Just back from a lovely New Year's Eve dinner with lovely friends ...

In less than an hour it's 2010 ... and the start of a new decade.

2009 was an immense and awesome year for me ... I travelled, loved, lost, won, smiled, cried, missed, was missed and had such wonderful dreams ... 2009 was memorable but I think that 2010 will be a-w-e-s-o-m-e!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my friends and family ...

Song of the Day: Where is the love? - Black EyedPeas
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpYeekQkAdc

Weather: Cold & Clear


up

up up

up up up

away ... with my wishes for 2010 aboard ...

OK - so it's my birthday! Another year, another grey hair! Ha!

Out to dinner with friends last night ... tomorrow it's NYE and then off to NYC on Monday! It just doesn't stop ... and I am certainly NOT complaining!

Song of the Day: Happy Birthday - Sesame Street
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGyFG4QFWOs&feature=related

Weather: Appalling

friends: raccoon, natasha, del, martin, jane, sarah, charlotte and moi!
no no NO! but i was very tempted!

It's my birthday tomorrow so tonight I am out celebrating!

Spent most of the day in front of a roaring fire, stuck in traffic, buying Wellington boots and pretending to be asleep! I can sleep with my eyes open ... it's an art!

Song of the Day: My Favourite Waste of Time - Owen Paul
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6f_9usfs-Y

Weather: Rainy

wishing

Tonight in the UK - Channel 251 - Travel Channel - Inside Luxury Travel - 2100hrs - the new series continues with San Diego!

So - I have been on the look-out for a co-presenter for the show for months now and finally I found her ... today! The ONLY issue (& it's a big one!) is that she is just 1 years old ...!

Isabella (daughter of best friends Tim & Fiona) is gorgeous, chatty and full of beans - and would be a valued member of the team. Not sure changing nappies is in James' job description! Ha!

It's been a really wonderful day!

Song of the Day: Wallace & Gromit (Theme) - Julian Nott
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GVRquHFbrM - (The Wrong Trousers)

Weather: Crazy!

a close shave

mmmmmmmmmmm ... kiss!

the squashie!

SO Xmas Day & Boxing Day are over ... and now we start the run up to the end of the decade! I started my business almost exactly 10 years ago ... and I am still here (just)! What a ride it has been ... 486 Five-Star hotels ... 110 countries ... many, many new friends ... oh & the odd slice of pizza!

It's my birthday this week too! Another year older ... another couple of inches around my waist ... more wrinkles ... hair sprouting from the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet ... I think am turning into THE yeti!

SOOOOO looking forward to New York! In the snow!

Song of the Day: Grace Kelly - Mika
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC9UzFhNlbA

Weather: Dark, cold & threatening!


I have a slight tan however!

Boxing Day is a rather odd day ... it's a day for recovery and cold contemplation for the days ahead.

Just for your information: the name derives from the tradition of forcefully coercing minorities into boxing matches, on the day after Christmas. This was done especially with less wealthy people and social inferiors, which was later extended to various workpeople such as labourers and servants. Boxing day was also a day the servants had a day off from their duties. Because of this the gentry would eat cold cuts and have a buffet style feast prepared by the servants in advance. In modern times many families will still follow this tradition by eating a family style buffet lunch, with cold cuts rather than a full cooked meal.

This servant has been working hard today ... and has not had to box anyone!

Yay!

Song of the Day: Boxerbeat - Joe Boxers
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vncoh-yJ9nw

Weather: Varied

this time next year ... !

MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody!

Too much food ... too much wine ... too much ... too much ...

Song of the Day: Pipes of Peace - Paul McCartney
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVK_mJrLbmY

Weather: Xmasssssy!

turkey number 1
turket number 2
xmas pud 1

xmas pud 2 --- ok - now I am feeling sick! hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! x x

Yes, Xmas Eve is here! I have been wrapping gifts, smoking cigars, drinking whisky and stroking the cat!

Below are a few funny Xmas jokes that are probably better than the ones you will find in your cracker!

Good luck this evening - hope Santa delivers that Ferrari or Tiffany bracelet! I am holding out for some slippers and a Celine Dion CD ...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

"A dog is for life, not just for Christmas. So be careful at the office Christmas party."Jimmy Carr

"The one thing women don't want to find in their stockings on Christmas morning is their husband."Joan Rivers

"If your pudding is loaded with coins and thimbles then be sure to tell your guests. One year I forgot to mention it and our Vera ended up in casualty. They found a watch, two holy medals and £2.10s.6d in used change in her stomach."Lily Savage

"I once bought my kids batteries for Christmas with a note saying, toys not included."Bernard Manning

"I was so poor growing up, if I hadn't been a boy I'd have had nothing to play with on Christmas Day."Rodney Dangerfield

"If God had meant Christmas to be a family occasion He wouldn't have invented TV, would He?"Rory McGrath

"Do you do this with Christmas tree lights? You have a string of them and one bulb is dead and you flick the bulb with your finger to get it to light up? They do the same thing with George Bush before a debate."Jay Leno

"I saw a guy driving down Hollywood Boulevard with a tree on his bumper and I said: 'Getting ready for Christmas?' He said: 'No, teaching the wife how to drive.'"Bob Hope

"The Three Wise Men sound very generous, but you've got to remember those gifts were joint Christmas and birthday presents."Jimmy Carr

"The wife of a man who never learned the difference between a brassiere and a brazier was granted a divorce today on two counts. First because when she wanted underwear for Christmas he gave her two big rusty tins with holes in and second because of the way he kept trying to roast his chestnuts."Ronnie Barker

"We couldn't afford a turkey for Christmas. We gave the budgie chest expanders."Les Dawson

"My sister got a set of perfumes called Ample. It was tiny. Even I could see where dad scraped off the S..."Stephen K Amos

"At the office party you're supposed to sit naked on top of the photocopier, not the shredder."David Letterman

"We're approaching the moment when Grandad's had too much to drink. We don't call him Grandad, we call him Alcopops."Jimmy Carr

"Roses are reddish, violets are bluish, if it wasn't for Christmas, we'd all be Jewish."Benny Hill

"Christmas is a time for remembering. So that's me f***ed."Ozzy Osbourne

Song of the Day: Jingle Bells (Batman Smells) - Robert Goulet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nh2cO38U1U&feature=related

Weather: Ozzy Osbourne

Dropped Darling Jen off at the airport by 0730 ... she is on her way home to Forth Worth, Texas for Xmas - where it IS cold! Ha!

Not much today ... ears still ringing from Paperback Writer and Jen's version of Let It Be! Haha!

Feeling all Xmassy ... not entirely sure why. Have had NO mistletoe kisses this year - it must be my resemblance to Quasimodo! Am off to watch the Vicar of Dibley now ... for those who don't know this show ... Dawn French as Vicar in village made up of loons. Oh dear ... that's where I live! Hahaha!

Song of the Day: Halo - TEXAS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-FPMA7nyGg

Weather: WIERD

Just back from a nice karaoke evening at the O2 Arena in London's Docklands. Actually it was Paul McCartney in concert ... but it was actually a 20,000 strong sing-a-long which was actually quite good fun!

ANYWAY - greetings from Suite 712 at The Four Seasons in Canary Wharf. It's the Presidential Suite which is completely wasted on me as I arrived at 6 pm and leave at 6 am tomorrow! Such a shame ... it's so comfy and the views are fabulous ... THANK YOU MICHAEL!

It's been a long day as the weather has been so bad.

First stop - The Four Seasons, Hampshire with Claire Blackshaw - PR there. The setting of this property is magnificent ... in the country ... and on a day like today - snow, snow and snow - it's quite a picture. I love Claire --- she is passionate about travel and that works for me! This was Darling Jen's first look at Hampshire and she was impressed.

Next stop - Canary Wharf ... hmmmm ... homely City of London hotel ... smells so good ....

SO - the concert. We were VERY lucky as we were in a box ... with food & drink galore! The show was around 2 hours & 45 minutes and even though I am not a fan of the Beatles or McCartney (save Frog Chorus and Mary Had a Little Lamb) it was a VERY decent start to Xmas! The highlight for me was Mull of Kintyre with a line of bagpipers ... For Jen, the highlight was the ENTIRE show ... which was rather "fab"! THANK YOU RUPLI ... !

Back home tomorrow and sadly Jen is back to Texas ... I am going to miss her ...

Jen's Song of the Day: Let It Be - The Beatles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9SgDoypXcI

Weather: BLACK & ICE ... (and that's not a cocktail!)

claire-bear, me, sarah & jen

jen lounging ....

in the living room

pizza .. yum

where????

live & let die - kaboooom!

there he is!

darling jen in residence!

It is snowing! It is cold! It is slightly windy! It is PERFECT Xmas weather!

Darling Jen is still here and today we ventured into the countryside exploring! She loved it!

Lunch at Summer Lodge. You see, I don't really get an Xmas party (and haven't had one for 10 years) ... so this is the closest thing to it! We ate, drank and made merry!

Tomorrow - an Xmas concert - with a difference!

Song of the Day: Fairytale of New York - The Pogues & Kristy MacColl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrAwK9juhhY

Weather: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

darling jen wanders around sherborne

the "inside luxury travel" xmas lunch - with darling jen as guest speaker

venue: summer lodge hotel & spa ...

stephen titman (executive chef), charles lotter (general manager), emma & darling jen

Lots of driving today (in my new car)!

Last stop - Heathrow to pick up "Darling Jen" .. who is here for a few days.

BA has issues ... the queues for the "help desk" were VERY, VERY, VERY long ... "good luck" to anyone who has to travel by BA this Xmas & New Year!

HOWEVER, I did see something at T5 which made me smile - the world’s largest sprig of Mistletoe – a giant ten foot by eight foot structure which hangs above the arrivals gate ... sadly, no-one kissed me ...

Song of the Day: Kiss - Prince
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YFBYtGi4xo

Weather - Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrright & brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

jens' flight from mumbai! late ... ha!
hahahahahahaha!

It's so cold here in the UK! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

So - home just 1 day and it's quite lovely.

No jet-lag. No itchy mozzy bites. ALL GOOD!

New York on January 4th! Whoo-hoo! I have never filmed there in Winter so I am very excited.

Song of the Day: You've Got the Love - Candi Staton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dMGw3uzEU

Weather: Brrrrrrrr but dry! Yay!

January 4th 2010 ...

Just home.

Checked out of The Banyan Tree at 0330. Bangkok to Oman - 0640 to 1030 ... Oman to London, Heathrow - 1315 to 1750 ... phew! Thankfully I was "up front" of the Oman Air aircraft so I did sleep for 75% of my day! I am still exhausted though ...

32 degrees this morning ... -1 this afternoon! Ha!

Off to bed ... AGAIN!

Song of the Day: Let It Snow - Dean Martin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN7LW0Y00kE

Weather: Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

jimmy's favourite beverage! i agree ... PULPY!

hot in Oman

jimmy eats MORE sweeties

almost home

A300

sun going down ...

the night sky

It's a wrap!

Left the lovely Four Seasons - Chiang Mai at 0630 and flew the hour to Bangkok. No stress - no hassle - easy - Air Asia rocks!

Back to the hotel for 2nd fitting for my suits & shirts! They look LOVELY!

Off to the Grand Palace. Built in 1782 by King Rama 1st - it's THE number one MUST DO/MUST SEE in Bangkok. Amazing buildings inside ... gold, ornate, lovely! The Emerald Buddha is kept here too ... 66cm tall and carved out of ONE piece of jade. It is the holiest statue of Lord Buddha in the country.

The Grand Palace was home to the Royal Family for 150 years but now is mainly ceremonial.

Back to the hotel for the final piece to camera on the 61st floor - Vertigo.

1130 pm - Arun is back for my final fitting!

We leave at 0330 for the flight home (via Oman).

Song of the Day: One Night in Bangkok - Murray Head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnqj31VPNoE

Weather: Warm



arun from james fashion - for 2nd fitting!
the emerald buddha
an armed piece to camera!

final ptc on the 61st floor of The Banyan Tree!

my boys!

Last day in Chiang Mai ... another long day after no sleep.

So - it's all about photos ....

They tell a story ...

Song of the Day: Hot Hot Hot - The Cure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJqpVVqURkk

Weather: Hot hot hot!



morning mist over paddy fields

Ganesh-ji ... the resort shrine

with old friend - Jim Kostecky - General Manager

pad thai ingredients

chef Pitak - headmaster of the cooking school!

my dining room

living room

kitchen - with jim pilfering the larder!

downstairs "excuse-me"

staircase

observatory

Penthouse bedroom

bathroom

bath!

verandah

view ..
mr rice-man and mr oh

with tong - the water-buffalo

off to the fields

i fell in ...

he didn't!

with jim and darling maria kuhn - PR for Four Seasons in Thailand!