A Week is a Long Time for a Birthday

What to wear to match the Birthday Bollinger?

Mmmn Chanel Rouge Fatal is a rather deeper vein blood red than the more scarlet metal cap of the Bolly bottle. But the colour is suitably reminiscently retro reminder of 1940s nail and lip colours so appropriate for the Frock Me! vintage fashion fair that coincided with my birthday last Sunday. Bollinger courtesy Elder Daughter xxx.

And for lips? Also something as retro red as I could manage with my pale-ish skin and hair.

Lancome le French Touch Absolu 102 - "Rouge St Honore"

Rue Faubourg St Honore is the most fashionable street in Paris. Lancome HQ is at no 29 and Hermes at 24. Hermes " 24 Faubourg" is my favourite 'winter' perfume. I'm sensing a theme here, though not quite what I expected. For a start, the lipstick was a surprise birthday gift from a dear friend whose daughter once worked in senior management for Hermes, and had herself gone horse-riding with the head honcho But curiously the birthday perfume I received was another surprise.

Classique by Jean-Paul Gaultier

Chosen by Mr EM because he loved it when I wore some from an earlier gift and although not one I would normally have chosen for myself, I have come to love it as well. And as J-P is my favourite couturier after he purchased some vintage from my stand a few years ago and was so charming and then gave me a kiss, I am very happy to wear it. What I didn't know then was that he is a previous director of Hermes. So it all comes together. Serendipity.

So to dinner the night before, hosted by Number One Son

Who the...? The King lives...

In another surprise, the lovely chic modern Italian restaurant had decided to hold a '50s music theme night. They had brought in a singer who was also an Elvis impersonator, though thankfully dressed in a simple smart 1950s be-bop style. He sang songs familiar to my teen years - not just Elvis, and although unexpected, a lovely bit of nostalgia for my birthday eve just before Frock Me. Thank you Number One Son!xxx.

The morning after - breakfast on the Big Day

Mmmn ready for vintage action!

A peek at my Frock Me! stand

C'est moi with birthday champers

And so on to the next day in my birthday week for a treat organised by Australian Daughter.

Salisbury Playhouse 

Yes, this is the magnificent set for Alan Ayckbourn's 1981 play, "Way Upstream", currently in revival at our local theatre (click on the name). A real cabin cruiser set in a tank filled with water, decorated to look like a section of river with grassy banks, and two bridges. 

The 'river' is a tank in the pit of the auditorium and the displaced seats are placed on the stage itself. This was the view from our seats in the 'back' row where we faced the main audience. We had to cross one of the bridges to reach our seats, which was great fun, especially as we were allowed to take our (plastic ) glasses of wine and had to step carefully so as not to fall in the drink.  

Mr EM and I saw this play in its first London run at The National Theatre in 1982, but due to technical difficulties with a "rain shower" in the second act the performance was abandoned and we were reimbursed our ticket money. So we had never seen the ending until this evening. 

The set is undoubtedly the star as the play is somewhat dated, imbued as it is with the 1980s political era: Mrs Thatcher, union strife and the class war. But it does have the signature Ayckbourn farcical opening scenes which suddenly descend into darker themes. And a stupid ending more suited to 1960s/70s counter culture musicals like "Hair" or "Oh Calcutta" ( they took off their clothes). But maybe that was the point. Well we enjoyed a terrific evening and thank you Australian daughter!xxx

But more to come, this time courtesy of Elder Daughter ( who is currently living in Bondi and  morphing into Australian Daughter No 2).

Moules Mariniere - a little bit of France in Salisbury

If you've ever been to Salisbury you will know that it is a culinary desert. All the chains, a really good modern Indian restaurant but very little else. The pubs are pretty average to poor. And not very pretty. Only one has a proper garden with grass and shrubs and flowers, but they've now stuffed it so full of wooden'picnic' tables that you can't see the grass. Pave it over why don't you! ( Unbirthday rant, sorry.) BUT - a new French style restaurant, Cote Brasserie, has opened and we have given it a cautious welcome. It is part of a small chain, but a well recommended and praised one. I took afternoon tea there and was impressed by the standards of food and, particularly, the service. So we chose it for my Birthday Dinner gift from Elder Daughter (thank you xxx) who had also supplied the Bolly we enjoyed earlier.  

One birthday gift is lasting slightly longer than a week - phew.

Thank you Mummy!

A lovely week. Simple pleasures given and received with love. The best a birthday can be.