"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.” – P.J. O’Rourke
THE SENIOR COLUMN
Head to "Articles" above for more appetite filling efforts. The Column here is like my bottom-drawer or filing cabinet containing often featuring my own inspiration and general internet finds. Hopefully some of these might one day be expanded into articles, when time allows, but until then they're stored here. Go on have a snoop around whilst I'm taking too long getting some wine from the cellar or fixing you a Dukes Martini of an article.
F.E. Castleberry
Entering the world of F.E. Castleberry is like going through a door into a Guggenheim of Good Taste. Fred is a natural curator. His louchely-preppy style a relaxed disguise for someone so studiously bookish in his discovery of source material and in the time and passion invested in creating his own unique aesthetic. Browsing his collection is like reading the pages of Glenn O’Brien – simple words assembled together to create great wisdom. It makes me want to steal a great artwork — if only to order a new wardrobe.
PULLMAN GALLERY
Mark Birley was a customer of Pullman Gallery which should be enough to convince anyone of a need to visit. If more encouragement is needed in an FT interview he called them “A pocket of resistance in a world of mediocrity”. Not only one of the best shops in London but one of the best shops anywhere.
JFK's MANITOU
You can keep your 100m+ megayacht. Despite my obvious love of gin not for me the floating gin palace. If I could have any yacht in the world it would be Kennedy's SY Manitou. Lines so sexy they could have been delivered by Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday"
BRUCE MEYER
I'm a huge admirer of car video website Petrolicious. A particular favourite of mine is this video featuring Bruce Meyer. Bruce is the epitome of a car guy. Apparently his motto his "Buy the best example of what you want, and pay whatever it takes. That way, you cry only once.”
JACKIE's ESTATE
Jackie Kennedy Onassis' under the tutelage of her friend Bunny Mellon developed an wonderfully relaxed American aesthetic. Here is her Martha's Vineyard estate currently on the market.
THE CONTENDER
David Coggins is a writer of such prolific talent that he scares me to publish my own inconsequential ramblings; his website is invariably imbued with thoughts or phrases that will enrich your outlook on life or at the very least make you want to take up fishing
WM BROWN PROJECT
A Negroni-drinking, Dunhill-lighting, Partagas-smoking, Land-Rover-driving, Rolex-Leica-snapping, Weber-barbecuing, Barbour-wearing, Sinatra-singing, Petrossian-consuming, book-and-magazine-publishing visionary - Matt Hranek is a modern day Hemingway
THE CHIP
The beauty of a good novel is that it can crystallise the imperfect or perfect times we go through in life until they fit succinctly between a front and back cover. Sport (to its fans at least) can capture and communicate those moments in mere seconds
HOLIDAY PLANS
You don't become a father-of-five without a healthy level of optimism. Like Chevy Chase day-dreaming of his pool - I'm just waiting for my bonus.
RaLPH LAUREN HOME
I have a Pinterest board dedicated solely to this property (and the Double RL Ranch too). Ralph's Bedford study is perhaps the most perfect room I've ever seen.
YOLO JOURNAL
Yolanda Edwards and Matt Hranek are the binary stars of a modern publishing resurgence. Like Ray and Charles Eames, Eleanor and FDR, Krasner and Pollock it's unclear however who is the real genius
FATHER AND SON
Don Draper is widely regarded as the second best person in advertising behind the visionary who came up with the Generations campaign for Patek Philippe. The campaign reached its peak with this video
Still elated by a recent trip to the Patek Philippe Museum I was excited to see Christies publishing this great article about history of the Patek Philippe Nautilus
QUEEN OF SERENE
10,000 sq ft of serene perfection. An exercise in taste and restraint. Rose Uniacke's Pimlico masterpiece
THE WOLSELEY
My daughter's favourite restaurant. Who knew taste was genetic? Location of the annual Daddy-Daughter-day
LIFE AT THE TOP
I had long been enamoured by the photo shoot Harpers Bazaar did of Tommy Hilfiger's electic apartment atop the Plaza. Architectural Digest went one better and produced this video
WILLIAM MCLURE
Cy Twombly for the instagram era. A man overflowing with prodigious aesthetic talent and energy which he pours onto canvas, floors, walls, tablescapes...
NOILLY PRAT PAIRING
Perhaps it was because I was on a fast day but Noilly Prat's suggestions for food pairing had me salivating. Looking forward to trying Original Dry with oysters
MORE COMING SOON - OPEN TO RECOMMENDATIONS