Most Amazing Night of My life (Sans Burr of course!)

 Oh my goodness! How do I start?!  First, thank you to Meghan Grady and her fabulous friend Susan in Rome who hooked us up.  This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience and I had the most amazing night.

Background: So Meghan just moved from Milan and made several fabulous friends. She got an invite to this new restaurant opening in London to go to a "soft opening." And she invited me as her guest!  So what is a soft opening you ask?!  Well its where the place tries all its food/wine/service/etc. before actually opening to the public so critics, friends, etc are invited to this soft opening where you don't pay for anything!!!

Meghan I make reservations and do zero research on the place before 5pm the day of the booking. So at 5pm I'm looking online and realize this chef, Massimo Riccioli, has an amazing restaurant in Rome and this his new one in London and its SUPER fancy.  I am wearing black plants and a grey top with ruffles from banana....I mean nothing to be wearing to a 5 star restaurant. Meghan and I attempt to look as pretty as possible with the makeup we have at work, but we really should have gone home to change clothes! Anyway....we head over to the new Corintha hotel and are greeted by beautiful hostess who takes our coats and asks us if we want a drink at the bar before we get seated. Well sure, why not?!

We are led to the GORGEOUS bar that has a Mosaic floor (not kidding) with glass, chandeliers, awesome green leather bar stools, and these lovely platters of oysters.  [Now - Steve, Lee, Batten - Stop! I really really like them now - they were AMAZING. I promise!]

So the bar tender is shooking (sp?) oysters and he is very Italian and he is describing the 3 different varieties of oysters in front of us. Of course, we go for his favorite - the Beluga. Its to die for. AMAZING.  So then we try the Black Noire - also awesome. The Champagne is flowing.

 The bar bites keep coming (Shrimp Tartare on the left) - wow. Crab bites with fresh salsa on right.  So 2 glasses of champange later...

 And more calamari with couscous and sea bass tartare.

 We are seated for dinner......

This is a picture of our first of 6 courses. Scallops!  Every course was fish and a mix of Italian.  Literally my favorite foods.Menu was something like (they gave diff menus to me and Meghan)

1.  Oysters to Start

2. Scallops

2. Octopus w/ Avocado

3. Seafood Linguine

3. Ravioli with sea bream

4. Sea bass with lemon butter

4. Red Mullet and fennel

5. Pistachio White chocolate canoli

5. Strawberry Napoleon with caramelized bananas.

OH so after we are seated the somelier comes over to describe the wine they are serving for the night:  A white mix of Chardonnay, savingon blanc and Riesling from 2005 . Wow!!!

Needless to say , Meghan AND I are dying. Cannot believe we are in this beautiful restaurant and getting treated like royalty. Then....then....I see her..at the bar...walking towards us...

Yes, Renee Zellwenger is definitely headed right towards us, past our table to be seated behind us with a large party (15ish).  O M G....Meghan's back is to her so I say

 "O M G - That is Renne Z. " Meghan "What? I cannot hear you"

I repeat ...Meghan "I still can't hear you" - At this point I don't want to scream it Renee is so close, and of course I'm trying to act "cool" * I'm barely moving my lips now trying to whisper it. Finally, she passes....I watch her EVERY move.

* Really Anne?!  I'm sure I looked like an idiot.

After she passes Meghan is like "What, who is that? Do you know her?"  No ! I don't her that is Renee Zellwenger!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

We continie to stare at her all night long. She is wearing a long sleeve off the shoulder strapless black mini dress. Very short. Very tight. and the most amazing Christian Loubutions. So adorable.

At the end of our amazing night, after at least a bottle of champagne and wine between the 2 of us, we are leaving....getting our coats from the hostess stand. Renee is still sitting with her group of people, laughing, smiling, talking. And all the sudden she has to go to the bathroom which happens to be right by us!!!! So she gets up from the table, walks straight towards us, I'm sure I have drool coming out of my mouth by now, she looks right at us and gives us the biggest smile and sort of a friendly nod.......

We walk outside of the restaurant and start screaming, yes I am 12 years old...I know. But WOW. She was so pretty.  (And for those inquiring minds - I think she is aboUt 5 foot 5 with 87 maybe 88 pounds on her).

BEST NIGHT EVER!!! THANKS MEGHAN!!!

You can Read about the hotel here: http://www.forimmediaterelease.net/pm/3013.html