| The New Claridge's Bakery I was one of the first people to experience the new Claridge's bakery and had the honour of meeting legendary baker Richard Hart. He had just flown in from Mexico City (where his Green Rhino bakery is based) and he also has a joint venture bakery in Copenhagen with one of the founder of Noma. All his flavoursome breads (with crisp crusts that will not break your teeth) are made with sourdough and, of his treats, I can particularly recommend his lardy cakes, the chocolate French Fancy & Walnut Whip. My Best Burns Night Ever! I spent Burns Night 2026 in the Rooftop Bar & Cigar Lounge at The Emory. My First Cigar Since The Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski in Havana, Cuba in 2018 We started with whisky cocktails, caviar topped canapés & a brilliant bagpipe player in the Cigar Lounge. It was good to see Manager Blue again and he persuaded me to have a few puffs of a cigar before dinner. A Table Decorated With Heather; Stunning Views of London; Exceptional Drams of The Macallan; The 1786 'Address to a Haggis' etc A four course dinner (including Cullen Skink soup) was made even better by Felicity (The Macallan's Brand Ambassador) giving history & context to the drams we were savouring & sitting next to Charlie from the Maybourne Social Media Team talking about Jamaica etc The piping in of the haggis made my chest fill with pride for my Scottish heritage. |    |
| The Macallan M 2023 For A Larger-Than-Life Character, With An Infectious Laugh & Ceaseless Good Humour I ended an unforgettable evening toasting my late Scottish father with The Macallan M 2023 release in a Lalique bottle. An exceptional whisky for extraordinary husband, brother, father, grandfather, friend & man. House of Maybourne Perfection Must admit I also tried a few more puffs of a second cigar and The Emory's brilliant staff got me a vodka martini. As I was leaving, they had the Weekend Financial Times, & New York Times, for me to take home. It was another '8 teddies' (🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻🐻) period. Yesterday's 'Sunday Roast' at The Grill at The Connaught was unbelievable (eg the extra slice of their melt in the mouth roast beef). I have now changed my Social Media profiles to include working with House of Maybourne & booked a second stay at The Emory, as part of my 29 March 2026 birthday. Must also mentioned being privileged to be given a exclusive chance to view Lara Julian's new artwork at The Conduit Private Member Club; the 'We Three Kings' carol sung as part of Shrewsbury School's Epiphany Service at St Mary le Strand; 'Holocaust Memorial Day' at Soho House with author Wendy Holden telling us the inspirational & uplifting story of Fredy Hirsch. Emotional & harrowing but we must not forget. There were also flawless breakfasts at Four Seasons at Park Lane & Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair. At Four Seasons I met Olga, from the bar at Four Seasons, Manhattan, again. In an interview I gave in 2021 I named her the most memorable bartender I have met and chatting together over breakfast was a real dream come true. When Four Seasons, Manhattan closed for a period, I was worried we would never meet again. |                          |
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