Well it was a real whirlwind but I have to say it’s been one of the most meaningful events we’ve ever produced. Read all about the planning of the Gala at the Gorge as well as the results in our blog here.
The Style Preview
See The Style Preview blog post HERE & The Style Preview video below & hit read more to find out all about our project.
Captivating Canapes with LOVEBITES
This is our first ‘business’ blog here at GE HQ, and we just had to write about one of our lovely new clients. You might know, that we offer a business consultancy, as well as an event agency, and often they work alongside each other to boost a business’s visibility and brand reach.
LOVEBITES are a fabulous high-end catering company based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. We worked together on a project at the Lakes by yoo, and since going freelance full time, the lovely ladies at LOVEBITES have taken on our services to raise their brand to the next level.
Irresistible Ischia – July 2016
I’ve got something of a back log of reviews to be writing, but I simply couldn’t resist skipping to our elegant SB to Ischia this July. What a sheer marvel this island is – I was inspired by various friends of ours escaping to the Amalfi coast, and I decided we needed to get in on the action. I am a sucker for various travel website newsletters, and I had heard tell of Ischia several times – the chic, authentic and under the radar sister island to Capri. I said to Mr G that we needed a break – it had been a difficult phase for both of us work-wise, and with a house purchase going through we were definitely ready for some sun and a full battery recharge. Cue the Terme Manzi Hotel, of the Relais & Chateau consortium.
The Cornwall Collective – March 2015
The Cornwall Collective, Year 1 – March 2015
We decided to take another SB in March 2015, this time a domestic affair, down to the lovely Cornwall, the home of so many childhood holidays. This one was a little off the cuff by anyone’s standards, let alone mine, but Mr G wanted to be impulsive, and so we were – as in booking the hotels in the car en route to Penzance.
Enigmatic Cabo Verde
Enigmatic Cabo Verde – February 2015
Cabo Verde, the still rather unknown collection of Islands, located East of Senegal & Gambia, is something of a gem. We booked a week here the day after my mother’s wedding (frankly needing a holiday to recover from the stress of it all!) and got a fabulous deal I have to say. Before I get onto that, briefly the flights were about £400 each – it’s almost 8 hours, but is somehow crazily classed as short haul – so it’s the zone of budget airlines & airbuses, for the longest time they can just about get away with – not pleasant. I presume it will be the same with Gambia that I’m keen to try – although a friend of mine, Ms C, advises they are a little anti-gay, so needs more research.
Made in Madeira
Made in Madeira
Right: The view from the rooftop pool of the Vine Hotel, with the Atlantic ocean extending before you.
This trip, back in a bright & sunny November (in Madeira that is…) was the start of something special, in many ways. Mr G & I had known each other for only 6 weeks, and we decided to go away for a little ‘SB’, to get to know one another more. It was here in Madeira, I think we can safely say that we fell in love – and we also fell head over heels for Madeira too.
Viewed as an island for the oldies, it might seem a strange choice on first glance. However, I am always keen to explore & I hadn’t visited before – it was a good choice in terms of weather (it’s about an hour by plane north of the Canaries), and it was economical too – flights were around £300 each both ways, with a flight time of about 4 hours.
For this trip, I booked everything independently, as the hotel we opted for had a great offer on, when booking direct.
Greater Expectations – Our Travel Journal
This blog is all about travel – and the pieces are all written by me, Mr E. My partner, Mr G, travels with me, and offers a different perspective to my own on the experiences we have been lucky enough to share. My background (and present!) is in running luxury, boutique hotels – so, without sounding too arrogant, I do know what I’m talking about – and I hope you will find our blog an insightful and useful when planning your travels.
Booking a holiday or a short break (‘SBs’ as we fondly know them), is often pretty stressful – the endless comparison sites, uncertainty on when really is the best time to book, the leap of faith when you finally do commit to a booking – I seem to be in an endless booking cycle, and it’s super important to me, that when we do arrive our expectations are met, and hopefully exceeded. That’s what makes memories, and that’s what travel is all about for us.
Who are we? In brief, we are a young, professional gay couple, currently without children – with our main tick boxes being luxury, culture, cuisine & climate. I mention that we are gay, as I think too, that it’s actually quite useful for other gay travellers to understand our experiences, which have not always been positive, to help them decide on their travel plans.
So, if our tick boxes are the same as your tick boxes, hopefully, you’ll find our blog interesting & useful. Oh – I cannot bear a buffet either. The theme runs through…
One final thing – I believe that preparation is everything, so, much to Mr G’s horror, I prepare itineraries for our holidays, spending time to research restaurants, excursions etc – I hate to feel like we’re wasting time, or not getting a true taste of where we are off to – so each break, has an accompanying itinerary if you wanted to follow in our footsteps!
Bon voyage!
great expectations 