E1 Life September 2018 Issue

ISSUE 15 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Take me, I’m yours

The Best of East and all it has to offer

EVENTS

SOCIAL

BUSINESS

ART & CULTURE

FOOD & DRINK

NIGHTLIFE

HEALTH & BEAUTY

INTERIORS

TRAVEL

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Contents p04 What’s Happenin’: On Our Radar

p06 Tropic Skincare’s founder: Susie Ma

p10 The new beer Brewery down in Hackney

p13 Billionnaire artist in the making? Lincoln Townley p23 What’s trending on the street food front?

p27 Last glass alfresco, before summer’s out!

p28 Music of Margate: Soul Festival

p38 Where’s your money at? Metro Bank

p34 Know the tricks of the trade: Property

EDITOR: Rosie Coxshaw SUB-EDITOR: Nancy Larman EDITORIAL & PR ASSISTANT: Toby Harris ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Nicola Euesden DESIGN: Total Design Works Ltd FOOD & DRINK WRITER: Liam Barker Published by RC Publishing Ltd: 020 3011 1194 Contact Essex Love: info@essexlove.co.uk Contact E1 Life: info@e1ife.co.uk While every care is taken, RC Publishing Ltd cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, omissions or errors. Prices correct at time of going to press. All rights reserved.

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ON OUR RADAR Only the hottest and most happening make the cut

Redemption

If you’re on a health kick and love a bit of vegan grub then Redemption is the place for you. Named the best booze-free bar in the world it’s also wheat-free, sugarfree and vegan, so customers can spoil themselves without spoiling themselves. Initially, Redemption might have the look of a brunch/lunch spot, but they serve up a mean dinner too. If you’re struggling what to choose off their new summer menu, we’d recommend the grilled aubergine with tahini followed by courgetti pesto. The asparagus and pea black rice risotto is also very nice, if you can handle that much fibre! Whilst one course and a mocktail will set you back £20, the combination of its relaxed atmosphere, courtyard and fine offering of healthy, high quality food makes it a lovely place to enjoy a sober summer evening without having to worry about the waistline.

Redemption, 320 Old Street, London, EC1V 9DR

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EVENTS: ON OUR RADAR

Funicular

Funicular is a collective of theatre and storytelling, specialising in creating immersive experiences to engage all the senses. Wilkinson and Borgnis push and entertain audiences through an immersive dining experience, introducing the very best in production technology and premium food crafted by BBC One’s MasterChef 2016 finalists, Billy and Jack.

Onboard a glamorous train with lavish furnishings, the brand’s debut show, ‘The Murdér Express’ transports guests back in time to the grandeur of the 19th century.

Departing from Funicular’s ‘Pedley Street Station’, passengers make an historic journey from London to the fictional, French town of Murdér.

Tickets: £53/£57 per head Funicular, Arch 63 Pedley Street, London, E1 5BW

Arepa & Co

When thinking of the diverse range of food available in our beloved east end, Venezualan cuisine doesn’t necessarily jump out. But, just a short walk from Bethnal Green Tube sits Arepa and Co – in the arches of Paradise Row. This plantain, cheese and corn-heavy menu might not be easy on the waste line but it certainly is tasty, filling and good for sharing. With a tapas vibe, we shared the kumquat salad, pastelitos (beef in pastry), a corn wrap filled with black beans and pulled brisked and another brimmed with beer brined crunchy fried chicken. With a large terrace, Venezualan beer and a sociable atmosphere, this is a picture of summer but be sure to go hungry. And make sure you get your five-a-day elsewhere.

Meal for two: £35.

254 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE

Radio Alice

Kicking around east and fancy a pizza? Then Radio Alice is a fine choice. With a lovely terrace fronting Hoxton Square this pizzeria offers a tasty meal that won’t break the bank. With pizzas in and around the £10 mark, you can just about do two courses and a drink for twenty quid. To start, we recommend the burrata with pickled courgette, black olives and almonds. What follows is down to how you like your toppings, but you can have anything from the minimal tomato, garlic and parsley to the somewhat more decadent prosciutto di Parma, mozzarella and orange oil. That being said, we had the ‘Nduja (spiced sausage) and the aubergine with pesto, which was very tasty indeed.

16 Hoxton Square, Hoxton, London N1 6NT

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MADE IT: SUSIE MA

Natural Woman

Susie Ma is the CEO and founder of natural skincare company Tropic, which she started aged 15 on a stall at Greenwich Market. Since then, she’s secured investment from Lord Sugar and been named one of Forbes 30 under 30. All this and she’s still only 29. Next stop?

The world, as she tells Rosie Coxshaw Tell us a little about Tropic Skincare’s ethos...

My mission for Tropic has evolved over the years, but the one constant has always been to create products that are truly good for you. No toxic chemicals, no marketing gimmicks – just natural, nutritious ingredients that always fall in line with our core ‘pure, honest and effective’ ethics.

Tropic products are formulated with pampering in mind, and each freshly made product is created using the richest, most nutritious premium natural ingredients to ensure they are effective on all skin types. In March, I released Tropic’s new infinite purpose, which is to help create a healthier, greener, more empowered world. I passionately believe that you have to be the change you want to see in the world, so I want Tropic to set an example in the beauty industry when it comes to corporate responsibility.

How did you get into the beauty industry?

My grandmother was a medicinal chemist, which gave her an in-depth knowledge of the effect chemicals

have on our bodies when ingested and applied topically. The mantra of my upbringing was ‘natural is always best’, so I spent much of my childhood creating botanical skincare and natural remedies at home in my kitchen in Tropical North Queensland. One such family recipe was Tropic’s founding product, Body Smooth Refreshing Polish, a nourishing scrub made with a blend of sea salt, macadamia oil, and eucalyptus and lemon myrtle essential oils, ingredients which were local to me in Australia.

After moving to the UK, I decided I wanted to start a business and this led me to start selling our body scrubs in jam jars at Greenwich Market when I was 15 years old.

Did you always believe that Tropic Skincare would be the success story it has been?

Tropic’s growth has been doubling year-on-year since our official launch – it’s been the most phenomenal journey. I started the business as a teenager to help my mum pay the bills when we first moved to the UK; even back then, the

success exceeded my expectations!

I remember my first day at the market – I sold out of all my body scrubs and could pay our bills for a month. It was amazing. By the time I reached university, I had achieved my goal of helping my mum buy a house. I absolutely love what I do, and wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

You use ‘social selling’ as one of your main routes to market. Can you describe how that works?

For Tropic, the social selling model lets us champion a more human way of selling skincare, which has proven to be very effective. Skincare is such a personal thing, and our ambassador opportunity is the perfect way to sell our products with a personal touch, based on genuine recommendations and testimonials.

It was a natural step; our customers were already sharing their love for our products via social media, and we wanted to find a way to reward them. So instead of investing in advertising, we put the money we would spend on it into incentivising our ambassadors; in this way, we

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MADE IT: SUSIE MA sets us apart. It means that we take charge of all our formulations, stay ahead of the curve with our product development, and keep a direct line of communication open with our ambassadors and customers. We’re able to innovate and update our formulations quickly, so we’re always ahead in bringing our customers new and improved products and cutting edge ingredients. We offer beauty without compromise, challenging misconceptions around natural products; the industry awards and recognition we’ve received just go to show that natural doesn’t mean you have to compromise on the environment, on animals, or on effectiveness. have created a support network that rewards ambassadors based on success, and when they help others to succeed too.

Is social selling the future, do you think?

I could only ever speak for Tropic, but for us, social selling was definitely the right avenue. Success to us is to create a healthier, greener, more empowered world: social selling allows us to spread our message more quickly through human interaction and conversation.

Our ambassadors help to grow a customer network built on trust and recommendation, which is invaluable. Their hard work has also helped us to go from strengthto-strength: for two years running, Tropic has been listed as the fastest-growing beauty company in the Virgin Fast Track 100 league table featured in The Sunday Times.

We were also named The Sunday Times’ Emerging Brand in 2017, which is an accolade previously awarded to the likes of Jimmy Choo and Cath Kidston – it shows that great things are to come for Tropic.

We couldn’t do any of it without our ambassadors.

What sets the Tropic Skincare products apart?

Doing everything in-house definitely

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

ABOVE The ever radiant Susie Ma is a walking advert for the efficacy of her natural skincare products

What were you doing prior to Tropic Skincare?

I started Tropic when I was 15 years old, so I was studying for my GCSEs! What has been your career highlight so far?

It’s so hard to choose just one!

When I look back on the last five years, the highlights are every Glambassadors event, where we launch our new season products and welcome ambassadors on stage to celebrate their achievements; jetting off to Mauritius, Morocco, Finland and Paris with our ambassadors; and every time we win an industry award for our products. One that really stands out to me is helping to raise money for the Winnie Mabaso Foundation, which supports orphans, the elderly, and those who’ve lost loved ones on whom they were dependent to AIDS. It warmed my

RIGHT Tropic Skincare products are 100 per cent natural without compromising on quality

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop Describe yourself in one word?

Optimistic What’s your favourite word?

Boom What’s your desert island food?

Sushi

heart seeing the wonderful children they help enjoying the bus they bought with the money we raised.

I can’t wait to meet them when we visit South Africa for one of our wonderful Glambassadors Abroad trips in January next year.

What’s your one golden rule in business?

Be resourceful. There is always a way!

What does the future look like for Tropic?

In one single word? Bright. We’re moving our Beauty Kitchen to new premises later this year as we’ve been expanding so quickly. This will mean that we can increase the amount of products we make, which is very exciting. We’re also busy exploring expanding Tropic into overseas markets in the next five years, which I can’t wait for! tropicskincare.com

Hoppy

Heights Nestled in the back streets of Hackney lies Bohemia Place, home to St John at Hackney Brewery. Toby Harris checks in to hear the story so far.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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reweries are popping up in east London left, right and centre, but St John at Hackney Brewery – just a stone’s throw from Hackney Central Station - is a wee bit different to the rest. Not only is the team intent on making it the home of London’s finest craft beer but, as the name suggests, it is partnered with its name-sake church, which brings some grand social ambitions along with it.

Located within the arches of the aptly named Bohemia Place, initially this doesn’t look like an obvious location to home such ambitious plans, but step inside and it all

BUSINESS: MAKING IT makes sense. With an immense sense of space, a ceiling lined with beams, church pews and a commissioned art piece that reflects the vibrant communities of east London, the fusion of indie brewery and church is original, inviting and exciting.

For Luke: “The way I describe it, is like a modern take on a church – we’ve got our beams, our church pews and I’ve heard people refer to the bar as the alter. It’s clean, it’s simple, it’s comfortable…it works.”

Just as the Rector of St John at Hackney, Al Gordon, sits at the centre of the local community, he is also at the core of this project.

After hearing Luke’s seemingly lofty aspiration to open a brewery, Gordon brought the partners together to make his dream a reality. And leading the brewery’s hoppy heights is former software engineer-cumHead Brewer, Ryan Robbins.

Ryan couldn’t resist the prospect of getting involved. He explains: “There was something special about what St John at Hackney was doing in the community, doing what’s on our doorstep. It was a no brainer for me to jump on board…it’s got a bigger focus, a bigger calling ”.

Beyond the beer, St John at Hackney Brewery seeks to address a myriad of local issues. Their headline ‘Lighthouse Project’ supports homeless and vulnerable people, drug addicts and alcoholics.

As part of the initiative, they host drop-ins every Wednesday, feeding hundreds of local people, with hopes to expand further. They also run a big mum’s group called, ‘Hey Baby’, a food bank to provide groceries for struggling families and a debt-service centre to deliver financial advice to those in need.

And, if that wasn’t enough, they also have plans to gain government funding for an apprenticeship scheme.

With Night Tales and the London Stitch Academy joining the arches soon, there are plenty of reasons for paying Bohemia Place a visit.

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ARTS & CULTURE: LINCOLN TOWNLEY

“The next Andy Warhol” Seven years ago Lincoln Townley hit rock bottom. Today his work sells for £1m. He talks to Alex Larman

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ARTS & CULTURE: LINCOLN TOWNLEY

of celebrity himself, thanks to his marriage to the actress Denise Welch, who had her own realisation that a life of excess was not the way forward. After giving up alcohol and narcotics, Townley channelled his

“

It was a crazy time – five years in which I threw caution to the wind and went for it. But when Peter sacked me, telling me I was out of control, it was a wake up call

energy and creativity into his art, saying ‘the nature of my work over the past five years has been about pushing what we want out of life.

Most of the collectors of my work are highly successful people who have been through a lot of darkness themselves – not necessarily drink and drugs – to get to where they are today. They’re outgoing men who

“

L

incoln Townley is an artist on the cusp of a glittering career.

Described by none other than Sir Michael Caine as ‘the next Andy Warhol’, he has painted portraits of stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Moss and Harrison Ford, to significant acclaim and increasingly high prices. Last year, he sold a diamond-encrusted portrait of Princess Diana, completed to mark 20 years since her death, for a million pounds. Although it took him two months to complete, at a cost of £20,000, the implication is clear; Townley expects to make it bigger than just about any artist in the pantheon before him. Little wonder that he says, ‘I guarantee I will be the first artist in the world to sell a painting for a billion pounds.’

All of this is a significant change from his early days. He grew up around Hackney and Hertfordshire.

A particular influence in his youth was his grandfather, an engineer and painter with a great admiration for Francis Bacon, and it is from him that he learnt his craft. As he says, ‘I didn’t choose to get into art… it just ended up being something that happened. I was doing small portraits, strange outside-the-box things, from the age of about 12.

Then, I began a career in sales and marketing, but my interest in painting stayed consistent.’

After working for the nightclub entrepreneur Peter Stringfellow, a long-standing friend, Townley often painted at night ‘using a lot of drink and drugs’, but today he is six years sober, with the only intoxication he enjoys being the thrill of the acclaim for his work. ‘It was an incredible life, and I loved it, but as I ignored people telling me to get help, I realised one day that I had to stop.

It was a crazy time – five years in which I threw caution to the wind and went for it. But when Peter sacked me, telling me I was out of control, it was a wake up call.’

He’s now moving within the fields

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ARTS & CULTURE: LINCOLN TOWNLEY value energy and achievement, and I think I’ve got to where I am because of my perseverance.’

My paintings are about male desires to succeed, and what we put ourselves through in order to become iconic. One of the things I do is work with BAFTA in their outreach programme – I do six events a year – and I’ve reached record funds for them.’ All of this represents a remarkable turnaround for someone who, only seven years ago, was, in his words, ‘sitting on the kerb, at rock bottom, saying to an actor friend, ‘What am I going to do?’ Not bad for someone who was initially turned down by galleries no fewer than ninety-three times.

Townley also has a sincere understanding of the potential importance of his work. Talking about his Princess Diana picture, he says, ‘we wanted to make it a passionate piece, with the same sensitivity that she brought to every image that she was pictured in, and it was very tricky to get it right. I’ve been doing iconic faces, including the Queen at 90 and hers was one of the most iconic, of course.’

Despite the glitz and millionpound price tag, Townley is keen to emphasise that it isn’t just about making money. As he says, ‘we’re selling prints to support CentrePoint, the homeless charity; so much of what I do is about giving back.’

Townley is refreshingly candid about the financial aspects of his work. ‘Without selling your work, you can’t function as an artist, and I’ve never been shy about saying that. The art world hates me, and is negative about me, because I buck the trend and think outside the box, but that doesn’t bother me; why would I want to be embraced by them? The people who buy my work are buying it alongside Picasso and Bacon. That is the biggest reward of them all.’

Given his meteoric rise to the top, it seems only too likely that that billion-pound painting will be sold

by Lincoln Townley – and sooner, rather than later.

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

PHOTOGRAPHY: TONY HUTCHINGS

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Nice and Thrifty

Ditch the trip to Selfridges and find those luxury labels at your local charity shop. Kari Greaves tells us how to get more bang for our buck.

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FASHION: THRIFT STORE

C

reating three looks, at three different price points, with items bought from local charity shops might seem a challenge to some. But actually, this is my dream.

Buying clothing from charity shops is a great thing to do for a variety of reasons. Firstly, as a ‘fast-paced’ society we buy and throw away a lot of clothing so a lot of clothing that is in near-perfect condition gets discarded and given to charity shops.

We also like to have fun and wear different outfits but this can cost a lot of money unless we become savvy with our shopping. Charity shops create a super-great opportunity for us to be savvy, allowing us to purchase items at a discounted price. I find prices to be between a third and a tenth of the original price. Thus making them very cost efficient!

Shopping in charity shops requires an open mind. You never know what you will find.

Here are three looks that I’ve curated to give you a taster of what you can find.

l a u s a C ear W

Wuotrfk O it

UNDER

£50

The third challenge was to find a outfit for work for £50 or under. I wanted to put together a smart outfit but also one that was fun and creative. I found a Whistles skirt (£14) in a bright popping red colour, perfect for cheering up a mid week Wednesday and equally fun for going out after work to catch up with friends. I added a simple but pretty blouse (£6) with a discreet floral print that picked the red up of the skirt. To keep it professional I added a jacket (£22). The neat shape of the jacket and the military style buttons (always a winner) allowed me to be a little adventurous and go for a brocade fabric. £42

UNDER

£25

The first look I choose was the casual wear for under £25. This is super-easy to do! I choose a midlength stripe dress for £8 which is perfect for wearing on its own for the tail-end of the summer. As the days get cooler, you can add a plain white t-shirt (£5) to wear underneath and denim jacket (£5) over the shoulders for cooler evenings. I found a great oversized Levis jacket. Add some trainers and a big slouchy bag and you can spend the day catching up with friends, wandering markets and doing chores. £18

Going ut O UNDER

£50

The second look is a “going-out” outfit for under £50. I went to my favourite charity shop, Traid on the Kingsland Road in Dalston, and looked for a complete outfit, including shoes and bag. Having set on my heart on a jumpsuit, I went straight to the jumpsuit and maxi dress section where I came across a great jumpsuit in my size for just £15.99. Bingo! I also found some great heels in my size in an animal print for £11.99 (according to the magazines animal print is all the rage this season)! I came across a matching, leather shoulder-bag (£8.99), large enough for my phone keys and purse but small enough that I can also use it as a clutch bag.

I accessorised by adding a patterned jacket I found, originally from Zara, at £9.99. I love the print of the jacket and I’ve already decided that I can wear it to smarten up jeans and white trainers for the school run. Add a bangle at £2.99 and I’ve come under the target at £49.95.

Which is great value for bag, jacket, jumpsuit, bangle and shoes! All of which will look great mixed with the pieces I already have. £49.95

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DATING: THE MOTH

It’s a date Suzy Gill’s hot date...round two

L

ast date’s bagel adventure did result in a comfortably full stomach and a hilarious anecdote, but it also left a sour taste that my friends and I found ourselves dissecting.

We eventually decided the way to find a suitable candidate to fill the post was to search out a friend of a friend. Someone that somebody knew, who would therefore, most definitely, be completely single.

A flurry of messages were sent and within an hour I had three potential dates lined up. One of them was an actor I’ve met a couple of times who ticked all the boxes. Great, I thought, and immediately googled/ searched his name across all social media platforms (don’t tell me you’ve never done that. I wouldn’t believe you). Striking blue eyes, cheekbones for days and according to said social media, an actor and classical singer with a penchant for climbing mountains in his free time. So I’ve got a modern day male version of Maria Von Trapp, I thought. This could be interesting. At best, we’ll end up having a great night and I’ll be spun around some glass conservatory in East London trying not to break my ankle. At worst he’ll sing at me in one of those climbing session things while I’m trussed up like a Christmas turkey with my bum squeezed into eight pieces, and I’ll have to hope and pray that we never bump into each other on the audition circuit or get cast as lovers – or siblings – in the same production.

The romantic in me was intrigued. So I text him back and began searching for a suitable location. And that was when I stumbled on the Moth.

Unfortunately for my inner Liesl, The Moth is not held in a greenhouse of any kind. Instead, it’s held at Rich Mix in Shoreditch, a fantastic Independent Arts Centre.

I’d been there before to see films and plays, but never for anything like this. It’s a live storytelling event that started in New York back in 1997, where people stand up and tell true tales that they’ve lived through and experienced.

We met on the eve of a full moon on a warm summers night, and unlike last time, I wasn’t kept waiting. O as he turned up with a huge smile and a stinking rehearsal bag which he immediately apologised for, cheerfully explaining that he’d been knee deep in movement rehearsals all afternoon.

Lack of shower aside, he’d made the effort to change and still managed to be on time.

Arriving at the Moth with a few minutes to spare, we settled into our seats and he whipped out some

snacks he’d smuggled in.

And what a show it was.

I don’t want to spoil it for anyone, but what I will say is that O and I laughed, cried and felt all the #feels inbetween. At one point, he spontaneously kissed me on the cheek in a flood of post-story emotion and I can’t pretend it didn’t make me blush through the darkness. And then he held my hand and I thought, oh.

This isn’t bad. This isn’t bad at all.

He had an early start the next day so once the show was finished we decided to head home. It was still warm as we wandered back towards Liverpool Street under the moon and in comfortable silence we absorbed what we’d heard.

Reaching the station, I wondered whether he’d felt as relaxed as I had and was about to ask him when he suddenly stopped, dug into his (still stinking) bag and pulled out a book ,’The Moth: This is a True Story’. He shoved it into my hands with a gruff ‘thought you might like it’, kissed me full on the mouth and suddenly he was gone amongst the late night commuters, leaving me with a startled expression and a very ruffled book in my hands. My phone buzzed and: ‘Enjoy. Thanks for tonight x’ lit up the screen.

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FOOD & DRINK: EAT STREETS

Caribbean Smokehouse

EatStreets WORDS: LIAM BARKER

Set in the middle of Westfield shopping centre, you may almost take Caribbean Smokehouse as just another eatery that you stumbled across whilst shopping away and need to satiate the hunger - but it’s actually quite a gem and I was taken back at how delicious this food is. Not only is the menu authentic and true to its Caribbean roots, the quality of food is spot on.

We ordered many starters including

As summer subsides, we’ve got some decent grub to keep ya smokin’ hot!

Chick’n’Sours Chick’n’Sours is anything but your local fried chicken shop, serving up herb fried chicken, next level sides and sour cocktails. This place is up there. In fact, it is London’s very best fried chicken. Yep we said it!

They’ve even come up with a contender for the Great British roast dinner in whole fry Sundays. Where, yes you get a WHOLE fried chicken.

Glazed in gochujang mayo and chilli vinegar along with two sides for £25, just make sure one of them is the beef dripping chips. They’ve just built a new bar in the basement, so be sure to head over and check it out.

390 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AA chicknsours.co.uk

the Ackee & Saltfish which went perfectly with the fish cakes, then the mains arrived and we literally stuffed ourselves silly with a dish off the Burgers ‘n’ Tings (they are all good) and I had the jerk chicken with side of plaintain. The chicken was cooked perfectly and actually felt pretty healthy! Suffice to say, we were far too full for desserts but next time i’d save myself some room because I certainly felt I was missing out there!

103 The Street, Westfield Stratford, E20 1EJ caribbeansmokehouse.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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FOOD & DRINK: EAT STREETS

Smoking Goat Inspired by the late night open-air canteens found across Thailand. The east London instalment of Smoking Goat is a social dining affair.

“Aharn Glam Lao” (which is Thai for “drinking food”) is the concept.

So just get a bunch of small plates and share over some drinks, but order more than one of the barbecue Tamworth pork skewers. Ti’s hands down the best £1.6 you will spend in London. If you really like spice I mean tongue smacking, not just lip tingling). And never had Larb before, give it a try, it’s a dry aromatic fried dish. Think of it like a meat salad with rice. This one is with made finely chopped liver and duck hearts.

Daddy Donkey The Daddy of Burrito’s. Daddy Donkey has been serving up lunchtime burritos to the Leather Lane market faithful for years. With its patrons queuing daily for their Mexican fix. Daddy Donkey is only open for 5 hours a day, between 11-4. So go join the queue (it moves quick). And get your chops around one of their Daddy D Burrito’s; a Big-ass 12” flour tortilla jam-packed with coriander-lime rice, black beans, slow cooked pork shoulder (cooked in coca cola & guajillo chile), tomato salsa, grated cheese, sour cream & lettuce. Cue afternoon nap time!

64 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ smokinggoatbar.com/shoreditch

50b Leather Lane, EC1N 7TP Daddydonkey.co.uk

Sodo Pizza Café Making a good sourdough isn’t a skill, it’s a science! At Sodo pizza café they go about things with Heston like meticulousness just maybe without the white lab coats. Their dough is fermented for up to 48 hours, then blasted in a pizza oven at over 450 degrees. Toppings are kept simple and local where possible, the cured meat being a sure fire winner!

It’s an intimate little candle lit spot with exposed brick and space for around 30 people. Perfect for date night, and don’t forget to save room for the Tiramisu.

126 Upper Clapton Rd, London E5 9JY sodopizza.co.uk

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122 NEWGATE STREET LONDON EC1A 7AA T: 020 7600 0026 W: scottcity.co.uk E: property@scottcity.london

PRIORY HOUSE, ST PAULS EC4 For Sale £525,000

VICTORIA HOUSE, TEMPLE EC4 For Sale £1,05,000

One bedroom apartment situated in Priory House located in a traffic-free conservation area between St. Paul’s Cathedral and Blackfriars Station off Carter Lane. The building was originally a print house. The property offers one bedroom, re fitted shower room, open plan kitchen and reception room and is situated on the lower ground floor of the building.

We are pleased to offer this fantastically presented two bedroom apartment situated on the ground floor with a fabulous outside patio area. Victoria House and Temple House, form part of the luxury Whitefriars development.

Day concierge service. High ceilings, fully fitted kitchen, two bathrooms and secure allocated parking.

FLEET STREET EC4 Studio to Rent £295 per week

SHAKESPEARE TOWER, BARBICAN EC2 For Rent £875 per week

Situated just off of Fleet Street is this ideally located selfcontained studio apartment, the property offers wooden flooring and a small kitchen & breakfast bar area. Other key features of this flat are its good size tiled shower room & toilet and the sofa bed and additional furniture - which is included. The property is small at approx. 200 square ft. but prime city location.

Situated on the Fifteenth floor of Shakespeare Tower in the Barbican is this three bedroom North and East facing tower flat in this very popular and desirable block which is the most central of the three Barbican Towers.

The views are fantastic. This apartment offers a re-fitted kitchen and re-fitted bathroom & shower room.

We work hard to provide an excellent service to all our customers delivering quality products at an affordable value TILES • HARDWOOD FLOORING • GLASS SPLASHBACK BATHROOMS • QUARTZ WORKTOP • ACCESSORIES

51-53 CHIGWELL ROAD l WOODFORD l E18 1NG 020 8989 7374 l primetiles@gmx.com l www.primetiles.co.uk

NIGHTLIFE: OUT OUT

Out out WORDS: LIAM BARKER

Whilst autumn is upon us, there’s still no stopping us...

Clerkenwell Grind What happens when you take one of London’s best known coffee shops and add alcohol? You get the latest offering from the Grind Franchise ‘Clerkenwell Grind’. Not only is it THE place to go for an espresso martini you can get your brunch fix upstairs too. So, basically you can just drink coffee all day and then cocktails all night. Does it get any cooler than that? Oh yeah, there’s a built in music studio too!

2-4 Old St, EC1V 9AA grind.co.uk/clerkenwellgrind

Shacklewell Arms

Grow A stones throw from Howling Hops Tank Bar is Grow. What was once an old sausage factory, is now an independent canal side bar/kitchen/creative space. With no investment Grow is completely sustainable and community led.

The events here are definitely worth checking out. You can often catch local artists, musicians and Dj’s doing their thing here. It’s the perfect spot for when the sun starts to set.

Main Yard, 98C Wallis Rd, E9 5LN growhackney.tumblr.com

Old St Records

The Shacklewell Arms is one of east London’s most cosy and atmospheric live music venues. Some might say drinking den, some may say dive bar, some might say it’s just run down, but whatever you call it, it’s definitely the spot for an intimate gig and one for watching sports too.

Start your night here and gather the squad together for a cheap..ish drink before hitting the town.

Old St has a new record shop and it’s old school, we’re talking vinyl old school. Vinyl on the walls, vinyl on the decks and vinyl you can buy to play at home. And not only that, there’s live music six nights a making it a music lovers haven. With craft beer on tap and their signature sour record cocktail (a whisky sour with pistachio syrup) you have everything you need to party well into the early hours.

1 Shacklewell Ln, E8 2EB shacklewellarms.com

350-354 Old St, EC1V 9NQ oldstreetrecords.com

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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GETTING

DOWNIN

MARGATE Mi-Soul Radio takes the fun and frivolities to the sea-side with music streaming the front as they host the Margate Soul Festival

MUSIC: MARGATE SOUL FESTIVAL

Are you an avid listener of soul, funk, boogie and soulful house records? Well then you need to be heading down south to the Margate Soul Festival! The E1 Life crew just arrived back after such a blast, but you wouldn’t expect anything less. In its 11th year, this festival is set across a number of locations across Margate, including the Winter Gardens for live acts, the sunset stage overlooking the sea where you’ll find live singers such as Gwen Dickey, Deniece Williams, with voices that always make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And don’t miss the endless list of delectable DJ’s found inside the many bars across the Margate sea front. You literally can boogie, drink, party, have a really fun time with friends and loved ones from day, dusk and into dawn!

Next event: 2nd-4th August 2019 margatesoulfestival.co.uk

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020 8989 9445 | info@abbottstravel.com

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

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FREE UPGRADE TO A JUNIOR SUITE

when booking with Abbotts Travel by October 31st

ADVERTISING PROMOTION: OMRON EVOLV

Feeling the

pressure H

The award-winning wireless blood pressure monitor for home, and abroad

igh blood pressure affects one in four adults in England and is one of the biggest risk factors for stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular conditions . Half of those with high blood pressure don’t know they have it and most people with it have no symptoms at all Luckily, an overwhelming majority of health-conscious adults already keep a check on many habits that influence their heart health, with 84% of over 40s closely monitoring their calories, alcohol and exercise through most of the year. However, only 4% still do so when on holiday.

To help you stay healthy, whatever you’re doing, the OMRON EVOLV Digital Blood Pressure Monitor makes it easy to see your blood pressure numbers.

Ideally we should get into the habit of checking our blood pressure regularly, and this makes it easy, whether you are at home, or away.

This compact one-piece device, with no need for tubes or wires, is easy to pack into a suitcase, and is incredibly portable, sleek, smart and simple to use for on-the-go health monitoring.

It uses Bluetooth to sync with the OMRON connect smartphone

app, which helps you track trends in your health data and check your progress.

Meanwhile, the OMRON Intelli Wrap Cuff delivers clinically proven, accurate readings no matter how you position it on your upper arm, and a body movement detection function minimises the risk of an incorrect reading.

Which? magazine gave the OMRON EVOLV Digital Blood Pressure Monitor a ‘Best Buy’ award and a 93% satisfaction score.

Balancing great holidays with maintaining your health has never been easier, wherever you are in the world.

Available at Amazon, Argos and Boots. RRP £129.99

OMRON EVOLV www.omron-healthcare.com

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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On the

Fringe Experience a new method of yoga. Journey through the elements; feel your connections to the Earth, flow with the fluidity of Water, delve into your fierce inner Fire and experience the freedom of Air

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ADVERTISING PROMOTION: FRINGE YOGA What is fringe.yoga?

Jodie Merrick, founder of the new boutique yoga and fitness studio in Epping, Essex is pleased to be returning to her home town to launch the biggest venture yet for fringe.yoga.

Jodie says: “Yoga changed my life, when I started my teacher training I was working full time for a fast paced media company (Media Ten) and in Club 195 (a local night club) most evenings and living a rather unhealthy lifestyle.Yoga taught me about balance, I had always loved the extremes and found myself and my wellbeing would swing from one thing to another.Then yoga came along and helped me to find a greater sense of mental and physical balance plus helped me to lose and maintain a healthy weight, tone up and improve my posture.

training), Barre (a fusion of Pilates and Ballet), kids circus skills and much more.

There is also a stunning treatment room fringe.therapies offering a wide range of holistic therapies including massage, reflexology, facials, Reiki and crystal healing.

Jodie first started teaching yoga classes in Epping in 2005 and has since taught all over the world, opened three yoga studios in Essex and Hertfordshire, trained 45 people to be yoga teachers in her method and lead retreats in Ibiza, Morocco, France, Goa and Sri Lanka.

Introdu ctory Jodie developed the Offer fringe.yoga method 30 days over a decade of study unlimite for £30 dc and teaching yoga.This Book to lasses day: w w w.fi innovative style fuses (then in nge.yoga sert rele intelligently sequenced van co

People come to yoga for all kinds of reasons; physical fitness, flexibility, muscle tone, mental clarity, insomnia, pregnancy, injury etc.There are so many benefits and ways yoga can help everything from your digestion to adrenal fatigue.To be honest it doesn’t matter what brings you to yoga as the yoga will always work its magic.The fringe.method is available to all and really helps people to relate and understand yoga is way more than just stretching!”

At the flagship Epping studio fringe.yoga are offering beginners (fringe.beginners), level 1(fringe.flow) and level 2 (fringe.fierce) in the fringe.method plus a range of other yoga styles including; Hot Yoga, Aerial Yoga, Prenatal, Mum & Baby, Kids Yoga as well as HIIT (high intensity ionterval

Vinyasa Flow with therapeutic Yin Yoga, myofascial release and easily accessible themes that will inspire not only your practice but your life. Discover the ‘how’ and ‘why’ we practice through functional anatomy that will support longevity in your body and mind.Tap into the energetic body (Chakras) through the fringe.elements and unravel the tension in your body that is likely restricting your ability to listen to the language of your soul.

In 2015 Jodie met Raquelle Gracie and together they opened the second fringe.yoga studio at Redricks Lake in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire – the fringe.method took on a new level as Raquelle wrote and produced music that was composed with their fresh, fun and

funky new style of yoga in mind.

Jodie and Raquelle are proud to be supporting local female led businesses t ntact d etails) YogaLeggs (www.yogaleggs.com) Yoguh (www.yoguh.com), Daniela Rubino Designs (www.danielarubino.co.uk), YogiBare (www.yogi-bare.co.uk), Sandy Bay (www.sandybaylondon.com), Y-Juice, OG Juice (www.ogjuice.co.uk) and UK artist Hannah Adamaszek (www.hannahadamaszek.com) with planned collaborations with East London born Asha Patel Designs (www.ashapateldesigns.com) and Cambridge based Soulshine Jewelry (www.soulshinejewelry.co.uk) in the next couple of months.

Fringe Yoga The Coach House, Esgors, Thornwood High Road CM16 6LY 07725 653 682 info@fringe.yoga www.fringe.yoga

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7

secrets of successful property developing

Despite what Homes Under the Hammer would have us believe, developing property, even in booming East London, can be a risky business. We discover some of the tricks of the trade that can make all the difference to final profit

A

ccording to Nicole Bremner, whose company East Eight (east-eight. com) specialises in redeveloping residential and commercial spaces in East London, property developing isn’t rocket science, simply common sense. Currently involved in approximately £75 million worth of development in and around the E8 postcode, here she shares some of the secrets that have taken her to the top…

Build your team wisely

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You are only as good as the team you have around you, is very much Bremner’s mantra when it comes to successful property developing.

“I think people sometimes have a tendency to feel threatened or intimated employing or partnering up with someone who is better than them,” she says. “This is, however, a huge mistake. I realised early on that I needed to surround myself with the very best people, be it architect, builder or interior designer, if I was to have a chance of making a go of this business. My team has been with me for many years, which is quite unusual in property developing, and I totally trust them to do an excellent job. I can’t tell you how important this is.

It means I am free to focus on the bigger picture. In addition, I’m a big believer in incentivizing people. I’ve put programmes into place whereby employees feel like partners because they get a percentage of the profits.”

Have a clear vision Developing a USP and sticking with it is also high on Bremner’s tick list.

“Anyone can buy a flat and paint the walls white and put in a few nice cushions but that’s just going to get you regular returns for a regular property,” she warns. “To stand out in this market you really need to do something quite exceptional that

PROPERTY: NICOLE BREMNER people don’t expect so that when the property is advertised online or they walk in, it actually makes them say ‘wow’. We are able to get a higher price than others can achieve in the area because our properties do look so aesthetically pleasing. If we had a tag line it would be: Building spaces that people aspire to live in.

We try to think out all the details and the fact that our architect does the interior design as well is a real selling point as it means that everything is designed from the outside in.

too much about trying to negotiate down to the last pound.” Of course recognizing potential is one thing, but achieving it is another as Nicole attests. “No one can learn all the rules about planning and what they can get and what they are likely to get in a given area because the goalposts are always changing.

I’ve been allowed to do something in one place and then just a few streets away the exact same thing is prohibited. It is frustrating, but get yourself a good planning consultant who can help and advise.”

£

Stick to where you know

Know your buyers

“I’ve gone out of location a couple of times and it’s not worked out so well,” says Nicole. “Therefore I would strongly recommend choosing an area, really getting to know it and make that your specialty. There’s not much of the E8 postcode and it’s immediate environs that I don’t know as I determined early on that was going to be my patch. Since then I’ve made it my business to know about every property that’s for sale, sold or being renovated in the area. Which brings Nicole to a related point. “I know a lot of people are buying properties up North where you can buy a house for £50,000 and rent it out at high yield. That’s fine, but when something goes wrong, as it invariably will, it’s a huge hassle. My business is on my doorstep, which is convenient, less time consuming and while my money doesn’t go as far, the risk is less.”

“I always have a really clear idea of the type of person who is going to buy one of our properties, and I think that’s vital,” says Nicole.

“When I’m doing a family home then it’s for someone like me (she’s a mum of three), but if it’s a lovely loft apartment for example, then it’s my friends who are single and living in the Shoreditch area and I know how they want to live. It’s very much knowing how my peers, my colleagues and my friends live and how they aspire to live and building something that I know would really work for them and their lifestyles.”

Recognise potential Bagging a bargain isn’t high on Nicole’s list of priorities – far more important to her is spotting a property’s potential and actually securing the deal. “If I can see that it’s a good property and I know it’s going to work then I don’t worry

Small things make a big difference If there’s one word that’s sure to provoke Nicole’s ire then it’s magnolia. “Just don’t go there,” she warns. “Dull and safe does not sell a property for maximum profit. You don’t have to spend a fortune, however, to give a place that wow factor. Things such as granite worktops in the kitchen, marble tiles in the bathroom, proper Grohe-branded sanitary ware, these can all make a huge difference in a prospective buyer’s perception of a property. Similarly with flooring, don’t go for laminate, opt for a

wood flooring instead, even if it’s an engineered oak.”

Be hands on Currently juggling a dozen developments, Nicole tries to go to each site at least once a week. “I tend to spend time where I’m most needed and at certain stages in a development I am needed more,” she says. “It’s important that I am hands on and up to speed with any issues. In addition, my team likes seeing me there. They like seeing that I am interested in what they’re doing. My guys take great pride in their work and they want me to see what they’ve done. Whether it’s the tiling in the bathroom, cupboards they’ve built in the bedroom or a new staircase, you can bet they’ve done it to the very best of their ability and quite rightly they want to show it off, and what’s more, I love seeing it.”

The next big thing…

Nicole’s top tip for where to start building your property empire “It’s got to be south Tottenham.

I first got wind of this when I was sitting on the bus one day going from Shoreditch up to Dalston and I overheard these two very hip looking media types who had just bumped into each other. One asked whether the other was still living in Dalston to which he replied: ‘No, I’m living in south Tottenham, everyone’s moving to south Tottenham now’.

That’s when I thought ‘Aha’, so all these young hipsters who had moved from Shoreditch to Dalston are now moving up to south Tottenham and that must be a really good place to invest at the moment. So now I am spending quite a lot of time there, looking at quite large developments.

There’s one with about 55 flats that I’m looking to close the deal on very soon.”

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Lovingly curated loft-style apartments in a prime E1 location, exceptionally close to Tower Hill.

Three London underground stations, DLR and rail station all within an easy eight minute walk.â€

Amazing amenities including a twelve hour concierge, sauna and gym.

High specification design and stunning architecturally designed loft interiors.

Planning Number: PA/05/01127/R. Details correct at time of going to print. †Walking times sourced by walkit.com.

A Bank with Bark and Bite

As enticements to switch banks accounts go, the offer of free dog biscuits takes the, well, biscuit – literally. But the treats don’t stop there...By Eric Woollard-White

M

etro Bank doesn’t do branches, so we popped over to its spacious, shinyfloored Cheapside ‘store’ and took a moment to paws (that’ll be the last doggy pun, promise!) and reflect on the company’s enthusiastic new vision for banking.

Metro Bank is the brainchild of US billionaire and financial services entrepreneur Vernon Hill, but his wife Shirley also has a significant

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role in the organisation, particularly overseeing the look and feel and branding of its iconic street-corner locations – with several new openings planned every year and more planned east of London and way beyond.

Hill’s vision is about creating ‘fans’ rather than customers, and is fiercely focused on being brilliant at the basics and creating a great experience. So passionate is Hill about his vision, he’s even written and published a book about it.

It reads like the ultimate employee training manual for delighting customers at every turn and is surprisingly revolutionary in its wisdom – the surprise being that most of what it espouses is common sense, devil-in-the-detail stuff BUT these are things that other brands, particularly Metro’s competition, often get wrong.

Literally ask any Metro Bank team member and they will tell you with abundant energy and a smile all these ‘little’ details – including

BUSINESS: METRO BANK efforts on service improvement.

But, as Kevin Barrett, Metro’s Regional Director, explains the key to success in getting the basics right is about being absolutely committed to consistency and caring about it.

So, with all this in mind, I am still struggling with one tiny question: why dog biscuits?

“It’s not just about dog biscuits, that’s just one of the many ways Metro Bank differentiates itself from the rest of the market, and one of the many unique selling points we

“

“

the statistic that 77 per cent of customers open an account in just 15 minutes, with an active account, online access and a working debit card printed before they leave the store. Those that don’t get an account in this time usually just need a proof of address or identification that they haven’t brought with them.

In the very short wait while the in-store debit card printer does its magic, customers are offered refreshments, they can make use of facilities such as free coin-tonote changers, sparkling clean bathrooms, entertainment for young children with colouring and, of course, the aforementioned dog biscuits (and bowls of fresh water).

Business customers (a fastgrowing segment for Metro) can also – with prior agreement – use the meeting rooms in every store for those all-important deal-making moments with clients, and for dayto-day banking needs you get to speak with, and build a relationship with, real people.

This all happens during weekday opening hours from 8am to 8pm, from 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and 11am to 5pm on a Sunday. In locations where Metro Bank has opened, other banks have tried in some cases to follow suit with ‘extended’ hours and other modest

Hill’s vision is about creating ‘fans’ rather than customers, and is fiercely focused on being brilliant at the basics and creating a great experience have as a business – but our founder and his wife do love their dogs, and that has become a part of our story,” Kevin explains.

“We provide banking services like everyone else but it is how we do that and, more importantly, why we do it and that is really around offering something very different, especially in London where people’s working hours are probably really very different than every other bank.

We are open for another three hours

CASE STUDY: East London communications company FWD When corporate communications company FWD thought they’d run out of options to raise money for a management buyout (MBO), they stumbled across Metro Bank’s Cheapside store. Having struggled to get the right attention of other lenders and financial institutions, FWD shared their woes with the Cheapside team, who worked closely with them to close the deal.

Elliot Lane, FWD’s Joint Managing Director, said:

“As a growing business we needed a bank that understood our needs and delivered the personal service we value – Metro Bank did just that. The credit and lending teams worked closely with us to agree and secure appropriate financing for a management buyout.

“Our dedicated relationship manager ensured the process was as smooth as possible. We are very happy with the continued high level of personal service and would recommend Metro Bank to any business that wants more from their bank than just a call centre.”

after people finish work and it’s really important we are here to serve our customers.”

Added Kevin: “It’s really not rocket science, we just have a focus on doing everything in the store at the time, and the competition can do that if they wanted to.”

Metro Bank is not the only new bank on the block – applications for new banks are increasing, according to official statistics, but these are mostly niche services and based on a completely digital experience via smartphone or tablet.

Kevin points out: “For Metro Bank it’s about delivering the consistency of experience across all channels, whether it’s stores, telephony or digital, but there is some recent research that is out that says that people tend to migrate to where there is a good quality experience.

Metro Bank – Factsheet • • • • • •

42 stores 780,000 customer accounts £6.6bn in deposits £4.6bn in loans 80 per cent brand recognition in London market 110 stores by 2020

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Magnificent Set to be Mexico’s newest gourmet destination, Costa Mujeres will soon be home to the 673-room Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa and TRS Coral Hotel, a 473room adults-only property

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Mexico O pening in autumn 2018, the stretch of coastline in the northeast of the Yucatan Peninsula is the perfect spot to unwind and relax.

Located in the almost untouched region of the most northern point of Cancun, Costa Mujeres distinguishes itself as an idyllic location for travellers to experience “virgin beaches”, crystal clear waters and an abundance of coral reefs and marine species.

The new Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa is a stylish family-friendly 5-star beachfront hotel, about 30 minutes away from the town of Cancún and its international airport.

It has a modern design and offers top-quality services, elevating the “all inclusive” concept to a whole new level of luxury. The resort is peaceful and tranquil with paradisiac white sandy beaches.

A unique system of canals will allow guests to access all points of the resort

by boat. Each room will boast a balcony or terrace overlooking the impressive views of the resort and out to sea.

Some rooms will include premium features like direct access ‘swim-up’ pools or hydro massage hot tubs on their private balconies.

The property’s facilities feature nine restaurants to suit every taste, four swimming pools, one of them exclusive for children, as well as an impressive 16,000 ft2 convention centre with capacity for 1380 people. The resort will also offer a varied range of experiences, with activities such as snorkelling, diving, yoga and pilates, live music shows at the open-air terraces, special VIP service for families including a Family Selection Area as well as treatment at their world-class 51,020 ft2 Zentropia Palladium Spa & Wellness centre.

Ideal for families, couples and groups, as well as state-of-the-art facilities for business trips or incentives, events, conferences and weddings, this hotel could suit the needs of any guest.

ADVERTISING PROMOTION: ABBOTTS TRAVEL selection of restaurants set around ‘The Village’ that links the two hotels along with shops, bars and recreation areas.

Guests at the adults-only TRS Coral Hotel will have access to a further five à la carte restaurants from which to choose, so they can take advantage of the exclusive ‘Dine Around’ concept during their stay.

In homage to Palladium Hotel Group’s roots in Ibiza, both hotels feature a beach club - the Poseidon Beach Club at Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa will offer refreshing cocktails and Mediterranean style fare for lunch or dinner by the sea with views of Playa Mujeres. TRS Coral Hotel guests will have exclusive access to Helios Beach Club, which follows the trail of the famous beach clubs of Ibiza

The 473-room TRS Coral Hotel will represent the rebrand of Palladium Hotel Group’s adults-only products, and the introduction of its new ideology and service aiming to provide ‘Infinite Indulgence’, with no limits, to all guests.

The property’s well-lit modern style and architectural design is heightened by a discreet service tunnel network, out of sight of hotel guests, ensuring impeccable aesthetics and serenity.

The exuberant nightlife and rich cultural and gastronomic offerings of the nearby city give the region an extra layer of excitement.

The resorts will offer flavours and styles from around the world at the 14 restaurants. Taking diners on a gastro journey, from Spain to Thailand and Italy to India, not forgetting local and regional Mexican cuisine, Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa and TRS Coral Hotel will feature a carefully curated

with live music and DJ sets providing a rhythmic soundtrack as guests indulge in fish, seafood and seasonal cuisine.

Set to be unmissable is the unique gastro and sensory experience at Chic Cabaret & Restaurant, which is already ranked number one on TripAdvisor out of more than 1,000 restaurants in Mexico’s Playa del Carmen, so it will no doubt go down a storm among Costa Mujeres’ guests. So much more than dinner and a show, Chic Cabaret & Restaurant is an exquisite multiplecourse dinner, enjoyed while absorbing breath-taking acrobatics, stunning choreography and music from all genres.

Reservations for Grand Palladium

Costa Mujeres Resort & Spa and TRS Coral Hotel are now being taken for stays from 1 November 2018.

For more information and to book, taking advantage of special opening promotions, get in touch with Abbotts Travel.

Abbotts Travel 134 George Lane South Woodford E18 1BA 020 8989 9445 info@abbottstravel.com www.abbottstravel.com

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

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LAST WORD: SAM WAY

Eastender

You may recognise his face from high-profile modelling campaigns for Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger and Diesel. But Sam Way is now set to make his mark in the music industry. With the 2016 EP ‘Architect’ under his belt, he releases follow-up album ‘Archetype’ in 2018.

E1 Life catches up with east London’s most soulful resident Tell us a bit about your background.

I grew up in a small town called Crediton in Devon with my Mum. I think I was a good kid but I was pretty sheltered too. I got really into UK hip hop and drum and bass when I was a late teen.

Did you always have a musical bent?

I guess I always wrote poems and stories, and I had piano lessons.

Mum and Dad are both musical – they fell in love playing the guitar and singing together. So in that sense, I owe a lot to music.

Sam’s Little Black Block Favourite restaurant: Som Saa, on Commercial Road. Banging authentic Thai food.

Coffee shop: Second Shot, my local.

Shop: The vintage guitar boutique on Bethnal Green Road.

Place to bag a bargain: Spitalfields market.

Place to take a tipple: The Sun Pub. Another local.

Place to wander: Up along the canal alongside Vicky Park.

Street: Redchurch Street.

Building: The old town hall, now a plush hotel.

Green space: It has to be Vicky Park again Out of town treat: To escape it all, I get the train down to Devon, see the family, walk on the moors, and fill my lungs full of fresh air and make sure to settle at a pub for a traditional cream tea.

42

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Did you plan on a career in music?

It’s all been very organic. I’ve slowly grown into my craft and sometimes it all feels serendipitous, like there was a plan I didn’t know about.

Who inspired you musically?

I loved the wordplay of Eminem, world music that my Mum brought me up on, and classical music too. I also loved hip hop, especially Dead Prez.

How did the modelling career start?

I was spotted at 16 by Models1.

After A-levels I went full time.

What was your modelling high point?

When I skipped my Psychology retake exam to fly to Miami to shoot with Bruce Weber and Kate Moss.

And the low?

I could say when my flip-flop came halfway off down a catwalk in Milan and I tried to shuffle it back on whist the entire room watched me do a walk straight out of the Monty

Python. But on a deeper level, a lot of body punishment. I developed a poor self-image. When you’re in front of the lens so young it can flag up a lot of insecurity.

Archetype is your next release. How do you feel about it?

I absolutely can’t wait to share it.

I’m already back in the studio working on the next one, but I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s received.

What inspires your songs?

Relationships and experience mainly, but books often inspire me to explore a theme or an idea.

How important a role does social media play in your work?

It’s massive, and effective to engage directly with fans, but I also think instafame is becoming distorted.

You live in Bethnal Green. What attracted you to the area?

It’s got this eccentric community, some of the best markets are a short walk away and there’s a heap of artists and musicians. When I moved to London, I landed on my feet renting a spot off Columbia Road for a very reasonable rent. I got to know the area and when it was time to move I didn’t want to go that far away.

What constitutes a perfect day?

A lie-in, ham and cheese croissant, pot of coffee and a walk to the market. Then lunch with friends, a yoga class and Thai food before setting up the home studio and jamming. A few beers and let the night take over.

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