Bloody Brilliant!

Mother's Day

Still not used to the fact that Mother's Day in the UK (today) is a different date than in the US. I keep thinking I should call my mom to wish her a happy day buy I've still got time!

Front line at the BAFTAs

Ahh the BAFTAs - England's version of the Oscars.  The venue, The Royal Opera House, is just around the corner from where we live, and we saw the Red Carpet being assembled over the weekend.  But of course I'm way too lazy to battle it out with the masses to see the stars arriving live, so I am watching it from my comfy couch.

A selection of my many pithy observations:

• Jonathan Ross looks nice, and I do like him (he is kind to animals), but I wish I was watching Ricky Gervais. JR just isn't funny.
• C'mon Dustin, crack a smile, it wouldn't kill you. 
• Kate Winslet looks great, as usual.
• Robert Pattinson's hair looks HORRIBLE (and he's a good looking guy).  WTF?
• Suzy Amis, please cut it off.  It does nothing for you.
• Jonathan, please stop.  You do try but you really aren't funny.
• Colin Firth is just really scrumptious. 
• I loved MOON, and I love Sam Rockwell.  I hope Duncan Jones (director)wins.
• HE WON!!!!!!!!!  AWESOME!!!  What a sweet, sincere guy - he looks so shocked and appreciative.  Good for you, Duncan!
• I hope District 9 wins something tonight.  It was such an incredible film, and I'm afraid it will lose because it's against Avatar in almost every category. 
• 18 guys giving acceptance speeches for Avatar special effects is just a bit much. Yawn.
• Anna Kendrick did a great job in Up in the Air, but she didn't do such a good job getting dressed this evening.  She's young, hopefully she'll learn.
• I didn't see Inglorious Basterds so I can't comment on Christof Walz, but Peter says he did an amazing job and thus deserving of the BAFTA.
• Clare Danes annoys me.
• Have you ever noticed that costume designers who create the most beautiful things on screen look bloody awful when they have to dress themselves?
• Matt Dillon?  Where did he come from?
• I like Vera Farmiga - glad to see her getting the attention she deserves (if not the actual award).  She was awesome in The Departed.
• I hope In the Loop wins!  They are so clever, those guys. Nope, Fish Tank won. 
• What is this Fish Tank woman wearing on her ears?  They look like they are attacking her. And the gloves are a *unique* touch.
• Jonathan Rhys Meyers looks bizarre - like a fake bake session gone crazy.  He is so tiny; my left leg weighs more than he does.
• What died on Mickey Rourke's head?  What a complete nutter.
• Nicholas Hoult was such an ugly little kid, he certainly grew out of that phase and into a rather handsome young man.
• If Kristin Stewart wins, I will just gag. 
• OMG!!!  HOLY SHIT!  She is the worst actress!!! RECOUNT! Carey Mulligan must be ready to chuck it all in by now. 
• Kristen get OFF THE STAGE.  Stop sounding like such a Californian. It would have been classy of you to thank the people whom you worked with, but clearly you believe you won it on your own.
• Guy Pearce is adorable but looks a bit like a frog, with the bald head and glasses. A far cry from Priscilla!
• Dammit, I wish District 9 won best adapted screenplay, but not to be.
• Peter Capaldi, you are AWESOME.  A bit weathered, but awesome.
• Interesting dress on Carey Mulligan, she really pulls it off.
• Oh I hope Let the Right One In wins - what a very cool movie. 
• Crap, it didn't. 
• Clive Owen.  Classy, classy, classy.
• What an (awesome) upset for Best Director! Congrats Kathryn!
• As cute as he is, Colin Firth should have gotten a haircut.
• Mickey Rourke, do you even know what shampoo is??? He is just foul.
• Ok Carey, well done.  Take that, Kristen.
• Honestly Dustin, who peed in your cornflakes? 
• Wow.  The Hurt Locker beat Avatar again.  Shoulda thought twice about that divorce, eh James? 
• Prince William as the president of BAFTA - I think I like it.  Now if he could only figure that (lack of) hair.  I think he should take the big step, and shave it all off.  He'd look great.
• Uma sounds horrible.  She looks good, but can't read a teleprompter to save her life. 
• Poor Vanessa Redgrave - kudos for her award but how sad she must feel that her (other) daughter isn't there with her to celebrate.

What an exhausting evening I've spent here on said sofa, watching all the celebs do their thing.  All of my after-show party invitations must have gotten lost in the mail, so I am going to bed.

well done London

London does outdoor events really well.  I'm always surprised to hear what crazy stuff is happening in Trafalgar Square, or in Hyde Park or, in this case, my own back yard.

I was in Covent Garden on Friday night and noticed a band was setting up to play in the inner courtyard.  Not unusual, as buskers always play here, but it looked a bit more professional so I stuck around to hear who it was.  Turns out I was in the right place at the right time (for once); the band was The Feeling and they were playing as part of a charity event series over the next few weeks. 

Of course, I had no idea what The Feeling played until they started singing and I recognised one of their songs, but of course I acted like I knew all along.  (Sorry for the crap pic below, but it is from my iPhone which doesn't have the most stunning photo capabilities).

a step in the right direction

Well, we did it.  We walked 18 miles, through London, overnight.  Despite my aching hips and legs, it was one of the best experiences I've had. 

Peter and I were among more than 200 people who participated in the Big Issue Foundation's Big Walk event last Friday.  The walk started and ended at the IMAX theatre in Waterloo and the route took us all over the place - along the Embankment, through Trafalgar Square, up to the madness of Camden, back through even more madness in Soho, down through Victoria and along the South Bank.  We had four stops along the way where we put our feet up, threw back a glass of champagne and found the energy to continue.

 

One big problem was the weather, and no, it wasn't raining.  It was unseasonably warm - beautiful weather for walking - which would have been fine had I not prepared for a very cold night.  I was wearing leggings under my jeans, a fleece, two waterproof jackets and thick socks.  I started sweating the minute I walked out the door.  Hence the reason I resembled a deflated superhero with the capes around my shoulders and waist (well where else could I put them?).

About 20 Big Issue vendors joined us, and each of them had such a story to tell.  Their circumstances are both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.  Billy, for example, is an incredibly energetic woman who was a heroin addict with liver and kidney failure before she finally kicked her habit.  She now lives with her girlfriend and is studying to be a drugs counsellor (in her words, she certainly has "the experience").  Steve (below), who walked with us for the last half of the night, was a bomb disposal expert in the Gulf War who had a breakdown and found himself on the street.  Smart, articulate and funny, Steve is a blast to be around (no pun intended). 

For me, the best part was seeing the bond that a lot of vendors have with their pets.  I used to be freaked out by homeless people who had animals; I was convinced they used the animal just for sympathy donations and that they kept them against their will, didn't feed them, etc., but I couldn't be more wrong.  The animals I saw are probably better cared for and more adored than most family pets, and looked happy and healthy to boot.  Billy's dog Sonic couldn't take her eyes off of Billy the entire time and obeyed her every command; James doesn't go anywhere without his cat Bob (above), who dutifully sat on his shoulders while wearing the latest look in neckwear. 

My Feet

The very kind guys at Fitness Footwear thought that if I was walking 18 miles I may as well review a pair of boots while I was at it.  I wore a pair of Merrell boots that, it must be said, performed beautifully.  They even achieved the impossible and made my size 10 monsters look almost *dainty*!  (I said almost). The boots fit really well and were super comfortable; they covered the ankle and you could cinch it tight for support or loosen it (as I did) if you wanted a more relaxed fit.  They performed beautifully, and - let's be superficial here - they look good. More robust than sneakers, I was very glad to have them on.

I also wore a pair of snug Merrell socks that were comfy but were a bit overkill for the evening since the weather was so warm.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored me for the walk (there are more pix here).  The event raised over £34,000 and fundraising efforts continue, so if you know of anyone who is feeling charitable, please encourage them to donate. 

now where are my sneakers...

What have I done? 

In a fit of mania (or misplaced competitiveness), I've allowed my husband to talk me into participating in an 18 mile walk for charity.  Big deal, you may think.  It's not like running a marathon, or doing a triathlon as some of my more athletically inclined (and crazy) friends have done.  But keep in mind that my idea of strenuous exercise is skipping to the kitchen to refill my glass of wine. 

The charity is The Big Issue Foundation, an organisation dedicated to helping the homeless and raising awareness of the problem. They also publish a magazine that homeless people can sell and earn a profit (kinda like Street Life in the US). 

Anyway, this 18 mile walk happens overnight on November 20, and to be honest it sounds like a lot of fun - they have entertainment set up along the way for lazy people like me to keep us motivated, and it'll be a cool way to see the city. It is a good cause, and if you are feeling charitable, then by all means let me separate you from your money by clicking here.  Many thanks!

ever hear of a proofreader?

I am a bit of a stickler for grammar, I'll admit, but I have never seen such a flagrant abuse of the apostrophe as I have lately.  No one knows how to differentiate between a possessive and a plural, and it's appalling.  For example:

The worst part is, I see this all the time. It boggles the mind.

run for cover

Look at the color of this sky (shot outside my window).  We have had the most bizarre weather this week, with flash floods quickly followed by sunshine.  Totally schizophrenic.  Look closely and you can see a faint rainbow, which I could only see through the camera viewfinder!

i've got my own, thank you

Once again, I am looking for a new place to live.  The damn landlord decided to sell the place, so we are out on the street (oh, the melodrama).  In my search for a flat, I've come to discover that Londoners don't own furniture.

Every single flat I find is furnished and the landlord won't remove the furniture.  In New York, it's rare to find a furnished apartment - most landlords presume you are a grown adult with your own things.  Not so here.  Why on earth would I want to sit on someone else's gross couch, sleep on their gross mattress, eat off of their gross plates??  What do Londoners have against owning their own things??

picture this

I was flipping through my photos today and found a few that brought an instant smile to my face.  Not surprisingly, many of them are of food.  First up, the awesome cupcakes in a shop window in Paris:

Next, a birthday cake to beat all cakes - courtesy of Konditor & Cook:

Then, my kitties (they look - are! - well fed, I know):

And let us not forget the swan who was out for blood, in the form of the bread and cheese I was peacefully eating until he went on attack.  It's not like he was starving, I should add:

And, of course, the odd 'ghost' sighting at Hampton Court Palace just for good measure!

She must be jealous.

What the hell does Karen Millen have against boobs?

Every single time I go into the store and try on some clothes in the naive belief that this time will be different, I am reminded that the Karen Millen fit model is as flat as three day old beer.  These dresses, for example, are cut so low that anyone with any hit of a boob would be falling out of it.  Not bad if you're a stripper, but... I'm not. 

 

And I continue to put myself through it.  I really like the dresses [those above excepted, of course], so I pop in for a quick peek and am soon in the fitting room with six or seven potential winners, but I only ever make it through one dress before giving up the will to live.

Which leads me to my first resolution for the New Year:  never enter another Karen Millen store.  Ever.

More resolutions to come...