Amy Winehouse is back in London after spending 8 months living in St. Lucia. And while she looks much better than when she left – a little fuller in the face, some freckles on her nose, and fewer visible wounds on her body – she clearly wasn’t happy to be home. She burst into tears upon arrival, according to both The Sun and the Daily Mail. Perhaps that’s because she might be in London to stay, for a variety of reasons.

According to both British sources, the locals in St. Lucia have soured on Amy’s presence. And her record company has spent more than £500,000 putting her up on the island, including setting up a record studio. Yet most everyone says she’s failed to turn out any usable music.

AMY WINEHOUSE returned to Britain yesterday having turned her back on the island paradise she has called home for most of the last eight months. The boozy songbird looked freckled but fragile after jetting into Gatwick airport from St Lucia. She was fuller-faced and free from the sores that afflicted her during her darkest drug days.

But it wouldn’t be an Amy arrival without drama. Her eyes were red with tears and, when asked if she was happy to be back, Amy snapped: “I don’t give a f***.”

It seems unlikely the Grammy winner will return to the tropical hideaway she first visited in December last year, as relations with the locals have soured. A source said: “At one point Amy had toyed with the idea of permanently relocating to St Lucia but that’s no longer the case… Recently she’s been really homesick and has been complaining to pals that she’s bored… Her boozing hasn’t been well received by islanders either. While they were welcoming at the start, as time has gone on her hell-raising has put a different complexion on matters… Locals once happily drank with the singer. But more recently many have been steering clear of her because of the amount of booze she’s put away.”

I can imagine this news will go down well with publicans in north London. And I’m sure it won’t be long until Amy will return to her old Camden stomping ground. While back in the UK the singer does have a little work to keep her away from the sauce for a short while at least. She’s got a string of meetings in the next few days to put the finishing touches to her record label, Lioness. Amy is also preparing the release of the debut album by her 13-year-old goddaughter, DIONNE BROMFIELD, for later in the year.

And there’s the small matter of her own collection. Amy is looking into booking a recording studio in central London so she can continue working on tracks she recorded in St Lucia with producer SALAAM REMI. It’s now almost THREE years since her last CD. Much more delay and all the focus will be on her hell-raising rather than her music. And we wouldn’t want that, would we… ?

[From The Sun]

While I’m not surprised to hear that the St. Lucia locals aren’t as enthused about Amy’s presence as they once were, my money is on her record label pulling the plug. They were shelling out an incredible amount of money, and at some point it probably became clear to them that they weren’t going to get any return for it. And in a way they were just enabling her. Not that sending Winehouse back to London is much better. It sounds like she’s taking on too many other projects, given that her album isn’t even close to ready. Is it really the time to start her own record label and help release other people’s CDs? Amy strikes me as someone who probably works best when she has a singular focus.

Ultimately it’s going to come down to her own ability to quit the booze and buckle down for at least a short time and get her album done… or not. With Amy you don’t really talk about her going sober anymore, because that doesn’t seem likely. It’d be fabulous, but she has to get to a place where she actually wants it. However she does seem to still care about music, and she has insane amounts of talent. If she could get herself lucid and coherent just for a bit, that’d at least be a start.

Images thanks to WENN.com .

For every story that exists in the popular consciousness about “crazy cat ladies” one thing usually goes unmentioned – there are “crazy dog ladies” too. I actually know a couple women who have a passion for “rescuing” dogs, no matter if they can’t afford another dog, or don’t have the time or inclination to take of these “rescues”. This is something that makes me stabby. I understand the inclination to “rescue” dogs – I’ve only had two dogs in my life, and both have been rescues, one from the pound and one from a “crazy dog lady” who rescued my poor puppy Pogu from some jerk who was going to put him down.

Crazy dog ladies do some good – when the economy nosedived, the Humane Societies, shelters and pounds filled up with animals – mostly dogs – that people could no longer afford. Crazy dog ladies stepped up to the challenge and began bringing home dogs that might have been put down. But sometimes the dogs are going into homes that seem worse than shelters. To be fair, there are many crazy dog ladies who take care of their animals. Amy Winehouse is not one of those ladies.

It seems Winehouse has been “rescuing” stray dogs in St. Lucia. Only she hasn’t been taking care of them once they’ve been rescued. The manager of Amy’s resort had to step up because it seems Winehouse and her dogs have been responsible for a flea outbreak at the resort. So the resort had to be fumigated. While they were at it, do you think they fumigated Winehouse?

AMY WINEHOUSE has been banned from taking in any more stray dogs after furious resort management had to fumigate her St Lucia home.

The pop star has been living at the luxurious Cotton Bay complex on the Caribbean island and has spent much of her time over there adopting pooches she has found during visits to the beach.

But her makeshift kennels have grown to such an extent that resort chiefs had to step in for hygiene reasons.

Management of the swanky complex were worried that a flea outbreak could end up affecting other holidaymakers.

So after telling Amy in no uncertain terms that she could no longer house animals in her quarters, they deep-cleaned her suite as well.

A source said: “Management initially turned a blind eye to what Amy was doing. But she’s adopted about five or six dogs now. They’re all strays, without the proper vaccinations and they all have fleas.”

“The management did not want the risk of any of the fleas infecting any of the other rooms. So they got a firm of fumigators in to blitz Amy’s quarters and told her not to bring any more animals on site.”

[From The Sun]

This sort of thing pisses me off to no end. I’m not any kind of fan of keeping dogs in the streets, but I do think those dogs might have been better off if they were left to fend for themselves on the streets of St. Lucia. For Winehouse to keep multiple strays in her rented abode is just nasty, unhygienic and ultimately bad for the dogs. If you’re going to “rescue” it’s not enough to just bring the dogs home – you have to take care of them, or else what’s the point?

When you just can’t get your CD out in a reasonable amount of time, what’s the next best thing for a singer to do? Greeting cards, naturally. And it seems like the logical next step for Amy Winehouse, what with that perky, chirpy personality of hers. Why she’s been wasting her time with music is beyond me: Hallmark is calling!

Amy’s licensing some of her song lyrics to be used for greeting cards and wrapping paper. Because who doesn’t need a good “Rehab” themed gift wrap?

ARE you struggling to find an appropriate present for a pal in rehab? Did the card shop come up short when you were hunting for the perfect paper to wrap a pressie for an alcoholic chum?

Well, AMY WINEHOUSE and a team of chin-stroking bigwigs at her publishers have come up with a solution — a new range of cards and wrapping paper using her priceless lyrics.

The star has signed a deal to exploit her soul-baring songs while she lives it up in St Lucia, knocking back rum cocktails and paining over her new album.

Rehab wrapping paper will roll out first, followed by Back To Black and You Know I’m No Good greetings cards.

Just when I thought Clinton Cards had everything covered. A source said: “The bosses at EMI are keen to keep the cash cow churning out the readies.

“The first item in the Winehouse range will be wrapping paper with the chorus of Rehab emblazoned all over it.

“The Amy-branded cards are classy too. You Know I’m No Good is best for heartfelt apologies and Back To Black, with an appropriate wreath, will be the respectful response to a bereavement.”

[From the Sun]

I double checked, and this really isn’t a joke. I think they may want to play it safe and stay away from the grief cards. I doubt Amy Winehouse can offer much in the way of consolation. I’m sure she could offer you a stiff drink or tips on navigating a cemetery when plastered, but that’s probably about it.

The Sun makes the subtle suggestion that Amy’s dad Mitch had something to do with this deal. Frankly, I think they’re getting to the point where they need to make whatever money while they still can. If Amy doesn’t get a second album together – or at least kinda sorta barely get her act together – she’s just going to be an answer to a Trivia Pursuit question.

Politicians love to exaggerate. Okay to be fair, so do writers. I am incapable of speaking in anything other than hyperbole 90% of the time. But normally you can tell when someone’s exaggerating to make a point versus… well going totally crazy. That seems to be the deal with a former governor-general in St. Lucia, who has gone absolutely mental at the idea that Amy Winehouse may live there permanently. He did everything but compare her to plagues and locusts and talk about how she’ll munch on the souls of kittens.

AMY Winehouse is a “tattooed reptile” who will bring “untold human suffering” to St. Lucia. The former governor of the Caribbean island has written a public appeal begging officials to stop the Rehab singer from buying a house and settling there permanently.

Jeff Fedee wrote in the St. Lucia Star newspaper: “I would strongly urge she be denied residency status to purchase property in St. Lucia. Is she being given special treatment? She’d be a menace and a dangerous influence to our society because the demons that inhabit her tortured body will have to be fed.”

[From the Daily Telegraph]

Um… day-um. Someone is clearly not a fan. Bitter, party of one? What other clichés can I throw out there? It’s one thing to say, “Hey, this Amy Winehouse is not a good character, I don’t think she’s the type of person we want living here.” It’s quite another to say “her tortured body will have to be fed.” Which, I’m sorry, is very zombie-like, and thus totally passé. From the vast majority of reports most of the island’s residents like Amy just fine. Even after she played naked Scrabble with some old people and crawled up to people’s tables begging for drinks. So, I don’t know, it seems like they’ve found a good compromise that works for most of the people. No previous reports of reptile-esq name calling.

I hope if she does stay, Amy decides to park her “tortured body” in a house right next door to this guy.

Thanks to Agent Bedhead for the story idea.

Here’s Amy in Saint Lucia on April 6th. Images thanks to BauerGriffinOnline.

Amy Winehouse has a lot of issues. The drinking. The drugging. The assaulting. The falling off the stage drunk. Let’s say on top of all those things, Amy still carried around her childhood blanket. Or worse, some tattered little barely-there piece of the blanket. People would find that weird, right? Certainly, comments would be made. But would it really be Amy’s biggest problem? Sadly, no. Could it be the root of all the other issues, or offer some sort of insight into them? Sorta… no.

While she doesn’t still carry her blankie around, Amy does, in fact, suck her thumb. At the ripe old age of 25. In fact she was photographed sucking away all weekend long, and the Daily Mail is absolutely fixated.

Amy Winehouse enjoyed cuddles from local children on at St Lucia beach today.

The friendly displays seem to confirm why the singer is so besotted with life on the island.

The Back to Black star has been living there since visiting on holiday last December.

She is a regular presence on the beach and in the island bars and restaurants and seems to have made friends for life if these pictures are anything to go by.

The 25-year-old appeared childlike as she sucked on her thumb and later broke away from the embrace to take a phone call.

According to Amy’s record label Island, she is currently working on her third album although there is no word yet on any release dates.

She was due to fly back to Britain to perform at the label’s 50th birthday celebrations but cancelled at the last minute.

[From the Daily Mail]

The Daily Mail has had a string of “OMG Amy Winehouse is sucking her thumb” type of stories over the last six months. They tend to get really fixated on one thing – celebrities knees for example – and then report on it obsessively, like it’s some kind of worldwide crisis. They’ve been moderately sedate in their thumb coverage, and I commend them for that.

I sucked my thumb until the third grade, and let me tell you, those were not easy times. I was also five feet tall on the first day of third grade and had very adult-looking features, so it made for quite the jarring image. That whole “kids can be cruel” thing was such a mantra from my parents that they should have just had it tattooed on their foreheads. So there’s a stubborn, pissy part of me that is bizarrely glad Amy didn’t succumb to peer pressure and give up the thumb.

Or maybe she did – after all, while we’ve had a lot of thumb reports, they all seem to have emerged in the last six months. Maybe as she’s been working harder on her other addictions, old ones have picked up. I’ve heard you always have to replace on with another. I’ve been working really hard on my food issues over the last several months. And while I haven’t had a cigarette in several years, I’ve been craving them so badly I’d practically eat one if I had to. Maybe Amy’s reverting to old comforting behavior. And like the kids on the playground say: a thumb in the mouth is better than a bottle.

When Amy Winehouse took off for the Caribbean after her marriage to Blake Fielder-Civil imploded, people were hoping it would help her clean up her act and get off drugs and alcohol. For a brief time, Amy did seem to be doing better, but as any recovering addict can tell you, a simple change of location doesn’t magically get rid of your substance abuse problems. Now, after several months in St. Lucia, it’s been revealed that Amy’s record company is spending thousands of dollars a day to keep the troubled singer there, hoping she will keep it together long enough to finish her next album.

Wednesday, about 9am, at the Cotton Bay Village resort in St Lucia and Amy Winehouse is at the bar drinking her second shot of tequila of the day.

‘I think I’m doing very well,’ she chirrups. ‘I’d normally have had six shots by now. Today I’ve only had two.’ And she smiles – that big, heartbreaking smile which is eight parts of sorrow and two of joy.

In this quiet resort, popular with families and honeymooners, you really cannot miss Amy. With her curly hair and huge gold-hooped earrings, she could not look more out of place. She is unwashed, barefoot and looks in need of a good meal.

Yesterday’s make-up has run across her face and she is wearing a bright-pink bra under a cropped Nike top.

You can see scars which indicate that she has been self-harming – cutting herself – again and there are two cigarette burns on her stomach, which are healing.

Amy, who is 25 and was hailed as the most exciting vocal talent of her generation, is living in two villas which cost her record company about £2,000 a night each and come with their own butler and maid.

It’s a curious, dissolute life and Amy, lonely and drunk, seems quite lost in her Caribbean idyll.

She has company: half-a-dozen minders who have been engaged by her record company at a cost of £250 a day each. This week, she also has her cousin, Lauren, and her boyfriend, who have flown out to try to stop her from ‘being bored’.

In truth, they are trying to keep Amy sober enough to work – and trying to steer her into the recording studio which has been installed in the second villa at eye-watering cost.

Some £500,000 has been spent so far by Universal Records on accommodation, staff and equipment for Amy’s Caribbean jolly.

The hope is that Amy can again create an album like Back To Black, the multi-award winning phenomenon which sold 11 million copies after the songs seemed to tumble out of her during an extraordinary two-week period in 2006.

What are the chances of success, though? In recent months, Amy has been hospitalised three times after alcoholic benders lasting up to three days. One time, she ended up on a drip for dehydration.

This week, Amy was so keen to get her shots of tequila that she sneaked great gulps straight from the bottle when the barmaid’s back was turned.

It’s no surprise to find her this way: a performance at the St Lucia Jazz Festival earlier this month was an utter disaster. She was late, drunk and ‘too emotional’ to sing.

‘Singing in St Lucia brought back too many painful memories,’ said her spokesman – presumably of her broken marriage.

She honeymooned in St Lucia with her now estranged husband Blake Fielder-Civil.

Amy also cancelled plans to fly to Britain to sing at a concert to celebrate the 50th birthday of her record label. She also failed to take up an invitation from legendary producer Quincy Jones to sing on his album.

And she’s been working on new material for her third album for two years, seemingly without making any progress because of her battles with addictions – to heroin, to crack, to cocaine, to Blake. And now to alcohol.

In March, Universal told her the demo tracks she had composed and recorded so far were not up to scratch, and she should start again.

So will she ever return to form? And can anyone save Amy from her new fight, against an addiction to alcohol which seems to be raging just as dangerously out of control as her previous dependencies on narcotics?

Her father Mitch has flown back to the UK, saying his daughter needs to save herself.

On the evidence of the scenes at the Cotton Bay Village, she is neither willing nor able to do that. When we caught up with her, she was too out of it even to light her cigarettes.

Amy says her best friend is a local six-year-old girl, Aaliyah, and nothing seems to bring her as much pleasure as hanging out with her.

‘It feels like home here,’ Amy says, with a sweet smile…

This week, Mitch said he did not mean that he was no longer trying to help his daughter, adding: ‘I’ll always be there for Amy, always have been and always will be.’

But Amy’s mother Janis said they can only stand back and hope she would decide to stop drinking. ‘It’s another demon she has to beat,’ Janis said.

‘She came off drugs on her own, so I know she’ll stop drinking so much, too. It has to be her decision, though. No one else can stop her.’

Certainly the staff who run the Cotton Bay Village resort aren’t able to help her. By 10am on Wednesday, Amy and her friend had been encouraged by the bartender to have a cup of tea, and had picked out some camomile teabags.

Amy sipped the tea, saying she would soon have breakfast. But as soon as the barmaid left, she ran behind the bar and swigged a huge gulp of tequila from the bottle.

She said: ‘I know I’m not supposed to – don’t tell anyone.’ When the barmaid returned, Amy asked for another shot, but the barmaid said: ‘Not until you’ve finished your tea.’

Minutes later, the barmaid left and Amy jumped behind the bar for another swig. As the alcohol spilled down her chin, she turned to the other guests and said: ‘Well, what can I do if she’s not going to give it to me

[From The Daily Mail]

The article goes on to say that Amy is still hopelessly pining for Blake, who is having a child with a 31-year-old woman he met in rehab.

I’m sure the record company is in a tough spot here- after all, Amy has made them a lot of money and she is under contract. But the best thing they could do- the best thing everyone could do – is to pull the plug on Amy’s lifestyle and stop enabling her. They’re spending thousands on her resort, and hundreds a day on “minders” who don’t sound like they’re doing a very good job keep Amy out of the bar and in the recording studio. Clearly it’s not working, so why do they continue? The record company is basically paying for Amy to drink herself to death in a Caribbean paradise, and any music she has recorded so far, according to sources, isn’t even close to releasable. So, what gives? It sounds like Amy’s mom is the only one who understands what needs to be done here.

Amy Winehouse is shown on St. Lucia on 4/6/09. Credit: BARM/Fame Pictures

Despite hopes that she’s getting her life back on track; Amy Winehouse is back to her old tricks. She had been booked as the performer for the closing night of Island Records’ week-long series of concerts celebrating their 50th birthday. The final night is obviously the biggest, and it was quite the compliment to their opinion of Amy’s music and their confidence in her talent that they gave her the best slot. Unfortunately Amy pulled a Winehouse and can’t be bothered to show. Or even given an explanation.

The troubled singer has pulled out of her UK comeback gig, which was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Island Records

Amy Winehouse has cancelled her homecoming performance at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, which was due to take place on Sunday 31 May. The 25-year-old singer was scheduled to play her first UK gig of the year alongside Toots and the Maytals and I Blame Coco. The event would have been the final show in a week-long series curated by Island Records in celebration of their 50th birthday.

A statement released by Winehouse’s management said they “regretfully announced that Amy and her band will no longer be performing at Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 31 May. Amy would like to apologise to her fans who bought tickets for the shows.” Ticket holders are eligble for refunds.

Winehouse is currently living on the Carribbean island of St Lucia, where she continues to work on her third album. She performed for the first time in several months at the island’s jazz festival earlier this month but abandoned the show prematurely, stating bad weather as the cause. However, reports have suggested that the audience booed Winehouse’s poor performance prior to her leaving the stage.

[From the Guardian]

An explanation of some sort would have been nice. But then again we all know what it is: Amy’s planning on being drunk that night. Whether she’s drunk because she’s got performance anxiety or just for the hell of it, that’s what’s ultimately on her datebook for May 31st.

Amy and her family are currently the subject of a documentary by Daphne Barak. It sounds very “all access” and real – Amy’s not known for bothering to put on pretenses.

Amy Winehouse will be the subject of a documentary tentatively titled “Saving Amy.” The troubled singer is being profiled by Israeli-American interviewer Daphne Barak for the film, which will be released later this year, according to Winehouse’s MySpace page.

“Amy and her family will be the subject of a new documentary later this year,” the MySpace blog post reads. “[Barak's] subjects over the years have included celebrities, royalty, world leaders and international personalities. The journalist spent time with Amy and her family recently on St. Lucia, and in true honest to goodness Amy style, the doc will be a truthful and revealing look at her complicated life.”

Barak’s Web site features a photo of the journalist with Amy. In an interview with the U.K.’s Sunday Times, Barak recalled her time with Winehouse in St. Lucia and questioned whether Winehouse has really conquered her demons. She points out that Winehouse’s hands frequently shake when she goes to do something.

“When the food arrives, she insists on serving us,” Barak told the newspaper. “Because she is busy feeding us, no one seems to notice that she isn’t eating; she is just pushing the food around her plate. I wonder, not for the last time, if she has truly overcome her anorexia.”

Barak said Winehouse’s father isn’t sure she’s stopped drinking either, since she mysteriously disappears throughout the night. “She is childlike in her need for affection, constantly coming up to hug us,” she recalled. “Yet all through the evening, she keeps disappearing for a smoke or — as her father suspects — a drink.”

[From MTV News]

I will never understand Amy’s parents’ attitude towards dealing with her addictions. Either they don’t care or they’ve just thrown their hands up in the air and decided to ignore it. Her father Mitch is constantly seen escorting her to various rehabs, hospitals, and treatment centers. Yet that quote above about how he still suspects she’s sneaking away for a drink comes across as very cavalier.

Yesterday I heard “Tears Dry on their Own” on the radio, and realized I’d almost forgotten that Amy’s a singer. She’s much more famous now for being a lush than for her talent – which, in a short period of time, seems to have nearly dried up.

small>Amy Winehouse is shown in St. Lucia on 12/22/08 and 1/2/09. Credit: Bauergriffinonline.

Not surprisingly, Amy Winehouse’s weekend “comeback” show was anything but. The singer was performing at a jazz festival in St. Lucia, the Caribbean island where she’s been living for the last few months. Concertgoers noted that she appeared to be drunk and/or on drugs – not a big surprise. Though Amy has seemed to be improving over the last several months, the concert was a true return to form for her – in the worst possible way. She stumbled, slurred, cursed at the crowd and eventually walked off the stage.

Amy Winehouse may wish to return to the stage, but it seems the world isn’t quite ready for her yet. The troubled singer was apparently forced to abandon a comeback gig in St Lucia after torrential rain hit the island last night. However onlookers claim the real reason Amy left the stage was because the audience booed her shambolic performance. After taking to stage at the St Lucia Jazz Festival in a tight-fitting blue dress and white high heels, it was reported that Amy, 25, appeared to struggle with her balance and stumbled through the lyrics of her songs. When the crowd began to jeer, the Back to Black star is alleged to have shouted ‘**** you’ back to the audience at least twice before leaving the stage.

However Amy’s spokesman claims the star was forced to abandon the show because of weather conditions which caused technical difficulties. He said: ‘Amy would like to express her disappointment that weather forced the abandonment of her show at the St Lucia Jazz Festival last night. Amy and the band tried to soldier on but the set had to be cut short. Amy is very disappointed as St Lucia has been wonderful to her and its people have welcomed her with open arms, but circumstances beyond anyone’s control meant that this special show did not go as planned.’

But MailOnline reader Victor Phillips wrote: ‘I was there. She was booed off the stage. If it was the rain why did the act after her perform?’ And Tracey, also writing from St Lucia, said: ‘Weather aside, it was not raining when Amy came on stage, it did rain heavily later in her set but that has not stopped previous performers here! ‘It was impossible to hear her and what you could hear was BAD! It’s very sad to see someone with so much talent waste it. ‘The tickets for the event are expensive for anyone and especially local people. Amy needs to take time out and sort her life out. Very disappointing.’

The singer had earlier described it as an ‘honour’ to be playing in the festival on the island, which seems to have become her second home. She said in a statement: ‘It is an honour to play the St Lucia Jazz Festival this year. ‘Since I first came to the island, I have been greeted with nothing but kindness and friendship, as well as incredible music and the most beautiful of settings. I have made friends for life and have been inspired by my surroundings.

[From the Daily Mail]

Boy, cursing at the crowd doesn’t seem like the best way to repay the people of the island for their generosity. Rarely do four letter words ingratiate you to others. And the people of St. Lucia have been really kind towards Amy. She’s had all sorts of drunken run ins, but they still seem to like her. To her credit, Amy hasn’t been quite the abrasive drunk she used to be – I don’t think she’s head butted anyone in months. Baby steps, we’re going for baby steps.

If I were Amy I’d give a free public concert as a way to make amends and say thank you. There aren’t a whole lot of locales with people that actually want to deal with Winehouse. Best to act quickly to remedy the situation.

Images thanks to BauerGriffinOnline.

Oh Amy Winehouse, you never cease to impress me. And live up/sink down to all the things I accuse you of. Yesterday we heard all about how Amy had passed out in her St. Lucia home because she was – of course – dehydrated. Her spokesman claimed she’d been running around after some kids … the island is hot… and of course alcohol dehydrates you. He didn’t say the last part, but it’s a known fact, and we’re not so dumb that we can put it all together. Generally speaking at least. Amy was hospitalized for the aforementioned severe lack of water in her body, which we’re supposed to believe was not at all her fault.

Because Amy’s cleaned up her act.

And went straight from her hospital room to the bar.

EVEN going to hospital doesn’t slow down AMY WINEHOUSE — the singer went straight from her St Lucia sickbed to a bar.

After collapsing from “dehydration” at her holiday villa on Thursday, Wino spent a night under observation.

But as soon as doctors gave her the all-clear, off she went boozing at the plush Le Sport resort for much of the weekend.

The Back To Black singer has her first performance in months later this week at the St Lucia Jazz Festival — and her involvment [sic] has sent tickets to an all-time high.

Here she is enjoying a beverage with a friend — simply rehydrating her vocal cords, of course.

[From the Sun]

Along with the drinking, Amy’s picked up a new man. According to the Daily Mail, he’s a St. Lucia local who works as a shell seller. And here’s the cute part: every day he saves his best shell for her. Awww.

For someone who was hospitalised on Friday night after fainting, Amy Winehouse seems to have recovered remarkably well. The troubled singer appeared in high spirits after her dramatic health scare on Friday night when she was spotted frolicking with a mystery man at her resort in St Lucia. Despite spending Friday night in hospital after suffering from ‘dehydration’, Amy was back at her resort laughing and joking with her new male companion.

Wearing a pair of ripped denim hotpants and red string vest over a bikini top, the 25-year-old was scantily-clad compared to her covered up companion, who was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, despite the hot weather. The couple left a group of friends for a romantic walk along the boardwalk for a private chat. The public display of affection with a new man comes amid reports Amy is growing close to a local shell seller called Anton Moses.

Since returning to St Lucia last month after a brief sojourn back home to London, Amy has been making new friends on a daily basis on the Caribbean island. After a brief holiday romance with English student Josh Bowman over Christmas on the island, reports claim Amy has now moved on to local Anton and waits for him to finish work every day. A source told the Daily Star: ‘Amy has become very cosy with Anton. Amy sets aside every evening to spend time with him and each day he saves her his best shell.’

[From the Daily Mail]

That’s sorta cute. My heart is cold and dead when it comes to any optimism for Amy. She’s burned me too many times, and I’ve probably written a hundred articles with some little bit of hope that she’ll turn things around. But, if anything were to melt my aforementioned iceberg heart, it’d probably be that thing about Anton saving Amy his best shell. That’s pretty effing cute.

Clearly Amy’s still on the booze, but I feel like she’s found something that works to her. She’s only in the hospital like once a month now, and just for a day or two. That’s down from an average of one week a month just a little while ago. Sure, once a month in the hospital for drinking too much would seem unhealthy to most of us. But when you put it in perspective and see it in terms of Amy and her life, it’s downright progress. And she’s probably got her own brain coral – which I’ve been trying to get my hands on since the second grade. So things are looking up.

It’s amusing (in a pathetic way) when those hard-partying starlets start dropping one by one into the E.R., always suffering from “dehydration” or “exhaustion.” It is exhausting to go on a four day bender, I’ll give them that. But it seems sort of needless for Amy Winehouse to give that kind of excuse. On any given day, I assume she’s injected or snorted half a dozen things. What’s the point in trying to get us to believe she was hospitalized this weekend because she’s dehydrated? Though it might technically be true – alcohol is a diuretic.

Grammy-winning British singer Amy Winehouse was taken to hospital during her prolonged holiday in St Lucia after fainting, her spokesman said Saturday.

The 25-year-old “Back to Black” and “Rehab” songstress was kept in for a night for observation after tests showed she was dehydrated.

Her British-based publicist Chris Goodman said: “She fainted at home (in St Lucia) and they took her in for observation, mainly to do with her medication to check everything was OK. They told her that she was dehydrated and needed to drink more water.”

Winehouse had been “running around” with a group of children before she passed out, he said.

The singer has had a well-publicised struggle with drugs, but has appeared to have been in improved health in recent months after turning her back on the London party scene and holing up on the Caribbean island.

[From AFP via Gossip Rocks]

I’m sorta maybe kinda semi-inclined to believe that Winehouse was legitimately dehydrated because, like the article said, she has appeared to be doing much better in the last few months. But that just means she’s not running through the streets of London in bare, bloody feet. And not beating people up. We don’t know what she’s doing in private, and I find it hard to believe that someone with such an intense history of addiction would have finally conquered it by going on vacation. I’d like to think that’s the case… but come on. That said, Amy has been photographed playing with kids a lot, it’s a beach, it’s warm, it’s not out of the question. But I have a hard time believing at least ten shots weren’t involved.

Here’s Amy with friends, horses, and kids in Saint Lucia on April 6th. Images thanks to BauerGriffinOnline.