moving swiftly on...

...from glad rags, greasy quiffs, hotties, spotted dicks and faggots (ha, thought I'd include the last two in a future cookery post)...

I'm sorry that earlier this week some of you missed the delectable shots of Rock Hudson accompanied by my thoughts on the films of Douglas Sirk (love 'em). And yesterday, I deleted some bumbling about fairy buns and an analogy between plain baking/fancy cakes and stay-at-home mum/lady-who-lunches. But I have to say that I am quite taken by the idea of writing and deleting posts which then float about in Bloglines or disappear into the ether, and then writing further versions of the same post. It would be a kind of Brit Art approach to blogging which would confuse readers and engender deep and meaningful discussions on Radio 4 about authorial voices, reality, truth, and all sorts of modern critical crap.

But I won't today, because I just have to show you where I went for lunch yesterday. The wonderful and funny Gemma was twice a victim of deleted comments in the faux pas posts. But she did tell me that she doesn't think of me as a lady-who-lunches. That's because I'm not. I am a lady-who-lunches-about-once-a-year.

Yesterday I put on my nice clothes/glad rags (delete as appropriate) and met a great friend of mine at the much talked-about Petersham Nurseries Cafe near Richmond to celebrate her successful adoption of a lovely little boy.

I love the recent phenomenon of restaurants set in a greenhouse environment (there's also a similar place just outside Amsterdam and one in Stockholm) with many of the ingredients coming straight from the restaurant's kitchen garden. But this place is a greenhouse with knobs on (no emails/comments on that one, please). The nursery sells plants (grouped together in colour schemes), garden implements and all sorts of accessories. But this is so tastefully done I felt as though I was walking through a stylists' workshop, or at least in the footsteps of the people who have just been to Alicia's house.

Take a look. Windfall apples casually strewn amongst French zinc pots...

Neatly labelled, carefully positioned amaryllis bulbs...

Lemons to enhance a piece of garden bric-a-brac (price on application)...

A patchwork of sempervivums...

Clever grouping to show off foliage...

Second-hand pots which are more expensive than new ones...

Beautiful vintage wooden crates...

Umbrellas to borrow so you can do your shopping in the rain without getting drenched...

And the restaurant was stunning...

We ate under awning in between the two huge greenhouses. Every table decoration was different, exquisite and seasonal. (I am used to seeing my surname spelt incorrectly - top photo - and will forgive anything when it's written on smart card.)

It was a great lunch, a great location, and I could happily have taken the whole place home with me.

And my plans for the weekend? Well, some Brit Art style rude blogging, of course.

Comments

[lyn]

I missed your deleted posts, to my utter dismay. But do 'keep it up'.

[eireann]

Excellent. Can't wait. Love new, rude, postmodern Yarnstorm.

;)

Nice chestnuts!

[Laurel]

That nursery looks lovely! I want to fly over just to wander around there. And, as always, your pictures are stunning.

[janel]

I'm so curious to know what you ate for lunch! What a lovely cafe.

[Alex]

Can't wait for your future cookery postings...
Great photos, so autumnal and saturated colours!

[Leslie]

I can't resist telling you: I had no meaning for "greasy quiff" so I looked it up online. First few results-- HORRORS! She can't mean that! So I looked farther and learned of the haircut.

In the case of "glad rags," I only knew the one meaning (fancy clothes)and couldn't imagine how that could offend, so again I looked farther. HORRORS AGAIN! I had no idea!

What fun. Thanks. ( I think?)

Leslie,
laughing.

[Mary K. in Rockport]

Uncharacteristically, I missed a few days of your blog, so I'm not sure what the fuss is, but - do they sell that laundry soap called Fairy Snow in England?

[Sezz]

I've read about this place in lots of foodie magazines but you sell the place fabulously with those glorious photographs. I SO want to visit there now. Thanks for sharing.

[Bee]

Stunning pics Jane..what a great place!
Bee.

[Dorothy B]

That nursery/restaurant looks amazing. How nice to be able to do your shopping and have a bite to eat all in the same beautiful place.

[Gary]

I can't stand much more of this. It's too beautiful. All of it.

[HPNY Knits]

THANKS Jane, for the link to the link to the tea house. I hope I will have the opportunity to go when I am in London. it looks lovely, and your photos are stunning, and curiously, all have a slight pinkish hue- to match the new blog colors...
by the way, i have been racking my brain trying hard to think what you wrote that could have offended people.
I say- on with your natural flow- it works. don't censure yourself.

[Alicia P.]

Oh, trust me -- if I could trade house for Petersham Cafe, I would in a heartbeat. That place look utterly gorgeous. And there is no doubt that the service (not to mention the food) is much much better than Cafe Paulson.

How's that for taking a compliment ungracefully.

[Alicia P.]

". . . Bumbling about fairy buns" -- always my favorite part.

[Annalea]

While I must admit that "glad rags" always makes me think of something other than nice clothing (lol), I do love your posts. It's so nice to read things written by someone who also loves English for all it's foibles and beauty.

Educated writing, excellent photos, and the occasional regional faux pas; what more could I ask for? :o)

Now, if greenhouse dining would just catch on in the US. :o)

[pauline]

oh, I've been meaning to go there for such a long time! It's just so far...

[Daphne]

What a comeback!!! Lovely. Especially (referring only to the photos now) (what I think are) the horsechestnuts (if that's the word for them there) with hairy rinds. Or whatever we all agree to call them. Ours are generally spikey.

I'm going to pretend this comment is a field of parenthetical flowers blooming rather than entirely silly.

[kathy merrick]

Ah, nice one, Jane.
I was once in Richmond on my first trip to England.
I have always remembered fondly how lovely it was on a wind-and-rain-swept January late afternoon.
It was my 19th birthday.

[Gemma]

Chestnut season! Woo hoo. Although I did get brained by a falling conker on my way home from work today! That always means Autumn is here.

Thank-you for the mention. I wondered where all the sudden traffic to my little world was coming from? :-)

Yours Bashful and Brained of Brighton.

[Alison]

What Eireann said :)))
Bring on the spotted dick I say!

[Allison]

Hi Jane,
That place is gorgeous. One of the problems with reading o/s blogs is that you can't frequent the places discussed.
We have a Petersham here in Sydney, and while it has quite a few exquisite multicultural eating spots (I'm thinking of a Greek one in particular), I don't know of any greenhouses. What a shame!

[Leisl]

Next time you go there, can I come too? It looks so very, very inspiring.

[littlejennywren]

I went to a small restaurant in Sydney once called the Tin Shed and it was in second-hand house fittings yard. That was great and a trip to the toilet took ages because there were so many things to look at on the way.

[susoolu]

Mmmm, faggots and spotted dick. (And lumpy custard and curry with raisins, ah, school dinners...)

Beautiful lunching greenhouse, a wonderful place for a celebration - many congratulations to your friend and her new family.

[Jill]

I go to this place - what a surprise when it turned up on your blog! Next time I go I shall be looking sideways at everyone, wondering if it is you. And I shall look more carefully - I know I love the ?decor, but it takes your eye to see it properly.