SATURDAY

Spring is definitely in the air. The robin family are building a nest in the garden. The sun keeps trying to peep out between the greyness, the days are getting longer and it’s Saturday. I’ve put away my inks and brushes for the weekend.... well that’s the theory, in fact it’s until I can’t resist drawing something.
‘A’ needed a haircut and so I decided to accompany him on the walk along the river. Any excuse for me to go into town.

His hairdressers are a traditional old fashioned barbers shop located in Walters which is a Gentleman’s outfitters in a lovely old shop in Turl Street. It has lots of little wooden drawers full of socks and ties and cravats that I really envy. The wooden drawers that is, not the cravats! They sell college blazers and funny little hats like the ones Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee wear in Alice in Wonderland. As well as amazing tweed coats and boots and cricket whites etc, all very Brideshead Revisited.

A couple of doors away are the stationers Scriptum. It’s just like stepping into one of those lovely little shops in Venice or Florence. I could spend hours rooting around. They have all kinds of pens and nibs and inks, books and leather bound journals. They do amazing subtly coloured inks in 80ml bottles in shades like Sienna and Bordeaux that I’m going to stock up on. ‘A’ was going to buy a pen for his calligraphy but I treated him to an early valentines present, a wooden boxed set complete with two pens, two bottles of ink and ten nibs. He was so pleased. I’ve just checked out their website it’s on www.scriptum.co.uk I’d forgotten they also sell Venetian masks.

‘A’ had run out of pipe tobacco. He’s convinced that he’s given up smoking as now smokes a pipe and cigars in stead of cigarettes. He promises me that you don’t inhale pipe smoke so it's harmless. Oh well I suppose that it’s better than cigarettes……and does have that 50’s retro vibe going on. Reminds me of a cool photo I have of my father. But I do love going in the tobacconist Frederick Tranters n High Street. They have special little room full of cigars kept at the correct temperature. Cases of pipes in all shapes and sizes and the most amazing smelling tobacco smelling of cloves a cinnamon and chocolate! The owner let me smell cherry and vanilla tobacco that smelt just like Christmas cake!!

We had a good look around Antiques on High. I loved some of the retro Russian pendants but put A off buying me anything as we’re going to Portobello Road next Saturday. Although I’m sure I’ll be going back to High Street.

Passing Sanders Prints and Maps I could’t resist photographing their new window display. You can see the images on the posting below.

When we got home A couldn't wait to play with his new pens, me too.....