A private view featuring works by the actor and artist Edward Akrout
On 27th October, at the Gallery of African Art in Albermarle Street, Mayfair a private view of a group exhibition titled Africa my Africa: Connecting Boundaries was held.
Featuring works by amongst others Edward Akrout – better known for his roles as an actor in The Borgias, The Hollow Crown, Midsomer Murders and Mr Selfridge – the private view was attended by an array of personalities including The Steeple Times’ Alexandra Abrahams, Shaun of the Dead actress Kate Ashfield, silver dealer Daniel Bexfield, round-the-world yachtswoman Tracy Edwardes MBE, crusading journalist David Hencke, Midsomer Murders actor Jason Hughes, actress and producer Alexa Jago and renowned photographer Richard Young. Leading gatecrasher Denis Doble also put in an appearance, quaffed as much as he could and devoured the entire contents of a large bowl of nuts.
Africa my Africa is on display until 3rd December 2016.
Edward Akrout is best known as an actor but he is also an artistOne of a number of paintings by AkroutTracy Edwards MBE, Jason Hughes and Kate AshfieldAlexa Jago and Vaibhav KapoorLeke Adebayo and friend with Daniel Bexfield, Alexandra Naylor and Alexandra AbrahamsDenis DobleSara ElayanAnother of Akrout’s paintings
Laura Bott invites readers to the Ormiston Families Beauchamp Bazaar in Knightsbridge on Tuesday 1st November
Now in its fifth year, the annual Ormiston Families Bazaar returns, this time to a new residence at St. Columba’s Church. Following the success of last year’s event at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, the committee, led by Lady Tollemache, renowned garden designer and president of Ormiston Families, hopes to raise more than £20,000 for the charity. The proceeds from the event will go towards providing services that support and nurture more than 130,000 children and young people in the East of England and remove them from trauma, despair, abuse and poverty.
Trevor Pickett, owner of his eponymous leather goods brand, is vice president of the Ormiston Families committee and has sat on the fundraising board, on and off, for the last fifteen years. Mr Pickett created the ‘Ormiston Bazaar’ event five years ago and having worked across a number of programmes, and witnessing first-hand how the charity provides young children with the care and support for their future development, he is extremely keen to continue his patronage of Ormiston Families.
Pickett commented:
“The Bazaar has evolved and grown over the last five years, with the amazing support of Burlington Arcade and Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, who have both played a major part in establishing this successful event. Having raised £13,000 last year, we hope that with the new location, we will continue the momentum and help to raise further valuable funds for Ormiston Families”.
For one night only, the Beauchamp Bazaar offers shoppers the chance to browse a range of carefully selected boutique stalls. The collection of proprietors will include purveyors of the finest homeware, clothing, design, food and wine, from London, Suffolk and beyond.
Among this years’ vendors will be the fantastical hat designer Jonny Beardsall, the quality British clothing brand Sir Plus, ladies luxury tailored clothing brand Really Wild, vibrant and colourful sofa cushions from Susi Bellamy and luxury fine jewellery by designer Tessa Packard.
Of the event, Xa Tollemache added:
“Trevor Pickett is working his magic for Ormiston Families’ fifth Christmas bazaar. We achieved great things last year at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and the team couldn’t have been more accommodating and helpful. However, now with the new location at St. Columba’s Church, we are in a fantastic position to drive awareness of the charity in a more centralised area. And being just off Beauchamp Place, you can’t get much more exclusive than that”.
The Beauchamp Bazaar at Saint Columba’s Church of Scotland, Pont Street, London, SW1X 0BD is from 4pm to 9pm on Tuesday 1st November 2016. To book tickets click here or pay on the door. Admission is £20 per person.
Laura Bott is a senior account executive at Zambuni PR and is a passionate enthusiast when it comes to country sports.
Publicity seeking duo share details of their wedding – prepare to be amused at the bizarre details of their ridiculously over-the-top nuptials
New York based Norah Lawlor is undoubtedly a talented PR and her ability to create something out of nothing is a quality that we at The Steeple Times admire. The stories that one or two of her clients wish to put out, such as that of a Texan teenager who had a £1.4 million 15th birthday party, however, undoubtedly rightly attract comments of shock and disgust and yesterday, something similar popped into our inbox of equal ridiculousness.
In the missive, the nuptials of a self-described “Power Couple” named Ashley Taylor Cooper and Ernesto Argüello, whose marriage occurred at New York’s St Patrick’s Cathedral with a reception and wedding dinner at the Plaza Hotel on Saturday 15th October, are described in detail. As well as sending “every guest a briefcase with a [bizarre Danielle Steele-esque] video message [filmed in Colombia]”, the pair listed their international guest list of 400 names and communicated that they had used “Beyoncé’s sought after florist”, a celebrity cake-maker and a 10 year old “Instagram star” named Vivian Hicks.
The couple, who are described as co-founders of Snap2Live, will honeymoon in Iceland, Finland, Spain, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Australia and Fiji. Do keep up!
A 20-question interview with “super voice” and ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ contestant Nick Celino
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
My guiding force has to be my friends and family. I surround myself with similar, creative minds and we just get each other.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
I was asked a similar question by Janice Long on BBC Radio 2. It has to be: “If you believe in your dreams, anything is possible”.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2016?
It’s 2016. Everything is classed as acceptable these days.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
Weighing less… But I just love food.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
Immortality. Not just for myself but for the people I surround myself with… Oh, and a lifetime supply of In-N-Out burgers.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?
The financial system is f*ck’d, money is the root of all evil.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“Diet”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
I support a few charities. Over the past year I’ve worked closely with a learning disability charity named the Twisting Ducks Theatre Company. They make entertaining, accessible and informative drama and music about issues that are important to us and people with learning disabilities. I also support Smile For Life, a charity dedicated to enhancing and enriching the lives of disadvantaged and disabled children and The Salvation Army. My family have spent the last few Christmas’ serving food to the homeless on Christmas Day.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
I feel like we live in a world were we’re almost too dependent on our mobiles. I seem to live on my iPhone, although I did recently give it up for around four months. It got to the point where if I didn’t have my iPhone I felt lost and that’s just not healthy. I’ve recently been reunited with it, mainly because it’s just not practical when I’m on the move. I have to admit, it was pretty liberating not having a mobile phone.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
People would expect me to list a bunch of celebrities but I’d be pretty content with myself, my dog, my mother, my brother and my friends.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
I would want a Henry VIII style banquet so I could attempt to eat myself to death before they got a chance to execute me.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
My logic is that it’s always 7 o’clock somewhere in the world.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
I love a good mojito but if that’s not on the cards, I’ll drink anything that has alcohol in it.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
If the company and music is good and the drinks are flowing, I’m there. I’m a Geordie – we’re not that picky when it comes to a good old party.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Sounds clichéd but it has to be my mother. I really wouldn’t be the guy I am if it wasn’t for her guidance.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
I don’t watch much TV but when I’m stuck on a plane for eleven hours, I do love a bit of reality television.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
A squiggle because I’m a mess… No, I’m joking. I really have no idea; I’m scared of needles.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
I’d like to think I would be a Bentley or something equally flashy but in reality I’d probably end up being a Peugeot 306.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I only discovered I could sing when I was thirteen. My voice totally came out of nowhere.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
I don’t have a mantelpiece as my fire is set into the wall of my living room.
British musician Nick Celino is followed by over 171,000 people on Facebook. He has been described by Jools Holland OBE as a “super voice” and is currently working on his debut album. His voice has been heard on BBC Radio 1, 1XTRA, BBC Radio 2, Capital FM, RTE 1 and Asia Pop 40.
Hillary Clinton usurps Donald Trump in her use of a comparably modest campaign plane
Hillary Clinton is often criticised by Donald Trump for having a mammoth campaigning staff but yesterday she illustrated her relative modesty when her much smaller, leased campaign plane landed next to his at Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport.
Clinton’s Boeing 737-86J – nicknamed ‘Hill Force One’ – measures in at just 129 foot long compared to Trump’s 155 foot long Boeing 757-200 – nicknamed ‘Trump Force One’ – but whereas ‘The Donald’ brashly just has his name on his aircraft in gold lettering, Mrs Clinton’s is emblazoned with the words ‘Stronger Together’ and her ‘H’ logo.
Equally indoors, whereas Clinton’s plane has been prepared for her staff and press, Trump’s includes seats with 24-carat gold seat belt buckles and a marble bathroom.
In the whole page feature, Miss Air, an on-off squeeze of the Duchess of Cambridge’s brother, James Middleton, shared many pearls of wisdom about the ups and downs of being the modern day Anthea Turner. As well as announcing her worst ever job was “walking round my home town dressed as a prune” for National Prune Week and sharing how she once “peed in a cup” and poured the contents on her foot after being stung by a jellyfish, Miss Air moaned about newspaper headlines that “proclaimed [she] was letting gorillas raise [her] daughter”.
‘The Airhead’ also supposedly, the feature revealed, wants “a bigger bottom”, “loves a bit of property porn” and “gives what for” to white van men who “scream ‘Chelsea Bitch’ at [her]”. What was most important, though, were her thoughts on the current political scene. Apparently, according to Miss Air, Theresa May is “going to be a very strong Prime Minister”. So there!
John Stoddart’s ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ exhibition in Whitstable
On Friday 7th October John Stoddart hosted a private view of an exhibition titled It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll at The Fish Slab Gallery in Whitstable, Kent.
Amongst the twenty-two photographs on display – all captured in the days when musicians weren’t surrounded by minders and PRs and all available as limited editions of five – are images of Nick Cave, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Michael Hutchene, Iggy Pop and Paul Weller. They are remarkable in their rawness and as a group truly represent a decade when musicians lived to excess.
Attended by guests from as far away as London, Warwickshire and West Sussex, the evening was a bit of a happening. Amongst those present were characters from all walks of life and as well as lawyers, models and businessmen were a gypsy, a judge and a radio presenter. A great time was had by all and many complimented Stoddart’s unusual presentation of the photographs with the use of bulldog clips and a lovely singer named Kat Parker of Carmen and The Devil. Twelve images were sold on the night and a further series of sales followed on Saturday morning.
It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll runs until Tuesday 11th October at The Fish Slab Gallery, 11 Oxford Street, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1DB. Prices range from £250 to £350 and enquiries should be directed to John Stoddart at [email protected]
Woman whose sex toy ended up stuck up her bum (and then told the ‘Mail Online’ all about it) has to be our ultimate Wally of the Week
You couldn’t make it up – Our Wally of the Week had to be Emma Phillips, a 24 year old teacher whom had to undergo surgery after a seven inch pink sex toy became lodged up her bum.
Whilst one can certainly feel sorry for the Liverpudlian woman’s plight, that she went to the Mail Online and told them all about it proves that she’s nothing but either a money grabber or fame hungry or simply stupid.
In comments on Facebook, Miss Phillips stated:
“When a bit of Saturday morning playtime results in spending the day in Wrexham hospital having a nice pink vibrator surgically removed from your bowel areas…. whilst it’s still vibrating. If you can’t on a Saturday when can ya?”
Of trying to remove it, she told the paper:
“For a while Lee [her boyfriend] was suggesting all kinds of wonderful options. He tried a kitchen fork handle, which we won’t be using again, and said he could feel it at one point but that it was too far up – it was a goner. He tried BBQ prongs too but after a certain point – after an hour of trying – we knew were going to have to go to hospital. We were both a bit shocked”.
Thankfully the operation was a success and of what happened, Miss Phillips concluded: “I’ve learnt that I’ll need to be a bit more careful in the future”.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[wysija_form id=”2″]
“There is generally a centre-Left, liberal bias to the station’s output. People who go into the media — the people who go into the BBC — are, in general, of that kind of centre-Left stamp. I think it might even be a good thing if the BBC admitted it was a bit centre-Left and had the odd programme [to balance it out]. If, just like it has Woman’s Hour, it had a Right-Wing Hour”.
“It would be interesting if they did that, if they did say: ‘OK, we’re a bit centre-Left so we’re going to deliberately put things on here that aren’t’”.
He is, excuse the pun, right. Bring it on.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[wysija_form id=”2″]
Clangers overheard and snippets spotted by readers of ‘The Steeple Times’
In a departure from our normal mix, all of this week’s clangers come from a duo overheard at a bar. Both are Chelsea toffs – or consider themselves such – and both were a little beyond over refreshed.
On state schools:
The blonde: “State schools only teach World War Two”.
The baldy: “I’m not surprised. They’re all so left wing, the teachers”.
The blonde: “No. It’s because it’s easier. They only want to teach the popular and the easy”.
The baldy: “And the anti-fascist. And the pro-communist. Close ‘em all down”.
On the Catholic Church:
The baldy: “The Catholic Church are like the Brexiteers. They just wanted to take back control.
The blonde: “No. They just want to protect the paedophiles”.
On fancy dress:
The blonde: “Fancy dress parties are only for people without the ability to make no conversation”.
The baldy: “Oh. Really? I went to one last week”.
On the Mail Online:
The blonde: “I do read the Mail Online every morning. I’ll admit it. People think I’m posh but in my heart I know I want to live like a chav”.
On Scottish devolution:
The baldy: “In Scotland you’ve got two lezzers. I’d say it’s time for a male revolution”.
On war:
The baldy: “You never know who’s sitting where when there is a war. For f**k’s sake. War is war. Bring on the next one”.
On joining a bishop:
The baldy: “I joined the Bishop of Exeter once”.
The blonde: “What? Like joining the Masons?”
The baldy: “No like joining him for dinner”.
On David Cameron:
The baldy: “David Cameron should be locked up for crimes against the Conservative Party. People want Tony Blair locked up. I want that pr**k locked up in the cell next door”.
On Jeremy Corbyn:
The blonde: “Now, Corbyn… He’s Hitler reincarnated. Just accept it”.
Submit comments you hear to[email protected]. We publish amusing and ridiculous chatter we receive and sometimes we change names and locations to protect the identities of the vain and the vacuous.
Subscribe to our free once daily email newsletter here:[contact-form-7 id=”225″ title=”Contact form 1″]
