The best chatup line in the world? 

Thursday night, 8:30 p.m., Murooj Rotana Ballroom

What a night.. After numerous delays by the event organizers, the UAE Web Awards finally went ahead. Arriving at the event with 15 colleagues, 14 clients and my girlfriend (who also won a Silver Awards in the Art & Design category for arabianEye), the evening seemed full of promise. A big agency night of us banging the drum and collecting our 18 awards beckoned.. However, arriving at the lobby at the Murooj Rotana, something seemed wrong. Everything seemed a bit subdued. What was missing? What was wrong? I answered my own question a minute later when I asked the waiter for a drink.

"Can I have a drink, please?" "Sorry sir, we are not serbing alqohol" "No problem, can I buy an alcoholic drink." "No sir, not allowed." "Not even if I pay for it?"

I don't want you to think that we have any resident alcoholics in the agency, but come on! An awards night... on a Thursday... that was gonna run for four hours...and no alcohol? That's no fun. Time to take matter into my own hands...

Thursday night, 8:55 p.m., Flat 102, Rostamani Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road

Having been picked up by Martin at the front door, we braved the Thursday night Sheikh Zayed Road traffic back to my place. I hurriedly empty a bottle of Bombay Sapphire into a small water bottle, and it's back to the awards with enough booze for me, Martin and Audra to sup through the events. Back in the car, and back to the awards night.

Thursday night, 11:00 p.m., Murooj Rotana Hotel ballroom

What a night! With the final tally counted, we've won 18 awards! We've won A lot of clients weren't able to make it, so a couple of us had to keep getting up to the stage to collect the awards. In a few categories (Real Estate, Corporate, Travel & Transportation), we cleaned up and won all three awards. You can see all the results here . With a hatful of happy clients and after a nice night out with the team, it's time to celebrate.

Thursday night, 1:30 a.m., Double Decker Pub

Walking around a heaving pub, surrounded by hundreds of sweaty twentysomethings in t-shirts and jeans, I must have seemed an oddity, a man in a suit. But the smirk on my face betrayed the fact that I knew something they didn't. "Why are you wearing a suit?" "I've just been to an awards ceremony." "Ooohhh.. Did you win anything?" "18 Awards, including Best Website in the UAE.." Over the course of the evening, I went through this routine numerous times and have realized that was the best chat-up line in the world. See you in Amman for the Pan Arab Web Awards in May!