Love him or hate him, Block8 guru Sebastien Noat refuses to compromise on anything-except maybe which DVD to watch.

Morning Routine

10:55 a.m. The alarm goes off-I hate the sound. Switch on CNN to observe global developments, the Olympics trail and Obama’s political future
11:06 Last cuddle and hug with my life partner-and partner in crime-Tyra.
11:09 I check my phone for missed calls. Seven messages and five missed calls and it’s not even lunch yet!
11:10 Tyra is up, Indian music is playing at max volume and she’s dancing in the bathroom.
11:15 Reluctantly go take a shower and officially start my day. It’s going to be a busy one.

Decisions

11:45 First headache of the day: I have to choose which restaurant Tyra wants to go to for lunch.
12:10 p.m. The driver is here and I decide to go to Assagi in Sanlitun, home of the famed penne arrabiata.

Bizness

1:45 Meet with Ken and Richard, partners on our new Solana project. We go on-site to review the latest developments. We are opening a next-generation sports bar and high-end hip-hop club.
2:05 Conference call with Chris in Bangkok, the designer for the whole project, to discuss a few issues regarding the floor plans. Then it’s off to Block8.

Block8

2:45 Meet with Musa, the Operations Manager, to review VIP events and reservations and weekend highlights.
3:30 Meet with Med’s head chef to evaluate new menu inspirations and recommendations. We decide to try two new pasta dishes based on black truffles and porcini mushrooms.
4:05 I text Tyra a loving sms. I’m on probation if I don’t!
4:10 Taste the new pasta dishes: very encouraging.
4:20 Response from Tyra, I’m off the hook, she still loves me!
4:25 Sms messages pop up on my mobile as customers start making reservations for tonight.

Alchemy

5:30 Meet with Jack, my partner in Alchemy Consultants, a new company we are launching in June. We discuss the main areas of focus-mainly fashion, trends and lifestyle and including restaurants and bars.

Block8

6:15 Meet with Kristen, Block8’s Communications Director, to discuss the media plan for upcoming events, and the most important of the month-our Moët & Chandon Rose Party on April 26.
6:37 A top gambler from Macau calls me to look after some of his high rolling friends coming for dinner tonight. 6:55 Meet with Monaco’s Olympic Committee. We’re organizing a dinner in Block8 with His Serene Highness the Prince Albert 2nd of Monaco during Olympics.

Cocktail Perfection

8:05 R&R with the bar team. We go through the daily exercise with all the bartenders. We pick one cocktail and get each bartender to make the same one. We take notes and compare the various tastes. I am very specific about the consistency of the cocktails.
8:20 Eighty percent satisfied with the results, I order another round of the same.
8:35 I’m 95 percent satisfied. I resign myself to the fact that nothing and nobody is ever perfect!

Party Time

8:55 The jazz band starts. Give words of wisdom to my sound engineer in regards to sound balancing. It’s essential to protect diners from excessive “noise” while they are enjoying their dinner in Med or Haiku.
9:05 Sms time-CTyra, my Scottish princess, is on her way to Block8.
9:20 Have dinner with Zora, the headmaster of ESMOD Beijing, the famous French fashion design school, and Tony, one my best friends here and also the best veterinary doctor in town.
10:51 Time for the infamous chocolate lava cake. Sip Moët and Chandon Rose at i-Ultra lounge while listening to the Red Hand Jazz Band jamming. Life’s tough.
11:51 We leave Block8. The staff smile in relief as I leave early.

Couple Time

12:01 a.m. I make the midnight headline news on CNN. Clinton is still in the race. What a shame!
12:35 A tough moment in a couple’s life: We have to decide on a DVD. Needless to say, Tyra always gets the upper hand.
2:20 We turn off the lights, and I am about to enjoy the best quality time: alone with the woman of my life while my phone is switched to silent!

What we think...

Anyone who’s ever had a cocktail at Block8 knows they mix some of the best in town. “Quality and consistency are more often than not hard to find in Beijing,” Sebastien says. What do you think about Sebastian’s day? Visit Day in the Life online and comment. www.cityweekend.com.cn/dayinthelifeBJ