Regina Spektor: twice in one day

So it was "Wear Your Band T-Shirt To Work Day" on Friday...something Mr Steve Lamacq was promoting on his show on 6 Music. I obliged by wearing a very old Jam T-shirt, that was not only far too small, but bright yellow! Obviously, I was the talk of the office...looking like I'd just come off a navy ship.

Just after this photo was taken, I turned to leave the studios and return to my desk, when I ran into Regina Spektor. She was sitting on the sofa, waiting to go on Lauren Lavern's show and was looking me in a stange way. I felt I had to mention why I was looking quite so ridiculous and after a brief, but necessary, explaination we began to talk about her gig at the Hammersmith Apollo. Our conversation lasted all of 30 seconds before she was whisked into the studio and I, in turn, went to change into a top that actually fitted me.

As if it wasn't enough to meet one of my favourite female singers in one day, I also had the pleasure of spending a minute in the company of Harry Hill - the host of one of the best programme's on TV - AND Hollywood actress Penelope Cruz! (well, I can't claim to have spent any actual time in her company, she just scowled at me from across the room)

After a day at the office, the good lady wife and I went for a wonderful thai dinner before heading off to Hammersmith, to watch the lovely Regina. She played a great gig - with a string quartet and drummer accompanying her - and my only regret of not staying until the end, is that I didn't get to hear Fidelity.

Ah well, I was glad of it this morning...when the horrible string chords of my alarm woke me up at 5:15! I stumbled around in the dark, managed to get down the stairs and have a shower, then fell out of the front door into a cab. I don't know if you've ever got a cab into work at 5.30 in the morning, but let me tell you this; the last thing you want is a chatty driver! All I wanted was a quick doze in the back seat with the radio playing in the background, but NOOOOOO, my driver wanted to tell me everything about the current roadworks in London. No No No mate - not at 5.30!

It was George Lamb's first weekend breakfast show and it went really well. We spoke with Hollywood actor Jason Schwartzman from his home in LA and comedian James Corden came into the studio to talk about Gavin & Stacey. And now at the end of my working day (I've been in this building for 9 hours) I'm off to enjoy another shower, before heading to Hackney for mince pies at my good friend Sam's flat and then onto a 50th birthday party; surely a recipe for a hoot?

The Heights

On Tuesday, I was treated to drinks at The Heights in W1. The Heights, for those that don't know...and why would you...is a bar/restaurant at the top of The St George's Hotel, very close to Broadcasting House. The reason it's so special, is that is has the most stunning views of London - being the 15th floor and practically all glass.

The reason for the drinks was to meet up with Greg and Pat from Hue & Cry, a pop duo you may or may not remember from the early 80s? Well anyway, they're still going strong, and released a good single earlier this year, which Radio 2 played on high rotation. There were 10 of us, all enjoying some over-priced crisps and a few glasses of vino, with great conversation. A lot of it based around Hampstead! (for no particular reason) We had a lovely evening, my only regret being that I didn't eat anything before drinking a considerable amount of alcohol!

Wednesday saw the start of my new working week (Mondays and Tuesdays now being my weekends) and I got into the swing of my new routine without a hitch. After a day in the office, a few of the 6 Music stallwarts got together in The Hub (after hours you understand) to rehearse the band for our Christmas party. It was a good first rehearsal, and I think all of us were pleasantly surprised that it won't sound as crap as we thought when we come to actually performing in front of people next week!

I skipped off just before 9 to join friends in Covent Garden for some greek food and a little tipple, before enduring the rain, then the tube and the journey back home.

11pm = bed and collapse Zzzzzzz

A rainy weekend

Hampstead in the rain is just as good as Hampstead in the sun, you just have to stay cosy!

The weekend began with a gentle jog down to Kenwood House and back - a glorious sky and some good company helped me through the stitch, no doubt brought on by the curry the night before! After a quick shower, it was off to Covent Garden to meet Helen and Sam for noodles. We had a good catch up, before Sam left for the football and Hel's to Gloucestershire.

I strolled around central for an hour or so before heading back to Hampstead. By this time, the rain had started, so I decided to curl up indoors. My plan, however, didn't really work out...as I started on a mission to clear out my room. This involved a lot of black bags, the demolishing of a rubbish shelf stack and a new bookshelf. The re-arranging took hours! So by the time it was finished, it was time to go out for the evening. Sushi at the top of Harvey Nichols was the chosen spot, before having a glass of wine at the Sanderson Hotel and getting home for midnight before collapsing into bed.

The rain woke me up on Sunday, pouring off the roof whilst the wind batted the window. I met Pippa for a brunch at Ginger and White, we enjoyed a really nice coffee, before moving to The Flask (her choice...she likes a booze). It was still raining! After Pip left, I spent another hour or so in the flat before taking a brisk walk to The Spaniards with the rest of the gang in the flat. A glass of Malbec went down particularly well - The Spaniards being one of the best places to spend a rainy evening. We walked back, I picked up some salmon from the supermarket and went to cook up a treat and watch a film with the good lady wife.

Pool Party anyone?

I went to a pool party last night. However, I didn't get my trunks out and there weren't a hoard of lovely ladies in bikinis lounging around...rather, a load of lads drinking Stella and eating deep fried treats. You've guessed it, we were PLAYING pool. The evening was arranged by the lovely people at Columbia Records; Sam, Bryn, Lizzie and Toby - who I believe all lost to the mighty Radio 2 / 6 Music teams. I was just glad that my doubles partner, Gary, and I didn't go out first game!

Today is the last show in the 10 - 1 run that I'll be working on. Andrew Collins will be rounding off the week in style, then I'm hopping down the road to Kettners Champagne rooms to enjoy a gig by Fife Dangerfield (of Guillemots fame) perform some new toons - of the solo variety...

Oh, and if I'm offered a glass of something sparkly, I probably won't say no!

A date at The Old Etonian

I enjoyed dinner at one of my favourite London restaurants last night, The Old Etonian, which is at Harrow On The Hill. The meal was as good as always, made better by the company - my good friend Andy B, and loveable dog Yancy.

I was hoping that I might be adventurous and try something new, but the fillet steak with cognac and mustard is too good to refuse, so I stuck with it and was bloody glad I did. The cheese board beat me, but the wine didn't. Andy and I got through a bottle of the house red, which is always so nice.

A good meal was much needed after the debauchary of The SRAs on Tuesday evening. Having mixed champagne, wine and beer, I was feeling slightly fragile.

Vic and Bob and Lisa Hannigan

In this wonderful media job I have, I get the pleasure of meeting a lot cultural, influential, funny, cool and sometimes amazing people. Today, I enjoyed the company of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer - who appeared on Andrew Collins' show on BBC 6 Music. Both genuinely funny gentlemen, who were lovely and polite.

It doesn't always hit me instantly quite how lucky I am to be in this unique position, and to spend a moment or two with some of our great entertainers. I remember at the end of 2008, whilst making a wonderful (if I do say so) documentary on the life of the great Bill Cotton, how happy I was to have not only been made tea by Bruce Forsyth at his home, but to have ridden in Val Doonican's Jag, shared a coffee with Rolf Harris and had a go on Sir Jimmy Saville's running machine.

I was also able to enjoy an intimate gig with Speech Debelle - this years Mercury Prize Winner - who performed in The 6 Music Hub. She sang just with an acoustic guitar, a very stripped back and raw performance, which was lovely and well recieved by the small audience.

After this rather celeb filled morning, I think tottered off to have lunch at HIX in Soho. HIX is one of chef Mark Hix's restaurants and has an amazing menu. I was taken by the manager of a new up and coming artist called Robinson, who charmed me and the rest of the guests over a champagne cocktail. The diners consisted of various people from Radio 2, including messers Alan Boyd and Mark Plant (2 good friends) and the wonderfully eccentric Janice Long and Alex Lester, both of whom I had the pleasure of sitting next to at the table.

I enjoyed a couple of glasses of Burgundy, some of Mark Hix's aged smoked salmon to start and an amazing Hanger Steak for the main, which came with a bone marrow stuffing and some of the best chips I have ever had! The whole meal was lovely, the conversation flowed and I managed to set up a dinner for when I'm over in LA next year. Wonderful!

The lunch took up the day (oh well) so instead of returning to the office, I perused the streets of London before meeting Ellie, another friend from work, who I introduced to the delights of The Tucan (a Guinness bar on the edge of Soho Square) We had a couple of pints, me drinking steadily, Ellie drinking through a straw, before going on to see the wonderful Lisa Hannigan perform at the Royal Festival Hall.

She played a wonderful set (not that we stayed til the end, I was tired) and the atmosphere was very...polite. After watching Lisa for an hour, we snuck out of the RFH, walked across Embankment Bridge and I endured the tube home...

The wonders of a roast

It's funny what a pub roast can do, with the right atmosphere and company!

Having planned a lazy day, after last night's combined 50th birthday (that's two friends' birthdays, one 24 the other 26) I started the day in completely the wrong way. Myself and flatmate Sam decided to embark on our weekend run on Hampstead Heath. Shorts and T-shirt on, bottle of water in hand and off we went. It was a drizzly day, slightly grey, but perfect running weather - so we thought. As we reached The Heath, the heavens opened and it completely tipped it down. Being British, and not wanting to give up, we continued on in full stride enjoying the cooling rain on our arms and legs. However, as we arrived deep into The Heath, the lightning, thunder and hail began. It was vicious! It was relentless and the wind was unbearable, beating against us without showing any mercy. All we could do was continue to run, we tried to find some shade to hide in - to no avail - and by the time we were home, our T-shirts had quite literally stuck themselves to our bodies.

After a coffee and a shower, the relaxing day I had planned got underway and my lovely friend George came to visit. We set out to the local Horseshoe pub in Hampstead (30 seconds walk away, so nice and easy) and enjoyed a beautiful bottle of Malbec and a good old Sunday roast. There's nothing quite like a decent meal, and some great conversation, to wile away the hours. Before we knew it, three hours had gone and we'd caught up on the past year. It's amazing what a Sunday roast can do...