A rude awakening

I received a rude awakening this morning.

At 4:45am my phone starts bleeping with a text message: "Hey. We're in the Cubbyhole with all the Halloween decorations! Singing along to Erasure. Good times xx". It's my friends Sophie and Diane serving to remind me that they're having a fabulous and gay old time in New York for Diane's 40th, whilst the rest of us are stuck at home dealing with the fall out of the Spending Review (I shall be living of gruel soon, forget fine dining). In fairness, we were invited to join the girls on this merry jaunt to the Big Apple, but Beth and I had to decline due to a number of reasons. But that doesn't stop me from being jealous!

However, although the USA, and specifically New York has the best lesbian bar in the world, the country's LGBT rights record leaves a lot to be desired. Take Don't ask, Don't Tell as an example. How ludicrous is it that in this day and age there is still a rule that says you can't serve in the US military if you are openly gay! Speaking as someone who delivers policy advice to the UK government as her job (although perhaps not for long, given the Spending Review), I wonder what the policy rationale is for such a decision? If one exists at all. Anyway, as part of my rant I promised to share a link from Naomi Davis, a blog reader in the US who is developing a film about the Don't Ask, Don't Tell issue as part of her thesis at NYU. Check it out at http://www.dadtfilm.com/home

Anyhoo, rant over and in accordance with my friend Sophie's (hereby known as the Blog Police) observation that this blog should actually be about food, I shall bring the topic round to food again. So on that note, did anyone watch the Apprentice last night?

It was good wasn't it. Thirteen got whittled down to a baker's dozen as they set off to prepare some baked goods for the hungry London masses. All I'm going to say on the matter is that if Paloma approached me asking me to procure her muffins, I certainly wouldn't turn her down! Although, there's something about her steely manner which suggests she would sell you the muffin, then eat you alive! One to watch....both foxy and scary in equal measure.