Daisy, daisy.... I'm half crazy.

In a still jet-lagged state, we made daisy chains to mark the entrance of a party. Never before have xanths and gerberas been seen in such large quantities in the shop!

Miss Pickering Vs Ford Focus

Dear Elderly lady driving a Ford Focus on Saturday morning,

Whilst I may at the time, have said very politely " please don't worry, I am fine despite the fact that you have just shot out of a parking space and collided with my left leg" I now have a large bruise which looks suspiciously like a Ford badge developing on my thigh,and am looking for some kind of compensation.

Yours sincerely

Miss Pickering

New York - Part 2

It is a little hard to believe that just one week ago I was sitting on a plane heading back to the UK. The rather hideous journey was slightly improved by being seated next to a male model type from Orlando all wide eyed and excited about his 3 months of European travel ahead. I feared his Disney dollar would not last him that long, but didn't have the heart to shatter his young dreams.

The last few days in the US were lovely a trip to the New York Botanical Gardens and Meadowbrook Farm in Philadelphia.

A spot of retail therapy resulted in the purchase of possibly the best cake tin in the world courtesy of Williams-Sonoma, and was probably the prime suspect in the excess baggage charge. It will be used to make The Hounds birthday cake, pictures to follow in July!

The New York flower district on West 28th Street, is a sight to behold, the sundries and prop shops were fantastic, and new suppliers earmarked. A sizeable sum was spent on ribbon, and is now proudly displayed in the shop.

Picked up from Heathrow by the other Miss Pickering (huge thanks) it was straight to get The Hound. Looking much smaller, and with a blacker rather than pinker nose I was at first a little concerned they had lost him and found a similar one to replace him rather like parents do with goldfish or guinea pigs. Actually this observation is based purely on films, as I have neither owned or wanted to own fish or small rodents, definitely a case of dogs, cats and horses need only apply in my childhood. Judging by the way The Hound (or imposter) ran straight to my bed and has actually yet to move - I can only assume the change in shape is due to the loss of the winter coat, yet the colour of the nose remains a mystery - answers on a postcard please.

New York New York

So good they named it twice, and quite rightly. A wonderful day in Manhattan, lunch from Dean and Deluca eaten on a bench in Central Park.

A quick look in The Tavern on the Green, a wonderful venue stuck in a timewarp, dismissed nowadays as being a tourist trap by the well to do, but I loved it. The vintage flora lanterns hanging in the garden were beautiful, and as I have a mountain of fabric - you can expect to see these in the shop on my return.

A stroll up to the 6th floor of Takashimaya, to visit their beautiful florist, small arrangements of mixed sculptural flowers. http://www.takashimaya-ny.com/flower.php

A quick trip to Henri Bendel resulted in a make over Manhattan style where a very lovely girl turned me form a rosy cheeked English rose to a glamorous New Yorker - well bless her she tried, and in return for her hard work I bought some sort of eyeliner thing, which will doubtless never see the light of day.

Supper was a real treat, a cab - of the yellow variety took us to the meat packing district, and to the Spice market, an amazing restaurant. South East Asian food, we feasted on black pepper shrimp, mango salad, chicken samosas and the most divine lobster and spinach.

Tomorrow it is back to the serious business of flowers, Englishness and lecturing, but today I felt like Carrie Bradshaw.