I'm not usually a fan of thematic manicures but I loved 'The New Girl' actress Zooey Deschanel teaming her red silk taffeta Oscar de la Renta gown and Kwiat jewellery with her quirky retro film strip nail art at this weekend's Golden Globes. ADORKABLE.
The London Underground turns 150
Today is the London Underground’s 150th birthday. In celebration of this occasion I thought I would share with you some facts about the oldest Underground in the world…
The Underground has the oldest section of underground railway in the world, which opened in 1863.
The tube network is 249 miles long (or the length of 4.98 million Oyster Cards!)
The Underground is the third busiest metro system in Europe, after Moscow and Paris.
Each week, the Underground's escalators travel the equivalent distance of going twice around the world.
In cockney rhyming slang, the tube is known as the Oxo (Cube/ Tube).
In 1924, the first baby was born on the Underground, on the Bakerloo line.
As Princess Elizabeth, the Queen travelled on the Underground for the first time in May 1939, when she was 13 years old, with her governess and Princess Margaret.
An estimated half a million mice live in the Underground system. Ew.
The Underground was first used for air raid shelters in September 1940.
During the Second World War, part of the Piccadilly line (Holborn - Aldwych branch), was closed and The British Museum treasures were stored in the empty spaces.
One of the early names proposed for the Victoria Line was the Viking line.
The American talk show host Jerry Springer was born at East Finchley during the Second World War: his mother had taken shelter in the station from an air raid.
According to a 2002 study, air quality on the Underground was 73 times worse than at street level (20 mins on the Northern Line has "the same effect as smoking a cigarette")
Albus Dumbledore, a character from the Harry Potter series, has a scar just above his left knee in the shape of the Tube map.
Every day over 1000 people accidentally leave something on the Tube; some past items in include Samurai swords, false teeth, three dead bats and a 14 foot boat.
Scenes from the film Sliding Doors were shot at Waterloo station on the Waterloo & City Line and at Fulham Broadway tube station on the District Line.
The record for visiting all the stations on the Underground network – known as The Tube Challenge – is currently held by Andi James and Steve Wilson, who completed the challenge in 16 hours, 29 minutes and 13 seconds on May 27th 2011.
Wildlife observed on the Tube network includes woodpeckers, deer, sparrowhawk, bats, grass snakes, great crested newts, slow worms.
Sting and Paul McCartney are rumoured to have busked on the Underground in disguise.
In the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, Daniel Craig narrowly avoids being crushed by the Circle Line during a chase scene that took him through several tube stations.
To celebrate the anniversary there is a special 150th souvenir Oyster card on sale. These cards are limited edition and will be available to purchase from all London Underground stations.
With Love from the Sunshine...
Brrrrrrrrr....
Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition 2012
This week I went to the Natural History Museum to see my favourite annual show: the Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. Selected from 48,000 thousand international entries the 100 winning images of exotic, slippery, playful, dangerous and adorable wild creatures are displayed beautifully.
The environmental section, focused on mankind's frequently callous attitude towards the wildlife around them, is particularly affecting. ‘Primal Fear’ by Jabruson (left) which shows a Mozambiquan boy holding a completely terrified monkey captive is still haunting me - exactly it's intention.
This exhibition serves as an important reminder of how spectacular the animals on our ever-changing planet really are, whilst also showing off the huge respect, concern and insane talent that these intrepid photographers that capture their images possess.
The Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on display at the Natural History Museum and runs until 3 March. Admission is £10.
The Name's Bond Street
The Name's Bond Street. James Bond Street.
Musical Moment: Karen Elson and Ren Harvieu ('The Train Song')
Karen Elson, the flame haired supermodel, originally from Manchester, teamed up with the Salford-born singer Ren Harvieu to sing this captivating song. Karen contacted 21 year old Ren through mutual friends as "I thought it'd be right up her street. Within a day or so she sent it back with harmonies on it – and some creepy organ as well. It was brill.”
The song is taken from Ren's intensely emotional debut album, 'Through the Night.' Super beautiful ladies, super beautiful song. I loooove.
"It’s so many miles and so long since I’ve met you, don’t even know what I’ll find when I get to you. But suddenly now, I know where I belong
... it’s many hundred miles, but it won’t be long."
HAWT - Poppy Delevigne in Louis Vuitton
Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.
Poppy Delevigne arrived to take her seat on the Louis Vuitton SS’13 FROW on the final day of Paris Fashion Week looking très chic. The model wore a beautiful midnight blue pleated chiffon dress from the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2013 collection accessorised with the label’s navy blue perspex heels. Some red lipstick and a poppy red Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandoulière Monogram Empreinte bag added some colour to her look, and the shape of the bag made this outfit far more appropriate for the daytime than if she had chosen a clutch. Ooh la la. Très bien Poppy!
NYFW - Marchesa SS'13
Keren Craid and Georgina Chapman delivered the Indian Summer I had been praying for with their stunning collection of beaded gowns with sari style layering. Although the Marchesa designers used a vivid colour palette (fuchsia and garnet featured) it was the shimmering white gowns with their sparkling bodice detailing that had me entranced.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for Autograph, M&S Lingerie
This morning Rosie Huntington-Whiteley officially launched her much anticipated ‘Rosie for Autograph’ lingerie range at the M&S flagship store in Marble Arch. The 33-piece range of underwear features luxe lingerie sets, a teddy and a beautiful silk kimono, and with their rose-prints and art deco inspired detailing, the collection has a very 1930s boudoir look to them – the Devon-born supermodel’s favourite era of fashion. Rosie said: 'M&S is an iconic British brand, adored by many so I'm very excited to be launching my debut lingerie line with them.' The stunning collection is available in store today and online here.
