Crispin Finn 2012 Year Planner

I'm one of those crazy list writing super organised annoying really cool people and I'm really picky about my diary. This year, I've gone with a purple Panama diary from Smythson (more on that fabulous British brand later*) but I also like to see full months so I can make sure I'm not jamming in too much craziness and count down to holidays. This year planner from Crispin Finn is even better though - you can see ALL your holidays at once..yay! 

Check out the other stuff they have on offer - I think the blue/white/red theme is chic, don't you?

Are you guys picky about planners/diaries? What brands do you love? For my lovely US readers, I loved the old Kate's Paperie store in Manhattan, NYC just off 5th Ave. and was so sad to see it had down-sized to a much smaller store in Soho when I was there in July-August last year!! Can you recommend an alternative/additional place to check out in NYC!? 

Love, 

AB x

*although check out my earlier post on anniversary gifts. 

Anniversary Gift Ideas

While browsing the sales online for some bargains, I came across this on Smythson's website:

Most likely inspired by Carrie Bradshaw's book of love letters borrowed from the New York Library in the SATC film, this leather bound book of amorous letters would make the perfect gift for your leading lady and it's reduced to £99! (Yes, it was more expensive than that to begin with....) 

Paper is the traditional gift for a second wedding anniversary (in the U.K. - in the U.S., it's the first) and leather is the third anniversary gift, so this beautiful book would be a thoughtful and creative gift for either of those anniversaries. Alternatively, it could be gifted as a Valentine's or if you're feeling particularly generous, any day of the year (maybe to mark a special occasion)!

Take note, gentlemen*.

Love, 

AB x

*or ladies! I'm sure there are some men out there who would be chuffed to receive this gorgeous book too!

The Park, NYC

I've been going back & forth to NYC for work and am using the opportunity to let you in on some more of the gems I've found over there! 

The Park is a restaurant/bar/club in Chelsea, Manhattan. I went there on a Saturday night for a few drinks (and a few more) with some friends after dinner at La Paella (yummy - yes, you guessed it - paella with sangria). 


The garden at The Park is SO beautiful!! You know I'm a sucker for pretty lights in trees and they have them in the garden!!  I know there are dinner tables in the picture but later in the evening, there are just lots of little tables scattered around. 


There's a couple of different rooms and they have some crazy pumpkin ale on tap too, in case the pretty lights weren't enough to get you through the door! 


The queues can get long but it's not too bad a wait if you've got some buddies to chat away with....it's got two thumbs up from AB and if any of you lovely readers are in or heading to NYC, I think you should check it out!!




Love, 


AB x

The Way

I'll be honest: my mother was allocated these tickets in the BFI ballot and I ended up going with my sister purely because she couldn't make it anymore. Having seen The Way Back and The Great White Silence  last Autumn, I thought I had seen my share of long, tiring, spiritual journey type films. However, I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend this film to you all!

Frankenstein

Danny's Boyle's production of Frankenstein at the National Theatre is fantastic. Rather unusually, Benedict Cumberbatch  (the most recent Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller alternate as Frankenstein and the Creature. Given how emotionally draining these two characters appear to be for the actors (particularly the Creature), this is probably a very good idea to keep the production fresh.

Never Let Me Go

With Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley cast as the three main characters, this film has inevitably attracted a lot attention. Do believe the hype!! Carey Mulligan is exceptional and Andrew Garfield is a close second. Keira Knightley is good too but I find it hard to see her as her character and not as Keira, the prominently jawed actress (sorry, Keira).

Rabbit Hole

Yesterday evening, I went to see the National Film Theatre (NFT) preview of Rabbit Hole. Despite having read several reviews which gave 4/5 stars, I am giving John C. Mitchell's film a full five stars!

The subject matter of the film is deeply emotional - Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) have lost their only son in a car accident and the film covers their grieving process. I must admit I went to the film with prejudices against Eckhart -  having seen him in No Reservations, I thought he would act with a cheesy rom-com style. I was pleasantly surprised! Kidman really is excellent and Miles Teller (who plays a teenage boy...I won't give away his role in the film though!) was fantastic.

The main topics covered by the film - grief, marriage and infidelity - are each dealt with admirably, with several I-couldn't-have-put-it-better-myself lines. Highly recommended.

Love, 


AB x

The 54th BFI London Film Festival - The King's Speech

I originally saw The King's Speech back in September during the BFI film festival. I managed to post about a handful of the films I was lucky enough to see but never got round to posting about this one!!

It really is as good as the hype. Brushing aside the dubious casting of Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill, the film boasts a stellar cast.  Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush all give stunning performances. It is also very funny! Catch it quickly while it's still on!

Love,

AB x

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader - A Royal Premiere

On 30 November 2010, I was lucky enough to attend the Royal premiere of the latest Narnia film, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It was a truly special evening. Not only had Leicester Square been transformed with old-fashioned lamp-posts but the swirling snowflakes transported the red carpet straight to Narnia!

The 54th BFI Film Festival - Two Gates of Sleep

Two Gates of Sleep is beautifully shot, zooming in on Nature's intricate details, then panning out to bright cloudy skies. The dialogue is sparse so that each word counts, as with poetry. Despite the short script, Brady Corbet and David Call still manage to portray a vast amount of information and insight into their characters' lives.

In the film, Corbet and Call play two brothers living in a remote shack on the Louisiana-Mississippi border. The second half of the film is taken up with the emotionally and physically tiring journey of the two brothers carrying their mother's coffin to lay her to rest in the woods. The title's reference to Homer's Odyssey highlights the difference between the two brothers and how they deal with their mother's death.  

The director, Alistair Banks Griffin, referenced Japanese and French cinema of the 50s and 60s as his inspiration. This may all sound far too pretentious and 'arty farty' for some readers but this film is certainly worth seeing for the cinematography alone.

Love, 


AB x

The 54th BFI London Film Festival - The Great White Silence

The Great White Silence - a film telling the story of Captain Scott's team's heroic 1910 expedition to the South Pole - was debuted at the Gala Archive night. As is tradition with silent films, the viewing featured live music from Simon Fisher Turner's new score featuring Simon Fisher Turner, the Elysian Quartet, David Coulter and Alexander L'Estrange.

This film was painstakingly restored by the BFI archive team in conjunction with the Discovery Channel, exactly as requested in the cameraman and director Herbert Ponting's original 1924 edit. Ponting went to courageous (and often, downright crazy) lengths to provide the English public with never-before-seen footage. The film features slides of text from his notes and diary, including detailed information on Scott and his team's tragic journey, the team's fantastic sense of humour as well as awesome footage of the icy landscape and its incredible inhabitants. I learned a huge amount about the lifestyle of the Adélie penguins and the Antarctic seals.

The film is due to be released on DVD and shown on the Discovery Channel in 2011. Not only is the film fascinating and moving but I think we owe it to Scott, his team and Ponting to see this film to benefit from the footage from the expedition for which the Polar Team sacrificed their lives.

Love, 


AB x

The 54th BFI Film Festival - I Am Kalam

I Am Kalam is a heart-warming film with an important message. Based on the traditional tale of the Prince and the Pauper, Nila Madhab Panda's film tells the story of a poor boy, working in a road-side chai stall, with a humble dream: to go to school.

The film is backed by the NGO Smile and profits will go to the excellent cause of Indian's education system.

Madhab Panda was incredibly humble when he kindly stayed behind after the film to hear comments and answer questions. He was also commendably cheery, despite having had to mortgage and subsequently sell his house to fund the film. It certainly has the AB stamp of approval - spread the word!

Love, 


AB x

The 54th BFI London Film Festival - Conviction

This October marks the 54th annual British Film Institute Festival. For two weeks every Autumn, the BFI showcases a fantastic range of films, including incredible selections from its archive.

Conviction was the first one in my diary for this year's festival. Hilary Swank's commendable performance resulted in a deeply moving film. Conviction is based on a true story of a man, Kenny Waters, jailed for 18 years for a crime he did not commit. His sister (Swank) devotes her life to freeing him and, after qualifying as a lawyer, she believes she has found the answer. I do not want to spoil the plot as I urge you to see this for yourselves!