OK....So like Ive told you i live in East London, Bow to be exact and i live with 2 girls, my sister Nags and Heidi, both of whom are very "east London cool", I...am not!
Now if you have ever visited East London you will know what i mean, if you haven't i am going to explain.
I am what you would call a typical "WAG, Essex style girl", i love my hair extensions, false eye lashes, white nail tips, fake tan and always trust a little black dress.
Going out in East London dressed as i do i get looked at as if i have just fallen from a completely different planet!
The look here is a very laid back and almost, should i say "scruffy", a lot of the clothes look like they were never meant to go together however one outfit is probably worth more than my entire shoe collection.
And let me tell you the girls never wear heels- but after trying to walk through Hoxton in my stilettos i can understand why- i was walking like a duck with a broken leg!
I have tried to take on the "Shoreditch style" but unfortunately on me it just looks wrong.
Most people say to me "Kel why don't you just stick to going to Faces nightclub or the west end" but ya know what i love Shoreditch!-even though to them i look like a Barbie doll I'm still not judged even when i rock out the running man in the corner, the vibe in east London is something Ive never felt anywhere else, you see the best bands, the most outrageous fashion and some of the strangest body piercings- i seriously never believed certain body parts can be pierced- apparently i was very wrong!
Where else can you walk down the street and have a homeless person ask you to donate £1 to the donor kebab fund?
Now normally when i go out to watch a band in Hoxton or Shoreditch i stand there, drink in one hand and having a bop not having a clue what they are singing about and trying to fit in with my skinny jeans and blazer but something happened last week, something changed- i was actually cool in Hoxton, and this was all thanks to a band called "The Hitmen and Her", this band were amazing, made up of around 6 people, 2 of which were lead vocalists, a bloke who worked the "geek chic look" and a beautiful blonde- who just happens to be Gemma Artertons sister (a sickeningly talented family- I'm not jealous at all ha).
Every song the band played i knew the words too, they covered everything from Ce Lo Green to Britney to Beyonce but in their own original style and I LOVED IT! I didn't stop dancing!
so if you are ever lucky enough to see this band play make sure you have your dancing shoes on and your vocal chords warmed up.
so this blog is a dedication to the band, thank you guys you actually made me cool in Hoxton!!
xxx
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Thursday, 3 February 2011
All things hi-de-hi campers
Well i was going to write today about my night out but after a conversation with my house mate this morning i decided i needed to write about all the things that make hi-de-hi.
This blog is going to be a dedication to all the past, present and future "Coats", whether you are blue, red or what are now known as "funstars"- THIS ONES FOR YOU!
Back in the 70's a young man called Trev started work at Pontins holiday park as a bluecoat, he worked hard and played hard, while he was working there a young lady called Debbie arrived as a guest for a modelling competition (back then miss lovely legs was the competition to win- it was like x factor for only beautiful people).
The 2 met and several years later Trev left the life of a bluecoat and married his Pontins Princess, they then went on to have 2 daughters and live happily ever after.
As well as Pontins mapping out Debbie and Trevs lives for them it also introduced them to friends that these days are now known as family, thanks to sharing the same memories and love made at a holiday camp.
For some people they really dont get "the holiday park love" but for me its the reason i am here, having Trev and Debbie as my parents has meant a life of love, fun, care and all round entertainment because even though Trev left the bluecoat life we carried on holidaying there for years and years, where we made more memories as a family that will be with us for life.
The conversation i had with my housemate involved her saying "You cant really call working at Pontins a job!", this got me thinking that people really have no idea how hard being a coat is and what is involved.
Back in 2007, i made my way down to Pontins, Brean sands (the same site my dad worked as a bluecoat) and auditioned to join Pontins as a Bluecoat. As i walked in several staff members approached me and asked "Your Trevs daughter?" i couldnt help but smile and feel incredibly proud.
I got the job and moved up to Southport after christmas to take my place as a bluecoat dancer, but nothing could have prepared me for the year i was about to experience.
We would work 6 days a week, sometimes starting at 9am and not finishing until the early hours the following day, with minimal breaks and sometimes doing 2 shows per day, even 3 on a charachter show day.
Your job is to entertain and and give the guests a holiday to remember. You had to constantly walk around looking like you had slept with a hanger in your mouth, make up and hair perfect and your uniform clean and ironed.
This was THE hardest job i have ever done but it was totally worth it because during this year i learnt hard graft, i had some of the best training, made the most incredible memories, met some of my best friends and created the best year of my life.
The people i met throughout that year i will never forget, the Blues, the cabaret acts, the bar staff- even the guests (who were not always a pleasure to be around especially after a few beers).
I cried, laughed, had my heart broken, drank too much, partied too hard, fractured my hand on a toilet seat being sick after 1 too many vodka shots and had a suspicious, sticky substence land on my black jeans in a busy bar (the word "seagulled" comes to mind) but these are just a handful of memories i have from my year as a Blue.
It doesnt matter whether your coat is Blue, Red, yellow etc- if you have ever worked as an entertainer you will know the pride you feel wearing that blazer because it represents a great British institution, something that only our country has, and we as a nation should embrace that.
At any holiday park the punters come to see the entertainers and when the kids go back to school with stories about their holiday what do you think they talk about?...the damp chalets/caravans?.... the fried and overpriced food? nope they will go back to their friends and say "when i grow up i want to be a coat!".
That is what i did, i still remember dancing around my bedroom wearing my dads bluecoat blazer doing the agadoo.
There is so much snobbery in entertainment:- "all that training and your working at Pontins??"
ive heard it all but ya know what? Pontins gave me something no amount of expensive stage schooling ever offered me.
I also believe my best training and skills came from my year in Southport and im pretty sure the likes of "Shane Richie", "Des o'Connor", "Bradley Walsh" etc wouldnt disagree.
As a coat you know that someone, somewhere has a picture of you in their photo album, a piece of video from their holiday with you on it- you have made a lasting memory for that person and for that you should be proud.
So even though i left feeling like i needed a new liver, a holiday for a month and a lifetime supply of sleeping tablets i wouldnt change a thing.
So this is a dedication to every single Bluecoat, Redcoat and funstar,
for every cabaret, bar staff and anyone else involved in holiday parks....
and also a very special thank you to everyone i worked with or met at Pontins, Southport 2007/8
^They are My friends- My family
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This blog is going to be a dedication to all the past, present and future "Coats", whether you are blue, red or what are now known as "funstars"- THIS ONES FOR YOU!
Back in the 70's a young man called Trev started work at Pontins holiday park as a bluecoat, he worked hard and played hard, while he was working there a young lady called Debbie arrived as a guest for a modelling competition (back then miss lovely legs was the competition to win- it was like x factor for only beautiful people).
The 2 met and several years later Trev left the life of a bluecoat and married his Pontins Princess, they then went on to have 2 daughters and live happily ever after.
As well as Pontins mapping out Debbie and Trevs lives for them it also introduced them to friends that these days are now known as family, thanks to sharing the same memories and love made at a holiday camp.
For some people they really dont get "the holiday park love" but for me its the reason i am here, having Trev and Debbie as my parents has meant a life of love, fun, care and all round entertainment because even though Trev left the bluecoat life we carried on holidaying there for years and years, where we made more memories as a family that will be with us for life.
The conversation i had with my housemate involved her saying "You cant really call working at Pontins a job!", this got me thinking that people really have no idea how hard being a coat is and what is involved.
Back in 2007, i made my way down to Pontins, Brean sands (the same site my dad worked as a bluecoat) and auditioned to join Pontins as a Bluecoat. As i walked in several staff members approached me and asked "Your Trevs daughter?" i couldnt help but smile and feel incredibly proud.
I got the job and moved up to Southport after christmas to take my place as a bluecoat dancer, but nothing could have prepared me for the year i was about to experience.
We would work 6 days a week, sometimes starting at 9am and not finishing until the early hours the following day, with minimal breaks and sometimes doing 2 shows per day, even 3 on a charachter show day.
Your job is to entertain and and give the guests a holiday to remember. You had to constantly walk around looking like you had slept with a hanger in your mouth, make up and hair perfect and your uniform clean and ironed.
This was THE hardest job i have ever done but it was totally worth it because during this year i learnt hard graft, i had some of the best training, made the most incredible memories, met some of my best friends and created the best year of my life.
The people i met throughout that year i will never forget, the Blues, the cabaret acts, the bar staff- even the guests (who were not always a pleasure to be around especially after a few beers).
I cried, laughed, had my heart broken, drank too much, partied too hard, fractured my hand on a toilet seat being sick after 1 too many vodka shots and had a suspicious, sticky substence land on my black jeans in a busy bar (the word "seagulled" comes to mind) but these are just a handful of memories i have from my year as a Blue.
It doesnt matter whether your coat is Blue, Red, yellow etc- if you have ever worked as an entertainer you will know the pride you feel wearing that blazer because it represents a great British institution, something that only our country has, and we as a nation should embrace that.
At any holiday park the punters come to see the entertainers and when the kids go back to school with stories about their holiday what do you think they talk about?...the damp chalets/caravans?.... the fried and overpriced food? nope they will go back to their friends and say "when i grow up i want to be a coat!".
That is what i did, i still remember dancing around my bedroom wearing my dads bluecoat blazer doing the agadoo.
There is so much snobbery in entertainment:- "all that training and your working at Pontins??"
ive heard it all but ya know what? Pontins gave me something no amount of expensive stage schooling ever offered me.
I also believe my best training and skills came from my year in Southport and im pretty sure the likes of "Shane Richie", "Des o'Connor", "Bradley Walsh" etc wouldnt disagree.
As a coat you know that someone, somewhere has a picture of you in their photo album, a piece of video from their holiday with you on it- you have made a lasting memory for that person and for that you should be proud.
So even though i left feeling like i needed a new liver, a holiday for a month and a lifetime supply of sleeping tablets i wouldnt change a thing.
So this is a dedication to every single Bluecoat, Redcoat and funstar,
for every cabaret, bar staff and anyone else involved in holiday parks....
and also a very special thank you to everyone i worked with or met at Pontins, Southport 2007/8
^They are My friends- My family
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
me...me..me: the first blog EVER!
So...this is me, I'm Kelly- a struggling, single, television presenter (emphasise the struggling) who just recently moved to the city (seriously the gherkin building blocks daylight to my flat) i come from a normal family- i suppose if you can call it that, my mum has a dog that she swears talks back to her, my dad still strongly believes he is an 18 year old blue coat who wears shorts even in the snow, my sister is a full time musical theatre student (nothing normal about that) and not to mention my auntie who (bless her cottons) has narcolepsy which basically means she loves to fall asleep at every opportunity! but all in all a fairly normal family!
so how did i come to write this blog? well like i said I'm struggling, struggling to get work and struggling to get an agent and i keep getting told to write one of these things so that's what I'm doing...sat in my flat in my non matching PJ's, hairs not brushed, not one sign of make up, tea in one hand and trying to type in the other staring at the beautiful sight from my flat of some of the best council flat buildings east London has to offer!
i also should mention we recently bought a house bunny...yes a house bunny that's a rabbit that lives in the house...we called her princess bugsy, gotta tell ya though I'm pretty sure Kate Middleton wouldn't hop around emptying her bowels all over the laminate flooring! (if our landlord is reading this we don't really have a bunny its pretend i promise! )- not much of a princess in my eyes especially considering she chewed through my brand new ghd straighteners last week grrrr!
more facts about the person your reading about...
I'm 25 years old, I'm single, that's pretty much all you need to know right now... gonna be letting you in to my life from now on so you will get to know everything but for now I'm going to get my arse off the sofa, get dressed and make my way to the gym...lets face it I'm still carrying Christmas weight from last year and the year before so the treadmill is my new best friend.
As for the rest of my day I'm doing more send outs to agents and casting directors, i then i may head out to hoxton tonight to "a gig" as my house mate referred to it...I'm not really a "gig" girl to be honest i like to put my little dress on and some ridiculously high, ankle breaking heels and pose at the bar with a Cosmo but I'm living in east London now so its time to embrace the shoreditch lifestyle!
speak to you later bloggers!
xxxx
so how did i come to write this blog? well like i said I'm struggling, struggling to get work and struggling to get an agent and i keep getting told to write one of these things so that's what I'm doing...sat in my flat in my non matching PJ's, hairs not brushed, not one sign of make up, tea in one hand and trying to type in the other staring at the beautiful sight from my flat of some of the best council flat buildings east London has to offer!
i also should mention we recently bought a house bunny...yes a house bunny that's a rabbit that lives in the house...we called her princess bugsy, gotta tell ya though I'm pretty sure Kate Middleton wouldn't hop around emptying her bowels all over the laminate flooring! (if our landlord is reading this we don't really have a bunny its pretend i promise! )- not much of a princess in my eyes especially considering she chewed through my brand new ghd straighteners last week grrrr!
more facts about the person your reading about...
I'm 25 years old, I'm single, that's pretty much all you need to know right now... gonna be letting you in to my life from now on so you will get to know everything but for now I'm going to get my arse off the sofa, get dressed and make my way to the gym...lets face it I'm still carrying Christmas weight from last year and the year before so the treadmill is my new best friend.
speak to you later bloggers!
xxxx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)