Chelsea SW3 Girl

Monaco Grand Prix

2009-05-27T19:50:00.005+01:00

Back from a fantastic Bank Holiday weekend in the South of France.
Stayed with friends who have a great house in Juan Les Pins, Antibes.
This is the view from their top floor looking out onto the harbour. Apparently, Madoff's yacht is one of those you see here in the distance.
I would love to wake up to this view each morning - top picture - it is just so good for the soul.

On Sunday, went to the Monaco Grand Prix which we viewed from the Cafe de Paris, just by the Casino.
I have always found Monaco to be a very strange place indeed and am always reminded of the Somerset Maugham quote about the Cote d'Azur being "a sunny place for shady people".
It was bizarre to watch some of the other guests - my favourite being the very young Eastern European ladeee wearing a velour shorts-suit which would not have looked out of place on a Walford market stall - that is, had it not been emblazoned with the Chanel logo. Needless to say, her male companion who must have had at least 40 years on her, did not look that bothered.

I'm not glad to be back though, that is for sure. Somebody, please take me away .....please.

Newsnight Immigrant Song Content

2009-05-13T23:25:00.005+01:00

Forget Eurovision: this week it's all about the Newsnight Immigrant Song Contest.

All week six bands made up of immigrants who have moved to Britain have been doing their own cover versions of classic Eurovision songs, as they vie for the mantle of immigrant act of the year.

Amongst those competing are bands who have fled war-torn countries and been imprisoned for their music.

My money is on Dhalad: a Somali rapper who fled the civil war which killed his father.
Save Your Kisses (Brotherhood of Man).

Yes; I'm well aware, from having read some of the overwhelmingly negative comments on the Newsnight website that this is all being perceived in some quarters as a pi** poor waste of license-payers money, but I beg to differ: it's fun, engaging and heck, one up from watching Susan Boyle.
I'm just not sure it's right for Newsnight, though.

Mr Nice and Mrs Marks

2009-05-13T18:07:00.004+01:00

Have just finished re-reading the excellent 'Mr Nice and Mrs Marks' which I first read upon its release back in 2007. It holds up well and if anything, is better on the second read.

Typically, all the media coverage has tended to focus on Howard (Mr Marks) and the more glamorous buccaneering aspects of The Business but there is much to be said for Judy's (Mrs Marks) account of those years.
I don't think she gives herself enough credit for keeping everything together through all the hard times.

Whatever your views on drugs, I really recommend you read this book.

Katie Price and Peter Andre split is a PR Stunt

2009-05-11T21:09:00.005+01:00

...well; that is what I think.
The much publicised shock 'separation' - note NOT an announcement to divorce - comes a little too conveniently on the back of their high ratings reality TV show and a forthcoming album.
Seems William Hill think so too, offering 2-1 odds they will reunite this year.
(or rather, more like in time for the next issue of OK Mag)

I envisage an imminent slew of OK Magazine covers covering the renewal of wedding vows...oh, and well done for making Twitter Search trends! It worked!

In all; I predict tomorrow might be a good day for all those expense-snuffling MPs to bury all their misdemeanors.

T-Mobile Karaoke video advert in Trafalgar Square

2009-05-02T21:08:00.002+01:00

The T-Mobile karaoke video advert shows the moment an estimated 13,000 people thronged together in Trafalgar Square to sing the Beatles classic 'Hey Jude'.

Just like the T-Mobile 'Dance' advert earlier this year at Liverpool St Station, this is another great viral video; a great example of 'flash-mobbing' / guerilla marketing.

Watch and download the T-Mobile karaoke 'Hey Jude' video advert on YouTube here:

Alli weightloss drug branding looks like Google

2009-05-02T08:04:00.006+01:00

There has been a lot of media coverage about the new 'miracle' weight loss drug Alli, from Glaxo Smith Kline.

Also known as Orlistat or Xenical, it's been available over the counter in the US for a while and has just been licensed for use in the UK but has received some unwelcome media coverage on account of various unpleasant side effects.

Personally, I feel very wary at the encroaching acceptance of these kind of so-called 'miracle cures' because ultimately they represent an easy way to abrogate personal responsibility.

It's all about energy in / energy out and eating fresh, nutritionally healthy food.

That aside, the main point I want to flag up here is the uncanny similarity between the Alli logo and the Google logo. That was the first thing that struck me when I passed the Alli ad board in a local chemist's shop.

Cynic that I am, I can't help but think this is an entirely purposeful attempt to create branding which is 'comfortable' and 'trusted' with its potential customers and neatly circumvent any prickly psychological LOGIC which might suggest that such a method is not really ideal.

After all, according to an article I've managed to unearth on...Google, according to Advertising Age, Google is "the most trusted brand in America"....so surely something that bears a striking resemblance to that logo is already helping the wider public subliminally accept the brand as 'normal'.

What do you think?

Kirstie's Homemade Home is a guilty pleasure

2009-04-30T20:14:00.006+01:00

Yes; I am a Mug. A complete Mug and Lemming to boot.
I've read all the nasty reviews which suggest that this is all just uber-Middle-Class-vom-inducing smugness BUT there is just something about this programme that just appeals to my inner wannabe domestic goddess.

Quite apart from the fact that I have had a big bag full of material swatches intended for a patchwork quilt secreted away in the back of a cupboard for the past 10 years along with two half-finished cushions with wonky seams, I just love the idea of being able to effortlessly conjure up charming, stylish home accessories.
Unfortunately though, the reality never quite measures up.

I'm just afraid that at my N. London/ Herts convent school during the late '80s and early '90s, Sr Christina's home economics classes, replete with shonky sewing machines and A line skirt patterns, was not really where the party was at.

Victory for the Gurkhas

2009-04-30T20:06:00.004+01:00

I'm not normally a Nick Clegg fan but heartily agree with his comments:

People who are willing to die for our country, should be allowed to live in our country.

How and why did the govt get it so wrong?

Everyone I have spoken with feels it is morally right to let them stay.

sign of the times

2009-04-28T13:43:00.006+01:00

Bumped into a chap I vaguely know on my return back from a meeting earlier.
Have not seen him since before Christmas and as I know he runs his own business too, was keen to find out how he is doing.

Somewhat unsurprisingly he said all is not good. Has not had any money coming in for the past six weeks; large companies are the big offenders.
It is all take, take, take, but when it comes to payment of invoices it is quite another story.
The favourite get out clause with these guys is that they have a set payment run each month, so that if you should happen to submit an invoice say a day later - woohoo! - you don't get nuffink until next month (if you are lucky).

As the old BT ad goes 'it's good to talk' and I definitely do recognise all these gambits.
I'm not talking myself or the situation down - just acknowledging that this is how it is.
It is definitely a way of the times.

A question of faith

2009-04-28T10:47:00.006+01:00

Received a postcard this morning from a friend I have not heard from in ages.
She had a stillborn baby about eighteen months ago and after that happened, disappeared with her husband to another country.
I can't say I blame her: who knows how one would cope (or not) in such a situation?
I'm glad to hear though that she has since given birth to a healthy son and can't wait to see her once she is back in London.

It was so difficult to know what to say at the time, although instinctively I felt we ought to say something...more to acknowledge that the baby had been real ...as real as their grief.
A product of a Convent school education since the age of four, I decided to arrange for a Mass to be said for the Soul of the baby. Even though I rarely go to Mass these days, with the exception of Christmas and Easter, it felt the right thing to do.

So, I trundled along to the Rectory, spoke with the Priest's secretary and explained what had happened. Now, normally this would be a very straightforward situation in that I would arrange to have a Mass said for the repose of the Soul on x date, would be given a religious card with the date and details in it and, in return, I would make a donation to the Church's coffers.

To my surprise, I found myself on somewhat of a sticky wicket. The main issue seemed to be that as the baby had not been 'born' - there was no Soul - and therefore no Mass could be said in repose for the soul.
Pedants might want to pick me up here on the theological details and in all fairness, my memory could well be playing tricks. But the religious themed card which featured a picture of the Madonna and Baby Jesus which made specific reference to a Mass being said for the repose of the Soul was also taken out of my hands and replaced with another more bland themed card.
I can't remember what this 'replacement' card said exactly, but I do know that it made absolutely no reference to the 'repose of a Soul'.

So, instead, we negotiated and I agreed to have the Mass said for my friend and her husband 'and their loss' . I was so inwardly shocked that I cannot remember if the baby was actually included or not.
It was only later that the strangeness of the situation struck me. If, as the assumption goes, stillborn baby does not have a Soul, what does this mean for aborted foetus'? Why then the furore about THAT?

I was so pathetically grateful at the time to have a means to say 'I feel for you' to my friend that it was only later that this theological impasse hit home. It was almost like denying the existence of my friend's baby - but how could that be right?

I don't understand.

The Sewing Circles of Herat

2009-04-27T14:15:00.004+01:00

It is odd: speaking as a thirtysomething gal about town, 'feminism' is one of those dirty words no-one really talks about anymore. In many ways, it does not seem so relevant. Bra burning? Shurely not; my lingerie is far too expensive...

When I was in my late teens I read all the usual tomes - "Fat is a Feminist Issue" , "The Beauty Myth" and "Eve was Framed" , but then again, I was the product of an all-girls education where the debate was about, not so much if you would go to University, but rather, which Oxbridge college. At University, at my all-girls College, I did not question for one moment if I should pursue a career or not.

All of which makes me rather shocked to read Christina Lamb's account in the Sunday Times Magazine about the women of Afghanistan.
Whilst life for women under the Taliban had been predictably repressive

Under the Taliban, women had been banned from working, studying, wearing lipstick, white shoes or even laughing out loud.

and although

President Bush triumphantly declared in his 2002 State of the Union address: “The mothers and daughters of Afghanistan were captives in their own homes… Today women are free.”

it has not actually got any better in the years since then. If anything, it has got far, far worse.

The article makes for shocking reading. I felt quite ashamed and humbled after reading.
Read it here.

Washing dirty linen in public

2009-04-27T11:24:00.003+01:00

I like to think I have a pretty firm grip on the political, social and moral zeitgeist which is why my reading material encompasses not only the FT, Private Eye and Economist ...but the News of the Screws as well. It is always good for a laugh and I make no apologies for it.

But I just don't understand what makes people want to reveal their innermost thoughts and sexual proclivities and sell their story.

Clearly, the answer is filthy lucre...but even so, I have always thought that discretion is the greater part of valour and am aghast at the thought of my parents reading about my sex life.

Similarly, can someone please explain why those people who appear on Channel 4's "Embarassing Bodies" are too scared to approach their own GP, but have no qualms about appearing on national TV.

I don't get it ?

Why I don't like Le Pain du Quotidien

2009-04-27T10:59:00.005+01:00

Looking out the window now, it's hard to believe that we had such fantastic weather over the weekend.

One of the best things about living where I do in SW3 is its proximity to some really fantastic 'urban spaces' and I really do try to make as much effort as possible to get out and about.

A favourite walk of mine is to head up to South Kensington, past the Natural History Museum and into Hyde Park. It's really good for the soul, especially around 6 or 7am; I often find I get the most constructive thoughts at this time of day.

I headed up there with the OH on Saturday and after a good two hour walk, decided to head into the South Ken branch of Le Pain du Quotidien for some tea and cake.

I have been there plenty of times and whilst I am not for one moment disputing the quality of its food - it is just that the faux naivete and contrived rusticism really grates.

Yes, you get what you pay for...but there is a little voice inside of me that can't help but wonder how much I am paying for the privilege of an, ahem, authentically, rustic experience. Coffee prices are pretty much standard, but food prices are, in my opinion, way more than usual and for smaller portions.

The most annoying aspect, in my opinion, is the "communal table". Sure; a quick Google search reveals this to be the most admired aspect by many of LPQ's customers ("really convivial" etc etc) but to my mind it just smacks of an out-and-out management attempt to squeeze in more punters in a limited amount of floorspace. It's a very clever ruse and one I have seen elsewhere but I just don't like it. It makes my territorial hackles rise.

Then again, LPQ just seems the latest in a long line of rustic-stylee offerings which serve up the same faux rusticism at a price: Paul, Bread Boutique and my bete noire, Monmouth Coffee in Borough Market.

You can't really blame them though - they are paying such high rent and rates that I guess they have to do this...but it is not my cup of tea.
I think I'll pass.

Frank Lampard phones LBC Radio

2009-04-24T21:43:00.004+01:00

Above: A totally gratuitous photo

I must admit to a secret penchant for Frank Lampard, not least as he is ?tallish? dark and reasonably handsome and a Classicist, to boot (*if GCSE Latin counts, that is).

How surprised was I then to learn this afternoon that he had phoned into London's LBC radio to complain about the negative press coverage that has accompanied his ex's inadvertent off the cuff comments in a wine bar earlier this week?

Personally, I'm dead against washing one's dirty linen in public, but on the other hand, think he fought his corner well. I'm envisaging a future role as Ambassador for Fathers For Justice....

Losing my legal virginity

2009-04-24T21:18:00.006+01:00

It is on your head

Well; it had to happen sooner or later.

My first and predictably not the last defaulting client.

Obviously, I cannot go into too much detail as this is now, erm, sub judice but suffice to say, this week has been more than usually difficult to say the least.

Putting my Pollyanna hat on - for I am nothing but an eternal optimist with bags of resilience - this will all pan out and resolve itself. It's just an annoyance I could do without.

I am determined not to let it eat me up, but it makes me white with anger to think that someone assumes they can act in this way. How dare they?

That aside, I do feel that this is one of a series of 'signs' which are all telling me very clearly that I need to change my work focus. This is what my gut instinct says - and I always listen to that.

I'm a tough old bag and I will ride this out.

G20 London protests are pointless

2009-03-26T22:32:00.005Z

I'd like to think I am a liberal, reasonable kind of person and up for the idea of free speech, freedom of expression waka-waka-waka, but I have to admit I am feeling very tired and weary at the thought of next week's G20 London Summit protests.

As a friend who is currently clinging onto his job and hoping to avoid the next round of job cuts said : "Capitalism doesn't exist any more".

So, what exactly are they trying to prove?

I think this is all just a poor excuse for an opportunity to kick off , vent some energy and cause some damage, all under the auspices of being "anti-capitalist".

In all, a very British protest and one that hangs on that great British trait of being jealous of anyone who appears to be doing better than oneself.

Grow up, get a job and start contributing something positive.

Corporate balderdash

2009-03-25T22:15:00.002Z

Had another meeting today with the total nightmare woman I am working with on a certain project.
To be quite honest; I have no idea why the client roped her in to get involved as she plainly has no technical ability and simply relies on resting on her laurels of past role as 'Head of XXXXX'. I am well aware that is why she got onto this job in the first place. As far as I can tell, her sole contribution to this particular project we are working on is that she is outsourcing her share of the work to some chap in South Africa.

On one hand, I admire the chutzpah and the business model; ie, why bother doing the work yourself if you can just get someone else to do it and charge a big whack on top, but on the other hand, I totally resent the kind of corporate bull**** she brings to it. I just can't be bothered with all that anymore.

It is bad enough listening to her use every kind of buzzword known to man (silo anyone?) but worse still as I know she has no practical ability and that this is all just puff to convey the illusion that she knows more than is actually the case.
I could live with all this claptrap were it not for the fact that she insists on trying to take control of the project - or at least giving the client the appearance of it - by making sure that she is the first to email the client to report back on anything (that moves), even if it does not involve her.

I am so bored by her behaviour; brings back awful memories of working on a trading floor where everyone was out to cover their own a** and sod everyone else. In the meantime, I'm just playing at being a Teletubby and keeping my fingers firmly in my ears: LA LA LA.

Bored of The Apprentice

2009-03-25T21:40:00.006Z

Haven't posted here for absolutely ages - real life has got in the way!

Have been hugely busy with work; mostly good though have some slack / non-payers I am having to chase up. Seems to be a sign of the times.
I speak with other business owners and they all seem to be saying pretty much the same thing.
Personally; I have no problem holding back on payment to BIG companies (the kind who can afford to wait), but the one thing I have always been is scrupulously fair in making sure I pay my smaller suppliers on time. It's never good to poo on your own doorstep and who knows when I might need their goodwill.
All in, though, the good is outweighing the bad and I am ruthlessly keeping my overheads to a minimum. I'm gaining momentum which is the most important thing...slowly but most definitely surely.

All of which leads me, in a very roundabout way, to the first episode of The Apprentice on TV tonight.
Surely I can't be the only viewer to think it somehow feels totally, totally irrelevant? (shurely not?)
I usually really enjoy watching this as a pure entertainment show, rather than as a 'business-how-to', but this year it really does feel like a bunch of kids playing shop. It is probably because I have a hundred and one things on my mind - pitches to prepare for as well as making sure I get the money I am owed - but it all just seems so puerile in the face of a full-scale Recession.

I just don't have the patience anymore to watch a gaggle of girls kvetching over some silly small task. If they want a proper task, then they can go off and chase up the money I am owed.

Obama snacks

2009-03-07T16:16:00.004Z

NOT coming soon to a shop near you: these rather delectable looking Indonesian Obama-themed snacks.

Currently under investigation on the grounds of 'elf 'n' safety (*they contain a small, potentially unhygienic plastic toy), they are but one of a whole host of Obama merchandise which includes ice-cream ("Yes Pecan") and a doll ("an action figure we can believe in").

How long before the fake-Viagra merchants in China start to use Obama to promote their offerings, much in the same way as with David Beckham?

Mmmmm; yes we can........

Morgan Tsvangirai's wife dies

2009-03-06T20:37:00.006Z

I feel so sad to hear the news that Susan, the wife of Morgan Tsvangirai, the Zimbabwean PM, has been killed in a car crash.

Details are still relatively unclear, but I feel deeply sorry for his loss, not least as the couple were married for 31 years.
Quite apart from the fact that Mr Tsvangirai has had to endure countless struggles in the political arena, to lose someone so suddenly and in such horrible circumstances is unjust.

My thoughts are with him and his family.

Boris Becker engaged... again

2009-03-02T16:09:00.005Z

Amusing to read in the gossip rags that Boris Becker has got engaged...again.

I know full well myself that German telly is not an epitome of high-culture at the best of times (*have you ever watched "Deutschland sucht den Superstar". I have and it's not pretty)
but even so, this mawkish display of nigh middle-aged lurve was a little hard to stomach, not least as it came hot on the heels of an earlier engagement to another woman only a few months ago.

Don't get me wrong; I'm a sucker for anything that remotely resembles a romantic gesture, but I can't help but question the sincerity - nay, credibility - of a man who constantly falls in love and feels the need to experience only grand passions and the rollercoaster emotions of "being in love".
The kind of man who is in love with the idea of being in love and uses this an an excuse to hide the fact that he's actually rather scared of the 'c' word (*commitment) with all the mundane realities of life that entails.

Frankly, this all reminds me of an ex whom I once mistakely thought to be The Love of My Life. Whilst he gave me some of the best life-defining memories I will ever have, he just couldn't cut it as a long-term proposition. Such a shame.
He is now 38, single and is, I hear, still carving out a lonely path and falling in love on a sadly predictable basis.

My point is; this ability to be so continually overwhelmed by passion and romance is all very predictable and acceptable when one is younger, but my feel is that it's not so attractive the older one gets, nor is it a good barometer as to potential 'marriage-worthiness'.

I'm the first one to say Love is ...NOT about putting the bins out or cleaning the bathroom, but there is a small part of me that takes great solace in the fact I have a man who at least tries(*) to make an effort with all the boring, mundane things that make up life's tapestry.

(*) sometimes, though nowehere near enough as he should

Jack Straw emails hacked

2009-02-25T08:53:00.007Z

Had to laugh this morning at news that Jack Straw's constituency email account has been hacked.

A scam e-mail was sent to Labour members, council chiefs and Ministry of Justice officials which said that Mr Straw was travelling to Africa for a project called Empowering Youth to Fight Racism, and was at an address in Nigeria's largest city, Lagos.

"I misplaced my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money and other valuable things were kept.
I would like you to assist me with a soft loan
urgently to settle my hotel bills and get myself back home".

In his defence, after the scam had been discovered, Jack Straw said:
"... I think it was so obviously ridiculous that I could go off trekking in Africa and I would lose my wallet."

Well; actually, I'm not so sure that the email was that implausible.

Strip out the location of the conference (Lagos, Nigeria), replace it with 'Brussels' and you are left with something that sounds worryingly P.C. and very possibly not that much different from the usual appeal for donations.

Top marks to the hackers for creative ingenuity!

Dow falls to lowest level since 1997

2009-02-24T18:19:00.003Z

The DJIA - 1956 to 2009

Image shamelessly stolen from the FT; news that the Dow falls to its lowest level since 1997

Some "irrational exuberance" going on there.......

James Lovelock The Vanishing Face of Gaia

2009-02-23T10:09:00.005Z

Listened to James Lovelock talk about his new book "The Vanishing Face of Gaia" this morning on the R4 Today programme.

Basic premise is that the earth will be 5 deg or 6deg hotter at the end of the Century and that the issue for humans will be on how to survive in these new climatic conditions.
Given that this climate won't support anything like the current population we have at present -there won't be enough land to support the population - the survivors will be those who move to areas which will be largely unaffected (ie; the 'lifeboat nations of the world')
These 'lifeboat nations' include:

UK
Siberia
Canada
New Zealand
Even Japan possibly

His argument is that we should be preparing for the flood of refugees from climate change by building infrastructure.

Couple of observations on this:

Ironically; this is yet another shot in the arm for the currently beleaguered UK property market. Those offplan builds on the Costas are looking ever more un-enticing...

But, more worryingly, it's yet another prescient reminder that no-one (apart from the BNP it seems, with all their horrible, horrible racist overtones) wants to properly tackle the issue of immigration. It's already the elephant in the room that no-one wants to discuss.

Valentines Day Cupcakes

2009-02-15T15:49:00.003Z

I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day but was touched to receive these fantastic cupcakes from Konditor & Cook. Made my day.

SW3 Commercial Property empty

2009-02-15T15:43:00.003Z

Walked along the Kings Rd this morning and was struck by how many empty retail premises there are: 4 in this this stretch alone.

Scolari sacked as Chelsea Manager

2009-02-09T16:35:00.009Z

Breaking news: Luiz Felipe Scolari dismissed as Chelsea Manager with immediate effect as per the CFC website.

I'm not the biggest football fan in the world but was taken along to The Bridge a couple of weeks back by Mr ChelseaSW3Girl (above video: CFC vs Middlesbrough 28 Jan 09)

Wonder who will replace him ?

Bank of England rate cut

2009-02-05T06:17:00.004Z

In view of the speculation concerning what seems to be the impending rate cut by the Bank of England, this seems rather apt, although I'm tempted to think that 'Panic on the streets of Reykjavik-on-Thames' might be more appropriate......

Female suicide bomber recruiter captured

2009-02-04T07:14:00.006Z

Really disturbing to hear on the Today programme this am about the 'female suicide bomber recruiter' who has just been captured in Iraq.

According to the Times, Samira Ahmed Jassim (51) :

"suspected of recruiting more than 80 female suicide bombers"
"she would escort the women to an orchard for insurgent training"
"helped plan the rapes of young women and then step in to persuade the victims to become suicide bombers as their only escape from the shame."

I just don't understand this mentality.

It is probably because I have had the fortune to be born into a civilised democracy where I have never for one moment had to question concepts of liberty and freedom (*albeit apart from encroaching incursions such as personal data control etc). So, I've never felt desperate enough to take such extreme action.

Similarly,whilst I am pragmatic to realise that history is written by the victors (nb Herodotus) so that one man's suicide bomber is another man's freedom fighter, I can't help but feel appalled by this woman's actions. To me, they are just plain evil and no amount of rationalising can change that.

It is somehow worse that she is female. For one thing, it goes against all commonly held concepts about the female nurturing role but chillingly, her actions were against her own sex...which is worse, I think.

I just don't understand why some academics should see this emerging phenomenon of the female suicide bomber as an example of 'female emancipation' (in its extreme).
Practically speaking, it is far more desirable for someone to want to manipulate a woman into becoming a suicide bomber because she is less likely to be searched (cultural reservations), plus can get away with wearing all-concealing garb which can disguide explosives.

Direct Red: A Surgeon's Story

2009-02-03T17:28:00.002Z

I like to listen to Radio 4 occasionally whilst I am working and this morning I happened to listen to Woman's Hour.
It featured an interview with Gabriel Weston, author of a new book called "Direct Red: A Surgeon's Story".

As the blurb on the R4 website goes:

Gabriel Weston graduated as a doctor in 2000 and became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 2003. She now works part-time as an Ear Nose and Throat surgeon. She tells Jane about day-to-day life as a surgeon, and describes what it’s like to be a woman competing in a world dominated by alpha males.

Personally, I think this blurb is a little tame - the Sunday Times had a far more revealing write-up and focused on all the nitty-gritty-behind-the-scenes lowdown which is far more interesting. Want to know how heavy an amputated limb is? Well; you'll find it here....

It's always interesting to learn about other industries and professions, particularly if you get to hear a warts-and-all account. Maybe because, on some level, it is always somewhat satisfying for the soul to realise that yes, even high-powered individuals have off days too and that, despite the glossy facade, there is always going to be admin grotwork to do somewhere down the line in every job.

However; whilst on one hand, I would really like to read this book (and most probably will), I do feel slightly reticent about this subject area.
Perhaps it is because I had to undergo {pretty much} emergency surgery on a severed tendon on my left hand a couple of years back on account of a stupidly, freak accident.

To cut a long story short, I lay on a trolley directly outside the operating theatre and went through my notes with the surgeon and anaesthetist. Even though I had a massive bandage wrapped around my left hand and wrist, I was, according to their notes, in for surgery to my RIGHT hand. Needless to say, this did not exactly inspire me with confidence. I was only too happy for the knock-out anaesthetic....

So, in as much the same way as I really don't want to know what the state of the kitchen of a restaurant I am eating in is like, nor do I want to know that my hairdresser has the biggest hangover of the century....there are just some things I would rather not find out too much about at all.
As they say, ignorance is bliss......

David Cameron plays with Carol Vorderman

2009-02-02T18:31:00.004Z

in the snow.....! oh, and with Michael Gove too!

Just got a totally pointless email through from webcameron to say that David Cameron, Michael Gove and Carol Vorderman had a jolly old time today and that, instead of doing any proper work,

the three of us played in the snow instead

Oh Dear God; who writes this stuff????!!!!!

And here Dear Readers is the contender for next PM........ (*top tip; it's not the snowman)

Scott Foley in CBS The Unit TV show

2009-02-02T15:22:00.002Z

As part of my Recession-busting-anything-goes attitude at home, we are currently watching lots of the CBS drama series "The Unit"; all about a top-secret military unit modeled after the real life Delta Force.

Now, normally this kind of gun totin', action packed drama would not be my cup of chai were it not for one thing and that is the presence of this guy here. {scott foley - plays a character called Bob Brown}

I'm well aware of how sad this makes me; I'm 33 and should know better - but I just don't care.

City Wags vs Wall St Wags

2009-02-02T12:27:00.005Z

An article about a new US blog caught my eye in the Sunday Times yesterday.
The blog - 'Dating a Banker Anonymous' (or 'DABA' for short) has as its mission statement:

Are you or someone you love dating a banker? If so, we are here to support you through these difficult times. Dating A Banker Anonymous (DABA) is a safe place where women can come together – free from the scrutiny of feminists– and share their tearful tales of how the mortgage meltdown has affected their relationships.

As you may know from having read some of my other blog posts, Mr SW3 Girl works in the City and is an investment banker...although, technically speaking, I am not sure if that term exists any more. I too am an ex-Investment Banker, having been made redundant in the last major cull back in end 2002. So, all in, I feel I have the right to express a valid opinion on all things pertaining to relationships, rocky times and working in a high-pressured City environment.

So, naturally, I read the DABA blog with some interest.
Frankly, there is only one point I am in sympathy with and that is the very real impact that redundancy, or the threat of it, has on relationships.

Having spoken with other female friends living here whose other halves work in the City, whether finance or law, I can attest to the fact that one way or the other, we are all having problems. Mostly, this relates to the fact that our men are working longer hours, are facing the threat of the redundancy guillotine ever more frequently with the result that once home, they are stressed out more than ever. It impacts on every aspect (*and I mean, every aspect).

I'm not for one second saying their plight is any worse than, say, the Honda workers who have been laid off recently or any of the other thousands of redundancies recently announced.
Far from it and I have every sympathy for those who are now trying to support their families on next to nothing.
I think the worrying aspect is simply that when you work in the City - particularly in banking - the rewards are greater (=you have more to lose / bigger mortgage etc etc) but more specifically, that you have no other skills than, say, trying to push financial products to fund managers. You are not actually trained to do anything else and it is hugely impossible to transfer those skills to 'normal' jobs outside the financial sector. It is this knowledge and fear of the unknown that pushes so many to the edge.

For my own part - and also my friends who are a pragmatic, down to earth bunch - we have tried to be as supportive as possible, whether it means not complaining too much if one's other half is stuck to the PS2 for much of the weekend (*apparantly, as I am told, this "helps me to relax, OK????????") , doing the bulk of the housework without complaining and just generally trying to be there, keeping strong and positive.

All of which means I just don't get some of the inane comments by some of the Wall St WAGS on the DABA blog. Are they for real?????
Complaining about having to cut down on facials and massages.....moaning about having to cook instead of going out dinner - I could go on.

Really; these girls are such wusses. Yes; I know you can't stereotype by nationality, but really, these US WAGS just don't compare well to their UK counterparts who are made of far sterner stuff. Having worked in that [banking] environment, I'm well aware of just how nasty it is at a time like this, with everyone covering their own a**es. There ain't no room for sentiment, that's for sure.

Get a grip, girls! This is the reality so stick with it and sharpen up!

Snow in Chelsea SW3

2009-02-02T12:16:00.002Z

How idyllic is this? This is the view of the Thames taken from Battersea Bridge during what the weather forecasters have termed "the most significant snow event" for years (eh?)

Naturally; this being Great Britain PLC, nothing is working as it should.
Mr SW3 Girl headed off after 6am this morning to walk up to the City wearing his hiking trousers and boots - District line not working, Circle line trains packed and black cabs nowhere to be seen.
Roll on Spring!

Obama Inauguration party in London

2009-02-02T11:34:00.006Z

Here's a photo of the wonderfully US themed Obama Inauguration Dinner Party held by my friend Pete.
Note the tablemats (- genius idea thought up by Rob) and napkins (- my idea; courtesy of Harrods).

Unlike the official Obama luncheon menu which featured a whole host of traditional American winter dishes, our menu was somewhat more prosaic and featured:

Homemade Cheeseburgers
Sweet potato wedges
Homemade coleslaw
Homemade chocolate brownies

It has been interesting to read the varying reactions to Obama's Inaugural Address, with some critics bemoaning the lack of soundbites and soaring rhetoric. For my own part; I think the most valid soundbite (if that is indeed the word) was his use of the phrase 'hard choices' :

Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.

Whilst I'm not keen on the notion or concept of a 'new age' (whatever that means) and feel slightly uncomfortable with the almost Messianic fervour with which he is being greeted by some, I do think it is right to force this reality of 'hard choices' having to be made out into the open.
It's going to be hard and it's not going to be easy, that's for sure, and I do wonder if expectations are unrealistically high?

T-Mobile Dance Video advert at Liverpool St Train Station

2009-01-16T21:12:00.008Z

The T-Mobile dance video advert shows the moment hundreds of commuters danced in Liverpool St train station.

I just love this video - it's one of the best viral videos I've seen for absolutely ages. Great example of 'flash-mobbing' / guerilla marketing.

It's odd though that the the media bods at T-Mobile didn't manage to get the video up on YouTube until at least 30 minutes after being transmitted on TV for the first time. Sloppy work, non?

I do think they missed a trick or three.

Watch and download the T-Mobile dance video advert on YouTube here:

Financial acronyms - BRICS and PIGS

2009-01-15T07:35:00.005Z

Had to laugh this morning whilst listening to the Today programme as a financial analyst discussed the Eurozone and the impending rate cuts.

He made reference to the 'PIGS' [countries], namely; Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain.

Had not heard of that acronym before; only BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China).
Very good.

The sun always shines

2009-01-14T08:30:00.004Z

I need cheering up this morning.

Gordon Brown...help

2009-01-13T11:02:00.003Z

This photo on the front cover of today's Times made my day :)

(photo courtesy Chris Harris / The Times)

BBC Million Dollar Traders

2009-01-13T06:13:00.008Z

Skipped my Pilates class last night on account of a work deadline but also because I wanted to watch the BBC2 programme 'Million Dollar Traders'.

Part of the BBC City Season, the premise is that eight 'ordinary people' are given a million dollars, a fortnight of intensive training and two months to run their own hedge fund.

Cash is stumped up by Lex van Dam, a hedge fund manager, so theory is that the contestants are pressured by the fact that it is 'real money' (*and not just 'fake' license payers' money they can fritter away at will.....).

Whilst it could never be described as a totally true-to-life reflection of trading - i.e. lot sizes too small and no real risk control system in place - I enjoyed it, thought it was really good TV and yes, it did provoke a couple of 'shout out loud at telly' moments.

And, oh yes, given that this all took place in the Summer of 2008 meant that it really was a baptism of fire.

Couple of observations:

I wanted to shake the girl who started crying: yes; I understand why you were, but I would never, ever advocate crying on a trading floor - regardless of whether man/woman. It's all politics and people will use that against you at some point. Better to go and hide in the loos and have a cry or wait until you're home.
The older guy who was described as having '&^%$ for brains'; could not bear to work with him. Totally infuriating and reiterates all the worst stereotypes about curmudgeonly 'older people'.
Not sure if the label 'ordinary people' holds up . I've got horrible memories of working with so called 'professionals' whose knowledge / skills leave a LOT to be desired.
For added verisimilitude, they ought to have nominated the youngest/most unsuccessful to go out for the daily coffee/bacon butty run.
The guy who was acting as mentor (*did not catch his name): respect. I liked his style and also his empathetic understanding that humiliating people publicly might not be the best way to motivate them.

Watch it here on BBC iplayer

*** UPDATE ***
The series has now finished and ended on what I thought was a pretty cataclysmic note.
Of the participants shown above, Caroline, the woman on the far right hand side (black and white dress) came out top, not least because of her totally calm, focused approach.

What struck me most of all though was the attitude taken by the other female participant, Cleo, who seemed to be on-edge, overly emotional and paralysed by inaction. In all, really a flip-side to the mental coin as demonstrated by Caroline.

I thought Cleo's comments about wanting everything to be 'perfect' were particularly revealing and I can't help but wonder if this is a problem which particularly pertains to women.
Is our desire for things to be 'perfect' and 'absolutely right' our Achilles heel?
I wonder...

If so, there is much to be said for a 'f**k it mentality' - after all; you can't get everything right and maybe it is those who try, or at least seize the opportunity, are the ones who will ultimately succeed?
I think so.

New Conservative campaign googles death for Gordon Brown

2009-01-12T12:09:00.005Z

Shurely shome mistake?

A Google search for the name of the new Conservative advertising campaign
"Dad's eyes. Mum's nose. Gordon Brown's debt" suggests a rather more grisly ending for Gordon Brown.....

Kate Winslet Golden Globe acceptance speech

2009-01-12T10:40:00.003Z

Call me bitter and twisted, but I can't help but feel that Kate Winslet's acceptance speech is the most mawkish and cringe-inducing since...well, Alexandra Burke's constant blubbing throughout the X Factor final.

Well done and all that..but really; it's all a bit O.T.T. and leaves me feeling vaguely sick.

Motown marks 50th anniversary

2009-01-12T07:13:00.003Z

A perfect pick-me-up for a miserable Monday morning.

Shane Watson "How to Meet a Man"

2009-01-11T15:22:00.004Z

Today's Sunday Times Style section includes an extract from author, journalist and Sunday Times columnist Shane Watson's latest book "How to Meet a Man After Forty and Other Midlife Dilemmas Solved"

Whilst I'm not yet in the target demographic, (*am still 'only' 33) I do think there are some universal nuggets of guidance which apply, regardless of age, not least the letting go of a dogmatic and draconian List of Required Attributes.

Even so, the whole concept of 'dating' and 'getting out there' scares me witless, even though (or maybe because?) I've been in a long-term relationship for nine years, not all of it very sucessfully.

Frankly, there are times I really wonder, should I ever become single, if I could actually be bothered with the whole dating malarkey. For one thing, I am far less tolerant and far more selfishly impatient than I was in my early twenties when time and endless romantic possibilities seemed to stretch out into infinity. It's just the whole process of trying to find someone which seems so soul-destroying; where do you meet new people? Or, more to the point, the right kind of people?

I'm not entirely convinced that online dating is the answer either. My younger sister who is 25 joined one of these dating sites 'just to see' a couple of months back and allowed me to share her logins so that I could help 'quality control' the responses. Frankly; they weren't up to much and, if anything, made me question the calibre of guys 'out there'.

Here are some unedited highlights - or lowpoints depending on your point of view.
NB: I have removed anything that is in any way identifiable; everything else copied verbatim.

Hi xxxxx, im pete, im fun and friendly man with a great personality and sense of humour and im looking to meet a like minded lady, anyway if you would like to know more feel free to get in touch and ask anything. i look forward to hearing from you, pete

Hi xxxxxx. I'm a guy that is just 'a nice guy' that is looking for someone to have fun with. Be it sailing/skiing in far away places, beach holidays in places where wow in the only word.

Hey xxxxx....blah blah blah....check out my profile....blahdy blah...would love to hear from you xx

Well good evening to you young lady:) How are you on this freezing day? I thought it about time i said hello:) I am sure the pleasure will be all mine :)
What have you been up to? Great w/end?
{rest continues in this vein}

Wow you are gorgeous! I guess you've heard that from all the blokes, but still it's nice to hear compliments

Not exactly inspiring is it?

Lily Allen's comments on drugs

2009-01-11T12:31:00.007Z

Lily Allen hit the headlines earlier this week with her comments on drug-taking, saying the issue is "sensationalized" and that she knows people who "take cocaine three nights a week and get up and go to work everyday, no problem."

I feel I ought to lay it all out and admit that yes, I really CAN'T STAND Lily Allen for all her mockney cockney faked hard-girl attitide (-she's an ex alumna of Hill House, dontcha know), but I do think she raises a valid point about recreational drug usage....or at least the fact that some people do drugs and manage to hold down 'professional' jobs.

Now, my own stance on drug usage is this: I grew up in the early '80s and was part of the generation who watched Sammo take heroin in Grange Hill and yes, that did put me off.
At University, like most of my friends, I tried out the occasional spliff - was all part of the growing-up-process - but that is as far as it went. Certainly, when I left University and had the responsibility of a job, it did not even cross my mind to continue.
As for harder drugs like cocaine; well, that's just not my bag, nor is it for my own close circle of friends.

Still, that aside, I do know plenty of thirtysomething so-called professionals who do partake.
One in particular is my neighbour, whom for sake of expediency I shall call Cokehead Charlie.
Cokehead Charlie is (or rather was until he lost his job some time ago) a City Lawyer and had (has??) the biggest coke habit I know. Bank Holiday weekends were commonly all out benders with drug-fuelled parties lasting until 9am. (*not that I was invited...my bedroom backs onto his living room and I would have to near smother myself with a pillow just to get some sleep)
Frankly; he looks a mess - pale, skinny and just, well, 'haunted'. Not a good look. Seemingly, though, he managed to hold down a 'proper job' and did not succumb to a nasty, grisly death and so, fits neatly into that group of individuals Lily Allen describes. I'm just not convinced that's ok.

Reasons why I don't do drugs:

It is illegal: I don't want/need a criminal record
Unknown side-effects: who knows what these are ten years down the line?
Proven medical side-effects: cardiac problems / mental issues
Unknown cutting agents: washing powder etc...who knows?
Drugs make you boring
I have a bad enough time these days coping with hangovers...God only knows how/if I could physically/mentally cope with drugs
It is expensive: yes, I know prices are relatively cheap these days, but I still look on it as wasted £, much in the same way I do spending £ on pricey Starbucks lattes
I spend a small fortune on annual gym membership to keep myself in relatively good nick; why complicate this?
Altruistic reasons: the poor people who get suckered into becoming drug mules.
Too many responsibilities: in much the same way that these days I rarely drink during the week as I need to focus on work and have all my wits about me, I have not got the luxury of time to recuperate/get over drug usage.
The thought that I could get addicted and all the nightmare outcomes (nb Amy Winehouse)
I smoke and that is already one bad addiction I need to get rid of - can't cope with another

I'm not condoning drug usage, far from it; I'm just saying that a lot of so-called professionals do it. I'm not sure how you target them to make them stop; not sure if you can?

Anecdotally, I hear from a few friends that spot drug tests seem to be on the increase in City firms now that the recession has taken grip. A nifty way to get rid of employees without having to go through the whole rigmarole of making redundancy payouts. Come to think of it, that might just be the best warning yet?

Rachida Dati is still the best looking female politician

2009-01-11T11:27:00.003Z

As a thirty-something singleton sans kids, I do not feel properly qualified to delve headlong into the furore over French Justice Minister Rachida Dati's decision to return to work a mere five days after giving birth.

Perhaps I'm naive, but I've always assumed that, in the event of some miracle, (i.e, that one day I should actually pop some out) I would continue working and somehow muddle along as my own Mother did before me. Part of the reason I decided to start my own business in the first place was so that I could lay the ground rules and not have them dictated to me....and anyway, the mortage won't pay for itself, alas.
Well; whatever.

However; I can't help but agree with Guido and think how utterly fabulous she looks. Wow.

Having worked in pretty much all-male environments for most of my employed life (*trading floor) , I've always been of the opinion that it is preferable to dress femininely and make the most of what you've got in a manner that is appropriate to a professional environment, as opposed to downplaying one's femininity and adhering to a uniform of drab trouser suit / shirt combo's . For me; this is why Dati's outfit just works so well.

So, why oh why, do our female politicians over this side of La Manche never seem to get it right?

Female politicians who have the x-factor:

Rachida Dati
Condy
any Italian female politician
La Palin (albeit in a late '80s power suit rut...if you like that kind of thing)

Jacqui Smith, Hazel Blears, Yvette Cooper et al: Sort it out, girls!

gappy historical knowledge

2009-01-10T01:38:00.004Z

A few days before Christmas I took the chance to go into World's End Bookshop

If like me you're a fan of historical/autobiographical/military themed books and aren't put off by rummaging through piles of books stacked haphazardly all over the shop (literally), then this is definitely the place for you.

Amongst my pile of holiday reading were three gems by Giles Milton, including
"Big Chief Elizabeth: How England's Adventurers Gambled and Won the New World"

I read this a few years back but it was good to find a copy I could call my own.
I cannot recommend it highly enough - read it!

I don't know whether it is because of the R4 history programme I've been listening to late in the evening as I get ready for bed, but I've come to the conclusion that my overall historical knowledge is very (very) patchy in places. I'm strong in some areas but do have what can only be described as definite black holes in others....thankfully though, nothing like those schoolkids who think the name 'Churchill' only applies to a dog in an advert.

So, whilst I might be able to wax lyrical on Aristotle's 'Athenaion Politeia', have a surprisingly thorough grasp of how Queen Victoria's grand-daughters married into European dynasties and of course an in depth understanding of WW2.....when it comes to plain vanilla, bog standard English History (let alone British...), I just don't cut it, I'm afraid.
Corn laws, spinning jennies, tithes - all wasted on a group of hormonal 14 year olds.

This, I feel, needs tackling in 2009. Any suggestions as to good, all round history books much appreciated.

everyone wants to be a madoff investor

2009-01-09T23:34:00.006Z

And so the massive Madoff mess rumbles on...

What gets me is just how many Facebook groups have seemingly sprung up out of nowhere with hordes of individuals claiming to be 'Madoff investors' and seeking some kind of weird retaliatory cyber-justice.

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I'm wondering how many of these 'aggrieved investors' are for real and not just wannabees thinking that they can get some risk-free buy-in (excuse the pun) - i.e, at the very least, being perceived to have so much money that they could afford to join that set (or maybe just a neat way to get their Facebook friend quotas up?)

Oh well.

For the rest of us (myself included) there's always eBay.
How about a Madoff cap? Yours for only a starting bid of $6.

private eye cover 1227

2009-01-09T23:20:00.004Z

One of life's little highlights is the thud on the doormat of my subscription copy of Private Eye.
The covers alone justify the subscription price...which is why I'm going to post them here as they come.

Farewell to Eartha Kitt

2009-01-09T22:01:00.005Z

I couldn't help but think that one of the most overlooked items of news over the Christmas period was that Eartha Kitt had passed away. (17/01/1927 > 25/12/08)

I've started to listen to some of her music in the past few months on iTunes and have always thought that "Just an old fashioned girl" would make a fantastic accompanyment to a burlesque routine.

Here's The Times obituary and below...well, I couldn't help myself; it's a classic.