Bloggers Lounge VIP Ski Comp AKA: 'the heck do I know about skiing!

A post about top winter tips they said. All well and good except me giving skiing advice is like a cat owner giving lion taming tips.  I've skied exactly twice in my life and while when I get it right I’m in love with the feeling, getting it wrong is my go-to style.  So the following 'advice' is pure novice perceptions:

I skied that I did - Blue Run

Turn your brain off - There is nothing scarier then the first time you look down a vertical run.  The safety of your chalet miles away, the only thing between you and it is the sheer side of the mountain. It is therefore the most unnatural thing in the world to do what you’re been told (which is Lean. Down!).  Speaking from experience though, if you don't wrap your noggin' around this concept you will fall and if you are particularly slow (like me) you'll fall a lot. Give yourself over to gravity, just for a second; you need to lose control to gain it.

I skied that too - Beginning of Red Run

Get your head in gear - Unless you're rich, your first ski will be in cheap gear. Resign yourself to looking more than a little daft, if you decide you love it, Oakley clothing are high functioning and much more flattering.  

Go with good friends - I'm really blessed and the guys I go with are real salt of the earth types.  Possibly a little bonkers when it comes to their own ski-safety (they've been clocked at 69mph) with me they're soldiers.  Protecting and encouraging until I’m at the bottom, and then that feels truly awesome!

Two of my top blokes

Above all don't forget a helmet.  When an 8yr old wipes you out at 40mph (kids have no fear!) you'll be glad of it.

Brits Blog

Hello one of the coolest looking awards (designed by Treacy no less). Hello One Direction’s multitudes of fans forcing yet another award win on the five boys. Hello sycophantic compliments being thrown around by pop stars and celebs that barely know each other (you're amazing, no YOU'RE amazing!)  All this means one thing, it’s time for the Brits. 

The Brits has taken a beating of late, Robbie Williams apparently said last years was as interesting as a dentists convention, which seems odd because how would he know?  It is possible that Dentist's conventions are a white coated mardi gras.  They could have Nitrous Oxide sprayed through the air conditioning systems and free Novocaine for anyone that has all their wisdom teeth still intact at the end of the weekend!

But true it has been less rock and roll, more rocket salad and roll mops the last few years so let’s see what they had in store for us this time. Well Arctic Monkeys won Best British Group, like they did before and gave possibly the worst speech it has ever been my misfortune to hear. Fans thought Alex Turner was drunk but this can’t be true. Drunken people slur and, even if it is car crash TV, are at least vaguely entertaining; he was just mind-numbingly dull and rather petulant.  Another thing that happened, James Corden and Nick Grimshaw had a snog - I swear I saw tongues - like they did before.  Also David Bowie won Best British Male Solo Artist, just like he did 30 years before, didn’t turn up, just like before and sent another of my ‘favourite’ people along to accept his award for him. So, all fresh and interesting stuff then, yes? 

Moving on, the fashions were at least noteworthy. Ellie Goulding was suitably star struck as Prince gave out her award for Best British Female and looked divine in gold shimmering gown, I love how normal she is. Katy Perry performed in what can only be described as a psychedelic Egyptian leotard; I love how normal she isn’t. Me thinks her costume designer sucked down a bottle of absinthe before she put colouring pencils to paper for that one. Katy’s other dress of the evening, a Julian MacDonald Spring/Summer 2014 offering, was much better and prompted my husband’s only comment of the night ‘great rack’.

Lily Allen (someone I'm still very much on the fence about) swayed me more to be on the ‘yay you’ side by presenting an award dressed as what I can only assume is a Strawberry Shortcake doll on Acid. 

Notable high point for fashion was Beyoncé in a Vrettos Vrettakos shimmering green/blue gown but it was Lorde that I noticed has started to up her game. Her decidedly dodgy lipstick did reminded me of a shade I used to wear when I was 17, though I doubt her one would have been Black Mulberry by the Body Shop £1.49 (in 1990). However the Tom Ford sparkly number rocked it and though a little Zombie-esk in her dance moves the girl can sing, you just know there’s much more coming from this little firecracker.

Harry Styles was seemingly up to his old tricks again as he was missing, presumed shagging, when the 1Ders went up to collect their first award. No fear though, the hordes of twitter followers made certain they were up there again to collect the twitter voted award of Best Video. Sigh, is there any chance we can lock these guys in a Nitrous Oxide chamber soon and just leave them there? at least they’ll have a good time on their way out!

Baftas Blog: red carpet low down

Alright you lovely lot, here goes.  While the Bafs may seem less glamorous than their US counterparts, the results are usually good indicators of how the award of award shows (Oscars) may go.  If you are interested in seeing who won what, look here.  We're concentrating on what the winners, losers and hangers on throw over their shoulders so lets get crackin'...

Lupita Nyongo, Dior
Now this is just getting silly, I mean the girl hasn't put a foot wrong all award season and this was no exception.  Great colour on her skin tone (again!) and while the dress may be have been a bit dull by itself, the metallic belt and wrist bands gave it that 'bit more' you need to make it worth watching.  She may have lost out in the supporting actress category but you can be sure EVERYONE will be looking out for her on the Oscars red carpet.

Ruth Wilson, Antonio Berardi
OK yes it is a little 'I've come straight from a Doctor Who Special' but you have to realise Wilson is Alice from Luther! she of the slightly kooky psychopath character that I am currently having a bit of a girl crush on so she gets a pass. The fact that she took a real chance and didn't go with a dress, or a trouser suit that looks like a dress means you've got to give the girl props.

 And at least she didn't just stick a tux on, I mean how many times has that been done, dullsville eh?

Oh.. right.  Moving on!

Cate Blanchett Alexander McQueen
Not been overwhelmed with her choices this awards season, but this one is Classic Cate Chic.  Understated and sexy, this is her best dress in ages, Loving the Chopard Medallion too!

Naomie Harris, Gucci
Now this is annoying, it's such a lovely colour and would have been a candidate for best dressed if it had been tailored around her boobs properly.  As it is, it makes her look like she tried the dress on them promptly lost 2 stone, go eat a burger girl!

Helen Mirren, Jacques Azagury
If I'm dressing anywhere near as hot as this woman when I'm in my twilight years, I will also be spending the majority of my time high fiving myself.  Year after year she gets it right, bang on age appropriate, small amount of sex appeal and oodles of star quality.  Gotta love a bit of Hels.

Michelle Rodriguez, Emilio de la Morena
God knows what this girl was doing there, I'm not sure what she's 'acted' in - I say that with a great deal of scepticism in her 'acting skills' - since those fast car movies, but there's no denying this is a great dress.  It just needed a little steaming when she got out the car to get rid of the creases and she'd have been well up for a best dressed award.

As it is that honour goes to......


 Lily Allen, Vivienne Westwood - BEST DRESSED
 OK, a while ago I wrote a blog about how I don't get the whole orange and pink look, I'd like to add a caveat to that.  I still don't think it works unless you're Lilly Allen wearing a Westwood gown which may or may not be from the Gone with the Wind costume set, then its killer, love it.  Best Dressed for getting me to think again about putting those two colours together.

Aand finally the worst dressed goes to.....

Maggie Gyllenhaal, Lanvin - WORST DRESSED
I don't really know what's worse.  Her stance (she knows this is crap right?) her unflattering haircut or the dress itself.  No idea why her stylist has done this to her but no one wants to see pearly queens on the red carpet, genuinely bad show.

Can't finish without giving a nod to Tinie Tempa and his velvet ensemble with matching velvet shoes!  You gotta have some big kahoonas to wear that!

Til next time :)