travelog

The Bank of England; The Buckingham Palace Gardens; A Test Match etc - London/ Shrewsbury - May to August 2021

26/7/2021

Another dream came true being in the Buckingham Palace gardens with mum.

Dad's rapid decline from Parkinson's disease is something my whole family is struggling to cope with. It has forced me to give up my new role at the Bank of England after only 4 month, to enable me to deal with this myself and support my family more. The Bank have been so kind and said I should be able to rejoin them for a third time, once my family life stabilises again.

I first started working for the Bank of England when the Rt Hon Robin Leigh-Pemberton was Governor; worked with the present Governor, Andrew Bailey, when we were both in Chief Cashier's Office; and Andy Haldane, former Chief Economist, was my manager in Monetary Analysis, during the period of 'the Ken & Eddie Show', before The Bank was given independence over the setting of interest rates.

All this history with The Bank, combined with my experience working in Bermuda, Qatar, Cyprus & Cayman Islands should have made me ideal to help The Bank with its work and it was painful to have to resign. However, it did free me up to take mum to see the gardens at Buckingham Palace. The Farmers' Club made the sublime rare roast beef sandwiches, and Rosewood, London the Yayoi Kusama cakes, for this picnic.

I have also been to a Beverly Hills Hotel pop-up on the roof of The Dorchester, where I was presented with more Philip Hammond flowers. Dorchester Collection know when I need cheering up. In a similar vein, I was given 'free' Ruinart champagne at Four Seasons at Park Lane and friends from my Bermuda days sent me Concorde tags from our New York trip on that supersonic jet. I also got to try the new NoMad hotel in Covent Garden. I need to make it clear that I cannot recommend Oystermen in Covent Garden enough, after an unforgettable dinner there with mum.

Last week I was taken to a Test Match at Trent Bridge by friends from my Shrewsbury School days. I am so lucky with the friends I have.

I am going through an extreme difficult period in my life at present but hope the photos below illustrated there are still some very happy moments within it and my friends are being too kind.

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Cautiously Optimistic - London/ Shrewsbury - April 2021

9/5/2021

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Celebrating 12 April 2021 on the roof of The Dorchester with their GM Robert. A live band & sunset views of Hyde Park to die for.

April 2021 was the month when England began opening up again. I was on the roof of The Dorchester to mark the first day in real style.

After being shown the pink marble bath that was specially installed for Elizabeth Taylor in their Harlequin Roof Suite, John (GM of 45 Park Lane) kept me company, Tom Booton's food was sublime & we were even offered hot water bottles, with knitted covers, on that cold evening.

My next outing was 45 Park Lane for a mouthwateringly fresh Wolfgang Puck lunch on their beautiful outside terrace. The welcome back from the staff almost made me emotional & I even got to meet chef Jamie Shears.

I managed to squeeze a week in Shrewsbury in before I rejoined the Bank of England in their International Banking area. During that week I had a drink in The Admiral Benbow pub with mum & celebrated my older brother's birthday.

Back in London I ate oysters & drank champagne in The Savoy's pop-up Solas, where cars usually drop off guests. It has been transformed into a breathtaking fantasy and, as with all the hotels I visited, service was impeccable.

The month ended with a visit to Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park for a Saturday lunch. GM Amanda came in on her day off to welcome me & lunch could not have been better. Heston Blumenthal's poor/ gimmicky Waitrose & Partners food is a millions miles from the delicacies that were served by Dinner by Heston on that terrace overlooking Hyde Park.

Hope the photos below do some justice to the monumental efforts all these iconic hotels went to to make me feel very special. From The Dorchester sending me home with Christian Lacroix Greta with a new headdress & Philip Hammond's exquisite flowers; to champagne from Amanda at the Mandarin Oriental & their Heston Blumenthal liquid nitrogen ice cream trolley, it was another month I will never forget.

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Hurtling Towards a COVID-19 Christmas - London/ Shrewsbury - November 2020

6/12/2020

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My Fortnum & Mason and Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Christmas decorations are up in The Barbican. I adored the Christmas trees at Four Seasons at Park Lane, The Dorchester & Claridges's. I am just a little sad that Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square & Threadneedles Hotel will not reopen this year.

Today I learnt my brother had sorted out his flight home. This, combined with the fact my sweet young niece will be in Shropshire for Christmas, means my COVID-19 Shrewsbury Christmas is shaping up well.

Last week John (GM of 45 Park Lane) showed me their stunning new swimming pool. I was one of the first non-staff members to see it, and have agreed not to post my photos, but can assure people it is one of the most beautiful indoor pools have ever seen.

This made me think about the fact I was shown the Private Members Club at Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square, before its members, and stayed at Four Seasons Resort: Dubai at Jumeirah Beach & Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay before they were open to the public. My meeting with Four Seasons Founder & Chairman Mr Sharp, as his private home in Toronto, really did change my life.

On the #travelblog front, it was also interesting that Grant Campbell has been appointed as the first GM of Nobu Hotel London Portman Square & Anne Golden at the first GM of Pan Pacific London. Despite the damage the COVID-19 restrictions have wreaked on the hospitality industry, it does not seem to have reduced my extensive network of General Manager contacts.

England's lockdown2 was made better for me by more Daniel Humm breakfast granola from Claridge's. I am still using the Davies & Brook jar it came in this time and was honoured to be one of the only people to see the Claridge's lobby during lockdown2. I also managed another Shrewsbury trip, ladened down with Fortnum & Mason gifts again.

People who see me over Christmas & New Year should feel free to ask me about the November 2020 photos below. Hope everyone has a special Christmas & better 2021!

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Featured in The Sunday Times Wine Club Blog & My Yayoi Kusama La Grande Dame 2012 Veuve Clicquot Arrived - Shrewsbury/ London - October 2020

5/11/2020

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I think my charming & beautiful niece has my eyes. This photo was taken after we went to see the leaping salmon on the River Severn in Shrewsbury.

October 2020 was the month when my friend Will Lyons, The Sunday Times wine critic, featured my photo in The Sunday Times Wine Club blog and my Yayoi Kusama designed La Grande Dame 2012 Veuve Clicquot arrived & it looked even more spectacular than I had hoped for.

However, it was also the month of my niece's 10th birthday & I am even more proud of the job we did making that so special and to ensure her half-term was full of fun, despite her mum having to be in Moscow & her dad in Dublin. A special mention has to go to Kerry Jones at Bloom for Budding Artists in Shrewsbury for her Yayoi Kusama inspired Halloween pumpkin prints workshop. I took it as a fortuitous omen that this was being run!

Despite two trips to Shropshire to support family, ladened down with Hamleys and Fortnum & Mason gifts, I did manage to try the London 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' experience in Harrods. The room is exquisitely decorated and the staff better than in New York but the food disappointing, compared with my scrambled eggs with truffles in Manhattan. It did not help that, as the first booking of the day (10am), I had to wait outside in the cold rain for the doors of The Tiffany Blue Box Cafe at Harrods to open at 10am.

I also bought Lebanese wine again in October and would encourage people do what they can support that beleaguered country. At the same, I did all I could to promote The Market Hall Shrewsbury, with its high quality fresh local produce.

Before 'Lockdown 2' was announced I also managed to squeeze in a delightful afternoon tea at The Wolseley, with one of my most legendary hotel contacts; a sublime Gordon Ramsay Sunday lunch at The Savoy Grill; & collect more superb Dorchester hotel flowers from designer florist Philip Hammond. While collecting the latter, I was able to have long chats with Robert (GM of The Dorchester) and John (GM of 45 Park Lane). All this means I am now 'ready' for the next 4 weeks without visiting a hotel.

With England now in COVID-19 'Lockdown 2', & the results of the US Election still uncertain, hope my photos from last month below help to raise everyone's spirits a little. Good luck to us all!

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Living in the New COVID-19 World - London/ Shrewsbury - September 2020

6/10/2020

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I was elated to find the High Court case I have been working on reported in the Financial Times.

September 2020 was a monumental month in my life with my new Banking Consultancy company 'Si Frew Consultancy Services Limited' being incorporated & the Lebanese banking case I have been working on reported in the Financial Times.

At the same time it has been a whirlwind on the travel blog side, with more iconic London hotels reopening, while the Mayfair hotels continue to surprise & impress me.

Four Seasons at Park Lane allowed me to try vodka infused with caviar, not yet on their menu; Michael (Managing Director of Rosewood, London) sent us champagne to celebrate the reopening of his elegant hotel; had a drink with Robert (General Manager of The Dorchester) to honour the busy reopening of his historic hotel; I discovered Porsche must be the 'official' car of my Barbican building; I savoured another sensational Tom Booton Sunday lunch at The Grill at The Dorchester; and also got to enjoy a drink with Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park's fabled General Manager Amanda, in their reopened Mandarin Bar.

It was also a month where I had the best dover sole of my life at Parsons in Seven Dials; had a memorable Wolfgang Puck brunch at 45 Park Lane, having the pleasure to be joined by their General Manager John & viewed 'FAME at 45 Park Lane' with photos of Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Faye Dunaway etc I will never forget; 45 Park Lane staff sent me more of their Noble Isle shower products that I adore; & I continued to be impressed by breakfast & service at Millie's Lounge at The Ned. I also visited the enchanting garden at The Goring for martinis with a friend from my Prestfelde prep school days. There I met their charming new General Manager Michael and had forgotten how beautiful their new bar is. I was also blown away by the steaks at Hawksmoor, Seven Dials in September.

I ended the month eating Eggs Escoffier (with lobster meat, caviar & gold) & drinking champagne at breakfast at Gordon Ramsay's reopened Savoy Grill at The Savoy, London and being entranced by the 'full French' breakfast & staff at Anthony Demetre's Wild Honey at Sofitel London St James. On top of all this, I managed more trips to Shropshire to support my indomitable parents.

In September my personal training also moved to Energie Fitness, so I can remain with legendary Bart but I still try to swim at Virgin Active each day too. I must also mention my new The White Company electric diffuser I was thoughtfully given by one of my best friends that is now an important part of my night time ritual, along with my Frette sheets, Dorchester hotel bed & Aromatherapy Associates shower oils.

Finally I should mention that an incident that I experienced at one of my favourite Mayfair hotels last month, & some that have happened to my caring mother (even at church), have me thinking about Four Seasons' Mr Sharp's mission statement based on The Golden Rule "To treat others as we'd wish to be treated ourselves." again. I fully appreciate that issues related to COVID-19 have left us all very frazzled but I think it is even more important to take the time to talk to people and be compassionate, understanding & flexible.

Hope the photos below help to make people feel better at what continues to be such a difficult time for so many people.

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Light at the End of the Tunnel or Another Train Coming? - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - Shropshire & London, UK - July 2020

3/8/2020

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My first day wearing with Turnbull & Asser face mask, with a virus killing filter.

July 2020 was the month I restarted swimming, buying new Cayman Islands style Vilebrequin swim shorts to celebrate, and exercising with personal trainer Bart again. We did this outside with breathtaking views of Tower Bridge. I was even part of a photo shoot at Virgin Active in Mayfair, as I will feature on the new Virgin Active website.

It was also the month where I was part of the reopening of 45 Park Lane & Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park; obtained my Turnbull & Asser face mask, with VIROFORMULA virus killing filters; had my first pint for 121 days with dad in The Admiral Benbow in Shrewsbury, the landlady Claire there was ahead of London with her anti-COVID-19 bar screen; drank Shrewsbury wine with mum & dad at Hencote in Shropshire; had a haircut at Truefitt & Hill, following in the footsteps of Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill & Frank Sinatra; Philip Hammond at The Dorchester created a spectacular new headdress for my Christian Lacroix wearing teddy bear from Bangkok; I attended a sublime lunch at Scott's in Mayfair with my Qatar friends; & ate caviar and drank gin from Kyoto, Japan, for breakfast, outside at 45 Jermyn Street, behind Fortnum & Mason. The Head of UK Retail at Fortnum & Mason now wants to meet www.sifrew.com.

It has been another unbelievable month in my life & I just hope the move to the 'new normal' in the UK continues. Feel free to ask me about the photos below, when we next meet.

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Chic Paris at Christmas. The Four Seasons George V with Legendary Jackie; Veuve Clicquot at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris with Charismatic GM Philippe & Delightful Emilie; & Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris with Charming Louise - Paris, France - December 2019

22/12/2019

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www.sifrew.com with awesome Jackie in the Jeff Leatham Christmas igloo at The Four Seasons George V; Veuve Clicquot champagne at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris; the elegant bar at Hotel Plaza Athenee; and charming Mandarin Oriental, Paris GM Philippe.

The French strikes did not prevent www.sifrew.com having a spectacular time experiencing Paris at Christmas.

At the Four Seasons George V Jeff Leatham's Christmas decorations were even more dazzling/ opulent than I expected. I was sad to hear Jackie will be retiring next year but this will present another good excuse to visit Paris.

At the Mandarin Oriental, Paris I drank Veuve Clicquot champagne with charismatic GM Philippe and then delightful Emilie showed me the spectacular four bedroom The Parisian Apartment. It was interesting to see a piece of Zhuang Hong Yi art in the lobby of this hotel. His work is currently featured at 45 Park Lane.

At the Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris Dorchester Collection's charming Louise treated me like a VVVIP. It was interesting that my very dry Grey Goose martini there was better than at the Four Seasons George V. I also drank Perrier Fine Bulles for the first time and was fascinated to see a Lego model of the hotel in their exquisite lobby, Lego is the Christmas theme for The Savoy in London.

Hope the photos below give you a taste of how stylish Christmas in Paris is & why it was a '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) experience.

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LVMH, Mandarin Oriental, Dorchester Collection & Four Seasons - London, UK - June/July 2019

4/7/2019

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Over the last few months, other than a weekend in Berlin to celebrate the 50th birthday of some awesome friends of mine, & two weekends in Shropshire, to help dad with his new laptop & attend his birthday party, I have been helping the London based sister of Lord Foley (who I met in Bangkok) with a London focused luxury project.

During the course of this I have been stunned by the help and support I have received from friends at LVMH, Mandarin Oriental, Dorchester Collection & Four Seasons.

At the same time I have been working on my future as a Banking Consultant & I have been approached about roles.

This email, from a friend at LVMH, who I met while working in Cayman Islands, made my day.

I first met Mandarin Oriental GM Amanda in Bangkok & always adore our meetings.

I first met 45 Park Lane GM John when I was working in Qatar. On this occasion he asked me to try their new proposed shower gel.

Four Seasons @ Park Lane GM Lynn is always a perfect source of useful practical advice.

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A 50th Birthday YEAR Celebration Starts with a Sublime Stay at The Dorchester in a Mayfair Suite - London - January 2019

10/1/2019

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My 29 March 2019 50th birthday, & the related Brexit date, are fast approaching. I had to make my first hotel stay of 2019 The Dorchester and my stay there could not have been better.

I was given an elegant Mayfair suite, with a spare shower room; balloons in the shape of 50; my first birthday cake & champagne.

I visited Four Seasons at Park Lane and 45 Park Lane during me stay. At the former I finished writing the invited to my 50th birthday parties and then staff brought me dinner (tempura shrimp from heaven) without me even asking, just as at the Four Seasons George V in Paris, they can 'read my mind' and at the latter their genial GM John came for a cheerful chat.

I should also mention a fantastic chat with Janice at The Dorchester, I had perfect chats with so many of their unbelievable staff. I should finally mention the guitar player in The Bar at The Dorchester. Love the live music on Wednesdays in that bar.

A '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) start to my 50th birthday YEAR. My Tip:- make the most of Mayfair, London, the luxury hotels there, & their staff, blow my mind.

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An Epic Return to the UK - September 2018

16/9/2018

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Finding a Rolls-Royce on my return from Cayman Islands turned what could have been a fraught experience into a pleasure.

Flying American Airlines First Class, & staying at The Dorchester, meant I had to return from Cayman Islands to find a Rolls-Royce.

The Dorchester helped me celebrate by giving me one of their gorgeous Dorchester suites again, hotel legend Amanda Hyndman met with me, I (finally) met Four Seasons' Lynn Brutman, Dorchester butlers repacked my luggage beautifully and some of my best friends from my 10 years in Qatar joined me for drinks.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻(7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - no return to the UK could have been better. I must thank Robert, Janice & Emily at The Dorchester, John at 45 Park Lane, Lynn & Irene at Four Seasons at Park Lane & Amanda Hyndman at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park for all they did to make my welcome back to the UK so special.

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A Perfect Weekend in London - September 2016

23/9/2016

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Breakfast with my godson in the Threadneedles Hotel was the highlight of a very special London weekend. His first taste of Marco Pierre White food.

I decided to make my first weekend in London, after moving to Hilton, Cyprus, perfect and achieved this goal thanks to 45 Park Lane, The Dorcheste r, The Ivy Chelsea Gardens, Four Seasons Park Lane and Threadneedles Hotel and, most important, seeing my godson again.

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Stay at 45 Park Lane (part of the Dorchester Collection) in a Studio Suite - London, UK - June 2016

5/6/2016

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English Chase vodka, Wolfgang Puck steak popcorn, my Four Seasons Park Lane pepper & Parmesan popcorn, gummy bears, vanilla macaroons with paw prints & a teddy bear with Issy's name on his sleeve.

45 Park Lane is The Dorchester hotel's 45 room/suite, more expensive, chic contemporary sister hotel housed in a exceptional Art Deco building with a striking façade, with eco-friendly cooling fins, minutes walk from its stately 'older sister'. All rooms & suites in 45 Park Lane have large windows with views of Hyde Park.

45 Park Lane is famous for being the site of Hugh Hefner's first Playboy Club in Europe, which had the world's most profitable casino in the 1980s.

With all my stays at The Dorchester, and knowing John (the General Manager of 45 Park Lane) from his time at The Dorchester, I had to stay at this hotel and John made this possible.

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the luxury travel blog

The Bank of England; The Buckingham Palace Gardens; A Test Match etc - London/ Shrewsbury - May to August 2021

Cautiously Optimistic - London/ Shrewsbury - April 2021

Hurtling Towards a COVID-19 Christmas - London/ Shrewsbury - November 2020

Featured in The Sunday Times Wine Club Blog & My Yayoi Kusama La Grande Dame 2012 Veuve Clicquot Arrived - Shrewsbury/ London - October 2020

Living in the New COVID-19 World - London/ Shrewsbury - September 2020

Light at the End of the Tunnel or Another Train Coming? - COVID-19 (Coronavirus) - Shropshire & London, UK - July 2020

Chic Paris at Christmas. The Four Seasons George V with Legendary Jackie; Veuve Clicquot at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris with Charismatic GM Philippe & Delightful Emilie; & Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris with Charming Louise - Paris, France - December 2019

LVMH, Mandarin Oriental, Dorchester Collection & Four Seasons - London, UK - June/July 2019

A 50th Birthday YEAR Celebration Starts with a Sublime Stay at The Dorchester in a Mayfair Suite - London - January 2019

An Epic Return to the UK - September 2018

A Perfect Weekend in London - September 2016

Stay at 45 Park Lane (part of the Dorchester Collection) in a Studio Suite - London, UK - June 2016

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