Ladies' Night Out

Last night I hit the town with 'Fenella' to celebrate her birthday.  It was lovely to glam up a little and do something a bit different as, apart from our theatre trips, we tend to stay fairly local.

Mr Misfit offered to be our cabbie for the night, despite the fact that we said we wouldn't give him a tip - other than telling him to avoid cyclists or keep further to the left.  Top tip!

First we hit Cafe des Amis in Covent Garden and we were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne as promised to me on Twitter for giving them a shout out for their excellent service in the past.  What can I say about this restaurant?  I love it - friendly staff, excellent and varied food and surprisingly good value for money, considering its location.

We'd planned to walk to our next venue but, having both worn heels for the first time in a while, we hailed a cab and set off to High Holborn and Scarfes Bar.

Scarfes is part of The Rosewood Hotel, a beautifully restored Grade II-listed building which you approach through an arch leading to an Edwardian courtyard.  The entrance certainly has the WOW factor.

The bar itself has been ‘lovingly evolved into a living canvas by political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe’ and ‘meticulously designed’ by the renowned Martin Brudnizki.  Think opulent gentleman's club without the stuffiness, with its roaring fire, bookcases filled with over 1,000 antique books (heaven!) hand-picked by a Portobello antique dealer, low-key lighting, plush velvet armchairs and sofa seating.

I was slightly surprised to find that many tables were reserved, despite the fact that I'd been told that there was a 'no reservation' policy (maybe we're not posh enough!) but we were lucky enough to find a cosy table for two with a good view of the entertainment.  Admittedly, we almost fell off our beautifully upholstered leather arm chairs when we discovered that the House Wine was £50 a bottle!  £50!!!  I guess they have to pay their musicians somehow as there is no entrance fee but ...!  Anyway, after we'd slithered back into upright positions we settled in for the night and chatted as we waited for The Nick and Kitty Trio to start.

We were not disappointed!  With Nick Shankland on piano, accompanied by a trumpet player (sorry I have no name) Kitty LaRoar performed jazz standards with a voice that ran through us like deliciously thick whipped cream - what a talent!  I love to listen to a singer and feel that I have complete confidence in them and as Kitty sang and scatted away, expertly playing her miniature drum kit, I felt in wonderfully safe hands.  She was faultless.  When her husband Nick joined her, the feeling continued - his tone is easy and smooth, like molten treacle.  It's clear to see that they're married - wordless connections made their act classy and a joy to watch.

When other guests were presented with birthday cakes, Kitty sang Happy Birthday in a breathy Marilyn Monroe style which so suits her delightfully quirky look - a glamorous pocket rocket who makes you wonder where that huge (and sometimes small but incredibly effective) voice is kept.

If you want to listen for yourself, here's a sample:

It was a magical night. If you're in or around London, love live entertainment and are looking to do something a bit different, Scarfes Bar is like stepping back in time and will leave you feeling spoiled, if a little poorer!

DON'T FORGET!  'Lottie's Luck' is free until the end of today and you can pre-order 'Recipe for Change' NOW for delivery to your Kindle on Wednesday.

Montana goes Bananas!

How many rainy school holidays are spent as a parent sitting in a cinema watching a 'U' rated film to keep the kids amused?  This classification of films by the BBFC gives us the assurance that our children will be watching entertainment suitable for their age group.

'In order to protect children from unsuitable and even harmful content in films and videos and to give consumers information they might need about a particular film or video before deciding whether or not to view it, the BBFC examines and age rates films and videos before they are released.'

It makes sense, doesn't it?  We wouldn't take our family to see an 18 rated film and, furthermore, we wouldn't be allowed in.  I remember our son being questioned when he was 16 (and with us) as he didn't look old enough to view 'Paul' - rated 15.  Rules are rules and there for a reason.

So how come concerts aren't subjected to the same treatment?

I am, of course, referring to the current Miley Cyrus 'Bangerz' tour.  Hannah Montana she ain't anymore, and if I was the parent of a pre-pubescent child it would be my job to do my homework and - in my opinion - take the decision to put my foot down with a firm hand and say, 'No!  Sorry, I'm not taking you.'

Why would I allow my child to be encouraged to kiss a member of the same sex, make out, take drugs and be taught how to use a microphone for sexual gratification? It's not enough for the organisers to put a 'PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT' warning on the stage.  It's too late when you're there - it should be on tickets along with a classification.

And wouldn't this rating on concert tickets put an end to the thousands of conversations I'm sure have taken place up and down the country?  Everyone knows that one of the laws of parenting is that if you tell a child they can't do something, they'll want to do it even more.  Moral corrupters are driving a wedge between families by exploiting this as a marketing angle to gain more exposure.

CHILD:  But Lily's mum's taking her - it's not fair.

But, if the responsibility can be shifted to the music equivalent of the BBFC, the conversation would change to:

CHILD:  I want to go to the Miley Cyrus concert.
PARENT:  You can't, you're not old enough.  It's for over 18's only.

End of!

But while we have no ratings to guide us, parents should surely be using their own common sense.  In Miley Cyrus' case, they would have had to be living under a rock not to have picked up on the whole 'twerking' controversy before the latest tickets even went on sale.

Would you sit happily munching your popcorn in a cinema and watch this kind of stuff with your little darlings?  I doubt it.  So don't take them to see it live, purely because it's labelled 'music'.

Thankfully, I don't have to deal with these issues any more.  It's with a heavy heart, I wave goodbye to the 18 year old as he heads off to a 'Five Finger Death Punch' concert!