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On Sunday evening the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica played host to the 10th\u00a0Anniversary BritWeek\u00a0LA party with a star line-up of British celebrities. Pop up lounges in the hotel courtyard featured furniture sporting the good old Union Jack, while a VIP reception and gala featured scotch tasting and specialty cocktails made with British products. Food included those staples of British cuisine \u2013 fish and chips, bangers, and Shepherd\u2019s Pie with meat and vegetables\u00a0provided by FIG Restaurant.<\/p>\n
Guests at the event were treated to some of the most beloved sweets and treats from the UK, and were able to sample former Royal Chef\u00a0Darren McGrady\u2019s confections including his famous Butter Toffee Bread Pudding, a favorite of\u00a0Princess Diana. Simply yummy!<\/p>\n
There was plenty of mugging for the cameras on the red carpet, and in a moment which summed up the diverse range of British contributions to the arts, I spied the globally popular London DJ Manny Patel posing with veteran British actress Celia Imrie on the red carpet before they swanned off to enjoy the celebration.<\/p>\n
Later, Celia, and I had a good ol\u2019 catch up, with the actress hugging me as she told me that she was thrilled to be appearing in the upcoming\u00a0Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie\u2026 my reply was,\u00a0\u201cAren\u2019t we all darling!\u201d\u00a0Celia is one of my favorites actresses, I loved her playing Claudia Bing in Ab-Fab!<\/p>\n
Other famous faces doing the classic LA \u2018mingle, schmingle and bingle\u2019 included British Fashion designer\u00a0Julia Clancey, model, socialite and aristocrat Lady Victoria Hervey, PR supremo\u00a0Jane Owen, Former\u00a0Miss Universe Great Britain\u00a0Amy Willerton,\u00a0Brits In LA\u2019s very own Craig Robert Young, BritWeek co-founders\u00a0Bob Peirce\u00a0and\u00a0Sharon Harroun Peirce, Harry Hamlin, actress\u00a0Maria Elena Infantino, British music industry legend\u00a0Peter Asher,\u00a0Karina Smirnoff,\u00a0Lotte Verbeek and many more.<\/p>\n
There was also plenty of early 1990s nostalgia when singer\u00a0Chesney Hawkes\u00a0took to the stage to perform for the crowd. Of course I couldn\u2019t resist bopping away to one of Chesney\u2019s biggest hits\u00a0\u2018The One and Only\u2019\u00a0with TV host\u00a0Caroline Feraday\u00a0and top stylist\u00a0Henny\u00a0Letailleur. So much fun with the girls!<\/p>\n
\u201cBritWeek\u2019s Tenth Anniversary was our best celebration to date, highlighting the great creative love affair between L.A. and the U.K.\u201d,\u00a0said BritWeek Chairman Bob Peirce prior to the event taking place. \u201cWe are grateful for all of the celebrities, partners, media and guests that came out to celebrate with us at the Fairmont.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event was proudly sponsored by\u00a0Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows,\u00a0BBC Worldwide Productions,\u00a0Marks & Spencer, and\u00a0BLUE FISH\u00a0among other generous sponsors.<\/p>\n
BritWeek is a non\u2013profit organization, started in Los Angeles in 2007 by Nigel Lythgoe and the-then Consul General Bob Peirce, to highlight the creative relationship between the United Kingdom and California.<\/p>\n
BritWeek\u2019s mission is to create greater awareness of the many ways in which Britain and the US work closely together, and further build this relationship to advance business, the arts, and philanthropy in both of these thriving regions of the world. BritWeek in LA will conclude on May 8.<\/p>\n