The Aardvark Blog

Back from France this time, Flipping Burgers at the Rodd, Hot, Hot, Hot and things to look forward to
13/08/2026

It is nearly two weeks since we got back from holiday in France (our second this year!) and it seems to have been incredibly busy every day. We have welcomed friends and old customers to our now very brown garden, flipped burgers on the Sidney Nolan Trust/The Rodd Community Day, dealt with another round of changes to our business, crashed a car and had it written off (the details of which events can only be shared in private across a table of cold beers) and much more.

I bought a painting at the brilliant 'Radnor Lily' exhibition at the Ridgebank Gallery in Kington and now cannot wait for the exhibition to be over and for the chance to take possession. The Show is on until the 26th of September and I cannot recommend it enough, so do go.

Other visual art treats on the horizon are a short show at the Bleddfa Centre from the 27th-31st of August. Called Grasses , it consists of nature paintings by Charles MacCarthy, whose son Dan had a recent show at the Sidney Nolan Trust. Also at the end of the month is the Presteigne Open Studios from the 28th-31st of August, held to coincide with the Presteigne Festival. With over 50 artists and craftspeople taking place now, it has become a highlight of the visual year in the central Marches.

Going back to our trip to France, a massive thanks to the incredible Michelle Garnaut, one of the world's great culinary luminaries who decided to put on a literary festival in a small French village (Nanteuil-en-Vallée in the Vienne) where she had recently bought a home. Michelle was behind the iconic M on the Bund restaurant in Shanghai and the founder of literary festivals in Shanghai and Beijing. So many highlights over the weekend - the incredible Anne Sebba (author of 'Les Parisiennes' amongst other titles) on the Women's Orchestra in Auschwitz, Alan Hollinghurst, Amy Tan on the birds in her garden, and the extraordinary Tash Aw (so much to say about his quiet and charming authorial voice), author of 'The Harmony Silk Factory' and a more recent  novel 'South' that brought him death threats as well as plaudits.

I was probably most moved by an dense talk by Professor Edward Denison and his partner Associate Professor Guang Yu Ren (both of the Bartlett School, UCL) on the idea of creating a non-extractive history of architecture. So many thoughts crammed into a short hour talk, and then they were generous enough to continue their exposition in a private discussion with Ethel and me as we walked through Nanteuil on our way to the car park. Fast forward to this week, and I am called in by an ex-customer Will to look at his late cousin and poet Meg Cox's library. There on the shelves were half a dozen titles by Edward Denison who, Will informed me, was Meg's beloved nephew! Such a small world we live in. For those who would like to remember Meg there is an open service at Humber natural garden of rest at 2pm on the 28th of August. Meg was a great supporter of Aardvark and I will always be grateful to her for her contributions to our poetry events.

Finally amongst other events not to be missed are the coming of Martin Fry/ABC to Hereford Courtyard's outside tent The Amp, on Friday Night of the 21st of August. Tickets are still available so do not miss out!

Also, for those who love a good market is the second Kington vintage street Flea Market on Sunday August 23rd from 10am onwards, and of course, the Elderwood Books August Flea Market on Monday 31st of August in Brampton Bryan - check their website for details.

Finally, the Presteigne Festival starts on Thursday 27th August as well. One highlight for me will be the talk by Fiona Sampson (another frequent Aardvark customer) on her much garlanded new book on George Sand. This takes place on Sunday 30th August at 4pm at Presteigne Baptist Church. Tickets in advance or on the door.

So much to do, and so much to see and hear. Is there any better place to live in the world than right here in the Marches!