| Just booked Easter in Shrewsbury with mum. She loves this time of year. A Birthday Surrounded by Love Gus from Uruguay, & his sister Laura, celebrating my birthday with me would have been special anyway but going to The Royal Opera House to watch a George Balanchine ballet, drinking Veuve Clicquot champagne in the interval, was better than anything. Our friend Johan treating us all to dinners (including Yauatcha & The Wolseley) was so kind & generous. We all drank 'SF Martinis' in The Wolseley, and ate my birthday cake from 45 Park Lane, on the evening of Gus & my birthdays. Complete perfection. My 'Birthday Eve', Almost Better Than My Birthday The day before my birthday started at Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park with balloons, complimentary champagne, an extra portion of dim sum and my 'usual' table watching the Household Cavalry ride past, while talking to Pim about the earthquake in Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. Outside Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park the Peninsula, London's vintage Rolls-Royce was waiting for me. Peninsula, London Keep Exceeded My Expectations At Peninsula, London MD Rolf, Manager Scott and the Peninsula, London teddy bear were waiting to greet me. Rolf told me the vintage Rolls-Royce took 5 years to refurbish to Peninsula's standards. Up in Concorde/ Rolls-Royce themed 'Brooklands Bar' 'The Si Frew' cocktail had been created in my honour and was refreshingly delicious. While I was in the bar Chef Francesco Dibenedetto came to chat again and later presented me with a bottle of olive oil from his parents' place in Italy. I was overwhelmed by this, and two bottles of the 'The Si Frew' cocktail with special Peninsula labels. The Royal Opera House It was 30 years since I last saw a ballet at The Royal Opera House. The evening was a surreal experience made even better by sitting next to Laura. Another Si Frew Birthday The actual day of my birthday started with breakfast at Four Seasons, London at Park Lane and hugs from their staff. There were no balloons this year, or complimentary champagne, but Emma from Qatar joining me for a champagne breakfast more than made up for this, and the reduced birthday cake. My gift was a Four Seasons pillow case personalised with my initials. Love this & it is already on my Dorchester hotel bed here in The Barbican. My Barbican bedroom currently smells like 45 Park Lane, thanks to one of their birthday gifts. 45 Park Lane Keep Blowing My Mind Nothing about my birthday lunch at 45 Park Lane could have been any better. A balloon on a golden thread; the 'SF Martini' being on another Wolfgang Puck cocktail list with beautiful wording; Chef Elliott Grover's mind-blowing good Wagyu steaks; another impressive (& delicious) birthday cake and Emily, Veronica and all the staff making me feel like a VVVIP. Gifts including Ruinart champagne, and then being told my bill had been covered was just too much. A Deep Tissue Adaptogenic Massage & Snow Shower at Surrenne at 'The Emory' In the afternoon was my complimentary spa experience at The Emory, thanks to Roland Fasel at Maybourne Hotels. Before the massage I tried the pool and snow shower. My massage involved infrared and music therapy. It was so relaxing, special and perfect. I left my iPhone charging cable in the Surrenne spa. One of the concierges at Four Seasons, London at Park Lane went to retrieve this, while I was at dinner at The Wolseley. Four Seasons service at its best. After Dinner at The Wolseley Drinks at Four Seasons, London at Park Lane After dinner we returned to Four Seasons, London at Park Lane. I had left my gifts there &, as I said, their concierges were retrieving my charging cable. We decided to have some last drinks and separate birthday cakes were produced for Gus & me. Peter did not charge me for my 'last SF Martini', which was a very kind gesture at the end of a perfect birthday day & helped to made up for the lack of complimentary champagne that morning. Breakfast at Raffles, London at The OWO The last of my birthday celebrations had to be at Raffles, London at The OWO. MD Philippe, and Manager Patrick, are both leaving in June 2025 but they have been so kind and generous to me and Philippe will become CEO of Dorchester Collection, including 45 Park Lane. It was also UK Mothering Sunday and so I rang my mum and she had received my card with the photo of her I love on it. I was so pleased Natalia was running breakfast again but sad to hear 'La Dame de Pic', the Anne-Sophie Pic restaurant at Four Seasons, Tower Bridge has closed down. A birthday that rates 9 cover photos is clearly an '8 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) one. 45 Park Lane; Peninsula, London & The Emory all went way beyond the call of duty. My TWA Hotel bag now also sports a Peninsula luggage tag. |          |
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Capella, Bangkok: Cote by Mauro Colagreco - A Legendary Meal - Bangkok, Thailand - October 20249/12/2024
 I have sampled brunches in Qatar, Cayman Islands etc but never anything like the Louis Roederer champagne brunch at Sukhothai, Bangkok.
As soon as I met F&B Manager Botan I knew I was in for an exceptional experience. There was Wagyu beef, Unagi sushi, oysters from Jersey, live music inside and as much Louis Roederer champagne as you could drink. I will certainly be returning to try this brunch again after the Thai wedding I am attending and before I leave the Far East later this month. 🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻(6 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a brunch that is the manifestation of luxury with the quality of the food. My Tip:- speak to Botan. I am going to Four Seasons Seoul after speaking to her!
 It was almost strange to want to eat in Nahm, as Australian David Thompson's Thai restaurant that started in The Halkin hotel in London. However, the London restaurant has a Michelin star (the first for a Thai restaurant) and Mr Thompson is regarded as one of the best chefs in the world regarding Thai food. I, therefore, decided it was a must visit on my 4th time in Bangkok.
 In the Authors' Lounge flanked by GM Amanda, in her gorgeous 'yellow for Monday' outfit, & brilliant Mayuree. I wanted to see the refurbished Authors' Wing at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and meet GM Amanda & Mayuree from Guest Relations again.
What better way to do this than by coming for afternoon tea, said to be the best in Bangkok, if not in Thailand.  I was last in Koh Samui in the 1980s, staying in a hut on Big Buddha Beach, before Four Seasons, Banyan Tree etc arrived on this tropical paradise and it had always been a dream to return. The Four Seasons Mercedes was waiting for me at the airport with flower garlands and they had sparkling wine for me and juice, and a baby seat, for Issy.
 I decided I wanted to experience a bit of Japan in Bangkok and what better way than a visit to the Okura Prestige hotel. It is said to be one of the best hotels in Bangkok. Okura hotels are to Japan, what the Mandarin Oriental is to Hong Kong.
 Halloween is taken extremely seriously here in Bangkok with elaborate makeup, costumes and pool & foam parties.
 If you want a perfect very dry Grey Goose martini head to the 9th floor of the Sofitel So in Bangkok.
Here you have stunning views over Lumpini Park, while being served by staff in Christian Lacroix uniforms.
 I was nervous about flying on Thai Airways, after reading reviews of their tired Business Class lounge at Bangkok and, and having been staying in the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok with its butler service, wondered how the ‘intense’ Thai service culture would fit with the Four Seasons’ Golden Rule philosophy to “treat others as you would want to be treated yourself”.
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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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