Inside our #PCStaycation

The Cotswolds has always been close to our hearts. Penelope has a home here, and spends weekends in the countryside; walking, exploring, and finding design inspiration for PC. So, we were thrilled to be able to host our staycation with Thyme, another mother-daughter enterprise based in a nearby restored farmhouse. The brand’s ethos centres on slow, sustainable living - via food, drink and experiences, and our staycation was a chance to get together; plant trees, pickle vegetables, sample their delicious food and celebrate our Thyme X PC pop-up. The stay started with roaring log fires and lots of tea, as we nibbled on lemon drizzle cake and made plans for our first event, the all-important boot fitting.

 

As a British heritage brand, we’re passionate about purpose and comfort, alongside style. This fitting was a chance to let guests unbox their Lunar and Cosmos boots, checking important details like size and feel. Once people were suited, booted and wrapped in our toasty Kaleidoscope scarves we headed off to the farm for a spot of tree planting. Hosted by our friends, Sapling Spirits, it was amazing to plant Beech and Oak saplings on-site at Thyme. Having recently started our own tree planting programme it was great to see the planting in action, but after great planting, must come great rest, and of course, there’s no better shoe to rest in than the Inuit slipper! Guests slipped out of a shearling lined boot and into a shearling lined slipper, for a slow afternoon spent exploring the farmhouse and putting their (cosily lined) feet up!

 

Come the evening, Sapling’s delicious cocktails were the first thing on the menu, imagined into delicious serves; think thyme and plum cake, or apple and blackcurrant with bay leaves — they were exactly what was needed to get the party started! If you don’t know Sapling, they’re a British spirit brand made using local ingredients, distilled from 100% British wheat. The result is a flavour that is much smoother and softer than traditional vodkas, making them great for mixing up in a winter cocktail, as we learnt! Drinks were followed by a short walk across to the Ox Barn for a dinner - which was very special, not least because it was Penelope’s birthday too...

Served from Thyme’s incredible kitchen, our menu had been carefully curated to tell the story of the farm through the seasons. Featuring lots of produce grown in the gardens themselves; delicious homemade sourdough and kohlrabi salad, followed by melt-in-your-mouth cod and homegrown girolles, finished with a stylish autumn pavlova. All of this was set in a 19th century restored ox-barn, once home to the farm’s oxen and ploughs. The space was magical, with vaulted high ceilings, soaring arches, original beams and romantic Cotswold stone walls — as well as a 7.5 metre open kitchen, that showcases the chefs at work, making it a truly enchanting spot for a birthday supper!

The next morning was a beautiful, crisp start — with the sun slowly breaking over the gently frosted stone to help us blow the cobwebs away! We started with breakfast, another masterclass in delicious, seasonal food, and our guests had a chance to check out our Pop Up, which is at Thyme from the 3rd to 16th of November. Firm favourites were the waterproof Long Tassel Inclement Boots, a great addition to any winter wardrobe, and the Unisex Nelson Boots, proving a stylish choice for Christmas gifting (the best his and hers style in town!)

Our last hurrah of the stay was a pickling class, this started with choosing our pumpkins from Thyme’s kitchen garden—so finding a ripe pumpkin was easy, it was the pickling part that was trickier! Pickling has grown in popularity over the past few years, and is a great way to combat kitchen waste, with food that is also high in probiotics, thus, good for the immune and digestive systems. Pickles can add a bit of zing to any garden salad, or even offer a stylish garnish for winter cocktails. Actually, a pretty easy task, once you get the hang of it, and something we'll definitely be sampling again, so stay tuned for some great pickling recipes...All good things must come to an end, and that afternoon, armed with our pickles, cosy Kaleidoscope scarves and shearling lined boots we said goodbye to Thyme, but we’re certain we’ll be back!

Click here to learn more about Thyme and don’t miss our PC pop up from 3rd - 16th of November. We’ve also partnered with Thyme’s sibling brand Bertioli to give away a winter gift box filled with pampering goodies, enter here!