EAST FEBRUARY 2014

ABSOLUTELY

FEBRUARY 2014 £3.95

FASH PACK HOLIDAY STYLE INSPIRATION

DALSTON SUPERSTAR IDRIS ELBA ON THE

ROAD TO PLAYING MANDELA

DATE NIGHT

WHERE TO STAY THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

Queen

Hearts The Love issue

Of

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CONTENTS FE BRUARY

2014

05 EDITOR’S LETTER 06 WHAT’S ON

LOCAL

08 DALSTON SUPERSTAR Idris Elba: Being Mandela

12 LOVE INN

Where to eat, stat and love this Valentine’s Day

STYLE

18 UNDERCOVER LOVER Lacy, racy boudoir belle

25 HAPPY FEET

Rachael Laine on the virtues of Salt Water Sandals

27 HOLIDAY WISHLISTS Insider vacation essentials

FOOD

45 HOT TABLES

Top ten dinner destinations

46 WE’LL DRINK TO THAT

Recipes from the cocktail king, Tristan Stephenson

TRAVEL

58 HOME FROM HOME

Alex Jones on why she’d move to Bermuda

60 THE BEAUTY SPOT

Edwina Langley falls under Rio’s spell

Find us online @zest-media.com

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HOW DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?

Trade in your old TV and save up to

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islington@bang-olufsen.co.uk

Bang & Olufsen of Islington - BeoVision 11 Trade In Offer (Produced 07 Nov 2013) - Place at 100% (210 x 297mm + 3mm Bleed)

10/01/2014 14:14

ABSOLUTELY EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT EDITORIAL INTERNS PROPERTY EDITOR TRAVEL EDITOR ART DIRECTOR

HELEN BARON CATHERINE HALES ELLIE RICHARDS HUGO HUNTER GEORGIE LANE-GODFREY RAY SEARLE

PRODUCTION MANAGER

STEWART HYDE

EDITORIAL DESIGNER

ANDREW MAVIN

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GEMMA ISTEED

PRODUCTION DESIGNER

TAHIR KAPUCU

ARTWORKER

EKREM YILMAZ

JUNIOR DESIGNER

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PRODUCTION CONTROLLER PHOTOGRAPHERS NORTH & CENTRAL ADVERTISING MANAGER ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR

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EMILY SAUNDERSON

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MARIANNE MCFADDEN

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MARKETING MANAGER DIRECTOR MANAGING DIRECTOR

LEAH DAY GREG HUGHES SHERIF SHALTOUT

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EDITOR’S let ter

B

FEBRUARY 2014

y the time February rolls around, I’ve usually had it. It’s likely been a long winter (and this year, a seeming eternity since last year’s long-awaited ‘summer of sun’).

Sick of the freezing winds and perennial grey skies, and with the cosier, Christmassy part of winter long since stamped out, February’s only redeeming feature seems to be its length… and even then, 28 days seems way too long.

It can’t be all doom and gloom though, and to that end we’re prescribing a winter sun escape – a shot of vitamin D to the system and some warm rays to thaw those stiff and achy bones. Luckily for you, this issue celebrates travel, as Edwina Langley heads off to Rio – contender for coolest city in the world – while Alexandra Jones lifts the lid on Bermuda, tropical tax haven and home to the world’s most famous triangle. Not your average holiday destinations, then.

Of course, this month also means Valentine’s Day – though whether that tempers or exacerbates the February blues may depend on your situation. At any rate, we’ve compiled a guide to our current favourite hotel/restaurant combos in case you’re looking to take a luxury staycation. And if you’re simply looking for a table that will impress a hot date (gents, take note), we’ve dispatched our roving reporter Beth Evans to round up the ten best, most buzzing restaurants to try ASAP... before another ten pop up and the list of must-visit local hotspots grows even longer.

Have a great month.

Helen Baron, Editor

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

ON THE COVERS:

City & Angel, East & Borough & Docklands: Stella Jean; stellajean.it

13/01/2014 14:52

WHAT’S ON

DON’T MISS



PRIVATE LIVES

HOLLOWAY ODEON 2 FEBRUARY

One of the most famous plays in Noel Coward’s canon, Private Lives tells the story of two people with a lot in common: wealth, recklessness and a hearty disliking for each other. Divorcees Elyot and Amanda have been separated for five years until the are reunited by chance on the balconies of their adjoining hotel rooms on the Riviera whilst honeymooning with their new spouses - as one can imagine, chaos ensues. This acclaimed production of Coward’s classic stars Anna Chancellor and Toby Stephens and is now showing at your local cinema.

CITY OF LONDON DOLLSHOUSE FESTIVAL THE TOWER HOTEL 2 FEBRUARY

Returning after an immensely popular inaugural event last year, the Dollshouse Festival unites some of the world’s finest craftsmen dedicated to creating period and contemporary furniture, glassware, china, silverware and ceramics all in miniature as well as dolls, pets, lighting and appliances.

Notable exhibitors will include Dateman Books, Lucy Askew, Anglia Dolls Houses and Carol Cook.

St Katherine’s Way, E1; dollshousefestival.co.uk

419-427 Holloway Road, N7; odeon.co.uk

ANNA CALVI THE TROXY 8 FEBRUARY

One of music’s worst kept secrets, Anna Calvi garnered critical acclaim with her Mercury and Brit nominated album Anna Calvi and shows no sign of slowing down. One Breath, Calvi’s newest release, promises to be a more intimate record than its predecessor with the singer herself describing it as ‘the moment before you’ve got to open yourself up, and it’s about how terrifying that is. It’s scary and it’s thrilling. It’s also full of hope, because whatever has to happen hasn’t happened yet.’ Catch the sultry songstress at Whitechapel venue The Troxy.

490 Commercial Road, E1; eatyourownears.com

THE DUCHESS OF MALFI SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE THEATRE UNTIL 16 FEBRUARY

The Globe’s new production of Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi sees rising star of the silver screen Gemma Arterton in the title role, returning to the theatre where she made her professional stage debut in 2007. Described as the ‘most intimate’ of Jacobean tragedies, the play tells the story of a widowed duchess who longs to marry her lover, the steward Antonio, against the wishes of her scheming brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal. When a spy discovers that the duchess is carrying the lowly Antonio’s child, the ruthless pair move swiftly to exact a shocking revenge...

21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, SE1; shakespearesglobe.com

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F E B R U A R Y

BOOK REVIEW

REVIEW

THE NEWS: A USER’S MANUAL

by ALAIN DE BOTTON

The scandal of the ongoing Leveson Inquiry forced us all to evaluate and question the sometimes underhand methods of journalists, and reaffirmed the cliche that not everything we read should be taken as gospel. Despite this, the social importance and authority of the news in contemporary society is ever prevalent. It is this topic that influential writer, philosopher and founder of the School of Life Alain de Botton has explored in his new book, The News: A User’s Manual – an eye-opening and intriguing illustrated guide to the precautions we should take when we read the news.

Published 6 February, £18.99; Penguin

THE COAT ROUTE

by MEG LUKENS NOONAN

EMIL AND THE DETECTIVES

NATIONAL THEATRE A German children’s novella set in 1930s Berlin may not be an obvious choice for the National Theatre’s newest family show, but Emil and the Detectives works better on stage than you would ever imagine. It’s a small story that takes in a number of elements that lend themselves perfectly to theatre: a classic villain, an innocent young boy, a big group of children and pre-war Berlin. And in the vast space of the Olivier it’s an impressive performance, memorable for its choreography and sheer visual impact.

In many ways it’s the city that’s the real star of the show, evoked through a minimalist, angular set and a series of expressionist, Metropolis-style projections plus a choreography of lampposts, umbrellas and men in suits. There’s a clever sewer scene, an

impressive tram ride and a buzzing newsroom, all generating the aesthetic of a busy capital that appears threatening to newlyarrived, 10 year-old Emil, who has been robbed of his precious 140 marks on the train from provincial Neustadt. The child actors put on a fantastic performance, particularly Izzy Lee as Emil’s tomboyish cousin Pony the Hat, whose culottes and bicycle ensemble is as stylish as anything, and Ethan Hammer as the brave and loyal Emil, while the team of 50 detectives (recruited from local schools through a series of spring workshops) fill the stage with character as they chase the villainous Mr Snow to justice in project Password Emil.

Emil and the Detectives runs until 19 March; nationaltheatre.org.uk

Shoppers are often torn between stocking up on cheap, disposable trends from high street chains or spending more on quality, investment pieces - often opting for the former. But even the biggest of big spenders would balk at the idea of spending $50,000 on a coat. When journalist and travel writer Meg Lukens Noonan learned of this eye-wateringly expensive creation, she impulsively set off on a quest to find out how it was made. This unique journey into artisan production took her from a fourth-generation tailor in Sydney, to rare fleece from Peru, exquisite Italian silk to a quaint English button factory. This is the story of one very special coat and a testament to item of lasting value in an increasingly disposable society.

Published 14 February, £8.99; Scribe Publications

THE DEEPEST SECRET

by CARLA BUCKLEY Tyler Lattimore is an ordinary teenage boy living under extraordinary circumstances: he suffers from a rare medical condition that renders him fatally sensitive to light. This means that everyday life for Tyler and his protective mother Eve is conducted behind closed doors and heavy curtains – only venturing outside under the safety of nightfall. As Tyler grows ever more restless under his stifling conditions, a tragedy rocks the quiet cul-de-sac and Eve will be forced to protect her family from secrets that not even love can conceal. An engaging and riveting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Published 4 February, £20; Bantam Dell Publishing Group

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Dalston

SUPERSTAR From Stringer Bell in The Wire to Nelson Mandela in Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom, Shaun Curran talks to Idris Elba, the Dalston-born actor fast becoming a legend in his own right t’s been a challenging few months for Idris Elba – the Dalstonborn actor having juggled the weight of considerable global expectation with the passing of someone who made a significant impact on both him and his career. The 41 year-old had become close to the family of Nelson Mandela following his portrayal of the former South Africa President in Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom, and the timing of the great man’s passing, on the eve of the film’s world premiere, was as perfectly fitting as it was profoundly sad.

It’s all a long way from the Ford motor factory and nightclubs of East London where Elba won his first meaningful employment. A challenging upbringing around the rough and ready environs of Dalston appeared to have mapped out a much more ordinary life for the actor.

‘That was the plan,’ he laughs. ‘And

I

that might have been the case, but something in me wanted more. You look at Mandela and it’s the same thing, the same stimulus. It’s about looking at what you’ve got, looking at the world around you, and deciding you want more… perhaps that you deserve more. For me, it was about maximising the potential I was sure I had inside. Sure, I love East London, I love Dalston and Hackney and the people there, and I love going back to spend time there. I would never detach myself from where I grew up because I am so proud of the area and the people. But none of that has ever been a reason for anyone to feel they have to settle for what they have.’

Having broken away from his roots and achieved a bevy of bit-part roles, the actor got his first major break in 2002, when he won the role of Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell in HBO crime drama The Wire.

‘What it came down to was having

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respect for myself and wanting to prove my talent,’ he says. ‘I have always had to fight for what I’ve had in life – it’s not like we grew up in poverty, but you always strive for more, no matter what you do, and earning something the right way, doing it for myself, was always really important for me.

The Wire was really the start of that being realised.’

Of course, achievement is that much more achievable when everything about you exudes confidence, as is certainly the case with Elba. You sense that, even when working night-shifts sorting car parts, he was the kind of guy other people would see as epitomising ‘cool’. Would he agree?

‘Growing up, wanting to look good was what it was all about within my group of mates,’ he admits. ‘I wouldn’t say there was competition, but it was always good to be seen out looking smart and playing the part, y’know? I think, with guys, it’s important not to be seen to be trying too hard. I don’t wear anything outlandish – it’s just

IT’S ABOUT LOOKING AT WHAT YOU’VE GOT, LOOKING AT THE WORLD AROUND YOU, AND DECIDING YOU WANT MORE… PERHAPS THAT YOU DESERVE MORE. FOR ME, IT WAS ABOUT MAXIMISING THE POTENTIAL I WAS SURE I HAD INSIDE

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is out now at selected cinemas.

a case of knowing what works for me and sticking with it. And I’ve always said it’s more about who you are than what you wear – but if clothes give you confidence and energy, then you’re a better person for them.’

Of course, looking good wasn’t a prerequisite for the Nelson Mandela role, which demanded instead humility, respect and absolute dedication to arguably the most keenly observed film role of recent memory.

‘I’m so proud to have been given the role,’ Elba says. ‘Words cannot express

what the whole thing has meant to me – it’s by far the biggest thing I have done; perhaps the biggest thing I will ever do. I so wanted to do it justice and I hope people believe I have done. Nelson Mandela was such an inspirational figure – a true global giant in a sometimes cheapened world of celebrity culture. It makes you realise how truly important his contribution was. I’ve always felt, and I still feel, that there were other actors out there who could have at least matched me on this. But unless I believed I was good enough for this I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance of doing it justice. And when you get an email from Zindzi, Mandela’s daughter, saying how thrilled the family is that you’re doing the role... well, that kind of cements it.’

Elba is now the bookmakers’ favourite to succeed Daniel Craig as the next James Bond, but refuses to be drawn on the speculation, choosing to remain grounded about fame and its fickle promises.

‘No matter what happens in future, it’s got to be about how you view things as a person. I guess the respect is what you do it for, but the knowledge that deep inside you have succeeded will always outweigh praise from others or the assorted trappings that go with this industry.’

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Concept Kitchens

Bath Sorts

38 Offord Road, Islington, London, N1 020 7700 1333 www.bathsorts.co.uk

The Tile box Bathsorts 2013.indd 1

40 Offord Road, Islington, London, N1 020 7700 1555 www.conceptkitchensislington.co.uk

40 Offord Road, Islington, London, N1 020 7700 1444 www.thetilebox.co.uk

20/09/2013 14:52

EAT STAY LOVE

A DINNER DATE IS ALL WELL AND GOOD, BUT WHAT BETTER WAY TO FOLLOW THE FEASTING THAN WITH AN OVERNIGHT STAY IN ONE OF THE AREA’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT DESIGN HOTELS? ABSOLUTELY PICKS THREE OF LONDON’S MOST IMPRESSIVE VALENTINE’S DESTINATIONS. THE BOUNDARY

MODERN DICKENSIAN SUITE BY POLLY DICKENS

the aesthetic, is one of urbane contemporary sophistication. Rooms are cleverly arranged to maximise space and provide a host of practical luxuries without letting things get complicated or overwrought. Each has been individually designed by truly top-level talent, including one split-level suite by Sir Terence Conran himself, and the shelves are lined with fascinating books and vintage objets. The furnishings have been sourced from the world’s best suppliers or made bespoke: the Conran Suite’s Karouselli chair, designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro, was our favourite; it feels like sitting on a cloud. The bathrooms, meanwhile, are amply stocked with Aesop bath products – an inspired touch.

CONRAN SUITE

op hoteliers Prescott and Conran know the difference between great design and mere ostentation, and the Boundary in Shoreditch is testament to their refined good taste and judgement. The 17-room hotel is discreetly minimal in frontage and layout; once inside, every aspect of both service and accommodation caters in elegant, forward-thinking fashion to your comfort and pleasure. The atmosphere, like

T

MODERN DICKENSIAN BATHROOM

THE BOUNDARY ROOFTOP GRILL

It doesn’t get much better than this. The Boundary features three distinct dining options: the exquisite Art Deco indulgence of the basement Boundary restaurant (which has been raved about in these pages more than once), the breezy cafe vibe of the Albion and the more informal Rooftop bar and grill. The latter is a bit of a hidden gem – it used to be open to the elements, and was often closed as a result, but the recent addition of an enclosed seating area now makes it possible to enjoy the varied menu (which includes a great range of fresh seafood) even when the weather won’t play ball. On our visit we plumped for the dishes suggested by our brilliant server, Sorin, sampling a colourful array of expertly prepared Mediterranean hors d’oeuvres, light and fluffy seared cod, a succulent artichoke, aubergine and mozzarella tart and some sublimely bittersweet cocktails. Desserts were incredible, especially the tart and delicious plum tatin. Truly one of the capital’s best dining options, and pretty much guaranteed not to disappoint.

2-4 Boundary Street, E2; theboundary.co.uk

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CATCH CHAMPAGNE BAR & LOUNGE he most recent addition to the assortment of dining options at the Andaz Hotel, Catch Champagne Bar & Lounge is a high-end way to start or finish an evening in the City or Shoreditch.

Street access to the lounge means you’re free to wander in for an aperitif or a nightcap, and the bar boasts an impressive wine list of more than 70 champagnes plus wine to match every bite from the food menu. There’s also a long list of spirits, including 23 whiskeys to choose from.

For a cool but casual atmosphere, the lounge is an ideal setting to sit and take in the chic interior while grazing your way through the menu.

It’s hard to surpass a Veuve Clicquot NV with Maldon smoked salmon, blinis and caviar to share – although if you prefer more simple bar fare, the beef sliders and salt and pepper squid are just as appetising. Dessert is a no-brainer, with sticky toffee pudding cake pops and an Orange Muscat providing a mouth-watering final flourish.

40 Liverpool Street, EC2; andaz.hyatt.com

T

features of the Victorian edifice, and succeeds in infusing a historic building with an exhilaratingly modern sense of style. Period details include double-width corridors in guest areas, once necessary to accommodate the gigantic bustles of Victorian ladies’ dresses, and handsomely appointed, retro-inspired boutique rooms that use bespoke fittings and clever design to echo the interiors of classic railway carriages. There’s a cosmopolitan buzz everywhere inside the building, as befits the hotel’s setting and status on the doorstep of some of the busiest transport termini in the world. The result is an exciting and romantic ambience: it’s something like stepping into the world of a favourite storybook – but one containing every contemporary indulgence.

GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL verlooking the newly unveiled King’s Cross Square and sandwiched between two of London’s grandest old stations, the Great Northern is nothing if not superbly located. Billed as ‘the world’s first great railway hotel’ (which it was, when it first opened in 1854), its recent renovation and relaunch has retained many of the original

O

PLUM + SPILT MILK

If the Great Northern were an oyster, Plum + Spilt Milk would be the pearl at its heart. An intimatelysized, radiant space named for the livery colours of the first engine ever to leave King’s Cross, the restaurant is the brainchild of Mark Sargeant, a chef so gifted it’s probably about time we stopped referring to him as a former protégé of Gordon Ramsay. A brilliantly balanced menu reimagines classic British dishes and makes the most of seasonal ingredients. Cocktails are exemplary and the wine list is very well-judged – and if you’re after something similarly tasty but a little less formal, there’s also a new seafood menu in the hotel’s ground-floor bar.

King’s Cross St Pancras Station, Pancras Road, N1; gnhlondon.com

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ABSOLUTELY FASHION

FULL STEAM AHEAD

The current Ted Baker collection is elegant with a retro 40s/50s feel, featuring nipped in waists and clean lines. We can also confirm that standing next to a steam train will make you look at least 80% more chic whilst wearing them. Unit 5 Canada Place, E14; tedbaker.com

WRAP UP

We’ve found a winter warmer worth cooing over. This cuddly oversize coat –from purveyors of French chic –Sandro, nails the shearling trend so your cool credentials will remain intact while you layer up. Moelleux Coat, €395; fr.sandro-paris.com

E STYILP T

FASHION NOTES

GET SHIRTY

ABSOLUTELY SPANGLED

Ribbons aren’t just for little girls. A loose, messy plait held in place with a chunky black ribbon adds an effortless touch of girlish charm at minimal cost.

Image: ASOS

Forget diamonds for Valentine’s Day; these crystallised earrings from Wolf and Moon are spangly, dangly and a hundred times more fun (and therefore much more likely to get you hot-stepping on the dancefloor). £40; wolf-and-moon.com

Denim is back with a vengeance for SS14. Designers found ways to integrate the fabric into their collections as well as completely reworking it in dresses, skirts and jumpsuits. There were even some all-over denim looks for the more confident fashionista; for the rest of us, there’s this lovely smock-style shirt from eco-label Beaumont Organic. £176; beaumontorganic.com

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PHILIP TREACY LEONARD TRILBY IN PRINTED SINAMAY WITH FEATHER AND FANTASY TRIM £750; philiptreacy.co.uk

ISSA AW13

AGENT PROVOCATEUR MATINÉE BLACK KIMONO £475; agentprovocateur.com

TORY BURCH SHERRY CRYSTAL EMBELLISHED BOUCLÉ COAT £940; harveynichols.com

JOIE DARYN SNAKE-PRINT SILK TOP £240; harveynichols.com

ONE VINTAGE NOELLA MAXI DRESS £3,950; net-a-porter.com

S OR’ T I ED

K PIC

TOPSHOP LACE FRINGE KIMONO £60; topshop.com

PATTERN PALETTE

BROWN, BEIGE, BLACK: WORK THE TREND FOR FEBRUARY KURT GEIGER EARL BOOTS £495; kurtgeiger.com

JASON WU LEATHER AND LACE-TRIMMED STRETCHPONTE DRESS £1,630; net-a-porter.com

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LOVER Racy lacy looks for Valentine’s Day Photography Steve Wallington Alex Longmore

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Black plain bra, £42 and black plain pants £21

by Studio La Perla, laperla.com, or at houseoffraser.co.uk 08456 021 03 Lace bunny ears, £7, urbanoutfitters.co.uk

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Black baby doll, halter neck negligee £425, myla.com, 08448736111 Black pants £18 by Sexy Pants and Naughty Knickers, pomlampson.com, 020 7376 5336 Heart and arrow necklace £208, daisyknights. com, 01608811889

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Black body with lace, £376, by Chantal Thomas at petitsbisous.com 020 73527044 Black velvet strappy heels, £570, Gina Gold heart ring, £180

by Daisy Knights, as before

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Nude and black lace body, ÂŁ385, Sarrieri, http:// www.sarrieri.com Black stones knuckleduster ring ÂŁ316 by ESHVI. co.uk 02033999303

Photography: Steve Wallington Styling: Alex Longmore Assisted by: Beatrice Trodden Hair & Make Up: Aly Hazelwood using Rococo Nail Apparel Model: Tyler @ FM With thanks to The Portobello Hotel 22 Stanley Gardens, W11 2NG 020 7727 2777

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ABSOLUTELY LOCAL

HAPPY FEET NORTH LONDONER RACHAEL LAINE ON THE US FOOTWEAR STAPLE THAT’S FAST BECOMING A UK FASHION MUST-HAVE

Tell us about Craftymothers?

Craftymothers looks to launch and build brands that don’t exist in the UK and European markets. I only concentrate on what I can get truthfully passionate about: this means all the brands I approach are focused on family lifestyle and they must have a unique selling point. After having my kids I realised how much stuff is sold as ‘essential’ but just clutters our lives needlessly.

What is so unique about the original Salt Water Sandal and why did you want to work with them?

I noticed Salt Water Sandals appearing on American ‘mommy blogs’ when I was on maternity leave with my second child. I was drawn to them because they were so simple, classic and plain. I hated all the glittery embellished squeaky-heeled offerings in the shops – I just wanted a plain summer shoe that wasn’t trying to be a toy; plus I wasn’t keen on moulded Birkenstocks for my young daughter’s soft feet and Crocs had no support. When I discovered Salt Waters could also get wet, the love affair got serious! They’re great for the UK’s pebble beaches too.

MY MOTTO SO FAR HAS BEEN, ‘WALK SLOWLY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, DON’T RUN TOO FAST IN THE WRONG ONE’.

Why are Salt Water Sandals a holiday must-have?

The fact that they come in 14 colours and go with every outfit (be it cut-off denims or a glam maxi dress) makes them the best chameleon accessory. They pack completely flat and if you take one classic colour and one special (metallic or patent), you are pretty much set for any occasion. They are also super comfortable and don’t dry up and crack after washing or getting wet. In fact, we advise you to get them wet at least once as they relax to your foot’s shape.

Why has it taken so long for the product to cross the pond?

I guess I was lucky enough to ask them first and then didn’t give up until they agreed!

Because Salt-Waters are such a summer staple in the USA, there are no big advertising campaigns – you just go down to your local shoe store at the start of the summer and pick

out a new pair. They were originally only a kids range of sandals but since up-scaling them to adult sizes, those grown-up kids started wearing them alongside their children. It certainly helped that celebs like Maggie Gyllenhaal, Alexa Chung, Kate Moss and Sienna Miller are big fans.

How long have you been in the fashion industry? Did you always want to strike out on your own?

This is only my second foray into fashion. It was more the story and design of Salt-Water as a product that got me super excited as a marketeer.

You just couldn’t go wrong with an unknown launch product that has the magic triptych of an

authentic history, classic design and truthful USP. After having kids, you do evaluate the hours you work and I knew that if I was going to continue at director level I at least wanted to be doing it for myself and for something I really cared about. My career path has been creative, rich and varied (TV producer, florist, events director and even writing a few kids books), but it has stood me in good stead for the many hats I have to wear in one working day. My motto so far has been, ‘Walk slowly in the right direction, don’t run too fast in the wrong one’. I just need to be reminded of it every now and then! sunsansandals.co.uk

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MITCH CLOTHING SIZE 16 - 30 0207 586 0030 | WWW.MITCHCLOTHING.CO.UK | 14 ENGLAND’S LANE, LONDON NW3 4TG

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ABSOLUTELY FASHION

Holiday

EDIE PARKER CLUTCH

I’ll be packing Edie Parker’s trophy clutches, inspired by the showgirls and socialites of the ’50s and ’60s. £1,040

W ISH LIST A CLUTCH OF STYLE AND HEALTH INDUSTRY INSIDERS SHARE THEIR TRAVEL ESSENTIALS AND FAVOURITE DESTINATIONS.

MARNI FLATS

Flat sandals are must- haves for SS14. Seen everywhere from Marc Jacobs to Givenchy, my favourites are Marni’s metallic leather sandals, which feature a moulded insole for extra all-day comfort. £370

ALL CLOTHES AVAILABLE FROM

Our Wandering Minds,120 Islington High Street, N1;

STRIPED SKATER SKIRT

OURWANDERINGMINDS.COM

For a cute and easy beach look £44

SASHA SAROKIN

JOSEPH OXFORD WHITE SHIRT

You can’t go wrong with a classic white shirt like this Joseph Oxford version, exclusive to Net a Porter. It can add a luxe touch to a casual outfit and looks great worn over swimwear paired with a statement necklace. £160

BUYING MANAGER NET-A-PORTER

ALL AVAILABLE FROM NET-A-PORTER.COM

DESTINATION Greece. The perfect blend of sun, fun and tranquility.

ELISA EMERY

FOUNDER OF OUR WANDERING MINDS DESTINATION Miami. The food, beaches and architecture are incredible.

BOOK Any over-the-top fantastical novel by Danielle Steel to read on the beach.

BEAUTY La Roche-Posay sunscreen with SPF 50; I prefer tanning slowly and gradually. £16.50, available at Boots

FLORAL BLAZER For a relaxed yet stand-out daytime look that immediately adds a twist to any simple outfit. £56

BEAUTY

Natura Bisse’s Cure Sheer Cream is amazing! It’s tinted so it’s great for evening out imperfections. £135

BOOK Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead

GOLD JEWELLERY

One of my current favourite brands is Arme De L’Amour. The finger bracelets and arm cuffs are designed to be stacked for an edgy finish to your holiday look. £280

ANFRAY & ANFRAY INSEPARABLE RING

This twists and is also practical, I never take it off. £1,700; wolfandbadger.com BEAUTY

Bobbi Brown lipsticks.

I love experimenting with more daring shades on holiday. £18 & £19; bobbibrown.co.uk

LILY SIMPSON FOUNDER OF THE DETOX KITCHEN DETOXKITCHEN.CO.UK

DESTINATION India – I recently went to Munnar Tea Plantation to do a three day cooking course, then on to Kerala.

BOOK The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton; it won the Booker Prize but is 800 pages long so it’s the perfect holiday read.

NICHOLAS THORN MENSWEAR BUYER AT QUESTION AIR

GOLD NECKLACE

‘I Love a Lassie’ Cobweb lace necklace – I love gold and this necklace is the perfect for holiday; it looks great on bronzed skin. £135; ilovealassie.uk.com

BEAUTY

I love Murdock for men’s shaving toiletries and the new Napier 1903 cologne is my absolute holiday essential – just remember to pack it in your hold luggage! £90; murdocklondon.com

ORLEBAR BROWN POLO SHIRT PANTHER MESSENGER BAG

My ultimate travel companion.

PantherAviator Messenger Bag, £327; opumo.com

Conveniently made of terry towelling, this is ideal poolside wear. £95

AVIATOR SUNGLASSES

I like to stick to simple aviators; new for the season are this Sheriff and Cherry Pair. £125

DANE SWIMMING TRUNKS

The slate grey shade adds a dash of sophisitication. £129

DESTINATION Mustique; the most perfect winter sun location I can think of.

BOOK Lord of the Rings – its great for long plane journeys.

PAUL SMITH HOLDALL BAG

For weekend jaunts, I recommend this navy holdall.

I’ll be taking it everywhere for SS14. £165

ALL AVAILABLE FROM

Question Air, 28 Rosslyn Hill, NW3;

QUESTION-AIR.COM

27

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THE WORLD’S

LARGEST

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARCHIVE

ED

CENSOR

What will you uncover on a tour of the What will you uncover on a tour of the Museum of London’s Archaeological Archive?

Museum of London’s Archaeological Archive?

SHOREDITCH’S SAUCY SIDE

Sat 1 & Fri 7 Feb, 11am – 12.30pm & 2-3.30pm Tour the art of erotica in preparation for Valentine’s Day. SHAKESPEARE’S LONDON

Sat 1 & Fri 7 Mar, 11am – 12.30pm & 2-3.30pm Delve into the theatre, plays and people of the 16th century.

IN TUNE WITH ARCHAEOLOGY

Fri 4 & Sat 5 Apr, 11am – 12.30pm & 2-3.30pm Handle a bird bone flute or a medieval tuning peg!

Book now

museumoflondon.org.uk/tours 020 7001 9844 London Musuem.indd 2

10/01/2014 14:18

FOR HIM

ABSOLUTELY FASHION

STYLE SKI

Designed for performance, RLX’s collection is lightweight, comfortable and breathable. Oh, and did we mention it’s warm and it looks good too? Water-repellent jackets, fleece pullovers and nylon pants all feature in a variety of jazzy colours – like this printed waterproof jacket (pictured). Team it with jeans, boots and YES, a polo-neck for après ski, and this seasons’ skiwear.

Prices vary; ralphlauren.com

STAY ON-TREND OFF-PISTE, WITH OUR GUIDE TO THE SEASON’S BEST SKIWEAR AND ACCESSORIES BOOT CAMP

Power, precision and efficient energy transmission – what more could you want from a ski boot?

If the answer’s a flamboyant colour scheme and excellent onand off-piste performance, the Rossignol Alltrack Pro 130 is the only boot you’ll ever need. £295.06 from snowinn.com

CATCH SOME AIR

The ABS Vario L Silver Steel is no ordinary backpack – it features an avalanche safety system to save your skin should the slopes suddenly give way.

Alongside the usual pockets and pouches, this clever bit of kit contains two airbags that can be inflated to provide a vital air pocket in the event of an avalanche. With a 97% survival rate, it sounds like a wise investment. £499 from snowsafe.co.uk

ICECAPADES

Goggles still reduce glare and protect your eyes, but in 2014 they’re capable of so much more. Oakley’s Airwave 1.5 peepers feature smartphone pairing and GPS tracking as well as a host of sporty tech functions, so you can measure stuff like speed and the length of jumps. £520, available at Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, 6 Cheapside Passage, One New Change, EC2; ellis-brigham.com

RARE EARTH

The Rare Earth project sees extreme sports giant Quiksilver team up with progressive brand Isaora to produce a capsule range of high performance snowboarding kit. The line is inspired by the intersection of nature and technology, and features some super stylish boardwear as well as goggles, backpack and a matching board. isaora.com

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Flamenco Festival LONDON

“Sadler’s Wells has struck gold with its annual season of flamenco” THE INDEPENDENT

1 - 15 March

Quarter page.indd 1

10/01/2014 12:01

EP 1

ST . erfect card Find the p d laughs to rte ea From light-h essages, at romantic m to find , you’re sure Paperchase ge to impress your sa the right mes your secret crush. r soul mate o m just £1.75…

Available fro er to seal just rememb . with a kiss

STEP 2

Avoid cliché gifts. w Sho her how much you love uty gift. her with a pampering bea er range, L’Occitane’s new Shea Butt s Oil including the 100ml Fabulou a satin, with hair and skin ing leav (£29), from ose cho , him For h. non-oily finis ries at the range of on-trend accesso rves H&M including stylish sca from just £6.99 and leather belts from £12.99.

N 1 C E NTR E ’ S G UID E TO...

THE PE RF E CT STEP 3 . to Impress

Dress the Stand out in lack gorgeous b m ss (£65) fro Broderie Dre h of glamour a touc Oasis.. Add ze’s Cabouchon ri with Accesso Earrings (£10).

Chandelier k out GAP’’ss Guys - chec r collection ea stylish mensw son’s latest a se is th r fo d shirts and sophisticate jackets. nd tre no

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VAL E N T IN E ’ S DAY n1islington.com

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And finally, don’t forget to prepare for that romantic kiss with H&M’s fabulous range of lipsticks, available from £3.99 For further information visit n1islington.com, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/n1shoppingcentreislington or tweet with us @n1centre.

n1centre

STEP 4

date.

Plan your te-night like ne a d ys sa g to Nothin . Dine out a ie ov m s a dinner and tre’s popular restaurant en C 1 .

N K B of the mama to G g a meal from waga s is offerin rk o W ss k for la Plus, The G ing a dessert and drin ter us ud b cl ck in lo o b tw st r fo late en catch the inema just £20. Th tt Johannson at Vue C ary rle starring Sca er’, released on Febru Islington. ‘H inal love story from 14 is an orig ated filmmaker, in Oscar-nom Jonze.

Spike

13/01/2014 14:56

13/01/2014 16:24

ABSOLUTELY KIDS

IGLOO

If you want your children to stay warm this winter, look to this Netherlands label. Barts’ exceedingly cosy kiddies garb, like the 1646 Fenny Beanie Kids hat and 1650 Wildy Hood (both pictured) will protect little ears from chilly winds while looking rather sweet too.

Available at Igloo Kids, 300 Upper Street, N1; iglookids.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY

KIDS HOW TO KEEP LITTLE ONES AMUSED RED FIRE ENGINE

£220; hedgehogshop.co.uk

R’S EDITO

PICK

SUPER FURRY ANIMALS

For a shot of fuzzy, felt-tinged nostalgia (teeny animals wearing braces), you can’t get better than Sylvanian Families. They were popular then (back when the Absolutely team were nippers) and, hearteningly, they’re just as popular now. We won’t be satisfied until our kids have collected them all – starting with this candy-floss serving lamb.

Sylvanian Families Store, 68 Mountgrove Road, N5; sylvanianfamilies.com

LEFT FIELD

Field Candy’s range of children’s play tents are designed for indoors and outdoors, based on the classic teepee shape and decorated with bright murals. We love this fairground horse tent with its nostalgic imagery. £195, fieldcandy.com

YOUNG SOLES

This luxury children’s footwear brand launched at Bubble London last month.

Using traditional methods and tooling, the debut collection features classic British heritage designs with reworked T-Bar and Mary Janes for girls and brogues, creepers and monkey boots for boys. youngsoles.co.uk

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BEAUTY NOTES LIFE IN COLOUR

Colour up for winter with Bleach Salon’s new DIY kits. The salon gets so overbooked these days, the team decided to make their popular dyes more readily available – so you can now get rainbow results at home. The full kit includes a bleach and a toner, and you can even buy Silver Shampoo (which takes out reddish tones) and washing-out liquid (in case you don’t like the effect). £7 a bottle, 420 Kingsland Road, E8; bleachlondon.co.uk

WE LOVE

IN HEALTH f your nearest yoga studio seems too daunting, too crowded or just too far away, Yoga Team delivers experienced instructors to your home or work. Adept at running one-to-one classes as well as sessions for groups up to fifteen-strong, this ingenious company also offer a bespoke planning service for team-building events, conferences, product launches and private parties. Family and kid-friendly sessions are available, too, and the beauty of it is that any energy you would have used up getting to the studio can be saved for your class. yoga-team.co.uk

I

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ABSOLUTELY BEAUTY

IN TREATMENT CHEEKY PARLOUR f you’ve ever been cheesed off attending the kind of stressful/ super busy/cheap-but-certainlynot-cheerful salons that tend to cater for those in desperate need of a last-minute mani/pedi or blow-dry... you’ll ruddy love this. The mother of all beauty hang-outs, it takes up residence atop Jack Wills (nice), across the road from sister company the Cowshed Spa (double nice, especially if you’re checking in for a longer treatment), and luxuriates in 1000 square feet of ‘pampering parlour’, complete with all the boutique fittings you’d expect from the Soho House Group: shabby chic furniture, champagne cocktails on the go, big rustic sharing tables where you can get your nails

I

done while you natter. Choose a blow-dry or plait from the hair menu (and maybe an artisan cake or homemade organic salad from the food menu?) or just show up with a pic of a hairstyle you’d like and the whizzes at the blow-bar will whip it up. There’s even a ‘professional photography studio’, so you can upload a cheeky selfie once you’re all fi xed up… sooo 2014. It’s perfect for hen parties or a girly day out – or just getting your nails done without feeling like you’ve left the comfortable environs of home. It’s officially my new favourite place. HB 1st Floor, 64-66 Redchurch Street, E2; urcheeky.com

THREE

OF THE BEST BATH OILS

KISS IT BETTER

This month, Lulu Guinness and Clinique have teamed up to create a Limited Edition Coin Purse filled with Clinique’s Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm in Super Strawberry. What’s more, buying one really does mean that you can ‘kiss it better’, as the full retail price is being donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Lovely. £55, available exclusively at clinique.co.uk

Penhaligons Bluebell Bath Oil, £39, 112 Islington High Street, N1; penhaligons.com

Chanel No. 5 Intense Bath Oil, £65; boots.com

Burt’s Bees Lemon & Vitamin E, £9.99; burtsbees.co.uk

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bloom.indd 2

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ABSOLUTELY BEAUTY

DARLING VALENTINE GET READY FOR DATE NIGHT WITH THESE FUN FLIRTY PRODUCTS

Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Beguile,

£16.50; illamasqua.com

NARS Eye Paint in Black Valley,

£18.50; uk.spacenk.com

Bobbi Brown Lipstick in Old Hollywood,

£22; bobbibrown.co.uk Colour By Benefit Longwear Powder Shadow in Blingo, £15.50;

benefitcosmetics.co.uk

EDITO R’S

PICK

Burberry Velvet Foundation,

£35; burberry.com OPI Nail Varnish in All I Want for Christmas,

£11.50; opiuk.com Benefit They’re Real Mascara,

£19.50; benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Perseid,

£14.50; illamasqua.com

Bobbi Brown Ink Liner in Blackest Black,

18. Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Eye Palette,

MAC Divine Night Mineralize Blush in Talk Of The Town,

£22; maccosmetics.co.uk

£20; bobbibrown.co.uk

£59; bobbibrown.co.uk

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The VIP Beauty Club The Beauty Centre brings you a brand new concept in beauty!

Very simply: Unlimited usage of salon treatments* for a fixed monthly fee Available in 3 affordable grooming packages for the true beauty aficionado.

Discover luxury treatments at their finest at The VIP Beauty Club. £99 club joining fee has been waived for the first 20 applicants This offer won’t be around for long! So! First come, first served!

For more information, contact the salon The Beauty Centre, 130 Allitsen Road, St John;s Wood, London NW8 7AU 020 7722 6603 or 020 7586 1513 VIPClub@the-beautycentre.com www.thevipbeautyclub.com www.twiiter.com/VIPClubNW8 *UNLIMITED USAGE APPLIES TO SELECTED SALON TREATMENTS AND IS BASED ON MEMEBERSHIP LEVEL. TERMS & CONDITIONS AND A FAIR USAGE POLICY APPLIES

Conditions treated: Chiropractic can help with a variety of conditions including: • Back pain • Neck pain • Neck related headaches • Prevention of migraines • Frozen shoulder • Tennis elbow • Hip and knee pain • General joints aches & pains

We offer: • Chiropractic • Acupunture • Massage Therapies • Chiropody Podiatry • Homeopathy • Nutrition • Psychotherapy Other therapies available at the clinic can help with a wide range of health conditions including: Nutritional imbalances and digestive disorders, Foot health such as ingrowing toe nails, fungal conditions, corns, verrucas & flat feet. Stresses of modern living including anxiety, depression, addictions and self-esteem issues.

Clerkenwell Clinic 178 Goswell Road Clerkenwell EC1V 7DT Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm Sat 9am-1pm-Sun 10am-2pm Islington Clinic 15 Prebend Street, Islington N1 8PQ Mon-Fri 8am to 7pm-Sat 9am -1pm

020 7490 4042

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK www.clerkenwellislingtonclinics.co.uk

IslingtonChiro.indd 1 ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 4

13/01/2014 15:19 13/01/2014 16:26

ABSOLUTELY FASHION DIOR SS14

JASON WU SS14

MAKE UP

INSIDER Arabella Preston on the universal flatterer – gold

G

old is the universal flatterer, adding warmth and sparkle to all skin tones. A hint of molten gold swept over an eyelid or fingernail is the perfect nighttime accessory and, as it is best kept simple, easy to execute.

The paler your skin, the paler you should keep your gold. This Aerin eyeliner in a soft gilt is startlingly effective dotted around the tear duct and swept under the lower waterline. It brightens and sparkles in the light and disguises redness and darkness brilliantly. For a slightly more dramatic look, try one of MAC’s limited edition pigments. They can be used loose and dry for a soft, blended look, or with a wet brush for a slick of intense colour. Restricted to your eyelids, they stay grown-up yet modern. It’s on the nails where golds and metallics really come into their own. Not only do they become miniature accessories in their own right, but metallic formulas tend to bind to the nail more than other colours, making them long-lasting and able to survive the ravages of the party season.

Nail-doyenne and Chanel ambassador Marian Newman advises: 'For a party look that transitions from day to night, start with a gorgeous shimmering shade, such as Chanel Alchimie, then cover with a quick slick of a gold glitter to transform your nails into ten little jewelled accessories.'

6

5

2

3 1

4

7

1. Aerin Cool Gel Eyeliner in Gilt, £24; harrods.com 2. Chanel Nail Polish in Alchimie, £18; harrods.com 3. Melvita L’Or Bio Huile Lumiere, £29; melvita.co.uk 4. MAC Nocturnals Mini Pigment set, £25.50; maccosmetics.co.uk 5. Aerin Lipstick in Sequin, £24; harrods.com 6. Burberry Limited Edition Nail Polish in Light Gold, £15; uk.burberry.com 7. Estée Lauder Metallic Trio Eye Palette in Gilded, £27; esteelauder.co.uk

37 73

MAKE UP INSIDER.indd 73

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spitalfields.indd 2

13/01/2014 15:47

ABSOLUTELY FOOD

THE

FOOD OF LOVE

Gooey or crumbly, sweet or spicy, no food is as sensuous and versatile as chocolate.Get your bake on this Valentine’s Day with our special recipe from Molly Bakes’ new book, Chocolate.

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FOOD NOTES WE LOVE TAKE A TRIP

Turkish food just got a chic upgrade thanks to Selin Kiazim, former Head Chef at Peter Gordon’s Kopapa restaurant. Launching in East London (naturally) within a converted Haggerston railway arch, Trip Kitchen serves up traditional Turkish cuisine with a modern twist. Housed in a heritage building with original brickwork, raw wood cladding and stunning lighting, the menu features Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours aplenty with dishes such as brown shrimp kaygana and toasted sandwiches with Selin’s lauded Medjool date butter. Sounds Turkish delightful.

TripSpace Projects, Arch 339-340, Acton Mews, E8; tripspace.co.uk

MOTHER GOOSE

If the way to your man’s heart is through his stomach, reserve a spot at the Grey Goose Le Fizz Breakfast this Valentine’s Day. Taking place at Gordon Ramsay’s acclaimed Bread Street Kitchen, the special menu includes Grey Goose Le Fizz cocktails, bread made from the same wheat used to create Grey Goose vodka, Grey Goose-infused jams and a selection of pastries, croissants and coffee. A tasty way to start the day.

Bread Street Kitchen, One New Change, 10 Bread Street, EC4; gordonramsay.com/bread-street

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FUN

BUY

CHOC-O-LOT

A perfect product for those who enjoy the results of baking but aren’t too hot on the actual process behind it, this easy-to-make mix from Montezuma’s comes in two scrumptious flavours: dark chocolate and salted peanut brownie or milk chocolate and hazelnut cookie. Throw those weary resolutions to the wind and get stuck in. £9.99; montezumas.co.uk

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13/01/2014 11:13

ABSOLUTELY FOOD

MOLLY BAKES...

RASPBERRY RIPPLE WHITE CHOCOLATE SLAB Lovers of white chocolate will be delighted with this elegant treat. The fresh raspberry ripple gives the chocolate slab a tart edge and an amazingly vibrant colour.

BAKE THIS

INGREDIENTS 120g fresh raspberries 2 tbsp golden caster sugar  Dash of lemon juice  900g white chocolate, chopped, or callets  1 shallow baking tin measuring 32 x 22cm 







Fine mesh strainer Cling fi lm

Makes one large slab approx.

32 x 22cm

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Line the base and sides of the baking tin with cling fi lm.

2. Press the raspberries through a mesh strainer set over a bowl to remove the seeds. Stir in the sugar and add a dash of lemon juice to taste.

cooled, but not completely set, use a spoon to drizzle the raspberry juice over the surface of the chocolate. Then, using a knife or skewer, swirl the raspberry juice through the chocolate to create a rippled effect.

3. Melt and temper the chocolate.

4. Leave to set before removing from the tin.

4. Pour the tempered chocolate into the prepared tin, spreading it evenly.

Leave to cool and set a little. Once the chocolate has

Recipe extracted from Chocolate by Molly Bakes, published

by Square Peg. Photography © Georgia Glynn Smith

FINEST FIZZ

Give someone a personalised bottle of the finest fizz for Valentine’s Day. Newly launched champagne company Finest Fizz offers some of the best premier cru and grand cru independent champagnes from France. Sourced from several small artisan producers across the Champagne region, the team behind Finest Fizz has selected some of the most scrumptious bubbly around, available exclusively from them at extremely reasonable prices. And they’ll even personalise bottles with messages or images, ensuring you deliver the most thoughtful of gifts. finestfizz.biz

WINTER WARMERS

Stave off the cold this month with some of the wonderful warming recipes from GBBO’s Winter Kitchen cookbook. Filled with simple, seasonal recipes, we recommend trying your hand at the Spiced Tarte Tartin.The Great British Bake Off: Winter Kitchen, (£20, BBC Books), available from Clapham Books, 120 Clapham High Street, SW4, 020 7627 2797; claphambooks.com

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There’s a whole lot of lovin’ going on at The Highbury Barn this Valentine’s Day...

Reserve your table, book online or telephone 0207 226 2383 The Highbury Barn 26 Highbury Park - London - N5 2AB

find us on Facebook - search for ‘The Highbury Barn Pub’

twitter.com/highburybarnpub

HIGHBURYBARN.indd 1

10/01/2014 11:53

ABSOLUTELY FEBRUARY 2014 £3.95

RIO GRAND THE BEAUTY

LONDON

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STYLECATION HOLIDAY WARDROBE INSPIRATION

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THROUGH THE WIRE

DALSTON’S IDRIS ELBA ON THE ROAD TO PLAYING MANDELA

DOWNLOAD

OF BRAZIL

THE NEW

i PA D A P P

HAVE LOVE, WILL TRAVEL The Valentine’s Issue 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 09/01/2014 10:38

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13/01/2014 16:29

ABSOLUTELY FOOD

HOT TABLES

BETH EVANS TAKES A TASTING TOUR OF THE AREA’S MOST EXCITING DINING OPTIONS BEST FOR: FASHION-FORWARD PEOPLE-WATCHING A LITTLE OF WHAT YOU FANCY

Restaurants don’t come much hipper than this.

Don’t be put off by the old-school wooden chairs and tables, relaxed service and total lack of signage (you’ll wander past at least three times trying to find it), this is no slap-dash café. With an eclectic, classy menu to satisfy the pickiest palate and a never-ending deluge of cool young things to gawp at, it’s worth the inevitable wait for a table.

464 Kingsland Road, E8; alittlebitofwhatyoufancy.info

BEST FOR: MEETING FRIENDS FROM OUT OF TOWN THE GILBERT SCOTT

One of the crowning glories of Kings Cross’ regeneration, the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel has had not just a facelift but a total body-and-mind overhaul, resulting in the creation of this amazing restaurant. Serving traditional British classics with a touch of French pomp, it’s the sumptuous surroundings as much as the menu that bid a final adieu to the rank old Kings Cross of yesteryear. And given the romantic grandeur of the hotel itself, you’ll probably want to spend the night, too.

St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Road, NW1; thegilbertscott.co.uk

BEST FOR: MEAT FANS WITH NO FEAR OF CHOLESTEROL FOXLOW

THE GILBERT SCOTT

BEST FOR: REBELLING AGAINST DRY JANUARY CASA NEGRA

Christmas is over but fear not, at Casa Negra in Shoreditch you’ll find a non-stop carnival that will banish any January blues. Get your fiesta started with frozen margaritas, braised beef cheek and frijoles charros (made with pinto beans, bacon, tomato and chipotle) before getting your dance on in the Casa Playroom club downstairs. Arriba!

54-56 Great Eastern Street, EC2; casanegra.co.uk

BEST FOR: LAZY SUNDAY VIBES VILLAGE EAST

The new recipient of an impressive revamp, Village East brings its own inimitable brand of style to Bermondsey. Reminiscent of the plushness of Shoreditch House, everything about this modern British brasserie is designed with comfort and class in mind. Go for brunch and a Bloody Mary.

171-173 Bermondsey Street, SE1; villageeast.co.uk

As you’d expect from a sibling of the Hawksmoor, Foxlow is wall-to-wall meat with a side order of fish for luck. Being a carnivore was never so grownup, but with mains like the ten-hour beef shortrib with kimchi at £16, this supposed ‘neighbourhood restaurant’ may still leave you with change in your pocket. Don’t go helping yourself at the salad bar – it’s not Pizza Hut, dear.

69-73 St John Street, EC1; foxlow.co.uk

BEST FOR: ANYONE SUFFERING FROM MEAT FATIGUE GRAIN STORE

If you’re starting to feel a bit meaty after one too many winter roasts, get yourself down to Grain Store.

Another highlight of the newly gentrified Kings Cross, this restaurant is one big celebration of all things veggie and grainy. Not exactly vegetarian, Grain Store shows that non-meat dishes don’t have to be a bland after-thought; the decor is a treat too, combining the visually quirky with clean, practical style. Try the cheeseboard, served from an upcycled pram – there’s a phrase you never thought you’d hear.

Granary Square, 1-3 Stable Street, N1; grainstore.com

VILLAGE EAST

BEST FOR: RAINY DAYS AND INTIMATE EVENINGS ODETTE’S Ah, Primrose Hill, home to that view, those Nineties parties and, since 1978, to Odette’s, the fine dining institution that makes top-notch restaurants feel like greasy spoon cafes. Using seasonal and UK-sourced ingredients, chef and owner Bryn Williams ensures each and every morsel is a delight. If you have a tendency toward food envy, the tasting menu is for you.

130 Regents Park Road, NW1; odettesprimrosehill.com

BEST FOR: BAGGING YOURSELF A BANKER STEAM AND RYE

For some, a table is made hot by a Michelin star; for others, it’s a chalkboard packed with inventive dishes. For others still, it’s a chance to see Kelly Brook pulling pints. Steam and Rye patrons may well be of the latter ilk, as this fun food/bar/club venture is part owned by the Celebrity Juice star. Food is no nonsense: lobster and burgers, easy on the greens, the kind of fare you’d expect in a Connecticut lobster shack. Squeeze past the City slickers queuing up to sing Rocky-oke and you too can sample a Five Dollar Shake – a cocktail featuring whipped cream, hundreds and thousands and topped off with a Fab lolly. What’s not to love?

147 Leadenhall Street, EC3; steamandrye.com

BEST FOR: CULINARY ADVENTURES CORNER ROOM

Some superior chef stuff goes on here, and no mistake. The restaurant may reside in Bethnal Green’s former town hall, but it’s out with the old and in with the indigestion where Corner Room is concerned. Like everything else on the menu, the Iberico pork with bitter leaves and winter relish is vastly understated in print.

Being unable to book after 7pm means that it’s first come, first served, so you may just have to while away the time with a fruity little Pinot at the bar. Life is tough sometimes.

Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, E2; townhallhotel.com

BEST FOR: A SPECIAL OCCASION TRULLO

Poor Robert De Niro, he’ll no longer be your favourite Italian once Trullo has taken your number one spot. And it will, especially after you’ve sampled the ravioli of pumpkin, cinnamon and ricotta sage butter followed by caramel panacotta. It won’t matter that you’ve had to wait weeks for a table, or that you’re missing your best friend’s birthday as a result.

It’s all worth it.

300-302 St Paul’s Road, N1; trullorestaurant.com

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WE’LL DRINK TO THAT...

Tristan Stephenson, owner of critically acclaimed cocktail joints Purl and The Worship Street Whistling Shop, picks the top tipples guaranteed to impress this Valentine’s Day

ROB ROY INGREDIENTS • 50ml Scotch whisky • 25ml Martini rosso vermouth • 2 dashes (2ml) of orange bitters • a twist of orange zest, to garnish tir all the ingredients together with cubed ice for around 90 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a small twist of orange zest. You might like to add a touch of sugar syrup if you have a sweet tooth, or depending on what Scotch you use.

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ABSOLUTELY FOOD comes straight from the man himself, so who am I to argue? If you want it a little drier, try taking 5ml sugar syrup out and adding 5ml extra lemon juice. ne of the best drinks to emerge from the cocktail car crash that was the 1980s is the Bramble. The drink was invented by legendary London-based liquid guru Dick Bradsell. At the time, Dick was working in Fred’s Club in Soho, a venue that schooled many of the future stars of the London bar scene. Dick based the drink on a Singapore Sling recipe, replacing the Bénédictine and cherry brandy with crème de mure. But of course it’s not a mere rehash. There has to be something special about a cocktail that is so renowned and yet relies on such a simple formula: a gin sour with a dash of blackberry liqueur. Why not strawberry liqueur, or coffee liqueur? Well, I personally think that something special is down to a clever combination of ingredients and a name that ingeniously describes it. It’s simple when you think about it.

A bramble is a typically British prickly shrub, just as gin is a traditionally British product.

Blackberry is the base of crème de mure, but wild blackberries don’t just smell of blackberries, they also take in the smells of all the natural surroundings of the countryside – the earthiness of dried tree bark, the spice of a fallen pine cone or the sweet freshness of wild honeysuckle. These wonderfully nostalgic aromas are present in a lot of gins too: while juniper provides earthiness and pine-like flavours, coriander gives a citrusy spice and angelica introduces the deep, resinous woody notes. The combination of gin and crème de mure is genius; couple that with a name that no other word in the English language could better describe, and you have a winning drink.

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BRAMBLE INGREDIENTS • 40ml/11⁄3 oz. tanqueray gin • 20ml/ 2⁄3 oz. fresh lemon juice • 10ml/1⁄3 oz. sugar syrup (see below) • 15ml/1⁄2 oz.

• creme de mure • blackberries (or raspberries), to garnish METHOD Build the first three ingredients over crushed ice in a chilled rocks glass, then pour the crème de mure over the top so that it ‘bleeds’ down through the ice. Garnish with two blackberries and a slice of lemon.

NB: For my personal tastes, this recipe is a touch on the sweet side, but it

CHAMPAGNE GIN FIZZ

ESPRESSO MARTINI

FOR THE LEMON & LIME GOMME • 50g lemon zest • 40g lime zest • 270ml water • 600g sugar • 30ml vodka • 3g citric acid • 2g malic acid

INGREDIENTS • 50ml/2 oz. belvedere vodka • 20ml/2⁄3 oz. espresso • 10ml/1⁄3 oz. sugar syrup (see below)

ous vide the lemon and lime zest with the water at 60ºC/140ºF for 2 hours.

Filter the liquid through muslin cheesecloth, then transfer it to a saucepan. Add the sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved, then add the vodka and acids. Bottle and refrigerate until required.

METHOD Shake the ingredients together with cubed ice and single strain into a chilled martini glass.

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FOR THE CHAMPAGNE GIN FIZZ Makes 6 servings • 400ml water • 10g Lalvin EC-1118 champagne yeast brand • 170ml Tanqueray London dry gin • 90ml ‘Lemon & Lime Gomme’ • orange flower water, to serve

eat 100ml of the water to 35ºC/95ºF. Add the yeast, stir fast, then set aside for five minutes. Mix the gin, Lemon & Lime Gomme and remaining water in a large mixing bowl. Pour the yeast into the bowl and whisk vigorously to fully aerate the drink. Once fully mixed, transfer the mixture to a sterilised champagne bottle and apply the cork and cage.

Store at around 30ºC/86ºF for nine days, then put in the fridge, standing up, for a further two days. To serve, spray chilled champagne flutes with orange flower water and fill to the brim!

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ack when I first cut my teeth as a cocktail bartender, when bigger cocktail lists were better and flaming an orange twist was regarded as innovative, the Espresso Martini was the height of cool. Caffeine, alcohol, sugar. Everything the body needs for a good night out, and all held together by our 1980s superhero, the martini glass. The Espresso Martini is based on a drink created by the UK’s crown prince of cocktails, Dick Bradsell, again while he was working at the Soho Brasserie. The story goes (and it does vary depending on who you ask) that an attractive female model approached the bar where Dick was working and asked him for a drink that would ‘pick me up, then f*ck me up’ – if only all drink requests came with such exact requirements. Dick eyed the bar’s shiny new espresso machine and promptly mixed vodka, espresso and sugar together, then served it in a martini glass. The

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Espresso Martini was born.

The growing popularity of espresso coffee in the 1980s and 90s made the Espresso Martini an inevitability.

The espresso in the drink achieves three things at once: first, it masks the alcohol in the vodka; second, it gives a caffeine kick to the receiver; and third, it turns the drink a stunning opaque brown. Also, if you use a good-quality coffee and extract the espresso correctly, you’ll be rewarded with a pale foamy head, produced by the CO² bubbles dissolved in brewed coffee. Serve an Espresso Martini in a half-pint glass and it really does look like a Guinness!

SUGAR SYRUP Sugar syrup (2:1 ratio). To make about one of litre sugar syrup, gently heat 660g caster sugar (you can also use soft brown/muscovado sugar) with 300ml water and 30g vodka in a saucepan. Once all the sugar has dissolved, bottle it and pop it in the fridge for up to six months.

The Curious Bartender: The Artistry and Alchemy of Creating the Perfect Cocktail by Tristan Stephenson with photography by Addie Chinn. £16.99, Ryland Peters & Small.

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GLOSS WHITE, NATURAL OAK AND DARK OAK FROM £2,300 AT THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER @West One Bathrooms, 44-48 Clerkenwell Road, EC1; westonebathrooms.com Tel: 020 7324 0780

ST I L L

WA T E R THE STILLNESS COLLECTION DRAWS ON THE VAST AND VARIED DESIGN EXPERTISE OF KOHLER, USING SUPERIOR CERAMICS AND SOLID WOODS FOR A FEEL THAT’S MORE LUXURY SPA THAN FAMILY BATHROOM. WE LOVE.

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120 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 3LS 509 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Pinner, Middlesex HA5 4JS 77-79 Wycombe End, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire HP9 1LX Telephone: 020 7486 3080 email: info@halcyon-interiors.co.uk | www.halcyon-interiors.co.uk

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SCENTED CANDLES

INTERIOR

INSPIRATIONS SURFACE VIEW

Wallpaper-lovers, there’s a new name in town: prepare to be inspired by the quirky-but-cool bespoke graphics of Surface View. The brand’s collections use imagery from the British Library, P&O Heritage, the Royal Opera House and Trunk Archive as well as work by up-and-coming designers. A world of amazing prints is waiting for you – let’s hope you’ve got the wall space. surfaceview.co.uk

1. CRABTREE & EVELYN ROSEWATER POURED Candle, £22; crabtree-evelyn.co.uk

2. FEU DE BEAUMONT GOLDEN PORRINGER £395; feudebeaumont.com

3. CLINIQUE AROMATICS ELIXIR CANDLE, £35; clinique.co.uk

4. DIPTYQUE LIMITED EDITION VALENTINE’S Rosa Mundi, £42; diptyqueparis.co.uk

COSY UP

A new range of homewares from Jack Wills includes this delightful woollen pheasant cushion alongside some very soft blankets, all in characteristic urban-rustic style and stocked at the Islington branch.

359 Upper Street, N1; jackwills.com

5. JO MALONE INCENSE AND EMBERS CANDLE, £39; jomalone.co.uk

EDITO R’S

PICK

ETERNAL FLAME

These delicate, hand-blown glass candlesticks, unusual in their spherical design, create an elegant cluster of varying shapes for a sophisticated and unique table centrepiece. Large candlestick £12, small £10, 22 Marylebone High Street, W1; brissi.com

GREY SKIES

Inspired by the extreme weather, the stormclouds in Abigail Edwards’s hand-drawn Grey Sky wallpaper are at once calming and forbidding, with flashes of metallic copper enlivening the design. We also love the Stoke Newington resident’s idiosyncratic seascapes and Owls of the British Isles prints. £75 per 10m roll; abigailedwards.com

PIE MAN

This Le Creuset stoneware pie dish will stand you in good stead for harsh winter nights, when all kinds of baked goodies begin to prove their worth. Look up your heartiest, cockle-warming recipe and get stuck in; the only trouble is choosing which colour you like best. £27; available at Gill wing, 182 Upper Street, N1; lecreuset.co.uk

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DOUBLE VISION

DESIGN DUO CARDEN CUNIETTI ON NEARLY TWENTY YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP AT THE FOREFRONT OF INTERIOR DESIGN

How did you meet and create a business together?

We met through ex-boyfriends who were in a band together in the early ‘90s. We drifted apart once the band broke up (and we broke up with the boyfriends!) but then met at antique and other trade fairs as we were both working as interior designers. We worked together on a project and creatively synced immediately – from there we decided to open the shop and forge a partnership.

Have you both always had an eye for design?

Eleanora: My grandmother was a fashion couturier and when I read interviews with her now it could be me – a really strong-willed woman passionate about her work! Both Audrey and I liked rearranging our bedrooms as kids – that’s the surest sign of being an interior designer. But no matter what, you need to learn skills: drawing, colour and business knowledge are really important.

How do you approach a project?

Does each elicit a different response?

Are the guiding principles the same?

We try to get inside the client’s head to figure out what they want. We work to a brief to achieve the best result.

Tell us about your recent Highgate client. What was the brief?

Audrey: The client was a family who I had worked for briefly when they lived in Highgate. The house was beautiful, ‘great bones’ as they say, but they wanted to personalise it. They are quite informal, so they wanted the reception room to be a place to

relax and be welcoming. We designed a curved sofa as the fireplace was such a focal point in the room, then had the classic Eames recliner covered in green leather to keep the colours soft.

We worked with the height of the room to create the library corner and the space was perfect for their large-format art.

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throw in a proper antique (i.e. something over a hundred years old) or something Asian, as that is always a nice juxtaposition with modern pieces.

or old stock for a giant sale and we give all the proceeds to charity.

Did you source any items from local suppliers?

An amazing house in Poland, a large house in Regents Park, a country house in Gloucestershire and a house in Little Venice. We are both glad to be working in the UK for the last few months as we have been travelling like crazy for the last few years.

We try to use as much UK-sourced product as possible as we get much better service from the UK and, obviously, it is more ecologically friendly. That being said, we do look at every option and try to find the best thing for a project.

How involved were the property owners?

What do you love most about working with interiors?

The owners were involved and in fact the colour of the hallway was entirely their choosing.

The console is the most glamorous children’s shoe cupboard in an olive green shagreen! And this colour worked its way through the whole ground floor.

Being able to work with beautiful things, the creativity involved in mixing it all together and admiring it on completion.

Are there design periods that you each favour?

We both like 20th century – sometimes we’ll

What other projects are you working on?

carden-cunietti.com

Tell us about Spring Clean?

Audrey came up with the idea last year and we immediately started working on it. The concept is a one- or two-day sale where our entire industry gets involved – interior designers, furniture and fabric companies donate their leftovers from projects

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HOME from HOME Alexandra Jones really dislikes travelling, so what was it about Bermuda that made her never want to leave?

ery rarely do I get the sense that I’d rather not leave a place. I will forever be that ghastly thing that no person with even vague pretentions towards adventure would want to be called – a homebody. For me, home is heavenly. My one rather doomed foray into backpacking, for example, ended with me on an early plane back, sick to the stomach (literally and metaphorically) of South America and strange beds and my own stilted Spanish. What, then, to make of Bermuda?

On the last day, having spent an afternoon in the sun, hopping from one heart-breakingly beautiful beach to another, I experienced something like an epiphany: a brilliant, completely mad idea that maybe I should just stay. A month, or six, would be about enough.

I turned to our taxi-driver-cum-tourguide (many taxi drivers in Bermuda are also

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experienced tour guides and can offer tips and potted histories of the island as they ferry you around): ‘You know Larry, maybe I should stay for a while.’ He nodded a little, ‘I guess you enjoyed the Rum Swizzles, then.’

At Sharky’s Bar, a shanty sort of set-up, built around a split in the cliff and facing out onto a crystalline bay, you could get any drink you wanted as long as it was rum. On that last afternoon, Sharky had played Smooth Operator

by Sade and expounded on the glories of the island; I think the spirit of Mark Twain, who first visited Bermuda in 1867, was hovering around whispering in my ear that I could go to heaven, but he was staying in Bermuda. And I thought to myself, you’ve got it right there, Mark, clouds and divinity pale in comparison to pink sand beaches and deadly cocktails. The question is this: was it, as Larry had wryly

surmised, the rum talking? After all, I did get on the plane. But in London, far from feeling that familiar relief (a gentle sigh like a cork unstopping, ‘ah, home’), I was still wrangling with the crazy thought that maybe I should have stayed. So, what to chalk this up to?

Settled in the 17th century by a shipwrecked Admiral George Somers and his 150 or so crew, the uninhabited island had been overlooked for over a century by Spanish sailors, who had used it as a stop-gap on journeys to the new world but never claimed it. Thought to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Bermuda has had a reputation for being a paradise for over four hundred years.

Its natural charms are unquestionable; the beaches around the island are some of the best in the world, with achingly lovely blue-green waters and excellent marine life for snorkelling

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Dockyard, though geared towards mass-tourism, is a fascinating hub of shops (be sure to get some cake from the Bermuda Rum Cake Company) and museums (the National Museum of Bermuda is housed in the sprawling fortress).

For their part, the islanders take the paradisiacal reputation seriously. This means two things: firstly, service in hotels, bars and restaurants is in the American mode – quick, quiet, effusive – while locals are almost unfailingly helpful and friendly. Secondly it means that Bermuda is extremely safe. As Larry put it, ‘In the Caribbean you’re told to stay inside your resorts, in Bermuda the whole island is your resort.’

Be that as it may, as befits a paradise, the hotels cater to a luxury market and can be hard to leave.

I stayed in the Fairmont Southampton, a sweeping coral-pink building set atop a hill on the south side of the island. Classically furnished throughout, with grand staircases and dark wooden beams, it has a solid, American Deep South charm. I would recommend that you go for a Fairmont Gold stay. Each ‘Gold’ floor has a lounge where breakfast is served in the mornings and where an almost constant flow of canapés, cream teas and cocktails will have you wondering whether to bother with dinner. Not bothering, though, would be a mistake. The food in Bermuda is often a delight. From the very top end – the Blu Bar & Grill in Warwick Parish is cool and plush with heavy white tablecloths and a comprehensive sushi selection – to the unpretentious localfavourite with a killer Bermuda Fish Chowder – the Swizzle Inn at Baileys Bay, you’d be hardpressed not to find some really wonderful seafood.

My particular favourite was Mad Hatters in Hamilton, where the list of specials was longer than the menu and took our waiter ten minutes to reel off. If I ate nothing other than the reef and beef – steak topped with Guinea chick, a type of Bermudian lobster – for the rest of my life, I would be perfectly content. And I’m not even a big fan of red meat.

Just like I’m not a big fan of travelling.

Perhaps Bermuda, then, is a haven for us homebodies. It is suffused with a particular charm: no nasty surprises, no dodgy characters.

There is history: beautiful, engaging, protected pockets of history that spark the imagination. There is food: traditional or nouveau, whatever your tastes, it’s all well cooked and well presented.

There are trails to explore: the disused railway forms an 18 mile circuit of Bermuda that will have you rounding corner after corner of dazzling island vistas. It can be walked, cycled or taken on horseback. And there is the knowledge that you won’t feel at all guilty if all you want to do is lay on the beach and drink some rum and listen to Sade.

Prestige Holidays (01425 480 400; prestigeholidays.co.uk) is offering 7 nights departing in April staying at the Fairmont Southampton in a Moderate room on roomonly basis flying from Gatwick with British Airways including private transfers. Prices start at £1589 per person and include two free nights, saving £416 per couple, for travel until end of April 2014. Based on two adults sharing.

For more information about Bermuda, visit gotobermuda.co.uk

or diving. A subtropical climate means that temperatures are mild to hot and that more often than not it is gloriously sunny. The island proper (all 21 miles by 1 mile of it) abounds in lush green vegetation and fresh, wild-growing fruits. It is, quite simply, a beautiful place.

Divided into ‘parishes’, houses are often painted in candy-sweet pastels and the church is still considered the heart of the community.

The town of St. George’s, a UNESCO World Heritage site has changed little since it was founded and built in the late 17th century, and offers a picturesque glimpse into life on the island way back when. For me, it was enough to walk around and absorb the history, but for those who are looking for more of a story, St. Peter’s Chapel, the oldest Anglican Church outside of the British Isles, is largely unaltered since its completion in 1612. Meanwhile the Royal Naval

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FOOD & TRAVEL

THE

BEAUTY SP O T BUMS & BEACHES, BUNS AND BOND, EDWINA LANGLEY FINDS IT ALL IN BRAZIL

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f you Google the word ‘Brazilian’, this is what the search engine suggests you might be looking for: ‘wax,’ ‘blow dry’, ‘butt lift’.

Apparently, when the world searches for Brazil, it’s beauty they’re after. That might seem a little contrived, but in the days leading up to my trip it was generally beautiful things I thought about – Astrud Gilberto’s ‘tall and tan and young and lovely’ girl from Ipanema, the colour explosion of Carnival, Gisele Bündchen…

The day before I touched down in Rio de Janeiro, British beauty Cara Delevingne had flown in for a Vogue Brazil shoot and as I pulled up outside my hotel, the notorious Copacabana Palace, I was told past guests included Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and Diana, Princess of Wales. Yes, Brazil plays host to the beautiful people, both local and otherwise.

Copacabana Palace is indeed palatial, and sits overlooking the bay of Copacabana Beach, a glistening white tooth in the curved smile of a beautiful Amazonian. Built in 1923, the hotel is a landmark in its own right and in 2011 underwent a $20 million refurbishment, which saw the lobby extend by 90%, its 145 rooms redesigned and the introduction of two new boutiques. In spite of its facelift, however, there is something very traditional about the place. The rooms

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IF I WERE YOU, I’D SPEND MOST OF MY TIME SWIMMING IN THE BAY OR CANOEING (RATHER, CAPSIZING)

are elegant and understated – ornate bathrooms in muted colours and a small sitting room overlooking the Atlantic. To swim in the outside pool at night, as Fly Me To The Moon floats along on the breeze and waiters plump sun bed cushions nearby, is to feel you’ve been transported back to the 1950s. Cocktail hour will commence after you’ve beehived your hair, when the feijoada (stewed beef with beans) will be served up piping hot and the pão de queijo (cheese flavoured buns) will be fresh from the oven, looking, of course, beautiful.

What’s also beautiful is the view from the top of Corcovado Mountain by the foot of Christ the Redeemer. The 98 foot reinforced concrete and soapstone statue stands with arms outstretched, guarding the swell of Rio below.

Mighty in size, you can’t help but feel humbled by it, not least since the winds there are so strong you get treated to a rather different type of Brazilian blow-dry – whether you’re after one or not. The view backwards, from Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) mountain overlooking the city, with Cristo as the backdrop, is no less beautiful, or dramatic, plus you have the added thrill of imagining yourself in a real drama.

The 1979 Bond flick Moonraker was filmed there, most famously the hair-raising 007 vs.

Jaws battle of the cable car.

For those visiting Rio for the World Cup (this June) or the Olympics in 2016, there are many more beautiful things to absorb.

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APPARENTLY, WHEN THE WORLD SEARCHES FOR BRAZIL, IT’S BEAUTY THEY’RE AFTER

The Santa Teresa District comprises cobbled winding streets with higgledy-piggledy houses dressed in murals, while the tiled steps of Escadaria Selaron, designed by Chilean artist Jorge Selarón mirror the bohemian feel of the wider area. But for boho-meets-music, there’s only one place to go: Rio Scenarium restaurant and nightclub in Lapa. If its décor were to have a theme, it would be ‘fi lm set vintage’. Old televisions, telephones and artwork hang from the walls, the windows are guarded by 1950s-style shutters, fans whirr from the ceiling and people chatter while eating dinner downstairs. That’s until the music starts. At around midnight the building erupts, live bands play, bums wiggle and hips sway as the rhythm takes over; you lose yourself entirely in the music.

If Rio is the place to lose yourself, then Ponta dos Ganchos is most definitely the place to find yourself again. Just a twohour fl ight from Rio to Florianopolis and a 50-minute drive from there, you’ll find you’ve arrived in heaven. Literal heaven. Somewhere so beautiful that only the most beautiful people would visit. Like Beyoncé and Jay Z, for example.

This privately owned peninsula lies peacefully near the waters of the Emerald Coast. Discrete but luxurious bungalows (just 25 in total) sit hidden in sunspots on the hillside. Designed strictly for adults, this resort is a no children zone, which means everything really is as peaceful as you would hope. With a modest but perfectly usable

fitness centre and a heated swimming pool, you can work off any Rio-induced stress with vigour. But you don’t really want to stay indoors because Ponta dos Ganchos is all about the outside. While each bungalow boasts an open fire, double showers, double lavatories, double wardrobes (no arguments allowed), a sauna, a Jacuzzi and a massive telly, each also features an outdoor hammock overlooking the coast, an infinity-edged plunge pool and an open-air shower. I mean, what more could a human want?

Away from bungalow heaven, there are nature trails (as an avid walker I would say they are more ‘strolls’ than ‘treks’) which lead you to castaway white-sanded beaches. If I were you though, I’d spend most of my time swimming in the bay or canoeing (rather, capsizing) around the mini-island. And after all that exercise, there is a sweet little restaurant on site to stock up on those lost calories, serving up my favourite food: octopus. I must have had it about three times in a row, it was that good. They also make the most delicious baked bread which, although not ideal if you’re hoping to acquire a beach body, is simply too good not to scoff (well, you are on holiday after all).

So no, it’s no surprise I didn’t come back from Brazil a more beautiful person.

What I did come back with was a tan, a plastic gold necklace of Christ the Redeemer and newfound love for shaking my posterior. Perhaps that’s what Google means by ‘Brazilian butt lift’.

COPACABANA PALACE

From £485 per room, per night, including taxes, based on two sharing a Superior City View Room with breakfast. Call Orient-Express Hotels UK reservations on 0845 077 2222; copacabanapalace.com

PONTA DOS GANCHOS

From BRL 1410 (approx. £364) per bungalow per night, based on two sharing, call +55 48 39537000; pontadosganchos.com

FLIGHTS

Return fl ights to Florianópolis via São Paulo from London Heathrow with TAM Airlines start from £864 per person and depart daily. TAM Airlines is part of LATAM Airlines Group and fl ies to over 50 destinations across South America. For three or more flights within Brazil and across South America, get up to 60% off with LATAM Airlines Group’s South American Airpass; tam.com.br

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Latin Odyssey Exquisitely Tailored Travel To South & Central America

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ECUADOR

Colourful markets, snow-capped volcanoes & the Galapagos Islands

PANAMA

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Private Presentations in our office in Putney, or at your own home. Call us to start planning the adventure of a lifetime

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Smart explores the local area.

Zest print Ads.indd 4

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FEBRUARY 2014

ABSOLUTELY

PROPERTY

Swanfield Street, E2 A beautifully presented two bedroom apartment located on the ever popular Arnold Circus Estate, Shoreditch. Accommodation includes a reception room with white washed wooden floors, an eat in Kitchen, and stylish bathroom with rolled top bath. Swanfield Street is ideally situated for the local bars and restaurants on Shoreditch High Street, Old Street and Hoxton Square.

ÂŁ590,000 Stirling Ackroyd, Shoreditch / 020 7749 3838 / stirlingackroyd.com

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£1,950,000 Freehold Richmond Road, E8 • Semi-detached Period House • Five/Seven Bedrooms • 80ft South Facing Garden • Views over London Fields • EPC Rating C

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CurrellResidential

£1,100,000 Freehold Brownlow Road, E8 • Semi-detached House • Three Double Bedrooms • Studio space in the garden • EPC Rating E

020 7241 4111 hackney@currell.com www.currell.com

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£625 per week George Hudson Tower, E15 • Three double bedrooms • Penthouse apartment • Double height kitchen/reception • Roof terrace

£800 per week Cassland Road, E9 • Grade II listed Georgian terrace • Four bedrooms • South facing garden • Excellent transport links

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CurrellResidential

£450,000 Leasehold Banbury House, E9 • Three double bedrooms • Garden • Large reception • Victoria Park Village • EPC Rating D

020 3222 5555 victoriapark@currell.com www.currell.com

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PROPERTY

ROUND UP PROPERTY OF THE

MONTH

MAHE GEORGIO

Manager at Castles, Hackney 020 8985 0106; castles-estateagents.co.uk

A BRIGHT 2014 FOR HACKNEY! 2013 proved to be a success story for house price growth. Strong demand and short supply of properties have certainly contributed to rapidly rising house prices and is predicted to continue throughout 2014. Clapton is in the vanguard of London’s latest housing boom. Demand from both investors and owner occupiers has become so frenzied that all types of property are selling within days of being marketed. The market here in Hackney is incredibly diverse both in residential and commercial sectors.

Established in Hackney for over 25 years my team and I offer a wealth of local knowledge and a professional bespoke service. With the market moving at such a rapid pace, we continually adapt to compliment the ever-changing trends and local demands of this sought after area.

SPOTLIGHT ON:

E3

Average asking price: £353,170 Average asking rents: £1,682 pcm Average price paid: £343,450

Data provided by property website

BRADLEY SUTER

Sales Manager at Currell, Hackney, 020 7241 4111; currell.com

FASTEST GROWING BOROUGH IN THE CITY Hackney is currently the fastest growing borough in the city. In the last 12 months property values have increased a massive 30% and show no sign at present of slowing down.

The increasing demand is having severe impact on supply levels as there is simply not enough property coming to the market to meet the level of buyer demand. While there are new developments in the area, these do not fulfi l the needs of families looking for a freehold house.

Hackney’s rental market is also seeing a surge in demand from households who can’t afford to buy in the area but don’t want to move. Th is demand pushed rents up by 15-20% on some of the best rental properties in 2013.

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ABSOLUTELY Property RICHMOND ROAD, E8 £475,000 Atkinson Mcleod are delighted to offer this stunning two double bedroom period conversion fl at to the market.

The property boasts an open planning living/dining, newly fitted kitchen, fi replace and sash windows and is within walking distance from London Fields Broadway Market, London fields Lido and the transport links of London Fields British Rail and Hackney Central Overground.

7

Atkinson Mcleod

020 8510 4430; atkinsonmcleod.com

MERCHANT COURT, WAPPING E1 £500 Per Week Th is incredible two bedroom riverfront apartment in Wapping provides a rare opportunity to live in a spacious and well-fi nished property overlooking the Thames towards Canary Wharf. Th is apartment further benefits from concierge service, underground parking and a stunning communal riverside terrace. The development is within walking distance of the amenities of Central Wapping.

Daveys of Spitalfields

020 7871 9599; daveys.com

NICHOLS COURT, E2

ELDERFIELD ROAD, E5

£580,000 Leasehold A spacious two bedroom, third floor modern apartment located on the doorstep of Hoxton and Shoreditch. Set within a secure gated development, the property boasts off street parking, a private balcony, two double bedrooms, ample storage and a very generous open plan kitchen and lounge. The kitchen and bathroom have been recently appointed along with an engineered solid wood floor.

Offers in Excess of £399,999 Forming part of a classic mid terrace Victorian residence located on popular Elderfield Road is one/two bedroom garden apartment. Located on the ground and lower ground floors with; private front garden, into communal hallway, entrance into the flat leading onto rear reception/ dining room, period glazed sliding shutter doors into front reception; with original wood flooring through reception area, recess wood cupboards, fi replace alcove, ceiling coving, ceiling rose and sash windows. Stairs down to fitted kitchen,

Keatons, Shoreditch

Winkworth

020 3535 7788; keatons.com

020 8986 4216; winkworth.co.uk

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BlakeStanley

Lansdowne Drive, E8

ÂŁ975,000

Located on a tree-lined street to the west of London Fields is this 3/4 bedroom semi-detached house. The property has been recently refurbished to a high standard and offers a generous living space. The lower ground floor comprises a kitchen/diner with double doors leading to a 67ft lawned garden, at the end of which is a garage with planning permission for conversion into a garden office/studio.

The upper floors offer a dual aspect reception, three double bedrooms with built-in wardrobes and a three piece bathroom suite. Located within the catchment area for Gayhurst Primary School, a short walk to the vibrant life of Broadway Market, Regents Canal and numerous local amenities and transport links.

Freehold

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www.blakestanley.co.uk

Valentine Road, E9

020 7254 7554

£575,000

Set over the top two floors of a Victorian conversion is this spacious maisonette.

The property offers a generous lounge with separate kitchen / diner, two double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, three piece bathroom suite and additional study room in the attic space. Access to a private decked garden is also available. Located on a tree-lined street the property is situated moments away from numerous amenities, the transport links of Hackney Central and the vibrant life of Broadway Market & Victoria Park Village. Offered to the market with no onward chain.

Leasehold

Downs Park Road, E8

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£400,000

Set within a fully private 1930’s purpose built block is this top-floor, splitlevel flat. The property offers two double bedrooms, master with walk-in wardrobe, a spacious open-plan lounge / kitchen and features such as wooden floors and sash windows. The property also benefits from a private, secure bicycle lock-up. Located between Broadway Market and Columbia Road the property is well situated for numerous local amenities and transport links, including Bethnal Green Tube.

Leasehold

£335pw

A spacious one bedroom flat to rent in this Victorian Conversion. The property consists of a large lounge with stairs leading down to a good sized kitchen, there is a large bedroom with a bay window and a bathroom with shower over bath. The property is situated in Dalston with good transport links from Dalston Junction and Kingsland Dalston overland

Furnished

Pritchard’s Road, E2

Parkholme Road, E8

£415pw

A fantastic opportunity to rent this beautiful two bedroom apartment on the first floor of this impression Victorian House. The property has a large lounge, kitchen, two good sized bedrooms and one bathroom.

There is a communal garden and parking. The property is on a very quiet street which is situated minutes from London Fields, Broadway market and is close to Dalston Junction station Unfurnished

11-13a Broadway Market, London Fields, London , E8 4PH 13/01/2014 16:58

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 have a missing Landlord and want to extend the lease of my flat. What should I do?

Zulieka Davis

Sales Manager at Atkinson Mcleod, Hackney � 020 8510 4421; atkinsonmcleod.com

Q. What common mistakes do sellers make?

A. The most common mistake that vendors make is assuming that all

agents are the same; vendors are then inclined to select an agent based on fee and valuation.

Of course, most agents share a lot in common, high street presence, websites and branded cars to name a few aspects. However, it’s not just about the sale; it’s the exchange that makes a difference. That is where local knowledge and expertise plays a crucial role in the transaction.

Anybody can get you an offer on your property, but it’s the progression through to a successful exchange and completion that’s important. Atkinson McLeod is not a faceless corporate agent, and we believe that a sale is an exchange of enthusiasm.

Poppy Maynerd Lettings Manager (MARLA registered), BlakeStanley � 020 7254 7554; blakestanley.co.uk

Q. How to attract the best tenants?

A. Our motto at BlakeStanley is if you have a nice property and a nice landlord you will attract a nice tenant. The type of tenants we are getting currently are usually professionals who are in good jobs and want a nice home. Their standards are high, so to attract these tenants your property needs to be finished to a good quality and maintained that way. Tenants are generally looking for a modern, clean kitchen and bathroom, nice wood flooring or a new carpet, and freshly painted walls.

I always advise that the landlord and tenant meet before the tenancy starts, this is to establish a good basis for the relationship, both parties will then see that each other are just good normal people (not like the bad stereotypes of rogue landlords and messy tenants) and feel more secure about the tenancy and have respect for each other. If you don’t look after your property, it’s likely your tenant won’t either, so take care and look after your investment.

A. You do not say on what basis the

Landlord is said to be missing or cannot be found. Assuming you meet the qualifying criterion set out in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, you may be able to extend your lease.

You will need to show that you have made reasonable efforts to locate the Landlord, which may include placing adverts in newspapers in the vicinity of the last known address of the Landlord and your fl at, making enquiries of the Land Registry or Companies House, as the case may be, possibly employing a search agent and so forth. I am assuming that the Landlord is alive.

On the basis therefore that you have established that the Landlord cannot be found or is missing, an application is made to the County Court to assess whether or not you are entitled to a lease term extension and must be satisfied that reasonable efforts have been made to locate the Landlord. If so, the County Court will refer the matter to the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) who shall essentially be responsible for deciding how much should be paid for the lease term extension. The matter is then referred back to the County Court who shall execute the paperwork and accept the payment on behalf of the Landlord.

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: E3 Average asking price - £353,170 | Average asking rents - £1,682 pcm | Average property value - £343,450 Data provided by property website 74

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020 8985 0106

hackney@castles-estateagents.co.uk

www.castles-estateagents.co.uk

Hackney Sales & Lettings

Nightingale Road, E5

Edmeston Close, E9

£749,995 FREEHOLD

£215,000 LEASEHOLD

· 1 Bedroom Apartment · Excellent potential · Cul-de-sac location · Own Rear Garden

R SIM EQ IL U AR IR ED

R SIM EQ IL U AR IR ED

· Deceptively spacious · 4 Bedrooms · 2 Large receptions · Double garage to rear

Northwold Road, N16

Rushmore Road, E5

SOLD FREEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

· 3 Storey period home · 5/6 Bedrooms, 3 Receptions · 2,709 Sq. ft. (Approx.) · Convenient Location

· 3 Bedroom conversion · Ground and lower levels · Own rear garden · Close to Chatsworth Road

44 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0RN CASTLE_EAST_FEB.indd 2

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IN THEIR OWN

WORDS ANDY COURT Lettings Manager: Stirling Ackroyd, Hackney Photography: Rebecca Noonan

H

ackney is one of the most exciting places to work as an estate agent in London. Having already worked at Stirling Ackroyd’s Shoreditch office, I have seen how rapidly an area can evolve, and we are at the start of the process in Hackney, where the potential has barely been dented compared to its City neighbours.

A career in estate agency may well have been contemplated when I was younger, mostly because my first job out of school was as a lifeguard, leaving me with far too much time to contemplate all future careers in the surface of a swimming pool. However, telesales and conferences both offered me breaks before I tried estate agency, which provided a much more satisfying challenge.

I started as lettings negotiator, where I was mentored by a very hard woman, who I am happy to say is now my wife and the mother of my eight month old baby girl! I went on to head up their property management department, which was a fantastic experience for understanding the market and it made me very particular about the quality of customer service I expect companies, and naturally my staff, to offer.

This initial experience was invaluable in creating my passion for property, which is still very much alive. In my view, Hackney is still very much in its early stages, and if you look at the new

business trends here, the scope is great. With schemes like Invest in Hackney promoting commercial space in the borough, there should hopefully be many more exciting new companies coming. This will be especially beneficial for places such as Hackney Central, where I expect to see some regeneration in coming years, bringing it into line with places such as Dalston Junction and Broadway Market.

These new companies, and the tenants and buyers they will generate, will need to fit in with the Hackney lifestyle, as the area has a real togetherness and family community distinct from other boroughs. We benefit from the green spaces of London Fields, and the distinctive individualism of places such as Dalston and Stoke Newington. The best part has to be the locals though; I love meeting a truly diverse mix of people every day. The personality of the area has been one of the main reasons the borough has been so popular with developers, and the new developments popping up here create a very interesting property market, especially for lettings which has seen really good quality stock coming to the market.

020 7749 3807; stirlingackroyd.com

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ABSOLUTELY Property

77

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ABSOLUTELY Property

PROPERTY

DEVELOPMENT

D AV E Y S OF SPITALFIELDS

ARTHOUSE, KINGS CROSS, N1C ARTHOUSE is located in the brand new N1C postcode and is the first completed phase of the 62 acre regeneration of King’s Cross. Granary Square, the focal point of the area, will soon be thriving with eclectic boutiques alongside well-known stores, markets, cafes and restaurants. Arthouse offers a selection of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom luxury apartments in an excellent location with superb transport links servicing the whole of London, UK and International destinations. The Arthouse offers sophisticated London living with a 24-hour concierge service, bright and elegant interiors, a generous feeling of space, with carefully selected materials and well crafted finishes.

WAPPING WALL > RIVERFRONT 2 BED £500PW

KNIGHT FRANK, ISLINGTON 020 3657 7360; KNIGHTFRANK.CO.UK/ISLINGTON

COMMERCIAL RD > LARGE 1 BED £350PW

WHITEHORSE RD > PERIOD 2 BED £415 PW

A dynamic and vibrant agency, working for you...

0.75% sales fees* and 6% letting fees* for a limited period and take up our landlords rent guarantee option.

020 7871 9599 info@daveys.co

I www.daveys.co

65 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL *Excluding VAT, subject to terms and conditions.

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all on 020 7354 3000 for a FREE quote Commercial & Residential Property Corporate & Commercial Disputes Employment Insolvency Wills & Probate

HELP WITH THE LEGAL DETAIL WHEN YOU WANT TO EXTEND YOUR LEASE OR BUY YOUR FREEHOLD

Hema

Partner, Enfranchisement and Commercial Property

"Efficient, thorough, and always a pleasure to tal to. Hema was particularly good at providing reassurance and clarity."

"I always felt that with Hema we were in really safe hands."

PROPERTY LAW SERVICE

Buying or Selling Commercial Property Enfranchisement Landlord & Tenant Lease Extensions Property Disputes

pper treet, Islington, ondon 020 7354 3000 property@colmancoyle.com

www.colmancoyle.com

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1984 - 2014

anniversary

Celebrating 30 YEARS in business | 1984 - 2014

13/01/2014 14:48

The spoils of the hardy workplace warrior.

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Stirling Ackroyd All around East London E9

E5

£695,000

£500,000

HACKNEY SALES – KENWORTHY ROAD A charming 3 bed semi-detached Victorian house offering huge potential for expansion (STPP). EPC – E

HACKNEY SALES – MOUNT PLEASANT LANE A spacious 3 bedroom garden conversion within this imposing Victorian house with own front door. EPC pending.

E2

E2

£590,000

£490,000

SHOREDITCH SALES – SWANFIELD STREET A beautifully presented 2 bed apartment situated on the 3rd floor of this red brick mansion building. EPC - C

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 – HACKNEY ROAD A stunning ground floor flat within this converted chapel on Hackney Road in close proximity to Shoreditch station & Bethnal Green. EPC – C

BANKSIDE 020 7940 3888

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E5

E8

£310 pw

£625 pw

HACKNEY LETTINGS - CHILTERN PLACE A spacious 1 double bedroom apartment situated in this attractive mews development in Upper Clapton. EPC pending

HACKNEY LETTINGS – ACER ROAD A spectacular luxury penthouse forming part of the desirable Queensbridge Quarter development. EPC - B

N1

N1

£595 pw

£850 pw

SHOREDITCH LETTINGS – WELLESLEY TERRACE A 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment featuring 880 sq ft of contemporary living space, with communal roof terrace.

SHOREDITCH LETTINGS – EAST ROAD A selection of apartments arranged over the top 2 floors of an iconic 1930s warehouse building in Old Street. EPC pending.

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

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CLUBHOUSE APARTMENTS LAUNCHING 31 S T JANUARY

the

BOATYARD LIMEHOUSE LO NDO N E 1 4

Introducing The Clubhouse - the next release at the successful Boatyard development Launching 31st January, 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 £350,000*

the

BOATYARD

SALES & MARKETING SUITE NOW OPEN: Cotall Street, London, E14 6JL Open Daily: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm • Sunday 11am - 5pm Contact us to make your priority appointment: 020 www.theboatyardapartments.co.uk

3538 2341

Map not to scale. Computer generated images of the development.

Typical living room style shown. *Prices correct at time of going to press.

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