Thieving Thriday P.S.- Le Nautique

Thanks for popping back for my postscript, my lovelies.  I hope your weekend has got off to a flying start and maybe you're taking a break from your activities, sitting down with a coffee and are catching up with a few of your favourite blogs - and if you're here then

YIPPPEEEE!  I'm one of your faves!

I split up the outfit post I was putting together yesterday as it got just a bit too unwieldy, even by my standards!  So here I give you the "where I took the outfit" element.  Now just relax, enjoy your coffee and scroll through my pics.

Scaling  the centuries-old granite steps to Le Nautique restaurant, which is set in an old wharf building dating from when the seafront part of town was an active port for sailing ships.

Life in steps.

I have a love for old worn steps, steps that evidence forever the tread of those who've walked them for hundreds of years before us.  Life is there in each small worn indentation, each foot-polished slab.  Each step has been part of million life-stories.  What were those before me thinking as they placed their foot exactly where mine is today?

Oh how I digress.  Back to the meal, I drank a glass of chilled dry rose.

The view from my table, looking out over one of the island's  many marinas.

I started with a prawn tian.

Between courses, I admired the metallic table mats with a modern naiive fish (or should I say ex-fish?) design

I should have stopped at the prawn tian, for I then struggled to get through my king prawn green thai curry and wastefully had to leave rather a lot.

In recent years my appetite must have slowly reduced.  Or rather my capacity to eat, for perhaps the appetite is still there.  It happens over time as you age I guess.  I find that I've continued to order the same meals as I ate, say 5 years ago, but I'm leaving more and more on my plate, uneaten.  This is of course an expensive habit but more importantly, it's obscenely wasteful in this day and age.  

So I am trying to get my brain to catch up with my stomach and then engage with my mouth so that when it comes to ordering, the elegant words "I'll just have a starter with a side salad" are emitted through my ojjjwrinkled lips!

I realise I have become my mum!  She used to say things like "I'll just have a soup" and now I totally get that.  I am her!

Are you noticing your appetite is not yet in sync with your current eating capacity?

TP's scallops, new potatoes and an array of vegetables went down well!

The scallops were hand-caught by divers.  

The chef always comes round to chat with the diners after the meal and when TP mentioned that the quality of scallops was second to none, the chef explained the reasons why all hand-caught seafood actually does taste better.  Sadly it's all about the catching method; sea creatures are traumatised by the whole net-catching process which manifests in their poor little bodies.

That's food for thought, eh?

Perhaps you're vegan and this is further vindication of your life choice.  

Hand catching is a more costly process but when possible I choose to

eat less, but better.

So on that slightly preachy note from my pulpit (doesn't it look like one?!), I leave you till the next time, or as we say in Guernsey French ...

A la perchoine.

Thieving Thriday! The Suit Heist

See what I did there?  Thieving Thriday?  A portmanteau merging Thursday and Friday together creates one post for both days, and thus brings me up to day (sic!) with my days?!!!

So today, instead of thieving from another blogger, Pinterest, or a Madeleine catalogue, I'm thieving from my own wardrobe today.  Thieving from a suit to be more precise.

When searching in my archives recently I stumbled upon a whole range of smart summer wear that I used to wear, BITD, when I worked for a living.  Each time I come across these stashes I haven't the heart to move them on.  I still like them, I like the colours, I like the styles.  But they're just too posh for the life I lead now, retirement life.

So it made sense to try to incorporate some of the items into my retirement life.  A few items in various shades of aqua caught my eye.

Here's how I got on.

It started with a suit.  An East two-piece - is it me or does that sound very '50s.

A two-piece, that's what my mum would call this duo.

An aqua linen two-piece suit.  Great as businesswear, I wore it loads in the noughties summers but now, not so much.  Well, actually not at all!

Got a suit YOU don't wear?

So when I stumbled upon this two-piece I thought hey, I have quite a lot of these posh suits that get absolutely zilch wear in the teensies, but I cannot bear to throw them away.  So why not repurpose them?  And the repurposing turned out to be so simple.

Thieve from the suit !!

Thieve the jacket to wear with jeans, blue or white, either will work.

This instantly brings the jacket down to the level that is my pensioner life today.  Casual, and mostly (hopefully!) smart casual.

Then let's move on to the jacket's twin.  The dress. The label said 'dry clean only'.  I washed it.  It didn't die.  It may have lightened a shade, but I'm splitting the suit so ain't no biggie!

It's a rather lovely lined sheath dress.  Thieved away from the jacket, it still needs bringing down a notch further to make it a dress I can wear day-to-day.  So I added low-wedge pink sandals and a pink necklace.

Aqua is yet another colour that my gorgeous silk butterfly scarf compliments perfectly.  

Pout Tip: Remember, if you're investing in a scarf, choose one that has pattern, one that has as many of your fave colours in the pattern as is artistically possible - you will then find that this single scarf compliments most of your outfits.

Keeping with the smart casual look I desired, I switched to another pair of low-heel sandals, this time in metallic leather.

I added turquoise jewellery; on reflection, it should have been metallic too.

My recent Woolovers purchase in embellished aqua provides a co-ordinated coverup for this time of year.

For a slightly posher casual look, I switched to a chunkier necklace and Adesso taupe high wedged heels.

But keep the two pieces apart to avoid slipping back into posh!

The addition of the jacket returns the look to special occasion posh, not a day-to-day  retirement look but fine for a summer wedding or a meet-up with the Queen at Buck House - I don't think she'd kick me out wearing this little two-piece, do you ?!!

Try it out for yourself.

So, my dears, the purpose of this post today is this.  If you have posh combos that you love, like suits, two-pieces, whatever, and you can't bear to throw them out because you they still give you joy each time you see them, then 

- Think about how you can split them to make each individual piece more casual for the life you lead now.

- Then think about bringing the tempo down on each piece - a jacket worn with jeans and maybe a complementary scarf, a fitted dress worn with lower heels, chunkier jewellery.

2nd Love your poshwear !

A la perchoine.

TOMORROW: pop back to find out where I took my aqua linen sheath!

What To Wear To Meet Racy

Sometimes an outfit can take a lot of effort to put together.

Sometimes it takes a bit of investment.

This is a tale of one such outfit.

It started with a car, (this post HERE will bring you up to speed!), and it ended with two cars, but that's a story simply too long for today.

My car search took a turn after that post.

My head was turned by a stylish soft top. At that moment, practical flew out the window and racy flew in.

My thoughts went into overdrive - I've harboured a Mercedes Convertible crush for 45+ years.

Now was the time to live the dream and have some fun!

Soooo, The Photographer googled me my dream.

I deliberated over what to wear to pick up my dream.  It was like going out on a first date and the outfit had to be pitched just right.  First impressions, and all that.

My thoughts were leaning towards casual but classy.  Car chic.

I said goodbye to practical.

And hello to fun!

I'd had an If Not Now, When? moment.

I felt it was my last opportunity to have some fun, to try out how racy feels, for if I didn't do it now, I probably never would.

Well, racy feels goooood. 

I thought I'd feel a bit of a poser in it.  But I don't.  Just good!

And it's 2nd Loved Terri !

Right, readers, what did I chose to wear for my date with my liberating bit of fun?

Navy bardot dress (tweaked), Dotty P; Bronze sandals and coloured beads (M&S)

Silk scarf (Accessorize)

To keep the open-top breeze off the exposed shoulders, d'ya think?

Nah!  For my head - for a girl just has to have a silk head scarf for her open top raciness, eh?!!

(Vronni, please note my messy attempt at headscarfing!)

Typically, buying a racy car is a classic mid-life crisis thing.  

75 is the new 50, so hey, I'm on target.

Have you had any If Not Now, When? experiences lately?  I'd love to hear.

A la perchoine.

The Graphic T

Hi my sunny friends!

Have you joined the Graphic T party yet?

OK, as usual I am pretty late to join the party.

But I call it fashionably late. 

Paris City Chic Couture late.  I don't think it get's any more fashionable that that!

Yup, I've gone graphic.  The Paris is written in a glitzy silver glitter.  And why not indeed?

(Peacocks, £12)

I paired it with white linen cropped trousers and matched the glitziness with some sequined flip flops.

Both pieces are old.  I also wore a silver belt, but why didn't I do the full blogger monty and snap it?

I had breakfast on the run, a coconut milk shake with lots of crushed ice.  Yumminess in a glass!

 I'd first worn old M&S Footglove black leather wedges, but then as today's mission would involve clumsy old  me walking down a steep cobbled hill with oily feet, sense prevailed and the sequined flip flops were my wise choice when leaving the house on yet another sunny day.

Oily feet? I hear you ask.

It was mani pedi day. For 'tis the season to get ones feet out for all the world to see and time to use my Mother's Day voucher I'd been saving for just this moment.

 Oh how I love the pampering.  I went for browny bronze shades to kick myself out of my pink pink and more pink groove.  So feet are CND Leather Satchel, for my view is that these nails should always be a few shades darker than the hands.

And here, CND Untitled Bronze.  'Twas the day for shellac namer's block.

I was soooo thankful for my wonderful Mother's Day pampering gift.

Have you got your nails ready for summer's fun?

And which graphic pool have you dipped your manicured toe into?

A la perchoine.



Winter Berries in Summer

Hi my lovelies, thanks for popping in today.

OK, let's get the weather chat out the way ... it's bloomin' gorgeous!  The bank holiday weekend has been chocka with clear blue skies and warm, still days.  I'm so pleased that families have been able to get together outdoors, which is what I've been doing.  More on that in another post when I've got the photos collated.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch ...

When I was having my try on session last week with yellow, coral and blue, my winter berry cardi and my chinos accidentally got together. An unusual pairing.  I was surprised how good they looked together, so as the following day was a touch overcast, I wasted no time in making this my OOTD for my lunch date.

I guess I'd been dragging my heels with my winter berry suite.  This had been MY colour during the colder months and there may just have been a little emotional tug during the seasonal wardrobe switch recently and these berry items may just have sneaked themselves into the back of the wardrobe ... and I'm mighty glad that they did.

I tried my multicoloured silk square with  the cardi and yup, it works as hidden amongst the rainbow of colours are shades at the lighter end of the berry range.

I am loving winter berry with these stony coloured chinos - winter berries in summer.

So my tip for today: don't consign all darker colours to the out-of-season pile, one or two just may be the wild cards that bring a touch of different to your summer wardrobe.  I'll certainly be wearing this mix again.

TPWFV preferred keeping the OOTD simple, like this.

So as a compromise, I sneakily draped the scarf inside the cardi just before we left the house for the restaurant.  There has to be compromise in a marriage, eh?

Now, I haven't posted my food shots from the day but just in case  Susan H asks, I have some pics just queued up waiting ... !

And though I've been draping myself in winter's berryage recently,  it's truly summer here now ...

... so I leave you with a pic of the sun going down on another glorious summer's day in Guernsey.

A la perchoine.

COMING SOON

My Bank Holiday Gig

I go in search of the perfect wedge

Chunky cream cardis in summer

Me and my Hygienist

I am old, I wear green

Keep my teeth nice and clean

See my friend, see the sights, feel alright.

Oh paraphrase, how I've missed you.

So I tweaked the Supergrass classic because, well, I feel alright.

Friday saw me excitedly dressing for my trip to the hygienist.  Well, perhaps "excitedly" is pushing it a bit.  I dressed sensitively for the occasion.  Dressing is a influencer and it's vital that I pitch this one right, for I want mine to like me.

I usually go for something casual, for I don't want her to think I'm trying too hard but I do want to please her, make the experience good for us both.

Me "Quick photo shoot, please."

TP "But you're going to the hygienist!".

Me "Exactly."

So for this visit I chose green.  Green is calming, opined The Photographer.  To calm us both, I added, for I am not the easiest of patients!

Pretty silk scarf which is of many colours and green is one of them, apple green Monsoon jumper (v. old).   And navy cotton, err, not jeans ... slacks maybe?  Oh goodness, I've taken to wearing slacks, how old-lady is that?!  The, err, slacks are another £8 January sales bargain from M&S.

So there was much deliberation over what to wear for the hygienist, and it was ever thus (SEE HERE).  The important thing here is that she liked the green, she liked the scarf.  I confessed that I dress to please her so she'll like me - and  she says that she does!

 Dressing for the hygienist aside, and it really is an aside,  oral care is so important.  It affects our health in ways that are a mystery to me.  And here's the thing - my hygienist teaches me how to brush my teeth.  Teaches me, her 68 year old pupil. 

 Children these days are taught religiously how to keep their teeth nice and clean and their work is monitored daily.  When I was growing up you were given a toothbrush (if you were lucky!) and left to your own devices.  The result is that my hygienist is having to teach this old dog many new tricks.

Each time I see her she shows me a technique, or points me to an area that needs specific attention. And then I go home and work on it and three months later, it's nicely embedded in my cleaning routine.  She is now complementing me on my work.

So, result! I had a pleasant hygienisting experience and I think it was good for her too.  Seems I am keeping my teeth nice and clean.  

And I feel alright.

But she and I aren't just about the teeth.

Conversation:

She "Have you seen The Film ?"

Me "Yes"

She "Did you spot that red brick farmhouse?'

Me "Yes"  

She "We don't have red brick farmhouses!"

Me "Yes".

She "And what about the accents?  Not one Guernsey accent!"

Me "Oh yes, I've blogged about it".  

(By this time she'd removed water sucker and sonic booming instrument so I was able to respond with more than a "yyuerrzth").

And she's not even a Guern and yet she too was irked by that brick and all the other opportunities the film bods missed (See HERE).  It was a seminal moment, a bond was formed by that red brick faux pas.  She's my friend.

Anyway my new bestie liked my choice of green, she liked my oral hygiene work, and the brick farmhouse just about sealed it.  

Me and my hygienist,

we're alright.

A la perchoine.

The Lady Who Lunches Meets Lady Leoprint

The Outfit

There are some days when we just want to go back to basics.

Like black trousers.

Wimpy me just wants something warm around her legs when THE BEAST FROM THE EAST is a-visitin'  - skirts and dresses stay in the wardrobe.

Instead of my go-to coated biker jeans which my thoughts had first gone to for the evening's attire, I decided to go right back to basics with simple black trousers.  I haven't worn plain old trousers for an age.  Have you?

Add a camisole to create a black column, layer on a pop of cardi colour in wintry red and you have the makings of what I would describe as a Lady Who Lunches outfit.  Safe. Tried and tested, but it works.

I have to say the Lady Who Lunches staring back at me from the mirror did unnerve me slightly.  But The Photographer said she looked nice just as she was, with no knee jerk dressing required.  I should mention that at this point I had threatened to switch my classic black trousers for the Plan A coated biker jeans.  So I heeded TP's advice,  but gave a nod to my Lady Leoprint roots.

Well naturally something as sensible as a LWL outfit must at least have a bit of subdued edge, so I introduced a scarf and little bag in leoprint.  Lady Who Lunches Meets Lady Leoprint.  And only then was I was good to go.

And go I did, to meet up with my Sibs at a nearby hotel restaurant.

The Meet-Up

The hotel's foyer was attractively decorated, I'm guessing for a wedding reception.

I chucked my phone in the direction of The Photograper because I realised I'd left home without showing you my outerlayer.

It's this.  A black leather zipped and hooded coat from way back.  Maybe 20 years way back.

I'd stopped wearing it purely because its side pockets are positioned a bit too far back for my liking.  Simple solution -  I didn't put my hands in them last night.  Why on earth has it taken me two decades to work out that simple fix?!!

Bro missed this photoshoot.  Funny, that. 

Sis and I wore complimentary colours, without even having liaised beforehand!

Me in black, red and leoprint.  Sis in black, a pretty black print top which she topped with her pop of wintry red in the form of a scarf.

This isn't the first time we've turned up in complimentary outfits, like when we were

TWO YELLOW PEAS IN A POD (HERE).

That's sisters for you, eh.

Apropos prints, I really struggle to find any prints I like.  Sis, on the other hand, has a kanny knack of finding prints that I always like. Why do I never see these prints in the shops?

The Food Shots

And because I haven't posted any food shots for ages ...

Classic Prawn Cocktail

Eggs Florentine

Hungarian Goulasch - which our sweet Hungarian server
assured us was made authentically as she'd tested it.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Another classic, Toad in the Hole

And the classics continue with an Apple Crumble



Don't fret, not ALL those dishes were mine!

So in summary, my post today:
It's about the forgotten wardrobe hero, black trousers.

It's about classic column dressing. 

 It's about simple pops of cheering wintry colour.

It's about introducing a little leoprint edge to LWL outfits.

It's about how when looking at these pics I realise that black, red and a little bit of print really work well together.
It's about keeping my hands out of awkwardly place coat pockets.

And mostly it's about having a wonderful evening in the company of lovely family.

Hope your weekend is going well, keeping warm/cool and keeping in touch with those you love.

A la perchoine.