Indulge | February 2015

HERTFORDSHIRE’S COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL, THE PERFECT VENUE FOR EVERY OCCASION.

Cottonmill Lane St. Albans Hertfordshire AL1 2HQ T +44 (0) 1727 864477 E enquiries@sopwellhouse.co.uk www.sopwellhouse.co.uk

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Colour crush Our colour crush this issue is Scuba Blue Keep an eye out for this vibrant colour filling the shops with this turquoise takeover! This shade takes us away to an exotic paradise of beautiful seas and skies.

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Mothers Day

15 th March

Sunday Special at

Treat your mum this year to a bubbly breakfast for only £11.95 Choose one from: - Full English - Vegetarian Breakfast - Eggs Florentine - Eggs Benedict - Eggs Royale - Smoked Salmon & Scrambled egg - Chorizo Hash and a glass of prosecco

Or a very special two or three course Sunday lunch from only £17.95 Starters

Mains

Desserts

- Soup of the Day - Classic Prawn Cocktail - Pâté - Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

- Roast Pork - Roast Rump of Beef - Roast Butternut Squash - Roast Chicken

- Strawberry Cheesecake - Chocolate Tart - Apple & Rhubarb Crumble

Children’s menu available Please book in advance to avoid disapointment

FRE flowers E choco and la for all tes mums

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FOOD & DRINK ‘Rustic chic dining where you just won’t want to leave’ Redcoats Farmhouse offers a rustic chic dining experience with excellent food and service. With an array of dishes, their beautifully presented food will tantalise your taste buds leaving you wanting more. As an award-winning restaurant, Hertfordshire’s Redcoats has built up a reputation as one of the best in the area. Offering seasonal menus which are regularly updated, local produce is used where possible to create a fresh delicious dining experience. The interior is worth a visit alone, with a cosy bar area, rustic interior and log fire.

If you would like a group catered for then Redcoats is able to take bookings for up to 150 people. Redcoats also regularly host important occasions including weddings, birthday parties, business events, afternoon tea, anniversary celebrations and funeral receptions. Redcoats have over 30 years experience in planning and managing weddings and can offer you an unforgettable day. Offering stunning surroundings, a fabulous 3 course wedding breakfast, drinks and beautifully created canapés, it is no wonder Redcoats Farmhouse is a popular wedding venue.

Whether you wish for an intimate dinner or a full day marquee event with exclusive use of the house and gardens, Redcoats could be the place for you.

Let Redcoats spoil you on Valentine’s Day and book a fabulous meal for that special someone. #romanceatredcoats Call us on 01438 729500 Visit www.redcoats.co.uk for more information on food, weddings and rooms.

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FOOD & DRINK Cheers to Cocktails Who doesn’t love a delicious cocktail, helping us to pretend we are laying on a tropical beach with the waves crashing and the sun beaming on our faces… but enough dreaming! Cocktails ooze class which makes for a great night out visiting your local cocktail bar, trying out the never ending choice of mixtures and of course watching the mixologist showing off his or her skills.

‘Treat mum’ cocktail drinking?

Mother’s day Cocktail recipe Bloom Bellini

Mokoko Cocktail Bar & Grill

This cocktail is based on a delicate

26 Verulum Road

floral premium London dry gin,

St Albans

inspired by English country gardens.

www.mokoko-bar.com

Bloom Bellini is perfect for those

Mother’s Day is Sunday 15th March so why not treat your mum to an evening of

who appreciate a more delicate and Adhoc Bar & Kitchen

subtle gin-drinking experience.

The Old Court House, Fish Hill Royston www.adhocbarandkitchen.com

• 25ml Bloom Premium London Dry Gin

The Snug

• 10ml peach juice mixer

Hitchin, Hertford, St Albans,

• Prosecco/Sparkling Wine

High Wycombe, Cambridge

to top up

www.thesnugbar.co.uk Shake together the gin and peach Chic Champagne & Cocktail Bar

juice with ice in cocktail shaker,

35 Church Gate

pour into open glasses. Top with

Hitchin

the Prosecco and serve. Add a

www.chicbar.co.uk

stirrer and fruits of your choice to decorate.

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Will you be my Valentine’s gifts

Just For Me 30 Leys Avenue Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3EW 01462 676688

Jewellery Box L 4 Leather 6 The Arcade Letchworth Garden City Herts SG6 3ES T: 01462 338816

For her...

Wild Roses Lingerie 61 Norton Way North Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 1BH www.wildroseslingerie.co.uk T: 01462 674956

Annie’s Chocolate Emporium 10 The Arcade Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3ES www.annieschocolateemporium.co.uk T: 01462 680800

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1 The Arcade Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3ET 01462 675707

valentine?

Valentine’s Day is the one time of year where couples, lovers and friends can express their feelings, either anonymously or by shouting them from the

Framework Photographic

rooftops. This is the day

The Arcade Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire, SG6 3ET 01462 484363

where love and romance is celebrated with cards,

The Body Shop

gifts and flowers.

It can be hard to buy

21 Commerce Way Garden Square Shopping Centre Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3DN

For him...

even for someone you know really well. It doesn’t have to be a well thought out gift for Valentine’s; chocolates, flowers,

Mr Bransons

light-hearted presents

11 Central Approach Letchworth Garden City

are all acceptable and appreciated on this one day of the year. Let us help you find the perfect Valentine’s gift for the one you love.

Jewellery Box 1 The Arcade Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 3ET 01462 675707

To find out more about Shopping and Eating Out in the world’s first Garden City, visit www.shopletchworth.com @LoveLetchworth

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Dates for Valentine’s

S

If you want fine dining then this

most exciting part

Tea with a Tiger in Hertfordshire

of Valentine’s is the

Broxbourne £59

Glasshouse is an international

date! There are so

Redletterdays.co.uk

theatre of cooking and a luxury

ome may say the

many great places to go in

restaurant. Watch the food

Hertfordshire and we have

This is a great one for any

be prepared in front of your

found a select few perfect

animal lovers and goes against

eyes and enjoy these exquisite

places to go out in style. From

the cliché dinner date. Enjoy a

dishes which will delight your

luxury dinners, to a relaxing day

fabulous afternoon tea spread

tastebuds. You can also book a

being pampered, to spending

for two and get an up close and

room to stay at The Grove if you

a day with the big cats having

personal view of all the big cats

fancy making a night of it with a

afternoon tea it’s all here.

whilst being educated as you

few drinks.

eat.

Thegrove.co.uk

The Glasshouse restaurant

A massage at The Cove Spa Hitchin, St Albans, Cheswick

At The Grove, Chandlers Cross,

http://www.thecovespa.co.uk/

Hertfordshire

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is the place to come and eat. The

Give yourself a break and come

to get a tasty and reasonably

and have a massage at The

priced meal with a variety of

Wine tasting evening for two

Cove Spa. Awarded ‘The Most

different foods on offer.

£55 Hertfordshire

Commended Spa/Salon at

Dreamdays.co.uk

a wide variety of treatments.

3 course dinner with champagne cocktail for two at Hilton hotel,

Relax and let The Cove Spa take

Hertfordshire £49

tasting? Try a quality selection

care of you and your partner.

dreamdays.co.uk

of the finest wines and learn

Dine out in a Hilton hotel with

Jamie’s Italian, St Albans

about the different types of

a gorgeous three course meal,

grapes from key wine producing

chosen by you from the set

regions. Awaken your taste buds

http://www.jamieoliver.com/

menu, followed by a champagne

and have a fun and educational

italian/

cocktail. Great for a romantic

evening.

Who doesn’t love Jamie Oliver’s

meal in a beautiful dining area

gorgeous recipes? If you

with luxury food and drink. The

fancy an Italian why not give

perfect date to impress. Also

Jamie’s Italian a visit for fresh,

why not book a room to stay to

carefully sourced and seasonal

enjoy your night further?

the prestigious British Beauty Awards 2013, Cove Spa offers

If you would like a more sophisticated approach how about an evening of wine

ingredients. You will be sure

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blooming lovEly

N

ow entering its 20th year, Barnabys’

bouquets. As is still the case today, each flower had a specific meaning

bespoke bouquets

attached to it, making

have brought smiles

it possible to have an

to their customers’

entire conversation

faces for long enough

using only flowers.

that you can be certain that they know what they’re talking about.

This is why we’ve asked their designers, who have amassed in excess of 100 years of experience between them, about the origins of and how best to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Although red roses are the star attraction, as one of 250 Vera Wang Wedding and Floral Collection accredited florists in the entire UK flower industry, Barnabys stock a wide and colourful array of flowers ready for Valentine’s Day. As well as these, they sell Belgian

We are now gearing up for Valentine’s Day, the

chocolates, Champagne truffles, balloons and

traditional flower of which is a rose as it signifies

soft toys in their historic Stevenage Old Town

romantic love, but there are many other flowers

store, where the friendly staff are ready to help

that people send to communicate the different

you with orders large or small.

types of love they feel for those important people in their lives.

Barnabys are open six days a

The legend of Valentine’s Day

week and you can be found on

originated during Rome’s third

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or

century, when Emperor Claudius

www.stevenageflowers.com.

II decided that single men made better soldiers and outlawed marriage for young men. A priest named Valentine defied the Emperor by performing marriages for young lovers in secret, but when he was found out was sentenced to death.

Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s blind daughter, who visited him in prison. Before he was put to death, he cured her and then sent her a letter, signing it “from your Valentine”. In honour of this, the jailer’s daughter planted a pink-blossomed almond tree by his grave. This is the origin of sending a card and flowers to those you love, the latter of these introduced in the 18th century when lovers began sending each other coded messages in custom floral

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IN THE Fast lane to Finishline (UK) Ltd is the one-stop solution to all your vehicle needs. Our body shop offers customers the complete vehicle bodywork solution, providing the following services: • Accident damage repair • Repairs to small dents and scratches • Insurance repairs • Wheel refurbishment • Motorbike paintwork • Commercial repairs • Courtesy vehicles Our purpose built bodyshop is complete with a Spraybake booth that can hold vehicles up to 12ft high and 3.5 tonnes in weight and a car-o-liner jig system for structural repair.

MECHANICAL REPAIR If you vehicle requires mechanical repair, we offer •Tyre fitting • MOT • Servicing

• Mechanical diagnostic

We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and high standard of workmanship, meaning that each job is carried out to the same high quality no matter how big or small. Our fantastic team are all highly qualified with a wealth of experience and qualifications. Whatever your requirement we would be delighted to help so please pop along for a free estimate.

RACE CAR PREPARATION AND REPAIR The Finishline Motorsport team has over 8 years of saloon car racing experience, preparing and racing championship winning cars. We offer race car preparation and repair that is secondto-none. We supply and fit a range of racing items including Mintex Racing brake pads and GAZ shocks.

Finishline (UK) Ltd Jacks Hill, Great North Road, Graveley Hitchin, Herts SG4 7EQ

T: 01462 677112 | E: info@finishlineukltd.co.uk W: www.finishlineukltd.co.uk

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success

Corporate Track Days and Race Car Rental If you fancy driving a fully race prepared car around

in your life our Corporate Track Days are ideal team

one of the UKs most exciting race circuits then a

building and networking events. Our days are run

Corporate Track Day events would be the perfect

with a maximum of 10 participants so you could

day for you!

book out a few spaces on a day and we will fill the rest or you could chose to book all 10 spaces and

• Drive two Finishline race prepared vehicles

have the day to yourselves.

• Receive one-to-one instruction from an S grade instructor

We also offer Arrive & Drive race car rental

• Drive at either Brands Hatch or Snetterton

packages that can be tailored to suit your

• Full catering provided throughout the day

requirements please check or website or give us a

As well as being a perfect gift for the car enthusiast

call 01462

677112 for more information.

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BMW M

Seat LEon

Hatchback

BMW M3 Coupe

Seat LEon Hatchback

If you have been looking for a car that combines

Pitched as an alternative to the VW Golf that

practicality and high performance, go no further.

will be easy on your budget, the Leon is a smart,

The M3 oozes class, the exterior hinting at, rather

reliable car that outdoes its competitor on several

than boasting, its muscle. Features include four tail-

fronts. Perfect for families, it is cheap to run with

pipes, bulging wheel arches and a power dome in

outstanding safety equipment including seven

the bonnet but the subtle centrepiece is the carbon

air bags, a tyre pressure monitoring system and

fibre roof. As well as looking great, this works to

stability controls. As part of the optional Driver

the advantage of the car’s handling, both reducing

Assist Pack, you can also choose to have a Lane

its weight and lowering the centre of gravity. With-

Assist feature installed that will detect if you

in, the car is reserved, with bespoke dials, steering

unintentionally stray out of your lane and gently

wheel and sports seats ensuring it is as stylish

countersteer you back on track.

inside as it is out.

Pacey and composed on the road, the Leon is The real strength of this vehicle is its frightening

nice to handle throughout its price range, its

power. Its handling and ability to take corners is

performance capabilities growing pleasingly at the

exquisite, particularly at high speeds, and once

high end. Even the three-door model is spacious in

you’re on a reasonably fast road the M3 comes into

the front and back, with lots of head and leg room,

its own. The car is comfortable with accelerating

and the boot has a good capacity of 380 litres.

without let up as far as you can take it while still

All Leon cars, from entry-level up, get fully kitted

maintaining the flexibility to allow an easy ride if

out, featuring air-con and a MP3-compatible,

you’re in traffic.

six-speaker sound system with CD player and Bluetooth. The heating controllers are simple

There’s none better at marrying these strengths to

and easy to use and a well-positioned integrated

the ability to perform day-to-day than the M3, with

touch screen comes as standard at the top of the

enough space for four adults and a decent sized

dashboard. This is a nicely styled vehicle that is

boot. To its detriment, it is relatively expensive to

effective in every sense of the word.

run, but overall is one of the finest ways to spend your money.

FACTS/SPEC for 1.4 TSI 125 SE 5dr 0-60: 9.1 secs

FACTS/SPEC for 3.2 V8

126mph top speed

0-62: 4.60 secs

54.3 average mpg

155mph top speed from 338 bhp 20.1 average mpg

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m

oVe m I LIKE

T H E

WAY

Y OU

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The full-flavoured heritage of Redcoats Farmhouse makes staying at the family-run hotel & restaurant like being treated to a sumptuous dinner party at a friend’s house.

Our head chef is winning plaudits for his creative menu with local produce and foraged ingredients.

Redcoats Farmhouse Hotel & Restaurant is the dream location for a romantic weekend or to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or family reunions.

d e r u o v a l F l l e u g F erita H Redcoats Farmhouse Hotel & Restaurant Redcoats Green, Near Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 7JR

T: 01438 729500

sales@redcoats.co.uk

www.redcoats.co.uk