venues

Spring is fast approaching and that means preparations for summer sporting events are in full swing. One of my favourites is tennis so I’m very much looking forward to the Wimbledon Championships. I’m delighted to say I had the great honour of being invited to an exclusive food tasting at the All England Club to sample some of the dishes…

I know we exec assistants are all super-busy, but did you happen to read about that rather embarrassing gaffe involving BBC subtitles, when two letters were transposed and a ‘w’ added to its announcement that it was officially the Chinese Year of the Horse? Woops, that has to be a CLM as a colleague of mine termed it many moons…

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to shrink down so small that you could swim in a glass of champagne? It’s an extravagant daydream, I know, but I got to see what it might feel like last night at the launch party of “Dive into a glass of Veuve Clicquot” at the Andaz Hotel Liverpool Street. The…

What more delightful way is there to spend a Saturday afternoon than having a flutter on the gee-gees? Not that I condone gambling of course, but you have to make an exception for the institution that is Ascot. What a fabulous place to take clients for a hospitality experience that combines glamour, excitement and world-class cuisine. I was fortunate enough…

Buying presents can be fraught with potential disaster at every turn. I’ll never forget that incident with the Gucci bag, when an acquaintance said he could get me one cheap for my sister-in-law’s birthday; well, how was I supposed to know he was referring to a plastic carrier, rather than the actual handbag? It’s bad enough when the presents in…

Recently the media has been commenting on the emergence of female-only clubs where professionals can meet and network. PA Life investigates the allure of such venues for women who want to get on in business. Grace Belgravia is the newest addition to London clubs flying the flag for females. Its ethos is based upon five ‘graces’ that form a holistic…

Travelling by private jet is no longer the preserve of the rich and famous. Patrick Margetson Rushmore explains how it can be a viable business expense for your time-strapped executive. Making the impossible possible is the unwritten rule of being a successful PA. However, organising a marathon of international meetings for your boss and an entourage of very important guests,…

Here’s an interesting tidbit of information for you: research shows that 96% of PAs say they are responsible for booking business travel. I know it’s a big part of my job, which is exactly why I couldn’t wait for this year’s Business Travel Show at Earl’s Court. I hope those of you who have slogged through London during the tube…

With the need for company departments to work as a unified team, it’s essential to motivate employees and develop their skills in innovative ways. PA Life takes a look at the huge range of team-building activities on offer, from indoor skydiving and a survival camp to a Dragons’ Den experience and cookery classes. AIRKIX (pictured)airkix.comType of activity: Battling against winds…

Riddle me this, my exceptional executive assistants: what do a personal trainer, a beer brewer and a Sherlock Holmes aficionado have in common? It’s a real brain-teaser that one, so before you tie yourself up in mental knots trying to work it out, allow me to enlighten you: they are all sure-fire ideas for making money by setting up your…

Being a PA can often be quite isolating, as I’m sure my dear readers know only too well, so I was thrilled to be invited to PA Life’s fabulous networking event last night at Voltaire. It was great to meet so many fellow readers and get the inside scoop on what PA Life has planned for this year. Voltaire (pictured…

I do love to mingle with the great and the good whenever I get the chance and an event I attended this week gave me the perfect opportunity to do so. Those delightful people at Performing Artistes, JJ and Matt, plus their PR guru Alec, invited me to a speakers’ drinks party in the refined ambience of the Institute of…

There was a lot to see at last year’s Office show. If you missed any of the excitement, here is PA Life’s pick of the products, venues and services on offer, such as Event Prop Hire (pictured), which can theme any event, whether it be a corporate function, product launch, exhibition stand or private party. In addition to rental stock, it…

I count myself lucky that my role as venue-finder supremo, looking for lovely new places where Mr P can take his important business contacts, allows me to do the rounds of some rather famous chefs. Recently, I had the pleasure of dining at The Ritz, overseen by the MBE-awarded John Williams and I have also dined at Mark Hix’s restaurant…

The Midlands has the best features of the north and south. With its central location, beautiful scenery and a plethora of venues to choose from, it makes the ideal destination for any event. Molly Dyson gives you the guided tour. Encompassing 14 counties and more than 11,000 square miles, the Midlands region of England acts as the meeting point of the…

As I get to visit a fair few restaurants in my capacity as PA extraordinare, I can vouch for the fact that, sadly, many of them seem to have been fitted out in a bland, identikit type of way – interior design 101 if you will. Imagine my delight, then, when I was invited to dine at Mamounia Lounge in…