how to make friends and alienate people

First - pick a venue - but not just any venue.
Your house. Your stately house in the middle of snowy London.
Get doors to open automatically upon arrival.
Get your butler/concierge to greet you and point you into the right direction.
Make people feel special.
Very special. Just not in a 'special needs' way.

Basically make me go - "where is this place?"
Sasha go - "maybe here"
Me - "no way anyone lives in this house!"
Then walk around for 5min, freeze all bollocks and call Chris to check on the venue.
Yeah, way.

Basically, Chris is the Major of Rosebery Avenue.
Trust me, I know what I'm talking about.
Check out the photos (the first one is Google search picture. see what I'm talking about! I think art buying is totally overpayed.)
This is the door and what/who we found right behind that impressive door (or rather - doors).
After we got meeted and greeted (yes, I know my grammer - but I like the sound of 'meeted') by Chris's butler - we were summouned in the living room and introduced to snacks - deep fried rice balls and Russian mules.
Then there were starters.
And the main course!
(note: Isabelle is not frowning. This is her talking face. She's a serious person who tells seriosu stories. This is her telling one of those seriosu stories. Did you know she's been on two blind dates? Both had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with online dating.)

We also had lovely desserts - chocolate brownies with strawberry sauce and the most amazing dessert wine (check Chris's menu for the name!)
(note: yes, Sasha is licking his plate. I think he might have even had second helpings.)
But all that did not satisfy Sasha's appetite as he just had to have extra desserts in the form of 20p candy (yes, if you go to Chris's mantion house - you have to pay for candy.)
It was all a laugh and a half. We drank, we talked, we laughed.
Then we were escorted out.
Thanks, Major Chris!

sincerely yours,
Oksana