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.