CATCHING UP...

I'm always aware that I mention things here that I'm going to do and then I get busy and - poof, they're gone, never to be spoken of again. So this post is a collection of such things; call it a rainy day clear out before moving on (and feel free to not bother reading it)...

* The tagline: You see, it's not there anymore. I still can't decide, I need more cake and pondering time. But don't worry the old one is stored away safely.

*Bed re-upholstery: The Josef Frank fabric I wanted is £100 per meter and I need about five meters. Then I went and bought a half derelict building which needs complete renovation so the bed and all other home projects have to wait. Forever probably.

*The cool old lady in the cafe: After I mentioned her and people encouraged me to speak to her I did.not.see.her for over a month. I was convinced she'd died after asking around and no one had seen her either. How's that for a lesson on seizing the day? It turns out she is not dead. She must have spent August at her country house or something because she's back in her autumn uniform of tweed suits, chunky boots and cool hats - but I'm still too scared to speak to her. I smiled at her yesterday and she scowled back briefly. I think it's progress.

{Here are some pictures I forgot to post in case you're getting bored of reading}

*The Rivoli Ballroom: We finally went there last weekend and it was amazing! I wanted to show it to Anna so first of all we just popped in to say hello, then planned to go back for one drink and ended up staying until the end. Anna took some cool pictures. It was Salsa night - very entertaining to see all sorts: fat, thin, young, old, black, white, professional dancers, two left footers, fully dressed up or in jeans - not caring in the least about who they ended up dancing with. It made for some amusing combinations sometimes but that was all part of the attitude free atmosphere. It's so beautiful there. The plan now is to go there all the time while it still exists.

*The rue Charlot gossip (as someone guessed) was that the entire area is up in arms because the French version of X-Factor/Pop Idol/whatever, Star Academy has set up office in rue Charlot, thus dramatically lowering the tone and causing mass consternation amongst art gallery and trendy boutique owners. I was told about this before arrival (apparently there was to be some kind of emergency meeting while I was there about it). Then, while I was there, everyone I spoke to mentioned it in hushed, disapproving tones.

Ah, that feels better. Did I forget anything? Oh yeah, martini nights have commenced chez moi, except mine are totally lethal, thus tricky on week nights. I leave you with a quote from Diana Vreeland; who I feel can be relied upon for a quote about pretty much anything - hence her new status as The Oracle of the sidebar. Ask her advice in the comments and she will respond.

D.V. says: "It was the martini era. In those days people would get out of the car to see you home, and they'd weave around a bit and fall down on the sidewalk; and inevitably the chauffeur or taxi driver would come after them. It was so appalling, the martini of the twenties. If I gave you some gin with a drop of vermouth that wouldn't cover the head of a pin, that would be the martini. The people who drank them were carried home, usually unconscious." {source: D.V.}