Ideas for Valentine's Day from Visit London

Aphrodisiac menu at St. Pancras Grand
The Lovers menu at St. Pancras Grand, devised by leading chef Billy Reid, will set pulses racing with its aphrodisiac ingredients such as pink grapefruit, native oysters and chocolate. The Valentine's menu is priced at £45 per head and includes three courses and a glass of Champagne. For more information contact Helen Rainford on 020 7420 3550.

Vegas Valentine's at Oxo Tower
Las Vegas comes to London's Oxo Tower Brasserie on 14th February with an Elvis live performance and casino tables to gamble the night away. The Oxo team have even created a little chapel which overlooks St. Paul’s where couples can renew their wedding vows or simply have a good time. Tickets are priced at £125 per person and include champagne at arrival, wine, a three course dinner and coffee. For more information contact Victoria Wagstaff on 020 7803 3805.

Cocktail Consultation at the Mandeville
This February mixologist Claudio Grisori from 'de Vigne Bar' at The Mandeville Hotel will create a tailor-made cocktail for lucky Valentine couples in an one hour long private cocktail consultation. The package is available from £150 and includes a classic cocktail shaker engraved with the names of the couple, the date, a message and the recipe, of course. For further information contact Sophie Darley on 020 7915 4777.

Fairytale views at the Swan
Swan at the Globe Brasserie will be mixing together the perfect ingredients for a night of love and romance on 13-14 February. With fairytale views across the River Thames to St Paul’s Cathedral, the Swan at the Globe Brasserie will be twinkling with candle lights. The British à la carte menu will see some romantic European additions as well as a dreamy Valentine's cocktail and a tempting chocolate after dinner drink. For images and additional information contact: Valentina Diamanti-Fox on 020 7928 3998.

Spice up your love at Café Spice Namaste
On 14th February Café Spice Namaste offers a 3-course Indian and Pan-Asian menu for £30 per person, using healthy, farm fresh ingredients and the very best of British produce where possible. The £30-package even includes a drink, either a cocktail or a glass of bubbly. For more information contact Kimberley Brown on +44 (0)870 732 3015.

Best bonds deals

What will happen in the saving world after the new bailout plan of the UK government?
According to the FT savers could find the number of accounts offering attractive rates of interest cut if the second bank bail out is a success.FT.com / Personal Finance - Q&A: What the bail-out means for you:
Although banks have mirrored the Bank of England’s interest rate cuts by reducing interest payable on savings products, savers can still earn 4.65 per cent in a 12 month bond from ICICI.

But how long will this last?

Investing in properties abroad

Shpping online for propertise to buy is not a bad idea - buying properties abroad is scary tho.
There is lots of thik I should consider before doing it - such as what, where, when and how.

Small farm in cheap south of Italy or cheap flat to rent downtown in London?

Here a useful article on the ten - things to consider when buying abroad - read the full article here: Your essential legal guide to buying overseas | PropertyIndex.com:

1. The considerable time and effort required to reap the rewards of a well-selected overseas property.
2. Deciding on your reasons for buying - lifestyle, investment or speculation?
3. Instructing an independent solicitor before you go.
4. Saving tax by taking professional advice about whose name(s) the property will be held in.
5. Arranging your finances before you go.
6. How currency fluctuations might affect your budgeting and what you can do about it.
7. Carefully researching your agent or developer before selecting them.
8. Once you’ve found your property, agreeing a fair price and arranging a valuation if you’re unsure.
9. The management of your property once you own it. Will you do it yourself or appoint a management company?"

Online discount vouchers boom

Online discount vouchers boom as High Street falters - Telegraph: "More than 41 million visits to discount voucher websites were made during October by 8.8 million people, figures show from Nielsen Online, a research company that monitors internet shopping habits."

Special Hotel Offer in London

Visit London special offer: "Valid from 19 December 2008 to 11 January 2009 Royal Lancaster Hotel £59.25 - Room only - Special Offers - Visit London"

25 tips on how to save money

Happy credit-crunch Christmas: 25 tips on how to save money - Telegraph: "Happy credit-crunch Christmas: 25 tips on how to save money
This year, as the recession bites, you may be feeling more like Scrooge than Santa. But from homespun gifts to discount booze, Cassandra Jardine has everything wrapped up. Here, she presents her 25-point plan for a frugal yet fabulous festive season."

Online shopping boom

From the Scotsman:
Online shopping boom sees 30% hike in sales - Scotsman.com News: "THE amount of money spent online soared by 30 per cent to £163 billion between 2006 and 2007, government figures revealed yesterday.
Online shopping represented 7.7 per cent of takings in the retail sector in 2007, with larger businesses leading the way.

Shoppers spent £125.2 billion over the internet in 2006, according to the research published by the Office for National Statistics."