Saw three big things this week. ‘Aspects of Love’ at the theatre with my mum and sister, and the two blockbusters that are breaking records at the cinema, Barbie and Oppenheimer.
Absolutely loved Ryan Gosling in Barbie. Found it very entertaining and superbly tongue in cheek, loved what they did with the juxtaposition between real world and Barbie world, and Ryan Gosling. (And have a look at the Barbie ‘funny’ below, done by our QVC presenters!! Genius!!) Margot Robbie was excellent. And did I mention Ryan Gosling? LOL.
Then Oppenheimer literally blew me away…
But first, Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre in London with mum and sister. We booked it in January: it’s always been on my radar, as it’s an Andrew Lloyd Webber, and I liked the famous song, Love Changes Everything, and of course, Michael Ball. So sister, mum and I toddled along on Wednesday for a mummy and daughters outing. Dress circle, very nice thank you.
I have to say Michael Ball was fabulous. If you’re a Michael Ball fan, it’s worth seeing it for him. If you’ve never seen it before and you love Andrew Lloyd Webber, it’s worth going. If you love something that’s one step away from opera (even if you can’t always understand what the women are singing) you will enjoy it. But… I was very disappointed in the younger leading man playing love interest ‘Alex’ – bit too gawky and not enough chemistry with the leading lady. Some others were good as well, it looked nice & it was pretty entertaining.
But the plot is a bit silly and very dated, imo. There wasn’t enough done with the direction to merit some of the about-turns in the plot, and I had to admit, this is a big one… it’s one step away from parody. If the director of ‘come from away’ could get hold of it and give it a bit of an update, it would probably make it more relevant again. But apart from that, Andrew Lloyd Webber, revamp it for the 2020s!
Having said that, lots of other people almost certainly disagree with me and love it, but that’s just my opinion. Would I recommend it? Not with that Alex guy in, no. If there was a hunky, chemistry-inspiring alternative at some stage, maybe. But Michael Ball fans, knock yourself out! Meanwhile, I’ll go and see Ryan Gosling again…
Mummy and sister and I had a nice catch up in any case, and I drove because mum’s knee is still a bit dodgy, so we had 3 1/2 hours in the car to have a good banter as well (average 8 mph!!!) Included going past some landmarks that had significance, like Battersea Dogs Home near the site of the old QVC! Always nice spending time with my family.
Next week I’m going to see the one with Mark Rylance in it, with my pal Sara, at the theatre. Can’t wait!
SNIPPETS
Wuthering Wales
Also had a lovely time down in Wales, with lollipop and the kids, and went to see the Kate Bush tribute band, Cloudbusting, at Cardigan Castle last weekend. Had some wonderful cuddles and fun times with Jasper aged one and 1/2 and Phoebe aged nearly 5, supper with my girl, (local fish and chip shop, Yum!) and sang my heart out to songs from back in the day – by my favourite female artist when I was 16. More about this on this week’s newsletter, including a little clip of us all singing my favourite song from The Kick Inside album. (Make sure you subscribe and get the update sent to you every week, by pressing the newsletter button at the bottom of this page – and you will get the email on Fridays, with exclusive content and the link for the latest blog!)
Kids books heaven!
I also had (ahem) a few more children’s books delivered. Read them to Phoebe, seven in a row actually, she is very focused :-). Jasper tried to join in as well, bless him, but lost interest after a while. I’m buying quite a few of these books not just for the children but also for me. Actually it’s for my kids book workshop down at Retreats for You in Devon, in October, when I have a tutor coming to teach the guests how to create and to publish their own children’s picture books across the four day residential workshop! I hope I will be able to produce my ‘buzzy bee song’ in book format by the end of it!
Jasper had his own little reading session with me late one night. Lauren had gone to sleep after the concert, and suddenly above me (I was on a mattress in the lounge), came a desultory little cry from his bedroom, that didn’t stop, and I took him some milk up thinking it might help him stay asleep longer if he was hungry. But lo and behold, he needed a nappy change! After which he didn’t settle, and haven’t gone back downstairs again, I heard him shouting, “mummum, dad dad, Nan Nan!” Awwww! So I wrapped him up in a blanket, sat him on my knee, and read him stories. Took me back, I can tell you! Three books later, by the torchlight on my phone, and he pointed to his cot, love his little heart. Laid him in, sang two songs and he was off. So sweet. So damned sweet, these grandchildren!
Funny!
Considering how in-depth my film section is this week I thought I’d include this funny! Pearl & Dean… lol! (Anyone who doesn’t get it, ask your mum!) #cinemaAdsBackintheDay ! And there’s another funny below too, from some of the female presenters at QVC! Be sure and click the link 🙂
Watch – Barbie the new movie at the cinema. Well, I went in knowing I needed to see it but not sure whether it would be up to scratch for the sort of films I usually like, and I passed hen-night-type groups all dressed in pink taking pictures of each other under the posters, on the way in 🙂
But I absolutely loved it. Would I see it again? With Ryan Gosling’s performance? Absolutely! And Margot Robbie was genius as well. Will Ferrell was his usual over-the-top self. But adding a layer of pathos was America Ferreira (of ugly Betty Fame) who was also excellent.
And the thing is, the cinema was absolutely jampacked full. Yes, if I had kids that age I would definitely be looking at which Barbie to go and buy next, and I loved the bits of Mattel history and the retired Barbie characters thrown in. Weird Barbie made me smile and she was also an excellent actress. But it was the storyline that really made it such a success. I won’t giveaway the plot, but the juxtaposition between the real world and Barbie world, (especially with what’s going on at the moment in, er, the real world, with the battle of the supremacy between the sexes), was just outstanding and clever.
And then there is Ryan Gosling… 8.75 from me. Highly watchable, very clever, great concept. It read like it should be a kids film, if you saw it on paper. But it’s so so much more than that.
Next… Oppenheimer!
I was tempted to wait until next week to tell you about Oppenheimer, but I can’t! Suffice it to say, it was absolutely splendid. Blew me away in more ways than one, and I will definitely watch it again. Take a cushion as you might have a sore bum if you can’t sit for more than three hours! 9 out of 10 because I loved the quantum physics part of it as well 🙂 – such an amazing era of discovery. But the way Christopher Nolan interweaves the narrative of betrayal in postwar McCarthy era America, was just brilliant. The performances are outstanding especially Cillian Murphy (of Peaky Blinders fame), and Emily Blunt. Highly recommended. In fact both films are!
Blooper – Hi Barbie!! QVC style! Lol x (See it here).
Go here to get the latest Inside QVC podcast from Will, and the current one if you haven’t listened yet :-). Don’t forget there’s a massive back list to catch up on, too!
This week’s podcast, out Monday 31st, is Anouska Lancaster, a lovely episode, talking about her big break designing in London’s Soho, her early work as an artist and the journey of renovating her forever home.
Vlog – this week #Thursdaybantz, it was a long one with lots to update you on! (This is my regular Facebook live every Thursday night on my Facebook page!) See it here.
Book of the Week – Well, I’m still reading ‘Bad Men’ by Julie Mae Cohen (my mentor as well as an award-winning, brilliant author) but I have purchased ‘The List’, by a lady who has been to my retreat and is fabulous: Yomi Adegoke’s second novel is already a Sunday Times bestseller, it’s selling that fast! Following the tale of a social media savvy couple about to get wed, when the guy turns up on the infamous “list”, of cheaters… What would you do? Looking forward to reading this on audiobook!
QVC TOP DEALS FOR THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS
Friday (today) – go to qvcuk.com and search ‘today’s special value’ to see and buy what’s left of the exceptional UK Brow, bro enhancement today’s special value in a duo! And it really works as well. Take advantage of the full moneyback guarantee to prove it 🙂
Saturday – Friday 9 pm I’m launching a new VAX deal, on a carpet washer. Imagine how many carpets you could clean in your 60-day trial? Don’t miss it.
Sunday – Elemis time! Already online if you search Elemis on our website. It’s the procollagen combination with a brand-new product I’m very excited about. Beautiful serum that goes on easily and helps to smooth and refine! Alison Young is launching and I’ve got the midnight Saturday, and the final Elemis show on Sunday night, if stocks last.
Big deals ending Sunday night
Go to this section of our website each week to discover the current ones which often end on Sunday nights if there are any stocks left!
Big deals are available on air for usually a week, they may be longer online if stocks last. Occasionally they last a couple of weeks but there are new ones every Sunday night so come back again and see them on the link above.
Next week should include:
– style – Helene Berman cotton frill sleeve dress
– extra – Lock n Lock set of two dual-opening insulated water bottles with carry strap
– beauty – Ultrasun 3pc face n body supersize
– main – Pacific accents starburst light show
Now back to the today’s special values for the rest of the week –
Monday – it’s tech time with the Amazon Fire 10-inch tablet with 64 gig of storage!
Tuesday – Percy and Reed London florals six-piece volume collection
Wednesday – Protocol return this time with 3X 120 collagen capsules and a 50 mil collagen gel bundle
Thursday – it’s a three-piece luggage set from rock ‘tulum’
Friday – it’s a mahussive size of the famous Prai throat and decolletage cream, accompanied by three little extras
Friday 9 pm – the Ruth Langsford for suede blazer! And look out for the Dyson supersonic hairdryer offer on Sunday, possibly going on sale earlier in the week.
Next week – more theatre; great news from my local councillor mate Becca Paul, who I’m seeing on saturday; catching up with my school friends; and the countdown is on till I go back to the health retreat in Somerset for five days, early August! Can’t wait 🙂
Best wishes
Debs
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