The year is 2010. Prince William and Kate Middleton just announced their engagement, Germany makes its last reparations payment for World War I, and Kesha’s earsplitting compositions still dominate the charts. I am a very skinny, auburn-haired (yes it’s natural before you ask), freckle-faced 17-year-old who has just moved from Sydney, Australia to the city of Bath, England where I’m about to go to boarding school for a shortened A-level course – for some a nightmare, but for me (a Harry Potter obsessed anglophile) a dream come true. It was very much like the plot of ‘Wild Child’, except I actually wanted to go to boarding school. In fact, living in Bath was one of the best years of my life – the picture below was the view out of my window, so you can see why.

I’ve grown a lot since then – I am now in my early thirties and work full time in London for an asset manager, but live out in Kent – I am still trying to claw my way back to Bath, but it’s not exactly the best place for a London commute… (2025 update: I have now actually moved back to Bath! The commute is still dreadful…)

I started this blog as a way to collate all the interesting things I learn about that I can’t really fit into a neat Instagram carousel, including:

• The Monarchy & High Society – one way to quickly get yourself blocked on my socials is to speak badly of the Monarchy (except Harry & Meghan – knock yourself out). I also love very old, traditional private members clubs – the older the better, and am a member of the Caledonian Club (not that I am Scottish!)
• Aristourism & Travel – visiting stately homes, castles and cathedrals up and down the country is practically a sport for me, so I have coined the term Aristourism (Aristocratic Tourism). I have also travelled to 30+ countries, mainly in Europe and South East Asia.
• History & the Arts – I wish I had taken a History or Classics degree (instead of a rather useless law degree, usually people complain the other way round), but for now I am just a dilettante who adores anything from the Middle Ages/Renaissance and the Enlightenment. I am also an on-and-off member of Glyndebourne, the Society of Antiquaries, the Pugin Society, and Wigmore Hall – when I find the time.
• Food & Wine – I am a huge foodie and dine out regularly in London (although nothing beats a countryside gastropub). I also love to cook South East Asian food (Chinese pot sticker dumplings, Pho, Laksa, Vietnamese spring rolls, Thai curries, Bahn mi etc.). I am also passionate about wine and have a Level 2 WSET diploma.
• Luxury & Country Fashion – I have a growing collection of bags, Schoffels, Barbour jackets, tweed skirts, and Hermes scarves for leisure, as well as dozens of corporate dresses for work. I also love antique jewellery (particularly Faberge as I have some historic links to Russian nobility) and have a fairly new interest in watches.
• Beauty, Perfume & Skincare – I am a huge fan of perfume and am looking to take up a course in France when I find the time. I am also interested in skincare and anti-aging treatments.
• Equestrian pursuits – I have been riding on and off since I was in my 20s, and my dream is to eventually own my own horse (when I finally get an acreage).

If it’s not already glaringly obvious – I am a walking cliché of an 80’s ‘Sloane Ranger’. I am not sponsored by anyone (as I have an actual job), so my reviews are 100% genuine. I am also not too bothered about my grammar or style as I don’t ever plan to be a serious writer. I just want a place to store my thoughts, but one that hopefully is useful to at least a handful of people along the way.

So thank you for taking the time to get to know me and I hope you enjoy my very sporadic and somewhat eclectic posts!

⚜️ Rowan ⚜️

ever.so.british

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