Change is Afoot. A Personal Post…

Tags

Allergies, Blogging, Dairy allergy, Diet, food, Gluten intolerence, Life, Reflection, Roald Dahl

(Image from here)

This is my third year in TSL land. Sometimes, I surprise even myself.

At the time I started this blogging caper, I was dipping my toe in the waters of things design oriented. I completed a couple of tours at the International School of Colour and Design here in Sydney.

And, I learnt a few things. Mainly, I learnt that I am not a designer. I just have a strong sense of what I like!

Along the way, despite protesting that this is not a food blog, my most popular posts – by a considerable margin – have been those about food. Perhaps I should have read between the lines…

I was lucky enough to grow up with a Mum who is a great cook. She experimented with new dishes. She was making her own taramasalata years before it became fashionable in wee New Zealand at the bottom of the world. And, she had some favourites – as a family, we still think her chicken liver pâté is the best. Every year, my sister asks Mum to make her version of Zuppa Inglese* at Christmas. And, speaking of Christmas, her Christmas mince tarts are widely acknowledged as THE BEST IN THE WORLD. (No bias here.)

Until I left home, I never really appreciated that not everyone ate like we did.

George’s Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl
(Image from here)

As a result, I have always appreciated good food. But, it has taken a bit of time, not to mention a reasonably circuitous road, for me to understand just how important food is in my life, and how much I enjoy cooking for those I love. Sounds a little hokey when I see it written down, but it’s true.

Here at Casa TSL, over the past year or so, we have been evolving the way we eat. This is the direct result of a few niggling health issues – mainly LM’s strong allergy to all things cow juice, and my intolerance to gluten. I have done a serious amount of reading in an effort to understand what it all means, not to mention how it happens.

And, you know what? – It takes work. Putting nutritious and delicious food on the table takes work. But, when you add the removal of all things gluten and dairy, it complicates the cooking experience further. And, dining out becomes MUCH more of a challenge.

The more I learn, the more I realise that these allergies to food are on the increase. They are not going away. So, rather than fight it any more, this year TSL is going to have a change in direction. The focus will be more towards food – both here in at Casa TSL, and dining out in Sydney. I haven’t quite worked out what it all means in blog-terms, but I promise you’ll be the first to know!

I hope you’ll stick with me for the ride…

* My Mum’s Zuppa Inglese is nothing like the linked recipe. But, hers is a safely guarded secret!

Squint – the Willy Wonka of Furniture!

Tags

Bespoke, British Design, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Colour, Furniture, Furniture Design, Interior design, London, Patchwork, Roald Dahl, Squint Limited, Textiles, Willy Wonka

Good morning, starshine… the earth says hello! (Willy Wonka)

Since I brought up the ever so fabulous Abigail Ahern and her funky Atelier yesterday, it seems only fair that today you get a few happy snaps from our visit to Squint Limited.

I wrote about the eclectic and quirky world of Squint Limited back in February (here, if you’re interested). It has been a small dream of mine to go and visit ever since I discovered Lisa Whatmough’s colourful world of textile-centric home-wares.

For me, it was like visiting the Willy Wonka factory of bespoke furniture and I was just like Charlie with his golden ticket. The joy of all that colour is so infectious – the hardest part is working out which piece is your favourite. Especially when LM suggested I should pick something out for my birthday!!! Definitely a golden ticket day for this girl!

Squint Limited – Bedside Side Table & matching Stag Lamp
Two-tone cobalt blue velvet
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – Marble Lamp & Bespoke Lampshade
Hand made in the UK using a dry marble process and part of the new lighting collection. I know not what he is called, but he weighs a tonne!
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – Mirror & Wallpaper
I think this may be the Carved Crown Mirror (but then again, maybe not), beside some of the recently launched Squint Limited ‘Flowers’ Wallpaper
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – the Chesterfield
How gorgeous is this sofa?
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – Table & Desk Lamps
I fell in love with these two-tone velvet covered pieces
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – Mirror, Chest of Drawers, Two Lamps AND another Mirror!
THAT rusty orange two-tone velvet…. sigh
(Image by TSL)

Squint Limited – The Curved Sofa & Alphabet Cushions
Not all Squint furniture is a riot of colour,. This sofa sets off the Alphabet Cushions beautifully…
(Image by TSL)

Which one is your favourite?

The very lovely Catherine took great care of me as I tried to make a decision on just which piece I should choose – and, then just to confuse me even further, there was the process of choosing fabrics. I had to go away for a day to think about it! I’ll take some happy snaps when my birthday present arrives.

Squint Limited can be found online, but it really is not the same. Go and visit if you are in London – Squint Limited Shoreditch, 178 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6HU or Squint Limited South Kensington, 1 North Terrace, London SW3 2BA (Just around the corner from the V & A).

Homage to Roald Dahl

Tags

BFG, Books, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Entertainment, Fantastic Mr Fox, Hollywood, James and the Giant Peach, Movies, Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl, Royal Mail, Stamps

(source: Royal Mail)

Have you seen that the Royal Mail has brought out a “Gloriumptiously Collectible” series of Roald Dahl stamps reflecting some of his most popular characters?  Each stamp features illustrations by Roald Dahl’s long-time friend and collaborator, Quentin Blake.  How gorgeous do they look?

The Hollywood movie adaptations – notably ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Fantastic Mr fox’ – have brought more recent acclaim to Roald Dahl’s work, but if you are not familiar with his fabulously imaginative story telling (where have you been?) or, if you think you might like to revisit them, I urge you to either pick up some of his stories for little people with BIG imaginations or, a collection of his short stories for adults.  They almost always have a sting in the tail.

One of his most famous adult short stories, ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’, tells of Mary who beats her husband, Patrick to death with a frozen leg of lamb and then roast the murder weapon and serves it up to the policeman who comes to question her.  It was later adapted for television by Alfred Hitchcock.  It’s leave-the-light-on stuff, yet beautifully told.

Roald Dahl Short Stories (one of my favourites)

AND, his books are all available on Kindle if you are a more modern kind of reader!

Don’t forget to leave the light on…!