Royal Ascot 2008 Opening Day

Wear does a girl start. Ascot this year was superb. On the tuesday I was highlighted, nails applied and St Tropez plastered over all visible body parts. Squeezed the parts of my body that have not seen the gym in weeks were incarserated in my Suzanne and Trinny trim pants. Karen Millen swished overhead a bit of negotiation with the zip/flesh and i was fit to trot.

Picnic in Car Park 7 with friends and then off to see the Queen. The stand is very civilised the expanses of wobbly flesh and breasts on high wires have been banished. The crowd is a vision of elegance and decorum.. but we are in the Royal Enclosure. The husband is exchanging betting tips with Eddie Jordan in the queue for a real bet!

Friday 20th- Ascot at its Best

6am I am up as I have an event for 180 at Thorpe Park, conference then on park team build. The car is loaded with champagne, first aid pack, picnic rugs 12, Cushions 65 red large , toiletries for the delegates and flowers. 7am check in the northern coaches have left to head down, all present and on board. Mini Exhibition set up , meeting pod inflated,sound system checked at 10.30am I dive into car to head back to Ascot.

Friday the weather has turned cold so I drag out a dress and coast ensemble with sprigs of flowers. We have a table in the Ascot Grill which is a fantastic watching point for the day, our first celebrity spot is Jim Davidson so really didn't count, then we hit the big time Michael Owen well turned out and pleasant. Jordan has many personna but on Friday in the enclosure she looks beautiful in shades of brown silk and chats to my teenage daughter about Versace lip gloss a shared passion. The food is the real disappointment of the day, the ascot grill that last year had fabulous local produce beautifully presented on the plate, this year is a processed disaster the sausage is grey, 100% cereal the one sad tomato that has been tortured by the grill, my mustard mash looks like something dog walkers have to deal with on a daily basis.

No Points Ascot Grill! To the rude Manageress go back to McDonalds they are missing you.

However cakes and tea served in the Mill Reef Bar were great as was the company, Mrs Adam Helliker wearing a fabulous pill box hat and silk coat, entertained us no end as she critiqued the fashion of the day.

Saturday the Last Day

This was always set to be a little bit of a challenge, go to Windlesham pick up eggs from the farm, pick up boys, be ready for cab at 11am in time to meet guests at the Course. It had rained and our garden was sodden and the clouds looked full with more of the damn wet stuff. So emergency 'Wellie' mission to longacres:

For Felicity- Designer Smartie
For Paula -Lovable Hearts
For Ellie- Cutsie Scottie Dogs
For Georgia- Scrummy Strawberries
For me- out of Africa Giraffe print

When we arrived quite unexpectedley we had our five minutes of fame, photographers clicking like mad interviewed by the BBC. (Only regret my gold suit not on trend and I was suffering bad day hair)

http://gallery.sportinglife.com/Gallery_Detail/0,17732,13260_3718750,00.html

So here I am four days later reminissing about a fantastic three days of friends, food and five whole minutes of fame!