One more for 07...

When I don't write in this diary now I feel like there's something missing or I'm neglecting someone, you know that wierd feeling when you haven't called a mate for ages....

This is the first time in weeks that me and my computer have been properly alone, grandfather lady and I have spent a wonderful evening with Duke and Joe, letting them open their presents early from him while I cooked an AMAZING chicken bok choi over thai rice with just enough chilli, which made me able to breathe properly through my nose for the first time in a few days....is EVERYBODY stricken with this tedious fluey crap? As I write Nathaniel is groaning in bed in quarantine at the gallery, i've been rifling through the medicine cabinet and found some Benylin sachets I got for free and which seem to be doing the trick, and most people I know are suffering to varying degrees.....

There's been loads of highlights the last few weeks, I've just felt too lousy or been too dog tired to elaborate, so I'll do a quick rounding up to finish up the year in a tidy fashion, I couldn't bear to enter the new year with untold adventures floating in my tiny mind....like the undead.....

Speaking of dead, on the occasion of my birthday, Sarah thought a portrait would be appropriate, except that it'd be best if I looked dead! And she was right goddamnit! Look at this, with Nathaniel's role disturbingly ambiguous...I wonder is he the murderer? A witness? A spy?

Much more original than cheeks puffed out blowing out your candles...I thoroughly recommend a bit of role play, drama etc..
This is Sarah, doing her best teenage Patsy Kensit impression:

...and immediately shattering the illusion...

And Paul Nathaniel and Caz trying to keep warm outside the Coach, actually, Nathaniel is utterly impervious to the cold in that sheepskin and hat - cool as a cucumber, or cosy as a hotdog in a bun or something, Sarah took this one too;

Liza and Ima showed up looking exceptionally fresh-faced and we settled ourselves in the tearoom and cackled into the night..

Etienne showed up which was a treat as I hadn't seen him in an age...

Superduck looked cross but wasn't really...

Alex showed up the next day with her hair a beautiful shade of what I'd like to call "bugger's mauve", like a bombshell tribute to Quentin Crisp it was!

I didn't even get a chance to tell you about Nahid and I at the Duke of Edinburgh Awards christmas party! Champagne reception, quick chat to Prince Edward and a slap up veggie christmas dinner for me!

The meat option was much ruder...

Nahid was queen of course...

Thank god for my Eley Kishimoto ruffle shoulder dress is all I can say! When looking for something to wear, both Nahid and I had a problem finding something "appropriate"....she's got that dress too, could've been a sticky moment there....

We had so much fun, drank quite lots of wine then back to real life and I got the tube home.

The boys did their nativity which I bleeding well loved...

Hattie brought Clemency up west for the first time....

Duke escorted me to the Eley Kishimoto Christmas drinks do which was supposed to mean that I only stayed for one....but didn't...


Duke had his first crush...on Fiona, he took off with my camera and when I got it back there were a couple of other people and LOADS of her, then he kept doing swashbuckling type things to win her honour...

He took some great ones of the other girls too, Thida:

and Chloe:

Did I mention The Look Christmas bash? That was a corker, with the Priscillas, Kevin Rowlands and of course Paul Gorman, Max and I mixing and mismatching on the turntables...well, I say mixing....

The next one is for Valentines.......I'll keep you posted!

I'm running out of steam, I'm watching a CSI (one i've seen before) with one eye and typing this with the other and tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I've STILL got presents to get....Nanny Van's due at 7.30am so I'd better get a bit of shut eye...I'll try to do another post before the end of the year, I've got high hopes for the the one ahead.....hope you all have the BEST Christmas!!!

Madame x

Freestylin' down south....

What fun we had!

The Look at the Lost Society on Thursday was such a blast! Paul Gorman came into work last Saturday to discuss finer details but we all got totally sidetracked by Rita, who I hadn't seen in ages...

She's so lovely and always steals the show...good job she didn't turn up on the nite, you know my history of being upstaged by dogs!

Birthday boy Michael came down to show me his new birthday trainers with Lucy and Sefton on Saturday too...they'd all been having a tea-party but didn't want me to be left out.

Snazzy!
Here's a very romantic picture of the bride and groom-to-be:

Is that a banana on your t shirt or are you just pleased to see me?

So, I know you all want to know what went down down south at the Lost Society on thursday nite....it is SO worth the schlep, and if you don't come next time you're just lazy lazy lazy!!! First of all the venue is so fabulous, a barn that was a hang out for hippies in the 70's and still has all the old beams, a little courtyard which is a joy now the summer's here and a STAGE which pleased the Babitz's no end!

Max and Pippa warmed up proceedings playing as eclectic a mix as ever,

and All About Eve Babitz did a song every half hour, and if you're a fan of their George and Dragon evenings you'll know this is their unique, trademarked format - very avant-garde!

All wonderful so far....then things got H.O.T! Kevin Rowlands hit the decks playing a blinding set, old soul classics, Bowie, Roxy Music and began singing over the fade-outs.......and as you know I don't need much encouragement to have a go as it were, and when he invited me to "freestyle" duet-style with him up I hopped! This lady knows no shame! It was the best fun...especially to the tracks I didn't know - you had to be there!

Here we are giving it some! And here's me hoggin the mic!

That's the first time that's EVER happened I assure you!!!
I gave Paul Gorman a few tips on his djing technique....

....gave Nathaniel a quick cuddle in between my vox-spots!!....

...gave Sefton a supportive squeeze while warning him not to smile too hard...

...watched Jasmine dance for a bit....

...had a photo face-off with Caz....

....had a laugh with the bearded ones....

...oh I could go on and on about the good-times but I fear you might get too jealous.....

So instead I'll show you a picture of Michelle's Birthday cake!

And what a cake it was.....and within 10 minutes Mentorn had expertly carved it into THIS!

I can tell you it tasted DIVINE! But by then the boys and I had been for a picnic on Clapham Common with the Gormans, finishing up with double scoop ice cream cornets, grazed on mounds of mini-eclairs, tarts,not to mention croissants at Michelle's do BEFORE the grand entrance of the cake! There's only so much sugar a body can take.....

Here is Duke hitting the sugar wall (not in the Sheena Easton sense! More in the euphoria brought on by excess consumption sense!). I haven't eaten anything sweet since although I do find myself this evening experimenting with rhubarb fool.....

Oh yeah, Jasmine had her hair cut and it was as shiny as GLASS!!! Lookit!!!


madame..xxx

P.S. This week our sale starts early for the mailing list members!!!! As ever, just mutter "madame" at the checkout and you'll get a scorching 20% off all A.P.C., Sonia by Sonia Rykiel and Eley Kishimoto!!!!! Run like the wind while stocks last!!!! xxx

Scrambled Head and The Lost Society

Not sure why but I feel like my brain's been whisked briskly with a fork....or something...I keep putting things down then forgetting where, and I've got a ton of things to do, but it's that one step forward two steps back thing going on......

So I think I'll just post some pics from the last couple of weeks in no particular order. There's been lots going on, celebrations, birthday parties, my boys turned five, Nick turned forty...but still undresses in public with the vigour and vim of a teenager...

Sonja took all the photos except this one which I love because Sonja and I look like very expensive dominatrix's..

It was upstairs at the Betsey Trotwood and very victorian sitting room...

and the impromptu photo-session was a right laugh.
I also went to Ronnie Scott's for the first time to see Jimmy Scott with Nick which was wonderful...at least it was in the second set when we asked to be moved as we noticed some people left and promptly got seated at the very front! So that's my Ronnie Scott's tip...lie in wait for the early leavers! Suddenly we were on intimate terms with Jimmy and he seemed to be singing to us alone...Motherless Child made me well up indeed, such a beautiful voice out of such a frail frame, in fact he really is delicate, can't stand to sing anymore......GO AND SEE HIM IF YOU EVER GET THE CHANCE!!!! If you don't Nick'll have something to say about it!!!

Our friend Emma Forrest came by the other day out of the blue which was a lovely surprise! Haven't seen her for what seems like years, we've spent some wonderful times in LA at the Formosa or just hanging out at magic hour, shopping at Trashy Lingerie, getting tattoos, in fact we all shared a hotel room once rather memorably.....Anyhoo, she used to live in London and used to come to the first Shop where we met when she was barely out of her teens and a rather accomplished rock n roll writer, following the Manic Street Preachers and Wu Tang Clan amongst others. Now she's a screenwriter in Hollywood if you please and about to have her FOURTH novel published, called Damage Control - out soon!!!

Here she is getting into a bit of Andre the Giant.

Duke and Joe turned 5 last weekend which would have been more fun if we weren't indoors due to the freezing cold and flash flooding! However James kindly lent his house and we had a party all the same, picnic and pass the parcel on the kitchen floor....probably still covered in glitter thanks to Joe and his glitter wand!

Duke made his share of mess with the water-filled canary warbler!

I like those Antony Gormley figures on Waterloo bridge and the south bank, they look lonely, sad, optimistic or post-apocalyptic depending on your mood as you walk by or trundle past on the bus....they're quite friendly too, Nathaniel struck up an interesting conversation on the way home the other night.....


Next Thursday do come to the Lost Society in Clapham for an evening chock-full of entertainment! Not only are the wonderful All About Eve Babitz playing but Kevin Rowlands is djing along with Paul Gorman, Max and Pippa, should be marvellous! Get your glad rags on and come south of the river, this bar is fast becoming THE place to hang out!


see you there!
madame xxx