We are a few days away from a new exciting experience as we head off to Minnesota to The Creative Connection Conference beginning on Thursday 15th of September We are taking part with a TasteBud demonstration with delicious samples on Saturday 17th of September. Carolyn and I are mastering the art now of transporting all our tools and props across the pond with a limited weight limit this time. I am already thinking that I may be wearing all my clothes layer by layer if I am to get everything in. At least we are not having to transport flowers.
The ordering of flowers and plant material from country to country is quite interesting. You never know quite what you may end up with, I like the surprise!
An important element of this trip is that we are going to have a whole day learning how to improve our blog . Hopefully in the next few months you will enjoy all the changes and additions we are able to make with our new found skills. We can make our pages visually more attractive and appealing so bear with us as we tip toe through the new techniques we hope to learn.
We are demonstrating on Saturday the 17th and it is entitled An English afternoon tea. Do not be fooled by this as see how we bring this to a contemporary level full of flowers in unexpected guises. We hope to educate and entertain so try not to miss it. See you there!
Friday, 9 September 2011
Saturday, 13 August 2011
We are back!
I cannot believe that it has been this long.................Have we been missed?
We were on our way to HK when we last communicated , well that seems a lifetime ago. The summer has carried us along through all sorts of things and its such a surprise to find that we have reached mid August already!
Carolyn and I are planning our trip to the Creative Connection in Minnesota in mid September . You will be hearing all about our plans during the next few weeks. I have been studying lists of flowers here and in the States and comparing names. Although we use the latin names to trade with as its universal of course, each country, even county sometimes have their own pet names for plants and flowers and it can become rather confusing to say the least . Phormium tenax in the UK is known as flax in the States and in the UK bun moss is known as mood moss across the pond, just an example of the differences. As you can imagine if you are ordering from this distance it can be quite a surprise to see what you have to work with on arrival some destinations. I must say that in Hong Kong they were spot on , incredibly precise in fact.
I visited the flower market there and completely drooled over the wonderful orchid selection........ totally amazing..............I could have brought them all home with me!
Already I sense a slight Autumnal feel when I look at the hedgerows as I fly past in the car. Berries are blushing more each day and fruits are plumping up ready for picking. Soon leaves will turn their colour and we will enjoy another seasonal spectacle. We will try and keep you updated as TasteBud moves into Autumn with many new adventures before us !
We were on our way to HK when we last communicated , well that seems a lifetime ago. The summer has carried us along through all sorts of things and its such a surprise to find that we have reached mid August already!
Carolyn and I are planning our trip to the Creative Connection in Minnesota in mid September . You will be hearing all about our plans during the next few weeks. I have been studying lists of flowers here and in the States and comparing names. Although we use the latin names to trade with as its universal of course, each country, even county sometimes have their own pet names for plants and flowers and it can become rather confusing to say the least . Phormium tenax in the UK is known as flax in the States and in the UK bun moss is known as mood moss across the pond, just an example of the differences. As you can imagine if you are ordering from this distance it can be quite a surprise to see what you have to work with on arrival some destinations. I must say that in Hong Kong they were spot on , incredibly precise in fact.
I visited the flower market there and completely drooled over the wonderful orchid selection........ totally amazing..............I could have brought them all home with me!
Already I sense a slight Autumnal feel when I look at the hedgerows as I fly past in the car. Berries are blushing more each day and fruits are plumping up ready for picking. Soon leaves will turn their colour and we will enjoy another seasonal spectacle. We will try and keep you updated as TasteBud moves into Autumn with many new adventures before us !
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Memories of Hong Kong
Oh Gosh..................how did this happen!
We are over a week away from our last journey from Hong kong and our feet have literally skipped along to this day within one blink. So sorry for not keeping the journal going . We were so very very busy and when we were not busy we were sleeping , albeit briefly. I think I have just recovered from lack of Zzzz,s seriously.
We had such an incredibly memorable time. Our hosts were the dearest, kindest, sweetest people and we were so very well looked after. The weather was hot and steamy and most of the time I was dressed in wet clothes which are not particularly comfortable and definitely not attractive . All images of me that have of course been heavily censored show me with a certain patina that would look so right on a glorious antique table perhaps, but not an English geriatric florist up to arms in Mandarin and Cantonese!
On the final day Carolyn and I treated ourselves to an adventure to the much revered Stanley market. Where risking life and limb we took a double decker bus. The drivers are ingenious how they master the intestinel like route that takes you from one Island to the next next.
On arrival the antenna soon perked up as the market unfurled before us. Ooooh colours and smells and bargains galore!!!! From cashmere to chopsticks and linens to laundered labels. We were in our element. Poor Carolyn with back pack resembled a pack horse by the time I was finished poor girl. We came across a small stall selling fruits and flowers with orchids begging for my attention ....how I wanted to take them all home.
As it was on returning to the Hotel bags and cases were stuffed , Carolyn took pity on my overflow bless her. I was saved at the check-in as my seriously overweight case wobbled , groaned and leant on the scale barrier relieving itself off a few tell tale 1Lbs just in time not to have to pay any ecxcess!!!
Our Memories of HK will last for a lifetime , the kindness, humility, complete utter madness and disbelief at the volume of people, the culture shock and the real discovery that shopping and eating are the biggest pastimes for everyone.
Eating! How is it they eat so much so often and stay so slim........if only I could bottle it!!
We are over a week away from our last journey from Hong kong and our feet have literally skipped along to this day within one blink. So sorry for not keeping the journal going . We were so very very busy and when we were not busy we were sleeping , albeit briefly. I think I have just recovered from lack of Zzzz,s seriously.
We had such an incredibly memorable time. Our hosts were the dearest, kindest, sweetest people and we were so very well looked after. The weather was hot and steamy and most of the time I was dressed in wet clothes which are not particularly comfortable and definitely not attractive . All images of me that have of course been heavily censored show me with a certain patina that would look so right on a glorious antique table perhaps, but not an English geriatric florist up to arms in Mandarin and Cantonese!
On the final day Carolyn and I treated ourselves to an adventure to the much revered Stanley market. Where risking life and limb we took a double decker bus. The drivers are ingenious how they master the intestinel like route that takes you from one Island to the next next.
On arrival the antenna soon perked up as the market unfurled before us. Ooooh colours and smells and bargains galore!!!! From cashmere to chopsticks and linens to laundered labels. We were in our element. Poor Carolyn with back pack resembled a pack horse by the time I was finished poor girl. We came across a small stall selling fruits and flowers with orchids begging for my attention ....how I wanted to take them all home.
As it was on returning to the Hotel bags and cases were stuffed , Carolyn took pity on my overflow bless her. I was saved at the check-in as my seriously overweight case wobbled , groaned and leant on the scale barrier relieving itself off a few tell tale 1Lbs just in time not to have to pay any ecxcess!!!
Our Memories of HK will last for a lifetime , the kindness, humility, complete utter madness and disbelief at the volume of people, the culture shock and the real discovery that shopping and eating are the biggest pastimes for everyone.
Eating! How is it they eat so much so often and stay so slim........if only I could bottle it!!
Friday, 6 May 2011
HONG KONG DAY 2!
We arrived yesterday afternoon after a longer than usual flight - (having been diverted to Helsinki en route to drop off a passenger who needed urgent medical attention.) Our wonderful Hong Kong liaison, Betty, met us at the airport and delivered us to our hotel. Having only left here 10 days ago it was rather like a home-coming.
Not wanting to waste valuable free time last night we set off on a nocturnal adventure, heading by train for the 'ladies market' in the frantically frenetic district of Mong Kok. It was a designer label paradise .... as long as you didnt look too closely and disappoint yourself when you realised that they were 99% fake reproductions! From 'Harrods' shopping totes to 'Herods' shopping totes (that's a bad fake!!) Burberry, Kath Kidstone, YSL, 'Polo' shirts (but not Ralph's polo) Jimmy Choo, Christian Dior were all there in abundance. We shopped a little and bargained a lot. The vendors all seemed to have developed a similar expression of deep disapproval, that they wore as they grudgingly agreed to your lowest bid.
Unfortunately Sarah discovered half way through the evening that the small camera that had been suspended from her wrist was no longer there. We re-traced our steps but to no avail. That lead on to our next adventure this morning when we went to find a police station to report the missing camera; it was a very long and slow process.
After that it was finally time for me to present myself in the kitchen for the big run through of all the dishes for tomorrow and Sunday. All restaurant kitchens seem to be hot, steamy and tiny - but this one wins hands down on all scores. Added to which the chefs speak but a few words of English - so it was interesting!
Sarah meanwhile was at the hotel instructing her 4 'assistants' for the workshops tomorrow and Sunday, which seemed to be a lively and high spirited gathering. Apparently some showed more dexterity with a tube of glue, some leaves and a slippery bag than others..... We wait with baited breath to see what tomorrow will bring!
Not wanting to waste valuable free time last night we set off on a nocturnal adventure, heading by train for the 'ladies market' in the frantically frenetic district of Mong Kok. It was a designer label paradise .... as long as you didnt look too closely and disappoint yourself when you realised that they were 99% fake reproductions! From 'Harrods' shopping totes to 'Herods' shopping totes (that's a bad fake!!) Burberry, Kath Kidstone, YSL, 'Polo' shirts (but not Ralph's polo) Jimmy Choo, Christian Dior were all there in abundance. We shopped a little and bargained a lot. The vendors all seemed to have developed a similar expression of deep disapproval, that they wore as they grudgingly agreed to your lowest bid.
Unfortunately Sarah discovered half way through the evening that the small camera that had been suspended from her wrist was no longer there. We re-traced our steps but to no avail. That lead on to our next adventure this morning when we went to find a police station to report the missing camera; it was a very long and slow process.
After that it was finally time for me to present myself in the kitchen for the big run through of all the dishes for tomorrow and Sunday. All restaurant kitchens seem to be hot, steamy and tiny - but this one wins hands down on all scores. Added to which the chefs speak but a few words of English - so it was interesting!
Sarah meanwhile was at the hotel instructing her 4 'assistants' for the workshops tomorrow and Sunday, which seemed to be a lively and high spirited gathering. Apparently some showed more dexterity with a tube of glue, some leaves and a slippery bag than others..... We wait with baited breath to see what tomorrow will bring!
Monday, 2 May 2011
That wedding.......
It is late on Monday night, Sarah is driving home from France and I am in the throes of packing ...again! In just 48 hours we will be half way to Hong Kong for our extravaganzas at the New town Plaza. It seems like no time at all since we were getting off the plane 9 days ago, but a lot has happened in that time including, of course, THE WEDDING. What a breath-taking, seamless and exciting spectacle that was. It certainly left me feeling both very proud to be British but also proud to have been a part of the Royal household and privileged to have been part of Williams life for those 11 years. It would have been lovely to have been able to contribute something to that special day for William, but it is now 10 years since I left the household and I couldn't hang on forever - there were always going to be things in the future that I knew I would wish I could still be a part of! Perhaps in a sense I did contribute something... one of my favourite tasks when I first joined the household and William was just 7 and Harry was 4 was preparing the afternoon tea to send up to the nursery. Chocolate fridge cake was a firm favourite then and clearly it still is now as it was his choice of wedding cake!
More news from Hong Kong later in the week......
More news from Hong Kong later in the week......
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Our return to Hong Kong!
I feel as if I have just caught up from the last whirlwind trip to HK and now its only 3 1/2 days until we leave again. This time we know what to expect (I think!)....
Our hotel was lovely - fantastic views to the harbour - in fact you could lie in the bath and look at the view.... the bathroom had only a huge panel of glass between the massive kingsize bed and the bath! For me the other great thing was the gorgeous outdoor swimming pool, on the night that we flew back last time I had such a great swim - in the warm Hong Kong rain. It was very fortifying after a long day of quite intensive media interviews and endless photographs.
The last session of the day was a photo shoot for a photo to be used for further promotion of the event. I was joined by a beautiful little boy and girl (dressed as a bride and groom....) they held traditional Chinese wedding sweets and I held a red and yellow 'carriage', created from sugar paste, carrying a plastic bride and groom (who were dancing in the carriage)...... I'm not sure that there will be any pictures of the three of us all doing the right thing at the same time........lets hope that perhaps I might be spared that indignity!!
another update soon!
Our hotel was lovely - fantastic views to the harbour - in fact you could lie in the bath and look at the view.... the bathroom had only a huge panel of glass between the massive kingsize bed and the bath! For me the other great thing was the gorgeous outdoor swimming pool, on the night that we flew back last time I had such a great swim - in the warm Hong Kong rain. It was very fortifying after a long day of quite intensive media interviews and endless photographs.
The last session of the day was a photo shoot for a photo to be used for further promotion of the event. I was joined by a beautiful little boy and girl (dressed as a bride and groom....) they held traditional Chinese wedding sweets and I held a red and yellow 'carriage', created from sugar paste, carrying a plastic bride and groom (who were dancing in the carriage)...... I'm not sure that there will be any pictures of the three of us all doing the right thing at the same time........lets hope that perhaps I might be spared that indignity!!
another update soon!
Thursday, 21 April 2011
room with a veiw
My room with this view........................As the sun rose above the mist like a gossamer cloak skimming the ocean................... like an old moggy I stretched and yawned feeling so pleased that I was again going to enjoy another day in this incredible land. Refreshed and ready for another adventure with Iffo my guide for the day.
Breakfast first and how stunning it looks .
I eat with my eyes as I take a selection of beautifully prepared fruit and that's just for starters.................so colourfull and enticing. Drat! Most of it not on the slimming worlds daily free page though.
Today am off to the flower market and then to see fabrics and much more hopefully to enable me to gather information and ideas for our aprons we hope to have made whilst we are here. We plan cloths and labels , postcards and bags so this is a voyage of discovery with a lady that comes from China and knows all of the options and possibilities . I cannot believe my good fortune to be blessed with this experience.
Poor Carolyn has another difficult day with the media preparing her meal again for the press in readyness for the next trip on May the 4th . I seem to have the fun part now that all my flower prep is out of the way.
Another thought to share with you before I skip off is that our sheets get changed every day!!! Gosh that is such a treat ..................I always said if ever I make it, the best thing would be to have that pleasure and hey....I haven't made it yet but at least I get to know what this indulgence would actually feel like ....................Oooh it feels GOOD!!!!
Will colour your day with the latest happenings later!!!
Lots of love everyone
Breakfast first and how stunning it looks .
I eat with my eyes as I take a selection of beautifully prepared fruit and that's just for starters.................so colourfull and enticing. Drat! Most of it not on the slimming worlds daily free page though.
Today am off to the flower market and then to see fabrics and much more hopefully to enable me to gather information and ideas for our aprons we hope to have made whilst we are here. We plan cloths and labels , postcards and bags so this is a voyage of discovery with a lady that comes from China and knows all of the options and possibilities . I cannot believe my good fortune to be blessed with this experience.
Poor Carolyn has another difficult day with the media preparing her meal again for the press in readyness for the next trip on May the 4th . I seem to have the fun part now that all my flower prep is out of the way.
Another thought to share with you before I skip off is that our sheets get changed every day!!! Gosh that is such a treat ..................I always said if ever I make it, the best thing would be to have that pleasure and hey....I haven't made it yet but at least I get to know what this indulgence would actually feel like ....................Oooh it feels GOOD!!!!
Will colour your day with the latest happenings later!!!
Lots of love everyone
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