The ate days of Christmas

Leading up to Christmas there is just so much happening, so much festivity and so much food! 

Festivities really began for me last week after recording Marbella Now #MN243 with the very enjoyable festive business lunch at the Baltazaar restaurant in the Kempinski. 

The atmosphere, service and surroundings were the perfect complement to a delicious meal topped off with the cutest individual cheesecake, which normally I wouldn’t have eaten; but I did.

I then went ‘luncheoning’ again the next day with the ladies at Cindy Barnes’ Grapevine Christmas special. 

I was particularly excited about this event as I knew that I could also do some shopping at Sara Haley’s ‘Mapuchi Moda’ fashion show: a wonderful display of wearable and affordable things beautifully presented by local lassies to show us just how good they look on ‘normal’ people.

My next feast was at the Age Concern luncheon held at the Hogan Stand with volunteers, supporters and senior citizens all enjoying a truly abundant, delicious lunch whilst enjoying the harmonies of the Del Sol Singers (a big thank you John Smith for ‘starring’ me in your report of the event!!).

That same evening I had a completely different dining experience at the Costa Press Club dinner. The meal was also very good albeit not as appealing having just finished lunch, but so much fun to have a chance to meet and chat with the diverse members of our international press. 

There was also a special quiz prepared by Jesper Sander Petersen, the President, in which I won first place with my team partner Rachel Haynes, each of us taking home a rather lovely bottle of wine to mark our triumph.

The next evening I attended the International Theatre Group Christmas dinner at one of my favourite breakfast restaurants, The Urban Chai, and almost rolled out the door I felt so full.

Saturday was Charo’s clothes swap event, which also offered great food as well as an opportunity to swap your clothes with other lovely ladies. Well done to Charo for such an original way to raise more funds and awareness for the Butterfly Children Charity and a big thanks to Monique and Martina who also found things for me whilst doing their own swaps!

Following that was the Triple A gala dinner organised at Puente Romano. Another super success with a donation cheque of €20,000 being handed over to Triple A from the €1 added to each restaurant bill since the summer at the hotel; an incentive they’re carrying on into the new year. The menu was exquisite and abundant and again, I ate too much.

In fact for the past eight days all I’ve done is eat and there are still a few more lunches and dinners to go, plus family ones, so this year I think it’s safe to say ‘I ate Christmas!’