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contents Scene
Style
Collection
10 Hey Jude
35 WISH LIST
69 WISH LIST
Jude Law hits the big 40 and passes on the pretty-boy baton
The world’s top supermodels snapped on polaroid at The Little Black Gallery
14 Sylvia Young:
36
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71 Jewellery NEWs Romantic rubies and scorching yellow diamonds
36 Style Update
Star Maker
The ultimate travel safe
The founder of Marylebone’s famous theatre school talks past students and a passion for arts
Joseph, Karl Lagerfeld and Manolo Blahnik for London Fashion Week
18 The Artists
38 Red Carpet Ready
Tracing NW London’s artistic heritage, from the Beatles to Anna Pavlova
With awards season in full swing, we follow Ghyl Lebentz, stylist to the stars
23 February Diary
40 Hat Tricks
Blue Steel: top accessories for discerning gents
The best cultural hot-spots this month, right on your doorstep
Inside anecdotes from celebrated milliner Philip Treacy
Health & Family
29 A Beautiful Mind
44 The List
83 WISH LIST
Psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz on his debut book The Examined Life as part of Jewish Book Week
Ladies will love these sparkling accessories, ideal for Valentine’s Day gifts
Candy Queen: the quirky, customisable T-shirt
46 The Dark night Rises
New collections we love and the best places to pamper your pets
Midnight blues and romantic hues
Top engagement ring services across London for those looking to pop the question
78 Men’s Trend
84 For The Family
55 WISH LIST
87 Health & Fitness News
Our favourite beauty launches this month
Ballet classes and winter detoxing
Food & Drink
Interiors
91 WISH LIST
61 WISH LIST
40 83
72 Famous Last Words
Italian gastronomy galore
Snow Queen Vodka’s fairy tale calendar
92 Foodie Favourites
64 Help Is Round
(Don’t) visit our new top seafood shack
The Corner
94 Night In/Night Out
Home improvements with Leonard Milford and Alexander Martin
A night on the town or on the sofa
Travel 97 WISH LIST
72 62
De Beers
Skiing down the Swiss Alps
101 The Republic of Love
The winding streets of San Marino
104 Urban Cowboy Horse riding in the Grand Canyon
P L E A S E E N J OY O U R C H A M PA G N E R E S P O N S I B LY DRINKAWARE .CO.UK
From the editor
F
ebruary is always a glamorous month. A time for recognition. A chance to celebrate outstanding ability, ambition, innovation – and the virtues of employing a great stylist. With award season in full swing, we have dedicated this issue to the arts, and the incredible talent that resides right on our very pretty doorstep. The former ‘It’ boy of the Primrose Hill set and a symbol of the 1990s golden age, Jude Law recently turned 40. And while he isn’t quite reaching for the pipe and slippers yet, he’s ready to start a new chapter: post pin-up, he’s relieved to pass on the pretty-boy baton. Law grants Anthony Pearce an exclusive interview (p. 8). An enduring passion for the arts saw Sylvia Young OBE found a legendary Marylebone theatre school and nurture talented performers for more than three decades. Part Hogwarts, part Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Gabrielle Lane gains a very rare close up with the school’s leading lady (p. 12). And as the annual Jewish Book Week kicks off on 23 February, exploring Jewish thought, life and history, I sit down with psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz to discuss his debut book, The Examined Life, before his presentation at the literary festival. Softly spoken and disarmingly pensive, his exquisitely written casebook is based on more than 50,000 hours of conversation in his Hampstead practice (p. 27). Elsewhere, local stylist to the stars Ghyl Lebentz gets us red carpet ready (p. 36); we take a sneak peek at interior designer Alexander Martin’s home improvements, of which sister-in-law Gwyneth Paltrow is a particular fan (p. 62); and Mike Peake gives NW London – a mecca for actors, authors, painters and poets for more than 200 years – a well-deserved standing ovation (p. 16). As a local resident, I’ve been enjoying this magazine for 30 whole issues. I hope you like my first.
Kari Rosenberg Editor Follow us on Twitter @VantageNW Interiors Wish List, p. 60 Image taken from the Snow Queen Vodka 2013 calendar shot by Ellen von Unwerth www.snowqueenvodka.com
Runwild Media Group Publishers of: Canary Wharf, The City magazine, The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine, The Mayfair Magazine
F eb r u a ry 2 0 1 3 iss u e 3 1
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Assistant Editor Gabrielle Lane
Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong
Collection Editor Annabel Harrison
Production Manager Fiona Fenwick
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Feature Writers Clemence Duron Olivia Sharpe
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HEY
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JUDE
Jude Law is 40 years old. And, while the former ‘it boy’ isn’t quite reaching for the pipe and slippers yet, he’s ready to open a new chapter. He’s part excited, part panicked, as he explains to Anthony Pearce in this exclusive interview
“I
know this is such a cliché”, he begins, “but I keep catching myself thinking‚ ‘I am having my midlife crisis’. Then I suddenly start to worry about things. Sadly, I will not be able to buy a Ferrari now because everyone will go‚ ‘You’re having a midlife crisis’. And now I’ve missed that opportunity”, he says ruefully. But isn’t getting older also liberating? The Lewisham-born actor pauses for a second and thinks about it. “Very much so. In terms of age, 40 to 50 for a male actor is generally a good decade. You can have fun, if you get the roles.” Indeed, the Alfie star is able to pick and choose his parts, and has acquired a range of non ‘prettyboy’ roles to say the least (Alexis Karenin, anyone?) He’ll be starring in Dom Hemingway, directed by Richard Shepard (“a very low budget film”, according to Law) as well as playing Henry V at the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End at the end of this year, as part of the Michael Grandage season. Of his hulking, brawny appearance in Eugene O’Neill’s Anna Christie, he says “I played this enormous bearded Irish sailor, and I loved playing him. He was a total thug. He was physically and emotionally totally out of the ballpark for me. I was really scared, but I really loved playing him”, he says.
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His latest blockbuster, Side Effects will take the psychological thriller route, directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) from a screenplay written by Scott Z. Burns. The film follows a young woman who turns to prescription medication as her husband is released from jail. “Playing a villain is a lot of fun because I think everyone of us has a dark side. It’s embracing, it’s fulfilling, although you can argue that this is also the weaker side of everyone,” the actor muses. So are his heartthrob days really over? I ask. “Well, these days, playing an unattractive character is an attractive proposition”, he replies. Although his private life continues to be speculated over – he’s rarely single, and constantly linked to beautiful women – on film he indeed seems to have left the sex symbol days behind him. “The idea of playing the same character over and over again is not appealing to me. What is exciting is trying new things and being scared about what you are doing, and not knowing whether what you are doing is going to be understood and interpreted correctly”, he says. “I look back on my twenties and thirties now as a bit of a minefield. You are dodging the bullets of being labeled the ‘it boy’, or a sex symbol. All I wanted was to be looked at as an actor.
Simon James / Shutterstock.com
xxx
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“To pass the baton over to actors like Aaron Johnson or Robert Pattinson – you can have it guys! I can get on with acting”, he laughs. And the once notorious playboy even talks about revisiting marriage, though admittedly with a little cynicism. “It’s a huge institution, even if it’s only for the weekend. But in the modern world it’s nice to know what you are meant to do, and the role you are meant to play in society. Yet when you are told you can’t do something, it’s natural that you feel your freedom has been questioned.” So is romance dead for Jude Law? “In film, those other roles are more exciting; in life, who knows. But as far as romance goes on the big screen, I hope I will play another romantic lead, but it will have to be as an older man.You have the right to shoot me if I try to play a 20-year-old…” He might have ditched his ‘it boy’ credentials but the status he’s likely to keep is that of the Primrose Hill boy – a symbol of a late 1990s golden age. At 40, he contributes to a bevy of Primrose Hill-living British actors, models and general arty types, all getting on but still legendary. Daniel Craig and Kate Moss have recently joined him in the star-studded area. He talks openly about press intrusion – his phone was hacked by the News of the World (“I had my house bugged, my car was monitored. I had people following me. Four years. It was crazy. And I don’t want sympathy, because I was just one of hundreds of people”), but argues the need for a “tasteful and intelligent” free press. Life, nowadays – despite still being a bit of a lothario – takes a steadier path. He carries a sort of ‘been there done that’ air of nonchalance with him, and talks about the industry like an elder statesman. When asked what is the worst thing about being an actor, he’s quite reluctant to answer. “I don’t like to talk about the worst things because there are so many good things. I have a very good life. I am very lucky, and I do a job I love. “I spend time with good people”, he continues. “It also affords me a very comfortable and safe life with my healthy children. Of course, there are bad sides. The invasion of privacy is not good, and noone deserves that, but even that is subsiding now. I guess everything looks sunny.” He began acting with the National Youth Music Theatre back in 1987. Throughout the 1990s, he got steady work – appearing in films directed by the likes of Clint Eastwood and David Cronenberg – but it was Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley that truly catapulted him to fame, winning a BAFTA and receiving an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. What’s he learnt in that time? Basically, he says, it’s to not take things to heart. “I learned very early on in my career that if you’re competing against somebody you’re on a losing race.” “When I was 19, I was living in a flat with Ewan McGregor and Johnny Lee Miller. We were all making our way in acting and usually when one of us
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got the parts the other two wouldn’t, and you realise that film is a very specific art form. “If they choose somebody else it’s not because of you, but it’s because they wanted another type of actor. It’s not that you’re bad or no good, it’s because they want something else entirely. These things do happen a lot, and must happen a lot to an actor in order to build you up. Rejection makes you what you are, while being competitive is only detrimental to yourself. “I’ve never felt competitive”, he says, “and the most interesting thing about getting older is that you feel there are other parts opening up to you that you couldn’t have played before.” n
Side Effects in cinemas 15 March
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Images : 1, 3 & 6: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows. Available Now on DVD and Blu-ray. 2, 7 & 8: Alfie ™, R & © 2004 by Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. 4 & 5: Anna Karenina (2012) © Focus Features © 2012 Universal Pictures International. All Rights Reserved.
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Sylvia
Young: Star An enduring passion for the arts has seen Sylvia Young OBE found a legendary Marylebone theatre school and nurture talented performers for over three decades. As award season kicks off, she grants Gabrielle Lane a very rare interview 14
s c xe n x xe
Maker
E
very time I phone the Sylvia Young Theatre School to schedule our interview with its namesake and principal, I hang up reluctant to return to the blandness of the 9 to 5 desk job. Sylvia’s PA Gillian is an endearing combination of friendly, thespy and ever so slightly elusive, which only serves to intensify the impression that she guards something akin to Hogwarts or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at 1 Nutford Place. Of course, the school’s almost mythical status has been honed for more than 30 years, opening as it did in 1981, one year after the release of Fame – a musical charting the fictional quest for stardom of performing arts students in New York. While Sylvia’s intention was never to create a full-time theatre school, the success of a 50p-per-week East London children’s club led her and a teacher friend to offer full-time training to aspiring youngsters. Classes were originally held in Drury Lane and later, from two sites in Marylebone, where the school remains. “At the time there were no schools that I could recommend that offered the three essentials, which are good academics, good vocational training and professional opportunities”, Sylvia explains. “When one of the venues of the classes became available during the week, a friend of mine said ‘why don’t we?’ So we did! I shared the use of Gainsford Boys’ Club. We opened our boxes in the morning and packed everything away in the evening for the Boys’ Club members to come in.” Whatever now goes on behind the grand arches of 1 Nutford Place has seen the likes of Amy Winehouse, Leona Lewis, Nicholas Hoult and Billie Piper emerge as the next generation of stars at an age when many of us have barely started to poster our walls with images of suitably gelled, existing idols. In her autobiography, Piper suggested the girls were instructed to walk around in ankle weights (it has since transpired that this occurred only as part of a ballet lesson) but other than this one anecdote, there seems to be no evidence of secret rituals or gruelling regimes. “We follow the normal state term times, but with three long days for academic studies, lots of homework and two days of dance, drama and
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singing”, Sylvia says. “We also have the best teachers we can afford.” Coincidentally, she didn’t take a salary for the first ten years of the school’s operation and continues to ensure more is invested financially, than is taken out. She also lives humbly, in a “small flat in the roof”. Perhaps further demonstrative of the institution’s ethos is the fact that Nutford Place, chosen only once an original building in Rossmore Road could no longer accommodate all who should attend, was selected not for its suitability for rehearsal rooms or recording studios (it has both) but for its two courtyard gardens. “We placed an advert and I was very pleased to find this building with its outside space – where do you find play areas in central London?” Opening with 29 students, the school now has more than 220 on its books and applicants must have potential talent in one of the vocational subjects of dance, singing and drama. They must also be above average academically in order to cope with the threeday traditional timetable. What does Sylvia look for in those auditioning? “Well you certainly need talent, but you also need to really ‘want it’, to put up with the quiet times”, she muses. “Yes [it’s always better to start preparing at a young age], the more training you have the better. It is not always necessary to go to a full-time school, but full-time students seem to have their feet firmly on the ground, understand the pressures of professional work and understand that each job is not necessarily the right job for them.” Casting director Paul De Freitas has sat alongside Sylvia on the awarding panel for the school’s scholarships: “Sylvia is a down-to-earth lady with a big heart”, he adds. “She is able to look past those that come in all-singing, all-dancing and toe-tapping; she’s brilliant at spotting potential when it isn’t as obvious as she is able to see what someone could become with care, time and training.” Year-on-year the school offers as many scholarships as it can afford to talented attendees who cannot meet fees that range from £2,970 to £4,080 per term. One benefactor is The Amy Winehouse Foundation, the charity set up in honour of the late singer, to whom Sylvia famously addressed a letter in 2007, urging her to seek support for her
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school offers part time classes on Thursday evenings drug and alcohol demons. She wrote, ‘Is it inevitable and on Saturdays for students on the outside to that someone as gifted and as highly strung should experience its vocational teaching. And while one behave badly? I don’t believe so. But perhaps it is not imagines Sylvia could set up a lucrative stage school wholly surprising, particularly now when there are so many more temptations than in the past and when franchise outside of London, it isn’t on the cards. “We would success is ever like to open harder to come schools in the by.’ (Daily Mail, provinces”, she 2007). Sylvia admits. “The says it is rare for problem is that her to become I have the very emotionally best teachers here involved in the and I would need lives of her pupils to get together and reiterates that some more students are told amazing staff. to prepare for the We are also very tough nature of ‘hands-on’ here the show business and I would get industry. Oscar Wilde into the situation Indeed, her own where I would children have need to monitor pursued careers the work in every in the arts. single school.” Elder daughter ‘HandsFrances Ruffelle on’ remains is a doyenne of the perfect musical theatre, description of having joined the lady herself, the original awarded an OBE London casts of for services to both Starlight the arts, in 2005. Express and “I was struck by Les Misérables how involved she and earned a was,” explains prestigious Tony one former award for the role visitor to the of Éponine in the school. “Her latter. Frances’ office was strewn sister Alison has with costumes worked as both a for various successful actress productions; she and producer still sits there and while Frances’ finishes stitching own daughter, the outfits Eliza is a regular herself, it’s in the current quite amazing.” pop music charts, While fondly performing under recounting her her stage name love for the ‘Eliza Doolittle’. Sylvia Young OBE with her students arts across the Both of board, Sylvia Sylvia’s daughters Young remains trained at the modest about her achievements: “I am still insecure family’s stage school as young women, but she in knowing how successful the school has been,” remains diplomatic when discussing the culture of she concludes.“We are very well-known but only in reality television shows which offer instant fame and certain areas.” But as the saying goes: London is a recording contracts to winners. roost for every bird. n “The reality TV programmes have given a false impression of fame to many young people. However, they have also given some people, who would not Sylvia Young Theatre School have had any exposure, the chance to show what 1 Nutford Place, W1H they can do and to achieve success,” she says. 020 7258 2330 In the spirit of providing opportunity, the theatre www.sylviayoungtheatreschool.co.uk
‘‘
I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another what it is to be a human being.
’’
The
Artists For more than 200 years, this corner of the capital has been a mecca for actors, authors, painters and poets. Mike Peake gives NW London a standing ovation
P
in a map of London onto a dartboard and any throw landing where you’d find the 20 would put you within a whisker of some pretty impressive musical, literary or artistically-tinged history. Almost everywhere north of London’s W1 ‘bullseye’ area is imbued with tales of rock history, legendary painters and some of the greatest authors of all time, and if there is an epicentre, it is no doubt Hampstead and its immediate environs. It’s exactly where you might hit the treble 20, perhaps, affording NW3 top marks for being, quite possibly, the most culturally significant region in London. Trying to define the area’s single greatest claim to artistic fame would vary enormously depending on who you were talking to. Youngsters would doubtless perform a double-take outside Abbey Road Studios if you were to tell them that Adele recorded her multi-million selling, Oscar and BAFTA nominated Skyfall track there. Art lovers, meanwhile, might wilt at the thought of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian – he of the bold grids of black lines interspersed with a dash of vibrant colour – setting up a makeshift studio at his Parkhill Road apartment in 1938. “The effect of entering his room on a foggy Hampstead night was indeed something,” said his friend the artist Ben Nicholson, some thirty years later. For everyone else, there’s a veritable who’s who of artistic talent with links to the area that should make for a personal favourite – be it Winnie-thePooh creator A.A. Milne, singer Marianne Faithfull or rock star Liam Gallagher. The birth of Britpop, incidentally, happened just around the corner… Camden, of course, has long been abuzz with the sound of music, but the Irish flutes and fiddles steadily gave way to a more progressive sound in the 1960s. As the borough’s music-mad former Mayor Jonathan Simpson says, “Nearly every famous musician has played at a venue in the borough
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Over page: Piet Mondrian; seamless geometric abstract Left: The Beatles, image courtesy of www.apple.com Below: Kenwood House
during their career, from The Doors to Pink Floyd, Madness to Madonna.” Pink Floyd, in fact, were one of the first bands to play at the legendary Roundhouse in 1966; Jimi Hendrix and the Rolling Stones followed suit, and venues in the 1970s such as Dingwalls and the Electric Ballroom further cemented Camden’s reputation as having a world-beating vibe if you were into popular music. Punk was famously spawned – in part – on the other side of the capital, but when Britpop started to gather momentum in the first half of the 1990s it was irrefutably the sound of north London. The now-defunct Melody Maker reported at the time that “Camden is to 1995 what Seattle was to 1992”. Bands like Blur and Suede were regular fixtures on the local scene, and the music festival their popularity helped create – the award winning Camden Crawl – is still going today. Surprise performances by major artists are a common fixture of the event – once named by the NME as the UK’s ‘Best Small Festival’ – such as one in 2007 by local girl Amy Winehouse, who played at the Dublin Castle. Perhaps best associated with Camden’s Hawley Arms pub, Winehouse was a regular (and occasional celebrity pint-puller) at the venue right up to her tragic death in 2011. Not long after she died, the
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bar’s co-owner Doug Charles-Ridler told a journalist from the London Evening Standard that, “She was on the street on her way to a gig last Wednesday when she jumped on me and gave me a huge hug. I asked her, ‘Are you OK?’ and she just said, ‘Yeah!’ and danced off like Eric Morecambe.” While bands are most likely to be found playing and hanging out in Camden, they’re more often to be seen recording in St John’s Wood. As well as Adele, the Grade II listed Abbey Road Studios has hosted everyone from Duran Duran to Lady Gaga and, of course, The Beatles – and that’s not to mention the countless world-famous movie scores that were recorded there (Harry Potter, anyone?). Nearby AIR Studios in Lyndhurst Road, meanwhile, is where Robbie Williams, Oasis and George Michael have all laid down tracks. Playing just as big a part in the local music history archives – but for all the wrong reasons – is record label Decca, who famously turned down The Beatles after an audition at their West Hampstead studios at the start of 1962. “They have no future in show business” was the execs’ unfortunate verdict. But it’s not all guitars, drums and amps: classical composer Edward Elgar lived in Netherhall Gardens, Hampstead, for nine years from 1912; violin maestro Yehudi Menuhin lived in Hampstead’s The Grove (adjacent to a house that was once home to poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge); while the only noise to be heard coming from the home of the nymph-like Anna Pavlova in North End Road in the 1920s was likely to have been the soft squeak of ballet shoes. Indeed, some of the arts’ biggest and brightest names quietly set up shop in Hampstead without much fuss at all, sometimes staying fleetingly but just as often making the area their home. John Keats’ house in Keats Grove on the edge of the Heath is a world-famous example of the latter, and is where the
Some of the arts’ biggest and brightest names quietly set up shop in Hampstead without much fuss at all great romantic poet lived during some of his most productive years. Ode To A Nightingale, they say, was penned under a tree in his garden. A contemporary of Keats was the celebrated English landscape painter John Constable, who was a resident in Well Walk when he died aged 60 in 1837. One of his most evocative local works, entitled Hampstead Heath With A Rainbow, is in the Tate collection, but there are many other of his paintings which depict the heath: it was one of his favourite subjects, and Constable would spend hours looking out into the distance perfecting his technique for painting skies. For more than 200 years this corner of London has been a home to the creative and the artistic, and no list of Hampstead’s greats would be complete without mention of writers Evelyn Waugh, George Orwell and DH Lawrence, playwright Anthony Shaffer, poet Lord Byron and even former Guns ’N Roses guitarist Slash, he of the long hair and top hat. United by geography and a diverse range of talents that have helped secure them their place in the history books, they may be a disparate bunch, but we’re happy to say that they’re our disparate bunch. And long may they continue to inspire us. n
arrive and revive
The ‘Alm’ we hiked to today was an insider tip from our host. The view from here of sun-kissed mountain peaks reaching for the sky is simply spellbinding. We feel totally free, nearly giddy with joy. We might even spend the night up here. Just like the dairy maid. For information about holidays in Austria, visit www.austria.info/treasures or call 0845 101 1818
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LOCAL Update Covering the whole of North West London
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The Art of Identity This month the Jewish Museum in Camden launches a major retrospective of the works of R. B. Kitaj, one of the most significant painters of the post-war period. The American-born painter (1932-2007) strived in the 1960s when, along with his friends Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach and Lucian Freud, he created pioneering figurative art. In 1989 he published the First Diasporist Manifesto, the longest and most impassioned of his many texts discussing the Jewish dimension in his art and thought. This is the first time the UK hosts a retrospective of the artist’s work since a Tate exhibition in the mid-1990s.
21 February – 16 June, R. B. Kitaj: Obsessions, London Jewish Museum, NW1
Sweet Valentine at the home of romance Few poets know romance quite like John Keats. It seems very fitting, then, to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved one in the very house where the poet fell in love with his beloved ‘girl next door’, Fanny Brawne. For the occasion, Keats House has put together four days of events, with a special opening on 14 February and a Valentine Masquerade ball the next day. On Sunday, there will be poetry reading on the theme ‘Ever Truly Yours’.
14-17 February, Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, NW3
local treasure
Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut Quartet sees cast members, including Dame Maggie Smith, modelling some of local vintage jewellery curator Susan Caplan’s finest pieces; from 1950s Lisner crystal necklaces and earrings to 1970s statement Monet tassel pendants. Susan collaborated closely with costume supervisor Nigel Egerton and costume buyer Rosie Grant to ensure authenticity and historical accuracy.
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Stare death in the face Face to face with death, how would we react? Through different iconographies of death, Death: A Self-Portrait, at the Wellcome Collection, explores peoples’ attitudes towards the Grim Reaper. Renaissance paintings, Mexico’s Day of the Dead’s installations, rare prints by Rembrandt and Goya and ancient Inca skulls are just a few examples of the 300 works displayed in this unique and one off collection.
Until 24 February, Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston road, NW1
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Playing spades
right said fred
Whether theatre is your cup of tea or not, it’s worth having a look at Playing Cards 1: SPADES, at the Roundhouse this month, for its director Robert Lepage was once described as a creator of ‘theatre for people who don’t like theatre’. Blurring the lines between film, circus, dance and opera by using new technologies and staging techniques, the Canadian physical practitioner’s show explores the themes of war with an original angle, set in Las Vegas at the onset of the invasion of Iraq. What’s more, the show’s staging has been created specifically for presentation at the Roundhouse.
To mark its 60th anniversary, Fred Perry has compiled a list of 60 of its most loyal fans to raise funds for the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Designers, musicians and sports names will be customising a reproduction of the original 1952 Fred Perry shirt with a birthday message for the foundation. Participating customisers include British cycling champion Sir Bradley Wiggins, designer Bora Aksu, singer Damon Albarn, designer Raf Simons, No Doubt and Jamie Reid. In collaboration with Dover Street Market, Fred Perry will present the first 20 customisations exclusively at the store on 26 January before being auctioned, with all proceeds going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
7 February – 2 March, Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, NW1
www.fredperry.com
A Russian tale Based on two short stories by Russian author Anton Chekhov, award winning novelist William Boyd puts together a compelling tale on 19th century Russian life. With Longing, director Nina Raine makes a triumphant return to Hampstead Theatre after the success of Tiger Country in 2010.
28 February – 6 April, Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue, NW3
Bach unwrapped
Music lovers should head to King’s Cross: from the month of February, Kings Place will host an array of concerts dedicated to classical phenomenon Johannes Sebastian Bach. Celebrated instrumentalists, singers and choirs will join the Academy of Ancient Music, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and other talents in the largest annual series to date. Between cantatas, sonatas, motets and passions, Kings Place will give an extensive interpretation of Bach’s life work.
Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1
Guest list Olivia Grant
Friend and Florence Brudenell-Bruce
David Heyman and guests
Jo Malone Christmas Party, Marylebone
Nick Rhodes and Suvi Nefero
12 December 2012 Jo Malone London proved it knows how to entertain with a star-studded bash at its new town house office in Marylebone. The brand’s global general manager JeanGuillaume Trottier was joined by Vogue contributing editor Charlotte Stockdale and interior designer Rose Uniacke in welcoming Hugh Grant, David Bailey, Nicholas Kirkwood, Gareth Pugh, Florence Brudenell-Bruce and many others for a British feast by the Cellar Society.
Charlotte Stockdale
52 Gloucester Place, W1U
Angela Scanlon
Marc Newson
Bonnie Wright
Portia Freeman and Tallulah Harlech
Dinos Chapman, Tiphaine Chapman Polly Morgan and Mat Collishaw
Jonathan Saunders and Tinie Tempah
Pixie Geldof
London Collections: Men Dinner, Marylebone 9 January 2012 London is fast becoming the global epicentre for men’s fashion. And away from the catwalk, the great and the good are talking about it, not least when designer Jonathan Saunders joined forces with Selfridges and Fantastic Man for a low-key dinner at the Old Selfridges Hotel. Artist Polly Morgan, GQ editor Dylan Jones, Pixie Geldof and Tinie Tempah ate smoked trout and treacle pudding. Princess Julia and Pixie Geldof
Jonathan Saunders, Tiphaine Chapman and Dinos Chapman
Edwards Mews, W1U www.londoncollections.co.uk/men
Mat Collishaw and Polly Morgan
George Reid and Aluna Francis
Patrick Grant
Russell Tovey and friend
Guests enjoying the event Images courtesy of Getty
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scene
Daniel Lismore and Ellen von Unwerth
Gulnida Tochevic and guest
Immodesty Blaize
The Launch of The 2013 Snow Queen Vodka Calendar by Ellen von Unwerth, Fitzrovia
Suki Waterhouse
18 December 2012
Stephen Jones, Lisa Aldridge and Howard Aldridge
Local residents journeyed to Fitzrovia’s Gallery Different to celebrate the work of renowned photographer Ellen von Unwerth. Stephen Jones, Noelle Reno and Daniel Lismore were offered cocktails from members club Apartment 58 and canapés by High Sushi while admiring blown-up versions of the sultry shots.
14 Percy Street, W1T www.gallerydifferent.co.uk
Noelle Reno
Ellen von Unwerth and Amal Fashanu
Hofit Golan
Stephen Jones
Daniel Lismore
Stella Katterman and guest
Teresa Tarmey
Teresa Tarmey Salon Opening Party Belsize Park 7 December 2012
Teresa Tarmey and Suki Waterhouse
Beauty therapist Teresa Tarmey has become a saviour for well-heeled glossy Londoners, evident by the glamorous throng who turned out to mark the opening of her Belsize Park salon. Tallulah Harlech, Suki Waterhouse, Samantha Penman and Siobhan Bailey Turner swapped beauty tips on the night, before venturing out to neighbouring bars to continue the party. The new salon follows the success of Teresa’s first site in Shoreditch. Jenna Lincoln and Rosanna Perry
83 Haverstock Hill, Steele’s Village, NW3 07932227092, www.teresatarmey.com
Teresa Tarmey and guests
Teresa Tarmey and Tallulah Harlech
Samantha Penman, Emily Yeoh, Teresa Tarmey and Suki Waterhouse
New Zinc showroom now open 1 Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London SW10 0QJ
0679_Zinc Kensington & Chelsea Ad_Apr12_AW.indd 1
09/03/2012 16:51
scene
A
Beautiful
Mind
As the annual Jewish Book Week kicks off on 23 February, exploring Jewish thought, life, history and literature, Kari Rosenberg sits down with psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz who will be speaking about his debut book, The Examined Life, at the outstanding literary festival
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T
he first thing I notice is ‘the bed’: I recognise it from the book cover. White sheet; two pillows; gauze curtain framing the bay window. The walls are crammed with overflowing bookshelves as I search for something out of place, perhaps a Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals, among the psychoanalytic literature. There’s no couch. Part of me wants to kick off my shoes to lament why it all went wrong with Annie Hall. I’ve never been in a therapist’s room before; but I’ll be the one posing the questions. I ask Stephen Grosz how he’s adjusting to the role reversal as journalists interrogate him about his psychoanalytical debut The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves. “It’s strange, but it’s been a pleasure. The whole thing has been an amazing experience. I turned 60 a few months ago and this has become a wonderful third act in my life.” Born in Indiana and educated at Berkeley and Oxford, Grosz’s collection of short simple stories are taken from more than 50,000 hours of conversation in his Hampstead practice. While some may have read his writing in the Financial Times Weekend Magazine or Granta (the book was also Radio 4’s ‘Book of the Week’ in January) for many, this will be a warm introduction to the mind of Stephen Grosz. He talks a lot about ‘acts’ and ‘phases’. His beautifully written casebook flows like an exquisite work of fiction, a study of the human character and its journey from childhood to old age, like a novel you can really lose yourself in. Much more than a collection of snapshots from various patients’ lives, this is certainly not a self-help book. Nor is it
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psychology for beginners. “There are three arcs in the book – the first is about childhood and then towards the end, it moves on to death and dying. The early pieces are about the beginning of my career and the later ones about more recent encounters. I wrote the book in such a way that it would feel a bit like therapy; that you go through a kind of journey. I don’t tell you too much at the beginning about what you’re going to read, which is also like an analysis; you just come in and start talking about your life and things start happening. And you’ll be surprised. I wanted people to have that experience when they read the book.” Stories range from the extreme to the more runof-the-mill, or at least the more familiar. After a year working with one patient named Peter, for example, Grosz receives a letter, supposedly from Peter’s wife proclaiming his recent suicide, only for him to leave a message on Grosz’s answerphone a few months later causally declaring: “It’s me. I’m not dead”. By inflicting guilt and distress on Grosz, Peter was able to express what he had been unable to say – and what Grosz was unable to see. Francesca, on the other hand, seems far more ‘ordinary’ in comparison, with a case that may be more recognisable than someone like Peter’s; she willingly turns a blind eye to her husband’s extramarital indiscretions, despite the obvious signs. Interestingly, Grosz doesn’t state the blindingly obvious (even after hearing her husband’s colleague refer to him as ‘Shagger’) and asks her, gently, what she makes of the situation, one which takes her two
‘‘
The ability to ask for help when we need it is, I think, a sign of health
’’
years to face. That’s the thing about Grosz, and what makes this book, and its author, so fascinating and so accessible, whether you know your Freud from your Jung or not. He doesn’t judge. He doesn’t dictate. And you learn as much about the author’s imperfections and obstacles – he also missed the signs of a cheating partner, but didn’t seek therapy to come to terms with the incident. But if he had felt depressed, would he have sought help? “Yes. The ability to ask for help when we need it is, I think, a sign of health.” Grosz, quite defiantly, does not have all the answers. “I think [my book] is different from a lot of other ‘psychology’ books because it isn’t just the patients that have problems. I write about a past relationship when a partner cheated on me; it can happen to everybody. It’s not like analysts have all the answers and patients don’t know anything. We find out things together. “All analysts have to undergo analysis. But I think analysts may have been guilty of presenting themselves as wizards of the mind and knowing
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change, or a change that she wanted, but she may not see in advance that there is going to be loss involved. The woman and her husband may then think they need to get back together at some point; they’ve had their children and now they need to undo the loss and make a new relationship. I think we live in a world where people like to think they can experience change and not feel sadness, that they can have everything. But sometimes we have to give things up and situations alter.” Does he believe everyone loses themselves at some point in their life, whether they are aware of it or not? “I think it’s quite ordinary to feel separated from the life you think you should be living. That’s a normal and ordinary part of life. I think we lose ourselves when we try to avoid loss, weirdly; when we try to pretend that the wedding is only a happy event, that there won’t be any sadness. It’s when we get separated from our own feelings. I think that’s when we lose ourselves.” Softly spoken and disarmingly pensive, I can’t help but wonder if Grosz’s observations and answers are tailored to what he’s thinking about me. I found myself contemplating whether he was analysing me as I sat there. But why? Perhaps it’s because therapy is still taboo in this country, whereas in the States, for example, it’s as mainstream as going to the dentist. Does he think therapy can ever be a little self-indulgent? “The people who come to see me aren’t coming because they’re self-indulgent; they’re coming because they’re in pain. They aren’t going to spend the time or the money unless they’re really suffering and unhappy. And pretty quickly if they’re feeling better,
Freud’s couch, image courtesy of the Freud Museum, Hampstead
all the answers. The whole point of analysis is to analyse: we don’t know. My whole training, everything I’ve learned, is to not think I know. There are situations where the psychoanalyst tries to help the patient solve something that they were not able to solve in their own life, where the analyst will not be able to figure something out about their patient but then the patient or a friend of the patient may say something to shed light on the situation, helping them both to see the situation better. Analysts don’t have all the answers. It’s a journey.” Was writing the book part of Grosz’s own journey? “I wrote it for the 20-something me. It’s the kind of book I would have wanted to read between the ages of about 18 and 35. It’s also for my children. An “older dad” Grosz got married at the age of 50. His mother died when she was 64. “A lot of people in my family don’t live a long time”. He wanted to put down the most important stories from his work for his family in case something should happen; the stories he learnt the most from. The key theme of the book, is that change involves loss. The everyday, the mundane, the things most of us experience – growing up, going to school, getting married. “People often think that all of those things are only going to make you happy. But that’s not true; with each of those things, you have to give up something to gain the next. To get married you have to give up your parents, to a certain degree, and your siblings and family. To really make a good marriage, your new family will have to become important to you in a very significant way. Having a child can be a wonderful thing but it will alter a woman’s relationship with her husband, so it’s a positive
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they leave. People don’t tend to hang around. If they’re staying it’s because they’re getting something useful out of it. I can’t help but think of your question how an analyst would; what does that say about the person asking it? If they went, is that what they thought?” While Grosz’s philosophy is largely based on the idea that trauma in childhood can lead to what could appear to be unrelated issues in later life, some may question whether therapy can sometimes make a situation worse. And surprisingly, Grosz doesn’t dismiss the idea. “The truth is: absolutely. The hope is that after it gets much worse it can then get much better. A famous analyst once said that people can live their lives frightened of a breakdown and that that fear could make them lead a very restricted and unhappy life. And paradoxically, if they have therapy, they could come in, have a breakdown, get over it and then go on feeling much better. The thing that they feared was much worse than the real thing that happened which could then be gotten over. Picture a few weeks in bed, really depressed compared to tying yourself up for a lifetime, anxious and scared that if you let go you would completely fall apart. Sometimes people do get worse. Sometimes people get worse when they start confronting something they had put off facing. “There is a story in the book about mourning the future, about a girl whose father had died. She is thinking about the future all the time and how wonderful it’s going to be and in a way she is putting off facing the present; the real relationship with her boyfriend, the fact that her father is not going to be at her wedding. It’s a common thing to live in the future and in that piece I say it is generally better if we can face the present, even if it’s painful.” Taboos aside, there’s no doubt we are more psychoanalytically aware now, than say, twenty years ago – so much so, there seems to be an OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) epidemic in need of attention, if every self-diagnosis were to be verified. Are we so scared of mental instability, severe or temporary, that we are obsessed with labels? “I think people are more psychologically aware these days. But I don’t tend to use labels because I think they can sometimes hide things. People are combinations of things. For example, someone may have OCD but then also by the fact of having that be depressed too because they feel themselves not normal. My experience is that most people are a complicated mixture. I try to avoid labels and really try to see what’s in front of me.” While no doubt names and occupations have been altered, confidentiality must be a tricky obstacle to overcome, I say, maintaining privacy while also wishing to give a true portrait. “Confidentiality is a really important point. Names, occupations – all the details are altered”,
‘‘
says Grosz. In some instances where I was concerned I asked the patient to read the piece. A number of the anecdotes were read by my patients and they made helpful suggestions, some of which I incorporated. And I’m grateful to them for that. “I can’t ask other patients whom I saw many years ago but in those instances the stories are so disguised that even that patient may not recognise themselves. Most case histories – if you look at my wall of books – are hundreds of pages long. Mine are vignettes; they’re very brief. A lot of the stories just reflect on an exchange or a brief moment. But it is a real issue – to write about people while still keeping their privacy. You have to find a way to do that.” I’ve read one review that notes the Talmudic references and religious overtones – speaking from personal relationships, does he think religion can sometimes provide a safe haven for those trying to escape their problems? While, as always, there is never a yes or no answer, Grosz does liken Orthodox religion, in some instances, to a hospital regime: “They wake you up at a certain time, you do this activity for this amount of time, then you have therapy, then you do another activity; you have a real structure to your day. And religion gives you a structure to your day, as does the army or the church. There are certain institutions or jobs which if you’re a bit lost, give you a structure for your life and help you feel like you belong. You are part of a group, part of a family. It can be very compelling.” Already working on his next book, it will follow the same format, but, Grosz says, will focus more on relationships and love. One thing he doesn’t write much about is sex, something he intends to tackle in the next instalment. Whatever Grosz writes about, there’s no doubt it will be compelling. A fascinating book and unexpectedly ‘feel good’; The Examined Life is a must read – and far cheaper than a one hour session. Although you won’t get to lie on that bed. n
I try to avoid labels and really try to see what’s in front of me
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’’
Stephen will be discussing The Examined Life with David Aaronovitch followed by a book signing, as part of Jewish Book Week. Sunday 3 March 2:00pm-3:00pm King’s Place 90 York Way N1 9AG www.jewishbookweek.com
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style
wish list
SNAP AND POP If Instagram is anything to go by, you can’t get more current than the retro polaroid. But blog-haters fear not; you’re not about to be ambushed with the latest snaps of avant-garde hot dogs, burgers or lobsters. Once used as a simple tool for testing lighting, angles and moods, these polaroids are old-school. Catch Bruno Bisang: 30 Years of Polaroids at The Little Black Gallery, where the renowned Swiss photographer has captured the world’s most pictured supermodels. Some of the polaroids are signed by the subjects themselves; big names include Carla Bruni, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. All the pictures are taken from his book of the same name.
www.thelittleblackgallery.com
SARAH S for L’OFFICIEL, PARIS, 1993 Original Polaroid, £3,900 (inc frame & VAT)
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STYLE Update WARDROBE UPDATE Joseph continues to strengthen its eponymous label with its new pre Spring/Summer collection. The transition between seasons yields great juxtaposition: tough versus glamorous, sporty versus sexy and masculine versus feminine, each exuded through well-made but easy-to-wear separates. Following the launch of its online portal late last year, the entire Joseph range is now available to purchase through www.joseph.co.uk, as well as at its North West London outpost.
21 St John’s Wood High Street, NW8 www.joseph.co.uk
WRAPPED UP The Hermès silk carré is that most mythical of fashion accessories, so consider it a shining indictment of the talents of Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo that the Comme des Garçons founder has been asked to produce six very special scarves, exclusive to London. The set will be unveiled at Kawakubo’s Dover Street Market store this month. The finished pieces have been closely guarded but expect geometric elements, stripes and checks.
www.doverstreetmarket.com
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THE YEAR OF KARL In 2012 it seems you couldn’t do anything – be it take pictures, redecorate a home or apply lip gloss, without having being ‘Karl-ed’. Lagerfeld was the go-to man for making great things just that bit more fabulous through a series of successful collaborations with global brands. However, this month the designer realises his ambition of opening a first stand-alone store which will house everything from sunglasses to the Karl Lagerfeld Paris premium readyto-wear collection. To visit, you’ll need to hop on the Eurostar at St Pancras for Lagerfeld has chosen 194 Boulevard St Germain as the setting: “For me, the seventh arrondissement is the centre of the world, I couldn’t imagine starting anywhere else.’
LFW RETURNS Known for his fantasy-style illustrations as much as his to-diefor heel designs, Manolo Blahnik has turned his hand to the Autumn/ Winter 2013 promotional campaign for London Fashion Week, producing images of those industry figures who have influenced his award-winning career. The key event will run from 15 to 19 February, with more than 5,000 members of international press and retail expected. The last London Fashion Week generated more than £100m worth of clothing orders across 62 catwalk shows and 20 presentations.
www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
ESSENTIALLY GOOD
KATIE GRAND LOVES HOGAN
The word ‘timeless’ crops up a lot in the domain of the sophisticated, the plain and the versatile, however the white shirt is just that. And there’s no one better than Carolina Herrera to take the staple and give it a twist – not once, but eight times. The White Shirt Collection launches at the end of this month and sees the designer honour the classic tailoring that has become the backbone of her collections with a brilliant mini range, taking the look from the office to the after-party.
Stylist and Love magazine editor-in-chief Katie Grand has partnered with Hogan to produce a capsule collection of footwear and accessories. High-top, low-top and wedge trainers, a ballerina flat and leather purses have all been reworked using the Hogan archive. Creative touches include splashes of bright pink – a decision Grand explains in terms of wanting the pieces to have a fiery, not demure, femininity. Some 14 of the stylist’s favourite models, including Dree Hemingway, star in a shoot to show off the line. The photographs will appear in a one-off publication to coincide with the launch.
CH Carolina Herrera, from £145 120 Mount Street, W1K
Katie Grand Loves Hogan pieces, £355 each www.hogan.com
e b o t e k a t t i s e What do
RED CARPET READ The prep; the dress; the little black book: stylist Ghyl Lebentz reveals all
who’s that girl?
Ghyl Lebentz is a stylist and fashion writer based in North West London. Having graduated from The University of the Arts London with a degree in Graphic Design, she cut her teeth on TV and film shoots and became In Style’s fashion assistant before dedicating her time to styling her A-list clientele. She details her life and work at www.fashionfiltered.com
THE PREPARATION I always research a client’s most recent looks and evaluate what was successful and what wasn’t. That way I can spot their personal style emerging and can gauge what dresses they are likely to go for. Clients often have a predetermined idea or set of rules of what they will or won’t wear, usually based on bad red carpet experiences in the past. I have to cater to this but also challenge it, so next I start selecting looks from style.com, studying the latest collections and saving images of dresses that will work. Eventually I edit this down to 20 dresses and start approaching PRs to see if dresses are available or have already been worn by someone on the red carpet.
THE DRESSES
I love British designers. At the moment my favourites are Peter Pilotto, Michael van der Ham and Roksanda Ilincic as they are experimental and use bold colours but still create feminine silhouettes. I love discovering designers who are off the radar; my recent discovery is Louis Heal who has been getting some great red carpet exposure recently with sexy cut-out and thigh-slashing designs. On the high street I love Kurt Geiger, COS and Whistles as they focus heavily on quality as well as style. I always take lead from what the client hopes to achieve from a red carpet look as it’s not as simple as just looking good, there can also be outside influences behind wearing a certain style. Fashion is very influential and having a great red carpet presence feeds into raising the client’s profile. I avoid safe options and never go for black unless the client insists: the whole point of having a stylist, apart from making you look great, is to help you get noticed.
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style
IN CASE IT GOES WRONG
ADY?
When employed by a client I know well and have worked with plenty of times before, I have less back-ups. I pretty much have three final dresses and an extra five or so, just in case. If it’s a new client I hang on to as many as 15 dresses. I always have at least 12 pairs of shoes and ten clutches and will pick one jeweller to work with; I’ll choose the jewellery once the dress is decided. Most red carpet clients are sample size (UK size 8) and don’t need Spanx but samples can vary and come up a bit small so sometimes a dress will need minor alterations or you will need help to give a cleaner silhouette. Usually last minute disasters are down to underwear; sometimes it can show through even if you’ve found the most suitable attire. On one occasion, I was in a car with a client on the way to a red carpet event and was frantically trying to pin her dress to her bra on a bumpy car journey. The pins kept bending and in the end we had to leave it, but luckily the bra didn’t show and she looked great!
THE DIY KIT
You should always be prepared. A lint roller, clothes brush, body tape, sewing kit, wonder web (easy iron-on hem), safety pins, dressmaker pins, insoles, tights and a travel-sized clothes steamer are all vital. I even have plasters and sanitary products in my styling kit! A dress can photograph badly even though it looks great on, so I photograph the potential dresses on my client from every angle, with flash, and without flash and this helps to decide if it will work on the red carpet.
CONTACTS
It’s important to make the best of a situation that doesn’t go your way – sometimes it’s a battle to get a certain dress or a pair of shoes and you won’t always get what you want, so you have to make something else work. Being both friendly and sociable and a good networker is key, especially with PRs; they have to deal with so many stylists and fashion magazines who have asked for the same thing so it’s crucial to be remembered and liked.
Hat
tricks This February, through a series of photographs and anecdotes, Kevin Davies presents the most candid insight into the life and work of milliner Philip Treacy OBE ever published. Gabrielle Lane gets a preview
In the studio, 11 November1998
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s txyxl xe
‘‘ W
hen I first met Kevin, on a shoot for American Vogue, he had been briefed to capture a happy, laughing young designer. And I couldn’t do it.’’ By his own admission, Philip Treacy OBE is uncomfortable in front of the lens. This makes the 200-image, 20 year documentation of the milliner’s career, which emerges in a new book by photographer Kevin Davies, all the more unique and fascinating: The five time winner of British Accessory Designer of the Year takes his dog (now, dogs) everywhere, has made every hat he’s ever designed on the same mannequin, is fuelled by house music and copious cups of tea and routinely stays up until 2am to style the formidable Grace Jones, five hours later than scheduled.
style Naomi Campbell Royal Ascot 6 June 2002
I
get it. Initially disheartened that the man himself wasn’t available for interview, delving into Philip Treacy by Kevin Davies, I now understand why. Explanation is in the candid photography capturing life at his studio – shot after untouched shot showing colourful, creative chaos. It’s in the accompanying anecdotes of the milliner, terming it a “clown’s car” of disarray and expressing relief that “Kevin would arrive and photograph in an unobtrusive way and it meant I didn’t have to stop working,” and it’s in the commentary of the photographer who says: “Philip and I spent a long time with the contact sheets. Finally I asked: “You don’t like them?” He replied, “No, I don’t understand them.” Treacy is an artist. He just gets on with things. And the book is not a commercial project for either man. “I was certain from the beginning that I wanted to capture the flip-side of events,” Davies writes. “I was interested in something different: the preparation, the atmosphere, the attention-to-detail.” A Tatler shoot with the late Isabella Blow (on the phone and having a manicure), ironing Naomi Campbell’s dress at Royal Ascot (she was running late) and fitting the hat of Princess Eugenie on the wedding day of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (one of 36 commissions for the occasion) are amongst the catalogue Paris Fashion Week; haute couture of moments from the last two decades Andy Warhol collection 1 January 2000 which make this a book for the curious, not just the fashion conscious. We learn that Treacy is a perfectionist as we see him working against a mirror to better visualise the forms he creates. Every piece is made to the millimetre, and enforced with resin, not wood, to hold its shape. There are many good times – the excitement and energy backstage at a Paris couture show and performances from rock stars amongst them, but there are also scenes of thoughtfulness. Davies catches the milliner staring nervously at an empty runway, ahead of London Fashion Week, while later Paris Fashion Week; haute couture Orchid collection, January 2000 he comments: “The time I spend preparing for a show is some of the most difficult.” Why did Treacy allow such intimate access to his life? He became good friends with Davies at that fateful Vogue shoot. “When you’re first introduced to this world of press, photography and interviews, sometimes you don’t have all the answers. Kevin, being diplomatic, talked about what we could do instead.” Davies demonstrates this sensitivity when introducing shots taken in August 2004. “I knew he felt uncomfortable sitting for portraits,” he writes. “..I was beginning to feel his pain.” Thankfully for Philip Treacy, a picture speaks a thousand words. n
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Philip Treacy by Kevin Davies £39.95 Phaidon 2013 www.phaidon.com
www.vgnewtrend.it
ph. Andrea Pancino C
M
Y
CM
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K
VG Studio at
inspirations vision
style
design
www.idesign-int.com info@inspirationsoftickhill.co.uk Tel: 01302 760040
the list
THE LADY LOVES 2
3
1 4
1 Biel Leather Wedge Pumps, £395, Jimmy Choo, www.netaporter.com 2 White Caviar Illuminating Hand Cream, £93, La Prairie, www.laprairie.com 3 Valerie Clutch in Silver £350, Anya Hindmarch, www.anyahindmarch.com 4 Volupté Sheer Candy Sheer Nourishing Lipstick in Spring Look, £23.50, YSL, www.yslbeauty.co.uk
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style
Photography: Rachel Pearce STYLING: Gabrielle Lane
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8
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5 Essence EDP, from £57, Narciso Rodriguez, www.harrods.com 6 18 Karat White Gold Link Bracelet, £650, Joubi, www.kabiri.co.uk 7 Princesse Grace de Monaco Watch, £7,700 Montblanc, www.montblanc.com 8 Mini Pocket Leather Diary in Gold Snake, £35, Aspinal of London, www.aspinaloflondon.com
Turquoise blue tulle gown Christian Dior, ÂŁ10,500 020 7172 0172
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The
Dark
Night Stylist: Francesca Barrow
Photography: Hugh O’Malley
Rises
Gown, Vivienne Westwood Red Carpet Capsule Collection, £2,100, 020 7629 3757 Isla wide fade-in cuff, £256, and Ruby cuff (mixed), £189, both Alice Menter www.alicementer.co.uk
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Black floral evening full length skirt, ÂŁ635 Carolina Herrera, 020 7581 3031, silk blouse ÂŁ245, Max Mara, 020 7518 8010
Navy velvet evening dress, ÂŁ450, Carolina Herrera 020 7581 3031; Daisy rings, ÂŁ195 each Sushilla, www.sushilla.co.uk
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Navy and black feather cocktail dress, ÂŁ450, Carolina Herrera, 0207 581 3031 Alice Menter Isla wide fade-in cuff ÂŁ265.50, www.alicementer.co.uk
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Sinatra trilby in velour with velvet twisted tube and jewellery, £750, Philip Treacy www.philiptreacy.co.uk, Sophia blue leather collar, £607.50, Alice Menter, as before. Jacket, £700, Max Mara, 020 7518 8010, silk trousers, £270,Kelly Love www.kellylove.com
Creative Director and Stylist: Francesca Barrow at Façonner, www.faconner.co.uk Hair Stylist: Joey Wheeler at Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, 020 7730 1222, www.richardward.com MAKE-UP Artist: Tora Young Model: Anya Barker at Storm Location: The Kensington Suite at Wyndham Grand Chelsea Harbour SW10 0XG, 020 7823 3000 www.wyndhamgrandlondon.co.uk
Our boutique is located 20 Motcomb Street London SWIX 8LB tel. 020 7823 2176
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best of
BEauty
2
1. With so many anti-ageing products flooding the market, it’s vital to find a favourite that actually works. Clinically proven to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pores, to even complexions, hydrate and tone, Double Serum’s unique Hydric + Lipidic System ensures a complete age-control treatment for all skin types.
£55, Clarins, www.clarins.co.uk
2. A couple of months ago we didn’t own an Illuminating Powder. Now, we’re consistently demanding more from the humble blusher. Aerin launches a limited edition version this month as part of its new Garden Colour range, which promises to give a bit of extra glow.
£45, Aerin, www.aerin.com 3. Lighter spring scents are making an entrance right now. Exclusive to Selfridges, L’Eau is layered with the vitality of jasmine and pink peony over the romantic tones of lily: a daily dose of couture.
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£64, Narciso Rodriguez www.selfridges.com 4. The scientists at Shiseido have quite the beautiful breakthrough to boast about with the creation of Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream, a world first in patented stem-cell technology. Targeted for skin over 40 years’ old, the cream restores even the deepest dermal layer to firm and smooth complexions within a month.
£94, Shiseido, www.shiseido.co.uk 5. If you love MAC Cosmetics’ powerful pigments, Givenchy’s Le Rouge is also for you. The lip colour has a velvety texture and comes in 12 bold tones including 301 (pictured). Be fickle.
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£24, Givenchy, www.parfumsgivenchy.com 6. Bolstered by the success of the Assoluto fragrance, Valentino has released a sensual sister scent, Valentina Acqua Floreale. Its floral composition combines notes of orange blossom over amber to create a playful perfume inspired by nature, gardens and carefree moments stolen in the warm evenings of Rome.
£50, Valentino, www.valentino.com 7. Spring is the perfect time to pander to a passion for pink as shown by Dior’s unapologetically feminine Chérie Bow collection. The fashion powerhouse shares its love of all things pretty with three new editions of its cult Dior Vernis nail polish: Tutu, Rosy Bow and Gris Trianon.
£18, Dior, www.dior.com
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beauty Update THE JO MALONE LIFESTYLE Gloucester Place in Marylebone has been chosen as the elegant location for the new Jo Malone London HQ as well as its luxury entertaining space. The late 18th century mansion has been bedecked in a rich cream, black and white colour scheme masterminded by creative director James Gager, with interior designer Rose Uniacke, and serves to reinforce Jo Malone’s standing as a luxury lifestyle brand. Last year the company set about transforming its boutiques into mini town houses, with the launch of the concept in Covent Garden.
52 Gloucester Place, W1U www.jomalone.co.uk
CC GETS AN A GRADE Converts to BB Cream, the multi-tasking base product which emerged from the Asian beauty market last year, should prepare for its successor – the CC Cream. While the Blemish Balm was famed for its light, smooth finish (not to mention its time-saving credentials), users would probably find themselves applying a little under eye brightener here and there. However, the new Colour Corrector goes that bit further, incorporating moisturiser, a sturdy SPF and buildable coverage. L’Oreal Paris are among the first to bring CC Cream to the UK this February.
www.loreal-paris.co.uk
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THE NEW VINTAGE This February, MAC Cosmetics launches Making Pretty, a gorgeous new collection with an old world glamour about it. Trussed up in dusky pink with rose gold bows, products include eye shadow and powder brushes, loose iridescent powder with a traditional puff and arguably the only two lipstick shades a woman needs – a pastel pink for day entitled ‘3N’ and the self-explanatory Runaway Red. Both have a satin finish.
Lipstick, £20.50 and Iridescent Loose Powder £42, available exclusively at Selfridges www.selfridges.com
BEAUTY FOR COLLECTORS Those not familiar with accessories designer Olympia Le-Tan’s work can enjoy an exclusive introduction courtesy of a new Lancôme collaboration which sees the creation of 100 very special make-up bags. Six shades from its highly popular lipstick and nail ranges Rouge in Love and Vernis in Love have been housed in a hand-embroidered miniaudière in time for Valentine’s Day and typically, Olympia chose an illustration of a novel cover for the front of the case.
£995, available at Harvey Nichols
BURBERRY’S NEW PASSION KISS IT BETTER
While 2012 saw much fanfare over its digitally-enhanced, fashion concept store in Mayfair, Burberry has made its latest addition to its Regent Street outpost; a flagship space for its cosmetics offering. Consultants will be on hand to assist customers navigating the full span of its make-up and fragrance line. And in keeping with the brand’s technology drive, the area serves as a gateway to bespoke iPad content and its own spontaneous, computerised rain showers. Spring/summer releases from Burberry include new blush tones and a glistening gold lip tint.
Burberry Glow, £29 and Lip Glow £18.50, www.burberry.com
This month Clinique continues its ‘Kiss It Better’ charity initiative in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital with a new six pack of its Superbalm Moisturising Gloss. 50 per cent of all February sales of the luscious, lightweight tint collection will go towards researching the causes and treatment of childhood cancer.
£24, Clinique www.clinique.co.uk
QUINTESSENTIAL BRITISH LEATHER GOODS SINCE 1934
The Bullion Collection www.ettinger.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 8877 1616
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Clémence Duron enjoys a soothing Valentine’s treatment at the Landmark London Hotel
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hen I stepped into the Landmark Hotel, the low lighting and tranquillity of the lobby made me forget the rushing lunch-break bodies of the Marylebone Road outside, and I could feel my desk-induced stresses almost evaporating. Quite a good start, as it was a relaxing break for which I’d come, amid the spacious and contemporary facilities of the hotel’s Spa and Health Club. February is the month for romantic getaways and the spa offers a wonderful Cupid’s Rendezvous package, perfect for busy couples who want to indulge without leaving the city. Knowing the hotel’s long history of outstanding service, I was expecting the spa’s team to attend to all my needs, and I wasn’t disappointed. The highly skilled therapists treated me to their Holistic Total Body Care treatment, designed to work on vital energy points and soothe tense muscles. A skin brushing and a spearmint exfoliation were followed by a deeply relaxing body, face and scalp massage. While my entire body was softened and smoothed, the balance was restored in both my body and mind. As I very reluctantly left the massage table, I felt surprisingly re-energised. Stepping out of the imposing classic building I looked back and regretted not having booked a room to extend the experience. Couples have the opportunity to enjoy more pampering, though, as the Cupid’s package also includes a four course lunch by the 15m chlorine-free pool. Afterwards, you will enjoy full use of the pool, steam room, sanarium and Jacuzzi as well as an exclusive gift to take home. n
Cupid’s Rendezvous is priced from £160 per person or £300 per couple Available from Friday 1 to Thursday 28 February 222 Marylebone Road, NW1 020 7631 8010
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Floris is delighted to announce the opening of a new Bespoke Perfumery Boutique at 147 Ebury Street, Belgravia, 282 years since Mr and Mrs Floris opened the doors to their first Perfumery at 89 Jermyn Street.
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CALENDAR GIRLS Image from the Snow Queen Vodka Calendar, shot by Ellen Von Unwerth
Each of the shots in this inaugural calendar from Snow Queen Vodka is fabulous, so it’s OK to pick a favourite month and display it all year round. Legendary photographer Helen Von Unwerth was behind the lens as the quirky fairy-tale tableaus played out; the Snow Queen and The Torturous Tale of Beauty tussled against a backdrop of ice baths and swans, before they were revived with a drink. Snow Queen Vodka follows coffee brand Lavazza in creating an artistic calendar; a veritable piece of beauty for whichever lucky wall it adorns.
www.snowqueenvodka.com
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Interiors inspiration
do not disturb Take some much deserved ‘me’ time for a relaxing bubble-filled soak. Big enough for two (should you want the company), these opulent tubs from Drummonds are available in regal gold, Chinese lacquered red, antique bronze or rustic concrete. Best accompanied by a glass of Merlot, cucumber face-pack and Jo Malone scented candles – say hello to your new best friend. And breathe.
www.drummonds-uk.com
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desk bound Don’t you love Decoratum’s quirky original pieces? We do. Boasting work by renowned artists including Sir Peter Blake and Russell Young, these desks were created by Aymeric Lefort with references to his French cultural heritage reinterpreted to create a modern, minimal, design. Inspired by architecture, Lefort’s study staples are characterised by the subtle blending of a quality finish and innovative materials.
31-33 Church Street, NW8 020 7724 6969, www.decoratum.com
my motto shine a light Nothing says ‘mood lighting’ like the soft flicker of candlelight. Pick and mix from a range of shapes in the Eichholtz collection, or take the lot.
From a range, www.occa-home.co.uk
love seat We heart this beautiful Farrow & Ball chair so much, that we’re tempted to order half a dozen to sit round our dining room table. Ideal for any room in the house – from the children’s playroom to the living room – the beautiful golden floral motif is ideal for a spring spruce up.
Feel emboldened by this dreamy life affirming message emblazoned on this super kitch poster. Designed with the words Napoleon wrote in a letter to his wife Josephine in 1796: “Do not put yourself out, run after pleasures; happiness is made for you......” it will be sure to obliterate any January blues that may still be knocking around. While the French leader may have been lacking in the height department, he was clearly a born romantic. A great Valentine’s gift to your partner, or to yourself.
£30, www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk
58A Rosslyn Hill, NW3
words-worth Forget email, instant messenger, text; letter writing is making a comeback. And you heard it here first. For all those words left unsaid, take the plunge this month and scribble them down on these Ladies and Gents writing sets from Chase and Wonder, containing a hand painted wooden box and letter pressed paper with matching envelopes. If poetry isn’t your forte (yet), then may we suggest a quick master-class before putting pen to paper. Roses are red, violets are blue, doesn’t really cut it.
£28 each, www.chaseandwonder.com
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Interior design and architecture experts Leonard Milford and Alexander Martin have some very impressive connections. Kari Rosenberg takes a sneak peek at Martin’s home improvements, of which Gwyneth Paltrow is a particular fan
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Here and over page, Alexander Martin’s home post renovation Photography by Richard Chivers
ou know you’re doing something right if Gwyneth Paltrow takes it upon herself to act as your personal publicist, dedicating an entire Goop blast to your capabilities. Having renovated the A-list star’s home, interior designer and co-founder of the architectural firm Milford/Martin, Alexander Martin (brother of Coldplay frontman Chris) specialises in creating bespoke, simple, easy living spaces, with his business partner Leonard Milford. After completely refurbishing and restoring his own home, demolishing it floor by floor, Martin transformed the cramped pokey interior to a light and airy, family friendly space. While the kitchen and dining area still holds the original fireplace, the new open-plan multi-purpose reconstruction makes the most of light and space. On each floor, the wide openings let the light shine through from one end of the room to the other. Flamed granite surfaces give the kitchen an expensive finish while the cabinets are aesthetically simple and unobtrusive. The floor is white plank Siberian larch. The theme of the house pays homage to the capital; from the old-fashioned stove which was converted into a fireplace by inserting a made-tomeasure metal box, to the birch plywood custom shelf. A very subtle and thin ‘shadow gap’ carries through the entire house from room to room and up the stairs, and coupled with a shade of warm grey on the walls, unifies the whole space. Established in London in 2010, the practice has opened a second office in Shanghai, and has a growing portfolio of work for both national and international clients, ranging from individual one off residences to corporate headquarters. What are some of the most interesting projects you’ve worked on? LM: I previously worked on the conversion of a Martello Tower up in Suffolk. A Martello Tower is a three storey solid brick sea defence that the Royal Engineers built along the coast during the 1800’s to keep the French at bay. They are shaped like sandcastles and are all Grade II Listed buildings and Scheduled Monuments with the only access through a single door at first floor level, which makes life quite difficult. Very little can be done in the way of permanent alterations so we had to be extremely considerate and innovative to change this into a home. Added to that, the area that the building sat in
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was a flood risk zone behind a sea defence, in an area of outstanding natural beauty and a European Area of Scientific Interest. Through hard work and the support of English Heritage we got planning consent and constructed a home for the client. This was a tough project with very few odds of even being able to gain planning permission let alone constructing something modern, but finally the building was completed and was a finalist for the RIBA Manser Medal for the best home in the UK 2010. What inspires you? LM: As a designer, there are a number of things that I reflect on for a bit of inspiration and clear thinking. Namely, going out for a walk and just taking in the city, preferably in the rain, helps me immensely, which is fortunate as rain is something that both London and Shanghai share an abundance of. Clients can be, and usually are, a great source of inspiration too. What are some of your favourite places in London both architecturally and in terms of interiors? LM: St Paul’s Cathedral would be up there. It may seem a very obvious choice but as an architect I think that many religious buildings are fascinating. Cathedrals were generally developed with the highest technical consideration that was achievable at the time of construction; they have a series of simple yet wonderful grand structural spaces inside and an amazing secondary level of detail, materiality and refinement about them which is hard if not impossible to match today. Although what I like about St. Paul’s are the hidden spaces, namely the Geometric Staircase in the south-west tower which spirals up to meet the equally impressive Cathedral Library above. Certainly for its breathtaking interior, St. Christopher’s Chapel near Great Ormond Street boasts a rather spectacular mix of materials and subtle lighting. For something a bit more futuristic I would suggest the control room in Battersea Power Station. It may sound like a purely functional space but this marble lined room is completely unexpected. AM: Most of the more interesting interiors, like those at the Soane Museum in London, are behind closed doors, but for more accessible places the enclosures in London Zoo are architectural masterpieces. Certainly the yearly pavilions at the Serpentine Gallery can be interesting and make cutting edge design much more accessible to the public.
What I like about St. Paul’s are the hidden spaces, namely the spiral Geometric Staircase in the south-west tower
What are the trends for spring/summer? AM: We cannot really adhere to seasonal trends as the time scale is more drawn out than that; a general move away from cold white downlight infested interiors and feature walls would be good. Furniture wise there is a resurgence in taste of the 50’s era furniture; designers like Ferdinand Kramer, Jean Prouve and also a rich expression of materials and textures. n Bottom two: A recent project. Photography by Richard Chivers
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Milford/Martin 2-3 Greenland Place NW1 www.milford-martin.com
Exclusive Modern Furniture Made in Germany
Harrods Heal’s
3rd Floor Knightsbridge | www.hulsta-harrods.co.uk
1st Floor Tottenham Court Road | www.hulsta-heals.co.uk
Hülsta-Westend Hülsta-Bristol
23-25 Baker Street | www.westend.hulsta.co.uk
33 Wine Street, Bristol | www.bristol.hulsta.co.uk
www.hulsta.co.uk | the german furniture brand
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The Ultimate Guardian This company first came to our attention in 2010 when it helped Karl Lagerfeld to design a watch and jewellery trunk and luxury safe-maker Döttling has impressed us once again. Capable of housing, and protecting, six watches, in addition to jewellery, cash and important documents, the Guardian employs materials usually used to make bullet-proof vests and anti-riot shields to provide the ultimate travel safe. Stab it, smash it, burn it or blow it up; a hardas-a-diamond carbide component means that the Guardian will make mincemeat of saws, drills and even sledgehammers. In short, the Guardian can only be illicitly opened by a code breaker with a lot of time – but this is time they won’t have, as the travel case is equipped with a GPS device, meaning it can be located anywhere in the world. At 35 centimetres in length and 13.5 in diametre, the Guardian is small enough to fit in your suitcase but personally, we don’t know why you’d want to hide it. Prices start from £7,900. n
www.doettling.com
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THE SIENNA COLLECTION Inspired by the Renaissance Masters, The Sienna Collection reincarnates the artist’s love of colour and creativity. The Sienna Cuff and The Sienna Chandelier drop earrings both feature a superb array of mandarin garnets, pink spinels and diamonds set in yellow gold. The Sienna Collection is truly inspired by a timeless period in European history which celebrated beauty through the adornment of majestic gems.
UNITED KINGDOM
AUSTRALIA
The Royal Arcade, Old Bond St, Mayfair London W1S 4SW
Sydney Gold Coast
calleija.com
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jewellerynews Cupid’s Arrow Creative genius Paul Flato was based in New York from the 1920s to the early 1940s and is widely credited as the first celebrity jeweller, his long list of Hollywood clients including stars of the silver screen Greta Garbo, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn. Flato is celebrated for his often flamboyant designs and Art Deco jewellery and this ruby and diamond bow and arrow brooch, attributable to the designer, showcases his ostentatiously playful style. The piece, along with several other exceptional designs by Flato, is available at London jeweller Lucas Rarities, which specialises in rare pieces of period jewellery and objets d’art.
www.lucasrarities.com
Cutting Edge Luxury jewellery company Maxim Voznesensky recently opened its first London boutique and the Elements collection has been inspired by the four basic principles of Earth, Water, Air and Fire
The Fire pieces are just one part of Maxim Voznesensky’s Elements collection. Featuring bright red rubies, scorching yellow diamonds and blackened gold, the designer vividly captures the element’s characteristics
Roses are Red... French jewellery house Cartier’s latest creations nostalgically look back to past designs and influences. Following WW2, flowers (particularly orchids) bloomed bright and bold in the form of semi-precious colourful stones and the Caresse Pink Orchid ring, part of the Naturellement collection, speaks to classic design while offering a modern edge. Other heritage icons include parrots, love birds and the Cartier Panthère.
www.cartier.com
My Valentine Joubi has collaborated with Kabiri to create two exclusive pieces. The first uses the signature Joubi Geometric ring as its setting but reinvented in 18-karat rose gold with pavé pink sapphires. For something more outrageous, the jeweller has designed a Croc ring, a crocodile design conceived of 15 carats of pink sapphires in an 18-karat rose gold setting.
Geometric ring, £4,000 Kabiri, 37 Marylebone High Street W1U
oh, For the Love of… Say ‘I love you’ differently this year. Amedeo is offering an exclusive service at Harrods whereby customers can create a bespoke portrait cameo. Go in with a photograph of a loved family member or even a pet and Amedeo can create the perfect likeness. The main collection in store includes key motifs of crowns, panthers, snakes and skulls.
Fire pendant with rubies, diamonds and yellow and blackened gold, POA From the Elements collection www.maximvoznesensky.com
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Famous Last Words
De Beers
As we approach one of the most romantic days of the year, Olivia Sharpe explores the top engagement ring services across London for those of you looking to pop the question this February
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or centuries, men have agonised over the ‘right’ way to propose when, really, this is the easy bit. While there are a million and one different ways to ask, from the clichéd rose petals scattered around the house to sky-writing the words ‘Will you marry me?’, there is one thing which unites them all together and that is the giving of the ring. And this is where men can really fall into some strife. Having a bad proposal, albeit traumatic, can be forgotten, but a bad ring is something your future wife has to live with for the rest of her life. As Kim Cattrall’s straight-talking character puts it in Sex and the City, “wrong ring, wrong guy”. Knowing which ring will suit your bride-to-be best is the crucial test as to whether you truly know her: the Four C’s – cut, clarity, carat and colour – should all reflect her personality, and therefore be completely unique. Although the choices may appear dauntingly endless, there is the right ring out there for everyone; you just have to know where to look.
Harry Winston
Harry Winston has earned his stripes over the years as the King of Diamonds. With the legendary Hope diamond, a magnificent fancy blue gem weighing in at an impressive 45.52 carats, being the company’s most coveted treasure, the woman who is true to Harry Winston isn’t afraid to express herself and be powerful while remaining feminine at all times. Carrying everything from round brilliant-cut, square emerald-cut, emerald-cut, cushioncut, radiant-cut, oval, pear, marquise and heart-shaped diamonds, the Harry Winston company knows that we all have our own idea of what constitutes the perfect ring. Rings can therefore be tailor-made to the individual to ensure each strong personality shines through. And you can be sure that there is no sparkle quite like a Harry Winston diamond, as each goes through a strict vetting process by an expert team of gemologists which evaluates them according to the Four C characteristics to guarantee they pass muster on both beauty and brilliance. At Harry Winston, only stones and not corners are cut, as quality, and not quantity, holds forth.
Harry Winston, 171 New Bond Street 020 7907 8800; www.harrywinston.com
De Beers Harry Winston may be known as the King of Diamonds but if this is the case, De Beers remains
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the supreme ruler, dominating the diamond industry. The romantic Adonis Rose ring, set in either pink gold or platinum, harkens back to the time of the Ancient Greeks, a civilisation to whom we owe the tradition of the engagement ring being placed on the fourth finger of the left hand (they believed that it contained a vein that led straight to the heart). The Promise ring, with white diamonds and set in pink gold, is the perfect symbol of your love and makes the same promise as you do when proposing of remaining eternally loyal to the wearer. In line with the current tradition of the solitaire diamond, you could opt for the elegant, timeless Aura Cushion Cut platinum ring. Also unique to the jeweller is the De Beers Iris; housed in each store, it provides clients with an objective way of seeing the beauty of their diamond through the eyes of an expert. The De Beers woman is strong and independent while at the same time loyal and traditional; investing in both the girl and the ring is worth every penny.
De Beers, 50 Old Bond Street 020 7758 9700; www.debeers.co.uk
Chaumet
A Chaumet ring is destined for the princess. The company’s origin dates as far back as 1780 when Chaumet’s founder, Marie-Etienne Nitot, was the official jeweller to the Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Romantic period, Nitot’s successors were inspired by the decorative arts of 17th century France and this was shown in their jewellery designs. By 1880, Joseph Chaumet was establishing himself as the master of the Belle Epoque, attracting a predominantly royal and aristocratic clientele. Consequently, aigrettes, tiaras and other such social status symbols became a large part of the house’s sales, producing more than 1,500 different models of tiaras. By the early 19th century, Indian princes were hearing of Chaumet’s genius, leading to a pair of pear-cut diamonds being purchased by the firm for the Maharaja of Indore. Today, the luxury French jeweller prides itself on maintaining its strong sense of heritage. The Bee my Love engagement ring, exclusive to the house, hums back to the regal emblems of the Napoleonic Empire, while the Josephine recalls its long-standing tiara tradition. With more than 200 years of history in jewellery, your love story will have already begun before you place the ring on her finger.
Chaumet, 174 Bond Street www.chaumet.com
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Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.
If you happen to pass a Tiffany store in the run up to Valentine’s Day, it would not be an unusual sight to see men queuing outside, all on the hunt for the same treasure: the precious little blue box. The timeless design of the Tiffany setting makes the perfect backdrop for either the Lucida, a square mixed-cut diamond with a step-cut crown and a brilliant-cut pavilion, the Tiffany Legacy, which captures the elegance and romance of the Edwardian era with its patented cushion-cut centre stone and bezel-set diamonds, or the Tiffany Novo, which shows how the jewellery house is always looking to innovate with its customised mounting of four sleek, tapered prongs and aligned facets. A recent addition to the repertoire is the Tiffany Soleste; launched in 2011, it features a cushion-cut diamond centre surrounded by a double row of round brilliant accent diamonds, all set in a platinum diamond band. Well aware of the hectic lifestyles of the majority of its clients, the company recently introduced an iPhone Ring Finder app, enabling its predominantly male customers to view ring styles on an on-screen hand model if they can’t make it to the store. The hand’s movement showcases the rings from different angles, highlighting the stones’ cuts and designs. Never going out of style, a Tiffany ring is something that can be passed down from generation to generation.
Tiffany & Co., 25 Old Bond Street 020 7409 2790; www.tiffany.co.uk
Grays For the vintage girl, Grays, home to the largest and most wide-ranging collection of antique and period jewellery, is your best port of call. Television programmes such as Downton Abbey and Upstairs, Downstairs have, of late, popularised the glamour of the early 20th century, resulting in older engagement rings which have recently come back into fashion. LAPADA member Anthea who runs AG Antiques (one of the stands at Grays) explains their increasing trend in contemporary society: “People love the uniqueness of an old ring. Antique and vintage rings are generally oneGrays
off designs and it would be almost impossible to see anyone else with the same ring. So many people want the older rings; the increase in popularity has definitely been noticeable.” Not only are people endorsing the better quality of workmanship that you often find with vintage rings but also the better value for money. Antique dealers sell on the margin scheme, which means that they only pay VAT on the profit rather than the whole lump sum, resulting in prices ending up cheaper than most modern counterparts. Popular vintage style rings currently include Art Deco and Edwardian, as well as triple cluster and diamond solitaire rings. When buying your antique engagement ring, make sure to get helpful advice from the dealer (that’s what they’re there for) and do not forget to get an insurance valuation.
Grays Antiques, 1-7 Davies Mews / 58 Davies St 020 7629 7034; www.graysantiques.com
Hirsh London Championing the philosophy that “every piece is a work of art”, British jewellery brand Hirsh has certainly lived up to this mantra through its bespoke engagement ring service. Manager Ben Stevenson believes that it stands out from its competitors by offering a truly individual Hirsh London service, hand-making all of its jewellery in the company’s workshops. It is also committed to bringing the best in the following five elements: design, quality, service, expertise and value. Stocking a selection of staple styles, including Bridge, Cinq, Papillon, Regal, Trio, Solitaire and Artemis, you will begin the design process by looking at these “shoulder designs” with one of the in-store experts and seeing which you prefer. Although there to make sure your every wish is granted, clients will always be steered towards the practical if they start to contemplate wacky design ideas as, while Hirsh would never sell you a ring that you were not happy with, nine times out of ten it is the classic and simple designs that women want. Jeweller of choice for both the City boy and members of royalty, Hirsh can cater to everyone.
Hirsh London, 56-57 Burlington Arcade 020 7499 6814; www.hirshlondon.com While it may still seem as though there are infinite possibilities available to you when choosing an engagement ring, at least you know that help is always close at hand. You may think that it is the act of proposing that clinches the deal, but remember that this is something that will naturally alter and become embellished over time, whereas the ring will forever remain the same, as much a part of her personality as a piece of jewellery. n
We prefer not to be measured by dimensions. Unless it’s a new dimension of accuracy.
No fewer than four exceptional mechanisms enhance the precision of the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”: the tiny fusée-and-chain transmission, the delicate tourbillon, the ultra-thin Lange balance spring, and – not least – the patented stop-seconds device for the tourbillon which makes it possible to
set the watch with one-second accuracy in the first place. Never before has an A. Lange & Söhne watch been endowed with so many complications that simultaneously enhance its rate accuracy, settability, and readability. And so, this remarkable timepiece truly deserves the honorary attribute “Pour le Mérite”.
Arije 165, Sloane Street London • George Pragnell 5 and 6, Wood Street, Stratford-upon-Avon Hamilton & Inches 87, George Street, Edinburgh • Harrods 87–135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London Watches of Switzerland 16, New Bond Street, London • Wempe 43-44, New Bond Street, London Lange Uhren GmbH • Tel. +34 91 454 89 82 • www.lange-soehne.com
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watch news As If By Magic
Lange’s Enlightenment A. Lange & Söhne unveiled the latest incarnation of its iconic Lange 1 timepiece at the end of last year and Vantage joined Lange CEO, Wilhelm Schmid, and 89-year-old company founder, Walter Lange, in Dresden for the launch. With a dial of semitransparent sapphire crystal parts, the Grand Lange 1 Lumen reveals the ‘secret’ mechanism behind Lange’s famous outsized date-display for the very first time. The best looking watch we’ve seen in a while, the Lumen comes with a 40.9 millimetre platinum case and a 72 hour power reserve. Expect this timepiece, limited to 200 pieces, to cost close to the £50,000 mark.
www.alange-soehne.com
Cutting Edge Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting pieces
Aesthetically, Patek Philippe’s 18-karat rose gold 5123r features the characteristic purity that defines the brand. Mechanically, the watch’s Caliber 215 PS movement highlights the company’s dedication to innovation
When winter came, so the story goes, and the Swiss farmer-watchmakers left the fields for their workbenches, it was the delicate perfection of snowflakes from which they drew inspiration. In an example of reality mirroring legend, this Corum creation has a similar magic. Suspended at the centre of its case by a sapphire mainplate at its base, the flying tourbillion within the Golden Bridge Tourbillon Panoramique appears to levitate. Delivered with two crocodile leather straps (black and brown) only 20 pieces have been made, at £142,000 each.
www.corum.ch
Return to Refinement Love or hate them, if you’re a true watch geek you can’t help but marvel at the mastery of Franck Muller’s inventions. It may not have as many complications as Muller’s other timepieces (the Aeternitas Mega 4 has 36) but Muller’s new 7-Days Power Reserve is surely one of the brand’s most elegant-looking. Part of the Franck Muller Vintage collection, the watch comprises 213 components made entirely in-house and 27 rubies in its movement alone. Well, this is Franck Muller, after all.
www.franckmuller.com
5123r, £18,060, Patek Philippe www.patek.com
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1 Slim knitted silk tie, £105, Charvet, www.mrporter.com 2 Capeland 10065, £2,940, Baume et Mercier, www.thewatchgallery.co.uk 3 Moon Machine, from a selection, MB&F, www.mbandf.com 4 Crocodile card holder, £150, Santiago Gonzalez, www.mrporter.com 5 18-karat white gold cufflinks, £4,400, Breguet, www.breguet.com 6 Grained leather black poker set, £575, Thomas Lyte, 12-13 Burlington Arcade 7 Paisley-patterned silk-twill bow tie, £95, Drake’s, www.drakes-london.com 8 Skull enamelled metal cufflinks, £125, Paul Smith, www.paulsmith.co.uk 9 Albemarle executive bag, £495, Thomas Lyte, as before 10 Woven wax-cotton belt, £280, Loro Piana, 153 New Bond Street 11 Opus 12, from a selection, Harry Winston, www.harrywinston.com 78
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Swiss movement, English heart
Swiss made / Quartz chronograph movement / 1/10th second split timing function / Hand finished 316L stainless steel case / Anti-reflective sapphire crystal / SuperLuminovaTM hands and indices / Matt finish optic white one-piece dial / Italian leather strap with easy opening butterfly clasp / Diameter: 39mm / Calibre: Ronda 5040.D
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10/01/2013 13:20
how do i love thee?
let me count the ways Be it Italian or tapas, Japanese or Jazz, Canary Wharf’s restaurants provide for the perfect evening this Valentine’s Day
If you’re looking for something a little different this Valentine’s Day, Canary Wharf holds the answer. Only 20 minutes from St John’s Wood via the Jubilee Line, Canary Wharf is the idyllic setting for romantic brunches for two, exciting shopping, pre-dinner cocktails, fine-dining and live jazz. The area’s 240+ shops, bars and restaurants will mean you and your loved one are spoilt for choice.
Boisdale of Canary Wharf What better way to spend the most romantic night of the year than by listening to some of the most passionate soul music ever written? Boisdale of Canary Wharf presents its Valentine special – The Spirit of Luther Vandross and The Gods of Soul: Fil Straughan. Enjoy the Luther Experience alongside a special menu featuring foie gras, Wester Ross Scottish salmon and Aberdeenshire fillet of beef. Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place 020 7715 5818, www.boisdale.co.uk
Plateau Restaurant, Bar & Grill, Canada Place
Plateau Restaurant, BAR & GRILL Enjoy one of the best views of the towering skyscrapers by celebrating Valentine’s Day at Plateau which overlooks the glittering lights of Canada Square Park. A glass of Champagne will get your evening off to the perfect start before you sit back and enjoy Head Chef Allan Pickett’s stunning five-course menu, which draws on all his Michelin experience. The Valentine’s package costs £65 per person and includes a complimentary glass of Champagne. Plateau Restaurant, Bar & Grill, Canada Place 020 7715 7100, www.plateau-restaurant.co.uk
Rocket Canary Wharf
Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place
If it’s a fun, lively and stylish restaurant you’re looking for, Rocket is the place for you. Downstairs, a ground floor bar serves fresh cocktails, wine, and Champagne, while upstairs Rocket offers sweeping views of the O2 Arena. This Valentine’s Day Rocket is offering a three course meal with an amuse bouche for £30 or the same deal with a glass of Prosecco or a Bellini for £35. Rocket Canary Wharf, Churchill Place 020 3200 2022, www.rocketrestaurants.co.uk
SHOPPING Roka, The Park Pavillion
Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles, £22 Charbonnel et Walker Cabot Place
Heart Lock Pendant £5,800, Tiffany & Co. Cabot Place
Earl Grey & Cucumber Cologne, £38, Jo Malone London, Jubilee Place
Pink Flush Handtie From £40, Brown’s London, Canada Place
Roka Overlooking Canada Square Park, Roka is a meeting place where food and drinks are shared with friends (Ro) surrounded by heat, warmth and all-embracing energy (Ka). The menu comprises dishes from a Robata grill, as well as from the restaurant’s main kitchen and a selection of sushi and sashimi. Roka’s renowned black cod and lamb cutlets are sure to appeal to even the most discerning of diners. Widely regarded as one of London’s best restaurants, Roka is jam-packed on ordinary week nights, so make sure you book in advance. Roka, The Park Pavillion 020 7636 5228, www.rokarestaurant.com
Iberica Showcasing Spainish flavours, Iberica Canary Wharf can’t fail to tantalise your tastebuds. Created by head chef Nacho Manzano, Iberica’s menu sees contemporary takes on tapas classics woven amongst more traditional dishes, like the time-honoured Spanish omelette. Visit for an energetic environment, fine food, a wide-ranging wine list and, on 14 February, special Valentine’s Day-inspired dishes. Salud! Iberica Canary Wharf, Cabot Square 020 7636 8650, www.ibericalondon.co.uk
Abigail Patent Leather Strappy Sandal, £295 L.K. Bennett, Jubilee Place
Valentine’s
wish list
Whether for him or for her, canary
wharf’s stores let you say ‘i love you’ this Valentine’s day Bang & Olufsen iPod Dock £949, South Colonnade Aspinal Of London Travel Collection, £125 Cabot Place
Iberica Canary Wharf, Cabot Square
Kiehl’s Facial Fuel, £33 Jubilee Place
Hackett London Cufflinks, £45 Cabot Place
Quadrato For a taste of Italy, reserve a table at Quadrato. Situated within the Four Seasons Hotel, the restaurant provides a stylish and inviting place where dinners can soak up stunning views of the River Thames. Start your evening in Bar Quadrato, a smart, warm cocktail lounge ideal for pre-dinner drinks, before sampling the rustic and vibrant cuisine of Northern Italy, prepared with the freshest ingredients. Quadrato, Four Seasons London Canary Wharf, Westferry Circus 020 7510 1999, www.fourseasons.com/canarywharf
Chanel Allure, Boots the Chemist, £51 (75ml), Canada Place Heritage Zenith Watch £3,100, Charles Fish Cabot Place
www.canarywharf.com
@yourcanarywharf
fa m i ly
wish list
SUGAR AND SPICE If your three-year-old is already worshipping Suri Cruise’s cute pea coats and immaculate Mary Jane’s, she’ll love the Candy Queen Store’s kitsch customised tees with interchangeable icons. Spring collections include dresses, skirts, hoodies, jewellery and bags as well as the original T-shirt collection. Perfect for age three to ten, you can let the little ones pick, mix and get creative with lollipop badges, twirly whirls and liquorice coils. You never know; you could have a future Coco Chanel on your hands. Think seaside funfairs, cupcakes, candy canes and vanilla 99ers; because we all know little girls are made of sugar and spice and all things nice. Until they turn 13.
www.candyqueenstore.com
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for the family
sweet Caramel If you’re looking to buy your little ones some lightweight additions to their spring wardrobes, then Caramel has the answer to your sweet preppy dreams. Expect smart/ casual ensembles, fun prints, super soft fabrics and subtle hues, ideal for Sunday lunches and family teas. To mix things up a little, Caramel baby also offers a selection of guest brands, including Marni. Just keep them away from the chocolate.
www.caramel-shop.co.uk
Mini-me Burberry’s Spring/Summer children’s collection has already attracted its fair share of column inches, and that’s not only because ten year-old Romeo Beckham is at the centre of this media coup. While classics such as the iconic trench coat are adapted to mini size, the collection also comprises more upbeat and vivid pieces. We love the boys’ blue duffel teamed with red chinos. Does it come in our size?
www.burberry.com
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fa m i ly
small wonders It’s many parents’ favourite French brand, and it’s easy to see why. Petit Bateau’s reputation for neat designs and textile quality is still untouched after 120 years in business. With fresh, crisp, nautical inspired looks, season after season, the core value of Petit Bateau still holds true. And who doesn’t love a full Breton boasting brood; from mummy bear to baby.
Celebrate at Harrods After opening its Toy Kingdom last year, Harrods is taking another step closer to becoming a kid’s paradise with the launch of its new themed birthday party events service. Think fun performers, dance and cookery classes, face painting and more, along with a delicious child-friendly menu and party bags to boot. Top it off with a visit to Toy Kingdom; the stuff dreams are made of.
70 Marylebone High Street, W1U
www.harrods.com/children
little foot Sophisticated little girls can now pamper their hands and feet without fear thanks to Little BU, a new line of water-based, chemical-free nail polishes, available at Huggle in Swiss Cottage and Amaia in Marylebone. Beauty publicist Patricia Dente has created a set of vibrant easy to apply colours, specially designed for little hands. Odourless and quickly washed off with water and soap, it’s a safe alternative to grown-up manicures.
www.iluvlittlebu.com
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rne o c s ’ Pet
Ultimate pampering If your pup needs prepping for a night out, or he’s had too much fun in the nearby pond, take the little critter for a full groom; haircut, bubble bath, teeth brush, eyes and ear clean, nail clip and more. Or if your busy schedule is making getting out for a walk on the heath too hard, Sniffles offers two rounds of walks, with each taking between five and ten dogs, ideal for regular exercise as well as a bit of a dog natter. Social walking groups, or packs, enhance exercise by beefing up competition.
6 Fleet Road, Hampstead Heath, NW3
pooch perfect It’s obvious by the overflowing shelves that Primrose Hill Pets has everything you need to spoil your dog. Nevertheless, quality is never neglected and its stock of leads, collars, beds, training harnesses, toys and more is among the best and largest in London. Its acclaimed grooming service guarantees quality care and the best fur trim in town. Sorted.
132 Regent’s Park Road, NW1
Your Heart in Your Hands When you lead a busy life, sometimes the hardest thing to admit is a problem with your health. If you’ve recently experienced central chest pain, a dull pain or heavy feeling maybe even a mild discomfort in your chest. Don’t push these matters of the heart to the bottom of your priorities. Maybe it’s time to visit your GP The Wellington Hospital has an international reputation for excellence in cardiac care, offering a full range of Outpatient Cardiac Testing, Daycase and Inpatients Cardiac Care.
Think about your heart this month 0207 483 5000
www.thewellingtonhospital.com
health&fitness
health & fitness WINTER DETOX
HEART-CORE If you’ve fantasised about emulating Darcey Bussell (but have moves more akin to Nancy Dell’Olio) this balletinspired class at Heartcore will keep you fit, and perhaps teach you a pirouette in the process. XtendBarre will build up your core strength and help develop muscles with light weights and resistance tools. With the first part of the class conducted away from the barre, we began with a warm-up followed by some ballet-inspired poses (although a dance background is certainly not required). With the help of weights, balls and resistance bands, this class is sure to tone your abs, gracefully.
Ideal for serious circulatory problems as well as overall under-the-weatherness, the lymphatic massage at Beauty Rose is great for detoxification and water retention, especially during the dreaded winter bug season. With our lymphatic system as our first line of defence in fighting infections, detoxifying the body and ridding it of waste and bacteria relaxes the nervous system and aids the body’s immune system to fight off colds and other unwanted diseases. And while it all sounds very technical, it’s actually very relaxing; lie back and think of England as the expert masseuse gently rubs and pummels your whole body. For fibrotic cellulite and tissue flacidity try the haemo-lymphatic option. It’s the perfect winter pick-me-up.
Lymphatic massage, £70 Portman Village 21 New Quebec Street, W1H
50 Hampstead High Street, NW3
OUTSIDE THE BOX Having amassed a cult following in the U.S., Birchbox has finally arrived on our shores. Founded on a ‘try, learn, buy’ philosophy, members receive a personalised box filled with a curated selection of beauty and lifestyle treats, including makeup, skincare products, haircare treatments and healthy extras such as herbal teas. With more than 400 global brand partners, expect tasters from Laura Mercier, Kiehl’s, Benefit, Stila and Yves Saint Laurent, which you can then order, if you please. At just £10 a month, it’s a no brainer. Look out for them at London Fashion Week, too.
www.birchbox.co.uk
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Brought Back Down to Earth Mr Neil Tolley, ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon at The Wellington Hospital, who was voted in the top 250 consultants in the country in January’s Tatler, reveals why robotic surgery is the technique of the 21st Century 88
health promotion
NASA has long held concerns about what to do with an astronaut if they should require a surgical procedure in space. This concept was developed further by the Ministry of Defence in the US to create a technology that would allow a surgeon to operate on a soldier in a battle zone, without any exposure to danger. This idea was then sold to a private company who developed it for further surgical use. And so the era of Telerobotic Surgery was born. In the surgery world, one device dominates the market: the da Vinci Telerobotic system. In many respects, the term robot is incorrect; it conjures the idea that an independent artificial intelligence is operating on the patient without human guidance. After all, Arnold Schwarzenegger in his role as a Terminator would not be most patient’s ideal surgeon. In reality, the system is not a robot, but a very clever and expensive surgical device. It essentially works by a surgeon sitting in a console, controlling the arms of another component that directly engages with the patient. This is called the robotic cart, which has four arms – one to carry an endoscope for the surgeon to see, two arms to replicate the hands of the surgeon carrying various instruments, and an arm which can be used as an assistant – that never tires and does exactly what the surgeon asks of him. The instruments can move through an arc of 270 degrees, which the human hand can’t replicate, and the endoscope provides the major advantage of 3D viewing, adding depth perception. The da Vinci permits the surgeon to perform dexterous surgery, in confined spaces, with a 3D experience. It has opened up a new era
of surgery and is giving surgeons the ability to perform procedures which previously were either impossible or extremely difficult with attendant risks to the patient. Robotic surgery is commonly employed in prostate, cardiac, abdominal, gynaecology and paediatric surgery. In terms of head and neck surgery, this is an area of the body containing many vital structures in limited and cramped spaces. Over the past five years, alongside my team from St Mary’s Hospital, I have pioneered its use for thyroid, parathyroid, snoring and head and neck cancer. In selected patients, particularly those that have a history of poor healing, with raised and pigmented scars, it has been possible to perform thyroid and parathyroid surgery by making the incision in the armpit. This completely avoids a scar in the neck, making it essentially invisible, even when wearing a swimming costume. Although surgery takes longer to perform, the patient’s hospital stay remains the same as conventional surgery – with only an overnight stay needed. This year, The Wellington Hospital performed surgery on two patients with cancer of the tonsil. Both were discharged home after six days, eating and drinking. This compares favourably to a normal stay of at least three weeks with conventional surgical techniques. Surgical treatment for moderate to severe sleep apnoea is also being performed where other treatments have failed. Success rates have been achieved in 86 per cent of selected patients with a hospital stay of only one night. Robotic surgery will be the surgery of the 21st Century and beyond, and offers many promising opportunities for patients at The Wellington Hospital.
GP SESSIONS: breathing difficulties Dr Lisa Anderson, Private GP at The Wellington Hospital, looks at acute breathing difficulties in children Breathing problems in children are a huge worry to parents and they frequently come to their GP for advice. Below are the signs and symptoms that should make you seek medical advice immediately. • T he colour of your child’s lips and tongue – are they pink or blue? If they are blue, you must see a doctor quickly. Looking ashen is also abnormal. • Is your child choking? An indication that the airways are obstructed can be due to a foreign body or some respiratory diseases that involve airways obstruction. • Is your child breathing quickly? A young child is allowed to breathe faster than an adult. What is important are the signs that show the child is struggling to breathe – they use what we call the
accessory muscles of respiration, and as a parent, you would look for the following signs:
- Deep drawing in of the muscles under the rib cage - Indrawing of the muscles between each rib - The notch at the top of the breast bone being drawn on. Flaring of the nostrils • Are there any other noises you can hear either when the child breathes in or out? Wheezing – this is usually when the child breathes out Stridor – a high pitched noise on breathing in. This is due to an obstruction of the upper airway. If you suspect this, do not put anything in the child’s mouth or this can cause complete respiratory obstruction. Grunting – this is a sign of acute respiratory distress in infants. • How alert is your child? Drowsiness and agitation are both important signs.
For further information or if you’d like to arrange an appointment at The Wellington Hospital please contact the hospital Enquiry Helpline on 020 7483 5000 or visit www.thewellingtonhospital.com
LET THE SUN SHINE
The new terrace at The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant in Knightsbridge is the ideal destination for summer. A secluded and sophisticated venue for morning coffee or light meals, the terrace becomes a cigarist’s paradise in the evening with an extensive choice of whisky, cocktails and wine complementing a new cigar menu. For more information visit theribroom.co.uk or call 020 7858 7250 Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9PY
12-06-15, City magazine - RR bar ad v3.indd 1
18/06/2012 17:04:52
food&drink
wish list
That’s Amore We’ll presume you’ve experienced the essence of Italian cooking at renowned Marylebone cooking school La Cucina Caldesi (if not, then why not?) But now, courtesy of Katie and Giancarlo Caldesi, every meal can be a lesson in historic Mediterranean gastronomy with their brand new recipe book – in the comfort of your very own kitchen. The Amalfi Coast features more than 100 recipes and stunning photographs from the country’s most bountiful region, bursting with lemon trees, breathtaking scenery and food fit for a king, as the culinary duo search far and wide for the defining dish. Feast on crispy pizza oozing with mozzarella, mouth-watering pastas saturated in tomato sauce and homemade tarts that will see New Year’s diet resolutions jump out the window. Mamma mia.
£25, www.hardiegrant.co.uk
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Foodie favourites News from the underground The first London Underground journey took place on 9 January 1863 between Paddington and Farringdon. To mark the 150th anniversary of the tube, The Park Lane Hotel has created an afternoon tea menu with a twist. Sample the Metropolitan 1863 cocktail on arrival followed by a selection of sandwiches and savouries. Towers of homemade scones will follow, complemented by ‘Limehouse’ Curd and clotted cream. Obviously, we love the white chocolate oreo Swiss ‘Roll’ Cottage.
Piccadilly, W1J
And…Cut Celebrate the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood style at Cut. Accustomed to feeding the A-list crowd, Wolfgang Puck has created an Oscars inspired treat. Expect smoked salmon on Oscar flatbread with caviar and crème fraiche, among other glittering dishes. The winner is…
45 Park Lane, W1K
The Hunt Is On
Mac Daddy
Taking inspiration from the historic hunting grounds of nearby Regent’s Park, York & Albany presents a quintessential British hunting cabin, ideal for retreating from the blustering sleet and snow. Open for six weeks only, the cosy pop-up nook is decked out with traditional tartans, tweeds and of course the obligatory taxidermy. Indulge in spiced mead and buttered rum hot chocolate while toasting marshmallows on the heated terrace.
Slight macaron fatigue? We don’t blame you. But every time we think there can’t possibly be a flavour combination we haven’t yet tried – mushroom and lemon, anyone? – up pops the father of macaron makers Pierre Hermé to spice up our tea time with a Valentine’s Day special. Cue ‘Macaron Yasamine’ – macaron biscuit, jasmine tea cream and mango compote combined with the house candied grapefruit. Oh, go on then…
127-129 Parkway, NW1
13 Lowndes Street, SW1X
Fake it to make it If your cooking skills leave a lot to be desired (and your other half still doesn’t know the truth) then Fortnum & Mason is here to help. Whether you choose to pass these dishes off as your own or not, is up to you. Pick up a ready to cook beef Wellington, edged with mushroom duxelle and encased in puff pastry or the lobster-studded beef. Pair with a juicy Martinborough Pinot Noir or silky Pomerol Merlot. Choose a dessert from the range (or keep it spontaneous).
181 Piccadilly, W1A
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food&drink
BONNIE TIMES Kari Rosenberg eats her weight in crab and oysters at this fabulously nostalgic seafood ‘shack’ If you don’t like seafood, you may as well stop reading: Bonnie Gull will be your idea of hell. However, if, like us, you love it more than anything else on this earth (or sea), you’ll be so excited by this brand new opening just off Goodge Street that we almost don’t want to tell you about it. There are only a handful of tables, and we want them all. Every night. Bonnie Gull is the antithesis of the super-chic, ultra-fancy, twelve-courses-inspired-by-the-world-and-his-dog restaurant, the type that seem to be popping up all over London. But in a good way. It’s the kind of nostalgic, no-frills seaside eatery that you fantasise once existed on the fair shores of Brighton, or Cornwall, but probably never did. It really does feel like you’re by the coast (in a Californian, not Blackpool kind of way), from the simple nautical décor, to the fresh seafood on ice, to the maritime paraphernalia that decorates the walls. And the food. Oh, the food. The menu changes almost daily depending on what’s fresh, but we started off with half a dozen oysters from the raw bar, not including the two that came atop our Bloody Marys (an almighty slimy shock if you’re not a fan). We threw a few razor clams, perfectly cooked in light garlic butter, in for good measure; delicious and moreish. I followed with the mackerel tartare, topped with a beetroot sauce and horseradish ice cream; sweet, sharp, fresh, zesty, it’s without a doubt the best thing I’ve tasted this year. And then came the showstopper; a whole Devon cock crab, which was, quite frankly, the biggest thing I’ve ever had presented on a plate. The fiddly bits were all done for me; legs cracked, claws open slightly to reveal the tender chunks of white flesh inside, while the dark meat was served as a pâté inside the main shell. And while sometimes a giant crab or lobster is often more work than it’s worth, this Devon bred fellow was almost overflowing. So much so, that the accompanying surgical utensils were almost superfluous. My companion opted for the grilled plaice which was golden and succulent, although I sensed she was coveting the glistening fish and chips on the adjacent table (voted best in London). Not that we were short on sides; unable to choose between the fat French fries cooked in beef dripping and the skinny version dusted in rosemary salt, we ordered both. Alternating between the two to decide which we favoured (I say the fat, my partner the thin; potato, potaaato) we managed to demolish the lot. So much for January’s resolutions. While all new restaurants claim to offer something truly different, few really do. What Bonnie Gull does is so simple, so unpretentious, and so totally on the money, that it’s no wonder Londoners are flocking through its doors.
21A Foley Street, W1W
food&drink
Night In
Robin Swallow Manna, NW3 A sumptuous and surprisingly healthy pudding to please the whole family
Raw tiramisu cheesecake
a six inch springform pan. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan making sure it is spread evenly. Set aside.
Serves six
Cheesecake filling • • • •
2½ cups cashews ½ cup macadamia nuts ½ cup agave nectar ¾ cup coconut oil (lightly melted over bowl of hot water) • 1 tablespoon lacuma powder • 1 teaspoon vanilla pod seeds • ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
Base • • • • •
1½ cups soaked walnuts ¼ cup dates 1 teaspoon vanilla pod seeds ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt ¼ cup raw desiccated coconut
Blend nuts in a food processor until fine. Then add the dates, vanilla pod seeds and salt and blend until the mixture holds together. Add a few more dates if the mixture is too dry and does not hold together. Sprinkle coconut onto the bottom of
Manna, NW3 Manna is a renowned, gourmet vegetarian restaurant in Primrose Hill, which prides itself on serving exemplary vegan and vegetarian dishes. Every plate is packed with flavour and inventiveness, completely re-imagining the concept of vegetarian cooking. Cannellini bean sliders, maki rolls, autumn thali plates and organic pasta are particular highlights.
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Place nuts into food processor and blend until fine. Then add agave nectar, coconut oil, lacuma powder, vanilla pod seeds and salt and blend until combined. Pour mixture on top of the base and set aside.
Chocolate/coffee mix • • • • •
1 shot of espresso 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder 2 tablespoons agave nectar 1 teaspoon vanilla pod seeds Macadamia nuts
Mix all ingredients together and then mix into the cheesecake filling with a chopstick or end of a spoon until it is all
This tiramisu cheesecake recipe is something I created for the many customers who come to us with raw food requirements and also for those who are sugar free. It was so well received, which felt, to me, like a shot of happiness. Such a positive response to a creative recipe is what really fuels our fire at Manna.
well incorporated. Freeze cheesecake for two hours. Remove one hour before serving, and decorate with sliced pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts and slices of fresh fruit.
food&drink
Night out
home house 20 Portman Square, W1C Emma Johnson samples a brand-new menu at the private members club
H
ome House’s renowned restaurant is the perfect place to spoil someone you love. One of our favourite places for a romantic meal at the moment is to book one of the tables for two in the bay windows at the front of Restaurant at Home House, overlooking the beautiful Portman Square. Recently re-launched with a new menu, and the same opulent décor, the restaurant is a hymn to exclusivity, discretion and divine food. We started with a crisp glass of wonderful Verve Clicquot and some warm, homemade breads. Then it was onto expertly cooked scallops with apple and chorizo and very seasonal ravioli of pumpkin, feta and thyme – a rich, nutty starter with the sharpness of the feta cutting through to awaken the tastebuds. Main courses took the form of Romney Marsh lamb with a mini shepherd’s pie and slow-cooked brill with samphire and golden
raisins, the latter perfectly cooked with tender, tasty brill and the delightful sweetness of the raisins. My date’s lamb was pink and full of flavour, while the playful shepherd’s pie added a nice extra dimension to the dish. Sweetcorn succotash and hispi cabbage made for some unusual sides. We finished our meal by sharing a sinfully delicious dish of port roasted figs with yoghurt and honey, washed down with sweet wine recommend by the excellent sommelier, who was on hand throughout the entire meal, to guide us through a world of delicious grapes, perfectly matched to our food. The Restaurant at Home House isn’t setting out to be the newest, hippest, trendiest venue around; in fact it’s quite the opposite – a classic, warm, inviting place to eat, with all the comforts of home. n
www.homehouse.co.uk
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In Safe Hands The wetter weather can make hand and wrist injuries hard to avoid.
If you have a hand condition or injury, and need expert care and treatment, the London Hand and Wrist Unit offer direct access to world renowned hand surgeons and highly skilled therapists.
on Hand Unit
We have expertise in the management of: Acute trauma including Hand Fractures and Sporting Injuries; Carpal Tunnel ciplinary service Syndrome, Arthritic and Rheumatoid ditions andConditions, injuriesDupreytren’s Disease and work related hand and wrist injuries.
Call our
team today 020 7483 5000
www.londonhandandwristunit.com
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Crouching Tiger If your feather down Moncler has been gathering dust since last year’s stint in Val d’Isère, then get your skates on; ski season is nearly up. Set in the east of Les 4 Vallées you’ll find the newly opened Tiger’s Nest Lodge; a short drive from all surrounding airports, snowfall here is guaranteed. And if you tire of the Swiss Alps, it’s just a hop, skip and a jib from Nendaz, La Tzoumaz and Verbier. Owned by a Hong Kong-based British family, the lodge has been designed in collaboration with leading interior designer, Gilly Corkery and boasts a mixture of opulent Oriental and chic chalet styles. And if you’re already missing the hedonism of a festive December, gather your friends for some late winter revelry; boasting five double bedrooms, the lodge is ideal for skiing parties, while those in the master bedroom will be treated to spectacular views. Or round up the little ones for the impending half term; the lodge can easily fit two families, travelling with or without a nanny, while the dedicated in-house team – including a host, chef, driver and ski concierge – provide the highest levels of service.
www.tigersnestlodge.com
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TRAVEL in style HOT SPOT in February
This peaceful town in the heart of the Calchaquí Valley is an ideal starting point to explore the wine region in north west Argentina
Cafayate, Argentina
why
While the sleet is only just drying here in the UK, it’s mid summer in Argentina, and the harvest season is in full swing. In short, there’s no better time to head to the Calchaquí Valley in the north west of the country; the breath-taking mountain range and vineyard vistas, combined with pleasantly warm weather and horse riding galore makes February the ideal time to visit. After a straining day, we recommend sipping on one of the local outstanding vinos under the starry sky.
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stay
The brand new Grace Cafayate Hotel and Spa opens this month; a stylish starting point for your South American adventure. Comprising a main hotel with luxurious suites and 20 villas, the property boasts a fine restaurant offering traditional Argentinian cuisine as well as local wines, of course. Guests have access to the facilities at La Estancia de Cafayate, including the largest 18 hole golf course in the country and the estate’s vineyard. End the day with a swim at the lavish spa, with a captivating view of the lush greenery.
style
Culture vulture short haul: Venice
Rocky road The stunning ski resort and Aspen based social hub Hotel Jerome has unveiled its new look after a historic restoration, just in time for the winter season. While many of the original finishes have been preserved, achieving a combination of authenticity with five star luxury, the hotel’s rooms, refurbished by interior designer Todd-Avery and Aspen-based architects Rowland+Broughton, now feature a mix of upholstery from different eras as well as contemporary artwork. With updated guest rooms, a brand new signature restaurant and the Auberge spa, Hotel Jerome is a stylish place to rest your strained muscles after a day on the rocky slopes.
Each February, Venice’s world renowned Carnival, also known as the Carnival of Colours, brings the Italian city alive with outdoor concerts, balls, theatre shows and thousands of Venetians dressed in splendid costumes. Hotel Danieli, nested in a magnificently restored 14th century building, boasts some of the most exclusive views on Venice’s Grand Canal and is ideally situated near the Piazza San Marco at the heart of the party. www.danielihotelvenice.com
www.hoteljerome.aubergeresorts.com
Beijing stopover Since the start of the New Year, British tourists can now visit the Chinese capital without a visa if they’re only staying for up to 72 hours. A great stopover if you are heading to Japan, South Korea or Australia. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are only two of the places in Beijing where you’ll get a feel for China’s fascinating history. And you can’t leave without an authentic dim sum lunch.
Room with A View Paris still tops the favourite Valentine’s Day destination list. For an unforgettable escapade in the French capital, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s couples package is definitely a treat; ideally situated on rue Saint-Honoré, with stunning views of the city and a few minutes from the Louvre. Try the resident Michelin-starred Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx, Camelia, The Cake Shop and Bar 8 for a mind-blowing culinary experience. The ‘Love in Paris’ package comes with a night in one of their spacious couples suites, a relaxing treatment in its stylish spa and a bottle of Champagne. I do. www.mandarinoriental.com/paris
LONG haul: New Delhi Running at the beginning of February, the fifth edition of the India Art Fair in New Delhi is a gold mine for lovers of foreign art. Bringing together galleries from 24 countries, this vibrant cultural scene showcases works from 1,000 of the most prominent Indian and international artists. After a whole day at the Art Fair, a distinguished address to relax is the Leela Palace Hotel. Its impeccable service and lavish suites tick all the boxes of a luxurious stay to rest from the hustle and bustle.
www.theleela.com
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There’s a rustic elegance and humble self-assurance to the winding streets of San Marino. Gabriel O’Rorke spends a long weekend in the Republic 101
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s we drive south from Bologna towards Rimini, the world’s oldest republic looms into view. Like a petrified wave, the city-cum-country of San Marino juts out of the otherwise flat land stretching inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Turning off the main road we wind our way up the hill. Round and round the road goes, like a racing track (there was, in fact, a San Marino Grand Prix here between 1981 and 2006) until finally, we reach the city gates. Parking the car, we wander through the thick walls and find ourselves right in front of Hotel Cesare, our destination for the next few nights. A corner building, rising from the cobbled streets, this small hotel has just 18 rooms and a restaurant with panoramic views. It is hard to get your head around the fact that this medieval turreted city is an independent country. But the 24-square-mile republic has been around for a while – it dates back to 301 A.D. and is said to have been founded by a stonecutter called Saint Marinus who was fleeing the religious persecution of the Emperor Diocletian. Having gained independence from the Roman Empire some 1,700 years ago, San Marino has remarkably resisted expansion and today claims the title of Europe’s third smallest country (after the Vatican City and Monaco). Adding to the feeling that this magical city has come straight from the pages of a children’s storybook, its most famous landmarks are the three towers that punctuate the city walls. We head up the steep pedestrianised road from the hotel
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and make our way towards the first tower. Dating back to the eleventh century, this tower was used as a safe-hold in times of siege and as a city prison. Today it harbours no prisoners and you can walk around its turreted walls and visit the small museum inside. Stopping for a coffee en route – practically everywhere in San Marino feels worthy of a stop to soak in the view – we make our way to the second tower. This one was built over the ruins of a Roman fortress in the 13th century and stands proud at 750m on the peak of Mount Titano. With an unusual pentagonal floor plan, it has breath-taking (and vertigo-inducing) views and is home to the Museum of Ancient Weapons – a terrifying selection of flesh destroying tools if ever I saw one. Further along the city walls, surrounded by woodland, stands the third and last tower. We walk all the way round the base but there’s no door to be found; it feels like Rapunzel should be in residence. Built in the 14th century and used for defensive purposes, it was indeed used as a prison (although not for Rapunzel as far as I can gather). Ready for some food we head back to the centre, wandering through narrow streets and looping back on ourselves as the labyrinthine roads intertwine one another. Drawn in by the smell and crackle of chicken spit-roasting over an open fire, we enter La Fratta Restaurant. Spacious, with open beams we sit by the large windows showcasing the omnipresent view. Starting with a glass of red wine accompanied by a meat and cheese platter, we look out over the
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Further along the city walls, surrounded by woodland, stands the third and last tower twinkling lights. It’s chicken for main course, along with potatoes also roasted on the open fire. And for pudding we share a slice of chocolate torte. There’s a rustic elegance to La Fratta, a feeling – perhaps like San Marino itself – of content within itself and no need to show off. Having said that, a certain amount of glitz fills the boutique shops that line these ancient streets – tax-free shopping, after all, tends to have a gilding affect. Everything in San Marino lies within easy distance, and La Fratta happens to be right in front of Hotel Cesare so our walk across the road to bed is easy to say the least. The next morning we set off to explore the lower part of the city, starting at the Government Building, a small parliament where the two heads of state – known as the Captains Regent – serve out their six-month term of office. Here the Changing of the Guard takes place every half-hour throughout the summer months – catch it if you can as it’s a joy watching the militia in their dashing green doublebreasted jackets and red trousers pop outside and in again like toy soldiers. Next we head towards Saint Chiara’s Monastery, succumbing to temptation en route as the smell of waffles and hot chocolate at Caffe del Titano gets the better of us. If there’s one thing San Marino has plenty of, it’s thick, creamy hot chocolate but you can’t beat Titano with its huge selection of flavours from dark, milk or white to meringue, fig and walnut or Sicilian salt and almond. The wonderful thing about San Marino is that when you enter its stone walls, you find yourself stepping into another world, somewhere that has somehow resisted the pressures of the outside. It is a city you can explore from tip to toe and make your own for the weekend. Hats off to the Captains Regent for keeping their traditions intact; maintaining their haven on the hill and weathering the tests of time. n
need to know: A double room at Hotel Cesare, including breakfast, starts from €87,00 per night. For more information visit: www.hotelcesare.com email: info@hotelcesare.com or call: +378 549 992 355. For details on La Fratta Restaurant see: www.ristorantelafratta.com or email: fratta@omniway.sm. The nearest airports are Venice, Bologna and Rimini. Car hire can be arranged with Europcar via: www.europcar.co.uk
Urban Cowboy Karen Bowerman embraces the heat of the desert at the Grand Canyon Ranch
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was told his name was Taxi, “because he’d give a ride to anyone.” I wasn’t sure how to take this, but I grabbed the reins and mounted anyway. Badger was out in front; I drew up behind him. We waited for Sunday, Betsey, Tom and Jerry to join us. As Badger checked off their names, I decided ‘Taxi’ wasn’t so bad after all. It was close to sunset on Grand Canyon Ranch, Arizona. Even 70 miles away the lights of Vegas would soon be dazzling. Here, the sky would be filled with nothing but stars. But right now, as the air pulsed with heat, the rocks pumped out warmth and the bleached sky was on the verge of turning violet, there was little indication (other than Badger’s say so) that the shadows that were beginning to speckle Spirit Mountain, the shadows the Indians once thought were faces of their ancestors, would eventually bring respite for us too. Taxi picked his way through the desert, tracing an uneven, almost indiscernible trail through a carpet of wild, purple sage, fleshy, pointed agave plants and the tiny flame-shaped flowers of the Indian paintbrush or prairie fire. Badger, in his red and white striped shirt, suede waistcoat, jeans and chaps pointed out the fat stumps and spiky leaves of the Joshua tree which grows around an inch a year for 600 years, and drew my attention to a coyote, howling in the distance. We rode in single file, across land that 4,000 years ago was home to the Cohina Indians. Now it’s owned by an Englishman from Stockport with a fascination for the Wild West – and helicopters. Nigel Turner, a former army helicopter pilot and stuntman, bought Grand Canyon Ranch on the west rim of the canyon in 2002, after 18 years running Heli USA, which offers helicopter sightseeing tours of Vegas and the Canyon. He flew regularly over the ranch and, when he noticed it was for sale, approached its 87-year-old owner. “He was an old school cowboy,” Turner explains, “someone who wanted to do everything on a handshake. Negotiations were a nightmare. What did a cowboy want with an Englishman? He must have thought I was a nutcase. But then we went on a 10-mile ride round the ranch. By the end of it, I was stuck to the saddle with blood, but I did it to prove I was serious. That was the turning point.” They closed the deal on a Friday. On the Saturday, Turner bought the biggest caravan he could tow, drove to the ranch and parked under the oak tree. “Everyone said, ‘Knock the place down!’ ‘Bulldoze it!’” he recounts. “The roof was falling in; there was plastic sheeting over the floor and no electricity. I cooked on a campfire and had to rely on one of the springs (the ranch has five) for water. It took me a couple of years to get the place up and running. But I never once doubted my decision.” Today, Turner flies visitors to the ranch in hi-tech helicopters, million dollar machines he describes as Ferraris of flight. It’s a jaw-dropping experience over, and through, the Grand Canyon. We fly 2,000 feet below the rim; Turner points out Eagle Rock, the Hoover Dam and the silvery waters of Lake Mead. At the ranch he shows us the original house: a stone cabin with a corrugated roof and a simple timber frame. It was built by Wellington Starkey, a mormon pioneer, who settled in the canyon in the 1800s.
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(not very cowboy like, but I can hardly decline). The sun drops out of the sky in seconds, disappearing into the peaks, as if marking, by its descent, the boundary of Turner’s domain. Taxi’s coat turns a soft rose. That night, after a supper of spare ribs and sweet corn, we huddle round the campfire, wrapped in thick blankets. Casey, one of the cowboys, flings a harmonica round his neck, digs out his guitar and sings. His verses tell of a life we, his listeners, know little about. He sings of solitude and of the wilderness, and improvises often. “The music comes from outside, enters my heart and then flows out again”, he says. “I don’t remember what I’ve sung from one day to the next. How could I? There’s nothing up there!” He taps his head and laughs. Then he spins his harmonica into position, grabs it with his mouth and plays “Back in the saddle again”, throwing a little yodelling in at the end. During my time at Grand Canyon Ranch I learn of its history and of its owners: a mixture of cattle barons, gunslingers and outlaws whose lives were embroiled in mayhem, money laundering and murder. Today, life is a lot more settled, but as Turner points out, it’s still “the real deal”, with visitors mingling with modern day cowboys. They’re men who, by their own admission, are loners. “What do we love more than anything?” Badger asks, musing over my question, although I sense he already knows the reply: “To be with our horses in the middle of nowhere – far away from people.” He smiles quietly. “Sometimes it’s hard having to compromise.” I hold back from asking anything else. He’s already astride his horse, his eyes fixed on Spirit Mountain where a helicopter is disappearing over the ridge. Tomorrow it’ll return with more visitors, but tonight, the wilderness is Badger’s own. n
Turner flies visitors in hi-tech helicopters, million dollar machines he describes as Ferraris of flight The new house blends in with the old. It’s a simple affair with whitewashed bricks and a lean-to. Inside, there’s just enough room for a small kitchen, a few wooden tables and a woodstove for when the nights grow cold. Cattle horns, about 4ft long, double up as coat hooks, shelves are decorated with spurs and branding irons and rattlesnake skins, of various lengths, are pinned over the inglenook fireplace. “See the mountains ahead of us?” Badger shouts over his shoulder, aware that if we ride abreast, it’ll be 100 years before the trail we create is reclaimed by the wild. I trace a jagged outline. “Now see the mountains beyond?” I pick them out against a blushing sky. “Well that’s where the ranch ends. A pretty decent backyard, wouldn’t you say? 168 square miles.” The land, part mountain, part wilderness, is home to around 70 horses and 450 Corriente cattle: beautiful beasts with large curved horns. The cattle are rented out for roping at professional rodeos. (Turner proudly tells me they were used for the final of the Las Vegas Rodeo last year). He’s also rearing buffalo as part of a preservation programme, one of just two in Arizona. Herds were almost wiped out in the 19th century when, over the course of 30 years, 35 million beasts were killed by settlers, hunters and traders. Taxi climbs Sunset Hill; the land turns pink and gold. The rocks are such a vivid orange it’s as if I’ve got the colour balance wrong in my camera. On reaching the viewpoint I’m offered Champagne
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NEED TO KNOW: Heli USA www.heliusa.com offers flights over the Grand Canyon plus visits/overnight stays at Grand Canyon Ranch www.grandcanyonranch.com Flights depart from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport/Grand Canyon Ranch Visitors can also visit the ranch with their own transport. Tours from US$339, local taxes may apply
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listing See below for estate agents in YOUR area
Arlington Residential 8 Wellington Road, NW8 9SP 020 7722 3322
Hanover Residential 102 St. John’s Wood Terrace, NW8 6PL 020 7722 2223
Marsh & Parsons 35 Maida Vale, W9 1TP 020 7368 4458
www.arlingtonresidential.co.uk
www.hanover-residential.com
www.marshandparsons.co.uk
Aston Chase 69 / 71 Park Road, NW1 6XU 020 7724 4724 800 Finchley Road NW11 7TJ 020 8455 3538
Ian Green Residential De Walden House, Allitsen Road St Johns Wood, NW8 7BA 020 7586 1000 www.iangreenresidential.com
www.astonchase.com
Parkheath 208 Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AG 020 7431 1234 8a Canfield Gardens, NW6 3BS 020 7625 4567 192 West End Lane, NW6 1SG 020 7794 7111 www.parkheath.com
Kay & Co Hyde Park & Bayswater office 24-25 Albion Street, W2 2AX 020 7262 2030
Bargets 16 Park Road, NW1 4SH 020 7402 9494 www.bargets.co.uk
Marylebone & Regents Park office 20a Paddington Street, W1U 5QP 020 7486 6338
Property Divas Limited 34a Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 1NH 020 7431 8000 www.propertydivas.com
www.kayandco.com chesterton humberts 55-56 Hampstead High Street, NW3 1QH 020 7794 3311
sales.littlevenice@chestertonhumberts.com
26 Clifton Road, W9 1SX 020 7286 4632
Rescorp Residential 58 Acacia Road, St John’s Wood, NW8 6AG 020 3348 8000 Knight Frank 5-7 Wellington Place NW8 7PB 020 7586 2777
99-101 Parkway, NW1 7PP 020 7867 2053 122 St. John’s Wood High Street, NW8 7SG 020 3040 8611 www.chestertonhumberts.com
79-81 Heath Street NW3 6UG 020 7431 8686 120a Mount Street W1K 3NN 020 7483 8349
Hamptons International 99 St John’s Wood Terrace NW8 6PL 020 7717 5319
e W9
www.knightfrank.co.uk
family house, located on one of the quieter streets of Maida Vale. ft of living space, including a double reception room with parquet suite, kitchen, conservatory & garden. The amenities of Maida Vale .
www.rescorp.co.uk
Savills 7 Perrin’s Court, NW3 1QS 020 7472 5000 15 St John’s Wood High Street NW8 7NG 020 3043 3600 www.savills.co.uk
chestertonhumberts.com
21 Heath street, NW3 6TR 020 7717 5301
Laurence Leigh 020 7483 0101
www.hamptons.co.uk
www.laurenceleigh.com
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If you would like to appear within the property pages of VANTAGE, contact Felicity Morgan-Harvey, property manager, on 020 7987 4320 or f.morgan-harvey@runwildgroup.co.uk
Vantage P R O P E RT Y
showcasing the
finest HOMES & PROPERTY from the best estate agents
Image: The Porticos, NW3 Courtesy of Parkheath, p. 120
Classic
elegance striking period homes 109
Knight Frank
The Pavillions Apartments, St John’s Wood NW8 Stunning penthouse with fantastic views of Lords cricket ground A rare opportunity to live in the height of luxury in this outstanding penthouse occupying the ninth and tenth floors of this recently built and sought after modern development. 3/4 bedrooms, reception room, 3 bathrooms, porter, private parking. EPC rating B. Approximately 248 sq m (2,674 sq ft) Leasehold: 988 Years 10 Months Guide Price: £7,950,000 (SJW110117)
KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777
Knight Frank
Prince Albert Road, Regent’s Park NW1
Six bedroom villa ideally placed between Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill A beautiful stucco fronted six bedroom house located on prestigious Prince Albert Road and set behind electric gates. 6 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, study. 5 bathrooms, garden, swimming pool, private parking. EPC rating E. Approximately 546.0 sq m (5,877 sq ft) Freehold Guide Price: £13,500,000
(SJW120227)
KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777
Knight Frank
Warrington Crescent, Maida Vale W9 Impressive garden maisonette in Little Venice
This light and spacious flat benefiting from a private garden leading directly onto award winning communal gardens in Little Venice. 4 bedrooms, 3 reception rooms, 3 bathrooms, roof terrace. EPC rating D. Approximately 196.0 sq m (2,110 sq ft) Share of freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ2,850,000 (SJW120321)
KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777
Knight Frank
The Bishops Avenue, Hampstead Garden Suburb N2 Newly refurbished detached house
A state of the art refurbished property on this world renowned road. Landscaped garden, gated carriage drive. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 5 further bedrooms, 5 further bathrooms (4 en suite), kitchen, dining room, 3 reception rooms, drawing room, study, swimming pool, spa pool, guest WC. EPC Rating C. Approximately 560 sq m (6,028 sq ft) Freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ7,499,000 (HAM120223)
KnightFrank.co.uk/Hampstead hampstead@knightfrank.com 020 7431 8686
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RE O M NL AI Y N 3 IN G
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ORACLE APARTMENTS WEST HEATH ROAD NW3 FROM £4,395,000 TO £5,525,000 SHARE OF FREEHOLD An impressive and unique, contemporary building consisting of seven individually crafted homes surrounded by lush expanses of greenery afforded by the nearby Hampstead Heath. The cleverly designed spaces combine simplicity with luxury and can encompass a variety of modern lifestyles. Each of the generously sized apartments has two car parking spaces, benefits from 24-hour security and a devoted concierge situated in a dramatic doubleheight entrance. Oracle Apartments is conveniently situated on West Heath Road only moments from the renowned greenery of Hampstead Heath and the charming atmosphere of Hampstead Village - famed for its literary and artistic associations. The apartments benefit from easy transport links from Hampstead and Golders Green tube stations, and easy access to Central London. With some of London’s most prestigious private schools in the local vicinity, and attractions such as Kenwood House nearby, the homes are positioned in a truly enviable location. PRINCIPAL AGENT
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REGENT’S PARK OFFICE 69–71 PARK ROAD LONDON NW1 6XU T –020 7724 4724 F –020 7724 6160
ST JAMES’S CLOSE ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8 £3,250,000 LEASEHOLD A spectacular newly refurbished three bedroom (163sq m/1,753sq ft) apartment, set on the third floor of this highly regarded purpose built portered block. The apartment benefits from views overlooking Regent’s Park and the London skyline, a sit out balcony, two leased forecourt parking spaces, a double garage, porterage and spacious living accommodation. St James’s Close is enviably located opposite the open spaces of Regent’s Park, and within close proximity of Primrose Hill and all the amenities of St John’s Wood High Street, including St John’s Wood Underground Station (Jubilee Line). ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal Bedroom with En-Suite Bathroom, 2 Further Bedrooms, Shower Room, Reception/Dining Room, Fully Fitted Kitchen, Balcony, Resident Porterage, Leased Forecourt Parking available by separate negotiation, Double Garage. SOLE AGENT
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ORDNANCE HILL ST JOHN’S WOOD NW8 £6,750,000 FREEHOLD A unique low built contemporary semi-detached home (398.9sq m/4,294sq ft) located on the favoured east side of St John’s Wood. The property has recently undergone a major refurbishment programme creating arguably one of the finest houses of its kind to come to market in St John’s Wood in recent years. The house features well planned accommodation including an impressive kitchen breakfast room overlooking and leading onto a 63ft secluded rear garden, cinema/media room and children’s playroom. Further benefits include staff accommodation and secure off street parking behind automated gates. ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal Bedroom with Dressing Room and En-Suite Bathroom, 4 Further Bedrooms, 1 Further Bathroom (En-Suite), 2 Further Shower Rooms (En-Suite), Reception Hall, Reception Room/Dining Area, Fully Fitted Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room, TV Room, Cinema/Media Room, Playroom, Study/Dressing Room, Guest Cloakroom, Utility Room, Store Room, Studio/Gym, Air Conditioning in all the Principal Rooms, Sonos Sound System in all the Principal Rooms, Underfloor Heating, Lutron Lighting, Self-Irrigation System, CCTV, Secluded Rear Garden with Large Terrace, Off Street Parking for Several Cars behind Automated Gates. JOINT SOLE AGENT
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REGENT’S PARK OFFICE 69–71 PARK ROAD LONDON NW1 6XU T –020 7724 4724 F –020 7724 6160
NASH HOUSE CHESTER TERRACE NW1 £8,950,000 CROWN ESTATE LEASE An extremely rare opportunity to purchase an outstanding low built lateral Grade I Listed Nash Villa (448sq m/4,823sq ft) which is understood to have been designed by John Nash for his wife. The house provides elegant well planned accommodation arranged over three floors only featuring a beautiful formal drawing room providing direct access to an enchanting private west-facing garden. ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES Principal Bedroom with Large En-Suite Bathroom & Dressing Room, 2 Further Double Bedrooms, 1 Further Bathroom, Staff/Guest Bedroom 4 with adjoining Kitchen & Bathroom, Reception Hall, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Sitting Room (could form part of Guest Suite), Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility/Boiler Room, 52'6" x 28' Private West-Facing Fully Irrigated Garden with Flood Lighting, Large Store Room, Security Room, Vaulted Store, Wine Cellar, Single Garage in Chester Close South. SOLE AGENT
Belsize Park NW3 £2,500,000
Set over the entire raised ground floor and part of the first floor of a semidetached stucco-fronted villa, this is a stunning apartment of impressive dimensions and proportions.
2138 sq ft 4 bedrooms plus study 3 bathrooms 30’ reception, 26’ kitchen/diner Share of freehold
With period features throughout, there is an attractive rear garden and a semicircular balcony off the 18’ master bedroom.
Contact Belsize Park Sales Office 020 7431 1234
South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com
Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com
West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com
Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com
www.parkheath.com
Belsize Park Gardens NW3 ÂŁ3,650,000
An exceptional residence set over the raised ground and garden levels of a semi-detached stucco-fronted Belsize villa.
2981 sq ft 5 bedrooms 4 bathrooms 2 receptions, each 30ft+ Garden accessed from both levels
Retaining elegant period details Contact Belsize Park Sales Office throughout blended with superb 020 7431 1234 contemporary finishes, this familyfriendly apartment with landscaped rear garden, is positioned on a soughtafter street in the heart of Belsize Park.
South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com
Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com
West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com
Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com
www.parkheath.com
The Porticos NW3 £1,295 per week
Enviably situated on sought-after Belsize Avenue, just a short walk from Belsize Park tube station, a spacious raised ground floor apartment with secure underground parking.
1476 sq ft 3 double bedrooms 3 bathrooms 26’6 x 15’ reception Private garden and parking
The bright 26’6 reception opens to a private, paved garden with a useful storage shed.
Contact Belsize Park Rentals Office 020 7431 3104
South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com
Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com
West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com
Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com
www.parkheath.com
Buckland Crescent NW3 ÂŁ1,695,000
An immaculately presented apartment arranged over two spacious upper floors with an open plan, vaulted reception leading to a private balcony. Recently refurbished and naturally bright throughout, this semi-detached stuccofronted property is moments from shops and transport facilities.
1970 sq ft 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms 37’ open plan reception Wood flooring throughout Superb entertaining spaces Contact Belsize Park Sales Office 020 7431 1234
South Hampstead Sales 020 7625 4567 Lettings 020 7644 0800 nw6@parkheath.com
Belsize Park Sales 020 7431 1234 Lettings 020 7431 3104 nw3@parkheath.com
West Hampstead Sales 020 7794 7111 Lettings 020 7794 7111 192@parkheath.com
Property Management Tel 020 7722 6777 pm@parkheath.com
www.parkheath.com
ST JOHN’S WOOD L O N D O N
N W 8
A superb low built modern family home offering excellent accommodation well located for the American School and a few moments walk from St John’s Wood High Street. 5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms (2 En-Suite), Reception Room, Open Plan Kitchen/Dining Room, Guest Cloakroom, Front Patio Garden, Gated Off Street Parking Space.
Available for Rent £2,400 Per Week
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HAMPSTEAD L O N D O N
N W 3
A substantial family house of circa 6,000 sq ft / 560 sq m with wonderful entertaining rooms. The house features a large landscaped rear garden, gated off street parking and is located in a prestigious avenue close to Hampstead Village and The Heath. 7 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms (3 En-Suite), Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Guest Cloakroom, Utility Room, 111 ft Rear Garden, Gated Off Street Parking For 2 Cars.
Available for Rent ÂŁ5,750 Per Week
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102 St John’s Wood Terrace, St John’s Wood, London NW8 6PL
t: 020 7722 2223 e: info@hanover-residential.com w: hanover-residential.com
Wymering Mansions, Maida Vale, W9
Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, NW8
An extremely well presented three bedroom, two bathroom apartment (841 sq ft / 78 sq m) set on the first floor of this period mansion block with use of a communal garden. Wymering Mansions is located within close proximity of Maida Vale underground station (Bakerloo Line) and Paddington Recreation Ground.
A two bedroom apartment situated on the first floor of this period converted house, with high ceilings and period features. Hamilton Terrace is one of St John’s Wood’s most prestigious tree lined roads. Further benefits include access to a communal garden.
Joint Sole Agent
Offers in excess of £725,000
Principal Agent
Leasehold
£850,000
Abbey Court, St John’s Wood, NW8
Blazer Court, St John’s Wood, NW8
This exceptional raised ground floor three bedroom apartment (1166 sq ft / 108 sq m) has been recently refurbished to a very high standard. The property benefits from a double reception room, family bathroom, separate WC and modern fully fitted kitchen.
A well presented two bedroom two bathroom apartment (1,017 sq ft/94 sq m) set within this modern purpose built block benefitting from a double reception/dining room and a fantastic 20 ft west facing terrace.
Principal Agent
Leasehold
£1,100,000
Principal Agent
Share of Freehold
£1,275,000
Fairfax Road, South Hampstead, NW6
North Gate, St John’s Wood, NW8
Situated very conveniently moments from Swiss Cottage and South Hampstead, is this larger than average five bedroom house offering good living and entertaining space, off street parking and a multi-tiered patio garden.
A delightful four bedroom apartment (2,268 sq ft / 210 sq m) situated on the fourth floor of this highly prestigious mansion block on Prince Albert Road. This bright apartment features two impressive reception rooms with high ceilings and spectacular views towards Regents Park.
Principal Agent
Freehold
Offers in excess of £2,000,000
Principal Agent
Leasehold
£3,500,000
Denning Close, St John’s Wood, NW8
Clifton Hill, St John’s Wood, NW8
A low-built detached house (2,735 sq ft / 254 sq m) located within this private close, benefitting from three reception rooms, five bedrooms, five bathrooms, three reception rooms, Mark Wilkinson kitchen, conservatory, private rear garden and secure off-street parking.
A detached freehold house, with a current gross internal floor area of 4,061 sq ft. Planning permission has been granted to extend the existing house at the rear to create an extra floor at basement level, giving a potential total area of approximately 5,400 sq ft.
Principal Agent
Freehold
£3,995,000
Principal Agent
Freehold
£6,395,000
102 St John’s Wood Terrace, St John’s Wood, London NW8 6PL
t: 020 7722 2223 e: info@hanover-residential.com w: hanover-residential.com
Avenue Road, St John’s Wood, NW8
Rutland Mews, St John’s Wood, NW8
A newly refurbished apartment situated on the second floor of this modern development is available to rent. Benefiting from a balcony, the property comprises of entrance hall, two double bedrooms, bathroom, reception room and a fully fitted kitchen. Avenue Road is close to Regent’s Park, St John’s Wood High Street and underground station (Jubilee line).
A light and airy two bedroom mews house boasting generous accommodation and entertaining space throughout. The property comprises two spacious open-plan reception rooms, kitchen, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, one further sizeable bedroom with fitted wardrobes, study and modern bathroom. Situated off the famous Abbey Road and within walking distance of St Johns Wood underground station.
£500 per week
£650 per week
Castellain Road, Maida Vale, W9
Avenue Lodge, St John’s Wood, NW8
A beautiful two bedroom apartment (800 sq ft/75 sq m) located in a quiet residential street and looking out to exquisite, park-like communal gardens. This garden-level property comprises two bedrooms, family bathroom, spacious kitchen and reception leading to private decked terrace which itself leads to a giant communal space.
A superior two bedroom, two bathroom apartment located in a beautifully maintained apartment block perfectly situated for the shops, transport links and amenities of St Johns Wood and Swiss Cottage. Located on the first floor and with ‘first come, first serve’ parking, the property comprises modern eat-in kitchen, spacious reception, two double bedrooms and two bathrooms (one en-suite).
£650 per week
£675 per week
Parkway, Camden, NW1
Collection Place, St John’s Wood, NW8
A stunning two bedroom, two bathroom loft style apartment (1,182 sq ft / 109 sq m) situated on the first floor of this modern gated development. The apartment features integrated sound/audio visual in all rooms, lutron lighting, underfloor heating throughout, Italian wardrobes and Italian Dada kitchen with Smeg and Siemens appliances. Furthermore the property benefits from a reserved parking space.
Located in arguably the best location within this landmark development is this stunning three bedroom, three bathroom contemporary house (2,345 sq ft / 217 sq m) offered in immaculate condition throughout. The house benefits from a large private decked patio garden, secure underground parking for two cars, comfort cooling, underfloor heating, limestone and timber floors, decked roof terrace, 24-hour concierge and CCTV.
£745 per week
£2,000 per week
Collection Place, St John’s Wood, NW8
Hamilton Gardens, St John’s Wood, NW8
Collection Place is a landmark development created by award-winning architects. This stunning four bedroom, three bathroom contemporary house (229.8 sq m / 2,474 sq ft excluding integral garage) is offered in immaculate condition and secure underground parking for two cars. Luxury features include comfort cooling, underfloor heating, limestone and timber floors, decked roof terrace, 24-hour concierge.
Brand newly refurbished to an exacting standard; this mid terrace Victorian house offers spacious and contemporary accommodation with superb attention to detail throughout. Accommodation comprises double reception room with hardwood floors, contemporary fully fitted kitchen leading on to dining room, and west facing rear garden, study, four double bedrooms and 3 bathrooms (2 en-suite).
£2,500 per week
£2,950 per week
Hamptons St. John’s Wood Office Lettings. 020 7717 5487 stjohnswoodlettings@hamptons-int.com
Balcombe Street, NW1 £795 per week A beautifully presented maisonette located on the ground and lower ground floors of this attractive and well-maintained period conversion. The property is located close to Marylebone mainline train station, Baker Street Underground Station and the open spaces of Regent’s Park.
Clarence Terrace, NW1 £1,500 per week This beautiful duplex apartment is set on the third and fourth floors of this well regarded Nash terrace. The property features stunning views over Regents Park and comprises three double bedrooms, three bathrooms, spacious reception room and kitchen. The property also benefits from underground parking for one car, 24 hour porterage and the close proximity of Baker Street Underground Station (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines).
Hamptons St. John’s Wood Office Lettings. 020 7717 5487 stjohnswoodlettings@hamptons-int.com
Warrington Crescent, W9 A selection of beautifully presented and recently renovated, one and two bedroom apartments; finished to exacting standards and offering open-plan living with period features and modern kitchens and bathrooms. The properties are located moments from Warwick Avenue underground station (Bakerloo Line) and local amenities. Hamptons St. John’s Wood Office 020 7717 5487 stjohnswoodlettings@hamptons-int.com
Priced from £550 per week One or Two Bedrooms Brand New Refurbishment Spacious Open Plan Living Modern Kitchens and Bathrooms Period Features Desirable Location
Your reward for all the late nights in the office.
property
In the Know Paul Sulkin at Kay & Co explores the myth about property prices and examines why it’s best to stay local
There are a number of mixed messages regarding the state of the housing market; a word of advice - ignore them. The problem is that statistics are national averages and not necessarily indicative of the local area in which your property is located. It seems crazy that with so much data available there are differing opinions of what is really happening to property prices. They can’t all be right, yet each is provided by reputable organisations. It’s not so much what you read, but where you read it which appears to influence opinion. The truth is actually very simple. It’s not the headline figure which is key, it’s more about where or rather, when, it represents. The truth is simple: sale prices are actually determined at the point of sale, which in practical terms actually means when an offer is accepted. Other indices report prices when sales complete, sometimes more than three months later. These headline statistics are accurate in determining trends, but buyers and sellers really only care about the properties they wish to sell or buy. For this reason, we would argue that the best indicator of any local property market is neither the Land Registry nor any lender, it is the agent who is based in your area who will know what is selling today and who knows what their applicants are seeking. It’s local, current knowledge which counts, not statistics. An agent’s role is to ensure you get the best
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possible price for your property and to achieve this we need to know what prices are doing at the time of instruction. What happened three months ago is largely irrelevant. We use comparable current properties, many of which may not be under offer yet, or properties where a sale has just been agreed so their data will not be recorded anywhere, but we can see the interest they generate. At Kay & Co we have achieved more than 98 per cent of our recommended asking prices, proving that after 30 years in the area, we know our stuff. So the moral is: don’t pay too much attention to the contradicting statistics. They are often incongruous and irreconcilable because different sources generate data in differing concentrations from different parts of the country. Using local data means we know what is happening where you are, which doesn’t mean outside of London, or even London in general: it’s more specifically local than that. Sellers want to know what prices are doing in Hyde Park, Marylebone, Mayfair and perhaps even their individual street. Prime London is unique in terms of the UK housing market. By definition, this means that what happens elsewhere is largely inconsequential to those living in the capital. The growing trend for frequenting local shops now extends to choosing your estate agent, so it makes sense to stay local and use a specialist who knows their own patch inside out. n
www.kayandco.com 020 7262 2030
Apartments: they’re anything but flat.
There has been a steady migration of owners from Knightsbridge, Kensington and Chelsea to London W1 and W2 in the last 12 months. Result: an average 17.2% increase in the value of prime apartments. Maximise your own with a call to Kay & Co.
Hyde Park & Bayswater 020 7262 2030 Marylebone & Regent’s Park 020 7486 6338
kayandco.com
kayandco.com
W1
Thayer Street, Marylebone
020 3394 0013 lettings.marylebone@kayandco.com
ÂŁ895 Per Week Unfurnished A contemporary two bedroom flat on the third floor (walk up) of this conversion. The property features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, wooden floors throughout and a private decked terrace. It is conveniently located for the boutiques and restaurants of Marylebone High Street and Thayer Street. Energy Rating: C
W1
Moxon Street, Marylebone
020 3394 0013 lettings.marylebone@kayandco.com
ÂŁ860 Per Week Unfurnished or Furnished by Separate Negotiation A contemporary, newly refurbished two bedroom ground floor apartment in the heart of Marylebone Village. The property features a spacious, open plan reception/kitchen with wooden flooring, a modern bathroom with double-size shower with bath and built-in bedroom storage. This apartment is ideally located just off Marylebone High Street. Energy Rating: C
kayandco.com
W1
York Street, Marylebone
020 3394 0013 sales@marylebone@kayandco.com
ÂŁ2,795,000 Leasehold A bright and spacious four bedroom, three bathroom flat on the raised ground floor of this soughtafter period mansion block on York Street. Accommodation comprises a large double reception room, a modern kitchen, four double bedrooms all with built-in storage and a private balcony. York street is within walking distance to both Marylebone train station and Baker Street Underground. Energy Rating: E
W1
Montagu Square, Marylebone
020 3394 0013 sales@marylebone@kayandco.com
ÂŁ2,700,000 Leasehold The epitome of fine Marylebone living; a beautifully refurbished three bedroom, three bathroom duplex apartment with the benefit of a private town garden as well as the use of the communal gardens of Montagu Square. Featuring a delightful reception room and dining room with very high ceilings. Energy Rating: D
MAIDA VALE W9
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A MAGNIFICENT VICTORIAN VILLA LOCATED IN THE HEART OF MAIDA VALE AND LOCATED MOMENTS AWAY FROM THE REGENTS CANAL AND LITTLE VENICE’S SHOPPING AND TRANSPORT FACILITIES The house, which was completely refurbished several years ago is found in excellent condition and offers spacious sized living accommodation including a wonderful kitchen breakfast room and master bedroom suite. The property also has secure off street parking behind electric gates.
SOLE AGENT
ACCOMMODATION Entrance Hall • Guest WC • Drawing Room • Kitchen Breakfast Room • Dining Area • Family Area Utility Room • Master Bedroom Suite • A Further Three Bedrooms • A Further Two Bathrooms AMENITIES Patio / Terrace • Electric Gates • Alarm System • Secure Off Street Parking • Backup Power Generator
PRICE ON APPLICATION
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hot property
Terraced Treasure
This magnificent double-fronted house forms part of a Nash terrace of only three houses. Situated at the end of the terrace, the house has been refurbished to a high standard and provides 3,772 square feet / 350 square metres of accommodation. Features include an impressive double aspect drawing room and a large master bedroom suite occupying the entire second
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floor. Albany Terrace is a private gated terrace within a minute’s walk of beautiful Regent’s Park, as well as both Great Portland Street and Regent’s Park underground stations. Benefits include a secure underground parking space and use of Park Square Gardens, with a children’s play area and a summer tennis court.
property
1 ALBANY TERRACE, NW1 Unfurnished / ÂŁ5,000 per week Arlington Residential www.arlingtonresidential.com
020 7722 3322
property
Changing Times Tom Gladwin, managing director of Parkheath in Hampstead, talks sales, sport and stamp duty As 2012 has come to a close, how would you reflect on the year that’s been? 2012 was an exciting year all round for Parkheath. Despite the many distractions, we sold more properties in 2012 than we did in 2011. Due to the success of our property management division we were able to open our first dedicated property management office. We’ve also had a bit of a facelift. Parkheath is an exciting and modern place to work with the traditional values of a well-established company. We refreshed our brand at the end of last year to better reflect our company style and our ‘Sold on Service’ philosophy. How much do you think the great ‘Summer of Sport’ we enjoyed has affected the property market? Demand is so high at the moment for properties in our area that we saw no negative impact. A few less properties came to the market perhaps, but we seemed to gain a higher market share of these. Our lettings team did see a slow-down, as the hype of London coming to a standstill dissuaded corporate tenants and their relocation agents from looking. However, as soon as the last medal had been presented, the market surged, to finish 2012 with another record year. We saw a renewed and increased level of sales enquiries from foreign buyers, as the effect of London’s biggest ever advertisement was felt too. I think that the legacy of The Games and the summer in general for the property market
will be very positive. London certainly vies for the gold medal for world cities, and more and more people want to live and work here. What shallenges and opportunities does 2013 hold? 2013 is a very special year for Parkheath. It is our 30th anniversary, and I expect it to be a year worth celebrating. I am always cautious about long-term predictions in the current climate but the Eurozone appears a little more stable and London’s reputation globally is on a high so we are expecting a strong year for sales and lettings. I think we will see more properties coming to the market for sale, but again demand will continue to outstrip supply. This will, however, ensure that the lettings market remains very strong. We continue to see more and more repeat clients, and these clients are extremely important to everyone who works at Parkheath. Every returning client strengthens our belief that service is at the heart of our success and why Parkheath continues to increase its market share. What changes have you seen since the new SDLT came into effect and how do you think additional measures being imposed in 2013 - such as an annual charge on corporate vehicles and capital gains tax on disposals of properties held indirectly - will affect the market? It’s difficult to tell really. I think at the time this measure was announced, the £2m + market had slowed already. Buyers at this level were already feeling the squeeze, and so were watching and waiting anyway. Obviously it didn’t help, and perhaps meant that slowing lasted longer. But, as when SDLT had been increased before the market caught up pretty quickly and absorbed the added cost, I don’t believe that the measures being introduced in 2013 will make much difference to the market. Most buy-to-let portfolios in this area are not made up of properties with a value in excess of £2m. Some funds and companies may sell any larger properties which will be affected by the taxation changes, but generally I think the impact will be small. What message would you like to give to the government on this matter? I would urge the government not to kill its golden goose at the top of the property market. So far the market seems to have taken these increases in taxation in its stride. However, any further increases in taxes could deter people from moving house above a certain level, and hence slow the rest of the market down. n www.parkheath.com
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The spirit of St John’s Wood Rescorp Residential are pleased to offer for sale two beautifully refurbished apartments located on London’s Avenue Road in St Johns Wood. Also on offer for let are two spacious and bright apartments located only minutes from both Regents Park and Primrose Hill.
Avenue Lodge £1,250,000
Avenue Road £1,345,000
This raised ground floor recently refurbished apartment features a large reception room with a fully fitted modern open plan kitchen. The large master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and there is a further bedroom with an en-suite shower room and a guest toilet. The apartment also benefits from 24hr porterage service.
This newly refurbished apartment features a large reception room with a fully fitted modern open plan kitchen. The large master bedroom benefits from an en-suite bathroom and two further bedrooms, a shower room and a guest toilet. The property also benefits from 24hr porterage service.
Bentinck Close £850 per week
Imperial Court £775 per week
This spacious three bedroom fourth floor apartment is set within a prestigious and portered development and is located directly opposite Regent’s Park. Bentinck Close is a dominant purpose built block situated on London’s Prince Albert Road.
This bright and spacious apartment comprises of a large reception room, a fully fitted kitchen, a large master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a second large bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and a guest toilet. Also benefits from 24hr porterage and an underground parking space.
Please call us for viewing arrangements.
Vic Chhabria Director
SALES
LETTINGS
MANAGEMENT
58 Acacia Road, St Johns Wood, London NW8 6AG - T: 0203 348 8000 www.rescorp.co.uk
Spotlight On:
Regent’s Park The plush royal space of Regent’s Park started out life as a hunting ground for Henry VIII, but with its striking terraces and imposing Edwardian villas, it remains one of London’s most sought after and exclusive residential areas, says Mark Pollack, director at Aston Chase
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f you look back over history, it seems that the original vision for Regent’s Park was even grander and more ambitious than the smart green space and stunning terraced villas that we know today. But when you consider that the park started out as dense woodland and wild scrubland, it seems to have come quite far indeed. After spending several years as both a playground for Henry VIII and grazing land for local farmers, in 1811 government architect John Nash was drafted in to design a building plan for Regent’s Park. His circular design, flanked by a series of impressive villas overlooking smart green spaces, forms the basis for Regent’s Park as we now know it. The park design would incorporate two roads, the outer and inner circles, with the palace, a lake and a canal inside. It would be linked to the Prince’s other home at St James’s Palace by a processional road – which would eventually become the now well-loved and iconic Regent’s Street. This impressive vision would be paid for by building 56 villas and several grand Regency terraces in and around the park, which would then be sold. The park would remain a private space, used only by residents and the gentry; and it wasn’t actually until 1835 that the east side of the park was opened to the public. Sadly, the full scope of Nash’s design was never completed – only eight of the 56 villas were ever built, as the Prince lost interest in the park, preferring instead to make improvements to Buckingham Palace – but much of the essence of his royal residential vision lives on and Regent’s Park is now renowned for having some of the most iconic and distinctive buildings in the capital. A series of stunning terraces built around the park by Nash remain today, and make up some of the most impressive roads in London. Gloucester Gate, Cumberland Terrace, Chester Terrace (the longest facade in the park), Cambridge Terrace, York Terrace, Cornwall Terrace, Clarence Terrace (the smallest terrace), Sussex Place, Hanover Terrace, Kent Terrace, Park Square and Park Crescent were all designed by Nash. Inside the park, St John’s Lodge is one of two villas from Nash’s plan that remains. The Lodge, now purportedly the property of Sultan of Brunei, is an impressive white villa overlooking Queen Mary’s Gardens in the park’s Inner Circle. It is close to The Holme, the other remaining villa, which overlooks the boating lake and boasts extensive grounds. Both villas are still private residences. While initially designed as an exclusive residence for King George IV and his friends, Regent’s Park has survived several centuries of dramatic change and remains at once the very centre of London life, and a beautifully preserved reminder of the height of Regency elegance. n
the best of regent’s park property 1. Nash House Chester Terrace £8.95M This stunning low built villa with private garden is believed to have been designed by John Nash for his wife.
2. Cambridge Gate, £8.25M An exceptional duplex apartment with views of Regent’s Park and it’s own front door
3. Clarence Terrace £1000 per week An elegant two bedroom first floor flat located within this prestigious Nash Terrace
4. Kent Terrace £5.5M A classically interior designed family home situated on the periphery of Regent’s Park
5. Chester Place, £3.995M / £3,450 PER WEEK A charming Grade I Listed Nash residence located directly opposite Regent’s Park.
6. Albany Terrace £4,750 per week An exclusive gated terrace of three beautifully restored Nash homes located adjacent to Regent’s Park
All property currently on the market with Aston Chase www.astonchase.com
Springfield Road, St Johns Wood, NW8 An elegant and imposing, semi-detached family house situated on this extremely desirable tree lined avenue. The accommodation (3,181 sq ft/ 295.90 sq m), which is arranged over four floors, is offered in excellent decorative condition. The house boasts a wonderful open planned garden level floor, including a Mark Wilkinson kitchen and benefits from a delightful landscaped south facing rear garden. There is also CAT5 cabling throughout the house. Springfield Road is located on the west side of St Johns Wood within half a mile of The American School London.
Freehold Guide Price: ÂŁ4,850,000
www.laurenceleigh.com / 020 7483 0101
JSA - Behr & Butchoff
New Instruction - Sole Agent
ÂŁ1,125,000 Leasehold
Belsize Square, Belsize Park, NW3
A beautifully presented two bedroom apartment situated on the top floor (2nd) of a stucco fronted period house located in the heart of Belsize Park. The apartment has been refurbished to the highest of standards and features include parquet floors throughout, double glazed sash windows, wooden doors, underfloor heating to the kitchen and bathroom, home intelligence intercom and video entry phone system and use of a communal garden. The apartment benefits from a large reception room, two large double bedrooms, a fully fitted Pronorm kitchen with Corian worktops and all state of the art appliances including a Quooker hot water tap, a fully tiled luxury bathroom with underfloor heating and separate shower cubicle and an additional separate guest wc. (EPC rating D) 1184 sq ft / 109.9 sq m
Property Divas Limited, 34a Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead, NW3 1NH 020 7431 8000 info@propertydivas.com www.propertydivas.com
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SALES
See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk
Thorngate Road W9 ÂŁ1,695,000 A fantastic period house with a beautiful private garden situated on a quiet residential street in the heart of Maida Vale. This substantial family home is currently divided in two flats. The accommodation includes an extension which would create an excellent reception room leading directly out to the garden, a further large double reception room, a separate kitchen, three double bedrooms, a family bathroom and a terrace on the second floor. Located within easy reach of the local amenities. Freehold. EPC=C.
LITTLE VENICE: 020 7993 3050 sales.lve@marshandparsons.co.uk
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