Top tea, spiffing cocktails and the GQ Man of the Year Awards

Things we’re looking forward to this week

Talk about a stellar week. It starts with tea at the Gilbert Scott in the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel for the launch of its Taking Tea With George. Obviously this isn’t your run-of-the-mill builders type brew but a delightful new White Silver Tip variety from the queen of tea, Henrietta Lovell…

We’ll be sipping it while tucking into the spread which includes Mrs Beeton’s cheese butterflies, Jaffa and Eccles cakes, cucumber sandwiches and peanut brittle choc ice. And don’t worry, we haven’t gone all soft – there will be cocktails. Jolly good ones too by the sounds of things. We love everything that Joe McCanta comes up with so we’re sure we’ll be smitten with this tea-time cocktail combining the White Silver Tip Tea and Grey Goose La Poire. Try it on the menu soon.

Tuesday can’t come fast enough. Not that we’re wishing our lives away or anything but we’re so excited to have the hottest tickets in town; we’re off to the GQ Man of the Year Awards. Woo-hoo! We’re expecting enough star wattage to light up Battersea Power Station and plenty of fab Tanqueray cocktails. It’s going to be a biggie; look out for our sightings on the evening via Twitter…

Lunch on Wednesday is at Vista at The Trafalgar with specially created Gin Mare cocktails to match a seafood extravangaza. In the evening we’ll be swanking it up at The Dorchester tasting the limited-edition Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize Cocktail which will be on the menu this month.

We probably should rest on Thursday but we’ve been invited to check out the bar at Senkai. We’ll definitely be trying the signature ‘Parsnip Cup,’  with vodka, parsnip puree and egg white, before heading off for a few drinks at the Riding House Cafe…

Things get a little more ‘foodie’ on Friday when we embark on the Ricker Safari, sampling a dish (and drink) in each Ricker restaurant. The taste sensation starts at Eight Over Eight, then takes in the Great Eastern Dining Room, XO and Cicada, ending with a nightcap at GGs.

Then it’s on to the weekend. We’ll be spending most of it at the Mayor’s Thames Festival, or to be more precise: we’ll be at the Courvoisier Pedal Powered Punch Machine, enjoying delicious punch and enjoying the live entertainment. Of course, we’ll have a go pedalling the punch machine – as can anyone attending the free open-air event. But if you’d rather just the sample the punch itself, pop by the space under Hungerford Bridge for a free sample.

Words to the wise

If you’re going to the GQ Man of the Year Awards, we hope to see you there. If not, you can taste what the celebs will be drinking by mixing this simple and refreshing Tanqueray cocktail at home:

35ml Tanqueray
Top with Fever tree tonic

Method

Build all ingredients in a Quatro glass over ice and garnish with a squeezed lime wedge.

Courvoisier Pedal Powered Punch Machine, under Hungerford Bridge, SE1. Sat 10 & Sun 11 September. 1920s Flapper girls will be serving complimentary Courvoisier punch from 3pm-8pm on both days. thamesfestival.org.uk
Dorchester Bar, The Dorchester, Park Lane, W1K 1QA. T: 020 7629 8888
Gilbert Scott at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, NW1 2AR. T: 020 7278 3888
Riding House Cafe, 43-51 Gt. Titchfield Street, W1W 7PQ. T: 020 7927 0840
Senkai, 65 Regent Street, W1B 4EA. T: 020 7494 7600