Chelsea From Beyond

A few years ago I was lucky enough to spend time on the ranches of  Argentina where I learnt to play polo….the Argentine way.

If you thought polo was all about champagne, fine looking people and fast cars …. well you would be partly correct…  but it also has a beautiful down to earth side and this is what I discovered in Argentina.

So with the help of Oscar Mancini, the dashing and legendary Argentine pro, I started Discover Polo, the Argentine Way. Polo days in Windsor where anyone can learn how to ride a polo pony and the relaxed nature of Argentina.

So if the trust fund isn't stretching to a gaggle of polo ponies and lessons in Argentina but you have always wanted to give it a go, this is really the thing!

It's also a perfect get your hands dirty day out for a group of friends for a stag or a hen party, where the (ladies, really very charming!) Argentine pro takes you through from the basics to playing your first game on the day.

Whether you prove yourselves to be the next  Jack or Jemma Kidd or you are completely rubbish at it, you get to wind down and recover over the traditional Argentine Asado BBQ and finish the day watching the pros showing you why this really is a sport for the fit and fearless!

Contact me and I will be happy to send you a full day's itinerary and answer any questions. 

Price for the full day including the BBQ is £110 per person + £20 each for transport from central London.

I was recently invited to spend an evening at La Cucina Caldesi, the fabulous and only Italian cooking school in London (Marylebone, W1), where I spent the most enjoyable evening in the capable hands of Jo Haynes (the cookery school manager) and her expert team of chefs. 

The aim was to furnish us with some essential lessons in the basics of Italian cooking and I am inclined to believe they were highly successful – that's if the recent compliments on my culinary skills are to be believed (athough admitedly, most come from my husband, of whom I suspect a vested interest!) 

We began, as evenings should, with a cocktail. Mojito making was the order of the day, and quite delicious they were too! 

This was followed by a step by step lesson in pizza making - the famous and fabulous chef talked us through the entire process, from making the dough and the best yeasts to use, to how to spin the pizza, as well as letting us in on a few top tips from the pizza chefs of Naples on what the people in the know do in pizza town. 

A few tasty Mojitos and one pizza masterclass later, we found ourselves thoroughly engrossed (unsurprisingly) in the final session - chocolate strawberry macaroons and truffles! (no further explanation necessary…).

Needless to say I really, really enjoyed my evening and it got me thinking what a perfect hen party activity these lessons would make. 

Come with a group of girlfriends,  enjoy a few cocktails together while you are taught Italian recipes and enjoy sampling the dishes at the end.  It's a fun way to spend time together doing something genuinely entertaining and very tasty indeed.  I am also pretty sure that La Cucina would be very happy to tailor an evening for you or put together a full day class. 

You actually come away with new skills – mine are spinning pizza dough while clutching an ice cold mojito with an eye on the melting chocolate for the final course…. I have re-created this in my own kitchen since and the results really have been quite delicious! 

Many thanks to Jo and all the team at La Cucina Caldesi for a really delightful evening – my husband will be forever grateful that fresh margherita pizza and Mojitos are the newest additions to my culinary talents! 

This month bridal consultant Michelle Pierre-Carr takes five minutes out of a very busy wedding season to talk sea views and sports cars.

1. What is your favourite boat? If you could sail on it where would you go?

I absolutely love catamarans. Any chance I get you will see me on one of those in the Caribbean, taking a load off.  If I had my way I would discover all the islands in the Caribbean that have yet to be discovered and find my own little Necker Island smile.

2. What is your favourite interior? If you could be in any room now, where would it be and why?

I have to say I love seeing the sea and if you combine that with an indoor space I get weak at the knees. I remember visiting Round Hill in Montego Bay, Jamaica and falling in love with what Ralph Lauren had done with the oceanfront rooms so much so that it was enough for me to tie the knot there. Pure luxury and simplicity all tied in one.

Round Hill has such a special place in my heart now that I would love to be in the Georgian Room and Terrace again where we had our wedding reception overlooking the sea. That was a fabulous night for me and my family and friends – definitely one of the happiest nights of my life. 

3. What has been your all time favourite gift?

It has to be my Toyota MR2. I love sports cars and I had been looking for one for ages but I never expected in my wildest dreams to get that as a wedding gift from my husband. I love taking the roof off and feeling the wind on my face, the best gift ever.

4. If your fairy godmother could give you one gift now what would it be?

Without a doubt it would have to be a beach home in the Caribbean. I spend so much time there it would be lovely to have a permanent home of my own facing the sea.

5. What one piece of advice would you give to a couple getting married?

Remember why you are doing it. Often the emphasis is on the wedding day and less on the relationship. The wedding is merely a public celebration of your commitment together so remember to spend time together during the planning of your wedding and enjoy your engagement. When the wedding is finished you’ll have each other and that’s all that matters in the end.

…………………………………

Michelle Pierre-Carr is a Professional Bridal Consultant with the Association of Bridal Consultants and runs Pierre Carr, Exclusive Tropical Weddings a Caribbean wedding planning company that designs and coordinates tailor made weddings at home and abroad for couples looking for much more than a package on their wedding day.

‘Even though wedding planning is still a growing industry in the UK I believe it’s so important to find planners who have their own niche be it destination weddings, vintage, themed or otherwise. Having a real expert in a chosen area really makes a difference, as they will definitely save you time, money and stress purely because they know what they are doing in the area that interests you'. 

Slowly but surely I’m seeing more planners who are really trying to have a unique usp and that can only be a good thing for couples out there and the industry as a whole.

 This week I talk to Sara Madderson, founder of wedding blog Style me down the aisle.com - who divulges her love for the Grenadines and the Frick Gallery and why you should never swap Jimmy Choo's for gloves!

1. What is your favourite boat? If you could sail on it where would you go ?

I’m sure you will be horrified by this answer Chelsea, but I know nothing about boats and really couldn’t name any! I’m not much of a sailor, but I would absolutely love to spend some time with my hubby in years to come, meandering around the Grenadines in a little boat and mooring at perfect, secluded coves for lobster and a well-chilled Chablis … and I would only consider a Chelsea Bidwill-designed interior obviously!

2. What is your favourite interior? If you could be in any room now, where would it be and why?

Such a hard one … I am tempted to say Versailles, but I will be marginally more original and plump for the Frick Gallery in New York, and more specifically the Fragonard Room. The Frick is my absolute favourite art gallery in the world and I never get tired of visiting it and pretending I live there … very easy to do!! It’s the perfect size and the art is to die for. The Fragonard Room is a little garden room filled with the most amazing Fragonard panels of garden scenes in all the feminine, indulgent pastels that he is so famous for. Some of the panels were designed for Madame du Barry, mistress of Louis XV. It would be hard to find a more gorgeous little haven to kick back in with a magazine!

3. What has been your all time favourite gift?

My amazing husband presented me with a long, gift-wrapped box on our first Christmas together – we’d only been together about 3 months. I was convinced it was an i-Dock. I opened the box and it was a pair of black leather Peony knee-high boots by Jimmy Choo. The weirdest thing was that I had always wanted those boots, and if Chris had pulled me into Jimmy Choo and let me choose anything in the store, I would have picked them. He had chosen them without knowing that, and they fit like a glove. Truly my soul-mate!! I had bought him gloves … woops!

4. If your fairy godmother could give you one gift now what would it be?

Speaking purely sartorially, de Gournay wallpaper for our bedroom which we are planning on redecorating – one of their panoramic scenes in shades of grey. I would also love a Sub Zero wine fridge!

5. What one piece of advice would you give to a couple getting married

A couple of things … decide what you want to spend money on, and what you can live without. We wanted great food and wine, and I didn’t hold back on my dress. BUT I wasn’t prepared to hire a vintage car for the one mile journey to the church, so got a very cheap black cab! Secondly, at least consider hiring a wedding planner or wedding stylist. So many brides assume it’s an expense they can live without, but these professionals can help you save money. My own very personal view is that British brides still think of wedding planners as being purely logistics-focused, but so many US brides hire them to help style / theme the wedding and they can add real wow-factor to the lowest budget wedding without breaking the bank.

(Arrangement by By Appointment Only Design photograph by Stephen Gormley Photography)

Sara runs a London-based bridal blog called Style Me Down The Aisle which she launched in May of this year.

Sara says 'It’s still early days! My husband and I got married in London in March and it was sadly at a very late point in our engagement that I stumbled upon some of the amazing US wedding blogs that are available. I was inspired to set up a similar resource for UK brides, featuring style inspiration from real, mainly British, weddings and vendors.

The UK wedding blogging industry is still in its infancy compared to the US but some amazing sites have been set up in recent months, and that makes it a lot of fun! I think that British brides are growing in awareness of all the fabulous resources out there and that this is driving a real trend towards more cohesively styled weddings filled with lots of personal, DIY details and a consistent colour scheme running throughout the event. I keep seeing grey and yellow, in various shades and guises, as a theme and it works wonderfully!'

Vintage, why does it conjure up such romantic thoughts?

Do we wish we lived in times gone by or do we like the attention to detail we disregarded in the recent years?? 'Be gone detail', said the minimalist modernist era!

As we move away from the modernist minimal madness, where a white box room was once desirable, I find the general trend now is to tart and reinstate the vintage details of yesteryear into our rooms and homes. However, while the mixture of old and new isn't a new idea, the combination of vintage detail and layers of it is the new vintage we are seeing today.

(Image courtesy of Style Me Down the Aisle)

Vintage layers are all about taking your own vintage and adding more. It is about choosing favourite pieces from your past… what you like… what is desirable to you… what is from your past… be it your grandmother's chair recovered, the archive photos of your house pot plants or decorative elements features rediscovered and given a new life.

A few vintage layers you could embellish your own home with;

Paneled walls and ceiling roses- all painted one colour are a distinct layer.

Bespoke embroidered linen and embossed fabrics, finding old bricks and antique floorboards, reupholstering rather than buying new… The list can be long as we seek our vintage fix. 

These are a few of my favourite things…

(Image courtesy of Style Me Down the Aisle)

(Image courtesy of Style Me Down the Aisle)

'Couples: The Truth', is a new seminal book by Kate Figes and a fascinating, honest, thought provoking and (dare I say it) rather helpful read, no matter what type of relationship you are in. 

After spending 3 years interviewing over 120 couples on all aspects of relationships Kate had produced a pretty comprehensive summary of modern relationships and here are some of her top pearls of wisdom to wet your appetite:

Pearl of wisdom 1. "Take responsibility for your relationship" - There is often a notion that within relationships you can trust an external force – love, or the institution of marriage, or romance – to keep it together - when actually  it is the two of you that have to do it.

Pearl of wisdom 2. Learn to retain a sense of individual self and respect for the other person's sense of self. That is the number one thing, because from there everything else flourishes.

Pearl of wisdom 3. Retain the courtesies of daily life - good manners, tolerance, forgiveness, a sense of humour are traits of couples most content in their relationship.

Pearl of wisdom 4. Talk when you are unhappy about something before it becomes too entrenched.

Pearl of wisdom 5. Accept imperfections, and be realistic as to what a relationship can offer – do not expect it to make you secure, rich, happy. It can't do all those things – those things have to come from yourself. 

Pearl of wisdom 6. Respect each other's autonomy, and be apart, and trust when you are apart that the foundations are still solid. This is a trait of most successful relationships that consist of two autonomous grown-ups who are able to be together. 

Pearl of wisdom 7. Attach as equal an importance as possible to the work of each person and aim for a fairly even split in domestic responsibilities.

Pearl of wisdom 8. At the first hint of trouble, such as that you are arguing badly, go to someone who can help you to interpret what you are both saying, so you really understand each other.

Pearl of Wisdom 9. And finally, when you have difficult times, learn from them.'

I think these are all fabulous pieces of advice – take from them a few essential rules to have in your head and remind yourself of them in the times you need them most. 

In this months 'five minutes with' I talk sharks, Vivienne Westwood handbags and individuality with make-up artist Katherine Gould.

1. What is your favourite boat? If you could sail on it where would you go ?

KG: My dad was a keen sailor and he did a lot of sailing before i was born.. i would love to be able to sail with him on one of his old boats – maybe from our old family home in Auckland, New Zealand to Waiheke Island on a perfect summers day.

2. What is your favourite interior? If you could be in any room now, where would it be and why?

KG: Probably my bedroom – I love having all my weird and wonderful possessions around me and my lovely, comfy bed. I've started a taxidermy collection which takes pride of place on my mantelpiece next to all the odd things I've collected on my travels.

One of my favorite places of all times is Les Crayeres in the Champagne region in France. We went for my 30th birthday and it was truly one of the most memorable meals and experiences of my life. Beautiful interiors and grounds. 

3. What has been your all time favourite gift?

KG: I am obsessed with sharks and my boyfriend bought me a large fish tank with baby sharks for my birthday, it was so thoughtful and really sweet.

4. If your fairy godmother could give you one gift now what would it be?

KG: To continue to have a blessed and wonderful life – failing that a massive pile of cash or a very large Vivienne Westwood handbag.

5. What one piece of advice would you give to a couple getting married

KG: Just do what's right for the two of you. It can get stressful trying to accommodate the wants and needs of each others friends and families. 

When it comes to make-up it's worth getting a professional that you feel comfortable with. You have to live with those picture for the rest of your life – you want to be looking your best!!

I had the privilege to do the make-up for Chelsea's wedding this year, it was a fantastic day and she looked stunning!

A bit about Katherine by Katherine…

I moved to London from New Zealand about 6 years ago, during this time I have worked as a make-up artist and photographer. I am currently working as a freelance make-up artist and for MAC cosmetics.

I think at the moment in the fashion world there is a big focus on individuality.. with mainstream musicians such as Lady Gaga and Rhianna being more expressive with their hair and make-up it has given us more confidence to be more playful with colour and technique.

My favorite look is beautiful polished skin with a strong or vibrant lip – a classic red will never go out of fashion.

I just want to let everyone how grateful I am for the support of wonderful wedding planner Mark Neimenko, who recently mentioned me on his fabulous blog Mr N

A friend of mine brought my attention to,  Aliya Rose in Fife holding a Breakthrough for Breast Cancer 'Strawberry Tea' event – for every dress sold during the two day event (August 21st – 22nd), the shop will make a donation to Breakthrough. A brilliant idea I thought, but being a little too far from Fife to pop up for the weekend, it got me thinking about other ways couples who can't make it to Fife could give something back on thier big day. 

Vintage Wedding Dresses – find a wedding dress and bridal accessories at one of the eleven Oxfam bridal stores or contact the Vintage Wedding dress company and source a beautiful one off vintage number.

Stray from the path of mass production and take a look at the collection from Leblas who specalise in traditional techniques and sustainable practices.

Recycled gifts –  think along the lines of bowls crafted from storm damaged and fallen trees or bespoke furniture made by charitable projects 

Put some plants and trees on your gift list – Give a little Co2 back to the world:

Recycled confetti -  from recycled and eco arts company Via-cornwall

Instead of wedding favors adopt a stone on the Giant's Causeway or make a donation to Fix the Fells via the national trust on behalf of your guests. 

Localy sourced flowers - Check out Green Union for eco friendly and sustainable wedding inspiration, I loved their idea for choosing locally grown, seasonal flowers sourced from a local producer.

This month's 5 minutes is with wedding planner  Siobhan Craven-Robins - renowned for her attention to detail, discretion and personal touch.

1. What is your favourite boat? If you could sail in it where would you go?

SCR: Any boat sailing around somewhere hot! Ideally around the Bahamas as I have never been.

2. What is your favourite interior? If you could be in any room now, where would it be and why?

SCR: The Penthouse at the Dorchester. I love Oliver Messel's sets and think that room is sumptuous, decadent and warm.

3. What has been your all time favourite gift?

SCR: There are too many. Ones that are given as a surprise, for no particular reason, just because that person loves you or thought of you when they saw the gift and had to get it for you – they mean the most.

4. If your fairy godmother could give you one gift now what would it be?

SCR: An ocean view apartment in Santa Monica!

5. What one piece of advice would you give to a couple getting married

SCR: Enjoy all the planning as much as possible, it goes so quickly and culminates in a day that passes by in a flash. Throughout the day, stop yourself, look around and relish it.

Siobhan says:

I have always been an advocate of great lighting at weddings. It sets a scene, creates an atmosphere and can be varied throughout the event. This is something that is becoming more affordable to couples as more and more production companies buy LED dance floors, bars and easy to erect trussing etc to hire. The fact this is more accessible provides me with more scope to create a memorable setting for my clients' weddings.