Sending a cowboy to the wild wild West… End
So I dusted off my suit jacket, broke the ‘in case of emergency’ glass to my fancy cologne and treated myself and my other half to a luxury weekend in London’s illuminated, vibrant and ever-beating heart.
Dinner – Steak and Lobster, Bloomsbury Street
They say ‘dinner and a show go better together than a raincoat in stormy weather’ and if you want to complement the best shows on earth appropriately, you need to look no further than Bloomsbury Street’s Steak and Lobster restaurant. Located in the Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street hotel, Steak and Lobster, as the name suggests, is a simple yet unbelievably attractive concept involving one of the hardest decisions any bloke would ever had to make… “Do you want steak…or lobster?”I likened the dining experience to the perfect heavyweight boxing card, with the bottle of Granfort Merlot setting the bright lights and big event atmosphere, the prawn and lobster cakes vs. chargrilled steak bites (w/ dijonnaise) undercard and the main event of the evening; Rib-Eye Steak (weighing in at 10oz) vs. Lobster (served whole, grilled or steamed) both accompanied to the ring by unlimited chips and mixed salad. Let’s get ready to rumble!As for my judges’ scorecard, perfect 10’s in each round due to some juicy jabs and a tenderly delivered right claw make Steak and Lobster the undisputed winner of central London dinners!
Showtime
Back in the saddle after a knockout meal and it’s on to Leicester Square to top ourselves up with a little bit of culture! From the streets of Akihabara in Tokyo to the villages of Uganda, we covered the globe in one night, first seeing the Japan’s answer to the Blue Man Group, Siro-A in their technodelic performance that mixes comedy, amazing visual creativity and some pretty swish dance moves in a mind-bending hour of entertainment. Performed in segments using different stage props, lighting, live camera feeds and projections, Man vs. Ball, simulating one of the performers going to battle against a holographic ball similar to the pong mini-game in my childhood favourite action/adventure, Commander Keen was absolute brilliance! Currently playing at the Leicester Square Theatre, it proved to be innocent yet exciting, family friendly fun.
Now onto Uganda, via Salt Lake City, Utah as we stepped into the Prince of Wales Theatre for the Book of Mormon musical, delivered in its white shirt/black tie glory by the creators of South Park. Now let’s be honest, it wasn’t critical acclaim or 5 stars from The Guardian that put this musical at the top of my West End hit list… it was the track-record of Peter Andre-six pack ensuing side-splitting laughs that South Park creators Parker and Stone have provided us over the years from the exploits of Cartman and Co. to the tongue-in-cheek satire of Team America, and now The Book of Mormon can be abruptly added to that list! Following the journey of two Mormon missionaries sent to a tiny African village to spread the word of the Book of Mormon, the play tackles the issues of famine, war and an unlikely friendship with inspiring honesty and hilarious delivery amid a sea of catchy tunes performed by an incredibly talented cast.
Stay – The Athenaeum Hotel
After a great night out in London’s West End, left with the satisfying feeling of invigorated tastebuds, dazzled eyes and sore abdominals, we checked-in to our room at The Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair. Greeted by Jim the doorman, dressed in a full top hat, coat and tails, he didn’t just open the door to our hotel for the evening, but rather a uniquely authentic English experience. Complemented by a full whiskey bar stocking one of London’s largest collections as well as one of the most highly acclaimed afternoon tea experiences in London in its Garden Room, The Athenaeum has a warm and rich atmosphere in which to escape the London cold and engage in an intimate hotel experience.
There is an instant wow-factor when we’re showed to our room, which is immaculately decorated and furnished, offering an amazing view over the iconic Hyde Park. After a mammoth night of wining, dining and doing le Tour de West End, the size and space on offer in these rooms is of optimum luxury with plenty of room to put up your feet and relax sipping a night-cap by the lights of Hyde Park or in front of your own large LCD flat screen, complete with a full entertainment offering (Family rooms include the added charm of toys on-offer for the kids!).
Waking up the next day is just as relaxing, with full gym and spa facilities included as well as a Nespresso machine on hand to get our day, which is undoubtedly full of adventure from the hotel’s central Mayfair location (we all remember how sought-after Mayfair was on the Monopoly board, right?), off to the right start!
The Victorian décor throughout all aspects of this place completed the mosaic of its English charm, with its more than accommodating staff affirming its status as one of Travel & Leisure’s Best Hotels in the World.
So what have I learnt from this experience other than that my fancy/overpowering cologne should stay behind the ‘in case of emergency glass’ in future (just another lesson worth learning from Brian Fantana)? I’ve learnt that, well, dinner and a show DO go better together than a raincoat in stormy weather… and that there’s no better place to escape stormy weather than an amazing 5* hotel in Mayfair.
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