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So... a belated Happy New year and I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas!
I know I know, I've neglected you a little of late. What can I say? A diva has to party! And then she has to catch up on her sleep. And THEN, on realisation that over the past two and a half years she's lost that perfect little toned, tight figure she worked so darn hard to get, and put on two and a half stone, she has to get back into that gym and run, jump, pump, lift, pull, stretch and crunch herself until she nearly collapses in an attempt to kick start her way to getting it back. Four days in and I'm in so much butt pain I'm walking like the tin man and bending like a 90 year old. Oh well.

So, excuses aside, and also to take my mind off the physical aches I'm currently sat on, I think it's time I shared my fabulous Selfridges experience with you just before Christmas.

There's a new rock star in town, but it's one with a difference. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to LaLa Rocks.

OK, so LaLa Rocks is not an actual rockstar (great name if it was though, don't you think?). LaLa Rocks is a brand new jewellery line created by Birmingham's very own business-woman Carla Hancox. Carla, like I'm sure many of you out there, began making a few bracelets for herself. Friends soon began asking carla to make them some, and from there, the demand for her bracelets became so much she decided to turn it into a business. Fabulous!

We all have our cravings and vices. In solid form mine is chocolate and in liquid form it is wine - only last night, having found my fridge bare after a 6 1/2 mile run, I was hit with a sugar rush and headed straight to the Pick 'n' Mix in Tesco (healthy dinner, right?) before heading out for a few glasses of wine with my girls. Sadly, both of these can fall into the category; a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. However, there is a new way of craving that promises to help you actually LOSE pounds! I kid you not! Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to...[drum-roll]

FASHINY

They promised us the party of the year, and ladies and gentlemen, boy did they deliver. Who am I talking about? Why, Harvey Nichols of course my darlings - it was their 10th anniversary of being at home in our fair city you see; Who else in Birmingham could pull in Alexandra Burke, Nikki Sanderson, Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace, 'The Only Way Is Essex's Joey Essex, Cara and Billi, Layla Monoochehri and Danielle Lloyd (who, it just so happens, once upon a time endorsed a wine brand, let us film her in Birmingham, said the wrong thing and caused her PR team to panic - media training my lovelies, media training - we will publish your mistakes remember)?

As ridiculous as this blog post may sound, you'll soon get what I mean - trust me!

(This is me mid-tint. It almost looks like surgery! Luckily, it's not - that's for a few years down the line!!)

On Saturday, whilst nursing my slight wine induced hangover from the ball I went to the night before, I was invited down to Solace Spa in Birmingham. Sadly the plan wasn't to have a massage, although this was probably for the best - having returned home at 3.30am and then been up at 9.30 to go and present my hospital radio show I think I would, by then, have fallen alseep. Instead, I went along with a friend of mine for an eyelash tint. Now, having very dark hair and subsequently eyelashes already, I was a little dubious as to whether the outcome would make any difference or not. As it happens it did - it looked a little like a light coating of mascara and will apparently last up to a month... perfect for brightening my deathly face in the early morning gym sessions I plan to get back into the habit of doing! Although should this take me much longer to write and post then tomorrow's might not happen - good start!

So, who was glamming it up at Style Birmingham Live over the weekend?

Well, yours truly was for one. At the press launch on the Friday evening, followed by the champagne fuelled afterparty (just how a Diva likes it), followed by a bit more on Saturday and the Bullring show on Sunday.

(This is me and my friend with the gorgeous George... a Diva wouldn't normally get so excited but, well, I did)

...when a 'daily email' from a female fashion website dropped into my inbox this morning, with one of the latest fashion week trends, I momentarily got excited. Until I read the words:

" Fashion week trend: Cosy jumper"

Well. What. A. HUMUNGOUS. Disappointment.

Well guys, it turns out that all those times you mocked us ladies for wearing our 'Bridgets' aka 'big pants' to keep our wobbly bits at bay, you were in actual fact just jealous because you didn't have a pair yourselves... well, fear not! Those delightful folk at Asda have come to the rescue.

So you know me, love my fashion, hate to be seen wearing the same as anyone else in the room, like to have my finger on the pulse, don't like to be challenged because it makes me angry and want to throw a Diva strop (I WILL win this argument...).

Well, last Thursday I was invited along to celebrate Independents Day... that is, Birmingham independent retailers, as opposed to Independence Day which is a federal holiday in the United States and also the name of a film featuring icky, ugly, evil aliens.
This day came in the form of a fashion show in Birmingham's Great Western Arcade - one of the prettiest shopping venues in Birmingham City Centre, sadly not as populated as I'd like to see it but still, it also houses Mr Simms Ye Olde Sweet Shop (dangerous for sugar fiends like myself - I recommend!).

Who said Birmingham's rubbish? Who said we're not the second city and we have no culture, plans, events? And who missed Birmingham's fantastic bars, restaurants and independent shops off their weekly Women's mag, yet included Manchester, Edinburgh, London, Brighton, Nottingham... ? (Not that I would point that out of course. Ahem) Stand up, be counted and eat your hats sirs and madams, because this weekend Birmingham is transforming half of Digbeth into something that all music, dance and festival lovers will be overwhelmed with - a huge, totally mud-less music festival. BLISS! Yes, this weekend Birmingham is holding a festival in our very fair city. Or concrete city as I know some like to dub it.