Country & Town House - March 2019 by Country & Town House Magazine

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

EMILIA WICKSTEAD’S

Postcards from New Zealand, plus properties to buy Down Under

AN UNLIKELY ECO WARRIOR Tracy Worcester is a duchess on a mission

WILD ABOUT ADVENTURE

MARCH 2019 £3.90

HIP TO BE BRUTON

How the Somerset town turned cool

BOTTOMS UP!

Introducing our new drinks column

PETER OBORNE finds a warm welcome in Syria. LEVISON WOOD explores safe spaces in Afghanistan. PETER HUGHES sets sail in eastern Indonesia. DEVANSHI MODY discovers the posh side of Peru

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LONDON, 171 NEW BOND STREET 0207 907 8800 LONDON, FINE JEWELLERY ROOM HARRODS 0207 907 8899 HARRYWINSTON.COM

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W W W .W I L L I A M A N D S O N . C O M

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T H E P E R F E C T D E S T I N AT I O N F O R T O W N & C O U N T R Y L I V I N G

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CONTENTS M A R C H 2 019

COLUMNS 22 24

THE GOOD LIFE Scrap the slap, says Alice B-B THE RURBANIST Robin Wright and Karen Fowler

UP FRONT 27 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48

SPIRITED AWAY Flimsy florals JUST THE ONE Pack a one-piece for sun or slopes STYLE NOTEBOOK Conch chic LUXE WITH LUCIA An ode to Crockett & Jones’ enduring designs NIFTY NOMAD Travel accessory hacks MY STYLE Aussie kaftan queen Camilla Franks GOLD DIGGER Jewellery news BRIGHT YOUNG THING Phoebe Fox BEAUTY TEST Targeted toning AROMA ADVENTURE Perfumes that go the extra mile BODY & SOUL Use your body weight WELL GROOMED Men’s style news

THE GUIDE 53 58 62 64

65 66 68

THE DIARY What to do this month ARTS AGENDA Political plays to help make sense of turbulent times WELL READ Books THE OLYMPIAN Sebastian Coe on the man who turned motor racing into a lucrative money machine ROAD TEST The Honda NSX SEEDER’S DIGEST A garden known as ‘heaven with the doors open’ CONVERSATIONS AT SCARFES BAR The formidable Duchess of Beaufort gets all apocalpytic with Matthew Bell

FASHION & FEATURES 70

82 85 88

MOON WALKING Floaty fabrics that are out of this world. Photography by Nicky Emmerson ON LOCATION Behind the scenes in the extra-terrestrial Cappadocia, Turkey NEWS OF THE WORLD Travel news HOMEGROWN HOTELS Hot new hotels for your next staycation SAFE STEPPES Levison Wood embarks on an intrepid trek through Afghanistan

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Find and book your next escape at mrandmrssmith.com or call Smith24 on 0330 311 4341

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CONTENTS M A R C H 2 019

POSTCARDS FROM NEW ZEALAND Fashion designer extraordinaire and Auckland girl Emilia Wickstead takes us on a tour of her favourite places 98 THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS Peter Oborne falls in love with Syria again, and encourages readers to do the same 102 MEET THE INSTA-TSARS OF TRAVEL Rosalyn Wikeley helps fuel our wanderlust while scrolling 105 PERU, POSHLY! No backpacking for Devanshi Mody: how to do Peru in style

THE INSIDER 109 CHERRY PICKING Bath time

is the best time 110 TUTTI FRUTTI Fruit’s in season 112 DESIGN NOTES News, views and

inspiration by Carole Annett 114 FLIGHTS OF FANCY Steps to 115

upgrade your home DESIGN Q&A Bernie de Le Cuona

FOOD & TRAVEL 117 122

125 126 128 131 132 133 134

A WHALE OF A TIME Peter Hughes finally finds paradise in eastern Indonesia BUCKET LIST Bryan Adams shares memories of holidays in the middle of the ocean with Holly Rubenstein THE WEEKENDER Saint-Paul de Vence MAYAN MANIA Mary Lussiana is mad on Mexico GASTRO GOSSIP Irish moonshine goes mainstream V IS FOR VEGETABLE Vegan at home CORN ON THE HOB Richard Bertinet adds Spanish spice to cornbread HAPPY HOUR Alice Lascelles kicks off her new drinks column with some corkers FORK & FIELD Would you drop £10 on one piece of sushi?

ON THE MOVE

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ON THE COVER Dress by Ralph & Russo, bikini bottoms by Melissa Odabash, earrings by Ming Yu Wang. Photography by Nicky Emmerson. Fashion direction by Nicole Smallwood. Hair by Sophie Higginson using Davines. Make up by Sophie Higginson using CHANEL L’Art du Détail: Vision d’Asie and CHANEL Sublimage L’Essence Fondamentale

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PROPERTY OF THE MONTH LET’S MOVE TO... Bruton, Somerset MY HOUSE Mariella Frostrup FIVE OF THE BEST Mountain retreats

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EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS

REGULARS

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EDITOR’S PICK S PACK I’ll be wearing this Eberjey dress all summer long. eberjey.com

EDITOR’S LETTER

hen Peter Oborne called me up to say he really wanted to write about Syria for our travel special, I hesitated. After all, this is a country devasted by civil war, a hotbed of terrorism with all its ghastly, horrific massacres, and home to a president who allegedly uses chemical weapons aginst his own civilians. But Peter convinced me that the country is now pulling itself back from the brink; that Damascus is open for business and will welcome visitors with the widest of smiles and the most open of arms, so, with a big, flashing warning sign to do all your homework beforehand, let Peter inspire our more audacious readers to help bring business and tourism back to Syria, a country which so sorely needs it (p98).

70 And then I thought, why not go the whole hog? Afghanistan! And who better to write about this other war-ravaged country than the gorgeously rugged explorer Levison Wood, who, as far away as it is possible to be from Taliban camps and roadside bombs, finds the jaw-dropping glories of the Wakhan Corridor. Join him on his intrepid journey to discover a place where time has almost stood still (p88). If you prefer your adventure travel with a bit more of a luxury bent, Peru has really developed as a destination. Devanshi Mody reviews the 10 poshest places to stay (p105), while travel veteran Peter Hughes takes to the seas, in utmost comfort, in eastern Indonesia to find a part of the world he didn’t still think existed (p117). So, whether you’re planning to follow in these great writers’ footprints or not, I hope you will at least enjoy reading about their travels and perhaps even putting them on your own Bucket List. I might suggest our interviewee this issue, Byran Adams, takes note – he’s into places where he won’t encounter another soul... (p122)

VISIT My favourite new place: South Tyrol, winter or summer, it’s bliss

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FAST I love a fasting day to give my gut a break and super ethical brand Purearth makes it a pleasure (almost!). purearth.co.uk

@countryandtown /countryandtownhousemagazine /countryandtownhouse

READ Malala Yousafzai’s We Are Displaced, especially as International Women’s Day is round the corner

PHOTOS: REX FEATURES

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CONTRIBUTORS

LEVISON WOOD

The trip you’re most looking forward to this year is… Returning to Nepal in the spring to discover the projects currently being run by the Gurkha Welfare Trust. You would never return to… Never say never! I’ve had some rough experiences in various places, but I would never use a moment in time as a yard stick to measure an entire country. A great hotel is one that… Pays attention to the small details, and in doing so makes you feel at home. Your three packing essentials are… A notepad for recording my journey, my Leica camera to capture the essence of a place and its people, and a white linen shirt, because you never know when you’re going to be invited to a wedding or to meet the Dalai Lama!

PETER OBORNE

STELLA 01

savoirbeds.com

London

New York

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Paris

Shanghai

Hong Kong

The trip you’re most looking forward to this year is… A journey to the Middle East with my wife Martine who is a vicar. We want to visit ancient centres of Christianity, including the Holy Land, Egypt, Syria and Iraq – and take ages on our spiritual journey. You would never return to… The United States. Boring. Materialistic. Who was it who pointed out that the US passed directly from barbarism to decadence without the intervening period of civilisation? A great hotel is one that… Is understated. I can never make up my mind whether the best hotel I have stayed in is the American Colony in Jerusalem, the Albergo in Beirut or the Hindukush Heights in Chitral. Your three packing essentials are… Dollars, my passport and a pair of stout shoes.

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CONTRIBUTORS

EMILIA WICKSTEAD

The trip you’re most looking forward to this year is… Brazil at the end of the year. We travel there every second year to be with my husband’s family for Christmas. We spend 10 days at the beach and two days in São Paolo where my husband’s family is from. It’s the perfect balance of relaxation mixed with some city fun. Where would you never return to… I have been fortunate to have only had great experiences. A great hotel is one that… Is on or right next to the beach, and has a huge bathtub and an open fire. Your three packing essentials are... Always Sisley sunscreen – their spray can sunscreen is unbeatable; my E.W. x Matches Fashion swimsuit and, finally, my family. It’s impossible to holiday without them – I would miss them too much.

DEVANSHI MODY

The New Rifle Range

The new Rigby rifle range is now open for use, offering a 2 lane 200m range and 5 lane 100m range with the Leica running boar target. 020 8845 1377 w w w.shoot ingschool.co.u k Shar vel Lane, West End Road Northolt, UB5 6RA

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The trip you’re most looking forward to this year is… Delving into unchartered mental planes. It is, after all, the end of yoga. Where would you never return to… Nowhere. Then again, South Africa – a month there betrays the ineradicable apartheid ethos of South Africans (blacks call themselves ‘African’). And yet, I’d return to visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, which I didn’t get round to, having fled South Africa after 32 days in horror. A great hotel is one that… Changes the way you see a destination or life itself. Your three packing essentials are... Chanel No 5, Chanel No 5, Chanel No 5.

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Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Collection JULIA | ECRU CALF | BY APPOINTMENT TO HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES MANUFACTURER AND SUPPLIER OF FOOTWEAR CROCKETT & JONES LIMITED, NORTHAMPTON

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CO U NTRYA N DTOW N H O U S E .CO.U K

EDITOR Lucy Cleland EDITOR-AT-LARGE Alice B-B ASSOCIATE EDITOR Charlotte Metcalf FASHION DIRECTOR Nicole Smallwood BEAUTY DIRECTOR Nathalie Eleni FASHION EDITOR Lucy Bond LUXURY EDITOR Lucia van der Post INTERIORS EDITOR Carole Annett JEWELLERY EDITOR Annabel Davidson RETAIL EDITOR Rosalyn Wikeley PROPERTY EDITOR Anna Tyzack MOTORING EDITOR Jeremy Taylor EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Clementina Jackson ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Maya Monro-Somerville PROPERTY MARKETING MANAGER Gemma Cowley DIGITAL MANAGER Adam Dean SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Felicity Reid JUNIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Ellie Rix CREATIVE DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Parm Bhamra JUNIOR PRODUCTION DESIGNER Samuel Thomas ONLINE EDITOR Rebecca Cox DIGITAL ASSISTANT Ellie Smith JUNIOR ONLINE WRITER Bella Lewis TECHNICAL MANAGER Hannah Johnson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Mark Pearson DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY Wil Harris DIGITAL INTERN Kerri Stolerman CREDIT CONTROLLER Penny Burles SALES & OFFICE MANAGER Daisy Orr-Ewing ACCOUNTS CONTROLLER Aimi Nicastro FINANCE DIRECTOR Jill Newey PUBLISHER Julia Carrick MANAGING DIRECTOR Jeremy Isaac CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Stephen Bayley, Simon de Burton, Fiona Duncan, Daisy Finer, Lydia Gard, Avril Groom, Richard Hopton, Emma Love, Mary Lussiana, Anna Pasternak, Caroline Phillips, Marcus Scriven THE EDITOR editorial@countryandtownhouse.co.uk FASHION fashion@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ADVERTISING advertising@countryandtownhouse.co.uk PROPERTY ADVERTISING property@countryandtownhouse.co.uk ACCOUNTS accounts@countryandtownhouse.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE is a monthly magazine distributed to AB homes in Barnes, Battersea, Bayswater, Belgravia, Brook Green, Chelsea, Chiswick, Clapham, Coombe, Fulham, Holland Park, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Marylebone, Mayfair, Notting Hill, Pimlico, South Kensington, Wandsworth and Wimbledon, as well as being available from leading country and London estate agents. It is also on sale at selected WHSmith, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s stores and independent newsagents nationwide. It has an estimated readership of 150,000. It is available on subscription in the UK for £29.99 per annum. To subscribe online, iPad, iPhone and android all for only £24.99 visit: exacteditions.com/read/countrytownhouse. For subscription enquiries, please call 020 7384 9011 or email subscribe@countryandtownhouse.co.uk. It is published by Country & Town House Ltd, Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London SW6 4QL (tel: 020 7384 9011). Registered number 576850 England and Wales. Printed in the UK by William Gibbons and Sons Ltd, West Midlands. Paper supplied by Gerald Judd. Distribution by Letterbox.

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T I M E L E S S I TA L I A N M E N S W E A R F O R T H O S E W H O A P P R E C I AT E C R A F T S M A N S H I P D I R E C T LY F R O M T H E M A K E R S

LUCAFALONI.COM F re e Wo r l d w i d e D e l i v e r y & R e t u r n s

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COLUMN

LU XU RY & N ECESSIT Y

THE GOOD LIFE THIS MONTH I’LL BE

Meeting friends for a post-walk breakfast at Chucs in Hyde Park (chucs restaurants.com)

Working on the ‘more reading resolution’, glued to brilliant Education by Tara Westover

Fighting lines with Kate Somerville Wrinkle Warrior now available at spacenk.com

Go steady with the says Alice B-B

STATE AGENT GLOOM. The affliction is glaring; the only people who wear suits in Notting Hill are currently wandering the streets, hands in pockets, ashen faced. But a quick online scour of the property market and... if I only I had a pocketful of readies, I’d be licking my lips. There are some toothsome bargains, wrecks crying out for renovation. I’m always looking for an excuse to trawl the antiques shops (especially M Charpentier and Georgie Hodsoll) on Lillie Road or visit the new Foster & Gane showroom at Three Pigeons in Oxfordshire. I’d relish the chance to work with Luke Irwin and design a one-off rug. I’m feeling inspired by the juicy colours of Gucci’s new décor line while also taken by cool Scandi beach huts. And there’s the long wished-for dream of working with (my old friend) and amazing interior designer Gavin Houghton. I’m itching for a big remodel. But for now, while this political instability continues, it’s (just new) curtains for me.

IN BLOOM Spring dresses from oliviarubinlondon.com

ANTIQUE DELIGHT New showroom for fosterandgane.com

BLUSH-UP Real girls wear glossier.com

ST TROPEZ, BABY Stay at the new Cheval Blanc residencepinede.com

BRIGHTEN AND ROCK Interior quirk by gucci.com

PORTRAIT: JANE MCLEISH-KELSEY

WHY SO MUCH MAKE-UP? For fear of sounding like an old hag, but… everywhere I look, I see young beauties covering their fresh unlined faces with layers of slap. Which has the strange effect of creating a non-age – is she 17 or 35? Maybe that’s the point? Unlike the make-up of my teens – Boots black eyeliner, ‘Pacific Prawn’ lipstick and the odd false-eyelash mishap – there’s now a rainbow of palettes available with easy-tofollow online tutorials. But there’s a problem; often the tutorial looks are inspired from the red carpet or the catwalk – for actresses or models who’ll be scrutinised slap, mercilessly under the unforgiving glare of flashlights, HD and zoom lenses. They need that make-up. Freshfaced girls hanging in a coffee shop don’t. Which is why I’m into the Glossier make-up message: ‘beauty products inspired by real life’. GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN. I spent New Year in St Tropez; blue skies, warm sun and not a cat on the streets. This fishing village that in the summer months is overrun with sharks, was back to its humble, charming self. The service at famed port-side cafe Sénéquier was unusually attentive and New Year’s Eve beach lunch at Club 55 was without a champagnespraying, Ferrari-driving, knobhead in sight. The French chicster tradition has long dictated; Côte d’Azur for Le Bronzage in the summer, the Alps for Les Sports D’Hiver in the winter. Rather like the Chinese landing on the dark side of the moon, I’m feeling quite contrary. It may be unfashionable – but I’m all over out-of-season.

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INTERVIEW Favourite places to go out in London? Karen: We’re both completely

THE RURBANIST Actor and activist Robin Wright and designer Karen Fowler talk tacos, tea and temples

obsessed with Busaba Eathai. When we actually manage to get out of the hotel, we go straight there (or order in if we’re feeling lazy). Also, Taqueria in Westbourne Grove – we’re huge Mexican food fans. When Robin was in London shooting Wonder Woman and I was visiting, we went there probably every day. What never fails to bring a smile to your face? Robin: The progress

and empowerment of the Congolese women we’ve helped through Pour Les Femmes. It brings a smile and a tear at the same time. What item in your wardrobe do you wear the most? Karen: Pyjamas,

a nightgown or a robe – and I’m speaking for both of us here! We really like being in bed. When we have to work on the computer, we’re immediately like, ‘get in the pyjamas and get in bed’.

Linen shirt dress, £305 at matches fashion.com Pour Les Femmes nightwear is made entirely by Congolese women

What is the last book your read? Robin: Moby Dick. It’s a tough read but brilliant. I heard a literature professor referencing it based on our US administration, talking about the parallels with what’s happening in our political climate, and thought, this is the time to read it.

Where’s home to you? Karen: We both live in Los Angeles – but my heart is in Italy. I’m particularly loving Puglia these days, I recently visited the beautiful Santa Maria di Leuca and I definitely left a little piece of my heart there. Where do you go to ‘lose’ yourself?

Robin: The Congo. Not to ‘lose’ myself in the sense of relaxing, but to immerse myself in something that’s bigger than me. Our sleepwear brand Pour Les Femmes is produced by Congolese women who are survivors of violence, giving them the opportunity to learn a trade and provide for their families. We made a promise to the women we met there to be their voice because they don’t have one, and we feel a commitment, a real ’til death do us part. What’s one of your daily rituals?

Where was the last place you ‘discovered’? Robin: Cambodia, and I was totally blown away. I couldn’t believe how many temples there were on such a tiny island! Apparently everyone wanted to be king so they kept building bigger and more opulent temples so that Buddha would ‘choose’ them.

Robin: I love getting up so early that I can only hear the birds, before the car engines start. That’s the best part of being constantly jetlagged – I watch the sunrise and take in that early morning tranquility with a nice cup of English Breakfast tea. There’s nothing like that feeling.

What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Karen: Trust your instincts. I can’t remember who told me that, but probably a life coach. And luckily my instincts are good – if I’m thinking something’s accurate about a person or situation, I’m usually right. What brings out the worst in you and why? Robin: Injustice.

And that runs the gamut, from people who are wrongfully accused and incarcerated for years when they didn’t commit a crime, to the injustice of road rage, when you’re sitting at a light and someone goes crazy at you for no reason. That happens a lot in Los Angeles. It sends you into a spin and totally ruins your day. What are Saturday afternoons made for? Karen: A pot of tea,

the papers, pyjamas, jazz music – especially when it’s raining. And House of Cards, of course. What would really improve your life? Karen: Less stress. No jet lag.

And no LA traffic – it can genuinely take two hours to go 10 miles. Robin Wright and Karen Fowler are the duo behind Pour Les Femmes, the sleepwear brand with a social conscience. Find out more at plfdreams.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Pour Les Femmes founders Robin and Karen

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HANDMADE IN ENGLAND E T T I N G E R .CO.U K +44 (0)20 8877 1616

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Wallpaper: Kasai. Lauderdale Chairs in Alcanthara. Baxter Ottoman in Mitford. Console H Style in Windward Sisal.

Paramount Collection: Wallpaper, Print and Woven Fabrics www.thibautdesign.com tel: 020 7737 6555

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STYLE BEAUTY JEWELLERY PA RT I E S

UP FRONT

SPIRITED AWAY Bohemian blossoms Spring has technically sprung, but as we eagerly await that first breath of warmth, let whimsical, flowy Victoriana florals whisk you forward to the first garden party of the season. loveshackfancy.com

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UP FRONT Vita Kin Mexico dress, $1,850. vitakin.net

Maje HooParty earrings, £90. maje.com

Fendi Golden Roma ski goggles, £430. net-a-porter.com

Fendi FW19 fendi.it

Cordova Montana hooded ski suit, £1,095. net-a-porter.com

Arabella London Contour swimsuit, £315. arabellalondon.co.uk.

SUN

SLO PE S

Chanel SS19 chanel.com

Yves Salomon Fur ear muffs, £85. mytheresa.com

Asceno Trousers, £325. asceno.com

S T Y L E

Rossignol Yakima Craieateur ski jacket, £820. koibird.com

JUST THE ONE

A hard-working one piece is core to a capsule holiday wardrobe

Jimmy Choo Gracie flat boots, £850. jimmychoo.com.

Prada Basket bucket bag, £894. farfetch.com

Ancient Greek Sandals Desmos Pony in leopard, £155. ancientgreek sandals.com

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UP FRONT MICRO TREND

SHELL CHIC

COLOMBIAN COLLECTIVE

Bright prints, golden details, intricate raffia and exceptional craftsmanship: we all want a slice of South American style. You too can exude Colombian chic with brilliant beachwear from Verde Limon, three Johanna Ortiz collabs and woven bags from newbie Magnetic Midnight, brands all found in a capsule collection curated specially by Net-a-Porter. net-a-porter.com

TAKE THREE

MONO CH ROM E COSSIES

F A S H I O N

N E W S

STYLE NOTEBOOK

Your winter sun wardrobe = sorted, says Clementina Jackson ECO WARRIOR

JETS Classique bandeau, £159.95. jetsswimwear.co.uk

SOLID & STRIPED Nina belted gingham, £163. solidandstriped.eu

Leading the sustainability stampede with admirable aplomb is Riley Studio, a young brand that puts the environment first. Its collection is gender neutral, seasonless and made from up cycled waste materials and responsible natural fibres in limited quantities – as well as being timeless and infinitely cool. Bravo! riley.studio

1 Chloé Sunglasses, £286. libertylondon.com 2 Jill Stuart Top, £94. farfetch.com 3 Alexander McQueen Embroidered scarf, £292. farfetch.com 4 Albus Lumen x Ryan Storer Gold Mouth earrings, £205. matchesfashion.com 5 Jil Sander for Dover Street Market Bag, £665. doverstreetmarket.com 6 Isabel Marant Bracelet, £80. net-a-porter.com

SOCIAL SPLASH

RIXO Valentina, £130. rixo.co.uk

‘Our renowned British social season is the perfect opportunity to wear bespoke pieces as there are no limitations on design.’ Quite right, but where to begin? Luckily, W&W Jewellery has enlisted celebrated milliner Edwina Ibbotson (edwinaibbotson. co.uk) to help create an inspiring style guide for the upcoming season – perfect for those who are wobbly on the dress etiquette and/or want to ensure a memorable entrance. wandwjewellery.com

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UP FRONT

LIFE’S LIT TLE LU XURIES

L U X U R Y

LUCIA LOVES

Lucia van der Post on a British shoemaker with a sheen of stardust

Shoes that are seasonless staples

Still handmade in Northamptonshire

rockett & Jones is one of those truly British companies whose history is embedded deep in the story of our island and who make proper Goodyear-welted loafers, boots, classic Oxfords and Derbys, from around £400. (Goodyear welting is an American invention, by Charles Goodyear Jr., that involves stitching the upper and insole to a welt, a labour-intensive process requiring over 200 separate, and highly-skilled, tasks that give the shoes an exceptional degree of strength, durability and comfort.) Founded in Northamptonshire in 1879 by two brothers-in-law, James

Don’t step on my blue suede shoes

Crockett and Charles Jones, it remains a family business with an enduring commitment to quality, comfort and durability. These are not shoes that are in fashion one year and out the next; classic, slightly traditional in feel – though gently updated as fashion evolves – they go on looking good for years. In fact, its designs are considered so on-thebutton that Daniel Craig wore Crockett & Jones in Skyfall and, more recently, Spectre. This spring there is a collection of unlined styles with crepe soles, including a deliciously untraditional, soft, sky-blue, suede Chelsea boot. While they make mostly men’s shoes, women are not ignored. Ever since the biker boot became the unlikely star of this winter’s fashion world, its Barnwell boot (£395) and the chunkier, more authentically ‘biker’ Ella (£450), have been hot sellers. However, what makes Crockett & Jones worth checking out is its commitment to quality – they speak of a certain English discretion, of an elegance and a certain refined quality that has its unmistakable roots in Northamptonshire. crockettandjones.co.uk

ALL RUFFED UP I’ve raved about Alex Gore Browne’s gorgeous sweaters before but can’t help doing so again – she so cleverly adds a frill or three here, a pearlembellished neckline or interesting sleeve there – and lo and behold, you’ve got the sort of sweater that’s all set for the glitziest of dos. From £365 to £695. alexgorebrowne.com ON ALL FLOORS Since the fashion now is for furnishing outdoor rooms much like their indoor cousins, rug designer Nanimarquina has come up with a fabulous range of water resistant rugs made from a recyclable plastic called PET. There are four designs, all available in sizes 170 x 240cm and 200 x 300cm. I like Oaxaca, which has black and white checked squares against some wildly exuberant roses. They were shown at January’s Maison et Objet fair and will be available, from £1,395 to £2,365, at woven.co.uk from March.

THE SCENT OF A FREE SPIRIT A brilliant idea from an ex-advertising supremo, Carrie Hindmarsh, Charabanc is a luxury fragrance for the car, inspired by the golden age of motoring. Scents include ‘Samarqand’, an evocation of the Silk Road, and aromas of the Tuscan hills, Monument Valley, the Pennine fells and Hong Kong’s Tai Mo Shan. The initial kit costs £145 but refills or ceramic pomanders are £35. charabanc.com

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UP FRONT SKIN SOS Dr Sebagh’s travel size repair serum is fairy dust for long haul. Elle MacPherson is a big fan. £20. drsebagh.com

LOTIONS AND POTIONS Want a slick, fuss free run through airport security? Pack your liquids into Anya Hindmarch’s ingenious transparent case? £195. anyahindmarch.com

SNACK IN STYLE You are what you eat and this Connolly x Sebastian Conran picnic cool bag makes putting the old adage into transit practice a hell of a lot chicer. £1,900. connollyengland.com

LUISA BECCARIA luisabeccaria.it

AIRCON ARMOUR Patchology’s On The Fly travel kit ensures you arrive looking like you’ve had the full eight hours. £18. patchology.co.uk

CARRY-ON GOING AWAY’s pioneering carry-ons boast invaluable ejectable phone chargers (plus hidden laundry bag and front pocket for laptops and phones). £275. awaytravel.com

COMMON SCENTS Nothing stings more than fragrance confiscation at security. Decant into JVDF’s charming engraved perfume flask – more worthy of your scent than a plastic carry-on. £70. farfetch.com

THAT’S A WRAP This St Moritz cashmere batwing hoodie by Heidi Klein is cut for curling up in a ball on a plane, £375. heidiklein.com

VA VA VOOM OUAI’s dry shampoo hair mousse works without water to give your hair that volumised ‘just showered’ look without drying it out (like most powdered dry shampoos). A loyal travel friend. £10. theouai.co.uk

S T Y L E

NIFTY NOMAD

Rosalyn Wikeley shares a few tips and gadgets that help you keep pace with a peripatetic lifestyle PRETTY COMFY Ernest Leoty’s understated Adele bralette is more softsupportive-hug than bra, designed to wick away moisture and still look pretty. £70. ernestleoty.com

FANNY PACK RENAISSANCE The 80s horror returns. Marni’s technical belt bag does the job with flying colours. £372. marni.com

SILKY WAY Head down the Silk Road when it comes to travel eye masks with Paloma Blue. £45. paloma-blue.com

DON’T SWEAT IT Blisters aren’t so stylish, nor are orthopaedic shoes. FitFlops’ biomechanically engineered Allegros allow your feet to bounce and breathe, and are elegantly disguised as ballerina pumps. £75. fitflop.com

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UP FRONT

SU MM ER HOLIDAY ESSEN TI A LS

Finishing touches We have a saying at CAMILLA that ‘more is more’! I like to layer treasures from my travels – rings, bangles, necklaces, head pieces, the works! I keep my bags small, enough for the essentials. I opt for oils over perfumes, and love any products from Blue Mountains-based iKOU. I like that they not only provide a scent but also have calming, healing properties.

S T Y L E

CAMILLA FRANKS

The Australian fashion designer is the queen of kaftans What event will you be dressing up for this month? I’ll be on

Akubra hat. As a designer, my creative approach is sitting on the floor of my studio surrounded by fabrics and references, so I try and keep comfort front of mind. I leave the glam for special occasions.

my way back to the southern hemisphere after a winter in Wales with my fiancé, daughter and our Welsh family. I’ll be wearing summer pieces from my upcoming French-inspired collection to catch the last of Sydney’s rays.

Lounge lizard?

What do you find stressful about event dressing? Time!

It’s important to me to match my mood when I’m event dressing, so I am often layering, changing and altering right up until the last minute. I may revert back to my first option, but it’s all about the process.

Under the radar label? I follow a lot of great up-cycling accounts on Instagram – Bohème Goods is my favourite for vintage clothes.

Whose style do you really admire?

as a surprise that I am often found wearing one of my signature kaftans with a pair of Nike trainers and an

It is my uniform for adventure and I pack one for every trip I take. Power dressing? Our new ready-to-wear pieces experiment with everything from feminine silk jacquard cuts to structured power blazers. I’m forever fawning over Gucci’s unexpected, playful artisan spirit, too. I can’t get enough of their fabulous sunglasses.

Wardrobe failsafes?

I love an embellished vintage biker jacket.

1 Kenneth Jay Lane hammered bracelet, £55 (net-a-porter.com). 2 Thomas Sabo Ethno Dreamcatcher ring, £298 (thomassabo.com). 3 Jac + Jack Niles tee, £71 (jacandjack.com). 4 Camilla Lounge Hour dress, £330 (uk.camilla.com). 5 Nike Air Force 1 High iD, £99.95 (store.nike.com). 6 Camilla Saint Germain one piece, £167 (uk.camilla.com). 7 Camilla Dream of Marie kaftan, £380 (uk.camilla.com). 8 Elie Saab floral embellished leather jacket, £5,950 (harrods.com). 9 Gucci Crystal embellished sunglasses, £690 (net-a-porter.com).

Talitha Getty, Stevie Nicks and Florence Welch (left) for their effortless boho style. What’s your everyday uniform? It won’t come

Come Sunday you’ll find me down by the water’s edge on Sydney’s Bondi Beach in either my workout gear or a kaftan. Otherwise, Australian label Jac + Jack does the best soft-ascan-be cotton tees and singlets for dressed down chic.

I have a rule that I always have a pair of swimmers, a towel and a kaftan in my car in case I find myself near the beach before sunset. For the suitcase, I won’t leave without a selection of swim silhouettes, kaftans, a kimono cover up, my camera and a good SPF cream.

ST Y L E CH E AT S There are no rules with style. Try not to follow trends, just wear whatever makes you feel your most beautiful and authentic self. Wear clothes that make you feel free, empowered and joyful.

PHOTOS: REX FEATURES

M Y

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UP FRONT

PETAL POWER

18kt gold and diamond Lunaria Petali bracelets, from a selection, by Marco Bicego

J E W E L L E R Y

THE GOLD DIGGER

The latest jewellery news and trends. By Annabel Davidson WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

18kt yellow gold and white diamond ‘Vendôme’ bracelet, £18,200 by Boucheron

There’s a newcomer to Place Vendôme, only this one is already over 200 years old. Number 26 was built in 1717, taken over by Frédéric Boucheron in 1893, and has always had a rich and storied past. Now, an entire floor of the newly renovated building has been turned into a vast apartment, where clients can sip champagne by an open fire while looking out over the historic square. They might like to try on one of the bracelets designed in honour of the renovation – yellow or white gold elongated octagonal bangles with fine pavé diamonds at their edges, available in a limited edition of 26. boucheron.com

The new Lunaria Petali collection from Italian jeweller Marco Bicego is gloriously golden – all warm yellow gold flowers bunched together across rings, bracelets, pendants and earrings. Bicego’s trademark Bulino technique gives each individual petal a softly sparkling finish, with a fine polished gold edge and a tiny diamond bud in the middle of each flower, all inspired by the pretty, translucent seed heads of the Lunaria Annua plant. marcobicego.com

SIM PLY SPA R K LING

ASIAN GRACE Tasaki has come to town, bringing with it the best in high-end Japanese jewellery. The brand’s first stand-alone boutique in Europe is at 170 New Bond Street, with seven floors including a client salon and a special high jewellery collection, Brilliant Grace, designed exclusively for the new space and inspired by the stillness of an ocean’s depths. tasaki.co.uk

ENTENTE CORDIALE Cartier’s much-anticipated re-opening on New Bond Street comes exactly 110 years after the French-founded jewellery firm first opened in the British capital, complete with private apartment, archives, working ateliers, a winter garden and an exciting focus on the house’s history in Great Britain. cartier.co.uk

THREE OF THE BEST

HIGH J E W EL L ERY PIECES F ROM PA R IS COU T U R E Straw, sycamore and hornbeam marquetry in extraordinary colours make these Aurora earrings from Piaget true works of art, topped with deeply coloured tourmalines and diamond ‘shards’. POA. piaget.com

The mismatched Incandescent Red earrings from Chanel’s new high jewellery collection are a glorious mixture of snow white diamonds, white gold and blood red rubies. POA. chanel.com

David Morris’ showstopper pink and white diamond fan earrings are feather-light and as pretty as plumage. POA. davidmorris. com

HIP TO BE SQUARE A new collection from Tiffany & Co., ‘Tiffany True’, is based on an innovative new cut that concentrates on the main facet of the stone, enlarging it to heighten the contrast and better disperse light. What does that mean to the layman? A super modern square-cut diamond that sits low on the finger and is therefore perfect for a statement-making engagement ring! tiffany.co.uk

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UP FRONT

B E A U T Y

BRIGHT YOUNG THING

Nathalie Eleni enhances Phoebe Fox’s warm glow in the winter months Tell us about your character in Curfew and what you love about her? I play paramedic Kaye

Newman. She’s someone who’s in constant battle with her past. She’s seemingly strong but her hard exterior is hiding a vulnerable young woman. She has a tendency to put others’ safety before her own, which in my eyes makes her a hero. Any funny stories from the set?

I’m sure a lot of other people who worked on the show would tell you that watching me trying to drive an ambulance, at four o’clock in the morning, through a warren of tunnels, was pretty funny. How did you prepare for the role?

TEAM Make-up: Nathalie Eleni Hair: Emmanuel at Paul Edmonds London Photo: RVDS (ruanvandersande.com)

My director told me I should use Bruce Willis as the inspiration for the character, so I watched Die Hard as research. Phoebe can be seen in Curfew, coming soon to Sky One

GET THE LOOK 1 Create a radiant glow with Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow. Apply under foundation to prime skin with a lit-from-within sheen and added colour correction benefits. £38.50. charlottetilbury.com 2 For soft coffee copper eyes apply Code8 Iconoclast eye shadow palette in Lustrous Corduroy across lids and blend. £45. codeeight.com 3 Apply Rouge Pur Couture The Slim leather matte finish lipstick in Peculiar Pink with a slanted lip brush to help exaggerate your cupid’s bow. £29. yslbeauty.co.uk 4 Add natural definition to brows with Arbonne Shape It Up Brow Cream, sculpting brows into a flattering arch. £28. arbonne.com 5 Dot The Organic Pharmacy Sheer Gloss Liquid Blush in Red on to the apples of your cheeks and blend with a small buffing brush or fingertips for a natural flush. £19. theorganicpharmacy.com

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Make it personal.

The Moisturiser

The Hydrator

Your skin’s needs are unique and always changing. The world-renowned beauty trailblazer, Dr Jean-Louis Sebagh pioneered the concept of mixing different, powerful serums to create a personalised daily ritual that perfectly meets your skin’s needs. Potent and award-winning, Dr Sebagh’s iconic serums—including the trio of super-serums featured here—can all be used alone or combined, for agelessly radiant results. Moisturising is essential to restore the skin barrier, protect against environmental agressors, seal in hydration and keep skin plump. Deeply moisturise and soothe your skin using Rose de Vie Serum, with antioxidant and nourishing rosehip oil, blended with the hydrating, hyaluronic acid-rich Serum Repair, which instantly leaves skin looking and feeling plumped, firmer and tighter.

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The Anti-Ager

The Brightener

Add a trouble-shooting, ‘Ageing-Maintenance’ hero to the mix with a few drops of Supreme Maintenance Youth Serum. It boasts 95% active ingredients, more than any other skin care product, including the ‘youth molecule’ Resveratrol, three anti-aging peptides, a mineral radiance booster and an anti-pollution film. Power-up your serum blend even more with a little Pure Vitamin C Powder Cream. This patented, highly concentrated and stabilised powder-to-cream formula can be mixed with any serum to brighten the skin, prevent pigmentation and bring back its glow. Available in-store and at drsebagh.com

29/01/2019 09:42

UP FRONT

SPR ING SK IN IS IN For fresh looking faces this spring, cheat your way to the top with these foolproof face favourites

Wander Beauty On-The-Glow Blush and Illuminator in Coral Rose & Nude Glow This is your one stop pop of colour and shine for a healthy and vibrant complexion. £40. revolve.com

Bounce by Beauty Blender Foundation This light-as-air whipped, mousse-like foundation will bring your skin to semi matte perfection. £32. cultbeauty.co.uk

B E A U T Y

BEAUTY TEST

To get her body wedding-dress ready, Nicole Smallwood opted for Elemis’ Targeted Toning Tightener Then a cooling rubberised mask, rich in detoxing caffeine, green clay and red algae is applied directly onto the skin’s problem areas. These are then covered with bandages. As the algae sets, its temperature drops significantly, so the bed heat is increased and you are treated to a lovely head and foot massage. Afterwards, the skin feels tingly and fresh and the sculpting results are visible even after one treatment. In between, I body brushed every morning and applied the cellutox active body oil and, in the evening, the targeted toning body moisturiser. This, combined with the salon treatment, dramatically improves the tone and texture of the skin, deep cleanses, aids elimination of toxins and increases blood and lymphatic circulation. After three treatments I can honestly say my cellulite had almost vanished and the sculpting around the tops of my thighs had noticeably improved. If you are looking for those final body sculpting touches I couldn’t recommend it enough. 90-minute treatment, £135. elemis.com

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo in Golden This handy kit will take your cheekbone glow game to new levels. £39. patmcgrath.com

Jillian Dempsey Cheek Tints Cream Blush in Poppy Banish signs of tiredness from your face in seconds. £26.50. thisisbeautymart.com

BECCA Backlight Priming Filter Want that airbrushed effect? This makes your skin the perfect blank canvas for makeup. £28. cultbeauty.co.uk

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

ast year I got married in Mykonos and had a pool party before the big day, so I wanted to be beach body ready. Having embarked on a six-month gym and diet regime I was pretty much there, but I was still striving for those finishing touches that could help sculpt the backs and sides of my thighs and my stomach that no amount of squats or sit ups would achieve. Five weeks before the big day I had a course of three Targeted Toning Tightener body wrap treatments at The House of Elemis. Spaced a week and a half apart, each wrap is a combination of a powerful blend of salts, minerals and seaweeds that work together to target cellulite and poor skin tone. Treatments start with a relaxing massage followed by an invigorating body brush. Next a Nigari salt deep cleanse is applied along with a sculpting massage to kick start the microcirculation, promoting a smoother silhouette and revitalising the entire body. This is achieved by deep massage and intermittent slapping of the skin by your therapist (it’s a very powerful process and can momentarily sting a little).

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UP FRONT

P E R F U M E

AROMA ADVENTURE Let your fragrance transport you to your most desirable destination, says Nathalie Eleni

THE SPICY SOUKS OF MARRAKECH

A dreamy concoction of 20 natural and organic ingredients make up Oud Octavo by Prosody London, a heady scent that will transport you to the exotic thrill of northern Africa. £175, 50ml EDP. prosodylondon.com

A TRIP TO THE ROSE VALLEY

Chopard Haute Parfumerie Rose de Caroline is infused with Bulgarian rose essential oil, Rose de Mai and sweet cinnamon to create a beautifully feminine fragrance. £495, 100ml EDP. harrods.com

WARM NIGHTS IN THE ORIENT

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold Edition is one of two new fragrance launches. A stunning bottle unleashes oriental scents of juniper berry, nutmeg, coriander seed, musks, ambery woods and vanilla. This fragrance is rich, spicy and exotic – and works for both men and women. £150, 70ml EDP. franciskurkdjian.com

THE SPARKLING SCENTS OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE THE MEADOWS OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

Jo Malone London’s Wild Flowers & Weeds collection sweeps you away into bucolic bliss. A woody pairing of cashmere wood and smoky vetiver is enhanced by softly sensual amber. £49, 30ml cologne. jomalone.co.uk

A scented stroll through the Bordeaux vineyards with its sweet fragrance combining bergamot, iris and green cardamon, softly cocooned in the sensuality of white musk, is captured in Caudalie Eau des Vignes Fresh Fragrance. It was inspired by the childhood of Caudalie’s founder, Mathilde Thomas, which was spent in the family’s château in the heart of the wine-growing region. £27, 50ml. lookfantastic.com

Velvety vetiver Bourbon, native to Bourbon Island (Réunion), will have you dreaming of lazy holidays on secluded beaches. Spicy, citrus and woody, The Merchant of Venice Vetiver Bourbon Eau de Parfum Concentrée creates a captivating fragrance on every wearer, whether male or female. £65, 50ml. houseoffraser.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

THE WHITE SANDY BEACHES OF THE INDIAN OCEAN

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PROMOTION

SIGNATURE SCENT Create your own personalised fragrance with luxury British perfume house, Penhaligon’s

f all the beauty products we buy, fragrance is one of the most personal. It showcases aspects of our personality we want to reveal to the world, whether it’s confidence, elegance or perhaps even sensuality. A scent travels everywhere with you, becoming a kind of olfactory fingerprint which friends and family recognise you by. Of course, there are hundreds to choose from and it can be hard to find the right one that suits you perfectly. Like the idea of having a signature scent which is truly your own? Quintessential British perfume house Penhaligon’s offers both a fully and semibespoke service where you can create a personalised

fragrance with the help of the brand’s experts. The semi-bespoke or ‘Made to Measure’ programme, available exclusively at Harrods’ Salon de Parfums and the Penhaligon’s store in London’s Burlington Arcade, invites customers to select from four pure perfume bases created by top perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin: Chypre, Woody, Oriental or Amber. Next, you’ll pick from one of four essence signatures, either Rose Centefolia Absolute, Oud Wood Essence, Iris or Sandalwood. Percentage of base to essence is then carefully measured and calibrated by a Penhaligon’s Fragrance Sommelier while you watch in awe as your own unique fragrance is created before your eyes, hand-poured into a classic Penhaligon’s bottle and adorned with your choice of coloured velvet bow. If you’d prefer something that’s completely one-of-a-kind, create your own scent from scratch alongside one of the world’s leading Master Perfumers, Alberto Morillas, the nose behind several of Penhaligon’s fragrances. You’ll be guided through the fragrance-making process over eight months with Morillas himself on hand to interpret and refine your preferences. Not only will you leave with your dream fragrance, but you’ll also learn about the intricate processes behind creating a scent from the best in the business. Your finished bespoke perfume will then be delivered in a handmade marquetry box containing two custom-designed, handmade, engraved crystal bottles by British manufacturer Silver Tree Crystal. And don’t worry, there’s no chance of anyone else having the same one – Penhaligon’s secure each individual formula, and will not replicate it without your written permission. With so many perfumes available, the Fragrance world can be both overwhelming and daunting. If the prospect of the department store perfume section doesn’t appeal, Penhaligon’s bespoke services offer something truly unique. penhaligons.com

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UP FRONT HEALTH HOT LIST

W E L L N E S S

BODY & SOUL Stretch it out, says Camilla Hewitt

Barrecore is bringing its classes to you with its new online workouts. But how does this balletinspired training transform your physique? The trick is body weight exercises that focus on two specific contractions, isometric and eccentric. Isometric is when the muscle tenses without changing length, an example being the plank. Eccentric is the lengthening phase used to create that long, lean look, for example extending your elbow during a bicep curl. Two sessions a week can really help make a difference. barrecore.co.uk/onlineworkouts

A SPA R AGUS & GOAT’S CU R D SOCCA A RECIPE FOR WELLNESS

E SC APE TH E CO U NTRY

Conrad Algarve In a breathtaking location and boasting excellent facilities, Conrad Algarve is the ultimate place to rewind and recharge. Whether it’s a round of golf, a game of tennis or swimming in one of the four pools there’s an activity for every energy level, but the biggest draw has to be the spa with its newly launched wellness package. Unplug for three nights and step into the ‘Life Reset’ program with bespoke treatments using Aromatherapy Associates, yoga classes on the rooftop and guided nature walks through the Ria Formosa Natural Park. Be sure to finish your trip with the taster menu at the magnificent Michelin-starred restaurant, Gusto by Heinz Beck. conradalgarve.com

METHOD Place the chickpea flour and salt in a mixing bowl and slowly whisk in the water and lemon juice. Cover and allow the batter to rest for a few hours, or preferably overnight. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8. Put one tablespoon of the olive oil into a cast-iron skillet and warm in the oven. Whisk the bicarbonate of soda and the remaining INGR EDIENTS olive oil into the batter SERVES 2 until smooth. » 120g chickpea Remove the skillet from (gram) flour » 240ml water the oven and pour the batter » ½ tsp sea salt, in. Scatter the asparagus and plus extra to top goat’s curd over the batter » 2 tsp lemon juice » ¼ tsp bicarbonate and top with black pepper of soda and a pinch of sea salt. » 2 tbsps extra Bake for 20 minutes, or virgin olive oil » 6 asparagus until the socca is set and spears, washed golden around the edges. and trimmed Remove from oven and » 3 tbsps goat’s curd, roughly crumbled sprinkle with parmesan » Cracked black shavings and baby spinach pepper leaves. » Parmesan shavings and baby spinach leaves, to serve

Recipe from The Yoga Kitchen Plan by Kimberly Parsons

The Ocean Bottle Each one purchased funds the collection of 1,000 ocean-bound plastic bottles around the world Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Body Enriched with high levels of pure plant oils including sunflower seed, apricot kernel and rice bran to nourish while cleansing

Urbanears Jakan Wireless Bluetooth Headphones have a battery life of up to 12 hours to last the longest flight

Le Labo Santal 26 Candle Will fill your home with a fresh ambience day after day PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

LONG LIMBS

Wulf & Lamb For vegan friendly feasting, this Chelsea restaurant provides completely plantbased menus

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COMPETITION

MIAMI HEAT Win a designer bedroom makeover courtesy of luxury Parisian fabrics brand, Yves Delorme...

ves Delorme understands the importance of keeping things new and sophisticated in the bedroom… The Parisian design house will transform your sleep with its collections that epitomise French luxury, with pieces crafted from the finest silk and cotton. Beautifully blending a 174-year heritage with innovative, contemporary design, Yves Delorme’s seasonal collections inject life into tired interiors time and time again. And for summer 2019? Bring some heat to your bedroom with the new Yves Delorme MIAMI Summer collection, its rich palette of organic colours evoking that heady atmosphere of a never-ending summer. The MIAMI collection is designed to transport you to a faraway land, somewhere between dream and reality, where lush greens, juicy pops of peach and intricate flower and foliage embroidery evoke an exotic garden, while hints of white enhance the coolness of long summer nights.

WIN, WIN, WIN One lucky C&TH reader will win a stylish Yves Delorme bedroom makeover from the brand’s latest Miami collection. Enter now for your chance to win one king size duvet cover worth £349, two pillow cases worth £79 each and a cushion cover worth £95.

Such striking design combined with the finest materials makes for the utmost luxury and comfort – and these very bed linens could be yours! Bring some Miami heat home with you to start the summer season right. uk.yvesdelorme.com; monogrammedlinenshop.com

TO ENTER Visit countryandtownhouse. co.uk/competition and follow instructions. The competition closes on 8 March 2019, terms and conditions apply.

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UP FRONT SCANDI NOIR

TIME FOR A CHANGE

Finnish brand Frenn has a relaxed style, delivering simple separates with a cutting-edge feel. We are liking this moody twist on the parka coat in a poly/ wool mix. Pewtti parka, £447. frenncompany.com

Hermès has launched a special collector’s edition of its classic ‘architect’s watch’, the Carré H, with a sporty leather strap and bright burnishing reflecting the colour of the watch’s second hand. From £5,900. hermes.com POCKET PICK Savile Row resident Geoff Stocker has created a range of luxury silk pocket squares which add an instant style upgrade, whether in classic monochrome or adding a splash of patterned colour. £45. geoffstocker.com

M E N ’ S

A CASE FOR COLOUR Go retro with GlobeTrotter’s new range of luggage, inspired by the pastel colours of coastal villages and recalling bygone days of glamorous ocean liner adventures. Ocean blue and ivory striped trolley case, £1,570. globe-trotter.com

S T Y L E

WELL GROOMED

A close shave and earning your stripes. By Matt Thomas

TRAIL BLAZERS

JAZZING THE GILET

British brand Darzi is adding a sense of contemporary styling and colour to classic country attire and gilets, presented in wool and tweed, linen and waxed cottons. Brown weave jacket, £235. darziclothingcompany.com

Perfect for travel and an enduring style staple, this classic blazer from Oliver Brown is unlined and made from 100 per cent wool worsted barathea sourced from a Huddersfield mill and smartly finished with mother of pearl buttons. £395. oliverbrown.com

A SHAVE IN STORE

Acqua di Parma has opened its first UK ‘barbiere’ in the Men’s Designer Fashion Street at Selfridges, London. Visitors will be able to indulge in the ritual of the traditional Italian shave while choosing from a variety of grooming treatments, from face peels to haircut adjustments and sideburn trims, as well as experiencing the brand’s entire olfactory universe under one roof. 020 7318 3595

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FEED YOUR SKIN

ESPA’S new skincare therapy promotes the resilience of your skin’s microbiome to defy visible signs of skin ageing

hile none of us can completely defy the ageing process, knowing the best skincare products to use can go a long way in staving it off. The chosen brand of many of the world’s most prestigious spas, ESPA has been a pioneer in the world of skincare for over 27 years. Under the expertise of leading aromatherapists and biochemists, they continue to create forward-thinking, innovative products while maintaining their ethos of working in harmony with the skin rather than against it. As ESPA champions, optimum skin requires an understanding of the synergy between inner and outer skin health – hence its newest skincare offering, which is all about understanding the skin’s microbiome. Lately, a lot of attention has been focused on the gut microbiome, and how it affects our overall wellbeing. But microbiomes exist in other parts of the body too: the skin also has its own unique

ecosystem of microbiota, which changes throughout our lives according to age, diet and lifestyle. ‘The microbiome is the ecosystem of microorganisms that live on and in harmony with our skin,’ explains PhD biochemist Dr Barbara Brockway. ‘Like a fingerprint, it’s as unique to us as individuals – and is determined by age, hormones, stress, diet and environmental factors. Crucially, the more diverse our skin microbiome, the healthier-looking and more youthful our skin will be.’ However, the damaging effects of the modern world often exacerbate these factors – and as the fundamental first line of defence, our skin pays the price. Day after day we’re subject to internal and external aggressors, with stress hormones affecting us on the inside and UV light, pollution and climate affecting us on the outside. All of this disrupts our microbiome, reducing our skin’s resilience and making signs of

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PROMOTION

ESPA’s new Tri-Active™ ProBiome range feeds the skin with all the nutrients it needs to make it radiant

ageing all the more visible as a result. Here’s where ESPA’s new Tri-Active™ Advanced ProBiome comes in. Developed over the last three years by leading experts, the range combines powerful plant, marine and aromatherapy actives, along with pre and probiotic technology, designed to feed your skin’s microbiome a healthy diet. The range is made up of three products: a serum, a moisturiser and an eye cream, all of which are clinically proven to nurture and support the biodiversity of the skin’s microbiome. As a result, they work to reduce signs of ageing, minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and giving your skin a radiant, healthy glow. All three are suitable for all skin types, using peony extract to revitalise, energise and purify skin, microalgae to target visible effects caused by stress, and prebiotics to feed the skin’s microbiome. Looking to hydrate your skin? ESPA’s Tri-Active™ Advanced ProBiome Moisturiser has been proven to increase hydration levels by 43 per cent and enhance firmness by 14 per cent. Keen to reduce the appearance of dark shadows? The Tri-Active™ Advanced ProBiome Eye Cream works wonders. It can be used as an alternative for an eye moisturiser, making skin brighter and more resilient. Meanwhile, the Tri-Active™ Advanced ProBiome Serum works to reduce the negative effects of blue light from digital devices. In recent years, experts within the beauty industry have found increasing evidence to suggest the high-energy visible light emitted by our devices could be as damaging to our skin as the sun. In an effort to combat this, ESPA’s Tri-Active™ Advanced ProBiome Serum uses a special plant called Chinese Butterfly Bush which helps filter this blue light. Designed to be used after cleansing and toning, it has been clinically proven to enhance firmness by 16 per cent and elasticity by nine. As a complement to the range, a new innovative facial has been developed: the Natural Face Lift, which uses cutting edge ProBiome technology to detoxify, invigorate, sculpt and relax your skin. We’re all for ageing gracefully, but it’s fair to say many of us are on the lookout for natural products which slow things down just a little. If this sounds like you, give ESPA’s new range a go – your skin will thank you for it. espaskincare.com

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ART CU LT U R E BOOKS PEOPLE

THE GUIDE

GRAND DESIGNS The ultimate interior design collective returns to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour to showcase a diverse global portfolio of creative excellence. London Design Week 2019 arrives just in time for a spring spruce-up, so you can get inspiration, hear from the experts and get up close and personal with top designers under one roof. 10-15 March. dcch.co.uk

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THE GUIDE

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

DRUMMING UP A STORM

Now in their 25th year, the world-renowned Yamato drummers are back with a new staminadefying, hair-raising show. Jhonetsu (Passion) combines traditional Taiko drumming with spectacle and so much exertion that each performer loses two kilograms in water weight per show. UK tour from 15 Feb. yamatodrummers.com

DON’T MISS

E V E N T S

Original ways to lose weight. By Jenny Rowe

‘The Last of the Desert Mothers’ (2018)

FESTIVAL

ILLUSTRIOUS ÉMIGRÉS

The Insiders/Outsiders year-long festival celebrates the cultural contributions of émigrés from Nazioccupied Europe; a timely reminder of the long-lasting importance of cultural cross-fertilisation. Walter Gropius, Lucie Rie and Josef Herman all feature in exhibitions, performances, screenings and poetry readings taking place across the UK. Until March 2020. insidersoutsidersfestival.org

FHK Henrion’s ‘AIA (Artists International Associaton) For Liberty’ (London, 1943)

EXHIBITION

MAD WORLD

Imaginative, fanciful and vibrant new work by Royal Academician Mick Rooney will be on sale at his solo show, From Genesis to Nemesis, at The Fosse Gallery, Stow on the Wold. ‘The paintings talk in parables of the way society is gobbling up resources and regurgitating a load of nonsense,’ says Rooney. Sound familiar? 4-23 March. fossegallery.com

CREATIVITY UNLEASHED Each piece selected for We Made This, an exhibition at Turner Contemporary, Margate this spring, was made in prisons, secure hospitals, young offenders’ institutions, immigration removal centres or by people on probation. Huge artistic potential is unbarred in a show of confusion, insight and humour, featuring 70 artworks from soap carvings to electronic music. 1 March to 19 May. koestlertrust.org.uk CRAFT

THE HUMAN TOUCH ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful,’ said William Morris, inspiring Harewood House in Yorkshire to name its inaugural biennial exhibition Useful/Beautiful: Why Craft Matters. Hugo Macdonald, curator, investigates the importance of craft as an expression of humanity through a variety of makers, ranging from brands to designers. 23 March to 1 September. harewood.org

PHOTOS: © MASA OGAWA; INSIDERS/OUTSIDERS BOOK BY LUND HUMPHRIES;

COUNTRY LIFE

ART What will remain of the drummers by the end of their 18-date UK tour?

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THE GUIDE

OPERA

THE TERRIBLE TEENS

The Royal Opera presents the world premiere of The Monstrous Child, a new opera by young British composer Gavin Higgins and best selling author Francesca Simon. Teenage Hel is half-girl, halfcorpse. A prophecy lands her in lust with a prince, which doesn’t go down well and leads to eternal punishment. Not your usual coming of age story. From 21 Feb. roh.org.uk

TOWN LIFE

Expect dark humour and boldly imaginative music in ROH’s latest opera

Richard’s back, a twisted teen saga and a dose of wellness

Take home treasures like these cups by Karen Bunting

‘What do I fear? Myself?’

THEATRE

RICHARD REIMAGINED

Following a £27m restoration and 80-year closure to the public, Alexandra Palace Theatre will be welcoming Headlong’s Richard III as its first production. Beautifully preserved, the theatre will showcase the story of Shakespeare’s most conniving villain played by Tom Mothersdale of Peaky Blinders. 13-31 March. alexandrapalace.com

CERAMICS

GO POTTY

Ceramic Art London returns, once again taking over the vast grade II-listed Victorian Granary building. Hosted by the Craft Potters Association, this international art fair brings together around 100 contemporary, top ceramic artists for one weekend only in March. Nothing generic and everything is affordable. 22-24 March. ceramicartlondon.com

DON’T MISS EXHIBITION

A CRITICAL EYE At Two Temple Place John Ruskin: The Power of Seeing marks the bicentenary of the artist, critic and social thinker’s birth, revealing his influence on today’s current debates surrounding the arts, education, the economy and the environment. Ruskin wanted to make Britain a better place to live, and we can all get behind that. Until 22 April. twotempleplace.org WELLNESS

I’M FEELING GOOD Experiental and inclusive, Live Well London is the hottest wellness event of the month. Workshops, talks and kitchen demos led by the likes of personal trainer and fitness author, Matt Roberts, wellbeing entrepreneur, Liz Earle MBE and endurance athlete, Becki Rabin mean there’s Insta-sensation and evidence-based advice in equal measure. 1–3 March. livewelllondon.com

PHOTOS: ©ROH 2018

E V E N T S

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CATCHPOLE & RYE KENT ENGLAND

EXCLUSIVE

LUXURY

BATHROOMS

L O N D O N • T U N B R I D G E W ELL S • A S H F O R D

T. 020 7351 0940

www.catchpoleandrye.com

The Saracen - Painted White

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THE GUIDE

FIVE MINUTES W ITH...

A R T S

ARTS AGENDA

Your cultural diary for the month ahead, by Caiti Grove HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS THIS SEASON A TROOP OF CREATIVES LOOKS TO THEIR FAMILIES AND HOME TOWNS AS INSPIRATION FOR THE GALLERY WALL

Nigel Cooke’s Indian Summer, 2015

George Shaw: Scenes from The Passion: No. 57, 1996

GEORGE SHAW: A CORNER OF A FOREIGN FIELD Holburne Museum, Bath George Shaw always perceived beauty in his childhood home, Tile Hill, a council estate in Coventry. Instead of ignoring a derelict garage or rubbishstrewn forest, he saw suburban quietness and an overlooked wildness, capturing a child’s possibility of adventure. Dreamy. 8 Feb to 6 May. holburne.org

DARIA MARTIN: TONIGHT THE WORLD The Curve, Barbican, London EC2 After fleeing the Holocaust, Daria’s grandmother kept a dream diary for 35 years for psychoanalysis treatment. Now her granddaughter, with gaming technology, has recreated her childhood home in former Czechoslovakia to explore five dreams that were recorded in that 10,000-page journal. Fascinating. 31 Jan to 7 April. barbican.org.uk

GEORGE SHAW Turner Prize nominee showing at the Holburne Museum, Bath Most of this exhibition is quite old, some pictures are from 20 years ago. I almost don’t recognise them. I’m mortified and humbled that anyone would want one. It’s funny to think there are little bits of you everywhere. I’m most excited about the work I’m about to do. It’s like embarking on an affair. I want my paintings to connect as much as soap operas or pop music. I never found myself in art as a teenager, I found it in Woolworths’ music section. Usually my studio is covered with postcards and reproductions. Photos of popstars, John Myers’ 1970s documentary photography. I’m influenced by it all, but not consciously.

A still from Tonight the World, by Daria Martin, 2019

Art students have to state what they intend to make. It’s like asking babies what they’re going to do with their lives and then holding them to account on their deathbeds.

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PHOTOS: © ESTATE OF GEORGE GROSZ, PRINCETON, N.J. 2018; SERGIUS PAUSER SELF-PORTRAIT WITH MASK © ANGELA PAUSER AND WOLFGANG PAUSER; BALLOON VENUS © JEFF KOONS, 5 UNIQUE VERSIONS (MAGENTA, RED, VIOLET, YELLOW, ORANGE) 2008–2012

Jerwood Gallery, Hastings Cooke wears surgeon’s goggles to draw minute details in his huge dystopian paintings. Figures stand in melting, derelict landscapes next to graffiti that references his artistic heroes such as Bacon, Velazquez and Goya. His home city, Manchester, feeds into this dreamlike work while shorelines and seascapes crop up, too, as Cooke returns to Hastings – where his career started. Mesmerising. Until 24 Mar. jerwoodgallery.org

PHOTOS: © NIGEL COOKE, COURTESY PACE GALLERY; © GEORGE SHAW COURTESY ANTHONY WILKINSON GALLERY, LONDON / PHOTO: PETER WHITE; © DARIA MARTIN, COURTESY MAUREEN PALEY, LONDON

NIGEL COOKE: PAINTER’S BEACH CLUB

REVIEW

Tate Modern, London SE1 After the initial celebration of WWI ending in 1919, turbulence swept across Europe – economic, political and social. Nowhere more so than in Germany, where poverty and unemployment were extreme and experimental creativity soared. Paris and London are long-celebrated as post-war luminaries of innovation, but Tate Modern proves that kudos is owed to this posse of artists too. Cabaret, sex and dreams – it seems this period was all about a liberal outlook, escapism and rebellion. An amazing exhibition and a real triumph, that applauds the painters’ skill and emotional honesty. Until 14 July. tate.org.uk

Balloon Venus (Magenta) by Jeff Koons, 2008-2012 PHOTOS: © ESTATE OF GEORGE GROSZ, PRINCETON, N.J. 2018; SERGIUS PAUSER SELF-PORTRAIT WITH MASK © ANGELA PAUSER AND WOLFGANG PAUSER; BALLOON VENUS © JEFF KOONS, 5 UNIQUE VERSIONS (MAGENTA, RED, VIOLET, YELLOW, ORANGE) 2008–2012

PHOTOS: © NIGEL COOKE, COURTESY PACE GALLERY; © GEORGE SHAW COURTESY ANTHONY WILKINSON GALLERY, LONDON / PHOTO: PETER WHITE; © DARIA MARTIN, COURTESY MAUREEN PALEY, LONDON

MAGIC REALISM: ART IN WEIMAR GERMANY 1919-33

George Grosz: Self-portrait with Model in the Studio, 1930-1937

Self-portrait with Mask by Sergius Pauser, 1926

PREVIEW

JEFF KOONS

The Ashmolean, Oxford Fame found Koons in the early '80s when he updated Duchamp’s Readymades with some brand new hoovers. In 1986 he cast an inflatable rabbit in polished stainless steel, which quickly became his signature material. But critics are divided. He has been called a serial cheat, cynically making millions with art made by assistants. Others say his work satirises the modern world with an unmatched mordant wit. Has the Ashmolean unknowingly become part of the work, just by exhibiting it? Is Koons a brilliant money-spinner or a creative commentator? Answers on a postcard. 7 Feb to 9 June. ashmolean.org

FIVE POLITICAL PLAYS

ALI AND DAHLIA Accused of rioting for the Palestinian cause, Ali awaits his interrogation. When his old lover walks in, dressed in Israeli military garb, it forces both to face the past and question their strongly held loyalties. A frighteningly relevant London debut by Tariq Jordan. 26 March to 14 April. pleasance.co.uk

THE AMERICAN CLOCK The Baum family lose their fortune in the Depression and move from Manhattan to live with relatives. Arthur Miller’s 1980 play about unwavering trust in capitalism, accompanied perfectly by '20s swing music, features Olivier Award nominee Josie Walker (above). Until 30 March. oldvictheatre.com

CYPRUS AVENUE Stephen Rea plays Eric Miller, a Belfast Loyalist who believes his newborn baby granddaughter is in fact Gerry Adams, former leader of Sinn Féin and his arch rival. Beyond apt, as we debate the Brexit backstop in Northern Ireland. 14 Feb to 23 March. royalcourttheatre.com

SHIPWRECK While Donald Trump, Ivanka and James Comey lookalikes are scrutinised by shellshocked liberals, Shipwreck asks how this all happened and when will the anarchy end? Don’t worry, it’s all applicable to Blighty too. With Fisayo Akinade, above. 11 Feb to 30 March. almeida.co.uk

RICHARD II Adjoa Andoh, pictured, co-directs and stars alongside a cast of women of colour in this portrait of an unstable nation ruled by a weak king. It will focus on Britishness and national identity post-Empire and pre-Brexit. Should our politicians come and take notes? 22 Feb to 21 Apr. shakespeares globe.com

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From left to right: ‘Nova’ table lamp and ‘Asian Turtle Shell’, both Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Ltd. ‘Leda’ armchair in ‘Estelle’, Mood by Flexform. ‘Buckingham’ double wall light, Nada Designs. ‘Ascanio’ table, Flexform. ‘Sophie’ chair and ‘Mathieu’ desk, Poliform. Fabric on chair: ‘Minako’, Harlequin at Style Library. Fabrics in frames: ‘Paradou’, Casamance at Colony. ‘Leon’, Raoul Textiles at Turnell & Gigon. Main wallcovering: ‘D-Ocean Still Life’, Iksel – Decorative Arts. Background left wallcovering: ‘Metamorphic’, Anthology at Style Library. Wallcovering in background on right: ‘Minako’, Harlequin at Style Library. Wallcovering on trunk: ‘Perlite’, Anthology at Style Library. Wallcovering on hatbox: ‘Helium’, Brian Yates. Paint: ‘Crimson’, ‘Koi Carp’, Poison; all Zoffany; ‘Artichoke’, ‘High Sea’, ‘Harbour Blue’, all Sanderson, all at Style Library. Flooring: Chequerboard Royal Mink and Limestone, Artisans de Devizes.

WORLD CLASS DESIGN

Spring’s ultimate design event London Design Week 2019 returns to Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour in style; 10-15 March 2019

hat better way to get set for spring than by immersing yourself in the glamorous world of design? The unmissable London Design Week 2019 is back – and this time, it’s gone global. With its confident approach, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour brings together 600 international brands at 120 showrooms for a highly creative interiors extravaganza. Design lovers and professionals alike will find a treasure trove of inspiration, knowledge and expertise under one roof, getting up close and personal with the biggest global names in design. Over 100 immersive experiences make up a dynamic

‘Misty Venice Bar’, Gallotti & Radice

programme which will engage visitors in the illustrious world of design. Get set for a roster of well-travelled influencers and tastemakers who will bring an multi-layered, cosmopolitan element to this year’s event with talks, demonstrations, workshops, launches and discovery tours. What unites them is creative excellence. Register today to secure a place and for your chance to win an exclusive prize including an overnight stay at The Berkeley for two with breakfast, champagne and a 60-minute Bamford de-stress massage; one year’s membership to the Design Club; a lunch for two in the pop-up restaurant at London Design Week 2019; two VIP tickets to a ‘Conversations in Design’ all while enjoying courtesy VIP parking for two days.

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THE A-LIST

Abbott & Boyd / Altfield / Alton-Brooke / Arte / Arteriors / Artisans of Devizes / Baker / Baker Lifestyle / Beaufort Collection / Bella Figura / Besselink & Jones / Birgit Israel / Black & Key / Brian Yates / Brunschwig & Fils / C & C Milano / Ceccotti Collezioni / Chase Erwin / Christopher Hyde Lighting / Christopher Peacock / Cole & Son / Colefax and Fowler / Colony / Crestron EMEA / David Seyfried Ltd / Davidson / de Le Cuona / Decca / Dedar / Edelman Leather / Espresso Design / Flexform / Fox Linton / Gallotti&Radice / George Spencer Designs / Giorgetti / Gladee Lighting / GMR Interiors / GP & J Baker / Holland & Sherry / Houlès / Iksel – Decorative Arts / Interdesign UK / J. Robert Scott / Jacaranda Carpets / Jason D’Souza / Jean Monro / Jensen Beds / Jim Thompson / Julian Chichester / Kravet / Lacaze London / Lee Jofa / Lelièvre Paris / Lewis & Wood / Lincrusta / Lizzo / Marvic Textiles / McKinney Gainsborough / McKinnon and Harris / Miles X Bookshop / Mulberry Home / Nada Designs / The Nanz Company / Nina Campbell / Nobilis / Oficina Inglesa Furniture / Original BTC / Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam Ltd / Perrin & Rowe / Phillip Jeffries / Pierre Frey / Poliform / Porada / Porta Romana / Potterton Books / Romo / Rubelli/ Donghia / SA Baxter Foundry & Design Studio / Sacco Carpet / Sahco / Samuel & Sons / Samuel Heath / Savoir / Siberian Floors / The Silk Gallery / Simpsons / Stark Carpet / Stark Scalamandre / Studiotex / Style Library / Summit Furniture / Sutherland Perennials Studio / SWD / Tai Ping / Threads at GP & J Baker / Thibault Van Renne / Tim Page Carpets / Tissus D’Hélène / Topfloor By Esti / Tufenkian Artisan Carpets / Turnell & Gigon / Turnell & Gigon at Home / Turnstyle Designs / Vaughan / Ventura/ Via Arkadia (Tiles) / Victoria + Albert Baths / Villeroy & Boch / Watts of Westminster / Wemyss / West One Bathrooms / Whistler Leather / Wired Custom Lighting / Wool Classics / Zimmer + Rohde PLUS OUTSIDE PARTICIPANTS Designers Guild and Osborne & Little in Chelsea

www.dcch.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

UNMISSABLE ‘LEGENDS’ COLLABORATIONS Discover specially commissioned installations and the return of ‘Legends’, which sees showroom windows transformed to narrate original concepts in design, decoration and photography from the Iconic Images archives. See the creative vision of leading luminaries including Henry Prideaux and Bambi Sloane, and many more.

CONVERSATIONS IN DESIGN Be sure to catch the Conversations in Design series which brings world renowned speakers to the main stage to share their experiences. Get top level insights at all-star talks and panel discussions. Authoritative speakers include Katharine Pooley, Beata Heuman, Russell Sage, Sophie Ashby and Charlie Casely-Hayford, Steven Gambrel, Guy Goodfellow, Sophie Patterson, Bee Osborn and Laura Hammett, plus many more. Book in advance at dcch.co.uk

ACCESS ALL AREAS Be one of the first to see the latest product launches at over 100 showroom events and meet the designer sessions. Don’t miss sessions with Nina Campbell, David Collins Studio and a cooking demonstration with Melissa Hemsley.

PERSONAL SHOPPING

Too much choice can be overwhelming, so why not get some expert advice, however big or small your project is. At Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, one of its friendly Personal Shoppers can help guide you on your (colourful) design journey, navigating you through the relevant showrooms and curating the experience so it’s a pleasure not a pain. Or simply, they can just be on hand for recommendations, ideas and added confidence. Whatever your needs, this service is invaluable and also completely free of charge, with no pressure to purchase. To book, call 020 7352 1900.

WORKSHOPS Find out what inspires the best in the business, and what goes on behind the scenes.

‘Shawnee’ lamp, Arteriors

Background: ‘Apupa’ wallcovering, Casamance at Colony. From left to right: ‘Tempestine’ fabric, C & C Milano. ‘Tomoko Velvet’ wallcovering, Black Editions at Romo. ‘Heavy Velvet’ carpet, Jacaranda Carpets. ‘Travis’ fabric, Weitzner at Altfield. Xx embroidered tape, Texture at StudioTex. ‘Tozer’ fabric, Etamine at Zimmer + Rohde. ‘Vitruvius’ wallcovering, Anthology at Style Library. ‘Taluk Sisal’ wallcovering, Thibaut at Jacaranda Carpets. ‘Quantum 10’ carpet, Wool Classics. ‘Manta’ and ‘Syracuse’ leathers, Whistler Leather. ‘Victoire’ fabric, Casamance at Colony. ‘Facted’ door knob, Turnstyle Designs. ‘Lucida’ fabric, Altfield. Paints: ‘Newby Green’, ‘Artichoke’ and ‘Harbour Blue’ Sanderson and ‘Crimson’, Zoffany, all at Style Library

INSPIRING POP-UPS Enjoy specially commissioned spaces, bars and restaurants that are as pleasing to the eye as the tastebuds.

DON’T MISS THE DESIGN EVENT FOR EXCELLENCE EVENT LOCATION

DATES

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE (Plus outside participants in Chelsea)

Trade Preview 10–12 March 2019 All Welcome 13–15 March 2019 Open 10am–6pm

www.dcch.co.uk

COURTESY TRANSPORT FREE ENTRY

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Call 020 7225 9166 or email enquiries@dcch.co.uk Be part of the design community @designcentrech #LDW19AtDCCH designcentrech

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THE GUIDE B O O K S

GOOD READS

Richard Hopton reviews four books about houses, gardens and nature GREAT ENGLISH INTERIORS DAVID MLINARIC AND DERRY MOORE

This beautiful book is the latest fruit of the long association between David Mlinaric, the high priest of British interior designers, and Derry Moore. In this book Moore’s sumptuous photographs bring vividly to life the interiors chosen by Mlinaric from the austere beauty of Haddon Hall to the florid extravagance of le goût Rothschild at Waddesdon. The book follows the development of English interior design century by century, from its beginnings in the 15th century to the present day. ‘The medieval ethos was one of security, not comfort,’ writes Mlinaric. Each chapter includes a brisk survey of the evolution of interior design in the period as a preamble to a more detailed examination of the interiors of houses which Mlinaric considers to exemplify the taste of the period. Thus the 18th century is illustrated by reference to Houghton Hall, West Wycombe Park, New Wardour Castle, Syon House, Heveningham Hall and Spencer House in London.

GHOST TREES: NATURE AND PEOPLE IN A LONDON PARISH Bob Gilbert Ghost Trees is a spirited defence of the importance of recognising nature in our cities. Bob Gilbert moved to Poplar when his wife was appointed its rector and set about exploring this much-changed part of east London. This is a lyrical book of great imaginative scope, contemptuous of the nostrums of modern capitalism. He finds nature’s beauty in the most unexpected places: the kingfisher on the banks of an urban canal or the lichen on a tree. It is filled with fascinating nuggets of information; for example, in 1917, Poplar’s schoolchildren gathered conkers for the manufacture of acetone, a vital ingredient of cordite. Saraband, £14.99

GLASSHOUSE, GREENHOUSE India Hobson and Magnus Edmondson Motivated by the connection between ‘engineering and nature’ India Hobson and Magnus Edmondson travelled the world visiting and photographing glasshouses, from the great Victorian structures such as Kew to modern municipal projects via a plethora of smaller, private undertakings as far apart as the United States and Australia. The commentary is written in the first-person plural giving it a homespun, wide-eyed feel, revealing a Pooterish concern about the weather – ‘it usually rains wherever we go’ – and the demands it makes upon our intrepid explorers. Bloomsbury, £12.99

Mlinaric is a worldly, witty guide who writes well, with – as one might expect – an acute eye for the effects of colour and light and a deep knowledge of his subject. Along the way, we learn about Mlinaric’s own tastes: he declares, for example, that the entrance hall at Heveningham Hall in Suffolk ‘is one of my favourite rooms in the country’. The book is made more interesting and more authoritative by the fact that Mlinaric has worked in many of the houses discussed – for example, Chatsworth and Spencer House. It is also leavened with anecdotes bringing these imposing houses and the grandees of the world of interiors to life. Mlinaric clearly admires the work of the celebrated decorator John Fowler, whose lightness of touch and refined aesthetic sense can still be seen in some of the houses featured here. Great English Interiors is much more than just another prettily illustrated coffee table book about nice houses. It is an interesting, informed guide to the history of English interior design written by one of its masters and accompanied by stunning photographs. Prestel, £45

AT WEST DEAN Jim Buckland and Sarah Wain Jim Buckland and Sarah Wain arrived at West Dean in Sussex in 1991, after the ‘arboreal Gotterdammerung’ of the Great Storm of 1987 had laid waste to the estate. This book, part history, part ‘how-to-do-it’ guide and part treatise on the theory of garden design, tells the story of their regeneration of the garden. It conveys the daunting work and organisation which goes into creating and maintaining a 90-acre garden as well as the joy of the never-ending cycle of the seasons and the wonder of nature vividly captured in Andrea Jones’ photographs. White Lion Publishing, £40

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C&TH ONLINE

ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR THIS MONTH, SO FALL IN LOVE WITH THE BEST CULTURE, FOOD AND TRAVEL OFFERINGS IN LONDON AND THE COUNTRY…

From live poetry readings to orchid fiestas, headline art shows to literary festivals, you’ll find a month’s worth of interesting events to fill your diary with in our events section at countryandtownhouse.co.uk/whats-on.

SEE For romance on the stage, we have a round-up of the most wonderful plays about love, or if art is what gets your heart beating faster, our guide to the best exhibitions to visit now will keep your weekends full until the weather gets warmer.

THIS MONTH

by COUNTRY & TOWN HOUSE

Our edit of the hottest hotel openings of the year will help inform your travel plans for the year, with more than 20 new luxury rooms worth checking out (or into) before anyone else. And with Brexit looming, we’ve got the ultimate staycation edit for half term and beyond.

EAT

Check out our guide to the most romantic restaurants in London to woo or be wooed in (and then carefully choose who to take as your plus one). And for the sweet-toothed, we have a brand new guide to the very best chocolate shops in town.

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THE GUIDE Bernie Ecclestone was the face of Formula 1

THE OLYMPIAN

Bernie Ecclestone turned motor racing from weekend pursuit to lucrative money machine, says Sebastian Coe

he media love using ‘supremo’ and ‘tsar’, words normally ascribed to those elevated to meaningless quangos or groups formed in a hurry by politicians to meet the ‘something must be done’ clamour. Our second game changer of this series has been called both, and with more justification than most. Bernie Ecclestone arguably turned what was a weekend, home counties leisure activity, described by some as a sport for those wearing duffle coats and carrying petrol cans, into one of the largest and most lucrative sporting properties on the planet – Formula 1 motor racing. Bernard ‘Bernie’ Charles Ecclestone is one of the few people in global sport immediately identifiable by their first name. Hailing from a fishing family in Suffolk, by the end of his tenure as the most recognisable face in the sport, he had pretty much netted the whole of it. Bernie’s original passion was for two

rather than four wheels. His initial business venture was a motorcycle dealership trading in spare parts, but his first competitive experience came in the late Forties when he began to race Formula 3, mainly at his local track at Brands Hatch. After a few accidents he turned his focus towards the commercial potential that, from an early age, he understood instinctively. From driver representation – he notably managed the career of Jochen Rindt who won the 1970 world championship but was sadly awarded it posthumously having perished on the Monza circuit – to the ownership of the Brabham team, his journey through the sport included signing Niki Lauda and the young up-andcoming Nelson Piquet in the late Seventies. It was Bernie’s cognisance, however, that to control the sport he needed to control the teams, the sponsorship and, importantly, broadcast. The formation of the Formula 1 Constructors’ Association and then the Formula 1 Promotions and Administration

that gave just shy of 50 per cent of television revenues to the teams and a good chunk of it to Bernie himself, went a long way to giving him his hold on the sport, ultimately reinforcing his omni-powerful presence. Bernie was a buccaneer, making unilateral decisions – he once told me there was nothing in the world he hated more than a committee. And when fending off one insurrection from the teams, he told them in no uncertain terms that he knew what they were attempting to do, warning them coldly that they didn’t have ‘balls big enough’ to carry it off. Like most mavericks, though, he had his critics, thanks to his autocratic behaviour, his cold calculations in consolidating his power and his controversial observations about some of the world’s less than appetising dictators or the role of women in motor racing. His high-profile court case in Germany relating to a payment made to a bank official didn’t help either. Although diminutive in stature, watching Bernie walking through the paddock or the grid in his pomp, was the closest that we will ever get again to one man’s almost total control of everything he surveyed. Unquestionably a sporting game changer.

PHOTO: REX FEATURES

S P O R T S

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THE GUIDE C A R S

ROAD TEST

The everyday supercar? Honda’s NSX is a technological tour de force, says Jeremy Taylor

VITA L STATS PRICE £144,825 ENGINE 3.5-litre V6/ three electric motor POWER 573bhp 0-62MPH 2.9 seconds ECONOMY 28.2mpg

TOWN

COUNTRY

The original NSX was inspired by an F1 fighter jet and developed with the help of F1 legend Ayrton Senna. The New Sportscar eXperimental was like nothing else on the market in 1990 and achieved immediate cult status. Discontinued in 2005, it wasn’t until 2016 that Honda revised the name again for a new hybrid sports car. Powered by a 3.5-litre petrol engine and three electric motors, this latest model throws convention out of the window and is silly fast. Low and extremely wide – not helped by those Dumbo door mirrors – the Honda is something of a liability in city traffic. However, with the ability to drive in stealth mode on electric power only, it’s an absolute showstopper. That’s partly because it looks sensational from every angle and is rarer than anything offered by Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche. Short of walking down the King’s Road with Margot Robbie, nothing will turn as many heads. And then there’s the technology. Although the rather basic satnav could do with an upgrade, the NSX must have the computer brain of a space shuttle to cleverly combine a whopping twin-turbo engine with so many electric motors. It all works beautifully and there’s even a Quiet Mode so you don’t have to wake the neighbours starting up in morning. Of course, being a low-slung supercar, the NSX doesn’t appreciate London’s speed bumps and potholes. Visibility is also a nightmare when parking and you need a really wide space just to squeeze out of an open door. Developed in the USA to showcase Honda’s engineering and technological prowess, the NSX is a supercar for the PlayStation generation. Strap in for a truly memorable ride. RATING: 4/5 HANDBAGS

Two of the electric motors on the NSX are mounted on the front axle to give four-wheel drive. That means hurtling 573bhp along a country road is sure-footed and very exciting – especially when exiting a sweeping bend. The steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters flick through the nine-speed gearbox at a staggering rate. A 0-62mph dash is dispatched in less than three seconds and if allowed, the NSX will wind up to over 190mph on a racetrack. Inside the cabin, the dashboard is let down by Honda-esque fittings that don’t quite match up to the £140,000+ price tag. I’ve already mentioned the satnav, but some of the buttons and dials are more suited to the budget Honda Jazz. And even with all that hybrid technology, don’t expect to achieve much more than 22mpg from the NSX on a cross-country run. The temptation to have some fun could reduce that figure still further. Still, it’s hard not to fall for this Japanese flying machine. The original NSX has gone down in supercar folklore and there’s no reason to think this second generation model won’t do the same. It’s just a shame that compared to 1990, there are now far more rivals to compete with the Honda. The BMW i8, McLaren 570S and Mercedes-AMG GT are equally as compelling to own and drive. RATING: 5/5 WELLIES March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 65

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THE GUIDE

WELL HUNG

G A R D E N I N G

SEEDERS DIGEST

Cuckooland Brasil hammock, £63. cuckooland.com

Out There Rattan bowl chair, £531. outthereinteriors.com

GARDEN OF THE MONTH

EXBURY GARDENS, New Forest

Lionel de Rothschild’s magical Hampshire gardens have been dubbed ‘heaven with the doors open’ for good reason. With an unrivalled collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, Exbury’s grounds erupt with colour come springtime – and this year visitors are in for a few extra treats to mark the garden’s centenary. Over 150,000 yellow and blue bulbs have been planted in the lawns to celebrate, and a new ‘secret’ garden is unveiled… exbury.co.uk

Ella James Macrame seat, £100. notonthe highstreet.com

Indian Ocean Wave daybed, £19,035. indian-ocean.co.uk

Houseology Cacoon tent, £216. houseology.com

INSPIRED BY

THIS MONTH

PLANT Lilies, gladioli and freesias as the soil begins to warm up.

LAST CHANCE to sow tomatoes. Go, go, go!

PICK Rhubarb and make your own zero km chutney or jam.

MOROCCO IN BLOOM

TREND

PATIO PRODUCE

If acres of backyard green are but a distant dream, the experts at The Greenhouse People advise looking to your patio to ‘grow your own’. Fill terracotta pots, metal buckets or wooden pallets with fruit plants (think apples, apricots, blueberries and cherries), place in a sunny spot, water regularly and you’ll soon enjoy the fruits of your labour.

The vivid colours and harmony of Morocco’s gardens come to life in this spectacular tome by renowned Italian gardener Giuppi Pietromarchi. It’s a practical manual to the country’s varied floral species, an ode to contemporary Moroccan garden design and an exotic journey through the Jardin Majorelle – without leaving the house. ACC Art Books, £35

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK; © MARIE-LOUISE AGIUS

Spring’s a-coming, says Clementina Jackson

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LANGUEDOC SOUTH OF FRANCE

FAMILY HOLIDAYS MADE EASY HOTEL | VILLAS SPA | RESTAURANT

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28/01/2019 17:07

THE GUIDE

Matthew Bell discusses saving the planet with the country’s most unlikely environmental campaigner, the Duchess of Beaufort Portrait by ALEXANDRA DAO

uite often, while talking to Tracy Worcester, you feel as though the world is about to end. Her assessment of the damage caused by humans to our planet is bleak, the future apocalyptic. ‘The whole thing is going to hell,’ she says at one point. ‘Mark my words, I know it’s all getting worse. These efforts made by me and others in the end won’t work, because there’s too much self-interest out there. For every one step forward, we go two steps back.’ What to do? If, like me, you tend towards an ostrich approach when tackling big problems, a conversation with Tracy is instructive. She makes you think about how everything is linked – food, waste, politics, money – and that globalisation is the biggest accelerator of the problems we face. For example: where once you might have bought a piece of North Sea cod to have on a Friday, today, chances are it has already travelled to China and back to be filleted, because filleters are cheaper to employ there. Examples of our crazy globalised food economy are legion, and hopefully we try not to buy strawberries in January or blueberries from Chile. But for Tracy, these small steps of piety are Glass of wine nowhere near enough to tackle what she calls the or green tea? ‘globalist corporate hegemony’. What she wants I don’t drink, except maybe is a full-blown revolution, spear-headed by Jeremy a quarter of a Corbyn, a leader she likes as he voted against all glass of red wine. But it’s because wars, and because, like her, he is anti big business. I had cancer, so On paper, this is the last thing you might I have to alkaline expect to hear from one of Britain’s grandest my body. Green tea helped me aristocrats. Technically, Tracy is the Duchess fight it. of Beaufort, her husband’s father having died Gardening a few weeks before she divorced her husband or theatre? of 30 years, now the current Duke of Beaufort. Gardening. But it’s been a long time since Tracy espoused Sharp suits or conventional land-owning values. cosy knits? It depends – Her Damascene conversion occurred in 1988, I would wear at a meeting of Friends of the Earth on City Road, whatever the tribe I am with is London. She remembers it as if it were yesterday. expecting. So the ‘I literally drove up in a black BMW in a fur coat radical politics comes out of with the music blaring,’ she recalls. ‘And instead a suit when it of reacting with horror, as I would have imagined, needs to. they totally embraced me. As they do to anyone Rolling hills who is willing to help: it’s the most giving, caring or seaside? Rolling hills. group of people I’ve ever been in, and I knew from day one that that was where I belonged.’ Cat or dog? Pig. Not that Tracy is under any illusions about the

IN BRIEF

privileges she has. ‘They probably thought I could pay for everything. I am incredibly lucky because I have enough money. I live the life of a f***ing hedge funder.’ Or rather, she could if she wanted. In fact, all the clothes she is wearing today – tweed jacket, paisley shirt – are sourced from charity shops. She arrives at Scarfe’s by bicycle. You have to hand it to her that she lives by the standards she espouses. She is a tireless campaigner, employing several people to run her charity Farms Not Factories from a townhouse in Chelsea. She speaks with a passion that sometimes strays into zealotry, so I ask if she is religious. ‘If anything I am a naturalist. I am like indigenous people who believe in the purity and the sanctity of nature, and if we respect nature we will survive, because we’re part of it.’ Does she consider, as David Attenborough does, that the human race is a plague species? ‘It doesn’t have to be, but it is presently. Money has ruined everything. But if money went back to being an exchange system, and we had bartering and local currencies, that would work. Money would stay in local areas, not be spread about the world. I saw that in Cuba, where they have a locals’ currency to which I didn’t have access, but which enabled them to buy cheap local food. But if we’re dealing in a global currency that leads to cheap food coming in from all over the world.’ But don’t people need cheap food? ‘Only if you make them utterly impoverished through debt. It’s about ensuring people have enough so that they can care and use our resources wisely, so that they have a planet left for their children.’ Her belief in localism and communities is attractive but has some confusing consequences. For example, she admires Donald Trump for attempting to encourage America to trade within itself, though when it comes to environmental policy, ‘He’s the devil, a climate change denier, the enemy of the people’. She is also pro-Brexit, because it’s a step towards reversing globalisation. Her enemy, in the end, is corporate capitalism, and she thinks Adam Smith, who supposedly founded it, would be turning in his grave, because we have allowed jobs to be outsourced abroad. Her response to all this is to keep fighting. Doesn’t it get exhausting? ‘It has been difficult because everyone from my background disagrees. Except for my sister.’ Despite her divorce from Henry Worcester she remains close to his family, and spent Christmas at Badminton, where she has a cottage. Her partner Alastair Kenneil is a film-maker and works on her campaigns. I wonder if she ever yearns to retire to the country and grow vegetables? ‘I had an organic veg growing venture, I had a few pigs. And I probably will again. But where am I most useful? I’ve got a lot of contacts, and with Alastair making films, it makes sense that we do what we do.’ Truly, then, a rebel with a cause.

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The rebel wtih a cause, Tracy Worcester

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MOON WALKING Acting on the ethereal

Fashion director NICOLE SMALLWOOD Photographer NICKY EMMERSON

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Dress, Hugo Boss. Shoes, Tibi. Earrings, Ming Yu Wang. Rings, Cornelia Webb. Fabric, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Embellished dress, Jenny Packham. Boots, Alexa Chung

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Dress and bow, Erdem. Pearl earring, Cornelia Webb

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Dress, Jonathan Simkhai. Boots, Magda Butrym. Earrings and rings, Cornelia Webb

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Dress and belt, Temperley London. Earrings, Ming Yu Wang. Fabric, stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own

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Dress, Ermanno Scervino. Bow in hair, fabric from VV Rouleaux, made by stylist. Earrings, Cornelia Webb

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Dress, Poiret. Shoes, Tibi. Rings and earrings, Cornelia Webb TEAM Make Up: Sophie Higginson using CHANEL L’Art du Détail: Vision d’Asie and CHANEL Sublimage L’Essence Fondamentale Hair: Sophie Higginson using Davines Model: Simona Kirchnerova at The Hive LOCATION Argos in Cappadocia, with rooms starting from £199. mythahotels.com STOCKISTS: PAGE 136

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ON LOCATION

Argos in Cappadocia, Turkey provided a stunning, almost extra-terrestrial location for this month’s Moon Walking cover shoot

ocated across the site of an ancient monastery, Argos in Cappadocia is a gateway to another time. With its unique landscapes and unparalleled beauty, it’s easy to see why George Lucas used it as the awe-inspiring backdrop to his Star Wars trilogy and why we have used it as the perfect destination for our March cover and fashion story. The stunning terrain has been hailed as a miracle of nature, formed over millions of years by the lavaland ashes spewed from Mount Erciyes and Mount Hasan, with the landscape itself having been initially carved by water and wind. Later, it was further sculpted by monks, priests and master stone cutters over thousands of years. The hotel visionaries were owner Göksin Ilıcalı and renowned architect Turgut Cansever, who took on this labour of love to develop the ancient dwellings into a luxury five-star

boutique hotel. After 20 years they finally completed their mission and the doors opened to the hotel’s first customers in 2010. The result is a rural, heritage-style retreat that represents the spirit of Cappadocia but with an unparalleled luxury to match the authenticity of its origins. It’s a venue that transforms from a white wonder in winter to a blossoming rich tapestry of red roses and fountains come summer.

FROM ABOVE: The Turkish terrain of Argos has to be seen to be believed; Our model getting fashion shoot ready

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LOCATION The hotel is located high above the village in Uchisar. Cappadocia in central Turkey. Daily flights from Istanbul are available to Nevsehir and Kayseri Airports, a 25-minute and one-hour drive to the hotel ,respectively.

ACCOMMODATION Rooms and suites are breathtaking and the attention to detail is second to none. The clever design aesthetic combines original stone walls with ultra modern bathrooms to provide a dual feeling of optimum luxury within an authentic environment. Ornamental objects coupled with carefully curated cushions and throws along with small pieces of intricate pottery all add to the bohemian feel. There are 51 rooms and suites designed to heighten the simple pleasures of life, with inviting nooks and crannies to get lost in or simply sinking into a squashy sofa gazing at the wonderful views. Each room is unique, however the most spectacular ones are the splendid suites with their own cave pools and bed on a mezzanine level. They have to be seen to be believed.

Juxtaposing the ancient stone with contemporary elements in the bedrooms

Wrap yourself in the hotel’s tranquil interiors and wonderful views

Behind the scenes

WINING AND DINING Seki restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining, with spectacular views and outstanding Turkish dishes as well as international cuisine. Everything is created with fresh local produce from the hotel’s organic vegetable garden. Deep within the caves lies the Seki wine cellar which dates back 1,300 years and is the largest in Turkey, housing a collection of 22,000 bottles from the Argos Vineyards. Guests are able to visit the cellar or simply taste the variety of wines on offer. The Bezirhane concert hall, once part of the ancient monastery and later a linseed oil factory, features two connecting halls both with natural domes, large fire places and superb acoustics. These can hold 80 people for a sit-down dinner and 120 when configured into a theatre style, perfect for weddings, private dining or concerts.

In-room massages are available but a state-of-the-art spa will open later this year

WELLNESS The hotel is currently building a state-of-the-art spa which will be completed later this year. However, there is currently a therapy room and inroom massages are available.

ACTIVITIES Cappadocia offers many excursions that provide unforgettable experiences. It is probably most famous for the balloon rides, which take place 365 days of the year, weather permitting. Other actives include hiking, cycling and riding, while skiing is also possible about an hour and half away from the hotel during winter months.

BOOK IT Argos in Cappadocia is a member of the Mytha Hotel Anthology, with rooms starting from £199. mythahotels. com

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A GLOBAL GALLERY See the world at work all in one place

eturning for its 15th edition, the Crafts Council brings Collect, the leading international art fair dedicated to modern crafts and design, to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea, London, from 28 February to 3 March. Collect is an eclectic compilation of 43 international galleries; a rare opportunity to explore and invest in the exceptional work produced by living artists over the last five years, much of which is made exclusively for the fair.

TOP SPOTS Collect occupies the entire Saatchi Gallery, with the third and top floor host to Collect Open: an exclusive platform for ambitious, conceptual, craft-led installations by individuals and collectives alike. Among the talent are Katharine Swailes, who presents intricate tapestries inspired by the solar system; Mary O’Malley, who will create an American-style BBQ and dinner service set with Ming Dynasty porcelaininspired patterns; and David Clarke and Tracey Rowledge, whose pewter and glass sculptures are illuminated by a suspended lightbox. Those making their debut at the fair this year include Todd Merrill (USA), who brings contemporary artists inspired by historic European design; Galerie Kuzebauch (Czech Republic), whose artists usher the illustrious history of Bohemian glass into the 21st century;

and Spektacularis (Philippines), which presents work by three Filipino designers in collaboration with Czech glassblowers. The range of galleries from Asia is broader than ever in 2019, with new exhibitor the China Design Centre set to showcase pieces by Wan Liya and Xiaodong Bian. There are many more familiar names too: Chinese gallery Ting-Ying returns with ceramics created by emerging artist Wanling Liang, and the Korea Craft and Design Foundation presents famed lacquer artist (and LOEWE Craft Prize 2018 finalist), Hae Cho Chung. Asian work proffered by ESH Gallery (Italy) is unmissable, focusing on the Japanese concept of zuihitsu – ‘following the paintbrush’. Plus, leading British gallery Katie Jones will show new work by Shinya Yamamura (lacquer) and Toru Kaneko (silver), both of whom she represented at the first Collect back in 2004.

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PROMOTION

LISTEN UP A spacious café, VIP lounge and many opportunities to delve into the creative minds behind the masterpieces, mean that you can make a day of it. Collect’s Talk Space hosts an extensive complimentary speaker programme from Friday to Sunday, alongside daily introductions at the stands given by the artists and gallerists themselves, giving you the chance to hear them present their pieces intimately and honestly. Don’t miss designers John Makepeace and Gareth Neal discuss the nature of craft and innovation, questioning how design can be enhanced by the partnership between the traditional chisel and contemporary robotics. On Saturday 2 March, thanks to LOEWE Foundation’s support, the LOEWE Craft Prize 2018 winner, Jennifer Lee, headlines the Talk Space in conversation with V&A Museum Director of Collections, Antonia Boström. Established in 2017 under the guidance of LOEWE Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, the LOEWE Craft Prize is an annual celebration of modern craftsmanship; its diversity, range and continuing importance.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Aqua by Heike Brachlow, represented by Bullseye Projects; sculpture by Ricardo Tena, represented by Galeria-Ruben Torres; LOEWE Craft Prize winner Jennifer Lee headlines the Talk Space on Saturday; Vessels, by Wan Liya and exhibited by the China Design Centre; Collect takes over the Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea

A CR A F T Y DE A L Country & Town House readers are cordially invited to enjoy 20 per cent off the adult ticket price for entry to the fair during public open hours, plus complimentary access to Collect Talks. Just register online at collect2019.org.uk/CTH by 22 February and redeem your discount using the code CTH19.

@CraftsCounciIUK @craftscouncil #collect2019

craftscouncil.org.uk

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NEWS OF THE WORLD

The world’s best medical spa is coming to London

What’s making waves in the world of travel this year? Hay Festival Cartagena draws a creative crowd

HOT DESTINATION

CREATIVE CURRENCY

Cartagena is the jewel in Colombia’s crown with its buzzy bars, swish hotels, oodles of history, thriving arts scene and Caribbean beaches to boot – and it’s fast becoming a cultural centre for creatives who decamp there once a year for Hay Festival’s meeting of minds (hayfestival. com). And now the hip Blue Apple Beach House on Tierra Bomba island just along the coast is inviting all ‘travellers of talent’ to take part in an artistic exchange, offering free bed and board to artists and dreamers in exchange for sharing their skills – an alternative currency, if you will. Now that’s the kind of culture we want to be part of. blueapplebeach.com

Balearic vibes at Blue Apple

HEALTH

DIGEST THIS BEAUTY

LOTIONS & POTIONS

Forget French drugstore finds, there’s a new cult skincare brand in town. Africology harnesses South Africa’s ancient healing traditions and vast apothecary of indigenous plants to create 100 per cent natural products that nourish both body and mind – and you can finally get your hands on them at the new London flagship. africologyspa.com

KIDS

When a friend vaguely says they’re ‘going to a spa in Austria’ and comes back glowing, slimmer than ever and uncharacteristically serene, chances are they’ve been to Lanserhof. The cutting-edge medical ‘spa’ is respected worldwide for its rigorous, Mayr-inspired programme of fasting, colonics, examinations and incessant chewing, with impressive results. No more surreptitious getaways needed, though, as Lanserhof is taking up residence at the ultraexclusive Arts Club as London’s first medical gym. Members will be able to access world-class medical facilities as well as a state-of-the-art gym, cryotherapy chambers and a specially-crafted menu of Mayrapproved food – before popping back to the Club to join other double-lifers for drinks. theartsclub.co.uk

PHOTOS: DANIEL MORDZINSKI;

SUN DAYS Little ones + scorching sun = enough stress to ruin your beach day. But pop them in Sunuva swimwear and it’ll block out 97 per cent of the sun’s harmful rays, leaving them free to run amok, and you free to relax. Best. Invention. Ever. sunuva.com 82 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

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NEW OPENINGS

FASHION

TRAVEL IN STYLE Don’t let holiday wardrobe woes get in the way of your wanderlust. Taking the concept of bespoke travel to a whole new level, Voyager Club has teamed up with MatchesFashion to set guests up with their own ‘Vacation Stylist’ who will ensure a curated closet of location-specific pieces awaits at your destination. voyagerclub.co

TRIPPING OUT Who’s excited for Coachella? Tent-phobes are now that the Valley is getting its very own luxury hotel. Hotel Indigo’s sprawling grounds will be giving the festival itself a run for its money, featuring a swanky spa, 11 acres of ‘playground’, a huge saltwater party pool complete with DJ stage, and – wait for it – its own marijuana dispensary. Peace out! hotelindigo.com

Baglioni Resort Maldives

One&Only Desaru Coast

IN THE KNOW

DOUBLE SHOT

FOOD

TRAVEL, EAT, LOVE Mandarin Oriental, Santiago

PHOTOS: DANIEL MORDZINSKI;

Masseria Torre Maizza

GO YONDER The industry’s hotel heavyweights are entering uncharted territory, bringing the best of luxury travel to new parts of the world. Baglioni is the first Italian resort to set its sights on the Maldives, unveiling a spectacular 96-villa resort on the unspoiled island of Maagau this April. Speaking of Asia, it’s a big year for the One&Only brand too, making its mark on the continent for the first time with an expansive Malaysian beachfront lifestyle resort. The Mandarin Oriental is also crossing new frontiers, with its first foray into South America as it takes on Chile’s legendary Hotel Santiago, while Rocco Forte Hotels are the latest to join the Puglia-bound bandwagon with the trad/ luxe Masseria Torre Maizza.

Opinionated about dining? So is a select group of top gastro-tourists who have no qualms about crossing borders and dropping big dollar for a good meal. Steve Plotnicki’s Opinionated About Dining brings together reviews from the world’s most discerning diners to compile ‘top 100’ restaurant lists, ‘and it’s not unusual for some to submit 150+ reviews a year,’ he shares. Join this uber-elite fine dining ring in San Sebastián this May, where OAD is hosting one-off dinners – and trust us, this is food worth travelling for. opinionatedaboutdining.com

If you’re visiting London, Berlin or Barcelona this year, make sure to bookmark Double Shot, your in-the-know travel guide that finds the best fitness classes in town and matches them to something social nearby. Think the best brunch spot to hit up after a yoga class, or a hidden speakeasy for cocktails after running with Berlin’s hippest run club – just like the locals do. doubleshotcollective.com

TREND

GO WITH THE FLOW

Banish visions of buffets and long-forgotten crooners: cruisin’ is cool again. But you have to go super luxe – think Cunard’s 10-night Alaska voyage (cunard.com) that’s equal parts intrepid and sumptuous, or Uniworld’s spectacular sailing trip down the Nile (uniworld.com). Celebrity Cruises are a dead cert for travelling in style with interiors by Kelly Hoppen (celebritycruises.com), while those worried about inactivity at sea should book onto the world’s first dedicated wellness holiday on water (blueworldvoyage.co.uk). March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 83

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PEERAGE & BARONETAGE First published when breeches, hoop skir ts and corsets were in fashion

150th

FINAL PRINTED EDITION

Beneﬁt from a special 10% DISCOUNT, reducing the title from £450 to £405. Order online at www.debretts.com and use coupon code TOWNHOUSE2 at checkout. Alternatively, order over the phone by calling +44 (0)207 950 5240

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HOMEGROWN HOTELS FOR 2019

Worried about not getting your blue passport in time? Make plans for a staycation instead and try out one of the UK’s newest openings, says Fiona Duncan

t’s raining new hotels. If Brexit has thrown the British hospitality industry into paroxisms of angst about the increasingly knotty problem of recruiting good staff, their warnings don’t appear to have put off a tsunami of new openings slated for 2019. Only a handful, however, are from homegrown independent hoteliers; the rest are all about foreign investors and most are all about London.

Looking around the country first, there are PIGS flying in all directions. In addition to the five current rustic chic hotels, the PIG at Bridge Place will open in a 17th-century manor near Canterbury in May and in Grade II-listed Harlyn House near Padstow in late autumn, while Madehurst Lodge in Sussex will pop out in 2020. Quite a litter (thepighotel.com). Another fine independent hotel group is Artist Residence, headed by husband and wife Justin and Charlotte Salisbury. They began with a revamped

B&B in Brighton, and swiftly added Penzance, Pimlico and Oxfordshire to their arty, youthful portfolio. Now comes their boldest new opening – a stunningly revamped former boot factory five minutes from Bristol’s city centre (artistresidence.co.uk). If the vast majority of new openings are in the south, the north is making its own splash with the advent of Grantley Hall 1 (grantleyhall.co.uk). Owned by the wealthy Sykes family, it’s Relais & Château’s newest UK property with just 47 bedrooms but seven drinking

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and dining venues, a wellness centre, extensive gardens and an imaginative programme of events. It will surely be enough to lure Londoners up country, as will be the new look Talbot Hotel in the charming North Yorkshire town of Malton (talbotmalton.co.uk). Sam and Georgie Pearman, another estimable husband and wife team, are in the process of revamping the hotel. Expect quirky style and lavish comfort. And if hip, quirky style is what you want, plus walls dripping with world class art, then you must travel further north still to Braemar in Scotland and the wonderfully wacky Fife Arms 2 , courtesy of top dealers Hauser and Wirth (thefifearms.com). Pause en route at Fingal 3 , a former lighthouse tender, now 23-cabin luxury floating hotel berthed at Edinburgh’s vibrant waterfront (fingal.co.uk). Back down south, Bucks and Berks

are each recipients of new luxury home counties hotels (as if last year’s Heckfield Place and Beaverbrook weren’t enough). Monkey Island 4 , a centuries-old retreat on its own island at Bray-on-Thames was once popular with visiting monarchs, artists and famous performers (monkeyislandestate. co.uk), while The Langley near Iver (don’t say Slough) is a grand country manor in ‘Capability’ Brown grounds with gorgeous gardens and a swish spa (marriott.com). But perhaps the biggest opening, later this year, will be in ever-trendy Somerset, where South African businessman Koos Bekker is transforming lovely Hadspen House into a fitting sibling for his Cape Town sensation Babylonstoren. And so to London, scene of a plethora of new openings. They include Vintry & Mercer 5 , tucked between the City’s livery halls and guilds

(vintryandmercer.com); the Standard, the cool US brand’s first European outpost, in King’s Cross (standardhotels. com); the Hard Rock Hotel in Mayfair (hardrockhotels.com), cashing in on the café’s enduring appeal; and the Stratford Hotel at Manhattan Loft Gardens 6 , occupying the first seven floors of a scintillating double cantilevered new tower in East London (manhattanloftgardens.com). Among all this shiny newness, watch out for two titbits of very British history. Hyatt’s Great Scotland Yard Hotel will occupy the former headquarters of London’s Met Police (hyatt.com), while Belmond’s Cadogan Hotel 7 , where Lillie Langtry lived and Oscar Wilde was arrested, promises to be a suitably lavish and decadent reimagining of an old London favourite (belmond.com). n

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PROMOTION

PARADISE FOUND The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is a failsafe for a peaceful escape

estled on a beautiful coral island in the Baa Atoll, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is the perfect place for a peaceful escape. Uninterrupted ocean and pristine turquoise lagoon views soothe the soul, while the nearby Hanifaru Bay is home to the largest gathering of manta rays in the world. Paradise? Found. The resort’s award-winning design is inspired by the ocean and has a visionary approach towards

environmental sustainability. Natural materials are used throughout, while decorative shells and marine designs provide a visual link to the surroundings. An aerial view of The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort reveals a fish-shaped outline to reflect the beauty of the region’s varied marine life, while the arrival jetty is structured to resemble clamshells and the ocean’s waves. There are 70 villas and suites to choose from, 41 on the island and 29 overwater. Each villa is shaped with eco-friendly double roofing for the perfect natural ventilation, and each boasts outdoor rainforest showers. Poised over the sea on stilts and with an area of almost 200 sq/m each, the overwater suites are among the largest in the Baa Atoll region. And for when you’re feeling peckish? The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo has a restaurant for every mood; The Pearl is the resort’s specialty restaurant with Japanese cuisine and ocean views, the all-day dining Island Kitchen offers a healthy, balanced menu of Chinese, Indian and Maldivian fare, while Hawker is great for a low-key meal with its live kitchen, bustling atmosphere and authentic Asian street food. Wellbeing is at the heart of Westin’s ethos, so there’s also a world-class spa on site for cutting-edge beauty treatments and stress busting massages, as well as a 24-hour fitness studio for those who want to stay active. But, remember, you’re on holiday – so end the day with a cocktail at the Sunset Bar as you gaze over the Indian Ocean. Nightly rates at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort start from £593/$750 for two people on a B&B basis. +960 660 4444. westin.com/maldivesmiriandhoo

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SAFE STEPPES

ABOVE: Wakhi horsemen lead the way across one of the fast-flowing tributaries of the famous Oxus river RIGHT: As a former soldier in Afghanistan, Levison sees the country in a new light

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The FCO advises against travel to Afghanistan but, far from the fighting, intrepid explorer Levison Wood discovers the hidden – and safe – wonders of the Wakhan Corridor, with its majestic trekking routes

aking to the sound of scraggy goats bleating out for their morning feed, the half-light of a dim sun pours across the camp, coming as a welcome relief to the frosty chill of the night. Opening my eyes, I squint across the valley, watching as long shadows retreat to reveal the towering peaks of the Pamir mountains. A man with skin like leather and draped in an old woollen army overcoat coughs, indicating it’s time to wake up. I smell the now familiar scent of burning yak dung on an open fire, and hope that tea is almost ready. I’m in the middle of one of the most remote valleys in Central Asia, in the depths of the Wakhan Corridor – an area that’s home to the wild tribes of Kyrgyz nomads and Wakhi shepherds.

As I look around at the scene, I’m transported back to the 13th century: round yurts covered in felt, yaks, goats, camels and ponies grazing in the high meadows, and smoke billowing from the fire. The men are wizened and hard, the women ageless, looking buoyant in their bright red robes, in stark contrast to the bleak open steppe that seems to go on forever. It’s no wonder the locals call it Bam-i-Dunya: the roof of the world. It has a stark, ancient feel and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Genghis Khan himself galloping over the plains. It’s medieval in every way except one – many of the tribesmen carry rifles as protection against wolves, snow leopards and, of course, their militant neighbours. It’s a keen reminder that I’m in Afghanistan, one of the most dangerous countries in the world. ‘Why on earth do you want to go there?’ quizzed John, an old army pal, when I told him I was returning to the country in which we’d frequently been shot at before. Afghanistan. The mere mention of the word conjures up thoughts of the terror, turmoil and bloodshed that has defined its existence as a country for almost two decades. Even before the allied invasion to defeat the Taliban in October 2001, Afghanistan has had a historical timeline dominated by foreign conquerors and civil unrest, deeming it off limits to all but the most foolhardy of travellers. The FCO currently advises against all travel to the vast majority of the country, putting off most potential visitors. And yet, extending out like an arched finger from the northeastern corner of the country, separating Tajikistan from Pakistan, runs Central Asia’s best-kept secret: the Wakhan Corridor – a strip of land so far removed from the troubles and conflict concerning the rest of Afghanistan that it’s seen as safe; what’s more it’s home to some of the most majestic trekking routes in the world.

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SKI KAMCHATKA Head to Russia’s easternmost peninsula to ski 2,000 vertical metres down volcanoes all the way to the sea in one of the most unique landscapes in the world. Helicopter, shovel and satellite phone included... pelorusx.com

MOROCCAN WEEKENDER Conquering Morocco’s Atlas Mountains is a weekend well spent. Mountain bike, run and hike through the spectacular scenery that separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara. igoadventures.com RACE THE JET Be one of 24 runners taking on the ultimate marathon in Antarctica’s White Desert. Participants have just five hours to complete 42km, racing each other as well as the clock – or they miss the flight home. white-desert.com

AMAZONIAN GUYANA Go deep into a rarely visited corner of the earth for an epic experience where you’ll cross uncharted jungle and rolling savannah, test your survival skills and live with Amerindians and Vaquero cowboys. epictomato.com

POLAR BEAR KINGDOM A rare opportunity to join part of the team behind BBC’s Frozen Planet series in an expedition which traverses restricted regions of Svalbard, crossing frozen fjords in search of polar bears and arctic wildlife. niquesatravel.com

And now a steady stream of adventurers is ignoring the official naysayers and visiting this hidden wonder on foot and horseback, all arranged by a few select adventure travel operators that go the extra mile to ensure modern-day Marco Polos an experience like no other. Avoiding the more troublesome southern parts of Afghanistan, I fly to the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, where I meet my fellow trekkers, a mixed bunch of international wannabe explorers – a couple of journalists, an Aussie walker, a military doctor, and our local guide, Abdul. It will take a couple of days to drive from here to the border crossing on the Oxus river at Ishkashim, the gateway into Afghanistan. We follow the famous Pamir highway as it carves through some of the most sublime highland landscapes found anywhere. We rumble along in an old Russian off-roader, slowly approaching the snowy-capped Pamir Mountains, where we’ll spend the next fortnight. I’ve been intrigued by this part of the world ever since reading tales of the Silk Road and the Great Game – this is where the rivalry between Russian and British empires played out in the mid-19th century. But I’m equally keen to witness how local people live now. I’ve heard tales of centuries-old routines, seen pictures of weathered faces cloaked in the scarlet felts and shining trinkets that are proudly worn like uniform, yet also read that this is one of the poorest places in the world, with the highest infant mortality rate and an average lifespan of just 35. There are no hospitals and just a few rudimentary schools. Entering the Wakhan Corridor the road withers into a gravel track and after 250km reaches Sarhad, where it disappears altogether and the real adventure begins. Heavy rain, snow and landslides make the valley inaccessible for half the year. The best time to visit the region is early autumn, before the snows close the high passes and the nomads move down to lower pastures. As we wave off the drivers I feel nostalgic to be on this ancient route, following in the footsteps of the likes of Marco Polo (who has a breed of local sheep named after him) and Alexander the Great, whose journeys here still echo in local collective memory. Having been cramped up in an old Russian off-roader, there’s a shared thrill to be finally on our feet and in the splendour of the nature enclosing us. The mountains surrounding the Wakhan are some of the highest and most rugged in the world; their overpowering presence makes the rest of Afghanistan seem

manageable by comparison, and in their vast shadows it’s clear why this area of the country has been left to steer its own course. The Taliban haven’t been here and even the Russian army barely bothered with it. We follow the Panj River for a day before climbing a further 1,000m to cross the Daliz Pass. Simple adobe mud huts are scattered along the trail and we settle into the nearest one before the night sky sets in. The only light we have comes from the fire Abdul builds inside, using wood gathered at the doorway. Our guides prepare food – vegetable stew and rice – and boil tea, which keeps us warm until we wrap up in our sleeping bags and fall soundly asleep, exhausted by the day’s travails. The next morning, rejoining the fast-flowing river, our team tracks it through remains of villages and pre-Islamic ruins. The trail sticks to the river’s course for the next few days and, as we get further into the mountains, the steepsided valleys open up to the wide plains of the Afghan Pamir, home to the fabled Kyrgyz – descendants of the ancient Mongol hordes. For two days our team lives among our new friends: born horsemen, prisoners of geography, now locked further into this land by politics and borders, they live a life unchanged in almost a millennium. Unable to exchange more than a few words of greeting, they teach us to herd yaks and make fires. They slaughter a goat and make room for us to sleep in a corner of their yurt. It’s a wary union and yet, despite our differences, we share laughter when I’m given the local delicacy – goat brains and eyeballs – only to realise the chief is just testing my resolve, to see if I’ll be daft enough to try it. For these nomads, unsupported by the Afghan government, living a subsistence life of hunting and trading basic goods with neighbouring tribes, they are hopeful that tourism will bring a new income and some relief to their struggles. As the chief passes over some delicious flatbread and yoghurt to make up for his practical joke and we discuss the journey ahead, I suddenly feel a wave of excitement at the prospect of some real exploration in a region only ever shown in a negative light. And that for me is the real joy of travelling – seeing with my own eyes what life is really like. If you want a true adventure in 2019 I can’t recommend strongly enough that you visit the roof of the world. n Levison Wood visited the Wakhan Corridor with Secret Compass. secretcompass.com/expedition/ afghanistan-wakhan-pamir-expedition

PHOTOS: LEVISON WOOD, TAKEN IN THE PAMIR MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTAN’S WAKHAN CORRIDOR

UP FOR AN ADVENT U R E ?

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PHOTOS: LEVISON WOOD, TAKEN IN THE PAMIR MOUNTAINS OF AFGHANISTANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WAKHAN CORRIDOR

I SUDDENLY FEEL A WAVE OF EXCITEMENT AT THE PROSPECT OF SOME REAL EXPLORATION IN A REGION ONLY EVER SHOWN IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT

Exploring the Pamir mountains on foot and horseback, with a group of fellow international wannabe adventurers, Levison discovers freezing rivers, beautiful rugged landscapes and unexpected friendship with his Afghan hosts

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POSTCARDS FROM NEW ZEALAND

The international fashion designer and Auckland girl on her favourite places P I H A

B E A C H PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

I am at my happiest on the beach. New Zealand has the most wonderful ones and I cannot get enough of them. I arrive in the morning and leave at night-time. I also love that there are no restaurants on the beach and that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only sand, water and greenery. It makes New Zealand beaches feel so rural and almost wild. 94 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

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Rangitoto Island

Sitting in front of our most iconic and widely visible landmark of Auckland, I love that from most places in the city you can spot Rangitoto – it is such a reminder of home. What I love most of all is listening to stories about historic beaches which were built on the island in the 1920s and ’30s. Settlements consisted of private holiday dwellings and boatsheds as well as communal facilities such as paths, a swimming pool, community hall and tennis courts. As a result of a prohibition order on further building in 1937, the remnants of the Rangitoto beach communities are now irreplaceable artefacts of New Zealand’s architectural and social history. Sometimes you can spot these homes from afar and I love thinking about what it must have been like travelling onto the island in the '20s or '30s and having Rangitoto as your getaway.

THE ISLAND GROCER IN WAIH E KE

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Waiheke Island is 40 minutes by boat from Auckland City. It is a haven of vineyards, olive groves and beaches. I visited all of them. The ones dotted around the island of Oneroa – Palm Beach and Onetangi – are perfectly small and quaint yet long enough for planning a proper walk with a picnic. Stock up at The Island Grocer, on the main strip of stores on the island, which has amazing brands and fresh produce that you can take over to the beach. New Zealand’s home-grown Lewis Road Creamery and its delicious butter was just one of the brands I fell in love with when I tried it.

Pohutukawa tree

I love the very sight of a pohutukawa tree – it reminds me of home, that summer has arrived and Christmas is on its way. Anything nostalgic that has Mother Nature attached to it still takes my breath away. You find a pohutakawa on the beach, growing out over sand. Lazy days sitting under pohutukawa shade on the beach is the best description of a real New Zealand summer. March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 95

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City Water In Auckland City you are surrounded by water. Walking around the bays means going from one city beach to another, I love how they link. It is the most beautiful and windy walk – and at each bay you can find restaurants, cafés and all things very NZ.

B A R E

F E E T

Walking around in bare feet is such a local thing to do! I love every part of having my feet on the ground and always feel so relaxed. You are in a city yet you are next to water and on quiet streets surrounded by greenery and fresh air – it gives everything a sense of calm.

W E S T C O A S T B E A C H E S

The Boat Shed Waiheke

I stayed in the most incredible small boutique hotel called The Boat Shed, as suggested to me by Quintessentially Travel – it was bliss. The attention to detail was like no other: the cosiest little home with the warmest furnishings and wood fires. You can lie poolside or walk down to the beach in two minutes and eat ice cream from the local dairy. Emilia travelled courtesy of luxury tailor-made travel specialists Quintessentially Travel (quintessentiallytravel.com)

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; EMILIA WICKSTEAD

I was here on a freezing cold windy day. It was amazing! I walked outside along the beach with my raincoat and bare feet and the sea air was so crisp and refreshing. The waves were huge! In fact our West Coast beaches in New Zealand are known to be some of the best surfing beaches in the world. And you are so isolated with only sand and nature around you. They are extraordinarily unique.

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PROMOTION

TAILORED TRANQUILLITY

The Resort Villa prioritises privacy and personalisation

ombining a Swedish visionary’s penchant for seclusion with the serene beauty of Rayong, Thailand, the Resort Villa exists to put an entire resort and all of its luxurious amenities at the bespoke disposal of an exclusive group of just 14 guests. The spacious tropical property is a secret piece of paradise covering 14,000 sq/m, including 1,000 sq/m of infinity pools, seven individual villas, a fully-equipped gym and spa and a 15m aquarium, all run by a team of 60 full-time staff.

With access to water toys, which range from the JetSurf to the Flyboard, a beach a five-minute walk away, and four boats, including a 60ft motorboat and super-fast 40ft rib – ideal for island-hopping – mean that the holiday of a lifetime awaits, unspoiled by neither crowds, queues nor compromise. The gastronomical experience is no different, passionately prepared by the Resort Villa’s private chefs. Choose from any of the nine unique dining areas and four bars, opt to feast pool-side on a fusion of Western and Eastern flavours, or relax by the aquarium, teeming with 50 varieties of flamboyant fish, a slice of pizza straight from the custom-made oven and a glass of New Zealand’s finest Pinot Noir in hand. However you dream of spending your sunny sojourn, it can be made a reality here. The Resort Villa’s comprehensive attention to detail and the sheer size of its grounds also provide the foundation for its sustainable efforts; a solar farm, hydroponics system and garden of herbs, fruits and vegetables mean that you can relish every moment of your stay with a clear conscience and absolutely no concessions on any front. theresortvilla.com

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THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; REX FEATURES

Syriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back in business and as beautiful as ever

From war reporter to tourist, Peter Oborne fell in love with Syria and encourages the intrepid traveller to discover its breathtaking beauty for themselves 98 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; REX FEATURES

or the last five years I have travelled repeatedly to Syria. I’ve crouched on the frontline with the Syrian army soldiers overlooking Isis positions. I’ve lived under mortar fire from rebel fighters. I’ve interviewed refugees in camps in Jordan and Turkey. I was in Aleppo when it was under siege and permanent bombardment during the freezing winter of 2016. I’ve talked to jihadis fighting the regime in safe houses outside Syria. Those days are over. It is now perfectly easy to travel safely in large parts of Syria without any more risk than you might encounter in any Middle Eastern country. Tourists can visit the beautiful, ancient cities of Aleppo, Damascus and Palmyra – all places which were held, in part or entirely, by rebel control until just a year or two ago. It’s an unbelievable change. Once again ordinary people can come to Syria, so long as they take good advice, without a serious risk of being kidnapped or killed. This heartbreakingly beautiful country is open for business. And there are plenty of places to go. During the worst of the fighting, I used to stay at the Beit Al Wali hotel in Damascus ($120 per night). It’s a fabulous old town house of the kind for which the ancient city is famous. It has inner courtyards, immaculate service and great architectural distinction. I’ve visited there many times when the thud of incoming mortars was so constant you didn’t even look up and take notice. Now, at last, it’s safe to visit. You are guaranteed a fabulous welcome and already Western tourists are tentatively beginning to return. Tourist guide, Fadi, told me when I spoke to him last month, that he’d taken three Britons around Syria without difficulty or risk the week before (he charges $100 a day). He said, ‘We are already starting to operate groups from China and the West, from everywhere.’ Fadi ran his own company before the war began in 2011, but like so many other Syrian businessmen, he had to close down once the conflict started. He was thrown back on his own resources. At one point he went to work in the oil industry in Deir ez-Zor. Life was tough and dangerous. He was kidnapped twice. And if you buy him a drink, Fadi has many stories about how he talked himself out of

The courtyard of Beit Al Wali, one of the loveliest hotels in Damascus

The ancient Citadel of Aleppo

trouble when held up by jihadi fighters in very sticky situations. They will make your hair stand on end. When Deir ez-Zor became too hot, Fadi went back to Damascus where he presented a children’s programme on national TV. It was extremely successful, but he sadly recalls that there was no money in it and he was forced to work for the government as a press minder looking out for journalists. That’s how I got to know him. Now he is returning to his old job. I cannot recommend him It’s not uncommon to see enough. With a fat belly and a long greying solders on the streets beard, he’s terrific company. Syria is truly open again. Visas are available. As Fadi says, ‘Tell me you are coming and I will approach the ministry of tourism. They will sort out your immigration needs within a couple of weeks or so.’ How do you get to Damascus? Three years ago, Peter visited Eastern Ghouta; Until very recently it’s been tricky. this was the entrance to Roads from the north have been the Education Ministry blocked by Islamic State and Al-Qaeda fighters, while few flights have gone directly into the city. That’s changing. Diplomatic relations are opening between neighbouring countries. Flights are coming into Syria from neighbouring Gulf countries, and you can do a two-hour drive from Beirut across the Beqaa Valley. Some people may have moral doubts about travelling to Syria. They may feel they are giving money and encouragement to the Assad regime. I disagree. Bear in mind that great crimes have been committed by all sides in this terrible war. The impression given in parts of the Western press that President Assad has been responsible for all of them is false. In any case, as a tourist, you’ll be bringing money to help ordinary people rebuild their livelihoods. By boosting tourism you’ll be enabling the industry to stand on its own March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 99

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two feet again. That, in my view, can only be a good thing. Where should you go? Definitely stay several days in Damascus. It’s one of the most beautiful and ancient cities in the world. Walk down Straight Street – it appears in the Bible – and go and discover the marvellous peace and beauty of the Chapel of Saint Ananias, the saint who restored Paul’s sight after he had been struck blind on the road to Damascus. Then walk in to the city’s Muslim Quarter, which contains one of the world’s oldest and largest mosques: the Umayyad Mosque. The ancient markets of Damascus are back up and running. You can get plenty of bargains. Last time I was there I purchased a pair of shoes for $12. I’m wearing them as I write. The outside cafés are fantastic. Damascus is an open and relaxed city where young men and women can walk hand in hand and Muslims and Christians rub shoulders without enmity. Then on to to Maaloula, one of a handful of towns in the world where Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ, is still spoken. Five years ago, I was present at the relief of Maaloula when civil defence forces flushed out Al-Qaeda insurgents from this ancient town. Many historic churches and shrines were in ruin but are now being restored. From there travellers should go to the legendary historic site of Krak des Chevaliers (‘Castle of the Knights’), which was built during the Crusades and remains one of the best preserved examples of medieval military architecture. I then recommend the journey to Aleppo. Whereas

The Castle of the Knights was built during the Crusades and is a must-see

the old city of Damascus remained intact, the old city of Aleppo suffered terrible destruction during the war. While I stayed in Aleppo at the height of the siege three years ago, the citadel and the old city were inaccessible. Today, you can visit both. Do not omit Palmyra. The 2,000-year-old city, captured twice by Isis, is being lovingly restored. According to the Syrian government, the UNESCO World Heritage site will be open to the public by summer 2019. Before you go look carefully at the British foreign office advice. Britain’s diplomats tell you not to go under any circumstances. This is what the website says: ‘British nationals in Syria should leave by any practical means. Consular support is not available in Syria. The UK has suspended all services of the British Embassy in Damascus and all diplomatic and consular staff have been withdrawn from Syria. British nationals requiring assistance should make their way to a neighbouring country where the UK has a consular presence. The situation remains extremely volatile and dangerous. High levels of violence persist throughout Syria, including full-scale military operations involving the use of small arms, tanks, artillery and aircraft. A number of chemical Fadi (right) can arrange weapons attacks have taken place across entry into Syria and show Syria. Estimates suggest that over 470,000 you the sights people have been killed in the Syria conflict, including over 55,000 children.’ In my opinion this is way over the top. However, anyone thinking of a trip to Syria must take this advice extremely seriously. And it is completely true that some areas of the country – such as Idlib Province – are still under rebel control. Don’t even think of going The glories of Palmyra to such areas. You will be killed or kidnapped and held to ransom. But large areas are, in my experience, safe. Not entirely safe. But nowhere in the world is entirely safe. There’s often risk involved in travelling to many of the most beautiful parts of the world. So Syria is for intrepid travellers only. Indeed I cannot recommend a trip too much. This is a country Peter and Fadi in Sinjar in Idlib Province which has been afflicted by a terrible three years ago tragedy. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions have fled the country. But it is a nation of extraordinary beauty and incomparable architectural remains. Best of all is the generosity of the inhabitants. I’ve fallen in love with Syria, indeed, so much so that I plan to return with my wife to the country I have previously travelled only as a lone reporter. I would happily take my children too. I urge other intrepid travellers to make the journey. It will repay you a million times. n To enquire about trips to Syria, email Fadi Assi at adi.assi.sasa@gmail.com

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Find the glorious Umayyad Mosque in Damascus’s Muslim Quarter

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T IM E T O C H A N G E Y O U R V IE W S C o m e o n a JC Jo u rn e y

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LUCY LAUCHT Lucy’s polished aesthetic is the stuff of heavy coffee table book reverie. She beautifully captures psychedelic snaps found in the landscape, moulding them into her own clean style and occasionally adding herself into the mix. From the chilly peaks of Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain to portraits of priests in Rajasthan, there’s a Slim Aarons, Wes Anderson, National Geographic medley at play here.

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MEET THE INSTA-TSARS OF TRAVEL Rosalyn Wikeley sieves through the cocktail selfies to pick out ten extraordinary travel Insta-tsars helping hordes of followers mentally escape EXPEDITION EARTH.LIVE This handsome couple navigate the world in their Jeep, taking photos of breathtaking landscapes (and them in their Jeep) as they go. The concept may sound simple but many of their captions carry the same erudite weight as a National Geographic article.

Vancouver based Callum Snape, adventurer, and travel and landscape photographer, takes full advantage of his country’s rugged beauty. From resting in a hammock pinned to Athabasca Glacier in Jasper National Park to capturing the frozen gas bubbles of Abraham Lake, Callum’s account will make you want to book a one-way ticket to Canada. calsnape

PAUL NICKLEN This renowned wildlife photographer, film maker and marine biologist pulls regular stints for the National Geographic, capturing the imagination of his enormous Instagram following with evocative pictures of nature’s beauty as well as its plight. His Antarctica shots are mesmerising and his proximity to the wildlife he’s filming is utterly hair raising. paulnicklen

128k

FOLLOWERS

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; INSTAGRAM

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LEBACKPACKER

ALISON’S ADVENTURES

Belgian born Johan Lolos is a self-taught photographer and wilderness junkie. It all started for Johan with the National Geographic publishing his Australia photography, prompting him to go full time as an outdoor photographer. Now Toyota’s 4x4 ambassador, Lolos embarked on a project entitled ‘Peaks of Europe’, scaling mountains from Scotland to Greece (and back again) with heartracing Instagram posts along the way.

Touted by Time Magazine as the ‘female Indiana Jones’ and by Oprah as ‘The Oprah of travel’, conservationist, explorer and TV host Alison Teal spent her childhood travelling to far-flung corners of the earth with her photographer parents. Her knack for tapping into ancient cultures and gently taking followers with her thus ensues, and she’s harnessing Instagram for her sustainability missions with honourable panache.

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THE TRAVEL PROJECT Couple Charlie Wild and Jess Last quit their day jobs to travel the world off-grid, using nothing but Instagram’s travel community to guide them. Since starting in India, the couple have shared a wealth of non-tourist experiences with their followers, from meeting the tattoo-faced ladies in Mindat playing flutes with their noses to teaching Tibetan refugees English. A distinctly modern take on exploration.

CHRIS BURKARD

22.4k FOLLOWERS

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; INSTAGRAM

the.travel.project

146k

FOLLOWERS

Famed for his epic landscape shots and films, Chris started out snapping surfers on the beach while living in his car. His striking open landscape work is now hankered after by the big brands from Apple to American Airlines. Chris keeps his followers hooked with wild, open space photography that brings home the humble contrast of man vs nature. You’ll want to hang his snowy peaks and underwater shots all over your walls.

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COLIN O’BRADY

JARRAD SENG

Having just completed a marathon across Antarctica (932 miles over 54 days), American professional endurance athlete and adventurer Colin O’Brady is not in it for the perfect shot, nor the consistent posts. In fact, his approach to content reflects the raw, untamed surroundings he seeks to explore and conquer through endurance challenges. If you’re after a travel account that keeps you on the edge of your seat, look no further.

Australian photographer and filmmaker, Jarrad Seng superbly captures nature’s savage beauty (often with aerial images and drones) from Icleand’s volcanic river to Antarctica’s penguin colonies. He cut his teeth photographing live musicians, touring with Matchbox 20 and Passenger, and an interest in travel photography naturally followed. Seng lives life on the edge, occasionally quite literally, perching on the edge of skyscrapers for the ‘gram.

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FOLLOWERS

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Not just for backpackers: the majestic setting of Machu Picchu

PERU, POSHLY! Leave the backpackers behind and hit the Peruvian heights in style, says Devanshi Mody

EXPLORA VALLE SAGRADO

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

SACRED VALLEY

‘We wept when we checked out of explora,’ is a refrain rippling across Peru. And it’s explora with a lower case ‘e’. Capitals are for Experience whereas explora is about ‘the art of travel’ and, like all fine arts, its appeal is niche. The sleek wooden structure emerges from a hazy speckle of purple and golden corn, as if from an Impressionist painting. Beyond, green-mantled mountains soar, their summits like rock-sculpted ancient temples. And explora was created to scale these peaks. The Chilean owners spent over three years crafting 36 hikes that unveil the Sacred Valley’s secret splendours. The adventurous are swung across mountain passes, past streaming glens, sharkjaw canyons and shimmering lagoons until, suddenly, a sly slink into an Inca trail leads to some fabulous esoteric site. After a nine-hour, 19km hike you’ll need Peru’s most gorgeous destination spa, set in aromatic gardens. In such perfumed purlieus your masseuse, naturally, is called Rosemary. BOOK IT: Three-night all-inclusive programme, from £1,387pp. explora.com March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 105

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TAMBOPATA RESEARCH CENTER TAMBOPATA NATIONAL RESERVE

AMAZON VILLA

The only lodge in the Amazonian Tambopata Reserve Forest and an eight-hour boat ride from Puerto Maldonado. Thirty years ago, Eduardo Nycander founded Rainforest Expeditions when, on visiting the Amazon, he stayed on to rescue the endangered macaws. Soon scientists ventured there too and Nycander created an at-one-with-nature space for them to stay in, which in time morphed into an eco-lodge. To celebrate its 30th birthday the lodge has gone glam with vast new suites boasting only three walls, the fourth thrillingly ceding to a tumble of voracious jungle outside. The famed Tambopata Macaw Project undertakes the deepest research on Amazonian macaws, so mornings are spent observing the resplendent birdlife. Then you’ve got monkey trails, swamp or forest hikes, the must-do Master Trail and jaguarspotting. After that, night walks. The jungle never sleeps. BOOK IT: Doubles from £780. perunature.com

TAMBOPATA NATIONAL RESERVE BUFFER ZONE

Rainforest Expeditions’ latest venture is accessed after a fourhour boat ride past raptors, capybaras and spectacled caiman crocodiles. The wooden villa, designed by architect-owner Eduardo Nycander, is a masterpiece of jungle style, with allnatural adornments made by local communities and one wall dedicated to an open view onto the roaring jungle. The bed’s a beauty, but set your alarm early for a visit to the forest canopy watchtower. At the oxbow lake you’ll spot three-clawed sloths that inspired ET. Back at the villa your private chef makes outstanding Peruvian cuisine, served at a lavish long wooden table or an outdoor pavilion. The villa has a wine list, but best is rich hot chocolate – the sort for which Paris demands €15. The bathrooms are priceless, with shower and bathtub interiors decoratively studded with three different breeds of Peruvian frog! BOOK IT: Doubles from £874. perunature.com

TITILAKA LAKE TITICACA

This sanctuary of unbridled luxury has propelled Peru to glamorous new heights. Your airport pickup comes with cushions, blankets, oxygen (you’re at 12,500 ft!), wifi and a bag of snacks. At the lodge, leather sofas, slick lights and contemporary art flirt with a fanciful extravaganza of vibrant shawls and decorative pink cows; rooms have big beds and buxom tubs. But what really astounds are the views, through wraparound windows, of Lake Titicaca, the world’s loftiest navigable water body, that stretches out like an ocean. Take a boat to the famous floating islands, followed by a picnic on the culturally rich Taquile Island. Return to afternoon tea, sundowners under astral skies and supper in a beautiful dining room – dressing for supper is de rigueur. BOOK IT: Doubles all-inclusive from £870. titilaka.pe 106 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

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HOTEL PARACAS A LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT, PARACAS

This is Peru’s sexiest address. You’d think you were on the French Riviera as impeccable lawns flow down to seas bobbing with boats. Lounge on your own terrace and drink in that view, unless you’ve booked with Aerodiana to visit the mysterious Nazca lines. In paradisal, multi-faceted Paracas, piercing blue seas embrace palm-swooned deserts and the hotel offers desert odysseys that culminate in dune-top sunsets with sundowners. Morning excursions include speedboat rides to the splendid Ballestas Islands to see bird-sheeted islets, sea lions and wondrous marine creatures. Grab the spa for top-notch massages and then devote yourself to the pool, where girls flaunt their Barbie-doll beach bodies and glowing tans. The food is excellent, debunking snobbish notions that sprawling buffets are tacky. They also offer the best pizzas this side of Rome. BOOK IT: Doubles from £175. hotelparacasresort.com

TAMBO DEL INCA A LUXURY COLLECTION RESORT & SPA, SACRED VALLEY

The Sacred Valley’s best-located hotel and its most popular. Set in acres of sumptuous gardens overlooked by glaciers, it boasts outdoor terraces on which to sip cocktails concocted using indigenous exotica. Creative culinary journeys include Farm to Kitchen Lunch – stroll down a riverine path to enchanting organic gardens where you pick ingredients for the chef to prepare. An exhilarating outdoor banquet awaits, accompanied by dynamitehot condiments made from Peruvian chillies. Cool down with intense chocolate ice cream. Despite the wealth of local archaeological sites, guests understandably loll by the pool, one of the world’s most sensational – part-indoor, part-levitating over a landscape of bird-flitted lawns. Paradise found. BOOK IT: Doubles from £254. tambodelinkaresort.com

BELMOND LAS CASITAS YANQUE

If you’ve traipsed across Peruvian expanses and exhausted yourself at more archaeological sites than is seemly, seek respite at the reclusive serenity of this colonial river-set retreat. You’ll need to drive there, and the drive is an unmissable experience – snaking around craggy escarpments to exalted viewpoints of epic and beguiling Andean landscapes. The hotel takes you to Colca Canyon, one of the world’s deepest, where giant condors soar. Otherwise, relax with a book on a garden bench, have a rigorous massage or just soak in your outdoor tub, fragrant with minty muna, watching the light change over the hills. BOOK IT: Doubles from £885. belmond.com/es/lascasitas-colca-canyon

INKATERRA HACIENDA URUBAMBA SACRED VALLEY

By night the hotel glitters like a bejewelled casket on the hillside. Perched in the embrace of the imperial Andes, this tranquil temple is among Peru’s loveliest hotels. The main building, behind which casitas rise on the lilt of the hill, recreates a Spanish hacienda enclosing a central courtyard. Breakfasts seduce, but for gourmet suppers drive out to Sol y Luna. BOOK IT: Doubles from £360. inkaterra.com South America specialist Katrina Trotter organises tailormade trips in Peru from £3,700pp based on two travelling for 10 days, excluding flights. katrinatrottertravel.com March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 107

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Pantone 5395

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PHOTO: CASEY DESIGN (PROJECT COMPLETED IN 2016). DONNA GRIFFITH PHOTOGRAPHY

LIVING INTERIORS DESIGN

THE INSIDER

CHERRY PICKING Cherish your bathtime A deep and curvaceous bath like Victoria + Albert Baths’ Barcelona design, placed under a window, allows a view of the outside while relaxing. A burnished feature wall glows in daylight, while night time bathers will enjoy a mesmerising scene, especially in candlelight. The cherry blossom mural behind the tub was commissioned and painted by Toronto artist, Peter Costello, inspired by the client’s Oriental heritage. vandabaths.com

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THE INSIDER OKA Vintage citrus fruit prints, £275. oka.com Rosanna Lonsdale Aloha lamp, £565. rosannalonsdale.com

Papier Personalised notebook, £19.99 papier.com

Cole & Son Fornasetti Senza Tempo wallpaper, from £150 per roll. cole-and-son.com Kravet Wallpaper 33559-319, £137 p/m. gpjbaker.com

Bordallo Pinheiro Melon bowl, from £22. amara.com

T R E N D

TUTTI FRUTTI This style is always in season

Harrods x Pantone Crabapple from the bespoke Art of Colour palette. harrods.com

Thomas Goode Gold plated cocktail picks, £125. thomasgoode.com Marlborough Tiles Fruit collection, £16.48 per tile. marlboroughtiles.com

Matthew Williamson x Osborne & Little Ananas fabric, from £64 p/m. osborneandlittle.com

Ligne Roset Pumpkin armchair from £1,512 and footstool, from £858. ligne-roset.com Jonathan Adler Banana bud vase, £68. uk.jonathanadler.com

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THE INSIDER MOOD BOARD

LIGHT ON LOVE

As well as helping clients create relaxed country interiors, Pippa Blacker designs her own fabrics which reflect her love of the English countryside. From £55 p/m. pippablackerinteriors.co.uk

This made me coo with delight. Lovebirds small rectangle shade, £112, at Joanna Wood. joannawood.com

I N T E R I O R S

DESIGN NOTES

News and inspiration from the world of interiors. By Carole Annett

I’M A FAN The Lily light from Villaverde hides two lamps behind shell-like fronds. Available in a range of finishes. Antique gold light, £425. villaverde.london

MEOW Ceramicist Hannah Turner brings together two of her favourite things, cats and houseplants, in a design that feels mid-century modern. From £15.99. hannahturner.co.uk

ROCK STAR STYLE

RICH RELATIONS

I love the clash of riches – lapis lazuli and gold on Simon Orrell’s console, £7,800. simonorrelldesigns.com

After bedazzling a celebrity clientele for almost four decades, jeweller Stephen Webster has turned his hand to homeware and it’s not your usual fare. Silver and gold-plated pearl flutes, £9,000 per pair. stephenwebster.com

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WALL ART

PL AT E U P

Ranunculus were my grandmother’s favourite so I was drawn to Designers Guild’s digitally printed wallcovering. £195 for 2 x 70cm drops (use as single panels or join together). designersguild.com

POOCHY PRINT Originally the brainchild of singer/ songwriter Whinnie Williams, Poodle & Blonde offers vintage-chic fabrics and objets. The debut collection includes this Tottenham Dalmatian cotton velvet, £70 p/m. poodleand blonde.com

TOP MODEL Jo Malone London’s latest wheeze is a gem to represent your birthday on a cap by jeweller Duffy. This one is for Jo Malone London girl Karen Elson. £250. jomalone.co.uk

MASTER COPY

NEW COAT

Rose Uniacke so loved this as a wooden stool that she recreated it in bronze. Limited edition stool, £3,750. roseuniacke.com

Lacquer gives a perfect shine to this column lamp by Salvesen Graham for The Lacquer Company, £750. salvesengraham.com 1 Florentine turquoise plate by Wedgwood, £86. wedgwood.co.uk 2 Loop blush and gold plate by O.W. London, £32. ow-london.com 3 Pea pod and rosehip dinner plate by Alice Peto, £24. alicepeto.com 4 Corde wide rim charger, £325 at L’Objet. l-objet.com 5 Brambleweb plate by Abigail Edwards, £40. abigailedwards.com 6 Shooting scene china plate by William Edwards, £15. williamandson.com

LEATHER UPPER

Check out the handsome, lightly tanned Oslo sofa by Andreas Engesvik at the new Darlings of Chelsea showroom, Fulham, SW6. £6,545. darlingsofchelsea.co.uk March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 113

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THE INSIDER F O C U S

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

The staircase is integral to a much-loved home so show it some love with subtle lighting, a wash of white or vibrant colour to highlight sweeping curves

Jarrods Staircases (jarrodsstaircases.co.uk). 2 Christopher Jennerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweeping curved staircase for Atkinsons fragrance house in Burlington Arcade (christopher-jenner.com). 3 Opus brass spindle and oak staircase by Neville Johnson (nevillejohnson.co.uk). 4 Contemporary staircase with glass panels and integrated lighting by Bisca (bisca.co.uk).

PHOTOS: MICHAEL FRANKE

1 Oak stairs with an arctic white finish by

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THE INSIDER

D E S I G N

LIT T L E BL ACK BOOK

Q & A

BERNIE DE LE CUONA

TABLEWARE Anthropologie. anthropologie.com

The fabric connoisseur on roses, glass and an old Teddy bear

Bernie de Le Cuona

How can we live more self-sufficiently? The world should revolve around sustainable sources and respecting nature. For de Le Cuona we are subscribing to a natural sustainable luxury for our interior textiles.

Most extravagant thing you’ve bought for your home? A bespoke door to

the laundry room. It was made by an incredible craftsman who’s fitted all these unusual shapes of oak together to create a double door with beaten metal hinges and handles.

House warming present? The best gift is old-fashioned long stemmed pale pink roses. Unsung design hero? The underappreciated Italian architect Carlo Scarpa. I love his instinctive approach to natural materials and how he combined craft and innovative processes. What should never have seen the light of day? Christmas tinsel. Where do you find inspiration? The

V&A Museum textiles archives and, more recently, The Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

PHOTOS: REX FEATURES

FURNITURE de Le Cuona. delecuona.com

What’s the last piece of art you bought? I don’t buy art

often, but I did buy this beautiful vintage hand-embroidered fine linen wall tapestry. Whose home would you most like to have a nose around? Probably someone like Dame Jane Goodall or Sir David Attenborough’s. Their collection of photographs must be incredible and I’m very envious of the lives they lead and things they’ve done with wildlife.

What was your most recent find? An extraordinary aged gold chandelier in the form of a sea urchin from Porta Romana. It’s so unusual that they also hang in the National Portrait Gallery.

RUGS Guinevere Antiques. guinevere.co.uk

What would you never throw away? A Teddy

bear which was given to me by one of my first boyfriends 30 years ago.

MIRRORS OCHRE. ochre.net

Which designers do you have your eye on?

We have cushions in our new store by Pippa Caley, an RCA trained textile artist specialising in embroidery. What do you collect? I have a huge collection of wine glasses and decanters – everything from vintage, precious and hand blown to recycled. What are you currently working on? Fine tuning our new store at 44 Pimlico Road. delecuona.com

CANDLES Molton Brown. moltonbrown.co.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL

I N D O N E S I A

A WHALE OF A TIME Peter Hughes sets sail to discover eastern Indonesiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Raja Ampat archipelago, where both bird and marine life flourish in hallucinatory glory The islands of Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia offer paradise off the beaten track

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ake it from me, there is nothing new under the tropical sun, at least not when it comes to travel. But here’s an experience that feels as if it might not only be new but hot too, in every sense. I have just returned from a group of islands so remote and so pristine that there were times when I wondered if I should be telling anyone anything about them at all. There are no bars, no shops, no big hotels and no roads, unless you count the strips of concrete poured through the centre of some villages. Tourists arrive by the trickle. In ten days, I saw three yachts. And to begin my long journey home I had to wade ashore before catching the first of five flights back to London. These are classic desert islands. Except they are not

Child dancers keep a welcome on the quayside

deserts. Deserted, yes, in that hardly any are inhabited, but not barren. They are green and tangled; jungly piles of luxuriant rain forest. And they are set in a sea so clear and so blue it could be cut up for necklaces, or used in the construction of kingfishers. I imagine the South Pacific was like this 60 years ago. Small numbers of people have been going to the islands for years: they are a grail for scuba divers. Sea Trek Sailing Adventures, the company running my cruise, is more than 20 years old. But, and this is the point, I could believe I was the first outsider to find them. These are the islands of Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia, 12 minutes south of the equator, where the Indian and Pacific Oceans meet. There are more than 1,500 of them, clusters of gnarled limestone karst, almost ornamental in their beauty. Weaving between them in fast ribs (reinforced inflatable boats) was like touring God’s rockery. The biggest have beaches, villages and cliffs that rise in pointy heaps of green bush dense as plumage; most are little more than sprouts of limestone topped with shocks of vegetation. Some – the really photogenic ones – are shaped like mushrooms, poking from the water on ‘stalks’ of rock eroded by the sea. The archipelago is not just spectacular scenically; it’s opulent with nature. Once described as a ‘species factory’, Raja Ampat contains around 70 per cent of all known corals – ten times the number found in the Caribbean – and more than a thousand types of tropical fish. If the islands are romantic, so was the boat from which I saw them. She’s a pinisi, a traditional two masted sailing ship built by the Buginese people on the island of Sulawesi.

PHOTO: JENNIFER PATON

The Halmahera Sea is a grail for snorkellers and divers

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FOOD & TRAVEL

The Ombak Putih, a dream of a sailboat

THERE WERE BLIZZARDS OF FISH, LIKE PSYCHEDLIC SNOW, LUMINOUS IN MYRIAD HUES OF RED, YELLOW, ORANGE, GOLD, GREEN, SILVER, PURPLE AND BLUE. SNORKELLING IS LIKE BIRDWATCHING... IF BIRDWATCHERS COULD FLY

PHOTO: JENNIFER PATON

ABOVE: Visitors feel they are the first strangers to see these wild islands RIGHT: Villages that live by fishing greet any boat that calls

Adapted in the 19th century from European schooners, they are still used for inter-island transport. Their construction, by hand and eye, has been designated a Masterpiece of Heritage by UNESCO. My pinisi, the Ombak Putih, which means White Wave in Indonesian Bahasa, was launched in 1996 as a 12-cabin passenger ship. With a sharp prow, tall masts, dipping sheer line and seven prickly sails, she has enough attitude to fly the Jolly Roger. She’s a rugged, broad shouldered boat, built of ironwood and teak, gaff-rigged, 42 metres long and latticed with rigging. Boarding was like stepping into the pages of R.M. Ballantyne, who wrote The Coral Island, an adventure story from my childhood, except on Ombak Putih, I was greeted with cold towels and fruit juice. Below deck, the cabins are two thirds taken up by comfy king-sized double beds. They are abutted against bulkheads and the side of the ship, so the least incontinent of a couple sleeps on the inside. With portholes set in great black planks of ironwood, you might be on a man o’ war, but for the little copper washbasins, air conditioning, en suite shower rooms and lighting operated by eight separate switches. We feasted outdoors under a large awning on buffets of fresh fruits and lavish salads and hot dishes such as chicken in coconut batter, jack fruit curry, steak, shrimp and fish – groupers and snappers speared by John, the steering mate. Soft drinks were included. Alcohol was priced not much above cost: about £1.60 for a beer; £17 for a bottle of wine, both local. It reinforced my feeling that Sea Trek is out to share the experience, not exploit it. We boarded in Sarong, a scruffy port of freight, fishing and ferries, at the western end of West Papua, the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea. Within four hours of sailing we were snorkelling. We snorkelled every day, swimming in water as warm as whispers. Currents wafted us across forests of coral; we saw fish by the thousand – angelfish, parrotfish, damselfish, triggerfish, clownfish and wrasse. There were blizzards of fish, like psychedelic snow, luminous in myriad hues of red, yellow, orange, gold, green, silver, purple and blue. Snorkelling is like birdwatching… if birdwatchers could fly. On one day we swam into a limestone cavern, beneath great drooling stalactites, and then in a March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 119

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FOOD & TRAVEL Holidaymakers become explorers in inflatable dinghies

Sea Trek Sailing Adventures (seatrekbali. com) and Steppes Travel (steppestravel. com, 01285 601756) offer a similar nine night cruise departing 11 December 2019, costing from £5,920 pp, based on two travelling, and includes two nights in Bali, domestic flights, and flights from the UK with Singapore Airlines (singaporeair. com) who fly to Singapore four times daily from London Heathrow and five times weekly from Manchester. Sea Trek operates different cruises to other parts of Indonesia.

lake of brackish water populated by stingless jellyfish. There were hundreds of them, benign and gelatinous, little lavender-coloured translucent discs, and others like toadstools, orange and pulsating, no bigger than fists. Imagine being nuzzled by a swarm of fried eggs: weird. We had lectures on Alfred Russel Wallace, who, in the islands of Indonesia, arrived at the same conclusions about natural selection as Charles Darwin, his contemporary, reached in the Galapagos. We landed at villages and saw hornbills and sulphur crested cockatoos. On Arborek Island child dancers greeted us on the jetty. They had painted faces and headdresses made from cassowary feathers. A sign read: ‘Please be quite [sic] we have worship.’ At Lobo we visited the primary school and donated a water filter along with picture books warning of the perils of plastic. My expedition was bookended by two extraordinary encounters. At 4.30am on the first morning a group of us waded ashore on Waigeo, the biggest island of Raja Ampat. On the beach, in the dark, I changed into walking boots under the bow of a beharu fishing canoe.

Whale shark encounter. The author avoids Jonah’s fate

Dogs barked and a cock crowed as we tramped through the sleeping village. Using a machete, the local guide cut walking poles from saplings beside the path. We climbed for nearly two hours. Around us echoed the whoops, warbles and whistles of the waking forest. Then, clear and fluting, came a different call: tiou, tiou, tiou. ‘A bird of paradise,’ breathed my guide. We came to a rudimentary canvas hide. On the ground, 30 metres in front of us, was a Wilson’s bird of paradise, the smallest and arguably the most spectacular of all 39 varieties. It was scratching in the earth and gave the occasional, inexplicable neurotic skip. Its colours were lustrous. What designer would dare marry sky blue and iridescent green with dazzling yellow and scarlet, let alone add a tail of two dainty curlicues, more like scrolls of fine ironwork than feather? On the last day we swam within touching distance of a whale shark, the most docile and massive fish in the sea. This one, about six metres long, broad-backed, Armani grey and mottled with big white polka dots, was half the size to which they can grow. It was still impressively big. It was in constant graceful motion, its eyes, unblinking, aware and trusting of the dozen or so swimmers around it. But its most awesome feature was its mouth, almost the width of its huge, spatula shaped head: think Julia Roberts smiling. Every now and then it would gape open, like the loading door of a car ferry, to ingest a maelstrom of water and nutrients. I feared if I came too close I would end up like Jonah. As we left, the whale shark raised its great head from the water as if in farewell. It was a memorable finale to an unforgettable trip. n

PHOTO: ANASTASIA LOUHENAPESSY

BOOK IT

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A C&TH PARTNERSHIP

everything in between. Finding where to stay on your holiday with Sweet Inn is simple. Start by scanning and choosing from their list of trendy is the perfect European destinations including premium hotel Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon and London, and further afield, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Enter your details and choose from a concisely curated selection of top-notch homes, each with its own quirky vibe and character and perfect for either short or longer stays. Each apartment has the same rich list of amenities you would expect from a top hotel – complimentary Wi-Fi, luxury bathroom products and beds topped with the finest linens so comfortable that it might well be a challenge to leave. The list goes on to include more services, such as a fully stocked Nespresso machine in every apartment, and a dedicated member of the team to meet you on arrival, show you around and answer any questions. Other a la carte services are available as extras such as the airport transfers, housekeeping, a private chef, your grocery shopping done for you, daily breakfast delivery and so on. All of the Sweet Inn apartments are in prime locations, however the very reasonable prices don’t reflect this. Here are a few ideas to whet your wanderlust appetite – a three-bedroom flat in the centre of Rome with modern lighting, plush sofas and a cow-hide rug for £270 a night; a one-bed loft villa on Barcelona’s Olimpica Beach for just £100; a fabulously cool beachside apartment in Tel Aviv priced at £103... the list goes on. When planning your holidays this year, use Sweet Inn to find your perfect place to stay, where the apartments look even better than they do on screen, the team is around 24/7 for anything you need, and the overall experience is – well – sweet.

SWEET DREAMS A stay at a Sweet Inn apartment cross between a flat rental and a

ooking a holiday from scratch can be arduous, with countless apartments on holiday home renting websites and an overwhelming number of hotels. Sweet Inn, however, is an innovative travel concept, providing a cross between an independent holiday home rental service with the style and quality you would expect of a first-class hotel. Compared to homesharing platforms, Sweet Inn offers its own bespoke apartments, entirely decorated by their professional teams of interior designers. From start to finish, the process is simple, with constant guidance from the get-go up until you check out, and

Quote COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE for 10% off all bookings made before 1 December 2019, plus a welcome gift. 020 33181564. sweetinn.com.

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FOOD & TRAVEL

Q & A

THE BUCKET LIST

Bryan Adams has yet to go somewhere to ‘find nothing’ on terra firma, as he tells Holly Rubenstein I recorded a great track in… My dreams, and then I woke up and my coffee was cold. Actually, I’ve got a new album coming out in March called Shine A Light. I hope you enjoy it!

What is your favourite city to play on tour? Whoever will have me, basically. A gig is a gig, but I did love playing in Italy recently. Great audience and amazing food.

What is your happiest holiday? Sailing in the middle of the ocean with my brother. We used to have a thing where we would go and ‘find nothing’ – ‘let’s go and find nothing!’ Sadly the only place where we found nothing was on the ocean. Everywhere on land there were people. There must be places left in the world, where there is no one, I’ve just not found them… yet.

I KEEP GOING BACK TO…

Bryan is happiest in the middle of the ocean

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

A haven of unspoilt natural beauty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines because of its incredible natural beauty. I started a little fund to help the environment there called the SVGPF (Saint Vincent and Grenadines Preservation Fund). You can check out more at svgpf.com and on Instagram @svgef

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The bright lights of Broadway are calling...

Bryan’s had his fill of Canada’s cold

If you go to one place it has to be… Warm and have great food. Being that I’m from Canada, the cold has done me in. I just don’t want to be cold all the time. Country or town house? Country this week, please. I found myself in… This interview, being asked obscure questions like this one. Travel hell is… Having to be microwave body scanned. Travelling through Dubai security is the worst for that. You can’t opt out of being microwaved by the body scanner – they’ll put you back on the plane. Personally I don’t believe being scanned like that is safe for you if you’re a frequent flyer and have to do it all the time. Where do you always eat well? At home, but I think London and New York City could be the best places in the world for food. I’ve spent a lot of time in NYC in the past few years, writing the songs for Pretty Woman: The Musical. It’s now on Broadway and I hope it will come to London soon.

London is a go-to for fabulous food

At the top of my bucket list is… I’d like to write another musical and spend some more time in NYC in that world.

What is your first holiday memory?

The start of an illustrious career in musicals?

Sanibel Island, Florida in the early 1960s. Imagine two boys in the back seat of a red Ford Mustang scrapping the whole way. Sanibel Island holds fond memories

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

There’s nowhere like Florence

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CITY? FLORENCE, BUT THAT’S BECAUSE I JUST VISITED IT RECENTLY AND NEVER KNEW HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS. OLD ITALIAN CITIES KIND OF DO IT FOR ME. March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 123

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PROMOTION

OLYMPIC SPIRIT Double Olympic Champion, Helen Glover, helps guests get active at Four Seasons Fairways

lgarve classic Four Seasons Fairways, with its newly refurbished Clubhouse and string of tastefully secluded ‘home-from-home’ villas, is ramping up its downtime to cater to a burgeoning fitness crowd. Nestled in the Ria Formosa nature reserve in Quinta do Lago, this prestigious villa resort is tailored to a discerning clientele seeking both activity and relaxation. Heated indoor and outdoor pools and a show-stopping glass-walled wine cellar in the clubhouse guarantee round-the-clock indulgence, while a state-of-the-art Kids’ Club provides some much-needed respite for weary parents. Despite the abundance of reasons to remain indoors, Four Seasons Fairways is famed for its outdoor facilities as well as its proximity to various championship courses and a rugged stretch of beach. Two tennis courts and a professional tennis coach await those looking to sharpen their swing,

Make 2019 a year of activity

or for the low intensity inclined, yoga and tai chi sessions are available. Runners, cyclists and walkers are rewarded with the Ria Formosa nature reserve: a heady swirl of seawater lagoons, sandy islands, salt marshlands and diverse bird life. As such, January saw the launch of Four Seasons Fairways Active Living Campaign, fronted by double Olympic champion, Helen Glover. Here, guests are spoiled for choice with complimentary active extras, from mountain bike hire to classes with a personal trainer. For those in need of the ultimate motivation and a touch of Olympic fairydust, Helen Glover will be leading an exclusive Active Living Week in October, personally taking guests through the various elements of the Active Living Package. The Active Living Package at Four Seasons Fairways costs from £475pp and is available until April 2019 and again from October 2019 – April 2020. Helen Glover’s Active Living Week runs from 12-19 October 2019. Find out more at fourseasonsfairways.com/ en/experiences and visitalgarve.pt

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FOOD & TRAVEL Discover contemporary and modern art behind the village’s medieval walls

T H E

THE ESSENTIALS

W E E K E N D E R

STAY The legendary Colombe d’Or hotel is an elegant, art-filled hideaway where American writer James Baldwin was a regular alongside artists like Georges Braque. There’s an Alexander Calder sculpture by the pool and Picassos and Miros on the walls. la-colombe-dor.com

SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE

EAT Under the lime tree in Place le Tilleul for a real taste of la vie Provençal, with panoramic views over the ramparts and down to the sea. Chef Bastien Hodé serves delicious seasonal cuisine and exquisite homemade pastries and desserts, along with a fine selection of local rosé. restaurant-letilleul.com

Fill your cultural boots in Provence, says Harriet Griffey

O PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; JEAN-JACQUES L’HERITIER; © LA COLOMBE D’OR

BOOK IT For more information, visit the Tourist Office at saintpauldevence.com

One of many picturesque rues bursting with culture

ne of the loveliest of the villages perchés of the Côte d’Azur, Saint-Paul de Vence is a quick drive from Nice airport making it ideal for a culture-filled weekend getaway. With spectacular views that sweep over the medieval walls across vineyards and valleys to the Mediterranean sea, a walk around the pedestrianised streets and along the 16th-century ramparts is the best way to explore this hilltop town that’s attracted more than its fair share of artists, actors and musicians. Bill Wyman married Suzanne Accosta

Set aside a few hours to visit Fondation Maeght

here and still has a home nearby, Michael Caine lunched at the Colombe d’Or, Yves Montand played boules and Marc Chagall is buried in the cemetery. The art-loving Weekender will find heaven here. Along with the 17th-century Folon Chapel in the Place de l’Eglise, with its stunning depiction of the town in mosaic, its light-filled paintings, stained glass windows and sculptures, there is also the Fondation Maeght with a unique collection of 20th-century art featuring Giacometti, Léger, Miro, Braque and Chagall. The Vence Museum has a permanent Matisse collection, while the Notre Dame de la Nativité cathedral features a fantastic Chagall mosaic of Moses being rescued from the bull rushes.

BUY The rue Grande is home to numerous ateliers and artisan shops. Check out the Galerie Paul Rafferty for light-filled paintings, while Maison Godet has been crafting fragrances for 100 years and just next door is Patricia Rémus’ shop Revolv’Air selling beautiful handmade fans, perfect for a Côte d’Azur summer.

DO Play pétanque! The village is so famous for its boules that it’s sometimes known as Saint-Paul-les-Boules. The place de jeu de boules, where Yves Montand and Simone Signoret used to play and the locals fight it out still, is just opposite the Colombe d’Or hotel.

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MEXICO 1

MAYAN MANIA Mary Lussiana finds four heavenly stays on the Mexican Riviera

. BEST FOR SPA

Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa

Built in 1995, this hotel was a game changer for the destination. It could do with a bit of 21st-century love but it nonetheless maintains real appeal, especially in its impressive Kinan spa. Take the time to experience a traditional Mayan Temazcal ceremony where you and your shaman sit in darkness inside the tiny sweat lodge on the beach. With four cycles of ever increasing heat from the wood piled onto the fire between you, you're encouraged to be reborn through a series of voicing trapped emotions, practicing forgiveness and allowing your inner child out; a remarkably cathartic experience. Relax afterwards in one of the 63 rooms and suites which come with marble floors, indulgently large bathrooms and the sounds of the surrounding jungle. BOOK IT: A three-night stay starts from £1,795 pp B&B, including flights and transfers. journeylatinamerica.co.uk

.. BEST FOR FAMILIES

Rosewood Mayakoba

Ten years on, this resort is still ticking the boxes for family-friendly holidays with a real sense of the exotic. Huge iguanas laze on the lawns, you reach your room by boat along the canals that cut through the rainforest and if you are there in late summer you should see baby turtles hatch. The food is delicious across the wide choice of restaurants, but don’t miss a meal at Punta Bonita where you can taste typical Mexican street food like the Oaxaca cheese quesadillas or indulge in Caribbean lobster tacos with chipotle mayonnaise. The spa is serious with a raft of packages that deal with both emotional and physical issues. The 129 suites vary in views from direct sea views to the Lagoon Suites which are surrounded by the rainforest. All come with plunge pools, some suites are spread over two floors, others have three bedrooms making it ideal for families. BOOK IT: Doubles from £488, room only. rosewoodhotels.com

.. BEST FOR FOODIES

Chablé Maroma

After the awards and acclamations that Chablé Yucatan Resort & Spa received when it debuted in 2016, there were always going to be great expectations of the second hotel in the home-grown chain (a third is in the pipeline off Mexico’s Pacific coast). But Chablé Maroma opened to great applause. It is sexy and sophisticated with food to kill for, service which comes with the widest of smiles and a marked respect for its surrounding nature. Wellness is important here too. Witness the beautiful Palapa thatched spa with treatments that draw on the region’s Mayan heritage, but Chablé’s ‘redefining wellness’ tag line is just as much about the contentment derived from the perfection of a smoky Mezcal or a goat’s cheese custard with ‘piloncillo’ (an unrefined artisanal sugar) and lime ice cream courtesy of Consultant Chef Jorge Vallejo, famed for his Quintonil restaurant in Mexico City. BOOK IT: A three-night stay starts from £2,410 pp B&B, including flights and transfers. journeylatinamerica.co.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL 3 2

ORIGINALLY BUILT FOR A DUCHESS, ESENCIA SITS ON THE XPU-HA BEACH WITH THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST BARRIER REEF JUST TWO MINUTES INTO THOSE TURQUOISE WATERS

.. BEST FOR ROMANTICS

Hotel Esencia

This is the one for the cognoscenti. A gorgeous, off-the-radar, hideaway that doesn’t even have its name on the entrance because those in the know just know. Originally built for an Italian Duchess, it sits on Xpu-Ha beach, considered the most beautiful stretch of this coastline with the world’s second largest barrier reef just two minutes out into those diaphanous, turquoise waters. The hotel itself is effortlessly chic; the main house retains its private home feel under new owner American art collector Kevin Wendle, who has sprinkled art and antiques throughout. Last year six beach suites and five jungle suites were added as was Mistura Restaurant, which curves out onto the beach under a domed thatched roof with no-to-be-missed ceviche. Plus, Riccardo Giraudi’s internationallyacclaimed Beefbar is about to set up its carnivorous stall at the hotel too. Paradise. BOOK IT: A three-night stay starts from £1,754 pp B&B, including flights and transfers. journeylatinamerica.co.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL WONKY & WONDERFUL

The obsession with perfection has gone too far. Wonky courgettes are discarded before even leaving the farm, apples left behind because society disapproves of their shape… It’s bonkers. Do your bit to reduce food waste by swapping your supermarket shop for a weekly box of odd-looking produce that, for all its quirks, is often tastier. oddbox.co.uk

THIS MON TH NEGRONI NIGHTS One hundred years ago, a Florentine Count asked a bartender to strengthen his Americano by replacing soda water with gin. The Negroni was born, and a century later this smooth route to inebriation is still a staple. BAR 45 is celebrating with bi-monthly interactive Negroni Nights featuring a spritz of history, a measure of mixology and a double shot of fun. £125pp. dorchestercollection.com BRUNCH Italian style at Sartoria with truffle ’n’ eggs followed by a ginormous veal Milanese. Avo on toast will no longer do. sartoria-restaurant.co.uk

N E W S

GASTRO GOSSIP

The world’s gone wonky, says Clementina Jackson BEANZ MEANZ FORTNUMZ

MEAT FREE MAGIC Leader of the vegan movement long before it was the buzzword du jour, Brighton welcomes back VegFest ten years after its launch. The highlight? Always the food village, with its cutting-edge caterers, ‘junk’ food and vibrant flavours that will forever change the way you view plant-based cuisine. 23-24 March. brighton.vegfest.co.uk

We have Fortnum’s to thank for many things, including... baked beans. The department store was the first UK stockist of the inimitable Heinz variety and so to celebrate its 150th birthday, Fortnum’s will be releasing special edition products including the ultra-limited Tomato Ketchup Caviar and signature Eau de Nil tins. fortnumandmason.com

L AW L E S S L I Q U O R On 17 March set the Guinness aside for something stronger, and even more Irish. Poitín is back: banned until 1997, this rebellious and fiery white spirit has made its way to the mainstream. But beware, still today its ABV can reach 90 per cent. A safe place to start is a shot between fish courses at Simon Whiteside’s Roe. £34.95. ban-poitin.com

BAKE With the best: single-origin chocolate from Suffolk’s Pump Street. £12.50, pumpstreetchocolate.com READ The Lazy Weekend Cookbook by Matt Williamson (£20, National Trust Books) for a million ways to treat yo’self.

DRINK Your way to wellbeing. Daily Dose’s tasty juices are cold pressed, organic and made with wonky fruit and veg. dailydosejuice.co.uk

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info@brightbluevillas.com

Tel: +30 6944 796 796

CU R AT ED LU X U RY V I LL AS I N GREECE

3 nights for 2 available until March 2018

THE ST ENODOC HOTEL

STAY

DINE

RELAX

ROCK, CORNWALL

www.enodoc-hotel.co.uk | 01208 863394 | info@enodoc-hotel.co.uk

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01/02/2019 16:06

AUTHENTIC AND PRECIOUS Unforgettable moments that bring our greatest joys tourisme-en-champagne.co.uk

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FOOD & TRAVEL D E L I V E R Y

S E R V I C E S

V IS FOR VEGETABLE

Goodbye meat, hello veg. C&TH recommends four of the best vegan delivery services

DETOX KITCHEN Even eating the Ultimate Vegan Reset Package for three days can have excellent benefits – though the full 20-day package would have you swinging from the chandeliers. The dishes all look so beautiful, so you want to get stuck in – literally. From £665 for a 20-day service. detoxkitchen.co.uk

MOCK Could you live without a vindaloo? Mock is here to persuade you that ditching the meat doesn’t mean forsaking flavour and texture. Their dishes, from keemas to kormas, use plant proteins to replicate that unmissable meaty bite. Dishes from £6.25. mock.co.uk

NOSH DETOX Ketosis is when your body burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose. When you plan your meals around this, your body takes its calories from protein and fats as opposed to carbohydrates and sugars – hence you’ll lose weight and get an energy boost. Thank you, Nosh Detox for your VeganKeto Meal Plan. From £64 per day. noshdetox.com

PRESS Clear your fridge and make way for a veggie challenge as your weekly delivery includes a selection of delicious soups and smoothies, plus vegan snacks to keep munchies at bay. Can you lose 4kg in four weeks? Press thinks so. From £30 per day. press-london.com March 2019 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | 131

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FOOD & TRAVEL R E C I P E

CORN ON THE HOB

FOODIE TA L ES

Master baker Richard Bertinet adds some Spanish zing to an American family favourite

METHOD Preheat the oven to 200°C and put in a skillet to heat up. Heat a little vegetable oil in a pan and fry the chorizo until just coloured then lift out, drain on kitchen paper and put aside. Keep the chorizo flavoured oil to glaze the cornbread when it comes out of the oven. Melt the butter in a small pan then remove from the heat. Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Lightly whisk in the maple syrup, milk, buttermilk, two-thirds of the melted butter and the eggs – mix as briefly as possible – to form a thick batter. Fold in the grated cheese and fried chorizo. Remove the skillet from the oven and brush the inside with the rest of the melted butter. Pour in the batter and put into the oven. Bake at 190°C for 10 minutes, then turn down to 180°C for a further 20 minutes. To check that the cornbread is ready, insert a skewer into the centre. It should come out clean. Glaze the top by brushing it with a little of the reserved chorizo oil. Serve warm from the skillet. Taken from Crumb by Richard Bertinet (Kyle Books, £25)

CORNBREAD WITH MANCHEGO CHEESE AND CHORIZO INGREDIENTS MAKES ONE CORNBREAD Serves Six » A little vegetable oil » 100g cured chorizo (whether hot or mild is up to you), cut into small dice » 100g unsalted butter » 150g coarse cornmeal » 75g plain flour » 10g fine sea salt » 2 teaspoons baking powder » 25g maple syrup » 40g full-fat milk » 100g buttermilk » 2 medium eggs » 100g Manchego cheese, grated

RICHARD BERTINET Simple food and star-studded suppers What’s your food philosophy? Simple, trustworthy food made with great ingredients. I despise long lists of chemicals and false claims on packaging. Most vivid childhood food memory? It’s got to be seafood. Eating a whole crab with a slab of salted butter on bread. Heaven! Favourite ingredient that is in season now and how are you using it? Celeriac. It’s great for mash. Biggest mistake you’ve made in the kitchen? It was in the bakery I worked in as an apprentice. I burnt the whole oven load while I took a break outside. 340 baguettes, gone! Needless to say I got my arse well and truly kicked. Most memorable meal out? A couple of years ago after the BBC Food & Farming awards in Bristol, Angela Harnett, Yotam Ottolenghi, Mitch Tonks and I went for a Chinese meal with the legendary Ken Hom. The staff and chefs’ reaction was priceless, and the respect they all had for Ken was incredible. When was the last time you sent something back to the kitchen and why? I went to Padstow for the Christmas fair and ate at the bar of Rick Stein’s restaurant. I had the chili crab. I sent the empty plate back and asked for another one – it was that good. Do you have any unusual rules in your kitchen? I can’t cook or bake among mess so I teach my team to work in a tidy, clutter-free space. At home, the rule is always have a glass of wine in hand. What’s in your fridge right now? Smoked salmon, cheese, white wine, rice puddings and leftover beef trimmings for the dog. Least favourite ingredient? Cucumber. Who would you most like to take out for dinner and where would you take them? Eating with the family is a real treat and something we cherish more and more as the kids grow up. Our go-tos are the Pig near Bath, Corkage and the Scallops Shell, which are all close to home.

PHOTO: JEAN CAZALS

had never been much of a fan of cornbread but then, on a family holiday in Miami, we went to a small local restaurant where they served cornbread in a skillet, still warm from the oven, and I was converted. In different regions of America everyone has an opinion on what makes the best cornbread, and in general Northern recipes tend to be sweeter than Southern ones. I like to put in just a little maple syrup, which helps the flavour, but the bread stays savoury, and I have added my own twist with some pieces of Manchego cheese and smoky chorizo.

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FOOD & DRINK D R I N K

HAPPY HOUR

A DR IN K W ITH...

For her new drinks column, Alice Lascelles kicks off with how to impress your dinner host

ou’d think choosing what to take to a dinner party would be easy when you’re a drinks writer, wouldn’t you? But it actually makes things worse, mainly because you know everyone will start Googling whatever you brought as soon as you pop to the loo. You’re duty-bound to make a bit of a splash. Three things I find always go down well are:

GIN IN A BEAUTIFUL BOTTLE

That way, even if your host hates gin, the bottle will still look nice on their sideboard. Small-batch and limited editions score extra points. Connaught Bar Gin is a handsome dry gin that’s blended by hand and flavoured with Amalfi lemons and, unusually, a touch of red Bordeaux. £95/70cl. the-connaught.co.uk

CHAMPAGNE

But it’s got to be the proper stuff. That ten-quid Lidl fizz might have come top in a consumer tasting but it won’t pass muster in these circumstances, I’m afraid. Same goes for prosecco. Pol Roger champagne is apply, crisp and toasty – a cast-iron classic that’s guaranteed to please even the fussiest wine buff. £45/75cl. waitrosecellar.com

A DIGESTIF

Your host has (hopefully) seen to the main wines already, so let the last course be your moment to shine: a honeyed Sauternes or a bittersweet Italian amaro with a nice piece of cheese would be a lovely way to round off the meal. The spicy, Barolo-based Cocchi Barolo Chinato digestif is produced by Cocchi, one of the best amari producers in Italy. £35.65/50cl. thewhiskyexchange.com

JACKSON BOXER CHEF PATRON OF ST LEONARD’S AND BRUNSWICK HOUSE

1 2 3

What are you drinking? White tea from Yunan, China. Who are you drinking it with? A small black kitten.

Martini: shaken or stirred? Stirred, always, with a twist and a splash of olive brine.

Most expensive bottle of wine you’ve ever bought? Probably a bottle of Prieuré-Roch Vosne-Romanée 2008 – a happy, expensive blur.

Desert island food and drink match? Lobster cooked over a driftwood fire, with a white Burgundy.

STAYING IN

@ ALICELASCELLES

GOING OUT

FARE BAR + CANTEEN

Esoteric wines and brilliant cocktails from the team behind hip wine bar Sager + Wilde. Order Georgian orange wine and the Green Apple Spritz. 11 Old Street, London EC1 farebarandcanteen.com

JAPANESE WHISKY HIGHBALL

50ml Hibiki Japanese Harmony blended Whisky, 150ml soda water, ice, ribbons of orange and lemon zest.

Last great bar you visited? Bar Termini in Soho, for a double espresso, a shot of Fernet and a small glass of water, all lined up in a perfect row.

7 8

What do you drink when you’re not drinking? Agua De Madre Water Kefir.

And if it was your last night on Earth? Something I could share with my children, possibly very good hot chocolate. Jackson Boxer’s new restaurant Orasay opens in Notting Hill in the spring

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FOOD & TRAVEL COUNTRY

R E S T A U R A N T

R E V I E W S

FORK & FIELD Powered-up pub grub and slurpy soul food. By Clementina Jackson

THE RADNOR ARMS Folkestone, Kent

Folkestone’s fortunes are on the rise and this new destination pub is a great example of the fast-changing face of the coastal town. Part of the independent Ramblinns group with its original, upcycled aesthetic, The Radnor Arms is open from breakfast through to dinner and boasts a show-stopping bar with gleaming cyber punk copper vats, a Mediterranean-style courtyard and a mezzanine art gallery featuring work by local creatives. An inviting and creative menu devised by Mark Pearson celebrates the freshest seasonal hauls from seashore, marsh and farm, from the sharing main of slow cooked pork belly, ham hock and onion suet pudding with devils on horseback and sage & onion croquettes, to an indulgent treacle and stem ginger tart. Mains from £12.50. ramblinns.com

F ROM BOW L TO SOU L SLURP YOUR WAY TO HAPPINESS WITH LONDON’S BEST RAMEN

KANADA-YA, N1 Weekend queues around the block attest to the fact that Kanada-Ya’s now-legendary ramen is one of the best hangover cures in town. Pork bones are simmered for 18 hours to create the creamy Tonkotsu broth, which handpulled noodles soak up beautifully. Feeling extra sorry for yourself? Truffle ramen will do the trick. kanada-ya.com

TOWN

GINZA ONODERA St James’s, SW1

London isn’t short of swanky sushi restaurants promising to be the next big thing with ultra-luxe twists on Japanese classics, gold leaf garnishes from start to finish and fashionable wagyu beef making ten too many appearances. A glance at Ginza Onodera’s menu and postcode would suggest it follows suit, but in fact, a brilliant balance of Japanese minimalism and Mayfair glamour gives it something the others lack: soul. Dishes aren’t crafted for the benefit of Instagrammers but focus on traditional Japanese cuisine and techniques (though still photoworthy). Sidestep the usuals for a Sukiyaki hot pot before exploring the goods from the teppan-yaki and robata grill. And, look: good sushi is never cheap. But on this occasion, it’s worth it. So order some of that £10-a-pop extra fatty tuna, and enjoy. Mains from £24. ginzaonodera.uk

SHORYU, W1 One of the more refined ramen restaurants in London, Shoryu’s pork broth is surprisingly light but no less luxurious, topped with a soft-boiled egg, char siu BBQ pork belly and lashings of sesame and ginger, with extra garlic on each table if you want to power up. The Soho branch has a vast selection of sakes to explore and brilliant, fluffy buns to boot. shoryuramen.com

T H I S MON T H I’M ...

1 Queuing for as long as it takes to try Din Tai Fung’s legendary xiao long baos (dintaifung-uk.com). 2 Braving the depths of Streatham for a slice of (supposedly) London’s best pizza (addome.co.uk). 3 Going clubbing for the first time in months now that Mahiki is serving Butchies fried chicken (mahikikensington.com).

YAMAGOYA, W1 If you find yourself in Soho and in need of a pick-me-up, this is the place to go. Grab a beer and a buzzer and wait your turn among the busy worker bees who flock here for fuss-free ramen that’s under a tenner. The recipe is a failsafe, dating back to 1969, but the punchy Yuzukara ramen (made with yuzu chilli paste) is a brilliant, bright green update. yamagoya.co.uk

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#MYOLYMPICISLAND

Luxury tailor-made holidays and island hopping across 50 glorious European islands Sample itinerary

ANDROS

Romantic Greece Santorini > Naxos > Mykonos

TINOS

SYROS MYKONOS

he Cyclades form a circle around the sacred, and uninhabited, island of Delos. Each island has its own strong identity so island-hopping brings with it new customs, significantly different landscapes and everything for peaceful days to lively nights.

PAROS

MILOS

Flights from 27 UK airports

Hotel transfers

Inter-island ferries

ABTA and ATOL protection

NAXOS

Cyclades Islands

IOS SANTORINI

Call 020 8492 6868 or visit olympicholidays.com Olympic Holidays .indd 1

23/01/2019 09:43

OPEN MORNING FRIDAY 8 MARCH • • • • • • •

Set amongst 35 acres Excellent record of academic success Award-winning Sixth Form building Brand new, state-of-the-art music centre Extensive co-curricular programme Outstanding pastoral care Valued community spirit

An extensive transport network, including a London service

Full and weekly boarding options available

STOCKISTS ALEXA CHUNG alexachung.com CORNELIA WEBB corneliawebb.com ERDEM erdem.com ERMANNO SCERVINO ermannoscervino.com HUGO BOSS hugoboss.com JENNY PACKHAM jennypackham.com

Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour samuel-heath.co.uk

JONATHAN SIMKHAI jonathansimkhai.com

MAGDA BUTRYM magdabutrym.com MELISSA ODABASH melissaodabash.com MING YU WANG mingyuwangnewyork.com POIRET poiret.com RALPH & RUSSO ralphandrusso.com TEMPERLEY LONDON temperleylondon.com TIBI tibi.com VV ROULEAUX vvrouleaux.com

Made in England

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EDITED BY A N NA T Y Z ACK

HOUSE OF THE MONTH Sell it to us in a sentence… This property has everything for those looking for activities as well as relaxation in a spectacular natural environment close to idyllic beaches. In what style has it been decorated? It is a traditional country estate dating back to the 14th century, renovated into a modern design while retaining authenticity. What is the garden like? Across the 59 acres of land, there are areas that can be used to grow vineyards or build a polo field, in addition to existing hunting areas and several pine forests. There are also typical Mediterranean orchards growing almonds, oranges, lavender and olives.

PROPERTY

Mallorca, Spain Price: €6.9m 8 bedrooms 8 bathrooms 9,149 sq/ft and 59 acres

What will keep us entertained? It’s impossible to get bored in this house! There’s a large swimming pool, an area for events, routes for 4x4 rallies, hunting areas and even a skateboard track! The environment is excellent for horse riding, and the house has its own fully-equipped stables, too. And for when you need to relax, there is a spa area with a traditional sauna and jacuzzi, a yoga room, fitness area, a TV room and library. What would summers be like? Paradise. The house is very close to Es Trenc, one of the most beautiful, sandy beaches on the island. There are also small bays nearby for those who prefer a more hidden beach or want to anchor their boat for a quick swim. What’s special about its location? The property is in a scenic valley with a mountain behind it which protects from northern winds. Sea views can be enjoyed throughout the property, and from some points you can even see the small, magical island of Cabrera. +34 971 721 000; mallorca-sothebysrealty.com

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Fashionable Bruton isn’t as sleepy as it looks

WHEN IN BRUTON

M O V E

T O

BRUTON

A proper cup of coffee The Roastery, near the Hauser & Wirth gallery, is run by coffee connoisseurs serving coffee from all over the world. beanshot. co.uk

The Somerset town is so chic that even New Yorkers want to move in, says Anna Tyzack

ruton might look like a sleepy Somerset market town yet its undulating streets are awash with the type of shops and cafés you’d expect to see in Notting Hill. ‘The town has adapted to the artistic, cultured set who want to settle here,’ explains Tom Hudson of property finders Middleton Advisors (middletonadvisors. com). ‘They’d once have headed to the Stroud Valley in the Cotswolds but it’s better value here – and much trendier.’ Iwan Wirth, co-founder of international art gallery Hauser & Wirth (hauserwirth.com), is widely credited for Bruton’s rags-to-riches journey from local market town to what is currently the country’s most fashionable weekend destination. In 2014 he opened an arts complex on a farm in Bruton, landscaped by renowned designer Piet Oudolf, that in the first year brought more than 20,000 art lovers to the town. Yet Cathy Morris-Adams’ Bruton-based estate agency, Lodestone Property (lodestoneproperty. co.uk), insists the town has been quietly drawing in creative types since the ‘70s. ‘Then, about ten years ago, Catherine Butler opened At the Chapel and things started going crazy. Now we regularly get calls from buyers in New York wanting to move here,’ she says. The fact that Babington House, a rural outpost of members’ club Soho House, is just 25 minutes away has only increased the temperature, adds Hudson. ‘A members’ club like this tends to validate an area for London leavers,’ he says.

Contemporary art meets gastronomy at the Roth Bar & Grill

Bruton now offers some of the most fashionable shops and restaurants in the West Country, including the Roth Bar and Grill at Hauser & Wirth and Matt’s Kitchen, which is run from chef Matthew Watson’s front room. ‘You have to book up weeks in advance,’ warns MorrisAdams. Caro (carosomerset.com) is a lifestyle shop selling objects for life and home, while the FMLY Store (thefmlystore.com), run by celebrity blogger Molly Gunn, sells kit for the family and has also inspired a vibrant community of young mothers to set up their own local enterprises. ‘It feels so cosmopolitan here now compared to other towns,’ adds Morris-Adams. As far as the fashionistas are concerned, these trendy outlets make up for the fact that Bruton is not exactly commutable: a 3hr 20min drive from London or a 1hr 52min train journey from Bruton station to Paddington, changing at Westbury. There are also fast trains from nearby Castle Cary and trains to Waterloo via Gillingham, a 20-minute drive away. ‘It’s probably not a journey you want to do every day,’ admits Morris-Adams. ‘But many of our buyers do it two or three times a week – living half

A spa day Wind down with a mud soak, massage and facial at the Cowshed Spa at Babington House, preferably followed by cocktails and dinner. babingtonhouse. co.uk A pub lunch Enjoy fish and chips at the Spread Eagle at Stourhead followed by a walk around the estate. spreadeagle inn.com A cultural afternoon Once you’ve been to Hauser & Wirth (hauserwirth. com), and wandered Piet Oudolf’s stunning gardens, invest in your own piece from the Bruton Art Factory brutonart factory.co.uk

PHOTOS: GETYY IMAGES; HEATHER EDWARDS; ED SCHOFIELD

L E T ’ S

Lunch date At the Chapel serves some of the best pizzas in Somerset from a wood-fired oven, along with for a Mediterraneaninspired menu. atthechapel.co.uk

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PROPERTY

FOR SA L E

COLE, £1.325M An historic five-bedroom manor in a hamlet near Bruton, with several reception rooms, a spacious farmhouse kitchen with Aga and outbuildings including a selfcontained annexe in a Victorian millhouse. 01749 605099. lodestoneproperty.co.uk

PHOTOS: GETYY IMAGES; HEATHER EDWARDS; ED SCHOFIELD

Beautiful and exclusive Babington House

in London and half in the West Country.’ Aside from the hip restaurants and shops, there are more practical reasons why a London family might choose Bruton, namely the schools. For a small town it punches above its weight in terms of education, with an excellent state primary, a popular state boarding school, Sexey’s, and an independent girls’ school, Bruton School for Girls. King’s Bruton, meanwhile, is a highly-regarded 500-year-old co-educational day and boarding school for 340 pupils aged from 13 to 18. Also in close proximity are Millfield, Hazlegrove and Sherborne. ‘The schools have always been a significant pull in Bruton,’ confirms Hudson. The quality housing stock around Bruton appeals to London leavers looking for more space. In addition to the attractive Georgian houses in Bruton itself, the surrounding countryside is scattered with period farmhouses and Regency villas with large light rooms, surrounded by fields. Ten years ago, when Bruton first started becoming trendy, these properties seemed mouthwateringly cheap to those selling up in the capital, yet prices have increased drastically and you can now expect to pay a 20 per cent premium to be within five miles of the town, says Hudson. ‘It’s not Notting

The Radic Pavilion at Hauser & Wirth

Hill prices yet, though,’ continues buying agent Richard Trimbee of Coast & Counties (coastandcounties.com). ‘You can still get a threeor four-bedroom house for £300,000.’ In Bruton itself the most popular period houses are on the high street, many of which have large ‘secret’ gardens at the back. According to Morris-Adams, these houses tend to sell for more than £450,000, although Lodestone is currently selling a cottage in need of restoration for £350,000 (see sidebar). Alternatively, the Cubis Bruton development offers a collection of 56 energy-efficient threeand four-bedroom homes by Acorn Property Group (acornpropertygroup.org), popular with weekenders looking for a lock-up-and-leave. Buyers looking for sizeable ‘forever’ homes tend to head to the surrounding villages of Mells and Batcombe, both of which are tucked away with no road noise. ‘The Three Horseshoes in Batcombe is a great pub and the village is in a beautiful valley,’ says MorrisAdams. Here, a five-bedroom house with five acres will cost between £2m and £4m, according to Hudson. ‘When you consider that the same around Chipping Norton would be £3m to £6m, it seems good value,’ he says. Such is the intensity of the Bruton buzz, those on smaller budgets don’t have to travel far to find lower prices. Villages towards Shepton Mallet are cheaper, says Hudson, and those in the Somerset Levels, between Taunton and Bristol, can offer the best value in the county. It is Bruton where the action is, however, which is why the best houses in the vicinity never hit the open market. ‘They sell for ridiculous sums under the table,’ explains Morris-Adams. ‘If a house here is worth having, it will disappear very quickly.’

UPTON NOBLE, £850,000 In a pretty village three miles from Bruton, this six-bedroom property is set in gardens with views across a valley to King Alfred’s tower. Generous accommodation with traditional features and useful back rooms. 01749 605099. lodestoneproperty.co.uk

BRUTON, £350,000 A double-fronted cottage in the centre of town with huge potential. Period features include windows and fireplaces and there is a kitchen and breakfast room, sitting room and three bedrooms plus a garage and large rear garden. 01749 605099. lodestoneproperty.co.uk

QUARR, £2.45M A rebuilt and extended seven-bedroom farmhouse with modern features including underfloor heating and a gym. Light and airy accommodation with a large oak floored drawing room and kitchen with sliding doors on to a terrace. 01722 426820. savills.com

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PROPERTY

HOM ES SW EET HOM ES

Where would you most like to buy abroad? In Greece. I’d love a fisherman’s cottage right on the water.

THE STARTER HOME

S E C R E T S

MARIELLA FROSTRUP The presenter appreciates her emperor-sized bed

What was the first property you owned? A flat on Camden Road

bought with my first husband when I was 19. I’ve never been happier with a purchase, even though it was on a busy thoroughfare. I moved a lot as a child and was fixated with owning my own place. Was it a good investment?

When we sold it two years later it had gone up in value considerably. Sadly we were splitting up, so we had to share the proceeds. Where do you live now?

Somerset. We moved here six

THE FOREVER HOME

years ago when my children were aged seven and eight and I no longer knew what to do with them in London. My daughter was ecstatic at the time but now, aged 14, she is deeply regretting it. Why Somerset? We wanted to be surrounded by people who live here all the time rather than turning up on a Friday night. Describe your house. It’s three knockedtogether gardeners’ cottages in a peaceful valley, with a wood and glass extension on either end and a river flowing through the garden. Your favourite room? My bedroom. I love sneaking up there to read a book.

THE DREAM HOME

Your most extravagant interiors purchase? My emperor-sized bed. It was

eye bogglingly expensive, yet incredibly comfortable. The children used to occupy the space in the middle but these days they’re very hard to entice. Describe your interior style. Definitely not minimalist, although that’s what I aspire to. Advice to a first-time buyer? Buy something that needs work. Don’t be deluded by a lick of fresh paint; investing time and personality is the way to make money. Whose home would you most like to see inside? Frank Lloyd-Wright’s Fallingwater. My own house is a small homage to it.

Somerset, £1.41m A listed farmhouse in the Blackmore Vale in Somerset, six miles from Sherborne, ripe for conversion. The house itself retains original features such as fireplaces, bread oven and panelling and there are numerous outbuildings with scope to be developed plus seven bedrooms. 020 7664 6646. jackson-stops.co.uk

Wild Women and Their Amazing Adventures over Land, Sea and Air selected by Mariella Frostrup is published by Head of Zeus, £25

Evia, Greece, ¤450,000 A fisherman’s cottage on the Greek island of Evia with its own private beach. The house currently comprises three floors and four bedrooms but could do with being remodeled. There is a small quay and a mature garden with a private spring. eviasun.com

PHOTOS: COURTESY WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONSERVANCY; KATE MARTIN; GETTY

H O U S E

Camden, £550,000 A two-bedroom flat in a period house on Camden Road with lovely views towards Hampstead Heath. The reception room has wood floors and opens on to a private roof terrace. 020 3500 0230. propertyeye.net

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PROPERTY F I V E

O F

T H E

B E S T

MOUNTAIN RETREATS

Summer or winter, few things are more invigorating than a dose of mountain air. Here is our pick of the finest mountain properties across the globe, says Anna Tyzack AUSTRIA

A boutique collection of 14 luxurious apartments in a ski-in position in the centre of Lech am Arlberg, arguably Austria’s finest ski resort. The chalet-style building was originally a hotel but it will now contain apartments with two to four bedrooms, all with balconies and access to a spa with indoor pool, a sauna and a cosy reception area with bar, restaurants and lounge. Lech offers extensive skiing for all abilities with world-class ski tuition, some of the finest shopping in the Alps and beautiful hiking in summer. From €1.485m. investorsinproperty.com

USA

Sunset Ridge, in the ski resort of Telluride in Colorado, is a mountain estate with more than 30 acres. The house was built in 2014 by Aspen architect Bill Poss and is designed to blend in with the stunning scenery. It overlooks a swimming pond, which reflects the mountain peaks beyond and is fed by a cascading stream running beneath the master suite. There are six further bedrooms and vast living spaces plus a sauna, spa, hot tub, cinema and party room with bar. $21.6m. christiesrealestate.com

FRANCE One of the oldest chalets in the pretty village of St Martin de Belleville is being transformed into four apartments. The property pictured is on the second and third levels and will feature five bedrooms, four bathrooms and an openplan living area with two balconies. There will also be a sky locker, cellar and parking spaces. It is in the heart of the village, close to the skiing which connects in to the Three Valleys area with Courchevel and Meribel. €1.454m. lux-residence.com

SCOTLAND Culfoichbeg overlooks the River Spey in the Highlands and is surrounded by the Tuchan Estate, making it the ultimate retreat for a sporting enthusiast. The house is a modernised classic Highland shooting lodge, featuring elegant principal rooms with river views, a stunning party room with French windows onto a courtyard and eight well appointed bedrooms and bathrooms, plus a guest wing. Outside there are landscaped grounds over six acres, woodland, and a terrace with southfacing views to the heather clad Cromdale hills. £1.25m. galbraithgroup.com

SWITZERLAND This dreamlike penthouse in Locarno, an Italian-speaking resort on Lake Maggiore at the base of the Alps, has almost 3,000 sq/ft of living space. The floor-to-ceiling windows have mountain and lake views and there is a spacious terrace for barbecues and soaking up the sun. There is a new, state-of-the-art kitchen, as well as a large dining room and sitting room and three bedrooms. The lake is a few metres away, as are designer shops, fine dining restaurants and the award-winning Café Lago. €3.7m. christiesrealestate.com

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A modern and bright Kensington home.

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2 Hornton Street, Kensington W8 A beautifully presented family home with windows on three sides that has been extended to provide an excellent balance of living and entertaining space. Hornton Street is close to both Holland Park and Kensington Gardens • • • •

Tom Tangney looks forward to helping you. tom.tangney@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2698

Large entertaining room with great ceiling height & large skylights Off street parking for two cars West-facing garden with a living wall Approximately 4,950 sq ft (459 sq m)

Guide price

£10,500,000

Freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Knight frank.indd 1

01/02/2019 12:47

A bright apartment with grand proportions.

Queen's Gate Gardens, South Kensington SW7 An exceptionally rare first floor flat in a keystone position on Queen's Gate Gardens and close to the many amenities that South Kensington has to offer. • • • •

Impressive reception room with 4.5m high ceilings Stucco front terrace with views over communal gardens Located in the heart of Queen's Gate Approximately 3,264 sq ft (303 sq m)

Giles Barrett looks forward to helping you. giles.barrett@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6173

Guide price

£7,950,000 Share of freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

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Excellent Excellent Excellent kitchen kitchen kitchen dining dining dining and and and family family family spcae spcae spcae Grand Grand Grand and and and elegant elegant elegant drawing drawing drawing room room room Benefitting Benefitting Benefitting from from from aaroof aroof roof terrace terrace terrace Approximately Approximately Approximately 3,587 3,587 3,587 sq sq sq ftft(333 ft(333 (333 sq sq sq m) m) m)

Guide Guide Guide price price price

£5,250,000 £5,250,000 £5,250,000Freehold Freehold Freehold knightfrank.co.uk knightfrank.co.uk knightfrank.co.uk Connecting Connecting Connecting people people people &&property, &property, property, perfectly. perfectly. perfectly.

Knight frank.indd 3

01/02/2019 12:47

A exquisite family apartment arranged over two floors.

2 Lyndhurst Terrace, Hampstead NW3 Lyndhurst Gardens is located within 400 metres of the vast range of shops, cafes, restaurants and transport facilities of Hampstead Village with Belsize Village located within 200 metres.

Sarah James looks forward to helping you. sarah.james@knightfrank.com 020 8022 3739

• Benefits from high ceilings throughout • Features a magnificent 47 ft drawing room • A superb 28 Ft. Neil Lerner kitchen

Guide price

£5,200,000 knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Knight frank.indd 4

01/02/2019 12:47

An impressive townhouse in a desirable setting .

1 3

Craven Hill Gardens, Bayswater W2 This stylish, interior designed property benefitting from comfort cooling is arranged over three floors and located in a prime W2 address. • • • •

Tim Perks looks forward to helping you. tim.perks@knightfrank.com 020 3641 1708

Hardwood flooring throughout Access to an exclusive communal garden Great transport links across London Approximately 1763 sq ft (164 sq m)

Guide price

£2,975,000

Leasehold: approximately 995 years remaining knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Knight frank.indd 5

01/02/2019 12:47

An elegant, double fronted family home.

2 Stradella Road, Herne Hill SE24 A spacious and well-presented family home offering impressive living and entertaining space. The property is ideally situated close to Half Moon Lane. • • • •

Mitchell Murphy looks forward to helping you. mitchell.murphy@knightfrank.com 020 3544 0534

Stylish open plan kitchen/diner with floor to ceiling windows Landscaped, south-west facing garden Third floor is devoted to large master bedroom suite Approximately 3,202 sq ft

Guide price

£2,650,000 knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Knight frank.indd 6

01/02/2019 12:47

Substantial Detached House Wandsworth, London Clapham Junction Station: 0.9 miles, London Waterloo Station: 5.3 miles A rare opportunity to acquire a substantial detached house in exclusive Spencer Park, with superb living space and access to the 4 acres of private gardens. 2 reception rooms, scope for 8 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, large garden, balcony, private access to Spencer Park with tennis court, in and out driveway, garage, two 1 bedroom flats and views overlooking Clapham Common. EPC = E Freehold | Guide ÂŁ7 million | 4,950 sq ft

C&TH Mar Ed Untitled-1 2 Spencer Park.indd All Pages

30/01/2019 10:27

Robin Chatwin Savills Wandsworth 020 3393 8946 rchatwin@savills.com

Untitled-1 3

Jasper Colliver Savills Wandsworth 020 8877 4811 jcolliver@savills.com

30/01/2019 10:27 09:50 30/01/2019

Ongar Road, SW6 £2,750,000 Located on a sought-after street close to Earl’s Court Underground station, this impeccable family home has recently been refurbished and boasts five bedrooms, a double reception room perfect for entertaining, and an impressive eat-in kitchen with bi-folding doors leading out to a large garden. Freehold. EPC=C • Arranged over five floors • Residents’ parking • Private roof terrace Fulham sales: 020 8033 9049 sales.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk

www.marshandparsons.co.uk

Country&Townhouse 2019.indd 1 Marsh & Parsons.indd 1

23/01/2019 16:48:01 29/01/2019 17:36

Sumner Place, SW7 ÂŁ6,850,000

An elegant, five bedroom Grade II Listed house situated in one of South Kensingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sought after addresses. This charming freehold property is presented in excellent condition, benefitting from direct views over the gardens of Rose Square.

Freehold Approximately 3,676 sq ft (GIA)

020 7352 0535 hello@tedworth.co.uk www.tedworth.co.uk

Tedworth .indd 1

31/01/2019 15:16

Home sellers, you probably havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heard of us.

You Home.indd 2

23/01/2019 16:34

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the Prime Central London property gurus selling properties other agents havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been able to.

You feel at home, while we sell your home. Discover how at youhome.co.uk/cth

You Home.indd 3

23/01/2019 16:34

reedon Place_C&T_298x225_AWK.indd 1 Untitled-2 1

28/01/2019 16 29/01/2019 14:47

SHOW APARTMENT NOW OPEN Secure your dream home with part exchange

2 & 3 B E D R O O M A PA R T M E N T S F R O M £ 7 9 5 , 0 0 0 3, 4 & 5 BEDRO OM HOUSES FROM £1,175,000 3 BEDRO OM PENTHOUSES FROM £1,250,000

01344 566 812 | WWW.KINGSWOOD-ASCOT.CO.UK Kingswood, Kings Ride, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 8AD

Photograph of apartments. Internal photography of Show Apartment at Kingswood. Prices correct at time of print. Part Exchange scheme only available on selected plots.

Milgate.indd 2

29/01/2019 17:47

01223 214214

cheffins.co.uk

Maids Causeway, Cambridge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Station 1.6 miles

ÂŁ2,100,000

A unique opportunity to purchase this Grade II listed classic regency townhouse in a prestigious central city location with views over Midsummer Common and the River Cam. This fine home benefits from its own enclosed front and rear gardens as well as versatile accommodation over 4 floors extending to about 2,850 sq. ft., offering scope for sympathetic improvement and updating. Accommodation comprising: Entrance and reception hallways, drawing room, living room, garden room, cloakroom. Lower ground floor: dining room, kitchen/ breakfast room. On the first floor: 2 bedrooms, shower room with separate toilet. On the second floor: 2 further bedrooms, bathroom. EER: E

Contact: Richard Freshwater / Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE ELY HAVERHILL NEWMARKET SAFFRON WALDEN LONDON

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29/01/2019 17:35

CAMBRIDGE ELY HAVERHILL NEWMARKET SAFFRON WALDEN LONDON

Harston – Foxton Station 1.6 Miles

£1,000,000

A substantial single storey detached residence with versatile and well-proportioned accommodation extending to about 2,600 sq. ft. with a number of fine architectural features including vaulted ceilings. The property sits comfortably within its own established grounds extending to around 0.34 acres, in this rather special and secluded position at the end of this private drive within this popular and well served south Cambridgeshire village just 3 miles west of the city. Accommodation comprising: Reception hall, cloakroom, living room, dining room, kitchen/ breakfast room, utility room, family room, sitting room, 5 bedrooms (2 with en suites), family bathroom. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater / Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Kelshall – Ashwell & Morden Station 3 Miles

£1,350,000

A most wonderful detached Grade II Listed country residence of approximately 3,875 sq. ft., consisting of an attractive renovated cottage and barn, offering a wealth of period features including Inglenook fireplaces, exposed beams and timbers and vaulted ceilings. The property is in a most enviable position with far reaching views over undulating countryside, sitting within its own plot of about 1.2 acres with stable block. Accommodation comprising: Entrance hallway, kitchen/breakfast room, scullery, dining room, living room, snug/office, cloakroom/utility, sitting room with mezzanine above, orangery, 2 bedrooms (1 ensuite). First floor: 3 bedrooms (1 ensuite), bathroom. EER:D Contact: Richard Freshwater / Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 / richard.freshwater@cheffins.co.uk

Passionate about property since 1825

Cheffins-V1.indd 139

cheffins.co.uk

30/01/2019 16:17

FARRIERS Y A R D BALSHAM

C O N V E N I E N T LY C O N N E C T E D Farriers Yard is a beautiful new collection of 3, 4 and 5 bedroom homes located in the picturesque village of Balsham, on the outskirts of Cambridge. The Help to Buy* scheme is available on all 3 & 4 bedroom homes and prices start from ÂŁ479,950. Cambridge railway station provides direct and frequent services to London Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross and St Pancras stations. Alternatively, Whittlesford Parkway and Audley End stations are less than 10 miles away providing direct services to London Liverpool Street. Balsham is just a five minute drive from the A11, which links to the M11 and M25. From days out to the working week, everything is within easy reach.

A development by

SHOW HOME OPEN THURSDAY - MONDAY 10AM - 5.30PM HIGH ST, BALSHAM, CB21 4DJ

Selling agent

01223 214 214

farriersyard@hill.co.uk www.hill.co.uk Computer generated image of Farriers Yard. Interior Images are taken from the show home. *Help to Buy is subject to eligibility and available on selected plots only.

Cheffins-V1.indd 140

29/01/2019 17:35

01223 214214

cheffins.co.uk

Reed – Royston Station 4 Miles

Guide Prices From £495,000 to £1,100,000

The Kilns is a brand new and most attractive scheme of just 12 homes in the picturesque and highly sought-after village of Reed. There are a range of homes available to purchase on the development and all provide spacious and versatile accommodation set out over 3 floors. The homes have been designed with modern living in mind and incorporate open-plan living areas as well as generous bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms and all with cart lodges. Reed is conveniently placed for access into Royston and Cambridge via the A10 with Royston offering a direct train service to London in just 50 minutes and Cambridge in just 17 minutes. Contact: Martin Walshe / Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 / martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk

Fowlmere – Shepreth and Foxton Stations 2 Miles

£749,950

Beech House is a most attractive, traditionally designed double fronted new residence, and is the final unit remaining within this stunning scheme, set in delightful and mature surroundings towards the edge of the village. The property has been thoughtfully designed, including versatile accommodation across two floors extending to approximately 1,835 sq. ft. Accommodation comprising: open plan triple aspect kitchen/dining room, living room with doors opening to the rear garden, w.c., utility room, study. On the first floor: 4 bedrooms with ensuite shower room to master, family bathroom. Outside: driveway/parking, landscaped rear garden. Contact: Martin Walshe / Cambridge Office: 01223 214214 / martin.walshe@cheffins.co.uk

CAMBRIDGE ELY HAVERHILL NEWMARKET SAFFRON WALDEN LONDON

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29/01/2019 17:36

Fryerning Essex CM6 Bacon End, Dunmow Fryerning Essex

Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide Price £3,850,000 Guide price: POA striking five double bedroom, reception Grade II AAstriking five double bedroom, fourfour reception Grade II This beautiful country home approached by a gravelled listed property to date back 500formal years. carriage driveway is setthought in thought four acres with listedperiod period property to(stls) date back 500 years. This residence is originally thought to beto 3 be 3 landscaped gardens, a paddock and potential for Thischarming charming residence is originally thought cottages, providing a fantastic flowflow of interesting stabling andnow views over undulating countryside. There cottages, now providing a fantastic of interesting is garaging for afamily total of ten vehicles obtained by the The and living space over two two floors. The andextensive extensive family living space over floors. quadruple garage which has a one bedroom apartment 7.5 plot comprises formal grounds mixed 7.5acre acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed above, and an additional detached garage that also sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting from a sympathetically with paddocks (benefitting from a benefi ts from a gymnasium and sauna, could lake. second separate access), ponds and a (this substantial second separate access), ponds and a substantial lake. easily be converted into a tennis stable court, if required). Numerous outbuildings, doubleThere garage Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage is aand walled entertainment area which has a heated detached one bedroom annexe. Equestrian and detached one annexe. Equestrian swimming pool spabedroom pool. EPC E potential. EPCand Exempt potential. EPC Exempt Country & Village Office 01245 397475 Country & Village Office 01245 397475 Country & Village Office 01245 397475

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Guide price: £4,000,000 Fryerning Essex A striking ﬁve double bedroom, four reception Grade II A fantastic opportunity has arisen to purchase an Guide Price £3,850,000 listed period property thought to date back 500 years. impressive and exclusive family residence in the

This charming residence is originally thought to be 3

heartfive of one of the County’sfour most prominent villages. A striking double bedroom, reception Grade II cottages, now providinglocation a fantastic flow of interesting Occupying a secluded theback property offers a listedand period property thought to date 500 years. extensive family living living spaceand overfantastic two floors. The superb fusion of country transport This charming residence is originally thought to be 3 7.5 acre plot comprises formalInternally grounds mixed links to the City and beyond. the light and cottages, now providing apaddocks fantastic(benefitting flow of interesting sympathetically with from a airy accommodation has been beautifully maintained and extensive family living space over two floors. Thelake. second separate access), a substantial and improved over recentponds years.and To the ground floor 7.5 acre plot comprises formal grounds mixed Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage the spacious entrance hall offers stunning views onto sympathetically with paddocks from a triple and detached one bedroom annexe.toEquestrian the rear gardens and gives (benefitting access a beautiful potential. EPCaccess), Exempt second separate aspect drawing room.ponds EPC E and a substantial lake. Numerous outbuildings, tennis court, double garage and detached bedroom annexe. Equestrian Countryone Village Offi ce 01245 397475 Country &&Village Office 01245 397475 potential. EPC Exempt

Country Village Oﬃce 01245 397475 Sales •&Lettings • Mortgages Beresfords.indd 210 Sales • Lettings • Mortgages

29/01/2019 17:35

NEW ZEALAND PROPERTY 2019

A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, INVEST & HOLIDAY!

Brighton Beach Dunedin in the South Island, photo by Enterprise Dunedin

Hawkes Bay, North Island

Lake Te Anau, photo by Douglas Thorne Photography

Larnach Castle Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

FEATURING PROPERTIES IN DUNEDIN | HAWKES BAY | TE ANAU New Zealand Opener.indd 1

01/02/2019 12:44

PROMOTION

Elephant Hill Winery

SUNNY HAWKE’S BAY

From coastal vistas to art deco marvels and vineyards aplenty

Craggy Range

Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah) and rich, complex Chardonnay. With many of the 70-plus vineyards offering cellar-door experiences, there are ample opportunities to enjoy Hawke’s Bay wines in small boutique or large commercial wineries, all in picturesque locations. Many have restaurants or alfresco dining, while vineyard cycle tours take advantage of the relatively flat landscape and pleasant climate. Along with the Art Deco Festival, Hawke’s Bay hosts some of New Zealand’s most vibrant events, including Land Rover Horse of the Year (the southern hemisphere’s largest equestrian show), the Hawke’s Bay International Marathon, and FAWC! Food and Wine Classic, a winter and summer event series celebrating the best of New Zealand’s food and wine. For further information on this fabulous region of New Zealand visit hawkesbaynz.com For purchasing real estate in the region please contact Ian Leeson at One Agency Counties Realty on +64 27 226 9497 or email ianleeson@oneagency.net.nz. Ian is also a Dairy Farm Specialist with a wealth of knowledge on the farming sector in New Zealand. He awaits your call! For advertising inquiries from Australia and New Zealand. Real Estate Marketing; +61 (0) 420.746.816 or realestatemarketing@iinet.net.au

PHOTO: TOURISM NEW ZEALAND (NEWZEALAND.COM/INT/, HAWKESBAYNZ.COM.)

awke’s Bay – famed for its distinctive art deco architecture – has buckets of sunshine and a fertile coastal landscape that nourishes award-winning wines and gourmet food. Goodness abounds here. The warm, dry east coast climate has helped Hawke’s Bay earn its reputation as ‘the food bowl of New Zealand’ and turned it into the country’s second-largest wineproducing region. It’s the first stop on the classic New Zealand wine trail and a popular destination for any number of activities in and around the vines. It’s also a place of spectacular landforms, fringed by the wild Pacific Coast to the east and the mountain ranges rising to the North Island’s volcanic plateau on the western edge. OUTDOOR ADVENTURES Out of town, Hawke’s Bay offers many outdoor adventures such as cycling, golfing at Cape Kidnappers or taking an overland safari to one of the world’s largest accessible mainland gannet colonies. Discover iconic landscapes such as Te Mata Peak (overlooking the charming country town of Havelock North) and hike the multi-day trail around Lake Waikaremoana, fish the rivers for wily brown trout or relax on the stunning beaches stretching out along the Pacific coast. FOOD AND WINE A premier New Zealand food and wine region, Hawke’s Bay is a foodie’s heaven, stocked with fine wine, fresh produce and gourmet dining destinations. The Hawke’s Bay wine region covers several sub-regions – Gimblett Gravels, the Bridge Pa Triangle, Te Awanga, Esk River and Havelock North – and is best known for award-winning reds (Merlot,

162 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

Hawkes Bay test editorial/advertorial.indd 162

01/02/2019 17:00

JEWEL OF MARAEKAKAHO HAWKES BAY NEW ZEALAND

On offer in a truly exquisite region of New Zealand is the opportunity to purchase a world class boutique vineyard with its own built for purpose straw bale barrel room and capacity to produce your own remarkable wine. This rare find in Hawkes bay wine country also provides an opportunity to build your dream home soaking up incredible 360 degree views. Wake up and enjoy the snow capped mountain ranges during the winter or the Tuscan landscape unique to the hot dry summers of Hawkes Bay and the east coast region of New Zealand’s North island. The Hawkes Bay climate and terrain makes the region the major fruit bowl and red wine growing capital of New Zealand. Hawkes Bay also boasts an international acclaimed golf course at Cape Kidnappers, picturesque beaches, in addition to their many wineries which makes the region a very popular destination for international visitors or those looking for permanent residency in New Zealand. The vineyard is 13.2 hectares (32.8 acres) located on two terraces with the lower terrace containing a river that is ideal for picnics and swimming. 10 hectares is in vines with the varieties a mix of Bordeaux reds including Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, and Gamay Noir. Excellent water consents and a state of the art water frost protection system are also included. Quality wines are produced due to location and management.

Jewel of Mareakakaho_Country & Town House.indd 1

NZD$3,000,000 plus GST if any (Approx: £1,552,000 or US$2,033,000)

Ian Leeson Licensee Salesperson (REAA 2008) Oneagency Counties Realty Pukekohe, Auckland New Zealand TEL: +64-27-226-9497 ianleeson@oneagency.net.nz http://oneagencycounties.co.nz/ agent?consultant_id=35932

01/02/2019 12:45

PROMOTION

St Clair Beach, Dunedin

DUNEDIN, SOUTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

A beautiful Southern belle

A train crosses Dunedin’s Hindon Bridge

Here you can visit New Zealand’s only castle, the world’s steepest street and the iconic Dunedin Railway Station for a glimpse into its prosperous past. An excellent destination for families, there are plenty of attractions and accommodation options for those travelling with children of all ages. These range from holiday parks and short stay apartments, through to motels, hotels and boutique lodgings. Dunedin is the gateway to a beautiful and varied hinterland – day tripping to the edges of the city limits opens the door to small fishing villages, vast mountaintop vistas and quaint townships flanked by white-sand beaches. Top tip? Visit the sprawling and verdant Taieri Plain, home to the township of Mosgiel which is a fast-growing settlement with easy access to the city and a picturesque rural outlook. For more information, visit dunedinnz.com Whet your appetite with videos of Dunedin at youtube.com/user/ DunedinNZofficial/videos or to purchase real estate in the region, please contact Peter Rookes at Ray White Barrington Real Estate: +64 275 756 166 or get in touch via email at peter.rookes@raywhite.com.

The idyllic Tunnel Beach

For advertising inquiries from Australia and New Zealand. Real Estate Marketing; +61 (0) 420.746.816 or realestatemarketing@iinet.net.au

PHOTOS: ENTERPRISE DUNEDIN

ucked into a long sheltered harbour on the east coast of New Zealand’s stunning South Island, Dunedin is fascinating city, rich in heritage and distinctive in character. A wonderful mix of urban chic and sweeping landscapes, the city enchants visitors with its warm welcome and diverse range of experiences. Known as the ‘wildlife capital of New Zealand’, Dunedin boasts the world’s only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatross at Taiaroa Head, and visitors can also spot rare yellow-eyed penguins, little blue penguins, fur seals and sea lions, shags, gannets and other creatures of wing and water. Renowned for its beautiful architecture, Dunedin has the largest concentration of Victorian and Edwardian buildings in the southern hemisphere, lending a dramatic air to this lovely coastal city.

164 | COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK | March 2019

Dunedin test editorial/advertorial.indd 164

01/02/2019 16:58

PARADISE FOUND

COUNTRY RETREAT MINUTES FROM DUNEDIN CITY NEW ZEALAND

Follow the impressive tree lined driveway past the pond and up to the Lodge nestled in a mature garden setting. Enter the Lodge through the stately entrance hall and be amazed at the space and tastefully decorated furnished interior. There is an existing lucrative bed and breakfast farm stay business sleeping up to 10 guests. In a perfect location just 15 minutes from Dunedin city with all its attractions and World Class University plus 5 minutes from Dunedin international airport. The Lodge boasts 6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, including 3 ensuites and a walk in wardrobe in the master bedroom. Many of the rooms open onto the sheltered verandah with outstanding views and a large spa pool. There is a separate guest sitting and dining room and a private host area with a kitchen dining and sitting area plus a second conservatory with panoramic views across farmland to the mountains. Take a walk around the private landscaped gardens with its many specimen plants and enjoy the solitude and peaceful setting while listening to the Tui and Bell birds. Set on 6.7 Hectares the property is set up for equine pursuits with a huge barn with 6 loose boxes, feed and tack room etc plus a round yard. Other outbuildings include 5 bay implement shed, 2 stand wool shed, sheep and cattle yards etc. Rural water supply.

Paradise Found_Country & Town House.indd 1

There is also a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom self-contained cottage to lease out, or ideal for family members. This has a 3rd kitchen (commercial grade) attached to the cottage. NZD $2,100,000 plus GST if any. (Approx: ÂŁ1,086,000 or US$1,420,000)

Peter Rookes Licensee Salesperson AREINZ (REAA 2008) Ray White Barrington Real Estate TEL: +64-27-575-6166 peter.rookes@raywhite.com http://rwbarrington.co.nz/agents/ peter-rookes/101722

01/02/2019 12:46

“D B L”

World Class Country Estate Te Anau, Fiordland, New Zealand

Situated in New Zealand’s last untouched frontier of natural beauty, virgin native bush & forest, snow capped mountains with pristine rivers & streams carrying clear fresh snow fed water, this magnificent estate offering total seclusion, privacy, and 5 star luxury provides a unique chance to live the New Zealand dream.

The chance is here to live in real luxury in an enviable, peacefull environment, and to enhance your life - meeting people from all walks of life. The Lodge is showing a substantial return, which could be increased easily as the demand for this type of accommodation increases in this world renowned region.

Local activities include World Class TROUT FISHING in the Waiau river, a mere 5 minutes walk from the Lodge, plus there’s game hunting, great tracks for hiking or bike riding, and a premium golf course right at your doorstep to mention a few of the activities on offer.

Alternatively it would convert to a large family home with room for extra guests. The choice is yours!!

The Lodge itself has a magnificent front door which leads to the grand entrance hall with its wide native timber stair case and impressive high country chandelier lights. The 5 suites upstairs all have spectacular and unsurpassed views over lake Te Anau and the Fiordland National Park from their private balconies plus access to the Spa pool & Sauna Rooms. There is also a secluded reading library and well equipped gym ensuring all guests have a leisure choice to meet their needs. The owners private suite is downstairs with doors leading to the patio.

NZD$4,250,000 Plus GST if Any. (Approx: £2,215,000)

For further information on this amazing property please contact Peter Rookes at Ray White Barrington Real Estate.

There is a state of the art kitchen, separate dining area , entertainment room & separate sitting room with a large open fire, and again with doors leading to the outdoor dining area. Wake up in the morning to the sound of Bell birds , Tuis, and native Wood Pigeons outside your door. Here is an opportunity to obtain a Special Business which is easily managed and would suit people who enjoy the Good Life and meeting guests from all round the world. It is now well established with worldwide visitors arriving in all seasons plus there are considerable numbers of forward bookings.

Dock Bay Lodge_Country & Town House Approved for Press Preferably Right Hand Page March 2019 edition.indd 1

Peter Rookes Licensee Salesperson AREINZ (REAA 2008) Ray White Barrington Real Estate TEL: +64-27-575-6166 / Office: +64-3-332-2080 peter.rookes@raywhite.com http://rwbarrington.co.nz/agents/peter-rookes/101722

01/02/2019 12:46

The

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Bourne End, Buckinghamshire

£5,500,000 Freehold

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EPC: C

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Indoor swimming pool and spa area, opening to garden Cinema, gym and games room Temperature controlled wine cellar Loggia in garden, housing barbeque and supplementary kitchen State of the art materials throughout

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RETURN TO

PARADISE

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Welcoming back guests for Exclusive Use bookings and Celebration Weeks RESERVATIONS: +44 (0)208 600 0430 enquiries@virginlimitededition.com

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05/02/2019 09:46