In May and June at Manorbier the woody dells are a pastural and culinary paradise redolent with the powerful smell of mater-watering wild garlic, calling to mind alfresco suppers on Greek islands and Tuscan trattorias. I harvested bouquets of it that have dainty wispy white flowers and made salads, soufflés,...

Restoration Dramas

While the rest of Britain was icy, Easter came and went in balmy sunshine at Manorbier while restoration works progressed to degree. The 13th century dovecote, coffered with 250 pidgeon or dove cubby holes, like a mini rustic replica of the Pantheon with an open oculus in the...

While the rest of Britain was icy, Easter came and went in balmy sunshine at Manorbier while restoration works progressed to degree. The 13th century dovecote, coffered with 250 pidgeon or dove cubby holes, like a mini rustic replica of the Pantheon with an open oculus in the domed roof,...

February blog

I got to Manorbier for the half term to find Dame Emly in full throttle, for the spring equinox, organizing a vintage fair of fashion, furniture and food and a pop up sea food restaurant, which I hope will be like those fish stalls on the Golborne Road...

Dame Emily is cleaning up the castle and evicting waxworks of a noble family; a forlorn group, swathed in Biblical robes like a nativity that has long lost its sale-by date, to make room for a swanky office in the Norman guard room. Meanwhile I have moved house and it...

The highlight of the festivities was 'Oliver Twisted' a satirical and subversive panto at the Tabernacle, off Portobello Road. Written by Peter Jack, 'Oliver Twisted' was worthy of 'Private Eye' at its best (he ought to be on the staff), laced with wicked wit and peppered with localized 'in' jokes....

Thames and Hudson kindly sent me In My view 'Personal Reflections on Art by Today's Leading Artists' Edited by Simon Grant. Artists on art are often more illuminating than the art critics and commenters themselves, (myself included,) and this book is no exception, however it lacks consistency. Some of the...

This week's highlight was lunch, (albeit only canapes) at the new swanky Blain Southern Gallery on Hanover Square for Francesco Clemente. Clemente was one of the stars of the Trans Avantguardia in Italy and shot to fame, when his paintings were exhibited in the groundbreaking "New Spirit in Painting' at...

This week has been an art marathon. I went to the new Pace Soho to look at Keith Coventry's 'JUNK', Macdonald- meets-Malevich canvases, cool Suprematist compositions, that have a disarming subliminal effect on one, until further scrutiny reveal reconfigurations of the burger joints' logo, each with a price tag of...

My husband developed violet and allergic reactions to our cottage in the village of Manorbier; he is totally allergic to it: excema eruptions, asthma attacks, streaming eyes and sneezing fits. So we had no other recourse than to quit Manorbier, until the damp spores can be eliminated, and return to...

'Keep failing and fail better' says Samuel Beckett, the absurdist playwright, which has been my mantra this week. Everyone, bar one has opted out of the Esther Freud course and the Welsh t.v crew, who were to film the course and castle never materialized. It has been a spectacular failure,...

The muddle factor is high. Only a few days ago the Esther Freud course was fully booked and we were turning people away. Now people are dropping out at an alarming rate; Mrs Getty is detained in the US, two journalists have pulled out, another has cancelled, and Boojam from...

The first Manorbier Castle writer's retreat begins this week led by novelist, Esther Freud, of 'Hideous Kinky' fame; remember the movie, with Kate Winslet dancing around Moroccan souks ?

The castle is on the West coast of Wales buffeted by Atlantic winds, sometimes so strong that sea gulls are...