When stationed abroad–or sent away for some nefarious reason or other–the English imported the manners and mores of Home to their new locale. As the British Empire grew, spreading across Asia, Africa and Down Under, it was imperative to maintain ‘civilization’ and ‘cult[...]
Archive for May, 2009
How I Take Care Of My Hair
Mlle. Aline Vallandri, the famous Cantatrice, who has the Most Wonderful Hair in Europe, tells her Secrets to an Interviewer for Every Woman’s Encyclopaedia: It is not difficult (she says) to set down the rules I follow for taking care of my hair. Greatly as I prize and value my gift, I am no [...]
The Country House Party
The Country House and its society was taken very seriously by the British. Unlike their Continental counterparts, whose society adhered closely to the movements of the court, the British long acknowledged the countryside as the backbone of the country. The Englishman actually preferred to live in th[...]
Mansions of Mayfair
According to E. Beresford Chancellor, if “we sought for one particular feature distinguishing London from the other capitals of Europe, apart from its immense proportions, it would probably be found in the number of its large houses–many of which are indeed private palaces.” Mayfai[...]
May 19th, 2009 - 5:51 pm § in Cinema
Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Obviously Ritchie strives to update Sherlock Holmes and imbue this iconic character with a bit of his trademark grittiness, but I must say I am left aghast by the trailer. My disappointment has filled numerous Tweets since I saw the trailer last night, and though I will probably see this, I can̵[...]
May 14th, 2009 - 10:38 pm § in London
Promenades Through London: The Strand
In the manner of New York City’s Broadway, the hub of London theatre and nightlife was The Strand. A famous music hall song of the period entitled “Let’s All Go Down The Strand” sums up the general exhilaration tourists and Londoners alike experienced along this slice of the [...]
May 11th, 2009 - 6:00 am § in Sport
To Drive a Motorcar
In the Edwardian era, “motor driving” was largely a hobby, sometimes a sport, undertaken and enjoyed by the wealthy elites. Though the automobile made it easier to go from point A to point B, the attitude towards actually driving this new contraption was rather casual–one was apt t[...]
May 4th, 2009 - 6:00 am § in Food
Setting the Table
The evolution of formal dining begins in the medieval era, where dining became a sign of social status. At that time, the table setting included the Salt Cellar, which was the first thing put on the table. The salt was far more than a condiment–to sit above the salt was to sit in the place [..[...]
