Cliveden and I

Chantelle Haywood one of my closest friends celebrated her 21st back in Feburary. She kibdly invited me to have lunch at Cliveden.

Cliveden Manor is a place i know well. As i live close by when growing it up the gardens and walks were a place my parents took us several times. I say it is the place where my love for Manor houses started.

Here is a little history from the website on Cliveden Manor just for those who wish to know...

The History of Cliveden

"The first house was built in 1666 by the 2nd Duke of Buckingham. A notorious rake, schemer and wit, he created Cliveden as a hunting lodge where he could entertain his friends and mistress. Since then it has twice been destroyed by fire, only to emerge, phoenix-like, more stunning than before. The house has played host to virtually every British Monarch since George I and has been home to three Dukes, an Earl and Frederick Prince of Wales.

Queen Victoria, a frequent guest, was not amused in 1893 when the house was bought by William Waldorf Astor, America’s richest citizen. When he gave it to his son and daughter-in-law in 1906 Cliveden became the hub of a hectic social whirl where guests included everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Winston Churchill, and President Roosevelt to George Bernard Shaw.

Harold Macmillan, another frequent guest, when told that the house was eventually to become a hotel, remarked “My dear boy, it always has been.” The tradition of impeccable hospitality and extravagant entertainment continues to make any stay at Cliveden the experience of a lifetime.

Stephen Ward and Christine Keeler were staying in Spring Cottage when they triggered the infamous Profumo scandal. So, even the cottage is not without its share of colourful Cliveden history."

From Clivedenestate National trust homes website 2011

As mentioned before this House was apart of my childhood. I  have spent many a sundays as a child being dragged around, sent on walks, sitting in the cafe and spending hours looking at the famous flower beds! I however always dreamed of being a lady of the house, being waited on, served devine food and just being able to enjoy the beautiful splender of the house itself.

A few years ago for my sisters hen day My mum, sister and i spent the day at the Cliveden spa. This was lovely. Waited on hand and foot, massaged, bath and munched on some pretty yummy lunch.A little bit of my dream, being within the grounds as a customer and closer to living the dream.

This was what i thought would be the only and last time i would experience the lifestyle that went with attending Cliveden Manor (without being a national trust visitor)

A few summers later while working with a Nannying I had a few Jobs at Cliveden Manor hotel. This was my chance to enter inside the house. Although not how i had originally dreamt of i was in and part of somones Amzing wedding day at a apsolute dream reception location! As i drove up the drive i imaged driving up dropping my car off to the footman outside as i was to enter and be served a delightlful meal. However this wasnt to be ... i was the one looking after the guests and only to look upon the bride and groon take part in there stunning wedding and the visitors sit back and enjoy an amazing 4 course meal.

Febuary 2011

I recieved an invitation from Miss Chonnie Haywood a very delightful, close, amazing friend of mine..

"Lucy i was wondering if you would like to celebrate my 21st birthday me my family and I at Cliveden Manor for sunday lunch"

WOULD I?

 The excitemen hit me, i was to sit down in Cliveden and have a 4 course meal, with a lovely family. The planning of the alfit began.

As i drove up the drive i felt like somone special...

The meal was as i excpected. Very " Cliveden" Elegant in every way possible . It was a meal i wont forget and now when i take my children round Cliveden house i can tell them how i used to walk around the ground, work in the house, went to the spa and finally got served a delightful meal celebrating a special friends 21st birthday

Mwah 

xxx

RoundHay Park

This weekend was a hot one, not only for england but especially for APRIL! I was up in Leeds during this rather sweaty weekend so took the time to visit the cities parks.

On Sunday i spent the day walking around Round Hay Park. I didnt know anything about the place before i went, but as soon as i stepped in to the ground i knew this must belong to a country home.

And indeed it did. While making my way up a long path i looked up and there it was, a beatifully designed and situated Manor house.

This place was stunning, although i didnt go inside as i was too bust enjoying the gardens, park, lake, woods, 2nd lake, more land, more woods and many attractions i could just picture that one day many hundreds years ago it would have been a beautiful place to have lived.

Sadly i didnt have my camera on me, so i have had to search the internet to find images that really show how lovely this place was. I hope these do it justice..

Enjoy...

The coldest City on Earth

Heya,

So back from Paris, it was just as you would expect. I have many thousands of pictures i could upload. However the one place that i was really amazed by was Ver Sails, this amazing palace took my breath away.

Every detail from floors to ceilings to door knobs had been thought about and crafted to amazing standard. If your going to Paris definetly a place to go too.

AMAZING

Mwah

xxx

Paris

Heya,

Next week i have an amazing chance for yet another trip with my university to Paris. Were jetting off a week on monday to the city of romance and Love for a week.

Oh so very excited to take trips round the famous museums and sites. We are also very priverlaged to get a chance to go to Premiar Vision.

Just thought put it up here.. i shal be needin help on what to wear and what not to wear. Decision decisions my people!

Will i meet my french lover?? or retunr and relaise england is the place for me? I may even go all french and try there cusine. The french look is a must my friends.

Mwah

xxx

Photoshoot

Hey,

Back in the summer my brother in law and i set out to do a photoshoot. I came up with the concept using inspiration from a May vogue addition shoot. My brother In Law facnies himself as a bit of a photographer sdo after planning each pic he took the snaps and this is some of what we came up with.

The shoot was set in a lovely crafts type house ( my uncles) it has many oringal features so tried to use some of these. Showing glam (me) against rustic and old (the house) also alot of natureish looks.

This image i liked the most. After as part of university summer project i tunred this in to a magazine cover. ( too large to upload on here) The face portrait made a great cover.

This picture was to show the light coming through. I thought the colour of the green would work well with the light and the hint of diamonds to relflect this. I copied the way i had my arms from the shoot in vogue. Think it frames the head and body well.

Here wanted to show the lanscape around and the portrait of the clothing. The way in which model is standing is to relfect the awakardness of the building behind and clothing reflects the bright flowers too.

Hope you like ,

Mwah

Blenium Palace

Heya,

So as part of my birthday the boyfriend took me here. I love these places get a little to in to them. It wasnt a lovelly day wetahre wise but wow it is an amazing place. This history and just the building it self is just breath taking!!

This is the front of the palace. You see this after walking up the long drive which is surrounded by the vast amounts of land and gardens, then follow through under the arch through to the court yard, through another arch and into the front :)... this grand entracne alone make the building even more breath taking, plus i saw it during a storm and even in bad weather i was amazed. Must go back on a lovelly day!
The weekend we visited was the first weekend the christmas decorations had been put up for the public! I lvoed all the little details inside (sorry no pictures were alowed to be taken inside), everything was fitting to what it would have been like in the palaces's prime.

These trees in the courtyard i though were a lovelly little touch :) The family of the palace are still living there now, made me very jealous how amazing would it be to have this stunning house in your family and to know such a great deal about your family history.

Firstly excuse the boyfriend and his awful posing...

This show the back of the palace, the detial shown here is what you can expect inside the building aswell. The palace was originall y made as a gift for winning a war. Not sure how long it took to build but can imagine if builders today were to be given this to build would take them a very long time. The gardens are just as beautiful as the building itself, As i said before the weather wa pretty bad that day so didnt have ahcnace to look roudn them but with my new yearly pass i shall be going back to see the award winning garndens and miles and miles of land.

Mwah xxx

Birthday Dress

So guys,

Its my birthay in two whole sleeps, yes scary thought turning 20 no more childish teen years for me. But of course on every girls birthday she needs a new dress!

Finding it very hard to find one atm... so anyone seen anything nice at the moment. Remembering my love for pearls? Something for a meal and cocktails with the girls!?

Here are a few suggestions...

Mwah

xxx