EAST APRIL 2014

ABSOLUTELY

APRIL 2014 £3.95

HIX MARKS THE SPOT CULINARY WHIZZ

BRIT FLICK

FELICITY JONES TAKES ON DICKENS

BLENDS FOOD WITH ART

BEDTIME STORIES

OLIVIA VON HALLE’S POSH PYJAMAS

Spring FASHION'S NEW DAWN S T Y L I S H . I N T E L L I G E N T. E L E G A N T. A B S O L U T E LY APRIL_COVERS_v2.indd 2

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Why not treat that special lady to a meal at Yum Yum’s this Mother’s day... ...and get a

FREE COCKTA I L

from

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WE ARE OPEN ON CHRISTMAS, BOXING AND NEW YEARS DAY Whether it’s a dinner for 2 or a party for 150, we’ve got the space for every Christmas celebration. From the impressive subterranean Orchid Lounge to the East Wing’s Grand Dining Room and the sunken seat mezzanine - you’ll find what you need.

2 COURSE THAI BANQUET - £25 3 COURSES & CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL - £30 Available throughout December, excluding New Years Eve Call now to book a party or drop us an email and we’ll contact you

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View the full Christmas menu online at

yumyum.co.uk

Yum Yum Thai Restaurant - 187 Stoke Newington High Street, London N16 0LH

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ABSOLUTELY

CONTENTS MAGAZINES

APRIL 2014 05 EDITOR’S LETTER 07 WHAT’S ON

LOCAL 12 EASTERN PROMISE Felicity Jones talks mentors and living East

FASHION 20 DOLLY MIXTURE Skirts and sweaters, SS14’s style staples 29 POSH PYJAMAS Olivia von Halle’s pyjama game 31 WORKING WOMAN Designer Emmy Scarterfield shares her passion for footwear

FOOD 48 THE ART OF GOOD FOOD Chef turned mentor Mark Hix on art and food 53 FOOD REVIEWS Plum & Spilt Milk and Canvas

INTERIORS 57 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS Our cracking round up of six of the best egg cups 59 HOME TRUTHS Getting to know the minds behind Graham and Green

Find us online @zest-media.com

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APRIL 2014

EDITOR’S letter his issue has an Easter theme, in so much as Generation Foodie seems to be embracing the celebration with inspired dishes of an Easter-ish bent.

Fashion too has gone gaga (as in crazy, not Lady - we’re not talking rashers of bacon) for pastel and sorbet-shaded confections of sugar-coated deliciousness.

Later in the issue, you’ll find perfect parcels of sweet treats for the kids or - for an alternative to Easter eggs - a child-friendly chocolatey recipe from Lisa Marley of the Cocoa Box. Easter aside, we caught up with Brit sensation Felicity Jones. A fully signed-up Hackneyite, the actor is fast establishing herself as one of the Brit Pack - and one of our finest exports to Hollywood alongside the likes of Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan. Fresh from her starring role in The Invisible Woman, Jones talked to us about the creative opportunities and openness of her adopted home.

Graham and Green is another local success story. The interiors experts have been plying their tasteful trade for 40 years, and in so doing have had a lasting effect on homes and lifestyles both locally and further afield. We talked to Jamie Graham about growing up in the family business and continuing its trendsetting success.

We hope you enjoy the issue - Happy Easter!

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ABSOLUTELY EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT EDITORIAL INTERN PROPERTY EDITOR TRAVEL EDITOR ART DIRECTOR PRODUCTION MANAGER EDITORIAL DESIGNER MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER PRODUCTION DESIGNER ARTWORKER JUNIOR DESIGNER PRODUCTION CONTROLLER NORTH & CENTRAL ADVERTISING MANAGER ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR PROPERTY DIRECTOR PROPERTY MANAGER FINANCE MANAGER FINANCE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR

HELEN BARON CATHERINE HALES DEMI MILLARD HUGO HUNTER GEORGIE LANE-GODFREY RAY SEARLE STEWART HYDE ANDREW MAVIN GEMMA ISTEED TAHIR KAPUCU EKREM YILMAZ EDWARD TAYLOR REBECCA NOONAN CHRISTINE MANN KRISTIAN LIBETTA TOLGA SAYLAN ALEXANDRA HUNTER ANDY ELMER EMILY SAUNDERSON MARIANNE MCFADDEN ALEXANDRA HVID GREG HUGHES SHERIF SHALTOUT

For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com

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Please email us with your preferred option and details.

Helen Baron, Editor

ZEST MEDIA LONDON 213 Westbourne Studios, Acklam Road, London W10 5JJ, T: 020 7704 0588 F: 020 7900 3020 Zest Media London Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media London Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

On the covers

TWEET ME @absolutelyedhel Email: helen.baron@zest-media.com Follow us on Twitter @Absolutely_Mags Facebook ‘Absolutely Magazines’

City & Angel, East, NXNW and Borough & Docklands: Olivia Von Halle; oliviavonhalle.com

www.zest-media.com

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timeless

Crouch End 128 Crouch Hill London N8 9DY Telephone 020 8341 2020

Islington 42 Cross Street London N1 2BA Telephone 020 7359 4041

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WHAT’S ON King Charles III 3 APRIL - 31 MAY: ALMEDIA THEATRE

April

Described as a ‘future history’ play, Mike Bartlett’s new work imagines a world in which the Queen has died and Prince Charles has ascended the throne.

After so long waiting in the wings, how will the prince rule? Will he prove a worthy successor to Elizabeth II or has a lifetime of unfulfilled expectation tainted his world view. Bartlett’s play examines the people behind the titles, the place they hold in our democracy and the responsibility of being a member of Britain’s most famous family. Long live King Charles III! Almeida Street, N1; almeida.co.uk

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The Tempest Replica 25 - 26 APRIL: SADLERS WELLS The youngest person to ever receive the Clifford E. Lee Choreographic Award in 1995, Crystal Pite and her company Kidd Pivot present their latest work The Tempest Replica. The piece finds its roots in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, staging ‘a game of revenge and forgiveness; reality and imagination, exploring these themes in two contexts.’ The first, a series of minimalist on-stage storyboards and the second as a series of portraits of the characters and their relationships to each other. Rosebery Avenue, EC1R; sadlerswells.com

London Stories

THROUGHOUT MARCH: LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

London Transport Museum presents the Serco Prize for Illustration 2014, an exhibition that aims to explore a portion of the rich tapestry of our bustling capital.

Fifty of the best entries to the competition will be on display, their objective: ‘to create an illustration which visually captures a well-known or obscure London narrative’.

Ghost buses, Tin Pan Alley, Mary Poppins and Sweeney Todd all make an appearance in the panoply of familiar London characters and places.  Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E, 020 7379 6344; ltmuseum.co.uk

English National Ballet Lest We Forget 2ND - 12TH APRIL: BARBICAN Akram Khan, Russell Maliphant and Liam Scarlett have each been commissioned to create a work to commemorate the impact of the First World War. Maliphant’s piece will focus on the sacrifice of the men both on and off the field whilst Khan will stress the role played by women in the war and their subsequent empowerment. Scarlett will combine in the two in an exploration of the relationships between men and women and what was left behind. The programme is completed by George Williamson’s re-worked Firebird set to the commanding Stravinsky score.

 Silk Steet, EC2Y; barbican.org.uk

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The Heroic Apparition 3 APRIL - 10 MAY: SCREAM Liu Bolin, internationally acclaimed Chinese artist, is bringing his first UK solo exhibition to Scream gallery.

The show, which was initially conceived as a series of performances consists of photographs of Bolin’s ‘invisible man’ - this effect was achieved by Bolin standing in a public place while his team of assistants would paint his figure so it matched the background and allow the artist to completely blend into his surroundings. Although a sculptor, performer and photographer, Bolin’s trademark style has become his ‘camouflage’ images. See if you can spot him this April.

Belle’s Vintage Wedding Fair 26 APRIL: OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET If you love all things vintage and retro and are planning a wedding, or even a party, you won’t want to miss Belle’s Vintage Wedding Fair at Old Spitalfields Market. Belle’s Events have hand-picked the very best vintage inspired wedding suppliers to create an event that oozes the style and grace of times gone by.

Matisse Cut Outs 15 APRIL - 11 MAY: TATE MODERN A unique opportunity to explore the works of a master of modern art, this exhibition brings together examples from the final part of Matisse’s career in which he began ‘carving into colour’ thus producing his famous cut-outs series. The once-in-a-lifetime exhibition will unite 120 works created between 1936 and 1954, which have until now been scattered throughout the globe; Tate’s The Snail 1953 is shown alongside its sister work Memory of Oceania 1953 and Large Composition with Masks 1953 at 10 metres long and is the first time they will have been together since they were made. The show moves on to New York in May, so make sure catch it while you can. Bankside, SE1; tate.org.uk

Expect to find over 30 suppliers including talented photographers, caterers, mobile bars, cakes, vintage dresses, stylists, accessories, stationers and entertainment all day long.

Entry is completely free and the event runs from 11am until 5pm. The market will also be open as usual on the day and tends to get really busy after lunchtime so get there as soon as you can, suppliers will be pencilling dates in their diaries and you don’t want to miss out on this lovely lot!

Eastcastle House, W1W; screamlondon.com

16 Horner Square, Spitalfields, E1; bellesevents.com

This is Now: Film and Video After Punk THROUGHOUT APRIL: BFI An exploration of the early 80s post-punk movement, this season at the BFI showcases the work of clubbers, art students, new romantics and members of the postpunk scene who used new and inexpensive technology such as Super8 and VHS to subvert traditional filmmaking. This new-found accessibility allowed those who were often sidelined in the industry to find a voice as female, black and gay filmmakers pushed themselves to the fore. This season will see Super8 and 16mm films that have been out of circulation for 30 years, screened often in the presence of the artists who made them. Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1; bfi.org.uk

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review BOOK THE WALK HOME

by RACHEL SEIFFERT

et in Glasgow and London, this is a beautifully written novel from Man Booker Shortlist author Rachel Seiffert. It is a story about seeing people for what they are not and not making judgements as we follow Lindsey on her journey. Seiffert is an extraordinarily deft and humane writer who tells us the truth about love and about hope and she gently brings in the more dangerous characters, who are slowly developed and over time their sinister nature becomes evident. A pick of the year by the Guardian, it’s been a few years since Rachel’s last book, however, The Walk Home shows it is worth the wait..

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Virago; £14.99

A MAD AND WONDERFUL THING

by MARK MULHOLLAND

his is a passionate and heartwrenching debut novel set in Dundalk, the border town of the Republic of Ireland,. There is no doubting where the sympathies of the lead character lie, and one assume therefore that of the author, and this no doubt will cause outrage in certain parts of Northern Ireland and divide opinions. Johnny Donnelly is the lead character and his strong voice dominates the book in a brilliant way.

Mulholland uses Donnelly to carry out a conversation about the ‘Irish problem’ with a variety of people he meets along his journey, however, unlike some novels addressing this issue, there is a good deal of humour. Don’t be put off by the subject.

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Noah

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IN CINEMAS 4 APRIL Acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky has covered a range of unlikely topics in his illustrious career, and his latest project is one of biblical proportions. Literally.

Based on one of The Book of Genesis’s most famous stories (second only to the one about the apple, which as you will recall didn’t end too well), the fable reflects a time in the Bible when God had a tendency to wipe out civilizations with nary a second thought. In a “boy who cried wolf” type situation, it turns out that the man building the giant boat designed to fit two of each animal and his own family (incidentally dangerously narrowing the gene pool for both) is actually the sane one. The story of Noah and the Ark is one that Aronofsky has

apparently wanted to explore right from the beginning, ever since his breakout indie film Pi in 1998. Already a source of controversy, Noah has a starstudded cast including Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins and Ray Winstone, and will reunite on-screen husband and wife Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly. Will this movie sink or swim? We’re not making any prophecies just yet (sorry), so watch this space. Although, we are curious to see whether or not this will spark off a series of Hollywood adaptations of Bible stories seeing as The Wolf of Wall Street already has Sodom and Gomorrah covered.  DIRECTED BY Darren Aronofsky STARRING Russell Crowe & Emma Watson

Scribe Publications; £12.99

CONFRONTING THE CLASSICS

by MARY BEARD

ary Beard manages to be that rare thing: a brilliant academic who is also accessible. Beard has reached a wide audience through her books and television presenting and as such has become a household name in connection to classics. In her latest book, Beard presents a collection of essays exploring our rich classical heritage, including Greek drama and Roman jokes, a panoply of famous names and the often hidden world of slaves. The culmination of thirty years at the forefront of classical scholarship, Confronting the Classics is positively unmissable.

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£9.99, Profile Books

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CONCEPT

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KITCHENS CONCEPT KITCHENS | DESIGN & FUNCTION

Kitchen dreams are coming true...

40, Offord Road, Islington N1 1EB 020 7700 1555 www.conceptkitchensislington.co.uk

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Eastern

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ABSOLUTELY PROFILE

MISE

FROM ENGLISH ROSE TO THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, FELICITY JONES IS HOLLYWOOD'S NEW BRIT SQUEEZE

F

or all the changes the area has undergone in the last decade, East London continues to prove irresistible for the country's top creatives, so it should come as no surprise to discover that fast-rising screen star Felicity Jones chose to relocate to Bethnal Green in 2007.

Jones' new film The Invisible Woman is the latest step in an acting career that has seen her appear in TV's Doctor Who, Ricky Gervais’ 2010 feature Cemetery Junction and Julie Taymor’s 2010 adaptation of The Tempest.

Working her way through such varied roles has required commitment and confidence of Jones, qualities she admits she’s had to work hard to master.

“I've had some good opportunities along the way and I still feel as if I'm just discovering the limits of what I can accomplish as an actor,” she says. “It's such a precarious profession and it's quite hard for me to admit to myself over the years that this is what I'm definitely going to be doing. It involves exposing yourself and

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22/10/2012 18:39 14:26 23/08/2012

ABSOLUTELY PROFILE © BBC FILMS

making yourself quite vulnerable, and there's so much rejection, so much competitiveness along the way.”

Indeed, Jones only recently embraced the very idea of her being an actor – “having the confidence to embrace that title and say ‘this is my life’ actually takes some doing.”

The confidence she required to take on her role in The Invisible Woman came from screen veteran Ralph Fiennes, who both directs and stars in the film. Based on Claire Tomalin’s best-selling novel, it tells the tale of Charles Dickens’ affair with the much younger Nelly Turnan. Fiennes portrays the author as a controlling patriarch, emotionally isolated by fame, who falls for Turnan’s natural charm and and theatrical background.

Jones' take on the mysterious and controversial figure of Ternan is inspired, depicting her as strong and independentspirited - and no man's property.

“I wanted to play her as a woman who carried herself with great pride and strength," Jones says. "She left her mark on me and even now when I find myself in a difficult situation I ask myself, ‘What would Nelly do?’”

Further encouragement and advice came from a host of other, similarly strong women in Jones' life. She admits that being in the acting world “opens you up to some excellent avenues for advice”, and lists Meryl Streep and Dame Helen Mirren as inspirational figures, each possessed not only of talent but of an unrelenting, unwavering desire to succeed.

“I’ve got to know Dame Helen very well [Mirren was Jones' co-star in The Tempest] and we've had some wonderful conversations.

I'VE HAD SOME GOOD OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE WAY AND I STILL FEEL AS IF I'M JUST DISCOVERING THE LIMITS OF WHAT I CAN ACCOMPLISH AS AN ACTOR

She's become a mentor of mine and I have learned so much from her calm and straightforward approach to her work. She knows exactly what she wants and that applies to how she approaches life as well. She's a role model for me and it's been important for me to watch actors of her stature at work. I didn't go to drama school and everything I know about acting has come from working and observing and learning from very talented people.”

Fortunately for her and us, this latest English rose – after Knightley, Blunt, Mulligan and others – has the kind of individuality audiences love. Her pale, striking looks have her well positioned to achieve Stateside. But would that mean leaving East London behind? It doesn't seem likely. Jones is settled here with her long-term partner Ed Fornieles, who made his own artistic mark with the popular Wallis Gallery art project that ran for a year from 2007.

“I like the fact it’s not where everyone else has headed,” Jones says of the area. “East London has a style of its own. It’s not to everyone’s liking but there is a really young crowd and pretty much a blank canvas for creativity. There are so few perceptions and that really frees people up to create communities that are new and unique, and that excites me. And I’m much happier now as an actor and as a person. I've learned to be less harsh with myself and not overthink things too much. I still believe in pushing myself and reaching the highest level possible in a performance. But I've seen that you can still do that and enjoy everything, and have more fun in life.”

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ABSOLUTELY FASHION

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OFF FOR A WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY? WE’VE ROUNDED-UP SOME STYLISH ESSENTIALS.

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J Panther Luggage

AVIATOR MESSENGER BAG £394; opumo.com

1

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LIMELIGHT WATCH

£215; houseoffraser.co.uk

1. Anonymous Ism Socks, £10; opumo.com 2. Baxter of California Shave Kit 1-2-3, £77; endclothing.co.uk 3. Calvin Klein Underwear, £17.25; debenhams.com

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4. Pringle of Scotland Jumper, £195; pringlescotland.com

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5. William and Son Leather Travel Case, £1,250; williamandson.com 6. Marks & Spencer Cord Trousers, £42; marksandspencer.com 7. Aigle Parcours Boot, £128; thebootbar.co.uk 8. Tristan Parka, £240; parkalondon.com

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ABSOLUTELY FASHION

Louche lovebirds grey watch, £55; joythestore.com

Flockton women’s bracelet, £19.95; joules.com

Burberry Prorsum lace shirt, £595; net-a-porter.com

Madeleine Thompson Redcliffe Cardigan, £317; net-a-porter.com

Missoni tri-colour geometric dress, £878; matchesfashion.com

r’s EditoICK P

Chloe Marcie medium satchel, £840; matchesfashion.com

RYAN LO SS14

Dolce & Gabbana single breasted wool coat, £1,595; matchesfashion.com

Hobbs Bella Coat, £649; hobbs.co.uk

ST MUAVE H

FONDANT

FA N C I ES T by Alexander Wang bi-colour sweater, £260; matchesfashion.com

EMBRACE EASTER’S SWEET TOOTH WITH CANDY COLOURS, PERFECT PASTELS & DUSKY, ICE-CREAM SHADES

Red Valentino cottonblend coat, £640; net-a-porter.com

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Dolly mixture SKIRTS AND SWEATERS: SS14’S STYLE STAPLES Photography: HELEN MCARDLE Styling: CHARLIE MOORE Location: BELAIR HOUSE

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Grey cotton jersey sweatshirt with appliqué resin flowers, £379, by MSGM at Fenwick Diamond tennis bracelet, £782, rings, £460 for set and studs, £141, all by Carat

APRIL SHOOT_v2.indd 43

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Pale blue cotton jersey sweatshirt with appliqué detail, £180, Carven at Net-a-porter.com Green and blue silk skirt, £365,

by Ostwald Helgason at my-wardrobe.com Diamanté drop earrings, £300,

by Atelier-Mayer.com Crystal necklace, £280, by Butler & Wilson Diamond ring, £460 for set, by Carat

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Cotton jersey sweater dress, £283,

by Emma Cook at Net-a-porter.com Crystal bolster necklace, £405,

by Atelier Swarovski by Christopher Kane Gunmetal ring, £85,

by Vita Fede at My-wardrobe.com Black fishnet tights, £6,

by Charnos at House of Fraser

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Pink cotton jersey sweatshirt with sequin 'kiss me' detail, £159, by Markus Lupfer at Fenwick Ivory silk night gown (worn as skirt), £276, by La Parla Diamanté drop earrings, £300,

by Atelier-Mayer.com

STOCKISTS Atelier Mayer; atelier-mayer.com Atelier Swarovski; atelierswarovski.com Butler & Wilson, 020 7409 2955) Carat, 020 7379 5320) Casadei; casadei.com Fenwick; fenwick.co.uk House of Fraser; houseoffraser.co.uk Jonathan Aston; jonathanaston.com Katya Katya Shehurina; shehurina.com La Parla, 020 7245 0527 My-wardrobe.com Net-a-porter.com

APRIL SHOOT_v2.indd 46

Photographer: Helen McArdle at ERA Management Stylist: Charlie Moore Model: Iris at Milk Management Make up artist: John Christopher at Lovely Management using M.A.C Hair stylist: Aaron Carlo at Frank Nail artist: Asher Coleman using Sally Hansen Shot on location at Belair House, 1 Gallery Road, Dulwich, SE21 7AB; belairhouse.co.uk Belair House is available for hire for weddings and private functions.

13/03/2014 09:51

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25/02/2014 14:49

INTERIOR DESIGN

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SPACE PLANNING DECORATION AND FURNISHING

interiors@sarahrossdesign.com

DESIGN & BUILD LIGHTING

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10/02/2014 17:23

ABSOLUTELY FASHION

FASHION NOTES

PRINTS CHARMING

Is it ever okay to be dressed top to toe in print? If it’s Bimba y Lola and this hot, then yes. With floral jacquard detailing, this is transitional wear at its best, seeing you through Spring and Summer – if it gets chilly, just adapt with a thermal (as pictured).

We simply have to have it.

Blouse €62 and trousers €37; bimbaylola.com

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SOFT SELL

Good things often come quilted and these fetching white patent leather models from Zatchels are no exception; in fact, the texture lends a ladylike quality to the classic bag shapes. The range comes in black and white, but for our money, white is better for a Spring update (and a dash of va va voom).

Prices start at £50; zatchels.com

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DESERT DUDS

StylIeP T

For versatile, yearround footwear, desert boots are our number one choice. Unisex and light, they’re classic in a Gallic way and come in a mind-boggling array of colours. All you’ve got to do is spray them with suede protector to save them from April showers.

 BACKPACKER’S DELIGHT

Double denim’s been done; anyone tempted to try for triple? This slouchy New Look backpack is the perfect nineties throwback and will have you missing your Baby-G watch and Green Flash trainers, while the sewn-on patches will make up for never having had them at school. £24.99, 416-418 Holloway Road, N7; newlook.com

IS TROPICAL Victoria Murdoch of Silken Favour has launched a new ready-to-wear collection following the success of her cool, cult scarves. The ‘Jungle is Massive’ range of bright, bold silk tees, shorts and dresses (as well as the usual scarves and cushions) employs her hallmark pen and ink technique. We’d all be doing ourselves a favour by wearing one of these works of art. silkenfavours.com

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Come and see us instore or visit our NEW website harriselectricalltd.co.uk 13/03/2014 11:08

ABSOLUTELY FASHION

Posh

Pyjamas

NIGHTWEAR DESIGNER OLIVIA VON HALLE EXPLAINS WHY SILK IS HER NUMBER ONE CHOICE BETWEEN THE SHEETS...

Why did you decide to go into night wear; it’s quite niche.

I was working as a trend forecaster in Shanghai, China, and had the most incredible tailor.

He was every girl’s wildest dream and could replicate Lanvin dresses from pages torn out of Vogue. One day I started fantasising about how elegant it would be to have a beautiful pair of printed silk pyjamas to lounge around in when coming home from partying with friends. He made me a pair and I instantly became addicted to them and started wearing them all the time. Friends begged me to make them some and before I knew it I had an order list longer than my tailor could ever manage. So I decided to launch the Olivia von Halle brand.

What’s your fashion background and how has it helped?

I studied Textile and Fashion Management at the University of Leeds and then went on to work as a trend forecaster at The Future Laboratory in London. My degree was an excellent starting point but working at Future Lab was an education in itself – we were working with the world’s greatest brands and it gave me extremely high standards when I then set out to set up my own brand.

Have you ever been to Bedtime Stories at 40 Winks Hotel in Whitechapel?

Yes, it’s incredible! We sponsored a prize there last year – ‘The Olivia von Halle Award for the Most Dazzling Personality’. The winner won a pair of silk pyjamas. It was fabulous.

Do you always wear silk pyjamas?

Of course! But since we have started making new shapes I have become quite obsessed with a few of them. I have just been in Jamaica where I lived in our ‘Bella’ – a little silk camisole with matching French knickers. Perfect for warm Caribbean nights!

Did you always want to set up your own business? Was there a turning point where you knew you wanted to do something different?

My father is an entrepreneur so I guess it is in my blood!

What has been the most important influence on the business so far?

Becoming a Walpole Brand of Tomorrow has been hugely influential for us. Through that we have been mentored for the past year by Michael Ward, the Managing Director of Harrods, and this has enabled us to take the brand to the next level.

As the queen of nightwear, what’s an ideal night in for you?

A hot bath filled with Jo Malone bath oil, the latest Vogue, a cup of Earl Grey tea and a couple of hours to soak.

Olivia von Halle, Unit 7B Canonbury Business Centre, 190A New North Road, N1; oliviavonhalle.com

Who are your favourite designers right now? Alessandra Rich is my go-to designer – I am utterly obsessed with her brand and live in her beautiful dresses. I adore Moody and Farrell for hats, Aperlai for shoes, Jessica McCormack jewels and Prism eyewear.

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ABSOLUTELY FASHION

Woman At Work

Shoe designer EMMY SCARTERFIELD

I

launched my brand, Emmy, nearly ten years ago. At first it was very focused and incredibly niche: bespoke wedding shoes.

At a time in my life when friends were starting to get married, I identified a huge gap in the market for beautiful, feminine, sexy, delicate, inspiring and cool wedding shoes.

After a career in luxury fashion, I was ready to go it alone but was all too aware that it needed to stack up financially; the bespoke element and the wedding niche was a good fit. I absolutely love shoes and always have done. I love the smell of them, the feel of them and the magic of what a high heel can do for a woman. I'm at my happiest when I'm in our workshop surrounded by leather, tools, components and the tiny pattern pieces.

I feel very blessed that I am able to balance a successful business with my passion and have the opportunity to share it with others. I think my job has to be right up there on the job satisfaction scale, making women happy with shoes every day is pretty special and rewarding.

My brand has evolved since its creation, we now offer ready-to-wear shoes and accessories while staying true to our bespoke heritage.

Plus, we are gaining a stronger presence in the evening and event market, which is very exciting.

I have twin girls of five, so my day starts very early! Once the school run is done I head to our Islington studio. I like to start each day with a team meeting. Every day is always different and shaped by the clients we see. My day can involve seeing clients, reviewing new collections, creating new colour palettes, collaborating with dress designers and really pushing the brand to reach its full potential. Once home and with the girls in bed, my husband and I like to work together on the nuts and bolts of the business.

We share a real drive, ambition and passion for our business, which is fantastic for both home and work life. My life always feels super busy, but I wouldn't change any of it for a second.

65 Cross Street, N1; emmyshoes.co.uk

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DESIGN PROPOSALS

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TAG ARCH.2.indd 1 ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 2

BONAS.indd 1 21/03/2013 16:25

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ABSOLUTELY KIDS

ABSOLUTELY

KIDS HOW TO KEEP LITTLE ONES AMUSED

TWO WHEELS GOOD It’s all very well having your toddlers happily scooting away to keep up with the pace of your walk. But when they’re bigger and scooting takes them all the way up the road and around the corner out of sight, it’s less relaxing. Happily, the clever people at Micro Scooter have come up with a solution in the form of a grown up scooter, and a pretty one at that. The floral Micro White scooter is not only attractive looking in a flowery, feminine way, but it promises a smooth, unflustered glide along pavements at a pace to rival even the speediest tot.

Admittedly, I felt the tiniest bit silly to begin with, but soon got the hang of what really requires no skill at all. After all, 18-month olds pick it up easily. With big wheels and a large deck, the scooter feels entirely grown up, while my children are thrilled to have me join them like the fun mum they always wanted. £159.95,

micro-scooters.co.uk

SPRING FEVER

Children’s clothing brand Little Bird, brainchild of Jools Oliver, presents it’s brand new Spring collection, which Jools herself describes as being “all about celebrating the start of a new year, new green shoots in the garden [and] flowers starting to pop up.” Full of bright colours and retro British designs, some of which are throwbacks to items she and Jamie wore as children, the collection has everything from smocks to sweatshirts. mothercare.com

PARA NIÑOS Celia Muñoz’s Hampstead boutique specialises in classic Spanish-style children’s clothing with a contemporary twist.

Inspired to open her boutique by the response her own kid’s clothes received from other parents, the mother of five who comes from a large Spanish family decided to provide an outlet for Spanish children’s designers in London. If you’re looking for good quality, colourful clothes with a charming oldfashioned look La Coqueta is the place to go, especially with their Spring/Summer collection already on the shelves (and the internet equivalent of shelves).

5 Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3; lacoquetakids.com

SHELLING OUT

If you’re looking for something slightly more special than the standard Smarties offering from Tesco for Easter, try a personalised egg from The Biscuiteers. Each one hand-iced, these adorable eggs will have your kids believing in the Easter Bunny for one more year at least. A fact that you will appreciate more once the terrifying sugar high that Easter inevitably causes wears off. biscuiteers.com 33

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ABSOLUTELY EDUCATION

Free thinking

MANY OF LONDON’S FREE SCHOOLS ARE DARING TO BE DIFFERENT – AND PROSPECTIVE PARENTS ARE ALL FOR IT. AMANDA CONSTANCE LOOKS AT WHAT SOME HAVE TO OFFER hat was a mere twinkle in Michael Gove’s eye a few years ago has given birth to an education revolution. Since the Education Secretary gave the first free schools the green light in September 2011, their number has grown to 174 nationwide with many more approved to open in the next academic year. Many of these are already attracting more pupils than they have room for. In a recent survey by the Department of Education, some reported as many as ten applications for every place.

It’s a familiar story in London, where there is a critical lack of places at both primary and secondary stages, in both the independent and state sectors. Parents are queuing at the gates of the capital’s free schools, not simply because they don’t have other options. Free schools are just that, and the freedom for parents and educators to set their own curriculum has ushered in some innovative approaches that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Maria Evans is the vice-chair of governors at Gladstone Free School, a secondary free school in north-west London that will open its doors to students next September. Previously the director of education at the Royal

W

Shakespeare Company, Evans has more than 25 years experience in art and education and first looked into establishing a school at the behest of other local parents.

“We’re setting up something enormously ambitious,” Evans explains, adding that the teaching at GFS won’t deviate much from the national curriculum. GFS will be a small school, no more than 800 pupils, a luxury in inner London state education. It will have a mandatory extended day, with classes ending at 5.30 except on Fridays. ‘Enrichment’ or extracurricular activities will be hugely encouraged and progressive teaching practices, such as moving around the room, experiential learning and lessons outside the classroom, will all form part of the core ethos. And before you imagine this will be an enclave for every Milo and Tallulah in north-west London, think again. GFS will be non-selective and teach mixed ability classes, with pupils drawn from the immediate catchment area.

The team behind GFS took inspiration from Greenwich Free School, a secondary on the other side of London that has a ‘high expectation, no excuses, no shortcuts ethos,’ says its head, Lee Faith. The school runs an extended day from

7.45am to 5.30pm and enrichment activities in the afternoon include Latin and debating. It is already seven times oversubscribed.

The Judith Kerr Primary School, in Herne Hill, south London, offers something entirely different. It is the country’s first bilingual state school, with teaching in German and English. Another bilingual free school, The Marco Polo Academy, will be the first English-Chinese bilingual primary school in the UK when it opens in Barnet in September 2014.

‘The emergence of bilingual schools is a good example of how free schools are responding to the demands of local parents,’ says Natalie Evans, director of the New Schools Network, the charity set up to help people planning free schools.

And it isn’t just new schools that are taking up the free school baton. Established schools such as the much-admired Burlington Danes Academy and gold-standard Marylebone Girls are extending their franchise with free schools.

BDA will open a primary free school on its 10-acre site next September and Marylebone Boys will open to year seven boys at the same time. What marks out many of the free schools, however, is a return to tradition and academic rigour. When Fulham Boys held its first open day, 650 people attended.

Built on ‘Christian principles and values’, its website looks like that of a public school. Governors include Barrister Caroline Grieve, wife of Attorney General Dominic Grieve, and Elizabeth Phillips, headteacher at St Marylebone CofE School.

This ‘old ways are the best ways’ approach has done well for the West London Free School.

The headline-grabbing school is self-consciously traditional; Classics and Latin are compulsory, discipline is strict and competition is encouraged. Two years after opening, it remains hugely oversubscribed.

They are controversial and not without their troubles but, whatever your political stripes, no one can deny that free schools are having their moment.

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Lady killer An unorthodox production of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler comes to Leighton House this month. Creative director of Palimpsest theatre company Katherine Tozer gives Pendle Harte a taster

I

f Ibsen’s controversial heroine Hedda Gabler were on Twitter, she would probably be tweeting dark comments and pictures of scary dolls and guns. In fact, she is. For this new production of the famously cheerless 1890 play, actor and creative director Katherine Tozer confesses that she has become more than slightly obsessed with her character.

Because this isn’t just any old production – it’s an intensely clever site-specific one that condenses the original three and a half hour action into an intense hour and a quarter drama, ‘a seething hotbed of sexuality’ according to Tozer, in an

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ABSOLUTELY PROFILE

Audiences will be invited to what will feel like Hedda’s house, welcomed by maids in character and given drinks in antique glasses attempt to ‘understand Hedda’. It will be almost like a thriller, she says.

Hardly anything about this production will be traditional. For a start, it doesn’t happen in a theatre.

The show premiered last year at Burgh House in Hampstead and is now appearing at several other venues across London including Kenwood House, the Foundling Museum, Sutton House and Dr Johnson’s House. Palimpsest is a theatre group in the vein of Wilderness and Punchdrunk (with whom members have worked) with their labyrinthine, site-specific productions that invite the audience to experience things their own way. Palimpsest, however, is more interested in keeping the story linear, and sees Ibsen and Strindberg as their ‘home turf’.

Audiences will be invited to what will feel like Hedda’s house, welcomed by maids in character and given drinks in antique glasses. Some actors will interact with the audience; others won’t and each performance

will be slightly different. ‘We want to animate the space and make people feel voyeuristic,’ explains Tozer, ‘and to feel like they are in this house in 1891.’ The production also relies heavily on its brilliantly conceived website for backstory and audiences are encouraged to explore online before (or after) seeing the show, and to watch a small fi lm that offers insight into Hedda’s past, which will also be projected during the play.

Th is multi-media character makes it a very technical production and has attracted interest from hibrow.tv, which plans to fi lm it. ‘We want to make pieces of theatre that are amplified by fi lm,’ explains Tozer.

Though coupled with that is the low tech, acoustic nature of the action, with no digital sound.

‘A lot of site-specific theatre is cold and exhausting. We want this to be comfortable,’ she continues. And the surroundings will be referred to – the art and objects as part of Hedda’s husband’s collection – because ‘if it’s mentioned you notice it more’. All this will serve to drag audiences into ‘Hedda’s dark vortex’, which has intrigued theatregoers for over a century.

Palimpsest’s Hedda Gabler comes to Kenwood House on 31 March, the Foundling Museum on 5 April and Burgh House on 6, 7 and 8 April.

Tickets cost £25 at palimpsest.co Explore the production at hedda.co.uk

23 37

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WE LOVE BOHEMIAN LIKE YOU The phrase ‘Culture Clash’ may not immediately scream ‘new make-up range’ but it’s what Aveda has gone for with their new cosmetics collection.

Inspired by colours and textures from different cultures around the world, it ranges from earthy, rich tones to pretty pastels, all of which work with a variety of skin tones - hey, sometimes clashing works. aveda.co.uk

Beauty Notes

IN HEALTH: WELCOME HOME urated by Leonora Bamford, mother of two and founder of My Baba, Radiance Cleanse’s New Mummy Box is filled with nurturing organic juices to help new mums get the energy boost they need. And with soft, manageable ingredients that avoid overly strong tastes, they’re great for keeping mums-to-be looking radiant too. £90; radiancecleanse.com

C

VIVA GLAM This blue-tone red lipstick with a frost finish is bound to cause a stir – and with 100% of the proceeds donated to the MAC Aids Fund, that’s a good thing. No purchase could be more guilt-free, so treat yourself. £15, available at Fenwick, Brent Cross Shopping Centre, NW4; maccosmetics.co.uk

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TRIED& TESTED ELLEVEN DENTAL WHITENING oted one of the best dentists in London at last year’s Dentistry Awards, Elleven Dental Practice in Harley Street (where else?) is now offering home-whitening for those who can bear to spend an hour wearing their special moulds. And for those who can’t even envision doing that, there’s still the option to have the full-on, in-surgery treatment, which takes just under an hour and 45 minutes.

V

HERE COMES THE SUN We’ve loved the Balance Me products for a while. They use natural ingredients, are made in the UK and smell glorious.

And the sun is finally beginning to shine, we had to mention their new Natural Protection Moisturiser, which has a built-in SPF25. Balace Me Natural Protection Moisturiser, £26; balanceme.co.uk

I opt for the DIY option, and the lovely Dr Peta Leigh gives my teeth a once-over, taking clay moulds so that she can send on the plastic ones I’ll need to whiten my gnashers at home. I’m supplied with enough injectable bleach to last a year or so; Dr Leigh actually advises home bleaching for me, as my teeth aren’t stained and have been bleached before. Since 2012, new legislation means dentists have had to reduce the amount of hydrogen peroxide used in one treatment; this means I’ll achieve better results with repeated applications at home. It’s easy

RAIN, RAIN, COME OUR WAY Celebrating (of all things) our wonderful British weather, London Rain is a new range of scents from Jo Malone. Capturing the different moods of an urban downpour, the four fragrances channel the progression from soft, refreshing showers to the romantic intensity of thunderous rain. A brilliantly original reflection of the capital. £82 for 100ml; jomalone.com

to measure out the amount of bleach - approximately 1mm per tooth you plan to whiten. I need only concentrate on the front six, as the bleach won’t work on my crown further along the row. A touch more can be added wherever there is staining; perfect for anyone (myself included) who loves their coffee (us Brits seem resistant to the more vigilant American habit of drinking coffee through a straw) as well as those partial to the odd glass of red wine or occasional cigarette. This kind of treatment is far better for you than the unregulated (and largely American-origin) tooth-whitening products you can buy online. In fact, Dr Leigh specifically advises against whitening strips, which brighten teeth by stripping away precious enamel.

Used in conjunction with Elleven’s Prevdent dental products (which, I should add, taste great – the flavour of toothpaste and mouthwash being very important), the home whitening system will actually strengthen enamel and improve the condition of your teeth, which is infinitely preferable to damaging them with a cheaper option.

To maintain your smile, the practice also recommends two Air-Flow hygiene appointments a year – prevention, after all, is better than cure.

From £125 for a new patient consultation and from £395 for home whitening treatment, 11 Devonshire Place, W1; ellevendental.com

THE BIG

THREE FOR RADIANT SKIN 2

3

1

1 2

Fresh Peony Brightening Night Treatment Mask, £48; fresh.com

3

S5 Illuminate Serum, £44; S5skincare.com

Jurlique Purely Bright Mist, £29; jurlique.co.uk

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On Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th April, visitors to The N1 Centre in Islington can greet a miscellany of farmyard animals at The N1 Centre’s Easter farm.

For two days only, from 11am – 3pm, families can visit the free farm in the central piazza and meet a donkey, pygmy goats, lambs, pigs and a selection of chickens and rabbits. Experienced animal handlers offer the opportunity to feed, touch and learn more about an assortment of farmyard favourites.

E AS TE R FARM FUN n1islington.com

n1shoppingcentreislington

n1centre

After enjoying the fun of the farmyard, take the family for a bite to eat at The N1 Centre’s selection of restaurants including wagamama and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. If the little ones have been particularly well behaved, make your final stop Vue Cinema, Islington. Catch up with the adventures of Blu, Jewel and the gang in Rio 2 in 3D. The exciting sequel is set for UK release from 4th April.

Lynne Glover, Centre Manager, says: “We’re looking forward to the Easter farm this year. Our animal events are always very popular, so come along and join the fun!”

With 21 retailers, restaurants and entertainment venues under one roof, catering for all ages and offering the latest retail trends, delicious, hassle-free dining and great entertainment, The N1 Centre is the perfect family destination this Easter.

For further information visit www.n1islington.com, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ n1shoppingcentreislington or tweet with us @n1centre.

HALF HORIZONTAL.indd 1

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NEW ARTIST FAIR Framed Exhibition Showcasing 50 Contemporary Artists

28 -30 March 2014

FREE ENTRY Candid Art Galleries 3-5 Torrens Street London EC1V 1NQ

Private View Friday 28 March 6pm-9pm Open All Weekend 12-6pm

www.newartistfair.com Newartistfair.indd 1

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 1

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14/03/2014 10:53

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTY

Barry M Dazzle Dust in Gold Iridescent, £4.59; barrym.com

The Daily Double All-day Lid Shadow Colour & Liner Stick, £8.50; soapandglory.com

Nutrilips gloss in Jojo, £15; wildaboutbeauty.com

ST MUAVE H

Archery Brow Tint & Precision Pencil, £10; soapandglory.com

RETRO revival

Black & white mod clothing is bang on trend for 2014. Make sure your make-up bag follows suit with these ‘60s style beauty buys

Eye Definer in White, £8; thebodyshop.co.uk

Clarins Joli Rouge lipstick in 707 Petal Pink, £18; clarins.co.uk

Matte Outliner High Definition Eyeliner & Shadow, £25; alacartelondon.com

r’s EditoICK P

Larger than Life Volumizing mascara, £18.50; narscosmetics.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY BEAUTY

the make up

INSIDER Arabella Preston selects the best natural products for spring

have been meaning to 'green' my make-up kit since forever. And with a host of new launches and technologies improving formulas all the time I am running out of excuses.

It used to be the case that highperformance products required a rash of 'nasty' ingredients, but with an increasingly paraben-savvy market, things are starting to change.

Margo Marrone, founder of The Organic Pharmacy, was one of the pioneers of natural make-up.

She laments the fact that regular skincare and make-up may contain any or all of the following: artificial colours, artificial preservatives, artificial fragrances, aluminum, lead and petrochemicals. If you're going to start by replacing just a couple of products, she suggests: 'Choose foundation as it covers the most area on the face, and lipstick, because you end up eating it. What we put on our skin should be free from toxins, just like what we put in our bodies.'

The Organic Glam range has been a labour of love for Margo. In an industry obsessed with colour and pigment, to be restricted to natural colour makes their repertoire small and means occasionally compromising on range and tone.

But there have been some triumphs, like their incredible mascara which took five years to develop and doesn't flake or clump at all.

The Cover FX range is another big hit with clients. Although not organic, the range is free from – as they put it – the 'inflammatory five' (gluten, mineral oil, talc, fragrance and parabens). It's ideal if you suffer

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5

NARSCOSMETICS.CO.UK

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7

8

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from skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea, though frankly it is so high-performing I would recommend it to anyone. The antiaging primer is one of my secret weapons on shoots: it transforms tired, dry skin brilliantly.

Finally, Dr Hauschka, the granddame of the natural and organic skincare world has a fantastic line of makeup. But it's their skincare I reach for time and time again. Massage in their classic Rose Day Cream, followed by the Translucent Make-up for truly natural and glowing skin.

2

3

1. UNE Skin Glow Pencil, £6.99, lovelula.com 2. Cover FX Cream Concealer, £23, harveynichols.com 3. Cover FX Anti-Aging Primer, £28, harveynichols.com 4. Organic Glam Lipstick, £17.95, theorganicpharmacy.com 5. Organic Glam Pastel Eye Shimmer,

£18.95, theorganicpharmacy.com

6. Dr Hauschka Translucent Make Up, £10.83, dr.hauschka.com 7. Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream, £15.17, dr.hauschka.com 8. Organic Glam Mascara,

£20.95, theorganicpharmacy.com

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OLD_SPITALFIELDS.indd 2

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD

GO

NUTS

Don’t fancy over-egging it this month? Put a nutty spin on your Easter treats by whipping up these delicious walnut cupcakes from chocolate addict and North London food blogger Lisa Marley. thecocoabox.co.uk

FOOD OPENER.indd 41

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FOOD NOTES My Local Larder

By TOM

ADAMS OF PITT & CUE

ast London has been my home for almost five years now, albeit with a few errant months here and there south of the river, and it’s hard to imagine anywhere offering nearly as much for a young chef to see and eat! As Hackney continues to breed restaurants and bars at an incredible rate, it is the tried and tested that still hold firm: the Turkish Ocakbasi at the top end of the Kingsland Road is ever reliable, both for grilled anything and everything and some famously abrasive service. Newington Green Fruit & Veg is as brilliant as ever, as is Leila’s Shop and Café hidden away off Arnold Circus - offering some of the most jaw-droppingly pristine and perfect produce you could hope to find in a general store. And Leila sells ridiculously large bars of chocolate, which are like paving slabs and worth the move East alone. What of the butchers and where do intrepid cooks find their meat? East London caters for all faiths and fancies, from the cow’s hooves and African delights of Ridley Road market to the lamb’s testicles and quails of the Turkish butchers nearby.

A walk around Dalston’s meat merchants is as exciting as it is eye-opening. As British butchers go, there is no questioning the achievements of The Ginger Pig in Victoria Park Village, and I hear good things of Meat N16 on Stoke Newington Church Street. However, it is the attention to detail and rigorous sourcing of Nathan Mills at The Butchery in Bermondsey that is rightly attracting all the attention right now. Nathan sources rare breed animals direct from farms all over the UK, oversees the entire dry-ageing process on site in his converted railway arch, cures and smokes his own bacon and seems to have the Midas touch with all things meat. Oh, and he’s a great guy.

Go on a Saturday morning to make the most of Maltby Street Market once you have fi lled your boots at The Butchery.

E

Pitt Cue Co. is now available for exclusive hire on Sunday evenings for up to 16 people.

Please email tom@pittcue.co.uk for more details; pittcue.co.uk

MUA TR S T Y

BARE GRILLS The foodie entrepreneur behind Islington’s much-loved Fish & Chip Shop has launched a new venture – Des McDonald’s much-anticipated Q Grill will set out its stall in Camden, serving up high-end barbecue and bespoke cocktails inspired by (and made using the traditional methods of) the American South. Expect rough

timber fittings, buzzing neon and some mouth-watering transatlantic delicacies – including Louisville tender-cut ribs and Scrumpyfried onion rings. All the savoury moreishness of Southern cuisine, right on your doorstep.

Q Grill, 29-33 Chalk Farm Road, NW1; q-bbq.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD

CHOCOLATE EGGSPRESS

5

OF THE BEST EASTER EGGS Godiva floral beaded egg £55, St Pancras Station, N1C; godivachocolates.co.uk

MakHeIS T

RECIPE

CHOCOLATE AND WALNUT CUPCAKES INGREDIENTS 150g margarine 150g caster sugar 2 free range eggs – whisked in a bowl 125g self-raising flour 30g good quality cocoa powder 30g chopped walnuts pinch of salt 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract 2 tablespoons of milk - I fi nd that the cocoa powder really thickens the mixture so I like to add some whole milk Th is will make you 10 or 11 cupcakes.

INSTRUCTIONS 1 Preheat your oven 170/325/Gas 3.

2 Line a muffi n tray with muffi n cases.

3 Cream the margarine and sugar together for at least 8-10 minutes. Th is is

Marks & Spencer Golden Lattice Milk Chocolate Egg £15, 351 Mare Street, E8; marksandspencer.com

a long time, but when adding cocoa powder I fi nd it really helps to keep the mixture light and fluff y.

4 Combine and sieve the cocoa powder, salt and flour into a bowl.

Add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the mixture.

5 Add the eggs in three stages, mixing slowly until combined.

6 Gently add the flour and cocoa powder and combine. If the mixture is quite thick at this point, add a tablespoon of room temperature milk until you achieve a freer consistency. Stir in half of the chopped walnuts.

7 Fill the cupcake or muffi n cases with the mixture to just over halfway. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts onto the mixture.

8 Bake in the centre of the oven for 18-21 minutes or until the tops spring back to the touch. Allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Rococo Gentleman Bunny £35; rococochocolates.com

Montezuma’s Luxury Giant Milk Egg £34.99, 51 Brushfield Street, E1; montezumas.co.uk

Hotel Chocolat The Splat Caramel Chocolate Easter Egg £35; rococochocolates.com

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THE art OF GOOD food MUCH-LOVED CHEF & RESTAURATEUR MARK HIX TALKS TO EDWINA LANGLEY ABOUT SUPPORTING YOUNG ARTISTS, A GOOD NEGRONI & WHAT HE FIRST TAUGHT TRACEY EMIN TO COOK

EDWINA LANGLEY You hold master classes at Hix Mayfair. What do you teach the guests?

MARK HIX I mainly teach people how to carve. I do simple things like a leg of lamb on the bone – that’s the trickiest one to get right – then chicken, then a rack of pork. I explain the best way to cook them and how long for. Then we have starters, during which I teach them how to carve smoked salmon.

me this massive chunk...

MH Actually, the way I do it is thicker, but at more of an angle. All our visitors agree they’re never going to buy pre-sliced smoked salmon from the supermarket again, which is rubbish!

Then each of the cuts come back cooked and they take turns to carve a few slices. It works really well. We’re introducing a fish class, but I’m not sure that will be as popular.

EL It’s quite difficult isn’t it? I had gravlax the other day and they carved it beside me, giving

EL I’ve read you weren’t sure about cooking when you started?

MH When I was at school I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do.

EL Were you always good at it?

MH No, not at all! The cooking thing came about when I was working in a pub, washing up. For the first time, the boys in fifth year at school were given a choice between metalwork and domestic science. For a laugh, three of us decided to do domestic science. At the end of the year, I won the school prize for it. But I wasn’t really bothered or interested.

When I left school, they suggested I went to

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD

catering college, which I did, in Weymouth.

Then I moved to London and...here I am now.

EL You grew up with your grandparents, is that right?

MH Yeah. When I was really young, about six, my parents divorced. My brother and I were separated. He went to live with one set of grandparents and I went to live with the other; half with my dad, half with my grandparents.

My gran used to cook homely things – lambs hearts and braised pork chops. Our diet was simple, not fancy or shi shi. She cooked the old-fashioned way. She would boil a ham once a week.

EL Such a lovely thing to do – we just don’t do things like that anymore. I hear you had to kill chickens and pluck them – at school?!

MH Yes, in rural science.

MH The next project is going to be in an old tin factory on the Southbank near the Tate Modern. That should open in the summer.

EL Speaking of the Tate, on to art. The first time you met Tracey Emin was in 1990 in a pub. Was your interest in art born then?

MH I worked with Chris Corbin and Jeremy King at The Caprice and The Ivy [Hix was formerly chief director of Caprice Holdings] and they were big collectors. Their philosophy was to exchange work with artists quite often.

I followed in their footsteps, really. The newer generation of artists have started doing a similar thing; I commission work from them in exchange for an eating tab. It’s very Parisian.

EL Do people buy art from restaurants?

MH I don’t sell it off the walls. But I do have a

EL Do you keep chickens now?

MH No, I don’t actually. I haven’t got the space. My place in Dorset is very small.

EL What is it about that area that you like?

MH I’ve always lived in the east.

I lived on Great Eastern Street for about ten years, I like the buildings, it’s an interesting area.

That’s where I’ve met a lot of artists. When I lived on Great Eastern Street, people began buying industrial buildings and turning them into lofts and flats.

Which is what I ended up doing.

EL So you’ve got lots of restaurants. Here (Hix Mayfair), then the one in Soho, Tramshed…

MH Selfridges…

EL Marks Bar… MH In Selfridges we’ve also got a very small cocktail bar in the men’s shoe shop department too.

EL So you just go there...

MH ...And have a martini…

EL ...And get pissed and buy lots of shoes – perfect! Where next?

EL How long do these pieces stay in your restaurants for?

MH They’re mainly permanent.

EL Do you suggest ideas of how the artists can fill the space?

MH In my Soho restaurant, there wasn’t much wall space, so I suggested mobiles.

Some of the artists had never made a mobile in their life! There are static sculptures stuck to the ceiling, and also proper mobiles that move on the wind – like the Damian Hirst one of coffins of fish.

EL Now onto boring ‘food’ questions. I heard your last supper would be lobster and chips, is that still the case?

MH Yeah, probably.

EL Other than Dorset, where do you live?

MH Shoreditch.

EL What was your kitchen like?

MH My kitchens in the past have always been very practical – simple surfaces. I don’t like cabinets much, I like to see things on shelves. If you’ve got interesting kitchen bits it’s nice to display them. If you’ve got lovely copper saucepans, why not?

EL Is it already done or is it there for you to cook when you get there?

MH It’s already done! But people like Tracey like the fact their work is displayed in restaurants. People pop in to see the works, people who wouldn’t normally go to a gallery. We do 200 covers a day, that’s 200 people who may not have seen that [points to a Tracey Emin installation].

EL Thin or fat chips?

MH Fat chips.

EL That is the correct answer!

MH I think coming from the seaside, I was brought up appreciating lobsters. I also fish for them as well.

EL Your cupboard staples are Parmesan and olive oil. True?

MH Yes, Parmesan, olive oil and botargo.

gallery underneath Tramshed – the Cock and Bull Gallery. That’s my outlet. I show younger, lesser-known artists and every year we give out an award. We have a judging panel – myself, the gallery owner, Tracey Emin and others – and the winner gets a show in the gallery.

EL Word on the street is you taught Tracey Emin to cook...

MH Well, she’s interested in cooking.

EL Do you remember what you first taught her?

MH I just suggested roasting a chicken.

Whenever I go to her place now, she’s always got a roast chicken in the fridge.

EL What’s that?

MH It’s dried mullet roe.

You can get it in a stick to grate over pasta. It’s a delicacy in India. I make pasta tossed in butter and olive oil, and then shaved botargo on top.

EL As one would use truffle, say?

MH Yes, it’s got that nice, very savoury, slightly fishy flavour. If I’m at home, I can knock it up in three minutes.

EL Do you eat in your restaurants?

MH I eat in one of my restaurants every day, sometimes twice a day.

EL Do you cook there also?

MH No, I don’t cook anymore. I run the businesses. You can’t see everything if you’re stuck in the kitchen. But I do cook at home, and I also do ‘Challenge Hix’ every Tuesday.

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD

RECIPE

FISH CEVICHE y knowledge of ceviche expanded considerably while on a fishing trip to Costa Rica. On a bit of a mission as far as this fashionable culinary oddity was concerned, I ordered it at three meals in a row. All three were miles apart in presentation and taste.

Costa Ricans treat mahi mahi, sea bass and snapper to this form of brief pickling, but too much onion, citrus and coriander can overpower the fish. The third version worked best as we were left to add as much or as little of these powerful ingredients as we wished. The lemon and lime were diluted with soda water for a less acidic taste and I’ve based my interpretation on this. In its native South America, fish for ceviche is usually sliced. In Costa Rica, it was always cubed.

M

SERVES 4 250-300g fillets of sea bass or similar firm white fish, skinned, any residual bones removed, and cut into 1cm cubes, juice of 2 lemons, juice of 2 limes, 1 tbsp soda or mineral water, salt and freshly ground white pepper FOR THE GARNISH Red pepper, deseeded and finely diced, red onion, finely diced, 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, a little extra-virgin olive oil (optional) TO SERVE Toasted slices of bread or tortillas

1

Rinse the fish in cold water, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix the lemon and lime juice with the soda water, season lightly and toss the fish in the mixture. Cover with cling film and chill for 2 hours.

2

Make the garnish: mix together the red pepper, onion and coriander, and add a little olive oil if you wish.

3

Arrange the fish with the juice in individual bowls and the garnish separately to be spooned over the fish. Serve with toast or tortillas.

At our weekly meeting our Head Chefs challenge me to 20 minutes of cooking. They get all seasonal ingredients out – game birds, wild mushrooms – and I randomly cook something.

EL Do you surprise yourself ever – ‘how the heck did I come up with that?’

MH Sometimes, although mostly it’s quite simple.

up. We use a lot of the sparkling wines. But it’s a cliché to advocate ‘seasonal’ and ‘regional’ for me, because I’ve been doing it for years. It’s important for us to educate our farmers and growers. If you look at a lot of the fruit and vegetables available now in farmers markets, a lot of those things are there purely down to chefs serving them in restaurants.

EL What’s your favourite cocktail?

MH It depends what mood I’m in. If I’m in the Groucho club, I’ll drink espresso martinis to keep me going. But Negroni is probably my cocktail of choice – it’s quite hard core.

EL Onto telly, you’ve resisted it for the most part haven’t you?

MH Yes. But I did Great British Menu.

EL I know. I told your PRs I was going to come dressed as your winning Main RUPERT NEWMAN Course dish, Stargazy Pie. MH You should have done!

But that’s the only time I’ve really done TV. It was just a bit of fun, a bit of a laugh. Some of the chefs took it way too seriously. So I’ve done that and BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen twice, but only to promote a book.

EL You’re quite an advocate of seasonal, local produce...

MH I don’t see why we should import food when we have equally, if not better, food on our doorstep.

EL So you source things locally as far as possible?

MH Yes that’s right, it’s always British – apart from wine [laughs].

EL But we’ve got quite good British wines, I've read.

MH Yeah, there are some good ones creeping

EL I had it for the first time recently. I quite like it – vibrant, colourful thing.

MH You should try out Mark’s Bar in Hixter. It’s a similar layout to Soho, same cocktail list, but it’s got a 2:30am licence.

EL Thanks, I will do.

Though I’m so old these days I’m basically in bed by midnight. I'd never make it till 2:30am.

MH [laughs] The Fish n’ Hix Masterclasses at Hix Mayfair, £185 per person; roccofortehotels.com

RECIPE FROM FISH ETC BY MARK HIX, PUBLISHED BY QUADRILLE BOOKS

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD

FOOD

REVIEWS CANVAS:

Alexandra Jones samples the fare at Michael Riemenschneider’s recently opened restaurant esperate to be saved from yet another Americaninspired diner-cum-restaurant/cafe-bar claiming the best burger and gherkin cocktail combo in town, I took a friend for a catch-up dinner at Michael Riemenschneider’s new place in Marylebone: Canvas. The premise had us both quietly confident that we were to be treated to a night of finesse and fine wine. Selecting from a longer a la carte list, you create your own tasting menu of between three and ten courses, each of which is paired with a wine by the expert sommelier. Arriving, you can’t help but notice that the restaurant is small (it has room for just twenty covers) though it doesn’t feel cramped. This is thanks, in part, to the pared back décor – the colour pallet is neutral, the canvases on the wall depicting artfully sparse dishes from the menu – though at times it lacks a little in atmosphere. Having said this, the sommelier, Alis’, quiet joviality and encyclopaedic wine knowledge does much to distract you from any Wednesday night lull. His pairings were well thought out and on point, he would be a treasure to any restaurant.

The food was made dexterously: carefully plated and coiffed, with some balanced flavours. An opener of creamy, almost translucent, scallops (the first of five courses) for example, was laid so prettily with crisps of cauliflower that looked like reef, that it reminded us of Chanel’s sea-inspired SS12 show. The flavours were delicate and light, which allowed the play with texture to take centre stage and was paired with a delicious Riesling that really brought out the earthier tones in the dish. Equally, the langoustine came looking regal, a king crustacean perched atop a raviolo with a single grain of salt on it, a nod to the sea, which you could taste in every mouthful. The venison main was cooked well, rich and gamey, and was a welcome change after two seafood dishes. The desert - a pineapple, chocolate and coconut ‘7’ - was rich and decadent, but also playful. A perfect sign off.

In Canvas, Riemenschneider offers a perfect antidote to too many sloppy, straight off the tray dinners. Pretty, bespoke dishes that play to our sense of occasion, even if it is just a Wednesday night supper.

69 Marylebone Lane, W1U, 020 7935 0858; canvasmr.com

D

PLUM & SPILT MILK:

Pendle Harte dines in style in King’s Cross t may be bang in the middle of Kings Cross station, but still it’s not easy to find Plum and Spilt Milk. The Great Northern Hotel, yes, and the hotel bar – but for the small, discreet restaurant you need to ask at the desk and go upstairs like a hotel guest. We booked for an early midweek dinner and it was lucky we did, because even at 6.30pm, people without reservations were being turned away. Inside, it’s channeling the grand old days of train travel, when stylish people would lounge in beautifully finished carriages while journeying at leisure. Everything is shiny and curvaceous, in luxurious sepia tones and dim lighting. Sitting in a stylish corner booth, we order Bellinis straight away and set to the expansive, brasserie-style menu. There are lots of fish options – including Exmoor caviar, potted shrimps, whole lobster and chips – as well as appealing-sounding

I

vegetarian choices (bubble and squeak!) and of course a long meat list (headed ‘butcher’).

For me, it’s a prawn cocktail to start, from the Plum and Spilt milk specials list, and for my friend creamed smoked haddock with a poached hen’s egg.

Both dishes are served stylishly in cute (slightly girly) dishes and both taste high class. My main course of grilled squid with chilli, garlic and almonds is delicious, with flawless squid and a generous helping of crunchy nuts, while my friend’s baked Pollock with mussels and leeks is excellent. For pudding, we share the signature plum and spilt milk, which is a toasted brioche topped with baked plums and ice cream, combining to make a delicious, almondy, cakey concoction that suits the name brilliantly.

Great Northern Hotel, Kings Cross St Pancras Station, Pancras Road, N1 020 3388 0818; plumandspiltmilk.com

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ABSOLUTELY INTERIORS

HOME TRUTHS

What is G&G doing to celebrate its 40th birthday?

40 is a big milestone for us, we’re very proud to be able to celebrate this anniversary. To commemorate the occasion, we are designing a very special limited edition 40th anniversary collection. The pieces we're creating reference key items from Graham and Green that really encapsulate the vibe and the aesthetic of the brand. Classic pieces are being re-imagined and redesigned from our archive, and being brought bang up to date with modern twists through pattern, colour and design. This range will be launching in the summer, and we can’t wait to showcase it to our customers, who are so important to us as part of the G&G family; we wouldn’t be celebrating our 40th without them. We’re also working closely with small artisan suppliers, whom we’ve had relationships with for years, to create bespoke products for G&G in celebration of the birthday.

What are the highlights of the current stock?

Spring is such a great time to refresh and invigorate the home through interiors, and much more fun than spring cleaning! It’s a season we really enjoy working on. One of our favourite pieces in the new catalogue are the rustic French farmhouse extendable dining table and the Florentine Provencal style ceramics to match. It is a sublimely fresh look and perfect for re-invigorating your dining space after a long, dark winter.

As Graham & Green celebrates 40 years this month, Absolutely catches up with Jamie and Louise Graham

Jamie, having grown up with the business - what's your earliest memory of it?

I remember being fascinated by the exotic thoroughfare that arrived at my mother’s house after her world travels with her brother, my uncle, Joss. Things I’d never seen before, in fact things that most shoppers in the UK hadn’t seen before, from far reaches around the world became part of everyday life. I fondly remember the beautiful antique textiles and kilim's and interesting ornaments found in markets across the world, it was like being in Aladdin's cave. I hold this dear when buying and designing for the company now as it's part of the G&G DNA. Can you briefly highlight the differences between G&G in 1974 and G&G today?

The landscape in which the brand exists has changed vastly over the years, with the evolution of the high street, which didn’t exist in its modern incarnation in the 70’s, through to our first catalogues and now online shopping.

Our customer is also the savviest they’ve ever

59 62

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ABSOLUTELY INTERIORS

there are key traits that have always been part of the G&G heritage. Travel and exploration is a huge influence, from when Antonia would travel the globe in the infancy of the company to our buying and research trips now. It’s a passion we share and we feel this really comes through as part of the G&G look and feel.

We’ve always had a unique product offering and Jamie’s exclusive furniture designs further cement G&G as a real destination for customers who are looking for inspiration, and for unique and exotic pieces for their home.

been, not just in terms of value and quality, but also in inspiration and interior design ideas. It’s so fantastic to see such passion in interiors and is something that has enabled us to go from strength to strength. It’s so important for us to remain flexible as a retailer, whilst looking for new ways to excite and inspire our clients; but we always stay true to the uniquely identifiable foundations that G&G was built on.

What about the next 40 years?

That’s a big question! We have some exciting plans in the pipeline for this year which we’ll be announcing in due course; who knows in 40 years’ time our son Max, aged 6, could be running the show – he’s already showing sparks of passion for interiors and is very creative, he’s started collecting old tools that he picks up at antique shops and has been known to turn our kitchen into a carpentry workshop from time to time – thankfully the kitchen counters and cupboards are still in one piece.

Tell us about your own house. Is it very Graham and Green?

It’s a real mix – we like to pick up one piece for the home on every buying trip we go on, so we’re building up quite a collection.

When we moved in, we were able to start from scratch as it was a real project, but

Defining our style is a challenge as it’s fluid, it's always evolving and changing

What are your best-selling pieces?

We have a vast collection of bestselling pieces, too many to name but some of our real classics are our bone-inlay pieces which are always wildly popular as they are signature G&G pieces, and make a classic investment for the home. The linen deconstructed armchairs and our UK made velvet sofas feature in our top 10 best selling products regularly.

164 Regent's Park Road, NW1; grahamandgreen.co.uk there are some charming features that made us fall in love with the house that we have kept to this day. We really wanted to put our own stamp on the place and make it a liveable space for the family that’s both a visual pleasure to be in but also functions in a practical way for everyday life. We have a mix of G&G pieces in the home, new and from seasons past; these sit comfortably beside one-off market finds and pieces we have inherited from our families. I have a beautiful collection of my granny's paintings that are hanging in our kitchen and very treasured to us all and Lou has an heir-loom French sofa in the sitting room, that’s lovingly worn among other things.

What is it that characterises the G&G style?

Defining our style is a challenge as it’s fluid, it's always evolving and changing, however

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ABSOLUTELY TRAVEL

Cross road Of the

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HELEN BARON ON THE MANY FACES OF TURKEY’S MOST EXCITING CITY

T

he travel writers of old generally came to Istanbul (or Constantinople, as it was then known) by sea, and began their accounts with rapturous descriptions of the view of the city from the water. Alas, the modern traveller is much more likely to arrive by air, and though the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport is by no means the worst in the world, the subsequent journey into town is a dispiriting one: miles of concrete sidings and choked motorway await. If you arrive as my partner and I did, under an evening sky as heavy and dark as smoke, the effect can be forbidding.

The key is not to allow yourself to feel too underwhelmed too quickly, for while Istanbul may not always prove easy (aesthetically or otherwise), it nonetheless turns out to be a singular city, a place of incredible scale and unexpected collisions that leaves a lasting impression few other destinations can match.

To stay here even for a few days is to have expectations bulldozed and fascinating new insights installed in their place.

The first clue that Istanbul isn’t all cement and dreary shop signs comes as our car (a luxurious, chauffeur-driven Merc provided by our hotel) crawls off the crowded highway

and into the northern fringe of Beyoğlu.

This section of the city lies on Istanbul’s European shore, divided from its Asian counterpart by the dark waters of the Bosphorus. General opinion holds that Beyoğlu is the forward-thinking, cosmopolitan heart of the ‘modern’ city, and it’s here we’re staying, at the Marti Hotel, a dazzling high-rise set moments away from the famous Taksim Square. Hotels of such size can sometimes lack charm, but the Marti’s dimensions serve an important purpose: it’s only from our corner suite on the ninth floor that my companion and I get a real measure of the scale of the city outside. The arid motorway is forgotten as we look out over a sprawl of glittering lights and jumbled buildings, the chaotic skyline parting here and there to reveal a moonlit minaret. The itch to explore sets in, but it’s late, so we decide to test the room service menu before venturing into

the metropolis tomorrow. It’s a wise move: the food is fantastic, combining classic hotel comfort grub with fresh, flavoursome Turkish ingredients, and the vast bed and hammam shower are just what’s needed to refresh our travel-depleted complexions.

Several hours of blissful beauty sleep later, and after a hearty buffet breakfast in the hotel’s elegant restaurant, we’re crossing the flagstones of Taksim Square en route to Beyoğlu’s southern quarter, Galata.

The city is bright and alive around us, and I’m struck with the notion that this is how London must seem to many foreign visitors – a huge, working city that welcomes tourists but is (refreshingly) too busy to pander to them. On every corner and in every backstreet, sitting at cafe tables, congregating at flower stalls, haggling over the price of electronics and groceries and sports shoes and spices, are the people of Istanbul, an indescribably various

THERE IS AN ENERGY AND INDUSTRY HERE THAT SEEMS TO OUTSTRIP ANYTHING WITNESSED FURTHER WEST

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and vital bunch. We weave a path through and among them unnoticed, if not unseen.

To be clear: it’s not that this is an unfriendly city – the service is routinely charming and attentive at every coffee house, cocktail bar, shop and restaurant we visit (as well as at our five-star base camp, of course). But this is a cultural, economic and geographical hub that is still, after thousands of years, in the process of building and rebuilding itself, constantly revising itself upwards and outwards. There is an energy and industry here that seems to outstrip anything witnessed further west – and while tourism plays an important part in this process, this is no Paris or Rome, where every aspect of life in the city centre seems to cater to travellers and their wallets.

Istanbul offers something more real and raw and unvarnished: a kind of unsentimental honesty, perhaps, that is seriously refreshing.

Exploring on foot is the way to go. Many of the modern guidebooks suggest that the best way to see the city is by taxi, thanks to cheap fares and the sometimes punishing steepness of the hills on which the streets have long been laid. But alongside and perhaps even above the famous tourist landmarks, the best of Istanbul seems to crop up on forgotten side-streets

and around unassuming corners. Our several rambles down through Beyoğlu to Galata revealed warrens of streets where antiquated workshops and modern, independent boutiques sit side by side, and where ancient, ivy-clad towers stand crumbling above graffiti murals. By night, Galata is a buzzing hub for the city’s young and interesting, with bars and hotels like Litera (Yeniçarşi Caddesi - an avenue of foodie winners) and Büyük Londra (Mesrutiyet Caddesi) providing good food, great cocktails and a lively atmosphere.

There are enticing restaurants in abundance on the side-streets surrounding the main shopping thoroughfare, İstiklâl Caddesi, which even on a Tuesday evening was filled with friendly revellers.

Further south lies the Golden Horn, another marine inlet, this one separating Galata from Sultanahmet, Istanbul’s famous Old Town. Cross the utilitarian immensity of the Galata Bridge, passing the hundreds of anglers lining its rails, and you find yourself in the shadow of the New Mosque. It’s one of the grandest of the nearly 3,000 that pepper the city, but it’s not the best of the bunch.

Venture further into the winding streets of Sultanahmet, through the world-famous

Spice Market with its array of colourful wares; through the Grand Bazaar, home of Turkish products of every description, from art and jewellery to linens and carpets (not all of them impressive by any means), and eventually you’ll emerge at the city’s southernmost tip, where sit the Hagia Sophia (a former Greek Orthodox church and Muslim mosque, now a museum) and the Blue Mosque (a working 17th century mosque) like two stately granddames. The splendour of their assembled towers and gardens is difficult to describe – and the queues to enter can be off-putting – but even just wandering around the grounds reminds you of the impact such sights must have had on the travellers of yesteryear, unable to have preconceived them beyond the odd painting or illustration in a book.

It’s in Sultanahmet that the majesty of Istanbul’s long and colourful history is most keenly felt, not least in the Basilica Cistern, a vast underground chamber built by the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century and still standing today. A walk around its echoing, watery vaults is a must; it’s just a shame they’ve put a cafe at one end of it.

Then again, perhaps Istanbul is better for such incongruities. While the city certainly contains a great many wonders (many on a breathtaking scale), the demanding business of everyday survival seems to prevent their dominating the life of the city overmuch. They are instead part of a much larger and more various living picture – one it’s essential you see for yourself.

Three nights at the Marti Istanbul Hotel costs €425 per night for two people in a Turkish Suite with hammam bath; martiistanbulhotel.com

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BAKU to the future

Edwina Langley HEADS EAST FOR ARCHITECTURE, ART & Azerbaijani COW’S TONGUE IN A VERY MODERN MUSLIM CITY

his is the conversation I had with pretty much everyone prior to my visit to the Eastern capital. I’d vary my response depending on who I was talking to. To my friends it was: ‘bang next to Georgia, overlooking the Caspian.’ To my mother: ‘on the cusp of Europe, Mumsie. Just bordering Iran!’ Either way it sounded exciting and exotic, exactly the sort of place for an intrepid traveller.

When I arrived in Baku it was 4am, so as I drove through nigh on deserted streets to the Fairmont ‘Flame Towers’ hotel, my first impressions of the city were limited. One thing, however, did stand out. The place was spotless.

Pavements were impeccably clean and almost gleamed under the glow of lights from passing cars. It was eerie. When I woke up to daylight, however, it all made sense. For the view over the city from Baku Turkish Martys’ Memorial said it all: it’s just too beautiful to be dirty.

Aesthetics are foremost in Baku and its architecture is some of the most interesting I’ve seen. A lot of it is new-build, but it doesn’t look ‘neuvo’. Much was built in the early 20th century, instigated by Azerbaijan’s ruling power, Russia, taking inspiration heavily from Europe. The Azerbaijani State Philharmonic Hall (1912) for instance, was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, whist the Baku Puppet Theatre (1910) owes its design to that of the French. Fountains are abundant and wide streets look a lot like Parisian boulevards. Not for nothing is Baku known as the ‘Paris of the East’. Having said that, there is a very strong Soviet influence too. Part of the Soviet Union from 1920 until its collapse in 1991, Baku’s cityscape nods to that era of monumental and structural domination.

However, there are also new and modern structures, like architect Zaha Hadid’s new project, the Heydar Aliyev Centre (2012), and these add yet another dimension to the skyline.

The Heydar Aliyev Centre in particular is a difficult building to describe for it looks rather alien in its current location – by the busy main road that leads out of the city. It’s a conceptual, spaceship-esque structure, which to me, looked like something from the future: ‘in the year 2100, buildings will look like this…’.

The curves and fluidness of design make it a shapely madam. Extraordinary. Magnificent.

Named after Heydar Aliyev (leader of Soviet Azerbaijan from 1969-82), the centre was built for culture and contains a conference hall, a gallery hall and a museum. It was only fitting therefore, that I got to see some of Azerbaijani’s culture in play whilst I was there, in the form of a gala concert. This musical spectacle took place in the auditorium and incorporated energetic folk dance (men ‘en pointe’ – shockingly without pointe shoes), a desperately fiddly instrument plucked dextrously and a duo of haunting solos.

Turkish dancers meet leaping Cossacks, if you need a visual. In addition to its musical heritage, from carpets to history, Baku houses many museums and galleries. I’m not usually a fan of modern art, but I highly rated ‘Zavod’, presented by contemporary arts space organisation, YARAT. Zavod is a new project designed to exploit unconventional art spaces. The Baku Air Conditioning Plant was where I visited – a factory that, one day, was closed and left untouched for over a decade.

This was until YARAT ‘re-discovered’ it and

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that enamoured with Azerbaijani cuisine.

Thankfully, though, it varies a bit. The cow tongue I tried one night was disgusting. The Beluga caviar however, was not. A typical ‘starter’ is a spread consisting of all sorts of cheeses, salamis, olives, nuts and breads – with an aubergine dip that made its way everywhere. One lunch I was presented with ‘Bolva’, a traditional type of soup. It was tepid, and came in a tall glass, which allowed me to dubiously eye its off-white colour and some green bits floating around

‘Where is Baku?’

‘AZERBAIJAN.’

‘Where’s that?’

invited 29 young artists to find inspiration there for a new exhibition they had planned. The idea is to be able to walk around the plant and come across installations that seem part of the factory’s DNA. I am not an art buff, but Zavod blew me away. One installation, for example, was simply a line of clocks, which had been collected from around the factory and had long-since ceased to tick. What was happening when they stopped, the installation asked, and why? Another exhibit was a video of a beach, with an ebbing and flowing tide, projected onto a factory wall. It depicted the sort of conditions the air-cooling plant was designed to create.

To write it down makes it sound rather basic; you’d have to visit to appreciate its full genius. All of this modernity sits alongside Baku’s captivating Islamic architecture; Shia Islam is, after all, Azerbaijan’s majority religion.

Walking through the cobbled streets of the ancient Old City, past the 12th century Maiden Tower, you could be in Marrakech. Stray cats creep cautiously across slim alleyways, whilst washing hangs on lines from balconies above. Mosques stand discreetly near dusty carpets for sale and Aladdin surely lurks in the shadows. This is the magical walled city that was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 – fitting protection for this ‘undiscovered’ architectural jewellery box. I was increasingly coming to believe that Baku was indeed, as it has been celebrated, an ‘Islamic Culture Capital’, but its nightlife had yet to be tested. Rated eighth in Lonely Planet’s top 10 party cities of the world, I can tell you now, Baku deserves its accolade. Pacifico, for example, is one of the most popular nightclubs and lies on Seaside Boulevard. With a ‘Boujis-esque’ feel it has a terrace outside which is ideal for late night tête-à-têtes if the club itself gets a bit steamy – or smoky; Baku appears to be the last place on earth where smoking is allowed indoors. The dancing’s wild and the drinks flow freely, most unusual for an Islamic country. So, when you wake to the inevitable (and deserved) hangover, what do you eat? If I am to be truly honest, I wasn’t all

‘HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTRE IS A CONCEPTUAL, SPACESHIPESQUE STRUCTURE, WHICH LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING FROM THE FUTURE’

inside. A massive gulp later and it almost came back up again – apparently along with dill and hard-boiled eggs, one of its main components is sour milk. After the starter, slivers of smoked salmon appear and then some sort of meat – like mutton or lamb, barbecued or stewed. For pudding, its fruit and baklava. Nothing you can buy in this country compares.

I am still reeling from my visit to Baku and I can’t quite get my head around it.

What I can get my head around though, is how safe I felt. It wasn’t that I expected to feel ‘unsafe’, but with unfamiliar lands it is something I think about. The genuine warmth of the Azerbaijani people undoubtedly made the trip. For whilst many do not speak English, with a right amount of hand gesturing and enthusiasm, you get there in end. And so I’m glad I made it to Baku. Wherever it is.

HEYDAR ALIYEV CENTER

Designed by Zaha Hadid, it first opened in May 2012 and celebrated its gala opening in November 2013.

The centre will host art exhibitions, symposia, expositions and other events to promote Azerbaijani art and culture.

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Smart picks from over a million properties.

Garage New build >VVK Ă…VVYZ

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PROPERTY

The Colonnades, Sylvester Road, E8 This stunning warehouse apartment forms part of the third floor of a former glove factory. Spacious and immaculately finished throughout, the property boasts large sash windows, high ceilings, parquet flooring and exposed brickwork. Comprising of an inviting hallway entrance, good sized double bedroom, contemporary kitchen, bathroom, and impressive reception space.

ÂŁ515,000 Stirling Ackroyd, Hackney / 020 7749 3807 / stirlingackroyd.com

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£525 per week Royal Gate Apartments, E9 • Spacious school conversion • Secure off-street parking • Lauriston school catchment area • Available immediately • EPC Rating D

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£595,000 Leasehold Regent Nine, N1 • New apartment • Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • No chain • EPC Pending

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£1,250,000 Freehold Malvern Road, E8 • Semi detached • Large garden • Good Location • No chain • EPC Pending

*tenancy fees will apply. For more details on our fees please visit our website www.currell.com/knowledge-base/our-letting-fees

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PROPERTY

ROUND UP PROPERTY OF THE

MONTH

MIDDLETON ROAD, E8

ÂŁ600,000 A fantastic two bedroom apartment positioned close to Spitalfields market, Liverpool Street and Brick Lane. The property is presented to an excellent standard and offers solid wood floors, sash windows, two double bedrooms, contemporary kitchen and bathroom suite. Perfectly located to enjoy all the attractions of East London, as well easy access into the West End.

ÂŁ845,000 Freehold A beautiful property located on a popular street close to London Fields and Dalston. The accommodation offers just under 1250 sq ft (this includes the attic which has a reinforced foor). Facing front to back on the raised ground is the double reception opening up to an open plan kitchen, which provides access to a south-facing terrace. The top floor houses two double bedrooms, a smaller third and the family bathroom. The front double bedroom provides access to a well sized loft. The main feature to the house is an 81ft south facing garden, offering seclusion and tranquility.

Keatons, Shoreditch

Currell Residential, Hackney

COMMERCIAL STREET, E1

020 3535 7788; keatons.com

020 7241 4111; currell.com

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ABSOLUTELY Property MEHETABEL ROAD, E9 £950,000 Perfectly located on a quiet residential road, this funky two bedroom house is beautifully arranged over three floors and enjoys a fabulous 50’ garden. The property comprises a spacious reception room with dual aspect sash windows, stylish bathroom, and bespoke kitchen with garden access and space to dine. Mehetabel Road is ideally located close to the local shops and amenities of Clapton Road and Mare Street while the open spaces of Hackney Downs are also within easy reach.

7

Foxtons, Hackney

020 7386 6565; foxtons.co.uk

FARRINGDON ROAD, EC1 £1,095,000 A superbly bright and spacious three bedroom, three bathroom apartment that oozes charm and character, with parquet flooring throughout and set over the fourth floor of this landmark Grade II listed building. Originally an Engravers Workplace, this flat is in the heart of Farringdon and moments away from The Farringdon Cross rail link, servicing London Underground, Cross Rail and Thames link, as well as providing access to 3 London Airports.

Chesterton Humberts, Islington 020 7359 9777; chestertonhumberts.com

BROUGHAM ROAD, E8 £600 Per Week A fantastic opportunity to rent this stunning two bedroom house. The property has been tastefully refurbished to a high standard, there is a large double reception with solid wood flooring and sash windows, this leads through to a light and airy galley kitchen, with a dining area leading onto a decent sized garden.

Upstairs are two double bedrooms and a lovely family bathroom. The property benefits from having a basement for storage and is just a few minutes away from Broadway Market and London Fields.

BlakeStanley, Hackney 020 7254 7554; blakestanley.co.uk

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BlakeStanley

Fassett Square, E8

ÂŁ750,000

Set on the ground floor of a Grade II listed building, built circa 1930 and influenced by the Bauhaus School of Architecture (converted in 1999) is this three bedroom apartment. Located in Fassett Square, a charming but little-known garden square, the property offers over 1100 sq ft of space, which comprises an open plan living area with large industrial windows, modern kitchen with dining area, three double bedrooms and a three piece bathroom suite. The property benefits from a large communal roof terrace with panoramic views over the London skyline, and access to the communal rear garden. Excellently located close to the rail links of Dalston, Broadway Market and London Fields.

Share of Freehold

info@blakestanley.co.uk BLAKE STANLEY_APR.indd 2

11-13a Broadway Market, London Fields, London , E8 4PH 12/03/2014 17:23

www.blakestanley.co.uk

Glyn Road, E5

020 7254 7554

£350,000

Located on a popular residential street in Lower Clapton is this one bedroom garden flat. The property is situated on the lower-ground floor of a well maintained Victorian conversion and is offered to the market in excellent decorative order. Currently comprising a spacious reception with sash bay window, wooden floor & working fireplace, separate kitchen with access to a private west facing garden, double bedroom with built-in wardrobe, wet room and plenty of storage. Located moments away from the cafés, bars & restaurants of Chatsworth Road.

Share of Freehold

Amhurst Road, Hackney, E8

info@blakestanley.co.uk BLAKE STANLEY_APR.indd 3

£750,000

Located between London Fields and Victoria Park is this three double bedroom maisonette. Set over the top two floors of a period conversion, the property is offered to the market in good decorative order, with many original features retained. The property comprises a reception with fireplace, spacious kitchen with space for dining table, utility room with access to garden, three piece bathroom suite and a sizable attic. A short walk to the amenities of both Broadway Market & Victoria Park Village as well as the transport links of Central Hackney & Bethnal Green.

Freehold

£390pw

A large bright two bedroom property to let on the third floor of this modern development. The property consists of a huge open plan lounge and kitchen, two double bedrooms one of them with en-suite shower room, there is also a main bathroom. The property is very spacious and benefits from being very bright and also cheap on bills as its well-insulated. Nearest tube is Hackney Downs. Available 20th April.

Unfurnished

Tudor Road, E9

Sigdon Road, Hackney, E8

£410pw

This beautiful period conversion is available to rent close to Hackney Downs and Dalston. Arranged over the upper floors, the property offers an open-plan reception with bare brick walls and fitted kitchen, double bedroom with exposed wood flooring and high ceiling, second smaller double bedroom and bathroom with shower over bath. Available 5th May.

Unfurnished

11-13a Broadway Market, London Fields, London , E8 4PH 12/03/2014 17:24

ABSOLUTELY Property

Ask the Experts Our panel of professionals give you the edge in the property market

HEMA ANAND � 020 7354 3000 / colmancoyle.com

From Colman Coyle gives her expert advice on all your legal property questions

Q. I was under the impression that if a lease drops below 70 years, this may become a problem when coming to sell or remortgage. Is this correct?

Poppy Maynerd, MARLA

Lettings Manager at BlakeStanley Estate Agents, Hackney � 020 7254 7554; blakestanley.co.uk

WHAT DO YOUR MANAGEMENT FEES INCLUDE? Our management fee is our highest level of service, which means as a landlord you can totally relax in the knowledge that we can take care of everything for you.

We start by taking the photos, advertising the property and conducting all viewings. Once you have accepted a suitable offer, we will reference the tenants at no cost to you. We will organise all pre move stuff including gas certificates, cleaning, inventories, painting etc. You obviously pay the supplier costs, but we don’t charge anything extra to organise them. The tenant’s deposit is logged in a government scheme and there is no extra charge for this either.

Once the tenant has moved in we collect the rent monthly, and deal with any maintenance issues throughout the tenancy. We also do 3 inspections per year to make sure the property is being looked after. Finally, once the tenant moves out, we arrange the checkout, end of tenancy cleaning and negotiate between landlord and tenant regarding any deductions from the deposit.

Nick Moore

Senior Negotiator at Knight Frank, Islington

A. There are a couple of issues to consider. To begin with, the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 sets out that where a lease falls below 80 years, the premium payable to the landlord to extend the lease will increase. This is because an element referred to as “the marriage value” becomes payable to the landlord. The marriage value is essentially the increase in the value of your property following a lease term extension.

Secondly, you have referred to mortgageability and marketability.

These are different factors that have different considerations. For example, a short leasehold property located in prime central London may still be marketable and mortgageable compared to a short leasehold property located elsewhere.

Estate agents local to the area of the property can often comment on the marketability of a property subject to a short lease. In terms of mortgageability, that is the ability to get a mortgage for a property with a short lease, this will vary according to the individual lender’s requirements. For example, certain lenders have a requirement that the unexpired lease term should be 25 years plus the term of the mortgage.

� 020 3657 7342; knightfrank.com

HOW MUCH IS MY PROPERTY WORTH? As an agent, it is very easy to pull a figure out of the air and suggest that it is the right price to ask for a property. A good agent should be able to discuss historic comparables, the price at which they sold and how they compare to the property that they are being asked to value. They should be able to talk about market trends and percentages rises before bringing everything together and advising on the current value. In a market that is moving so quickly, most buyers are looking at the market in the same way, before deciding what to buy.

ASK THE EXPERTS Contact property partner Hema Anand with no obligation on (0)20 7354 3000 or email hema.anand@colmancoyle.com  www.colmancoyle.com 80 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0NU

SPOTLIGHT ON: N16 Average asking price - £469,430 | Average asking rents - £1,667 pcm | Average property value - £498,436 Data provided by property website 80

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Hackney Sales & Lettings

Glenarm Road, E5

Fletching Road, E5

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· Beautiful period family home · 3 Double bedrooms · Original features · Cellar

£550,000 SHARE OF FREEHOLD

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If only moving home was always this simple

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ABSOLUTELY Property

IN THEIR OWN

WORDS BENJAMIN HOBART Assistant Manager: Currell Residential, Hackney Photography: Rebecca Noonan

B

orn in Central London, it was always going to be hard to get away from the property industry, as both my parents are heavily involved within the market as developers, buy-to-let investors and agency owners. This meant that if I wasn’t moving house as my parents renovated a property and sold it, I would be sitting in one of their offices listening in as they worked on deals.

A career in agency was unavoidable.

At school I was initially far more interested in sport and creative subjects but as I reached 18 and the prospect of a working life grew nearer, economics and business caught my attention.

After school I chose to study Planning and Property Development at Nottingham Trent University. It’s a course predominantly focused on building construction and the elements of laws involved. This was a great foundation to have when starting in residential sales in a city like London, where there are so many amazing opportunities for property development.

The very first day following my final university exam, I joined Currell Residential in their Islington Office. I was based in the there for just over a year before moving to the Hackney Office in a more senior capacity, where I have now been for three years. This move worked very well for me as a lot of our clients now interested in the East are moving from Islington, so I am well placed to advise on both areas.

Hackney is a great area to work as an agent because there is such a broad scope of properties in the area which we get to handle, meaning we can cover every requirement of the market. You

can see a brand new apartment block along the Regent’s Canal one day and a five storey Victorian home on Albion Square the next, which means it is impossible to grow bored of this area. This diversity in what is available is what makes the area so popular with a range of buyers, as it can accommodate first time buyers looking for a flat in a fast growing area or families looking for more space on a quiet residential road in touching distance of some of the best schools London has to offer.

While our clients are varied, many are now professionals in the City because of the proximity to Liverpool Street as well as the quick connections to Canary Wharf, offered by the newly installed East London Connection. Amenities in the area are increasing by the day. Restaurants, bars, shops and better transport links are moving further across the borough into areas which have, historically, had little on offer. This is constantly bringing new buyers to Hackney, which is why prices have increased so much in recent years.

In some of the prime areas we have seen property increase as much as 25% in the past 18 months alone, and it doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon. With such high levels of regeneration with regards to property, improvement to infrastructure and local education facilities, Hackney’s future is really exciting and I feel fortunate to be a part of it.

020 7241 4111; currell.com

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Photography for illustrative purposes only.

DISCOVER | EXPLORE|CONNECT

CELEBRATING A RICH PAST CREATING A NEW FUTURE COMING SOON. Located moments from Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, St Katharine Docks and the City, in an area rich with history, London Dock is the capital’s most vibrant new place to live. Stylish apartments and penthouses, hotel-style residents’ facilities, beautifully landscaped squares, water gardens and boulevards lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Discover London Dock – a hidden treasure at the heart of the capital.

DISCOVER MORE | LONDONDOCK.CO.UK | 020 7971 7880 LONDON DOCK INFORMATION CENTRE, VAUGHAN WAY, LONDON E1W 1YY

www.stgeorgeplc.com Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Property Development STUNNING NEW HOMES: SPN1, SHOREDITCH PARK FA unique collection of just four Townhouses set directly on Shoreditch Park, ideally located between Old Street and Islington, SPN1 is a superb example of contemporary design.

Lovingly crafted by pH+, one of London’s leading young architectural practices, each of the homes showcases their unwavering attention-to-detail and belief in modern elegance.

Open plan and bathed in natural light across all levels, from the top floor to the lower ground, through the innovative integration of light wells, these are homes that embody the perfect marriage of form and function.

Completion date: 2015 Prices upon application spn1.co.uk Winkworth, Islington Sales / New Homes department 020 7354 2480 / 020 7989 4101; winkworth.co.uk

TELFORD HOMES: THE BOATYARD, E14 Telford Homes has launched the latest phase at its popular residential development, The Boatyard. The Clubhouse located on Stainsby Road, Poplar London, E14, features 31 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses, in a parkside setting with views of Bartlett Park, Canary Wharf and beyond.

The interiors have been designed to maximise light, comfort and views.

Each stylish new apartment includes fully fitted kitchens by London designer Urban Myth, integrated Smeg appliances and bathrooms with bespoke cabinetry, walk-in showers equipped with chrome fixtures and ceramic tiling, as well as under-floor heating in all rooms. The Boatyard also features high quality security systems.

Prices for The Clubhouse start from ÂŁ402,500 for a two bedroom apartment.

020 3538 3273; telfordhomes.plc.uk/the-boatyard/

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After the umpteenth year, the self-made man rested.

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Stirling Ackroyd All around East London E8

E8

£550,000

£650,000

HACKNEY SALES - GREENWOOD ROAD A 1/2 bed conversion occupying the lower level of a 3 storey Victorian conversion in London Fields. EPC pending.

HACKNEY SALES – GRAHAM ROAD A spacious duplex apartment boasting its own front door, 2 double bedrooms & a large entertaining space. EPC – E

E8

E2

£900,000

£395,000

SHOREDITCH SALES - QUEBEC WHARF Stunning live/work warehouse conversion set within this award winning gated canal-side development off Kingsland Road. EPC - D

SHOREDITCH 020 7749 3838

CLERKENWELL 020 7549 0606

HACKNEY 020 7749 3807

WEST END 020 7256 3244

IBIZA 0034 971 326 788

ISTANBUL +90 (0)444 4493

SHOREDITCH SALES - ST. MATTHEWS ROW This is a beautiful 1 bedroom flat set in a gated development. The spacious reception room offers wonderful views of Saint Matthew’s Church. EPC - C

BANKSIDE 020 7940 3888

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E5

N16

£595 pw

£720 pw

HACKNEY LETTINGS- CLIFDEN ROAD A recently renovated 4 bedroom house with stunning 120 ft rear garden situated off the popular Chatsworth Road. EPC - E

HACKNEY LETTINGS - NORTHWOLD ROAD A newly refurbished 4 bedroom apartment split over 3 floors, in close proximity to Stoke Newington station. EPC - D

E1

EC2M

£795 pw

£450 pw

SHOREDITCH LETTINGS - PRINCELET STREET A modern loft apartment situated in the heart of Brick Lane/ Spitalfields offering over 1,000 sqft of contemporary living space. EPC pending

SHOREDITCH LETTINGS - BISHOPSGATE A fantastic 1 bedroom apartment enviably located directly opposite Liverpool Street station, finished to an impeccable standard. EPC pending

LETTINGS PRICES EXCLUDE ADDITIONAL FEES. PLEASE SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS.

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the

Welcome to The Clubhouse

B OAT YA R D LIMEHOUSE LONDON E14

The last phase at the successful Boatyard development

THE CLUBHOUSE APARTMENTS LAST PHASE SELLING FAST

The Clubhouse is a collection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in a parkside location adjacent to Bartlett Park and close to the historic waterside frontage of the Limehouse Cut, just minutes from Canary Wharf and The City.

Prices from £310,000 *

BROMLEY -BY-BOW

OAD EL R AP CH ALDGATE ITE

ST

EAST

DEVONS ROAD

LANGDON PARK

COMMERCIAL ROA D

SHADWELL

AY THE HIGHW

LIMEHOUSE

D EAST INDIA

OAD OC K R

NW AY

PE

TOWER GATEWAY

AS

REET

EL T UNN

the BOATYARD D

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WH

MILE END A

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WHITECHAPEL OAD SHOREDITCH DR EN HIGH STREET M IL E

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LIVERPOOL STREET

BOW BOW CHURCH ROAD

MILE END PARK

TT BURDE

OAD EEN R L GR NA TH BE

A

D ROA VE RO

HOXTON

LIMEHOUSE BASIN AD R RO LTE SA

CANARY WHARF

CANADA WATER ED

FR RI F

D

LONDON BRIDGE A O

SALES & MARKETING SUITE: Cotall Street, London, E14 6JL Open Daily: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm • Sunday 11am - 5pm Contact us now: 020

3538 2341

www.theboatyardapartments.co.uk Map not to scale. Computer generated image of the development. *Price correct at time of going to press.

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