I left my heart in San Francisco

Just waiting for my flight to leave San Francisco for London.

I've been here for the week with work researching possible trend ideas for Spring/Summer 11, also hitting the shops buying American brands that are a lot cheaper in the States than in London.

It's my first time in the city, in fact it's my first time on the West Coast. Luckily my directors and designer had been before so they knew the good places to go and we could make the most of a relatively short visit.

The best way to describe it I think is as "a sunnier and friendlier New York".

And sunny it was! We've had some brilliant weather, I didnt crack out the shorts, it would be wrong to inflict that on the city, but it really has been beautiful. Saying that it did rain once, the day we rented a car and left the city, heading for the Napa Valley, the key wine growing region of California. You know the saying whilst in Rome? Well whilst in the Napa Valley, the done thing is to wine taste. So we did. We only stopped at one vineyard (we were working!) it was called the Jumping Stag or something? Well it was my first time tasting. I wasn't very good, upon reading the descriptions I pretended a little bit that I tasted some of the "pastry" flavours (!?!)...I wouldn't want people thinking I didnt have a sophisticated pallette would I?

On any work trip there are long days but on this trip I was lucky to get to see a bit of the city as well, I visited the Castro area (big historic gay liberation area - just watch Milk), went up the Coit tower and got an amazing view of the city, visited the Ferry Building and of course drove over the Golden Gate Bridge - here have a look see:









If you look past the mental people (there are ALOT) and the homeless, San Francisco is an amazing city and I would certainly recommend a visit, I'd love to come back, perhaps go to a few beaches, maybe learn to surf, maybe not..ooooh better get going to my gate!

See you on the other side!

I have!!!

"I want" , I have...mmmm Big oversized Bag.

Twitter : When Celebs say too much!

linsaylohan: my father is a liar, and whatever new weekly magazine is, is all false!

Starbucks Review No.10 : Oxford Street W1C

It would appear I've neglected the reviews for a while, in fact this is my first one of 2010!

I've actually ramped up my visits and am now visiting the "Bucks" everyday (sometimes twice) Yup that's right, minor obsession going on here but lets gloss over that, me? denial?

Back to my review...



I had to pop into the West End yesterday to do a bit of shopping en route to Chelmsford. Popped in for my Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte (yes skinny, remember it's the new me!) As soon as I stepped in my last visit came flooding back...abort abort!

It was manic, OK it's opposite Selfridges which automatically makes it a tourist hot-spot but this was REALLY manic, but un-necessarily so. Queued up, nothing strange so far but then I was met with a wall of about 8 Baristas, placed my order with one guy who yelled it down the other end to a mass of people scurrying around and clearly not listening. Queued a bit more until I was barked at to come up to the till, yes, friendly, had to repeat my order again. Still in line, queue screaming kids running round my legs and a policeman moaning about how tired he is (join the frigin' club!), all of a sudden, we all get barked at again, "It's busy in here, can you all move down!?" erm where to?

Approaching the bar, mmmmm coffee goodness, had to repeat my order again, it's just a mass of cups and people wondering where their drinks are...I couldn't get out of that place fast enough! Cup in hand, I make my escape.

I wondered if they were trying to add theatre by creating an environment of pressure, so American, so Metropolitan...that's what it'll be! They were trying to recreate the tension of a McDonalds, after all they are supposedly in competition in the states.

Needless to say, I reward this Starbucks 1 mocha out of 10.

Video WOW of the week!

It's Chezza singing about a Parachute, can't get this song out of my head at the moment, don't know why...perhaps I can beat it out?

Who ate all the pies?!

I have a frigin' podge.

I was browsing through photos of myself on facebook (come on...we all do it!) and started to notice that over the last few months my stomach is taking over the planet and I'm just starting to look bulkier in all the wrong places.

I'm off to San Francisco next week for a work trip, then off on holiday to Gran Canaria with the gays, then another work trip in Turkey...looking forward to the trips and change of scenery but these places = hot weather = less clothing = man-podge alert!

I never thought this would happen, they dont tell you about this in school do they?...they don't tell you that one day your ability to eat and drink whatever you want will (without warning) just dissapear and you will be left staring in the mirror at something that not only you created but you are also going to have to work really hard to get rid of. I've tried the gym (we all know how successful that was!) so now I've decided that I am going to walk more places, do sit-ups AND alter what I actually eat and drink.

I'm going to reduce the amount of carbs that I eat (I live on Pasta) and start eating more salads, vegetables and fruits. No more snacking on chocolate for me...oh no! Carrot sticks it is! No more drinking wine, I'm switching to Vodka and Tonic (I hate Tonic water so this also makes me drink slower as well, two birds one stone and all that)...and after checking up on the Starbucks website I realised that every morning I was pumping 251 calories into my body, so it's skinny Vanilla Lattes for me from this day forth, a saving of 52 calories, kerching!

As I type this I am being reminded that sitting at my desk is not going to get me this new trim bod, so I'm gonna get up, do some sort of sit up thing and walk to Oxford Street. Or at least to the tube station.

Right now for the very important warning "shot"...def: "a photo commonly placed in the fridge to deter fatties from eating their feelings".



Note to self: The drink you are drinking in this picture is giving you the podge in the bottom of this picture - STOP!!!!

I want!!!

Burberry Prorsum Tote bag...mmmmm.

Video WOW of the week!

So I wasn't always a fan of the Gaga, in fact I thought she was just too try hard and clearly deranged...HOWEVER lately I have a newly found respect for the young crazy one! She's a frigin' genius! This "pop movie" is absolutely fantastic! Lady Gaga's latest single Telephone ft. Beyoncé (who FYI, I still can't stand).

Many Minds, One Heart.

I've taken my little netbook out on an adventure today - just me, it and the road, well rails I guess as I'm sat on a train.

I'm heading back to Chelmsford for the weekend for Mother's Day. I was meant to head back yesterday but I met up with a uni mate and well lets just say mid-day drinking and I don't mix. One drink turned into a further "one for the road" which turned into probably about 8...needless to say, I was rather drunk, no actually make that trashed by about 5 o'clock and public transport was not going to be a good idea.

I'm OK today though, I'm up, bright and breezy, I've had my Starbucks and I'm ready for the day.

I like going back to Chelmsford, it's nice to escape London once in a while and return to the home lands. I don't know if any of you have been to Chelmsford (the original birth place of Radio - oh yes!) but it's got just the right amount of "things". It's got a good selection of clubs, some good bars and restaurants, two Starbucks, the usual high street shops and as lame as it sounds some nice park areas as well...not as busy as London but not a sleepy little village either, to use the name of a well known bread brand, it's the "best of both"...I could moonlight as a tourist information person couldn't I?

I must admit when I was growing up, I couldn't wait to move away and so I did, I made sure the uni that I went to was in London but looking back, Chelmsford or "Chelmo"as we fondly refer to it aint so bad.

I was thinking about moving back actually - I'm toying with the idea of living on my own and well in London it's looking as though I'll have to sell both lungs, a leg and my heart to go it alone, in Chelmsford I could probably afford quite a nice flat....saying that I don't think I could cope with the commute, I quite like being fifteen minutes from the West End and I'm not sure if I'm ready to hang up my oyster card quite yet; we'll see I guess!

Anyway, I'm just reading this back and I'm boring my self...have a good weekend y'all!

This month I have mostly been buying...

Limited Edition Helvetica Alphabet T-Shirt from American Apparel.



P is for Paul.

Size Matters.

If a Venti wasn't big enough for you...

Starbucks Tests New Size: 31-Ounce 'Trenta' - Iced drinks available only in Phoenix and Tampa for now

Starbucks is offering a 31-ounce cup of iced coffee or tea in Phoenix and Tampa. The move is likely another step in the competition between McDonald's and Starbucks—McDonald's sells 32-ounce sweet teas in Southern markets, and recently started offering espresso. The new Starbucks size is called "Trenta." An iced coffee in that size costs $3.30 and an iced tea $2.60.



Starbucks and McDonalds in competition? What is the world coming to? Saying that, I can't wait for the giant one to come to the Kingdom United..mmmm Trenta Vanilla Latte.

News Flash : Sushi in Chelmsford

I'm vegetarian, not one of those weird vegans but as a general rule I don't eat anything with eye-balls. People always find it strange that I'm a massive fan of sushi.

Yes, vegetarians can eat sushi too!...granted our choices are limited and it can take a while to select a dish where my scaly friends haven't been massacred, but us veggies (hate that term) are quite welcome round the moving conveyor belt.

Tonight I went out for dinner with my friend Emma. We thought we'd try the newly opened Sushi bar "Moshi Sushi" in Chelmsford...one of the strangest places I've ever eaten, Moshi Sushi that is...not Chelmsford.

We arrive, first thing you notice is the decor, neon...if you want mood lighting this is not the place for you, if you like to wander round the lighting department of your local Ikea or Habitat then you'll feel right at home. We're escorted round to the bar, squeezing past a rather large gentlemen perched at the end, I always say just because the conveyor keeps a bringin' doesn't mean you have to keep a eatin' (you catch my drift).

I sit down and find myself over-shadowing Emma, gotta love those adjustable seats! Find the knob, going down and I'm at conveyor belt level...perfect, no food...not much sushi making going on actually. One chef is pre-preparing fruit salads, placing them carefully in the fridge when finished, one of the two "Head" chefs (why are there two?) is walking in out of the kitchen carrying one plate at a time, the waitresses are having a chat at the bar and another guy (who moonlights as the delivery guy as well) is hand drying plates in the corner of the restaurant..."Blue - All Rise" comes on the music system...where on Earth am I?

After a good 15 minutes we grab a waitress's attention to order...Rose wine caused the most issue, don't think our waitress had ever heard of it? The waitress was sweet, useless, but sweet...she kept giggling to herself and running round telling me how busy it was in there tonight and how she was going "mad".

Popped to the toilet upstairs, went into what I can only describe as someones dining room? Complete with lady eating her dinner at the table, I smiled at her, pulled up a chair and asked her how long she'd been living in the Sushi Restaurant (obviously I didn't), I quickly turned round and found the toilets...message over the sink read "Be careful of the hot water from Moshi Suhi"...not only do I not eat anything with eye balls but I struggle eating in places that spell their main food offering wrong - hey, just call me fussy!

We finished eating, all said and done, food was pretty good actually! Oh except the desserts, Emma and I thought we'd try the Mochi (gluten rice cake things) I don't know why I did it...I've had them before, I didn't like them then and I certainly didn't like them tonight, three cake things to choose from, each tasting of nothing! mmmm.

Upon asking for the bill our waitress, who's English I swear got worse and worse throughout the evening, found it highly amusing that we were paying separately (as I'm sure you're aware Emma and I are not an item) she insisted that I pay for it all on my card and then Emma give me the cash if that's what we wanted to do...Emma and I did as we were told (obviously).

What a funny old night! I want the place to work, Chelmsford has needed a sushi restaurant since for ever, but they really need some good old Japanese management in there or at least some sort of machine that can do the job quicker.