summer months (lots of lucky people have their weddings at Highclere on Fridays and Saturday). Therefore so don’t even think about an autumnal or winter trip. Secondly the guided visits around the house, gardens and Egyptian collection are ticketed.

And all the prebookable tickets for 2013 are already gone.

Botheration.

But! There are some “walk up on the day” tickets available after 2pm, which would be well worth the risk of a train jolly out of London. And, worst case scenario, you do get there and find all the tickets gone there are some wonderful walks in the area that give you some magnificent views of Highclere.

A summer walk and a beautiful view of Highclere Castle in Hampshire.

A spot of Engilsh bucolic bliss is a marvelously refreshing tonic to the excitement of London’s urban vim and vigour. Whatever happens on your grand day out to Highclere to taste the Downton life (who knows? You might bump into the butler of your dreams!) it’ll be well worth the adventure. If you’re thinking of a trip to London for next year and want to see Highclere Castle, do keep an eye on their website and remember to pre book your tickets well in advance.

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Image Credits: Highclere Castle by Richard Munckton, Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter historic photo, Downton Abbey by Richard Munckton

The Chelsea Flower Show 2013 is about to begin!

Calling all green fingers! Grab your sun hats for ‘tis almost time for THE biggest horticultural gathering of the Great British summer. Actually it’s arguably THE biggest horticultural gathering in the world. Dearest London Perfect readers, the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show is almost upon us. This annual event takes place each May and this year runs from the 21st to 25th.

Ah, we do love a bit of allium action

And what a gathering it is. Tickets have already sold out for 2013 and around 161,000 visitors will have a good look at the 500-odd exhibitors, “oohing” and “aaahing” over the traditional, the exciting, the contemporary and the controversial (of which more later) of the gardening world.

Traditional, exciting, contemporary or controversial? You decide.

Gardens aren’t simply spaces to stick in a few Pansies or Busy Lizzies. When created with flair and skill they are an artistic experience that delights all the senses. Colour, perfume and texture are found in abundance whilst the sounds of a green space – from wind rustling through leaves to birdsong – bring balm to the soul. And as for taste … anyone who has grown their own fruit and vegetables will testify to the superiority of flavor over any shop bought impersonator. A true artist could not possibly resist such a palette … and what a location to show off the final art works!

Grassy texture and a calm oasis of lush green. Balm for the soul indeed…

The Flower Show is held in the grounds of the very elegant Chelsea Royal Hospital, a 5-minute walk for those lucky enough to stay in London Perfect’s Hamilton or Elliot apartments in Chelsea. The Show is also celebrating its Centenary. That’s 100 years of celebrating the magnificence that is the gardening creativity of the British (Capability Brown and Humphry Repton anyone?). We may not have an empire any more but, by gum, we’re jolly good at gardening.

Lancelot “Capability” Brown (1716-83), the Granddaddy of English Gardening

And keen. Did you know that one of Britain’s longest running radio shows – for which gardening clubs up and down the nation still fight pitched battles with trowels and rakes for the honour of hosting – is a gardening show. Since 1947 Gardener’s Question Time has ruled the airwaves.

But back to the Chelsea Flower Show and I would just like to point out that it’s not just about the best and fairest of British gardening. Ok, so Prince Harry is involved in the garden created by the Sentebale charity of which he is the founder. He’s very British. And there will be gnomes (of which more later). Which have been very British since the 1930s. But there will also be exhibitors from the US, Australia, Canada and well, lots of other exotic places. Like Wales.

Visitors hail from every nation at the Chelsea Flower Show

The point is if you can get a ticket or know someone who can get one for you THEN YOU MUST GO TO THE SHOW. It’s the place to see what today’s greatest garden designers are up to and what intriguing horticultural delights you’ll be cultivating in your garden soon.

And this year, controversially, for the first time in 100 years… there will be gnomes.

“Controversial? Me?”

“Whut?” I hear you mutter. You see the common garden gnome – so beloved of rockeries and gardeners with a sense of silliness up and down this nation – have been banned, banned at Chelsea since its inception. In recent years “gnome-fanciers” have been protesting outside the front gates at this terrible discrimination. The problem is that the rules of the Show state that coloured statues (as well as balloons and bunting) are not allowed. Probably because they are considered a distraction from all the floral amazingness. Which is fair enough.

The Garden Gnome: Complement or Distraction? You decide.

But gnomes, gnomes… they come into a special, elevated category all of their own and this year, and for one year only, they will stand tall amongst the brightest and best of the horticultural titans. 9 foot tall in fact. At the entrance gate. It’s all about setting the tone, a very British one that even at it’s most traditional, beautiful and glorious just can’t take itself too seriously.

If you’ll be visiting the Chelsea Flower Show this year, check out our Insider Tips for the Chelsea Flower Show. London Perfect will be there this year, and we’ll report back on all the gardening insights, inspiration and gnome-sighting adventures at the 2013 Chelsea Flower Show!

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Image credits: Chelsea Flower Show by Swamibu, Alliums by Herry Lawford, Land art by Frannie Frou Frou, Irish Sky Garden by Sarah from www.gardenvisit.com, Lancelot “Capability” Brown by Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, Chelsea Flower Show displays by La Citta Vita, Musical Garden Gnome by Leeze, Sleeping Garden Gnome by Orpel

A spring stroll through Regent’s Park in London

Gosh, what a glorious Early May Bank Holiday we have had here in London None of that A Foggy Day (in London Town) nonsense from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald et al. It’s been properly sunny, mild and as a result the city has become simply one of the delightful places in which to amble. In the world. FACT.

But where to amble? There are so many parks but my tip top favourite is…

… cue drum roll…

The Regent’s Park.

Between 1809 and 1832 the architect John Nash (1752-1835) – mastermind behind the Regent Street development that runs south to north through Piccadilly and Oxford Circus – designed the 400 acres and planned many of the striking neo-Classical terraces and properties that flank the park.

A Map of Regent’s Park in 1830

Today Regent’s Park is also home to London Zoo, lots of sports fields for those of an active persuasion, an Open Air Theatre (of which more later) for the culture vultures and many a floral and bucolic pathway if leisurely strolling is more your thing.

And so let me unleash some suitably summery and floral images for your delectation. Get ready to “oooh”, “aaaahhh” and start completely replanning your own garden. Move over rambling country garden style. Formal is BACK.

Elegance and spring colors at Regent’s Park

Tulips galore at Regent’s Park

Relaxing in the sunshine in Regent’s Park

Right and now you’ve had a moment with all that loveliness, get ready for something else that will make you feel a bit hot about the collar. You remember the Open Air Theatre I mentioned earlier? Well, they’ve a packed summer programme that includes To Kill a Mockingbird, A Winter’s Tale, The Sound of Music and…

…Wait for it…

Pride and Prejudice.

Pride and Prejudice in London’s Regent Park … coming this summer!

Weeeeeeeeee! Let there be jubilation in all things Jane and Austen! Let there be Elizabeth Bennet in an empire line dress! Let there be oh-so-handsome and moody Mr. Darcy in a frock coat! Let there be emotional highs, lows and moments of exquisite social awkwardness getting in the way of true love before…

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley looking dashing on horses

… well, I won’t give away the ending for those of you who haven’t been privvy to the greatest love story of the past two hundred years, but let’s just say it’s AMAZING.

And you’ll get to see it all in the beautiful surrounds of Regent’s Park in the summer from June 20th to July 20th, 2013. What more could you ask for?

The Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park. Photo: David Jenson

And finally, you want a quick taster of what might be on offer? Fair enough. Here’s London Perfect’s Pinterest board of Frock Coats and Swooning Ladies. We’ve a Darcy or two on there that should set the tone. See you in Regent’s Park this summer!

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Image Credits: Regent Park Map 1830 from Christopher and John Greenwood’s map of London, Pride and Prejudice by the Open Air Theatre, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, Regent Park spring photos by Zoë F. Willis

Photo courtesy Royal Ascot – www.ascot.co.uk/go/royalascot

Ah, dearest London Perfect readers. I hope you’re holding on to your hats (of the Ascot variety of course) as June promises to be a very busy month. “But why the blogpost in May?!” I hear you cry. Well, June brings certain events that are eagerly anticipated, and to get your tickets you had better book in advance! London has something for everybody in June. The weather is usually glorious and so the bookish types can read in the city parks, those with a penchant for interior décor can compare colour swatches in the sunshine, sports fans can revel in civilized warmth whilst shopaholics can snaffle up a bargain in elegant comfort.

To begin with there’s the London Antiquarian Book Fair Week, June 8-16, which not only incorporates the main Book Fair (heaven for all the bibliophiles out there) at Olympia June 13-15 but also another 8 different fairs. The theme is paper and print. Almost anything on paper or printed is available with maps, photographs and ephemera enjoying their own fairs.

The International Antiquarian Book Fair, Olympia, June 13 -15, 2013

Running almost alongside the Book Fair is one of the most exciting events in the calendar for those with a penchant for antiques and interior design. It’s the Olympia International Arts and Antiques Fair, June 6-16, and it is HUGE. 32,000 visitors come from all over the world are drawn to the superlative array of fine furniture, objets d’art, jewellery and antiques that 180 internationally renowned dealers and galleries have on display. If you’ve a budget of only £100 to a more substantial £1,000,000 (obviously I fall into the latter category and will be purchasing a Giambologna bronze with my spare change) you simply must go.

Anthea AG – A fine aquamarine and diamond ring with a large central aquamarine circa 1940s – @OIAAF

If you’re more of a spotter of emerging talent, someone who enjoys a bit of risk, excitement and the occasional gamble then a trip to the New Designer’s Exhibition in Islington is a must. Split into two sections (June 26-29 and July 3-6) this is Britain’s premiere showcase for graduate designers.

Ciara Bowles, Ciara Bowles Contemporary Jewellery, ‘Trina Earrings’, New Designers 2013, One Year On

British design and creative flair is amongst the most sought after in the world, so whatever your passion be it textiles, jewelry and contemporary applied arts (get a ticket for Part 1 of the exhibition) or furniture, architecture and graphic design (Part 2 will be the place for you) you will find the edgiest of examples of here.

New Designers Exhibit in London

Speaking of gambling, hold on to your hats and fascinators. It’s almost time for Royal Ascot, June 18-22. This is a magnificent mélange of Royalty, Society, fashion and a good old flutter on the world’s finest ponies. It really is one of the most thrilling gatherings of the season and a chance for the chaps and ladies to revel in sartorial brilliance.

Royal Ascot, one of the most elegant sporting gatherings of the season. Photo courtesy Royal Ascot – www.ascot.co.uk/go/royalascot

If you’re the sort of sports fan who appreciates the drawn out pleasures of say, tennis, rather than the momentary thunder and adrenalin of a horse race then do consider a day at Wimbledon, June 24-July 7. It’s all very traditional with even the most rebellious of tennis stars looking very smart and trim in the mandatory tennis whites.

A classic London experience – catching a tennis game at Wimbledon

Enjoy the tension and tactical finesse of the world’s finest tennis players whilst sipping on a Pimms or champagne and indulging in a punnet of strawberries and clotted cream. Bliss!

Don’t get too comfortable though. There’s shopping to be done. You can’t head back home without at least one new ensemble from the world’s fashion capital. How mortifying if you only went home with one of those dubious souvenir T-shirts. I think a spot of Mulberry, Stella McCartney or maybe some Agent Provocateur (gosh!) is more the thing. Hurry along to Harrods’ summer sale, June 15-July 7. You’ll need some sharp elbows to get through the crowd but, my oh my, won’t that bag / dress / pair of shoes (delete where applicable) be worth the fight?

Summer accessories at Harrods in London

Phew! What a busy month. And you’ve not even gone anywhere near a museum yet. Good thing you can put your feet up in a London Perfect pad for a breather before…

…. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…..

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Images courtesy: Royal Ascot, International Antiquarian Book Fair, Olympia International Arts and Antiques Fair, New Designer’s Exhibition, Wimbledon by Tim Schofield, Harrods by Herry Lawford

The decadence and glamour of The Great Gatsby is coming to London!

London is all of a flutter. In a “Roaring 20s,” Charlestony, sequined-fringe’d-flapper-dress sort of flutter. On May 16th Baz Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby will be released. Judging by past successes, like Romeo and Juliet and Moulin Rouge, his movie depiction of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s glamour and decadence on Long Island in the summer of 1922 promises to be a lush spectacle indeed. Just take a gander at the preview …

But what on earth has this got to do with London? Lurhmann’s an Australian and Long Island is ever so slightly closer to New York than it is Britain’s fair capital. Well, there are a couple of connections:

1.  The character Gatsby affects an English accent in Fitzgerald’s book. That’s how cool us Brits were in 1922. The Americans wanted to sound like us. How flattering.
2. The actress Carey Mulligan, who plays Gatsby’s love interest Daisy Buchanan, is not only English but is a London girl.

Carey Mulligan. Beautiful, brilliant and British.

Marvelous. With this in mind I would like to point out a couple of events of relevant interest to those of you in London.

The Great Gatsby at Brooks Brothers in London

On the off chance you’re shopping on Regent Street, THE hub of London’s West End Shopping district, do pop in to Brooks Brothers at 150 Regent Street. Yes, yes. I know they are American tailors of great repute and quality who dressed the great and the good of 1920s America, but they also dressed all the chaps in the upcoming Gatsby movie. And that includes the rather swoon-worthy Leo DiCaprio. Oh my.

A swoon-worthy Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby

And at the Regent Street store some of the dashing Brooks Brother ensembles in the company of some delicious flapper dresses worn by the actors are enjoying a small exhibition. Stunning, simply stunning. We sauntered along (or was it shimmied?) recently and here are a few photos to wet your appetite!

Costumes from Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby on display at Brooks Brothers on Regent Street in London

Of course there must be champagne!

The elegance of the 1920s at Brooks Brothers

Northern Ballet’s The Great Gatsby in London

Should being in the presence of this sequined loveliness not be enough to sate your thirst for all things “Roaring” and “20s” then I suggest you pop along to Sadler’s Wells. May 14-18 the Northern Ballet are presenting a version of The Great Gatsby that will be a wonderful confection of traditional ballet and well, lots of “Roaring” and “20s.”

Northern Ballet dancers in David Nixon’s The Great Gatsby. Photo Bill Cooper.

Northern Ballet dancers Tobias Batley (Jay Gatsby) and Martha Leebolt (Daisy Buchanan) in David Nixon’s The Great Gatsby. Photo Bill Cooper.

The music, gorgeous costumes and David Nixon’s beautiful choreography bring Fitzgerald’s book to life in a seductive and completely entertaining way. Here’s the preview trailer to set the scene and tempt you even more!

Gosh. After all that I think it might be time to don the glad rags and get ready for a proper knees up at Prohibition, London’s premiere night of hedonistic decadence. Or maybe pin down the location of the pop-up speakeasy that is the Candlelight Club.

Either way, let there be champagne and vodka martinis. Hooray!

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Image Credits: Charleston by Yva, Carey Mulligan in The Great Gatsby by Warner Bros., Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby by Warner Bros., Brooks Brothers photos by Zoë F. Willis, Northern Ballet’s The Great Gatsby

Escape to Cornwall in Liz Fenwick’s latest novel!

If you’re like us and love escaping to beautiful travel destinations when you dip into a new novel, then you’ll love Liz Fenwick and her novels set in England’s rugged and enchanting Cornwall. Her debut novel The Cornish House caught our eye with its beautiful cover and story about the power of a new landscape in healing the heart. We were thrilled that the release this month of her second novel, A Cornish Affair, will bring Liz Fenwick to London for a book launch at Waterstones in Kensington! The book launch will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2013 at the lovely Waterstones on Kensington High Street. If you’ll be traveling in London on this date, do check out the event details below and enjoy the book launch with author Liz Fenwick!

Five Questions with Liz Fenwick

Liz was very kind to stop by the London Perfect Blog to share more about her travels and writing in Cornwall as well as a few of her favorite spots in London! You can also find Liz online and catch a glimpse of a writer’s life on her blog Just Keep Writing and Other Thoughts… and her website.

What first brought you to Cornwall in England?

My husband, then boyfriend, brought me to Cornwall to meet his parents about a month after we met. It was a glorious weekend in June and I fell in love … with Cornwall. I think I may have already been in love with him!

What about Cornwall spoke to your heart?

There is something about the landscape, the buildings, the people, the legends that speaks to me as a writer. Everywhere I look I feel stories. It’s hard to explain but it almost talks to me. Maybe whispers is a better description.

When did you know Cornwall would be setting for your books? Did the stories evolve from the landscape and your time there?

From my first visit in 1989, I think I was taking in everything about it so that when I sat down in 2005 to write the book that is now called A Cornish Affair my love of Cornwall just spilled out. And every book I have written since 2005 has been set in Cornwall. My debut novel, The Cornish House, asks the question: Can a house heal a broken heart? In A Cornish Affair Jude, the heroine runs away from Cape Cod to Cornwall and finds out sometimes running away is the answer.

Why should travelers in England visit Cornwall?

It is magic. Have you ever been to a place where you can feel the history, the legends and see how time and harsh weather have shaped the landscape? Cornwall gives you all of that from the bleak beauty of Bodmin Moor to the lush river valleys on the east coast. It has quaint fishing villages and fabulous restaurants but it’s all real and that’s what so brilliant about it.

Do you have any favorite spots in London to share with our readers?

I love London. My favourite spots in London are: Hyde Park all of it – just walking there you can’t believe you are in a city like London. The gardens of Kensington Palace always delight me no matter the time of year. I love the Kensington Wine Bar …fabulous food and wonderful wines by the glass. The experience of 10:30 Mass at Westminster Cathedral is perfect … the choir is divine and the organ superb. I also love the Victoria and Albert Museum. I love to just go and look around for short periods …there is so much it is easy to be overwhelmed but in small chunks it’s just right.

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The Launch of A Cornish Affair

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Waterstones Kensington

193 Kensington High Street, W8 6SH London

6:30pm

Please come and join me for a Cornish Cream Tea to launch my latest book A Cornish Affair

www.lizfenwick.com

Save 20% in hundreds of great shops on Carnaby Street!

Love shopping in London? Love a good sale? Well then … we’ve got some exciting news for you. Put on your most stylish of stylish (and by that we mean comfortable) shopping shoes and head to Carnaby Street this Thursday, May 2nd from 5-9PM to enjoy the Carnaby Shopping Party! This annual event is co-hosted with Grazia Magazine and brings a burst of fun to Carnaby Street for springtime shopping. Enjoy picking up some great finds for your summer wardrobe while saving 20% at over 100 shops, restaurants and bars. Click here to find out all the places by street location that will be participating in the 20% sale. The Carnaby Shopping Party is free, but you must sign up in advance for your free ticket. You can find out all the details and register for your free ticket right here.

Shop along one of London’s most iconic shopping streets!

In addition to the sales, the Carnaby Shopping Party will include a line up of fun events from 5-9PM, including live music, giveaways, complimentary drinks and more. Visit the Carnaby website for all the details. See you there, shoppers!

PS: Don’t forget to register here in advance for your free ticket! 

St George – the Patron Saint of England

It’s almost April 23^rd. Which means it will be St George’s day. You know, the patron saint of England. The red cross on the white ground that is the English flag that in turn is part of the Union Jack? Yep, that’s the cross of St George.

Now you can spot the flag of St. George in the bunch!

Of late though – by that I mean since the 18^th century – poor George has been receiving less attention, less celebration than his Welsh (St David), Scottish (St Andrew) and Irish (St Patrick really takes the biscuit when it comes to merriment on a feast day) saintly counterparts. Which is a shame as George has been a part of English cultural identity for the better part of 1400 years.

Not bad going for a chap martyred in Palestine somewhere near a small town called Lydda during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (284-305 AD). That’s pretty much all we know about the man. Since the 4^th century the mythical layers that have built up around the saint range from the humdrum to the downright fantastical. George was supposedly an officer in the Roman army who converted to Christianity. He was killed for his beliefs not once, not twice, but THREE times, chopped into bits first time round, buried alive the next and burned in a fire the final time. Fortunately divine intervention …. ermmm … intervened and George arose unscathed. In addition he was credited with resurrecting people from the dead himself, causing wooden beams to shoot forth leaves, destroying idols and armies as well as the all important conversion of Pagans.

We can trace these particular legends back to the 6^th century. A jolly long time ago. What’s rather interesting is that the first reference to St George in England is from the 8^th century thanks to the Venerable Bede whilst there was certainly a church dedicated to George by the 9^th. That’s quite a speedy uptake considering we’re in an age well before the internet. Or telephones. Or a reliable postal service.

No wonder the Middle Ages are sometimes called the Dark Ages. How did people survive without a reliable post service?!

The English fascination with George became more intense during the High Middle Ages. You see, England as a country was starting to get a bit more belligerent, a bit keener on trying to conquer other people (like the Welsh, Scots and Irish … oh, as well as the French) and joining pan-European military ventures like the Crusades. A martial saint like George seemed as good a patron for such martial endeavours as any. English ships and armies sported the penant of St George with pride whilst his name was invoked as a battle cry during some of the bloodiest altercations of the period. Shakespeare’s “Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George” just before the Battle of Harfleur in Act III of Henry V is a spine-tingling taste of how powerful and real the saint’s presence was to the Medieval and Early Modern Englishman.

I’m sure this is precisely the image all those medieval Englishmen had of St George before going into battle.

“That’s marvelously interesting”, I hear you mutter, dearest London Perfect readers, “but what about the DRAGON?!” It’s possibly not a surprise to learn that this event was a myth. Its origins are possibly from images in the Eastern Church that depict St George spearing a dragon, a common symbol for Satan, with a female figure in the background. She is supposedly the Emperor Diocletian’s wife, who was so impressed by George that she herself converted to Christianity … and then suffered a similar fate to George for her efforts. These images were probably brought back to Western Europe during the Crusades, becoming a visual source for the first written version of St George and the Dragon in the top literary bestseller of the Middle Ages, Jacopo de Voragine’s Golden Legend of c.1260.

A Byzantine icon of St George from the Medieval period. Can you spot the princess?

Hence lots of Georges and dragons littering art and literature since then.

Oddly, although St. George’s day was a properly recognized feast day in England and continued to be so after the Reformation and the discarding of terribly popish practices like saint’s days, there were never set rituals or rules for how to celebrate. Even by the late Medieval period, how people observed April 23^rd was particular to each community. Although venerated by all England, each Englishman had his own way of venerating the enigmatic St George.

Which is probably why today’s Englishman might morris dance, or consume his own body weight in beef or pretend to fight dragons to celebrate St George’s day. Want to celebrate St George’s day with a Morris Dance? Here’s a taster of how to Morris Dance.

But only with a select group of chums. In a slightly disorganized manner. Not an en masse manifestation of patriotic pride in our patron saint, like the Welsh, Scots or Irish. Which is a pity as it seems we used to be rather good at doing just that en masse, particularly moments before battle. But, in the meantime, dragon taming, Morris dancing and a hog roast in Trafalgar Square seem like a good way to go …

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Zoë F. Willis is a writer and enthusiastic London resident. You can read more about her adventures and creative exploits at http://thingswotihavemade.blogspot.co.uk/

Image Credits: Saint George and the Dragon by Raphael, British Flags by Matt Buck, UK Post Box by Andrew Dunn, Lego St George’s Day by Jonathan Beard, St. George Byzantine Icon