Introduction

Happy New Year! Welcome to our January newsletter and to a fantastic new year of original and thrilling SaVVy Club events.

Now that the Christmas break and festivities are long forgotten and you are settling back in at work, it’s not all doom and gloom with a whole host of SaVVy Club events coming your way from April.

This issue highlights the beauty of Rowhill Grange Spa, a review of the final event of 2006 at Clarence House, The SaVVy Club re-launch and a look to what’s ahead for 2007.

 Rowhill Grange

Whilst you were relishing your Christmas breaks, I was up and out and about investigating opportunities for SaVVy Club events for 2007. A friend of mine recently recommended Rowhill Grange Hotel & Spa in leafy Kent, so I had to go and check it out, of course.

Conveniently located, only a 30 minute drive from my home in Canary Wharf, Rowhill Grange is very pretty and inviting – the Mail on Sunday recently rated RHG as one of the top 50 spas in the world. 

Originally built as a summer house for a teenager to enjoy in 1868, the building has seen several occupants through the years – including a Lord Mayor of London - before being converted into a country house and hotel in the late 1980s. 

I slept in a sumptuous 4-poster bed and took advantage of all the luxuries on offer including the jacuzzi and steam room. There’s an extensive selection of tempting spa treatments to choose from, and if you have difficulty making your mind up, I can tell you that the Japanese hot oil massage was absolutely heavenly (well someone had to test it!).

Before dinner, I was invited to meet the general manager and fellow guests.  We were very generously treated to several glasses of some seriously good champagne (the canapes were pretty tasty too!).  The New Year's Eve dinner in Truffles (their 2AA Rosette Restaurant) was a gourmet feast and the attention to detail was impressive.  We were serenaded by a Scottish Piper and indulged in seven courses.

All in all, it was very memorable and exceeded all expectations – I can definitely feel a Savvy weekend being held there!

Clarence House

The SaVVy Club brought 2006 to a close with an impromptu dinner event held at Clarence House. 

Built in 1827, Clarence House was the London home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002 and was also the home of The Queen (then Princess Elizabeth) and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947. Today, it is the official London residence of The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.

Guy Massey wrote back to us to say…

Well done on organising such a unique and fantastic visit for The SaVVy Club to Clarence House in December.  To see this Royal palace bedecked in Christmas decorations was a stunning sight, and a surprise visit by Prince Charles and Camilla increased the excitement in the group.  The afternoon went ever so smoothly, and I'm hugely impressed that you got security clearance for us all into the house of the Heir to

the throne.  Having stocked up on plenty of Clarence House and Highgrove gifts for my family, we capped off a great event with a "powwow" at the Texan Embassy for dinner.  Very much looking forward to future events with The SaVVy Club.

The SaVVy Club Birthday Party

The Birthday party for The SaVVy Club will be in April 2007.  Tempting members both old and new, the revitalised SaVVy Club returns with a brand new logo but with the same feted brand values.

In usual SaVVy style, this is not going to be a quiet affair as we are going all out in Brazilian Carnival mode! Bringing traditional Brazilian themes to a new venue in London; caipirinha, tropical flavours and intoxicating rhythms will create a stunning alternative to the April showers.   

To remind you, membership of The SaVVy Club will transform your social life with our access to inside information, contacts and knowledge, tickets, venues and people. You will also be saved the time and hassle of booking tickets and enjoy the social benefits of exciting new friendships and networking opportunities.

The exceptional service from The SaVVy Club also includes free monthly email newsletters and weekly event alerts, access to the private members area of the Savvy Club website and a bespoke service for personal and corporate events.

SaVVy Events for 2007

Even though I will keep the full details under wraps for now, here is a mouth-watering selection of events and outings planned so far for the year:

dinner at the exclusive Kew Palace (only 4 dinners ever held there, including the Queen's 80th birthday dinner!)

a walking tour highlighting the contemporary architecture in the Square Mile, led by renowned architect Ken Allinson

a scenic cruise on the ancient canal boat Tarporley, with a silver service gourmet picnic in Regent’s Park

a Scottish experience weekend in the beautiful Trossachs featuring a demonstration and dinner cooked by, and with, chef Nick Nairn to include the main dish he prepared for the Queen’s 80^th birthday

an exhilarating VIP helicopter tour along the Thames with a champagne and canapé reception