But today I was very happy to visit, for only the second time, a family business which, from the customer’s point of view, has most certainly got it right. I hesitate to tell you its name in case it becomes so popular that I can’t get a table next time I want a first class meal in central London - but it’s the season of goodwill so I shall. Pattersons. Mill Street. London W.1. This family affair produces fabulous food accompanied by great service at sensible west end prices. What’s not to like? Today’s main course of smoked haddock on a bed of bubble and squeak with a properly poached egg coated with a delicately herbed hollandaise sauce was simply sublime.

Now, if all families could harness their talents to work together imagine what we could achieve .

Happy Christmas

En route to the party I had planned to drop in on the posh auction house in Stourbridge, Fieldings.  Twice a year they hold a sale of Clarice Cliff works and, as I have a couple of vases, I wanted them  evaluated for the forthcoming sale  at the end of October.  Will of Fieldings (whom you might have seen on the Antiques Roadshow) enthused about one of them and we ended up spending a very jolly half hour talking about Clarice Cliff, the Eames brothers, and bent plywood chairs.  A pleasant encounter ended with a serendiptitious twist when it emerged that Will lives in the same road as the relatives whose party we were going to.   Weird.

I signed up for an induction to this strange-looking piece of kit and today was the day.  Hear it first from me (and no, I don’t do the PR for it) it’s BRILLIANT!  You do different exercises in 30 second bursts which means I can probably fit an hour-long Pilates class into about five minutes!  Paul, the gym physiologist who took me through the work out told me that the Power Plate will increase my muscle fibre, improve circulation, loosen joints, speed up the elimination of toxins, massage tired muscles - it sounds better than a weekend at a spa!  And, dare I say it, a very good antidote for a night out with friends.

What a difference a week makes!  The phone has scarcely stopped since I got back in yesterday lunchtime with all sorts of opportunities presenting themselves.  A client I last worked with about seven years ago has been in touch suggesting a meeting to discuss a new project.  An exisiting client is about to launch a fascinating new product based on the Microsoft SharePoint portal and I’ve started putting together the 12th edition of CareMail - an online resource for Practice Nurses) that I edit - for Johnson & Johnson Medical (www.care-mail.co.uk).

Add to that the imminent launch of a delicious new biscuit and it’s clear that August will get off to a cracking start.

There’s something extremely attractive about spontenaiety - and it’s something that,  in these gloomy days - we don’t get enough of.  From now on, if the spirit moves me, and I’m not eaving an important task undone, I shall seize the moment whether it’s to suddenly go for a swim, a manicure or coffee with a friend. I’ll be there!

To PR Newswire’s ‘Meet the Media’ event in SW1 last night. Guest speaker was Matthew Bishop of The Economist who, in between plugging his just-published book, offered some useful insight into the workings of this excellent publication. Hospitality was generous and following the Q&A session we were all invited to cross from one side of Royal Opera Arcade to the other where the photographer John Stoddart’s work was showcased in La Galleria.

On the street level of the gallery we played “if you could hang one of those at home which would you choose?” As I wasn’t wearing my specs I was somewhat chastened to be told rather sharply that I’d selected a photograph of Andrew Neil!

Downstairs we didn’t play any games at all – unlike the subjects in the photographs who were clearly enjoying themselves rather obviously without any clothes. Erotica? Or porn? You can check out some of the less raunchy images at www.johnstoddart.co.uk

The jury is out on the sagacity of spending our way out of a recession. No matter which view you take, there are some smart moves for your money which will put you ahead by a country mile when the climate improves.

Public relations grew up in the shadow of advertising and the old fashioned view is that it is still second-best - the poor man’s option, perhaps.

No matter how challenged your marketing budget, now could not be a better time to put your pounds into PR - an excellent investment when times are tough, and even when they’re not.

Why

Well, take a handful of experienced independent PR practitioners such as those belonging to the PRI. Between us we have a rather frightening number of years experience in the communications industry. We’ve worked in marketing, advertising, promotions, events management. We’ve worked as external press officers. We’ve bought in design, print, photography. Written brochures, reports and magazines. In short, we’re an amazingly skilled multidisciplinary team used to working face to face with our clients, transparently and cost efficiently.