Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase, the Start of the Season...

In two weeks, the Maryland Timber Racing Season will begin with that quiet and quite unknown race, the Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase. A very different race from what most racing enthusiasts are used to seeing, this race is perhaps best known for the mammoth team trophy which dwarfs most other racing trophies.

2011 Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase Winning Team from the Green Spring Valley Hunt

This race began in 1920 over timber at the Monkton, Maryland home of renowned American sportsman, Foxhall P. Keene. His intent was to encourage participation in the sport. The race is run by teams of three, all regular followers of a recognized hunt, with strong representation from the Maryland and Pennsylvania Hunts. To honor the winning team, Keene commissioned a challenge cup which was to be held by the victorious hunt until the next renewal if the race. Made of sterling silver, it is one of the most impressive trophies in the sport.

I was unable to make the race last year, but look forward to once again attending this year. When I last attended two years ago, the race was held on a brisk sunny early Spring afternoon at the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, current holders of the trophy. I can't think of a more perfect place to be on such a spring day, but this is certainly not a race for those more familiar with races as a social event. The "glamour crowd" tends to pass this event by and the tents and lush tailgate spreads are no where to be seen. There is no champagne. It's a very simple affair and I can't say that I miss any of that at all.

Retired Lawyer and former steeplechase jockey Turney McKnight explained the race best in a 2009 Washington Post article, "the Foxhall race is really more of a training ground." "The jockeys want to practice but not overexercise the steeds," McKnight further explained.

2011 Foxhall Farm Cup Team Chase

Many of the horses which run here will be seen competing in Maryland's triple crown of Steeplechase, My Lady's Manor, Grand National and Maryland Hunt Cup, as well as races further afield like Carolina Cup and Virginia Gold Cup.

So whether you position yourself at the start/finish area, or at one of the fences along the course, you will be treated to a chance to watch some beautiful horses in some beautiful hunt country.

In addition, the Green Spring Valley Hunt were wonderful hosts after the race.

While this might not be a race that gets much attention, it has definitely earned a place upon my calender and where I will be found on Sunday, March 17th, if the weather permits.

Check out the Maryland Steeplechase Association website for more information:
http://www.marylandsteeplechase.com/main/fhf/datetime.htm

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Pyjamas - A Forgotten Pleasure

Growing up, pyjamas were a part of everyday life. I don't think there was a time when I didn't own a pair and they managed to see their fair share of wear on early weekend mornings and lazy snowy afternoons.

But as I got older, they seemed a bit old fashioned. They were the sort of thing you saw on old television shows where the husband and wife slept in separate twin beds, not the sort of thing you'd expect to find being worn in the current films of the day. So began to wear them less and less. Sure I still had a pair on hand, the bottoms being the only part seeing use, unless a girlfriend managed to steal a top when I was expelled to my couch in the course of an unexpected overnight stay.

But times change as do we. And as I grow older I find that those old pyjamas of yesteryear, still hold a very important and crucial place today as they ever have in my past.

Saville Collection Pyjamas from Derek Rose

Now, all pyjamas are not created equal. Even if they may seem essentially the same, there is a great range of style and qualities available. And there is something uniquely satisfying in wearing a pair of crisp well made pyjamas.

Derek Rose has been in the business of making gentlemen's nightwear in 1926, and continues to this day with the third generation of the family running this Saville Row based company. As a side note, it was Derek Rose which supplied the pyjamas for Harry Potter at Hogwarts in the first film of the film series.

My personal favourite is the Saville Collection Pyjamas from Derek Rose. Made of a lightweight cotton, it features a piped collar, pocket and cuff, a single breast pocket, side elastic only providing more comfort on the front and back due to the flat fabric, and deep hems creating the traditional weight and hang of trousers.

Derek Rose now also makes pyjamas for women, though a review of them is a bit outside my wheel house.

The great advantage of pyjamas is that you are dressed not only for bed, but for any unexpected visitors, either late at night or earlier in the morning than planned. I hurried trip to the curb before the collectors arrive is much easier when you need only throw on a dressing gown and shoes, as is answering the door to an unexpected visit by a tradesman on the morning of a forgotten appointment. In both cases you are still dressed, in many cases better than many people who leave their homes each day.

Those pyjamas of the past still do their job, and when a pair of quality pyjamas are given the chance today, they are really something still to be cherished and enjoyed.

More information about Derek Rose and their products can be found at Derek Rose.

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The Gentleman's Relish

It's been said that I'm not the very adventurous sort when it comes to food. And this might well be true. I do love my comfort foods, those meals which bring back memories of my childhood and put me in the warm place of memory where our only cares were getting home before dinner time.

But as of late, I've tried to expand my horizons a bit. But I've decided to not do this in that conventional way most Americans tend to do, following the food trends from distant lands, either transplanted directly on our shores or somehow edited for the American palate.

No, I've decided to run the other way in this adventure, exploring my distant past with traditional English and English influence American foods.

This past December, while helping a friend prepare for a traditional hunt breakfast, I came upon a mention of a food, or should I say condiment, known as Patum Peperium or The Gentleman's Relish. Well if you know anything about me, you'll know I was immediately captivated by this condiment and wanted to know more. According to the company, the paste was so closely identified with the gentry, that people asked for Patum Peperium, adding, "You know, the gentleman's relish"

In 19th century London, Gentlemen frequented clubs which were the masters of the savory, Scotch woodcock, mock caviar and Magdalen College butter, all of which contained salted anchovies in one form or another.

Patum Peperium was created in 1828 by John Osborne. While living in Paris, he created this blend of butter, anchovies, together with a secret blend of herbs and spices. This recipe remains a secret today with no single employee knowing the entire recipe. Admittedly, even the sound of these ingredients might be enough to put some people off just by the mere description.

Then you look at the container, you will find, not one, but two warnings to use very sparingly. And once you open the container and see the muddy brown paste your olfactory senses are flooded by what one can only call a slightly off fishy smell. But don't let the initial aroma put you off. If you like caesar salad, then you would be well advised to push on and give this condiment a chance.

Served on hot toast is how the traditionalists recommend it be served, and that is just what I did, two pieces buttered and two pieces un-buttered. To say it is unlike anything I've ever tasted before is quite correct. But to say that the taste is offensive or long lingering would be quite incorrect. To be honest, it was a rather yummy and satisfying addition to the toast. Some might say it is an acquired taste, but for me, perhaps due to my taste for caesar salad, I found it rather pleasant, quite a bit more salty than fishy with a wonderful finish provided by the spices and I now look forward to enjoying it again in the very near future.

It is very rare to find a product on our store shelves today which can claim an uninterrupted history of nearly 200 years. With products that remain sometimes a few months, this longevity alone should be a testament to the quality of Patum Peperium and at least one reason to give it an honest try. At the very least, you'll have gained an insight into the food tastes of our past.

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Beginning the Year with Something Tried and True

When I began this blog a year ago, I started with a post about the Smythson Panama Diary. I've been using one for the past year. And a few weeks ago I placed an order for another. Why? Well, once you've used a Smythson Panama Diary, the reasons are obvious.

 
I'm a fan of pen and ink, and with the variety of electronic organizers, it's nice to be able to quickly pencil, or in my case to pen ,something in my pocket diary.

Today, we have so many different ways to plan our schedules with electronic devices. But unlike so many modern organizers, nothing comes close to the compact size, light weight and elegant appearance as the Panama Diary. With its grained lambskin cover, it is durable, flexible and floppy, capable of being rolled up and squashed without damaging it at all.

The paper within is half the thickness and weight of normal paper. And there really is no paper like it. It was designed to handle the ink of a fountain pen and it does without fail or hesitation.
It's compact size, which easily fits in a suit coat pocket or even the hip pocket of a pair of trousers, is virtually unnoticeable. You can carry it anywhere conveniently. And unlike modern electronic organizers, it won't break if you drop it or need to be charged to be ready at a moments notice.

While I personally have not tired it, Smythson also makes a smaller version of the Panama Diary with a miniature pencil , small enough to fit in a ladies handbag, a specialty they have been making since 1924.

So as we say goodbye to 2012 and hello to 2013, one thing will remain the same. I will continue to keep track of the days ahead using which for year was, remains to me, the height of style and sophistication, the Smythson Panama Diary.

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A trip to Jermyn Street, if only via the Internet....

Every morning I open my wardrobe and begin my daily ritual of dressing for the day ahead. This involves selecting a shirt to wear and while the process in those early morning hours may still be clouded in sleep, they are made much easier by the selection process which has taken months and many times years earlier.

A shirt, while it may seem like a very simple garment, it actually a much more complex item when it is examined closely. The small details which many take for granted, can make the difference between something which simply keeps you covered and something which is a pleasure to wear.

Last year, I decided to make a slight, but in many ways large change in my selection of shirts. As an American I had long bought only American made shirts from American companies. But with the addition of chemicals to shirtings to make them "non-iron" and the movement of production to third world locations, I felt less bound to follow well worn paths to my traditional clothiers. Then with the world media attention focused on London and British style with the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, I began to draw new inspiration for my wardrobe and my shirts in particular.

There was something about the English semi-cutaway collar and the check shirts which compelled me to explore these things further. Over a year later, I can say I've been very happy with the results and have made English shirts a permanent addition to my wardrobe.

As an American, there are several ways to buy English shirts without having to find your passport and cross the Atlantic. Several English companies have set up shop on the internet and many of the best even come to America a few times a year to take bespoke orders.

One such company is Harvie & Hudson. Recently, I had the chance to ask Richard Harvie, grandson of founder Thomas Harvie, a few questions about their shirts and what make them different from other shirts available on the American market today.

Thomas Harvie was the managers of the now defunct "Jermyn Street Shritmakers," where Andrew Hudson was the shirt fitter and pattern maker. They were good friends and decided to make a go of things on their own and opened their first shop in Duke Street, just around the corner from the current location, in 1949. Today, Harvie and Hudson remains a family business who see things more on a long term basis than large corporations looking to make their shareholders happy that quarter. Shirt making is more than a job for them, it is a way of life.

Jermyn Street, current home to Harvie and Hudson, is famous for its shirt makers. And Harvie and Hudson epitomize the Jermyn Street shirt, a hand made garment, even when it is off the shelf. It's not about the label on the outside, but rather it's obvious in its richness and shape. They retain the details of fine shirt making which have been left behind by inexperienced buyers and accountants who see shortcuts as a means to increase profits at the buyers expense. Many of the attributes of a good off the rack shirt are similar to the bespoke shirt. They both should have good shell buttons, interlining and above all good quality fabric.

The shirts of Harvie and Hudson cannot help but be English, it's in their heritage. Their classic English shirt has a hand turned non-fused collar top, non-fused cuffs, a raised placket front, shell buttons and a long tail. This long tail, longer in the back than the front, is one feature I have never found in any American shirts and one which I find very appealing. The shirt is also made of pure cotton without the easy care chemicals. While these chemicals in shirts may be popular today, the shirt never looks as crisp as one back from the laundry and always seems to retain body heat and leave you feeling too hot with no means of escape.

The semi-cutaway collar is also a distinctly English look which characterizes many of Harvie and Hudson shirts. It is one of the features of their shirts which brought my wardrobe selections to London via the internet.

Also, the lining of the shirt are relatively sturdy to allow a good look when worn open or worn with a necktie, avoiding the look of a man falling apart which comes from "limp" linings. The cuffs too are quite sturdy, but not too tight, with a deep turnback cuff completing the English look. I myself tend to still gravitate towards the button cuff, but there is nothing sharper than a Harvie and Hudson turnback cuff with a pair of elegant or sharp cuff links.

While I have never had the privileged of buying a bespoke shirt myself, Richard Harvie did provide me with some insight to how they differ from the off the shelf version. Not many people are a "perfect size," as represented by the collar and sleeve length of off the shelf shirts. We tend to be very fit or not so fit, presenting challenges to find a perfect fitting shirt. This is  where the experienced craftsmen of Harvie and Hudson, with years of experience, can draft a pattern which will make any man look good in a bespoke shirt. He's seen it all before and can make a custom pattern with ease. In addition to the custom fit, a bespoke shirt gives you the choise of about 2500 fabrics, any style of collar and cuff, in addition to many other details, allowing the customer to exercise his individuality, no matter what the current off the rack trend is this year.

So if you are looking to try something new, to stretch your wardrobe in a new direction, take a look at Harvie and Hudson. I have not been disappointed and neither will you. Their customer service is exceptional and a shirt order for off the shelf shirts arrives on my doorstep just two days later with their standard shipping.

They will be in America from October 12th through October 20th, visiting Chicago, Washington and New York as part of the American Trunk Show. More information can be found here:

http://www.harvieandhudson.com/content/Information/Corporate_Info/American_Trunk_Show

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Return of the Summer Whites...

Not too long ago, summer whites were a ritual of summer. They were once a common sights while relaxing and trying to stay cool during those hot summer months which seem to plague much of the East Coast of America.

Today there are still some places where summer whites are still required. Since 1877, The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet club has required all white, or mostly white clothing to be worn. The only major tennis tournament still played on grass and without advertising around the courts, the Championships, known to most of the world as Wimbledon, is a annual reminder of the traditional white attire of summer sport and recreation.

Even today, there are some places in America which still require that white clothing be worn on tennis courts and croquet courts. And though these may not be easy to find, it does not mean the lack of such requirements is a prohibition to wear them where they are not required.

Now with summer officially upon us, there can be no doubt that white clothing is appropriate to wear and enjoy. An on the tennis or croquet court or off, there is a simple elegance about summer whites.

White bucks are the classic white summer shoe. Made of buckskin which is actually specially treated leather to give it a suede-like appearance and it dyed white. The soles of the shoes are traditionally made of brick red rubber and a "chalk bag" is used to keep the shoes white, rather than traditional polishes and cremes.

The traditional white summer trouser ranges from white ducks to white poplin. 

White ducks are made using cotton duck, which is a fairly heavy plainly woven cotton cloth. While rather versatile in the more northern summer seacoast communities and mountain lake vacation spots, white ducks are much too heavy to wear in those areas in further south.

White poplin trousers and perhaps the best solution for summer white is those places where the heat and humidity of summer seem almost oppressive at times. A pair of these made of 5.9 ounce poplin cotton is the perfect way to stay stylish and cool during the summer.

So, while the rest of the world might have abandoned the idea of the summer whites, I still hold on to them and one more symbol of a slower pace of life where those long hot days of summer are meant to be enjoyed and savored as they once where when we were younger.

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Long Live The Queen!

It is at times like today when even the average American feels a sense of awe and wonder at the British Monarchy.

Today, Her Majesty The Queen, celebrates the Diamond Jubilee of her reign. She is the second longest British Monarch, with only Queen Victoria having reigned longer.

Since 1952, Queen Elizabeth has reigned over the United Kingdom, a constant symbol of national identity, through a variety of political changes in the British government between the Tory and Labour Parties. Yet, regardless of national political dominance in Parliament, The Queen has remained a constant symbol and reminder of British national identity.

As an American, I like many fellow Americans, have a great respect and admiration for Queen Elizabeth, and her incredible ability to make herself both regal and accessible to the general public.

She is a grand example of a true modern monarch, not someone stuck in the past, but in touch with the present and looking towards the future.

So, on this day, I'd simple like to say, "Long Live The Queen."

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