Jade

By far one of the highly prized stones in the history of Chinese art is jade.  Its significance rivals that of gold and diamond in the West.  Innumerable object d'arts have been made from jade, many of them of exquisite craftsmanship.  At the family reunion dinner, with views of the Victoria Harbour at night, all the place settings were in jade, including the jade piece in the menu.  Surrounded by expensive objects, I count myself lucky that the love of my siblings is priceless.

The jade piece in the menu

Flights of Fancy

I have been neglecting my blog for a while.  Life at times can be a torturous journey with many twists and turns and in the midst of navigating them, one can easily lose direction. 

I returned to my place of birth to reflect and think, and here are some images that captured my imagination.


Birds in flight




Clown in an airship at the Festival Walk

shopping mall in Hong Kong





On terra firma, youngsters practising
their turns at the ice rink

Joys of the morning

It was a rare occasion when arriving at work in early morning to see this glorious, illuminous after glow of sunrise peeking through the trees at the car park.

There is a little Imelda in all of us

Our ancestors used to run around in their bare feet.  Today, the shoe has been turned into an object of desire and improbable prices.  A pair of Christian Louboutin trainers go for £595.  Imelda Marcos had accumulated 1,200 pairs of designer shoes, when a lot of her fellow country men lived in poverty.  What is the motivation of a beauty editor who proclaimed that if a pair of shoes can be worn without painkillers and sticky plaster afterwards, then it is not worth buying?  But of course, a pair of shoes can change one's life, at least in the fairytale of Cinderella.  And then there is Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and City: "I've spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live?  I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!".  Just what is the attraction of shoes?

Visiting the Shoe Gallery in Selfridges, where the displays and the shoes are as seductive as the illusive idea of happiness, I marvelled at this marketing gem and wondered when it will become a must-see on the shopping map of the devotees to shoe addiction.

"Hello! Come and see me!" screamed The Shoe,
placed strategically at the exit of the car park,
next to the Shoe Gallery

Sauce pans and lids rivetted together
in this construction of one of women's best friends

Almost as exquisite as a work of art

"Have you bought me yet?" The Other Shoe
placed at the top of the escalator

Quite a sense of humour

A ha-ha

An a-ha moment for a ha-ha. Not the instant when the solution to a problem becomes clear, but rather, a fence concealed in a trench, allowing for the creation of a barrier without the interruption of the view.  At Claydon, the ha-ha separates the house from the long sweeping, sweeping views of the Buckinghamshire countryside.  A-ha.  

The silhouette of a cropped tree marking

the line of the ha-ha

Golden October and dazzling blue sky

Claydon, Buckinghamshire

This 18th century country house, modest from the outside, is brimming with extravagant room decorations.  The ceilings and walls in most rooms are covered with lavish and exquisite features.

Ornate fireplace and alcoves

Breathtaking details on the ceiling

Banister and inlaid staircase

Almost celestial ceiling details

Claydon, on a bright October day

Unyielding

Stripped bare, still proudly standing

A fighter's spirit etched against the rolling countryside

Montisfont Abbey, Hampshire

Once a priory, this building is open to the public on the ground floor only, the key feature being the Whistler Room, with elaborate tromp'loeil murals painted by Rex Whistler.  The room looked enchanting in the warm yellow light, and the sparse furniture rendered space and elegance.

Exquisitely hand painted pelments and wall motifs

Murals in the chapel; the perspective is impressive

The Vyne, Basingstoke

Described as a Tudor 'power house' because it was visited by Henry VIII on at least three occasions, the place disappointed when power has long since evaporated, leaving the interior bolstered by the copywriter's imaginative use of the English language.  Still, on a cold September day, the exterior was mildly attractive.




One of the galleries boasting a harp and a grand piano



Detailed oak panelling throughout the house

Life Without Speech

It's been four days since I lost my voice to laryngitis.  Life without speech can at times be blissful; you can choose to disengage with a jolly good excuse.  It can also be frustrating; you lose the power of vocal expression, and you resign to using a nod, a shake of the head, the waving of hands, and sometimes exagerrated facial expression.  It's like living in a cocooned world, where daylight seeps through the gaps of the willow above water, worn thin by the constant movement of ducks. 

Nature

Nature often crafts some intricate and attractive objects, silently waiting to be admired.

Hatchlands Park, Surrey

A veritable treasure trove of keyboard instruments, associated with famous composers such as Chopin,  J S Bach and Elgar, this 18th century mansion stands in beautiful parkland with trails well marked for those who want to explore the countryside.

The front entrance overlooking 400 acres of parkland

A glimpse of the splendour of Robert Adams' design

A glimpse of the music room with

superb acoustics, an ideal venue for concerts

Clandon Park, Surrey

A Palladian mansion built in the 18th century, Clandon Park was once the home of the Onslow family, whose claim to fame was to have provided three Speakers of the House of Commons.  Inside, the mansion contains a superb collection of 18th century furniture, porcelain and textiles, a feast for the eyes but not for the camera.

Front entrance to Clandon Park

The magnificent two-storey marble hall

A stunning black and gold marble hearth

Majestic blue sky

Last signs of summer, and the splendour of a deep blue sky, as far as the eyes could stretch.

Basildon Park, Reading

Basildon Park is a re-creation and restoration of an 18th century mansion house, quite modest in comparison with other grander National Trust properties.  It was a pleasant drive getting there from Pangbourne and the meandering road alongside the River Thames, with a close eye on those treacherous speed cameras.  The 400 acres of parkland around Basildon Park were ideal for families having a picnic, a get together, and some late summer cheer.

An imposing Basildon Park, front entrance

The library

Stunning ceiling by John Carr

The details are exquisite

Images of Dusseldorf

After a stint of 6 months in USA when I mostly dined solo, I felt strangely comfortable eating on my own again, this time at the Seestern area, Dusseldorf.  Prago, signora, the Italian waiter beckoned.  The menu was in German, so some translation was called for.  In translation, angel fish became angle fish, which turned out to be two rubbery lumps of fish fillets, surrounded by tiny pieces of carrots and brocolli symetrically presented in a clockwork pattern. It was food for sustenance, if that.

An atrium warmly lit by electric blue lights on a wet autumn day.  The graceful gladioli struck a colourful contrast.  The long passageway looked welcoming and inviting - I almost saw a rabbit hurrying down the corridor, and I almost ran after it. 

Modern glassware displayed in glass cabinets in the hotel lobby.  The  eyes were inevitably drawn to the shapes, so neatly arranged in straight lines.  Poetry in simplicity.

Dusseldorf

It was a quick entry and exit at Dusseldorf International.  The beast of business travel is such that the traveller hardly gets time to explore the city.  Pity, as Dusseldorf is such a pretty place, even at dusk and on a very wet day.

An airy Dusseldorf International Airport.

Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference

between one airport terminal to another.

On the way home, a dramatic skyline

with two helicopters flying off to their destination. 

The shades of blue were startlingly magical.

The joy of a blue sky

On the radio today, as schools reopen after the summer holiday, the broadcaster was lamenting the passing of summer.  Perhaps more the passing of summer holidays....  On a clear day, I can see, under a clear blue sky, the traffic on the A3 and the urban landscape beyond.  It's a view, and it's a view worth having rather than looking into a car park or across an open plan office with a sea of expressionless faces.

Hinton Ampner Series - Interiors

A glimpse into the elegant living of the upper class, a far cry from the functional utility of Ikea.  In each room is a folder describing the provenance of each object.  There is a preponderence of Regency furniture, Italian paintings, gilded mirrors, and hardstone items.