The Mulled Edition

Volume two | Issue TEN | FREE

The Mulled Edition Mulling over the festive se ason’s offerings in arts and leisure

Featuring cooking with Michel roux Jnr and extended luxury shopping

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Welcome to the latest issue of Kensington & Chelsea Review. Filled with art, auction, culture and luxury, Kensington & Chelsea Review is the magazine for the rather discerning resident of the Royal Borough.

Cover image: Red Grouse Listening 2013. Empty shotgun cartridges and shotgun pellets in resin on perspex. 110 x 93cm

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Ed’s letter Tis the season to be jolly, but jolly doesn’t come easy. It takes forward-planning, military-style shopping, perfectly executed strategies and serious thought. It’s in this spirit that we present you with our festive edition – with hints and tips on making Christmas the best it can be – and enough artistic and cultural distraction for the days after.

Highlights of the edition include an exclusive interview with TV big cheese Malcolm Gerrie, portraits of three contemporary artists, and a first-hand account of Christmas cooking with Michel Roux Jnr. The magazine is jam-packed with gift ideas, and for those of you fretting about the Christmas party, our beauty spread will tell you exactly how to achieve winter festive glamour. As offices shut down, and even theatres and galleries, we also offer a bumper edition of restaurant reviews – because nothing says the season of goodwill as fine food does.

As the end of the year is a time of reflection, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has played a part in making our magazine what it is; be that as a writer, a professional or a reader. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, Coco Khan Editor

Publisher Talismanic Media Founder and Managing Director Sid Raghava

Contents News

Editor Coco Khan

6.

New Business Development Greg Holmes

10. Portraits of the Artist

Art Director Max Wilson www.maxsendak.com

13. From Christie’s, With Insight

Publishing Director Stephen Slocombe Office Manager Lee Marrero Writers Tamlin Magee, Ben Osborn, Adrian Foster, John Underwood, David Hillier, Nic McElhatton, Tom Ward, Aleksi Koponen, Linda Cooke, David Drummond, Annie Vischer, Shula Pannick, Maria Kivimaa, Karin Rus

All material in Kensington and Chelsea Review is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission of the publishers.

Colour transparencies and photographs submitted for publication are sent at the owners’ risk and while every care is taken, neither the publishers nor their agents accept liability for loss or damage however caused. The publishers can accept no liability whatsoever of nature arising out of nor in connection with the contents of this publication. Opinions expressed within the articles are not necessarily those of Kensington and Chelsea Review and any issue arising there from should be taken up directly with the contributor.

News curated from the worlds of art, culture and intrigue.

Portraits of three contemporary artists, in three different frames.

The latest instalment in Christie’s monthly column with tips for buyers.

14. Theatre

Our picks for the season get a thorough review this month.

17. Michel Roux Jnr Masterclass

We sit in on a rare class taught by chef-legend Michel Roux Jnr.

19. Game Theory

Has the console finally become an acceptable toy for adults?

20.

Meet the Parents

The in-laws are coming – but where to keep them?

23. Travel

Our team travel the Silk Road, visit the little-known Alentejo region, stop for a beer in Bruges and sun up in Barbados.

34. Shopping

Our must-have products for this month.

47. Beauty

Wine and dine around the Big Smoke this month.

50. Spirits

The must-haves for the boozy season.

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N EWS

Read All About It John Underwood gives us a rundown of news from the worlds of arts, culture and the plain intriguing, all handpicked for the Royal Borough resident Jake and Dinos Chapman The Sum of all Evil (detail), 2012-2013 Fibreglass, plastic and mixed media in four vitrines 84 5/8 x 50 11/16 x 98 3/8 in.

(215 x 128.7 x 249.8 cm) Courtesy White Cube © Jake and Dinos Chapman

David Attenborough drops into Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair The Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair benefited from a little gilt edging this year as iconic naturalist Sir David Attenborough dropped in to receive two awards. The veteran broadcaster, whose career has spanned more than sixty years, received the Honorary Membership and Patron of Honour badges from the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers last month.

The ceremony, held at the Antiquarian Book Fair’s traditional home of Chelsea Old Town Hall, was as well received as Sir David’s speech of acceptance, and marked another very successful Fair with buyers ranging from international collectors to GCSE students. www.chelseabookfair.com

Jake and Dinos Chapman and Wael Shawky close year at Serpentine

Another stunning year at the Serpentine Gallery is drawing to a close, and the New Year is being ushered in by a winning combination of established and emerging talent. The twenty-year oeuvre of Jake and Dinos Chapman and the newer but no less compelling work of Wael Shawky are being displayed concurrently until early February, inviting the viewer to compare the unforgiving cultural critique of the Chapmans’ ‘Come and See’ with the multicultural journeys of Egyptian

artist Shawky, in his first major London exhibition. Both exhibitions employ, amongst other techniques, film and marionettes to offer a wise and at times brutal analysis of the encroaching ‘global village’ and all that it entails, and neither is worth missing; whether you go for the familiarity of the Turner-nominated Chapmans and discover Shawky along the way, or go for Shawky’s iconoclastic, exciting statements and stay for the Chapmans’ enduring genius, you’re bound to find something that will appeal. www.serpentinegalleries.org

Opening of La Cave à Fromage It’s six years since the opening of South Kensington’s La Cave à Fromage, which is at least as beautiful as the V&A and smells much more exciting. And now more northerly residents of the borough don’t have to venture far from home to get their hands on London’s best assortment of cheese, meat and wine, with the opening of La Cave’s second London branch on the Portobello Road. The new location is as bright and airy as the South Kensington shop is rustic and intimate, and it’s got plenty of space for La Cave’s traditional café set-up as well as room for private parties on the elegant lower level. Portobello is now emphatically on the foodie map - whether or not it’s market day. www.la-cave.co.uk

English National Ballet releases footwear collection

For more than sixty years, the English National Ballet has enjoyed international renown as one of the world’s finest ballet companies, as well as sustained endorsement from a plethora of famous names and respected companies. The latest to join its supporters is Jane Winkworth, founder of footwear company French Sole, who has developed a limited edition shoe in support of the ENB. Presented in ballet-pink quilted duchess satin with a matching silk cord trim and a bow trimmed in rose pink grosgrain ribbon, the shoe is a marvel of the cordwainer’s art and a must-have for any collector or ballet aficionado.

The soles are made of mirrored leather embossed with the ENB logo, with matching mirrored heels. These iconic collectors’ shoes will be available to purchase online at the end of February 2014, with 50% of all profits going directly to the English National Ballet. www.frenchsole.com

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Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo on this epic16 day tour. After two days exploring mystical Istanbul, you will fly to Kashgar, in Western China, and then onto the quintessential Silk Route city of Samarkand.

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news

Dice Kayek, photography by Emre Dogru

Jameel Prize winner announced in advance of V&A exhibition The prestigious Jameel Prize, which seeks to highlight art inspired by the Islamic world, has been awarded to a Turkish fashion label. Dice Kayek, which first attracted global attention with its reinterpretation of the classic white shirt, won the third biannual award (worth £25,000) in a ceremony at the Victoria and Albert Museum, whose director Martin Roth heads the Jameel Prize judging panel.

The V&A is also hosting an exhibition of the work of the ten shortlisted artists, to be found in the Jameel Gallery (which inspired the prize when it opened in 2006) until April 2014.

Ece and Ayşe Ege, the sisters who founded Dice Kayek, are displaying three items from their collection ‘Istanbul Contrast’ – a satin coat inspired by Byzantine mosaics, a robe inspired by the garb of Turkey’s historic Ottoman rulers and an organdy creation that echoes the lead-bound domes of Istanbul’s palaces and mosques.

Michel Roux pens recipe book in time for Christmas in aid of Homeless

Michel Roux Jr (more on him in this month's feature on Cactus Kitchens) has lent his name to a new charity cookery book compiled by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Featuring a foreword by the Michelin-starred chef, the RICS Charity Cookbook is packed with the secret recipes of well-known personalities from across the world of construction, with all profits going to homeless charity CRASH. Luminaries including Kath Fontana, Managing Director of BAM and Mike Phillips, Editor of Property Week are among those who've contributed their favourite dish to the book, with everything from Windsor Lamb Ragu to Sludge Brownies (hold the cement mix) represented in its pages.

"The book", says RICS' Gillian Charlesworth, "is full of excellent recipes - a smart and useful stocking filler which showcases the construction and property industry at its most creative and generous." CRASH, the beneficiary of this project, helps homeless people by providing cash grants, pro bono advice and free building materials. You can support its vital work - and, perhaps, find a new favourite recipe - by buying the RIC’s Charity Cookbook (priced at £10) from rics.org/cookbook or the London Bookshop in Parliament Square. www.rics.org

AD V E RTO R I AL

St Benedict’s School St Benedict’s is a co-educational school with a proud academic record. Its mission of ‘Teaching a way of living’ is at the core of the holistic Catholic education that is provided to boys and girls throughout the school from Nursery to Sixth Form The school nurtures their growth and prepares them for future challenges in an increasingly secular world.

The most recent ISI Inspection Report (November 2012) praises many aspects of the school’s work. The academic curriculum, the programme of extra-curricular activities and the pupils’ personal development are all described as excellent.

There has been huge investment in buildings and facilities, including the award winning £6.2 million Cloisters complex. Recently completed projects have included a full size all-weather facility at the playing fields and a new serving area adjacent to the dining hall.

St Benedict’s is renowned for its sporting tradition.

Whilst promoting the highest sporting aspirations, the

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school is committed to sport for all. A wide range of cocurricular activities is offered including music, drama and opportunities for Christian service.

St Benedict’s School is unique. Come and visit and see what the school has to offer. You can be sure of a warm Benedictine welcome. www.stbenedicts.org.uk

news

And in other news...

Strictly Come Dancing Duo Perform at Chelsea Pensioners’ Christmas Cheeses Ceremony The military and showbiz worlds collided recently at the Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses, a traditional event held each year in honour of the Chelsea Pensioners.

The Royal Hospital Chelsea played host to Strictly Come Dancing stars Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag, as well as

a mountain of cheeses from around the country, at the Ceremony, the latest incarnation of a three hundred year old tradition which sees British cheesemongers contribute their best work at Christmas in honour of our war veterans.

Du Beke and Boag, for years the toast of BBC1’s muchloved dancing programme, performed to the Orchestra of the Household Division Welsh Guards before taking to the floor with the sprightlier Pensioners. www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk

Health News: New ImmunoPRO Neatly bridging the gap between the threat of new influenza strains and the danger of overusing antibiotics, a new tablet-cum-medical device claims it can repel viruses without the need for drugs. The ImmunPRO, a suckable tablet soon to be available from Holland and Barrett and other health food shops, exploits a quirk in the cellular structure of key ingredient cistus villosus to form a film that protects the user's mouth and throat, neatly stopping viruses from reaching the sensitive membranes that can be so prone to infection. One tablet could provide up to two hours' protection - easily long enough, at this time of year, to evade half a dozen wily bugs.

ImmunPRO will be available in the UK and Ireland from Holland & Barrett, independent health stores and pharmacies nationwide, priced £15.95 for 30 tabs. Call 01782 564512 for stockist details or visit www.healthy2u.co.uk.

Robinson Pelham release new range

Robinson Pelham, the couture jewellers who opened their first shop in South Kensington last year, have released a new range of ready-to-wear rings for the holiday season.

The company, which has been producing bespoke jewellery for nearly twenty years, received a huge boost in publicity when the entire Middleton family wore Robinson Pelham creations for 2011’s Royal Wedding - most notably the Duchess of Cambridge’s diamond earrings. United in style but with astonishing colour variation, the new Asteroid Collection encompasses three rings; the Umber Asteroid is earth-toned with brown and white diamonds in a rose gold setting, whilst the Volcano Asteroid features a mandarin garnet surrounded by rubies, particoloured sapphires and white diamonds in an 18ct gold setting. Or, if you’re really set on a white Christmas, the Ash Asteroid is finished entirely with white and grey diamonds in a white gold setting.

“Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing - a ring…” www.robinsonpelham.com

Ivor Novello World Premiere in Chelsea Some sixty-three years after his final bow, Ivor Novello’s last work will finally make it to the stage next month at the Finborough Theatre. ‘Valley of Song’ was unfinished at the time of Novello’s death, but it has since been completed by his long-term collaborator Christopher Hassall; and as part of the Finborough’s critically acclaimed ‘Celebrating British Music Theatre’ series it will run throughout most of January at the popular (if tiny) Earls Court venue. A paean to his youth in Wales and the music that defined it, Novello’s swansong promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime treat for fans of his oeuvre - and after the Finborough’s huge success staging his ‘Perchance to Dream’ and ‘Gay’s the Word’ in recent years, we can’t think of a more appropriate theatre to finally usher it into the world. www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

Catchpole & Rye launch Chelsea Showroom

Luxury bathroom manufacturers and fitters Catchpole and Rye have opened their first London showroom on - where else? - the Fulham Road. The ablution wizards’ magnificent 1500 square foot shop features all the gleaming products available in their original Kent location, without the inconvenience of leaving town - whether you’re looking for a marble washbasin, a cast-iron replica of a Victorianera French bath (it’s called the Saracen, if you’re interested) or one of C&R’s impossibly iconic La Cage showers, you’ll find it. Catchpole and Rye are also offering their full customisation service at their new location, so your bathroom can be as unique as it is stylish. And if you’re not sure what you want?

Experts are on hand for consultations and site visits to make sure everything looks just so. Catchpole and Rye is now open at 282-284 Fulham Road SW10 www.catchpoleandrye.com

Novikov releases Caviar Range

Novikov, which dominated restaurant columns across the capital when it opened on Berkeley Street in 2011, is justly famous for its caviar; as you might expect from the first overseas venture from perhaps Russia’s most famous restaurateur, Arkady Novikov. And for those who can’t bear the wait between visits, Novikov’s own caviar is now available to enjoy at home. Both the light, creamy Novikov Selected (£400/125g) and the fatty, rich and earthy Novikov Hybrid (£300/120g) are available for you to recreate your favourite amuse-bouches at home. Our tip? Try the Hybrid with cured mackerel and a light single malt. www.novikovrestaurant.co.uk

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a rt

Portraits of the Artist: Three contemporary artists, three idiosyncratic styles and three unique portraits of a creative life.

Gonzalo Lebrija Gonzalo Lebrija is an acclaimed Mexican artist who has been exhibited extensively in Latin America. His recent London exhibition Who knows where the times goes – named after the Nina Simone song - featured photography, video and installation. Here he tells us about his best shot The setting This collection of work, Who knows where the time goes, was created in Tapalpa, a town in the mountains of Jalisco in central-western Mexico. It’s the town where I grew up. Many of my family grew up there, but mostly all have died. My great-grandfather is buried in the church in the centre of the town, so there is much family history in the area.

The landscape itself is on the outskirts of the town and faces San Gabriel, which is the lowest part of the frontier with Colima, a region which itself eventually goes out to the sea. San Gabriel is famous because it was the town where the famous Mexican writer Juan Rulfo lived. He of course, as other writers have been important to this project – has been an inspiration to me both through reading him as a child and now in my artistic projects.

I spent all my life there, in that landscape. I like to create works in places where I have grown up or lived… in a way it gives more sense to what I am doing. All this past experience does have a play on the action, and an impact on the performance.

‘Who Knows’ Film Still

The photograph This image is a still from the video work that is central to the collection and the exhibition Who knows where the time goes.

The song which lends the exhibition its title was always an inspiration for the work, but all of my work is very closely related to that theme of timelessness, so I thought it an apt title in terms of this overall project…

In the collection, the works are all essentially the recordings of actions. The video piece and various photographs capture the tiny fractions of seconds in which books, thrown in the air by myself, are then shot, also by me. Originally, I tried having others throw the books up, but this didn’t work either conceptually or visually. Most of my works – not just in this collection – are recordings of personal actions, or performances. I normally appear in them. For example, I did a project called ‘The Distance Between You and Me’,

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in which I set the camera, and then I run into the landscape, sometimes out of sight completely…. But essentially the idea is that I get stopped by the timing of the camera.

And so in a way it is harmonious because you shoot at the same time as you run – so you establish a distance which becomes a sort of language. In this project I again enjoy the idea of establishing a distance – at the same time as you throw the book, and you are pushing it away from you, you are shooting it, stopping its distance. The shoot is not to get rid of it, but to establish a deeper contact to the object, and understanding more of its meaning.

This particular frame was incredibly important. When travelling around the town, this landscape is where we do all our horseback riding… but at this particular point it is like the limit of the land for us. Beyond that point at which I stand in the video there is a sort of disconnected area. It becomes like the limit of time and known factors – like the end of the land… before you reach nothing.

Outside of that line there was nonexistence...

So these books, shot at the end of the land and at the end of the recognisable, become timeless, suspended.

I shot around 60 books in total. I have been shooting all my life, so that was not the difficult part…I have a good shot, as you can see! When moving from conception to action, you don’t turn mechanical suddenly.

We used two cameras to shoot the video and four to shoot the photographs. So once I had the idea the project was very organic… building the team was quick and I knew the site I wanted to use straight away, so we went there. The actual action was done in one day, over about 3 or 4 hours. It is the recording of an action, so there are no special effects.

I’m not really into special effects… my work always records an action, it is as simple as that. I use technology to capture the tiny fraction of the second which I am looking for, but not any more than is needed for that.

For me it’s about the physicality, not the special effects.

The books The books were those which have inspired me in some way in my life and in my art. So the books shot in the project range from philosophy to poetry, to literature… one for example is Heidegger’s ‘Being and Time’.

I didn’t shoot my own books, although I had planned to. They were the inspiration, but when I started to

do some proofs it was a very sad image – the image of the books destroyed – because this is not a project about destruction or violence, and in fact it tends to be conceptually the opposite. So I thought I should not shoot my own books and bought them instead from old second hand shops. Once I got to this stage I was able to work more closely with the physicality… I was able to look at

the consistency, how they would break apart. And then through this I found it was not important, once I saw the image, wasn’t important that it be my own books I exploded. In a way you can throw a book once you’ve read it, but I thought I would probably like to keep the books and let my children read them also. http://www.faggionato.com/exhibitions/gonzalo-lebrija

left to right: Lusja with Tulips, 1967, oil on canvas, 101.6 x 81.3 cm; Space and Landscape, 1994, oil on canvas, 121.9 x 91.4cm

Oleg Vassiliev Widely known as one of the leading figures of the Soviet Non-Conformist Art Movement (the “unofficial” Russian Art Movement) originating in the late 1960s, Oleg Vassiliev is regarded as one of the most significant Russian artists of his generation. Sadly Oleg passed away earlier this year, but his legacy as a pioneering artist will not be forgotten Vassiliev’s artistic visions were in constant opposition to the ideologies of State-endorsed Socialist Realism. Instead, Vassiliev’s paintings have been known for their inimitable quality of uniting the formalist innovations of the early 20th Century Russian avant-garde with the humanity, lyricism and realism characteristic of Russian painting of the 19th Century. In essence, what Vassiliev did was to return to the image a visual narrative – his paintings communicate impressions, memories and recollections through an exploration of light and space.

By extracting, elevating and transforming a personal,

intimate selection of visual images from both past and present, Vassiliev captures something more universal, something common to all human memory. In pictorial form, the artist creates an analogy of the very process by which memories become incorporated into the mind’s consciousness; the viewer sees memory as a landscape: “Memory is capricious in its choice of subjects. Often, one recalls something quite unimportant; at first glance, it seems incomprehensible why memory retains some things and lets others go. Apparently, it is not a matter of the event or the

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object. Most likely, these have been preserved in an incidental way, immersed in the stream of light that saturates the past.

That light is the very sessence of remembrance… The deeper one delves into the past, the more powerful the stream of light.

And somewhere over there, beyond the boundaries of the discernable, it turns into a river of golden light. In that river my life drowns, and everything that was before lives.”

– Oleg Vassiliev, On Memory, May 1980 Oleg Vassiliev: Paintings 1967–2013 runs until December 21st at Faggionato

A RT : P o rtr a i ts o f t h e Art i st

Linton Meagher

Clockwise from top-left: The Royal; Fighting Pheasants; Splashing Rainbow Trout; Brown Trout

Linton Meagher is an artist who lives and works in Sydney. Interested in the power of context, Meagher’s work explores the ways that various disparate objects can be presented in a way that challenges the viewer to question their wider meaning in society Meagher’s recent work has focused on British cultural traditions and iconography. Here he discusses some of his semi-sculptural works, objects in clear Perspex, thereby creating the effect of objects floating in space.

The Stag The proud mounting of stag antlers in traditional UK homes has always intrigued Meagher, who noted: “The beauty of the animal is emphasized in the process of taxidermy, often leaving the viewer both in awe at the beauty of the animal, but also saddened at the death of such a creature”.

By casting the same 0.243 bullet casings that are used in stalking the deer, the viewer is both drawn to the shimmering beauty of the shells, but, at the same time, the viewer is somewhat repelled.

Regarding the use of the bullet casings, Meagher explains: “Individually, these bullet casings are cold and repellent, but when hundreds are collectively arranged and cast in resin they become objects of beauty. The bullet casings shimmer like a sea of gold that lends these works a rich Rococo feel”.

Furthermore, by making the bullet shells into objects

of beauty, these works comment on the romanticisation of the gun in popular culture and the way that, for some, it has become a fetishistic object. These stag antler works continue this theme explored in his large sculptural works of two Uzi’s in his last solo exhibition in London.

The trout and the salmon As Meagher explains: “The individual trout and salmon flies are extraordinarily beautiful – they are individual works of art in their own right”.

By casting the flies en masse, the repetition of thousands of these flies brings the form of the fish to life. However, the barely visible hooks belie the beauty of the flies, in the process reminding the viewer of the fate that may await the fish who is drawn in by the beauty and appeal of the fly…

Meagher has collaborated with Troutflies UK, who have been an invaluable source of information about fly-fishing in the UK. The Grouse and the Pheasant These works are playful and visually striking. Hundreds of shotgun cartridges and shotgun pellets are all cast in resin.

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Shotgun cartridges were sourced from the UK and shipped to Meagher in Sydney.

However, beyond the mere aesthetic appeal, these works force the viewer to reflect on the tradition of the hunt: its meaning in contemporary society and its role in defining social status. Are younger generations clinging tighter to traditions in the face of anxiety about the rapid change to the status quo in Europe?

The grouse and pheasant works are also a modern reflection on the practice of taxidermy. As Meagher explains: “Taxidermists strive to cover up the means and act of death, traditionally portraying the pheasant at the height of its beauty. With the shotgun cartridge works, the viewer is initially seduced by the beauty of the multi-colored cartridges that glisten in the light. However, it is hard to look past the act of death implied by all the empty cartridges, especially since these are all spent cartridges and, on looking closely, the viewer can see how some of the cartridges are coloured by gunpowder and dirt from the field.”

These grouse and pheasant works are a continuation of the themes of the impermanence of beauty that Meagher has explored over many years.

Kitchens & Wardrobes Our new showroom is now open on the Finchley Road.

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17/07/2013 10:22

C u lt u r e w i t h C h ri st i e ’s

Chairman of Christie's South Kensington, Nic McElhatton returns to Kensington and Chelsea Review for Christie's monthly instalment of insight into their world of auction For the past 15 years Christie’s South Kensington has held the only dedicated Ski Sale worldwide. Wednesday 22 January 2014 will see the 16th sale of vintage ski posters celebrating the golden age of travel, from the turn of the 20th Century to the 1950s. The sale also features a selection of Louis Vuitton luggage – a name synonymous with luxury travel. This January

will also see a very special sale take place – ‘The Art of Food & Drink’. Following the success of recent themed sales including ‘Out of the Ordinary’ in September 2013 and ‘The London Sale’ in September 2012, this is a one-off auction that will introduce connoisseurs and epicures alike to the art of food and drink: the focus of some of the greatest art and design throughout history.

Comprising over 180 lots, ranging from £600 to £60,000, this sale will present an emporium of painting, photography, kitchenalia, posters and tableware. The extraordinary range of items will be available to view from 23 December 2013 through to 15 January 2014 ahead of the auction on 16 January 2014.

For more information visit: www.christies.com

Left to right: The Art of Food and Drink. 16 January 2014. London, South Kensington: Lot 125. Alfred Reginald Thomson, R.A. (1894-1979). A Modern Cocktail Bar, 1931. oil on canvas. 51.1/2 x 108.1/2 in. (130.8 x 275.7 cm.) .Estimate 40,000 - 60,000 British pounds; Andy Warhol (1928-1987). Soup Can. Estimate: £1,500 – 2,000. The Ski Sale.

London, South Kensington. 22 January 2014: Sale 5091: Schenk. WINTER IN NORWAY. lithograph in colours, 1938. 39 x 24in. (99 x 102cm.) Estimate: £3000-5000

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T h e at r e r e vi e w s

Matt Smith (Patrick Bateman) & Jonathan Bailey (Tim Price) in American Psycho at the Almeida Theatre.

Photographer Manuel Harlan

‘I’ve Become Clean’ Aleksi Koponen reviews American Psycho: The Musical I first read Bret Easton Ellis’s ‘American Psycho’ as a 17-yearold. Even though I understood it was a satire, I was more than a bit seduced by the hedonism and the razor-edge lack of care, except for the utmost surface. Now, rereading the novel before seeing the musical, it came across much more as a cautionary tale than I remembered. The grotesque aspect comes from its relevance.

Directed by the new artistic director of Almeida, Rupert Goold, ‘American Psycho: The Musical’ is the first time Ellis’s novel is adapted on stage. The story of Patrick Bateman, a yuppie on Wall Street who turns into a psychotic killer, is faithful to the novel. Dialogue is often lifted almost verbatim from the machismo mansplaining in the novel. Even though I was ready to hate the production, I could not. Ellis’s novel is loud and brash, which lends itself to musical theatre very well.

No emotion is too histrionic for musical theatre, except that here it is the complete lack of the main character’s emotion which needs to transmit to the audience.

It does transmit. Matt Smith as Bateman is an interesting choice. A ripped body combined with a mild face is a different Bateman to Christian Bale, who played the role in 2000 in the film version. Smith brings a much more psychotic rather than just psychopathic slant to this version, which is closer to the book than to the film. Strobe lights and projections flash as we see Bateman and his fellow yuppies descend deeper into their collective psychosis and communicate less and less with each other. The small ensemble play their many parts beautifully as a contrast, although never too stark, to Bateman’s madness

which his surroundings do not see. Because the violence on stage is heavily stylised and almost balletic (with lurid sound effects) it also plays into the idea that the gore might be all in Bateman’s head. In this version, we are less complicit in the action.

The set, designed by Es Devlin, is sleek and minimalist. ‘I am clean; I’ve become clean,’ sings Bateman in the opening

“Matt Smith as Bateman is an interesting choice. A ripped body combined with a mild face is a different Bateman to Christian Bale” number as he emerges onto the stage in his solarium. This is high camp. Rotating discs on both sides of the stage make the swift scene changes even sleeker, as they double as New York pavements or shenanigans in the Hamptons. The bare

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and icy set also works as a backdrop for the delicious excesses of costumes. Katrina Lindsay has not held back as the smooth suits give way to fluorescent aerobics.

Music itself plays a big part in Ellis’s novel, so 80s classics as well as Les Mis get a nod in the musical alongside the score by Duncan Sheik. In the same way as in Sheik’s ‘Spring Awakening’, whose West End run was cut short in 2009, the songs of American Psycho are perhaps indicative of its subject matter, and remain on the surface. There is nothing wrong with the score or the melodies. In the opening number, as well as in a song by Bateman’s secretary Jean, there are plaintive and incisive chords. However, in general the songs fail to leave a mark. Much has been made of Patrick Bateman’s bad musical taste, but New Order’s synthpop number ‘True Faith’ as well as the vocal harmonies of ‘In The Air Tonight’ were the numbers that stayed in my head from the show.

Both Ellis and Mary Barton, who directed the film based on the book, have admitted in interviews that the lifestyle of the late 80s elite has permeated the society. We’re all connoisseurs of food and style in the way it wasn’t possible when the novel was written, and dish out expert opinions on anything. Perhaps the grandest irony is that the production is sponsored by – wait for it – mrporter.com. That is finally what is most harrowing in Ellis’s dystopia. The satirical story about a small elite group was more prophetic and wide-ranging than anyone thought, and it might be too late to escape.

‘American Psycho: The Musical’ runs at the Almeida Theatre until Saturday 1st February 2014

photographer Elyse Marks

‘Friendship, Love & Loss’ Linda Cooke reviews Jumpers for Goalposts Hull is having a pretty good couple of weeks. In November, it was named UK Capital of Culture for 2017 and now, East Yorkshire’s finest young playwright Tom Wells’ new play, set in a basic Hull changing room, has just opened at the Bush Theatre – and it is quite marvellous.

Centred around the woefully and hilariously inept fivea-side football team, aptly called Barely Athletic, the play is ninety minutes long without an interval (oh, would you look at that – the same as a football match), which actually works perfectly. I was afraid my bottom would go numb and I’d be dying for a top-up of wine halfway through but no, I was in and out of the auditorium in the blink of an eye and left wanting more. The action is neatly divided into six segments and each of the acts takes place in the changing room after the match. There are only five characters, four of whom are gay: there’s Danny, the protagonist, a 22 year-old sports student; Luke, an awkward young lad of 19 who works in a library; Joe, a quiet boiler fitter, recently widowed; Viv, gutsy pub landlady whose sister, Julie, was Joe’s late wife and Beardy, also known as Geoff, the jester of the group and keen musician writing a song to perform at Hull Pride. Beardy wears a woolly hat throughout which hides a scar from a recent gay bashing.

Joe is the ‘token straight’ of the team, which has been cobbled together at the last minute by Viv, an excellent Vivienne Gibbs, to compete in an amateur gay, lesbian and transsexual tournament. It starts off as a bit of fun for the lads but it soon transpires that Viv has her heart set

on a trophy and she takes it upon herself to motivate the motley squad.

With most of the story playing out around Viv as team captain, obsessed with the wellbeing of her brother-in-law Joe, whose wife has recently passed away, Wells has deftly

“It is so refreshing to watch a play delivered in a Northern accent” woven in a tender portrayal of the burgeoning romance between Danny and chronically shy Luke. The nascent love story nestles in gently amongst the jokes, insults, swearing and altogether thoroughly modern and funny Hullensian dialogue. It is so refreshing to watch a play delivered in a Northern accent.

Just like in Wells’ first play, ‘The Kitchen Sink’, he has once again succeeded in finding a disarming beauty and poetry in the everyday and the everyman. Jamie Samuel is completely convincing as good-natured Danny and Philip Duguid-McQuillan simply charms with his nuanced and well-observed performance of a very introverted young man. There are laughs aplenty, often provided by Beardy Geoff, poking fun at himself or others, but Viv has some

D o n ’ t Mi s s …

Advance bookings are now being taken for ‘Quidam’, a show-stopper that is rapidly gearing up to be the production of the season. The newest piece from the world famous Cirque du Soleil, ‘Quidam’ follows the story of Young Zoe, lost and alone, and her encounter with Quidam, a mystical man of reality, and imagination. As with all Cirque du Soleil productions, there will be

spectacle and magic, and jaw-dropping feats of physicality. Prepare to have your heart warmed and your spine chilled in this family-friendly show whose innocence and beauty makes it an ideal Christmas treat.

But hurry, this is sure to be a sell-out…

Tickets are available at www.tickets. cirquedusoleil.com and start from £15 – www.royalalberthall.com

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good one-liners too, delivered with verve. Matt Sutton pitches it just right as Mr Normal Joe and there is a lovely scene where he tells the less than perfect story of how he met his wife. Andy Rush, who plays Beardy, is reminiscent of comedian Jack Whitehall not only in looks but also in raffish charm, and is a pure delight to watch.

Gay issues are raised and dealt with using humour, pathos and no more and no less poignancy than “straight” issues would be treated. What comes across is the sheer normality of these people’s lives and this is where Wells really excels as a playwright. You laugh and you cry with these characters as you would with your own friends or relatives. Tom Wells, himself a young gay man and the victim of gay bashing in the past, was interviewed recently about the new play and he commented, “What you write is the play you want to see in the world, and I thought, what would I have loved to see when I was 15?” It so happens that this play is just the ticket for any sexually confused teen and everyone else and his dog besides. It is a cockle-warming tale of friendship, love and loss that is perfect for cold wintry London nights. The writing (and acting) is confident and unashamed but, above all, real: quintessentially Wells, then, it would seem. I left the theatre feeling moved, inspired and very amused and I simply challenge you not to like it too. It is a very fine hour for Hull indeed and I look forward to what Tom Wells comes up with next.

‘Jumpers for Goalposts’ runs at Bush Theatre until Saturday 4th January 2014. www.bushtheatre.co.uk

b o o k r e vi e w

Steve Rasnic Tem

Onion Songs Steve Rasnic Tem Chomu Press £12.50 Paperback Original Short stories, as a genre, tend toward a certain level of instability. Even from the most realist masters of the form – Raymond Carver being the prime example – they seem closer to poetry than prose. As such they are capable of a dreamy kind of association process, loading even the tiniest moment with emotional and symbolic weight.

Perhaps this is why they’re such a good format for the more reality-bending brand of authors, from Poe to Kafka to Borges, as well as the great canon of sci-fi, fantasy and horror magazine writing.

Steve Rasnic Tem, whose stories have been appearing in magazines such as the famous ‘Weird Tales’ since the early 1980s, is firmly rooted in this tradition. Tem’s

writing has branched into all the major genres of unreality, encompassing science fiction, horror and fantasy (he’s won the British Fantasy Award and been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award). This new collection spans the entirety of his career but, as its blurb informs us, tends toward ‘the bizarre, the off-beat and the meditative’ and is thus a long way from straight genre fiction – and all the better for it.

‘Onion Songs’ is a fitting title: each piece, though usually brief, is layered with possibility. Just when you think you know where you are, a new layer will emerge, changing the meaning of everything that came before.

Although Tem has been compared to Kafka and Carver, this doesn’t quite take into account his formal experimentation. Perhaps Donald Barthelme would be a better comparison. Within this collection there are stories that appear as strange, dark plays to be performed with puppets (‘The Mask Child’) or stories written as a deck of cards, to be dealt at random and read in that order (‘Shuffle’) – ‘accept the order of your deal or determine for yourself what comes first, what comes last’. Even in the more traditional formats, Tem’s writing defies easy definition – in ‘The Hijacker’, for example, the perspective of

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a terrorist in an aircraft becomes so overwhelmed by their own delusion that by the end of the story the narrator is the aircraft itself.

There are some beautiful moments in this collection, which is at its best when Tem’s magical unreality is counterbalanced by his sparse, stark style. In ‘Shuffle’, for example, when a character is losing their memory, he begins to replace the names of things – ‘His car became a comb, his bed a guitar. “I have to get into my guitar now… I had an interesting sing last night. Many windows happened.”’ In moments like this, you can’t help but be impressed by Tem’s ability to be relentlessly weird while still matter-of-fact.

Having said that, this collection won’t be to everyone’s taste. I’m not completely sure if it’s to mine. I like the weirdness but sometimes the style is just too impersonal, the narrative voice gets overbearing and the bleakness of its nihilism gets old, detracting from Tem’s freshness and originality. But overall, ‘Onion Songs’ is an exciting introduction to the work of a cult author, in a typically beautiful edition from Chomu Press.

Words: Ben Osborn

F OOD

Cooking like a Masterchef In a bid to find the ultimate Christmas gift, John Underwood samples the Masterchef Masterclasses from Cactus Kitchen, and picks up some tips from Michel Roux Jnr It’s never too early to start worrying about Christmas, is it? My mother has been known to buy stocking fillers in November with the intention of giving them to people in thirteen months’ time; and whilst that’s clearly insane, I’m generally worrying about poultry, presents and pine needles stuck in the carpet before Hallowe’en has shown its grisly face. So it was very much par for the course when, way back in September, I travelled down to Clapham for a star-studded and thoroughly modern masterclass in making the perfect Christmas dinner.

In all probability, you’ve already taken a tour of Cactus Kitchens. The unassuming SW4 conversion (apparently it used to be a chapel and attached vicarage) recently became the home of ‘Saturday Kitchen’, the flagship BBC1 show beloved of food-lovers and the slightly hungover. With two HDTV studios and an editing suite dominating the majority of the building, there doesn’t seem to be much space for anything else; but then again, if Cactus Kitchens were organised differently I’d never have got the chance to type “I met Michel Roux Jr in an attic full of Kitchenaids”.

Far above the culinary arena in which James Martin holds court before a crowd of hurried omelettes, the loft space of Cactus’ cookery complex has been turned into something really special. Developed as a result of the enduring partnership between Cactus TV’s Amanda Ross and Michel Roux Jr. of Le Gavroche and ‘Masterchef: The Professionals’, and benefiting from Ross’ history of producing shows by everyone from Madhur Jaffrey to the Hairy Bikers, Cactus Kitchens is uniquely placed to offer cookery courses unlike anything else on the market.

But before I start sounding like I’ve got a Michel Roux Jr t-shirt on (I swear it was a present), on to the food. I filed into the small but lavishly equipped loft conversion with an assortment of other journalists, most of them clinging desperately to their champagne to counteract the effects of being so far from the King’s Road. We were due to

experience a bespoke combination of the various courses on offer, which range from three-hour ‘Taste of Saturday Kitchen’ events – yes, you get to do the omelette challenge – to day-long extravaganzas with the likes of Monica Galetti, Roux Jr’s long-term sous chef.

We kicked things off with José Pizarro, the proprietor of both José and Pizarro over on Bermondsey Street, whom I had spectacularly failed to recognise when we arrived at the same time, and his recipe for a perfect Christmas Day starter; croquetas filled with Serrano ham and blue cheese.

Pizarro was so taken up with antagonising Roux Jr (turns out that if your name is also a mainstay of classical cookery, you’re going to hear it mispronounced a lot) that he forgot to put any cheese into his croquetas, but the Blue Peter effect saw us swiftly provided with our first taster of the evening. It’s hard to imagine how wrapping ham and cheese in what is essentially a very stiff Bechamel could go badly, isn’t it? And so it proved.

Our next teachers were Steve Groves and Chris King, both Roux protégés (Groves, a former Masterchef champion, is head chef at Roux at Parliament Square, whilst King heads the brigade at Roux at the Landau). Working beautifully as a team after King accepted a temporary demotion, the pair modified a classic recipe for veal blanquette to give it a festive feel, substituting turkey for veal and serving the absurdly rich, creamy result on a bed of pilaff. If I ever cooked turkey at Christmas, which I don’t, this would by now be my go-to recipe – the near-impossibility of avoiding both food poisoning and dry breast meat is neatly avoided by, in true French style, assaulting the fractious bird with a cholesterol volley of double cream, creme fraiche and egg yolks.

Once we’d shared out the main course, fought over seconds and looked suggestively at the champagne, it was time for the main event. Michel Roux Jr, who had already endeared himself to me forever by giving me an appraising

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glance and observing that I “obviously enjoyed lunching”, took to the stage to prepare a dessert that captured the essence of Christmas pudding without its stodge – baked apples stuffed with fruit mince. His easy ovenside manner, honed over years of television work, was a pleasure to watch; I can’t imagine how quickly Roux’s classes sell out.

They’re bound to be the toast of many a Christmas gift guide this season, and I have to say I haven’t been to a betterequipped cookery school – each station is fully equipped, so there’s no waiting for the Kitchenaid, and the small class sizes should stop anyone getting lost along the way.

We wrapped up with a demonstration from some of Hotel Chocolat’s in-house chocolatiers, whose aprons were filled with everything from cocoa nibs to 100% cocoa solids chocolate (a pleasantly dark and bitter treat during a season of relentless sweetness and light). Following a couple of demonstrations, we were finally allowed to get our hands dirty as we designed and set small chocolate bars studded with walnuts, candied fruit and heaven knows what else, whilst sampling Hotel Chocolat’s own ruby and tawny ports (and perhaps a little more champagne; it was only to be polite).

I’d never been to Clapham before, and I haven’t been back yet, so as far as I’m concerned it’s got a 1:1 visit-tomasterclass-with-Michelin-starred-chefs ratio – a boast to rival even the Royal Borough, perhaps. I should probably go back and get mugged just to restore Kensington (and, thereby, reason) to her throne; but until I do, I can confidently say I’ve never had more fun south of the river.

Gourmets, self-improvers and autograph hounds will all find something to amuse them; and if you’ve been panicking about another year of leathery turkey, well, you have your orders.

Bookings are now being taken for masterclasses with Michel Roux Jnr and Monica Galetti throughout 2014. Visit www. cactuskitchens.co.uk for more information.

RIOTS, REBELLIONS AND REVOLUTIONS

‘Slavery is no more than a state of war between a conqueror with absolute power and the conquered...’ ( John Locke: 1632-1704 )

Windrush Foundation cordially invites you to MAKING FREEDOM, a new exhibition which marks the 175th anniversary of full Emancipation in the Caribbean.

It was on August the First 1838 that nearly a million Africans in British colonies won their liberty, having been enslaved for all or most of their lives.

From Emancipation Day, African women re-created the family unit which had been severely undermined by enslavers during the previous two hundred years. The text and images in the exhibition summarise the major events that led to Emancipation, and raise awareness about those who contributed to ending enforced servitude.

The road to freedom was arduous and bloody; tens of thousands of Africans were killed in their efforts to liberate themselves.

Emancipation was the beginning of a long and laborious journey towards the realisation of the right to self-determination. For this reason the exhibition concludes with a selection of post-emancipation stories celebrating acts of courage and resilience which have laid the foundation for the freedom many of us enjoy today.

AN EXHIBITION MARKING THE 175th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1838 EMANCIPATION OF NEARLY A MILLION AFRICANS IN THE CARIBBEAN 6th November 2013 - 21st December 2013 at The Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR ( entrance on Exhibition Road ) Free Admission

www.makingfreedom.co.uk windrush.project@gmail.com T. 07508 903 634

Monday to Friday 10.00 - 17.00 | Saturday 10.00 - 16.30 Presented by Windrush Foundation Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

a d v e rto ri a l

Windrush Foundation presents a story featuring riots, rebellions and revolutions in a free exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in Kensington, London ‘Making Freedom’ (6 November 2013 – 21 December 2013) takes guests on a journey up to and beyond 1838, when nearly one million Africans were freed from enslavement in the Caribbean.

This is the first time that important collections from Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), the National Maritime Museums, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Archives, Anti-Slavery International, and the Imperial War Museum have been brought together in an exhibition.

The exhibition will celebrate those who resisted

enslavement, those who fought to end it, and others who worked in Britain to improve social, economic and cultural conditions in the Caribbean.

Visitors will learn about the unrest – such as the Barbados Rebellion, the Demerara Rebellion and Jamaica’s 1931 ‘Christmas Rebellion’ – that hastened Emancipation, as well as the struggles for independence that ensued.

The exhibition features 83 images from the Society’s Collections and includes a number of audio-visual booths

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for visitors to delve deeper into individual stories.

Members of London's diverse communities have participated in the design of the exhibition by giving feedback on a version of ‘Making Freedom’ at the Marcus Garvey Library in Tottenham.

Royal Geographical Society (With Ibg) 1, Kensington Gore, London, Sw7 2Ar (Entrance in Exhibition Road) Daily From 10am To 5pm: Saturdays From 10am To 4.30pm

tech

Game Theory Regularly topping the Christmas sales charts, the computer console and its accessories has become more than just a modern toy. Tamlin Magee looks at the gaming phenomena, and its universal place in contemporary life In addition to the usual rush of smartphones, tablets, and other gizmos that pepper the shops in the run-up to the Christmas period, there are two devices that have prompted a quasi-fanatic debate before their November launch dates. They are, of course, Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4.

Games consoles have undergone a protracted period of evolution that all but shed their image as a staple of children and hardcore geeks only. The first generations of 32-bit consoles, such as the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation, saw marketing budgets soar through the roof to convince prospective punters these systems are for well-adjusted adults, too.

Indeed, gaming has carved itself a phenomenally impressive share of the tech economy. It was always big business, but with the increase in casual gamers picking up plug-and-play consoles, new titles now rival Hollywood in their formidable budgets.

Continuing that evolution, Sony and Microsoft hope that their new consoles – going head-to-head against each other – will be well-equipped to serve as the nucleus of entertainment in the household. Both consoles will feature the expected living room apps.

The Xbox One, however, has deliberately been positioned

by Microsoft as the console of choice for all your streaming content: TV, on demand, gaming, everything. Sony and Microsoft have gone to great lengths to underline how essential internet services will be to both platforms, and gamers will be able to download the latest titles as they play them. Although the Xbox launches with Netflix as an exclusive, Sony has LoveFilm pre-installed, and it’s likely that eventually all the best apps will be cross platform.

The PlayStation 4 slightly outstrips the Xbox One in the power department, but both feature hardy AMD chips under the bonnet that will be able to paint graphics significantly more vibrant and impressive than anything from the previous generations. For now, as coders get to grips with the new platforms, the differences between the two will not be that significant.

Historically, console launches were very, very expensive affairs, but this time round, Sony and Microsoft have done their best to keep costs down to promote consumer uptake.

The Xbox One’s mandatory Kinect sensor pushes the price of the latter above Sony’s offering, but both are reasonably priced considering their infancy.

Sony’s PS4 certainly looks sleeker than the Xbox One – the latter an imposing black box reminiscent of clunky,

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early Betamax VCRs. As social networking became an integral part of our day-to-day lives, so too are Sony and Microsoft trying to clear a path to promote this as crucial to the gaming experience.

They want to do away with outdated misconceptions of gamers as the sole territory of basement dwellers or teenage hermits. Gaming, as an entertainment platform, is popular among men and women, younger and older generations, and this trend will only become more apparent.

Gamers are now able to record and upload the best bits of their sessions, and in early promotional footage, it’s obvious the two companies think gaming is an activity that’s great alone, but best shared. Your list of contacts can now number in the thousands.

Which, then, should you plump for? At the moment, the consensus is that the Xbox One has launched with stronger gaming titles, but some of its other, content-focused features are not yet available in the UK. Sony’s option will undoubtedly get many exclusives of its own, and it’s tipped to eventually beat Microsoft in the numbers game over the first year.

Ultimately it’s down to consumer preference. If you are looking to add a central entertainment hub to your lounge this Christmas, you could do far worse than a console.

HOTELS

Meet the Parents With Christmas being a time for peace, the arrival of the in-laws can be enough to send any host reaching for the brandy. For those homes where space is an issue, or those in need of a little quiet this season, Coco Khan highlights the local luxury hotel solutions for housing the in-laws The restaurant – the JW Steakhouse – is an American style brasserie that serves steaks and hearty US fare. Star of its offering is almost certainly the Bourbon Bar – home to the largest and most varied selection of Bourbons in London offering signature cocktails that would make Al Capone himself green with envy.

As you move up the list of suite choices, the more luxury the offering becomes, and if you (or your in-laws) are lucky enough to find themselves in the Premium Park View Suite, complete with fireplace, dining space, and a complimentary ironing service, it’s unlikely you (or they) will want to leave.

No wonder it’s our number one choice.

Rooms start from £263 per night www.marriott.com/LONGH

Grosvenor House Hotel , JW Marriott, 86-90 Park Lane, W1K 7TN Top of our list (and Santa’s probably) is the modern, glistening and utterly bombastic Grosvenor House Hotel, a Park Lane venue that exudes the grandiose. Entering through the revolving door, I am bowled over by the sheer scale of the hotel; its breathtaking size and scope that on first appearances is untold. Like an Alice in Wonderland trick, the hotel has many hidden secrets – a sparkling ballroom that sprawls infinitely, to a tiny curiosity shop tucked away from the main lobby – a maze of slick luxury.

Grosvenor House Hotel has an air of the Great Gatsby about it. Perhaps it’s the elevator with the pleasing Art Deco fixing of a clock-hand ticking away at each gilt number as it rises. Perhaps it’s the shimmering floor-to-ceiling panels, or the efficient waistcoated staff bustling with purpose.

Perhaps it’s the tinkling sound of the grand piano or the sound of a cocktail shaker that makes a visitor feel as though they’ve dropped into a party on Gatsby’s West Egg in 2013 - but it’s difficult to pinpoint. It’s that unique style of efficient indulgence that is distinctly American, much like enjoying a glass of vintage wine at Grand Central Station.

Yet, the building itself couldn’t be more British. Formerly the stately home of the Grosvenor family (following ownership by both the Duke of Gloucester and Westminster), the hotel only left the hands of the aristocracy in 1926. A few years later, following renovation from an American firm inspired by the Art Deco hotels of New York, Grosvenor House Hotel opened its doors and found itself insatiably popular with both British aristocracy and the American power-families. Not many hotels can boast its favour from Eisenhower or that its ballroom, when used as an ice rink in the early 30’s, was frequented regularly by Queen Elizabeth.

Still today, the symbiotic harmony of New World and Old World, traditional and modern, fill its many floors and 494 rooms. It’s a refreshing change. With the current trend being toward the boutique and intimate, in an overcrowded city such as London, such palatial space truly spoils the guest.

And nothing quite spoils a guest like the suites. Whilst rooms vary depending on the suite choice (they have 74 after all) they all come with Hyde Park views, separate living area, LCD televisions and other modcons. The décor is classy and classic – think William Morris wallpaper and neutral tones, soft rouge furnishing and marble bathrooms.

The Goring, Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW Never ones to do things by halves, The Goring have long been a jewel in the London crown of Mayfair hotels - which is perhaps why they’ve been so popular with the aristocracy.

Selected by Kate Middleton to spend the night before her big day, this year The Goring is offering guests the chance to enjoy the streets of London in all their festive finery from the unique vantage point of their own horse-drawn carriage.

The coachman picks guests up from the hotel and whisks them off to wherever they need to go: Knightsbridge, Sloane Square, Regent’s Street, Piccadilly and The Burlington Arcade are all just a short magical ride away.

After a successful foray, weighed down with delightful boxes and bags, and assisted by the coachman, guests are carried back to The Goring, to recover in their beautiful suite with a bottle of Dom Perignon, a Goring Christmas Cocktail and Full English Breakfast the next morning.

To book: From £2,100 for two people, sharing a suite.

Milestone Hotel, 1 Kensington Ct, W8 5DL Over at High Street Kensington, the Milestone is taking the pinch out of planning by offering an all-singing, all-dancing package that includes food, drink, experience and gift. On arrival guests will be greeted by with a mug of warming mulled wine or hot chocolate, before settling into their suites complete with personal Christmas tree. Take an open-top horse and carriage ride across Hyde Park to see London’s glistening Christmas lights, before doing your last minute Christmas shopping in a chauffeur-driven Bentley. Spend your evening

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at a show of your choice, then return to the hotel to a festive turndown treat - a gold and diamond necklace. Enjoy a private capsule on the London Eye with a bottle of champagne, and awake on Christmas morning to a stocking full of treats.

Prices start from £1,523 per room, per night. www.MilestoneHotel.com

Presidential Apartments , 6-12 Barkston Gardens, SW5 0EN Serviced suites are gaining popularity with corporate travellers, families, and both short and long term visitors and if you’re in the market for one of these cost-effective solutions there’s no better choice than Kensington’s Presidential Apartments.

They provide the perfect combination: the practical amenities of a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art apartment suite with the comfort of a 24 hour concierge. Every wish and request of guests can be dealt with immediately, and we mean every.

Think restaurant meals delivered straight to the room, bespoke flowers to fragrances delivered before arrival; they’ll even to do a grocery shop for those wanting to cook. www.presidentialapartmentslondon.com

Draycott Hotel 22-26 Cadogan Gardens SW3 2RP Nestled in the cosy backstreets of Sloane Square, the Draycott Hotel comprises of three Edwardian red-brick townhouses that have been renovated to the highest standard by Rupert Lord and Nina Campbell. Star of the show is their ‘honesty bar’, an unattended bar where payment is left to the honesty of the guest.

Rates for a superior double from £229.50 per night, all rates are subject to change throughout the season dependent on availability. www.draycotthotel.com

Imbibe and Dine in Impeccable Style Spend a memorable evening in the stylish surroundings of Aubrey Bar & Restaurant. Sip cocktails from our award winning mixologist Alessandro Pizzoli, and experience fine dining from Chef Byron.

109-113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5LR at the

For more details please visit doylecollection.com/kensington

right: Malcolm Gerrie and Bono; Nile Rodgers; Lindsey Buckingham and Malcolm Gerrie

m u s ic

A Man of Music Malcolm Gerrie is one of the biggest names in television and the entertainment industry. Known for his sharp-ear for the next big sound and pioneering music promotional formats, Gerrie can boast a hand in the fame of Fleetwood Mac, Miles Davis, Nile Rodgers and more. In his new show, Talks Music, Malcolm talks to the artists about the skill and craft behind their music, unveiling the emotions and experiences that contributed to music that has crossed generations.

In the meantime, we talk music with him.

Intelligent, forthright and illuminating music chat on your television…? There could only be one man behind it – Malcolm Gerrie. The Newcastle-born TV music producer has a CV like no other when it comes to styling varied, innovative and wildly successful music shows that, at their heart, have a love of and appreciation for its subject matter.

And his new show ‘Talks Music’ (Sky Arts) is no exception.

The ever likable host has taken up a position in front of the camera for the first time in over 30 years, presenting a simple chat show format that disguises a deep appreciation for the complexity of music. Guests on the first series include legendary figures such as Ray Davies, Tony Bennett, Jeff Beck, Nile Rodgers, Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham and Earth, Wind and Fire; and the Geordie is enjoying the challenge of fronting the programme.

“It’s a double strain, because it’s not five minutes like on a normal chat show like Graham Norton or Jonathon Ross. Most of the conversations have ran for at least two-and-a-half hours.

Nile Rodgers was nearly four hours, which was brilliant. Once the guests get into the groove, we are talking about their entire life, the full Monty. So I have to do a huge amount of homework. In fact, the preparation is much more stressful than doing the show!

“The thing about all of these guys is getting them to relax;

that’s 90% of the battle. The first 10 minutes they are checking you out, thinking ‘is this going to be a stitch up… are they just after talking about the darker side?’ But once they realise it is about the music and their craft, which is the spine of the show, they are fine. Nile Rodgers would still be talking now!

It’s about making it a conversation rather than interview.”

Gerrie says that despite his 35 years in the business, he is still discovering new things as a result of the series.

“You do all the research under the sun, but there is still stuff that comes out in the show that isn’t in the research. I didn’t know Nile Rodgers’ mum was 14 when she had him and that she was a crack addict. Earth, Wind and Fire should have gone to Vietnam - they told the story why they didn’t and it was riveting. It got a standing ovation, so we’ve kept it in.

“We’ve even had Tony Bennett, who raved and raved about Lady Gaga - he could have talked for two hours about her. He calls her the Picasso of Pop. Coming from him, that is some praise.”

Gerrie has always shown an astute eye when it comes to his shows. He oversaw the mid-1990s overhaul of the Brit Awards, which seemed to produce historical moments every year (“although I didn’t know Jarvis was going to do that with Jacko!”). Yet his finest work remains with ‘The Tube’,

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a pop culture programme that broke down barriers in the early 1980s with its irreverent, ‘finger on the pulse’ mix of music, comedy and chat.

“I’m really proud of the fact ‘The Tube’ originated from Newcastle, selling it all over the world with international artists. We had Miles Davis, and REM were one of the first. I am definitely proud of breaking bands, too. Obviously Frankie Goes to Hollywood is the big one but we had Madonna’s first ever TV show, Fine Young Cannibals… the list goes on. And we were also breaking the mould. You forget just how boring and dull music on TV was back then. There was nothing like us.”

Gerrie believes music on TV right now is in a similar state, and who would argue. “I think it is just as bad, if not worse than it was back in 1981 before ‘The Tube’. It’s all very safe now. Nothing about now is ground-breaking, but we remain hopeful things will change.

“We hope too that ‘Talks Music’ will be back for a second series. There are people who want to do it, like Pete Townsend, but we couldn’t fit them in, so if there is a second series - if I’m not jumping the gun! - the roll call will be even more impressive.”

Malcolm Gerrie’s series Talks Music, can be seen on Sky Arts, at 9pm each Monday.

t r av e l

Portugal Undiscovered Stephen Slocombe visits the little-known Northern Alentejo region of Portugal to discover that untouched bliss doesn’t have to be long-haul The economic turbulence of recent times has at least had one positive side-effect, in that it has forced many of those involved in the travel industry to raise their game. With tourism revenue now more vital than ever, and global mobility on the rise, fierce competition is driving standards up and encouraging new developments and innovations in the market. Niche sectors, for example – such as adventure, eco, agri and wellness tourism – are on the rise, and hardly a day seems to go by without a brand new five star hotel development, and/or Michelin-starred, hotel-based ‘dining experience’, being launched.

Some national and regional tourism boards have gotten involved in this drive to boost balance sheets and offer new experiences to ever-more demanding travellers, too, by looking afresh at the potential within their own territories in the hope of unearthing – and promoting – hitherto unheralded, overlooked or once-forgotten attractions and destinations. It is in this spirit that Portugal – a nation that has felt the recent economic turbulence more than most – has begun to promote some of its lesser-known, but hugely charming areas, such as the Duoro Valley, the island of Porto Santo and – the destination for my four day sojourn – the Alentejo region.

The Alentejo region stretches from the river Tegus

in the north (the origin of its name, ‘Além-Tejo’, meaning ‘Beyond the Tagus’), to the Algarve in the south, and from the Atlantic coast to the Spanish border in the east.

It constitutes almost a third of Portugal, yet contains just 7% of the countries’ population. It boasts beautiful, unspoilt and richly varied countryside – the open, rolling plains of the south, a coastline that morphs from sandy beaches to rocky cliffs, and craggy, granite hills and mountains that rise up as you move east towards the Spanish border – and is a different proposition entirely from familiar Portuguese tourist hotspots such as the Algarve, Madeira, and the Azores.

Within Portugal, the Alentejo region is famed – and sometimes gently mocked, in a fond way – for its oh-soslow pace of life. It is the archetypal land-that-time-forgot, offering a glimpse of an unhurried, altogether simpler way of life from yesteryear. With vast, open countryside and rich, fertile soil, it is predominantly agricultural – often referred to as ‘the bread basket of Portugal’ – and a major producer of olives and olive oil, wheat, cheese, wine, sausages and honey.

The Alentejo landscape mixes beautiful nature with an array of small to medium-sized towns and villages dotted

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throughout. With each having their own distinct character and attractions, a tour is an excellent way to experience the region. My trip was to the Northern Alentejo, and involved flying to Lisbon, then driving around 140 miles in a north-easterly direction, towards the Spanish border and the towns of Nisa, Crato, Castelo de Vide, Portalegre and Marvão.

Another great reason to tour around, is that it offers you the chance to stay at a number of ‘Pousadas de Portugal’.

The Pousadas are a chain of hotels located throughout Portugal and typically based in converted historical buildings such as castles, convents and monasteries. They were first envisaged in the 1940s by poet, playwright and Government Minister António Ferro, with the intention of creating hotels that were both rustic, genuinely Portuguese and “looked nothing like hotels”. Privatized in 2003, they are now run by PPG (Pestanas Pousadas Group), who have added new venues, and developed four distinct strands – ‘Historical’ (ie. in historical buildings), ‘Historical Design’ (in historical buildings with modern architectural elements), ‘Nature’ (in locations particularly suited to eco-tourism), and ‘Charming’ (in typical – and typically old – Portuguese style buildings).

I stayed at two Pousadas – the Pousada Santa Maria in Marvão, and the Pousada Flora do Rosa, in Crato.

The town of Marvão is an ancient fortified town perched atop a granite mountain that is part of the Serra de Sao Mamede range. Boasting amazing views across the surrounding countryside, it has been a strategically important location throughout the ages, from the early Celtic tribes to the Roman, Islamic and Christian empires that followed. Its castle is a great example of medieval, crusader-era construction: to step inside its walls is to instantly feel the weight and atmosphere of history and it is easy to see why it was included in Patricia Schulz’s bestselling book ‘1000 Places To See Before you Die’.

The Pousada Santa Maria is an incredibly charming hotel, based in two converted 13th Century houses, located within the city walls. It is boutique-sized with 28 double rooms and 1 suite, all with an authentic, wooden beam and low ceiling, olde world Portuguese feel. Its restaurant and outdoor terrace have fantastic views over the surrounding countryside and serve a decent standard – albeit rustic and hearty rather than fine dining – of typical local cuisine. It is officially ranked in the ‘Charming’ category of Pousadas – a definition that would be extremely difficult to argue against.

I also stayed at the Pousada Flora do Rosa, in Crato, just over 40km south east of Marvão. This one is placed in the ‘Historic Design’ category, and, although also based in a converted medieval building – the old Monastery of Santa Maria de Flor da Rosa – is an entirely different proposition in terms of scale, architecture and grandeur. For a start it is located in rolling countryside and stands alone, set in carefully manicured grounds. As you enter through the main gate you are greeted by an epic, gothic style building, standing proud and clearly historic, almost castle-esque in proportions.

Move inside and you start to see the typical motifs of the contemporary luxury hotel – the oversized vases, the plush

Pousada Santa Maria in Marvão [top image] Castelo de Vide [above] pastel carpets, the slickly besuited staff. Pass through the lobby and on to the rear of the building and suddenly it morphs into a temple of modernist, architectural cool – all straight lines and glass and invisible joints. This is a Pousada that has tried – and succeeded – at fusing the very old with the very new, and is truly memorable for it.

So, aside from the fantastic Pousadas, the beautiful, varied, unspoilt landscape, and the ancient medieval walled town of Marvão, what else is there to see, and do, in Northern Alentejo?

Well the one thing the region is probably best known

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for, up to now at least, is its production of cork. It boasts the largest cork forests anywhere in the world, and is responsible for almost 50% of global production annually. Cork comes from the bark of the cork-oak tree, which are planted all over the region and a crucial part of the local eco-system as they create the perfect space and shelter for growing other important produce such as citrus fruit, vines and olives.

A typical, mature cork-oak tree will be harvested once every 10 or so years, and with no effective mechanical technique having ever been developed, cork is still harvested in the way it was 300 years ago – by hand, by teams of men using locally made hand-axes. This is only done in mid-summer (June to August) when the bark can be removed easily, and watching this time-honoured process take place makes for a fantastic excursion, should you be in the region at this time. There are also a number of cork factories you can visit, with on-site gift shops featuring all manner of cork-based products including some that may surprise you – cork umbrellas, skirts and envelopes, anyone?

I also visited Portalegre, which is the biggest town in the immediate vicinity, although still small enough to retain a quaint, small town feel. It plays host to the Museu da Tapeçaria de Portalegre - Guy Fino, a tapestry museum that is fascinating both in terms of the stunning tapestries on display, and also the insight it provides into the frankly mind-bendingingly fiddly, technical and laborious processes involved in creating them. The Casa de Poeta Jose Regio, nearby, is a museum devoted to the work of a well known Portuguese writer who spent part of his life in the town and accumulated a large collection of wooden crucifixes and interesting items of Alentejo craftwork. It is intriguing and spooky in equal measure – and also well worth a visit.

About 20 minutes from Portalegre lies Castelo de Vide, a 14th century castle town which, at 850m above sea level, offers stunning views of the surrounding countryside for

Flor do Rosa in Crato

miles in every direction. Castelo de Vide is of Roman origin but is probably best known for its large Jewish quarter. First established in the Middle Ages, it is a labyrinth of narrow, steep and twisting passages, flanked by unfeasibly small yet picturesque houses that are still without electricity even today. Adorned with pretty plants and flowers aplenty, and home to the oldest synagogue in Portugal, it’s a glimpse of a distant past and another must-see spot.

For those interested in wildlife, the nearby Park São Mamede is home to more than half the bird species that breed in Portugal, the largest colony of bats in Europe, wild boar, the Iberian frog and more. I also visited the Alter do Chão Stud Farm, founded in 1748 and with Royal pedigree, where you can ride, stay and also get up close and personal with various birds such as owls and falcons.

Last, but by no means least, is the opportunity to sample the local culinary delights. The region is home to widelyrenowned produce such as the Queijo de Serpa, Queijo de Évora and Queijo de Nisa cheeses, and Vinho de Alentejo and Vinho do Redondo wines. Pork is hugely popular, both in Alentejo and throughout Portugal, and a local speciality is the Alentejo black pig (‘Alentejano’) that feeds on acorns from cork-oak trees and produces a black pork (known as Pata Negra, Presunto Ibérico or Presunto de Porco Preto) that is supremely delicious and a worthy rival to the more widely known Jamón Ibérico produced across the border in Spain.

All in all, there is much to commend in the Northern Alentejo region and many reasons to visit – from gastronomic to nature, the historic to health – and chances are that it won’t remain ‘little-known’ for long.

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Sunvil Discovery offers tailor-made itineraries across the Alentejo. Our itinerary costs from £525 pp (two sharing) including return flights (Heathrow) with TAP Portugal, four nights’ B&B accommodation staying at Pousada Santa Maria in Marvão and Flor de Rosa in Crato, and car hire.

Activities extra – book through Sunvil (tel: 020 8758 4722; www.sunvil.co.uk) For further information about the Alentejo, see http://www.visitalentejo.pt/en www.flytap.com

T h e Si l k R a i l

Luxury from Moscow to Beijing, the Silk Road on a private train Silk. The Romans loved it. Camels burdened with the mysterious Chinese treasure soon filled routes between Europe and Asia. Karin Rus follows this ancient Silk Road, from Russia back to its source. 7,000 miles, 21 days, 5 countries For centuries, the Silk Road – that most important connection between east and west – was the only way to transport silk, but also diamonds, pearls and porcelain from China to Europe.

Camels plodded from oasis to oasis, usually for months at a time. Travelling on the Golden Eagle Express, however, is about as far from a camel ride as Moscow is from Beijing. The spacious compartments come with a fully equipped bathroom.

There is a choice of two restaurants and the bar stays open until

the last passenger concedes. Travelling from Moscow through the inhospitable landscapes of Central Asia for three weeks, you see places hardly any tourist has been to. All that without compromising luxury, comfort or privacy.

Steel caravan Journeying with about eighty other passengers, crossing the Kazakh Karakum desert – just sand, scrub and the odd

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camel – is the perfect opportunity to get acquainted with my fellow travellers, who are an interesting bunch. Quirky American lass Eve appears to know a lot about the history of Central Asia and doesn’t stop talking. Beautiful and svelte Italian Giulietta gushes about her shopping wish list: carpets, pottery and lots of silk. And then there’s the distinguished gentleman that is Graham, who reminds me of James Bond. He’s retired. It takes our steel caravan all

day and the following night to get to Khiva, Uzbekistan. A quaint town with narrow streets and mosaic towers. Eve is enthralled by the magic history of the place, Giulietta starts her shopping spree with a fur coat and Graham ambles off in his immaculate suit, seemingly intuitive of what he wants and would therefore seek and get.

Back on board the train follows the Silk Road to Merv in Turkmenistan. Between the third and twelfth century this was the place to be for traders from both east and west. It was dangerous – what with Genghis Khan killing basically anyone that crossed his path. A 600-year-old fortress with huge holes is proof of him being around, with his catapults.

The sight makes me shiver, but thrills Eve. A lot more lively is Samarkand, where trading is still going strong. We soon lose sight of Giulietta, determinedly marching from shop to shop. Graham, Eve and I leave the market to visit some of the more historic sites. The city has beautiful mosques and madrasahs complete with resplendent domes, the woodcarvings and calligraphy are awe-inspiring. Eve seems more informed about the place than the average tour guide, telling us how 14th century hero Timur wanted to transform Samarkand into the most stunning city in the world. In one of the oldest mosques she gets a bit emotional at the overbearing beauty and Graham discretely hands her his handkerchief. We get back to the station just in time to see

three men trying to fit a huge carpet through one of the train windows – Giulietta is clearly making progress with her shopping mission.

Mao’s train Changing trains is always a bit of a bother, although being at the Chinese border more than makes up for it. We are properly stared at and photographed by the custom officials. Even with this interesting welcome, the crossing of the borders runs smoothly. Almost as smooth as the slick ride that is the Shangri-La Express. It is one of three premium trains reserved exclusively for the highest-ranking Chinese government officials. Graham enthuses over the possibility of having his daily martini in a chair Mao might have sat in. We spend an entire morning out at a deserted landscape seemingly lost in a reverie until we reach the busy Mogao caves of Dunhuang. Statues of Buddha dominate, the biggest being 35 meters high. Buddhists have come here for centuries to meditate and pray and despite the presence of hordes of visitors, it feels surprisingly serene.

And then the moment Graham has been waiting for – something he started talking about during a nightly game of scrabble when we were still in Russia. We have arrived at the Great Wall of China. The gate at Jiayuguan stands in the Gobi desert, the last hurdle caravans had to take to

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get to Xi’an, the biggest source of silk. These days, the city is known mostly because of the terracotta army emperor Qin Shi Huangdi took to his grave. More than 2000 years later, the numerous ceramic warriors, horses and carriages still look feisty.

After our visit we head straight for the bar. It is almost time for dinner and we sip the customary champagne.

Giulietta shows off her latest purchases: a jade Buddha and a silk kimono. Graham starts talking about his first trip to China over thirty years ago. It is our last night on the train and we are all reminiscing about all of the exotic places and experiences of the previous three weeks.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Beijing, 11.000 kilometres away from our first glass of champagne in Moscow. It’s the end of our nomadic journey that recreated this most historic of journeys in the most luxurious way possible.

This exclusive Silk Road journey per train is available from £14,995 per person based on two people. 2014 departure dates are September 20 (eastbound), September 24 and October 21 (westbound).

For details and bookings: www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com.

clockwise from top-left: Thurloe Square bed, Thurloe Square, St Pancras Clocktower, The Violin Factory

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t r av e l

Culture and calm, Bajan style Stephen Slocombe heads to the Caribbean in search of some winter sun and discovers the other side of Barbados The island of Barbados has undoubtably been blessed by nature. Its profusion of pure white sandy beaches, lush tropical greenery, limpid blue waters and moderately tropical climate – persistently warm with gentle, soothing breezes – make it the perfect destination for holidaymakers looking to relax and unwind. For those who haven’t been – yes, it really is like that cartoon-esque image of tropical paradise you have in your head when you hear the word ‘Barbados’.

Nowadays, though, when we hear of Barbados, it is often in relation to celebrities, and their shenanigans, too.

Synonymous for years with a certain type of ‘old school’ famous face – Cliff Richard, Simon Cowell and the late Michael Winner, for example – more recently it has become the stomping ground of light entertainment types and typical tabloid fodder such as ex X Factor judge Tulisa, Strictly Come Dancing ‘star’ Robbie Savage and a whole

host of Premier League footballers and their defiantly WAGesque partners.

This is the Barbados of the super-deluxe platinum coast – the western side of the island that stretches up from the capital Bridgetown towards Holetown and Speightstown – of postcard perfect beaches and crystal clear Caribbean sea. An area boasting the famed Four Seasons hotel complex, the Sandy Lane beach resort and the swanky Cliff restaurant, this is the Barbados of of eye-watering real estate prices, superyacht marinas and a clientele dedicated to the see-and-be-seen approach to holiday-making.

But there are other sides to Barbados, too. After all, this is a place with a remarkable history, possibly first inhabited as far back as the second millenium BC. The island is divided into eleven parishes, and each parish has its own distinct character, from the picturesque limestone hills of St. Andrew to the bustling nightlife of Christ Church.

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My trip was to the south eastern part of the country, where I would be staying at The Crane Hotel, in the parish of St. Philip. This part of the island is typically quieter than the aforementioned platinum coast, and, from a holidaying perspective, is more geared towards those not looking to see-and-be-seen, but rather to disappear.

The Crane was the first resort hotel to open in the whole of the Caribbean, way back in 1887. Naturally, it has expanded and developed since then, yet today still manages to retains a unique, old-world charm, whilst offering the very height of contemporary five star luxury. It offers suitably luxurious accomodation, including private pools, gardens and rooftop terraces, complementary wifi and phone calls, plus the opportunity to buy. The complex boasts five outdoor pools, a top-notch spa and award-winning restaurants offering a range of cuisines including Thai, Japanese, Italian and, of course, contemporary Caribbean.

For further information about Barbados, visit www. visitbarbados.org and follow @Barbados on Twitter.

For further information about The Crane, visit www.thecrane.com.

And travel package as follows: Destinology (www.destinology.co.uk / 0800 634 2866) is offering seven nights’ accommodation at The Crane from £1,259 per person. This price is based on two adults sharing a suite on a B&B basis and includes return flights from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic, plus return transfers. This price is valid for travel 2 September – 22 November 2013.

Aside from its facilities, The Crane is pehaps most famous for its beach. Crane Beach has won heaps of awards, and is regularly included in lists of the world’s best beaches – the BBC Holiday Programme’s “Top 50 Places to Go Before You Die”, CNN’s “Top 100 Beaches in the World”, and Destinology’s “Top 10 Beaches Worldwide” to name just a few, for example.

The Crane is perched atop a cliff overlooking the sea, and guests reach the beach below by either taking a staircase or the super-cool glass-fronted elevator – the only one of its kind in the Eastern Caribbean. Once down on the beach it’s easy to see why it has received so many accolades. It’s long, straight and blessed with impreccable pink, powder-soft sand, and bordered by a lsuh, swaying coconut grove. It’s located at the point where the calm, Caribbean waters meet the more dramatic Atlantic Ocean waves, yet is protected by a natural coral reef and so is perfect for bathing. In fact, thankfully free of any pesky sea urchins, stones or coral, it is considered one of the best swimming spots on the island, and great for boogie boarding and body surfing too.

Given that Barbados is a mere 34km long by 23km wide and has little traffic, getting around by car is easy and a great way to experience the island’s interior. As well as the impressive tropical vegetation, it’s also worth looking out for the chattel houses – houses that are typically singlestory, brightly coloured, made out of wood and designed to be moveable: a product of a system where homeowners rarely owned the land their homes were on, and had to be

ready to literally move house in the event of any dispute with their landlords.

With its past as a British colony, one of the island’s main historical sights are its Plantation Houses, some of which have been preserved as museums. One such, that I visited, is the Sunbury Plantation House, located just along from The Crane and also in the parish of St Philip. Sunbury is an impressive and attractive building, set in magnificent, extensively landscaped grounds. It was first built in 1660 by one of the earliest English settlers on the island, a Matthew Chapman, who was related to the then Earl of Carlisle, and as such bequeathed the land. The house has changed hands between British families numerous times throughout its 300-odd year history, before being bought by a local couple, Mr and Mrs Melville, in the 1980s and turned into a museum featuring antique furniture, prints, paintings, clothing and household items, plus some of the Melville’s personal collections (including a unique collection of horsedrawn carriages). Together they offer a fantastic insight into the history of the house, the surrounding area and the island in general, and, particularly given the contentious history of British colonialism, are fascinating to see.

Also definitely worth a visit is St. Nicholas Abbey, another plantation house with a 300 year-plus history, located in the north of the island. St. Nicholas Abbey was bought by its current owners in 2006, who set about a meticulous restoration of this grand property and its grounds, and also returned it to its original splendour as a fully-functioning sugar plantation. Today, St. Nicholas

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Abbey produces rum of the highest quality, and visitors can get an insight into the methods of production, as well as sample some of their fine fare.

Aside from sun, sea and sand, the local cuisine is another big part of life in Barbados. The Bajan diet includes a profusion of fresh fish – flying fish is the premiere speciality – with ‘Bajan seasoning’ (a mixture of coriander, tumeric, black pepper, fenugreek, cumin, anise, allspice, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, parsely, marjoram, kaffir lime, mustard, cardamom and more) a zesty, spicy staple in many dishes. I was lucky enough to see this made from scratch first-hand, in a cooking demonstration from one of The Crane’s resident Bajan chefs (that also included sneaking a peek at his ‘secret ingredient’ – a supermarket-bought sachet of ‘Season Up’ fish seasoning!).

I was also fortunate in that my trip coincided with the Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival, an annual event celebrating the best in local and international cuisine.

Taking place across five days, the festival includes a launch party, numerous cooking demonstrations with top local and international chefs, a gala tasting evening and more besides, and is reason enough in itself to justify a trip to this island of earthly delights.

In conclusion, my trip showed there is definitely more to Barbados beyond its – admittedly faultless – staple offering of sun, sea and sand, and that, away from the showbiz trappings of the platinum coast, its south eastern corner, and The Crane in particular, are quietly offering a destination up there with the very best.

t r av e l

In Bruges Sid Raghava heads to the Belgian medieval town where Love (and Christmas) is said to live Bruges – or Brugge as it is spelt and pronounced by Flemish – was the original ‘Venice of the North’ before the title was usurped by Amsterdam. Once upon a time this humble town was the centre of trade for Europe, if not the entire medieval world, and is now a great destination for avid travellers looking to delve into its history or to indulge their romantic persuasions.

The latter has, of late, been of particular interest since a certain Hollywood movie surfaced in the noughties and has resulted in a lot of Americans visiting this city in Flanders. It’s true. Love is all around in Bruges. You may succumb to a pronounced dawning of tweeness whilst walking down cobbled streets alongside maned horses and their carriages as though straight out of a fairytale. Boats undulate on the water while this painting of a city shimmers in the background. If all else fails and romance is not your thing, you’ll still at least fall in love with the city, what with its historic town centre, its beautiful canals and medieval architecture. We thought we’d list some interesting things to look forward to for a short break in Bruges, ranging from luxury accommodation to its food offerings.

Lake of Love If you’d really like to experience the effusive love that exudes from the metaphoric pores of Bruges, head to the Minnewaterpark which literally translates as Lake of Love Park. In true Bruges fairytale fashion, this has a story behind it. Behold the tragic romance of Minna and her warrior love Stromberg as it evolves into local legend and decreeing that

you too will experience eternal love if you walk over the lake bridge with your partner. Minnewater, 8000 Brugge

The Pand Hotel Located in Panderitje, a few hops from the most scenic views of the canal, The Pand Hotel is a love potion for weary lovers as evidenced by its proud membership of ‘Romantik Hotels International’. This boutique hotel, metamorphosed from an 18th century carriage house, consists of 26 boutique rooms including the ultra-hedonistic Ralph Lauren Jr Suite complete with delectably fragrant Hermés toiletries. The Pand Hotel Pandreitje 16, 8000 Bruges +32 50 34 06 66 www.pandhotel.com De Halve Maan If beer is what brings you to Belgium head to the home brewery of De Halve Maan. It is the only family brewery still active in the centre of Bruges. Stars on the menu include Bruges Zot – a golden blond, brewed from four distinct malts and twinned with aromatic hops for a rich froth and fruity flavouring, and Straffe Hendrik – a Bitter Triple Ale of standard 9% abv. Walplein 26, 8000 Bruges, Belgium +32 50 44 42 22 www.halvemaan.be Historium This ‘Perception Attraction’ as it’s defined on the website is a visceral experience of Bruges and its glory days in the middle ages. A lot of work by a lot of historians has gone into bringing

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this unique and inarguably authentic experience of the city that was a major centre in medieval times. Markt 1, 8000 Bruges, Belgium +32 50 27 03 11 www.historium.be

Belfry This medieval bell tower, or Belfort as it is also known, is an 83 metre high building essentially in the vein of Duetorre in Bologna, or Cologne Cathedral. Originally built in 1240, it was restored in 1280 after it was consumed by a fire. It was formerly a municipal building consisting of a treasury and doubled up as, ironically, an observation post to forewarn against potential fires and intruders. The largest of its bells weighs well over 5000 kilograms. Markt 7, 8000 Bruges, Belgium +32 50 44 87 11 And finally a poem that came to me after a particularly long session of successive triple ales on a particularly beautiful night whilst Bruges shone amidst it canals: Bruges or Brugge / Whatever you sound like / Is beautiful / A gentle undulation of tongue / Or the guttural lilt / Beautiful you sound and look and feel / Lake of love / The cobbled streets / Belgian Frites / And the market square / Where horse drawn carriages congregate / Cathedrals abound / And the bells chime so sweet It will make a poet out of you too.

MOTO R I N G

King of the (Off ) Road As the weather warnings hit severe, Adrian Foster tests an off road vehicle that has earned its title – the Mitsubishi L200 Barbarian Let’s face it, any vehicle that gets away with being called a Barbarian without looking tacky has got to be a pick-up truck, right? We already know the Mitsubishi L200 can carry it off because buyers have been snapping up versions of the L200 with macho names like Animal, Warrior and Trojan for years.

Some people might feel self-conscious behind the wheel of anything with Barbarian writ large down its flanks but, hey, that’s all added kudos when you’re down at your local on a Friday night knowing you’re going to be king of the road.

At a glance The Mitsubishi L200’s stand-out feature has got to be the way it looks. Curves are not things we’re used to seeing on rugged pick-up trucks, but the L200 is smothered in them.

The front end, unmistakably Mitsubishi, is softened with rounded edges for grille and headlamps with oval recesses for the circular fog lights. The rear edge of the cabin arcs down and around the vehicle’s lower edge, while the fluid lines of the tailgate and windows are a world away from those on boxy rivals. The Barbarian confirms its status as the flagship model in the range with a special body kit including a sports grille and almost everything else that’s screwed or bolted on swathed in chrome.

Engines and spec The Barbarian is the range-topping L200, with a choice of 131 or 175 bhp 2.5-litre turbo diesel engines and manual or auto transmission options. Standard kit includes Select 4WD, M-ASTC, 17-inch alloy wheels and a host of interior and exterior bling including: Barbarian graphics, chrome rear lamp bezels, door mirrors and handles and a sports front grille. That’s not forgetting a reversing camera, Kenwood integrated satellite navigation system and multidisplay radio / CD player with touch-screen operation, luxury leather seats, Bluetooth hands-free kit and even illuminated door entry guards. Ours also came with the so-called Sports Utility Top, which features heavily tinted windows and lockable tailgate window.

The L200 is narrower than most other UK market pick-ups, which helps with the manoeuvrability and

produces a reasonably tight turning circle. The down side is a slight reduction in interior space and carrying capacity. The double cab body style is the only one you can get in Barbarian trim. This is a five-seater model with a reasonable amount of legroom for the rear passengers, always providing that the driver is not a six footer, and seat backs angled at 25 degrees make a pleasant change from the rigidly upright offerings usually found in older double-cab pick-ups. There has to be a compromise for this extra passenger space and it comes in the shape of its modest 1,325mm load length.

At the wheel You climb up and into the L200’s impressive looking cabin and first impressions are good. Large, comfortable looking stitched leather seats with Barbarian logos, matching leather gear knob and 4x4 option selector and leather steering wheel. Inside, there’s lashings of chrome and aluminium trim and hi tech-looking instruments are easy to read, with the familiar Mitsubishi drive-configuration graphic to the right of the instrument cluster.

The L200’s cabin is spacious and practical with cubby holes, a gigantic glove compartment and lots of oddment storage. The real practicality can be found in the load bay which can be plastic or metal lined and have additional strap-eyes or any number of utility options added. The load bay is restricted in size by the double-cab but is still a very healthy size and perfect for journeys to the tip, carrying bikes and sports equipment, or heavy tools and machinery. The four wheel-drive transmission and low ration transfer box makes it a versatile vehicle with lots of towing and off-road potential too.

In practice, we found the radio / sat nav / CD system complicated and almost baffling in its complexity, but that could just be an age thing. However, the leather seats are comfortable and the steering wheel can be adjusted to suit most drivers.

On the road The Barbarian feels as though it will withstand any amount

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of hard, off-road usage, though this inevitably comes at the expense of some refinement on the open road. The L200 has a compliant, if soft, ride and deals well with cracked urban streets. However, the pay-off is it struggles to cope with undulations in the road surface which can make for a somewhat wayward ride on main roads and motorways.

The engine is gruff and rattly on start-up but, that said, the L200 has an impressive turn of speed, thanks to its powerful turbo diesel engines, and it’s easy to exceed motorway speed limits once the powerful turbocharger gets a-blowin’ in earnest!

Regardless, the L200 performs well for a vehicle in its class. Easy to drive both on the motorway and in town despite its size, it is never tiresome or uncomfortable, particularly with the well-specced Barbarian interior.

There’s no shortage of power available from the 175bhp diesel unit we tested and the new five-speed automatic transmission takes some of the work out of driving while allowing more space between the pedals for driving in work boots.

Our Verdict So, is the L200 Barbarian a car or a commercial vehicle?

Definitely the latter, in our view, despite all those creature comforts. It’s also a very expensive commercial vehicle if you play fast and loose with the options list, in which case the competition gets a lot tougher. However, it’s car-like enough to still make a good family vehicle, especially for camping trips, and the importance of wipe-clean seats and hose-down mats can’t be understated. Nor can all the commercial vehicle running costs and tax breaks.

On the one hand, the L200 in Barbarian trim means you get some of the luxuries you’d expect of a more upmarket 4x4 vehicle, with sat nav and leather seats taking away some truck-like feel. On the other, it retains the workman-like veneer, so loses none of its practicality. The alloy wheels, leather seats, chromed accessories and those illuminated door kick plates do not disguise the fact that the L200 Barbarian is at heart a down to earth, tough-asold-boots workhorse. www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/l200

s h o ppin g

Christmas Indulgence 1.

2.

4.

3.

5.

6.

7.

8.

1. Garmin VIRB High Definition Action Camera £269 www.garmin.co.uk | 2. Partridges Hamper with Champagne and Merlot £125 www.partridges.co.uk 3. Royal Blue and White King Cashmere Football Scarf in the colours of Chelsea £74.95 www.savile-rouge.com | 4. Nespresso U&Milk (Black) £179 www.nespresso.co.uk 5. HTC One mini, free on Vodafone 4G-ready price plans for £44 per month (including unlimited calls, unlimited texts, 8GB of data and 24 months free access to Sky Sports or Spotify Premium) www.vodafone.co.uk | 6. Hendricks Hip Flask in collaboration with Hannah Martin £795 www.harrods.com 7. Fulton Consul Umbrella £45 www.fultonumbrellas.com | 8. Robinson Pelham Umber Asteroid ring set with a central brown diamond with crazy pavé in brown and white diamonds with a white diamond surround in 18 carat rose gold, £22,950 www.robinsonpelham.com

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9.

10.

11.

13.

12.

14.

9. Diptyque Holiday Candles Collection £25-£45 www.selfridges.com | 10. Asprey Christmas cracker £185 www.asprey.com 11. Fortuny Canapés Plates Assortment from L’Objet £150 for 4 www.l-objet.com or available at Harrods 12. Dazzle & Impress Hamper £1000 www.selfridges.com 13. Robinson Pelham Ash Asteroid Ring set with a central oval white diamond with crazy pavé in grey and white diamonds with a white diamond surround in 18 carat white gold, £20,100 www.robinsonpelham.com 14. Burberry Prorsum Heart-print Calf Hair Gloves £39 www.net-a-porter

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LUXURY LINGERIE & SWIMWEAR

28a Hereford Road, London W2 5AJ +44(0)207 229 9085 www.dolcifollie.co.uk

a d v e rto ri a l

Dolci Follie is the ultimate luxury lingerie lover’s paradise in London. The decadent boutique offers a wide and wonderful range of luxury and fashion-led lingerie, loungewear, swimwear and accessories The ever-changing, beautiful collection is hand-picked by the owner, Simona Walters, a self-confessed lingerie addict.

A Chelsea resident herself, Simona was a regular customer at other lingerie boutiques throughout London, but always felt they were missing that special something. She has discovered a number of up-and-coming brands from all over the world offering unique and trend-setting designs, including I.D. Sarrieri, Ikonostas, FYI by Dani Read, Andres Sarda and Folies de Renaud. We also stock a number of popular British brands such as Mimi Holliday, Damaris, Made

by Niki, Bordelle and Lascivious.

Dolci Follie has all you need to feel flirty and fabulous for any occasion. Offering everything from sensational sets

ideal for seduction, luxurious loungewear to relax in style, and eye-catching swimwear to dazzle on the beach.

The elegant boutique reflects Simona’s home country of Italy; decorated in the style of a Venetian Palazzo, it has a spectacular hand-painted fresco and decadent decoration.

The boutique is a luxurious space not only to relax and browse, but also to try those handpicked designer gems while sipping a freshly-made espresso or, perhaps, a glass of chilled Prosecco.

The shop offers essential advice for those after an expert’s opinion; all staff are fully trained in bra fitting.

Knowing the importance of a good fit, Dolci Follie stocks a wide range of sizes from a 28 back and up to a G cup,

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meaning that every woman can find something to fall in love with.

The Dolci Follie boutique also puts on regular events such as collection launches in-store, or catwalk shows with other local businesses. The store recently sponsored the launch of a new risqué and raunchy clubnight at Guy Pelly’s Sloane Square tequila bar Tonteria, gaining several new celebrity admirers with the teasing treats in the goodie bags.

For more information visit: www.dolcifollie.co.uk 28A Hereford Rd, London W2 5AJ 020 7229 9085

AD V E RTO R I AL

New Kitchen on the Block A new eatery has opened in Kensington and it’s packing a punch with all-day dining, country kitchen cuisine and a grab-and-go service for sunshine revellers Opened in September 2013, Urban Meadow is proud to serve great fresh food in a fantastic location. Located by Kensington Gardens and opposite Hyde Park, we are an all-day dining venue open for stylish farmhouse fare and superb drinks from breakfast through to late night.

Wherever possible our food is sourced locally and we have an extensive selection of beers from London Breweries for a true taste of the city. We also offer an array of wines

from around the world, fresh juices, a wide selection of teas and freshly made Drury Coffee, roasted here in London.

Our menu is designed for you to choose any style of meal at whatever time of day. Our grazing dishes can be sampled as a light snack and can also be eaten tapas style, while our selection of mains and desserts can be enjoyed by those who prefer a multi-course dining experience.

We also offer a grab and go service for those in a rush

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or who want to enjoy a coffee or meal in Hyde Park itself.

In addition, our spacious patio area provides the perfect calming environment to relax while dining alfresco. .

We look forward to welcoming you very soon at Urban Meadow Café and Bar. 150 Bayswater Rd, London W2 4RT urbanmeadowcafe.com/

R e sta u r a n t r e vi e w s

Busaba Eathai Words: Sid Raghava 358 Kings Road SW3 www.busaba.com There have been times when I’ve strayed from my local record shops in West London.

Swapping Rough Trade and Honest Jon’s for the finds of Soho, I delve into the coffers of Sister Ray on Berwick Street or Sound of the Universe on Broadwick on the hunt for pop art and extraordinary recordings

from diverse realms. More than often, after having sated my urges and lugging bagfuls of freshly picked vinyl, I stagger into Govinda for some heavenly vegetarian or perhaps wander off down Wardour Street to afford a choice of cuisines ranging from Jamaican to Indonesian. At these times, it’s amazing to see the rate and amount of people sauntering out of Busaba Eathai, the droves of people queuing up to get a taste of Siamese gastro-art. Busaba is to Thai food in the capital what Wahaca is to Mexican and Masala Zone to Indian. It is a successful chain which offers authentic, ethnic food for extremely reasonable prices in sufficiently salubrious surroundings. Its latest incarnation is on the Kings Road in Chelsea and well worth a visit, even if it’s not close enough to a worthy independent record store. The historic thoroughfare is fast cementing its reputation as a major gastronomic centre in the capital with several offerings in the works including the reincarnation of Japanese-Brazilian fusion pioneer Sushinho as Praia.

As with all Busaba establishments the menu is extensive. Apart from the soups, sides and salads, there are options in sections including Wok Noodle, Stir-fried, Chargrilled and Curries. There’s beer, whisky, all sorts of wines, and cocktails like Bellini and Sake. The

plethora of goodies make it difficult to pick favourites but you can’t go wrong with Tom Kha or Tom Yam soups – although a little more chilli and overall freshness would make for a more authentic experience. The green mango and crabmeat in the Sen Chan Pad Thai is a wonderful combination, and another star in the noodle category is the zingy lime flavour of Pad Thai Jay. Eternal favourites Massaman Curry, a duck version, and Red Beef Curry vie for attention with the gingery seafood heaven that is Pat King Talay. Sides include the exotic Thai Roti and Goong Tohd

Prawn – an evocative slathering of chilli lime sauce dredged off in breadcrumbs. The dip for the latter is a heady mix of lime, chilli and tamarind sauce which will bring the strictest purveyors of authentic Thai flavours to their knees. If you don’t drink alcohol, there’s plenty to chose from including varieties of Chas, Tamarind juice and even Mango Lassi.

Executive chef Jude Sangsida and founder Alan Yau have hit upon a fabulous formula. Busaba’s stylish interiors, excellent service and above all, delectable food round off a top experience.

Pescheria Mattiucci Words: Maria Kivimaa 8 Blenheim Crescent W11 1NN www.pescheriamattiucci.com I’m a little bit in love. Pescheria Mattiucci, tucked away just off Portobello Road, doesn’t feel like a standard restaurant but, pardon the cliché, an experience. It’s like an exciting first date, a quirky mini-holiday or a heart-warming dinner with your whole family having excluded that drunken, pervert uncle making suggestive comments to all the women under 60. This is pure joy and happiness, coated with a generous helping of southern Italian hospitality.

Fishmongers by day, a peculiar seafood boutique restaurant by night, the place is run by two Italian brothers Luigi and Gennaro. It originates from Naples, the Notting Hill shop being their first non-Italian venture. The hand-written menu that changes daily consists of the freshest seafood, caught off the coasts of Sicily, Naples and Sardinia by local fisherman and transported to London within twelve hours.

We opted for fried cod balls and fried mackerel for starters. I moved on to the salt-baked salmon, which probably sent my sodium levels well above the NHS recommendations but tasted as fresh as only fish caught just-off-the-sea can.

The excessive saltiness was balanced out with excellent Sicilian white wine recommended by our lovely host for the night, Christina. If there’s a place where looking at the menu is unnecessary, this would be it; just surrender yourself in the hands of the “family” and they are more than delighted to take care of you. My partner had the fish lasagne, but apparently it’s their cod burger that takes your breath away, so you might want to consider that – though available only if there’s been some cod caught that day, of course.

The magic of this place is not just found on your plate though. It’s everywhere you look, sit or touch: upon

stepping into the restaurant you feel like you’re walking into a Sicilian family kitchen who are in the middle of the festive season, regardless of the time of the year. There are children’s drawings on the wall, a neon sign on the window, random family photos on the yellow Smeg fridge door, mismatching plates from your grandma’s cupboards and peculiar nautical brick-a-brac hanging form the ceiling.

There’s a vintage gramophone, fishnets and a liquor cabinet you might find in an old apotheque in the Mediterranean.

In the toilet there’s an old radio and an antique beauty kit.

Some of the tables and chairs are ‘rustic’ at the very least and look like they might fall apart any minute. Have no fear though, this is health and safety the Italian way.

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All this might sound shambolic but it’s pulled off: the interior mayhem is curious and genuine rather than try-hard, it’s out of control but not in a contrived way, it’s almost ugly but in a very pretty manner. The playfulness and Italian swing rubs off on you: when we left, the quiet and leafy streets of Kensington seemed somehow, a little bit, Italian and the air smelled of olive groves.

Don’t come here for a predictable dinner or efficient lunch but come here when you need a little escape from the greyness of London. Come here if you’re bored of life. Come here if you have no reason to celebrate but desperately need one. Come here with kids, friends and lovers. Come here if you feel lonely. This place will make you smile.

R e sta u r a n t r e vi e w s

Bo Lang Words: Dave Drummond 100 Draycott Avenue, SW3 www.bolangrestaurant.co.uk Mixing the chic décor of a King’s Road night spot with elements of pseudo-Chinese tearoom, Bo Lang is – at least at its surface – a dim sum/cocktail bar with its heart set on emphasizing the latter. But while the low lighting and grinding house music might be urging for a glamorous, sometime-garish,

crowd, the food is – for the most part – executed very well. Chef Kai Wang has picked up plenty of experience working the kitchens of Novikov, Grand Imperial and Grosvenor House, but it appears he also picked up a tip or two on how to style a dining room which will appeal to a suited and booted crowd.

Although there is a full dinner menu, on our visit the allure of variation and performance of dim sum is too strong to resist – only the seared scallop with egg and sour sauce tempts from the mains.

That we don’t actually get around to

ordering it however, hints at the quality of the dumplings.

From the steamed options we order char sui buns, saffron cod and scallop dumplings and har gau, the latter of which comes served with a blackberry reduction which does little to win over diners. The prawns within each dumpling however are sweet and perfectly cooked. The char sui buns are pillowy soft and yielding, requiring a deft finger rather than awkwardly grasped chopsticks for fear of tearing on the soft flesh. The roast pork filling isn’t quite as elegant as its casing, but is pleasantly sweet and unctuous. Dressed with a single but erroneous enoki mushroom, the delicate flavour and bright yellow colour of the cod and scallop dumpling give them stand-out quality, managing to balance soft flavours, careful texture and elegance with deft perfection.

From the raw menu, Szechuan pepper tuna is more very rare than actually raw, but a pungent sauce gives it gusto while good quality, fatty fish gives it texture. A turnip cake has a distinctive sour, earthy flavour and dense texture, which is complemented with a chunky and fragrant XO sauce.

Short rib puff – despite being quoted as a chef special – is the only dish we try which slightly misses the mark. Lovely as its rich

pastry is, a meagre filling of sweet beef gets lost and overpowered – both by there not being enough of it, and by its heavy casing.

Contrasting the light, elegant dishes that the rest of our meal is made up of, it’s a bit too ‘fusion finger food’.

Overall however, the dim sum menu is hard to find fault with. Dishes are numerous but offer variety, and most are well judged and balanced. The price jump to the mains might seem a little steep, but the dim sum is reasonably priced – especially considering the suave surroundings it sits in.

While Bo Lang might on the surface be the living, breathing soul of nouveau Chelsea, at its heart is relatively simply food done very well. It hits the mark better than it might realise – more so than it’s knowingly flashy façade suggests.

Reader Offer – 15% off Cucina Evoluzione at Hotel Xenia New to Kensington is the design-led contemporary boutique Hotel Xenia which opened its doors in early summer. Situated in an artfully restored Victorian building with contemporary interiors, Xenia’s chic guestrooms are complete with tablets and wireless speakers, and the hotel’s sumptuous suite has its own Turkish bath and marble steam room. Also at the hotel is destination restaurant Evoluzione, The Living Wall Bar with outdoor terrace, a private dining room, events spaces, and a games and entertainment room with a pool and ping pong table and private screenings.

The boutique hotel’s restaurant – Evoluzione – is the first UK establishment to embrace the Cucina Evolution food concept from Italy, where Art Joins Nutrition. Pioneered by Italian nutritionist Chiara Manzi, the cuisine is light, yet delicious with every ingredient carefully considered for both flavour and nutritional value to lower calories, prevent illness and enhance their natural anti-ageing properties. Evoluzione offers a range of delectable and beautifullypresented dishes, including ravioli, risotto and tiramisu with the healthy Cucina Evoluzione twist.

Heading up the kitchen is Chef Serena D’Alessio whose interest in creating artful yet healthy Italian fare led her to become a pupil of Cucina Evolution.

The Greek word for generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home – Hotel Xenia and the team behind it stays true to its namesake by demonstrating a passion for hospitality that is second-to-none and inviting Kensington & Chelsea Review readers to enjoy 15% off their total bill at Evoluzione as well as a complimentary glass of prosecco per person.

To redeem your offer show a copy of this when you arrive for your reservation. For further information and to make a booking visit www.hotelxenia.co.uk or call 0207 442 4242

Terms and Conditions • Copy of this feature must be presented on arrival • 1 x glass of complimentary prosecco per person is only for those aged 18 years and over who are dining at Evoluzione at Hotel Xenia and have a confirmed reservation.

• Tables must be reserved in advance • Offer is subject to availability • No cash alternative, non-transferrable • Offer is valid until 30 November 2013

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R eEsta STA u U rR a An N tT rR eE vi V I eE w W sS

Il Baretto Words: Words: Linda Linda Cooke Cooke 43 43 Blandford Blandford Street, Street, W1U W1U 7HF www.ilbaretto.co.uk www.ilbaretto.co.uk One One of of the the most most wonderful wonderful things about this City isis the the sheer sheer amount amount of of diversity diversity it has city to offer. offer. Just Just when when you you thought you’d seen to all, you you discover discover something something beguilingly itit all, novel. AA melting melting pot pot of of faces, faces, native tongues, novel. cultures and and history, history, London London never fails to cultures surprise time time and and again. again. The Square Mile is, surprise of course, course, magnificent magnificent but but it is the patchwork of of districts districts that that make make up up the rest of London of that hold hold the the most most intrigue. intrigue. Wandering that through the the Royal Royal Borough Borough of Kensington through and Chelsea Chelsea only only to to come come across an elegant and florist abundant abundantwith withbeauty, beauty, discovering florist discovering an an overgrown graveyard you knew neverexisted knew overgrown graveyard you never existed your to route to work in Westminster on youronroute work in Westminster or or stumbling across a cemetery in Islington stumbling across a cemetery in Islington that who makes the most irresistible fancies are makes the most irresistible fawhoncies the simplest simplest yet yet greatest greatest of joys. Marylebone the one other other such such London London neighbourhood; isis one new things things are are always always springing up here new and nestling nestling in in alongside alongside old favourites and and locals. Change Change isis constantly constantly ringing its way locals. through the the streets streets and and echoing along the through tunnels under under our our feet. feet. The The atmosphere is all tunnels a-buzz; especially especially at at this this time of year. There a-buzz; little magic magic in in the the air. air. isis aa little And so so to to aa cold cold December evening, And the wind wind howling howling and and swirling around the Marylebone and and making making my eyes water.

Marylebone Lost. Late.

Late. Cab? Cab? No, No, I’m I’m close, I know I am.

Lost.

Ah, here here we we go, go, Blandford Blandford Street. Useless Ah, Londoner that that II am, am, II have have made a massive Londoner fail of of that that attempt attempt to to be be on time. Accept and fail move on. on. Breathe.

Breathe. move Baretto looks looks inviting inviting as I arrive; IlIl Baretto people are are smiling, smiling, drinking, drinking, and enjoying people themselves. AA Christmas Christmas tree adorned with themselves. lights sparkles sparkles on on the the pavement outside lights and the the atmosphere atmosphere inside inside is warm and and friendly. ItIt isis early early and and my my dining companion friendly. already inside; inside; we we are areseated sat downstairs in isis already downstairs thethedimly Upstairs in dimlylit,lit,intimate intimate basement. basement. Upstairs there isis aa busy busy bar bar and and convivial convivial atmosphere; atmosphere; there groups of of friends friends having having aa bite bite to to eat eat and and groups keenly engaged engaged in in conversation. conversation. All All isis as as itit keenly should be. be. should The brainchild brainchild of of Arjun Arjun and and Pritam Pritam The Waney (Zuma, (Zuma, Coya, Coya, The The Arts Arts Club) Club) and and Waney Giuliano Lotto, Lotto, IlIl Baretto Baretto (translating (translating as as ‘little ‘little Giuliano bar’) opened opened inin Marylebone Marylebone inin 2009 2009 but, but bar’)

having acquired the building next door and completing an extension, the restaurant was re-opened inin October Octoberofofthis this year. year.

I’mI’m toldtold the the restaurant is fully booked this evening restaurant is fully booked this evening and and slowly but surely, the room fillsallup, the slowly but surely, the room fills up theall while while the waiting staff increasing in velocity as the waiting staff increasing in velocity as they they way from pass to table and makemake their their way from pass to table and back back Service alltonight go tonight is not again.again.

Service is allisgo andand is not to to faulted. bebe faulted.

The truth is, the menu is fairly lengthy (with a separate one for the wood-fired oven pizzas) but there are some real showstoppers on there and pleasingly, there is also something for everyone. We choose a selection of starters to share: Burrata with grilled courgettes, fried squid and courgette and Carpaccio of octopus with celery, potato and paprika. The ingredients here are unquestionably of excellent quality, prepared deftly and presented elegantly. Suffice to say, we made our way through everything with pleasure. A classic bottle of Chianti providing the alcoholic backdrop to proceedings. From the Primi courses, we sample the Risotto made with artichokes and Pecorino which is tasty, hearty and I could feel it clinging satisfyingly to my insides like porridge on a cold winter’s morning.

Roast rack of Lamb with a mustard and pistachio crust is a crowning glory as is the Roast Saddle of Venison with mushrooms and blueberries. Meat cooked as requested, melt in the mouth and served up with mouthpopping pairings. We have some buttery mashed potatoes on the side. A signature Della casa is the Salt baked Seabass, and many Seabass have given their lives this day to give the clientele our daily bread, I can tell you. Once the salt casing is expertly removed by the waiter or waitress, the beautiful sheen of perfectly cooked fish can be witnessed and thereafter demolished. Recommended.

As soon as the dessert menu arrives, I notice the Fig Soufflé with vanilla ice cream.

Yes please. My companion chooses lighter still and goes for the white chocolate mousse with red berry sauce. The Soufflé is a triumph, an oatmeal-coloured silken candyfloss peppered with fig seeds encased in a light crust which works marvellously with the intensely flavoured vanilla ice cream. The mousse is flavoursome and I think the glass it came in had a pattern on it before my guest got to it.

As the petit fours arrive, and I struggle to even imagine sending another morsel in the direction of my mouth, I can’t help but look around at the other diners. People are supping steaming bowls of lentil soup, sharing pizza, clinking glasses, laughing, embracing. As more empty stomachs arrive, locals or otherwise, a little fizz fizz of of fuss fuss isis made made of of them. them. All All of of life life is is little in this this room room and and the the atmosphere atmosphere has has aa pulse. pulse. in Italian food food isis about about enjoyment, enjoyment, simplicity, simplicity, aa IfIf Italian little sophistication sophistication and and family, family, this this restaurant restaurant little then, ticks ticks all all of of the the boxes. boxes. Don’t Don’t just just take take then, my word word for for itit though; though; go go for for aa wander, wander, see see my what you you find. find. ItIt may may just just be be another another of of those those what enchanting little little discoveries. discoveries. enchanting meal for for two two with with wine wine -- £150 £150 AA meal

PAGE. page. 39 41

Durbar?

ASIAN CURRY AWARDS 2013 * WINNER * CHEF OF THE YEAR

SHAMIM SYED

R e sta u r a n t r e vi e w s o u t o f to w n

Indian Summer Words: David Hillier 69 East St, Brighton, East Sussex BN1 1HQ www.indian-summer.org.uk Situated a pebble’s throw from the beach on East Street, Indian Summer has been trading since 2001, when founders Minesh Agnihotri and Byron Swales arrived in Brighton on a mission to wean Britons off Chicken Tikka Masala.

From the start unfussy authenticity has been the key, with a focus on dishes native to India, presented in a modern style and environment and using only the finest ingredients.

For the most part it works tremendously.

Opening papeds (poppadums to you and me) were accompanied by the sort of chutneys we vaguely recognised from platters gone by. Except the raita was pregnant with creamy yoghurt and fizzed with fresh mint; a world away from the anaemic sock water you get down your average Spice Hut. By the same dint, the pickle wasn’t rubbery lumps of lime rind in an oozing, bitty jam, but delicately mixed vegetables that were tangy enough to flex my tastebuds, but not so spicy as to put off my companion, who had until now kept quiet about “not being the best with chilli.”

Starters were Veg Manchurian and Dum Prawns Hariyali. The former was the best executed, with carrot, cabbage and cauliflower dumplings stir-fried with mixed peppers and spring onions in a ginger-flecked tomato sauce. If the presence of the root makes it sound something suspiciously like fusion, chef Minesh assures that this is native to Southern India. My mint-marinated king prawns were the size of my fist, and sitting atop

o u t o f to w n

5&33

Words: Karin Rus Martelaarsgracht 5, 1012TN, Amsterdam, the Netherlands www.5and33.nl When thinking of Amsterdam, do you mostly envision stag parties, the red light district and lighting up legally? at lastThen think again. Apart from its somewhat infamous legacy, the city offers an abundance of sophisticated choices, from arty galleries to chic cocktail bars and luxury lounges to top restaurants – 100 Michelin starred ones at least at the last count. And now there is a brand new place that offers it all in one. 5&33 is located on the ground floor of the recently opened and ever so elegant Art’otel Amsterdam, right opposite the Central Station. In the middle of the tourist epicentre and only a stone’s throw from the red light district, here’s a most representative of experiences for what is this most impressive modern, vibrant and liberal city.

Cleverly named for its location at number 5 Martelaarsgracht with the hotel entrance around the corner at 33 PrinsHendrikkade, the first thing to catch the eye is the curtained wall with a wired

a sauce that wasn’t unlike pond-water in look and consistency. Thankfully it didn’t taste so, though to this spice-greedy palette it wanted a little extra pep.

Fortunately this need was swiftly sated by the Charminari Lamb, which came recommended by our charming waitress. A multi-layered marinade had poppy seeds and ginger to the fore, shot through with enough heat to have me happily mopping my brow. Accompanied by a small boater of mustard kadhi- a thick, sweet and sour sauce that is the infinitely more satisfying cousin of Kormaand chilli-kissed potato thoran it was as complete a dish as I’ve had all year. My only gripe was I wanted more of it.

My date’s Malayhi Jhinga was the most disappointing

electronic interface. Sensitive to human touch, patrons are encouraged to create patterns and images simply with their palms and fingers. There is a dedicated art gallery downstairs brimming with works from resident art director and sculptor Joep van Lieshout. These are early days of course and there will be a revolving policy of exhibiting works by Dutch and international artists. The main floor consists of a swanky restaurant, an expansive library and cocktail bar. And all this is contained in a hotel which wouldn’t look out of place among the modernist architectural gems of Rotterdam.

The pick of the cocktails are Holy Viagra (tequila, chilli, pineapple juice) and Gin Daisy (with homemade hibiscus and pomegranate syrup), both well balanced and bursting with the individual flavours of their constituent ingredients. Apart from the specials, the bartenders shake their way through an extensive list of classics that include Bloody Mary, Singapore Sling and Pisco Sour. As for the restaurant, as you might expect from a Mediterranean themed eatery, the wine list is ever so impressive, with a compendious selection of Italian, French, Chilean and Austrian varieties in various shades of white, pink and red.

Every dish is meant for sharing, but to call the food tapas would be unfair. This is fusion cooking at its best. The menu

dish of the night, tasting a little like prawns in ragu sauce, though the green bean and asparagus thoran that accompanied it was a masterclass in spicing up seasonal greens. The mustard seeds speckled throughout made these greens sing.

From there to the restaurant’s flagship Mango Brulee which was as delicious as it sounds, combining perfectly the twin worlds of dairy decadence and fruity crunch. According to Minesh, it was a dish that back home they would only have at special occasions like birthdays, and that if he saw his mother making it he knew a celebration was in the offing. Sitting there on this fairly ordinary evening, it made me feel exactly the same way.

offers a great selection of cured meats, cheeses and breads, pastas and salads and vegetarian, fish and meat dishes. The yellow tail with borlotti beans and rainbow chard is gorgeous; the breaded lamb cutlet with baba ganush is moist, tender and has a delectably smoky aftertaste. If you love seafood the deep fried soft shell crab is a must. On the other hand, meat lovers should sample the grilled rib of beef – or just get both, as we did. Steak is served with forest mushroom salad flavoured with chicory, garlic and

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chilli – a fresh and crisp counterbalance to the red meat. Every dish was proof in itself of the amount of expertise and detail that went into it both in terms of taste as well as the garnished beauties that ended up on the table. The dusky ambience gets duskier as the night progresses and the dancefloor beckons. 5&33 is exciting and most of all – we’ll just have to say it – sexy. It’s everything we love about Amsterdam rolled into one – sans the delights of the sweet leaf. We all know there’s plenty of that to roll elsewhere.

R e sta u r a n t r e vi e w s

Latium Words: Coco Khan 21 Berners St, W1T www.latiumrestaurant.com Latium exists within a uniquely forgotten part of Central London. Tucked just off Oxford Street, it’s an area defined by creative offices and industry haunts, a place buzzing during the working hours, but that tapers off as the leisure hours begin. Yet, Latium, a modest looking restaurant opposite the famed Sanderson Hotel, gathers a crowd in those evening hours, and on leaving my table at 9pm is turning people away at the door. And we can see why.

Latium’s USP is its charming chef Maurizio Morelli, an Italian born culinary creative who has worked in a number of award winning kitchens (including the Michelin starred Halkin) and who, following a win of the Michelin Bib Gourmand at the age of 24, opened Latium in 2003. Since, Morelli has remained a hands-on leader in Latium, and is in fact at the helm of the kitchen when we take our seats. Catching him in between dishes, he tells us about his approach. Inspired by his heritage in Lazio in Southern Italy, Morelli considers himself an experimenter, regularly updating his menu with new ideas and concepts. This is certainly epitomised in his awardwinning dedicated ravioli menu.

Sweet, savoury, meaty and fishy, if there’s something to be done with ravioli, at Latium they’re giving it a good punt.

Yes, you can have the more familiar ravioli (we’d recommend the Oxtail filled variety), all of which are generously coated in unctuous cheesy sauce that will leave you reaching for the bread to mop it all up, or you can try something a little more

daring. There’s the trio of fish parcels, or the potato filled pasta, or there’s the ravioli dolci range – dessert pasta filled with nuts, mint and chocolate.

Elsewhere on the menu you’ll find Italian staples (risotto, pasta, pesce, carne), well executed with finesse.

The meaty monkfish commands commendation while the sweet mallard dish flourishes with its drizzle of Amaretto.

Food falls off the fork in perfect slow cooking and with a generous wine menu and a very informed sommelier you are in good hands at Latium.

That’s not to say the restaurant is without its flaws, and

on our visit there are some unusually schoolboy ones. We sampled two dishes that were so oversalted we had to raise it with the staff, and whilst sweet ravioli isn’t to my taste, it is even less so if the pasta isn’t al dente. Both these problems felt out of place in what was a largely well-rounded, warm and stylish eatery so perhaps we chalk this down to a very busy service. And a bit of grace is something that Latium deserves. Three courses at £35.50, in a well located, wellserviced, white tablecloth experience, with enough to comfort and enough to excite – well, we can’t say fairer than that.

“Search out this hidden gem, we assure you – you’ll definitely want more” – Jet Set Gazette

Elistano Restaurant 25 - 27 Elystan Street, Chelsea Green, London, SW3 3NT info@elistano.co.uk 020 7584 5248 page. 43

AD V E RTO R I AL

Regent’s University London – Your world of difference Regent’s University London is one of the UK’s most respected independent universities and one of the most internationally diverse, with students from more than 140 different countries worldwide.

Regent’s offers both British and American degree programmes in a wide range of fields, including business and management, finance, languages, the humanities, the creative arts, social sciences, fashion and design.

With over 3,300 undergraduate and 1,200 postgraduate students, the University is the largest provider of higher education in the UK outside the state-funded system.

Qualifications range from foundation level through to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Our students benefit from high levels of personal attention, regular contact with their tutors and contemporary academic programmes.

Many of our undergraduate programmes offer the opportunity to study abroad, enabling students to experience a truly international dimension to their education.

We are the London campus of Webster University, USA and have exchange partners around the world in Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia.

As a charity, we are committed to promoting social benefit. We continually reinvest our profits to improve the

University environment and put resources back into student education. Our independent status gives us the freedom and flexibility to focus on the quality of teaching, adapting our courses to the needs of students and the demands of industry.

Over the past 5 years, Regent’s has invested £40 million in facilities and teaching to enable academics to spend more time with students in lectures, tutorials and individual feedback sessions. As a result, the student-staff ratio at Regent’s is 15:1 and students receive personal tutorial support.

Regent’s School of Fashion & Design Our newest school, Regent’s School of Fashion & Design (RSFD) is one of seven specialist schools at Regent’s University, offering undergraduate programmes reflecting current industry needs and practice in fashion design and fashion marketing, interior design and visual communication.

The School is located on the desirable Marylebone High Street, known for its many design-led boutiques, interiors

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shops and cafés. This vibrant part of central London, with its long history and village-like feeling, is home to artists, musicians and entertainers.

There are places still available for 2013 entry, so please contact a member of the Admissions team or attend one of our open days for more information.

Regent’s University London Inner Circle Regent’s Park London NW1 4NS T: 0207 487 7505 E: exrel@regents.ac.uk www.regents.ac.uk

Study Fashion & Design in central London We offer degrees in fashion design, fashion marketing and interior design

Find out more

at one of our undergraduate open days.

Register at regents.ac.uk/opendays

T +44 (0) 20 7487 7505 E exrel@regents.ac.uk W regents.ac.uk/rsfd Please refer to our website for validation information

St Benedict’s, Ealing Independent Catholic Day School Teaching a way of living

Co-education from 3 years through to 18

OPEN MORNINGS:

Nursery & Reception: 3 October Junior School: 8 and 16 October, 7 November Senior School: 4 and 14 October, 21 November

SENIOR SCHOOL OPEN EVENING: 17 October ‘The school offers an excellent and broadly based academic curriculum which is supported by an excellent programme of extra-curricular activities.

At all ages the pupils’ personal development is excellent and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding.’

ISI Inspection report November 2012

SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL To book a place at an Open Event or for more information please contact: T: 020 8862 2254 E: enquiries@stbenedicts.org.uk W: www.stbenedicts.org.uk We respect the dignity of all and welcome students of other faiths.

Rodarte AW13 Hair

Behnaz Sarafpour AW13 Nails

Beauty

The Four Trends Of Christmas…

Annie Vischer talks us through how to be a beauty trend-setter this Christmas, whether you’re getting experimental at home or putting your new look in the hands of a trusted professional. Oh and DDIYD means ‘Don’t Do It Yourself Darling!’… for future reference HAIR – Rodarte AW13: Plait it up There is something about a half-up, half-down do that will always bring back the magic and pure femininity of Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’ for me. It was the first Disney film I saw when I was younger in which the heroine was brunette, so I was obsessed. I was Belle. The moment she descends the shining marble staircase and swings her sparkling golden skirt was a moment of pure entrancement for my young little girl self. And of course when Rodarte sent their models down the runway for the AW13 show with prettily plaited waves scooped into a Belle-esque bun, I couldn’t wait to pinpoint the trend. Here’s how to achieve it.

First, blow-dry hair upside down, using fingers, sans brush to give added root boost and texture. Incidentally the best hairdryer that I have come across is the ghd AIR® (£99.00, ghdhair.com). It is speedy and powerful, everything you need. And it looks fairly swish to boot.

Next, use a large barrel curling iron to softly wave large sections of hair. Think loose waves over ringlets. Mist each section with Percy and Reed Heat Protect Styling Mist (£18.00, Space NK) beforehand. Wait until hair is cool and set, then brush out the waves to add volume and even more of that coveted texture.

Create a thick braid on each side of the head at temple height. Bring them around to join at the back, wrapping the ends into an imperfect twisted round bun.

Pin flat to the head so that it creates something of a rose shape.

You may wish to leave the style at this, but for the full Rodarte AW13 look, take a section of hair directly under your rose bun and plait down, securing at the bottom. Take your tongs again and curl the sections of hair framing your visage, away from your face. Finish with a soft spritz of Bumble and Bumble Spray de Mode (£21.50, BumbleandBumble.co.uk). Et voila! You are the modern day Belle that shall go to the ball with the Beast of her choosing.

DDIYD// Daniel Galvin Jr, 4 West Halkin Street, Belgravia, SW1X 8JA – The team at Daniel Galvin Jr are seasoned red carpet up-do professionals, and can be trusted to recreate this look to perfection.

NAILS – Behnaz Sarafpour AW13: Fairy Dust Yes we are sticking with the fairytale theme, indulge me! This party-friendly manicure was created by CND’s Shelena Robinson. Nude nails are a recurring fail-safe on

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the catwalks each season, but this time they came with an added twist. A little dusting of sparkle. Whether it dipped onto the top or dusted lightly over the entire nail canvas, it was a popular feature amongst the shows of AW13. And the best news of all? It is easy. So easy.

Shape and buff your nail as you please before painting on a the trusty Essie Grow Stronger Base Coat (£8.99, Boots) to keep nails conditioned during these winter months. Follow with a translucent nude shade such as Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Frisson (£18.00, Harrods).

Next, using a makeup brush, lightly apply a nail glitter or loose glitter eye powder to the nail, concentrating on the tip and working inwards. You can finish with a top coat, though this will take a little of the shine out of the glitter, and why would you want to do that?

DDIYD// WAH Nails Topshop, Lower Ground Floor, 214 Oxford Street, W1D 1LA – Yes you may have to stray to the Christmas crowd-heavy Oxford Street, but the nail artists at WAH Nails are truly worth it. Their range of creativity is incredible and you will spend your session fascinated by the various examples of them surrounding you in the salon. And it is of course fairly handily placed for a spot of shopping afterwards.

BEAUTY

MAC Cosmetics Fluidline in Blacktrack (£15.00, MacCosmetics.co.uk)

Blumarine AW13 Lips

EYES – Anna Sui AW13: Sixties Siren Flicks Yes we’ve seen the eye flick done, and done again. But have we ever seen it applied with so much baby doll allure? No. Twiggy my darling, eat your heart out. This new Bambilike look will prove a heart-stopper this season. The renowned Pat McGrath created the effect for Anna Sui AW13 by fashioning a blunt and fluid black line across the lid and towards the outer end of the eyebrow.

She added dots of the same liner to the lower lash line to accentuate the lower eyelashes themselves.

For your very own 60s cow-eyed look opt for a gel liner in a pot such as MAC Cosmetics Fluidline in Blacktrack (£15.00, MacCosmetics.co.uk). A good liner brush will ensure sleek and smooth application.

Get brave with the extension of the flick, taking it almost a centimetre away from the outer corner of your eye. Next, create small intermittent liner dashes across your lower lash line and finish with slick upon slick of glossy black mascara.

DDIYD// MAC Cosmetics, 109 King’s Road, SW3 4PA – visit the team at MAC with a picture of this look and they will be only happy to show you how to recreate it with their usual punch and flair.

LIPS – Blumarine AW13: Nude and nourished When you are sporting a dramatic eye

look, it is always best to keep lips demure.

Luckily, the catwalks of AW13 were abounding with enough variations on a nude to keep us entertained and trialling trends for the rest of the season.

The key to the perfect nude lip is twofold, choosing the perfect shade, and keeping lips in good condition. For those with paler skin tones, select a colour that has a slightly pink finish to it. If you have a medium to olive skin tone, try warm caramel-esque tones.

Winter is prime time for lips to become dry and uneven in texture, and chapped lips do not a beautiful nude lip make. Stay hydrated and make sure to extend your moisturising routine to your pout. Your day cream will actively moisturise lips whereas most lip balms with protect from the outside.

Opting for a product with a satin or gloss finish is infinitely more flattering than going down the true-to-60s-style matte route. Dior Addict Lipstick in Sand (£24.00, Debenhams) and Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Pink Beige (£18.00, BobbiBrown.co.uk) are both hydrating nude lip wonders.

DDIYD// Pop over to your nearest Bobbi Brown counter and ask the lovely professionals there to match you with a colour. Bobbi Brown as a brand specialises in exquisitely beautiful yet pretty and subtle makeup effects. They are the go-to brand for a flattering, on trend nude lip.

Craniosacral Biodynamics for all ages 1 Harley Street, London, W1G 9QD

New Therapy New Practice What is Craniosacral Therapy?

– Hands on body-work – Developed out of Osteopathy – One of the safest forms of therapy due to its gentle touch

Saskia Griffiths-Moore LCM (Dip), R.C.S.T., B.C.S.T. saskia@clearbluetherapies.com

Who is it for?

– Adults, Babies & Elderly – Person with Acute, Chronic, or Fragile Conditions – Clients who would like to improve on NHS treatment – Clients with Stress, Headaches, Insomnia, ME, Anxiety, Backache etc. www.craniobd.com 07582639527

Welcome to Craniosacral Therapy Craniosacral therapy is up and coming! “Cranio – what?” most people say.

CranioSACRAL… With over 500 practitioners in the UK, and many more abroad, this popular therapy is making a name for itself. For those of you in parenting circles you may have heard of it as the ‘miracle cure’ for babies, though actually, cranial therapists work mostly with adults.

People come seeking this therapy as treatment for many of the conditions that most normal modern people experience – such as stress, fatigue, back and knee aches, headaches, and help with

recovery from surgery or injury.

A lot of people come for this alternative therapy to seek results where they may not have found them otherwise, and our therapist Saskia has been able to deliver them. Saskia is a highly qualified practitioner, having done a variety of complementary health trainings before specializing in craniosacral biodynamics, and is able to give appropriate advice to a wide range of conditions.

She is fully insured by the Holistic Insurance Services, as well as being an accredited member of the Craniosacral Therapy Association of the U.K. To celebrate the launch of our

Harley Street practice we are giving away discount vouchers for our first timers – £20 off. Just quote ‘Kensington & Chelsea Review offer’ when making contact. Please visit our website: www.craniobd.com for more details.

Could you benefit from Craniosacral Therapy?

Do you know someone who could benefit from Craniosacral Therapy?

Call now for a free consultation and our discount offer!

d rin k s

At the centre of any Christmas experience is a full drinks cabinet – but what to buy? Here is our comprehensive list to provide you with a drink for any occasion, selected from the luxury and the artisanal 2.

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1. Louis Jadot Meursault 2008, Burgundy, France £29.50, Wine Rack, Fowey Fish, London Wine Company, North & South, www.winedirect.co.uk 2. Beronia Rioja Reserva 2008, Spain £12.99, Majestic, Waitrose, Rhythm & Booze, Ocado, Tesco.com, Vinalia, Oxford Wine Company, of Sloane Square, Amps Fine Wines, Waitrose Wine Direct www.winedirect.co.uk 3. Taittinger Prelude Grands Crus £49.00, Majestic, Ocado, Amps, Champagne Direct, Wine Rack, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Lea& Sandeman, www.winedirect.co.uk 4. Taylor’s Quinta de Vargellas 2001 £30 Tesco, Majestic, Waitrose, Selfridges, Waitrose, Fortnum & Mason www.taylor.pt

5. Beluga Vodka £26 Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols www.vodka-beluga.com 6. Elephant Gin £29.49 Master of Malt, The Whisky Exchange and Selfridges www.elephant-gin.com 7. British Cassis ‘Proud to be British Pack’ £23.50 (inc 3 x 100ml) www.britishcassis.co.uk 8. Henri Martin Extra Brut aka Skinny Fizz, low-calorie bubbly £36 Exclusively www.finestfizz.biz 9. Thunder Vodka, Harvey Nichols £25.00 www.thundervodka.com 10. Ruby Blue Liquer £14.99 Available to order www.rubyblueliqueur.com 11. Suntory Whisky 18 years £175 The Whisky Exchange www.suntory.com/whisky

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HAVE A MAGICAL END TO THE YEAR WITH HOTEL XENIA! “'Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.‘” Irving Washington

Christmas Day Lunch

Welcome drink and sumptuous 7 course lunch

£89* per person

*Private dining for £99 per person. Children under 12 ½ price.

Christmas Eve Dinner

£55 per person

Start the festive celebrations with a Christmas Eve dinner at Evoluzione restaurant, 4 course set menu

New Year’s Eve Celebration

£105 per person

Join our New Year package at Hotel Xenia to include welcome drink, 3 course set menu and ½ bottle of wine per person and of course a glass of champagne to toast in the New Year.

Kensington & Chelsea Review readers exclusive offer -10% from the final bill When making a booking, please quote reference KCRDEC13 Hotel Xenia | 160 Cromwell Road | London SW5 0TL | 0207 442 4242 | evoluzione@hotelxenia.co.uk