We remain under the weather but are enjoying these links to Jean Shrimpton. People (us!) always think of David Bailey first when looking at Shrimp shots, but there were others, including Terence Donovan, John French, & Brian Duffy. Visit Brian Duffy's beautiful website - you can watch a documentary The Man Who Shot the Sixties.
A new series with a familiar name begins tonight in the States: Upstairs Downstairs. In case you've been hiding under a rock (listen up, Mia aka Bronx Zoo Cobra), the series is related to the venerable old show in that 165 Eaton Place is the center of the action & co-creator Jean Marsh is involved. Unrelated to the original series: there's a monkey named Solomon. Giulia can hardly wait for this simian storyline. 
Today's Made4Aid post highlights a set of greeting cards, made with prints of original photography of snowy winter scenes in London. They would make a lovely gift for someone this season (or for you). The photographs are printed in high resolution on premium glossy photographic paper and mounted on good quality white card. The cards are blank inside for your own greeting and come with matching envelopes. The size of these cards is 5 inches/12.5cm square. 
What's with all the London posts? Jealousy, pure & simple (& we have friends & readers in & near London). Another terrific fashion illustration exhibit, this time at Somerset House (through 9 January 2011). The exhibit is Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty. And before or after you see it (maybe after is better?), you should absolutely go ice skating. The rink opens next week (23 November). (illustration & the head's up via automatism, thanks!)
More free coloring pages--this time from Tate Britain's Tate Kids. There's lots of craftiness on the large site but you might want to start with the outline of Emma, Lady Hamilton as Circe by George Romney. (image via here)
For lucky ducks in London (or who will be) before 6 March 2011, there's a new exhibit at London's Design Museum on fashion illustration. In the museum shop is beautiful catalogue, a set of 6 cards, & two reproduction prints. (image by François Berthoud via artnet(dot)com)
Thank goodness a friend had the foresight to send Giulia's editor this fab Zara Carpenter Alice Bow headband for a recent birthday. She'll be suitably attired for the new Washington landscape. Zara is the talented hat/head gear designer at Chatham Girl. She has a cheeky English sense of humor. GG's editor wrote about her, here. And you can visit Zara, here. Now we must rush for we are late, very late...
Busted. She listens to books read aloud to her. We recently received the lovely Persephone Catalogue, the Persephone Biannually, & a lovely bookmark. What more do you want? Some books? Yes, us too. We only have one so far. But go here, & read about the publishers, the Bloomsbury bookstore, & how to sign up for snail mail of your very own. Also, the really sweet Persephone staff writes a blog that we follow. (We were pleased to see their post about neighborhood book shops--they included the one we frequent in Washington, DC.) GG wants to go to London & hang out there. (What does she care about rain? She doesn't go outside unless in her travel bag.) 
Refreshingly pretty images for a hot July Monday (although the idea of wearing the clothes in hot weather is another matter entirely). If you haven't seen the "new" Emma on PBS, you really should catch it (the links have re-run schedules). The two-part program was nominated for several Emmy Awards for good reason. The Emma site is great fun. Take the Bachelors of Highbury Quiz. We are not satisfied with our first run-through, so we'll try again; of course, we prefer Mr. Knightley--who else?
At Somerset House...how much fun is it? A lot! Wish we were there with stylish & sweet Emma Watson (aka Hermione). Seen on Wee Birdy (a really fun site). Wherever you are, though, most likely there's an outdoor rink (in the northern climes). There's a darling one here in Washington, at the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art's East Wing. Go! Except: It will be closed at least part of Inaugural weekend...so if you were planning to do that, which would be totally cool, forget it kids. (photograph by Alan Davidson)
Will Somerset House sue us? How mean would that be?* [No, no threats, we just didn't like the feeling; so see update & new public photograph info below.]
GG heard the song Downtown for the first time this afternoon; she perked right up in our 90+ degree heat. The American version of Colour My World was the first album GG's editor bought all on her own; it took so long to save up those pennies. Her mum had The Beatles, Stones, et al, covered...plus the LP with Downtown had already been toted to the States from the UK. 