Wow. What a wild Wednesday was had by me and my gang - and all those who got (or really wanted) a gong at the Brit Awards earlier this week.

I usually always go to the Brits, being a big backer of (most) British music - but this year I felt I would rather press record on my Sky+ and catch me some culture at the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s last February Performance at the Royal Festival Hall instead (www.lpo.co.uk). I admit, I don’t really know my Symphonies from my Sinatra, but anything had to better than listening to Leona Lewis (although I’m happy the girl from Hackney’s done good - really, I am. It’s just that I had my fill of warbling when I got Whitney’s album ‘Waiting to Exhale’ in 1995 and I’d like to ‘just say no’ this time for the benefit of my mental health).

Unfortunately, my ticket-reading abilities leave much to be desired and we arrived at the Barbican in the City instead of the Royal Festival Hall in South Bank. Hmm, so we missed most of the show - but my friend’s faith in my eyesight was redeemed when, waiting for the interval, we found an unexpectedly exquisite bar and restaurant within the Royal Festival Hall. Skylon (www.danddlondon.co.uk) is one of those places you wish London had all along the riverbank rather than the gigantic, glass ‘holiday-village’ homes with a Yate’s pub at the bottom, which we have been treated to in recent years.

It had ceiling to floor windows, so the view was superbly special wherever you sat, and wasn’t reserved only for those ordering a full, three-course meal and Krug (although I would recommend that if you can, you do - the menu was mouth-watering).

The cocktails were so moreish we almost missed the second-half of the performance, but we abandoned the bubbles and the berries for our brilliant seats and got lost in a dazzling rendition of ‘Sibelius Symphony 2 in D’. I didn’t really know that’s what it was called until a lovely young conductor seated next to us explained away our ignorance and informed us we were very lucky, as Kazushi Ono, the conductor, was one of the best.

I did feel lucky. It was refreshing to watch people performing who seemed to be doing it entirely for themselves. The audience were not expected to have smiles for them, or even to look at them. You were free to wander off into your own musical world (which for me seemed to be any Disney film, but particularly The Little Mermaid. Maybe it is too late for my mental health after all…). How different to what was concurrently happening at the Brit Awards, where the focus was definitely on the celebrity.

However, even my new-found fascination with each instrument’s story couldn’t keep me from catching up with the shallower stories and taxi-ing it straight to the main Brits after-party at Movida.

Awards after-parties are sometimes slightly confusing, as none of those present at the awards show seem to show at the party. Not this time - Movida was bursting with Brits winners, nominees and attendees. Kylie Minogue (who won Best International Female Solo Artist) looked stunning and when I took a sneaky peek into her private, pink party room, I saw she was out-doing her celebratory companions (Natalie Imbruglia, Kelly Rowland and KT Tunstall to name but a few) with some down-under dance moves.

You have probably already read about the £35,000 ‘Flawless’ cocktail that Ms Minogue was given by an unnamed party-goer who ‘was known in royal circles’ (I hope that doesn’t mean dodgy behaviour behind those top-price seats at the theatre). I’m sure he’ll also now be known in philanthropist’s circles everywhere for contributing so much to such a worthy cocktail-cause.

Kylie may have been heard to say the name of her new single, ‘Wow’, a few times when she found that 11-carat diamond ring at the bottom of a glass full of Louis X11 cognac, Cristal Rose and 24-carat edible gold leaf. Most of the crowd, however, could be heard debating on whether this generous, mysterious man may be willing to donate deposits to first-time buyers in an attempt to stem the predicted-by-some housing-crisis.

Camilla Al Fayed, Dwane Chambers, Henry Holland and Mika also made an appearance around the same time I dodged the flashes and disappeared to Cuckoo Club.

Muse (nominated for Best British Live Act) were there, knocking back the Kamikazes and not in the slightest bit bothered that they had lost out to Take That and were full of praise for the reformed boy band. Their tour manager told Chic Today ‘We knew we weren’t going to win, it was enough to be nominated. Now where’s my shot…’

Filed under: Big Smoke Soirees