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Want a change from the normal Advent calendar?

Need some motivation to keep in shape in December and burn off the Christmas party buffet & the celebratory drink or two?

Then join in with Tara Hammett, one of the Top Personal Trainers in Swansea and The Dragon Hotel Health Club Manager as she kicks off her FREE ‘Merry Fitmas – Advent Workouts’

Tara will be kicking off the festive fitness on Saturday 1^st December and will be helping keep everyone fit & fab with 12 minute home workouts that you can do every morning. You can join in too for free and receive your short workouts every morning in your inbox. Take part with hundreds of others and stay in shape for your party outfits and sign up with your email on www.taransformation.com

So get ready to open the Advent workout doors and make December 2012 the most fittest, fabulous and festive yet!

Merry Fitmas from The Dragon Team!!

The Dragon Hotel was bursting at the seams on Thursday 15^th November when we welcomed over 300 guests to celebrate Beaujolais Day.  While many cities have seen a decline in Beaujolais celebrations Swansea has grown from strength to strength and The Dragon Hotel has been fully booked since September with a waiting list!!!

The Dragon Brasserie and restaurant was offering individual bookings with many city businesses taking a table to entertain their clients and The Pembrey Suite hosted a three course lunch with entertainment from Colin Price and resident DJ.

The lunch event in our Pembrey suite was sponsored by Croner Solutions who did a quiz on HR with a chance to win a bottle of Champagne and the room was decorated by Flags & Bunting Galore who boast a huge collection of traditional Sewn Flags

The afternoon continued into the early evening when our resident DJ hit the decks and entertained guests with some French classics!!!

Beaujolais Day is on Thursday 21^st November 2013…………………..book now to avoid disappointment by calling our Events Team on 01792 657100

Watch out for our first ‘St David’s Day Event’!!!!

It is with much pride and great delight that I confirm that The Dragon Hotel came Highly Commended in the Best Large Hotel category at the Swansea Bay Tourism Awards last night.  Congratulations to all category winners and runners up – I’m sure that there are some headaches around the city this morning!

 We enjoyed a lovely evening at The Brangwyn Hall with The Wave’s Badger hosting the awards after a word of welcome from Lisa Cameron of the South Wales Evening Post.  Entertainment was provided by local band The Insiderz.

 As this biennial awards ceremony goes, this year was quite subdued for us from The Dragon – no one had food poisoning…no one danced on the tables…no one ended up leaving in an ambulance…we were hardly there at all!

It’s once again that time where we proudly announce the member of staff who has stood out amongst all. Our team member of the month goes to our night receptionist Sebastian ‘‘SEB-OO’’!

Seb has worked at the Hotel for going on 6 months and although he doesn’t always relish a busy sporting weekend he has clearly demonstrated that his commitment and determination to his job shines through! 

Join me in saying ‘Congratulations’ Seb on your well deserved award!

Mwahahahahahahahaha!! (Evil laughter eminates through the walls of Swansea’s Dragon Hotel)….

From down in the dungeons, the three Witches of Macbeth are stirring figures into the cauldron in order to concoct brain mangling accounts that will woo and wow the Board!!  Eye of computer and Budget Bat….clicking calcs and thinking hat….Wing of Admin, Healthclub too…a spooktacular profit….honest it’s true!!

From the Conference office the cackles are churning…mention the budget and Gethyn starts gurning,  Sarah flies off to capture the hoards with magical words and emery boards…..

The scariest of all monsters in the healthclub lurk,  show them a cake and they all go beserk….be prepared for a Tara beating if by some fate she should catch you eating….fatty foods and creamy cakes, oh my goodness what mistakes..She’ll mash your body to glowing perfection and should you fail…hit the button ‘ejection’!!

In the kitchen the chefs are preparing the supper…. Hungarian Ghoulish and Terror me Sue (did you see what I did there?)… It’s like something out of a fright night movie as one by one they exit the chiller!!!

Happy Halloween to all budding witches, wizards and toads………’I AIN’T ‘FRAID OF NO GHOST’!!!!!!

‘Step into my shoes’ she says, ‘and live a day like mine,

I’ll guarantee that by the end you’ll need a glass of wine!!

For all my days are filled with chores that no one else can do -

Well, yes they can but the point is this: I just don’t trust them to!!’

Everyday she lays out the clothes the children are to wear,

And makes sure Mark is up to speed on how to do their hair.

Woe be tide if he should fail, the consequences great,

And nervously he wrings his hands and waits to learn his fate.

Off she trots to work to chase up payments with great pleasure,

No debtor stone remains unturned; with her they’ve met their measure.

With Irish lilt she lays the law, her tone causes a sweat,

For they all fear her wrath if payment terms have not been met!

So here it is in black and white: she truly is a wonder

She captains home and work alike, and leaves no room for blunder,

Pay heed all readers: leave no room for excuses or mistakes,

Lest you shall feel the sharp edge of the tongue of Hazel Lakes!!

This weekend I took part in the most INCREDIBLE experience of my life. Strictly Swansea was the most magnificent event and I feel so lucky to have been part of it. The journey was so emotional, I was nervous, scared, anxious but also very very excited!

Many months ago Blanche Sainsbury, the Managing Director of SWWMedia had a lightbulb moment about a Strictly event and I was so excited that I was asked to dance. Taking on a challenge and learning a new skill is right up my street, but never in my life would I have predicted that it would soon become one of the biggest highlights of my life.

Mario and Rebekah from DeMarco’s Dance School in  Swansea have been amazing. They are the most incredible instructors and now wonderful friends and I can’t thank them enough for all the effort they have put in to teaching me, and all the others who were dancing on the night. My new Strictly family!

I also feel like the luckiest girl to have been teamed up with the amazing Blair Crewther. We got on like a house on fire from day 1. Blair had a hard task of putting up with me over the months, but he is the most patient, professional and fabulous person (and an amazing dancer btw) and with the help of Mario and Rebekah, somehow managed to turn me into a dancer! We have had so much fun along the way and have become brilliant friends.

The night was a huge success and I was over the moon with my Rumba performance with Blair.

We had the highest score of the night with an amazing 10 from Mark Jermin, 9 from Camilla Dallerup and 10 from Kevin Sacre! Wowweee!

I was so happy to get to the final with the lovely Melanie Walters and along with Lara Johnson, who was so fab the judges decided to choose her with a wild card; we had a really tough Jive in the dance off. It was one of the hardest workouts even for me as a Personal Trainer in Swansea but the best fun too!! Melanie was the winner of the night, and I was proud to have come second and delighted to have raised £300 for my chosen charity Tan Yr Allt Service Users Fund.

Now my amazing journey is over I have the Post-Strictly Blues. I want to go back in time. (In fact, Blair is also amazing by day and is a scientist – so I’m putting all my faith in him to invent me a time machine pronto!!) I miss my lessons, I miss Mario & Rebekah, I miss my new friends that also went through the same journey as me and I miss Blair. Sooooooo…that can only mean one thing!!! I’ve got to keep at it.

Strictly Swansea may be over for me now, but the journey was too amazing to leave there. The dancing shoes are with me to stay and I can’t wait to see what exciting memories they will see me through in the future!!

Keeeeeep Dancing!

Tara xxxx

BONG – Payslip requests increase.  Accounts Assistant Kelly Palmer has been forced into hiding, following  a surge of employees requesting paperwork.  Today she issued a press release asking for staff of  The Dragon Hotel to remain in their posts and stand together!!

BONG – Tragedy has struck in the Helen John household (Accounts Manager).  Beloved Norman the hamster, who has for the last 18 months entertained friends, family and blog readers passed away peacefully.  This sad news has indeed caused a cloud to hang over the accounts office.

Norman was a happy soul,  he had his faults as we all do.. and was under going therapy for his nut addiction and biting habit.   Forensic reports showed traces of nut in his bloodstream and tiny nut particles hidden under his bed.  Police are not treating his death as suspicious. The family have asked people to respect their privacy at this difficult time.

BONG – Administrator airs her assests.  The people of Briton Ferry were shocked and outraged when Kelly Allen dared to bare all in a comedy play written by Eric Chappell.  The shapely sex bomb suggestively sauntered onto the  stage and bared her bootie in  a blatantly bold display.  Members of the public are being treated for shock and their families have been informed.

…and now the weather

Cold and damp for the remainder of the week, followed by cold and damp!!

It’s the pitter patter of four tiny feet for Louise our reservations manager as she has a new addition to the family!!

Flo the British Bulldog is new to the Reservations team here, and is busy at work..

It’s a hard life being a dog!

Flo is only 8 weeks old, so Louise is now her substitute Mama.

Flo likes nothing more than having her belly tickled and biting your toes!

Flo is originally from North Wales but is now a fully fledged Swansea Jack, even down to her toes being black & white!

Hopefully when Flo is big enough you will see her strutting the green at Crufts!

On Sunday 16^th September our Health Club Deputy Manager Rob Crabtree competed in the Ironman Wales race in Tenby, Pembrokeshire. The event consisted of a 2.4 mile sea swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile marathon to finish. This was also his first ever Ironman race and coincidentally his first marathon.

Rob completed his first Ironman in 12hrs 03mins, beating his target by 57 minutes. He also raised money for Help for Heroes, so if you would like to donate, please come along to the club or donate online at www.bmycharity.com/RobCrabtree

Swim time: 1:03:21

Bike time: 6:38

Run Time: 4:03

He is now an Ironman, and will never let us forget it (bragging rights)!

Huge congratulations Rob for such an achievement!