Friday Night Comedy

Last week, on Friday 13th, the weekend of the titanic's sinking centenary, in a rainstorm, we dressed up and went out for a meal on a boat....

And thats where the comparisons stop.

The 'Penny Lane'

Our trip out was to the premiere of the 'River Giggle' an Evening of Comedy on the River Avon. The format of the evening, run by promoter and gangster character act  Sal Monello, is simple -  a three course meal followed by 4 comedy acts. The venue, aboard The Penny Lane River Cruiser , gives a nice twist to the evening.

The evening was an absolute blinder, with some great comedians and  delicious food! Luckily we had a great crowd on our table so the banter over dinner was fun too! Unfortunately the rain put pay to any photos, so you'll have to imagine  how fabulous we looked!!!

They are looking to run this regularly the 2nd Friday of the month, if you're near Bath  its a great night out, you can book here. And Sal holds other comedy nights around the area too, if boats aren't your thing!*

*The boat is moored for the evening so no sea sickness to worry about!!

{Make do and Mend} Dressmaking for Dummies

There weren't many things on my wish list for 2012 , mastering victory rolls and another great 1940s hairdo was on there along with being able to swingdance properly.  

But the main goal on my list was to be able to sew my own clothes!!

Luckily on the same day I was trawling the internet for courses, a flyer came through from my local school offereing a dressmaking for dummies beginners class. I signed stratight up!

It was my first my first week last Thursday and I loved it, theres a good mix of people young and old, old hands(that are self taught) and others new to it all. We were offered a pattern to sew in class, but I didn't like it! I was really after something a little more vintage inspired....

Unfortunately vintage patterns are on the small size for me, so I was  hoping to find retro  inspired patterns instead. I found loads I loved, but set with instructions to buy a skirt pattern with a zip and to bring it to class next week, that discounted quite a few.

In the end I've bought  this pattern....

Not retro at all, but simple! I've bought material to make E (top right) but I'll be adding straps and turning it into a suspender skirt which should be perfect for swing class! I'll also be able to reuse the pattern to make some 40s style pencil skirts!

I've already bought 2 more 40s patterns off eBay!!!!

How about you? Can you sew? I know lots of you that read this do, so, any advice for a beginner? What patterns are good?

The artist And Vintage Mondays

Last week for a special pre birthday treat, hubby took me to see The Artist. I was so excited! I'd wanted to see this film since I first saw the trailer. A double super thrill was that he was taking me to see it at the Little Theatre in Bath for one of their Vintage Monday showings!

Creative Bath write up
Bath’s Little Theatre Cinema will shortly be inviting the public to take part in a time travel experiment. Although we’ll be showing the same brand new films as usual, we’ll be turning the clocks back around the cinema, back to a time of gentility and refinement. Staff in old-fashioned uniforms, ice cream tray sales, intermissions – you thought these were things of the past, but on Monday nights from 16th January, the Little is bringing them back and resurrecting the truly great days of cinema.

Martin Jennings-Wright, manager of the Little, said: Lots of our customers miss the days when a trip to the cinema was a real event, and we are delighted to revive that atmosphere. We hope we can jog a few older memories, and perhaps open a few younger eyes to how cinemas used to be, at the same time as playing the latest films via state of the art digital projection.

Customers turning up in 1940s or thereabouts costume will be treated to free refreshments on the night!

Little Theatre Website

Usherettes, ice cream trays, the sound of the wurlitzer... every Monday from 16 January, come along to the Little for what made cinemaging in the 1940s and '50s so great.
You can even spend the intermission enjoying an in-cinema cigarette (of the sweet variety).
We'll be showing the same line-up of films as during the rest of the week, but all done with nostalgic flourish.
Do come in your best period outfits - if we like the cut of your jib there'll be ices or refreshing drinks on the house.

When we arrived, we were very pleased with the entrace - red carpet no less!! But unfortunately  thats where the magic stopped for us...

All the props were there but there was no feeling or sparkle.  Maybe we'd hyped it up in our heads too much? Maybe it was just the service that was lacking. To me there was no atmosphere of the 40s, Noone make the evening feel special, I had too call the usherette back for my order because they didn't ask our row, and repeat my choice twice to her before I got it. And no, even though we were head to toe in authentic and reproduction 1940s garb we did not receive it free! The cinema itself was very comfy and the building was cute. But I don't think we'll return unless its the only place showing a film I like. We'll be heading back to the westway in frome for our Independant Cinema fim watching. 

The Film was AMAZING and eclectic ephemera has done a great review here you can read. I loved every minute of it and really really hope they make more of this type of film.

A Drive in the Country

 

At the weekend we bought a new car, which gave me the best opportunity to suggest to Hubby we went for a little Sunday Drive! We decided to drive across the Somerset Levels and I suggested we might stop at Wedmore and stretch our legs!
Nestled on the edge of the levels with the mendips in the background, its a very picturesque town, Full of hidden lovelies! We driven through a few times but never stopped.  Being Sunday, all but the village shop were closed,  but it was nice to have a wander and see where we might like to come back too later on...

 We found this gorgeous bike outside a gallery

Then wandered up Church Street, and through the graveyard

I spotted the Old Post Office. Now I always daydream I have an old  house with shopfront windows, and this was soo quaint (I'm a sucker for sage green window frames and doors).  I'm not even sure what I would even do with an old shop? Probable just have it as a coffee come craft area and just invite all my friends to call each day!!

 

 Flowers were out around the village but it was bitterly cold (sorry hubby) so we turned around and headed back to the car

 Although I did spot this shop on the way, it seemed to have a good mix of vintage housewares and clothing so I'll be planning a return trip soon...

Hope you all had a nice weekend too!!!

New Year Celebrations!

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a fantastic time celebrating last night? We had a meal out with family in Bath. 

A first for us we dined at the Cosy Club. I hadn't been there before so had been umming and aahing all week about what to wear!!

Looking at the website they described themselves as a modern day gin palace and the interior sounded fantastic...

"The bar area comprises of an Art Deco-inspired snug & a roomy bar area, which is dominated by an impressive gin-palace-style bar. The look is completed with leather club chairs, sink-into sofas, Art Deco coffee tables, velvet pouffes, chandeliers, & a pair of feature Art Deco uplighters (from the set of Jeeves & Wooster).
The dining area has seating for up 110 guests & a further 66 guests on the balcony. The interior is an eclectic mix of reclaimed tables, old leather dining chairs, reclaimed railway waiting room benches, old lab stools, Victorian lampshades & Eastern European factory lights. On the raised area, complete with a couple of feature antler chandeliers, the walls are adorned (literally covered) with old oil paintings & prints."

Mum & Dad

After searching online all week for a 20s dress , I gave up! Luckily I found a cute 50s style dress at 20th Century Foxy that I thought would be fun for New Year Eve. I added my enormous coral petticoat and voila, a fun but  dressy yet casual outfit for new year!

The meal was lovely, the food excellent.....

 

I did have a gorgeous Winterberry Eton Mess for dessert but scoffed it too quickly for photos! 

I could have easily sipped more of these devine Trifle Martinis instead though.....

Yum Yum

Of course I've saved the best til last..... the perk of having a dad who owns a wedding car company means that our lift for the evening was extremely stylish (even if the setting of a carpark wasn't !!)

Happy new Year everyone!!!!

So long 2011, and welcome to the new year!!

Oh folks, what a good year 2011 was for us! I can hardly believe this time last year I didn't know so many of you, and hadn't entered the world of vintage as I know it today!

Thank you for journeying along with me, for the advice and support and for the lovely comments along the way!

I'm wishing you all a happy new year today as...

We have plans tonight to have a very lovely evening with family here.

Which I am sure will be very civilised...

but hopfully will end a bit more like this!!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful night tonight and that 2012 brings you all that you wish for!!!

{Catch-Up} Trains, Chains and Mince Pies!!

Sorry for the lack of posting this week, the school holidays are here and I can't get anywhere near the computer!!!


We've been busy little bees though...

 

Christmas shopping in Frome

 Making paper chains

Melting vinyl records

Making Mince Pies

Visiting Local Railway Stations!!

What have you been up to? I hope you are all enjoying the run up to Christmas as much as we are!!

Normal service will be resumed shortly...

Lovely Tweedyness and An Evening of Chap Hop!!!

Did you ever notice that as soon as you stop looking, everything eventualy comes to you? This week has kinda been one of those!!

After the end of 'the season' and a little lull in our vintage activities this weekend was cram packed full of lovely goodness! To break up a potentially picture heavy post, I'll break it up into two posts!

Part One {Saturday}

First off we found a couple of lovely things in the shop in the village, a scarf for hubby and a 'can bung it on to keep me warm on the school run - without the kids getting too embarrassed' hat for me!!

 Luckily these both suited our outfit requirements for the evening as we had tickets to see the rather dapper Mr B Gentleman Rhymer performing in  his rather brilliant style of Chap Hop.

For those not in the know,  Wiki describes Chap Hop as ' a variety of music originating from England that mixes the hip hop genre with elements from the steampunk subculture and stereotypical English obsessions such as cricket, tea and the weather.'  but it is oh so much more than that!!  

The invite proclaimed .....

On a one-man mission to introduce Hip-Hop to the Queen's English, Mr. B is delighted to present Chap-Hop.

Having spent the best part of a decade bringing some manners back to popular culture, this dopest of fellows will entertain and amuse you with his ingenious stylings.Aiming to dazzle with dignity, Mr. B takes to the stage with his Banjolele and stiff upper lip to perform ditties of pipe-smoking, high society, Cricket and sexual misadventure, as well as some more well-known pieces from the world of Hip-Hop, re-worked in true Chap-Hop fashion.

A side note of  Tweed jackets/flat caps and false moustaches welcome, we donned our tweed and headed to Frome!!!

Gosh, you really don't want to know how many outfits I tried on before I chose this one!!!


The night itself was absolutely fantastic! And it wasn't just the man himself we were also treated to some super support acts, Frome's finest poet "Muriel Lavender", and some of our favourite Burlesque girls Dulcie Demure and Lola Pinch! As well as a rather spiffing new band from Frome, Indigo Children.


Thinking we'd seen the last of him for the evening we had a rather nice surprise of Mr B as Dulcie's 'Diet Coke Break' Bloke!!!

Luckily I think he's in both Bristol and Swindon soon, so we shan't have to wait too long to see him again!!!

Pip Pip!!