Celebrating VE Day at Peninsula, London with Beef Wellington with Black Truffles I watched the VE Day flypast from the Concorde themed Brooklands Bar at Peninsula, London, which looks over the gardens of Buckingham Palace. Quite a place to watch it from. Then I went down to The Lobby to eat Beef Wellington, with black truffles, personally cooked by Chef Saravanan Chamy, who previously worked at The Dorchester. It was better than Chef Gordon Ramsay's Beef Wellington at The Savoy. Never thought I would be able to say that. Later in the month Wiltons matched Peninsula, London's Beef Wellington but they have been perfecting their dishes since 1742. Lunch at 45 Park Lane & Dinner at The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park With a Friend From Rome At lunch at 45 Park Lane with my friend from Rome, Chef Elliott Grover and his team treated us as VIPs. From Ruinart champagne, to too many Wolfgang Puck signature snacks to count and a Passion Fruit Baked Alaska that was dreamily refreshing. My face, in the cover photo, says everything about our dinner in The Aubrey. It was such a beautiful room and the bone marrow rice was even better the second time. Romain, and his Mandarin Oriental team, spoilt us with double portions of Iberico Pork etc. My Rome friend is a joy to spend time with & I was so glad to try to help her with her daughter's 18th birthday celebrations. GM of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair Leaving During May 2025 Susanne, GM of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair, emailed me that she is moving within Mandarin Oriental Group. We first met when she was GM of Mandarin Oriental, Manhattan. It was another month where I had a flawless breakfast at their Mayfair hotel and was even given the scent of that hotel, to add to my expanding hotel fragrance collection. The New Patisserie at Pan Pacific, London Pan Pacific, London are always so kind to me. They give me champagne each time I go for breakfast. However, on my May 2025 visit, their new Patisserie had opened. I selected cakes and macarons and, even I, was surprised when they then said "no bill for you Mr Frew". The cakes were light and delicious and the macarons so fresh they reminded me of ones I had at the Four Seasons George V in Paris. Flowers Inside & Outside My Barbican Place. Philip & Bruce Are Floral Geniuses May 2025 was the month my Barbican window boxes were redone in the style of a pre-COVID-19 Four Seasons at Park Lane design, with lavender & rosemary to provide fragrance this summer. The weekend of the work I ordered Dorchester hotel flowers from Philip Hammond again, including purples to celebrate 45 Park Lane and Dorchester hotel roses. I was so thrilled with them and the work Bruce has done on my window boxes. Perfect Four Seasons in London I visited the breakfast buffet at Four Seasons, Tower Bridge twice in the month, it is so good. At Four Seasons at Park Lane Peter made Issy an 'SF Martini', with the special vermouth from The Lana Hotel in Dubai (part of Dorchester Collection). I almost cried over this thoughtful surprise. Foodie Shrewsbury & Mum Looking So Healthy From a seasonal asparagus breakfast at C Sons; to mouthwatering steaks & fun cocktails at The Ol'Chemist; to the melt in the mouth roast beef at The Golden Cross, food in Shrewsbury keeps getting even better. It should also be noted that the Wagyu Oxtail & Bone Marrow Fried Rice we ate in Knightsbridge cost £26, while Bone Marrow Mash at The Ol-Chemist costs £4. It has to be another '8 teddies' score (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) for May 2025. I have not even mentioned my night at The Waldorf Hilton with one of my best friends from Qatar. Another evening with him I will never forget. If you click 'Read More' there are photos from that night. The fact mum is cared for so well is another factor in this high score. |