“Yeah, Anne that sounds great,” I mumbled down the phone.

I hadn’t thought about what it would be like to immerse myself in the colourful, floral, funny, some might say zany, over the top and down the rabbit hole world of the late Prince of Chintz.

Well, let me tell you. It was fun.

Why buy one when you can buy ten? More is always better. Mario Buatta, who was the most famous American decorator in the 80’s and 90’s  said there wasn’t a color he didn’t like, that he must have been born under a rainbow.

His favourite colors  being lemon yellow, leaf green and Prussian blue. He also liked full-on pistachios, apricots, and aubergine.

Some pretty plates from the auction – which is going gangbusters by the way. It’s a two day sale, there’s still time to bid.

The self-taught boy from Staten Island made good with his cultivated eye, steel trap mind and  great sense of humour.  He was famous when decorators were not. He was also complicated and moody- all the makings of an interesting story.

Anne was right (she usually is).  It is a good story.  Read all about Mario’s inventive world in our piece for British H&G here.

Back to shopping/ bidding- the exhibition made me realise I have always wanted certain things, I just never knew it, like this very practical bird cage…

or this ostrich candelabra

Cheers to Mario…

January, 2020

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We three adventurers met at Paddington Station at the civilised hour of 11am, caught the express train to Castle Cary arriving by 12:30. The views from the train are lovely although we spent most of our time chatting and disturbing our neighbours. Never again will I book the ‘quiet car’ with Deezip in tow.

At Castle Cary we were met by the friendliest of  taxi drivers, David Guy, and whisked off to Hauser & Wirth. Castle Cary is a sleepy, rural station so I recommend booking David in advance (tel 01963 351 015). Swiss global art dealers  Iwan and Manuela Wirth have created quite the cool, arty hangout in the middle of gorgeous Somerset near where they live. Already more than 100,000 people have flocked here since it opened last July.

First things first- we needed the loo. How many loos inspire selfies? That’s how hip this place is!

Then we went outside and enjoyed Dan Graham’s S-Curve, a steel and two-way mirror that did wonders for our figures.

Enough looking at our reflections, the time had come to look beyond ourselves at non-reflective walls. I confess that I have many envies: I wish I could cook, paint my own fingernails, touch-type. The list is long. It just got longer – I want a barn. Correction. I want this barn.

I also wouldn’t mind owning one of Chinese artist Zhang Enli’s ‘Four Seasons’ with its vibrant images of water, leaves and trees. Nature comes inside.

A closeup:

We then strolled through the 1.5 acre Oudolf Field designed by Dutch gardener Piet Oudolf. He has designed both the Highline and the new Whitney Museum’s gardens in NYC amongst other high-profile projects. Perched at the top of Oudolf Field is Chilean artist Smiljan Radic’s white fibreglass pavilion.The Radic Pavilion was first unveiled as the Serpentine Gallery’s 2014 Pavilion.

Here’s a view from my favourite folly.

All this looking at ourselves and beyond can work up an appetite. So to the Roth Bar & Grill we went. It was designed by Bjorn and Oddur Roth, son and grandson of German artist Dieter Roth.

We met up with two creative, bohemian friends who have places nearby and told us what to order – buffalo mozzarella to die for, hamburgers delish, garden salad from the garden, sea bream brilliant and the Bloody Mary’s bloody good. In fact, they said, everything on the menu is good.

After lunch we had a quick espresso At the Chapel, another hip spot in nearby Bruton. Who did we spot there but stunning blonde Burberry model and actress (Endless Love) Gabriella Wilde with her heavily tattooed musician boyfriend Alan Pownall and baby son Sasha Blue. Sorry no pics – we’re too cool for that.

Reality and David the cab driver were calling. Time to head back to London. We almost missed our train when Deezip got distracted in the just-opened,  chic antique shop next to the train station – The Factory.

Oh Somerset, take me back

April, 2015

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