Claire Weaver

Had a fantastic day yesterday with Tom. First we went to Harrods to see Dita Von Teese and get a signed copy of her book "Burlesque and the Art of the Teese" (or "Fetish and the Art of the Teese" if you flip it over).



She showed up in a horse-drawn carriage and was escorted through the store by no less than Mohammed Al Fayed (bizarrely to the sound of bagpipes). She was very sweet and looked overwhelmed, or perhaps even embarrassed, by the whole thing. She posed for the press and then quietly and demurely got on with signing books for the endless queue. We'd got there nearly an hour early, and there were eighty or so people in front of us. When it was my turn, I tried and failed to not be a total fan girl, muttering something about how beautiful she was - like she'd never been told that before. There are few people who render me awestruck beyond coherent speech, but Ms Von Teese is one of them.



Afterwards, Tom strolled and I skipped merrily to South Kensington and then on to Earls Court, via another Waterstones where we bought more books. Over to Hammersmith, we did a bit more mooching and then had a bottle of white and some lovely food in a neat little restaurant we always end up in when we're in Hammersmith. It's so far off the beaten track we always have to stop to check we're heading the right way, even when we are.

Then on to the Lyric, where we watched the theatrical adaptation of "The Wolves in the Walls". The audience was full of kids and, by the end of the show, Tom (and, I admit, me too) were as bright-eyed and excited as all the under-twelves in the venue.

Today has been about watching the last of 24 (season one), reading my new books, and (finally) enjoying internet access at home! We're off out in a few minutes to meet up with Prof at the cinema to watch "Silent Hill". I can't wait, and am insisting on remaining completely naive about its potential - say it with me: it will be good, it will be good, it will...

I'll tell you tomorrow how it turns out.