christmas parties galore

9 am Today it’s Thursday, and after a Christmas party every evening this week, I feel exhausted.
 
The party season kicked off on Monday with client K’s Christmas party, involving a lot of merriment, noisy dinner in Mexican restaurant next to sex shop in Soho, and a complimentary bottle of Tequila that I wisely avoided.                          
 
Next day off to a swish party at beauty salon in Knightsbridge, owned by a well-known and charming socialite (oh yes, they do exist!). The room was heaving with friends and frenemies and once the frenemies outnumbered the friends, it was time to leave.
 
But party of the week has to go to the Mail on Sunday on Wednesday night, a much sought after invitation where powerful alliances can be forged or broken. Well attended by journalists, agents, minor celebrities eager to offer fodder for gossip columns and features, the atmosphere was smouldering. I spotted famous Mail on Sunday columnist Liz Jones, standing by the door towering over everybody in her vertiginous heels (no doubt Louboutin). Having read in her column that she loathed parties as nobody would talk to her (difficult to believe!), I went up to her. She complimented me on my dress which was a big deal I guess, as she’s also an influential fashion journalist. After about ten minutes chat I gave her my card and she declared I was going to be her BFF from now on and promised to email me. No email so far, needless to say.
 
But highlight of the evening was bumping into diminutive and adorable musician Jamie Cullum in the cloakroom, on his way home after performing for an 80th birthday party in the building. Damn! Forgot to have a picture taken with him!
 
Partied out – now it’s time to buckle down to some work in spite of a throbbing headache.
Meeting fashion client later to discuss organising a trunk show in a West End hotel in January. Before then, I mustn’t forget to order flowers for client A, whose birthday is in a couple of days – why? oh why? do people have birthdays so near Christmas? – and order the usual claret/champagne/port hampers from Fortnum & Mason before the Christmas delivery deadline for a couple of key journalists who are always so supportive.
 
10.50 am Trying to arrange piece in City A.M. for client, after my pitch was met with some enthusiasm. Yay! As the deadline seems to be Tuesday, ring up journalist who’d given me his mobile number.  We agree in the end best to wait for New Year as all that people are interested in at this time of year is Christmas parties. I must say, I had to agree ...

11.30 am So it’s time for some social media for client. I pen a piece on the #MeToo movement for her blog and LinkedIn page, after some interesting news pop up on Bloomberg news, and fire it off for approval. Within half an hour a completely re-drafted piece lands in my inbox making it clear we aren’t singing from the same hymn sheet. Good job I checked!

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​1.10 pm Notice Pantone, the global authority on colour, declares “Live Coral” to be the official colour for 2019. Quickly check the range of nail varnishes of my beauty client to find a hue that closely resembles this vibrant tone. Sure enough, amongst their 200 + colours there is the perfect Live Coral! Do some quick posts on their social media platforms.

3 pm Have to get ready for my appointment with fashion client. At the underground station I pick up a copy of the Evening Standard. Can’t believe my eyes! They’ve published my letter I’d sent a couple of days earlier about one of my pet subjects - Brexit.

​6 pm. Back from my meeting and with a Christmas present from client – a most elegant top. Tempted to change my mind about not going out tonight yet to another Christmas party, just so I can wear my new wardrobe piece, but in the end party fatigue wins.

​After an unusually quiet evening and before going to bed, I check my emails. Still nothing from my new BFF Liz Jones.
 
Well, tomorrow is another day…

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