The Steeple Times

Tag: Tennessee

  • Who Is Gatsby Randolph?

    Who Is Gatsby Randolph?

    Matthew Steeples previews ‘Who Is Gatsby Randolph?’ and finds it not only refreshingly raucous, but also proof that anyone can achieve their dream

    In England, we have party crashers like David Pun – a bow tie wearing blaggart who pretends to own Harvey Nichols, but actually lives in a bus shelter in Hammersmith. Freakish toerags like him and the bigoted berk Marie-Claire, Baroness von Alvensleben pollute events, hoovering up canapés and nabbing gift bags with audacity and awfulness, but in Hollywood there’s a marvelous man who has got the art of getting into the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party down to a fine art.

     

    David Pun and Marie-Claire, Baroness von Alvensleben
    London’s leading liggers, amongst them bow tie wearing David Pun (right) and convicted racist Marie-Claire, ‘Baroness’ von Alvensleben (left, with disgraced ‘entertainer’ Michael Barrymore), flash business cards lacking class, style and elegance, but still somehow get their wicked way into society bashes. How they get away with it remains a mystery and though there have been proposals to make documentaries about their antics, these have yet to reach the viewing public.
    Alexa Jago
    English actress turned award winning producer Alexa Jago, however, has managed to bring the remarkable yet totally true story of a humble boy from Memphis, Tennessee who sought out and achieved his dream of getting to the top in Tinseltown to the big screen.
    Oscar and Dom Perignon
    With a (borrowed but real) Oscar and a bottle of Dom Perignon (or five), this bio-documentary of an aspiring music producer turned tastemaker illustrates the power of Instagram. In it, the star claims “social media is archival footage” and through weaving his posts into a cohesive story, Gatsby Randolph becomes a genuine and welcomed personality.
    https://vimeo.com/423678137

    A ‘mockumentary’ in style and deservedly lauded as “Borat meets Entourage,” Who Is Gatsby Randolph? tells the story of Memphis, Tennessee born Kobie Randolph’s transition as he seeks out fame and fortune in Tinseltown. Rather like in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel from which he takes his adopted moniker, “people were not invited – they went there” is the premise of our suave, cigar chomping protagonist.

     

    Produced by talented English theatre and film actress turned award winning producer Alexa Jago – best known for having worked alongside amongst others Kevin Costner and for having been part of the team behind the 2015 hit Kajaki (AKA Kilo Two Bravo) – and due for theatrical release in the coming months, here is a film about a young man’s rise from poverty to the pinnacle of power and privilege living in a mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

     

    With 101,000 followers on Instagram currently, but ironically without 101 Dalmatians, in what has been described as “a poignant wild ride through red carpets with unlimited access to all the glitz and glamour,” this bio-documentary examines not only success, but also struggle.

     

    Reinvention is key to Kobie Randolph’s transition into his alter-ego ‘Gatsby’ and of his journey, the star recently told FilmInk: “As a filmmaker, I recognised that my own story of rags to riches was, in fact, a movie in the making.” He most certainly has achieved that and Who Is Gatsby Randolph? most definitely looks set to be one of the hits of 2022.

     

    Pictured top – Kobie Randolph, a man described by British actor Hainsley Lloyd Bennett as making him “feel like I could take over Hollywood.” Of him, the ‘Pennyworth’ star recently remarked: “His electric spirit jumps through the screen… He projected that he was somebody, so everyone treated him like he was and that was irrespective of his race, his age and his looks.”

     

    Anna Wintour
    Here (pictured with Anna Wintour) is a hustler who threw convention to the wind and got himself in front of Steven Spielberg even.
    Glenn Close and Emily Blunt
    This is an amusing and lighthearted tale that echoes F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character’s intrepid pursuit of the American dream. Its protagonist (pictured here with screen sirens Glenn Close and Emily Blunt) really did get into ‘Vanity Fair’s’ Oscar after-party not only once but four times.
    Angelina Jolie
    On his journey, Gatsby Randolph met everyone from Angelina Jolie (pictured) to Reese Witherspoon.
  • Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget)

    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget)

    ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000

    Slammed in the Facebook group ‘Vintage Houses For Sale – Pre 1940s’ as “looking like it’s wearing a giant sombrero,” an ‘antebellum style’ house in Ridgley, Tennessee has gone on sale for just £128,700 ($179,900).

     

    Extending to 3,632 square foot in total and on a plot of just under an acre, 221 Poplar Street is marketed by agents Carousel Realty as “gorgeous” and built in 1910. It was last sold in 2008 for just £42,900 ($60,000) and this time comes with “all furniture and antique furniture.”

     

    Very much having the appearance of a ‘bargain basement budget’ version of “frankly my dear” Rhett Butler’s mansion in the 1939 movie adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel, 221 Poplar Street’s wrap-around-porch has most definitely got ‘Marmite-like’ qualities. Of it, on Facebook, one commentator remarked: “It looks like a house in a cage” whilst another concluded: “I just love it.”

     

    Situated in the Lake County area, where the militant ‘Night Riders of Reelfoot Lake’ tobacco farmers took on the monopolistic American Tobacco Company in the early 1900s and where between 1877 and 1950 thirteen black people were tragically lynched, the population makeup of the locality according to the 2000 census was 67% white and 31% black or African American.

     

    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – ‘Gone with the Wind’ was written by Margaret Mitchell in 1936. The fictional plantation house it centred upon, ‘Tara’, was of the antebellum style and in the novel was not nearly as palatial as the one depicted in the 1939 movie of the same name.

    The Public’s Take…

    • “Is this the house from Dallas?”
    • “Looks like a mortuary.”
    • “Looks like a houseboat.”
    • “Looks like the Flying Nun!”
    • “Looks like a house in a cage.”
    • “Looks like Amazon just delivered it.”
    • “Reminds me of a ‘Tara’ recreation, circa 1960s-1970s.”
    • “Is there an actual house in there somewhere or is it just a porch?”
    • “What’s with the flat roof? You could land a helicopter on that thing.”
    • “That veranda is a bit much.”
    • “Does it come with the dog statue?”
    • “Can they still advertise antebellum [in the new ‘woke’ age]?”
    • “Poor photography. This is what happens when a realtor uses their phone for photos.”

    The Numbers – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America

    March 2021 – For sale for £128,700 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot). Offered by realtor Karen Paschall of Carousel Realty of Dyer County at a sum 200% more than the December 2008 sale price.

     

    December 2008 – Sold for £42,900 ($60,000, €50,000 or درهم220,400) or the equivalent of £12 per square foot ($17, €14 or درهم62 per square foot).

     

    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – The entrance hall to the property is somewhat plain. It could be a dentist’s waiting room area, in fact, though the faux bulldog adds a comedy touch.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – This “formal living room” has the look of more like something from the 1980s BBC comedy series ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ than the elegance of ‘Gone with the Wind.’ The crappy coffee table, doily pelmeting and fake flower arrangements mixed with an oversized telly box are anything but classy.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – The dining room is somewhat plainer in its styling.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – A mural on the wall is surprisingly classy. It’s not quite de Gournay, but it’s certainly far from objectionable. The chandelier, on the other hand, most certainly belongs in a skip.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – Another entertaining area complete with yet more fake shrubbery.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – The kitchen is basic but functional.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – One of four bedrooms. This one’s curtains, cushions and accompaniments have been carefully coordinated.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – Another is a little more ‘Holiday Inn on an expense account-esque.’
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – A more flattering view of the building from the side. If only they’d watered the lawn.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – From the side, the setting looks somewhat neglected.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – There is a three car garage.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – In addition, the 0.96 acre plot features an outbuilding also.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – 221 Poplar Street, Ridgely, Lake County, Tennessee, TN 38080, United States of America – ‘Antebellum style’ residence in Tennessee that looks like a ‘bargain basement budget’ ‘Gone with the Wind’ house for sale for just £128,000 ($179,900, €150,100 or درهم660,700) or the equivalent of £36 per square foot ($50, €42 or درهم184 per square foot) by agents Carousel Realty of Dyer County.
    Gone with the Wind (on a Bargain Basement Budget) – Two adjoining plots of land come as part of the property and the selling agents declare: “All furniture and antique furniture stays with the property.”
  • A Mini White House in Mississippi

    A Mini White House in Mississippi

    Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or just £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places

    Lauded as a “southern beauty” and a “most extravagant expression of Colonial Revival architecture,” neoclassical 240 South Extension Street in Hazlehurst, Mississippi was built between 1906 and 1907 to the designs of the architects Barber & Kluttz of Knoxville, Tennessee. It does have a slight look of the White House and it certainly seems a bargain at just £299,000 compared to the £15 million Texan mansion we featured in March.

     

    The 5,376 square foot house stands on a plot of 7.79 acres and includes 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It is described as having a “long history of family ownership” and is currently offered for sale through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors.

     

    Named ‘The Robert L. Covington House’ in honour of a gentleman of the same name (whom was born in 1875 and died in 1960), the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 and is noted as having “the popular French taste of the decade in its finishes and furnishings.” Mahogany abounds and especially noteworthy is the variety of fireplaces throughout.

     

    Hazlehurst is situated 30 miles south of the Mississippi state capital, Jackson. Pulitzer Prize winning Crimes of the Heart playwright Beth Henley was born in the small city (population circa 4,000) and in the 1960s, there was much civil rights activity and “violence against blacks in this area” according to Wikipedia.

     

    Pictured top: The grand front elevation of ‘The Robert L. Covington House’ could be mistaken for a miniature version of The White House.

     

    The Numbers – The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America

     

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    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    A plaque was erected on the house in 1984 by the United States Department of the Interior stating that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The South Portico of the White House is not hugely dissimilar from the front elevation of ‘The Robert Lowery Covington House.’
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    Agents McIntosh & Associates LLC Realtors describe the entrance porch as “amazing.” Of the house, they state: “If only the walls could talk they would tell us of history of long ago. You will fall head over heels with this beautiful one of a kind historic home. You would actually feel as if you owned a piece of history.” It does have a slight feel of Twelve Oaks, the plantation home of the Wilkes family in ‘Gone with the Wind.’
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The entrance hall and staircase are notable for their grandeur.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    They open directly to several reception spaces and feature Doric columns.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The current owner appears to have cleared out the majority of their furnishings.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    Another entertaining space.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    A sunroom with a view over the lawned gardens.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The kitchen is certainly basic in its current configuration.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    One of four bedrooms.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    Another bedroom.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    There is one bathroom on the ground floor and two more on the first floor.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The house has a number of original fireplaces in a variety of styles.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The exterior is described by the agents as being a “most extravagant expression of Colonial Revival architecture.”
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The building impresses from its principal angle.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    It is less grand from the rear.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    But more commanding from the street.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    Looking from the porch into the neighbourhood.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    The property includes a total of 7.79 acres of gardens and grounds.
    A Mini White House in Mississippi – £299,000 ($378,000, €335,000 or درهم544,000) for Mississippi mini mansion The Robert L. Covington House, 240 South Extension Street, Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Mississippi, MS 39083, United States of America through agents McIntosh & Associates LLC, Realtors – Colonial Revival ‘Mini White House’ on an 8-acre plot in Mississippi for sale for just £299,000 or £56 per square foot; the mini mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
    Jackson, Mississippi is 30 miles to the north whilst New Orleans, Louisiana is 160 miles to the south.
    This YouTube video tour of Hazlehurst, Mississippi gives an impression of the city and its citizens in 1947.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qchP6dk88dY
    A video tour of the town (with its name incorrectly spelt as ‘Hazelhurst’). One comment left below it remarks: “Nicely kept, clean, tidy, old, open town” and adds: “I liked it, but it just looks so dead.”
  • Ruthann Aron (AKA “Ruth Aron”, née Ruthann Greenzweig)

    Ruthann Aron (AKA “Ruth Aron”, née Ruthann Greenzweig)

    Ruthann AronSo desperate was “exquisitely sensitive” Ruthann Aron to be a politician that she hired a hitman to deal with those who had hindered her prospects.  (more…)

  • Mary The Elephant (AKA ‘Murderous Mary’)

    Mary The Elephant (AKA ‘Murderous Mary’)

    Mary The ElephantConsidered the “largest living mammal on the planet” at the time and owned by Sparks Circus, Mary was a 5-tonne elephant who could play 25 tunes on the horns without missing a note. When an inexperienced drifter named Red Eldridge was hired to handle her in September 1916 in Kingsport, Tennessee, the elephant grabbed him with her trunk and stomped on his head. Eldridge died and in revenge the townsfolk demanded that the poor elephant be killed. Shooting failed so thus, in front of 2,500 people, Mary was hanged from a railroad derrick. A true indication of how depraved humanity can truly be.

  • Who’s shooting?

    Who’s shooting?

    Rolls-Royce shooting brake commissioned by John Entwistle of The Who goes to auction

     

    In the manner typical of a rock star, The Who’s John Entwistle never learnt to drive. Instead, the legendary bass player bought cars because he liked to “drink in them”. One – specially adapted to suit an Irish Wolfhound named Fits Perfectly and several Rottweilers – is due at auction on 7th September. (more…)

  • Let It Go

    Let It Go

    Faith Hill and Tim McGraw sell Tennessee farm

     

    If you’re buying in London with a budget of £13 million, you could get a 4-bedroom apartment in Chesham Place, Belgravia. In Franklin, Tennessee for the same amount you’d get a lot more bang for your buck if you were to buy “country music power couple” Faith Hill and Tim McGraw’s 753 acre “weekend getaway”. (more…)

  • Boars and politicos

    Boars and politicos

    A review of Westminster’s Blue Boar Smokehouse

     

    Westminster is one of the most intriguing parts of London but it can also be one of the most soulless. It’s an area that is inhabited by politicians and civil servants and it is the haunt of tourists. It’s a place of regal pageantry and ceremony but equally, it’s not a place that true Londoners flock to for food or drinks. Yes, of course, the tourists head to see the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and 10 Downing Street, but locals don’t venture to these historical landmarks all that readily apart from if summoned by Her Majesty, the Archbishop of Westminster or David Cameron.

     

    With the opening of the Intercontinental London Westminster next to Scotland Yard, city centre residents truly have good reason to reconsider their reluctance to consider the culinary offerings of this area. The restaurant and bar at this new hotel, the Blue Boar Smokehouse, is, I would suggest, a great addition to the London restaurant scene and head chef Jon Ingram’s “testosterone-fuelled menu” of meaty delights is most definitely innovative, unusual and spectacular.

     

    The dining room at the Blue Bar Smokehouse & Bar
    The dining room at the Blue Bar Smokehouse & Bar

    The bar area is typical of those found in most hotels other than it boasts an amazing collection of gins
    The bar area is typical of those found in most hotels other than it boasts an amazing collection of gins

    I dined at the Blue Boar on a quiet Monday lunchtime with their vivacious PR Jennifer-Anne Sutcliffe. I had sadly missed the launch party Sutcliffe had organised earlier in the month and it was fascinating to learn from her that The Steeple Times roll call and party loving stalwart David Pun had turned up with Mick Jagger’s ex, Jerry Hall. We did laugh about how such an odd union could have come to being. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to conjure up a suitable explanation.

     

    The restaurant itself is named after the 14th century Blue Boar’s Head Inn that stood on the site until it was demolished in 1899 but apart from its name, it bares little resemblance to a public house. The decoration is simple yet elegant and one could just imagine Francis Urquhart of House of Cards legend plotting the downfall of his contemporaries here. No doubt budding future Cameronites and Millibands will indeed be spotted whispering over pulled lamb shoulders and perhaps, even, a Blair-Brown style Granita pact could even happen at a table at the Blue Boar.

     

    Artwork depicts many political subjects including the eras of Blair and Major
    Artwork depicts many political subjects including the eras of Blair and Major

    Mayor of London Boris Johnson even makes an appearance
    Mayor of London Boris Johnson even makes an appearance

     

    The art collection of the Intercontinental London Westminster has been sourced by a specialist curator named Peter Millard. It is described as capturing “the essence of British political life” and is themed around being “knowing about the way the world works”. Alongside Gerald Scarfe and Martin Rowson cartoons are two works by Agamaria Pasternak. These contain the faces of every current Member of Parliament and in addition montages of the eras of Tony Blair and John Major before him illustrate memories of recent political history. Much thought has plainly gone into this collection and it is indeed appropriate given the setting.

     

    The restaurant’s menu cleverly combines the use of the best quality British produce with the American pit style cooking of Tennessee and the Deep South. Slow cooked meats and wood-grilled steaks are the order of the day and Ingrams’ 12 spice rub is certainly his signature.

     

    To start, we began with sautéed wild mushrooms served with a crispy duck egg on toast (£8). This simple dish was well executed but the true highlight were the Blue Boar ribs that followed (£8/£15). Spicy and not too sweet, these were as far away from what you’d traditionally expect of ribs as Ken Livingstone is from ever owning a Rolls-Royce. The tender, fleshy meat, which is smoked for some 24 hours, was exceptional and I can genuinely state that I’ve never had ribs as good before.

     

    Though the option of a “carpetbag” Hereford fillet steak stuffed with oysters sounded tempting (£27), I opted for a Yorkshire rose T-bone veal steak. I very much enjoyed it and other dishes such as glazed pork belly served with Coleman’s English mustard and honey (£14.50) sounded equally tempting. To accompany the steak, I tried a portion of the smoky bacon baked beans recommended by Miss Sutcliffe and the restaurant manager. The flavor was perfectly balanced and these are well worth trying.

     

    To conclude, the offering includes options very much suited to the political classes. With dishes similar to what might be found in the dining rooms of the Houses of Parliament, diners can try Cambridge cream (£7), vanilla baked pineapple (£7) or sticky toffee pudding (£5). I plumped for a bread and butter pudding served with marmalade ice cream (£5) and found it most satisfactory. All in all, I’d conclude that this was a meal deserving of a mention in anyone’s edition of political dispatches. Jon Ingram is a chef worthy of great accolade and a plot will no doubt ensue to ensure that this restaurant receives the accolades that it truly deserves.

     

    An old bottle of Booth's Gin is on display in the bar along with a number of other more unusual examples of this spirit
    An old bottle of Booth’s Gin is on display in the bar along with a number of other more unusual examples of this spirit

    The wine list at the Blue Boar offers a mix suitable for both wealthy lobbyists and those suffering as a result of George Osborne’s latest budget. Wines start at around £26 a bottle but what truly impressed me – and what I shall certainly return for – is the collection of vintage gins. This is a paradise for any gin lover and with Booth’s Gin topping the list, it is plain that much research has gone into this element of the bar’s conception.

     

    Additionally, for those looking for a new place to brunch on a Sunday, the Blue Boar has a “feasting table” each week. Available from 12.30pm to 3pm each week and priced at £45 per adult and £15 per child, the deal includes unlimited Bloody Mary’s and Buck’s Fizz. In addition to what the Blue Boar call a “butcher’s board” featuring ham hocks, venison and smoked chicken, the offering also includes a seafood bar with oysters, prawns and herrings and a whole selection of salads.

     

    A scary looking boar's head looks over the political plotting at the Blue Boar
    A scary looking boar’s head looks over the political plotting at the Blue Boar

     

    If you are passionate about fine meats, make a beeline for the Blue Boar. Just be sure also to keep an eye out for Bo-Jo under a hog’s head in a hidden corner. It’s probably not as surreal as it sounds.

     

    Blue Boar Smokehouse & Bar, 37 – 45 Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9LQ. Telephone: +44 (0) 20 3301 1400. Website: http://www.blueboarlondon.com

     

    Follow the Blue Boar Smokehouse on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/blueboarlondon

  • Justin Timberlake

    Justin Timberlake

    Justin Timberlake 250This child star has morphed via a stint on the Disney Channel and in boy band ‘N Sync into an internationally known singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, dancer and businessman. (more…)

  • Five of the best: Treehouses

    Five of the best: Treehouses

    Five of the best palaces in the trees

     

    When one thinks of treehouses, one generally imagines pretty rudimentary creations built out of old boards and bits of rope. Now, though, treehouses are becoming more and more extravagant. As individuals such as J. K. Rowling and the Duchess of Northumberland construct vast palaces in the trees in their gardens, The Steeple Times examines five of the best:

      (more…)