Habits and Other Curiosities

My favorite parts of Ian Fleming's books, are when he gives us a rare glimpse of Bond at home.

For a reader, some of the best information about a character comes from the writer's description of his personal habits and taste.  In the movies, Bond was dressed by Brioni from 1995 until Tom Ford took over in 2008, but Mr. Flemming never tells us in the novels much about what Bond wears.  Perhaps it's fitting that Bond only mentions the labels worn by his enemies.  

Mr. Bond starts the day with the London Times and two large cups of very strong coffee (from De Bry in New Oxford Street) brewed in a Chemex coffee maker. 

A dark brown French Maran egg, boiled for three and a third minutes, is served in a blue egg cup by May, his Scottish housekeeper, with whole wheat toast, Jersey butter and a choice of Tiptree ‘Little Scarlet’ strawberry jam or Norwegian Heather Honey from Fortnum and Mason, on blue Minton china. 

Elsie de Wolfe wrote, "You will express yourself in your house, whether you want to or not."  Meaning that we often communicate more through our habits, rituals and the ephemera we collect, than through our words.  What do your habits say about you?

Kyle

I love this photographic series by the Atlanta-based photographer Jason Travis, who captures illuminating and often funny portraits of people and the stuff we carry around with us.  The collection is called "Persona," and has been published in book form, but you can still see a portion of the series here.

Julia

Now I'm going to go clean out my purse.




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