22 December 2009

A Good Night Out ?

So, in a moment of impending generosity, I looked about for something to do on New Year’s Eve. This was on the basis that we would be childless (or adolescentless even) on the evening in question. Invariably, we either attend a party which is great because it takes care of everything, or we’re not invited because of my previous indiscretions - feeding a pair of boxer dogs sausage rolls from the buffet, crawling all over a female reverend on a sofa, wiping the hostesses armpits with baby wipes and then eating them, etc etc – but this year we are likely to have Kitty with us, so I looked around for something which would demand good behaviour – a nice dinner out.

Now, we all know that food served on New Year’s Eve tends to be rather expensive, not because the actual ingredients cost any more but because the fallacy is that the restaurant staff have to be paid twice as much, which is a load of old bollocks because, in France, I bet they’re not paid a cent more than a normal week. Anyway, it’s an excuse for restaurants to put their prices up and we all know it happens.

So, as I was travelling to London last week, I picked up a copy of the Riviera Times and came across a set of New Year’s Eve dinners – read on ……..

Le Grill – Hotel De Paris in Monaco (pictured) - €485 per person !

Salle Des Etoilles – Disco Night - €520 per person !!

Le Louis XV (Alain Ducasse – the Gordon Ramsay of France !!) - €760 per person !!!

And the coup de grace …..

Salle Belle Epoque – Hotel Hermitage - €950 per person but there is half a bottle of champagne per person included !!!!

And, all prices excluded drinks and accommodation, although as I usually fall asleep under the table, that’s not something I worry too much about!

1 comment:

Allison said...

I can't believe that things are so expensive on New Years! I looked up prices for somewhere with dinner and dancing in New York City, and everything was at least $500 per person. I know that's not as much as you're talking about, but it's still crazyy - and like you, most of the time it doesn't even include alcohol (that's another $50 a person).
I hope you find somewhere lovely to go!