On any given day, somebody somewhere is always launching a new bar, restaurant, club or casino; celebrating a birthday; unveiling a clothing range or promoting a new development.

It's not long before you figure out that neither your wallet or liver could cope if you said yes to everything and you develop a knack for sorting the must-gos from the no-nos.

But every once in a while a real gem comes along – an event that you just can't bear to miss.

And it's not just about the amount of free booze on offer, it's about offering something different.

Stunning

Thursday night – the launch of the new stunning space-age ghd headquarters at Bridgewater Place – was one of those.

If you were lucky enough to be honoured with an invite there were two questions on every woman's lips.

What are you wearing?

And, do you think there'll be straighteners in the goody bags?

Most common responses: Little black dress, and no way.

But at an event packed with hair experts, models and stylists, topping the list of anxiety-attack inducing concerns was how to ensure your locks were at their "just stepped out of the salon" best.

Obviously crazy coiffures were de rigeur on the catwalk but there were also an alarming number of tragically trendy barnets in the crowd and they'd all flocked together like a bunch of half-plucked parrots.

I'm guessing they were from the "I'm mad, me" branch of the Leeds hairdressing fraternity.

Peacocks and parrots aside it felt like we'd stumbled into an episode of Ugly Betty – or rather into the glamorous super-styled offices of Mode magazine.

The entrance is a dead ringer for that unmistakable white corridor in the hit TV show and with all the glossy hair, lean limbs, super-hot dresses, Champagne quaffing and mwah-mwahing, I was hoping bitchy duo Marc and Amanda might suddenly appear.

Sadly they weren't on the guestlist but a whole host of equally beautiful people were.

And before we knew it the models were parading their tiny tushes just inches from our noses.

In the face of such breath-taking near perfection survival instinct took over.

We comforted ourselves by pointing out any flaws.

"Ugh – look at her bad skin; check out her Desperate Dan jawbone; ooh, her boobs are like bee stings; she drew the short straw when they were dishing out the hairdos – looks like a swimming cap on a frazzled perm."

As the words to Careless Whisper blasted out "I'm never gonna dance again" and another perfectly-proportioned package strutted past, I switched the lyrics and sang a promise to myself, "I'm never going to eat again".

Of course that resolution lasted around 20 minutes, until the melt-in-the mouth pesto, tomato and goats cheese canapés caught my eye.

(And I'm still trying to forget the two bagels I scoffed when I got home to soak up the bubbly)

But the rest of the evening was unforgettable – the coolest, sexiest catwalk show I've ever seen ; the chance to have your hair styled by a pro, makeovers by professional make-up artists, a BB-style diary room to share your thoughts on the brand, and even ghds in the toilets.

The only problem with an event this dazzling, it's a pretty hard act to follow.

Here's hoping the jam-packed Leeds Shopping Week timetable has a few little treats in store.


Rob's winning ways

BIG round of applause to Leeds Rhinos for their Super League victory at the weekend.

I wouldn't usually be interested but covering their homecoming celebrations at Headingley Carnegie Stadium on Sunday, I recognised one of the players.

I'm 99.9 per cent sure that speedy scrum half Rob Burrows (left) was having his hair cut at the same time as me last Wednesday at West Row, Thornton's Arcade.

How refreshing to think that just as us girls like their hair to look its best for an important occasion – real men do too.


Just what an injured pet doesn't need

PEOPLE always accuse the tabloids of making stuff up but this week I have proof.

I read a newsline saying animal charity PDSA was appealing for supporters to donate odd socks because they made good bandages for injured creatures after operations.

This conjured up such a cute image – poorly pets wearing stripey socks – I immediately rang the PDSA to find out where I could drop off my mountain of partner-less socks.

I was told in no uncertain terms that this was one of the most ridiculous ideas they'd ever heard.

Bandages

They were a professional veterinary service which used clean, professional bandages in their animal hospitals and would never use old socks.

So whatever you read elsewhere, don't go dumping all your old socks at your local PDSA shop, they won't thank you for it.

However if you do fancy helping animals in need the Dogs Trust on York Road, Leeds, is always grateful of blankets and towels to make their residents more comfy and cosy.

That doesn't solve the problem of what to do with all those spare socks but I think I'll hang on to mine, just in case their other halves turn up.