Pan Am

Definitely worth staying in for on a Saturday night. Have you been watching?

I love this show! It certainly fills the gap which has been left by Mad Men's current hiatus. I love all of the characters, there isn't a dud among them, and the costumes and make-up are beautiful and make for great inspiration.
Highly recommended viewing.

(All images via Pan American tumblr.)

Call The Midwife

Did you see the 1950s set period drama all about midwives in London's east end last night?

Blimey, it was good - I also loved the first episode, but Miranda Hart playing 'Chummy' took the show to new and amusing heights (quite literally.) In many ways, the show reaffirms my notions of a rather romantic view of an austere life.

I love the scenes of children playing in cobbled streets, whilst a huge ship looms over the houses from the dock. Of course the deeper issues (the disease and desperation of poverty) reign in my romantic notions, that is of course until everyone is sitting around a table with a cup of tea. One of things I love about these period tales in working class settings is how the characters really just deal with life, and get on with it and most of the time do so whilst having a relatively jolly time. It seems that living in slums in terrible conditions is the least of their worries, they did after all recently survive both the blitz and the depression..

In the first episode there was an amazing scene where a fog hit the area and at night it was literally pitch black, it's hard to imagine just how scary that would be, especially whilst riding a bike with the urgent matter of a birth to attend to.

Curl up with iplayer tonight if you haven't see it! And, if you have let me know!! I may even re-watch it, it's THAT good!

Some Cool Stuff Happening this Year...

Television -

The return of Upstairs Downstairs (around the start of the year.) Did you see last years Christmas episodes? They were awesome, pure escapism gold, and livelier than Downton.


We'll Take Manhattan.. (mid-Jan) tells the tale of the love affair between Jean Shrimpton and David Bailey. It's set in New York, in 1962. A-W-E-S-O-M-E.
As if you need more convincing to tune in, this is what the BBC press office says: 'the drama brings to life the story of two young people falling in love, misbehaving, and inadvertently defining the style of the Sixties along the way.'


(check out the legendary photo shoot here)

Exhibitions:

Yayoi Kusama at Tate Modern. (opens 9 Feb) I can't wait for this. This woman influenced Andy Warhol and Donald Judd; she makes giant installations out of polka dots and her work is incredibly varied. From her psychedelic paintings, to her polka dot splattered photos; to immersive installations. And the subject matter; just as varied - women as sex objects, men as sex objects, her sexuality, your sexuality, the east the west. She's 90 and still makes art work - she's a powerful force; really sticking it to the male dominated western art world. It's going to be dazzling. MUST SEE!

The Daddy of contemporary art, Damien Hirst, will also be exhibiting in a pivotal show at Tate Modern this summer. Love him or loathe him, you'll be kicking yourself if you miss the skull ('For the Love of God') in the Turbine Hall.

The V&A has two exhibitions lined up this year and both have a distinctly British feel and both look super cool.

This first, British Design 1948 - 2012 looks spectacular. This is an all-encompassing show which celebrates and reflects the exciting creativity and innovation to be found in Britain over the past century or so.. this is gunna be filled with lots of iconic stuff that will probably make you say, "yeah, being British is pretty damn cool."

And the second... Ballgowns, British Glamour since 1950s. I think this shall be the year that I strive to take in as much glamour as I can.. this looks set to be fabulous escapism. Race you there, ladies!