The City that never sleeps...

It's 5.40am here in NYC, I am currently sat on my bed fully clothed after being rudely awakened by the most hideous fire alarm in the world!

It went off about 20 minutes ago....a very loud siren blasting into everyones rooms. I guess if there was a fire I would be thankful for it, It woke me up straight away. In fact I wonder if I can get one installed in my flat? (The Penthouse tm) Monday mornings are always difficult.

Anyway, upon thrashing around in the dark to find the light, army rolling across the bed to grab the welcome kit I have located what the alarm means...

"The sounding of an alarm indicates that a dangerous condition may exist in the building. Do not investigate, be prepared to leave your room from the nearest exit. Await further instructions via the public address system". I know! Just like a movie! Isn't it exciting?

Said "public address system" has since told us to remain in our rooms at present...I can do that, I like my room! In fact right now I would like it even more if I was asleep, in my bed, in my room.

A whirl of a few fire engine sirens outside (I don't know if they are heading for this hotel but it's adding excitement right?)..another announcement...

"This is your Head of Safety at the Soho Grand Hotel, we have investigated the alarm THOROUGHLY - Please can everyone please remain in their rooms until further notice, if you are currently staying on floors 8,9,10 or 11 and can smell smoke please place damp towels under your doors and call Reception for further instructions".

WHAT?! You've investigated everything thoroughly, we can stay in our rooms, BUT, floors 8 to 11 might need to seal their doors up? Call me a drama queen if you wish but that's a mixed signal if ever there was one. What if you're on the 12th floor? If I learnt one thing in Science it is this, heat rises and it's not good to be in a room above it.

...Twenty minutes has passed and the Head of Safety (who incidentally sounds a lot like the guy who shows you the tables in the bar) has apologised for the inconvenience and said we can go back to our rooms, which I guess means everything is OK?

Fabulous...well it would be if I didn't have to get up in about 20 minutes and get in the shower to start the day. Talking of showers, I hope those guys on the 12th floor haven't used all their towels up forming a barrier between them and erm...nothing?

You think they've thought of everything...

I'm in New York at the moment for work, an inspirational trip for AW10.

These trips basically involve us spending hundreds of dollars on fabulous samples and walking in to almost every store in Manhattan...good [but exhausting] times. Jet lag keeps veering it's ugly head now and again, it's half 7 here but my body (and my laptop) keeps telling me it's half past midnight at home.

Just managed to get a rare few mins in the hotel room so thought I would let y'all know about an amazing product I saw yesterday evening. You might have heard of Starbucks VIA, they've recently arrived in London (an Instant version of Starbucks for those not in the know) but now that can move right over, right into the discounted aisle...check this out...

Canned Starbucks?! I think it's some kinda of energy drink?...Me likey...and more importantly me NEEDY!

This week I have mostly been drinking...

...Glacéau's Vitamin Water.

LOVED these when I lived in New York but alas they didn't sell them in the UK, but hurrah they do now!

My favourite is "REVIVE" - I'm a complete sucker for marketing (I should know better), it's just so hard to resist such a colourful bottle containing such a powerful potion (or at least I'm lead to think).

"We've all been there, the day of the living dead after the mother of all nights below. Feeling like we've got three left feet and a herd of buffalo doing the macerena inside our heads - they must have been at the same watering hole last night, and why-oh-why is it so bright? quick shut the fridge door and stop that clock flashing on the dvd player. Don't wory, help is at hand, bring your taste buds back from the dark side with the delicious combination of b vitamins + potassium in revive. Less Shaun of the dead, more get outta bed".

...Don't mind if I do! Be gone Buffalo be gone!

Lovin' the Loop of Living TV

It's started again! Who's watching America's Next Top Model? My money is on London to win - London being the girls name - genius, shes a little bit on the rounder side but she's quirky and I like that.

I would search for a picture of my girl of the moment but by doing so I instantly run the risk of finding out who wins as it's already shown in the states...been there done that, ruined a series...so here is a piccie of the lady herself - Tyra Banks!



Now KEEP the face pretty y'all!

Video WOW of the week!

So I've already posted a video WOW but it's my blog and I'll break the rules if I want ;o) Here is the The Saturdays next single... "Forever Is Over" - due to be released 5th October, not keen on the video if I'm perfectly honest and Mollie needs a good slap but loving the sound.

Video WOW of the week!

Katy Brand's Big Ass Show has started again...genius!

Turkey...so much more than a bird

I survived it, my first work trip!

I flew to Turkey Monday night to put my SS10 range into work, available in your local House of Fraser store as of January!

It's actually not my first work trip officially, I went to Denmark as an Assistant Buyer for one of my Jack and Jones selections and also been to the Bread and Butter trade show but this is my first official trip as a Buyer...happy days!

Thought it might be quite nice to record my trips on this here blog, so in a years time I can look back and smile...thinking about the days when I enjoyed travelling for work (I hear you get tired of it quite quickly). This might be true but I am going to make the most of the experience one plane journey at a time.

So Turkey...did I get to visit the magnificent Blue Mosque? No...did I get a change to soak up the sun and embrace the culture? No...I was there for 3 days, 3 long days. Mornings started early and the days involved being driven from one factories office to another trying to put together a range and find suitable fabrics...I paint a dull picture, it was actually really fun. It was great to be there, ask for a print to be altered and then see a sample within a matter of hours (we call these strike-offs in the "high flying business of fashion" dontcha know). I can't believe I am going to say this, but another highlight was when the YKK zip representatives (have a look...I bet you're wearing a YKK zip right now) visited us, we could instantly choose colours, and after a quick phone call to their factory, voila, somewhere in Turkey a zip, our zip was being produced.

Our agents in Turkey really looked after us. Starbucks in the morning (oh yes!), lunches, entry to private members bars to watch the footy (Manchester United were staying in the same hotel as us!), dinners...a very friendly team, in fact the majority of the Turkish people that we met were friendly people, very hospitable.

I flew back yesterday evening, slept in London last night and I am currently sat on a train to Devon for a mini holiday with my family, (when I say mini I mean one night), then on to Essex to see more family, then back to London and off to New York next Friday for another work trip (update to come)...I'm back in Turkey beginning of October to put another range into work...I think my cousin was right when she called me a gypsy the other day...I prefer "Traveller".

It's Soho LIVE day! (aka Soho Pride)

If London pride wasn't enough, us lucky London gays get a second dose...SOHO LIVE.

The normally quiet and straight laced streets of Soho (yeah right!) are transformed before our very eyes to a big 'ol party, boys, girls, those who don't know what they are all come out to play and generally have a big knee's up.

Last year was amazing, one of my best days since I've lived in the big smoke... It got rather messy...



...and that was when we arrived!

We ended up going drinking, dancing and went to a club on a school night - tut tut! Not this year though...my reasons are multiple, I have zero funds, I have an early start tomorrow AND I fly to Turkey for work; as I get older my recovery is getting more and more delayed and I don't want to spend tomorrow with my head over a toilet on a plane...oh no!

Happy Soho Pride Everyone!

Video WOW of the week!

Granted not really a video, more of a song WOW!

Admittedly I was a little harsh about the Sugababes in a recent post, even muttering the words..."they've become washed up and I'm over them" well I take it all back...this tune is just that...CHUNE!

Starbucks Review No.9 : New Oxford Street

My first Starbucks review on the road...the New Oxford Street Starbucks was where Tim and I had our first date.

It's massive! 2 floors in fact! I'm currently sat upstairs looking out the window at Dotty P's and the Centre Point building, sipping an iced cafe mocha and listening to Kylie on my ipod...good times.

It's clean and comfortably popular with cool desk areas where people can plug their laptops in. Staff were pleasant and speedy, drink is good!

It's not one of my favourites (It's lacking something) - I dont think I'll rush back, to be fair I'm not normally up this end of Oxford Street very much anyway.

I reward this Starbucks a straight down the middle 5 mochas out of 10. Ta-dah!

Larry R.I.P

I have sad sad news...Larry my laptop died about a week ago.

I remember the day we met, it was a week before my dissertation was due "When will men stop acting like men? How can we get the modern male back in our shops?"...deep I know! Anyway, it was a week before, 10,000 words typed, final editing stages and it just made this weird whirling noise and turned off. To say I was stressed doesn't even come close as you can imagine! I had to go to those rather questionable shops on Tottenham Court Road and just buy the cheapest laptop I could, after a quick dash to Essex to get the Microsoft Office software from my Dad I returned and luckily managed to retrieve the back up, bad times.

I use my laptop alot - I'm no techno geek, I'm just a bit of a social-site whore and as you know am partial to the odd blog from time to time, seeing as I just got my promotion at work, I thought I would treat myself and purchased a little netbook..."the same as a laptop but just smaller with slightly less features" - thank you Mr.John Lewis. Here he is...

It's about half the size of my old laptop (R.I.P) and for that very reason I can pretty much keep it in my bag, today I've brought it out with me, it's introduction to the outside world. I'm currently sat in Starbucks, looking rather studious, typing away, typing this! A live blog entry!

Question is...are y'all ready for the first Starbucks review on the Road?...hold on to your hats.