The Twelve Days Before Christmas

Saturday 13th December 2008 and on...

The run up to the Holidays was for me the usual last minute frenzied panic of shopping ,finishing off work and trying to squeeze in some real New York traditional Christmassy things that remind me of why I still love living here...


Pipilotti Rist's "Pour Your Body Out" at MoMA. (I got a bit side tracked from the 5th Avenue sales by this amazing dreamlike video installation)


Kitty ( doing her best Ugly Betty impression) and Paud in the MOMA cafeteria.


James Gardner and me having a Christmas nibble at the Rainbow Room.


James and artist Drew Cramer morphing into a '80's synth duo album cover.


The first day of Hanukkah; the Empire State Building and view of the Big Apple from Rainbow Room.


In a vampire obsessed season, here's the big beaming December full moon over the Bowery.


This was new to me! We ran into 300 tubas about to play their Christmas Concert at the Rockefeller ice-rink...who knew?


Kitty and the Rockefeller tree.


Amidst all this, here are the paparazzi and a harsh reality check I'm faced with every morning...living opposite Ponzi scheme rotter Bernie Madoff.

The Mother Land

Friday 5th - Monday 8th December 2008

Whilst half of New York descended on Miami for Art Basel I decided to take a last minute flying visit home to England to see my friends and family with a few work meetings squeezed in.
The night I arrived in London I met up with a bunch of friends at Guy Ritchie's pub The Punchbowl. A lovely little old Mayfair pub, it was packed ( mostly with investment bankers when we arrived but they soon cleared out off to the Home Counties)...


Serena Rees and Paul Simenon at The Punchbowl


My mate Ben Copperwheat, who also happened to be over from NY,here looking more London than London, with Mark Spye who designs at Vivienne Westwood and Olivier Vandervelde behind him.


One of my old flatmates, Louise McKinney who's now the Director of Development at the Serpentine Gallery with Rob Hartle.


PR Alex Barlow and Ris Fatah who's the Managing Director of posh sex emporium Coco de Mer and spends his days hawking dildos.


Serena and my dear friend Chris DiPietro looking glamourous after the pub...


Angels (and Bermans)probably the oldest and most famous TV and film costumiers in the UK had a big vintage sale on the Saturday morning. Thinking it was a good idea at the time I trecked up to a North Wembley warehouse for a rummage, but by the time I'd arrived all that was left were a few old army uniforms and a lot of silver spandex.The crowd however were a lot more interesting.


I stayed with my friend hairstylist James Brown, here he is loitering in Clifton Hill!


My mum and dad in Trafalgar Square.


I went Christmas shopping with my parents. Credit crunch or not, it was difficult to move for shoppers ( and sales) in the West End. Here are the Harrods' slightly dubious James Bond themed Christmas windows


That's better, in the Harrods food hall. Gorgeous fishy nibbles!


Zoe Kuipers who's now the communications director of Browns, took me for a lovely lunch.


Carnaby Street looking festive.


Vogue stylist and new mum Bay Garnett and me having a divine Sunday Roast around hers...