I heart LaLa Land.

I've got something I want to get off my chest...



...Ever since watching high brow American West Coast TV shows such as The Hills, I've felt the urge to get over to this fabulous city. The place where the sun always shines, everyone has a dog, everyone does yoga and drinking rather questionable vitamin mixed fruit smoothies (or beauty shakes as I even saw one called yesterday) for breakfast, lunch and dinner is normal, in fact encouraged.

I'm here at the moment on a work trip. It's time to think trends for Spring/Summer 12. Everything you read, watch in films or hear in songs about this city (think Katy Perry "California Girls") is true.

We arrived yesterday night. I've only seen a small amount of the place, Venice, Santa Monica and Malibu (all be it by night), I've been here just over 24 hours and already I'm impressed, no make that REALLY impressed. Wanting to move here impressed.

LA had me at hello. The hotel we're staying in is beautiful, very swish. I'm staying on the "PH" floor, oh yes people, that stands for Pent House, I hasten to add that I'm not actually in THE Pent House, just a room, a large beautiful arty for arts-sake room with a fabulous view...




We had breakfast in what I can only describe as a Californian greasy spoon yesterday. It was right on the beach front. LA has such a relaxed way of living, I kept seeing shaggy haired men coming out the sea, whack on a colourful hoody (incidentally I am dubbing LA the hoody city of world) and head into said greasy spoon for an organic cup of coffee before heading back for the surf. Older men but not a mid life crisis in sight...it's just what they do.

We drove through expensive Venice where we visited some boutique stores. We then continued on to the larger stores of Santa Monica...very different areas but a constant happy, relaxed feeling in the air.

I could live here. I'm certainly more comfortable in jeans and hoodys than suits and although I've just shaved my hair off (don't ask) I could rock the longer sun bleached, tanned look. I want a dog, I have a BlackBerry and I've windsurfed [once], that must count for something right?

There is also a glam side to the city, The Oscars was hosted in the city last night. After arriving back from our road trip (see, I'm speaking the lingo already) our hotel was cordoned off and there were thousands of fans screaming on either side of the road. We were surrounded by stretch limos and paparazzi camera flashes. It was the Vanity Fair after show party in the hotel opposite ours.




I couldn't see any "celebrities" but the crowds kept screaming their names, screams I could hear all the way from the top floor of the hotel when I got into bed. Exciting at first, sleep disturbing after a while.

In fact I take it back, I did spot a celebrity. That dude Phil Turner from that daytime D.I.Y show with his stylist boyfriend / best friend of Katie Price. Worryingly this was in my hotels lobby so I can only assume the young lady herself is here somewhere...I'm going to do my "nonchalant-I-dont-care-if-you're-famous" browse around the breakfast room in the morning. Will update you if I see anyone.

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Video WOW of the Week!

O,M,triple G...She's back with a belter. Some people think she's ruined Dub-step, some people (like my good self) don't care. One thing is for certain however, the constant advertising through out is shameless. Love the song. It certainly had me dancing up against my fridge, both of them, we have two in our kitchen...don't ask. Britney Spears - Hold it against me.

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Gobble Gobble.

On my fourth work trip of the year. I've been to Florence, Berlin and Paris and now on my way hurtling through the sky to Turkey (in a plane).

I never learn, I did it again, I thought it would be a good idea to go out last night and although I'm certainly by no means hangin' the last place I want to be is on a plane, especially one that is full, meaning no empty middle seat. I'm officially a battery chicken.

I did my usual packing last minute so God knows what I've actually packed. It's going to be cold so I already know I've not got a suitable coat or footwear. Last time I went to Turkey this time of year it SNOWED (capitals intended to add emphasis). Highlight of that trip being a twenty minute car journey taking two hours due to traffic in the white stuff - nice.

Ooh inflight movie has come on...something with Bruce Willis in? Think I'll give it a miss. I rarely watch the movies on planes, it's the ideal time to catch up on some sleep or to blog, so here I am.

It's just a short visit to Turkey this time, four night instead of the erm five? OK, it's not that much shorter. It does however give me an all important one day turn around before I head off to the States, that's right, I land late Thursday night, got a meeting in the office on Friday morning, quick dash home to put an underwear wash on and then fly to L.A Saturday morning...and people think this job is glam?!

Inflight meal time - Stand by for review...

Being vegetarian we always get our food served first. Nothing like segregation of the "difficult people". The meal was not British Airways finest. Some indescript mousse thing which I left. Followed by a mushroom and something else curry with rice. I really struggle with curry, I don't like the word. I ate it anyway, I'm fickle like that. For desert four slices of fruit. Still hungry. Kinda scared to ask the air stewardess for something else (we think she's schizophrenic).

I wonder where we are now...plane is showing said dodgy Bruce Willis flick so we don't have those moving map things. I like those, it helps me improve my serious lack of geographic knowledge. Will have to make do by just looking out at window at pitch black 35000 feet of space below me and guess...Germany perhaps? Is that even on the way?

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Sleepy inspiration waffle.

I often get asked (I don't) where the inspiration comes from for my writings. Well sometimes I use it as a platform to moan about something, sometimes I use it to show off (come on that's what all social community sites are for!!!) and sometimes, well, sometimes I kinda just download on to a page in a particular moment, a space in time.

For example right now I'm laying in bed at the boyfriends (mine). I'm in the spare room because a) the bed is more comfortable and also b) I'm feeling a little under the weather at the moment and don't want to spread whatever foreign disease I've picked up on my travels...I'm good like that.

I've been getting lots of sleep, which is great, but this has meant that I've also wonked up my sleep pattern. So right now, here, at 5.19am I lay trying to get back to sleep, not helped by the fact that my wisdom teeth are hurting, I have a sore throat AND a headache. Only pills in the house are paracetamol....with caffeine. I'm no doctor but that's not going to help me sleep and sleep is what I need.

I've been to get a drink of squash (lemon, if you're interested) as I thought a change of scenery might help. I've also killed some time on Twitter. Twitter is always good to kill time on.

I've Tweeted to some of those people or "Tweeps" I follow in the States and even asked Cory Monteith (the tall dude from Glee) two questions during his random "Q&A session" - he didn't answer either. Maybe asking "boxers or briefs" was deemed inappropriate?

My battery is about to die on this here BlackBerry. I don't like the thought of anything dying really but hoping it might help - Until the morning bright glowing distraction be gone.