a perfect day inâ€¦ london

with Paul A Young – Britain’s award-winning chocolatier

8.30AM – As today’s a rare day off, I treated myself to a lie-in. Normally I’m up before seven to make my chocolate before the shop opens.

9.30AM – I go to the coffee shop next door, The Breakfast Club. It’s cosy and colourful. I linger, drinking tea and reading the papers.

10AM – My next stop is Selfridges on Oxford Street. I browse around every department except ladieswear. I check out the books and kitchenware and buy myself some clothes.

11.30AM – Still in Selfridges, I decide it’s time for a mid-morning Martini, so I take a break from shopping to order one at the excellent bar in the menswear section.

1PM – Time for lunch at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon with my friend Suzi. It’s beside The Ivy and is the place to go in London at the moment. I order oeuf coque, which arrives in a Martini glass (the second of the day!). They also do an avocado and crab dish, which is served in a porcelain egg.

3PM – A cab journey over to Mayfair, where I pop into The Refinery for a massage. This is a men-only health spa and it’s amazing. It’s impossible to feel stressed here. No one can reach me by phone, so I can relax totally.

4PM – Time for afternoon tea at Sketch Parlour. I sip a jasmine blend and read my book. If I fancy tea with friends, I go to The Ritz or The Dorchester, but Sketch is somewhere I can sit and people-watch. People-watching is a habit of mine – I do a great deal of it through the shop window at work.

4.45PM – I head to the Victoria & Albert Museum to view its current exhibition of Kylie Minogue’s stage costumes. I once danced with Kylie’s sister Dannii in a nightclub. She told me I had some good moves…

6PM – Time to meet up with my friend Kate for dinner. We met during National Chocolate Week and she does my PR. We share roast chicken and drink gin and tonics at Adam Street, a private members’ club.

9PM – We move to Loungelover, the East London club where Madonna had her 48th birthday party. The cocktails are fabulous, with unusual combinations such as apple and horseradish. Mine has a tiny boat formed from a basil leaf floating on top of it. We chat and drink at the bar for the rest of the night and have a great time.

Meet Paul at…
Paul A Young Fine Chocolates, 33 Camden Passage, London, where he makes and sells high-quality chocolates with elegant and unusal flavours, such as fresh raspberry ganache and sea salted caramel. www.payoung.net