Time, safety and reliability are increasingly common factors when making travel arrangements for senior management. Your boss is certain to appreciate a flight schedule that doesn’t oblige him or her to leave home at the crack of dawn, and one that allows him to return before it gets ridiculously late. Being able to maximise the […]

Provence offers much more than the well-known coastal resort cities. Molly Dyson goes off the beaten track to visit a tranquil property that is anything but ordinary Far from the tourist-clogged beaches of the Côte d’Azur lies a peaceful resort nestled in the hills of Provence. While Château de Berne is best known for its […]

You must remember that epic film Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford – amazing scenery and lots of smouldering glances between the two leads. It was more a case of into Africa when I went along to the PA Life Club’s latest event last week at an amazing venue called Shaka Zulu […]

Managing the Matrix – Dawn Metcalfe (Wiley, £18.99) This book is about how to thrive and survive if you’re employed at a “matrix” organisation. Put simply, if you work for a large firm with multiple bosses and different workflows you are operating in the matrix. It can pull you in many directions with lots of contradictory […]

Instant Motivation – Chantal Burns (Pearson, £12.99) The surprising truth about this book is that the title doesn’t match the subject matter. This is not to say it isn’t good; it is and I found it interesting, informative and thought provoking. It’s more for those interested in how your mind works. Burns draws on her 15 […]

The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards – Fiona Jane Collins (Self-published, £1.99 Kindle edition) I can only manage to read a book from the “chick lit” genre when the mercury is nudging 40 and there is white sand between my toes. So it was with a heavy heart that I set out to read this book over […]

Wool – Hugh Howey (Arrow, £10.99) The size of this title is daunting, but it’s actually three books in one. Originally self-published as an e-book, it was understandably picked up for a hard copy edition and became a best-seller. It takes place in an underground bunker called a silo, where humanity continues to survive after the […]

Some people are daunted by the thought of a large menu, but not me – I’m more likely to feel cheated at the thought of a meagre selection, so it’s with some trepidation that I go to visit Le Coq, writes Colette Doyle. This Islington restaurant serves up just one principal dish and the clue […]

In a city full of restaurants, those looking for a place that offers something slightly different sometimes have to dig a bit deeper to find a real gem, writes Molly Dyson. Moti Mahal claims to be the only restaurant in London equipped with a thatee (clamp) grill, which you can see the cooks using thanks […]

Great executive assistants need a certain set of skills to help their bosses get ahead while advancing their own careers. Among the essentials are technology and social media knowledge, as well as being aware of what’s going on around the office and in the wider business world. This is the advice of the founder of […]

Top PAs and EAs are responsible for enabling their bosses to work effectively, but what skills do they need in gain in order to be as efficient as they can be? Here are some helpful hints for those looking to give their career a boost Choose who you work for carefullyPerhaps not the most useful […]

London restaurants are going up in the world – quite literally, writes Colette Doyle. Long-time stalwarts such as the Paramount at Centre Point have been joined by newcomers including Sushisamba at Heron Tower and Aqua at the Shard. And now there’s City Social, located on the 24th floor of Tower 42, close to the City’s […]

In the modern age of creative cocktails and innovative food, a restaurant offering delicious dishes and drinks that rival the fanciest bars is a rare find, writes Molly Dyson. Silk & Grain is one such place, while also providing a stylish, relaxed environment. The atmosphere here is ideal for both lunch meetings and post-work drinks. […]

A lot of dining establishments these days rely on gimmicks – sharing plates, cocktails served in jam jars, or placing your order via a touchscreen table, writes Colette Doyle. Orso is one of those reassuringly old-fashioned places that doesn’t need to resort to any such trickery; the emphasis here is on genuinely good Italian food […]

In a world where cooking food is an art form, restaurants need to impress on multiple fronts – having a great menu isn’t enough anymore and this is giving rise to trendy venues where the décor is as important as the dishes, writes Molly Dyson. Luckily for the City, places such as Forge are becoming […]

You know you need to make connections and build a strong network within and beyond your organisation, but does it have to feel like another task on your to-do list? We love to socialise and need to interact to relax and have fun. But networking is an important facet of our business life and that […]

We’re all aware of how PAs can move through the ranks these days and be promoted to managerial roles within various industry sectors and it seems like some assistants are using their positions to launch themselves into the fabulous world of fashion. According to an article on website Business of Fashion, Jessica Michault, the Editor-in-Chief […]

Business travellers under 35 say that high-speed internet connection is a priority for maintaining productivity on the road, highlighting a difference of opinion between the “millennial” generation and older employees. Research conducted by serviced apartment provider SACO shows that employees under the age of 35 are more likely to have travelled for business in the […]