dial-up denim

We are all only too aware that our mood, weight and an efficient sales assistant are all we need to be in perfect alignment when jean shopping.  If one of these three variables is out of sync, we will without doubt walk away empty handed, and maybe even furiously disappointed. So, when I was asked to review San Francisco business consultant, Wendy Montgomery‘s newish business, The Raw Denim Bar with its recently launched Denim Concierge Service, I was curious to discover just how this home delivery jean shopping service works.

Alexa Chung in double denim

Despite living in a denim-dominated world, where most of us rarely wear anything other than the hard-wearing cult fabric, I have never been asked to fill in a detailed denim questionnaire. But filling it in online was fun: would I see Kate Moss or Alexa Chung as my fashion icon? Which city in the world reflects my personal style?

To find out if the jeans were a good fit, read West London Living.

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where DID you buy that?

There are two camps: those who tell and those who don’t.  And the time has come for me to ‘out’ those who don’t.  Let’s start with the glamorous yummy mummy at the school gates.  Commenting on how fabulous her new hair cut/blow dry looked, I nosily asked where she gets her hair done.  Simply ‘in town’ was her closeted response, therefore abruptly ending my questions and our conversation.  Did she think I wanted to copy her hair cut?  Steal her hairdresser? Or worse still, discover that her hairdresser wasn’t actually one of the big names?

Roberto Cavalli one-shoulder dress

Then there was the one-shoulder silk jersey red cocktail dress a friend of a friend was wearing at a dinner last year.  Again, complimenting her, I politely enquired if the dress was by the famous designer, Roberto Cavalli?  Willing her in my head to either say ‘yes, it is – well spotted!’ or ‘no, it’s actually last year’s Reiss but isn’t it similar to Roberto’s?”, but instead she blushed and feigned memory loss:  ‘do you know I just can’t remember where on earth I bought it’.  Come on; everyone remembers where they buy their clothes from and, for those with alzheimer’s, just take a look at the label inside the garment.

In the other camp are those who can’t wait to spill the beans.  Friends who only call to tell you what they have just bought, where from and how much.  Let’s call them the ‘sharing shoppers’.  I had one of these to stay this weekend.  Glancing at her blemish-free, even skin – I immediately realised she knew something I didn’t.  Her secret is Garnier’s Nutri Miracle Perfector.  And I am sharing it with you.

 

 

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some mindless fishing

Ewan McGregor wades in

It has been one of those weeks.  He and I have been living separate mid-week lives, influenced by his work and my reviewing.  But instead of collapsing into a heap on the sofa, I felt we needed some harmless cinematic fluff with maybe some romance thrown in for good measure.  Just to be clear, I had certainly not chosen Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (based on Paul Torday’s novel) for intellectual stimulation or inspiring art house viewing.

In a nutshell, Ewan McGregor staring as Dr Fred Jones, an uncomfortably shy scientist working at the Department of Fisheries, falls in love with Harriet, (played by Emily Blunt) an ambitious and sloaney financier working for a fly fishing-obsessed sheikh.  In the romcom world, an unusual plot I admit.  Except that Fred is, of course, in a loveless marriage and Harriet has recently fallen for a handsome soldier who is currently ‘missing in action’.  Yawn.  The rest of the screenplay is as predictable as today’s weather.

Thankfully, Kirstin Scott Thomas – as the prime minster’s Rottweiler of an advisor – justifies the price of the cinema tickets.  Calling the shots as well as the punch lines, she delights us with her lip-pursing and eye-rolling.

With On Golden Pond and Dirty Dancing listed in my top 10 films of all time, I cannot deny a secret love of cheesy viewing but… this film is wooden, dull, unconvincing and, as they say:  ‘1 hour and 52 minutes I will never get back’.

 

 

 

 

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upstairs or downstairs?

Neil Jackson is an actor and writer and has appeared in Heartbeat, Ultimate Force, Silent Witness, Red Cap, Dream Team and  Upstairs, Downstairs. He also starred in Oliver Stone’s Alexander, and US TV Series Blade: The Series and CSI : Miami.

Here is his interview which appears on Culture Compass:

Upstairs or Downstairs? Downstairs, without a shadow of a doubt.  No need for all those airs and graces. 

What do you love and hate about living in LA? I love the lifestyle, the weather, the Mexican food and the opportunities.  I hate being so far away from my family.

How would you spend a rainy day in London? Outside with an umbrella. Strange how much I miss the rain in LA!

Read the rest of the interview here.

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