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FEBRUARY 2013 £3.95

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BEST PLACES FOR ROMANCE

ALL THAT JAZZ

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BY HOLLYWOOD'S HAROLD LLOYD

TRAVEL SPECIAL From Kensington to the Caribbean

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 COVERS.indd 2

25/01/2013 11:27

London has never looked

FULL PAGE.indd 3895 London 2012 2Absolutely Ken&NottingHill.indd 1

23/01/2013 16/01/2013 15:56 14:16

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FULL PAGE.indd 2Absolutely 3895 3895 London London 2012 2012 Absolutely Ken&NottingHill.indd Ken&NottingHill.indd2 2

23/01/2013 16/01/2013 16/01/201315:57 14:16 14:16

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Kew House School opens in September 2013 FULL PAGE.indd 2

23/01/2013 16:33

ABSOLUTELY FEBRUARY 2013

9 EDITOR’S LETTER 10 ABSOLUTELY LOVES

Absolutely’s top ten this month

38 PROFILE

Virginia Bates, fashion queen

CULTURE 13 WHAT’S ON

February’s diary

17 HAROLD LLOYD

The fi lm star’s fi lm stars

STYLE

34 FASHION SHOOT

Indian vibes from Aashni & Co

45 HIDE AWAY

Bill Amberg’s design sectrets

FOOD & TRAVEL 59 BISCUIT CASE

Icing lessons with Biscuiteers

45

16

17

32

63 RESTAURANT REVIEWS The Electric; See Sushi

INTERIORS 84 BY THE BOOK

Shelves and bookends

91 PAWSON HOUSE

Notting Hill’s most minimalist home

PROPERTY

108 IN THEIR OWN WORDS 114 PROPERTY NOTES

73

ON THE COVER NOTTING HILL

KENSINGTON

MODEL WEARS SHIRT BY SNEHA ARORA AND SKIRT BY PANKAJ AND NIDHI, AT AASHNI & CO. PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN HARRISON

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FEBRUARY 2013 £3.95

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ABSOLUTELY

FEBRUARY 2013 £3.95

KENSINGTON

10

BEST PLACES FOR ROMANCE

IMMORTAL MARILYN

RARE PHOTOGRAPHS

BY HOLLYWOOD'S HAROLD LLOYD

MARILYN AT HOME

RARE HOLLYWOOD PHOTOGRAPHS BY HAROLD LLOYD

ALL THAT JAZZ

QUEEN OF VINTAGE

VINTAGE FASHION WITH HOLLAND PARK'S VIRGINIA BATES

Talking tassels and sequins with W11’s Virginia Bates

to the Caribbean

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 COVERS.indd 1

CONTENTS.indd 7

TRAVEL SPECIAL From Kensington

24/01/2013 18:16

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24/01/2013 18:17

24/01/2013 19:46

ABSOLUTELY

just one

touch

GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harriet Compston EDITOR Pendle Harte EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Pearl Boyd, Hattie Edmonds CONTRIBUTING BEAUTY EDITOR Arabella Preston EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Fred Beckett COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Victoria White SENIOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Rochelle Streater GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR Alexandra Hunter CENTRAL PROPERTY MANAGER Anna Hutton-Potts ART DIRECTOR Ray Searle SENIOR DESIGNER Stewart Hyde

Marcela’s Marcela’swelcomes welcomesyou youtotoexperience experienceour our luxurious luxuriousSouth SouthAmerican AmericanManicures Manicuresand and Pedicures, Pedicures,accompanied accompaniedwith withour ourdazzling dazzling Essie spring/summer season colours.

Essie spring/summer season colours.

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MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER Gemma Isteed DESIGNERS Andrew Mavin, Mathew John

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Pedicures, accompanied with our dazzling AsAsthe sun the sunstarts startstotoshine, shine,it itis istime timetotohithitthe the Essie spring/summer season colours. beach! beach!Our Ournew newhighly highlyexperienced experiencedBeauty Beauty Therapist Tara Therapist Tarahas hasgreat greatexpertise expertiseininbeauty beauty As the sun starts to shine, it is time to hit the treatments, including waxing.

For Brazilian treatments, including waxing.

For Brazilian and beach! Our new highly experienced Beautyand Hollywood treatments, we recommend the Hollywood treatments, we recommend the Therapist Tara has great expertise in beauty treatments, including waxing.

For Brazilian and painless French Hot which is iscarried painless French HotWax Wax which carriedout outinin Hollywood treatments, we recommend the 15-20 minutes, you ready for 15-20 minutes, you ready forsummer! summer!

Marcela’s is getting agetting boutique beauty salon, situated painless French Hot Wax which is carried out in minutes, getting you ready forquant summer! at 15-20 the heart of Kensington on the and

We introduced Environ, Wehave have introduced Environ, apremier premier dainty Holland Street. With moreathan 15 years quality brand results quality brand thatoffers offersoutstanding outstanding results We havethat introduced Environ, a premier experience in this area we have become most quality brand that offers outstanding results for skin Environ forallall skintypes typesand andages. ages.

Environproducts products for all skin types and ages.

Environ products famous for our manicures and pedicures provide provideessential essentialnutrients nutrientsininsufficient sufficientand provide essential nutrients in sufficient doses to be truly effective, which result doses to be truly effective, which result thetounique Onewhich Touchî . ininin doses be truly ìJust effective, result aaplumper, younger looking complexion. plumper, younger looking complexion. a plumper, younger looking complexion.

JUNIOR DESIGNER Edward Taylor COPY CONTROLLER Christine Mann FINANCE DIRECTOR Alexandra Hvid MARKETING MANAGER Leah Day DIRECTOR Greg Hughes MANAGING DIRECTOR Sherif Shaltout

For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com

Also we offer shellac and artistic manicures and After many years of service, we we have After many years ofof service, have After many years service, we pedicures.

Other treatments on off erhave include experienced staff and thebest best hospitality that experienced staff and the that experienced staff and the besthospitality hospitality that maintains our fabulous reputation and client Brazilian Wax, Th reading, and wonderful facial maintains our fabulous reputation and client maintains our fabulous reputation and client loyalty. Each treatment is tailored to ones with our Skin your care Environ. loyalty. treatment is istailored loyalty. treatment tailored toones ones need, Each inEach order to make visit moreto personal.

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Published by ZEST MEDIA PUBLICATIONS LTD, 213 WESTBOURNE STUDIOS, ACKLAM ROAD W10 5JJ WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM T: 020 7704 0588 F: 020 7900 3020 Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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Tuesday - Friday: 9am Tuesday - Friday: 9am- 8pm - 8pm 7 Monday: Holland Street, W8 4NA 10am6pm Kensington, Tuesday-Friday: 9am -8pm Saturday: 10am - 6pm Saturday: 10am 6pm Saturday: 9am-5pm Sunday: 10-5pm 020710am 938 Sunday: 5pm Sunday: 10am-1555 - 5pm

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www.marcelas.co.uk www.marcelas.co.uk Marcelas.JAN.indd 1 NH FLANNEL PANEL.indd 8

20/12/2012 18:19

24/01/2013 19:26

EDITOR’S LETTER

I

s everyone bored of popups already? Or maybe they just need a new name. Some of the most exciting and creative things are temporary, and many of them stay that way for a long time. Virginia’s in Portland Road, for instance, the magical bohemian boudoir, started out as a temporary shop selling reclaimed bathtubs and has now outstayed its initial twoweek contract by more than 41 years. I met Virginia for this issue and she’s just as lovely and glamorous as her sequinned dresses.

Her shop opened around the same time as Julie’s, opposite, where another fabulous, though temporary, event is scheduled for this month: an exhibition of little-known photographs by silent film legend Harold Lloyd. Yes, the film star was also a behind-thecamera enthusiast, especially when in the company of Hollywood’s starlets, and his pictures arrive at Julies by way of Los Angeles this month.

It’s also Valentine’s day, of course, and in this issue we offer a few ideas for romantic inspiration, alongside an extended travel section. Oh, and on the subject of popups (sorry) we’re looking forward to cocktail-fuelled manicures at Paradise courtesy of Swankys (Saturdays throughout the month).

Enjoy February.

Pendle Harte Editor EMAIL: PENDLE@ZEST-MEDIA.COM FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS FACEBOOK ‘ABSOLUTELY NOTTING HILL’

9

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24/01/2013 19:28

JULIA CAMERON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRACY SHIELDS TRACYJEANSHIELDS.COM

We adore Julia Cameron’s beautiful headpieces, inspired by her great great grandmother Julia Margaret Cameron’s Victorian photography.

Choose from the extensive collection or commission something bespoke. julia-cameron.com

10 things we

Absolutely LOVE ARTISAN DU CHOCOLAT Artisan du Chocolat’s Valentine offerings include this beautiful monogrammed drawer box, fi lled with a wealth of chocolate goodies. artisanduchocolat.com

LE CREUSET Le Creuset’s iconic casserole dishes come not only in a variety of hues and sizes but also in heart shapes. We adore the purple hearts, whether for a large heart-warming casserole, or for small, individually portioned delicacies. lecreuset.co.uk

MIMI BERRY Mimi Berry’s understated Eric bag may come in elegant grey and blue shades but we’re hankering after the yellow one, or maybe the pink. Mimi Berry is stocked at The Cross and Supra. mimiberry.co.uk

10

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PEDLARS Katie May’s mug design won the first ever Pedlars product of the month competition – it’s currently being manufactured and is available to pre-order.

Fancy designing something yourself? Enter the competition at pedlars.co.uk

AERIN Probably the most beautiful makeup comes from Estee Lauder’s Aerin, and this delightful new spring palette includes three eyeshadows and a blush in a darling floral compact. aerin.com

VESSEL Royal College of Art lecturer and glass designer Simon Moore is Britain’s foremost glass maestro. His new artglas collection includes these beautiful glass vases, which can be found at Kensington Park Road’s Vessel. vesselgallery.com

OKA Anyone still mourning the absence of Christmas decorations will love Oka’s nonfestive ceramic balls, designed to be displayed year-round in bowls, vases or anywhere you please. Visit the Lancaster Road showroom for inspiration. okadirect.com

MILLER HARRIS Our new obsession is Notting Hill perfumer Lyn Harris’s Terre d’Iris, with its heady mix of flora and moss, inspired by the landscape around Grasse.

Mediterranean herbs combine with orange and patchouli to create this intriguing and lingering scent. millerharris.com

PORTOBELLO CANDLE The Portobello candle by Ashleigh & Burwood is one of six Tales of London scents and it’s a musky scent with notes of flowers and spice. talesoflondon.co.uk 11

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24/01/2013 17:34

Exhibition sponsored by

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22/01/2013 15:44

ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

Paulina Surys

Richard Young Gallery

The Garden of Earthly Delights

What’s On WHAT'S ON.indd 13

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PAULINA SURYS

THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS RICHARD YOUNG GALLERY

Paulina Surys’s extraordinary style of blending old and new comes from learning from the greats but also wanting to tread her own path. All her equipment is analogue and her techniques are like that of the early photographs in the 19th century, creating a completely unique effect, of an old style, but in colour and with modern subject matter.

This exhibition she has used wet-plate collodion’painting with light.’ Inspired by the classics, if ever photography looked liked a 21st century Renaissance painting, it’s here.

4 Holland Street, W8 020 7937 8911; richardyounggallery.co.uk

February ART13 LONDON

28TH FEBRUARY (VIP PREVIEW) 1ST-3RD MARCH

HOT POD YOGA

VARIOUS DATES IN FEBRUARY

PADDINGTON ARTS CENTRE

With the launch of Hotpod Yoga on the way, be the first to experience their expertise, instruction and innovatory approach to yoga. These pop-ups will display their unique techniques in strengthening muscles and toning body fat. So it’s not too late for all those failed resolutions.

Also, when Hotpod Yoga is up and running they will be offering hot vinyasa yoga to large workplaces, using an inflatable studio-all in the comfort and convenience of your own office.

32 Woodfield Road, W9; 020 7286 0654; hotpodyoga.com

OLYMPIA GRAND HALL

The largest art fair London features 129 galleries from 29 countries across the globe. Esteemed and emerging artists will be on display in this art overload with entries from the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as Western contributors. Contemporary photography, editions and prints will be the focal point of the fair, but with room made for mixed media, sculpture and video.

This is really the world’s current artistic endeavours in a nutshell and not to be missed.

The Grand Hall Olympia Way, W14, 0871 230 5580; eco.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

IN DADS SHOES

THE DALGARNO TRUST

TO 24 FEBRUARY

It’s easy to forget that there are single dads out there (238,000), as well as single mums. Harry Borden, esteemed portrait photographer, who has had one hundred pieces of his work shown in the National Portrait Gallery, has taken pictures of the nominated fathers in the “Single Fathers are Amazing” competition. Instigated by DadsHouse, a social enterprise supporting single fathers, the exhibition celebrates the unsung fathers of Britain.

1 Webb Close, Dalgarno Way, W10; 020 8969 6300

LUTYENS & RUBINSTEIN

LUCY HUGHES-HALLETT 6 FEBRUARY

Lucy Hughes-Hallet’s book The Pike tells the story of Gabriele d’Annunzio, womaniser, novelist, Italian war hero, poet, protofascist. Her writing style matches d’Annunzio’s fast-paced and tempestuous lifestyle. She will be talking about the book at 7pm; tickets are £5.

21 Kensington Park Road, W11; 020 7229 1010 lutyensrubinstein.co.uk

WRESTLING PYTHONS 1 FEBRUARY – 3 MARCH

LEIGHTON HOUSE

Julian Wild’s incredible sculptures are made in a purpose built studio in the borough. He was finalist at the Saatchi Gallery for the national art prize and shortlisted for The HTC art award. The works will be presented in the studio where he ‘wrestled with pythons’ trying to create sculpture worthy of the surrounding area.

12 Holland Park Road W14 020 7602 3316

FORMENTO & FORMENTO: ON THE ROAD AGAIN 20 FEBRUARY TO 10 MARCH LUMAS LONDON

The Formento duo travelled across 25 US States, in cramped, air-condition-less caravans; taking photographs of 50 young women in soulless, desolate American landscapes with the staples of American culture hurling past them in the background; motels, diners, gas stations, train stations…

102 Westbourne Grove, W2 020 7434 4431; lumas.co.uk 15

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24/01/2013 18:51

269, PORTOBELLO ROAD, LONDON W11 1LR

The Muse at 269 Gallery /Studio

Monthly shows Venue for hire Residency opps Nice smelling people...

ROY SNELL MATHEW VIEIRA STEPHANIE SMART DAMIAN RAYNE CODE FC CORAL CHURCHILL JANIE RAYNE LUNA JUNGEUN LEE THE FRONT THE MIDDLE THE BACK

FOR ALL OTHER INFORMATION BOOKINGS AND EVENTS CHECK - WWW.THEMUSEAT269.COM FULL PAGE.indd 2

24/01/2013 20:11

HOORAY FOR

HAROLD LLOYD

An exhibition of rare photographs by silent film star Harold Lloyd goes on show at Julies this month.

Absolutely sneaks a preview 17

HAROLD LLOYD_v3.indd 17

24/01/2013 16:49

ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

THESE PICTURES ARE FROM A SCRAPPED SEQUENCE FOR HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE. HAROLD WAS DOCUMENTING THE SCENE WHILE THE FILM CREW AND MARILYN WERE PREPARING TO SHOOT AT GREENACRES, LLOYD’S LOS ANGELES ESTATE

18

HAROLD LLOYD_v3.indd 18

24/01/2013 16:50

ABOVE & RIGHT: HAROLD SHOT MARILYN AT HER APARTMENT WHILE SHOOTING THE LIFE MAGAZINE COVER WITH PHILLIPE HALSMAN. MARILYN AND HAROLD WERE FRIENDS, AS SHE HAD BEEN TO GREENACRES FOR FILM SHOOTS BEFORE.

E

verybody knows that Harold Lloyd was an enormously prolific slapstick star of the silent era. The image of bespectacled Harold hanging helplessly from a clock high above a street in 1923’s Safety Last is one of cinema history’s most iconic stills. But it’s much less well known that Lloyd was also a keen amateur photographer, passionate especially about photographing Hollywood’s glamorous stars of the 1950s. Now a collection of rarely seen pictures belonging to Lloyd’s granddaughter goes on display at Julies restaurant, including pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Page as well

as anonymous nudes, all of them startlingly raw and unenhanced.

After retiring from filmmaking, Lloyd was given a 3D camera by a friend and was completely taken with the picture quality and ‘realness’ of the 3D images. He continued to take 3D photos for the rest of his life, documenting his travels all over the world.

In all, Harold Lloyd took over 200,000 3D photographs.

The majority of the 3D photos have been held in his granddaughter Suzanne Lloyd’s vault, as Harold willed all of his film and photography collections to his Suzanne on his death in 1971. She has released two books of Harold’s 19

HAROLD LLOYD_v3.indd 19

24/01/2013 16:50

ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

3D images: 3D Hollywood and Harold Lloyd’s Hollywood Nudes in 3D.

THIS PAGE: BETTIE PAGE

Harold Lloyd’s photographs are on display at Julies for a month from 4 February. Limited edition fine-art prints are available as numbered prints with certificates of authenticity from the Harold Lloyd Trust signed by Suzanne Lloyd, Harold Lloyd’s granddaughter.

Julies, 135 Portland Road W11 juliesrestaurant.com 20

HAROLD LLOYD_v3.indd 20

24/01/2013 16:50

FULL PAGE.indd 2

23/01/2013 11:23

&

Architectural Interior design Refurbishment work

Vellos Designs 35 Kensington Church StreetLondon W8 4LL020 7937 80 08 1354 -1356 High RoadWhetstoneLondon N20 9HJ0208 445 66 66

w w w. v e l l o s d e s i g n s . c o m

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28/11/2012 18:19

ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

S TREE T SOUNDS

You might not associate Idris Elba with the Kilburn High Road but the Golden Globewinning star of Luther and The Wire is actually coming to Love and Liquor to host a series of Friday nights. Elba’s latest project 7 Wallace takes him back to his musical roots and he will be DJing with some very special guests.

(1,8 and 22 February, 1,8 and 15 March) 34 Kilburn High Road, NW6

Agenda

This month’s highlights

TUNNEL OF LOVE

The Tube is 150 years old this year and the London Transport Museum is celebrating with a new look at its wonderful poster archive.

London Underground has worldwide reputation for commissioning outstanding poster designs, a legacy that continues today. From 15 February, new exhibition Poster Art 150 will showcase 150 of the best designs from the past 150 years. ltmuseum.co.uk

CR A F T Y A F TERNOONS

Very much in the spirit of Portobello-style home-made charm, Anthropologie is hosting a haberdashery-themed popup this month. Weekly workshops will offer the chance to create your own pieces under the guidance of some of craft’s rising stars including Abigail Brown, Clare Fletcher from Made in Hastings and Lisa Tilley from U Old Bag. We love these butterflies by Mister Finch. 14 Feb - 29 March; anthropologie.com

A RCHI V E MATERIA L

Internationally renowned artist and illustrator Barbara Nessim has donated many of her most significant artworks to the V&A. Known for her work with almost every major American magazine, Nessim has given the museum around 100 objects which represent the incredible breadth of her output. Barbara Nessim: An Artful Life from 15 February to 19 May; vam.ac.uk

LO U D SH I R T S

In an unusual twist of fate for the music industry, W9-based Simon Saunders has launched a new music download T-shirt label. Music by his Smash & Grab, voted BBC Radio 1 Champion Sound, is now available to download when you buy a Seek & Destroy t-shirt. Designs feature speakers, skulls, guns, dark clubs and street art from the red light districts in Amsterdam, Paris, Tokyo, LA, and London. Each t-shirt comes with a QR code to download Smash & Grab’s latest dance music for free.

The fi rst spring collection is for sale exclusively online at seekdestroylondon.com 23

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24/01/2013 16:26

Jeremy Piven and guest

Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood, and Darcey Bussell

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL Cirque du Soleil’s critically acclaimed Kooza opened at the Albert Hall to an enthusiastic audience that included Esther Ranzen, Fay Ripley, Gillian Anderson, Pam Hogg, Ronni Ancona and many others.

Katherine Jenkins

ABSOLUTELY

Social

Esther Rantzen

Reporting from all the best parties in our area

Philip Schofield and David Jason

Jon Culshaw and guest

Sir Clive Woodward and guest

Twiggy and Guest

THE SECOND HALF Jill Shaw-Ruddock’s Second Half Centre tackling loneliness and social exclusion in the over-50s, based at St Charles Hospital, was opened by the Secretary of State for Health, Jeremy Hunt and Ambassador Louis Susman and his wife, Marjorie.

Photographs by ichard Young

John Warren and wife

Jill Shaw Ruddock and Caroline Michel Marjorie Susman, Louis B Susman, Jill Shaw Ruddock, Jeremy Hall, Paul Ruddock and Cllr Christopher Buckmaster

PARTIES.indd 22

24/01/2013 19:48

Swiss movement, English heart

Bespoke Unitas 6497 hand-wound movement (Calibre JJ02) from master watchmaker, Johannes Jahnke / Each piece, of only 250, personally assembled by Johannes in our Swiss atelier / Supremely engineered, 43mm, 316L stainless steel case with full diameter transparent case-back / Unique serial number engraved on case and movement Premium Louisiana alligator deployment strap / 5 year movement guarantee

FULL PAGE.indd 2 031_ChristopherWard_AbsolutelyMags.indd 1

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23/01/2013 16:26

ABSOLUTELY | ST Y LE

THE LOOK Absolutely’s favourite catwalk trend ELIE SAAB

MALENE BIRGER

Butler & Wilson Small Crystal Bow Hair Clip, £38; butlerandwilson.co.uk Project D Adonis Alabaster Wool Crepe Jacket, £165; austique.com

Alice Temperley Long Ariel Dress, £1,950; temperleylondon.com

Zaeem Jamal Sandalphon Gown, £2,150; zaeemjamal.com

ALL THAT GLITTERS

Cut 25 Draped silk dress, £190; harveynichols.com

Go for gold with these Oscar-inspired outfits

Topshop Jollie Glitter Sole Heels, £62; topshop.com

Stella McCartney Printed Wool and silkblend scarf, £300; net-a-porter.com

Donna Karan Incognita bodysuit, £78; harveynichols.com

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Refurbish Refresh & Revive Our in-house team of refurbishment specialists includes architects, builders, kitchen/bathroom experts and interior designers.

35 years of expertise and experience combine to ensure that every project is delivered on time, to specification and within budget.

The goal is to optimise the overall look of your property and to maximise its rental/capital value.

*Terms apply

And create the right impression with: Interior design – a stunning, contemporary interior for your property Homestaging – to help you sell or let your property quickly – for the best price Furnishing packs – exclusive or budget packages to suit your pocket

To find out more or make an appointment, contact Mansi Mehra on 020 8964 1966 or email enquiries@instyledirect.co.uk

28 Salter Street, London NW10 6UN www.instyledirect.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY | ST Y LE

FASHION NOTES DRE SS UP

Vitalised Vintage features exquisite collections of vintage treasures showcased through editorial-style photography.

Run by Kensal Green-based sisters Ellie and Fleur Shepherd, it is an online boutique devoted to the finest selection of vintage clothing and accessories. Each item is hand-picked for its unique qualities and all pieces are carefully restored, revitalised and can be tailored to produce the perfect fit. vitalisedvintage.com

RED LABEL

Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label takes inspiration from British royal gardens for SS13, channelling croquet on the lawn and tea in Kensington gardens in its inimitable, slightly eccentric way. matchesfashion.com; viviennewestwood.co.uk

LAP OF LUXURY SOUND Barbour’s THE SIREN collaboration with Alice Temperley – Gold Label – really puts the emphasis on luxury. Beautiful fabrics, fluid lines and hand-finishing bring delicacy to Barbour’s robust, weather-beating products. Fighting the brrr in style. barbour.com

Lauren Adriana is a leading name in fine jewellery design and her new Colville Mews store stocks an array of unusual and impressive artistic designs. We love these Siren earrings in gold, silver, amethyst, rhodolite and diamonds. Or commission your own unique piece from one of the finest designers in the world. 12 Colville Mews, W11, 020 7727 9229; laurenadriana.com

MICROTREND... LUXE LINGERIE

ROSY BRA, £53, AND BRIEF, £24; FOXANDROSE.COM ELLE MACPHERSON INTIMATES EVENING LUAU IN JET: UNDERWIRE BRA £40, THONG £22; STRIPWAXBAR.COM

FASHION NOTES_NH_FEB.indd 29

STELLA MCCARTNEY BRA, £72, AND BRIEFS, £41; FOXANDROSE.COM

ELLE MACPHERSON INTIMATES EXOTIC PLUME IN TAHITIAN PINK CONTOUR BRA, £36; MIDI BRIEF, £22; STRIPWAXBAR.COM

AGENT PROVOCATEUR DARLA BRA, £95, THONG, £60, SUSPENDER, £95; AGENTPROVOCATEUR.COM

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24/01/2013 16:42

MY STYLE

Notting Hill jeweller Sophie Harley reveals her inspirations

My favourite piece of my own personal jewellery... has to be the gold necklace that I wear every day. Every single charm on it means something special, from my daughters’s winged M initial to the beautiful aquamarine & diamond pendant (the stone belonged to my mother ) which I made to wear on my wedding day.

My favorite piece of art... I love Renaissance painting, especially the Delphic Sybil by Michaelangelo (a detail from the Sistene Chapel).

My favourite designer... Vivienne Westwood. I love her collision of the old and the new, urban beauty meets wild and wanton Rococo goddess , I like to think that my jewellery would reflect that too…

My favourite piece of jewellery (not mine)... I love ancient jewellery, Roman and Etruscan particularly, and have spent many hours drawing pieces in the British Museum over the years. My current favourite would have to be a memento mori from the 1600s, a rare Baroque miniature featuring my ancestor Lady Briliana Harley, a tiny painting set in a gold frame with a beautifully intricate enamelled back, full of secret symbolism and originally worn as part of a bracelet.

Her heroic story inspired me to create my latest collection, ‘Brilliana’, which features beautiful coloured gems in ornate gold settings.

My favourite holiday destination Barcelona has to be one of my top cities though, bursting with all things arty and some of best bars on the planet.

My most treasured possession... my wedding and engagement rings.

Both are made in 18 carat yellow gold and set with beautiful old rose cut diamonds in dusty hues. sophieharley.com

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26/11/2012 17:50

PRINTED MAXISHIVAN AND NARRESH SWAROVSKI STUDDED MINI AUDIER- FLUKE DESIGN CO STERLING SILVER WITH 22 KARAT GOLD PLATED RINGEINA AHLUWALIA

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EAST MEETS WEST

Nestled on Notting Hill’s Ledbury Road Aashni & Co provides a tantalising taste of the exotic. As a hub for eclectic, emerging talent in Indian fashion design, the store’s arrival redefines a Western perception of Eastern design.

A kaleidoscope of the contemporary and conceptual, its showcase of designers balances the strengths and history of Indian tradition with a real sense of the fashion-forward, the experimental and the here and now PHOTOGRAPHER: Ian Harrison STYLIST: Lynda Bell

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ROZA DRESS PANKAJ AND NIDHI

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LONG PRINTED KAFTAN DRESS - PRIA KATARIA PURI

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24/01/2013 19:53

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OPPOSITE: EMBELLISHED MAHARANI BLOUSESABYASACHI

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THIS PAGE: TEAL ARMADILLO JACKET TOP- AMIT AGGARWAL

24/01/2013 19:53

IVORY STRUCTURED DRESSAMIT AGGARWAL CUFF BY SUHANI PITTIE All available at Aashni & Co www.aashniandco.com Tel: 020 7985 0155 PHOTOGRAPHER: IAN HARRISON STYLIST: LYNDA BELL, ASSISTED BY KIERA O’SULLIVAN MAKE UP: HARRIET HADFIELD USING LAURA MERCIER HAIR: HOLLIE ROSE CLARKE USING BUMBLE & BUMBLE AND LAURENSWAY

LOCATION

LA SUITE WEST HOTEL, 41-51 INVERNESS TERRACE, LONDON W2 3JN

SHOOT.indd 38

24/01/2013 19:54

ALL THAT

JAZZ Virginia’s in Holland Park is the place to go for antique clothing.

Pendle Harte meets owner Virginia Bates

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E

verybody knows that the world of ‘vintage’ has changed. But for Virginia Bates, polyester tops from C&A in the 1980s are of no interest at all. Her clothes are antique, dating back to Victorian times and certainly no later than the 1940s. From her small shop in Holland Park, the former actress has quietly become an international authority on the history of fashion, as well as a blogger for Vogue.com and a style icon in her own right.

The shop is described by Suzy Menkes as ‘a fashion history lesson brought to life’ and by Daphne Guinness as ‘a place of refuge for artistic souls’. It’s loved by fashion mavens including John Galliano, Stephen Jones, Daphne Guinness, Naomi Campbell, to name the fans who contributed to a new book cataloguing the vast collection of clothes. And the stock is all about glamour. ‘Everybody wants glamour. However old or young, even ladies in their 80s come in and still want to be glamorous and sexy,’ she tells me as we tour her fairylandlike shop, her sharp blonde hair in a perfect fringed bob. There’s beading, sequins, lace, lame, chiffon, crepe, and tassels, all tactile pieces. ‘I love the 20s pieces, and the 30s, but not the 50s really. I remember leaving school and wearing 50s clothes and the agony of the belts and the waspies and the suspenders, never again.’

And as for the 1970s – ‘Well, I’ve been there, done that and thrown it away.

I didn’t like the look at the time, which was why I started wearing antique clothes. In the end, I’ll only buy what I would like to wear. I stick to my own taste.’

But Virgina’s didn’t start with clothes.

The shop started as a pop-up 41 years ago, she explains, when Bates took on a two-week rental of the Portland Road shop. She was a jobbing actress at the time, married to fellow actor Ralph Bates.

‘The rent was £20 per week and I thought, I can probably do that, so I took it for two weeks.’ At the time she lived in a flat in Lansdowne Crescent with a collection of things that she’d picked up from junk shops all over the country, so she filled the shop with that. ‘As an actress, travelling around, I had spent every minute going round junk shops and in those days you found things. The market was full of real fab goodies and in Scotland you’d find wonderful vases and art nouveau and bits of Rennie Mackintosh – proper pieces, which I didn’t recognise, I just had an eye and thought they were decorative items.’

Luxury Chocolate for Valentine’s

“In the old days I’d wear a piece until all the sequins had disappeared and then I’d go and get another one”

Day

She also developed a thing for bits of old plumbing – loos, basins, bathtubs and taps, which she’d salvage from houses that were throwing them out. ‘I’d go round on my bike looking for places that were being demolished and go back with a lorry,’ she says. Then she’d clean and sell the pieces.

Junk was easy in those days – Bates would find bits of brown furniture on skips, strip and paint it and sell it. ‘It was a much more laid back time. It’s all very official now – I’d never want to start again.

In the old days, the shop was busy and buzzy, I never closed the doors. People would come in and have coffee and coffee would turn into lunch and lunch would go into supper. We were all friends.’

These days, the footfall in Portland Road just isn’t the same. ‘In 1972 this was a proper little working village with a greengrocer, a dairy, a butcher, a baker, a post office and a hardware shop. It was buzzy and all the locals used to hang round outside. I sold my first piece to the woman who

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There’s a chapter on opera capes and one on theatre coats.

There are bridge coats, evening jackets and cocktail wear, flapper dresses and housecoats ran the dairy and I thought, that wasn’t difficult!’

Virginia swapped furniture for clothes in the early 1990s after her husband (the actor Ralph Bates) died. ‘I had to really get a grip and find two lots of school fees,’ so when a model came in (Helena Christensen, apparently) and loved the 40s frocks and Victorian petticoats she had in the shop, followed by more models and then a designer, she thought: ‘I’ll do clothes. Instead of washing baths I’ll wash clothes.’

And today’s stock consists of stuff she’s had for ages, because you can’t come by things any more. ‘There isn’t anything any more. There’s nothing in the markets. I go to the auction houses but everything costs a fortune and is normally ripped. Fortunately, being a hoarder, I have a bit of a stash.’ That’s why she did the book, to keep a record of it all. Pieces don’t sell like they used to either, now that these beautiful, fragile sequined dresses cost around £1,800. Some of them are too delicate to wear, but many of Virginia’s clients are designers who buy pieces for ideas, and others are collectors who buy beautiful sequinned dresses to hang decoratively on their walls. ‘In the old days I’d wear a piece until all the sequins had disappeared and then I’d go and get another one. These days I spend 10 or 15 minutes putting things away properly after I’ve worn them because I know what they’re worth.’

Dressed to Kill – Jazz Age Fashion is an elaborate record of Bates’ fashion archive. Lovingly photographed pieces

are divided into chapters that reveal much about the total sartorial shift that happened in the second half of the 20th century.

We no longer categorise things in remotely the same way, or wear particularly occasionspecific clothes. There’s a chapter on opera capes, for instance, and one on theatre coats. There are bridge coats, evening jackets and cocktail wear, flapper dresses and housecoats. The book is a lovingly photographed record of Bates’ work over

the past 40 years, collecting what started simply as old clothes that she liked wearing and became an archive of costume history. Read it and be inspired.

Dressed to Kill: Jazz Age Fashion from Virginia’s by Virginia and Daisy Bates with a foreword by Suzy Menkes and essays by Stephen Jones, Daphne Guinness, and Naomi Campbell is published

by Rizzoli, h/b £45. All photographs are taken from the book.

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ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

JIVITA A luxurious, mind-soothing, pampering session at Jivita Ayurveda is just what you want to give your loved one at St Valentines. Sure to make an impression, the two-hour treatment package designed for the occasion consists of a foot and body scrub, a full body massage and a face treatment using high quality organic and beautifully fragrant ILA products.

89 Chamberlayne Rd NW10, www.jivitaayurveda.com 020 8964 4993

Absolutely

VALENTINE Romantic gifts and indulgent destinations for 14 February

THE PELICAN THE QUEENSBURY Love at the Queensbury A very special Valentine’s menu at the Queensbury is made up of divine ingredients including quail eggs, oysters, foie gras, lobster, salmon and cockles. And for pudding, who can resist Baileys cheesecake? A two course meal for two, with a glass of bubbly, costs £49.95, so book your table fast at this fabulous foodie find.

110 Walm Lane NW2, 020 8452 0171; queensbury.co.uk

Recently refurbished, the Pelican is now taking bookings for Valentine’s day. A hearty menu of pub favourites (pies, sausages and burgers) is complemented by a good selection of fish and tempting puddings. There’s an excellent cheese board too.

45 All Saints Road, W11 020 7221 3011 thepelicanw11.com

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ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

NMBR 6 NMBR6 was brought to life in 2012 by Kelly Ayson, ex-Daniel Hersheson stylist. A regular on London’s fashion circuit, working with brands such as Topshop and Charlotte Olympia.

NMBR6’s new spin on the west London hair scene combines attention to detail with a laid back approach, making it well suited to its Westbourne Studios home. Treat yourself or your loved one to this month’s Love Heart Bundle with Shine Gloss, Blowdry and Mini Mani for £30.

Unit 19, Westbourne Studios, 242 Acklam Road, W10 020 3176 6655; www.nmbr6.co.uk

ALEXEEVA AND JONES Iain Burnett’s wonderful 40-piece selection of luxury dark and milk chocolates in a beautiful heart-shaped box is the ideal gift for the one you love on romantic Valentine’s Day. This is part of the exquisite range of luxury handmade chocolates from the world’s leading artisan chocolatiers showcased by Alexeeva & Jones at their stylish Salon du Chocolat in Westbourne Grove.

297 Westbourne Grove, W11 2QA 020 7229 1199 www.alexeevajones.com

PAPER WISHES Take a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Add a box of chocolates, stir in a romantic card or declare your love on a personalized balloon. Don’t forget a Valentine’s gift basket filled with lovable goodies. Lastly, there’s an array of teddies and gifts to choose from. Get all these romantic ingredients in store, plus they stock candles, rose petals and Valentine’s decor. Introducing yummy cupcakes and cheesecakes to share.

47a Chamberlayne Road, NW10, (Entrance on Kempe Road) 020 8964 4410 www.paperwishesuk.com

STRIP Let Strip take the stress out of Valentine’s Day prep with their range of expert (and virtually pain-free) waxes, luxury spray tans, lashes, HD Brows and skincare products. Strip’s luxury waxing boutiques even stock chic lingerie – think Stella McCartney and Elle Macpherson Intimates - and offer a ‘Glam Eyes’ service to ensure your peepers dazzle whomever happens to gaze into them.

Sure to leave you looking and feeling your best.

Strip, 112 Talbot Road, W11 1JR, 020 7727 2754; www.stripwaxbar.com

COCO NAIL BAR Looking for the perfect Valentine’s treat? Look no further. Portobello’s Coco Nail Bar has devised two choices: a Valentine’s Manicure (£35) and a Valentine’s Manicure and Pedicure (£60). Both of them come with a hand/foot massage, glass of bubbly, chocolates and a free bottle of OPI’s Vodka and Caviar.

267 Portobello Road, W11 020 7243 1113 www.coconailbar.com 43

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23/02/2012 16:07

PORTRAIT OF BILL AMBERG BY MARK LEBON

SKIN DEEP

BILL AMBERG.indd 45

In the fashion world, Bill Amberg is known for his bags.

For architects, he is associated with interiors.

As an exhibition at Great Western Studios connects the two, Absolutely quizzes the leather designer

24/01/2013 16:31

For many people, your name is associated with bags, but really you’re all about the leather.

What makes leather such a versatile material to work with?

Three years ago, I split the business into two and now Bill Amberg Studio concentrates on bespoke specialist leather interiors and products, while the separate retail business does bags and accessories.

And that’s really the point of this exhibition – to demonstrate both of those aspects. The displays will include walls, doors and a floor as well as a desk, a bicycle, bike bag and saddles, some packaging work and a briefcase.

Why split the business?

They were starting to compete with each other.

I needed a separate specialist

interiors service. I did my first floor in 1986 and have been working with architects ever since. Some architects only know us for floors, while retailers only know us for bags.

You have just lined the Shard’s lifts in leather.

Please can you tell us about this piece of work.

We’ve been working with the Shard for the past year and now we’ve finished the reception desk. We did the lifts for the hotel, and we’re about to do the handrails. We’ve also developed a wall-mounted hand-stitched leather shelf inspired by the Shard’s handrails and that will be available to buy at the exhibition.

What else have you worked on recently?

We have done lots of bars all over the world, including Claridges’ Fumoir bar and the Donovan bar at Browns hotel.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: LEATHER CHAIR; LEATHER FLOORS, BOTH

BY BILL AMBERG STUDIO, SELFRIDGES MEN’S SHOE DEPARTMENT

46

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There’s a bike in the exhibition.

Tell us about that.

There’s a British bicycle company called Charge Bikes, who pushed the idea of the single speed bike, and they’re based in Somerset near where we have a house. We covered one of their saddles in leather with Golborne Road’s Halfpipe and sent it down to them, and they commissioned one. Then we took one of their Juicer bikes and tarted it up, with a leather seat, leather handlebars and leather mudflaps.

That’s in the exhibition.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THE RECEPTION AREA AT THE SHARD; LEATHER HANDRAILS; LEATHER CAR INTERIOR, ALL

BY BILL AMBERG STUDIO

What do you like about leather interiors?

They’re warm – they have natural thermal properties, with great acoustics. We have just done a cinema in Eaton Square and it’s such a warm soft sound. The smell is good, and the touch is amazing. And leather lasts forever. In fact we have recently made minor repairs to a floor that dates back to 1954.

Can you discuss the relationship between traditional skills and design?

Craft is the route of making and humans make things well. In our studio in Queens Park we’ve got designers and craftspeople working together all day every day, and that’s the best way of making something – design and craft together is missing from lots of things, some products may be cleverly designed but the process of evolution that comes with the craft might be missing. Development must be part of the making. I am a designer and I started as a craftsman – to me, design and craft are totally wrapped up together.

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done with leather?

We once covered someone’s loo seat in pearlised white leather. Nothing

surprises me like that any more, I was rather pleased. Last year we did an entire gym, which a client found ugly before we dismantled it all and covered it in leather.

What is made of leather in your own house?

My stereo unit, the cabinet for my vinyl is covered in leather and my TV room has a leather floor.

Inside Design with Bill Amberg runs from 21 February to 6 March at Great Western Studios, 65 Alfred Road W2. Bill Amberg will be in conversation with Libby Sellers on 28 February, 7-9pm; greatwesternstudios.com billambergstudio.com 47

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ABSOLUTELY | ST Y LE

THE FITNESS FILE TIMED TO PERFEC TION Timed-Fitness London is a brand new home and outdoor personal training movement. Sessions are packed with high intensity training, body weight work, core stability and high impact cardio – but exercise isn’t the only plan of attack against those pesky last 10lbs. You will also consult with a nutritionist and develop a tailor-made meal plan that you can make a part of your lifestyle and stick to long term. And there are no excuses, because TimedFitness will bring the gym to you: training can happen anywhere, anytime. In your living room at 6am, in Holland Park at sunset – you choose the place and the time, and your trainer will be there waiting with everything you need. timed-fitnesslondon.co.uk

EXERCISE OF THE MONTH

A lunge with overhead press SUCCESS GUAR ANTEED

W10 Performance Gym is a weightoriented gym, where you work to a system of circuits to cover all areas of training you need to trim the pounds.

Staff are on hand to train you in personal or semi-personal sessions and they will push you very hard to make you reach your target. You can’t fail to be motivated by the team, who are trained in nutrition as well as personal training and tend to lean towards the no carbs scheme with four training sessions a week, a strict but successful routine that guarantees you to lose a dress size in eight weeks. There’s a bespoke training plan for everyone and you will emerge feeling brilliant. w10performancegym.com

Stand with feet hip width apart and hands at shoulders with elbows bent. Palms facing out.

Step out to the left and bend your knee while keeping the right leg straight. Don’t be afraid to stick out that bum! Be sure to keep your knee behind toes. You risk injury if the knee goes too far forward.

Keep your back straight and hinge forward at the waist. While doing this, bring your hands to just below your left knee.

Move into standing position returning hands to shoulders.

Repeat exercise on the right side.

Perform 15-20 repetitions on each side.

To make this move more challenging, hold bottles of water or tins of tomatoes in your hands for increased resistance.

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19/12/2012 15:33

ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

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Shakti Ananda

YOGA TEACHER FROM PORTOBELLO Shakti Ananda (38, real name Annabel) used to work in fashion PR. But after reading Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, she had an ‘A-ha’ moment and gave it up. After completing her TTC at the Sivananda Centre in Madurai, she’s now a fully accredited yoga teacher.

She’s also a Reiki Master and Lightworker. Her mission, aside from becoming enlightened in this lifetime, is to heal those around her and help humanity in its transition from fear to love.

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7am Wake and do some Pranayama. Breath is Life. Think about starting another Breath Circle.

8.13am Make myself a kale and krill shake.

8.58am Meditate on my heart chakra. Am still experiencing feelings of resentment towards Lydia upstairs after her New Year’s Eve party and don’t want to carry around these toxic thoughts any more.

11.03am Go to Coffee Plant to work on my novel. It’s about a West London yoga teacher helping people to raise their vibration. The writer Geoff Dyer is sitting by the window so I’m in good company.

11.27am Jagadambai comes in. Haven’t seen her since the Goan yoga pant show-down last year.

11.29am Jagadambai says that she is pregnant. It’s a girl and she’s going to call her Puna. Apparently she’s an indigo child.

11.46am Go for a walk around Colville Gardens. Feel quite tearful.

I want an indigo child.

12.09pm Ring Guru Darren and ask him over for dinner.

12.51pm Pass the Myla shop on the way home where I see a black and cream lace bra in the window.

4.03pm Start preparing dinner – need to pulverize the cashews to make the sauce which Guru Darren likes so much.

6.12pm Finally finish cashew sauce. Now onto marinated tofu fritters.

7.08pm Put on Ram Dass’s most recent CD. First track Namo Namo (Sat Nam) rocks!

7.17pm Lydia shouts from her window for me to turn down the music.

7.18pm Shout back that it serves her right for keeping me awake on New Year’s Eve. Lydia says that she’s got a basketball bat and she’s not afraid to use it.

7.20pm I tell her that I have a massive rose quartz crystal which could crush her skull instantly. She tells me to come outside.

7.24pm Can’t find the rose quartz crystal to take outside. Then remember that put it on the patio for full moon.

7.26pm No time to get crystal so call the police. Lydia is a dangerously Low Vibrational being who’s addicted to violence.

7.48pm See Guru Darren walking down the street just as police car pulls up outside my house.

7.49pm See Guru Darren running off towards Ladbroke Grove.

Shout after him but he obviously doesn’t hear me.

8.45pm Guru Darren hasn’t returned any of my calls.

Eat 800 grammes of cashew sauce while watching Shane Lynch: Dyslexia - My Secret Past.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Baba Ganoush

0207 221 5008 www.thelondonhairextensioncompany.co.uk

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24/01/2013 17:51

ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

The insider

Arabella Preston’s make-up tips from behind the scenes

Date night make-up

D

ate night makeup is a delicate, ninja-like art, striking a precarious balance between soft, sexy and as if you haven’t given your visage a second thought. Ahem. You see, men like make-up, they just don’t know it. Let’s keep it that way.

Clean, glowing skin is key. Use a gentle exfoliator then prime the skin with a light moisturiser to calm any redness. Use a lightweight foundation such as Chanel’s Vitalumiere Aqua around the nose and mouth and disguise dark circles with a brightening concealer such as Bobbi Brown Eye Brightener.

On the eyes, a soft smoky eye is universally flattering.

Try a soft matte eyeshadow in dark brown or grey, such as the Givenchy palette, to smudge into the lash line, working an eye pencil into the roots of the lashes for definition. Make-up artist Florrie White who perfects faces like those of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Rosamund Pike recommends avoiding black as it can be too harsh. Finish with lashings of mascara taking care to comb clumps out.

On the lips and cheeks, peachy-pinks in sheer textures are best. Florrie loves the Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip & Cheek Balm. ‘Use it to keep your lips kissable but enhanced,’ she says. ‘And you can also use it to give yourself a peachy pink glow on your cheeks.’

ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY

Chantecaille Faux Cils Mascara, £33; spacenk.com MAC Making Pretty Iridescent Loose Powder, £42; exclusively at Selfridges Estee Lauder Pretty Naughty eye palette, £35, Estee Lauder counters or 0870 0342566 Laura Mercier En Pointe Nail Polish, £15.50; spacenk.co.uk Dr Hauschka Eyeshadow Palette, £27; drhauschka.co.uk Givenchy Private Rose Lipgloss, £19.50; 01932 233924 Laura Mercier Stone Grey Eye Pencil, £15.50; spacenk.co.uk

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Skin Solutions The Waterhouse Young non-surgical medical aesthetic clinic offers you an holistic approach from the moment you step inside the clinic.

We understand your skin and we appreciate the psychological boost you gain when you have brighter skin and a more youthful appearance.

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Obagi Skin Systems

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www.waterhouseyoung.com21 Devonshire Street, London, W1G 6PBinfo@waterhouseyoung.com@Waterhouseyoung WHY.MOCK UP.V2.2.indd 2

21/01/2013 17:06

ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

02 04 01

10 03 09

Crimson Joy

05

06

Arabella Preston’s selection of the loveliest English roses

08 07 1. Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, £16.50; jurlique.co.uk. 2. Aerin Rose Hand and Body cream, £36; available at selected John Lewis stores, 0870 034 2566. 3. By Terry Or de Rose Blush Prestige, £60; spacenk.co.uk. 4. Weleda Wild Rose Body Oil, £19.95; weleda.co.uk.

5. Aerin lipgloss in Pink Rose, £22; available at selected John Lewis stores, 0870 034 2566. 6. Chantecaille, Rose de Mai Pure Rosewater, £48; available at Harrods. 7. Diptyque Rose Duet candle, £42; diptyqueparis.co.uk. 8. NARS Bouthan Duo Eyeshadow, £25; narscosmetics.co.uk.

9. L’Occitane Radiant Hand Cream, £8; uk.loccitane.com. 10. Super Facialist Rose Intense Moisture Mask, £8.99; boots.com 54

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FULL PAGE.indd 2

23/01/2013 16:18

kensington nutrition Naturopathy is a system of treating poor health or disease based on the healing power of nature.

Continuing the tradition that the body can rebalance and heal itself with natural assistance, naturopathy is based on the healing power of nature or 'vis medicatrix naturae' - the famous legacy from the Greek physician, Hippocrates. This Latin phrase was the cornerstone for Hippocrates approach to healing, that we contain literally the 'healing powers of nature.'

Call:

07817063737

www.kensingtonnutrition.co.uk neringanaturopath@hotmail.com (to book an appointment or either my mobile) 96 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SG

KENSINGTON NUTRITION.indd 1

24/01/2013 12:13

NEW AT MARK ANTHONY'S FITNESS CLUB 

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PHYSIOGENIE.indd 1

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 4

23/01/2013 14:47

24/01/2013 20:49

ABSOLUTELY | K IDS

GRIMM TALES Taschen’s beautiful new collection of fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm comes as a tactile cloth-bound hardback (£24.99, The Cross again) as well as in interactive e-book form as an iPad app (£4.99, iTunes). Both feature charming vintage illustrations from the 1820s to the 1950s. taschen.com

Absolutely TINIES How to keep them amused

IN THE BAG

And for those slightly more experienced with a needle, there’s the Bagdoll kit. What child doesn’t dream of making their own doll? Bagdoll is, literally, a doll in a bag that’s ready to be stitched.

There’s a family of eight dolls, including a boy called Alfie and a scooter as well as girls called Vera, Olive and Chichi, all of them refreshingly quirky. They have rollerskates, spectacles and berets, with individual dress sense and adorable detail. Instructions are concise and easy to follow and children of age eight and above will love them. £35 each; you’ll find the full range at The Cross in Portland Road or at bagdoll.com.

SEW EASY

NW6-based Sparrowkids designed this sparrowbag in 2004 and it’s still a bestseller.

The stitch-your-own-felt bag kit comes with a plastic needle, two cut-out bird shapes with pre-punched holes so easy for the plastic safety needle to pass through, wool thread, embroidery thread and cutout decorations of flowers and leaves. There’s even a length of suede thong for the strap. sparrowkids.co.uk

MARKET DAY

The new collection from Emma Levine Kids & Baby includes this beautiful print Market Buzz dress, £39. A print with people on it always wins us over. emmalevine.net

SING SONG

Are your offspring songbirds or warblers? If they like singing – and most of them do – Song Academy could be just the thing. This West London songwriting and performance school has opened a new site in Notting Hill, offering children aged six to 14 the chance to write, perform and record their own songs in weekly after-school sessions.

They’ll even perform their own compositions with a professional band at the end of term. Sign them up at songacademy.co.uk.

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KIDS.indd 57

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Sim

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ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 5

24/01/2013 20:49

ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

ICE UP

YOUR LIFE Why send flowers when you can send biscuits? ask the people at Biscuiteers.

Pearl Boyd tests out a biscuit icing class at Notting Hill’s first biscuit store

irst, you need to get your line right. ‘How do you feel about your line now?’ asks Lorena, gently. I am feeling better about it now that I have adjusted the relationship between squeezing and pushing, I tell her. ‘Hold it like a pen,’ she reminds us. ‘And pull, don’t drag.’ She is talking about piping bags and we are drawing tiny shapes onto biscuits. It is no joke. Our task is to make delicate drawings, in icing, on biscuits to make them look like jellies, cakes, doughnuts and ice creams.

We are making a box of ‘vintage birthday’ themed biscuits and there’s a heavy sense of competition in the air.

There are six of us, all women, hanging on Lorena’s every word in the basement kitchen/icing café at Biscuiteers’ ridiculously adorable boutique in Kensington Park Road. The walls are covered in jelly-themed wallpaper and upstairs is a shop whose wares have created an entirely new niche in the world for the simple biscuit. In this world, biscuits can be greetings cards and they can be thank you notes; there are birthday biscuits, Christmas biscuits, valentine’s biscuits, housewarming biscuits and good luck biscuits. Need to apologise for something? Send a ‘sorry’ biscuit.

There are new baby biscuits and wedding biscuits. Last year there were

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‘In this new currency, there is a biscuit for every rite of passage and every occasion’

jubilee biscuits. In this new currency, there is a biscuit for every rite of passage and every occasion. ‘Why send flowers when you can send biscuits?’ they ask.

There’s something very British about the biscuit, which is more pedestrian than a pastry, less creamy than a torte and perfectly suited to dunking. Of course, we are not talking bourbon creams at a pound a packet. Nor are we talking rustic, handmade, asymmetrical cookies.

These are individual, single biscuits, beautifully designed and painstakingly handiced in shapes suited to a recipient’s interests. Worlds away from the hobnob, these are biscuits shaped like teapots, like shoes, like flowers, like kittens, like cupcakes, like champagne. There are après ski biscuits and ones that spell ‘thank you’, and whole boxes of biscuits with themes like Paris, New York, safari and circus. For Valentine’s day, the options are endless and at Christmas there were bauble-shaped biscuits for the tree.

If you’re left wondering why a single biscuit might cost £9, a lesson at Biscuiteers’ school of icing will illuminate. Which brings

BISCUITEERS SCHOOL OF ICING’S CLASSES 194 KENSINGTON PARK ROAD, W11 020 7727 8096 BISCUITEERS.COM

VINTAGE HEARTS 6 February (10.30-12.30am) You’ll be icing a beautiful set of old fashioned hearts.

L.O.V.E 13 February (10.30-12.30am) You’ll be icing I Love You letters

us back to the line. Icing expert Lorena is taking our class and she is making it all look very easy, but our lines are wobbly at best. The idea is to draw outlines in thin lines of piped icing, which sets quickly, and then fill them in with ‘flooding’ icing, so called because it expands to fill the entire line (if you’re not careful, it will flood and drown your biscuit). Our class lasts two hours and our aim is to finish 16 biscuits each (they are ready-baked when we arrive, so we’re not factoring in any dough or cooking time). In fact, half of them remain unfinished, and the ones we do make, while delightful, are nowhere near the standard of those expensively sold upstairs. It is not easy making a biscuit resemble a jelly, or an ice cream, or a French Fancy, or a slice of Battenberg, even working from detailed photographs. Lorena’s professional hand is steady and confident while ours are unsure and twitchy. However, our efforts do improve significantly and a morning spent icing biscuits is a relaxing one.

We each leave with a proud tin of our own creations (along with piping bags to finish decorating the last ones) plus a copy of Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits for reference, and our very own Biscuiteers aprons to keep. There aren’t many better ways to spend a morning. as well as some sweet love hearts for Valentine’s Day FASHION 20 February (10.30-12.30am) For London Fashion Week, you’ll be icing chic clutches, designer dresses and elaborate earrings.

SEWING KIT 27 February (10.30-12.30am) You’ll be icing everything you need for an edible sewing kit.

Workshops cost £65 plus VAT person and must be booked in advance at biscuiteers.com

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

VALenTine’S biSCUiT RECIPE inGreDienTS (MAkeS 24 biSCUiTS) 350g plain flour 100g self-raising flour 125g granulated sugar 125g salted butter, diced 125g golden syrup 1 large egg, lightly beaten

RECIPE:

• Preheat the oven to 170c/350f/ gas mark 4 before you begin.

• Sift the flours together into a mixing bowl, add the sugar and mix well.

• Add the butter. Using just the tips of your fingers, rub together the ingredients until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

• When all the butter is evenly mixed in, make a well in the centre and add the syrup and the egg.

• Mix well, drawing in any of the flour left at the sides of the bowl and stop as soon as a ball has formed.

• Place the dough onto your clean worktop. Divide into two and squash the dough into two even-sized flat discs. Cover and chill until ready to use, or roll out immediately.

• Place the dough on a sheet of parchment and begin by gently squashing the dough down with a rolling pin or your hands.

Cover with a second sheet of parchment and then use the rolling pin to roll out properly.

• The top sheet of paper may crinkle from time to time, just peel it off and smooth it down gently before starting to roll again.

• Gently roll the dough until it is 5mm thick all over, then transfer the whole sheet of rolled dough still sandwiched between its sheets of parchment to a baking tray and place in the fridge to chill for at least 20-30 minutes before cutting.

• Letter shaped cutters are widely available online, or you

can choose to make your own. To do this, identify the letter you want to trace (making sure they are bulky enough to survive the baking) and lay a sheet of parchment on top, carefully tracing around the letter.

Carefully cut the templates out with scissors. You can find some templates in the Biscuiteers Book of Iced Biscuits.

• Assemble your collection of cutters or templates and start to cut. To use the dough efficiently, cut the biscuits out as close together as possible. Lift each biscuit onto the parchment covered baking tray and make sure they are not too close together as the dough will spread a little on baking. Any trimmings can be re-rolled a couple of times.

• evenly space the trays in the oven and cook for 14-18 minutes, depending on your oven.

• When the biscuits are evenly cooked and just beginning to turn a golden colour remove the trays from the oven and transfer the whole sheet of parchment to a cooling rack. Do this carefully as the biscuits will be quite fragile and hot.

• Cool totally before starting to ice.

‘i LoVe YoU’ iCinG TiPS :

1. To start, cut your piping bag straight across to achieve a clean icing line.

2. Always use a clean piping bag, so that your icing colours stay lovely.

3. There are two basic types of royal icing at biscuiteers – a thick, smooth paste for piping details and edging, and a runnier glossy mixture for flooding larger areas.

4. Practice your icing techniques on a parchment sheet before starting on your biscuits.

5. Using the piping icing (should be smooth and thick, a bit like the texture of toothpaste) ice around the letter edges to create a ‘wall’ for the runny icing.

6. once the edges are dry, use a runny royal icing to flood the biscuit.

7.

When filling areas with runny icing, use a sharp cocktail stick to burst any bubbles. This will help achieve a smooth and luxurious finish.

8. If you want the detail to sink into the flood icing, add this while the flood icing is still wet.

9. Stock up on lots of baubles and sugar glitter to finish off your biscuits with some pizazz.

Remember that sugar glitter will stick better to super wet icing (it dries pretty fast).

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there’s nothing like good food, good wine, and a bad girl

COCKTAILS, CHAMPAGNE, TAPAS AND DREAMS BRUNCH SERVED ALL DAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WESTBOURNE HOUSE CAN ARRANGE PARTIES, CORPORATE EVENINGS AND BESPOKE EVENTS FOR 20 TO 250.

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WESTBOURNE HOUSE.indd 1

www.westbournehouse.net

65 Westbourne Grove, London W2 4UJ

26/06/2012 16:41

ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Electric Diner

191 Portobello Road W11 2ED www.theelectric.com

M

eet the new Electric. Having reinvented itself after last year’s fire, ditching its brasserie persona and transporting itself to Chicago, it’s almost unrecognisable. Gone are the slick Parisian style lamps, the art decoinspired banquettes, the white walls and the mosaic floor – and instead there are exposed and distressed brick walls, low, dim lighting, lots of beautiful tiles and a long hectic kitchen where the bar used to be. It feels like the inside of an ancient railway arch, like it’s been here forever in that clever way that the Soho House people have of making somewhere seem uncontrived even when it is, in fact, entirely inauthentic.

Which isn’t to say it’s fake, of course.

They did lots of research, sending the entire kitchen team to work with Chicago chef Brendan Sodikoff at his famed Au Cheval restaurant, whose blend of French

and American cuisine marks a successful departure from standard diner fare.

All the skills are as real as they come, because the food is as professional and slick as you’d expect, thought the menu’s not at all easy to decipher. All lower case and minimal, the all-day menu reads like a list of ideas in shorthand.

Our waitress explained that this place is all about the burger, though there’s barely a mention of the word and we eventually decide that it must be covered

by the category ‘sandwiches’ – which includes such mysteries as ‘open-faced ham, cheese fondue, fried egg’. Is that a burger? There’s also a category called ‘with eggs’, which includes the dish ‘crispy potato hash, confit duck gravy’.

Anyway, our waitress reminds us that these are American-sized portions and we all know what that means. ‘Medium big,’ she says, understatedly. We order a selection of things, including honeyfried chicken, chilli, sesame seeds (deliciously sticky, sweet and moreish), an omelette with spinach, onion and blue cheese (ridiculously perfect-looking, as symmetrical as a protractor and fluffy as a kitten), sides of sweet pickles and ‘tomato, steak salt, chives’ (which turns out to be grilled, not salad) and fries, which are heavenly, with garlic mayonnaise. For pudding there are pies and our chocolate cream one was a slab of all-American decadence. Long live the new Electric.

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

RESTAURANT REVIEW

See Sushi

4D Praed Street, W2 020 7724 7358 seecafe.co.uk

P

addington Basin is a strange, futuristic place, all high rise buildings, footbridges and canalside walkways. There are lots of windows but very few visible people. Somehow, Japanese food seems to fit well with this precise, modern world.

See Sushi has had a recent refit, with a new sushi bar that allows diners to watch the sushi chefs as they slice, and a vast new fusion menu that spans Asian favourites from phad Thai to crispy duck, via black cod with miso, Singapore laksa and chicken satay.

But we were here for a midweek sushi lunch, as were most of our fellow diners, many of them Japanese. Staff are supremely polite and, daunted by the vast choice on offer, we ordered a selection of maki and sashimi to include the specialities. And after a rather long

wait fuelled by warm, salty edamame, we were presented with an impressive painterly platter, dominated by a large White Tiger, an eight-piece arrangement of fried prawn, seabass, flying fish roe and mayonnaise with lovely texture and bite. A vegetarian roll comprised avocado, cucumber, kanpyo, carrot and takuan, while Spider rolls featured soft shell crab with cucumber and avocado.

Sashimi came next, on another elegantly arranged platter, with flawlessly sliced pieces of soft, sweet yellowtail, salmon and seabass. All of it faultless. Our only regret was to miss out on what seemed to be the more exotic dishes on the menu – we could have done with some eel, some octopus or some clam – but in all, this is a classy and welcoming eaterie. There’s a takeaway menu too, for deliveries within two miles.

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& JONES ALEXEEVA Luxury handmade chocolates

V

With love on Valentine’s Day 297 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, W11 2QA +44 (0)207 229 1199 www.alexeevajones.com

Book early for Valentines

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ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 6

24/01/2013 18:01

24/01/2013 20:50

10%

discount CODE (Happy2013) Ukai (oo-kaaee), our name, is inspired by the traditional method of river fishing practiced for some 1,300 years using Cormorant birds to catch sweetfish.

Spawned in 2006, Ukai has quickly become a favourite amongst sushi lovers in the London area, with its first outlet in trendy Portobello. Ukai offers a culturally rich Japanese experience in a contemporary setting.

Due to interest, many of its various Japanese inspired products including flower teas (which blossoms in front of your eyes), delicate incense and a variety of stylish tableware are now available to be purchased.

S&P_IFC.indd 2

UKAI.2.indd 2 2 S&P_IFC.indd

19/12/2012 16:03

24/01/2013 16:03 18:41 19/12/2012

ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

FOODIE NOTES WELCOME THE SNAK E 10 February 2013 marks the start of the Year of the Snake and to celebrate, Royal China will give each diner a special red envelope which might contain a gold voucher.

If you’re the lucky winner, you’ll get a complimentary meal for two each month for a year at any Royal China restaurant in London.

Dim sum lovers take heed.

13 Queensway, W2; 020 7221 2535

WHERE DO CHEFS EAT?

PA S TEL PA S TR IE S

New food bible Where Chefs Eat collates global restaurant recommendations from over 400 of the world’s leading foodies.

West London, of course, has a presence, with Rowley Leigh namechecking Four Seasons in Queensway (‘great for char sio and pak choi’) alongside Jo Allen, Le Gavroche, Quo Vadis (which he wishes he’d opened), the River Café and The Wolseley. Stevie Parle seconds the River Café, adding Sweetings, Koya in Frith Street for noodles and – cheekily – his Dock Kitchen, while Tom Pemberton raves about the Anchor & Hope, Granger & Co, Moro, Pied a Terrre and his own alma mater, St John. £14.95, Phaidon

Kensington’s most elegant and delicious macaroons are to be found at Anges de Sucre, baked by investment banker-turned pastry chef Reshmi Bennett, whose instinct for the macaroon makes her creations amazingly beautiful and incredibly tasty.

Flavours include organic Papua New Guinean vanilla, damask rose, Amalfi lemon, pistachio and Earl Grey, among others.

They’re the perfect Valentine’s gift. angesdesucre.com

S W EE T LIK E CHOCOL ATE

You’ll easily find something to charm your Valentine at Carluccio’s. We’re absolutely loving these chocolate hearts.

Carluccios, 108 Westbourne Grove, W2 carluccios.com

POPPING UP

Forget the cupcake. Even the biscuit, tipped as 2013’s hottest statement snack, could be eclipsed by the new craze that is popcorn. Pop is a new shop in Blenheim Crescent dedicated entirely to popped corn, announcing the words ‘be gorgeous – eat popcorn’ in the window. Inside, there’s lots of popcorn for all occasions in flavours ranging from the unlikely (Bloody Mary, cheese and chilli) to the sweet (English toffee and sea salt, gingerbread), all of it hand-popped using natural ingredients. They’ll even deliver if you fancy.

15 Blenheim Crescent, W11; popthewebsite.com 67

FOOD NEWS_Nottinghill Feb-v2.indd 67

24/01/2013 16:45

We take the stress out of weekday cooking We deliver a bag full of lovely ingredients & inspiring recipes to your door – so you can enjoy cooking at home For more information visit

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ABSOLUTELY

14/01/2013 20:28

ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

MAN OFSPIRIT Your career has been a diverse mix of antiques, gin and hotels.

How does it all link up?

Although on the face of it, antiques, gin and hotels may not have any obvious connection, they do all link directly to my passion for antiques.

The gin has historic associations with the William Hogarth period and the bottle is based on an antique fragrance bottle with three faceted faces and a domed back. The hotels, meanwhile, provide a perfect way to house my vast collection of antiques. Miller’s Academy, which sadly is no longer, was styled very much as a Victorian lecture salon and the whole operation was again giving the fl avour of Victorian England crammed with paintings, antiques and objets d’art.

How did the shift from antiques to gin come about?

I decided to move into gin after selling the Miller Antiques Price Guides some 20 years ago. The publishing world was rapidly being overtaken by the internet

Martin Miller, the man behind Miller’s Antiques, Miller’s Gin and Miller’s hotels, tells Absolutely about his varied interests

so I accepted what I considered a very generous offer for the company.

My passion for creating the best gin money could buy became a reality in 1998, 18 long months after I fi rst sat down with two friends, David Bromige and Andreas Versteegh (now co-founders of Martin Miller’s Gin) in a Notting Hill pub and announced that I wanted to make my own. Gazing into our sad-looking G&Ts with their limp lemon slices and bemoaning the parlous state of gins available, we discussed how good a gin we could make if we placed no practical, fiscal or even geographical limitations on its creation. By the end of a long and liquid lunch I had persuaded them to take a stab at making the best possible gin money could buy, with the only downside being left lots of very expensive gin to drink if things didn’t work out.

David and Andreas at The Reformed Spirits Company and I – fortunately – all share an obsession with gin and all things gin-related. Our mission was and still is simple: to reinvent the quintessentially British tipple, shed its old man and

spinsters image, challenge the woeful examples being poured into G&Ts in almost every pub in Britain at the time and get good gin back into the glasses of discerning drinkers. In short, we set out to kick off a Gin Renaissance and, looking at the range of weird and wonderful gins available now, I’d say we’ve succeeded.

What’s special about Miller’s Gin? We are an independently owned luxury gin brand. Our obsession with every last detail of recipe, quality of ingredients, distilling processes and sheer madness by insisting we use Icelandic water has led to an exceptional and clearly different gin and we have been credited as pioneers of the new, super premium gin movement.

Martin Miller’s Gin starts its journey at our distillery in the heart of the Black Country where ‘Angela’, our century-old gem of a copper pot still, is the real star of the show. It is batched distilled, like Malt Whisky, using a traditional pot still method – time consuming but, for gin production, unrivalled. Uniquely, we employ two separate distillations – one 69

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What’s your relationship with the antiques trade now?

I am currently setting up, based at Great Brampton House, a Martin Miller’s antiques home-store which will have for sale collections of antiques and curiousities available online or to view at Great Brampton House itself. This is due to be launched later this year.

What makes a good hotel?

Having stayed in many hotels over my life, what I fi nd most enticing in a hotel is bridging between the service and quality of food on offer and an atmosphere and environment that is coseting and comfortable which I am so used to at home. Most people say that staying in my hotels is just like being in one of your homes.

for the juniper and earthy botanicals and one for the citrus peels – this gives greater infusion and clarity of flavour that can’t be achieved in conventional gin distillation. Both batches of botanicals are then distilled separately using the highest grade grain spirit base. In the process of distilling we keep only the ‘heart’ of the spirit run and discard the low quality beginning and end of the run.

All other gin makers redistill this low grade spirit. Finally, while all other gins are blended to bottling strength using processed, de-mineralized water, Miller’s Gin departs by boat on a unique trip to Iceland to be blended with the purest, unprocessed spring water which guarantees the gin’s freshness and smoothness, and coveted silky smooth texture.

Unlike most of the newer gins that rely

‘We set out to kick off a gin renaissance’ on showy exotic botanicals, I wanted to stick to the classic recipe that gives the classic London Dry style we know and love: familiar juniper, coriander, angelica and orris root coupled with cassia, cinnamon bark, and liquorice. We were also the first gin to use cucumber – although we use it in very small quantities not as a botanical but as a ‘functional ingredient’, giving the gin its characteristic long, dry and fresh finish which, along with the water, is the secret of Martin Miller’s classic taste and modern twist on tradition.

Tell us about your new hotels.

We currently have three hotels open on Exmoor (Miller’s at the Anchor, Miller’s at the Tors, Miller’s Bistro & Hotel) and this summer we are planning to open a new concept hotel, The Arts Hotel, which is a departure from my normal eclectic mix, and a move towards a much more contemporary and arts-based establishment.

You have a long association with Notting Hill but you’re no longer based here. Where are you now and why did you move?

We still have an apartment at the top of Camden Hill Road so we’re still very local. We converted Miller’s Residence into apartments which we sold. Now we are based in London and between Great Brampton House (greatbrampton house.co.uk) and the hotels in Devon and Somerset (millersuk.com).

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Treasure Island Helen Baron visits Jade Mountain, where romance and relaxation reach luxurious new heights

Architecture Jade Mountain is a structural marvel.

The brainchild of architect and owner Nick Troubetzkoy, the resort is a triumphant achievement of singular depth, vision and beauty, incorporating the most extensive use of the ‘vanishing edge’ water feature not just in a hotel setting, but anywhere in the world. Housed within a strikingly unusual complex set high in the luscious St. Lucian hills, Jade Mountain overlooks its sister resort, Anse Chastenet, and its stunning combination of organic architecture and breathtaking natural surroundings make it one of (if not the) most romantic destinations on earth.

The key to Jade Mountain’s architectural splendour is harmony. With 25 luxury suites

(or sanctuaries, as they’re known on-site) on six mountainside levels, another developer might have overwhelmed the teeming tropical rainforest on the hotel’s doorstep.

Not Troubetzkoy, who has fashioned a haven that reposes so elegantly within its natural environment, you’d be forgiven for thinking it had always been there.

Twenty of the sanctuaries contain their own infinity pool (discreetly connected by a brilliantly conceived system of channels, basins and troughs) – though ‘contain’ is perhaps the wrong word when each room lacks a fourth wall. The rooms are open to the dazzling blue St Lucian skies, the endless Caribbean Sea and the glittering green rainforest below. It’s a jaw-droppingly luxurious feature and an achingly

romantic one: imagine waking each day to the warm tropical air and panoramic views of the volcanic Piton peaks rising high above the bay. Tiny, colourful rainforest birds dart into your room, and you can sunbathe unseen on your terrace, comfortable in the knowledge that your personal pool is mere inches away. What’s more, each sanctuary is reached by its own bridge – so the sense of privacy is amazingly complete. The overall impression of the place is of a deliriously upscale Tracey Island, or something from a sixties Bond film, albeit without the death-defying adventure. Jade Mountain is a place to escape all stress and feel at one with the world at its most beautiful, and every aspect of its design renders resistance futile.

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Architecture Jade Mountain is a structural marvel. The brainchild of architect and owner Nick Troubetzkoy, the resort is a triumphant achievement of singular depth, vision and beauty, incorporating the most extensive use of the ‘vanishing edge’ water feature not just in a hotel setting, but anywhere in the world. Housed within a strikingly unusual complex set high in the luscious St. Lucian hills, Jade Mountain overlooks its sister resort, Anse Chastenet, and its stunning combination of organic architecture and breathtaking natural surroundings make it one of (if not the) most romantic destinations on earth.

The key to Jade Mountain’s architectural splendour is

harmony. With 25 luxury suites (or sanctuaries, as they’re known on-site) on six mountainside levels, another developer might have overwhelmed the teeming tropical rainforest on the hotel’s doorstep. Not Troubetzkoy, who has fashioned a haven that reposes so elegantly within its natural environment, you’d be forgiven for thinking it had always been there.

Twenty of the sanctuaries contain their own infinity pool (discreetly connected by a brilliantly conceived system of channels, basins and troughs) – though ‘contain’ is perhaps the wrong word when each room lacks a fourth wall. The rooms are open to the dazzling blue St Lucian skies, the endless Caribbean Sea and the glittering green rainforest below. It’s a jaw-droppingly

luxurious feature and an achingly romantic one: imagine waking each day to the warm tropical air and panoramic views of the volcanic Piton peaks rising high above the bay. Tiny, colourful rainforest birds dart into your room, and you can sunbathe unseen on your terrace, comfortable in the knowledge that your personal pool is mere inches away. What’s more, each sanctuary is reached by its own bridge – so the sense of privacy is amazingly complete. The overall impression of the place is of a deliriously upscale Tracey Island, or something from a sixties Bond film, albeit without all that death-defying adventure.

Jade Mountain is a place to escape all stress and feel at one with the world at its most beautiful, and every aspect of its design renders resistance futile.

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Rooms The rooms are a tasteful tribute to Caribbean island life, with all materials sustainably sourced from local islands – including sand and gravel, rose-grey tinted stone and a plethora of gorgeous tropical hardwoods and coral tiles. The pool tiles are made from recycled glass and each room boasts its own unique variety. In addition, there are no televisions, no stereo systems, no electronic ‘distractions’ to tear you from the natural wonder all around. Okay, a wi-fi network is available for those who really need to check their email, but even the bathrooms are designed to maximise your interactions with the hotel’s spectacular setting, with rainfall showers and chromatherapy spa baths perched above the living and sleeping areas, affording you some of the world’s most magical views as you soak.

of the resort, and more than willing to help make our holiday as perfect as possible. Even better, there was overthe-top formality; the atmosphere was as relaxed and convivial as the service was incredible. Special mention must go to assistant manager Peter Jean-Paul, whose care and enthusiasm ensured our stay was never less than sublime.

What this means for couples is that Jade Mountain takes care of all the little details, allowing you to concentrate on each other. Each evening while you dine at one of the resort’s several restaurants, the candles dotted around your room are lit and the bed turned down.

You re-enter your sanctuary to find the sun-drenched daytime refuge transformed into an intimate tropical hideaway. Down below, the sea rushes in and recedes, lulling you to sleep – only for you to wake and experience everything afresh.

Service

Resort

The staff at Jade Mountain breathe new life into the well-worn idea of ‘service with a smile’. From the team of butlers to cycling instructor Tyson, every member of staff we encountered seemed genuinely proud

Below Jade Mountain sits the 600acre beachfront resort of Anse Chastenet, itself a world-renowned destination. Nestled in an exquisite hillside spot on St Lucia’s west coast, the resort consists of a scattering

of French colonial-style bungalows set along the sandy beach. Guests at Jade Mountain can take advantage of all the facilities of Anse Chastenet, from its restaurants and scuba school to its exceptional snorkelling and watersports.

We were lucky enough to enjoy the resort’s star attraction during our stay – a private sunset cruise (complete with tropical canapés and champagne) aboard the beautiful sailing yacht Serenity.

And while there is plenty of amazing stuff to experience at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastenet – from whale-watching and guided history hikes to town trips and rainforest biking – nothing beats a tranquil hour or two spent gazing across the ocean as the Caribbean sun bids the world goodnight.

By the time our cheery captain and his first mate had returned us to the resort, the lights were twinkling all over the mountain. We trod a slow, happy path across the sand, wondering at how easy the staff made it all seem; shaving off the rough edges of life, choreographing our trip so that we had no time to worry about anything. It’s all about learning to let go by embracing life, a delicious paradox that makes a stay at Jade Mountain as memorable as it is romantic – and which ensures the glow remains for a long time after you return home.

Price tag Nightly rates at Jade Mountain start at US$ 1,275 per Sanctuary.

Price is based on two persons sharing a Sky, Star, Moon, Sun or Galaxy Jacuzzi Suite. All rates are subject to 8% tax and 10% service charges. Nightly rates at Anse Chastanet start from US $330 per night in a Standard Room based on two sharing.

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Anyone for tennis?

Gemma Billington brushes up on her backhand in the Antiguan sunshine

T

he small West Indies island of Antigua is an intoxicating kind of beauty. From the moment you step into the stifl ing heat of its tiny airport and are taken through the lusciously green landscape dotted with a mass of rugged houses of bright, tropical colours, the Caribbean ambiance takes over. Exotic birds, goats, cows and stray dogs dart precariously across the road and curious eyes of fresh fruit street vendors (at the time of my visit there were actually more ripe mangos freshly available than could be harnessed and sold) peer through the car window.Curtain Bluff, situated on the southern coast of the island in St John’s, is a landmark resort not just for its renown and unwavering popularity, but also through its integral status in the community. And the timing of my visit couldn’t have been more poignant, during the hotel’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2012.

Curtain Bluff (named in homage to the ‘bluff’ landscape on which the resort is built and the curtain shape of the waves that crash against it) was constructed

by pilot Sir Howard Hulford – a grand looking gentleman with colonel style moustache – after he spotted the rugged site from the air in 1962. At this time the local area, Old Road, was a poor and isolated fishing village. Though Howard died five years ago, he is spoken of both fondly and regularly, and his presence is widely felt across the resort. His vivacious widow, Chelle, is a common sight around the hotel on her golf caddy as she chats with staff and guests. Their home at the peak of the bluff is the venue for our pre-tennis week cocktail

as a professional island-wide tournament in 1975, but now draws a regular crowd of international enthusiasts and some of the biggest names in the sport. Organised by multiple Grand Slam winner Fred Stolle, the week is a mixture of friendly tournaments and tennis clinics and is a unique opportunity for tennis buffs and amateurs alike (of which I am most definitely in the latter category) to be taught by former world number one players. As I was to discover, there’s a reason that participants proudly sport Curtain Bluff Tennis Week t-shirts from previous years; the experience is rather addictive.

Throughout the week, tennis participants are split into male and female groups and then separated into more manageable sized teams. During the clinics, the small groups are given a set amount of time in each court to practice a different skill with a different set of pros, before moving on to the next. Despite initially feeling like I had reverted to my gauche schoolgirl days – when sport was not exactly my forté – I quickly got into the swing of things (excuse the pun) and it was hugely informative, and, more pertinently, an enjoyable experience.

‘The sporting event initially began life as a professional island-wide tournament in 1975’ reception and has undoubtedly the fi nest vistas of the area; enabling you to see as far as Montserrat and St Kitts.

A Caribbean getaway is obviously a tempting excursion at any time of the year, but my visit coincides with the famous annual Antigua Tennis Week, which I have gallantly signed myself up for. The illustrious sporting event initially began life

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It’s a slightly surreal notion to have a former world champion grab my arm and assist my follow-through, and the encouraging and witty comments of Mr Stolle (‘that one’ll bring rain’ – he remarked at one of my many misguided, sky-grazing shots) added a jovial touch of informality. In true Caribbean fashion, the attitude is incredibly relaxed. Participants are equally welcome to stick religiously to the clinic schedule or dip in and out as they so choose. The inevitably competitive nature such a sport imbues is countered with humour and gusto from both participants and teachers (a combination of international pros and Curtain Bluff employees) who all take part in the many dinners, cocktail parties and soirées. They’re also more than happy to give an early morning one-on-one lesson too. The extra curricular activities on tap – cooking classes, trips to Shirley Heights – as well as an impressive menu of inclusive water sports (water-skiing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing) make the temptation to skip a clinic or two awfully high. It’s also essential, if your muscles are feeling the strain of your sporting endeavours, to test the resort’s spa, built only six years ago, which provides not only a range of luxurious treatments, but is also home to some of the most dramatic views of the area.

It’s easy in all-inclusive resorts to experience a sense of separation; the guests are cocooned – separate from the true identity of the country. Curtain Bluff has quite the opposite effect. Old Road would not be the region it is today without the resort and vice-versa. When Howard set up his hotel he didn’t just create a resort, but a charity and a home too, and this is reflected in the tennis week’s history. In Curtain Bluff’s early years, the local children would take tennis balls that were hit outside, so the hotel invited them in and taught them how to play. This grew organically into the Old Road Fund; a charity that sends local youths to American academies and assists with health and education initiatives. A number of Curtain Bluff tennis pros are former beneficiaries of this scheme. Visitors are informed that there is a no tipping service, but to instead donate money to the fund.

This is part of the genuine humility at the heart of Curtain Bluff. Managing Director Robert Sherman (who is more likely to be mistaken for a relaxed tourist in his daily uniform of shorts and t-shirt) is just as likely to carry your suitcase to your room as any other member of staff.

This is not a faux-charitable gesture

to appeal to tourists, but is a natural component of the resort. The infectious Caribbean spirit could be blamed for this lack of ostentation; but it’s no doubt largely due to a love of the island, the people and the resort. This is clearly not just a job. Perhaps this explains why a large number of the staff – Robert included – arrived in their early 20s and simply never left. This also explains why boarding the plane at the end of our short, eventful trip, ready to fly back to reality is equally difficult. Until next season.

Stay 7 nights pay for 5 at Curtain Bluff, Antigua from £2,525 pp based on 2 adults sharing a Junior Suite on a full board basis, including return economy class flights and private transfers. Book through ITC Classics, 01244 355 527 or visit www.itcclassics.co.uk. 7 nights for the price of 5, save up to £800 per person, valid for travel completed between 18 May - 26 Jul 2013. For details on the tennis events visit www.curtainbluff.com/tennis/ events.html. New for 2013 Curtain Bluff are delighted to introduce a brand new Fantasy Tennis Camp with Tracy Austin which takes place from 29th April – 3rd May 2013, and this year’s Antigua Tennis Week runs from 11th – 18th May 2013.

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An isle of one’s own

Harriet Compston discovers the art of taking it easy at a former sugar plantation on the Caribbean island of Nevis 81

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I

t is the stuff of legends.

Christopher Columbus set eyes upon it, Horatio Nelson married on it and a newly divorced Princess Diana escaped to it.

Yes, the enchanting island of Nevis is ‘Queen of the Caribees.’

The Antigua of 20 years ago, Nevis stands at just 36 square miles, and with only 10,000 residents, you can drive around it in 40 minutes. Here, vulgarity is out of the window; no hotel chains sprawl far and wide, no tourists are bussed-in daily and no tacky beach equipment strangles its streets.

Nelson once said ‘I have always been a quarter of an hour before my time and it has made a man of me.’ The same can be said for this Caribbean pocket. It’s a time warp of bliss.

To see that Nevis is hidden away, one need only try to get to it. A plane to Antigua, a mini plane to St Kitts, a half hour road trip to St Kitts Harbour and a jolly boat ride later, you finally arrive at Nevis’ capital, Charlestown. A Nelsonian journey perhaps, but worth the effort.

Four miles from Charlestown, past donkeys, coloured houses and crumbled buildings lies the Montpelier Plantation and Beach. Dating back to the 1700s, this boutique hotel was formerly a sugar estate, which did indeed host the wedding of Nelson and Fanny Nisbet in 1787. Now, over 300 years later, the plantation is sailing seamlessly and sensitively into the 21st century. There are 19 rooms (well, cottages really). All individually designed with a running Colonial chic theme, the look is light and spacious and each boasts sumptuous linen, Egyptian cotton and private verandas.

Ask for Cottage 15, where Princess Diana stayed soon after her divorce, for it parades the most incredible uninterrupted views. Further down the path is the hotel swimming pool – utterly sublime with ice cold drinks served up on tap. And whilst on the subject of service, if you’re imagining cloned, suited and booted, machine-like staff, forget it. Everyone here is natural, polite and genuinely courteous.

And now to the food; a triumph in its vast selection. Mixing French and Caribbean cuisine (think pan-seared snapper and key lime mille-feuille) the Nevis Restaurant 750 is definitely worth a visit. Their philosophy that ‘good food must be accompanied by an equally good bottle of wine’ is demonstrated by the in-house sommelier who provides excellent wine pairings. Best of all, however, is a candlelit dinner in the Mill Privée, the original sugar mill. Completely

‘Best of all is dinner in the 300-yearold sugar mill. It’s an experience you’re unlikely ever to repeat’ intact, it’s one of those rare experiences you are unlikely ever to repeat.

The hotel is family run – and animal run (there are two gorgeous labradors) – and therein lies the key to its success. You feel at home, relaxed and can spend all day doing nothing or indeed everything.

The hotel’s private beach nearby provides fantastic sunbathing on volcanic soil, the sea is warm like a hot bath, and Montpelier will do a delicious private picnic of grilled fish and all kinds of goodies, you only need ask.

Sun, sea and sand aside, there are still lots of adventures to be found.

Charlestown provides a Georgian colonial hit, as the childhood home to Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States. The town sings of dignified elegance, cleverly harmonised by the island’s colourful culture. Hens scratch in the main street whilst market stalls with fantastical-looking fruit, sit happily amongst the ‘OMG Desserts’ shop, the optimistically named ‘Super Foods supermarket’ and the spiritual ironmonger whose shop window is sincerely emblazoned with a bible quote.

Yes, God reigns here, gospel style, and so little wonder Charlestown has an impressive array of churches. St James’ Windward, for example, houses one of only five black crucifixes in the world whilst just down the road is St Thomas’, the first

Anglican church in the Caribbean, built in 1643. Church is so popular in fact, that there isn’t even a market on Sundays – nobody would go!

For more of an adrenalin kick, Nevis Peak is the destination of choice. Up a 3,213ft potentially active volcano, it’s a hard hike – the most difficult mountain climb in the Caribbean – but unquestionably a visual wonder.

Starting in dry humid forest, the area evolves into deep rainforest, which turns into a knee-scraping, rockclimbing, hardcore workout. It’s tough but super fun and at the top, a visitors book can be signed by all intrepid souls who have made it.

Enthralling, exciting, entertaining, Nevis is an island of many colours. So ‘splice the mainbrace’ as the Admiral would say, and set sail with immediate haste. For this magical land of hide and seek will not remain undiscovered for long.

Harriet Compston travelled to Montpelier Plantation & Beach, St Kitts & Nevis, with Cox & Kings (0845 154 8941; coxandkings.co.uk). A 7-night stay is priced from £1,795 per person including flights with British Airways, return transfers from St Kitts and breakfast daily. All activities can be arranged through the hotel – montpeliernevis.com.

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Hornton St, two minutes walk from High St Kensington Station

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H i g h Q u a l i t y Fo l d i n g S l i d i n g D o o r s  B r i t i s h , G e r m a n & B e l g i u m D e s i g n  A Fa n t a st i c Va r i e t y O f F i n i s h e s & Co l o u r s  Vi r t u a l l y m a i n te n a n ce f re e  S t a te - o f - t h e a r t s e c u r i t y fe a t u re s  F u l l f i t t i n g ava i l a b l e  F re e s u r vey & d e s i g n a d v i ce

Signposted

10.00am - 5.00pm Daily • Admission £5.00

www.desirefair.com

24/01/2013 20:51

ABSOLUTELY | I NTER IORS

INTERIOR LOOKS

SHELF LIFE Books do furnish a room, especially with these lovely literary accessories

FROM TOP: ATTACHE BOOKCASE, £748, ANTHROPOLOGIE.EU; BERTHA SHELF

BY DONNA WILSON FOR SCP, £288, SCP.CO.UK; ISOKON PENGUIN DONKEY, £552.50, AND ISOKON PENGUIN DONKEY MARK TWO, £484.50, BOTH SKANDIUM.COM

MAIN PICTURE: OSBORNE AND LITTLE’S PENGUIN LIBRARY WALLPAPER, £56 PER 10 METRE ROLL, OSBORNEANDLITTLE.COM; DOG BOOKENDS, £60, GRAHAMANDGREEN.CO.UK

CLEO NARROW BOOKCASE IN RED, £140, HABITAT.CO.UK; CONCEAL INVISIBLE SHELF, £11.95, THELITERARYGIFTCOMPANY.COM; THE END BOOK END, £19.95, VANDASHOP.COM

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ROMANCE IN PORTOBELLO

Absolutely’s top 10 romantic locations for Valentine’s Day THE PORTOBELLO HOTEL The Portobello Hotel never changes.

That’s the beauty of it. People return safe in the knowledge that things will be exactly the same, that the quirky, bohemian, fairytale feel of the place remains unchanged regardless of what goes on around it. Owner Johnny Ekperigin describes staying here as like staying with an eccentric old aunt. And it is: opened in 1975, rooms are furnished with mismatched antiques including four-poster beds, Chinese lacquer cabinets and outsize copper baths. There are large leafy plants in each room, along with billowy textiles and thick carpets.

And there’s an Alice in Wonderland feel to the rabbit warren-like corridors,

whose dimensions seem to change as you walk down them.

On our visit, our room charmed us with its vast, carved wood and canopied four-poster bed and bamboo-effect dresser; in the bathroom was an antique washstand and an enormous bath with easily enough room for two, which can be swathed in drapes to create a private cocoon. And, luckily for us, a full covering of snow fell overnight, making our morning view over the beautiful communal garden almost otherworldy in its silence and whiteness. Needless to say, the hotel’s slightly rickety feel doesn’t mean that it’s not luxurious and well-equipped. There are Molton Brown toiletries, an enormous flat screen

THE PORTOBELLO HOTEL

television and 24-hour room service.

The hotel opened in 1971, and the fi rst guest was Richard Branson, who had just opened a record shop nearby.

Over the years these walls will have witnessed countless scandals but nobody at the hotel would ever reveal any starry secrets. Tina Turner was a regular during the 80s (even though she owned the house next door), Alice Cooper lived here for a while with a boa constrictor (rumour has it that the snake went missing and might still be roaming the hotel) and it was in room 16 that Kate Moss and Johnny Depp famously fi lled the bath with champagne.

22 Stanley Gardens W11; 020 7727 2777

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

THE COW

THE COW Oysters and Guinness at this crowded boozer make for a happy Valentine’s day, though not a particularly private one.

It’s always warm and welcoming.

89 Westbourne Park Road W2; 020 7221 0021

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON Dine privately in one of BBB’s secluded candlelit areas – the restaurant is made up of various rooms connected by walkways, tunnels and bridges.

45 Ledbury Road W11; 020 7229 2907

MAGGIE JONES

BEACH BLANKET BABYLON

MAGGIE JONES

Kensington’s cosiest eaterie, Maggie Jones is a resolutely unminimalist spot, full of rustic ephemera, mismatched furniture, bowls of dried flowers and candles in waxencrusted champagne bottles. Big on atmosphere, the food is hearty and welcoming, perfect for a chilly Valentine’s evening.

6 Kensington Church Street W8 020 7937 6462

GOODE & WRIGHT

GOODE & WRIGHT For a dose of true Gallic romance, Goode & Wright’s easy, Parisian charm is the place. We recommend foie gras and absinthe cocktails, followed by dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel ice cream.

271 Portobello Road W11 020 7727 5552 87

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

MILESTONE HOTEL

MILESTONE HOTEL

PARADISE

Kensington’s super luxurious boutique hotel has two staff for every guest and the Tudor Suite, pictured, has a gold, king-size, four-poster bed and views over Kensington Court.

1 Kensington Court W8; 020 7917 1000

or five can make a big impression.

Scarlet and Violet’s beautiful bouquets are unstructured and loose, full of natural elegance.

76 Chamberlayne Road NW10 020 8969 9446 KYOTO GARDEN

THE ELECTRIC CINEMA Couples can sit on sofas or lie on beds, wrapped in cashmere blankets and drinking champagne at this most lavish of picture palaces.

191 Portobello Road W11; 020 7908 9696 THE ELECTRIC CINEMA

PARADISE Paradise may be hosting a singles’ party on Valentine’s night but it’s a romantic spot for couples too – on the menu there’s a sharing charcuterie board as well as oysters and Tim Payne’s ever-popular menus.

19 Kilburn Lane W10; 020 8969 0098

SCARLET & VIOLET

KYOTO GARDEN Pause for reflection in Holland Park’s beautiful and immaculately kept Japanese garden. Throw coins into the waterfall and admire the silvery carp.

This is a place to be quietly romantic.

Holland Park, W14

SCARLET & VIOLET Roses may be the obvious choice for your Valentine, but a pink dahlia or three 88

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23/01/2013 16:35

Come and visit us at the showroom

406 Merton Road, London SW18 5AD

Telephone 0208 877 892

www.ayrtonbespoke.com

beautiful timber windows

Come and visit us at the showroom: 406 Merton Road, London SW18 5AD Telephone 0208 877 8920 www.ayrtonbespoke.com

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20/12/2012 14:09

24/01/2013 20:52

ABSOLUTELY | INTERIORS

ICONIC INTERIOR Architect John Pawson’s Notting Hill house is one of the world’s most spectacular homes, according to Dominic Bradbury’s new book Iconic Interiors

PHOTOHGRAPH: SIMON UPTON, THE INTERIOR ARCHIVE

M

inimalism involves a sensitive, intelligent process of reduction, a gradual stripping away of all extraneous elements. What remains is an emphasis on proportion, scale, line, light, materials, detail and texture. The result should be a space that is pure, calm and natural, where the intrinsic beauty of carefully crafted surfaces and finishes stands out.

The master of this approach is architect John Pawson, who has built an international reputation with his considered buildings and interiors that are studies in light and purity. His work has inspired the look of countless reductionist homes and stores.

‘It’s very complex to make something simple,’ says Pawson. ‘If you make it simple, visually clear and unornamented, without decoration, then all the lines have to be straighter. Primarily, I want to provide spaces in which people feel good.’

Pawson’s own family home has drawn particular attention for its minimalist interiors and the way in which the architect clearly lives the kind of life advocated by his design philosophy. There have been barn conversions, country houses and even a monastery, but Pawson’s own house still provokes endless fascination.

The façade of Pawson’s mid-19th century terraced home, which overlooks communal

gardens, has been preserved, but behind it lies what is essentially a new four-storey house. Pawson stripped away the internal structure to liberate the plan of the building and remove all remaining ornament.

A narrow new staircase was positioned at one side of the house, toplit by a skylight above the stairwell, freeing up the rest of the internal spaces, and services were hidden away in slots carved into the supporting walls. The basement level is dedicated to a combined kitchen and dining area, with italian limestone floors and a central wooden table and dining chairs. To one side is a procession of floor-to-ceiling storage cupboards to hide the clutter of everyday life. To the other side runs a long kitchen worktop that pierces the glass wall at the rear of the house and pushes its way into the back garden, which is designed as an outdoor room and alternative space for dining and entertaining.

The sitting room on the floor above is a soothing, simple space painted in a ‘quiet white’. The fireplace is a central feature but

forms an unornamented slot above a stone shelf that can be used for display or extra seating. The restrained nature of the space allows the furniture, including aN Hans Wegner rocking chair, to assume the status of artworks. The children’s bedrooms are situated on the next floor, with the master bedroom at the top, and a bathroom with a retractable glass roof offering views of open skies and chimney pots.

‘What I’m trying to achieve is a series of private and calm spaces,’ Pawson says. ‘I want an empty room, with just a bed in it. I want to be able to walk into a room that is only a shell... But living in a loft in one big room with everything in it is not necessarily the answer. The advantage of having all the levels in the house is that, in a sense, you don’t need a wall, because the floor does the job for you.’

Extract taken from The Iconic Interior 1900 to the Present

by Dominic Bradbury with photographs by Richard Powers, published by Thames & Hudson, £38 91

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24/01/2013 17:05

Not just This Morning... but every morning

Marilyn Stowe is the senior partner at Stowe Family Law and resident family law expert on ITV’s This Morning.

Leading the UK’s largest dedicated family law firm, she has more than 30 years’ experience handling divorce cases and family law proceedings.

· One of the first solicitors to qualify as a family law arbitrator through the newly-formed Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA).

· The first Chief Assessor and Chief Examiner of the Law Society’s Family Law Panel.

· A Fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers: a global association of lawyers recognised for expertise in their respective countries.

Located in WC1, Stowe Family Law specialises in family law issues and covers a wide range of cases.

From divorce to cohabitees’ rights, with dedicated international and children’s teams.

The team also offers mediation, arbitration and collaborative approaches and benefits from a specialist in-house forensic accountancy department that tracks down hidden assets and can provide immediate financial advice.

If you need family law advice, early support can be essential.

Stowe Family Law can help.

Contact 0207 7421 3300 or email chiefexecutive@stowefamilylaw.co.uk 8 Fulwood Place, Gray’s Inn, London WC1V 6HG www.stowefamilylaw.co.uk www.marilynstowe.co.uk

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12/11/2012 12:12

ABSOLUTELY

PROPERTY FEBRUARY 2013

ABBOTSBURY ROAD, HOLLAND PARK W14 A substantial and unusually wide detached house which backs onto Holland Park and has a good sized garden (with an outdoor swimming pool), as well as off-street parking and an integral garage. Energy efficiency: Band F

ÂŁ13,750,000 Freehold

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Ledbury Road W11 £3,950,000 A spectacular apartment offering a beautifully designed, dynamic interior within a landmark building in the heart of Notting Hill. The magnificent entertaining space is arranged over two floors with an open plan, galleried reception area, double height ceilings and striking architectural features. The large bedroom suites provide beautifully fitted bathrooms and extensive storage. Further benefits include secure off street parking and private roof terraces. EPC=C. Sole Agents.

NOTTING HILL: 020 7313 2890 sales.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

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23/01/2013 17:17

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

SALES

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Craven Hill Mews W2 ÂŁ2,995,000 An exceptional house with bright southerly aspects located on a quiet residential mews, moments from Hyde Park.

Having had a comprehensive redesign and refurbishment, the spectacular interior now provides a large double reception room opening onto a beautiful, well designed kitchen/dining room with access to a south facing garden. The bedroom accommodation includes two double bedroom suites, two further bedrooms and a bathroom. Freehold. EPC=C. Sole Agents.

NOTTING HILL: 020 7313 2890 sales.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

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23/01/2013 17:18

Palace Gate W8 ÂŁ2,895,000 A truly elegant, three bedroom split level maisonette with a private patio and access to a roof terrace. This beautifully presented apartment is arranged over the ground and lower ground floors and offers a fabulous balance of living/entertaining space with high ceilings throughout. Palace Gate is ideally situated for the local amenities of both Kensington High Street and Gloucester Road, as well as convenient access to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Share of Freehold. EPC=E. Sole Agents.

KENSINGTON: 020 7368 4450 sales.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

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23/01/2013 17:18

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

SALES

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Evelyn Gardens SW7 ÂŁ2,250,000 This large duplex apartment is presented in excellent condition throughout. The accommodation comprises a large open plan kitchen/reception room with views over the communal gardens, two double bedrooms, a family bathroom, a large master suite with excellent built-in storage and a private roof terrace accessed from the half landing. Leasehold. EPC=F. Sole Agents.

SOUTH KENSINGTON: 020 7590 0800 sales.skn@marshandparsons.co.uk

Russell Road W14 ÂŁ1,500,000 This beautifully refurbished lateral apartment offers spectacular entertaining space including a large reception room leading directly out to a private landscaped garden, an open plan, modern kitchen, utility room, an independent study/summerhouse in the garden, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms (one en suite), a shower room and off-street parking for two cars. EPC=D. Sole Agents.

KENSINGTON: 020 7368 4450 sales.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

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Campden Hill Gardens W8 £2,250 per week Originally used an artist’s studio, this stunning house boasts approx. 2,000sqft of accommodation with vaulted ceilings, a marble fireplace and large sash windows. Arranged over three floors the living space comprises a large open plan kitchen/reception room, a beautiful south facing patio garden, a master bedroom suite with a dressing area and a luxurious bathroom and a further bedroom on the raised ground floor with an adjacent shower room. EPC=E.

KENSINGTON: 020 7368 4450 sales.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

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23/01/2013 17:20

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

LETTINGS

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Gloucester Terrace W2 £695 per week

Cranley Gardens SW7 £650 per week

Located near Hyde Park and Paddington, this immaculate raised ground floor apartment comprises a semi open plan kitchen/reception room, a spacious master bedroom with ample storage, an en suite bathroom and access to a private balcony, a second double bedroom and a further bathroom. EPC=C.

This excellent apartment is a short walk away from both Kensington and Chelsea. The property boasts, a reception room with high ceilings and a large bay window, a generously sized kitchen, a bathroom, a large bedroom and patios at both the front and the rear of the apartment. EPC=C.

NOTTING HILL: 020 7313 6910 lets.not@marshandparsons.co.uk

SOUTH KENSINGTON: 020 7590 0800 lets.skn@marshandparsons.co.uk

Addison Road W11 £595 per week

Abingdon Mansions W8 £535 per week

This bright and spacious apartment is well located for the local amenities of Holland Park. The property comprises a large reception room with working fireplace, a modern kitchen, double bedroom, study or small guest room, a utility room and a large private patio garden. EPC=A.

This bright two bedroom apartment is located in a charming period property moments from the amenities of Kensington High Street. The property comprises a reception room with wooden floors, a separate modern kitchen and two good size double bedrooms both with ample storage. EPC=D.

HOLLAND PARK: 020 7605 6890 lets.hol@marshandparsons.co.uk

KENSINGTON: 020 7368 4450 lets.kns@marshandparsons.co.uk

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CENTURIES OF EXPERIENCE We’ve been selling property for our clients for generations, and we’ve built a reputation for doing it well. Throughout the years we’ve combined traditional values of discretion and outstanding service, with exceptional market knowledge and a passion for achieving results. Time and time again, it’s the difference between ‘for sale’ and ‘sold’.

Whether you’re selling, letting or buying, we can make the difference.

Call us on 020 3018 2309 or visit us at carterjonas.co.uk

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22/01/2013 19:53

HOLLAND PARK

Melbury Road W14 A well presented, three storey townhouse ideally situated close to both Holland Park and Kensington High Street.

Kitchen/dining room • Reception room • Master bedroom with en suite bathroom • 2 further double bedrooms Bedroom 4/dressing room • Bathroom • Garage Off street parking • Garden • Approximately 1,662 sq ft Energy efficiency: Band D

Guide price £2,550,000 Leasehold

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

KENSINGTON

Gregory Place W8 A truly delightful house tucked away in the heart of Kensington. Gregory Place is situated just off Holland Street and so a moments walk from Kensington Church Street.

Kitchen/breakfast room • First floor reception room Master bedroom with en suite shower room Double bedroom • Bathroom • Roof terrace Energy efficiency: Band C

Guide price £1,950,000 Leasehold

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

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22/01/2013 19:54

Offices throughout the UK including 5 in London

carterjonas.co.uk

NOTTING HILL

Pembridge Gardens W2 A bright, spacious maisonette in a smart period building.

The property is in very good condition throughout and benefits from being just moments from Notting Hill Gate and its many amenities and transport links.

Open plan kitchen/reception room • Master bedroom with en suite bathroom • 3 further double bedrooms, 1 en suite Shower room • Patio • Energy efficiency: Band E

Guide price £2,450,000 Leasehold

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

HOLLAND PARK

Royal Crescent Mews W11 A superb mews house well located for access into central London and is in a very good condition throughout.

Entrance hall • Open-plan kitchen/reception/dining area Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room • 2 further double bedrooms • Separate garage offering parking for one car • Energy efficiency: Band F

Guide price £1,395,000 Freehold

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

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HOLLAND PARK

HOLLAND PARK

Melbury Road W14

Woodsford Square W14

A unique studio house arranged over three floors and extending to approximately 3,300 sq ft/306 sq m. Energy efficiency: Band F

A spacious house situated within this secure sought-after development in Holland Park. Energy efficiency: Band E

2 reception rooms • Kitchen • 5 bedrooms 4 bath/shower rooms • Patio garden

Reception room • Kitchen/breakfast room • 5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms • Patio garden • Communal gardens

£3,500 per week

£2,190 per week

Furnished/unfurnished

Unfurnished

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 3377 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 3377 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

HOLLAND PARK

HOLLAND PARK

Airlie Gardens W8

Royal Crescent Mews W11

A smartly presented ground floor flat, only moments from Notting Hill Gate and High Street Kensington. Energy efficiency: Band D

A light and spacious maisonette with wonderful views over the gardens of Royal Crescent. Energy efficiency: Band E

Reception room • Kitchen • Dining area • 2 bedrooms • En suite shower room • Bathroom • Porter • Communal gardens

Reception room • Eat-in kitchen • 2 double bedrooms Bathroom and separate cloakroom • Private roof terrace

£850 per week

£750 per week

Furnished

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 3377 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

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Furnished/unfurnished

Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 3377 hollandpark@carterjonas.co.uk

22/01/2013 19:55

LADBROKE GROVE, W11 ÂŁ4,750,000 Share of Freehold

A rare four bedroom maisonette with direct access onto beautiful communal gardens.

The upper level presents a bright and formal reception room with high ceilings, ornate cornicing and an abundance of natural light. Adjoining this is a smart study with French doors opening onto a sizeable terrace overlooking the communal gardens. The first of four bedrooms and a smart guest bathroom are also on this level.

The lower floor comprises a large kitchen and family room alongside a dining area, three further double bedrooms, an ensuite bathroom, an additional guest shower room and a utility room.

EPC=E

17 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU

Email: info@domusnova.com Tel: 0207 727 1717 Fax: 0207 727 2030 Web: www.domusnova.com Domus loves: indulgent organic produce from Dalesford Farmshop on Westbourne Grove

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23/01/2013 15:48

POTTERY LANE, W11 ÂŁ3,250,000 Freehold

Beautifully interior designed throughout, this superb family home offers five double bedrooms in a much sought after location.

The ground floor houses a large living space incorporating relaxed and formal seating parts and a contemporary kitchen dining area. From here glass doors lead directly onto an enclosed rear garden. The floor below has a large bedroom suite plus a very useful laundry/utility room. The two upper floors consist of four double bedrooms with bespoke fitted wardrobes, two gorgeous bathrooms and a spectacular roof terrace with commanding views.

EPC= D

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23/01/2013 15:49

CHILWORTH MEWS, W2 ÂŁ675 per week Long Let

A well finished second floor apartment set in an old converted public house on a prestigious, quiet street in Bayswater.

Recently converted by renowned architect Dennis Fabian, the property comprises a contemporary open-plan living space with crisp white interior, polished wood floors and large sky light windows. The smart kitchen is fully integrated with all appliances. The spacious master bedroom suite presents a luxurious ensuite bathroom and also offers extensive fitted storage space. There is a further double bedroom and stunning marble bathroom.

EPC=B

17 Kensington Park Road, London W11 2EU

Email: info@domusnova.com Tel: 0207 727 1717 Fax: 0207 727 2030 Web: www.domusnova.com Domus loves: deli fresh Mediterranean food at Raoul’s on Talbot Road

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23/01/2013 15:49

HOLLAND PARK, W11 ÂŁ3,250 per week Long let

A large and immaculately presented two bedroom maisonette in the heart of Holland Park.

The apartment is arranged on the raised ground and lower ground floors of an exclusive and much sought after Italianate villa with excellent security and a porter.

It is finished to the highest standard and offers spacious accommodation throughout. In brief the accommodation comprises a spectacular double aspect 35 foot living and dining room, a well-appointed contemporary kitchen, two luxurious bedroom suites with walk in wardrobes and private courtyards.

EPC=E

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PROPERTY

IN THEIR

OWN WORDS PHOTOGRAPHY: ARMAND HOUGH IAMFOTOGRAFIE.COM

O

riginally from Devon, I am the archetypal country girl turned townie. I adore riding and competing on a county and national level and have been showjumping and showing since the age of six. I definitely think it helped give me my competitive attitude and a thirst to get ahead!

I started my career at the age of eighteen whilst at the University of Southampton.

Once graduated, I went back to the South West and into estate agency full time, choosing to do sales in a well-regarded firm; my family are from a development and building background so property has always been in my blood.

After smashing the sales targets set, I felt village life was far too small to hold me and the bright lights of London started to call.

In London I started at Foxtons, where I stayed for many years. There I gave lettings a go; I immediately loved it and never looked back. Lettings has a far quicker pace than sales, and the buzz from agreeing new business is something I thrive on.

I’ve never been happier than in the Strutt and Parker Kensington office, I know and love the area and this is where

I intend to stay. Here the diversity of properties is wonderfully vast, ranging from £400 to £9000 per week within W8, W14, SW7. We are always on the lookout for more stock at the lower end to midrange market, where the greatest demand currently is, as everything we do have is literally flying off the shelves.

In this industry there is no such word as can’t, if you have the will to make something work it can always be resolved and overcome! I firmly believe that what you put in, you get out and I strive to use this mantra every day at work. Onwards and upwards is my favourite saying, and as my team all know, that’s exactly what we expect in 2013 here in the Kensington lettings office!

We have had a strong start to the year with exciting stock on the register, and I predict we’ll have lots more to look forward to in 2013. After the draft budget in December, it’s a relief to know that there isn’t anything too tricky on the immediate horizon. Unlike last year, we also have no fun national events to distract us, other than the Royal baby of course!

020 7938 3866; struttandparker.com

‘‘

‘‘

JEMILLA DIVITO, HEAD OF KENSINGTON LETTINGS, STRUTT & PARKER

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Chelsea Fulham & Parsons Green Kensington & Holland Park Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair Notting Hill & Bayswater West Chelsea & South Kensington

Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales

020 020 020 020 020 020

7225 7731 7938 7235 7221 7373

3866 7100 3666 9959 1111 1010

Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings

020 020 020 020 020 020

7589 7731 7938 7235 7221 7373

9966 7100 3866 9959 1111 1010

City Office Professional Valuations UK Commercial & Residential Residential Investment Property Management

020 020 020 020 020

7600 7318 7629 7318 7052

3456 5039 7282 5198 9417

struttandparker.com

Fulton Mews

| Bayswater | W2

2,129 sq ft (197.8 sq m)

A beautifully presented four bedroom house with off street parking and a stunning roof terrace, situated in this attractive mews, close to the park.

| Drawing Room | Kitchen/Dining room | Three bedrooms | Study/bedroom four | Five bath/shower rooms | Off-street parking | Roof terrace | EPC Rating:D

Entrance hall

Asking price ÂŁ3,300,000 Freehold

Notting Hill Sales 020 7221 1111

Westbourne Grove 864 sq ft (80.3 sq m)

| Notting Hill | W11

A stylishly presented two bedroom, triple aspect flat on the first floor of this attractive Grade II listed building.

Entrance hall

| Drawing room | Kitchen | Two double bedrooms | Bathroom | Store room | EPC Rating:D

Asking price ÂŁ1,450,000 Leasehold

Notting Hill Sales 020 7221 1111

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Portland Road 2,632 sq ft (244.8 sq m)

| Notting Hill | W11

A superb four bedroom family house located on this prime residential street in Holland Park.

Three reception rooms

| Kitchen | Master bedroom with en suite bathroom | Three further bedrooms | Two further bathrooms

| Playroom | Garden | EPC Rating:D ÂŁ3,000 per week Unfurnished

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

Palace Court 1,068 sq ft (99.3 sq m)

| Bayswater | W2

A stunning two bedroom apartment in this very sought after mansion block moments from Hyde Park and the amenities in Notting Hill.

Reception room

| Kitchen | Two bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Porter | Off street parking | EPC Rating:C

ÂŁ1,250 per week Furnished

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

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Chelsea Fulham & Parsons Green Kensington & Holland Park Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair Notting Hill & Bayswater West Chelsea & South Kensington

Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales

020 020 020 020 020 020

7225 7731 7938 7235 7221 7373

3866 7100 3666 9959 1111 1010

Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings Lettings

020 020 020 020 020 020

7589 7731 7938 7235 7221 7373

9966 7100 3866 9959 1111 1010

City Office Professional Valuations UK Commercial & Residential Residential Investment Property Management

020 020 020 020 020

7600 7318 7629 7318 7052

3456 5039 7282 5198 9417

struttandparker.com

Bedford Gardens 2, 515 sq ft (233.64 sq m)

| Kensington | W8

A charming and well presented four bedroom Grade II listed family house set behind a pretty front garden.

| Drawing room | Sitting room | Dining room | Family room | Study | Kitchen/breakfast room | Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Shower room | Cloakroom | Vault | Garden | EPC Rating:E Entrance hall

Asking price ÂŁ4,500,000 Freehold

Kensington Sales 020 7938 3666

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Palace Gardens Terrace 3,227 sq ft (299.79 sq m)

| Kensington | W8

A well-presented five bedroom family house offering spacious living and period features throughout.

The property is located on this highly sought after street moments from Kensington Gardens and Notting Hill Gate.

Reception room

| Kitchen | Five bedrooms | Three bathrooms | Garden | EPC Rating:E

ÂŁ4,500 per week.

Kensington Lettings 020 7938 3866

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PROPERTY

RUTH BLOOMFIELD: SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE

PROPERTY NEWS GARETH JONES, PARTNER OF CARTER JONAS Speaking from experience gleaned over the years and from across the country, one of the constants we have noted is that the demand for property (from family homes in London to estates and country houses) is very rarely matched by the supply. This has always been especially true of the market in Prime Central London and this year is set to be no different we have enjoyed a very busy start to 2013 with one new apartment attracting twelve viewings and two bids in its first two hours on the market - the message? Demand is as strong as ever so if you are thinking of selling and would like our discreet and sensible advice please do not hesitate to call our office on Addison Avenue. 020 7471 9833; carterjonas.co.uk

STEWART BOYD, DIRECTOR OF WINKWORTH OPENS A NEW OFFICE Winkworth is pleased to announce that a new office will be opening in the Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park area. Strengthening Winkworth’s presence in London, this new office will bring the total number of Winkworth offices to 61 in the capital alone, adding to their strong network both in the UK and internationally.

The expansion into Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park reflects the increasing popularity of the area, with Chamberlayne Road having once been named by Vogue as the most fashionable street in Europe.

Numbers-wise, year-on-year Kensal Rise and Queen’s Park have had the second largest house price increase percentage in London. And with the London market outperforming all other areas in the UK, this area is particularly attractive to those who are looking for a reasonably secure investment.

As such, this new office looks set to be very successful.

020 8960 4947; winkworth.co.uk

In the race to persuade wealthy foreign buyers to part with ever more mind-boggling sums for central London flats property developers have hit upon a new wheeze.

Forget cinema rooms, panic rooms, and high-tech integral music and lighting systems – well don’t forget them, they’re all still there. But the latest way to woo buyers to Notting Hill is by establishing, effectively, an in house private members’ club.

Take Holland Green, a super swanky new development of 62 apartments on the site of the former Commonwealth Institute building, just south of Holland Park.

The homes will go on sale off plan later this year, and its future residents will have a 24-hour concierge on hand to order in takeaway from top restaurants and to procure anything from theatre tickets to designer flowers.

There will also be an on-site spa, cinema, private function room, golf simulator and children’s playroom.

Estate agents believe this kind of communal facility will emerge as the number one prime property selling point this year – in the super-competitive top end market gimmicks like 3D plasma TVs which pop out of the wall and dressing rooms with rotating shoe carousels are alone no longer enough to pique the interest of the global super-rich.

In the US, inevitably, they have already gone one step further.

Residents of the Hollywood Tower and its sister building La Belle in LA are treated to regular private concerts on their rooftop courtesy of the building’s management.

Recent artists have included Florence and the Machine, Mumford & Sons and Jane’s Addiction. And in New York residents of the Nicole building in midtown Manhattan enjoy free movie screenings.

Surely it can’t be long before this trend leaps the Atlantic. And then, for those who can afford these uber-prime blocks and don’t mind their neighbours seeing them sweating it out in the sauna or displaying their dance moves to their favourite band, there really will be no reason to go outdoors ever again.

Ruth Bloomfield

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Absolutely Westbourne 

STYLISH BOUTIQUE



EC One on Ledbury Road. I find it hard to walk past without browsing in the window as their jewellery is so beautiful; if you’re looking for a present then this is the place to go.

Grove

FINEST COCKTAIL...

BEST KEPT SECRET

It has to be The Portobello Road Martini at the Portobello Star, these guys know their stuff when it comes to making cocktails.



Coffee plant on Portobello Road, the best coffee in London.

FAVOURTIE RESTAURANT...

The Ledbury, the food and service are exceptional but with a relaxed atmosphere which makes it enjoyable every time.

AN EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTY...



A beautifully presented house on Northumberland Place, a picturesque road in the sought after Artesian Village.

A LOST HOUR... 

I could spend more than a lost hour in Books for Cooks on Blenheim Crescent. They have a fantastic array of cook books and the tempting smells from the cafe where they test out the recipes are hard to resist!

PETER ROLLINGS RESPONDS TO THE LATEST LAND REGISTRY FIGURES Rising national house prices will provide cheer for homeowners who have seen their equity dwindle since the initial credit crunch, but the falling number of moves taking place highlights the topsy-turvy nature of last year’s housing market. Even as late as September the market was struggling to come to terms with distractions earlier in the summer, which hampered the number of buyers in a position to finalise moves in the month. But recent improvements in mortgage lending, combined with rising national house prices point towards a more positive end to the year and start to 2013. If the cheaper funds from the Funding for Lending Scheme, can find their way to first-time buyers without substantial deposits, it will go some way towards seeing transactions rebound sustainably and bridging the price growth gap between London and the rest of the country. marshandparsons.co.uk

KATE FLYNN, LETTINGS MANAGER AT BECTIVE LESLIE MARSH, WESTBOURNE GROVE,

020 7221 5388; BECTIVELESLIEMARSH.CO.UK

D&G DIARY A belated Happy New Year! My quote of the year, “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will”. Th is is the mantra I think everyone should use, it really does perk one’s day up!

Delighted to say we’re back with a fabulous bounce. Nothing like some juicy new instructions to get you back into the swing of things.

One of my fi rst days back consisted of witnessing the aftermath of a four day party in a property opposite the office which resulted in a girl slapping contest and a series of arrests (all before 9:30am on a Monday morning), closely followed by racing to a valuation of a tenanted property where the house sitters were poised watching rather elicit DVD’s whilst “dog sitting”. Then onto a rescue mission as Harry (my handsome negotiator) had managed to lock himself in a garden in freezing temperatures with one of our delectable lettings girls – I’m sure it wasn’t engineered at all Harry!? Hannah found herself stuck in a lift with a Chinese family who were all extremely claustrophobic, in between all of this the viewing a new unmodernised instruction in Holland Park. All in a days work.

Maddie Lewington, Manager/Associate, 020 7727 7777; douglasandgordon.com 115

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WOODSFORD SQUARE, W14 A selection of three newly refurbished family houses in arguably the best position overlooking the communal gardens. Energy Ratings: D. Floor plans from approx. 2,950 - 3,314 sq ft.

5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, double reception room, gymnasium, family/cinema room, study, garage, south facing garden, off-street parking, guest parking, communal gardens.

Freehold Guide Prices from ÂŁ4,150,000 - ÂŁ4,950,000

johndwood.co.uk

HOLLAND PARK 020 7727 2233 hollandpark@johndwood.co.uk Our offices in RBK&C:

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Chelsea

South Kensington

Kensington

Holland Park

Ladbroke Grove

Sales: 020 7352 1484 Lettings: 020 7352 8111

Sales: 020 7835 0000 Lettings: 020 7835 0044

Sales: 020 7908 1100 Lettings: 020 7908 1100

Sales: 020 7727 2233 Lettings: 020 7727 2233

Sales: 020 7229 2356 Lettings: 020 7229 2356

22/01/2013 16/01/2013 19:58 14:42

SOUTH END, W8 A newly built state-of-the-art seven storey house, with lift and garden, discreetly located in the heart of Kensington. Features include: swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, gymnasium and steam room.

Approx. 6,534 sq ft. Energy Rating: C. 5 bedroom suites, 2 receptions, media room, wine room, laundry room, storage vault, double garage.

Freehold Guide Price ÂŁ16,500,000

johndwood.co.uk

KENSINGTON 020 7908 1100 kensington@johndwood.co.uk Our offices in RBK&C:

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Chelsea

South Kensington

Kensington

Holland Park

Ladbroke Grove

Sales: 020 7352 1484 Lettings: 020 7352 8111

Sales: 020 7835 0000 Lettings: 020 7835 0044

Sales: 020 7908 1100 Lettings: 020 7908 1100

Sales: 020 7727 2233 Lettings: 020 7727 2233

Sales: 020 7229 2356 Lettings: 020 7229 2356

22/01/2013 16/01/2013 19:59 14:43

MELBURY ROAD, W14 A wonderful south facing garden flat in a period conversion, with a generous reception room and its own private entrance. Close to High Street Kensington and Holland Park. Energy Rating: D. Approx. 1,082 sq ft.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, dining room, patio garden.

Freehold Share Guide Price ÂŁ1,550,000

LADBROKE GROVE, W11 A newly refurbished 2nd floor apartment situated at the rear of the building, with lift access and west facing views over the charming communal gardens. Energy Rating: C. Approx. 645 sq ft.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, lift, communal garden.

Freehold Share Guide Price ÂŁ875,000

johndwood.co.uk

HOLLAND PARK 020 7727 2233 hollandpark@johndwood.co.uk Our offices in RBK&C:

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Chelsea

South Kensington

Kensington

Holland Park

Ladbroke Grove

Sales: 020 7352 1484 Lettings: 020 7352 8111

Sales: 020 7835 0000 Lettings: 020 7835 0044

Sales: 020 7908 1100 Lettings: 020 7908 1100

Sales: 020 7727 2233 Lettings: 020 7727 2233

Sales: 020 7229 2356 Lettings: 020 7229 2356

22/01/2013 16/01/2013 19:59 14:43

CHRISTCHURCH AVENUE, NW6 A truly beautiful family home of grand proportions with a conservatory, terrace and garden. Extensively refurbished whilst retaining many of its original features. Approx. 4,035 sq ft. Energy Rating: D. 5/6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en suite) kitchen/breakfast room, 2 receptions, 2 cloakrooms.

Freehold Guide Price ÂŁ3,500,000

TALBOT ROAD, W11 A recently converted triplex apartment finished to the highest possible standards in a highly desirable part of Notting Hill. Approx. 1,773 sq ft. Energy Rating: D. 3 bedrooms, dressing room, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite), reception room.

Leasehold Guide Price ÂŁ2,500,000

johndwood.co.uk

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7229 2356 ladbrokegrove@johndwood.co.uk Our offices in RBK&C:

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Chelsea

South Kensington

Kensington

Holland Park

Ladbroke Grove

Sales: 020 7352 1484 Lettings: 020 7352 8111

Sales: 020 7835 0000 Lettings: 020 7835 0044

Sales: 020 7908 1100 Lettings: 020 7908 1100

Sales: 020 7727 2233 Lettings: 020 7727 2233

Sales: 020 7229 2356 Lettings: 020 7229 2356

22/01/2013 16/01/2013 20:00 14:43

Your reward for all the late nights in the office.

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SEYMOUR STREET, W2 £2,000,000

A fine example of what can truly be described as an immaculately presented property on the third floor of this mansion block. Situated on Hyde Park Estate close to Marble Arch, the accommodation is as impressive as it is versatile. This generously proportioned apartment extends to over 1600sq ft and the feeling of space is enhanced by the south easterly aspect.

Leah Roberts of Kay & Co believes this is a fine example of a mansion apartment in a prime location. “To really appreciate the area, you just need to walk around it. Connaught Village is wonderful and it’s hard to believe you are in central London. It really is a village with a wonderful choice of shops and restaurants.” The property is offered for sale, chain free with an asking price of £2m for the remaining 103 year lease.

Kay & Co, 020 7262 2030; kayandco.com

LIVING

Absolutely THE MOST LUXURIOUSLY APPOINTED PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET IN OUR MANOR

THE DREAM

PORTOBELLO ROAD, W11 £725 PER WEEK

A stunning luxury apartment set over two floors. This two double bedroom, two bathroom flat has an exceptional open plan living room with wood floors, stylish kitchen with quality units.

Situated on the trendy and fun Portobello Road moments from the local amenities of the shops.

Hamptons International, 020 7034 0405; hamptons-int.com

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PROPERTY

STANHOPE TERRACE, W2 £1,200 PER WEEK

Tastefully presented period conversion conveniently located north of Hyde Park, near Marble Arch Tube. The apartment radiates with classical elegance and offers a modern lifestyle with wonderfully light rooms including a well windowed reception linked with dining space and well equipped white gloss kitchen; a master suite with ample storage, second double bedroom and full bathroom complete the accommodation.

Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, 020 7402 9866; brlets.co.uk

CAROLINE PLACE MEWS, W2 £1495 PER WEEK

A superb mews renovation, with a dramatic first floor glass ceiling feature, large reception with Italian designer kitchen, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an integral garage, all within moments of Hyde Park.

Anscombe & Ringland, 020 7727 7227; anscombes.co.uk

GREAT CUMBERLAND PLACE, W1 £2,650,000

A magnificent three bedroom, three bathroom duplex patio fl at, within a Grade II listed period building, in a highly desired location, which has been lovingly restored by the current owners to retain many original features, which include original ceiling rose’s, ceiling cornicing, dado rails and original skirting boards. The particular property provides a wonderful transition from new to old incorporating solid oak floors throughout, original wrought iron balustrades, built in television unit in cupboard door in kitchen, Lutron lighting and airconditioning throughout. The bedrooms are all very good sizes with two of the bedrooms benefiting from Luxury ensuite’s and dressing areas with built in ample storage, “his” and “hers” wash hand basin are amongst the many features of this luxury fl at. Viewing is highly recommended to enjoy the vast benefits of this luxurious apartment.

Patrick Clayton, 0207 368 1638; patrickclayton.co.uk

UP YOUR STREET

TALBOT ROAD, LONDON, W11

LEASEHOLD 125 YEARS; GUIDE PRICE £2,500,000 SUBJECT TO CONTRACT

A recently converted triplex apartment finished to the highest possible standards in a highly desirable part of W11; with the added benefit of having a ‘Michelin’ starred restaurant as your nearest eatery. The property consists of a spacious 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment laid out over 3 floors. On the first floor there is a large double reception room boasting 3.2m high ceilings, to the rear of the first floor there is a large, fully fitted kitchen including integrated appliances from Gaggenau and Kuppersbusch. On the second floor there are 2 double bedrooms that are both serviced by en suite bathrooms. On the third floor there is a luxurious master suite, with dressing area, separate WC and lavish master bathroom with a vaulted roof. The specification of the property is exceptional, with a high level of craftsmanship and design throughout.

There are 2 options for purchasing the property, it can be bought as either the apartment, with a new long lease, or with the commercial space (which extends to 1417sq/ft) with the freehold for the whole property. Price for the entire property and freehold on application. 020 7229 2956; johndwood.co.uk

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You may know us from walking your dog in the park, local charity events or simply recognise a familiar face; we walk the same streets and eat in the same restaurants you do.

Of course, it’s also quite possible that you – or someone you know – has bought or sold a property through us. We’ve been around for years and our success is built on the fact that people who use us once, tend to use us again. And tell their friends.

Because most of our agents live in the areas in which they work, they really understand what matters to buyers and sellers there.

Many agents will claim to know more about where you live than anyone else. But we understand it’s because people know us, that time and again we sell and let properties more quickly and more profitably than anyone else.

Keith Rigby Keith has been a Director at our Notting Hill office for over 16 years, and lived here almost as long. Many of our clients know him first as a fellow parent and neighbour, meaning he’s as likely to sell a house at the school gates as he is from his desk.

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Chelsea: 020 7589 6677 Kensington: 020 7795 4288 Ladbroke Grove: 020 7221 0330 Notting Hill: 020 7221 4805 Brook Green: 020 7603 5181 Or to see the latest on the central London property market visit: bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

22/01/2013 18/01/2013 19:45 11:05

Chelsea 020 7589 6677

Kensington 020 7795 4288

Notting Hill 020 7221 4805

Ladbroke Grove 020 7221 0330

Brook Green 020 7603 5181

bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

Lofty Living

Colville Mews Notting Hill W11 A beautifully presented freehold house (93 sq m/1,005 sq ft approx. inc. restricted height area) in a fabulous Notting Hill location. The property is well balanced, offering two double bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a stunning loft-style first floor living space boasting a magnificent vaulted ceiling and a chic mezzanine level. 2 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, en suite shower room , open-plan reception/kitchen, study.

Freehold ÂŁ1,495,000 Notting Hill office bc@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 4805 Energy Rating E

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Artesian Gem

Northumberland Place Notting Hill W2 A stunning interior designed Victorian house with off street parking and potential to extend at the heart of Artesian village. The property is presented in immaculate order throughout and benefits from a host of period features which combine with modern interiors to create a sublime family home. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), cloakroom, reception room, kitchen/diner, 2 studies, balcony, garden, off-street parking, 3 storage vaults.

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Freehold ÂŁ2,850,000 Notting Hill office bc@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 4805 Energy Rating E

22/01/2013 18/01/2013 19:46 11:08

Chelsea 020 7589 6677

Kensington 020 7795 4288

Notting Hill 020 7221 4805

Ladbroke Grove 020 7221 0330

Brook Green 020 7603 5181

bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

Prime Location

Ladbroke Road Notting Hill W11 A stunning lateral apartment (178 sq m/1,916 sq ft approx.) across two immaculately maintained period properties in this prime Notting Hill location. Created with a definitive Italian influence, much emphasis has been placed on style, simplicity and flow.

3 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, en suite shower room, cloakroom, reception room, dining room, study, kitchen, utility room, patio garden.

Leasehold ÂŁ2,350,000 Notting Hill office bc@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 4805 Energy Rating D

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Charming Cottage

Treadgold Street Notting Hill W11 A charming end-of-terrace Victorian house (141 sq m/1,518 sq ft approx.) that has been recently refurbished to an excellent standard. Arranged over three floors, the accommodation is thoughtfully laid out with extensive entertaining space, generous rooms, a wondrous roof terrace and an abundance of natural light. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), cloakroom, reception room, kitchen/conservatory, dining room, roof terrace, out building , patio, garden.

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Freehold ÂŁ1,350,000 Ladbroke Grove office mm@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 0330 Energy Rating E

22/01/2013 18/01/2013 19:47 11:09

Chelsea 020 7589 6677

Kensington 020 7795 4288

Notting Hill 020 7221 4805

Ladbroke Grove 020 7221 0330

Brook Green 020 7603 5181

bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

Royal Borough

Holland Park Kensington W11 A beautifully designed, light and spacious lateral apartment (126 sq m/1,351 sq ft approx.) exceptionally well located within the Royal Borough in the heart of Holland Park. Situated on one of the most sought after roads in Kensington, within a striking stucco fronted villa, this second floor apartment offers ideal accommodation either as a pied a terre, city apartment or investment. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, dining room, kitchen.

Share of Freehold ÂŁ2,800,000 Kensington office kt@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7795 4288 Energy Rating D

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Garden Square Living

Kensington Square Kensington W8 An outstanding, wisteria framed family home (352 sq m/3,789 sq ft approx.), situated on one of Kensington’s premier streets. This beautiful Grade II listed, south facing house is arranged over five floors and boasts luxurious living and entertaining space throughout.

3/4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms (main en suite), double drawing room, kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, family room/cinema room, dressing room, study, kitchenette, utility room, 2 cloakrooms, steam room and spa, balcony, patio, key to garden square.

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Freehold ÂŁ7,500,000 Kensington office kt@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7795 4288 Energy Rating D

22/01/2013 18/01/2013 19:49 11:10

Chelsea 020 7589 6677

Kensington 020 7795 4288

Notting Hill 020 7221 4805

Ladbroke Grove 020 7221 0330

Brook Green 020 7603 5181

bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

Contemporary Living

McGregor Road Notting Hill W11

Furnished ÂŁ2,350 per week

An elegant house finished in a contemporary style whilst retaining period features. McGregor Notting Hill office Road is well placed for the popular Portobello Road and Westbourne Grove, both of which are within walking distance. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), shower room, double reception kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388 room, kitchen/dining room, study, 2 cloakrooms, utility room, balcony, garden.

Energy Rating E

Artesian Village

Northumberland Place Notting Hill W2

Unfurnished ÂŁ1,895 per week

An immaculately presented family house, refurbished in a modern style whilst retaining many Notting Hill office original features. Northumberland Place is situated in the prime and sought after Artesian Village, a quiet location moments from Westbourne Grove. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388 en suite shower room, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, conservatory, cloakroom, garden.

Energy Rating D Refreshingly different estate agents

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Prime W8

Phillimore Walk Kensington W8 A newly refurbished property on this quiet street in the heart of Kensington. Split over three floors this charming house offers spacious living and entertaining areas and combines a wonderful Tudor style with a modern touch which adds to the character of the house. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite), reception room, kitchen, utility room, garage.

Period Mansion Block

Draycott Avenue Chelsea SW3 A truly stunning ground floor flat that has been interior designed throughout, in this highly sought after location. Draycott Avenue is ideally located in close proximity to all the shopping amenities of The Kings Road, with transport links at Sloane Square and South Kensington Underground Stations. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, guest cloakroom.

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Unfurnished ÂŁ1,495 per week Kensington office to@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7795 4288 Energy Rating E

Furnished ÂŁ1,200 per week Chelsea office to@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7795 4288 Energy Rating E

22/01/2013 18/01/2013 19:50 11:12

Finstock Road, W10 £1,300 per week A charming spacious family house with a delightful paved garden on this quiet street. EPC= E. Double reception room, kitchen-dining room, five bedrooms, two bathrooms and garden. Unfurnished.

020 8960 0181 susie @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Clarendon Road, W11 £1,950 per week State of the art house with amazing accommodation and beautiful paved garden in an ideal location for Holland Park and Notting Hill. EPC= E. Reception room, kitchen-dining room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, garden and garage. Unfurnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 henrietta @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Hewer Street, W10 £695 per week Superb property with fabulous entertaining space and a private west-facing terrace. EPC= C . Reception room, kitchen dining room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and private terrace. Unfurnished.

020 8960 0181 susie @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Holland Park, W11 £1,350 per week

Ladbroke Road, W11 £475 per week

Delightful flat with spectacular views over Holland Park and fabulous entertaining space. EPC= E. Reception room, kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Unfurnished. Sole Agents

Fabulous ground floor flat with wooden floors and a contemporary feel moments from Notting Hill Gate and close to Westbourne Grove and Portobello Road. EPC= E. Reception room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Unfurnished. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 rosie @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7221 2277 nick @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

We already have a great many pet friendly properties including a couple of those above and of course we have many more. So, if you are looking for a home for you and your pooch take a look on our website or contact any of our lettings team. Similarly, if you have a property for our animal loving applicants to rent give us a call. mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Liz Thomson Director

Kensington Office 020 7937 9976 Notting Hill Office 020 7221 2277 North Kensington Office 020 8960 0181

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Proudly Pet Friendly

These days more and more prospective tenants are not only looking for a roof over their own head but also for somewhere that will happily house their pooch. We have just launched a pet friendly lettings section on our website and we now need more landlords who are happy to accommodate our animal loving applicants. For more information call any of our Pet Friendly Team now or pop into any of our offices.

Amanda Man Associate Director

Susie Waterfall Associate Director

Henrietta Soames Associate Director

Nick Beckett Associate

Rosie Chance Associate

Mollie Crowley Associate

Kensington Office 020 7937 9976 Notting Hill Office 020 7221 2277 North Kensington Office 020 8960 0181

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Russell Road, W14 ÂŁ1,500,000 Leasehold This outstanding garden flat has been meticulously refurbished to create a most stylish home. Russell Road is located to the north of Kensington High Street in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and enjoys easy access to the excellent amenities in the immediate area. EPC= D. Three double bedrooms, two full bathrooms (one ensuite), extensive living space which leads out to a beautifully landscaped private garden, luxury fitted kitchen, separate utility/cloakroom, self-contained office/study accessed via the garden. In addition to this there are two off-street parking spaces, one of which is covered by a car-port.

020 7221 2277 holly @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

When choosing an agent to sell your most important and valuable asset be sure to appoint a firm that is going to work tirelessly on your behalf. An expert in the area is vital and you need someone you can trust who is energetic and strong enough to drive the best deal for you. Mountgrange Heritage is that agent – call us now to discuss your needs.

Michael Wilson Director

Kensington Office 020 7937 9976 Notting Hill Office 020 7221 2277 North Kensington Office 020 8960 0181

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Portobello Road, W11 £1,750,000 Leasehold This stunning lateral maisonette is set over the first and second floors of a handsome period building in the very heart of Notting Hill. The apartment is located in one of the best parts of Portobello Road, very close to Westbourne Grove. EPC= E. Double reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and an amazing roof terrace. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 holly @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Barlby Road, W10 £1,350,000 Freehold

Gordon Place,W8 £1,100,000 Share of Freehold

This charming family house offers excellent living space and a separate garage. Full planning permission is in place to create a basement.

EPC= D. Currently three reception rooms, kitchen, utility room/WC, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, private garden and garage. Sole Agents

Beautifully presented and sophisticated raised ground floor flat with fantastic ceiling height and good proportions. Perfectly positioned for all the amenities of Kensington High Street and Notting Hill. EPC= D. Reception room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen which leads out to a small terrace. Sole Agents

020 8960 0181 will @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7937 9976 tom @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

At Mountgrange Heritage we don’t just see our local area as somewhere we work but as somewhere we belong; our village. We produce our ‘Village Matters’ newsletter to shout about the great businesses and personalities that make up the village. Pick up the latest copy from one of our offices now or read it at mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

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PROPERTY

PRIVATE VIEWING

Paul Hyman, sales manager of Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward’s Bayswater branch shows us around...

FULTON MEWS, BAYSWATER

W2

DETAILS £3,300,000 Freehold

CONTACT Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward Bayswater 020 7724 1222 kfh.co.uk

T

here are many charming features to this property but it’s important to note that it is a proper house.

Most mews houses are renowned for not having windows at the back which can create dark and unwelcoming spaces to the rear of a property. This home benefits from a more conventional feel with a proper double aspect, a real front and back, and indeed the back has another address, 3 Queensborough Mews with its own entrance and parking.

“I really like how the house has been arranged – it’s very family friendly. On the ground floor is a lovely bright morning

room/breakfast/dining room which is masterfully served by a contemporary kitchen and on this level you also have a shower room and the potential of a study/guest/ play or maids room.

On the first floor there are three good sized bedrooms that all have en-suites. The second floor is all reception room, with a twist.

It has a well equipped kitchen (kitchenette doesn’t do it justice) and it also has a bathroom to add to its versatility as it serves the entertainment space above. The fully decked roof terrace is my favourite part of this home where you relax, entertain and take in the surrounding views.”

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Hamptons Kensington Lettings. 020 7937 9372 kensingtonlettings@hamptons-int.com

Lexham Gardens, W8 - £795 per week, Unfurnished A stylish and contemporary newly decorated apartment in central Kensington.

This apartment has been finished to a very high standard and boasts a superb private garden.

Campden Street, W8 - £825 per week, Furnished An extremely spacious newly refurbished two bedroom flat. The flat is 1044 SQ. FT and comprises large reception room with direct access to a well maintained communal garden.

Edwardes Square, W8 - £600 per week, Furnished Hornton Street, W8 - £650 per week, Furnished AStafford recently refurbished flat per in this portered Kensington block. The A bright and stylish one bedroom apartment on the first floor, which has Terrace,two W8bedroom - £2,950 week, furnished flat has been 3decorated a high standard andsought boasts bright and spacious recently refurbished throughout.

The property boasts a doubleremote height A fantastic bedroomtomaisonette on the after streets of the living Phillimorebeen Estate.

The property has wooden floors throughout, an integrated throughout. ceiling and to modern fixtures. controlled sound system, lutron lighting, underfloor heating, a roof terrace and a garden the rear.

Gold Winner in Best for Property Management Gold Winner in Best for Property Management Hamptons International has been crowned Gold Winner in Best for Property Management and at the 2011 Lettings Agency of the Year Awards

Hamptons International has been crowned Gold Winner in Best for Property Management and at the 2011 Lettings Agency of the Year Awards in association with The Sunday Times and The Times, recognising Hamptons’ commitment to exceptional customer service and its status as an in association with The Sunday Times and The Times, recognising Hamptons’ commitment to exceptional customer service and its status as an employer of choice. Call us to find out more about how our Property Management Services can help us meet your property requirements. employer of choice. Call us to find out more about how our Property Management Services can help us meet your property requirements.

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Hamptons Paddington Lettings. 020 7717 5475 paddingtonlettings@hamptons-int com

Thayer Street, W1U - £815 per week, Unfurnished A stunning two bedroom, two bathroom apartment located between Marylebone High St and Oxford St. Newly refurbished and benefits from private roof terrace. Available now. 2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Roof Terrace, Permit Parking.

Stanhope Terrace, W2 - £1,200 per week furnished

Sheldon Square, W2 - £825 per week, furnished

Lancaster Gate, W2 - £1,200 per week unfurnished A wonderful duplex apartment, totally new and with a contemporary style throughout. Both bedrooms are generously proportioned and both have ensuite bathrooms.

An immaculate and spacious two bedroom apartment in this modern development. It has two winter balconies and is furnished to a high standard.

Ideal for a corporate tenant.

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A stunning two bedroom apartment located a stones throw fromHyde Park.

The property has been completely refurbished and is available either furnished or unfurnished.

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Hamptons Notting Hill Lettings. 020 7034 0405 nottinghilllettings@hamptons-int.com

Kensington Gardens Square, W2 - £500 per week, unfurnished A spacious two bedroom apartment on Westbourne Grove. The property is neutrally decorated and comprises a spacious, open plan kitchen/ reception, double bedroom with en suite bathroom, further single bedroom/ study and separate family bathroom.

Stanley Gardens, W11 - £600 per week furnished

Portobello Road, W11 - £725 per week, furnished A stunning large two bedroom , two bathroom apartment over the top two floors of the property extensively refurbished combining wood floors, modern kitchen and bathrooms with the lastest style.

Pembridge Square, W2 - £1,200 per week unfurnished A beautifully refurbished three bedroom maisonette within an elegant Victorian villa boasting neutral interior, spacious rooms, private roof terrace and communal garden.

This two double bedroom flat is finished to a great standard in a neutral modern decor and benefits from granite work tops in the kitchen and sandstone tiles to the bathroom.

Gold Winner in Best for Property Management

Hamptons International has been crowned Gold Winner in Best for Property Management and at the 2011 Lettings Agency of the Year Awards in association with The Sunday Times and The Times, recognising Hamptons’ commitment to exceptional customer service and its status as an employer of choice. Call us to find out more about how our Property Management Services can help us meet your property requirements.

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PROPERTY

PROPERTY NEWS

STRUTT & PARKER AIM TO RAISE £100,000 FOR GOSH

STRONG START FOR SINCLAIRS

With 2012 firmly behind us all eyes are looking at 2013 and wondering what the year will bring. Contrary to many widespread reports about the UK property market W2 seems to be in a little bit of an oasis with sales and lettings transactions for Sinclairs up on the previous year. Although the market appeared to fluctuate and seemed unpredictable, in December for example we posted amongst our best sales figures for 2012 and for a month that is notoriously quiet for agents it shows that business is still pretty good at the moment.

The start to the year will again, largely be dictated by the ability to take on good quality property as there certainly seems no shortage of buyers or indeed tenants looking in this prime pocket of West London.

John White, 020 7298 1550; jwhite@sinclairslondon.com

Strutt & Parker has begun a fundraising initiative in support of Great Ormond Street Hospital, its chosen charity for 2012/2013, with a launch event in Mayfair, London.

The property firm will concentrate its fundraising efforts on the charity’s Raising the Roof appeal for the year ahead as it aims to raise £100,000 towards a new centre for neurosciences, in particular a dedicated patient interview room.

Property professionals as well as ex Scotland rugby player and Strictly Come Dancing star, Kenny Logan turned out to show their support.

Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the world’s leading children’s hospitals with the broadest range of dedicated children’s healthcare specialists under one roof in the UK. The event featured a talk from Strutt & Parker’s Norman Black, whose daughter was a patient at the hospital, he spoke about the incredible

work that the charity does. Kenny Logan was in attendance as a patron of the Raising the Roof appeal, which brings together the property and construction industry to raise vital funds for the new centre for neurosciences, part of the hospital’s major redevelopment programme.

Andy Martin, senior partner at Strutt & Parker said: “We chose Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity because of the incredible work the hospital does to help children from all over the UK for the past 160 years and it is a charity which is close to many of our hearts. Throughout the year we will be holding various events with the aim of raising £100,000 for the Raising the Roof appeal which will ensure the building work on the neuroscience wing can be completed.”

For further information or to donate please contact Olivia McAlpine on 020 7318 5132 or oliviamcalpine@struttandparker.com

William Tellwright, Manager of John D Wood & Co. Holland Park

The New Year has begun in a very healthy manner, bolstered by the positive Government proposals regarding the taxation of UK residential property, and the improved mortgage availability. Plans to introduce a ‘Mansion Tax’ have been shelved, which is of great relief to all private home owners. The New Year has also seen banks increase the availability of mortgages, and this is set to continue, driven by the Bank of England and their Funding for Lending Scheme. Of all the global uncertainties and the local variables, Kensington and Holland Park continues to attract buyers, as our property market proves consistent. Any person considering selling this year, should seize the moment, and take advantage of this buoyancy.

020 7727 2233; johndwood.co.uk

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Apartments: they’re anything but flat.

There has been a steady migration of owners from Knightsbridge, Kensington and Chelsea to London W1 and W2 in the last 12 months. Result: an average 17.2% increase in the value of prime apartments. Maximise your own with a call to Kay & Co.

Hyde Park & Bayswater 020 7262 2030 Marylebone & Regent’s Park 020 7486 6338

kayandco.com

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kayandco.com

W1 North Row, Mayfair

0203 394 0016 sales.hydepark@kayandco.com

ÂŁ6,500,000 Leasehold A spacious and rarely available three bedroom, three bathroom penthouse apartment with wraparound balcony overlooking Hyde Park. On the seventh floor, this bright and lateral property offers access to the gym, swimming pool and sauna facilities of the Marriott Hotel. Further benefits include lift access, 24-hour porterage and one secure car parking space. Energy Rating: D

W2 Clarendon Place, Hyde Park

0203 394 0016 lettings.hydepark@kayandco.com

ÂŁ3,500 Per Week Furnished/Unfurnished A stunning four bedroom, three bathroom period house on a charming street opposite Hyde Park.

This ideal family home features a grand entrance hall with beautiful hardwood flooring, two reception rooms and a luxury bespoke kitchen. This house has been refurbished to an exacting standard whilst retaining its period charm, and benefits from a large roof terrace and private garage. Energy Rating: E.

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kayandco.com

W2 Stanhope Place, Hyde Park

0203 394 0016 sales.hydepark@kayandco.com

ÂŁ1,695,000 Share of Freehold An exceptional three bedroom, two bathroom duplex apartment occupying the first and second floors of a stunning white stucco fronted period building situated between Connaught Square and Hyde Park. The property benefits from high ceilings and large windows as well as a balcony to the front of the property and a share of the freehold. Energy Rating: D

W2 Connaught Square, Hyde Park

0203 394 0016 lettings.hydepark@kayandco.com

ÂŁ695 Per Week Unfurnished A spacious two bedroom, two bathroom apartment with its own entrance on this prestigious garden square. Situated on the lower ground floor but benefiting from plenty of natural light, the property features a bright reception room with a partially open-plan kitchen, a utility room and a private courtyard. Located close to Hyde Park and the transport links at Marble Arch. Energy Rating: F

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PROPERTY BUY YOUR OWN SLICE OF LOCAL HISTORY ON PORTOBELLO ROAD, W11 GUIDE PRICE: £1,750,000

LIVING

THE DREAM

This amazing apartment on Portobello Road serves up an enviable slice of local history.

Ever fancied owning a home with a blue plaque? This property proudly bears its plaque as it is the site on which Susan Garth founded London’s first antiques market which of course flourished to become the international institution that it is today.

For the film buffs amongst you there is something that may hold more significance. Remember the scene in ‘Notting Hill’ where Hugh & Julia collide and he spills his orange juice over her skimpy white T-shirt? It happened on the doorstep of this very building!

This wonderful apartment offers far more than history; set out over the first and second floors of a period building, the first floor offers a stunning open plan living space leading up to a large eat-in kitchen and opens out on to a large west facing roof terrace.

The second floor provides two immaculate double bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Mountgrange Heritage, 020 7221 2277; mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

MASTER CLASS: LENGTHENING YOUR LEASE

If you own a leasehold property do you know how many years you have remaining on the lease?

The shorter the lease the less valuable it becomes.

80 years is the crucial point: once your lease runs below this, even by a single day, the price to extend the lease rises significantly. Existing legislation enables you to extend your lease by 90 years on top of the years you have remaining but you have to be able to qualify.

How do you qualify? Leasehold Reform legislation says the lease must have been granted for over 21 years at its start date, and you must have owned the lease for over 2 years. At John D Wood & Co. we have been helping leaseholders extend their leases for more than 40 years. If your lease is running low we would be very happy to advise you.

Matthew Harrop, Director, 020 7908 1100; johndwood.co.uk

POINT WEST, SOUTH KENSINGTON, SW7 £780,000 LEASEHOLD This development started life as the BOAC terminal in Kensington, then transformed into this very popular secure modern apartments. Rickman are pleased to offer this 1 Bedroom flat which is on the 7th floor, the reception room has a balcony with extensive views towards The Albert Memorial. The block features an onsite gym with swimming pool (membership required) together with 24 hr security, video entry phone & lifts. Rickman Properties, 020 7937 9777; rickmanproperties.com

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Ladbroke Grove, W10 £835,000, Leasehold A spacious three bedroom upper maisonette extending to over 1200 square foot in a great location in W10. The property offers a large dual aspect reception room to the first floor, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and access to a large roof terrace from the upper floors.

Portobello and Golborne Roads are moments away as are the amenities and transport links at Ladbroke Grove.

OARE, WILTSHIRE £2,750,000 FREEHOLD An extraordinary and individual modern country house in a stunning location. Built originally in 1962 for the artist John Merton, Pound House is broadly Palladian in style and is a wide, single storey building with large windows over looking the gardens. It was extended in 1978 to include a garden room and a large studio complex including a workshop and dark room . The property currently has very high ceilings and brick parapets surrounding theW10 roof which has good storage space.

SECOND AVENUE, £645,000 Freehold Four bedrooms | four bathrooms | garden room | hall |sort drawing | studio complex | dining room | wine | integrated garaging | small lake arboretum | A stunning two bedroom cottage in the highly afterroom Queens Park Conservation Area.

Thecellar ground floor comprises an extremely over six acres of land spacious and light reception room leading out onto a lovely patio area with a contemporary and stylish kitchen over looking the garden.

Upstairs offers two large bedrooms with ample storage along with a superbly finished bathroom.

THE WHOLE WINKWORTH NETWORK, NOW IN YOUR POCKET Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app

020 7792 5000 | northkensington@winkworth.co.uk

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 KESLAKE ROAD, NW6 £1,499,500, FREEHOLD A well rounded 3 bedroom Victorian family home on Keslake Road, Queens Park. Great attention to details has been paid to reinstating original cornicing, ceiling roses and stain glass panels in the sashes, giving this idyllic family home plenty of period charm. The property has been thoughtfully designed and is wonderfully presented throughout.

SO

LD



OARE, WILTSHIRE £2,750,000 FREEHOLD An extraordinary and individual modern country house in a stunning location. Built originally in 1962 for the artist John Merton, Pound House is broadly Palladian in style and is a wide, single storey building with large windows over looking the gardens. It was extended in 1978 to

include a garden roomAVENUE, and a large studio complex£1,850,000 including a workshop and dark room . The property currently has very high ceilings and WRENTHAM NW10 FREEHOLD brick parapets surrounding the roof which has good storage space.

Stunning five bedroom Edwardian property, minutes from Queens Park. Spread over an impressive 2443 sq ft this property comprises of

a large open| four plan, double| garden aspect reception and a spacious kitchen/dining area, perfect for modern family life.lake Spread over| three floors Four bedrooms bathrooms room | hall | drawing room | studio complex | dining room | wine cellar | integrated garaging | small arboretum thissix property boasts five bedrooms including a notable master suite with dressing area and en-suite bathroom. over acres of land

winkworth.co.uk/islington | 020 7354 2480 islington@winkworth.co.uk winkworth.co.uk/highbury | 020 7989 7000 highbury@winkworth.co.uk winkworth.co.uk/shoreditch | 020 7749 7650 shoreditch@winkworth.co.uk

Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app

winkworth.co.uk/kensal-queens-park Scan this code to download Winkworth iPhone app 020 8960the 4947 kensalrise@winkworth.co.uk

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See things differently.

See things differently.

24/01/2013 17:01

SAY HELLO TO OUR NEW ARRIVAL Introducing our new Kensal and Queen’s Park office.

We’re delighted to introduce you to the new Winkworth Kensal & Queen’s Park office. We’ve been working this patch for over four years and achieving record prices from our Willesden Green office. So, we thought it was about time we made our presence known on the high street.

Working closely with our neighbouring teams in North Kensington and Willesden Green, we’re able to expose your property to an incredibly large captive audience. And because we all live locally, we know this area inside out and love it as much as you do – something we think is really important.

Winkworth. See things differently.

If you instruct us to sell your property in 2013, we will donate 10% of our fee to a local school or charity of your choice.

Winkworth Willesden Green 020 8451 1000 | willesden@winkworth.co.uk

Winkworth Kensal and Queen’s Park 020 8960 4947 | kensal@winkworth.co.uk

Winkworth North Kensington 020 7792 5000 | northkensington@winkworth.co.uk

90 Walm Lane, Willesden Green, NW2 4QY

2 Bridge House, Chamberlayne Road, NW10 3NR

141 Ladbroke Grove, W10 6HJ

winkworth.co.uk/willesden-green

winkworth.co.uk/kensal-queens-park

winkworth.co.uk/north-kensington

winkworth.co.uk

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THE BAYNARDS, CHEPSTOW PLACE Powis Square W w

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FEATU R ES

SPCACIOUS MODERN LIVING PRESTIGIOUS PORTERED BUILDING RECENTLY REFURBISHED 890 SQFT/82.6 SQM MAISONETTE APARTMENT FIRST FLO OR

G U I D E

PR IC E

£1,195,000 £795,000

S H A R E

O FL E F A R SE EE H HO O LL D D

LIFT 905 SQFT/84.1 SQM RECEPTION RO OM/KITCHEN RECEPTION ROOM/KITCHEN T WO D OUBLE BEDRO OMS

Notting Hill Gate Office

BATHRO OM TWOEN-SUITE DOUBLE BEDROOMS

t: 020 7727 7227

SHOWER RO OM

e: nottinghill.sales@anscombes.co.uk

BATHROOM C OMMUNAL GARDENS

15 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3JQ

CURRENT EPC RATING: D GUEST W/C PRIVATE WEST-FACING GARDEN

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ELGIN CRESCENT Powis Square W w

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FEATU R ES

SPCACIOUS MODERN LIVING PERIODREFURBISHED C ONVERSION RECENTLY 658 SQFT/61.1 SQM MAISONETTE APARTMENT FIRST FLO OR

PR IC E

£940,000 £795,000

S H A R E

O F

LE S EE H F A R E H O O L D

OD FLOSQM ORS 905 WO SQFT/84.1 HIGH CEILINGS RECEPTION ROOM/KITCHEN RECEPTION RO OM

Notting Hill Gate Office

MODERN KITCHEN TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS

t: 020 7727 7227

T WO D OUBLE BEDRO OMS

e: nottinghill.sales@anscombes.co.uk

MODERN BATHROOM BATHRO OM

15 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3JQ

CURRENT EPC RATING: D GUEST W/C PRIVATE WEST-FACING GARDEN

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faronsutaria.co.uk

SALES & LETTINGS

CRAVEN HILL GARDENS, W2 An immaculate 2nd floor apartment, with lift, situated in a beautifully maintained period building in this wonderful garden square. Energy Rating: C. Bedroom, shower room, reception room.

Share of Freehold £695,000 020 7887 2320 nottinghill@faronsutaria.co.uk

SALES • LETTINGS • AUCTIONS • PROPERTY FINANCE • SURVEYS • CONVEYANCING

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OUR SERVICE WILL MOVE YOU 22/01/2013 16/01/2013 19:56 14:43

faronsutaria.co.uk

SALES & LETTINGS

DURHAM TERRACE, W2 A superb 1st floor maisonette with balcony, presented in excellent decorative condition throughout having been upgraded and restored. Energy Rating: D. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, en suite shower room, reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, balcony.

Leasehold

£1,450,000 020 7887 2320 nottinghill@faronsutaria.co.uk

SALES • LETTINGS • AUCTIONS • PROPERTY FINANCE • SURVEYS • CONVEYANCING

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PROPERTY

PRIME PURCHASE

A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED END OF TERRACE FAMILY HOUSE WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REBUILT BEHIND THE ORIGINAL FAÇADE

T

his light fi lled property offers a mix of period appeal with the finest 21st century interior design and technology. Having removed the original structure, the house was entirely reconstructed with brand new walls, floors, steels and supports and the new roof was completed using refurbished Welsh slates. All services from the road were upgraded and sized to ensure that the new gas, heating, plumbing and electrical systems could be utilised to their full potential.

Internally, the house features a blend of extensive bespoke craftsmanship, along with some of the finest designer brand names. The landscaped

front and rear gardens feature sandstone paving and a selection of evergreen and perennial planting by Plunket Gardens. The rear garden also features a glazed steel bridge and balustrade, as well as integral feature lighting. For complete peace of mind, the house will also come with comprehensive professional guarantees and warranties.

DETAILS

47 Sterndale Road London, W14 £2,950,000

CONTACT

Jacksons - Stops & Staff 14 Portland Road, W11 020 7727 5111 jacksons-stops.co.uk Living Room • Dining Room • Media Room / Family Room • Study • Kitchen • Utility Room • 545 Sq Ft Master Bedroom Suite with Ensuite Bathroom and Dressing Room • 4 Further Bedrooms • 4 Further Bath / Shower Rooms • Front and Rear Gardens • Sunken Garden

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Sales & Lettings

www.patrickclayton.co.uk |info@patrickclayton.co.uk | +44 (0) 20 7368 1638ď ź58-60 Kensington Church Street W8 4DB

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PROPERTY

MOVING IN

NOTHING’S BETTER THAN THE INSIDE SCOOP. LOCAL AGENTS GIVE THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS...

STREET

Miles Meacock, Strutt & Parker 020 7221 1111 Westbourne Grove is where Notting Hill residents meet, eat and pass the time. The street is bursting with a shopping experience akin to Bond Street and yet, it hasn’t lost any of its community feel. We are very lucky to work here!

TIME OUT

Richard King, Beaney Pearce 020 7221 9044 There’s no better way to spend a crisp winter morning than wondering along Golborne Road, where you will find antique furniture and lighting amongst other treasures. I love the trio of crabs displayed in a glass case, available at Les Couilles du Chien.

INTERIOR INSPIRATION

Keith Rigby, Bective Leslie Marsh 020 7221 4805 Liz Moloney at the Amber Design Group undertake a diverse range of projects from one room refurbishments through to complete renovations, as well as designing bespoke furniture to suit specific needs.

SHOP INSPIRATION

Paul Hyman, Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward 020 3280 3504 I love visiting Kelly Hoppen’s shop The Yard which is tucked away on St Stephen’s Mews off Chepstow Road.

Her style is quite natural and simple so there is always something that you can see fitting in at home.

FACT

Nigel Hargreaves, Homesite 020 7243 3535 For the perfect pint of Guinness, a relaxed atmosphere & a chat with Notting Hill locals there really is nowhere finer than the Cock & Bottle on the corner of Needham & Artesian Road. A truly traditional London, local pub.

KIDS

Liza-Jane Kelly, Marsh & Parsons 020 8846 3497 My perfect family day in London involves a visit to The Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park. For a treat, lunch at The Belvedere in Holland Park is surprisingly child friendly, and the day is finished perfectly with a play in the adventure playground.

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London’s Letting Agency www.brlets.co.uk

Area Kensington

From £250 £420 pw pw Furnished Furnished

Area Paddington

Area Kensington

From £250 £430 pw pw Furnished Furnished

From £250 £575 pw pw Furnished Furnished

|| 1/2 Studio 1/2 Bedrooms 11Reception Reception 1Studio Bedroom | 1Bedrooms Reception|| |1 Bathroom 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym || Near Amenities 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym Near Amenities Mews Apartment | Close To Hyde Park

|| 1/2 11 Reception Reception Studio 1/2 Bedrooms 1Studio Bedroom | 1Bedrooms Reception||| 1 Bathroom 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym Near Amenities 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym Concierge | Close To Amenities||&Near TubeAmenities

Studio 1/2| Bedrooms Bedrooms 1| Reception Reception || 1/2 || 1 2Studio Bedrooms 1 Reception 2 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym Near Amenities Amenities 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym Near Balcony | Porter | Gym | Tube ||Closeby

Kensington 020 7938 3522 Kensington020 0207938 79383522 3522 Kensington

Kensington 020 7938 3522 Kensington 020 7938 3522 Hyde Park 020 7402 9866

Kensington020 0207938 79383522 3522 Kensington 020 7938 3522 Kensington

Area Paddington

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk

From £250 £650 pw pw Furnished Furnished

Area Mayfair

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk hyde@brlets.co.uk

Area Mayfair

From £800 £250 pw Furnished Furnished

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk

From £900 £250 pw pw Furnished Furnished

| 1/2| Bedrooms | 1| Reception 2Studio Bedrooms 1 Reception 2 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | GymTube | Near Amenities Parking | Lift | Porter | Near

| 1/2| Bedrooms | 1| Reception 2Studio Bedrooms 1 Reception 2 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | Gym | Circus Near Amenities Period Building | Near Oxford

| 1/2| Bedrooms | 1| Reception 2Studio Bedrooms 1 Reception 2 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | Near 24hr Porter | Near GreenGym Park| & TubeAmenities

Kensington 020 7938 3522 Hyde Park 020 7402 9866

Kensington 020 7938 3522 Hyde Park 020 7402 9866

Kensington 020 7938 3522 Hyde Park 020 7402 9866

Area Kensington

kens@brlets.co.uk hyde@brlets.co.uk

From £250 £950pw pwFurnished Furnished

Area Kensington

kens@brlets.co.uk hyde@brlets.co.uk

From pw Furnished £1,200 pw£250 Furn/Unfurnished

Area Kensington South

kens@brlets.co.uk hyde@brlets.co.uk

From £250 Furnished £2,000 pwpw Unfurnished

| 1/2|Bedrooms | 1|Reception 2Studio Bedrooms 1 Reception 2 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | | Near Amenities Garden | Porter | BalconyGym | Garage

| 1 |Reception | 1/2| Bedrooms 3Studio Bedrooms 2 Receptions 3 Bathrooms | Gym |Nearby Near Amenities 1 Bathroom | Parking Parking | Balcony | Amenities

| 1/2| Bedrooms | 1 |Reception 4Studio Bedrooms 3 Receptions 3 Bathrooms 1 Bathroom | Parking | Near Amenities Period Conversion | NearGym Tube| & Hyde Park

Kensington020 0207938 79383522 3522 Kensington

3522 Kensington020 0207938 79383522 Kensington

Kensington020 0207938 79383522 3522 Kensington

Ten offices open six days a week Monday – Saturday Beaufort Park 020 8732 7980 Canary Wharf 020 7517 6088

BENHAM & REEVES_FEB.NH.indd 2

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk

City Ealing Hampstead Highgate

020 7213 9700 020 8280 0140 020 7435 9681 020 8341 2335

Hyde Park Imperial Wharf Kensington Knightsbridge

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk

020 7402 9866 020 7348 7620 020 7938 3522 020 7581 2112

kens@brlets.co.uk kens@brlets.co.uk

Dubai Hong Kong India Singapore

23/01/2013 12:11

Landlords and tenants alike...

DUBAI | HONG KONG | INDIA | LONDON | SINGAPORE

end your search with London’s independent lettings-only specialist Benham and Reeves Lettings have been serving both landlords and tenants since 1956 With 10 well placed London offices, we are able to offer tenants a wide choice of locations and properties

For landlords - we offer a full lettings and property management service, furnishing packages, refurbishment and homestaging service,

making us your one-stop rental property partner

Call us now on 0800 092 9656 or email

info@brlets.co.uk or visit www.brlets.co.uk

Benham and Reeves Residential Lettings

BENHAM & REEVES_FEB.NH.indd 3

23/01/2013 12:11

Holland Park Office: 020 7727 5111 holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

Northumberland Place W2

Lettings: 020 7727 5222

jackson-stops.co.uk/London

ÂŁ1895 per week Unfurnished

A contemporary four bedroom town house with period features and a patio garden, set over five floors on this delightful tree-lined street. Close to the amenities of Westbourne Grove and Notting Hill. The accommodation comprises five bedrooms, three bathrooms, double reception room, kitchen with dining room, conservatory, utility room and a paved rear garden. EPC Rating = D

Holland Park Office: +44 (0)20 7727 5222 holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

Fast find AB50620

41 offices covering the UK London: office 17c Curzon Street W1J 5HU

JACKON STOPS.FEB.indd 1

23/01/2013 11:52

Caranday Villas, W11

£1,600,000 Freehold

A meticulously well-presented, contemporary three double bedroom house offering superb open plan living, master bedroom with en-suite shower room, two further double bedrooms and second bathroom. There’s a constant sense of brightness and space throughout the house, with light flooding in from a large glass panelled skylight. The house benefits from a secure garage as well as off-street parking. This property would make an ideal home for a young family, investor or someone simply looking for a secure base in central London.

Excellently positioned for transport links via Shepherd’s Bush or Holland Park. EPC Rating = C Holland Park Office: +44 (0)20 7727 5111 holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

JACKON STOPS.FEB.indd 2

Fast find AB49311

23/01/2013 11:52

18

‌offices in Central and South West London.

All of which are linked to give your property maximum exposure.

ÂŁ4,350,000 Freehold Kildare Terrace, W2 A wonderful family home set in this quiet tree lined road. The house is in good order throughout including a spacious lower ground floor which has been designed and extended in recent years.

5 bedrooms, En-suite bathroom, Further bathroom, Shower room, Drawing room, Reception room/dining room, Kitchen, Study, Utility room, Roof Terrace, Garden, Communal Gardens, EPC=D.

Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 nhsales@dng.co.uk

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 2

23/01/2013 17:12

douglasandgordon.com

ÂŁ1,295,000 Share of Freehold Oxford Gardens, W10 A stunning garden flat with a wonderful newly decorated contemporary interior, excellent entertaining space and a beautiful private south facing garden.

2 bedrooms, En-suite bathroom, Shower room, Reception room, Kitchen/ breakfast room, Utility room, Garden, EPC=E.

Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 nhsales@dng.co.uk

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 3

23/01/2013 17:12

douglasandgordon.com

£1,250,000 Share of Freehold Ladbroke Square, W11

A spacious and light lower ground floor apartment situated in this prestigious location in Notting Hill.

£825,000 Share of Freehold Gloucester Terrace W2

A beautiful first floor apartment with magnificent reception room with original high ceilings.

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 4

Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 nhsales@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Cloakroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Conservatory, Patio, EPC=C.

Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 nhsales@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Cloakroom, Balcony, EPC=C.

23/01/2013 17:13

D&G

KidsCo

2 01 2

We would like to extend our warmest thanks to everyone who donated so generously once again to the D&G / Kids Company Charity Day. On 6th December we once again closed all our offices and D&G’s 200 employees donned their Kids Co hooded tops to take to the streets from dawn til dusk collecting as many items as possible.

At the end of a rewarding, if exhausting, day we collected more than:

– 6.5 tonnes in contributions – 350 full removal boxes

“We are thrilled that this year the Douglas & Gordon staff have collected even more amounts of food, toys and donations.

All of these donations will help create even more Christmas hampers for London’s vulnerable children.”

Camila Batmanghelidjh, Kids Company www.kidsco.org.uk www.douglasandgordon.com

very kindly donated by Anthony Ward Thomas Removals

– 750 toys – £10,000 in donations

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 5

23/01/2013 17:13

A little birdie told us...

Follow D&G’s @ed_mead and @GeorgeFranks on twitter for up to the moment market comments from two of the country’s leading property experts. You’d be a twit not to.

£795,000 Leasehold Campden Hill Gardens, W8

A stylish apartment in this attractive period building situated in the sought after no through road.

Kensington Sales 020 7792 1881 kensales@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, Shower room, Reception room, Kitchen, EPC=D.

£435,000 Leasehold Oxford Gardens, W10

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 6

A lovely two bedroom, first floor flat in a prime road in North Kensington.

Notting Hill Sales 020 7727 7777 nhsales@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, EPC=E.

23/01/2013 17:13

douglasandgordon.com

ÂŁ1,250 per week Furnished Palace Court W2

An impressive, beautifully refurbished first floor flat.

ÂŁ1,195 per week Unfurnished Kensington Place W8

A beautiful three bedroom house on this popular residential street just off Kensington Church Street.

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 7

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 kenlets@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Reception room, Kitchen, Lift, Porter, Off-street parking, EPC=C.

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 kenlets@dng.co.uk

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Reception room, Dining room, Kitchen, Garden, EPC=E.

23/01/2013 16:30

The United Nations of Douglas &Gordon Our worldwide web extends beyond the internet with six affiliated global offices and more opening later in the year.

Dubai / Moscow / New York / Paris / South Africa / Sydney

£795 per week Unfurnished/Part Furnished Westbourne Terrace W2

A fantastic apartment on the 3rd floor of this period building.

£495 per week Furnished Aldridge Road Villas W11

A delightful two bedroom apartment on the 2nd floor of this period villa.

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 8

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7727 8000 nhlets@dng.co.uk

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Reception room, Kitchen, Lift, Off-street parking, EPC=C.

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7727 8000 nhlets@dng.co.uk

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Openplan kitchen, EPC=C.

23/01/2013 16:29

douglasandgordon.com

ÂŁ475 per week Unfurnished Brunswick Gardens W8

A smart, elegant and extremely spacious first floor flat with high ceilings and west facing balcony off the reception room.

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 kenlets@dng.co.uk

Double bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Balcony, EPC=C.

ÂŁ475 per week Furnished Lucerne Mews W8

DOUGLAS SALES&LETTINGS.indd 9

A charming first floor flat in this quiet mews with vaulted ceilings.

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 kenlets@dng.co.uk

Double bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Roof terrace, EPC=E.

23/01/2013 16:28

We guarantee Weguarantee

to get you the

best price possible

Our 184 negotiators have perfected the right balance in their approach, so you enjoy both the experience and get the results you want.

on average we achieve:

of the asking price

“We have an intimate knowledge of the local property market; we know exactly, who’s buying and who’s selling. Recently, we marketed a flat at £1.4m.

Within 48 hours, we had 20 viewings and 2 cash offers at the asking price. After best and final bids we achieved £180,000 over the asking price - much to our clients’ delight.”

LITTLE VENICE SALES MANAGER

Local know-how. Better results.

FULL PAGE.indd 2

22/01/2013 10:14