Legally Blonde... The Musical

Last night I had tickets to the theatre to see the just released "Legally Blonde" the musical, I had been itching to see this since April when it first was announced because one of my favourite British comedy actresses - Sheridan Smith - was taking the lead starring as Elle Woods herself. At the time I bought two tickets unsure of whom I would go with, but last minute saw me inviting my lovely friend Alex along for the ride (Mark was pleased he got to play XBox instead). We had a quick tipple at a very cheap and cosy old pub on the Strand before getting ourselves lost in musical land.

Me and Alex

I was slightly nervous, what to expect, could they pull it off would it be funny!? Well I was not disappointed, it was everything it should be, screaming girly audience, bright colours, pink and more pink, chirpy, dazzling, glitzy, refreshing and cheesy all rolled up into one. Sheridan was such a bubbly character and sported a dazzling smile throughout. It was cute too, as how could you have the show without Elle's little puppy Bruiser or Paulettes chubby British bulldog, oh they were adorable!

I could not stop grinning and Alex agreed it really was a fun show and of course at the end Elle saves the day and wins the man, sigh, I will have to watch that on DVD again soon. That was not all, wait there is more.

A true fan waits patiently at the stage door after the show and awaits the stars of the show to exit to sign the much coveted programme; ur, yep me. Alex was ever patient (and found it odd being on the fan side herself...she works for TV) and was in charge of the camera, while we waited for the stars to exit the theatre.

Sheridan Smith

Turns out, lucky for me, I was guaranteed autographs as it was a night specifically set aside for it; so out came the Professor (Peter Davidson), then one of Elle's friends (Ibinabo Jack), Emmett - Elle's new man (Alex Gaumond), Paulette (Jill Halfpenny), the old boyfriend Warner (Duncan James, who was in boy band Blue) and then finally the star herself Elle - Sheridan Smith. Sigh.

Me and Sheridan...she has stage makeup on still

Well I got a little star struck but she was adorable and didn't mind the attention from so many adoring fans at all, she chatted briefly to me, signed my programme and Alex papped me with her. I was very well pleased and was most excited, in fact I was buzzing I didn't get to bed till after 1am. Ahhh...to fun times!

Bingo, and its all the threes...

Yes on Monday I celebrated my 33rd birthday, the birthday that I had mislead myself to believe I was having last year (yes I do have trouble with counting and numbers, its why I am an accountant - god bless spreadsheets). It finally came around.

Sunday I was lucky enough to have friends who don't mind crossing London in monsoonal tourential downpours wearing wellington boots - yes they did wear them - to enjoy a cosy pint and sunday roast. Bless them all it was a lovely cosy afternoon.

Me at my birthday lunch at our local - the Dartmouth Arms

On Monday Mark and I went ice skating at the Natural History Museum, as its my favourite rink of all the ones in London. Luckily for us a Monday night is relatively quiet, though you always get the odd crazy skater, ie the person who cannot skate and attempts to throw themselves from end to end and usually in front of anybody who might fall. I got a bit of backwards skating in, so I have remembered my lessons and they were not wasted at all.

Me skating around the Natural History Museum

After that we went for a wander in the ice cold conditions to the Winterwonderland. On passing a chatty Christmas moose, we admired gorgeous mini wooden chalet houses in the German markets, watched crazy people on the rides braving the cold, Mark devoured a German sausage and me a roast pork roll. We could not finish without a warming drink, so on failing to find the Winter Pimms stand hot chocolate with Baileys was in order. We had pannekoeken for dessert to finish of the evening - yum yum!

Winterwonder and the talking Moose....of course!

Winterwonderland, my attempt at another award winning photo; what do you think?

Us at Winterwonderland

Graham Norton.....Nah...meet Sterophonics....Yeah!

My friend Alex texted me whilst I was sitting in the audience for the Alan Carr show asking if I would like to be at the taping of the Graham Norton Show. Seriously the guy is hilarious and as camp as a tent. Could I say no...hell no!

Anyways, the next morning, she rings...better offer.. she has won tickets to see Sterophonics perform live at the XFM studios in London's Leicester square and we meet them for photos, drinks and autographs after. Hummm...do I want to go with her. Ur ... Um no let me think. I want to go chew on Kevin Rudds toe nails - Of course I want to go.

So well I swap a camp gay man chat show, including a visit to mingle with celebrities after in the green room to go see a Welsh band of which the lead singer "Kelly Jones" makes girls weak at the knees. Oh, so yes please. And well here are the pictures.

Ps oh premier of "Nine" in Leicester Square on same night and managed to get a sneaky shot of Dame Judi Dench of the red carpet..as you do.

Kelly singing...

Kelly, who lots of girls just love.... me not so sure...a tad on the short side!

Me Alex and Kelly

Chatty Man... the Live recording of Alan Carr's ITV show... starring ME!

I had always wanted to go to a live taping of a BBC TV show...or there abouts. Over here you just register, pick some dates and hope for the best. Its free of course so its good for a cheap entertaining night out. I was fortunate that I got an earlier date than I hoped for and Mark, Michael and Amy were keen to come along.
Me and Amy with our arm bands....

We got there early to ensure a seat, they over book to ensure they get a full audience, and we waited...and waited in the pouring rain...eeeekkk. We got our arm bands and sneaked a cheeky pint while we awaited our time slot to return for our seats.
In the Studio...

Yippee. The show was hilarious, the compare annoying and throttle worthy (ie trying to encourage us to be twats cause we might be on TV..urgh). The host Alan Carr is always funny and he didn't disappoint. I had seen him perform a comedy routine back in 2006 for the Reading festival and saw him at the train station then too.

Kate Hudson was on the show. She was incredibly gorgeous, legs up to her nostrils in a stunning black dress up to well...there..., but not so funny and they filmed an hours worth footage of her...for maybe 10 minute on the show. Then came Sharon Osbourne, very funny lady really enjoyed her style, followed by David Michell one half of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb who do a funny show here called Peep Show. He was very amusing. Lilly Allen was supposed to be on, she pulled out last minute (fortunately I see her at Brixton Live next week so not totally fussed).

The Studio

All in all a fun night and just to say my boots recovered from the down pour, but I still have memories of me shivering and drenched in the audience.

Guy Fawkes Night in Battersea Park

The Bonfire, no Katie Price effigy, but we can imagine
Mark with fellow Aussie Neoma from Adelaide and her English hubby Jon, my colleague at work
The start, of the LOVE themed fireworks...rather non-love, they played Amy Winehouse, Back to Black!
Sigh...pretty

Mark watching the fireworks

Queen Tribute....Bohemian Rhapsody by the Muppets

The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody @ Yahoo! Video

too funny enjoy!

Posh Din Dins - Artisan

Sophie and I, quite often, well at least once a month get out to eat at somewhere just a bit special for a natter and something tasty.

This time I got us a great deal on Top Table so for £35 a head we got us a bit of spoiling with a 3 course dinner with all the fancy appetisers in between (made it about 14 courses if you counted them all) and a glass of Champers!

Unbeatable. And what can I say great company and great food! Rightly we rolled out of there too.

Artisan at the Westbury Hotel in Mayfair
Our wee fois grass burgers, delicious, and also the goats cheese with white chocolate - who would have thought!
My yummy Pavlova..someone in that kitchen is an Aussie!

Our chocolate tree - Sophie

Our chocolate tree - ME!

Choos' Shoes over snooze

Yes its Jimmy Choos, and I own 3 pairs now. Mad I tell you, I dragged myself up out of bed (those who know me will know its a feat and a half to do that) at 4.30am on a Saturday morning....*squeal insterted here*...yes Saturday, to take a taxi down to Oxford/Regent Street to line up for Jimmy Choo's!!

Well almost, its the Jimmy Choo for H&M range made affordable for those who don't have say £350 to £1,000 just to spend on a pair of killer heels. BUT they are just gorgeous. Quality i tell you, q-u-a-l-i-t-y, with a CAPITAL "Q"!

So what did I get....well see below;
The anxious front of queue at about 7am
Newspaper shot, I am under the first awning closest to the left (at 5am I was in the doorway on the corner)
The excited queue at about 8.30am

The Choo Room where I was about 65th in the door

And.....wait for it....





Ps I had an afternoon nap to make up for the incredible lack of sleep!

Holland a preview

Arnhem OpenLuft Outdoor Museum me and a Windmill
Me outside Dick Bruna House, the creator of Miffy
Me with Miffy the bunny the gold one!
Arnhem a Bridge too Far, oh and us
Mark enjoying the comfort of a Dutch train

We is fierce... Sasha Fierce, Beyonce at the O2

And she's on stage
Last Monday night Sophie and I went along to see Beyonce do her thing on her "I am Sasha Fierce" tour. We arrived a bit early, dodged past all the sheep queuing to get in (what do you need to queue for its a fully seated event!!) had a little bite to eat before we made our way into the dome to our seats.

Peter Andre

Well Miss Beyonce, or bouncy, was a little tardy, so after the support acts we were entertained by several rounds of the Mexican wave, celebrities causing crowd screaming fits, we had Peter Andre up in the box behind us to I managed to get a snap of him too. They all love him now he's ditched the t@rt with the bo@bs otherwise known as Katie Price. Finally at 9.30pm, with trumpets blaring and a blast of stage smoke, Beyonce was on stage.

She's a chatter

She did a great job wooing the crowd, serenading us with Broken Hearted, Halo and a most moving version of Ava Maria, for which she was demurely dressed in a detachable ball gown princess style. She performed a moving Ella Fitzgerald "At last" tribute to black America and Obama, there was also a bit of Alanis Morrisette and Michael Jackson in there. She also performed about 5 songs on the centre stage which was not too far back from where we were sitting and all joined in for Video phone and Left, which was just brilliant.

"At Last!"

Of course the song we had all been waiting for was her "fierce" song "Single Ladies (put a ring on it)", where a video of all the most funniest you tube attempts were shown before Miss Beyonce and her dancers strutted their stuff and showed them, you know, how its actually meant to be done. So with that song almost finished, midnight and an almost certain chaotic tube journey home looming, Sophie and I dashed Cinderella like from the O2 to make our journey home uneventful.

" Fierce "