Kensington and Chelsea Review Christmas 2018 Version 2

VOLUME FOUR | ISSUE FOUR | FREE

The Very Merry Issue Filling your stockings with seasonal gifts, trips, beauty tips and more...

C E L E B R AT I N G V I N TA G E V I TA L I T Y

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© ‘CHRISTMAS EVE’ BY THE GREAT EQUESTRIAN ARTIST, HUBERT DE WATRIGANT, COLLECTED BY HM THE QUEEN, AND MANY OTHER RACING GRANDEES. A REPRODUCTION OF ‘CHRISTMAS EVE’ WAS CHOSEN TO BE THE 2018 CHRISTMAS CARD FOR THE PETER O’SULLEVAN CHARITABLE TRUST IN AID OF EQUINE CAUSES. THE LATE SIR PETER O’SULLEVAN WAS THE BBC ‘ VOICE OF RACING’ AND FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE OSBORNE STUDIO GALLERY. WWW.OSG.UK.COM

Welcome to the latest issue of Kensington and Chelsea Review.

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

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

THE CONTEMPORARY CRAFT AND DESIGN FAIR 9 – 11 November Chelsea Old Town Hall

SHOP JEWELLERY AND CONTEMPORARY CRAFT

from over 100 designers #HandmadeChelsea Quote ‘KCR18‘ online for 2for1 tickets

Book now: handmadeinbritain.co.uk/chelsea

Editors’ Letter It’s here.

You’ll have noticed the nip in the air, an added twinkle to the streetlights, the uptick in cheeriness: yes, we’re just an ironically hideous jumper and set of reindeer deely-boppers away from Christmas. But, we’re no Scrooges at the KCR…no, we’ve been prepping for the season in earnest. We’ve been beautifying ourselves in readiness for December’s party circuit, found the cosiest, most festive stays in London and beyond, and compiled the luxury gifts we’d like to see under our trees.

PUBLISHER Talismanic Media FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR Sid Raghava CHIEF EDITOR Kate Weir ART DIRECTOR Harriet Bedder MOTORING EDITOR Lisa Cur tiss OFFICE MANAGER Lee Marrero SALES MANAGER Joseph McConville CONTRIBUTORS Sid Raghava, Harriet Bedder, Kate Weir, James Massoud, Bex Willans, Andrew Coles, Sarah Rodrigues, Sarah Lavigne, Sue Saunders, Lisa Curtiss, Andy Hall, Adam Jacot de Boinod and Tim Catchpole.

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 publisher nor their agents accept liability for loss or damage however caused. The publishers can accept no liability whatsoeverof 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 issues arising therefore should be taken up directly with the contributor.

Follow us to the north of England and the West Country, or be tempted by a sun-kissed break in Mauritius; learn a little about Chelsea’s history; make a wish list; and read all about the tinsel-trimmed events in the Royal Borough.

Wherever you celebrate and whoever you celebrate with, we hope the season is filled with light and laughter.

Ding dong.

THE KENSINGTON & CHELSEA TEAM

Contents 4. News Explore the latest openings, exhibitions and events from the borough

and beyond.

8.

Out and About

Musing on art, meeting Chelsea’s most revered residents and getting to know the Borough better.

19. Gift Guide Naughty? Nice? We’ve got all bases covered…

26. Travel Bigging up the British minibreak, seeking winter sun in Mauritius and

getting our minds blown in Monaco and Berlin: our rundown of flyaway festivities.

48. Dining Eating our way from Peru to the Levant and beyond…

53. Beauty

Christmas party prep: from top-ups to down there…

61.

Drive

From ‘brr’ to ‘brrm brrm’ in 0–60.

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

READ ALL ABOUT IT A rundown of news, from the worlds of art and culture (plus the items that intrigue us), all handpicked for the Royal Borough resident.

MAGNUM OPUS To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Magnum Photos founder George Rodger’s trip to Southern Sudan, a book release, featuring some of the most influential images taken in sub-Saharan Africa during the 20th century, will coincide with an exhibition at David Hill Gallery in Kensington, from 9 November to 18 December. As Henri Cartier-Bresson once remarked about George Rodger, ‘His work is a moving testimony through time and space.’ www.davidhillgallery.net

HOLISTIC HEALING The ultimate pick-me-up wellness experience to launch you into the festive season is available exclusively at COMO Shambhala Urban Escape. The experience is aimed to help combat the wear and tear of the indulgent festive-party season and takes just one hour of your day (it could make a great post-Christmasshopping treat...). It’ll leave you feeling fully revitalised both mentally and physically throughout the rest of the season. www.comohotels.com, 1.11.18-1.01.19

FESTIVE FEASTING AT BERNERS TAVERN Berners Tavern at the London EDITION hotel has released its Christmas and New Year’s Eve menus. Encompassing group feasts and warming roasts, dishes include Highland venison Wellington and Dingley Dell pork, truffle and pistachio pie, alongside traditional turkey and trimmings.

From £95 a head, www.bernerstavern.com

IN RARE FORM… Award-winning drinks brand Rare Champagne, and Mellerio, the oldest jewellery dynasty in the world, have partnered up to create a limited-edition release: an exceptional cuvée from the Champagne house, which has been aged for 20 years.

It’s available exclusively from Harrods in two beautiful designs, showcasing Mellerio’s craftsmanship. Rare Le Secret High Jewellery Edition costs £115,000 and includes a trip to Mellerio jewellers in Paris to have the bottle’s adornment crafted into a bespoke jewellery piece. www.rare-champagne.com

HEAVEN SCENT Fragrance house The Merchant of Venice, which has 10 stand-alone boutiques in Italy, has launched a scent based on the aromas of the Far East. Blue Tea harnesses the blue petals of the butterfly pea flower. It traces its roots back to Marco Polo’s 13th-century travels. ‘We identify aromas which capture the spirit of distant travels.’ says founder Marco Vidal. The fragrance can be found in Harrods, Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser.

From £180, www.themerchantofvenice.com

DICKINSON AT TESSA PACKARD IN CHELSEA British painter Phoebe Dickinson will unveil her new urban and pastoral works, painted during her travels. ‘Journey Through Landscape’ will show at the Tessa Packard Showroom in Chelsea from 12 November to 14 December.

This new body of work marks a shift in the artist’s oeuvre, as Dickinson is known for her portraiture in the style of late 19thcentury American masters such as John Singer Sargent. The show will present over 100 figurative plein air paintings. www.tessapackard.com

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THE WESTIN MALDIVES MIRIANDHOO RESORT The KCR got a taste of this glamorous new resort at a blow-out launch – quite literally, as we ate our way through four stations serving mezze, tacos, curries, sushi, bao buns and more. This Marriott hotel has a prime Indian Ocean spot, a heavenly spa and wellness offering and glamorous villas with private decks – plus, it’s family friendly, too. www.marriott.co.uk

FESTIVAL OF WINTER WALKS The popular Ramblers Festival of Winter Walks is back from 21 December to 6 January. Groups across the UK offer free walks to give everyone the chance to enjoy winter landscapes in good company. All walks during the Festival are free, but if you’re inspired, why not join the Ramblers?

Membership gives access to hundreds of walks every year and an online library of over 2,500 routes, so, membership makes a great Christmas present. www.ramblers.org.uk

VAL-D’ISÈRE’S NEW LUXE CHALET Bramble Ski has expanded into Val-d’Isère, with three new stays: Chalet Inoko, Chalet du Crêt and Chalet Barmettes. The residences are spectacular, with unrivalled service, including chauffeurs, chefs and concierges who can arrange in-chalet ski and boot fittings, VIP experiences and reservations.

The three properties are the first foray into the bustling resort of Val-d’Isère for Bramble Ski; an exciting step for their expansion. www.brambleski.com

LION/NE Lion/ne is a Chelsea-based skincare consultancy offering product recommendations tailored to your needs.

Founded by Ksenia Selivanova and Megan Felton, Lion/ne offers advice on skin products. With three consultations to choose from, Lion/ne use the OBSERV Skin Diagnostic Tool to carefully analyse different layers, delivering a deeper understanding by illuminating what the eye can’t see. Not being affiliated with brands means each consultation is bespoke and unbiased. www.lionneldn.co.uk

BLACK MIRROR AT SAATCHI GALLERY Featuring 26 artists, Black Mirror explores art’s role in social satire, and how political uncertainty has influenced art. The exhibition shows how satire can provide light relief as well as commentary on the divisive political climate. Works are about the world we live in, exposing the anxieties modern-day obsessions create. Artists include Turner Prize nominee Richard Billingham; Polish artist Aleksandra Mir; and Chilean sculptor Alejandra Prieto. This show emphasises art’s importance in dissecting power structures and questioning societal norms. www.saatchigallery.com

HUBERT DE WATRIGANT AT OSBORNE STUDIO GALLERY In his own words, equestrian painter Watrigant describes his struggles for perfection, his experiments with media, and his search for new subjects. Extraordinary natural gifts (he is self-taught) have brought him international success. He has exhibited internationally and private collectors include HM The Queen. This exhibition of 50 new works brings the human form into focus.

From 6–29 November 2018, Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcomb Street, Belgravia SW1X 8JU, www.osg.uk.com

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ROCCO FORTE MOVE INTO MASSERIA TORRE MAIZZA The Puglian resort will reopen as a Rocco Forte hotel in May 2019 following significant refurbishment. This is the group’s first hotel in Puglia. Located near Savelletri di Fasano, by the Adriatic, surrounded by a nine-hole executive golf course, the resort is an original 16th-century masseria. A six-million-euro investment will include refurbished rooms, more junior suites and suites. The hotel will have a rooftop bar, restaurant, fitness centre, kids’ club, and access to a private beach club. www.roccofortehotels.com

AKRAM KHAN’S ACCLAIMED UNTIL THE LIONS RETURNS Returning to the Roundhouse for just six performances in January 2019, this piece sees Khan dancing the role of Bheeshma for the final time. Created for the atmospheric 360° setting in January 2016, the inspiration for the piece is taken from poet Karthika Naïr’s book Until The Lions: Echoes from the Mahabharata. Khan combines the Indian dance form Kathak and contemporary dance to explore themes of gender and time. Until the Lions runs from 11–17 January 2019. www.sadlerswells.com

THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE OFFICIALLY OPENS JAPAN HOUSE LONDON IN KENSINGTON On 13 September, Prince William opened Japan House in Kensington, to aid the flow of creativity between the UK and Japan.

The Duke tried his hand at copper-beating, played chopstick games and discussed the upcoming Japan–UK Season of Culture, running from 2019 to 2020. The new cultural venue aims to strengthen cultural, social and economic bonds between the two nations.

The building includes exhibition, event and workshop spaces, a library, restaurant and shop. www.japanhouselondon.uk

COURMAYEUR’S NEW HOTEL AND RESTAURANT The Italian Hospitality Collection is opening Le Massif, a luxurious ski hotel in Courmayeur this December. Linked to the hotel but set on the pistes, La Loge du Massif, a destination restaurant with a kids’ club will also open. Le Massif will house 80 rooms and suites, a spa, in-house ski concierge, two restaurants and bars, a ski room, kids’ club and babysitting.

The hotel will be conveniently located in the centre of the village.

Rates start from €350 a room, each night, on a bed and breakfast basis. For information visit: www.lemassifcourmayeur.com.

© BENJAMIN EALOVEGA, COURTESY OF THE SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP

ASTRONIGHTS AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM On 1 December and 18 January, the Science Museum will be hosting another of its sleepovers for kids, with – somewhat ironically, perhaps – its theme as the Sun. Throughout the PM and till the wee hours, there will be talks, workshops and activities, ending with breakfast and an IMAX 3D film.

Pack your kids’ space-themed PJs and send them on a stratospheric adventure.

From 6.45pm–10am, £60 a person for ages 7–11, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/ see-and-do/astronights

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF INDIA The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) will perform in the UK for the first time, with a six-date tour, including two dates at London’s Cadogan Hall and concerts in Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cardiff (19–25 February 2019). Founded in 2006 by the National Centre for Performing Arts Mumbai, the SOI is India’s first and only fully professional orchestra, performing regularly with internationally-renowned conductors and soloists. Tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain will perform a tabla concerto commissioned by the orchestra. www.soimumbai.com

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MERIDIANI OPENS OPPOSITE THE V&A Meridiani has opened its flagship store on Thurloe Place. The brand’s classic pieces and latest collections by Andrea Parisio are displayed alongside Meridiani Editions, collections that represent excellence, handcrafted workmanship and high-quality finishes. Shine, the third collection of Meridiani Editions, introduces storage units, small tables and consoles all distinguished by touches of precious metal. Lacquers, bronzed mirrors, marbles and woods are used to create timeless elegance. Also on display are carefully selected Made in Italy items, such as original works of art, design lamps and a selection of ceramics. www.meridiani.it

BASTIAN IN MAYFAIR Coinciding with Bastian’s 30th anniversary, the gallery is opening a London space in January 2019. Located on Mayfair’s Davies Street, this will be Bastian’s first international outpost outside Berlin. Situated in a 20thcentury townhouse, it will be renovated by David Chipperfield Architects. Bastian’s curatorial programme will have an emphasis on German and American post-war artists. The inaugural exhibition, running until April 2019, presents 60 Polaroids by Andy Warhol. The expansion to London reflects Bastian’s international outlook and continuing development trajectory. www.galeriebastian.com

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN RETURNING Exhibition on Screen continues with three new films uncovering the lives of artistic greats. From Degas’ pursuit of perfection to Van Gogh’s passion for Japan, the new season provides unique insight into artists’ personal worlds.

Season Six opened with Degas: Passion for Perfection, which goes behind-thescenes of the UK’s most extensive Degas collection at the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Revealing his obsessive experimentation with new techniques, the film explores how he perfected his craft and became one of the 19th century’s most influential artists. www.exhibitiononscreen.com

KUTIR SET TO OPEN IN CHELSEA Rohit Ghai, the chef that launched Gymkhana and won a Michelin star at Jamavar (reviewed

by Sid Raghava in this issue) opened his first solo site, Kutir, this November. Located just off Chelsea’s Sloane Square in an elegant townhouse, Kutir will offer a menu based on royal hunting expeditions in India’s countryside. The à la carte will have truffle and mushroom khichadi, lobster bonda and 24-hour slow-cooked rogan josh. Kutir will serve feasting-style dishes and seasonal ingredients. www.kutir.co.uk

WE WISH YOU A NON-MEATY CHRISTMAS A unique dining offering in the heart of London, Café Forty-One offers a contemporary vegan alternative to traditional French pâtisserie favourites. They recently introduced a new festive menu, including nut Wellington with gravy and mashed potatoes, a chestnut and caramel-apple yule log with redcurrant coulis and other seasonal treats. www.lasuitewest.com/cafe-forty-one.html

HECTOR FINCH LIGHTING: A TREASURE TROVE If you’re looking for an ‘accent piece’, make Hector Finch your first stop. In 1991, Finch set up shop in Chiswick Lane, gained confidence in interior design, then bravely opened the doors of his London showroom on Wandsworth Bridge Road. Every corner of this showroom dazzles with light: from globes, lanterns, wall lights, table lamps, chandeliers… Clients include royalty, swanky hotels, and stars – so, go towards the light. www.hectorfinch.com

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

Legendary artist Anthony Christian’s sumptuous paintings of drapery nod to classicism and bring life to the mundane…

© ANTHONY CHRISTIAN, HOTEL LAUNDRY, INDIA

HOLY SHEET

Anthony Christian’s work is hard to categorise. Some of it is pearl-clutchingly erotic, some lushly figurative, some is imbued with historic grandeur, evoking the busy sensuality of Delacroix or the ruddy frankness of Rembrandt. However, in all his work is a beatific attention to detail and painstaking rendering of textures, whether pitted tree limbs or succulent palm leaves, or a teasing softness in flesh. But his passion for touchy-feely likeness is most evident in cloth: liquid silks, crisp cotton chemises, crumpled dresses as they drop from shoulders, ruched-up vests, strokable blankets… In his own words: ‘Ever since I was a child sitting on my bed looking at the crumpled sheets and seeing all sorts of figures and monsters racing around in the intricate folds of the cloth, I was fascinated by drapery.’

So, it’s unsurprising that the body of work he recently showed at Zari Gallery, A Passion for Drapery, was focused on cloth and its wanton folds… In fact, drapery was the making of Christian’s career after he painted a pair of mannequins he called Mr and Mrs Frank (as they’d cost him a fair few of them, having been bought in Paris), in an endless assortment of costumes. ‘I made various ‘studies’ that were really more than just studies as I gave both the mannequins and cloth life through the excitement of my brushes. These paintings launched me into a hugely successful career. They sold all over the US, where I was living by then, and later all over Europe. Drapery had become ‘my’ subject.’

So, this is no mere laundry basket of a show – this is a master of his craft celebrating drapery’s abstractions and

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

suggestive arrangements, contrasting writhing crisp white forms against galactic backdrops and idiosyncratic landscapes, showing them floating over female nudes (another passion of Christian’s), painting torn shirts and discarded winding sheets, balled-up scarlet linens. A friend’s glowing review of Christian’s work captures the appeal of these paintings succinctly: ‘You are painting the ultimate classical subject, drapery, with the hand only you have, of the Masters, but you are doing so in a completely new and modern way. You have finally really found your voice as an artist.’ Christian has found the contemplative in the day-today – he’s truly cut from a different cloth…

Zari Gallery, 73 Newman Street, London W1T 3EJ, www.zarigallery. co.uk

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‘Drapery had become ‘my’ subject…’

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

© ANTHONY CHRISTIAN, MADONNA DRAPERY

THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

SARAH RODRIGUES visits the Royal Hospital Chelsea and discovers a beloved historical institution that’s moving with the times.

There’s a lively wave of chatter and laughter in the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s coffee shop. Groups are sitting over pots of tea and cooked breakfasts, conversing with a comradely ease that’s immediately apparent to an outsider – although one isn’t made to feel like one, so ready are the smiles from those seated. The space’s floorto-ceiling glass provides light and a sense of space in the bustling room. It also offers a lovely view of the surrounding gardens – and threatening skies. It looks as though tonight’s outdoor screening of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes may not go ahead after all.

It’s unlikely that King Charles II could have conceived what his creation would eventually become when, in recognition of the fact that no care existed for old and injured soldiers, he founded the Royal Hospital Chelsea back in 1682.

The building was modelled on the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, and Christopher Wren was responsible for its design; the result was a PAGE10 10 PAGE

typically wonderful example of the grace and symmetry that characterises his buildings.

That said, significant alterations have been effected on the hospital over the years; even during construction it was recognised that the planned space would be insufficient, resulting in addition of two further quadrangles to the original colonnaded Figure Court. If the concept behind its creation was progressive and receptive to the needs of retired soldiers, then the changes have certainly continued in that vein, most notably the upgrading of the pensioners’ berths. Originally a cramped six by six feet each, the berths have been enlarged by one-half over the years, and now all comprise a study area and ensuite bathroom, with considerable pains taken to preserve Wren’s work.

Other elements remain unchanged in their grandeur, yet have been modified for practicality. For example, the Great Hall dining room, with its handsome black-and-

white floor tiles, was originally not attached to the kitchens, an inconvenience that’s now been rectified, along with the restoration of a large mural depicting Charles II, which is displayed on the back wall and dates to circa 1690.

The ashes of Margaret Thatcher are interred next to those of her husband Denis in the grounds of the Royal Hospital; the former Prime Minister is held in high esteem by the Pensioners, thanks to her involvement in the creation of the Margaret Thatcher Infirmary, which was opened in 2009 to provide a modern, quality care provision for residents. This was also the year that saw the admission of the first female pensioners; they’re still largely outnumbered by men, but an air of feminine playfulness is apparent as I tour the grounds with one of them.

The camaraderie between the residents as they discuss who’s going to the Stafford London’s Game Bird Restaurant for lunch next week (the hotel has warmly extended

an ongoing invitation to the veterans for the first Monday of each month) is a joy to witness.

Responsive changes continue: a fundraising drive with a £300,000 target is underway to replace the scarlet coats traditionally worn by the Pensioners with ones made of a lighter, more intelligently breathable fabric. Involvement in activities is vital to the social wellbeing of the Pensioners, who range in age from 67 to over 100, but the heavy fabric of the iconic coats they’re required to wear when out beyond the confines of the hospital and for ceremonial duties, have caused many to feel unwell in warm temperatures.

You can text SCARLET to 70660 to give £5 or donate online. Visit: www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/scarlets-appeal.

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‘The camaraderie between the residents as they discuss who’s going to the Stafford London’s Game Bird Restaurant for lunch next week is a joy to witness.’

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

Family-friendly members’ club Cloud Twelve is in many ways, peak Notting Hill. It’s set in outrageously pretty Colville Mews and Alice Temperley’s Union-Flag emblazoned store is right next door.

Portobello Market is a hop-skip away and other area favourites (Farm Girl, the Ledbury, Ottolenghi’s) are comfortingly close. It’s found itself at the Zen locus of London’s finessed ‘hood. Through the windows in its cornflower-blue frontage, it beckons warmly. Decor is a chirpy take on holism: embroidered cushions, floral murals, intricately carved woods… It’s just chic enough to transcend twee, and pretty enough to engage visiting little ones.

The club is the passion project of CEO Jenya Emets: a former financier turned naturopath. She envisioned a seamless wellness experience under one roof. Here, you can pretty much reinvent yourself: have a manicure with eco-friendly, non-toxic Nailberry polish or oxygenated Bio Sculpture gel; get a facial; plummet into sub-Arctic temperatures in a cryotherapy chamber; and, um, top things off with a colonic, if you so desire… It’s rare that a club spa has such an all-encompassing offering. But, the devil’s in the details here – even the subtlest of luxuries stands out – plugs in the spa lockers, cashmere-soft robes, heated, contoured and cushioned massage beds and other thoughtful little things. The couple’s spa room has a sandpit-style bed filled with fine rose quartz and the hair salon uses indulgently Earth-kind American English and Aveda products. The Wellness Space welcomes non-members too, and if you invest in Wellness Membership (£1,200 a year), you get cosseting extras: a monthly hour-long massage (or £100 equivalent

treatment in the spa, salon or wellness clinic); use of the thermal suite, sauna, steam and salt room; preferential booking; an annual consultation with the in-house holistic therapist; and five per cent off all club services.

But, the sweetest part of the club takes over the ground floor: a members-only, nature-themed playroom and Montessoristyle crèche. Kids (from ages 0–11) are gently encouraged to be considerate of the environment and conscious of their own wellbeing through play. A magical forest of a playground has a treehouse, slide, jungle-gym, sensory playspace within a giant ladybug, ballpit and more. It’s overseen by warm Ofsted-registered assistants and it’s filled with toys, books, dress-up costumes, instruments and other fun things. Classes run to ballet, music-making, yoga, circus skills, herbalism, meditation and even how to recycle. Baby massages, sleep and behaviour therapies are available too, and all in all it’s an adorable and well-thought-out place to let your little darlings loose in. A chic rest area to one side let’s parents keep an eye and chill out.

To keep everyone energised, there’s a plant-based café – a descriptor that rarely makes me salivate, but, here, dishes such as sweet potato with quinoa and pomegranate molasses and pastrywrapped tofu and spinach are rather tempting. As is the neat wine list to wash them down with. So, if you want childcare and selfcare in one fragrant, holistic package, upgrade from Cloud Nine to Twelve (from £2,000 a year). www.cloudtwelve.co.uk | 2–5 Colville Mews, London W11 2DA

Members’ club Cloud Twelve looks after all the family. KATE WEIR investigates…

HEAD, BODY AND SOUL IN THE CLOUDS

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Cudoni will arrange a VIP complimentary collection at an address and time that suit you. After receiving the items, the team’s industry experts will evaluate each piece and provide you with a professional market-valuation, gathered from global sales data using their in-house technology. Finally, sit back as your items sell through Cudoni’s specialist network, which the team have spent years carefully developing to ensure that their customers get the very best sales prices for their items. It’s no surprise that with their expert team, Cudoni achieve, on average, 30% more than customers selling the same items themselves.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

FIVE OF THE BEST GERMAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS SARAH LAVIGNE goes on a festive shopping spree through Germany’s most magical seasonal markets…

I am a great lover of all things German, so I get really excited each year when I see German-inspired Christmas markets popping up all over the UK. But no matter how festive they are, nothing beats the real thing.

From the end of November all the way to Christmas Eve, rows and rows of cute wooden huts pop up on the streets of Germany, all lit up with what seem like millions of twinkling lights. They sell everything from handcrafted Christmas decorations and figurines, to traditional cakes like Lebkuchen, Stollen or gingerbread, plus plenty of Christmas spirits…

For example, the most popular stalls always seem to be the ones serving Glühwein – a traditional spiced mulled wine – where groups of tired shoppers or workers gather to beat the cold and have a festive catch up. If mulled wine is not your thing, many of them also offer hot chocolate (it’s up to you whether you add a shot of Amaretto…), Eierpunsch (a type of creamy eggnog), or Kinderpunsch (the delicious non-alcoholic alternative to Glühwein).

So, if like me, you’re in a mood for an authentic German Christmas, hop on a plane to one of these beautiful cities and prepare to step into a real Winter Wonderland.

HAMBURG - THE UNCONVENTIONAL ONE There are more than 30 Christmas markets across the city of Hamburg. One of the largest is the Historischer Weihnachtsmarkt auf dem Rathausmarkt, where you can not only browse stalls of handcrafted gifts but also witness Santa Claus on a sleigh flying into the sky every couple of hours. However, if you’re looking for something a bit different, head down to Reeperbahn for the Santa Pauli market, an unconventional affair with a tongue-in-cheek ‘romantic’ theme (for a little context, the market’s been dubbed the XXXmas Market). www.hamburg-tourism.de DRESDEN - THE HISTORIC ONE The exact origins of the German Christmas markets are difficult to pinpoint, with winter fairs happening throughout Europe from the 13th century. One thing most sources do agree on, is that Dresden’s Striezelmarkt is the first of the Weihnachtsmärkten as we know them today. With around 250 stalls, it is also one of the largest. Dresden is also the best destination if you like Stollen; head to the old town on the second Saturday of advent for the Stollenfest, where bakers from around the city parade the giant cake they have baked together. www.dresden.de/tourismus MUNICH - DAILY ADVENT CONCERTS Christkindlmarkt rund um den Marienplatz is the largest Christmas market in Munich. With the backdrop of the neo-Gothic Guildhall and daily advent concerts, it’s also the most atmospheric. As with all major German cities, Munich has many markets dotted around the centre, so I recommend letting your senses guide you a little, too. (Insider tip: from Marienplatz, walk up Kaufingerstraße until you reach the intersection with Liebfrauenstraße. The stall just to the right serves the best white-wine Glühwein.) www.muenchen-tourist.de

© HEUREKA-LEIPZIG.DE

BERLIN - THE CAPITAL Berlin does Christmas markets in true capital-city style. With more than 60 markets scattered over various districts, there is truly something for every taste. In addition to the classic decorations, toys and Glühwein, International performers, jazz and rock musicians, jugglers and dancers share the entertainment headlines. So, if you’re after a full-on Winter festival feel, Berlin is the one for you. www.berlin-tourist-information.de

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

LEIPZIG - COOL MEETS CULTURE Leipzig is fast becoming one of the coolest cities in Germany. Whilst Südvorstadt and Plagwitz are the trendiest districts for socialising (day or night), the central Alt-Stadt is a cradle of culture and history, celebrating its most famous resident, baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach and saluting the city’s crucial role in the reunification of Germany in the 1990s. For a day full of tradition, head to Naschmarkt square to browse of artisan products, and food and drink stalls, then onwards to St Thomas church for an advent concert by some of the best choirs in the world. www.ltm-leipzig.de Most markets open on 27 November and keep going until 23 December. For more information about the dates and times, check out www.weihnachtsmarktdeutschland.de

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HIP SIPPING AT THE WALDORF HILTON The KCR sent intrepid reporters Andy and Tim for a afternoon tea-off at historic five-star stay, the Waldorf Hilton hotel – a cup-scale affair they found rather splendid indeed…

Grand-dame London hotel, the Waldorf Hilton has officially partnered with the musical Mamma Mia! showing at the Novello Theatre, just a minute’s walk from the hotel. It’s the inspiration behind their new afternoon tea, which brings a little of the Greek isles and Nordic bouncy pop to the capital. Here’s what to expect…

TO EAT - The tea includes savoury tiers of ham with dijon mustard on onion bread, egg sandwiches in a basil loaf, tuna mayonnaise and blinis topped with oak-smoked salmon and chive-infused cream cheese. On the sweet tiers, there’s a range of dainty cakes, both chocolate-y and fruity, and, of course, scones with clotted cream and jam, which were delicious.

TO DRINK - Sparkling wine or flutes of Piper-Heidsieck or Pommery, depending on the tier of tea you settle on, and there’s a select edit of prosecco (free-flowing for an additional charge) and wines, and some vintage Dom Pérignon if you’re looking to up your tea game. Plus, a range of white and black teas, plus infusions.

We had fragrant pots of Darjeeling and the Thoroughly Minted tea, which was a pleasant peppermint sipper.

If you want your afternoon tea with (jingle) bells on, the festive selection (from £42, £55 for an hour of free-flowing champagne) is as cheering as watching The Muppet Christmas Carol for the zillionth time. Its tiers come decked with turkey and cranberry sandwiches, Blacksticks blue and broccoli tartlets, mulled-wine jellies, gingerbread-man sandwiches and chocolate brownies with marshmallows.

THE AMBIENCE ANDY: The hotel is in a great location – between the Strand and Covent Garden – with London’s best shopping streets and theatres just around the corner. The tea itself takes place in a sort of atrium, before the steps to the lobby. We accidentally ended up in a different tea room on arrival, and, to be honest, I liked that a little better.

However, we were seated by large windows, which washed the place in some afternoon sun, and top-form staff – and a pianist and harpist playing in the background – made the setting feel special.

TIM: Similarly to Andy, I preferred the main tea room and the porch/atrium/lobby vestibule would be my second choice for tea.

But, the staff (the man who showed us to the correct tea room, the very attentive servers) were great all round. Being seated by the windows, with passers by looking in gave us an audience to validate our bromance too…

THE AMBIENCE TIM: I liked the room very much. It had my all-time favourite feature in a hotel room: a TV hooked up to speakers in the bathroom. It maybe wasn’t as romantic as I was hoping (you’d have to bring your own Barry White’s Greatest Hits CD from home), but there was prosecco on ice and a laden cake stand, which was a nice touch. It was peaceful considering the location, but we did watch Wild Wild West and cranked the volume to the max when the credits came on – then I ran back and forth from bedroom to bathroom.

ANDY: I liked how the extra cakes extended the afternoon-tea experience; the prosecco is something I’d expect from a luxury hotel – apparently, Tim would not: there was some debate before

we realised it was complimentary. The bed was very comfy and there was a good range of amenities: minibar, robes and slippers, mobile phone etc. I was also very excited about the TV speakers in the bathroom.

The Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, London WC2B 4DD. Rooms available from £269 via Hilton.com.

The Waldorf Hilton’s afternoon tea is priced from £39.50 (£45.50 with freeflowing prosecco. Please note, prices vary depending on the tea you choose, check when booking for details). It’s available to book online via Bookatable (www.bookatable.co.uk).

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

HARRIET BEDDER gets better acquainted with the Royal Borough’s most intriguing landmarks…

ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST

Open House is the world’s largest architecture festival, which grants access to more than 800 buildings, walks and talks over one weekend in September. Eager for a snoop around the Royal Borough, we joined the walking tour of Chelsea on the 25th anniversary of the Open House initiative, hoping to learn even more about our stomping ground.

Each year, Open House is attended by over a quarter of a million people, but the weather is miserable today, so we’re a merry band of seven. We start in Duke of York Square, beneath the restored statue of physician, collector, and founder of the British Museum, Sir Hans Sloane. Here, we learn about the marriage of the Charles, 2nd Baron Cadogan and Hans Sloane’s daughter Elizabeth, a pivotal moment which united the Cadogan and Sloane families in the 18th century and marks the foundation of modern-day Chelsea – 200 acres of consolidated land that now forms the Royal Borough. It’s fascinating and strangely rewarding to give context to the names of

the streets we live on and walk along on a daily basis.

Outside the Saatchi Gallery, our guide goes off on a brief tangent to discuss the architectural plans of a new restaurant, to be designed by Nex Architecture (slated to have a public rooftop garden and an inventive glass façade, which will lower into the ground during the warmer months). We then learn a little about the gallery and discover it was once an orphanage/women’s home, before we head south towards Burtons Court and the Royal Chelsea Hospital beyond. Here, we discover the Chelsea of the Stuarts; Sir Christopher Wren built the hospital for Charles II in 1681, making it the oldest landmark of our walk.

We carry on through the tree-lined, pebble-strewn park of Royal Avenue, passing Richard Rogers’ stuccoed terrace houses (formerly home to Sir Ian Fleming – one of these squares was rumoured to be home to James Bond). This avenue was all that was ever built of William and Mary’s ‘public realm’ scheme in 1692: a plan to connect Nottingham House (now known as Kensington Palace) to the hospital and River Thames beyond. During the 1770s the outward spread of London led Fulham-born architect Henry Holland to spot an opportunity south of Knightsbridge. He acquired building rights from the Earl of Cadogan, who had come into possession of the land. He erected spacious three-storey terraces along the west side of Sloane Street and in Hans Place, then around Sloane Square, and finally in Cadogan Place in 1790.

Holland built himself a mansion called Sloane Place (or the Pavilion) in the south-western part of his ‘town’, with grounds landscaped

by Capability Brown. The development of the surrounding acreage became known as Hans Town.

Another interesting fact about King’s Road is that – despite its name – it came about simply because Charles II wanted a shortcut through local farms to Hampton Court Palace, which was quicker than travelling by Thames barge. The route only opened for public use after 1830 when Chelsea had begun to take shape as a fashionable quarter for a bohemian class of actors, artists, poets and musicians. The idea was for the King’s Road to remain private and change between Queen’s Road and King’s Road depending on which monarch was on the move.

Behind King’s Road, we discovered the second-generation Cadogan development from the 19th century, laid out on the grounds of the demolished 18th-century site. After Henry Holland’s original lease expired, the 5th Earl Cadogan planned an estate in a then modern style known as New Queen Anne. Apparently, white stucco of Belgravia had become distinctly old fashioned. Today those terraces of red-brick-fronted homes, articulated individually by their tall Dutch-style gables, share similar stylistic elements (height, scale and building materials), yet their façade detailing varies. This architectural style is reminiscent of the red-brick houses found throughout New York.

Smaller, narrower streets surround the grand ‘jewel in the crown’: Cadogan Square, where particularly wealthy residents have grand houses commissioned from noted architects. To understand how today’s Chelsea contrasts with the past, we saw the rare remaining example of Henry Holland’s housing at 123 Sloane Street.

The remainder of the walk acknowledged Chelsea’s cultural landmarks like Holy Trinity church, designed by architect JD Sedding, who – as Master of the Art Workers’ Guild – enticed celebrity names from the Arts and Crafts Movement to contribute.

Around the corner, we noted an unusual example of Byzantine expression, Cadogan Hall, which was built as a church, but is now a highly successful concert hall. Finally, the walk paid tribute to Sloane Square’s Royal Court Theatre, which was considered daringly different from established norms when it was built.

Next year’s Open House takes place on the weekend of 21–22 September. You can participate in any borough and even go inside some buildings for a nose around. www.openhouselondon.org.uk

ADVERTORIAL

EXPERIENCE JAPAN ON KENSINGTON HIGH STREET One of the best places for original Christmas gifts is on Kensington & Chelsea’s very own Kensington High Street. Opened to the public on 22 June, Japan House is the new, London home for Japanese creativity and innovation. Much more than just a shop, the cultural centre designed by Tokyo-based interior design firm Wonderwall brings the Japanese concept of social and cultural retail to London.

Spread over three floors, Japan House is home to The Shop and a café stand on the ground floor; an exhibition gallery, events space and library on the lower ground floor; and Japanese restaurant AKIRA on the first floor. This brand new cultural centre offers visitors an immersive experience of the best and latest from Japan in art, design, food, technology and retail.

Alongside Los Angeles and São Paulo, London is one of three new global locations where Japan House has been created by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer insights into Japan that go beyond stereotypes. Each of the three Japan House locations are beautifully designed by internationally acclaimed Japanese architects and interior designers, under the guidance of Kenya Hara, the Chief Creative Director.

THE SHOP AT JAPAN HOUSE Upon entering Japan House guests dive into the cultural retail experience that encompasses the entire ground floor. The Shop at Japan House blurs the boundaries between shop and gallery, adding learning and appreciation to the retail experience. It introduces Japanese products: their provenance and the artisans and designers who make them.

The Shop presents a carefully edited inventory of Japanese products ranging from crafts and design goods through to cuttingedge technology, including high-quality stationery such as washi, Japanese paper and glass fountain pens; kitchen and tableware made by skilled Japanese craftspeople; accessories; health and beauty products; home décor goods; and a beautiful book collection curated by BACH. Each product has a story to tell, introducing the cultures of Japan, and what makes it such a captivating nation.

SUBTLE: DELICATE OR INFINITESIMAL Timed to coincide with the festive season, Japan House London presents its third exhibition, entitled ‘SUBTLE: Delicate or Infinitesimal’, the ultimate exploration of Japanese minimalism and the delicate art of paper. Following hugely successful shows at Japan House’s international sister locations in Los Angeles and São Paulo, SUBTLE intends to reawaken our sense to the limitless possibilities of what can be done with fine paper. SUBTLE will be open to the public at Japan House London from Tuesday 13 November to Monday 24 December 2018. Admission free.

AKIRA FOR SUSHI AND ROBATAYAKI In September, one of Kensington’s most famous residents, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, visited Japan House to formally open the new cultural centre. While there The Duke met Executive Chef Akira Shimizu in AKIRA restaurant and sampled one of the restaurant’s signature bento boxes. The Duke revealed that both he and his wife Kate love sushi. The AKIRA bento is as beautiful as a jewellery box (and fit for a Prince!) making it perfect for a memorable end of year celebration.

Visit the Japan House London website at JapanHouseLondon.uk to find out more or to make a reservation at AKIRA restaurant.

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Come in to see the full range at the Pop-Up Shop: 341 King’s Road, Chelsea Open every day from 10am to late!

VOLUME FOUR | ISSUE FOUR | FREE

The Very Merry Issue Filling your stockings with seasonal gifts, trips, beauty tips and more...

GIFT GUIDE 4.

EXPERIENCES 1. PURLING LONDON Unique Art Chess Sets, Nette Robinson’s Spoils of the Ocean | £7,000, www.purlinglondon.com 2. PURLING LONDON Unique Art Chess Sets, Caio Locke’s Sky Castle £7,000, www.purlinglondon.com 3. THE FENDER PLAYER SERIES A line of electric guitars and basses which acts as the new official entry point to Fender, with Stratocasters, Telecasters and more | from £549, www.shop.fender.com 4. THE FOLIO SOCIETY special sci-fi and horror editions A selection of beautifully illustrated modern classics. From £29.95 to £75 www.foliosociety.com

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5. MR & MRS SMITH The World’s Sexiest Bedrooms book | £29.95 www.mrandmrssmith.com

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(IMAGE CREDIT: CHRIS JOHNSON)

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6. THE LONDON HELICOPTER gift vouchers for helicopter rides over the city | £200–£300 a person (depending on the route), £2,000 for a private ride, gift vouchers from £50 up. www.thelondonhelicopter.com/routes

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GIFT GUIDE

FOR THE HOME 2.

1. SILVERA Paris Memphis No. 2 Candle Holder | £475 www.silveraltd.co.uk

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2. NUDE whisky set | £78 for the Malt Whiskey Bottle, £31 for two Malt Whiskey Glasses, www.nudeglass.com 3. NUDE drinks set | £108 for the Chill Carafe, £58 for the Chill Tumbler www.nudeglass.com

4. ROSE & GREY Green-Glass Cactus Carafe | £32 www.roseandgrey.com 5. CURIOUS EGG Estrella oil pourer and dipping bowls set | £48 www.curiousegg.com 6. KALINKO Kuki salad bowl | £65, www.kalinko.com 7. KALINKO Inya rattan bowl | £42 (available in 5 colours) www.kalinko.com 8. THE CURIOUS DEPARTMENT Electric Lagoon velvet cushion in blue £100, www.thecuriousdepartment.com 1.

9. SÉ Trophy Table Lamp | from £1,356, www.se-collections.com , 60 Fulham Road, London SW3 6HH

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GIFT GUIDE 10.

FOOD AND DRINK 6.

1. ROKU Japanese Gin | £25 a bottle www.waitrose.com 1.

2. BENROMACH DISTILLERY 100° proof whisky | £56.75 a bottle www.benromach.com 3. ADNAMS Copper House Dry Gin | £26.99 www.adnams.co.uk 4. PRESTAT Christmas Collection, 210g | £18.50, www.johnlewis.co.uk 5. BENARES RESTAURANT Chef Atul’s Signature Spice Box Christmas Box | £30, www.benaresrestaurant.com 6. MATILDA x TART LONDON Spicy Christmas Crackers (containing a TART recipe for Xmas leftovers and a spice mix) | £58 a box www.matildagoad.com

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7. POILÂNE® Garland Biscuits (10 pieces), £6.75; Gingerbread Man, £2.90; Reindeer Cookies (pack of 8), £4.70; Round Yule Log Christmas Cake, from £23.20, www.poilane.com

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8. NCN’EAN A hybrid botanical spirit marrying the flavours of whisky and gin | £30 a bottle, the first batch is a limited run of 5,000, available at www.thewhiskyexchange.com and www.ncnean.com 9. TWG TEA Moonlight Hamper | £297.50 (includes the Mari teapot in blue (600ml), Night of Noel tea set, Royal Darjeeling tea bag gift box, Silver Moon tea, Red Christmas tea shortbread cookies, French Earl Grey tea jelly, sugar tea-sticks and the TWG tea scoop in silver), www.twgtea.com

10. ADNAMS Triple Malt Longshore vodka | £30.99 a bottle www.adnams.co.uk

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11. BUSABA Bangkok Thai: The Busaba Cookbook | £25 www.foyles.co.uk 4.

12. A KIND MAMA Vegan Mixed Christmas Treat Box | £22 www.akindmama.com

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GIFT GUIDE

FASHION, JEWELLERY & BEAUTY 1. BEA SKIN CARE’S FIVE-STEP REGIME One solution for all skin types £186, www.bea-skincare.com

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2. BULLET AND BONE Skincare products designed to enhance sporting performance and aid recovery | £39.99, available in a four-piece box set from www.bulletandbone.com and www.amazon.co.uk

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3. HAIRSTORY Hair products from the creators of Bumble & Bumble from £37.50, www.hairstory.com

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4. BEACH BUMS Princess Margaret sunglasses | £50 www.bequiabeachbums.com 5. MASSIMO DUTTI Black wool/ cashmere belted coat | £299 www.massimodutti.com 3.

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5. ISABELLA TOWNSLEY 18ct solid gold initial hoop £230 each, www.isabellatownsley.com

GIFT GUIDE 7.

KIDS 1. THE REX LONDON Friend in a Tin | £9.95 each (choose from Robyn the Rabbit, Terry the Tiger, Larry the Lion or Milly the Mouse) www.rexlondon.com 2. THE REX LONDON Prehistoric Land 3D Wooden Puzzle | £4.95 each (choose from Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus, Dimetrodon or Stegosaurus) 3. NUBIE Camp Canyon Tipi Play Tent (solid birch frame with a cotton/ polyester-mix fabric tent, machine washable) £245, www.nubie.co.uk

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4. NUBIE Knitted Mermaid Toy (organic cotton with knitted yarn hair and metallic thread detailing) | £38, www.nubie.co.uk 5. HAPE Red-Flame Guitar (perfectly sized for little ones) £33, www.amazon.com 6. THUMBS-UP UK Retro Console | £39.99, www.thefowndry.com 7. FLYING GADGETS T77 Three-Channel Remote-Control Helicopter £24.99, www.robertdyas.co.uk

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My first impressions of Leeds were messy student parties in the city’s dodgier parts, or late, late nights in the Cockpit and Drydock, with a dropped-kebab coda. Luckily, I’ve become somewhat more refined since then – or so I like to think – and so has Leeds. It’s now an immensely trendy hub with the youthful zeal from the university, a dining and craft-beer scene fuelled by passionate artisans (who have a northerner’s appreciation of proper food and beer), stay-and-linger docks, and a varied gig circuit, all held within a city that’s walkable-y compact.

Until now, it’s lagged a little in luxury accommodation, with the requisite Malmaison and the now defunct 42 the Calls.

They’re catching up fast in typically dynamic style, with the opening of the New Ellington this August and recently opened The Bells, a set of super-chic serviced apartments, set so close to the Minster you can practically hear the sermons (it’s really very peaceful). The latter, with its sizeable apartments and closeto-the-action setting, is my home for the night. It fits well into this grown-up yet feisty city.

My two-bed residence – with far more square-metre-age than my 5’2” self really needs – is dubbed Emmanuel. It’s hung with vibrant artwork: graffitied Rococo portraits and blown-up photos of Bacchanalian dinner parties. Light pours in from pointy Gothic windows into each of the two bedrooms, which have super-kingsize beds and 43” flatscreens, plus an intimate view of Leeds’ holiest landmark. There’s a Sonos sound-system too, and all the bits you need for a comfortable long stay. Steel girders and a vintage barber chair and typewriter add a touch of industrial grit to sleek furnishings: an Italian-leather sofa, flowery formica table… A state-of-the-art kitchen, with champagne, cider and local beer in the fridge (and Yorkshire teabags – hooray!) goes unused yet admired. The two bathrooms are both enormous, each with a shower you could hold a foam party in.

But, hold that thought, because there’ a hot tub on the terrace – an oddity ‘oop norf’, but fitted with a retractable roof for downpours. The owners clearly know what the clients want; alongside this indulgent extra, they’ve included walking-tour maps for where to find beer, gin and such in Leeds, and gourmet walks through the city’s casual and fine-dining offerings. I’m tempted to wallow in the hot tub, but the city awaits.

Just next door is convivial boozer the Lamb and Flag, and visible from there, cavernous and cool European eatery Shears Yard. Close to the station is Bundobust for tasty Indian street food served at long sociable benches. March towards Headrow for cocktails at Headrow House, fragrant Thai dishes and colourful surrounds at Zaap and – if you’ve booked months ahead – mindbendingly brilliant, Michelin-worthy dishes at the Man Behind the Curtain. For an easy beer-to-mixer stretch, North Bar on New Briggate is a relaxed stop, with a comprehensive craft-beer menu, plus immensely friendly staff to help you navigate it. Then, hop a few doors down to Remedy hairdressing – sequestered away downstairs is a fairly well-kept secret: Poison, a bar with knock-your-socks off, don’t operate hot-tub jets while intoxicated cocktails that you’ll knock back in leagues. And then try to operate the hot tub anyway… Drinks here come with sculpted ice-cubes, too…

Luckily, The Bells is also a shuffle away from Wapentake – which serves life-saving food at prices that will make Londoners weep into their Northern-size Full-English. Or, for sinful melty spicy goodness, Friends of Ham serves chorizo rarebit with cheddar bechamel, and ‘nduja spread thickly on sourdough.

It’s a fitting last hoorah in Leeds, within walking distance of the station, so you can polish off obscene amounts of pig with their excellent craft beers before waddling to your train – with a lingering last look.

THE BELLS LEEDS, 6 Church Row, Leeds LS2 7HD www.thebellsleeds.com

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Bundobust - www.bundobust.com Man Behind the Curtain - www.themanbehindthecurtain.co.uk North Bar - www.northbar.com Poison Cocktail Lounge - www.facebook.com/PoisonCocktailLounge Wapentake Leeds - www.wapentakeleeds.co.uk Friends of Ham - www.friendsofham.co.uk Trains from Leeds to Manchester depart frequently; the journey’s around an hour and costs from £5 a person.

PAGE 26

‘Three roof terraces are guarded by stone gargoyles sculpted by native artist John Ashton Floyd.

Up here, you’re just a cape, crouch and sore throat away from a decent Batman impression.’

stop tour in a mini Manhattan with a decidedly northern accent.

And, I’ll be back when their next stay – a bite-size Brooklyn, scheduled for next year – lands…

HOTEL GOTHAM, 100 King Street, Manchester M2 4WU www.hotelgotham.co.uk Bøck Café - www.bockcafe.co.uk The Alchemist - www.thealchemist.uk.com Northern Quarter - www.northernquartermanchester.com Night & Day - www.nightnday.org Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art - www.cfcca.org.uk Ziferblat - www.ziferblat.co.uk

I am definitely in Manchester. I’ve walked past the Football Museum and the Arndale Centre. I can see the Beetham Tower and the Town Hall’s spire, and the accents are unmistakable.

However, I suddenly seem to be in jazz-era New York at Hotel Gotham, whose shtick is caught somewhere between Dick Tracy, Batman and the Big Apple. Reinforced by playful branding – broadsheet info guides, ‘Do Not Disturb’ bags with dollar signs, Art Deco flourishes – the building (a former bank dubbed ‘the King of King Street’, designed by Edward Lutyens, architect of the Cenotaph) plays its role well, with brassy bits and vintage fittings. Ride the elevator up to reception and you’re greeted by a life-size cardboard bellboy and bank-vault-gold counter. Eyecatching paintings and sculptures feature throughout, such as Stephen Millership’s old-school prints.

It’s a curious conceit for a city so proud of its identity as a vibrant northern hub, but it’s appealing nonetheless. My room’s a zanily chic mish-mash of black-and-white chevron carpet, Barbie pink accents, packing-crate tables and lustrous fur throws. The minibar has everything from a can of Coke, to a mini vibrator in the emergency erotic kit – I decline for now.

There’s even a swag bag for guests to fill with things they’d like to take home (my room has an articulated wooden hand, coffeetable books – including Alexa Chung’s It – and some attractive lamps, but upper-tier rooms have record players). It’s comfy and quiet, with high-thread-count sheets and snuggly waffle robes, plus a roomy shower, and there are two homemade pig-shaped cookies, which I eat immediately.

Thirsty, I head to the seventh-floor bar, Club Brass (slang for money). It’s a space of leather banquettes and antique-brasseffect panelling, open to guests and members only. It’s quiet, but I can imagine it filled with glam guys and dolls (perhaps the odd WAG…). Barmen are effusively cheery, there at a moment’s notice, and the cocktail list is strong. You can choose from three roof terraces, set behind stone gargoyles sculpted by native artist John Ashton Floyd, each with a different aspect of the city.

Up here, you’re just a cape, crouch and sore throat away from a decent Batman impression. Sitting above the idiosyncratic cityscape is thrillingly voyeuristic – you can feel the energy from below. Gothic turrets, gleaming monoliths and some lessinspiring 70s high-rises clamour for space. When I return to my room, the pig cookies have regenerated.

Then it’s time for dinner, which starts with a Brass Ting apéritif, a rum-sloshed cocktail blended with a Carmen Miranda hat’s worth of fruit. The sixth-floor restaurant has half-moon windows which frame the city at sunset. The menu errs towards modern, tightly composed cuisine. To start, cauliflower with gnocchi and cream – the cauliflower blanched to just crisp, the gnocchi warm and pillow-y, both set atop salted kale leaves: it’s a satisfying entrée. To follow, lamb with garden peas, barley and turnip.

The meat’s served pink; its accompaniments make a dish that’s earthy yet still refined. For dessert, the salted, dark-chocolate tart is a decadent treat. In this, the city of fabled nightlife, the night is young. Just a minute’s walk away is Bøck Café, where hops are intertwined and strung from the ceiling, and the bar staff can pinpoint your beer with ease. I order a Kriek and end up with a wine-bottle-sized, just tart enough cherry beer. Then, I enjoy theatrical cocktails of the smoking, colour-changing sort at Spinningfields’ bar The Alchemist.

The Northern Quarter has its own magical energy. A waiter clocks my accent and explains how Londoners always project their neighbourhoods onto other cities, so the Northern Quarter is roughly Camden (my home ‘hood) and Shoreditch rolled into one. There’s a multitude of coffee houses, quirky clothing shops, whether you want cropped vintage tees or full masquerade wear, a well-stocked comic-book shop and plenty of vinyl to be had. Plus, some galleries worth wasting time in. I stop for a pint in music-led bar Night & Day, visit the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art and stop into pay-as-you-stay cafe Ziferblat.

There’s so much more to see, but I have to snooze off this whistle-

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

1NS1DE NO. 11 Luxury hotel 11 Cadogan Gardens is discreetly set behind the boutiques on Pavilion Road, a stone’s throw from Sloane Square and the Saatchi Gallery on the King’s Road. Unassuming from the outside, the hotel mimics one of the residential red-brick townhouses which flank it on either side. 11 Cadogan Gardens takes pride of place on the road, occupying four adjoining properties.

After a comprehensive refurbishment of the hotel in 2016, the low-key Chelsea favourite sports a romantically sultry yet comfortable interior, with wood panelling throughout and decadent furnishings.

One bay of the terraced property holds a library lined with Victorian classics, while the other is home to the moody and seductive Chelsea Bar, a perfect spot for a pre-dinner apéritif or a relaxing after-work whisky. The hallways and staircases all interconnect with the reception area, and we find ourselves weaving and winding our way through the property when we start our explorations of its impressive ground level. We end up amid the gilt and glass of a mystical mirror room, a novelty with no function beyond being a secret passageway to more hotel rooms.

The property was built in the 19th century, when Chelsea was more familiar with creative hedonists and aristocrats, and now holds 56 rooms and 25 suites, five of which have their own private entrances. We stay in ‘number seven’, a large suite with a soaring ceiling and a four-poster bed, which has its own entrance from Cadogan Gardens and leaves us feeling like those aforementioned Chelsea residents. After a quick shower in our decadent marble bathroom, we are eager to explore the hotel restaurant’s menu.

We exit our room and emerge onto Cadogan Gardens, then follow a Bengal cat up the front steps of the main entrance next

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door. The beautiful animal stops short of joining us for dinner, and we head downstairs to Hans’ Bar & Grill, the hotel’s signature offering, where we have dinner reservations. The restaurant is bright and open, unlike the broodingly quixotic hotel upstairs. There are remaining rays of evening sun shining through the Pavilion road entrance as we sit down and get to grips with the menu.

The seasonal dishes are top notch – there’s an emphasis on classic British produce on the menu. We opt for tuna tartare with yuzu and wasabi and Orkney scallops, respectively. Both dishes are perfect; the wasabi brings out the subtle flavours in the tuna. The apple is complementary to the scallop – my companion devours these while I eagerly await my monkfish chop. The dish is a little cold, but the girolles and red-wine sauce are warming additions to each mouthful of meaty fish – the sautéed new potatoes are a welcome side. We finish with the caramel chocolate pot, a smooth, creamy, shallow mousse with a tart raspberry accent (and a cheese board, which I unwillingly share). We are impressed and surprised by the restaurant we’ve so frequently walked past and never much noticed. We make a mental note to return and try the prawn and mussel linguine which had caught our eye during dinner.

Overall, our stay at 11 Cadogan Gardens was so comfortable and pleasant that it felt like a true home-from-home. Nothing seemed to be ‘too much’ for the knowledgeable concierge, and – an unexpected plus – it was very easy to get to work the next morning…

11 CADOGAN GARDENS, Chelsea, London SW3 2RJ Rooms from £245 | www.11cadogangardens.com

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‘The zenith of the suite is a true rarity in London, likely because it’s a bonkers idea…’

We want to spend Christmas with Wicked Uncle Seymour. He’s a rakish sort: an eccentric, a collector, a dandy… He also has impeccable taste and a beautiful Georgian residence slap-bang in the middle of London. Unfortunately, he’s also a fantasy concocted by the fiendishly clever types behind the Zetter Townhouse Marylebone (sister property to their Clerkenwell outpost where ‘Aunt Wilhelmina’ holds court…), his moniker taken from the hotel’s address. However, the illusion that he’s off on some exotic sojourn as you snooze in his outrageously comfortable beds and drain his bar is well supported.

Now, that bar, or rather Seymour’s Parlour, is a low-lit, vermillion-hued, Dickens-does-Soho House affair. All lovingly worn wingbacks, Persian rugs and a trinket haul Queen Victoria might smirk at. The bar doubles up as a bookcase and a fireplace ups the Xmassy cosiness. Seymour’s enlisted the Drink Factory, fronted by genius mixologist Tony Conigliaro (of Bar With No Name, Untitled, Bar Termini…), to consult on and shake up the drinks list. The cocktails are less zany than Clerkenwell’s – ‘gunpowder tincture’ is notably absent – but Conigliaro’s come up with some top-drawer drinkables. Go for gin, which stars in the Lemon, Thyme and Mint Collins, Turf Club (blended with Peruvian bitters and grass), and a martini infused with camomile. We snack on Scotch quail eggs from a carton and near-sexual French toast bites with bacon jam and cheddar custard. It’s here that the hotel’s revivifying breakfasts (avo on toast, porridge with treacle) are served, too.

Luckily, Seymour has given us the best guestroom in which to snooze off our excesses. Lear’s Loft – named for nonsense poet Edward, of the Owl and the Pussycat fame – is a vast, chartreusehued split-level space. It’s larger than most London flats, outfitted in Georgian finery (a bed with a ciel a lit, stripy silk-upholstered couches, Chinoiserie panels and a peacock emblazoned across the wardrobes). It’s the work of designer Russell Sage, who’s kept things modern with primary-coloured blankets, an assemblage of thrift-store artworks and bell-jars of butterflies. There’s an annexe lined with books, a writing area with a desk, a hand-cranked antique record player, even a mini cupola with a blue-sky fresco. It’s pocketsized decadence.

The zenith of the suite is a true rarity in London, likely because it’s a bonkers idea, of which we’re sure Lear would approve. French doors lead to a small terrace with a little seating area and – a bath tub. A deep, rolltop tub just beyond the sightline of the office blocks and flats opposite (one would hope). There’s a second tub within (handy for those who aren’t comfortable sharing…), with light-up sides, but it’s not quite as novel. So, after a few cocktails, and some experimenting with the most modest way to get in, I take a soak in the open wilds of Marylebone, bosom aloft to the sky. The water’s warm and bubbly, the cooling air above refreshes: it’s surprisingly serene. There’s no bird or feline, money or honey, but under the stars in a porcelain vessel, I bathe by the light of the moon, the moon…

THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE 28–30 Seymour Street, London W1H 7JB

LONDON’S VIE BOHÉME KATE WEIR disrobes in Marylebone’s decadent Zetter Townhouse Hotel…

ADARE MANOR, Adare, Co. Limerick V94 W8WR, Ireland, www.adaremanor.com

BUT A DREAM

HARRIET BEDDER travels to the Hotel of the Year, found in the inconspicuous Irish village of Adare.

The picturesque village of Adare is at the gateway to Southwest Ireland, and it’s only 25 minutes from Shannon International Airport. The small village is renowned as one of Ireland’s prettiest. Designated as a ‘heritage’ town, Adare is lined with charming thatched-roof cottages and boasts a selection of pubs, restaurants, independent fashion boutiques, craft stores and antique shops along its main street, while there is plenty of history to be discovered in its ruins and churches. A village steeped in history is the ideal place to explore over the few days we’re staying at luxury hotel Adare Manor.

The property, set on an 842-acre estate, is comprised of a golf green designed by renowned course architect Tom Fazio, walled gardens and woodland trails. The hotel’s undergone an extensive two-year renovation, resulting in a look of neo-gothic meets 21st-century luxury. The day before we travel, Adare Manor is voted ‘Hotel of the Year 2018’. We are in for a truly unique experience.

After emerging from our one-bedroom suite in the new wing, we go to the Gallery for a light breakfast – honey porridge and fruit instead of the more tempting avocado and poached egg on sourdough – and look through the list of activities on offer at the Manor. We opt for the historical tour of the grounds, though we are spoilt for choice with the vast number of things you can do, including horse riding, archery, clay-pigeon shooting and fishing, to name a few. There are experiences on offer at Adare Manor for even the most discerning of visitors. We head back to the room to change into warmer attire for our overcast, headset-led walk and set off outside the Manor where we begin to learn a lot more

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

about its fascinating history.

In the 1830’s, the 2nd Earl of Dunraven – a man who greatly loved the outdoors – was left housebound by gout and became restless and unhappy. Lady Caroline, his wife, began desperately to think of indoor activities indoors that could keep him occupied and distract him from his longing for the countryside. She encouraged him to collect and curate art and to study architecture. These interests had a profound effect on their life at Adare Manor – for the next 30 years, the Earl travelled across Europe in search of architectural inspiration for his own renovations, commissioning various craftsmen along the way. Highlights seen inside the manor today include fireplaces by craftsman Augustus Pugin and ornately carved panelling in the Gallery. The house’s exterior followed the ‘Calendar House’ pattern: a rare design trend which features 365 leaded windows, 52 ornate chimneys, seven stone pillars and four towers to mark the annual tally of days, weeks and seasons. By 1860, the mansion was transformed into the castle that stands today (minus the new wings) and stood as the gem of Adare, much to the appreciation of the proud Dunraven family. In the 1980s, the family sold the manor,and after changing hands a couple of times, it was transformed from stately home to luxury resort, now boasting 104 bedrooms across its two new wings.

Our tour has built up an appetite, and so we venture across the estate for lunch. The first of Adare’s dining destinations that we try is the Carriage House, an imposing building situated on the grounds of Adare Manor, it’s the perfect resting ground for thirsty wives to socialise in while their husbands play a few rounds

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of golf. The restaurant is open all day, serving lunch and dinner in beautiful rooms designed by David Collins Studio. For lunch we sit in the airy, bright Carriage House Terrace of the restaurant. The terrace is an orangery where diners are surrounded by potted greenery, scarlet seats and marble-top tables atop an intricately mosaiced floor, as they admire views of the green. We take a while to relax and read the newspaper with glass of champagne before we order. We start with tender beef tartare with wasabi mayonnaise, truffle and parmesan cheese – it’s such a large plate, it’s a meal in itself. We have a break before ordering grilled monkfish served with smoked peppers and a side of deliciously cheesy dauphinoise potatoes. The Terrace’s lunch is enough to keep you going for the day, but we return for dinner, eager to try the red-wine-braised short rib with horseradish mash. The beef is tender and fall off the bone. This is my idea of food heaven, and the robust red-wine reduction inspires me to skip a dessert and opt for a full-bodied red instead.

We go to bed satisfied and stuffed, wondering what light breakfast we should opt for tomorrow before dining in the opulent Oak Room – rumoured to be in line for a Michelin any day – later in the evening. We spend our second day wandering around the village before heading back to the Manor for a treatment in the Spa. The Spa at Adare Manor is the first in Ireland – and the UK – to use the unparalleled skincare brand ‘La Mer’ in its customised treatments. Our treatment, the ‘sleep sound massage’ is designed for the international traveller, to induce a better sleep pattern and reset the body clock after a long flight.

We have noticed a lot of international – mainly American – visitors

during our stay, so it makes sense to have an international-jetlag busting treatment. The masseuse uses four Irish Ogham stones (said to be magic), leaving us so relaxed we have to ‘recover’ in a tranquil room elsewhere in the spa for several minutes.

After an extended nap on the four-poster bed, it’s time for dinner. The Oak Room is a fine-dining restaurant in the main house, and is still very much reminiscent of the family dining room that preceded it. The room is low-lit and the walls panelled in oak. It is obvious that many a dinner party was held in the grand room; one of its many virtues, we decide, is its warmth and intimacy. The extremely friendly waiting staff explain that all of the produce served is all locally sourced from sustainable farms, providing a genuine taste of Irish cuisine.

After we choose our options from the menu, curated by head chef Michael Tweedie, the sommelier offers his considered pairing wines with each course. Gin-cured salmon, fennel and citrus leads on to scallop with parsnip and vanilla three unassuming ingredients, which serve their purpose in tantalising the palate without stealing the thunder of the courses to come. Next, we have turbot with buttermilk, crab and broccoli, which has a delightfully smooth and creamy piscine taste, which doesn’t overpower the dish. The firm acidity of the paired dry white wine is complementary to the seafood. Venison with swede and jasmine is our last savoury dish before dessert, and the succulent, blushing-pink meat is buttery and soft, blended with fragrant tastes, proving an interesting and appreciated combination. Dessert is crunchy peanut with banana and milk chocolate – sweeter flavours are a welcome change before the closing finale: the cheese board, a selection of local goodies, such as gubbeen served with homemade truffle honey, a sure step-up to the kind sold in Partridges deli.

On our last morning of living as royalty at the Manor we see another fairytale wedding, there seems to have been one each day since we arrived. It is completely understandable, after all, there’s a sweeping staircase leading to an exquisite ballroom with views over the River Maigue – what bride wouldn’t be captivated by its magic? I challenge you not to have swoonsome thoughts of Adare Manor hosting your own nuptials… Considering the close proximity of not one, but two churches in the heart of the village (just beyond the hotel gates) the spellbinding setting would make for an especially photogenic wedding.

Before leaving, we took a last cycle around the grounds – the manor offers complimentary loaner bikes to guests who want to explore the grounds and village – where we see swans bobbing around in the river as a heron perches on a nearby limb precariously. We are sad to leave such a picturesque beauty, but at least we feel well-rested by the time we checkout Adare Manor. We’ve slept so soundly for the past couple of nights, that we’re seriously wondering how the bed at home will compare. While we are begrudgingly handing back our keys, the manager tells us that during the hotel’s closure and renovation, the entire team took turns testing out tens of mattresses and hundreds of bedding options, filling out anonymous forms for everything from shower gel (Acqua di Parma got the winning vote), to mattress toppers (the most luxurious goose down), and we thank them sincerely for making such excellent choices, then quickly swing back to our room to make a note of the brands – we’re not ones to ignore such sage wisdom…

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

UNIQUE, BOUTIQUE BELFAST

Lying below the gently rolling Belfast Hills beats the heart of a city that was powered on industry and whose mettlesome spirit can still be felt today. BEX WILLANS ventured across the water to explore the unique, boutique side of Belfast and check out the grand Merchant Hotel.

THE CITY From Belfast City airport, I take the 15-minute bus ride into the city centre, which conveniently stops outside St George’s Market, my first point of exploration in the city. This thriving food and craft market offers a true taste of what Belfast has to offer: where youthful energy and indomitable heritage collide. The intricate cast-iron and beamed structure, with a glazed roof, was first built in the 1890s; it’s vaulted high above a crowd of passionate and friendly market traders, selling a tempting array: fish fresh from the coast, locally produced cheeses, artisan breads and preserves, beautifully crafted jewellery, pottery and metal work.

Having sampled the local fare, I take a moment to note the scent of fresh bread and sweet chocolate, and the sounds filling the space: wonderful musicians playing modern folk songs as I sip on a piping-hot mug of coffee.

Afterwards, I wander across the city centre to the Queen’s Quarter to admire the Botanic Gardens, which change hue and scent throughout the seasons. The park is open all-year round and has been awarded a Green Flag (the benchmark award bestowed on must-visit parks) in recognition of its beauty.

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

Passing through the Victorian Palm House and Tropical Ravine, which predate the glasshouses at Kew, I’m inspired by the 150-year-old cycads and exotically coloured flowers, which form a kaleidoscope as the sun shines through them.

But, I can’t linger – there’s so much more to take in. The Titanic museum is a tasteful celebration of the skilled craftsmen and women who lived and worked alongside the River Lagan, building some of the world’s finest ships. Creativity and craft lives on here and can be seen in the vibrant displays of graffiti art, galleries tucked in among university buildings and the Metropolitan Arts Centre. For me though, as night draws in, there’s another city calling that flows through the capillaries of little streets; heeding it, I duck in to Whites Tavern, one of the oldest pubs in town, for a local brew. Nightlife in Belfast varies as much as its era-spanning architecture and fast-forward arts scene; a night can move from the grand Opera House, to a Michelin-star-holding restaurant, before it’s topped off with revels in renovated warehouse clubs and nightcaps in cosy, cave-like watering holes.

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‘The Merchant has grown to become known as ‘the Grande Dame of Belfast hotels’. It has breathed new life into one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, creating a timeless, elegant setting.’

THE HOTEL The Merchant Hotel, Belfast’s only AA five-red-star stay, stands firmly rooted as an elegant and proud monument to the city’s thriving industrial past. It lies within the historic heart of the city, the Cathedral Quarter. Guests enter from Skipper Street, and when I arrive, I’m greeted by the scent of fresh-cut flowers and the warm smiles of two friendly reception staff. Subtle jazz notes fill the space, which glitters with 1920s-style glamour in black and gold. Yes, this is a Victorian building, and formerly the headquarters of Ulster bank, but in keeping with the city’s celebration of its history, the hotel has been sensitively extended to include an Art Deco wing.

Art Deco flourishes – once a common feature of the architecture of many of Belfast’s city-centre buildings (sadly, most are now lost to time and development) – abound in the hallways and bedrooms in this wing. Pictures of ladies dressed in flapper style are seductively posed on the doors of each bedroom. When I enter mine, I’m almost moved to Charleston-ing across the floor on seeing the generous size of the space. This is expanded by the view over Victorian spires and bold warehouse rooftops, out towards the grassy green hills swathed in grey cloud, softening the hard city edges. The Art Deco look in the bedrooms – angular black, glass-topped tables alongside nude, pewter and cream furnishings – feels fun, free and provocative. This exuberance extends to my large bathroom, with Carrara marble and teal tiles, where there’s a deep freestanding bath and ample shower room.

After a relaxing soak and cleanse, I sip some peppermint tea and read a book in my white fluffy robe, on one of the comfortable, antique-style Bibendum chairs (a wonderfully modern design, yet dating from 1926, created by the Irish born designer, Eileen Gray). This subtle touch reflects the hotel’s commitment to style, comfort and history. Tempted as I am to retire to the king-size

bed, I’m intrigued to explore the rest of the hotel.

Walking from an Art Deco to Victorian wing feels a little like wandering through the wardrobe in the Chronicles of Narnia; I suddenly find myself in an ornately stylish lobby area, with elaborately branched chandeliers and sofas with curlicue armrests. I discover a small art gallery (where guests are welcome to purchase a souvenir) before ending up in a glamorous cocktail bar (funny that…) with a roaring fire. Here, in the original Ulster Bank, built in the high-Victorian style, it is clear to see why this place is considered such a treasure to local people. I feel like I’ve been transported back in time, anticipating gentlemen in fine tailored suits and ladies squeezed into corsets, gossiping about the scandalous flappers across the corridor in their freeing frilly frocks. This reminds me – it’s 9pm and I’ve heard there is live music playing downstairs, so I head to Bert’s Jazz Bar, where guest musicians take to the stage seven nights a week. This sultry, scarlet-hued hideaway is raucous with laughter and as the seductive music curls around the tables I enjoy a hearty bowl of moules complemented by a few glasses from the fine gin selection. I opt for smoky Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin from the Shed Distillery, served with apple, and mint, and then a fragrant gin from the Botanist, served with pink grapefruit and thyme. The staff here are enthusiastic and attentive, I feel rather like a movie star; but before it’s too late, I slip off to bed.

When I wake the next morning I feel drawn to head back in time again, going across the corridor for breakfast, served in the Great Room Restaurant. Complete with a grand central dome, cherubs dancing among fruits and foliage, and sumptuous redvelvet chairs, this room was once the main banking hall. The menu offers a wide choice, including porridge with whiskey cream, but I choose the traditional Irish breakfast, complete with poached eggs, local sausages, bacon, tomatoes, a potato farl, soda bread and black and white pudding. It arrives heaped on delicate crockery, but it’s soon devoured, swilled down with lashings of loose-leaf tea poured from a silver teapot.

Before my stay comes to an end, I have a quick dip in the rooftop hot tub that has views towards the River Lagan. The hotel also has a well-equipped gym with panoramic city views, a sauna with heated rocks and steam room… Or, if you feel extra indulgent, there’s also a spa tucked down in the basement.

The Merchant Hotel reflects the signature Belfast blend of old meets new in an elegant manner; it manages to exude luxury and evoke the city’s spirit, which is why it holds a place in the hearts of many locals and newcomers alike.

THE MERCHANT HOTEL, 16 Skipper Street, Belfast BT1 2DZ, www.themerchanthotel.com

A WEEKEND AT THE LAKES ANDREW COLES finds that tranquil Cotswolds breaks aren’t all that far from London

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

Or, should you so wish, a soothing rural estate in the Cotswolds.

My time in the pool is cut short, for I have quite a busy day ahead. First is a session of air rifling with instructor Angus Campbell, who arranges a series of targets in a cleared area of forest and gives inside tips on accuracy. I soon discover that the laser scope makes things easier – Angus is gracious in not pointing this out to a small group of gathered observers.

He also runs fishing excursions on Huntsmans Lake, and hosts fly-fishing lessons in a nearby stream. He is one of a handful of select experts that are on the concierge team’s speed dial for whenever a guest requires entertainment, and the thought is not lost on us that this would be an ideal way to ‘lose’ one’s children for a few hours…

Over a club sandwich at Elsa’s, the on-site restaurant which is housed in a tipi, I plan my afternoon. A visit to the elegant Orchard Spa provides a chance to raise my heart rate with a session in the

gym, then lower it with time in the sauna and a swim in the 17-metre indoor heated pool, and to finally slow it right down with a massage by one of the Orchard Spa’s therapists. It’s the perfect way to round-off a Sunday well spent.

It matters not whether you are travelling as a couple or with kids, are looking to reconnect with old friends or an old book, or simply dream of immersing yourself in green space with a little lavishness thrown in. The Lakes By YOO feels a lot further than 90 minutes away from busy old London, and with the help of the YOO Club, your second home could be all you need to get there.

Andrew was a guest of THIRDHOME and the Lakes

By Yoo. www.yooclub.com Additional information on THIRDHOME’s exchange, rental and adventure services can be found at www.thirdhome.com

© ANDREW COLES

Sunday mornings are usually a time for rest and recuperation, but not this one.

Given the previous night’s dinner party – a three-course meal cooked by our private chef and served with accompanying wines – a lie-in could be forgiven. But I’d inadvertently fallen asleep with the blinds yawning, and I’d awoken to discover the morning light illuminating a vibrant green woodland, and a natural panorama filling the picture windows of my room.

London in winter is the perfect city for sleep-ins but the picturesque Lakes By YOO retreat is located in the Cotswolds, and even when it is windy and the sky is grey, the countryside begs to be explored.

The Lakes, as its name suggests, features six clear-water lakes, 130 luxury timber holiday homes and vast tracts of woods and trails set about 850 acres of gated private estate. And our home for the weekend, the five-bedroom Barnhouse with an interior designed by Kate Moss, boasts an outdoor pool heated to a soothing 28 degrees.

Steam rises from the water as I swim, observing as the wind rustles the surrounding trees – I feel none of the chilling effects. It’s the perfect reward for an hour of early outdoor activity, and I feel a long way from London; but truth be told, I could be back at Paddington Station in 90 minutes, if I really wanted to be.

YOO is a collaboration between property entrepreneur John Hitchcox and design superstar Philippe Starck; the pair teamed up to create a range of residential and hotel projects throughout the world.

YOO design studio is renowned for its bold style, and the Lakes By YOO accordingly disposes with the regular Cotswolds theme of quaint Britishness, replacing it with contemporary trappings. They’ve recently joined forces with luxury-property travel club THIRDHOME, creating the YOO Club to open their portfolio of private estates to its members.

THIRDHOME is an exclusive club which facilitates holiday exchanges, allowing members to swap time in each other’s second homes, and has recently expanded to offering high-end holiday rentals and bucket-list adventures. The network is global and includes everything from apartments in major cities, to an entire Filipino island and a $32million, eight-bedroom villa on Martha’s Vineyard.

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RURAL RETREAT SARAH RODRIGUES escapes to the country and finds a splendid home from home in which cosying up comes naturally.

My inner Pride and Prejudice heroine (usually I identify with Lizzie Bennet, but there’s a good chance that I’m more her daft mother in this instance) is humming with excitement as our taxi enters the gates of Lucknam Park. Ahead of us, rows of tall trees flank the driveway, so long that the house at the end of it is not even yet visible; their boughs meet above us to form a dense canopy that was used to conceal Spitfires and Hurricanes during WWII. ‘How’s that for a drive?’ asks the cab driver proudly. He sounds so pleased and proprietary that I don’t have the heart to tell him that I think his vehicle is lowering the tone somewhat and that, frankly, I’d rather be experiencing this moment in a horse and carriage. Yep, definitely Mrs Bennet.

Who could blame me, though? As we make our slow way down towards the house, horses gather in the paddock to our right; on our left is a wide expanse of grounds, beyond which lie tangled woods.

Lucknam Park occupies a vast 500 acres of parkland and gardens; there’s evidently a lot of ground to be explored and already it looks as though peace will be easy to come by – with only 42 rooms in the entire property, solitude is easily found.

The house finally reveals itself, a handsome Palladian structure of local Cotswolds stone, with a colonnaded portico and symmetrical sash windows.

It’s cloaked, in places, by the turning leaves of Virginia creeper, gleaming rosily in the late autumn afternoon sun. Staff emerge to greet us warmly, taking our bags and leading us into the welcoming reception area. The cabbie seems reluctant to leave, and I can’t say that I blame him.

Our room, the Cornflower Suite, faces out onto the front of the property.

More than once over the next few days we’re content to sit cradled in its broad window sills, watching the horses as they take riders across the estate’s grounds or stand impassively in the paddocks of the equestrian centre. At other times, we spy a car nosing its way up the drive and try to guess what make it might be before it comes fully into view.

With our own spacious and beautifully upholstered living room to lounge in, it would be easy to while away long hours of our time in the Cornflower Suite, but we’re lured downstairs by the public areas’ many charms. Huge windows in the library throw light onto the wood and leather interiors, gilding the book-spines and sofas, a glow replicated by lamplight once the day fades. Beyond this, there’s a drawing room, where afternoon tea and refreshments are served by unobtrusively smart but efficient staff and flames crackle enticingly in the open fireplace.

Its overstuffed sofas are so comfortable that I find myself poised to curl my feet underneath me. I don’t do it, but there’s something about the atmosphere of the room that almost makes me feel like I’m at home. Then again, until fairly recently, this was a family home – perhaps that’s why Lucknam Park, which only celebrated its 30th birthday as a hotel last year, feels so warm and welcoming.

Long walks while away pleasant daylight hours, the nip in the air more than offset by seasonal layering and the promise of cocktails by a toasty fire in the afternoon. For those wishing to explore further afield, bicycles are available for guest use, and the quaint village of Castle Combe, often touted as the prettiest in England, is just a 20-minute cycle away.

The equestrian centre, home to 35 horses, caters to everyone, from complete beginners, to experienced riders, with an all-weather arena for practising jumping and dressage skills, as well as the opportunity to ride through the estate or surrounding Wiltshire and Cotswolds countryside.

Not that you have to go far to feel immersed in nature: the hotel’s grounds are a delightful patchwork of secret gardens, unexpected statues, stone walls and graceful archways. The trees are replete with apples and pears and the ground’s scattered with glossy conkers; in the springtime, these gardens must be a riot of colour, but there’s a wild beauty to this faded abundance of lateautumn flora. We’re happy to wander, huddling sometimes in hidden corners PAGE 35

to read, but more purposeful outdoor pursuits are available by way of tennis courts or a croquet lawn, while falconry, archery and clay-pigeon shooting can all be experienced by arrangement.

The gardens also supply the hotel’s two restaurants, the informal brasserie and Restaurant Hywel Jones, which has held a Michelin star since 2006.

Additional joy is provided courtesy of the Espa spa, which is situated at the back of the hotel and accessed via a serene Japanese-style garden. It’s available to hotel guests and day visitors.

It’s huge and offers an extensive treatment menu, ranging from aesthetic options like pedicures and anti-ageing facials, to deeply relaxing massages and dry flotation beds. Post-treatment, we take some time to gather our thoughts in the relaxation room, accompanied by chai tea and cucumber-infused water. I feel a touch woozy, in an entirely wonderful way.

And then it’s out to the pool, where loungers host a handful of people in various states of zoned-out bliss. We swim a few lazy lengths before we head for the hydrotherapy pool, where jets of warm water pummel us into even further depths of relaxation – something I would not have thought possible. The press of a button slides a clear panel away and we swim through to the heated outdoor infinity pool, from which delicate steam rises in the chill air as we rest our arms on its side and drink in the view of the garden.

In the chillier mornings and darkening evenings of our stay, it’s easy to imagine how lovely the winter months here must be; the Christmas and New Year’s Eve programme, which includes carols, mulled wine and mince pies galore, sounds utterly dreamy. Father Christmas even arrives by a horse-drawn carriage to deliver gifts. Ah ha – so that’s where my horse-drawn carriage got to.

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA Colerne, Chippenham SN14 8AZ www.lucknampark.co.uk | 01225 742777

A HIGH-FLYING TRIP TO MONACO Forget, planes, trains and automobiles: KATE WEIR joins private-aviation company NetJets on jets, helicopters and yachts for a luxurious trip to the Monaco Yacht Show.

Access is a luxury – it’s an invite to the King’s bedchamber or the priestly recesses of the pyramids; being beckoned behind the velvet rope. If you think that’s hyperbolic, consider Monaco, the Shangri-La principality caught in an infinite loop of luxury, where great tracts of the world’s wealth rest, power players lead tax-free lives and overt glamour reigns in its Bond-baiting casinos and beach clubs. It keeps a tight hold on its exclusivity (becoming a Monegasque is a Herculean task) and demands parvenu swagger from outsiders, so when NetJets invited us to the annual Monaco Yacht Show on their private jet, how could we say non?

THE JET To say NetJets is an affordable way to fly would be pie in the, well, y’know. Their clients err towards the one per cent; but, their fractional-ownership model is more flexible and faff-free than owning your own aircraft. No need to have a pilot on retainer, account for de-icing fees, or any of the concerns people who do ‘things like this’ a lot have to consider. The company was founded in 1964 and its American division was bought by Warren Buffett.

Their European leg (launched in 1996) is run independently by an ineffably charming team. Owners have access to 700 jets of varying sizes – the largest can fly from Japan to Wales, I’m told (but, other routes are available…). The time from deciding where to go to taking off is around 10 hours, and the team are very accommodating. I posit increasingly insane requests to Senior Vice President Michael Graham, who says ‘yes’ to each with heroic patience. The company have also earnt the affectionate nickname ‘Noah’s Ark’ for all the pets they’ve looked after inflight, everything from dogs to parrots. You can fly to 5,000

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airports worldwide, some on secluded islands, by mountain retreats, some with runways hidden in amid skyscrapers.

Most flights leave from Farnborough, where the lounge has free drinks and snacks, but you can fly from a handful of UK airports and fields, (including Heathrow and Gatwick, although security clearance takes longer there). We move from lounge to jet in under 15 minutes (security formalities are refreshingly smooth). Our plane is a mid-size, Canadian-built, 10-seater Challenger 350. It’s incredibly elegant and comfortable; no kneejerk tray table accidents or seat-kickers here… Hand-sculpted cream-leather seats can swivel and recline to form beds, there’s a fold-out divan, an entertainment system as intuitive and wellconnected as NetJet’s top brass, large flatscreens and windows, metal trim, fold-out tables and silver service. You can choose whether you’d like a stewardess or not, but I’m glad of ours, who is delightfully careless with champagne measures; the wine list and freshly squeezed juices are also top-flight (Sancerre, Cab-Sav, Châteauneuf-du-Pape…). Meals include chicken and fish, but these are healthful salads and brochettes followed by matcha panna cotta and brownies, rather than sadness trays.

Our flight to Nice is two hours, but I’d happily stay aboard for its maximum six hours’ flight time (roughly London to the UAE).

There are Aesop products in the bathroom, for God’s sake…

Unfortunately, we land, safely – NetJet’s pilots must have a minimum 4,500 hours of flight time, ours is ex-RAF, thus wellequipped to handle four liquored-up journos.

THE HELICOPTER We’re seamlessly swept from the concourse, through a firstclass lounge (with curious artwork (naked women riding cigars,

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stuffed-koala-bear chairs). Then through security and onto a runway lined with bee-buzzing copters. The 10-minute ride along the riviera is thrilling; blades whir overhead, the Med glitters below and when we arrive in Monaco, we feel like we’ve really arrived. There’s an ingrained glamour to this way of travelling, a frisson of danger in its zippiness and petite size (it’s not unlike the two-man submarine we encounter later on). And, well, there are few places better suited to such a rock-star arrival.

THE HOTEL East of the Larvotto peninsula, on Avenue Princesse Grace, Monte Carlo Bay Hotel sprawls over four acres of Monaco’s total 202. It’s the French-manicure pink so common of villas along the Côte and there’s a lime-green Lamborghini Aventador parked out front. Within is a casino, boutiques and a pâtisserie; the outdoor pool is a complex of bridges and sunlounger-lined banks, its floor is sand-dusted. My suite on the fifth floor has a Med-gazing wraparound balcony and a bath with views of anchored boats.

Linens are high in thread count, waffle robes are cuddle soft. I venture out to wander from sun terrace to sun terrace wondering if I can spy visiting plutocrats seeking a juicy yacht deal, but it seems the mega-rich are either the unshowy kind or have handed their UBP cards to their PAs. We dine on Orange Verte restaurant’s terrace; the menu has a – slightly comical – corner for almost all countries. We order a Franco-Russo-Italian feast by way of the Middle East, with burrata and tomatoes, salmon tartare, herring salad and babaganoush and hummus. As the adrenaline of a high-flying day settles, I sit on my balcony and contemplate Monaco as it would have been before its rapid midcentury development under the rule of Prince Rainier III. I leave my balcony doors open and fall asleep to the susurrus of the waves.

THE YACHT SHOW Monaco’s Grand Prix is a full-tilt social whirl as dizzying as a spin around its city-wide track. But, Monaco Yacht Show means business. If you’re not an oligarch, Google founder or Prince Albert II, visiting the show is like being a groupie to an 80s hairmetal group: you’re brushing up against a level of excess few looking in can fathom. End-to-end, there’s a kilometre of yachts here, worth around €3.4 billion in total. We tour Fraser brokers’ Latitude and Saint Nicholas yachts: floating palaces of marble, velvet and wood-effect veneers (although more outré design choices at the show include a matte-black finish with leopardprint upholstery). They’re temples to ennui-banishment, outfitted with wine cellars, gyms, grand pianos, hot tubs, spa rooms, swim-up bars (!); holds are pregnant with tenders, jet-skis, hobie cats and other toys. They’re such behemoths, lifts have been installed (how else does the Sancerre reach the sundeck, I suppose…). The crew are charming, helping me leap onto floating gangplanks, and their quarters modest yet still rather ritzy.

We lunch (yes, lunch the verb) at the Foster + Partnersdesigned Monaco Yacht Club, which heaves with elegant, personal-trainer-toned women and men rocking smart navaltwinged attire. Even the slender deplete the buffet’s truffled and cured meats, smoked salmon, rillettes, salads, sashimi; the dessert section is a waistline babylon of caramel brownies, sponge cakes oozing cream, fruit tarts, crêpes, crème brûlée…

It’s not just excessive yachts and calories; stalls sell a mindboggling array of customisations and accessories, ways to pimp and vajazzle all areas of your boat, whether you want coloured LED lights for your hull, pastel-hued decking, a glittery coating…

Whatever the client wants, judging by frantic PAs yelling specs into mobiles. (No word on custom sex-dungeons or floating cat cafés and the like). There are special toilets and bath products, seasickness-curing beds that are nauseating to watch on dry land, cinema-fitters, art dealers, repairers and insurance brokers.

You might think that after dropping a cool 50 mill plus on a yacht, you’d treasure it until decline. But no, this is a competitive sport

– new models are debuted each year and one-upmanship is fierce. Yachts only go down in value, so owning one is a pure pleasure endeavour.

The beautiful Riva yachts (the sort George Clooney cruises down the Grand Canal in) start at a relative snip of £900,000.

Master boatmaker Carlo Riva designed his yachts with love, and their history is entwined with Monaco’s: Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly owned a Tritone with Tiffany-blue seats, and the iconic Riva Tunnel hosts elegant soirées and art shows. Brabus – famed for fine-tuning already fine specimens of car – cause a stir with a souped-up yacht, too; but, I haven’t reached for my wallet yet…

RIZA TANSU If I did have a spare seven-figure sum, I’d splash it on one of Riza Tansu’s beautiful, Scandi on the inside, militaristic on the outside yachts. If he would build one for me – the designer gets emotionally attached to his vessels, thus he’s quite picky about clients. The lucky few can expect pared-back interiors – whitetiled walls, driftwood-style flooring, grey, black and red hues. It’s unannounced yet assured luxury. Sexy Fish may be his awardwinning yacht, but I’m content to drink champagne on his 20thanniversary yacht Cyclone.

THE METROPOLE Our last meal is at the Hotel Metropole, which looms grandly over its tree-lined drive. Its pool is a’glitter with submerged lights, Ruinart Brut – liberally poured into flutes – is equally effervescent.

Dishes include salads ladled onto artisanal plates, salmon brochettes with spiralised mango. Anecdotes from our pinch-me jobs are exchanged with the NetJets crew, who themselves are privy to the privileges their clients are awarded: private Lenny Kravitz concerts, ice-polo matches and Grand-Prix terraces with superlative aspects.

After this brief sojourn to the top of this pedestal, it’s tempting to board a yacht and set a course to chase the sun dog before it blinks into the horizon. But, it’s the subtle undercurrent that propels you towards this leisurely, near-mythical lifestyle that’s key. It’s why yacht owners keep an instructor on retainer for months for their dive-mad kids; why you spend big to shave wasted hours in duty-free off your one family holiday that year; why you get a doggie passport; and why you book the suite where you can hear the waves murmur… Yes, the frills are lovely and ludicrous, but ultimately it’s all quite simple.

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NetJets - www.netjets.com Monte Carlo Bay Hotel - www.montecarlosbm.com Monaco Yacht Show - www.monacoyachtshow.com Riza Tansu - www.rizatansu.com Hotel Metropole - www.metropole.com

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

THE SERENITY OF MAURITIUS TOURISM JAMES MASSOUD celebrates 50 years of independence in Mauritius Mauritius – the home of late bird, the Dodo – celebrated its 50th year of independence from British rule this year, the Indian Ocean island has been in jubilant mood, and rightfully so. The country is thriving economically and the next step in their exciting growth sees them reaching for the stars, quite literally.

ECONOMY

When people think of competitive African economies, they’re naturally inclined to think of oil-rich Nigeria or the mining powerhouse of South Africa, both of whom are part of the economic superpowers of the MINT and BRICS nations respectively. But in the last few years the little island of Mauritius has quietly overtaken South Africa and challenged Nigeria as the continent’s leading competitive economy. Spanning 800 square miles, with a population of 1.3 million, this beautiful and fascinating country is a religious and ethnically diverse mix of people of Indian, Chinese, African and French heritage who live harmoniously and proudly with one another. The proof is in their political stability; the island has an excellent track record in peaceful transitions of power, with free and fair elections regularly taking place since 1968. So, how does the country make its money? More than 50 per cent of the island’s land is arable, with sugarcane taking up 90 per cent of that, making it the country’s major export. But Mauritius has been successful in diversifying its economy through salt, textiles and clothing, jewellery and watches, and finance – especially banking and business outsourcing.

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Of course, tourism is another huge draw for this tropical island, with honeymooners and luxury-travel seekers flocking to the country’s West Coast (the East Coast is less touristy as it’s windier – but it’s popular with water sports enthusiasts). From the north coast of Mauritius all the way down to the south, you’ll find five-star luxury resorts. And yes, it is breathtakingly beautiful, with tropical palm-fringed beaches and cobalt blue seas, and jagged volcanic mountains in the background. But, Mauritius has so much more than postcard-ready scenery. Foodies will love capital city Port Louis and its markets. My Moris is a cultural touring company that will guide you through the labyrinth of stalls and talk you through the cultural background of this special place, while tantalising your taste-buds with new flavours.

Tipple enthusiasts should take a tour of the rum distilleries here, particularly the Rhumerie de Chamarel – an Instagrammable location with an amazing variety of rums. Thrill seekers can get their fix by climbing the equally beautiful Tamarind Falls. I could go on, but I’ll leave the exploration to you. So, where should your base be whilst in Mauritius?

MARADIVA

The country’s leading five-star resort is independent, unique and also celebrating a milestone: its 10th anniversary. Maradiva is an award-winning paradise, the only resort on the island to offer villa-only accommodation – 65 of them, to be precise – each with its own private pool. Taking inspiration from its surroundings, the hotel’s predominant colour is blue, with different shades in the lagoon and private pools made of slate. It’s dressed with wood and leather colonial-style furniture and Hermès wallpaper and fabrics which reflect the warm gold and orange tones of the sun. There is a presence of wood everywhere: traditional black basalt of the island, Jaisalmer wood imported from Rajasthan,

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‘Yes, it is breathtakingly beautiful, with tropical palm-fringed beaches and cobalt blue seas, and jagged volcanic mountains in the background.’

palisander wood from the neighbouring island of Madagascar and teak from Burma make Maradiva a melting pot of local and Indian design. Many Londoners will be familiar with Maradiva’s Ayurvedic spa after they hosted a pop-up in Harrods, while many others will get to know their superb onsite restaurants, including the Teppan grill and Cilantro, the signature Indian fine-dining venue. But there’s one thing that really sets Maradiva apart from the rest…

HOLLYWOOD

Maradiva is the first hotel in Mauritius to act as the backdrop to a new Hollywood movie: Serenity, starring heavyweight A-listers Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway. It’s a neo-noir thriller, written and directed by Steven Knight. Indeed, the first Hollywood production shoot in the country was able to secure a 39 per cent rebate on a budget of $25 million. It was filmed during the country’s winter season (late July to September), and productions can receive a rebate of up to 40 per cent to cover their local expenditure, making it an attractive and lucrative setting for future feature films, documentaries and television series. As producer Jeremy Nathan explained in a recent interview with Variety, ‘There’s a great openness and a great willingness to get the industry up and running. It’s an embryonic industry, but it’s growing at a very rapid speed.’ In other words, watch this space.

For more information and to book a stay visit www.maradiva.com My Moris – www.mymoris.mu The Rhumerie de Charamel - www.rhumeriedechamarel.com WHO TO BOOK WITH? Let Carrier organise your trip, since they are experts in organising exceptional five-star luxury holidays. One of the world’s leading specialists in tailor made travel, Carrier has more than 30 years’ experience making them a reliable source. Visit www.carrier.co.uk

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For more information on Mauritius visit www.tourism-mauritius.mu

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

CROWNING GLORY

SARAH RODRIGUES goes to Palast Berlin to see the latest Vivid Grand Show, on which Belgravia-based milliner Philip Treacy has made his unique mark.

‘Can two truths exist at the same time? When was the last time you saw something for the first time?

Who are you? Who are you when no one is watching?’

These rather disconcerting questions mark the opening moments of Vivid Grand Show, a new production at Berlin’s FriedrichstadtPalast. I’m not sure who the man behind us is ‘when no one is watching’, but someone most certainly is: two ‘no filming’ signs are held up by stern ushers before he and his mobile phone are unceremoniously ejected.

Foolish. It would be just about impossible to capture the scale or magnificence of this production on a phone; in fact, it’s almost impossible to take it all in when you’re immersed in it.

Vivid is every bit as dazzling as its name might lead you to expect – a visual assault of the best kind. Anyone who’s seen Cirque du Soleil will note the Canadian extravaganza-crafting behemoth’s influence on this production – no mere coincidence, since Vivid is directed by Krista Monson, who was with the Cirque for 11 years. This is no copycat production, however, nor Cirque’s poor relation; indeed, one notable difference is that the FriedrichstadtPalast is government subsidised, unlike Cirque du Soleil’s forprofit model, and shows here are based on the revue tradition rather than the circus, so the primary focus of the performance is on dance rather than acrobatics.

The gorgeous, Art Deco-style Palast stands within the former East Berlin; as such, it represents a form of escapism, an opportunity to see the sort of colour and life that was once denied residents here in their everyday life. It was closed in 1980 due to structural damage, before reopening in its current incarnation in 1984, the final grand construction project of the German Democratic Republic.

The brothel with which the second act opens (the raunchiness of this scene is in keeping with the revue tradition) is in the shape of a hat, an unmistakable nod to milliner Philip Treacy (design

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director of the show) whose wild genius is as unmistakable in this as it is in the performers’ headpieces, which ensure all eyes are on the spectacular costumes. Some of these, (for example, a tall, white and slightly off-kilter top hat) lend an air of quirkiness and disconcertion to proceedings; others (a crown of falling stars) are simply exquisite setpieces. Dancers clad in shiny black PVC wear perfect arcs of ever-changing coloured light atop their heads and perform a disembodied Rockettes-style kickline in a virtuoso display of synchronicity, achieving visual miracles with just a slight turn of the head or twist of position.

What’s it all about? The production seems determined to bedazzle and befuddle, what with dancers descending from the ceiling to land delicately on lobster-like pincers, or sudden participation from – it seems – genuinely unsuspecting audience members. Some moments, such as the aerial dance of lovers, are so heartbreakingly beautiful that you’re simply lost in the wonder of it all, unconcerned with meaning, others are so mesmerising – swirls of colour created on a turntable by a lone man and projected onto the wall behind him – that your mind is simply in thrall. The death-defying acrobatics of a group of four men leaping around on a system of ever-moving hamster wheels is so thrillingly stressful that your only thought is that you want them to stop, now, just in case something goes horribly wrong.

When they finally jump down to stage level to take their bows, they’re so terrifyingly charged with adrenalin that you doubt they’ll ever be able to sleep again; in fact, you wonder whether you will.

Is there a story we’re supposed to be following, threaded through all of these visually sumptuous distractions? The posters, emblazoned with rainbow colours, exhort us to ‘respect each other,’ and certainly, the contrast between the sexless androids and the dripping-with-sexuality dancers, the men dressed as women, the women dressed as men, the final song declaring ‘das bin ich’ (this is me), all of this, plus the unashamed excessiveness and exuberance of it all indicates that there truly is beauty in everything. As the flyers say, it’s a celebration of life,

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in all of its colour and uniqueness. Differences are to be not only respected, but celebrated.

It’s a message that perhaps hits its mark even more accurately in Berlin, where distrust and divisiveness had, in very recent history, a form not only ideological but physical. 2019 will mark 30 years since the Berlin Wall came down. Earlier this year, Germany passed its Equinox: the Wall has now been down for longer than it stood. Even so, its remnants – the East Side Gallery and the Berlin Wall Memorial – are some of the city’s top-rated attractions. These take on far greater significance and poignancy as our guide tells us the tragic stories behind some of the failed escape attempts, as well as pointing out various escape tunnels and the heroic resourcefulness of those who created them.

Over the course of the Wall’s 29 years (1961–1989) there were 138 deaths and over 5,000 successful escapes; this is difficult enough to fathom. Even more shocking, when you take into account the cost of building, maintaining and policing the wall over that time, each successful capture and arrest cost around 2.1 million East German Marks. The amount that each of those arrested or captured might have been expected to contribute to the economy over the course of their lifetime was, on average, 700,000 EGM. It was, as our guide said, ideological madness.

It’s strange to think that a city can draw so much of its identity from something that no longer exists. It’s not simply that the Wall still draws so many visitors, but also that the sense of optimism and energy felt in the years since unification is perhaps what Berlin is now best known for. It’s a vibrant city where art, culture and creativity flourish. At the same time, it’s awash with a rich and grandiose history in iconic landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate, for instance, the glorious Kurfürstendamm avenue and the Gendarmenmarkt, flanked by German and French cathedrals and Schinkel-designed concert hall. Our nearby hotel, the Regent, mirrors this sense of grandeur and stateliness, with its opulent decor, lavish floral displays and impeccable service, as well as the decadent marble-clad bathrooms, elegant furnishings and ludicrously comfortable beds in its rooms. The breakfast spread is vast and extravagant; by night, this space becomes the Charlotte & Fritz restaurant, which specialises in regional produce and fine meats. Cocktails and lighter bites, including the must-try Berliner Currywurst, are available next door, in the stylish Regent Bar, while the tea and lobby lounge are the place to engage in the gracious pastime of afternoon tea, complete with a dedicated tea sommelier and accompanied by the gentle tinkle of ivories. On the Sunday morning, I leave this cosseted haven to explore the legendary Mauerpark Flohmarkt, where the number and variety of stalls and goods is astonishing. The scent of weed is heavy in the air, and the afternoon beings large-scale karaoke, a vocal free-for-all of epic proportions.

A city once divided, Berlin is, even now, full of startling contrasts. Can two truths exist at the same time? Here they can.

Stays at Regent Berlin start from $285 for a single room or $310 for a double room, both including breakfast. www.regenthotels.com/regent-berlin Vivid Grand Show is scheduled to run until at least September 2019.

Tickets from €19.80, www.palast.berlin

FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH PHILIP TREACY HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THE SHOW?

I was first contacted back in March 2016 when General Director Berndt Schmidt and Creative Director Oliver Hoppmann came to see me in my studio. I was very flattered by their interest and the fact they wanted to draw a special focus to the hats in the next project. As a hat designer that sounded like a dream, but it was very frightening at the same time. Later I came to watch the previous production, The One Grand Show. That’s when I knew I had to be involved. I was really fascinated by what I saw on stage.

WHAT WAS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FOR YOU IN DESIGNING FOR SUCH A PRODUCTION?

A lot of coordination between direction, costume, hat-making, make-up, music, choreography, set design, video and sound design was required, and it’s tricky to find the best time for a Skype call when five time zones are involved. But we had amazing, well-respected professionals on board – and it shows! It was an honour to work with set designer Michael Cotten. He recreated my crystal bowler-hat onstage. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it for the first time as a shiny nine-metre walk-in hat!

WHAT DO YOU, PERSONALLY, TAKE AWAY FROM THE PRODUCTION IN TERMS OF THEME OR RELEVANCE?

Krista Monson and Oliver Hoppmann did a brilliant job in coming up with a show about the beauty of life. I believe in beauty and elegance and communicating thoughts and dreams in a visual way. It’s about perceiving the beauty of things, which we all need to make us feel good and give us pleasure, whether it’s a flower, a sunrise or a hat! They remind us of the essence of pleasure and beauty that many of us often overlook. I wanted to push the limits and think about the future of hats to hopefully challenge people’s perceptions. This has been my main goal from the very beginning of this journey.

PHILIP TREACY BOUTIQUE

69 Elizabeth Street, Belgravia, SW1 W9PJ | 02077 303992 | studio@philiptreacy.co.uk

What’s it all about? The production seems determined to bedazzle and befuddle, what with dancers descending from the ceiling to land delicately on lobster-like pincers, or sudden participation from – it seems – genuinely unsuspecting audience members.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

A RÉ OF SUNSHINE

‘Here we are, mounting our polka-dotted rental bikes and setting off into the sunshine, through autumnal landscapes of fields and vineyards blessed with ocean views.’

SARAH LAVIGNE finds plenty of charm – and decadent dining – in a locally loved French holiday spot…

Just off the Atlantic Coast, opposite the historic town of La Rochelle, is one of France’s best kept secrets. With its unspoilt sandy beaches, picturesque cobbled streets and the lively harbour of its capital Saint-Martin-de-Ré, l’île de Ré is one of the top destinations for France’s trendy city folks and VIPs looking to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life.

We thought it was high time we checked it out, so after a short flight from London Stansted and an equally fleet taxi ride across the bridge from La Rochelle airport, we arrive at the idyllic Villa Clarisse – one of the two Relais & Chateaux residences in the heart of Saint-Martin-de-Ré.

VILLA CLARISSE

Set in a beautiful 18th-century mansion, Villa Clarisse offers the simple charm of a traditional French villa and the faultless elegance of a luxury hotel. White walls in and out, effortlessly chic decor, which marries classic and modern styles, peaceful, inviting gardens and a sky-reflecting heated pool: holiday mode here we come… Harmony reigns in our private quarters, where a plush bed, a bathroom filled with delicately scented luxury toiletries, soft velvet curtains and a tasteful monochrome theme, all create a subtle blend of beauty and comfort.

After the best night’s sleep, we venture down to the breakfast room where we are gently eased into the day by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the warmth of a smouldering fire.

Tables are laid out with delicious breads and pastries, homemade jams, local butter and honey and a selection of cereals – a true ‘I wish we could do this every day’ affair.

This happens to be melt-in-your-mouth tartare de langoustine with caviar, sole with aubergine, the most tender veal with Grenailles potatoes and the lightest yet most decadent soufflé de mandarine, all paired with the finest wines, including an awardwinning Bordeaux from Château Clarisse, Hôtel de Toiras’ (and Villa Clarisse’s) owners’ own vineyards in Puisseguin. Even as we walked around the market this morning, we could not anticipate an evening filled with more culinary bliss and discovery.

L’ILE DE RÉ FOR FOODIES

OTHER THINGS TO DO

A few steps from the villa and proudly overlooking the harbour, is l’Hôtel de Toiras, Villa Clarisse’s prestigious, warm and opulent ‘big brother’. It exudes all the elegance of French Classicism, a perfect setting to unwind in while sipping Champagne and sampling local sweets and cakes. As we daydream near the fireplace, the only thing that can pull us away from our deep contentment is the exciting choice of restaurants in Saint-Martinde-Ré.

Tucked away on the quieter side of the harbour, La Baleine Bleue combines creativity and local flavour in a simple menu where seafood is king - but carnivores will be happy here too.

The drinks list includes the best the region has to offer: traditional Pineau des Charentes, local Cognac and, of course, an île de Ré Chardonnay to accompany the fresh oysters.

For a more casual dining experience, Madame Sardine’s extensive menu is served on a harbourside terrace. We love the quirky decor and friendly, laid-back service, but the seafood platter of clams, langoustines and oysters was a highlight of our visit.

Another casual option is La Cible: a trendy spot on the beach with panoramic ocean views and a palm-tree-lined patio.

Only the milder climate reminded us we were in Europe, and not on a tropical island in the Caribbean. Foodies will also love the many markets of the island, enticing shoppers with the freshest seafood, meat, vegetables and artisan produce. But even such a sensory experience can be enhanced when you browse these stalls accompanied by a talented chef. We meet Chef Antonio Sanna mid-morning and let him guide us through Saint-Martinde-Ré’s market. We pick the ingredients for tonight’s dinner at La Table d’Olivia – Hôtel de Toiras’ exceptional restaurant. This is ‘Your Market Basket’ – a service offered to all guests of the hotel: whatever we choose, Chef Sanna will cook for us.

The best way to explore the island is definitely by bicycle. After all the delicious food we’ve indulged in, a bit of exercise wouldn’t go amiss. So, here we are, mounting our polka-dotted rental bikes and setting off into the sunshine, through autumnal landscapes of fields and vineyards blessed with ocean views. A comprehensive network of cycle paths connects the towns of l’île de Ré with its many sandy beaches. Along the way, small wooden shacks provide tired cyclists with a perfect pick me up of freshly caught oysters and white wine. Don’t mind if I do…

Saint-Martin-de-Ré is also a great town to explore by foot.

The Unesco-listed fortifications surrounding the town (built by ‘Sun King’ Louis XIV’s architect Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban), the cobbled back streets and the cute boutique shops reveal a charm that is both traditionally French and unique to the island.

Just by the harbour, the Ernest Cognacq museum, named after the local entrepreneur and founder of Paris department store La Samaritaine, shares the island’s heritage and art through its vast collection of artefacts and paintings.

July and August are the most popular months to visit, so île de Ré can get really crowded. My favourite times to visit are late spring or early autumn when temperatures still reach the 20s but the island is at its most relaxed. Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a long weekend with good friends or a holiday with the whole family, passionate owners and luxury-industry experts, Olivia and Didier Le Calvez want us to see l’île de Ré through their eyes and fall in love with it, but also to make the most of the break we came for.

Mission accomplished. We are indeed in love, and we can’t wait to come back…

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Villa Clarisse - www.villa-clarisse.com Hôtel de Toiras – www.hotel-de-toiras.com

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

TRULLI ENCHANTING Italy’s enchanting Puglia region (the country’s ‘heel’) is renowned for her conical-shaped ‘trulli’: unique abodes from the 19th century that are still predominantly intact, and can be seen in their greatest concentration, around the town of Alberobello.

Wonderful though they unquestionably are, for me Puglia’s real attraction was in how extraordinary fertile I found it – especially for an area of the Mediterranean so far south. And, I became enamoured with the spacious, whitewashed farmhouses called ‘masseria’, within which I found a wonderfully revitalising stay.

The region was has a life-enhancing air and engages the senses with its many stimuli – this is most apparent in the masserias. During my stay, I was strongly reminded of the sensuous film ‘I Am Love’ starring Tilda Swinton. Fields of poppies, daisies and yellow camomile flowers danced in meadows beside ancient olive trees, whose distinctive twisted trunks resembled individual sculptures. Swallows and butterflies flitted; bees buzzed through dappled courtyards and the cacti and fig trees were bearing fruit.

I stayed first at Masseria Le Carrube. It’s a passion project sprung from the personal philosophy of Valentina De Luca and her cousin. Four years ago it was a run-down farmhouse, but now it has 19 guest rooms. Both inside the rooms and beyond in the surrounding farmland, there’s plentiful space to play. Even when it was at full capacity I felt like I had the place to myself: quite a luxury for all of us with busy lives.

A stay of five days in Puglia was long enough for me to visit many of the local attractions and historic towns. In Ostuni, ‘the white city’, the citadel had a dramatic precipice plummeting down into the sea from whitewashed walls. The town is typical of the Mediterranean – it has an animated spirit and an ambience that matches the bold gesticulating of its effusive residents. Laundry hangs out above the streets and ancient narrow passageways offer some shade from the heat, yet entice me to meander on and on.

Next on my list, Alberobello with its great concentration of ‘trulli’, from the golden age of the 19th century. These white limestone conical dwellings with keystone vaults were constructed both as storehouses and temporary field shelters, and also as permanent homes. Being built of small stones, they fit neatly into their narrow plots.

Nearby Locorotondo is a lovely town situated on the Murgia ridge, with a panoramic view across the Itria valley and a grand Baroque church, whose interior exemplifies its Spanish influence.

There are old men enjoying the shade in the gardens, seemingly discussing putting the world to rights, while elderly ladies tend to the flowers in the chapels and shrines and prepare ‘orecchiette con le cime di rapa’ (‘little ear’ pasta with broccoli).

Then I checked in at Masseria San Domenico. Owned by the same family-run group as Masseria Le Carrube, Borgo Egnazia and Masseria Cimino, it’s five minutes’ drive from the shore, along an avenue lined with fragrant jasmine bushes, which frame ancient olive groves set in rich.

The hotel attracts guests for its ‘spa-talasso’ and neighbouring golf course. The spa makes full use of the benefits of seawater and there’s a sandy beach at La Fonte. It’s ideal walking and cycling territory: flat yet scenic. The impressively vast outdoor swimming pool contains seawater at a natural temperature that works well with the rock formation in which it is partly set.

The sandstone of the masseria is reminiscent of Corot’s ‘Avignon from the West’ in London’s National Gallery. I sensed the real glory of the masseria’s spaciousness overlooking

the picturesque views from the bar, poolside restaurant and outdoor courtyard, where breakfast was served. The hotel is keen to promote the health benefits of the local produce. The local diet combines all the food habits adopted in the region, characterised by the presence and cultivation of olive trees. It’s a triad of bread, oil and wine, demonstrating a strong commitment to arboriculture.

The hotel’s spa promotes itself with Plato’s quotation that ‘the water of the sea washes away all of man’s pains and sorrows’. To the uninitiated there’s plenty to marvel at. The packages of twoto-three days, designed to promote wellbeing and happiness, offer scrubs and detoxing, oil wraps, jet massages and face masks with seawater and crushed seaweed, rich in saline and mineral benefits. All highly restorative. All very balancing.

Back in the fields, by late April the farmhands are sowing seeds in precisely lined rows, alongside hundreds of immaculately rolled golden bails of hay. Puglia in spring had ‘trulli’ enchanted all my senses…

Adam Jacot de Boinod was a researcher for the first BBC television series QI, hosted by Stephen Fry. He wrote The Meaning of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words from around the World, published by Penguin Books.

Classic Collection Holidays (0800 047 1064; classic-collection.co.uk) offers three nights at Masseria San Domenico, Puglia from £1,199 a person, based on two adults sharing a Deluxe Garden-View room on a bed & breakfast basis, including return flights from London Gatwick and private transfers.

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Adam had support from chepstowcars.com, gatwickexpress.com and prioritypass.com

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

BENTLEY HOTEL We are proud to be the only dedicated arts and culture magazine in the Royal Borough. The sun never sets on the cultural empire that is Kensington and Chelsea – well metaphorically, of course… To be able to choose between the V&A, Natural History and Science museums plus several others, and to have worldrenowned venues like the Royal Albert Hall within the smallest borough of the great city of London is astounding. Add to that other members of the ‘Art Pack’, like the Saatchi and Serpentine Galleries and exclusive boutiques on Sloane Street, Chelsea’s King’s Road and Knightsbridge and you have a travel hotspot which means a lot of great hotels and restaurants. And, K&C certainly doesn’t disappoint on either count. In fact, over time we have grown to be very much a London magazine, but our heart will always be in this south-west corner of the city as we look to uncover chic and trendy restaurants and luxuriously comfy hotels. The Bentley Hotel is one of the latter. Nestled among the well-heeled residences of Harrington Gardens, the Bentley is a smart choice for both business and leisure travellers – for many reasons, but it’s location is definitely one of the foremost. There are other glorious positives, such as a wide choice of luxurious rooms and suites, its acclaimed afternoon tea and its own charming brasserie in Peridot (reviewed in the next edition). Add to that, it’s a central London hotel with a spa, gym and traditional Turkish Hammam, thus making the Bentley easily one of the best boutique five-star hotels among the crowded bunch in the area.

ROOMS AND DECOR

There are 64 rooms within the Bentley, varying from the sublime Imperial Suite, complete with its own Grand Piano, to a host of still rather luxurious suites such as the Harringtons or the elegant Deluxe Queens. Marble is a standard style in all suite bathrooms and even regular rooms have a distinctly luxurious feel, which doesn’t take away from the homey feel afforded by plush carpets and vintage furniture. The at-home feeling is further reinforced by rather helpful and friendly staff, who try their best to make

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your stay a pleasurable one. The rooms and suites take after the general ambience within the hotel, with its lush carpets regally draped over marble floors and decadent furnishings gracing its reception area, halls and corridors.

THE SPA EXPERIENCE AT THE BENTLEY

Le Kalon Spa continues the general trend within the Bentley, with its slick marble interior. Treatments include traditional and modern therapies, including All About Me: a revitalising treatment which aims to remove blockages from the skin, followed by a stress-relieving Indian head massage to release any built-up tension and fatigue; and Cleopatra’s 23-Carat Gold, an antiageing, cleansing and refining facial. And there’s always the pick of the lot: Essential Hammam Treat: a truly authentic Turkish Bath experience.

THE PERIDOT BRASSERIE AND MALACHITE BAR

The Peridot is a roomy restaurant that seats about 30. It serves traditional British starters and mains laced with a modern European sensibility and is also home to the Bentley’s wellloved afternoon tea. Breakfast is also served here and combines Continental fare with cooked dishes. The Malachite is a cocktail bar in the vein of a Jazz joint.

Verdict Some boutique hotels in London – especially the five-starred ones – promise a lot and fail to deliver, but the Bentley Hotel doesn’t disappoint. It’s a prime property, with some rather lavish rooms, a gem of a brasserie in the Peridot and highlights such as the Hammam. All topped off with some wonderful staff and service.

BENTLEY HOTEL

27–33 Harrington Gardens, Kensington, London SW7 4JX

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A LITTLE CULTURAL BREAK… The Kensington & Chelsea team met with some talented lyricists from a South London poetry collective affectionately titled PoClu (Poetry Club) a group of young poets who regularly meet and recite work with the aim of improving and inspiring each other. Members include Damian Le Bas, author of The Stopping Places – a Radio 4 book of the week. We invited them to showcase some of their work…

William Kraemer was born in 1985 and grew up in Brixton. He currently works as an administrator for a Psychotherapy Charity.

He has previously published short fiction in Open Pen and Volume magazines. His writing focus is poetry and Short Fiction.

Twelve Looks at Laziness

By William Kraemer I. A form of rest that ends up being hard work.

II. The refusal to face a dilemma that we haven’t yet noticed we have.

III. When we are pinned beneath the weight of too many injunctions.

IV. The predicament in which none of our volitions will hatch and a painful velleity holds sway, making no clear demands of us.

V. When anger, overflowing in the soul, punishes the body with enforced sluggishness.

VI. A silent thunderbolt that strikes imperceptibly from a cloudless sky and clears the mind of cares.

VII. Or are they arrows shot by some sibling of Cupid, whose poison wounds us with lethargy instead of love?

VIII. A fear of failure that smothers the desire to try.

IX. When Chores take on the aspect of an evil spirit, alive with intent to do us wrong, and we fight back with that subtle soup of stasis, a defiant slump.

X. A crippling outrage that busybodies, who suddenly seem to be everywhere, have taken the moral high ground.

XI. An atavistic rebellion against the post industrial micromanagement of even our own leisure activities.

XII. The act of a fire-gazing mystic who nourishes a deep reckoning in the act of a slouch.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

JAMAVAR 8 Mount Street, Mayfair W1K 3NF WORDS: SID RAGHAVA I remember growing up in Bombay (now Mumbai) when the Leela Hotel opened close to the International Airport in Santa Cruz, a suburban part of the city. A sprawl of slums circumferenced the aerodrome, but shining bright like a lighthouse from the embers beneath the hue and fog of nighttime Bombay rose the Leela Kempinski as it was branded then. It was one of those ultra stylish and uber-luxurious symbols of western capitalism which stood out like sore thumbs in licence Raj India. I also remember having some rather fabulous meals in the restaurants and cafes within the hotel. Other than the food, I recall a most memorable and wonderfully intimate mehfil (a concert of Indian poetry and classical music) courtesy of Jagjit Singh, one of the best proponents of the art of Ghazal (poem).

Jamavar is actually the name of a special type of Kashmiri shawl made originally from silk traded by the Chinese via Iran and Central Asia. It was particularly favoured by royalty and nobility in India, including the mighty Mughals.

In that sense, it hints at exclusivity, regality and high standards. An Indian masterpiece created from Persian cloth. Via trade with Chinese.

The Indo-Islamic confluence of that time, as characterised by Emperor Akbar, was one of the most enriching periods in India’s long and varied history of racial and cultural assimilation.

It led to a monumental diffusion of excellence in arts, sciences, architecture, literature and civil governance. Independent India still refers back to that period before British rule as a golden period despite attempts by right-wing Hindu nationalists’ attempts to essentially delineate the period as a blot on Indian history. One of the most important, basic and foundational tenets and legacies of ancient and modern India was reflected in the syncretic ideals of that time.

Jamavar, the original restaurant in India, opened in 2001 at the Leela Bangalore and was conceived by the hotel group’s founder Captain Nair as a perfect place to savour authentic South Indian and North Indian cuisine. The London version is an attempt to further the legacy of this Leela brand as a perfect amalgamation of India’s two major schools of culinary artistry plus various aspects of ethnically Indian/Hindu and Islamic /Mughal cooking, brought under one roof and done with style and finesse befitting

Michelin recognition. In a nutshell, it succeeds remarkably well.

Led by Culinary Director Surender Mohan who took over from Rohit Ghai, Jamavar’s menu combines the finesse and wizardry of fabled royal kitchens of Northern India and rustic coastal food from the Southern states. The Michelin star was achieved under Ghai’s genius direction in October 2017, but high standards have been sufficiently maintained while it continues to forge forward as the go-to destination for refined and authentic Indian food in Mayfair.

If you like champagne cocktails, look no further than Burman, an Indian-spiced Opihr gin, shaken and stirred with lemon juice and apple juice, blue lady flowers, egg white and bubbly, of course.

Move on to the Laali which brings together vodka, dry orange liqueur, black cardamom, blueberry shrub, lemon juice, egg white and ginger ale. To get an immediate idea of the gastro-worthiness of Jamavar, quite obviously, the tasting menu makes sense, and if you drink alcohol trust them with the wine pairings because Jamavar does them better than most. Once you get the hang of it, you may have to come back several times to uncover hidden gems that reside all over the menu. No matter whether you eat seafood or not, you have to try the Lobster Idli Sambhar, paired with an Austrian Riesling, or alternatively the vegetarian Podi Idli Sambhar, washed down with a Spanish Albarino from Rías Baixas. The refined magnificence of this most humble and famous of South Indian breakfast offerings is an early indication of the quality that lies ahead.

Luscious Tellicherry pepper and garlic soft-shell

CAFE MURANO ST JAMES 33 St James’s Street, SW1A 1HD WORDS: KATE WEIR I rarely find myself dining in Mayfair, unless I have a Groupon for tea at the Ritz. Yet, I’m in London’s delicious, yet somewhat devastating on wallets, district seeking sustenance for myself and two hungry Leodensian Stone-Cold Steve Austin fans. With some Michelin-star-holders a little beyond our means this evening, one chef-led eatery steps up to the plate: Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano.

Angela Hartnett MBE has a CV she must have to unspool like an old-timey messenger, on the rare occasion anyone asks for it. She’s worked at Aubergine, Zafferano, L’Oranger and Petrus, opened restaurants in Scotland, Courchevel, Dubai and various London locales, and paired up with Luke Holder for New Forest

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crab with a balancing act of damson chutney and garlic chips is another delectable offering.

Chicken Tikka flavoured with Tulsi or holy basil and served with a pickled radish and raita, and a lamb chop infused with Avadhi cumin infusions and speckled with onion, fennel and ginger are two sumptuous grill and tandoori options on offer. A very obvious main to try would be probably one of the world’s favourite Indian dishes. Old Delhi butter chicken (the basis for chicken Tikka Masala) lives up to its rightly exalted status and delivers fully on flavour with that atrociously fabulous, unctuous texture.

Paired with a delicious Portuguese Touriga Nacional from Churchill Estate in Douro, it is a stalwart that strokes the by-now purring pallette.

Dhungar Dal, Gobi Mutter, Basmati rice and mixed breads should be standard side orders, as rightly included within its tasting menus. To get a fair measure of the desserts on the menu, try the assorted platter which consists of stalwarts such as Pista Burfi and Gulab Jamun. Diners will be pleased to find that Jamavar boasts an extensive menu and that different menus are available according to the time of the day, seasons and holidays/festivals in India or UK. Mount Street, which contains Jamavar, is one of the original shopping streets of Mayfair. Both Grosvenor House and Connaught hotels share corners on here. The Brazilian Ambassador resides further up the road. This poshest of London’s posh parts is a worthy centre of the great Indian restaurant Renaissance of London – thankfully, Jamavar is a worthy star in the Mayfair spangle of Quilon, Tamarind and Benares.

hotspot, Hartnett Holder & Co, and former mentor Gordon Ramsey for Angela Hartnett at The Connaught. She has fingers in many pies, so to speak; and I would still eat them, because, well, confidently delicious dining is her thing.

We’re at the St James branch of Cafe Murano (a second is in Covent Garden), whose concept was inspired by Hartnett’s Bolognese grandmother. It’s oddly comforting to imagine the presence of an exacting nonna guiding chefs’ hands. The food feels authentically Italian, but it spans Italy’s cuff to toe, beyond the EmiliaRomagna region of Hartnett’s ancestor. This pan-Italian attitude ensures heritage skills and DOP-certified deliciousness from country and coast…

To start, cicchetti (a Venetian conceit) of Modenese gnocco fritto with fennel-pocked salumi, and Sicilian mushroom arancini. Then, a fistful of burrata, the kind where creamy bufala milk squirts out when you poke it, grounded with earthy flavours: hazelnut, beetroot, lentil.

An Italian-sole-style scallop with capers arrives in an oyster shell and pearlescent-thin octopus slices have a spiky dressing of lemon, shallot and paprika. Mains are relatively simple, my homemade tortellini stuffed with very del giorno ‘nduja, in a tomato and marjoram sauce, is straight from a rustic Calabrian table. Hake is elegantly served with a squeeze of grapefruit, baby gem lettuce and kohlrabi; tagliatelle with sausage ragù is equally palatable and unfussy.

We sample pairings from a modest(ish) seven bottles of wine, too, including a robust Fèlsina Isistri Chardonnay, Hartnett’s own Sauvignon Blanc, and a Sicilian Grillo; then, syrupy sweet Vin Santo and Vin de Glace with our desserts: a panna cotta with strawberries, pistachio brittle and a scandalous wobble; amaretti and chocolate cake; and a strong plate of formaggi, one matured in cherry liqueur, a practice dating back to World War II, when cheeses were smuggled out in distillery barrels.

Café Murano’s prices, at the lower end of the Mayfair bracket, aren’t likely to make a stereotype exclaim ‘Mamma mia!’ This lack of haughtiness permeates the restaurant in its brasserie feel (banquettes, brass trim…), refreshingly low-key air, and friendly staff. Most importantly, they’ve satisfied the appetites of two northerners, who exit into the night volleying the idioms of the onetime Stone-Cold Stunner – incidentally, an apt descriptor for the meal we’ve just devoured.

chilli and onion broth. Cocktail maestros Alex Kammerling (of Kamm & Sons) and Diego Baud (of Barcelona’s Hotel Arts) are manning the bar, and there’s an international wine list to keep everyone very merry.

But, it seems fitting to throw on Hansen’s greatest hits… We order a bowl of fragrant spiced olives and the signature starter of sweetcorn, date and feta fritters, pepped up with molasses yoghurt and bright beads of pomegranate. They’re delicious, subtly sweet and creamy, with a falaffally crust. We’re also wooed by the pork belly, although we do make eyes at the restaurant’s other plate of note: the omelette with sugar-cured prawns and tamarind.

Our mains are a medley of disparate yet somehow harmonious flavours – brought together as only a skilled matchmaker like Hansen could. Tender pink slices of lamb are served with beetroot and artichoke, steeped in a pea and yuzu purée and drizzled with anchovy dressing. The salt, sweet and umami meld into unctuous, silky mouthfuls. My dining partner’s Kashmiri masala roast corn-fed chicken with sweet potato, plantain and feta hash hits the comfort-food sweet spot. It’s subtropical soul food, jazzed up with pickled shiitake mushroom, carrot, courgette, mint and coriander slaw.

You don’t reach a decade in the restaurant biz without impeccable service; staff here are unfalteringly charming. They answer our most inane queries, top up our vinho verde with ninja stealth, and when we nip outside for a cheeky cigarette, our glasses magically appear on the table next to us. It’s clear that the whole experience is considered here.

Comfortably full, we brave the dessert list.

Claire Clark from Pretty Sweet’s elegant lemonverbena pavlova is the anniversary sweet treat (it sounds ravishing, yet seems a tad restrained compared to the Pantry’s past iteration of turmeric meringues, passionfruit and lime cream). However, we choose the doughnut trio, idiosyncratically filled with matcha cream, misocaramel and berry and licorice jam. There are no candles on this feast-day dessert, but we make a wish anyway – for this one-of-a-kind spot to carry on for another 10 years (and counting)…

MODERN PANTRY 47–48 St John’s Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1V 4JJ WORDS: KATE WEIR This year, Modern Pantry marked a decade as one of Clerkenwell’s top dining destinations. As part of the celebrations, chef and flavour-wizard Anna Hansen invited her peers to contribute to a limited-edition menu. Her bulging black book of contacts (she’s worked with luminaries such as Fergus Henderson and Peter Gordon), ensure the menu reads as a who’s who of culinary excellence.

Tredwells’ Chantelle Nicholson has dreamt up roasted cauliflower with saffron aioli, lemon jam and capers; Jikoni’s Ravinder Bhogal has brought Keralan crab with coriander and shiso to the party, and Andino’s Luca Depalo has steeped a Cornish pollock in an Amarillo PAGE 49

CERU 7-9 Bute Street Kensington, London SW7 3EY WORDS: HARRIET BEDDER TTucked away, just off the Brompton road, Ceru is a small and informal Lebanese restaurant catering to the younger demographic of South Kensington with its very reasonably priced dishes and cocktails. With no lack of Lebanese eateries close by, Ceru – inspired by the Levant and cuisine from the Eastern Mediterranean – is one of the more popular restaurants in the area.

We visit the restaurant on a busy Thursday evening and, despite its full tables, our waiters are very attentive and happy to recommend the dishes and cocktails that best represent their menu. We start with a sweet, refreshing cucumber martini while we look over the rest of the dishes on the menu. We sample a few other cocktails, but end up reverting to our new favourite drink, the cucumber martini – a musttry if you’re partial to an apéritif.

We are encouraged to order five sharing dishes between the two of us, yet selecting them proves to be the most taxing part of the evening. I have a Lebanese Godfather and grew up grazing on Lebanese comfort food, so I’m tentative yet intrigued to try the contemporary Levantine cuisine on offer here.

The menu – which is entirely gluten free if you skip the pitta bread (which we don’t) – is extensive, and there are some dishes we are intrigued to try. Fondly remembering the summer 2018 craze of watermelon and feta salads encourages us to order the peach, feta and red onion salad, which turns out to be equally as refreshing as its predecessor. The ingredients perfectly compliment each other and are balanced out by the tangy citrus and chilli dressing. We also try the ‘Fadi’ which is a babaghanoush made with courgettes instead of aubergine. It’s not as tasty as the original, but it’s definitely worth a try and an easy dish to attempt making at home.

We order a shish taouk, which is a simple pleasure, cooked until perfectly succulent and served on skewers, as is should be. We enjoy this with the last of the Fadi and hoummous before moving on to the star of the show: the lamb shoulder. Soft and tender, the meat falls off the bone and melts in the mouth, while rich cinnamon and cumin taste are cut through with trimmings of mint, pistachio yoghurt and fresh pomegranate seeds. We devour it slowly, mopping up the remains with the last of our pitta bread.

With close to 100 ingredients – all sourced from London markets – on the menu, the dishes we try at Ceru are all extremely varied and pleasing – delightfully, we haven’t mis-ordered a thing. Whether you’re going for a cocktail or a meal, there’s something for everyone at Ceru.

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THE ALLIS 101 Wood Lane, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 7EE WORDS: KATE WEIR White City’s Television Centre development is part of an ongoing project to shoot a few volts through Shepherd’s Bush and revivify it as a dynamic ‘meedya’ hub. Whether or not this will lure creatives from their East London hotdesks, a Herculean effort has certainly been made. The glossy, glassy Television Centre complex (formerly a BBC hub) is a sociable spot, with steps and benches to commune on, and a landscaped green at the centre with little Zen gardens where you can sit and ponder the tube tracks and the Ugli student campus (yes, really), if you wish. It may lack scenic views, but it’s rich in hip dining spots.

We’ve been let in on the ground floor – quite literally – of Soho House White City to dine at the Allis; the open-to-all diner at the base of the members’ club. The dining concept borrows from Soho House Chicago’s restaurant. The original is named for the family that commissioned the grand club building in 1907; the Allises may be bemused to find their legacy blown from the Windy City to just across from Westfield, but they’ll be thrilled to know the food is first class.

We start with chilled glasses of sauvignon and small plates of smoked-chicken croquettes, punched up with paprika and – the au courant starter – crispy halloumi fries, with a moreish ‘nduja mayonnaise.

For mains, aged beef takes precedence: I plump for the burger, while my plus one picks the 8oz aged Herefordshire ribeye. The former has a justright consistency: carnally juicy without slopping onto the plate – the beef rich and flavourful, the cheese sharp, the bacon caramelly. The secret sauce (psst… it’s coconut-yoghurt based) lubricates all the goings on inside the buttery brioche. Add a generous cup of triple-cooked chips and a well-hung pickle on the side and it’s one sexy burger. The steak is tender, with a piquant béarnaise and more chips.

Desserts are joyful, pleasing even this savoury-toothed cynic… My friend’s Eton mess has been exploded into shards of meringue and globs of cream, strawberry sorbet and champagne jelly – all freshly churned and set. It’s delicious, but when my enormous Jammie Dodger arrives, its heart oozing homemade strawberry jam, slathered thickly over custardflavoured ice cream, I declare myself the winner. It’s old-school yet innovative, charmingly simple and incredibly tasty, leaving you with that kids-birthday-party sugar-high (after all, its size is roughly equivalent to 20 biscuits). It’s immensely clever, as this is how the Allis sends you into the night: wine drunk and sweetly nostalgic.

FOX AND PHEASANT 1 Billing Road, Chelsea, SW10 9UJ WORDS: SUE SAUNDERS It is such a rare pleasure to be able to wholeheartedly sing the praises of a refurb of long-established London pub, the Fox and Pheasant, but this is definitely one of those joyous occasions. If I ever had a facelift, this is just how I would want the result to look and feel… Like myself – the self I should always have been – but now more charming and lovable in every way. Somehow, so warm and welcoming is the atmosphere of the English bar as you first step inside, you sense that the building itself is doing all it can to justify the immense amount of money that has so evidently been poured into saving it from the wrecker’s ball, and restoring it to the treasure it has now become, a cosy country pub in the heart of Chelsea.

It’s tucked away from the main road down a little cul-de-sac, en route to the nearby football ground. In recent years it was apparently dubbed ‘the fox and unpleasant’ – but no more. It’s had a few name changes since 1846, but there’ll be no more of them if the present owner has his way. And who might this benevolent wizard be, who has wrought such a positive transformation? None other than singer-songwriter James Blunt, who, with his wife Sofia, was a resident of ‘The Billings’, and could not bear to see this traditional watering-hole demolished, to make way for more faceless luxury flats.

If you are lucky, you might pop in and find him behind the bar, pulling a pint of Cornish ale, or enjoying a game of darts in the corner. But, even without his benign presence, you are blessed indeed if you enter this comforting hostelry, and triply blessed if you have a reservation for the restaurant. For beyond the glowing fireplaces and comfy chairs of the bar area, lies a lush green paradisiacal conservatory, with a roof they can roll right back if the weather allows, and walls already prettily covered with vines and trellises, and an attractive and accommodating layout of tables.

And the food… What can I say, except that everything I had was really, really delicious? I went for the pork loin, potato and black-pudding terrine and fennel choucroute – it was every bit as delicious as it sounds. To start,

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Cornish crab on toast, with avocado and pickled cucumber, which was sublime. We visited on a weekday evening, when they run two sittings, an early and a late, which means everyone gets a comfortable length of time to enjoy their meals, without feeling rushed. But, perhaps the whole place comes into its own even more at the weekends, when it has quickly established itself as a favourite destination. Roasts run all day on a Sunday.. and they make sure nothing runs out. Bliss.

There is also a beautiful new first-floor private-dining room, which can seat 24, and has chic wallpaper. Even the ladies loo leaves you feeling happy about yourself and, well, everything – but that also could have been the effect of the wine list… Whoever chose the tipples for the whole establishment seems to have enjoyed themselves in the process, and it would be rude not to enjoy what they have chosen. I wish I liked beer, in order to try the imaginatively named selection, such as Magic Rock’s Fantasma Gluten-Free IPA.

The team behind this tasteful transmogrification is headed by one of London’s most experienced pub managers, Toby Milne, himself trained by the legendary ‘Langy’, and this wealth of experience and talent has certainly made its presence felt. The service is great, whether you’re arriving for Saturday brunch, or simply a swift half and one of their tasty bar snacks on the way to a match. You feel like a valued regular after a single visit. The Fox and Pheasant has truly found a very special spot in my pub-loving heart, and I raise my glass of Viognier to the philanthropist who made this pleasure possible, Mr James Blunt.

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RÜYA 30 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, W1K 7PH WORDS: HARRIET BEDDER

ZUAYA 35 Kensington High Street, London W8 5BA WORDS: HARRIET BEDDER

I arrive early at Rüya on a Tuesday evening and am seated in the bar area while I wait for my – perpetually late – dining companion. I have my heart set on a gin and tonic after an exceptionally busy day in the run up to Christmas, but after I’m given a menu of 30 unique cocktails, the Mediterranean ‘Anatolian Fizz’ catches my eye. A refreshing concoction of Tanqueray gin, raspberry, lemon and rose, topped with champagne, it’s a palatable partner while I wait in the gold and aquamarine tones of the mod Mekan Bar, which has luxurious velvet armchairs and ornate throw cushions. My cocktail is bought in a chilled champagne glass, dusted with raspberry powder, which looks great but sticks to my lipstick. Usually I’m not one to snack before dinner, especially on popcorn, but a bowl has been placed in front of me, and this popcorn is dangerously addictive, laced with caramel and chilli. I’ve eaten half of the bowl before my friend arrives, but another arrives with my friend’s Old Fashioned, so I guiltlessly finish my bowl, and she hers. We stick around for two more cocktails, and both find the bar an agreeable spot to stick around in. After all, the menu focusses on the seven regions that comprise Anatolia: Marmara, the Aegean, Central Anatolia, the Black Sea, South East Anatolia and East Anatolia.

By the time we are seated in the restaurant (after demolishing untold bowls of popcorn) we’re excited to try the menu. We have both pored over it online before arriving, and though we are both connoisseurs of Levantine cuisine, we’re less familiar with Anatolian dishes and so references to ‘Kanay’ and ‘Zeytinyağlı Ahtapot’ go over our heads. We rely on the waiter’s recommendations – he’s all too happy to advise, asking what our favourite ingredients are in order to tailor his suggestions. After guaranteeing that we’ll enjoy the dishes we’ve picked, we trust his expert opinion to help top up the ensuing plates.

We start with the yellowfin tuna carpaccio with pistachio purée, chilli and puffed rice, plus a familiar plate of feta börek with carrots, courgette and walnuts. We also have Isli Patlican: delicious aubergine crisps served with creamy babaganoush and walnuts. The next dishes arrive together, and we try Umut’s Bayıldı: a confit of grilled aubergine, onions and goats’ cheese in a tomato sauce, which is light and easy to eat with some of the salad we have been brought. In keeping with the theme of ‘anything with aubergine’, we are served the Ali Nazik, an adana (minced lamb) kebab on smoked aubergine with garlic and yoghurt sauce. The dish is rich and delicious, and the flavour of the smoked aubergine brings out the charcoal of the grilled meat. The Güvec (baby vegetables in tomato sauce, similar to ratatouille) is nice, but overpriced for what it is, and so we highly recommend ordering the kale salad with Brussels sprouts instead, for an extra hit of vegetables.

The Lamb Mantı dumplings with tomato, garlic yoghurt, are a pleasant, if slightly heavy, build up to the rich wagyu beef and lamb kebabs we’re served. We enjoy the latter’s flavourings, but find them a little too greasy from the extra fat of the beef. One of my all-time favourite dishes is okra, and I am surprised I didn’t spot this on the menu, so I’m grateful when our waiter brings it over. Despite being too full to finish some of the richer dishes, I consume all of the silky, fragrant okra happily.

We are too full for dessert (having had it before the meal) but we get some hazelnut baklava, which is rich and sickly sweet (and disappears as quickly as it is arrives) and a light and fluffy orange and almond cake, served with caramel, orange and fennel ice-cream. A satisfying finish after the rich tastes of the Anatolian feast. We both enjoy the experience at Rüya and look forward to trying other dishes on our next visit – particularly the popular ‘aged Kashar cheese Pide with slow-cooked egg’, or even just for a few more bowls of popcorn…

When you first walk into Zuaya, you are greeted by a warm, tropical cocktail bar, complete with jungle foliage overhead and toucan-fronted menus propped up along the bar. A DJ is playing chill-out music in the corner and the barman is expertly shaking cocktails. I take a seat at the bar and am cheerfully passed a menu. As I look over the Zuaya-created cocktail list, I’m brought two pão de quiejo – small Brazilian cheese dough-balls, and contemplate the interior. It looks like a dark and mysterious version of Frenchie, Covent Garden, with its exposed brick, marble and gold accents and pastel-coloured upholstery.

In fact, and most surprisingly, the decor takes me back to my time living in Mexico, witnessing the metropolitan ‘main strip’ expand and develop daily. Every restaurant that sprang up had to compete with its neighbour, or another opening – often with more American investment – on the same night. The result was impressive and striking cocktail bars-cum-restaurants aimed at coaxing in tourists. Despite its imposing premise, Zuaya doesn’t look gimmicky or try-hard. Owners (and brothers) Alberto and Arian Zandi have clearly contemplated the design and accidentally echoed an authentic Mexican vibe – but, with less of the sticky-tropical heat and with betterquality furniture (and service).

I am waiting for my friend, so I ask the barman to recommend a cocktail. I’m thrilled when he chooses one I was considering: a Sweet Carolina. Usually I find ‘house cocktails’ much too sweet, especially when they contain an extensive list of ingredients, but the passionfruit base of the cocktail contains Malibu and vodka, spirits which perfectly balance each other out, making the drink a sweet and palatable apéritif. By the time my friend arrives I’m enjoying my second cocktail – the Ladybird – which is equally good, but employs a rhubarb base.

Before I get led astray in the cocktail bar, and work my way through its menu, we are led downstairs to our table. The restaurant basement is small but bustling on this weekday evening and we are taken to a larger-thanaverage two-person table where we continue our catch-up over a glass of champagne – this time taking in the delights of the food menu. Everything looks good and we find choosing between dishes difficult, so – yet again – we entrust our waiter to recommend some to us.

We start with the Zuaya Signature, a selection of appetisers for two consisting of ceviche (‘Zuaya’, raw; and ‘a la brasa’, cooked). Though I prefer the classic raw version, the ‘a la brasa’ is served with sweet-potato ice-cream, which might sound weird, but it was pure brilliance. We also have mango tiradito, a Peruvian dish which I can only describe as mango carpaccio with kiwicha (amaranth). It goes very well with the ceviche, and the fruity flavours in the starters are a welcome follow-up to our sweet cocktail apéritifs. Next up, lamb-filled purple tacos arrive – a Moroccan x Mexican mash-up, with pineapple and Ras El Hanout. It’s a surprisingly light segue into the main course.

So far, all of our courses have been diligently explained to us by our waiter, who talks us through the vibrant, modern Latin-American-fusion theme of the restaurant, and the dishes and flavours, explaining which ingredients represent Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil. He also ensures our glasses are never empty (good man) and that we are not waiting too long between courses.

Next up is semolina melosa – a dish comparable to paella in taste but using larger couscous instead of rice. There is a langoustine on top that I break into parts to scatter over the dish. It tastes great, but I am secretly wishing there was a squeeze of lemon to bring out the spices even more. The showstopping dish is the presa Iberica; we’re ready for the rareness of the meat, and its cut is thick. It’s tender within to contrast with the deliciously charred sides. It’s served on butternut squash with Venezuelan guasacaca sauce. We savour every last mouthful until we are secretly fighting over the remaining pieces.

On the side we have polenta tamal, which is a very soft, grainenriched cornbread, and a dish with quinoa and sweetcorn, perfect light accompaniments to the rich, strikingly flavoured mains. Our waiter is surprised to hear we are not fit-to-burst and are keen to try dessert. We argue that if the dessert is as good as the other offerings, we wouldn’t want to miss it. So, the jungle cheesecake and dulce de leche are summoned. We inhale both, but find ourselves yet again battling over the coconut crumb of the cheesecake. Zuaya, you have done us well.

Tucked away behind Aubaine on Kensington High Street, Zuaya really is one of our favourite new spots for both drinking and dining, and as the relatively ‘new kid on the block’ – it opened in July – we hope that our readers go and try what it has to offer. We can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed.

Zuaya also has a new brunch menu served every Saturday and Sunday from 11am-4pm, where diners receive a complimentary glass of champagne.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

ADVERTORIAL

WHAT DO A LUXURY BRAND, A HOUSING GROUP AND A PREMIERSHIP TEAM HAVE IN COMMON? KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA COLLEGE. As a key cornerstone to vocational courses, colleges incorporate work experience into their learning plan. One college that does this well is Kensington and Chelsea College (KCC). Well known for its excellence in the Creative Arts and in maintaining strong links and partnerships, many of the Borough’s organisations work with the College to create outstanding opportunities for its learners.

INTERIORS ARE THE CATALYST TO SUCCESS

This year, learners on the Level 3 Interior Design and Architecture course are fortunate enough to work on a live project with Catalyst Housing and are developing the local Bond Mansions near the College. Tasked with producing a colour and material palette for the interior of one of the apartments, learners have started looking for inspiration in nearby Portobello and Golborne Road, paying close attention to design styles, history and culture.

They’re working closely with Lilah Haire, Housing Regeneration Co-ordinator, and are discussing residents’ choices and opinions. Following this, the learners will present their proposals to Lilah and a panel.

Tutor, Alya Rizvi said “This has been a fantastic opportunity for our learners to be able work with local businesses, see the process of interior design in a big development project and witness how their skills can be applied in the real world.”

Alya continued “One of the key things as an interior designer and architect myself is to work on real projects, and I think here at Kensington and Chelsea College we’re trying to prepare learners not just for university but also for employment or internship. The idea behind these projects and assignments is to make sure that they are relevant and mirror the real world as much as possible.

Making connections with the community is behind the success of our learners, an we continue to serve both.”

Two learners currently on the Level 3 Interior Design and Architecture course have secured internships with Gold Finger Factory. One of them, Shan Alshaikli, said “It’s really exciting working on a live project! To design the interior of apartments at such a young age is a brilliant opportunity for us. We’re getting a taste of what we will be working on in the real world and not a lot of people would be able to do a live project like this.”

PREMIERSHIP DESIGN FOR CHARITY

Design learners worked on an exciting project with ‘Design Works’ who were commissioned by none other than Chelsea Football Club. The company connected with learners from the course to design a foundation for one of the rooms in the museum. The

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

theme for the room was around Chelsea FC Foundation. Current learner, Saffron, was awarded a three-month internship with Design Works; and she’s relished the opportunity to develop her skills and is now applying these to her studies of Architecture at Westminster University.

LUXURY TIME FOR LEARNERS

Kensington and Chelsea College’s Millinery students joined forces with Longines (a luxury watch brand). Longines ran a competition to create a bespoke hat for Linnea Aarflot (brand ambassador) to wear at Royal Ascot. This was judged by Rachel Trevor Morgan (Milliner to the Queen) on technical ability, Longines for elegance and Linnea for the overall style and fit.

Johanna, who studied HNC Millinery won the competition and her hat was worn by Linnea. She was also invited to Royal Ascot to celebrate her achievement. She said “The best thing about the course has been the final project: I was able to focus on what I like and make this project all about me and what I want to do in the future!”

Work experience is an important start to professional growth and usually the starting point for many individuals towards their future career. Kensington and Chelsea College offers a wide-range of vocationally focused courses. To find out more and to apply, attend one of their November Open events. Find out more at: www.kcc.ac.uk/openevents

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THE

Beauty EDIT.

MISTLETOE READY: OUR CHRISTMAS BEAUTY GUIDE...

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

TO THE POINT SARAH RODRIGUES talks to Bianca Estelle, of Vitamin Injections London, about her bespoke solutions to give our bodies what they need for prime health and aesthetic benefits.

Bianca Estelle managed a clinic from the age of 20 and has more than 15 years of skin care experience to her name. She’s the force behind her own skin clinic and cosmeceutical brand, bea Skin Care. An expert in Medical Aesthetics, with a slew of accreditations, Bianca is a selfconfessed ‘science geek’ and makes a point of incorporating the most advanced technologies into her offerings.

As of this year, Bianca is providing skin DNA testing, a highly intelligent assessment that specifically identifies one’s genetic makeup and assists in making informed decisions aimed at health and well being. Involving a simple cheek swab. Samples are then sent off for one, or a combination of five tests – these focus on general health, sport, diet, skin and oestrogen – which examine certain genetic dispositions.

‘One of the beauties of this testing is that it highlights things you don’t need to be so concerned about, as well as those that you perhaps do,’ points out Bianca. ‘For instance, you may be focusing your weight-control efforts on limiting fat, but the diet test may show that you’re more sensitive to sugar. By identifying which forms of exercise are most beneficial to you, as well as what forms of energy you are most – and least – able to metabolise, your programme is far more likely to be successful.’

In the months since introducing this revolutionary form of testing to her practice, Bianca says that the most popular tests have been those on health and skin. In terms of results, however, she admits that it’s probably diet and skin which are the most exciting and gratifying to witness, since clients see actual changes in terms of improvement to their complexion, or measurable weight loss.

‘The thinking behind the health testing is, of course, preventative,’ she says, ‘so we’re looking at what genetic predispositions the client has – where bone health is concerned, for instance, or inflammation – and then prescribing lifestyle or nutritional recommendations based on those tendencies.”

Why DNA, as opposed to a blood test? ‘The quality of an individual’s blood varies at different times, according to many factors,’ explains Bianca. ‘For instance, if you’ve had a period of indulgence, or stress, or perhaps sleeplessness: any of these things can compromise the reading that bloods give us. DNA, on the other hand, is not variable: it’s a clear and absolute picture of you.’

Some of Bianca’s advice doubles back to what she does in her clinic, with certain vitamin combinations, delivered by way of injection, combatting some of the issues potentially faced by clients. Others will be more focused on advice around self-

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regulated factors, such as diet, lifestyle and environment. This combination is a point worth noting, especially for those who are wary of an upsell.

‘Of course, there are treatments I can perform or products I can recommend to clients if their DNA test results indicate that certain things might be beneficial,’ says Bianca. ‘Equally, however, it can simply be very reassuring for a client to see their test results in black and white – it’s the complete opposite of a ‘one size fits all’ approach and lab results have that gravitas that encourages clients to make the changes they may have even already suspected they needed to make.’

Although DNA testing provides an insight into invariable predispositions, there are many other procedures offered by Vitamin Injections London which have a seasonal relevance because of environmental factors and the lifestyle changes that accompany a change in temperature. Skin peels, for example, are best performed in winter when skin isn’t as exposed to harsh UV rays and the damage that takes place as a result of this.

‘Autumn and winter are prime peel time,’ enthuses Bianca.

‘Right up until April is ideal, as this gives the skin a chance to fully benefit from the regenerative effects of the treatment.’

‘The popularity of Bianca’s practice has, in recent years, extended beyond London to Ibiza, where she runs a series of pop-ups over the summer months where, she says, the clientele are just as often people on yoga and wellness breaks as they are hard partiers.’

What’s involved? There’s a two-week prep period, during which certain products must be used to prime the skin for the procedure, after which the skin will start to shed and renew, revealing a brighter, more toned complexion beneath, with tighter pores and less pigmentation. For the least disruption to your schedule, Bianca recommends having the treatment on a Tuesday so that the bulk of the shedding takes place over the weekend. ‘By Monday, you may look as though you have a few patches of dry skin, but nothing more drastic than that,’ she says. ‘After that, your skin will look refreshed and revitalised.’

That post-festive feeling, when we’re as full of potatoes as we are of good intentions is another seasonal target. ‘If weight loss is on your New Year agenda, then the DNA testing around this will be useful in ensuring that the coming year is the one in which your efforts are successful,’ advises Bianca. ‘And then there’s wellness – most people know that Vitamin D can impact on your mood, but fewer are aware that it can also have an effect on your immune system (like Vitamin C), so wearing our Vitamin D3 patches and combining with a Vitamin C IV shot to this end can be hugely beneficial. I’d also recommend the Pick Me Up IV shot, which contains Vitamin B, to boost those energy levels, which are bound to have plummeted after a month or so of late nights, partying and slumping, post-lunch, on the sofa.’

The colder months aren’t all roast potatoes and festive cheer; another seasonal issue that many of us deal with are the winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a psychological condition far more acute than its acronym would tend to suggest, impacting motivation, energy and state of mind. VIL offers a 12week course aimed at combating this, with a combination of Vitamin D, B complex and a variety of mineral-rich injections.

Over the three-month period, the psychological and physical side effects of SAD are said to be dramatically diminished or, in some cases, even eliminated.

The science behind having vitamins injected into your body is the delivery of exactly what your body needs, to where it needs it.

Taking supplements, it is argued, only delivers a tiny dose of the vitamin into your bloodstream, since by the time it’s been through your digestive system, its efficacy has been compromised. In bypassing the gut, the body and the bloodstream receive the vitamins in their purest, most potent form. The popularity of Bianca’s practice has, in recent years, extended beyond London to Ibiza, where she runs a series of pop-ups over the summer months where, she says, the clientele are just as often people on yoga and wellness breaks as they are hard partiers looking to put back some of what’s been taken out – the perfect combination of shots and shots.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

WINTER BEAUTY EDIT The KCR’s beauty editor LISA CURTISS has handpicked and reviewed a selection of new luxury fragrances and makeup releases. Here are some of her favourites for the festive season.

Serge Lutens | New luxury makeup collection A range of long-lasting lipsticks in a range of flattering and attention-grabbing hues, and rich cream foundations, which provide a flawless finish and a barely-there lightness. £135 for a foundation compact, £58 for a lipstick (www.sergelutens.com)

Cartier | Carat This fragrance is a sparkling floral rainbow. Notes of elegant bright violet, iris and hyacinth are warmed and softened with ylangylang, tulip, daffodil and heady honeysuckle. £112 for 100ml (www.cartier.co.uk)

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Van Cleef & Arpels Rose Rouge A scent that evokes a symphony of roses. Fresh lemon notes of rose otto and musky damasks reminiscent of a cottage garden on a summer’s evening are artfully blended with blackcurrant, pink pepper and bitter cacao to create something truly delightful. £130 for 175ml (www.vancleefarpels.com)

Issey Miyake | L’Eau Super Majeure D’ Issey This new fragrance for men masterfully marries fresh and salt-sharp herbals with heady notes of patchouli, clary sage, tonka bean and vanilla. £67 for 100ml (www.isseymiyakeparfums.com)

Robert Graham | Courage, Valour and Fortitude Each fragrance in this new trio of blended essences has a distinct character and unique bottle design. Courage is bold and vibrant with citrus top notes, tempered with soft notes of smoked woods. Valour mixes warming clary sage with coffee and rich amber, and Fortitude couples patchouli and tonka bean with tobacco absolute. £260 for 250ml (www.robertgraham.us)

Roos & Roos | In the Wood For Love Distinctive and memorable, this fragrance features fresh zingy citrus top notes, elegant violet and iris absolute, softened by precious orange blossom, cedar, vetiver and patchouli. £170 for 100ml Eau de Parfum (www.roosandroos.fr)

Dunhill | Century A fresh and inviting fragrance with citrus top notes, tempered with heady orientals and musk. £79 for 135ml (www.dunhill.com)

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FOUR LONDON: A LUXURY WAX EXPERIENCE A wax is just a wax.... Or, is it? Let’s not beat around the bush, it’s a pertinent question to consider when deciding where to book that most delicate of waxes: the Brazilian. Is it possible to leave feeling pampered rather than pulled to strips?

After a few hair-raising (and depleting) experiences, we went on the trail to find the ultimate ‘luxury wax’ experience.

Tucked away on Conduit Street, around the corner from Regent Street’s hubbub of bags and babble, you’ll find FOUR London. A hair-colour specialist salon, favoured among a number of notable names; within, you’ll find a hidden haven: Beauty at FOUR with Nadiya Bekar.

Nadiya’s talent has started a cult following among those in-the-know and the lady herself greeted our guest writer, Bex Willans, as she arrived on a mission to test whether a wax can be a treat rather than a task. As you enter the salon, there is a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere and elegant black, gold and cream decor, plus little touches, such as fresh cut flowers in vases by each mirror – the surroundings feel more akin to a high-end spa. Then, you’re led to a downstairs area (euphemism unintended) where the treatment

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

rooms are located. Here Nadiya works her magic.

The wax experience was the most comfortable our intrepid reporter has found so far (as waxes go), and aside from the swift, expert treatment offered, she learnt that part of the magic is thanks to bees.

A luxury wax experience should, of course, use only the best products and Nadiya chooses natural hot beeswax. The advantage of doing so is that as the wax touches the skin, it warms up slightly, opening the pores to ease hairs out and helping even the teeniest wisps on their way. This creates longer lasting results too – an added bonus.

The whole experience, from the moment you arrive, is designed to help you feel at ease, and since FOUR’s ethos includes ‘chat if you choose, or contemplate if you prefer’, your wax experience is tailored to your preference. So, as the winter months draw in and we get caught up among the crowd of Christmas shoppers, there’s a little place of calm where you can swap the rough for the smooth, fuzz-free.

FOUR LONDON

62 Conduit Street, Mayfair, London W1S 2GB PAGE 58

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111 Cheyne Walk, London, SW10 0DJ

ADVERTORIAL

CHRISTMAS FLIGHT WITH OLGA SOLDATOVA Olga Soldatova is the precious excess of our culture. There is no doubt that she is a unique phenomenon. Soldatova’s work combines architecture (we should not forget that she is a graduate of the Moscow Architectural Institute), sharp avant-garde design, a huge culturological subtext, the tradition of the tender art of embroidery, and a hard-edged contemporary mindset.

Olga Soldatova employs the magical symbols of the Soviet age—red pentagrams and totalitarian aeroplanes—with consummate wit, transforming them into harmless jackstraws.

Olga Soldatova and the form of art she has discovered stand out for their originality. In the endless march of the institute’s history, they are especially worthy of our admiration.

Pompeian frescoes fashioned from beads and smalt and sprinkled with blazing Kremlin stars.

Monuments to ancient athletes. Soviet maidens who have gone out early in the morning to mow the fields (also crafted from bright, startling and precious materials). In Soldatov’s rendering, all

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

these subjects are brought together by a unified style and artistic philosophy, by an approach to her media that she has articulated once and for all.

The essential point of Soldatova’s works is, perhaps, their preciousness; it is not so important what her panels, paintings, women’s handbags, and felt boots are made of, however. The first thing we sense in each piece is a love for the medium— or rather, a passion for each and every coloured, sparkling fragment that adorns the world Olga Soldatova has created. This sensuous approach on the part of a master craftsman to the stuff from which she fashions her works is rare. One registers the sincerity of this feeling, Soldatova’s skill in imparting a regality, an authentic imperial sheen to the media she employs.

It is wonderful that Londoners have the chance to see at one go experience myriad old and new works by Soldatova. They affirm the signature style, magnificent technique and extraordinary industriousness of this artist. Only at SAAS in Chelsea.

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MOTORING

KCReview motoring editor, LISA CURTISS, casts her eye on some of the latest news and releases from the world of luxury driving.

PET PACKS FROM LAND ROVER

Pooch-perfect for this wet and windy time of year, Land Rover has introduced a range of clever products which not only protect a car from being covered in dog slobber, hair and mud, but enable easy access and travelling comfort too.

Each pack includes a selection of specially chosen durable and high quality accessories to suit a range of requirements. For example, there’s a premium quilted load space liner to protect against paw prints, a foldable pet carrier, an access ramp to help any older, arthritic or titchy breeds, spill-resistant water bowl and a portable rinse system for those muddy walks.

The Pet Packs are available for every model in the Land Rover range and are priced from £360.37.

Pet Load Space Protection Pack, £482 Includes quilted load space liner, full-height luggage partition and spill-resistant water bowl.

Pet Transportation Pack, £360.37 Includes foldable pet carrier, spill-resistant water bowl and load space rubber mat.

Pet Care and Access Pack, £887.56 Includes full-height luggage partition, quilted load space liner, pet access ramp and portable rinse system.

Accessories will also be available to purchase as part of the Pet Packs above or individually dependant on customer choice.

Visit www.landrover.co.uk for more info.

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KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

IMAGES: LUKE PENNEY

Jack Barclay Bentley Celebrates New Showroom with Continental GT Event The oldest Bentley dealership in the world, Jack Barclay Bentley, officially reopened after a comprehensive multi-million-pound refurbishment.

Artfully marrying tradition with the latest in contemporary design, the new showroom features a stylish central bar, naturally trimmed in luxurious Bentley leather, plus a commissioning suite.

With a heritage stretching back seven decades, many of the historical Jack Barclay features have been retained, including the wood-panelled boardroom, the famous chequered floor, art deco signage and intricate entrance.

To mark the occasion, the Jack Barclay Bentley team hosted an event showcasing the stunning and powerful all-new 626bhp Bentley Continental GT. Designed, engineered and handcrafted in Britain, this new third-generation model combines spirited, focused performance with handcrafted luxury and cutting-edge technology, resulting in the finest Grand Tourer ever produced.

At the heart of the new Continental GT sits an all-new, enhanced version of Bentley’s renowned 6.0-litre, twin-turbocharged W12 engine, mated, for the first time, to a dual-clutch eight-speed transmission, for faster, more efficient gear changes. This allows the car to accelerate from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 207mph.

The interior design of the four seat Continental GT is tailored specifically to the modern luxury customer, with unrivalled attention to detail that creates an effortless ownership experience.

The cabin seamlessly integrates cutting-edge onboard technology with the finest handcrafted natural materials. The result is an exquisite, harmonised, connected and luxurious space.

Part of the H.R. Owen Group, Jack Barclay Bentley is named after one of the original Bentley Boys of the 1920s and is the world’s oldest and most famous Bentley dealership. It offers a large selection of new and pre-owned Bentleys on two display floors, including the luxury SUV, Bentayga, and the driver-tailored Mulsanne Speed, plus a wide range of accessories from the Bentley Collection. www.hrowen.co.uk

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Mini Clubman City Since its fairly recent launch, it’s already snatched awards world-wide from quality competition, so I’m certainly not alone in my sentiments. Compact, handsome and capable, spacious, safe, economical and versatile – and at a touch under the £40K mark for the First Edition D4 AWD on test – what’s not to like.

This is a car that’s really demonstrated Volvo has its fingers on the pulse design wise now. The XC40 may be compact, but in the metal it has real presence. It’s striking, bold, even bordering on aggressive looking, and appears solid and well built too.

The cabins of all of today’s models from this Swedish institution are a master class in clean lines, space and resistance to pop in anything that doesn’t function or give understated and tasteful flair - and this is no different for the XC40. It’s a haven of uncluttered calm – which happens to be full to the brim of advanced and useful technology, including Volvo’s pioneering semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system, available on all models, and the Sensus nine-inch touchscreen and voiceactivated control systems that allow easy access to the car’s infotainment and connectivity functions.

Engine-wise, this model is a delight to drive. Its 190hp D4 plant produces 400Nm of torque, available all the way from 1,750 to 2,500rpm, for effortless, flexible performance, even when fully laden and towing. The all-wheel drive gives reassuring grip on all surfaces and even in our typically British changeable conditions. And, with a raft of innovative safety

tech too, it’s no surprise this is one of the highest rated cars for safety in tests.

The XC40’s relatively compact dimensions make for easy and agile manoeuvring, while the cleverly designed interior provides plenty of space for passengers and cargo. There are 460 litres of luggage space available behind the rear seats, which extends to an impressive 1,336 litres with the rear seats folded down.

You can specify your XC40 for life in the great outdoors with a wide choice of accessories, including roof boxes ranging in volume from 320 to 430 litres, special carriers for bikes, skis and canoes, and even a dog harness for the back seats.

Volvo’s XC40 is an excellent car. A cracking all-rounder and one we’d highly recommend

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Alfa Romeo Stelvio More known for its spritely and oh so pretty run arounds and race-honed design masterpieces such as the 8C, the introduction of an imposing SUV is a brave departure for Alfa Romeo. It’s a risk that’s paid off though, as the Stelvio has been very well received as a stylish, sporty and spacious model perfect for busy family or corporate life – and a viable alternative to premium priced models from likes of Porsche and BMW. With plenty more kerb appeal than most of its rivals, it’s evident Alfa’s aim to produce cars with stunning lines continues. Out on the road our 2.2 210hp Q4 AWD Milano Edizione Stelvio received plenty of admiring glances and was the instigator of many a conversation about this exciting brand moving in to SUV territory with ease. Striking and a refreshing departure from typical boxy cars of this type, the model stands out in all the best ways.

On entering the cabin, Alfa’s flair for design continues and you can see clear inspiration from the acclaimed Giulia.

There’s plenty of features and flourishes

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA REVIEW

to please – such as a rear camera, 8.8inch infotainment and satnav screen, stylish 20-inch alloys, large aluminium pedals, and an abundance of attractive and durable looking materials throughout.

Space wise, there’s ample up front, but, because of the sloping sleek lines, it can feel a little on the dark and cosy side for large and tall rear passengers. The seating position is lower than competitor models though and adds to the over all sporty feel.

Out on the road the 2.2 diesel on test proved smooth, slick and rapid. With a respectable 6.6 second 0-62 sprint and excellent gearing, acceleration is a breeze and it’s a rewarding model to drive.

Economy is pretty good too – achieving around the 45mpg mark during the loan – beating most in its class. Handling and ride-wise the Stelvio feels centred and agile, with remarkably good traction even through fast and tight bends – feeling much more like a ‘normal’ car than a pretty sizeable SUV. It’s well worth paying the extra for all-wheel drive. www.alfaromeo.co.uk PAGE 64

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