Israel, the land of milk and honey. And hummus, falafels, bagels, pretzels, avocados...

We've just got back from the most gloriously happy holiday, visiting friends in Israel.

Amit and Yulia live in Bat Yam, which is a satellite of Tel Aviv, the capital city. Their apartment is in a round building, with balconies wrapped around it, giving the most amazing views over Bat Yam and beyond.

When the sea is that close, you'd be mad not to swim in it every day. That's the Mediterranean you can see in the photos.

Lovely new friends, Yulia and Ariane. Both so incredibly sweet. Look at those beautiful smiles!
Amit and Yulia were the most welcoming and generous hosts, and Ariane is the most adorable baby, happy and calm, just like her Mum and Dad.

At night, the city is lit up with what looks like miles of fairy lights. You can see Rishon, Holon, Natanya and Jerusalem in the distance. It's a magical and mesmerising view. We spent hours on the balcony just watching the city at night.

Their apartment is the penthouse, and our bedroom suite with balcony was on the upper level. Extremely glamorous!

The main theme of the holiday was food. Hummus, falafel, shakshuka, pickled vegetables, salads, all manner of bread. We never stopped eating. We might have done some drinking too...

A big night out in Tel Aviv. That's Amit with me and that's Asi, his best friend, in the background. It was so lovely to catch up with him. The last time I was in Israel, they were sharing a flat, down south in Eilat

One day it was 'I'm taking you for the breakfast of champions', another 'You want to try the best falafel in Israel?' We visited other friends, all of whom insisted we eat. Food glorious food.

Doesn't look much from outside, does it? But in a space smaller than my sitting room, they've been turning out the best falafel in Israel for nearly 100 years. Three generations of the same family. We had a great laugh with them, they trying out their English on us, we trying out our Hebrew and Arabic on them.

I've been friends with Amit for nearly 20 years and he remains one of my absolute favourite people. Intelligent, funny, adventurous, interesting, loyal, incredibly generous and kind. Hopefully, once we've lost a few kilos, we'll meet again! ;)

Within the holiday, he arranged for us to stay a few days in a small beachside apartment, belonging to his friends Babai and Nataly. We were really spoilt.

Anyway, now I've set the scene, the next couple of posts are filled with pretty pictures of our travels. I hope you'll join me.

Three go chazzing in Chezza

It's been nearly a year since we last went to Chesterfield and its fabulous Thursday market. Can't believe we resisted the urge for so long.

It's like a posh car boot sale. You find all sorts, with prices ranging for pennies to pounds. I rather liked these chairs. I'm a bit of a sucker for a piece of 1940s chintz. But the thing which is keeping me awake at night is a gilt demi-lune table which I decided against. The stallholder is rather dashing with a mop of blonde hair, which makes him look like Tarzan. Since everyone has to have a name, he is Lord Greystoke. His stock was all rather beautiful, picked up in France I would say.

The day started off cold and wet, but look, the sun shines on us bloggers! There's Vix, Curtise and Curtise's lovely friend Joanne.

Some more lovely ladies, stallholders Jo and Amanda, plus this beautiful gardener with her psychedelic dress and yellow headband.

I wore this fabulous skirt given to me by Curtise, who pretty much clothes us all with her fabulous gifts.  The blouse belonged to my grandmother and was originally white. Vix pronounced it vintage M&S. With my russian scarf, the look I was going for was Romanian gypsy woman.

We spent a large part of the day snuggled up in Wetherspoons. It's become such a tradition we can't imagine going anywhere without one. 

Look at Curtise's face! Those eyes are pleading for me to stop taking photos and pour us out our liquid desert. How could anyone resist? 

We always have such a lovely time together, chatting, laughing, rummaging, posing. We meet the kindest strangers, who are always happy to join in the fun and take our picture, like here, in the poshest loos.

But it's not just the kindness of strangers, my friends brought presents too! A 70s Marks and Spencer blouse and a Style dress pattern from Vix, and a Dutch doll from Curtise. I bought the cute little Spanish embroidered postcards and the orange curtains. I have hopes of transforming them into a trouser suit!

Look, more clothes from Curtise! I look a bit Housewife, 49 in this wrapover African fabric dress which fits me perfectly, and I get to be Vix's twin in this Horrockses 1970s maxi skirt. 

Anyway, they say a picture paints a thousand words, so here's the day in picture form. We three out having a FAB time! 

Let the bloggy-get-together season commence!

Stoneywell: a magical Arts and Craft home

Last year when we went off for a little holiday down in the South East, we joined the National Trust. It's a year long membership, so we're on a mission to see as much as we can in that time.

Today we visited the most wonderful house; Stoneywell, an Arts and Crafts gem, designed by the architect Ernest Gimson for his brother. I love residences which are on a really domestic scale. It's much easier to see how people lived than in a great stately home.

This one is in the perfect location, set in the middle of the plot, with nobody else around.

Chanelling Fragonard's The Swing.

A swing from a tree is just so romantic, my dream house would definitely have one.

This was their summerhouse, where the family would decamp for the warm months, and the overwhelming feeling is that this is a house in which to have fun. The garden has tennis courts, a woodland for the children to run wild in and a garden which is the antithesis of formal.

Window seats, that's another one for the dream house. Add in open fires, and beautiful wooden floors and we're making some nice progress.

The house is build in a valley, on bedrock. The steps are hewn out of the rock. Everything about the house feels so organic. It's the lack of straight lines and the use of natural materials. All the walls are white as decreed by the architect, and there is lots of oak and stone from the nearby quarry.

The architect also designed a lot of the furniture. Everything fits together so well. I have a new found affection for this movement, the furniture is so simple in its lines, but beautiful in its handmade construction. Kind of reminds me of the mid century stuff which is so popular at the moment.

Imagine walking up those stairs to bed if you were a little bit tipsy! I love the red velvet cushions with the mossy green candlewick bedspread.

The front door. All the doors are made from beautiful pieces of wood and have so much character. That second door leads down into a pantry. You know that's going on the ideal home list.

This was a house built with children in mind. There are so many child sized nooks and crannies, there is so much room to run around in and, one of my favourite things; there are so many sets of stairs, that you could go up one set, run around and then come down another. As the house is built into the landscape, it ends up on different levels. In the master bedroom, you can climb out of the window into the garden.

Books arranged in nooks and crannies, and chairs everywhere for the family to sit down and get absorbed in them. I've never been much of a fan of William Morris textiles, but they fitted in well here. 

The eponymous stoney well. Prospective brides marrying into the family had to jump that well as a kind of initiation. Unless they were Olympians with the legs of Serena Williams, I suggest they all ended up wet. That little round building reminds me of buildings in France.

Vintage Austrian dirndl found on a day charity shopping in Bristol with my friends Helen and Sian. Clogs bought in Stockholm, neon pink tights from the market, stripy top and cardi from the chazza, bag from Em, gloves from Curtise

The inspiration for my outfit today was Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, when she was prentending to be a marionette. 

What do you see? You people staring at me?

Car picnic! We could have gone to the tea shop and had some cake, but instead we took our packed lunch and found some woodland to park up in. Flask coffee, one of my true loves. If you ever want to see me smile, simply offer me food.

I often think of houses as characters in their own right, with their own personalities. When I watch films, I pay as much attention to the setting as the characters and plot. This house was happy, fun-loving and very relaxed. 

How about you? I'd love to hear, what's on the list for your dream house?

There is no reality, only perception

A friend described me the other day as someone who dresses up as a character and has my photo taken, like my mad friends.

Yeah, that's you lot she was talking about, you crazy kids.

So, when I was invited to go to the pub quiz, I thought, what the hell, might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb,  I'm going as Wolf Hall*

The imagery in Wolf Hall is all very dark, a lot of it shot by candlelight for that authentic Tudor experience

For those of you that haven't seen it yet, it's an adaptation of the Hilary Mantel novels, currently being aired in the UK. My two favourite periods of British history are the Tudors and WWII, but even for a devotee like me, it offers a fascinatingly fresh insight into everyday life in the period and a completely different perspective on certain key characters.

Centre parting, brocade dress with layers underneath, pearls, fur trimmed cloak, gemstone rings, CHECK. But look! ONLY five fingers on each hand. Phew.

Never before have I seen Thomas Cromwell in such a human, multi-faceted light. Up until now he was always the machiavellian politician of a lawyer. Here we are offered the view of him as a devoted husband and family man, a loyal friend, the son of a violent domestic abuser, a lowly born blacksmith's son who grows in stature and power courtesy of his intelligence and character.

Thomas Cromwell in Wolf Hall, played by Mark Rylance. Image credit BBC

It struck me that this has parallels with what my friend demonstrated in her description. I see myself and you as having fun with clothes, using colour to brighten up our lives and make us feel better about ourselves; she sees us as eccentric characters. It's all about our perception, a concept which I have been exploring quite a lot recently.

Anyway, I decided that the quiz was going to contain a question about the Tudors, which would have been unusual, since it's mainly popular culture, music and sports. I was wrong, but there were three history questions, which you might enjoy having a go at. I'll put the answers at the end. For non-Brits, I apologise, they are heavily biased in that direction.

1 Which British King was known as The B*stard?
2 Which royal figure was beheaded at Fotheringhay castle?
3 What was the book carried by followers of Mao Tse Tung known as?

Claire Foy as Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall. Photo credit BBC

For me, you can't talk about the Tudors without mentioning Anne Boleyn, that one woman whose allure and determination changed forever the face of this country. She's the one I'd most like to meet, she never ceases to fascinate. Would I see her as cunning, intelligent and passionate? Or would she be  devoted, charming, a pawn in her family's quest for influence and a victim of Henry's capriciousness?

How about you? Are there any periods of history which intrigue you or specific characters you'd like to spend a day with? And why? Do tell!

1 William the Conqueror
2 Mary Queen of Scots
3 The little Red book

* Wolf Hall was the name of Jane Seymour's family home

Bring me the finest wines known to humanity!

Hello everyone!

It's been a low key Christmas over here at freckleface. I've spent much of the time curled up with tissues, medicines and a complexion the colour of porridge.

I missed the parties, the meals out, the opportunities to dress up, so I have nothing very interesting to report. However, yesterday, feeling much better, I decided I needed to make up for lost time, so I put on my Christmas baubles and raised a glass to you.

Happy New Year to all you lovely people. I hope 2015 will be filled with happiness, adventure, and enough change to keep it exciting. xxx

I went to the panto. Oh yes I did!

freckleface, freckleface, where have you been?

I've been to Manchester, to see the Queen!!

She's behind me!

Once upon a time, way back in the 1970s my Aunty Ann travelled a long, long way from a distant land (Scotland) to come and stay with us, bringing with her a passion for a handsome King called Elvis Presley along with pictures of him, his wife and his cute little daughter. 

I was rather captivated by how beautiful his wife was, what lovely long hair she had, and what great clothes she was wearing.

Two of the pictures my Aunt brought with her, cut out from magazines and yellowing newspaper articles.

I saw snippets about her down the years, and was very pleased when she joined my favourite TV series at the time, Dallas. Bobby sure got the good looking girls in that show, didn't he?

So, when I saw she was in panto in Manchester this year, playing the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I hatched a plan to go and see her.

It only took about two weeks of constant nagging begging to get Q to come with me.

Of course, when I say see her, I don’t want to be misleading. What with our seats in the gods and my need for goggles these days, she was just a tiny sparkly figure swishing across the stage giving us glimpses of beautifully shapely legs and being perfectly panto evil. But I loved it nevertheless, being there for that experience. She rose to the role and enjoyed being wicked, sending herself up and doing a really cute rendition of Trouble. I could imagine Elvis grinning at the sight of that.

Afterwards, we went off to get something to eat before getting the train back. Manchester is a very vibrant place, with lots of lovely bars and restaurants. I was rather taken by the look of this Thai restaurant with the tuk tuk outside. 

I like a place with interesting décor. These beautifully aged punched tin panels made for a great feature wall with the industrial lights set against them and I loved the wall of film posters. 

It made me want to go to Thailand. Who knows, that might be the next plan I hatch. I somehow don’t think I’d have to do so much persuading for that one.

But in the meantime, go on, tell me, who would you like to see in real life if you possibly could?

Giving thanks

The Thanksgiving party didn't go ahead, because unfortunately the hostess was poorly.

But you know, in life, there's always Plan B. If we couldn't go out to dress up and tuck in, we could still do it at home.

I mentioned that the perfect frock had flown in for the occasion, so, having decided I was going to be wearing it on that night to tuck into a dinner of giving thanks, I pressed on regardless.

The cutest Tyrolean wall plaque and my glamorous new dress

Here it is!

A lovely bright 1980s floral maxi dress with a boned bodice, which improved my posture no end and made me feel very glamorous. It was contained within the most wonderful birthday parcel filled with gorgeous things from the very generous and thoughtful Curtise.

The fabric reminds me of Hawaiian dresses, but from the style I would say it is 1980s.

That little round plaque featuring children wearing their little dirndls and lederhosen against a mountain backdrop has already found a place in the back room just above where I sit down to eat.

I sorted out that picture wall on my birthday, but I'm not entirely convinced. It's either too much or lacking something, I can't quite figure it out yet.

Raising a glass of thanks to lovely Curtise! Thank you so much for everything, I love it all

There was also a lovely 3-tiered 70s maxi skirt in this lovely bright floral print. I've actually worn it twice already, but no photographic evidence remains!

Above left, present from Curtise, above right, cross stitch picture of a Polish folk couple

I love folk art generally, but Poland does seem to have a particularly rich folk art tradition. These clothes pegs with the fabulous graphics, which were part of the parcel, remind me of this cross-stitch picture I made a few years ago, right down to the headscarf. One day I plan to visit Poland, and when I do, I shall visit this village.

A pair of little Polish dolls in their folk costume