Damn Icelandic Ash and other Assorted Delights

Greetings today from a somewhat puffy-eyed and teary lady (all that retained salt water couldn't be good for beating the bloat anyway). Today, due to a horrid turn of events, UK airspace has shut down. Apparently a volcano erupted in Iceland causing clouds of volcanic ash to float into our skies - does this scream "beginning of the apocolypse" in anyone else's head? Now, apart from the word VOLCANO and ICELAND being somewhat odd sentence buddies to begin with, it has also resulted in all planes being grounded. Damn earth core bastards.

My main problem with this little inconvienience is that I was meant to fly to my old alma mater today for a huge black-tie outdoor ball, complete with A-list acts and lashings of alcohol. It's Europe's biggest private party. And I'm not going to be there.

The best I can do is manage to make it back via train and boat for 6am. By which stage the Ball will just have ended. Thus I have no choice but to knock back a glass of Pinot on the ferry and hope for an afterparty. Sorted.

In other news, Jared Leto popped into the office a little while ago. He just waltzed in one day, had a look round and a wee chat with us. Then proposed marriage.

Well, slight embellishment there but he did ask me if I was working hard, which everyone knows is actually code for some sort of pick-up line. He was looking very moviestar-ish - shades in the pouring rain etc. It was a nice little distraction...

Also, Jameela Jamil arrived in last week to pick out some items and I hate to disappoint ladies, but she really is as hot in the flesh as she is on-screen. And tall too...the most bitter-inducing trait of all. She was wearing a bra top under some short denim dungarees, tights and HUGE platforms. I hate her for it. But I love her too.

Also, party updates - the last few weeks have been a tad hectic what with press days and such so my party posts have been sadly lacking. A few weeks ago I went to the Pop-Up Store launch at Whiteleys in Bayswater. The famous shopping centre played host to a number of cool pop-up stores including FrostFrench (Sadie and the kids were all there, bless), Junkfood and Wildfox. Mini cheeseburgers and spinach parcels were served by 50's style waiters and free tequilla cocktails were on tap. After rocking up the red-carpet my companion and I spotted Kelly Osbourne (avec ever-so-subtle pink-grey hair: LOVE IT) looking, it has to be said, sensational, along with her beau. Some boy band were standing next to us, trying to catch our eye, but unfortunately I wasn't cool enough to either know or care who they were.

Towards the end of the evening, Alice Dellal's band Thrush Metal came on. We had no dea who they were (Alice and co. were dressed up as old men, complete with suit and plastic masks so it was difficult to tell whether they were boy or girls). Despite standing right at the front, I didn't feel a band called "Thrush" anything could ever be my sort of thing so we happily returned to the cocktail bar. A night well spent.

I also attended the launch party of the new restaurant and bar Coquine in Kensington. Right next door to Eclipse, it serves French style food upstairs, while downstairs plays music into the night. The decor is eclectic and unusual, with booths resembling picture frames in the bar, and carpet-lined light fixtures in the restaurant. Jerry Hall and Tyrone Wood (son of Ronnie) were spotted mingling with the crowd, while model-turned-DJ Ben Grimes played the tunes. With some fantastic and downright yummy cocktails accompanied by mini creme brulee pots, I was in heaven. After the party wound up, the faithfuls ended up in Boujis - my idea of wonderful. I don't know what it is about posh boys but I like it. And I like it even more when it's in Kensington - my spirtual home.

Anyway, I'm off to board a train and then a ferry (club class obviously, none of that foot passenger dirt for me)in an attempt to make it back to good ol' Trinners before the weekend is out. Wish me luck...