J&M Davidson's 30th Anniversary

I recently attended the most beautiful of dinners at the Connaught in celebration of J&M Davidson's 30th anniversary.  I knew my evening was to be a special one when my invitation arrived in the form of a limited edition, silver clutch bag (which I carried on the night).  The dinner was co-hosted by John and Monique Davidson and Tanya Ling, an illustrator who has a long history with the husband and wife team. 

Tanya Ling's unique, illustrated menus and name cards were stunningly placed amongst the most elegant of Wild at Heart flowers by Nikki Tibbles. Just BEAUTIFUL!! 

John and Monique Davidson launched J&M Davidson in 1984 from their home in Chiswick.  Now a global British brand with a French twist, their constantly evolving collections include covetable handbags, handcrafted belts, clothing and knitwear, all available online or from their colourful Notting Hill store.  

SHOP TLC's LOOK:

Above L-R (Clockwise):  Louisa Preskett and Katy Wickremesinge, Bip Ling, Katie Readman with Amy Williams and Alice Naylor-Leyland, Pandora Sykes.  Below:  "But first...." with Katie Readman and Bip Ling.

Below:  Some of J&M Davidson's current collection.  I am eyeing up their Medieval Blue Carnival bag – but the canary yellow drawstring one will no doubt be a SS’15 must have!

Zoë Jordan's 'Pretty Vandals' Fundraiser for The Amber Foundation

I was recently invited by Zoë Jordan (left), the designer worn and loved by all the coolest of cats, to Chelsea’s Rossetti Studiosfor a shopping evening in support of The Amber Foundation, a residential centre aiming to reduce the level of unemployment amongst the 17-30 year old age group.  

Whilst chatting with friends and enjoying DJ Miss G’s set, I virtually drooled over the SS’14 'Pretty Vandals' collection.  Inspired by the 90’s, Zoë beautifully balances graffiti prints and perforated leather alongside a palette of elegant water colour pastels. I was particularly drawn the citron neon garments, which set against Miranda Donovan’s graffiti themed art installations, looked amazing.

US Vogue contributor Sarah Mower interviewed both a past and a present resident of Amber.  Amber’s residential centres offer disadvantaged young people a fresh start and a chance to build their confidence and gain practical skills and qualifications which can lead to full time employment and more secure futures.  Kara and Natalie were both extremely honest about their experiences and were a real testament to Amber’s success. 

Above L-R (Clockwise): Beatrice Savoretti (wearing Zoë Jordan), Margot Molinari andJemma Powell, artist Miranda Donovan, Katy ickremesinghe with Kelly Eastwood.

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Above:  With designer Zoë Jordan, wearing a vintage silk shirt from Budapest with my Mulberry Bryn handbag in Flame.  Below:  With musician Jack Savoretti.

To help transform young lives please donate to The Amber Foundation HERE. 

'Honestly Healthy For Life' Book Launch

Last week I attended the launch of vegetarian chef Natasha Corrett and nutritionist Vicki Edgson’s second alkaline cookbook, ‘Honestly Healthy for Life,’ at Notting Hill’s Bumpkin. With over 100 new and anticipated easy-to-make recipes to choose from, this book promises a diet that will boost your energy and immune system, improve your mood and aid digestion. Fear not sweet teeth, HH also offers some healthier versions of your naughty favourites, including sticky toffee pudding and doughnuts! (*cue my face lighting up!)

The alkaline diet has become one of the biggest eating trends of recent years, with Victoria Beckham naming Honestly Healthy as her favourite cookbook.  To summise, our blood is 7.35/7.45 on the pH scale, making it slightly alkaline, so staying clear of acid forming foods, and eating more alkaline meals, keeps us at our optimum health.  

Above:  Guests, including Laura Whitmore, Sienna Miller (in an elegant nude Chloé shirt and sparkly Jimmy Choo brogues which hadmy inner magpie squawking with envy) and Jo Wood all enjoyed bite-size quinoa beetroot and spinach burgers, mini-slices of orange and almond cake, crunchy toffee popcorn (yum!) and vodka coconut mojitos.  

Above:  Natasha’s proud-as-punch mummy interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
Below:  On yer Honestly Healthy Bike!  With Natasha Corrett and Katy Wickremesinghe.

Below:  The London Chatter wearing a dusky pink jacket from H&M (RRP. £39.99), Black Ripped Jeans from Zara (RRP. £39.99), Senso Qimat Boots in concrete (RRP. £152.00), Mulberry Lily (RRP. £750.00) and a leopard print coat similar here from Topshop).

Raw Green Curry with Courgette Noodles. 

A quick, fool-proof recipe packed full of flavour from ‘Honestly Healthy For Life.'

Ingredients:
 
For the Sauce:
1/3 cup dried or fresh curry leaves
1 cup raw cashew nuts, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
½ cup water
Juice ½ a lime
½ cup coriander, chopped
Generous ¾ cup coconut milk
1 tsp each of ground cumin, ground ginger, dried lemongrass, fresh chilli (chopped), ginger root (grated) and ground coriander

For the Courgette Noodles:
5 courgettes
1 cup bean sprouts
1 ½ cup snow/sugar snap peas
200g baby corn, sliced
raw cashews to garnish

Instructions:

Put all of the sauce ingredients into a blender and whiz until smooth. Set aside. Spiralize the courgettes, and mix through the sauce. Next, add in the chopped vegetables and pack everything into containers and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you prefer you can make the sauce a day or so ahead and mix with the spiralized noodles just before serving.Garnish with a sprinkle of cashews and coriander leaves just before eating.

Below:  The London Chatter featured in Grazia Magazine.

‘Honestly Healthy for Life’ is available HERE from Amazon (RRP. £̶2̶5̶.̶0̶0̶ £12.41)

#NoMakeUp Selfies for Cancer Research UK

Over £8 MILLION has been raised for Cancer Research UK in the last SIX days during a campaign that’s seen women flooding our social media pages with their bare-faced ‘selfies’ and donating just £3.00 via their phone.  The trend grew totally organically by each woman nominating several friends to follow her lead.  On Day 5 of my bed-bound ‘Spring Fever’ I was nominated by FOUR of my girlfriends on facebook (flowers will do next time girls… jus’saying!) but as it's all in the name of charideeeeeee…  

Cancer Research UK have said that the generous donations would allow the charity to carry out 10 clinical trials that it did not have money to fully fund last week.  Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support people have been showing us through the #nomakeupselfie trend… It has been an exciting week, and we would just like to thank everyone again for their support."

Above:  What’s also great to see is just how beyooootiful all my friends look without their slap… Truly gorgeous inside and out ladies!  To donate £3.00 please text BEAT to 70099.

Lululemon's Movement Yoga Class at the Royal Opera House

I am known for many things, but my athleticism would not be one of them!  Having not moved quicker than a strut in the last decade, I was more than a little apprehensive when invited to take part in Lululemon Athletica’s 400 person Movement Yoga Class… Lets face it, that’s a 399 people to make a complete fool of myself in front of!

I was then generously sent the most comfortable, super sleek and sculpting Lululemon‘Wunder Under Pants’ (RRP. £72.00) made with Full-On Luon™ 'second-skin' fabric, and I immediately felt more confident… Well, at least I would look the part!  #AllTheGearNoIdea

My girlfriends and I made our way to the beyond stunning Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, alongside a beyond huuuge and enthusiastic crowd of self-named ‘Lulu-Heads.’  Despite originating in Canada and being the ‘go-to’ yoga wear brand in the US,  Lululemon has clearly built a seriously impressive cult following within the UK.  

The massive (and free!) yoga class was held in the Royal Opera House’s vast conservatory and with the sunshine streaming through it’s glass ceiling, we begun the hour long jivamuktiyoga class, conducted by Emma Henry and assisted by a more than helpful hoard of yogi adjusters, whilst the London Philharmonic Orchestra played live classical music. The whole experience was nothing short of euphoric and other worldly.

I will never forget the beautiful, heavenly sound of the orchestra playing ‘Adagio for Strings’ (below) during the relaxed Savasana (a.k.a 'Corpse Pose!) Prosecco and dark chocolate was served afterwards and we were all allowed to keep our Lululemon yoga mats ('The Mat' RRP. £62.00).  Exercising might not be so terrible after all… Namaste. 

Lululemon will be opening it’s first UK store in Covent Garden on the 28th of March. 
In the lead up, the brand will be teaming up with 13 yoga studios across London offering complimentary 'Cheeky Yoga!'  Can't get out of work to join in?  Fear not... Print out a doctors note to give to your boss from the Lululemon website!  See HERE for details. 

Rosewood London Launch

I was really happy to attend the launch of Rosewood London, to check out the capital’s latest luxury hotel.  The 1914 Edwardian Belle Époque Grade II-listed building property in the heart of High Holborn has had an £85 million refurbishment and boasts 262 rooms and 44 suites which magnificently combines a traditional English heritage look with a contemporary London aesthetic.  After arriving trough a massive courtyard and walking down a beautiful hall of mirrors (see below), I arrived at the hotel's opulent bar room, designed by Martin Brudnizki, where I enjoyed a pretty huge celebratory Scarfes Royal Punch cocktail whilst listening to an acoustic performance by the gorgeous Anglo-Italian singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti (above), who I am a big fan of.  Later, DJ and The Saturdays’ Mollie King (above) took to the decks to entertain the Rosewood revellers.  

Above L-R (Clockwise):  Kelly Eastwood and Jack Freud, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaccs with Katy Wickremesinghe, Jack and Kate Freud, Steve Merchant.

Above:  Wearing high waisted Topshop shorts and a navy silk Greta ruffled top, accessorised with my bright orange Zara heels and the Emerald Wilbur & Gussie Charlie Clutch with a jewel encrusted lion clasp (RRP. £150.00, available to purchase here).

Omega Summer Party

One year on from her amazing performance in London 2012, British heptathlete and Omega ambassador Jessica Ennis-Hill hosted Omega’s annual summer party in Burlington Arcade’s magical shopping walkway.   Jessica wore a citris-bright orange Antonio Berardi dress, Jessica sipped some bubbles alongside actors Bill Nighy and Dominic Cooper, whilst I enjoyed an impromptu mid-week Girl’s Night Out, as the pictures show! 

Above (L-R):  Jessica Ennis-Hill with Bob Nighy, Sinclair Sellars and Katy Wickremesinghe, Kelly Eastwood and Marie-Claire's fashion editor Tanya Semikoz.   

Above (Clockwise L-R):  DJ/Presenter Izzy Lawrence with Shirley Leigh Wood Oakes, Katy Wickremesinghe and Kelly Eastwood,  Kirsty Williams with presenter Zoe Hardman, Zafar Rushdie with girlfriend, opera singer Natalie Coyle. 

Baku Magazine Website Launch

Last week I attended the launch of Baku Magazine online at Baku Cellar 164 .  Amidst the flame throwing, magic tricks by Fergus Flanagan and DJ set by Amber Le Bon and Becky Tong, I enjoyed some bubbles alongside half the cast of ‘Made In Chelsea’ (Baku is on Sloane Street after all, darrrrling!)  Awesome art by award winning street artist Rich Simmonswas also exhibited and is available to view at Baku Cellar 164 until May 15th when another contemporary artist will be showcased.   

Above:  Amongst Rich Simmons Art (Clockwise L-R):  Kelly Eastwood with Francis Boulle and Katy Wickremesinghe,  Amber Le Bon and Becky Tong, Me again (wearing a velvet and lace trim top by Sandro, the Heart Mac by Elizabeth Lau, bag by Mulberry). 

Marie Curie Cancer Care Fundraiser

On Tuesday night I attended Heather Kerzner's star-studded fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care. Marie Curie Cancer Care is best known for its network of 2,700 nurses, who provide vital and free end of life care to patients with terminal illness in their own homes, or in one of its nine hospices.

The beautiful ballroom at Claridges, filled with celebrity florist Rob van Helden’s heavenly pink peonies and red roses, looked almost as stunning as the glamorous guests, including Kate Moss and Jamie Hince, Ronnie Wood, Yasmin Le Bon, Holly Valance and Nick Candy, Tamara Beckwith, Geri Halliwell, Sarah the Duchess of York and Princess Beatrice.

Above:  Wearing a Nanette Lepore velvet dress and turquoise Chanel shoes.  Below: (clockwise) David Bailey and Sarah the Duchess of York, a rocking Ronnie Wood, Holly Valance, Richard Dennen and Kelly Eastwood, a papping Kate Moss, Matthew Freud with Heather Kerzner, Kate Moss and Jamie Hince. Photographs by Christopher Jackson.

During the lavish dinner, Heather Kerzner and model Saffron Aldridge movingly expressed their own personal gratitude to the Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses. Matthew Freud followed, cheekily referring to his infamous scuffle with Hugh Grant (“it’s nice to attend one of Heather’s parties and not get punched… although the night is still relatively young!”) went on to introduce ‘When I Die: Lessons from the Death Zone’, an intimate short film (below) he co-produced about his friend Philip Gould’s final days.

An auction followed, led by the charismatic Lord Harry Dalmeny, that raised over £620,000 for the Marie Curie Cancer Care. The amazing lots included an opportunity to have your portrait taken by David Bailey, a private party at Annabels, and an absolutely stunning George Pragnell Diamond Daffodil ring.  The ring, shown below, in the shape of a daffodil (the Marie Curie’s emblem) was designed by the jeweller’s grandson, Charlie Pragnell, in recognition of Marie Curie’s outstanding work.  I was allowed to wear the stunning ring, with its rare and glittering orange-yellow diamond centre for around five minutes before I was reminded I had to give it back... They were a happy five minutes. ‘My’ beautiful daffodil ring was later auctioned off for £50,000. Parting is such sweet sorrow...

Kate Moss took to the stage to model a last minute donation from Ronnie Wood; a painting of Rod Stewart by the Rolling Stone himself. The piece was auctioned off for £12,000 after Lord Harry Dalmeny managed to push the bidding past £10,000 by saying that Kate Moss wouldn’t even get out of bed for so little… Reaslising he’d got his supermodel’s mixed up (“Oh, no, that’s not you – that’s the other one!”) Kate went on to confirm that she would indeed rise from bed for less than £10,000. Damn recession.

We were later entertained by the legendary Grammy award winning R&B artist Sam Moore, who was joined on stage by Ronnie Wood in a surprise set that included 'Stay With Me' and 'Mustang Sally' (which was directed at Wood’s new girlfriend… Sally!) 

My place at the front of the stage allowed me the perfect view of Ronnie Wood’s studded Louboutin loafers, and in what must be the most glamorous mosh pit ever, I spent a good part of the evening dancing next to Kate Moss.  Just your average Tuesday night…

After a hugely fun and successful night, Heather Kerzner commented, "I am so impressed by the work of Marie Curie Cancer Care it was natural for me to lend my support. People don't like to talk about death, but we all have to face it and I wanted to help bring money and attention to this incredible charity whose nurses, like angels, bring peace to terminally ill patients and their families during this devastating time."

Below: In the Marie Curie Photo Booth with Katy Wickremesinghe and with Charlie Pragnell (wearing the stunning George Pragnell Daffodil Diamond ring he designed.)

www.mariecurie.org.uk