From the sublime to the ridiculous.

Sometimes I despair of our society - well I say sometimes, but actually it's quite often.

For a very long time, it has seemed to me and to many others, that the more we have, the more we crave, and that in some inverse need/want scenario, the less we actually enjoy those things which are the objects of our desires.

This is apparent everywhere in our consumer culture, from the frenzied rush to purchase the latest iPhone, which, regardless of cost in proportion to income, will be discarded as soon as an even better/bigger/smaller/louder/blingier version hits the shelves, to the fact that whilst cookery shows abound on TV and millions settle down to watch who will be heralded best baker or pastry chef, our high streets are filled with fast food outlets, our streets strewn with the discarded wrappers from the same outlets, and individual, non-chain shops are dying faster than the dodo.

And the answer to it all? Well according to some it's deconstruction - niche shops selling only specific items or catering for only a section of the population. A prime example of this, is those usually vibrantly displayed tobacco alternatives which have popped up everywhere, pumping their nefarious fumes out into the ozone...

But the latest trend that's got my goat, is not of the inhaling kind at all. It's of the imbibing kind.

Think of a cocktail. Its pastel or bold colours, its blend of flavours. It's pretty exotic right? Pretty awesome in fact.

Well apparently it's no longer exotic enough for our increasingly jaded tastes.

So now someone has come up with the idea of serving them in broken glasses. Deliberately designed and manufactured broken, to a precision that must make real artisan glass-blowers weep into their hands at the near profanity of the act, the glass is then filled with its intoxicating brew and served with what are apparently edible 'shards of  glass' protruding from it's center. Forgive me if I pass.

How is this high living? Maybe I'm old fashioned - hell maybe I'm just old. But I was taught to serve drinks in pristine, unchipped glass.

Have we come that far in our gluttonous lives, where every want must be immediately satiated for our juvenile sensitivities, that we can't even appreciate the most simple and unassuming things? I fear so.

And what's next? Will we be eating deconstructed shepherd's pie from stainless steel dog bowls, rendered-asunder fish pie from goldfish bowls? I hope not...but in truth I think it's only a matter of time.

So move over Fido... now where did I put that wire scourer?

Praza Princess!

How often do you get to feel like a film star? Like a Goddess who graces everyone with her presence? Not often I'm guessing. Me neither!

But that is exactly what's on offer at Praza in Edgbaston. With it's sumptuous interior design, high-backed velvet armchairs which resemble thrones more than anything else, and its exquisite food, it's impossible to feel anything less.

Add to that the polite and courteous staff, who clearly take their lead from the charismatic proprietor of this high class Indian dining establishment, and it's more than just a step away from the ordinary dining experience.

There's such a lot to love about Praza because it really has it all. Great location [with free car parking] fabulous food and an amazing ambiance.

So imagine how thrilled I was to attend a VIP event last night where they were showcasing Bombay Sapphire gin. Now you know me readers, I come from Glasgow and am from Italian and Spanish descent, so I like my alcohol. In particular I love champagne and gin.

So when I was given the chance to sample Bombay Sapphire at this select event, I jumped at the chance.

I've never had this particular brand before and must admit that I thought there would be no difference to my usual brand. I was wrong. It's much, much smoother with a subtlety I haven't experienced before. In fact I demanded to read the list of ingredients in a bid to find out why it was so different and was persuaded to try another - in the cause of science of course!

So many thanks to Bombay Sapphire and to Praza for a great night and a fantastic memory!

Small but perfectly formed.

I'm not good with directions. I seem to have no knowledge of which way up to hold a map and whether a turn is to the left or the right...and yet I managed to find my way to an event I had been invited to, at Bar Opus in Birmingham, even though I tend to get lost if I stray too far from New Street.

Bar Opus is situated at Snowhill, an area I am not at all familiar with. Large windows front the building and there is an outside seating area too. Initially I took up residence there, happy to watch the world go by in all its hustle and bustle.

In addition to the shoppers outside, I had a good view of the staff working in the open plan kitchen and this is something I have always enjoyed [not to see other people working whilst I am relaxing, you understand] but to see how professional chefs carry out their trade.

Looking at the menu, I have to say it wasn't extensive, but it did offer some interesting food combinations with some ingredients being prepared in such as way as to make the completed dish both unique and enticing. 'Scorched lemon' was one such ingredient. How and why anyone would chose to scorch a lemon is beyond me, but I was assured by one of the customers that it gave an edge to the dish it was used within.

The décor was a little retro and the overall effect of the place was small and sophisticated with an extensive range of alcoholic beverages on display. But there was one thing I didn't like - the two unisex toilet cubicles. Now quite frankly I don't want to share a bathroom with a man unless I intend to marry him! And as the two cubicles were separate, I couldn't see why one hadn't been allocated to men and the other to women.

I don't know what men think about this latest trend, but I can tell you one thing - women don't like it! It may well be very cosmopolitan but its also downright embarrassing for men and women alike!

So if you fancy a quick drink in a lovely bar with perhaps a bite to eat from an interesting menu, then Bar Opus is the place for you. Just make sure your bladder is empty before you arrive, otherwise that woman queuing behind you just might be me.