11 January 2004

Warm and fuzzy
It's always nice to be back in VT. I get a womb-like feeling there, which I'm sure is not just to do with the small dark apartments and lack of oxygen. Val Thorens is still my home, by some definitions, though I don't live there any more.

Val Thorens is also more deeply and enthusiastically committed to fancy dress than other places - maybe it's the photos of previous seasons carnage that coat the walls of the Frog and Roastbeef, tempting the newbies to greater feats of costume construction. Maybe it's just plain cabin fever.

Worthy of the Turner Prize
The M dress was phenomenal. Some of the costumes, the best I have seen in long years of organising piss-ups in breweries. A six foot eight box of matches was wandering round the bar that wouldn't have looked out of place at the Turner prize - except that it was well designed and put together, and drunk as dress-down Friday at the Betty Ford clinic.

Some other high lights: Miss Moneypenny; three blind Mice; Many Martians; Masses of Mingers (mostly made-up); Minxes; Mink; Maps; Mountains; Mother-F*****s; Bob Marley; multiple Mexicans; a Mattress; an uncanny Michael Jackson in full Thriller regalia chained to the bar, for reasons only he knows (and perhaps his lawyer); a Mash Medic; Magic Bear and many more.

The night was cracking, the beats were thumping from Dj Steph. And thanks to all the friendly staff at Friends bar for a fantastic job.

Congratulations
In any case, and for all these reasons, Wednesday's Show Love Tour 'M' party was always going to be great. But the celebration was given an extra edge this year when Emma Ferrier (SHG resort manager, who has been in the resort longer than most of the lifts in one capacity or other, but is still the right end of her twenties by some Dorian Gray-like luck) accepted the marriage proposal of Robin R Wilkins (Natives resort reporter, product manager for Red Eye - one of the main tour sponsors and bar man in Friends where the event was held).

I would like to offer sincere congratulations to two of the nicest individuals and the single best couple in the Alps - you'll just have to take my word for that; but I think I can say, without fear of correction, that never have Marilyn Manson and a mouse looked so in love.

Words and Pictures from Jon Trigell - Natives Overseas Manager
W ith Redeye - Natives Reporter official beanie sponsor

Mail this page to a friend
What do you think? Tell us in the Chat Room