Living La Vida Showbiz …..

Although we are only in London for a couple of days we have much to cram in.  We know The Olympics were going to be out of this world BUT we are equally excited about visiting Hugh, our VBF (Very Best Friend) who lives the “Showbiz Dream” in Notting Hill! He had told us he was doing "well" …… but we still didn't know quite what to expect …..

As we approached Notting Hill station, via the romantic underground, all our hearts were pounding in anticipation, and what with the height of the escalators, it was hard to know what actually gave Darrell a slight nosebleed!

Hugh said he would met us at his “local”, The Prince Albert, (next to Jamie Oliver’s new restaurant) where we could have a shandy cocktail or two or three ……

…… and then he would take us round to see his bijou gaff. 

When we saw him, he hadn’t changed a bit, well .... except for his hair  … and a certain showbiz frissance,  but within seconds it was like old times and Hugh really was still the same old Hugh who left Wolverhampton in search of La Vida showbiz in London….. 

However …. I don’t think any of us quite expected to see just how well he had done for himself!!!!

His house was mahoooosively mahooooosive and just like what you see in Homes and Gardens  or Tatler!

Which is why Hugh said that perhaps it would be best taking our pictures in the garden, rather than indoors  as he was contractually bound by a “certain” magazine to keep his palatial home under wraps until an exclusive photo-shoot had been shot…..

However the temptation was hard to resist ….. especially when we saw the size and ornateness of his candlesticks ……. and the Ivor Novello awards on his mantlepiece!

...... And the washbasin in his downstairs loo, Nigel said he felt as if he was in an Esther Williams film, it was so big, luxuriant and glamorous, and if he had known, he would have bought his new knitted bathing trunks to try it out properly.

..... And then Darrell couldn’t resist having a petit tinkle on Hugh’s harp, proclaiming it to be the most romantic instrument he had ever tinkled on!

..... And when we saw that Hugh had even got a signed photo from the Queen it totally blew our minds …. and we then knew that he “really” had made it. It would have been nice to have taken more pictures of his more personal treasures and mahoooooosive collection of objets d'art but we knew we had to respect Hugh’s professional contractual obligations …. ……  We then moved outside into Hugh’s "backyard" for a few “drinkies” and we caught up on all Hugh's showbiz gossip and how his latest gig was to be in an old vintage shop, where they had asked him if he would mind performing in the window …. “Do I mind? ” he declared “My dears …. I will have an adoring audience in front of me and an adoring audience behind me …….what more could an artistttttttttttte want!” and we all laughed robustly, Hugh really is a star!

Then Hugh asked if we would like to roam his back garden, at first we were confused as we had thought that we were already in it ….he laughed and said …. “Follow me darlings …….” and led us up some very romantic iron steps ….

OMG …. OMG …. OMG

Hugh's back garden was more like a park, we were utterly and totally robustly silent!“It is rather special” he said “I am very blessed in a “certain” magazine type way” ……

…. but added that if we hadn’t have given him the push he needed, he’d still be in Wolverhampton dreaming of what could have been  ……. and for that he would always be eternally grateful.

As we gazed up at the back of his house, we had to agree that he had certainly made the right move, at the right time, but in another way we didn’t envy him the housework and gardening entailed in maintaining such a magnificent and mahooooosive property.

But there again, Hugh was always very at one with his marigolds, Henry and Mr Muscle … and he said that he found dusting his Lalique very cathartic and restful, giving him some normality away the air kissing and brouhaha of showbiz parties and such…..

…… and he has  a gentleman called Stephane .... who also “does” for him! Hugh is so fond of Stephane that he has even commissioned a portrait of him to grace his walls! 

However, at the mention of Hugh’s Lalique, my heart pounded as I realised why he had winced ever so slightly when Darrell and Nigel had availed themselves of a few dabs of perfume behind their ears from the mahoooosive bottle on Hugh’s coffee table ……. it was the only the “real” thing and those frivolous, innocent dabs were probably worth several  hundred of pounds a dab ….. !!  What are they like?

It was such a wonderful day, a day we will remember forever ….. Hugh has indeed done very well for himself …. and it was so lovely to be part of his world for just a very short while ….

The peace of Hugh's garden, despite being in the middle of London, afforded each of us a little time to think, I mused whether I too should be a little more ambitious and set my sights higher than just continuing to work in a busy office stapling and filing papers, all be it with lovely ladies and where cake is always in abundance …….

Darrell mused about getting his hair done like Hugh …. and went as far as asking him what products he used to make it so lustrous and manageable ……

….. and Nigel just embraced the moment …… and squeezed it for all his was worth …..

..... and imagined what it would be like to have a garden like a park to play in every day!

A good few tears were shed when it was time for us to leave ….. but we knew that it wouldn’t be too long before we would all met up again ….. Hugh’s whirlwind showbiz schedule permitting ………………. but for the time being nothing could close to such a brilliant day of a mega showbiz type nature!

http://www.the-prince-albert.co.uk/