World Cup Widows....

Its seems that football fever has taken over the UK and over the coming 5 weeks the World Cup will cause more arguments, influence peoples lives and be the main topic of conversation in offices, by water coolers and in pubs across the nation.
 .... it seems that the only conversation in the office is of a footballing nature and my daily job is to update the wall planner as the final whistle blows!...

 

So, this got me thinking of all the benefits that the world cup has to offer us ladies!.. here's a few of my suggestions

• Chick Flick Cinema ~ plan your visit to coincide with a popular game, the road's are empty and 2 hours of uninterrupted bliss watching a great movie or chick flick, here's what's grabbed my attention in the releases over the world cup period:
• Jersey Boys - this is one of the best theatre musicals in the west end, and pleased to see it hit the big screen, a fascinating story, and one you will know all the songs to!
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• Devils Knot - This gripping film is based on the true story of the murder of three young boys in West Memphis, Ark.Three young boys playing in the nearby woods never come home for dinner. starring Colin Firth & Reece Witherspoon... a gripping viewing.
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• The Fault in Our Stars - this heartbreaking film is based on an award winning novel Hazel and Gus are two teenagers.Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.
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• and finally one that will have the nation as divided as the football!... Walking on Sunshine is like Mamma Mia meets the 80's. Set in southern Italy, after a whirlwind romance, Maddie is preparing to marry gorgeous Italian Raf, and has invited her sister Taylor to the wedding. Unbeknownst to Maddie, however, Raf is Taylor's ex-holiday flame, and the love of her life..
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• Afternoon Tea ~ especially for those afternoon games, for something a little different  in London check out these Pimms Cocktail Chocolate , Wimbledon Afternoon Tea, or from the Shard viewing the Landscape of London
• Beauty Hall Treats ~ check out your local department store, lot's are hosting beauty event evenings during the tournament.
• Theatre ~ lot's of theatres are offering discount tickets, some London theatres from £10 a ticket..
• Shop the Sales ~ most retailers have gone into sale early to compete... check
• Grab a good book or visit the library,curl up with a coffee, chocolate & a book... mmm heaven .If you can't bet them then join them with a footballing romp of a read.
• I am the Secret Wag - behind the scenes of life as a footballers wife... which England football player's wag has written this?  
• Wags at the World Cup -  this is the very funny, very silly tale of Tracie Martin - Wag extraordinaire - who gets herself into the most astonishing amount of trouble in Brazil while following her husband - a coach to the England team - in the 2014 tournament
• The Beautiful Game -  there's a lot more to being a WAG than holidays, heels, hair extensions and handbags. In the cut-throat world of Premiership football, it's not just a game of two halves - it's survival of the fittest. And some will go to any lengths to stay at the top... 
• Blog hop.... follow 10 new blogs that you find hopping during the football... we all know how we can loose hours whilst blogging!
• Grab a picnic and escape to the park to lay in the sunshine, drink Pimms and relax.
• Alternatively if all these fail, grab a box set and loose yourself for a few hours in escapism I am planning on revisiting Greys Anatomy from the beginning, as Dr McDreamy can brighten any dull evening for me... how delicious is he!!
  
  
  
  
  
   

Hanging up his golden boots....

A few weeks ago I travelled to Cardiff to watch the Heineken Cup at the Millennium Stadium. With Saracens pitted against Toulon, this was always going to be a match that I would have mixed feelings on the end result. As a Saracens fan I would have loved to have seen them lift the cup, however with this being Jonny Wilkinson penultimate game before retirement, I wanted him to win as well!
From the age of 7 this superstar became obsessed with Rugby, and it is this obsession with the game that has been his triumphs and his downfall at times. It is his self belief or lack of at times that his crippled and  raised his game to stratospheric levels. I have been lucky to see Jonny play on several occasions and what shone for me was his team work, his drive and the fact that he has the best thighs in rugby!.  I've seen him drop goals in sub zero temperatures and kick his team to victory on the hallowed turf of Twickenham. Jonny is the perfect sportsman, world class at his level but incredibly humble with it.
Here's some images from my trip to Cardiff, to watch the golden boots of a superstar one last time. Several sports personalities earning £1,000's per day would learn a lot from this guys ethos.

I arrived at the stadium to see the squad buses arrive. Within 15 minutes of arrival Jonny was on the pitch practising his ball skills prior to kick off for 45 minutes before the game. This is the testament of someone dedicated to his game.

We will no longer see that legendary preparation and wiggle as Jonny lines up the ball for the kick to goal.

Every touch of the ball, regardless of what team shirt the spectators were wearing Jonny was met with a heroes welcome, and received a standing ovation as he left the pitch 2 minutes from the end.

With tears in his eyes he lifted the Heineken Cup with cheers and clapping around the stadium. A hero in the rugby world that we may never see the likes of again.

Here is a fabulous tribute from Jonnys peers both in the uk

 and on the other side of the world from the All Blacks hottie Dan Carter!

and finally my two sports heros in one advert for adidas!

So farewell Jonny, as you hang up your golden boots, you will be missed, not only for your legendary rugby skills, but the fact you got a whole generation of ladies to love rugby!

Please look after this bear....

A few weekends back I took a train from Paddington station in London, on arrival into station I was delighted to see said namesake's iconic bear statue.
Paddington is a childhood favourite of mine, and loved watching the joy & delight this little bronze statue had on the little kids and big kids alike whilst I waited for my train.

Paddington may pop-up in a number of blog posts this year for me. He will be starring in his own movie, much has been said of the imagery of Paddington, but I think it is an accurate reflection of the original drawings from Michael Bond and his original statue, rather than the cutesy cartoon of the 70's & 80's.



The movie is directed by David Heyman. Paddington is voiced by Colin Firth and Mr Brown played by Hugh Bonneville with an accompanying ensemble cast line up of Nicole Kidman, Julie Walters, Peter Capaldi, Sally Hawkins and Matt Lucas. With a November release date this will be one of the family Christmas movies!.
Full Trailer here:

From this trailer it looks like Paddington is getting upto his usual mischief & mayhem!

Paddington may also be doing something exciting this year with Selfridges, which at the moment I need to keep under my hat (similarly to Paddington's marmalade sandwiches)

Did you know that the bear that inspired Michael Bond started on a shelf in Selfridges!.....
" 24th December 1956 a BBC cameraman buys a small toy bear left alone on a shelf in Selfridges store, London, for his wife Brenda. Named Paddington, after the station close to Michael Bond’s home, the bear inspires him to write eight episodes in just over a week."
I will keep you posted as & when I can of this exciting adventure with a Bear, marmalade sandwiches and fabulous red wellingtons!.

Words Wednesday ~ June reads

This month I've only managed 4 books, my commute has involved the car more often this month and unfortunately I am unable to read & drive! However what I have read I've enjoyed lots; here's what's kept be gripped as I have navigated myself from east to west London.

• The Unpredictable Consequences of Love ~ Jill Mansell; How many secrets can an idyllic Cornish seaside town hold. This novel centres around Sophie, a girl who fled to Cornwall after a traumatic break-up, and now reluctant to fall in love. Sophie is a budding photographer, this brings her into contact with many of the locals. From Dot the local hotelier, Josh her grandson and business partner, (recently returned from LA,) to Reilly a feckless surfer and nephew to the local famous author, who admires Tula, Sophie's best friend. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Jill Mansell manages to write books that you wish you were an extra in, filled with great characters, and a seaside town that I wish I could spend a holiday in.
• With all My Love ~ Patricia Scanlan; Spanning 3 generations Patricia Scanlan has written another epic Irish family saga. Briony is daughter to Valerie and mother to Katie, whilst helping her mother move into her house in Spain she discovers a letter from her beloved grandmother Tessa. Briony's father died when she was a little girl, which resulted in the families becoming estranged. This is a heartfelt story dealing with the complexities of growing up in Ireland and dealing with the laws, gossip and bigotry of a small Irish village and the lies, betrayal and sacrifices within a family. This book really struck a chord with me, growing up with strong matriarchal women in my family, and the complexities of a grandmother / mother / granddaughter relationship. An absorbing read.
• Before we Met ~ Lucie Whitehouse; Hannah is newly married following a whirlwind romance crossing the Atlantic, between London and New York with Mark. One weekend Mark doesn't come home from NY.  Is Hannah's concern just paranoia, or does Mark have another woman, or is something more sinister? As Hannah starts to dig into Marks life, she realises that she may not know her husband as well as she thinks or at all. This is a great domestic thriller or Chick Noir as it is being labelled. I enjoyed this book, it appealed to my cynical mind!...
• Me Before You - JoJoMoyes; where do I star with this book, this book has languished in my "to read" pile since it was published. Knowing a little of the subject matter, I have put off reading it thinking it would be too depressing to read on commute to work. How wrong was I! Yes this book does deal with assisted suicide, but it also deals with so much more. The journey that the 2 characters Lou and Will take to get there is heartbreakingly beautiful. The story revolves around Will, a successful, outgoing, businessman, until one day all that is taken away from him when he is hit by a bus. Will finds himself a quadriplegic, in a chair with no desire for life, surrounded by memories of a life passed. Lou is a 26 year old girl living in a small town, she can tell you the number of steps between her parents home and the café where she works, spending time with a boyfriend she's not even sure she loves anymore. Finding herself out of work Lou takes on the job of being Wills companion, employed by his mother in the faint hope that she can change his mind from a date booked in Switzerland. Can Lou change Wills mind and show him that life is worth living after the 6 months?  This book is one of the most heart-breaking love story's I have ever read, it also one of the funniest, with laugh out loud moments, it will have you crying and laughing all in the same paragraph. It deals with an incredibly brave subject and it will make you question your beliefs and wishes. This book should be in everyone's 100 books to read in a lifetime list.

As you can see a mixed and varied reading pile for June, all 4 recommended for reading on the couch, in the garden, on the beach or on the tube!... hankies optional for a couple and a must for 1.

What have you been reading this month and what are you recommending?

 

Sunday Sunshine

Waking early on Sunday morning I decided to forgo any jobs indoors and get out and about in the sunshine. I had planned to draft a few blog posts but parked them for a day in the park!  I jumped on the tube and headed into London, armed with camera and kindle. With a beautiful blue sky and sunshine forecast all day I knew there would be plenty for me to explore in London to enjoy the weather. I started my day in St James Park, where I grabbed a coffee and muffin and sat and just enjoyed the scenery. I had such a fabulous time in the park and took so many pictures, it warrants its own post to itself!
The Mall running alongside the park was closed to traffic, as later in the day the culmination of the Help for Heroes ride from Belgium, through the French war memorials to London was finishing along the Mall. With many military activities happening in and around the park I was lucky to see the Queens cavalry pass by in preparation for changing of the guard. Buck house looked glorious in the sunshine.

After enjoying the morning in the park, I walked down to the river and walked across to the South Bank, where lots of people were enjoying the sunshine. From the Prosecco deckchairs along the river bank to the water fountains which the kids and big kids were enjoying. London looks gorgeous in the sunshine.

From the Southbank I headed behind Festival Hall to sample some of the wares on sale at the Kerb Food festival.  Kerb is one of the best food street events which pop up over London at different times. With a superb and varied selection of traders, its a great way to sample street food at their best.
With such an array of street food on offer I was spoilt for choice; after cooling down with a Grapefruit & Campari iced popsicle from Ice Kitchen which was refreshing and full of yummy sour flavours.

 

I opted for a salt beef on rye from Bell & Brisket, which was melt in the mouth delicious, washed down with a homemade lemonade from Square Root poured from its converted bicycle.

 Desert could only come from Kooky Bakes, I met Scott from KB in Selfridges a coupe of years ago and we are Instagram/Twitter buddies, so it was nice to catch up, if only briefly ... longer next time!.. Before I left  I picked up a salted caramel whoopee pie, which I devoured whilst chilling on the sofa Sunday night.

I had a lovely spontaneous day, exploring London in the sunshine, chilling in the park and eating great food kerbside.

Looking forward to a fabulous summer!....bring on the sun x