Nani on Myspace

As you may be aware I am still in the process of designing my very own Nani website, which will ultimately be used for advertising my services as a freelance journalist. In the mean time however, I can proudly announce my very own Nani page on Myspace. Apart from being a great source of networking it will also enable me to advertise Nani to a much broader clientele.

Whilst my blog gives me the chance to have a little rant about my day-to-day activities, I hope this page will bring things back to a purely professional level.

You can now contact me for press releases, reviews, media packs via my Myspace address on the link that follows: www.myspace.com/nanilondon

Check it out.

Bourne Ultimatum 19/10/06

I am officially a Hollywood Actress. Yep you’ve guessed it Gabriella has finally hit the big time. Not as a main character, but as a supporting actress for the prequel to the Bourne Identity movies, Bourne Ultimatum.

Yesterday I had to travel all the way to Buckinghamshire to visit Pinewood Studios for a fitting. It felt quite unusual walking through the studio as I passed the various twists and turns of offices, warehouses and studios with only the specially entitled street names, such as Goldfinger Way to help me find my sense of direction. I was heading to the Stanley Kubrick Studio, where I spent half an hour trying on clothing for my part.


It took me about three hours to get all the way from home to the studios and about four on the way back as I decided to take a stroll back to the nearest tube station, about 6 miles away.

I am not allowed to say what I’m actually doing in the film, but I’m very excited about it. Definitely check the movie out in 2007 to see if you can spot me. Hopefully I will get to rub shoulders with Matt Damon himself.

Stolen Space Gallery 19/10/06

We went to see the exhibition of two artists at D*Face’s gallery Stolen Space down Brick Lane. It’s a rather intimate gallery with two main rooms showcasing various artists’ work approximately once every few weeks.

This months’ exhibitors were Britain’s Shok 1 with his detailed sketch style and also Calma, who is fresh from Brazil with a fondness for telephone booth sex ad’s as well as some rather interesting prints.


There were all sorts quirky pieces such as three different themed spray cans, one representing a stripper with a fish net stocking and fake £10.00 notes strategically placed underneath. Another represented sex with the spray can covered by a condom, with the remains of a packet laid beside. Who would have thought that just a few props could evoke so many different connotations in something normally associated with graffiti.



Another cool example of the art on show was a coloured sketch of a Nike pastiche with two elderly characters drawn alongside one another at the back of the gallery. Both trendy in their own way, the sketch signifies the cool side to all of us that will never go stale.

The Brazilian artist Calma, had a more controversial display with at least 50 telephone sex adverts, stuck on the wall in a kind of triangle shape. I was not quite sure what to make of it as every guy that surrounded me took snaps with their 2megapixel camera phones, but I suppose anything can be classed as art these days. Calma did however have some intricate design on the other two walls, a very nice print of a hand and a rather fetching black and white tree-like ensemble.

After spending about an hour in the cold we decided to head Camden Bound for an early night. Don’t you just hate it when the dreaded Autumn Flu takes hold?

Sweden 13/10/06

We spent the weekend in the land of Absolut Vodka, The Nobel Peace Prize and Skinny Jeans. Terry decided it would be a great idea to join the Shakes on their two-night stay in Stockholm Sweden. They were supposed to be having a gig at the Vice magazine bashon the 13th of October, but unfortunately after we booked our flights we found out the event was re-scheduled for November. Thankfully for us, we had already arranged to meet up with Terry’s very good friend Tomei in the icy city, so the trip was not going to be a total waste.

We boarded our bargain Ryanair flight from Stansted at approximately 1pm on the Friday and had a very pleasant flight, admiring the views from above. (I must note that the first time I visited it was covered in snow, so it was very interesting to see it from a different slightly greener perspective). When we arrived at the Skavska airport, we hopped on the Flygbussarna to Stockholm city centre where we would meet Tomei, who would be keeping us up in his penthouse apartment in the centre of Stockholm. Think Trafalgar Square and that’s just how central we were to everything.


It was a great first night as Tomei took us on a quick local tour of the area from the trendy East restaurant/bar which was totally booked up for the night, to the bar with its snazzy outdoor drinking area where we ended up for the night.

In terms of food, the first night gave us a clue of what was on offer most readily in this trendy city. Sushi, sushi and more sushi seemed to be the staple diet for the diners choosing to eat out in the centre of Stockholm. After a twenty-minute search we ended up eating at Rice, the only place left that had some seats available, the sushi was great and they had a good choice of platter selections.



The next day brought some photo opportunities as Tomei led us on a little tour of the surrounding Islands that make up the city. We walked through the equivalent of Bond St and then took a boat to Sodermalm, where we tried another of Stockholm’s delicacies, Pizza. No it’s not a traditional Swedish dish but a remake of the Italian, with a slight twist. As well as the option to have traditional toppings, you also have the choice of slightly different flavours such as, Curry pizza, Banana pizza or even Doner Kebab pizza. Not for the faint hearted these pizzas were, FATTY! However they were without a doubt absolutely delicious.

Sadly even a visit abroad could not escape me from the premiership. Tomei is an avid Chelsea fan and he had arranged for us to go to an American Sports bar to watch the game against Reading. After tucking in to my nachos and blackberry cider, the game actually got quite exciting with both goal keepers getting knocked out by Reading players Hunt and then later Sonko. I don’t condone violence, but this was just too ridiculous to be un-entertaining. Still full from the Pizza we headed back to the flat to prepare for a big night out at the Rock bar and Bar/Restaurant East. Both venues were very posh in design, but the first played tracks like Guns n Roses and Bon Jovi, whilst the other played Hip-Hop. The night was ok, I loved the venues but spent most of the time arguing with Terry, so never really let my hair down.


Our final day was fairly relaxed as we just went around the shops looking for bargains on Skinny jeans, which are so hot right now. I managed to get a few good buys.

When Tomei left us to it in the centre, Terry persuaded me to make a visit to Taco Bar, a chain of makeshift Taquieras across the city. At first I was keen on the idea, but as soon as I saw the food I was very disappointed. We decided to walk around the centre just killing time till our bus arrived to take us back to the airport. We stumbled upon the walkway to the city hall, which hosts the Nobel Prize every year. The views of the river were very tranquil and we chilled there for an hour just taking in the Swedish scenery. We even stumbled upon a restaurant on the side of the building, which for about £100.00 serves up the actual Nobel Prize menu from the previous years awards. That will definitely be something I will try in the future when I go back to Stockholm, as this time we didn’t try a single morsel of Swedish cuisine, even though we saw a couple restaurants, such as a Viking boat café and Windmill restaurant. I think that was down to Tomei, who although Swedish, claimed to dislike like the cuisine.


I had a great time over the trip and will definitely come back for another visit, but possibly in the summer time as that is when the city is most vibrant, and when the parties on the islands further out to sea really come alive.

Vertigo 42, 03/10/06

For our two year anniversary we decided to visit the land of the posh business man. We dared to live it up in the Liverpool St business district at none other than the old Natwest tower, Vertigo 42. I had read about the bar about a year ago in one of Terry's books (relating to random watering holes in London) and had never got round to checking it out.



The bar itself consisted of small little booths seating approximately two people, each looking out on the London skyline. Champagne and cocktails were on offer with a basic food menu, but as we had a big lunch, we ordered a chocolate brownie and lychee cocktails. The view was spectacular and the setting very romantic. I would certainly go back again, but with a bit more cash, as I would like to try some more of the luscious cocktails. I would also ask to book for a booth by the more famous landmarks of London, such as the views looking out at St Pauls Cathedral and the London Eye. Because the capacity is roughly 30 odd people, you have to book in advance, but entrance is ultimately free.

Secret Wars, Series One 30/09/06

Set in the grimy streets of Shoreditch, Secret Wars is without a doubt a diamond in the rough. Set in the midst of the typical East London nightspots (that are in such abundance), Juno Bar plays host to this artistic hub of talent. With even its own name signifying the enormity of the tournament, “The most important goddess of the Roman state, and wife of Jupiter”. Where better than to hold the event of the year than in a venue named after the Spouse of Jupiter, the Sky God, associated with thunder and lightning. It was therefore appropriate that the first battle back in August erupted on a huge scale.
The opening night back in August brought together four talented artists from across the country to compete in a split illustration War. It was a chance to see the first in a line of monthly battles, with each event eliminating the two loosing artists, whilst the other two reign victorious.

After each round, the two winners jump straight to the quarterfinals due to take place in December and then January 2007. Up until then, each month is holding another first round for the other 12 artists awaiting battle, bringing them one step closer to (among other prizes) the winners £500.

This month saw Secret Wars turn up the pressure with certainly the best battle of the series so far. As the next four artists made their way to the podium for their moment in the spotlight, the tense atmosphere was mounting.

In the firing line for Saturday the 30th of September was none other than artist Fybe, (one of the veterans of Monorex who has now joined hands with the Soopa Doopa crew in Kingston Town, London), Tech 1 a considerably new edition to Monorex, Mr Shrew all the way from Cardiff and D Bug part of the Squid Inc crew. Although Secret Wars is just a chance for artists to come together and paint with one another, reputations are certainly at stake.

First up for the night was Mr Shrew battling against D Bug. Their similar style made the task of picking a winner more difficult for the judging panel. Just like the primary battle back in August whereby Capt. Bukioe and Okkle had a similar artistic approach, the same could be said about this duo. Mr Shrew, who described his style as, “childlike illustrations” considered D Bug his biggest threat in the competition because of their comparable styles, “I think he can pull it off more than me.” The judges this month were compiled from the world of design, with one of the founders of Designers Block, Piers Roberts leading the panel alongside Michael from Hulger Ltd and finally Lee McCormack from Oculas, (who has created a “space that will merge technology, luxury, design and killer content”). They were considerably neutral judges having not really been exposed to the talents of the artists taking part.

The battles back in August saw signs of things to come. In particularly between those who ill describe as the character artists, whose style tends to sway towards cute little illustrated images akin to the artistic style of many Japanese street artists and designers. In the battle of Capt. Bukioe and Okkle, there were little digs made at each other in the artwork. This was no different from battles 3 and 4 in September where D Bug in particular took a rather clever approach creating an outright direct attack of Mr Shrew through his design. Drawn was a little rodent, being whacked by a mallet with the slogan, “Whack a Shrew coz a Shrew is Wack”. There is no doubt as the tournament progresses into the later stages these attacks will become a far more prominent feature in the artists work.

At the end of the battle, the judges voted Mr Shrew the winner, having just managed to finish the piece before the stopwatch signalled for Pens down. His winning piece consisted of a Martian character, with rather interesting hands, one shaped like an acorn, surrounded by a fine outline detail. D bug therefore was the first casualty of the night, who left shortly afterwards.

With the first contestant eliminated it was time for the second battle of the night to commence. This was undoubtedly a battle on a grander scale with the big guns, Fybe and Tech 1 taking part. Their style, much like the duo in the earlier battle can also be described as similar. Fybe had this to say about his work, “I don’t like to stick to a certain style, I kind of like get sick of what I did last week. I suppose you could say robotic.” There was still time for jokes as Tech 1 – who had flown back a day early from his holiday just to prepare for the battle – described the approach to his work as, “Tech’s style”. When asked if he had a game plan, Tech 1 replied, “If I make it through to the quarter finals after tonight, I will try and do something different. I want to take people by surprise”. Certainly this was true for Tech’s first attempt in the tournament with a new inventive introduction of materials used. Along with the Edding pens supplied for the tournament, Tech 1 found a loophole and brought his own black paint, thus switching up the whole format of the battle. Instead of the traditional black on white background, Tech painted over the emulsion white walls, with Black acrylic paint, leaving white spaces where his artwork would miraculously appear as he filled in the spaces with the black.

With quite an ambitious battle ahead of him Tech certainly had a long way to go. Artist Fybe on the other hand got off to a great start, with a sketch in hand. The audience were immediately able to see the artistic talent of the piece. Focusing on the theme of hands, Fybe designed a machine with a protruding hand holding a pen. From the outset the intricate design looked like the definite winner. However nothing can be determined in Secret Wars until the end of the designated battle time. That is the joy of the tournament as it can be right up until the last minute that the other opponent storms through for victory. When asked who he would most like to win the tournament Fybe replied, “Alphamale, not Inkfetish coz he is a cocky b@$*£&d!”

With a finished piece like something out of Power Rangers, with a giant robot stomping over a city scene, Tech 1 was the artist who eventually took the vote. Covered in paint, Tech was actually on his way back from the toilet when the votes were cast. He won with two votes against one. Cheers of shock and congratulation went up around Juno bar as it was made aware that one of the biggest artists in the tournament, Fybe would be the next casualty of Secret wars. It was almost a shame that either of the two artists had to be eliminated so early on as both are incredibly talented.

While a pimp party got underway downstairs and the music played on into the night, talk moved to the next line up of artists battling on October the 28th. The night is set to be the largest yet as artists Sickboy, Wen, Alfamale and Inkfetish go head to head. The winners of this round will face each other in the quarterfinals. Whoever the next judging panel are, they certainly have a tough job on their hands. Why not come and check out what all the fuss is about at one of the future events or just log on to www.secretwars.co.uk for more details on the next battles or just to catch up on the memories from the previous four clashes.

Designers Block 21/09/06

Designersblock 21st of September.

The Nicholls and Clarke Buildings on Shoreditch High Street played host to the design event of the year, Designersblock. It is essentially a chance for both artistic and product designers to join hands and showcase their efforts in a weeklong exhibition.




With over 50 artists and designers taking part, the event is no doubt a rare chance for people like myself to come in a take a look at what the creative industry has planned next for the world, “Designersblock provides a high profile and respected platform from which to promote design products and services to an international and UK audience.” If you manage to present your work in one of these shows the future can only look hopeful. It is a great opportunity whether you are a graduate straight out of University or a full time designer.




The organisers Rory Dodd and Piers Roberts are certainly on to big things, and though both always look like they are having fun at each event, there is no question of the hard work that must go into preparing for this international show. After the English Shows are complete they then pack everything away and fly to Japan for the next in the line of shows.

With such entries as Peter Brueggers Erotic Wallpaper, RazonLabs laser cutting and engraving, Donna Wilsons interesting bag designs and Designers are Wankers, Oculas Pods, the event was set to be an eye opening occasion.

I can’t wait for next year to see what else the design world has in store.

Secret Wars, Series One 26/08/06

Secret Wars is a battle like no other. Similar to Fight Club it thrives on word of mouth. Put simply, it is a war between artists. The ultimate question however, is who will reign supreme? The only weapon they carry is the pen they hold in their hand.

The rules:
There are sixteen artists in this first series of the competition, each of whom have been carefully selected to battle against one another for approximately one and a half hours each round. The aim of the game is to create a piece of art that is going to impress the high profile judging panel, who will then cast their vote at the end of each round, determining who will make it to the next stage. The battle itself has been "Set up like the FA cup system in football, each round will be a one on one battle to the death."

Secret Wars is the most recent of events conjured up by Street art and design company Monorex. With an amalgamation of wall Art and jolly good entertaining, Monorex seem to have nipped the idea right in the bud. With the draw taking place in early/mid August, the artists were already aware of who they had to face in the early stages of the competition. And with the venue and date already set, it was only a case of getting the battle underway.

LET"S GET READY TO RUMBLE! The date: Saturday the 26th August. Paint would spill.
As the tiny Juno bar in Shoreditch, London made way for the event of the year, the artists Sam (under the alias Wood), Gustav Balderdash, Capt. Bukioe and Okkle were stretching their fingers and limbering up for the tournaments first battle. Wood and Gustav were first up to the podium and what a battle it turned out to be. So different in style it made it very hard as a spectator to guess what way the judging panel would sway. Wood's piece, with its intricate detail and highly complex meaning had no similarity towards Gustavs character set-up. Totally different artistic styles brought together not to join hands, but to compete to avoid elimination.

With a judging panel consisting of Matsuri's Taka, clothing giant Terratag's creator Paul and Edding Markers (sponsoring the event) hero Andy, there was definitely something to be nervous about. With the hour and a half drawing to a close, it was now time for the panel to start making their decision on which artist should go through to the next round. Votes were cast and Gustav Balderdash beat Wood by one vote. The first casualty of this tournament, Wood described the theme behind his loosing piece, "It's based on War. It is a battle between circle and squares. I wanted to ask the question... Will there ever be peace in geometry? For me the answer is no, not if money can be made from their differences."
Gustav Balderdash who described his work as "clean, fuddy-duddy and sometimes bitter" had these words to say on the theme of his winning piece, "it is basically about an old man reminiscing on his younger days and past adventures." Although pleased with his win, Gustav was not so optimistic about winning the tournament. He saw himself facing Capt. Bukioe in the final and loosing. Capt. Bukioe of course was up next against Gloucesters very own Picasso, Okkle.

From the offset it was clear that this second battle was going to be much harder for the judges to decide. Both artists Capt. Bukioe and Okkle had very similar styles. Like Gustav in the earlier battle, both had character pieces, but both quirky in their own way. Gustav's character won in the last round, but would this round leave the judges torn. Capt. Bukioe had a more grimy piece with an hooded ape smoking a spliff and drinking a beer, whilst Okkle went for a more cute design with a whale like creature and a cat holding a paint brush. Both artists tried to make a dig at each other's pieces with clouds of lightning and the hoody on Bukioe's ape, reminding the spectators that this tournament is really a War of art.

Pens down and the judges had to come to their decision. Some members of the crowd were quite shocked with the outcome. Eddings Andy was the only judge to vote for Capt. Bukioe therefore eliminating him from the tournament and rendering Okkle the winner. Gustav's prediction of facing the Captain in the final was quashed. Instead he would be facing Okkle the underdog who battled to victory in the first stage.
Readings very own Capt. Bukioe, who described his style as, "sketchy, lopsided and bitter" did not have too much to say on the matter of loosing. He has high hopes of Gustav going on to beat Okkle and also win the tournament . He described the theme of his piece as, "The theme of my piece tonight? Hmm I dunno, Reading".
Okkles main inspiration comes from artists like Pete Fowler and Jon Burgerman, described his winning piece as, "a bit quirky". Okkle decided to take part in the tournament after being contacted over the Internet about a year ago by Monorex's very own Terry Guy. When asked if he had a game plan to get through the tournament, Okkle replied that he would, "play it by ear". This laid back chappy with his cartoony designs may go far, but he certainly has a battle to the death in the quarter finals when he faces Gustav Balderdash who is mates with Capt. Buckio the looser in Okkles round.

The end of this month sees battle three and four taking place, with artists D Bug facing MR Shrew and Fybe facing Tech 1 each fighting for their own place in the quarterfinals. The winner of the tournament will receive a £500 cash prize, a gold pen trophy, their very own foosball table and numerous other goodies. The pressure is building as we get one step closer to the Secret Wars grand final.

Why not check Secretwars.co.uk for more info on the fixtures, the prizes and also the memories of each event. This month's War is on Saturday the 30th of September. With a new judging panel, more DJs, drink offers and of course the live art battle it's set to be an even bigger night than the last.