Playing Games
Rowena tagged me. Haven't played tag for years, but this seems fun and a good way to come across new blogs - the idea is you share six random things about yourself, and tag six pals.
So here goes:
So here goes:
1) FILM: This is the first movie I ever saw. It was at the Godiva cinema, I was four or five. It was a real event - my mother put me in a stiff wool dress coat and patent mary-janes. I remember a lot of people in suits, and thinking Baloo was the most amazing person in the entire world. I still know the words and embarrass the children by singing along in the car:
2) 
NICKNAMES The weirdest compliment I ever had was 'She looks like the kind of woman who could just throw something in a wok and have your dinner ready in five minutes.' (This was from the brother of the engineer who wanted me barefoot and pregnant in New Zealand. Literally. He drew a picture). It's not the last time someone has oddly mistaken me for a domestic goddess - at the gallery, when she burst onto the scene they took to calling me Nigella and posting her pics above my desk. Beyond the fact I sound rather like her and we share a generous decolletage, there the similarity ends (I met her once and she is very petite, dark and beautiful). Apart from Nigella some other nicknames have been Claude, Margot, Miss Vogue.
NICKNAMES The weirdest compliment I ever had was 'She looks like the kind of woman who could just throw something in a wok and have your dinner ready in five minutes.' (This was from the brother of the engineer who wanted me barefoot and pregnant in New Zealand. Literally. He drew a picture). It's not the last time someone has oddly mistaken me for a domestic goddess - at the gallery, when she burst onto the scene they took to calling me Nigella and posting her pics above my desk. Beyond the fact I sound rather like her and we share a generous decolletage, there the similarity ends (I met her once and she is very petite, dark and beautiful). Apart from Nigella some other nicknames have been Claude, Margot, Miss Vogue. 3)
FAMILY I'm descended from Lloyd-George. The pilot's family is more interesting - his great great grandfather was a Romany prince who taught King George to shoot. My grandfather-in-law learnt to fly with Kirk Douglas during the war. (And I've been looking for a reason to post this picture since then - Bardot looking somewhat alarmed by the beard, and those trunks!)
4)
SUBTITLES I had this poster over my bed throughout the rebellious teenage years - it was a full size movie poster, and took up most of the wall. Ever since then I have had a weakness for European films, and a writer friend who read the book said 'This isn't a book. It's a French film, isn't it?'5) 
WHEELS I love driving (luckily as I'm on the road two hours a day). This is my dream car. A convertible Karmann Ghia has two seats, they are notoriously unreliable, but as a student I used to walk past one just like this on the way to work in Pimlico and have loved them ever since. Completely unsuitable for children, car seats, grocery shopping ... but then dreams are allowed to be impractical aren't they?
6)
CAREER Before writing, I have worked in some strange places: numerous building sites, universities, stockbrokers, playsites, Harrods, hotels, galleries. I studied at the Courtauld Institute, fabled home of art history and espionage. When I met Norman Lamont in Moscow (as you do), his assistant said 'are you a spy?' It's also the alma mater of Brian Sewell - he came back once to reminisce about his days there, and basically told us we were pussies compared to the rigorous standards of the good old days. Apart from art historian, I have been a temp, playleader, travel writer and art consultant. I've been an artist. Some of the things I almost was are: ballerina, architect, designer.
CAREER Before writing, I have worked in some strange places: numerous building sites, universities, stockbrokers, playsites, Harrods, hotels, galleries. I studied at the Courtauld Institute, fabled home of art history and espionage. When I met Norman Lamont in Moscow (as you do), his assistant said 'are you a spy?' It's also the alma mater of Brian Sewell - he came back once to reminisce about his days there, and basically told us we were pussies compared to the rigorous standards of the good old days. Apart from art historian, I have been a temp, playleader, travel writer and art consultant. I've been an artist. Some of the things I almost was are: ballerina, architect, designer. Tag rules: Link to the person who tagged you. Post the rules on your blog. Write 6 random things about yourself. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted...
... and I tag: Scarlet, Misssy, EmmaK, Natasha, Ophelia Rising, and Magpie.
