when i moved to london, i mentally started a 'london bucket list'; a list of things that were so typically 'london', and that i had to do 'before i died' (or, retired back to the motherland). such things included things like go on an open bus tour (done), ride a bike through the parks (still not done), afternoon tea in a swanky hotel (totally done), included regrettable things like 'get that stupid cable car across the river' (done, sadly), 'hit oxford street on xmas eve (also done, and really quickly and efficiently), and - when it finally opened, 'see the view from the shard'.
because i'm tight and won't pay to go up, nor have i ever been approached by anyone tall and handsome to escort them to the bar for a drink, it's remained firmly atop this stupid list for about a year. well, last week, i made history happen. and when i say 'i made history happen', i mean that in the most un-literal of senses. in fact, i did nothing to make this happen, but be in the right place, at the very right time.
some of you know that earlier this year i made the move into "digital marketing". the reason i use quotation marks, is because somehow, what i do as part of my job, is read blogs all day. read blogs, talk to bloggers, and all in the name of good communication and mutual benefit. i mean, that's kinda of cool, huh? so, when one of my colleagues was charged with planning and hosting a christmas dinner at the shard for our client george at asda, and told to invite a handful of london's loveliest bloggers, well... i had to get involved... somehow!
oh, how i do love when my two worlds collide! rather than come along in an entirely bloggery capacity, i was on hand to "work the room", mingle with my bloggery friends - old and new, and make sure that everyone was happy. i reckon i did a pretty good job of that - certainly once my insane shard-gasm wore off! the view when we arrived on the 35th floor was so indescribable, and these pictures certainly serve it no justice either...
from the champagne reception in the foyer through to the three-course christmas dinner in one of the private rooms of the shangri la hotel, the event was absolutely flawless. with christmas gifts from the brand to the bloggers taking everyone by surprise, and the never-ending flow of delicious wine, my job was mostly done for me. with no hard-sell in sight, and nothing but the twinkling lights of old london town to keep us entertained, we drank, laughed and mingled into the night.
from the champagne reception in the foyer through to the three-course christmas dinner in one of the private rooms of the shangri la hotel, the event was absolutely flawless. with christmas gifts from the brand to the bloggers taking everyone by surprise, and the never-ending flow of delicious wine, my job was mostly done for me. with no hard-sell in sight, and nothing but the twinkling lights of old london town to keep us entertained, we drank, laughed and mingled into the night.
