Sex And Our City

So sorry for the absence folks - I've been flitting here & there including to the beautiful Emerald Isle for my goddaughter's communion. Now I'm back in the Big Smoke, however, it's time to start thinking about the important things. Namely, the return to our screens of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte.

I have to say, in spite of not being overly enthused by the last film, and being mildly irritated by Carrie’s self-aware narrative style, even I have been quite swept up in the excitement surrounding the newest Sex and the City blockbuster. As, I think, many would agree, the characters are a wee bit annoying and the script isn’t that compelling but the boys, the lifestyle and the shoes are a massive part of their phenomenal success. So a few of my girlfriends and I have booked a date to see it next week and, in order to make it an event, will be donning our highest heels (more Barrats than Blahniks) and starting our night at one of London’s sexiest bars. Just for that night, we too will believe ourselves to live the SATC life.

I asked my pal Emyr Thomas, who founded London concierge service Bon Vivant, if he wouldn’t mind helping me with my glamorous endeavour and he has come up with the following ϋber-cool venues where we might realise our dream:

The Connaught Bar, Mayfair
The Connaught hotel features two exquisite bars, including the gorgeous Connaught Bar with its marble, dark leather and metal Art Deco detailing, which is perfect for an upbeat glamorous evening with friends.

Mark’s Bar at Hix, Soho
Mark’s Bar is located in the basement of Mark Hix’s latest venture in Soho, serving some great cocktails from renowned mixologist, Nick Strangeway. The bar has a warm, clubby and retro feel with its low zinc bar, tin panels and bar billiards table, which is fast becoming Soho’s most popular venue.

The Donovan Bar, Mayfair
The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair is cool, stylish, intimate and a haven for fashionistas. The walls are adorned with Terence Donovan’s iconic black and white prints, which add a contemporary twist to the history of the surroundings.

Artesian Bar at The Langham, West End
Situated in the beautifully revamped Langham hotel, the David Collins designed bar is sleek, sexy and dramatic. With its 50 types of rum, Artesian is ideally placed for a post shopping cocktail or a refined haven from the frenzy of nearby Soho.

Callooh Callay, Shoreditch
Callooh Callay has an imaginative cocktail menu featuring old favourites and classics in an eclectic space that is as quirky and nonsensical as the Lewis Carroll poem from which it takes its name. Through a Narnia-esque wardrobe, you are taken to the Jubjub bar, an intimate little room that’s perfect for an intimate party.

69 Colebrooke Row, Islington
The classy and bijou 69 Colebrooke Row has caused quite a stir on London’s cocktail scene over the last year. The owner, Tony Conigliaro, who perfected his craft at the Shochu Lounge at Roka, is described as a molecular mixologist, and nobody can argue with his take on the classic cocktail, which are well priced at £8.

Montgomery Place, Notting Hill
Montgomery Place is small, intimate, mature and sophisticated. Inspired by the Rat Pack era, cocktails are served against a backdrop of black & white photography, in a relaxed setting, with staff who know their cocktails.

Dean Street Townhouse, Soho
The Dean Street Townhouse is a new boutique hotel and dining room from the Soho House Group. The restaurant serves classic British cuisine from first thing in the morning until the early hours, with seats along the bar that’s perfect for a martini and some people watching in a place that already feels like a Soho institution.

Bob Bob Ricard, Soho
Bob Bob Ricard in Soho, which was designed by David Collins in the style of an Edwardian train, oozes Art Deco decadence with its buzzy atmosphere. Bob Bob Ricard offers all day dining and is one of the few restaurants to open until 3am, so you can try their modern take on classic cocktails, such as a rhubarb gin and tonic, into the early hours.

The Library Bar, Knightsbridge
The Library Bar at The Lanesborough hotel is a perfect place to relax with a drink to the sound of the grand piano - immerse yourself in the memory of an almost forgotten era of refinement and sophistication. The Lanesborough have also launched The Garden Room, a semi outdoor area, which provides the best smoking room in London.

For further information on Bon Vivant, visit their website at http://www.bonvivant.co.uk or their blog at http://bonvivantliving.wordpress.com/.