The King of Bling

Most of us, of a certain age, would recognise who that man behind the candelabra is; that would be Liberace, but where might that candelabra have come from?

Liberace perusing the goods of the Silver Vaults. Image courtesy of the LSV Facebook page

If you've ever been down to the London Silver Vaults and stopped to look at the photos in the foyer you might just have noticed a picture of a smiling Liberace with one of the shop owners, May Langford, back in 1956. Mrs. Langford's sons, our neighbours, continue to run the family business today.

Nutmeg Grater

Since being discovered on the Spice Islands in the 1500’s nutmeg has been part of our culinary repertoire and at one time the cost per gram made it even more valuable than gold.

Though nearly always relegated to the baking cupboard now, its popularity at one time was such that there were special portable boxes made so that people could transport their own nutmeg with them. It became such, that no fashionable gentleman’s well equipped pocket was complete without one.

Spring Forward

With the clocks going forward this weekend I look forward to the longer days we have ahead of us. There was a time in my life when I saw the clocks going forward as a negative; a stolen hour of my much valued sleep which I wouldn't get back until the winter was upon us again.

The banks of the Thames are a perfect place to enjoy London in the spring. Image via.

However, now the extra light at the end of the day is a joyous bonus to me and I don’t even notice the missing hour.