1. Cannes Film Festival on Majestic Beach lunch with Karen Publisher, Inger Entertainment attorney and French producers
2. Cannes on the private beach for a vitamin drink produced by Coca Cola
3. Celebrating Lionel Blair's 60 years in show business at the Dorchester
4. Pictured with Michael Winner who is supporting Lionel
5. With two glamorous friends Valerie P.R guru and Tricia Walsh Smith playwright, actress and youtube divorcee.
6. Ching superb performance at the Dorchester
7. After Ascot having more champagne
Summer Fun:
I am now firmly in the UK for the summer and hoping the weather keeps up. I am so used to the warm living in Florida for the winter that it really is a shock when it turns cold here in June. Fortunately the parties and teas have been on the sunny days or warm evenings. A particularly lovely day was an invitation by Dr William Milliken, Head of South American research, together with Dr Oliver Whaley and other curators for a special behind-the-scenes visit to Peruvian plants and collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens for the Anglo Peruvian society (APS) members. It was very well attended and I was invited by Blanca Cane, a friend I met at one of Sally's great charity events last year.
We started by having lunch at a typical English pub on Kew Green called the Greyhound. It was advertised at having new French Chefs and had unusual dishes like Zebra Steaks and Crayfish and Mangos. I spoke to one of the French chefs and he told me he gets up in the morning looking forward to the day; he just loves to cook. It isn't organic, as such, but he assured me there is no GM food preservatives or farmed fish. The food was excellent.
I have had a buzz of parties and hadn't noticed the recession so much because I haven't had time to read papers or watch TV. However, I know it is lurking around the corner by the look on many shop-keepers' worried faces, but they seem to be resigned to the slow business. Others are doing incredibly well but they seem to be in the minority. The money hasn't disappeared so much as changed hands and many of the people that are not suffering are seriously cutting back, creating stagnation and business concern.
But life goes on and after a few adjustments we can still enjoy making new ways. I have been busy trying to rent my properties and found it very difficult. The rental market is quite bad. I hear of a friend who has got super deals. One in Mayfair in a 2-bed flat with terrace that was advertised for £1,600 a month and he got it for £600. The price last year would have been around £3,000 but some owners just want their property occupied; they bought too many properties in the good times perhaps? That is the best deal I've heard of, not making it easy for us landlords. Not sure if I can call myself a 'landlord' as I rent out delightful narrowboats overlooking Kew Gardens but they are moored and not on land?
Businesses Behaving Badly
I was speaking to an accountant friend who says we are 'not' in recession but it is an excuse for 'businesses behaving badly.' Banks, property firms, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, food producers, manufacturers, shops restaurants and many others have run their businesses to the ground through bad management but mainly greed. The results are what we are seeing at the moment. My accountant also believes that the recession is a good excuse for businesses to get rid of unnecessary staff. Of course it is more complicated but it got me thinking. However, as we were talking in a popular Sloane Square wine bar I saw a delightful sight. Two elegantly dressed women with their gentleman escort who were obviously from Ascot. This is the first time I haven't been for years but 'it' came to me. Not wanting to miss a photo opportunity I took their pictures the recession gone completely from my mind they look so 'Ascot'.
CONDOS - A ticket to Hell.
My new film projects. I have been fighting my case in court in Florida for three years. As I warned in previous articles it is not a good investment to buy in South Florida, especially Fort Lauderdale at the moment. At least not until the laws change. Talk about the 'Wild West'! Well, that's what it feels like when dealing with condo corruption..
How to turn a negative into a positive.
I bought an apartment (condo) in Florida and found that I am in a nightmare where thousands of people are losing their homes and savings, having to walk away brokenhearted with nothing. So I decided to fight the blatant corruption. Having been in the film industry I thought it would make a great film - making negative into positive I seem to be collecting films like books. I now have 3 films under my 'True Crime 'series in Miami Vice type style written by well known criminal lawyers. Since taking them to the Cannes Festival in June I have been thrown back in the world of film. The 'daily's' which is the all important daily news produced at Cannes by the Hollywood reporter were constantly reporting that producers were complaining there was little money about. Many of the people were only there for a few days instead of the normal twelve, which is unheard of. However, it was still an experience and a great social time. I made contacts, which is why you go, so watch this space. You can see my films posters on a very basic website quickly designed to download for Cannes. www.biographyfilms.net
Latest on Food Abuse:
If you think you are eating chicken and believe that it's that little bird running around laying eggs, think again - you could be getting more than you bargained for. Try imagining them with pork and beef injected into them to 'bulk' them up.
The restaurants buying cheap chickens, usually Indian or Chinese, and even cafes are the ones that are most likely to be the victims. On the labels they will see the ingredients but it doesn't report the presence of beef and pork. Even worse this is waste skin, which is harvested from dead pigs and cows. Unfortunately, if you are a customer you will be a victim too. Obviously this is even more disastrous if your religion forbids this kind of food. Is there nothing left that we can trust? The Food and Standards Agency carried out DNA testing of the chemical powders used for 'bulking up' chicken in three production plants. They found that there was one in the UK and two in Europe.
Chickens can be injected with the water and chemical cocktail or 'bulked up' by placing them in a washing machine looking device with the treated powders. These powders contains salts or phosphates, leading to water retention and flavorings, preservatives and sugar. Don't think because you don't put sugar in your tea or salt on your food you are staying healthy. There is plenty in your food to overcompensate.
Pill for Cholesterol – Cancer Risk
'Prevention is better than cure'
If you don't want to increase your cholesterol, change your eating habits because using medication to lower cholesterol could increase the risk of cancer. Statins, which claims to de-clog the arteries, were found in a recent study to increase the risk of tumors. According to the study that was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists found that for every 1,000 patients that took statins, one extra case of cancer would occur. There is debate whether it is the pills or the fact of lowering the cholesterol that is to blame.
However, prevention is better than cure so it would be wise to watch what you are eating. Go for organic and check all labels before you buy even organic. If you can't understand what the chemical terms are on the label don't buy it. Also avoid palm oil, a favorite in organic food used because it's cheap, even some organic producers have the greed factor. In the US palm oil is called 'heart attack on a plate.' Go for organic olive oil. You don't have to spend too much - you can include the 'poor man's diet', just organic brown rice and steamed organic vegetables.
Good News if you have aches and pains.
Even for arthritis sufferers and MS. The Hydrangea plant is more than just a lovely flower. It can help the immune system to fight off diseases. A drug is being made from its roots and could be used to treat many common diseases. These diseases occur when the immune system is compromised. Hydrangea builds up the immune system and cleans up the joints.
How it works
Experiments found that it blocked the formation of a type of white blood cell involved in autoimmune disease and yet it does not affect other kinds of cells that are important to the body's defenses.
Mice with a multiple sclerosis type disease were less affected when given low doses of the hydrangea based drug called halofuginone which was reported in the journal of Science. The hydrangea root has traditionally been used to reduce inflammation of the joints, in effect cleaning them out. Until the drug gets the 'green light to enable the drug to be produced you may want to look at the lovely Hydrangea plant for its healing abilities or since it is the staple of Chinese medicine check out Chinese remedies.Thank you for reading my page. You can e-mail me at: valerieaustinhyp@aol.com
Please visit my website at www.valerieaustin.com
Valerie Austin Training (founded 1989)
Validated (GHR, GHSC) Hypnosis Training courses at foundation & practitioner level in business and medical hypnotherapy.
Valerie Austin is author of six successful self-help books including SELF HYPNOSIS published by Thorsons
Founder of UKRAH (1992) The UK Register of Advanced Hypnotherapy.
Eds Note: VALERIE AUSTIN is an author, journalist and trainer with an international reputation in the field of hypnosis. Her best selling books and training help people achieve their full potential. She founded the Austin Corporate Stress Management Company focusing on reducing stress and anxiety amongst executives and CEO's. She also worked as a consultant in hypnosis at the Priory Hospital, the UK's equivalent to The Betty Ford Clinic, which specialises in food addiction and alcohol abuse. Valerie's work in the film industry (Hollywood) interviewing movers and shakers, producing TV news segments and publishing celebrity magazines in London gave her invaluable experience for her current Harley Street practice. |
