Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves

Happy International Women’s Day y'all! It’s a big one: 100 years ago from today, the Women’s Day was first marked with rallies campaigning for women’s right to work, vote, be trained and hold public office among other things. The first three women had just been elected to Finnish parliament.

We have come a long way since. But not long enough. Women still get paid less than men, are victims of domestic violence, are being discriminated because there is a chance of them getting pregnant and are still being harassed.

The UK government recently, unsurprisingly, rejected the compulsory boardroom quota for women. Instead, the companies were given a meaningless warning to increase the number of women in boardrooms. 

Currently 18 FTSE 100 companies have no female directors at all and nearly half of all FTSE 250 companies do not have a woman in the boardroom. Then again, the government itself is not exactly doing well equality-wise, with only four female members in the cabinet of 23.

Luckily it looks like the EU is planning to force a 20% quota in European boardrooms. At the moment, women make up only 3% of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and in Europe, only 12% of positions on boards are occupied by women. As low as 20% sounds like, it’s still an improvement.

And it’s not all bad news. All across the world, women are taking things to their own hands. Hollaback is a movement started in New York, and now also working in London, dedicated to ending street harassment. They are working on abolishing the cultural acceptance of sexual harassment. It's not just a "feminists' attempt to ban the fun". Do a little gallup among your girlfriends, I bet you find more than one case where they have been groped by a stranger, “because, you know, wearing skirt that short means that you’re gagging for it anyway”. And ask them how they felt about it. 

As well-meaning and lovely the men in our lives are, the equality is not going to happen without women demanding it. Nobody is going to do it for us. And sisters, we are doing it for ourselves. 

Science of Love

Had no date this Valentine’s? Check out the love facts based on SCIENCE! on how to secure one for next year.

Wear red. Lipstick, dress, shoes, a hat. A study testing men’s response to pictures of women under a variety of colour presentations shows that red is the winner. The pictures of women shown framed by or wearing red were rated significantly more attractive and sexually desirable by men than the exact same women shown with other colours. The scientists think there’s biological reasons behind this. Research has shown that nonhuman male primates are particularly attracted to females displaying red. Female baboons and chimpanzees, for example, redden conspicuously when nearing ovulation, sending a clear sexual signal designed to attract males. The red effect extends only to males and only to perceptions of attractiveness.

J.R fancied Sue Ellen's good looks. She was attracted
to his wealth. Luckily we know it's all fiction!

People lie! For a long time it has been a well known “fact” that when it comes to romantic attraction men primarily are motivated by good looks and women by earning power. However, an in-depth study of romantic attraction shows that in reality men and women were equally inspired by physical attraction and equally inspired by earning power or ambition. In other words, we are only interested in good looks and money. Off to the gym you go!

Gay men go for the macho look. A study done at Harvard University shows that, well, ehem, men are pretty simple. The findings suggest that regardless of sexual orientation, men's brains are wired for attraction to sexually dimorphic faces - those with facial features that are most synonymous with their gender. Meaning gay men are most attracted to the most masculine-faced men, while straight men prefer the most feminine-faced women. Women's preferences are more complex than men's, with ovulation, contraceptive use, self-perceived attractiveness, and sex drive all affect face preference. In this particular study, straight women preferred more masculine-faced men than lesbian women, while lesbians preferred slightly more masculine female faces than straight women or men.

Victoria forgave David for playing away from home
with another woman. Would she react differently if he
was caught with another man? 

Play hard to get. According to a new psychological  study women are more attracted to men whose feelings are unclear. It concluded that men on dating sites who kept women guessing about just how interested they really were were more likely to have the women interested in them. Psychologists say in the case of 'attraction uncertainty,' people find themselves thinking about someone. But rather than recognize it's because of the uncertainty, they assume it is because they must be attracted to the person.The authors of the study say they believe the results would be the same in men.

If you cheat, choose wisely. A new study has shown that men are more than twice as likely to continue dating a girlfriend who has cheated on them with another woman than one who has cheated with another man. Women show the opposite pattern. They are more likely to continue dating a man who has had a heterosexual affair than one who has had a homosexual affair. This is not happening because women are all bigots, it’s all down to biology. "A robust jealousy mechanism is activated in men and women by different types of cues - those that threaten paternity in men and those that threaten abandonment in women," says Jaime C. Confer, the study's lead author.

Good luck. And lots of love.

Save Your Pennies And See a Play for Less

London is a theatre capital at its best. We have the world famous West End, but there are also hundreds of plays running in the smaller theatres around the town. Here are my tips on how to catch a play in London without breaking the bank.

Buy tickets on the day. There are countless “half price tickets booths” around Leicester Square, but the official is the white one in the middle of the square called TKTS. They sell half price tickets for the same day shows. Do keep in mind though that the cheapest ticket gets you the cheapest seat in the often huge West End theatre. Get there early for as the best tickets sell out fast.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is the funniest musical
in London but you don't have to break the bank to see it. 

See previews. You will quickly learn which theatres are your favourites. Sign up for their newsletters to find out about the new shows. The preview tickets are sold at reduced price as the play may still be tweaked. Or browse for a preview show in www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk. I've recently been to see the previews of Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales (easy & good fun) at Hammersmith Lyric and Vernon God Little (fantastic) at Young Vic. 

Book through lastminute.com. The famous website offers deals, but to be fair, the value & quality of the offers varies. They often sell tickets based on “best available seats” and that can really be anything from a top price seat to something on the balcony. It’s still worth checking what’s on offer. Shop around online for best deals.

National Theatre – the National Theatre in partnership with Travelex is offering £10 tickets to most of its shows. Book early.

Book as a group. Make a night out of it with a group of friends. Put together a group of 10+ and save up to 50%. The bigger the group, the lower the price and if not, negotiate.

Opt for a non-commercial and off West End theatres instead of the biggest productions in central London. Often with more demanding and / or edgy plays with an affordable ticket price, these are a good option for a West End production. 

Mammoth News!

I hear some exciting news from Japan. The scientists of the land of the rising sun are working together with their Russian colleagues to clone a mammoth. Seriously, how awesome is that?

They are planning to use the DNA of the frozen mammoth remains found from Yakutsk in Siberia to clone a brand new shiny one. The estimated age of the mammoth found is 200 000-300 000 years. And it gets better. Last year the Vladivostok News reported that the scientists believe they can bring back some other extinct creatures as well, such as the woolly rhinoceros and create a prehistoric safari park in Siberia. But duh!, did you not see Jurassic Park? 

Well hello there!

Going to Great Lengths

The long hemlines are here. With a bang. They have actually been around for a while, but thanks to Spring 2011 collections, now they are just everywhere.

Obviously, it was rather predictable, taking into consideration the hemline index: a theory that suggests that skirt lengths and the economy coincide. The mini skirts are in vogue in good times. Just think of the 60s, 80s and more recently the early 2000s. The hemlines hit the floor in the 70s with the oil crisis, in the 90s with the global economic recession and, well now.

I rather like the 70s fashion and the hippie look but for me the long skirts really represent the early 90s. The awkward times of my early teens, discovering fashion, but not yet having a real style of my own. Luckily there have been some gems in the catwalks to reassure me that the new length may go a long way. Also, as we know, the best things to pair a long skirt with are flats, sandals and trainers. Hurrah for being able to walk again!  

Marc Jacobs Spring 2011

Jil Sander Spring 2011

Michael Kors 2011

Rainy Day Pleasures

It’s a common misconception that it always rains in London. Actually the rainfall in the capital is average compared to other European cities and smaller than for example in New York or Rome. We have, however been getting our fair share of wet and grey lately. But don’t let it get you down, make the most of the rainy day. This is how I would spend it.

Go shopping. Head to Shepherd’s Bush for Westfield shopping centre. Its 255 shops, cinema and countless bars and restaurants mean that you don’t have to get your feet wet all day. 

Watch the rain – Rain can actually be rather beautiful if you can watch it through a window. And watching poor people battling with their umbrellas adds extra amusement to it. The best place to watch the rain is in the Curzon cinema cafe on Shaftesbury Avenue. The cakes are a delight. Or buy a magazine and head to the downstairs bar to feel cultural, even if you’re really there just for the wine and not for the most recent arthouse releases. 

Spend a day in a bookstore – walk around, browse, pick up a pile of interesting books and find yourself a comfy chair. Foyles is a great bookstore in central London and they’ve got a nice little cafe as well. Or have a look at Guardian’s list of independent bookshops. 

Go umbrella shopping – Face the rain! Getting yourself a nice new umbrella will brighten your day.  UniGlo has got cute, little ones, that don’t break on the first day in several colours for about a fiver. If you want to splash out (pun not intended) on a luxury brolly, visit the charming James Smith & Sons Umbrellas on New Oxford Street. 

Eat too much sushi  - Rainy day is the perfect time to visit Hi Sushi in Soho. All you can eat sushi is made fresh to order and sets you back around £15. 

Or if all this just seems like a lot of hassle, go back to bed, close the curtains and watch a classic movie on DVD. May I suggest Singing in the Rain? 

London Cheap Frills (part 2)

Gone are the times when London was one of the most expensive cities in the world. There are tons of cheap or even free things to do in our wonderful city. Below are my favourites (see part 1 for more cheap stuff to do in Ldn). 

Take a walk along the South Bank. One of the most beautiful places in London and scattered with things to see and do. Make a day out of it: take in the view over Thames, count the historic bridges, have a drink at the National Theatre bar, visit Tate Modern, have lunch at Borough market, stop to watch the street performers amaze the crowd, and if still feeling like it, catch a Shakespeare play at the Globe (£5 for standing tickets) or a film at the British Film Institute. The place to take your date.

See free films, music, theatre or some random activities at The Scoop. Open during summer months, it’s got seating for 800. Works on a first come first served basis. Film screenings are on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and last summer’s films included titles such as Up, Hurt Locker, Pretty Woman, Up in the Air, Invictus and Dirty Dancing.

See free comedy. There’s plenty of comedy clubs and pubs around town with free comedy nights. They can be a bit hit and miss at times but usually the sets are short and you are likely to enjoy at least some of the comedians. Check TimeOut for listings. 

Toilets. And I’m not talking cottaging here (or am I?). But having travelled in most of the European capitals, I can tell you, the free loos are a treat. The only toilets you have to pay for can be found from the railway stations.

Street Markets. This is controversial choice as even though taking a stroll on a Sunday market can be a cheap or indeed a free activity, it can also set you back several days' salary. To play it safe, take only small amount of cash that you’re willing to spend with you. The vendors rarely take cards and the cash points close by are often out of cash anyway. For real food bargains, head for the food stalls an hour before closing time. For best markets, try Spitalfields (every day, busiest on Sun), Portobello (Sat), Camden Markets (best on weekends), Borough (food only, Thu-Sat), Greenwich Market (best on weekends) and Columbia Road Market (flowers only, Sun) .

London Walks. Guided walking tours are good fun! The best guides love their work and can keep a group of 40 easily entertained for an hour and a half. A walk costs about £8 per person. Start with a London classic Jack the Ripper Walk. More info here http://www.walks.com/

Keep track of the local and ethnic festivals. They are usually free and good fun (although sometimes unintentionally). The ethnic festivals usually have cheap food and drinks stalls and various cultural activities. Local festivals often offer guided tours, talks, plays, music and you can normally visit weird little museums for free. Some of the best ones include Brick Lane Festival, Notting Hill Carnival, Bloomsbury Festival, Japanese Festival, Latin American Festival and Thai Festival. Check TimeOut for details. 

Cuban festival in London. Would you buy a mojito from these guys? I did.