Riverside Journals Winter 2016 by Riverside Journals

The Riverside Journals

Mayfair edition

Winter 2016 • Edition 41 • Complimentary

Swiss-made limited editions

The Daphne Signature Silver

View the full collection at www.dumaurierwatches.com from ÂŁ425 Tel: 0845 519 3074

the riverside journals

The House of Foxy Mansfield Dress ÂŁ115 http://www.thehouseoffoxy.com/party-dresses/ mansfield-dress-scarlett

Made in Great Britain

Dolce Vita Dress in emerald ÂŁ130 http://www.thehouseoffoxy.com/party-dresses/ dolce-vita-evening-dress-emerald

the riverside journals

The House of Foxy

the riverside journals

www.riverisland.com

Features Fashion

We are delighted to feature River Island, and Gentlemen’s Fashion – bringing you the latest trends in Milan Fashion Week. Also Jelly Jolly, the remarkable transparent Wellington boot, and the colourful World of Jelly designed by Daisy.

Luxury Travel Milan, the capital of Fashion and Design with its fascinating Culture and History – just four reasons to book your next holiday in this buzzing Italian metropolis. Let’s Go 2 feature JA Resorts and their hotels in beautiful worldwide destinations.

Arts & Culture The Chelsea Art Fair will be celebrating its 21st Birthday in style, bringing first class modern and contemporary art to the heart of Chelsea.

Fine Foods and Drink Top quality Italian and Greek food for home cooking, many traditional dishes that are surprisingly easy to whisk up for an elegant home-produced dinner. Jing Tea enjoyed by customers in 75 countries, in over 70 Michelin starred restaurants and many of the best 5-Star hotels.

Hair & Beauty Feature

Beaconsfield, Chelsea & Kensington, Westminster, Elmbridge, Mayfair, Henley & Marlow, Richmond and Windsor Journals are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form, either in part or whole without permission from Redbrook Media Limited. Whilst every reasonable precaution has been taken, no responsibility is taken for any service or product featured in these publications or any loss arising therefrom. Articles that have been individually authored may contain personal opinion, thus relevant to the piece, but not an opinion or belief shared by Redbrook Media Limited. The Publisher reserves the right to decline any advertisement or article which is deemed unsuitable, prior to publication.

the riverside journals

Detox your hair with Sassoon Salon. Spring is upon us and what better time to rethink our approach to health and well-being. “Shiny healthy hair is an indicator of good health”, says Bruce Masefield, Sassoon UK Creative Director.

www.paulsboutique.com

Editors’ Letter

Go au naturel Heated styling tools can lead to dry, damaged and brittle hair. Instead of reaching for the hairdryer, try letting your hair dry naturally at least once a week. If you do reach for those styling tools, use a heat protector such as Sassoon Professional Halo Hydrate (RRP £17.40) before blow-drying to protect the hair from the heat.

Bringing the moisture back The cold months can leave your hair feeling dry, brittle and lifeless and it is vital to “replenish and retain moisture”, says Bruce. Get your tresses back on track by applying a weekly deep conditioning treatment such Sassoon Professional Intense Restore (RRP £17.45) to add elasticity, manageability and shine.

Trim down “If your hair isn’t quite the glossy, shiny mane you wish for, a good home care regime, regular trims and frequent treatments will keep it on track,” recommends Bruce. A salon appointment every 6-8 weeks will ensure your hair remains healthy and super shiny. Alternatively, spring is a great time of year to consider a new look. Head into the salon for a complimentary consultation with one of our expert Stylists/Colourists who will advise on the best looks to suit you.

www.sassoon-salon.com

So read on and enjoy, enjoy! Team Redbrook Cover Credits: © Photo by Sukita Director – Michele Brooks michele@redbrookmedia.com Editorial – editorial@redbrookmedia.com Editorial Team Jill Menghetti Sarah Coughlan Abena Bailey Anne Noakes Alex Bailey-Staines Richard Lucas Jeannelise Edelston Associate Publisher – Kay Woods kay@redbrookmedia.com Business Development Manager – Tina Moore tinamoore@redbrookmedia.com Business Development Manager – Lynda Foskett lynda@redbrookmedia.com Design – John Dunne design@redbrookmedia.com Production Manager – Karen Rolfe production@redbrookmedia.com Sales Executive – Karen Cousins Karen.Cousins@redbrookmedia.com Sales Executive – Chloe Wainwright Sales@redbrookmedia.com Social Media Coordinator – Susan Bosher Social@redbrookmedia.com Social Media Marketing Coordinator – Jared Gifford Twitter: @riversidej social@redbrookmedia.com Facebook: riversidejournals

RBM REDBROOK MEDIA.COM

Redbrook Media Limited 36a High Street, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 1EP TeI: 01494 784920/793936 www.redbrookmedia.com

the riverside journals

Spring is upon us and what better time to rethink our approach to health and well-being. Like clear skin, “shiny healthy hair is an indicator of good health”, says Bruce Masefield, Sassoon UK Creative Director. For the perfect spring detox, without a green juice in sight, Sassoon Salon has some simple steps you can take.

Detox your hair with Sassoon Salon…

Dear Readers Welcome to the winter edition of the Riverside Journals and our first issue in this New Year. We would like to pay a small tribute to the lifelong work of David Bowie and to offer our heartfelt thanks to Mr Masayoshi Sukita for allowing us to run David’s photograph on all eight covers of our magazine. Bowie played an instrumental part in most of our lives over the last few decades, and our condolences must go to David’s family and friends while not forgetting a tribute to all those other great performers and actors the nation has already lost this year. On a lighter side, we have a lovely issue for you within the fashion front we are thrilled to help celebrate Vogue 100 A Century of Style at the National Portrait Gallery running through from 11th February until 22nd May 2016 – a must visit on your calendar. One of our journalists was fortunate to interview handbag designer Anya Sushko who is the creator of self-titled luxury handbag brand Anya Sushko London. Fashion from Milan features the latest trendy and daring fashion trends for men in 2016. Finding Love in London highlights 10 of the capital’s most romantic spots to woo your love interest, and we list a host of events in London and along the Thames corridor and we wish the very best for the Six Nations Championship taking place through to 19th March 2016. Coming soon in May we have the famous Chelsea Flower Show and Richard Lucas describes the background history and story behind the biggest show in the world – first staged in 1913 and still going incredibly strong!

OG STORE LONDON

15 ALL SAINTS ROAD

W11 1HA

www.olivergoldsmith.com

Opening Hours: MON - FRI 10:00 - 18:00

SAT 10:30 - 18:00

SUN 11 - 17:000

T: +44 (0)208 455 6948

Oliver Goldsmith is one of the oldest names in the eyewear world but his glasses are more famous than his name. A classic British heritage brand, this family-run business celebrates 90 years of fashion design & innovation this year.

15 All Saints Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 1HA. T: 0207 460 0844

13 the riverside journals

hink 20th century icons – Grace Kelly; Peter Sellers; Michael Caine in his signature black spectacles; Audrey Hepburn in the big white glasses that framed her elfin face. Iconic style makers – Givenchy, Dior and Vidal Sassoon. Think cult films of the fifties and sixties – The Ipcress File and Harry Palmer, Charade and Two for the Road. They’ve all got one thing in common. Oliver Goldsmith. In the second half of last century, when it came to eyewear, Oliver Goldsmith was synonymous with stars and style. The Oliver Goldsmith family, through four generations, have created some of the world’s most iconic and famous sunglasses and spectacles. Founded in 1926 by P. Oliver Goldsmith, the world of spectacles was about to be revolutionized. The limited and unflattering choice of spectacles in the 1930s made wearing glasses a last resort. Materials, such as tortoiseshell or metal, were either too expensive or too cumbersome. Something more contemporary and innovative was needed. Oliver Goldsmith subsequently struck a deal with a button manufacturer across the street, trading specs for a revolutionary new material called ‘plastic’, with which he was able to create a range of colours and texture effects for his frames, never seen before. First to see glasses as fashion accessories, first to make sunspecs, first to make ‘winter sunglasses’...first to work alongside fashion houses to create one-off pieces for the catwalks, first to appear in Vogue and Queen, and first to be endorsed by celebrities and royals, OG pioneered a whole new concept. Eyewear. The stars who regularly visited Goldsmith’s London showroom included Grace Kelly, Nancy Sinatra, Ursula Andress and Nina Simone. The visitors’ book they autographed can still be seen in the OG STORE.LDN today. Sunglasses continued to gain high profile status during the 1960s & 1970s and a selection of unusual designs started to appear. Dress designers such as Dior and Givenchy commissioned Goldsmith to create frames that would complement their seasonal collections. From bamboo clad to butterfly, tennis racquets to shaped-like-TV-screens, all overtly outrageous but unquestionably striking. OG sunglasses started to garner more publicity than the clothes themselves. Today, Oliver Goldsmith continues to produce one of the most historic sunglass collections in the world, and remains on the faces of rock stars, movie stars and royalty, with the fashion world embracing the classic timeless designs. The OG STORE.LDN in Notting Hill is the only Oliver Goldsmith store in the world. Here you can interact with the history and heritage of the Goldsmith family. Many of the frames here formed eyewear fashion history over the decades and you can browse through the complete current collections as well as having access to hundreds of classic vintage OG designs held in the private family archive.

ACTIVE GOLD COLLAGEN is a multitasking supplement from the pioneers of liquid beauty supplements, GOLD COLLAGEN. It is a daily supplement drink ideal for those who are constantly on the go. It’s enriched with high doses of collagen, hyaluronic acid and vitamins to nourish the skin from the inside out to increase hydration and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as plump the skin and make it glow. Aside from its anti-ageing properties, it also contains glucosamine for joint support, L-carnitine to support the muscles, Chondroitin to support cartilage and vitamin b3, 6 and 12 to fight fatigue. It’s great for caring for the skin, hair, nails, joints and body for those with a busy lifestyle. ACTIVE GOLD COLLAGEN® (10 x 50ml bottles) is available nationwide and from www.gold-collagen.com RRP: £35.99.

14 the riverside journals

Carol Joy London Collagen Eye Masks will help to start 2016 with fresh eyes and banish any signs of a tiring Christmas and New Year. This Pure Collagen treatment is ideal for all skin types and the cutting edge technology replenishes depleted levels of dermal moisture. It is clinically proven to increase skin hydration by up to 60%, skin redness is reduced by up to 27.5%, and visibly wrinkle depth reduced by up to 15%. £80 (4 masks in a box) www.caroljoylondon.com/ Carol Joy London Salon in The Dorchester.

Feel Good

Bright Neroli, Ferrari Essence Collection Eau De Toilette One of a trio of unisex scents from the Luxury Ferrari Essence Collection range, Bright Neroli is built with Neroli at its core. Layers of orange blossom, zesty top notes of Biggarrade and woody Citrus are balanced with fresh rosemary and Sichuan pepper. Its citrusy tones help to rejuvenate and energise whilst orange blossom is known to boost happiness. £65.00 – Harrods & Harrods.com

Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt treats a sensitive scalp to intense levels of support and defence with this scalp scrub. It uses oceanextracted additives to tone, refresh and add lightness whilst the imbued renewal complex intimately modifies and enhances the body’s innate system, helping to supplement skin with optimum levels of moisture, hydration and upkeep. £38 - Fortnum & Mason, Fenwick Bond St, Harrods, NET-A-PORTER and www.lookfantastic.co.uk

skinChemists Rose Quartz Collection Offering a new meaning to skincare, the beautiful new Rose Quartz Collection from skinChemists will lift your mood as well as your skin; and it’s also the Pantone Colour of the Year! Comprising of three signature products; a moisturiser, serum and eye cream, the new Rose Quartz Collection from skinChemists offers a luxurious, effective and mood enhancing complete beauty regime. Known as the stone of unconditional love, Rose Quartz stimulates cell renewal to detoxify, smooth and illuminate the skin, whilst inspiring the love for oneself to promote beauty from the inside out. From £152 - www.skinchemists.com

GORGEOUS CLOTHES

S I Z E S 16 - 2 8

RS OF

OFF

PROMO CODE

SID

RIV

10%

MARYLEBONE

HOLBORN

TEMPLE FORTUNE

44 New Cavendish Street

33 Southampton Row

8 Hallswelle Parade

London W1G 8TR

London WC1B 5HJ

London NW11 0DL

ONLINE

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

CLOSED SUNDAY

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

beigeplus.com

16 the riverside journals

Trendy and daring fashion trends for men in 2016

enâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion for 2016 is as trendy and daring as womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion and we love it. Milan, being the fashion capital of Italy and one of the biggest in the world, sees hundreds of designers and fashion trends pass through its doors each year, but only the best of the best make it to the runways. Much like the 2016 trends for women, designers for men have also taken a lot of inspiration from previous decades like the 70s, mixed with very current and edgy elements. From business wear to casual street wear, here are the hottest fashion looks for men to try out this year. For spring, Prada proposed short shorts while Dolce & Gabbana looked to the east for inspiration for their laid-back and silk pyjama looks. Gucci went a different route, introducing florals to challenge conventional notions of male dressing. DSquared2 went the alternative route with a tattoo theme, using a parade of men in skin-like inked bodysuits. Giorgio Armani remained true to his ideas of relaxed, elegant dressing in cool grey shades. There is also a very big military influence in the warmer monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fashion forecast with some designers taking a more literal approach. Umit Benan fully embraced the theme modelling styles off revolutionary leader Che Guevara. Others like Canali played it subtle with a simple safari jacket or a desert-inspired look. Perhaps tying in with the military theme but taking a different, more retro approach, many designers injected collections with a touch of camouflage. Dior Homme updated the preppy look with camouflage, while Neil Barrett combined and shirt and jacket look in the same print. Ermanno Scervino mixed a floral shirt print with camouflage jacket for the wow factor. Moving away from skinny jeans for men (although they will not be completely disregarded), designers are leaning more towards comfortable and relaxed trousers. Giorgio Armani, Tiger of Sweden and Dries Van Noten all opted for simple but elegant statements with high-waist, comfortable trousers.

Summer trench coats will be the biggest men’s trend this year with many of the designers at Milan Fashion Week showing looks with the flowing, oversized coat that can be worn with just about any outfit. Autumn will see layers being favoured, with plaid coats and cardigans layered over tartan shirts. Made to be manipulated, the classic prints took on many colours on the Milan runways from an abundance of plaid shirts in reds to rich dark hues and buffalo checks for more bold effects. Versace is using fine fabrics which hang close to the body, with the trend being long tunics untucked beneath a suit, biker or bomber jacket. Calvin Klein wanted to capture “the spirit of ease”, with informal white t-shirts and palm tree motifs offset with features such as detachable pockets. Accessories for men also get an upgrade this year with backpacks a central focus. Going back to the 90s way of thinking, but with a much more fashion forward approach, brands like Bottega Veneta reinvent and revive the classic backpack. Another accessory taking one from the 90s books are caps. Perfect for casual spring and summer looks, Calvin Klein went with darker hues to accompany white t-shirts. Versace and Balmain opted for tan caps instead. Maintaining casual, yet put-together looks, 2016 sees the rise of the humble slip-on shoe. In a range of materials for spring and summer, the options are endless with the latest styles and shapes which provide easy and polished finish. Be sure to keep trousers well tailored when trying out the slipper shoe trend, maintaining the outfit balance. Great for cooler summer days and autumn going into winter, long scarves are trending in versatile colours and thinner fabrics. Adapt long scarves for casual days or wear them with the more corporate looks. This accessory is a great accompaniment with a light summer jacket. Burberry Prorsum kept colours rich with burgundy, while Missoni went with washed out patterned scarves for a laid-back look. It seems men’s fashion is borrowing some more feminine aspects, but coupled with strong masculine colours, fabrics and cuts to create the ultimate modern male look, the likes of which have rarely been seen before.

17 the riverside journals

By Sarah Coughlan

w e N& Bespoke Couture

beautifully designed for your moment to shine!

WEDDING & OCCASIONS WEAR

MOTHER OF THE BRIDE OUTFITS EVENING AND COCKTAIL WEAR

BESPOKE ACCESSORIES

N OW A L S O H AT S ! ! !

Katja

N u u t i n e n COUTURE LONDON

Katja Nuutinen Couture t. 020 8944 8848, info@kncouture.com 7 Leopold Road, Wimbledon, SW19 7BB

WWW.KNCOUTURE.COM

Sofitel London St James

Sofitel London St James, 6 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AN Tel: 020 7747 2200 Website: www.sofitelstjames.com

19 the riverside journals

he 5-Star Sofitel London St James hotel features 183 guest rooms, with 18 suites including a royal suite, each one with its own distinguished style. Most of the rooms overlook Pall Mall or Waterloo Place, and the hotel is within easy walking distance of Buckingham Palace, theatreland, Trafalgar Square, Regent Street and many more tourist attractions. Being this close to amenities and attractions you would expect the rooms to let through some of the hustle and bustle London noise but I can honestly say when my head hit the pillow I nearly forgot where I was it was so quiet. The restaurant, The Balcon, is renowned for its cuisine and atmosphere. There is a staircase in the restaurant which one can only presume is from the fact this is a Grade II listed building as it doesn’t seem to go anywhere but it looks stunning. The Balcon is a busy restaurant with a vast selection of wines and food to suit every appetite and taste. The Restaurant Chef, Matt Greenwood, recommends his favourite dishes and these are displayed on the menu with highlighted box brackets around them. This is where the generous buffet breakfast is also served, although we opted for room service in the morning to save having to look presentable in public before 8am which was when we chose to eat. All the staff we encountered at the hotel, from the greeting with a smile on arrival to the fond farewell, were without exception friendly and nothing was too much trouble. If ever I was in a position to hire staff and they had Sofitel on their c.v. I would look no further. On the same floor as the restaurant is the St James Bar, which is super for pre dinner drinks. The Rose Lounge is a beautifully decorated area in which you can have drinks or light bites – in my opinion it is the place to relax. Attentive and caring service, coupled with essential amenities, makes this hotel one of the finest addresses in London. The Sofitel London St James is a perfect location to host modern business too. Meeting rooms have a warm, luxurious feel and are equipped with the latest in technology. When business is done and you want to relax the So SPA and Gym at the St James come highly recommended, the gym being more practical offering state-of-the-art equipment including a multi-sensorial Sha Chair. In contrast, the spa is so luxurious that after a treatment and being shown to the relaxing room with my green tea I could have slept there all evening – it was so peaceful. Sofitel London St James’s standard of service is excellent. This luxury hotel offers a wide range of services to cater to the most discerning traveller. The concierge team is experienced and resourceful, that ensures they are able to assist with all guests’ requests and give general information on what to see and do, including reservations, tickets for shows, babysitting, and all transport arrangements.

20 the riverside journals

Interview with designer Anya Sushko Anya Sushko is the creator of self-titled luxury handbag brand Anya Sushko London. Her modern and chic designs are complemented by using top quality Italian leather and traditional crafting techniques. Along with making her handbag collections, Anya also makes bespoke items for both men and women, with one of her top clients being Baroness Karren Brady of Knightsbridge. Images by Joanna Kustra Opposite page: Anya Sushko Modern Extravaganza in Powder Pink’ Below: Anya Sushko Maxi Karolina in Ivory and black and Karolina in Autumn Orange

What were you doing before starting your own company? I was studying at Central St Martins and the London College of Fashion. As soon as I graduated in 2007, I decided to start my own business.

At what point in your life did you decide fashion and design was for you? I tried various things before I realised that fashion was my true passion. In Riga, my home town, I studied Management & Tourism and also Interior Design. When I arrived in London I initially wanted to become an interior designer or architect. However, it was only after I was accepted at St Martins and experienced the amazing foundation year there that I realised that my real love was for fashion.

What made you decide to branch out on your own and creature your own brand? Since a very young age, I have always wanted to create something of my own that entirely fits my vision. Working for other brands during my gap year gave me the impetus to make it happen. It hasn’t been an easy path but the rewards are great.

What do you love most about your job? The creative process. Designing and making things come to life from nothing never fails to give me a buzz. But I also like running a business – organising and managing people, developing client relationships, working on strategy, going on business trips abroad, the list goes on! Being Managing Director lets me do a bit of everything and I never get tired of my job.

Where do you draw your inspiration for your designs from? From the surrounding world: the dynamic of life in London, nature, the human body. Architecture has also had a profound impact on my early work – the Chic and Shape collection is a tribute to the Art Deco period.

What motivates you when you are not feeling particularly creative? Sometimes it is difficult to find inspiration or motivation and everything you do seems to be wrong. At those times I just try to hang on, no matter how frustrating this might be. Sometimes taking a day off, doing something different, browsing ideas on Pinterest or even going shopping can help, or going for a walk outside London – nature is always refreshing.

Which designer would you most like to work with and why? I’m very lucky to have had the privilege of working with the great Alexander McQueen. A true inspiration. I would also like to work with haute couture dress designer Liz Martinez or fabulous shoe designer Caroline Groves.

What advice would you give to other designers striving to start their own brands? Always remain true to your internal voice and your style. Don’t compromise on quality. Don’t jump on the bandwagon of trends just because everyone else is but make sure you are familiar with them. Find what you are good at and surround yourself with talented forward-thinking people who can help with the rest.

What can we expect to see from the brand in the next two years? I’ve long thought about a doing a Men’s range. I’ve made wallets, card-holders and notepad covers for men, and everyone keeps telling me to start a range so maybe that will become a reality over the next 12 to 24 months.

What is your one guilty pleasure? Watching “Desperate Housewives of Beverly Hills”!

www.anyasushko.com www.anyasushko-blog.com @AnyaSushkoBags

21 the riverside journals

Advertorial Feature

Step into your comfort zone. Visit our showrooms to touch the quality, see the style and feel the difference.

LocaL boutique suppLier of innovative fLooring ranges outside London.

The Old Fire Station 67 High Street Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7HP T: 01344 620211 E: Ascot@hyperiontiles.com

72 West Street Marlow Buckinghamshire, SL7 2BP T: 01628 475888 E: Marlow@hyperiontiles.com

Porcelain, Stone, Mosaic, Wood Design, Supply, Install, Maintain

www.hyperiontiles.com

Julu

r e t a W r e t t e B ! e r e H s t r a t S

Julia and Lucie, old friends from school set up their business a few years ago called Julu Ltd.

Best prices, fastest delivery!

Water Softeners

Installation, Service & Repair

Drinking Water Systems Chilled, Boiling, Sparkling

Instant Hot Water Taps Installation & Servicing

Replacement Cartridges Water filters, RO, Fridge Call us or Visit us at:

01753 531985

www.loveyourwater.co.uk #1 Home Water Systems Dealer

26 the riverside journals

in Bucks & Berks

Authorised Dealer

www.juluhome.co.uk

Block, Tablet, Granular Salt

t started when Lucie having rebuilt her house came up with a design for a new clothes airer. It was a revelation as it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need ceiling height, nor did it take up valuable floor space. Anyone who saw it was immediately impressed and thought that there could be a market for the product. Julia with a little business experience in the gift industry agreed to step up to the challenge, joining forces with Lucie she was able to bring a drive and vision and creating Julu they set about developing the product for manufacture. Dealing with designers, manufacturers, solicitors, IP specialists looking at different materials, construction, feasibility, costs and their implications, took both into the unknown and was the beginning of a steep learning curve. Slowly but surely the Laundry Ladder was born and in November 2014 Julu launched it onto the market with spectacular success receiving extraordinary public approval and increasing sales. The girls have been to numerous shows i.e. The Country Living Fairs and recently Spirit Fairs run by Homes and Gardens. Their British Design is both strong in functionality and aesthetically pleasing; wanting to keep it British they were pleased that some of their products are made here in the UK and some they import from Europe. Julia and Lucie are looking to the future by adding some exciting new products to the Julu brand. They hope to become a trusted household name synonymous with quality and integrity bringing lots of lovely practical things into your home.

www.hazlemere.co.uk 30 Years Designing & Installing High Quality Aluminium & UPVC Windows, Doors & Conservatories

For a free design consultation & quotation please call

01628 879244

A+ Rated Double/Triple Glazed UPVC & Aluminium Windows | Bi-Folding, French, Sliding Patio Doors | Cladding, Fascias & SofďŹ ts | Composite, Aluminium, UPVC Residential Doors | Conservatories & Orangeries Buckinghamshire Showroom. Wellington Road, Cressex Business Park High Wycombe, HP12 3PR Hertfordshire Showroom. Unit 10 Mundells Industrial Centre Little Mundells, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1EW

www.hazlemere.co.uk Showrooms Open: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm | Sat 10am - 4pm | Sun 10am - 1pm (Bucks showroom only)

Restore Install At Hodkin & Jones, our contracts division Supply & Install mouldings for both traditional and contemporary developments. Our special contracts department restores plasterwork to historic buildings for both commercial and residential properties. We have fixing teams based nationwide and can also undertake overseas projects.

For further details 0203 6208686 or email sales@hodkin-jones.co.uk

www.plastermouldingsonline.com

Lara Scobie ENSEMBLE

11th February - 6th March

Contemporary Ceramics Centre: Showcasing the best in handmade British Ceramics

Contemporary Ceramics Centre

63 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3BF Opposite the British Museum Open Mon - Sat 10.30am - 6 pm Tel. 0207 242 9644 Web www.cpaceramics.com

Head Space – Room Feng Shui

29 the riverside journals

hen designing the ideal room it is normal to consider aesthetics. We choose a visually pleasing paint colour, a practical but presentable floor and all the finishing touches to complete our masterpiece. How often though do we consider how the more basic and practical aspects of a room affect how we feel when in it? Over 3000 years ago, the ancient art of Feng Shui was born in China. This is the philosophy that like all physical things, rooms have their own energy. Not only do rooms have their own energy but this energy can be balanced by adapting characteristics such as room layout, lighting, shapes and contours. According to the teaching something as basic as the height of a room’s ceiling can affect how we work. Lower ceilings are thought to aid performance on detail oriented tasks and higher ceilings to encourage creative and abstract thought. More intuitively perhaps, lighting also affects factor how we feel. Brighter lights encourage alertness and dimmer lights promote relaxation. Keeping the surface edges within a room rounder and softer as opposed to straight also encourages us to chill out as does having a carpet. Feng Shui has clear guidelines around bedroom layout, particularly when it comes to the bed. It is thought that the latter should not be placed in line with the same wall as the bedroom door is on as this creates tension by putting the bed in front of the room’s incoming traffic flow. If you can’t get around this quirk due to room size or dimensions it is recommended that a foot board, table or high bench is placed at the end of the bed. It is, however, important to be able to view the bedroom door from one’s bed as this creates a feeling of safety. Thinking of placing the head of your bed against a window? Think again. This causes chi to enter and leave the room; a wall is the preferred option. The age old saying ‘tidy house tidy mind’ is embraced by Feng Shui. Rooms are best kept tidy with minimal belongings. Clutter obstructs the flow of chi, prevents forward momentum and disturbs our sleep. In terms of room colour, a good balance between cool and warm tones is recommended. The former, e.g. blues, greens and lavenders, are soothing and are considered to be conducive to sleep. The latter are more stimulating and include colours which are reminiscent of skin tones. Too many cool colours such as greys, blues or stark whites are believed to interfere with relaxation. A balance of 50% warm tones and 50% cool tones is often suggested. It’s not just the inside of a room that affects how we feel or behave. Research has found that the outside surroundings can have an effect, too. A room with a natural view such as trees and fields not only encourages creativity but increases memory and concentration too. All the more reason to consider location carefully when selecting a space for creative endeavours or study.

SpacerTiles-Feb15__ 11/03/2015 16:05 Page 1

Sale Now On

ooring

www.spacers-uk.com

An enormous selection of tiles and flooring within impressive showrooms both with a creative in-house design service. Our friendly knowledgeable and helpful staff will provide for all your wall and flooring requirements. Call us with details of your project or go to: An enormous selection of tiles and flooring within impressive showrooms both with a creative in-house design service. Our friendly knowledgeable and helpful staff will provide for all your wall and flooring requirements. Call us with details of your project or go to:

www.spacers-uk.com www.spacers-uk.com Tiles and Bathrooms

Tiles and Bathrooms Wood Flooring

Wood Flooring

Wood Flooring Wood Flooring

Tiles and Bathrooms

Floor Tiles

Amtico & Karndean

Tiles and Bathrooms

Porcelain Floor Tiles

SALE NOW ON Amtico & Karndean

Including at least 10% off all Stoc SALE NOW ON INCLUDING 10% OFF ALL ST Porcelain Floor Tiles

Porcelain Floor Tiles

Amtico & Karndean

Natural Stone

SALE NOW ON INCLUDING 10% OFF ALL STOCK LINES Porcelain Floor Tiles Amtico & Karndean(excluding special offers) Natural Stone (Excluding(Excluding special offers) special offers) SALE NOW ON INCLUDING 15% OFF ALL STOCK LINES

SALE NOWHA4 ON 1A Brickwall Lane, Middlesex, 8JR – 1A Brickwall Lane, Ruislip, Ruislip, Middlesex, 8JR – 01895 621HA4 651 Including at leastRuislip, 10% off all1EF Stock Lines! 1A Brickwall Lane, Middlesex, HA4 8JR – 01895 6 18 King Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 01628 624 546 18 King Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL65461EF - 0 18 King Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1EF - 01628 624 (excluding special offers) (excluding special offers)

King Lane, Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1EF 1A18 Brickwall Lane,Ruislip, Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 8JR 621 651 1A Brickwall Middlesex, HA4 8JR-–01895 01895 621 651info@spacers-uk.com 18 King Street, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 1EF - 01628 624 546

01628 62

info@spacers-uk.com info@spacers-uk.com info@spacers-uk.com andrew@spacers-uk.com

‘Archive Trails’ from Little Greene: an archiveinspired anthology of English and Natural Stone French trailing wallpaper N motifs. ck Lines! Natural Stone

TOCK LINES

– 01895 621 651 621 651 01628 624 546

24 546

Visit www.littlegreene.com to browse the collection or to locate a stockist or visit our London Showroom 3 New Cavendish St, W15 8UX

31 the riverside journals

Tiles and Bathrooms

ver the last decade, Little Greene has established a tradition for sourcing authentic archive wallpaper designs and cleverly adapting their patterns and colours to suit 21st century living. As its name suggests, ‘Archive Trails’ is a joyful celebration of floral trail wallpapers which have been drawn from a number of highly respected resources including English Heritage, Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery and historical documents from France. Marrying original patterns from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, this harmonious portfolio of seven designs, in multiple colourways, encapsulates the enduring popularity of trailing floral and bird motifs in surface design. Trailing florals have been the subject of decorative pattern since long before the mechanisation of wallpaper production and the ensuing fashion for repeating pattern. Traditionally, the scenes depicted in early 18th century interiors were painted by hand; in effect, bespoke murals. This artisan form of decoration was the precursor to the tighter, more structured designs we have come to understand and appreciate as conventional wallpaper over the last two centuries. In the early 19th century, regimented trellis and smaller, geometric patterns celebrated the new uniformity that could be achieved by machine printing. However, as techniques became more sophisticated, some classic rococo and baroque elements – in particular ornate flowers and exotic bird motifs – were, by the mid-19th century, enjoying a resurgent popularity. In the careful redrawing of these seven historical designs, ‘Archive Trails’ champions both the discovery and subsequent rediscovery of flamboyant floral wallpaper patterns. As is customary with Little Greene’s wallpapers, each design has prescribed its own print techniques, including tactile surface print and shimmering mica grounds, to achieve a timeless surface finish of the highest quality. Alongside the ‘Colours Of England’, a renowned palette of coordinating paint shades, this collection will truly lift the walls of traditional and contemporary homes alike! David Mottershead, MD of Little Greene enthuses: ‘At Little Greene we have established a tradition for unearthing document designs and breathing new life into them. Oversized florals coupled with exotic birds are traditional and yet very much on-trend right now. Working closely with a team of experts, we have been able to recreate archive fragments in a contemporary yet enduring way and have incorporated colours and scales to suit modern day interiors.’

Roof Fix Ltd are a

trusted, professional roofing company with over 20 years experience in the trade. We focus on providing all types of roofing repairs and maintenance to the highest finish, and with a quality that is made to last. We undertake all roofing work from tiling and slating to general roofing maintenance and repairs, with no job considered as too big or too small. We guarantee a high standard of workmanship every time, with outstanding customer care.

Roofing and Property Maintenance Service

Head Office 0203 675 0530

New Roof Specialists

GRP Fibreglass Systems

Tiles Replaced

Flat Roofs

Lead Work & Lead Flashings

Exterior Painting

Roof Repairs

Chimney Stack Restoration

Rendering

Direct Line 07807 457 065

uPVC Fascia, Soffit & Guttering

Moss Removal

Brickwork Restoration

www.rooffixltd.co.uk

half page ad_Layout 1 30/08/2013 09:03 Page 1

1 ST ST F OLDING OLDING S LIDING LIDING D OORS OORS L TT D D

ST FOLDING SLIDING DOORS

www.1stfoldingslidingdoors.co.uk

L II G GH H TT

•

High Quality Folding Sliding Doors

•

British, German and Belgium Designed

•

A Fantastic Variety of Finishes & Colours

•

Virtually Maintenance Free

•

State-of-the-Art Security Features

•

Full Fitting Available

•

Free Survey & Design Advice

S PP A AC CE E

S TT YY LL EE

Unit 26/3 Silicon Business Centre • 26 Wadsworth Road • Perivale • Greenford • Middlesex UB6 7JZ •Tel: 0208 997 2448

•Fax: 0208 997 0611

•email: foldingslidingdoors@btinternet.com

An elegant 2 home 1 from home

A stunning holiday home in the heart of France, Chateau de la Motte is on the Burgundy/Champagne border about 15 miles south of the historic city of Troyes. Built in the 16th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 18th centuries, this elegant and comfortable Chateau it is an ideal place for family holidays and special occasions. Surrounded by a moat, Chateau de la Motte sits in 17 acres of mature parkland and boasts a heated pool, a hard tennis court, a lake, streams and a river. Close by are facilities for playing golf, kayaking, horse riding and sailing. There are also six bikes on the property for guests to explore the area on two wheels. Less than four hours from Calais and Brussels, yet nestled in the heart of France, Chateau de la Motte is easy to reach. No airports, no need for hire cars: just one ticket for up to eight people to cross the channel. Jump in the car and go.

The property is available for rent by the week. For full information please visit the website chateaudelamotte.co.uk or call Holiday in France on 01225 310822

JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, Dubai The stunning JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa is made up of two resorts – JA Palm Tree Court and JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel. JA Palm Tree Court offers luxurious suite accommodation surrounded by waterfalls and streams. The resort is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Located along the Golden Sands of the Arabian Gulf, boasting a long stretch of private beach and four swimming pools, the JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel offers guests a memorable holiday. The luxurious rooms offer both Golf and Sea Views. Children are well catered for with separate children’s pools and kids’ clubs plus dedicated activities for teens. 5 nights All Inclusive at JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel start from £969pp

JA Ocean View Hotel, Dubai Located along the prestigious Jumeirah Walk, the JA Ocean View Hotel offers spectacular views across the Arabian Gulf and Palm Jumeirah and has direct access to the beach. The spacious rooms have been tastefully designed with hints of vibrant colours, each room boasting a sea view enjoyed from your private balcony. The rooftop pool offers stunning views across the Arabian Gulf. Set back from the beach the hotel offers guests direct access to the beach with a beach bag with all the essentials needed. 3 nights Bed & Breakfast at JA Ocean View Hotel start from £499pp

JA Manafaru, Maldives The JA Manafaru is the latest property in the Jebel Ali portfolio. The resort sits at the most northerly tip of the Maldives, fringed with exquisite, powder beaches, but it also has a jungle filled interior. The resort offers modern and elegantly designed rooms, as well as Maldivian style villas and suites, all of which offer your own plunge pool. Relax by one of the three pools on the beautiful white sandy beaches where you can also join in a game of beach volleyball or choose from a selection of complimentary non-motorised water sports. 7 nights All Inclusive at JA Manafaru start from £2895pp

For more information or to make a booking speak to our award winning team on 0208 329 2628 or book online www.letsgo2.com

35 the riverside journals

Choosing to stay at a JA Resort or Hotel is about much more than just waking up in a beautifully-appointed room with a view. There are infinity pool bars, sunbeds shaded by palm trees, dedicated entertainment zones for youngsters, tailor-made romantic experiences, activities that will make your heart race and culinary creations that will make your taste buds melt.

While luxurious resort-style leisure is at the heart of our collection, there is so much more to experience at JA Resorts & Hotels.

Jean-Michel Gathy the Creative Mastermind Behind The Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Memorable Swimming Pools & Water Features

36 the riverside journals

From Marina Bay Sands to The Chedi Muscat and The Setai in Miami

Chedi Muscat, Oman

6th October 2015 -

Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Principal Designer at Denniston Architects – Jean-Michel Gathy has been responsible for many of the most iconic hotel swimming pools and water features in the world including: Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Point Yamu Resort by Como in Phuket, Park Hyatt Sunny Bay Resort in Sanya, Cheval Blanc Randheli in the Maldives, The Chedi Andermatt in Switzerland, The Setai in Miami and The Chedi Muscat in Oman. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Dominating the city’s skyline is the world’s largest rooftop pool designed by Jean-Michel Gathy. It offers a spectacular oasis with the 150 metre-long infinity pool which is one of the best spots from which to look out over Marina Bay Sands itself. The gorgeous infinity pool is built on a platform above three buildings which is 650-feet up and it is the largest outdoor pool in the world at this height. Point Yamu Resort by Como, Phuket The contemporary design of Point Yamu by Como makes use of a simple colour palette such as white and turquoise inspired by the surrounding waters and emphasis on texture and tiles. Point Yamu offers a breathtaking 100-meter infinity pool overlooking the panoramic views of Phang Nga Bay.

Chedi Muscat, Oman

Park Hyatt Sunny Bay Resort Sanya, China Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay evokes the feel of a private mansion by the sea, comprising five swimming pools including a 115-metre outdoor pool; a 25-metre indoor pool; a children’s pool; a family pool; and a pool within the Spa. The Sunny Bay lap pool is one of the longest lap pools in all of China, at 115-meters while the 25-meter indoor pool is the only indoor pool in the entire Hainan province. Cheval Blanc Randheli, Maldives Cheval Blanc Randheli offers stylish design and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere, in the serene and intimate setting of the Maldivian archipelago. Jean-Michel Gathy designed each villa with a pool that is a quarter the length of an Olympic length swimming pool overlooking the turquoise waters of Randheli. The Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland The design of the Chedi Andermatt is respectful, quirky, energetic, creative but yet beautifully integrated in a small village. The hotel offers a 12-meter temperature-controlled outdoor lap pool and a 35-meter indoor pool covered by a glass roof where guests can relax and enjoy the scenery.

Chedi Andermatt, Switzerland

The Setai, Miami The Setai is an intimate oceanfront resort in South Beach, Miami with design features that combine rich architectural history of the neighbourhood and its culture diversity with the sleek Art Deco style. There are 3 swimming pools at the resort including the 75-degree lap pool, 85-degree enter pool and the 90-degree family pool.

Park Hyatt Sunny Bay Resort Sanya, China

www.denniston.com.my For further information, please contact: Nicole Lovett: nicole@grifcopr.com Chloe Bowditch: chloe@grifcopr.com Emma Howard-Smith: emmahs@grifcopr.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7385 7090

37 the riverside journals

The Chedi Muscat, Oman The Chedi Muscat is an award winning hotel in Oman situated amidst an elegantly landscaped twenty-one acre garden oasis with 158 Omani influenced guestroom and villas. There are three outdoor temperature controlled swimming pools including 103-meter Long Pool, 40-meter adults only Chedi Pool and 34-meter The Serai Pool.

CHATEAU LOU CASTEOU Chateau Lou Casteou TENNIS ACADEMY, Tennis Academy, COTE D’AZUR, FRANCE

Cote D’azur, France

Thurs 7th May – Mon 11th May, 2015 Events will run throughout Spring 2016,

Four nights luxury accommodation enrol now to book your place in the nightsprofessional luxury accommodation in the coaching chateau. chateau.Four Daily tennis

Daily professional tennis coaching sessions. Champagne reception.

All meals, drinks,reception. wines and aperitifs. sessions. Champagne Tennis Tournaments and Award Ceremony.

Transfers fromand Nice airport. All meals, Price: drinks, wines aperitifs. £1,180 inc. VAT per person, per room

£980 inc. VAT per person, two guests sharing a room. Tennisor Tournaments andforAward Ceremony. The chateau is also available for private rental

and is ideal for special events, parties and luxurious holidays Transfers from Nice airport.

Please contact Morag@Loucasteou.com

with questions for person, reservations. Price: £1,180 inc. VATand per per room www.loucasteou.com

or £980 inc. VAT per person, for two guests sharing a room. Please contact Morag@Loucasteou.com with questions and for reservations. www.loucasteou.com

Chateau Lou Casteou Body Tonic Luxury Fitness Retreat May 4-8th 2016 Enrol now to book your place Lose weight and improve your Fitness Level Set in the beautiful French Cote d’Azur countryside, minutes from the sea, this luxurious fitness retreat provides the perfect balance of energetic fitness classes, outdoor activities including coastal and mountain treks, aqua-gym, circuit training, gourmet meals and pampered luxury to help guests improve their fitness level or kick start a fitness regime.

38 the riverside journals

5 days luxury accommodation in the chateau in en-suite bedrooms with sea or mountain views. Fabulous nutritious, low carbohydrate meals and elegant 3 course dinners with wine.

Please contact Morag@Loucasteou.com with questions and for reservations. www.loucasteou.com

A night at The Wellesley The Wellesley offers total luxury and style for anyone looking to stay or dine in London. A boutique 1920s townhouse beautifully restored with a modern take on art deco style, the hotel has only 36 rooms and suites to offer complete exclusivity to those who stay. The hotel, which has been open since 2012, is situated in the historic building that used to be Hyde Park Corner underground station and is named after Sir Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. Along with the hotel’s luxurious rooms, it boasts four exquisite areas for guests to dine and drink while enjoying a relaxing atmosphere. It incorporates a Cigar Lounge and Terrace, the Crystal Bar, Oval Restaurant and the Jazz Lounge. The Wellesley also has an impressive walk-in humidor which showcases over £1.5 million worth of the world’s finest cigars. It is the biggest collection of cigars sold on a stick by stick basis in Europe, many of the cigars being limited edition. The Jazz Lounge is the perfect place to go for some smooth sounds to accompany your meal. Live at The Wellesley presents a classic evening of live music and fine dining for both guests staying in the hotel and anyone wanting to book dinner in the lounge for a night out. Live jazz performances take place on Fridays and Saturdays from 8.30pm. The experience provides a classic and intimate evening that blends music with fine Italian cuisine in the stunning 1920s styled setting. From award winning pianists to smooth jazz vocalists, the performances are different each night and always provide the best entertainment for your night out.

Sarah Coughlan

Award winning holidays to handpicked destinations and hotels worldwide www.letsgo2.com

We pride ourselves in delivering the highest levels of customer service and expert knowledge to build luxury holidays that perfectly meet your requirements. Secure Online Booking

In Resort Representation

020 8329 2631 98% Positive Feefo Rating

Book with conﬁdence

Sale Now On – Up to 55% oﬀ All Inclusive Summer Holidays

Greece

Ras Al Khaimah Dubai 5* Hilton Al Hamra Hotel 5 nights from £615pp

5* JA Jebel Ali Beach Hotel 5 nights from £969pp

Bali

Barbados

Mauritius

Antigua

St Lucia

5* IKOS Olivia 7 nights from £499pp

2 EE

FR H IG

N !

5* Grand Mirage Resort 7 nights from £1075pp

4* Sugar Bay Barbados 7 nights from £1175pp

5* LUX* Grand Gaube 7 nights from £1359pp 2

FR EE

AD EE GR FR UP M

TS H

5* Blue Waters Antigua 7 nights from £1565pp New website just launched

5* The BodyHoliday 7 nights from £1769pp Open 7 days a week

Maldives

5* JA Manafaru 7 nights from £2825pp Over 45 years experience

Visit the global capital of fashion and design 40 the riverside journals

Fashion, design, culture and history. Just four of the many reasons to book your next holiday in this buzzing Italian metropolis.

Milan By Sarah Coughlan

41 the riverside journals

taly is a country bursting with centuries old history and culture and even though Milan is a modern city, it still pays tribute to its history with such structures as The Gothic Duomo di Milano cathedral and the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent which houses Leonardo da Vinci’s artwork “The Last Supper”. Enjoy and appreciate the city’s history by booking a guided tour which will only take up half a day so you can do some shopping in the afternoon. The threeand-a-half-hour tour grants you access to see da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” as well as letting you explore La Scala opera house and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele shopping arcade, a highlight of this fashion capital. Milan also has an abundance of museums and galleries displaying everything from early Renaissance to 21st-century art, to fashion, interior design and the elegant creations of famous furniture-maker Achille Castiglioni. Accommodation in Milan also spoils you for choice, from 5-Star hotels to luxurious and very affordable bed and breakfasts and apartments. If you are all about affordable but comfortable accommodation, try one of the six Brera Apartments, dotted around Brera, Moscova and Montenapoleone, from only £67 per night. They are super stylish with wooden floors, hanging mezzanines and a soothing white and dove-grey palette. All six apartments come with satellite TV, a DVD and CD collection, and iPod docs. If you are looking to stay in a swanky hotel, try Hotel Straf from £129 per night. The hotel is central to all the tourist attractions, being only 50 metres from Milan Cathedral. Some rooms have massage chairs and aromatherapy, and all have some extreme decor ideas. Cement, black stone and scratched glass are common features, making it seem like a stylish 19th-century living quarters. Make sure you go shopping in Milan. Whether you are intent on purchasing some designer brands or just like to take part in some high end window shopping, Milan’s shopping scene is diverse and vibrant. You will find everything from local bakeries and art shops to international fashion brands and lifestyle stores. Be sure to visit Galleria Vittorio Emanuele Arcade. With its glass-and-iron dome, magnificent mosaics and marble floorways, it is one of the world’s most glamorous (and oldest – being built in 1867) shopping malls. 10 Corso Como, owned by former Vogue Italia editor Carla Sozzani, is a must for anyone with the vaguest of interests in the fashion industry. The whimsical fashion and design emporium houses a bookshop, café, restaurant, B&B and gallery. Although most items are on the higher end of the price scale, you might occasionally find an affordable accessory. If you do, snatch it up if only to get your hands on one of the shop’s beautifully designed paper bags. Once you are done shopping, why not try something different and have dinner on a tram! Bookings are required. The ATMosfera 1 and 2 are two historical ‘Milan 1928’-style trams, completely restored and transformed into retro restaurants. As you dine, the trams will take you on a visit to both the historical and contemporary districts, allowing you to see the city from the best seat in town while enjoying some local Italian wine. Pre-dinner drinks along with a generous buffet at the best bars are a rite of passage in Milan. Many of the best bars feature gorgeous gardens or double as chic florists or bakeries. Try the happy hours at many of the bars which are unlike any others you have experienced. Most happy hours run from around 6pm-9pm and include platters of prosciutto, mozzarella, pasta salads and occasionally even oysters. Take a break from the fashion and style obsessed centre of the city and venture to the Navigli waterways in the city’s south. A network of canals, partly designed by Leonardo da Vinci, once stretched right across Milan, but these days the Navigli are confined to two long waterways – the Naviglio Grande and the Naviglio Pavese. The canals are lined with pavement cafés, vintage shops and the occasional gallery. A popular antiques market is held on the Naviglio Grande on the last Sunday of every month. Moving from the bustling and fashion-forward centre to the relaxed bohemian feel of the canals is a great way to end your trip, and you will return home having soaked up the diverse atmosphere of this stunning metropolis.

Ski Wear Sale Sty li sh Te c h n i c a l O u te r w e a r & Sk i We ar C o lma r, He n ri D u v i lla rd , Sp y d e r, N a p a pi j r i C a n a d a Go o se Sto c k i st

01757 633239 www.byelise.com

TURNERS SUN | RAIN | SNOW

7 S t a t i on Roa d , M a r l o w 01628 47222 3 w w w.t u r ne r s75 . c o . u k

From 1st March to 1st May we are offering our Spring Escape Package which includes Dinner Bed & Breakfast based on two people sharing in one of our State Rooms. Package includes a Full Welsh Breakfast and Cream Teas for two on arrival. From ÂŁ350 per room per night

Telephone: 01874 754525 Email: events@llangoedhall.com www.llangoedhall.co.uk Twitter: @TheLlangoedHall

777700 KT6 6Q EE1199773 00 Z 3

W WW WW SU SU RR R W .E.EU EY EY ’S’SP U RROO P RR EE PAA MM IEIERR P 2,2D, SSKK D IND ITITT T IN OO II EEPP NNRR D 0022 OOAADD, S, SUEUENNDDEENLNLTTOODDGGE 0088 RRBBITITOON SSKKI ISS E..CCO 3399 N, ,SSUURRRRHHOOPPSS O..UUKK IN C EEYY 99 K IN C

f o d En sale n s o s a se start b Fe h t 24

Once upon a time...

44 the riverside journals

Three stories that make Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day the holiday we know and love

The naming of Rome

The martyr for love

Marking the day

he most intrinsic tale of Valentine’s Day is the one that gave the celebration its name. It is the story of Saint Valentine himself. Legend has it that Saint Valentine was a priest who lived during the third century AD under emperor Claudius the second. Claudius, an ambitious ruler, banned marriages among his soldiers in an effort to prevent their love interests from affecting their commitment to fighting in his wars. In defiance against this ruling, Father Valentine married young couples in secret but when the emperor found out he sentenced Valentine to death. The couples wed by Valentine visited him at his cell and brought him gifts and letters. During his incarceration he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. On February 14, the day of his execution, he handed her a note declaring his feelings and signed it, ‘from your Valentine’ and so established the tradition of sending a Valentine.

e didn’t actually start celebrating Valentine’s Day until the fifth century when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 as Valentine’s Day in what could have been an effort to divert people from celebrating Lupercalia, which was a pagan ceremony and, like all pagan rites, was outlawed by the Christian church. Lupercalia took place between February 13 and 15. During the festival priests, who descended from the followers of Romulus and the followers of Remus, would meet in the Lupercal Cave on the Palatine Hill to have a feast and sacrifice two goats and a dog. The blood of the animals would be anointed on the heads of two young men and then washed off with goat’s milk in a symbolic gesture to forgive the violent act of Romulus. The priests would then fashion whips from the sacrificed goats, strip naked and run around spanking the people of the village. This act was thought to bring them good luck and fertility. Lupercalia was a very popular and raucous festival that continued 150 years after Constantine legalised Christianity in the Roman Empire. It was the actions of Pope Gelasius that finally put a stop to it.

By Abena Bailey

45 the riverside journals

The famous Capitoline She-Wolf sculpture, which is one of the masterpieces in the Capitoline Museum in Rome, depicts the story of Romulus and Remus.

o understand how we actually came to celebrate Valentine’s Day on February 14 we must look to Roman mythology’s story of Romulus and Remus. The good King Numitor was overthrown by his brother Amulius, who also banished Numitor’s daughter Rhea Silvia to the temple of Mars the God of War. There she married Mars and gave birth to two sons, Romulus and Remus, but when the new King Amulius found out he sent his servants to kill the boys. The babies were taken to a river and floated down stream in their basket and it was assumed by the servants that they would succumb to the elements and die but instead they were suckled to health by a she-wolf in a cave on the Palatine Hill. One day the boys were taken in by a farmer and his wife. They grew up as shepherds but they also ambushed thieves and returned their loot to the rightful owners. News of their gallant ways travelled to Numitor, who sent for them so that they should know the true story of their heritage. Romulus and Remus rescued their mother and won back the throne for Numitor. The twins went off to The Palatine Hill and founded a new city. Remus wanted to name the city Rem and Romulus wanted to call it Rome. They argued so savagely over this that Remus was killed by his brother and the city was named Rome. In the centuries that followed The Palatine Hill became a sacred place and was where the festival of Lupercalia came to be held. The festival honoured Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus.

OUR PROMISE TO YOU IS COMPLETE PERFECTION FROM ‘YES’ TO ‘I DO’... New Forest | Hampshire | BH25 6QS 01425 275341 mywedding@chewtonglen.com www.chewtonglen.com Riverside Journal CG Weddings.indd 1

06/01/2016 09:26:02

CELEBRATE A SPECIAL OCCASION WITH ANDRÉ GARRETT’S NEW DINING PACKAGE INCLUDES A GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE, THREE COURSES WITH WINE £95.00 PER PERSON

Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF Tel: 01628 668561 reservations@clivedenhouse.co.uk www.clivedenhouse.co.uk A visit to Cliveden is not complete without a stroll around the impressive National Trust estate. A nominal charge of £7.00 per person for lunch and £2.00 per person for dinner will be added to your account and passed on to the National Trust. Available Sunday - Thursday until 31st March excluding Valentine’s, Mother’s Day and Easter.

Riverside Journal CH Celebration Package.indd 1

06/01/2016 10:40:13

espoke Weddings are our speciality . . .

Set in Kentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beautiful Garden of England. Less than 40 minutes from London.

W E D D I N G FAY R E S u n d a y, 2 1 s t F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 10am - 4pm Quality Exhibitors ~ Free Admission ~ Fashion Shows ~ Ample Parking

Tel: 01233 213020 | Email: weddings@eastwellmanor.co.uk | www.eastwellmanor.co.uk Eastwell Park, Boughton Lees, Ashford, Kent TN25 4HR

Winner of ‘Best 5 Star Venue’ WEDDING DATES AWARDS

STOKE PARK

WEDDING SHOWCASE - Sunday 21st February 2016

An intimate Wedding Showcase, designed to give you an insight into Stoke Park as a Wedding Venue – whether you’ve booked your special day here with us already or have yet to decide, this is the perfect opportunity to see our beautiful ceremony rooms dressed in all their splendour. Our experienced Wedding Co-ordinator and Events Team will be on hand throughout the day to give guided tours and answer any questions you may have about holding your special day here with us, at Stoke Park. Entry from 10:30am until 3pm – there is no entry fee and no need to book. Appointments will be available throughout the day with our Wedding and Events Co-ordinators, please note it is advisable to book these before the day to avoid disappointment. Please contact our Wedding Co-ordinator on 01753 717188 or weddings@stokepark.com Stoke Park, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG. 35 minutes from London and 7 miles from Heathrow Airport

www.stokepark.com

Interview with Aron Schlagman

from WHiTEPAPER Event Started in March 2013 by Aron, WHiTEPAPER Event takes your ideas and dreams for your event and makes them reality. I have been in the world of events for over 15 years. The purpose of WHiTEPAPER is to offer a truly bespoke and dedicated service to my clients. My drive for setting up on my own was born from a creative drive that I felt needed a wider setting in which to work, but also the changes to the world of events and the need to guide clients in an honest and transparent way. What kind of events do you plan? I plan all types of events from a wedding over a weekend to conferences and small intimate dinners. Even fashion shows on behalf of big lingerie brands or kids’ parties in swish 5-star locations. What was the one event you planned that you will never forget? Creating a wedding for a client 10 years ago. It was, in a way, the event that “made me”. Ten years on, the clients and I are friends. Sometimes it’s not about the frills and flashing lights but the foundations of a relationship built from an event.

What sets your company aside from other event planning companies? Attention to detail and truly listening to my clients. I am not interested in doing what everyone else does. I make myself available to my clients 24/7 and will ensure that their best interests are always at the heart of my suggestions. What is your creative process when planning a wedding compared to planning a corporate function? Corporate clients don’t always have the time to think creatively about what will set their event apart, so the process can be a little more “yes, no, black and white”. A wedding is all about what will set the event apart creatively. Every decision needs to be carefully considered and plotted as part of a budget that needs to give value in every area. The big things that will wow and the small, meaningful touches that will be a lasting memory. Describe the world of an event planner in one sentence. Listen, smile, breathe, create.

What do you enjoy the most about your job? No day is the same. I love the challenge of hitting a deadline or problem solving; taking a step back and ensuring that every piece of the event puzzle fits together. What motivates you when you are not feeling particularly creative? Coffee! I love walking the streets, or sitting in a coffee shop and just watching the world go by. Before you know it, you have fixed your eyes on what others might think is something completely random, but for me is the kernel of an idea that I can see in its finished form. What plans do you have for the future of WHiTEPAPER Event? This year London, next year – the world...

www.whitepaperevent.com

49 the riverside journals

How long have you been in event planning and what made you want to start your own business?

Victoria Grech Photography

www.sterminshotel.co.uk/weddings St. Erminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hotel, 2 Caxton Street, London SW1H OQW

Cocktails Photo credits: Tasha St. Lawrence

Negroni Negroni is a classic and simple cocktail of many variations, designed to be a pre-dinner drink. Invented and created in 1910s Florence by Count Negroni in famous Caffè Casoni greatly balances bitterness, sweetness and botanicals’ herbal aftertaste in equal proportions of gin, Campari (or sweeter Aperol) and sweet red vermouth. For the best results and clean taste use simple London dry gin of any preference and vermouth such as popular Martini Rosso, Cinzano or Punt e Mes.

1 measure Campari 1 measure dry gin 1 measure red sweet vermouth Orange peel twist This cocktail can be stirred or shaken, served straight or on the rocks, in martini or tumbler glass, but always with orange peel as garnish.

SoixanteQuinze Created in Paris in 1925, elegant, refreshing and powerful ‘French 75’ or simply ‘75’ is a cocktail made from gin, Champagne, lemon juice and sugar. The subtle complexity of the ingredients complement each other without being overpowered. It’s an absolute old-time classic named after the French legendary 75mm field weapon in World War I praised for its accuracy and quickness. The Soixante-Quinze was said to have such a kick that it felt like being hit by that piece of weaponry. Beware of its power!

45ml dry gin 15ml lemon juice 7.5ml sugar syrup Top up with Champagne

You can meet Hugo D’Argantel in The Crown Inn, Old Amersham, where he can meticulously handcraft for you any cocktail using the finest ingredients and fresh herbs from The Crown’s own garden.

51 the riverside journals

Add gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup to a cocktail maker and shake with ice. Strain into a flute glass, and fill up with Champagne.

r Love in London By Abena Bailey

52 the riverside journals

Whispering Gallery in St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral

The capital can seem like a hard nut to crack when it comes to finding love but if you know about these essential places, events, websites, apps and people, the city will become a romantic place.

r The agency

Introduction and dating agencies are still vey much alive in the capital. Longest in the game, Mary Balfour has been matchmaking for busy city professionals, through her London-based company Drawing Down the Moon, since the 1980s. Hers is what one would refer to as a classic agency where she instigates the introductions of people she feels will fit well together and she’s very good at it, having won the UK Dating Awards 2015 Founders Award for her services to the industry as well as the Dating Agency of the Year Award.

The gurus

The event Dating events have evolved from simply speed dating down your local pub into highly imaginative and entertaining nights out. For example, singles can meet up to do painting, play casino or some other creative activity at events hosted by Playdate London while at Ssh Dating events people don’t say anything at all. They just stare into each other’s eyes and let chemistry do its thing. Look out for events that are tailor-made to whatever floats your boat. Take ‘Give A Damn Dating’ for example. This dating events company for ‘thinking people’ hosts activities that challenge the mind. In January its Join The Hunt meet up saw groups of singles work their way through London solving clues to find the final venue and party and in December it held an informal skills swap evening so people could come together by helping each other out.

The dating site There is a big world out there and trawling through hundreds of faces on dating websites is getting old. It’s time to focus on substance rather than purely looks. Whether you are a parent, a vegetarian, a Christian or into art, there is a site for most niches. Muddymatches.com helps rural singles and those who love country life get together, Greensingles. com is for the eco-conscious and datingforparents.com does just what it says on the tin. Doingsomething.com enables singles to attract each other by inviting a stranger on a date activity like going to a sushi rolling class or dining at an underground supper club. The Inner Circle actually vets potential members to make sure that they pass the criteria test. It has 60,000 sophisticated singles signed up across the globe who meet up at elegant events in trendy venues in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Barcelona and Milan. And for those who want to connect on a deeper level, sites like eHarmony and Parship use personality testing to match people.

The app It seems Tinder has opened the doors for a flood of online dating apps and there is one for what seems like every need or even whim. If you are a person who lusts after men with beards Bristlr can connect you with them, or if don’t like the nervous chit chat before agreeing to meet, Justaskmeout sorts out that problem with one click and for those wanting to meet someone they can enjoy hobbies with, Clocked matches singles by their interests. Even if you are sitting in the airport at the gate waiting for a flight, there’s an app that can help you flirt with your fellow plane passengers – Airdates is the world’s first inflight dating app.

10 of the capital’s most romantic spots to woo your love interest: Speak sweet nothings at the Whispering Gallery in St Paul’s Cathedral. The acoustics of the circular wall enables whispered communication in one part to be heard in another.

Take lunch in the Garden Café at The Victoria and Albert Museum, which was once voted the most romantic museum in the UK. See London’s riverside landmarks lit up at night while enjoying live jazz, champagne and canapés on the River Lights cruise, which is hosted by London City Cruises. Take a rowing or pedal boat out onto The Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. Go for an intimate stroll through the arched arbour of red-twigged lime trees in Kensington Palace Gardens. Get into the mood by listening to Otis Redding and Ray Charles hits performed by the Atlantic Soul Orchestra at The Roof Gardens, Kensington, on March 6. Eat together in the fairytale surroundings of Clos Maggiore’s conservatory dining room, which is decorated with apple blossoms, twinkling lights and candles. Cosy up together on a leather sofa to enjoy dinner and a movie at The Exhibit cinema in Balham. Wander around and marvel at the amazing Gothic architecture of Highgate Cemetery. Enjoy the outdoors with a horse riding date in Richmond Park, which is available for all abilities through Stag Lodge Stables.

53 the riverside journals

Ever since the movie Hitch, starring Will Smith as a personal love coach, hit our screens 10 years ago, hundreds of real life love gurus have popped up onto the dating scene. These days, there is nothing unusual about meeting up with a dating expert face to face, by email or on Skype to discuss ways to snag a date and make someone fall in love with you. Top of the pops is award-winning London-based expert James Preece. As well as his personal service, he shares his knowledge through his books, on numerous websites, in newspapers and magazines and on television. Other good relationship coaches take a different approach. If you’re a man and you need a straight talking female to give you an insight on the fairer sex, Kezia Noble is your woman or if you’re a woman wanting a man’s opinion on your love life Matthew Hussey is your go-to guru. Mr Hussey is something of a phenomenon for women seeking relationships. His book Get the Guy was a New York Times bestseller, his YouTube advice videos get millions of views and his live seminars in the UK and America sell out all the time.

Enchanting special occassion clothes designed for you in the heart of London www.littlebevan.co.uk â&#x20AC;˘ 020 7821 9499

The Crown Inn is a 16th-century modern-rustic coaching inn, offering a wonderful setting for an intimate, quintessentially English country wedding. Enquire with our dedicated events team 01494 721541 events@thecrownamersham.com www.thecrownamersham.com

Kings Chapel is a stunning converted 18th-century chapel with breath-taking original features including a beautiful pulpit and stunning domed celling, perfect for your special day.

~ Main Hall for up to 110 seated guests ~ Reception Room for up to 200 guests ~ Private Bar ~ Walled Garden

01494 725722 events@kings-arms-hotel.com www.kingschapeloldamersham.co.uk

Micklefield Hall sarratt, near rickManswortH

the Perfect country House wedding venue with stunning 16th century Barn for up to 200 guests. exclusive private use. MICKLEFIELD HALL OPEN DAY

Sunday 10th April 2016

For further information call

oPen daY sunday 10th april 2016 11am - 3pm Please ring abby or Julie on 01923 778898 to book your place

01923 778 898 or visit www.micklefieldhall.com Viewing is strictly by appointment only.

Auctioneers & Valuers Antiques | Jewellery | Watches

Monthly auction of Antique & Modern Jewellery Thursday 11th February Thursday 10th March Thursday 14th April

View auction catalogues online, www.fellows.co.uk

Lots featuring in the February auction

FOR MAYFAIR AUCTION VIEWINGS, CALL 020 7127 4198, EMAIL LONDON@FELLOWS.CO.UK Mayfair Office | 2nd Floor, 3 Queen Street, London, W1J 5PA Jewellery Quarter Saleroom | 19 Augusta Street, Birmingham, B18 6JA | 0121 212 2131

fellowsauctions

The Chelsea Art Fair will be celebrating its 21st Birthday in style

www.chelseaartfair.org

57 the riverside journals

he chic boutique Fair, held at the Chelsea Old Town Hall from Thursday, April 21st to Sunday, April 24th 2016, has established itself as the London art fair which brings first class Modern and Contemporary art to the heart of Chelsea with a particular focus on three-dimensional art. The Fair offers a wide selection of artists represented by around 35 of the most respected modern and contemporary art galleries from around the UK. This Fair is all about quality and while the majority of works will have price tags from £500 to £50,000, some sculptures on view will exceed that. Galleries tend to bring their highlights to Chelsea with many of the works shown for the first time in London. Works by well-known artists can be found next to some great new discoveries, which make this Fair such a magnet for connoisseurs. All galleries are selected by Fair director Ben Cooper and a small committee of experts and this rigorous selection process makes it so popular with collectors. The relaxing, contemporary atmosphere also means that there is a chance to take time to look at the art and talk to dealers, who are more than happy to give advice to new as well as established collectors. The late night opening on Thursday, 21st April, will be a celebration of the Kings Road art scene putting Chelsea very much back on the art map. This year, the Chelsea Art Fair is supporting Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which is celebrating its 30th birthday and there will be many opportunities to support them by buying art at the Fair and attending talks. Ben Cooper, the Fair’s director, says: “We are looking forward to celebrating our 21st birthday with some of the best galleries, some wellestablished ones which have been supporting the Fair since its inception and some great new additions. More than ever, the Fair should appeal to local art lovers as well as visitors from all over London, Britain and abroad.” The Fair will be open from Thursday, 21st April from 11-8, on Friday and Saturday 11-7, and closes on Sunday, 25th April at 5pm. Tickets cost £6 and more details can be found on www.chelseaartfair.org or on Twitter and Facebook. Pre-arranged group tours around the Fair will be available and the money will be going to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The charity cares for families who have a child with a life threatening or terminal illness, providing bespoke emotional and practical support for the whole family, whenever and wherever it is needed. Today they are the only organisation that provides support directly to the whole family, helping them to keep hold of a normal life as much as possible. They stay for as long as the family needs them. For further details visit www.rainbowtrust.org.uk

Linda Evangelista by Patrick Demarchelier, 1991 ©The Condé Nast Publications Ltd

Anne Gunning in Jaipur by Norman Parkinson, 1956 ©Norman Parkinson Ltd/Courtesy Norman Parkinson Archive

A Century of British Vogue is celebrated with major photography exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery Sponsored by Leon Max Spring Season 2016 sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills

60 the riverside journals

major exhibition celebrating 100 years of cutting-edge fashion, beauty and portrait photography by British Vogue will open at the National Portrait Gallery, London, in February 2016, it was announced today. Vogue 100: A Century of Style (11 February – 22 May 2016) will showcase the remarkable range of photography that has been commissioned by British Vogue since it was founded in 1916, with over 280 prints from the Condé Nast archive and international collections being brought together for the first time to tell the story of one of the most influential fashion magazines in the world. Decade by decade, the exhibition will explore British Vogue’s unfaltering position at the forefront of new fashion, its dedication to the best in design, and its influence on the UK’s wider cultural stage during some of the most inventive and exciting periods in style, taste, the arts and society. Exquisite vintage prints from the early twentieth century, ground-breaking photographs from renowned fashion shoots, unpublished work and original magazines will be brought together in this first retrospective survey of the celebrated magazine. Vogue 100: A Century of Style will include work by many of the leading twentieth-century photographers, including Cecil Beaton, Lee Miller, Irving Penn and Snowdon. More recent work by celebrated photographers David Bailey, Corinne Day, Patrick Demarchelier, Nick Knight, Herb Ritts, Mario Testino, Tim Walker and Albert Watson will also be included, reinforcing British Vogue’s keen editorial eye and dedication to commissioning world-class photography, as well as its role in nurturing new talent.

The exhibition will also include many of the faces that have shaped the cultural landscape of the twentieth century, from Henri Matisse to Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Damien Hirst; Marlene Dietrich to Gwyneth Paltrow; Lady Diana Cooper to Lady Diana Spencer; and Fred Astaire to David Beckham. Also featured in the exhibition will be the fashion designers that defined the looks of the century, including Dior, Saint Laurent and McQueen. Highlights of the exhibition include the entire set of prints from Corinne Day’s controversial Kate Moss underwear shoot, taken in 1993 at the pinnacle of the ‘grunge’ trend; Peter Lindbergh’s famous 1990 cover shot that defined the supermodel era; a series of exceptional Second World War photographs by Vogue’s official war correspondent, Lee Miller; a rare version of Horst’s famous ‘corset’ photograph from 1939, which inspired the video for Madonna’s hit song Vogue; and vintage prints by the first professional fashion photographer, Baron de Meyer. Theatre and opera set designer Patrick Kinmonth will act as Exhibition Designer & Artistic Director for the exhibition, taking visitors on an immersive and imaginative journey through the greatest moments in the history of British Vogue. Dr Nicholas Cullinan, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, says: ‘British Vogue has played a pivotal role in the development of photographic portraiture over the past century, commissioning leading photographers and designers to produce some of the most memorable and influential images in the history of fashion. We are extremely grateful to Alexandra Shulman and her team for giving us unprecedented access to the treasures of the Condé Nast archive and for allowing us to present a panoramic view of this hugely important British institution on a scale that has never been seen before.’ Alexandra Shulman, Editor in Chief of British Vogue, says:

Vogue 100: A Century of Style has been organised by the National Portrait Gallery in collaboration with British Vogue as part of the magazine’s centenary celebrations.

Vogue 100: A Century Of Style 11 February – 22 May 2016, National Portrait Gallery, London Sponsored by LEON MAX Spring Season 2016 sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills npg.org.uk/vogue100 Admission charges Tickets with donation: Adult £19 / Concessions £17.50 Standard price: Adult £17 / Concessions £15.50 Book now npg.org.uk/vogue100 0303 123 7344 or in person at the Gallery National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, opening hours Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday: 10.00–18.00 (Gallery closure commences at 17.50) Late Opening: Thursday, Friday: 10.00–21.00 (Gallery closure commences at 20.50) Nearest Underground: Leicester Square/Charing Cross General information: 020 7306 0055 Recorded information: 020 7312 2463

Leon Max says: ‘I have always had an interest in art and fashion so it was a natural fit for Leon Max to support Vogue 100: A Century of Style, an exhibition celebrating two institutions: Vogue and the National Portrait Gallery.’ British Vogue was founded in 1916, when the First World War made transatlantic shipments of American Vogue impossible and its proprietor, Condé Nast, authorised a British edition. It was an immediate success, and over the following ten decades of uninterrupted publication, the magazine continued to mirror its times and put fashion in the context of the wider world – the austerity and optimism that followed the two world wars, the ‘Swinging London’ scene in the sixties, the radical seventies and the image-conscious eighties. In the magazine’s second century, it remains at the cutting edge of photography and design. The exhibition is curated by Robin Muir who is a Contributing Editor to British Vogue. He has arranged many exhibitions over the last twenty years focusing on fashion and portrait photography, including Under the Influence: John Deakin and the Lure of Soho at the Photographers’ Gallery (2014), Unseen Vogue: The Secret History of Fashion Photography at the Design Museum (2002) and Snowdon: A Retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery (2000). Muir has also curated major exhibitions for the V&A, the Museum of London, and the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. His books include People in Vogue: A Century of Portraits (2003) and Vogue Model (2010).

61 the riverside journals

Claudia Schiffer in Paris by Herb Ritts, 1989 ©Herb Ritts Foundation/Trunk Archive

‘Vogue 100: A Century of Style is a landmark exhibition in the history of magazine photography. I am incredibly proud of this collection of exceptional photography and of the whole concept of the exhibition, which shows the breadth and depth of the work commissioned by the magazine as well as Vogue’s involvement in the creation of that work. The National Portrait Gallery is a wonderful place for this show, which mixes portraiture and contemporaneous artistic style in the same way as much of the Gallery’s own collection. Anybody interested in photography, fashion, fame and magazines will find this an unmissable experience.’

WOODSTOCK, OXFORDSHIRE OX20 1PP

THE COTSWOLDS ART & ANTIQUES DEALERS’ ASSOCIATION FAIR 21st - 24th APRIL 2016 ur - Sun 10am - 5.30pm

Complimentary tickets online at www.thecada.org Telephone:

07855 443913

Spoil your Mum this Mother’s Day “Of all the gifts life has to offer, a loving mother is the greatest of them all.”

other’s Day is coming up soon, and although you should always love your mum, this is the day you should go all out and treat her to show your love and appreciation for her. It is a day to say thank you for all she has and will do for you in your life, so make it a special one. This year it falls on Sunday 6 March, right at the beginning of spring, so if the weather permits, treat her to some outdoor activities like a picnic in the park or a delicious al fresco meal on the banks of the Thames. Mums work hard, from looking after you if you are a child, advising you as a young adult and loving you and your family as an adult, mums are always working. Why not treat her to a wonderful day of pampering. There are loads of spas in and around London that will offer Mother’s Day deals for you to choose from. You can spend the day with her, send her on her own or with a friend for a relaxing massage and delicious, healthy lunch. There is no need to splash out if you are strapped for cash, get creative and make her home into a spa, give her a shoulder massage, paint her nails and make her a light lunch.

By Sarah Coughlan

63 the riverside journals

You can’t go wrong with an afternoon tea! Take her to a posh hotel for an afternoon tea where she can be treated like royalty, and surprise her with tickets to a movie in the cinema or a West End show she has been dying to see. Try to think of things she will enjoy doing. A box of chocolates and flowers are lovely gifts, but an experience stays in the memory forever. For parents who have young children, husbands you need to step up here! Help your children cook their mum some breakfast or lunch and then offer to keep them occupied for the rest of the day so mum can relax and take a day off. She will thank you for it! But most of all, if you plan either an extravagant day full of activities or a simple day spent at home, spend time with her, ask her questions and listen to her. Our mums are the most important women in our lives and we should always try to spend as much time as we can with them.

A wealth of Art & Antiques in the Heart of England

64 the riverside journals

The Cotswold Art and Antique Dealers Association Fair at Blenheim Palace, Thursday 21st – Sunday 24th April 2016

he Cotswold Art & Antique Dealers’ Association (CADA) Fair will celebrate its fifth anniversary in the stunning setting of Blenheim Palace Thursday 21st – Sunday 24th April 2016. Since its inception, the Fair has cultivated an ardent following of collectors, art consultants, interior designers and the public alike, making it a ‘must-visit’ destination. This is the only antiques fair to take place at Blenheim Palace, home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, in the glorious setting of the Orangery and Campaign Rooms, overlooking the Italian Garden. Patron of the Association and Fair – and CADA member – is Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, sister of the present Duke. Ist Dibs, leading online luxury marketplace, will again support the Fair in recognition of its position as the leading quality antiques fair held outside London. Twenty seven of the Association’s 48 members are taking part in the fair. New exhibitors this year are Parkside Antiques, Iona House Gallery, Greenway Antiques, Strachan Fine Art and Jeanette Hayhurst. Five guest dealers have also been invited to bring their expertise and additional contribution to the fair: Sean Edwards Antiques, Mary Cooke Antiques, Joanna Booth, Timothy Millett and Cynthia Walmlsey. The very best of each discipline will be represented, including furniture, pictures, silver, early needlework and antique boxes, sculpture, bronze, clocks and barometers, carpets and textiles, glass, jewellery, English and Oriental ceramics, garden ornaments and statuary, as well as other decorative items. All works are for sale, with prices ranging from £100 – £100,000+. The dates of the fair encompass major anniversaries of historical significance: HM The Queen’s 90th birthday on 21st April, St Georges Day on 23rd April, as well as Shakespeare’s birthday and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death on 23rd April. Amongst the many world-class art and antiques to be exhibited, participating dealers will bring works of art relating to these key dates. Embracing these themes, new member Parkside Antiques will exhibit an English Regency period needlework on silk depicting a grieving lady laying flowers at the grave of William Shakespeare after a painting by the 18th century artist Angelica Kaufman, and a rare early 19th century English glazed stoneware of St George slaying the dragon. Architectural Heritage will show a stunning mid-19th century painted and stained glass panel showing a portrait of Shakespeare, as well as large stained glass windows showing portraits of Tudor monarchs either side of the Waldegrave armorial. Legge Carpets will bring a fragment of an English roller-printed cotton plain weave entitled Shakespere’s (sic) Seven Ages of Man. English pottery specialist John Howard will exhibit a pair of earthenware lions and a unicorn as well as a rare glazed creamware figure of St George slaying the dragon. John Howard, Chairman of CADA says: ‘this year’s Fair promises to be an especially exciting one and is a much anticipated event in the antiques calendar, providing collectors and first time buyers with the opportunity to view and purchase outstanding antiques and works of art, showcased in the most stunning setting; the fair is now established as one of the best quality events in the country. This year CADA’s chosen charity is The Soldiers of Oxfordshire Trust, which opened in Woodstock in June 2015. The main core of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum is the collections, both objects and archives, of the two county regiments, the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars.

www.thecada.org

With Spring just around the corner, national charity Suzy Lamplugh Trust is urging all Oxfordshire residents to keep personal safety in mind when taking on new hobbies, challenges or fulfilling New Year’s resolutions.

A pottery hare by Emile Gallé c. 1900, John Howard

A painted and stained glass panel showing a portrait of Shakespeare, c 1860. Attributed to Thomas Baillie and Co, Architectural Heritage

St George and the Dragon. Ralph Wood Pottery c.1785, John Howard

Common or popular lifestyle changes may inadvertently place individuals at risk, so the charity is encouraging people to factor in their own safety when considering their undertaking.

Suzy Lamplugh Trust wants everyone in Oxfordshire to make this Spring a Safe One

Kristiana Wrixon, Policy and Development Manager at Suzy Lamplugh Trust, explained: “It’s great when you decide to make a positive change in your life, but whether the aim is to start running, travel more or to meet someone new, it is important to remember your personal safety.” She added: “If your aim is to get fit or start running, there are a number of steps you can take to help keep yourself safe. These include planning your route carefully, sticking to well-lit, busy areas and joining a running club. We also recommend carrying a personal safety alarm with you when going out.”

A Regency period needlework of grieving lady laying flowers at the grave of Shakespeare, Parkside Antiques

If your goal is to travel more, planning is key to reduce the risk of being stranded in a foreign and unfamiliar environment. Wherever possible it is best to travel with a friend and to stay together whenever venturing out.

A charming Sampler by Elizabeth Smith, age 11, 1822, Witney Antiques

Kristiana said: “We are not trying to scare people or worry them unnecessarily, but personal safety is an important issue for everyone, regardless of age or sex. Of course we want people to make a change for the better – but above all else we want them to be and feel safe in whatever they choose to do.”

65 the riverside journals

Many people are looking to meet that special someone in 2016. When going on dates, especially first dates with contacts made online, you should always take care to meet in a public place, let someone know where you are going, whom you are meeting and when you are likely to be back.

British Artist describes sculpting dancers of The Royal Ballet as a “humbling experience”

66 the riverside journals

Michael James Talbot has been working with principal dancers Edward Watson and Lauren Cuthbertson as part of his Royal Ballet Collection. “This collaboration is the beginning of a dialogue between sculpture and dance that allows me to work with artists of the highest calibre from The Royal Ballet,” says Talbot.

www.calkengallery.com www.talbotsculpture.com

67 the riverside journals

n describing working with Edward Watson and Lauren Cuthbertson, Talbot says, “It is a real privilege to work with these exceptional artists. They are the epitome of grace and effortless precision which, of course, masks the physical effort and pain they must go through every day to attain and maintain their level of performance.” Talbot, 56, based in Derbyshire, studied at the Royal Academy of Art, winning the coveted Landseer prize in 1983. He later studied under the great sculptors, Colin Melbourne ARCA and Dame Elizabeth Frink RA. Talbot has been sculpting the human form for over 30 years and has a particular passion for dance, but he says that “these [Royal Ballet] dancers are, figuratively, a different evolved athlete. I was expecting an athletic figure, but it isn’t that, it’s a figure perfectly attuned to a set of movements, truly exceptional.” Talbot spends around 3-4 months creating each sculpture in clay, before they are cast in bronze. He spent many hours behind the scenes at The Royal Opera House with the dancers, studying their form and movements, to establish precisely how he would capture them. “It’s a truly humbling experience to be allowed behind the scenes and be up close with the dancers,” he said. “They are not only extremely talented, exceptional artists with enormous dedication and spectacular physiques, but they are all such genuinely nice people.” In his sculpture of Cuthbertson, Talbot said he was “looking to create a figure in animation.” He said, “I wanted to capture the spirit and emotion of her movement and this piece is like three frames of a film. Each still capturing a moment in time, but when taken in its entirety gives the wonderful fluidity of the movement.” He first started working with Edward Watson in December 2012 when they met in the dance studios of the Royal Opera House. In describing his first meeting Talbot said, “I remember thinking – the dancer, a blank rehearsal room, with a mirrored wall and a piano. What a wonderful blank canvas. Or to a sculptor – the wire and lump of clay.” This initial session allowed Michael to determine what the study of Edward would look like. “Within a few minutes of exploring possible shapes and movements, I saw Edward’s discipline and delight in the structure, form and balance that are the essential elements in figurative expression. The final image was distilled and is a study in stillness which I have never witnessed in any model, stillness which is not the absence of movement but is a state of grace. “When I came away from our first session I was certain of two things – this was a working environment where there is no compromise and the image I would sculpt would be ‘in rehearsal’.” In addition to the Cuthbertson and Watson sculptures, Talbot has so far created another two pieces – ‘Callisto’ and ‘Juliet’. He said, “Callisto is inspired by one of the moons of Jupiter, something free in space but also caught in a captivating gravity.” This piece was created by Talbot as a tribute to the wonderfully talented Jeanetta Laurence, the former Associate Director of the Royal Ballet, who received an OBE for services to dance in the New Year’s Honours List 2015. “I was extremely privileged to have had Jeanetta’s input in the final stages of creating this piece. To have received the advice and technical input of a woman as experienced and successful as Jeanetta in ensuring the accuracy and integrity of this dance study was indeed a pleasure and an honour.” Talbot’s sculpture of Juliet is inspired by the character in the classic MacMillan-choreographed ballet. “With this sculpture I attempt a synthesis of movements and light that are not any one rendering of a particular ballet movement or position but rather a fixed animation,” said Talbot. “It is probably fair to say I am a perfectionist,” says Talbot, whose artwork is well known for its exquisite detail and anatomical precision. This accuracy and attention to detail is an important factor in The Royal Ballet collection, as Talbot explained. “With each piece I am careful to ensure that the poise and posture of the dancer is captured as precisely as possible and I work closely with The Royal Ballet to achieve this.” Talbot takes his sculpture at various stages to be carefully scrutinised by the expert and experienced eyes of the Royal Ballet principals and he says, “I will often make minute adjustments to ensure the highest degree of integrity in the final study.” This high degree of technical accuracy in the artwork is not only important to the artistic integrity but is also essential in attaining The Royal Ballet stamp. As with each piece in the collection, the finished bronze sculptures are sold in support of The Royal Ballet and carry the insignia stamped in bronze.

Lorraine Angliss

Creative force behind Annie’s “My guests are the most important aspect of my business and I constantly strive to create the most enjoyable and delicious experience possible”. LA

Annie’s has two locations, Barnes and Chiswick, the best loved local institution as voted by the locals, as well as people who come from far and wide. We’ve been around

nch!

g Bru Award Winnin

Annie’s Chiswick 162 Thames Road, London, W4 3QS Annie’s Barnes, 36-38 White Hart Lane, London, SW13 0PZ

So much to love. . .

for a long time and continue to be the heart of eating out in Chiswick. Known as the restaurant with the “love factor!” Annie’s recently won an award for our famous brunch! Everything created to please guests; cocktails, wines, homemade food and daily specials - that change with the seasons. Currently there’s a mixture of old meets

new with home comforts like Angus beef burger and shepherds pie or something a little lighter like a chicken cobb salad. “Creating the perfect atmosphere where my guests can feel comfortable, try new dishes and take advantage of the amazing cocktails we do!” LA

Home from Home! 162 Thames Road, W4 3QS 020 8994 9080 36-38 White Hart Lane, SW13 0PZ 020 8878 2020 www.anniesrestaurant.co.uk

TripAdvisor

2016 Annie’s Chiswick 162 Thames Road, London, W4 3QS Annie’s Barnes, 36-38 White Hart Lane, London, SW13 0PZ

CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

DINNER AND JAZZ

Live at The Wellesley presents a classic evening of live music and fine dining, two of life’s perfectly matched pleasures. Book your table on Friday and Saturday evenings from 8.30pm. Quote ‘RIVERSIDE’ to receive a complimentary glass of Prosecco.

thewellesley.co.uk | call: 020 3668 6530 | 11 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LY The-Wellesley-Riverside-Journals-Ad-February-2016-V1.indd 1

Casa Nova Restaurant

08-Feb-16 17:17:46

Casa Nova is every inch an Italian restaurant serving a good blend of tempting modern and traditional dishes to satisfy any palate. The portions are sized most generously and cooked to perfection. Casa Nova is positioned in the middle of a quaint parade of shops in the heart of Virginia Water; less than a mile from the beautiful Virginia Water Lake and the famous Wentworth Golf Club, with ample parking immediately in front of the restaurant. Inside, the restaurant is modern and surprisingly spacious. The décor is warm and inviting – just like the welcome you will receive from Joseph and his staff. Joseph is front of house, always keen to meet and greet the guests with his genuinely friendly personality. Fully air conditioned. 2 course lunch £14.95 3 course lunch £18.95 3 course dinner £20.95 • Open every day for full à la carte lunch and dinner • Set menus available

Open for Mothers Day bookings now been taking. Set menu available.

Contact Casa Nova on 01344 843407

Casa Nova is at 10 Station Approach, Virginia Water, GU25 4DW

The Definitive Tea Experience

www.jingtea.com

71 the riverside journals

njoyed by customers in 75 countries, in over 70 Michelin starred restaurants and many of the best five star hotels, JING is passionate about sharing Asia’s finest teas with the West. At this detoxing time of year many of us are drinking green teas, but have little knowledge of where in the world these leaves actually come from. JING’s range of loose teas and whole leaf teabags includes authentic examples of Asia’s greatest teas, from China, Taiwan, Japan, India and Sri Lanka. For company founder, Edward Eisler, the way in which they source their teas is paramount: ‘We don’t compromise on cost or convenience – we are willing to go the extra mile, even travelling to the hardest to reach corners of China, India, Japan and mountains of Taiwan, to find the best conditions and artistry. We work exclusively and closely with the highly skilled makers in each chosen region. These true artisans only sell their produce to those they feel will best represent their teas – it is a mutually beneficial relationship and we feel lucky to work so closely together.’ Evidence of this dedication to extensive sourcing can be found in one of their finest green teas, Dragon Well. One of China’s most famous green teas, Dragon Well has an extremely thick and full taste, due to the fact that the land on which it is grown has been organic for over 10 years. The leaves are masterfully hand fired in a wok resulting in a balanced flavour of hazelnut sweetness with spring freshness. Senior Tea Buyer at JING, Tom Price, travelled to the Hangzhou region in South East China to meet a Dragon Well firing master: ‘He was expertly pressing and turning leaves in his wok, effortlessly, with a look of relaxed focus and care. He thought the tea leaves in this region had a much fuller, thicker flavour, by virtue of rich soil which has not been over farmed and fertilised. This means the land is still rich in nutrients and this quality comes out in the thick, juicy buds and leaves on the tea bushes.’ This respect for terroir and desire to preserve the traditions which underpin the ancient craft of tea making is what makes JING so unique and its teas so special. To support the industry long term Edward Eisler says: ‘People need to recognise the amazing value of tea – it has become viewed as too much of a commodity and its incredible qualities as a natural, delicious healthy and sociable part of our lives, is going under the radar. The big financial change needed is for big tea brands to buy and sell their tea for a lot more if the producers are to get a fair share of the profits and if tea is to be valued correctly and sustainably.’

Fine Italian and Greek foods for home cooking Italian and Greek foods are both considered fine cuisine and not many people attempt to cook them at home, but there are many traditional Italian and Greek dishes that are surprisingly easy to whisk up for an elegant home-produced dinner.

72 the riverside journals

By Sarah Coughlan

Shrimp fra diavolo

Chicken parmigiana

Souvlaki

Taramasalata

If you are hopeless in the kitchen or are just too tired to try and cook up some fine foods, there are plenty of restaurants that will be able to serve you traditional Italian or Greek food, from local cafĂŠs that are all about cooking the food according to strict tradition and chain Italian and Greek restaurants to four and five star hotels and restaurants that create the finest Italian or Greek cuisine.

Linguine with clam sauce

Veal Marsala

Chicken Saltimbocca

Pasta primavera

Dolmathakia

Lamb Kleftiko

Baklava

Many Italian foods are starch or meat based and filled with rich and creamy flavours. Here are some great Italian dishes that are great to try at home. Chicken parmigiana: A classic dish that also works as a sub sandwich. It consists of a breaded chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella, parmesan or provolone cheese. Fettuccine alfredo: A popular pasta dish made from fettuccine pasta tossed with parmesan cheese and butter. As the cheese melts, it blends with the butter to form a smooth, rich and heavy sauce on the pasta. Linguine with clam sauce: Clam sauces vary, but the two most popular varieties are white clam sauce – usually featuring minced clams, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and parsley – or red, which is a thin tomato sauce with minced clams. You can also use whole clams for a stronger flavour. Veal Marsala: A good Marsala wine sauce is loaded with mushrooms and scallions. Although, many people do not like veal so a refreshing twist to this dish is a Sirloin Marsala. Chicken Saltimbocca: ‘Saltimbocca’ is a combination of Italian terms that means, “jumps into one’s mouth”. Most of these dishes combine a meat, such as chicken or veal, lined or topped with prosciutto ham, spinach, mozzarella cheese and sage or basil. Shrimp fra diavolo: ‘Diavolo’ is Italian for devil and this style of red sauce relies on crushed red pepper and garlic. The best fra diavolo sauces are tomato-based and use chili peppers. Making this at home is ideal as you can decide how spicy to make it. You can put the shrimps and sauce over pasta or have it on its own. Pasta primavera: One of the most well-known Italian vegetarian dishes. ‘Primavera’ means springtime and can include any combination of vegetables over pasta in a variety of sauces. This is a great dish to make if you want to experiment with different sauces from classic tomato-based to cheese or cream-based.

Greek food is made to be a social event and so is served in smaller, sharing portions with a strong focus on light dips such as tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic), melitzanosalata (aubergine) or fava (creamy split pea purée) and breads. Taramasalata: A fish roe (fish egg) dip. This creamy blend of pink or white fish roe with either a potato or bread base is best with a drizzle of virgin olive oil or a squeeze of lemon. Dolmathakia: Grape leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and fresh herbs. These take some time to prepare, but the end result is worth the effort. They make great appetizers and can be served warm or cold. Lamb Kleftiko: A rustic, traditional Greek dish made with slow-cooked lamb, marinated in garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, then cooked with infused sweet onions, roasted peppers and tomatoes. Serve it with fluffy potatoes and a delicious white wine sauce. Souvlaki: This term is used to describe “little skewers” of meat that are marinated in a red wine marinade and then grilled. They are traditionally wrapped in pita bread and then topped with a variety of condiments like lettuce, tomato, onion and tzatziki sauce. Baklava: This delicious dessert is a favourite in Greek circles. The pastry, made with flaky phyllo dough, is layered with a cinnamon-spiced nut filling (walnuts and almonds make this version unique and flavourful), and bathed in sweet syrup, making it crunchy and sweet.

73 the riverside journals

Fettuccine alfredo

From traditional Italian pastas, chicken dishes and soups to tasty Greek lamb and fish, there is no need to be in these countries in order to taste their delicious cuisine. There are plenty of dishes that are not only easy to cook but will impress your guests and taste amazing at the same time.

Special Banquet Night, Any Starter, Any Main, Any Side, Any Rice or Nan bread. ÂŁ12.95 per person. (Tuesday at Bourne End and Wednesday at Amersham branch)

58-60 The Parade, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5SS http://www.thecoriander.com/bourne-end-coriander.html 01628 522734 Metro Court, Station Road, Amersham HP6 5AZ http://www.thecoriander.com/amersham-coriander.html 01494 726370

The freshest tasting olive oils we know Organic, Verified ‘Extra Virgin’ Harvested ONLY in December, bottled unfiltered in January We keep the olive in the oil!

Buy on-line at:

www.oliveoilavlaki.com

07721 410974

Awarded Great taste ‘Stars’ in 2013, 2014 and 2015; Gold and Silver in the China International Olive Oil Competition in 2015.

75 the riverside journals

nfiltered, verified ‘extra virgin’ with laboratory testing, they are bottled asap after milling the olives to capture the astonishing taste, aroma and nutritional benefits of fresh olive oil. This is a very different take on the olive oils we have become used to with commercial oils. These are almost always a blend of many different producers’ oils, harvested across the season so the taste is diluted, and filtered. (Also these oils are often quite old before they are bottled.) Avlaki picks their olives only in December when they’re at their optimum to give a true experience of olive oil, unadulterated or blended; the fruit hand harvested and carefully sorted for only the best quality. They’re grown on Lesvos Island Greece, known for the light consistency of its oils which never overwhelm food. Thus they are very versatile – excellent for the variety of cuisines we enjoy in Northern Europe. Use them as positive ingredients to your dish – choosing the flavour and texture to enhance the finish. Two top quality, gourmet ‘finishing’ oils from two single, separate and very different terrains: ‘Agatherí Groves’, grown at 5/600 metres, is delicate on the palate, first mild developing to rich and complex afternotes. For fine ingredients – salads, baby vegetables, white fish… ‘Avlaki Groves’ from sea level groves, is more immediate, buttery, with grassy and fruity notes. Use with more robust flavours, tomatoes, grills, hearty soups. A third oil, ‘Lesvos Groves’, is a general purpose EVOO blend from fellow organic colleagues. By the way, Avlaki practises strict organic farming, protecting wildlife and supporting bio-diversity. Buy On-line: www.oliveoilavlaki.com

AVLAKI’s business is to make the freshest tasting organic olive oils

Fri 5 - 7pm n o M r u o H Cock tail

Sunday Roast From 12pm onwards

Voted Best Restaurant by Time Out!

Fast & Fabulous Set Lunch Menu 2 Courses ÂŁ14.95! Mon - Fri 12 - 3pm

TripAdvisor

2016 CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE

www.rockandroserestaurant.co.uk 106 - 108 Kew Road, Richmond, TW9 2PQ 020 8948 8008

THE FUTURE OF WELLNESS HAS ARRIVED

IN THE HOME COUNTIES OFFICIAL REVIV EXPRESS CLINICS The Laser Clinic in Cookham

Tanning Lounge & Beauty Clinic

Opalus Aesthetics

2 The Arcade, High Street,

98 High Street, Marlow,

357 Reading Road

Cookham, Berkshire SL6 9TA

Buckinghamshire SL7 1AQ

Henley-on-Thames RG9 4HA

www.lasercookham.com

www.tanningloungeandbeauty.co.uk

www.opalusaesthetics.com

B12 Vitamins: To B or Not to B

itamins are compounds that help the body function and participate in various regulatory activities that are essential to life. There are two categories of vitamins, water-soluble vitamins such as B and C vitamins, and fat-soluble vitamins such as A,D and E. The difference between the two subtypes defines the vitamins as well as the potential of toxicity with supplementation. Water-soluble vitamins are readily dissolved in waterbased environments such as blood, and get excreted if there is excess. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are stored in fatty tissue and can accumulate to dangerous and toxic levels with over use. Vitamin B12 is crucial in various metabolic process in the body, and participates in red blood cell production, functioning of the nervous system, regulating sleep and mood, and even affecting levels of other compounds in the body that help in maintenance of organs such as the brain, heart and eye. Deficiency in Vitamin B12 can then result in diseases such as anaemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep-mood disorders or neuropathy. B12 is found naturally in animal products and absorbed in the digestive tract after binding to a molecule produced by the stomach called intrinsic factor. Various factors ranging from diet and physiology can then determine the amount of B12 absorbed. Studies have shown that 10-40% of the general public are deficient in B12. Certain population groups such as vegans and vegetarians are prone to such deficiency due to diet. Others that suffer from gastrointestinal ailments such as Crohnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diseases or the chronically ill, alcoholics, the elderly, and even people that have undergone gastric surgery are also frequently deficient of B12.

For people suffering from lack of B12, supplementation can usually reverse the symptoms associated with deficiency. B12 can be supplemented in three ways, orally, intramuscularly (IM) with B12 shots and injections, and finally intravenously with IV drips. Oral supplementation of B12 results in slower absorption and delivers only a fraction of the available compound to the body compared to IM or IV use. As a result much larger doses have to be ingested more frequently to achieve the same concentration of B12 in the body with oral replacement. IV replacement is most efficient in raising B12 levels, but can subsequently drop off due to the excretion of water-soluble vitamins. Thus IV vitamin drips administered in conjunction with B12 shots is ideal because it rapidly replaces levels, but then has a continuous supply as a result of the intramuscular depot of B12 injection. In summary, B12 deficiency is common in the general public. Low levels of vitamin B12 can result in serious health problems and affect quality of life. B12 replacement therapy is safe and can be delivered by various methods. B12 shots and vitamin drips can quickly replenish this essential vitamin.

B-12 Slimboos Vitaboost Hydromax Ultraviv Megaboost Vitaglow Royal Flush

REVIV treatments are the future of wellness and they have arrived in the Home Counties.

Contact Dr Mariette Grant today for all enquires and appointments call 07906 062 975 or email mariette.grant@doctors.org.uk

79 the riverside journals

Dr Mariette Grant has joined the REVIV brand to offer vitamin treatments to the people of Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas. A fantastic opportunity for the health and image conscious to boost their B12 intake to feel good on the inside which ultimately leads to looking great on the outside. For in-clinic appointments you can visit any of three locations: The Laser Clinic in Cookham, Tanning Lounge & Beauty Clinic in Marlow or Opalus Aesthetics located in Henley-on-Thames. Dr Grant also offers an exclusive concierge service, the REVIV experience can also be brought directly to you, allowing you to relax whilst replenishing in the comfort of your own space. Additionally we work with corporate clients to tailor packages for performance and staff wellbeing.

beautiful skin from the inside skincare innovation in a drink

skinade.com

Coach on the Couch

What to do when you’re stuck and desperate for change Work out exactly what it is you want to change Reflect on what you have, and, from there, work out what you want. Accept what is in the past and have faith in your ability to change for the better.

Remind yourself of what you want to achieve, everyday! Don’t give up when things don’t happen as fast, or as successfully, as you would like. Use motivational mantras or tangible reminders of what success looks like to keep you on track.

Give yourself the gift of time… Life is busy; we rush from one task to the next leaving no time for contemplation, or any opportunity to check in with ourselves to ensure we are travelling in the right direction.

Write a daily journal Successful people track progress, set goals, reflect, and learn from their mistakes – and they do this by keeping a record of what they have done, and still need to do… If this seems daunting, start with a ‘to do’ list and add comments as you tick things off, detailing how you felt, if you could have done things better? Looking back on your journal entries will help you feel positive about your successes, as well as helping you gain perspective on things still to do.

A Guide For Choosing A Psychotherapist

n different professions there may be a single “best” person to work with, but when it comes to mental health and psychotherapy the choice of a professional is based on a variety of different factors. During psychotherapy, a client will share deeply personal and often very difficult information with the therapist. Since everyone has different personalities, communication styles and comfort levels, finding the psychotherapist that is right for you is very different from choosing a therapist that is right for someone else.

Qualifications and Expertise Qualifications are very important when selecting a psychotherapist. At the very least ensure the professional has a degree, and ideally a Master’s level degree. There are also psychotherapists who have specialised training in the treatment of specific issues such as eating disorders, addictions, depression, anxiety and so on. Many of the top professionals with specialisations will be published, provide workshops and training and also provide supervision for new therapists. The top therapists will be involved in ongoing professional development to continually expand their treatment options for clients. The top professionals will provide information on their training, educational background and experience. This is very helpful for a client to review before determining if the professional has the experience to provide the support, guidance and services required.

Accreditation

Protect your thoughts, time and energy by ditching those in your life who take without giving. Negativity and toxicity force you to compromise yourself and your happiness. Work at spending time with people who make you smile, and on projects that fill you with a sense of wellbeing.

Every journey starts with a single step Change doesn’t happen all at once. Taking small, baby steps will empower, embed the change and reduce the potential overwhelm, making success both achievable and tangible.

www.baileystainescoaching.co.uk alex@baileystainescoaching.co.uk 07710 328 586

Remember, no matter how tough life is, you can always make it better. Need some support to make it happen? Contact Coach on the Couch, Alex Bailey-Staines

In the United Kingdom, professional accreditation is possible for psychotherapists and mental health professionals. This accreditation occurs voluntarily through several different governing bodies including the BAAT (British Association of Art Therapists), HPC (Health Professionals Council) and the UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy). By making the commitment to become accredited, and maintaining accreditation, the professional is ensuring that his or her clients and patients will have the most confidential, ethical and professional services available.

Practical Considerations The final set of considerations for any client is the practicality of being able to see the psychotherapist. Psychotherapy is not a short-term treatment option, so finding a therapist that is within reasonable travelling distance, offers the hours or appointment scheduling that works with your schedule, and that is within your budget is always critical. Remember, a recommendation from a friend is a place to start, but the referred professional may not be a good match for your needs. If you find this is the case, change psychotherapists and get started on the journey to personal growth and improvement. Meaningful change will take time, and psychotherapy will never be an instant fix, but with the right psychotherapist you can and will achieve your goals. www.philippejacquet.co.uk 020 7206 2438

81 the riverside journals

Surround yourself with positivity

Help Combat the Signs of Ageing

The Lidl Kingston Breakfast Run

Sunday 3rd April 2016

BEST PRICES IN CRYOGENICS & LASER TREATMENTS IN LONDON

ATELIER M

CRYO-LIPO & LASER CLINIC

ith the aim to help even more runners achieve their goals. After choosing from the 8, 16 or 20 mile routes participants will follow a fast and flat course that takes them along the River Thames and past the iconic Hampton Court Palace. Last year the newly introduced 20 mile route reached capacity well in advance of the event, with many using it as a final test before their spring marathon. This will be the 26th year that local organisers Human Race have held a run in Kingston upon Thames. CEO Nick Rusling said, “I’m delighted that we are returning to Kingston once again to hold this important run. Over the years the Lidl Breakfast Run has gone from South West London’s best kept secret to the renowned pacing event it is today”. Breast Cancer Care are the official charity partner of the Lidl Kingston Breakfast Run, with all participants encouraged to raise money which will go towards providing vital support services for anyone affected by breast cancer. Entries for the Lidl Kingston Breakfast Run are now open:

www.humanrace.co.uk/ running to secure your place. STUBBORN FAT REMOVAL STUBBORN FAT REMOVAL (CRYOLIPOLISIS) LOSE INCHES FREEZING IT (AREAS; TUMMY, THIGHS, ARMS, BACK, WAIST, LEGS.) NO DIET. NO GYM. NO DOWNTIME. 82 the riverside journals

2 AREAS FROM £200 (FREE CONSULTATION)

LASER HAIR REMOVAL ALSO FROM £99 (MENS BACK OR CHEST, LADIES FULL LEGS & BIKINI: 6 SESSIONS FROM £399)

semi permanent makeup offers LATE EVENING APPOINTMENTS AND WEEKENDS INC SUNDAYS 10-9PM

209 LOWER RICHMOND ROAD PUTNEY SW15 1HJ

020 8785 4759 / 07808 662580

ew research has found that more than two thirds of parents say they find parenting a big challenge while one in five have admitted to lying to their friends and family about coping well. With The Baby Show set to return to London ExCeL from 19th to 21st February we’ve collected a list of top tips from their expert speakers to help you on your way to making parenting easier:

Senior midwife Marie Louise says: “Rest whenever you can, don’t worry about the washing up – your sleep is more important! Scientific research has proven that an 18 minute nap improves concentration levels and patience, qualities that will always come in use as a parent! And say no to visitors if it doesn’t suit you and don’t feel bad about it. “Whilst you are on maternity leave you will probably have more time on your hands, so cook some delicious hearty meals and freeze them because you won’t have time after your baby arrives but you’ll need a good hearty, healthy meal more than ever!” Parenting expert, Sarah Beeson MBE, says: “Get comfortable when you feed your baby. Whether you feed your baby at the breast or with a bottle – feeding takes time, so make the most of it. Get yourself set up with a drink, a snack, the remote control, and your phone or an eBook all within reach. Place a comfy cushion behind your back and put your feet up. Always go for a wee before you start and enjoy the time you have together; taking care of yourself is good for you and your baby.” Sleep Expert, Fi Star-Stone says: “Go at your child’s pace when it comes to big toddler moments like potty training or moving to a big bed. Little ones develop at different rates, so listen to your child rather than others, and relax – he’ll do things in his own time.” Founder of the Dad Network, Al Ferguson says: “Trust your instincts. Every baby is different and what works for one may not work for another so trust you know your baby best and do what works for you and yours alone.” Psychologist and sleep expert, Chireal Shallow, says: “It’s important you don’t put too much pressure on yourself, learn as you go and ask for help whenever you need it. Sleep deprivation is common amongst parents and it can heighten your emotions, therefore compounding the list of other problems you face. However, finding a sleep pattern that works for you and your baby and with time, support and perseverance, things will get better.” Breastfeeding specialist, Geraldine Miskin says: “Own and enjoy your parenting experience. You’ll get a lot of ‘well-meaning’ advice about what worked for individuals but that doesn’t mean it will or should work for you. Find what works for you.” “Know that no two days will ever be exactly the same and this is perfectly normal. It’s not a reflection of how well you are doing or your parental skills. Give yourself a break and start afresh in the morning if the whole day spirals out of control”.

The Baby Show is returning to ExCeL, London on 19th to 21st February. The advanced ticket price is £14.35 on Friday and £15.35 for either the Saturday or Sunday, while on-the-door tickets cost £20. For more information visit www.thebabyshow.co.uk.

83 the riverside journals

Parenting Advice from The Experts at The Baby Show

Sawasdee Thai Massage Richmond First visit £10 off (1hr Thai massage) Ladies Day Wednesday & Sunday Only £40 (1hr Thai massage) Valentine promotion Couple Special 60 min £120 Free 45 min facial voucher

Sawasdee Thai Therapy & Beauty 125 St Margaret Rd, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 1RG

(Next to St Margaret train station)

Tel: 020 8891 0999 www.thaimassagerichmond.co.uk info@thaimassagerichmond.co.uk

BEACONSFIELD’S FIRST DEDICATED MEDICAL AESTHETIC CLINIC S-Thetics specialises in the very latest in advanced non-surgical treatments for the face and body • Surgeon-led by Miss Sherina Balaratnam • Advanced skincare and medical facials • Non-surgical skin rejuvenation using medical grade technology • Facial injectables • As featured in The Times, Good Housekeeping Magazine, Coutts Magazine and more

“One of the country’s top aesthetic practitioners” - Good Housekeeping Magazine

Quote “Riverside” to receive £25 off your first HydraFacial treatment Marlborough House, 45 Wycombe End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 1LZ P. 01494 670 990 E. info@sthetics.co.uk www.sthetics.co.uk

Are You Considering DERMAL FILLERS? DERMAL FILLERS: The what, where, how, when and why? Here are 8 steps to help you on your facial filler journey: 1. The reason: Consider WHY you want to have a facial filler treatment – how is it going to benefit you?

2. Research: Do your research before booking a consultation. There is lots of information online, but if you can contact someone who has previously undergone treatment, even better! Visit www.this-isme.com to read more about real life experiences.

3. Location: An important yet regularly dismissed aspect. A clinical setting is crucial for proper lighting – do not let someone inject you in a sitting room.

Dermal fillers are a non-permanent cosmetic injectable treatment which can effectively treat some of the deeper underlying signs of ageing, such as lines, wrinkles, loss of volume and jawline sagging. The most commonly used fillers today are largely composed of hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar molecule which occurs naturally in the body. HA is found in abundance in our skin, cartilage, joints and the fluid in our eyes and is the most water-loving molecule known to man. Around one third of our total HA is made and broken down daily, and as we age our bodies’ natural ability to regenerate HA slowly decreases. With our advanced understanding of your facial anatomy and the ageing process, we take a full face approach to your treatment, rather than the old fashioned method of merely ‘chasing lines’. Our patients receive compliments on how well they look, rather than being asked if they have had ‘work done’.

4. Qualified practitioner: Finding a qualified practitioner is vital to ensuring a safe treatment. Ask your practitioner about their qualifications, and preferably only continue treatment with a qualified doctor, nurse or surgeon.

5. In-depth consultation: Ideally, this should be at least half an hour, and your practitioner should record your medical history, any known allergies and discuss any safety concerns associated with treatment.

6. Clinical assessment:

7. Treatment planning: You should receive a personalised treatment plan to reach your goals, because, after all, no one size fits all. At S-Thetics we use a full-face approach, done gradually so that all areas are gently addressed to create refreshed and natural-looking results.

8. Aftercare support: Prior to treatment, ensure you will have access to aftercare support. This will allow you a more relaxed treatment journey, with your practitioner on hand to address any queries or issues that you may have. Following these eight simple steps will help to ensure you have a safe and stress-free treatment journey.

Miss Balaratnam, medical director of S-Thetics, holds the prestigious title of “Local Country Ambassador” (LCA) for Allergan, the manufacturers of BOTOX® and the Juvederm® Ultra and the latest Juvederm® Vycross range of fillers. As one of only a handful of expert UK practitioners selected as an LCA, she believes in the importance of a patient taking the time to select the right practitioner for them. We would like to invite all Riverside Journal readers to have a complimentary consultation. Please quote ‘RIVERSIDE JOURNALS’ when booking. S-Thetics Medical Aesthetic Clinic Marlborough House, 45 Wycombe End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 1LZ P. 01494 670 990 E. info@sthetics.co.uk www.sthetics.co.uk

85 the riverside journals

A good practitioner will undertake a detailed facial assessment before starting any treatment. They will advise on the best areas to treat and give you an idea of a realistic finishing result.

Run for a cause 86 the riverside journals

By Sarah Coughlan

87 the riverside journals

ace up your trainers, get your water bottle out and start training because the ever-growing London Marathon is just around the corner. The iconic sporting event has become one of the top marathons across the globe and attracts professional athletes, enthusiastic joggers and charity fundraisers alike. Founded by former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and athlete John Disley, the event was first run on 29 March 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since. Over the years it has become more than just a sporting event, with thousands taking part and even more lining the streets in support. From celebrities and serious athletes to those donning fancy dress for a bit of fun while running, the event uses its popularity to raise money and awareness for various charities and non-profit organisations. This year, the race will be held on Sunday 24 April at 9:00am. Although the majority of places have already been booked, there are still scores of charities looking for people to join their teams. The official London marathon charity for 2016 is the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), but others include Against Breast Cancer, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. Each charity will have its own application procedure which usually involves filling in an online form where you are asked to divulge previous running experience and how you plan to go about raising the sponsorship. There is sometimes a follow-up phone call in which all of this is discussed in more detail with fundraisers. If you apply to several charities, the chances are you will be offered at least one place in a team. If you are successful, you will be asked to pay a fee of around £50-100 to cover some basic costs. The race begins at three separate points around Blackheath and finishes in The Mall alongside St. James’s Park, a total of 26.2 miles (42.2kms). Since the first marathon, the course has undergone very few route changes. This may sound like a difficult feat if you are not a seasoned runner. But in reality, the bulk of the people taking part do not normally take to the track to run. The event is, after all, not aimed at finishing first, but having a good time and raising money and awareness for charities. Many participants take part in fancy dress for charity causes. In 2002, Lloyd Scott completed the marathon wearing a deep sea diving suit that weighed a total of 110lb (50kg), with each shoe weighing 24lb (11kg); he also set a record for the slowest London Marathon time. In 2015’s race, more than 38,000 people took to the City’s streets to run, beating the previous record of 37,227 in 2012. The 2015 event also saw the Guinness World Records receive more than 100 requests from entrants attempting a new world record, including the fastest marathon wearing high heels. The event also has sub divisions such as the Elite Wheelchair Virgin Money London Marathon which is run under International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) rules. Another sub division is the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon. This course is the last three miles of the London Marathon and is aimed at 11 to 17 year olds. If you prefer to cheer from the sidelines, the day can still be just as fun for you as you get to see all the interesting fancy dress for charity. You will also be able to keep track of your favourite runners, whether they are your friends, family, elite runners or superstars like Paula Radcliffe, on the Virgin Money London Marathon live tracking page. You can search by surname or running number and follow your runner as they make their way around the course (updates will appear as they cross the timing points, which are at 5km intervals). The page will also show an estimate of the runner’s location based on pace so you can be front and centre to see them run past. So grab some sunscreen and head out this April to support the runners and the charities they are running for with a cold pint in your hand and an incredible atmosphere in the air.

Walk, run, swim and cycle yourself Better to help Raise £500k for Sport Relief Better, the brand responsible for the UK’s largest network of public gyms and leisure centres, has announced some of the ways it will partner with its members to walk, run, swim and cycle themselves proud while fundraising £500,000 for Sport Relief. Since November, when Better became the official health and fitness partner for Sport Relief 2016, leisure staff have been putting their heads together with customers to devise a series of spectacular sporting challenges. Each of the #TeamBetter fundraisers will also help those who are training for the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games, taking place Friday 18th - Sunday 20th March get into peak fitness. Steve Ward, Better Sport Relief Project Lead said: “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious fundraising target. But with #TeamBetter’s strong relationship with customers we think we can smash it. “We exist to get UK communities more active more often – whatever their background or health. We’ll help customers reach their fitness goals while helping Sport Relief transform people’s lives at home in the UK and across the world’s poorest communities.” Better Leisure centres are offering current members and non-members over 100 first class sport and leisure venues for their training challenges from Belfast to Barking including the Thames Valley. Activities will include: 25 February – 1 March – ‘Better Staff Swim Challenge’ – a team of 12 Better staff will swim 31 miles in 31 pools over six days covering each region Better operates in 1 March – ‘National Exercise Bike Challenge’ 3 March – Mass Fitness Class 7pm - 8pm at 100 Better Leisure facilities. Up to 10,000 are expected to take part 5 March – over 100 participants will join a walk over the marathon distance of 26 miles between Frome and Bath 12 March – National -Athon Day. Bounce-athon, Cycle-athon, Dance-athon. Better members and their families can join ‘fun(d)raisers’ taking place across Better Leisure facilities 6-13 March – GLL senior staff will take part in a Corporate Cycle Ride linking Belfast to London – travelling through the 8 UK regions Better operates in Better is the customer facing brand of the UK’s leading leisure charitable social enterprise GLL. It operates in 230 locations and re-invests profit into community sport at grass roots level getting more people to take up exercise.

89 the riverside journals

Find out more at: www.better.org.uk/sport-relief

Reader offer: £5 off tickets to

Newbury Racecourse Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend and Beer Festival Newbury Racecourse kicks off an amazing summer of entertainment with a thrilling two-day race meeting on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 April, and both days will feature a celebration of the finest real ale in the land at Newbury’s own Beer Festival. It’s a chance to get dressed up and raise a pint of foaming ale with friends before watching seven adrenaline-fuelled horse races and live music into the evening. The much anticipated Group 3 Greenham Stakes is the highlight of Saturday’s racing, supported by the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes which will be another high quality clash. Meanwhile, showcasing over 40 ales and ciders and with live music (on Saturday only), the off track entertainment will be the perfect accompaniment to two quality days of Flat racing. It all kicks off at 12 noon on Friday and 11am on Saturday, giving racegoers time to sample plenty of local tipples before the racing gets underway. Newbury Racecourse is easily accessible from the M4, A34 and M3, parking is free and the racecourse also has its own train station with connections from Reading and the West.

90 the riverside journals

Riverside Journals readers can get £5 off each admission ticket for either day of Dubai Duty Free Spring Trials Weekend booked using promo code RIVER16 before midnight on Monday 4 April.* To claim the offer call 01635 40015 and quote the code or book online by visiting newburyracecourse.co.uk – choose either Friday 15 or Saturday 16 April, click buy tickets, select either ‘Grandstand’ or ‘Premier’ and insert the code at the checkout. *Terms & Conditions: Offer applies to ‘Grandstand’ or ‘Premier’ admission tickets only and is not available with any other offer or food and drink package. Does not apply to existing bookings. Tickets need to be booked by midnight on Monday 4 April.

Red Rose E pride at stake 92 the riverside journals

Six Nations: pressure mounts as old rivalries are resumed, writes Jill Menghetti

NGLAND rugby fans are looking for a fightback in the RBS 6 Nations Championship following last year’s disappointing performance as World Cup hosts. Over the six weeks between 6 February and 19 March the players certainly have a point to prove, now led by their firstever overseas coach, Aussie Eddie Jones, and controversial new captain Dylan Hartley. The Six Nations is a fascinating tournament played annually between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy. It’s a straightforward scrap, with the trophy going to the team that emerges top after five rounds against each of the other sides. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. Scoring-points difference comes into play to decide the winners should teams finish on equal points. In the World Cup, champions New Zealand, Australia and South Africa gave the other nations lessons in the core skills of running and handling but the Six Nations is something else. It’s a matter of sheer grit with matches played in the harsh conditions of a European winter. Games are played in all the respective capital cities with home fixture advantage alternating each year. So this time England have only two games at Twickenham – mouth-watering derbies against Wales and reigning champions Ireland – but three away, in Edinburgh, Rome and Paris. The Six Nations has become increasingly prestigious with the ultimate prize being not only to claim the trophy but to win it with a Grand Slam by beating all the other sides. Although the inaugural tournament was just 16 years ago when Italy joined the fray (Italian rugby has an enthusiastic and very vocal following), the event has deeply historic roots and rivalries. It grew out of the Home Nations Championship, the first international rugby union tournament, founded in1883. Fiercely contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Triple Crown honour is now awarded during the Six Nations when one of the quartet wins all three of their matches against the others.

93 the riverside journals

This is one of the great features of the tournament, that while a team may lose out on the Six Nations title or the Grand Slam they can still go for the Triple Crown or one of the other competitions within the championship. The oldest is the Calcutta Cup between England and Scotland, dating from 1879 and so-named because the trophy was made from melted-down Indian rupees donated by the Calcutta Club. Meetings between these old enemies produce one of the most passionate clashes in the entire championship – and this year it’s on the opening weekend, with Scotland having home advantage at Murrayfield as visitors England look to retain the famous trophy. The Millennium Trophy, presented to celebrate Dublin’s millennium in 1988, goes to the winners of the match played between England and Ireland. This will be another huge game, on 27 February, with England on home turf intent on revenge following defeat last year, coupled with losing the title on a dramatic final day when the Irish thrashed Scotland 40-10. It meant England needed to beat the French by a 26-point margin. They nearly did it but had to settle for second place after winning 55-35, just failing to score from a last-ditch driving maul. Ireland and Scotland play for the Centenary Quaich (a Gaelic drinking vessel), contested annually since 1989. Other silverware awarded during the Six Nations is the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy, contested since 2007 by France and Italy. It was created for the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Italian hero who helped unify Italy and volunteered in the French Republican Army against Prussia. The French – Les Bleus – have a proud history as a rugby-playing country and are renowned for their flair and unpredictability. They officially joined the four home nations’ contest back in 1910, when the tournament was renamed the Five Nations to reflect the new structure. Only England and Ireland have avoided bottom spot since the Six Nations began in 2000. Only Italy and Scotland have failed to win the title since then. Last year – Vern Cotter’s first in charge – Scotland finished bottom of the table without a win but this year Scottish hopes are buoyant after coming closest of the northern hemisphere sides to reaching the World Cup semi-finals, losing by just two points to Australia. Wales also came agonisingly near to landing a semi-final slot, going down to South Africa by four points. Since then Wales have moved two places up the world rankings to fourth, currently top of the Six Nations sides. Ireland have slipped from third to sixth, with England going from fourth to eighth. France are still seventh while Scotland have moved from 11th to ninth. Italy have made the most progress, climbing three places to 12th. The England-Wales match on 12 March is sure to be another Twickenham cracker, with the highly-rated Red Dragons out to avenge defeat last year in Cardiff. The Welsh have a superb Six Nations record under Kiwi coach Warren Gatland with three titles, two Grand Slams and two Triple Crowns – and they were the third team in with a shout for last year’s title on that extraordinary final day. Gatland is confident they can pick up from where they left off at the World Cup. He has made no wholesale changes to his team and says they are going into the tournament with self-belief. England have frustratingly finished their Six Nations campaign in second place for the past four years after claiming their last title in 2011. Their other wins were in 2000, 2001 and 2003, the latter being a Grand Slam. However, England fans are excited about the new era under Eddie Jones. He only took over in November following three years as head coach of Japan but hopes are high that his side can win the Six Nations at his first attempt. As we went to press, England were the 13-8 favourites to win and 10-3 to win it with a Grand Slam. Jones caught the eye last year when Japan produced the biggest shock in World Cup history by defeating South Africa. His track record is impressive: he led Australia to the final of the 2003 World Cup and was technical adviser to the South Africa team that won four years later. He has retained most of the England players who were part of last year’s World Cup campaign under Stuart Lancaster but has also included a number of uncapped players. Most controversially, he has named as England captain Dylan Hartley, the Northampton hooker who has racked up a total of 54 weeks of bans for offences such as biting, gouging and striking. But Jones has praised the 29-year-old, who missed the World Cup through suspension, for his honesty and hard work. He admires the player’s fighting qualities and expects him to lead England tactically and passionately. It will be fascinating to see how Hartley, who captained his club to the Premiership title in 2014, responds to the honour this second chance represents. England follow their testing opener at Murrayfield with a trip on 14 February to Rome where they will seek to impress against the minnows of the championship. Then there’s a break before round three on 27 February for the home game against defending champions Ireland who will be seeking an unprecedented three Six Nations titles in a row. Coach Joe Schmidt won’t alter a winning formula but his squad will miss some key players through injury. Rory Best, a mainstay of the Irish side since 2005, replaces Paul O’Connell as skipper. England’s next game is again at Twickenham, the fourth-round fixture against Wales on 12 March, and they wrap up the campaign a week later with a challenging match away to France. This is another of the fiercest rivalries in international rugby and the result could prove to be the clincher for the title on a deciding day of action. So the stage is set for another bruising, absorbing championship. If you haven’t managed to get tickets, you’ll miss the stadium buzz but you’ll still be able to watch every game. The Six Nations is being broadcast jointly by BBC and ITV, with all England, Ireland and Italy home matches on ITV and all France, Scotland and Wales home games on the BBC.

Temple Golf Club Going from Strength to Strength

F 94 the riverside journals

ollowing a fantastic 2015, Temple is looking forward to an even more successful 2016. Our Lifestyle membership scheme continues to be a great success and has attracted many younger people to the Club. This was typified by a hugely successful first ever children’s Christmas Party attended by over 40 children aged between 2 and 12. In fact the Christmas Party was so successful that the Club intends to hold a children’s summer party later in the year. Course Manager Ben Kebby has been in post for a year and has made a significant difference to the golf course which continues to receive rave reviews locally. The course has held up well over the winter months with no course closures and very few restrictions despite the extremely wet weather. The Club has also been experimenting with the use of a much shorter course. In part an exercise in exploring our roots by revealing an underlying short course at Temple, the layout designed by twice Open champion Willie Park Jnr, but also a first look at introducing greater flexibility on the course in the same way as we have with our membership scheme. This short course layout means that golfers walk straight off a green onto the next tee only a few yards away and therefore encourages a faster round which may appeal to those short of time and looking to squeeze in a round at last light on a summer’s evening, or to those wanting a shorter round on a cold or soggy winter’s day. Temple’s Women’s Golf School is now well into its second term and together with regular coaching sessions for juniors, both members and non-members, is proving very popular for those new to the game across a range of ages. Away from the golf course, the Club’s newly appointed Front of House Manager, Francis Pereira, and Head Chef, Stefan Maneran Filip, are each putting their stamp on the Clubhouse offering. Head Chef Stefan and Sous Chef, Cristian Samoila, both hail from Romania and 68 guests recently enjoyed a Taste of Romania Restaurant evening. Future themed restaurant evenings include French, Indian and Greek cuisine. With the affordable, flexible and family-friendly ethos of our usage based Lifestyle membership scheme together with a fantastic off course offering, Temple combines tradition and heritage with modern thinking and vibrancy.

For more information on how you can join Temple Golf Club please call 01628 824795 or visit www.templegolfclub.co.uk/membership.

The Reel Scene Event, providing actors of all standards with the training, tools, networking & auditioning opportunities to progress acting careers

Meet the Industry

Perfect Your Craft

Hollywood director

Learn all about the industry. Audition in front of a host of industry professionals for the opportunity of representation.

Refine audition, improv and script anlysis skills. Perform in a professional studio and put your newly learned skills into action.

Be directed, coached and learn vital industry knowledge. Our Hollywood Director is always searching for new talent!

reelscene.co.uk

To talk to us email info@reelscene.co.uk or call 0207 849 4525

THE SALON SUNNINGDALE

“Thanks to The Reel Scene, I’ve now got the drive and confidence to pursue my dream of being an actor” - Carl Codie-West, Reel Scene Graduate 2015

THE SALON SUNNINGDALE

Now an Elemis skincare stockist. Many beautifying facial options available, please call the salon for bookings.

In stock:

Bare minerals cosmetics, GHD styling tools, Jessica nail care, Aveda hair care, Elemis skin care,Vita Liberata organic tanning. Open 7 days a week. Now taking bookings for Royal Ascot. 8 Station Parade, London Road, Sunningdale Berks SL5 0EP

01344 424326

Find us on Facebook /TheSalonSunningdale

Goodbye Mister Tom Playing until Saturday 20 Feb, Duke of York’s Theatre London Then on tour, including Oxford New Theatre 22-26 Mar; Richmond 5-9 Apr

What to see Where to go 96 the riverside journals

selected by Jill Menghetti

More chances to see David Wood’s magical stage adaptation of Michelle Magorian’s uplifting modern children’s classic, starring David Troughton as the elderly recluse Tom Oakley. Set during the dangerous build-up to the Second World War, it follows young William Beech who is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside where he forges a remarkable and heartwarming friendship with Tom. All is perfect until William is suddenly summoned by his mother back to London… Winner of the Guardian children’s fiction prize and made into a BAFTA award-winning TV film (starring John Thaw), the story continues to bring generations together. St Martin’s Lane WC2N 4BG, 0844 871 3051, dukeofyorkstheatre.co.uk; UK tour information goodnightmistertom.co.uk Picture: Dan Tsantilis

Orchid Festival Saturday 6 February to Sunday 6 March Kew Gardens

Tired of winter grey? Longing for warmth and colour? Head for Kew and the tropical paradise in the luscious Princess of Wales Conservatory where this year’s orchid extravaganza creates a sensory journey through the dazzling flora of Brazil during carnival season. Weave your way through an enchanted forest of orchids before passing through a tunnel of tropical plants. Amid the thousands of flowers on display look out for two enormous rainforest tree sculptures, covered in oncidium orchids and bromeliads. Travel from the Amazon rainforest to the desert of northeast Brazil to encounter glowing hanging droplets clothed in tillandsia hanging amongst cacti. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew TW9 3AB, 020 8332 5655, kew.org

Vogue 100: A Century of Style Thursday 11 February to Sunday 22 May National Portrait Gallery London

Sponsored by Leon Max, this exhibition tells the story of one of the most influential fashion magazines in the world. Organised as part of the magazine’s centenary celebrations, it showcases the remarkable range of photography commissioned by British Vogue since it was founded in 1916 – right in the middle of the First World War. Feast your eyes on the gorgeous, glamorous and daring among more than 280 prints from the Condé Nast archive and international collections. A host of material includes designs by Dior, Saint Laurent and McQueen as well as vintage prints, experimental fashion shoots, unpublished works and original magazines. St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, npg.org.uk Picture: Patrick Demarchelier, 1991 © The Condé Nast Publications Ltd

Rehearsal for Murder Mon 29 Feb to Sat 5 Mar, Theatre Royal Windsor Mon 11 to Sat 16 Apr, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford

Private Lives Monday 15-Saturday 20 February Richmond Theatre

Strictly Come Dancing winner Tom Chambers stars as the charming Elyot while Laura Rogers is the vivacious Amanda in this major new production on its pre-West End run. Noël Coward’s ever-popular comedy is a masterpiece of 1930s sophistication and wit. The scene is set when, by a quirk of fate, a gloriously selfish divorced couple meet again on their honeymoons with their new spouses – and reignite their old spark. The revival of their fiery romance, alternating between heated rows and passionate reconciliations, reminds them that although they cannot live with each other, nor can they live without… Little Green, Richmond TW9 1QJ, 0844 871 7651, atgtickets.com/venues/richmond-theatre

A good old murder mystery from the creators of Murder She Wrote and Columbo has been chosen as the inaugural production for Bill Kenwright’s Classic Thriller Theatre Company. A great cast includes Robert Daws, Amy Robbins and Susan Penhaligon. Playwright Alex Dennison is heartbroken when his fiancée and leading lady Monica Welles is found dead from an apparent suicide after the opening night of her stage debut. But believing she was murdered, he devises a ruse to uncover her killer a year later by assembling the same cast and crew in the same theatre, for a reading of his new play… 32 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1PS, 01753 853888, theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk; Millbrook, Guildford GU1 3UX, 01483 440000, yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Barnes Music Festival Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 March Various venues

Now in its fourth year, this rapidly expanding festival features international artists as well as local and emerging talent, with 25 events catering for a variety of musical tastes. The 2016 theme, Handel and Composers of Barnes, begins with a concert of works by two celebrated residents, Howard Goodall and Roxanna Panufnik. Other highlights include a come and sing Messiah, Singing Shakespeare with poet and broadcaster Roger McGough, a guitar recital by Craig Ogden and a cabaret evening with Alistair McGowan. There is jazz at the Bull’s Head and a screening of Tony Palmer’s film on Handel, God Rot Tunbridge Wells. Information and box office 07552 585152, barnesmusicfestival.com

Country Living Spring Fair Wednesday 16 to Sunday 20 March Business Design Centre London

Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 February ExCeL Centre London

If you love classic cars, head out to Docklands. The show has an indoor driving runway, the Grand Avenue, where vehicles are fired up and driven so you can see, hear and smell them in action – all under one roof. Don’t miss the McLaren F1, hailed as the greatest supercar of the 20th century, or the Six Nations Shootout which includes an impressive Italian line-up featuring the iconic vivid orange Lamborghini Miura from the 1969 film The Italian Job. Along with Ferraris, Fiats and Lancias, the Italians are taking on teams from Great Britain, France, Germany, Japan and America. London, E16 1DR, 0844 871 8805, thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk

Special Riverside readers offer: save 20 per cent on tickets by quoting CL16S2 when booking (no later than 1pm on day before visit). 52 Upper Street, Islington N1 0QH, 0844 848 0160, countrylivingfair.com/spring/

97 the riverside journals

London Classic Car Show

Decorating, crafts, garden, artisan foods and fashion – enjoy a colourful day out and pick up fresh ideas for the new season including vintage finds and handmade creations. Furnishings and accessories are hand-picked from makers and companies that you won’t find on the high street. You can add pretty touches to living space with fabrics and throws, or delicate details to your kitchen with hand-painted china and rustic earthenware. And there are crafting workshops under the guidance of expert tutors.

What to see Where to go

The Ideal Home Show Friday 18 March to Sunday 3 April, Olympia London

This iconic show has drawn in the crowds for more than 100 years; it has everything you need, whether you have a substantial home project or want to add those finishing touches that make a house a home. From kitchens and bathrooms to bedrooms and basements, from fixtures and fittings to fine food, gardens and the latest gadgets, plus fashion, beauty and gifts, you’ll find it all here. If you’re looking for inspiration, you can take a wander through some magnificent show homes, watch celebrity and industry experts in action or pick up some exclusive show offers. Hammersmith Road W14 8UX; information and booking 0844 858 6763, idealhomeshow.co.uk

The Reel Scene Acting Event Monday 21 to Saturday 26 March, Soho London

Designed for actors of all standards, this week of intensive workshops will help you perfect your acting and auditioning skills so you can move your career onto the next level. You will leave with firsthand experience of the industry and professional footage to showcase your talent to agents. The package includes training, tools (head shots, show reel footage, a day in a professional studio) and networking opportunities. Aspects of performance include improvisation; blocking, timing and delivery to camera; fighting, falling and performing to camera under the supervision of a professional stuntman; and script analysis with a professional screenwriter. Information and booking 0207 849 4525, info@reelscene.co.uk, reelscene.co.uk

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty Tue 22 to Sat 26 March, New Wimbledon Theatre

On tour again after a Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells, Bourne’s New Adventures company gives us one more chance to see the final piece in his trio of Tchaikovsky masterpieces that started with Nutcracker! and Swan Lake. The popular innovative choreographer brings a dazzling interpretation to the story of a young girl cursed to sleep for 100 years. Billed as a gothic romance for all ages, it has smashed box office records across the UK and USA. We meet our heroine Aurora at her christening in 1890, when fairies and vampires fed the imagination, before moving forward to the modern day. The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1QG, 0844 871 7646, atgtickets.com/wimbledon

Cadbury Easter Egg Trails

98 the riverside journals

Friday 25 to Monday 28 March, National Trust venues

All the family can enjoy these traditional fun events in the beautiful grounds of National Trust properties including Cliveden, Runnymede and Box Hill. Get your children to unleash their inner eggsplorer by hunting for hidden clues and solving puzzles as they go on a mission to win a delicious prize. After successfully completing the trail each detective can claim their Cadbury chocolate treat. Afterwards, if it’s a nice day, why not round it off with a picnic? Booking is not necessary for these sessions. All children must be accompanied by an adult. To find your nearest Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt go to cadbury.co.uk/easter

Romeo and Juliet Thursday 12 May to Saturday 13 August The Garrick Theatre London

Reuniting the stars of his celebrated film of Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh directs Richard Madden as Romeo, Lily James as Juliet, and Derek Jacobi as Mercutio in Shakespeare’s heartbreaking tale of forbidden love. Branagh is successfully following in the footsteps of actors such as John Gielgud by creating a theatre company that has a residency in one theatre. This first season is providing a year of superb plays performed by a remarkable group of actors. If you can’t get to the theatre, book a ticket for the live screening to cinemas on Thursday, 7 July. 2 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0HH, 0844 482 9673, branaghtheatre.com Picture: Johan Persson

The Boodles Tennis Tournament Tues 21 to Sat 25 June, Stoke Park Buckinghamshire

With the Australian Open behind us, you’ll need to be quick to book up for this annual Wimbledon warm-up at Stoke Poges, now in its 15th year. Popular with players and fans alike, its unique format allows you to sip your Pimm’s while watching close up some of the biggest names in men’s tennis. Over the years the event has featured players such as Djokovic, Murray, Agassi, Ivanisevic and Nadal on its superb fast-paced grass court. The mix of a relaxed English garden party and an invited group of the world’s tennis elite creates an entertainment experience that’s second to none. Park Road, Stoke Poges SL2 4PG; tickets 0207 384 4877, theboodles.com

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill Saturday 25 June to Saturday 3 September Wyndham’s Theatre London

Making her much-anticipated West End debut, Audra McDonald reprises her Tony Award-winning role as Billie Holiday, following a sell-out run on Broadway. It’s 1959 and in a small, intimate bar in Philadelphia, Holiday puts on a show that unbeknownst to the audience will leave them witnesses to one of the last performances of her lifetime. Through her poignant voice and moving songs, one of the greatest jazz singers of all-time shares her loves and her losses. Lanie Robertson’s sparkling musical play features a sensational score including God Bless The Child, What a Little Moonlight Can Do and Strange Fruit. Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0DA; booking 0844 482 5138, wyndhamstheatre.co.uk

Experience Sunrise Together

A Lyric Hammersmith and Filter Theatre Production

lyric.co.uk 19 Feb - 19 Mar Registered Charity, No. 278518

Sunrise recognises companionship in all of its forms.That’s why we offer a range of couples’ suites specially designed for older people, often with differing care needs. So not only do you get to enjoy everything that sets Sunrise apart, including our round-the-clock personalised care, beautiful homelike setting, and five inspiring activities every day, you’ll also get to enjoy it all with the person who means the most to you.

A Snapshot of Sunrise • Leading the way in specialist dementia care and assisted living • Expertly trained, compassionate staff • Landscaped gardens and beautiful interiors offering all the comforts of home • Inspiring activities every day of the week • Single and couples suites available

New suites opening soon! Reserve yours today! Call 01344 985975 to find out more. Christchurch Road, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4BE

SunriseVirginiaWater.co.uk

ADV_VWA_0116_RiversideJournals_01.indd 1

11/01/2016 11:56

100 the riverside journals

Work has commenced on London’s newest heritage attraction, The Postal Museum

Opening in early 2017, the museum in Clerkenwell, London, will reveal stories from five centuries of Britain’s remarkable, and often curious, social and communications history through the eyes of one of its most iconic services.

he Postal Museum will be the home of Mail Rail – a brand new, and truly unique attraction transporting visitors back in time through the disused miniature tunnels of the world’s first driverless, electric railway. Through an immersive ride and interactive exhibitions, Mail Rail will take visitors on a journey deep under London’s streets to explore this engineering marvel and the innovation of the postal service as it strove to keep us all in touch. The Postal Museum itself will deliver five interactive zones, leading visitors through five centuries of world-class curiosities, treasures and artefacts that provide a different viewpoint, and an additional piece in the jigsaw of many famous historical periods and events. Walking through the zones, visitors will explore how the postal service’s innovation and ingenuity changed the way we communicate forever, and paved the way for the instant, digital communications of today. At the heart of this are the people who worked for, and whose lives were changed by, this indispensable service since its introduction in the 1500s. The first zone – ‘The Royal Mail’ – sees a horse-drawn mail coach in iconic pillar box red placed at the centre of a space that tells the narrative of the postal service’s earliest days, including the battle – and weapons needed – to defend the mail from highwaymen, pirates, and even a lioness. The second zone – ‘Mail for Everyone’ – follows the growth of the Post Office in the 19th Century, displaying a priceless sheet of the renowned rare stamp, The Penny Black, representing huge social change that made it affordable for everyone to communicate over long distance for the first time in history. Zone three, the ‘Post Office in Conflict’, reveals the story of the Post Office salvage squad, who braved the Blitz to save mail from bombed post offices and pillar boxes, and the heroic actions of Sergeant Alfred Knight – a member of the Post Office’s own regiment, the Post Office Rifles – who became the battalion’s only Victoria Cross recipient in 1917. In the fourth zone, ‘Designs on Delivery’, the focus is on the mail’s historical connections with art and design, from the revolutionary work of its marketing department in 1930s to the original 1963 plaster cast that provided the iconic portrait of Queen Elizabeth II we still see on stamps today. The fifth and final zone, ‘Communication and Change’, will meander through the mists of time, to reveal what the postal service meant to those it served, and how it has changed over time. Among the objects on display will be an original ‘Post Bus’, used to deliver mail to remote and rural areas, as well as providing a vital means of transport to locals at the same time. In addition to the galleries, a dedicated learning space and a family play zone especially for children will also be included in the ambitious scheme. For an even more in-depth experience, the Museum’s extensive archives, which contain two and a half miles of shelving housing countless, priceless artefacts, will also be open to visitors through a new purpose-built repository and research facility. At a total cost of £26 million, raised through fundraising, the Museum is expecting 186,000 visitors and 10,000 school visits in its first full year alone. Adrian Steel, Director of The Postal Museum, comments: “We’ve existed as The British Postal Museum & Archive since 2004, with a vision to bring our curious and extraordinary stories to a mass audience. Our new site, new name and the opening up of Mail Rail marks a new chapter in our history. “Our Museum will offer something for everyone, including a family play zone, interactive galleries and exhibitions, state-of-the-art academic research facilities, and Mail Rail – tunnels that were so hidden they were used to protect the Rosetta Stone during the First World War”. “Our archives contain so many great stories – from the fact that the Post Office used to officially employ cats (they even had pensions and employee numbers!), to artefacts that evidence some of the greatest historical events of our time, such as the fate of the Titanic and the golden age of Victorian innovation and social change”. “It’s fantastic to have a brand new site – a shop window – to display all of these amazing items that piece together the social history of Britain.” The Postal Museum has been generously supported by many organisations and individuals, including Royal Mail, Post Office and Heritage Lottery Fund.

Postalmuseum.org

w w w. c a s t r a d s . c o m 020 3397 7295

King 970mm in Satin Polish Chatsworth Satin Nickel TRV Satin Nickel wall stay As seen ÂŁ856.80

Bespoke cast iron radiators | Made in England w w w. c a s t r a d s . c o m | 3 8 H i g h S t r e e t W i m b l e d o n V i l l a g e L o n d o n S W 1 9 5 B Y

103 the riverside journals

Add a touch of class to your home

here is nothing better than the feeling of a soft, high quality carpet under bare feet. You carpet your bedrooms, living rooms and lounges, so why not add some luxury to your staircase too? Stair runners reflect the personality of both you and your home, be it with a plain, pastel colour or a bold, geometric patterned carpet that not only looks great but feels good to walk on as well. There are a number of high end design, home décor and flooring specialist brands and stores that will be able to help you choose which runner works best for your home, whether you want something traditional and understated or you want something with wow factor for a dramatic décor centrepiece to your house. Alternative Flooring is a luxury carpet brand specialising in different and interesting carpet patterns, from rugs to stair runners. From their natural fibre carpets to their Rock ‘n’ Roll collection, they allow you to let your imagination run wild with stripey, dotty, rocky or demure designs. Stonegate Carpets specialise in exclusive and bespoke staircase runners. They pride themselves on being able to fit your chosen runner to follow any turns, landings and stair winders. The company will provide a free colour matching and carpet runner design service, allowing you to be involved in the design of your bespoke runner. Axminster Carpets has a rich history of being one of the best luxury carpet brands in Britain. Drawing inspiration for their designs from period living, country life and contemporary style, the brand is able to provide a wide range of textures and patterns to suit any interior. Grosvenor Wilton is the ultimate historic carpet replica manufacturer. The company dresses staircases and floors for some of the most well known stately homes, historic palaces, period houses, commercial venues and private residences in the country and abroad, as well as being able to design bespoke runners for their clients. Hartley and Tissier draws inspiration from traditional Parisian design and combines it with brilliant British craftsmanship to provide top quality stair runners made to add some elegance to your home. After choosing a company you feel will best be able to provide you with the runner you are after, you need to make a decision on the pattern, colour and texture of the runner. You can get a more traditional fine carpet or you can go with a chunky material that adds depth to the runner. There are also super soft wool carpets out there that will pamper your feet every time you use the stairs. The sky is the limit when choosing your colour and pattern. Depending on the intention of the carpet, a simple, darker colour is great for homes with children, to hide any stains. But if you are looking to have the staircase as a focal point in your home, find a quirky and bold design that grabs the eye as soon as you enter the house.

THE ART OF MOVING UK RESIDENTIAL, EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS

Abels.

Masters of the art of moving.

• UK Residential Removals • Worldwide Relocations • Weekly European Removals • Storage Services • Car Transportation & Storage • Office & Commercial Moving • Antiques, Fine Art Packing, Storing & Moving Telephone: 020 3811 1727 E-Mail: enquiries@abels.co.uk www.abels.co.uk

Memb No: A001

Certificate No. FS23942

www.hazlemere.co.uk

For free professional advice from experts with more than 30 years’ experience, or a no obligation quotation on replacement “A+” rated double glazed or “A++” triple glazed windows, or indeed double glazed aluminium, composite and UPVC residential doors, telephone 01628 879244 or visit www.hazlemere.co.uk

105 the riverside journals

Why having A+ or A++ energy rated replacement windows fitted pays

ith ever increasing energy bills, it is more important than ever that UK homeowners replace inefficient windows and doors in their property with thermally efficient ones. Having said that, to ensure a property gets the full benefit from an investment in double or triple glazing property owners must also insulate the loft properly and install cavity wall insulation or solid wall insulation dependent on the type of house and manner of construction. The seemingly never ending increases in the cost of energy, climate change, when combined with environmental and sustainability reasons, makes the need to insulate dwellings essential, although there is no getting away from the fact that there is an initial investment required to achieve long term savings. For home owners planning on moving rather than improving, there is still the need to sell their particular premises, as houses that still have single glazed windows are not only expensive to heat, but also unattractive to modern day buyers. Shrewd prospective purchasers will demand that the asking price is reduced by at least the cost of carrying out replacement double glazing and fitting insulation throughout, along with no doubt a premium off the asking price for being the ones “being made” to carry out this essential work. When it comes to selling up, poorly insulated homes are inevitably shown up by the Energy Performance Certificate that all UK house owners are legally obligated to provide to prospective purchasers. Genuine high quality energy rated replacement windows and doors help a property benefit from solar gain, retaining heat whilst massively reducing the amount of energy lost. They do this by not only having thermally broken frames (be they aluminium, composite or UPVC), but also by being professionally fitted in the first place. They also require a high double glazing specification involving Low E Argon filled sealed units with warm edge spacers (which help prevent transference of temperature) and specially coated low iron glass that maximizes solar gain whilst stopping the heat escaping. The energy savings over time from fitting the highest possible energy saving windows that are “A+” or “A++” energy rated will be significant, so will over time pay for themselves, assuming the home owner continues to live in the property. The sheer choice of bespoke replacement windows can be baffling, but as long as an independently certified “A+” double glazed or “A++” triple glazed energy rated window system is selected from installers with a good reputation, one cannot go far wrong. There are different types of window and finishes available to suit any type of UK property. These include aluminium, timber and UPVC casement windows and tilt and turn windows (both available in double glazing and triple glazing), sliding sash windows, Georgian windows and coloured aluminium windows, the latter of course available in any RAL colour (i.e. any colour you like!). Modern thermally broken “A+” rated UPVC double glazed replacement windows are incredibly thermally efficient, and highly secure and triple glazed ones are available in the same profile, so aesthetically very attractive as well. Alternatively “A” rated aluminium double glazed windows and doors have a slimmer profile, therefore do offer more glass and light, as well as better views, and of course more attractive sight lines. The very latest thermally broken products are far far more energy efficient than 1st and 2nd generation double glazing. So much so that the levels of performance are vast enough that the BFFC (British Fenestration Rating Council) in 2015 introduced the new higher energy efficiency bands of “A+” and “A++”, with “A” rated having previously been the most energy saving. Whichever energy rated fenestration product a property owner chooses, fitting replacement “A+” energy rated double glazed windows or “A++” energy rated triple glazed windows is a must for any property owner determined to reduce heating bills by the largest amount possible, whilst at the same time improving home security, adding value to their home and improving their day-to-day living environment.

Bespoke design and build treehouses, playhouses and elevated platforms for all ages

Sawn stone steps Architectural ironwork Waterproof guarantee

t: 020 8673 8785

info@englishcitystone.co.uk

www.englishcitystone.co.uk

Selling your home?

Problem Solved!

Ashburn House 254 Farnham Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4XE T: 01753 579300 E: enquires@ashburnpropertyconsultants.co.uk www.ashburnpropertyconsultants.co.uk

Make a Statement in Stone

* The call will be charged at a local call rate from a landline and your standard network rate from a mobile.

107 the riverside journals

More information can be found on www.stone-circle.com/stone-to-life, by ringing 0333 003 0632* or by emailing sales@stone-circle.com.

ook matching where sheets of stone cut from the same block are placed side by side so that the veins meet with the pattern mirrored either side of the join, enhances the best features of this type of stone by highlighting the veining. White marbles such as Calacatta or Arabescato are very fashionable at the moment and look fabulous when cut in this manner, but onyx and other stones also look great. If you are hankering after natural stone, you can view hundreds of different types of stone in slab form and choose the one that you want in the Newbury showroom stone gallery where you can also see examples of the natural and engineered stone products that the company manufactures such as kitchen worktops, bathroom vanities and fireplaces, as well as Chesneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fireplaces and stoves. The Basingstoke showroom has a similar but smaller selection of products.

COURTYARD BALCONY GARDEN PATIO BBQ AREA TERRACE PAVING

THE STONE AND CERAMIC WAREHOUSE, 51/55 STIRLING ROAD, CHISWICK, LONDON, W3 8DJ 020 8993 5545

www.sacwpaving.co.uk

www.sacw.co.uk

TREEHOUSE HARDWOOD FLOORING

Sash Windo Specialis

QUALITY ENVIRONMENT FOR QUALITY OF LIFE

• Draught Proofing

Specialists in high quality solid and sustainable hardwood flooring We carry a huge range of woods from around the world, displayed at our Notting Hill showroom in large sample boards to assist clients, designers and architects, in planning interiors. Board and strip flooring wood block and decking, bespoke floor production. Other services, special project installation, wall panelling, staircases, doors, worktops, cabinetry, natural stone & many other interior related products.

• Repairs and replacement

• Quality hardwood sash windows and doors Exceptional value, experienced craftsmen, quality installation. Showroom : 116 Talbot Rd, Notting Hill, London, W11 1JR Free7460 survey0376 E-mail sales@treehouseflooring.co.uk Tel:• 020 www.treehouseflooring.co.uk

• Fast and reliable service

T: 01727 240043 / 0800 085 www.sashrestorations.co

Sash Window Specialist

Sash Window Specialist • Draught Proofing

• Repairs and replacements • Quality hardwood sash windows and doors • Free survey

• Draught Proofing • Repairs and replacements

• Fast and reliable service

T: 01727 240043 / 0800 085 4566 www.sashrestorations.co.uk FENSA Registered Company

• Quality timber windows and doors • Free survey

• Fast and reliable service

T: 01727 240043 / 0800 085 4566 www.sashrestorations.co.uk

FENSA Registered Company

RS 0 E T 100 T U o £ e* H S p T om

IN h U ur H W rt Yo o W For

MEET US AT

12th-13th March 2016

Interior Window Shutters • Widest range of premium quality window shutters • Custom colour match service available • Free consultation, survey and quote Call Shuttercraft Henley today on 01491 699573, or email henley@shuttercraft.co.uk *Enter our free prize draw at the Henley Home and Garden Show for your chance to win. Shuttercraft Henley Ltd (CRN 09362164) is an independent franchisee of Shuttercraft Ltd.

Caversham Tiles.

55 Donkin Hill Caversham Reading RG4 5DG T: +44 (0)118 954 3315 F: +44 (0)118 954 3316

Altwood Tiles.

84 Altwood Road Maidenhead SL6 4QB T: +44 (0)1628 509 579 F: +44 (0)1628 630 911

www.shuttercraft-henley.co.uk

Wokingham Tiles.

125 Reading Road Wokingham RG41 1HD T: +44 (0)118 977 9900 F: +44 (0)118 977 9908

www.cavtiles.co.uk

Berkshire’s Tile Experts CavershamTilesHPAd.indd 1

03/10/2012 16:38

Interior Trends spring 2016 London’s leading natural interiors store Ecora gives the low down on the top interiors trends for spring and summer 2016. Power of Pattern The popularity of using bold repeat patterns and geometric designs throughout interior decoration themes looks set to rise this season. From eye-catching fabrics to wallcoverings and flooring, interesting patterns feature widely in interior design schemes. Vivid repetitive weaves and prints in vibrant eye-catching coloured fabrics can be seen on cushions and throws whilst flooring trends include the use of traditional block flooring and parquet to create bold iconic designs. Classic formations such as Chevrons, Herringbone, Mansion Weave and Versailles wood floors look set to lead the way in flooring designs. Detailed flooring such as wood block designs and decorative forms work well in both contemporary or period properties and are a particular favourite of interior designers. Parquet flooring or reclaimed blocks look very effective in open plan living spaces such as lofts and urban apartments where the mix and match of patterned materials create a rustic style living environment.

Retro Colourways Interiors this spring feature flashes of brightly coloured accessories and printed fabrics make a statement alongside retro inspired tones such as mustard yellow, duck egg blue and battleship grey. Geometric designs provide striking notes of rich colour and have a timeless feel looking very much at home in both classic and contemporary settings. Mix and match accessories that have a vintage look and seek out patterns that are both strong and have geometric designs. Think 1940’s and 50’s angular designs for inspiration. Stripes also make a comeback for cushions, blankets and throws, featuring contrasting colour palettes in neutral and muted shades. Combine vintage one-off furniture designs with clean minimal pieces to give living spaces an eclectic, lived lived-in feel.

Spring 2016 also sees the revival of floral inspired interiors, however, designs take on a more lavish, opulent feel with rich gorgeous blooms featuring on cushion covers, bed linen, tea towels and tablecloths. Look out for glamourous accessories and prints in deep garden greens with glorious rose-tinted prints. The country chic look takes on a much more sophisticated grown-up feel and this can be seen throughout accessories, fabrics and furnishings. Black or charcoal grey backgrounds make a strong visual appearance in this year’s floral designs, making them the perfect choice for more contemporary interiors. Modern takes on contemporary classics see reinterpretations of traditional patterns such as William Morris’s trademark designs. Detailed botanical artwork can be seen on linens such as tablecloths and napkins and traditional style weaves and prints receive a modern makeover with a bolder use of dark colours.

www.ecora.co.uk, or tel: 020 7148 5265

111 the riverside journals

Fabulous Florals

01525 270266 info@tillyairers.co.uk ... Adding a dash of visual charm to any room!

01525 270266 info@tillyairers.co.uk

... Adding a dash of visual charm to any room!

How much is that doggy in the window. The one with the pants on his tail. That is Tilly Dog and yes he is for sale.

www.tillyairers.co.uk www.tillyairers.co.uk www.tillyairers.co.uk 01525 270266

TillyAirers_B.631548_1rm.indd 1

10/03/2015 16:45

TillyAirers_B.631548_1rm.indd 1

10/03/2015 16:45

2617935-1.indd 1

08/05/2015 13:52

VERANDAS & CARPORTS

All weather covers for year round protection

TENDERCARE

Garden Design Centre & Plant Nursery

Beautiful gardens ...crafted by professionals

Made to measure fixed or retractable canopies, walkway covers, carports with built in spotlights for your home.

Call today for a free home consultation.

Let us help you to improve your view this Spring!

Consultation~Planning~Design 0800 0742 721 SBIPRODUCTS.CO.UK

Giving the right advice on the choice of plants for screening, for obtaining planning permission or revitalising garden borders is ‘second nature’ to our experts. We might make it seem easy - but isn’t that reassuring? Our introductory visit to your garden focuses on your needs and includes an hour’s consultation. For £174.00 one of our award winning horticultural experts will meet you in your garden and make recommendations on using mature plants to increase your privacy, optimise your enjoyment of the garden, as well as enhancing your home.

Telephone: 01895 835544 Email: sales@tendercare.co.uk

www.tendercare.co.uk

Chelsea Flower Show

114 the riverside journals

n the month of May every year the London Season gets into swing with the sparkling event that is The Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show. Chelsea is the biggest show of its kind in the world and it was first staged in the year of 1913! Isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it incredible that 103 years later it is still going strong and is as eagerly anticipated as ever. Over the course of its history the show has naturally undergone tremendous changes and developments in a continual attempt to showcase the brightest gardening talent that the country has. Increasingly the show is also attracting international design talent with competitors travelling from as far afield as Japan and Thailand. I have been very fortunate indeed to have had two designs accepted for participation in the show and have experienced at first hand the incredibly arduous efforts required to build a show garden fit for Chelsea. The build-up period is truly manic with tradesmen, gardeners and designers all vying for space to offload materials, take delivery of plants and organise their plots into something that is truly, truly special to behold. Everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts have one thing in mind and that is to put on a show that will enthrall and entertain the public. To quote the RHS, for five days in May the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea will be transformed into the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest flower show; this is true but of course it takes 18 months of forward planning and 28 days of construction to produce the show. Afterwards it takes at least another 10 days to dismantle everything and restore it back to the parkland and gardens of the Royal Hospital. The fact that awards are made on merit by The Royal Horticultural Society goes a long way to establishing the camaraderie and helpfulness of fellow exhibitors and kindred spirits. The show is not a competition as awards are gained by each exhibit being meticulously marked against a strict set of criteria laid down by the RHS judges and it is within their gift to decide how many Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded each year.

Chelsea is such a wonderful event and I look forward to it every year. It is an opportunity to pick up on gardening trends and developments and to share your design ideas with fellow professionals in the trade. For the nurseries it is a chance to show off new varieties of plants that have been painstakingly developed and nurtured in preceding years and, of course, take orders for them too. This year should prove as interesting as ever. Diarmuid Gavin is back at Chelsea with The British Eccentrics Garden apparently featuring bizarre garden gadgetry that comes to life every 15 minutes! There will also be an acoustic garden inspired by world-leading percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, which will play musical notes to visitors. These themes certainly sound unusual maybe, but at least we have designers who are constantly pushing the boundaries.

The Great Pavilion is a wonderland of stunning floral and horticultural exhibits with more than 100 specialist plant breeders, nurseries and societies all taking part to create breathtaking floral exhibits with plants at the peak of perfection. This is where you will find new plant varieties proudly exhibited, and possibly discover some old ones too that you just haven’t come across before. It is impossible not to be impressed by the dedication, energy, creativeness and application that every participant puts into the show. They have worked tirelessly to create perfect plots to please our senses and they deserve our gratitude for giving us the chance to look, dream and wonder, just how we could use their inspired ideas in our own gardens at home. If you haven’t been to Chelsea, I would suggest that you go. I know there are crowds and at the end of the day your feet are aching, but the sense of occasion and the sheer Englishness of it all somehow makes it worthwhile. Even if you are not an avid gardener, the show provides a great opportunity to entertain and socialise and you won’t fail to be impressed with what’s on offer. I have had the pleasure of attending Chelsea for many years now and it is an experience that I wish to repeat just as long as I can. Roll on May, and let me look forward to Chelsea once again. I just can’t wait.

Happy Gardening! Richard

www.richardlucasgardens.com

115 the riverside journals

The main avenue seems to be the most important place to be at Chelsea, but away from these large show gardens are many much smaller gardens. This is where many garden designers start at Chelsea, and even to design, enter and build a small garden is quite a feat. Back in 2005 I entered a category called ‘Courtyard Gardens’ along with 1980s pop icon Kim Wilde. We were both amazed and delighted that the RHS judges awarded us a Gold Medal and also ‘Best in Category’. We also went on to win the BBC’s ‘People’s Award’ voted for by the public who had watched the daily television coverage over the period of the show. Nowadays the ‘Courtyard Garden’ category doesn’t exist but I like the fact that the RHS is constantly developing its own ideas about how best to showcase new talent. New categories for the smaller garden are ‘The Artisan Gardens’ which pay homage to traditional and contemporary artisan skills, and the ‘Fresh Gardens’ category which incorporate innovative materials and challenging ideas.

Co-ed Independent Secondary School Chalfont St Giles

Open Mornings 11th & 12th March 2016 or any Wednesday morning

Our International Baccalaureate Programme motivates students to become lifelong learners, developing them academically, intellectually and socially. 01494 875502 www.newlandcollege.co.uk

WE ARE WESTONBIRT “Westonbirt has the wow factor” Tatler Schools Guide 2015

Open Morning March 12th 9am - 12pm • Independent girls school - day, boarding and flexi-boarding 􀁆􀁆􀁆 Individual teaching and learning • 220 acres of parkland

• 25m indoor swimming pool • Golf course • Gymnasium • Tennis courts

Westonbirt Schools Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QG E: enquiries@westonbirt.org T: 01666 880333 www.westonbirt.org

119 the riverside journals

The prevalence of mindfulness

n the last few years, the phrase ‘mindfulness’ seems to have cropped up everywhere – from meditation classes to self-help books, academia, business – and now education. And with good reason. Mindfulness, if you’re not aware of the concept, is a cognitive technique to improve mental clarity and shut out the white noise of everyday life. The idea is to achieve a mindful mental state by focussing on the present and acknowledging your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. According to Mark Williams, professor of clinical psychology at the Oxford Mindfulness Centre, mindfulness is a way to reverse the “tunnel vision” that often develops in our day-to-day lives where stress, tiredness and busy schedules take their toll. Mindfulness seeks to reconnect our bodies and minds with the sensations around us, establishing more awareness and calm. Praised as a tool for decluttering the mind, dealing with depression and reducing stress levels, mindfulness is being embraced in unexpected territories – from businesses to the armed forces. Organisations ranging from Google to the Home Office and Transport for London have all adopted it. Indeed, the US military now provides mindfulness training for marines before deployment. In recent years, schools in the UK are responding to the benefits of mindfulness as a way to help students improve focus, clarity and alertness, and develop tools to manage the pressures of the education system. Exam anxiety combined with the difficulty of teenage years can be a challenging combination for any student. A number of schools are taking a progressive approach by bringing in mindfulness as a consistent part of their curriculum. Based on its success, it’s even entered the government’s agenda. Former Schools Minister David Laws told MPs last year: “We are very interested in promoting this [idea] and we certainly think that it is an area that merits consideration based on the evidence we’ve seen to date.” Research by Exeter and Cambridge Universities found that mindfulness studies on adolescents in 12 diverse schools positively impacted levels of depression, stress and wellbeing, with 20 percent of students choosing to continue mindfulness practice after the study ended. One school that’s providing a strong example of integrating mindfulness as a core feature of education is St James Senior Boys’ School. At its school in Ashford, pupils begin each day in meditation, and pause at the start and end of each lesson to sustain mindfulness throughout the day. The school’s ethos is to unite academic excellence with mindfulness, physical exercise, intellectual enlightenment and spiritual awareness to provide a holistic education for students. It argues that providing a more comprehensive, philosophical approach to education enriches pupils’ development of essential life skills.

ST. JOHN’S WOOD PRE - PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Journey Senior School Open Morning Friday 29 April 9.00am - 10.30am

of Discovery

Congratulations to the Year 2 class of 2015/2016 for receiving offers from schools including: Bute House School, City of London School for Girls, Highgate Junior School, Latymer Prep School, North Bridge House Prep School, North London Collegiate School, South Hampstead High School, St Mary’s School, Queen’s College Prep School and Wetherby Prep School

Junior School Open Morning Friday 6 May 9.15am - 11.00am

Visit our website and book a tour of this small happy and successful school on during a normal school day.

The Abbey School, Kendrick Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5DZ

020 7722 7149 info@sjwpre-prep.org.uk www.sjwpre-prep.org.uk

theabbey.co.uk Riverside Journals Spring 2016 - Abbey.indd 1

Over 30 Years of Happiness & Success in Education

03/02/2016 13:40:31

Bathstone Garden Rooms Not only do we build beautiful new buildings...’

We also refurbish and upgrade existing buildings into sumptuous garden rooms or just save old favourites from falling into disrepair.

• Contemporary or traditional designs. • All shapes and sizes. • A multitude of uses. • Ugly concrete walls clad with beautiful timber. • New doors and windows. • Roofs repaired and replaced. • Damproofed and insulated for year round use. Call Bathstone today on 01189 842 555 or visit our website www.bathstonegardenrooms.co.uk Our site surveys, plans and written quotes are all absolutely free. Or we can build from new.

Have you considered which senior school your child will go to? The Mall School is hosting a Senior School Fair to give parents the opportunity to meet admissions teams from the following schools: • Brighton College • City of London Freemen’s • Claremont Fan Court • Cranleigh • Eton College • Halliford • Hampton School • Harrow School • King’s College School • Lord Wandsworth • Reed’s • St George’s (Weybridge) • St James’ Boys • St Paul’s • Westminster School • Whitgift • Winchester College

Senior School Fair

at The Mall School, Twickenham

Saturday 19 March – 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon 185 Hampton Road, Twickenham TW2 5NQ 0208 614 1082 • www.themallschool.org.uk

NO NEED TO BOOK – SIMPLY TURN UP ON THE DAY

Holding the Mirror Up To The Class An English Teacher reflects on why Teaching Shakespeare is important. Valentin M. Gerlier ‘The remarkable thing about Shakespeare’, the classicist Robert Graves once famously observed, ‘is that he really is very good, in spite of all the people who say he is very good’. And of course, the list of eminent people who assure us of Shakespeare’s greatness is long; less clear, though, are the reasons why.

Valentin Gerlier teaches English at St James Senior Boys’ School, Surrey

123 the riverside journals

s an English teacher myself, the responsibility to bring my pupils to the beauty of Shakespeare can feel a bit ominous. I shouldn’t keep telling them how good it is; I need to show them. I can’t simply talk about words – I need to create an atmosphere in the classroom in which those words can be heard, felt, tasted, lived in. To me this means that I must first of all study Shakespeare with them rather than impart it to them. Words must cease to feel like mere labels for things; they must be, as they are in Shakespeare, precious stones which flicker with the mysterious glow of the real. But of course I am not the first English teacher who gushes on about Shakespeare. Am I merely affected by the terminally quaint condition G.B. Shaw qualified as ‘Bardolatry’? In an academic curriculum that has increasingly detached language from practical life, poetry from every day affairs, and beauty from usefulness, what sense has the teaching of Shakespeare? There is a clue in Hamlet. Preparing his actor-friends to perform a play that would confirm his uncle as his father’s murderer, the young Danish prince reminds them that the purpose of theatre is not mere entertainment or cultural endeavour: it is in fact to ‘hold a mirror up to nature’. Theatre has for us the challenge of looking in the glass. Yet our own mirrors, in our time, have become blurred. True, we benefit from subtler, more powerful tools of analysis than Shakespeare might have done: linguistics, historicism, post-structuralism and so on. But while we have nourished our intellect through these, we have also developed a blind spot: the greater realities of the human soul have disappeared from our scrutinising, theoretical sight. Yet poets have always told us that these deeper realities are best explored and expressed poetically. In Shakespeare’s day, the leading writers took their poetry very seriously. Only poetry, they felt, was able to represent the sway of human action, to display the nuances of emotions and to un-conceal the pulsating truths of the human heart. Nor was this a new insight. That words are primarily poetic, that self-understanding has to do with drama, story and narrative is an idea that is as old as the sun. The poet, the storyteller, the bard have been at the centre of countless cultures all over the world since times immemorial. Whether we like it or not, our experience of the world is entwined with the words with which we speak. To feel and understand a word means to feel and understand an experience of life, a complex idea which, mirror-like, reflects a glimmer of light, a spark of understanding. It is to feel that meaning is not imprisoned in words but shines through them. To be poetic, then, doesn’t mean to have a nice way with words – it means to understand oneself and to inhabit the world, deeply and authentically. This is what Shakespeare asks of his students and teachers alike. He requires a sensitivity that goes beyond mere academic exercise, but involves a participation of our whole being in things. But it also means that we become able to look in a mirror like the one Shakespeare holds for us. The plays reflect back to us not just our own nature, but also the nature of the world. This is where Shakespeare is great like few others; and also, this is where he is necessary. The young people who will shape the world of tomorrow need to reflect on the world of today. The mirror must be sharp and polished. It is this, and not iambic pentameter, that Shakespeare really offers us. A mirror, if we dare to look. So as an English teacher who loves Shakespeare, I have got my work cut out. There will be times when it won’t work. There will be times when they stare back at me, blankly. But at all times, I will know it is the mirror we are searching for. And if we don’t achieve a sight of the whole picture, it will have been sufficient if, together, we have caught a glimpse.

124 the riverside journals

A Rich and Colourful History of the FabergĂŠ Eggs

hen you think of Easter, you think of chocolate moulded into the shape of eggs. But not all Easter eggs are delicious chocolate. Some are made from the best of the precious metals and decorated with intricate jewels. Enter the Fabergé Egg. This decorative egg has a rich history and the originals that still survive are very rare with most of them residing in museums. The story goes that Peter Carl Fabergé and his company made around 60 of these eggs between 1885 and 1917. The most famous are those made for the Russian Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II as Easter gifts for their wives and mothers, often called the ‘Imperial’ Fabergé eggs. The Imperial Easter eggs are the most celebrated and awe-inspiring of all Fabergé works and were decorated with hundreds of rare and expensive jewels. The first of the Imperial eggs is known as the Hen Egg. Made from gold, its opaque white enamelled ‘shell’ opens to reveal its first surprise, a yellow gold yolk, which also opens to reveal a multi-coloured hen that in turn opens. Originally, the hen contained a tiny diamond replica of the Imperial Crown from which a small ruby pendant egg was suspended. Unfortunately these last two surprises have been lost. Of the 65 known Fabergé eggs, 57 have survived. Of the 50 known Imperial eggs, 43 have survived, of which 10 are displayed at Moscow’s Kremlin Armoury Museum. Of all the eggs made by Peter Carl Fabergé and his company, only four of them reside in London, in the Queen’s collection, three of which – Basket of Wild Flowers, Colonnade, and Mosaic – are Imperial Fabergé eggs made for the wife of Nicholas II of Russia. The fourth, called Twelve Panel, was made for Alexander Kelch, a Russian nobleman who also gave it to his wife. Unfortunately, over the years, many of the eggs have been separated from the surprises they contained inside of them. Just last year, a long-lost Fabergé treasure was discovered in the British royal family’s art collection: an automaton elephant embellished in diamonds and rubies originally hidden as the surprise inside the Diamond Trellis Egg commissioned by Tsar Alexander III in 1892. It is just about impossible to get your hands on any of the originals of course, but there are a few select boutiques that make replicas of the eggs, whether it be in the form of a decoration, jewellery box or necklace. The boutique company called Fabergé was opened in 2009 with the help of two of Peter Fabergé’s granddaughters Sarah and Tatiana and has a small number of stores around the world, including one in Harrods in London. They specialise in egg themed jewellery from earrings to tiny egg pendants that stay true to the original eggs and open up to reveal a surprise inside. The ornate and intricate design of Fabergé eggs, both the originals and replicas, are just one reason for people being so interested in them for so many years. The tradition of having a surprise inside, and sometimes many surprises much like the other Russian tradition of nesting dolls, is where the true wonder of these eggs lies. If you are after elaborate chocolate eggs for Easter, why not get in touch with Lick the Spoon chocolate company who recently made Fabergé chocolate eggs exclusively for sale in Harrods. If you are looking to give the gift of a Fabergé egg without the large price tag, why not create your own unique design? There are loads of websites that can teach you about the original designs and how to make similar ones either out of paper mâché or decorate your own chocolate eggs for a luxury and delicious Easter gift and include a surprise inside just like the original ones had.

125 the riverside journals

By Sarah Coughlan

shop.FREYWILLE.COM

FREYWILLE.COM | VIENNA LONDON 45 Piccadilly Nuffield House 020 7734 0981 3 South Molton Street 020 7499 8637 •

Blue Velvet Shoes

Blue Velvet, the home of contemporary and Luxury footwear direct from the heart of Europe, Always one step ahead, they have established themselves on their quality and first-rate service.

174 kings road, sw3 4up â&#x20AC;˘ 020 7376 7442 â&#x20AC;˘ www.bluevelvetshoes.com

The colourful world of Jelly Beginning as an idea to cheerfully combat the rainy weather of the UK, DripDrop London was created. The brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first product was funky wellie boots which have not only been a colourful and practical solution to having dry feet on rainy days, but have gone on to become a strong and individual fashion statement.

128 the riverside journals

Since realising the success of and demand for more of these very different products, the brand creators have changed the name of the company to Jelly Jolly London and have added over 2000 unique sock designs and raincoats to their collection.

We visited the Jelly Jolly store in the lively Camden Market in London and spoke to designer Daisy to find out more about this vibrant brand. When did the brand start and how did you come up with the idea? The brand started as DripDrop London about three years ago. The first shoe design was just a transparent one, and with just a change of socks you can kind of create your own new look each day. The UK weather is very unpredictable and often rainy which makes people feel sad. I wanted to create wellies and boots that are full of colour to brighten up people’s day when they wear them out in the grey weather.

What are the challenges of starting up a new business idea in fashion? The biggest concern for me was whether people would like these very different ideas of footwear. But there has been a huge response from customers both in the UK and further afield in other European countries like Spain, Portugal and France. We have our store in London but customers can also buy the products online.

What makes your product different from your competitors? Our shoes, socks, laces and raincoats are different because you can get so many looks from just changing the socks under the shoes and clothes under the raincoat. We have so many different options of socks because we want to encourage people to have one pair for each day to wear under the boots to make it look like you are wearing different boots each day. They are also not just for rainy days, but can be worn as a fashion item.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I like creative and new things. The best thing about my job is when customers come back to me and tell me how much they love the products, I love that I am bringing colour and happiness into people’s lives.

Which design is your favourite, and why?

www.dripdroplondon.com @jellyjolly Our new website www.jellyjolly.com coming shortly

Describe your brand in one sentence. Jelly Jolly is like a rainbow: colourful, bright and puts smiles on people’s faces!

What plans do you have for the future of the brand? Our latest outlet is inside Cool Britannia at Piccadilly Circus and I want to open a bigger store in Westfield and want to include more jelly products like hats, handbags, backpacks and umbrellas. I want the word ‘jelly’ to be what the brand is all about.

129 the riverside journals

All the boots come with special in-soles which make them super comfortable to walk in. They have shoes for women, men and children so the whole family can share in the fun. Match the boots with funky socks and a transparent raincoat for a must-have look for the 2016 festival season!

I love the healed black lace boots. They are so comfortable and the black lace just adds a little bit of sexiness to the design.

How Making Chinos for Leonardo DiCaprio Inspired Me to Design a 30-Year Sweatshirt

130 the riverside journals

hrough running my menswear brand, Tom Cridland, as well as my public relations agency, I’ve had the chance to work with some truly inspiring people. With our agency I work with some of the most talented designers and resourceful entrepreneurs I’ve ever encountered. I’ve had the honour of making Tom Cridland clothing for Ben Stiller, Hugh Grant, Rod Stewart and Daniel Craig. I’ve even met my music hero, the drummer Nigel Olsson, who has been playing with Elton John since 1969. In Spring this year, however, I had the opportunity to make some trousers for Leonardo DiCaprio, which turned out to be a turning point for the Tom Cridland brand and for me personally as a designer. DiCaprio was already my favourite actor, as confirmed by amazing recent performances in Django Unchained and The Wolf of Wall Street, and a huge Hollywood name. I knew very little, however, about the amount he gives back and the good he does alongside being the world’s biggest film star. In 1998 he created the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation to support organizations and initiatives dedicated to securing a sustainable future for our planet. Since that time he has built longstanding relationships with some of the great leaders and thinkers on the planet, staying continually engaged and active on the most pressing issues we face – climate change, access to clean water, protecting biodiversity, oceans conservation and disaster relief. Through his foundation, Leonardo has produced a number of media projects that communicate the urgency of the issues to the public, including two short web films Water Planet and Global Warning, which have been viewed by people around the world. He dedicated half of his website to environmental news and content and is now building his social media channels in an effort to reach the public more directly. In 2007 (after four years of development) he released his first feature length documentary, The 11th Hour, a hard-hitting and inspiring film that features over 50 of the world’s leading experts on environmental issues and the exciting solutions that can save our planet and humanity. This inspired me to make the next product that the Tom Cridland brand released – a sustainable fashion project. The 30-Year Sweatshirt is my cry to end fast fashion, which is unfair on customers (who end up paying more for their wardrobe staples in the long run), genuine designers (for whom making clothing is a labour of love), and the environment. The sweatshirt itself is guaranteed for 30 years and built to last a lifetime, but the purpose of it is to highlight the pros of sustainable fashion. We are leading an industry trend towards protecting our natural resources by making truly durable clothing. To find out more about The 30-Year Sweatshirt, head to tomcridland.co.uk.

Tom Cridland www.tomcridland.co.uk M: +44 (0) 7843050652 T: +44 (0) 1832720510

SPRING IS IN THE AIR (and its never too late for resolutions!)

Choose an easy way to banish those extra inches you just couldn't face tackling in January, without the complex diet, and stick to it! Allow HYPOXI© Knightsbridge to guide you through an individually tailored stress and sweat-free plan to help you lose up to a dress size in as little as 12 sessions. Managing Director Dajana Jackson Prosnanova is offering one lucky Riverside reader a course of HYPOXI’S© fast and sustainable fat burning sessions only when you TEXT WIN to 07833744401. Offer ends 26th February 2016.

Want to feel fabulous? What are you waiting for?

www.hypoxiknightsbridge.co.uk

Our in-house Design Clinic is a service which offers tailored interior design solutions. Furniture, fabrics and wallpapers, combined with handmade lighting pieces found exclusively at Jam Space constitute a unique collection that can be adapted to all tastes through our bespoke offerings. Services include: Furniture layouts with material boards suggestions and colour schemes Solutions for feature walls and problematic areas Furniture, lighting, fabric and wallpaper design, sourcing and supply Call us to book a complimentary appointment on +44 (0) 7903 820 655. 118 Fulham Road, SW3 6HU London