A To-Do List for 2015 – London’s 62 Michelin-starred Restaurants

Once the festive season is over, we shall be back with more tips and advice on how to become more productive but, for now, here’s a to-do list we are sure you will enjoy completing – London’s 62 Michelin-starred restaurants.

How many can you tick off?

• Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester
• Alyn Williams at The Westbury
• Amaya
• Ametsa with Arzak Instruction
• Angler
• Arbutus
• Barrafina
• Benares Restaurant and Bar
• Brasserie Chavot
• Chez Bruce
• City Social
• Club Gascon
• Dabbous
• Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• Fera at Claridge’s
• Galvin at Windows
• Galvin La Chappelle
• Gymkhana
• Hakkasan
• Hakkasan Mayfair
• Hedone
• Hélene Darroze at The Connaught
• Hibiscus
• HKK
• Kai of Mayfair
• Kitchen Table
• Kitchen W8
• L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon
• L’Autre Pied
• La Trompette
• Launceston Place
• Le Gavroche
• Lima
• Locanda Locatelli 
• Marcus at The Berkeley
• Maze
• Murano
• Outlaw’s at The Capital
• Petrus
• Pied a Terre
• Pollen Street Social
• Quilon
• Rasoi Vineet Bhatia
• Restaurant Gordon Ramsey
• Restaurant Story
• Seven Park Place by William Drabble
• Sketch: Lecture Room & Library
• Social Eating House
• St John
• Tamarind of Mayfair
• Texture
• The Clove Club
• The Glasshouse
• The Greenhouse
• The Harwood Arms
• The Ledbury
• The River Café
• The Square Restaurant
• Trishna
• Umu
• Wild Honey
• Yauatcha

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

3 New Hotels in London – December 2014

Planning an overnight stay in London soon and getting a bit bored of your old favourites? Good! There are far too many excellent options available for you to return to the same hotel over again; expand your horizons and find out just why these fantastic new hotels are proving so popular.

Library 

This will definitely be the best trip to the library you’ve ever had. Library, rather than being a large room full of books, is a new boutique hotel and private members’ club full of books. The St Martin’s Lane establishment has been decorated using recycled materials, including reclaimed street tiles from Soho, and looks exceptional. Have a look at the hotel’s events before you decide when to stay – there are regular whisky tastings and design exhibits to enjoy.

112 St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2N 4BD Telephone: 020 3302 7912

Tulse Hill Hotel

 

At the time of writing, it had only been 2 days since the Tulse Hill Hotel reopened following an extensive refurbishment, so why not take the opportunity to be one of the first guests to enjoy the new look? The nine-bedroom hotel has plenty to offer, including Chef’s Table dining, an impressive bio dynamic and organic wine list and a private dining area overlooking the kitchen itself. We have to say that the beds look like the comfiest we’ve ever seen. If you try it out before we do, let us know if they’re as luxurious as they look.

150 Norwood Road, London, SE24 9AY Telephone: 020 8671 7499

The Beaumont 

If luxury and style are what you want from a hotel, The Beaumont is for you. Original paintings and artworks, supremely high-quality bed linen and a wide range of spa, gymnasium and relaxation amenities makes it a hotel you will never forget. With a cold marble plunge pool, warmed marble massage table, ice bar and a range of hamam treatments, we defy you not to feel truly indulged and relaxed after a break at The Beaumont.

Brown Hart Garden, Mayfair, London, W1K 6TF Telephone: 020 7499 1001

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

 

Grab a Bargain at the Boxing Day Sales 2014!

The Boxing Day sales are as much of a Christmas tradition as the turkey, the crackers or even Father Christmas himself. No sooner have we spent a small fortune on Christmas gifts than we’re champing at the bit to get back to the shops in search of bargains on Boxing Day. If you have Christmas cash or vouchers burning a hole in your pocket, here’s where to head today to spend them.

• Debenhams – sale starts today in selected stores, tomorrow nationwide
• Fenwick – sale starts 27^th December
• Fortnum & Mason – sale starts 27^th December
• Harrods –sale starts today
• Harvey Nichols – sale starts tomorrow
• House of Fraser – sale starts today
• John Lewis – sale starts tomorrow
• Liberty – sale starts tomorrow
• One New Change – sale dates TBC at time of writing
• Selfridges – sale starts today
• Westfield – sales start in both shopping centres today
• Carnaby Street & West End – sales start today
• Dickins & Jones – sale starts tomorrow, 27^th

Keep an eye out for details of sales in your favourite local stores and remember to let us know how you get on!

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

 

T-1: cushion the impact’s Christmas Eve Checklist

With only one more sleep before Santa comes, we are willing to bet that the pre-Christmas excitement has reached fever pitch in your house. Whether you have small children or not, you will have had plenty to do in preparation for the big day, and most of it should be done by now. If you are feeling slightly less than confident in your organisation skills and are beginning to panic that something vital hasn’t been done, use this checklist to make sure everything you need to do today is done. Once you’ve ticked off the last task, remember to fit in a little R&R for yourself before tomorrow’s chaos!

cushion the impact Christmas Eve Checklist: 

• Buy flowers for the house and table decoration.
• Wrap any remaining gifts.
• Run through menus and confirm you have all ingredients.
• Buy final perishable food items.
• Collect turkey, goose, duck, seafood etc.
• Gather all gifts for children’s stockings.
• Set table.
• Take turkey out of ‘fridge, replace with wine.
• Remove wishbone from turkey.
• Check timings for cooking turkey and Christmas lunch: create timetable if necessary and make sure you know how long things take to cook (yes I am speaking from experience!)
• Contact cushion the impact to buy a gift voucher for that one person you haven’t managed to buy for yet!
  

Now that’s all done, it’s time to look after yourself.  You’ve done all the preparation; now make sure you take the time to enjoy tomorrow before it is over for another year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours from all of us at cushion the impact.

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

London Restaurants With Last Minute Christmas Day Availability

You’re not too late to book a restaurant for a Christmas Day treat, here are some of the excellent eateries you could be dining in come Thursday.

Please bear in mind that these restaurants had availability at the time of writing, however we cannot guarantee that they won’t sell out very soon.

Cinnamon Kitchen 

This Indian restaurant and cocktail bar near Liverpool Street will be serving a three-course Christmas lunch, offering a selection of great food and an aperitif for £60 per person. The menu includes Wild African prawns with coconut and lemongrass, grilled breast of partridge, chargrilled saddle of lamb and tandoori Portobello mushroom.

9 Devonshire Square, London, EC2M 4YL Telephone: 020 7626 5000

Chez Mal 

Chez Mal at Malmaison would be a fantastic place to enjoy your Christmas lunch, with the special Christmas Day menu including chicken liver and truffle parfait, USDA prime rib-eye steak, pumpkin and dolcelatte tortellini and, of course, roast free range turkey breast with all the trimmings.

18-21 Charterhouse Square, London, EC1M 6AH Telephone: 08446 930 656

Bumpkin Chelsea 

How does Christmas lunch in a great brasserie located just off King’s Road sound? Using only the best fresh, local produce, the chefs at Bumpkin will be preparing white butter bean soup, game terrine with honey poached cranberries, free range Norfolk black turkey and 28 day aged rib eye steak.

119 Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NR Telephone: 020 7594 4944

Pasha Islington

One of Islington’s most popular Turkish restaurants will be open for lunch on Christmas Day and is still taking bookings. Diners can choose from quite an impressive menu, packed full of delights such as mixed meze plates, hellim cheese with sun-dried tomatoes, traditional Christmas roasts, baked sea bass and mushroom and fresh asparagus linguini.

301 Upper Street, London, N1 2TU Telephone: 020 7226 1454

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

Where to See in The New Year in London

New Year’s Eve is one of those events that people seem to love or hate – there’s no middle ground when it comes to seeing in the New Year. If you fall into the first camp, there’s plenty for you to do, just remember you will need to act quickly to grab tickets. Quite a few events have already sold out, so make sure you plan your New Year’s celebrations today.

If you’d like us to take on the task of ticket searching, just say the word!

New Year’s Eve in London

Fiddle Paradiddle Ceilidh Night 

If a proper hootenanny is what you want on New Year’s Eve, book yourself some tickets for the Fiddle Paradiddle Ceilidh Night in either Balham or Battersea. For an evening of dancing, drinking and bacon rolls, you need look no further! If you’re not sure which one to attend, the Balham ceilidh will have a local brewery in attendance…

Comedy Store New Year’s Eve Stand Up Show

If you don’t fancy a ceilidh, how about some excellent stand-up comedy to round off your 2014? Starting the New Year with a laugh can only be a good thing too. The line-up on the night will include Stephen Grant, Prince Abdi, Jarred Christmas, Romesh Ranganathan, Pete Johansson, The Noise Next Door and special guests.

Thames Rib Experience 

If you’re feeling particularly brave and relish the thought of being on the Thames at midnight in the middle of winter, avoid the crowds by sailing along the Thames on an inflatable speed boat and enjoying an excellent view of Big Ben as midnight looms. A comfortable seat, a great location, an extraordinary experience and liquid refreshments – what more could you ask for? At the time of writing, there was only one boat left for this event, so be quick!

Aside from these three excellent events, there will be countless parties going on at pubs and clubs across the capital, not to mention the infamous annual fireworks display. Don’t have time to find the best option? Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll sort it out!

Remember there will be plenty of daytime events still going on – the various ice rinks, Winter Wonderland and similar will be continuing their festive season until early January.

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

10 Excellent Secret Santa Gifts for Under £10

It has become a tradition in many workplaces now and can be a lot of fun, but Secret Santa is far more high-pressured than you may think. Finding a suitable gift for a colleague you don’t know very well (note the word “suitable”) is a big ask and can be incredibly tricky to get right. While you may be happy to go down the route of a novelty gift as “it’s only a tenner and nobody minds anyway”, we firmly believe that, if you’re going to do something, you should do it right. To make it easier for you to avoid the Santa hats and chocolate reindeer poo, here are 10 great Secret Santa gifts for less than £10. Even if you’re not taking part in the office Secret Santa, they may come in very handy as stocking fillers.

Top 10 Secret Santa Gifts

Gin & Tonic Lip Balm 

An effective lip balm that tastes of gin and tonic. We think this is definitely up there amongst the best Secret Santa gifts of all time!

Hotel Chocolat Christmas Puddings 

It was very difficult to pick just one item from the Hotel Chocolat website but we finally agreed on these scrumptious Christmas Puddings. Made from 40% milk chocolate and filled with caramel, there’s not a bit of dried fruit in sight.

Liberty Floral Notebook 

Even in this digital age, a gorgeous notebook makes a fantastic gift. We love this floral Liberty number from John Lewis.

Wild Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup 

It is the party season, so why not go for a gift that adds an extra something to a glass of fizz?

Lush Secret Santa 

This wrapped gift set includes a Father Christmas bath bomb and a bar of Honey I Washed The Kids soap. Perfect for a relaxing soak the morning after the office party!

Coffee Stencil Kit 

Make mornings more fun with these coffee stencils and sprinkling chocolate powder. It’s almost a shame to drink it once you’re done.

Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Shower Gel Bauble 

Quite possibly the most decadent Christmas bauble we’ve ever seen, and definitely the most practical.

Mr Natty Frank’s Bring Me Sunshine Beard Elixir 

Designed to cleanse and condition facial hair, this is a must-have for the bearded gentleman. This particular elixir is a special festive blend of citrus, black pepper and vetiver.

Scout Enamel Mug with Lid 

Buying for someone who’s a fan of the great outdoors? Here’s the perfect gift…

Fat Face Idaho Socks 

Because, in weather like this, you can’t go wrong with some super soft, extra snuggly socks!

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

What’s Open in London on Boxing Day?

While many of you may dream of a white Christmas, gathered round a log fire spending time with your nearest and dearest, equally many (if not more…) will be desperate to leave the house by Boxing Day. If the idea of being cooped up within your four walls for days on end fills you with dread and invokes a touch of cabin fever, here’s what will be open on Boxing Day. All you need to do now is avoid the “discussions” on where to go.

London attractions open on Boxing Day

• London Zoo
• Madame Tussaud’s 
• Kew Gardens
• London Eye 
• London Bicycle Tour Company
• Ripley’s Believe It or Not
• SEA LIFE London Aquarium
• Sherlock Holmes Museum
• London Dungeons
• Spitalfields Antique and Vintage Market 
• Hampton Pool
• Slava’s Snow Show
• Charles Dickens Museum
• Boxing Day Sales! Keep an eye on the blog for more information – coming very soon…

The array of ice-rinks and Christmas events around London will also be open, make sure to enjoy at least one of them before they pack up and take off for another year. Have a look at our recent blog for some of the best.

If you plan to use public transport on Boxing Day, or at any other time during the festivities, remember to check for updates on the TfL website before you set off.

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

 

Andrea in the Guardian – The Case For Women-Only Business Networking

We’ve known she was a star for quite some time but now our very own Andrea is famous (again!). This time, she’s been interviewed by The Guardian and all!

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s what Andrea has to say about the case for women-only business networks.

As the article shows, there is unfortunately still a need for women-only networks, no matter how much the business world (thinks it has) moved on. One of Susan’s university lecturers commented last week “if we set up a men-only network, we’d be in trouble”, which we think perfectly illustrates the common lack of understanding.

What do you think? Should there be women only networks? What are your experiences of networking (women-only or otherwise)? We’d love to hear how you found it and how you feel about women only business networks. Add a comment and let us know.

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!

 

cushion the impact’s Christmas Angels

It’s December, which means we can legitimately put our Christmas tree up and start wearing some of those fabulous jumpers from last week’s blog (or not!). It’s the perfect time to share the details of our secret to a hassle-free Christmas – our very own Christmas Angels!

Dreading the thought of the run up to Christmas?

Too busy or too smart to hit the shops, to decorate your tree or even buy and post the Christmas cards, why not hand over all those niggling festive jobs over to the professionals: cushion the impact’s team of Christmas Angels.

Some examples of how our Christmas Angels have helped busy people retain sanity and shoe leather the festive season:

Christmas cards – bought, written, addressed, stamped and all posted before the last posting dates (always sooner than you think)

Meals – all ingredients bought, even prepped for the perfect Christmas dinner, delivered to your door. All you need to do is switch on the oven. We can even arrange for a chef and staff to rustle up that sumptuous meal, or nibbles for a champagne reception…or a hangover cure!

Christmas tree – chosen, delivered to your home or office, decorated if required then taken away afterwards to be recycled.

Parties and dinners – whether a simple meal for four or a fully catered party, or perhaps you’d like us to find and book a venue or suggest an appropriate menu with drinks to match.

Frocks or fancy dress – to buy or to hire and we have stylists to help with the look, hair and makeup too.

Home Help – organise a spring clean; the pile of ironing to disappear; the place decluttered; finish the handyman jobs you’ve never quite got around to. The end result is a perfect home ready for even the most discerning of guests.

Going away – help with travel arrangements; pet care; keeping an eye on your home. All part of the service including making sure the fridge is full on your return.

Gifts – suggested, bought, wrapped, posted so everyone is happy.

Stuck for a gift for the friend who seems to have everything? Consider a cushion the impact gift voucher and give them the gift of time to themselves while we take on their day-to-day hassles.

So why not put your feet up, relax and let the Christmas Angels take the strain…

About the Christmas Angels

Select from a range of services, tailored to your needs and aimed at assisting you in your run up to Christmas. Our Christmas Angels can do a little or the whole lot and most importantly provide peace of mind this festive season.  There are no joining or membership fees, simply buy a bank of hours to use as and when needed, they’re valid for a year from the date of purchase so if you need help and encouragement keeping New Year’s Resolutions we can assist there too.

Remember cushion the impact is for life not just for Christmas.

cushion the impact  provides award winning personal and virtual assistance and customised lifestyle management for hard working and hard living individuals and small business owners.  We know there aren’t enough hours in the day, so let us help you live an organised, efficient, & fulfilling life. Take a deep breath & call us today.  Your personal service awaits!!