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The GOOD LIFE
Alice B-B find blades of glory at London’s latest must-visit members’ club En garde: 180 Health Club offers a raft of new classes to try
T
HE THRILL… of a new space with a fresh vision. This was the feeling as I stepped into 180 Health Club on The Strand, part of a buzzing new work and play space (Soho House is on the top two floors). No boring, sweaty gym or warren of treatment rooms; instead vast spaces that morph into training or breathwork areas set in front of screens filled with ‘someone’s taken mushrooms’ visuals. In charge of collating London’s best, most exciting trainers and practitioners is super-styler and talent-junkie Alex Eagle. Under her watch you can box with ace trainer Pete Liggins (BoxCleverSports), take Yamuna Rolling classes (somehow makes your limbs longer and leaner) or have an IV infusion courtesy of Koniver Wellness. There’s also cryotherapy, infrared sauna, lymphatic drainage… you can even take gardening courses. Or learn to fence. With an epee – not actually knocking up a fence. Though I’m sure that can be arranged, too (180thestrand.com/180-health-club). HAVE I GOT MY TASTE AND SMELL BACK? This was my postCovid excuse to try the rush of new restaurants. First up: Koyn in Mayfair, sister to my favourite Michelin-starred Indian, Jamavar. The Japanese restaurant is split over two floors; bright and perky upstairs, dark and sexy downstairs. My table was upstairs (how I miss those downstairs days). But that was the only downside. Standout dishes include Chilean sea bass with a shiso salsa verde, hay smoked lobster and yellowtail sashimi with truffle soy – I will go back to Koyn for this alone (koynrestaurants.com). Then I took a seat on the green leather banquette at Dorian – from the team behind Notting Hill Fish Shop and Supermarket of Dreams. I scarfed possibly the most perfect fig leaf negroni and scoffed a melting sirloin and crab rosti. Fair to say that all my senses are back in working order – much to the chagrin of my Nili Lotan trouser waistband (dorianrestaurant.com). FANCY A WAVE? ‘Go on then,’ I’d reply. And for years, I’d leave the hair salon, catch myself in a shop window and wonder why someone’s auntie was staring at me. Then everything changed; I got an appointment with hair god Josh Wood (Tilda Swinton, Elle Macpherson etc…), who not only swapped my naff Chelsea highlights for cool girl dirty blonde, but whose stylists finally gave me a blow dry to shout about. So hurray for Josh fans – he’s been given his own mini salon in the spanking new spa at Claridge’s. Visiting dignitaries, Hollywood royalty and Mayfair denizens in need of a fresh barnet now have access to the Wood wizardry (claridges.co.uk).
THIS MONTH I’LL BE...
HOPING for racy pants in my stocking (nounou.co.uk). SALIVATING over this 18ct gold and rainbow jewel necklace (£15,230, robinsonpelham.com). BREEZING through jet-lag, club-lag or simply life-lag with new sleep aid that induces a state of snooziness similar to that of a just-fed baby (£34.99, leapfrogremedies.com).
ILLUSTRATION BY MEI MEI, @MEIMEI_2503
‘No BORING, sweaty gym or warren of treatment rooms; instead VAST spaces that morph into training or BREATHWORK areas’
34 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM | November/December 2022
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