Belgravia Residents' Journal February 2013

Dear Resident

,

This month we are celebrating the recognition and endorsement by the 2013 Tatler Schools Guide of a great deal of our local schools. Read more on page 21 (Children & Education). You can also visit the Guide online (www.tatler.com) where you can browse multiple prep and public schools for impartial evaluations.

February is the month when the animal and human kingdoms typically rouse from hibernation, at some safe and convenient point (preferably later in the month when we can truly anticipate spring). With March on the horizon, now is the time to secure a ticket for some of the Belgravia Residents’ Association’s fantastic spring events. These include a private tour of the Wallace Collection (Residents' Culture, page 23) and a talk on the art of fragrance at Floris (The Calendar, page 8). There’s really no better way to feel part of your community and have a great time whilst you're at it.

Belgravia

February cannot pass by without mention of Valentine’s Day. Step out in style at one of your local restaurants, some of which just lend themselves to the occasion (Food for thought, page 12). Don’t despair if you’re not attached; they say of French favourite La Poule au Pot that it is as much a place to begin a love affair as it is to celebrate one. If, like me, you’re equally excited about Pancake Day, a key date for your diary will be 12 February: Shrove Tuesday. Have a liberal supply of milk, flour, eggs, lemons and sugar (bare minimums) at the ready!

Resident’s Journal

Alice

Left / Martha Parsey’s ‘Safety in Numbers’ at Eleven Fine Art Gallert on Eccleston Street.

See page 8.

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Editor Alice Tozer

Designer Sophie Blain

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Editorial Assistant Lauren Romano

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

February 2013

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal F E B R U A R Y 201 3

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The Belgravia Residents’ Journal is published independently by Runwild Media Group with regular editorial contributions from The Belgravia Residents’ Association. To become a member of the BRA, visit www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk.

We would highly value any feedback you wish to email us with: editor@residentsjournal.co.uk; or telephone us on 020 7987 4320.

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Dear Resident

,

This month we are celebrating the recognition and endorsement by the 2013 Tatler Schools Guide of a great deal of our local schools. Read more on page 21 (Children & Education). You can also visit the Guide online (www.tatler.com) where you can browse multiple prep and public schools for impartial evaluations.

February is the month when the animal and human kingdoms typically rouse from hibernation, at some safe and convenient point (preferably later in the month when we can truly anticipate spring). With March on the horizon, now is the time to secure a ticket for some of the Belgravia Residents’ Association’s fantastic spring events. These include a private tour of the Wallace Collection (Residents' Culture, page 23) and a talk on the art of fragrance at Floris (The Calendar, page 8). There’s really no better way to feel part of your community and have a great time whilst you're at it.

February cannot pass by without mention of Valentine’s Day. Step out in style at one of your local restaurants, some of which just lend themselves to the occasion (Food for thought, page 12). Don’t despair if you’re not attached; they say of French favourite La Poule au Pot that it is as much a place to begin a love affair as it is to celebrate one. If, like me, you’re equally excited about Pancake Day, a key date for your diary will be 12 February: Shrove Tuesday. Have a liberal supply of milk, flour, eggs, lemons and sugar (bare minimums) at the ready!

Alice

Left / Martha Parsey’s ‘Safety in Numbers’ at Eleven Fine Art Gallert on Eccleston Street.

See page 8.

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Editor Alice Tozer

Designer Sophie Blain

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Editorial Assistant Lauren Romano

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

The Notebook

Who and what have been moving and shaking in Belgravia recently? We bring you up to date

The milliner’s tale

A glimpse into the world of Elizabeth Street milliner Philip Treacy comes in the form of a beautiful tome of photographs and anecdotal musings published by Phaidon this month. Philip Treacy: Head, Wear and Work is a montage of behind-the-scenes shots captured by Kevin Davies. The only photographer permitted to shadow the avant-garde hatter at work in his atelier, Davies has been quietly snapping Treacy crowning the heads of his famous clients and muses for the past twenty years. The contemplative images show the notoriously private craftsman painstakingly sculpting, fitting and perfecting his attention-grabbing creations. Personal commentaries accompany the collection of two hundred photographs. Beautiful still-life images of some of Treacy’s most recognisable works, including hats designed for the likes of Grace Jones and Naomi Campbell, complete the fly-onthe-wall visual narrative which is available to order at www.phaidon.com for £39.95.

Illustration: Russ Tudor

Exposed: the secret gardens

Belgravia is blessed with a scattering of secluded garden squares whose symmetrical segments provide the leafy focal point of many of our most beloved residential clusters. Several of these private mini realms of repose will be opened once again to the public during the annual Open Garden Squares Weekend (8-9 June) and the list of participating gardens has just been announced. The prestigious Belgrave Square, populated by statues, soaring plane trees and wisteria-laced pergolas will open its gates along with Chester Square, Eaton Square, Cadogan Place Gardens, Wilton Crescent Garden and MaRoCoCo Garden – the peaceful, Moroccan tiled courtyard at Rococo Chocolates. However, the organisers are currently on the hunt for new gardens which are either not normally open to the public or not widely known about. Residents have until the end of February to nominate their favourite hidden green spaces for consideration.

Photography: Gavin Gardiner

www.opensquares.org

Nothing stationary about Smythson expansion

The world of digital communication may be encroaching on our ability to put pen to paper but one traditional stationer has not been deterred. Sloane Street recently welcomed an expanded Smythson store to numbers 141-142.

Arranged over two floors, the new establishment encompasses 4,000 square feet bulging with luxury leather goods and covetable handbag collections. The herringbone marble floors, signature Nile blue frame tables and a showstealing Book Wall – a towering riot of colour and butter-soft leather – provide no end of eye-wandering diversions. Established in 1887, the esteemed Smythson brand (holder of three Royal Warrants, no less) is currently undergoing something of an update. The Sloane Street opening follows the relaunch of the New Bond Street flagship shop and by the summer, half of the twelve-strong Smythson fleet of boutiques will also have been redesigned.

Smythson: 141-142 Sloane Street, 020 7730 5520

Highlight on hospices

Belgravia resident Angela Hay is hoping to raise awareness of Hospice Aid UK, being in the process of launching the ‘Have a Heart for Hospices’ campaign. Angela says that ‘as giving is falling in these challenging times, smaller charities are being pushed out.’ She continues: ‘This is detrimental to hospices in particular, which are reliant on public funding. There is a common misconception that hospices are part of the NHS but that’s not the case.’

The initiative, which will be introduced locally over the next few months, encourages local businesses to add a little something to their products, which can then be given as a donation. Bonnie Gull Seafood Shack, a British seafood restaurant in Fitzrovia, has got the ball rolling by agreeing to add £1 to one of their main dishes. Angela describes Hospice Aid UK as the ‘emergency service’ of the respite care world, one which provides immediate solutions to cash-strapped hospices – from essential equipment such as pressure-relieving mattresses to aromatherapy sessions and grants towards daily running costs.

The Belgravia Residents’ Journal will be keeping its readers updated on the worthwhile cause.

Meanwhile, for more information on how to get involved contact Angela on 07958 037 909 or by email at angela@hospiceaid.org.uk.

Get in on the act

Local residents could soon have a greater say in planning and policy matters that affect them if proposals for a neighbourhood forum come to fruition. This comes as a result of the passing into law of the Localism Bill, in November last year. Following a lengthy consultation period, Westminster Council will soon release details as to the exact area the Belgravia forum will represent.

Once these boundaries are set, a total of twenty-one Belgravia residents will be able to apply to set up the forum. This group will become the representative voice for residents and will be granted the power to formulate a Neighbourhood Development Plan, which will establish where new homes and offices should be built and what they will look like. Read more about the topic in Sara Oliver of the Belgravia Residents’ Association’s column on page 23.

New jeweller in the Belgravia crown

New neighbour jewellery designer Elizabeth Gage joined the Belgravia fold on 14 January, having upped sticks from Albemarle Street. From this month, she showcases her opulently bejewelled rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and cufflinks in the new location: an elegant nineteenth-century townhouse at 5 West Halkin Street. Customers at the jewellery boutique can expect attentive service and a tranquil shopping experience as they are invited to peruse the beautifully ornate collections in the quiet of Elizabeth’s private salon. Here they will be able to marvel at her latest unique designs, and anyone looking to invest in a meaningful and personally tailored timepiece will be able to discuss special commissions too.

Photography: Andreu Doz

Words / Lauren Romano B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

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Suite

dreams Treasured Belgravian resident Lady Margaret Thatcher recently exchanged Chester Square for The Ritz, in the name of post-operative recuperation. She joins a host of famous names who have made a hotel a home. As Alice Tozer discovers, some have stayed decades and their pretexts have ranged from illness to war, to simple bien-vivre

O

ne of the first pieces of political news of the softer ilk to break with the dawning of 2013 was that Lady Thatcher had checked into The Ritz in London. But this was no luxury New Year’s break. The former Prime Minister, whose home has been at Chester Square since 1991, had spent the last days of 2012 in just about as far from festive fashion imaginable, hospitalised for minor surgery to remove a growth from her bladder. In order that she could convalesce with as much ease as possible, the increasingly frail but infamously iron-willed patient, 87, was reputedly invited to stay at the Barclay-brother owned edifice – ad infinitum.

It seems unlikely that Lady Thatcher will shut up shop permanently at Chester Square.

Willpower, if nothing else, will surely carry her home at some point in the not-too-distant future, up the four flights of stairs which are currently a challenge too far. But, were she to install herself at The Ritz for the long run, she would be far from alone in the history of well-known ladies and gents who have done what us mere mortals might joke about and made a hotel a home.

Thirty-seven years worth of mini-bar treats must have set design icon Coco Chanel back a franc or two. She checked into The Ritz in Paris aged 54 in 1937, and there she rented a suite on the third floor until only her death ended the fun and games on 10 January 1971. Fittingly, she did once claim that ‘the best things in life are free; the second best very expensive.’ She had never had a conventional

living arrangement, raised by aunts after her mother died when she was a child and abandoned by her father. Never marrying and without children, she was free to kick off her silk slippers and make her suite that room of her own which many a woman desires.

She had her own home furnishings shipped in and made the most of her location, entertaining suite-style the likes of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Salvador Dali.

Maybe Coco was on to something with her novel way of living. Indeed, she had plenty of savvy advice to share on other topics, supplying us with immortal pithy maxims ‘a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future’ and ‘don’t spend time beating on a wall hoping to transform it into a door’ – hopefully she didn’t discover this at The Ritz.

The glamour of it all is only slightly tarred by the truth that she did, also, have a flat at Rue Cambon round the corner, where she worked and entertained.

Adventurous with her living ways she might have been, but even Coco had ner limits. She would never have lived on a boat, once claiming that ‘as soon as you set foot on a yacht you belong to some man, not to yourself, and you die of boredom.’

There was, however, a darker side to the accommodation tale. Coco’s move into The Ritz coincided with the prélude to war and thus hotel life also provided her with something of a safe haven. More still, the privilege of being able to hang on to such a position was permitted to few non-Germans in the occupied territory that France became. General Eisenhower made a parallel strategic move when he checked into The Dorchester in London during the Second World War. When the US entered the war in 1942, Eisenhower arrived in London and made the hotel, which had only opened a decade earlier in 1931, his first port of call. Here he stayed, in two rooms on the first floor, which are now called the Eisenhower Suite. Planning the Normandy Invasion was at this time his prime concern. It is unlikely, then, that the delights of the room service menu along with the full list of concierge services available were the eye-popping attraction for him that they might be to those of us not

orchestrating battle.

London and Paris have done well, but they are of course not the only cities with hotels that have rolled out the red carpet to celebrated figures in need of longterm repose. Aware of the growing trend, in 1924 the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows in Santa Monica, California, erected a separate wing for guests planning lengthy stays. The reclusive Greta Garbo resided there for four years in the 1920s whilst highly-snapped Marilyn Monroe made it her media hideaway throughout the fifties.

Where some celebrities have lived well in hotels, others have died well. Oscar Wilde did so in 1900 at Hôtel d’Alsace in Paris (now just ‘L’Hôtel’).

The story goes that Wilde met his death in room 16 when, seized by cerebral meningitis, he lay staring at the unfashionable wallpaper and uttered, ‘Well one of us has to go.’ He had perhaps known he was on his way out, as he had been mounting a sizeable bill at the hotel during his stay, jesting all the while: ‘I am dying as I have lived... beyond my means.’

Indeed, whilst you don’t need to be famous to forego your own bricks and mortar in favour of your preferred hotelier’s, some spare cash will help − although perhaps not quite as much as you’d imagine. A nearby option for those curious to toe-dip into the art of hotel living could be The Berkeley, where a serious deal can be struck for, say, a three-month taster. Staff there suggest interested parties would be most comfortable in the Deluxe King Bedroom (the largest double) for a long stay.

This room usually costs £900 a night (plus VAT) for the fleeting visitor but it could become your home for a good chunk less at £510 (VAT included).

Set this cost against your present monthly outgoings (or degree of happiness in your marriage, tolerance of the children with whom you live or relationship with what’s in your fridge) and, who knows, you just find it’s worth it!

Illustrations: Mai Osawa

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The Calendar Bringing you the lowdown on local events in February

Lady in the shadows

The curiously enigmatic female subjects of Martha Parsey’s latest exhibition If 6 Was 9 – currently on show at Eleven Fine Art Gallery – cut hypnotic figures, faintly emerging from their colourful still-life foregrounds. The oil creations take inspiration from David Hockney’s work from the 1960s and their bright, arresting pigmentation and quietly conflicting focal points, which waver between protagonist and object, lend the collection a shadowy fluidity and sense of mystery.

The women captured adopt vague, pensive poses, caught up in distant thoughts and scenarios which the viewer is left to imagine. There’s an almost reluctant allure and sensuality at play, too, in some of Parsey’s more ambiguous pieces, which are on show until 16 February.

Eleven: 11 Eccleston Street, 020 7823 5540, www.elevenfineart.com

Martha Parsey’s ‘Safety in Numbers’, 2012, oil on canvas 23½x35 ½in / 60x90cm

Above / Martha Parsey’s ‘The Second Marriage’, 2012 oil on canvas, 71x55in / 180x140cm All images courtesy of Eleven, London

Perfume parlance

Floris, purveyor of the finest bespoke perfumes, has been blending the signature scents of monarchs and luminaries since 1730. Keen to share a few time-honoured olfactory secrets, the boutique at 147 Ebury Street is inviting members of the Belgravia Residents’ Association and their friends to a talk on 14 March, surrounded by beautifully bottled blends of oils and essences from around the world, all meticulously developed by the sensitive noses of the in-house perfumers. The art of fragrance and the history of the perfume house will be discussed during hour-long slots at both 11am and 3pm, during which time visitors will also be able to pick up a goody bag as a memento of the day. All this for a very reasonable £15. www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk

Winter illuminations

There are several ways to dispel the impenetrable gloom of a February evening, but often it’s the simple things that make the brevity of winter daylight tolerable; hiding out with a few decent candles glowing on a mantelpiece can instantly give cold and dark rooms a most romantic air.

Kinnerton Street chandler Rachel Vosper is the place to go for your living room illuminations. Its unique refill service means your favourite vessel can be replenished in-store with a fragrance of your choice. For those who want to really master the art, taster candle-making courses for groups of up to six can also be arranged. The two-hour introduction will equip participants with the basic skills to create a unique candle in an etched glass container from the abundant library of fragrances to hand, over champagne and refreshments.

Rachel Vosper: 69 Kinnerton Street, 020 7235 9666, www.rachelvosper.cm

Pomp and ceremony

A Gala concert in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund takes place at Cadogan Hall on Thursday 14 February from 7.30pm. The evening presents a rare opportunity to see the renowned Coldstream Guards Band play on home turf in London. Highlights from the Valentine’s Day programme include Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and a specially commissioned work written by Peter Meechan to mark the one-hundredth anniversary of the Coldstream Guards Association. It will be performed by the esteemed ensemble of musicians, with internationally acclaimed saxophonist Fabrice Moretti taking his seat in the orchestral melée. All proceeds will be donated to The Soldiers’ Charity (formerly the Army Benevolent Fund) which gives lifelong support to serving and retired soldiers and their families.

Cadogan Hall: 5 Sloane Terrace, 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com

A local Valentine

A ribbon-tied box of gloriously rotund chocolates laced with middles of mousse and the silkiest ganache might be an often-bestowed gift on 14 February. Nonetheless it’s hardly the most original of tokens. Fortunately, this month’s events at Rococo Chocolates offer a thoughtful alternative to the standard selection box. In the name of St Valentine, the chocolatier will be holding a truffle-rolling workshop on Thursday 7 (6.45-8pm) for £65, during which time couples can learn to make indulgent, cocoa-rich delights à deux. Or for a more sensory experience, a blindfolded chocolate tasting will take place from 6.45pm to 7.45pm on 13 February, priced at £100 per couple with a glass of champagne to whet the taste buds. Children aren’t excluded from the seasonal sentiments; they too can create their own edible love letters at a special workshop on 9 February (4-5pm, £18) and put chocolate nib to rice paper, penning heart-felt messages to their secret playground sweethearts.

Rococo: 5 Motcomb Street, 020 7245 0993, www.rococochocolates.com

The perfect yoga partner

A good yoga class is a worthwhile ticket to escapism. Add more than a handful of participants into a small studio, however, and the exasperating invasion of personal stretching space that follows can somewhat interrupt the influx of serenity. Yogoloji is the local solution to overcrowded classes, offering one-to-one yoga tuition from its light and airy Ebury Street studio base.

Founded by Francesca Quaradeghini ten years ago, Yogoloji prides itself on pairing each client with the right yoga teacher. The instructors based here are a multi-disciplined bunch and have trained in a variety of other fields, including osteotherapy and physiotherapy, so any additional health concerns a client may have are taken into careful consideration during the match-making process. If you can’t make it to the studio, classes can be held in the comfort of your own home.

Yogoloji: 54A Ebury Street, 020 7730 7473, www.yogoloji.co.uk

Do you have an event that you’d like us to cover? Send us an email: calendar@residentsjournal.co.uk Words / Lauren Romano

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Beauty &Grooming Outside-in beauty and TLC on our doorsteps for him and for her

Make

scents

A new perfume is a simple way to give body, mind and soul a revamp in the New Year

Haute fragrances for her

The Annick Goutal Perfumery House introduces a distinctive selection of fragrances for Valentine’s Day exclusively for Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel guests who book a room or suite for 14 February.

It includes a consultation with one of Annick Goutal’s perfume specialists, to discover which fragrance is the most suitable for you to wear on this special day. The 45-minute session will take place at the Annick Goutal boutique on Motcomb Street. Visit the concierge desk at the Jumeirah Hotel to book your fantastic duo. Annick Goutal says of her perfumes: ‘Emotions find expression in fragrance... Fragrance is my inspiration.’

Annick Goutal: 20 Motcomb Street www.annickgoutal.com 020 7823 2176

Camille Goutal – Annick Goutal’s daughter and Artistic Director

Regal aromas for him

As a follow-up to Beloved Woman that launched in 2012, Amouage’s Beloved Man will launch in early spring this year. A woody, spicy oriental fragrance with top notes of black pepper and cardamom, it is infused with rich florals, among them ylang-ylang, violet and patchouli. The base notes consist of a combination of rich cedarwood and sandalwood, with resins in tandem, to add warmth to this distinctive new fragrance. Beloved Man will be sold exclusively in the UK in the Lowndes boutique and at Harrods. It is available only in 100ml at the price of £265.

Amouage: 14 Lowndes Street, 020 7235 3345

Words / Briana Handte Lesesne and Anna Castaldi

The mane

matter

Finding a scissorsmith to whom you can truly entrust your tresses can be a lengthy business. If you’re still not satisfied with your lot (or your locks), you’ll be relieved to know there are a number of hidden local salons that make a colour, cut and blow-dry a dauntless experience, and they will be quite happy to do so for you all year round...

Nice ‘n trim

Lorraine Moulson and Evelyn Davern of Moulson Davern have over twenty years’ experience in the beauty business. Its Creative Director

of Hair, Lorraine, is such a dab hand at mixing up flattering dyes that her clients travel all the way from Milan to have a turn in the chair with her. Cut and colour consultations prior to the ‘real thing’ are a carefully considered part of the experience; no rushed chats or subtle coercions here.

Moulson Davern is much too grown-up for that and the relaxed salon atmosphere is far removed from some of the more pretentious, trend-led outposts. Rather, Lorraine and her team will offer advice as to which colour blends and contemporary styles will suit each client’s complexion, hair type and overall image. In addition to cut, blow-dry and colour services, a great range of micromist colour repair treatments is offered, using the luxury Phyto haircare range, which enhances colour durability and revitalises hair.

The nutrient mask and replenishing scalp-balm treatments will lock in the most vibrant of pigments and keep them looking lustrous. Located on a quiet residential street off Sloane Square, the salon is bright and airy with a pleasant, homely feel and clients can unwind with a drink in the secret garden between appointments, weather permitting.

Moulson Davern: 85 Bourne Street, 020 7730 6818 www.moulsondavern.com

Hair-raising standards

Errol Douglas is home to some of the most technically astute and artistically switched-on snippers in the business.

Accredited with International Technical Excellence, the Motcomb Street salon caters for every single type of hair, under the direction of the globally influential hairdresser Douglas who holds an MBE for education and services to the hairdressing industry. The idiosyncrasies and varying needs of European, Afro, Arab and Asian hair are all met with flair and contemporary solutions by salon directors Steve Westrip, Jamie Stevens and the team. Matrix colour master Jasmin Allen and the other senior colourists are on hand to make full use of their palettes, in order to create an array of bespoke shades that ensure clients leave with stand-out-from-the-crowd, inimitable tresses.

Errol Douglas: 18 Motcomb Street, 020 7235 0110 www.erroldouglas.com

Organic take-away

If getting your colour fixed is your concern, Daniel Galvin Jr is an excellent option. For this is a man on a mission to bring out every woman’s natural beauty through the colour of her hair. Don’t leave the salon missing another trick though: Daniel Galvin Jr’s Organic Head, a collection of salonprofessional products, utilising organic and botanical extracts at the ridiculously affordable price of £4. It’s the same old adage: women are told to add shine and lustre to their dry or damaged, over-processed hair. But this range makes a noticeable difference to hair, and not bank balances. Rich in essential oils, including orange oil and argan oil, Organic Head comprises a full range of everyday shampoos and conditioners for blondes, brunettes and over-processed hair types, alongside a styling range, masks, mousses and serums.

Daniel Galvin Jr: 4 West Halkin Street, 020 3416 3116 www.danielgalvinjunior.com

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Food for thought Our guide to Belgravia’s best local dining on Valentine’s Day, which this year falls on a Thursday

French fancy

The epitome of bucolic French romanticism, local institution La Poule au Pot is utterly parfait for an intimate Valentine’s Day dinner. With its rustic wooden pews, exposed brick nicotine-yellow walls adorned with bouquets of grapes and dried flowers as well as bric-a-brac aplenty, you will feel perfectly placed to play the Gallic bohemian whilst sipping wine by candlelight. There is a set menu for Valentine’s Day dinner, with three courses for £60. The menu is written entirely in French and you can expect a choice of true paysan classics; from snails, foie gras and asparagus with hollandaise to dover sole, duck with lime and guinea fowl with calvados. Crème brûlée, tarte tatin and ‘banane à sa façon’ await obediently for afters. This is a place so warm and welcoming you will want to stay all night, but the inevitable sampling of the wine list – exclusively French, naturellement – may put paid to that. Begin with Lenoble Brut Intense, available in a half bottle (£26) before moving on to such French quintessentials as Sancerre, Domaine Merlin Cherrier (£35) or Paul Jeune Domaine de Monpertuis Chateauneuf du Pape (£59.50). Such a treat is La Poule au Pot that its ardent devotees say it is as much a place to begin a love affair as it is to celebrate one.

La Poule au Pot: 231 Ebury Street, 020 7730 7763

Little Italy

One of Italian gastro-maestro Giorgio Locatelli’s ventures, the flattering lighting in the rather chic Tinello renders it ideal for a romantic rendezvous.

Its scrubbed wooden floors and exposed brick add a touch of chic Manhattan-loft-esque to the warm surroundings.

The chefs are the Locatelli protégés, brothers Federico and Max Sali, who serve authentic Italian fare that focuses on simple ingredients expertly prepared. Desserts include a marron glacé mousse and rum cream; a fig tart with yoghurt ice cream; and a cheese plate that cunningly pairs parmesan and ewe’s-milk blue cheese with quince apple compote, fig mustard and honey. If you are fans of the traditional digestif, you may stay late into the night; Tinello offers an impressive range of spirits, liqueurs and authentic Italian grappas. The ideal fuel to fire up your amorous inclinations.

Tinello: 87 Pimlico Road, 020 7730 3663

Universal intimacy supreme

The Montblanc Room, Mosimann’s most diminutive of dining rooms, will host an unforgettable evening for those who wish to mark the occasion in a more secluded setting – with only their own butler in earshot. Dinner in the oyster-toned snug, served beneath a cascading crystal chandelier, is guaranteed to be a million miles away from the ‘romantic’ shebang offered at other restaurants, too often packed to the rafters and seating couples in regimented lines of tables all set to a background chorus of sweet nothings. The experience will begin in style: guests will be picked up in a chauffeur-driven limousine and whisked to Mosimann’s with a glass of champagne to help while away the commute.

Once settled inside the Montblanc Room, couples will be able to savour a specially crafted four-course meal paired with exquisite wines. The attentive aforementioned butler can simply be summoned at the touch of a button to attend to your every whim. The exclusive package costs £800 for two.

Mosimann’s: 11B West Halkin Street, 020 7235 9625

Just one

cornetto!

Lauren Romano broadens her culinary horizons with a visit to Italian meaterie Olivocarne, where roasted bone marrow and sweetbreads surprise

O

two in my hand with the most satisfying snap, and dived straight in. pening in 1990, Olivo was the first building block in The bovine aroma defies comparison with anything else I’ve Mauro Sanna’s ubiquitous Belgravian Sardinian eaten but the rich, buttery quality, while not exactly offensive restaurant empire. The latest, Olivocarne, opened last to the tastebuds, quickly became a bit cloying one half of the year, offering contemporary and classic meat dishes served the bone in (‘No good for the cholesterol,’ the waiter laughed). My traditional Sardinian way. companion opted for a dish of poached veal fillet with caper Typically Sardinian isn’t exactly the atmosphere, however. Settling and tuna mayonnaise. The wafer-thin skeins of milky veal down in a window side-seat on a Friday afternoon, I am immediately were well paired against the mousse-like centrepiece struck by how quiet the place is. No furiously vociferous – a reinvention of the traditional condiment, Italians putting the world to rights over their lunchtime punctuated with briny, sharp bursts of caper – spaghetti here, unless you count the owner, Mr which was polished off in an instant.

Sanna, who bounds in while doing the rounds of Emboldened by my choice of entrée, I his realm (some five eateries in the local area). opted for fresh pheasant ravioli with fresh A special acoustic ceiling has proved a black truffle shavings to follow. The dish success at absorbing personal chit chat, so was a thing of beauty, with its earthy aroma much so that a similar contraption has been emitted by the truffle flakes, which were installed over at Olivomare on Lower Belgrave scattered like flimsy pencil shavings of the Street. The silence means that I don’t even hear delicate, mottled, chestnut-brown variety. The the waiter arrive at our table, brandishing the envelopes of pasta had a slight chew to them, menus with little more than a raised whisper. And which complemented the pheasant stuffing with yet, upstairs on the first floor, Joe’s bar – a novel its smooth, pâté-like texture wonderfully. They reinvention of the members bar – has recently opened. came drizzled with a syrupy The cosy nook, complete with reduction so pungent that a log fire, comfy armchairs, it was hard to differentiate a cigar terrace and a wellThis was no time to be squeamish, so I sprinkled the the flavours from each stocked bar with several other. Sottopancia di Manzo wines available by the glass, prehistoric snack with a few sandy grains of mirto (grilled, sliced beef skirt is a secluded meeting ground salt and armed myself with a brittle crostini triangle with rocket and marinated for seriously valued customers tomatoes) proved to be a and lucky locals, who are lighter choice, and one which boasted slices of tender beef hidden given a membership card so they can use the space free of charge. beneath a bed of some of the most flavoursome tomatoes I have Feeling adventurous because of the sheer breadth and ever tasted. unfamiliarity of some of the offerings, which cover everything from Dessert arrived in the form of homemade gelato allo yoghurt – veal sweetbreads to suckling pig and wild boar ragu, I opt for a dish scoops of melt-on-the-tongue blueberry ice-cream and a tangy bauble which seems to have become rather zeitgeisty of late: Midollo Arrosto, of the most delicious-tasting, Sardinian, bitter honey-frozen yoghurt. or roasted marrowbone to you and me. The presentation is rustic to It was one cool refreshing antidote to all the meat. Coincidentally and say the least, like some sort of prehistoric caveman’s snack, consisting excitingly, the Olivo chain plans to launch a gelato shop, Olivogelo, of a bone sawed in half to leave its viscous, translucent middle exposed on Elizabeth Street in the next few months, which will only add to the – waiting, somewhat ominously, to be scooped out with a little silver continental air of the thoroughfare. Olivo – you spoil us supreme! spoon. This was no time to be squeamish, so, in the name of charting new culinary territory, I sprinkled the bone with a few sandy grains of mirto salt, armed myself with a brittle crostini triangle, which broke in 61 Elizabeth Street, 020 7730 7997, www.olivorestaurants.com

Inside Olivocarne, images courtesy of Riccardo Sanna. Interior designed by architect Pierluigi Piu.

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Art Focus

Out and about on the Belgravia art trail, and beyond...

So modern, so German

A one-of-its-kind exhibition focussing on German painter Kurt Schwitters’s late work has got underway at Tate Britain, where it will run until 12 May. The show is dedicated to his so-called ‘British period’, from his arrival in Britain as a refugee from Nazi Germany in 1940 until his death in Cumbria in 1948. Despite being nominally a painter, Schwitters worked with myriad media and during his time in an internment camp on the Isle of Man during World War II he became known for his poetry performances. This exhibition showcases his fascination with mixed media and includes collage, sculpture and other kinds of assemblages. This is the first time that many of these pieces have been shown in Britain for over thirty years.

Schwitters is regarded as a leading figure in European Modernism and is specifically associated with Dadaism. He also devised a style of artwork called ‘Merz Pictures’, an inclusive approach to art that involves the use of ‘found materials’.

His move to Cumbria in 1945 saw him begin to incorporate more natural, local materials into his pieces such as wood; this reached its logical conclusion with the installation ‘Merz Barn’, his last great piece of sculpture. Schwitters in Britain is curated by Emma Chambers.

The illustrated effect Artwork by Linda Alexander, designated Artist of the Year by the magazine Artists & Illustrators, will hang among a riot of other canvases in the Artists & Illustrators’ first annual exhibition held at The Osborne Studio Gallery.

The remarkable detailing and delicate brushstrokes of ‘Physalis’, Alexander’s accolade-winning oil on linen still life – a wonderfully tactile composition of crumpled leaves and tangerine fruit globes – can be admired at close range from 6 February. Other works completing the line-up include subtly sardonic animal portraits by Nicky Jones and cityscapes by both Peter Clarke and David Chalmers; the latter scooped the Maimeri Watercolour Prize for his broodingly grey depiction of St Peter’s tram stop in Manchester. Steve Strode’s ‘The Last Piece of Cake’, a slab of sponge bathed in sunlight, adds further variety to the collection, which is on display until 19 February.

Tate Britain: Millbank, 020 7887 8888 Right (top) / Kurt Schwitters’s ‘Untitled (Quality Street)’, 1943 © Sprengal Museum, Hannover / DACS 2012

Osborne Studio Gallery: 2 Motcomb Street, 020 7235 9667

Right (bottom) / Kurt Schwitters’s ‘En Morn’, 1947 © Centre Georges Pompidou, Musée national d’art moderne, Paris/DACS 2012

Contemporary encounters

‘Avignon’ by Sofia Petropoulou

Cadogan Contemporary is known for offering local prospective buyers the chance to be loaned the gallery’s artworks free of charge so that they can see what the pieces looks like in situ.

Its New Year exhibition celebrates contemporary abstract art through the promotion of a global array of artists, some of whom are newcomers, others of whom are becoming highly acclaimed.

Greek painter Sofia Petropoulou’s work presents a thoroughly contemporary approach to landscape both urban and naturalistic. Other exciting highlights include the wonderfully tactile, sculptural mixed media pieces by Maiju Tirri’s like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Hide and Seek’, and the lush, vibrant Florentine landscapes by young Italian painter Christiano Di Martino.

Cadogan Contemporary: 87 Old Brompton Road, 020 7581 5451

Above / ‘Physalis’ by Linda Alexander

Words / Charlotte Newman

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Belgravia’s most famous restaurant, brasserie & bar ‘Motcombs has charm, charisma as well as fabulous impressionist and modern art on its panelled walls’ - Tatler Restaurant Guide

Open 7 days a week 26 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6382 email: info@motcombs.co.uk www.motcombs.co.uk

The

Belgravian

Illustration: Russ Tudor

THE KEY TO HOTEL CHARM

Brian Morris, popular piano man of The Lanesborough, has been serenading the great and the good in the hotel’s luxurious Library Bar since the hotel’s opening in 1991.

Charlotte Newman finds out more about the man behind the keys

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formally trained; in fact he is completely self-taught. However, t was all happening in 1975. Juan Carlos became King of contrary to the stereotype of the genius autodidact, he did not Spain, the word ‘Microsoft’ was coined and Brian Morris begin playing aged five, but much later – aged eighteen – when began playing the piano professionally. It came after previous he went to college. These days, his repertoire takes its cues from careers in the Birmingham City Police, with the RAF and as a the Great American Songbook, favouring numbers from musical clerical officer in the civil service. But it was Brian’s move to theatre and film soundtracks made famous by, among others, London, when in the RAF, that prompted him to tickle the ivories the inimitable Sam in the classic film Casablanca. In fact, Brian at amateur gigs. Soon enough he had a pianist job proper, at a lists that film’s famous track ‘As time goes by’ as one of his most restaurant in Battersea. requested songs. Other favourites include ‘Moon River’ from But then came the real twist to the tale; Brian branched out Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’, though Brian abroad for six months to play in the Sultanate of Oman. Further lists his personal favourites as ‘Autumn Leaves’, ‘Wave’ and travels ensued: a four-month contract to work at the THF Hotel in ‘Come Fly With Me’.

Tunisia turned into a four-year stint in Despite the obvious fatigue 1979, and it was this job that was to set factor of having to sit (relatively) still him on his path to The Lanesborough.

Brian’s fans may be surprised to and play the piano for large periods THF also owned Grosvenor House on of time, being Brian can have its Park Lane, where Brian went after he discover that he is not formally glamorous moments. His illustrious had finished in Tunisia. Michael Gelardi, trained but completely self-taught fans even include George Clooney, Managing Director of Grosvenor for whom he played at the wrap Productions (the entertainment section party of the film Fantastic Mr Fox; Madonna, Tom Ford, Beyoncé, of THF), made a recommendation to his brother Geoffrey Gelardi, Jay-Z and Kanye West. Stevie Wonder, that other famous piano Managing Director of the Lanesborough, and Brian Morris was hired man, has sent over his compliments. Brian is familiar with many of for the new hotel in 1991. The rest, as they say, is history. the regulars’ favourite tunes, and is always happy to take requests.

The Lanesborough’s long-serving House Manager, Michael However, he is keen to insist that there is no special treatment given Naylor-Leyland, fondly recalls the day that Brian arrived to celebrity audience members; if one person in the room is happy, unusually late for work: ‘He turned up huffing and puffing with then so is he. a plaster cast on his leg. It transpired Brian had broken it that The opulent surroundings of the Library Bar render it a morning playing football with his dog in the garden, and had special place for Brian, as well as the fact that it is where he met driven himself into work straight from the hospital. I promptly his wife. Brian loves the clientele, who represent myriad cultures sent him home but was forever impressed by his passion and and nationalities, and the bar’s club-like atmosphere that makes commitment to his job.’ it the perfect venue for a romantic rendezvous. An extra bonus is Now 68, Brian lives in Chessington, Surrey, with his wife the bar’s unique ‘Liquid History’; a range of cognacs dating back of twelve years, former model June. Unsurprisingly, the couple some 200 years – ideal for discerning imbibers. met in the Library Bar where she became an ardent follower of His natural energy and enthusiasm together with his resilient his playing. Being a producer at Radio Luxembourg, June knew fingers mean that Brian is keen to keep playing for the foreseeable a thing or two about music, counting well-known songwriter future. He has his sights set on partial retirement before he fully Sammy Cahn among her acquaintances, and she could tell an lowers the lid, so he is sure to be a fixture at The Lanesborough artiste when she saw one. In their spare time, Brian and June love for some time yet. And, for those amateurs wondering if he ever nothing better than sampling Surrey’s fine restaurants; it must be needs to discipline himself for scale practice, the answer is ‘no’: nice to be the one relaxing for once rather than watching others ‘I play for at least six-and-a-half hours a day – I don’t really need relax while you work away on the edge of your velvet stool to,’ he says with modesty.

Brian’s fans may be surprised to discover that he is not

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Streetwise

Don’t succumb to the February blues. Perform a little retail therapy local-style

Under wraps

The winter chill can be hard even on those who already have a layer of fur. Pets need an extra layer of insulation still, and if it can be a luxurious piece of canine clothing by specialist outfitters Mungo and Maud, then so much the better. The Elizabeth Street boutique – the last word in animal chic – will ensure your cherished companion is the most fashionable beast around. The Quilted Dog Coat (£97.50-£114.00) is available in a selection of sizes to suit a variety of dog breeds, and it is handily water repellent.

If you too are in need of a heat boost whilst on pet-walking duty, wrap yourself up in one of their pashmina scarves (£180) available in a nautical navy and a chic chamois; there are cashmere hats to match (£75). Perfect for keeping out the elements and bringing a spring to your step.

Mungo & Maud: 79 Elizabeth Street, 020 7467 0823

Lightweight knitwear

Get planning for those strange pre-spring days where it’s just a little too mild for an overcoat but too chilly to go completely without a mantle. Hawick Cashmere of Scotland has the answer in its collection of waterfall cardigans and knitted capes, which offer a little light, luxurious warmth. Try the Capri Cape or the Varazzi Poncho in ambergris: ideal for brisk shopping trips or leisurely strolls in the park. Gentlemen are well served at Hawick too; the Voorburg Pullover in its inky ‘Vatican’ shade is smart enough to wear to work, but laidback enough for weekend warming. Team with some chinos and a tailored jacket for a sharp yet cosy, urban look.

Hawick Cashmere of Scotland: 51 Elizabeth Street, 020 7259 9995

Button up! 3 distinctive winter coats Whether you plan to while away the final days of winter in bucolic bliss at an out-of-town residence, stay put, or dabble in both, our guide will nod you in the direction of glamorous yet practical coats available locally

Down town charm

Moloh is a classic but quirky womenswear boutique and one of the last brands of its kind still to design and manufacture its garments in Britain. Come here for rustic tweeds in fashion-forward cuts, cosy knits in primary colours and floor-skimming Dickensian-style overcoats.

Channel some serious eighteenth-century style in the well-named Turpin Coat (£685); this comes in a brown and cream check with flecks of orange and glamorously grazes the ankle. Similarly romantic is the Barnes Coat (£545), which features a Victorian neckline and a red velvet trim. For real period drama appeal, Moloh’s pièce de résistance is the (also aptly named) Downton House Coat (£445), crafted in fulllength rich blue quilted silk velvet. Team these beautiful pieces of outerwear with tall boots or pumps, depending on the whims of the weather.

Stirring yarns

The long-running knitwear shop Patricia Roberts is a veritable haven this time of year. As well as selling handknitted sweaters and accessories, the shop also sells luxury yarns – angora, cashmere, lambs’ wool and various cottons – in an astonishing array of colours. Keep an eye out, too, for the soon-to-belaunched knitting kits. Whilst Patricia’s own knits are specially designed for children and women, there is always the scope to knit your own menswear with the fabulous materials available in store.

Patricia Roberts: 60 Kinnerton Street, 020 7235 4742

Child’s play

The Italian luxurious but playful children’s fashion designer La Stupenderia has a spectacular autumn/winter range that will make little ones warm whilst also keeping them happy. Choose from beautiful pint-sized pieces such as the Cappotto in velluto blu con interno in ecopelliccia also known as ‘blue velvet coat with a fake fur lining’ (£428); the Golfino in lana e cachemire rosso or ‘red cashmere cardigan’ (£113) for toddlers to young children; and the uber-cute all-in-one padded suits (£349) for babies.

La Stupenderia: 16 Motcomb Street, 020 7245 6656

Moloh: 24 Pimlico Road, 020 7730 0430

Country clobber

Dashing off for a weekend’s rambling in the wide, green yonder involves a subtle yet essential town-to-country sartorial transition. The old classic, the Barbour, ensure that escaping urbanites remain sensibly yet stylishly attired. A faithful wintertime companion – one which takes you from woodland strolls to the pub – the Barbour is as versatile an outerwear option as they come. Peter Jones stocks several incarnations of the trusty waxed jacket. For the prettiest of waterproofs, the Print Beadnell Waxed Jacket (£219) boasts cuffs which can be rolled back to reveal a charming floral-printed lining. For men, the Polarquilt Jacket in navy (£149) is slimfitting, diamond-quilted and fleece-lined.

Barbour at Peter Jones: Sloane Square, 020 7730 3434

Black magic Louise Kennedy’s flattering Emilia Black Wool Jacket (£1,595) with gold, hand-embroidered trim exudes understated glamour. Team with a black trouser-and-top ensemble for effortless sophistication. Enrobing oneself in the Black Wool Cashmere Samantha Coat (£2,995) with silver fox collar and cuff is a toastier matter entirely. This soft, cosy cocoon, once embraced, is hard to shed. There are substantial reductions to enjoy in-store during early February.

Louise Kennedy: 9 West Halkin Street, 020 7235 0911

Words / Charlotte Newman and Lauren Romano B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

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Relandscaping the ordinary Jim Hanlon visits the Royal Academy to witness various interpretations on a theme: the landscape

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nicely executed metaphor for his artistic vision. Typical of a revised he Royal Academy’s latest mighty venture, Constable, view of the truth within nature is the brooding yet luminous ‘Dolbadern Gainsborough, Turner and the Making of Landscape, is Castle’ (1800) by enduring favourite JMW Turner, one of many wholly composed from the RA’s own collections and begins images based on his extensive trips which included Snowdonia. These at the other end of the historical timeline to that which the exhibition emotionally charged mountain-scapes sacrifice objectivity, yet very title suggests: the modern landscape. These works are both fresh and accurately record the rugged majesty and sense of the sublime. It would delightfully stylised, with a strong emphasis on the contrast between be hard to overstate the importance for these artists of published the geometric precision of architecture and the apparent portfolios of work, in a financial sense and also in the haphazardness of nature, expressed most effectively gaining of a far wider acceptance for their innovations.

by John Maine’s superb black granite sculpture There are some charming examples within Turner’s ‘Heaven and Earth’ (2001). The raw undulations ‘Picturesque Views in England and Wales’ (1827of the surface and the exact, smooth circular 38); something to satisfy the curiosity of those depression at its centre invite us to experience unable to travel and a spur for the fashionable it with our fingertips as well as our eyes. There to tour the exotic marvels of Britain. The is even a text-only landscape by Richard highlight must be an astonishing series of small Long, recalling English literary traditions from oil studies by John Constable. Painted onto Wordsworth to WH Auden. paper backed by board, they have an unequalled Soon enough, we are whisked back to immediacy and freshness. ‘Cloud Study, the seventeenth century, when the next room Hampstead, Tree at Right’ (1821) is extraordinary presents us with a comprehensive view of the in its bold composition; the clouds themselves are continental landscape idyll, somewhat distilled the landscape while Constable through the medium of engraving, eschews even the horizon line. but capturing in monochrome If you’re looking for the essentials of Claude Lorrain pyrotechnics, you won’t find them and Nicholas Poussin as they Something to satisfy the curiosity of those here, but instead you will receive exemplified the genre. The unable to travel and a spur for the fashionable a scholarly whispering, a subtle formulaic quality of such work insinuation from the past. The is never more apparent than in to tour the exotic marvels of Britain greatest strength of this exhibition print. Each orderly romantic lies in the variety of materials that landscape contains either sea or characterise the subtle development and popularisation of landscape river and has a dark-toned tree line. It is also routinely punctuated as a genre. From sketchbooks to little oil studies, to famous largeby classical architecture and firmly linked to some perfect, imaginary, scale finished canvases, including John Constable’s ‘Boat Passing a Arcadian past. These ideals were embraced by the Royal Academy Lock’ (1826), the story is told through a mass of detail. Display cases from its foundation in 1768. Though founding members included containing personal possessions such as Turner’s fishing rod (which landscape painters, it was seen as the pinnacle of art to produce accompanied all his painting expeditions) or Constable’s well-used historical paintings invoking morality or sentiment.

Setting out a response to this archetype is a selection of engravings paint palette, bring their daily working lives into vivid focus. Critics would argue that these changes pointedly ignore the background of after English pioneers Thomas Smith of Derby and Richard Wilson war and revolution across Europe, whereas in fact represented here is R.A. (light conditions, though, are annoyingly dim but this is of course an altogether softer, sable-brushed revolution. to protect the fragile paper). The show steps up a notch with some oil painting in the main salon. Thomas Gainsborough’s self-portrait is testament to his great skill; the thin smears of paint building into an Until 17 February arresting image of the man gazing at some far horizon, an obvious but www.royalacademy.org.uk Above (circle) / Thomas Gainsborough R.A.’s ‘Romantic Landscape’, c1783, oil on canvas, 153.7x186.7cm Photography: Prudence Cuming Associates Limited From left / John Constable R.A.’s ‘Cloud Study, Hampstead, Tree at Right’, 1821, 24.10x29.90cm, oil on paper laid on board Photography: John Hammond J.M.W. Turner R.A.’s ‘Dolbadern Castle’, 1800, oil on canvas, 119.4x19.2cm Photography: Prudence Cuming Associates Limited All: © Royal Academy of Arts, London

The reviewer, Jim Hanlon, is a London-based artist: www.jimhanlon.co.uk Right / ‘Anteros’

by Jim Hanlon

Children & Education News of interest regarding local schools and little ones

Local schools given Tatler seal of approval

A significant number of Belgravia’s learning establishments have been commended in The Tatler Schools Guide 2013. Eaton Square School, Glendower Prep School, Hill House International School and Knightsbridge School all made the cut to grace the pages of the high society bible’s directory of the best schools in the country. Eaton Square School was praised for its engaging extra-curricular programme, which includes such multifarious activities as art scholarship evening classes and a chance for the school’s elite swimming squad to attend training sessions in Spain. The ambitious girls at Glendower Prep School − ‘a calm, collected bunch’ in the words of the Guide − demonstrate similar prowess in the sporting arena; indeed its netball team and swimmers compete at national level. Glendower’s welcoming atmosphere and beautiful high-ceilinged classrooms added to the glowing endorsement. The charming eccentricities and exceptional school dinners at Hill House (where headmaster Richard Townend apparently signs his emails, ‘Headmaster of the finest junior school in the world today’) faired the school well. Relatively new kid on the block, Knightsbridge School, was included due to headmaster Magoo Giles’s belief that confidence is the key to a rounded education – an ethos which fosters a nurturing environment for his 370 pupils.

School’s out for half term on…

SCHOOL

END OF TERM

START OF TERM

Cameron House School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Eaton House School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Eaton Square School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Francis Holland School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

GEMS Hampshire School

Friday 8 February

Monday 18 February

Glendower Preparatory School

Friday 8 February

Monday 18 February

Hill House International School

Friday 8 February

Monday 18 February

Knightsbridge School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Miss Daisy’s Nursery

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

More House School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Queen’s Gate School

Friday 15 February

Monday 25 February

Sussex House School

Friday 8 February

Monday 18 February

Pool appeal

Swimming lessons in our borough’s pools, including the local baths at the Queen Mother Sports Centre on Vauxhall Bridge Road, are undergoing something of a shake-up. Working in partnership with Greenwich Leisure Limited, Westminster City Council has launched the Better Swim School provision, offering greater choice and lower prices for families and children in the area. Parents teaching babies and toddlers to paddle can now expect to pay just £5 a session as opposed to the previous charge of £12 and juniors and adults wanting to master their strokes with one-to-one tuition will save up to twenty-five percent on private lessons.

All teaching will be brought in line with the Amateur Swimming Association’s national teaching plan, and existing teachers will be given the opportunity to develop their coaching methods.

Better links will also be forged with local swimming clubs to ensure aspiring swimmers have access to the best possible coaching early on.

Do you have schooling news that you’d like us to cover? Send us an email: education@residentsjournal.co.uk Words / Anna Castaldi

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Residents’ Culture We interact with readers about life in the community

Belgravian moments Local resident Briana Handte Lesesne looks forward to the wedding season which, would you know it, starts now Roughly one third of marriage proposals happen over Christmas and New Year. It’s the best time of year for the world to (if you please) fall in love.

Yes, the holidays provide the perfect backdrop for popping the question, not least because we are often surrounded by family and friends with whom to celebrate. The upping in traffic on wedding sites and sales in bridal magazines begins in early February, and the checklist for any bride-to-be typically begins: the dress, the flowers, the cake...

The bridal gown is her main concern. She has to love the dress, not simply as a dress, but as her wedding dress. A good wedding consultant should ask you a plethora of questions, in order to gauge your personality: ‘How was your proposal?’,‘What’s your fiancé like?’, ‘How do you envision your big day?’.

Finally, she should ascertain your chosen wedding theme, before pulling from her closet several options, be they veering more towards satin and silver thread and less towards pearls; favouring lace and buttons and straying away from chiffon and glitter, say.

Having planned my own two weddings (to the same man I must point out – a spring wedding in the country in Bedford, New York, followed by an autumn one in Manhattan), I decided to share my wisdom with a friend who was just beginning wedding-gown shopping. I made an appointment for her at Jenny Packham on Elizabeth Street.

She went in with an open mind but with also that girl’s prerogative: a vision in her head of how she imagined her dress to look. Our consultant was knowledgeable and genuine. She took the time to ask questions of the bride that would help her to present the appropriate dresses. The selection she chose was not too overwhelming for my friend but just enough for her to envision and consider styles

about which she might not have even thought. She left the boutique with a twinkle in her eye.

Once you have your dress, the wedding bouquet and floral arrangements should tie in based on the theme, season of the year and simply which flowers the bride-to-be likes. A complement is to add herbs such as rosemary (for remembrance), ivy (for endurance) and mint (for virtue). Neill Strain floral couture on West Halkin Street works directly with growers in Holland to source the majority of their flowers rather than buying strictly at auction.

The colour white has been attached to wedding ceremonies since 1840; the year that Queen Victoria wore a white dress at her wedding to Prince Albert. A white cake became common because the cake needed to reflect the bride, the wedding cake originally being known as the bride’s cake. But there is of course no reason to conform. Renowned for its elegant designs and exquisite tastes, Peggy Porschen on Ebury Street will work with the bride to make her cake visually and sensorially memorable.

If you are a brideto-be or even a bride-thathas-been, remember it’s not wise to let your wedding dress sit in your guest-bedroom wardrobe for seven years before having it cleaned and finally boxed up.

Equally, all those photographs that captured the beauty of the day are best not kept in shoe boxes but in a lovely wedding album. Just a few things I am still working on…

The Residents’ Association’s

February Round-up

by Sara Oliver

It’s a busy time of year for the BRA’s membership committee. It is when we welcome back our longstanding members and get to know the many new people joining us. If you haven’t yet thought about doing so, take a moment to consider the value of the £30 annual membership per household. It is the ultimate way to be part of your local community, and to ensure that we take your views into account and reflect the way of life we all want in the area.

We can take full advantage of the new Localism Bill, which gives more power to citizens to run local life the way they prefer; it has never been more important to be involved. On the fun side, we have a whole host of new activities lined up for 2013. Another incentive of joining is to receive your complimentary copy of the Black Book 2013, produced and supported by Sarah Farrugia & Company.

I joined the BRA en famille in 1997. It has been a great way to get to know the area and to keep abreast locally and nationally. Early memories

We can take full advantage of the new Localism Bill, which gives more power to citizens to run local life the way they prefer centre on enjoying the annual garden parties and AGMs. When I took on the role of communications officer three years ago, I set about giving the BRA a suitable revamp. We kicked off by getting to know members a little better through the ‘Great People’ series.

This March we are launching our third photography competition: ‘Voyage to Belgravia’. What is it that attracts people from all corners of the world to visit or settle here? The clues of what to look for are in the title and connected to travel. Therefore, photographs do not necessarily Image by kind permission of the Trustees of the Wallace Collection need to be taken within Belgravia at all; in fact they can be taken anywhere nationally or internationally, just as long as there is a strong and clear correlation between the subject and Belgravia. So get your cameras out now and let your imagination (or your passports) guide you. Further details will follow in next month’s column. We will also be arranging an hour-long private tour of the Wallace Collection, meeting at Hertford House’s reception on 7 March at 10.15am. The £20 cost of a ticket includes morning tea (homemade cakes and biscuits) in the beautiful, covered courtyard restaurant. Please book on our website beforehand (www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk). We look forward to meeting some new faces amidst the delights of Canaletto, Madame de Pompadour, and ‘The Laughing Cavalier’.

Monetary

matters

from Duncan Lawrie, Belgravia’s local bank since 1971

James Humphreys, a Senior Investment Manager at Duncan Lawrie, offers his thoughts on what’s happening in the evershifting global economy

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he so called ‘Santa Claus rally’ has become a regular feature of markets each December, and 2012 was no exception. The rally was a little more muted than in previous years, due to concerns over the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ negotiations in the US, and only really got going in the New Year when a compromise was agreed.

In our domestic market, trading volumes have been very weak, as you would expect during a holiday period. However, there have been some clear sector themes. The mining sector has continued its recent strong rally from the lows seen earlier in 2012, which were due to slowing commodity demand from China; more recent economic indicators have suggested a pick-up in growth in China and the wider Asian region. Conversely, tobacco recorded losses, following proposals for tighter tobacco regulation in Europe by the European Commission and a ‘plain packaging’ law that came into force in Australia.

We believe the outlook for equities is broadly positive this year, due to extraordinary monetary stimulus in developed economies and improving economic fundamentals in Asia and the US. The US Fed announced another round of quantitative easing (QE4) during December, with an additional $45 billion of Treasury purchases each month, which will replace the expiring ‘Operation Twist’. This QE4 is in addition to the recently launched QE3 where they buy $40 billion of mortgagebacked securities each month. Due to these QE and other measures, US and European capital markets are now awash with liquidity, which is a key support for equity markets.

In the short term, markets may be vulnerable to some profit taking. After registering gains for several weeks, technically speaking, stocks are currently overbought and face the prospect of another fractious debate in the US in the run-up to the debt ceiling deadline in February.

To find out more, contact us (mentioning the Residents’ Journal) on 0845 680 8778, at www.duncanlawrie.com/bank or pop in to see us at 1 Hobart Place.

I’d like to leave you with a short verse taken from a little book given to me by a thoughtful school master during my formative years: ‘The cycle of the year has past / What ere has been of good and ill / Is locked within a yesteryear / But yet the year shall live again / In you and me and all of us / Built in our sinews and our souls / Are all the days of yesteryear.’

Until next month...

What is concerning you about life in Belgravia? Write to us at: letters@residentsjournal.co.uk

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

023

Planning &Development Keeping you in the know about important street plans affecting Belgravia

Planned Road Works and Closures in AND AROUND FEBRUARY STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

Bressenden Place (between Buckingham Palace Road and Allington Street)

A202 Victoria Circle works. Kerb built out, relocation of bus stand, lane closures Mon-Sun daytime working 7am-5pm; night time working 10pm-5am (noisy work completed by 1am).

18 Feb-4 Nov

Transport for London 0845 305 1234

Bressenden Place (outside the Department for Communities and Local Government)

Installation of fabricated steel traps to an existing sewer system prior to development by Victoria Developments

30 Nov 20125 April 2013

Transport For London

Buckingham Palace Road (from junction with Semley Place to junction with Pimlico Road)

TfL signal modernisation. Expect temporary signals.

8 Jan-16 Feb

Transport For London

Eaton Square (junction with Elizabeth Street)

Installation of poly ducts on footway

11 Feb-13 Feb

British Telecommunications Plc 0800 800 150

Ebury Bridge Road

Traffic signal modernisation

8 Jan-16 Feb

Transport For London

Ebury Street (in carriageway at junction with South Eaton Place and Semley Place)

Connections works and digging of a road crossing from southeast footpath to footpath at corner of South Eaton Place

4 Feb-22 Feb

UKPN East & Lon LTD 0800 028 4587

Grosvenor Gardens

Installation of fabricated steel traps to an existing sewer system prior to development by Victoria Developments

30 Nov 2012 -5 April 2013

Transport For London

Westminster, pave the way!

Plans for Transport for London’s fifth major cycle route are underway, and this time it will benefit cyclists riding between Victoria and New Cross. Following on from the successful installation of so-called cycle superhighways between Bow and Aldgate, Barking and Tower Gateway, Merton and the City and Wandsworth and Westminster, TfL’s new cycle route, known as the ‘CS5’ will offer scores of local cyclists a safer commute.

While the CS8 Wandsworth to Westminster route ended at Millbank, the new route will take in Peckham, Camberwell, Kennington and Vauxhall, finishing behind Victoria station at the top of Vauxhall Bridge Road, effectively linking areas of inner and outer London.

The lanes will be 1.5 metres wide.

Aspirations for Chester Row basement buried Chester Row residents can expect peace and quiet on their patch this New Year but one hedge-fund boss has been left disappointed as a consequence. After the rejection of his plans to undertake a conversion project on his basement, George Papamarkakis took his case to London’s Technology and Construction Court, which subsequently upheld the Grosvenor Estate’s decision to deny permission for the piling work on the grounds that it would cause ‘significant nuisance to the neighbours and nearby residents’ and was even ‘likely to damage neighbouring properties’ in the exclusive street.

Do you wish to comment on any local planning stories? Send us an email: planning@residentsjournal.co.uk Words / Charlotte Newman

024

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

That was

Then

Matthew Arnold, who made his name as a social and political critic as much as a poet and literary critic, lived at 2 Chester Square from 1858 until 1868. He described the house as ‘a very small one, but it will be something to unpack one’s portmanteau for the first time since I was married, now nearly seven years ago’. Here, he writes to his elder sister ‘K’ (Mrs Forster), his youngest sister Fan (Miss Arnold) and his friend Wyndham Slade...

To Mrs Forster 101 Mount Street, December 6, 1856 My dearest K. – I am writing to you from my old rooms in Mount Street, which are now occupied

by Wyndham Slade, of whom you have heard me speak. He is a barrister, and out daily following his avocations from eleven to five. During this space of time he puts his rooms at my disposal, and I fly and hide myself here from the everlasting going in and coming out of Eaton Place, in the profoundest secrecy, no one but Wyndham Slade knowing where I am. “Hide thy life,” said Epicurus, and the exquisite zest there is in doing so can only be appreciated by those who desiring to introduce some method into their lives, have suffered from the malicious pleasure the world takes in trying to distract them till they are as shatter-brained and empty-hearted as the world itself.

The air is like balm today, and little Tom will go out, I think, in Eaton Square, for the first time since we have been in London. We had, indeed, an alarm about him, and I think it nearly developed in me the complaint he is said to have; at least, that alarm, added to large dinners and a hot bedroom, have produced in me a fuller beating of the heart than I like, but I get better as Tom gets better, and he really seems getting better every day. I am always, my dearest K., your most affectionate, M.A.

To Miss Arnold London, November 4, 1858 My dearest Fan – ... I have not yet got over the profound disgust which the first loss of the country creates in me at my return to London, and with the prospect of trampling on stone pavements for nine months to come. I was at Hammersmith today, and even there the fog was less, and the blue sky visible in breaks, and the trees had still some leaves upon them, and the enclosures showed a sort of tendency to become fields, though of a blackish and miserable kind. I inspected a little school at Hammersmith, lunched at a hideous square red-brick barrack, which a great auctioneer has just built and furnished at an immense expense in a brickfield, to serve him for a country retreat, and came back to London through Shepherd’s Bush and Bayswater, in bright sunshine, which duly dwindled away as I approached the Marble Arch, and disappeared

in impenetrable fog as I reached Belgravia. There I found little Tom, much better, preparing to go with Flu in the carriage to Howell and James; and Budge and Baby I despatched to Hyde Park with the nurses, to breathe a somewhat lighter atmosphere than that of Chester Square. The rogues are both wonderfully well, however, and Baby looking so splendid that a lady stopped her carriage in Lowndes Square yesterday, got out of it, and accosted Charlotte to know who he was.

Our house is delightful inside, and very pleasant to return to, though at present I cannot quite forgive it for not being twenty miles out of London. My books will come about the 14th of this month.

I have a great bookcase put up for them in the study; I have also hung there what pictures I have – a little gallery you have not yet seen. At Colnaghi’s yesterday I got a print of papa (as Jane declares I gave her mine, which I doubt), which Colnaghi is to frame; it will hang by itself in the dining room over the mantelpiece. […]

To Wyndham Slade Strands, near Wastwater, September 15, 1852 My Dear Wyndham – I only received your letter this morning. Eaton Place is a howling wilderness at present, and letters may lie there for months before they are forwarded. I should not have got yours now, only my wife had a dress sent to her, and the old woman who takes care of the house in Eaton Place crammed everything with my name on it that she could lay her hands upon into the box.

Extracts from ‘Letters of Matthew Arnold 1848 to 1888 Part One’ by Matthew Arnold and George W. E. Russell, Kessinger Publishing, 2004

Illustrations: Mai Osawa Compiled by Lauren Romano and Charlotte Newman

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

027

The Belgravia

Directory

A compendium of the area’s key establishments

Estate Agents Ayrton Wylie 16 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 4628

Henry & James 1 Motcomb Street 020 7235 8861

Savills 139 Sloane Street 020 7730 0822

W A Ellis 174 Brompton Road 020 7306 1600

Best Gapp & Cassells 81 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 9253

John D Wood 48 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 7900

Sotheby’s International Realty 26A Conduit Street 020 7717 5131

Wellbelove Quested 160 Ebury Street

Harrods Estates 82 Brompton Road 020 7225 6506

Knight Frank 82-83 Chester Square 020 7881 7722

Strutt & Parker 66 Sloane Street 020 7235 9959

ll Corriere 6 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2087

The Nag’s Head (classic) 53 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 1135

The Old English Coffee House 1 Montrose Place 020 7235 3643

The Wilton Arms (classic) 71 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 4854

Patisserie Valerie 17 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6161

Como Lario (Italian) 18-22 Holbein Place 020 7730 9046

Tomtom Coffee House 114 Ebury Street 020 7730 1771

Il Convivio (Italian) 143 Ebury Street 020 7730 4099

Tiles Restaurant and Wine Bar 36 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7834 7761

Valerie Victoria 38 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7630 9781

Olivo (Italian & Sardinian) 21 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2505

CAFÉS

PUBS

Bella Maria 4 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7976 6280

The Antelope (classic) 22-24 Eaton Terrace 020 7824 8512

Zafferano (Italian) 15 Lowndes Street 020 7235 5800

Caffe Reale 23 Grosvenor Gardens 020 7592 9322

The Belgravia (classic) 152 Ebury Street 020 7730 6040

The Green Café 16 Eccleston Street 020 7730 5304

The Duke of Wellington (classic) 63 Eaton Terrace 020 7730 1782

020 7881 0880

Food & Drink BARS Amaya Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street 020 7823 1166 The Garden Room (cigar) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599 The Library Bar (wine) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599

RESTAURANTS

Motcombs 26 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6382 Mango Tree Manager: Chai Cuisine: Thai; Capacity: 150 46 Grosvenor Place 020 7823 1888

Ken Lo’s Memories of China Manager: Ardjan Kelmendi Cuisine: Chinese; Capacity: 120 65-69 Ebury Street 020 7730 7734 Petrus Manager: Paulina Trocha Cuisine: French; Capacity: 86 1 Kinnerton Street 020 7592 1609 La Poule au Pot Manager: Lionel Banda Cuisine: French; Capacity: 70 231 Ebury Street 020 7730 7763 Aspleys, a Heinz Beck Restaurant The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7333 7254

Health & Beauty BARBER

DOCTORS

Giuseppe D’Amico 20 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2968

The Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road 020 7730 5171

DENTISTS

The Belgravia Surgery 26 Eccleston Street 020 7590 8000

Michael Garry Personal Training 54b Ebury Street 020 7730 6255

Motcomb Green 61 Ebury Street 020 7235 2228

Yogoji (Yoga) 54a Ebury Street 020 7730 7473

Stephen Casali 161 Ebury Street 020 7730 2196

HAIR SALONS

MEDISPA

Colin & Karen Hair Design 39 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 7440

Bijoux Medi-Spa 149 Ebury Street 020 7730 0765

The Light Centre Belgravia 9 Eccleston Street 020 7881 0728

The Daniel Galvin Jr. Salon 4a West Halkin Street 020 3416 3116

earthspa 4 Eccleston Street 020 7823 6226

Ramsay (prints) 69 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6776

Linley 60 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7300

Gallery 25 26 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516

Turkmen Gallery 8 Eccleston Street 020 7730 8848

Sebastian D’Orsai (framer) 77 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 8366

Mark Wilkinson Kitchens 10 West Halkin Street 020 7235 1845

Gauntlett Gallery 90-92 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516

Patrick Jefferson 69 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6161

Zuber 42 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8265

Ossowski 83 Pimlico Road 020 7730 3256

ARCHITECTS/ DESIGN

FURNITURE

Promemoria UK 99 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2514

The Beresford Clinic 2 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7821 9411 Motcomb Street Dentist 3 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6531 The Wilton Place Practice 31 Wilton Place 020 7235 3824

Dr Kalina 109 Ebury Street 020 7730 4805

GYM/ FITNESS

SPA

Home ANTIQUES Bennison 16 Holbein Place 020 7730 8076

Marston & Langinger 194 Ebury Street 020 7881 5700 Paul Davis + Partners 178 Ebury Street 020 7730 1178

ARTEFACTS Odyssey Fine Arts 24 Holbein Place 020 7730 9942

FINISHING TOUCHES Paint Services Company 19 Eccleston Street 020 7730 6408 Rachel Vosper (candles) 69 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 9666

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

Ciancimino 85 Pimlico Place 020 7730 9959 The Dining Chair Company 4 St Barnabas Street 020 7259 0422 Hemisphere 97 Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9810 Humphrey-Carrasco 43 Pimlico Road 020 7730 9911

Soane 50-52 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6400

Gordon Watson 28 Pimlico Road 020 7259 0555 John Adams Fine Art 200 Ebury Street 020 7730 8999 The Osborne Studio Gallery 2 Motcomb Street 020 7235 9667

INTERIOR DESIGN

Talisman 190-192 Ebury Street 020 7730 7800

Chester Designs 9 Chester Square Mews 020 7730 4333

Westenholz 80-82 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8090

Coote & Bernardi 59 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6064

GALLERIES

Joanna Wood 48a Pimlico Road 020 7730 5064

Jamb 107a Pimlico Road 020 7730 2122

88 Gallery 86-88 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2728

Lamberty 46 Pimlico Road 020 7823 5115

Ahuan Gallery 17 Eccleston Street 020 7730 9382

Living Interiors 57 Ebury Street 020 7730 0545

029

The Belgravia

Directory Fashion

BOUTIQUES Le Spose Di Giò (wedding dresses) 81 Ebury Street 020 7901 9020

Christian Louboutin 23 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6510

Patricia Roberts 60 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 474

Philip Treacy 69 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3992

Morgan Guest House 120 Ebury Street 020 7730 2384

Lime Tree Hotel 135-137 Ebury Street 020 7730 8191

The Goring Beeston Place 020 7396 9000

Westminster House Hotel 96 Ebury Street 020 7730 4302

The Rubens at the Palace 39 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7834 6600

The Grosvenor 101 Buckingham Palace Road 0845 305 8337

BOUTIQUE

The Sloane Club Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9131

The Halkin Halkin Street 020 7333 1000

Tophams Hotel 24-32 Ebury Street 020 7730 3313

The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599

Hotels B&Bs B+B Belgravia & Studios@82 64-66 Ebury Street 020 7259 8570 Belgravia Hotel 118 Ebury Street 020 7259 0050 Cartref House 129 Ebury Street 020 7730 6176

Astors Hotel 110-112 Ebury Street 020 7730 0158

Lord Milner Hotel 111 Ebury Street 020 7881 9880

The Belgravia Mews Hotel 50 Ebury Street 020 7730 5434

Lynton Hotel 113 Ebury Street 020 7730 4032

The Diplomat Hotel 2 Chesham Street 020 7235 1544

The Berkeley Wilton Place 020 7235 6000

BOOKMAKERS

SOLICITORS

LUXURY

Services BANKS Duncan Lawrie Private Banking 1 Hobart Place 020 7245 1234 C Hoare & Co 32 Lowndes Street 020 7245 6033 Royal Bank of Scotland 24 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 1882

Coral Racing 67 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6516 William Hill 12 Buckingham Palace Road 08705 181 715

CHARITIES British Red Cross 85 Ebury Street 020 7730 2235

Child & Child 14 Grosvenor Crescent 020 7235 8000

EDUCATION

Eaton Square School 79 Eccleston Square 020 7931 9469 Francis Holland School 39 Graham Terrace 020 7730 2971

Cameron House School 4 The Vale 020 7352 4040

Garden House School Turks Row 020 7730 1652

Eaton House School 3-5 Eaton Gate 020 7924 6000

GEMS Hampshire School 15 Manresa Road 020 7352 7077

Glendower Preparatory School 86-87 Queen’s Gate 020 7370 1927

Queen’s Gate School 133 Queen’s Gate 020 7589 3587

Hill House International Junior School Hans Place 020 7584 1331

Sussex House School 68 Cadogan Square 020 7584 1741

Knightsbridge School 67 Pont Street 020 7590 9000 Miss Daisy’s Nursery Ebury Square 020 7730 5797 More House School 22-24 Pont Street 020 7235 2855

Thomas’s Kindergarten 14 Ranelagh Grove 020 7730 3596

EXCLUSIVE The Caledonian Club 9 Halkin Street 020 7235 5162

FLORISTS

POST OFFICE

Judith Blacklock Flower School 4-5 Kinnerton Place South 020 7235 6235

Post Office 6 Eccleston Street 0845 722 3344

Neill Strain Floral Couture 11 West Halkin Street 020 7235 6469

PRINTING & COPYING Printus 115a Ebury Street 020 7730 7799

LIBRARY

TRAVEL

Victoria Library 160 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7641 1300

Bravo Travel 6 Lower Grosvenor Place 0870 121 3411

MOTORING Belgravia Garage 1 Eaton Mews West 020 7235 9900

Speciality Shops BAKERIES

DELI

NEWSAGENT

Polisher

Baker & Spice 54-56 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3033

La Bottega 25 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2730

Mayhew Newsagents 15 Motcomb Street 020 7235 5770

F Bennett and Son 9 Chester Square Mews 020 7730 6546

GREENGROCERS

PERFUMERIES

Charles of Belgravia 27 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 5210

Annick Goutal 20 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0248

The Market Quarter 36 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 8470

Les Senteurs 71 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2322

Ottolenghi 13 Motcomb Street 020 7823 2707

CIGAR SPECIALIST Tomtom Cigars 63 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1790

BOOKS Belgravia Books 59 Ebury Street 020 7259 9336

CONFECTIONERS Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury Street 020 7730 1316 Pierre Hermé Paris 13 Lowndes Street 020 7245 0317 Rococo Chocolates 5 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0993

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

JEWELLERS Carolina Bucci 4 Motcomb Street 020 7838 9977

Floris 147 Ebury Street 020 7730 0304

Pet accessories

David Thomas Master Goldsmith 65 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7710

Mungo & Maud 79 Elizabeth Street 020 7022 1207

De Vroomen 59 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1901

PharmacY

Erickson Beamon 38 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 0202

A. Moore Chemist & Belgravia Health Foods 25e Lowndes Street 020 7235 5887

031

WILTON ROW, LONDON. SW1X LEASEHOLD THREE BEDROOMS GROSS INTERNAL AREA: 2,336 SQ FT/ 217 SQ M

£4,250,000 stc Two reception rooms, Three bedrooms, Bedroom 4/Study, Terrace, Garage.

Hidden away in one of Belgravia’s most sought after mews this home offers generous entertaining space, three/four bedrooms, garage and terrace. The accommodation on the ground floor includes dining room, kitchen, utility room and bedroom three with en suite. On the first floor you have a large reception with inter connecting study/bedroom four.

The top floor offers master bedroom with en suite bathroom/ dressing area and second bedroom with en suite. Features in the reception room include windows front to back, cornicing and built in cupboards. In addition there is a lovely roof terrace quietly situated to the rear of the property and garage.

EPC rating G.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

CHESHAM MEWS, LONDON. SW1X FREEHOLD TWO BEDROOMS GROSS INTERNAL AREA: 1,419 SQ FT/ 132 SQ M

ÂŁ4,450,000 stc Two reception rooms, Cloakroom, Two bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Intergrated sound system, Garage.

A picturesque home that has been thoughtfully designed and beautifully presented laid out over three floors. Quietly situated in this highly sought after cobbled mews, the property has attractive entertaining space with a first floor reception and separate dining on the ground floor next to the kitchen. There are two double bedrooms, the master

occupying the whole of the second floor, which has a large en suite bedroom/dressing room and a small terrace. The second bedroom also has its own en suite bathroom and is situated on the first floor. In addition there is a guest cloakroom and large integral garage/utility room. The property is west facing. EPC rating E.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

WILTON CRESCENT, LONDON. SW1X TWO BEDROOMS FURNISHED

ÂŁ2,250

PER WEEK stc Reception room, Kitchen/dining room, Two bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Cloakroom/Utility room, Balcony, Lift, Communal gardens.

This stunning split level apartment with views over Belgrave Mews North and Wilton Crescent is located in an elegant period building in one of the most prestigious addresses in Belgravia. The apartment, interior designed by Allegra Hicks has been finished in neutral tones and with dark wood flooring in the principal areas. Accommodation comprises

superb master bedroom suite with a dressing room, a second bedroom, a shower room, guest cloakroom/utility room, spacious kitchen/dining room and a reception room with west facing balcony. The apartment has access to Wilton Crescent communal gardens. EPC rating D.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

SOUTH EATON PLACE, LONDON. SW1X TWO BEDROOMS FURNISHED

ÂŁ1,950

PER WEEK stc Two double bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Reception room, Separate kitchen, Guest cloakroom, Terrace, Balcony, Housekeeper.

A stunning two bedroom maisonette arranged over the first and second floors (lift) of this elegant stucco fronted building. The property has a luxurious reception room with high ceilings and beautiful period features, as well as rich walnut flooring and a private terrace. The accommodation comprises two double bedrooms, two en suite bathrooms,

reception room, separate kitchen, guest cloakroom, balcony and terrace. The apartment has been neutrally decorated and furnished in a graceful modern style and is located on this desirable Belgravia street just a few minutes walk from Sloane Square. There is also a lift and a housekeeper. The property is professionally managed. EPC rating E.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

savills.co.uk

1 BELGRAVIA MEWS HOUSE IN QUIET, PRIVATE LOCATION eccleston mews, sw1 Reception room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2 further bedrooms (1 en suite) ø further shower room ø utility room ø balcony ø 140 sq m (1,503 sq ft) ø EPC=E Guide £2.55 million Freehold

Savills Sloane Street

Michael Berman & Co

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

Martin Berg martin.berg@michaelberman.co.uk

020 7730 0822

020 8346 5100

k

savills.co.uk

1 A CHARMING MEWS HOUSE IN PRIME BELGRAVIA lowndes close, sw1 Drawing room ø dining room ø library ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 3 further bedrooms (2 en suite) ø further shower room ø garage ø 224 sq m (2,408 sq ft) ø EPC=E Guide £4.5 million Freehold

Savills Sloane Street

Michael Berman & Co

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

Martin Berg martin.berg@michaelberman.co.uk

020 7730 0822

020 8346 5100

savills.co.uk

1

BEAUTIFULLY REFURBISHED APARTMENT WITH WONDERFUL VIEWS OF THE SQUARE eaton square, sw1 Reception room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2nd bedroom ø shower room ø lift ø porter ø 90 sq m (964 sq ft) ø EPC=E Guide £3.75 million Leasehold JSA: Ayrton Wylie, 020 7730 4628

Savills Sloane Street

2

Richard Dalton rdalton@savills.com

020 7730 0822

AN IMPRESSIVE APARTMENT IN THE NORTH TERRACE OF EATON SQUARE eaton square, sw1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø dining room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2nd bedroom ø shower room ø 159 sq m (1,708 sq ft) ø EPC=C Guide £5.3 million Leasehold

Savills Sloane Street Richard Dalton rdalton@savills.com

020 7730 0822

savills.co.uk

1

AN IMPRESSIVE APARTMENT OVERLOOKING THE GARDENS OF CADOGAN PLACE cadogan place, sw1 3 bedrooms ø 53' double reception room ø 2 bathrooms ø porter ø parking by separate negotiation ø 198 sq m (2,127 sq ft) ø EPC=D £2,250 per week Unfurnished

Savills Sloane Street

2

Adam Simmonds asimmonds@savills.com

020 7824 9005

A CONTEMPORARY LATERAL APARTMENT SET IN A PERIOD MANSION BLOCK eaton mansions, sw1 3 double bedroom suites ø 3 reception rooms ø kitchen/ breakfast room ø porter ø lift ø 256 sq m (2,745 sq ft) ø EPC=C £4,150 per week Flexible furnishings

Savills Sloane Street Georgina Bartlett gbartlett@savills.com

020 7824 9005

Our buyers might not be local but we are Because we are a global company it means we can access our extensive database of international buyers, therefore offering you global reach combined with local expertise and individual attention

Cluttons Belgravia, 84 Bourne Street, London SW1W 8HQ 020 7730 0303 belgravia@cluttons.com Our history doesn’t define us, our people do cluttons.com/london

66

67

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To find(0)20 out more, please +44 (0)20 7225 6506 or To find out out more, please call call +44 (0)20 7225 65066506 or email To find more, please +44 7225 orcall email emma.thorne@harrodsestates.com emma.thorne@harrodsestates.com emma.thorne@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE ( ) 82 BROMPTON ROAD, 82 BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 0 20 65066506SW3 1ER T: +44 ( 0 )20 722 )20LONDON 82 BROMPTON ROAD, LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 ( 07225 7225

MAYFAIR OFFICE MAYFAIR OFFICE MAYFAIR OFFICE ( 0LANE, )20( 07409 61T:PARK 61 PARK LANE, LONDON W1KW1K 1QF 1QF +44 90019001W1K 1QF T: +44 ( 0 )20 7409 90 )20LONDON 61 PARK LANE, LONDON T: +44 7409

HARRODSESTATES.COM HARRODSESTATES.COM HARRODSESTATES.COM

Terms and conditions: Theto100,000 Harrods bonus points offerorispurchase available to Rewards members who sell pro Terms and conditions: The 100,000 HarrodsHarrods RewardsRewards bonus points offer is offer available to Rewards members whoRewards sellwho property with or with purchase property Terms and conditions: The 100,000 bonus points is available Rewards members sell property property from Harrods only and apply to property lettings.

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www.ayrtonwylie.com +44 (0) 20 7730 4628 (sales)

SOUTH EATON PLACE, SW1

A truly elegant and gracious family home in one of Belgravia’s most traditional and established residential locations. Notable features include high ceilings in the reception rooms at ground and first floor levels, a 34 ft open plan kitchen and dining room, which provides access to a quite stunning, westerly facing, landscaped patio garden.

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Master Bedroom & En Suite Bathroom • 4 Further Bedrooms • Bathroom Drawing Room • Reception Room • Study • Open-plan Kitchen • Breakfast Room/Dining Room • Laundry Room • Cloakroom • Landscaped Patio Garden

3280 sq ft / 304 sq m

FREEHOLD £8,050,000 16 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 0LN

JSA KNIGHT FRANK 020 7881 7722

sales@ayrtonwylie.com

www.ayrtonwylie.com +44 (0) 20 7730 4555 (lettings)

Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea

WILTON ROW, SW1

A stunning mews house in this idyllic, prestigious, private mews courtyard with security barrier and warden in Wilton Row. The property provides light, spacious accommodation and entertainment rooms.

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Master Bedroom with En suite & Dressing Room/study • 2 Further bedrooms with En suites • Reception Room • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • WC • Utility Room • Parking

2506 sq ft / 232 sq m

FURNISHED £4,350 PER WEEK sales@ayrtonwylie.com lettings@ayrtonwylie.com

Upper Belgrave Street, Belgravia SW1 • 2 Double bedrooms

• Fully fitted kitchen

• 2 Bathrooms

• Courtyard

• Guest cloakroom

• Garage parking

• 2 Reception rooms

• Approx. 2,540 sq ft (235 sq m)

“ An exclusive Belgravia apartment interior designed to an excellent standard ”

Guide price £2,850 per week Furnished

For more information call Lucy Morton on 020 7306 1630 or email lmorton@waellis.co.uk

W.A.Ellis LLP 174 Brompton Road London SW3 1HP

waellis.co.uk

Ebury Street, Belgravia SW1 • 3 Bedrooms

• Vault

• 2 Bathrooms

• Balcony

• Large reception room

• Patio garden

• Kitchen / breakfast room • Approx. 1,452 sq ft (135 sq m)

Guide price £1,900,000 Leasehold with 86 years remaining

“ A south-facing ground and lower ground floor maisonette in this highly regarded Belgravia street”

Eaton Square, Belgravia SW1 Grand living in one of London’s most prestigious addresses.

Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Reception room • Dining room • Balcony 24 hour porterage and security • Approximately 1,763 sq ft / 163 sq m

020 7495 9580

casper.tham@sothebysrealty.co.uk

Guide Price: £1,450,000 Leasehold with approximately seven years remaining

Over 600 Offices in 46 Countries

SIR Belgravia Res_Feb 13.indd 1

sothebysrealty.co.uk

14/01/2013 10:00

SIR

West Eaton Place, Belgravia SW1 An elegant London pied-à-terre in a premier location.

Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, dressing room and private courtyard • Bedroom two with en-suite bathroom • Third bedroom Double reception room • Entrance hall • Kitchen/dining room • Terrace Cloakroom • Study • Storage vault • Approximately 2,051 sq ft / 191 sq m

020 7808 8540

philippa.cockburn@sothebysrealty.co.uk

Guide Price: £2,550,000 Leasehold

Over 600 Offices in 46 Countries 10:00

SIR Belgravia Res_Feb 13.indd 2

sothebysrealty.co.uk 14/01/2013 10:00

Knight Frank

Chester Row, Belgravia SW1 Exceptional Belgravia town house

An extremely well-proportioned townhouse located in one of Belgravia’s most sought after addresses. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms, 2 further bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, utility room, guest cloakroom, garden, balcony. Grade II listed building. Approximately 265 sq m (2,849 sq ft) including vaults.

Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ5,750,000 (BGV120112)

Knightfrank.co.uk/Belgravia belgravia@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5910

Knight Frank

Ebury Mews, Belgravia SW1W

Mews house with an exceptional reception room A beautifully presented three bedroom mews house located in a prime position close to the amenities of Elizabeth Street. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2 further double bedrooms (1 en suite), family shower room, large reception room with dining area, kitchen, garage parking by separate negotiation. EPC Rating C. Approximately 130 sq m (1,395 sq ft) Available unfurnished Guide price: ÂŁ1,650 per week

(BEQ130978)

Knightfrank.co.uk/Lettings belgravialettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6006

EATON PLACE, SW1 An exceptionally attractive Grade II Listed, 1st and 2nd floor maisonette in the heart of Belgravia.

2 bedrooms, dressing room, 2 en suite bathrooms, reception room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom, roof terrace, 2 balconies.

Lease to 2119 Guide Price £4,850,000

2 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, shower room, drawing room, kitchen/dining room, garden.

Lease to 2102 Guide Price £1,995,000

BELGRAVIA 020 7824 7900 belgravia@johndwood.co.uk

Belgravia Residents Journal Feb13.indd 1

D

R GEN E FO

IONS AT R

A period cottage, superbly equipped and finished in a contemporary style.

Energy Rating: D.

TRUSTE

CHESTER ROW, SW1

141 Years of Property

18

72 - 2013

www.johndwood.co.uk

11/01/2013 17:19

Lease Alert!

London has never looked b

3895 London 2012 Belgravia.indd 1

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3895

struttandparker.com

d better.

2012 was an extraordinary year for London.

And for London property.

Last year we showed the world what a fantastic place London is.

From the memorable Queen’s Jubilee to the inspiring and triumphant spirit of London in 2012, we celebrated with the world and proved what makes this city such a vibrant, culturally-rich cosmopolitan place and undeniably, the world’s most desirable real estate capital.

Strutt & Parker have sold and let more property than ever before and achieved 104% of our clients’ combined asking prices whilst doing so.

Despite fewer people coming to the market, it took us on average less than a month to agree terms for our clients.

Furthermore, 97% of our clients said that they would use us again; a statistic we cherish most.

But we prefer to let our clients speak for us...

Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair

020 7235 9959

17:18

3895 London 2012 Belgravia.indd 2

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LD SO

LD SO

£32,500,000

£17,350,000

LD

LD

One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge An exquisitely designed three bedroom apartment provides extensive lateral accommodation and the most stunning views of iconic London landmarks.

SO

Xavier, Knightsbridge

SO

I have to admit that the Strutt & Parker team were by far the best agents I’ve met and I was able to present different apartments corresponding to my request. Their dynamism and experience was hugely appreciated.

Chester Square, Belgravia One of the most impressive houses in Belgravia, with mews garaging, lift, roof garden and interior designed by Finchatton.

£5,540,000

£8,750,000

T

Eaton Terrace, Belgravia A grand unmodernised 4,465 sq ft freehold townhouse with an integral double garage, just off Sloane Square.

LE

T LE

I wish to let you know that since I started my relationship with Strutt & Parker, I am learning to appreciate how much they stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The Knightsbridge, Knightsbridge Offering far-reaching views from a 34 foot long balcony, this luxury two bedroom apartment benefits from 24 hour concierge service.

Menashe, Knightsbridge

£1,100 per week

£3,950 per week Clabon Mews, Knightsbridge A stunning newly developed four bedroom mews house with integral garage, in one of Knightsbridge’s most desirable mews.

LE

LE

T

T

Curzon Square, Mayfair An exceptionally well presented two bedroom flat situated in a well maintained portered block with underground parking.

£7,000 per week (Short let)

Pont St Mews, Knightsbridge A sensational two/three bedroom period mews house that has undergone the most spectacular modernisation programme.

£3,250 per week Eaton Place, Belgravia This stunning lateral flat is situated in a white stucco fronted building on one of the most sought after streets of Belgravia.

10 offices in central London 50 offices across England & Scotland Exclusive UK affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate with 1,049 affiliate offices in 42 countries

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struttandparker.com

Year after year, we deliver excellent results for our clients.

We take pride in knowing that our philosophy, approach and passion for selling and letting property in London has achieved extraordinary results for our clients.

Our attention to detail, coupled with excellent customer service and expertise in the marketplace unveils a track record of delivering on promise every time. So much so that 97% of our clients said they would use again.

We are proud to count amongst our clients many of the property industries leading professionals who choose to use us above their own agency.

So, if you wish to get the most out of your property, whether you are considering selling or letting, contact: Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair

3895 London 2012 Belgravia.indd 4

020 7235 9959

09/01/2013 17:18

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k 020 7987 4320