Posted on Thu, Jan 31, 2013 @ 11:05 AM
Its been a tricky month. I'm looking forward to February.
But moments like this mornings sunrise put everything into perspective.
Posted on Tue, Jan 29, 2013 @ 11:49 AM
"I reaaaaaly need a pink cowboy hat", said Domino. Need, not want, seemed to be the point.
When I was next in New York, I went to the dreaded Toys R Us. A life-sized Sponge Bob came over to help me. "Pink cowboys hats?" I asked hopefully. Apparently not. Next door at Disney, Minnie Mouse directed me to the dress-up section. No pink cowboy hats but there was a red sparkly one, with matching cowgirl boots. Plastic, red, sparkling, cowgirl boots. With Super Woman gold trim. How could I resist? David always says I am to blame for the appalling dress sense our children have.
Domino is delighted. The boots have hardly come off. Her feet happily sweating in vinyl. However, it does not stop there. Domino has become so taken with the boots and hat that she is changing her name to Jessie (Buzz Lightyear's girlfriend of course) She has carefully written notes that explain the name change and delivered them around town.
And becomes really quite angry if anyone tries to call her anything else.
Posted on Mon, Jan 28, 2013 @ 10:31 AM
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Posted on Sat, Jan 26, 2013 @ 11:30 AM
It was Christmas. The island was buzzing. A friend hosted a cocktail party for another friend. The French artist. Fifi Drouot. After sorting the social arrangements of our 5 children, David and I passed by briefly. It could only be brief, as my mother was waiting to be taken to dinner. One festive margarita turned into another and possibly another. David said we had to go. "I just need to collect my painting", I said. "WHAT PAINTING?" he asked.
Posted on Tue, Jan 22, 2013 @ 10:55 AM
It's arrived. But don't be fooled. Inside the gigantic Bose box that I am lovingly hugging, is not just a television. Oh no. Inside this box is an entire home theater and music system. As well as seventeen speakers and a Bose technician. Although, admittedly, the technician didn't fit in the box. But he does come with the TV when you order one.
Joe, the real life walking talking technician (Thank God right? who wouldn't choose a human over a recorded message center in Bombay) sets up the VideoWave. (Remember, You must never call it a television but do look very serious when listening to the technician)
Joe explains that each room is unique, with size, shape, textures and other elements that can affect the sound you hear. The audio calibration system overcomes these acoustic challenges so you don’t have to change a thing. This proprietary technology first analyzes your room, then adjusts the VideoWave system for a consistent, high-quality performance. All you have to do is wear the silly head phone things whilst Joe does all the testing.
Frankly, I could take or leave the sound system bit and the high def quality, or the elegance of the design, with no visible speakers or wires, but the innovative-click-pad-remote -control got me at Hello. You had to be a flipping rocket scientist to work the previous FIVE controls we had. But now, even my four year old can access the Blu ray player, cable box and video game system. Which might become a problem.
And even I can manage to stream images of the four year old and her siblings onto the screen from the dock that holds my i-phone.
Most satisfying of all, of course, is to sit back and enjoy the VideoWave in action. And watch something really hardcore like Secrets of The Royal Nursery.
Posted on Sun, Jan 20, 2013 @ 05:44 PM
Pottery Barn asked me to style a shoot for their new catalogue and collection. It involves a mini movie of me, and their team, moving lots of stuff around. It will air on their site in March. In the meantime, here is a small peek at what we did.
The below picture shows our Guest House sitting room, before Pottery Barn asked me to invent it into an office space. The top picture is the result.
An Albert Einstein quote springs to mind, "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what then is an empty desk?"
Posted on Wed, Jan 16, 2013 @ 11:25 AM
Off to New York. It's chilly. But not that chilly, so we gave this gilet a little hair cut. It looks much better.
The only problem is the 5 year old thought this was a great idea.
Posted on Mon, Jan 14, 2013 @ 11:16 AM
A while ago, I was asked to bring Domino on a modeling assignment. What fun, I thought. My boys had all done it with me on occasion and it was never life threatening.
Domino, however, decided modeling was not for her. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and refused to be photographed. A replacement daughter was found. A perfect, well mannered, professional 4 year old model.
Last week, Land's End booked me as part of their new campaign. They also thought having Domino with me would be cute.
Filled with trepidation, I agreed. Whilst I was having my hair and make up done, the photographer and crew took all the perfect, well mannered, professional model kids, and Domino, off to test the location and lighting.
Arriving a little while later, I tiptoed over to where the photographer was. He had clearly began the shoot. And there, arms behind her head, legs casually crossed, was Domino, gazing poetically into the camera lens.
Lordy. What have we created?
She even managed to get herself into the Captain's seat.
Posted on Sat, Jan 12, 2013 @ 06:17 AM
This christmas card just arrived. Which is surprising. Most years our Christmas cards arrive around Easter.
Posted on Mon, Jan 07, 2013 @ 09:03 AM
IMAGINATION: We seem to loose our imagination as we grow older. Its disappointing really. Who wouldn't want to wear a Batman outfit to go grocery shopping, save a place for your imaginary friend at the supper table, and believe in the Tooth Fairy? And why don't we use our imagination a little more when getting dressed in the morning. Adding on a pirate belt and sword, over a crisp cotton dress, with sparkly gold Ugg boots and flower power jacket, all topped off with an oversized mask and dazzling tiara for instance.
Posted on Fri, Jan 04, 2013 @ 07:56 AM
Top Banana, being English, has a rather snooty take on packaged cake mix. She makes our cakes the old fashioned way. From scratch.
For the recent book signing of Daughter of Empire (DAUGHTER-OF-EMPIRE) Top Banana made 160 cupcakes, which Domino and I iced and decorated. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY CUPCAKES.
The book signing was a great success. We sold out of books and everyone drank the Pimms.
But no one touched the homemade cupcakes.
One hundred and sixty cupcakes were left. We decided we would give them to the church group. I loaded them onto the back of my golf cart (island transport) and drove very, very slowly up the hill to the church.......not very successfully.
Packaged mix next time
