A night at the opera

Last night I went to a wonderful performance of La Traviata at the English National Opera at the Coliseum in London.  I am by no means an Opera officiando but I had an amazing evening.

It is a modern take on a classic story. The set is simple which lets you focus on the amazing performances  but it is certainly not bare despite the 'set' being  just a chair and the curtains.  The singers ‘own’ the whole stage and indeed the stalls.  There is a fabulous scene where the stage curtains tumble to the boards - it was so effective and yet so simple.  And without giving too much away it will be the closest you get to being alongside an opera star without being part of the chorus!

The ENO @E_N_O sing all performance in English and of course there are surtitles so you know what it going on at all times.

The ENO are trying to introduce opera to a new audience and with great deals on tickets and the perfect duration - it only lasts for 1 hour 50 minutes with no interval.    There are only 2 performances left Friday evening and Sunday matinee and I would urge anyone to go along.  

www.eno.org

Lee x

 

 

Back to work

This will be my first full week back at work since November.  Day 2 and already I’m feeling it – no time to run, no time to blog!  Of course there is time but you know how disorganised you get even after a few weeks off.

The early mornings haven’t really started yet. Yesterday I was up at 6 am to get to Media City in Salford for meetings at the BBC.  Today is not an early one but I am away filming and to simply get out the door and be organised seems to be taking a lot of list writing.

That is why I am not looking forward to the 5am start on Thursday morning to fly to Barcelona to film for 4 days and then from Barcelona I fly straight to Switzerland to work for a few days.  To pack the case and take all my work with me will become a farce! The first pack of the season always is.

Don’t worry, I don’t want any sympathy, I enjoy my job and the travelling but I am out of practice and at the stage where the most simple work task is so time consuming.  I am packing in the “I’ll take it, you never know when it might come in handy” way which only lasts for the first couple of trips.  So in Spain/Switzerland and Australia/Malaysia I expect to have far too much of everything and by November, well if last year is anything to go by then I get a little too relaxed;  ended up taking ONE individual shoe to India!  Wish me luck!

Lee x

Last day at home

 

It’s been the perfect last day for me in Scotland and tomorrow I head off until the end of March. 

This morning I woke up to flurries of snow but by the end of the day the sun was out and the weather was beautiful leaving us with a gorgeous sunset over the west coast of Scotland.

This morning was spent at Rowallan watching my brother’s horse in a dressage competition. It won the class last night and it was great that he won again today.  Now he is in his stable having a well deserved meal, let's hope it is the first of many this season!

This afternoon I went down to the beach at Doonfoot, Ayr and had a lovely long walk. I try and get down there every day when I am at home and the sea air and breeze is better than any pricey spa day that I have had and much more invigorating. 

Now though my bags are packed and I am heading off. The next time I admire these views I hope it is warm enough to be sitting outside and doing so with a glass of wine in hand.

Lee x

 

Read all about it....

 

Today I am excited about writing.  Yesterday it was reading, today it is writing – sums me up!

About ten years ago I started to write a fictional book for children and it has been on my hard drive ever since but at last I have decided to do something about it.

A wonderful family friend who is a fellow Scot now living in Massachusetts is doing the drawings for it and seeing them for the first time last night made the dream seem so much more real.  I am going to start with putting it on to kindle and then see how we go but to be honest it is not about making money. The thought of someone/anyone reading something gives me a lot of pleasure.  Writing my blog and being published in magazines and newspapers is always nerve wracking and wonderful all at the same time, but this takes it to a whole new level!

I am so excited and when it is out, you will have no choice but to read all about it here!

Lee x

Bookworm or Couch Potato

Something is changing. I love books, I love bookshops, they’re my favourite kind of shops. I also love the feeling of sitting down watching television, a big show, live programmes and knowing millions of others doing and sharing exactly the same thing at the same time – it seems more of an event. Remember when the day after watching the Brit Awards, which are on tonight despite always being on Pancake Day, you would go into work and discuss who was good/bad/controversial? The final of Wimbledon, X Factor or whatever you enjoy becomes a talking point and just not the same two days later.

Now, we want entertainment on demand and as and when it suits us.  We rely on kindles, e-readers, which you can’t share with your friends and when it  comes to TV you daren’t say what happened in a show as at least one person will have recorded it, part watched it or ‘series linked’ it! TV and radio is becoming a more selfish experience.

In some ways, watching and reading doesn’t quite seem so easy these days but in fact it is the exact opposite. Even with all my sentimental ways, I still know that carrying books on a tablet in electronic form will save me a lot of room in my suit case and me putting my back out when I am travelling (I read a lot!) and if I need a book when I am in ‘remote’ Korea or somewhere which doesn’t have many English language books, I can just buy one instantly online. Instant entertainment.

Now after three months in UK I am preparing to head off on my travels and that means making friends with ‘Series Link’. I always think I don’t watch much television but recently I have been enjoying Mr Selfridge, always look forward to The Good Wife and loving Nashville.  It also means that the day after I come back or wake up jet-lagged in the middle of the night, I can snuggle down and catch up on my favourite shows.

Today I am stocking up on books from kindle, which I will buy from a lovely bookshop (like www.dauntbooks.co.uk in the top photo) if I enjoy them enough.  Of course the old ways are the nicest but the new ways are the easiest.

Any suggestions of must reads to help me on my travels then please let me know.

Lee x

What it says on the label

There are various reasons to be shocked by the ‘Horse meat scandal’ .  If you’ve been on here over the last week then you will know that I love horses and would never want to eat one but that doesn’t mean other countries shouldn’t, so long as the correct procedures are in place.  One of the things that upsets me is the lack of honesty and breach of trust. It might sound naive but if something says 100% Beef I would have believed it. Sadly and maybe cynically, those days are over.

There is one way to cure all this though – shop locally. Buy local produce. Turn back time to when you couldn’t do a quick one-stop-shop and pick up everything from food, toys, flowers and clothes.  If you want decent meat then go to your butcher, fresh fish then find a local fishmonger. It is the only way that we can guarantee what goes in to our mouths is what it is meant to be.

Granted, some Supermarkets have butchers and fishmongers in them and that would be the best of a bad situation.  For a few years now there has been a Slow Food Movement in many countries and that is what we need to get back to.  I am going to try and take the time, make my food and enjoy it all the more.  Also when it comes to advice on how to cook meat or fish then the people who deal with them on a daily basis are the experts. They will tell you the best cuts, how long to cook and any tips that you might need.

It is also worth pointing out that I am an ambassador for World Horse Welfare @horsecharity and for many years they have been campaigning against how horses are transported for slaughter. Below is a video clip which is worth watching, especially if you are wondering what all the fuss is about when it comes to consuming horses.

In the meantime I am going to enjoy my food and be relaxed when I eat it simply because by shopping locally, I know where it has come from.

http://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/information/latest-news?view=show&content_id=5424

Lee x

 

 

A day at the beach

I know the official start to Spring isn’t until March 20^th but today was the warmest and brightest it has seemed for a very long time.

Today was spent at Irvine beach on the west coast of Scotland and it was great to see how busy it was.  People, dogs and horses were all enjoying the expanse of sand, blue skies and sunshine although none of the fore-mentioned was brave enough to try the icy waters!

We had the horses at the beach for part of their training for the soon-to-arrive Eventing season.  You have to use your initiative on the beach but it wasn’t long until the horses were jumping over an old Christmas tree, some branches and a traffic cone!

I just love being near the coast and go to the beach for walks as often as I can although it is ironic having grown up on the coast and being able to see the sea from my windows in Scotland that when I am in Oxfordshire I am almost as far from the coast as any point that you can be in the UK!

It doesn’t matter where in the world you are but to stand on a beach and look out across the seas or oceans is the most wonderful feeling. 

Lee x

Project Catwalk

 

Some days come and go and others you know you will remember for a long time. Today I was treated to my first ever experience of London Fashion Week.  I was invited to Zoe Jordan @zoejordanstudio www.zoe-jordan.com who opened Fashion Week on what was a beautiful winter’s morning in the city.

Somerset House was where the fashionistas (and me) gathered and if you are fan of people watching then oh my goodness, this was the place to be.  The thing about fashion is that it’s so subjective and what is couture and cutting edge to some is just fancy dress for others.  I played it safe in monochrome with some wonderful Rox jewellery www.rox.co.uk and my usual BIG www.twsteel.com watch and if I was better at this then I would have remembered to ask someone to take a picture of me but as it happened I couldn’t stop staring at everyone else.

The atmosphere in the Courtyard was amazing and just like what you see on Fashion TV or in the glossy mags.  The music was great, the makeup minimal and the hair sexy.  But what was so great about Zoe’s clothes was that they were beautiful, fashionable but ultimately wearable.  I kept changing my favourite piece of clothing as a new model pranced by. Sadly all of a sudden it was over and it struck me just how much work and effort had been put into those minutes and how important it is to get it right because in those minutes the designer needs to make a lasting impact. I think we can say from the reaction of the audience and journalists after the show, the impact was positive.

I had a great day and if you want a look behind the scenes and discover what it takes to put on a fashion show you can check out this video... http://www.vestiairecollective.com/

And for a taste of Fashion Week then head down to Somerset House or any of the other venues over the next few days. You can check out where and when at www.londonfashionweek.co.uk 

Lee x

Preparing for take-off

 

Today I am thinking of my travels.  After 2 months in the UK with no flying, soon I will be back on the travel treadmill!  This time next month I'll be in Australia but I have a few countries to visit before I reach Melbourne.

After a hard F1 season of 19 races, I always need to stop and just spend some time in the UK catching up with family and friends and enjoying lazy days at home.  Now though I am focussing on being ready for the hundreds of thousands of miles ahead of me.

 Whilst Formula One drivers get a new car for the start of the season, I get a new suitcase!  My last one had survived 3 seasons which was a miracle really but now I have a new model.   It is amazing how important little things become, lightweight, hard case, 4 wheels, not black (so I can stand smugly as people inspect the hundreds of black cases coming round the carousel looking for theirs).

This morning was spent filling out the 5 pages of the Chinese Visa application which is always a complicated one and normally creates much cursing and reprinting of the forms!  I don’t go to China until April but I do need to be organised.  The passport I give for my Australian visa can’t be the same one as my Chinese visa as that one needs to be sent off for a week or so and it means that I might not have passport for Oz! 

This afternoon was spent trying to organise a trip at the beginning of March to Barcelona flying on to Geneva for two days before heading back to London for a few days before heading to Australia. 

Never mind the actual flying and work, travel planning from the comfort of my sofa is a tiring business but I should enjoy my sofa whist I can because from a few weeks time we won’t be seeing much of each other!

Lee x

 

 

Trying to look good... and Game Shows!

It is official. I have come out of hibernation! Despite the cold, I put on nice clothes, went into London and got a pre-Spring pamper or as I call it, a Lee MOT.

I got my nails done, a wicked (in every meaning) matt black with sparkly black tips at Nails Inc . It sounds sinister but it goes with an outfit later in the week.  More importantly, I got my hair chopped and quite short for me!  My inspiration was the supermodel Karlie Kloss – the hair was the closest I could get!  Scott at Daniel Hersheson did a great job so now I just need to make it look this everyday!
My couple of days in the big smoke wasn’t all play though and I did have some work which consisted of very exciting meetings involving presenting on some different programmes from sport to music.

I also popped into the BBC to visit my former colleague Jake Humphrey who was filming his new quiz show Beat The Pack!  Randomly, one of the topics was Formula One and Jake took great pleasure quizzing me over lunch in his game show host way!  Fortunately I would have scooped the £2500 had I been a contestant! 

Beat The Pack is filmed in front of an audience and I always think for those who take the time to come to these shows as a member of the audience, they get great access and a look behind the scenes. It is not only a fun day out but a very good way for anyone looking to get into Television to see firsthand how it works.

Here are a few links to see if you can go and watch your favourite show live. 

www.bbc.co.uk/tickets/

www.itv.com/beontv/tickets

www.applausestore.com/

Lee x

 

A well travelled camera...

I am not very good at remembering to take photos, despite my camera being extremely well travelled!  It visits in excess of 15 countries every year but rarely does it venture from the bottom of my handbag, sometimes it doesn’t make it out of the hotel room.  I am getting a little better at taking photos over the years but that is mostly down to the ease of camera phones.  I am hoping that with the arrival of my blog, this will change!

So I like to rely on camera and photography enthusiasts ie: people travelling with me who take much better photos than I do! If you are one of the talented people, or just people who remember to take snaps then you probably don’t like my type. I’m the one who turns up at your house, desk, laptop with a USB key or disc and ask “can I just get a couple of pix from ...insert location. Thanks so much, you are a star. I promise next time I will remember to use my camera.”

So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered on twitter a couple of sites that let me see the world from the comfort of my sofa.  They aren’t holiday style photos but works of art that will blow you away and stir your emotions.  @picturesearth and @stunning_earth are a real treat.  The Monkey Orchid, only found in high altitudes in Peru and Ecuador and pictured at the top of this blog is one of my favourites from @picturesearth .  Day turning to night from space on @stunning_earth is another wonderful image.   

One of the best things about these photos is that I could not have done it myself so it is guilt free and yet so gratifying, all at the same time.

Lee x

Year of the Snake

Happy Chinese New Year.  I love the old traditions, bright colours and unforgettable noise which makes this worldwide celebration so special.  I am hoping to convince a couple of friends to head to Chinatown in London with me later today!

I was born in the Year of the Snake so to be entering into the Year of the Snake is very exciting for me - or so I am told! I started reading my Chinese astrology around 8 years ago after a brief bit of research stunned me by being so accurate.  There are so many levels to Chinese astrology and rather than just being Sagittarius in the western zodiac, in the Chinese version I am a Yin Fire Snake – above that I start to get a bit confused.

Whether you enter into the spirit of it by going to your local Chinatown or simply eating some Chinese food, make sure you read even just a little about what the Chinese New Year represents and how important it is to the Chinese culture.

Happy New Year!

Lee x

100% Scottish 100% Cute

Advertising campaigns can be everything from aggressive, sexy to sickly. These adverts though have got to be my all time favourite and easily put me on cloud 9 and a half.  This pictures are very high up there on the cuteness limiter!

Visit Scotland httnaturep://www.visitscotland.com/about/nature-geography/year-of-natural-scotland/art-in- has their very own Shetland pony ambassadors who are helping promote the Year of Natural Scotland with beautifully created cardigans, made just for them. Ponies Fivla and Vitamin should be in next week’s London Fashion Week! Their outfits were made from Shetland wool by local knitter Doreen Brown.

Lee x

 

Replace sunshine with sparkle

This morning I opened my curtains to see big fat snowflakes falling passed my window. To think that yesterday I was writing about winter walks and snowdrops and today it’s all about snowflakes and staying in!

I had already set aside today to work out what I will wear to London Fashion Week which starts next week – of course my choice is pretty weather dependant  so I will leave that until nearer the time!    

One thing I can plan is jewellery! I am a bit of a magpie and if it sparkles I love it. I was lucky enough to spend a day at ROX www.rox.co.uk in Glasgow last week and see some of the new jewellery in for this season.

Not only do ROX sell a lot of the top designers but they also have their own range and it is this range that I absolutely love. It is classy, fun, modern, chic and comes in a colour for every outfit.

The lovely people at ROX told me that this season is all about layering jewellery so if you are stuck for choice then you can put it all on together! Wear your shorter necklaces alongside each other or mix it up with a longer one. Don’t be afraid to sport different styles and colours but most importantly enjoy it.  I have decided not to save my sparkles for just a rainy day (although that is most days in the UK!)  I am going to enjoy them every day!

They also have a blog for more trends http://www.rox.co.uk/blog/

Lee x

 

Winter blues..and reds and walks and cakes!

At the moment I am in the UK, Oxford to be precise and despite loving being in the UK, somedays you wonder if the winter will ever end! But only last week whilst I was at home in Ayrshire, Scotland there were glimmers of hope.  The nights are starting to get lighter, the dramatic sunsets are back.  This was taken by standing on the garden furniture trying to get a glimpse towards Arran over Greenan Castle.  If only it was warm enough to be enjoying a glass of wine at the table instead of standing on it in a ski jacket! 

Oxford is bright but frosty today and I am looking forward to driving out to see a friend at the wonderful Batsford Arboretum near Moreton-on-Marsh http://www.batsarb.co.uk/  My favourite flowers are snowdrops and there is such a limited time to appreciate them. The walks at Bastford are wonderful and the tea, coffee, freshly baked cakes and lunches are even better. If you do go there for a winter walk, pop into the cafe and say hi to Jonny.  I’ll try and leave you some cake!

Lee x

 

Hello and welcome...

Over the years as a writer, journalist, TV Presenter and tweeter (in no particular order) I have written about what I have been paid to write about. I always have loved reading other peoples blogs, magazines and newspapers hearing different opinions and finding out about the most simple pleasures; good restaurants, coffee, hidden gems and anything which can entertain me.
 
Now I am going to try my hand at it and hopefully entertain a few of you! I am lucky enough to travel to over 15 different countries around the world every year and have done so for the last 8 years.

I love discovering new places but, more than anything, I love getting back home to Scotland. I had considered calling this blog "We See the Same Sun" as I always think that no matter where you are in the world, there are some things that bind us and make the world seem a very small place. I always think of that if I am feeling far away from loved ones.

 
As it happened I went for something a little less serious although somehwhere that we should all aspire to go. Cloud 9 and a half is happiness + a little bit more!


I hope you enjoy this blog and it gives you even a few minutes entertainment in your day - wherever you are in the world.

Lee x