Does my Bombay Sapphire look big in this?

Another schizophrenic week for the Ladies of the Lane, as we lord it about London in our various guises.  Last week saw us embracing world-class design - it was London Design Festival after all - at the Bombay Sapphire Designer Glass competition awards.  Gin and culture are two of our favourite things, and when the two combine, quite frankly we don't know what to do with ourselves.

It got too much for one of the Ladies, who packed her bags and jetted off to Roma.  Yours truly, however, managed to keep composed long enough to toddle on down to The Blue Rooms to take a peek at the short-listed designs and research (ahem) some cocktails.

The venue is a portion of the vast underbelly of Vinopolis on Stoney Street, bathed in that unmistakable sapphire blue.  Hypnotically so.  Ten minutes in and I began to wonder if I had missed the memo, and I should in fact have worn something a little more on-brand.  Not letting this minor outfit mishap faze me, I systematically worked through all four of the delicious Bombay Sapphire cocktails on offer (most notably an excellent Sapphire Collins, and a 'Vine'), before the clock struck nine and my (tube) carriage awaited me.

The prestigious award went to German designer Bruno Everling, and his mesmerising 'Liquid Sapphire' glass.  And deservedly so - we'd be more than happy to sip our Bombay Sapphire from such a thing of beauty.  Or, you know, a plastic cup.  As long as it holds gin, really.