Meeting Micheal Buble ....,..and

Isn't it funny how some people are just so different in real life to how they appear on photos / TV etc ? We interviewed Micheal Buble today (you know crooning jazzy boy) and he is just divine. Such a nice guy and not at all lost in showbiz, great voice too, such a shame I'm not a jazz fan but then he does mix it all up kind of styley.

I told you we interviewed Cheryl Cole too ? or maybe that was on one of the rare occasions I remember to twitter or facebook or whatever the hell techy thing I can never find time to do...anyways the boys got the eye candy there, she is gorgeous, in truth I thought I was going to have to send Tim Smith and Steve Wright off for a cold shower before we could continue...might have been a good opportunity to offer up some natural shower gel....I've got some nice masculine Flint Edge and some Green People for men they might like...

Deadline beckons for my new book and I'm desperate for contributions, anyone got any natural beauty secrets....and aspirational dreams ? if you'd like to contribute send me an email and how you'd like to be credited of course, can't promise, editors decision is final and all that but hey ho....I'd love your input dear blog readers....
email janey at imperfectlynatural.com

back on my head then....

Settling in...

Still climbing over boxes but settling in. I love this community - yoga on my doorstep and happy kids.

I'm de-stressed at last thanks to my latest Turkey Juicemaster retreat, pics to follow, I had an amazing time yet again, wonderful yoga with Ken Ryan, rebounding at sunset, kundalini yoga (barking mad but fun) long mountain walks and of course the best juices and smoothies made for me ! Its hard to beat Jasons infectious energy too, he so inspirational . I am oh so lucky I know, its a life changing experience. Steve Wright takes the mickey of course but I think perhaps hes just slightly jealous that I lost a few pounds in weight without trying and have a certain 'glow' !!!

Back at my local deli I'm trying to persuade them to offer fresh juices, its a bit of a battle, but I'm nagging them to do just one to start, apple, carrot, lemon and ginger, talking of which my 9 year old has a barking cough and his treament ? fresh ginger shots, its doing the trick I think.

Off to try out the local dance class tonight, not just any old class I'll have you know, this is Nia - see the website
niamichelle I think - a bizarre rather joyous mix of dance, tai chi, and eurythmy....worth a shot !

Hubby meanwhile has toddled off to a certain swedish furniture store for all things clips and hooks, very glad I got out of that one....

Movin on up !

I've been hideously incommincado, missing in action, I do apologise but moving house they do say is second only to divorce in the Stress stakes. man alive has it been a nightmare, I'm not organised at the best of times but this has flawed me. Anyways we're installed and surrounded by inordinate amounts of boxes that we'll probably never open and may not miss.

In Imperfectly Natural Woman I have a chapter on decluttering but have never really done it properly before now (told you I'm imperfect) for my book I'll be able to speak with some authority. I have however managed to complete a wonderfull space clearing session in my new home and I swear I can feel the difference, its good anyway, the walls are treated with Tachyon paint and now under the guidance of the fabulous Davina Mackail (feng shui / shamanic healing consultant) I've given it another boost of great energy.
I've also had a brand new decorating job using natural eco paint, we chose the natural paint company Nutshell paint (nutshellpaint.co.uk) who are on my directory on imperfectlynatural.com and it looks great, the deocrators were amazing too, I can highly recommend RMB decoraters if you're in the midlands or south east area, not all painters are happy to work with natural paints, it can take a few more coats as its thinner but the results really are worth and with no scary chemicals its inert and theres no awful whiff to give you a headache for days.

Back to the 'grind' now, my Wright stuff date has been changed to this Friday 18th approx 10.30 on the couch with Matthew Wright so gotta search through those boxes for some interesting eco / natural stuff to talk about....gotta find something to wear too, the most things are missing, had to borrow a pair of hubbys socks today, not the best look!

Hanging out with Bono - U2 360 tour

You can't say I don't have an exciting life, Bono and Adam Clayton from U2 came in to Wright's show - great interview, Bono has definitely mellowed ! anyways we got chatting afterwards cos I am mates with U2's incredible lighting designer (well hes much much more than that) Willy and its his 'big' birthday around now so Bono personally invited me to the gig in Sheffield last night, travelling with the band and all - crikey a girl can't turn down an offer like that !

So off I went and man alive what a show, if you haven't seen this tour you've got Sat only to get to Cardiff (no idea if its sold out) but it was SENSATIONAL, can't even begin to describe how cool The Claw is - almost like 4 seperate shows depending on where you stand in the arena, I had the luxury of standing on the platform in front of the mixer desk but the view from immediately in front of the stage is very different and very exciting as the guys rush acorss bridges next to you, as is the view from really high up in the stands where you kind of look down on this incredible light show.

As for the music - what can I say, they did so many of my favourites including Still haven't found what I'm looking for, Sunday Bloody Sunday, One, Vertigo...the list goes on as well as the great new ones.

I was well and truly looked after, had the fab backstage catering, and backstage hospitality, saw some old mates and then was taken right back to my days backing singing with Wham and George Michael as I was bundled into a big car and we sped off in a long convoy of about 8 cars behind flashing police escorts and overhead choppers - very exciting !

When I've come up for air (still reeling from it all to be truthful) I'll tell you more including how bizarre that Adam Clayton and I were wearing matching rings - mine is a beautiful blue heart from WDlondon - Thora Walton collection, never quite sussed whether Adam's sapphire was real.....somehow I'm guessing it probably was.

Back to reality, gotta jack up some fabulous comps for the next ezine, and Imperfectlynatural.com, get sorted out for Greenbelt festival next weekend , oh and did I mention I'm moving house......back on my head then....

Glamping...and raw choccy truffles...

You may have heard me waxing lyrical on Radio 2 but this was a fantastic family holiday, camping without the hassle, no cold baked beans or horrible nylon sleeping bags, no trekking down the motorway with a trailor or roof rack only to find you've forgotten the tent poles, no you just show up at Jollydays in Yorkshire and open a bottle of wine, yes we're talking glamourous camping or 'glamping' Our huge lodge tent had a four poster bed, proper beds for the kids and chandeliers (yep) rather like being at boutique hotel in the woods.

Jollydays is about 20 mins from York - set in huge woodland, the kids were free range and came back only for food whcih we cooked on the barbie, in the evenings we sat around the communal firepit or lay in the hammock and looked at the stars, if it all sounds a bit idyllic its cos it was.

Total luxury - proper flushing loos and in our lodge tent a proper vitorian freestanding bath but all by candlelight - SO romantic.

Cos of the wood burning stoves in the tents they're toasty warm so I'm planning another trip for the autumn, if you're into Kath Kidson prints, pretty fabrics and vintage furniture you'll love Jollydays

Crikey I should be on commission !!!

http://www.jollydaysluxurycamping.co.uk/

On an entirely different note have I told you about the wondrous Geidre from Lithuania ? I introduced her to the concept of raw foods and she has overtaken me in leaps and bounds - her latest offering is spectaculer - Raw choccy truffles - basically cacao butter, powder, some advocado and some sesame seeds, you get the drift, email me if you want the recipe, I may put them in my next book....won't be out till next Spring...

Juicy break at Champneys

I was lucky enough to attend the very first Juicy break at Champneys earlier this week, as you well know I bang on about Jason Vale the juicemaster and go to his retreats in Turkey at least once a year, so its fair to say I'm well and truly juiced but the idea of a 3 day detox in the Uk is very inspiring not least because of the carbon footprint and the hassle of getting away for a full 7 days. I like Champneys, you may have read my review on my site and in Lifescape magazine but I like the fact that its not only for the pampered rich, I find it very holistic in its approach, they don't get everything right (who does ? asks the queen of being imperfect) their skincare products still contain some nonsense (unsure why these days) but they offer Reiki, Bowen, indian head massage, hypnotherapy, crystal healing and all kinds of wonderful treatments alongside the usual facials and body wraps. The juicy break package includes a couple of thalassotherapy sessions which felt amazingly therapeutic.

Theres also an array of great classes, me and my mate Mary had a huge laugh trying Salsa dancing and Nordic Walking - you do wonder how hard it can be - walking with a couple of long sticks but its suprisingly difficult to co-ordinate ! and of course I did yoga, power walking,tai chi and various 'abs and backs' classes. All this exercise was fuelled on juice alone and in some ways this break is more extreme than Turkey where you have 4 juices or smoothies a day usually containing banana, advocado etc, this is slightly more harsh cos Jason wants you to feel benefits in only 3 days so the juices are smaller and mostly based around beetroot for detoxification (no probs for me I LOVE beetroot) but you were feeling a bit woozy there was also pieces of fruit to be munched and of course Jasons award winning 'Juice in a bar' juicy bar.

I lost a pound or two in weight though that wasn't my motivation for going, mostly I wanted another dose of juicy inspiration and momentum and Jason always does that for me, God love him.

On a very exciting note the idea was mooted that I may indeed have my own 'imperfectly natural' break so watch this space, we've been talking of finding the perfect venue for a meeting of like minds where we can share our natural tips etc but pop off and do some yoga too so this could be the perfect answer. Champneys juicy breaks are currently only offered at Forest Mere, if you book tell them I recommended you and enjoy !

Bliss at Alternatives Piccadilly and my new album

No one blogs as infrequently as me do they ? We had this discussion on Steve Wrights show and my excuse is that I'm running a forum too but in truth I just can't get my head around daily blogging, all hallows to those who do. anyways so much has happened since I got my smashing organic hair do, not necessarily because of but in spite of....the kids have started at Steiner school, I know, I know, I know I'm a spokesperson for the home education community and believe me I still believe HE is awesome but for a million reasons we needed to let the kids try something new and its going well, to that end we're also gonna be moving house...huge life changes, and...wait for it, need to declutter and get rid of about 60 per cent of our possessions, scary, Now if you've read Imperfectly Natural Woman or Imperfectly Natural Home (what do you MEAN you haven't begged stolen or borrowed a copy >) you'll know I talk a lot about feng shui, space clearing and decluttering but have I ever really done it ? No. Serves me right then.

I went to a fab concert on mon at Alternatives at St James church Piccadilly, it was Lucinda Drayton of Bliss fame, (see hpnosisaudio.com - you know as in the song 'A hundred thousand angels' ...its a haunting melodic song thats literally gone around the world and put Bliss on the map, Shes incredilby talented and rather fragile and beautiful too, and her voice is seriously angelic though she is wonderfully real and down to earth, In truth it was a rather uncomfortable experience for me cos I'm usually her side of the mic, seeing her with her two excellent musicians relaying her own personal stories and then singing both self penned songs and well chosen covers such as Fields of Gold by Sting and Clouds by Joni Mitchell made me yearn to book up a few more gigs in churches, something I was doing a lot of a few years back, don't get me wrong I'm not blowing my own trumpet and saying I'm as talented (or gorgeous) as Lucinda, I wish, ! but as she spoke of being who you are and living life to the full I realised thats a whole side of my life that I've forgotten about. I have an album (Lulu-land)ready for release needing only a cover - why haven't I gotten it together ? crikey might a radio show, 4 kids, a new book deal, a range of pregnancy CDS and now a house move have summat to do with it ?

Time to go set goals.....I've borrowed an ipod - I'm so goddam un-hightech - which type should I buy ? and am listening to Anthony Robbins RPM time planning stuff, blimey that whips your butt into shape...(anyone use his software ?)