June 2006

Diaries – June 2006

I like the month of June! This is the month in which I was born! Coming back from Frankfurt I had to change my frame of mind, so how refreshing to be invited to the Royal Opera House, they were ‘modern’ pieces and remember the sceneries but must admit not much about the play…

On the Saturday my brother and his Rotary Club of Herstal arrived and I had organised the weekend for the 23 of them; after checking them in at the Gloucester millennium I took them to the East India Club in St James’s to give them a good look into clubs. The food, wines and service were really nice and we were made very much welcome a memorable evening.

On Sunday lunch we went to the Oxford & Cambridge Club and had a complete reversal… shan’t go there again. Sad as I had some very good time there in the past. After lunch we went to Greenwich by boat and some staff recognised me on the City Cruises Boat, they thought that I was still a senior manager of the company, had I known that … Greenwich and back took most of the afternoon and left the group to fend for themselves as I took my brother and sister in law back home from where they apparently came back elated and quite happy.

The Monday was normal day for the Rotary Club of London and so an official visit with exchange of flags took place and I rendered the official welcome to the Rotary Club of Herstal. Herstal is the birthplace of Charles I or Charlemagne and is well known for other facts.

On Tuesday, I went to a workshop on Spain in the morning to organise the visit of the Anglo-Spanish Society to Valencia in October, this I have just learned has been sadly cancelled. In the afternoon there was a tasting of wines from Luxembourg and in the evening a drink at the Anglo Belgian club before jetting off to the American embassy .
Thursday was the joint BLCC/Rotary Golf day at Royal Denham and fun was had by all and monies raised for our charities, I raised more on a single raffle for a box of chocolate then most of the auction prizes! You know how I can persuade people…
After a lovely weekend with friends in Wales this was back in full form for the Stella Artois Championship where once again I was asked to host the BLCC day, this went very well as we did this last year already. On Tuesday off to the Dulwhich Picture Gallery where a bank-client of mine had sponsored the Rembrandt exhibition, and was pleased to see that they hired one of my favourite caterers, Admirable Crichton. Wednesday seen the AGM of the Arts Club and Thursday I went to see the fantastic new venue Kew Palace… dine at the King’s table, literally, exclusive to J-F Dor Events along with all the Historical Royal Palaces…. Hampton Court, Tower of London, Kensington Palace and the Banqueting Hall. In the evening we sailed away with the Norwegians on the Thames for a joint effort between the Belgian-Luxembourg and Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. More party than networking and great fun!

On the 16th was the Red Cross Gala Ball at the Mansion House: the evening started with a dine around in various embassies and my friend an I were received by the Japanese Ambassador and his delightful wife who originally is from Ireland. Their hospitality and warmth was boundless and as the taxis were waiting we had to rush to the Mansion House where the second part of the evening was to be had, more food, drinks, champagne a lot of raffles, auctions and silent auction whom my friends participated in heartily.
There was also so much entertainment see redcross.org.uk for more details and so many friends to talk to that we only dance the very last 5 minutes before carriages… however we stayed in the new boutique hotel Theadneedles a very short stroll away.

Sunday the 18th was my birthday and with a few friends we had a private room at the Roof Garden’s Babylon restaurant, very good and we were the last to leave the restaurant! We went afterwards to Dennis Gilbert’s studio in Chelsea to admire his latest offering and had the privilege of seeing a room I had not seen before filled to the brink with pictures of all sizes and medium http://www.newenglishartclub.co.uk/artists_pages/gilbert_dennis.asp?art=48

The following Tuesday I went to Stratfield Saye home of the Duke of Wellington with the Anglo-Spanish Society before coming back to say goodbye to a dear friend of mine who has been promoted to New-York.
On Wednesday this was Ascot and went to two parties there and even rescued diplomats who lost themselves in the new configuration, this meant that I fleeted between the two parties and met people in between too, one of them another well know milliner and now sculptor, David Shilling. The Friday was International Widows Day for the Loomba Trust and I had secure for them the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s magnificent Locarno Suite. The conference was followed by a Bollywood concert in Trafalgar Square. There were some events over the weekend that I did not make!

Yvan Moseley had a concert on Tuesday in a delightful church just off the Chiswick roundabout but unfortunately arrived a little late but had the pleasure of meeting many friends and made new one.

Wednesday there was a reception in the Naval Club for the IOD , Thursday was dedicated to the Iraqi art collection but unfortunately my contact seem to have disappeared since then! I wish him well though. The Institute of Fundraising had its AGM in the evening at the Little Ship club and had to go quickly to the Christmas party of the BTO (yes you read right) at the Roof Garden.

The next day Richard and I flown to Nice for a treat… more a separate report.