SPOTTED: celebrity

Today i had the excitement of seeing famously known for her Page 3 work, model Nicola T.

Nicola went by in Bentalls shopping centre, vastly incognito and she was accompanied by her footballer boyfriend/husband Simon Walton and her baby daughter named Poppy who was soooo sweet in some wicked leopard print leggings which Nicola told me were, " well old."

Famous for revealing her body and for dating a string of footballers, Nicola was invited to be on show 'Wags boutique' in 2007 where two rival shops run by wags competed to raise the most money for charity Great Olmond Street.

Nicola came across as very sweet and a great mummy to her young daughter, following her across the shop floor as she toddled around. One thing me and my co- workers noticed was that Nicola appeared very skinny, quite worringly actually. She also looked quite tired and was very quick to pick up her items and purchase. I hope she was ok and just having an under- the- weather day.

She was in my shop REISS and purcased a pink sequinned top as seen below.

£40 in sale

SPOTTED: celebrity

Get to know this face, as Camilla Kerslake, 22, has just arrived at the end of this year and 2010 is looking to be just as exciting as this one.

It would appear that Camilla was scarily determined to make it as an opera singer. Her fairytale story began when she started leaving demo's at the West London recording studio in which the Take That boy's were recording. She made a punishing 4 hour trip every day for 6 weeks, leaving Gary Barlow a staggering 40 Cd's in total.

Camilla is now the first signing of new label FUTURE RECORDS and Mr Barlow is hailing her as the new Katherine Jenkins and Charlotte Church. tough and talented girls to be compared to, but what does Camilla make of her impending fame?

"I'm going to be a boring celebrity," she says, "I don't sleep around and I don't fall out of nightclubs." She should remember she's only 22 afterall, so the falling out of nightclubs could be forgiven.

It was from a young age she knew she wanted to be an opera singer, she said that whilst school friends were listening to Missy Elliot, she was enjoying the sounds of Puccini. She was very determined a school friend of hers told me.

Georgie Easter, ex- pupil of Laines Performing School explained, "She always wanted to make it big and said that one day she would, she's proven any doubters wrong."

With his protege

I spotted Camilla shopping with what looked like her mum in Kingston Upon Thames's Bentall Centre, where she was hurriedly trying on hats and scarfs after Britain's rush of coldness and snow.

Christmas shopping in Bentalls

Steal her style: Camilla was seen wearing this cute panda jumper from Topshop.

PANDA JUMPER £48

She came into my shop and tried on a black sequin hat from Reiss

REISS HAT £39

And she completed the look with some comfy black leggings and Uggs.

NESSA MEETS X-FACTOR CONTESTANT

It was just the other week, the week before the X-factor's semi- final and from thousands of auditionees, only three remained: Stacey, Danyl, Olly and Joe.

The performances that night were strong but somebody had to go and the dramatic voice announced the singer with the least votes was DANYL JOHNSON.... Noooooooo!!!

From his first audition I was amazed, his confidence in the way that he performed blew me away, so I knew that I wanted to see his perform live when he came to McClusky's in Kingston.

McClusky's club had X- factor rejects perform at the club the Saturday after getting the boot and thank goodness the last week had the lovely Mr Johnson.

With 15minutes until Danyl was due on stage, I made my way to the front of the stage (nowhere near the centre of the stage where i believed he would perform most to) but i stayed there regardless and was mesmorized with each lift of the velvet curtain revealing a cute as a button Danyl.

Then that same booming voice announced "DANLY JOHNSON," as a screen raised up showing the singer. I will admit i was a tad tipsy so don't remember the songs he sung apart from 'Little help from my friends.' But I do remember that he was amazing, putting all his enthusiasism into the songs.

Imagine my shock when Danyl puts out his hand for me to hold and sings his lyrics to me. In my drunkeness I told him "No danyl, what are you doing, OMG OMG," and more gibberish like that but i loved it, it was just the shock and shyness in me.

Me with hand around him, lol.

Before he finished singing to me he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight. I was LOVING it!!! Such a great moment that it was captured by the clubs photographer and the amazingly funny pics were placed in my local newspapers THE SURREY COMET and THE GUARDIAN.

After Danyl finished I had to thank him for singing to me and congratulate him on getting so far and being himself when he was slagged off for being cocky. Instead of me being a kiss ass, he thanked me for coming to see him and was just so kind and grateful.

I am sooo pleased i got to meet him and share such a wicked moment with him. I can see big things for him in 2010.

Good luck Danyl Johson... and heres hoping to see you when you again when you come to perform at the club soon. :)

THIS IS REAL... THIS IS ME (*im exactly where i'm supposed to be*)

Have a look at some pictures below they relate to my blog in there own ways, evidence of me hating myself and what i looked like but mainly being happy as I've had a happy year.

A larger than life Vanessa Me and Alison

Me in Athens

Me and sister Sara

Me, Yaisa and Kelly

Me, Soraya, Amy and Yaisa

Me and Sophie

Me and Yaisa

Why hello fellow bloggers!

Today's blog is just going to be a rambling about myself really, things that i've learnt over a very quick year that is 2009.

12 months ago I had no idea how my year would turn out, I'm a big dreamer, majorly ambitious but things that I've achieved this year, I could never had expected and bad things that have happened to me over the year, I've handled better than I would ever have in previous years.

As you know I finished my university course and that in itself is a real truimph, regardless of my grade (I got a 2:2 which i'm very proud of.) Four years ago I would have told you I won't be going to university and now here I am, the only university graduate in my family and really praying that I get a job within the media. Will 2010 bring my ultimate dreams to life... perhaps!

Something to start 2010 with a bang could be the fact that very probably I could be working at a local radio station (voluntary but still awesome!) If all pans out I could be their traffic reporter for the surrey area, cool or what?

I think I have 'The Secret' to thank for such an amazing year. I've mentioned the book in my earlier posts but the book basically tells you to think and live how you want life to be. You are the only person stopping yourself from achieving your dreams, and because of this I've become a happier and more positive person.

I'm much more confident with the opposite sex, get alot more attention and altough i didn't bag my man this year, there's always 2010. I haven't been surrounded by the best relationships and i truly think that's affected me. I spoke to a dj last nightwho said that girls who have a black dad and white mum, tend to look for qualities in their black dad and vice versa if her dad is white. I totally disagree! I love my father whole heartedly but would rather date a white man, although my dads characteristics are something I'd love in my future boyfriend.

I've been more daring this year and had the most fun. I've been to two festivals (isle of wight and Lovebox), been on 3 holidays (Ayia Napa, Barcalona and Greece), been to gigs (PussyCatDolls, VV Brown, Goldie Lookin Chain) mingled and met many new people, visited clubs that I've been meaning to go (Maya, Amika, W) had a TV experience (can't discuss that in too much detail), been creative (loving my song writing more than ever and started writing comedy sketches again.)

But with the good, come the bad and wow have a had a few shocks that left me devastated. Something I thought would never happen to me happened and I felt stupid but i rectified the situation quickly and maturely and the situation passed like wind. With your mistakes and problems you learn how string you are and when i was a teenager tiny things would make me feel like i had the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Friends would be suprised that i'm anything but confident and happy but when I was 13 to 15 i would get depressed at the top of a hat and honestly i'd think life wasn't worth living! Don't worry dudes though, my emotional breakdowns never saw me do anything silly. These days I can see how the book decribes how to make your life better. Don't just sit and wallow in self pity, get out there and do something about it. Think happy thought. I you're feeling low, list a few things thats make you smile.

Mine include:

• being lucky enough to appear on television (makes me feel special to have been picked out of thousands)



• my neice (she is the coolest person and i consider her one of my best mates, sad that she's only 4 but she acts about 8). she's funny, happy, always singing and dancing and like the little sister i never had.



• Seeing Pussycatdolls & Lady Gaga in concert ( they are my inspirations for attitude and figure wise, lol)
  

Life is for living, and i choose my destiny. Instead of thinking the world is out to get you, show them your special and important. I love how the book makes me think.

Instead of thinking I can't find a job and going on the dole, I refused to go there and told myself i will find a job. Next day after handing out my CV i hear from one of the vacancies invititing me for a trial. No wishing about it, I WILL GET THAT JOB.

I also have more self image confidence. I used to think I was fat, ugly, people looked at me only because they were disgusted and if they whispered they were bitching about me. Well that took a long time to crack but I'm back on weightwatchers because i know i feel happier and more confident when I'm slimmer. I'm wearing tighter clothes and am recieving compliments that help me every day.

So thats me, warts and all!! Look out for more update. x x x

FASHION WEEK FOOLERY!!!

It wouldn't be London Fashion Week without a bit of controversy, back- stabbing and bitching and with a subject that is always at the end of the fashion elites lips, it didn't take long.

For me the Skinny Vs Curvy debate is becoming tiresome, it's something we all have an opinion on but i'm bored because all the protest of designers' using plumper models, seems to lie on deaf ears.

Gok Wan has campaigned tediously with his 'Miss Naked Beauty' show on Channel 4, Louise Rednapp challenged herself to lose riduclous amounts of weight for 'The truth about size zero,' and Natalie Cassidy has been open and honest about her obsession with losing weight, saying ''If I had a big meal in the evening or something I would take laxatives before going to bed. Which is very dangerous and wrong. I'm happier now.'

I think that some people in the fashion industry just aren't open to the effects that these dangerously skinny models are having on young girls. Aswell as it affecting our teenagers, it must be terribly hard on the models themselves as we've heard the stories of models starving themselves to become more successful; with this leading to deaths in the worst cases.

I'm pro- curves on the catwalk but I have to be honest and admit that the plus sizes models used in MARK FAST's 2009 collection made me look twice. They are afterall, very beautiful women but at risk of sounding nasty, i can spot their slight love handles ( as i suffer the same thing.) If you compare them to the other two slimmer models, you're going to compare aren't you? The skinnier models have cleaner sillouettes, but to me, the two skinnier models are borderline skinny, they don't look unhealthy, just very slim.

I commend MARK FAST on using plus size models and i blame the people using models with BMI's of under 18.5 for making myself and other's overly critical of our own body.

The gorgeous model- Crystal Renn, has embraced being a larger model (size 16) and explains that she "represents natural, happy women."

As MIKA would sing... BIG GIRLS YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!

lots of love, THE DIVA. x x x

FREE YOUR MIND, DON'T BE SO SHALLOW

I have never felt so creative in all of my life! As students across England are beginning university, i'm left with not much to do. A student no longer, i have only a few days of work to keep me occupied, so my mind is running away with the world.

I was studying Creative Writing & Journalism, so it seems only normal that I'm a creative person, my fingers just itching to write.. and write I will.




I have a few writing passions: I love writing songs and I love thinking up comedy sketches. I'm going to put these passions to the test and really get into it.


I took inspiration from sketches like 'TRIGGER HAPPY TV,' 'PEEPSHOW,' 'SMACK THE PONY,' and 'LITTLE BRITAIN.' If you've seen these shows, you'll see the humour i'm working with... immature, crude, silly and bizairre.

When it comes to writing songs, I have been since i was about 8 years old and doing a writing popular music course at uni has only relighted my desire to write songs. Fingers crossed my sisters bf's brother is producing some songs as i type.


This post is basically to say: BE AMBITIOUS, don't let your dreams seem fiction, you can make them a reality and i believe my dreams will be.

I'll keep you posted on how my writings are going... possibly even posting lyrics and sketches online.

Lots of love

The Diva

x x x x

FOR THE LOVE OF... MUSIC

I had a wicked night yesterday and relived my Isle Of Wight Festival experience. Me and sarah went to WESTFIELDS where VV Brown was performing a few of her tracks. Despite thinking it was going to be a gig in a dindgy, sweaty warehouse in Shepherds Bush, it was a really odd atmosphere as with being in a shopping centre people are less enthusiastic but armed with her megaphone, VV blew the crowds away with her Rock 'n' Roll, Reggae and Soul inspired songs! I loved her performing style, with involved springing around the stage barefoot, shaking her tambourine and banging drums, she also does some crazy but wicked arm movements.

Her new single which has to be my fave song from the set is 'Shark in the water.'

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPQlxHWsemI

She also just came across as the loveliest and most grateful artist ever. She told us how every song she writes has a little story behind it and I read that she was a backing singer for Madonna! I'll definetely be buying the album 'Travelling like the light' soon.

The set only lasted 30 minutes or so, so being the music lovers that me and sarah are, we headed to Kingston club McClusky's to see Goldie Lookin Chain (@ New Slang) who we had praised at Isle Of Wight. It was alot more intimate and being a few feet away I managed to man handle a few of them.

The groups songs are like a work of art but filled with crude lyrics to do with dicks, sex, weed and everything else, they may not be everyones pint of beer. The lads from Newport had the audience dancing along to their skillfully choreographed dances, attempts of breakdancing, some Sean- a -Paul runnin man moves and stolen Blazin squad shapes. The tunes are well catchy, 'You knows it,' 'Your mothers got a penis,' and of course 'Guns don't kill people,' so basically everyone was going fecking mental, jumping up and down, and cracking up at the nonsense spoken by the sweaty lot. I think the sh*t they chatted about makes them somewhat attractive, although I don't think they'll be in Heat magazines Torso of the Week, they have a boy about town manner.

I would quite happily buy this album aswell!

Check out: 'You knows i love u baby.' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=botnsA3KOWI

All in all, I had a wicked evening with 2 amazing performances!