A PIG OF A DAY

Every time I have an interior-designer heroine (which isn't that often, come to think of it) - I always call upon the talented Judy Hutson to give me advice. Judy is a friend and designer par excellence and today she gave me the most delicious lunch at The Pig hotel, in Brockenhurst, which is situated deep in the beautiful New Forest.

There are pigs everywhere!

Pretend pigs in the private dining room....

Real pigs rooting around for acorns (which they love, and which I always thought was a complete myth) while making peculiar noises and shoving their shiny snouts in the direction of your hand, thinking that said hand contains food.

There are also happy chickens charging across the thick, green grass (I brought home a lovely, fresh egg) and the best marmalade jelly I have ever eaten. Well, I've never actually eaten marmalade jelly before - but I am confident that nothing could have tasted better (except perhaps the lemon verbena ice-cream which accompanied it).

Not only did it provide masses of inspiration, The Pig was also the cutest and most comfortable place I've been to in ages - and I want to go back!

Have you been anywhere recently which was so lovely, that you wanted to stay?

LOSE YOURSELF....

Yesterday, I went to see a film all about the life of Glenn Gould - an inspirational pianist whose playing of Bach made people listen in awe and wonder. Philistine that I am, I'd never even heard of him, but I'm now going to download his playing of the Goldberg Variations and lose myself in his amazing talent.

Canadian Glenn was a bit of a maverick. Taciturn and moody, he gave his last professional concert in 1964 at the age of 31 - because he hated performing.

He was also enigmatic and good-looking enough to make perfect hero fodder - as this famous image from Life magazine shows.

I've forgotten how to download the Youtube link (I must ask the nice man at the Apple shop) - but go and listen to his music if you don't already know it.

Or do you?

THE PRINCE'S CHAMBERMAID

Il pleut.

Il pleut beaucoup.

Never mind - it's what makes the flowers grow and the skin glow.

I've just finished a book and so have been out seeking inspiration for the next one...

Saw Michelangelo's Dream which was utterly sublime.

Went to see the new Alice In Wonderland, which was so atrociously bad that I walked out after half an hour. What was the matter with Johnny Depp's accent? Now I'm wondering whether 3D isn't just an excuse to fob the public off with bad acting and too much noise.

And the flip-side of intrusive noise is the music of Schumann and Beethoven which I heard during a fantastic concert at London's Wigmore Hall on Sunday morning.

Oh, and I have a book which is just coming out in north America - and here's a detail from the cover. He's a Prince and she's a chambermaid....

What have you done recently which has inspired you - and do you like films in 3D?