Will Denizen, the new name for Hilton's boutique hotel brand, supposedly rivalling W et al, prove to be a major success and culmination of months of planning by former W-man Ross Klein, or will it be a prime example of what critics of the global brands getting their hands on boutique hotels fear - concepts by boardroom consensus? Check out the Denizen website - wait for it citizens of the world - till 100 in fact, before your corporate video begins. What do you think?
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and balladeer who has become one of the country's most celebrated icons. And every year on his birthday on 25 January Scots across the world pay tribute to their national hero with a special feast.
Burns Suppers have been part of Scottish culture for more than 200 years and the basic format for the evening has remained unchanged since its inception, with haggis, Scotch whisky and perhaps a poem or two being the order of the day.
Dinner usually includes a starter of traditional cock-a-leekie soup before the main course of "Haggis wi' bashit neeps an' champit tatties" (haggis with mashed potatoes and swedes), followed by a sweet course of "clootie dumplin" (a pudding prepared in a linen cloth or cloot) or "Typsy Laird" (a Scottish sherry trifle). Afterwards comes the cheese board, served with bannocks (traditional oat-cakes) and tea or coffee.
After dinner a host of toasts and speeches are made including the loyal toast, immortal memory and toast to the lasses.
The Cardiff Hilton has come over all festive and created a gingerbread nativity scene for its reception area.
In a move that would please Hansel and Gretel, if not Christian purists, the chefs at the Cardiff hotel have used gingerbread "bricks" with chocolate icing "cement" and roofs made out of rolls of chocolate and icing icicles (of course), to create their edible homage to the baby Jesus.
All rather wonderful, but although Kitchen Rat will not claim to be an authority on the good book, we can't quite recall a "dark chocolate Ferris wheel" or an "iced ice rink" featuring alongside the three wize men as in this interpretation. A new take on the three kings guided by a star, perhaps?
Still, it's for a good cause, namely Pocketful of Presents, which provides Christmas presents for under privileged children in the local community, so we'll overlook the chefs' unbridled creativity and say well done and Merry Christmas!
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