THE BRIDGE AND JAGUAR SHOES

One of the good things about living in London, is there is always something new to discover, and it is always exciting one that discovery is a good one.  This was the case on saturday, as I ventured to shoreditch to meet up with my friend Deb's for coffee at a new cafe that I had heard had opened up.  Alex and Oli joined us as well, fresh back from their travels in India.  I am glad the journey was worth it to go there, as it is quite unlike anything else around.  The Bridge Coffee House is on Kingsland Road and is housed in an old building that use to be a video shop.  The decor is the most amazing thing:  Kitsch, cluttered, antique, with a bit of Baroque and a NewYork, Parisian feel thrown into the mix.  The Hot Chocolate was amazing and the cakes are not bad too.  The nicest thing though, was drinking at somewhere individual instead of looking down at a mug imprinted with Starbucks or Costa!  Highly recommended just for the experience and a good place to go and read the weekend papers and be cosy.

The Bridge Coffee House

15 Kingsland Road

E8

The only downside with the Bridge is, it doesn't sell alcohol, so we ventured down the road a little to the well known Jaguar Shoes for a glass or two?  I feel the decor in there is like a mad kids playgroup, but its good for.  Though I do have to say some of the things hanging from the ceiling do remind me of vital organs.  We headed over to debs bar after that for a few more drinks, and though I was a little drunk I got to bed at a decent hour and a woke today to clear all the junk out of my bedroom and had a good old sort out!  All in all a productive and relaxing weekend.

34-36 Kingsland Road,
Shoreditch,
London,
E2 8DA

BELATED NEW YEAR

I have been so busy with work recently I haven't even had time to think, never mind do any posts.    I have found my self with a few spare moments, so I am posting my pictures from my New Year.  It was meant to be a quite one this year, but as usual turned into a complete mash up.  It started very civilised with the housemates and Laura, Fabio and Yun coming round to ours for Bangers and Mash.  Laura brought her home made bread and the sausages were from the Ginger Pig, so they were amazing!  As the drinks flowed and more people arrived, the evening became a little more hazy, but I do remember everyone piling into ours for midnight, then everyone going over to the Spaniards opposite for a party, where I preceded to sit on a table which collapsed, with me on it, bashing my hand in the process.  I was carried out that party Gone with the Wind style by my mate Duncan, back to mine, where I then spent the next half hour throwing up over the toilet and pretending I was a cat on the bathroom floor! I finished the night once again being carried to bed (This time by Angus).  So I saw the year out in style then?
I wore for the evening a new dress that I had seen The cherry Blossom Girl wear on her blog, and thought she looked great in it and I just had to have it.  Unfortunately I didn't look as cool in it, and instead of looking like Audrey Hepburn, which was the image I was wanting, I kept getting called Wednesday Adams or a sexy Nun!  It got worse when I put on Rubens sailor hat, as I then looked like a member of the Salvation Army.  Anyway I don't care what I look like or what anyone thinks, I love the dress.  Happy Belated New Year everyone.

Angus

                       Laura's home made bread

              You can't beat bangers and mash!

             Me looking shocked!

             Kylee does a big balloon

              Yun and Laura join in.

               Claire and Angus

                     the love birds:  claire and Rohan

                    Recycling our Christmas tree

                         We like to call it instillation art

                More people start showing up.

                         The masses arrive for midnight.

                       DJ at the spanish party

                  Me as a member of the Salvation Army with Claire

                      Angus and Deb's chill at the end of the night.

OLGA DE POLGA

My friend Jade works for the clothing company Olga De Polga.  It sells its clothes in many shops around London, including Top Shop, but last year they finally were able to purchase their first shop.  The space was a dirty disused shop in Hanbury Street, Spitalfields.  The location is amazing as its more or less opposite the market and around the corner from Brick Lane.  The shop itself needed a bit of work, so we all went down to chip in with cleaning up and painting, while playing bad 80's music really loud and getting take away Nandos.  After a lot of hard work the shop looks amazing, thanks to the hard effort and the creative genius of Jade.  Go and check out the shop if your in the area, its got some great little pieces and if its not for you just check out the decor.  Here are some before and after pictures.

Olga De Polga

4 Hanbury Street

Spitalfields

London 

E1

2009: MY ANNUS HORRIBLIS!

The Queen had hers in 1992, and 2009 has been my, annus horribilis!  It has been a year that started with heart break and tears, that led to wild and bad behaviour, of foolishness, dissapointment, more tears, letting people down, but most of all letting myself down.  It would be quite easy to say that I would like to erase this year from memory, but that would never be wise, for we must learn from mistakes and hurt for they make us stronger in the end.  Besides there were good things about the year, I can't say it was all doom and gloom!  Here are the Highlights:


THE HOUSE MATES
When the shit hits the fan, you really realise who your real friends are.  My house mates have proved to me they are more than friends: they are more like family to me.  God!  I have not been easy to live with this year, but they have put up with the moods, the anger, the selfishness, the crying and mad behaviour.  They are always there to pick up the pieces and pull me back together even though I have thrown it in their faces time after time.  Without them I feel I would never have got through this year.  For that I thank and salute them.  I love the house of Unit 24, Oslo house. x

Sadly Ssam lost her visa battle to stay in this country because the Home Office are bastards, so she had to go back home to Korea.  I miss her very much.  Luckily we have a brilliant new housemate, Rowan who I'm sure you will hear lots about in the coming year.


TRAVELS
It just wouldn't be me if I didn't get to go on some sort of travels in the year.  First up I got to go back to my favourite city, Paris with my friend Ali as a cheer me up.  

The highlight of the summer for me was not having to work the whole of it for the first time in 7 years and getting to go on my first trip to Italy, for a whole month.  Me and Liz did the whole trip together but we were joined on the way by different members of the girls for one big adventure like old times.  A trip to remember.

I finished the year off in style with a relaxing little break to the Maldives with my sister for a week.  Paradise on earth.

TURNING 30
I don't believe there are many women out there that would say turning 30 was one of the highlights of their year, but for me I honestly can say it was. I think other people have a bigger problem with it than I do.  I have grown more comfortable with myself as I have got older.  Age is but a number and your as old as you want to feel, which was something I have always lagged behind with.  I had the best party with all my friends, which was themed of course (This time the Blitz and the 1940's).  Also my parents came down to stay with me in london for the first time, since I have been here.   It was the best weekend of my life.  I hope the 30's started as they mean to go on? Besides 30 is the new 21!  

WORK
Not the best year of my working life.  The industry has been hit hard by the financial crisis, and work has been thin on the ground.  I got by like I usually do, and maybe though I wasn't working back to back, I definitely have had more of a life this year.  I started the year working on Red Dwarf, which was fun, mad and very tiring!

Next I went into help on Material Girl, a new BBC drama about the Fashion Industry which should be screened next month.  Again very hard work, but I think the costumes and hair and make up looked amazing.  Its just a shame that the scripts were so shit!

Murderland for ITV was not my favourite job, as it was all split days and night shoots!  I was totally exhausted! It was quite boring costume wise, as well.  Thank God it had the most amazing lovely crew and the beautiful and brilliant actress, Bel powley.

Finally, I got to do some dream work this year by doing the crowd on Cranford, for this years Christmas special.  I love doing period clothing.  Its the whole reason why I got into costume in the first place.  Its just a shame I don't get to do more!  I also got to hover around Dame Judi Dench (She is so tiny) and perve at Greg wise a lot (God he is so beautiful)!  

LEO
This year saw my little Nephew Leo enter this world.  My first time at being an Aunty!  I love it! He's just so beautiful (He would be, he's half Japanese).  I just wish I got to see him a bit more often, as he's up in Manchester.  Does this make me want to have kids now you ask?  Well I love him lots, but I'm quite glad to give him back at the end of the day, is my answer.

AND FINALLY....
How could I forget Hank and Cassius, the newest and biggest auditions to the house.  They have brought a new lease of life to the place.  Even when they have been naughty (Which is a lot!) they can still bring a smile to your face and you can't stay angry at them for long when there as cute as that.  Happy 2010 everyone. xxx