Useful Things, Beautiful Things

Hero beauty product - No 7 Beautiful Skin Dry Skin rescuer

2012-02-09T18:28:00.001Z

It's been bitterly cold here, in London recently (and it seems throughout most of Europe).

I have very dry, sensitive skin and I do suffer dreadfully during winter. The cold outdoors makes my skin red & sensitive and the central heating indoors dehydrates so I'm always on the look out for products to help me cope with all these varying conditions.

Boots No 7 Dry Skin Rescuer is one of those products. I'm not going to beat about the bush here - it's brilliant. It's instantly hydrating. You know the feeling when you're really thirsty and you have a drink of water? How amazing it feels? That's a little like what it feels when you apply Skin Rescuer. Instantly soothed and hydrated. It also acts as a barrier cream because it takes a lot longer for my skin to dehydrate after I've used it.

Image via http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

I always carry a tube of this in my bag now and apply it throughout the day. It's an absolute life saver especially if I'm shopping and constantly going from cold outdoors into heated stores. Obviously I can't use it like that when I'm wearing make up but applying it before I put on make up also works well.

I can't recommend it enough. You can buy it in the UK here. It doesn't seem to be available on the US Boots site.

and another birthday...

2012-02-04T10:16:00.000Z

And so the years pass... Yesterday I turned... um... 46! Even I can't kid myself any longer that I'm young.

This was really brought home to me a few months ago when I was waiting for a bus. I arrived at the bus stop a couple of minutes early and there were already two young girls there. When the bus arrived, I was quite happy for them to get on first - after all they'd been at the bus stop before me - but they stood aside to let me, the older lady, on first!! Naturally I smiled and thanked them but inside I was screaming, 'No, no, no! Why are you letting me on first? It's not as if I'm old or anything.'

But I am. I'm now 46.

On the bright side, I had a great day. I had lots of cards, texts and presents from friends & family all over the world. We went for a walk in the park, which was lovely, then my boyfriend took me to see The Artist which was one of the best films I've seen in ages, (I'll be posting about that later).

But the best thing about 46 is that being 18 is far behind me. I hated being 18. All that angst is so tiring.

Phew!

2012-01-23T22:06:00.002Z

It's been very busy since New Year. I've been working but most exciting of all, my wonderful boyfriend is moving in with me so we've been moving his stuff, etc.

On the down side it means that I haven't had much time for blogging.

I'll leave you with this picture I took in St. James's Park last summer...

What is love?

2012-01-05T17:09:00.000Z

Graffiti. Glasgow, autumn 2011

Something happy to start the New Year with... Pelican by The Maccabees

2012-01-02T21:07:00.001Z

I'm a little obsessed with this track.

It's got all the elements of a classic pop song - a great sing-along tune; dark lyrics which belie the light heartedness of the music; depth which only grows with repeated plays. I especially like the strange, almost jerky guitar riffs the likes of which I don't think I've heard before.

Pelican by The Maccabees.

2012 and all that

2011-12-30T13:37:00.000Z

I'm generally not one for New Year's resolutions. It just seems like setting yourself up for failure and recrimination. I mean if you haven't lost weight etc in the previous year, you're not going to do it in the coming year simply because it's a New Year's resolution.

Having said that, I was touched and inspired by this post by the lovely Ines of 'All I am - a redhead'.

A few years ago, my wonderful father was killed in horrific circumstances and my life & the lives of all those who loved him were changed forever. In amongst the turmoil, the terror and grief of the aftermath I came to the conclusion that life is a fragile, fleeting, beautiful thing and we all have a duty to enjoy our lives to the fullest.

Enjoyment is a different thing for everyone so it's impossible to lay down ground rules but I'll say this...

Let those around you know how much they mean to you.
Don't be too sensible. If you really want those eyewateringly expensive shoes, buy them. When you're 95 and looking back over your life, what will you remember, how you conscientiously paid the gas bill or how much pleasure you got from your lovely shoes? Remember to be responsible though.
Take time to appreciate the small things in life - a breathtaking sunset, a delicious meal.
You can never laugh too much.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2012 brings you everything you want and more. x

The Great South London Christmas Tree Hunt

2011-12-24T14:10:00.000Z

I think we all have a picture in our heads of how the perfect Christmas should be. I know I do.

A couple of days ago, I decided that my lodger, my boyfriend and myself would spend an evening decorating our Christmas tree. I had a vague scene playing in my head with the three of us sipping Gluhwein/Baileys, nibbling on mince pies with festive music playing softly in the background and regaling heart warming & amusing Christmas related stories from our pasts whilst placing the decorations on the tree in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

Well, the Christmas music was located on my iPod and the Baileys & mince pies were duly bought so all that remained was to get the Christmas tree. My living room's not very big so I needed a Christmas tree that could sit on the table and allow us to use the table at the same time. A tree that was no more than 2 foot high. Last year we managed to get one without any problem.

We started off at the smaller branch of Sainsburys near the flat - only big trees. Waitrose - again the trees were too big. Lidl - nothing. We looked in the markets/florists/street sellers nearby - all their trees were enormous.

I was still confident at this point that we'd find one pretty quickly. It's about a mile's walk to the next tube station with lots of shops along the way and I was positive that we'd find one somewhere along that road. Rapidly it became clear that we weren't to have any luck and I started to panic silently. My lodger was relying to us to find a tree to decorate! Of course she wouldn't have minded at all if we'd gone home and told her we'd have to do it another day because we couldn't find a tree but I'd succumbed to the traditional pressure to Have a Perfect Christmas.

Mentally I started to consider alternatives.

A plastic palm tree! Why not, Jesus was from the Middle East after all so it'd be more ya' know, authentic! I'm sure my Christmas decorations would look fine on it.

A vaguely Islamic looking sculpture! Yay for multiculturism!

A yucca plant! Hey, I'm an alternative kinda gal!

Buy a huge Christmas tree, re-arrange the living room and store the furniture in the bedroom! Sounds fine! Gotta have Christmas spirit!

Tape a Magic Tree air freshener to a stick! At least the living room'd smell nice!

By the time we reached the big Sainsburys near the next tube station, I was ready to try anything. They were selling fir branches & my boyfriend suggested taping two branches together to create a kind of cloven hooved, two trunk tree, then putting it in a flower pot with loads of soil. I wasn't quite desperate enough yet to have a dual trunk tree but I certainly put it on the short list. Then I found a little 6 inch high tree. It was the sort of thing that office workers would put on their computers but frankly, as far as I was concerned it was The Answer. Slightly short but it was a Christmas tree nonetheless! Luckily my boyfriend convinced me that my 2 inch high Christmas angel would just crush it. He was right of course.

But we still had no tree.

We started off back home and I must admit I was staring wild eyed down all the side streets hoping to see a hitherto undiscovered market stall specialising in small Christmas trees.

You've guessed it. There was nothing. What was it about south London and their enormous living rooms with gigantic Christmas trees?

We were nearly home when I spotted a newsagents selling small plastic Christmas trees and I nearly cried with relief. So I bought myself a slightly rusted tree-like structure covered in green plastic 'leaves'. Christmas was saved!

Ladies and gentlemen, without any further ado, here it is... our bent, rusty, plastic Christmas tree! It's not perfect but it's ours and we had a great time decorating it in spite of everything.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't stress too much over the details. Just relax and enjoy the time with your loved ones. That's far more important than perfection.

Happy Christmas everyone! xxx

My new perfume - Miller Harris 'La Pluie'

2011-12-22T10:20:00.000Z

I am bad. I went out to buy Christmas presents and came back with a bottle of perfume for myself. In my defence, however, it is La Pluie by Miller Harris which I defy anyone to resist.

Image via http://www.earthmothersoulsister.co.uk

A few months ago I was given a free sample of La Pluie and I knew immediately that I'd be buying it. It was just a matter of when.

I love it because it's a such distinctive and natural fragrance. So many perfumes, especially the cheaper ones, smell as if the notes have been chemically created. Let's be honest, no matter how well it's made, chemically created lavender/citrus etc will never smell as good as actual lavender or citrus.

It's also nice to wear something that no one else recognises. Much as I like perfumes like Rive Gauche, Poison and ck one, they are pretty ubiquitous. And who wants to be ubiquitous?

Christmas

2011-12-20T20:36:00.000Z

I know it's a cliche, but Christmas really is one of my favourite times of year.

I love the cold weather and bundling up with colourful knitware. I love the bright lights of Christmas decorations and how they cheer up a dark grey day. I love the thrill of hunting down the perfect present for a loved one.

I did my last job of the year yesterday, (I freelance) so it's nice to slow down and spend some quality time with friends and family and of course my wonderful boyfriend.

My cousin and his wife are coming round to my place for Christmas Day and my boyfriend & I are going to cook. No one really likes turkey so we're going to (try and) roast a salmon. I'm a little nervous but the way I figure it is, if we stock up on booze, no one will be that bothered if the cooking is a little less than perfect.

What will you be doing for Christmas?

Object of Desire - The Kooples Puffer Jacket with Sheepskin

2011-12-09T10:52:00.000Z

I've been lusting after this Puffer Jacket with sheepskin from the French brand The Kooples for a while now.

Image via http://www.thekooples.co.uk/

During winter it's too easy to sacrifice style for warmth and end up looking like your grandma.

I love this jacket because the sheepskin panel elevates what could be a very run of the mill puffa jacket into something rather special. You just have to look at it to know that you'd withstand the worst that the weather could throw at you when you're wearing this jacket.

I'd wear it with black skinny jeans, a grey or beige top and either biker boots or killer heels depending on how icy the pavements were.

And it's only £460 *sobs silently*

Please let it be on sale soon. For at least 80 percent off.

The Rules of Eating Alone

2011-12-07T20:30:00.001Z

I was out shopping recently when I overheard a thirty something man having the following conversation on his mobile...

"Oh, yes! Yes, I'd love to come to dinner.

I haven't eaten a proper meal for weeks. There's something so pathetic about cooking a proper meal when you're on your own.

Usually just toast... With Marmite..."

I actually stopped dead in disbelief when I heard this. Needless to say, I completely disagree with him so in honour of that sad, lonely man waiting for his life to start, here are my Rules for Eating Alone.

Remember if you are eating alone, this is a special time. It's your time to reflect on the day and make plans without any distractions.
Listen to music. My favourite is Classic FM.
Cook simple, tasty, nutritious food. Food that you enjoy. Endless slices of Marmite toast implies a sense of disregard for your own wellbeing. One of my favourite meals is fresh filled pasta with olive oil and gruyere cheese grated on top. So simple and easy to prepare but healthy and filling.
Sit down at the table and clear things like laptops away. I love eating at my dining table. It's in the corner of the living room and I can watch the sunset over the treetops. I always lay the table properly with a place mat. Personally I feel that if you eat on your lap in front of the TV, not only will you not appreciate your food, you'll invariably end up overeating because you're distracted. Never eat standing up over the kitchen sink.
Try not to take phone calls whilst you're eating. There's plenty of time for that later.

Nanoblur - yes or no?

2011-11-28T09:33:00.001Z

You can't fault the marketers of Nanoblur for confidence.

Image via http://cocoandlowe.com

To say that their product will make you look '10 years younger in 40 seconds' is a bold statement to say the least.

The basis of their claim is that Nanoblur creates an optical illusion with light reflecting particles which essentially airbrushes away the signs of ageing - wrinkles, dark spots, sagging etc. The nerd part of me was intrigued by this premise so when I spotted it in Boots in Newcastle, I had to give it a go.

My first impression on application was that it seemed to slightly dull the complexion. This is no bad thing - it toned down the ruddier areas & mattified the shinier ones and overall my skin tone was more even. Besides that, I couldn't see much of a difference.

When I wore it out in public however, the reaction was interesting. My boyfriend commented quite spontaneously on how amazing I looked. My brother, who is blunt in the way only a sibling can get away with, told me that I was looking good. I had a lot more lingering glances than usual from gentlemen.

I wasn't complaining...

I probably will buy this again although I'm not sure how long the product will be around. I think customers will be irritated by the outrageous claim which can never be fulfilled and won't buy a second tube.

A few notes about application. If you have dry skin, it's advised on the blurb to mix it in with your moisturiser. I have very dry, sensitive skin and personally I found it better to apply moisturiser, wait a few seconds and then apply Nanoblur. It has a tightening effect but I didn't suffer any adverse reactions.

It's also advised to apply Nanoblur on top of foundation. Don't. When I tried this, I had to wipe off my foundation and start again. It just mixes the foundation into a goopy mess. I don't think you need Nanoblur if you have the right foundation.

In the U.K. you can buy it from Boots here for £19.99 and elsewhere in the world here

Something to make you smile - Jesus Christ in Richmond Park

2011-11-25T08:19:00.001Z

I'm not a great fan of re-posting other people's stuff but this was far too funny not to share...

That poor man. Tee hee!

Travels with my work

2011-11-23T11:17:00.001Z

It's been an exhausting couple of weeks. I've been on the road for work. Don't get me wrong - I love travelling with my work but nothing beats being at home.

Image from http://blog.michaelmichelini.com/2010/07/good-luck-in-your-next-country.html

I've been to Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow.

I saw very little of Manchester unfortunately. Newcastle was lovely. It's a very beautiful (and cold) city. The Tyne River runs through the centre of it. It's a narrow river with steep banks which makes for a very dramatic vista.

Glasgow? Well Glasgow's Glasgow. If you've been there, you'll know what I mean. Raw, exciting, friendly. And rough.

I've been to all of these cities before but I do enjoy returning because every visit throws up something new.

Lest we forget

2011-11-11T02:32:00.004Z

Image via http://www.treklens.com/gallery/Middle_East/Turkey/photo526846.htm

'In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.'

We are free because of their sacrifices.

Armistice Day

A feline vistor

2011-11-06T21:47:00.000Z

I'd love to have a pet. Cat or dog, I'm not fussy. Unfortunately my lifestyle just wouldn't allow it. I work unsociable hours and I'm often away from home.

So I was very pleased when a neighbourhood cat decided to adopt me. We've named her 'Zero' as in Cat Zero, the first cat in our home, (yes, we're nerds).

A visit from Zero is like a state visit from the Queen. She walks in, announcing herself with a little 'meow' then proceeds to investigate every room, climbing into cupboards and onto surfaces, rubbing herself against the furniture and sniffing everything. She never accepts food so it really does seem like the only reason she comes visiting is to be sociable. When she's here, I find myself trying to make things as comfortable as possible for her like switching on the heating. Is that sad of me? Very probably.

I'll leave you with a picture of her looking at the tree outside the living room window.

Object of desire - Chanel Peridot nail varnish

2011-11-04T11:37:00.001Z

A couple of days ago I saw a girl on the tube with the most incredible nails. It looked like her nails were beautiful, shimmering gold leaf. I don't usually talk to people on public transport but I had to ask her what nail varnish she was wearing. It turned out to be Chanel Peridot.

Image from http://www.ebay.it

I will have to treat myself to a bottle as well as a professional manicure. Something this lovely deserves more than my usual inept smeared efforts.

This needs to be the focus of a look, I think, so I'll keeping the rest of my outfit quite plain.

Halloween - turnip carving vs. pumpkin carving

2011-10-31T08:09:00.000Z

I've never celebrated Halloween. Growing up in Africa, Halloween didn't mean anything.

This year, however, I wanted to join in the fun and try my hand at carving a jack o'lantern out of a pumpkin. When I mentioned this to my boyfriend he said that he was only going to carve a turnip because that's what they did up north (of England). I'm afraid to say that I laughed at him. I assumed that the only reason they carved turnips was poverty because turnips are so much cheaper than pumpkins.

Well, it turns out that the last laugh was on me. It turns out that the carving of turnips for Halloween or All Saints Eve is a very ancient Celtic tradition dating back pre Christ. According to Wikipedia, Samhain was the final harvest of the Celtic year, falling on October 31st.

It was believed that at Samhain, the wall between the living and the spiritual world was very thin, allowing evil spirits to cross into the world of the living. Faces were carved out of turnips and lit with embers from the fire to confuse the evil spirits and prevent them from entering the dwelling.

Image is from Wikipedia. This shows a traditional Irish carved turnip from the Museum of Country Life in Ireland.

With the arrival of Christianity, Samhain became All Hallows Eve but many of the traditions remained. When the Irish settlers went to north America, they took their traditions with them but turnips weren't, as yet, readily available so they choose the next best thing - pumpkins, which grew locally. Pumpkins are bigger and far, far easier to carve so began the tradition of pumpkin carving.

Anyway, here are our efforts...

I was rather pleased with the results. A nice mixture of old and new, I felt.

Hero beauty product - Eau Thermale Avene Cleanance K Cream-gel

2011-10-28T23:25:00.001+01:00

I have a very spotty forehead. It's actually quite disgusting. When I was handed a few tubes of Eau Thermale Avene's Cleanance K Cream-gel as a free gift, I thought I'd use it on my forehead as an exfoliator.
After all it says 'exfoliating, hydrating' on the packaging.

Image from http://www.echemist.co.uk

The first use was rather disappointing. The product didn't contain any of the granules that you'd expect with an exfoliant. It didn't leave my skin feeling smooth to the touch as per normal after using a scrub. My forehead just felt slightly warm.

But I kept using it for some reason and it became part of my routine. After about a month I noticed that my forehead was significantly less spotty. Like about 70% less spotty. In my books that's a major result.

I think that calling it an exfoliant is a misnomer because it actually contains AHA's and BHA's which have a gentle peeling effect on the skin.

I'm definitely going to continue buying this.

*Update 1/1/12*
I ran out of the tester so stopped using Cleanance K for a bit and the spots on my forehead came back with a vengeance. Once I started using it again, they disappeared after about a week.

I've also found it's quite useful if you get a single spot, just apply it to the spot and it dries up nicely. Be careful though not to get it on to the surrounding skin. I have sensitive skin and I got a zinger of a spot on my face. The Cleanance K worked very well helping to reduce it but if any of the Cleanance K touched (the non spot) part of my face, it really stung. A cotton bud worked well for applying it.

As I said before, I don't know why it's called an exfoliant. Just ignore that bit. Apply it to the areas you need, rub it in and leave it. The instructions say to use once a day but I found that twice a day was good for me. I have dry, sensitive skin with oily areas that are prone to spots and blackheads. I had no problems at all using it on the oily areas.

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf

2011-10-26T22:57:00.000+01:00

I'd like to share an amazing charity with you - Hearing Dogs for Deaf People. I only came across them recently and I think they're wonderful.

I'd heard of guide dogs for the blind but I didn't realise that dogs can be trained to provide similar services for the deaf and disabled. There are a lot of incredible stories about how these dogs had literally saved lives. One that particularly stuck in my mind was about a woman with a crippling condition of which deafness was one of the symptoms, (I can't remember the name of the condition). She was struck by a stroke one day and just before she passed out she managed to press the alarm button in her home to alert the emergency services. Her hearing dog nudged her into the recovery position! When the emergency services arrived, her dog led them directly to her. If her dog hadn't put her in the recovery position, she would have died.

These dogs provide independence, companionship & security for some very vulnerable people. Just to add to the wonderfulness of it all, the dogs are rescue dogs. Yea, the dogs are rescued from neglectful or abusive positions and trained to be hearing dogs. So everyone wins.

I know that money's tight for everyone at the moment but if you do have a little to spare, they're definitely a charity worth donating to.

When will this recession end?

2011-10-24T16:06:00.000+01:00

You know when you're just so angry with the world that you don't actually know what to do?

I received a letter from one of my clients this morning asking me to accept a CVA. A CVA is a Company Voluntary Agreement - a company realises that they're in trouble and asks their debtors to agree to a repayment schedule. Except in this case they're asking me to accept 30%, yup, that's thirty percent of the money they owe me, repaid over 6 months. That will work out at a grand sum of about £20 a month. I'm the only private individual on the list - all the rest of the debtors are big companies. A company is in a much better position to absorb losses than a person. The person who introduced me to the company has been paid in full (and isn't answering my phone calls).

The worst thing is - I had serious misgivings about them right from the start. During the site visit they confused metres with feet and gave me the stage measurements in metres so consequently I hired equipment commensurate with the measurements in metres. Talk about over doing it!!

Note to self - follow your instincts. If it feels wrong, it usually is.

Forgotten London - Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association

2011-10-23T22:15:00.000+01:00

One of the many things I love about living in London is finding the abandoned relics of a bygone age standing forgotten and un-noticed in the urban landscape.

This is just outside Clapham Common tube station.

A quick internet search reveals that, during the 19th century, clean safe free drinking water for all was very scare. The Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain was set up in 1859 to provide free drinking water for London's general populace. The foundation set up drinking fountains and troughs like this all over London which immediately became not only very popular but vital for a healthy population. As the infrastructure increased and drinking water became available inside the home, these fountains fell into disuse.

As for me, I wish there were still horses and cattle in London to stop and take a long cool drink at troughs like these.

"Midnight in Paris" - a review.

2011-10-22T13:42:00.000+01:00

Things haven't been going that well recently and I've been in a bit of a slump so I decided to indulge in unabashed escapism & see the new Woody Allen film, 'Midnight in Paris'.

I've always been in two minds about Woody Allen. He's invariably struck me as rambling & self-indulgent but Paris is one of my best loved cities in the world and the luminous Marion Cotillard, who's one of the stars, is my favourite actress so I decided to give the film a go.

It turned out to be a very good decision on my part - 'Midnight in Paris' is wonderful.

To summarise briefly, it's about Gil, an American writer played by Owen Wilson, visiting Paris with his fiancee Inez, played perfectly by Rachel McAdams, and her very Republican parents. Gil is a romanticist, a dreamer who'd love to move to Paris & write a novel whilst Inez is more self absorbed & dreams of owning €18,000.00 antique chairs to put in a brand new Malibu beach house. It's obvious from the start that they're completely unsuited but they stumble along unhappily.

One night Gil decides to take a walk through the streets of Paris on his own. He's picked up by an antique taxi and transported back to a time he's always dreamed about, the golden age of Paris, the Jazz Age, where amongst many people, he encounters his idols Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, Dali and Gertrude Stein who gives him advice on his novel. Most importantly of all he meets Adriana, (Marion Cotillard) the *fictional* lover of Picasso. She's a dreamer too who yearns for La Belle Epoque. I know the time travel aspect sounds dubious but it's testament to Woody Allen's skill as a film maker that, not only does it work, but he subtly suggests it's a manifestation of Gil's unhappiness as he tries to work out a solution to his problems.

There was also a great cameo by Carla Bruni, Sarkozy's missus and the first lady of France.

I won't say too much more about the plot because I wouldn't want ruin the film for you but the film left me on a high. It's about the nature of love, about nostalgia, about yearning for something better.

The clothes, both in the present day and in the 1920's were breathtaking.

Image via http://www.bonjourparis.com

Image from http://www.style-extraordinaire.com/2011/06/midnight-in-paris.html

At times I found my breath catching at the exquisite detail on the 1920's clothing.

In many ways though, Paris was the real star of the show. It was clearly the Paris that only really exists in tourist brochures but no matter, it was beautifully & sumptuously shot and left my heart singing at the sheer beauty of it all. Shots of grim banlieues would clearly have just ruined it.

After the film, I walked back through the park and watched the sunset. A perfect end to a perfect afternoon.

You can't really see the sunset in this picture because my iPhone couldn't quite capture it.

I am a bad blogger

2011-10-21T14:32:00.000+01:00

I know. I haven't posted in ages. It's been a combination of things; (paid) work, illness (nothing too serious), but mainly a feeling that blogging is difficult.

Let me explain...

Obviously, I want to write the best possible posts. Witty, entertaining, personal. My favourite blogs are like that. I love reading them because they bring a different dimension to the way I look at things, they entertain me and they're thought provoking. I've written drafts for posts but haven't posted them because I just feel that they don't live up to those standards.

Must try harder...

A lazy Sunday on the Southbank.

2011-07-10T19:40:00.000+01:00

The weather has been topsy turvy recently so I was very glad that I'd booked tickets for a talk today with Victor Gregg, hosted by Rick Stroud.

Victor Gregg is a 92 year old ordinary Londoner who just happens to have led a most extraordinary life. He joined the British Army at the age of 19 and was present at the Battle of El Alamein. Victor volunteered for the Parachute Regiment after his experiences in north Africa. After landing in eastern Germany, he was captured by the Nazis. During his time as a prisoner of war, he was sent to Dresden. Whilst he was in Dresden, the city was carpeted bombed by the British and Americans, (something which is now widely considered to be a war crime). This event, in his own words, 'ruined his life for the next forty years' because nothing he'd experienced in the theatre of war prepared him for the horrors which he saw during this event. He became a pacifist as a result and ultimately joined the Communist Party.

After the war he became a painter and decorator and ironically helped to build the Southbank Centre where today's talk was held. Becoming tired of this he got a job as a driver for the head of a large Soviet bank in London. This was of course, during the Cold War, and he was approached by British military intelligence to become an agent which he did. He was a keen motor cyclist & attended many motor cycle rallies behind the Iron Curtain. It was during one of these rallies that he accidentally bumped into the German officer who'd arrested him in eastern Germany and they became friends. He spent a lot of time in Hungary and became one of the first people to physically cut the barbed wire that served as the Iron Curtain.

Phew! Did you get all that?

He was a likeable old man with a very salty, particularly London turn of phrase that I found very endearing - describing the operation that ultimately lead to his capture as a prisoner of war, 'It was a cock up. A complete balls up. Them officers didn't know what the b****y hell they were doing.'

By the time the talk had ended, the weather had taken a turn for the better so I decided to take a wander along the Southbank. Monstrous concrete architecture aside, it's one of my favourite parts of London.

I love the weekend book market underneath the railway arches.

I once found a 1902 edition of Thomas de Quincy's 'Confessions of an English Opium Eater' there for £10.

And then there's the graffitied arches below the Southbank where skateboarders gather to show off their skills...

I tried very hard to capture the boarders in motion but they were just too fast for me.

I was surprised and bemused by the graffiti artists' unexpected social statements...

There was a food market on.

It's safe to say that I'm addicted to food markets.

I had a wonderful hog roast and apple sauce sandwich followed by the most delicious chocolate brownie I have ever had. Sitting in the sun eating good food makes me very happy.

It really was a perfect day. What's your ideal way to spend a Sunday?

My return. With broadband.

2011-07-10T18:38:00.000+01:00

I'm back! And I have broadband.

Following the advice of friends, I switched my broadband account from the Post Office, (which was dreadful) to Plusnet which, so far has been very good. The signal has been consistently strong & fast and I haven't lost it once which was a real problem with the Post Office. Plusnet customer service has been excellent, with emails at every step informing me of what's happening with my account.

A very big thumbs up from me.

The one where I still find myself with no internet

2011-06-14T14:11:00.000+01:00

So here I am, still with no internet after a month.

In many ways, I am enjoying rediscovering retro pastimes like reading and actually meeting up with friends. When I do need internet access I go down to my local bistro (who do have free wifi), sit in a window seat, drink coffee, tap on my computer and watch the world go by. There is a certain romantic air to it but it's getting to the point now where it's just irritating not being in contact with the modern world.

Image from http://www.allposters.co.uk

I'm being told that I'll be connected within 5-7 days. We'll see...

Until then, good bye. I must get back to my latte.

Very exciting news...

2011-06-01T14:58:00.000+01:00

I adore Fever London's exquisite, lady-like dresses so when I was asked to review them, I leapt at the chance.

You can read part one of my review here.

Whilst you're on the site, do take the chance to have a look at the products. They're truly beautiful.

Apologies yet again

2011-06-01T14:41:00.000+01:00

Once again, I'm apologizing for my lack of posting. Yet again, it's down to my broadband problems. It's shocking, the shoddy standards of the ISP companies in this country. I'm having horrendous broadband problems chiefly due to the fact that my provider thinks it's acceptable to take my money and not have to provide a service, my boyfriend is having problems with his ISP and so are at least two of my friends.

Gap in the market... Any takers?

Hero beauty product - Neal's Yard Remedies Rejuvenating Frankincence Firming Neck Cream

2011-05-08T13:26:00.000+01:00

As you grow older everything starts to sag and crease.

I've noticed recently that my neck was starting to resemble this, so I was on the look out for a good neck cream. I've always liked the organic ethos as well as the gorgeous smells of Neal's Yard Remedies, so when I spotted the Rejuvenating Frankincence Firming Neck Cream, I decided to give it a try.

Image via http://www.shopperhive.co.uk/

My first impression? It smelt gorgeous!

I applied it to the neck and decollectage region twice a day and after about two weeks, I started to notice a difference. I'm forty five so sadly my complexion will never look like this but there was a noticeable increase in hydration and a slight increase in firmness. At my age, even a slight increase is good enough for me!

Buy here for £38.80 and in the USA here for $65.

The Royal Wedding - A Londoner's perspective

2011-05-01T13:00:00.001+01:00

I do love a good wedding. I love the romance, the chance for a good knees up, the general loveliness of it all. So I was rather excited about the Royal Wedding.

Most Londoners, myself included, steer well of central London during major events but I was rather touched by the response of ordinary Londoners, far away from the media glare, to the wedding... My local shisha bar offering free shishas to anyone called William or Kate; the Caribbean restaurant just down the road inventing a plethora of new cocktails for the occasion including 'Kiss me Kate' and my personal favourite, 'Westminster Sinner'; the phalanx of little girls walking regally down the High Road dressed as princesses, complete with tiaras.

My flatmate and myself decided to mark the occasion by dressing in our poshest frocks, drinking Earl Grey tea from a beautiful hand painted tea set left to me by my mum and eating Victoria Sponge cake whilst we watched it all unfold on the BBC. Darling, how very British!

The moment which really brought the enormity of the occasion home to me was, when they kissed on the balcony at the palace, we could actually hear the roar of the crowd. I only live about five or six miles away from central London and I think the wind must have been right. Most astonishing.

I'm not going to add anything more to the online cacophony about The Dress, The Kiss and The Body Language because far, far more knowledgeable, experienced people than myself have already analyzed them so all I will say is, I thought Kate looked beautiful - classic and timeless - and I think that they're genuinely in love. I was rather touched by William's protective body language towards her throughout the ceremony.

Amongst all the excitement and romance, I couldn't, however, help feeling a sense of unease at such a display. So much (taxpayer's) money spent, yet I was still stepping over homeless people on The Strand on my way to work. The Strand is about quarter of a mile from Westminster Abbey. I do realise that social problems like homelessness are far more complex to solve than just throwing money at them but still...

Easter weekend in London

2011-04-26T20:33:00.000+01:00

I do hope all my lovely readers had as great Easter weekend as I did. We spent it in London. Personally I love London on Bank Holidays. There's none of the manic rushing that happens during the working week. Just people who really enjoy London.

Unfortunately I did have to work Friday and Saturday but the double time was extremely welcome.

As it was such a gorgeous day on Sunday, my boyfriend and I decided to go up to Hampstead Heath and enjoy the weather. I adore everything about Hampstead - the beautiful unspoiled village with it's boutiques & fantastic pubs, the wild, vast untamed heath...

We wandered through the Heath for a while

then retired to The Holly Bush, a beautiful little pub just off the high street, that dates back to the nineteenth century, for a couple of glasses of rose and a very nice roast dinner. After The Holly Bush, we were in no mood to end the evening so continued on to The Flask, another of my favourite pubs in the area for another glass of rose and a game of Trivial Pursuit, ( I lost!)

We woke up late-ish on Monday and decided to go and see 'Submarine'. It's a strange, quirky little film but I loved it. It's coming-of-age film about a teenage boy in Wales trying to loose his virginity & cope with the potential break up of his parents marriage. Sounds run of the mill but the style is not. It's divided into slightly dramatic sections like a book but it works because it's the way teenagers see life. Well, it's the way I saw things when I was fifteen! Disaster strikes! The break up! Definitely a recommendation from me.

Apologies

2011-04-21T10:44:00.000+01:00

Once again, I need to apologise for the break in blogging.

I've been caught up in estate agent hell which has taken me a very long time to sort out. I wish I could elaborate but sadly I can't. All I can say is - I don't know how they can sleep at night. They've looked me straight in the eye, smiled and told lie after lie after lie, knowing that their actions will badly damage me. Not good people.

Anyway, on to far more pleasant matters. Firstly I do need to thank the lovely Ines of All I Am - a redhead for the perfume samples I won in a give away on her blog and the eternally stylish Looking Fab in your forties of Looking Fab at Any Age for the very sexy Playtex lingerie set which I won in a give away on her site. I'll be bringing you the lowdown on the lingerie set very soon.

Last but on least, I have some very exciting projects in the pipeline. Watch this space...

What a beautiful day

2011-02-12T19:39:00.001Z

Today was the first day this year that I was able to switch off the heating and open all the doors & windows. Yes, I know it's a little early in the year but it really felt like spring was on it's way.

I can't wait for warmer days so I can wear beautiful floaty dresses in gorgeous bright colours and not have to bother with coats.

Object of desire - Chloe pleated silk-satin blouse

2011-02-06T16:13:00.001Z

I just love this Chloe blouse.

Image via net-a-porter.com

I could see myself wearing it with cream wide-legged trousers and some strappy sandals for lunch in a beautiful restaurant like The Roof Gardens.

All I need now is to find the £515 to pay for it. And get the life style to go with it.

You can buy it in the UK here and the US here.

Happy Birthday to me!

2011-02-03T05:59:00.000Z

Today is my birthday.

I'm 45. Forty five! I can scarcely believe it. The whole thing has an air of the surreal about it. Surely I can't be five years off... gulp, half a century? I mean, I still feel like a hip, trendy young thing who spends every night out in the latest bar/club/pub.

Actually, who am I trying to kid - I feel a bit knackered and really rather enjoy quiet nights in with Classic FM & a good book. And a nice cup of cocoa.

Instead of relentlessly following the latest fashion whether or not it suits me, I now hunt down quality investment pieces that flatter my body type and I have a newfound appreciation of good tailoring.

I'd rather spend quality time with good friends than hanging out in the latest hip nightspot with people I hardly know. In fact I'm quite fond of regaling young people with my clubbing stories in a smug 'been there, done that' kind of way. I was put rather firmly in my place the other day when I was telling some beautiful young things a story about clubbing at The Hacienda. I was in full flow, convinced of my own coolness when a gorgeous boy sighed wistfully and said, 'That sounds amazing. I wish I'd been alive in the olden days'. That was me well and truly told. I'll get back to my cocoa.

All in all, it's not that bad growing old. Granted you have a few wrinkles and grey hairs but you have a real confidence and self assuredness that I wouldn't swap for anything. When you're young and life throws you a few knocks, you're convinced that it's the end, your life is ruined and you'll never be able to recover from it but as you get a few life experiences under your belt, you realize that it'll pass and you'll survive. So much less tiring than teenage angst.

I have my amazing boyfriend, my wonderful family and great friends. That's all I need really.

The Kings Speech - a review

2011-02-02T20:51:00.001Z

I was in desperate need of mental and cultural stimulation today after spending the whole day yesterday on Facebook/Twitter & watching some truly woeful TV so I took myself off to see 'The Kings Speech'.

Image via www.awardsdaily.com

It was a very smart move on my part. It's an amazing film. Colin Firth was magnificent. Not in a hot-Mr-Darcy-emerging-from-the-lake kind of way. In a strong, intelligent actor at the height of his powers kind of way. Geoffrey Rush was as great as ever and it was good to see Helena Bonham-Carter going back to her roots & playing an English gentlewoman.

For those of you not in the know, it's about Bertie, the reluctant prince who overcame a crippling stammer with the help of an unorthodox Australian speech therapist and became King George VI. During World War II, King George VI played a very important part in boosting British morale and became a symbol of the British spirit. I actually found myself welling up at times as they both overcame obstacles in their lives and became the unlikeliest of friends. Dare I whisper the hackneyed phrase 'life affirming'?

Definitely a recommendation from me.

Charity shop find - mother of pearl evening bag

2011-01-31T18:43:00.000Z

I'm so happy with this gorgeous little evening bag which I found in a charity shop on the Kings Road for a whole £10.

It's versatile enough to dress down with black skinny jeans, biker boots and a band t shirt or up with a LBD & heels. And I just love the mother of pearl buttons.

Best of all it reminds me of this beautiful Angel Jackson satchel which retails at a cool £221 so I feel I've saved £210 - right?

Image via ly.st

Things that are making me happy today

2011-01-29T16:19:00.001Z

It's icily cold here in London today and I'm struggling to complete my tax return in time.

Here are a few things that are keeping my spirits up

Daffodils to remind me that spring is just around the corner.

Freshly sliced kiwi fruit.

Good chocolate.

How do you keep your spirits up? x

In Bruges, with lots of chocolate but no sign of Colin Farrell

2011-01-28T11:44:00.006Z

The first stop on the trip that I mentioned here was Bruges, in Belgium.

Bruges gets a bad press as a boring, provincial town. During the film 'In Bruges' Colin Farrell says to Ray Winstone, 'If I had grown up on a farm, and was retarded, Bruges might impress me. But I didn't, so it doesn't.' Harsh, I feel. I thought it was a charming, pretty little town.

We saw beautiful medieval architecture

and sweet little homes

There were rather endearing examples of mistranslation or misunderstanding of English. This was a posh gentleman's outfitters. We could only assume that they were thinking of horse and carriage here.

Maybe 'Bras' means something else in Flemish but it amused us in a puerile way. It was a restaurant.

There was unexpected humour in staid public places

You have to look carefully at this but there are two sculptural figures on that balcony. They look like a couple who've just had an argument.

and quirky sculpture in private places. I think this was meant to be a teradactyl.

We ate the most delicious Flemish stew here.

and marveled at the amount of chocolate shops everywhere.

As far as I'm concerned, a town that has a shop selling real artisanial chocolate around practically every corner can't be boring. We found a wonderful little shop - Chocolaterie de Burg, Marleen Maenhout Burg 15, 8000 Bruges, (it doesn't have a website) - that sold the strangest and most wonderful flavours of chocolate I've ever come across;

coriander chocolate (didn't work)
rose & black pepper (worked)
wild mint (didn't work)
basil (worked)
and all the standard flavours, praline, chilli, vanilla etc. which were lovely.

After a hard days ~~eating chocolate~~, sightseeing, we needed to sit down with a hot drink. The Boyfriend spotted Koets 27b, a beautiful tea & dining room way off the very well beaten tourist trail. I loved it as soon as I walked in. Decor-wise, it combined rustic with refined. It was a converted coach house with a conservatory that overlooked an old walled garden. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that the toilets were up a very steep flight of stairs - practically a ladder. I wouldn't like to negotiate them after a drink or two.

There were 52 varieties of tea on the menu. I had wood flavour which tasted of raspberries. Nice but not woody.

All in all, I loved Bruges and I'd thoroughly recommend it for an weekend away.

The return

2011-01-23T21:46:00.000Z

I'm returned from my trip!

It was great in the way that France & Belgium always are. I have a very important job interview tomorrow, then I'll be back with some more posts.

Crossing fingers for the interview tomorrow.

In which I go to hospital in an ambulance

2011-01-14T14:10:00.000Z

We were planning on leaving for France today but I woke up early this morning with an agonizing pain in my chest, unable to breathe. It was absolutely bloody terrifying. Every breath I took made it worse and every movement was excruciating. I pride myself on being quite tough but that was like nothing I'd felt before.

The Boyfriend dialed 999 and the ambulance was there within minutes. Seriously. He barely had time to put his shoes on. Fifteen minutes later I was in the hospital having tests. It was absolutely awe inspiring. There's a lot of criticism of the NHS but I've experienced it at the sharp end and I can tell you I was so grateful and so humbled by the professionalism, the efficiency and the decency of every single person I encountered. And I didn't pay a single penny. Forget everything else - in my mind, the mark of civilization is free, effective health care.

And the prognosis? They think it's gall stones. Glamorous, I know. The doctor feels I'll be ok to go to France so I've been given painkillers the size of horse pills, I'm resting today and we're hoping to leave for France tomorrow. When I return, I'll have to have stomach scans for gall stones and we'll take it from there.

No sooner am I back, than I go away again.

2011-01-13T13:48:00.000Z

I'm off to France now for a week so it's radio silence for a while. We're planning on visiting the WW1 battlefields in northern France, then on to Paris so I should have some lovely posts when I get back.

Chanel, Laduree... Can't wait.

Update on the floods

2011-01-13T10:22:00.000Z

I've heard from my family and they're all safe. They had to leave their house because it was at such high risk of flooding but thank God, the river didn't peak as high as was expected, so the water didn't reach their house. They're now waiting for the water to subside so they can move back in.

Queensland floods - so helpless.

2011-01-12T21:53:00.000Z

I've been following, with growing horror, the news of the floods in Queensland, Australia and especially Brisbane. I have family in Brisbane and it's very, very hard to know that they're caught up in such an event and there's absolutely nothing you can do to help. Their street is at high risk of flooding so they've evacuated and are waiting to see what happens. They seem to be in good spirits considering the situation they're in, so fingers crossed...

I fell in love with Queensland & Brisbane when I was in Australia in mid 2009. I felt that this was the Australia I'd travelled half way across the world to see - the Barrier Reef, the rainforest, the breathtaking beaches, the colonial architecture with the wrap-around verandahs and the friendly, weather beaten people. There's a magical quality about it.

Brisbane, (the capital of Queensland) is a gorgeous city. It somehow manages to combine ultra modernity with a relaxed living-with-nature vibe. This picture below was a street in central Brisbane but it felt like you were in some outpost just hacked out of the bush.

Photo is my own.

My favorite part of Brisbane was the boardwalk along the riverside that, at times, goes through the mangrove swamps.

Image via http://www.visitbrisbane.com.au/Travel/Default.aspx

I loved strolling along there in the fine weather, stopping occasionally to watch the wildlife in the swamps. So it was heartbreaking this morning to read that Brisbane City Council has decided to demolish it because they're worried it's going to break loose and act like a deadly missile as it's swept along in the flood waters.

I've returned.

2011-01-11T08:09:00.007Z

Wow, it has been a long time since I've blogged.

There are many reasons why there's been such a long break - the main one being work commitments. Regular readers of this blog will know that I've been looking for work for a while and in the last couple of months my freelance work has taken off. I've managed to get on the crew for one of London's major nightclubs so my nights have been filled with loud, loud music & very drunk people and my days with sleep, calm & tranquillity.

Another reason, if I'm honest, is that I find blogging needs a certain level of emotional commitment and at times I find this quite difficult. Does anyone else feel this way?

To celebrate my return, here's a picture I took recently during the latest snowy weather. Enjoy.

Knitting on the tube

2010-10-07T12:49:00.000+01:00

Image courtesy of www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk

Three times this month (and we're only seven days into the month), I've seen very cool girls sitting on the tube, here in London, knitting. I think creating something is a great way to pass a boring tube journey. Certainly beats listening to inane drunken conversations.

So if you see a wild eyed woman on the Northern Line with a tangled ball of wool and an odd shaped piece of knitting, do bear with me - it's been a very long time since I attempted any knitting.

Object of desire - Charlene Mullen embroidered cushion

2010-09-26T12:34:00.000+01:00

Charlene Mullen's embroidered cushions caught my eye at London Design Week. This wonderfully witty cushion, hand embroidered with a picture of birds sitting on electrical poles was my favourite.

Image courtesy of theoldsweetshop.org

A couple of these in my living room would look fabulous.

You can buy them online at Charlene Mullen.

Why I love fashion

2010-09-18T20:06:00.000+01:00

Ah, fashion week! Scouring Style.com for updates on the latest shows, amazing looks on the streets, working out what I'm going to wear next season, (although with my budget, it's more like what I'd like to wear next season!) I just love it.

I work in a very practical, male dominated environment and I'm often told, 'What's the point of fashion? I mean, some of those dresses are really stupid. You couldn't go to the supermarket in them.' This is missing the point spectacularly. Fashion, (and by this I mean couture) is not about covering your body in order to perform the practical mundanities of life. It's about transcending the everyday banalities. It's about using the human form as a template to create breathtaking works of art. You need to look no further than the late, great Alexander McQueen for this.

Image courtesy of oodora.com

Fashion, (here I'm talking about all aspects of fashion - couture, high street, ready to wear) allows you to fleetingly experience states of existence that you wouldn't normally - one day you can be a Hollywood siren, the next a hard-nosed businesswoman. It allows you to escape, to dream & to explore.

It's been suggested more than once to me that as an intelligent, educated woman, I should be above such superficial things such as appearance. I strongly disagree with this stance. Let's face it - we all make snap judgements based on the way someone comes across visually. Fashion allows you to control those judgements to your advantage. According to mental health professionals, one of the signs of mental illness is not caring about the way you look.

Do we need fashion? We need fashion in the same way that we need Beethoven, Shakespeare and Warhol. It may not be necessary for our basic routine of eating and sleeping but it elevates us and makes us more than just field animals.

I leave you with this gorgeous creation by Chanel to feast your eyes on...

Image courtesy of mimifroufrou.com

Hero beauty product - Lacura Q10 night cream

2010-09-17T09:50:00.000+01:00

Image courtesy of teamsugar.com

Broke is not a good place to be, so when my flat-mate gave me a tub of Lacura Q10 Night Cream, I was grateful to say the least. When she told me that it cost £1.99 and that it was the best night cream she'd ever used, I was intrigued.

She's right - it's excellent.

I have very dry, sensitive skin and I could feel this working immediately. It really moisturized. Often, I find that a moisturizer will nourish the top layer of the skin but you'll still feel dry and tight deeper down but this cream really did completely moisturize the entire epidermis. I found that my skin tone was far more even and less... well... ruddy, (the rosacea, you see). It also firmed my skin, which was an unexpected but very welcome bonus - I've reached a certain age and things are definitely starting to head southward, so anything that delays this always goes down well in my book.

A very, very good product all round and I can't recommend it highly enough.

You can buy it in the U.K. here and the U.S. here. £1.99 in the U.K. and $3.99 in the U.S. - bargain!

Sophie Dahl's 'Playing with the Grown-ups' - book review

2010-08-11T18:50:00.000+01:00

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

I'll admit, I was initially a little dubious about this book. I mean how good an author could the super-model granddaughter of Roald Dahl be?

Well, I'll confess, I was wrong. It's a intelligent, evocative, beautifully written, coming-of-age book about the difficult relationship between a young girl and her mother.

Kitty is the girl in question and Marina is her beautiful, beguiling, selfish mother. The narrative moves between England and the US, as well as past and present.

Dahl isn't afraid to cast an unflinching eye on contradictions in the mother/daughter relationship and show how it's possible to love and hate someone at the same time. Marina is an ex-model who now works as an artist. She's self absorbed, promiscuous... and mentally ill. She uproots her children, moves to the States and puts Kitty into an unsuitable boarding school on the orders of a rather dubious Swami and well... to say anymore would ruin the book for you.

Having had a very difficult relationship with my own mother, I found this book strangely cathartic. Dahl writes with wit and sympathy. Kitty is a strong character who comes to rely on her own intuition and intelligence to survive an awful situation and accept herself & her mother without reservation.

Highly recommended.

You can buy in the UK here and the US here.

Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer...

2010-08-10T10:25:00.005+01:00

I know - I said I'd be back and I wasn't. I'm sorry, life just got in the way.

It's been a wonderful summer. Falling in love; lazy afternoons in the park; blue skies; flowers; long walks; being adopted by a local cat; gallery openings; Farnborough Air Show; discovering a crazy new band; the Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A; rediscovering the joy of reading a book as opposed to surfing the internet.

Here is my summer...

This is one of the dresses Grace Kelly wore in 'Rear Window'.

Image courtesy of http://skirmishofwit.typepad.com

Young British Artists exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery

A Lancaster bomber accompanied by two Spitfires

I hope your summer's been as beautiful as mine.

I'm back!

2010-07-08T11:28:00.001+01:00

Well, hello!

I must apologize for the break in blogging.

There have been a number of reasons, the main one being, the charger for my computer died so I was unable to get online until the new one was delivered. I missed my computer but it was great to enjoy the freedom that not constantly checking Facebook/emails/news sites gives you. Very retro, it was too.

I will be posting some lovely new posts soon. In the meantime, wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying as wonderful weather as we are, here in London.

World cup

2010-06-11T18:40:00.001+01:00

So the World Cup has began. I'm talking about the football World Cup obviously.

Tomorrow England play the USA. We're going to watch the game here.

Here's a rather joyous South African song to celebrate it.

Come on England!

One of those days.

2010-06-10T19:17:00.001+01:00

Today was a blah day.

I went to my temp job and sat there trying to smile and pretend that answering telephones was something that I grew up wanting to do.

I tried to keep smiling as my boss blamed me for all her mistakes.

I tried to keep smiling as she vented her bad mood on me.

Then I went to lunch and sat on a park bench alone, eating my home made sandwiches.

In the afternoon, I surreptitiously surfed the internet whilst my boss was busy and learnt all about Cheryl Cole's divorce. Information that I don't need or care about but it passed the time.

Then I went home. As I left the office, the heavens opened and I was drenched.

Tomorrow will be a better day.

Five firsts

2010-06-02T20:15:00.004+01:00

First job. I worked in a tourist souvenir shop on Westminster Bridge Road. It was very, very hard work but I loved it. I'd just arrived in London from Africa and the thrill of seeing Big Ben every day was immeasurable. And I learnt never, ever to underestimate the public's appetite for complete and utter tat.

First kiss. A boy called Douglas. I kissed him at my friend Jane's 16th birthday party...

First perfume I bought. Chanel No. 19. I saved up for weeks to afford it. I just adored the light, clean loveliness of it. Even now, the faintest whiff of it takes me back to those heady days of being 21 years old with the world at my feet.

First song I bought. 'Brown girl in the ring' by Boney M!! I hang my head in shame... Naturally when I'm talking to my cool music business friends, I mutter something about Fleetwood Mac or the Rolling Stones.

First show I worked on. 'Brigadoon'. Funnily enough, this was my first school show and the first West End show I worked on. Yea, I know - it's pretty naff but I had great fun on both occasions and I'll always have fond memories of the show.

Summer glow

2010-05-24T20:18:00.005+01:00

Summer has finally arrived here in Britain. After such a long, cold winter it's a real relief waking up to blue sunny skies with the promise of a long lazy day in the park to look forward to.

The advent of summer does bring with it certain perils, not least of which is the thought of baring one's pasty white winter body in light summery clothes. This year I decided to be clever and prepare and bought myself a bottle of Dove Summer Glow.

Image courtesy of lunch.com

The bottle promises moisturiser with a hint of self tanning agents gradually builds a light tan. Naively I thought that this was just a matter of applying it like a regular moisturiser and within a week I'd have a Jennifer Aniston-esque natural looking tan.

Ha! Wrong!

Somehow I've ended up looking like a cross between an inverse tiger, (orange and white as opposed to orange and black, geddit?) and well, frankly bizarre.

Here's a picture to show you what I mean.

That 'shadow' between my fingers is no shadow... The 'moisturiser/tanning agent' has ended up between my fingers and stained them a bright orange! It really does make me look like I have webbed fingers.

There's also a very definite line up the back of my leg. I have no idea how that happened because I certainly apply it evenly all over.

Before you ask, yes, I did all the things they advise before tanning - exfoliating, moisturising...

I'm now frantically scrubbing myself trying to get rid of my fetching mottled orange appearance.

If anyone has any hints or tips or how to use this damn stuff, I'd be interested to find out what they are. I've had a lot of compliments on how 'healthy' I'm looking, ( I just try to hide my webbed hands and not stand in direct sunlight so as not to highlight my inverse tiger look, ha, ha) so I'd like to know how to use this properly.

If you know how to apply it and want to take the plunge, you can buy it in the UK here. I couldn't seem to find anywhere that sold it in the US.

Thank you!

2010-05-23T20:41:00.000+01:00

It was with great excitement that I got home from work on Friday to find a package from the lovely Ines of All I am - a redhead waiting for me. I'd won samples of Puredistance in a giveaway on her blog and she'd very kindly sent them along with loads of other perfume samples to try. The last time I won anything, I was about 11 and I won a book token at school for creative writing, so it was very exciting to receive this. I can't wait to try them. xx

Here's a picture of spring daffodils I took about a month ago by way of thank you.

On growing old.

2010-05-18T20:48:00.002+01:00

There's been a lot of fuss here in Britain lately about the recent election and the hung parliament but the biggest shock, for me, came when I realized that David Cameron, the new Prime Minister is younger than me! I'm... erm... 44 (and some months) and David Cameron is 43 years and 7 months old. I had to retire to a darkened room and fan myself to try and recover from the news, I tell you.

Whippersnapper

Image courtesy of thesun.co.uk

After I'd came to terms with such outrageous news, I got to thinking about age and wisdom.

Somehow I've always felt that there'd come a point as you grow older that you'd accumulate such knowledge and such wisdom that the questions of the universe would suddenly become clear and you'd just know what to do in any given situation. How to behave at a dinner party? Ask me, I'm an old person. Should I take the job? I know the answer to this, I'm old. Budget deficit? Easy, I know what to do, I'm old.

But now that I'm officially... erm... mature, I realize that I'm just as confused as I was when I was eighteen. The only difference now is, I just know how to bluff better. All my contemporaries are the same - making it up as we go with no real clue as to whether we're doing the right thing. This makes me think that our erstwhile leaders must be the same - bumbling along, desperately hoping they've made the right decision. Scary stuff.

Christina Aguilera perfume - the lowdown

2010-05-11T21:53:00.001+01:00

Image courtesy of slapiton.tv

I'm most definitely not a fan of anything celebrity endorsed, so when I was given a sample of Christina Aguilera perfume, I must confess, I did approach it with suspicion.

My first impression, when I dabbed it liberally on both wrists was warm & sweet and somehow it reminded me of my grandma. I really don't like sweet perfumes but as time wore on, the sweetness subsided and just the warmth remained. Pleasant enough, if you like that sort of thing...

It was only when I read the fragrance notes that I realized why it reminded me of my grandma. The top note is vanilla - my grandma loved baking!!

Overall, I think it's a safe, uncomplicated perfume for teenage girls who think that 'sexy' is nothing more complicated than wearing a short skirt and glittery make up.

Livingston - the next big thing?

2010-04-29T00:42:00.003+01:00

Last night I worked on a Livingston gig.

They're what I can only describe as 'Emo rock' and boy, did they kick arse. I'm extremely cynical about a lot of most of the acts that I work with. When you do as many shows as I do, you get so tired of the generic sounds and looks but this lot were different. Charismatic, energetic...

Take it from me, they're about to go HUGE.

Modern Penny Farthing

2010-04-19T17:12:00.001+01:00

I saw this guy outside Hampton Court Palace on Saturday.

I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable cycling on something nearly as tall as myself and really hard to climb onto but I love the fact that people still ride them. What was great was that he didn't belong to any enthusiasts club or anything - he was going for a cycle in the spring sunshine and his choice of transport just happened to be a Penny Farthing.

Thomas More - thinker with a really shiny statue

2010-04-14T20:33:00.003+01:00

Today, I've got this picture of Thomas More for you. Thomas More, for those who don't know, came up with the idea of 'Utopia' - an ideal state where men and women are educated alike, there's complete religious tolerance and communal ownership of land. Wishful thinking on his part because he was executed by King Henry VIII, (yup, the one with all those wives) for not agreeing that he, Henry VIII, was the supreme head of the Church of England.

Anyway, let's not think about his grisly end and contemplate, instead, the shiny golden glory of his statue and the possibilities of Utopia.

Dead end jobs

2010-04-12T21:36:00.005+01:00

Choosing to live the so-called 'artistic' lifestyle invariably means that from time to time work is slow and you have to dip your toe into the pool of 'real' work or in my case, temping. Usually the jobs are just boring but occasionally you get a real humdinger.

Many years ago, when I was young, scared and naive, I was sent as a receptionist to the London offices of a very well known credit card company. I arrived at 9am on the dot and was shown into a tiny little office that was more like a broom cupboard, with no windows. The phone contact list was thrown (literally) at me, I was given a cursory lesson on how the switchboard worked and left on my own to figure things out. When I say, left on my own, I mean really left on my own. Not one person came in to check that I was ok, whether I needed to go to the toilet, etc. Now I get hypoglycemia and if I don't eat, my speech becomes slurred and I forget things.

At about 4.30pm (remember I started at 9am), a rather sour faced woman put her head around the door and looked at me disdainfully, "I've had complaints from customers that you are slurring. Have you been drinking?"

"No, I'm so sorry. I just really need a break. I haven't eaten all day and I go a bit funny when I need food." At the time, I didn't know that I was hypoglycemic.

The sour faced woman looked at me incredulously, as if I was something nasty that she'd stepped in, "This really is most inconvenient. We're extremely busy here and no one has time to do your job for you whilst you put your feet up." (By law everyone has to have a fifteen minute break every four hours.)

If I'd been older and wiser, at this point I'd have gathered up my things, informed her of my legal rights, threatened to report her and walked out but I was young and new to the world of work so I pleaded. After a long moment during which she glared intently at me and I quailed under the onslaught, she begrudgingly agreed to give me a ten minute break. Naturally she told me off for being late when I got back but ten minutes really isn't long enough to go to the toilet, find a sandwich shop, wait in line for the sandwich to be made and then eat the sandwich.

I did tell the temp agency about what happened but they said that the company had reported me for drinking on the job!! The temp agency continued to employ me so I guess they believed me.

This incident pales into insignificance, however beside the story of working for the man who I now refer to as 'that nutter'. The offices were in a basement off Oxford Street and again, I was employed as a receptionist. As soon as I arrived, I had a bad feeling about the job. There were stacks and stacks of paper and files everywhere. You actually had to pick your way over them to the desk. I asked for a pen and paper to take messages, write notes, etc and I was met with a look of incomprehension. Finally I was given a pencil and a piece of paper that the guy had in his bag.

The company was a computer sales company. They advertised computing equipment for sale in computer magazines. Customers called up or filled in the appropriate form (this was in the days before the internet), money was taken and the equipment duly dispatched. Only that it wasn't. As the day wore on, it became increasingly obvious that the company was taking money from the customers and not sending on the equipment. Not only that, they'd recently closed down and opened up again under another name to avoid legal action. Every single call was from irate customers threatening demanding their money back and threatening legal action.

Eventually I had a call from a man who said that he was trying to start up his own business but because of the money that he'd lost to this dodgy company, he was on the verge of going bankrupt. I'd become very uncomfortable about playing even a small part in this fraud so I gave him all the details about the company that he needed to pursue legal action.

Almost immediately I heard the boss screaming down the phone at someone, "She's trying to destroy me! I'm not going to let it happen! I'll sue you! I'll destroy her first!". It really unnerved me.

The phone then rang and it was the temp agency. All these years later, I can still remember what followed word for word, "You need to leave the office immediately. We don't think it's safe for you to be there. Pick up your things, don't stop to talk to anyone, just leave. Once you've left, come into our offices immediately. If you are not here in twenty minutes, we will be calling the police." I was shaking so hard that I could hardly put the phone down properly. I got my things, slipped out as quietly as I could and ran the whole length of Oxford Street. It turned out that the temp agency had just had a call from the police regarding the ongoing fraud, then they'd received what they described as a 'deranged' phone call from him about me. For years I avoided that particular spot on Oxford Street. Even now, passing it gives me the chills.

Hidden London - Battersea

2010-04-08T21:01:00.004+01:00

The tourist sites of London feel faintly familiar to most people, whether they've visited them or not.

Image courtesy of planetware.com

London is at it's best, however, off the very well beaten tourist track. I want to do an occasional series about the hidden corners of London.

I'm going to start with Battersea - the part just by Battersea Bridge, on the south side of the river.

This area was very heavily bombed by the Nazi bombers during World War 2, trying to get Battersea Power Station on the opposite side of the river. They didn't hit it.

Battersea Power Station

Thanks to government re-building programmes up until the 1970's, the area is now largely made up of dreary council flats, light industrial sites and expensive, characterless new builds.

Thankfully, not everything was destroyed during the Blitz. The rather wonderful St. Mary's Church survived the conflagration. There's been a church on this site since 693 AD. William Blake was married here and Joseph Turner painted on this spot.

St. Mary's

I'm rather fond of this spot for a number of reasons. Firstly, it's an oasis of calm in traffic bound hell of the area. Secondly, their admissions or rather, welcome policy is endearingly inclusive.

I don't know how well you can read this notice from my photo but it says that they welcome 'all people regardless of age, relationship status, colour, ability or disability, sexual orientation or how much or how little faith people have when they join us'. Rather lovely, I think.

They also have a number of houseboats moored outside the church.

It seems like well established community. They even have post boxes.

Battersea has always been an unusual area. In 1913, Britain's first black mayor, John Archer was elected Mayor of Battersea. It's one of those somewhat pragmatic areas with the super-rich living cheek-by-jowl with council estate tenants. Definitely worth a visit if you want to experience another side of London.

Cosmetics reviews

2010-03-21T11:30:00.009Z

I have a love-hate relationship with cosmetics.

I love them because of they promise so much - luxury, pampering, self-indulgence & the possibility of looking like a better version of yourself. On the other hand, there's an awful lot of bulls**t, the promotion of only a very few 'acceptable' ways to look and the promise of looking like an eighteen year old, which any sensible person over the age of nineteen knows is rubbish.

On that note, I'd like to share with you some of the beauty products I've tried recently and my experiences with them. I have notoriously difficult skin - dry, extremely sensitive to environment influences like central heating and prone to rosacea. My hair is similar but without the rosacea - dry and prone to frizz at the drop of a hat.

I'd like to start with Boots No. 7 Protect and Perfect.

Image courtesy of www.iloapp.queenpeach.com

This is an interesting one. In 2007, BBC's Horizon programme, which is a very well respected science programme, claimed that the No. 7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum actually worked. This naturally sparked a buying frenzy and Protect and Perfect has been at the top of the best seller lists ever since.

So did it work for me?

Unfortunately not. The cleanser and the beauty serum felt harsh against my skin and both the day & night moisturizers made my face sting. After a week, my cheeks were noticeably redder and felt inflamed. I certainly didn't notice any reduction in the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
Rather worryingly, after about a month, I found that my skin was more sensitive to things like central heating. I also don't like the fact that the range doesn't differentiate between skin types - ie. there's no special creams for oily skin, dry skin etc. It's just one cream for all skin types and let's face it, dry skin needs are very different to oily skin needs.

However, I'm not going to dismiss Protect and Perfect out of hand though because my friend S swears by it and even I can see the difference in her complexion when she's not using it.

After my (didn't) Protect and Perfect experience, I was looking for something to try and calm down my now inflamed looking complexion. I don't have a lot of money at the moment to spend on cosmetics, so I was nosing round my local branch of Boots when I spotted this.

Image courtesy of kaboodle.com

Eau Thermale Avene's Gentle Milk Cleanser. I bought the cleanser along with the Soothing Hydrating Serum. Immediately I noticed a difference, even after the first application. The cleanser is very soothing and feels good on the skin. My complexion looked far less ruddy and felt far less dehydrated. After about a week, people were commenting on how healthy I looked and my skin felt far more supple and far less susceptible to environmental influences. My rosacea has calmed down to the point where I just look like I have healthy, rosy cheeks. Definitely a big yes from me.

I can't abide celebrity endorsed products so it's with a heavy heart that I have to tell you about this.

Image courtesy of eleven.se

It's James Brown's Richly Moisturizing Shampoo. James Brown is Kate Moss's hairdresser and boy, does he let you know about it. The shampoo is however (sadly!) excellent. In fact, I'd go as far as to say, it's the best shampoo I've ever used. It's a little odd to use because you leave it on like a conditioner for three minutes and I keep forgetting that I then need to apply conditioner after that but no matter. It leaves my hair soft, silky and most importantly of all, not frizzy!! Absolute bonus in my books. Just a shame he felt he had to go down the celebrity route because the product is good enough to stand on it's own merits.

Films, fashion and faux pas.

2010-03-11T20:04:00.009Z

I just love the Oscars. I love the films, the fashion, the personalities - the whole over-the-top glamourous splendour of it all. The live broadcast is in the middle of the night here in Britain but I don't care. I stay up all night wrapped in a blanket, eating popcorn and watching it all.

This year's Oscars were a particularly good watch. It's a shame that 'Mugabe and the White African' didn't make it through to the final short list for best documentary but they did incredibly well to get as far as they did. I was overjoyed to see a woman, Kathryn Bigelow finally winning Best Director. The mean part of me was particularly pleased that she beat her ex-husband, James Cameron of the mighty Avatar / Titanic / Aliens etc fame to the post. Bizarrely 'The Hurt Locker' hasn't been released in the UK yet but I certainly intend to see the film once it has been. Not sure how it managed to win a BAFTA without being released here...

Sandra Bullock was another treat this year. I thought her outfit was one of the best Oscars outfits ever.

Image courtesy of chron.com

That gorgeous Marchesa gown would look even better on me, (in my dreams!) but no matter, she looked exquisite. The beautiful, delicate embroidery on the bodice and the shimmering, metallic fabric just took my breath away but I think that the final touch of genius was the fuchsia lips. The obvious choice would have been a pillar box red but the pink made it fresh, youthful and modern.

Another surprise was Kristen Stewart. Her habitual surly glare to camera really gets my goat, (smile, girl, do you know how many people would kill to be in your position?) but last Sunday she actually managed to not only crack a smile but finally lose the irritating rebellious teenager attitude.

Image courtesy of sawfnews.com

However, my favourite person of the evening was the incomparable Gabourey Sidibe.

Image courtesy of huffingtonpost.com

I love the normalness of her. Yes, she's made some slightly duff fashion choices here, (the colour does nothing for her complexion and that applique across the waist & on the neckline only serves to broaden her) but who hasn't made some bad sartorial choices? She's brimming with joy just to be at the Oscars and I love that. If I ever got to go to the Oscars, (yea right), I'd be the Gabourey of the show.

In the absence of any real faux pas this year, I'm going to leave you with my favourite from times gone by - Bjork from the 2001 Oscars in her infamous swan dress.

Image courtesy of tvtropes.org

Let me introduce myself

2010-03-09T08:45:00.002Z

I've been reading my old blog posts and I've realized that I may be coming across as a bit schizophrenic so let me introduce myself and clear a few things up.

I live in south London. I work as a freelance technician in the entertainment industry but when work is slow, (like now) I do temp work, mainly in offices. I was married many years ago but we divorced so I'm single and dating. I have a wonderful family who are, unfortunately, scattered all over the world and many dear friends who keep me sane.

There! That's better.

Things are happening...

2010-02-26T17:45:00.002Z

Apologies for the unexpected break in blogging. Things have been moving at a rather unexpected pace chez moi.

The most exciting thing is, I'm actually getting some work in! On Sunday I'm going to be making my first horror film. And no, I will not, as some of my friends have suggested, be the subject of said film. I will be employed on the technical side. It's only for one day but I'm very excited. I'll let you know how it goes.

So celebrate such great news, I'd like to share a photo I took some days ago. It's nothing to do with work or films or horror, it was a sign outside a sandwich shop that made me laugh.

Life Lessons

2010-02-16T10:03:00.001Z

I've always believed that no matter how bad a relationship is, you can always learn something positive. This is what ex boyfriends have taught me...

A really handy shortcut through Victoria Station. I still use it to this day.

How to break into any council flat in central London. Hey, I was going through my bad boy phase. I didn't actually do any house breaking, I just know how to.

Wash up the cooking utensils while the meal is cooking. That way, you just have to wash up the plates and cutlery at the end. Unfortunately, this tip was the only positive thing I got out of that particular relationship because he slept with my friend.

Most importantly of all, never ever go back.

Soundtrack to a life

2010-02-13T17:00:00.006Z

I love music. My music of choice tends to be heavy metal and hard rock but sometimes, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit, I create a soundtrack, of sorts, to my life out of some slightly naff music.

When I'm waiting at the tube station to go to a job or an evening out I always find myself playing...

It's such an upbeat song and the chorus will stick in my head for the rest of the day. How can you fail to have a good job/interview etc when you're humming 'Tonight's gonna be a good night'? They did a version with the line 'Today's gonna be a good day' for Oprah's show in Chicago but unfortunately it's not available for download.

Yesterday I had to go to Warwick Avenue for a job interview so I just had to play Duffy's 'Warwick Avenue'... whilst I was walking through the tube station.

I love the energy of metal, so the perfect song when I'm angry is...

You can work out for yourself when I play this...

The genius of Alexander McQueen

2010-02-12T09:40:00.001Z

Picture from Conde Nast

Picture from telegraph.co.uk

A talent like that of Alexander McQueen only comes along once in a while. R.I.P.

Bullying

2010-02-11T08:20:00.003Z

I did a temp job yesterday, answering telephones for a small electrical company.

As the day wore on, it became obvious that the previous long-term temp had been driven from her job by bullying. To make things worse, my boss for the day, (let's call her Sharon), expected me to join in bitching about the previous temp, (who we'll call Melissa). I was expected to be outraged that Melissa had had time off because her son was ill; taken an hour for lunch, (as a temp, you're not paid for your breaks), and phoned the agency first to let them know she couldn't come in (it's part of the contract with the temp agency). Luckily I'd never met Melissa so I could smile and say vaguely, 'I couldn't really say, I don't know her...' I was well aware that the next day I'd become 'that stuck up bitch from the agency' in Sharon's lore but I didn't really care - not much anyway.

Bullying was part of the corporate culture at that firm. Sharon had made a mistake on some invoice and her boss gave her a very public dressing down in the office in front of me. It was so embarrassing. I'm certainly not advocating that she shouldn't have been pulled up about it but I think that the professional thing to do would have been for her boss to take her into his office, close the door and talk to her in private.

I was in two minds whether to mention the situation to the temp controller at the agency. In the end, I didn't say anything on the grounds that I should only concern myself with my immediate job.

I've always made a concerted effort to stay out of office politics, where ever I've worked. I find office politics to be a pointless waste of time and a sign that people just don't have enough to do in their day.

Private lives

2010-02-09T08:28:00.002Z

You'd have to been living under a stone this past week to have missed the uproar, here in Britain, over John Terry, the England football captain's private life. For those not in the know, John Terry is a married man with two young twins, who had an affair with a French lingerie model. The news of this affair hit the tabloids and he was sacked from his post as England captain in response to media pressure.

I think that this was an appalling move by Fabio Cappello, the manager of the England squad. Don't get me wrong, I think that John Terry has behaved despicably. The problem I have is, the way you conduct your private life should not determine whether or not you keep your job. It may seem like a celebrity matter and nothing to do with real life but these things have a nasty habit of filtering down into the mainstream. Before you know it, ordinary people will find themselves loosing their jobs for private indiscretions. Contrary to public opinion, people with squeaky clean personal lives aren't necessarily the best at their jobs. In today's sanctimonious climate, Winston Churchill would certainly have had to resign because of his heavy drinking. Yes, you could argue that Terry is a bad role model for young boys but my argument is that if the media hadn't pried into his private life, it would have remained exactly that - private. What we have here is a situation of the media feeding on itself. My grandma taught me that you should never gossip about someone's personal life and yet today, we have a massive industry built around gossiping about the private lives of people in the public eye.

John Terry was one of the best England captains of all time - far better than the sacred David Beckham. He should be allowed to continue.

My first love

2010-02-07T10:04:00.002Z

I've always been rubbish at dating. Some women seem to have the magic touch - a friend of mine was asked out on a date whilst she was waiting at a pedestrian crossing for the lights to change. Fat chance of that ever happening to me! I'm the girl who's elbowed aside in everyone's rush to reach the other side.

I was in primary school when I had my first crush. His name was Louis. To my eight year old eyes, he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen - dark brown eyes, wavy black hair, olive skin and most importantly, he had a GI Joe doll. I got the idea from somewhere that the best way of letting him know that I liked him, was to look at him a lot and somehow he'd just know that we were meant to be together and spend the rest of our lives together making mud pies and tormenting my brothers. So I did. Look at him a lot, that is. In art lessons, I'd smile at him across the table and forget to do my work. In maths lessons, I'd glance at him a lot hoping that the intensity of my feelings could be conveyed by telekinesis and that he'd send the answer to the complicated equations back in gratitude.

So did my clever plan work? Did Louis fall in love with me? Well, no, not really. Louis told the teacher that I was a stupid girl who kept glaring at him and frowning and he couldn't think about his work because he thought I was going to hit him. I was moved to a different seat across the classroom and told to stop bothering him. So ended my first great love.

Things have continued in the same vein ever since.

Fragrant notes

2010-02-03T09:52:00.004Z

I have a slight obsession with the smell of things.

I'm transfixed by the power of the faintest whiff of a scent to evoke long forgotten memories. There's a cologne that an old boyfriend of mine used to wear. I have no idea what it is but sometimes a man will pass me in the street wearing it. My heart will start pounding and instantly I'm back in Lyons in the summer of 2003. Occasionally I've tried to find out what it is - a fresh light fragrance that reminds me of seabreezes and blue summer skies - but I've never had any luck. I think it's best to keep it unknown - a special, unique memory.

A friend of mine wore Christian Dior's Poison for a whole winter. It takes just a waft of that deep rich fragrance for me to want to see her again. Funnily enough, when she changed to a Hermes perfume, it just didn't have the same effect.

And then there's the smell of Africa... I grew up in Africa. The smell of rain on the drought parched, red soil is something I miss with a primal intensity. I didn't think it was possible to miss the smell of something but there you go.

The power of perfume is why I love the idea of a signature scent. Something that is 'you'. I wore Estee Lauder's 'Body Power' for ages. I adored its creamy, fresh fragrance but it's long been discontinued and I haven't been able to find anything really suitable since. I'm currently wearing Hermes, 'Un Jardin en Mediteranee'. It's fine but that's it. Fine. It's got a harsh undertone which I'm not sure about but I've never smelt it on anyone else which is why I like it.

Sometimes location can trick you. Recently, when I was in Paris, I bought L'Artisan Parfumeur's 'Fou d'Absinthe'. Standing in the dark panelled shop in the Third Arrondissement, I fell in love with it's deep woodiness and it's promise of dark exciting evenings to come but somehow, in London, it just doesn't seem the same. Here, in grey, sensible London, it just seems too... well... deep and I realized that the dark, romantic smell was the perfect accompaniment to the dark, romantic Parisian surroundings.

I'm trying to work out what the perfect London perfume would be. Someone suggested Burberry 'Brit' but that's a bit too obvious. When I've sussed it, I'll let you know.

The Renaissance Ball at the V&A

2010-01-31T14:28:00.006Z

I adore the V&A Museum here in London. It's everything a museum should be - it has fascinating, intelligently curated collections; it makes an effort to attract people right across the social spectrum; it has free admission, (always amazes the tourists, that one!) and it's open 7 days a week.

On the last Friday of every month the museum has a themed, late night event. The theme always coincides with an ongoing exhibition or collection at the Museum. Last Friday the museum held a Renaissance Ball to celebrate the opening of it's awe inspiring Medieval and Renaissance Galleries. I love the V&A Lates so I dragged my lovely friends T.D., J.C and J.C.'s boyfriend along.

Wow, what an incredible evening! I was wearing a nice pair of black trousers and a blue jumper but next to these amazing people, I was horribly underdressed.

These are some of the guests...

At first I assumed that this bloke was a performer but it turned out that he was just a regular guy. He told me that the hat was his own and that it was an 18th century guardsman's hat. I love the fact that I share the planet with a man who has an 18th century guardsman's hat amongst his going out clothes.

This child was enchanting. She was telling her mother off here because she was worried she'd miss the puppet show.

Naturally, there was a bar.

The whole museum is open on these evenings so that people can go and view all the collections. You used to be able to take a glass of wine with you and walk around the museum but sadly they've stopped that.

As you wander around the place, you come across events like this puppet show.

Towards the end of the evening the DJ started playing waltzes - it thrills me just to write that sentence - and the whole crowd started waltzing. All very 'Eyes Wide Shut'. I did take some photos but they weren't very good because I was quite drunk by that stage.

The job interview post mortem

2010-01-30T10:22:00.002Z

I honestly can't say how I felt the job interview went yesterday.

There were twenty of us being interviewed at the same time. They kept us waiting in the lobby for ages. I'm pretty certain I saw a guy in the group who'd been in some kids programme on TV. I couldn't decide whether that made me feel better or worse.

Eventually we were all herded into a meeting room and spoken at about The Company whilst we filled in an overly long and unnecessary form. Then we had to do a rather strange test which involved rewriting and typing a letter. Finally we had a three minute, one - to - one interview which consisted of the interviewer looking at you intently for a while then going, 'Sell yourself to me'. I'm not sure if my contribution of 'Er... um.. I love talking to people', really cut the mustard.

A lot of jumping through hoops for a minimum wage job.

Funny how life changes

2010-01-29T06:21:00.002Z

I have a job interview today. It's for a job in a call centre.

Two years ago, I wouldn't have even considered a job like this but today I'm absurdly nervous that I won't get the job.

Two years ago, I was buying designer clothes without a thought but today I'm carefully budgeting my money, anxious about where the next meal's coming from.

Wish me luck.

Personal Treasures

2010-01-28T17:44:00.009Z

Today, I want to share with you some things I love.

This little glass jar used to belong to my paternal grandmother. She used to keep cotton wool for removing make-up in it and I do the same thing today. I just love the delicate silver lid and the intricate glass work.

I had a turbulent relationship with my mother so, throughout my childhood and teenage years, my gran was my rock. She was a wonderful person who taught me what being a real woman means - appreciating and loving your family & friends; being intelligent & thoughtful; standing up for yourself but also appreciating other people's point of view and treating very single person you meet with respect & dignity, no matter what their station in life. She was an amazing artist who took me to art galleries when I was still in primary school and taught me to appreciate art and beautiful things. I loved her very much and I still miss her.

The second thing I'd like to show you is this gorgeous necklace.

This used to belong to my mother. As I mentioned previously, I had a difficult relationship with my mum. Sadly, she had personal demons that she never quite managed to conquer. When I look at this necklace, it reminds me that, in spite of the cruel words, she had a human side that loved beauty and it's this that allows me to connect to her and understand the unhappy person underneath.

The Weight Debate

2010-01-27T09:07:00.002Z

Picture from the mirror.co.uk

As the uproar over actress, Hannah Waterman's dramatic weight loss continues, I'm reminded of a story my father told me...

During the late 60's, a friend of my dad's was an Aid Worker in Biafra (now part of Nigeria). He was starting to feel the effects of too much food and not enough exercise, so, like many people in the same position, decided to go for a jog along the roads around the local area. After a while, he was joined by a local villager cycling along side him.

'Sir, are you ok?' the Villager asked anxiously.

'Yes, I'm fine, thank you' replied the Aid Worker.

'Sir, if you are in trouble, please tell me and I may be able to do something. I have a bicycle and I can cycle very quickly to fetch help.'

'I'm fine, thank you.'

'Sir, if you are ok, why are you running?'

'Just trying to loose a little weight'.

The Villager stared at him uncomprehending and continued to cycle along side him for the rest of his jog, anxiously offering help from time to time.

You see, the Villager's life was so tough and he had to work so hard physically that running was something that he only did in an extreme emergency. As for excess weight, in the eyes of the Villager, that was a good thing. It meant that you were healthy & wealthy and that you had reserves for the times when food was scarce.

I find it bizarre that in our plentiful abundant society, women (and it's often the wealthiest women) have chosen to deprive themselves of food & nutrients and to emulate the bodies of poverty stricken, malnutrised Third World women and that this body shape is seen as desirable. It's almost as we, as a society, are punishing women as a whole, for something. Being too successful, maybe?

'How to be Adored' - review

2010-01-26T13:57:00.003Z

I was initially a little sceptical about this book. The title struck me as one of those ghastly please-like-me-I'm-quite-nice-really self help books.

Ignore the title. It's actually a rather wonderful lifestyle guide. The premise is how to be a sophisticated woman, loved by all. Advice is based on tips and techniques from famous women of the stage & screen, both past and present, who've been adored by millions. Topics range from make-up to relationships.

The book is full of laugh out loud pearls of wisdom from the author;

'Don't wear Uggs, have platinum blonde hair extensions, use lipliner and carry a chihuahua - this is the working wardrobe of the Wannabe Wag and best avoided if you have any kind of I.Q.'

'NEVER date a footballer, they may be as rich as Croesus but they will make you look cheap'.

Fantastic stuff. It's a real tonic in today's shallow, celebrity obsessed world where knickerless girls falling out of cars are held up as role models.

You can buy it in the U.K. here or the U.S. here.

Today is NOT the most depressing day of the year.

2010-01-25T21:25:00.002Z

According to those who know, today - 25 January - is the most depressing day of the year. Apparently this is because the memories of Christmas have faded, summer is still a long way away and we're all buckling under the weight of the incoming bills.

Well, I beg to differ... I had quite a good day today. I got £15 pounds off my phone bill ( it's always worth asking!) and the man in the corner shop gave me £1 off because he didn't have enough change. Not only that I had a great chat with my wonderful friend T.D. who always cheers me up.

In celebration of such a great day, I wanted to share this photo with you. I took it a couple of days ago in my local park.

Toxic Friends

2010-01-24T14:51:00.006Z

I've always believed that you should be there for your friends, no matter what, even if this means crossing town at 4am to be by their side in times of crisis.

So it's a nasty shock to find that people, who you consider friends, wouldn't do the same for you.

I've been friends with J.W. for some years now. I've always known that she's quite controlling and self - absorbed but I brushed it aside because she's fun, I like her and we have a lot of common interests.

Long ago I'd accepted that things were always going to be her way. For instance, I go to all her plays, (she's a writer) but the one time I had a short film in a festival, she didn't bother to turn up, saying that she had a headache. Yes, it did bother me but I believe that you should accept people as they are or not at all, so I just accepted it.

Now I'm in a very bad way financially. We're talking begging-for-crisis-loans-from-the-government-in-order-to-eat bad. Before Christmas, I realized that I had no money to pay for Christmas so I asked J.W. if I could borrow £50. I had no money to pay for the bus fare to go over to her place so I asked if she could drive over to mine. I just assumed that this would come under the normal give and take of friendship - I'd certainly do it for her if the situations were reversed. Various friends of mine owe me in the region of £100 and I've leant it to them gladly because they're my friends and I love them. I'll never ask them for it back.

She drove over with the £50 but I've just received a phone call from her telling me that she thinks that I'm a very selfish person and I 'lack self-awareness' for asking her to drive over in the middle of the night before Christmas to 'deliver money'.

Before you ask, I've repaid £20 of the loan but I can't yet afford to repay the rest because the phone company's threatening to send around the bailiffs.

I'm so upset, I don't know what to do.

Things to do before I die.

2010-01-22T20:13:00.024Z

The older I get, the more I feel my encroaching mortality so I've making a mental list of things I want to do. Clearly some of these goals are easier to achieve than others.

Visit New York.
Own a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. These will do nicely to start off with...

Fall in love.
Have a child.
Learn how to grow roses.
Travel along the Silk Road.
Read 'War and Peace' and 'Ulysses' and enjoy them.
Be mortgage free.
Be totally debt free.
Learn how to manage my money effectively.
Write a book and have it published.
Get justice for my father.
Own a really lovely designer gown and wear it to a movie premiere. Preferably a movie I've written the screen play for.
Decorate my home beautifully.
Travel on the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki when the seas are icy.
Participate in a humanitarian mission.
Visit the Sinai Desert. It's the birthplace of three of the world's major religions.
Have really shiny American hair. This is my normal hair. This is the kind of American hair I'd like.
Be really groomed all the time.
See the Northern Lights.
Skydive at least once.

I'm going to save this list to remind myself.

I'll let you know if & when I've achieved a goal.

Katie Price - why?

2010-01-22T15:03:00.001Z

The current obsession with Katie Price never fails to amaze me. Correct me if I'm wrong but all I see is a hard faced, self absorbed woman with very little discernible talent, who has no idea how to dress or apply make - up. Granted she has a remarkable business sense and a talent for selling herself but still...

And she's been voted 'One of the 50 most influential people of the decade'. God help us.

I have toaster envy

2010-01-21T21:38:00.003Z

This is the world's first see through toaster. I really want one...

If you've got £160 to spare, you can buy it here.