Saturday 28 February 2015
2 Million ! A big Thanks to You All !
2 Million !
A big Thanks to You All !
Have a nice weekend.
Yours Jeeves /
António Sérgio Rosa de Carvalho.
Thursday 26 February 2015
‘Sheep, Shape and London Fashion’ / Hackett London Collections: Men Autumn Winter 2015 / SEE VÍDEO below.
Jeremy Hackett is proud to showcase his
London Collections: Men Autumn/Winter 2015
capsule collection. Entitled ‘Sheep, Shape and London Fashion’, this new 12 piece collection pays homage to the prestigious longstanding textile mills in Britain that continue to create the finest wools available worldwide.
Three years ago, Hackett London in
association with Fox Brothers & Co invested in a flock of Wensleydale sheep
in Somerset , South-West England . The sheep’s
fleeces have now matured and have been woven to produce Hackett’s exclusive own
fabric seen in the finale three piece suit.
Hackett London’s ‘Sheep, Shape and London
Fashion’ collection is a celebration of luxury wool created by the best of
British mills.
Jeremy Hackett sincerely hopes you will
join his new flock!
Monday 23 February 2015
Julie d'Aubigny, known as Le "Chevalier" de Maupin
Julie d'Aubigny was born in 1673 to Gaston
d'Aubigny, a secretary to Louis de Lorraine-Guise, comte d'Armagnac, the Master
of the Horse for King Louis XIV. Her father trained the court pages, and so his
daughter learned dancing, reading, drawing, and fencing alongside the pages,
and dressed as a boy from an early age. By the age of fourteen, she became a
mistress of the Count d'Armagnac who had her married to Sieur de Maupin of
Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Soon after the wedding, her husband received an
administrative position in the south of France ,
but she stayed in Paris .
Around 1687, Madame de Maupin became
involved with an assistant fencing master named Sérannes. When
Lieutenant-General of Police Gabriel Nicolas de la Reynie tried to apprehend
Sérannes for killing a man in an illegal duel, the pair fled the city to
Marseille.
On the road south, Madame de Maupin and
Sérannes made a living by giving fencing exhibitions and singing in taverns and
at local fairs. While travelling and performing in these impromptu shows,
Maupin dressed in male clothing but did not conceal her gender. On arrival in
Marseille, she joined the opera company run by Pierre Gaultier, singing under
her maiden name.
Eventually, she grew bored of Sérannes and
became involved with a young woman. When the girl's parents put her away in the
Visitandines convent in Avignon ,
Maupin followed, entering the convent as a postulant. In order to run away with
her new love, she stole the body of a dead nun, placed it in the bed of her
lover, and set the room on fire to cover their escape. Their affair lasted for
three months before the young lady returned to her family. Maupin was charged
in absentia—as a male—with kidnapping, body snatching, arson, and failing to
appear before the tribunal. The sentence was death by fire.
Maupin left for Paris and again earned her living by singing.
Near Poitiers , she met an old actor named
Maréchal who began to teach her until his alcoholism got worse and he sent her
on her way to Paris .
In Villeperdue, still wearing men's
clothing, she was insulted by a young nobleman. They fought a duel and she
drove her blade through his shoulder. The next day, she asked about his health
and found out he was Louis-Joseph d'Albert Luynes, son of the Duke of Luynes.
Later, one of his companions came to offer d'Albert's apologies. She went to
his room and subsequently they became lovers and, later, lifelong friends.
After Count d'Albert recovered and had to
return to his military unit, Maupin continued to Rouen . There she met Gabriel-Vincent
Thévenard, another singer, and began a new affair with him. They continued
together towards Paris
in the hope of joining the Paris Opéra. In the Marais, she contacted Count
d'Armagnac for help against the sentence hanging over her. He persuaded the
king to grant her a pardon and allow her to sing with the Opéra.
The Paris Opéra hired Thévenard in 1690,
but initially refused her. She befriended an elderly singer, Bouvard, and he
and Thévenard convinced Jean Nicolas Francin, master of the king's household,
to accept her into the company. She debuted as Pallas Athena in Cadmus et
Hermione by Jean-Baptiste Lully the same year. She performed regularly with the
Opéra, first singing as a soprano, and later in her more natural contralto
range. The Marquis de Dangeau wrote in his journal of a performance by Maupin
given at Trianon of Destouches' Omphale in 1701 that hers was "the most beautiful
voice in the world".
In Paris ,
and later in Brussels ,
she performed under the name Mademoiselle de Maupin - singers were addressed as
'mademoiselle' whether or not they were married.
Due to Mademoiselle de Maupin's beautiful
voice, her acting skill, and her androgynous appearance, she became quite
popular with the audience, although her relationship with her fellow actors and
actresses was sometimes tempestuous. She famously beat the singer Louis Gaulard
Dumesny after he pestered the women members of the troupe, and a legendary duel
of wits with Thévenard was the talk of Paris .
She also fell in love with Fanchon Moreau, another singer who was the mistress
of the Grand Dauphin, and tried to commit suicide when she was rejected.
Her Paris
career was interrupted around 1695, when she kissed a young woman at a society
ball and was challenged to duels by three different noblemen. She beat them
all, but fell afoul of the king's law that forbade duels in Paris . She fled to Brussels to wait for calmer times. There, she
was briefly the mistress of Maximilian II Emanuel, Elector of Bavaria.
While in Brussels , Mademoiselle de Maupin appeared at
the Opéra du Quai au Foin from November 1697 to July 1698, after which she
returned to the Paris Opéra to replace the retiring Marie Le Rochois. She and
her friend d'Albert were both in trouble with the law over the years: he for
yet another fatal duel, and she for beating up her landlord.
Until 1705, La Maupin sang in new operas by
Pascal Collasse, André Cardinal Destouches, and André Campra. In 1702, André
Campra composed the role of Clorinde in Tancrède specifically for her
bas-dessus (contralto) range. She sang for the court at Versailles on a number of occasions, and again
performed in many of the Opéra's major productions. She appeared for the last
time in La Vénitienne by Michel de La Barre (1705).
.
Friday 20 February 2015
How to Dress with Gustav Temple / VÍDEO below.
ONLINE COURSE: HOW TO DRESS – A GUIDE FOR THE MODERN
GENTLEMAN WITH GUSTAV TEMPLE
Gustav Temple
MOST MEN are not, it is sad to say, well
dressed. It’s not their fault; it’s just that they haven’t been taught well.
That is why we have created our “How to
Dress” course. It is the ultimate guide on the proper way to wear clothes, and
what to buy, for the stylish man about town (and country).
Our four-part course is written and
presented by Gustav Temple, who, more than anyone else we can think of, is
perfectly qualified to give sartorial advice.
Now Mr Temple has distilled his hard-won
wisdom and knowledge into four half-hour lectures which you can watch any time,
as many times as you like, on your phone, tablet or PC.
Truly, the old world meets the new.
Join his magical world of cravats, the
Windsor knot, Harris tweed, the best kind of cufflinks, detachable collars,
white tie and sock braces.
As well as offering useful, practical
advice on what to wear, How to Dress also gives you the lowdown on such
essential skills as the correct way to iron a shirt, how to shine your shoes
and how to tie a bow tie. For these more practical tutorials, Gustav has
enlisted the help of Rupert the Valet.
Each lecture is accompanied by a
comprehensive set of notes, which reminds you of the rules just outlined, as
well as directing to you to the websites of various gentlemen’s outfitters.
It’s not even necessarily a money thing: on
this watchable, useful and always entertaining course, you will learn how to
look fabulous on a modest budget. Gustav will teach you how to find good
quality clothes in vintage shops and factory outlets.
The course is divided into the four
following lectures:
Part One: Informal Wear. In which Gustav
directs the modern gentleman on the correct clothing for leisure and business,
in town and country, including observations on the old rule, “never brown in
town”. You will learn three distinct tie knots, what shoes to wear with tweed,
how to tie a cravat, the joys of the Fair Isle
sweater and much else besides. Length: 30 minutes.
Part Two: Formal Wear. Gustav is joined by
Rupert, and both men demystify the rules surrounding black tie and white tie.
In this section, you will learn how to tie a bow tie and how to look like James
Bond. Length: 20 minutes.
Part Three: Clothes Maintenance. In this
essential tutorial, Gustav and Rupert teach three important skills: how to iron
a shirt, how to shine your shoes and how to sew on a button. The notes offer
some handy cleaning tips. Length: 34 minutes.
Part Four: Buying Bespoke, Vintage, and
other Miscellaneous Items. In our fourth and final section, Gustav instructs
you on what to tell your tailor when buying a made-to-measure suit, whether in
Savile Row, at your local tailor, or in the Orient; gives important advice on
buying second hand shirts; and offers essential information regarding cufflinks
and hats. Length: 31 minutes.
So join Gustav and Rupert right away and
learn how to dress like a true gentleman. It is easier and more fun than you
think.
About the Tutor
Gustav Temple has been the editor of The
Chap magazine since 1999, when Britain ’s
finest gentlemen’s quarterly was launched. The Chap, now bi-monthly, recently
celebrated its 15th year of publication and continues to spread the word of
anarcho-dandyism through its pages, as well as via its annual gathering of the
excellently dressed, The Chap Olympics.
Mr. Temple is the author of six books,
including The Chap Manifesto (2001) and Cooking for Chaps (2014). Mr. Temple’s
grand quest is to rid the world of pantaloons de Nimes , sportswear off the sports field and
uncouth behaviour. He believes that a man who is properly dressed has much more
to offer the world than a slovenly fellow, and that society ultimately benefits
when there is more dandyism on the streets.
Who is this for?
The course is for any man, young or old,
who wishes to educate himself in the principles and practice of correct
dressing, as developed by English gentlemen over last two hundred years.
What do you get?
You get four high quality, anytime access
20-30 minute video lectures; four sets of printable notes with clickable links
to useful websites, plus access to our How to Dress forums, where you may pose
questions for Mr Temple and swap tips with other gentlemen.
What is the Idler Academy ?
The Idler Academy of Philosophy, Husbandry
and Merriment is a school and bookseller established in west Thursday 19 February 2015
Indian Summers / Channel 4./ VÍDEO/ Trailer below.
Epic drama set in the summer of 1932 where
India dreams of independence, but the British are clinging to power
Indian Summers recap: season one, episode one - well-made drama unafraid to take its time
Indian Summers recap: season one, episode one - well-made drama unafraid to take its time
Rhik Samadder
Sunday 15 February 2015 /
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2015/feb/15/indian-summers-recap-season-one-episode-one-well-made-drama-unafraid-to-take-its-time
Channel 4’s most expensive ever drama has
arrived to fill the Downton slot, packed with beautiful people doing naughty
things in colonial India
The birth of a nation, the decline of an
empire. Indian independence is still important – its intersections of race and
caste and class inform identity politics in both countries, and set in motion
national trajectories still being charted. But does it make good telly, or is
it like being hit over the head with homework and a vague sense of guilt? Not for me; I’m Indian. So let’s talk about it!
Channel 4’s most expensive ever drama arrived
on screen following a month of trailers and billboard-sized photos of its cast
hanging in city centres like portraits of despots. Airing in the Downton slot,
Indian Summers is meant to draw the comparison, but sets itself against another
piece of history too. The ground was last covered by Granada Television’s
much-loved Jewel In The Crown; although 1984 feels so long ago that it could
have been shot during the actual days of the Raj for all we know.
For anyone unfathomably reading a recap of a
show they’ve not seen, let’s set the scene. We’re in the Himalayan hill station
of Simla, in 1932. India is ruled by a thousand British civil servants, who
summer here, governing away from the punishing heat of the city … Whoooaaaah
there now! This is about civil servants, taking a busman’s holiday? Isn’t that
like watching accountants filing other people’s tax returns? Thankfully, no.
Their civility is a thin veneer; servility’s out the window. In a colonised
land, this is a horny, scheming, spoilt ruling class. Also this is TV, so
they’re quite sexy. Also it’s not all about them.
So who were the main players in this first
episode? First: Ralph Whelan, 50% of your Recommended Daily Allowance of
handsome. Ralph is private secretary to the viceroy of India, which is a hell
of a job title. He’s played by Donovan the school bully from the Inbetweeners, which
is something that once you know, you can’t unknow. There’s his beautiful sister
Alice, mysteriously alone, with child, pretending to be a widow. Aafrin, the
other 50% of your RDA of handsome, is a diligent junior clerk, who worries a
lot and wants to keep the peace. His sister Sooni is a very different sort of
fish; a revolutionary agitator sort of fish.
Then there’s Doug. I don’t quite know the deal
with Doug – he seems a patently good person. Sarah (Doug’s sister? Wife?) – is
patently not a good person, riddled with racist complacency, and clearly a
source of bad things.
And let’s not forget Julie Walters. As
Cynthia, she spent most of the episode cleaning, and lighting fags off shrine
incense. She speaks with a surprisingly strong east London accent, like she
might shake eels out of her sleeve at a moment’s notice. In Britain she’d
probably be working in a shop, but here she is a matriarch, the centre of Simla
society, for the Brits anyway. She welcomes them to The Royal Club like a
soused group rep. “Cheats! Adulterers! Slaves of Empire, here to rule this
glorious nation for another six months,” she charges their glasses. “I want no
moaning about my milk punch.”
They’re throwing a lot of irons into the fire,
in the way ambitious television does. Within 10 minutes, a bullied mixed-race
child is found on the train tracks, between the Brits and their milk punch
(what the hell is milk punch?). A portrait of Queen Victoria is daubed with
revolutionary Home Rule graffiti, and police ransack the town to find the
culprit. (Aafrin literally catches his sister red-handed, but she gets away
with it.)
Back on the tracks, the stricken boy, apparently
poisoned, is carried to Simla by Doug, accompanied by a beautiful, conflicted
Indian woman with whom he is clearly in love. At The Royal Club’s opening night
shindig, Ralph meets American socialite Madeleine in a sideroom and diddles
her. (This leads Julie Walters to genuinely smell his fingers. “Lucky girl” she
wisecracks, “But wash your hands before dinner.” I can’t help thinking there’s
a joke about Partition she might have missed.)
Later the same night, an elderly assassin who
has been trailing the Brits up the mountain shoots at Ralph. He only succeeds
in hitting fellow countryman Aafrin, returning late from a spurious errand. As
Aafrin lies (possibly) dying, Ralph catches up with the assassin. “You!” he
says with recognition, suggesting the pair have history. Was the attempted
murder political or personal?
This is carefully plotted television, unafraid
to take its time, well made. The reported £14m budget has been so obviously
well spent it’s like looking at an itemised receipt. Attention has been paid to
period detail and clothing. For the first half hour, Ralph wore collar points
so long it looked like he had an albino bat hung around the back of his neck.
(Why don’t men dress nicely like that any more?) The women have that gorgeous
30s hair, each curlicued fingerwave a work of art. (Why don’t women spend every
waking second tending their hair any more?) There are elegant gowns, which get
pushed up and thrown on to hedges as nookie unfolds.
There’s lots of nookie, in fact. (I’m calling
it that because it’s not very graphic.) Plantation heir Ian got off with an
army man’s wife in a rickshaw. Aafrin has a Romeo and Juliet thing going on
with Sita, a girl of another faith. They share a kiss between some saris before
she bites his hand and draws blood, which is excitingly unhinged behaviour. In
a twist, Ralph and Madeleine’s steamy sideroom shenanigans turn out to have
been engineered by Julie Walters, who lured them both there. She wants Ralph to
marry soon, to increase his chances of becoming the next viceroy. Big pimpin’
stuff, Julie.
Indian Summers is certainly a nice place to
spend an hour, beautifully lit, with stunning cinematography. Verandas overlook
verdant mountain ranges, blooms heavy as melons spill off bushes, palpable heat
sticks to everything. It’s a welcome
contrast to the uniform grey outside UK windows. There’s also enough style and
suspense to justify a return trip. In a David Fincher-esque final shot, the
camera circles the would-be assassin sitting lotus-legged in a chilly blue
cell, face implacable as a sword, his motive a mystery. I
want to know more.
Most Colonial Bucks Fizz
moment:
Julie Walters wriggles
out of the boiler suit she’s been wearing for 40 minutes like an industrial
char-lady chrysalis, revealing a glamorous cocktail gown underneath. Party time in Simla!
Best Of Frenemies moment:
Sarah suspiciously questions the particulars
of Alice’s bogus wedding ring, before telling her: “We’re going to be great
friends.” Alice looks like she’d rather be friends with a box of wasps.
• This article was amended on 17 February
2015. An earlier version said the Aarfin has a relationship with Sita, a girl
outside his own caste, rather than a different religion.
Indian Summers, episode
one, review: 'too leisurely'
This
drama set in pre-Partition India has promise but it botched some key scenes,
says Gerard O'Donovan
By Gerard O'Donovan
10:40PM GMT 15 Feb 2015 / http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/tv-and-radio-reviews/11411443/TV-and-Radio-reviews.html
Perhaps the most striking thing about Indian
Summers, Channel 4’s new drama series set in the twilight years of the Raj, was
how much it owed to previous screen visions of the era. Anyone who knows The
Jewel in the Crown, A Passage to India, Heat and Dust or even Gandhi will have
found much familiar in its story of a handful of haughty Brits lording it over
an entire subcontinent, so busy knocking back the gin and canoodling behind
each other’s backs they don’t notice the masses they rule are on the brink of
boiling over.
Set in 1932 in Simla, the “summer capital” of
British India to which the sweating, complaining ruling elite decamped every
summer to escape the heat, the leisurely opener spent much time introducing us
to the large cast of characters, many of whom seemed familiar already as
archetypes. There was the dashing private secretary (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) to the
Viceroy, and his mysterious sister (Jemima West) who’d arrived from England on
the run from a bad marriage. The snobbish wife (Fiona Glascott) with the flawed
missionary husband (Craig Parkinson). The idealistic Indian clerk (Nikesh
Patel) with a revolutionary hothead sister (Ayesha Kala) and a lover from
another caste.
Overseeing them all in a rather too raucous
manner was Walters as the memsahib owner of the local bastion of colonial rule,
gossip and snobbery, the Royal Simla Club, where everyone headed of an evening
to tuck into Roast beef and Yorkshire pud, washed down by barrelfuls of gin. Of
course history and politics were on the menu too, but for now kept bubbling
away in the background. Simla itself, with its otherworldly “little England” of
high street shops, Anglican church and bungalows surrounded by privet was
beautifully reproduced.
What made Indian Summers watchable – apart
from the stunning backdrops – was the palpable sense that all these lives, all
this bored privilege and casual repression, would soon be shattered by the
oncoming storm. And while there’s no evidence yet that Indian Summers has the
power to match its screen antecedents (it’s a little too leisurely, and not
convincing enough in key scenes like the closing assassination attempt) the
scale of the series, and its ambition over a planned further four series to
relate the whole story of India’s struggle for independence, could well repay
signing up for the long term.
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