Fags Have To Go & 'e Legs Have To Grow

I think I'm a little more than obsessed, with my new obsession. And I've put off writing this particular Blog for a while just incase this particular one passed as many others have done in the past. Some have come & gone in days, (a few in a couple in hours) but most within a month or two. However this one remains & now I'm not so sure it is an actual obsession. It's rather become part of my life  (rather than a contiued & irresistible thought that outweighs all others) it affects much what I do with my days now  as the health benefits that come with it have begun to ingrain themselves in most parts of my daily life.

Two months ago, I was a smoker. An avid smoker. With absolutely no intention of ever giving up. Then one day my Vintage "Golden Pigeon" bicycle from China began to fall apart.  Having to walk the rest of the way to the girl's shop, I knew I'd have to find another bike fairly sharpish & she soon suggested "Jeff & Victor have an old Racer out the back, they said it'd suit you".

Kind of suit me it did, at the Princely sum of £35.00 it was more than a bargain & I was back on the road. Immediately I was astonished that I, who would only have to jog to the ashtray & have to catch my breath, was overtaking not only pedestrians but also other cyclists! The brakes hardly worked but that didn't bother me in the slightest. I was hooked.

Of  course as soon as I could I had to replace the vulgar white leatherette saddle with a handmade Brooks B17 & Brooks bar tape!

Within a week or so I went out for a ride, without a destination, just for the sake of going out for a ride. Literally for excercise! Bonkers.  Living on the South coast I headed west on the road for 4 miles,stopping for a break,  then took the seafront back home.

 30 minutes & I was physically shattered. But, weirdly, felt quite good, and not really bothered with the pain from my neck,al the way down my back & obviously in my legs. Three days  later I did it again & timed myself. I wasn't any faster but definately wanted to be. So I planned to do the route everyday for the next 7 days.  I did get faster & it did get easier. After each ride a rush of what felt like adrenalin, but probably wasn't, poured over me. Someone mentioned "that'll be the natural endorphins", so I thought I'll have some more of them please! And I did.

Week 2 was 12 miles a day, though by now, with a speedo & taliking to other cyclists, we were into kilometres - 20 a day & being able to go longer without a break, I gradually began to feel . . . . kind of fitter, obviously & well, more alive. I could feel the blood pumping through my legs, gasping for breath after making it up the zig zags to a cliff top.But always ending with a smile on my face & a sense of accomplishment.   JFK wasn't wrong when he said Nothing compares with the simple pleasure of a bike ride. I began to sleep better, rise earlier & the better I felt the more I wanted to get out on the bike.

It was after this second week that I said to myself, "the fags have to go & the legs have to grow", if I'm gonna take this half seriously & be able, not only to keep up with fitter cyclists  & friends but able to put in 40+  miles in a day. So to my local "Smoke Stop" it was. Patches & mints. I must admit I've found it tricky, the odd one here & there after a week of none at all. But I'm I'm confident they'll be gone for good soon enough! My relationship with food has improved no end, cycling allows for huge apetites, before a 30 mile ride I've had an Armstrong breakfast, bowl of pasta, 2 bowls of muesli, 3 bananas, Vitamin C drink, a pint of protein shake & an apple. Three black coffee & as many cigarettes was all I ingested & interested in for many many years before noon.  It's quite a change & possibly the best change I've ever made in my 32 years.

The clothing's been tricky. "Fuck lycra" I've quipped more than once, but a few close fitting Vintage cycling Jerseys look quite the trick on the Vintage Racer.

Mods in the early '60's were obsessed with any apparel from the continent, & cycling jerseys were on their backs regularly. It's not all about Harrington's & Desert boots. (In fact they miss the point completely if you ask me) So I'm slowly entering onto a new "scene", not one with concerns of showing 1/2 an inch cuff out of my mohair, 3 button jacket, but one of "group sets", derailleurs, Mavics,  and thankfully one hell of a stylish Co. called Rapha. http://www.rapha.cc/ All Mod. All Cycling.



So, for me a new "Way Of Life" has begun. I'm getting through a book a week on the giants of past and present in world of cylcling. Jacques Anquetil & Laurent Fignon, awe inspiring characters form bygone eras. With endearing philosophies on their role of what being a World class cyclist meant to them of course can inspire everyone & they certainly did me. In Fignons "We were young & carefree" he says

" The lust for excitement, tempests & battles has always been there. It springs from the tiniest inkling of an idea. It looks wide eyed out at the world. I always wanted to grab life with both hands. Otherwise, what's the point of being on this earth? Is it pride when you prefer the surge of living things  to slavish complacency? Is it vanity when you want to surprise yourself again & again? Is it a crime to have a competitive soul & a gamblers blood? Cycling is a living breathing Art. Those cyclists who forget that are halfway to becoming slobs. I wanted life to be full, every instant of it, beginning again everyday, I wanted it to be complete & loaded with surprises."

I of course couldn't express how it feels any better than that.  I've begun to love my bike & everything it offers. Having made a few new pals who've been in to it for years, I've been convinced to go from Land's End to John O Groats next June for charity.  Now I have the excuse, "I'm not going for a ride, I'm training. I'll see you in a bit."

I feel amazingly lucky also that havng only been into cycling for 6 weeks or so, it's coincided with Britain's best ever results in the World Championships in Copenhagen last week. Not only was it their best, they were better than every other nation with 6 medals in total & of course Mark Cavendish winning the Men's Elite Road Race. I haven't shouted at the TV so loud in years & was proud once more to be British.

 And having the honour of wearing the coveted Rainbow Jersey all nnext year at events & main Tours.

Anyway, I really do have to go, the New Forest is calling & I wanna make it out there for sunset. My, how Friday nights have changed!

Just one more flight up . . . .

I heard myself saying this to friends, family & delivery folk who were helping me move into my new abode, whether they were carrying up boxes, tables, books, lamps, clobber or just themselves. A fourth floor penthouse (attic flat) is my new residence on the sunny South Coast.

The only thing I had in mind when starting to kit out this place was the the kit would all be pre 1960's. The best find of the lot, thanks to Amber at Decades Of Design,  was the 1950's Harrods, green leather Chesterfield. I was simply  anxiety ridden for a whole week before it was delivered as to whether it would actually fit up the four flights of stairs and round a couple of tight corners. Five strong men, actually four as I was one of them, managed in the end though!

So now settled in it's starting to feel like a home, the only things to add is art work for the whitewashed walls!

These are the most unused ornaments of the lot.

My much traeasured photo of myself with my eldest sister in '81 giving Princess Diana a rose on her leaving day at the local Kinderarten in St Georges Square SW1.

What is missing though sadly is a portrait of our monarch. Trawling through car boots, antique shops, charity shops, Ebay, Auction rooms not one has come up I like the look of. Must keep hunting.

As I write on this sunny Tuesday, apparently the riots are kicking orf once more in my beloved home town of London. Thankfully SW1, where my parents & sister still live has come out mostly unscathed but my thoughts & prayers are with all the boroughs & communities and locals all effected by the mindless stupidity.

How lucky I feel to have somewhere  where I call home, free from worry or even terror that some in this land are feeling at present.

Take care London Town and stick together. X

Art Deco Perfection?

In the last few years I've seen a few of these come up for auction, but not in as pristine condition as this. 3 days left to get a bid in!

 An original early 1930's  Art Deco - Machine-age in era and design Black Americana antique rarity - A Figural " Ronson Touch-Tip" desk top lighter featuring a prohibition era bartender shaking a martini behind his streamlined state of the art modernist speakeasy era bar with all top accessories intact!!

This lighter is pictured in all of the collectors books and is viewed as an iconic andimportant American Jazz-age modernist art deco design. It appeals to tobacciana collectors, Black Americana collectors, Barware and cocktail shaker collectors, Pre-prohibition era advertising collectors, and fans of the streamlined industrial machine age modern aesthetic.

This is only the second of these we have ever offered for sale in nearly 30 years of dealing antiques and this one is in fabulous & gleaming in complete very good - fine condition.

It is untested but the touch tip element is there and with a flint and fuel and service this would likely spark and light for you as designed. I do not believe the lighter element has ever been used as seen in the touch-tip jpeg photo seen below.

It can be found on Ebay through this link.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290572057039&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

A Physical Path To Albion Begins

Nothing would please me more than to continue writing about Vintage in  all it's forms, it was this that this Blog started with it's main purpose of using Fashion, Design & Style as vessels if you like that would steer me toward my own Albion. Recently however, well a couple of months back, the girl noticed I had bagan to "put on a few pounds".

Now I have ALWAYS been  a complete "ectomorph". Skinny as you like, eating whatever I wish, whenever. I've always been completely indifferent about food. It certainly never made any sense to me to spend more time cooking something that the time it would actually take me to eat it.

So now noticing my little round pot New Delhi, something had to be done. I've got beautifully cut trousers, many a one off in a 32" waist and I absolutely panicked to think I could  become too big to not fit in them.  

Though I had  a problem. I haven't taken part in any form of excercise since I left college at 18, I've smoked everyday, binge drank my way through my 20's and I fear my slender frame may have something to do with my willingness to sample evreything that every narcotic buffet had to offer all the way through the noughties. And I liked being slim, I often said, "you'll never see a fat  Mod".  And you wouldn't. The cut of suits I loved so so much, favour themmselves to be worn on a slim frame.

So it was actually by chance  and to my utter relief a couple of weeks ago I came across an article that has since motivated me to go running every day since reading it. It was from the excellent online magazine called  "The Art Of Manliness".

This was the first of their series on the "5 switches of Manliness". Physicality. And I liked the idea of adopting their maxim " - By small and simple means I will flip the switches of manliness.”

When seeking to activate the deeply encoded parts of primitive masculinity, there is no better place to start than physicality. Primitive man used his body all day every day: building, hunting, walking, dancing, fighting.

For modern man, these activities have been replaced with sitting. Many of us sit for twelve hours or more a day. Sit down for breakfast, sit in the car on the way to work, sit at your desk all day, sit in your car on the way home from work, sit in front of the tv at night….Rinse and repeat

It quite rightly goes on to say (you can see I'm converted already) that we  were born to run. http://artofmanliness.com/2011/05/22/the-5-switches-of-manliness-physicality/#comments

Our bodies were made to move. We’re beings of flesh, bone, and muscle. If we weren’t designed to move, we would have evolved to be great blobs of tissue–human clams. 

And excercise in general. Anyone who has exercised regularly is familiar with the phenomenon of the “runner’s high.” It has been described by researchers as:

pure happiness, elation, a feeling of unity with one’s self and/or nature, endless peacefulness, inner harmony, boundless energy, and a reduction in pain sensation.

That’s a pretty powerful feeling. Can you really expect to feel fully alive without a regular dose of it? It’s no wonder that studies have shown that exercise is just as effective as antidepressants in treating clinical depression.

I've chased many highs in the past, so one more shouldn't hurt!  I won't bang on, it's fair to say the article would have to be read for yourself! Man or Woman!

I'm not long back from a run myself, and very pleasant it was too. I'm kind of sitting here all smug. I "go for runs" now. It used to baffle me why peolple did it. They never even got anywhere, their destination was their starting point, literally going round in circles. And I once read it was also, research proved to be an utter waste of time. Saying, the exact amount of time you spend running is probably what you will add to your life expectancy. So, you may have well have been doing something else. Something you enjoyed. Chasing a high maybe? I'm no longer of that mind set. I actually enjoy it. And also starting more excercises, weights and stretches. Also, taking up Martial Arts again in a couple of weeks. Good Lord, all from one article. And a pot belly.

The Golden Age

A few months back,  I was on look out for a smokers desk top set. Not really even knowing whether exactly what I wanted was actually going to be for sale anywhere, or had even ever been made. The one company with beautiful smokers accessories dating back to the early 20th century was Ronson.

I've owned a fair amount of their  lighters over the years and honestly thought, there's nothing really special about these. And a lot of the time, picking pocket lighters up from Antique shops or even car boot sales they were near impossible to get working. Knowing only the basics lighter maintainance, (changing the wick, flint and filling the petrol up) it wasn't long before I had collected countless Zippos which are much more reliable and easy to maintain, but never looking elegant enough or a real prized design piece.

More recently however favouring aesthestics from the Art Deco period  over Mid Century design principles it was back to Ronson that I sought inspiration and was enthralled by the beauty of  their designs form and function. I was amazed by their Touch Tip lighter the most. Seen in the film The Maltese Falcon, with Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor.

(the use of the Touch Tip is at 3 mins 15 seconds, if you don't fancy the 7 minutes)

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zSd_MCIIKNk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

As I write this a  Touch Tip Lighter with Cigarette Dispenser below is currently on Ebay with three days left at £75.00. I have to be restrained from bidding though interested to see what it will actually go for.

The Ronson lighter company started as The Art Metal Works in 1886 by Louis V. Aronson, a gifted man who at 16 years old received a U.S. patent for a commercially valuable metal plating process he developed. The following year he moved his factory to Newark, New Jersey. Soon the company was producing a variety of high quality lamps, book ends, statues and other decorative items, prized today for their detail in the collector marketplace.

And so they went on designing, what probably are works art and what had to have a huge influence on Glamour in The Roaring Twenties and through the 1930's aswell.

A sure must for any serious Art Deco or Ronson collector "The Bartender" Touch Tip.

At present I own two 1930's Ronson case/lighters. The "Pal" and the "Patrician". Both fairly inexpensive considering their age and in full working condition. My favourite being the Patrician, with  it's obvious Art Deco shape and angles, it never fails to raise admiring glances and remarks while still being fairly masculine in jet black and chrome.

I was lucky enough to even buy it with my middle intials on!

With a new flat soon to move into, for me, 1920's design pieces are on the wish list. Being this beautiful how could they not be!

Smokers Wish List

These are some superb looking lighters, down on the wish list. The famous Ronson Touch Tips.

All complete of course with working "magic" wands.

                                                  

The most sought after probably has to be the famous " Bartender".

                            

Apparently a must for all serious collectors. And I suppose you;d have to be fairly serious to stump up a cool  £1000 to get your hands on one!

Though it would be pride of place of any Art Deco lovers.



. . . . may I stay at yours for a bit . . . . ?

I don't like estate agents much. At all. Looking for a flat to reside in recently I found one which will suit, after trawling up & down stairs, through pokey corridors, smelly toilets, dirty shower rooms (not even bathrooms) & dismal entrance halls. I found the nice little place no less than three weeks ago. I've never known anyone to be as thorough with references as these Estate Agents. However the waiting is almost over, hopefully. Since then I have called in on two of my closest friends (they were when I moved in anyway) starting with " ah,can I stay at yours for a bit . . . ? No more than a week tops, probably".

This has been my home/bed since then.

Though it is a lovely 1950's couch, it's no comfy.

And having a house guest  can't all be fun, I know I'd struggle having one, even for a night. So many thanks to Mr Friedlander & Mr Kemble, though sometimes I think they don't even realise I'm there. 

Though, for these friends there have been a couple of benefits as having yours truly to stay. I do like things tidy. I love my clothes. I believe everyone should love there clothes. So I went & tidied up. In one particular bedroom, I couldn't see what colour the carpet was, for poor clothes, God forbid, being left on the floor, bed unmade. I heard somewhere that order is the virtue of mediocrity. If so then I am truly mediocre. The carpet became visible!

Socks were arranged, into "dress" & "leisure" & T Shirts rolled.

Towels folded, belts rolled & footwear arranged.

And, of course, shirts, tops & suits hung. I did honestly feel sorry for the poor whistle, with trousers creased flopping over a bowing plastic hanger. Tutut. Now hung on a wooden, with trousers pressed. Hurrah!

I love dressing spaces, a space to think about the day ahead & at the end of it to reflect. They're not really bedrooms to me. They're dressing rooms.

While I've been here, most of my clobber has been in storage so I haven't really been able to partake in Formal Friday as much as I'd have liked. Though happily, others have & the girls are pulling their weight also!

For a couple of weeks, the lovely Joanne Evans has been turned out fabulously!

Ruby Adams wonderfully elegant Fancy Friday

The very Vintage chic Jen.

The luscious Lisa Northover!

The wonderful Vintage Per Sempre owner, Leah Austen Rose.

Beautiful boutique What Alice Found owner Nick Grainger

Oh so chic Emily Fisher

And for the chaps, Deco owner Stuart Alexander.

Lord Jason The Barber Bailey

Luke Griffiths-Williams

And the Missus & I.

We can be found on Facebook under the group Formal Friday In Britain, the more the merrier so feel free to post your pics on that page if you decide to join the cause, rebelling against Dress Down Friday & going Formal instead. Hope to see you there!

Until I'm settled in to a nice new swanky pad, tada!