Charlie and Caroline's Blog

Traffic in HCMC, Vietnam.

2012-02-02T09:51:00.001Z

Traffic in Frenetic HCMC, Vietnam from Rob Whitworth on Vimeo.

Have you been to Vietnam? The traffic really is like this, or even more bonkers.

The First Dawn Of The Year In Greenland.

2012-02-02T09:41:00.001Z

Return of the Sun on Nowness.com.

Paris Versus New York. A Tally Of Two Cities.

2012-02-02T08:53:00.003Z

This is a brilliant book by Vahram Muratyan, a graphic designer based in new York and Paris. Some of the images are also available to buy. Find out more via our title above.

David Shrigley. Hayward Gallery.

2012-02-01T15:20:00.003Z

David Shrigley's show at the Hayward opened today and I was lucky enough to be invited along, first thing. Shrigley has filled the top floor with his unique brand of dark humour and warmth and at points I found myself laughing out loud. I hope this is a massive hit, because it deserves to be. It runs until mid May; more via our title above.

Good Cars In Paris.

2012-02-01T14:55:00.003Z

I appreciate that this might be something of a tenuous link between these photos, but as I am always taking photographs (which drives my family a bit nuts) I often end up with slightly random groups of photos. I took all of these in Paris on one afternoon last week.

The Beatles On The Rainbow Prints.

2012-02-01T13:58:00.003Z

We've just taken delivery of a large cache of these 1968 Beatles on the Rainbow prints, which were made to promote Yellow Submarine. They are in immaculate condition and incredibly rare and carry the mark of the copyright holder, KFS-SUBA. Find out more via our title above.

Look At Our Pub.

2012-01-31T12:03:00.004Z

The renovation of our newest venture, The Glynne Arms in Hawarden, North Wales is gathering pace. We have replaced the roof, built new loos, stripped out huge lumps of dry rot, rewired, reheated. Now we're thinking about paint colours and furniture. The aim is to open on 1st May...

Tree Hotel. Harads. Sweden.

2012-01-30T19:38:00.002Z

We're trying to find a long weekend when we can visit the Tree Hotel in Hards. It looks amazing. See lots more via the link in our title.

Cafe St. Regis, Paris.

2012-01-30T18:41:00.004Z

I've got a few more things I want to post on from our last trip to Paris. So here goes. Here's a good new cafe, just a stone's throw from Notre Dame. It is such an accurate facsimile of Keith McNally's Balthazar and Pastis restaurants in New York that it seems as if the owners have been to The Big Apple and stolen McNally's (brilliant) take on the classic Parisian cafe back for the French. Good for a late night glass of wine or breakfast. The address is in our snap.

This Weekend We Went Axe Throwing.

2012-01-29T19:19:00.003Z

This has been an excellent weekend, involving lots of walks with lots of dogs (and recovering one -a spaniel- that had jumped 25 feet into a 500 year-old dungeon, and got lost for an hour, but was fine), playing snooker, firing air rifles and throwing axes. My new pair of massive throwing axes were my Christmas present from Caroline but they got snagged up in customs and only arrived a week ago. Axe throwing is a magnificent sport, enjoyed by all ages; our seven-year-old friend Evie found it too hard for her- but everyone else loved it. It is dangerous, of course, but with proper care and a lot of practise it is addictive; like darts but harder and much better exercise. Try it!

Julia Fullerton-Batten.

2012-01-27T19:47:00.003Z

Gregory Crewdson is just about my favourite photographer of the last decade; and these photos by Julia Fullerton-Batten owe something to Crewdson (who, for my money, owes a lot to Spielberg, and on and on). I love the freshness of the photographer's approach to mother and daughter shots. Read the full Trendland story via our link above.

Good Graffiti. Paris.

2012-01-27T19:24:00.004Z

Paris is covered in graffiti; and most is that rubbish squiggly type. But I saw some quite good graffiti this Wednesday. I am not sure if that green line is graffiti, strictly speaking; but I am a sucker for a bit of neon.

Hotel Notre Dame, Paris.

2012-01-27T19:09:00.003Z

I am not going to recommend this hotel that we ended up in because of a mess up with our booking at Le Petit Moulin. This blog is not about negative vibes, so I'll just show you the incredible view and the stairs at this great location on Le Petit Pont.

Merci Do Bikes. Paris.

2012-01-25T16:48:00.001Z

If you know Paris' most glamorous charity shop, Merci, you'll know that they do experience shopping really well. This month's theme is cycles and the shop is choc-full of good stuff for cyclists; stuff you need, stuff you want, stuff that makes you want it more than is reasonable. - Posted on Charlie or Caroline's iPhone.

Jerome Lepert. Paris.

2012-01-25T16:36:00.001Z

Years ago we bought quite a bit from Jerome Lepert; the best station clock we have ever seen, an incredible lamp from an ammunition factory and some other good stuff. Now we go mainly to look around; Lepert is a master stylist. This is worth a trip if you are in Paris; 106 Rue Vieille du Temple. Open Tuesday to Saturday; 11:30 am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm. - Posted on Charlie or Caroline's iPhone.

Here We Are....

2012-01-23T19:24:00.003Z

.....in Paris. We came here early this morning and went straight to trade fair, Maison et Objet. I'll post on that tomorrow. We've just arrived back at our hotel, which is a new one because things got messed up with our normal one. Anyway, this, the Hotel Notre Dame, has recently been decorated by Christian Lacroix with his trademark bonkersness. I am not sure if we'll be recommending it (we'll see) other than for the view, which is truly sensational; this is what we see from our room.

What We Did This Weekend.

2012-01-22T20:13:00.004Z

Yesterday we drove to South Wales from London to stay with some of our oldest and very best friends; some time in the countryside sandwiched between trips to Stockholm -from which I got back late on Friday- and Paris -where we head very early tomorrow morning, ugh. We had a couple of epic walks, some epic home-reared pork and some epic blackberry and apple pie (greatest pudding known to mankind). Oh, and we met an excellent spaniel called Charlie.

Good Stuff From Sweden.

2012-01-20T20:46:00.001Z

I am now on my way home after 24 hours is Stockholm, where I found loads of good things that might make it to Pedlars. Here are some of my favourites (there are lots more) all snapped on my phone. That woodpecker is a door-knocker and those ceramics are for eggs. The socks are made in Lapland and the top snap is of candlesticks. - Posted on Charlie or Caroline's iPhone.

The Foundation Of Any Relationship.

2012-01-19T18:26:00.001Z

Via witanddelight on tumblr.

New Social Stuff At Pedlars.

2012-01-19T17:55:00.003Z

Tomorrow we are going to launch a new facebook page, a twitter feed and a tumblr account for Pedlars. Our own facebook, twitter and tumblr things will stay just as they are; but there seems to be a demand for dedicated, exclusive Pedlars accounts. We promise that these new platforms won't be boring and corporate, and we'd love you to join us on them. Our title above will take you to our Pedlars facebook page. Fifty of the first followers will each win £20 to spend at Pedlars; we'll draw 50 names from a hat on 1st February.

Hudsalva Balm.

2012-01-19T17:35:00.003Z

I have just come back from the chemist witha handful of Hudsalva (and then snapped it in my bathroom on my phone; so, apologies for the photo). Like many great cosmetics, this has a wide range of uses. We originally discovered it when it was recommended to us as a foot balm; indeed, it was originally developed to soothe blisters on the feet of the Swedish army (it is called Forsvarets Udsalva, which means something like the Military Skin Cream). More recently it has become the go-to balm for sore Swedish lips; it is incredibly efficient. Almost every Swede we have encountered uses this during the winter to soothe their lips. It tastes and smells of a gentle vanilla; I really like the smell. It is also, apparently, good for frying food with, if all no other oil is available and is –apparently- sometimes used by the Swedish Army as a multi-purpose mechanical oil. It's only available at the Swedish national Pharmacy apoteket.se, although you may need to call them (or go to Sweden) as the website it difficult to navigate unless you live in Sweden/speak Swedish.

In Stockholm.

2012-01-19T17:23:00.005Z

I arrived in Stockholm this afternoon, just as a drizzly darkness was creeping in. I had time for a quick wander though, and uncovered more places that I liked than I did on my last visit. Here are some snaps.

1968 Beatles Posters.

2012-01-18T08:21:00.005Z

This is one of those amazing vintage hauls that come along once in a while through a combination of luck and hard work. We have just found an amazing haul of these vintage 1968 Beatles prints in the US. They are pristine and currently en route from the US. Find out more via the link in our title.

An Interview With Helen Lang.

2012-01-17T19:13:00.003Z

You might recognise this print as a part of Drawn Chorus, a Pedlars exclusive by Helen Lang. The larger edition is now sold out, but the smaller one is available still. Online mag/blog Heart Home recently interviewed Helen; you can read the interview via our link. The print is at Pedlars; I hope you know where to find that.

Taking Photographs From Moving Cars.

2012-01-17T18:57:00.003Z

I have always liked taking photos from moving cars, ever since I was a child. Film is good too, but I think still photos are best. Last year I started taking them out of my windscreen, while I was driving, which may be illegal, but I don't know; and anyway, I don't think it is dangerous as the whole aim of the project is to point and shoot and not look at the camera or focus or anything. Here are five of my favourites from last week. I really like them.

Same Hill, Different Weather.

2012-01-16T18:39:00.005Z

I have now trained twice for the New York half marathon; going up the same hill two times. Not exactly running, but going as fast as I can. Anyway I wanted to post these three photos to show, from the top down; me getting a good (pleasant/unpleasant) lick from Comet as I tried to take a photo of myself lying down at the summit; an angry sky that soon started chucking snow at me; and one of those war planes that for many years became a feature of life in the Highlands (I used to think it was bad when they were training in the Highlands because they were planning to fight wars. Then they all away to war and we didn't see them for ages; and now they're back. So now I'm glad to see them).

Vintage Odd Fellows Flags.

2012-01-12T17:36:00.004Z

We have just taken delivery of 50 of these brilliant flags at Pedlars; we bought them because they are bonkers and beautiful all at the same time, but they do have a serious side. They represent the Independent Organisation of Odd Fellows, which is an altruistic organisation, originating in Britain and dating from the 1700s. The US arm of the IOOF was formed in Baltimore in the early 1800s and it is from the US that these come. View them via our title.

Print Sale At Pedlars.

2012-01-12T13:54:00.000Z

I have been away from the blog for a few days. My last few days in Scotland -before I head on my travels, Stockholm and Paris in the next week- just got the better of me. Anyway, I wanted to tell you that we have a print sale on at Pedlars for the next 48 hours, with everything discounted by 30%, 20% or 10%. Follow our title above to have a look; thus one by Fred Deakin is on sale at 30% discount.

My Favourite Magazine Of 2011.

2012-01-11T22:55:00.004Z

I'm not sure that the extraordinary and rare Random Spectacular should be classed as a magazine, but it's probably closer to a mag than a book. Created by Simon and Angie Lewin (of St. Jude's) and their friends, Random Spectacular is a collection of images, words and musings, and all proceeds from its sale went to Maggie's Centres. We love what St. Judes do and we have worked with Maggie's, but we are not biased, because this is a very strong thing. It was a limited edition of 750 pieces and sold out almost overnight.

My Favourite Fiction Writing Of 2011.

2012-01-11T22:48:00.004Z

On the subject of best books of last year, the best collection of non-fiction writing I read was Geoff Dyer's brilliantly opinionated, antagonistic, deeply discursive collection Working The Room. I always like Dyer, and although I didn't really connect with about half of this book, the other half more than made up for it. A truly original voice creates a great collection. Honourable mention must go -surprise, surprise- to The Hare With the Amber Eyes.

My Favourite Novel Of 2011.

2012-01-11T22:36:00.003Z

I've been meaning to post on my favourite books and magazine of 2011. My favourite novel was one of the last I read; Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman. It's a debut novel and made it onto the Booker shortlist. It is sad, sweet, funny, believable and, well, all round wonderful. For what it's worth I think it is much better than the Julian Barnes book that won, and just a tad better than The Stranger's Child, which was also on the shortlist and also sensational.

One Quick Thing....

2012-01-11T09:03:00.004Z

....I just wanted to show you the view from our bedroom this morning. I mean, great, or what? Who was who said 'I believe in God, I just call it Nature'?

Half Running.

2012-01-10T18:39:00.003Z

I am going to do a half marathon in March, in New York, with our daughter India. Once upon a time I ran four New York marathons four years running, and a few others too. But now I am not so fit. I have to start training somewhere, soon. Yesterday the sun was up and the breeze was cool, so I did a speed yomp up Cloch na ben, the granite tor that watches over Glen Dye. And then I ran down again and was back in my office (after a shower, I promise) within a couple of hours. I'll have to do quite a lot more if I'm going to make it round New York in March. But the main thing was the simple joy of the Great Outdoors on a Monday and -of course- the fact that I worked much more efficiently when I got back to the office. So, 2012. Work less but smarter. Get fit. Go outside. Simple!

Show Me The Place by Leonard Cohen

2012-01-10T08:57:00.003Z

Show Me The Place by leonardcohen Click on this, or the title, to hear a new song from Mr Cohen's new lp, due in twelve days (and counting). Honestly, I can hardly wait; I feel like a teenager again.

Wrapped Trees.

2012-01-09T17:02:00.003Z

We love these trees, which were wrapped for photographs by Zander Olsen in various different parts of Britain. They owe quite a lot to Christo, who has wrapped just about anything he can wrap; those are his trees in the bottom photograph.

The Hidden Mother.

2012-01-09T16:55:00.003Z

I think that this just about the most bonkers thing I have ever seen; an apparently once common practise whereby -in order to keep a baby or small child still and allow a photographer to focus- the mother held the baby but kept out of view under a rug or throw. Via A Cup of Jo, though the original link is in our title, where there are more.

Rocket Juice And The Moon - Poison @ Fiesta des Suds - 30/10/11

2012-01-09T13:14:00.000Z

Inevitably dodgy live recording of Rocket and the Moon, the super-group built by Messrs Albarn, Allen and Flea. The first release is due soon; it's going to be great.

Here Is My Office.

2012-01-09T12:49:00.002Z

I wrote on Friday that I had had a massive tidy up in my office and that I would take some snaps over the weekend. Well, I did take some snaps and here they are.

James Vincent Mc Morrow - Higher Love

2012-01-07T22:24:00.001Z

Dusk In The Highlands.

2012-01-07T22:13:00.003Z

I went for a very quick, very steep yomp with the dogs as the sun went down this afternoon. At the risk of repeating myself (see some recent posts) this made me very happy indeed to live in The Highlands. It was wonderful out there, with a few clouds scudding in from the west on a cold cold wind. That's our house in the top photo and the moon reflected on the river.

Badly Drawn Boy - Silent sigh

2012-01-07T21:59:00.000Z

I have just half-watched About A Boy and been reminded what a work of genius the soundtrack is; especially this.

Good Things That Won't Be In Our Kitchen For Very Long.

2012-01-07T21:44:00.003Z

Here are some good things that are in our kitchen today that won't last for long: blue candles from Cire Trudon; Perfect light/tulips; Chomp/good espresso/good glass; Huge vat of Best Made Co. maple syrup.

Rock House.

2012-01-06T19:48:00.002Z

Wandering around the web while supper cooked, I found this. It's so cool it's absurd. More via the title.

How To Stick Things To Your Walls.

2012-01-06T12:49:00.006Z

I had a massive tidy up of my office between Christmas and New Year. At one point I found a large box of 'paper that needs attending to' and chucked it the bin. It felt so satisfying. All of the children came in and said something like 'wow, I can't believe how tidy it looks in here'. And India -our eldest daughter- looked at the wall I have covered in old photos and drawings and stuff and commented how brilliant she thinks it is. Which got me thinking about how good things can look blu-tacked or pinned or whatever to the wall; no framing, no permanence. So I did a bit of googling. The first thing I came across was a picture of our staircase -covered in photos and things- on apartmenttherapy.com, which was odd. Then I came up with loads of great pictures. Here are a few. That's Ilse Crawford's work at Soho House, New York at the bottom. It's hard to underestimate how influential Ilse has been; she is one of the true geniuses of contemporary interior design. I'll photograph my office this weekend and show you that.

On Walking. Again.

2012-01-05T19:59:00.006Z

Christmas and New Year have been spent at home in The Highlands. Loads of that time has been spent outside, walking. Now that 2012 is here I have resolved to spend more time walking; not at the expense of work, rather to the benefit of work. An hour yomping in the fresh air cures worries, catalyses creativity, keeps you fit; makes things better. So today, I walked with two of our daughters and the dogs and it was great. We set off at 3ish and walked for an hour and a half until it was nearly dark. It was great. And, yes, my work has been far better since.

The Wind Nearly Took Down The Christmas Tree.

2012-01-05T18:06:00.004Z

We are just about to take down our Christmas tree, even though I am not sure it is technically Twelfth Night. We have one outside, too, and despite my best efforts, the wind nearly took that down anyway. Perhaps its angle is symbolic of this time of year anyway.

Land Rover of the Week. Part 4.

2012-01-05T17:40:00.004Z

This Land Rover of the Week post has been a long time coming. Sorry, I got distracted. This belongs to Jason Roberts and his family and was photographed on Ilkley Moor on 5th December. It looks like a fine and much-loved Series 3 to me (and that is a lovely photo of a rocky hill), so I award it Land Rover of the Week, Part 4. Find out more about Jason's company, the excellent Esk valley Knitwear, via our title.

Playing Perudo.

2012-01-04T18:03:00.003Z

We have had several good sessions of Perudo over the holidays. Every time we dust down the Perudo we're reminded of what a sensational game it is; good for rainy afternoons with all ages and perfect for a late night with a bottle of whisky and a decent fire. Read more about Perudo at Pedlars via our title.

James Blake & Bon Iver - Fall Creek Boys Choir

2012-01-04T17:35:00.000Z

I'm reposting this simply because we have been listening to this EP-on vinyl- a great deal recently. It just gets better and better.

I Want To Be Here...

2012-01-04T11:26:00.004Z

It's 11:30 am and almost dark outside. The school holidays are/are nearly over. I want to go on holiday, and I want to go to the place in these photos. See more at The Idiot Heart via our link above.

New Year, Here.

2012-01-03T18:07:00.003Z

I love this time of year; I mean the time of year that has just passed. A good chunk of time away from my desk and the house has been bursting with friends of all ages; from about nine up. Eight of the teenagers are still here though many have left. We've spent four days outside. That's worth repeating. Four whole days outside. Our New Years Eve party was a blast. Here are some photos of a few sartorial details from that evening, some of which are, err, more successful than others. I'll leave you to decide which.

Redwing Boots Repair Service.

2012-01-02T18:30:00.004Z

I bought a new pair of Redwings in new York last month. I've had a pair for ages but never really liked them, but I love these and have worn them quite a lot since; they are already looking like (quite) old friends. Redwings have been made in Red Wing, Minnesotta since 1905. Just before Christmas I came across a good post on coolhunting about the repair service that Redwing operate; you can access it via the link it this post's title.

Happy New Year.

2011-12-31T18:04:00.003Z

Happy new year. Thank you -really thank you- for your attention and support this year. I sincerely hope that 2012 is as wonderful as wonderful can be for you. We're getting ready for a big evening.

Walking. Again.

2011-12-30T13:29:00.004Z

I am often banging on about the joys of walking. Generally I talk about walking with others. But today I have had a long walk by myself; with only four dogs for company. I didn't see anyone else for a couple of hours and scrambled along a river bank that I used to fish from when I was a teenager. It was magic, even though the sun only came out as I headed home. This time of year is always one of long walks for us and my favourite quote of the moment is 'everywhere is within walking distance if you have enough time'. I don't know who said that, but I like it.

Antlers Are In Your House.

2011-12-30T12:56:00.004Z

Deer horns or antlers are having a bit of a moment; another moment. We have sold various types at Pedlars for years; those are our current offering with the lime green mount; they have always been popular. Flicking through some design blogs yesterday, I kept coming across them in good-looking houses. The moose head above is ours, at home. We bought it in Lake Placid in upstate New York and had a massive fiasco trying to ship and import it. But it was worth the effort.

The Marbles of Gladstone Match Safe.

2011-12-29T17:36:00.005Z

Here's a pretty cool bit of kit that I got for Christmas. There are loads of match safes –watertight containers that keep matches dry and also offer a striker- on the market and most of them are nasty plastic things. But this one is different, made by Marbles of Gladstone, Michigan, to a design patented in 1900 and pretty much unchanged ever since. It almost makes me want to take up smoking again. But maybe I should stick to bonfires/campfires. Available via marbles.com in the US or bestmadeco.com

Another Spectacular Drive.

2011-12-29T17:06:00.003Z

Jack -our eldest- and I were up and off out early today. As always with early starts we were later than intended. But that didn't stop us from getting out of the car to wonder at the astonishing power and beauty of an immaculate dawn. Yes, we were above the clouds. Sometimes you can't beat the Highlands.

A Day In California

2011-12-29T16:52:00.000Z

And I think to myself, What a Wonderful World....

The Pedlars Sale Is Now On.

2011-12-28T13:37:00.004Z

Just in case this nifty little postcard full of important news wasn't at the top of your mail pile this morning...the Pedlars Sale is on now! Visit us via the title above.

I've Started Using Tumblr...

2011-12-28T13:03:00.005Z

I've been away from this blog for a few days, taking a bit of a break over Christmas. But I haven't been idle....oh no; I've been starting to post photos on Tumblr for the first time. I like the way that Tumblr looks and have decided to use it as a kind of online photo gallery of family, friends and other cool stuff. You can visit me there, if you like: I am charliegladstone and you can see my first few efforts via my title above. These are snaps of our Christmas, with 23 of us in the house and not a single argument.

Very Good Wrapping Indeed.

2011-12-24T17:20:00.002Z

Talking of Christmas wrapping, this makes mine look rubbish. Perhaps I could start again? Via honestlywtf

Christmas Is Coming....

2011-12-24T17:10:00.004Z

Here are some wonderful photos of Christmas, all taken from theatlantic.com There are loads more via our title above. It doesn't last long, so please enjoy it. And thanks for watching our blog this year. xx

Meet Sophie's Ribbons.

2011-12-24T16:53:00.003Z

I have just been doing my Christmas wrapping, kneeling on my office floor and listening to Sigur Ros, away from the 22 other people occupying our house. I am not mad keen on wrapping; I'm too impatient. I want it to look brilliant, but instantly. Anyway, I've been using ribbon bought from our friend Sophie Bevan, who sells the best ribbon we know, made to her design in Turkey. Sophie's husband Rupert is a gilder and furniture maker and spends a lot of time in Istanbul. He used to bring piles of this ribbon home, which gave Sophie an idea. You can visit her site via the title to this post.

Pedlars Christmas Party.

2011-12-24T16:34:00.004Z

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a bit of an office knees up and we had ours at home on Thursday night; about 50 people and all eight of us cooking and serving and pouring drinks and hanging coats. It was all very nice, I think, and almost everyone came and drank and ate far more than we imagined. It turned out we hadn't bought quite enough champagne or Hendrick's gin, which were the tipples of choice.

All I Want For Christmas Is You by the Gladstones.

2011-12-23T19:46:00.000Z

We didn't do Christmas cards this year; so here is this instead. Sorry. Is it to late to make a bid for the Christmas number 1?

RIP Inca The Three-Legged Wonder Dog.

2011-12-23T12:35:00.003Z

RIP our lovely Inca, the three-legged Wonder Dog. The bastard cancer got you in the end and this time you didn't win. Thank you. We miss you; you were truly wonderful.

Two Great Cafes, Nolita, New York.

2011-12-22T13:00:00.004Z

I think we might have posted on one -or even both of these- right back in the mists of time (about 20 months ago) when we started blogging. But they are both worth a second mention; Gitanes, on Mott Street, has become a bit of a New York institution and deservedly so for its gentle fusion of north African and French food and ultra-cool workwear staff uniforms; and Cafe Habana on Elizabeth Street for it's confident Mexican food, good coffee and imported fruit drinks called Boing. Expect to queue for a table at both; but don't miss them.

How To Fill Your House.

2011-12-22T09:50:00.003Z

We had nine 10 and 11 year-olds to stay for three nights earlier this week. With help from two of our daughters, Xanthe (16) and Kinvara (14), I took them from Heathrow to Aberdeen. That photo was taken by a friendly BAA security guard who thought I was their teacher. Once here in the Highlands we built bonfires, made s'mores, played massive games of Bulldogs, rode, walked dogs and generally rolled around in what little snow there was. You'd think that having so many children in the house would be hard work; but it wasn't. It was fun.

More Christmas In New York.

2011-12-21T15:43:00.004Z

Here are more of my snaps from New York. I love Christmas.

A Proper Breakfast, New York City.

2011-12-21T13:28:00.005Z

New York is choc-full of upmarket restaurants that are essentially pastiches; they do what they do brilliantly and the look is incredibly successful, but they are as much theme park as restaurant. Balthazar and Pastis are perfect pastiches of French bistros, The Spotted Pig a Brit pub, Freemans Sporting Club is more hunting lodge than most hunting lodges. And so sometimes its good to find a proper, unapologetic American diner, just as they all used to be. We found this and it was full of business people and tourists and local groups of friends and it was just what we needed. Even if we could hardly walk for being so full after breakfast.

Some Interiors In New York City.

2011-12-20T19:10:00.002Z

Looking through my photos from last week, I have loads of good interiors. Here are some of my favourites.

My Drive To Work Today.

2011-12-20T18:54:00.004Z

When I am in Scotland I can normally walk to my office; but today I had to go a little further afield. And this was what I encountered at the top of the hill. That's ice on the road, but boy was it worth it.

Some Good Signs, New York.

2011-12-20T08:06:00.003Z

Here are some good signs spotted in New York last week.

Four Good Things To Do In The Big Apple.

2011-12-19T16:50:00.005Z

Here are four of our favourite things to do as a family in new York. Visit the aircraft carrier Intrepid; huge, impressive, fun. Go to the top of the Rockefeller Building; better that the Empire State Building because there is never a queue and the views are just as good, if not better. Go to Madison Square Gardens to see Ice Hockey; fast, ridiculously skilled and probably involving a few fights. Visit Times Square; it may be a cliche, but it is always impressive and you can pretend you're in the video for Empire State of Mind.

Best Made Co. Pop Up.

2011-12-19T16:32:00.003Z

As luck would have it, there was Best Made Co. Pop Up in New York last week. As you may know, I am a big fan of Best Made. They had occupied a yurt in an unused garage on Grand Street. A second yurt was dedicated to Warby Parker's brilliant eyewear. The Pop Up featured whisky tasting, a talk on foraged cocktails and the opportunity to buy some of Best Made's best stuff. We bought some maple syrup and a first aid kit and discovered that Peter, Best Made's founder, was the nephew of our late local MP. Small world.

Pulino's. New York.

2011-12-19T12:10:00.004Z

We posted on this some time ago, but visited again last week. Pulino's has a strange location, on the junction of Houston and Bowery, but being a Keith McNally enterprise it is beautifully designed and has fantastic food. It is probably worth booking, although it was surprisingly empty when we dropped in on an off-chance at about 2pm on Thursday.

Pedlars iPad App.

2011-12-18T17:51:00.003Z

We now have a Pedlars iPad App. You can browse our latest catalogue or watch some of our videos. Go to Apple Store and search Pedlars. It's free, of course.

Some Snaps Of New York.

2011-12-18T17:17:00.002Z

Here are some snaps of New York, not on any theme but just things I liked last week.

Dylan's Candy Store, New York.

2011-12-18T16:01:00.002Z

We went to the flagship Dylan's Candy Bar last week. That's Dylan Lauren, as in Ralph's daughter. What a blast. What a lot of candy/sweets. Fun.

Christmas In New York.

2011-12-18T13:47:00.004Z

Despite all of the doom and the gloom, there are some wonderful Christmas lights in Britain this year. But nowhere beats New York at Christmas. I have an iPhoto folder over-flowing with snaps of lovely decorations. Here are some of my favourites.

Skating USA....

2011-12-18T12:57:00.004Z

We went skating twice last week; once in Central Park, at Donald Trump's rink and once at the much smaller -but super-stylish- rink at Andre Balazs' Standard. Skating has become a big thing at Christmas in the Uk, largely thanks to New York. I love it, but boy does it make my feet ache.

The National, Beacon Theatre.

2011-12-17T09:17:00.001Z

Blimey. We have been having such an extraordinary few days in New York on our family trip that we haven't paused to post. Sorry. There is a great deal to come; but for now here are some photos of our family night out at The National's show at The Beacon Theatre. This glorious band (the American Elbow?) were on fine form, playing a six night residency. The only downside was that we weren't allowed to buy a drink because a UK driving licence was not 'recognised ID'. I do not look under 21. My eldest child is 22. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry so I tried being argumentative: which didn't work. - Posted on Charlie or Caroline's iPhone.

Money. Folded.

2011-12-15T04:39:00.003Z

We just haven't had enough time to post much here in NYC. Too much fun. But just in case you are kind enough to be interested, we have loads and loads of photos and we will post them soon. For now, though, here are a few neatly-folded dollars. Should you wish to dig deeper, there's a book called -you guessed it- Dollar Origami.

Look What You Can Do With Zip Ties.

2011-12-14T13:02:00.003Z

We chanced on this near Union Square, New York. There were about a dozen different works. Pretty great; but boy you'd have to be patient to do this.

Freemans Sporting Club, New York.

2011-12-13T13:31:00.003Z

No trip to New York -for us at least- would be complete without a trip to Freemans Sporting Club. A wonderful restaurant with the finest artichoke dip known to mankind, a men's clothing shop and a barber. That is Jack having his haircut; the final result is not a homage to Jedward, but very cool indeed (of course).

Walking The Highline, New York.

2011-12-13T13:15:00.003Z

The Highline is a refurbished raised train track, built in the 1930s to carry freight and dangerous trains about 50 feet above the streets of New York. It was abandoned in the 1980s and reopened as a raised park/walkway a couple of years ago. When we were last here with the children part of it was open; now more has been renovated and the plan is to open the whole thing, right up Manhattan, one day. It is wonderful, criss-crossing the streets of the Meatpacking District and working its way north. We went as the light was falling yesterday and watched some wonderful clouds over the Hudson. Sometimes the best things in life are free.

Hamburger Wrapping Paper.

2011-12-12T13:08:00.003Z

Okay, we're in New York so this seems appropriate. Isn't it brilliant?

Here We Are...

2011-12-12T12:58:00.003Z

....in New York City. I would show you more photos of our time so far, but something went wrong with my camera card so I have no photos. But here we are, in bed in the Ace Hotel, which seems like the perfect family hotel. So, like most things in life, our story begins in bed. More later.

The Black Keys - Lonely Boy (First Listen)

2011-12-10T10:07:00.000Z

El Camino, the new Black Keys album, is great. Try this.

Meet Izola.

2011-12-10T08:43:00.002Z

Here's another good American homewares site, Izola, with a small but clearly-defined range of bits and pieces for living. I particularly love that shoe brush. Explore it via our title.

The Parking Space

2011-12-09T19:57:00.001Z

This person is so bad at parking that I feel reassured. I'm not so bad after all.

Airstream Auction.

2011-12-09T19:52:00.003Z

US outdoor people Orvis will be auctioning this 1954 Airstream on Sunday, with bids starting at $1000. Okay, it's in the US, but, hey, think big; you can stick it on a boat back to Blighty. More via our title above. PS. We have a 1954 Airstream very like this but it lives outdoors in the Highlands and isn't nearly as shiny as this one.

If You Want A Sharp Knife For Your Kitchen, You've Found It Here...

2011-12-09T19:44:00.001Z

Tosa Kajiyamura Sashimi Knife from BEST MADE on Vimeo.

Nice knife, Best Made.

Best Christmas Card This Year?

2011-12-09T16:16:00.003Z

This is our friend and favourite illustrator Matt Blease's Christmas card. Lovely, eh? Click on our title to see more of his work at Pedlars.

Some Good Christmas Wreaths, Part 1.

2011-12-09T09:03:00.003Z

We seem to have had quite a few conversations about Christmas wreaths this week. Maybe they're having a renaissance or maybe we're just a bit odd. Either way, here are some good wreaths for inspiration; more soon.

John Reeves Kissing Bench.

2011-12-09T09:00:00.003Z

We have some of Jim Reeves' furniture and love this new piece, Kissing Bench, made in mild steel and galvanised so that it is good for outdoor use. As with all of his pieces this is quite affordable at about £250.

Good Web Guide. Win £100.

2011-12-08T09:07:00.003Z

The Good Web Guide has a competition at the moment where one person will win £100 to spend at each of these companies (best of all, Pedlars). Find out more through this post's title.

New York Subway Lights.

2011-12-08T08:14:00.003Z

Here are some early 1900s Subway Lights from New York, rewired and at Pedlars. We also have some of these upcycled lights, using the ceramic piping from the subways. More via our title.

The Roots "Tip The Scale"

2011-12-07T18:13:00.000Z

The new Roots album Undun is great. I hadn't really cottoned on to Roots before, but this ticks all of my 'I love Massive Attack' boxes.

Qi Wei's Exploded Flowers.

2011-12-07T18:06:00.002Z

Aren't these great? Via shoandtellblog, via our title.