Month: September 2014

Party ideas for Christmas, Christmas party ideas, spending Christmas in London, things to do in London for Christmas,

Christmas in London

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Christmas in London

Every now and then I spend Christmas on holiday in the Caribbean and it’s a totally different experience. You see Christmas trees and Christmas decorations, but it just does not feel the same as spending Christmas in London.

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Christmas lights Oxford Street
Spending Christmas in London, Christmas shopping in London, things to do for Christmas in London,
New Bond Street
Spending Christmas in London, Christmas party ideas, Christmas shopping in London, Selfridges Oxford Street Christmas lights,
Selfridges Oxford Street

As the song says, I am dreaming of a white Christmas, it conjures up images of snow falling at Christmas time, not 90 degree sunshine which melts the ice in your rum punch in less than 5 minutes. However, did you know that the beach theme is one of the most popular ideas for company Christmas parties? Just imagine that you are entering a huge marquee for a party and they simulate the tropical weather by using large warm-air machines and all the guests enter in beach wear, but as you step outside, there is snow on the ground. It sounds crazy, but the beach theme is still very popular and our steel drum band has covered many Hawaiian/Caribbean themed parties during the coldest months of the year. Some people flip the coin and do the opposite in the summer, by having a winter wonderland theme. All it takes is a little imagination and a good event planner. It’s nice when you enter a function suite or marquee and you are just blown away by the amazing features that some event planners create. For those of us that have to D.I.Y and become the event planner, there are lots of fantastic party suppliers in London. However, if it’s just too much, then you can check out some of the venues that are currently promoting their Christmas parties on social media.

TWEETS

Alternatively, you can just choose a hotel in central London and spend Christmas there. 

It must be really exciting for Tourists that come to spend Christmas in London. Just imagine staying at a hotel like the Cafe Royal on Regent Street and you step outside and everywhere that you look there are amazing Christmas lights. You then walk a short distance and you are at Hamleys, the most famous toy shop in the world.

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Hamleys

After Hamleys, you take a few steps and you are at Liberty and just around the corner there is Carnaby Street. After 3 or 4 hours shopping, you need a rest back at the hotel before heading up to Oxford Street. So many amazing things to see in London and all within close proximity. Then, at night things just get crazy as there are so many amazing clubs to check out. Just off Regent Street is the Ice Bar, if you want to try something a bit different and just a short walk there is Leicester Square with larger clubs like Ruby Blue.

How do you plan to spend Christmas 2014? If you are on Twitter, you can reply to Twitter/bigsands.

 

 

 

Party ideas London, fun things to do in London, Summer parties London

How to enjoy the warm September weather in London

Can you believe the weather in London today? The forecast is for 24 degrees.

An Indian summer is really a warm spell of weather occurring in October, but there is no precise explanation that I can find for this term and maybe Londoners should come up with an improvement. Perhaps something along the lines of a summer rewind. Please let me know your suggestions. The sun comes out and suddenly you feel inspired to do something or go out and enjoy the warmth. Fortunately, one thing that we have in London is lots of open spaces like Hyde Park, Green Park, Kensington Gardens and Regents Park. In addition, there are lots of squares in central London with green spaces, one of the most famous being Parliament Square, which is just next to Big Ben. However, the best thing to do when the weather gets this warm is to start texting your friends and see who is up for a last minute garden party.

things to do in London, ideas for a visit to London, what to do in London, how to plan my stay in London, Tourist information London,I mean, how hard can it be to arrange a party nowadays when most of your friends are monitoring your timeline on Facebook? Your professional contacts are also tuned into your LinkedIn feed and you may also have a few hundred people following you on Twitter. Some people may be more up to speed and use Instagram or WhatsApp and can bounce a suggestion around and have the whole party arranged in less than an hour. If you wish to take on the challenge, the first thing that you will need is some deputies to help you. If you manage to get all the components together and just need some live entertainment, our steel drum band may be available at short notice and this will create an exotic sound as everyone arrives. If arranging a party on the same day is too big a challenge, then you can settle for drinks at one of the many roof terraces in London.

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The roof terrace at the Queen of Hoxton

The warm weather is set to continue for a few more days where the temperature in London will be above 20 degrees, so you still have some time to plan something exciting. Alternatively you can check out some of the other options.

One thing that you will need when the sun comes out is a decent pair of sunglasses. I like sunglasses and wear either Prada or Emporio Armani when performing, but for social, it has to be the polarized Oakley pair. Which brand do you wear? I also like Oakley T-shirts for casual wear, especially on a warm day, otherwise it’s usually a Paul Smith or Ted Baker shirt and the sunglasses. You can follow my timeline on Twitter/bigsands and leave some comments below to tell me what you like to wear when the weather is this warm.

 

Birthday celebration ideas, Hakkasan Mayfair, places to eat in London, best restaurants in London,

What to do for my birthday?

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What to do for my birthday?

Consider this, if there were only 2 clubs in London and 2 restaurants and 2 hotels and 2 cinemas, and 2 shopping centres, it would be an easy decision when thinking about what to do for your birthday. In London, we have the longest list of multiple choice for social activity compared to any other city. Just trawl through any Timeout magazine and you will see what I mean. In addition to that, there is social media coming at you from all directions and this makes it harder to make a final decision on how to celebrate your birthday. To inspire you, I have hand-picked some interesting videos of people having fun at their birthday party in London.

Ideally, a birthday party should be planned many months in advance especially a landmark birthday. It is nice to really treat yourself by celebrating in 2 or 3 stages and including a holiday. The idea is that at some point in the future you will reflect on those special birthdays with fond memories and there is nothing more enjoyable than looking back at your timeline and seeing footage from when you had the most fun in your life. At this point, the challenge is to set aside enough resources to have a memorable celebration.

There are many party suppliers and party venues that tweet their services and you can easily hand pick some of the best ones to check out.

https://twitter.com/HOUGHTON_J/status/507248131285975040

But what if you don’t want a party? Well, why not? What’s wrong with having a party? It doesn’t have to be a big party, just a few friends. I prefer the idea of going out with my inner circle of friends to a special place and having a 3 or 4 course meal served by the best waiters in London. Most people have their favourite places where they feel welcome and the service is always of a high professional standard.

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Dinner options
Hakkasan Mayfair, places to eat in London, best restaurants in London,
Dessert at Hakkasan Mayfair

You could easily find a good restaurant and book a table or use a luxury hotel and do the same. I recently tried a restaurant called Hakkasan in Mayfair, which I can recommend if you want to impress your friends. Alternatively, for a small gathering, you could transform your dining room and hire a professional catering company. Ofcourse, you can do the cooking, but chances are that your inner circle of friends have already tasted your cooking and wouldn’t mind something different, as a surprise.

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Sea food

To complete the package, all you then need is some entertainment or a small ensemble to perform a set during your reception drinks. Some of the best parties that I covered with my band had used similar ideas and on some occasions there were just 15 to 20 guests, but another 15 people to provide the services. It may seem extravagant, but it’s a treat; something that your inner circle will appreciate. After all, that inner circle of friends is what you rely upon when you need people who understand your idiosyncrasies and know how to help you. There are many bands and entertainers that specialize in performing at house parties and you can easily do a search for your local area rather than the whole of London.

Whichever option you choose to celebrate your birthday, be sure to capture the best moments with your smartphone or hire a photographer.