Happy New Year 2016

I just opened my Memory Jar. The idea being that you write down the lovely things that happen throughout the year and then open it up on New Years Eve.

My......haven't I been a busy girl!

Where to start. Been a good year for sport. Saracens V Harlequins, Saracens V Osprey, 2 Rugby World Cup games, Italy V France and Ireland V Romania and The Hurlingham club for Polo. Went to my first Cricket match at Lords and my first Grand Prix Quali at Silverstone. 

Met up with some good friends Geoff, Claire, Russ and Michelle in Birmingham for Scootstock which was a hoot. Met up with Claire, Karen and Michael at Silverstone and Claire again at Christmas for The Ice bar and Winter Wonderland. Had the worlds worst pub crawl round Harrow on the Hill only making it to 2 pubs with the Leahy's. Shared lots of very funny Facebook moments with my #CrazyGang and pub quiz fun with Mum, Anne and the Gilfrins.

I joined a Salsa class which I love and has brought me new friends. 

I also lost a few along the way, my beautiful friend Danni, Satinders Dad and my Grandad Alec.

Had a Eurovision/ MacMillan party, a lovely day at Kew for Mother's Day with Mum and Betty Boo. 

Lots of silly, giggly family lunches at Mums. Beth's Graduation at The Royal Festival Hall. 

I discovered a beautiful Greek Island which feels like home and I will return next year.

Lots of lovely food and drinks in lots of lovely restaurants with lots of lovely people. Texture, 28-50, Poppies, The Lockhart, Hutong at The Shard, Elgin, Hixter, The Jones Family Project and Iberico and Chutney Mary to name a few.

Went to Columbia Road flower market and a church service at St Pauls. Rich Hall with Jo, Glen and Luke and Coppelia with Diane and the cinema a few times with various friends, a picnic in Hyde Park.

I went to the Tate and V&A, The Jam exhibition at Somerset house, World Photography awards. Duran Duran at the 02.

Jo and I were Stewards for the 1st time at London Pride and Katie and I went to the Notting Hill Carnival for the first time. I spent many happy hours with Kerry and my God Daughters and got kissed for the first time in a long time! Yep I was as surprised by that one as you are....close your mouths lol

Oh, and I started a blog!!!!

2015 you've been a blast. I shall be stood opposite the London Eye tonight with friends watching the fireworks take us out of the year with a bang.

Thank you to all my wonderful, caring, nutty family and friends. I love you all and you have made this year very special. I am truly blessed to have you all in my life.

I hope 2016 brings much of the same and more. 

Happy New Year. Xxx

Reliving our youth - Duran Duran @ O2

They say you should never go back but we did and it was a blast !

I loved Duran Duran back in their heyday but they kind of dropped off my radar a bit and out of the spotlight for a good few years. As comebacks go this is one I'm willing to step behind.

They kicked the set off with Paper Gods the title track from their new Album and then threw themselves straight into Wild Boys and Hungry like the wolf which got everyone to their feet where they remained for the majority of the next 2 hours.

They balanced a good mix of new tracks, Last night in the city, What are the chances (which I loved) Pressure off and Dancephobia with Lindsay Lohan unexpected but true with 90s hits such as A view to a kill, Planet Earth and Ordinary World finishing up back at the start with Girls on Film.

One of the highlights for me early on in the show was a cover of White Lines - don't do it which was just brilliant.

Simon Le Bon remains in my opinion the only man who can and should squeeze himself into a pair of white jeans not that it stopped a few others trying to emulate their idol. There were a few men of a certain age in the whites with flock of seagulls hairdos and leather jackets not quite pulling it off.

While Jo and Mandy went out to the bar and left me with more room to dance to Planet Earth a fight broke out in the bar between two men old enough to know better and was broken up by the girl behind the bar. Apparently it was a real Bridget Jones fight scene, ear pulling and sitting on top of each other, kicks and punches that didn't quite connect.

The encore was everything we could have hoped for and then some with a very emotional version of Save a Prayer. Before they began they told us about a recent collaboration of the song they did with The Eagles of Death Metal who have done their own version which they performed together on TFI just a week before the Paris attack at the Bataclan, attacks that as we know left 130 people dead.

In an act he described them wanting to do something useful, peaceful and uniting all profits from the EODM and Duran Duran versions will be put into a Memorial Fund and there is a campaign to try to get it to no 1, something I shall get behind by downloading the tracks. 

It was the lighters in the air moment, now replaced by electronic devices in the air but it was beautiful, poignant and touching none the less. 

The last track of the night and hugely anticipated by me was the song that made me a fan to begin with, the title track of the album I bought and played over and over as a teenager, the iconic and groundbreaking video on a yacht.......yes, you've got it Rio ...... proving that just sometimes it is ok to go back and be 12 yrs old again.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10207072984856827&l=8836521133299917617