To Whitehall Gardens and Beyond: Toy Story 3 Premiere London

Sunday turned out to be a glorious day, much to everyones relief that attended the Toy Story 3 Premiere in Leicester Square, followed up by the after party in Whitehall Gardens on the Victoria Embankment.  My life sounds pretty charmed of late, being on tv, attending preview screenings of Inception, open air concerts and now film premieres but I assure you the red carpet was not laid out for myself and there was no galivanting around the party, drink in hand, schmoozing with the stars.  Instead I was working.  This was the fourth Toy Story 3 private preview screening I had been asked to face paint at and the second I had actually attended.  The hype for this film in the UK has been massive and Sunday afternoon that anticipation and excitement had been bottled in the form of a Toy Story themed extravaganza.

As usual with these kinds of events, upon arrival, just an hour before the guests were due to appear, the gardens were full of white gazebo's dotted about the place and not much else.  Staff were busying away placing signs directing guests to "decorate your own cupcake", "funky hair" and of course us, whom were entitled "Mr Pricklepants Face Painting".  It always amazes me how little seems done and yet how much comes together within that last hour, with the final product being an absolute dream of entertainers, scrumptious food and imaginative ideas.  Sunday was no different.  As I meandered about the place, once again the team that usually handles these events had outdone themselves.  Free Toy Story toys, cake decorating, nails, funky hair, face painting, DJ, balloon modellers and an illusionist dressed as Woody are to name but a few of the delights sampled by the guests.

My mini Buzz Lightyear

My biggest grievance from the event was that us face painters were placed in such a position that the most heavenly gazebo was dangled in front of us further mocking that we were allowed into this private party by default rather than belonging.  Huge bowls filled with strawberries, stands upon stands of soft sponge cakes dusted in icing sugar filled the tent in our direct eyeline.  Not to mention the wait staff who always insist on offering us their goodies, the most gorgeous looking chicken and chips this time and I hadn't eaten lunch!  Luckily I eventually got to try all of them at the end of the gig.....ssshhh!

The event was a hit and definitely one of their best and yet my celeb spottings was reduced to the back of Kate Garraway from GMTV, whom I've met before at the Princess and the Frog Premiere, where I was photographed for the Daily Mail painting Amanda Holdens little girl (shamelessly name dropping I realise), terrible picture of me but great publicity.  I was hoping for something similar this time but no luck unfortunately.  Considering the films publicity and the effort that went into Sunday I'm utterly shocked that all they managed to grapple together was a morning presenter, an ex Atomic Kitten and a Junior Apprentice winner.  That makes Gino "Fantastico" DiCampo probably the most famous person there, whom I didn't see either, much to my mothers dismay.

Me and Lego Buzz

I work at these parties quite a lot and spend most of my time guessing what people do, who got the tickets, where they live, in between face painting of course.  There's a buzz that embraces me when working at them.  It's almost as if I've been allowed into some secret society but I haven't been given permission to properly pledge yet.  I then spend the rest of my time and the journey home flitting from feeling blessed with my life for working at such a gig and then dissatisfied with my life because I'm not attending.  Finally I sit back and end my quandries with "One day Louisa.  One day."

If anybody knows how that one day could come very soon, aka effectively give me tickets to premieres on a regular basis, one would be most grateful.

Dear Will Young

Dear Will,

Last time I was in your presence we were at a private performance of yours in Temple Gardens, London.  You were cool, friendly and aspirational.  The way you spoke, sung and dressed was utter perfection.  You were every girls dream best friend.  There was even a moment where you requested to have your face painted and I was the chosen one. It never came about but I didn't hold it against you.  Instead I sung your praises about how brave and fun you were to even suggest it.  The fact that you were dating Matthew Williamson just made me love you even more.  I suppose this is beginning to read much like a "Dear John" letter, I think we both know where this is going.  You've changed.  There I've said it.  The Will that stood before me Thursday night at Rochester Castle was not the Will I grew to love from the Pop Idol years.  For starters you came on stage wearing this:

I know Military WAS all the rage but must everybody jump on it's band wagon and continue it, when really it should never have been brought to our attention to this extreme in the first place.  I'm sure a little Military edge could be kind of cool and I'm sure I've sported a little in my time but this full on Cheryl Cole outfit is just unnecessary.  We love Chezza but even we know that the "Fight for our Love" gear was a bigger mistake than her forgiving Ashley Cole the first time, don't try and buy into her hype.   I thought maybe I could let this go, see past your initial exterior.  After all you are a show man and this is a show stopper....I mean piece, but then you came out wearing this:

Red braces, black bowler hat.  I suppose we could at least argue that you were colour coordinating.  However, one or the other would have sufficed.  Together just made you look like you were performing in a cheap am dram performance of some horrifically bad Musical.  I don't want to hurt you but I can't lie to you anymore either. 

The last was the worst though.  Fair enough I get it, black outfit with a UV like outline, so you could do some funky dance and just the outline of you be seen by the audience but the top hat was overkill.   For a while I pictured the material to be black felt sewn together by a local Brownie group and the more you danced the more the arms became unseemed, slowly slipping off onto the floor.  I even imagined badly fitting felt trousers that when you sat revealed your long white socks in a Grandpa way rather than a really funky MJ way. 

Maybe I didn't get it, I mean I did spend an awful long time during that last set queueing for the toilets.  I don't know.  I feel harsh.  I wanted to like the outfits so much.  I'm glad they weren't boring but did they have to be so.....cheesy.

I'm sorry it had to end this way but I want you to know I will always think of you fondly.  This isn't goodbye, it's just so long for now.

x

ps- Did Matthew teach you nothing?