DAW N A striking, seductive encounter A touch is all it takes to transform Dawn’s seductive shape, as the sleek hood folds away in silence. A true four-seater, crafted in anticipation of unexpected last-minute escapes. Enjoy the luxury of choice with a bespoke funding solution from Rolls-Royce Financial Services.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London 15 Berkeley Square, London W1J 6EG +44 (0) 20 3699 6608 www.rolls-roycemotorcars-london.co.uk Official fuel economy figures for the Rolls-Royce Dawn: Urban 13.2mpg (21.4l/100km). Extra Urban 28.5mpg (9.9l/100km). Combined 20.0mpg (14.1l/100km). CO2 emissions 330g/km. Figures may vary depending on driving style and conditions. Š Copyright Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited 2016. The Rolls-Royce name and logo are registered trademarks.
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CONTENTS July 2016 30
Regulars 10 Editor’s letter 13 Five minutes with... Founder of EF MEDISPA Esther Fieldgrass reveals her top beauty tips 14 The agenda Our pick of this month’s exhibitions, events and openings in and around St John’s Wood 56 Fashion shoot Rock the latest S/S16 beachwear trends without having to bare all
18 56
Features 16 Bowled away As the cricket season returns, take a look back at the history of Lord’s Cricket Ground
56 unveils his first monograph of bird’s-eye beach views 46 The ABC of exhibitions See what’s on at London Art Week, Brown’s London Art Weekend and Christie’s 90 Some like it hot Restaurateur Nobu Matsuhisa expands his empire with a new opening in Paris 98 Sense and tranquillity Six Senses opens the doors of its first European outpost in Portugal’s Douro Valley
16 18 Put your records on Abbey Road Studios launches a new collection of LPs 26 The little black book Penguin Classics celebrates 70 years with a line of rainbow reads 30 Gray Matter Photographer Gray Malin
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34 Collection
55 Fashion
81 Health & beauty
94 Travel
43 Art & antiques
73 Interiors
87 Food & drink
103 Property
THE NEW V3. OUR LIGHTEST LUGGAGE. EVER.
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EDITOR’S LETTER
editor
From the J U L Y 2 0 1 6 s i ssue 0 0 2
Acting Editor Lauren Romano Contributing Editors Hannah Lemon Katy Parker Jewellery Editor Olivia Sharpe Watch Editor Richard Brown Editorial Assistants Ellen Millard Marianne Dick Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong Senior Designer Grace Linn Production Hugo Wheatley Jamie Steele Danny Lesar Alice Ford General Manager Fiona Fenwick Executive Director Sophie Roberts Managing Director Eren Ellwood
Proudly published by
“Music is everybody’s possession. It’s only publishers who think that people own it.” John Lennon As anyone who has ever driven past the capital’s most congested zebra crossing will tell you, The Beatles have a lot to answer for. The site of many a musical pilgrimage, Abbey Road Studios is back in the spotlight as it remasters classic albums from its back catalogue in vinyl form. Tune in on page 18. Elsewhere the unmistakable thwack of leather on willow provides a different sort of soundtrack to the summer, and it’s all eyes on Lord’s this month as the cricket season gets underway (p.16). For those who would rather escape the sporting action altogether, photographer Gray Malin has released a monograph of his famous bird’s-eye beach views, perfect for a flick through when you get stuck in that traffic jam...
RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP
6th Floor, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AX 020 7987 4320 www.rwmg.co.uk Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved. DISTRIBUTION: The Marylebone & Fitzrovia Magazine is distributed in Marylebone, Fitzrovia and the surrounding areas
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Lauren Romano Acting Editor
On the
cover
Also published by
R u n w i ld M ed i a G r o u p
Glasswork by bob crooks, photography by ian jackson. read more on page 15
luxurylondon.co.uk A website. A mindset. A lifestyle.
Start your day with some colour. Now taking reservations for breakfast in our first floor dining room • 7:30am to 11:30am
Regulars
5 mi n u tes w it h . . .
My mother always took great care of herself. Every week she would go and have her nails and her hair done and she’d always be buying make-up. I think girls get engrossed in beauty regimes and I did in particular because I grew up with a mother who took pride in her appearance.
Sun spots make people look old. Starting to wear an anti-
I like combination therapies. I’ve just had the 3D Skinlift for the face, which works on the muscles, the collagen and resurfacing the skin using ultrasound technology. I combine that with Mesotherapy, which are little injections of vitamins and minerals that go all round the face. It’s a fabulous treatment.
oxidant and a sunblock early in life is really important. Having white teeth also makes you look better. A smile says everything about a person and that’s the thing that will make you look the best and youngest.
Caking on make-up is the biggest mistake most people make. It makes your skin look terrible. For me, beauty is about having beautiful skin, no matter what age you are. A lot of young girls put way too much foundation and blusher on and it just makes them look older. That’s something that you really want to cut out. Use a tinted SPF instead; I like the ones from DermaQuest.
ESTHER FIELDGRASS The founder of EF MEDISPA on the necessity of SPF and how smiling gives a more youthful appearance
there is incredible, but so is the cost of it. Some of the machinery I have costs as much as a Mercedes. It’s crazy.
I used to live in Notting Hill Gate and Andy Warhol lived opposite me. It was a great thing but you can imagine back in the 1970s Notting Hill Gate wasn’t as plush as it is today; it was much more bohemian. Now I live in Holland Park and have done for almost 20 years.
My mother always used to say to me “darling, a little maintenance goes a long way”. I don’t agree with women having Botox in their 20s but maybe a little in their 30s. It’s all about maintainance: the way your eyebrows are done, keeping your teeth immaculate and your skin flawless.
When I started out it was all about facials and massages, but its gone way beyond that now. The technology that’s out
I love the architecture in London. I was driving past
“Some of the machinery I have costs as much as a Mercedes. It’s crazy”
Buckingham Palace and they had all the flags up for Trooping the Colour and it looked magnificent. This city has so much history to it; I just love it.
All images courtesy of EF Medi Spa and Dermaquest
3D Skinlift by Ultraformer available at EF MEDISPA, 69 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8, efmedispa.com
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Flowers: Art and Bouquets by Assouline
Budding talent Flowers: Art and Bouquets presents floral images from different time periods, captured by more than 40 contemporary artists. The collection is accompanied by French journalist Sixtine Dubly’s account of the evolution of floral design from Vincent van Gogh to Andy Warhol, and interviews with talented, international artists and designers. From elaborate and colourful bursts of floral imagery to the elegant minimalism of a single bud, this book offers all the greenfingered inspiration you need this summer. £58, Flowers: Art and Bouquets by Assouline, assouline.com
NOW
Showing
Images courtesy of Benjamin John Hall and Fashion Space Gallery
The agenda Local news and events from in and around the area W O R D S : N i chol a M u r p h y
OUT & ABOUT
Sweet charity On 3 July The ARRT Society will host a garden party in aid of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, sponsored by Kay & Co. A Mandois champagne reception, musical peformances by vocal quartet Three and a Half Men and a charity auction will be held in Cleveland Square to raise funds for a new anaesthetic machine for the hospital. £35, 3 July, Cleveland Square, W2, thearrtsociety.org
Musical interlude St Marylebone Parish Church opens its doors for the first St Marylebone Festival this month. Daily concerts will celebrate the 900th anniversary of the parish, while others will mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, by setting the bard’s most famous verses to music. £50 week pass, £5 lunchtime concerts, £10 evening concerts, 18-24 July, stmarylebonefestival.eventbrite.com
St Marylebone Parish Church
walk this way Footwear gets political at Fashion Space Gallery this month with Laboratory 12, an exhibition of eight pairs of shoes, accompanied by drawings, photographs and films. Designer Benjamin John Hall took inspiration from geopolitics and espionage for his collection (Laboratory 12, is code for a secret KGB poison lab). By enlisting the help of specialist practitioners, such as 3D print designer Martyn Carter and architect Richard Beckett, the resulting tech-forward footwear collection explores the tactics used by security agencies across the globe. Who said footwear was fickle? Until 16 July, Fashion Space Gallery, 20 John Princes Street, W1G, fashionspacegallery.com
Regulars
Muhammad Ali, Monopoly, Louisville, Kentucky, 1963 © Steve Schapiro
Heat of glass Those looking to update their homes with a splash of colour should look no further than Cecilia Colman Gallery, where glassware and ceramics are available in rainbow shades. Works by both established and up-andcoming artists are on offer, from eye-catching vases by Bob Crooks (pictured) to unique floral designs by Louise Cloke. 67 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8, ceciliacolmangallery.com
flower vase by bob crooks, image by ian jackson
EXHIBITIONS A moment in time Throughout the summer Atlas Gallery is showcasing work from Steve Schapiro’s photographic series Heroes. Well-known cultural icons are the subject of Schapiro’s lens, with a specific focus on David Bowie. From rare images of Ziggy Stardust, to key figures in the Civil Rights Movement, including the late, great Muhammad Ali, don’t miss this blast from the past. Until 20 August, Atlas Gallery, 49 Dorset Street, W1U, atlasgallery.com
From left: Column; fabrica of cards; Constellation of Pisces; all © Elena and Michel Gran
Off the scale Taking the French tradition of trompe l’oeil – ‘to deceive the eye’ – as their starting point, Elena and Michel Gran’s contemporary style presents a twist on realism. Their paintings combine an interest with still life and science and a fascination with scales, weights and measures. Don’t miss the last chance to catch the reality bending Paris-based artists at Catto Gallery this month. Until 5 July, Catto Gallery,100 Heath Street, NW3, cattogallery.uk
Unravelling layers
Left to right: Every Tool is a Weapon if you Hold it Right XXXVI (2016) © Pio Abad, courtesy of Edel Assanti; Apollo Trampling on the Red Square (1991) © Timur Novikov, courtesy of the artist’s estate
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Edel Assanti presents Metatextile, a collection of historic and contemporary works that question social hierarchies and values. By using textiles in unexpected ways, a number of artists have attempted to challenge a series of cultural and historical narratives. Look out for works by Jeremy Deller and Maja Bajevic, whose embroidered tapestries allude to fluctuations in the stock market. Until 12 August, Edel Assanti,74a Newman Street, W1T, edelassanti.com 15
PITCH PERFECT As the cricket season returns this summer, Rebekah Dixon looks back at the history of Lord’s Cricket Ground, from its clash with a teetotal landlord to securing its status as the spirtual home of the game
C
ricket fan or no cricket fan, it’s likely that you’ll have heard of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The prestigious society has long made itself at home at Lord’s, where it has been integral in shaping the sport as we know it today, from the rulebook to the roster of tournaments held each year. Fans from all walks of life will flock to the grounds in the coming weeks as the test series gets underway, culminating with the England v Pakistan fixture starting on 14 July, but Lord’s hasn’t always been such an inclusive venue. Much like hunting and shooting, cricket was once the game of the upper classes and Lord’s was originally founded as a private haven for the sport’s aristocratic fans, who were annoyed that their former haunt of choice, the White Conduit Club in Islington, was becoming increasingly popular with the lower classes. Thomas Lord, the founder of Lord’s Cricket Ground, was at the time working as a bowler
aBOVE: Lords through Time by Anthony Meredith, published by Amberley Publishing Main Image: England v Australia Test 2015, © Claire Skinner/MCC
and groundsman at the Islington club. In response to the noblemens’ pleas for a more exclusive venue, Lord founded the first of his grounds in 1786, in what is now known as Dorset Square. It was here that the MCC was formed, which created a Code of Laws that required wickets to be pitched 22 yards apart and dictated the roles of each player. These rules are enshrined in cricket law and are still recognised worldwide today. The grounds, however, were not so successful. In his book Lord’s Through Time, Anthony Meredith reveals how the space quickly became a hotspot for lawlessness. “Early on in the 23 years he ran this ground, Lord put up a fence and charged non-members sixpence for entrance. The large crowds and high stakes – the very first match was played for two guineas – both encouraged crime.” Eventually, Lord was forced to move the club in 1811 to the Eyre Estate in St John’s Wood. This new location
FEATURE
proved unpopular as the landlord disagreed with the consumption of alcohol, so in 1814 it was relocated to St John’s Wood Road, where it remains today. Since it began the club has been pivotal in cricketing history. Along with creating the Code of Laws, the MCC is home to the Eton v Harrow
For the first time in six years, Pakistan will return to British soil to compete against England cricket matches, which have been played annually since 1805. The club also played an important role in the origin of the Ashes tournament: it was here that England was beaten by Australia in 1882, its first ever loss on home soil. The next day, The Sporting Times wrote a joke obituary for the “death of English cricket”. When England next toured Australia, the team burnt a pair of hay bales in response to the article and the ashes were put in the now famous urn. Today the club remains the most renowned cricketing venue in the world. This summer the season returns to Lord’s, where Pakistan will grace British soil for the first time in six years to compete against England. Will it be history in the making? Watch this space.
rIGHT: aLL IMAGES FROM Lords through Time by Anthony Meredith, published by Amberley Publishing bELOW: England v South Africa Test 2012, © cLAIRE sKINNER/mcc
Lords Through Time by Anthony Meredith, £14.99, amberley-books.com; Lord’s Cricket Grounds, NW8, lords.org
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Put Your
Records On
FEATURE
As Abbey Road Studios releases a collection of remastered vinyl records, Ellen Millard discovers why the phonograph is making a comeback three decades after it was written off
T
he first time I heard a vinyl record, I was sitting in my friend’s bedroom at university along with a gaggle of other students. As a birthday present, his parents had given him a record player. Our night out at the Students’ Union temporarily abandoned, we crammed into his tiny dorm to see if there was any truth to his claim that “nothing sounds better than vinyl”. As a group of millennials who’d grown up through the rise and demise of CDs, to us the turntable was a redundant object and those who still listened to it, or mooched around in stuffy record shops hoping to unearth some rare Lou Reed, slotted firmly into the ‘hipster’ category. But none of us could deny that our tinny MP3s paled in comparison to the phonograph. We might have been late to jump on the vinyl bandwagon but we weren’t the only ones. At the turn of the millennium, when YouTube, iTunes and streaming sites were on
Above: Photography by Hugh Thompson
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This page: images courtesy of universal pictures
the rise, it was predicted that the days of vinyl were well and truly over. But in 2007 a growing interest in LPs saw a surge in sales. It was at this time that a team of record store owners in Baltimore conceived of Record Store Day, an annual event on the third Saturday of April that celebrates independent record shops around the world. Nearly ten years later and it’s still going strong; this year’s event produced the biggest week of sales for LPs since the introduction of SoundScan (a sales tracking system for the music industry). Trend forecasters can no longer ignore the upward trajectory. Last year the UK’s Official Charts Company set up a countdown of vinyl singles and albums and, more recently, supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s and Tesco have started stocking records by Adele, Amy Winehouse, The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. But for Abbey Road Studios, the world’s most iconic recording facility where chart-topping albums by some of Britain’s finest pop musicians have been created, a vinyl revival has always been on the cards. While the studios’ mastering engineer Miles Showell jokes that had he known he would have “bet a fortune on it”, he admits that, behind the scenes, vinyl has always held sway. “In reality vinyl records never really went away. Even at the height of the CD era I was still cutting quite a lot of masters for vinyl albums,”
“In a disconnected age of digital streaming, vinyl has the power to reconnect a fan to the artist”
FEATURE
he tells me. “It became a format of choice for certain sections of the hi-fi fraternity, as well as a nifty marketing tool for some artists. Now it has greatly surpassed this. In a disconnected age of digital streaming, vinyl has the power to reconnect a fan to the artist in a romantic, physical way.” It’s little wonder then that Showell and Abbey Road Studios have curated a selection of classic albums to remaster in vinyl form, which include Cream’s Disraeli Gears, Ghost in the Machine by The Police, John Martyn’s Solid Air and The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St., which join other masterpieces like The Beatles’ Abbey Road in the studios’ shop. The process, known as half-speed, is a complicated procedure that involves – as the name suggests – playing the original recording at half the speed while cutting the disc at the same pace. Unsurprisingly, it takes twice as long as cutting a regular vinyl record, but Showell assures me that the result – a crisper, clearer sound – is worth the additional labour. And it’s not just the creation process that adds minutes to the clock; listening to vinyl records takes patience and “requires a lot more input from the listener”, he explains. “You really need to work hard to keep it sounding good as there are all manner of problems that can quickly become show stoppers. But if you have a good cut, good pressing and if it’s played back on a good turntable, arm and cartridge combination, it can sound out of this world. I appreciate that there are a lot of ‘ifs’ in there, but when it all works properly, the results can be breathtaking.” You don’t have to take Showell’s word for it – critics agree that the remastered albums have been given a new lease of life using the half-speed process. While vinyl records still only account for six per cent of overall music sales, the format is certainly on the rise, outliving cassette tapes and CDs and defying the digital age. Will it last? “The format has been written off for more than 30 years now and it’s still here,” Showell says matter-of-factly. “So long as we can keep the cutting lathes working and so long as the pressing plants can keep their record presses operational, it should be around for many years yet.” You heard it here first. Abbey Road Studios’ remastered series is available now, £25 per LP, 3 Abbey Road, NW8, abbeyroad.com
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from Top: John Martyn, Solid Air; Free, Fire and Water; Illustration of The Beatles, Abbey Road by Martin M. Rocha; Cream, Disreali Gears; The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St.
DID YOU KNOW? Abbey Road Studios was originally called EMI Studios, but changed its name in 1970 after The Beatles’ Abbey Road album made the street – and the studio – famous. Today fans from around the world visit the area to mimic the iconic album cover. The sleeve and destination have become so well known that the zebra crossing pictured in the photograph was given Grade II Listed Status by the government in December 2010.
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INTERVIEW
o J AT H O M E W I T H . . .
The interior designer shares her ‘love vivid, live vivid’ mantra as she gives Lauren Romano a tour of her north-west London home
Berryman
D
olly the dachshund-shih tzu cross is the first member of the Berryman clan I meet as I as cross the threshold and step into an entrance hall painted a striking shade of St Giles Blue. Hot on my heels, she follows me downstairs to the basement kitchen-diner, where she territorially stakes her claim on an original Bill Andrus Steles sofa and armchairs. The mid-century three-piece suite wouldn’t look out of place in a Frank Lloyd Wright designed LA pad, although its spidery, milk chocolate leather still manages to fit right in with the rest of the furniture at the Hampstead terrace. Guard dog duties performed, Dolly pipes down and starts circling around her owner, Jo Berryman, who emerges with 15-monthold Romy on her hip. It’s been a busy year for Berryman. As well as rebranding her design studio (formerly known as Matrushka), she’s relocated her office from the first floor of her house into a new space in Fitzrovia, and had the builders move in to tackle an extensive renovation that was completed just weeks before her daughter was born. Not that you would be able to tell. Berryman is the picture of serenity; juggling the baby, fielding calls from the office and sticking the kettle on to
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make me tea, all the while looking far too fresh-faced for a mother currently in the throes of ‘attachment parenting’ bedtime drills. “Changing the company name to Jo Berryman has been one of the most significant business decisions I’ve ever made,” she begins. “It’s clearer what the studio is all about. It feels like my baby – she’s all grown up now and she needs a name to match.” Even in its infancy the Berryman brand didn’t fair too badly. Over the years she’s styled an Edwardian mansion in Hampstead that was rented by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, and designed an LA apartment for Gary Lineker. More recently with her core team of three she has worked on numerous commercial offices,
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such as the Bertha Foundation & DocHouse in Cavendish Square. But residential projects will always be her bread and butter. “I have a very soft space in my heart for those sorts of jobs. I’m not a cookie-cutter designer. I don’t just do various shades of taupe on taupe, or churn out the same looks. It is really a response to how the family move and live within their home.” Littered with French flea market finds and retro gems from Alfies Antique Market and Mid-Century Online, her own home bears the hallmarks of her so called ‘future classic’ aesthetic. She moved in in 2008 after being charmed by its “beautiful Victorian bones”. For the most recent renovation Berryman collaborated with friend and architect Takero Shimazaki to maximise the existing Cantifix extension by creating a little minstrels’ gallery with a desk space for nine-year-old Nico (her eldest daughter from her first marriage to Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman), and adding a garden room. As a big advocate of colour, hues weave their way through the various floors of the house. From the gleaming golden accents in the kitchen to the bright blue walls and red carpet in the hallway and the smoky, inky greys used in the bedroom – a white cube this is not. “One of my mantras is: love vivid, live vivid. I’m not afraid of colour. It adds bursts of interest. I like to tell each family’s story through the schemes we go for,” she continues. “It’s important to create durable shells on which you can move stuff around, evolve – it’s the theatre of your life in a way.” Upstairs, Berryman’s bedroom suite is a decadent sanctuary, complete with a sumptuous dressing room with a roll-top bath and a walk-in shoe closet, where row upon row of enviable Miu Miu and Nicholas Kirkwood heels sit neatly arranged. “I love the idea of having space when I dress,” she explains. She is inspired by “great dames” such as the unstoppable fashion legend Iris Apfel, American artist Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo. But if she ever suffers from a bout of designer’s block she turns to Grey Gardens, a 1975 American documentary film depicting the lives of the reclusive aunt and cousin of former US First Lady Jackie Onassis. “I always think: ‘what would Edie do?’” she says. “She’s my style icon on many different levels.”
“I’m not a cookie-cutter designer. I don’t just do various shades of taupe on taupe, or churn out the same looks” All Photography by rob cadman
Before entering the interiors realm, Berryman moved in sartorial circles, working at Elle and Agent Provocateur before launching her own fashion boutique Jezebel. “I feel like interiors is so much more enduring and soulful,” she confides. “The fashion world is too capricious for my liking. I love fashion but I’m not a slave to it, it doesn’t move me anymore.” She admits she approaches the task of dressing herself like she would her home. Today she’s channelling the ’70s with wide-legged striped trousers, suede mules, a frilly floral blouse and sapphire and ruby rings from Zoe & Morgan in Primrose Hill. “I’m trying to do sort of dapper gentleman meets frothy Penelope Keith chic – splicing the masculine and the feminine. It’s what I do in design and I like to balance those polarities: a tailored trouser with a frothy top, or a gorgeous dress with some
INTERVIEW
knackered boots. I love unlikely juxtapositions.” Talk turns to her dream interiors project – either a crazy, gothic folly, nestled in the woods, or a mid-century Californian gem – but she’d love a hotel gig. The closest she’s come so far is a boutique retreat, 42 Acres, in Somerset where frazzled city dwellers can switch off with raw food feasts and yoga workshops. Her own wellbeing strategies revolve around natural movement and clean eating, with the occasional slice of carrot cake (she insists I join her in sharing a Melrose and Morgan bake with my tea). “I go to Ibiza a lot [she married her husband Philip Bergkvist there last year]. There’s this cluster of likeminded people who are really into design and spirituality and love good food and wine.” This summer however the family is forgoing the sunshine for a trek up to the Isle of Arran, where a friend has bought a castle on the coast. Plans of leaving the rat race behind haven’t crossed Berryman’s mind though. The family recently sold their bolthole in the Cotswolds to a client, fully furnished, because they weren’t really using it. “There’s a sense of community in northwest London that you might not expect. Yes, you do have to forfeit a bit of space, but having Hampstead Heath on your doorstep makes up for it. I feel like I’m such a part of the furniture here now.” joberryman.com
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IMAGE Courtesy of the Isokon Gallery
FEATURE
The little
Black
Book After several years of monochrome tomes, Penguin Classics is launching a collection of jewel-toned books in collaboration with Skandium and Isokon Plus. Ellen Millard discovers how the trio came to work together
P
icture this: it’s 1934 and Allen Lane, director of The Bodley Head publishing company, is on his way back from a meeting with Agatha Christie. Before boarding his train, Lane visits the station’s shop to peruse the magazine and fiction selection on offer. Finding nothing suitable, he instead spends his journey brainstorming a collection of quality books that could be sold at an inexpensive price, so inexpensive that they could be bought from a kiosk, or even a vending machine.
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FEATURE
It was this lightbulb moment that paved the way for Penguin Books, the publishing house that sold good literature for the same price as a packet of cigarettes. In 1935, Lane set up the company as an imprint of The Bodley Head, praying that the public would latch on to the idea. The entreprise needed to sell 17,000 copies for it to be a success; when Woolworths put in an order for 63,000, Lane took Penguin Books and established it as its own company. Its produce was soon being sold in railway stations, tobacconists, kiosks, department stores and, much to Lane’s delight, a vending machine on Charing Cross Road, which was dubbed the ‘Penguincubator’. In the years that followed, the company expanded to include Puffin Books, Pelican Books and Penguin Classics. The latter published its first novel in 1946, a translation of The Odyssey by E.V. Rieu. Now, 70 years since the first Penguin Classic went to print, the brand is launching a selection of novels in rainbow jackets. The Pocket Penguins include texts by Virginia Woolf, D. H. Lawrence and Leo Tolstoy, amongst others, and will be the first in a long line of classics to be published without the brand’s signature black and white cover. But how are Isokon Plus and Skandium involved? In the 1930s, a powerhouse of design heavyweights would congregate at the Isobar, a restaurant in the heart of the Isokon building (an apartment block in Hampstead). Among them was Jack Pritchard, an influential furniture designer and founder of Isokon; Sir Julian Huxley, the director of London Zoo; architect Berthold Lubetkin, the creator of the now-famous penguin pool at the Regent’s Park menagerie and Allen Lane. This team of movers and thinkers were the luminaries of their time and leaders in their respective fields. It was this partnership that led to a number of eminent designs that are still around today. These include Penguin’s renowned logo, which was created by artist Edward Young and inspired by the penguin pool at London Zoo, and the Isokon Penguin Donkey, a bookcase designed especially for the original Penguin paperbacks.
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Penguin has transformed the humble paperback into a bookshelf staple IMAGES Courtesy of the Isokon Gallery
Skandium’s role in the story comes a little later on in the form of the Isokon Gallery, a permanent museum in Belsize Park that is dedicated to the furniture brand’s legacy, created by Skandium’s co-founder Magnus Englund. Along with an archive of Isokon’s work, the gallery hosts an annual exhibition about an aspect of the brand’s past. This year’s theme is, of course, penguins, bringing the Penguin Classics, the Penguin Donkey and London Zoo’s penguin pool under one roof. It’s an admittedly confusing and rather longwinded connection that clumps these three houses together, but in a 21st-century throwaway society it’s little wonder that three masters of perennial design have stuck together. The new collection of Pocket Penguins is available to buy at Skandium’s Marylebone store and, should you need a bookcase to house your rainbow reads in, Isokon’s Donkey series will also be on offer. Seventy years of classics and counting, Penguin has transformed the humble paperback into a bookshelf staple, letting the work of literary greats do the talking with a minimalist design that has become recognised worldwide, perhaps proving that the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover” may not be so accurate after all. Pocket Penguins from £6.99 and Penguin Donkey, £595, available at Skandium, 86 Marylebone High Street, W1U, skandium.com; Penguins at the Isokon is on until October, The Isokon Gallery, Lawn Road, NW3, isokongallery.co.uk
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GRAY MATTER Best known for his bird’s-eye beach views, photographer Gray Malin has released his first monograph, Beaches, which is a New York Times bestseller just weeks after publication. He tells Louise Rose why it was worth the vertigo
FEATURE
H
e first set up shop with nothing but a photo booth at a Sunday swap-meet in West Hollywood, and went on to travel the world, capturing the high-life from Rio to Rimini and Sydney to Dubai. But Gray Malin’s work isn’t all about excess, or the lifestyles of the rich and famous – quite the opposite. It’s about capturing the beauty of the scenery, the people and the “wanderlust”. While his earlier work, such as his Prada Marfa campaign shots, put him on the fashion map, and collaborations with Veuve Clicquot and Orlebar Brown garnered him a following outside the art world, there’s really nothing more pleasing for a holiday junkie than beach-gazing. And Malin has many more stretches of sand to cover yet...
LEFT: TAHITI CLUB, Saint-Tropez, France, photo © 2016 gray malin, graymalin.com ABOVE: GRAY MALIN, PHOTO CREDIT: RYAN GARVIN
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I first started taking pictures when I was a teenager, but I never really thought of photography as a viable career. However, I
removed the door before we took off and said: “Just be careful not to lean out too far”.
The pools from above were lovely but it wasn't until we swung out over South Beach that I first saw the beauty of beach umbrellas from above. I immediately turned my lens towards the
continued to pursue it – even though my parents thought I was insane. After college I ended up moving to LA and interned for some big names in the industry, such as David LaChapelle. I never gave up on the dream.
beach and haven't looked back. I love the geometric composition of octagonal umbrellas, rectangular loungers and swirly colourful sunbathers dotting the crisp white sand – it's my universal canvas.
My À La Plage [beach aerial] series all started in a top-floor hotel room. I had a bird’s-eye view of the resort’s giant swimming pool filled with people below. I snapped an image that became my computer screensaver and after months of staring at it, the idea hit me. I went to Miami for Art Basel but most of the hotels wouldn’t allow me access to their rooftops, so I did the next best thing – rented a helicopter. I remember the pilot
I work in different ways depending on the project. An aerial series such as À La Plage and À La
ABOVE: coogee wave, sydney, australia
Montagne is about capturing the joyfulness of being at the beach for a day of sun or hitting the slopes during your winter holiday. For something more conceptual, such as Gray Malin at the Parker [a fantasy
FEATURE
world of animals taking over the Parker Palm Springs hotel], I have specific shots in mind. I created an entire storyline ahead of time and cast the characters for their roles. I’m most proud of my Antarctica collection as it was the most challenging body of work I have captured to date. The beauty of the landscape is phenomenal, but with unforeseeable winds and shifting ice, it certainly is not the most cooperative place to shoot. It changes your perspective about our world.
I love to travel for work and play. I plan on shooting more in the US and people can expect some new aerial beach images from Rio and Bora Bora. Sometimes you need to just get off the grid and relax, and then other times you need to delve into what the location you’re in has to offer. Cape Town has the whole package. Beyond being a truly awe-inspiring place, it has the most beautiful rugged coasts, incredible wildlife and world class wine country. It’s a must for anyone’s bucket list. Italy makes me smile from ear to ear every time I’m there.
Beaches is my first monograph. After seeing the results of my first shoot in Miami, I was hooked. I have spent the last five years travelling across
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above: starmint umbrellas, rimini, italy, both © 2016 gray malin, graymalin.com
multiple countries spanning six continents. Along with many of the À la Plage images in Beaches, I also include behind the scenes photos, tips on what to do in certain locations and share personal experiences.
In terms of other photographers who have influenced me, I am a huge admirer of Gastón Ugalde. He mentored me during my shoot in Bolivia for my Far Far Away series. I just adore his whole demeanour and his vision. He is a true artist. I also love Slim Aarons for his timeless and luxurious photographs, Christo and JeanneClaude for their forward thinking and structural work, and of course David LaChapelle for his artistic editorial vision that's so grand, yet relatable.
Once upon a time the photographer was behind the camera, rarely seen. But that’s changed. I find social media helpful because I can interact with the online community in a very engaged way. It’s amazing to know immediately what people are responding to, which I consider a positive for the future of photography. Beaches by Gray Malin, Abrams, £25, abramsbooks.com, graymalin.com
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COLLECTION
Sophie’s choice
I
n a true celebration of Britishness, Sophie Dahl is the inspiration behind jeweller Boodles’s new collection, which has aptly been christened after the former model and bestselling author. The range’s abstract heart-shaped design pays tribute to Dahl’s loyalty over the past three years as the brand’s ambassador and muse, and has been set within two pendants – one in platinum and white diamonds, the other in 18-karat rose gold with diamonds and pale pink mother-ofpearl detailing. This feminine and wearable design has been created from diamond-set lines that meet in the middle to form an infinite circle. The collection will shortly be extended to include earrings and bracelets. Sophie collection, 178 New Bond Street, W1S, boodles.com
Photography: Greg Williams
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s l u x u ry l o n d o n . c o. u k s
There are approximately
2 million sports injuries in the UK every year – 95% of which are soft tissue injuries
Stop that injury affecting your fitness, book a consultation today. Early diagnosis, treatment and physiotherapy can reduce the risk of long term damage. Our orthopaedic consultants work together with experienced sports medicine physicians and physiotherapists to manage a wide range of orthopaedic problems.
Call Our tEam tOday
020 7483 5000
www.thewellingtonhospital.com
What is EILP and who is at risk?
The Olympics are just around the corner and with them, we can expect to see an increase in people taking part in sports. Dr Rick Seah, Consultant in Sport & Exercise Medicine, discusses one of the most common injuries experienced by both amateur and professional players
PROMOTION
I
t is estimated that 10 per cent or more of all musculoskeletal injuries in athletes affect the lower limb. Leg pain is common and tends to occur in the area between the knee and ankle. It is easy to see how this can happen as the legs are involved in virtually all physical activities: locomotion (e.g. walking, jogging, sprinting); weight-bearing (e.g. dancing or jumping) and sports (e.g. football, rugby, cricket). There are different types of leg pain that can occur in sport. ‘Shin splints’ is the term members of the public are often familiar with. Although it is a phrase that generates instant recognition, it actually encompasses a number of separate diagnoses, so the phrase ‘ExerciseInduced Leg Pain’ (EILP) is preferred instead. There are multiple causes of EILP. Some involve the bones in the shin (the tibia and fibula), others the soft tissue surrounding it (muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and nerves). Medial tibial stress syndrome, also known as Your specialist will perform a clinical ‘periostitis’, is the most common cause of EILP. examination to check for deformity or swelling, This condition presents very commonly in if it is painful to hop on the leg and if there is endurance runners and is due to discolouration to the skin that may suggest overstimulation of the tibial periosteum (the vascular involvement. Imaging investigations, sensitive tissue that surrounds the bone). such as X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and isotope Typically this can cause pain while running, but bone scans, can also be useful to correctly often the pain continues after exercise. There determine the cause of leg pain. may also be associated redness, tenderness and Treatment options may include rest, localised swelling. medication, physiotherapy, podiatry and gait Other common causes include muscle strains, analysis, anti-inflammatory injections. In some tibial stress fracture, chronic compartment cases, there may be a surgical option for syndrome and tendinopathies. In cases of mild treatment, although this is less common for EILP. muscle strains where overstretching has caused In addition to treating the injury itself, it is a small amount of muscle fibre damage, the also important to try to prevent subsequent symptoms often settle quickly. The majority MEET THE injuries. Factors that may cause an injury of other causes, however, often persist with SPECIALIST to recur include: returning to sport too symptoms lasting for much longer. quickly, training on a particularly hard The key to managing EILP is Dr. Rick Seah is a consultant in Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) who often treats surface, poor nutrition, inadequate receiving an accurate diagnosis so the athletes and patients with leg pain. He runs rest and overtraining. Follow any treatment can be tailored to your weekly musculoskeletal and sports injury clinics at the Wellington Hospital and the Institute advice from your specialist carefully injury. Taking a detailed medical of Sport, Exercise & Health. He is also an and allow yourself time to recover. history includes being asked when honorary consultant at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. the symptoms first presented and if He was part of the LOCOG sports there was a specific traumatic injury. It For further information or if you would like medicine team for the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. is also useful to determine if the to arrange an appointment at The Wellington symptoms come on during or after Hospital, please contact the Enquiry Helpline on exercise or linger overnight. 020 7483 5000 or visit thewellingtonhospital.com
The key to managing EILP is receiving an accurate diagnosis so the treatment can be tailored to your injury
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ÂŽ
the ritual of
Sakura Celebrate each day as a new beginning
The ancient Hanami ceremony from Japan celebrates the fleeting beauty of the Sakura blossom. As with life itself, its beauty is short lived and precious and should be enjoyed to the fullest. Discover the ritual of Sakura and celebrate each day as a new beginning.
St. Christopher’s Place Boutique
rituals.com
your body. your soul. your rituals.
FOOD & DRINK
Here comes
the sun
T
he sun has – finally – got its hat on and to celebrate, Thomas’s at Burberry’s Regent Street flagship has created a summer menu of light bites to suit the warmer weather. Choose from Wylye river trout with pennywort and herb salad; cock crab, land cress and pickled cucumber or roasted asparagus, poached eggs and chervil hollandaise. For afters there’s millionaire’s shortbread and custard tart, or a more beach body friendly pud of Oakchurch strawberries and refreshing elderflower sorbet. 121 Regent Street, W1B, burberry.com
Image Courtesy of Burberry
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Fitzrovia to fork Three of Fitzrovia’s most celebrated chefs – Allan Pickett of Piquet, Ben Tish of Salt Yard and Jun Tanaka of The Ninth – will be putting their chef’s toques together for the final instalment of The Fitzrovia Collective this month. Designed to celebrate the burgeoning local food scene by hosting a series of dinners, the trio bring their culinary melting pot to Piquet on 11 July with a special six-course tasting menu. 11 July, £50 per person, 92-94 Newman Street, W1T, piquet-restaurant.co.uk
Food & drink news image credit: paul winch-furness
South Pacific First there was sushi, then ceviche, and now poké is having its moment. The Hawaiian delicacy is the star of the show at Fitzrovia’s new all-day eatery Ahi Poké. Taking inspiration from the fare served at simple beach shacks, the 25-cover restaurant will offer eat in, grab and go and delivery options. Chef Jeremy Coste uses only sustainably sourced fish in his signature dishes, such as the Poké Bowl of ahi tuna, sushi rice, scallions, black sesame and sesame shoyu. 3 Percy Street, W1T, ahipoke.co.uk
Grape escape The bar will be the main attraction at sommelier Xavier Rousset’s latest venture, Blandford Comptoir, which lists some 250 wines, 50 champagnes and home-brewed cocktails on its menu. Free monthly wine tastings on Saturdays invite guests to taste 12 different tipples before choosing their favourite two whites and reds to be added to the wine list for one month. 1 Blandford Street, W1U, blandford-comptoir.co.uk
In the dog house The ideal alfresco drinking scenario is hard to come by when the sun puts its hat on as rarely as in London. But Bernardi’s has found a solution, launching basement cocktail bar The Dog House in time for the summer. Situated beneath the Marylebone restaurant, the space will feature cosy banquettes and a hidden snug seating up to eight. As well as a dedicated negroni section, vermouths and Italian beers will be paired with light bites such as cicheti, pizzette and antipasti. In the unlikely event of sunshine, there’s an outdoor courtyard so guests can catch a few rays as they sip the night away. 62 Seymour Street, W1H, bernardis.co.uk
FOOD & DRINK
REVIEW:
Home Swede Home The Harcourt’s Scandi take on pub grub boasts reindeer and liquorice-laced chocolate mousse. Lauren Romano is sceptical then impressed
A
s drinking and dining establishments go, the gastropub has suffered its fair share of identity crises. Navigating the hinterland between spit-and-sawdust boozer and cordon bleu kitchen can be tricky, but the old Harcourt Arms claims to have found a middle ground, with its recent re-launch as a Scandi-inspired restaurant and bar. Dropping the ‘Arms’ to become simply ‘The Harcourt’, the new watering hole has undergone a sensitive restoration. The original Georgian leaded windows, panelled walls and a great hulk of a wooden bar remain in the oak room, shown off to great effect by a lighting system that emits the sort of glow a well-chosen Instagram filter hopes to achieve. The flattering lighting continues out the back where the former pub garden has been transformed into a more whimsical, colonial-style room, with hanging plants, rattan furniture, huge bell jar lanterns and contemporary art curated by Rebecca Hossack Gallery. Upstairs there are two private dining rooms for feasts or fika (the Nordic equivalent
PHOTO credit: Paul Winch-Furness
of afternoon tea). It’s all very beautiful and when I visit in the early evening, the combination of dusky daylight and dimmed lamps airbrush a hay fever-induced red nose that makes me look as though I’m channelling Rudolph. Talking of reindeer, Finnish chef Kimmo Makkonen (previously of The Orrery) has given things a Scandinavian slant, meaning everyone’s favourite Christmas caribou is on the menu. I have my doubts about it, but am pleasantly surprised when it arrives, cooked rare and accompanied by nutty pearl barley, a syrupy dollop of lingonberry jam and a cabbage leaf-wrapped faggot. Elsewhere more subtle Nordic influences knit together a menu that is undoubtedly more restaurant than pub. I mop up the unctuous sticky yolk oozing from my slow-cooked duck egg and smoked mayonnaise with thick slabs of dense, slightly sweet pumpernickel bread. The glazed ox cheeks are rich and tender, served with heritage carrots, onions and horseradish, and matched with a light Luna Beberide wine by our softly spoken waiter. The line-caught Skrei cod divides opinion. The fish is beautifully firm but comes swimming in a creamy sauce with a flotsam of cuttlefish, mussels, potato, samphire and cubes of cucumber that is a bit on the rich side, although I still manage to make room for huge spoonfuls of a decadent dark chocolate mousse, laced with liquorice and lashings of salted caramel. The Harcourt might look like your average pub from the outside, but as long as you don’t mind some reindeer with your pint instead of a packet of salt and vinegar, you shouldn’t be too disappointed. 32 Harcourt Street, W1H, theharcourt.com
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Some like
it hot new-style Salmon sashimi PHOTO CREDIT: P.O. Deschamps
Facing financial ruin or failing to kick-start a business – where most would falter, Nobu Matsuhisa has set the culinary world ablaze. Hannah Lemon reports
I
like to imagine myself as a professional chef on occasion. When I have guests coming round for a dinner party or (more probably) my mother on her monthly visit to inspect the state of my kitchen, I dust off the recipe books and take a few tips from my culinary friends. Nigella, Rick, Jamie – all the gang is there – as I attempt to expertly dice vegetables, flambé creme brulée, and bard a chicken.
INTERVIEW
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa at Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris ®Romeo Balancourt
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This all sounds great in principle, but a cruel reality soon hits home, when I’ve cut my finger, burnt the dessert beyond recognition and made some inedible sloppy stew – think Bridget Jones’ blue soup and you just about have it right. On reading about the life and works of Nobu Matsuhisa, I doubt a scene like this has ever plagued him. When I ask about his junior years and any disasters that he may have left in his wake, he replies: “During my career, there were mistakes, of course.” I breathe a sigh of relief – he is mortal! “I believe that you always learn from your mistakes and I always tried my best.” But, he counters this with: “A disaster that marked my career was when my restaurant in Alaska burnt down.” Ah. I fear even Bridget Jones wouldn’t have gone that far. Joking aside, it was a catastrophe that was the make or break moment of Nobu’s career. Born and raised in Saitama, Japan, Nobu served an apprenticeship at a respected sushi bar in Tokyo. The Japanese-Peruvian owners convinced him to move to Peru to start his own restaurant and without hesitation he followed their advice. Challenged by the regional ingredients – olive oil, garlic, chilli paste and cilantro – the chef created a new style of fusion cuisine. But his venture was not to be, and after three years in the country, the restaurant went bust. Undeterred, Nobu packed his pots and headed to Argentina only to find that fresh seafood was scarce and the demand slow. On returning home to Japan, he was persuaded one more time to travel the globe and landed in Alaska to open a restaurant, borrowing $15,000 on top of his already increasing debt. Disaster struck. On his first evening off, after months of hard work to prop the place up, his partner called him to say there was a fire. The restaurant burnt to the ground. Anyone else might have given up on the dream, but not Nobu. “I was very sad,” he says, “but my family helped me to get through this difficult time, with a lot of love and patience.” Thankfully, karma was now on his side and Nobu went on to find the success he deserved. After an invitation to work at an LA sushi bar, Nobu spent six and a half years there perfecting his style – rock shrimp tempura, hamachi with jalapeño, squid pasta, sashimi salad, and (his signature dish) black cod with miso. In 1987, he finally launched the restaurant Matsuhisa in Beverley Hills. So inspired was his cooking, that
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: food AT Le Royal Monceau; Chefs Nobu Matsuhisa & Hideki Endo AT Le Bar Long, Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris ®Romeo Balancourt; the front entrance of Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris
INTERVIEW
actor and director Robert De Niro offered to go into business with him, creating the Nobu brand. The rest, as they say, is history. So here we are, 30 Nobu and 7 Matsuhisa restaurants later, and the chef has launched yet another – a Matsuhisa at Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris headed up by executive chef Hideki Endo. “Matsuhisa Paris shares the same concept and values as other Matsuhisa restaurants,” explains Nobu. “It is a beautiful space with a great energy and it features an Omakase bar, where guests will have a bespoke culinary experience, exploring the chef’s choice of tailor-made menus.” With the opportunity to fire questions at one of the world’s most successful chefs, I am desperate to know his secret to success. “Growing up, I was always inspired by the home cooking of my mother,” Nobu reveals. He cites “soy sauce, dashi, and all the home cooking ingredients” as the ultimate tools in his kitchen. But the best meal he has ever tasted? “One that my wife cooks me,” he replies, labelling her his “private chef”. Although Nobu is a busy man (his friendship with de Niro led to bit parts in Martin Scorsese’s Casino, Austin Powers in Goldmember and Memoirs of a Geisha), he tries to stay true to the ethos of his
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“It is very important to grow a family and a team that understands my cooking in order to keep this quality” eponymous brands. “I visit most of the locations every year in order to keep the same quality across all of my restaurants. It is very important to grow a family and a team that understands my cooking in order to be able to keep this quality.” From Berkeley Street and Old Park Lane to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, attention to detail is not something he will let slide. “I continue to travel a lot; more than 300 days a year. I like to see my guests happy. That is my biggest satisfaction.” There is, of course, a Nobu in Tokyo, not too far from the chef’s country house in Hakone, west of the city. It is at this branch that his eldest daughter, Junko, is manager. “My younger daughter Yoshiko is a very creative person and helps us in some other aspects of the business too.” Like father, like daughters – it seems that the Matsuhisa clan is still setting the world alight, city by city. Matsuhisa at Le Royal Monceau, raffles.com/paris
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Plain sailing If your skipper skills aren’t quite up to chartering the superyachts of St Tropez, you can learn the ropes in the more laid-back ports along the Adriatic. Located in the UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor, the Regent Porto Montenegro hotel has partnered with the area’s renowned yacht club to give guests access to an impressive fleet and expert tuition. Highlights include the Stay and Learn to Sail package which offers four hours of sailing school a day – perfect for those finding their sea legs. Stay and Learn to Sail package from approx £1,205 per couple, regenthotels.com
Travel news BY NICHOLA MURPHY
Basket case If you’re the type of person who carries the kitchen sink in your travel carry-on, The Row’s Market may be the answer to your packing prayers. Crafted from durable canvas, trimmed with smooth leather and finished with easy-to-hold wooden handles, the tote will take you from the plane to the pool with ease. And it’s big enough to stuff with all those souvenirs that won’t fit into your suitcase on the return journey. Market leather-trimmed canvas tote, £1,790, The Row, net-a-porter.com
Room on top With breathtaking views over Kuala Lumpur’s largest park, the Lake Gardens and historical landmarks such as the National Museum, the St. Regis provides an unparalleled vantage point of the city from its elegant rooms and suites. The dusk-todawn panorama competes for attention with a stellar art collection, while come evening those who prefer their stars of the Michelin variety can head to Taka by Sushi Saito, the first restaurant to open outside Tokyo by three Michelin-starred Takashi Saito. From £180 a night, starwoodhotels.com
IMAGE CREDIT: Ralf Tooten
Roxy music It made a name for itself as a movie theatre in the 1920s and later as a dance club and a venue for the Tribeca Film Festival, but for its latest incarnation, the former Tribeca Grand Hotel in lower Manhattan has been transformed into a 200-room hotel. The Roxy plays to its arts and music heritage, with a new cinema and jazz club The Django, where guests can get into the swing of things with live jazz and blues performances five nights a week. Superior king from £215 a night, roxyhotelnyc.com
TRAVEL
© Filip Fuxa
HOTSPOT
Iceland
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obody goes to Iceland for the weather, but what the country lacks in sunbathing potential it makes up for in otherworldly beauty and a landscape straight out of an episode of Game of Thrones. Thermometers don’t usually hit more than about 10-15°C in July, however the average 21-23 hours of daylight is incentive enough to get exploring the rugged terrain and provides the perfect opportunity for a spot of late night sightseeing. Chances of catching a glimpse of the mesmerising northern lights might be slim at this time of year, but you won’t be short of things to brag about when you get home. Head north to experience the midnight sun, go hiking up Mount Herdubreid, or explore the Thingvellir National Park before relaxing with a spa treatment at the Blue Lagoon. A dip in its natural geothermal did you hot springs beats a know? paddle in the Med Reykjavik’s landmark Church any day. of Hallgrímur was designed to
STAY Jutting out of an icy hillside, ION Luxury Adventure Hotel stands in stark contrast to the surrounding landscape. Set against a backdrop of mountainous lava fields, the rustic, driftwood-clad interior brings the outside in, as do the floor-to-ceiling windows in the 24 deluxe rooms, which frame panoramic views. Situated near the Golden Circle, ION is the perfect base for exploring, and for those seeking adventures further afield, the hotel offers many organised tours, including hiking to Hot Spring Valley, taking a Jeep to Hekla volcano and numerous helicopter excursions. After a long day of activities, unwind and relax at the Lava Spa or head to dinner at Silfra Restaurant. Here you can sample the best in seasonal, Nordic food before settling in the Northern Lights Bar to stargaze as darkness finally descends. Rooms from £293 a night, ioniceland.is
resemble the basalt lava flows of the landscape. At 73 metres tall, it offers some of the best views of the city from its observatory.
IMAGES COURTESY OF ION LUXURY ADVENTURE HOTEL
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What Iceland lacks in sunbathing potential it makes up for in otherwordly beauty 95
S
et in the heart of Basque Country, San Sebastián is a foodie mecca, with a host of Michelin-starred restaurants and an almost unparalleled pintxo (tapas) culture. So great are its gastronomic and cultural credentials that the city has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2016 by the European Union and, as such, there can be no better time to visit this coastal locale. Rich in Belle Époque architecture, this beautiful getaway on the Bay of Biscay has been graced with two identities: while we know it as San Sebastián, to the locals it is Donostia. La Concha, the curved beach backed by the verdant green hills of Monte Igueldo and Pasaia, makes the perfect spot for blissful days soaking up the sun and walks by sunset; while the sandstone columns of the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and the shuttered balconies of the Plaza de la Constitución in the old quarter seethe with Spanish charm. When it comes to food there is something for everyone, from world-renowned restaurants to exquisite tapas, which is served in every bar and prepared using market-fresh ingredients. To get the most out of the area’s foodie offerings, embark on a culinary adventure and book a food tour of the city’s finest pintxo bars. If you don’t mind heights, be sure to hitch a ride on the old-world funicular railway to the summit of Monte Igueldo, just west of the town, which boasts expansive views of the Bahía de la Concha and the surrounding coastline and mountains. In line with its newly awarded accolade, the city is staging a string of bold art projects over the next 12 months, including performances by choral groups in the open air and Waves of Energy – an art project that will bring to life a compilation of ideas inspired by the public. In addition to this, there will be performances and exhibitions hosted by local venues such as Musikene music school and the cubeshaped Kursaal concert hall.
[ city break]
san Sebastián Internationally renowned for its gourmet offerings and architectural gems, Katy Parker looks at why San Sebastián has been named this year’s European Capital of Culture
HOTEL images courtesy of Hotel Maria Cristina
TRAVEL
Where to stay The hotel of choice for a string of Hollywood stars during the yearly San Sebastián International Film Festival, the effortlessly chic Hotel Maria Cristina enjoys an enviable location, just minutes from sites such as the Victoria Eugenia Theatre. Decorated in a sophisticated palette of greys and whites, the rooms are understated yet stylish and many boast superb views of Kursaal, the Urumea River and the Cantabrian Sea. hotel-mariacristina.com
Where to eat
SUITCASE E S S E N T I A L S
#1 Sunglasses, £190, Prada, harrods.com
#2 Eau de Toilette, £61, Acqua di Parma acquadiparma.com
You are completely spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out in San Sebastián, but there are a few spots which stand out from the crowd. Among these is Arzak – a restaurant with three Michelin stars to its name. Something of a local institution, this place offers Basque cuisine with a contemporary twist, serving up dishes such as pigeon with hibiscus flowers and pineapple bubbles. arzak.info
#3 Bag, £395, Paul Smith paulsmith.co.uk
Don’t miss If you’re visiting San Sebastián this year, be sure to make the most of the cultural programme surrounding its reign as the Capital of Culture. There will be home-grown performances among international names, and most of the events will take place in the city’s grandiose streets. During the summer months visitors can get their culture fix doing the rounds of film screenings, music concerts, talks and workshops popping up across town. dss2016.eu
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#4 Swim shorts, £55, Ralph Lauren ralphlauren.co.uk
#5 Shoes, £295, Tod’s tods.com
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Sense & Tranquillity For a spot of wine and sun-drenched serenity, Tom Hagues hits Six Senses’ first European outpost in Portugal’s Douro Valley
TRAVEL
N
estled among vineyards in the depths of Portugal’s Douro Valley is a lush, green part of the world where a 900km river carves a winding path through the landscape. The Douro, which runs from Spain into Portugal at its northern end, once transported explorers, royals and hardened travellers to the wider world through Porto and across the Atlantic ocean. Thanks to the arrival of the Romans, the river’s banks soon became home to vast stretches of vines, quite literally sowing the seeds for the port and wine industries the valley is now famous for. Wealthy families began commercialising the Douro for its wine in the 17th century; its port quaffed in the houses and clubs of England’s elite. This history has given Portugal – and the Douro region – a world-renowned reputation as a
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cultural hotspot with a climate as reliable as its vintages. Within this peaceful UNESCO World Heritage site lies a 19th-century manor house hotel, where Six Senses has made its much-welcomed European debut. The latest addition to the group’s international portfolio of resorts – renowned for their impeccable spas, sumptuous lodgings and pictureperfect locations – is a convenient hour and a half’s drive from Porto, and as I bump down the long driveway I discover it is every bit as gorgeous as its far-flung cousins in the Maldives, Seychelles and Oman. I walk into the hotel’s reception and notice the endless view across the valley for the first (but not last) time. I pick my bottom jaw up off the floor on the way to my bedroom, beautifully decorated in a white and sedate grey theme that does not distract from a double-height window overlooking the lazily winding river – and the bed in prime position to
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admire endless, brilliant blue skies. It is one of 41 bedrooms, nine suites and seven villas that underwent a multi-million euro renovation before the resort opened, with distinctively stylish Six Senses interiors that contrast with the hotel’s architectural romance. Some hotels are adorned with little design flourishes from which you can take inspiration home, be it an unusual sofa/ cushion combination or a set of interesting vases. At Six Senses Douro Valley, I find myself wanting to install my own wine library. Looking out onto the terrace and over a sweeping canyon of vineyards rich with Bastardo and Tinta Barroca black grapes, wine tastings are held in the library throughout the week; its rotation offers a fantastic way to become acquainted with each of the valley’s terroirs. Keeping pace with Portugal’s burgeoning wine tourism industry, wine directors Francisca van Zeller and Sandra Tavares da Silva have curated a list to suit novices and connoisseurs alike. I am introduced to the Passadouro White 2014 and the 2013 Van Zellers Douro red, along with a ruby and tawny port. All become fast friends and I make a note to stay in touch. Guests can learn about the age-old process of pruning, grafting, tying and harvesting on selected weekends throughout the year, and what’s more, at any time of day or night, temperature-controlled machines can pour a glass of the region’s most popular wines. I move to the courtyard outside the restaurant, which sits under a tower that needs nothing more than a woman letting down her extraordinarily long hair to complete its fairytale feel. I enjoy a lazy lunch of tomato gazpacho with
TRAVEL
LEFT FROM TOP: Six Senses Douro Valley’s reception room; the wine library Above: the spa’s indoor swimming pool
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basil ice cream – cooling relief in 25°C heat – followed by octopus spaghetti and a fig tart. It is at this point that I feel at peace with the world. About 30 minutes’ drive away I board the hotel’s refurbished 1950s river boat from the small town of Pinhão, and chug off upstream. There are quintas lining each side, pleasure boats dotted along the surface, locals leaping off into the water and high up on the banks, the railroad runs parallel with the river. After an hour the boat turns around, and a great wind is funnelled up the river. I enjoy the hot breeze for a while but eventually retreat to the calm behind the wheelhouse as the temperature begins to cool for the evening. Those looking to venture to Porto for a day trip will need to journey west for an hour and a half to discover its medieval coastal delights. But head south for just 20 minutes and you will come upon Lamego: a city with cathedrals, churches and parks that offer up afternoons in beautiful dappled shade. Or drive east along the river and make a stop at DOC restaurant in Folgosa. Headed by chef Rui Paula, whose scallops and John Dory topped with a refreshing tomato and cucumber salsa – so fresh it may as well have leapt straight out of the water and onto my plate – are fine examples of modern Portuguese cuisine, served on a deck overlooking the Douro. Back at Six Senses, I know I am in safe hands at the holistic spa. My massage provides a thorough tenderising, beginning with a “singing bowl” treatment. For a moment, I really believe I will have to sing into a bowl, and wonder what good this could
possibly do me; but when the bowl is rubbed in a certain way, it emits a long, low hum that soothes me into a state of unadulterated bliss. I am practically unaware there is anyone else in the room, and all but float to the indoor sauna, before doing some lengths in the pool to further enhance my new-found well-being. Later at the chef’s counter of the Open Kitchen in the hotel’s Dining Room restaurant, head chef Paulo Matos deftly creates around seven courses (I admit to having lost count after a while), each dish prepared with the freshest local produce. Classic Portuguese ingredients are artfully molded into innovative, contemporary dishes such as veal bresaola with melon soup; and halfway through my steak I wonder whether I will ever find such contentment again. I conclude I probably won’t, and savour the moment. Enormous garlic and lemon langoustines are grilled in front of diners – and presented with much flourish – while a traditional Portuguese cake, normally served at Easter, has a soft, vanilla sweetness offset by tangy plums and figs. This Douro Valley gem marries Six Senses’ expertise with the sophistication and history of this part of Portugal’s luscious landscape. I would say that it’s a match made in heaven but really, this is probably the place where perfect matches are made. From €285 per night including taxes and breakfast for two, sixsenses.com
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CARLTON HILL ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8 FREEHOLD PRICE ON APPLICATION JOINT SOLE AGENT
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An imposing Grade II Listed, double fronted detached house (308sq m/3,320sq ft) offered in excellent condition throughout. Benefits include newly landscaped front and rear gardens by the acclaimed award-winning designer Kate Gould and secure gated off street parking. Carlton Hill is located within close proximity to the shopping facilities of St John’s Wood High Street and the transport facilities of St John’s Wood Underground Station (Jubilee Line).
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal bedroom with dressing room & en-suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, dining room/living room (currently used as a gym), guest cloakroom, utility room, 65ft landscaped rear garden, front garden with secure gated off street parking for 2/3 cars.
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ELM TREE ROAD ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8 FREEHOLD GUIDE PRICE £6,000,000 SOLE AGENT
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6 9 – 7 1 PA R K R O A D LO N D O N N W 1 6XU 020 7 7 24 47 24
Discreetly situated behind a south facing private walled garden is this exceptional and unique low built family house (293sq m/ 3,159sq ft). Elm Tree Road is located near to the vibrant mix of thriving cafés, restaurants and boutiques of St John’s Wood High Street and close to St John’s Wood Underground Station (Jubilee Line) and bus routes to the West End.
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal bedroom with en-suite bathroom, dressing room & sun room, 4 further bedrooms, study/bedroom 5, 2 family bathrooms, fitted kitchen, breakfast room, drawing room, dining room, family room, south facing walled garden, sun terrace, off street parking, fully air conditioned, underfloor heating to ground floor, LEAX lighting system, video entryphone system, electric sun blind.
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SPRINGFIELD ROAD ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8 FREEHOLD GUIDE PRICE £7,950,000 JOINT SOLE AGENT
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On the market for the first time in 25 years is this substantial double fronted detached residence, offering some 4,000sq ft of accommodation over just three floors and occupying a double plot on the south side of this prestigious tree lined road. The house is located close to Loudoun Road, within walking distance of The American School in London and St John’s Wood Underground Station (Jubilee Line).
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Drawing room, dining room, kitchen/ breakfast room, utility room, study, large entrance hall, guest cloakroom, principal bedroom with en-suite bathroom and his & hers dressing rooms, 6 further bedrooms (2 with en-suite bathrooms), 2 family bathrooms, carriage driveway, double length garage, large south facing rear garden. EPC=E.
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6 9 – 7 1 PA R K R O A D LO N D O N N W 1 6XU 020 7 7 24 47 24
An impressive double fronted detached INGRAM AVENUE HAMPSTEAD GARDEN SUBURB NW11 house (510sq m/5,497sq ft) set back behind
FREEHOLD £9,950,000 PRINCIPAL AGENT
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a carriage driveway with off street parking for six cars and a garage. The house is in immaculate condition throughout, offering generous accommodation with a magnificent 118ft rear garden with a patio area and an outdoor swimming pool. Ingram Avenue is situated between Winnington Road and The Heath Extension.
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal bedroom with en-suite dressing room & bathroom, 5 further bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, reception room, family room, study, cinema room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, large grand entrance hall, 2 guest cloakrooms, utility room, 118ft garden, swimming pool, off street parking for 6 cars, garage. EPC=D.
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GLOUCESTER GATE REGENT’S PARK NW1 CROWN ESTATE LEASE £5,750,000 JOINT SOLE AGENT
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A charming low built house (332sq m/ 3,467sq ft) mainly arranged over two floors only. The house is in good condition throughout and offers spacious well planned accommodation. The property is situated on the outer circle of Regent’s Park and is within walking distance of Regent’s Park Underground Station and the fashionable shopping facilities of St John’s Wood, Marylebone High Street and the West End.
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal bedroom suite with dressing room & bathroom, 3 further bedrooms, family bathroom, shower room, reception room, study, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, garage, utility room, 2 store rooms, air conditioning. EPC=E.
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NOTTINGHAM PLACE MARYLEBONE W1 FREEHOLD £7,250,000 SOLE AGENT
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6 9 – 7 1 PA R K R O A D LO N D O N N W 1 6XU 020 7 7 24 47 24
A rare opportunity to acquire a magnificent Grade II Listed freehold house (422sq m/ 4,542sq ft) in the heart of Marylebone Village. Nottingham Place is conveniently situated moments away from Marylebone High Street, providing a wealth of popular shops, cafés, bars and restaurants.
ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal bedroom with en-suite bathroom & dressing room, 6 further bedrooms (2 en-suite), bedroom 8/study, reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, cinema/ entertainment room, guest cloakroom, 2 storage vaults, 3 terraces, residents parking.
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WE ARE knight frank ST JOHN’S WOOD Sales
James Simpson Partner
Jade Ireland Partner
Annabelle Coliadis Partner
Declan Selbo Negotiator
Natalie Sattari Personal Assistant
Josh Marks Head of The Core Market
Benji Weinberger Negotiator
Jessica Bishop Negotiator
Liana Kiteow Office Manager
Lily Peterman Receptionist
Lettings S T J O H N ’ S W O O D • R E G E N T ’ S PA R K • L I T T L E V E N I C E • M A I D A VA L E
+44 (0)20 7586 2777 • stjohnswood@knightfrank.com Stevie Walmesley Craig Waters Lettings Manager Senior Negotiator
Olivia Firmin Negotiator
Vickie Kavanagh Lettings Coordinator
5-7 Wellington Place, London NW8 7PB
www.knightfrank.co.uk
www.knightfrank.co.uk
CLIFTON GARDENS
A REFURBISHED WHITE STUCCO FRONTED TERRACED HOUSE AVAILABLE TO RENT THROUGH KNIGHT FRANK, ST JOHN'S WOOD NW8.
M A I DA
This family home has been completely refurbished throughout benefiting from a private patio garden, roof terrace and off street parking for two cars. The property comprises master bedroom with en suite bathroom, dressing area and study, eight further double bedrooms, six further bathrooms (three en suite), two reception rooms, dining room, library with mezzanine, study and three kitchens. The property further benefits from a lift, two storage vaults and access to extensive communal gardens.
Clifton Gardens is conveniently located in the heart of Little Venice moments from Warwick Avenue underground station (Bakerloo line). Regent’s Canal is also close by.
+44 (0)20 7586 2777
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stjohnswood@knightfrank.com
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£5,950 per week • Unfurnished • EPC: E
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5-7 Wellington Place, London NW8 7PB
www.knightfrank.co.uk
Elsworthy House Primrose Hill, NW3
Elsworthy House is the epitome of a majestic country house in London. Being offered to the market for the first time in over half a century, this home has been extensively renovated to a very high standard retaining all of its original features. This beautiful, wide, detached and lateral home is only on three floors above ground, containing its 6,600 sq ft. Elsworthy House is approached by an elegant gravel carriage driveway that offers ample private parking and boasts a private garden leading out to impeccable communal gardens spanning over one acre to the rear.
Price on Application Freehold
You are greeted by a grand entrance hallway, an ornate feature staircase and three large principal reception rooms, which create a comfortable yet impressive entertaining space. A bright and fresh well fitted kitchen opens out on to a large orangery used as the everyday family dining room with French windows overlooking the garden. There is also a separate fitted scullery, utility room and spacious cloakroom. The first floor consists of a generous master bedroom suite, comprising both a marble bathroom and a separate marble clad shower room, a large fitted dressing room leading into a gentleman’s fitted walk in wardrobe. There are two further bedrooms with
The epitome of a majestic country house in London. en suite bathroom/shower room and a large fitted study with en suite secretary’s office, easily converted into a sixth bedroom and en suite bathroom. The second floor contains a large double aspect games room which spans the depth of the house, with an adjacent kitchenette, that leads on to a balcony overlooking the fabulous secluded landscaped communal gardens. There is also a large double bedroom with en suite bathroom and separate shower and a charming fitted children’s bunk bed room with its own adjacent bathroom. With
+44 (0)20 7586 2777
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separate side access the house hides a self-contained ground floor apartment comprising bedroom, shower room, sitting room and kitchenette. Also hidden beneath the floorboards, with its own staircase, is a wine cellar with original fittings. Located arguably in the most desired road in the area, the property is situated only a short stroll from both Primrose Hill Village and St John’s Wood High Street, allowing for good access to a wide selection of bespoke shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes, whilst within close proximity to transport links to the City and West End.
stjohnswood@knightfrank.com
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5-7 Wellington Place, London NW8 7PB
BEAUTIFULLY REFURBISHED APARTMENT IN POPULAR MANSION BLOCK Great Portland Street, Marylebone, W1
• Bedroom • Bathroom • Reception Rooms • Study • First Floor with Lift • Energy Rating: E
£725 Per Week Furnished
Kay & Co Marylebone & Fitzrovia Lettings
020 3394 0027 marylebone@kayandco.com
kayandco.com
SPACIOUS AND NEWLY REFURBISHED PERIOD CONVERSION New Cavendish Street, Marylebone, W1
• Two Bedrooms • Two Bathrooms • Open Plan Kitchen/Reception Room • Ground Floor • Approximately 1,066 Sq Ft • Energy Rating: B
£1,250 Per Week Furnished
Kay & Co Marylebone & Fitzrovia Lettings
020 3394 0027 marylebone@kayandco.com
kayandco.com
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LATERAL PENTHOUSE WITH VIEWS OF REGENTS PARK
Kay & Co
Harley House, Marylebone, NW1
Marylebone & Fitzrovia Sales
020 3394 0027
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Six Bedrooms • Four Bathrooms • Two Reception Rooms • Two Terraces Two Allocated Parking Spaces • 24hr Security • Energy Rating: F
JSA – Arlington Residential
Price on Application
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020 7722 3322
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PROPERTY
Property news PrimeResi brings you the latest news in prime property and development in London
Winning Westminster Planning approvals for new homes in London tumble by 64 per cent – but Westminster approves 95 per cent of applications
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our in ten new London homes were rejected by planners in the first three months of the year, as the total number of approvals tumbled by 64 per cent compared to the same period last year – although Westminster approved 95 per cent of applications in the first three months of the year. Just 4,320 homes across the capital were granted permission in Q1 2016, according to the latest London New Homes Monitor from Stirling Ackroyd.
Westminster approved 95 per cent of applications in the first three months of the year Westminster however, has seen a marked improvement from Q1 2015, when it accounted for just 193 applications for new homes successfully granted. Westminster is closely followed by Enfield, with the North London borough approving applications accounting for 520 new homes – out of a possible 615 – across the first three months of 2016. Enfield across the whole of 2015 approved just 859 new homes, out of a possible 1,448, suggesting that this year, local planning officials may be embracing a new approach to decision-making. Approving the third highest number of new home applications is Barking and Dagenham.
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Change in central London property prices echoes annual change in number of global billionaires -40% ------30% ------20% ------10% ------0% -------10% -------20% -------30%
2002 2003
Annual house price change, Kensington & Chelsea Global billionaire population
£ $ 2004 2005 2006 2007
2008 2009
€
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Source: Dataloft, using Forbes and Land Registry data
Money talks The billionaires’ echo: how global ultra-wealth affects prime London property prices
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ondon, as we know, is a popular playground/investment bureau for the world’s billionaires, and residential property is the go-to asset for the mega-rich. So it makes sense that prime London’s property prices might be affected by fluctuations in the global billionaire population; specialist research house Dataloft has crunched the numbers… Central London property is, as this chart of Kensington & Chelsea prices shows, a very close shadow to the world’s billionaire count, with values almost doubling as the the headcount rocketed before bottoming out in the bleakness of 2008. Forbes’ current global billionaire tally comes in at 1,810. That’s more than double the low-point of just 793 during the financial crisis, but the latest survey (March 2016) shows a slight one per cent drop in the ultra-wealth population compared to the previous year; it’s the first fall since 2008. And it’s picked up in prime central London property values. Of course – as Dataloft is at pains to point out – there are many, many other factors at play in both billionaire population trends and property price movements. Despite this, the firm says, “there is a clear and simple relationship between global wealth and the London prime market.”
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marylebone, w1u Located in the heart of Marylebone and moments from Marylebone High Street and Manchester Square this stunning three bedroom apartment has recently been meticulously refurbished to a very high standard by interior designers Studio LH Ltd. Benefitting from a long leasehold tenure and measuring just under 1400 sq ft the apartment benefits from high ceilings throughout, a south facing aspect from several large bay windows in the reception room and an abundance of light flooding through all rooms throughout the apartment. The living room benefits from handmade bespoke joinery throughout and the large kitchen / breakfast room has a handmade bespoke solid oak kitchen. The large master bedroom offers a walk through dressing room and a large Botticino marble en-suite bathroom. Located within a period building on Bentinck Street this small residential building benefits from one apartment per floor and is located moments away from Selfridge`s, Hyde Park, Mayfair and Marylebone Village.
020 7580 2030 WWW.ROKSTONE.COM 5 Dorset Street, London, W1U 6QJ enquiries@rokstone.com
Price: £2,850,000 »»Newly refurbished »»Heart of Marylebone »»Designed by Studio LH Ltd »»1,380 sq. ft. »»3 bedrooms »»South facing »»Long leasehold
One for the books Rokstone is selling a grand mansion townhouse whose former owner provided the inspiration for literature’s most charismatic linguist, Professor Henry Higgins
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ans of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion have the opportunity to purchase a piece of literary history. An elegant mansion townhouse on Upper Wimpole Street whose original owner, Professor Horace Wilson, was part of the inspiration for Professor Henry Higgins, is for sale with Rokstone. The grand Grade II listed, six-storey Georgian property boasts 8,520 sq ft of living accommodation and ten bedrooms, and is being sold alongside an attached 1,520 sq ft two-bedroom mews house on Dunstable Mews. The property has the rare advantage of being located on a plot that is both wide and deep, allowing for a three window frontage and well-proportioned reception rooms. The main house and mews were originally built by John White, the principle surveyor to local landowner Edward Portman, between 1787 and 1789. The thoroughfare’s proximity to Regent’s Park and Marylebone High Street have long made it an attractive location, not least to George Wilson, an affluent doctor who purchased the property in 1806. Soon after he transformed the house into the London base and consulting rooms of his son Horace, an Oriental researcher, Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University and author of many books on language, culture and India. In 1913 George Bernard Shaw wrote his famous play Pygmalion (it would later be bought to life on the silver screen as the film My Fair Lady) that revolved around an eccentric Professor of Phonetics, Henry
Higgins, whose grand townhouse and consulting rooms were found at 27 Wimpole Street. While it is widely believed that the playwright based the academic side of Higgins on Oxford phonetics teacher Henry Sweet, the character’s lifestyle and grand home were inspired by Horace Wilson. Today the property has retained the grandeur and generous proportions of a bygone era. The large entertaining rooms on the ground and first floors have 14ft and 16ft high ceilings respectively. Original features are retained throughout, including a stained glass fanlight screen and ornate cornicing in the entrance hall, which set the tone for the rest of the property. This leads into a 16-seat formal dining room with Corinthian columns and sash windows overlooking Upper Wimpole Street. A study and library room and a family kitchen breakfast room are also found on this floor. Upstairs on the first floor two large interconnecting reception rooms span the
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF ROKSTONE
PROPERTY
width and depth of the house, and boast Georgian fireplaces and elegant wall panelling. The property’s ten bedrooms are arranged across the second, third and fourth floors, as well as the lower ground floor, although this area could be transformed into a spacious leisure and fitness suite if required. Finally, the mews house is connected to the main property by one of two garden patios and provides additional accommodation in the form of a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom. “This magnificent Marylebone townhouse and mews, measuring £10,040 per sq ft, has an interesting history and provides outstanding accommodation,” comments Becky Fatemi, managing director of Rokstone. “In this part of Marylebone it is very rare for a large family house of this size, with substantial frontage and depth, to become available for sale on a freehold basis.” The main house and mews on Upper Wimpole Street are for sale for £14.95 million on a freehold basis. For further information contact Rokstone on 020 7580 2030 or visit rokstone.com
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Your Central London Paradise
With private landscaped gardens an apartment at Chelsea Island offers a serene paradise in London. Spacious rooms located only minutes away from the iconic River Thames while the city bustles away on its doorstep. With 1 to 4 bedroom apartments starting from ÂŁ1,045,000* come and discover just how tranquil it is for yourself. chelseaisland.com | 0800 540 4377 *Prices correct at time of print.
Available now 50 apartments designed with flair. Set amongst the new parks and gardens of King’s Cross. Starting from £725,000. Marketing Suite 14–15 Stable Street King’s Cross, N1C 4AB Monday to Friday 10:00am – 6:00pm Register your interest 020 7205 4349 fenmanhouse.co.uk
Visualisation of a living room in a two bedroom apartment at Fenman House
L I G H T FA N TA S T I C
SUITES AND 1 & 2 BED APARTMENTS SPECTACULAR FOUR STOREY ATRIUM AND WINTER GARDEN DAYTIME CONCIERGE 8 MINUTES WALK FROM REGENT’S PARK 12 MINUTES WALK TO PRIMROSE HILL WITH BESPOKE INTERIORS BY WORLD RENOWNED DESIGNER RABIH HAGE
CARLOWHOUSENW1.COM CARLOW@GALLIARDHOMES.COM
020 3409 2279
PRICES FROM
£699,000
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