THE SNAKE YEAR STRANGLED ME WITH CHARM

I was thinking what to write on the last day of the year 2013 and I agree with Stephen Spielberg when he says that every year we are a different person. This makes perfect sense to me. This year was my most ambitious to date. Making a film was definitely a challenging artistic adventure
.
The year of the snake was a car crash year for most people I know. Upheaval, exhaustion, a rise to the top, jealousy, and outrage on the way up or down, malevolence,  depending on where you were heading. It is depicted often with a rabbit being strangled by a snake and that tells you everything. Strangled with charm, so watch your back. One friend has stayed in bed most of the year so that dramas were hidden by the duvet. The year of the snake has had so many historical disasters from plagues to the Twin Towers.

 I had a great time, however it had extremes of highs and lows.
My son Charles gave a debut concert at Carnegie Hall and got into The Royal Welsh College of music and art, performed in two operas and gave a stunning performance with Lisa Zane at a fashion show, I gave at my house for Brit Week for Pam Hogg, mixing British Artists together with her. Duggie Fields, Yassi Mazandi, Damien Elwes and Nigel Daly all pulled together to make Britain look great in my house in Devlin Place.
I also decided to move three times in a year. Hells bells I must have been crazy.

The highlights of course were competing in 7 film festivals with my film The gun the cake and the butterfly, NYCIFF, Ischia International Film Festival, Bel Air, Burbank, LA Femme, La Jolla Indie FF, and winning 5 awards, for best editor, best art film three times, best film chosen by an audience and being nominated twice once for The new media film festival for the trailer and once for best female director for Burbank International  FF. It was non stop and I was extremely lucky and grateful  I could however thank a million people this year.
Actually I will do a GRATITUDE list.

ARTIST YASSI MAZANDI AND ME AT BRITWEEK ART SHOW AT MY HOUSE WITH BRILLIANT FLORIST ERIC BUTERBAUGH

1. Nancy Sill for being their for me when all the natural nonsense of selling and buying a property, happen.
2. Xaque Gruber at the Freedman's for his belief in me.
3. Pablo Ganguli for pushing me to new heights with my art.
4. Artists Tim Noble and Sue Webster, Marina Abramovic, Rushka Bergman and Tomas Auksas for their  encouragement.
5. My sons Jack and Charlie whose humour I am grateful for. The tease me so my head fits through the door.
6. Tim Willis whose ideas mixed with mine and Vincenzo Demaars could  have brilliant consequences if God is on our side.
7. Justine Glenton's hard work and dedication did not win her best actress but it certainly put her on the map as a good sport. She really supported the team in every way.
8. Peter Medak whose advice, life would be very boring without.
and 9 and 10 for everybody in my life, Rowena, Francesca, Snowden, Nathalia,Emma, my friends and family and Genlux.

Jam packed with travel I visited Moscow, Venice, Zagreb, Rome twice, Miami, New York, Budapest, Palm Springs,  and Los Angeles added colour, edited a film, worked at Anarchy Post.

I got fabulous hate mail, love letters and fan mail. I don't know which made the most impact. The hate mail was so weird because  it was a control freak who made themselves look pitiful, but they had a point, I had come out of my box. Love letters which I will treasure forever and fan mail that I can keep near to my heart..However this is how I really feel. “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

ISCHIA In my YSL dress and Justine Glenton 

My greatest night this year..
Ischia International Film Festival winning the Enrico Jobb prize for best Art Film from Lina Wertmuller.
My funniest moment?
Everyday there are ten minutes which make me howl with laughter.
My best look?
My favourite dress this year is the YSL dress I wore in Ischia.
My craziest moments are?
Bothering to tell the truth.
My happiest times.
Feeling the love of my children and cuddling good friends.
Terrifying moment.
Visiting the 8th Floor at the American Film Festival and entering the Weinstein offices.
You felt the power and agitation in the corridor.

For everybody in the world it has been a year of goodbyes to great leaders for me Mandela and Thatcher, actors like Peter O'Toole, and for me losing my friend, the designer and architect David Collins.
So many other things too. It was fast and furious, one minute a soldier is being murdered and the next a
new Prince was born to our Royal Family, HRH Prince George.

So summing up the year I have to agree with Margaret Thatcher when she said"“If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman.”
With the year of The Horse just around the corner, it is a worrying year for me, perhaps more so than the Snake. The Horse just loves to kick a Rat round the stable.

BRITISH ROYALS WHO DRESSED SO BEAUTIFULLY THIS CHRISTMAS

It is difficult to dress well at this time of year and keep warm. The coats look bulky and you cannot exactly whip round to the hairdresser on Christmas day, or perhaps you can? Mine arrive cheerfully every year whether I ask for them or not. Wherever I am in the world someone offers. I am truly grateful to Snowden Hill, Natalya Sousa, Angela Kalinowski, Gia Sinatra, as otherwise I would look a mess.

Red is the colour that matches the wrapping paper and the red baubles on the tree. It looks dashing along country lanes, but it tricky to look slim in.  

Yesterday I tried on a stunning red and black plaid dress with black bow and white collar which looked fabulous and cute from the front and then from the side made me look six months pregnant, I really need a waist.  It was so clever, between each strip of plaid was a light mesh that moved with my body. A man cam up to me and told me I looked ravishing. I still did not buy it, although Saint Laurent had designed it so beautifully. Just that it would have been worn once, and it would have been too extravagant when this year I wish to be sensible, well that would be a miracle, but I am trying.

Our Royal Family really looked stunning this morning, I loved Zara Phillip's jaunty hat and Princess Eugenie is becoming prettier and prettier as is her sister, Beatrice. With so many great looks going on I think we can be proud of them, this is their job and they do it so well. The Duchess of Cambridge looked elegant with a perfect smile. Her Majesty must be excited as she looks round her dining room, all her little chicks have come to roost, and they all behave so well. With just a dash of Prince Harry, my goodness he is dishy these days, adding to the flare and panache, which is shrouded in limitations. My Phillip Treacy hat is off to them all.

Princess Eugenie of York with Zara Phillips, Mrs Michael Tindall

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

 Prince Harry

Princess Beatrice of York

The Duchess of Cornwall

Her Majesty The Queen.

I AM TAKING A YEAR OFF CHRISTMAS

I have overdone Christmas, it seems to come up too quickly in the calendar. I have sent enough Christmas cards, sung enough carols, dressed enough trees, given enough presents, surely to please my friends and family for a lifetime? I think all of you have too?.  I would love a year off. Disappear and forget that I should be at church, or making the turkey. I arrived at the airport to find that two days before Christmas I could buy Easter eggs, three for the price of one. That the British Airways staff were wearing antlers and Christmas hats, and jingle bells were playing in the background of details of flights being given over the loudspeakers. I wanted to escape but they clearly did not. Wouldn't it be good to save money rather than spend it, even though it keeps other families and religions all over the world, it has one function to pin up our economy with bright lights and wrapping paper?

I also want to think about new ideas, and move on from having made a film, The gun the cake and the butterfly, this year. I have talked about it non stop. I loved doing it, I finished it, and it was truly satisfying, now I wish to go round the world without a telephone writing poetry. Of course the anxiety of my family and friends would never allow me to do this, but I am in the mood to totally change. I also wish to do a charitable adventure which when I have done it I will talk about it.

The problem with show business is it is addictive. The trailer, the cappuccino, people bending over backwards for you, the praise, the success,the critics, the prizes. The self obsession. After a while I would like to forget myself and think about a newer occupation.  I did it, now it is time to give the film to someone to sell, so I can think clearly something else.
An artist is somebody who learns new things and stretches themselves in areas that are interesting to them. I like the alchemy of creating, it is a passion, even if I fail, something takes me over and I am driven to produce.

Anyway back to the turkey and the stuffing. This year my family all agreed to go our separate ways. I have sent only a few cards and bought only the loveliest of friends presents. I want to miss Christmas just once and next year I shall come back to it, with the freshest of moods. Despite my mood I walked through my front door to find that the Queen of Domestic Goddesses, Mrs Kay Saatchi had put up a 7ft magnificent tree in my drawing room, in perfect taste with red birds and white lights to welcome me. I could not fail to be amused. What is more she did it herself, with a little help from Schezaad and Francesca my housekeeper, but she did it.  The tree was enormous, That is what counts. thank you. Kay does Christmas so well as does our British Royal Family, who have so many rules over what they can wear, and they do it so well. They do their job beautifully.

For all those who still believe I wish you a very Merry day.

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS I DESIRE FOR 2013.

Best Christmas Presents for me would be

1,    Galaxy Samsung
2.    Loree Rodkin ring any will do
3.    Butterfly diamond ring from Stephen Webster
4.    Book of La Rochefoucauld Collected Maxims
5.    Jo Malone still love Lime Basil and Mandarin scent
6.    Floris Stephanotis bath oil
7.    a new Montblanc ink pen.
8.   A butterfly tea set.
9.   A neon light by Tracey Emin
10. A Rose photograph by Matt Collishaw.

THE KADASHIAN'S SHOULD STEP DOWN, THE SAATCHI'S RULE,I SHALL MISS TOMORROWS EPISODE I WISH THEY WOULD REPEAT IT

Oh, the world of fame, isn't it fabulous?.  Despite everything,  I love all the people involved (though Charles stands out as my favourite). My house is full of men, very difficult men, and I always stand by the family jewels.

So the next time my housekeeper has her hand in the polish and takes me to the cleaners, I will have to understand and think it is completely okay because my boyfriend has been taking drugs?.

I understand perfectly the wrath of Nigella. However, she is a much bigger star now than before. Certainly she went world wide – wasn't that what she wanted?– and she looked so good as Anne Boleyn, and I do love a white collar! She should just go with it and add a line to everything, and she looks fabulous on You tube in edited film.  The Kadashian's should step down, the Saatchi's were much more entertaining, classy and articulate, our guilty secret. Come on be honest, I am sure you watched it everyday. I shall miss tomorrows episode.

As for Charles, I still love him more than ever as he is a shouty man and I am a shouty woman. He has done so much for the UK and the art world will always be there for him. Let's give him a huge amount of credit and the most successful advertising guru of his time.

The Grillo Sisters, with their mafia background,  should do a double act and do their own chef programme in Italy, as so many recipes came from them. (And, oh, Amzelle, why weren't you standing in the dock too, you naughty girl?)

Sunday Mail photograph.

I would suggest that they all get new staff as the motley crew that were left over clearly need a bit more grooming. For all that money on their clobber, they looked as if they needed Trinny to tell them what not to wear.

IT WAS ONLY MUSTARD DARLING…..

DRUGS-THE BAD LUCK OF THE DRAW.

Here in Zagreb, cannabis is tolerated, I was told by Commander Not-Gudenov, as he took a long draw on a hubble-bubble. And I am thinking is: anybody sane anymore?

The night before last, my son came into my room and told me he was never going out again, and that bags of weed had replaced sports bags. My other son lives in the 17th Century where to spray the room with ganja was unheard of. (They preferred laudanum then, a delicious opium concoction, I am told.)

Now I am an old prude, so I shall repeat what I wrote two weeks ago and say I never have seen a line cut, in fact I do not know how to cut it. My greatest friend showed me how to shoot up heroin once, which made everybody roar with laughter. However these drugs are illegal and run by undesirables.

What about alcohol? Well, if you feel you can get up having drunk five glasses of wine and a bottle of vodka then that's great; but if you cannot, you should know that your body is unable to stand too much booze. For me, its a total no-no: I fall asleep the minute I have a glass of wine.

As for grass, I am told its brilliant for an orgasm, but again for me it makes me hyperactive and rather bad tempered. I had a lover who wanted it every time he was about to come, and it put me right off. As he rolled the ganja into a tight roll in order to get his high, I deliberately pretended to fall asleep.
We know that Cocaine is everywhere in society and many people have a sniff in public life.
Another boyfriend once produced a mountain of cocaine and I was so horrified that I blew it away, terrified I might get addicted to it. (Now if he had got amphetamine, I might have been much happier – and so so thin…)

Another boyfriend tried to inject me with horse tranquilliser but he went to the loo in between getting it ready, so I emptied the syringe, and lied, saying I did it myself. He just didn't understand why I was not more malleable.

Luckily or boringly, my sons think drugs are a no-no, too. Educated by the puritanical, now squeaky-clean Jack the Sad, they poo-poohed the opportunity to be wild, preferring a rather rigid way of life, dumping their friends if they showed moments of weakness for puff.

I have had loads of clever people around me that have been drug users and now given up, and they also  frequently offered them advice - not least that it might affect their young brains and their reputations.

This is a point to consider. I do not want to be put in a position where I could be blackmailed and seen by anybody else, and I certainly do not want to make the Daily Mail headlines for two weeks in a row for having a preference for illegal drugs. It would be mortifying, to say the least.

On the other hand, I do not really care whether people I know take drugs or not. It is up to them and, because of the unsavoury people involved, probably best to make them legal.  I am not anti the use of them, just the over use, and terrible damage can be done to you during the learning process.

Look what has happened to the two girls in Peru who were used as drug mules. I would not relish spending five minutes of my precious life in jail, let alone 15 years. Just as I would hate to have a dealer to talk to in my drawing room – though some of the clever ones don't even take drugs themselves, as they're only in it for the cash.

So, what is the solution? I suppose, in this fallen world, it's best to take it behind closed doors, where no one knows – and never to rely on the discretion and solidarity of a friend.

As de la Rochefoucauld said: "Hypocrisy is the tribute that vice pays to virtue". I always say that I gave up the luxury of being liked when I went to boarding school at five years old and had my hair regularly washed down the loo by the bullies, future druggies all.

Nothing will get me to people-please and take a line, nor load the weights on the scales.

THE CLEVER WOMEN OF CROATIA

Flying with British Airways  I am now in Zagreb, in Croatia, seeking out the ancient side of this magical city.  I promised myself last week not to fly with them again as a manager was rude to me, but have forgiven them as he must have been very tired to treat me so badly. They simply would not let me be upgraded, and then let someone else instead of me. I thought they were very unkind as there is nothing I like more than sitting with my ex husband between cities. We get to know each other all over again.

Anyway, Zagreb. Between the 14th and 18th century, 250 witches were burnt in the upper town. Walking through the freezing fog last night, we came to a shrine to Our Lady, built on one of the many old witch-burning sites in the city. Strangely, behind the bars of the shrine is a blackened portrait of the Virgin Mary - the only thing to survive a great fire here a few hundred years ago. Witches for me are wise women, it is barbaric, that they were killed just for being clever and interesting.

It sounded like a coven through the fog. But when we got there, they were saying the rosary. Hail Mary's, over and over again – people praying and hurling themselves to their knees – they prayed for the healing of dear, ill friends... and for themselves.

NOT A VAMPIRE YOU CAN SEE HIM IN A MIRROR. TIM WILLIS

This is a peculiar place. (On another corner there was the Museum of  Broken Relationships of all things.) In a glass coffin in the cathedral lies the corpse of a bishop, waxen with death and clothed in his finery. People touch it hoping their wishes will come true. The people of Zagreb are welcoming yet distant. I ended up in a Bosnian restaurant with folk singers.

I am here to see Comrade Popovic, artist poet and writer. A manufacturer of many things fantastical. In truth he is my virtual best friend and it feels sometimes weird to meet him in person.  I truly love him and realise there are many friendships thank goodness. He helps me do my websites, gives me advice, sort out my computer. I was completely computer illiterate when I met him online with my poetry. He loved them and helped me put them to music. With Tim Willis we plan big things, no weddings, possibly a funeral,  and hope they come to fruition. I should get advice from some older wiser women!

LIBERATUM's GALAXY STARS

In the garden of Soho Beach House, I was given the most incredible time.  Liberatum and Samsung Galaxy hosted an evening to remember to finish off the week at Miami Art Basel. The new Samsung's are stylish and easier to use than the iPhone, bigger, more glamorous, and with a watch that takes photographs, stores memory, contacts, videos, it is more useful. I am now a fully fledged technical wizard of a  woman.

STACY EMIN AND AMANDA ELIASCH

Liberatum know how to give parties, the flowers, the artistic content, the people, Pablo Ganguli certainly has the talent to stimulate. Showing us a film he had made with Tomas Auksas on culture, he has high standards that he likes to meet. Amongst artists the conversation was stimulating, such a difference when you are with people you admire. Michael Nyman was there and I am a huge fan, of music, everybody loved him last night, and Tracey Emin too. With JR  and the glamour of Stacy Engman, and the quiet intelligence of Diana Picasso, Leigh Lezark, Kesh, Martha Fiennes, Marcel Wanders, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Marc Quinn, standards were high. No riff raff here. Pablo selects his friends carefully, making sure that there is balance in everything. We were fortunate to have rain because it meant that everything wrapped up slightly earlier than normal. This was good because outside we bumped into Baz Luhrmann, director of The Great Gatsby and spent 15 minutes getting to know him. Much better than meeting him at a party, it was more meaningful and nobody interrupted us.  He was definitely the best dressed man on the street.

TRACEY EMIN

Three days ago Pablo generously gave me a viewing of my film, The gun the cake and the butterfly at The Colony, a huge beautiful art deco theatre attended by Michele Lamy, Tim Noble and Sue Webster among other dear friends who travelled from different parts of the world to support me. My film shone. I like a big screen, and an intimate audience. I would like that at home.
Also it has been jam packed with events and stunning pieces of art.

AMANDA ELIASCH AND DIANA PICASSO

PABLO GANGULI

IN MIAMI WE ALL NEED HELP AND HOPE

MARTHA FIENNES LOOKING RAVISHING

"When a woman deals with her loneliness she is free". AE

My film, the gun the cake and the butterfly is now nearly finished, there is still something wrong with the end, but I am tired. The festivals for me are done and I am thrilled having won so many best art films at NYCIFF, Bel Air, LA Femme, Ischia Global Film and Music Festival, Burbank International Film Festival and the Indie Fest La Jolla,  It has been an incredibly fast and exciting year.  Finished off with a presentation by Liberatum here in Miami Art Basel. The year of snake, is nearly over, it has been a whirlwind. I have so many people to thank especially Xaque Gruber, Tim Willis, Pablo Ganguli,  and my sons Jack and Charles, whose belief in me kept me going.

It all started because I felt lonely and depressed and my Father made me write 5,000 words about it. That feels a long time ago. He thought I could be a good writer. I felt "If a woman deals with her loneliness she is free" I was in a rocky marriage with too much money and not enough time for love. I have worked through the above and now have done the things I have dreamt  of doing, neon lights, poetry and a film. My sons have grown up and they are wonderful to me. I love my ex husband, I truly do. Would I want to be married still? Sometimes, I need a cuddle, sometimes.

It is hard to be married to powerful men. They just do not have the time to give to family, and often do not have the interest. Last week I went to a newspaper owners thirtieth wedding anniversary, he will remain nameless as he is a private person, despite his profession. It was incredibly moving. How they made it was that they never gave up. I remember the husband saying once to me "You can fall in love with many people, so never put temptation in the way, because marriage and children are the most important"
I myself have dealt with my loneliness and am almost free, but I do love family.

Nigella this week looked as if she was a cross between Anne Boleyn, ready for her head to be cut off, and Boudicca, ready for a battle. Nobody would wish last weeks proceedings on their worst enemy.
I thought about her, I love the Saatchi family, I love Charles. I have known him for 21 years and he one of the most elegant, immaculate men I have ever met. Probably in my top 20 best men in the world. How could those intimate Scotts lunches have ended in this high profile exhausting fashion? Of course I have not had over 600,000 pounds supposedly stolen from me, otherwise there would be the same storm. I understand and am there for him whatever happens, he and his family deserve this.

We should be reminded that although Charles did not appear at the Miami Art Basel there is full support for him here. Tracey Emin was asked by Tomas Auksas in the audience, what she felt about Charles Saatchi. She answered saying that he had been incredible to her, and although she did not want to sell to him in the beginning, he eventually supported her by buying The unmade bed. This meant that she could either buy a Louise Bourgoise sculpture or a house, and she wasn't telling us what she did. She however said, as I already know, that Charles was charismatic and charming and very helpful. Norman Rosenthal said that Charles had had too much flack recently. To this the audience cheered. This is the art world in Miami and they were sticking by him.
The passionate and witty conversation between Tracey and Norman was infectious.

Asked about Manet she quickly responded "You can talk about Manet or you can talk about me" She told the audience, "Norman loves Manet, it is his subject" Tracey said, she did not.
She told us Miami and Margate have masses of similarities and as I looked round the world of art I really am beginning to see it. The sunsets, the artists, the architecture.  In my film The gun the cake and the butterfly, I filmed Margate, and this is probably one of the prettiest scenes in the whole thing.
"We loved with a love that was more than love" Edgar Allan Poe, seems so Tracey, but was he?. I find him dark, she finds him dark. For me Tracey has an alluring sentimentality, lightness, depth and soul that is addictive, she is multi layered and  I am affected by her. On love she said she was not into being trapped or bullied, that she had only loved three times in her life. That nowadays she was more interested in sunsets and flowers than sex. The more I listened the more attractive she became. I learnt another side of her. She is of course a philosopher, a Commander of the British Empire, a teacher, an artist, and most importantly she loves to be loved.  She doesn't like Manet yet I learnt that Matisse used 6foot paint brushes, I probably should have known that. You have to forgive me, I, Amanda, did not go to art school. I suddenly want to paint too, get a big canvass and try. Tracey opens many possibilities to other people as she talks. She is generous with ideas. She loves the philosopher Spinoza and I love Nietzche "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger". I was not allowed to read him when I was young, my mother said I would be influenced by his beliefs.
I met Tracey when I took photographs and wrote a book called "British Artists at Work". I was frightened of her, but she soon broke the ice by suggesting that I was shy, and that I should be an artist type person and called Mandy Brown, instead of Amanda Eliasch and live next to her in the East End of London. Since then I love her dearly, she is a wonderful friend, to those she loves.
Dealing with her loneliness in a positive wonderful way she creates quilts, paintings and with her neons
she makes us think.
I suppose Nigella after all this drama will go back to cooking and cupcakes and Charles to hiding his lolly in a new place, perhaps his shoes? I also love burnt toast and boiled eggs. I am sure Charles will continue to support the talented.
It is like a greek tragedy, juicy, compelling and deadly. They will create new lives and are in the process of doing so.

One bit of kindly free advice, when people deal with their inner loneliness, not expecting others to do it for them, or filling themselves with medication, they are free. I think I have never seen Tracey look happier. others should follow her.

TOUCHING ART MIRRORS THE REAL THINGS IN LIFE

As Nigella enters the courtroom this week as Domestic High Priestess with elegance, and Charles, King of the Art World  having spoken passionately about distress and what Nigella meant to him, I think we should remember that this is divorce, and it is an unhappy time for them both. Nigella was eloquent and moving as was Charles. Please can we remember what they have both achieved and think about the two people that have stolen from them and  caused this hideous rift.
 I have had many nannies who drove me crazy. It is difficult to find people to work for you who you can trust. Truly difficult. We all want to rely on people with our children. Once I found my  Norland Nanny had locked my son in an hotel room while she went downstairs and boozed the night away. She had been charming, I was completely conned. Another one began to dress and speak like me as per the Servant. So many stories and really all déclassé. Of course there were the success stories too and they know who they are. Amanda Heslop who painted with the children, Helen Latham who taught them to read and made wonderful costumes for the boys and Alex Shipp who I could not help but love.
As for divorce stories, they are all the same, mine included, they are seriously dull and negative, but unfortunately for everybody involved with this mesmerizing insanity they are just so watchable, like some terrible episode of Big Brother, you have to have one eye on it.
I will say it again Poor Nigella, Poor Charles and poor children. I love and respect the Saatchi family.  That is my opinion. We now know the beginning the middle and the end and it would be more exciting to move on.

THE SAATCHI GALLERY

There is an art fair which is much more fun and interesting in Miami and despite the intrigue of the above, it is incredibly depressing in cold London. Thank goodness I am here amongst the Damien Hirst mini, which I think belonged to Charles Saatchi  when he was married to Kay.  Thought provoking neons  by Tracey Emin, moved me, I love her touching thoughts. Go and see them at Moca.  I  have also had the incredible opportunity to see Marina Abramovic again with her film. So many things to do and all on one night.

My film today , The gun the cake and the butterfly is being shown at the Colony Theatre, to the art world, at 3pm, which for me is more frightening than the film world.
I started off  in art world writing and taking photographs for a book on them all, called British Artists at Work, for Italian Vogue, followed by a book called Made by Indians. It showed 46  British artists and their studios. In perspex it looked chic and is still one of the favourite things I have accomplished . Published by Asssouline I loved it, it taught me so much about  contemporary art. My favourite artists are here, Tracey Emin and Tim Noble and Sue Webster  feel like family.
Tracey gave a party at Soho Beach Hotel with HRH Princess Beatrice, Nancy dell'ollio, Jay Jopling, Damien Hirst, Tim Noble and Sue Webster, It was a huge success, I had an education sitting next door to the highly intelligent Gary Indiana and Lorcan O'Neill. We finished the evening  with dancing round the swimming pool and Rick Owens and his wife Michele Lamy looking as dashing as ever.

TO BUY IN THE ART WORLD MIAMI ART BASEL

"When I write I am taken over by lost ghosts holding the pen of truth"
My hand writes, yet sometimes my head is empty and sometimes it goes into the deep wells of thought.
I have much to be grateful for this week. I love being in the middle of artistic thought, some intellectual and some pure fun. Miami becomes the centre of the universe for the social whirl of the art world and the financial side rushes ahead as art is bought and sold at the massive Art Basel. It is not for the shy and socially inarticulate. Artists, galleries, socialites and buyers sit side by side with glamorous pr's pushing people together, to talk think and party. Advertising for Art Basel on You Tube says it's where the richest people in the world come together and mix. Others say it is where ambitious girls meet their lovers and husbands. Whatever it is, I intend to find out for myself, I have always avoided it as it sounded like the party set, but I thought I must come and see for myself, just once. 
Last night I went with Liberatum Culture to Untitled on the beach where pieces will be sold off to finance Elton John's aids charity and Marina Abramovic's.
I met with Marina who was as usual generous.
I am staying at Soho Beach House, which seems to be the place to be, in the dining room alone, there was Damien Hirst, Jay Jopling Cindy Crawford with her husband, Karla Otto and Nancy dell'Ollio. Huge mixtures of people, the hopeful and the clever.

Tonight I am going to my friend Tracey Emin's show and dinner. Tomorrow there are so many parties and openings that I will need to be extremely organised, if I wish to see everything.
Liberatum Culture is also hosting an opening of my film The gun the cake and the butterfly at The Colony at 15.00 on the 4th December, which is open to everybody.
It is a long way away from The Daily Mail and the scandals of England.