A coffee by any other name would taste like coffee.

Guess where I am?! Haha yup Starbucks...many people (OK, one person) asked me why I haven't blogged about the logo change, well here I am doing just that...because I like to answer my reader(s).

From...


To...


So different huh?

At first I was afraid, I was petrified...how dare they change the logo?! More to the point, Why? What was wrong with the old one? I, of course, did what any one else would do in this moment of uncertainty, this moment of chaos and lack of meaning...I turned to google.

I read a few pages, wow it's got some people hot under the collar. The basis of it, I believe to be, Starbucks wants to be known for it's whole array of products, not just coffee, the last logo had the words "Starbucks Coffee" in it and therefore it, obviously, had to go. Unwanted, tossed out, dead. Now from someone who is known for being a bit of a drama queen...I think Starbucks (do you mind if I call you that?) needs to chill out a little...a rose by any other name would smell as sweet and I guess a coffee is the same right?

I'm a sucker for branding, whack it in a nice box and I'll probably buy it. I like change, I live for it, but come on, this is slightly un-necessary. I was disappointed by the Christmas cups, the new bright green cup holders are equally disappointing...lime green does not cry sophistication, it cries look at me I, erm, I like green (?!)...don't get me started on the new (vile) lollipop cake stick things. Starbucks you are on thin ice...you have been warned.

Oh...and another thing, you going to replace all the china mugs I have at home? They now have the wrong logo on and I feel a little bit like I'm sporting a Walkman when everyone knows it's so last decade...I feel judged.

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Video WOW of the Week!

Sorry I've not been around, truth is my housemate and I have discovered a game, a splendid game, an addictive game..."mini gay boyfriend". We both have real boyfriends...sure, but this lil version I can turn off, I can take round with me in my man bag and go on holiday with instantly. You start off dating, you then move in with each other, buy a pet, get married and then go on holiday. Download it from ITunes...pay a visit to Studbucks and unlock the secret disco...you're doing it right now aren't you?

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Operation Move Princess

Tonight is my last night in West Hampstead...OK, OK, Kilburn...Whatever you want to call it, I've lived here for nearly three years and from someone that usually moves every year that's a big deal. That's why, although I'm excited to move, it's also quite hard. I've grown to love it here. I can be on Bond Street in twenty minutes, sat at my desk in the office in the same period of time, it's convenient and well... "nice". Yummy Mummy Hampstead and the parks are a relatively short distance away, the night bus drops me off almost straight outside my flat and if I roll out my bed I'm practically in the Sainsburys over the road. It's become very comfortable.

Why am I moving?...Thank you for asking. Well there's two reasons really. Firstly I think I've out grown my flat...with risk of sounding like a snob, bugger it I don't care, I feel a little student like here and I want a nice new place where the knob doesn't fall off the drawer when the washing machine decides it's going to take off across the kitchen. Secondly, I'm moving in with my mate Rich who needs a flatmate for the next three months whilst our friend Laura goes away on a trek around the world. I'm moving to Stratford area, well Pudding Mill Lane or it might be Mile End...I don't really know what the area is called to be honest, anyway it's got a balcony and a lift which by my standards cries young gay, professional sufficiently enough.

I'm sat here on my bedroom floor where my bed used to be with my belongings packed up around me. I hate packing for trips and tend to do it either a) drunk, b) at the very last minute or c) both. This time I've been very organised, booked the day off work and called in some help. My Mum and Sister have just left (thanks again if you're reading) and my Dad and boyfriend are on their way round to help me with the dismantling of the big stuff.

"Operation Move Princess" commences tomorrow morning at 0900 hours when we collect the street van. Don't ask about the mission name...my mates (and now family) have called me Princess since a certain run in with a certain camp doorman at a certain gay bar in Devon. Unfortunately it's stuck.

First trip tomorrow morning is to drive to my boyfriend, Tim's flat in Crawley to drop off my larger bits of furniture that I'm not taking to Stratford / Pudding Mill....let's just call it East London. After that its back here to load up my boxed life and whizz it over to East London, then back over to West Hampstead to drop the van off...where I will do my "Mission Complete" dance. Well not quite complete, I have to come back to this flat to clean it on Sunday. I bet you can imagine just how thrilled I am to do that! In fact I'm willing to pay someone to do it for me. Why didn't I think of this before?

As the last few hours tick by...I want to say Kilburn it's been fun but we must part company for a while. I promise to visit regularly, if only to visit the Milkshake bar up the road which only just gave me a loyalty card this week or to the Starbucks where I visited every weekend, I don't think there's one near me in the new place...there's a McDonalds though...that's just as nice right?! *sobs*. Only joking...bring on the new chapter, me in the East London hood! Booyakasha!

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

Dogs in Lifts.

Following on from previous blog...I can confirm that Jordan (aka Katie Price) is indeed staying in my hotel. My director was in the lift (aka elevator) with her yesterday morning, supposedly she looked exactly how you would imagine her to.

I on the other hand shared a lift with a LA fashion gay with coiffured poodle. I think we all know who won.

- Posted (with love) from my gorgeous iPad.

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.