From the brochures, this exhibit, which replicates the ‘Red Light District’ of Amsterdam looked excellent.  The exhibition leaflet showed  shadowy figures, deep colours and it seemed quite intriguing. However, upon arriving the exhibit was NOT that interesting. The mannequins were weak Madame Tussaud’s figures and it was quite small and poor quality – something that one would find in an old county/town history museum.

And, although these American artists, who have done similar work in the past were trying to convey a sleazy mid-1980s European street, it came across as something that might also appear in The London Dungeon.

Despite being free and an example of these American ‘beat’ artists Ed and Nancy Reddin Keinholz’s work, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you were a fan of their work impaticular – as some of their other sculptural installations – such as Bout Round Eleven (1982)  and Installation View are much more interesting and better examples of what they can do. Figural works like the two named previously have a lot more that one can read into them instead of being so straightforward with nothing for the mind to interpret on one’s own.

Ed Keinholz and wife Nancy, upon further research are fantastic ‘off the beaten track artists’, who were born in America in the 1940s and have a prominent underground history -w ith Ed having done jobs from being a psychiatric nurse, to being in a band to being an artist.

Further information:
Keinholz Exhibit – National Gallery (Official site)
Ed and Nancy Keinholz – examples of work (Artnet)
Ed Keinholz (Wikipedia – biography)

For those who loved the series, you will find this ok. It has some witty dialogue and the girls – particularly Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall),  and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) are all excellent and very characterised in their roles. Carrie is – as always – very fashionable, Samantha is the OAP sex kitten who can’t stop talking about her hormones and Charlotte keeps talking about her children. Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is also there, but is more in the background.

The film starts wittily with all of them at a gay wedding – with excellent dialogue. It then shifts to them being at home and gearing up for their trip to Abu Dhabi where an old flame of Carrie’s is filming a movie. Sadly, it gets a bit boring in Abu Dhabi, thus the film only gets three stars.  The fashion etc, is nice, but how many times can you hear vaguely about Dior and Valentino without getting bored. The crux in Abu Dhabi is the tension between Carrie and Aidan, dealing with being Western women in a Middle Eastern country and their escaping after Carrie loses her passport and Samantha’s condoms are seen in public.  And, finally, going home to be grateful for what they have.

Recommended if you are a huge fan of the series – although other fans got bored too.

Further information:
Sex and the City 2 (IMDB)
Sex and the City 2 (Official site)

I was extremely privileged to be able to see this ballet – as there is a story to tell behind it and I went on an ‘intuition’.  I had a thought in my brain that if I don’t go, I will “miss something really pretty”. Firstly, every one had said the ballet was sold out, even the ticket desk staff, but then, oddly, just as I was turning away to go home and give up, a man in charge of the queue for people waiting for returns said… “oh wait, there is one Ampitheatre ticket left”.  So I went and when I asked the front desk again, not only did they say “oh yes we do have a ticket (£22.00 and a non-restricted view)”.  Also, when I asked, “what should I expect?”, they said, “it’s something really pretty”.

So, a wonderful pre-cursor of what to expect of this ballet, I can say it was something more than ‘pretty’. It was spectacular and I am extremely happy I went. This is, just like the fairytale, the story of how when the Beauty  (Aurora) was born, a wicked fairy named Carabosse put a curse on her because she was NOT invited to her christening. The curse was that she would place her finger on a spindle and die. However, The Lilac Fairy, who is one of her ‘fairy godmothers’, changed the curse so that she would only fall into a deep sleep and could be awakened when a prince comes and gives her a kiss to wake her up.

The ballet then, like the fairytale, focuses on how Aurora lives her life with no spinning wheels around her till her 16th birthday. Then, on this date, she comes across one, pricks her finger and falls in to a deep slumber. The Lilac Fairy then arrives, puts the entire court to sleep and makes a large forest grow over the entire palace.

The ballet is a beautiful dance and enchantment of this fairytale with some of the most elegant and glittery costumes you will ever see as well as vibrant and elaborate sets.  Plus, the music was mellifluous, floating like a rich floral scent in the air. Scene changes were also quick and everyone was extremely happy and awestruck with the ballet.

In the second act, one sees the scene where Prince Florimund, with the help of the lilac fairy, has a vision of how to find Princess Aurora and awakens her and in the third act, one sees their wedding.

With so much beautiful enchantment going on – in the dance, colours, costumes and music, it was a perfect outing for a January evening.

Further information:
Royal Opera House (Official site)

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Official site: GFCF Shakes

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For those looking for an excellent carpet cleaner, who will clean carpets expertly in London, then look no further than Mr John Prescott. He is a kind, cheerful, honest and patient man who came highly recommended and as the saying goes he is ‘worth his weight in gold’. Not only can he remove pretty much any stain, but his prices are reasonable, he treats your carpets with extreme care and does a very conscientious job – even getting down on his hands and knees when needed.

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For a patient looking for an excellent doctor who will try to take on any health complaint with a gentle yet intelligent approach to medicine, than look no further than Dr Denning. Yes, she has been rated as an excellent doctor in many upmarket magazines, but she has an excellent reputation for a reason. Her fees are reasonable, she looks at the whole person, nutrition and where one is going with their health and prescribes based on knowledge and tests by running the right amount and not too many, nor too little. She is also kind enough to answer email promptly and has an a polite, patient administrator who is very kind and looks after people when they have chronic  problems, can’t remember very much or the like.

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Official sites: Dr Wendy Denning, The Health Doctors

For those looking for an extremely knowledgeable colon hydrotherapist that does excellent work, is kind, diligent and has a lovely room for the therapy, then look no further than Clarity Colonics over near Kensal Rise Overground Station and Kensal Green tube. Ms Sarika Patel is a radiologist by training and takes care of her clients so that they are comfortable, plus she knows exactly how long to give them therapy for. It is also fantastic that she works in a natural food store – and is always learning more about diet and mind, body and spirit – as well as the colonic hydrotherapy.

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Official site: Clarity Colonics
All available at the Kitchen Apothecary, which is run by Bastion! A great place for superjuices, good food and natural health!

If you are looking for an excellent bio-energy treatment, then look no further than treatment with Ewa Filipkowska. This lovely Polish lady has a big heart and amazing energetic healing power, having done healing from a young age. Working with the Zdenko Domancic method, it is interesting as it is four days of energy healing followed by a break unless more is possibly necessary. The energy comes through as a beautiful white light and can be used to treat many different conditions from cancer to headaches to inflammation and many other problems.

Located in North London, she can do healing in person or distance healing. Very much worth working with her as she has gone through a lot herself and ‘survived’ as the saying goes. She also has a beautiful heart and gives and gives as much as she can. Nor will she give up on people.

Further information:
Official site: Ewa Filipkowska – healing by energy