Cafe Bebe’s Day Out in London

Nov 21, 2010 by cafebebemama

It started with a dash to the Peterborough Train Station and a slightly crowded train journey to London. Said train ride was made infinitely better thanks to a Caramel Hot Chocolate from the machine that is Starbucks. And a bit of Twitter to make the backward facing journey decidedly more enjoyable.

If you’ll remember back to my Mother & Baby Awards post, I was off to London to attend what I anticipated to be a rather fab evening. In addition to the pish-posh party, I was meeting friends from Fleishman-Hillard for lunch and a client who I am working with on a delightful (if I do say so myself) blog and social media campaign.

I enjoyed a scrummy mussels & frites lunch at Belgos, travelled ALL THE WAY to Hammersmith/Fulham Palace Road and had a BUS RIDE for only the second time in my life! You see, I rarely take the bus in London. I rely on Tube transport most of the time and my own two feet the rest of the time. But I was time constrained so I decided to hop on the 220 bus for a wee ride down Fulham Palace Road. Of course I rode on the top deck. Here was my view:

Exciting stuff no? After a great meeting with my client and a bit of getting turned around on unfamiliar Tube lines, I managed to get myself to my hotel for the evening. I was booked into the Thistle Hyde Park which was the perfect location- adjacent to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park and only about a 15 minute walk down from Marble Arch and the start of Oxford Street. Not that I got to enjoy Oxford Street as I only had about 45 minutes to catch my breath, bathe & change in time for the taxi ride to the Mother & Baby Awards.

I was attending the Mother & Baby Awards as a guest of Fleishman-Hillard, Pampers and UNICEF which was exceptionally generous. I must say that after 18 years of putting on an awards “do”, Mother & Baby really know how to throw a party! There were about 50 tables of 8-10 people on each table (you do the maths), funky (rather too loud, to be honest) pop music, loads of wine & champers, a quite yummy dinner and lovely (if somewhat shouted) conversation with my table mates. We were entertained by Jason Manford (oh dear, the scandal) and watch over 20 categories of every baby product known to man and mum win awards. It was a very enjoyable evening even if I did miss my hubby and Little Miss. I even managed to stay up until after 1am! What a night!

I managed to lift my head from the pillow at about 7:15am which figures. The one time where I could have an uninterrupted lie-in in a VERY dark room, I am awake (with a slight headache) from 7:15! I enjoyed a wonderful breakfast and great conversation with my fellow honoured blogger Rosie and a delightful midwife called Nicky who had accompanied Rosie on her journey to Cameroon this past summer. The sun was shining and there was nary a cloud in the sky so I enjoyed a bit of London sunshine and fresh air before schleping back across London to Kings Cross and back home again. When I arrived back in Peterborough, I was greeted by 2 Pudsey Bears who were collecting money for Friday night’s Children in Need appeal. I’m not sure that Pudsey should have been doing this though…

All in all I spent 28 hours away from my family (yes, I counted) but I had a rather fantastic 28 hours with fun, great work and breathing space rolled into one. Cafe Bebe’s day out in London was pretty darn good I have to say.