Friday 12 June 2009

My week in numbers

Remember those chain mail emails that used to go around back when logging onto the internet, required you switching on a modem and watching those twinkly lights flick back and forth for five minutes? The ones that had questions like: crutons or bacon bits? Well this is my modern day version of that indulgence...

Press Gifts: 3. Tiffany necklace, French Sole ballet pumps, Calvin Klein underwear (wrong size - gone to charity shop), 
Eateries visited: 3. Bob Bob Ricard (tea with Arcadia), 11 Cadogan Hotel (tea with D&G), Cafe Boehme (breakfast with Freuds), Starbucks Westfield
Alcoholic drinks consumed: Don't-even-want-to-think-about-number of units. Half a bottle of wine post work drinks, half a bottle of wine tapas with old journalism school flatmates, glass of champagne PR tea, glass of wine screening of September Issue. 
Exercise sessions: 0. Big fat one. Been ill. Seriously. 
Number of items of clothing bought: 4. Vintage Marc Jacobs jacket £50. Vintage Philip Lim dress £70. Zara black trousers £25. Zara basic white over sized tee £14. Zara stuff might go back though! Shopping bulimia...
Ready meals eaten: 1. M&S Chicken Thai Red Curry.
Real meals eaten: 1. Pasta and sauce. That kinda counts...
Things crossed off to do list: 19
Things left on: 5

OK, maybe that exercise was not quite as fun as I had first thought. Slightly chaotic but hey, this weekend to sort it all out...! 



Internet eyeballs

Reading New York Magazine in the bath tonight, came across one of Emily Nussbaum's as-usual genius article, Class of '09. Essentially a survey of a generation of young Americans - the equivalent of which here in the UK have, in the past, been branded binge drinkers, laddettes, graduate divas, Generation Y  (as if they're like some scientific experimentation), internet narcassists and disillusionhed. The results make interesting reading. They are optimistic about the future, engaged in politics, concerned about riding out the credit crunch but ultimately think it's going to make the world a better place, they earn on average £25,000-£30,000 and 72% want to get married. But the most telling part to me was the 'Keeping Contact' section. 44% of them check their email instantly on their phones. 89% have a facebook page. 39% of them watch TV on the computer - only 35% watch it live. And half of them read a newspaper daily - though, it doesn't specify whether that's online or in print. That means our eyes are basically pretty permanently focussed on our computers. But perhaps I should have known that by the fact that the first thing I do when I come home from work - where I've been pretty much staring at a computer screen on and off in between meetings all day. That I check my BlackBerry after I've cleaned my teeth and before I go to bed. And that I'm writing this at 22.26 on a Friday night! If I'm in the house alone, I can't resist logging on. Exciting for the future online. But a worrying development for everything else in modern media? Certainly, I would say. 

Tuesday 2 June 2009

Tea at The Wolsely

There are a few things you have to know about tea, or, come to think of it, coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner at The Wolsely.

It's perfectly acceptable to be open about star spotting: when Lily Allen strides through in her Russian white fur hat and chats to Damien Hirst over scrambled egg then moves on to Giles's table for orange juice, it's open season. 

If you want to get scones without currants you have to call 24 hours before your reservation to have them especially made. 

One nervous waitress always seems to drop something, usually a glass of orange juice, on the floor. The marble makes it resound all around. 

There are two tiers for tables: the ones on the gallery, reserved for special clients. It's like the sky - where you can oversee the minions and be seen by them in return; and the ones on the main body of the floor, where it's perfectly legitimate but also strategic where you sit. Central you want to be seen, to the side for a more discreet dinner, and at the semi-circular table by the door - not cool. 

It's the most fun ever...

The best part of my job...


...absolutely, seriously. These shoes - that I have lusted after since seeing them in the Philip Lim show and even considered buying the Topshop Boutique imitations - I finally own. And for £180. I love Louboutin. That's all! 

Ok, not strictly fashion related…

…but everyone needs a night off once in a while. Tonight was said night. Went for a run after work (how virtuous!), ran past ex-boyfriend (less virtuous thoughts spent wondering what I’d actually have said if I’d talk to him), made warm summer salad – asparagus, rocket, blue cheese, avocado, crispy bacon and toasted sunflower seeds – and settled down to night with the girls. Cava, cigarettes and an hour of Hot Chip. I’ve been semi-fighting/feeling weirdness (the way you do) with usually most-reliably-fun-flatmate for a while and it’s felt a bit like fighting internally with a boyfriend. ‘We don’t spend enough time together,’ type. But how much easier is that to solve with girls? Planning next big night out (Late of the Pier gig at Corsica studios), pre-beauty treatments (false eyelashes at Illamasque at Selfridges), wondering if we should be feeling guilty for not voting in the European Parliamentary Elections on Thursday, reminiscing over (even more) irresponsible days gone past, swapping ‘I’ve just bought…’ tips (Dorothy Perkins it seems is on fire at the moment) and talking race relations because we’re in the middle of Barack Obama’s first autobiography. Fun times. Now back to planning what to wear tomorrow – press appointment and interview in town tomorrow evening – require an outfit. Stressful! Pondering whether to risk blisters for new Louboutins whilst hearing tramps outside screaming the night away. That’s SE1.