Autumn in London

As I was saying in one of my previous posts, autumn is my favourite season because there are so many exhibitions, concerts, movies and shows to see. In order to make it easier and save you some time I have a compiled a list of lovely things to do in the following few months- if you live in London.

Opera (Royal Opera House)

1. Manon- one of my all time favourite ballets (in November)

2. The Sleeping Beauty- a classic (in October, November and December)

3. The Nutcracker- no Christmas without this enchanting ballet (on Christmas time)

4. La Traviata (October till January 2012)

Exhibitions

1. Postmodernism at the V&A

2. Degas and the ballet at the Royal Academy

3. OMA/Progress at the Barbican 

4. Leonardo da Vinci at the National Gallery

5. Ryan McGinley at Alison Jacques gallery

Theatre

1. Hamlet at the Young Vic

2. One For The Road at the Young Vic

Movies

1. Wuthering Heights

2. We Need To Talk About Kevin

3. Sleeping Beauty

4. My Week With Marilyn 

5. In Time

6. Drive

7. The Help

8. Like Crazy

9. The Debt

10. The Ides of March

Misc

Have a lovely afternoon tea at the Kensington Palace Orangery or chez Le Chandelier.

Visit the Hampton Court Palace.

Have cocktails at Vista Bar.

Listen to a classical musical concert at the Barbican or to one of the many concerts by candlelight at St Martin in the Fields.

Hire a bicycle and go for a ride in Hyde Park.

Visit Kew Gardens and admire the beautiful autumn colours from a treetop walkaway.

10 lovely habits

Life may no longer be as glamorous as it was in the 20s. Or as crazy as in the 60s. Our times have their own craziness though, that of not having enough time. This, I think, applies mostly to women who have become so obsessed with their careers and their desire to demonstrate they can do everything just as well as men can, that they’re actually turning into men. I am not saying a woman shouldn’t work 18 hours a day is she truly loves what she does. However, being a workaholic just for the sake of proving something or just because women can now do whatever they want is quite sad. That’s why you see women painting their nails on the tube or in their cars and give up all the time they could actually make for themselves.

Last week, I was dining chez Le Caprice, an exquisite restaurant in London and everything was perfect: the gentlemen playing the piano, the people who were so elegantly dressed and of course the food. There was only one thing bothering me: I wished I had the time to go home and leave my bag, my laptop, and change my clothes. I was wearing a lovely dress, but I could have changed into a better one. Situations like this cannot always be avoided, however, we can create a lovely world of our own in which there is time for more beautiful things.

We all need our traditions, habits and to cultivate different interests. The more, the better, in my opinion. You don’t have to take a class for every new thing you discover or become an expert, but making time for reading (novels for a change, not only self-help books), going to the theatre and opera, visiting museums and learning new languages are not meant for snobs or pseudo-intellectuals. These are activities that enrich our lives and make us educated people instead of ignorant ones. As for a lady, these are the things that could make your world a little lovelier:

1. Learn French. Or any other language if you don’t like this one (although I can’t see why you would’t love it). Speaking English doesn’t really count anymore. Everyone should learn it as if it was their first language (if it’s not) and at least one or two others of your choice. 

2. Discover your special aptitude for something, be it writing, photography, dance, fashion, painting or numbers and make the most out if it. Whether it becomes your actual carrer or it’s just something  you enjoy doing, it really is wonderful to have something that you are passionate about. 

3. Be curious about the world and always eager to learn. To me, there is nothing more fascinating that people who know about art and history and geography, economy or chemistry. As I’ve said before, you don’t have to become an authority in everything because that is impossible. Just keep your eyes open and care about your education.

4. Know how to speak properly. And by this I mean a few things: work on your grammar, improve your vocabulary and learn the skill of conversation. It is so sad to see how many people (especially young ones) have such poor vocabularies and make terrible grammar mistakes. You don’t need to read literature at Oxford in order to speak well. Just read. And use dictionaries.

5. Read. A lot. Everyday. If there is one thing that makes me sad when thinking about reading is how many extraordinary books have been written and how little time I have to enjoy them all. Everything that I know, I believe and I am has been shaped by the fact that I’ve started reading at an early age. And books continue to be one of my greatest pleasures in life.

6. Know manners. I have two favourite books that I can recommend: Debrett’s A-Z of Modern Manners and Debrett’s Etiquette for Girls. After reading these books, you will be surprised to discover how many things you’re doing wrong and how easily they can be corrected. It takes effort to be well-mannered, but in return, you will become poised and elegant. And different.

7. Don’t ignore art, go to the theatre, opera and museums. Or at least go once before you decide that you hate it. I have never met an intelligent, interesting or tasteful person who hated the ballet or the opera, but you might as well not like it. However, when you go, dress accordingly. Just because you’re not Marie Antoinette and they’re not performing in your honour, it doesn’t mean you can wear jeans and trainers. You can’t and you must not. 

8. Travel in style. Whether it is the daily 20 minutes journey to your office or a 14 hours flight, stay well-mannered. No make-up applying, no loud conversations and no disturbing of other people. If ladies could survive days long journeys in carriages and trains and still manage to descend with their hair perfectly in place and a fresh, smiling face, you can do it as well.

9. Know table manners. There is a big difference between being sophisticated and pretentious. You should strive for the first. I don’t think a lady is the woman who eats five salad leaves at dinner. I am not saying she should devour food like an animal, but having a healthy appetite and not being fussy especially when dining with friends or other people is a much better atitude. 

10. It is perfectly fine to waste some time on Facebook. To read Perez Hilton and watch Gossip Girl. But these activities shouldn’t be done at the expense of giving up reading The New Yorker or watching a good movie. Knowing nothing but Gossip Girl or Sex and the City is worrying. Watching them from time to time when you are too tired for a Visconti movie is a different thing. 

On a final note, I think what makes a women lovely is modesty and the ability to maintain a sense of wonder. Don’t take yourself too seriously, but have certain values and know respect. I guess it’a a matter of being enthusiastic rather than cool, because there is nothing more wonderful to watch than a woman who has passion for her life.