Gilly Hicks Sydney

It’s not every Saturday that you get to ride through London on a Routemaster with some of London’s hunkiest boys – thanks Gilly Hicks!

Billed as Abercrombie and Fitch’s ‘cheeky cousin,’ Gilly Hicks Sydney captures the fun-loving, casual approach that makes the Abercrombie so popular with so many.

As we travelled from Green Park, the lads threw bunches of cotton undies out to unsuspecting tourists, adoring teenage girls and jovial builders! Our end destination was Westfield, to the new Gilly Hicks store. Despite the particularly chilly conditions, the good-spirited models posed outside for al fresco photos before being greeted by seemingly hundreds of adoring females.

In the warm, comforting darkness of the shop, I ended up buying a gorgeous new checked flannel shirt and lots of yummy-smelling body lotions and potions – perfect for Christmas presents.

www.gillyhicks.com

TIME² One to Watch

Went to visit the TIME² watch shop on Long Acre (Covent Garden) last week.

Keira Payne-Gibbs, a fashion watch and jewellery buyer was there to talk everyone through the latest trends in watches. She’s a fashion watch buyer for 5 department stores, 3 on-line sites, one stand-alone store and now 12 third party retailer concessions around the UK. So when it comes to watches, she really knows her bezel from her indices.

She sited ceramic, white, military and rose gold as current trends.

TIME² is a watch specialist offering both fine and fashion watches through the online boutique or directly from their London-based stores. In addition to the stand alone shops like the Long Acre one, TIME² also operates concessions in Selfridges, Fenwicks and Sunglass Hut.

They are also responsible for supplying watches to ASOS and The Wonder Room at Selfridges and stock brands such as Michael Kors (which is my current favourite), D&G, Armani, Tag Heuer, Tissot and LTD Watch (one to watch).

www.time2.co.uk

Boudoir PR, Hermes and Shoreditch House

After going to the Boudoir PR press day (lots of new, exciting things, Nail Rock nail wraps, Australian Zinc, Galibardy jewellery, more on these things later) I went along to the Hermes ‘J’aime Mon Carré’ (www.jaimemoncarre.com) party last night which was a lots of fun. It was a celebration of the iconic Hermes silk scarf and amazing band Warpaint performed live. Many guests attempted the thieving of the scarves that were strung up from the ceiling, wrapped around posts and draped casually over the band’s drum kit. None were successful (thanks to two particularly vigilant security guards) but some settled for a gold horse balloon instead. My friend Jeanie was one of their official bloggers and has taken some cool pictures:

http://fatfashionassistant.blogspot.com/2010/11/h-is-for-hermes.html

Afterwards I went along to the EMA wrap party in Shoreditch House where I got all the goss on what happened behind the scenes (in the words of Sex and the City, ‘who was a bitch, who was a bigger bitch’) and ate pizza.

The Only Way is Amy

Amy Childs is the maroon-haired glamour model in training from ITV2's unexpected smash hit, the Only Way is Essex. Meet my latest style fascination. Mistress of Vejazzling (and familiar in the fine art of Pezazzling, both techniques of gluing crystals to the groin region) and a fellow fan of animal print, it seems Amy is unfamiliar with terms such as 'smart/casual,' 'pale and interesting' or 'understated' but in a world in which Katie Price rules, this celebration of unabashed fakery works fantastically well. I just bought a plumping lip gloss, am going for a spray tan soon and am going to hunt for my Swarovski and eyelash glue tonight; it's a slippery slope that will only end in Faces...

'He's fit but he's just too jel!'

Leopard.

Amy begins her ascent to Jordanesque stardom

Party Dresses

Party season’s here, and its time to shop for my favourite things ever; eveningwear! Fortunately for me, the Sixties remains a popular theme. Here are my top pics from the wonderful world of online:

ASOS.com:

http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos/Asos-Encrusted-Collar-Shirt-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1304393



http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos/Asos-Embellished-Crop-Top-Ruffle-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=1321841



TOPSHOP.com:

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2059233&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=235533&parent_categoryId=235532&sort_field=Relevance&pageSize=200

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=0&viewAllFlag=&catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=2074425&langId=-1&sort_field=Relevance&categoryId=208491&parent_categoryId=&sort_field=Relevance&pageSize=20&refinements=category~[208503208491]&noOfRefinements=1

ZARA.com

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/uk/en/zara-sales/11017/197447/SEAMED%2BAND%2BPLEATED%2BDRESS

Vivienne Westwood Stationery

Ooh Vivienne Westwood’s doing eco-friendly Christmas stationery! The range includes a 2011 annual diary and a selection of hardback notebooks bound in silk and classic Westwood prints.

The books are made in Italy and cost £25 each. You can but the full collection from Vivienne Westwood stores and online (www.viviennewestwood.com) from November 2010.

Santa, if you’re reading this, I want to look cool in meetings and, as my old Lanvin one is now full up, I expect to find at least one in my stocking this year!

Swarovski Elements’ Jawaher

A couple of weeks ago (Tuesday 19th October if you want to be exact) I went along to the glamorous launch of Swarovski Elements’ Jawaher, held at Swarovski Crystallized™, 24 Great Marlborough Street.

The venue was lavishly decorated to look like an Arabic palace. Everything was opulent and (obviously) Swarovski crystal-encrusted! We sipped champagne and ate delicious canapés. There was a fashion show which displayed the most beautiful abaya collections (designed by the UAE’s Sweet Lady). Here are the pictures!

The show
I enjoy the party

The models looking very glam indeed

A beautiful asymmetric gown

Hotel Verta, Clapham

Hotel Verta is located near London’s Clapham Junction. Surrounded by other glamorous-looking buildings, it is an architectural vision of glass and curves. The Battersea Heliport is right next to the hotel, making it simple for high profile passengers to enter discreetly for their stay. The hotel interior continues the theme of aviation in a subtle, sophisticated manner and the furnishings inside the hotel are all completed to an exquisite standard, from the stitched leather wall in the bedroom to the eel skin seat in the bar. Polished marble floors inlaid with gold metalwork and a fridge containing some of the most impressive modern French wines are the finishing flourishes which instantly set the scene as you first enter.

Verta is home to a particularly marvelous spa. The reception room is bright and instantly welcoming and the gym contains everything you could need for a short stay (treadmill, crosstrainer, weights etc). I rather enjoyed distracting myself by playing Backgammon as I worked out! The wet area includes a sonarium (like a sauna but cooler, with a dry, apple-scented heat, mood-enhancing lighting and calming music), a sauna and a steam room which, with its twinkling overhead lights, makes you feel like the star of your very own music video! The ‘Experience Showers’ were revitalizing and fun, you could alter from a full stream of warm water to a smattering of peppermint-scented droplets. There are treatment rooms upstairs and the Verta Spa offers a wide range of treatments using products by Comfort Zone, Anne Semonin and Mama Mio. The charming receptionist told me that the founder of the nail varnish company they use, Orly, actually invented the French manicure! As I was fully lacquered already, I tried the ‘Quick Escape,’ an exquisite back, neck and shoulder massage which was relaxing in the extreme (I still felt the benefits many hours later). After you have had your treatment, you are free to use the relaxation room which, with its textured stone walls, twinkling tea lights and I-Pod docks, is an excellent place to while away a Sunday afternoon.

After sipping a fine rhubarb-inspired cocktail in the upstairs bar, (which overlooks both the river and the heliport) my guest and I ate in the Patrisey Restaurant. The menu was billed as ‘a voyage of discovery’ and I am pleased to say it delivered on every level. My starter of double-baked cheese soufflé was light and elegant and the half-baked lobster thermidor with a celeriac and lobster salad tasted divine. In between doing Masterchef impressions of Greg Wallace, I started to think how easy it would be to get used to this kind of sophisticated dining. After sharing a thick, molten chocolate fondant desert, it was time to sink into the immensely comfortable bed and dream of all things foodie.

The next day we enjoyed the fabulous Verta Breakfast (again in the Patrisey). I had Eggs Benedict, kippers, pastries, blueberry muffin and a croissant. Something told me that the fifteen minute treadmill/Backgammon extravaganza wouldn’t beat many of those calories!

I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel Verta. Each member of the team there has a smile on their face and a friendly word to say; this is a team that clearly works. The spa was beautifully relaxing and the bar/restaurant experience was better than any I have had for a long time. Helicopter owner or not, there is something at Hotel Verta for every traveler.

To find out more about Hotel Verta, visit: www.hotel-verta.co.uk

My cheese souffle!

an amazing prawn cocktail!

My lobster thermidor

Delicious lamb main

Mum enjoys her prawn cocktail

The beautiful view from the soon-to-open 13th floor