Thursday, 14 May 2009

Pending Baby No 3 , Sexy Scott Maslen & Cipriani Luncheon





Well.....not long to go now! Alistair, Jane and us all are on call as they are due to had their 3rd lovely child any day now. I have nt seen my man so nervous since the last birth of his number two: the naughty Maisie May. All hands on the deck as Jane's bump becomes even heavier and the joyous day is soon uipon us. Bonne chance mes Amis and Godspeed xxx

My good Friend Scott Maslen www.scottmaslen.net aka Jack Branning Of Eastenders made it to be TV's Sexiest Male at the Soap Awards :-) He was very embarassed but what great PR ...nothing like a humble hero. You 'll be the next James Bond don t you worry mon Ami. ONE TO WATCH Check him out on Friday Night's Jonathan Ross on BBC1.

This week has been filled with selling packages to the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco F1 Grand Prix..... Thank God for the slight upturn. Off to Nigeria imminently I though it a good idea to see some Clients we had nt met up with for a while. Top to have Alistair come along as well as we make an awesome duo( If I may say so myself). We took a fantastic Lady Client for lunch to say thanks for the biz, at the supremo italian restaurant Cipriani http://www.cipriani.com/ciprianinew/locations/london.php in Davies street. Needless to say I ate very well and thanks to the aimable company we had a cracking time. "Best kidneys I 've ever had" , which was a reassuring statement from critic gourmand Alistair Graham. Nice one Cipriani . I did nt realise they were in the middle of a court case over their name though.........mmm everyone has their own problems don t they.

PS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FRIENDS DANIELLE AND NICK ON HAVING A BABY BOY - HURRAY! 20 HOURS LABOUR AIN'T TOO EASY EITHER. SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE !

Monday, 11 May 2009

Week-End Bliss At The Square Restaurant




What a glorious week-end non? Sun, my niece in her school's rendition of the musical Bugsy Malone, snacks at shoreditch house, a juke box jam at the Tavern Arms in Aldgate East and most delectable dinner at the Square. Over the last 9 years I have had a the pleasure of planning a few private dinners for Clients in their private room: but never have I had a pleasure of sampling it's culinary delights. A dear Friend and I have started a dinner club with our lovely wives when once every couple of months we take them out to some of London's off the beaten track unique restaurants. Being as well heeled as he is; he has now uped the ante and suggested the Square. Being a man of very finite means I hesitated ( credit crunch and all). Although I was ready to pay my half he kindly settled the bill by saying " You two more than compensate for the bill with your company Babs". Glory be to God - there are still angels that walk amongst us. For a couple who,"live under their means": a bottle of Laurent Perrier Rose with every couse was not only decadent but most heavenly. EE & SE we salute you XXX!!! The food was mouthwateringly awesome - I had the freshest Tartare of Veal with Grilled Asparagus, Berkswell Shavings, Pea Shoots and Tuna Cream for starters. For main course I had the Herb Crusted Saddle of New Season’s Lamb with Spring Carrots,Mint Jellies and a Jersey Royal Foam. For Desert, in which I don t usually indulge, I had the Crème Brûlée with Grapes and Sauternes which stunned me back into the world of sweets. Stef had the Roasted Pears with Caramelised Wafers, Salted Caramel Foam and “Dulche de Leche” Ice Cream..... tastebud explosion! If you're flushed and want to treat or be treated then I most wholeheartedly recommend the Square for a most veritable meal!!

The Square http://www.squarerestaurant.org/ is the sister restaurant to The Ledbury, based in Notting Hill, London.Owned by Philip Howard and Nigel Platts-Martin opened its doors in King Street, St. James' in 1991.

Seven years later it moved to its current location of Bruton Street, Mayfair. The Square, its food, its wine and its owners have amassed a multitude of awards and accolades along the way. Most recently, the restaurant won the BMW Square Meal 'Restaurant of the Year 2007' for an unprecedented second year and currently holds the Which? Good Food Guide's 'Best Wine List 2008'.

Wednesday, 6 May 2009

Prince's Trust "Stars For A Cause Auction Preview"








The Prince's Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk is an awesome Charity. Not only do they throw splendiferous parties but more importantly they help so many young guys and dolls steer the right course. Last night I was indeed honored to attend their Stars For A Cause Auction Preview. A preview event where Hollywood stars give their shoes, autographed shirts/pictures and in Hugh Laurie's case KISS away to be auctioned in Los Angeles at the end of the month (28th May for those interested) Lots of Ruinart Champagne, ambient music, press, the alluring actress www.sofiahayat.com and the awesome actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Upon asking him to pose for a picture I commented that "Sexy Beast" was one of my most favourite films this century. To this he retorted" Only this century" . To which I responded," Well Gandhi was for the last" . That seemed to put a wry smile on his face ;-) Bonne chance Prince's Trust!

Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Visit To My Old School - King's Canterbury





"You had 15 years to plan a reunion. Only you Babs could call 2 days prior and WANT TO SET ONE UP", said Mark Northeast. My old school Friend who was the most prolific Victor Laudorum in Cricket, Rugby, Football, Athletics and Tennis. Yes even more than I ;-)
Sacha, Mark, Tom , myself and our Lovely other halves spent time recalling our glory days when we were kings with aspirations of demi gods. Funny what a 20 year drift can do to your memory. Great to return to King's School, Canterbury - the oldest school in the world and see where it all began www.kings-school.co.uk . Great memories .....

DJ WEBSITE LAUNCH


Mmmmm ........with the recession in full flow one has to think geometrically to enhance one's returns. Cash is no longer king: its god! Watch this space for our Summer venture for your musical pleasure :-0

Dinner At Double Club, Relaunch Of 24 & Momos





One of my Good Friends and Father to Horatio my Godson ( Of 3) was in town so we decided to take our Lovely Ladies for Dinner at the excellent Double Club Restaurant www.thedoubleclub.co.uk and a few other hotspots. This included 24 Club. A good firend re-launched his West End Club on his Birthday last Friday with a bang www.24london.eu . It looks so futuristic and electronic I am sure someone will be calling them up for their next movie or music video. It has these interactive screens on the tables for technocrats, like me, who like gizmos and gagdets. Mmmm .... will be calling you for an Amplification soon Buddy !

Valmont Club Amplification Evening










Our usual venues for Amplifications ( Complimentary Cocktail & Canapes Evenings Sponsored By Brands/Venues To Draw Our Tribe To Superior Quality Venues) are , more oft than not, based around the West End. So this time we decided to show some love to Friends who own the fabulous and sumptuous Valmont Club on the Fulham Road. In the town centre we would usually have between 150-250 through the doors but off the beaten track we were happy to have 130 through the doors. But where are the Guys? I know you're not all in relationships! Missing out on some very nice, natural and pretty Ladies..... Next time ;-) Thank you Dipak and the crew..... Top Night. See you again soon!!!!

Valmont Club www.thevalmontclub.com

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

Sharm El Sheik









How misunderstood all muslims are in the middle east/ africa. On the whole they are so kind and full of humour eg when we landed at Sharm: upon seeing my dear Wife the customs officer broke in an arabian song with Habinti all over it. Hilarious! We chose a package holiday and due to a technical hitch were rewarded with a super VIP Upgrade thanks to Nassr and Ibrahim at the Kiroseiz 3 corners hotel. Guys - thanks for the upgrade suite and free excursions on the sunset cruiser and bedouin party- "Allāhu Akbar" Best 10 days on hols we've had in a long while and I learnt to scuba a little :-) Now I know the best places for your dream holiday and diving in Sharm - you don t have to blow your budget either ......

Sharm El Sheik - The simplicity of sun, sea and sand. The luxury of five-star hotels, water sports, shopping and entertainment. This is Sharm el-Sheikh, one of the most accessible and developed tourist resort communities on the Sinai peninsula. All around are Bedouins, colorful tents, mountains and sea. There are small, intimate hotels with modern designs, as well as larger hotel complexes belonging to International chains, plus about all the amenities one could expect of a tourist center, including casinos, discos and nightclubs, golf courses and health facilities. In fact, with diving and snorkeling, windsurfing and other water sports, horses and camel riding, desert safaris, and great nearby antiquities attractions, it is almost impossible for a visitor to ever suffer from boredom.

Four miles south the southern section of the town stands on a cliff overlooking the port. and is a great view.

Na'ama Beach is one of the center of the tourist activities. Located just north of Sharm, this area is developing into a resort town of its own. Most hotels at Na'ama Bay have their own, private beaches with comfortable amenities such as chairs, shades and even bars.

Shark's Bay is also nearby, and again is a growing resort community with more and more to offer, along with several diving centers.

The small harbor known as Sharm el-Moiya is located next to the civil harbor, has accommodations for boats, and includes a Yacht Club with rooms.

For those who live to shop, the Sharm El-Sheikh mall provides shops with both foreign and local products, including jewelry, leather goods, clothing, pottery and books.

It has been said that this is a must visit for all diving enthusiasts. There are many diving sites along the 10 mile beach between Sharm el-Sheikh and Ras Nusrani. COMMENTS PLEASE !

Essex Party For A Pregnant Lady








One of my better half's best friend's husband threw her a wonderful party 2 saturdays ago( the night before we left for Egypt- the flight we almost missed) at their magificent mansion in Loughton Essex. When we arrived at the station and caught a cab: the taxi driver strangely remembered driving us home from last year's monster party. How bizarre is that? Out of all the cabs we could have caught after 365 days it was the same one that took us home the year before. Abi - there must be a mathematical formular for that one: please analyse. Always a great vibe to see Danielle, Nick and their Family - especially as they are expecting any day now. God be with you mes amis. Great party, people, drinks and an awesome cook who reminded me of Blanche(sic) in Deperate Housewives :-) Thanks for the Love Guys!!!! Partied far too late and almost missed our flight by ending the night with Koya and the Merry Men at Momoms ...... oh well thanks to God we did nt miss it xx COMMENTS PLEASE!

Aynhoe Park - Great Gatsby Parties







2 weeks ago Estefania's Friends Angela and Caroline introduced ( Well actually they were treated to a fabulous Chammpagne lunch and VIP tour) us to an awesome summer venue owned by their close friend not more than an hour away. Great for takeover Great Gatsby and Stylish Parties.....mmm think we may have a hit here. With it just being opened to Private Events I bet we could get you awesome rates here for a Birthday Party or even a Wedding. Checkout these pics and the website below!

Aynhoe Park is set in the traditional English village of Aynho on the Oxfordshire/Northampton­shire border. Just sixty miles from central London and a mere ten-minute drive from the M40, this private home offers a beautiful setting for any event. With a layout that could have been created with modern entertaining in mind, the house can play host to parties for as few as ten or as many people as you wish. With an array of beautiful reception rooms and exquisitely appointed bedrooms, Aynhoe also has gardens and a park that are perfectly proportioned to accommodate marquees or temporary structures.

This is the first time in over 400 years that the house has been made available for private events.

Aynhoe Park has a civil license which allows weddings and civil partnership ceremonies to take place in the house. It also has a commercially equipped kitchen that has the capacity to cater for all events in the house. http://www.aynhoepark.co.uk/