Beatrix Potter
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Peter Rabbit Garden Cafe by Rakeru, Tokyo
As a big fan of Beatrix Potter and her creation, Peter Rabbit, going to its cafe is a must, so I did that on my second day in Tokyo with my friend Mazni and her daughter, Nadya.
This cafe is situated in the Jiyugaoka area, a stylish neighbourhood in the southern part of Meguro-ku.
Arriving at this cafe, the first thing that I noticed was the beautiful alfresco garden setting. I ran up the stairs and opened the cafe’s door excitedly, just like a little kid entering a wonderland. It was truly a fantastic feeling.
Tell me how would you feel seeing a cafe like this? Amazing, right?Once inside, we helped ourselves to a table. The setting is very English, of course, to honour Beatrix Potter, the well-known English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her children’s books featuring animals, such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit.
On the table, there were two copies of Peter Rabbit books (in Japanese), a jar of wrapped cube sugars, a pitcher of plain water, drink glasses, as well as a little bell to ring. There was also Petter Rabbit waiting for us.
Peter Rabbit and Dina.
We invited Flopsy Bunny from the next table to join us.We ordered two coffees (with Peter Rabbit art), hot chocolate, and Doubleberry French Toast Casserole. Everything was nicely presented and we went oohs and aahs eating the yummy casserole. The coffee and chocolate were good too.
We spent more than two hours at the cafe just enjoying the surroundings while taking photos and videos.
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Tribute to Beatrix Potter’s would-be-149th birthday
A drawing of Flopsy Bunnies I made in tribute to Beatrix Potter’s would-be-149th birthday. Drawn on Monologue Soft Sketchbook using Staedtler watercolour pencils and Dr. Ph. Martin’s liquid watercolour.
“I cannot rest, I must draw, however poor the result, and when I have a bad time come over me it is a stronger desire than ever.” – Beatrix Potter.
Helen Beatrix Potter (28 July 1866 – 22 December 1943) was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which celebrated the British landscape and country life.
Her parents were artistic, interested in nature, and enjoyed the countryside. As children, Beatrix and her brother, Bertram, had numerous small animals as pets which they observed closely and drew endlessly. Summer holidays were spent away from London, in Scotland and in the English Lake District where Beatrix developed a love of the natural world which was the subject of her painting from an early age.
Her artistic talents were recognized early. She enjoyed private art lessons and developed her own style, favouring watercolour. She illustrated insects, fossils, archaeological artifacts, and fungi, along with her drawings of her animals, real and imagined.
In the 1890s, her mycological illustrations and research into the reproduction of fungus spores generated interest from the scientific establishment. Following some success illustrating cards and booklets, Potter wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit, publishing it first privately in 1901, and a year later as a small, three-colour illustrated book with Frederick Warne & Co. Windermere, in 1905.
She continued to write and illustrate, and to design spin-off merchandise based on her children’s books for Warne, until the duties of land management and her diminishing eyesight made it difficult to continue.
Potter published over 23 books; the best known are those written between 1902 and 1922. She died of pneumonia and heart disease on 22 December 1943 at her home in Near Sawrey (Lancashire) at age 77, leaving almost all her property to the National Trust. She is credited with preserving much of the land that now comprises the Lake District National Park.
Potter’s books continue to sell throughout the world in many languages. Her stories have been retold in song, film, ballet, and animation. The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends, a TV series based on her stories, has been released on VHS by Pickwick Video and later Carlton Video.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatrix_Potter
You might want to try this quiz: Which Beatrix Potter character are you?, published by The Guardian, in celebration of what would be Beatrix Potter’s 149th birthday. Find out which of her most beloved animal characters you would be with this quiz!
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More BP’s books
I’ve gotten myself two more Beatrix Potter’s books:
So, now 17 more to go!
1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit √
2. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
3. The Tailor of Gloucester
4. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
5. The Tale of Two Bad Mice
6. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
7. The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher √
8. The Tale of Tom Kitten
9. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck √
10. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies √
11. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
12. The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
13. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse
14. The Tale of Mr. Tod
15. The Tale of Pigling Bland
16. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
17. The Tale of The Pie and the Patty Pan
18. The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
19. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
20. The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit
21. The Story of Miss Moppet
22. Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
23. Cecily Parsley’s Nursery Rhymes -
Yay Jemima!
I went to Kinokuniya with my husband and son this afternoon after having the lunch. Found what I’m looking for. I didn’t get a chance to pick all as my husband had to go somewhere else. Planned to go again on Wednesday to buy the rest. I found the boxed version as well but I think it’s too small for me. Bought the one with the original size instead. It fits in my hand perfectly!
So one down, 22 to go! I’m putting up the list in my sidebar and will update from time to time until I have them all in my collection.
The tale is about Jemima, a puddle-duck, who was annoyed because the farmer’s wife thought that she was a bad sitter. Her adventure began when she decided to hatch her own eggs.
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Miss Potter, my inspiration
I watched Miss Potter, the most enchanting tale of all, the other day. It was a biopic of Beatrix Potter, who created Peter Rabbit, Jemima the Puddle Duck and few more others.
Miss Potter tells the story of how writer and illustrator Beatrix Potter managed to achieve independence and artistic success at the turn of the 20th Century. The film follows her first attempts to be published and her relationship with Norman Warne (son of her publisher Frederick Warne). Set during the time when Beatrix wrote and published her most famous tale about the beloved character Peter Rabbit, this is the story of one remarkable woman’s journey to love and fulfillment. The film reveals how the imaginary world of her stories was inspired by her real life and the people and places she knew. (Image of Beatrix Potter © Frederick Warne & Co ).The film was directed by Chris Noonan (Babe) and starred by Renée Zellweger (as Miss Potter) and Ewan McGregor (as Norman Warne).
Now that I watched the movie, I want to start a collection of her books. I can’t believe it that I haven’t bought any of her books or even read them yet! I am ashamed of myself for being such ignorant. A complete listing of her books that I should get:
1. The Tale of Peter Rabbit
2. The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
3. The Tailor of Gloucester
4. The Tale of Benjamin Bunny
5. The Tale of Two Bad Mice
6. The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle
7. The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher
8. The Tale of Tom Kitten
9. The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck
10. The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
11. The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse
12. The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes
13. The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse
14. The Tale of Mr. Tod
15. The Tale of Pigling Bland
16. The Tale of Samuel Whiskers
17. The Tale of The Pie and The patty Pan
18. The Tale of Ginger and Pickles
19. The Tale of Little Pig Robinson
20. The Story of A Fierce Bad Rabbit
21. The Story of Miss Moppet
22. Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
23. Cecily Parsley’s Nursery RhymesHere’s a homage to Beatrix Potter who inspires me to wake up and start doing something with my talent, for real.
Homage to Miss Potter | DigitalSketched using Wacom tablet and pen, 1 hour. I use chalk brush stroke in Photoshop.