Camelot

That would be the view of the Potomac and Georgetown at sunset from the deck of the Kennedy Centre, a mausoleum to modesty of scale, shortly after a dramatic flyby by a Blackhawk helicopter. We were there last week for the Vital Voices Global Women's Leadership Awards as were Tina Brown, Wolf Blitzer and Chelsea Clinton, alhough in more central roles than we. Than me, anyway. Gina and Siena pretty much kicked off proceedings with this. The women awarded were a truly amazing bunch - a Pakistani filmmaker (whom we later lifted home) who has almost singlehandedly put paid to the practice of retributive arranged marriages, a Samoan lady who has built an entire industry of sustainable palm oil for sale to the body shop, five courageous women from various bits of the Arab world in foment. Afterwards, furious networking over dinner and drinks, with the average encounter a heartfelt and effective 45 secs, then onto the next one.