From a glove making family business started in 1911 to becoming a major Italian luxury fashion house -  stretching to interior design  and furniture is not as far fetched as one might initially think. Designing luxury accessories, Nicola Trussardi soon developed the family firm into the ready to wear fashion that this company is renowned for. Not perhaps as renowned as the Gucci’s and Prada’s of this world but this elegant company does things with purpose and style – in a quiet way.

Trussardi chair and coffee table by Michael Young – l like the wood and the ceramic tops of the coffee table. Very streamlined and contemporary

They collaborate with many designers on a myriad of projects and last year at the Salone del Mobile in Milan I discovered their 100th year celebration furniture line with designer Michael Young. Quiet, elegant, beautifully detailed, the edited pieces are very beautiful.  I love the juxtaposition of noble materials such as wood and ceramic against  more commercial ones such as plastic. The green colour looks much better in real life and I prefer the wood frames than the plastic ones.

Trussardi bench by Michael Young. I adore this – the stitching was delicate but still sturdy enough to take years of bottoms!

Michael Young moved to Hong Kong a few years ago and in this collection you can see the references to Asian objects such as the Chinese lanterns reflected in his stools but detailed in the beautiful leather work that is Trussardi’s trademark.

Trussardi stools – Chinese lanterns in three different designs.

I love these because they do not scream look at me right now and then the interest s over like a passing cloud, but they make a quiet statement and one is drawn to examine the details in the stitching, the materials and the form. These will go very well for my new client’s living room and dining room – a contemporary and elegant choice I think.

Trussardi table and chairs in plastic or wood – my preference is for the wood

It is summer isn’t it? Well kind of, the vagaries of the British weather are not helping us to plan much in the way of days out, but the Potager is full. Helped by the intermittent showers but steady temperatures, it’s great to see that the kitchen garden has rallied after a dismal spring and early summer – all this helping towards some amazing foodie festivals where you will find fresh, flavoursome and excitingly tasty produce.

Swiss chard makes amazing gratin’s, can be used just steamed for a fresh tangy accompaniment to fish or even steamed then used cold in a salad with a vinaigrette.

So I thought I would share a few dates with you where you can see fab vegetables and fruit showcased in amazing ways.

5 August foodie festivals you must visit

Isle of Wight Garlic Festival – 18-19th August 2012

All things garlicky on this island just off the coast of Hampshire. I love going there and since I love garlic it’s definitely a must-go destination this summer! A busy two days with beer tent, arts and crafts stalls, live music, children’s entertainers and of course cookery demos with garlic all through the day!

Taste Fest the Kent and Sussex food showcase – 18th-19th August 2012

This is a celebration of all that is good about Kent and Sussex food producers over two days. Held within the walled gardens at Bedgebury Pinetum, this is in the middle of the garden of England. I’ve never been to this festival but might toodle across this year and have a look after I have visited the Garlic Festival.

West Dean Chili Fiesta - 25-27th August 2012

Beautiful place, beautiful gardens, gorgeous fruit and vegetables – what more can one say? Well they are famous for their chili fiesta – so head down there for a gargantuan chili feast – colour, heat, flavour, cooking demos, music and a fun time.

Big Onion Festival – 25th August 2012

So we go from garlic to chili to onion, perfect triumvirate! Held at Elveden Estate in Suffolk this festival showcases the onion in all its glory. They grow 25,000 tons of onions every year! Cooking demonstrations, local food and drinks producers are represented too, fab music and children friendly activities too.

Wirral Food and Drink Festival – 26th-27th August 2012

Too far for me but I like the sound of this foodie festival – it’s held on a farm, always good to showcase where food comes from and it showcases all things home grown. The usual cooking demos with chef’s are staged but I like the sound of the Good Life Marquee – where there are workshops on bee keeping, gardening and growing your own fruit and veg, cheese making and keeping chickens. The circle of growing and rearing and eating all in one.

I did my final end of year thesis on Green Walls – “Sustainable future or expensive green showcase?”  Suffice to say that maintenance is not that sustainable and green, although the walls do add a lot to mitigate the heat island effect and have been proven to aid heat and cold air exchange of the building envelope as well as offer good biodiversity.

But anyway this is a whole other topic and blog and also things have moved on from 2 years ago I suspect..

Green wall at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square – Van Goh’s Wheatfields and Cypresses

They do look good and I have been snapping shots of some – one was particularly good at the National l Gallery last summer. It was meant to bring to life one of Van Gogh’s masterpieces “A wheatfield with Cypresses” and it did, it was rather stunning. Installed by GE and  ANS it had some 8000 plants of varying species. It was a real attraction and I took a few shots of it – but here is the video of its making.

Details of the National Gallery green wall last year

Green wall at the National – a good diversity of plants to give complexity in texture and colour.

Green wall Trafalgar Square – more detail

Whilst stuck in a taxi I took some photographs with the iphone of the Athenaeum Hotel designed by Patrick Blanc a French botanist and the “master” and first proponent of green walls (or living walls). Eight stories high, it’s rather impressive.

Athaneum Hotel London – approaching Patrick Blanc’s living wall

Green Wall at the Athaneum London – eight stories high.

Athaneum Hotel Green wall – a living lushnesss for the city

There are a number of Green walls around London now so check these out on your next visit to the capital:

- New Street Square London

- Anthropologie shop – internal green wall, last time i was there it was not looking great, a ta shriveled up and with holes in it

- Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush London

That’s what it is isn’t it? Buying art you love, buying design that makes you happy, that stirs something inside of you and speaks to you. I discussed this in my post What does Warhol have to do with Interior Design and how it was important to not be swayed by trends and fashion but to be impassioned by art and an interior that creates it’s own language.

I saw this documentary on BBC4 the other day – per chance as I usually tape everything and never watch live TV, and was transported by the simplicity of this couple’s passion. Herb and Dorothy bought what they loved, from artists they loved. They lived a life of penury almost to satisfy a craving, a love and a belief that art fills one’s life with a simple appreciation of man’s artistic output.

The one bedroom apartment in Manhattan was a shock I must admit – and until they gave their first collection to the National Gallery of Art I did think it was sad that most things were wrapped and hidden away due to the limited space and also to preserve the works of art from the light.  As the then curator said, what if the fish tanks sprung a leak or there was a fire? What then of the conceptual and minimalist works of art that would be destroyed?

It was good to see that at last nearly 5000 works of art were to be shown and shared with a public that it has to be said should be eternally grateful to this couple. They bought early works from unknown artists, went to every art gallery and museum, to every vernissage and really got to know the artists they loved. I think that is what I admire the most, that they bought what they loved and  took the time to get to know the person behind the art.

After seeing this documentary I did a bit of research and saw that Herb had passed away recently in July this year, a sad moment but then I thought what a life! What a happy happy life! His wife and him left an amazing legacy but mostly a message of how simple but wonderful life can be.

Sometimes the most unexpected things turn up on Twitter and this video below came into my sight-line from @suButcher via @ashwan149thst one morning. Eames, Eames, Eames….a story of early sustainability and using what you had as told by rap artist Ice Cube.

The Eames were American designers who made huge contribution to modern architecture, design and furniture. Who has not seen this iconic Lounge and Ottoman ? Released in 1956 for the Herman Miller furniture company it was meant to have ” the warm, receptive look of a well used first baseman’s mitt” (baseball) – and it does! Perhaps I can mostly associated with it because I used to play baseball in High School and my mitt was warm and moulded just right to my hand.

The Eames were the power couple of modernity – mixing craft and design for social good.

Eames Lounge 670 and Ottoman 671 – iconic heritage furniture but still modern today

Moulded plywood, fibreglass and resin were some of the early materials they re-thought in their designs and applied from the commercial industry to everyday life in the most imaginative and long lasting ways.

A great little clip for you all to enjoy below as narrated by Ice Cube.

via the OffHipHop website  which is another discovery all together!

Another little treasure from Eames is the DSR chair – in this case in the new colour of lime. Designed in 1948 and at first made from fibreglass, it is now re-issued in polypropylene. It has a chrome base and it’s structure has been given the nickname the Eiffel chair.

Eames DSR chair known as the Eiffel – now re-issued in funky colours

Food is hot! When I first came to the UK food was definitely not hot, granted this was over 22 years ago! But I still remember making food for my first Christmas dinner and inviting family and friends and being asked whether I was going to use garlic and “funny sauces”. Times have changed, I cook whatever I want and no-one ever asks if I am using “weird foreign stuff”!

Yellow courgette – what food should be about, good for you, beautiful to look at and amazing taste.

The interest in food is a busy, crowded space, well written upon subject, ubiquitous and let’s not even talk about the books and the TV programmes.

Personally I applaud it. Mostly because the English are re-discovering their own food too. I am a big fan of using local food – and it seems that many people in Britain are too – finally! Just like the Australian food scene, people are proud to champion local food stuffs, from Samphire to brown shrimps, home grown gooseberries to rhubarb. It’s nice to see how proud Britain can be of it’s food heritage. French cooking is not the be all and end all – and before I get skewered by you all, I’m allowed to say that by the way, being self critical is a good thing, I learnt that from the English!

So anyway I was invited to attend the Foodie Bugle Lectures at beautiful Southrop Manor organised by the effervescent Silvana de Soissons, the owner of the the eponymous and award winning food magazine - The foodie Bugle back at the end of June. The day was about finding out how the food businesses showcased started off, the travails and challenges as well as the good things they had encountered. We were also were privy to some famous food writer’s modus operandi on  writing cooking books and article and the publishing world.

Souhtrop – the barn is magnificent

I knew a few from Twitter already and through The Foodie Bugle magazine of course,  so it was a matter of putting a virtual personality to an actual physical body!

A beautiful setting, Southrop Manor is a food school offering all manner of foodie related events, it also offers on-site accommodation in beautiful cottages and can accommodate events for businesses too. The beautiful restored Barn at Southrop is vast!

Silvana de Soissons and the early arrivals at the Foodie Bugle Lectures

Greeted by amazing biscuits and fragrant coffee and a beautifully decorated interior – the day was starting off very well! We were shepherded to the lecture room where after introducing the event and its objective, Silvana De Soissons proceeded to introduce Wendy Wilson Bett from Peter’s Yard.

Silvana de Soissons

Wendy is one of the owners of the famous crispbreads that I buy by the kilo…. and eat in double- quick time (say a mere 1/2 hour!) as they are but also with lots of toppings – I have a perfect one with Mushrooms with spring onions and Celery (weird but delicious). Like other food producers that were to present themselves Wendy explained how much hard work setting up a food company and brand is – notwithstanding that the financial rewards are slow to come in the beginning!

She was complimentary of Tessa Stuart who researches customers products and devises strategic plans to attract customer’s eyes and how to make a brand attractive in a  crowded market.

It was interesting to see that through their marketing and social media use most people think Peter’s Yard is a very large brand indeed, whereas they are still rather small but growing fast.

Next up was Joanna Blythman- the famous food warrior (my own term!) who investigates the baddies of the food world and exposes them to all of us ( Bad Food Britain: How a Nation Ruined Its Appetite. London: Fourth Estate. 2006.) as well as writing about foods to avoid.  I love her articles and read them avidly I must admit so I was particularly thrilled to see her at the lectures.

She has a new book out called “What to eat” published by Fourth Estate which I have ordered. Her investigative food journalism has taken her to work undercover for Tesco, being escorted off the premises of Bernard Matthews (turkey fame) for probing too much and being sent nasty letters by the Sugar Bureau.

Joanna Blythman at the Foodie Bugle lectures – talking about what it feels like taking on the food industry.

Joanna Blythman’s latest book “What to eat”

Next up was Amelia Rope – the artisan chocolatier who’s dynamic presentation all made us smile and warm to her. The lady is a tornado! She speaks fast, thinks even faster and is a work-mad crazy lady. She was a delight to listen to I must say, her passion for her company and the ups and downs she has encountered only reinforce her belief in herself and her fabulous products and as a result so too the listener!

I loved her packaging which she devised herself and although she says it was not intentional is extremely attractive to the eye and show-cases her products beautifully.I chatted to her after the lectures over lunch and we spoke of layering flavours in a product, a bit like aromatherapy really, the base notes, the middle notes and the top notes in harmony to produce something flavoursome such as her Pale Lime and Sea Salt creation.

Amelia Rope Luxury Chocolates

Fran Warde was another famous writer who took us through her early career and the highlights she has experienced in a long and varied path. The co-author of The Ginger Pig Meat Book by Mitchell Beazley Fran is a writer who is always working on several projects and loves the variety. A former editor of Red Magazine, Fran is a committed “feed your children well” exponent.

Having had her own catering company, been a chef to the rich and famous, worked with Keith Floyd on his cookery book and worked with Marks and Spencer to produce their own line of cookery books, Fran is an accomplished chef and writer. Phew…. is that all?! I love it when I hear lives being lived to the full don’t you?

Fran Warde – a full and varied life in the food world

Goodies on offer – teas and books

Next up was Lindy Wildsmith along with Franco Taruschio O.B.E. (of the Walnut Tree fame) Lindy is a freelance food and recipe writer and is particularly fond of Italian food after a youthful stay in Bologna many years ago. A member of the Guild of Food Writers and has been nominated for an Andre Simon Award for her book “Cured” published by Jacqui Small. She and Franco manage a programme of cookery courses at the Chef’s Room in Abergavenny.

She is a fun lady full of self-deprecation and humorous quips, counter balanced by Franco’s dry humour, these two make a formidable team!

Lindy Wildsmith – I wouldn’t be able to keep up with her time-table!

Franco Taruschio O.B.E of the legendary Walnut Tree Restaurant

And finally we met Kate Glover of the Lahloo Tea and Lahloo Pantry Tea Room in Bristol. For a woman who never liked tea, getting a tea emporium going was not an obvious choice! But she took inspiration for her company’s name from her great great grandfather who sailed a tea clipper called Lahloo and after she  tasted “proper” tea. I loved the hot and cold infusions we tried – a real surprise even though I have been a Lahloo customer for a while now. I loved the cold infusions and will be buying some of those particularly the Snow Jewel one and I must try Rosebud!

Kate Gover of Lahloo Tea – hard work and passion showcase her tea emporium at its best.

After an amazing lunch we were taken around the estate by Joff Elphick, Head Gardener, who is developing an amazing kitchen garden as well as the ornamental planting around the vast grounds. So here are a few pictures to delight the eyes – a garden and an estate to visit at the first available opportunity!

Southrop Manor – overlooking the vast gardens

Summer’s colours in the big flower borders at Souhtrop

Food is pretty! Straight from the kitchen garden

The gorgeous gardens looked after by Joff Elphick