Family Affairs and other matters

ANIMAL CHARM FILM

what an unexpectedly unusual night I had last night. For reasons far too complicated to explain I inadvertently found myself in a chauffeur driven car with Sally Phillips and her 3 month old baby going up to a sparkly Chinese lantern lit West End hotel to watch a preview of a new short film called “Animal Charm” directed by Ben Charles Edwards that she and Sadie Frost star in:-

I suspect everybody thought I was the nanny – which was great although Sally was very lovely about introducing me to everyone who came up to her to tell her that they’d loved her “for like 150 years”. I chatted away with Sadie Frost’s mum who has a role in the film and with Sadie and her sister and they were all just lovely. Boy George has a make-up less cameo role so I didn’t recognise him. In the screening itself I actually sat in between Sally and Sadie in the front row. How bizarre was that?

Sally agreed to be in the film having looked at Ben’s website – I think he is still astounded that she agreed to be in it but I suspect it was because she recognised in him a very young raw talent with refreshing originality – very reminiscent of her work. He’s only 26 and is just beginning to ruffle his brand new feathers and flex his muscles, but it’s impressive that he has managed to produce a 30 minute film for £20K – the film as Sally describes it is “a fusion of Tim Burton mated with an Athena postcard. Very kitsch Goth”.

The synopsis is :-

FUR FOX SAKE, ALL ANIMALS ARENT EQUAL

During her performance in a tasteless musical based on Animal Farm, Ex fashion designer and fur fanatic, Anne Thrope (Sadie Frost) is kidnapped by a group of animal activists led by her nemesis, Audrey Hoober (Sally Phillips). However, have the activists bitten off more than they can chew? With the help and hindrance of Thrope’s put upon assistant, Verdell, the police close in on the kidnappers. But is too late? And is it Anne that needs salvation…?

It was sort of Eraserhead-esque to me – a spectacularly dark comedy with lots of practicing with different styles – funny but in a horror sort of way. Just weird. But an interesting project and as Sally said to Ben’s parents when they came up to thank her so much for “supporting their boy” “I can absolutely see people writing a PHD thesis about Ben’s early work one day.” “He is one to watch” she thinks – “a curates’ egg”.

Here’s a photo I took of Sally looking gorgeous, with Ben:-

and here is a photo Sally took for her baby’s photo album of his first film preview and DJ night – very cool. He loved every minute. However, probably it should have been her holding him, not me….and no I don’t think Ben actually took a bite out of his head even if it looks as if he really, really wants to:-

and here are a few more of us – some from the film – the gorgeous man to my left is Nat Wella – Paul’s son!:-

EXAM HELL OVER (FOR A MINUTE)

It has been hell in my house of late. EXAM CITY with all the added stress that involves. My firstborn has just finished his final A level retake. THANK GOD. He’s worked hard, but found the exams difficult….so who knows. He’ll get his results in March no doubt from a beach in Thailand so fingers [...]

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THE PUTNEY CLINIC

It has always been a huge issue for me that our medical profession has been so one dimensional. Most of us will have seen our GP’s, joined various gyms, tried different forms of exercise, seen physiotherapists, nutritionalists, acupuncturists, had massages, aromatherapy, reflexology, psychologists, counsellors and other treatments without any of our issues being shared between any of them to provided a more rounded and holistic approach to our overall wellbeing. What is the point of having notes dotted all about the place with all of these professionals being given only a part of our history?

I am very relieved to see this is slowly changing and that there is an emergence in the “super” health centre offering a more cohesive approach to our physical and mental health. Last week I went to visit the new impressive The Putney Clinic which is part of London’s largest NHS and Private Medical Treatment Facility with a view to teaching some Pilates classes there. They provide a complete cycle of care; from the immediate treatment of your pain and injury rehabilitation through to lifestyle changes and preventative exercise for your complete body and mind wellbeing.

Their main clinic is now located on the Upper Richmond Road in Putney, and their second practice on the Kings Road in Chelsea and they provide outstanding multi-disciplinary physical therapy services for clients throughout West and South West London.

My friend, Clive Lathey, Director and Osteopath at The Putney Clinic and Chelsea Practice says:-

“Our aim is to help each individual overcome his or her moments of vulnerability. Our ethos is not solely on treatment, but reflects the clinic’s aim to promote achievable lifestyle improvements and preventative measures, with a strong emphasis on rehabilitation, suited to your individual needs.”

They offer:-
Osteopathy & Cranial Osteopathy
Sports & Therapeutic Massage
Sports & Exercise Medicine
Acupuncture
Physiotherapy & Clinical Pilates
Podiatry, Chiropody & Biomechanical Analysis
Yoga & Pilates Classes
Hypnotherapy, Psychotherapy & Life Coaching
Women’s Health Clinic

Each clinician will therefore be able to learn from each other, play to their strengths and refer on appropriately. For me it means that I can have access to the physiotherapist’s notes on my clients before the class, which makes the exercises I provide for them infinitely more valuable and focused.

SO. If you’re free on a Monday morning at 9.30am why not come along and try out my class?

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SINGING WELLS PROJECT

Take a look at this incredibly uplifting video of my friend’s recent visit to record the music of the Batwa tribe – the people who have been evicted from the forests in Uganda/Rwanda so that the mountain gorillas could be protected.

Just such a joyful sound and look at them all – singing their hearts out and the little kids clapping along and the wise old sage in orange – probably not very PC to say that he reminded me hugely of the old wise character in The Lion King (who may not have been human!).

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ASHTANGA YOGA, MYSORE

So, in keeping with the “Being 50″ theme of yesterday (although I’m going back to a “Being 40″ post tomorrow), my lovely friend has arrived in Mysore for the first time in what will be the year of her 50th birthday. She has registered at the shala, and as she suspected is one of the [...]

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BEING 50

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIEND who is 50 today. We had a quick birthday coffee – she has many lovely plans which she is quite rightly spreading out throughout her very important year. She looks amazing, but I still spotted her hiding her helium balloons as she left the coffee shop this morning for fear [...]

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CHIHULY EXHIBITION – HALCYON GALLERY, NEW BOND STREET, LONDON

I went to a spectacular glass exhibition last weekend at the Halcyon Gallery in New Bond Street. Dale Chihuly is widely regarded as one of the most exciting and inventive artists working in contemporary glass.

His creations are spectacular. Need to be seen close up to appreciate the detail. This one, for example has cut glass detail on each tentacle (or whatever they’re called):-

Some of his glass sculptures are huge:-

I don’t love all his creations – a lot seems to be about natural life and oyster-ish shapes – but nevertheless it is all impressive stuff:-

My brother used to be a glassblower and so I came across his work a long time ago. I asked my brother to give me some insider knowledge on the American artist:-

“Dale Chihuly, or just “Chihuly” as he is commonly known, is the Damien Hirst of the glass world. He is probably the best known living glass artist of our time, achieving an almost brand-like status. I became aware of his work in a former life, as a young trainee glassmaker at university and during an exchange to the US in my second year, I discovered that he was an even bigger influence over there. His iconic works, inspired by natural forms are exhibited all over the world, collected and cherished by those that can afford them. As a glassmaker, well that’s another story. I believe he lost an eye in a car accident early on in his career so whilst he was forced to retire as a glassblower he has managed to successfully direct others to help him create much of his work for him and consequently he has been able to continue to be a prodigiously prolific artist.

It’s on until the end of March so check it out if you can.

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