A Fairy Tale In New York: part 1

For my Amy...

It all began in Earnest.

It'd been a tricky year, 2009, what with heartbreaks and promises and all that jazz, I'd taken my eye off the ball for a while and I'd lost my mojo.

Things weren't going my way (which was particularly hard for me because things always go my way, I'm a grafter after all.)

A change is as good as a rest they say, and you should never rest on your laurels, and so, I decided... 'It's time for me to leave Bristol!'... for a while at least, to see if I can find what I've lost.

The obvious choice was London Town, I have contacts and friends alike in that there capital city and visit a lot with work and play, the problem is... I'm always glad to leave.

Bath? Cheltenham? the advantages are that people have heard of me in the South West, I've had some good press, done big shows in Bath and already have customers in both cities, the disadvantage is...I'm always glad to leave.

So I decided to think in a different direction, where in the world am I always sad to leave.

Brighton. Berlin. New York.

I don't speak German and much as I love Berlin I'm ashamed to say I have little knowledge of German culture.

Brighton. New York.

I'd be a small fish in either of these ponds but in one of these city's I'd stand out more, in Brighton I'm the girl in the great dress but in New York I'm the British girl in the great dress...SOLD! to the lady in the great dress!

New York.

I'm going to move to New York.

So... I hopped on a plane...to Spain, (I know what you're thinking, give me some credit, my geography's not that bad!!)

I went to see my friend Dolly, a glamorous, beautiful BA air stewardess who lives in her fabulous villa 'Casa Dolly' in Alcalali.

I'd been working very hard on the run up to a big fashion show, (stupid hours an d plenty of stress,) I needed a break to clear my head and gather my thoughts.

I had a wonderful time reading and partying and talking and hugging.

Dolly is one of those people who always makes you smile. A true hostess with the mostess in every sense.

We talked about America, and boys, and Edward Cullen, and broken hearts and dreams and aspirations and shoes and we dressed up in sequins and drank fizzy wine and ate artichoke hearts and she inspired me and encouraged me and sent me on my way.

So..I hopped on a plane...to London.

I wasn't ready to come back to Bristol yet, I still felt sore, a little let down by my home town, I work really hard why wasn't I getting anything back any more? why did that fashion show not sell out? why did I not get a buzz like I used to?

I flew into Gatwick and bought two bottles of Tattinger at the duty free.

Then...I jumped on the Gatwick express... to Victoria.

It was midnight. I called Stuart, 'I'm in London and I have Champagne!' I said

'Come right over sweetheart,' he said 'what time do you call this?'

Stuart and I were lovers once, he used to read me books in bed, clever books that mostly I didn't understand, but I loved them all the same.

I got to Islington around 1.30am, we drank Champagne and talked about America and girls and books and a strip club he'd been to in San Fransisco and the next day we went to see Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Theatre Royal and we kissed, I think, and he inspired me and sent me on my way.

So...I jumped on a tube... to Clapham.

I went to see my friend Lee, lovely, lovely Lee, who tidied his house up just for me (though I'll never know why) and we talked about work and when he lived in New York and how we loved it there and how much it felt like home, and he had Jack Daniel's and I had lager and we drank on his balcony for a while.

Then we got dressed up and I wore red shoes and blue sequins and antique earrings and we danced all night and drank tequila with drag queens with pink hair and sang along to Kylie...and the next day we had roast chicken and he inspired me and encouraged me and sent emails on my behalf and advised me and sent me on my way.

So...I jumped on a tube... to Oxford Street.

I went to see my friend Davy, and we talked about our travels and photographs and Dublin and Stuart joined us briefly and did yoga in the pub and then we took a cab to Crouchend, the next day we had Mexican for breakfast and went to a bar with a Union Jack sofa where me met a man, (who claimed to be, the manager of Arsenal) who asked me for my phone number... and when he had gone we laughed and we drank lager all afternoon and I kissed him then and he inspired me and advised me and the next day he drove me back to Clapham on his motorbike and we stopped at tower bridge on the way, just to look at it.

So...I collected my suitcase and jumped on a tube... to Paddington.

I drank coffee and ate sushi and made notes and then it was time to go.

So...I jumped on a train... to Bristol.

I went back to work and I was busy then so I asked Bod to come in and help me sew and I loved not being on my own in the work shop and I loved Bod being there, ray of sunshine that she is, and while we sewed we talked, about America and her travels and our dreams and possibilities and inspiration and different cultures and books and Jessica Mitford and we did research and phoned the American Embassy and looked at flights and we got excited and I felt a buzz that I hadn't felt in over a year.

So...I hopped on a plane...to NEW YORK!

To Be Continued...