Flying again.....

Well it's Sunday so it must be London. After Paul, Alex and I went to The Grove to see Bruno I flew overnight BA to London which was really great. Such a treat. I am still not entirely sure I loved the movie, but that could have been because I was sandwiched between two guys who were laughing so hard that it was hard to hear the movie. I was worried Paul was going to fall off his chair, or break something. There is nothing in this whole world that makes me happier than seeing Paul laugh that hard, and I am so so glad that we managed to have an afternoon together before we all flew off again.
I arrived back at Paul's house just as he was leaving for the South of France.
We said hello goodbye, as I will be joining him there later in the week and I lay down on the bed exhausted for approximately five minutes before peeling myself off it and getting in the jeep. I drove down to Cobham to see my Sister Kate, her children Ella, Kai and Luca (who are so so so beautiful it's ridiculous) and two of my neices were also there, Ollie and Cassie. And of course Mummy. Wow, it was quite over whelming to see them all after such a long time and I couldn't stop staring and laughing and prodding them to make sure they were real. It was really emotional for me. Especially seeing Kate's new baby boy, such a little bundle of miracle. Even though I was tired I rallied and couldn't get enough of catching up and hugging my family. Finally I got back in the car, still tired, and drove back up to the house.
I had a quick nap and then Dougray arrived and we both drove over to Bucci's to have dinner with lovely Buckley. Good grief it was good to see her. Ridiculously good. Suddenly made me wish I was staying in London longer. She is such a tonic, and probably the wisest, calmest, most supportive, loving friend I have. There is nothing I cannot tell her and she never judges, totally understands and gives the best advice. We had a good dinner and talked about everything......well not everything. Funnily enough I have finished talking about the ex. He just doesn't seem to come up, which must be a good sign that things are done. So we talked about other things and about Dougray's filming in Buenos Aires and how well that had gone, and our friend Charlie Cox, who is still out there, and on and on. We eventually came home and I sat up and watched the Katie Price interview with Piers Morgan which I found interesting and at least it kept me awake until midnight when I said goodnight to Paul by phone and climbed into bed. You know in 10 days I have done three overnight flights and it has really caught up with me. My body aches even though my mind is excited. As you get older jet lag and hangovers just get worse and take more energy to recover from so I'm glad I only have one to deal with these days. Fell asleep to the familiar sounds of this house and home. Dreamt about the dogs.......

Home sweet home....

Oh it's so good to be home. And the second we arrived it was fantastic. It was great to see Alex and then the beautiful Bergantz sisters, Kelly and Jamie came over for a drink and a catch up before Kelly flew home to London. Alex, Clare and me and Bentley went for a reunion hike in Beachwood which was fantastic. It was the first hike Bentley has been on in two weeks due to his pneumonia, so he was so happy his entire body was wagging. When we got home there was a beautiful car in the driveway which only meant one thing - Ryan Seacrest was here. He also flew in this morning and was looking so handsome it was ridiculous. He just also happens to be the loveliest, funniest, smartest guy I know and we took it in turns to tell stories of our summers so far and we laughed so hard my sides hurt. We all agreed that it doesn't matter all the stuff you acquired and possess through success, none of it matters unless you have great friends you can share it with. I know that when Clare is travelling and she gets to stay in these amazing suites and fly in amazing planes, she always gets a little sad when there's no one to share it with and enjoy it with but luckily Paul is always there and they have such fun together.
So after a fantastic evening on the terrace we drove down the hill to BLT and had a great steak dinner looking out over the Sunset Strip. Everybody was tired but there is nothing like good company to revive you and make you feel like yourself again. The good thing is that the trip away seems to have done the world of good for Clare. She is so much like her old self and seems happy and content again. It's easy at the end of relationships to think that it was all for nothing and a waste of time but I believe that everything happens for a reason, and all people come into your life for a reason, some good some bad, but you always have to look for the lesson in it and then you find closure. Nobody really gets to choose how long anybody is in their lives. But you just need to try and keep the faith that there is a bigger plan and that it's always for the best. For both of you. So you move on and over and up and forward and try to let go of resentment and hurt feelings and just focus on the good of it. As the Dalai Lama said "Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day." That's the most you can ask of yourself. To just bring as much meaning to everything and everybody and then let go. This is the most beautiful life imaginable and there is just no point in wasting a single moment of it in regret or memories. Keep your eyes on your destination and the wonder and beauty of the scenery on the journey we're on. Live in love. That's the key.
Oh did I sleep like a dog......sigh

Melbourne and home.....

If Sydney is like San Francisco then I think Melbourne is kind of like Boston. Its a beautiful city full of palm trees and very old buildings and lots and lots of churches. There's a tram system which is pretty and it feels like a good walking city which I love. Not that we had a lot of time to walk anywhere. From the time we woke up we were driven from studio to studio, from TV interview to Radio Show to Magazine offices where Paul had to answer so many questions that by early last night he had pretty much lost his voice. It's a tough old slog but he has more energy than any man alive and works hard and puts his all into it so we made it through on his enthusiasm alone, even when we were flagging. Here's a picture of him at breakfast and I think it says it all.
By the afternoon we were counting them down until 5 when Paul did his last interview and we went over to see a local Osteopath to sort our tired necks out. He clicked, crunched, and coerced every bit of me until I was feeling taller and lighter. We all went for a final dinner at Botega and fell into bed again totally exhausted. This morning we woke up bright and early, had breakfast and then headed to the airport and home. In the car I made a list of all the things I really love about Australia.......here are some of them......they call everyone "mate" so you feel as though you have friends there even when you don't, the toilet paper smells of baby powder, they say "no worries", they have very cute animals like koalas and kangaroos, they make great bikinis, the fish tastes incredible, people actually say "fair dinkum" and you feel like you're in Crocodile Dundee when they do, Quantas has never had a crash, the time zone from LA means you can actually adjust pretty well, the Hyatt Hotels are awesome and make sleeping easy, our publicist Alysha who made the whole trip a dream, Flip Flops are so cheap and very cool, the footballers wear very short shorts!!!, the people are open minded and they love the beach, there's lots of space and it feels very uncrowded, three of my favourite girls in the world are Aussies - Elle Macpherson, Sophie Monk and Natalie Imbruglia...Plus wherever we went there were these fabulous displays of Paul's books so that was a very good thing.
All these are great things about Australia but there is no place like home so I've just walked in the door and been kissed, slobbered on, mounted, hugged, floored and licked by Big and Bentley, there is absolutely no way to describe a greeting from two great danes who you've done nothing but miss for five days. So it's time to hand the blog back to Big and he can tell you all about our next adventure.....I have two guys here who are raring to get to the John Varvatos friends and family sale.....friends and family, now that's something I love......

Sensational Sydney....

I love Sydney. It’s such a great city. It’s vibrant and young and exciting and beautiful. It sort of reminds me of San Francisco a little. But friendlier ☺ So we arrived at dawn and went to our hotel, which was the Hyatt Regency, right under the Bridge and next to the Opera House. When you walk into the hotel the view is incredible and actually takes your breath away. We dropped our things, had some breakfast and then went straight to work. Paul was filming a piece for “Today Tonight” for Channel 7 with Jono Coleman. He worked with him to take away his compulsions for chocolate and it went very well. While they were doing the interview Clare had to go out to the shopping center and buy a coat because she forgot to bring one somehow and she saw a giant billboard above the road and took Paul back there to have a photo in front of it with all the cars hooting their horns.
After the big TV interview we had to run around doing a lot of radio and magazine pieces so we got to see a lot of the city as we drove around. It was an absolutely beautiful day and I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed running about and being busy and creative. It’s such a great feeling, knowing that you’re being useful and helpful, being of service is the most brilliant way in the world to get out of your own way and out of self obsession. Instead of worrying about what you don’t have or what you’re missing or feeling sorry for yourself you just focus on what you can do for somebody else and you feel instantly better. It completely changes your perspective and makes you happier and calmer. So this trip is great for that and I haven’t felt bad for a second. So we went back to the hotel for a great lunch on the waterfront and then more work, a relaxing massage and dinner at The Rockpool with the head of Random House Australia which was fabulous. We were so tired our eyes were watering by the time we got to bed. My body was exhausted but somehow my mind was still racing. I thought about Bentley and sent him some love and healing as I lay there falling asleep.…… he’s home from the vet tomorrow and I’m so grateful to Alex for looking after him. Slept like a very sleepy, tired dog with the sounds of the harbour in the background. What a great day…..

G'day Australia.....

Well we arrived in Sydney safe and sound - Quantas First Class is a really effortless way to spend a night crossing the date line!!!! We arrived in Australia as the dawn was breaking and suddenly it seemed like a strange new world. Our Publicist Alysha met us at the airport and we drove into the city and as we turned the corner to the hotel, which is right in the harbour, there was the bridge and the opera house and the sun was just coming up behind them. Life is amazing. How you can one day be on the beach with friends in Los Angeles and then be in Sydney Harbour is quite surreal. And the funniest thing is that if you're not in peace, if you're restless or discontent or unhappy, then none of it can mean anything at all. These aren't the things that make you happy deep down, but they are a wonderful background for the things that do - the people you love.
This is just wallpaper at the end of the day and if you weren't happy in Carmel, LA or NY then you're not going to suddenly be happy in Sydney. It's easy to think you could be or would be, but it's just an illusion. I have to keep reminding myself that the only way to be happy is to surround yourself with other people who are happy. It is the most infectious virus I know.
There is a great saying that I love.....STICK WITH THE WINNERS. Just to be around people, like yesterday, people who are doing well, who are happy, who exude the most amazing dynamic energy, it is a natural tonic and I absolutely thrive on it. Some people take you up and some people bring you down and that's all there is to it. I need to be around people who need nothing else from me than myself, not because I can do something for them, pay for them, help them, advise them, introduce them......it's absolutely exhausting and unrewarding and it doesn't work, no matter how much you try, it doesn't work.
So I am here in Sydney with the person in the world whose energy I love the most. Who inspires and motivates me to be a better person and wants absolutely nothing from me except that I do my best, and when I mess up, doesn't love me a single atom less ------- what an incredible blessing that is.
Just for all of those who asked and sent love to Bentley, he is doing really well, and may be home from the vet tomorrow morning which is wonderful. Thanks for your prayers.
So the first part of our adventure begins.....will keep you posted xxxxxx

4th July 2009

What a difference a day makes. I often think how silly it is that we worry so much about things that never happen, and what a waste of time it is....as it says in that brilliant Sunscreen song....."Dont worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday." He is so right, although, this one blindsided us about 11pm on a sweltering Friday night.
So last night Bentley took a turn for the worse. He had been diagnosed with Kennel Cough but last night his temperature was so high and he was having trouble breathing and Clare called the wonderful Dr Dean at the Malibu Animal Hospital and he told her to bring him in first thing. SO after a restless night's sleep Clare and Paul headed off down Sunset Blvd to the Coast with Bentley while I went for a hike around Runyon with Alex while we waited to hear the news. When they arrived, Dr Victor took some chest x-rays of Bentley, who by now had a nose bleed, and he came back and told them that Bentley has pneumonia. How can anybody get pneumonia in the middle of summer in Los Angeles? Well Bentley did. Poor poor boy. They have kept him in the hospital with an IV drip in his paw and so far he seems to be responding well to the treatment and his temperature is down from 105 which is what it was when he arrived there.
There was nothing more to be done but leave him in the best vet hands in LA. Luckily we were all spending the day out in Malibu anyway at Jason Statham's 4th July BBQ. It's funny how last year we spent all summer throwing BBQ's and this year it all seems to be coming back to us as we seem to be going to one every weekend now and it's a lot less stressful and a lot less work when it's somebody else's party. So we drove out at lunch time and stopped off to visit with Bentley to see that he was OK. It seemed surreal to imagine that tonight Clare and Paul are getting on a plane and will be in Australia when they wake up!! Clare didn't really want to go and leave Bentley but Alex is going to do everything to take care of him and they're only gone for a few days.
SO we tried to put that out of our mind and arrived at Jason's amazing new house in Malibu Colony. It was incredible. The house is right on the beach and the food and entertainment was extraordinary, burgers, lobster, chicken, cobs of corn, an amazing bar, DJ....and a baby tiger cub. WHAT???? We had such fun hanging out with Vinnie Jones and Jason, who was on brilliant form and got Paul to have a picture with him and the tiger!!!!!!!! I sat on the beach and looked out at the ocean and realised I was absolutely in heaven.....it didn't hurt
that the view included Adam Grenier of Entourage who was surfing ;) and now Oz is calling and we're ready for the next adventure.....just wait and see what's around the corner.....slept like a dog wishing and hoping and praying and worrying about my friend Bentley, send a prayer if you're so inclined, you can never have too many prayers said for you.....oh and yes it was a little chilly on the beach thank you.....

80/20

You know Paul promotes a very good theory or rule that we are using more and more and finding to be useful. It was invented by Wilfred Pareto, a 19th century economist. It is the 80/20 rule. FOR EXAMPLE - you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time, you listen to 20% of your i-pod 80% of the time, that 80% of your enjoyment comes from 20% of your friends, that 80% of your time is spent on 20% of your problems, that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts, or even that 20% of your carpet is walked on 80% of the time etc. etc.
The point of the theory is that you should be aware of where 80% of your enjoyment and good feelings come from and concentrate your efforts and energy into those and get rid of where a lot of your bad feelings and energy arise. It is a simplistic idea but it is quite amazing when you stop and think about it and realise how effective it can be when employed. In business it is quite amazing to see that 80% or your problems come from 20% of your clients, or that 80% of your profits come from 20% of your work.......I am really beginning to see the genius in it, and it is easy now to figure out what to keep and what to lose. I have been doing some good shedding of dead wood lately and I think it is reaping rewards.
We are so happy today because the Australia trip was moved a day later so they are now not leaving until Saturday night which means that we can now celebrate 4th July here in the good old US of A. We have had so so so many great 4th's here and this year we are invited to a fabulous party out in Malibu that we were sad to be missing and now won't have to. It's great to be able to look back on all the past one's we have had here, recall where we were and realise they have all made us laugh.
That's what I love about Holidays. You can always measure where you are and in what direction you are moving by looking back and remembering where you were last year on this date. And as long as you have as much fun and as many good people in your life year to year then you must be doing something right, even if they're not the same people. The scenery changes so often around here, people come and go, it's a transitory place and you have to hold on loosely and not get too attached, and then there's no pain in letting them come and go.
So Paul and Clare are absolutely looking forward to this weekend, and even to getting on their flight and flying to Sydney. What a treat to get to see this beautiful world in all it's glory. Can't wait to tell you all about it when they arrive.........