Virgin Active
I’m a member of Virgin gyms and I have started using the one in Canary Wharf. I wouldn’t usually write about the gym but what a place! I have never seen anything so smart. Cardio on one floor, weights on the top floor but in the basement, all smoked glass and granite, steam rooms, saunas, spa and enormous hot tubs. I have been getting there for 6 am and I would happily stay there until tea time.
Dinners
Had some very smart dinners this week. When I am planning the dinners with my PA, I’ve only got the person I am dining with and the choices of places to dine, I don’t actually look at the diary to see when they are coming up. So Wednesday and Thursday saw me back to back fine dining Michelin extravaganza. Marcus Waring’s newly refurbished “Marcus” at The Berkeley Hotel, stunning. Classic in part, modern in part, beautiful room, elegant and wonderful service. Highlights were my frog’s legs and veal belly and a sumptuous pigeon. A tart-tatin for the table as a pre-dessert dessert may have been a bit much, but hey.
Thursday night at Le Gavroche, it just feels like an old friend to me. Rarely will you meet a group of people so skilled on filling you up with wonderful food and delicious wine. Always enjoy it. Asparagus with truffle and gulls egg to start, a main course of beef with sweetbread ravioli. Desserts, all of them! As a table, we sampled all of them. I didn’t actually make it to the gym on Friday morning. It is special, as is its Patron.
Alfie
I have needed a fair amount of exercise and I have been doing a fair amount of dog walking. My English bull terrier, Alfie is now 4 months old and 12.5 kilos. I think he might enjoy a visit to Le Gavroche! He’s actually walking off the lead, I’d like to pretend it’s because he’s so well trained, but actually I realised he’s just scared – if I get 10 yards away from him, he looks round and gallops back to me as fast as his big floppy feet will carry him!
Next week
Next week I’ll be attending a BBQ to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer. I’m not a huge BBQ fan but on this occasion, I am more than happy to make an exception.
I’ll be lunching at Gilbert Scott this week at Pancras Station, haven’t been there for a while but my train from Kent lands there. So if good, it could prove very handy.
I’m driving to Manchester on Friday night to attend The Ideal Home Show, Manchester on the Saturday. It’s a brand new concept for The Ideal Home and having experienced a bit of Manchester before, I’m sure it’s going to be great fun.
On a final note, wishing the best of luck to the England Rugby Team who have just landed in New Zealand for a 3 test tour. I’ll be watching every game and wishing them the very best of luck!
