travelog - SEL

Nobu; Four Seasons; a 'Free' Magnum of Veuve Clicquot & Friends from my Qatar Days: An Easter in London Like No Other - London, UK - April 2019

23/4/2019

Yes, that is a magnum of 'free' Veuve Clicquot & the Easter Bunny did know my name!

Thanks, in the main, to Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane for an unbelievable Easter 2019 in London.

From the Four Seasons doormen wishing me happy birthday, to the 'free' magnum of Veuve Clicquot, to the Easter Bunny knowning my name and the Easter Egg desserts being to die for, an Easter Sunday that could not have been better. However, I must also mention a drink with John at 45 Park Lane/the 45 Park Lane candle he gave me with a sumptuously luxuriant smell and my chats with Andre & Alex at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square on Easter Monday.

Hope the photos below help you to understand why it was such a special weekend.

A '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) 50th birthday continued a little longer with a sublime Easter weekend.

A 50th Birthday Year Like No Other, So Many More Dreams Come True in Japan etc - March 2019

13/3/2019

Sorry for the silence but the last few weeks have left me speechless (in the best way).

From a fragrant bath full of orchids, looking out at the Petronas Twin Towers, in my suite at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur; to seeing a spectacular Kabuki performance in Tokyo with the astonishing friend who produced the English translation you were reading; to staying at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, the smallest city Four Seasons in the world & my 'final promise' to Mr Sharp, where an exquisite specially created kimono wearing teddy bear was presented to me; to travelling on the 200 mile per hour Shinkansen ('Bullet Train'), a dream since my 'Blue Peter days'; to drinking rare Four Seasons sake & being given a bottle of sake from Kyoto's oldest sake maker personally labelled for my 50th birthday; to playing 'Tea House games' with a Maiko (an apprentice Geiko/Geisha) at Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto, now have Ichihiro's 'calling card sticker' stuck to the back of my iPhone Xs; to eating Peking Duck sushi & drinking 40 year old Glenfraclas Scotch whisky exclusive to Ritz-Carlton Osaka; and drink Veuve Clicquot champagne on the Imperial Floors of the indomitable Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

This blog, my hotel contacts and my unparalleled friends have made March 2019 one of the best months of my life. To think I, once, did not want to live past 30! So many photos & video clips to show people and stories to tell.

Must focus on the logistics of my move back to The Barbican in London next and 'restarting' my life there.

A '7 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) 50th birthday year culminates on 29/30 March 2019 at my phenomenal parents' historic home in Shrewsbury and then at Four Seasons Hotel London at Ten Trinity Square & Le Pont del la Tour overlooking the river Thames. Cannot wait to welcome guests based in Sweden, Uruguay etc

Spending Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, Another Dream Comes True - 'Year of the Earth Pig' - February 2019

31/1/2019

This LVMH Brand Ambassador will be spending Chinese New Year 2019 in Hong Kong, finally staying at the legendary Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.

I will also have breakfast in the Blue Bar at Four Seasons, Hong Kong. That Four Seasons has a very special place in my heart.

I will be flying Business Class with Cathy Pacific and so am looking forward to eating at the Noodle Bar in The Wing again.

Toasting the 'Year of the Earth Pig' with Veuve Clicquot in Hong Kong will be another '7 teddy' experience & dream come true!

Hilton Pattaya: A Dream Second Stay and a Wedding that was the Highlight of my Far East Trip & a Day I will Never Forget - Pattaya, Thailand - November 2018

16/11/2018

When I left Pattaya in 2015 I was unsure if I would ever return there. However, the wedding of some of my best friends meant I did and I am now so glad about this.

I met superb Hilton, Pattaya GM Rudolf for the first time (he welcomed me in person) and his staff could not have treated this Brand Ambassador better. Chilled Veuve Clicquot in my room, a rose petal "welcome back" message on the bed, a life-size teddy bear and ever pre-peeled fruit.

They even now serve sparkling water in the 33rd Floor Executive Lounge, did #travelblog www.sifrew.com previous comments on this lead to this improvement?!

The wedding was the highlight of my Far East trip with a Veuve Clicquot cascade/tower, ice sculptures, entertainment flow in and so many of my extraordinary friends from Qatar present. Days as happy as this one are rare in any life.

It was all a credit to the staff of Hilton, Pattaya and I am so grateful to have been included in such an extraordinary event.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻(7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a '7 teddy' wedding in a '7 teddy' hotel, despite Pattaya! My Tip: the breakfasts in the Executive Lounge are worth a try.

Only GM Rudolf & his team at the Hilton could make three days in Pattaya this special.

A Mandarin Oriental 'Celebrity Fan' has a Stay at Mandarin Oriental Taipei that Blew My Mind - Taipei, Taiwan - November 2018

6/11/2018

A Michelin Star Chef from Mandarin Oriental Milan cooked for me; I was served vintage Veuve Clicquot wherever I wanted it; the hotel is an architectural masterpiece & this Brand Ambassador has never been treated better.

Issy's new Taiwanese outfit is a masterstroke, my 'I'm a FAN' business cards with a QR code taking you straight to the #travelblog www.sifrew.com site are winners and Manager Frances & her team are all exceptional.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻(7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a '7 teddy' experience without any doubt that has left me speechless. People must stay at Mandarin Oriental Taipei!

'Last' Night in London in an Exquisite Westminster Suite at Four Seasons at Park Lane - London, UK - April 2018

1/5/2018

The sitting room of my Westminster Suite with the Veuve Clicquot chilling and afternoon tea in the background.

I was nervous about staying at Four Seasons at Park Lane so soon after legendary GM John had left. However, Manager Mali ensured it was another memorable stay in opulent surroundings with exemplary Four Seasons staff.

It was just a pity I did not get to meet new GM Lynn, as she was not yet in place. However, I did leave a #travelblog www.sifrew.com. baseball cap for her.

Four Seasons at Park Lane remains one of the best Four Seasons in the group and a hotel Mr Sharp can still be justly proud of.

Berlin Friends Help Me Celebrate My 2018 Birthday in 'Si Frew Style' - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - March 2018

3/4/2018

I came back after work on my birthday to find all this. My friends are the best.

I am so lucky that one of my best friends from Berlin, and her son, were willing to fly 16 hours to Cayman Islands to help me celebrate by 2018 birthday.

The week they were here was a dream with us seeing a baby turtle and stingray from Seven Mile Beach on their first evening; lots of Veuve Clicquot; incredible birthday gifts; champagne from Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa; a stunning new member of the 'gang' from Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; and my friend making me Eggs Benedict at home.

Hope the photos below do some justice to the awesome week I had with these special people.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻(7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a '7 teddies' birthday in Cayman Islands, without any doubt.

A Veuve Clicquot Perfect Day for a Brand Ambassador at Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman - Cayman Islands - March 2018

19/3/2018

Thanks to Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, I finally got to use the Veuve Clicquot hammock LVMH sent me at Christmas here in Cayman Islands.

The 'New' Extra Brut Extra Old Veuve Clicquot Champagne Really Has Arrived in Cayman Islands - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - August 2017

23/8/2017

The Cayman Islands flag, Issy and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old on Seven Mile Beach at sunset.

I always think of crisp green apples when drinking regular 'Yellow Label' Veuve Clicquot champagne but one of my friends finds it too acidic. Veuve Clicquot have found a solution to this by launching Extra Brut Extra Old.

This champagne will be available in Cayman Islands next month but my incredible friends meant I got to try some bottles this month.

Veuve Clicquot Extra Brut Extra Old is an 'assemblage' made only from reserve wines from years 1988, 1996, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 vintages. It is 47% Pinot Noir, 27% Chardonnay and 26% Pinot Meunier, rather than the 2/3rds black grapes and 1/3 Chardonnay usual in 'Yellow Label'.

Extra Old is also 'double aged' with a minimum of three years in vats on lees and then three years in the bottle before release.

This slow maturing allows the wine to become soft & mellow and it met with my friend's approval with superfine bubbles and flavours of greengage plum, peach & spiced lemon with a hint of oak. It is far from a cheap champagne but you can certainly taste the quality.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻 - a '7 teddy' Veuve Clicquot.

#travelblog www.sifrew.com and LVMH

4/7/2017

The big news is that we will be meeting one of the bosses of LVMH while he is in Cayman Islands.

Our relationship with Veuve Clicquot continues to bear fruit.

HM the UK Queen @ 90 Years Old

13/6/2016

At www.sfrew.com we love the UK Queen. HM the Queen Mother was Veuve Clicquot's largest private client & the UK Queen loves Dubonnet & gin and her Official June Birthday was on World Gin Day this year.

God Save the Queen & Long May She Reign . An incredible lady.

🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻 (7 out of 5 ‘teddies’) - a '7 teddies' Monarch, without any doubt.

Veuve Clicquot @ Four Seasons, Dubai, Jumeirah Beach with Mr Casson - what www.sifrew.com's dreams are made of - Dubai, UAE - May 2016

16/5/2016

Our smiles say it all.

I know Simon Casson from when he was General Manager of the Doha Four Seasons & have stayed at his Jumeirah Beach Four Seasons hotel in Dubai twice already. Once before it was open to the public, after my coffee with Mr Sharp at his home in Toronto.

I was thrilled when Mr Casson said he had time for a drink with me and rushed straight from Dubai airport for this. I was so glad I did. He is one of my favourite Four Seasons GMs and is always so much fun to catch up with.