I can hardly believe that January is almost over. It has whizzed by like a flash and I have only just posted my FIRST blog of the year. So belated Happy New Year to you all and hope that 2011 is a great year for ALL of us. Who said January is a boring month? Well it is of course, or it was for the first few weeks, restaurants empty, streets clear of traffic. Only now, three weeks in, everyone is completely dullified by the prospect of staying in every night to do their 300 sit ups and press ups and gradually the little devil inside everyone's brain is saying, 'go on, live a little'. Which means my favourite Japanese restaurant in London, the small but perfectly formed Dinings in Marylebone is god damned booked up until February. The healthy regime is going well, with just the odd roast potato here and there and whilst I love green tea, I have never drunk so much in my life. Well it is supposed to ward off cancer and other nasties, so I will continue drinking it all day for as long as I can. Giving up alcohol has been very positive and very good for the bank balance, although a little dull on long evenings out with friends. At least I wake up fresh and alert, which is very much needed in the busy property market upon us for the start of 2011.
Determined to catch a number of possible Oscar nominated films, I have so far seen The King's Speech and Black Swan which are at two preposterously ends of the spectrum as can be. For all its hype, I probably can say that I would have been perfectly happy to see Black Swan on DVD. Natalie Portman is absolutely beautiful in the movie and whilst dance professionals have been quick to cast their critical eye over her style, which is to be harsh, not quite Sylvie Guillem, she is terrific. Especially after spending a year ballet training and her whole life involved in dance, NP should be given a huge amount of credit.
It is quite disturbing how her descent into madness manifests itself and her paranoia with the rest of the bitchy corps. Barbara Hershey excellent as the over protective mother and the nail cutting and skin tearing are wince enducing. Although I have to say, that looking back in my previous life, I found more of an alliance with the Black Swan Lily than the White Swan Nina. Perhaps as in the previous Darren Aronofsky film, 'The Wrestler', Mickey Rourke could have starred, now that would have been a hoot. And to think I actually fancied Mickey rotten in 9 1/2 weeks for about 9 1/2 weeks afterwards, I thought of nothing but spray cream and strawberries.
Does Colin Firth deserve an Oscar? Absobloodylutely. He was fantastic in The King's Speech and both Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush also deserve an Academy Award too. After the death of his father King George V (Michael Gambon) and the scandalous abdication of King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), Bertie (Colin Firth) who has suffered from a debilitating speech impediment all his life, is suddenly crowned King George VI of England. With his country on the brink of war and in desperate need of a leader, his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), the future Queen Mother, arranges for her husband to see an eccentric speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). After a rough start, the two delve into an unorthodox course of treatment and eventually form an unbreakable bond. With the support of Logue, his family, his government and Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall), the King will overcome his stammer and deliver a radio-address that inspires his people and unites them in battle.
Remember, this is the man who whilst being rather liberally minded, took Britain into the second world war, in such a dignified and morale boosting way. The late Queen Mother such an amazing support and Guy Pearce looking dashingly handsome and decadent as Edward VIII preferring to bask in champagne fuelled splendour with the man eating Mrs Wallis. What added extra interest was the amazing background furniture on the set of the film, much of the interiors filmed at 33 Portland Place, http://www.33portlandplace.com/ the grand residence of Edward Davenport where all manner of exciting parties have been held over the years! How ironic in lots of ways that a film such as The King's Speech was filmed there. The ghost of liberal Bertie lives on in Central London.
Do it Like A Dude - well why not? This week's smash hit coupled with an apparently amazing gig at North London's Scala this week. The fabulous 22 year old Essex girl deserves to have great success. She should be awarded a Brit award just for her lip stud make up in any case. Two years ago she suffered a minor stroke, and was a struggling songwriter in Hollywood ready to pack it all in. Great catchy pop-rock songs that she wrote herself and a very powerful singing voice with self deprecating attitude when interviewed on TV. Check her out, maybe save copying the look for somewhere other than your local Sainsbury's though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOf3kYtwASo Punk for the modern teenager, I can see the acres of posters on the walls, as I did with Adam & The Ants, The Belle Stars and the infinitely brilliant Siouxsie and the Banshees.
The old joke about the long term married rich couple, 'If you could cook, we could sack the chef,' and she replies, 'And if you could f***, we could sack the chauffeur,' must have resonated, a little too close to the knuckle for poor Alan Johnson this week. Not only has he had to suffer the turmoil of his wife Laura having an affair with his former bodyguard Paul Rice, it has now emerged that Paul Rice, a married man, has also been poking AJ's PA. Dear, dear, dear, as the many uptight Daily Mail readers around the country must be thinking. Whatever political persuasion one tends to align oneself to, it really is hard reading for this good man, even if he wasn't the best prospect for a Labour Chancellor not knowing that VAT was not payable on food or the current rate of National Insurance. Am sure his mind has been on other matters for a long time before the story broke.
A hard working man, Alan Johnson rose through the ranks, having previously worked in a supermarket, a postman in Slough, before getting involved in the CWU and further setting him on the road to a career in politics. At least he had a number of real jobs that the electorate can identify with, before going into Government, which is more than can be said for most of the dewdrops in the top jobs at present. His extraordinary exit opens up new opportunities for Labour, especially his replacement as shadow chancellor, Ed Balls, who also as Gordon did, favours the refusal to rein in spending during hard times, which is one of the reasons for the huge size of the deficit. Balls, Brown and Darling was a rather dodgy sounding trio. Now we only have Balls, hopefully he will show that he has the cojones for the job.
Charm and smarm can only take you so far, which brings me nicely to you've been tangoed Tony Blair, the saviour of all things Middle Eastern and the most inquired man in Britain was back in the dock this week defending his right to be 'gung-ho' on tackling Saddam Hussein. A debate that will not end for a long time yet. On the other side of London, Boris was still banging on about building another airport, or London will be left behind its European cousins. He will I expect, safely get through for a second term as London Mayor, especially now he has abolished the West London congestion zone charge which of course everyone in the SW's are delighted about and also now that Ken has blown it with his antics on the Iranian TV show book club!
Hurrah! bankers bonuses are being announced. Thought you would be cross eyed at that one. However, I cannot be too cynical as they are my clients and my buyers and on the whole are very nice people, one on one anyway talking property, rather than in a gaggle. Chris Blackhurst wrote an excellent article in Thursday's Evening Standard on his reasons why Goldman must repay its debt to society. Goldman Sachs revealed it was giving staff £9.6 billion in pay and bonuses, which works out at an average of £269,000 per employee and that includes, the lowliest of the bank's support staff. Darn it, I left there in 1998, far too early! This same week One Hyde Park was launched with a fanfare lunch for 300. Perhaps the recession is truly over? Let's keep thinking positively that that is indeed the case.
Aside from above, 10 other things I read, did and encountered this week that may be of interest or may be you would prefer me to shut up and you can go back to reading your new Heat magazine:
1. Giving up on Dancing on Ice after the first week, I really couldn't bear to become hooked, life's too short for ITV early Sunday evenings;
2. Booking to see Vernon God Little at the Young Vic, adapted from the 2003 Booker Prize winning novel by wild man DBC Pierre;
3. Religiously going to dynamic yoga with the brilliant Stewart Gilchrist & taking all week to recover afterwards, am seeing results;
4. Making a change from repetitive chart music on the car radio, determined to learn more about classical music, my Grade 7 piano training was not in vain, I will take it up again someday;
5. Realising that a trip to Dubai for Easter is super expensive, especially if you really want to stay at the One and Only;
6. Enjoying Sunday roasts at The Grazing Goat in New Quebec Street, W1 - the non Sloane alternative from the owners of The Orange on Pimlico Road & The Pantechnicon in Motcomb Street;
7. Enjoying the Austerity Mum blog - cutting down by cancelling 'the helicopter transfer from Nice to our hotel in Ramatuelle this Friday,' how could she? it's the only way to get to 55 in the summer traffic ;-)
8. New Years Resolution of staying in and reading all my books & magazines that are piled high as Kilimanjaro is not going so well, January can be SO social!
9. Upset at not being able to get tickets for the King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse - even the one night it is being beamed live to cinemas is sold out throughout London;
10. Going to the private view party of Gilbert and George's Urethra Postcard exhibition at the fab White Cube, Mason's Yard, SW1 - oh do behave chaps.........
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