Natasha’s Notebook » 2007

Random acts of kindness

February 23rd, 2007 by Natasha

A true story…
This site exists because of the kindness of one man, Alun Hill. When I asked the price for setting it up he responded: “Just pass on the love; help someone else out.”
I nearly choked on my Diet Coke. “Are you sure Alun? But you’ve spent your time helping me out. I don’t understand?!”

He chuckled and went on to explain that he’s learnt so much technical stuff about the internet and made money from it that it’s only right he should pass that on for free. “Besides,” he said, “people have helped me out in the past so now it’s time to repay the favour - but to someone else.”

Well! You could have knocked me down with a feather. “Alun!” I exclaimed, “I do believe there’s an Alun-shaped hole in heaven waiting for you to fill it.”
“Hey don’t wish me dead too early Natasha!” Alun said. I responded: “Of course not! I need a caricature of myself for the site, know anyone who’ll do it for free?”

The last part was a joke. Alun went on to say that passing on kindness for nothing is an actual phenomena happening all over the world. And each time it happens the receiver usually feels so touched that he or she naturally passes it on; creating a kind of kindness chain.

It got me pondering… in a city as fast-paced as London, where people run down the streets and jog along the corridors of the Tube not necessarily because they’re late for something but because they’ve just got used to it - was there still time for random acts of kindness?! And who was I going to “pass on the love” to?

When was the last time someone did something for you… for n o t h i n g? I’ve decided to write a feature on the subject. Contact me: nat@natashasnotebook.com

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My CV

February 13th, 2007 by Natasha

Curriculum Vitae

Personal Profile
A tenacious reporter with an eye for detail who works well to deadlines,
with fluent Italian and very good French.

What others have written:
Former colleague at Andover Advertiser, Jo Davis: “Natty’s strong points: 1) Tenacious (never gives up) 2) A good listener 3) Good at breaking the ice with people and making new contacts 4) 100% focused and determined 5) Zealous and keen.”
Associated Press’ Dennis Redmont: “Throughout her internship, Miss Lavattiata showed an extraordinary amount of initiative and willingness to make AP Rome her priority.”
Vatican Radio’s Sean Lovett: “I highly recommend Miss Lavattiata for any position in the media.”
Talk Sport’s Bill Ridley: “A very cheerful, honest and enthusiastic employee who would give 100% effort to any task assigned to her.”

Highlights from my career as a journalist
Jan – Mar 2007 Freelance journalist
· My work has appeared in the Daily Express and Press Gazette. I have interviewed an immigrant on his shocking story of survival and Paul O’Grady on the Rolling Stones. Also, I have set up my own website blog: www.natashasnotebook.com

December 2006 Sunday Herald Freelance
· In light of the Alexander Litvinenko case, a scientist warns that radioactive chemicals are easy to get hold of.

November 2006 News of the World Freelance
· Helping to scoop the story of Nancy Dell’Olio’s new man. I was able to get quotes from the restaurant they were seen in and her new lover’s mobile number.

Dec 2006 - Vatican Radio London correspondent
· Revealing human rights abuses against an indigenous tribe in northern Brazil.

Dec 2005 - Our Sunday Visitor Europe correspondent
· Uncovering one nun’s bravery in risking danger each night by getting involved in helping prostitutes on the streets of Southampton.
· Other issues which failed to escape my clutches - assisted suicide, IVF, Britain’s ambassador to the Holy See and the World Cup human trafficking victims.

Jul 2002 - Spectrum Radio Reporter-at-large
· The Notting Hill Carnival, The Romsey Show and Married to the Sicilian – a no-holds-barred interview with a woman who feels trapped in her marriage.

Jul 2002 – L’Italiano Europeo Contributor
· “Do two people have to speak the same language to make a relationship work?” - was one of my Carrie Bradshaw-inspired articles for this Italian magazine.
· On October 12, the Italian President was in London giving lectures and interviews and I was commissioned to cover his speeches for a dedicated, special edition.

Jan 2006 – Sep 2006 Insurance Day Reporter
· Unearthing links between non-US reinsurance companies and North Korea.
· Sending alarm bells ringing in the ears of underwriters across the world when I introduced MP3- deaf scares as the possible new asbestos.
26 – 28 October 2005 Daily Sport Celebrity reporter
· Showbiz gossip including writing-up a Girl’s Aloud interview and TV reviews too.

Feb 2004 – Jan 2006 Andover Advertiser Print journalist
· “Father Christmas made my son read”, “11-year-old boy caught driving a series-5 BMW”, “Bunny forced in microwave by sick teens” and “Springer Spaniel mothers a Kune Kune sow, just like Babe”.
· But the article which prompted readers to stop me in the street to congratulate, was based on my foreign friend’s visit to the town and his utter dismay at the lack of things to do. This was a political dig at the local council and the headline was: “Andover drives tourist (coco)nuts”.

Sep 2003 – Jan 2004 Talk Sport PA to programme director
· Assistant to Mike Parry, former Fleet Street journalist who co-presented a morning breakfast show with ex-Rangers footballer Alan Brazil.

Jan 2003 – Jul 2003 Vatican Radio Broadcast reporter
· Each morning at about 8:30am, I told the world who the day’s saint was and gave a little of his or her life story. I produced news reports on many topics and I exposed the appalling conditions of the gypsy population on the outskirts of Rome.

Sep 2002 – Jan 2003 Associated Press Intern
· Translating editorials from Italian newspapers for the weekly press round-ups, hitting the streets during one of Italy’s transport strikes to interview disrupted commuters and initiating a glossary of Italian political and cultural terms to help future interns.

Nov 2002 – Jan 2003 Time Out Magazine Rome ‘What’s On?’ Pages
Nov 2003 Sunday Herald Earthquake Reporter
Feb 2002 World Entertainment News Network Showbiz Reporter
Mar 2002 The Guardian Travel Pages Assistant
Mar 2002 Independent on Sunday Reporting Assistant
Oct 2001 – May 2003 Enfield Independent Reporter
Oct 2000 – Jul 2001 International Communications (Italy) English Teacher

Qualifications
Harrow College Sep 2001-Jul 2002 National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Pre-Entry in Newspaper Journalism

St Giles College Sep 2000 – Oct 2000 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Luton University Sep 1997-Jan 1999 BA (Hons) Travel & Tourism

Westminster College Sep 1995-Jul 1997 HND Travel & Tourism Management

Southgate College Sep 1993-Jul 1995 A-Levels in French and Italian

St Anne’s School Sep 1988-Jul 1993 10 GCSEs

Personal Details
Email: nat@natashasnotebook.com

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Night out with the paparazzi (published in the Press Gazette, 12 January 2007)

February 13th, 2007 by Natasha

Met Charlie outside South Kensington tube station. The first thing I notice is his nice car. I don’t know why but I was expecting a nippy little Golf or moped. I later discover this is to blend in with fancy cabs picking up celebrities.
Cunning I thought. We drive to Kylie Minogue’s London apartment and Charlie parks-up behind a taxi. Earlier that day the “paps” got tipped off that she was arriving in town, ahead of her New Year’s Eve Show Girl concert at Wembley and they were all there.
The taxi in front was owned by a pap known as Papataxi (or was it cabarazzi) using his black cab as camouflage. Again “how sneaky” I mused. Charlie explains that although being in a car is comfortable, nothing beats the mobility of a moped.
“A pap on a bike already snapped her going in with Martinez but it was too late for us in our cars to get out. He’s already gone to develop them.
They’ll be in all the Sunday’s tomorrow,” he said.
Charlie used to have a bike but it got stolen and burned by joyriders. The reason these men are happy to sit for hours on end outside the homes of stars is because of the money involved.
For that picture of Kylie and her man, the paparazzo probably got a good few thousand pounds, according to Charlie. They were like tigers stalking their prey.
I met another pap who told me that when he is not sleeping he is working on his pictures. I realised that these men have no social lives whatsoever, they are always on the hunt, every night of the week.
Later we tour the restaurants. This is a nightly job and Charlie knows the doormen by name. He pays them all for information on who is inside. “But you can’t pay them too much or they’ll get greedy,” Charlie warns. The Ivy, Zuma, Annabelle’s and Cipriani are all popular haunts. On a bad night when no one is out, touring the theatres can be worth it, especially at this time of year when a few big names are staring in plays. After that it’s the clubs - Met Bar, Embassy and Chinawhites - to name a few.
Charlie is quite philosophical about the job he does. When asked about our country’s huge appetite for celebrity gossip, Charlie says: “Entertainment news suits authority because it diverts attention away from what they are doing.”
That night I learnt that although celebrities shun the prying lens and flashing bulbs of the paparazzo’s camera they also need them to be kept in the public eye.

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Random acts of kindness

My CV

Night out with the paparazzi (published in the Press Gazette, 12 January 2007)