Spotted....

....Frank Lampard and Christine Bleakley dining out at PJ's on Fulham Road last night. It looked like the drinks were flowing so the thought did go through my mind that today's Daybreak would be an interesting one! She must have to get up at the crack of dawn each morn so how on earth does she deal with late nights?! She must be power woman! Or Starbucks' No.1 customer.

To my disappointment Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway replaced the usual Adrian Chiles and Christine this morn. She was letting her hair down because she could. I have to admit though, I almost wanted to see a slight tired, hungover Christine this morn to see how she dealt with it. But I guess she's too professional for that. Shame, it might liven up the show.

The Great Little Shop Awards 2010

A very good friend invited me to this awards ceremony tonight, launched by The London Magazine and held at the luxury hotel bar Axis at One Aldwych. If I'm honest I barely even glanced at the invite itself. It fell on a Monday evening (thus no plans), it was a chance to catch up with a group of girls that I hadn't seen in an age, it was sponsored by Moet and they were serving canapés. All round winner! Yes, I am shameless, but wouldn't you be too?!

As promised the champagne flowed and the can-apes were delicious. I have to admit I am a bit of a canapé afficionado and mark how good an event is on the quality of the tasty bite size morsels served up. On offer this evening were rare seared pepper-crusted tuna, seared scallops on black pudding, mini yorkshire puds with sausages and gravy, soft boiled quails eggs on terrine and smoked salmon and cream cheese rolls on blini. Damn fine fodder. Going on the quality of the canapés, Axis is now definitely on my hit list to return to to try for dinner.

And the awards themselves were worthy. The premise was to suppport the local independant retailer. Everyone has their favourite ickle store and this was a chance to reward and promote them. Under the chairmanship of luxury lifestyle expert Lucia Van Der Post, awards were given across 10 categories; from delis to fashion boutiques to bookstores.

I was happy to see a few of my fave stores were in the listings; fashion boutique Austique on the King's Road, La Cave á Fromage and Butler & Wilson (which has a special place in my heart as I worked there when I first moved to London).

Small indies are what make shopping in London so special and unique. But it's not an easy ride for them and awards such as this help them along their way. Hopefully this will encourage a new generation of small local businesses keeping London vibrant and thriving as the recovery gathers pace. Supporting local businessess will subsequently support community cohesion and all the quirky individualism we love about our own ‘village’, be it Hampstead, Chelsea, Pimlico or Notting Hill. Buy local guys!

Duke of Clarence Review

I like this pub. I always have. So I thought after I went for lunch with friends on Saturday that I should blog a review. The D of C is the oldest licensed building on the Old Brompton Road. It's a warm and friendly pub on a buzzing corner of Chelsea and it has never disappointed.

When we arrived it was pleasantly full; not 'can't get to the bar' full, but nicely populated by locals having leisurely lunches and drinks. Two tables were empty but the largest was reserved for an anti-natal group party. We were tempted to risk our luck and sit at their tale in the hope that moments before arriving, one of the party's water would break causing the lunch to be dramatically called off. Sadly this didn't occur and a slightly uncomfortable and looking bunch of pregnant couples arrived shortly after us. It looked to be a thrilling lunch for them especially as a bit of sauce isn't exactly on the cards to liven things up!

We took the other table, next to the loos and underneath one of the screens showing the Grand Prix Qualifier. Not the best seat in the house but compared to most tables by the loos, this wasn't a bad one. Our male companion excused himself as soon as we sat down saying that his attention would be on the screen above our heads for the majority of the meal. I laughed at the uncanny way that us Brits are able to pre-excuse impolite behaviour in such a way that you barely blink an eyelid at it. The girls got to gossiping and eyeing up the menu.

The menu offers a good range of well priced gastro pub food. Sandwiches start at £4.50 and mains fall in around the £11.00 mark. I chose pan roasted fillet of salmon, pea shoots, baby spinach, courgettes and chive Hollandaise. The guy with his eyes transfixed above our heads ordered Barnsley lamb chop, sautéed potatoes, roast butternut squash, mushroom jus and the other two girls had BLTs. Both asked for an 'off the menu' extra cheese topping and the waitress warmly replied saying that that shouldn't be a problem. It surprises me how asking for the simplest of changes to menus can sometimes be the most difficult thing in the world.


Waitress: 'I'm sorry we can't add cheese to your BLT.' Customer: 'Why not? You have a cheese sandwich on the menu, therefore I would assume the kitchen has cheese. Why can you not add it to my sandwich. I will pay extra'. Waitress: 'I'm sorry, but we can't do that. It's not on the menu.' Amazing. But I shouldn't rant. There was no problem of this sort at the D of C.


Unfortunately it seemed the entire pub had ordered moments before ourselves. But we were made aware of this and did not really mind as were happy chatting and drinking a decent bottle of their house white. When the food arrived, we had developed a good hunger so all dived into our plates. My salmon was deliciousy moist and tender, served with extremely well cooked and seasoned greens. The hollandaise was a perfect compliment and the richness of the sauce was zapped away by a sprinkling of pea shoots which burst a fresh flavour through my palette.


The BLT's were all you could ask for a BLT to be and extremely good vaue for money at £5.00. The accompanying fries (an additional £1.50) were also crisp and tasty. The lamb chop managed to divert the guy's attention from the screen only to be devoured in minutes. I presume it was an all right bit of meat.


Thumbs up all round for the Duke. And the best bit? A little inscription on the building itself that evokes the spirit of the pub itself: “Ars Langa Vita Brevis, Nunc Est Bibendum”, or, “Art is eternal, life is short, now let’s drink.” ;-)


http://www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thedukeofclarence/

I have been introduced to BMI....!

My bathroom scales broke. Pretty annoying as I like to know if I've moved below or above of my 'happy' weight. It's the deciding factor if I have no cake or a slice and a packet of Milky Bar stars that day! New batts didn't help so popped to the 'never knowingly undersold' store that is PJs to pur-chase a nouvelle modelle. I had planned to replace with a bog standard version, but like a sucker I got enticed by the techier model, able to report body fat, bone and water mass. 'This is vital information; I must know it!' I thought.

I won't bore you with my body mass statistics but what did shock me that i was 60% H20! Tis a crazy thought that the majority of moi is just plain old tap water (or San Pellegrino depending on my finances ;-)). This surprised me BIG time as I'm a useless water drinking. Pepsi Max is my water. Rarely do you catch me drinking the stuff that keeps us all going, unless it's fizzy.

Funnily enough I went to meet Geoffery (designer of Antipodium) at his studio today and when offered the usual water, tea, coffee selection answered with my usual response 'I don't suppose you have a diet coke?!'. His eyes lit up. Turns out he and the peeps in the studio are equal addicts. They have even found a DC Dealer round the corner who will part his hands with a can of joy for 50p. Legendary!

Now that I know that I am hydrated plentifully I will sleep well and enjoy imbibing in DC even more without guilt tomoz. Whoever thought I could get so much pleasure out of a pair of scales?! Get involved ladies, get involved!

LFW ticket graveyard

David Gandy Style Guide Launch

David Gandy, 'super male model', as well as friend of mine invited me to the launch of his style guide for men app for iphones. Such a good idea. Held at The Critirion on Picadilly; cocktails, can-apes and a DJ occured. He and Joe Ottaway, an acclaimed personal men's stylist who previously worked at Harvey Nicks, have designed this app to bring tips, tools and advice to the 'style conscious man of today'. I'm a blackberry girl myself so this is new territory for me but this surely has to be a metrosexual man's new favourite toy?! 
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/david-gandy-style-guide-for/id393303092?mt=8
http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Gandy-Style-Guide/103804743016800?v=wall

LFW – The last night

Last night I was invited to see the Elizabeth Emanuel show. As you may know, Elizabeth was the designer of THE dress. Diana’s wedding dress. I had thought the brand had died along with the sad death of Diana, but 29 years since the iconic dress was created, Elizabeth Emanuel is bouncing back. Apparently, in just 6 weeks, Elizabeth found an investor, recruited an entire creative team and designed a collection in less than a month.

I met Jag (a friend of Elizabeth’s) at his bar, The Collection, and popped a quick cosmo down the hatch which in the words of Jag ‘Get’s you live!’. He’s quite right. Then he ordered a couple of glasses of champagne to be taken in the car and his driver took us to Il Bottaccio. Jag’s philosophy is always to arrive with a glass so as to not mess about waiting to be served. I like his thinking.

Once in we went straight backstage and mingled with Elizabeth and entourage doing the final preps to the models. Sonique was a guest and was looking fab in one of Elizabeth’s floor length sequin numbers. She was warm and bubbly and clearly excited about the show.

Suddenly the show was starting and we did not have time to take our seats along the runway, so instead stood with the models in the line up before they walked. They had not done a rehearsal and no one was clear as to the order the girls were walking in. Panic ensued and some of the models stropped. One girl, whose sister was also modelling, complained as she’d only had one outfit whereas her sister had 5. I thought how funny the contrast was when you see the girls looking elegant and chic on the catwalk compared to the real deal backstage.

Despite this the show was a success. The dresses were quite glitzy, all black little cocktail numbers. They will sell well. Elizabeth can clearly do more than just design a wedding dress.

As we didn’t quite feel like calling a night just yet, we finished the night by joining the Storm Models party at Mahiki. It always surprises me as to how many male models there are at these events. Obviously this is a pleasant surprise.

After a few drinks and chats, I called it a night. LFW has been fun but tiring. Sleep now calls.

Introducing Colin the Corgi, my new LFW friend. Woof.

London Fashion Week - Day 4

Designers Remix:

Paul Smith:

Adam Entwisle:

Sat next to Brix Smith Start on the front row of PPQ

London Fashion Week - Day 3 Pam Hogg

Pam Hogg is not just another show, it is an event in its own right. She has a very loyal fellowship and the crowd clearly personified this. It was eclectic to say the least but also a fun and animated bunch. Not your usual sun glass wearing expressionless wooden dolls.

This was the first time I had seen the collection but I had the gist of what I should expect so i thought nothing could shock me. I was wrong. Model number 1 was a naked female drummer. I had clearly underestimated Pam.

But the outfits surprised me too: think angelic wonder women in white and gold, lady like coats with belt details nodding to sadism and sexual virgin brides. There was style and talent underlying the shock factor. Quite a combo. Impact effect = 10. Add in Daisy Lowe and Alice Dellal as models and you have yourself a winner.

Great vibe, great collection. Pam knows her market and captures it well. Very well. My hat goes off to her.

London Fashion Week - Day 3 Michael Van Der Ham

This is his first solo show having done two seasons under the Fash East wing. His style is a collage of different fabrics; silk, jersey, luxe devorés etc, all jigsawed together to produce feminine ensembles. There was a hint to Surrealism from the oversized prints of brush strokes, feathers and leopard skin and these were complemented by bright Swarovski crystals in every colour. I wasn't 100% on the open side detail of some of the pieces, but one thing is for sure: this man cuts a mean pair of trousers! Beautiful!

London Fashion Week - Day 3 Saloni

Pretty, I'm thinking this could be the new DVF....

London Fashion Week - Day 3 Louise Amstrup

Louise is the recipient of the On/Off Visionary Award 2010 so I was highly anticipating her SS10 collection. It didn't disappoint. The collection was a nod to popular culture's silver screen depictions of the American dessert. A gloomy print featured throughout, for instance in a floor length, silk bias cut dress that came down the runway as the closing piece. But it was not a depressing gloom, more of an atmospheric one. Fabrics such as broderie-anglaise and silks were handled with a raw edge giving a sense of anti-romanticism, and denim was dirtied up which made me think the models had been lost in the desert for days and then like a mirage had suddenly found themselves walking on the catwalk in Holborn. I loved the sun-bleached colours tied in with dirty pastels. Mustard yellow is on the cards to be a must have colour for SS11!

London Fashion Week - Day 2 - Unique, House of Holland, Maria Francesca Pepe

Busy day!

Unique:

House of Holland:

Maria Francesca Pepe:

London Fashion Week - Day 2 Twenty8twelve

I have to admit getting myself out of bed was a struggle this morn to go to the Twenty8twelve show after having been out at the PPQ after show party last night. But I made it. Then discovered there was no coffee being served as we waited, just tea. Tea?! Who drinks tea in the morning these days?!

To my friend's and my amusement we were sat behind a man in knitted shorts wearing antlers. We both said in unison: are you kidding me?! Only in fashion.

Then we got distracted by a burst of flashing lights opposite. Jude Law and Matthew Williamson had arrived. Suddenly the early morning, the lack of coffee and the wierdo fashionistas didn't bother me anymore. Jude had made it all better. He really is hot. Not just good looking, sexy, etc. He exudes charm.

So I'm afraid my focus wasn't exactly on the collection this time. I had already seen it anyway; a good commercial collection on the whole though with a few oddball pieces thrown in (Spanish flamenco skirt/print jersey dress with an integrated sarong), not my style but will appeal to the Sienna wannabe masses. Thus I don't feel guilty about being distracted. In fact I feel extremely good. One can dream. :-)

London Fashion Week - Day 1 PPQ

This show is probably one of the most popular shows of LFW. It pulls huge crowds in. People love the brand; it's British and an underdog, not yet an established brand, but very fun and has tapped into a trendy consumer's radar big time. In fact, it has no London retailers as of yet, something I was very surprised to hear of when I previewed the collection a week ago.

I was sat in between Brix Smith-Start and Eliza Doolitle on the FR. I twiddled my thumbs thinking Snow PR had placed me in the wrong seat. I think half of my face was caught in many a picture and video of my neighbours. After 10 mins I accepted that I was in my allocated seat and relaxed. Brix surprised me with her amiability and fun nature and reminded me that I shouldn't judge people on my preconceptions.

The show started and a brightly coloured multi print formed the theme for the first half. Although there were some great shapes I found this print a bit too 80's for my taste, but was eagerly awaiting the second part of the collection which was based on a nautical theme.

It arrived but I was still a little disappointed. The collection has become more commercial but still has a long way to go. So frustrating when PPQ has such an amazing fan fellowship and such potential. It is a brand that we all want to be a succeed. I hope it does.

London Fashion Week - Day 1 Sass & Bide

Beautiful! Loved, loved, loved it! The collection has moved on phenomenally from the past two seasons. Don't get me wrong, the aztec prints, embellishment, and body con elements were fab for SS10 and AW10 but SS11 will blow your socks off. Chic, laid back and effortless. Choosing the ROH as the venue was also a perfect finishing touch! We gushed about the divine colour palette of khaki, peachy pink and stunning black & white prints. In my eyes Heidi and Sarah Jane can do no wrong! I want it now!

Rose and Lychee Martini

I popped to Harvey Nicks' 5th Floor bar for an after work drink this eve and couldn't resist having this gorgeous martini. It is one of my favourite drinks; it's absolutely delicious and served so prettily with fresh flowers floating on top. It's not on the menu anymore but just ask the barmen and they'll make it up for you. Cheers!

The Sun's new magazine The Buzz's launch party at Il Botaccio

My first thought: The Sun is getting a magazine? I thought all The Sun was was a 'picture newspaper' with a couple of words unwittingly budged in between. But a Sun magazine?! Oh lordy. What would the content be?! A dot to dot page 3?!

But hey, I was intrigued so I went along to find out more......

Being fashionably late I arrived at the Mayfair venue for the launch about an hour after it had started, to face the end of a long queue. I could just about see that there was an end as every now and then I could see bright lights going off every time some alphabetised-rated celeb walked in. I resided myself to settling in for a good while to patiently wait my turn to enter as a mere guest when a knight in shining armour plucked me out an lead me to the front. My prince charming was an old uni friend-turned gossip columnist-turned freelance journalist. Winner. I got inside, turned round to thank him profusely only to see him walking straight out. That's not how it goes?! But I need not have worried. Him being him he had just clocked Charles Dunstone, chairman of The Carphone Warehouse who was dutifully waiting in the queue without kicking up a fuss to jump to the front. My friend politely alerted the PR team and said man was whisked in like lightening by a slightly embarrassed door team. I had a chuckle. I suggested my friend deserved a reward of a shiny new phone. Can't hurt to ask?!

So on to the party.....Entertainment PR, journalists, business tycoons and randoms (like myself) were quite literally rubbing more than shoulders with celebs such as George Lamb, Vic Reeves, Janice Dickinson, Shane Ward, Barbara Windsor, Cat Cubie and racing driver Ben Collins amongst others, in a very, very packed venue. Champagne, cocktails and canapes flowed despite the mass of guests along with live music and a very popular photo booth to capture guests on the cover of 'Buzz'. Everyone seemed to be having a 'sunny' time. And as with every party, if you are with some good friends, as I was, fun is always had.

So when it was winding down, my thoughts came to the usual: 'I wonder what's in the goody bag'.

 Well for those of you who are interested in what's in a Sun party's goody bag, here it is:
1. A bottle of own branded 'Buzz' perfume by Roja Dova
2. Pot of Wella Shockwaves Styling Putty
3. 2 x pink Wisdon toothbrushes (useful, I needed a new one)
4. Head & shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo (no comment)
5. Champney's Chill & Tone 14 Day Firming Regime (again no comment)
6. Cedarwood state branded watch from Primark (including £1 price tag in tact) (Really?!)
7. Selection of Mula make up: pearl eyeshadow, liquid eye liner, 3x lip glosses
8. Nivea soft moisturising cream
9. Wilkonson Sword Hydro5 razor
10. Selection of men's Nivea for Men minis (2 x deodorant, 3 x moisturiser)
11. 10cl bottle of U'luvka vodka (just what I need after all that champagne!)
12. Barry M Liquid Eye liner
13. M & S cuff links (price tag £5) and sparkly gold trilby (price tag £25)
14. 2 x £50 vouchers off á la carte at Tom Aitkens
And last but certainly not least.....
15. Nestle Milkybar Raisin & Biscuit! (and no, it didn't make it home)

What a genius goody bag! So random and (bar a few items, ie the hat, unless you're that way inclined) so practical! So refreshing from the usual 'lovely' luxury beauty products and make up that never get used and instead get pushed to the back of the cupboard only reappearing once a year when you realise that 'Sh*t, I haven't bought Auntie a present!'.

The only thing missing was the mag itself. But then that is to be kept secret until its release this weekend......

So thank you The Sun, for a fun evening and an unusual goody bag. A may even buy your paper to check out what The Buzz is like. Maybe, just maybe.....

Loving my new American Retro dress from the AW10 collection!

Very excited that the rust Ann bow back dress from American Reror's fab new collection has arrived at the office for me today! Just in time to be given an outing during London Fashion Week!



And so it begins.....

So if a 13 year old dork (her words not mine) can shoot to fame by blogging about what she likes best, I'm damned as well going to give it whirl myself. I'm HarveyNicksChick, a fun loving London girl, working in fashion and a semi-party girl (I don't warrant the full title; am not a social scene machine. Yet.). I invite you to taste little delicious nibbles of my life. Follow me or don't follow me. It was nice meeting you just this once.