'Mam'

Last night I went to the ICA to watch ‘Mam’ at the Rushes Soho Shorts 2011 Festival.
Written by the gorgeous Vivienne Harvey, it sees her boyfriend, acclaimed British actor, Hugo Speer, in his directorial debut.

After acting together 3 years ago, Vivienne and Hugo set up a production company called Vigo Films and set about filming ‘Mam’ in Sheffield - the same city Hugo filmed the 1997 Oscar-nominated, Brit classic ‘The Full Monty.'

Extremely well directed – no mean feat when working with 5 young children – the star of ‘Mam’ is almost certainly its lead, 13 year old Ronan Carter. His heartbreaking performance of a child, desperately trying to keep his family together by fending for his younger siblings and looking after his sick mother, was beautifully performed and extremely poignant.

Screened at several film festivals from Utah to Moscow and continuing it's festival run throughout 2011, you can see 'Mam' later this year when available to download via iTunes.

In the meantime Vivienne and Hugo are working on a feature film script together - Viva Vigo!

Marie Claire's September Issue

(Dolce & Gabanna silk chiffon star print dress)


Last night I joined the fashion fabulous, at Argyll Street’s Aqua Neuva, for the launch of Marie Claire’s September Fashion Issue - the issue that heralds the start of the new year of fashion, and deemed the most important edition of the year.

Their September Issue features Anne Hathaway on the front cover.

Whilst the fash pack sipped on champagne and giant, fish bowl like glasses of gin and tonics, and nibbled on delicious canapés, the rain held off just long enough for me to catch up with Marie-Clare’s Executive Fashion Editor, Tanya Semikoz.

Their predictions for this Autumn include a Mad Men inspired return to ladylike shapes and demure elegance (pussy bow blouses and classic pencil skirts) and a homage to the 1970's (jewel tones and luxurious fabrics) with shades of orange and snakeskin prints being key trends to keep an eye out for.

RIP Amy Winehouse...

Amy Winehouse's close friend, Russell Brand wrote a beautiful remembrance on his official website; “From her oddly dainty presence came that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine. My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened.”

With her soulful voice, raw lyrics, unapologetic attitude and unique sense of style, Amy’s musical impact will never be forgotten.

Here are two of my favourite examples of that voice...

RIP Amy.

Credit Buy - Sunglasses



Lots of people have commented on my 1940's looking sunglasses recently (modelled beautifully here by one of my two amazing Great-Dane/Ridgebacks, Maximus.

Although my cheapie pair are no longer available, Ray Ban have a near identical pair (above)

£97.00

And so do Illesteva - Their Leonard Sunglasses are available at Matches (and seen in Grazia this week!)

£155.00

Sexual Nature - The National History Museum

Bird's Do It, Bee's Do It...

If ever I find myself at a loss for words (admittedly, not regularly) I often pepper awkward silences with an array of animal facts memorized over the years – everyone loves an animal fact, no??

Giraffe can’t cough.
Hippopotamus milk is bright pink.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.


Yes – Conversational Gold people!!

So imagine my joy when I saw The Natural History Museum (previously seen in my mind as the home of dinosaurs and swarming herds of children armed with colds and clipboards) were showing an exhibition entitled ‘Sexual Nature’ – a whole area dedicated to the most awesome, and thoroughly racy, animal facts around.

With low lighting, seedy lounge room music and the frequent cries of Isabella Rossellini begging various species of wildlife to seduce her (her fabulous, award winning ‘Green Porn’ shorts are shown throughout) you undertake a giggly, multi-sensory exploration of the weird and wonderful world of the sexual and reproductive behaviour of hundreds of animals and insects.

I am thrilled that any future awkward dinner party moments look set to be resolved with a more risqué myriad of animal knowledge (“Do you know snakes have two penises and an octopus's testicles are located in its head? Please pass the gravy...”) but I would however, strongly recommend veering away from the ‘sniff me’ boxes containing the mating scents of wild stags and jaguars.. More than likely similar to Ron Burgandy’s fragrance of choice, the infamous, ‘Sex Panther’ ("60% of the time it works every time!”) a handy packet of Tic Tacs later, I was still wincing.

Exhibiting until the last Friday of October 2011.

Musical Moment - Beyonce ('Best Thing I Never Had')


I love Beyonce as much as the next person… as long as that next person isn’t my boyfriend – he loooooooves Mrs Z - and the first scene of this music video will do nothing to suppress his crush.

Every one of us has someone (or sometwo… or somethree... hey, whose counting?!) that this song could be belted out to - so this song is dedicated to all the douche bags - the best things we never had…

Walkies

Today we took Jack's puppy, the black beauty Zee Zee (a working cocker spaniel) for a walk in Richmond Park... You can just about make her out camouflaged next to me!

Denim Skirt - Similar found at H&M
Sunglasses - Similar found here
Handbag - The Mulberry Alexa
Straw Hat - Urban Outfitters
Gold Brooch On Skirt- Vintage
Topaz Ring - Sourced by Goode And Son
Lipstick - MAC 'So Chaud'
Nailpolish - Essie 'Sugar Daddy'

As an aside... What do they say about Dogs looking like their owners....?!