Fashion uncovered?

I'm one of the speakers talking at the Tabernacle tomorrow evening, as part of the Five by Fifteen series. The brief is admirable: "true stories of passion, obsession and adventure recounted live with just two rules: no scripts and only fifteen minutes each." Nerve-racking -- but clearly a good challenge -- as is the prospect of tomorrow morning on Woman's Hour. I'm thinking about corsets and Coco Chanel, beauty and horror, Galliano and McQueen; about what we uncover and how we cover up...

Swishing and sloshing, baking and scoffing...

I'm feeling slightly distracted today -- trying to do my accounts, which always reminds me that I am numerically illiterate, as well as being phobic about HMRC -- at the same time as attempting to gather my thoughts before tomorrow's event at the V&A. There's a morning of swishing (clothes swapping), which sounds fun, and then at 2pm I'm chairing a panel discussion about fashion styling and its effect on women in the public eye, and taking part in another on body image and the fashion industry. And it's all free, if anyone wants to come (please do...)
Meanwhile, I've been baking and eating lots of cakes this week -- nothing like an upcoming discussion of body image to make me feel hungry. The heart-shaped chocolate ones were made by me (magic ingredient: marmalade), and the more professional and totally gorgeous iced cakes are from Laduree (they taste of rose petals, fresh raspberries and lemon meringue).
As for the new wellington boots sitting at my kitchen table: I wanted to share them with you, as they are gladdening my heart... my old pair had to be retired, as they developed a leak, but these are ready for action. Apart from anything else, I need to walk off all the cakes I've consumed (including the delicious batch from the lovely Love Bakery in the King's Road, which we ate before I could photograph them). But in honour of the V&A, and the start of London Fashion Week, I had to post one of my favourite pictures again, of the exceedingly chic Love Bakery Coco cupcakes...

Heaven scent...

The blackbird is singing again this morning in the magnolia tree, and suddenly the garden is filled with buds and the smell of growing things. I love these early, fragile days of spring...

Tuesday, sunrise

Up early to finish a piece of journalism, and the dawn sky is clear. Winter blossom in my neighbour's garden is a burst of pink, and a blackbird is singing into the light...
Memo to self: must clean the windows in my study. Oh, and here's an introduction to a very cheering blog: a little bird; definitely recommended (and do have a look at the recipe for the blood-orange jelly).

The unfurling city...

My picture was taken from the top of a high tower yesterday -- such a hopeful blue sky soaring over London that I couldn't quote The Waste Land ('Unreal City, Under the brown fog of a winter dawn...') So here is Wordsworth instead, from 'Upon Westminster Bridge'.

Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth like a garment wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare...