WHERE ARE YOU WRITING THIS?
From my kitchen table with my daughter working next to me and other two children rolling around on the sofa next door
WHERE ARE YOU DREAMING OF GOING AS SOON AS THE QUARANTINE ENDS?
First stop will be my father’s house in the middle of a lake in Rutland where he is currently marooned. I am missing him terribly. Cornwall with my best friends gives me sanity and a health injection with so much fresh air so we shall make sure that’s a priority and then somewhere hot and dreamy for the family - Greece has been on the bucket list for a long time so I’d love to make it happen.
WHAT QUOTE/ MANTRA / MINDFULNESS GO TO IS GETTING YOU THROUGH THIS?
Keep on smiling. I’m a great believer in keeping a sense of humour throughout. My late mother adored the song, Bring Me Sunshine and I like to use it as an occasional soundtrack to keep me positive and boost spirits. Life is beautiful - this is a major crisis chapter in our lives but it will pass and we shall treasure the time we spent together as a family enjoying the smaller things in life. We also put on a lot of classical music on our downstairs speaker and I find that sets a nice, calming tone for the house when things get fraught. The occasional long, candelit bath when I’ve managed to get the kids into bed and finish what seems like endless cleaning. And also I like the app Calm, though my husband makes me wear ear phones in bed- he finds a bed time story from Matthew McConaughey a step to far...
WHAT IS KEEPING YOU LAUGHING?
My eccentric kids, my laid back husband (who never ever fails to keep me smiling), friends on Zoom, Larry David (I’m a huge Curb Your Enthusiasm fan) and prosecco
WHAT WON’T YOU EVER TAKE FOR GRANTED AGAIN POST QUARANTINE?
Food. Being stuck without an ocado order and no way of going out to shop during isolation was an eye opener. Since then I have been planning meals, making sure we don’t waste anything. We take it for granted that anything can be bought/ordered at a moments notice. I have also started doing Mindful Chef which I am loving and shall continue with post quarantine.
WHAT SMALL BUSINESSES ARE YOU LOVING AND WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT TO?
KJs Laundry- great boutique on Marylebone Road owned by a great friend, Hayley Menzies whose joyful knitwear I adore, Faune - I can’t wait to their womenswear line to come out and Asceno for their super chic stay at home style.
WHAT RESTAURANT WILL BE YOUR FIRST MEAL POST QUARANTINE?
Probably a local curry with my husband. I haven’t been craving fine dining at all. I’ve cooked pretty much every meal since lockdown began so just thought of someone else presenting food to me would be unbelievably welcome.
And a good Indian with mango chutney is hard to beat.
WHAT IS KEEPING YOU ENTERTAINED - PRINT OR DIGITAL?
Digital! I don’t have any subscriptions apart from Vogue so am reliant on screens...
WE ARE CALLED THE DECK – WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CARD GAME?
Spit- it’s the only card game I ever win at…I remember playing it all night on sleep overs when I was a little girl.
WHAT WOULD YOUR DREAM SUIT LOOK LIKE?
At the moment, I can’t imagine wearing anything overly structured ever again! So probably something masculine, oversized, exagerated shoulders - something I can wear flat sliders and gold jewellery with. I’m definitely in the summer mood.
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING ON NETFLIX?
Drive to Survive. I used to be a Formula obsessive during my teens so this series is heaven.
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
The Glossy Years by Nicholas Coleridge and quite a few cook books...
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR SKINCARE REGIME? THE PRODUCTS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT.
I use a gentle Elemis Foaming Facial wash, Dr Barbara Sturm’s Facial Scrub, Vitamin C Paste (obsessed) by Lixirskin, Vitamin C Serum + Hyaluronic Acid by Mabel + Meg, and for night I try and religiously use my quartz roller with a night oil by Votary.
YOUR GO TO VITAMINS?
Biotin for hair and skin and Vitamin D
HOW ARE YOU KEEPING YOUR KIDS ENTERTAINED?
Apart from the third parents when times are tough, LOTS of drawing, chess online, gymnastic shows, making beaded bracelets and necklaces, baking and a bit of fighting thrown in for good measure (I’m learning to turn a blind eye to the milder form…survival of the fittest)
WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORKOUT OF CHOICE?
Who isn’t loving a bit of Joe Wickes?! My amazing brother sent us a bike frame so we could attach our bikes and cycle in the garden- this has been a godsend. I also adore ballet so try and occasionally muster the energy to do some barre work...