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Issue 84 | OCTOBER 2017

Class Act Genevieve O’Reilly

Also inside this issue

SPOILER ALERT ED BYRNE ON TOUR

GAME CHANGER ALFA ROMEO’S GIULIA

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contents Issue 85 | OCTOBER 2017

6 | Interview | GENEVIEVE O’REILLY

Genevieve O’Reilly talks to essence about her current role in Tin Star starring alongside Tim Roth and Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, the importance of her family and her very varied acting roles.

14 | Comedy interview | ED BYRNE

Brian Donaldson meets renowned Irish observational comedian Ed Byrne as he embarks on his latest tour, Spoiler Alert.

18 | Leisure breaks | AMSTERDAM

For those who love to escape for a long weekend, Amsterdam holds great appeal as Rebecca Underwood discovered.

22 | Garden design | ALLADIO SIMS

Emanuela Alladio of Alladio Sims Garden Design examines the challenges posed and solutions available when creating a family garden.

26 | Motoring | ALFA ROMEO

Described as a ‘game changer’, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia is scrutinised by Euan Johns who finds a car that woos and captures him with its startling performance and handling.

Leisure breaks | AMSTERDAM

‘WELKOM IN AMSTERDAM’ – it’s a veritable feast of culture! For those who love the cut and thrust of life in the city, but find the traffic and ever-increasing noise levels increasingly irritating, the need to escape for a long weekend holds much appeal. Rebecca Underwood samples the many cultural attractions of Amsterdam.

30 | Fashion | KAREN MILLEN

msterdam has avoided polluting the atmosphere and attracts millions of visitors for short stays by providing an excellent and TOP TIP: FLIGHTS Fly the flag in comfort with British Airways from affordable transport system and all the attractions of a vibrant and London Heathrow to Amsterdam. Business Class cosmopolitan city. The capital of the Netherlands offers a veritable feast offers access to the airport lounge, a dedicated of culture and there is much to see and do. check-in area, complimentary bar service (including For art lovers, a visit to the Rijksmuseum is essential. Examples of Champagne) and a contoured leather seat with a guaranteed window or aisle. For more information the very best paintings, sculptures and applied art of the Northern visit britishairways.com. Netherlands and a fascinating history of the ‘Golden Age’ will more than satisfy the most demanding art buffs. Rembrandt’s magnificent ‘Night Watch’, on display in the Rembrandt Hall, is of course the highlight of the exhibition. I was also entranced by another ‘oil on canvas’ excellent and informative tour of the site and given a real insight into the painted by Willem Van de Velde II in 1680. The magnificent painting mysteries of the diamond world. Customers may choose from a vast array depicts a British warship in distress, caught on the high seas by a squall, of the most exquisite loose diamonds, select a jewel for setting and collect their purchase within thirty minutes or sprint and the broken mast and loose sail captures to the nearest exit with credit limit intact! the tragedy entirely. The artist and his father, Amsterdam is the perfect place to stroll also a marine painter, entered the English aimlessly at a leisurely pace. The architecture court in 1672 and the painting was made all around the city is striking and of course in England. the canals are the main attraction. The A trip to the Van Gogh museum is also a ‘Herengracht’ section of the canal that runs joy and it’s only a short stroll away on from Leidsestraat to Vijzelstraat is known as Museumplein. We were enraptured by the the ‘Golden Bend’ and is the location of the sight of his masterpiece ‘Irises’, which he most wonderful examples of canal houses, painted in 1890 whilst an inpatient of a particularly on the corner of Leidsegracht. psychiatric hospital in Saint-Rèmy. Other This house features a magnificent Dutch masterpieces include the 1882 piece entitled Amsterdam's excellent tram network PHOTO COPYRIGHT: IAMSTERDAM classicist clock gable and many of the ‘View of the Sea at Scheveningen’ and ‘Congregation Leaving the Reformed Church in Nuenen’, 1884–1885. properties on the Prinsengracht canal date back to the seventeenth century. Both of these treasures were stolen from the museum in 2002 and For a close up view from the river, embark on a ‘Blue Boat’ 75 minute narrated canal cruise, which departs from Stadhouderskade (opposite the recovered in September 2016. For those seeking their own treasure and with a healthy credit card Heineken Experience). For a truly unique experience, I recommend a visit to the only floating balance, a trip to the Amsterdam diamond centre will entice the most prudent visitor! The Gassan diamond factory is located on Dam Square, flower market in the world. The sweetest fragrance floats in the air above opposite the royal palace, and it is housed within a former steam-driven the flower stalls that stand on houseboats located on the Singel canal diamond-cutting factory dating back to 1878. Visitors are treated to an between Koningsplein and Muntplein. Narcissus and tulips galore, the >>>

Karen Millen’s latest autumn/winter collection is designed to take on the elements and is inspired by brisk New York winters.

34 | Jewellery design | VIVIANNA TORUN

Jane Pople looks back over silversmith Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe’s incredible contribution to the world of design, and in particular the 50-year anniversary since she first collaborated with Georg Jensen jewellery.

Amsterdam by night PHOTO COPYRIGHT: RFALIAKSEI SKREIDZELEU | 123RF.COM OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 19

38 | Beauty | EPSOM SKIN CLINICS

Aesthetician Naomi Diamond of Epsom Skin Clinics advises on how to rejuvenate sun-tired skin.

44 | Food review | STEPHANIE BROOKES

Stephanie Brookes, foodie expert and BBC Radio London contributor, offers her pick of an eating establishment for this month: Pollen Street Social in Mayfair.

50 | Art | IT’S POP ART

Showcasing a series of limited edition silkscreen typography prints, featuring lyrics made famous by iconic musicians.

52 | Legal | MUNDAYS

Pippa Beesley, a construction partner at Mundays, offers advice to readers considering engaging the services of an interior designer.

62 | National Trust | WALKS

At this time of year, there is a palette of incredible colour waiting to be discovered across breathtaking landscapes in Surrey and West Sussex. Discover the Trust’s top five walks across the counties.

66 | Events | SURREY

Linda Seward’s detailed diary of the best of what’s on in theatre, music, exhibitions, arts and the countryside.

76 | Interiors interview | REBECCA PROCTOR

Rebecca Proctor, creative director of tableware and home furnishings producer MacKenzie-Childs, discusses her evident passion for both her career and life.

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 3

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essence 85

COVER: GENEVIEVE O’REILLY

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS

essence team

Editor: Andrew Guilor Contributing Editor: Louise Alexander Publishing Manager: Rebecca Peters Production Manager: Linda Seward Designer: Sharon Smith Senior Designer: Jason Mayes telephone: 01932 988677 email: editor@essence-magazine.co.uk Advertising Manager: Andrew Peters telephone: 07980 956488 email: marketing@essence-magazine.co.uk Advertising Sales: telephone: 01932 988677 email: marketing@essence-magazine.co.uk Contributors: Brian Donaldson, Andrew Peters, Euan Johns, Pippa Beesley, Stephanie Brookes, Naomi Diamond, Rebecca Underwood, PJ Aldred, Jennifer Sutton, Linda Seward, Emily Bird, Jane Pople, Arabella Gilby

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essence reaches key addresses in Cobham, Oxshott, Esher, Weybridge, Guildford and outlying areas. Properties in all the major private estates, including St George’s Hill, the Crown Estate and Wentworth Estate, receive the magazine 10 times per year. essence is also distributed to selected estate agents and is available at city businesses, all esa apartments throughout 17 locations in the south-east, London hotels and Heathrow airport lounges.

European spirit Well, 15 months on, and the ‘B’ word still dominates the news for anybody who remains interested. Of course, it’s our future we’re talking about, but as we approach the midpoint in time between voting and the deadline set for leaving the EU, a deal, any deal, seems an increasingly elusive goal. With all the endless talk about freedom of movement and nationalities, it’s easy to forget what rich diversity different people have brought and continue to bring into our lives. In this issue of essence, we celebrate the many varied dramatic talents of Genevieve O’Reilly, currently starring opposite Tim Roth in Sky Atlantic’s Tin Star. As well as a dramatic culture, the Irish have wit, and we talk to the wonderful Ed Byrne who comes to a theatre nearby shortly. There’s only ever one winner when it comes to style – the Italians – and Euan Johns is able to admire the masterpiece that is the new Alfa Romeo Giulia. Need a break? Then the Dutch can offer a wonderful weekend in the city of Amsterdam, as Rebecca Underwood found out. Foodie expert Stephanie Brookes visits Jason Atherton’s much praised Pollen Street Social in Mayfair and Emanuela Alladio assesses the challenges, and solutions, on how to design a family friendly garden, demonstrating that children and gardens can be mutually compatible. Karen Millen’s autumn/winter season draws inspiration from cold New York winters, whilst for simple, eye-catching design, there are few better exponents than Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe, whose association with Georg Jensen jewellery reaches its milestone of 50 years. Also this month, essence has a mix of beauty and legal advice, together with a pick of activities highlighting food, events to enjoy and places to go.

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The essence team

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 5

The many faces of

Genevieve O’Reilly Despite spending many of her formative years in Adelaide, Dublin-born actress Genevieve O’Reilly retains her Irish lilt and talks to essence about her current role in Tin Star, starring alongside Tim Roth and Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks, the importance of her family and her very varied acting roles. >>>

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS

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Interview | GENEVIEVE Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;REILLY

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Laura Donnelly (Caitlin Carney) and Genevieve O’Reilly (Mary Carney) in The Ferryman PHOTO COPYRIGHT: JOHAN PERSSON

Q Your family emigrated to Australia when you were 10. Did you regard this as an adventure or a terrific upheaval? A My parents are great people, full of spirit. And they emigrated to the other side of the world for opportunity for them and for us. So they sold it to us as an adventure. And, of course, it felt like one. It was the first time we had been on a plane, and we were flying to the other side of the world where they had beaches and kangaroos! I remember it as an exciting time. Q Neither your father (computing), nor your mother (housewife) were actors. How did you decide on the profession, is it in the Irish DNA? A I think the Irish culture is instinctively theatrical. Storytelling, song and dance were a daily part of our immediate family life and extended family gatherings. I remember my parents, my brother and sisters, every aunt and uncle, grandparents and cousins performing song or dance, poetry or stories at parties. They were ‘party pieces’ and everyone got involved. And they still do it now. And although I’m the only actor, many of my cousins are involved in creating, producing and directing within the arts. In our family it was probably nature and nurture. Q Was returning to the UK in 2005 a career move? A I always wanted to work here in the UK. I trained in theatre, so it has been important for me to continue to have a relationship with the stage throughout my career. I feel like I sharpen my tools as an actor when I’m on stage: theatre here in London is some of the best in the world.

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And I am attracted to how we tell stories here in film and television. We are unafraid to tackle high-end glossy blockbusters, but simultaneously leaving space to tell smaller scale human dramas. And I think we are open to those styles influencing each other. Tin Star is a great example of this. The piece is unashamedly ambitious in its cinematography and narrative scope, yet at its heart, it’s a family drama. Q Your career has blossomed, you have two young children and a very full schedule with quite a bit of travelling. Do you place family first above acting? A I think I’m no different to any working parent. I’m doing my best to juggle time with my partner, kids and my career. Yes, my job requires a bit of travelling, so that’s just another plate to spin. But I feel fortunate to be able to give it a go. Q Does family life keep you grounded? A Well, I love my family. I love being with them and spending time with them. And they are at the core of who I am. So, yes, I guess they do ground me. Q You’ve had some very different acting roles from Mon Mothma (Star Wars), Diana, Princess of Wales (TV docudrama 2007), Hazel Stewart (The Secret TV series 2016), to Mary Carney in the Ferryman (theatre). Which media do you enjoy most? A I am ever grateful that my career has found roots in each medium. And I hope to continue to work in all forms. At its heart, it is all storytelling, but I think each medium asks for a slightly different skill from the actor. And I love the opportunity to practice and improve those skills.

“Whenever I do a play, there are Star Wars’ fans at the stage door and they’re always lovely – so excited and so effusive about the storylines and the characters.”

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>>>

Tim Roth plays Jim Worth in Sky Atlanticâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tin Star PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BSKYB.COM

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Interview | GENEVIEVE O’REILLY Q The Secret is an incredible, real life, fact stranger than fiction story in which Hazel Stewart (you) and lover Colin Howell (James Nesbitt) murder their spouses. Stewart has been portrayed either as a victim of a controlling and abusive man or as a conniving, manipulative evil woman, a Lady Macbeth. How did you want to portray her knowing the sensitive nature of the part? A It interested me that, as you say, opinions of Hazel were so polarised. And I think and hope we are coming to the other side of a time where women’s narratives were only ever ‘madonna or whore’, ‘victim or evil temptress’. Because, of course, the truth lies somewhere murkily in the middle.

My job is really to humanise what is on the page. And that’s what I wanted to find in my portrayal of Hazel Stewart: a woman who at different times probably embodied all of those qualities. Q You seem to be able to transform your looks chameleonlike to mirror both your real life and fictional characters: Trevor Nunn and Sebastian Faulks stated you brought to life Isabelle in Birdsong. Is this by design or chance? Have you chosen parts with a pre-requisite that there is such a similarity? A I don’t consciously choose a role in regard to how a character looks. I am attracted to the story and challenge of the woman and character and role. After that, it is a matter of amalgamating myself, and what I look like, with ideas that I (and the designer and director) have about how the character looks, moves and speaks. One will naturally bleed into the other. But I do like to be able to leave the character at the door when I come home at night. >>>

The Secret –

fact stranger than fiction

“I like cooking and it’s a real family thing – an expression of love being together.”

Hazel Stewart was once a glamorous regular on the well-heeled social scene of the policing community along Northern Ireland’s northern coast. Yet behind her respectable public image lay a terrible secret she had been hiding for nearly two decades. The former nursery assistant was behind a double killing that could have formed the plot of a John Grisham novel. It was Stewart’s former lover, Colin Howell, who would break the silence on the murders that had been passed off as a double-suicide for so long. Without the former dentist’s testimony, Stewart would have got away with what Detective Sergeant Geoff Ferris described as: “nearly the perfect murder”. In May 1991, Stewart’s then-husband Trevor Buchanan, a Royal Ulster Constabulary constable, was found dead in a car with Lesley Howell, the wife of Colin Howell, her dentist and lover. Lesley was found in the back seat of the fume-filled vehicle clutching pictures of her children while Trevor was slumped in the front of the car. A pipe led from the exhaust into the interior. Following the discovery near holiday homes overlooking the Atlantic in the resort of Castlerock, the RUC assumed it had been a suicide pact by two people who had discovered their partners were betraying them. Stewart, now 47, was a Sunday school teacher at a Baptist church to which Howell had once belonged. And ultimately it was religious guilt that prompted Howell to come clean and put both of them in the frame. In January 2009, he visited his local church in Coleraine and told the elders what he had done, saying God had asked him to confess. The 51-year-old revealed that he had gassed his wife and Trevor Buchanan, his lover’s husband, before leaving their bodies in the cars. On the advice of the church elders, Howell walked into Coleraine police station and owned up, telling detectives that Hazel Stewart had colluded with him. Throughout her trial Stewart maintained she was forced to help dispose of the pipes used to gas the victims purely out of fear of what Howell might do to her or her children. However, the jury refused to believe her, finding her guilty of what the prosecution described as an act of “gruesome extermination”. After five years the couple who killed to be together, parted. Howell met and married an American divorcee, and they went on to have five children together. After a seven-year relationship with another man, in 2005 Stewart married her second husband, David Stewart, a former police chief superintendent. But before they could celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, Hazel Stewart was arrested – charged with the murder of her first husband and her former lover’s wife. PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS

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Genevieve O’Reilly (Angela Worth) and Tim Roth (Jim Worth) in Sky Atlantic’s Tin Star PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BSKYB.COM

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS

Profile: Genevieve O’Reilly Genevieve was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1977. In 2000, she graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney, Australia with a degree in Performing Arts. Besides Mon Mothma, Genevieve portrayed Officer Wirtz in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, as well as Princess Diana in the 2007 TV movie Diana: Last Days of a Princess.

Q Can we assume that playing Mon Mothma (one of the few female roles in Star Wars) adds some light relief to all the serious roles you take on, as well as swelling the inbox and social media traffic? A I loved playing Mon Mothma. It was so much fun to be part of Rogue One and the Star Wars’ universe. Q Your latest work, Tin Star, began screening last month on Sky Atlantic. Billed as a revenge thriller, you play Tim Roth’s wife Angela. Tim is known for his knack of portraying violence on screen. Is your role again something new for you? A Angela is not just what she initially seems when we first meet her. And I relished the idea that she had a wealth of story under the surface. I loved how Rowan and Alison (the creators) spoke about her, and the scope for discovery. Violence plays a large part in this piece. And, you’re right, I hadn’t really been part of anything like it before. So I was thrilled to jump in. Q Tin Star is filmed in the Canadian Rockies – did you have any time to explore? A We filmed a lot in the Rockies, journeying out of Calgary each day to different locations in the mountains which are gobsmackingly mesmerising. It was such a treat to visit them each day. They are such a provocative character in the landscape there: they demand to be looked at. We took a family holiday when we had a break from filming, and did a road trip though the mountains. We spent the whole time in awe!

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Her film credits also include Cyber Wars, The Young Victoria and Forget Me Not. Genevieve has appeared in numerous TV series such as BeastMaster, Young Lions, All Saints, The State Within, The Time of Your Life, Spooks, New Tricks, Law & Order: UK, Waking the Dead, Episodes, Midsomer Murders, The Last Weekend and Crossing Lines. Theatrically, Genevieve has performed such stage roles as Olivia in Twelfth Night, Veronica in The Ugly Man, Millamant in The Way of the World, Ruth in Così, Queen Isabel in Richard II, Valerie in The Weir, Isabelle in Birdsong, Helena in Emperor and Galilean, Jennifer in The Doctor’s Dilemma and many more. In 2003, StarWars.com announced that Genevieve would reprise the role of Mon Mothma in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, a character previously portrayed by Caroline Blakiston in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi. Cast for her strong resemblance to Caroline, she carefully studied the British actress’s performance in order to capture the character’s voice and mannerisms. In 2016, it was revealed that Genevieve would return as Mothma in the Anthology film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. She also voiced her character for two episodes of the TV series Star Wars Rebels, which aired in 2017.

Q What do you enjoy during leisure time when not working? A I love a Sunday with no plans. Just mooching about at home with the family and the dog. Cooking, playing games, going for a walk and hanging out. Bliss. v essence INFO

Genevieve O’Reilly stars in Sky Atlantic’s new ten-part epic revenge thriller drama Tin Star opposite Tim Roth and Christina Hendricks. The story follows a former London police detective (Tim Roth) who moves to a small town in the Rocky Mountains with his wife (Genevieve O’Reilly) and children, where he is now the new chief of police. Tin Star is a tale of the corruption of innocence; of murder, of grief and of all consuming revenge – set against the backdrop of a remote and beautiful mountain town. The 10 episode series started last month on Sky Atlantic.

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ED BYRNE: SPOILER ALERT Brian Donaldson meets renowned Irish observational comedian Ed Byrne as he embarks on his latest tour, Spoiler Alert. PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ROSLYN GAUNT

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Comedy interview | ED BYRNE

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: ROSLYN GAUNT

d Byrne has been an acclaimed stand-up (with audiences and critics alike) for 20 years now. His success with shows such as the Roaring Forties, Different Class and the 1998 Perrier-nominated A Night At The Opera led to him appearing on the box in the diverse likes of Mock The Week, Father Ted, The One Show and All Star Mr & Mrs, while his love of hillwalking resulted in him writing a regular column for The Great Outdoors magazine. In fact, his love of natural history has crossed into television with appearances on The One Show (abseiling in Snowdonia), Countryfile (climbing Sgùrr Dearg, the ‘inaccessible pinnacle’ on Skye) and presenting items on Volcano Live (BBC). He is also co-host of the highly acclaimed Dara & Ed’s Big Adventure and follow up Dara & Ed’s Road To Mandalay, both on BBC Two. As he prepares to launch himself upon the nation with another touring show, the Irish comic is firmly of a belief that the current breed of parents spoil their kids rotten, whether it’s to do with the everincreasing size of garden trampolines, or his own kids’ demand for elderflower cordial. “My dad wasn’t a bad dad, he was just a 1970s’ dad. I could never see my children ever again from this moment on, and I’ve already done more parenting than he did in my entire life. But, of course, I made a conscious decision that I was going to be an awesome dad. My wife will come back with tales from her friends of how awful their husbands are and she’ll see me smiling and say ‘alright, stop congratulating yourself just because such and such can’t be left alone with their children for two minutes’.” In his new touring show, the perfectly-titled Spoiler Alert, Ed compares and contrasts the old-school child-rearing days with twentyfirst century methods and suggests that there are different ways to learn how to be a mum or dad. “I grew up in what I would call an aspirational household in that my parents bettered themselves over the course of my childhood. My mother was a radiographer and ended up a lecturer in radiography, while my dad was a sheet metal worker and went up to a supervisory role. I’d still say that you are expected to do a lot more parenting than our parents did and that’s a weird thing because you tend to think you learned parenting from your parents. But you don’t, really, it’s more that you look around you to see what’s going on with other parents.” For the show Ed extends his analysis on the culture of entitlement to look at areas where we could, perhaps, do with being spoiled a little bit more. “Where I think we’re not acting spoiled enough is in the political arena. We have a tendency to accept what’s happening and that’s where we should be acting more entitled: we are literally entitled to the government we want. We’re spoiled in all these little ways, but not spoiled enough.” As well as stories about his two young sons, Ed weaves in routines about running out of petrol in the most awkward place imaginable, helping rescue an injured man in the Cairngorms, and the nationdividing campaign and result of the EU referendum. His way of tackling Brexit is to draw an analogy with the time his son was determined to

touch an electric fence with his dad trying to warn him of the dangers. “I was telling the story of the electric fence for a while, and then suddenly it struck me that it was Brexit in microcosm. I don’t want to alienate half of the population or maybe a third of my audience, but it works as an analogy whichever side you’re on. The government told you not to do this and that it would be a terrible idea, but you said ‘no, we want to do it anyway’. So now we’re doing it and it’s proving a terrible idea. I do think it’s a fair analogy, but no doubt for some it will come across as me being a typical liberal elite Remoaner.” Spoiler Alert also continues a theme he’s tackled in previous shows: that of his gradual shift from being a working-class Dubliner to a fully paid-up, rural-residing member of the middle classes. Where once he would do routines slating 4x4 owners, he is now the proud(ish) owner of such a vehicle. And in the poster for his tour, he brandishes other signifiers of social mobility: a bow tie and chainsaw. “It’s one of two I own: that one is the smaller of the two,” Ed remarks of his chainsaw rather than his neckwear. “I use it for firewood, both for my wood burning stove and also for the barbecue. The first time I used one I was fine, though I think it worried my parents that I had bought a chainsaw.” Having premiered Spoiler Alert at the Edinburgh Fringe and used the month of August to hone the show, it is fully ready to go. “Being on stage is enjoyable and this part of the writing process is enjoyable. The empty page though is a scary thing. On the first leg of the tour l’ll do about an hour and 15 minutes, plus I’ll have a support act. I keep a tour diary now of places where the curries are disappointing and where they are good and where audiences have been good before.” With such an extensive series of dates ahead, chances are Ed Byrne will be coming to a town near you soon. Go and spoil yourself. v

essence INFO

Ed Byrne: Spoiler Alert is currently on a countrywide tour and will appear at Richmond Theatre on Tuesday 21 November, Guildford’s G Live on Friday 24 November, Epsom Playhouse on Tuesday 5 December, Kingston’s Rose Theatre on Sunday 21 January, Redhill’s Harlequin Theatre on Monday 29 January, New Victoria Theatre, Woking on Saturday 14 April, New Wimbledon Theatre on Saturday 21 April, Dorking Halls on Monday 14 May and Horsham’s Capitol Theatre on Tuesday 15 May. Website: www.edbyrne.com Twitter: @MrEdByrne

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Amsterdam by night PHOTO COPYRIGHT: RFALIAKSEI SKREIDZELEU | 123RF.COM

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Leisure breaks | AMSTERDAM

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Sir Albert lounge PHOTO COPYRIGHT: DESIGNHOTELS.COM Treasures at the Rijksmuseum PHOTO COPYRIGHT: IAMSTERDAM | ERIK SMITS FOTOGRAFIE

bulbs are prepared for export and the choice is abundant. From here, saunter along to the trendy Occo Bar and Brasserie, located on Keizersgracht, and indulge in a first class dining experience. I sampled the succulent Dutch Pacific oysters followed by the halibut ceviche, and accompanied by the restaurant’s ‘world class cocktail’ of Don Julio Blanco tequila, lime juice and lavender syrup, it was simply unforgettable. After dining, we hopped onto tram no. 14 from Westermarkt for the 15 minute ride to Artis, Amsterdam’s Royal Zoo, located on Plantage Kerklaan. Dating back to 1838, it attracts over a million visitors annually and is held in high esteem due to its very successful conservation programme. Surrounded by beautiful, lush gardens with an enormous variety of trees, plants and flowers, Artis houses more than 700 animals including elephants, giraffes, gorillas, lions and jaguars. Other attractions include a planetarium, an aquarium and Micropia, which delves into the mysteries of micro-organisms. For an ideal hotel, the Sir Albert, located on Albert Cuypstraat in Amsterdam’s trendy Latin Quarter, which is also known as the ‘De Pijp’, is just the ticket. The property, once a diamond factory, was converted into an intriguing and contemporary boutique hotel in 2013 and features an instinctive and unique interior design that captures the spirit of the community and captivates guests. Accommodations include the ‘Sir Residence’, which features a spacious bedroom with separate living area and two bathrooms. Light and airy and furnished to an exceptional standard, the living area is ideal for relaxing after

TOP TIP: IAMSTERDAM CITY CARD

Purchase the Iamsterdam City Card and take advantage of a free canal cruise, free admission to attractions including museums, Artis zoo and unlimited public transport. For more information visit iamsterdam.com.

TOP TIP: ACCOMMODATION

For more information on the Sir Albert, visit designhotels.com or email hello@siralberthotel.com or tel. +31 (0) 20 305 30 20.

a day of fervent exploration. Sink into the foaming free standing bath tub in the evening, rejuvenate with a refreshing rainfall shower in the morning and then head for IZAKAYA, the hotel’s popular Japanese restaurant and bar, which serves a sumptuous European breakfast and a first class luncheon and evening dining menu. It’s also a popular spot for pre and post dining drinks. Hotel facilities include a comfortable study, furnished with plump seating and a quiet library or, for those who prefer the ‘cut and thrust’ of life, take a stroll around the De Pijp area, crammed with enticing designer shops, or browse the stalls of the Albert Cuyp street market, open six days a week, where visitors are sure to find a bargain amongst the 260 stalls. And for a touch of romance and a very special dinner à deux, hop on the no. 24 tram from Marie Heineken Square, disembark at Muntplein, and head for Restaurant Johannes on Herengracht. This restaurant presents the highest levels of comfort and service with tables swathed in crisp, white linens, subdued lighting and a first class menu. I selected the roasted fillet of red mullet with crème of artichoke, potato confit and lobster bisque sauce, and served with a chilled glass of Domaine Brusset Les Travers, it was perfect. And as our stay in Amsterdam drew to a close, we gazed through the windows of the restaurant as we admired the view of the canal and raised our glasses reflecting on the words of Vincent Van Gogh: “Poetry surrounds us everywhere, but putting it on paper is, alas, not as easy as looking at it.”  essence INFO Website: iamsterdam.com

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FAMILY WONDER Emanuela Alladio of Alladio Sims Garden Design examines the challenges posed and solutions available when creating a family garden.

as someone ever said that children and gardens are mutually incompatible? Does anyone think that a family garden means a desolate lawn, an ugly trampoline and the paraphernalia of plastic climbing frames? After all, is it not true that beautiful and perfect flower borders and hordes of frenetic kids cannot peacefully coexist in the same sentence? The answer is, actually, not necessarily. We would like to challenge this cliché, and explain some of the ways in which the most common mistakes can be avoided. Whenever we meet a new family client for the first time we are confronted with a similar list of wishes. Our task is to go back to the office and devise a solution that accommodates most if not all of them. It is always a very interesting challenge, and one we relish despite the practical restraints that each garden and site has. Time and time again families wish to have somewhere for the kids to kick a ball (and maybe, why not, a lovely striped lawn to tend at the weekend?), somewhere for the dreaded, but oh so useful, trampoline to sit (this must at all times be screened from view from the house of course), somewhere for vegetables to grow happily and abundantly (after all kids love vegetables – or don’t they, and a vegetable patch must surely be able to spark a new passion for them..?), somewhere for pretty flowers to grow (particularly the kind that one would use to create beautiful flower arrangements) and, of course, somewhere for the kids to hide and play and discover. Solving these challenges can seem almost impossible at times, but to come up with ideas that will undoubtedly make even the most indifferent child want to explore the garden and go outside is so fulfilling and exciting that we inevitably end up developing a certain fondness towards these gardens. To help readers solve similar dilemmas we wish to share some of the solutions that underpin the majority of the decisions we make whenever we are asked to create a family wonder in a new garden. Starting from the lawn, as this is a must have in most family gardens, when the garden is really shady or if it will be used to play ball games for the majority of the time, then one should consider the option of using artificial grass, as there are so many different choices available nowadays and most of them are very ‘realistic’ and long lasting. Moving down the list to the love/hate item that is a trampoline, if one cannot be avoided, why not consider sinking it below ground (careful to leave enough space for landing around it though,

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The trunks of these pleached trees double up as goal posts, while the raised vegetable planter on the left is a good way for children to get used to planting. IMAGE COURTESY OF ALLADIO SIMS GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN LTD, LONDON PRIVATE GARDEN, 2017

Profile: Alladio Sims

Alladio Sims Garden Landscape Design Ltd was established in 2015 after Jon Sims and Emanuela Alladio collaborated on a Silver Gilt winning show garden at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. The two directors continue their collaborative approach throughout their practice with Jon’s background in interior architecture giving distinctive spaces and Emanuela’s passion for plants and photographic eye adding great texture and contrast. Jon and Emanuela in the show garden they created for the Istanbul Flower Festival in 2016

Garden design | ALLADIO SIMS

Left: Stabilised gravel paths are great for kids to run around in, whilst hedges are very resilient to most ball and hide and seek games. IMAGE COURTESY OF ALLADIO SIMS GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN LTD, LONDON PRIVATE GARDEN, 2017

Above left: When a trampoline is only a temporary installation, consider sinking it in the ground. Once the children are no longer interested in using it, the space can be transformed into a pond or secondary terrace. IMAGE COURTESY OF ALLADIO SIMS GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE DESIGN LTD, LONDON PRIVATE GARDEN, 2015

approximately a two metre radius will do), or just hide a standard trampoline behind a low hedge, a useful solution that will create a sense of wonder in the garden and will make the kids happy to be hidden from their parents’ view – for a short while at least. Any good family garden should feature carefully chosen plants, including those that thrive in neglect and withstand impacts: ornamental grasses first and foremost, because they are built to allow movement, and therefore are much more flexible and understanding, even when hit by a football or two. We couldn’t live without the evergreen soft and fluffy Nassella tenuissima or its very tough and understanding cousin, Anemanthele lessoniana, a grass that tolerates practically every condition and most abuse that can be thought of. Another important group of plants to include in a family garden are those that are loved by insects, bees and butterflies in particular because they will keep kids amused for hours in the summer, and because they will help them to understand how magical gardens can

really be. Plants like Verbena bonariensis or Knautia Macedonica spring to mind, for being unfussy and for keeping on flowering for months, continuously attracting insects and even birds with their bright and pretty little flowers, enough to keep most kids entertained… One must also not forget to include plants that actively involve children – vegetables and fruits, but also a variety of bulbs – these are all very important in a family garden, which should be the perfect place to build lasting memories and positive experiences with children, and what better way to start that than by planting some bulbs together, or picking some fruit to cook a jelly or an apple crumble after a generous September harvest? Of course, a small vegetable garden would be the perfect easy first step, especially if kept to a manageable size, such as a small raised bed, and maybe a few fruit trees and colourful pots with spring bulbs could be enough to start with. Whatever the challenge gardens pose, there are so many different solutions and ways to respond to them, just think creatively. Thus, the next time someone says that kids and gardens don’t mix, you might just wish to disagree... v

essence INFO

Alladio Sims Garden Landscape Design Limited Regional office: Lower Bourne (Farnham), Surrey Website: www.alladiosims.co.uk Email: Hello@alladiosims.co.uk

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 23

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE YOUNG HEROES CANYON HAS DEVELOPED ITS FIRST EVER RANGE OF KIDS’ BIKES. BEARING EQUAL LEVELS OF TECHNICAL REFINEMENT AND ADVANCED FEATURES THAT SET ANY CANYON BIKE APART. THE CANYON KIDS’ RANGE COMBINES SHARP DESIGN WITH ELEMENTS THAT BOOST A CHILD’S CONTROL, COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE.

WWW.CANYON.COM/KIDS

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: CANYON BICYCLES

GAME CHANGING

ITALIAN

Described as a ‘game changer’ at the 2017 Autocar Awards, the new Giulia is examined by Euan Johns who finds a car that initially woos with its incredible looks, and then captures him with its startling performance and handling.

utocar defines ‘game changers’ as cars that ‘bring new, higher standards to their classes, or because they defy conventions to benefit buyers’. Well, who would want to argue with that? The new Alfa Romeo Giulia is a remarkable car, full of Italian design flare. For those who make it into the driver’s seat, then they’re in for a treat. Put simply, this car signals a complete transformation for one of the most loved names in motoring. The last Giulia was launched more than half a century ago, but this reincarnation is the most likeable. With incredible performance and exciting handling, the Giulia is everything a driver would want an Alfa Romeo (or any car) to be. Developed by the best engineers, designers and stylists within the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group (FCA), the new Giulia embodies core elements that have made Alfa Romeo one of the world’s best loved automotive brands: distinctive Italian design, innovative powertrains, perfect weight distribution, unique technical solutions and the best weight-to-power ratio. >>>

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The success of the Giulia has allowed the company to expand its range with the introduction of the 280hp Veloce, bridging the gap between the standard Giulia and the Quadrifoglio, and also laying the ground for the introduction of Alfa Romeo’s first ever SUV – the Stelvio. UK pricing for the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio was announced at £61,000 at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed. The engine is pretty breathtaking, powered by a new 510hp, Bi-Turbo V6 engine, and the Quadrifoglio is capable of sprinting to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 192mph. It is still capable of up to 49mpg on the official extra-urban fuel efficiency cycle. Built around Alfa Romeo’s all-new rear-wheel drive architecture, the Giulia displays short overhangs, a long bonnet, muscular haunches and the longest wheelbase in its segment. A near perfect 50/50 weight distribution across its axles, together with the Alfa™ Link rear suspension and new double-wishbone front set up are tuned to maximise dynamic abilities. The car uses an array of high-strength and ultralightweight materials including carbon fibre for the driveshaft, aluminium composite and plastic for the rear crossmember and aluminium for doors, wings, engines, brakes and suspensions. The Quadrifoglio takes this a stage further with carbon fibre bonnet, roof, front splitter, rear spoiler and body inserts, as well as aluminium for the doors and wings. Over the company’s recent history, there have been plenty of reasons not to become an Alfa fan due to a perceived bad record for corrosion, unreliability and, to be honest, pretty rubbish depreciation, but this trend has now been slammed firmly into reverse. The Giulia Quadrifoglio variant is truly sumptuous: one actually just wants to stand, stare and marvel at a wonderful work of art and engineering as it gives cars such as the BMW M3 a real run for their money, and some. Alfa is back with a bang.v essence INFO

www.alfaromeo.co.uk

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“The Giulia has marked a turning point for Alfa Romeo, signalling a new era for the company where the driver is back at the heart of everything.” Ashley Andrew, managing director, FCA UK

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Oversized faux fur coat ÂŁ350 Silk velvet frill dress ÂŁ299

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Fashion | KAREN MILLEN

Suede fur coat £1,400

BRITISH CRAFT Karen Millen is known globally for beautifully crafted fashion for confident women. Each piece in the collections has been individually designed, handcrafted and perfected by in-house atelier designers. From couture-inspired techniques to luxurious heritage fabrics, every garment has a story to tell. Karen Millen has stores in over 65 countries across six continents, including flagship stores in London’s Knightsbridge and New York’s Fifth Avenue. The latest autumn/winter collection is designed to take on the elements. Inspired by brisk New York winters, it features irresistibly soft cashmere jumpers, sumptuous shearling gilets, as well as liquid satin skirts with razor sharp pleats that look even better as wearers move through wintry streets.

essence INFO

Website: www.karenmillen.com >>>

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Floral blouse, grey/multi ÂŁ125 Floral wide-leg jump suit ÂŁ299

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Fashion | KAREN MILLEN

Fur and suede gilet, grey £699 Pleated satin midi skirt, dark charcoal £199

Faux fur stole £130

Melange knitted dress £160

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Timeless design

eorg Jensen jewellery is renowned for its craftsmanship and design, as well as the designers who have collaborated with the world-renowned Danish brand. One collaboration in particular with Swedish designer and silversmith Vivianna Torun Bülow-Hübe (1927–2004) has had a lasting impact that has stood the test of time since 1967. Born in Malmö, Sweden in 1927, Vivianna graduated from the academy of Industrial Arts in Stockholm in 1945 and in 1956 settled in Paris where she quickly became known for her jewellery. Many of her designs have become legendary and are now exhibited at several museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. More than just a brilliant jewellery designer, Vivianna was philosophical about the role of design in our everyday lives: “A piece of jewellery should be a symbol of love. It should enhance and move with the body so that it blends with you. It must not overwhelm, but enhance you. This is why it must be timeless. It shouldn’t matter if you are 17 or 87 years old”. One of the watch design classics in the Georg Jensen watch collection is the Vivianna bangle watch. Reflecting back on her inspiration for it, Vivianna once explained: “Then watches were only chronometers – measurers of time, which one got constantly caught out by. I wanted to free people from the slavery of time, I wanted to make a watch that reminded one that life is here and now, so I created a watch with a mirror face, no numbers, and a simple second hand. A watch should not make us prisoners of time but liberate us. Perhaps it was possible to make a timepiece which more intensely perceived the Here and Now. The watch is open ended to symbolise that time should not bind us, and the dial like a mirror reminds us that life is now”. In keeping with the Georg Jensen tradition of innovation, Vivianna set out to reinvent the very concept of time. Over the last 50 years many unique Georg Jensen jewellery pieces from Vivianna have come to fruition, with a strong focus on simplicity and straightforward beauty.

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Dew Drop earrings

Savannah ring and bangles

Jewellery design | VIVIANNA TORUN BÜLOW-HÜBE

Vivianna at work

“The [Vivianna bangle] watch is open ended to symbolise that time should not bind us, and the dial like a mirror reminds us that life is now.”

Dew Drop neck-ring

Creating her forms not for aesthetics alone, Vivianna carefully considered both the form and function of every jewellery design she produced. Practical details such as the fastening of one of her pieces of jewellery was not concealed, but deviating from the norm, it was accentuated, based on the designer’s philosophy that what is functional is also beautiful. The relationship was mutually supportive and allowed for a certain level of experimentation that did not always produce commercial designs, but important, innovative ones. Believing that a jewellery piece should act like a caress, Vivianna felt that each design should adapt to the movements of the body and become a natural part of the wearer. Trying the pieces herself during the development process, Vivianna ensured the jewellery would not hinder any movements. The designer started up her workshop in Sweden and later in Paris, and despite having the very basic tools, she had an incredible talent for mastering the metals. This is why many of the beautiful jewellery pieces she created are woven out of a single strand of metal, as we see in the Dew Drop, Torun and Forgetme-knot collections. For the fiftieth anniversary of Vivianna’s collaboration with the brand, Georg Jensen has reworked the Dew Drop neck-ring from a 1955 collection that Vivianna designed in Paris, after she had graduated from Stockholm’s Academy of Industrial Arts. Reworked in yellow gold, it links with a droplet-like pendant of rock crystal, black onyx and quartz, shot through with needle-like shards of golden rutile. All Georg Jensen jewellery pieces designed by Vivianna have behind them a wealth of craftsmanship. Her work remains an important part of Georg Jensen’s design heritage: the sculptural power and unique lines of the pieces are simply timeless making them heirlooms of the future. v essence INFO

Websites: www.georgjensen.com and www.amara.com This article first appeared in The Lux Pad, www.amara.com/luxpad.

Torun bangles

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 35

I offer a mobile beauty service to Surrey. I would be delighted for you to book an appointment with me to visit you in the comfort of your own home, or if you prefer to get away from it all you can come to my beauty room at my home near Fetcham village. You will enjoy my professional approach, premium product range and affordable spa menu. Please contact me with any enquiries or to book an appointment:

07495 878833

joannasbc@gmail.com www.facebook.com/beautybyjoannac • Manicures and pedicures • Gel polish • Facials • Spa body treatments • Body exfoliation and brushing • Swedish massage • Spray tanning • Waxing • Eye lash lift • Eyebrow shape and tint • Pamper parties I hope that I have a treatment to suit your needs. Remember to keep an eye out for my seasonal offers and loyalty reward schemes on my Facebook page.

Bringing the spa to you!

Enabling people to help themselves

We can all have difficulties in everyday life and encounter problems that

Psychology, low, confused, isolated or may be experiencing difficulties in relationships. Psychotherapy, These feelings and thoughts may persist and become overwhelming. In Psychiatry and these circumstances it is difficult to know which way to turn. Counselling we simply find hard to cope with alone. You may feel worried, anxious,

At times like these it can be helpful to talk things over in confidence with an experienced counsellor, psychotherapist or psychologist who will enable you to explore your concerns in a safe, contained environment, to help you develop appropriate strategies and techniques to cope with your life difficulties in a more effective way. Take a step forward and contact the practice for a free consultation: www.thepractice.co.uk or call us on 01932 705 760.

Psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry and counselling

Telephone: 01932 705 760 www.thepractice.co.uk For Adults, Young Adults, Children & Couples Call 01932 705 760

24/10/2016 09:10

For adults, young adults, children and couples

How to repair sun exposed skin Aesthetician Naomi Diamond of Epsom Skin Clinics offers advice on how to rejuvenate sun-tired skin.

ow that autumn is approaching, it is time to transform sun ravaged skin into a form as glowing as the turning leaves. Here are a few remedies and methods to look out for: Sunscreen

I have mentioned it in several articles, but sunscreen is the most essential part of any home care beauty routine. Come rain or shine, 365 days a year, UVA and UVB rays are out to target skin, depleting vital nutrients and causing premature ageing. A moisturising SPF will protect and also boost skin hydration. Here at The Epsom Skin Clinic, we recommend Heliocare, a clinically proven product range with moisturising and powerful antioxidant benefits with a version to cater for all needs, even oily skin. Antioxidants

Antioxidants should be a necessity to a skin regime. Free radical damage occurs every day in our skin caused by pollution, stress and the sun (to name a few). Effects can be spots, wrinkles, loss of skin laxity and generally premature ageing. An antioxidant helps neutralise free radicals, preventing them from attacking collagen and protecting skin cells from damage. Working their way through to the epidermis and enhancing the effects of an SPF, they can also help with luminosity and inflammation. Vitamins C and E are the most common antioxidants and my personal favourite products are Obagi Professional C serums. There are three different concentrations depending on skin type and they only need to be used once a day in the morning. Vitamin A

This winter make a beeline for this wonder ingredient. By regulating cell turnover, this

product can help with various skin issues such as open pores, pigmentation, spots, thickened skin, fine lines and wrinkles and many more; it also reduces the effects of sun damage and revitalises the skin. Retriderm serum contains a strain of vitamin A combined with hyaluronic acid which helps with skin rehydration and plumping, leaving the skin smooth and radiant. Body scrub

It’s not all about the face… bodies need a look in too! The mixture of sun cream and heat can make skin bumpy and uneven. Jan Marini Bioglycolic body scrub blends polished beads and glycolic acid to create a powerful exfoliant that helps eliminate dead cell build up and improve calloused skin. Whilst the beads physically exfoliate the skin’s top layer, the glycolic acid (a sugar cane derivative) gently resurfaces and breaks down the bond between natural oils and dead cells which is untouchable by exfoliating alone. This will reveal fresh, soft and healthy skin which will only improve with use. It can also be used to treat uneven pigment and skin complaints such as bumps of dry skin commonly found on the backs of arms and legs. My favourite tip: massage in a favourite body cream, oil or a rich body butter after treatment for a smooth, silky finish with the important hydrating ingredients able to reach deeper into the skin. PHOTO COPYRIGHT: PABLOCALGOV | 123RF.COM

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essence | BEAUTY

Treatments

Sloughing away dry, dead skin cells is a must after summer. We build up a mixture of product, dead skin, make up and sweat which can make skin dull and uneven, causing blockages and congestion. To kickstart the process, have a few microdermabrasions, skin peels or even a combination of both. These will refresh the complexion by eliminating dead skin and congestion, improving tone, radiance and encouraging good circulation.

Your recipe for great skin, founded by MasterChef finalist Angela Langford A Little Lift 30ml £31.00 Plumping and firming face serum pumpkin, frankincense and electric daisy Botanical super ingredient electric daisies are mixed with frankincense, pumpkin seed, argan and hyaluronic acid to nourish, refine and hydrate your skin. Angela says... “This is your recipe if your skin is losing elasticity or tone, in need of plumping or firming.” Thirsty Work 50ml £37.50 Ultra-hydrating anti-ageing moisturiser Raspberry, rosehip and Q10

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: POGONICI | 123RF.COM

eDermastamp is a micro needling machine that penetrates the skin more evenly and comfortably. It creates tiny channels allowing rejuvenating products to penetrate deeper and remodelling the skin by promoting collagen and elastin production. This treatment can help with concerns such as pigmentation, acne scarring and general rejuvenation of fine lines and wrinkles. After treatment it can feel like mild sunburn and appear a little red, so be prepared for some downtime. Finally, now is the time of year to start permanent laser hair reduction. This revolutionary treatment uses heat to target and destroy cells at the base of follicles that make hair. For the body, around six to eight treatments will be required and for the face it can be anything between eight to twelve, depending on the client. Reducing hair growth by approximately 80%, say goodbye to in-growing hairs, shaving rash and monthly waxing, leaving the body smooth.

As a predominately online skincare brand, we realise you may not have previously seen our products. We therefore encourage new customers to try products by using our Skincare Sample Pack Service.

essence INFO

Epsom Skin Clinics Website: www.epsomskinclinics.com Telephone: 01372 737280 (Epsom) or 020 8399 5996 (Surbiton)

Rosehip, raspberry and chia seed protect your skin from future damage. Vitamins A and C are blended with Q10 and arctic blackcurrants to repel wrinkles, whilst hyaluronic acid keeps skin hydrated. Angela says.... “A hero product, this is perfect for dry, dehydrated or mature skin. This is your recipe for improved hydration and elasticity.” Bloom & Glow 15ml £20.50 Radiance restoring face oil Chia seed and sea buckthorn Chia seed and sea buckthorn are blended together to deliver high levels of essential fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants – it improves skin’s elasticity, calms inflammation and restores radiance. Angela says... “Perfect for sensitive, easily inflamed or generally out of kilter skin. This is your recipe for gorgeous, glowing, radiant skin.”

Website: www.angelalangford.com Telephone: 01460 929596 Email: info@angelalangford.com

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 39

Seasonal and local food offers taste, health and even economic benefits. Each month Crates Local Produce highlight the best on offer in our region.

At their best right now Crates Local Produce is located centrally within the historic market town of Horsham and bursts with fresh, seasonal food sourced directly from local producers. For more details see www.crateslocal.co.uk. Follow on Twitter @crateslocal or Facebook page Crates Local. PHOTO COPYRIGHT: DREAMON512 | 123RF.COM

Cobnuts

Known as Kentish Cobnuts, these derived from hazelnuts and were first cultivated in 1830 by Mr Lambert from Goudhurst, Kent. A delicacy of the Victorians whilst passing the port after dinner, the popularity and growing of cobnuts declined heavily over the last century. However, the cobnut has come back to life with many rediscovering its delicious coconut flavour. Fresh cobnuts are available for a short period from the end of August and are covered in a soft green husk that is simply peeled back to reveal a juicy kernel. As the husks are susceptible to moisture, growers dry much of their remaining crop to be sold with hard shells, as with hazelnuts, although a cobnut shell is much easier to crack. These golden cobnuts are widely available from markets and greengrocers up to and beyond Christmas. A very small number of growers also produce cobnut oil, a cholesterol-free source of soluble fibre and vitamins B and E that is lighter than other oils with a delicious nutty flavour.

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PHOTO COPYRIGHT: SERGII TELESH | 123RF.COM

Pears

Amazingly, there are around 3,000 known varieties of pear grown in the world and these juicy, delicious fruits have been enjoyed since prehistoric times in cooler climates. They may not keep as well as apples, but the season is certainly one to look forward to. It is quite an art to pick or buy pears at just the right time for ripening, but it is worth the effort. Pears are another fruit that can be enjoyed both raw and cooked, with perhaps the most well known retro dessert of poached pears now making a comeback. Similar to apples, pears also come in to their own for fermenting into alcohol. Perry was known to have been made by the Romans, but it was the French and, subsequently, the western counties of England, who really took the drink to another level.

Food | CRATES LOCAL PRODUCE Spicy pear Tom Collins

Cobnut crusted halibut

Spicy pear Tom Collins

Ingredients: Two halibut fillets Quarter cup of cobnuts Quarter cup of breadcrumbs, seasoned One tablespoon of rapeseed (or similar) oil One tablespoon of butter

Ingredients: 50ml gin or vodka 50ml pear purée 25ml rosemary and clove syrup 25ml lemon juice Sparkling white wine or water to top For the pear purée: Two pears, peeled and cored 50ml lemon juice Chopped fresh rosemary, at least two sprigs For the syrup: Half cup sugar Half cup water Whole cloves, around five Three sprigs of fresh rosemary

SERVES TWO

Method: w Shell the cobnuts and place on a baking tray in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees centigrade. Roast for around five minutes until brown and ensure they don’t burn. w Remove from the oven and shake in a wire sieve, picking out the nuts as they are shaken free of their skins. w Finely grind together the cobnuts and breadcrumbs and spread over a shallow dish. w Press one side of each fish fillet onto the cobnut and breadcrumb mixture to add a crust to the fish. w Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan or ovenproof griddle and, when medium to hot, cook the halibut, crust side down, for up to five minutes until the fish begins to brown. Turn the fillets over and place in the pre-heated oven for another five minutes. w Serve with creamy mashed potato and seasonal vegetables.

MAKES FIVE COCKTAILS

Method: w Start with the syrup by heating the sugar, water, cloves and rosemary in a pan over a low heat. Allow it to boil, remove from the heat and leave for at least 30 minutes. Strain the mixture and refrigerate before use. w For the pear purée, slice the pears and blend with the lemon juice and rosemary until smooth. Sieve, discarding any solids and refrigerate. w When ready to serve, combine the spirit, syrup and purée over ice in a shaker. Give it a good shake to chill through, serve in a large glass and top with sparkling wine or water.

essence INFO

Crates Local Produce, Horsham

Crates Local Produce 24a Carfax, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 1EB Telephone: 01403 256435 Website: www.crateslocal.co.uk Follow on Twitter @crateslocal or Facebook page Crates Local

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 41

GROUND-BREAKING BAKERY CHOOSES SOHO FOR ITS SECOND SITE

Since its opening two years ago, the much raved-about South Kensington-based Maître Choux (@maitrechoux), has sold out almost every single day. The world’s first choux pastry specialist patisserie has amassed a cult following among locals and celebrities alike who have been queuing in front of the rainbow-coloured display. From private celebrations through to A-lister events by way of iconic institutions such as Fortnum & Mason, Chiltern Firehouse, and Blakes, the freshly-made wondrous eclairs, choux and chouquettes have surprised and delighted all who sample them. In a move set to delight the fans, Joakim Prat, the three Michelin star-experienced chef behind Maître Choux, is opening a second location on Soho’s Dean Street this October. A bigger site than South Kensington, Maître Choux Soho will also have a more spacious seating area, allowing additional guests to accompany their confection with a cup of the finest quality tea and coffee, or a thick hot chocolate made from a legendary Basque recipe provided by Joakim’s grandmother. Maître Choux Soho will offer the same core range of hand-crafted, MAÎTRE CHOUX – THE WORLD’S FIRST CHOUX PASTRY SPECIALIST PATISSERIE decadent, one-of-a-kind designs featuring show-stopping eclairs 15 HARRINGTON ROAD • SOUTH KENSINGTON • LONDON SW7 3ES like lemon meringue & bergamot, Spanish raspberry and hazelnut & MAÎTRE CHOUX SOHO milk chocolate treasure, as well as 60 DEAN STREET • SOHO • LONDON W1D 6AW Orders taken for bespoke designs, both corporate and private.

WWW.MAITRECHOUX.COM

AWARD WINNING GIN FROM THE SILENT POOL IN SURREY Now available at Majestic and Waitrose stores nationwide. www.silentpooldistillers.com

A4 SILENT POOL DISTILLERS ADVERT WITH 6x AWARDS MAY 2017 (FOR PRESS).indd 1

12/5/17 6:02 pm

ALL IMAGES PHOTO COPYRIGHT: POLLEN STREET SOCIAL

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From the set menu: Ribble Valley chicken breast, truffle and leek dressing and roasted chicken fat mash

MY MONTH IN FOOD PHOTO COPYRIGHT: DAVID P MACDONALD

I’

Stephanie Brookes, foodie expert and BBC Radio London contributor, offers her pick of an eating establishment for this month: Pollen Street Social in Mayfair.

m always struck by a case of first-time nerves when I hear about a restaurant with impossibly high praise. Can it truly live up to such expectations? One such restaurant that has received its fair share of plaudits, and has been patiently waiting on my culinary ‘to-do’ list, is Jason Atherton’s Pollen Street Social. This is Atherton’s first solo outing, specialising in modern, British cuisine, which opened to widespread praise, and even received its first Michelin star within the first year; the restaurant also boasts five AA Rosettes. I therefore made a decision to visit when the hype had died down in order to get a real sense of the dayto-day goings on. For a food writer, it may show an

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unusual lack of restraint, and yet, I much prefer to wait – it makes the culinary suspense all the more exciting. On an impromptu visit to town, I decided the time had most definitely come. Located on a quiet side street in London’s Mayfair, Pollen Street has become a food hub in its own right with the presence of two of Jason Atherton’s restaurants in the same locale. I even noticed a few eager diners zigzagging from one side of the street to the other, trying to decide whether to choose Little Social, or his flagship restaurant, Pollen Street Social. I was instantly put at ease in my decision when I was seated, almost immediately, (without a reservation, I might add) and right next to the elegant

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Food reviews | STEPHANIE BROOKES

Pollen Street Social

floor to ceiling windows. I’m always impressed by a restaurant that makes that extra effort, even without a booking. I also like it when you’re not shoehorned into a table. There’s certainly no chance of that happening in Pollen Street Social with its light-filled, spacious dining room. You even have your own little stool for your handbag – it’s those unexpected details that always leave such a positive impression. Our attentive waiter instantly cottoned on that I was in the mood for a cocktail (no restraint this Saturday) and after talking me through the extensive cocktail menu, based on my particular likes, swiftly presented me with an elegant and rather sweet concoction called Light as a Feather – delicious, but deceptively strong, made with Konik’s Tail Vodka, lychee, yuzu, clove, jasmine, rhubarb, citrus and hibiscus crusta. The cocktail menu is especially impressive with a number of house signatures and seasonal specials. The cocktail highlight for me, however, was the herbaceous Eau De Vetiver which was an aromatic mix of The Botanist Gin, Chenin Blanc, cardamom, elderflower, wood, basil and pepper. If you could encapsulate the taste of a summer walk in the park, this was it – if it’s still on the menu when you visit, indulge in this delightfully, fragrant cocktail. I was already impressed with the smart, attentive service, (as well as the cocktails) and the food hadn’t even been ordered. I decided to sample the set menu as it’s fairly reasonably priced at £37 for three courses: a bargain for this particular part of town. For the starter, I opted for the Paignton Harbour crab, radish, lemon, yoghurt and sake. The lobster – sweet and creamy – was complemented by the sharp lemon and perfectly balanced with the crisp, slightly

spicy, radish. A beautifully constructed starter, and extremely photogenic, which is always an added bonus for a food writer. The main course, an almost too-pretty-to-eat offering of Ribble Valley chicken breast, truffle and leek dressing and roasted chicken fat mash. The tried and trusted classic combination of chicken and mash never fails on the pleasure factor. The succulent chicken, with the earthy truffle and soft, buttery leeks was the ultimate in refined comfort eating. Wild strawberry and kalamansi, olive oil sponge and vanilla cream was the final instalment of the meal. It’s the kind of dessert that has your fellow dining companion wishing they had opted for the same, especially when you hear the words, “just leave me a little bit”. The sight of sweet, just in season strawberries and mellow, vanilla sponge takes you back to the kind of humble desserts had as a child. I encourage readers to take advantage of the Pollen Street Social’s set menu which is superbly executed and never once felt like an afterthought, as so many set menus often do. The sheer attention to detail makes this restaurant experience one of the best I’ve had this year. If you happen upon Pollen Street one idle Saturday afternoon, I urge you to dine here without reservation – and you don’t even need one, as I discovered. essence INFO Pollen Street Social 8-10 Pollen Street, London W1S 1NQ Websites: www.pollenstreetsocial.com and www.stephaniebrookes.com Telephone: 020 7290 7600 Twitter: @stephbrookes

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 45

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French connection Shirlee Posner discovers Food Assemblies, an online food movement, now launching in Guildford, which offers a virtual online farmers’ market to small food producers.

Jane Crisp-Daly, the force behind Guildford's Food Assembly

growing online European food movement, Food Assemblies, that give an alternative retail stream to small, local food producers is launching in Guildford. Jane Crisp-Daly is the force behind the opening and, full of energy and enthusiasm, she is passionate about making it a success. The organisation is managed via a website maintained by its French founders and currently operates throughout Europe with 900 active assemblies. Food Assemblies (FA) are for people who have a real interest in buying from small producers who may not be otherwise accessible. Customers order online for each pick up date and have complete control over what and how much is bought. It also means that producers only have to transport what has been ordered and paid for. To be part of this movement, all a customer has to do is join the Assembly of choice online. There is no commitment to buy every week, or at all if the customer discovers it’s not for them. Once signed up, customers receive an email each week when the online shop opens and a deadline to order. Then it is up to the customer to collect the shopping from the weekly pick up venue, which for Guildford is the Electric Theatre Bar. Each Assembly is different, depending on what is grown or produced locally. For example, we don’t grow a lot of potatoes in Surrey, and those that are grown tend to go to wholesale markets. We do, however, have a lot of livestock and small free-range meat producers whose products are superior to anything found in a supermarket. As an example for the

46 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

Guildford FA, Jane has recruited White Lodge Farm whose bacon, ham and related products have won many awards. Although it has a small shop on the farm, it sells mostly via farmers’ markets. The appeal for White Lodge to join a FA was that the products are pre-ordered and the pick up points are inside: market traders know the perils of our English climate all too well! I was really keen to find out how this works for both producers and consumers and I discovered that producers have to apply to be part of a Food Assembly. The guidelines for those who run them are to make sure there is a balance of products, such as meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, fruit and groceries. Some producer members can be retailers, such as farm shops or delicatessens, and sell products that other people have made, but they can only make up a small percentage. Orders will be made via the producer’s shop space on the website for the Assembly. So, instead of consumers buying from a faceless retail outlet and using an automated check out, they get to meet the producer instead.In return, producers receive a higher price for their products because there is no stall fee and what is transported has been purchased in advance. The Food Assembly collects payment and pays the organiser a modest amount for their time and expertise, around 8% of sales. The FA keeps around the same which is spent on the upkeep and hosting of the website, with the remainder going to the producer. This, it would seem, is the perfect testing ground for a new start up. For consumers joining a FA, just visit the website (details opposite) and sign up. There is no joining fee and no commitment to buy. Once signed up, emails will be received from the group with information on when the online shops open and close – payment for goods is made online too. When collecting orders (Guildford is 4-6pm), there is an opportunity to meet the producers and check out other products. It’s common for there to be samples to try and displays of goods. It is also possible to buy at the time, which is helpful whilst getting to know producers in the group. Food Assemblies are also a great place to meet other like-minded people, and with this in mind, Jane sees a social aspect to the Guildford group too.

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Artisan food | EAT SURREY

Beetroot, blueberry and ginger loaf When there is a glut of produce, why not add these vegetables to sweet dishes? Beetroot works as well as carrot in cakes and bakes, lending a warm colour and healthy feel. Grated, they add a moistness that is attractive, with beetroot being a great addition to loaf cakes as it's earthy and sweet too. Mine was baked in two tins to create a middle layer, but this recipe bakes just as well as one loaf. Serve plain or fancy, while candying Choggia beetroot before drying gives an extended shelf life. Ingredients 185g self raising flour, sifted (I used gluten free) 220g coconut or caster sugar 125g unsalted butter, melted Two eggs, lightly beaten 250ml milk One teaspoon vanilla extract 260g uncooked beetroot, scrubbed and grated 75g crystallised ginger, finely chopped 75g dried blueberries Candied beetroot (optional) One to two Choggia beetroot, cut crossways into fine slices 25g sugar 75g Icing sugar Ginger and coconut icing One 200g pack of creamed coconut, warmed 75g crème fraîche 25g crystallised ginger, finely chopped One 10cm x 21cm, two litre capacity tin, lined with silicone baking paper or a loaf tin paper case. Method Preheat oven to 180°C /fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Place the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the beetroot and mix to combine. Pour into a lightly greased loaf tin lined with non-stick baking paper, or divide the mix into two. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. While the cake is cooking, prepare the candied beetroot. Place the sugar in a medium sized saucepan and add the beetroot slices. Pour enough water over to just cover and gently bring to the boil. Stir the melting sugar, then simmer until the beetroot is softened. Place the beetroot on some silicone baking paper on a baking sheet. Reserve the cooking liquid and when it’s cool make the pink icing by adding to this liquid. Stir well and cover until required. Place the baking sheet in the oven with the cake and check regularly as it should not be allowed to colour. For the icing, add the coconut cream to a mixing bowl and stir in the crème fraîche and ginger. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing. To dress as shown, place the bottom layer of the cake on a serving dish. Spread with half the coconut icing and top with the cake. Spread the rest of the coconut icing on top and drizzle with the pink icing. Decorate with candied beetroot and serve.

• • • • •

• •

Local chutney and honey available at Noel's Farm Shop

This all sounds very altruistic, but is there a catch? Sceptical, I went back and took another look at the Food Assembly website where I found the following founding principles: • All food is produced within 150 miles from the location of the group • Producers set their own price, meaning they are paid fairly for their work • The Food Assembly doesn’t act as a middleman, but as a service provider. Now local means different things to different people, so 150 miles might seem like a long way, but, for instance, if fish is ordered, that could be tough living inland, unless the customer is happy to eat nothing but trout, hence the mileage allowance. However, most Food Assembly products originate an average distance of 26 miles from where they are sold. Signed up so far for the Guildford Food Assembly are Greener Greens of Reigate, selling their bio-dynamically (organic) grown fruit and vegetables; White Lodge Farm (also at Guildford Farmers’ Market) selling their award winning bacon and ham; Noel’s Farm Shop from Sutton Green will offer a range of products and provide meat from Wakeling’s Butchers, and Heidi from Beehaven Flower Farm will be selling her beautiful homegrown flowers. There are still gaps to fill, however, so any small producers out there who would like to get involved, Jane would love to hear from you! Launch date of the Guildford Food Assembly is at the Electric Theatre on 11 October, with online opening on 4 October. essence INFO To join the Guildford or Woking Food Assemblies, simply visit www.thefoodassembly.com, put in your postcode and tick the box for the assembly you wish to join. If you are a new/local producer that would like to sell via the Food Assembly, or have a question, contact Jane Crisp-Daly on 07876 337029 or email: crispdalyjane@gmail.com. Follow the Food Assembly on facebook: www.facebook.com/guildfordfoodassembly Twitter: Guildford&WokingFA Instagram: @gfdandwokingfoodassembly Shirlee Posner is a food writer and blogger at www.eatsurrey.co.uk and provides social media management, web copywriting and food photography.

Shirlee Posner, eatsurrey.co.uk

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 47

Baking | JENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CUPCAKERY

Apple and blackberry bundt Tart blackberries and crisp apples sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with crunchy hazelnuts evoke autumn leaves and home comforts. This cake or bundt can be served warm with a dollop of cream or custard to fully embrace the season. Ingredients 170g unsalted butter 85g soft brown sugar 170g plain flour Two teaspoons baking powder One teaspoon cinnamon Two large eggs One dessert apple, peeled, cored and quartered 100g blackberries Handful of hazelnuts, chopped into pieces One tablespoon demerara sugar Method w Pre-heat oven to 200â °C. w Butter and flour a round cake tin, or use a bundt tin as here, then layer the chopped hazelnuts on the bottom of the tin, along with a tablespoon of demerara sugar. w Cream the butter together with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. w Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then mix in the sieved flour, baking powder and cinnamon.

w Fold in the apple slices and blackberries gently.

w Bake on the middle oven shelf for 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. w Leave for five minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool (try to resist tucking in right away!). w Decorate with some fresh berries and, time permitting, make baked apple crisps by slicing apples thinly, sprinkling with cinnamon and baking on a low heat for about 45 minutes. Alternatively, slice and top the cake with a dollop of cream or custard.

essence INFO

Website: www.jenscupcakery.com Telephone: 07751 553106 Email: mail@jenscupcakery.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/jenscupcakery Twitter: @jenscupcakery

TOP TIP: For an extra crunch to the cake, take some more hazelnuts, toast them in the oven and fold them in to the mix along with the apples and blackberries.

48 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

JEREMY HOUGHTON Contemporary art favouring themes of light, space, transience and change

2016/2017 Artist in Residence for Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing and the Americas Cup

www.jeremyhoughton.co.uk m 07981 655515 info@jeremyhoughton.co.uk

Era defining songs

come to life

LAST NIGHT A DJ SAVED MY LIFE BY STUDIO MOROSS

SUPER FREAK BY JODY BARTON

50 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

It’s Pop It’s Art showcases a series of limited edition, silkscreen typography prints featuring lyrics made famous by iconic musicians. essence found out more.

WHAT’S GOING ON BY JODY BARTON

t’s Pop It’s Art comprises visual cover versions of popular music classics which bring new perspectives in a series of limited edition prints. Inspiration for the art came from top music publisher Sony/ ATV Music Publishing’s collection, which holds some of the most influential songs of the 20th century. The art celebrates the popular connection to songs that shaped a generation. In a world where digital is becoming king, these visual cover-versions open a window on the memories attached to the music. The designs are created by a handful of illustrators who have worked for top fashion designers such as Stussy, celebrated musicians like Florence and The Machine, Disclosure and Beck and global brands such as Ray-Ban, MTV and Vice. Each piece has a limited run of 150 copies, is officially IPIA stamped with a certificate of authenticity, and are priced at £225 (framed) and £150 (unframed) each.

Art | IT’S POP IT’S ART

SON OF A PREACHER MAN BY ALEX MAY HUGHES

GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN BY STUDIO MOROSS

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE BY STUDIO MOROSS

I FOUGHT THE LAW BY ALEX MAY HUGHES

The first collection features nine artworks: ‘Son of A ‘Preacher Man’ (written by John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins); designed by Alex May Hughes. The song was originally offered to Aretha Franklin who rejected it. She reconsidered after hearing Dusty Springfield’s version, releasing her cover of ‘Son of A Preacher Man’ two years afterwards. Dusty’s version became an international hit, making Top 10 in the US and no 9 in the UK in 1968. ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ (written by Robert Hazard); designed by Studio Moross. Feisty, feminist anthem that captured the spirit of the Equal Rights movement. Cyndi Lauper’s breakthrough hit in 1983, it reached no 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a worldwide hit. It is widely recognised as one of the most popular songs of the 1980s. ‘All You Need is Love’ (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney); designed by Studio Moross. This July marked the 50th anniversary of this timeless song. A true ‘flower power’ anthem that captured the spirit of the time, it reached no 1 in nine countries. ‘What’s Going On’ (written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye); designed by Jody Barton. This song altered the face of Motown and showed the world a new possibility of what black popular music could be, capturing the sentiment of disillusionment at the time. Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, did not want to release this ‘protest song’, however, Marvin Gaye famously went on ‘strike’, refusing to record more material until he agreed. It is unquestionably one of Marvin Gaye’s most significant contributions to music. Rolling Stone ranked the record as the fourth Greatest Song of All Time. ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ (written by Michael Cleveland); designed by Studio Moross. A dancefloor classic capturing a unique melting pot moment where house, hip-hop and disco collided. The song has been covered and sampled by countless DJs and artists – from 5ive to Mariah Carey and Madonna. ‘Our House’ (written by Chris Foreman and Cathal Smyth); designed by Alex May Hughes. ‘Our House’ – a signature hit for Camden band Madness – has sold millions of copies around the world, even reaching no 7 on the US Billboard chart, and won an Ivor Novello Award for ‘Best Pop Song’ in 1983.

‘Ace of Spades’ by Motörhead (written by Eddie Clarke, Ian Kilmister and Phil Taylor); designed by Jody Barton. A British rock and roll classic – loud, heart-pounding and aggressive – there is no record that soundtracked the sound of anarchy for a generation quite like ‘Ace of Spades’. NME ranked it in their Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list. ‘I Fought The Law’ (written by Sonny Curtis); designed by Alex May Hughes. A punk rock classic by The Clash released in 1979. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones were inspired after hearing the Bobby Fuller original on a jukebox in a San Francisco studio during the recording of their second album. The Clash’s version – widely regarded as the definitive cover – earned the band their first US airplay. The Observer says: “40 years later, The Clash is still the only band that matters”.

ACE OF SPADES BY JODY BARTON

‘Super Freak’ (written by Rick James and Alonzo Miller); designed by Jody Barton. Hedonistic, risqué and irresistible, ‘Super Freak’ is a potent mix of all that with the heartbeat of Studio 54. Pop Matters says: “As a complete composition or simply a looped sample, ‘Super Freak’ became one of the rare tracks to transcend musical boundaries.”

essence INFO

www.itspopitsart.com

Illustrator profiles Jody Barton is a renowned graphic artist and illustrator from the UK. His distinctive, bold drawings and typography have graced a vast array of projects in music, fashion and design. He has collaborated with Florence and The Machine, Beck, Phoenix, Stussy, New York Times, MTV, Playstation and Greenpeace to name a few. Studio Moross is an award-winning multi-tasking studio that creates art, directs, designs, films and rebrands some of the biggest musicians on the planet. It has created iconic artwork for the likes of One Direction, Disclosure, Wild Beasts, Young Turks, Sam Smith, Vice, TEED, MTV, Ray-Ban and more. Alex May Hughes is a sign painter and glass gilder based in west London. She graduated from The London College of Communication in 2012 where she studied typography, developing her interest in traditional Victorian signage and mirrors. Her work was featured as part of London Fashion Week 2016 in Clio Peppiat’s Autumn/ Winter presentation.

OUR HOUSE BY ALEX MAY HUGHES

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 51

What to consider when instructing an interior designer Pippa Beesley, a construction partner at Mundays LLP, offers advice to readers considering engaging the services of an interior designer.

Pippa Beesley is a construction partner in the Property department at Mundays specialising in non-contentious construction law and can be contacted on 01932 590621 or at pippa.beesley@mundays.co.uk.

n ‘interior designer’ can cover a wide range of activities, including creative art and architecture. For domestic interiors, the interior designer will often work with many different consultants such as architects and engineers to bring together a client’s requirements. The interior designer may advise a client on furniture, fittings, layout, colour schemes and fabric. They may also be involved in preparing cost estimates, obtaining approvals and helping a client design the brief, programme and budget. The profession is quite new and it is not regulated, so anyone can call themselves an interior designer. The British Institute of Interior Design, however, issues the Code of Conduct and Professional Ethics for the compliance of all its members.

The Code states the principles and ethical standards for members of the Institute and includes sections on responsibility to society, the client, other interior designers and colleagues and to the Institute and the interior design profession. When using the services of an interior designer you should agree some form of contract, be it a letter of agreement or a more detailed appointment. This document should set out what has been agreed, providing comfort and security of legal protection for the investment you are making in your home. If properly drafted, it will also give you some protection against spiralling costs and ensure parties are aware of what is expected and when, thus hopefully avoiding disputes. The contract should be in writing and signed by both parties. There is no need for PHOTO COPYRIGHT: DARIA MINAEVA | 123RF.COM

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Legal | MUNDAYS PHOTO COPYRIGHT: OLHA SHTEPA | 123RF.COM

the document to be overly complicated, but it should be clear and it may be a good idea to use numbering and headings. Your interior designer will probably have their own terms and conditions and these should be checked prior to signing to ensure you both clearly understand what the designer is doing, when and for how much. You may need to put in place instructions and drawings to monitor the contract. You should also consider estimated due dates and details of the specific rooms/spaces that are to be included. The appointment may also set out how variations are to be dealt with. The designer will understandably want to be paid more if their scope increases and you need more work done than initially agreed. It might be worth agreeing additional hourly rates at the outset so it is clear how much any additional services could cost. It is also a good idea to include a dispute resolution procedure in order that both parties know how any issues that arise can be solved. The appointment of the designer is, however, only as good as the services or products it describes, so you will need to spend time considering what you want your designer to achieve, what each of you are responsible for, for what price and when payment will be made. Will you be paying for expensive items when the order is placed and will the title in these items pass to you when you have paid a deposit for them, or only when you have paid for them in full? Where will any items that you have paid for be stored? Is a vesting certificate available for more expensive items that you have ordered and paid for but have not yet been delivered? There is a risk if the designer were to go bust prior to completing your project and you have paid for items that have not yet been delivered that these may never be recovered. If you have any concerns about this and how it can be handled, you should instruct a lawyer to advise on how to protect your position.

alters designs as part of their work will be a ‘designer’ under the CDM 2015. A designer’s decision can affect the health and safety of all those involved in the project and therefore they must: w Make sure the client is aware of the client duties under the CDM 2015 w Take account of any pre-construction information provided by the client and principal designer (if there is one) w Eliminate foreseeable health and safety risks w Take steps to reduce or control any risks that cannot be eliminated. w Provide design information to the principal designer (if applicable) for inclusion in the pre-construction information and health and

Statutory obligations

In addition to the above, interior designers may also have to comply with various statutory obligations, for example the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (‘CDM 2015’). A designer who specifies or

safety file; the client and principal contractor to help them comply with their duties. w Communicate, cooperate and coordinate with any other designers so that all designs are compatible and ensure health and safety both during the project and beyond and also with all contractors to take account of their knowledge and experience. You as ‘client’ will also have duties under the CDM 2015, however, the domestic client’s legal duties are normally taken on by the contractor and the designer must work with them as ‘client’. Alternatively, a domestic client can ask the principal designer to take on the client duties, although this must be confirmed in writing. Commercial considerations must also be thought through, for example, the designer’s covenant strength (as briefly touched upon above) and who owns the copyright in the designs? Also ensure the contract contains provisions for any specific materials you require or that are required under your planning permission and that the designer will cooperate with all the other parties involved on your project and the site will be left in a clear and tidy condition after the works are completed. We would always recommend for substantial works you seek legal advice on the documentation to ensure your best interests are protected. v

essence INFO

PHOTO COPYRIGHT: KATARZYNA BIAŁASIEWICZ | 123RF.COM

Mundays LLP Cedar House, 78 Portsmouth Road, Cobham KT11 1AN Telephone: 01932 590500 Website: www.mundays.co.uk

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 53

Page 54 Advert Issue 85_Layout 1 03/10/2017 13:06 Page 1

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54 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

Tax | EVERFAIR TAX

The impact of timing on UK and US tax bills Gillian Everall of Everfair Tax, based in Weybridge, offers advice on the timing and payment of tax bills.

ith the US tax deadline looming, this next quarter represents a very important time for US taxpayers. There are some easy ways to save on tax bills and for people who need to pay both UK and US taxes, not checking when it would be most advantageous to pay could prove to be costly. Firstly, for US citizens living outside the US, the absolute final deadline for filing US tax returns for the 2016 calendar year is 15 December 2017. However, this is only possible if a request for a further extension of time to file is made by 15 October. So, if you cannot complete your return by the previous deadline extension of 15 October, it is essential to make the request for the further extension and to ensure it is done in time. You should then consider your timings for the payment of UK taxes in order to ensure that you maximise your ability to claim foreign tax credits. These are frequently only available in connection with taxes paid during the calendar year, so make sure the foreign tax credits line up and consider paying your UK tax bill one month early and before the end of December. Should you have a particularly large transaction that takes place in a calendar year, you can also pay any UK tax which would be due then, rather than 13 months later. This will then avoid having to alter your US returns at a later date when the UK tax is finally paid.

Finally, look at the timings of any specific transactions you may be considering and any other steps you may want to take before the end of the calendar year. It’s worth seeking advice to check if there is any tax benefit from making the intended transaction in the current tax year, or delaying to a later point. And you may have unused allowances such as pension contributions and gift allowances, or you may want to realise any capital losses you have to offset capital gains that have already been made. So, as you can see, by carefully considering specific circumstances before the end of the year, you can identify easy ways of saving tax. We at Everfair Tax are always happy to help with information or advice, so please feel free to give us a call or visit our website www.everfairtax.co.uk.

essence INFO

Gillian Everall is Managing Director and Head of Private Client Tax Services for Everfair Tax based in Weybridge. Everfair Tax specialises in UK, US and Expatriate Tax and provides a unique tax advisory and compliance service to help manage personal or international complexities and the changing of family or business circumstances. Telephone: 01932 428536 Email: gillian@everfairtax.co.uk Website: www.everfairtax.co.uk

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 55

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Education | DOWNSEND SCHOOL

An individual approach to learning Clare Kirkham, Head of Lower School, Downsend School, shares her thoughts on how Downsend helps children flourish.

s I begin my third term at Downsend School, I continue to be excited about all that this wonderful school has to offer its children. Its academic results – 100% Common Entrance Success in 2016 and 2017 and 56 Senior School Scholarships awarded in 2017 – are testament to the success of the collective, holistic and creative approach which Downsend has championed for so many years. As a relative newcomer, it is the ethos of the school which continues to resonate with my own philosophy. Every child is rightly recognised as an individual, capable of flourishing if the right conditions are provided and the right teaching methods employed. Our classrooms are dynamic places of learning, spaces in which children are excited to be, excited to learn. Our curriculum does what our mission statement professes to do, genuinely inspiring young minds. Young children have an enormous desire to learn, to gain knowledge, to acquire skills and enjoy new experiences. We maintain this natural enthusiasm through our innovative and responsive teaching and where a child is struggling, we find a new way to help them succeed. Downsend’s ethos places the individual pupil at the very heart of its approach, where individual learning profiles are more than just pieces of paper, and serve to inform all the work undertaken. Of course, great pastoral support alone is not enough to ensure success, nor ensure growth through opportunity. Great facilities are also vital. Here, Downsend continues to excel with the sporting, music, technology and art facilities normally associated with those a Senior school. There is also an amazing array of after school activities and clubs designed to help our children find new interests and develop new talents. As Head of Lower School, I always look forward to our new intake of Year 2 and 3 pupils. Coming to a

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new school is always a little daunting, but I know the children will soon feel very settled and comfortable because Downsend goes above and beyond to ensure that this is the case. And not just for the pupils, but for the many parents understandably anxious about the change and eager to see their children happy and working well as soon as possible. As a parent of two young children myself, I recognise that effective communication between home and school is vital, and it has been lovely to meet so many wonderfully supportive parents of the remarkable children at Downsend. After all, a school is its community far more so than it is its buildings.  essence INFO If you’d like to attend one of our Open Events or arrange a Personal Tour, please contact our Registrar, Sarah Concanon, on 01372 372 311 who will be pleased to help. Website: www.downsend.co.uk

There’s no such thing as the average child At Downsend we nurture young minds with an individualised approach to learning. No two children are the same. Which is why we create interactive learning experiences that develop each child’s natural talents, and set them on their own path of academic discovery. A busy and active school, we also inspire children to explore new skills beyond the classroom through our extensive extra-curricular activities.

Open Events Prep School Friday 17 November 9:15 am - 12 noon (Headmaster’s Talk at 9:30 am)

Pre-Preps Thursday 16 November

•

9:30 am - 11:30 am Leatherhead

• 100% Common Entrance Success in 2017 with 87% A*-B

•

T: 01372 372311

Ashtead

•

Epsom

An independent prep school for boys and girls aged 2-13

• 188 Senior School scholarships awarded since 2014, 56 in 2017

Tours available year round

•

www.downsend.co.uk

Enjoy an

OSCAR WILDE play and dine at the

SAVOY GRILL

A WOMAN EVE BEST

Classic Spring is a new theatre company formed by Dominic Dromgoole (former artistic director of the Globe Theatre) to celebrate the work of proscenium playwrights.

IMPORTANCE

STARRING

with a cocktail for £72.50* – saving over £30.

A Woman of No Importance is directed by Dominic Dromgoole and stars Olivier Award-winning Eve Best, Anne Reid, Eleanor Bron and William Gaunt. An earnest young American woman, a louche English lord and an innocent young chap join a house party of fin de siècle fools and grotesques. Nearby a woman lives, cradling a long buried secret. Wilde’s marriage of glittering wit and Ibsenite drama create a vivid new theatrical voice. For Lady Windermere’s Fan, award-winning director Kathy Burke (The Quare Fellow and Once a Catholic) has brought together a talented comedic cast including Samantha Spiro and Kevin Bishop, with Jennifer Saunders guest starring as the Duchess of Berwick, marking her return to the West End stage. The day of Lady Windermere’s birthday party, and all is perfectly in order. Until her friend Lord Darlington plants a seed of suspicion. Is her husband having an affair? And will the other woman really attend the party? One of London’s most iconic restaurants, the Savoy Grill has been restored to its former glory with an elegant 1920s’ interior. It serves a modern menu of classic British and French dishes befitting the iconic and historic dining room.

OF NO ANNE REID &

DIRECTED BY

DOMINIC DROMGOOLE

LADY SPIRO BISHOP

SAMANTHA KEVIN

WINDERMERE’S JENNIFER

FAN SAUNDERS DIRECTED BY

KATHY BURKE

This £72.50 package includes a Band A ticket to see A Woman of No Importance or Lady Windermere’s Fan and a two-course meal from a set menu with a cocktail at the Savoy Grill, valid for Monday to Friday evenings and Thursday matinees.

essence INFO

To book, call 0330 333 4814 or visit ClassicSpring.co.uk and enter promo code OscarSavoy when prompted. *Please note, from 1 November to 22 December a £3 supplement applies and the Festive Set Menu will be served at the Savoy Grill. Terms and conditions: Package is valid pre or post-show for Monday to Friday evening performances at 7.30pm and post-show for Thursday matinees at 2.30pm from 6 October to 22 December 2017 for A Woman Of No Importance and 12 January to 6 April 2018 for Lady Windermere’s Fan at the Vaudeville Theatre, subject to availability. It includes a Band A ticket and two-course meal from a set menu and cocktail at the Savoy Grill and includes service charge. Restaurant booking times are 5pm to 6.30pm post-matinee and pre-evening, and 9.30pm to 10.30pm for a post-evening performance. Guests should ideally be seated by 6.15pm post-matinee and pre-evening, and by 10.15pm post-evening performance. No cash alternative available. Alcohol for over 18s only, soft drink alternative available. Tables must be reserved by the customer directly with the restaurant by calling 020 7592 1600 before the date attending.

essence

reader offer 60 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

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Polesden Lacey PHOTO COPYRIGHT: NATIONAL TRUST / EDDIE HYDE

NATIONAL TRUST

reveals top five autumn colour walks in Surrey and West Sussex At this time of year, there is a palette of incredible colour waiting to be discovered across breathtaking landscapes in Surrey and West Sussex. Discover woodlands of golden leaves, bronze skylines and plentiful harvests along the Trust’s top five walks across the counties.

ith hundreds of walks available to download from the National Trust’s website, there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors and connect with nature. From bracing hikes over windswept coastlines to gentle woodland walks with a view, there are trails to suit all tastes. All over the country, the National Trust is encouraging everyone to explore and share their experiences of the many special places the conservation charity looks after.

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With the generous support of members, supporters and volunteer teams at Trust properties, the National Trust looks after some of the country’s most beautiful places. It plans to spend £1 billion over the next ten years on essential conservation work – helping to make the countryside healthy, beautiful and rich in wildlife. Choose from the National Trust’s top five most colourful walks in Surrey and West Sussex to inspire this autumn:

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National Trust | WALKS

About the National Trust

1. Waymarked trails at Winkworth Arboretum Distance: A variety of waymarked paths for all abilities Difficulty: Easy Plan the walk: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winkwortharboretum/features/autumn-colour-at-winkworth-arboretum When autumn arrives, Winkworth Arboretum bursts into colour: its yellows, oranges and reds painting a breathtaking picture across the landscape. For the best views, follow the signposted trails and seek out viewpoints on the edge of the Magnolia Wood, the top of the Azalea Steps, the lakeside boathouse and the eastern Meadow. Autumn colour is early this year and the acers are already turning at Winkworth Arboretum, making for beautiful, tranquil displays of autumn colour. 2. Polesden Lacey to Denbies Hillside Distance: 5 miles (8 kilometres) Difficulty: Moderate Download the walk: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesdenlacey/trails/polesden-lacey-to-denbies-hillside-ramble This is a circular route starting and ending at Polesden Lacey and exploring the opposite hillside which looks so picturesque from the house. Walk along rough tracks across Ranmore Common to Denbies Hillside. Travel through some golden ancient woodland and enjoy stunning views. 3. Petworth Distance: 4 miles (6.4 kilometres) Difficulty: Moderate Download the walk: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house-andpark/trails/petworth-house-and-park-ancient-trees-walk With 700 acres to explore, there are endless opportunities for walking at Petworth. In autumn, enjoy the striking russet and gold of leaves from ancient and veteran trees and hear the crunch of leaves underfoot on one of these downloadable walks. Petworth Park is dotted with several ancient trees that have stood proudly in the park, some for over 1,000 years. In autumn they come to life with bold colours of russet and gold as the leaves fall from the trees. Follow the downloadable ‘Ancient Tree Walks trail’ to find the most remarkable veteran trees at Petworth. From October and November another colourful scene to encounter is the deer rut where it is possible to see the males in Petworth’s herd of fallow deer compete for a mate.

The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people who saw the importance of the nation’s heritage and open spaces, and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy. More than 120 years later, these values are still at the heart of everything the charity does. Entirely independent of government, the National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 775 miles of coastline and hundreds of special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. More than 20 million people visit every year, and together with 4.5 million members and over 62,000 volunteers, they help to support the charity in its work to care for special places forever, for everyone.

severe at Nymans, but the storm became a chance to re-evaluate the way the Trust works in the outdoors. This downloadable trail takes visitors through the woodland at Nymans where there are still signs of the Great Storm. 5. Leith Hill woodland walk Distance: 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) Difficulty: Easy Download the walk: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leith-hill/trails/leithhill-woodland-walk Enjoy an exhilarating autumn walk across Leith Hill, which has been a popular picnic spot since the nineteenth century. See the oaks, beeches and sweet chestnut trees turn on Leith Hill and the views from the top. Take in panoramic views from Leith Hill tower and discover the countryside surrounding composer Ralph Vaughan Williams’ former childhood home. The woods are a mass of colour in spring and summer, and are equally stunning in autumn as leaves on the trees change colour. An exhibition this autumn at Leith Hill explores the stories of the Great Storm, 30 years ago, with photography and personal accounts.  essence INFO For the latest news and updates on autumn colour hotspots and downloadable walking trails across Surrey and West Sussex, visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/surrey or www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sussex Winkworth Arboretum PHOTO COPYRIGHT: NATIONAL TRUST / ANDREW BUTLER

4. Great Storm walk at Nymans Distance: 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometres) Difficulty: Moderate Download the walk: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans This October marks thirty years since the Great Storm flattened hundreds of thousands of trees across National Trust woodland. The losses were

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 63

Iceland

Eat London3

Photographer Massimo Lupidi’s new photo book about Iceland, with an essay by ‘First Lady’ Eliza Reid and poems by Sigurbjörg Þrastardóttir, represents years of work. Taking shots from the ground and the air, this is a new collection of stunning photographs presented in a stylish, hardback, coffee table book. The vast expanses of Iceland, a place that refuses to be pinned down or labelled, always remain something fabulously beyond our wildest imaginings: natural wonders forged by fire and tempered by ice. The horizon seems endless, the waterfalls gigantic. Amazing rock formations created by recent lava flows challenge the imagination, evoking the kind of moods normally the sole preserve of dreams. By literally changing the point of view, Massimo also changes the scope of our understanding and perception of the environment around us of this living land, of this world apart. From the ground, the eternal interplay of colour and light of this ever-changing, remote land provides an inexhaustible source of artistic creation. This book explores the relationship of the land with the ocean surrounding it, as a way of opening our eyes to a new way of seeing the familiar.

Discover more than 300 restaurants, cafés, markets and artisan stores in one of the world’s most exciting food capitals, and enjoy more than 40 recipes from London’s top chefs, in this expert’s guide to London, curated by Terence Conran and Peter Prescott. London is a city brimful of culinary possibilities, from lively markets to Michelin-starred restaurants, and Eat London3 showcases the best it has to offer. This book is a completely revised and updated edition, with entries highlighting the very best food stops not to be missed on a tour of London. Much more than a restaurant guide, it’s a book all about food and the people who make, sell and care about it. From the best fish and chip shops of east London to haute cuisine and artisan food stores in Mayfair, every entry has been assessed for quality, originality, convivial ambience and consistency. Also featured are recipes from some of the capital’s favourite restaurants, including A. Wong, Duck & Waffle, The Palomar and Morito. Special photography by Lisa Linder illustrates the food and everyday street life of the city and completes this invaluable book.

Visions of Earth

By Massio Lupidi RRP: €29.90/$20 (save 20% online)   128 pages • Hardback landscape ISBN: 9788868605865 Published by Sassi Editore www.massimolupidi.com/books, www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/

64 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017

All about food

By Peter Prescott and Terence Conran RRP: £25.00 304 pages • Paperback ISBN: 9781840917468 Published by Conran Octopus www.octopusbooks.co.uk

What Happened For the first time, Hillary Clinton reveals what she was thinking and feeling during one of the most controversial and unpredictable US presidential elections in history. Now free from the constraints of running, she takes readers inside the intense personal experience of becoming the first woman nominated for US president by a major party in an election marked by rage, sexism, exhilarating highs and infuriating lows, stranger-than-fiction twists, Russian interference and an opponent who broke all the rules. In these pages, she describes what it was like to run against Donald Trump, the mistakes she made, how she has coped with a shocking and devastating loss, and how she found the strength to pick herself up afterwards. With humour and candour, she tells readers what it took to get back on her feet – the rituals, relationships and reading that got her through, and what the experience has taught her about life. The election of 2016 was unprecedented and historic. What Happened is the story of that campaign and its aftermath: both a deeply intimate account and a cautionary tale. By Hilary Rodham Clinton RRP: £20.00 512 pages • Hardback ISBN: 9781471166945 Published by Simon & Schuster Limited www.simonandschuster.co.uk

Till Time’s Last Sand

A History of the Bank of England 1694–2013 So Adam Smith declared of the Bank of England as long ago as 1776. The Bank is now over 320 years old, and throughout almost all that time it has been central to British history. Yet, to most people, despite its increasingly high profile, the Bank’s history is largely unknown. Till Time’s Last Sand by David Kynaston is the first authoritative and accessible single-volume history of the Bank of England, opening with its founding in 1694 in the midst of the English financial revolution and closing in 2013 with Mark Carney succeeding Mervyn King as Governor. This is a history that fully addresses the important debates over the years about the Bank’s purpose and modes of operation, and that covers such aspects as monetary and exchange-rate policies and relations with government, the City and other central banks. Yet this is also a narrative that does full justice to the leading episodes and characters of the Bank, while taking care to evoke a real sense of the place itself, with its often distinctively domestic side. Deploying an array of piquant and revealing material from the Bank’s rich archives, Till Time’s Last Sand is a multi-layered and insightful portrait of one of our most important national institutions, from one of our leading historians. By David Kynaston RRP: £30.00 896 pages • Hardback ISBN: 9780349139890 Published by Bloomsbury Publishing plc www.bloomsbury.com

Literature | REVIEW

The Silent Companions Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling gothic ghost story to send a shiver down the spine... Newly married, newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s crumbling country estate, The Bridge. With her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. For inside her new home lies a locked room, and beyond that door lies a two-hundred-year-old diary and a deeply unsettling painted wooden figure – a Silent Companion – that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself... By Laura Purcell RRP: £12.99 384 pages • Hardback ISBN: 9781408888094 Published by Raven Books www.bloomsbury.com

Modern Scandinavian Design Modern Scandinavian Design by Magnus Englund and Peter & Charlotte Fiell, published by Laurence King in October 2017, is a lavishly illustrated complete guide to Scandinavian design from the early twentieth century to the present. Designers from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland have long pursued the shared goal of social equality through design, believing that well-designed everyday goods not only enhance daily life, but should also be the birthright of all. Modern Scandinavian Design is the ultimate guide to the distinctive design tradition arising out of these five Nordic countries since 1925. Bestselling design authors Charlotte and Peter Fiell have extensively researched all aspects of the aesthetic, along with contributions from Magnus Englund of Skandium. With sections on architecture, furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics, metalwork, woodenware, plastics, textiles, jewellery and graphic design, this will be an indispensable resource for any design enthusiast, collector or casual reader seeking inspiration for their home. By Magnus Englund, Peter Fiell and Charlotte Fiell RRP: £60.00 592 pages • Hardback ISBN: 9781786270528 Published by Laurence King Publishing www.laurenceking.com

Bystander

Seven Dead

In Bystander, iconic photographer Joel Meyerowitz and leading photography expert Colin Westerbeck explore the development of one of the most interesting and dynamic of photographic genres, street photography. Hailed as a landmark work when it was first published in 1994, this brand new and fully revised version of a book that has come to be known as the ‘bible’ of street photography covers an incredible array of work. From the unknowns of the late nineteenth century to the acknowledged masters of the twentieth, such as Atget, Stieglitz, Strand, Cartier-Bresson, Brassai, Kertesz, Frank, Arbus, Winogrand and Levitt to name a few. In Bystander, the story of street photography is brought up to present day with a complete re-evaluation of historical material as well as the inclusion of contemporary photographers and a new and exclusive discussion of the ongoing rise of digital photography.

Ted Lyte, amateur thief, has chosen an isolated house by the coast for his first robbery. But Haven House is no ordinary country home. While hunting for silverware to steal, Ted stumbles upon a locked room containing seven dead bodies, six men, one woman, within the shuttered space. Detective Inspector Kendall takes on the case with the help of passing yachtsman Thomas Hazeldean. The search for the house’s absent owners brings Hazeldean across the Channel to Boulogne, where he finds more than one motive to stay and investigate. Seven Dead is an atmospheric crime novel first published in 1939 from the author of the brilliantly compelling Mystery in White and The Z Murders.

A History of Street Photography

British Library Crime Classics

By J. Jefferson Farjeon RRP: £8.99 288 pages • Paperback ISBN: 9780712356886 Published by The British Library Publishing Division www.bl.uk

By Joel Meyerowitz and Colin Westerbeck RRP: £45.00 400 pages • Hardback ISBN: 9781786270665 Published by Laurence King Publishing www.laurenceking.com

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essence events

spotlight on... The Lightbox Photographic Open The Lightbox Gallery and Museum, Woking Saturday 14 October to Sunday 7 January 2018 Photographers of all ages and abilities across the United Kingdom have submitted work to The Lightbox Photographic Open competition, with winning and shortlisted entries exhibited at the Gallery between October and January 2018. To celebrate The Lightbox’s ten year anniversary in 2017, this year entries were invited on the theme of ‘Celebration and Anniversary’, with prizes on offer for Best in Show, a Young Photographer’s Prize (13 to 17 years) and The People’s Prize. Judges will announce winners for Best in Show and Young Photographer on Thursday 19 October, while visitors to the Gallery have the opportunity to vote for their favourite entry, The People’s Prize, to be announced when the exhibition closes. The image, right, is Untitled by Amanda Whittle, and reproduced courtesy of the artist.

Information: thelightbox.org.uk

Richmond Theatre Richmond

New Wimbledon Theatre Wimbledon Sunday 15 October One Night of Queen Gary Mullen and The Works perform.

Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 October Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat Joe McElderry stars. Monday 16 to Saturday 21 October How The Other Half Loves Ayckbourn’s tale of marital mishap. Monday 23 to Saturday 28 October Duet for One Belinda Lang and Oliver Cotton star. Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 November Awful Auntie Based on David Walliams’ tale.

Tickets: atgtickets.com/wimbledon

Tickets: atgtickets.com/richmond

Thursday 12 October White Feather Boxer The story of a boxer who was also a Quaker, set in 1967 as Muhammad Ali refuses to fight in Vietnam...

New Victoria Theatre Woking Monday 9 to Saturday 14 October Legally Blonde Musical starring Lucie Jones. Sunday 29 October Milton Jones Is Out There Popular comedian on tour. Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 November Glyndebourne Opera World-class performances of Così fan tutte and Il Barbiere Di Siviglia. Tickets: atgtickets.com/woking

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Dorking Halls Dorking Friday 10 November Saba Douglas Hamilton: A Life With Elephants Elephant conservationist Saba hosts an evening of tales of life in Kenya. Tickets: dorkinghalls.co.uk

Epsom Playhouse Epsom

Tickets: epsomplayhouse.co.uk

Farnham Maltings Farnham Monday 16 October The Tempest by Bilimankhwe Arts African choreography and music from Malawi in collaboration with Damon Albarn’s Africa Express. Tickets: farnhammaltings.com

Untitled by Amanda Whittle, courtesy of the artist

theatre

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essence events G Live

music

Guildford Thursday 19 October Stand By Me: featuring the songs of Ben E King and The Drifters The musical history of one of the biggest selling bands of all time featuring more than 50 hits.

Boileroom Guildford Throughout the year A creative community hub for music, the arts and events. Information: theboileroom.net

Tickets: glive.co.uk

Epworth Choir Guildford Shakespeare Company The Spiegeltent, Challengers’ Field, Stoke Park, Guildford Friday 13 October to Sunday 5 November The Legend of King Arthur A new stage play, written for GSC, telling the story of the ‘once and future king’ Arthur Pendragon, set within the unique antique Spiegeltent from Belgium. Tickets: guildford-shakespearecompany.co.uk

St Dunstan’s Church, Woking Saturday 21 October, 7.45pm The French Touch Concert in support of Quest (riding for the disabled) with music by Fauré, Saint-Saëns, Franck and Vierne. Tickets: epworthchoir.org

Farnham Maltings Farnham Friday 3 November, 8pm Beverley Craven in concert Timeless singer currently on major tour of the UK.

Laurence Fox in The Real Thing, Rose Theatre

Tickets: farnhammaltings.com

High Street, Kingston

G Live

To Saturday 14 October The Real Thing Laurence Fox stars in this Tom Stoppard play examining infidelity. Tuesday 17 to Sunday 22 October Around the World in Eighty Days Imaginative retelling of the classic tale with a cast of eight playing over 125 characters. Tuesday 7 to Saturday 18 November Rules for Living A family gathers for a Christmas dinner in this darkly funny play.

Guildford Thursday 12 October, 7.30pm Richard Thompson Songwriter and guitar virtuoso. Tuesday 24 October, 7.30pm St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra Renowned Russian orchestra joined by pianist Peter Donohoe. Tickets: glive.co.uk

Guildford Choral Guildford Cathedral

Tickets: rosetheatrekingston.org

Saturday 4 November, 7.30pm Haydn: The Creation Performance of Haydn’s oratorio.

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Tickets: guildfordchoral.org

Photo copyright: Milton Jones 2017

Rose Theatre

Milton Jones, New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Guildford

Southern Pro Musica

Monday 16 to Saturday 21 October The Wipers Times Ian Hislop’s and Nick Newman’s tale of the satirical newspaper created in the mayhem of the Somme. Monday 23 to Saturday 28 October How the Other Half Loves Ayckbourn’s tale of marital mishap. Tuesday 31 October to Saturday 4 November Around the World in 80 Days See event listing above under Rose Theatre.

Saturday 14 October, 7.30pm Performances of works by Dvorak, Kodaly and Zelenka.

Tickets: yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Tickets: occamsingers.co.uk

Sunday 22 October, 7.30pm Great Classics With works by Mozart and Weber. Tickets: southernpromusica.org

The Occam Singers Holy Trinity Church, Guildford

Photo copyright: Craven Songs & Music

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

68 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017 Beverley Craven, Farnham Maltings

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spotlight on... Wisley Taste of Autumn Festival RHS Garden Wisley, Woking

Photo copyright: RHS Garden Wisley

Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 October A welcome return for this wonderful festival, back by popular demand. Celebrate the very best of autumn’s harvest and colour with quality food and drink stalls bursting with tasty titbits. There is a huge choice with meat pies and spicy sauces, homemade sausages, cheeses, breads, puddings, sweets, ales and cordials. This year the seasonal displays of pumpkins, squashes and gourds grown at Wisley can be bought every day from 1 to 4pm, so why not pick up a seasonal recipe or two to try at home? In addition, the Wisley orchard hosts a family-friendly exhibition exploring the world of apples and answering many questions about this most versatile of fruits, along with images of some artworks from the RHS Library collections. See website below for a 10% discount on tickets or travel by public transport to save 25% on an adult ticket.

Tickets: rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

festivals festival of crafts Farnham Maltings Saturday 28 to Sunday 29 October Now in its 21st year, a festival celebrating contemporary crafts with over 70 leading makers.

TransportFest

Friends of Guildford House.

Remembering Rhinos

London Bus Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge

Information: guildford.gov.uk/

La Galleria, London

guildfordhouse

Friday 6 to Sunday 29 October The Great Storm: 30 years on A display of images showing how the trees of Leith Hill have recovered.

Monday 30 October to Saturday 11 November A follow-up to the Remembering Elephants book and exhibition. Remembering Rhinos will feature images donated by the world’s top wildlife photographers and monies raised will support Born Free’s rhino protection work.

Sunday 22 October A great day out for enthusiasts and families alike, with horse bus rides, bus excursions, Punch & Judy, transport stalls and lots more. Tickets: londonbusmuseum.com

Tickets: farnhammaltings.com

Leith Hill Place National Trust near Dorking

Guildford Book Festival

Wisley Taste of Autumn Festival

Information: nationaltrust.org.uk/

Information: bornfree.org.uk and

Various locations

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking

leith-hill-place

rememberingwildlife.com

Sunday 8 to Sunday 15 October Surrey’s largest literary festival, in its 28th year, with more than 50 speakers including John Simpson, Nigella Lawson and A N Wilson.

Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 October See Spotlight above.

McAllister Thomas

New Ashgate Gallery

Tickets: rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

Godalming

Farnham

Saturday 14 to Tuesday 31 October David Atkins: Rivers, Rocks & Mountains A body of Italian work by renowned landscape painter, David Atkins.

To Saturday 11 November Autumn Craft Collection A range of ceramics, sculpture, jewellery, glass and textiles. To Saturday 11 November Surrey Artist of the Year Competition 2017 The public are invited to vote for their favourite artist in a partnership with Surrey Artists Open Studios.

Tickets: guildfordbookfestival.co.uk

Guildford Jazz Festival Various locations Friday 20 to Sunday 22 October A three-day event showcasing the best UK and international talent. Tickets: guildfordjazzfestival.co.uk

exhibitions Epsom and Ewell Art Group

mcallisterthomasfineart.co.uk

Monday 16 to Saturday 28 October Autumn exhibition See the latest works from local artists.

Museum of Farnham

Information:

Surrey Oktoberfest 2017

epsomandewellartgroup.co.uk

Redhill Memorial Park Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 October Experience authentic Bavarian Oktoberfest atmosphere with live Tyrolean music and beer. Tickets: surrey-oktoberfest.co.uk

Information:

Bourne Hall, Epsom

Guildford House Gallery Guildford To Thursday 26 October My Taste of Art An exhibition selected with the

West Street, Farnham To Saturday 20 January 2018 Resonance A hands-on exhibition exploring the multitudinous world of sound, from gramophones to radios and violins to trumpets.

Information: newashgate.org.uk

Surrey Sculpture Society Landmark Arts Centre, Teddington

Information: farnhammaltings.com/

Friday 3 to Sunday 5 November A range of sculptures on display.

museum

Information: surreysculpture.org.uk

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essence events

cinemas Cranleigh Arts Centre 01483 278000 or cranleighartscentre.org Farnham Maltings 01252 745444 or farnhammaltings.com Odeon Esher 0871 2244007 or odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s89/esher Odeon Epsom 0871 2244007 or odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s88/epsom Odeon Guildford 0871 2244007 or odeon.co.uk/fanatic/film_times/s92/guildford The Screen Walton 01932 252825 or screencinemas.co.uk The Ambassadors Cinema, Woking 0844 871 6743 or ambassadortickets.com/cinema

The Lightbox Gallery and Museum Woking To Sunday 5 November Face to Face: The figurative sculpture of Sean Henry Artwork from the Woking sculptor made over the last 15 years. Saturday 14 October to Sunday 7 January 2018 The Lightbox Photographic Open See main Spotlight feature on page 66. Tuesday 17 to Sunday 22 October Woking Art Society A showcase of members’ artworks.

national trust National Trust properties offer perfect venues to explore. We list a few here, but visit nationaltrust.org.uk for more. See also essence’s feature on National Trust walks on page 62.

Claremont Landscape Garden Esher

Information: thelightbox.org.uk

Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 October Gothic Hallowe’en Children in fancy dress admitted free.

Watts Gallery

Information: 01372 467806

Compton, Guildford To Sunday 5 November Monumental Murals A showcase of G F Watts’s ambitious mural projects. To Sunday 26 November G F Watts: England’s Michelangelo A showcase of the artist’s most important works. To Sunday 5 November A Life in Art: G F Watts 1817–1904 An introduction to the artist. Saturday 28 October, 4–9pm Museums at Night: Cosmos Discover the wonder of the galaxy that inspired G F Watts in a cosmos-themed late night opening. Visit the planetarium, create glowin-the-dark paintings and hear astrophysicists talk about Watts’s Sower of the Systems painting. Information: wattsgallery.org.uk

Remembering Rhinos by Margot Raggett, La Galleria, London

Hatchlands Park

Spring Morning by a Mountain River, 90x130cm, David Atkins: Rivers, Rocks & Mountains, McAllister Thomas Fine Art

East Clandon Monday 23 to Sunday 29 October

Half term trail A fun autumn trail. Information: 01483 222482

Leith Hill Place near Dorking Tuesday 24 October

Spooky books, crafts and storytelling The Trust and ‘Into the Wild’ host a hallowe’en themed day. Information: 01306 711685

Polesden Lacey Great Bookham, near Dorking To Thursday 30 November

Beer to Champagne: the rise of a sparkling socialite

70 essence-magazine.co.uk | OCTOBER 2017 G F Watts OM RA (1817–1904), The Sower of the Systems, 1902, Art Gallery of Ontario, Watts Gallery

Celebrating Maggie Greville’s rise from humble beginnings to socialite. Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 October

Hallowe’en half term trail Wizard of Oz themed trail. Information: 01372 452048

Winkworth Arboretum Godalming Saturday 21 to Sunday 29 October

Happy Hallowe’en Spooky trail available every day. Information: 01483 208477 nationaltrust.org.uk

out & about Birdworld

Firework displays Throughout Surrey Various dates See fireworks at the following local venues: Bramley: 4 November Brockham: 4 November Chiddingfold: 4 November Epsom: 4 November Farnham:4 November Godalming: 3 November Hascombe: 3 November Haslemere: 4 November Horley: 4 November Guildford: 4 November Mytchett: 5 November Ripley: 28 October Sunbury-on-Thames: 4 November Weybridge: 5 November Woking: 4 November

Holt Pound, Farnham

Haslemere Museum

Hallowe’en Activity Week

Haslemere

Discover a unique hallowe’en grotto.

Friday 27 October

Tickets: birdworld.co.uk

Haunted Hallowe’en

Brooklands Museum

Dress up in a scary costume and visit the Museum for spooky fun. Saturday 4 November

Rural Life Centre

The Holly Lodge Centre

Tilford

King’s House School, Richmond

Sunday 29 October All Hallows Eve Jump on the ghost train for an evening of activities and stories.

Friday 20 October, 7.30pm

Quiz Night Hosted by Adrian Mills, a quiz night in aid of the Centre, a special place for learning. Tickets: thehollylodgecentre.org.uk

Surrey Industrial History Group Education Centre, alongside Guildford Cathedral

Theme Parks Various locations Open until November Legoland at Windsor has its Brick or Treat event from 14 to 30 October, with firework spectaculars on 21, 22, 27 and 28 October. Chessington World of Adventures is offering its Howl’O’Ween between 20 to 31 October and Thorpe Park at Chertsey is running its Fright Nights.

Information:

Tuesday 10 October, 7.30pm An annual series of meetings starts with a talk by Dr Bryan Lawton entitled ‘The R101 Airship Disaster and the Broken Elevator Cable’.

haslemeremuseum.co.uk

Tickets: sihg.org.uk

Mane Chance Sanctuary

Surrey Wildlife Trust

Compton

Nower Wood Educational Nature Reserve, Leatherhead

Tickets: merlinentertainments.biz

Friday 13 October, 7.30pm

Fundraising bingo night

Thursday 12 October, 10am–3pm

WWF Living Planet Centre

A fun bingo night open to all to raise funds for this terrific equine welfare organisation.

Badger ecology

Woking

Spend a day in the fascinating world of badgers, visit a sett and discuss the many threats they face.

Monday 23 to Friday 27 October

Firework and bonfire evening

Sunday 8 October Autumn Motorsport Day Competition cars at close quarters. Sunday 15 October Brooklands Aviation Day Lots of aviation-themed family activities throughout the day. Monday 23 to Friday 27 October Half term family activities Lots on offer including car rides, tours of Concorde and Bertie the Brooklands Bear. Tickets: brooklandsmuseum.com

Tickets: manechancesanctuary.org

Celebrate Bonfire Night in style.

Cranleigh Arts Centre

Painshill Park

High Street, Cranleigh

Portsmouth Road, Cobham

Saturday 21 October

Monday 23 to Friday 27 October

The Big Draw Drop In workshop

Wild Hallowe’en Camp

In conjunction with The Big Draw Festival, a workshop for families.

Spooky-themed activities including trick-or-treasure hunts, den building and woodland crafts.

Information: cranleighartscentre.org

Badger ecology, Surrey Wildlife Trust

Tickets: rural-life.org.uk

Monday 23 to Friday 27 October

Weybridge

Photo copyright: Jon Hawkins/Surrey Wildlife Trust

October 17 events_Layout 1 01/10/2017 13:42 Page 7

Tickets: painshill.co.uk

Esher Hall Antiques & Fine Art Fair

Ramster Garden

Sandown Park Racecourse

Chiddingfold

Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October Antique sculpture, paintings, photography, furniture, lighting, jewellery and more.

Saturday 14 to Sunday 29 October A special opening as the Garden shows off its spectacular display of autumn colour.

Information: esherhallfair.com

Tickets: ramsterevents.com

Wear It Wild during half term

Information: surreywildlifetrust.org/

Take a walk on the wild side at the Centre this half term.

events

Information: wearitwild.wwf.org.uk

farmers’ markets Camberley Saturday 21 October, 10am–3pm Cranleigh Every Friday, 9.30–11am Epsom Sunday 1 October and 5 November, 9.30am–1.30pm Farnham Sunday 22 October, 10am–1.30pm Guildford Tuesday 3 October and 7 November, 10.30am–3.30pm Haslemere Sunday 1 October and 5 November, 10am–1.30pm Milford Sunday 15 October, 10am–1.30pm Ripley Saturday 14 October and 11 November, 9am–1pm Walton-on-Thames Saturday 7 October and 4 November, 9.30am–2pm Woking Thursday 5 October and 2 November, 9am–2pm

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In thepink

Normann Copenhagen mirror PHOTO COPYRIGHT: NORMANN COPENHAGEN

Bubblegum pink is the latest colour trend bursting onto the interiors scene. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying pink has been one of the most popular hues of the last few years. Emily Bird takes a peek.

Reminiscent of vibrant sunsets, the colour has a feel-good rom the first hint of pink when blush hit the scene at the end of last year, to the culturally charged Millennial factor which makes it ideal for fun, colour, pop accessories Pink, it’s arguable that pink has been firmly in the public rather than an entire home makeover. This year has certainly been the year of conscious ever since Pantone named Rose Sunnylife flamingo candle in fuchsia the tropical print, from flamingos to Quartz as one of its dual Colours of Year in pineapples and where tropical prints are December 2015. found, Bubblegum Pink is rarely far behind. A distinctly grown-up version of the Adding a pop art edge wherever placed, pinks in the past, each new ‘in’ shade was at the colour can be utilised in easily updated the subtler end of the pink spectrum, but now items such as soft furnishings, lamps there’s a new hot hue, a more carefree and and ornaments. fun update for the end of the season – However, for those looking for a more Bubblegum Pink. permanent tribute to the sunny shade, This is Millennial Pink’s slightly crazier wallpaper and furniture are also excellent cousin, the bolder shade we have all been choices. As with using any wallpaper in the looking for as summer draws to a close. Pink home, it is a fantastic excuse to experiment is one of the most versatile colours in both with colour and pattern and the perfect way the fashion and interiors world as it can be effortlessly morphed to suit many styles and tastes, depending to add a bold accent colour. For furniture, block colour designs in bold shades create a on the colours with which it is combined. When teamed with white and delicate metallics, pink takes on an ethereal quality, chic statement and Bubblegum Pink sofas or occasional chairs with added grey transforming any room into a Scandinavian showcase this colour at its best. Whichever way is chosen to add the hue, it’s guaranteed this design celebration. Mixed with earthy tones and green foliage, the colour creates is one of the boldest looks of 2017.  a rustic haven, or when paired with cool, dark tones it has an instant edge. essence INFO Another stylish combination taking the interior world by Website: www.amara.com storm recently is forest green and Bubblegum Pink interiors, This article first appeared in made famous by the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel’s decor which The Lux Pad, www.amara.com/luxpad is still as relevant today as it was in the 1950s when unveiled.

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Interior | TRENDS

Bedrroom blush with grey details

Cole & Son Luxor Geometric II wallpaper PHOTO COPYRIGHT: COLE & SON

The Beverly Hills Hotel PHOTO COPYRIGHT: THE DORCHESTER COLLECTION

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FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION – PERFECT IN FORM AND FUNCTION www.aparattus.pt • info@aparattus.pt Space is an exclusive collection that will give elegance and personality to your home

ALL PHOTOS COPYRIGHT: MACKENZIE-CHILDS

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Rebecca Proctor

Inspiration and the meaning

OF DESIGN

Rebecca Proctor, Creative Director of tableware and home furnishings producer MacKenzie-Childs, excitedly chats away to a small audience about her evident passion for both her career and life.

hive of energy and knowledge and Creative Director of iconic interior brand MacKenzie-Childs, Rebecca Proctor is presenting at a London based Masterclass to showcase the intricate craftsmanship behind a selection of top luxury brands. Surrounded by recognisable pieces from MacKenzie-Childs, Arabella Gilby was lucky enough to sit down with the vivacious Rebecca to discuss inspiration, her introduction to MacKenzie-Childs and the meaning of design. Q How did you come to join the MacKenzie-Childs team, what inspired you to work with the brand? A It was 1991 and I had a background in a slightly strange combination of apparel, being a student of art history and acting. I owned a clothing store with my best friend and we were having a ball! Then I decided I wanted to go to law school and so we closed the store. It was then I discovered this interesting business just along the lake. I was living in Ithaca, New York and we had a well-regarded magazine in the US at the time called ‘House and Garden’. There was an article about a couple living 40 miles up the lake. I remember turning the pages and looking at this unbelievable experience that I could not possibly describe in words, it looked like Goldilocks had met Fifth Avenue. It had this sense of history and purpose, layered with textiles and patterns, and it reached out through the magazine and grabbed me, so I said to myself, I need to go and see what these people are doing.

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I drove up the lake, along the long redbrick driveway and knocked on the door. There was no job opening, there was nothing. I said: “Hi, you don’t know me, but I’m really fascinated by what’s going on here and who owns this place?” It was one of those things where I just felt compelled to do it and so I met the owners, we had a chat and we got along really well. They said: “Well, you know, it feels like you should be here.” That’s how it started and those early years working with founders Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs was the most amazing opportunity I’ve had in my life. Seeing the world through their eyes was unique, and their point of view on everything just changed my life. Q Is there anything that stands out to you as a particular career highlight? A Being a mother! That’s a career highlight for you! I would call that the highlight of my life. I have an extraordinary 17-year-old boy with my incredible husband and we have an Irish Wolfhound, so it’s the four of us. My family gives me a really strong foundation to do what I do. Q Do you have a favourite season in the interiors world? A I live on the east coast of America, so to live where I live you’ve got to love all four seasons. I would have to say I love all four seasons equally!

>>>

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Interiors interview | REBECCA PROCTOR

MacKenzie -Childs tableware

Flower Market mugs, pedestal, tea kettle and Cake Carrier

Butterfly Garden, sky, tableware

Courtly Check range

OCTOBER 2017 | essence-magazine.co.uk 77

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Q What inspires you and how do you still find inspiration after so long in the industry? A Inspiration really comes from everywhere, you get inspiration from walking the dog in the morning and conversation with your family at breakfast, to some incredible book you read or exhibit you saw at the museum or a great film. I personally draw inspiration from everywhere and at MacKenzieChilds we get so much inspiration from where we are because the location is so extraordinary. It’s like the English Lake District, positioned on Cayuga Lake, a long beautiful glacial lake and every view out of every window of the design studio takes your breath away, so nature is a great source of inspiration. Q Across all of your time at MacKenzie-Childs, what has been the most fun you’ve had with a project? A That’s hard! I have to say I feel that way about every new thing we do. Certain things do definitely come to mind like this new dinnerware collection we recently launched called Thistle and Bee, I really adore that. Q You must have met a lot of different people, but is there a particular designer you would love to meet? A There are many! I’m really fascinated with Designers Guild, so Tricia Guild – she’s incredible. I love her textiles and her sense of colour. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Iris Apfel and she is an extraordinary American; she’s 94 and just such an inspiration, a rock, this list could go on forever! Q You must have seen a lot having worked at MacKenzie-Childs for so long, has much changed within the brand? A Yes. Since I started in 1991, and when Victoria and Richard MacKenzie-Childs left the company 17 years ago, a lot has changed. I think we’ve taken a very ambitious approach to homeware because we want to do everything. We work at a feverish pitch. In America we have a brand of cereal called Wheaties and I always say that you’ve got to eat your Wheaties to work here because it takes a lot of energy, we never stop. I don’t have an off button because we’re just always so busy and I think that since I’ve been there working, running, reading design. Q We’ve touched on how busy design can be, how do you escape the world of work? A That’s a good question, I know some people go to work and then they go home from work and they’re done. I’ve never in my life had those kinds of boundaries. I think even when I was little I’ve always had to love what I do, so I don’t really stop. My family, husband and son, are very supportive. The whole family is into arts in a serious way and so we have this mutual understanding that we support each other – so we just keep doing our thing. My son has these great ideas for new designs and I’m like: “OK, well, we’ll try that”. It’s all one big conversation that doesn’t stop and start, that’s what life is about – design. Q Do you have a favourite room of your home to escape to? A We live in a really quirky place built by this stonemason who carved all of these odd things into the house. The whole house is like this tiny

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Courtly Check range

little jewel, we just redid my son’s music studio with a beautiful piano and that room just takes my breath away. We covered the walls in trees, so it’s like sitting in this beautiful forest of golden pears – so special. And then upstairs we have a tiny seating area where we watch movies, so for some reason I’ve chosen that spot, and it’s layered in textiles which is really fun. Q Do you think events such as the Masterclass are important for the industry? A I think they are hugely important and I do think that Martyn Lewis of Lewis Wark is an extraordinary person for leading this ambitious project today. What is unique about this event and the reason we [MacKenzieChilds] came is because this event is not about the transaction. It’s about telling your story and helping people to understand why and how you do what you do and leaving the whole discussion of finance at the door. This is about creating a sense of romance about what we each do and the people we’re keeping company with today, my goodness, we’re in this neighbourhood of incredible brands that I feel honoured to be in the same conversation with. Some of the finest brands in the world are here and although our design specifications are different, we all share this one common thing, an appreciation of evidence of hand. Everybody here is making something by hand and I don’t want to say that it’s a lost art, but it is an art we want to return to. That’s what sets us apart, not the mechanical noise of things being pressed out by machines, but the evidence of somebody touching something and thinking about it, where their inspiration comes from and what their story might be, which is what this highly unique event is all about. Q What exciting things are coming up in the rest of the year? A I do think it’s the Thistle and Bee dinnerware. We created all the paintings for this porcelain collection which is inspired by the thistle. MacKenzie, the first part of our name, is obviously from Scottish heritage, so we love the thistle. Here’s this gorgeous flower that grows in the wilderness and craggy soil and yet it is this strong, beautiful thing, so the artwork is all about that entwined with bees. It was the first time we have used porcelain from Portugal and we are partnering with a manufacturer there who understands our level of detail and high quality standards. I think it’s also the first time we’ve designed something specifically for the bridal market, with the bride or gift registry in mind, so that’s new.  essence INFO Discover the exciting world of MacKenzie-Childs available at Amara. Websites: www.mackenzie-childs; www.amara.com; www.masterclass.london This article first appeared in The Lux Pad, www.amara.com/luxpad

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Antiques | THE ESHER HALL ART FAIR

AN ECLECTIC MIX Whatever your penchant, the annual Esher Hall Antiques & Fine Art Fair always has an excellent and eclectic mix of fine art and antiques for sale to suit most tastes.

ome 25 members of Britain’s two main professional associations – BADA and LAPADA, The Association of Art & Antiques Dealers – are gathering at Sandown Park Racecourse from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October, where a plethora of rare and fascinating decorative items, spanning the centuries, are offered to collectors and discerning members of the public seeking something special as a gift or to add a little magic to their interiors. Some old favourites return with their latest finds, including TV antiques expert, Mike Melody, with a seventeenth century Jacobean oak dresser base of fine colour and patina, c1660, priced at £3,950, and BBC Antiques Roadshow clock specialist, Richard Price, with a selection of French Empire and other clocks. Antique glass and silver come in different forms from simple drinking vessels to amazing centrepieces. A smattering of new exhibitors are introducing new disciplines such as contemporary and fine art photography shown by south-east London MMX Gallery, and original Georg Jensen and Scandinavian jewellery from Gråsilver. Visitors will be able to travel around Britain just through the paintings on offer from various art dealers from Waterloo Bridge to

the home counties, Wales, Yorkshire and the Highlands of Scotland, or further afield to Tuscany and the Mediterranean. Journey even further to discover the forbidden knots in oriental textiles and the antique ceramics of China, where a quick flick of the brush can imply so much expression and sensitivity that is unique to that one piece. Pop along to The Esher Hall Antiques & Fine Art Fair and let the experts help inspire the interior designer in you. essence INFO

The Esher Hall Antiques & Fine Art Fair, supported by NFU Mutual Godalming, Savills Esher and Bold & Reeves, takes place at Esher Hall, Sandown Park Racecourse, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey KT10 9AJ from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 October 2017. Tickets are £5 on the door or in advance through Eventbrite. Website: www.esherhallfair.com

On model: Gråsilver Georg Jensen vintage bracelets; Plaza diamond and aquamarine rings From above left: Catherine Hunt oriental transitional Wucai jar Granta Fine Arts Alfred Yates Mediterranean Scene Melody Antiques 17th century oak Jacobean dresser base

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To To find out more please email our dedicated Honeymoon Planner to to find out more please email our dedicated Honeymoon Planner your-‐honeymoon@daioscove.com o r c all a t + 30 2 8410 6 2600 your-‐honeymoon@daioscove.com or call at +30 28410 62600