Tuesday 23rd May | 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
28:50 Oxford Circus | Market Place | 4 Great Portland St, | W1W 8QJ
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28-50 By Night | 76 Jason Court | Wigmore Street | W1U 2SJ
Thursday 26th January
We knew, on paper, that this pairing made perfect sense. In their purest forms, both chocolate and spirits are made from a simple set of ingredients that combine to produce a whole variety of diverse flavours. But nothing quite prepared us for the buzz this event would create in the already atmospheric setting of 28:50 By Night. Our senses were taken on a journey of sensory pleasure.
We were privileged to have the foremost trio of experts, Chantal Coady, the only person ever to be awarded an OBE for services to chocolate making, event host Paul Flatts of Whisky Drams, and Lucy Clare Tidal Rum’s Ambassador, who led our guests through the blind tasting. 28:50’s Head Sommelier Jules Bensacq presided over the whole event, taking care of the details right from the planning stage to shaking and serving.
Three shimmering glasses of varying shades of gold were lined up in front of us to smell, swirl and taste. And what a pleasure these were. Voted the world’s best whiskey, Green Spot Leoville Barton was paired with delicious Grenada Special Cuvée 85% Broken Dark Chocolate, bringing out the clove and nutmeg in the whiskey. Lucy took us on the Tidal Rum journey, with a sense of freedom that the sea awakened in us with the subtle coastal flavours, paired adventurously with white chocolate with foraged fennel and cardamom. Jules guided us through the pure pleasure of the Delamain Pale & Dry XO Premier Cru Grande Champagne Cognac, which Chantal paired with chocolate-coated candied orange. Such extravagant flavour pairings.
A special treat was Chantal sharing the unique taste of raw cocoa, a smooth fruity, tropical, tart, and naturally sweet subtle flavour.
The Chocolate Detective team is working with cocoa farmers in Grenada and highlighting sustainable chocolate made at grassroots level (“Tree to Bar”) and keeping value in local economies. The voyage this chocolate follows is 99% emission-free, and it’s made even more special by watching this short video and appreciating its uniqueness. Sailboat Chocolate.
Thank you to the Mixology Team at 28:50, who managed multiple glasses during the tasting. They calmly went on to create a sea of cocktails with the Tidal Rum; Old Fashioned and Espresso Martinis spun out of their shakers.
Some lovely feedback –
Hi Barbara, thanks for a fun night. Great fun and made many new friends also good to reconnect with a few people I hadn’t seen for a while !! Cheers. R
Thank you, Barbara for a wonderful evening. I had too much fun xx
Dear Barbara, thank you so much for a lovely evening, let me know when the next one is please! x
Thursday 26th January 2023 | 6:00 pm – 8.00 pm
28-50 By Night | 76 Jason Court | Wigmore Street | W1U 2SJ
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The Italian Job Party l The Italian Greyhound, Marylebone
Wednesday 2nd November 2022
Our Italian Job party was a roaring success despite the absence of the fleet of red, white, and blue minis. Michael Caine’s character Charlie Croker would have agreed it was a party with the spirit of dolce vita. Beep Beep!
Our stylish party was in the elegant Italian Greyhound restaurant, our private downstairs space was filled to the brim. The atmosphere was warmed by pleasantly low-decibel jazz.
The room was in excellent spirits, with at least 35 new people who were just such fun to have there and who mixed enthusiastically with our regulars, which, as usual, felt like a group of treasured and fun friends.
More marvellous memories were made in this W1 basement, adding to the many we have gathered over the year Including our delight to see some new couples move their conversation upstairs to the dining room of the graceful hound. The menu is perfect to share and to enjoy sharing conversations a plenty.
Thank you to the team at the Italian Greyhound for being such welcoming hosts.
Some lovely feedback –
Thank you for the wonderful event on Wednesday night. It’s such a lovely place you have created, it feels safe and inviting and easy to meet people and make friends, just delightful, thank you.
Another great party, everyone was very friendly. You always manage to assemble a good mix of interesting and fun people. Thank you, Barbara, for being such a great hostess, looking forward to the next one!
Thank you, Barbara, it was a lovely, lively evening – such a great turn out. Thoroughly enjoyable as always! Well worth braving the lashing rain. The evening always seems to go so quickly, catching up with old acquaintances and making new friends, and then all to soon it’s time to head home….
Swipe Fever
When we first tried digital apps in our late thirties, we were mesmerized by the bells and whistles of app dating. How deliciously exciting we found everyone.
On the face of it, there were so many gorgeous single people with dogs, beautiful lives, and fantastic interests. We had a niggling suspicion a lot of creativity went into these profiles.
You’ve swiped right, you’ve swiped left, you’ve Coffee-Met-Bageled, Hinged, and become Restless. Is digital swiping really how we’re supposed to find flings, friends, partners, and more? If you’re kind of into that sweet swiping sensation, you may be addicted, or you may be fatigued.
App Fatigue
A few years on the apps and a sequence of meetups only reinforced my feeling of lack of reality. Somewhere between the interior designer (aka painter decorator) who turned up to date with a cat flap as we talked about my indoor cats. Then there was the McLaren driving guy I nicknamed ‘Mr Fifty Pound Note’ need I say more on that one. I began to grow tired of strange things, messages, and being ghosted. That was a few years ago, and, in the intervening period, I’ve deleted and re-downloaded dating apps every three months or so as my tolerance for weirdness has waxed and waned. And never was I more ready to delete them than after Covid.
I got to reading and agreeing with sex and relationship educator Ms Ruby Rare, author of Sex Ed: A Guide For Adults. “It’s rare that you stumble upon someone completely out of the blue.” She argues that dating without apps is as much about expanding our own interests as it is about meeting others. “I think wanting to meet someone can be quite fraught because there’s a lot of chance involved, so it’s good to focus on what you can control,” she says. “Take a class, join a club, do an activity that will enrich your life, regardless of whom you meet there.”
Expand and Explore
If the right person does present themselves out of the blue, she’s also a big believer in seizing the moment, “as long as you approach without expectation,” she says. “Striking up a conversation isn’t about persuading someone to go out with you, and you’ve really got to be aware of your presence and the impact it can have.
“I think wanting to meet someone can be quite fraught… so it’s good to focus on what you enjoy and place yourself in the right environments.”
Rare likes to approach with a compliment and see if it naturally leads to a conversation. “That way, even if the person isn’t interested, I can congratulate myself on having been brave enough to chat to someone,” she says. “If it does lead to a conversation, be tactful. I’ll say, ‘I’m really enjoying chatting with you. Would it be OK to have your number so we can keep talking? Absolutely no worries if not.'”
Feel confident to build a circle of new friends of both sexes, be honest and approachable.
Many lasting connections come from introductions and shared experiences, build out yours.
The Right Places
If I put myself in the right place, people will start talking at the right time. The right places include members’ clubs, Home House, Shoreditch House, gigs, sports meetups with a social aspect and pubs that aren’t too posh.
The Right Attitude
“Online dating shouldn’t take the place of real-world interactions, and it’s important to engage in offline relationships,” “We know that social support can be a protective factor against stress. So even if it’s playing sports with [friends] or spending a night, it’s important to take breaks from online dating and engage in real-time social interactions.”
If you feel like you need a digital dating detox, experts say the best way to meet people in real life is simply to get out and do the things you enjoy. The best way to meet people who will enjoy the things you do is to actually do them.
Of course, rarely one finds a future husband or wife on the first outing, and we recommend you come to at least three socials.
Rendezvous
Rendezvous creates an environment where single professional people can meet without all the pressure of online dating. Each party has the vibe of an impromptu celebration. Our regular guests are welcoming, laid back, but lively. Instead of the usual chat-up routines, everyone engages in conversation.
Our small team helps introduce people, mixing up the crowd to create a relaxed environment where you can be yourself.