| Busy, Busy... Uploading more than 60 photos reinforced what a full month May 2026 was, with visitors from Qatar, Panama & the US; saying goodbye to David Cerezo at Peninsula, London; seeing mum & her friends etc etc The Lord Mayor's Appeal "This Is Me" Mental Health Initiative at the Bank of England ('BoE') It was almost ironic that I felt stressed finding time to attend a mental health awareness event in the Bank of England, that was talking about people being overwhelmed by the pressures of life. I left wearing my green ribbon with pride and being aware I must be better at genuinely asking people how they are doing & listening to their replies with empathy. 45 Park Lane Consistently Impresses Me A steak & salad lunch at 45 Park Lane, with one of my best friends from Qatar, became so much more. 'Free' champagne and desserts and food, & company, from heaven. Staff there are incredible. Forward Global UK's (Well Timed) Spring Drinks These were held in the stunning Library Room at L'Oscar (hotel) London in Holborn. I spent most of my time chatting with Lord Ali & Lord Joe Docherty. Also got a chance to talk to Alex Just and, of course, John Watts. Wes Streeting resigned as Health Secretary two days later. Is The Emory's Breakfast Better Than Claridge's? The Financial Times claim Claridge's is the best hotel breakfast in London. I think The Emory's is better and so had breakfast there with Ian. We were both on the board of Jordan International Bank Plc here in London. The Emory; Peninsula, London; The Chancery Rosewood; Claridge's & The Red Room at The Connaught I managed to show my Uruguay friend, who I spent a month in Panama with, many of the London hotels I love. Special mentions must go to Elisabeth (the Art Concierge at The Chancery Rosewood), Daniele (the new F&B Director at Claridge's) & the staff at Brooklands Bar at the Peninsula, London. Must also thank Alejandro again for my Geisha Coffee, & chocolate, from Panama. Formidable Mei Ume & Cooper's Cut at Four Seasons at Tower Bridge I was spoilt at the Saturday Dim Sum Brunch at Four Seasons at Tower Bridge at the start of the month & then again in Cooper's Cut at the end of the month. Both experiences were unforgettable & demonstrated Four Seasons service at its best. New York's Legendary Magnolia Bakery at Raffles, London at The OWO Cafe Ciel, & Raffles, London at The OWO, made another of my dreams come true. Finally, eating Magnolia Bakery's scrumptious Banana Pudding, that I saw on 'Sex & the City' in the early 2000s, was so special. Hot Shrewsbury & My Loving Mum I squeezed in a quick Bank Holiday trip to see mum. Loved the quiet room The Prince Rupert Hotel gave me on the 'last' night and the lady who serves their breakfast is a star. It was so good sitting in the garden with mum telling each other how much we love each other. The Incomparable 'Sunday Feast' at The Ned Was a Perfect Way to End the Month Brilliant live music at The Ned and a warm welcome from Adam. The food was sublime (eg devilled eggs, fresh oysters, fresh lobster, incomparable roast beef and roast pork, melt in the mouth profiteroles stuffed with chocolate etc). It was another '9 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) month. A poor breakfast at Gordon Ramsay's 'Bread Street Kitchens' at 22 Bishopsgate meant I was given a £50 voucher, which I used to extinguished it from my mind with a sublime ale & treacle pork chop at lunch at Gordon Ramsay's Grill at The Savoy. Been so busy I have failed to arrange coffee with Dainyah, a barrister I also met at the Forward Global party. In June 2026 I have the 'invite only' Soho Mews House; fish & chips on the Terrace at 45 Park Lane; breakfast at St Clement hotel, Nick Jones' latest venture & A VIP Event at Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair to launch the SOFOS Associates Brain Gym (all about cognitive performance & modern wellness). |  Inside the Bank of England being told stories of attempted suicide.  My face says it all about my hotel packed two days with Alejandro. This photo is in The Emory.  The Oscar Wilde 'playing cards' at The Chancery Rosewood. Designed by Kieran, Hormazd Narielwalla's partner.  The Sticky Toffee Pudding specially created for London, I still preferred the Banana Pudding version.  Rick met me, despite him still dealing with Alaska Airline's inaugural flight to London. This photo was taken at Four Seasons at Tower Bridge.  It was so good to spend time with mum in the garden in Shrewsbury. The hot weather meant staff brought us cold drinks. |
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 My face says it all. Adam from Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest preparing cocktails at Four Seasons at Park Lane & eating Hungarian/ Asian fusion food in the hotel's elegant new private dining area. November 2023 was another unforgettable month in my life. My relationship with Four Seasons at Park Lane resumed and my welcome back was beyond belief. I now have green velvet Four Seasons slippers, to wear with my Mandarin Oriental, Msheireb Downtown Doha yukata (robe).
It was a month of more sensational food. The quality of the ingredients in the Claridge’s breakfast could not be better. As an LVMH Ambassador, It was also a thrill to see their Louis Vuitton trunk Christmas tree. Chef Elliott Grover, at 45 Park Lane, astonished me with Beluga caviar & UK Wagyu beef smoked with wood chips from a Jack Daniel's cask. The same day as that lunch, I had a white truffle dinner at Four Seasons at Park Lane. There were some mouthwatering pasta dishes from Chef Yannick Alleno but I now know I am not keen on white truffles in my ice cream. It was an month when Issy's tropical waistcoat from Mandarin Oriental, Miami was shipped to me & The Dorchester gave him a Dorchester Collection staff pin. I also met Sir Cliff Richard, while easting Wolfgang Puck canapes, at 45 Park Lane's Christmas tree lighting party. On the work front, I attended Grant Thornton's 'Banking & Capital Markets Conference 2023' and it was a pleasure to reconnect with Jordan International Bank Plc's new CEO. We worked together in Qatar. Hope the photos below evidence another ''7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) month. I move to Shrewsbury for Christmas on Tuesday 12 December 2023. Look forward to explaining these photos to people I meet. Still hopeful that my niece Maria, who lives in Moscow, will be in Shrewsbury for Christmas.  Mum looking Paul Smith fabulous on the day of her 80th birthday. Mum's 80th birthday meant two trips to Shrewsbury in the month of February 2023.
The love mum's friends showed to her made me feel better over all we are dealing with at present. She was inundated with gorgeous flowers, countless cards and generous gifts. Welsh relatives ringing on the morning of mum's birthday , a cake from Shrewsbury Market Hall & an afternoon tea hosted by great friends of mum & dad made it a remarkable day for mum. I did my best to spoil mum with a birthday cake; birthday dinner at Riverbank Bar & Kitchen (problems with their on-line reservation system) and Sunday lunch at The Armoury. The latter must be one of the best Sunday lunches in Shrewsbury. This short month was, therefore, packed for me. Oliver from Shrewsbury School Foundation took me to lunch at St James's Hotel & Club; Four Seasons at Ten Trinity Square served me caviar at breakfast; had a manicure with my haircut at Truefitt & Hill; ate Chef Elliot Grover's Wolfgang Puck Oscar menu at 45 Park Lane; enjoyed fish & chips at Four Seasons at Park Lane; and my work as a bank board member at Jordan International Bank Plc continued. Hope the photos below do justice to mum's 80th birthday. My birthday again on 29 March. Chef Elliott Grover's Wolfgang Puck Spago Beverly Hills experience at 45 Park Lane is booked on 30 March and I will be staying at The Manor House Hotel in Moreton-in-Marsh in The Cotswolds at the start of April for another special lady's 80th birthday.  Hair by Gino at Truefitt & Hill; tie from Hermes; shirt from Turnbull & Asser; suit from Ede & Ravenscroft and experience from the Bank of England; Bermuda; Qatar; Cyprus; Cayman Islands & at Citi I am proud to be able to announce that in July 2022 I joined the Board of Jordan International Bank Plc. As an Independent Non-Executive Director, I Chair this UK bank's Audit Committee & also sit on their Risk Committee.
I view this as a great honour and a chance to fully utilise the experience I gained at the Bank of England; in Bermuda; Qatar; Cyprus; Cayman Islands and at Citi. Next week I head to Panama; Colombia & New York. In Bogota I will stay at Four Seasons and in New York at Four Seasons, Downtown and Mandarin Oriental, Manhattan. |
The AuthorsSi Frew has lived in the UK, Bermuda, Qatar, Cyprus & the Cayman Islands. During this time he met Whoopi Goldberg (in Claridge's), Mike Tyson (in the Concorde Lounge at JFK) , Gordon Ramsay (in the Doha Four Seasons), Chris Eubanks (in The Dorchester), Cherie Blair (in Bermuda & again in the Doha Four Seasons) etc. There are funny stories attached to all these interactions, feel free to ask Si about them when you meet him. Archives
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