In and out in London Town

Autumn in London Town can be busy. 

When rioters or protesters are not taking the streets, art fairs lead the way and shopping malls open in the new trendy Olympic areas. But what Londoners are really about in the autumn is looking for a date.It’s not going to get warmer anytime soon, right? In the city of millions of singles, any pretext is good to go out, have fun and meet new faces. 

But most of my single lady friends complain: ‘It’s impossible to meet men in this city!’ Coming from Paris, where flirting is pretty much in everyone’s DNA, and where most under-40 types live in a confetti-like flat spending most of their time outdoors, this assertion does not scare me. How could this be that in the city of most prominent people you could not meet people?

Well, after a few weeks of research, I have to admit that Britons are pretty good at hiding their trendy sexy selves. While tones of single Londoners are out on hot dates from Thursday to Saturday nights and even sometimes from Wednesday nights, they seem to all be complaining about the inaccessibility of their pairs. Londoners mostly socialise indeed when drunk and it might explain why guys forget to write down your phone number… 

I therefore decided to bring my single ladies to art fairs, exhibition openings and special arty events, where it’s always been said you can meet the best folk. But it turns out Londoners really do fancy art and go out to fairs and art events only to talk artists and contemporary designs. 

Ok, if pubs and museums are out, my new people have got to be eating somewhere on quieter Saturday nights. Turns out pushing a restaurant door can be helpful. Study your cookbook, work on your food taste and talk to strangers! 

In the latest episodes of that quest, I met the cutest gastropub’s waiters, and in my very own neighbourhood. The food was delicious; I need to go again. To be continued…

Before winter: Remembering my favourite season... about to end

 I realise we are now deeply entered in the Autumn.

It used to be my favourite season, but over the past 4 years, and especially because I lived in America and in Africa, Spring has taken my heart.

Being in London now, my so-loved city, I have found a new ideal, that I already experienced as a bliss in the mid-1990 in Paris, as a teenager, it is the Indian Summer.

Before we completely get out of it, here is an ode to my very special time-of -year. It comes from a column I started in a magazine called Metropolitan and distributed in the Eurostar trains between Britain and the continent. 

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London’s September is the new summer

I remember that from childhood, in Paris, September has always been the month when everything starts again. C’est la “Rentrée”. After a summer of holidays, closed shops, and the end of the season for most opera houses, theatres and museums, September brings a strange but intense renewal and everything starts again like most people are waking up from a long sleep.

Of course, London never sleeps, and especially not in the summer. On the contrary, in July and August, I find that the main cultural institutions rival to bring the best exhibits, concerts and attractions to the British audience as well as to the growing number of tourists coming from all over the world. Most Londoners remain in town during this time, working no less than in June or in January. The streets of the City are not emptier because it’s getting hot, on the contrary.

So when September comes, there’s not much to start again! There’s no “rentrée” in the UK. But there is this very special feeling of the late summer, the Indian summer, where the sun shines for sure and the air is soft and yellow. And then, finally, despite all its business and New-York-like activity, London allows itself to slow down a little. Dwellers take time to have late dinners on the newly arrived outdoor terraces, museums have a break between their summer hit exhibitions and their big plans for the fall. And the travellers book online a cheap last minute holiday package… 

In London, September fells to me like a last minute French summer. In France, September was my favourite time of year for its energy and feeling of renewal. In London, this feeling is there all year, September is just a rare time to escape… and feel the heat.

Ce soir dans Vox News...

Notre journal de la soirée passe à 30 min :


http://www.voxafrica.com/vod/videos/&v=0_jmvaz9fx&p=0_q3b9ys18


A la Une : 

1- La Tunisie libère l’ancien Premier ministre libyen 

La Tunisie a décidé de libérer l’ancien Premier ministre libyen, détenu depuis la fin de l’été. C’est une cour tunisienne qui a décidé jeudi de libérer Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi, malgré une demande d'extradition des autorités libyennes. 




2 - Pollution : Des Nigérians poursuivent Shell aux USA

Une communauté du Delta du Niger a engagé des poursuites aux Etats-Unis contre la compagnie pétrolière Shell. Ces Nigérians espèrent obtenir une compensation d'un milliard de dollars pour les décennies de pollution dans leur région.



3 - RDC : Jour des longs métrages au Festival du Film du Kivu

En République Démocratique du Congo, le festival international du Film du Kivu se poursuit dans l'est du pays. La journée de mercredi a  éte consacrée aux longs métrages de fictions et aux documentaires. Notre correspondant était sur place.


http://www.voxafrica.com/vod/videos/&v=0_jmvaz9fx&p=0_q3b9ys18




Egalement en reportage:
Le système de transport au Nigeria, la lutte contre la sécheresse au Kenya, et bien plus.

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 24/10/2011

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 24/10/2011

Here at 14 min 24'' in our English news bulletin, watch my interview with the Danish film director Frank Poulsen on his documentary film 'Blood in the Mobile'.

The film has been released in the UK last Friday and shows how international mobile phones producers still use 'blood minerals', extracted from illegal mines in Eastern DR Congo, in manifacturing mobile phones and other electronic devices.

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 24/10/2011

Frank Poulsen went to DRC, the US, Finland (where Nokia is based) and beyong to investigate.
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And go and watch to film or see here:
http://bloodinthemobile.org/

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 26/10/2011

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 26/10/2011

Nos journaux se rallongent de 5 min, passant à 15 min en mi-journée et 28 min en soirée.

A revoir, celui de ce mercredi après-midi sur ce lien.

A bientôt sur Vox Africa.

M.

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 18h - 25/10/2011

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 18h - 25/10/2011

Les titres de notre edition du 25 octobre 2011 sur Vox Africa :

1 – L’Afrique de l’Est s’inquiète de la situation sécuritaire
En Afrique de l’Est, la multiplication des attaques des miliciens islamistes Al Shebab inquiètent. Les membres de la Communauté d'Afrique de l'Est se sont réunis et ont appelé à de nouveaux efforts de coordinations en matière de sécurité régionale.

2 – Libye : Enterrement de Kadhafi en lieu secret

En Libye, le corps de l’ancien dirigeant Mouammar Kadhafi a finalement été enterré cette nuit en plein désert. Selon le CNT, le lieu même de l’enterrement restera secret.

3 –RDC : Le Festival international du Film du Kivu se poursuit

En RDC, la 6e édition du Festival international du Film du Kivu se poursuit dans l'est du pays. Notre correspondant Alex Kathy Katayi couvre l’événement toute cette semaine pour Vox Africa.

Egalement en fin de JT:

Bilan de la semaine de la mode en Afrique du Sud

La semaine de la mode de Johannesburg vient de s’achever en Afrique du Sud, et la mode du continent semble plus que jamais présente sur le devant de la scène mondiale.

Olafemi Bela, styliste et spécialiste de mode, analyse l'importance de l'événement pour la mode africaine...

VOXAFRICA Video - Bilan de la semaine de la mode en Afrique du Sud

VOXAFRICA Video - Bilan de la semaine de la mode en Afrique du Sud

La semaine de la mode de Johannesburg vient de s’achever en Afrique du Sud, et la mode du continent semble plus que jamais présente sur le devant de la scène mondiale.
Olafemi Bela, styliste et spécialiste de mode, analyse l'importance de l'événement pour la mode africaine.
Interview sur le plateau de Vox New ce mardi soir!

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 24/10/2011

VOXAFRICA Video - Voxnews: 24/10/2011

De retour d'Afrique du Sud, j'ai rejoint mes collègues de Vox Africa et voici notre journal de ce soir:

Titre 1 - Kenya : La population soutient l’intervention en Somalie

Au Kenya, malgré l’attaque à la grenade dans un bar-discothèque de Nairobi qui a fait 14 blessés cette nuit, la population continue de soutenir l’intervention de son armée dans la Somalie voisine contre les miliciens islamistes Al Shebab.

Titre 2 – Libye : L’OTAN salue la fin du régime Kadhafi

En Libye, alors que dimanche a été déclaré jour de Libération du pays de l’ancien régime de Mouammar Kadhafi, ce lundi, les membres de l’OTAN se sont réunis a Bruxelles et ont salué le changement de régime.

Titre 3 –RDC : Festival international du Film du Kivu

Et puis en RDC, la 6e édition du Festival international du Film du Kivu, dans l’est du pays, s’est ouverte vendredi dernier. Notre correspondant est sur place pour suivre l’événement.

...Et plus sur l'actualité africaine et mondiale.

Bloomsbury Festival's insight: Amira Kheir

The Bloomsbury Festivalis taking place this weekend in the famous London neighbourhood located in the heart of the city, in the borough of Camden.

And the heart of the events was located in Russell Square's Garden, with a book and craft market, some barbecues and a central stage dedicated to World Music and put into place by SOAS, the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.

Among the musicians, Run, a band formed of four British singers collecting songs and melodies from the six Celtic languages, the Senegalese musician Laye Sow, the Zimbabweans composers ans interpreters from Harare Muic and the lovely Sudanese Italian Amira Kheir.

Amira Kheir is a Sudanese-Italian singer/songwriter singer based in London, UK, creating a unique style of what she calls 'Sudani Jazz'.

 

Her debut album named 'View from Somewhere' has been released last month and she'll be back on stage in London on November 9th, in the National Theatre Foyer, in London South Bank.

In the meantime, I was introduced to her and we agreed she should be interviewed again on Vox Africa for the occasion!

So looking forward to this interview...

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In the meantime, the Bloomsbury Festival is still on this Sunday. More on the programme here:

http://www.bloomsburyfestival.org.uk/programme

VOXAFRICA Video - South Africa: AgriBusiness Forum 2011

VOXAFRICA Video - South Africa: AgriBusiness Forum 2011


In South Africa the AgriBusiness Forum has come to a close in Johannesburg.

The yearly event is aimed at strengthening the Agri-Food sector in Africa, by encouraging partnership and investment.

Here is a summary of the EMRC Agribusiness Forum 2011 on our English channel with Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and other specialists:

http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_jbzwhrsg&p=0_0swhvd1d

Our interview with Morgan Tsvangirai and many others soon to come on Vox Africa.