London's streets are said to be paved in gold...but LA's vending machine's are full of caviar so it seems we have been overtaken in the rich stakes!! Just in case you have a desperate caviar craving in the middle of the night there are three of these vending machine's in Beverly Hills stocked with escargots, truffle oil and caviar from 5 to 500 dollars...all closely guarded by cameras to deter any tramps with expensive taste-buds! Recession?! What recession?!

The upside down glass vase couldn't be a better way to accentuate Magdalena F Merino's elegantly powerful sculptures. These were love at first sight and bring me back to my love of everything circus.

BING CROSBY'S WHITE CHRISTMAS

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
"May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white"

(I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow)

(I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
"May your days be merry and bright")
"And may all your Christmases be white"

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

There is no better time of year than this to indulge in all things so good (or should I say;- so bad!!) without a second thought or the usual pang of guilt.

Christmas is about family, although admittedly the pendulum swings ferociously from laughter and loving to fighting and insult throwing within a second around here which some may say only makes for more unpredictable excitement!
At winter's first cold snap I never fail to be over-come by christmas tingles...
Every year I say I will make my own christmas decorations...I am yet to get around to it this year but if you have better time management skills than I (!!) go and buy yourself some transparent baubles and fill with anything from feathers, sequins and stars to pieces of music sheets, pencil sharpenings and even little photographs for a personal touch then hang with pretty ribbon from the tree.

As a family, we don't have any christmas traditions to pass through the generations  so I have begun some of my own...and you should too!!
I began sending parcels to the troops in Afghanistan a few years ago every christmas. What was supposed to be a kind and selfless gesture actually ended up giving me hours of enjoyment wrapping cigars in funny paper and filling boxes with silly bits and pieces. To my utter astonishment one year I received a heart felt letter from 5 of the soldiers, thanking me whilst eloquently describing their surroundings and the lives they were living. I was blown away and it only shows that a tiny thought or gesture can go a long way!


The usual red and green colour code of this time of year doesnt wash around here...this is my mother's hobby...creative genius with an eagle's eye for perfection...oppulent, glittering and a perfectly sumptious christmas table setting.

Canapes served on butterflies

Feed your guests eyes before their stomachs...

I want you to fly like you want to

Over the world you were always too good for

You were a caterpillar whilst walking this earth

Now you can follow your destiny;

Flourish into a beautiful butterfly

Fly high

So so high 

Soaring through painless freedom.

Cuts and bruises 

Chains and shackles of evil

Finally fall away 

So open your heart and fly, fly away

My beautiful butterfly.

Looking into the distance

I know that one day,

One sacred day 

You will land on my shoulder

And we shall meet again.

My weeks conclusion is that the world is a balancing scale. For every kind, loving, conscientious human being there is a devil like one to match it.
Question: why is it the darkside seems to outweigh the light? Why do the good suffer? Be it cancer. Be it being caught in a cross fire in one pointless war or another. Be it a madman puncturing children to death spraying bullets from a rifle.
What kind of belief system can possibly be applied to the atrocities seen on an hourly basis in this upside down world?

To the most beautiful hen, my bestest friend and the happiest bride soon to be! I love you xx

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Mahatma Gandhi

Salam aleykum! My eyes have been opened and my head has been turned. Bathed in it's dusty pink dusk hue, I leave Morocco with a heavy heart and dragging feet.

Quite the opposite to a year ago when I would have ridden anything into the desert over the hills; camel or donkey included, to hot foot it out of there as fast as anything could take me!What place on earth do you look over the raw, dry desert to a backdrop of snow covered mountains in the distance? Don't get me wrong, this is a complex country, filled with complicated rituals with difficult people crossing your path; especially being a foreign woman but once you understand the lay of the land and ensconce yourself within it, the positives outweigh the hardships by far.The diversity is mind-boggling- sand-boarding, kite-surfing, windsurfing, golf and lazy pool holidays are the norm but where it gets interesting is an hour from Marrakech there is an ever improving ski resort! Chances are this ski resort will be left untouched by the trashy types who have invaded every european ski station do date! Not the easiest holiday to pack for you may say and hand luggage is perhaps not an option with so many adventurous prospects but trust me, it will be worth it!I was once told when looking for somewhere with an edge to follow the film crews, which is true to form in Morocco with the ever growing list of films that are and have been filmed here due to the light at sunset being next to none.

The House of Wolf

This is where the three little pigs should have sought shelter from the big bad wolf blowing their house down! They would have been safely immersed in the cosy dynamic parallel world the house of wolf portrays. With a relaxed pub on the ground floor enticing everyone to musical bingo and caberet to stand up comedy and off broadway plays on their stage, to the mixology bar upstairs serving cocktails from watering cans and other exciting things like bottomless drinks. Move over Alice, this is definitely APT's Wonderland!Then the creeky attic stairs lead the way to another floor serving a delicious tasting menu. The staff are all so nice I'm persuaded they are on the cheshire cat's prescription drugs whilst serving your every need in a rooftop room with exposed brickwork and beams.What more could the three little pigs want?!

http://houseofwolf.co.uk/

When walking the boards under bright lights nobody does it better than Julie Walters...and she didn't disappoint once again! Laugh a minute play by Stephen Beresford - genius writer, genius actors with comic timing like nothing I've seen before, that's for sure! A couple of hours of pure escapism, where I simply thought of nothing else but what was happening on the National Theatre's stage. This is Beresford's first play - here's hoping for many more to come!

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/haussmans

For all you true thespians out there you can test your knowledge in the pop-up riverside cafe- literally called Prop Store. Guess which props and scenery pieces are from which plays whilst enjoying a pint and listening to live music and DJ's.

(Music only on Friday's and Saturday's).



Giant Furniture on Southbank



What the caterpillar percieves is the end,
to the butterfly is just the beginning.

The Pavement Picasso AKA Julian Beever

LOVE LOVE LOVE...

Summer obsession...my ring hasn't left my finger - I am just eyeing up the next one to expand my collection. Annie Summers is a genius with an abundance of patience to painstakingly hand make and decorate these gorgeous rings from real shells. Each one is unique - how nice to have something original for once!

http://www.shellbound.co.uk/

Once in a while you come across a book you cannot help but plough through in one sitting. Captivating, moving and completely compelling...Wonder by RJ Palacio is just that. Every time I've had no choice but to put it down I have rushed commitments in order to get back to this page turner!

My bed became a water bed after the story of this brave deformed boy who dealt with his misfortune with incredible humour induced a steady flow of tears. This book is a true reminder of how unkind the world and it's inhabitants can be and only brings home how the smallest of thoughts or gestures can change somebody's day! We are all guilty of harsh behaviour at one stage or another, me especially! Perhaps next time my sharp tongue or lingering stare is in motion I will think twice and remember the story of little Auggie in this book who's strength and resilience is a force to be reckoned with.

The Pleasance Theatre is my latest discovery! Tucked away in the back streets of Islington this intimate attic theatre draws you in to a parallel world with its creative buzz. Moon River is apparently one of the best plays to grace their stage and although I cannot compare having never been before, I can only imagine this to be true. The actors were brilliant whilst the script was simple hilarity throughout. Having had very little sleep the night before I was expecting to doze off but there was no risk of that during this performance!

My liver is already screaming at the thought of Jubilee festivities so to change it up a bit I'm diving into Top Hats & High Heels - The Jubilee Cabaret on Sunday 3rd June back at my new fave venue- the Pleasance Theatre. Beats languishing yet again in further drinking establishments!

http://www.pleasance.co.uk/islington/events/top-hats-and-high-heels---the-jubilee-cabaret

There's definitely scope for humans to take a leaf out of the penguin handbook...

 

Emperor Penguins huddle together to escape wind and conserve warmth. Individuals take turns moving to the group's protected and relatively toasty interior. Once a penguin has warmed a bit it will move to the perimeter of the group so that others can enjoy protection from the icy elements.

How very considerate!!

Nobody makes fairy tales like Hans Christian Anderson did...

I grew up on Thumbelina, or Poucette as she was called in French. She was one of seven fairies and HCA was hugely critisised by the Danish who did not take well to his stories...but what the hell did they know?! I have vivid memories of falling asleep dreaming of Thumbelina's miniature world, filled with friendly flutterflies and sailing lilypads...Hans can keep the ugly, evil toads though!

Escaping wet and windy london to Northampton was a feat before the journey even began! Three tomtoms stashed in my car all refusing to work meant with my famously diar sense of direction we really weren't going to get far...U-turn to collect a fourth with a great sigh of relief from myself and my weary companion lead us happily on our way! It only took me a further hour to cement how terrible my direction (and perhaps common sense) really is when I questioned why we were still not on the motorway only to discover it was my brother's tomtom who drives a bike and can only use A roads!! If anyone asks what my dependencies are- it's route finder mechanisms...and perhaps this is a bigger problem than first believed! For once I was the sober one and the tomtom car was far from it whilst veering off-road on several occasions and trying to send us down imaginary routes...but despite the teething problems we made it. Clearly my Friday pining for spring blossoms rang through to someone somewhere as we were greeted with rolling fields of rich yellow and golds behind the enchanted bluebell wood to which people travel far and wide to frolic amongst the flower-fairies.

Queen of my castle...at some stage this year I will be going back to my roots to discover this beautiful place in Prague. 

 Prague Castle is the biggest castle in the world at about 570 metres in length and an average of about 130 metres wide...and is the safehouse for the crown jewels.

Wonderful Wonderland Tunnels

As bank holiday takes hold under the rain I have to content myself with dreaming of beautiful spring flowers. Having grown up in Japan, Cherry Blossom is my all time favourite tree. I biked to schoool every spring morning over a carpet of blossom petals beneath a tunnel of beautiful blooming trees. Definitely made going to school more bearable!

What I didn't know was that when the Cherry Blossoms have bloomed, they give way to the Wisteria. The Japanese hold whole festivals dedicated to celebrating the beauty of Wisteria- my second most favourite flower in the world.

The irony of this great number plate was the driver couldnt have been more unnatractive! Points for trying though as I did go out of my way to check him out!

Bike of the times...

The Chelsea Bike

The Fantasy Bike

The Marylebone Bike

The Hoxton Hotel Bar (www.hoxtonhotels.com) and Le Baron - two new great discoveries that have taken it out of me and left me lifeless on my sofa! Both very different venues, HH is minimalistic, spacious and filled with the East London set while Le Baron (lebaronlondon.com) is the old Embassy Club on Old Burlington Street. The upstairs ostentatious, white marble bar is where its at for the flash-pack but escape the grumpy bartenders and make your way down the stairs to where the fun's at! Here, I was greeted by a very hot Jamaican bartender who actually had a sense of humour (very rare in these sorts of places...!!), a life-size pink mickey mouse who was hung like an elephant, a foosball table and a DJ who admittedly belonged at weddings rather than London's new hotspot but once in a while that can be forgiven and actually provide for a funnier night!

I finally hit the Cellar Door to be greeted with a glass of fizz and a line of...SNUFF!
Clearly the fizz had gone to my head for me to choose absinthe flavour snuff which only lead to severe nose sting and choking! If you suffer from claustrophobia, give this teensy bar a miss! It is the perfect place to meet new people though as its so small you can't help but talk to everyone! Cabaret and live music add to the intimate atmosphere in what was previously public loos!

www.cellardoor.biz/

Unless you have a death wish its best not to take me to a football match as my office learnt the hard way on Monday! Arsenal vs Wigan ended in near punches being flung in my direction as I wasn't concentrating and cheered for the wrong team when they scored a goal! Good one APT!! To be fair Arsenal put on such an appalling show my boss was in a grump for three days afterwards so on that basis only I think ill cheer the opposing team next time- only from another spot!

Sunday is pleasure day. The day you wake up and feel like you can do anything...so how better to start the day with a brisk, windy but sunny walk to Parliament Hill with Spider in tow! Best views in London of London!! Kites piercing the clouds. Dogs chasing ducks. Ducks diving for fish...and its the beginning of the hot men season...all creeping out of winter hibernation...game of kiss chase anyone?!

Shantaram was on my Easter reading list but books that become an effort to read somehow "mistakenly" get mis-laid! I devour a book a day on holiday but not many get finished in day to day life...and Shantaram was one of those! I had such high hopes but didnt make it past chapter 4. The broken english just got irritating so next on the list is Legend of Suicide by David Vann...book reviews claim I will be so engrossed I may want to sue the author for lack of sleep...

HERO -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/worldnews/9197945/Walking-with-the-Wounded-disabled-soldiers-prepare-to-tackle-Mount-Everest.html

Cirkus Cirkor : Underman

As we know patience is not one of my attributes so I was a little frustrated to be penned in at the end of the row as this was a slow starter...three portly, scandinavians yapping on stage in-between a couple of standard acts from level 1 at Circus School was not exactly what I was anticipating! Am I a harsh critic? No! We are spoilt with so many incredibly talented performers in London that mediocrity doesnt wash anymore, and this performance was exactly that. The show was somewhat flat and un-exciting but I do know better than anyone that you have to try these things and more often than not you will be nicely surprised.

This time the pleasant surprise was when three quarters of the way through the 3 guys on stage proposed that everyone in the audience swapped seats as you never know who you might meet...and that was my cue to bolt for the door!

Circus Workshop anyone??

Being at the Roundhouse, a mecca for creativity, I have decided it's too easy to criticise from the audience, therefore it's time to throw myself out there and take part in circus and creative workshops this summer!

Despite the show, I was pleased to have the opportunity to venture into a land I do not often see- the camden playground...with something to see in every direction, be it graffitied walls, chalk drawn pavements or larger than life sculptures protruding from the sides of buildings this was always the punks territory, now it is a mish-mash of eccentrics and non-eccentrics escaping to a different corner of London to immerse themselves in this melting pot of artistic charm...and if you happen to be in the hood- don't miss the delicious offerings of Gilgamesh...we had to blag our way in but it was well worth it, so be more organised than me and BOOK before you go to avoid having to tell porky-pies and risk missing out!

Mini PT enjoying a cocktail at the Cuban Bar

The Cuban Bar

Belgium...petit paye, petit esprit I used to say but it grows on me every time I return. My mothers side of the family are here where we spent our childhood summers on the shores of Les Plages du Nord. One of my clearest memories was my mother elegantly poised on the sand patiently making crepe flowers for us to sell to others for seashells. Our sand stall always drew gasps and Maman could never work fast enough for the demand.

This weekend unravels with food- if there is one thing the Belgians do well it's the  richest, most delicious food one could dream of- carpaccio with fresh truffle and fois gras, croquettes au crevettes, melt in your mouth scallops and not forgetting the potent smell of thick, warm waffles lining the beach-top. Luckily I cant be belgian through and through as I hate beer so that is one less thing to add to the list of calories- this weekend is all about pleasure, not denial!

And in between those glutinous moments there is a round of mini golf, several bicycle rides and a quick tennis rally as of course I didn't think to bring trainers so bare-footed tennis is more about the giggles than the match-point! All this followed by some mad peddling of a kwistax or two - see pic as too hard to describe these to non "Zoutians"  (Le Zoute is where I am), a photography exhibition providing shelter from the rain before popping into the local casino (as you do) for a Baileys one ice and a round of Black Jack and Roulette magically multiplying €25 into €180 - Maroussia, my cousin, had the good sense to pry me from the table at that point...but this random stop in is definitely going to be a new seaside tradition!

Fashion illustrator Cate Parr - now here is a woman who's art makes you dream of being able to use a brush with such sensuousness. LOVE LOVE LOVE!