Things we’re looking forward to this week…

Good grief, how did it get to be November already? It hardly seems like the sun ever had its hat on and here we are with the Christmas lights winking down on us from London’s major shopping streets…
It’s not quite full-on party season but we’re getting close… Our week starts rather nicely thank you very much, with a steak dinner and cocktails at the recently opened Hawksmoor Guildhall. Whoever it was who sung about not liking Mondays certainly didn’t have this little beaut on their radar. Note to Sir Bob and his fellow Rats…
Tuesday sees us talking tequila with Tomas Estes and Jesús Hernández Master Distiller from Olmeca at Café Pacifico, then later it’s dinner and sampling the new cocktail menu at Bedford & Strand.
Later in the week we’re going Japanese at Sake No Hana. Kazuyuki Takayama from Suntory will be on hand matching food with three whiskies: Yamazaki 12 year old, Hakushu 12 year old and Hibiki 17 year old blended whisky. We’ll only be taking wee sips mind, as the same day sees us joining Galvin Cocktail Cup winner Alessandro Pizzoli and chums for drinking adventures in South Kensington.
And 11.11.11 is Ms S’s birthday – so we daresay a cocktail or two will be raised in celebration. And on Saturday we’ll be wrapping up warm to sip cocktails whilst watching Casablanca at Classics in the Courtyard, the fantastic new programme of films at Hush. Not a bad way to spend the week, even if we do say so ourselves…
Words to the wise
Casablanca (1942)
“A veritable ‘cocktail’ of refugees passed through the Cafe Americain in Casablanca. And a multitude of cocktails passed through their lips, always served by Carl, the head waiter (SZ Sakall), and usually accompanied by piano music from the faithful Sam (Dooley Wilson).” – From Hollywood Cocktails, by Tobias Steed.
Bedford & Strand, 1a Bedford Street, WC2E 9HH. T: 020 7836 3033. bedford-strand.com
Cafe Pacifico, 5 Langley Street, WC2H 9JA. T: 020 7379 7728. cafepacifico-laperla.com
Classics in the Courtyard, Hush, 8 Lancashire Court, Brook Street, W1S 1EY. hush.co.uk
Hawksmoor Guildhall, 10-12 Basinghall Street, EC2V 5BQ. T: 020 7387 8120. thehawksmoor.co.uk
Sake No Hana, 23 St. James’s Street, SW1A 1HA. T: 020 7952 8988. sakenohana.com