We Are What We Eat

This week my blog is about the food we eat and being aware of how that food is produced and where it comes from. A healthy body is part of making life grand and what we feed our bodies is of prime importance. We think with our bodies so what goes on in the inside shows on the outside. So feed your body the best primal foods you can and being aware of how that food is produced is part of the process. I met Tracy Worcester at a Christies event last year and we've been friends ever since. She single handedly started 'Pig Business' which investigates the rise of factory pig farming, a system which abuses animals, pollutes the environment, threatens human health through dangerous overuse of antibiotics and wrecks rural communities. Her film now in 21 languages, has had a huge impact across the world by highlighting the utter horrors associated with the modern industrial-scale pig production.

Zac and Ben Goldsmith co-hosted a dinner at Sake no Hana restaurant with Tracy this week on the subject of the film 'Pig Business' to help raise funds so Tracy and her team can go out and make more country-specific versions of the film and distribute. The event was not only successful but fun too with many of Tracy's fans and supporters - from Dominic West to Evgeny Lebedev to the rest of the Goldsmith family, Brian May, etc etc.  We are what we eat so it makes sense to feed your body the best and question where that food comes from.

Talking of good food I was invited to LA Suite West in Inverness Terrace, W2, for lunch on one of those now rare sunny September days. We sat outside on the terrace and the food was fresh, seasonal, simple and delicious - well worth a visit.

I also went to Angharad McAlpine (nee Rees) the actress of Poldark fame, memorial service at St. Pauls Church in Knightsbridge yesterday. The church was packed - I'm not sure how we squeezed in. A wonderful event in celebration of Angharad's life. Her son Rhys had worked for me in his school holidays many years earlier and I'd worked with his late father Christopher Cazenove on the Scottish Widows commercials that I'd produced in the 90's. There were wonderful addresses by Rhys and Julian Fellowes, readings by Edward Fox and family members and Lulu sang the best rendition of 'Smile' I have ever heard!  If we weren't all emotional by that time - we soon were. However the sun shone through the church windows which I'd like to think meant Angharad approved of it all. Amen.

Luck

I mentioned last week that I was going to talk about 'luck'.  I landed on my feet at an early age in my career. Many people have asked me since how did you manage that? I just expected to. I didn't realise at the time that I attracted my own luck by expectation in my thoughts. I knew if I worked hard and found the area I wanted to be in - in my case TV producing - I was in the right place at the right time, but in retrospect I realise that luck, whether good or bad is actually manifested by the way we think. I just naturally thought the best! So expect the best! Talking of best - I went to see the film 'Untouchable' which has just opened in London but has broken box office records around the world. A French comedy based on a true story about the friendship that develops between a wealthy quadriplegic and his unlikely caretaker. I laughed, I cried - its great! Omar Sy as the black Muslin ex-con caretaker is fantastic - watch his dance sequence! I've been playing Earth Wind & Fire on my iPhone ever since. It's a must see. Perfect timing too just as the Paralympics are changing perceptions about disability - impeccable Mr. Weinstein!

I also went to see the documentary Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel at Bafta this week. Researched and produced by her granddaughter-in-law. I have been a fan of DV for as long as I can remember - one of the great doyennes of the fashion industry who demanded the best of life. Courageous, dramatic, determined and funny - well worth seeing.

Don't you think London seems to be rocking at the moment despite the global woes? It really is one of the best cities to live. We really are lucky to have such amazing entrepreneurs and designers who want to live here too. I went to the London Design Festival party at the V&A Museum - what a turn out and in such glorious surroundings. Thank you London!

Fearless

My blog this week I realized was all about being 'fearless'.  I love and applaud people who are prepared to stick their neck out and start their own 'thing' - be it a business, a book, a theatre production, a film or indeed a blog! It requires true courage and strength of character - to dig deep - your 'thing' will reveal bits of who you are whether you like it or not. So I would encourage readers to find a career that is about the essence of who you are - don't fear being your authentic self and find your true passion! That way it won't even feel like work.  I was lucky to have landed on my feet at an early age but that's another story - next weeks blog is about attracting luck! Being involved with the St. James Theatre I like to check out the competition.  I was invited by my friend Olivia to Home House evening at Regents Park Theatre of 'Midsummer Nights Dream' last week. This is indeed a fearless production - a fantastically powerful modern day version of this Shakespeare comedy with chavs and hoodies at the heart of a gypsy community - I loved it!  Original music, fantastic set, great acting. Just as a side - Lady Lucy French was Head of Development at Regents Park Theatre before she became Director of Development at the St. James Theatre.

I also saw Joe Wrights film of 'Anna Karenina' at Bafta on Saturday. Again talking of fearless this is a brave theatrical production that worked for me! I loved it - the surprise is Jude Law playing the rather dull cuckolded husband.

Yet more celebratory parties of the opening of St. James Theatre this week sponsored by Laurent Perrier - good fun was had by all and a fantastic turnout! Can't wait for the September 18th when we open with Anthony Andrews in Bully Boy written by the wonderful Sandi Toksvig...........

Life is an Epic Production

I started 'Life is an epic production....." because one of the biggest buzzes I got from producing and running my own production company was finding and developing talent - be it a director, producer or acting talent. I have also mentored many friends children over the years who have worked for me in their school holidays. It's wonderful to see people grow and embrace their success. It's my way of giving back too......to all those people who helped me along the way when I first started. Talking of talent - we had one of our first parties at St. James Theatre this week on 5th September and Camilla Kerslake sang for all our guests from this fabulous Italian marble staircase and then down in the studio. She is the girl who Gary Barlow first signed to his new label 'Future Records' in 2009. She has since performed as Cosette in Les Miserables. What a voice - what a talent!

The staircase in the foyer from where Camilla sang is a sculptured staircase designed by international award winning artist and designer, Mark Humphrey. Crafted in Pietra Santa, by Pocelli Marmi, where Michelangelo carved David. The work of the staircase celebrates the best of British design alongside Italian craftsmanship! It's beautiful!.

The party was pretty good too - a fantastic turnout of people from Lord Archer to Tracy Worcester to His Excellency Khaled Al-Duwaisan Kuwaiti Ambassador to London etc. Thank you for a wonderful evening team!