Count Down To The BEFFTA Awards!!

The Dress I did not wear

The Dress I wore by Agent Provocateur

Giuseppe Zanotti sandals

The Elizabeth Hurley bag in support of Breast Cancer

Getting ready for the BEFFAs

My makeup artist Narjes and I 

www.narjesbeauty.co.uk 

A Finished Product

After all the excitement and preparation for the 2nd Annual BEFFTA Award Ceremony, to say that I am speechless is an understatement. I was particularly impressed when I learnt about the Black Entertainment, Film, Fashion, Television and Arts Awards because they covered the entire spectrum of the entertainment industry, and their motto is to celebrate the known and unknown in the industry. With that in mind, and also good reviews from their 1st year, I expected a mega night. It was very poorly managed and disorganised, that we had to leave before the actual award ceremony. The diner was awful, not that I had any plans to eat, but nevertheless the price for the dinner alone was £65p/p I was at least expecting a 3 course meal. A starter, a main course and a dessert! 

Standing in a Church all night looking like THIS drinking JUICE when there is JALOUSE??!!??

That's not the only reason we decided to leave:- 

• The ceremony was dull, with no background music at all. 
• They where running 2 hours behind schedule.
• When we finally moved to the main hall, where the actual award ceremony was to take place, there was no entertainment.
• The final blow came when we asked if we could buy any alcohol, because there was not any on the table, we where informed that alcohol, or the consumption of it was prohibited, simply because we where in a church and only juice and water was allowed.

Flawless!!

So after wishing my friend Ethel who had three nominations and her entourage good luck, we all agreed to move on to a west end club. We went to Jalouse, where we partied the night away. Jalouse was rocking as always, a massive halloween party was underway, which really saved the night. Al in al it was an ok night but I have had better.

2 positives, the turn out was good and people made a huge effort to respect the dress code, even the Catwalk Professor was in attendance strutting his stuff in a micro mini and a off the shoulder corset! The other positive is that Effycom Productions won Best Event Promoter, and I just want to say a massive congratulations to the CEO Ethel Elaka Gondwe and the team. Well done!

Catwalk Professor

The BEFFTAs were a disaster and simply below standard, I would mark it 3 out of 10. C'mon guys make sure you get your act together next year; I suggest you get some kind of sponsorship!

The Batmobile

 

The Ugly

The Bad

What a day ,one day to go and got no dress !

It's the eve of the BEFFTA Awards and I still had no dress for tomorrow 'til late this evening! One would wonder as to why I left it so late! From the outset I always knew what I'd wear to the this grand occasion, something from my wardrobe, but then as I was looking around for what to wear to the MOBOs, I came across a very elegant and sexy outfit. So I thought to myself not bad and that's how comfortable I became knowing that I had a selection of two outfits to choose from. But by this morning I was in panic! It's always nerve-racking when you have an occasion to go to and  knowing that every single person there is going to try and be as glamourous as they can afford; for me you just have to mention the words  "Red Carpet" and the stakes change instantly - even A-listers sometimes get it wrong, so I decided to look around for a third outfit just in case.

I started by going to Wilson and Butler on Fulham Road where they have a selection of vintage clothing upstairs and I did like a dress there but didn't fit round my bust so I moved onto the Amanda Wakeley store. There were two absolutely beautiful gowns, slightly sequinned - one was powder and  another purple. I tried on both of them and the powder coloured gown looked  just amaaaaaaaazzing with my skin tone but had a hefty price tag and also wasn't practical.

With anxiety building, I asked for the gown to be held for me for a couple of hours as I had a look in Sloane Street.

In Sloane Street I was only interested in only one store and that's Roberto Cavalli! Well known for making the most stunning red carpet gowns, they're fairly priced and practical but also Graham's favourite designer (along with Versace and D&G)!

The fact is the boys will not really need to put in a lot of effort simply because it's black tie. If the ball required a LBD, then I wouldn't be running around looking for an outfit. I would just simply look in wardrobe and find something.

Why is it that God made things much simpler for men in every way possible and made it hard and painful for women? Huh?

Anyway  en-route to Sloane Street I stopped by the  Giuseppe Zanotti store  on Walton street and picked a pair of shoes which I've had my eyes on for sometime, totally Gussepe!!! I love them! I hailed a black cab which dropped me right outside the Cavalli store. I tried on at least five different outfits and they all had their own advantages and disadvantages except for one! It's a classic by Cavalli, a long wrap animal print which fits so well and moulds itself on my body.

As it was approaching 5pm I decided to buy the wrap dress, but still not entirely sure, I stopped by the Agent Provocateur  store on Pont Street and fitted on the dress I'd previously had in mind together with the jewellery I had also seen. I was at a loss for choice and since the shop was almost closing I decided to buy that dress too!

Now I'm back to square one, exactly where I was in the very first place, having lots of outfits but failing to make a choice  about which one to wear!

No matter how many times one does this, it's always the same  old story of nerves: "What if ?" "Am I?""Am I not?" etc etc....

At least one thing I know I shall not be worrying about is my handbag! I will be carrying my new precious purchase bought in support of the breast cancer awareness month. I will be carrying my exclusive bag specially made by Elizabeth Hurley for Aspinal of London which I ordered a while ago!

Get a chance of winning  an Aspinal of London  bag and more.... by LIKING the Aspinal of London link  my Fb wall.

PS. Today Friday 29 0ctober everybody is wearing PINK! Have you worn your pink ribbon in support of the Breast cancer Awareness Campaign ? I DID.

The BEFFTA Awards ceremony 30/10.

Yes,they're finally here ! The long awaited BEFFTA Awards are being held at Westminster Hall in London on sat. 30th october and of course i'm attending, I would never miss them for the world.

I need a dress :)

Count Down to "La Dolce Vita" 50th Anniversary

Check out the GUCCI page on Facebook, updating you on all the latest Fashion and events. Simply follow the link below.

GUCCI "La Dolce Vita"

Grahams Birthday 25/10.

Yesterday was Graham's birthday and by late afternoon I was still running around looking for presents! 

Luckily I'd already bought all his other presents so when I wanted to buy a scarf I wasn't sure where to go. I consulted with a friend who suggested I go to the Liberty store in Regent Street as they have a big section in their mens' department, but as I was short on time I decided to take a look at the Ralph Lauren store on Fulham Road as it is closer. While there I ended up getting not one but two gorgeous  cashmere scarfs from the Ralph  Lauren purple label!

I personally find it so hard to buy men's clothes and Graham in particular is kind of difficult to get a present simply because he's got everything and in twos or threes!!!!


So to make sure I did not go wrong I decided on  a few pressies to be sure that he liked at least three of them! Among the things I got him are: an Ipad, a Canon EOS 60D picture and video camera as well as the two beautiful scarfs from the Ralph Lauren purple label which he absolutely loved.


In the evening I'd booked a table at Mr Chow's in Knightsbridge. Mr Chow is one of those little cozy places that doesn't get a lot of press like Nobu or Hakkasan but actually that's one of it's biggest advantages - it's  5***** and many famous faces are regulars.

The restaurant was one of the first Chinese restaurants in London and has been in business for over 70 years! Ninety percent of the staff  at Mr Chow are  Italian which gives it a similar feel to Harrys Bar in Venice  with all the low lit candles and dim lights ! 


The service was impeccable and the staff are next to none !


After dinner I'd arranged a little surprise for my hubby which was kindly met by the restaurant to crown off the night.


Being the adventurous person that I am, my planned nights out are never without their mishaps, and this one is a classic. After dinner, I requested for the bill, and when I reached into my purse I couldn't find my card, probably it slipped out of my purse and fell in the taxi on the way to the restaurant; but thankfully I had another card with me, which saved the day!

Due to Graham's work commitments, we decided to call it a night shortly after the dinner. 


I'm  now planning to whisk my hubby off to a secret destination for a second celebration before the end of the year.


To be continued....

Breast Cancer Awareness campaign Month.

October is a month for raising cancer awareness commonly known as the big C!

Cancer is as deadly as any incurable disease because in most cases it goes into remission and then reappears just when you think you've finally got rid of it.

Normally cancer tales never have a happy ending but as science and technology evolves, patients are getting a second chance at life even if it's only a few months more.

I remember when I was 9 or 10 , my grandmother with whom I was staying at that time complained of feeling unwell, so she decided to go to the hospital but she did not come back. My auntie said that my gran would be staying in the hospital for a while, which turned out to be two years until she sadly passed away from cancer of the uterous.

But yesyertday in the notw Bernie, one of the Nolan sisters, is jubilant as she reveals she's won her battle against breast cancer. I've been following Bernie Nolans's story since she was diagnosed in April with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Bernie is the third Nolan family member to suffer this horrible illness and beat it !

It must be the fighting Nolan spirit.

Beaming Nolan is one of the very few lucky people  and this is an isolated story , one with a happy ending. That's why it's crucial that we support the breast cancer awareness campaign.

Bernie is now recovering at home and her plans for the future include stripping on stage and appearing in calendar girls which she put on hold after her unexpected diagnosis.

We wish her a speedy recovery.

Read Nolans' story at www.notw.co.uk or the pink links!

Bernie: "I've done it, I've beaten the Big C"

Brave Bernie Nolan wins her fight with breast cancer, and vows to strip off on stage

Support the breast cancer research foundation campaign this october by purchasing this exclusive Elizabeth Hurley bag by Aspinal of London.

The Elizabeth Hurley Bag - Supporting Breast Cancer Research Foundation – Aspinal of London

For the Confident Woman

Simply follow the link below.




Agent Provocateur

Fashion with a good cause

What happened at the MOBOs.

The MOBO celebrations were held in Liverpool last night, which I think was reasonably close to London compared to last year when they were held in Glasgow! 

Red Carpet Treatment

After putting together my outfit, my partner and I and one friend boarded the Virgin express bound for Liverpool. On arrival we didn't have time to waste so we quickly got changed and headed to the Liverpool Arena.


When we arrived at the Arena there were cheers and screaming fans as boy band JLS was making an entrance at the same time  as we did! 


We walked along the red carpet and once inside found our table and enjoyed what turned out to be a sell out night! The Arena was packed that there wasn't a single empty seat and lots of people were actually standing. There must have been more than ten thousand people at the MOBOs last night!


The celebrations kicked off with a buzz, Mark Ronson and the Business International performed BANG BANG BANG with immense energy! I was so excited to see Tinnie Tempah  win the  Best Newcomer Award !!! Also there were appearances by some of my favourite artists like Jay Sean perfoming a song from his new album which I'm yet to buy ! 

Tinnie Tempah receives MOBO Award from JLS

After the awards' ceremony we moved onto another venue where the after-party was being held. En-route were entertainers with drums to which I danced as they reminded me of the drums back home!


At the after-party we were served drinks and danced and mingled with the music-makers and after quaffing a few glasses of champagne my body was screaming for my bed so we went back to our trendy hotel and I promptly passed out! 


Seeing Jermaine Jackson present an award was awesome but actually travelling with him on the morning train from Liverpool to London was even better! He's such a gentle well mannered  guy and  he even let  me take a photo with him once the train pulled in to Euston.

L to R Elaka, Jermaine Jackson & Vic Kiggs

In summary it was such a colourful event and I was thrilled to be part of it.


15th Anniversary MOBO Awards 2010



XOXOXOXOXOXO

The MoBos ?

In 24hrs, we shall be making our way to the MoBos, Liverpool here we come !!!!!
Oh dear I need a dress..............time to go shopping......

Welcome to wisteria lane !

Quote of the week.

A lot of bloggers seem to be socially inadequate, pimpled,single,slightly seedy,bald,cauliflower nosed young men sitting in their mothers basements and ranting !!

By Andrew Marr

What a masseuse !!!

Had a super lovely massage earlier on and boy wasn't this masseuse experienced and dedicated ,basically it's as though i had  a MAP drawn up on my back for her to follow and perfect !
It was Soooooooooo... good that i had to Bite The Towel to stop myself from Screaming (Graham's name) !!!!!! Oooops  , Have i said too much ? I hope not !!

It's the way the human mind works, always playing up.-)


A huge mwah !!! XoXo

A must buy Ladies !

Hey Ladies, want a defined body without the hassle of going down the gym ?? Well i'm ecstatic to introduce to u a new way of cheating the flab without working up a sweat !!!!

There's  something called ( LIPO CONTOUR ) it comes in form of tight shorts (knee lenght) but was designed by a top surgeon , it redefines the body lifts & shapes Thighs, Bums,Hips and Buttom !!!!

And yes it works simply because i've tried it before , infact it's so comfortable that u can wear it under your clothing all day , everyday for at least a month to see results , I promise u, u will be amazed at the results .

Check it out at ( www.lipocontour.co.uk)

No excuses for not wearing that frock to the MoBos ! Hope to see you there!

Hehe...Beaten once twice Shy !!!!!

Now that the Chile miners rescue operation has been accomplished successfully , I couldn't help but shed a tear. 

So now more people know about Chile than previously !No Publicity is bad Publicity !!!! Raise a glass !

Last two weeks (october)

Lastnite marked the beginning of end to the suffering of the Chile trapped miners and their families. Thankfully  the rescue operation was succesfull and we can all now have a sigh of relief including the very brave men involved in the rescue.

Moving on, I have a very busy two weeks to come,with the MoBos on the 20th, then Graham's Birthday on the 25/10 and then the BEEFTAS at the end of the month, it's pretty hectic but i'm not complaining !

For Graham's Birthday we were planning to go and celebrate in Paris especially since Graham's company allows him two free nights at the glitzy Ritz every year !!! Nothing is more enjoyable than a freebie !!But then we received news that there's  series of Union strikes on and if you've ever been to Paris when these strikes are on, then you would understand exactly what i'm talking about.
They can last up to 3days or more, everything comes to a standstill especially transport which makes it a total menace !
When i've been to Paris in the past and there was a strike on , it took two hrs to get a taxi from the station to the hotel , with a whole load of people waiting and only one taxi showing up every so often ! This was in november and it was biting cold !!!!

So it looks like a no no this time but we're contemplating another romantic destination like Rome or even stay at home in London.

There's so much to do yet so little time so i'm now going to clear my head , window shopping at Sloane street ! I've got to direct the editing of the Vid in Venice  plus make sure i update you on this blog! Pheeeeeew !!!

Just for laughs

In Life you have to have a great sense of humour, it promotes healthiness and gives you more focus on who you really are as an individual.

It Began in Africa

As I was browsing through October's Vanity Fair I was thrilled to read that top end fashion designers are joining in efforts to eliminate poverty and disease in Africa. In this month's magazine Ali and Bono are in Uganda with Louis Vuitton. Bono wears Edun and Ali carries the Louis Vuitton/Edun collaborative bag. `Profits from the Louis Vuitton bag, as well as Ali and Bono's appearance fee benefits the Conservation Cotton Initiative in UGANDA.

This is great news and I applaud their commitment !!! Let's hope the money reaches those people who really need it and where relatively small amounts can make a huge difference to people's lives.

Follow Ali and Bono at louisvuittonjourneys.com

Is white a colour?

Carolina Herrera, Vera Wang and Monique Lhuillier

My favourite colour is white for its serenity and sophistication; it is cool, fresh and breath-taking . . . it casts a gentle, diffused light: for most people, white is just a single tone; but for me, it embraces a wide spectrum . . . my favourite flowers are mostly white. 

White Designer Interior

White Rabbit

The Beatles White Album

Victorian times, grand homes have been filled with delicious fragrant blooms of pure white gardenias and Stephanie’s . . . white flowers would be the first to catch my eye when I walk into a hotel foyer. 

Lamborghini Gallardo

Valentino Mens Collection

White Lion

White Designer Interior

 
Whilst buying my favourite perfume recently, I realised that I have this lust for white in common with such famous style gurus as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior,  Gucci  just to name but a few, who have cited white flowers as their favourite blooms.

Christian Dior Haute Couture

Gucci Horsebit Hobo

Chanel Collection

White Tiger

White Leatherette Pushchair/Pram

White Pebbles

White Lillies

White Baloon

White Peacock