By Charlie Gladstone
Here’s my list of recommendations this month. I’ve kept it brief; ten things I’ve consumed that you can read in one minute.
#1.
Book of the Month. Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen. Six hundred pages, 100 characters. Family, sex, drugs, depression, explosions, God, rock and roll. Genius!
#2.
Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. A brand new literary crime thriller by a two times Purlitzer Prize winner. Ace!
#3.
The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson. Not a new book but the bonkers life-story of a family of eminent if absolutely chaotic situationist artists. Funny and though provoking.
#4.
By the way, I also highly recommend Kevin Wilson’s Nothing to See Here which I have raved about before.
#5.
Anja Dunk’s Advent. A beautiful, lyrical new cook book by a true Renaissance Woman.
#6.
James Blake’s Friends That Break Your Heart. You’ve probably made your mind up about Blake by now, but this is fantastic. Modern soul ballads with snatches of hip hop and deep texture.
#7.
Bear Brook Podcast. A great true crime podcast about bodies in barrels and the passion of some amateur genealogists. Give it time; it’s a slow burner.
#8.
Radiohead’s If You Say The Word. A recently-released out take from the Kid A/Amnesiac sessions. A bit of a classic.
#9.
MilanToast’s Sandwich Toaster. I bought one of these for our newest property at Glen Dye and now I want one for our home. So good.
#10.
The art of Magda Archer. We’re amassing a good collection of this at Glen Dye. Witty, richly coloured and oozing individuality.
More recommendations…
Our thoughts this winter, across our businesses, are focused on getting our guests and customers outdoors. I believe that winter is every bit as good as summer and that our relationship with the colder and darker months has become weirdly soured.
Autumn and winter last for about half the year, so we might as well try to make the best of them.
So here’s a short piece on my favourite kit -indoor and outdoor- for winter.
I love Christmas. It’s called the most wonderful time of the year for a reason. And I hope this love never leaves me.
So, whilst this may feel early to some, what’s the harm in getting ahead of yourself and saving the Amazon Prime panic on December 23rd? We can do better than that.
Here are 10 good things to consider for the ones you love this year, and yes, there is some shameless self-promotion present…
Chickens. They’re everywhere. No, seriously!
As least twice a day I get up from my desk and head outside to wave my arms around in a fashion similar to tai-chi in attempt to usher chickens safely back into The Walled Garden.
Rachel, the estate manager at Glen Dye, says that we should all hail the small but mighty Leatherman, so we asked her to tell us why…
When people ask me where I’m from, I tell them I’m from Flintshire. And yet, to my dismay, the response that I’m most often met with is, “where on earth is that?!”.
My cultural round up of the last month or two. Some books, records, podcasts and television that has kept me happy. From Hockney to Floating Points, axes to herbs…
I’m thrilled to present you with a list very close to my heart. Some, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting and relishing their beauty. Others, I’ve simply come across on Instagram and imagined myself there, amongst their four walls, adding delicious items to my basket.
