Work
Office* 2011
15-16 September, Earls Court, London, www.officeshow.co.uk, 01273 645110
You still have time to register online for free entry to the office* 2011 show. Specifically for PAs, executive assistants and office managers, exhibitors range from conference venues and office suppliers to travel specialists and recruitment agencies. Get in quick for your pick of the 32 conference programme sessions, where celebrity speakers include Michelle Mone and Jacqueline Gold. New features for this year’s show include the Destination & Venue Village and the Office Managers Village. Seminars and master classes are £89 for three one-hour sessions, or £39 for each session.
Sport
2011 Formula 1 Santander
British Grand Prix
8-10 July, Silverstone, www.silverstone.co.uk, 0844 3750740
The atmosphere for the British leg of the Formula 1 tour is always electric and this year will be no exception. Clients always love a big motor racing event and there’s the added bonus of seeing British rivals Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button jostling for pole position on home turf. Tickets start from £56.17.
The Longines Royal International Horse Show
26-31 July, Hickstead, West Sussex,
www.hickstead.co.uk
It may be one of the oldest horse shows in the world, but the Longines Royal International Horse Show is still a great event for summer corporate entertaining. Elite equestrians compete side by side in a variety of disciplines, from showjumping to eventing. Tickets start from £15.
Cowes Week
31 July-7 August, Cowes, Isle of Wight,
www.cowesweek.co.uk
It’s been going since 1826 and now Cowes Week is one of the UK’s longest-running and most successful events. There are 40 daily races for over 1,000 boats, making it the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. Even if you don’t want to take to the water yourself, you can still go along to watch the sailing and soak up the atmosphere.
Entertainment
Wizard of Oz
London Palladium, 0844 412 2957
You can’t beat a good West End musical when it comes to entertaining clients. This Andrew Lloyd Webber production ticks all the boxes, with Michael Crawford as the wizard and Danielle Hope (the winner of BBC1’s Over the Rainbow) as Dorothy. We bet you can’t come away from the Palladium without humming/singing ‘We’re off to see the wizard…’ Tickets from £25.
Miró
Until September 11, Tate Modern
Spanish artist Joan Miró is one of the most iconic surrealist painters, filling his works with luxuriant colour. The first major retrospective of his work here for nearly 50 years, this exhibition includes more than 150 of his paintings, drawings, sculptures and prints, many of them works that we know and love. Tickets are £15.50.
Focus on... Leeds
Staying
For a boutique hotel with a bit of character, check out 42 The Calls (0113 244 0099, www.42thecalls.co.uk). Once an 18th-century corn mill, it’s now a four-star hotel overlooking the River Aire and just a short walk from Leeds station. Rooms are smart and contemporary and start from £85 per night, excluding breakfast. If your boss likes to stick with what he knows, you can’t go wrong with Malmaison (0845 365 4247, www.malmaison.com). The Leeds incarnation was once a bus company office, but you’d never know that from the inside. The 100 rooms are trademark Mal, plus there’s a great bar and brasserie for either entertaining or when the boss is off duty. Rooms start from £99.
Eating
OK, you could stay and eat in your own hotel, but why not venture further afield and try some of the other hotels in town? One of Leeds’ best-kept secrets, The Restaurant at The New Ellington (0844 815 9833, wwwbespokehotels.com) is luxurious and discreet with a retro 50s feel. Ideal for breakfast meetings, an afternoon rendezvous or dinner, the food is modern British and the wine list is excellent. Main courses from £12.50. Another favourite is Chino Latino (0.113 380 4080, www.chinolatino.eu) in the luxurious Plaza Hotel. This mega-trendy, award-winning restaurant has (as the name suggests) a Latino cocktail bar and stunning pan-Asian menu. Signature dish is lobster jungle curry. Three courses are £9.95.
Entertainment
If you need to book dinner and a show, you’ll probably want to check out the playlist at The Grand Theatre & Opera House Leeds (0844 848 2706, www.leedsgrandtheatre.com). Upcoming shows include Evita (5-18 July), Blood Brothers (18-23 July) and Agatha Christie’s Verdict (15-20 August). Or if the weather’s good, there’s always Opera in the Park on 30 July at Temple Newsam Park. Tickets are £12.