Guest Post: Continental Feuilletons.

Today's guest post comes from an old book at one of the places I work. The volume of bound fashion periodicals is called 'World of Fashion and Continental Feuilletons'.

Featured here the outrageously puffy, flouncy, big hair and enormous hatted fashions of 1830. This is 'New fashions for January 1830; Ball and Dinner Dresses'. I like the blue one best but feel that hat is going a bit far for dinner, really.

Book of October

Book of October is a short, fun novel about political thought. Sounds unlikely?

A History of Capitalism on the Jubilee Line by John o' Farrell has a group of people stranded on an underground train. The line will flood, but which way should they escape, down a tunnel built by public funding or one from private initiative?

It's very amusing and has a cast of famous political characters from times past.

The book is part of a series themed around various lines on the London Underground.

Moroccan not Afternoon

Following on from a previous post extolling the virtues of Afternoon Tea...a new discovery, Moroccan tea.

While in Paris (on annual anniversary holiday) we always go to one of my favourite restaurants; Chez Bebert on Rue Montparnasse. It's a slightly chaotic, crammed place that serves amazing Moroccan food.

Couscous, tagines, north African wines and to finish off, insanely sweet, strong mint tea in a glass with a selection of baklava (pastries) teeny marzipan fruits, marzipan shapes and dates stuffed with marzipan on an exotic cake stand.

Paris Rooftops

This picture of rooftops in Paris is dedicated to my friend Sarah Rooftops, who especially likes these things (rooftops).

This is the view to the extreme right, leaning off the tiny balcony of our hotel room on the 6th floor. A proper Paris attic with a slopey ceiling, lovely.

We go to Paris for our anniversary every year and it is my favourite city in the whole world. I am becoming a bit of a massive Francophile, actually, the food...the style...the architecture...

This time we went to many of our favourite haunts such as the comic shops, Notre Dame, Luxembourg Gardens and also to some new places: The Musee Nissim Camondo, Fontainebleau Palace and an exhibition about the history of underwear at the Musee Arts Decoratifs (I shouldn't have laughed at the codpieces, I know.)

Glimpsed while Driving

A few weeks ago we went on a holiday with the in-laws. This involved driving to Troon, through Ayrshire. Ayrshire features some fabulous existing castles, such as Culzean Castle, but also many ruins, especially of stately homes from the C18th and 19th. I don't know why so much is lost and abandoned in this county?

As it was a family holiday I didn't have any conspirators to trample through mud and over wire to reach derelict stately homes (next time Dalquaharran!), but I did stop to get petrol (cunningly) and photograph this one from the garage forecourt.

Loudon Castle is a ruined C19th house which was the centrepiece of a now abandoned amusement park. Find out more here: Loudon Castle.

Son of Begonia

Oooh must be on a high res here as I can see all the paper texture!

This begonia is the clone offspring (cutting) of one I got from my dad. Every so often I hack it all off so it can regrow healthy and the offcuts are distributed among various people. It is one of those great plants you can grow from putting a leafy twig in a jam jar.

I love plants in the house, especially over the long Aberdonian winter.

Make my day Steampunk.

Not Book of September, as that accolade is taken, but I'm greatly enjoying the steampunk adventure 'Glass Books of the Dream Eaters' by GW Dahlquist.

Steampunk (if you don't know it) is things set in a Victorian world but with more modern, weird technology.

Picture shows the three main characters: Celeste Temple; a jilted woman in search of revenge, Cardinal Chang; a professional assassin and Dr Svenson;...a doctor. I won't go into the plot here as it is fiendishly complex, but is riproaring fun. Even better, part of a series of three!