Dec 8 2006 Carriageworks

Dinner at Paul Askew's London Carriageworks last night with Paradise Street Development boss Rod Holmes and my own MD, Sara Wilde. Lovely evening - we did talk some business but spent much of the time putting Liverpool and the world at large to rights.

Agreed totally on the need for a cleaner city and I feel the Echo will need to follow up its successful Stop The Rot Campaign with a drive for more grot-spot improvements and a long, hard look as litter and street cleanliness.

The Carriageworks was super. The food was great, as it always seems to be. And while presentation has always got to be secondary there is no doubt that the sheer aesthetics of the dishes one is served add to the experience massively.

I still feel that we need another one or two really top-notch restaurants in the city. And a Michelin star is essential to our ambitions to be a major European destination.

The mid-range scene will be bolstered when Wagamama - super-cool noodle bar chain - opens up in Rod's development, but I would love to see something like Nobu setting up in Liverpool. Or even a Gordon Ramsey establishment. He and Liverpool are made for each other - resilient, creative, forthright.

http://www.liverpool.com/restaurant-review-carriageworks.html

http://www.wagamama.com/

http://www.noburestaurants.com/

Good place for celeb spotting. Thin on ground last night, but did register Oxo mum Lynda Bellingham.

Going out of the door to work this morning and Morgan appeared at top of stairs: 'Daddy! What about the Christmas tree?'

'Tomorrow, love.' I said. 'We'll go and get it tomorrow.'

'Daddy,' she said chidingly, ' You've forgotten something - what about the DECORATIONS?'

'If you ask grandpa nicely, he might get them down from the attic for you today,'' I replied.

''GRANDPAAAAAA,'' she ran off bellowing. ' You have to get up NOW and get the decorations.'

I closed the door quietly behind me.

It was 6.10am.