When you decide to put on an event, you can either do all of the organising yourself, or get the help of an event management company. Either way, getting to grips with a few basic principles of project and event management will help you to make sure your event runs smoothly.

Event Management Principles

-        Set clear goals.

What is your event for? It might sound like an obvious question, but it is important you and everyone else involved in organising the event really understands what you are trying to achieve. Don’t say ‘we’re putting on a music event’. Say ‘we’re putting on a music event aimed at this group of people, with this kind of music’. Be clear and specific in your goal setting: vague goals are not really goals at all as they do not give you something real to work towards.

-        Know what you need to do.

Once you know what you are intending to do, make sure you know how to make it happen. Even if you are co-ordinating the event yourself, consider calling in the experts if a area of your event is outside your sphere of knowledge. Technical areas such as sound and lighting are generally best left to the professionals, and it is well worth making space in your budget for them. When it comes to those areas you can do yourself, look at how other successful events have achieved the things you want to and if possible, talk to the people involved for advice.

-        Consider every detail. It is important to get the big, headline goals right, but then you need to break them down so you have a clear plan of what you need to do, when you need to do it and how you need to do it. Event management professionals use specialist project management software to make sure they can see exactly how everything is to be done, and see when things slip. If you do not have access to that kind of software, you could use a spreadsheet program to make sure you keep control of everything. Think about everything: if you need to transport a group of people somewhere, know how many. Then if you need to book 7 seater cars rather than the standard 5 seaters, you will know in advance. Careful planning of small details can avoid you having to deal with big problems on the day.

-        Be flexible…but stick to your principles too.

You will probably find that you have to revise some aspects of your original plan as you go along, for financial or practical reasons. You might need to change your catering plans, for example, if you cannot find a company that can provide what you want for the right budget. Having to compromise is just part of managing an event. However, make sure if there are some things that are really important to you and the event that you prioritise them. If you want to put on a green event, and that is part of the event’s overall goal and purpose, do not be tempted to compromise and use suppliers that do not have good green credentials. Compromising on the big things means you compromise the event.

Putting on an event of any size can be challenging and stressful, but it can also be highly rewarding and often great fun. The sense of achievement when you’ve had a successful day or night and sent your guests home smiling is fantastic. For larger events, you might need a little help to get there: check out the Events for London listings to find reputable caterers, staff and equipment.

The AEO has said it will hold London Mayor Boris Johnson “personally responsible” for any decline of the West London events industry, following the news TfL will cut weekday tube services to Kensington Olympia from December.

September 2011 will see the launch of Quintessentially Epicure, the latest addition to the leading luxury lifestyle group, Quintessentially.

Quintessentially Epicure is a two day luxurious gastronomic event sponsored by Coutts, taking place at one of London’s most exquisite venues, The Hurlingham Club.

September 9th and 10th will see some of the world’s most renowned chefs, top international gourmet producers and the very finest wines and spirits from across the globe brought together in London for two days of epicurean bliss.

The event will offer guests the chance to experience demonstrations and tastings from a selection of the world’s best chefs, learn about global trends and innovations in food, beverage and cooking, sample the finest produce available, taste complimentary dishes from London’s leading restaurants including Maze, Tamarind, China Tang, Babbo, Aqua Nueva, Quince at The Mayfair Hotel and Bennetts Oyster Bar, experience the best wines, spirits and champagnes from around the globe and participate in talks from leading culinary experts.

Participating brands showcasing at the event include Taittinger (Quintessentially Epicure’s exclusive Champagne sponsor), Johnnie Walker Blue Label, La Masion du Chocolat, Pierre Hermé boutiques, Rougié Fois Gras, Imperial Caviar, Badoit, Evian, Oliveology, Iberica, Ibiza Delivers, Quintessentially Travel, Delonghi and more.

Guests will have a chance to:

• Experience demonstrations and tastings from some of the world’s best chefs
• Learn about new global trends and innovations in food, beverage and cooking
• Sample the finest produce available – caviar, fois gras, chocolates, fine Spanish hams and more
• Savour dishes from London’s leading restaurants
• Taste the very best wines, champagnes and spirits
• Participate in talks from well-known leading culinary experts
Participating chefs include:

• Marcus Wareing, Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley and The Gilbert Scott, London
• Hélène Darroze, The Connaught, London and Helene Darroze in Paris
• Brett Graham, The Ledbury, London
• Giorgio Locatelli, Locanda Locatelli, London
• William Curley, Belgravia and Richmond, London
• John Campbell, Dorchester’s Collection Cowarth Park, Berkshire
• Shaun Hill, The Walnut Tree, Wales
• Pierre Hermé, London, Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Strasbourg
• Phil Howard, The Square, London
• Heinz Beck, Aspleys, London; La Pergola, Rome
A highlight of the show will be a controversial and exciting blind tasting of a selection of New World Wines hosted by expert wine writer and critic Matthew Jukes.

Quintessentially Epicure will also be creating a unique coffee table book including profiles on all the participating chefs giving an intimate portrayal of their recipes, techniques and backgrounds as well as menus from participating restaurants, content from leading food writers and critics and trend features from the world’s leading luxury brands and names.

Quintessentially Epicure is sponsored by

Champagne Sponsor:

LOCATION: The Hurlingham Club, Ranelagh Gardens, London, SW6 3PR

DATES: Friday 9th September and Saturday 10th September 2011
For bookings and enquiries please contact tickets@quintessentiallyepicure.com
or visit www.quintessentiallyepicure.com

For further information and images please contact Quintessentially Communications:
christabel.mcconville@quintessentially.com / 020 3073 6751

-ends-

Ticket details:
Limited availability, tickets start from £100 and include complimentary tastings from a range of luxury producers and brands as well as a tasting dish to enjoy from each participating restaurant.

Standard Ticket (£100): includes degustations and tastings from all participating restaurants and brands, master-classes and discussions from experts in the food, wine and spirit from around the world and Champagne upon arrival.

Chef demonstrations and Degustations from 2pm – 8pm each day (£300 for one day, £500 for both days)
Includes demonstrations and tastings from five chefs each day paired with fine wines and spirits, one-on-one discussions with each chef, access to the VIP area, premium Champagne, access to all features of the main event and a Quintessentially Epicure coffee table book.

VIP (£170): access to all features of the main event as well as the VIP lounges which includes unlimited Champagne and spirits, premium liquors and cocktails, tastings of premium products from different brands and a Quintessentially Epicure coffee table book.

**Tables for large group tastings and VIP Hospitality packages are available upon request.

Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) – London’s premier celebration of design – returns with aplomb following its hugely successful 2010 inauguration, sponsored this year by Jaguar. The three-day festival takes place from 24 to 26 May 2011 and brings together a varied and vibrant programme of events spanning debates, discussions, presentations, exhibitions, installations, street parties and workshops all in the name of celebrating and embracing design.

Showcasing the latest product and furniture design innovations from over 50 British and international manufacturers – CDW crucially offers the unrivalled opportunity to see many world launches of new furniture and interior accessories. For many companies it’s also the first opportunity to see products that were launched at the Milan furniture fair in April.

Clerkenwell-based showrooms participating at CDW 2011 include: Ahrend, Wilkhahn, Steelcase, Orangebox, Haworth, Kusch and co, Strata Tiles, Boss, Hands, Modus, Silverline, Bene, Triumph, B-loose, Knoll, Girsberger, Brunner, Forbo, Desso, Koleksiyon, Poltrona Frau, Interstuhl, Hettich, Vitra, Moroso, Milliken, Lammhults and Bulo. Many will be staging exclusive new product launches, talks with high profile speakers and VIP parties – all this and even Clerkenwell’s own fashion style spotters will be roaming the streets reporting on the latest trends!

New to this year’s event is The House of Detention venue – a subterranean Victorian prison hidden in the heart of Clerkenwell. Not usually open to the public, this unique space will house site-specific installations and innovative product displays for the duration of CDW. Exhibitors include; Timorous Beasties who will be showing a series of brand new lace material patterns designed for modern architectural spaces; Multi-award winning illustrator Lizzie Mary Cullen whose unique style has been spotted by Harvey Nicholls and Italian restaurant chain Zizzi. She will be treating visitors to live drawing and interactive workshops; Bark Furniture will be launching two new additions to its Acorn Collection, The Sideboard and The Chest of Drawers; Design duo Steffen Ringelmann and Vibeke Arnt-Jensen who established The RAD Gallery, which is devoted to showcasing emerging art and design talent will be launching their latest UK enterprise with an exhibition celebrating the work of lighting designer Dari Bae and her handmade chandeliers.

Once again, CDW will take up ‘residency’ at the Farmiloe Building on St John Street, housing a pop-up design exhibition, featuring cutting edge displays and installations from an array of international designers and organisations from across London and further afield. Exhibitors include; Anglepoise will be launching a new product with design director Kenneth Grange; Bolon will be launching its new Artisan collection, manufactured using a new proprietary-developed fibre; Hitch Mylius will be celebrating their 40th anniversary and showcasing new products from its furniture collection; Ligne Roset continues their collaboration with the Bouroullec Brothers and will be showing the new 2011 collection which includes the Ploum sofa, a ripe, voluptuous ultra-flexible sofa that offers the ultimate in comfort; Nigel Coates will be showing his brand new lighting collection manufactured by Italian firm Slamp, alongside pieces from his Animalia furniture collection designed in collaboration with Fratelli Boffi. Independent British design talent James UK, Dare Studio, Jennifer Newman and James Burleigh will be showing their latest innovations alongside cultural institutions such as the Barbican who will be popping up with temporary design stores.

One-off commissions also play a large part in the festival and aim to engage visitors in topical issues currently preoccupying the design world. This year’s special features, confirmed to date include – a life-size pin art installation by internationally acclaimed handbag designer Lulu Guinness; a specially designed giant inflatable structure entitled The Emotion Maker by Berlin based experimental architecture group Plastique Fantastique, and a curated exhibition by product designer Oscar Diaz and his studio Federal Office called Political Objects which will show products and images that represent the shifting ideologies of a new generation of designers.

“We are delighted to announce the return of Clerkenwell Design Week in May 2011,” comments Daren Newton, CDW founder. “Building on a hugely successful launch, one that exceeded all our wildest expectation, 2011 is already shaping up to be bigger and better. We’re continuing to attract not just huge amounts of interest from the design community, but also from the visiting public who seem to have an unquenchable thirst for design. We look ahead to a busy few months bringing it all together.”

Canary Wharf Group (CWG) has plans to organise corporate and community events during the London 2012 Games.

CWG is in discussions with Tower Hamlets Council and Wood Wharf Partnership to use the Wood Wharf area, situated east of the Estate, to host the events.

“We’re looking at ways that we can help Canary Wharf workers and the local community celebrate London 2012,” said CWG special projects manager Katy Doggett.

“We’ll be holding an array of performing arts and events on the Canary Wharf Estate in 2012 and we’re also planning to include the Wood Wharf space in this effort.”

Other venues to host the planned events includes Canada Square Park and East Wintergarden.

Bringing together London, the lifestyles within and the people that make us one of the most talked about and visited place in the world, this prestigious event will be taking place on Thursday 6^th October 2011 from 7pm

The evening consists of a drinks reception, followed by a 3 course dinner with wine and cocktails, whilst celebrating the great, and the good of the lifestyle industries in London.

The 18 award categories range from London’s Bar, Club, Restaurant, Coffee Shop, Hotel, to London Fashion Retailer and Personality of the Year. The awards recognise the achievements and best contributors to our Capital, and at just £1900 + VAT  per table of 10 or £200 + VAT per ticket, you too could be laughing, enjoying and appreciating what makes London the greatest city on earth!

So it’s time to come together, it’s up to you, who’s your London winner??

Save the date, nominate a winner, see what is happening this year,  look at pictures from last year and get your tickets now by visiting www.londonlifestyleawards.com or contacting Emily Pain by emailing emily@londonlifestyleawards.com, or calling  0207 1602055.

Celebrate London and the lifestyles within in style…

London lifestyle Awards October 6^th 2011.

It has been 20 years since the first Lovers’ Guide video exploded onto our screens and rocked our world. Seems like yesterday? Think back: a lot has changed, and a whole lot of that is because of the Lovers’ Guide.

Now, we are ready with the release of the 3D Lovers’ Guide: Igniting Desire. It’s on DVD, on Blu-Ray and, for the first time ever, in cinemas – potentially near you! (If it’s not listed yet on your local cinema’s schedule, nag, cajole, pester… Get it in there!!)

For those of you living in London, book tickets now for the 3D experience in London’s West End at the Apollo on Piccadilly Circus. We’re running there each night at 9.00 from January 28th. Book now!!

More dates and locations to be announced. DO get on to your local – no matter where you may be – and say we want to see the 3D Lovers’ Guide (distributed by Optimum) right there this Valentine’s.

For a behind the scenes taster, here’s the TV interview with the Lovers’ Guide Creator Robert Page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2l9KzWOzI
And to whet your appetite further, here is an interview in print: http://www.loversguide.com/straight/sex/sex-articles/article/3-d-lovers-guide-creator-robert-page-interviewed.html

Right, that’s about it from us for this week! (Don’t forget your Valentine’s treats in the Lovers’ Guide shops!!)
Happy loving – and we’ll see you in glorious 3D on the silver screen!!

Contact email: info@e-digitaldesign.co.uk
Phone: + 44 (0)20 7287 8412

Chinese New Year 2011, the Year of the Rabbit, falls on 3 February. And London’s main celebrations will be held on Sunday 6 February.

The main London Chinatown Chinese Association celebration takes place in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, and Chinatown.

Chinese New Year in Central London

For Chinese New Year 2011, Trafalgar Square hosts traditional and contemporary Chinese entertainment such as dance, music and acrobatics as well as firecrackers, Chinese dragons and lions.

Meanwhile, Chinatown will be bustling with special decorations, stalls, food and lion dance displays. Shaftesbury Avenue hosts a local performance stage featuring performances by Chinese artists.

Entry is free to the 2011 Chinese New Year celebrations in Trafalgar Square and Chinatown.

More Chinese New Year Events in London

• Many of London’s Chinese restaurants mark Chinese New Year with special menus and events. Contact individual restaurants for details.
• The Victoria & Albert Museum celebrates Chinese New Year with a day of free activities on 30 Jan.  
• The Wallace Collection host a Chinese New Year silk painting workshop on 5 Feb

About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is a huge festival among Chinese communities in London and across the world.

Based on the lunar and solar calendars, the actual date of Chinese New Year varies, but always falls between late January and mid February.

Each year in the Chinese calendar is represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac and 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit.

Book Chinese New Year Entertainment

National houses are set up during the Olympics to provide VIP entertainment space, a venue for events for medal-winners, media facilities and office accommodation. Only a handful of deals have been confirmed, but 30 or so countries are likely to set up luxurious camps in London.

Docklands Museum in East London, part of the Museum of London, where the major games events will be held, is the first national house to be arranged and will become the German Haus. The museum will remain open to visitors, but the converted sugar warehouse is large enough to lease considerable space. In addition to the cash rent, the German National Olympic Committee will fund improvements to the building, providing a lasting legacy.

Somerset House is to become Casa Brazil. The courtyard level will remain open to the public but the whole of the 18th-century piano nobile, which overlooks the River Thames, will be taken over. The Embankment Galleries will host an exhibition on Brazilian design. The courtyard will be the venue for a spectacular party at the end of the London Olympics, when Brazil takes over as host for the Rio games in 2016.

Russia is negotiating with Westminster City Council to build a temporary pavilion at Marble Arch (the arch itself is owned by English Heritage). The Maison de France will be in Old Billingsgate, a former fish market in the City of London. The Holland Heineken House, sponsored by the beer company, will be in Alexandra Palace, a Victorian entertainment centre