New York .. weather alerts, watches and warnings .. never a dull moment!

If you're a follower of my blog you will know that my trip to New York at this time last year was not without it's adverse weather. Well, this year was no different!

Good friends at The Good Fork

I decided to go out a day earlier than I needed to so that I could organize myself and ease into the time zone, but more importantly to catch up with friends as the grueling schedule that was to follow meant that I would have little time to do this. We spent the first evening watching the sunset at Red Hook in South Brooklyn and picnicking on pre-dinner cocktails and nibbles. Red Hook is the only part of New York City that has a full frontal view of the Statue of Liberty, so we had a great view as it slowly lit up in the distance. It was a beautiful evening, calm and warm and perfect for chilling out after a long flight followed by a lengthy wait of over an hour in the immigration line. When it got dark we went for dinner at a nearby restaurant The Good Fork.. delicious food from an eclectic menu selection.

Leisure time over way too quickly and it was back to work .. the start of over two weeks at the US Open Tennis at Flushing Meadows. The first day brought tropical rain and high humidity and once again we had issues with a hot studio and our talent melting under the unforgiving lights .. sweaty brows and frizzy hair is not the look we were aiming for but had to put up with regardless! However, once we got to grips with cooling an open air studio (not easy) and the weather got a little better it wasn't such a problem. As we went into week two, we had a bit of rain again and a delay in play was looking very likely. But with a bit of re-scheduling we were back on track and everyone was looking forward to going home on time.

Boris battles with the brolly

All that changed in the last couple of days. More rain was forecast and matches started to get bumped to the next day. By Saturday, we were getting weather updates that a storm was on its way. A torrential downpour ensued with such gusto that the drains could not cope and our green room come make up room started to rapidly fill with water until it was almost up to our ankles! Someone came running in and said we had to evacuate the studio pronto as there was a tornado warning and it was heading our way.  We grabbed our things (I had to leave my make up kit as it was) and waded through the flooded practice courts to the 'safe' area in the Arthur Ashe stadium. We were all soaked through but we had to laugh because we looked a state and above all else we were safe. (Luckily I had my trusty flip flops in my bag so I could change out of my wet trainers and socks!) Thankfully the tornado bypassed us and hit further down the coast without doing too much damage.

Within an hour the sun had returned, the water had drained away and the courts were being mopped up. You would not have known anything had happened! The play resumed and we went back on air in seemingly perfect conditions. But .. as with these adverse weather systems we were informed that there was a massive storm heading our way with another possible tornado .. and in just a couple of hours we were ordered to evacuate the grounds completely and head back to the city.  It was a little worrying and I started texting family and close friends to say we were all safe just in case! All in a days work! 

Andy pays us a visit

As a consequence, the matches fell behind and we then had the women's final on the Sunday and the men's on Monday. You should all know the rest .. Andy Murray did us proud by winning his first grand slam title and we had the privilege of having him in our studio at the end of it all.  We couldn't have hoped for a better result!

Life is still unwritten

Detail Duomo

Following on from my last brief blog post 'Explore, dream, discover' I saw something on the front of a travel book this weekend in Milan which caught my eye and my mind.  'Life is still unwritten' .. how true.  We just don't know what's around the corner no matter how we plan it.

Danny Boyle wrote in his show program for the Olympic Opening Ceremony "..the idea of Jerusalem - of a better world - the world of true freedom and true equality. A belief that we can build Jerusalem. And it would be for everyone"  Isn't that what we'd strive for if only we thought it possible? We saw a glimpse of it while the games were on .. people just happily getting along regardless of race or religion. It's a shame though that only people with the means to afford it could go .. it would be wonderful for everyone to have experienced that atmosphere.

One of my best friends and I have been going to Milan for a long weekend every August for more than a decade now. We've always invited other friends to go but in the end they would pull out thinking it was little beyond their means, specially when the word 'shopping' came into it .. the guilt factor in full force! Believe me it's so do-able. It's a short flight from London, there are always hotel deals to be had in August .. it's a city break! Our mission has always been to shop for the new season's wardrobe, eat fabulous food and enjoy just being girls together. This year however turned out to be just a little bit different.  

Stylish kid's fashion

Expectations out the window we have come to the realization that although it is great fun to acquire more things to stuff into our wardrobes, the truth is we actually don't need that much.  Maybe it's about getting older or just that we're coming to appreciate that we have more than enough. (Perhaps some of that Olympic spirit has rubbed off on us!) Our experience this year was much more positive, relaxed, more selective and surprisingly more enjoyable. We spent our time talking about life and the things we still want to see and do .. there is still so much out there. For us life is definitely unwritten!  We can create it ourselves and change our minds at any time if we want to!

Don't get me wrong though .. we still shopped and bought and drooled over expensive shoes and make up .. after all life has to go on!!  

http://www.timeout.com/milan/features/54/shopping-in-milan 

Explore, dream, discover

”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

More trips on the horizon in the next 3 months so will keep you posted as they come up.  Miami, Florida and Jamaica have just been added to the itinerary so there will be exciting things to share I hope!

Now going off to watch the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games!!  Catch you soon!

Olympic Fever

It's been over a month now since I last blogged thanks to being very busy with work leading up to and during the Olympic Games. All that hype about London being gridlocked and overcrowded just hasn't eventuated and my journey to work at the studios just overlooking the Olympic park has been a very pleasant experience indeed! 

Being right there at Westfield Shopping Centre has been great too! I have visited my favourite budget make up store Kiko Milano a number of times already and always seem to come out with something! I used to buy it every time I visited Italy and now it is available in the UK and the prices are pretty much the same. I love the eye shadow and nail varnish colours! I can't tell you how many people I have turned on to this brand lately... including all the ladies visiting from the USA who work for a certain TV channel and share our make up room at our studios overlooking the Olympic Park!

I now have a couple of days R&R then I am back there again next week. It will be weird once it's all over. In between I'm still squeezing in work trips around the country on another show .. all good stuff though. Keeps me busy and in the traveling mode!

My next non-work related trip will be in a couple of weeks when I will be going back to Milan Italy for my annual girls shopping weekend and I'm so looking forward to the break! The weather is always hot and we go to check out the new winter collections (and of course buy a few things) sip cocktails and prosecco, eat wonderful Italian food in the evenings and catch up on all the goss!! 

The week after that it's back to work for a stint in New York for the US Open Tennis before resuming my normal schedule in London again. Hopefully the weather will be good for us and will be hurricane free this year. And of course, we hope that Andy Murray will finally win the title and give us a reason to go back next year!!

Make up on the go

With all the restrictions in force when traveling these days, hand luggage containing our toiletries and make up can be problematic. As a make up artist, my pro kit has to be checked into the hold - I carry way over the permitted carry on limit - and to avoid spillage and breakage I have to pack very carefully. So far I have been lucky!

As for my personal make up, as long as I have checked baggage I can shove it in the suitcase and take as much as I want (the only consideration being weight). That way I can also put tweezers, nail clippers and a perfume atomizer in there as well. Don't forget a pencil sharpener for lip and eye pencils and it's also a good idea to take a small travel mirror with a fold away stand because the lighting in some hotel bathrooms can be inadequate.  

Downsizing your kit is essential if you want to avoid inconvenience and delay at the security check. I take on board the things I usually need like lip balm/lipstick, hand cream, antibacterial gel (I'm never without it!), a small tube of moisturizer, an emery board and a travel size toothbrush and toothpaste. 

Many brands now do travel sizes of your favorite products and it's also useful to save those samples and gift with purchase items. 
Depending on where you are going as long as liquids and gels are under 100ml and you don't have too many it's usually okay. Don't forget you have to display them in clear plastic bags. My favorite is by Muji - they do a great clear plastic wallet with a zip in 3 sizes and they are a stylish way to carry the items you need to show.

For current flight liquid restrictions http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/travel-information/baggage/restrictions/liquid.html

Location location location

Walton Hall

I haven't had a chance to blog lately so I thought I'd share a little snippet of life whilst working on outside broadcasts on location - which is something I am doing a lot of at the moment! (OB's as they're known, for those of you who don't know, are programs/shows recorded away from the base studio.) They can be anywhere from domestic to international destinations but at the moment for me they are not too far away .. it's not a holiday but some places have quite an appeal.

One such place we were lucky enough to stay recently was the Waterton Park Hotel, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The hotel is on the mainland opposite Walton Hall, a Georgian Mansion on a small island on it's own lake. The setting is idyllic and the views are stunning.  It was grey and overcast on the day we arrived but beautiful none the less.  It was a pity we were only there overnight but one thing you do need when you're away from home is a comfortable bed, specially when you have to work till late at night!  I slept like a log in my garden room and would love to have an opportunity to go back there again sometime.

working with limited light

As for the OB's, they can be quite challenging at times. Make up rooms or even tables are often non existent and you have to be creative in setting up a little area to work. Ever the professional, I tend to carry everything and more than I need .. you never know what people are going to ask for and it's best to be prepared.


My next OB trip away is Tralee in Southern Ireland ... who knows what will happen when the Guinness starts to flow - Irish republican singing, dancing a jig - I am not a big Guinness drinker so I will leave that to the die-hards!!  

I'll just leave you with an Irish quote "There are three types of people in this world: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened." 

Sláinte! (to your health)

A busy summer ahead .. take care of you!

The week ahead

We've had all kinds of weather in the last few weeks .. a taste of real summer a couple of weeks ago (absolutely fabulous) after a seemingly relentless spell of rain and grey skies, the return of the rain again and now a changeable few days ahead again - although not as cold as it has been thankfully!  

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations are now over and what it showed was that the British people carry on regardless of the weather conditions and really know how to enjoy themselves.  Whatever your leanings - republican or royalist - you can't deny that it brought almost everyone together in the spirit of unity and happiness.

Work is going to be crazy busy for me again this summer with all the sporting events that are coming up including the Olympics, so I will try my best to keep the blog going and update you on some new make up and hair products over the next couple of months.

Remember to apply your sun protection even when it looks a bit dull out as those UV rays still manage to get through the clouds and burn you if you're exposed for too long.  As a reminder here is what the elements have done to my garden ornament .. you don't want this to be you!!

Ain't no city like New Orleans

"Ain't no city like New Orleans" so wrote the blues singer Earl King of his hometown. It is a place most of us know because of the devastating effects of hurricane Katrina in 2005.  It is also well known for it's music heritage, noteably the earliest style of jazz.  Louis Armstrong was a native of New Orleans and the international airport is named after him.
This brings me to the primary reason for visiting on this occasion ... (not to mention wanting to sample the delights of the French/Cajun/Creole cuisine) The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival!  "The Festival celebrates the indigenous music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana, so the music encompasses every style associated with the city and the state: blues, R&B, gospel music, Cajun music, zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, folk music, Latin, rock, rap music, country music, bluegrass and everything in between. And of course there is lots of jazz, both contemporary and traditional."

With only three days to sample a small slice of the city along with the jazz fest, after a delicious lunch at August, the first afternoon was spent walking along Canal Street to the famous Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. The street is alive with restaurants, bars and strip clubs but relatively quiet during the day. Mardi Gras would be something to see - I think I will need to come back for that! We came across a bar with bras hanging from the ceiling! Apparently if you donate your bra you get a free beer!!  Prior to my trip I was warned by a number of people to be aware of pick pockets but I have to say I never once felt threatened or saw anything of the sort .. the vibe was friendly and inviting.

You cannot leave NO without sampling the beignets and coffee so it was breakfast the next morning from Cafe Du Monde. The Original Cafe Du Monde is a traditional coffee shop. Its menu consists of dark roasted Coffee and Chicory, Beignets, White and Chocolate Milk, and fresh squeezed Orange Juice. The coffee is served Black or Au Lait. Au Lait means that it is mixed half and half with hot milk. Beignets are square French-style doughnuts, lavishly covered with powdered sugar. In 1988 Iced Coffee was introduced to the cafe. Absolutely to die for but if I had those everyday I would be the size of a house!!  Don't expect anything else there .. no eggs and bacon at this cafe!!

Dinners were sampled at Dick and Jenny's .. a fairly casual setting serving Louisiana cuisine .. the corn bread was the best I've ever tasted!!  And Le Foret .. delicious French food in a beautifully renovated building.

The Jazzfest took up the bulk of the weekend and it was a fantastic atmosphere with great local food, culture and music.  Next time I'm coming for both weekends of music and using the days in between to explore NOLA and the surrounding areas more fully!

Rainy spring in New York City

Central Park

Spring in New York is usually very beautiful - blue skies, fluffy clouds and spring blossoms in the park and beyond.  Well there was a little of that but mostly it was cold and wet on my recent trip to the city.  As you should know by now the weather never gets in the way of fun and entertainment and there wasn't much down time left over with all the places to go and things to see!  Here's a quick overview of all the places we had time to frequent in the 5 days leading up to the trip to New Orleans!  Click on the links for more info!
On the first night we went to see Graham Parker perform at the City Winery situated in Varick Street, Soho .. it's a place created for people who share a passion for wine, food and music.  The next night it was back to Don't Tell Mama in the theater district for the superb Hole-o-matic show with Michael Holland and Karen Mack.  I wrote about them when I visited NY last year .. so much fun and would love to get them over to London and spread their brand of entertainment here.  Next stop was the Music Box theater to see James Corden and the original West End cast in One Man, Two Guvnors.  I wondered how this would translate across the pond but it went down extremely well and was wonderfully funny and entertaining. If all this wasn't enough it was dinner at The Stanton Social on the lower east side the next night .. the sister restaurant of Beauty in Essex and situated just around the corner, it's a hip and trendy place to be and the food is fabulous!

Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

The highlight of this whirlwind few days was attending Sleep No More an off Broadway production set in an abandoned warehouse in Chelsea .."a mash-up of Shakespeare's Macbeth and 1930s film noir that combines elements of theater, dance, and haunted fun house for a unique evening that engages all of the senses." (Entertainment Weekly)  You have to check your bag and coat as you will need your hands free to explore the rooms, drawers etc and you will be on your feet for most of the 2-3 hours unless you choose to stay seated in the bar area!  You are required to wear a white mask (provided) which distinguishes you and all the other spectators from the actors and are also requested not to speak.  Also be aware that you can easily be split up from your partner/party but that is part of the appeal.  You have your own unique experience of the show. "There are five floors and nearly 100 rooms, each one decorated better and more elaborately than the next.  Some resemble asylums, with rows of metal beds and cabinets full of medicine and sharp tools while others look like homes and still others taxidermy shops.  Take a turn and you end up in a graveyard, or a bed, or a dark bar in which strobe lights illuminate what turns into a naked rave.  We won’t tell you anything else other than 1) if an actor takes your hand, follow and 2) if you can’t figure out what’s going on start opening drawers, reading notes, and thinking in terms of Macbeth." (Elle.com culture) This truly is a different take on anything you thought theatre would be.

You'll be glad to know that I did have a much needed night off before heading off to New Orleans for the next stage of the trip!

New York and New Orleans .. coming soon!

Bourbon Street

April was a busy month for the Holiday Queen .. all work and not much time to write but give me a day or two and I will fill you on in another of my fabulous trips to New York plus an amazing visit to the City of New Orleans for the Jazz and Heritage Festival way down in the southern state of Louisiana.  It is definitely a contender to be one of my new favorite places to go!!