Let’s start with a disclaimer shall we? This post is pretty much food porn. I can’t really pretend it was anything else. Glamorous hotel launch? I’m taking pictures of your extravagant fruit display…
Is that a melon…..goose? Swan?
Anyway, if you follow me on twitter you’ll probably have noticed that earlier this week I was lucky enough to to go along to the launch of Grand Central Hotel. For me it was a last minute think….Liana beckoning from across my desk with the promise of free champagne (I make myself sound like a lush sometimes) and entertainment, so of course I said yes. Even with getting out the office early, I still had half an hour to get ready. At times like this I go for old faithful. Old faithful applies to a good 2 or 3 dresses in my wardrobe for last minute occasion wear that I can throw on without too much effort. I went for the BCBG silk number from the boy and I’s anniversary dinner and a 50’s black patent handbag, nice and easy – not overdressed but still nice enough that I wouldn’t feel under dressed (which I still managed….when I got there I was lost in a sea of cravats and cocktail dresses.)
I’d been to the Grand Central before for the Scottish Event Awards, and I had mixed feelings about my whole experience. The food was amazing and the service was brilliant, but the general feel of the space felt – awkward. However since then it feels like they have ironed out the teething problems and everything feels a lot more natural. The halls go on for anything (not unlike something in the shining) but there are small touches to the place that make it quite lovely – the pictures of Central Hotel from days gone by were particularly nice.
My favourite part though has got to be the champagne bar. It’s a very bizarre experience as you’re in this amazing 1930’s style champagne bar, and it’s all very lush and decedent…and you’re looking out on to central station. Talk about juxtaposition.
Entertainment for the evening included tap dancers in the champagne bar, caricatures in the John Logie Baird suite (yes I got one done), clairvoyant readings, actors acting old movie scenes, acrobatic dancers and Darius.Which I missed.
This is why…..
I was lucky to meet some wonderful people and get to see this new event space in Glasgow and see what they can do with it. There seemed to be a lot of thought put in to the evening, and I have to say the staff were very attentive. My companions and I were never short on champagne on canapes. I’d love to see what other kind of events they’ll use the space for – other than conferences – but it’s brilliant to see the Grand Central restored to it’s former glory.
I will leave you with more decedent fruit.
I’m not even sure what some of this is…