Love Supreme Festival, Glynde Place, 5-7 July 2013

This weekend me and Mr Material Whirl went to the inaugural Love Supreme Festival, Jazz FM's first foray into the festival scene with a boutique, greenfield experience. And what a debut it was. Set in the idyllic grounds of Glynde Place in East Sussex and sheltered comfortably by the glorious Sussex Downs, even the perfect weather couldn't top the impressive world-class bill that featured Gregory Porter, Chic, Soweto Kinch and Jools Holland to name a few. Which I will, later.

Friday night began very nicely with DJs Chris Philips and Jeff Young in The Arena with Jazz FM's now legendary club event Funky Sensation - we all had a bit of a dance to classic jazz, funk, disco and soul and looked giddily ahead to two days of music and festival capers. Pru Fiddy, who took the reins from Jeff, knew where we were coming from - she looked like she was absolutely loving it. A slight mix up with the festival shuttle bus on our part (err, there wasn't one until Saturday) meant a possible stranded-in-Glynde-situation but we carried on dancing regardless and jumped in a late taxi back to Brighton with some other poor souls who hadn't planned properly either. No mind, we were tipsy and happy and the music was already working its magic.

Festival proceedings were kicked off good and proper on Saturday as the sun beat down fiercely on Glynde giving everything a gorgeous sienna glow. The vibe was friendly and up for it and the multi-age crowd smart but unpretentious. The ubiquitous festival food stalls were there (I had a pie every night. Yep, that's three pies) and some great vintage clothes stalls and record and book stores when we fancied a wander in between tunes.

Naturally, festival style fascinates me and Love Supreme gave good fashion-off. It was a real mixed bag; my favourites being festival brights, neon lips and plaited hair and some beautiful vintage skirts, African prints and sawn-off denim shorts with Navajo boots.

But ultimately we were there for the music and as expected from Jazz FM, it didn't disappoint bringing us a celebration of inspirational sounds. The line up included a dazzling selection of US artists and homegrown British talent that held its own amongst the big jazz guns. Highlights for me included the soulful singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, and Chic with Nile Rodgers, resplendent in white suit, and who blessed the crowd with a steady flow of iconic disco classics. Gregory Porter's gorgeously honeyed voice and super tight band deeply wowed us and the rest of the crowd, with a set that effortlessly combined the exquisite mellow sounds of 'Be Good (Lion's Song)' with the glorious '1960 What?' that had the loyal crowd shouting back to the great man 'Ain't no need for moon light...' with fervour. Sadly we couldn't get in to the Big Top to see Courtney Pine as he was too popular and it was too squished but we caught the end of Soweto Kinch who had the crowd of all ages up on their feet.

Surprises for me were Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires and the stunning self-taught singer-songwriter from London, Andreya Triana, who performed a beautifully raw and classy set to a packed Arena in killer print top and trousers. Woozy on her incredible voice and liberal after a few pints of crisp sun-drenched cider, my husband yelled out 'You're f**king amazing!' to which she endearingly responded 'You're bleeping cool too, dude!' and we all laughed and got lost in the hypnotic music.

The most memorable bit, arguably after a few more ciders (there is a theme here), was the Grand Marnier Hidden Charm secret space. Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra were doing what they do best and putting on a fine show with special guests including Gregory Porter and Roland Gift, but we were in need of another refreshment. Love Supreme promised that behind the elegant Parisian facade, a land of flamboyant characters, delightful drinking, music & joie de vie awaited us... and as we stumbled in we weren't disappointed - wow, what a way to end a cracking festival. The cocktails were indeed delightful, bar staff flamboyant but super friendly and the music supplied by DJ NoisseS was outstanding. He played an exquisite set fusing a multitude of sub-genres including hip hop, soul, reggae, funk, jazz and ska. Skilfully mixing The Notorious B.I.G., Musical Youth, Tom Jones and DJ Zinc to extraordinary effect, this was for music lovers of all ages and preferences. Incredible.

Sadly, the sun had to go down on Love Supreme's debut, and we made our back to London reluctantly and not really ready to leave (although my body cannot take any more booze or food consumed from a box for at least a few weeks). John Fordham writes in The Guardian that 'promoters Jazz FM and their partners may find they have invented the British jazz world's Glastonbury' and so if it that's the case I'm glad I was there to experience what I hope will be the first of many more to come. As Chic say, these are the good times.

Jazz FM's Love Supreme Festival was held at Glynde Place from 5-7 July 2013

#lovesupremefest

http://www.lovesupremefestival.com/ 

http://www.jazzfm.com/

Revenge Wears Prada

Tonight Material Whirl had the honour of attending a very special Q&A with Lauren Weisberger, the author of The Devil Wears Prada that was made into a $27 million-grossing smash-hit film starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and the fabulous Stanley Tucci to name but a few.

I had won a prize via Grazia magazine to be part of an audience at the very glamorous Charlotte Street Hotel to listen to Weisberger being interviewed by Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian. She has penned a sequel, Revenge Wears Prada, and I was curious to discover her motivation for bringing the marvellously monstrous Miranda Priestly back into our lives, immortalised so skilfully by Streep. Oh, how I had missed her.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MqiHurbexE]

It's hard to believe but Weisberger wrote The Devil Wears Prada ten years ago. Where on earth have those years gone? She wrote the book at the very impressive age of 24, a year after working as an assistant to the legendary Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of the gigantic US Vogue. She admits that she never envisaged that the novel she started in a writing class would be turned into a book, let alone a phenomenally successful one. This is the stuff that dreams are made of.

We were skilfully taken by Aitkenhead on an interesting journey with the very unpretentious and self-deprecating Weisberger, who seemed very at ease and definitely the kind of girl you could go and have a beer with. She revealed she remains both fascinated and traumatised by her time at Vogue, and who can blame her? When asked what advice she would give to those who read The Devil Wears Prada and still want to go into fashion, she replied 'Read it again'!

From a career perspective, Weisberger said that she loved the writing aspect of being at Vogue, although more the travel and food and less the fashion, and gave some very useful career advice for anyone who had ever worked for shall we say, a challenging boss - work hard and keep at it, it may be painful now but it might only be for a short time and you'll soon move ahead. With the devilish Miranda in mind, when asked what she herself is like as an employer, she joked that she spends a great deal of time trying to get her team to love her. She also emphasised that it is mandatory to be successful and kind, and in real life it is possible to be a decent human being and good at what you do. Some very useful advice and one a lot of successful women could do with taking note of.

She remained very gracious when asked for an insight into life behind Vogue's glamorous doors and would not be drawn into revealing anything defamatory about Ms Wintour herself. Instead she hinted that the 24-hour nature of the role was crazy with lots of things required THIS SECOND or face dire consequences, but admitted this was not particular to that one office. She also lightheartedly revealed that when she made the decision to leave the assistant role, she had to work up the nerve to approach Wintour, explaining 'you don't approach Anna. She approaches you'. Wintour though politely thanked her for her help and Weisberger admitted there was no huge dramatic ending as there was a modicum of civility to maintain. Interestingly, she also described how working for Vogue meant a complete immersion into that one environment and nothing else, which was even more apparent years later when she watched The September Issue (which she felt was more about Grace's story) and realised she had no idea how talented Coddington actually was.

Weisberger was funny and incredibly down to earth and at the end of the Q&A there was the chance to meet her and come away with her new book signed. We had a brief chat, she was very friendly and I plucked up the courage to ask for a photo to accompany this here blog post, which she happily agreed to. Unfortunately my plans were scuppered at the last second, as the Grazia team said they had to be the bad guys and ask for no photos due to the every growing queue of people waiting to meet her. They weren't the bad guys at all, on the contrary, they were lovely.

I found myself in a great audience of interesting, friendly and stylish women and as I made my way home through London town, goodie bag in tow, I felt inspired and motivated to keep writing and to keep on working hard, no matter what the circumstances.

In the words of the unforgettable Miranda Priestly and with a dismissive hand gesture to go with it, That's all.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3a5BsmxNJ0]

Revenge Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger is out now (Simon & Schuster, £14) from all good independent book shops.

Honey & Co. Restaurant

One of the many wonderful things about London is the huge number of places to get really great food. You can take your pick from fancy restaurant, trendy street food van, greasy spoon or the latest pop-up  in a park (or car park). However, with such a wide choice of cuisine and quality, and a fluctuating bank account if the truth be told, sometimes it can be impossible to find something that's really worth the money and provides a memorable experience - food that tantalises your taste buds but doesn't break the bank, and transports you to another time and location.

Then I found Honey & Co.

Honey & Co. is a gem tucked away in Fitzrovia that serves incredible food from the Middle East. The surrounding neighbourhood offers a plenitude of trendy restaurants and proper London boozers packed to the rafters, but it is this sweet restaurant I would visit time and time again.

It may serve exotic and flavoursome food, but the decor is simple and pretty. The clean white walls and subtle spotlights encourage the bright colours of the food and red wine to really pop and also showcase the intricately tiled indigo floor. Candles in deep magenta holders burn brightly, yellow flowers in food cans from far flung places places bloom cheerfully and crimson pomegranates fill big bronze bowls. White shelves are lined neatly with delicious homemade delights you can take away - from citrine preserved lemons to candy pink-labelled bottles of rosewater.

The food is stunning and gorgeously comforting. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Luxury Meze as a starter to share - little portions packed full of flavour that deliver a taste of heaven with each mouthful. The meze includes homemade pickles and juicy kalamata olives, marinated salty feta and homemade rustic hummus with spiced lamb (or without if you are a veggie, like me) and Alexandria style falafel with green tahini - all so deliciously satisfying you are nearly defeated at the first course. Main courses though are equally as impressive; I had the Lebanese Moussaka created with baked violet aubergines in a rich tomato sauce and gooey goats cheese and my dining partner had the Lamb, Chard and Chickpea Stew with cumin, lemon and yoghurt to delight his palate. Homemade cakes and pastries glisten temptingly on the counter, but it is hard to find room. I don't think it will be long though before the orange blossom cake seduces me.

The service is warm, cheerful and friendly and although the restaurant can be described as compact and intimate, this only adds to the appeal. The last time I visited with my husband, we chatted away to our fellow diners over strong, bitter coffee and left saying a warm goodbye to our new friends.

Dining at Honey & Co. is like experiencing the sights, sounds, and intoxicating scents of the Middle East - then stepping out of the door and boom, there in all its majesty is London Town.

What could possibly be sweeter than that?

KEEPING UP APPEARANCES

Last week Material Whirl let herself down.

I got a teeny bit stressed and acted like a proper nana. As is not uncommon with periods of minor stress, it was not caused by one monumental issue but rather some small uneventful things that coalesced into a big squeezy stress ball. No real drama, just the usual. Busy work/home life, juggling deadlines, too much activity wedged uncomfortably into inadequate time slots - you know the drill. Plus, I bashed my shin, REALLY HARD on a protruding Under Bed Drawer that caused a great ugly citrine bruise. This forced me to wear trousers all week while London sweltered in 20 degree heat and women flashed their lovely bare pins without abandon.

In summary, I had the proper hump about nothing.

Walking home one evening after work and dashing to the tube to get to something or other I had, ahem, an embarrassing altercation with a group of young lads about some minor anti-social behaviour. I say embarrassing as I'm a 34-year old adult and they were possibly under 16 and may just have experienced a voice break. Cross language was exchanged. Some swear words banded about. Them: What the **** are you looking at? (Rude) Me: Where are your parents?! (Rubbish). It got silly so I had the good sense to assess the situation and walk away. The cause of this commotion was absolutely a big load of nothing and I won't bore you with the detail. The key point is no crime was being committed, there was nothing personally directed towards me. Stress had totally got the better of me.

I arrived home and over a big mug of strong tea I reflected on my behaviour those past few weeks - turning my nose up at this, tutting at that, peeking out of my blinds at the faintest whiff of noise and noticing every silly incident that, quite frankly, was nothing to do with me. This wasn't true to form; something wasn't quite right. The old me had been unexpectedly replaced with a hybrid of Hyacinth Bucket and Irene Ruddock from Alan Bennett's Talking Heads - in other words a meddling busy body, albeit a misunderstood one, with an opinion on how things should be. For those who are familiar with this outstanding monologue, it doesn't end well for poor Irene and if I carried on like this, I'm sure it wouldn't end well for me either.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGCg3ARv14U]

Channelling Patricia Routledge is not entirely a bad thing; after all Mrs Bucket gives good floral dress, very Erdem Pre-Fall and S/S 2013. But acting like an interfering old bag? Not cool. So, this week I have vowed to get off my high horse and de-Hyacinth. I will turn a sunglasses-covered eye to any perceived antisocial behaviour and bloody well mind my own business. I will try to revert back to seeing the good in everyone like I used to. I will smile, be patient, say thank you with sincerity even if it is not reciprocated. Heck, I'll even hug a hoodie, 1996-style. I am not the polite-police, I cannot change the world and it is time I remembered that not everyone is horrible or guilty of a terrible social ill. Besides, there are far more important things to worry about.

So, you'll be pleased to know that Hyacinth has gone and the chilled, slightly more understanding me is back.

The florals are staying though. They look great in a matching top-and-shorts-combo.

TOGETHER

On Tuesday 28 May 2013 two of my closest friends got married.

They kindly asked me to write a reading for their ceremony which I had the nervous honour of reading to them and the assembled guests on the day.

They have given their permission for me to share it on my blog.

I hope you like it.

TOGETHER

When boy meets girl and an unremarkable day suddenly becomes extraordinary   When friendship becomes something more and that something more becomes emphatic love You realise it was there all along, it was meant to be The spark becomes brighter and you want to spend every available moment Together   Surrounded by your closest friends and enveloped in their company You gravitate only towards one other, held by an irresistible pull Her laugh is the only sound you hear amplified above the noise The room may be full but it is just the two of you alone Together   During heady June days of rock and roll love Laughing in the warm sienna sunlight and surrendering to the electric night When the guitar plays its final chord and the crowds begin to fade You are there, kissing under the violet starry sky Together   As time passes and different interests may keep you apart You realise that every step you take is only for the other Like actors in your own production, you play a supporting part to the other's lead role One writes the words, the other composes the music and you create a beautiful masterpiece Together   Over time your feelings intensify, they are insurmountable You say to each other you have my heart, but deep down you know they always had it, right from the start You make plans for the future, to say I do and a beautiful spring wedding is ready to bloom From this moment on you are ready to commit to your life Together   There is at times a magic in true love You lay bare all of your hopes, dreams and fears in the light and the dark You will always laugh, sometimes you may cry But you never have to be lonely, never afraid   Together   With the love that you share and the closeness that protects you both You can take on the world, you are invincible Discover the unknown, carve out your new favourite place Experience more firsts and jump; you've got someone to catch you. The possibilities ahead are endless simply because you can do them Together

So now your special day is here, you are about to begin a road trip full of new adventures Creating memories from real things that will last forever There are no endings, just exciting beginnings Stepping into the days ahead, it is time to find out where the story goes next Together

Pre-Holiday Rules

This bank holiday just passed, Material Whirl jetted off on a fantastic hen weekend to sunny, sunny Spain with a group of six lovely hens.

I had planned to have my size-appropriate suitcase packed in advance and to rest well in the days leading up to the hen to counterbalance the indubitable sleep deprivation ahead. I envisioned a relaxed me wafting effortlessly into Gatwick's North Terminal poised and calm - the embodiment of airport-chic.

HA HA HA. I was the last in the group to arrive; running wildly from the airport terminal shuttle, apologising and slightly clammy and feeling unprepared. A schoolgirl error had been made; I had failed to apply the rather substantial experience gained from many years of holidaying.

I had forgotten my very own Pre-Holiday Rules.

PRE-HOLIDAY RULES

Without fail, I will always...

• End up packing the night before and until at least 1.30 am wailing 'I AM JUST SO TIRED, I CANNOT DO THIS' while hand washing three bikinis, meticulously selecting matching accessories for every single item of clothing and making mental lists out loud, such as 'morning top, top for the pool, top for post-beach cocktails, pre-dinner drinks top, emergency top' etc rather than actually filling my suitcase. All this while my long-suffering and very dear husband looks on despairingly. Or lies on the cool floor, hoping sleep will come soon.

• Add Holiday by Madonna to my iPod track list (sometimes going berserk and adding the You Can Dance Extended Remix) and listen to this en route to the airport or at 6.30 am at home, still packing, and delirious through lack of sleep (see above point).

• Spend a fortune on toiletries prior to the holiday, enough to warrant a possible remortgage of our house, most of which goes towards poxy rip-off miniatures. This also includes the purchase of a complete range of new sun care products in SPF50 - Moisturising Sun Protection with Insect Repellent (in both spray and lotion formats), High Protection Face Moisturiser, Sun Care Balm for Lips, Sun Care Spray for Hair, Moisturising After Sun, Hydrating Tan Optimiser - before finding a replica set on the bottom shelf of the bathroom cabinet the night before. All of this despite the fact I have not had a tan since 1984.

• Purchase at least six vest tops with a stylish 'capsule wardrobe' in mind, even though only questionable colour choices remain as part of a 2-4-1 offer (hello, turdy brown and pallid lilac) and subsequently finding the 'Vest Top Drawer' the night before departure. All of this despite the fact I will bring them all home unworn and put them straight back in the drawer ready to forget next year.

• Run out of room in my suitcase leaving me with no choice but to take unwanted overspill in my hand luggage. I would love to be one of those women who sail through departures with a minimally packed Michael Kors Tote and their passport always conveniently ready to display. I am not. I am the girl with a beach towel stuffed into an already full Oasis holdall, blocking access to essential travel documents, that requires re- packing every time I need to get my sodding purse out.

• Pack enough cosmetics to make up not only my fellow holidaymakers but the entire outward bound flight, forcing the airport security staff to enquire, quite reasonably, if I am a makeup artist by trade. This includes superfluous bronzed-shimmer products and shouty new summer collections such as the must-try eyeshadow in Daisy Yellow or flattering eye pencil in Plum (it's not) even though I will wear my 'work makeup' for the duration of the holiday.

• Obsessively check for my passport and tickets at least nine times en route to the airport, convinced I have neither or have scooped up my expired passport instead, where the photo of me resembles a pale '90s Goth who has listened to far too much teenage-angst rock music.

• Seriously consider purchasing a new padlock at the airport, even though there are at least seven of the little buggers hidden somewhere in the house, possibly in the abyss that is the spare drawer. Or the Vest Top drawer.

• Solemnly promise to myself that drinking before or on the aeroplane is unnecessary and, if the truth be told, uncouth. Cave in after the slightest hint of turbulence (take off) and down a complimentary Vodka and Diet Coke or three. Thus ending up absolutely legless and revealing to Billy and Francis from Jersey my entire life story, deepest secrets and recently developed fear of flying, sobbing into my beverage while they smile politely or pretend to be asleep.

Note to self for next trip: Never forget the holiday rules.

Ever.

I wish, I wish, I wish

Fashion is part of the daily air and it changes all the time, with all the events. You can even see the approaching of a revolution in clothes. You can see and feel everything in clothes'. 

Diana Vreeland

Here is my fashion wish list for this week. A panoply of delectable pieces that I wish were mine.

PRETTY IN PINK

BAGS OF STYLE

SHINY METALLIC HEELS

Coachella Dreaming

Oh, Coachella, you tease.

How you tempt me from the bright screen of my iPad and from the sun-filtered travel page of this weeks' Stylist magazine (via Anita Bhagwandas' envy-inducing review). It is spring here in the UK, but us poor British lambs could be mistaken for thinking that we are in the depths of sludgy winter. I am tired, still a bit chilly at night and desperate to wear coral tones, skirts without tights and Sophia Webster sandals. Instead, it's more M&S black opaques.

Mostly, I just want to be at Coachella - hedonistic and hot in the desert, drinking cocktails and California dreaming. Palm Springs' famous music and arts festival, less than a 2-hour drive from downtown LA, has fascinated me for some time now. Not just for its eminent line up and cool crowd packed with the who's who of the music and film world (oh, hi Beyoncé and Jay-Z) , but because as Anita rightly points out it is where fashion trends are born and where I always look for inspiration in advance of my own UK summer festival schedule.

This year's line up is dominated by the Brits - Alt-J, Blur, The Stone Roses, Biffy Clyro (who Material Whirl recently saw live in London and would like to see again) and Ben Howard to name but a few. Add a huge dollop of warm sunshine, fruity drinks, Coachella Safari Tents (exclusive fully furnished Shakir style tents with aircon, access to restrooms and showers and breakfast/late night snacks to name a few benefits) and I imagine it to be the chicest, dreamiest, trendiest festival I've never been to.

I am very excited to see what trends the festival will set this year -  here's my favourite classic Coachella looks to date, with Solange being a definite favourite.

In a moment of giddiness after being spurted up from the Victoria Line this morning, I announced on Facebook that I really, really want to go to Coachella if anyone wants to take me and thanked my friends in advance. No one has responded to date.

I'm still up for it.

http://www.coachella.com/