Monty English

TwycleBritain - the exclusive story.

2010-08-23T21:54:00.002+01:00

It was a rather nippy evening back in March 2010. The fire was crackling away and I was just slumping back into a trusty old armchair and pondering life, cars and whether to have a snifter of Caol Isla or the Talisker single malt. Rather rashly, I glanced at my iPhone and flicked onto twitter to check that all was well with the world. Oh my…

Before I go any further down that road, I need to pause, hit the rewind button and whisk you back about six or so months. On the recommendation of Duncan Bannatyne, the well-known businessman, I had started following on twitter an inspiring chap by the name of Callum Fairhurst a.k.a. @blackpigsweets .

Callum had tragically lost his 14-year-old brother Liam (www.liamfairhurst) to cancer. I will still never to this day fully know how awful that must have been for him and his family. Their bravery and courage and determination to carry on has spoken more to me about humankind than any other and I have been privileged and honoured to get to know them a little these past months.

There is an old saying that I adore and it kind of sums up Callum and I suspect his brother Liam too – “It’s better to live one day as a tiger…than a thousand as a sheep!”. In his short lifetime, Liam raised the staggering sum of £320,000 for Clic Sargent, the children’s cancer charity.
I’ll say that again – £320,000!! That’s a serious shed load of cash and I am in utter awe at what he achieved. Callum has taken up the fund-raising challenge and is one the most creative and entrepreneurial people I’ve ever met.

So, back to crackling fires and nippy evenings in March. Callum and I were randomly tweeting away about new fundraising ideas, as one does. I recall Callum saying that if he got to 500 followers on twitter by the end of the evening, then he would cycle from John O’Groats to Lands End. Well, of course, within an hour Callum had passed 500 followers and the rest is history… twyclebritain was born.

Within 24 hours of that evening, all kinds of offers flooded in from people neither of us had met or heard of even. Creative help, website design, logo creations, support cars, riders, PR & project managers… It was decided it would be great to use the ride to raise much-needed funds for Clic Sargent and carry on Liam’s tremendous work that he’d started. The brilliant Sam Cise on twitter suggested the name and so within 24 hours – twyclebritain.co.uk was not only born but had raced through the baby, toddler and teenage stage all in one day!

Through it, I personally have been simply staggered at human kindness. Until recently, none of the participants or team had even met each other. None was even that mad on cycling – they were simply united by a common desire to make a difference. To help make lives better. With your help, they are achieving that.

I have also been gobsmacked at people’s astonishing kindness and generosity. Strangers and friends alike have given to this event – be it helping with tweeting, publicity and promotion – every single action has been of enormous and vital help. We have received amazing donations of money, auction prizes and creative expertise. Staggering gifts were donated to the auction we held – ranging from rides on buses and trains right through to yummy cupcakes and holidays in beautiful homes.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have all been tolerant with constant tweeting and emails and I have really been blow away by EVERYONES kindness, generosity and help. Thank you. I mean it – thank you. With so many different good things to get behind and support, we have all been so touched and moved by your kindness. Thank you.

An event like twyclebritain.co.uk does not simply happen by itself and there are simply hoards of amazing people who have made it become a reality. Thank you to each and every one of you. Each of the riders have been stars and when they set of this coming Sunday, they will ready for a break from all the work they have done! I really want to take this opportunity to publicly thank the astonishing Jo Eveleigh from DealDrivers in Cirencester. From day one, she has bravely taken up the mantle of making twycle happen and without her, none of this would be happening. Tirelessly and ceaselessly, she has worked and pushed, supported, driven and led the organisation of this event – most of it unknown to the world and without seeking thanks or glory. On behalf of everyone involved in twycle – thank you Jo. She’s driven me mad – but made a good friend for life!

Please do have a look this week sometime at the twyclebritain.co.uk website and follow the progress of the riders. You can follow on twitter too if you click here – www.twitter.com/twyclebritain . Well worth following – especially if you’re into lycra, if nothing else!

You can still very much donate – remember every penny goes to Clic Sargent. The direct link to the website is found click here –www.justgiving.com/twycle

The riders assemble this Friday, travel to Scotland over the weekend and set off on their adventurous and intrepid journey on Sunday morning and arrive in Cornwall the following Friday/ Saturday. God bless them and bon voyage!

So, if you’ve been wondering what all these tweets about twycle have been – there you have it. The exclusive story. It’s a story about one young mans courage and grit to really make a difference and lives better. Callum – you are a star and its an honour to know you and your family. Well done

Monty.

Earn money from Twitter!

2010-08-09T15:34:00.000+01:00

Twitter - you either love it or hate it! I really enjoy it myself - its a great way of chatting with new people, finding out the latest news and information and generally keeping up with the world!

I have been on twitter for nearly 18 months now. A lot of people ask me if there is any direct way of earning money from twitter. Yes. The answer is YES!

A great company exist called sponsoredtweets.com - they match up advertisers with tweeters. Advertisers pitch their message and tweeters get to choose what they want to advertise to their followers. It does actually work!

As the tweeter - you get to choose relevant content for your followers - which helps in terms of not putting too many off you! AND - you get paid for doing it!!

As the advertiser - you get tweeters pushing your message across twitter for a very reasonable fee.

Everyone wins!

So - if you are tweeting away merrily and want to try and cash in on this - have a look at sponsoredtweets.com and see for yourself! Its completely free to join and takes literally a couple of minutes to set up. Have fun!

Winston Churchill's Teeth

2010-07-29T20:06:00.002+01:00

They say its a good idea to look after your teeth – and in Winston Churchills case, it was certainly true!

These dentures were one of three or four made for Winston Churchill by the dental technician Derek Cudlipp at the start of the war. (Photograph: Newsmakers Pr/PA)
A set of false teeth belonging to Winston Churchill’s has been sold for £15,200 at an auction in Norfolk. Yup, my friends, I did say £15,200.

The upper dentures, one of several sets made for the wartime prime minister, were specially constructed to preserve his natural lisp and were so important he carried two pairs with him at all times.

The teeth, sold by the son of the dental technician who made them, had been expected to fetch a maximum of £5,000, but they were bought for more than three times that by a British collector of Churchill memorabilia.

The set of dentures were designed to be loose-fitting so that Churchill could preserve the diction famous from his radio broadcasts during the second world war, an expert said.

“From childhood, Churchill had a very distinctive natural lisp; he had trouble with his S’s,” said Jane Hughes, head of learning at the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. “These are the teeth that saved the world.”

The medical museum displays a duplicate set of Churchill’s dentures in a glass cabinet alongside other famous teeth including dentures worn by Queen Caroline, the estranged wife of King George IV.

“Churchill wanted to maintain [the lisp] because he was already so well known for it,” she said. “The dentures wouldn’t quite connect with the top of the mouth, but that was on purpose.”

The dentures were made by the dental technician Derek Cudlipp, who produced three or four identical sets for Churchill. One set is believed be have been buried with the leader.

The false teeth were made just around the start of the war, when Churchill would have been about 65, Hughes said.

The politician is famous for his rousing speeches to the British nation during the war, but his dental issues are less well known. Hughes said Churchill had many problems with his teeth as a child and probably lost some of them quite early. The leader valued so highly the skill of his dentist, Wilfred Fish, that he nominated him for a knighthood.

Churchill served as prime minister from 1940 to 1945 and then from 1951 to 1955

It just goes to prove – look after your teeth – even if they are dentures!

How to Make Money from your Blog!

2010-07-27T13:52:00.005+01:00

Its the answer we all want, is'nt it. Well, if we are really honest!

Don't get me wrong - I love blogging just for the sake of blogging. For me, its a creative outlet and despite if I've had 'one of those days', I still love sitting in front of my dear old Mac and waffling for Britain. Its fun.

But lets be honest - wouldn't it be lovely if we also managed to earn a few pounds here and there from our witterings, wafflings and banter? Is it possible? Can you earn money from a blog?

In my search for such an answer, I found a site thats probably already known to many serial bloggers because it really does seem to help monetize my blog. Its called www.devhub.com

DevHub seems to offer it all. It has links for referrals, advertising programmes with existing developers, all social media links to take you through to twitter and facebook etc. I have just signed up with them, so its early days, but all seems well so far!

I will report back in the next few weeks with my findings. With a bit of luck, I will have made enough to buy a bottle of water - its boiling hot today!

Isle sur la Sorgue

2010-07-22T18:19:00.001+01:00

Isle sur la Sorgue – my kind of place.

Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a magical, heavenly place that will tantalise every single sense that you have. I guarantee it!

Famed for its deliciously large market that takes every Sunday, its a darling of a town right in the heart of Provence. It is Provence to me and I could quite happily move there. Many others have done – a hero of mine, the late Mr. Keith Floyd lived nearby – what better commendation could a place receive!?

Just 30 minutes from the papal city of Avignon (very easy to get to by plane, trains and automobiles), its part of the little cluster of towns and villages that make up the Luberon region – Gordes, Goult, Bonnieux, Lacoste…. I adore it and thank fully my work takes me there on a regular basis

What prompted me to share all this with you? Well, I’d just noticed on my desk a business card from a gorgeous little bistro that sits right in the heart of the town. Run by a lovely couple – Paul and Nicole – who saw sense and left Paris to settle in Isle sur la Sorgue a few years ago. Bought the bistro and they now live and breathe.

Oh the steak! My mouth is watering right now at the thought of it – and just seeing their card on my desk has inspired all this. I jolly well hope I’m going there again soon too. But, back to the matter in hand – I’m supposed to be telling you about this heavenly find…Au Chineur. Sigh…

Au Chineur sits right on the River Sorgue. Infact, most places in Isle sur la Sorgue do sit on the river and there’s a kind of hint about that in the name of the town… The Sorgue runs through it, in it, under it and all around it. Some call it the “Venice of France”. I don’t personally agree with that – I don’t think its like Venice at all. If I wanted to be in Venice, I would!

Au Chineur is rough and tumble – its a bistro. The food is deliciously yummy. Its not the very best I have tasted. But, its much more than that…The French very decently have a wonderful word that sums up exactly how to describe Au Chineur…“Ambiance”. Its positively dripping in the stuff. Can’t walk more than one yard without tripping over it – ambiance is everywhere! For a start, the tables are made up from old sewing machines – you know the ones with the lovely cast iron bases. Then, there’s the rickety old bar, the bentwood chairs that creak and groan under my increasing weight, the busy but cheerful staff…even the loo – and lets face it, one can often judge a restaurant simply from its loo – is full of antiques and curios! Oh yes, my friends – it is a veritable feast for all the senses!

Am I allowed to confess it is the only place in Sorgue that I frequent? Thats shocking isn’t - as I am sure there are others that are perfectly lovely. I was there about a month ago for a friends birthday party and I sat back, rolled some vin rouge around my tongue and knew that all was well with the world…. paradise.

So, please do go! Say hello to Paul and Nicole! The plat du jour is always excellent value – usually under 15 euros – and they have an excellent wine list too! I have an amusing story about that…but thats for later

Anyone Can Do It!

2010-07-19T13:32:00.001+01:00

Anyone can Do it – we all can.

Duncan Bannatyne is right, you know. Anyone can. Anyone can do it.

So, what stops us? There are a million answers to that. I am no wannabe head shrink who will add to the zillions of pages already on the internet, all of which will no doubt tell us.

What gets in my way? Well, I can answer that one – and I suspect only you can answer yours. For me, its usually fear. Fear of failure. I fear something might go wrong, I will look an idiot – sorry, more of an idiot than before. So, fear keeps me sitting still and not taking action. Occasionally, I see through that fear, conquer it and achieve something.

So how can reading a book help get rid of fear? Well, personally speaking, I am someone who needs encouragement. I feel boosted if I hear someone else tell me their story of how they did it. I love reading biographies of how people have achieved something, built something, created something. They encourage, motivate and inspire me. Testimonies are good news – for us all.

Duncan Bannatyne, one of Britains most well known entrepreneurs, has written a book on just that. How he did it. I first read it a couple of years ago and found it enormously encouraging. After getting half way through it, I did start to think – “well;, if he can, so can I…”.

It’s so easy to look at successful people and just see the end result. Its a bit like turning to the last page of the novel without reading the tears, pain, frustration, hard work and everything else that’s gone into making them who they are today… We see the lavish lifestyles, the cars, houses today – but its easy to overlook the graft that happened yesterday.

I think, for me, thats the good thing about Bannatyne’s book – Anyone Can Do It. He really takes time in it to go through those early years – years of struggle and hardwork, toil and labour. Yes, they paid off and we all know the end result. But, I find when I’m having a really tough day or week (or month!), that actually its quite encouraging to read these guys all did too. And most importantly, that they came through it – soldiered on – conquered fear and were successful.

Richard Branson was just the same and every entrepreneur before him.

So, if like me and its yet another Monday morning of feeling – “Euuggghh….back to work”, then start to believe that you can do it too. What “it” refers to will be completely different for each of us…”It” certainly is not just about money and business – its so many different things to each of us. But, reading how someone else has turned their life around and achieved their “it”, has really encouraged and motivated me and I hope it will you too. Buy it.

Monty meets Betty Boop

2010-07-16T17:54:00.001+01:00

Monty meets Betty Boop!

I’d always heard of this funny little character – but being a typical English chappy had not really got a clue about her.

So, when I received a phone call out of the blue asking “Do you buy pictures? I’ve got some old ones of Betty Boop” – I thought I had better do a quick bit of research. And I liked what I found.

America’s fascination with the brunette bombshell Betty Boop began in 1930. Inspired by the singer Helen Kane, the ‘Boop Oop a Doop Girl,’ animator Grim Natwick created her originally as a human-like dog. Over the next year, however, her canine features morphed into human ones and the world fell in love with Betty Boop.

But, with a possible deal in the offing, I thought I had better research the market for ‘BB’ merchandise. I’m glad I did.

Betty holds a special place in many collectors’ hearts to this day, whether they discovered her in the 1930s or the 1990s when she celebrated her 60th anniversary. As she remains a modern fascination, there are now two camps of Betty Boop collectors: vintage and modern. Vintage Betty Boop merchandise is of course tougher to find and more valuable. However, if you’re looking simply for Betty Boop collectibles and the era is immaterial, your choice is enormous.

Modern manufacturers have given Betty Boop fans everything from tin signs to umbrellas to rugs, watches, tote bags, and mouse pads. You’ll also find party plates, coffee mugs, sleepware, hats, chairs, wastebaskets, sandals, keyrings, bedding, ornaments, bobbleheads, aprons, and of course, figurines. The Betty Boop legend lives on in all its kitschy glory!

Do your homework and make sure that if an item is advertised as vintage, that it truly fits that description. On ebay – a massive source of Betty Boop stuff, vintage items, like a Betty Boop lunchbox, will be offered alongside more modern pieces, such as a Betty Boop handbag, for example. So really do have a good read of all descriptions. Collectors on a variety of sites can give you a sense of current market value for true vintage pieces.

So there you have it. Looking into young and delightful Miss Boop has been a pleasant distraction from abstract and cubist art that I normally glance at all day!

Gordes - Luberon, Provence. Yes!

2010-07-16T17:53:00.000+01:00

Gordes – every year is “A Good Year”.

Provence is one of my favourite places in the entire world. I love it. Breathe it. Dream about it. Live it.

The dappled light, those little red roofed towns perched on hill tops, the gentle pace of life…one can very easily let time amble past, all washed down with a deliciously fresh glass of Rose.

Those who have been will all have their own special places and I certainly have several and on each visit discover a new. One of them, is the little town of Gordes, in the Luberon and it is a very special place for lots of reasons.

It to me just typifies my imagination of a little French town, with its donging church bells, cobbled streets, dappled light and of course….art!

The other reason I simply adore it, is that it was used as a film location for one of my all time favourite films – A Good Year, starring Russell Crowe and the delightful Marion Cotillard. Directed by the fantastic Ridley Scott (who also has a home in the area), it tells the tale of a London banker who is ruthless and money hungry. After inheriting his uncles home in Provence, he heads there with the intention of selling it and never returning. After being there for 24 hours, Provence weaves its magic spell that intoxicates us all – and of course, you all know the rest of the story as he falls in love with the delicious waitress who works in….Gordes.

Old Monty is a lucky old chap and I am very blessed to visit Gordes and the equally lovely surrounding villages in the Luberon, on a regular basis Every time I go, I do stand and stare at the gorgeous little cafe, where Mr. Crowe tried to woo the gorgeous Ms. Cotillard. This is it…without the film crew!

The place is a bit of a tourist trap and as I sat carefully making my espresso last as long as I could manage (it costs euros 3.80!), I managed to close my eyes and remember the scene. Was it the same being there? No, but I do love it all the same.

So, when you’re next in Provence, do try and call in at Gordes. Its only about 30 minutes from Avignon and very easy to get to. Parking is provided at the entrance of the village for just 3 euros a day and its a beautiful view. One of my favourite French artists, who is very much underrated by comparison to his contemporaries, once lived in Gordes and has a street named after thank fully. Andre Lhote 1885-1962.

His little road makes you simply want to whip out the old easel and get painting straight away – the views from his house simply take ones breath away!

This is the opposite view and shows a typical view in Gordes…

The surrounding area of the Luberon is positively dripping with similar little hill topped villages – each equally unique and captivating to the mind, body and soul. I adore them

The Wind in the Willows

2010-07-16T17:49:00.002+01:00

The Wind in the Willows…

You might not be surprised to hear that the “Wind in the Willows” is my favourite book.

I know it should be the Bible and yes sometimes that does pip others to the post. But…since childhood, I have been completely captivated by tales of the riverbank and the adventures of four little creatures – Ratty, Moley, Badger and my ultimate role model…Mr. Toad….sigh!

I adore them. I really do. It’s a timeless classic that has grown on me through every year of my life.

I remember at prep school joining the ‘Book Club’. We each paid the princely sum of 5 pence a week into a kitty and after a few weeks I had saved enough to buy a book. I was intrigued by one title, as my little seven year old eyes scanned the list of available books within my 50p budget. It was a tale of four little animals who lived by the riverbank and I thought it sounded like fun. So I bought it. It seized me – mind, body and soul and still does today.

Over the weekend, I went for a lovely lunch at a friends house, deep in the Cotswolds. At the end of their garden ran a burbling, gurgling and quite delightful river.

It had willow trees dancing in the breeze and dappled light in it, on it and all around it and immediately I was transported back to my old riverbank and enjoying life with my dear friends: Ratty, Moley, Badger and Toad. Oh dear old Toad!

Since that first book I bought, back at prep-school for 50p, I have been an avid collector of Wind in the Willows books. I have 43 different editions, as of today (it could change by tomorow!). I’m still saving up for a 1st. edition but have a lovely second and third, fourth, fifth…sixth….and so on!

The Wind in the Willows was first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, the novel is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie. I adore every line.

The Wind in the Willows was in its thirty-first printing when then-famous playwright, A. A. Milne, who loved it, adapted a part of it for stage as Toad of Toad Hall in 1929.

In 1908 Grahame retired from his position as secretary of the Bank of England. He moved to the country, where he spent his time by the River Thames doing much as the animal characters in his book do; namely, as one of the most famous phrases from the book says, “simply messing about in boats”.

My favourite character, as you might imagine, was Mr. Toad More on him soon….

If you haven’t picked it up from dusty old bookshelf, or relegated it to the childrens book section, then my friends, I urge you – nay implore you! to revisit it again. It will make you smile – I guarantee it!

What's in your attic?!

2010-07-16T17:48:00.000+01:00

What’s in Your Attic?!

We all dream of rooting around in our attics and stumbling upon a few lost old masters, left their by dear old Aunt Mildred. Well, I do anyway!

For some, this is not a dream but a reality as the Earl Spencer recently demonstrated with the “Althorp Attic Sale”. 750 exciting, dusty, forgotten and discarded ‘relics’ went under the hammer at Christies Auctioneers last week, in London. What an eclectic sale it was too!

500 of the lots were from the attics, stables and cellars at Althorp, the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales. Christies specialist Andy Waters and his colleague, Jeffrey Lassaline, senior specialist in the silver department, had the utter joy and pleasure of sifting through the treasure trove and were like two little boys in a sweet shop! They uncovered everything the inventive aristocrat required for a well-rounded existence, from horse-drawn carriages and coachmen’s livery to several centuries of textiles, fine furniture, old cricket bats, ice skates, snuffboxes and beechwood shovels. Imagine!

The highlight of the auction was a speculative lot that has been the cause of much controversy. “The Portrait of a Commander Being Dressed for Battle” attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish Old Master (1577-1640). It was acquired by the Spencer family back in 1802 – bought then with a possible attribution to Rubens. In the two hundred years since, experts have been divided as to its authenticity to this very day. Christies maintain the work is a hallmark Rubens – Sothebys are not quite so sure! But hey ho – the painting fetched the second highest price for a Rubens work ever and sold for £9m all the same. Excuse me for one sec, whilst I just gasp!

Andy Waters, at Christies, described the whole experience akin to discovering Tutankhamun. “I crept along by the light of my torch,” he says. “I could see some brass flashing in the darkness. I went back for a plug-in light so I could see what was in this dark corner. Wrapped in old newspapers was a complete Victorian batterie de cuisine – more than 100 pieces, including copper pans, fish kettles and jelly moulds, that had been put aside 60 or 70 years ago and not used since.”.

In all, the sale realised a staggering £21.1 million pounds. Not bad for a few old discarded things in ones attic, eh?! I am delighted to hear that the money raised will be going towards vital repairs to the restoration of Althorp House. Well done Earl Spencer.

It just goes to show, there’s certainly ‘cash in the attic!’. So, who’s first up the stairs to their attic then!?

Driving to work!

2009-07-16T22:02:00.001+01:00

Braving the elements, battling with machine in his ever thirsty quest to seek out the bold, beautiful and wonderous joys that England offers!

After 18 years - I finally see the light!

2009-06-30T10:56:00.002+01:00

I have been in the art business for 18 years. After viewing this painting last night a la Banksy Exhibition....I have suddenly seen the light!

Monty English Labels - hot off the press!

2009-06-23T14:29:00.003+01:00

Well, after what seems like years of waiting, our new labels are finally back from Derek, the very nice printer. We are all very excited here at Monty HQ!

What fun we have in the office - doing nothing al day but designing things like this!

Toodle pip!

Glad its Monday morning.

2009-06-22T11:10:00.003+01:00

Well, thank the Lord its Monday morning, thats all I can say!

The weekend had enormous potential...and actually wasn't too bad really, I spose.

Had an excellent lunch at the Randolph in Oxford with my oldest chum in the whole world. I say oldest - he's only about about 40'ish. Lovely chap. Goes by the name of John. Splendid time with him and good general catch up. Bought about 25 new books for my heaving and sagging shelves, from the Oxfam Book shop (excellent place). My Wind in the Willows collections grows ever larger. Also bought a thoroughly superb P.G. Wodehouse book for under a fiver so was feeling pretty marvellous as I wandered back to the old Monty four-wheeler. Then I saw the parking ticket.... Hey ho, you cant have a three hour lunch with out one I suppose... C'est la vie.

A light trundle around the M25, a quick hop down the M20 and the Monty barouche was nicely on board the 5.20pm Chunnel, set for Calais. Actually managed to get 40 winks on the crossing, which for me is a massive delight!

Found myself singing along to Abba songs all the way to Paris...I have to say, on the Autoroute des Anglais, it is one of the best albums - perfect cruising music, me thinks.

A nifty little lane hopping and ducking and diving sees me arrive safely and soundly in Paris and by 11pm, seated in my favourite little place and supping a refreshing and oh so cold beer.

Up at 6am for the markets - excitement leading me forward and the eternal hope that today will be the day!

That lasted for about ten minutes....some complete nitwit had the audacity to have a head on collision with me - the poor old Monty four-wheeler is in a poor way...:( Never mind, we soldier on and keeping the old fighting spirit alive, I managed to hoover up in the markets and tucked a merry few oils into the boot and headed back to good old Angleterre in time for a pals birthday party at 8pm. Thankfully, they had foreseen I was coming and got some very fine cigars in and by 1am, they were duly offered around - by then I was quite pleased that Saturday had reached its natural end...

So, its Monday morning and back in Monty Towers - staring somewhat blankly at my computer. There's a large pile of paintings hovering infront of me - staring back at me. Faces, landscapes, shapes and patterns....its going to be a long old day!

Right -ho, chums of mine and loyal listeners, time to get on. Reginald is whistling away in his lair and I can hear the parcel tape sreeching away, so if you were one of the lucky ones that bought a painting at the weekend - its on its way!

Gym in an hour, more work, French lessons, walk the faithful hound, more work, nosebag and vin rouge, sleep. Then it will Tuesday!

Au revoir.