Welcome to VELVET-CLUB the club that enables members to connect with 1,000’s of lesbians around the world – at home, in the office, on their travels!! Link up with new friends, increase your business contacts or find the perfect partner and much, much more!!

After what I can say was nothing short of an excellent Christmas drinks party (Photo Gallery) we are looking forward to our February drinks party and our first party in 2008. So come and join us for a complimentary glass of champagne (for guests who arrive between 7-8pm) courtesy of www.granadawine.com and a red rose from www.only-roses.com.

Curtis your Host and Co-Hosts – Jean Francois, Ian, Markus, and Alastair will be meeting and greeting. Our members and guests are all ages and professions. A great night to network - so chat, flirt or talk shop its up to you !! There is NO admission charge and the drinks prices are very reasonable …

There is also a Private View of Paintings by Jeffrey South, colourful and sexy, and that’s not just the Artist.

Enter our LUCKY DRAW for “Cosmic Spirit” a superb oil painting on canvas (24”x20”) and continue the evening on by collecting Guest Passes for complimentary admission to Shadow Lounge, 5 Brewer Street, Soho, London W1 (before 11pm) Europe’s No 1 gay members club..

A Bistro Menu is available in the Dover Bar and Piano Lounge and includes such favourites as: …. the oriental platter (£8) … eggs benedict (£5) … crayfish, watercress and avocado salad (£12) …. club sandwich ( £8) … mushroom risotto (£10) … smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (£11) … fresh linguni with pesto (£8). To make a reservation please call Hannah on 020 7408 5092

Guest List places are limited to 250 members and their guests. Click Here for more details and send an email to susie@velvet-club.com including your name and the names of your guests! The Arts Club, 40 Dover Street, Mayfair, London W1.

Join us for a delicious Glass of Champagne (for guests who arrive between 7-8pm).

Champagne Brugnon is from the Premier Cru village of Rilly-la-Montagne on the Montage de Reims. Philippe Brugnon is a fourth generation producer and oenologist trained in Puligny-Montrachet. With a high proportion of Pinot Noir in his grape mix, his Champagnes are characterised by good body and excellent fruit …it is Soft, Elegant and Poised. Enjoy !

Philippe Brugnon Champagne is supplied by Granada Wine to: embassies, art galleries, hotels, restaurants, corporate clients and events companies.... as well as private clients !! ...more...

THE QUEER YEAR

Adrian Gillan looks back on 2007 and forward to 2008, asking Ben Summerskill, Nick Partridge, Peter Tatchell and others what they made of it all..

Ben Summerskill (Chief Executive, Stonewall - www.stonewall.org.uk)
Highs of ‘07: Our new “goods and services” protections, introduced in April, will wrap around the lives of millions of lesbian/gay people. Better public services are now on the cards and insurance companies and hotels will never be able to discriminate against gay people again. These protections were secured in the face of determined opposition from Roman Catholic and Anglican bishops, but decency (and the power of our prayers!) prevailed. Wish for ‘08: That our protections for lesbian mums and gay dads are passed by Parliament, alongside those against incitement to homophobic hatred; that every pupil in the country sees one of Stonewall’s new “Some People are Gay. Get over it!” posters in their school; and that another million people join the ranks of employers participating in Stonewall’s Diversity Champions fairness-at-work programme ...more...

VALENTINES DAY – IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN:

Valentine's Day: a time of romance, red roses, heart-shaped chocolate boxes, candle-lit dinners… and pressure! So we’ve sweet-talked our… wait for it… our fantastic, super-good-looking… Events Host, Curtis Gordon, to design a selection of elegant to stylish and flirty to fruity e-cards for all the Velvet girls , their pals and partners. We've got all sorts and they’re free to send for Velvet members. Click here for a direct link. Simple as that!

'The Rosie O' Donnell Show' became the most popular daytime chat show of its time, winning an Emmy in 1998 for Outstanding Talk Show. It focused less on the debate of people's personal issues and more on live performance, interviews and entertainment.
O'Donnell met her partner Kelli Carpenter, in 1998 through her brother Daniel. The two were married in 2004, in San Francisco. The marriage coincided with an announcement by President George W Bush that there would be an amendment to the constitution that would ban gay marriage. O' Donnell said: "I think the actions of the president are, the most vile and hateful words ever spoken by a sitting president, I am stunned and I'm horrified....And, you know, I think a lot of people will be going to San Francisco."
She is an active spokesperson for gay rights. The couple now have 4 children, and it was her role as a gay parent which made her come out in 2002. In an interview with Diane Sawyer, she commented: "I don't think America knows what a gay parent looks like. I am a gay parent." Rosie O'Donnell is a loud voice in the struggle for gay rights in America. ...more...

Detailed biographies of world famous lesbians from the worlds of Art, Literature, Film/tv, Sport, Politics and Music … broaden your knowledge by clicking here!

BOOST YOUR BUSINESS CONTACTS - FREE Listing & Link To Your Website

Get your website noticed with a free link from VELVET. Weblinks is a fast growing section, categories include: art, business, leisure, personal services, travel and holidays and more … You can search our current Weblinks categories or submit your own link by clicking here. Any questions just email susie@velvet-club.com ...more...

We are looking for Velvet-Club members that would like to be ChatHosts and Host either a one off slot or Host a regular slot. So if you have a special personal/business/community interest that you are knowledgeable about and that you think will be of interest to other members .. just send Susie (Membership Secretary) an email at Susie@velvet-club.com telling her what subjects you would like to cover and why in your HostedChat.

Lifestyle, General / Relationship Advice, Points of View, Business Networking, or Personal Interests … anything goes, art, music, films, books, fashion, food and wine, counselling ... What is important to you ? Share your experiences in life - Discuss and debate it in the Chat Lounge

The Hosted Chat Diary is on the front page of the ChatLounge and will list the details of forthcoming Hosted Chats and they will also be promoted in the monthly Newsletters, emailed to over 20,000 members and contacts.

If you're one of life's optimists – welcome home. If you aspire to be a positive thinker – welcome to our world. The time is right for a daily look on the bright side. Something different. You'll find astonishingly inspiring stories that show the best of human spirit, reveal the goodness of man's nature and actions that illustrate a genuine desire by many to improve the world we live in. Sometimes we need a reminder ... and that reminder now comes to you every day. Here at Optimist World you'll find it. For more inspirational thoughts visit www.OptimistWorld.com

Want to know what surprises are around the corner for you ?? – click here to read your Daily, Weekly and Monthly horoscopes on Velvet-Club.

Russell's rise to fame has been meteoric. Dubbed “Astrologer Royal” by the media, he has syndicated his Stars column to 450+ newspapers world-wide and Russell's Stars have also become a huge hit across the Internet with Britons and Americans alike flocking to read his stars. His best-selling books include: Russell Grant's Sun Signs, Russell Grant's Dream Dictionary, Russell Grant's Astro Tarot Pack and Russell Grant's Book of Birthdays. Russell's latest book 'You Can Change Your Life' published by Random House is already scaling the Best Sellers List ...more...

All Member Profile Searches give top listing to Member Profiles that include a main photograph. Photographs that are 400x400 pixels or 64 kb can be accommodated. Should you wish to have a modesty flash across your face for privacy then please email your photograph with your Screen Name to photos@velvet-club.com and we will do this for you. Photographs will maximise your chances to connect with other members. Please note that Gallery Search is a search by main photograph only, so if you do not upload a photograph you will not be able to be included.