Happy Birthday Mr Misfit

The lovely Mr Misfit will be 60 next week so we obviously had to celebrate in style.  After too many parties in the house, involving weeks of work and food prep, we decided to take the easy route and book a room in a local pub and let them take on the hard graft. Food, booze, clearing up - sorted!

We booked the fantastic double act 'For The Boys' - after seeing them regularly at The George Tavern - for a vintage singalong and decided the ideal theme would be 'Dress in the Era of Your Choice'.

For decorations we decided on good old British and Aussie bunting (Mr Misfit's roots) with some flags for waving (à la Last Night of The Proms) and some photos of the Birthday Boy through the ages.

'For The Boys' did a fab job of getting everyone singing along to classics from the 30's to the noughties and then we handed over to our son for the dance tracks.

It was most definitely a night to remember, with friends embracing the theme and turning up in their finery.  We had everything from cowboys to flappers, French Revolution through to the 70's and a Madonna!

Many photos below but I think, on this occasion, they speak louder than words.

It had to be a Mummy Misfit dress, didn't it (?) complete with my Godmother's ORIGINAL 1940's astrakhan stoal.

The Misfit with 1960's Nonteen

... and the Alfie dog in his matching Misfit bandana.

With my Mr Misfit birthday boy

"For the Boys" - our entertainment, always ready for the camera!

Leading everyone in 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes'

Getting into the British spirit!

A good ol' Sing-a-long

Big night, little dog ...

The three of us ... and the new James Bond.

Sexy sirens

Make love, not war

There's always the photo-bomber ...

All the nice girls love a man in uniform

Mr Misfit over the years

Saints and Sinners

Howdy Pardner!

The Twitter Girls

A very British (and Australian) Affair

In full swing

Yin Yang Bonds

Mr Misfit takes the cake

Wasn't he a cutie?

Doing 'New York, New York'

The Misfit and Madonna

"Over and Out" - Mission accomplished.

Save The George Tavern!

A wet summer (I use this word lightly) Sunday in London.  What are your options when you’ve got your nose pressed at the window, desperate to do something that makes your heart sing and doesn’t involve going out in the poopy British weather?

Londoners, listen up!  I have the answer.  Get ye down to The George Tavern on the last Sunday (probably wet!) of every month and have a free - yes FREE - singalong with an amazing bunch of people who will have you tapping your feet, belting out a song and sticking up two fingers at the weather. It's Variety Bunker time.

Regular readers will know that I’m an ex (Read: frustrated) actress and when I wrote ‘Stilettos & Stubble’ I took great pleasure in creating ‘The Gossamer Glove’ where it’s set.  If the truth be known, my dream is to own that club in real life - but instead of pure drag I’d host everything from drag to burlesque, torch songs to the more bizarre.

The George Tavern is not The Gossamer Glove, I can’t lie to you.  Imagine a run down, typical East End pub.  Well inside, anyway - the outside has recently had a facelift. It’s basic - with a worryingly distressed ceiling and graffiti in the loos (very funny it is too), but first appearances can be deceptive. Delve deeper and you discover its rich heritage - from its ornate bar to the VIPs who have graced its doors over the years. The patron's area isn't glamorous at all, but … it’s filled with love, happy stuff and I’ve come home feeling like I’ve just experienced a smashing slice of whacky Britishness!

I walked in with hubbie and the teen, not quite knowing what to expect.  A few tables surrounded the stage and piano where the audience were waiting for the show to begin.  A large farmhouse table offered food, provided by the artists, and punters were invited to help themselves.  Waiting for a show at four o’clock on a Sunday afternoon felt a little odd but once the acts began nobody gave a hoot what time it was.

We started with 'For the Boys' with Mister Meredith on piano (I do so love a man in uniform) and the Divine Miss Em (fab legs and lungs).  We laughed, we sang, we clapped and we had a sing-off.  It felt like it was four in the morning - weird but true.  Songs ranged from traditional feelgood war songs to more updated numbers.  We even sang ‘Fairytale of New York’ because it was requested -‘ in effing May!’ as the Divine Miss Em pointed out.

We moved on to a double act, the Fabulous Ray & Johnny - again in uniform (Home Guard) - who took us on a journey singing George Formby songs on banjos.  Once again, everybody joined in.

After a brief interval we were wowed by the drag act RubyVenezuela and, I have to say, I fell a little bit in love.  We’re talking ‘old school’ drag - think Danny LaRue on steroids and you’re just about there.  She belted out songs as she wheezed, stuffed up jokes and flirted with the audience like a trooper.  When her act was over and my husband accidentally knocked my wine all over the floor, she thought nothing of giving me half her vodka and coke in my glass with a sequinned wink and a bitchy, ‘Get him to buy you another one immediately!’

The afternoon ended with more from ‘Songs For the Boys’ and then the barman joined them for THE MOST AMAZING version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. OMG! WHAT a talent.  I've since found out that he was on ‘The Voice’ last year.  Go Jamie! You can check him out on YouTube.

I can’t begin to tell you how upbeat I felt after experiencing this little piece of Sunday afternoon magic. Everyone at The George Tavern was happy.  There were groups of people, gay and straight couples, a disabled lady on her own, even a mum breast-feeding alone - it’s a feelgood place that touches your heart.

So when I heard that it’s under threat of closure, I got a bit cross - and we all know what Mummy Misfit’s like when she’s cross!  Save The George Tavern!  (See NME article). We need places like this - places where people can go and know that they’ll leave feeling uplifted.

So that was my Sunday.  Boring?  Hell no!  Made me even more determined to open ‘The Gossamer Glove’?  Hmmm …

I have not been paid to write this review - this is my opinion only.

The acts at ‘The George Tavern’ ask that you make a contribution in the hat as it comes around.

If you want to book any of the acts above please go the links on their names - you won’t be disappointed.

Dear Kate ...

Dear Kate, (or any other new mum)

Firstly, congratulations. You're a mum for the first time and regardless of the spotlight being on you, you'll  be feeling like all new mummies - knackered and bewildered.

I only ever experienced those feelings once, nearly eighteen years ago, but watching your face as you left the security of your hospital room yesterday brought it all back to me.  It's an exciting and terrifying time - hugely rewarding, draining and a constant learning curve.

So here are Mummy Misfit's tips on surviving motherhood.

* He might be a real Prince but every son is a Prince to his mum.  Remember he's YOURS.  He's your precious bundle and what you say goes.  Spend time with him, get to know him, don't let people insist they have a piece of him.  He COULD be your only child - no one can predict that they'll have the 2, 3, 4 they want.  Cherish every minute as if he's your last baby.

*  If you want to breast feed, give it a go.  If you can't, don't beat yourself up.  Some can, some can't.  It's not a competition and you can only do what works for you and your baby.

* You'll sometimes feel like you don't have a clue what you're doing and everything you do is wrong.  You'll ask for advice and some of it will make sense but you'll still want to try to have a go at doing things your way.  Sometimes it will work, sometimes you'll stuff up and wish you took the advice.  That's part of being a mum.  Don't let people give you advice you don't want - tell them politely that you're fine.  Opinions can overload your thoughts to the point that you don't remember your own.

* There will be times that you're cross-eyed with tiredness.  I had a baby who liked to feed every hour on the hour for the first year of his life.  You'll get to the point where you think you can't cope.  You will.  You have no choice.  And it does come to an end.

*  Your body will do what it wants to do, in its own time so be kind to yourself and don't expect too much too soon.  What's wrong with a 'baby belly'?  Wear it with pride - it's much more attractive than the wrinkles and grey hairs they give you as they get older!

*  You'll never sleep the way you used to, pre-baby.  From those early sleepless nights you'll move on to  colic, teething, nappy rash, coughs and colds.  As a mum you develop a third ear - what was that noise?  Are they OK?  Then they grow up, refuse to go to bed, play loud music, go out on the town and leave you awake and worried. Your sleeping days are over!

*  He'll  bring out instincts in you that you had no idea you had.  You'll become a fighting, spitting tigress if you need to.  Only a mum can know this and it will surprise you the first time it happens.

* Your husband is your best friend and ally. Don't fight one another when you're both tired because you both want the same thing - a happy baby and a good night's sleep!  Keep talking and, when you can, have a giggle.

* You'll think that every mum is doing a better job than you.  They're not - every baby is different so if your best friend's baby is sleeping through the night at six weeks, big deal.  Your baby's the best, and you know it!

*  One minute he'll be snuggled on your lap and  the next he'll be a strapping lad with thoughts of his own.  You won't believe the speed with which that happens.  For a while, it passes slowly then ... woosh, they're an adult.

There you go - my Misfit tips on motherhood.  I may have only had one baby, but the feelings are the same and if just one of my thoughts goes on to give a new mummy an ounce of comfort, I'll be happy.

Above all, enjoy your time and sleep whenever you can - that final piece of advice is one I never took.  Why would I want to sleep when I had a lovely baby boy to look at?