Kensington Gardens

Let the right one in

On the eve of Halloween, my thoughts turn to horror films, especially zombie or vampire ones. There is no finer vampire film than 'Let the right one in', a Swedish film directed by Tomas Alfredson, based on the book (and screenplay) by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

The story is about Oskar, a quiet boy who is bullied at school and Eli, his new neighbour who happens to be a vampire.

It is one of the most beautifully realised adaptations where the essence of the book is transferred to the big screen. I recall reading a quote from the director where he said how it was important to capture the feeling of snow falling, even though it doesn't really make a sound. Don't miss it.

The Evening Ritual

Just as I have my morning routine, I like the ritual of washing the day away each evening. In the cooler months, it goes something like this:

Cleanser: Boots Rose Cold Cream

Toner: Rosewater

Serum: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

Eye Cream: YSL Lisse Expert Advanced

Moisturiser: Olay 3-point treatment cream

Lip balm: Lucas' Papaw ointment

Hand cream: Nivea DNAge

After a spritz of Mitsouko, I'm ready for the nest.

(image source: Getty)

Fatboy's Diner

Ever since seeing 'Sliding Doors' I had wanted to visit Fatboy's Diner.

Located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, it is only a ten minute walk by the Thames from the East India DLR station.

Fatboy's is a true forties-style American diner experience. The building itself was designed in New Jersey and shipped to London.

Food is authentically American, from classic burgers and dogs to malted shakes. The boy described the BBQ sauce on his hillbilly burger as one of the best he'd ever tasted. The fries were perfect and by far the best I have eaten in this fair city.

After eating (more than) our fill, we strolled back by the river, marvelling at a view I'd never seen before, even after living here for almost a decade.

(image source: Halindromes)

Pop Life @ Tate Modern

The Tate Modern's Autumn blockbuster show 'Pop Life: Art in a Material World' spans the breadth of Contemporary Art from sixties Warhol to noughties Murakami. For me the exhibition was volume over content, with many of the works having a rather tenuous link to the values of the true 'pop' sensibility. Yes there were Warhols but apart from the less frequently seen 'gem' series, a collection of random drawings and Interview magazine covers curated in a small corridor space seemed like an afterthought.

The first breath of fresh air came with the recreation of Keith Haring's Pop Shop from his original space on New York's Lower East Side. Featuring prints and photographs (including a great one of Haring painting Grace Jones's naked body with his signature squiggles) the room pulsates with life and energy and embodies the spirit of Pop.

I was also intrigued to see works from Jeff Koons' 'Made in Heaven' series, portraying himself and Ilona Staller, his wife at the time, in a range of sexual poses. Despite its controversial content, the craftsmanship of some of the white marble pieces is sublime.

The final room of the exhibition is dedicated to Murakami. After seeing his retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum last year, I had high expectations. A key theme of the room is a new series of works featuring 'Akihabara Majokko Princess', an Anime-style character embodied by a blue-haired Kirsten Dunst. In a promo video she sings 'Turning Japanese' while dancing around the Akihabara district of Tokyo. As an admirer of Miss Dunst's film choices, personal style and un-Hollywood teeth, it is worth the price of entry to see this alone.

Girls @ Pure Groove

One of the benefits of being a 'lady of leisure' is waking to a day with no firm plans. So today, I went to Pure Groove to see a free lunchtime gig by Girls, a new band from San Francisco who released their debut album last month.

The lyrics are pure 60s California pop; the melodies are gorgeously alt-country and vocals are reminiscent of Elvis Costello. Although there were a couple of false starts, they came together to deliver a loud rocking finale. Smiles all round.