Getting ready for tomorrow night!

Can't wait for tomorrow's Intellectual Dinner. It's been a long month and a difficult one too so it's going to be great to be back with the girls. We're going to the Grey Ox, we have no idea where that is but it's meant to be great...and Rosemary Shrager herself recommended it to us so it must be good, not too shabby for five witches!

The theme has been a difficult one and i've been frantically trying to put everything together in time for tomorrow night. I'm not happy with my work...I sat up until 11pm with one eye on Sex and the City and the other on trying to make my theme look presentable, it doesn't...maybe I can salvage it tonight! This is our last dinner before we 'come out' in Sainsbury's magazine...we're all getting really nervous. For now though I guess I'll just keep working on my theme and try and figure out what on earth I'm going to wear tomorrow night...if only I had Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe!

Catherine

July’s Theme

And already we’re into yet another month. Is everyone else’s year going superfast?

Last weekend I went on a fantastic art trail walk around Holme Styes reservoir and was captivated by the many shades of green on brilliant display across the landscape. The Christmas trees were looking lush under the blazing summer sun. Meanwhile, at home, all the plants that I potted a short while ago are now proudly showing of their colours. It’s looking really good out there and given me a timely heads-up that I really need to appreciate how beautiful our summers are and savour every moment of every precious day.

Which leads me on nicely to the theme I have chosen for the ladies to complete over the next few weeks:-

‘Nature Studies.’ We are to embark on our own exploration of the nature that surrounds us. We are then to produce whatever we feel inspired to do. It may be an essay about the role that nature takes in our lives; a photographic study of a well loved view or of a single flower; a record of a ramble through the woods; or notes of which birds are visiting the garden. It’s all out there to be discovered.

At the end of last months meeting I gave everyone the new theme and can’t wait to see what they all produce. I wonder if I’ll manage to complete mine with time to spare or if I’ll have my usual fraught night-before panic.

Amanda xxx

June's Meeting

A summers evening, the birds were singing and a gentle breeze blew through the trees as we stood waiting for Danielle in the hilly car park at the Foxglove Pub in Kirkburton. The month had been a hectic one since our last dinner, for me so much had happened in such a short space of time...not all of it good either...I was ready for a big glass of wine, a relaxing evening and plenty of laughter with my four favourite Witches! Danielle's car sped over the top of the hill and descended at high speed into the car park. We giggled as she dumped her car at an angle in the tight space, slammed her door and wandered over to where we were stood. After dropping her Blackberry down the toilet and oversleeping during an afternoon nap, Dani had had quite an ordeal to get here on time but she was here...and in a good mood so I knew it was going to be another brilliant evening! The Foxglove Pub is a picture postcard...cosy, warm and welcoming and what an English country pub should be. We were shown into a small dining room and were seated in a corner next to a tiny dolls house type window. It was the perfect setting for our evening, the perfect little nook for Witches to hide.



James the Waiter

Our Waiter James impressed us from the start; attentive, friendly and most important of all patient...nothing was too much trouble for this guy...he was there when we needed him and left us alone when we didn't, could we take him home with us? It was the first time that we had all been together since the photo shoot and so much of our conversation was focused around that as we selected what we wanted to eat from the menu. Dani opted for a starter again so we sat and watched her delve into chicken liver pate and warm, crusty bread whilst I became slowly drunk with my big glass of wine...three mouthfuls...I'm such a lightweight! The food was impressive; Danielle and I had opted for big plates of Duck Leg Confit whilst Amanda and Phoebe chose the Summer Lamb Shank...which Caroline reminded Phoebe is actually just 'bum of lamb!' Caroline decided to try the Braised Pork Belly with chorizo, honey roasted apple and rosemary and as James whisked our food over to us we descended into an impressive silence as we savoured every mouthful of the wonderful food. Our expectations were exceeded...this was good eating! I have a separate stomach for pudding and I'm pleased to say that both Phoebe and Caroline do too so a treacle tart and two apple pies with rich vanilla custard later we were ready to start our themes...Amanda with her customary latté of course.

I was quite excited about the theme because for the first time in a while I had actually had time to put some effort in and had challenged myself by designing my own cake company...The Blue Butterfly Cake Company...taking my inspiration from Tiffany's, Chanel and of course Laduree. I knew the girls would expect cakes so I designed tiny cupcake wedding favours...each with the girls' symbol iced on the top. Why did Amanda have to choose a blue tit? Caroline impressed with her Japanese themed design and introduced us to banana skin drink cartons and barcode art...she designed a beautiful barcode decorated with pretty Japanese cherry blossom, and she says she's not creative! Phoebe had also selected cakes...focusing on her favourite cake designer Duff Goldman from Ace of Cakes. She guided us through his designs ending with a beautiful design of her own a 'Fantasy Fairy Garden Cake,' the wings of the fairies would be covered in glitter and fizz whizz! Amanda chose Interior Design choosing to re-design the space at the top of her stairs...who would have thought to take inspiration from a Barn Owl to select the colour scheme and design a beautiful haven for displaying books and chilling out. It was so creative, so Amanda.  Finally Dani and her ingenious make-up collection 'The Masters of Art Collection' Banksy eyeliner; Dali lipstick; the Vettriano smoky eye-shadow kit; Picasso foundation (in the shape of a dove); Piet Mondrian make-up kit; Klimt highlighter and my personal favourite the Frida Kahlo eyebrow pencil. And you read it here first folks...these designs are all ours!

It was time to go home and say goodbye to our new friend James the Waiter. After posing for a few pictures...taken by a kind lady who offered to take a picture of the five of us together (and almost sacrificed her own life in the process thanks to a speedy taxi) we wearily climbed into our car...waved goodbye to Danielle and laughed all the way home.  See you next month!                                         

                                                                          Catherine