Why do the press continue to refer to the Duchess of Cambridge as ‘Kate Middleton’?
Two years ago yesterday, Catherine Elizabeth Middleton married Prince William. Euphoria reigned throughout the land and 26 million are said to have watched the ceremony in Britain alone.
A happy hour with a difference launches at The Palm in London’s Belgravia
Opened in May 2009, The Palm replaced the legendary restaurant Drones of Pont Street. Amongst the original backers of Drones were David Niven Jr. and Sir Roger Moore. Nicky Kerman, a titan of the restaurant world, was another part owner. A later reincarnation was the brainchild of television chef Antony Worrall Thompson. Of the décor of this era, critic Nick Foulkes described it as: “Daphne’s meets The Magic Roundabout with a touch of Swedish sauna”. Next came a lady named Annie Foster Firth and most recently it opened as Marco Pierre White’s Drones in 2001.
The sale of a Purdey gun engraved with a portrait of Baroness Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher had many devoted followers and fans in her time as Prime Minister. Coal miners, in general, were not amongst them but some like Jimi Heselden OBE (1948 – 2010) used their redundancy payouts to make vast fortunes.
The Steeple Times asks estate agent Edward Thomson: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Honesty and integrity.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
My favourite is: “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” but “Try everything once, except incest and Morris dancing” is more amusing.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
Mexicans using live dogs and kittens as shark bait.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
Living in the countryside and most of the time, a river and a dog.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
The love of my life.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
My integrity and reputation is all that I am; all that I can absolutely determine. When you give that up what have you become? The banks no longer have a code. A few prison sentences ought to remind them to gamble their money, not ours.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“It’s not my problem”: I absolutely hate the mentality of people who say this.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Family and friends first and then animal welfare. In particular, beasts of burden across the world.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Mobile phones are anti-social, but absolutely necessary in today’s world.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Bill Murray, Ranulph Fiennes, that chap who just survived 40 minutes at depth in the North Sea with 20 minutes of mix (seriously interesting chat to be had there I think), Johnny Cash and oh yes, a seriously amazing and beautiful Australian I know.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
Potted shrimp on toast, lamb cutlets and some very good Stilton. I would have it on the banks of the River Nadder near Salisbury.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
12 noon. Sherry.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
Definitely a cocktail. A Porn Star martini is my current favourite.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
Any that end up in Annabel’s. Call me old hat, but I just love the dance floor in there.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My stepfather, Richard. An extraordinary chap.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Smoking. I have to stop again soon.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
A rod and a rifle.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
My Triumph TR6. My dream car is a 1949 Ferrari 166MM Barchetta.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I like crooning to old Fred Astaire songs in the shower.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
A carriage clock, two candlesticks, a picture of me releasing a salmon, a wedding invitation and a Herend porcelain rabbit.
Edward Thomson works for Strutt & Parker LLP in their Cadogan Street sales office. Website: http://www.StruttAndParker.com
He parties here, he parties there, he parties absolutely everywhere. Some say he looks like Julian Assange and others comment on his champagne loving companion. (more…)
The Steeple Times asks TV presenter and model Hofit Golan: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Know what makes you happy and build your life around that. People will always offer their opinion so know how to take the advice you need without compromising your own ambitions, dreams and drive. Where there is a will, there is a way, and the journey to your destination is the fun part. Finally, learn to be present in the moment.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Mine is: “Actions speak louder than words”.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
I don’t think its fair on Kerry to even start the question that way, but what’s unacceptable for me these days is the horrible biotech company Monsanto and the poisonous GMO foods they have given the world. They have a disregard for mother-nature, to livestock and to peoples’ health. Its truly sad they are even allowed to exist. I think everyone has the right to clean organic food and water. We shouldn’t be messing with nature and DNA
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
I don’t miss anything. If I feel like something is missing, I do something about it. I find it, work for it, create it or replace it.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
The health and happiness of the people I love and even strangers if it came down to it. If I could keep them safe, it would be priceless to me.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
Greed: Corruption and carelessness have influenced the long-term economic effect that this greed has and will cause.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“No. It’s not possible”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Charity starts in your heart, then should grow and spread into everything we do. If you can help your local community you can see your work have an effect. Find small organisations you trust and support them. Kindness and love is the beauty of our human nature. We should try to spread as much of that and help people in need every chance we get.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Appropriate usage of a mobile phone? A camera, a video phone, a mirror, for text, BBM, Whatsapp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram. Oh and yeah, you can use it to call people.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
An eclectic mix of everyone from every walk of life, every class group. I would be a fly on the wall and just be interested to see how people that normally don’t interact would react to one another. It would be so interesting.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
My last meal? So morbid. I don’t think I would have much of an appetite, maybe a dish from home that my mom made me while growing up. I guess I would eat it in jail.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
I am teetotal. I’ve never drunk.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
A cup of organic herbal jasmine green tea.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
I can’t really answer that as every event is lovely and every party has someone working hard to please their guests. They all have their charm. The people you know make a party fun, not the party itself.
Who is the most positive person you know?
My brother, Dror Golan. He always makes me laugh
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Dark chocolate.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I’m not that easy to sum up.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
I’m a girl… I don’t even understand this question… For women, make it about shoes!
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I am passionate about the environment, animal rights, organic clean living. I live a very glamourous life but love the most simple basic things like a good walk in the park and a yummy cup of tea.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Which one? … Photos of family and friends, Ralph Lauren candles and magazines.
Hofit Golan is a TV presenter and model. She is a brand ambassador for a number of companies and consults on media and press strategies for luxury goods brands.
Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/hofitgolan
Author Sarah Tucker shares her thoughts on the reaction to the death of Margaret Thatcher
I can’t really remember much about when Maggie Thatcher was in power. I know my parents were full of praise for her because our country was almost third world when she became PM, strikes crippling industries, rubbish being left on the streets and she broke the unions – something that was thought impossible. She stood up to them and it took a lot of courage to do so.
A monthly round up of the moves of the newsworthy
Fishing around 
Poissonnerie on Draycott Avenue, popular with the likes of Sir Michael Caine and Sir Roger Moore, is for sale through Miles Commercial. The 6,700 square foot property, owned by respected restaurateur Peter Rosignoli, has a price tag of £14,000,000 and the agents state that it “has good redevelopment potential”. Meanwhile, around the corner in Walton Street, the same firm seeks £90,000 per year for the former Baity Kitchen premises.
Living like Lilly
The “Queen of Prep” Lilly Pulitzer’s realtor daughter, Liza, is marketing her late mother’s former home at 710 South County Road in Palm Beach, Florida at a price of £5,500,000. Originally marketed at £7,500,000, the fashion titan told the New York Times recently that the house is “just magnificent, but I’m old and I’m cranky and I can’t keep it up the way it should be”. She now rests in peace but with the “cabana inspired” property being marketed as a “tear-down” or for subdivision into two lots, it looks like the bulldozers will be on the way.
Meyer’s kebabed
Sir Christopher Meyer was recently spotted on the steps of 17 Lincoln Street in Chelsea with a group of men who looked like builders. The same property, for which offers in excess of £2,650,000 were sought, is now “under offer/sold” on the Primelocation.com website. If indeed the former ambassador and his wife, who was described as being “Chanel-clad” by the Daily Telegraph in May 2011, have bought the house, they’ll quickly have to get used to the smell of kebabs. The 4-storey unmodernised end of terrace is right next to the Al Dar restaurant.
Monckton moves on
The house where financier John Monckton was tragically murdered in November 2004 in Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea has recently come on the market with W. A. Ellis. Monckton’s killer Damien Hanson and his accomplice Elliott White were rightly jailed and now, his widow, Homeyra, is selling the 5-bedroomed house at a guide price of £5,500,000.
If you know of a story about someone newsworthy who is changing jobs, setting up a new business or selling an existing one or moving home, do email us at: [email protected]
Essex born journalist Richard Littlejohn claims that the Royal Family are a “bunch of tax-evading adulterers” (more…)
Sarah Tucker tries out Britain’s scariest new attraction
80mph, approximately a mile long, 700 foot above a mountain lake, under clear blue skies in Snowdonia: Today, I became Wonder Woman for 55 seconds.