The Wedding Dance

Happiness is...

I think it is only fitting to celebrate the start of 2010 with The Wedding Dance! Weddings are symbols of new beginnings. 2010 is the year of union and love. I will be skipping to this tune each step of the way!

Jill & Kevin's Wedding- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

This song encapsulates the meaning of pure happiness, exuberance and elated LOVE. It makes you want to dance and sing and cry, to hold you hands up high and smile to the heavens. It is a song that makes you believe in the united joy we all share. All of us can connect to this magical place. It is a moment of that makes me believe in something greater

May this next year fill your hearts with joy. May your dreams come true. May you find your destiny. Always reach of the stars!

LONDON MEMORIES:

I can’t remember the last time I felt this good. It was a moment a pure joy and comes from a place we all have but hardly ever let out. It surprised me to see that this place of happiness was there all along.

“It’s you and me… moving of the speed of light into eternity…”

“tonight is the night and join me in the middle of ecstasy… feel the melody and the rhythm of the music around you…”

I started to look around me and really see what was there. Orange autumn trees swaying, crunching leaves and the most beautiful radiating beams of light shining through crisp morning clouds illuminating the duck pond and happy swans.

“we can go anywhere take my hand and come with me….It’s like I’ve waited my whole life...”

it’s you and me on the dance floor…. double your pleasure double your fun!!

Forever on the dance floor…

My god, had it always been this beautiful? Was it me? I was dancing in Hyde Park like a happy loony with a huge grin on my face… quite frankly I couldn’t care if I looked mad to the cyclists and power-walking office workers. I danced all the way home and decided I wanted to dance some more so I repeated the song and had a right old dance in the kitchen- thinking to myself that I must be crazy but being crazy was a lot of fun.

“Sending for an angel… what a beautiful lady… I won’t let you fall… let you fall

oh yeh yeh”

May 2010 feel like dancing to the wedding song!

x

The UBUNTU education fund

The UBUNTU education fund

The Ubuntu Education Fund- A dream in the making

Fly to Port Elizabeth to visit 10th-11th December

I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ubuntu through a dear friend and former client, Farah Alaghband. Like a true angel, Farah is known for her generosity and kind spirit and who better than to spread the word. Ubuntu has only recently opened its London fund-raising branch but this hasn’t stopped the good will spreading at a rate of knots. The moment Farah spoke of Ubuntu I immediately got excited tingles and knew that this was a gift; something I had been waiting to do, something connected to my home, South Africa, the land where my heart lies. I endeavoured at that moment to put my heart into making a difference and helping lay a few building blocks on the Ubuntu dream. There is something magical that happens when people come together in the spirit of giving.

The more I learn about Ubuntu the more it becomes clear that this is something special: In 1999 two men, Jacob Lief (meaning LOVE in Afrikaans!) and Malizole “Banks” Gwaxula, founded Ubuntu Education Fund on the philosophy of ubuntu; a universal bond of sharing that connects all of humanity—I am because you are. With the goal of transforming the lives of the children of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Ubuntu Education Fund is a non- profit organisation providing over 40,000 orphaned and vulnerable children in Port Elizabeth, South Africa with life-saving health services and vital educational resources.
Ubuntu has over 80 full time staff in South Africa with fund-raising offices in London and New York. The Ubuntu Model has become a blueprint for organisations around the world that strive for culturally appropriate, community-based development. Ubuntu’s child-centred approach high-lights the difference between merely touching a child’s life versus fundamentally changing it.

Going home to Cape Town for Christmas enabled me to plan the next step of the Ubuntu journey. Jacob and his team kindly invited me to visit their centre in Port Elizabeth for two days. I, in turn, invited my mother to join me! This was not just for her excellent company; she also has twenty years experience running job creation projects for the disadvantaged in the arts and craft sectors.

The director of Montebello Design Centre in Newlands Cape Town, My mother currently oversees a project called Mealie, employing over 180 HIV positive township women. She has a keen eye for business and has a knack for making something of nothing. This is a good thing in Africa when more than often you start off with nothing. What was once a plastic bag or an old T-shirt could be transformed into a well-designed piece of craft that could generate much needed income. I felt lucky having her by my side as her knowledge and experience added much value.
http://www.montebello.co.za/about.html

Qondeakele greeted us at the airport with a big smile. We were going to experience a full “day in the life” of Ubuntu. Qondeakele first drove us to meet the mobile HIV testing van. This ground-breaking concept makes HIV testing more accessible to the public; Testing up to 20 people a day, the van, normally located at the local shopping centres makes getting tested more convenient and discreet, especially for shy individuals who fear the stigma attached to been seen walking into a clinic.

What I was really impressed by was that they had an on site counsellor to provide support and education to individuals who tested positive. They also go a step further and do follow up visits at the patients homes, making sure they have a supportive environment and that they are taking anti-retroviral drugs. The wide spreading impact of their work is mind blowing. It is also apparent that it takes a large dedicated taskforce to deal with the sheer volume of cases. Official figures say there is an 80% unemployment rate in PE and a staggering 60% are HIV positive. This put my life quickly into perspective.

The jovial Gcobani, then showed us around the site where they are constructing a very impressive community centre. The Building rises proudly out of the township as a statement that anything is possible and we must all dream big. A pillar of hope, the centre will house a state-of-the-art clinic, pharmacy, library, counseling centre, computer facilities and even a roof garden. It really is a symbol of forward thinking and a mighty achievement for Ubuntu. It will be finished in 2010 in time for the annual gala in London in May. This will be a pivotal moment in the development of the charity and I hope as many people as possible will contribute to making the dream a reality.

The centre will allow us to expand and strengthen our existing service. The Ubuntu Centre will enable us to provide: 15,000 children with essential lifeskills classes40,000 youth with HIV prevention outreach services600 families with comprehensive case management services600 orphans and vulnerable children with after school programmes and school holiday day camps2200 children and 160 families with a daily, nutritious meal from our community gardens1200 clients with HIV counselling, testing and treatment support each monthClinic management and capacity building in 5 clinics serving 400,000 people4,000 youth with career guidance 15,000 children with weekly computer education 7,000 children with regular access to libraries2,000,000 condoms to local communities

On the plane trip home my mother and I came up with many ideas for how the community could generate income, becoming self sufficient through learning simple business skills and making craft that sells. My mother was seriously impressed with the excellent running of the centre. All of the people involved from the ground up are so passionate, knowledgeable and committed. Each of them has even pledged a percentage of their own salary to go towards the building of the new community centre. There is a real spirit of sharing and giving. Needless to say, after showing us such generosity and dedicating their whole day to us, Qondeakele, Banks and Gcobani definitely invited to come have lunch at Montebello with my mother and I the next time they are in Cape Town.

SIMON COWELL’s 50th BIRTHDAY SATURDAY 3rd OCT @ ROTHAM PARK

"My dream team of experts get me ready for Simon's Cowell's party"

Dress: Vlasta Cullo
Make-up: Lina Cameron
Hair: Dar Singh



When the most beautiful thick blue velvet envelope slipped (barely) under our door, it was unwrapped like a favorite sweet. An invitation from the king to his dear friend! Paul and I knew this was going to be a night to remember and I would be accompanying my gorgeous man as his Cinderella. A treat to savor! All across London, similar tantalizing invitations were being secretly delivered and the whispers of excitement were growing.


Normally when there’s a big party I’m the last one to be planning my outfit. More than often relying on a last minute “open my closet and hope something works approach” but this time I’m taking the “oh my gosh better look seriously hot!” approach. This was also gently prompted by receiving various excited text messages from girl friends telling me about their super hot (and probably super expensive) ensembles. I can feel the cold sweat starting! I wanted to make my man proud and look like a princess.

It is after all, it is Simon Cowell’s 50th Birthday party and how often does that come around? When I start thinking about the guest list it puts it into context. I mean seriously, think about who is going to be there- all the BIG names in every industry! The fabulousness will be off the scales. This changes the stakes. Professional help is needed!

Bring out secret weapon- “action dream team”: expert couture dress maker- Vlasta Cullo, celebrity make-up artist to the stars- Lina Cameron and the legendary Dar, the master of seriously sexy hair himself. Thank my lucky stars I have such talented people in my life. We are all due to meet 15H30 sharp at Hari’s Salon in Kensington to unleash the creative genius and get the product out and into that stretch limo looking the part…. I’m going for a sultry 1950’s movie star look wearing a back-less floor length smoldering satin red dress.

Put like that it all sounds so effortless, but don’t be fooled, this was an operation of organizing and collaboration.


Two weeks prior to the big day I still had nothing to wear and time was ticking. My fabulous globe trotting girl-friends where calling me innocently to discuss their fabulous outfits. Kelly planned to wear a cleavage-busting gold Armari number and all Lauren was letting out was that her ensamble was dazzling with sparkles. Needless to say, both of these girls are supremely beautiful and have exquisite taste. We are keeping the standards high ladies. I could feel a cold sweat about to break.


I had been searching high and low but alas, I could not find a dress. My dear friend Lina suggested I use Vlasta Cullo, one of London’s top bridal and evening wear designers whose creations have graced the pages of countless bridal magazines. Having worked with Vlasta at many bridal shows was very impressed with Vlasta’s precision cuts and attention to detail. With the pressure mounting, she could not have come at a better time. We had 8 days to go so I called Vlasta and we scheduled an emergency fitting for that evening. I arrived at her South Woodford studio and was greeted by the angelic Vlasta. After trying on a few sample dresses we found the winner, selected the deep red fabric and chose the accessories. The dress would be ready the day before the party. This made me think of the saying “ a stitch in time saves nine”. Phew!

It was the morning of the ball and the day of preparations lay before me. First stop; pick up the dress from Vlasta at the designer wedding show. It was like entering a magical dream land of white lacey satin silk with happy smiling mother and daughter teams. Amidst a sea of white, bright lights, flowers and fairy cakes I stood in my red dress, Vlasta stitching the fabric to fit me like a glove. It did, in a surreal way feel like a wedding day- a special moment. We wrapped the precious cargo and I jumped into a taxi.

Second stop: Hari’s Hair Salon to meet my dear friend, celebrity make-up artist Lina Cameron who would be starting on my make-up before handing me over to the talented Dar who would be creating a hair masterpiece to complete the look. I love walking into Haris. It’s the anticipation of being greeted in the warm excited frenzy of blow-drying, coffee and gossip. What a buzz. Let’s get me ready!


For Lina, make-up is art. She really focuses on understanding each individual client and the look they really want. During the make-up stage, she infuses her work with genuine love and passion almost as if she were creating an extended layer to one’s auric field, positively changing the way a client feels. It is wonderful to think that something as seemly simple as make-up has the power to alter the way we perceive ourselves. It can change our moods, or feelings, our thoughts and transform us into princesses!




Lina has done my make-up many times before… including my first date with Paul (don’t tell him though- men are supposed to think we always look that good. No effort required!). Each time I’ve always felt delighted. Lina has a wonderful happy energy and a soft touch with the brush, often dancing around me a smiling as she works. To the envy of the surrounding Saturday salon ladies, Lina started to transform me into a sultry 1950’s movie star with lushes smokey eyes and va va voom lashes. Oh, how I love lashes. Between all this transformation, Kelly and I were messaging each other across the salon (sitting only yards from each other!), each enjoying notching up the excitement barometer.


With only an hour to go it was up to Dar to put the cherry on the top. Dar makes everyone feel so special and has a luminescent personality- you can’t help but have a constant grin on your face. With Dar, it’s 20% hair and 80% magic. He took one look at my make-up and dress and like a true master, crafted a bespoke classic up-style with effortless ease. He believes in understanding the whole look from top to bottom and making sure the hair compliments the look. Watching him work is fascinating. It is obvious that he is talented and having worked with countless A-list celebrities including Goldie Horn, Katie Derham (and even Simon himself back in the 80’s) all confirms this.


Dar and Lina whisk me into the street for an impromptu wind swept shot of the dream team in the dusky streets of London. As passing cars merrily hoot their approval we know that we have definitely got the X factor.


Five minutes to go and Paul calls to say the Limo is waiting. Quick, get in to the pumpkin taxi and get to the ball for a night of splendor. It is indeed a glamorous good life!