Laduree, now that's one of my favorites...
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Monday, 23 March 2009
Friday, 20 March 2009
English Eccentrics - Music
It has been a while since I last heard our album - we listened to it so much when we made it that I had to put it to one side for a while - but I really like it - it was such a fun project and it still sounds great.
If you would like to listen to a track or two, you can here it at SingerRecords
..but if you like music that's easy to access and to use, then try SPOTIFY - it's totally brilliant. My kids and nepwews and nieces are all into it. Give it a try, you won't be disappointed.
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Last Tango...
Last week we found ourselves in a beautiful parquet-floored room in the Polish Club, South Kensington, watching dancers and their teachers sashay around the room to a variety of imaginary rhythms. This was because Louise won the chance to dance tango with Ian Waite from Strictly Come Dancing at an auction for Annie Lennox’s new charity for women, The Circle.
Louise is an experienced tango dancer, her usual partner is the designer Ren Pearce. But Ian dances a different type of tango altogether, it’s ballroom tango. For a start the pose is very different, so Louise had to get used to it.
Ian is by far the tallest dancer on Strictly and as such always gets the tall girls, last season he partnered Jodie Kidd. He is a fabulous dancer and a very charming man with a ready smile.
Ian is by far the tallest dancer on Strictly and as such always gets the tall girls, last season he partnered Jodie Kidd. He is a fabulous dancer and a very charming man with a ready smile.
Louise really got into ballroom tango and loved every minute of her hour with Ian.
Immediately after watching Louise and Ian, we dashed across London to the National Theatre where our great friends Richard and Rosie Hytner had invited us to an evening of behind the scenes fun followed by a wonderful dinner and auction.
SET BUILDER AT THE NT
Our first experience of the National Theatre Gala was to find ourselves in a giant prop-making workshop where men welded metal and shaved wood to build the sets.
Our first experience of the National Theatre Gala was to find ourselves in a giant prop-making workshop where men welded metal and shaved wood to build the sets.
ROMEO BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
DANCER BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
Actors and performers were placed throughout the varied back-stage spaces; we came across a young Romeo, a lovely ballet dancer admiring her reflection, a superfast juggler and a couple in a nook enjoying a Lovers’ tryst.
Actors and performers were placed throughout the varied back-stage spaces; we came across a young Romeo, a lovely ballet dancer admiring her reflection, a superfast juggler and a couple in a nook enjoying a Lovers’ tryst.
JUGGLER BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
LOVERS' TRYST BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
As the space narrowed into a series of interlinked corridors, we were in prop heaven. We saw antique costumes, a wig stall, and wonderful theatrical props from the dead seagull in Chekov’s eponymous play to the beautiful horse puppet in Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.
As the space narrowed into a series of interlinked corridors, we were in prop heaven. We saw antique costumes, a wig stall, and wonderful theatrical props from the dead seagull in Chekov’s eponymous play to the beautiful horse puppet in Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse.
WIGS BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
WARHORSE PROP BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
SEAGULL BACKSTAGE AT THE NT
Emerging from the semi-lit depths of the world’s biggest fancy dress box, we found ourselves plunged into the limelight, on the Olivier stage, in the middle of a very interesting play that has yet to be written, involving an operatic Brunhilda and a regiment of 18th century British soldiers. As we arrived onstage some of us were thrown into red jacketed costumes, it was quite a surreal experience.
Emerging from the semi-lit depths of the world’s biggest fancy dress box, we found ourselves plunged into the limelight, on the Olivier stage, in the middle of a very interesting play that has yet to be written, involving an operatic Brunhilda and a regiment of 18th century British soldiers. As we arrived onstage some of us were thrown into red jacketed costumes, it was quite a surreal experience.
BRUNHILDA
RICHARD IN UNIFORM
Stepping out of the scene we found our beautifully decorated tables, still on the vast stage.
Stepping out of the scene we found our beautifully decorated tables, still on the vast stage.
GEORGINA DAVID AND ROSIE HYTNER
HELEN DAVID AND ANTHONY FRY IAN KELLY
Table guests included our hosts, Richard and Rosie Hytner, investment advisor Anthony Fry and actor Ian Kelly who is currently appearing in the Pitmen Painters at the Cottesloe. Entertainment was provided by a star-studded collection of thesps, including a great song by Adrian Lester.
Table guests included our hosts, Richard and Rosie Hytner, investment advisor Anthony Fry and actor Ian Kelly who is currently appearing in the Pitmen Painters at the Cottesloe. Entertainment was provided by a star-studded collection of thesps, including a great song by Adrian Lester.
It was hard to avoid the generous supply of champagne and wine that evening, but I tried to be good as I had to make a breakfast appearance the next day as a judge for the Jasmine Awards, These are annual prizes, celebrating excellence in fragrance journalism.
JASMINE AWARDS COMMITTEE AND JUDGES;PROFESSOR LOUISE WILSON, PAULA SMITH, VICKI BESWICK,NICOLA DE BURLET,CATHERINE MITCHELL,ROD KELLY,HELEN DAVID,LIZ GARRETT,PROFESSOR MIRANDA SEYMOUR. PHOTO BY VANESSA PERKINS
A
JASMINE AWARDS COMMITTEE AND JUDGES;PROFESSOR LOUISE WILSON, PAULA SMITH, VICKI BESWICK,NICOLA DE BURLET,CATHERINE MITCHELL,ROD KELLY,HELEN DAVID,LIZ GARRETT,PROFESSOR MIRANDA SEYMOUR. PHOTO BY VANESSA PERKINS
A
group of judges is selected every year and then we get to read lots of pieces about all aspects of scent from in depth pieces on such topics as men’s fragrances to the history of perfumes to short sound-bite pieces. We also judge the best visuals, and it is in that category that I gave my award. The ceremony is held at the BAFTA building in Piccadilly.
MIRANDA SEYMOUR AND HELEN DAVID
One of my fellow judges was the novelist Miranda Seymour. Having been impressed by her in person, she is charming, modest and amusing, I am now reading her biographical book of obsessive love , In My Father’s House .
One of my fellow judges was the novelist Miranda Seymour. Having been impressed by her in person, she is charming, modest and amusing, I am now reading her biographical book of obsessive love , In My Father’s House .
REBECCA HOWARD IN CONVERSATION WITH HELEN DAVID
One journalist was talented enough to win prizes in two separate categories, Rebecca Howard. She is currently writing a beauty book. The piece that made us all laugh was by Hannah Betts, her prize-winning article "Let us Spray" was published in the Guardian Weekend and featured a series of disgusting smells that sometimes lurk in perfumes!
One journalist was talented enough to win prizes in two separate categories, Rebecca Howard. She is currently writing a beauty book. The piece that made us all laugh was by Hannah Betts, her prize-winning article "Let us Spray" was published in the Guardian Weekend and featured a series of disgusting smells that sometimes lurk in perfumes!
HELEN DAVID GIVING THE VISUAL AWARD TO SARAH RUMENS WITH PENNY SMITH. PHOTO BY STEVEN MORRIS
I presented the visual award prize to the Picture Editor of Grazia magazine, Sarah Rumens, for "What Does Fashion Smell Like? The photography was by Massimo Gammacurta. The judges all loved the big seductive floral imagery and the cleverly interwoven logos in the piece.
The presenter Penny Smith of GMTV came fresh from the studio. She’s clearly a morning person, she told me she has to wake at 4.00am every day to do her show!
One surprise pleasure was to meet a highly talented couple, for whom I have great respect, Dr. Luca Turin and his wife Tania Sanchez. Together they have written a book that is on my bedside table, and on the desk of nearly every perfumer in the world, Perfumes:The Guide. It is a highly-entertaining list of currently available scents with 1 to 5 stars and descriptions that range from superlative to embarrassingly critical. Unsurprisingly a lot of the worst comments are devoted to the so-called celebrity scents.
From the Jasmine Awards we made our way to the opening of an excellent exhibition Mythologies, at 6 Burlington Gardens by the Haunch of Venison gallery. Mythologies, is inspired by the fact that for some years this part of the Royal Academy housed the Museum of Mankind, the show is a giant cabinet of curiosities exploring themes based on this history.
I presented the visual award prize to the Picture Editor of Grazia magazine, Sarah Rumens, for "What Does Fashion Smell Like? The photography was by Massimo Gammacurta. The judges all loved the big seductive floral imagery and the cleverly interwoven logos in the piece.
The presenter Penny Smith of GMTV came fresh from the studio. She’s clearly a morning person, she told me she has to wake at 4.00am every day to do her show!
One surprise pleasure was to meet a highly talented couple, for whom I have great respect, Dr. Luca Turin and his wife Tania Sanchez. Together they have written a book that is on my bedside table, and on the desk of nearly every perfumer in the world, Perfumes:The Guide. It is a highly-entertaining list of currently available scents with 1 to 5 stars and descriptions that range from superlative to embarrassingly critical. Unsurprisingly a lot of the worst comments are devoted to the so-called celebrity scents.
From the Jasmine Awards we made our way to the opening of an excellent exhibition Mythologies, at 6 Burlington Gardens by the Haunch of Venison gallery. Mythologies, is inspired by the fact that for some years this part of the Royal Academy housed the Museum of Mankind, the show is a giant cabinet of curiosities exploring themes based on this history.
CURATOR AND CONSERVATIONIST AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON
Colin and I went on to the Museum of London where we are helping with some restoration of pieces due to appear in the dress collection. One piece they are currently working on is a fabulous beaded flapper dress from the mid 1920s. The conservationist explained how she has to dye fabrics to match the original dress and then hand-stitch them behind the garment where it is ripping, to preserve it for the future, and enable it to hang on a mannequin.
JOHN SWANNELL AND FRIENDS AT HIS LANDSCAPES SHOW
Next day was the opening of our friend John Swannell’s new show Landscapes at Hoopers gallery in Clerkenwell. Known primarily as a portrait and fashion photographer, John’s personal projects have always included a series of nudes and also a series of landscapes. Here are stunning pictures taken over a 20 year period, ranging from the Lake District to Utah to Burma. After the Private View I had dinner with my friend Marie Helvin at the Wolseley. Half way through dinner who should arrive on the table next door but John and his lovely wife Marianne! It’s a small world in the big ol’ capital.
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