January japes.....

After a slow start, the 2012 social diary is starting to fill up again.  Thank goodness for that.  We don't want too many nights in eating prawn balls on the sofa do we?

The Slimfast diet continues, slowly but surely, but the eating of cake & drinking of cocktails at any opportunity also continues.  This might be the problem!

I went to see The Artist last weekend.  I could have loved it or hated it.  I loved it.  The dog is the star however, and should be given the doggy equivalent of an Oscar....perhaps in the shape of a bone or something.  We watched the film in the lovely surroundings of the 100+ years old Phoenix Cinema in East Finchley.  Much nicer than your local Odeon, with more comfortable chairs!

Thursdays seem to be "private view" night as far as the galleries in East London go and this Thursday we managed to fit two in - The Strange Face Project at the Idea Generation (introducing the general public to Nick Drake's music) and We are all Prostitutes at Signal Gallery (a collection of paintings by Guy Denning & Frank E Rannou).  We do like a good opening - interesting folk and free drinks.

Continuing with exhibitions, yesterday I went on a magical mystery tour of Pimlico to see Lloyd Johnson: The Modern Outfitter at the Chelsea Space.  Although hellish to find, there were lots of interesting bits & pieces on show.  I particularly liked the old issues of The Face etc. and clippings about Kensington Market.  I'd forgotten all about Sweet Charity & the white boots I bought there as a very young mod.

And bringing this up-to-date, today I headed to Brick Lane, initially to see an exhibition as part of the jewish festival.  Disappointed that RichMix omitted to inform anyone that the exhibition had been cancelled but had a nice afternoon regardless.  I deliberately avoided all the vintage stalls/shops but have made a mental note to return to lots very soon!  I think if I wasn't so in love with Crouch End, Shoreditch could be an interesting area to live in...but I am so I won't!

Slimfast & Me

I don't usually do the New Year Resolution thing - mainly because I either forget I've made a resolution or totally fail on that front within 2 days of making it.  I am, however, on a diet for the New Year.  Predictable I know but needs must and all that.

Slimfast has become my best friend for January.  You know the score - a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch and a proper meal in the evening.  (I could repeat those adverts word for word I'm sure).  I'm finding it easy so far and it does actually work.  I'm planning my meals, sticking to the plan during the week and eating/drinking as normal at the weekends.  It must be working as I've lost 6lb in 2 weeks - that can't be bad can it?  I've also started cooking all my meals from scratch...yes, I know...not like me at all!

Anyway...watch this space.  I will be celebrating my 2 stone weight loss on here....or calling it a day and eating pies on a daily basis again.

In other news.....

Just after the New Year we ventured out to Bar Solo in Camden where a friend was having a few birthday drinks.  When we FINALLY got served, I'm happy to report that the cocktails are well worth it.  My new favourite - Espresso Martini. 

In an attempt to make some money rather than spend it, I hired myself a table at the Wills Moody Jumble Sale last weekend.  Now at The Lexington, it's a real mix of vintage, bric a brac etc. and I love it.  Lots of interesting folk and £51 made in 3 hours....not a bad day's work.  I will be back to sell more of my vintage tat hopefully soon.

Lunch in the famous Banners yesterday (frequented by Bob Dylan apparently), followed by another friends' birthday last night and a trip to a proper South London boozer, hidden away in what can only be described as Jack the Ripper land.......a lovely little place called The Lord Clyde.

And bringing us up-to-date and in celebration of sticking to my diet, my treat today was cake and coffee at The Haberdashery and a cocktail at what could be a new favourite hang-out of mine, The Ramblin' Rose.

Now....back to my Slimfast.

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

Happy New Year folks.  Hope you had the loveliest of New Year's Eves, whatever you were doing.

Here's my review of 2011, in list form!

Favourite places to eat/drink
Icecreamists
Zen Sai
Scandinavian Kitchen
Bar Italia
French House
Mediterranean Cafe'
Trojka
 Nyborgs Cafe'
Maison Bertaux

Funny days/nights out
Peter Quaife book launch/Kinks night at The Clissold - great Kinks singalong round a bontempi organ!

Impromptu attendance at the Pretty Green opening in Covent Garden - more champagne than I've seen in my life & jumping the queue thanks to Mr Lewis!

Ready Steady Go night at Meltdown - strange night all round!

Soho Festival (which should also fall under my category 'Great things in 2011'!) - Adam Ant, transvestites, a funny vegetable competition and tug of war.

Great things in 2011
Discovering the Soho Society Film Club (and, more recently, shop) - tons of good Mondays and exhibitions at the shop - thanks Mr & Mrs Pereno!

The Royal Wedding - prosecco in an East End pub, lots of happy, smiley faces.

Adam Ant - Phoenix Cinema & Troxy.

The disco balcony at Vintage on the Southbank, overlooking the Thames, drinking Pimms & Lemonade.

Finding a new friend who understands my sense of humour and dislikes ukeleles.  Love to you Claudia!

There will be a trillion things I've forgotten and hence have been left out of this but overall, 2011 in London was fun.  I went out a'plenty, met some new friends, left a job, went freelance and generally had a nice one thank you very much.

2012 will hopefully see lots of new work/clients for me and visits to my beloved Stockholm.  Jag saknar dig!


Bring it on!

Bah Humbug....

A belated Happy Xmas frock fans.  I feel I should wish you season's greetings even though I'm not a fan of this time of year!

Xmas is for small children, people who love Ferrero Rocher and those who come from large families.  I fit into none of these categories.

Once upon a time when I was a small being, Xmas was something to look forward to.  I remember going to visit the old bearded man in the so-called "department store" in Devizes but not really believing he was 'the' Father Christmas.  Even little old me wasn't that stupid.  How could anyone possibly travel as far as he did.  He only had one outfit too...which bothered me slightly.  There's something slightly strange about little kids sitting on an old stranger's knee once a year.  At any other time, he'd be arrested.

I remember finding an Xmas stocking at the end of my bed every Xmas Day but never hearing Mum put it there.  My Xmas stocking finds were probably more exciting than my main presents - no sweets for me but instead a pop music annual each year which my Mum probably still has stored somewhere- sorry Mum, I'll have them back one of these days.  I remember one year when I woke up to find no Xmas stocking (due to my visiting Aunt forgetting to put it out for me) and I was traumatised.  Seeing as I still remember this event probably 40 years on, this has scarred me for life!  This was nearly as bad as gorging myself on satsumas (easy to peel you know!) for a whole 24 hours and then projectile vomiting them out again for a further 24 hours.  I didn't eat a satsuma in years and the smell of oranges still makes me heave.

I remember getting great presents back then - a pogo stick (I was pogo stick champion in my own little world), roller skates, a Katy Copycat and so many books we didn't know what to do with them.  Mum must have saved her cigarette money up for many a week to afford these things but I played with them constantly and made it all worthwhile.

Those memories come from the late 60s/70s when I liked the simple things in life, didn't have a flat, a double bed or live in a place with shops that open over the holiday period.  Nowadays, we do the Xmas thing because we have to.  We reduced our present-giving this year - just one big one and one "useful" one each.  It works.  I came home with a lighter bag but with a bag full of things I wanted.  Think about it kids.  As much as I love to see my family, none of us really enjoy Xmas so perhaps next year, we'll not do it at all or, at my suggestion, give presents on a normal weekend in December.  I don't like being obliged to give presents on a certain day.  I like to think I'm a kind, generous soul and will give presents to who I like, when I like, thanks Father Christmas!

Sorry for the bah humbug blog folks....and sorry Mum & Gran that I didn't want to wear paper hats, play charades, or watch Only Fools & Horses for the umpteenth time.  Just joking readers....they would hate those things as much as I do!

and a P.S for anyone that believes in this sort of thing......guardian angels always show themselves on special days. 

North London & Me

A year ago last Saturday, I closed the door on my lovely little flat in Brighton for the last time.  I did wonder if I'd done the right thing when I saw the squirrels on the tree outside my bedroom window, said goodbye to my lovely neighbour Roy and looked down on the pretty garden downstairs.  A year on and I know I did the right thing.

I think perhaps that things are meant to happen for a reason.  Perhaps I was meant to leave my great job at Linden Lab, perhaps I was meant to meet that person that saw visits to London again, perhaps it was fate that there were no jobs in Brighton that I wanted to do.  Who knows?

It really was Plan Z in my life that I moved back to London after 11 years away.  I got stuck into Brighton life, had a good group of friends, a good job and really no need to leave.  Then my office closed suddenly and 25 of us had big decisions to make.  Maybe if I could have afforded to take a job as an Admin Assistant and work for £18k, I'd have stayed....but maybe not.  It was such a sudden decision to move back but that's how I roll!!!!

As is my life, I just happened to write to a company in Bayswater that were looking for an Office Manager at that very second.  They hadn't even advertised a job but the timing was right.  I got the job and had a month to pack up my flat and find a new home in London.  Fate again - I came up to Crouch End to look at two flats that day, two flats that fell through as the landlord hadn't allowed access...but 5 mins before I arrived, another flat had come onto the market - the flat I'm in now, the flat that happened to be in the street I wanted to live in.  If only life is always that easy....

So here we are, a year later....no longer in the job I got but happier working freelance, enjoying my flat & the block I'm in, and loving life in Crouch End.  I really couldn't have chosen a nicer place to live.  Yes I am a snobby N8 resident and long may it continue.  I love Dunns Bakery, seeing C listers in the street, having my oldest & one of my best friends just down the road.

Brighton will always have a huge place in my heart.....but Crouch End, I'm very happy to have met you!

Your name's not down, you're not coming in......

Now, see this is what happens when you don't keep your blog up - too many goings on to write about.

Luckily being the Virgo, Office Manager type that I am, I've made a note on a pink post-it to remind me of where I've been and what I've been doing since I last wrote this.  Deep breath......

The week before last there was another Carnaby Street discount night.  You'll remember the last time I went to one, we ended up at the Pretty Green opening night and many a free glass of bubbly was consumed.  The idea of the evening is for all the shops in Carnaby Street to discount their wares by 20% and entice the general public to buy them.  What actually happens is the whole of London descends, purely for the fact that every shop has free drinks.  We nabbed our free mulled cider, mohito and rum punch, checked out the Quadrophenia exhibition (surprisingly very good) and finished off buying take-out cupcakes at the Hummingbird Bakery.  Roll on the next one!

Even bigger deep breath.....By chance I got given two free tickets to see Adam Ant at the Troxy on Sunday.  Lovely venue, hellish place to get to on a weekend with no transport running!  I'll not comment on the support bands, other than to say "Ann Summers eat your heart out".  Mr Ant, however, was a complete star.  It could have gone either way - it went the right way.  Not a fan of Goody Two Shoes, even though the delectable Mr Goddard made it sound bearable, but job well done sir!

Are you keeping up frock fans?

Thursday night saw the private view of the Punk & Beyond exhibition at the Signal Gallery.  Particularly liked the black & white photographs of Poly Styrene.  Extremely busy night with queues down the road apparently and people having to show email evidence before being allowed in.  The only famous folks I recognised were Gaye Advert, Billy Childish, Don Letts & Mark Keds but I'm sure the punks in the room would have known more.  The exhibition is on into December so check it out.

Finally and up-to-date now, today we headed to Primrose Hill Xmas Fayre.  Lunch in my favourite restaurant Trojka, followed by mulled cider at The Queens and consuming of yummy puddings.  I've never seen so many celebs in one place as today.  Only missing from the Primrose Hill gang was Jude Law & Ricky Gervais I think....oh and perhaps Gwen Stefani.  Paps - you had a field day today.

I've realised that every single I've been to above was free (well apart from lunch & cider in Primrose Hill anyway).  If it hadn't been done already, I'd write a book about how to have fun in London and not spend a penny.

Go Keith Go

It's been a fairly quiet week in N8.  Autumn in London is proving to be a winner though and everything is looking very pretty out there right now.  The trees outside my living room window have now lost all their leaves and if I stand on tip-toes, I can see Alexandra Palace high on the hill.

On Tuesday, the lovely folks at The Society Club Soho put on an evening downstairs at The Sun and Thirteen Cantons in Beak Street.  I loved the venue and I think it has huge potential for other nights.  It's a tiny little cellar bar but very atmospheric and perfect for the night.  Oldfashioned Daisy did a few songs before the main act, the "rock & roll" poet Murray Lachlan Young.  Although I'd heard of him, I'd never seen one of his shows but will definitely be back.  Just my sense of humour!  Below is one of my favourite poems about Keith Richards falling out of a coconut tree (as you do!):

What the hell did you think you were doing?
So blind that you just could not see
Not a thought for your legion of worshipping fans
When you shinned up the trunk of that coconut tree
If you’re gonna go Keith go Keith go
If your gonna go Keith go Keith go
If your gonna go Keith go Keith go
Don’t do it like that Keith no Keith no
Go in the middle of a hard blues riff
Go at the end of a laced up spliff
Speedball death plunge, Lear jet smash
Coked up gunfight, high-speed car crash
Kohl black eyes white rock n roll skin
With your hand on the fret board cigarette grin
Do itlike a king pin Debauchee
But not falling out of a coconut tree
Keith, man, what goaded you on
Was it Ronnie Wood? Who said you should?
Or was it Elton John that you tried to prove wrong?
When he called you King Kong, did you snag your sarong?
C’mon Keith, baby, tell us please what the hell was going on
If you’re gonna go Keith, go Keith go
If you’re gonna go Keith go Keith go
If you’re gonna go Keith go Keith go
Don’t do it like that Keith no Keith no

That, dear frock fans, is the extent of excitement this week.  Although we did venture out to the Kinks night at The Clissold last night, it really isn't worth writing about.  Thank god for The Alexandra and its' great jukebox over the road, that's all I can say. What DID happen to my Jane's Addiction track though?