Dateline Monday 25th September 2023

Good morning, Happy Monday morning from London W10, I hope you had a great weekend.

OMG for the end of September we had a great weekend of weather. I did two long walks in the September sunshine, no jacket or hoodie. Saturday afternoon I walked to Shepherds Bush, why? No idea just did, I popped into the Westfield Shopping mall it was heaving, as I was not planning to buy anything I left almost as soon as I arrived. On Sunday I walked to Hendon to buy our special cholla bread, as you will read Monday is a special day. I will not be in the office but Sandra will be, so if you need anything from me you are out of luck I will be in Synagogue but e mail Sandra@mm-and-company.co.uk Sandra knows sooo much more than I do 😊 Sandra’s direct line is 07446-677744

Japan seems to be flavour of the season not only was the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday (ssshhh James and The J Team DMC were very involved with an aspect of the Grand Prix) Waitrose have introduced a new product line of 25 Japanese food dishes, on 1st October there is a Japanese pop-up shop being opened in Trafalgar Square part of a Japanese Festival, if it’s a nice day that might just be my Sunday afternoon walk.

Rishi our PM has taken a brave decision in delaying the Project Net Zero till 2035 whilst industry might not like they are gearing up to produce many more electric cars and battery production, it this is a good decision, winding down fossil fuels is a gradual process not a brick wall process.

HS2 another conundrum for Rishi to consider, progress with it or cancel it, whichever he chooses it is a case of damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. If I were Rishi I would spin a coin, heads continue tails cancel.

Is COVID making a comeback? did it ever go away? We need to get over it COVID is something that we have to live with and manage. My Soapbox is put away for another week.

Space exploration fascinates me I wonder what the scientist will find when the Osiris-Rex capsule brings home “soil” samples it has scooped up from the surface of asteroid Bennu I wonder, did it scoop up little green aliens as well as soil? We shall soon find out.

Today is Yom Kippur the most holy day of the Jewish Year, it is called The Day of Atonement where the Jewish people atone for their sins against G-d and humankind it used to be G-d and Mankind but these days you can’t say that. The day is a total fast, no eating, no drinking, no smoking no forn*&%ting, no anything at all except praying.

The fast for me started at 6.40PM last night (Sunday) and finishes today at 7.40PM it is a 25 hour fast. Why not 24 hour fast you ask? well it is such a holy day that the Rabbis wanted to make sure that the fast day is fully observed so as not to make a mistake i.e. a watch that is gaining time over a 24 hour period they made it 25 hours just in case.

So, if you are observing Yom Kippur I am sure you are not reading this today as you will be in Synagogue and you either reading this on Sunday afternoon or on Tuesday, if Sunday may I take this opportunity to wish you, your family and friends a safe and easy fast. If reading this on Tuesday, I hope you had a safe and easy fast yesterday 😊

That’s it you are up to date from a David point of view.

MM and Company news update

Germany

Eva and the team at Cornerstone Meetings DMC part of Germanyinsight has told us that the Munich Marriott Hotel City West has opened. Situated in the Westend district of Munich, the hotel has 398 guest rooms and 20 meeting and events spaces as well as all the other bells and whistles restaurant, bar, gym, blah blah blah.

This is the good bit the hotel has 26,264 square feet of meeting and event space occupying two entire floors. The 9,860-square-foot ballroom can be divided into four sections and can be configured in several ways to suit meetings and events of all types. The ballroom offers 30 suspension points, four rotating screens and a hydraulic lifting stage for product presentations and performances. Another good bit the 400-guest rooftop terrace that offers panoramic views over the city and the Bavarian Alps now all we need is the weather. The hotel is in the Westend district close to Theresienwiese, where the annual Oktoberfest takes place, Munich International Airport is 35 minutes by car.

France

Pascal, Enrica and the team at NACARA DMC France has told us that Maisons Pariente, the luxury hotel group has announced the opening of Le Grand Mazarin, the group's first urban property in the Marais District. Situated at the corner of Rue des Archives and Rue de la Verrerie, Le Grand Mazarin hotel consists of three restored 14th-century buildings. The hotel has 50 rooms, 11 suites, an indoor pool, a Hammam, a fitness studio, a speakeasy cabaret, two festive bars and the Ashkenazi restaurant, Boubalé. I have checked it out on their web site the hotel looks amazing.