Spot The Difference

Glitter Pumas

Saw these babies in a window at Covent Garden and thought they were fab!

Storm Clouds and Rainbows

This was going to be a difficult weekend for me in several ways, not least that I have been having some issues with the man lately. My birthday had been lovely (Rules) and Rowena had been a guest in my home this week for a couple of evenings, which really just added to the joy of the week. The problems arose from how I was dealing with certain issues badly. I have always striven to be as up-front and honest about my feelings with him as he is so special to me in many, many ways. I had not been true to this for a while and I had let things build and build out of all proportion until I realised I was really upset. For the first time since I had moved Sean came to visit me in Crystal Palace and that was an important start. It rained. Heavily. Thankfully I got him home before the real deluge started but for the first time on my territory we sat and talked about our relationship. I found this an excruciatingly difficult but invaluable exercise that has only helped to make things stronger. The Deucalion storm that beat down upon the rooftops of Sydenham finally abated and a rainbow soared from behind the trees of Crystal Palace Park into the cloudy skies above. A sign? Probably not. Simply a romantic fancy, but I have always been a romantic at heart.
Food and wine followed and in the morning – eventually - a trip around the park. I was eager to show Sean where I swam – he commented that the staff looked worried when I came in but I can’t think why that would be! We then took in the grounds including the dinosaurs and naturally the remains of the palace itself. We also popped into the Crystal Palace Museum which is always worth a look. Sean has a reconstruction of the original catalogue of the Great Exhibition so it was all fascinating for him. After this we wandered up to the Exhibition Rooms where we ate a gorgeous meal until it was time for him to go home.

With all the foreboding aside it turned into a wonderful weekend with baking, cooking, resolutions decided, plans made, drinking and catching up with Simon and Cassy that made it even better. I am glad I was able to make the most of it because, let’s face it, it’s our last Bank Holiday before Christmas.

Body Image

Those of you who have known me over the last year will realise that I have been dieting. Well in February the diet officially stopped one year after it started and I had hit my goal weight. Naturally after a year of dealing with this, I was at something of a loss as to what to do next and decided to try and tone up a little. Whilst I have actually put on a little weight I have been desperately trying not to feel too anxious about it. As Sean will tell you, I don't always succeed and I still have very dark days when I consider my body.

However, the truth of the matter is that a year ago, I would never have taken this picture, let alone published it. OK, there is still a hell-of-a-lot of room for work but this picture made me feel much better about what is achieve able and what I had already achieved.

Keeping Up

Australia, Taunton, Bude, France, what next? Well, obviously for those who know me well, Belfast! This year David and Vincent will be hosting the Halloween Party and I have already decided - thanks to Ralph's inspired thinking - what to go as. It will remain fairly secret until a week or so before I go but I am naturally quite excited. Ralph and Tyron have already suggested that they may go and Paul is looking at booking his flight soon too. It's nice to notice so much of my work featured on the invitation. What larks!

More French Pics.

Lost In France

Don and Celine certainly knew how to look after me and I am quite positive I put on more than a little weight whilst I was over there. It’s all meats and cheeses and bread. Absolutely gorgeous! One day we went over to Vesoul to their Farmers Market where I bought garlic, honey and cakes galore. In the supermarkets I stocked up on wines, fois gras, chocolates (ahhhhh, Suchard Rocher!) and cheese. Fresh produce grow all around and plums ripen and fall from the trees ready to be collected by the locals to be turned into pies or liquor.
The family live in a tiny village now and Don would happily wander along with the kids to get them out from under Celine’s feet for a while and for a bit of exercise, although with Storm there is rarely a chance to rest before she is off up the street.
Dinner was occasionally eaten outside as the weather was beautiful and the views stunning. On this particular evening, my last, Celine cooked a simply divine Boeuf Bourguignon, on a bed of Sauted Courgettes. That night we sat watching the sun go down and the stars come out. Perfect.

One day, Alain and his wife Isabelle came to visit which was a treat bringing along their little girls Anjali and the adorable Kimi. Kids, games, silliness, bad French (from me), good food and wine - what more could I have asked for. I can't wait to see the family again, only next time, it will be bigger!

Catching Up

Being without online access is a little new to me and can be frustrating at the best of times. Couple this with overseas travel and I am in a cold sweat even as I write about it. Even so, I surrendered myself to online freedom and packed light for easy travel to France. The journey started, as indeed all journeys should, with a glass of champagne and breakfast at Carluccio’s. I picked up my e-tickets at the machine and the journey went without a hitch – even the guy serving coffee in the buffet was tres jollie!

Gare de Nord was a culture shock but I was too troubled about getting to Gare de Lyon for my connection to care. The cab driver did it in thirteen minutes and soon I was calmly walking down the platform to board the Dijon train to Besancon. Apparently smoking is banned on the platforms in France but hilariously the French completely ignore this. As the train began to pick up speed, I settle into my Dan Brown and promptly fell asleep. Before long I was in Dijon, where most of the train emptied and I am began to get excited about seeing Don and Celine again.

Don is waiting for me on the platform and he hasn’t changed a bit! It was so good to see him and he immediately whisked me off in the car to pick up Celine and the kids and head over to Celine’s mother and Jean-Luc. Celine was the picture of maternity, with a vast belly – she is eight months pregnant - which only enhances her natural Gallic beauty. This is her third baby and I am introduced to Axl aka Johnson, who I have already met and Storm aka Smurf, who I have never met. Each one is the image of their parents! At Jean-Luc’s I sipped the local brew and tried to absorb the culture shock. It all seemed far too easy!

Ralph in the Palace!

Well what an exhausting weekend it has been, highlighted by the fact that I had a surprise visit from my dear friend, Ralph from NYC. He had been suggesting that he may visit for quite some time and quite frankly, I tend to take these ideas with a pinch of salt. Its nothing to do with Ralph, its more to do with the vagaries of the Fashion industry and the fluid nature of photographic shoots. This time he finally knew he was coming over on the Tuesday evening and had to be in London on Thursday. Rolling with this I prepared for his visit although it turned out that this was going to be a night shoot and in fact Ralph finally arrived at Burton House, having not slept, on Friday at 10.00am.
With that out of the way Ralph and I enjoyed some quality time looking around Crystal Palace, exercising, eating and talking endlessly. It was, as always, an absolute joy to see him and I couldn’t wait until Sunday, when I would be able to introduce him to Kingston.

Wine and flowers in hand Ralph and I headed over to Kingston where Sean was preparing a gorgeous feast. Tim was visiting for his birthday and he and Ralph got on like a house on fire – they have many points of connection with Tim being the only person I know, so far, who knew what Interview Magazine was and who the photographers were.
Sean had roasted a chicken to perfection for lunch, and in between fending me off with a wooden spoon, managed to ice a large chocolate cake ready for our outrageously English formal tea. Hell, never mind impressing Ralph, I was completely over awed! Sherry, Roast Chicken, Cucumber Sandwiches and Homemade Scones…..