February 2, 2018 /

“Our office lunches consisted of peanut butter and Jello sandwiches, served with slugs of vodka.” Nicky Haslam

The world was interconnected, even before the Internet. Nicky Haslam worked with Diana Vreeland (peanut butter and Jello?), who was a dear friend of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, seen here reading Jack Kerouac’s ON THE ROAD.

Just this morning I was walking when I saw a neighbor sitting on his front step, scarf wrapped around his neck, cigarette in one hand, book in another, intently reading the same thing in the first rays of the sun.

A book is a gateway to another world. Don’t you think? So, I was fascinated when , author of READING JACKIE, put this up on his twitter feed:

 

He helped me with READING JACKIE & I like him & he’s a legend & so I’ve just supported Good Taste: A Decorator’s Cookbook by Nicky Haslam at

This book sounds fascinating, and so to does the way its coming into the world; publication by crowdfunding via the good people of Unbound. Take a look…

Lady Diana Cooper told me the two essential ingredients for a good dinner party: “Too much to drink and a chocolate pudding.”…

This book was inspired by one written by my aunt, Lady Sysonby, during the early years leading up to the Second World War. It’s the prettiest little book, illustrated by Oliver Messel, with a foreward written by no less a literary legend than Sir Osbert Sitwell. Ria Sysonby’s father, Sir Frederick Ponsonby, was Private Secretary to three monarchs. He wrote of the first, Queen Victoria: “The Queen had far too much character and individuality to have good taste.” He meant, clearly, her taste in surroundings (which we know was stultifyingly fussy) but his vignette of her “breakfast table, laid entirely with gold, the queen eating a boiled egg from a gold egg cup with a golden spoon” gives a fascinating glimpse of simplicity amid splendour.

This mix of individual taste for the mouth and the eye is what I hope the reader will find in the pages of Good Taste. Not serious “good” taste, but utterly delectable things tasting truly good — with plenty of fun along the way.

Delicious! Now click above and support Mr. Haslam.

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Tagsauthor William Kuhn cookbook decorator Nicky Haslam Diana Vreeland Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jello Lady Diana Cooper Nicky Haslam Reading Jackie unbound

12 Comments

  1. William KuhnW
    February 2, 2018

    Nicky Haslam knew Diana Vreeland well. He was full of wonderful stories when I talked to him. Many I couldn’t use. One was about going to a party in a NYC hotel. He showed up in the corridor. Checked his watch. He was far too early to ring the bell. What should he do? He was about to beat a hasty retreat when who should come off the elevator but the Duchess of Windsor. She was also checking her watch. They looked at each other. Mugged about the time and decided to share a broom closet until it was okay to ring the hosts’ bell. When they decided the time was right, they were about to leave the broom closet, when Wallis grabbed Nicky’s shoulder. “Wait a minute. How is my hair?” She pronounced it “ha-yer.”

    • Vickie Lester
      February 2, 2018

      In the Broom Closet with the Duchess! Good title…
      https://youtu.be/I02fZDd-BBc
      Wallis had a kind of Mid-Atlantic accent that Hollywood stars adopted in the 1930s…sounds kind of odd off-screen.

    • Richard Wyland
      February 4, 2018

      ha-yer…that Baltimore thingy…

  2. First Night Design
    February 2, 2018

    I hummed and hawed about supporting Haslam’s book yesterday, funnily enough. I’m on Unbound’s mailing list and have supported a couple with tiddly amounts but stopped short of Haslam though I’m pretty certain the resulting book would make me hoot. Great story from William!

    • Vickie Lester
      February 2, 2018

      Quite the raconteur — and I still haven’t signed up to get my copy yet, must remedy that soon. Next time William is on your side of the world, you should meet him, he is full of great stories!

      • First Night Design
        February 2, 2018

        Indeed. As for Wallis, the thinner she became, the bigger her bonce appeared which made her so odd to look at. (Bitch Vernon here) My late great-aunt knew her and loathed her. This was because my late great-uncle was his personal private secretary before he abdicated. I don’t think they were fond of either of them!

      • Vickie Lester
        February 2, 2018

        If you ever want to send me a recording I would be delighted to feature it!. I think I can post 3-4 minutes… Perhaps a bit from your memoirs? xox!

      • First Night Design
        February 2, 2018

        Now that’s a rather lovely idea. Don’t know how good a recording it would be. Thank you.

    • Vickie Lester
      February 2, 2018

      Yes, I like the way he weaves a tale!

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