as they say in their email

Plug! For lo, it came to pass that on the 8th September 2009, I didst find myself promoting a drinks company. On my blog. But they've been nice enough to send me an invite to an event on Friday and wanted me to invite you too and it does sound rather good so I hope you'll forgive me. They've contacted Art In Liverpool as well, so it looks like this has been sent to a few Liverpool bloggers.

It's the Liverpool launch of Green Apple Smirnoff and Lime Smirnoff and to celebrate, they've commissioned giant ice sculptures which will be unveiling five huge ice sculptures across the UK on the 11th September recreating iconic landmarks. Glasgow will receive an Armadillo, Manchester's will be a the Urbis Centre, the Forth Bridge will be reconstructed in Edinburgh. Covent Garden piazza will be an ice sculpture of London’s skyline featuring Canary Wharf, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, The London Eye, St. Pauls Cathedral and The Gherkin.

Liverpool One will be home to an ice replica of the top of the Liver Building. Here is an artist's impression, though the location seems to have changed (see below).

As they say in their email: "We’d also like to invite your readers to the launch site where the first 20 readers quoting your blog name arriving at the ice sculpture from 6pm will be entered into a prize draw to win Green Apple Smirnoff and Lime Smirnoff take home packs to share with friends."

Yes indeed. Turn up and shout 'feeling listless' at someone and you might receive free alcoholic beverages. Might I suggest you phrase it more as a question than an answer. So "Feeling listless?" rather than "Feeling listless (sigh)" See what happens.

The address is: Liverpool One, in front of John Lewis, Urban Outfitters and Virgin Megastore. L1 8JQ.

There isn't much else in the way of describing what else will be happening. I think it will look rather like that scene in Groundhog Day. Though with more alcohol, more ice, more people and no Bill Murray or Andi MacDowell. Or Groundhog.

The installations will see some of the world’s top ice sculptors, Duncan and Jamie Hamilton, Ben Edson, Jack Hackney and Darren Jackson work through the night to carve the structures from a mix of clear and white ice. The ice blocks for the sculptures, being prepared in giant freezers at the Hamilton’s workshop in South West London, will be transported to each location on the 11th September. Upon arrival, they’ll be slotted into place and shaped into their illustrious designs, incorporating limes, green apples and frozen bottles of Smirnoff flavoured vodka.

Sculptor Duncan Hamilton comments: “We were delighted to be asked to work with Smirnoff Flavours. This is the first time we have been asked to design and produce a project of this scale. The challenge to present such unique large sculptures in five city centres, at the same time and on the same day is wonderful.”

Michael Martin, spokesperson for Smirnoff vodka comments: “We wanted to do something original and exciting and resolutely iconic to mark the launch of Lime Smirnoff and Green Apple Smirnoff in the UK. When we saw what the Hamiltons had in store, we were blown away. Make sure you get to see the sculptures before they melt and check out the new flavours of Smirnoff which you can try in many bars around the country!”

Does anyone know what the drains are like at Liverpool One?