Frankly Speaking

New York New York

2011-01-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

Just can't believe its been so long since I've blogged and here I am tonight in New York City on the first visit for a long time. Meeting up with good friends as well as having some very exciting business meetings. I managed to catch the snow as well as a huge flu epidemic but it's still vibrant and exciting here.

The biggest shock to me has been the way that cab drivers and restaurants are so aggressive about huge tips all the time - and how expensive everything seems to be. The garbage, as we call it over here, hasn't been cleared because of the snow but Mayor Bloomberg has promised that all will be cleared tomorrow.

The TV seems pretty hopeless - watching an 80's Saturday Night Live at prime time as the best on - but everyone, well Piers Morgan at least, is waiting for his new show to start next week and those who can find it, are watching the new Oprah Network. The jury is out on that one - I just would like her to be featuring a few new personalities rather than the usual Dr Phil, Suzy Orme and the team.

It does all seem rather dated here in some ways - the stores, the attitudes - and of course there is tremendous sadness at the shooting at the weekend. The UK seems more exciting for me right now but I do hope that I manage to get back here fairly regularly as I still am going through my eternal love affair with so many aspects of American culture - the good stuff anyway! They have the best vintage in the world, they get the movies first and there is still a wonderful energy that I love.

It has been a great trip with only one day left - and lots still left to do. Watching the sunset over the river while at a meeting on the 50th floor of one of New York's many ridiculously high buildings reminded me that I do absolutely still love it here - surly cab drivers or not.

Happy Xmas

2010-12-22T01:12:00.000-08:00

So much to catch up with but it will have to wait for New Year's Retrospective Blog as off to do the Xmas shopping. Meanwhile Happy Xmas from me and Noodle at B.Hive xx

http://www.lynnefranks.co.uk/CHRISTMAS

The snow, a mystic and a dragon

2010-12-06T11:42:00.000-08:00

There is something so magical the first morning of the snow when you look out of the window and everything really looks like a winter wonderland - even in my tropical Notting Hill Gate garden. It's only when it starts affecting the details of life - cancelled appointments, driving in a blizzard, unable to take the dog out for a walk without freezing off my extremities - that the charm started to wane.

But as always, it has been an interesting week or so. A last minute invite to the Women in TV and Film Awards was a trip with the incredibly funny Julie Walters hosting, aided by the never-funny 4 Poofs and a Piano. She didn't need them - that's for sure. Lots of bright young women getting and giving awards - the ubiquitous Claudia, Jane Goldman, Beeban Kidran - it's clear to see who runs the TV and Film industry. It's the first time I've been for years and it has grown to enormous success. I spent most of lunch speaking to Dragon Theo Phaphitis who did seem really nervous addressing such a powerhouse of women and the charming BBC news presenter Jane Hill - Theo and I are now following each other on Twitter - what a crazy world!

I started my week driving to Nottingham in the blizzards for the local Inspirational Women Lunch where I had committed to speak months ago when requested by Sister Jayanti of the Brahma Kumaris, a woman and a mystic for whom I hold nothing but love and respect. I did meet some wonderful women there including Nottingham's Chief Constable and Susan Johnson, a former prostitute who is now a town councillor and community leader - both of whom have promised to come for a visit to B.Hive in the New Year. And Sister Jayanti was as inspiring as always. She reminded us to reflect last thing before sleep on what we have learnt about ourselves during the day which I have been trying out - for good and for bad.

Some good times at B.Hive as always - a visit from the two Rachels - Ashwell and Johnson - was a highlight of our Rachel Ashwell breakfast. plus an afternoon there with my beloved friend Eve Ensler, now recovered from cancer with her short, adorable cap of hair, speaking to young women leaders about her latest V-Day campaign to encourage action against sexual violence. A quick nip in also from Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the South Bank, to meet Eve and have discussions on WOW, her Women of the World project for next International Women's Day in March 8th which I am delighted to be involved with.

Melissa Choi finished off the afternoon perfectly as our B.Hive Business Woman of the Month with a tasting of her delicious, healing Choi Time teas that Eve loved so much she is taking some back to New York.

This week is the British Fashion Awards which I modestly claim to have started more than 25 years ago plus some interesting meetings - hopefully without any snow this week but who knows. Back to the big smoke tomorrow morning from the charm of my country cottage - I hope to see you all soon, love Lynne

Frankly Speaking: last week

2010-11-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

Frankly Speaking: last week: "Is time just going faster and faster or is it just me. Since getting back from my detox in Austria last weekend I haven't stopped for breat..."

last week

2010-11-22T08:08:00.000-08:00

Is time just going faster and faster or is it just me. Since getting back from my detox in Austria last weekend I haven't stopped for breathe.

Wonderful things happened all week at B.Hive. Great new members like Sister Snog; a high level of visitors including the amazing Lynne Patterson from the American grass roots microfinance organisation Promujer; an extraordinary celebration for Women's Enterprise Day with the Camden Women's Forum and a morning event for the Ogunte group of social purpose entrepreneurs the next day; a visit from handbag.com and finally a quick pop in by our designer Rachel Ashwell on her first visit since helping me with the planning of the B.Hive look nine months ago.

I also had some great fun partying in between everything else. Saw the Gorillaz at O2 with Mary Portas and partner Mel and the gang from Grazia. Had a night off on Wednesday after a 12 hour day starting with the papers on BBC Radio London.

I loved the anniversary party of Shortlist Media, publishers of The Stylist, where I went with my friend Gloria Abramoff and Tim Samuels, hanging out all night with Tim and Irish broadcaster and raconteur Patrick Keilty - definitely the two sexiest broadcasters there that night. Also went for some nostalgia to The Groucho Club where I'm hanging out again to celebrate the opening of their smoking terrace - which of course I shall never go near again. It was fun to see so many old friends from the London media scene of the 80's - amazing that we are all still here.

That was most of it - collapsed back to Oxford for the weekend where I saw Africa Unite - a not-to-be-missed movie about a group of children crossing Africa to get to the world cup. I learnt a lot about Africa and enjoyed the movie theatre in Cowley which is a trip in itself. Also tried the very energetic Zamba dancing Sunday morning and got in lots of meditation-time with the Brahma Kumaris and long walks down the river with Noodle - phew - now back to London for a rest.

I give thanks every day for my wonderful life and my beautiful children and grandchildren - have a good week, Lynne xx

The Detox

2010-11-07T08:39:00.001-08:00

I'm now into 24 hours at the Mayr & More Clinic in Austria - and 24 hours on three pieces of spelt bread, a couple of sheep's yoghurts, a little bowl of veggie soup and lots of water. Detox headaches are circling, I've been given a variety of powders and pills and I haven't even started the treatment properly until tomorrow. Regardless I'm thrilled to be here in time to pull my body back from the brink of unhealthiness one more time.

Good companions on this press trip and we've been comparing I-Pods, Blackberries, I-phones and Apps on our afternoon off. Interesting to see how we will calm down and start relaxing once the massages kick in.

Delighted with my quote in Fleur Britten's piece in today's Sunday Times Style magazine on how women can be more successful when we work together than being the competitive bitches that the media present. Finally got on the Sunday Times on-line where you can see me being filmed at B.Hive talking more about women in business working together in a collaborative way.

Happy Sunday evening x

Frankly Speaking: The Detox

2010-11-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Frankly Speaking: The Detox: "I'm now into 24 hours at the Mayr & More Clinic in Austria - and 24 hours on three pieces of spelt bread, a couple of sheep's yoghurts, a li..."

Visitors

2010-10-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a week of lots of friends visiting me at B.Hive where I have rather taken up a Queen Bee residence. My visitors have loved coming though and Covent Garden is so convenient. My visitors this week included the lovely Lisa Warner, founder of award-winning Fink Cards; Lisa and Susan, editor and deputy of The Stylist Magazine; my first boss on Petticoat Magazine and good friend over the subsequent many years Eve Pollard, first British woman newspaper editor, founder of Women in Journalism and many other high achievements and now recognised as Claudia Winkelman's mum; well-loved broadcast producer Gloria Abramoff and my good friend Jo Morrell, almost back from baby leave to take over as MD on Grazia and other mags.

It's been quite wonderful this week at B.Hive to see all the smart young women who have been joining up and using it to have their meetings and run their businesses. Yesterday's Saturday Times Mag cover story about Generation Zero referred to young women who run their businesses off their laptops and that certainly seems to be the case with many B.Hive members who are among other things creating on-line magazines, sending technology to Africa and running PR businesses.

Saw the wonderful woman's film "The Kids Are Alright" with the splendid Anita Bening and Julianne Moore. Now cooking a relaxing Sunday lunch before it all starts again - see you at The Hive, love Lynne

The incredible supersensational Denise Linn

2010-10-23T08:33:00.001-07:00

With my soul sister Denise Linn at B.Hive where she did a very deep soul blessing on her recent trip to London

Women in the Network (WIN) Paris 2010

2010-10-23T06:57:00.001-07:00

Me with WIN Founder Kristin Ensvig at the final dinner and some of the great visual maps to the conversations during the conference, where my clients and partners HSBC took the lead sponsorship role to launch their European Women's Business Partnership

What a week!

2010-10-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

What an incredible week - Eckhart Tolle, Annie Lennox, SEED Experience Day, Frieze, lots of incredible women coming to visit me at B.Hive, my son Josh's one-man stand up at Soho Theatre and now a double Aries Full Moon on Saturday night to finish me off. My life is so amazing and I give thanks every day.

Body Positive

2010-10-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

Sam Roddick introducing Annie Lennox at the knock-out concert I went to this week at the Round House to honour Anita Roddick in aid of HIV charity for young people and women Body & Soul. Awesome evening.

Last Saturday's Magical SEED Experience Day at B.Hive

2010-10-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

Josh at Soho Theatre this week

2010-10-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

I went to see my son Josh's terrific Edinburgh show at the Soho Theatre on Thursday. Last performance tonight, Saturday, well-publicised today during his appearance today on Vanessa Feltz BBC London show. I'm such a proud Jewish Mama.

Janey Lee at B.Hive

2010-10-23T06:36:00.000-07:00

A visit from one of my favourite people.Radio 2's and top natural living specialist Janey Lee Grace popped into B.Hive for tea on her way to event where she was voted No 9 in 2011 Who's Who of Natural Beauty Yearbook. She is coming back to B.Hive for some talks and workshops soon

Visit to Frieze with Jude Kelly

2010-10-23T06:34:00.000-07:00

Female warrior statue seen when visiting Frieze this week with Jude Kelly while we discussed exciting plans for WOW (Women of the World) at South Bank next International Women's Day in March.

BLOOM Goddesses visit B.Hive

2010-10-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Lovely visit this week at B.Hive from my good friends Nyasha, Cathryn and Joanna who joined me at my first BLOOM Retreat in Mallorca five years ago. Nyasha and Cathryn doing wonderful work with Vana Trust in UK and Africa.

Next Saturday

2010-10-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

Back from Women In The Network Conference in Paris and in full flow with the planning of next Saturday's SEED Experience Day at B.Hive. It is the first workshop I have held there and I am excited as it is such a powerful way for women to transform their lives. It will be an intimate circle of like-minded women and there are one or two places left if you feel like joining me - let me know on info@seednetwork.com and find out more at www.seednetwork.com - great chance to see B.Hive too and the first stage in becoming a SEED Coach - hope to see you there, Lynne

Gay Paris

2010-10-07T23:31:00.000-07:00

Good Morning from Paris where I am at the Women In the Network Conference. Some remarkable women from all over the world gathered to tell their stories. I am here launching the European Women in Business Partnership with HSBC. Like B.Hive, I've been working on this project for many months and now we're out there - creating a support initiative for women's business leaders. Still in it's early stages but with great potential - going global too for next International Women's Day. It's the 100 year Anniversary and still so much to do to create an equal society for women and men anywhere in the world. Anyway going to fit in a bit of R & R today - back home tomorrow, love Lynne

Flying High

2010-09-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well we're open - B.Hive launched yesterday - and the response has been wonderful. It looks a dream - check out www.bhive.co - and the team of women who have made it happen are my dream team - paintings from Natasha Zupan, furniture from Shabby Chic's Rachel Ashwell, murals by Charlotte Adler, magical garden by Bella Huddart - plus designer Eleanor Grigorou, Pip Kenny on the graphics and the wonderful Regus team - all who have come into my life from the past or other climes at exactly the right time. Grazia is already using it for their meetings and over 100 members signed up last night. I'm putting some pix up soon and between b.hive twitters and blogs; the SEED community site; this blog; my twitter and my 2,000 Facebook friends - somehow you'll see them.

Meanwhile you can see me being interviewed on the Smarta blog http://www.smarta.com/blog/2010/9/lynne-franks-launches-bhive-and-talks-business---the-feminine-way

Is it me or is anyone else spinning with all these ways we're communicating? My Blackberry seems attached to the end of my finger and thank heavens for dogs and grandchildren to keep me grounded - Be In Touch, love Lynne

Girl Power!

2010-09-11T01:09:00.001-07:00

Man Power, Woman Power

2010-09-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Two great evenings in a row. Last night I went to the launch of Vidal Sassoon, The Movie - an extraordinary tale of one of the most creative and passionate men I know. I used to go as a young mod to Vidal's first Bond Street salon in the early sixties and queue up for a five point geometric cut done for free by the young trainees; my agency did his PR when his product company sponsored London Fashion Week and he and his hospitable wife Ronnie looked after me when I went to live in LA in '97. Vidal is now 83, as smart as ever and an influence on millions of people all over the world, as modern and forward thinking today as he was when he started in the fifties.

Today was spent doing photographs of the different rooms and spaces at my B.Hive business centre which is almost ready to open. Tears were in my eyes when I arrived this morning as I could see my dream really coming true - and looking so gorgeous. Will be posting some of the pix up when I get them. We are already getting women from all over the country wanting to join up - and we're not officially open for business for another week. Although do get in touch if you're interested - great special offer for all SEED members.

Tonight a different kind of evening having a dinner with my old friend Mary Portas, her wife, fashion writer Melanie Rickard, Grazia editor in chief Jane Bruton and broadcaster Gaby Roslyn. We never stopped talking for over five hours and it just proved that when five powerful smart women get together, they are equally generous with their laughter and the sharing of space and stories. Blackberries out, Mary and Mel were tweeting and we were all taking pix of each other to post. Mine to follow tomorrow. Night night - Lynne

Loose Ends

2010-09-04T01:54:00.001-07:00

Hi, I'm on Loose Ends tonight on BBC Radio 4 at 6.15 if you are near a radio - will be reporting back, Happy Saturday Lynne

Summer Pix

2010-09-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Summer passing - B's are buzzing!

2010-09-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

Despite the dearth of my blogs over the last three weeks, I haven't totally disappeared.

I was on the run - between an eclectic selection of festivals including Edinburgh, Beautiful Days, Womad and my local Notting Hill Carnival - to working intensely in London on B.Hive, the beautiful new women's business club I'm opening with Regus in Covent Garden later this month.

I'm going to be talking a lot about B.Hive over the next few weeks as I am so totally passionate about it and I'm sure you'll see lots in the press too. Our full website will be going up soon and there is a special founder members offer for all SEED members so if you haven't yet joined, visit www.seednetworkingforwomen.com and you'll get all the news.

I'll be sending out full info and details in the next few days and I promise to keep up with my blog, telling you about some of the extraordinary adventures that I seem to be having on a regular basis. I'm sad that summer seems to be passing far too fast but there are exciting times ahead!

See You In The Garden,

Lynne xx

My Family

2010-08-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

At the end of the day, family is the most important thing in the world for me. And I was so moved to read my son Josh's comments about me in today's Sunday Times.

We were both interviewed for Relative Values where a journalist takes two family members and interviews them separately. Despite our difficult moments over the years, Josh and I both showed our deep love for each other in the interview to the extent of the heading reading My Absolutely Fabulous Mother. I'm off to join him and his family in Edinburgh this week where he is performing his new one-man stand-up show - Josh Howie in Gran Slam - not to be missed if you're going to the Festival.

Meanwhile I spent the weekend with my two adorable little granddaughters Lola Mae and Memphis, who give me so much pleasure and who I just don't see enough as they live in Mallorca where I'm hardly getting to right now. Aged 6 and 3, they come out with such wisdom at times that my mouth falls open. And they are just so cuddly and delicious.

Cooking Sunday lunch for them and my daughter Jessica before they all went off on a camping trip was just so pleasurable - eating outside in my lovely Oxfordshire garden with the sun shining making plans for the future.

My life is blessed and I give thanks every day.

Lots of love
Lynne

Saturday Cleanse

2010-07-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

I can't really believe that I've decided to stay in on a Saturday night, despite several invitations out, to give myself a liver cleanse. But during my meditation class this morning at the Brahma Kumaris, we discussed patterns and addictions. We also discussed how we lighten up emotionally and spiritually when we lighten up physically.

And as I sat there at 7 am feeling absolutely stuffed from non-stop nibbling the day before I decided that today was the day. I would prove to myself that I can control my emotional eating, even if it is healthy food, and treat myself to a day of lightening up.

No food all day, fresh grapefruit juice in the morning, apple juice in the afternoon and the delight of several doses of epsom salts, water and lemon juice during the evening and tomorrow morning. I'm right in the middle of the evening now and feeling very self- righteous and definitely light to the point of flying. If you want to know more, just google liver cleanse and you'll find it.

And all is good - my dog Noodle for company, some great walks today along the Thames, some necessary creative work completed, the Proms and Sondheim on TV, the sounds of the summer jazz concert on at the Arboretum next door floating through my windows, a long session in my hot tub - and everything in the garden is lovely.

Must run,

Have a wonderful August weekend,

love

Lynne

A Family Affair

2010-07-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

My Festival Season has finally taken off with a very chilled time Sunday at Womad, where there were equally as many groovy grey surfers, little girls in angel wings and beautiful young mothers all getting down to what is without question the best collection of live world music in the UK.

Wherever I happened to be standing, another band or singer was performing some of the most soulful music to a beat that I've danced to in a long time. I discovered and fell in love with Grammy Award Winner Dobet Gnahore, a stunning young woman from the Ivory Coast, who had the crowd dancing the whole way through her set; loved Mayra Andrade from Cape Verde, whose music I've been playing for months and the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, who played wonderful upbeat reggae and apparently came together in a refugee camp. I missed so many others but did catch Imelda May from Ireland who got the whole content of the main Siam Tent rocking to her blue grass.

I also caught Greenpeace's photobooth with their genuine Banksy backdrop and the cashmeres for £2 courtesy of the large festival special Oxfam shop. Riverfood ran a really interesting Taste The World Area where several musicians were playing and cooking at the same time.

Womad has Soul; great food; clean loos and lots of space. Everything, sorry to say, that I didn't find the week before at Latitude. I am definitely going back to Womad for the whole weekend next year.

I spent the day with my friend - and ex-boyfriend John - and I told him of the wide response I got to my last blog about virtual love. He told me all his experiences dating on the web from a man's point of view and I shared mine. Promise to share his perspective soon. We also entertained ourselves guessing which couples we saw were long term and which ones had recently met on the internet. A great game - you should try it. Then you have to guess which sites - I think the Guardian won hands down at Womad.

I'm off to Five Rhythms tonight in Oxford with the lovely Chloe,

See you soon,

love Lynne

Virtual Love

2010-07-23T12:10:00.000-07:00

Just watched a sweet little show on Channel 4 about internet dating from the point of view of 20-something girls - men lie about their height, the girls stalk them and blog about them, the men suddenly fall out of love, the girls don't give up, the girls love the e-mail buildup although the reality is usually a disappointment.

I loved the show but wondered why it was only about 20 something women. Because we're all at it and as someone of a certain age whose boyfriend of the last year or more has just left me to go back to his ex-wife a few days after asking me to live with him, I can certainly resinate with it all.

I have been back on the web shopping for a new man - or at least seeing what is out there. Is it just me that thinks that most of the men of my generation look very unhappy and a lot like serial killers - and the women all look wonderful. I agree with my younger sisters, men do generally lie about their height, often about their age (at least the older lot ) and they do use old pictures - although the last two are just as relevant to women according to my men friends who use virtual dating.

We're all creating a fantasy self to hook someone in - and of course then reality sets in. I learnt a lot from the TV show about the featured girls stalking their internet dates on Facebook although I couldn't be bothered to do that; googling them; going through all their virtual photograph albums and constantly digging into their secret lives. I must say this never occurred to me until I saw said recent ex is back on the dating site I met him on - or more likely was never off - and was once again trawling through the site despite going back with said wife.

So I am looking again on and off line - while asking myself why. After a long, fairly painful marriage and a number of deeply numbing love affairs, surely I am old enough to give up. But no, I am still holding out that my prince is out there somewhere - and if not, at least it gives me a break from just focusing on work. It's like eating chocolate - which I'm trying to give up - or shopping for shoes - it's fun, silly, unreal and addictive. Meeting someone through real life is far more appealing but you never know ...perhaps I'll start blogging on my virtual dating adventures ...watch this space,

Love Lynne

Sexy Czechs!

2010-07-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

One of the best stories to come out of the weekend press was of a group of female Czech MPs who have posed for a so-called 'racy' 2011 calendar.

Women won more seats than ever before in recent national elections and one of the parties with four female MPs decided to promote itself - and its assets - by selling calendars featuring the four together with other women activists looking gorgeous and sexy.

The calendar, the proceeds of which will go to a children's hospital, has highlighted a dramatic shift in the sexual balance in Prague two decades after the fall of communism with women winning 44 of the 200 seats in parliament in the May elections. On the opening day of the Czech parliament, women MPs caused a sensation by turning up in tight skirts, high heels and sunglasses.

They represent a generation of Czech women who have embraced their femininity and sex appeal while storming the male-dominated bastions of business and politics. Our own politicians could learn a lot from our Czech sisters instead of hiding their femininity in public. I am going to deliver my Women's Knowledge and Wisdom Forums in Prague in the Autumn for HSBC and can't wait to see it all for myself.

Meanwhile, how disgusting has been the news of the way women bishops are being treated by the Church of England and how the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has tried to compromise to keep all his ridiculous flock of men happy - talk about the dark ages!

See You In The Garden and Lots of Love,
Lynne

Sunday Times Today!

2010-07-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

Another great story in the press about women sharing and networking in today's Sunday Times Style Magazine.

Journalist Kate Spicer did her homework and entitled her very positive piece "It's Good to Share: A New Breed of Female-only Networks, build on shared experiences and stories, is taking a refreshingly supportive and empowering approach."

Kate quoted several on-line and real-time women's networks, including, I'm delighted to say www.seednetworkingforwomen.com and for those of you who didn't see it, here's what I had to say on the subject:

"There is nothing better than women sharing their stories, good and bad," says the former

PR supremo Lynne Franks, who has been pushing this kind of soft networking in

business for a decade, but is seeing it flourish now. "We have reached a tipping point of

women feeling strong enough to stand up and say they want to do it differently.

Traditionally, women have had to make it in a man's world by being assertive -- the

Thatcher syndrome.

But, given a safe space, the masks come off. Women will be vulnerable in a way they

won't with men. And we bloom when we connect with other women and share our

stories. The instinctive businesswoman makes personal connections in meetings." She

laughs at us doing our interview by Skype, "in our nighties. New technology lends itself

to women and the way we connect."

Franks has worked with blue-chip companies, including McDonald's and HSBC,

encouraging them to nurture their female talent by "letting female employees share in

small, intimate groups". In the autumn, she is launching a female-only workspace in

London, with plans to roll out the concept across the UK. For an annual fee of Pounds

180-Pounds 300, women can use a well-equipped professional environment and have

access to mentoring, in a space that is as far from the sterile office norm as you can

possibly imagine.

See you in The Garden,

Happy Sunday,

Love Lynne

13 Women Up A Mountain

2010-06-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

Thirteen women flew in to join me on my Bloom Retreat in Mallorca from South Africa, Australia via Nepal, France and the UK as strangers and left as beloved friends and a Circle of Women who will be in each others lives for many years to come.

From the worlds of design, personal and community development, business, permaculture, training, yoga and healing, this group of highly creative and spiritual women discussed their personal dreams as well as the situation for women world-wide and the future for this planet. We shared how we can all contribute to our local and global communities together as well as supporting each other individually.

It was an intense week of authentic connection as we all committed to the values and vision we wish to guide our future lives. One of the circle was the world-renown astrologer, Scottish-born Marjorie Orr, who informed me that last week was cosmically probably the hardest week of the year to hold a retreat although added that the most challenging time was also when deep changes can occur.

She was absolutely right and I have already asked her to already check out the dates for the November Retreat that I am now planning, to ensure that there won't be such intense planetary interaction as well as the full moon and eclipse we had this weekend. In fact I intend to check all my event dates with her in future. Check her out yourself on www.astroinform.com

Even with the heavens having their upheaval, we sang, laughed, hugged, danced, did yoga, art, enjoyed delicious food , walked in beautiful surroundings and shared our stories and experiences alongside the journey of the Bloom Personal Leadership Programme.

I can't wait for the next one as well as continuing to stay connected with this great circle of women.

See you in the Garden,

Lynne

Women networking

2010-06-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

What an incredible reaction I've had to the story about women networking in the Evening Standard. New members have literally been pouring into my community site www.seednetworkingforwomen.com hungry for connection with other like-minded women. My on and off-line SEED Circles are growing like ivy and Facebook's gone even more nuts than ever with 'new' friends wanting to be clicked in.

I've been contacted by women artists, pianists, lawyers, business women and other journalists, all wanting to be part of this revolution that has been quietly going on for years. We women need to connect with other women - it's part of our DNA - and by sharing our stories, both happy and sad, we can support and learn from each other while being vulnerable in a way that we find difficult to do in front of a man. We can laugh and cry with each other over life's great foibles which only other women really appreciate.

The magic that happens when groups of women come together is almost an intangible energy that makes anything possible. I can't wait until Sunday when the 12 women participants will be arriving from all over this planet to take part here in Deia at my Creative Women's Leadership Retreat, See you in the garden, Lynne

Sistas are doing it!

2010-06-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Great article in yesterday's Standard - well worth a read -
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/lifestyle/article-23844691-sisters-are-doing-it-for-themselves.do

The news is out - back to my old stomping grounds in Covent Garden come the Autumn - Ho!

Perspective!

2010-06-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hi,

I have arrived at my beautiful home in Deia, Mallorca where I have been getting ready for my women's creative leadership retreat starting at the weekend. I haven't been here for a couple of months or more and June Bloom is truly upon us. The flowers are in full colour, everything is so green and my village has started the fiesta season. My heart is opening by the second to the beauty of the mountains and the sea surrounding me - even while I'm still working intensely with my projects back in the UK - the wonders of technology!

Those readers of Saturday's Guardian will have read the article written by my beloved friend Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day and author of The Vagina Monologues, on her recent experience with cancer. Eve has done more than any one person in the world to draw attention to the horror of sexual violence to women and girls, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo,where thousands are raped and abused regularly as a weapon to control the local villages and ownership of the mines.

She has just gone through a particularly nasty and rapid bout of uterine cancer. She is now, thank heavens, on the mend and is, as always, using her own experiences to bring attention to the horrors she has been helping to heal in the DRC. I am proud to call her my friend and that I have been able to support and promote her work in the UK. Check out the Guardian on-line for her feature and support her work by joining www.v-day.org.

As I rush around here getting my home ready for the weekend I appreciate that the problems - or challenges - that come up are merely there to help my growth - and I feel so humble when I see how Eve has taken her own pain to create gain for others.

See you in the Garden,

Lynne

PEACE

2010-06-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

What does it feel like to look through eyes of love...eyes of peace...eyes of deep wisdom?

Can we change our destiny by changing the way we see?

It's Saturday and I started my day at 6 am visiting my friends the Brahma Kumaris at their Global Retreat Centre just down from my little home in Oxford. I had the pleasure of meditating eye to eye with one of their senior women leaders Dadi Galzar visiting from India (Dadi means elder sister) who shared her deep sense of peace with the group as well as her wisdom. She said that if you add the letter 'a' to the word tension to make attention, a focus on God and consciousness will get rid of the tension. I am already trying it after an intense week in London and it's working.

I am off to teach my women's retreat in Mallorca tomorrow but if you are anywhere next Oxford next Saturday afternoon, 19th June, between 4 - 6 pm, you can meditate with Dadi Galzar yourself, as well as enjoy a midsummer tea party with music in the beautiful grounds of the Global Retreat Centre at Nuneham Courtenay all for free - check it out and book your place.

I am so blessed to live so near to the magical Global Retreat Centre, where Lewis Carrol got his inspiration for Alice in Wonderland. Two weekends ago I joined a small retreat there called Call of the Time with thirty thought leaders of all ages from all over the world to restore and refresh while sharing our thoughts and wisdom. One of the other guests, writer Alan Briskin, a co-author of the important new book "The Power of Our Collective Wisdom sent me this inspiring visual meditation with music that he created from his images of the Centre so please visit and share the peace - and learn more about his new book.

I will be back blogging from Deia Mallorca this week - see you in the garden, love Lynne xx

The Eighties

2010-06-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

So what was the eighties really like? This was the question I was asked on Newsnight last night. Was it all about strikes, industrial melt-down, the miner's strike and a return to austerity?

Well these were all certainly part of it but I also remember the optimism, the explosion of colour and design, the music and the creativity being shown by the young who with no money would create some amazing new outfit to wear to their local club where they would dance the night away.

It was when Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Katharine Hamnett, Bodymap and others were bringing out fashion that would have influence all over the world. It was when Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and The Eurythmics were bringing exciting new sounds and looks to our ears - when Manchester led by Tony Wilson was the centre of Northern music and cuture - when Neville Brody and The Face Magazine and Terry Jones at I.D. Mag were breaking the boundaries of graphics and publishing and Ben Kelly and others were bringing industrial waste into retail and club design including my own shop Mrs Howie in Covent Garden.

It was when Bob Geldorf, prompted by Paula Yates, initiated Live Aid and got us all caring about world poverty; when Katharine Hamnett brought out her slogan Peace T-shirts, bringing politics into fashion, based on the Buddhist Expo Chose Life I took her too and when I got the fashion business chanting every morning during London Fashion Week that the tents to house the designer shows that I put up in Kings Road would become the huge success they were - leading the way 25 years later for the success of British Fashion worldwise.

These were the memories too of the friends I bumped into last night at the Notting Hill shop opening of Californian-based interior designer Rachel Ashwell, creator of the influential Shabby Chic look. Even more exciting is that so many of us involved in the explosion of the creative industries in the eighties are still here causing waves of social and creative change that can balance out the austerity that is clearly coming our way again. Have a good day!

First Day

2010-06-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

At last after many years of procrastination I am ready to start my blog, sharing with those who are interested the things that inspire me together with some of my experiences in the chaotic multi-faceted aspects of my life as a social activist, business woman, spiritual feminist, dancer and babyboomer grandmother.

Sustainability has been my focus this week - alongside my business meetings, dancing the Five Rhythms and taking my dog Noodle for her daily walks in the park.

I have just returned from the first Bioneers Conference in the Netherlands looking at Biomimicry and the genius that the natural world does on a daily basis where we can learn so much to support our environment through sustainable engineering. I sadly missed the Tallberg Conference on sustainability that followed in Sweden but have been watching on the internet - cannot recommend it highly enough - www.tallbergforum.org

And have been watching the latest talks from my friend and mentor Hazel Henderson, who has been writing and forecasting the state of the Global Economic Casino and the alternative Love economy for many years - see her on www.inspiringwomensummit.com

On a lighter note, I am on Newsnight tonight speaking about the 80s and was photographed with my stand-up son Josh Howie for the press to promote his one-man show at the Edinburgh Festival in August. Plus it was my grandson Mordie's first birthday a week ago - happy birthday darling - see the Mordie blowing out the candles show on my Facebook page.

See you in The Garden,

Lynne