Buff Butler Blog

Valentine's Day has become a big event on the annual calendar – a celebration of love and affection filled with roses, chocolates and cute cards. But how did we end up with Valentine’s Day – which is named after a saint? Here’s a look at the history of the holiday. The real Valentine? For starters, the idea behind Valentine’s Day is even older than any of the potential saints. February has long been associated with romance in both Christian and ancient Roman traditions. Somewhere along the lines, St Valentine’s Day came to be celebrated right in the middle of the month and it was the celebration of love. But who was Valentine? Truth is we don’t really know for certain. There were three saints called Valentine or Valentinus – all of whom were martyred! One was said to be a priest in the 3rd century. Back then Emperor Claudius (in true crazy Roman tradition) decided that single men made better soldiers and outlawed marriage! Valentine went against the emperor and continued to marry couples in secret but was found out and put to death. From your Valentine There’s even a story relating to how we ended up adding ‘From your Valentine’ into all of those unsigned cards. This Valentine worked to help Christians escape the terrible Roman prisons but ended up being imprisoned himself. He fell in love the daughter of the jailor and sent a card to her on his death that was signed ‘From your Valentine’ and the tradition was born. The romantics in the Middle Ages loved this story and that’s how Valentine became one of the most popular British and French saints. Other ideas about Valentine’s Day Other stories are a little less poetic. Some think that while the day may commemorate the death of one of the St Valentines, other think that the idea of St Valentine’s Day was more about winning over the pagans. They had a festival called Lupercalia that was on the ‘idea of February’ or the 15th to you and me. It was a fertility festival dedicated to the god of agriculture Faunus and the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. It was a bit of a messy festival. Priests would sacrifice a goat and a dog for fertility and purification (for some reason) then go around the streets slapping women with the goat hide then drop it off in...

There are lots of things to plan for a hen party – where to go, if you are having a theme, what to wear. But there’s one thing that is crucial for a hen party or any good party really – the cocktails. Having cocktails isn’t just a fun thing to do now, it is a key part of the event. You can even hire a Buff Butler to make and serve the cocktails for you in ultimate style. But which cocktails should you make? Champagne and sparkling wine cocktails Not only are these cocktails the best for parties, most of them are really easy to make as well. Take the Bellini – all you need is 100ml of prosecco or champagne and 50ml of peach puree – mix together and add four dashes of peach bitters to finish it perfectly. Another famous champagne cocktail is the Mimosa. This uses a champagne flute with 25ml clementine juice and 50ml orange juice then topped with chilled champagne. Very easy to make and very tasty! Daiquiri The daiquiri is a set of cocktails based on one of the classics of the cocktail work that was said to have been invented back during the Spanish-American War in the late 1890s by an American mining engineer working in Cuba. He named it for a beach and iron mine near Santiago de Cuba where he was working. The classic daiquiri is served without ice into a cocktail glass and uses 4.5cl white rum (such as Bacardi), 2.5cl lime juice and 1.5cl of simple sugar syrup (you can make your own or buy it bottled from the supermarket). But the great thing is there are so many different drinks you can make from the basic daiquiri recipe. Take the Raspberry Daiquiri – all you need is 50ml white rum, 25ml lime juice 2 teaspoons of caster sugar and 6 raspberries. Add the berries and sugar to a mixing glass and muddle then add the spirits and ice. Stir then strain into a couple glass – garnish with a raspberry! Whiskey sour The whiskey sour is another cocktail that’s been around a while – first featured in a newspaper in the US back in 1870. It is a blend of 4.5cl bourbon whiskey, 3cl lemon juice 1.5cl Gomme syrup and a dash of egg whites (if you want, it’s optional). That’s just the start though...

There are some fantastic cities around the UK for a hen party but sometimes you want to go somewhere a little warmer, a little sunnier. The answer is simple – Ibiza. This island off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea is just over three hours flight time from the UK and is a brilliant place for a hen party. Travel plans Most of the big airports around the UK offer regular flights to Ibiza at all times of the year so it isn’t difficult to get out to the Spanish island. And because it is a popular destination, you can grab a good bargain if you want out, especially if you are flying ‘out of season’. One good tip is to book a pick up from the airport as there’s nothing spoils the mood than standing around for ages to get a taxi to your hotel when you arrive. Booking ahead gets you an instant pick up and means you arrive at the hotel relaxed and ready to party. Where to stay One of the most popular spots for hen parties is San Antonio with its bay and very popular resorts. It is on the sunset side of the island where most of the younger crowd tend to go and there are loads of pubs. There are also two of the big clubs in this area, Es Paradis and Eden. The Ibiza Rocks Hotel is also famous for its live concerts and the Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes Hotel is a well-known party spot for regular visitors. There are a few great beaches near the town as well if you want to add in some time on the sand including Cala Bassa, Cala Conta and Cala Salada. Playa d’en Bossa is another popular choice for the hen party as there are loads of hotels and apartments right on the beach. There are also clubs like Ushuaia and the Hard Rock Hotel which both have A-list DJs regularly. What to do As well as the clubs and hotels in the resorts, there are other things to travel a short distance to enjoy. DC10 is a club on the road from Playa d’en Bossa to Salinas and is famous for its Circo Loco (Crazy Circus) party that happens every Monday. If you want to do some shopping between partying, then Ibiza Town is a great spot. There...

Anybody who’s ever read any advice book on anything ever has heard all about first impressions. Yes, you already know that you get 12,789 nano seconds to show somebody you’re awesome and that in a job interview, licking the interviewer in most cases won’t get you the job, even if you go on to reel off a rather swanky career history. So, what first impression are you looking to create when people arrive? If you’re hoping to debate environmental policy with a Tory MP, you’ll probably want somebody with a double-barelled surname and the ability to pronounce the word ’scone’ correctly to greet people. If you’re looking for somebody to open proceedings with an unhealthy amount of excitement, surprise and impressiveness, a buff butler is certainly the way to go. Perfect not only for hen parties, but also for any event where you want people to think the following upon arrival: 1. “This looks like fun" Not the kind of ‘fun’ that’s compulsory on New Year’s Eve when you rejoice in the fact that the cousin whose cat you once ran over has begun talking to you again and you feel the need dance to ABBA songs that according to you are nothing short of “proper good”. A butler greeting you at the door means somebody has put some thinking time into it and there’s probably a lot of effort been put into ways for you all to simultaneously have an awesome time whilst comically eroding that little bit of self-consciousness you arrived with. 2. “This almost crosses a line, but then doesn’t!" It’s not every day you’re greeted by a buff butler. It adds a little edge to the first impression that you wouldn’t get if the person you first meet on the door were entirely clothed. Just walk into any shop with a security guard on the door and see for yourself. The only bit of edge you’ll see is the side of the smartphone they’re checking whilst pretending to work. Edgy is a good first impression if you’re looking to create an atmosphere of camaraderie, light-heartedness and one where people know they can let their hair down a little bit. You must always beware that one person who lets their hair down too far and ends up finishing the night in A&E with a penis-shaped lolly lodged firmly in their least-favourite ear. 3....

Originally airing in Canada back in the '60s, ITV's revived 2008 version of Mr & Mrs (hosted by Phillip Schofield) proved a huge hit with UK viewers and continues to be a much loved TV series today. In order to win a cash prize, couples on the show compete against each other guessing their other half's answers to questions proving how well they know each other, the couple that's shown to know each other the best wins. In recent years Mr and Mrs has also become a popular game to play hen parties, here's a little guide explaining how it works! How to Play First of all the bride-to-be is presented with a series of questions, previously answered by the groom-to-be, the aim of the game is for her to guess what his answers were. Every incorrect answer results in a forfeit (usually in the form of shots or dares) and whenever a correct answer given she has the power to nominate one or more of her fellow hens to take the forfeit instead. Be warned.. Revenge is sweet! If you'd like to add more of a personal touch you can video the groom-to-be answering the questions so everyone can watch it back on the hen night, often resulting in lots of giggles! To make it extra special why not have one of our fantastic buff butlers host the game and administer the forfeits/read out the questions! You can make up all your own questions if you like but we have attached some example questions below to give you a starting point/some ideas. We wish you all the best with your party planning and hope you have a fab hen party! Ideas for questions What’s the one thing, apart from you that he’d save in a fire? What would he say is most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done? What’s the name of his favourite celebrity crush? What’s the most unusual place you’ve had sex? What would he say is your most annoying habit? What would you say is his most annoying habit? What’s his favourite sexual position? Who would play him in a movie of his life? What’s his favourite part of your body? What’s your favourite part of his body? What’s your bra size? Where does your h2b want to go on honeymoon? How many children does he want? What year did you get together? Would you trust him to choose your wedding dress? How many times did he take his driving test?...