The Girovago

Updates

2006-12-18T21:27:00.001+01:00

So for those of you who may not be aware/still give a damn, seven months later, I've moved over to vox.com. (medias.vox.com)

Possibly begining to realise that this was a choice of style over substance as there are a number of technical, html-ish things that vox won't allow.

Like creating a blog-roll of external links, which is why I will attempt to link to my blog-lines account here - wish me luck...

Updates

2006-12-18T21:27:00.000+01:00

So for those of you who may not be aware/still give a damn, seven months later, I've moved over to vox.com.

Possibly begining to realise that this was a choice of style over substance as there are a number of technical, html-ish things that vox won't allow.

Like creating a blog-roll of external links, which is why I will attempt to link to my blog-lines account here - wish me luck...

Trade Secrets

2006-03-14T22:11:00.000+01:00

"People always want you to think it's crowded at the top. But there's always plenty of room at the top. There's room for everybody. It's crowded at the bottom!" Judy Blame, stylist.
I first heard that quote at a dinner party to promote Rankin's new film Lives of the Saints. It was months ago but it really stuck in my mind, as it rang so true. The guy who cited it was a 20 something Italian guy who was acting as a sort of creative consultant cum artistic go-between for Meltin' Pot, the Italian denim label that collaborated with Rankin on the production of the film.
Squashed in between the remarkably scary ceo Augusto (who reminded me far too much of my old boss in Milan - y'know the sort of guy who should be well cool but comes across otherwise) and this dude, I was amazed that in the 5 years or so that he'd been living in London since leaving a small provincial town in Puglia, not only had he gone on to consult for Meltin'Pot but he was also regularly commissioned to create sculptures for Elton John and David Furnish.
The secret of his success? Trade Secrets a sort of insiders guide to the creative industries in which said quote by Blame is contained. The book is a bit outdated, published in 1999, but still gives an amazing insight into what it took for people to make a name for themselves but also highlights the difference between now and then.
It may only have been seven years ago but the vibe now seems so much more concerned with consumption. Really. Isn't it so much more about bling, getting on the property ladder and which MP3 player you have? In the midst of this era of technological revolution the only thing being produced seems to be opinions.
Gone are the days when you'd risk your credit rating and launch a publication that could actually add something to the zeitgeist, no far safer to comment on what others are doing rather than getting out there and dirtying your hands in the process.

Back up to speed

2006-02-15T11:52:00.000+01:00

Mid-feb for your first post of 2006. Ooh not bad but just as well I didn't add 'blog more often' to my list of new year's resolutions.

2006 got of to a good start. After spending New Years Eve in on a farm in France celebrating with my darling boyfriend and around twenty of his friends I returned to the Big Smoke to receive the joyous news that I'd finally been paid by Rolling Stone Italy (only 6 months after I filed my copy).

In the face of adversity my normal reaction is to feebly protest and then submit, which is pretty much what I've done with Rolling Stone. So first week back of work saw me sending of a round of arse-licking emails to contacts old and new to try and sure up a constant supply of freelance work for the forthcoming year.

Look's like its worked quite well with Rolling Stone. My first gig of the year was Ne-Yo. A baby faced 23 year old who is Def Jam's most hyped signing. Apart from Gwen Stefani I haven't really done many interviews with US musicians and was surprised how media savvy he was, despite being a relative newcomer. His words were just so quote perfect that tI actually found it quite hard to pull anything of interest out of the interview. It was all just a bit too polished. Take a look at the piece below and let me know what you think.

(On Friday I have 40 mins with the Flaming Lips, which I'm sure will be a very different kettle of fish.)

LAS VEGAS - the city whose neon lights shimmer in the desert haze of Nevada like a modern day El Dorado. Home to casinos and brothels it’s not called Sin City for nothing. So you’d imagine it would be the ultimate playground for a kid – just think what sorts of mischief you could get up to in America’s own den of iniquity. Yet Ne-Yo, Def Jam’s most recent signing who is fast becoming R&B’s next big thing remains surprisingly tight-lipped on allusions of a misspent youth. “Las Vegas is very much an adult town. It’s not as exciting as you would think. If you’re not 21 then there’s not really a whole lot to do. It’s pretty much the same as growing up anywhere else,” he swears. Yeah right!

Still, it looks as if some of Sin City’s glitter dust has definitely rubbed of on this 23 year-old. He’s in London to perform a showcase of material from his new album. In My Own Words blends pop melodies with rich, soulful productions. The location for the performance is an underground Art Deco club minutes away from buzz of Piccadilly Circus but it has the feel of a prohibition style speak easy or a low-budget P’Diddy video.

On stage NeYo, who looks like a younger, sweeter version of 50 cent smoothly wraps his vocal chords around five tracks including the ridiculously catchy ballad ‘So Sick’. Considering it’s his first performance outside of the US he works the stage with remarkable ease and establishes a witty repartee with the crowd. He’s brought a little memento from Vegas with him: two dancers who look like they’ve stepped straight out of a hip-hop video bump and grind their way around the stage which can’t help to placate the guys in the audience who may find his music a bit too sweet.

Nicknamed by producer Deon "Big D" Evans, who compared his musical instincts to the talents of The Matrix character Neo (Keanu Reeves), Ne-Yo wrote last years hit ‘Let me Love You’ for R&B crooner Mario. In the year since he signed to Def Jam has caught the eye of a number of influential figures. Rapper Jay-Z has taken him under his wing and is teaching him the tricks of the trade. Ne Yo is about to help Beyoncee with her new project. Ciara and Christina Milian will also soon be benefiting from the Ne-Yo touch as he goes into the studio to work on their new albums with them. But now he’s looking to step out from the studio and on to the stage. He’s already his feet wet performing several dates with Grammy award winner John Legend this last autumn.

So what’s the music scene like in Vegas? “There’s a lot of very talented people in Las Vegas but thing about Vegas is that is has its own music industry. The big Vegas shows are the height of what an R&B singer can do in the city. When you get booked you can make really good money out of it. If you’re doing it for the money then you can live very comfortably doing that. But if you want more than that then you gotta get out of there,” he says.

Ne-Yo has been a professional songwriter since he was 16 years old. “Right after high school, literally the day after we walked through graduation, my friends and I hopped in a van and headed for California and get a record deal,” he says. After spending more time than they imagined sleeping in the van while they looked for their big break, the boys eventually met the head of a production company who had a boy band who were putting their record together. Ne-Yo and his friends ended up writing four songs on that album. Over the course of time the group split up but Ne-Yo stayed with the company and signed on with them as their staff writer.

His appeal is perhaps a reflection of his unorthodox musical influences. NeYo spent his formative years in the backwaters of America’s Deep South before moving to Las Vegas. There aren’t many R&B musicians who will admit a love for country and western music. “I love country because of the things that they write about. Music today is all about making yourself looking as good as possible. That’s good but life isn’t always shiny and pretty and country music reflects that. I wanna be the artist that can write songs that someone can relate to and make people say ‘yeah, I feel that too’. I don’t want to be flossy, shiny guy all the time.”

“Growing up in Arkansaw I was always surrounded by gospel music and deep soul. Y’know like Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye that type of stuff. Then I got to Vegas and it was all flamingo feathers and bright lights and the sound there is all about Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jnr and Tom Jones. Basically I took the best of both of these two worlds, slammed them together and…here I am,” he says.

Despite a deep-seated love and appreciation of music Ne-Yo didn’t always plan on being a singer. “Everyone in my house was singing from the oldest to the youngest so it wasn’t like a special thing, it was as common as salt,” he remembers. “It wasn’t until I got outside, to the 11th grade of high school that I began to take singing seriously,” he says.

So does this young pretender to the R&B throne have any fears and doubts about moving from being a song writer to becoming a performer? “My attitude is just do what you do,” he says. “If it works then it was supposed to work if it doesn’t then it was never supposed to work anyway so you can’t feel bad about it. I’m taking everything in my stride. The moment I get excited about something then that’s when things will go wrong because I’m cursed. I keep calm, say thank you very much and stay humble because that’s the number one rule in this game.”

Isn't he Wonderful

2005-11-10T22:33:00.000+01:00

It's been ridiculously long since my last posting. Drinks at the weekend with my old chum Guto reminded me that people do actually look at my 'blog' (can I actually call it that I post once every blue moon?) So here I am checking over this page and I realise my lasting posting was about the amazing Kanye gig.
Guess what? I was only back at Abbey Road again. This time it was for a Stevie Wonder showcase. Once again small but intimate but this time it was a seriously industry crowd, mainly made up of golden oldies who wet their pants when they heard the Wonder play the classics.
Highlights? Stevie's daughter Aisha, subject of 'Isn't She Lovely' which was written on her birth coming on stage and singing the song as a duo with her dad (cleverly changing the lyrics to 'isn't he lovely' when she sings a solo verse). Ever the consumate performer, Stevie developed a charming repartee with the crowd and when he stopped and was over-come with emotion mid-song while singing a tune he wrote in the mid-seventies for his wife who only recently died from cancer, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Stevies been out of the game for 10 years and you could tell - he didn't want to get off stage. What was supposed to be a 50 minute showcase turned into a two and a half hour exclusive gig. Priceless

Kanye Believe it!

2005-09-22T23:23:00.000+02:00

Oh Lordy, 24 hours on and I'm still buzzing from the most amazing concert ever. Rolling Stone sent me tocover an intimate performance for 200ish people at the legendary Abbey Road studios by the one and only Kanye West. I was, and still am, totally blown away.

"Kanye West, Abbey Road Sessions - September 21st, 2005 > > This an event, an historic moment, a once in a lifetime intimate > concert, never done before by kanye. > You're allowed to invite stringers. Please let me know how many you > wish to invite and I'll advise as we're currently gathering all > requests for Intl. > > Kanye West will be performing 11 tracks with a 20 pieces string > Orchestra and some special guests on Sept 21st at the famous Abbey > Road Studios in London. > > > The show will be performed in front a 150 people audience. It will be > recorded and broadcast live on Radio 1 and web cast & broadcast later > on the BBC at the following address: www.bbc.co.uk/radio1 "

...or so said the Universal press office. In my words Kanye was purely and simply amazing. West is the ultimate showman working the usually blase too-cool- for-school industry crowd into a frenzy throwing their 'diamonds in the air' during the opening track 'Diamonds are Forever' and hollering back the lyrics of songs from his first album which have already become classics.

A twenty piece string orchestra, surprise appearance by John Legend, swanky as hell lighting and stage design meant that this event definitely wouldn't be forgotten.

The cherry on the cake? Power couple of the decade Beyoncee and Jazz giving their red-hot seal of approval to Kanye's performance, clapping away and singing along to each and every song like nobody's business. God bless BBC Radio 1!

Rejections ad nauseum

2005-09-16T18:19:00.000+02:00

So I'm finally begining to overdose on the freelance lifestyle. Yeah, during the summer months its fun being king of your own hill and it sure does feel wonderfull falling asleep in the wee hours of Sunday knowing that you aren't obliged to be sitting in an office on Monday morning but after a while a steady job seems so nice and cushy.

But a good job, just like a good man, is hard to find. It is so draining selling yourself non-stop and having to try and maintain upbeat in the face of rejection. Today I decided to take a more proactive approach. Although I'd always dreamt of starting at a regional or national paper I thought I'd 'lower my sights' and cold-call editors of local papers ( the level where I started out ten years ago).

One response was particularly dejecting. It's from Mike Ferris, the charming man who edits East London's Hackney Gazette

From: Me
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 15:42 PM
To: michael.ferris
Subject: Reporter vacancy
File: ZLS CV.pdf

Dear Mike,
I've just spoken to one of your colleagues and would like to apple for the Junior reporter position at your paper.
I graduated in journalism from City University last year and have recently returned from Milan where I have been freelancing for various publications for the past year.
I spent three months at the Observer on their internship scheme and my work has also been published in Rolling Stone, The Guardian, The Independent and The Herald.
I'm very keen to get into full time journalism so if you require any further information or cuttings, please do not hesitate to contact me.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,6903,1544113,00.html http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1307871,00.html

Best wishes,
Me

From: "Ferris, Mick" mick.ferris
To: 'Me'
Subject: RE: Reporter vacancy
Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 15:47:34 +0100

You,
Thank you for your e-mail. However, you do not appear to have the NCTJ pre-entry qualification which is a pre-requisite for this vacancy. Consequently I am unable to proceed with your application.

Mick Ferris

From: Me
Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 16:22 PM
To: Mick.Ferris
Subject: Qualifications

Hi Mick,
Thanks for getting back to me. Do you think it will be difficult to find a reporting job without this NCTJ qualification?
I've spent the past ten years doing work experience, three of which were spent doing a NCTJ recognised BA in journalism. I'm lost as to where to go next in terms of finding a job if it turns out I don't have enough experience or qualifications.
Any tips or advice you might have would be much appreciated.

Best wishes,
Me

To: You
From : Ferris, Mick

I certainly don't employ reporters without this qualification.
Mick Ferris

Ouch!
Turns out my 3 year degree is apparently worth less than a 1 year qualification. Ho hum

My picture show

2005-09-13T21:36:00.000+02:00

Up in the eaves of the Duomo

my old boudoir

Coar Blimey its been a while since my fingers stroked these keys and to be honest i'm feeling a little bit rusty and to be honest overwhelmed with not knowing where to start. As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words so here are some photos of shot during my last week as a resident in Milan.

record breaking non blogging marathon

2005-08-21T14:40:00.000+02:00

Its been rather a long time since i've jotted anything down on this screen. I could make up a number of excuses for my absence but to be honest I just wasn't in the mood. (Cor how nice is it to be able to cite that as an explanation)?

But then, shock horror, I found out that people actually read this. First I got a comment from the mystery poster who so kindly writes glowing reviews to my blogs. Then if I wasn't feeling bad enough I popped round to see an old mate of mine on Friday and found out that he'd read it too! Crikey, a readership... I wasn't expecting that. It makes me feel all under pressure and shit. Aargh.

The mate of mine I met up with a charming young Brazilian called Guto. He really is a star. I hadn't seen him since our graduation dinner last year and I was excited to see that not only had he moved into a swanky new pad that he's doing up but he's also got the sweetest little puppy you've ever seen... apart from the fact that she eats her own poo.

We went for a drink at the Fentiman Arms, a trendy but chilled out pub in South London which, over the past four years, has been the site of some very naughty and messy shenanigans. We had a good chat and caught up on all our and other people's gossip. I'm pretty damned impressed with myself too. It was the first time in years that I've gone to an English pub and not smoked. Guess that time spent suffering in Milanese bars desperatley craving fro cigarettes has paid off.

holiday time, yeah right

2005-08-09T23:53:00.000+02:00

Is it really August? Mercuryacross the country collectively struggles to rise to above the mid twenties and the sun barely manages to peak past the clouds. My ass is firmly planted in the suburbs and my bank balance is solidy stuck on zero thus any chances of getting of somewhere cheerful are rather slim. I guess I'll have to settle for looking at travel porn on the net. Gridskipper here I come.

Dating in the 21st Century

2005-08-07T22:21:00.000+02:00

I guess i should post a warning that this blog will have little to do with Milan for the next few weeks as I appear to be well and truly grounded in England for the mo. But then I remember that this blog is called the girovago: the wonderer, the vagabond therefore explanations and excuses for changes of location are not required. I love that.

its been just over a week in the uk and after days of staring at tv screens, surfing the net and listening to the radio my time-wasting has been repayed. Fully tanked up on the zeitgeist I was able to get my article on interracial dating and the murder in Huyton published in the Observer comment section. Hurrah! About bloody time. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Crazy Days and Borders Boredom

2005-08-04T23:03:00.000+02:00

What an eventful day. Mailing editors across the land in a search for a fixed job after I found out that I was 'over qualified for the Trinity Mirror training scheme' I woke up this morning to find an in box full of offers.
But of course it was emptier than a scotsmans wallet. Just the usual spam. This can't be right I thought to myself and spent my morning refreshing the page ever 30 mins or so. In the mean time I did my usual routine of listening to the Today program's and checking the papers on the net.
Its funny to think I've been away from Milan for a week. The weather in England is terrible but I'm not wishing I was back in Italy at all. I've done my very best not to sound bitter and twisted but I really think Milan offers the worst side of the developed world - frenetic lifestyle, pollution, exorbitant rents, work-obsessed people etc combined with the negative aspects of the third world - incredible levels of bureaucracy, dishonest people and rampantly unprofessional practices.
Anyway didn't intend on having a moan. Have ended the day with stories to write for the Observer. Nice and unexpected.

Keanu takeover

2005-08-03T20:23:00.000+02:00

I can't believe it! I've just done a quick search on blogspot for the availability of keanu.blogspot.com and keanureeves.blogspot.com (this is the sort of thing that you find yourself doing when you are out of work and have too much time on your hands).

The fast that such cool addresses have already been scooped up is not the surprising thing itself but what really gets my goat is the fact that each of these fools have only posted one line. What a waste! Imagine what could have been. An online shrine to his holiness Keanu.

Its shocking isn't it. I'm nearly 25 years-old and I'm still gushing on about 'cool breeze over the mountains' (that's what his name means - i read it Just 17 about 10 years ago) not that I'm obsessed about him or anything. It's quite nice to still have crushes at my time of life.

If I ever got to interview him I'm quite sure I would pass out. I've met and interviewed quite a few famous people but the more you meet the more the star factor wears of until you find yourself doing an interview with Gwen Stefani and struggling to keep yourself from yawning as she bores you to tears. But coming face to face to Keanu, well that's the ultimate isn't it. Have any of you ever met him?

I'm sure he's around 40 now but I still think he's a legend and anyone who says he can't act obviously doesn't know what they're talking (well actually you may have a point about Keanu's performance in Bram Stoker's Dracular, Johnny Mnemonic, Much Ado About Nothing, Parenthood, Dangerous Liasons....)

Comment maker number one

2005-08-02T23:32:00.000+02:00

Ooh someone's been positing me comments. Well mister pooh (you don't mind if I give you a nick name do you, no I didnt think so) I'm flattered by your beautiful words. You sound like a poet. I'm glad to know I have one faithfull follower. Do you like to know what I'm thinking, what I've got going on in my head and my daily life? I hope I can keep you interested in me. You give me a nice challenge. A plus tard. xx

An exercise in slander?

2005-08-02T22:40:00.000+02:00

So I was doing my daily browse on the internet of my daily papers (cos I'm too skint and lazy to buy them) and I come across this story in La Repubblica on Naomi. I called The Sun and The Mirror to see if they were covering the story but it seems like due to the arrest of the Ethiopian terror suspect in Rome Italy is swarming with tabloid hacks. Looks like I left the country at the right time as it's becoming really tricky to discover new stories. Thought I'd make use of this story that I can't sell and publish it before the British press do. Does that mean that I scooped the UK exclusive??

NAOMI STRIKES AGAIN

Fiery fashion star Naomi Campbell has allegedly been involved in yet another bust up.

Just months after declaring that anger management courses had calmed her down, the feisty model was allegedly attacked an Italo-American actress in a fit of rage at a five star hotel in Italy.

In a charge made to police in Rome, Yvonne Scio, who is a friend of Ms Campbell’s, stated “I Yvonne Scio was attacked by Naomi Campbell”. After the alleged attack Ms Scio was taken to hospital where she was treated for a deep cut to her upper lip (the actress mentioned punches) and bruises on her body.

The alleged incident took place last Saturday, shortly before midnight in the rooms of the chic five star Hotel Eden in Rome. The exact causes of the alleged argument remain unclear but it appears that the two women, friends for years, were supposed to go out together.

After having to wait for Ms Scio who was not ready Naomi lost her temper. Angry words and fists flew apparently resulting in injuries. The hotel’s management denied any knowledge of the incident saying: “we know absolutely nothing”.

Yvonne is said by her friends to be so shocked by the events that she isn’t even responding to her phone. Her father apparently advised her to report the incident and to instruct her lawyer Annamaria Barnardini de Pace to proceed under both penal and civil law. The lawyer confirms this. Naomi was apparently too busy on the set of an advert she is currently filming to be aware of what has happened. According to her Italian agent David Brown, Ms Campbell was apparently in a good mood.

The pair, who usually meet in New York, arranged to spend some time together in Rome. Not more than a few months ago at her 35th birthday party the model declared herself to be much more chilled out after her anger management course.

Not the first time that Naomi has been accused of attacking people. In 1999, following several incidents – including one in which a former assistant alleged Naomi had grabbed her by the throat and hit her on the head with a telephone – she booked herself into the Cottonwood anger-management clinic in Arizona.

Time flies

2005-07-29T21:32:00.000+02:00

Ooops its been a long time. But I've got a good excuse promise. A wonderfully pleasant surprise from the man in my life who flew in from France kept me wonderfully busy over the past week. In the run up to the summer exodus from Milan I was beginning to get into a panic. All my friends were leaving and so were the editors and directors of the numerous companies and publications who I had worked for who still owed me money. What's a girl to do in the city of fashion with no friends or funds.
Well before I had time to ponder the question too deeply mon amour was winging his way to my apartment to keep me entertained. It was just what the doctor ordered. Lots of chilling out in my newly re-designed bedroom interspersed with sight-seeing, window-shopping, aperitivo-doing and general strolling around the city which, all in all is a damn good thing for this blog as I have lots of new material to add.

The Girovago meets Giuseppe Ungaretti

2005-07-19T15:59:00.000+02:00

Why the title? I guess I should have clarified at the start but explainations, mission statements etc always seem to bode misfortune for me. As if by stating what I wish to do brings bad luck.

Well, girovago roughly equates to a wonderer or a vagabond. I did think of choosing a more Milan specific title but it just wouldn't have fit. I'm a British girl, born to parents of Caribbean origin, living in Italy and dating a Frenchman. Being a traveller and a vagabond is in my spirit. And while I can be absolutley taken with a place for years I always know a time will come when I won't be able to fight the desire to move on. Kind of like the woman in Chocolat.

While doing a bit of googling on the word girovago, I also realised that it is also the title of a beautiful poem by Giuseppe Ungaretti, one of the most famous Italian poets of the 20th century who was born in Alexandria and died in Milan.

I've included the poem below. It's in Italian but maybe one day I'll be able to translate it for you...

In nessuna

parte

di terra

mi posso

accasare

A ogni

nuovo

clima

che incontro

mi trovo

languente

che

una volta

già gli ero stato

assuefatto

E me ne stacco sempre

straniero

Nascendo

tornato da epoche troppo

vissute

Godere un solo

minuto di vita

iniziale

Cerco un paese

innocente

Campo di Mailly, maggio 1918

Soundtrack to my blog

2005-07-18T23:54:00.000+02:00

So I guess you're wondering what the music that a fashionista in milan is in tune to as she types (of course you don't but hey, it's close to midnight and my brain couldn't think of a decent intro).

Well DJ's of choice have to be Gilles Peterson on BBC Radio 1 and Benji B on BBC 1xtra. They're two legends of music whose style defies definition who prove why British public service broadcasting is the best in the world.

More messages on these two will definitley follow even though they have nought to do with Milan.

lazy days in the hazy heat

2005-07-18T23:37:00.000+02:00

Things sure are hotting up in this town. It's like 35 degrees by day and the nights are just as sticky and sultry. Should be ideal after the cold weather we experience in winter but there really is no spring time. It jumps from hot to cold and before you know it your carefully chosen winter is dying out to be replaced!
Worst of all are the swarms of mosquitos. I went to check out the city beach in Parco Sempione a couple of nights ago and there was actually a dude at the entrance who was paid to spray people with insect spray. In that sense summer is a great leveller in Milan. No matter if you wear Chanel no.5 or Charlie, everyone in the city now reeks of Autan.

Surviving Ryanair

2005-07-14T17:35:00.000+02:00

Here are a few hints if you’re flying from London to Milan (Bergamo) with Ryanair. Firstly if you can avoid it, please do. Orio al Serio, Ryanair’s new Italian hub is around a 50 minute bus ride away from Milan on a good day. Busses leave and depart from behind Milan’s Central Station and having to get to the station to catch a coach to catch your flight is a real pain in the arse.

Easyjet and BMI both fly to Milan Linate which is a definitely the stress-free option as you can catch a taxi from the airport to pretty much anywhere in the city for around 20 euro. But if like me money is an issue and you’re stuck with Ryanair then try and leave from Stanstead if it makes sense for you geographically speaking. Flights from Luton are generally around 10 – 20% cheaper those from Stanstead but Luton airport is a nightmare. It takes between ages (circa 15 mins) to walk to the departure gates and despite recent improvements their shopping facilities aren’t great.

Finally I know it is really tempting to plug in to your iPod to drown out the seemingly endless in-flight announcements that boom across the speakers during your journey but try and listen out for the announcement for the sale of coach tickets to Milan. The price on board is the same as in the airport and you’ll avoid having to join the huge queue for tickets once you land at Bergamo.

Dior does it again

2005-07-13T11:56:00.000+02:00

Just when does he find time to sleep? It seems like Hedi Slimane, the legendary designer at Dior Homme is on a constant roll of mindblowingly cool projects. From his photography to editing Liberation to designing furniture it looks like Hedi is unstopable.
I'm totally loving his B13 Vulcanized Leather new menswear sneakers. They're slim like my favourite shoes Converse but the gold calf skin lining and anatomic calfskin underskin denotes the difference. Get your name down on that waiting list now!

Flat Hunting Milano

2005-07-13T10:41:00.000+02:00

Looking for somewhere to stay in Milan is one of the worst things about the city. If you're moving to the city and haven't had the good fortune to have your company provide you with a nice relocation package then you're in for some hard work.

When I moved to Milan the company I worked for put me up in a 'residence' on Via Vigevano, near Porta Genova. The location was pretty good but the place itself was barely above adequate - residences are small studio flats-cum-hotel rooms. Ok for a few days but not for more than a week, although many foreigners end up being trapped in the residence for years as they're too daunted by the prosopect of having to rent in Milan.

My oh so kind employers convinced me I could find somewhere to live at around 400 euro p/m within two weeks so after a fortnight I had to pay for the residence myself. Becoming increasingly fed-up with living in a box I started to look around and soon found that what my employers told me was total bull-crap. For 400 euro you're quite likely to be sharing a room (a worringly common Italian practice) or living in the outskirts of the city.

After being manipulated into sharing with a girl from work who turned out to be one of the untidiest people I ever met, I moved into a 100 square meter 1950's apartment block near Bocconi for 550 euro p/m.

Avoid going through an agency. Technocasa, who let out my apartment charged us 18% of our annual rent as a service charge, despite being of absolutley no service at all ie. getting the price of the rent wrong and telling lies about the price of the flat.

The best solution is to look on the internet at places like EasyRoommate where you can see detailed lisitings online. Prices here are marginally higher as they are targeting foreigners as well as Italians but it's a good place to start.

If your budget is slightly higher try these mid-term let options at Milan Apartments

If possible give yourself one full week of searching. September is a good time to search as that's when most properties come onto the market. Bear in mind that most Milanese find apartments through word of mouth so you're already facing a distinct disadvantage. Try asking in bars and restaurants in the areas where you want to live if they know of any places for rent. If you cover the area on foot you're quite likely to spot the bright green 'Affitarsi' signs which indicates a property to rent.

Best operative Milan

2005-07-12T21:03:00.000+02:00

One of the tricks that you soon learn in Milan, usually after you realize that you've spent half you wages on eating out, is that there is really no need to do dinner in this city. That's not to say that, girls, you should turn down dinner dates or that, guys, you shouldn't ask. But if you find yourself making you way home on the metro and the odors emanating from the clothes of the mama next to you remind you that you haven't had time to restock you fridge (don't worry empty fridges are sooo Milan) head for an aperitivo.

Aperitvo is often referered to as the Italian happy hour but instead of just drinks it includes a buffet of food which operates pretty much on an 'eat as much as your shame permits' basis. If you choose your venue wisely you can easily avoid the need to dine in restaurants.

Shu, in Via Molino delle Armi 30, is supposed to be one of the fashionable bars in Milan and it's always full of worryingly young Eastern European models usually accompanied by slick-haired men old enough to be their (grand)daddys. But be warned the decor is nasty. Its all black with too many mirrors, dated lighting and the ubiquitous Philippe Starck for Kartell perspex chairs.

Once you get over the 'Home Front' decor, and trust me it will take a while, allow your eyes to feast on the spectacularly abundant aperitivo. From six til nine'ish there's mountains of food that spreads across two black tableclothed tables. Caprese salads, rice salads, gently steamed broccoli, mini pizzas pasta, seafood... the list is to die for and for the price of a cocktail (6 euro during happy hour) its all yours!

Another cool place to check out is Bento Bar, in Corso Garibaldi 104, is another cool place to pick up a good aperitivo. Tuna and salmon sushi, sashimi, sugar snaps, salads and focaccias are there waiting for you to pile them into the cute red boxes that double as plates. The cocktails aren't the best in Milan and I'd recommend that you stay clear of them during Happy Hour, even if they are only 6 euro as they tend to taste a little bit watered down.

Rita, in Via Angelo Fumagalli 1, is a gorgous little bar of Naviglio Grande and round the corner from the hell hole where I worked during my first six months in Milan. Despite still suffering post traumatic stress disorder as a result of my time at ??? Rita remains one of my favourite bars for aperitivo. Although its tiny in the warmer months it opens up onto the pavement facing the Hotel Nikken and has a very continental vibe. The cocktails are to die for and are mixed and recommended with great care and affection. Aperitivo is far from abundant but the little morsels of haute cuisine which are brought to your table by the chef are sublime.

Breakfast at Alistair's

2005-07-12T20:40:00.000+02:00

It may sound entirely illogical to anyone who's not a Brit but after months in Milan there's nothing that I miss more than a good fry-up. Each sunday morning I awake and sigh with nostalgia for the weekends spent at my French boy's pad in delightful Dalston from where we would depart for the most delightful fry-ups at this amazing Turkish place in Stoke Newington. For a fiver you could start you Sunday and end your hangover with the best fry-up in North London and when finished with a fag in one hand and the Sunday Times in the other we would gaze lazily at each other with the knowledge that we had stuffed our little bellies so much that there was no choice but to sit there chilling for an hour or so to give our stomachs a chance to start digesting. It was pure bliss!

So you can understand my delight, after eons of being facing the daily cappuccino + brioche routine, when I stumbled across this feature in The American, of all places, all about this British dude who does Fry Ups in Milan. Hallelujah! I'll be checking it out this weekend and will keep you posted on how it rates.

Alistair's vini e cucina
Via Panfilo Castaldi, 38
20124 Milano (MI)
Tel: +39 0229519840
Metro: Porta Venezia (red line)

cool clubs in Milan

2005-07-12T19:59:00.000+02:00

So, after you've done 10 Corso Como, partied at the Old Fashion Cafe, danced on the tables at Armani's PrivÃ© and thrown up at Just Cavalli, if you come from any half-decent cosmopolitan city or if you're just a person who likes a bit of depth and variety to their nightlife, it won't be long before you realize that Milan is incredibly samey.
Pretty much everywhere you go you find the same wannabe model looking chicks who spend their days working in Miss Sixty only to save up enough money to buy a Gucci bag their can wear in the evening out with their friends who, guaranteed will all be dressed in identical manner.
At the start of spring/summer 2005 the uniform pretty much looked like this - poker-straightaggressivelyy ironed hair, smokey heroin-chic eye shadow counterbalanced by lashings of unctuous lipgloss, a boob revealing glam vest-top paired with a dangerously short mini-skirt andpainfullyy pointy stilettos. "Any man's dream", male readers are probably thinking but trust me it is the most freaky experience walking into a club where pretty much everyone is wearing minute variations on the same outfit. If that happened in London, any self-respecting chick would go home and change.
The men don't get off any better though. Blazers, ridiculously high collared shirt and a wee bit too tight jeans with, yes you've guessed it pointy shoes, are the order of the day. Worst of all this trend for (oil) slicked back hair that looks as if its coated in whales spunk has taken over the city. I blame Totti but still, grown men really should know better.
As a former Lifestyle editor on Glasgow Uni's student rag I lived, ate and breathed clubbing but now at the ripe old age of 24 it takes a lot to get me to go out. Especially in Milan.
My tips for a top evening on Milan's alternative scene are Rocket (round the corner from my gaff) and Gogagna. The music is far from legendary (although Rocket appears to be one of the few places where you can hear broken beat in Milan) but the atmosphere is totally rocking. People actually stand by the bar instead of sitting at tables with groups of friends they've known since nursery, which seems to be the typical Milanese style and best of all complete strangers talk to each other which, to you might not be that miraculous, but in Milan is a mind-blowingly avant garde behaviour.

The Beginning (part two)

2005-07-12T18:17:00.000+02:00

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Plans to start my life as a blogger extrodinaire began in spectacular fashion in April '05. Yet after just one measley blog and plenty of grand philosophising and the importance and greatness of my page it has, well... come to nothing. It was rather self indulgent I'll admit (for those of you who give a damn you can check it out on http://hipsquare.blogspot.com/2005/04/oooh-how-exciting.html).

Loads of excuses and valid reasons why it didn't take off which are far too tedious to delve into on my first post but I will share with you some of my favourite images from the Salone del Mobile (http://www.cosmit.it/webapp/cosmit/command/site/ShowSite?siname=Cosmit&lgrfnbr=1) it was a truley amazing experience. So many fit guys, so much free alcohol. Oh yeah, and the furniture wasn't bad either. Honestly if you're planning a trip to Milan forget the over hyped fashion weeks (http://www.cameramoda.it/) and check out the city in April instead when the whole place rocks to the furniture designer's beats.

Tips on places to stay and locali to drink in will follow. Promise!