Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day

Madame Tussauds London museum dressed up the British royal family wax figures in ugly holiday sweaters in  honor of the “Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day,” which will take place on December 16 ….it’s a campaign that asks people to wear their favorite silly or ugly sweaters in exchange for donating to the nonprofit Save the Children.

I must admit that I don’t mind Prince Philip’s sweater…. compared to what the rest of the family ended up with, his isn’t bad at all lol!!!

Here’s the link for more info about Christmas Jumper day

The Crown

Anyone who knows me knows that I love costume dramas…  So it comes as no surprise that I have been waiting for The New Netflix production to be released!…..Other than “Games of Throne” “Downton Abbey” has been my favorite TV costume dramas until now….  “The Crown” to me is just another level of entertainment! It’s my new addiction!

  “Downton Abbey” was/is fun to watch but it is fiction, whereas “The Crown” is based on fact, with a far weightier dose of history and politics, including issues of constitutional duty and complex political issues. Writer Peter Morgan and the director Stephen Daldry — have succeeded in balancing the seriousness of intent against popular appeal, and for Netflix, which I think has already attracted a huge international audience!

This is not the 1st time that Mr. Morgan, the creator of the show, has written about the Queen…. He actually has extensive experience writing about her. His 2006 film “The Queen,” won several Academy Award nominations and the best actress award went to Helen Mirren as the monarch, facing public reaction to the death of Princess Diana. Then in 2013 came his successful play, “The Audience,” also starring Helen Mirren and directed by Mr. Daldry, which swoops through some 60 years of the weekly meetings between Queen Elizabeth and her prime ministers. And actually this experience of writing “The Audience” gave him the idea for “The Crown.”

Part of the pleasures of watching “The Crown” is its ability to offer glimpses of life at Buckingham Palace and other royal residences (The furniture! The objects! The clothes! The jewels!). But it also offers a history lesson in world events, politics and the social manners and mores of postwar British society, seen through the prism of Elizabeth’s reign.

For example, I was really surprised by the relationship between Winston Churchill and the young queen! I never thought the either one of them struggled in this relationship! Never thought that either one of them ever doubted themselves… until now!

I don’t want to say more and spoil it for those of you who haven’t watched it yet… but here are a few reviews I read about the series … Both +ve and -ve:

• The New York Times says it is “just an orgy of sumptuous scenes and rich performances” in its Review: Netflix Does Queen Elizabeth II in ‘The Crown,’ No Expense Spared.
• Vanity Fair’s review, The Crown Is Netflix’s Most Expensive Series to Date, and Worth It, says “A grand saga about the British royals begins with a sumptuous look at midcentury monarchy.”
• USA Today gives The Crown 3-1/2 out of 4 stars in its piece titled Review: ‘The Crown’ is sumptuous miniseries with the stellar cast!
• From the Maclean’s review by Patricia Treble, ‘The Crown’ on Netflix is riveting. And not completely true. “Unlike many so-called documentaries that are little more than rehashed tittle-tattle and gossip, The Crown’s fact-heavy fiction puts dramatic meat on much more substantial and accurate bones.“

Royal Ascot 2012

The Royal Ascot 2012 was full of Mad Hatters and Elegant Hatters alike!… Choosing my Top 10 hats this year was a bit trickier than last year because there were much more options this year (even though there were new dress code regulations!!!)

The first three options were the easiest for me because I simply fell in love with them!!!

1. Lara Stone wore the perfect hat!!… it had just the right amount of craziness!!!

2. Princess Haya’s hat wasn’t as busy as Lara’s hat but it was still fun, modern, and chic.

3. Sophie, Countess of Wessex wore a beautiful hat by Jane Taylor… loved the lace!

4. I loved the shape and colour of The Queen’s hat on her. It almost looked like a twisted top hat and really made her look cheerful!!!

5.6.7. This fashionista wore Piers Atkinson’s Hyper Cherry Head Band that Anna Dello Russo made famous!!!

8. I am counting these 2 hats as one because they go together!!! One had champagne glasses and the other had the bottle!

9. Dutch designer Larisa Katz’s wore a crazzzy umbrella hat!!! I don’t envy the person who sat behind her lol !!!

10. And now that all the other events are over in London we can get ready for the Olympics 😉

Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend!!!

Queen Elizabeth’s impressive collection of diamonds have always fascinated me…. and I am so excited that an exclusive exhibition will be held this summer showcasing her entire collection to the public to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.

 will be part of the 2012 Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace from 30 June to 7 October.

The event will include an unprecedented display of a number of the Queen’s personal jewels that have been either inherited or acquired during her reign. It will also reveal how many of these extraordinary stones have undergone a number of transformations, have been re-cut or incorporated into new settings during their fascinating history and will also feature the many ways in which her diamonds have been used by British monarchs over the last 200 years….

This is my very favorite set from the royal collection

Aren’t they just fabulous? If you are in London during this time make sure you go and have a look!!!

Via National Post

Royal Ascot 2011

The Royal Ascot is one of the world’s most famous equestrian events, and is marked in every British social calendar. The press coverage of what people are wearing or should I say what hats people are wearing surprisingly exceeds the coverage of the race itself. As usual this year there was a lot of press coverage of those mad hatters, and it came as no surprise that a lot of people just went over the top with their hats ! … I must say though, its always fun to see how creative people can get in expressing themselves through hats…..

Here are my top 10 Hats from the Royal Ascot 2011:

1. From all the mad hats that I saw this one was my favorite ( worn by Belinda Strudwick ). It was crazy and classy at the same time ! ….

The hat from a different angle ( because I love it so much and would have worn it myself -though my husband says that it looks like a vegetable dish !  lol )

2 & 3. HM Queen Elizabeth II.                                                                                                             The hats were fun enough for the Ascot but sober enough for the Queen!

4. HRH Princess Beatrice of York.                                                                                            I love the fact that she always finds away to stand out of the crowed. And what better        way to stand out of the crowd in Royal Ascot? ….Why, its to wear a plain hat ofcourse !      Although it was plain, her fashion statement wasn’t !!!!! ….. and it looked really nice on her.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.   Isabell Kristensen reminded me of Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle
in My Fair Lady.

10.