Absolutely Notting Hill Dec

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ABSOLUTELY

DECEMBER 2012 £3.95

NOT TING HILL

A MODERN BABYLON

DECEMBER 2012

JULIEN TEMPLE ON HIS LOVE FOR LONDON

STARS OF WONDER

RICHARD YOUNG ON HIS SPARKLING CHRISTMAS SHOW

FASHION • SHOPPING • FOOD & DRINK • WHAT’S ON • CULTURE • KIDS • INTERIORS • PROPERTY

A PASSAGE TO INDIA STYLE AND SPLENDOUR IN RAJASTHAN

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

PERFECT PRESENTS AND DIVINE DECORATIONS

WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM

Into the cold

Embracing fashion's winter wonders

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

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Chelsea Chelsea Fulham Fulham&&Parsons ParsonsGreen Green Kensington Kensington&&Holland HollandPark Park Knightsbridge, Knightsbridge,Belgravia Belgravia&&Mayfair Mayfair Notting NottingHill Hill&&Bayswater Bayswater West WestChelsea Chelsea&&South SouthKensington Kensington

Sales Sales020 0207225 72253866 3866 Sales Sales020 0207731 77317100 7100 Sales Sales020 0207938 79383666 3666 Sales Sales020 0207235 72359959 9959 Sales Sales020 0207221 72211111 1111 Sales 1010 73731010 Sales020 0207373

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Westbourne Park Villas 2,424 sq ft (225.2 sq m)

| Bayswater | W2

Built circa 1843, this semi detached, five bedroom villa benefits from having a fabulous south facing garden and off street parking.

Entrance hall

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| Garden | Off street parking

Asking price £2,950,000 Freehold

Notting Hill Sales 020 7221 1111

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Sarda House Bayswater Porchester Terrace NottingW2 Hill 1,528 sq sq ftft (301.5 (141.95sqsqm)m) 3,245

| W2

A beautifully three bedroom penthouse, with aover wonderful terrace secure, off-street This fantasticpresented seven bedroom family home is arranged four floors andand benefits from a large parking. private garden at the rear well asroom off street parking for two Entrance hallasDrawing Kitchen/breakfast roomcars.

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S&P STR

Communal gardens

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Peel Street Kensington W8 W8 Sheffield Terrace Kensington Stafford Terrace Kensington 1298 sq ft (120.58 sq m) 2,566 sq m) m) 1,855 sq sq ft ft (238 (172 sq

A charming and well presented three bedroom Victorian terraced house with excellent entertaining An outstanding and rare three bedroom maisonette threelocated floors with direct access to the beautifully A spectacular maisonette situated in a beautiful periodover building, space and a wonderful south-facing terrace maintained communal gardens. close to all the amenities of Kensington High Street and Notting Hill.

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Drawing room Kitchen/breakfast room Dining area Master bedroom with en suite shower room Two further bedrooms Drawing room Kitchen/dining Kitchen/breakfast Sitting room bedrooms Three bath/shower rooms Utillity area Drawing room roomroom StudyLibrary Two bedrooms Two Three bathrooms Bathroom Terrace Media room/bedroom terrace Cloakroom Balcony three PatioShower Directroom accessRoof to communal gardens Asking price £2,350,000 Freehold £4,000 price per week Furnished Asking £4,850,000, Leasehold Kensington Sales 020 7938 3666

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Kensington Sales Lettings 7938 3866 Kensington 020020 7938 3666

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23/11/2012 20/09/2012 17:06 17:00 22/05/2012 16:38

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

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Places Available in Years 7, 8 & 9

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27/11/2012 18:11

ABSOLUTELY DECEMBER 2012

9 EDITOR’S LETTER 10 ABSOLUTELY LOVES

Absolutely’s top ten this month

50 PROFILE

Julien Temple, filmmaker

CULTURE 13 WHAT’S ON

December’s diary

16 RICHARD YOUNG

Previewing Pret a Photo

STYLE

34 FASHION SHOOT Every day is a party

45 JULIA CAMERON

Glamorous headpieces

FOOD & TRAVEL 69 MORO GOES WEST A Christmas supper

34 50

73 RESTAURANT REVIEWS Parlour; Launceston Place

INTERIORS

91 CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Absolutely the best baubles

79

45

96 SEDUCTIVE INTERIORS

Sera Hersham-Loftus on Julie’s

PROPERTY

116 IN THEIR OWN WORDS 122 PROPERTY NOTES

ON THE COVER CREDIT: LICKERISH

ABSOLUTELY

DECEMBER 2012 £3.95

NOT TING HILL

A MODERN BABYLON JULIEN TEMPLE ON HIS LOVE FOR LONDON

STARS OF WONDER

RICHARD YOUNG ON HIS SPARKLING CHRISTMAS SHOW

STYLE AND SPLENDOUR IN RAJASTHAN

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

PERFECT PRESENTS AND DIVINE DECORATIONS

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

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WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM

WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM

Into the cold

Embracing fashion's winter wonders

FASHION • SHOPPING • FOOD & DRINK • WHAT’S ON • CULTURE • KIDS • INTERIORS • PROPERTY

FASHION • SHOPPING • FOOD & DRINK • WHAT’S ON • CULTURE • KIDS • INTERIORS • PROPERTY

A PASSAGE TO INDIA

DECEMBER 2012

DECEMBER 2012

CONTENTS.indd 7

KENSINGTON

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINE

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINE

16

NOTTING HILL CREDIT: LICKERISH/IAKOVOS KALAITZAKIS

ABSOLUTELY

DECEMBER 2012 £3.95

KENSINGTON

A MODERN BABYLON JULIEN TEMPLE ON HIS LOVE FOR LONDON

CROWNING GLORY JULIA CAMERON’S SPARKLING TIARAS

STARS OF WONDER RICHARD YOUNG'S KENSINGTON CHRISTMAS SHOW

All I want for

CHRISTMAS

GLAMOUR, GLITTER AND GOLD

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

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29/11/2012 09:33

ABSOLUTELY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Harriet Compston EDITOR Pendle Harte EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Romy Van Den Broeke, Sophie Thrower EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Pearl Boyd, Hattie Edmonds ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Lisa Davis 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 MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER Gemma Isteed DESIGNERS Andrew Mavin, Mathew John, Ana Ospina COPY CONTROLLER Christine Mann FINANCE DIRECTOR Alexandra Hvid MARKETING MANAGER Leah Day DIRECTOR Greg Hughes MANAGING DIRECTOR Sherif Shaltout

For more than 100 years in Italy, Marinella has been the place to buy ties, scarves, bow-ties, knitwear, shoes and all the accessories a gentleman could desire.

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

Visit its new boutique in the heart of Mayfair for the perfect gift for ladies and gentlemen any time. Browse its collection of handcrafted ties, or choose from a wide range of accessories including leather goods.

Subscriptions are available simply by emailing subscriptions@zest-media.com.

You can receive an online subscription for FREE or a postal subscriptions for 12 months, ÂŁ 30 respectively (to cover postage and packaging).

Please email us with your preferred option and details.

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

54 Maddox street W1S 1AY, London / t: 02074934210 e: marinella@marinellanapoli.co.uk / www.marinellanapoli.it

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29/11/2012 11:30

EDITOR’S LETTER

Y

ou know it’s Christmas when you’ve already been ice skating at the Natural History Museum, eaten a mince pie and visited Winter Wonderland, even if it is still only November. Still, Winter Wonderland is upon us again with its larger-than-life expanse of rides and attractions – and love it or hate it, nobody could fail to be impressed by an actual full-size Cinderella carriage made entirely of ice, or a supersized ice polar bear. The Ice Kingdom is Wonderland’s newest attraction and if you ignore the fact that it’s really just a big cold tent, you can truly imagine yourself in Narnia. Other Christmas-related events are more restrained, waiting at least until the first window of the advent calendar has been opened before they begin.

Christmas shopping evenings in Wesbourne Grove and Chamberlayne Road are scheduled for a more civilised 6 December, when shops will be staying open late and greeting people with mulled wine and mince pies.

In this issue, we’ve got lots of ideas for a glamorous, glittering Christmas, so season’s greetings to all.

Pendle Harte Editor

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

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MEAGHAN GRACE HINKIS & LUDOVIC ONDIVIELA IN THE NUTCRACKER. PHOTO BY JOHAN PERSSON, COURTESY OF ROH

THE NUTCRACKER Think Christmas; think The Nutcracker. The English National Ballet’s production of Tchaikovsky’s fabulous work returns to the Coliseum from 12 December to 5 January with its festive fantasy set in Edwardian London. It’s a magical show featuring the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Waltz of the Flowers. eno.org

10 things we

Absolutely LOVE JONATHAN ADLER This stylish elephants salt and pepper set by Jonathan Adler is a quirky and chic addition to any table. £48; skandium.com

HOLLY’S HOUSE Holly’s House, SW6-based interiors company, is opening a pop up shop in Portobello in the run up to Christmas and people will be queueing for this stunning Gloria Chandelier, as well as the beautiful gold foiled notebooks and A3 prints. hollys-house.com

BISCUITEERS It’s official: biscuits are the new cupcakes.

Biscuiteers’ new shop on Kensington Park Road is dedicated entirely to beautiful biscuits in delightful packaging. And there’s a special icing café too, where you can learn to ice your own, or host sugary kiddie parties. Just look at these adorable biscuit baubles. 194 Kensington Park Road, W11; biscuiteers.com

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CHRISTMAS FOREST The best place to buy your tree is The Christmas Forest London’s biggest independent tree retailer, with a site at the top of Ladbroke Grove. They plant a tree through Tree Aid for every one sold, so your eco credentials will remain intact – and they’ll even deliver too. Once you’ve got one, visit Westbourne Grove’s new Design and Home

by Flamant, the Belgian interiors company, for these traditional Euro decorations.

Design and Home, 176 Westbourne Grove, W11; christmasforest.co.uk

TATTY DEVINE An explosion, for your décolleté.

Tatty Devine is stocked at Lali, 101 Golborne Road, W10; tattydevine.com

PAUL SMITH Paul Smith’s Love snow globe is an irresistible flutter of glitter, sparkle and colour. £169; paulsmith.co.uk

ANTHROPOLOGIE Lobsters love Christmas too. The dinkiest decorations come from Anthropologie and we adore this festive crustacean. £16; anthropologie.eu

BROKEN DOWN DOLL JO MALONE CRACKER Who wants a flimsy comb, a silly hat and a tired joke? What we really want are Jo Malone goodies and here they are, in their very own cracker. £28, jomalone.co.uk

Broken Down Doll returns to 72 Chamberlayne Road, NW10 on 8 December for two weeks of festive shopping for absinthefuelled vintage fashion. brokendowndollboutique. blogspot.com

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&

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

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ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

What’s On THE ROMANCE OF PERFECTION TO JANUARY 2013

MERCHANT ARCHIVE

Photographer James Ostrer uses Maria Kochetkova (San Francisco Ballet’s main dancer) as his new muse. Entranced by her compulsion with honing her skill to the most expert level, and her eccentric fashion sense, he has attempted to capture the ‘containment of physical pain through the images of birdcages and her being bound by vintage ribbons.’

19 Kensington Park Road W11 2EU; 020 7229 9006

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ECLECTIC CHRISTMAS TO 23 DECEMBER

TOM DIXON, PORTOBELLO DOCK

An Eclectic Christmas is delivered to the Tom Dixon Shop this year, cramming the canal-side emporium with tastes, technologies and treats from all over the globe. Shoppers can enjoy lunches at Dock Kitchen and Tart Bakery daily, as well as a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot at late-night shopping evenings every Thursday in December from 6-8pm.

344 Ladbroke Grove W10; tomdixon.net

December

AIDA

CHRISTMAS AT KENSINGTON PALACE

17 DECEMBER; 12PM

GATE PICTUREHOUSE

TO 23RD DECEMBER

KENSINGTON PALACE

Broadcast live via satellite from New York, Aida has everything: Aida, the Ethiopian princess, is brought to Egypt as a slave. Radames, the Egyptian commander, is torn between his love of Aida and love of country. Not only this, the Pharaoh’s daughter is in love with Radames. The drama culminates in a triumphal scene. Fabio Luisi conducts The Metropolitan Opera’s production.

87 Notting Hill Gate, W11; 08719025731 picturehouse.co.uk

Inside Kensington Palace’s palace-sized Advent Calendar there will be a mass of specially designed baubles dotted all along the halls and stairs, with festive music playing throughout the house. A 25-foot Christmas Tree will be in the gardens and every day at 2pm, the advent baubles will be opened to reveal a new picture, inspired by the young Princess Victoria’s letters and diary entries. There is something different to do every day, notably on 5th there is carol singing, on the 13th is the Midwinter Ball and there is a festive evening tour on 20 December.

Kensington Palace Gardens, W8 08444827777; hrp.org.uk

LONDON CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS FAIR 3 AND 4 DECEMBER

KENSINGTON TOWN HALL

The Caribbean Christmas Fair is a little more original than the relentless ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’ type vibes. Rum punch, steel drums, dancing, stalls with plenty of jewellery, wine, candles, soap, gift baskets. Mix it up a little bit and pretend it’s going to be a warm Christmas.

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APART WINTER SHOW

THE OLD SORTING OFFICE

TO 20 DECEMBER

Full-time pop-up Apart’s Christmas show revives the abandoned post office space with its playful, pop art-influenced collection of works by international artists.

222-224 Westbourne Grove W11; ap-art.co.uk

THE TROJAN WOMEN

PORTOBELLO PANTO THE TABERNACLE

18-22 DECEMBER

GATE THEATRE

Hear ye. Hear ye. Deep down on the Portobello Road, it’s that time of year again. Oh no it isn’t? Oh yes it is!

This year, the company has turned its attention to local hero Charles Dickens and the terrible tale of Oliver Twisted. The usual suspects and a few unsuspecting newbies bring to the stage the story of food, juvenile crime and doomed romance.

Tickets from Rough Trade or tabernacleW11.com

TO 15 DECEMBER

Caroline Bird (twice shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas prize) adapts Euripides’ Trojan Women. Troy has fallen and the city burns, Greeks rampage through the fires with no discrimination to gender or age. The women in Troy’s prison await their fate.

Christopher Haydon directs this gripping tale of great women fallen.

Pembridge Road, W11 3HQ; 020 7229 0706 gatetheatre.co.uk

CHRISTMAS MARKET

6 DECEMBER; 3PM - 9PM (IN THE MAIN ATRIUM)

WESTBOURNE STUDIOS

Enjoy a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie while browsing an array of incredible stalls selling everything from decorative vintage face masks, naturally flavoured marshmallows to cut price luxury handbags and loads of boy-friendly presents too.

242 Acklam Road, W10 5JJ

WINTER SUNDAYS ONGOING

PORTOBELLO MARKET

40 street stalls feature all the Christmas classics; roast chestnuts, mulled wine, handdecorated gingerbread… And you might even get a little bit of Christmas shopping done while you’re at it. Choirs, steel drum carols; the entertainment will all be in Tavistock Square and on 9th, 16th and 23rd Father Christmas will be there. For the fi rst time there is a big Christmas Tree in the middle of Tavistock Square.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

11 DECEMBER

ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Back for the 29th time, carols at the Albert Hall are joined by some familiar faces from television and trumpeters from the Cold Stream Guards. Money from the night will go to support leukaemia and lymphoma research. Kensington Gore, SW7 08454 015045; royalalberthall.com 15

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YOUNG AT HEART Richard Young gives Absolutely the lowdown on his Christmas show, Pret a Photo

I

t’s unusual to walk into a gallery, choose a picture, buy it and take it home with you right then and there. But that’s the philosophy of Pret a Photo, Richard Young’s third Christmas show.

Around 100 iconic limited edition photographic prints go on show in his Holland Street gallery this month, framed and ready to be bought and wrapped.

All Young’s usual celebrity friends are represented – there’s Kate Moss, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, Johnny Depp and Freddie Mercury, for a start – but there’s also Rudolf Nureyev in mid-jeté, The Queen looking over London from the Gherkin and the late Isabella Blow with Alexander McQueen, as well as a selection of black and white reportage photography, atmospheric shots of foggy London and New York.

Known as the original paparazzo, Young has been photographing celebrities since 1973. But he’s not scuffling outside nightclubs. Doors are always open to him. He forms relationships with his subjects and his discretion and respect earn him the shots nobody else

can get. His body of work is vast and neatly archived, thanks to an early brainwave he had when he first started selling his work. ‘Something told me that if I’d taken a picture then it belonged to me. So whenever I sold my pictures I made sure I got the negatives back,’ he reveals. Young worked on film until 2001, when digital took over. ‘At home I’ve got 120 cabinets of films and each one contains 120 jobs. When you think that each job involves at least three or four rolls of film, that’s a lot of pictures,’ he says. It’s all neatly archived and Young’s wife Susan is currently going through it all, digitising and printing the best ones. She has spent the past four years working through the crates and she has reached 1983, so there’s still a while to go.

Susan is the curator and she has chosen the works to display this month. It’s set to be a fantastic show.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MICK JAGGER AND JERRY HALL; GRACE JONES AND IMAN; THE QUEEN; JANE BIRKIN AND SERGE GAINSBOURG; FREDDIE MERCURY

Pret a Photo is on display until 22 December.

Richard Young Gallery, 4 Holland Street W8 020 7937 8911; Richardyounggallery.co.uk

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THE MUSE AT 269 G A L L E RY / S T U D I O P R E S E N T S

10TH ANNIVERSARY GROUP SHOW

ABOVE AIR - SHOW MASAKI YADA

A RETROSPECTIVE OF RESIDENTS AT THE MUSE OPENING FROM 12:00 - 3:00 PM 15TH DECEMBER SHOW STARTING ON THE 19TH DECEMBER UNTIL JANUARY 14TH 2013

I

n 2013 we continue to offer opportunities for artists and curators alike. The muse at 269 offers graduates free studio space to work, wall space to exhibit and shop to sell. We also support

independent curators, providing cost free venue for - budding managers, agents and established artists to host exhibitions and events throughout the year. For further details contact our site www.themuseat269.com or follow us on facebook / twitter.

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ABSOLUTELY | A RTS & CULTURE

LIGHT UP

Look up – because Notting Hill Gate’s rooftop light sculpture Ringstack is, at 7.5 metres, London’s tallest light sculpture.

London-based light artist Adam Barker-Mill’s piece celebrates the Jubilee and the Olympic year as a beacon to 2012, highlighting the capital as a vibrant, creative centre. Thanks to the Notting Hill Improvements Group for making it all happen.

Agenda

This month’s highlights PA PER CUT S

TUNNEL V ISION What better Christmas present for the tube enthusiast than this beautiful new edition of Poems on the Underground, with poems arranged thematically in categories including ‘London’, ‘The Wider World’ and ‘Out There’. It’s bound in a beautiful 1930s style tube print too. We love it.

Penguin Classics h/b, £16.99

West London-based artist Su Blackwell’s wonderful paper sculptures are on display at Anthropologie in King’s Road until Christmas, and her book The Fairytale Princess (Thames & Hudson, £14.95) is a collection of fairytales illustrated with photographs of the book sculptures and probably one of the most beautiful books of the year.

NEW INK

Blenheim Crescent is home to new tattoo parlour, LoveHate London Social Club, inspired by New York’s Lovehate Wooster Street Social Club and headed up by worldfamous tattoo artist Ami James together with 6 Music’s Huey Morgan. Expect an eclectic mix of music, events and exhibitions. The opening party attracted tattoo groupies from all over the world, because this place is big news. 5 Blenheim Crescent, W11

TOA D’S TA LE

A new iPad app of former Kensington resident Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows brings the 1908 story to life with beautiful, interactive illustrations. Readers can drive Toad’s motor car, make the tyres squeal, crash it into hedges and plunge it over cliffs. They can also conjure up butterflies from thin air, smoke Mole out of his hole, make the band of weasels sing and dance, chuck stones off a bridge to sink Toad’s boat, dress him, and even create a snowstorm. The app was put together by a novelist, an artist and a computer programmer. £4.99 at the App Store; thewindinthewillowsapp.com 19

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NEW YEAR’S EVE 2012 This year, ICEBAR BY ICEHOTEL London celebrates in style with a variety of party packages to suit everyone. Join us for our 7 course supper club and soak up the vibe from our swing band before our DJs take us deep into the night or just join the party and toast the New Year with an ice glass.

PACKAGES £80

Includes a complimentary glass of Pommery champagne on arrival, 7 course ‘supper club’ dining experience and access to our exclusive ICEBAR ‘countdown session’ including a Pommery champagne cocktail.

£35

Includes a complimentary glass of Pommery champagne on arrival to the party, a trip to the ICEBAR where you will be given a thermal cape, gloves, ice glass and cocktail of your choice.

£25

General entry to the party and a complementary glass of Pommery Champagne on arrival.

To make a booking please contact the reservations team on 020 7478 8910 or email res@belowzerolondon.com. Please note full pre payment is required when booking.

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ABSOLUTELY’S BIRTHDAY All our friends came to celebrate the magazine’s first year at the wonderful Beach Blanket Babylon – and we are eternally grateful to Femi Fem for DJing, Miller’s Gin, Beauty Works West and everyone else who helped us celebrate.

ABSOLUTELY

Social

Reporting from all the best parties in our area NO ADDED SUGAR The ultimate children’s entertainers Sharky and George came to entertain the tinies at the launch of Ledbury Road’s new No Added Sugar, selling the most stylish kiddie clobber in town. An enthusiastic crowd enjoyed cupcakes and games.

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28/11/2012 20:29

AASHNI & CO Fashion and lifestyle blogger Priyanka Gill hosted a special celebration at Aashni & Co boutique in Notting Hill.

Guests partook in a special trunk show, with designs by Nida Mahmood, Pia Pauro, Rohit Bal and conceptual jewellery by Eina Ahluwalla while enjoying cupcakes from Bea’s of Bloomsbury.

ABSOLUTELY

Social

Reporting from all the best parties in our area

MOVEMBER SURPRISE The launch of Whiteleys ‘Tashatorium’ pop-up Gentleman’s Lounge: London’s only ‘immersive theatre event for chaps’, was opened by comedy trio The Cuban Brothers and designer Henrietta Ludgate...all in aid of the month known as Movember.

CARYN FRANKLIN

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27/11/2012 17:02

ANTON KOMPANIETS, LUCINDA JEREMY & MARCUS DANTON

JOSEFINE MOLZAHN & SAMIR CERIC

ANNA KOMPANIETS

STEGSKI, ANYA CHARIKOV-MICKLEBURGH, ANNA KOMPANIETS & SAMIR CERIC

ABSOLUTELY

ART WORLD Debut Contemporary hosted a networking evening with Bayswater Village and launched their pop-up shop with some sparkling Sprizzato cocktails & delicious mini crepes from Snowflake Luxury Gelato. On display alongside the artworks were dozens of art gifts, limited edition prints and multiples designed and handmade by the Debut Artists.

Social

KIRSTY SAPSFORD

Reporting from all the best parties in our area

STAR HU

JODIE KIDD

Sadie and the Hotheads played at the launch of Portobello Arcade’s new Star Hu boutique to a host of celebrities including Jasmine Guinness, Bella Freud, Jodie Kidd, Olivia Inge, Camilla Johnson-Hill, Ren Harvieu, Noelle Reno, Erol Sabadosh, Morwenna Lytton Cobbold, Camilla Rutherford, Edith Bowman, Pattie Boyd, The Plastics, Emily Hartridge, Angela Dunn and Pips Taylor.

CAMILLA RUTHERFORD

NOELLE RENO

CONOR MAYNARD

THE PARK CLUB A bonfire night spectacular lit up the sky over west London from the Park Club, where an epic fireworks display came with acts including Conor Maynard and Max Tuohy. A big bonfire, vast funfair and food stalls galore made it a memorable evening for all.

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A concept Fashion, Flowers and Nail Boutique situated in the heart of Holland Park.

TREATMENTS

SOPHIE GASS 4 LADBROKE GROVE LONDON W11 3BG

MINI MANICURE LUXURY MANICURE MINI PEDICURE LUXURY PEDICURE ACRYLIC FULL SET ACRYLIC INFILLS GEL FULL SET GEL INFILLS SHELLAC MANICURE SHELLAC PEDICURE MENS MANICURE MENS PEDICURE MASSAGE TAKE OFF

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£16 £28 £16 £32 £38 £25 £42 £25 £42 £50 £18 £25 £15 £10

15 mins 40 mins 15 mins 40 mins 1 hr 30 mins 1 hr 1 hr 30 mins 1 hr 45 mins 45 mins 15 mins 30 mins 15 mins 15 mins

A concept Fashion, Flowers and Nail Boutique situated in the heart of Holland Park.

Fashion,Flowers, Manicures Pedicures

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MINI MANICURE LUXURY MANICURE MINI PEDICURE LUXURY PEDICURE ACRYLIC FULL SET ACRYLIC INFILLS GEL FULL SET GEL INFILLS SHELLAC MANICURE SHELLAC PEDICURE MENS MANICURE MENS PEDICURE MASSAGE TAKE OFF

£16 £28 £16 £32 £38 £25 £42 £25 £42 £50 £18 £25 £15 £10

15 mins 40 mins 15 mins 40 mins 1 hr 30 mins 1 hr 1 hr 30 mins 1 hr 45 mins 45 mins 15 mins 30 mins 15 mins 15 mins

WWW.SOPHIEGASS.COM

store aims to provide a haven for one off fashion pieces and

accessories along with the highest quality manicures and pedicures.

Opening times M o n -We d : 9 a m - 7 p m Thu-Sat: 9am – 8pm S un : 1 1 a m – 5 p m

4 Ladbroke Grove, London, W11 3BG | 0207 229 4044 | SOPHIE GASS FINAL.indd 2

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ALL THAT GLITTERS Go for gold this Christmas with Absolutely’s pick of the most glorious golden gifts

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1. Cambridge satchel, £100; paperchase.co.uk. 2. Gold-plated hand weight, £350; thomaslyte.com.

3. Bloom Premium Gold rare tea, £69.95; bloomtea.co.uk. 4. Limited Edition Vintage Alhambra pendant, £POA; vancleefarpels.com. 5. Gold by Undergreen unisex eau de parfum, £120; harveynichols.com.

6. Godiva gold gift box, £43; godiva.com. 7. Rex boot in gold, £425; showmefury.com. 8. Aerin Holiday Style Palette, £45; esteelauder.co.uk. 9. Gold leather pouffe, £159; grahamandgreen.co.uk. 10. Limited edition chocolate St. Nicolas figure, to order; meltchocolates.com. 11. Scented candles, £55 each; tomdixon.net. 12. L’Ephémère Eternel, a sculpture designed to display Krug Grande Cuvé in a limited edition of six, £POA; selfridges.com.

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EXCLUSIVE & ORIGINAL VINTAGE INSPIRED COLLECTION LOVINGLY MADE IN BRITAIN GORGEOUS LIMITED EDITION FABRICS

(Days like these dress with Cute Ruffle T)

SHOP ONLINE AT WWW.JELLYLANECLOTHING.COM ENTER 'SWEETIEPIE' AT CHECKOUT TO RECEIVE FREE P&P JELLY JANE.indd 2

LOVINGLY MADE IN BRITAIN

19/11/2012 10:48

ABSOLUTELY | ST Y LE

THE LOOK Absolutely’s favourite catwalk trend

LANVIN A/W/12-13

Dolce & Gabbana Monica Belluci lace dress, £5,780; matchesfashion.com

Alexander Mcqueen Victorian puckering wool jacquard dress, £885; alexandermcqueen.co.uk

Alyssa Norton Plaited silk and chain bag, £120;

matchesfashion.com Alexander Mcqueen Mantaray clutch, £315; matchesfashion.com Dolce & Gabbana Mini miss sicily embroidered velvet bag, £1.544.60; luisaviaroma.com

Dolce & Gabbana Tapestry ankle boots, £475; net-a-porter.com

BAROQUE AND ROLL

Marni Printed wool crepe cropped trouser, £530; marni.com

Gothic, edgy and opulence incarnate, if it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it

Versace Embroidered coat, £3,010; versace.com

New Look Parisian black and gold leaf jacquard shorts, £17.99; newlook.com Zagliani Python clutch bag, £616; zagliani.it Etro Embroidered loafer, £360.41; luisaviaroma.com

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Wilbur & Gussie Edith bronze lace clutch, £169; arkangelandfelon.com

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A CREATIVE UNIT

BESPOKE BAGS VERDE-LABOR

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PERFUMES, INCENSE AND OILS ZARVIS

TEA AND ACCESSORIES THE CHINESE TEA COMPANY

WATCHES AND CLOCKS

UNDER THE WESTWAY, IN THE HEART OF PORTOBELLO MARKET

PLUS TO RELAX AND REFRESH:

www.portobellodesigners.com 281 Portobello Road, London W10 5TZ

JUST A MINUTE

PETIT CAFÉ AND MO’S CAFE

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Gifts, fashion and accessories for men, women and children

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Find that special gift at Portobello Green

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Get it all

CAMBRIDGE GARDEN

28/11/2012 09:57

ABSOLUTELY | ST Y LE

FASHION NOTES DRE SS UP

Emily Dyson – heir to the Dyson vacuum cleaner fortune – is the woman behind one of the area’s best and most fabulous shops. Couverture and the Garbstore is stocking this beautiful Cheriway dress (below, £539)

by American designer Rachel Comey with an Italian wool boatneck top, batwing sleeves and a collage photo print on the skirt. Comey started out as a menswear designer, beloved of David Bowie, but started designing for women when the smaller sizes were snapped up by girlfriends.

188 Kensington Park Road W11

NE W DE SIGN

Queens Park-based Cristina Adami launched her womenswear label last year after a long collaboration with Florence Welch; her styles are as sharp and chic, as you’d imagine. cristinadami.com

POP INTO PIPA

Luxe Maida Vale boutique Pipa London stocks the most divine range of scarves and accessories, with a big focus on cashmere, alongside a careful edit of labels such as Alice + Olivia, Mih Jeans and Madeleine Thomson. We are coveting this Christmas scarf from BeckSondergaard, £69 1 Formosa Street W9 pipalondon.co.uk

TO THE MA X

Leon Max opened in Westbourne Grove with a starstudded party; and the store is showcasing a beautiful wardrobe of party frocks including this silk chiffon detailed dress (left, £250) with such intricate detailing that it’s fit for a real princess.

229 Westbourne Grove W11; maxstudio.com

MICROTREND...

FESTIVE JUMPERS

NW3 TAPESTRY JUMPER, £69; HOBBS.CO.UK MICHAEL VAN DER HAM FOR BRORA, £475; BRORA.CO.UK FAIRISLE KNIT JUMPER, £139; PAULSMITH.CO.UK

DARIA SEQUIN JUMPER, £65; PHASE-EIGHT.CO.UK

PLAITED COLLAR KNIT JUMPER BY COLENIMO, £209, COUVERTUREANDTHE GARBSTORE.COM

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LK BENNETT L.K.Bennett is a British accessible luxury brand that reflects its unmistakable heritage with a modern blend of femininity, colour and style. Its collections of shoes, ready-towear, handbags and accessories appeal to women who want a wardrobe perfect for any occasion. A design-driven label with a luxury twist, their distinctive handwriting stays strong thanks to a dedicated in-house design team.

220 Westbourne Grove, W11 020 7792 4678

Absolutely

WESTBOURNE GROVE Christmas shopping in the area

ARTISAN DU CHOCOLAT British company Artisan du Chocolat is unique and a pioneer among UK chocolates makers.

As one of the first to produce chocolate from ground cocoa beans, they have an extensive range of exceptionally crafted chocolates. With stores throughout London, concessions in Selfridges and supplying luxury hotels & exclusive companies (Gordon Ramsay, Fortnum & Mason, Harvey Nichols) they are renowned for quality.

81 Westbourne Grove, London, W2 0845 270 6996, artisanduchocolat.com

PING PONG Ping Pong has cleverly mixed traditional and authentic Chinese dim sum with modern style. Widely renowned for its delectable handcrafted dim sum delicacies, you can also enjoy a wide range of cocktails. Retreat from the bustle into one of Ping Pong’s slick and tranquil dining rooms. Takeaway and delivery service now available. 74-76 Westbourne Grove, W2, 020 7313 9832, pingpongdimsum.com

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ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

GAUTIER Discover a world of contemporary furniture made to fit most interiors at Gautier.

Since 1958, this family-owned French manufacturer has been inspired by the next generation and supplied beds to over five million children worldwide.

Those children are today’s customers, with furniture for their children and their own living, dining and bedroom areas.

The Westbourne Grove team of design consultants will welcome you to the store, and inspire you there or in your home.

37 41 Westbourne Grove, W2 020 7221 2393 gautier.co.uk

BRORA A cosy and colourful collection of the very finest Scottish cashmere in contemporary and classic styles including a vast array of fabulous and unique accessories complemented by a boutique fashion range.

These are must-have presents for every member of the family.

187 Westbourne Grove, W11 020 7229 862 brora.co.uk

ALEXEEVA CHOCOLATES Alexeeva & Jones is a new Salon du Chocolat at 297 Westbourne Grove, featuring exclusive, luxury handmade chocolates by leading artisan chocolatiers from the UK and abroad including Centho Chocolates and Franck Daubos, renowned Master Chocolatiers from Belgium and France, as well as Damian Allsop’s exquisite spring water ganaches, Iain Burnett’s beautifully handcrafted chocolates using natural Scottish ingredients, Paul Wayne Gregory’s wonderful Indulgence is Everything collection, Charbonnel et Walker – one of Britain’s oldest and best loved chocolatiers – and new for Christmas, Rococo.

297 Westbourne Grove, W11 020 7229 1199, alexeevajones.com

SPACE NK Prepare for the party season with the best therapists in the business at Spa NK. They offer a range of treatments to suit all needs, including the award-winning EVE LOM facial, uplifting therapeutic massages, grooming and much more. Spend £50 or more on any spa treatment at Spa NK Notting Hill and receive a complimentary express manicure and pedicure – just quote ‘Absolutely Space NK’ when booking.

127-131 Westbourne Grove, W2; 020 7727 8002

DESIGN & HOME New to Westbourne Grove is Design and Home, a partner store to renowned Belgian interiors company Flamant.

A wide range of beautifully designed furniture is on show alongside lighting, tableware and fabrics, plus the superb Flamant paint range and the world-famous Parisian Mariage Freres fine teas, and their Platinumplated teapots. For Christmas there’s a festive assortment of games, gifts and decorations too. 176 Westbourne Grove, W11; flamant.com 33

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VELVET SHIRT, £555, BY PAUL SMITH; VELVET TROUSERS, £375 ,BY PAUL SMITH, SILVER PLATED BIB NECKLACE WITH TURQUOISE, £400, BY DANNIJO, LEATHER; STUD SHOES, £595, BY JOSEPH

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In a spin Everyday partywear to suit all ocassions Photography by SARAH CRESWELL Styling by CLAIRE BUCKNELL

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28/11/2012 18:13

NAVY SILK AND NEOPRENE DRESS, £650, BY SPORTMAX; LEATHER AND NEON LEATHER SHOES, £430, BY WALTER STEIGER; 18CT YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND NECKLACE, £22,926, BY YOUMNA

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SEQUINED COTTON DRESS COAT, £2,300, BY NICOLE FARHI; BROWN LEATHER BELT, £65, BY NICOLE FARHI;STRETCH LYCRA THIGH HIGH BOOTS, £675,

BY WALTER STEIGER; 18CT YELLOW GOLD EARRINGS, £1,762, BY YOUMNA

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28/11/2012 18:13

WOOL AND SILK BLEND DRESS, £1,650, BY JONATHAN SAUNDERS AT HARVEY NICHOLS; LEATHER SUEDE AND STUD SHOE BOOTS, £600, BY VALENTINO; 18CT YELLOW GOLD AND DIAMOND EARRINGS, BY NOURBEL & LE CAVELIER; 18CT GOLD CRYSTAL RINGS, FROM £1,394, BY YOUMNA

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28/11/2012 18:13

LIGHT PINK SATIN CREPE DRESS, £730, BY PAULE KA; MICRO MOSAIC EARRINGS WITH PINK TOURMALINE, LOLITE AND DIAMONDS SET IN 18CT YELLOW GOLD, BY NOURBEL & LE CAVELIER

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28/11/2012 18:14

WOOL SHIFT DRESS, £479, BY MILLY; BLACK LEATHER GLOVES, £145, BY ASPINAL OF LONDON; VELVET AND MIRROR NECKLACE, £505, BY PAULE KA; METAL AND CHAIN NECKLACE, £395, BY PAUL SMITH

STYLED BY CLAIRE BUCKNELL, CLAIREBUCKNELL.COM PHOTOGRAPHER: SARAH CRESWELL AT ERA MANAGEMENT HAIR AND MAKEUP: WENDY TURNER AT NAKED ARTISTS USING COSMETICS A LA CARTE AND L’OREAL PARIS ELNETTE HAIRSPRAY MODEL: BROOKE AT SELECT ASPINAL OF LONDON, 0845 052 6900, ASPINALOFLONDON.COM DANNIJO, DANNIJO.COM JOSEPH, 020 7823 9500, JOSEPH.CO.UK HARVEY NICHOLS, HARVEYNICHOLS.COM MILLY, MILLYNY.COM NICOLE FARHI, 020 7499 8368, NICOLEFARHI.COM NOURBEL & LE CAVELIER, NOURBEL-LECAVELIER.COM PAUL SMITH, 0800 023 4006, PAUL SMITH.CO.UK PAULE KA, 020 7823 4180 SPORTMAX, 020 7518 8010 VALENTINO, 020 7235 5855, VALENTINO.COM WALTER STEIGER, WALTERSTEIGER.COM YOUMNA, YOUMNA.COM

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29/11/2012 18:34

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24/10/2012 16:09

IN VOGUE

In this extract from her book Grace: A Memoir, the creative director of American Vogue shows a lighter side to feared editor Anna Wintour

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

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am often heard grumbling about Anna Wintour.

For instance, at the end of a fashion meeting at American Vogue in which one of my cherished ideas is arbitrarily dropped.

Or if I’m required to shoot a difficult celebrity I’m not especially fond of.

Or if I’m disallowed from shooting a model I mannered in that arty Italian Vogue way.

Funnily enough, I had no idea how cantankerous and argumentative I can seem until I saw myself in the film The September Issue.

Small surprise that, in the past, Anna has said I am the only person in fashion who can actually grind her down. As the nuns who wrote my school report when I was 14 put it, ‘Grace has a very nice way of getting her own will.’

More and more over the years, especially in public after Anna became American Vogue editor in chief, I’ve come to see her as the possessor of an almost Margaret Thatcher-like, straight-faced control. One summer on her way into a Paris fashion show, for example, after being pelted with some gooey substance by the animal-rights people who are always lying in wait, she disappeared backstage, rearranged herself, had her make-up redone, and was still one of the earlier arrivals to take her seat.

Every so often I have lunch with Anna at her request. These days, though, I get worked up beforehand, usually thinking, ‘This is fi nally the time she’ll say, “You’re getting on a bit. You’re looking tired.

I think you should take it easy,”’ as a prelude to gently asking me to step down. In fact, the last time we went out, I dared to say, ‘I thought you were going to tell me to leave.’ At which point Anna laughed and said, ‘No, as long as I’m here, you will be, too.’

I never had an actual birthday party

its beacon of excellence. For about as long as I have edited Vogue, one person, Grace Coddington, has made me excited to come into the office every day…’

I was speechless. This from a woman who normally never pays you a compliment to your face! How could I possibly respond? I could click my heels in the air or turn cartwheels, but my regular sessions of Pilates were not quite that effective. I could laugh and cry at the thought that so many painstaking years of toil were held in such esteem. I could shimmy across the dance floor knowing I still had some life in me yet.

Extracted from Grace: A Memoir, by Grace Coddington (Chatto & Windus, £25)

when I was a child. As with any other social happening, it was the sort of thing that made me far too nervous. Whatever anxieties I felt at seven, however, were magnified tenfold when I reached 70 and people started to mention the possibility of a large-scale birthday celebration.

As the day approached in spring 2011, Anna said, ‘Your big birthday is coming up, and I’m going to give you a party. Have it where you like and however many people you like.’ (Funny how she likes celebrating other people’s birthdays but ignores her own.)

The party was, in fact, a roaring success.

Anna made a speech. ‘Grace,’ she jokingly began, ‘this is going to be your favourite part of the evening, when we all get to talk about you.’ Then she continued, ‘To me you will always be the heart and soul of the magazine, its guardian at the gate, 43

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28/11/2012 19:49

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28/11/2012 19:20

GEMS GENES

IN HER

Designer Julia Cameron takes inspiration from her great-great-grandmother, Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron

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28/11/2012 19:20

‘I find my great-greatgrandmother’s images magical and inspiring’ Tell us about your background.

I lived in Colorado Springs USA when I very young, before moving to the UK and have spent a lot of time travelling, particularly around Asia where I have found a lot of style inspiration. My Northern Irish grandmother had a fabulous wardrobe and was always very glamorous so I am sure a lot of my style ethos and love of fashion comes from her.

I have always collected interesting pieces particularly from the 70s, which eventually led me to start buying and selling vintage to a few select boutiques and privately. I then decided to focus on jewellery and set up adorntilldusk.com putting together photo shoots that fitted with my aesthetic of unique and statement adornment, and headpieces were a predominant feature of these. I decided to focus on using this as a platform to sell my own designs and then in the future as a platform for other designers whose pieces follow my aesthetic.

How did you come to design headpieces?

I used to go to auctions and antiques fairs trawling for interesting gems, particularly pieces that would work well around the head. My style has always been quite bohemian and I think my headpieces are reflective of this. I wore them in Ibiza and friends there started asking me to make and find pieces for them. I then had an idea for my own collection using elements from some of the vintage pieces I liked but with a modern twist, combining thicker chain with thinner delicate chain to drape around the face. I sourced the

strong female movement in the creative arts, which was unusual at the time. Her noted subjects were Charles Darwin, Tennyson and her niece Virginia Woolf. Her image of Darwin adorns our British ten-pound note so her photography is viewed by millions every day. The V&A archives hold around 300 of her images, some of which are shown in the Photography gallery there and also feature in The Tate’s current Pre Raphealite exhibition.

They have a dreamy and spiritual quality about them, which I am very drawn to, and she would often adorn both male and female subjects in beautiful headpieces.

ADORNED WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHED BY JULIA MARGARET CAMERON

chain and a manufacturer and I now have a collection of ten different designs.

Were you always inspired by your greatgreat-grandmother’s photographs?

When did you first become aware of them?

I visited her museum in the Isle of White and was taken to some of her retrospectives in my early teens.

There were always plenty of books on her at home and she always had a strong presence in the household. Some of her images recreated fairytales and idylls.

I found these particularly magical and inspiring when I was younger but it wasn’t until I embarked on a dissertation on her at university that I realised how important she was in the history of photography as part of a

Describe your collections I have two collections of headpieces and a body chain. The original collection features nine designs each named after a Greek goddess. These pieces are all hand-made to order in either solid silver or 18c gold or rose gold plated silver. I also do bespoke pieces and have designed some wedding pieces in solid silver, gold and also pearl. My Luna collection is made with silver and gold chain set with precious and semi-precious gem stones in the centre which falls over the Ajuna or third eye Chakra.

Tell us about your charity work I have lent my headpiece concept to a charity called The Shakti Anand Trust which empowers underprivileged girls in Goa teaching them entrepreneurial skills. We have a fundraising event on 7 December to launch the Bracelet for Change as well as a pendant and lotus flower headpiece. I have a deep connection with India, where I now source all my gemstones. Julia Margaret Cameron was born in Calcutta and is buried in Sri Lanka.

Julia’s Luna collection is available to order at julia-cameron.com

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28/11/2012 19:20

Heartcore Fitness offers small group classes in Dynamic Pilates, Kettlebells, TRX, Cycling and Ballet Barre.Fitness Book your class for classes free at in www.heartcore.co.uk - simply choose a time and Heartcore offersfirst small group Dynamic Pilates, Kettlebells, TRX, Cycling class that works and we’ll do the rest you with a challenging and fun workout that and will Book your first class for– providing free at www.heartcore.co.uk - simply choose a time Ballet Barre.

Heartcore Fitness offers small group classes in Dynamic Pilates, Kettlebells, TRX, Cycling and give you Visitwe’ll us at class thatresults! works and dowww.heartcore.co.uk the rest – providing you with a challenging and fun workout that will Book your first class for free at www.heartcore.co.uk - simply choose a time and Ballet Barre. give you results! Visit us at www.heartcore.co.uk class that works and we’ll do the rest – providing you with a challenging and fun workout that will give you results! Visit us at www.heartcore.co.uk

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26/11/2012 17:50

ABSOLUTELY | PROMOTION

Deck the walls From rare pigment paintings to iconic urban art and ostrich skin gift boxes, GGGallery’s owner, the financier Geza Toth-Feher, Lord of Kennal, unwraps the art of giving this Christmas

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well chosen piece of art will convince even those who have it all. There’s nothing quite like unwrapping a gift that appeals to one’s taste, and whether it be a canvas, framed piece or even a sculpture, knowing it’s the only one in existence makes it even more special. As well as exclusive pieces and prints by urban artists Max Wiedemann and Artmani (to name a few), we’ve found the unique and the beautiful that even the most discerning aesthe will appreciate this Christmas.

Artist Anne-Marie Nillson has travelled the world collecting pigments during her career as a stylist for French Vogue, creating “picture poems” with handmade frames and presented in boxes made by Parisian luggage makers. Hollywood based photographer Gillon Stephenson has taken thousands of images of nature. Choosing the most striking ones, he reimagines them to large tinted aluminium panels. GGGallery has curated a collection this Christmas you’re sure to love. Absolutely readers are invited to Deck the Walls on Thursday 6 December at 6.pm and will enjoy a glass of champagne and be able to peruse beautiful ‘gifts of art.

To RSVP, email info@gggallery. co.uk or call 020 7792 2332 15b Blenheim Crescent W11 48

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28/11/2012 17:35

The London Hair

Extention Company I N T E R N AT I O N A L H A I R E X T E N T I O N S P E C A L I S T S

All I want for Christmas is.....

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27/11/2012 16:16 29/11/2012 20:56

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Urban Temple Filmmaker Julian Temple tells Pendle Harte about his obsession with London and why Notting Hill is a magic kingdom

I

definitely have an obsession with London,’ confesses Julien Temple. The film maker whose work spans The Filth and the Fury, The Great Rock’n’Roll Swindle and Absolute Beginners and, most importantly, London: The Modern Babylon, a tribute to the city where he grew up and lives.

Making it was a long process of watching hours and hours of films, he reveals over coffee at the Tabernacle.

The film is bursting with fragmented footage spanning London’s public and private lives over generations, starting with the beginning of film and leading up to last year, and you can’t help wondering about the stuff that was left out. Temple spent eight months looking through about 6,000 hours of footage, partly on fast forward, developing ‘a sort of sixth sense’ for spotting the good stuff. ‘It was more about allowing yourself to drown in an archive than writing an essay and looking to illustrate it. Putting two pieces of film together that were never meant to go together creates a third idea and another energy comes out of the spark of those things.’ Temple’s good at visual references like that; he also compares the film to ‘a mad triffid

that grows tentacles and withers and grows again’. Which makes complete sense, because this is a big film, a journey in montage through the capital’s cultural sprawl, held together with the music that has been the recurring theme throughout Temple’s back catalogue. Lots of Temple’s heroes appear in the film, along with famous Londoners past and present. There’s Malcolm McLaren, the Sex Pistols, Ray Davies, Tony Benn, Michael Horovitz, George Melly and Molly Parkin, as well as a memorable performance from 106-year-old Hetty Bower, a Londoner who has lived through two wars and remains amazingly lucid.

She’s one of Temple’s favourite characters, and when she talks about the war it’s ‘simple but very moving’. Where did they find her? Apparently there is a small list of everyone aged over 100.

‘I wanted it to be a strange mix of people everyone knows and ordinary London voices. They tell you different things, people who are polished at doing interviews.’

Is anyone missing? ‘Millions of people are missing!’

Temple has lived in Notting Hill since the 1970s. Having grown up in Primrose Hill, he moved to Notting Hill as soon as he could.

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‘There were two places, Soho and here, that were exotic and different. I’ve always felt that when you walk down the hill from Portobello you’re entering a magic kingdom. It’s a mythic place; I like the ghosts and the layers of time that you feel here. This was where the counterculture was, with the energy of the street and the music.’

Does he feel nostalgic? ‘You’d never have predicted what would happen to Notting Hill.

It was planet squat in those days; thousands of empty homes were taken over by young people. It’s very odd now to think that that kind of world ever existed and I do pine for certain elements of what’s been lost.’

Temple is the type of man to keep things. He has an enormous archive of VHS films, all labelled and dating back to the early 1970s, when he started filming. It was punk that kicked everything off for Temple. ‘I went to the National Film School but before I even got there I bumped into the Sex Pistols, who were rehearsing down in the empty docks. It was a wonderful haunting and derelict environment, very beautiful. I heard them on the wind destroying a song by the Small Faces and I followed the sound to this warehouse and was

totally blown away by them. It was instantly and shockingly powerful and I became obsessed with trying to film them and the emergence of that culture, and I became part of that culture in a weird way. That’s where my creative ideas came from. I don’t know what I would have been without that.’

After the band bought him an early video recorder (‘a magic machine’), Temple filled endless tapes with footage and had walls of tapes with recordings from the television, which he still keeps. ‘On the tapes are news, weather and adverts too, so it’s a weird social history. I can whizz through and find random things to put in films – a presenter with weird hair or something.’ It’s not just Temple who keeps things on VHS, he points out – half the BBC’s archive is still on tape, he says. ‘Less can go wrong because you can always stick the tape back together.’

Much of Temple’s film work has been focused on music. He made a film about Detroit (‘Detroit is all about cars and music, an incredible rise and fall’) and he’s working on another one about Rio. ‘I think music is an interesting way of looking at cultures and social experiences and why places and times create certain ways

You’d never have predicted what would happen to Notting Hill

of thinking and feeling.’ And ‘when you look at the tidemarks that music leaves on the psyche of a culture, you see patterns emerging, and cycles. In some ways things don’t change.’

The Notting Hill riots of the 1950s feature in Modern Babylon, and because there’s hardly any actual news footage, Temple cleverly uses some of his own studio material from 1986’s Absolute Beginners, which he calls ‘a kind of love song to Notting Hill’. Will he be making another film about the area?

‘I have thought about it, but I think I’ve got to do some other things as well,’ he says. ‘Still, never say never.’

STILL IMAGES TAKEN FROM LONDON: THE MODERN BABYLON, AVAILABLE ON DVD FROM BFI FILMS, £19.99

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28/11/2012 19:03

Brighten up your Christmas day Exclusive gifts and souvenirs at London Transport Museum shop, Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2 Shop opens daily or buy online

ltmuseumshop.co.uk

Background poster image: Brightest London is best reached by Underground

By Horace Taylor, 1924

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22/11/2012 11:17

ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

PORTOBELLO GREEN ARCADE Find a gift for anyone in this delightful designer arcade’s 20 boutiques offering fashion, gifts and accessories for men, women and children. There’s kids design

by Rosie Life, stylish men’s suits, to-die-for bags at Verde, unique jewellery and much more. Check out hot Fashion Fringe winner Haizhen Wang’s boutique or pick up this season’s hottest street fashion from Trapstar and StarHu. Plus everything from great mens’ suits at Adam, through new styles for mums and children to the more risqué delights of What Katie Did’s handmade corsets and lingerie.

Portobello Green Arcade 281 Portobello Road W10 portobellodesigners.com

Absolutely

LOCAL CHRISTMAS Gifts and treats in your area

LONDON TRANSPORT Travel in style with this luxurious holdall crafted by Matt Fothergill and featuring the Midland Red Coach moquette with red and brown leather trim.

The Midland Red was one of Britain’s largest bus companies, founded in 1904, based in Birmingham and serving 15 counties. Like London Transport, Midland Red built many of their own buses and coaches and created its own very distinctive design style. For 1959, a leopard print fabric for the coach seat covers was revolutionary, daring and so very fashionable. London Transport has recreated the fabric as a testament to this fashion classic and it is available as beautiful bags, accessories and made-to-order furniture.

Shop opens daily, Covent Garden Piazza, WC2 ltmuseumshop.co.uk

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN Traditional chocolates and treats, including homemade mince pies and snowball truffles, will make your festive season even more special. If you are lucky this year, you might get the opportunity to drink your coffee from Pain Quotidien’s special red bowl. And there is always the warm orange-infused hot chocolate with marshmallows allowing you to relive the magical moments of your favorite winter memories.

30-31 Kendal Street W2 2AW 020 7262 8391 81-85 Notting Hill Gate W11 3JS 020 3657 6938 lepainquotidien.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION PROMOTION

JELLY LANE CLOTHING

CHIC FREAK Fashion and make-up house Chic Freak offers the ultimate make-up and hair makeover

by Tamarisk, our resident make-up artist plus hair by renowned hair stylist Pshemko Sierek. The special gift offer is valid for three months and available from the 15th to the end of December.

All for a special festive price of just £65.

Chic Freak 357 Portobello Road W10 020 8045 4192 tam@chicfreak.com

Exclusive and original – think vibrant prints with retro chic vintage styling that harks back to happy heydays. British childrenswear label Jelly Lane Originals put the fun back into Christmas with this party dress (£59). With its fine detailing and eye-catching blue jersey and cute kittens print its top of our list. Lovingly made in Britain with gorgeous limited edition pure cotton fabric, it’s adorable. Shop online at jellylaneclothing.com and enter ‘SWEETIE’ at checkout to recieve free p&p

GYMBOREE Gymboree Bayswater at Whiteleys Shopping Centre is not only an activity centre for children aged up to five year olds but a place where you can stock up on Christmas presents with their high quality Gymboree toys as well as their famous bubbles, musical instruments and a range of Melissa and Doug toys. Bring out your child’s artistic talents by buying a range of art products too at Gymboree.

W10 PERFORMANCE What better way to beat the postChristmas bloat? Sign your loved one up for a six or eight week fat-loss programme where W10 Performance promises to deliver amazing results.

Open to both members and nonmembers, gift vouchers are vailable for the perfect Christmas pressie.

Unit 3, 69 St Marks Road, W10 020 3489 5428,10performance.com

ELLIS STOCKWELL PERSONAL TRAINING This duo promises to shrink your body by at least one dress size in six weeks (some clients have even lost up to two stone). Paul Ellis an exprofessional football player and Tom Stockwell who’s an ex-boxer will hone your entire body, for a gorgeous sinewy figure,with speed – but the likeable pair never fail to keep it fun. 69 Chamberlayne Road, NW10, 020 8964 3797; ellisstockwell.co.uk 55

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28/11/2012 20:00

ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

BEAUTY NOTES

3

OF THE BEST

ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS

Lubatti’s Super-Firming face cream improves skin firmness, smoothness, softness and elasticity with its unique Triple HA Complex. £58; lubatti.co.uk

R A ISE A BROW Everybody wants perfect brows – and getting them right can transform your face. But it’s trickier than you might think and a botched job can be a disaster. No fear of that at Strip, where the new HD Brows treatment guarantees a perfect brow, thanks to its multi-staged process. First they’ll dye them, quickly and subtly (or however you choose) – then there’s a bit of waxing, a touch of threading, some tweezing and finally a bit of make up and some soothing gel. My brows have never looked so flawless, their definition so precise. It takes about half an hour and it’s definitely worth it.

Strip, 112 Talbot Road, W11, 020 7727 2754; Stripwaxbar.com

IN FOR A TRE AT Hair ages too, but not with Alterna’s Caviar moisture shampoo and conditioner, which contains pure caviar extract along with marine botanicals to add shine, vibrancy and elasticity.

Duo gift pack, £43.20; alternahaircare.com

Anne Sémonin’s new Miracle Eye Contour AntiWrinkle Cream uses sea retinol to reduce wrinkles and puffiness. £107; annesemonin.com

If the end of the year has left you feeling, and looking, exhausted, prepare for the party season ahead by booking an appointment with Waterhouse Young.

Their plastic surgeons, aesthetic doctors and nurses are experts on all things skin related, including line and wrinkle reduction, skin rejuvenation and acne eradication.

21 Devonshire St, W1, 020 7486 3849; waterhouseyoung.com

W IN A FACIAL AT BE AUT Y WORK S W E S T! Cosmetics 27 is an exclusive French skincare range that combines an organic, plant-based ethos with futuristic-sounding vocabulary. Products are called mysterious-sounding things like Plasma 27, Baume 27 and Essence 27, in monochrome packaging and serious fonts. This stuff means business and the Sculpt and Lift facial at Beauty Works West is an intensive treatment that lifts, firms and brightens the skin using the Endermologie machine to roll, massage and plump up the skin with lymphatic drainage. My face felt smooth, soft and fully hydrated after just one session; you can expect plumper, younger features after a course.

Beauty Works West is offering a free Cosmetics 27 facial worth £160 to one lucky Absolutely reader. For a chance to win, send an email to pendle@zest-media.com answering the following question: Where is Cosmetics 27 from? Closing date: 17 December. Beauty Works West, 8-9 Lambton Place, W11, 020 7221 2248; bodyworkswest.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

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Nailed!

10

Absolutely tracks down this winter’s loveliest lacquers

06

07 08 1. Lancome Infusion de Prune, £12; lancome.co.uk. 2. Tom Ford Nail Set, £25; tomford.com.

3. Nars Andy Warhol, £14 each; narscosmetics.co.uk. 4. Nars nail polish, £14; narscosmetics.

5. Yves Saint Laurent, Manucure Couture, £24; yslbeauty.co.uk. 6. Leighton Denny, Temptress, £11; leightondenny.com.

7. Colour Me BU Children’s Polish Pack, £36.95; iluvlittlebu.com. 8: Dior, Rouge Garçonne, £18; dior.com.

9. Essie Leading Lady, £8, essie.com. 10. Chanel Rose Cache; £18; selfridges.com.

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flawless for the festive

season

Get your skin party perfect with Waterhouse Young Our luxury skin care clinic specialises in non-surgical treatments to achieve healthy, younger looking skin.

All treatments are performed by the capital’s top aesthetic doctors who take an holistic approach to skin. Waterhouse Young was recently described by Tatler as “the perfect not-quite-ready-to-gounder-the-knife” clinic.

Complimentary consultation Absolutely readers will receive an in-depth consultation including a detailed skin analysis.

Treatments include HydraFacial, Botox, Dermal Fillers, Intraceuticals Infusion

Call: 020

7486 3849

for a complimentary consultation

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

26/11/2012 18:59

ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

Diary of

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.

5.45 am Wake early. Am helping out Guru Darren at the Mind Body and Spirit Festival today. Am so blessed!

8.37 am Finally finish burning the last of Guru Darren’s ‘From Fear to Love’ CDs which he will be selling at the festival.

9.28 am Arrive at festival. On our right is a guy called Merlin who is doing gong baths and to our left is the angelic healing stall.

9.34 am Guru Darren and I arrange the 200 CDs at the front of the stall, along with a dozen neti pots and 24 pairs of lungi pants.

Sheila Lightbody from the angelic healing stall comes over to introduce herself.

9.39 am Guru Darren says that Sheila isn’t authentic.

9.48 am Merlin has his first customer. The gong is really quite loud.

9.52 am Darren asks if Merlin can make the gong quieter. Merlin says this isn’t an option.

10.26 am Our first customer. Yeeeeh! When I tell her that the lungi pants are £40, she says that she can buy a pair in Poona for £2.30.

11 am Guru Darren is meant to be doing a talk to promote his CD, but the Bhakti chanting session is running overtime.

11.21 am Guru Darren finally gets onto the stage. But the microphone isn’t working. He asks for a sound engineer but there isn’t one. Barry, the festival security man, says he can sort it because he used to be a roadie for Iron Maiden.

11.27 am Barry clearly knows nothing about sound engineering so it’s almost impossible to hear Guru Darren. It’s such a shame because his message to humanity at this time of transition is so very important.

11.29 am Get back to the stall. Two of the neti pots have gone missing. Guru Darren says it must be Merlin.

11.31 am Merlin says that he’s never even seen a neti pot.

11.34 am Guru Darren says that Merlin is a fraudulent liar. Then he picks up the gong and chucks it at Merlin.

11.36 am Sheila Lightbody comes overand asks us to keep the noise down.

11.44 am Barry from security arrives and says that we will have to leave the festival. Guru Darren calls him a shithead and Barry turns a bit nasty.

11.56 am Standing outside the festival hall with the 200 CDs, 10 neti pots and 24 lungi pants. Guru Darren’s already gone home to process the day’s events. Not sure how I will get home.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Baba Ganoush

Basecuts - Notting Hill 252 Portobello Road, London,W11 1LL Telephone: 020 7727 7068 Email: nottinghill@basecuts.com

Appointment times Mon - Sat: 10.00am - 6.00pm Thursday: 10.00am - 7.30pm Sunday: 11.00am - 4.00pm www.basecuts.com

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ABSOLUTELY | PROMOTION

Christmas glow Get ready for the party season with Peach on the Hill’s award-winning facials

W

ith Christmas around the corner and parties in their abundance, the best accessory to the perfect dress is perfect skin. At Peach on the Hill this the main concern and customised treatments is what they do best, explains Karen, salon owner, and with a full range of technology at their finger tips they can improve all skin types.

This season Karen and her team are prescribing a lifting and gentle peeling treatment together to give the ultimate party glow, so kind to the skin you can have it the same day as the party.So achieve great skin instantly and ban those skin autumn blues.

Karen has worked in the area for 17 years and seen the industry develop. Now at Peach on the Hill she is keen to push the boundaries of skincare, while keeping it all non-invasive. And as testimony to her talents, she has clients from all over London as well as Dorset, Wiltshire and all over the world, who return to Peach for what

they believe are the best facials anywhere. Peach was recently crowned Salon of the Year 2012 by the International Institute of Anti-Ageing for the UK, which was a very exciting achievement.

Signature facials At Peach, signature facials are all you are looking for in a skin treatment, whether treating photo-ageing, congestion, rosacea or just maintenance. Tailored to your skin’s needs, when you arrive Peach therapists will help you achieve your own natural radiance by cleansing and feeding where appropriate (Peach have a good reputation for thorough extractions where applicable). Yet whatever your skin will have done, you are guaranteed that when you leave you will not look red and blotchy – just glowing and radiant – and a couple of days later, the full effects really show.

Beautiful skin starts from within When it comes to healthy skin what you put inside your body can be as

important as what you apply topically. Karen at Peach believes that working along side the Advanced Nutrition Programme their products can be combined to effectively target skin health. High-quality supplements can have a role to play in helping to ensure that you have a healthy, radiant complexion.

Peach also offers endermolgie cellulite treatments, IPL hair removal and photo rejuvenation, CACI non surgical face lifting and medical needling. They will combine any of these to give the most personalised treatment for the client.

So why not give someone a Peach on the Hill voucher for Christmas? Or treat yourself to 15% off when you mention Absolutely magazine.

140 Campden Hill Road W8 7AS 020 7221 9464 peachonthehill.com

DECEMBER PROMOTION: spend over £120 and receive a £20 gift voucher.

For that perfect gift for a loved one this Christmas treat them to one of our gift vouchers.

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ABSOLUTELY | HEA LTH & BEAUT Y

SALON SUCCESS

Kell and Jacqueline Skott are celebrating 10 years in business this month.

Absolutely finds out how they do it What are your backgrounds?

Kell I am Danish, and trained to be a hairdresser in Copenhagen. I came to Notting Hill when I was 24 and have lived and worked here for the last 23 years.

Jacqueline A born and bred Londoner – my background was in producing TV commercials and music videos. One of my first jobs was working in a classic car garage in the mid-80s. Funnily enough, it was located in Lambton Place [where Kell Skott now has a salon].

There have doubtless been some ups and downs along the way. What have been the most memorable moments?

Jacqueline I think my most memorable moment is when we were voted best Wella salon by Vogue magazine.

Kell My most memorable moment was when our first trainee qualified as a stylist. I felt really proud and had a great sense of achievement.

What are your most popular treatments?

Kell Everyone loves our MicroMist steam machine, which has ultrasonic waves that help the treatments penetrate the hair.

You can really see and feel the difference in the condition of your hair.

Jacqueline I absolutely love our new colour glossing service using Wella’s amazing Illumina colour. It’s a sheer luminous colour, that’s beginning to get quite a following.

You’ve made a real name for yourselves in the area and beyond.

How? Kell We have hopefully achieved what we set out to do, which was to build a really professional yet friendly salon. My having been in the area cutting hair for 23 years helps – I still have quite a few clients from when I started. We also have some very loyal team members.

Jacqueline We are very communityminded and put out a monthly newsletter which is not just about hair, but features local shops and businesses, recipe ideas and all the things that we love. This generates a lot of interest from the local area and further afield.

Everyone knows your dogs. Tell us about them.

Jacqueline Max and Blue, our English

cocker spaniels are a big part of the team. Max is an old man now, just about to turn 14, but still has plenty of naughtiness in him. He is well known for stealing clients’ chocolate brownies and has a bit of a glove fetish too. Blue is the baby of the family and acts more like an 11 month-old puppy than the 11 year-old dog he is.

Kell has lots of other interests. Tell us about those.

Kell One of my first jobs was as a bicycle mechanic and I have loved cycling ever since. I have a racing bike and a Brompton, perfect for whizzing between the salons and around Notting Hill. I am very interested in photography and take a lot of the salon photos. I have recently been able to combine my love of photography and cycling, when I was invited to photograph the Tour de France this year.

How will you be celebrating your anniversary?

Jacqueline Probably quite quietly, as it falls during our busiest time of the year, in the run up to Christmas. It is on Sunday 9 December, when both salons will be open, so there will certainly be some bubbly flowing on the day. kellskotthaircare.com

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EGO.FLIPPED.indd 2

29/11/2012 10:35

ABSOLUTELY | PROMOTION

’TIS THE SEASON TO LOOK PERFECT Treat yourself to an early Christmas present and indulge in a little pre-party season pampering with EF MEDISPA

TOP TIP!

It’s official, the Christmas countdown has begun and there are invites aplenty, office nibbles to resist and the perfect little black dress to purchase. So why not hand over these minor beauty dilemmas to EF MEDISPA and have yourself a perfect little Christmas. When it comes to facials, you’re seriously spoilt for choice at EF MEDISPA. Choose between their bespoke Spa RF, AWT and Refirme packages to regenerate, stimulate and lift your skin, ready for those mistletoe moments. Or treat yourself to their exclusive, and anti-ageing miracle making, Microfirm which uses the power of light and radio-frequency to boost and replenish your face and neck. EF MEDISPA’s highly trained aesthetic therapists will set you back on track within one day of your non-invasive treatment and with minimal downtime; you’ll have a spring in your step. And if your face is looking rather forlorn, EF MEDISPA will have you looking Hollywood glam and feeling a million dollars with their unique injectible Liquid Lift which offers a combination of botox and dermal 29 Kensington Church Street London W8 4LL 020 7361 1005

Treat yourself to an early Christmas present with a Biologique Recherche Facial straight from Paris, only available at EF MEDISPA fillers. You can wave goodbye to saggy necks and cheeks and drooping jowls because this revolutionary treatment promises a long-lasting youthful appearance.

Whether it’s an anti-ageing, skin or hair loss solution you’re after, you will be complementing your vitamin cocktail with your cocktail dress in no time by adding EF MEDISPA’s high frequency Mesotherapy Treatment to your Christmas list. It will give you an essential boost of a special vitamin and hyaluronic acid formulation, right in time for the Christmas countdown. There’s no need to feel guilty for over indulging a little this festive season, if you are one step ahead. Dazzle and impress when donning your Christmas party outfit thanks to EF MEDISPA’s dedicated medical experts who will banish those stubborn problem areas with body-sculpting Vaser. With conscious sedation, your downtime 193 Kings Road London SW3 5ED 020 7368 7674

is minimised at EF MEDISPA and you can be rest assured that their internationally renowned surgeons will have your new svelte body perfected for your party dress.

Then slim line your new found figure with a colonic hydrotherapy session which cleanses and revitalises the body so you will look and feel healthier inside and out with a simple naturopathic treatment. It’s all about the Christmas spirit at EF MEDISPA so a perfect way to treat and pamper a loved one is with a beautiful gift voucher. Whatever their wish list EF MEDISPA will create a bespoke voucher and arrange a deluxe treatment for them to enjoy. Finally, party all night long and still look picture perfect with EF MEDISPA’s permanent make-up and eye lash enhancements. Whether it’s a subtle face colour change or fuller eyebrows, the friendly aesthetic team at EF MEDISPA offer the perfect beauty essentials using the latest electropigmentation techniques. You can be assured that your make-up will last, so there will be no panda eyes or smudges, whatever the occasion...

69 St John’s Wood High Street London NW8 7NL 020 7449 6925

efmedispa.com youtube.com/user/EFmedispa

twitter.com/EFMEDISPA pinterest.com/efmedispa

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flyer final copy.pdf

1

15/11/2012

00:09

11+ Maths Booster Course Two-day course to prepare your child for success in public and private school entrance exams. ▸ Experienced tutors lead small groups of up to four students ▸ Focus on technique, common mistakes, and efficient methods for the exam day ▸ Includes a mock 11+ maths paper under exam conditions ▸ Feedback provided on exam and course performance

Marylebone, London £300 17–18 December 2012 3–4 January 2013 visit www.kaleidotutors.co.uk call +44 (0) 207 112 8187 KALEIDO.indd 1

28/11/2012 16:18

Independent Education for Children 6 months – 14 years

Fostering individuality, initiative and a love for learning!

•

“Outstanding”

(Ofsted 2010)

• Small class sizes • High academic standards • Personalised individual learning • Inclusive wrap-around care (7.30am – 6pm) • Holiday Clubs

MIN ILLU

EM LUC PER

O

The L LW

Lloyd Williamson

Schools

Open Day Saturday 8th October 2011 10am – 1pm We hold regular open mornings – Please call to make an appointment

W10 and W8

www.lws.org.uk | admin@lws.org.uk | T: 020 8962 0345

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 4

29/11/2012 11:58

ABSOLUTELY | K IDS BRIGGS ON STAGE

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without Raymond Briggs – and we’re looking forward to his Father Christmas at the Lyric Hammersmith (until 5 January), as imagined by the brilliant Pins and Needles company, plus the ever-wonderful ballet The Snowman, which returns to the Peacock Theatre (until 6 January) with Howard Blake’s delightful score. lyric.co.uk/ sadlerswells.com

SWEET ENOUGH

Childrenswear brand No Added Sugar opened its first shop on Ledbury Road recently and its collection of glittery, quirky partywear ensures that local tots look the part for their hectic party schedules. And who wouldn’t want to find one of these dinky headbands in their stocking?

57 Ledbury Road, W11; noaddedsugar.com

Absolutely TINIES How to keep them amused KITTY KITTY

Brora has teamed up with Hello Kitty to launch cashmere pieces emblazoned with everybody’s favourite Japanese cat. What more could any little girl want?

187 Westbourne Grove, W11; brora co.uk

GIRLS FOR ALL TIME

ZOOT ZOOT

The clever people at Microscooter have launched a wide range of scooter accessories in time for Christmas, and our favourites are these Zooters, colourful and characterful covers to transform a simple scooter into a cuddly creature. Choose between Trixy, Dino, Lenny and Cheq. £19.99; micro-scooters.co.uk

Meet Amelia, the Victorian girl. She’s a doll with a story, descendant of last year’s bestselling Matilda, the Tudor girl, and set to be top of every girl’s Christmas list this year. Designed by London-based Frances Cain, who noticed that history seems to be confined to the boys’ section in toyshops, and that dolls are becoming increasingly sexualised. The doll addresses both these issues and, beautifully crafted, Amelia wears period clothes designed by Hollywood costume designer Caroline Harris and has just won Toy Talk’s top accolade ‘Best Doll’ for the second year running.

She is stocked at Blenheim Crescent’s Honeyjam and online at the Historic Royal Palaces giftshop and at agirlforalltime.com

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To celebrate 25 years serving the Notting Hill locals we are offering 25% off all our wines during January, when dining in our main restaurant only Note: (not to be used in conjunction with other offers)

To celebrate 25 years serving the Notting Hill locals we are offering 25% off all our wines during January, when dining in our main restaurant only Note: (not to be used in conjunction with other offers)

N J

GYMBOREE.indd 1

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oor ahan

16/07/2012 13:09

Best Private Rooms in town Opening Times.

Best Private Rooms in Lunch - Tuesday - Sunday 12 - 4pm Dinner - Monday - Saturday 6.30 - 11pm

Opening Times.

Lunch - Tuesday - Sunday 12 - 4pm First Floor Restaurant & Private Dining Rooms Dinner MondayHill, - Saturday 186 Portobello Rd,- Notting W11 1LA6.30 - 11pm

Finest

Indian

Best Private Rooms in town

Tel: 020 7243 0072 First Floor Fax: 020 7221 9440Restaurant & Private Dining Rooms Opening Times. info@firstfloorportobello.com 186 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, W11 1LA Lunch - Tuesday - Sunday 12 - 4pm www.firstfloorportobello.co.uk Dinner -Floor Monday - Saturday 6.30 -of11pm The First Tel: is the trading Waterways Restaurants 020 7243 0072name ď źFax: 020 7221 9440 Ltd. Est. 1987 info@firstfloorportobello.com First Floor Restaurant & Private Dining Rooms 186 Portobello Rd, Notting Hill, W11 1LA www.firstfloorportobello.co.uk Tel: 020 7243 0072 Fax: 020 7221 9440 info@firstfloorportobello.com The First Floor is the trading name www.firstfloorportobello.co.uk Waterways Restaurants Est. 1987 The FirstofFloor is the trading name of Ltd. Waterways Restaurants Ltd. Est. 1987

Cusine

The last 49 years Noor Jahan are serving traditional style north Indian food prepared using only fresh ingredients and ground spices, no artifical colourings or preservatives are added to the original Indian flavours.

Set on two floors with a terrace, also with a private party room. It is the perfect location for business lunches or romantic dinners.

26 Sussex Place, Hyde Park Estate, Paddington, London W2 2TH www.noorjahan2.com ď‚ž 020 7402 2332 / 020 7402 5885

FIRST FLOOR.indd 1

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town

23/07/2012 14:14

29/11/2012 14:44

29/11/2012 15:44

ABSOLUTELY | food a nd tr av el

Moorish suppers

Sam and Sam Clark, the husband-and-wife team behind Moro, come to west London this month for a special dinner at The Idler. Pendle Harte gets the lowdown 69

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD A ND TR AV EL

How did the event at the Idler come about?

Initially, we met them at the Wilderness festival in Oxfordshire last August and chatted a bit, afterwards we came up with the idea of doing something in west London which was really nice for us because we don’t often get over that side of town. It’s going to be a Morito Christmas evening.

What’s on the menu?

Lots and lots of different seasonal tapas, plus Morito (Moro’s little sister, a small tapas bar next door to the main restaurant) classics, lamb chops cumin & paprika, chicherones, pork belly, gammon, feta, walnut, lots of little dishes that are fun and for sharing.

Will it become a regular thing?

Oh we haven’t thought beyond that. Would be interesting to gage. London is a difficult place to cross.

Moro is 15 years old now. What do you attribute its success to?

We’ve always been very hands on and always said we only want one Moro. When we opened there were lots of TV chefs opening more and more restaurants and usually that was the beginning of the end. We believe in just being here and doing it. Also every three weeks we change the menu totally, often about a third of it we’ve never done before, so we’re always challenging ourselves. The food is always evolving and changing, and so it’s such a different place every five years it’s unrecognisable really. We love being a part of it rather than being executive chefs on the periphery.

Is it exhausting? (The Clarks also have three children, ages 12, 10 and two) Yes, it is very tiring, though we do less nights now. You can never quite get the balance right but we love it and it’s very rewarding, even if it is a juggling act in a slightly chaotic way.

Where do you eat out?

We love the local Turkish and Vietnamese on Kingsland Road. The choice and quality of what’s on offer is great. We’re always attracted to the ethnic restaurants. And we both cooked at the River Café for a long time, and in west London we like Hereford Road and The Ledbury.

Has food improved during the years you’ve been in business?

Hugely, we’re spoilt for choice really now, and there’s more competition for everybody at every level – though the top level probably hasn’t improved that much. We’ve always wanted to be an everyday restaurant, we’ve never gone for Michelin stars and white tablecloths, we’ve tried to be reasonably priced.

Wasn’t Exmouth Market a bit of a backwater when you arrived?

Yes, this was an old Spa supermarket. It was quite rough, and lots of shops were empty. Some friends of ours opened a coffeeshop, The Crowbar, opposite and told us that the landlord was great.

It’s the Debenhams charitable trust, they wanted

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RECIPE CHESTNUT

AND CHORIZO SOUP (SERVES 4)

MORITO

to regenerate the street and have a nice atmosphere.

They’ve succeeded – there aren’t any chains on the street. We were the first to open in the evening. It was quite scary, a lot of locals said don’t do it, but we sold our flat and invested in it. Two years ago we opened Morito which is half the price and younger – it’s a bar really.

What’s on your menu at home for Christmas?

There will be turkey and all the usual things.

Sausages wrapped in bacon, lots of bread sauce made with white sliced – the kids will love it.

A lot of your inspiration comes from travel.

Where in particular?

We managed to get to Syria before the troubles started and we love Lebanon, Egypt, Spain, southern Turkey. It’s really important for us to learn about new things. All these countries are changing so much.

In Turkey most bakers use wood-burning ovens, there are special varieties of lamb and goat, plus many weird and wonderful vegetables, and things are done by hand that you know are going to change in 10 years. All those places on the periphery of Europe are being modernised and changing so fast, we look at this as a golden time and it’s important to go. People are leaving the land and going to work in cities, the artisan way of doing things that we love won’t be the same for much longer. We’re desperate to go to Iran, Armenia and Georgia.

Moro.co.uk; idler.co.uk

MORO AT THE IDLER

Sam and Sam Clark are hosting a unique Christmas supper in the heart of Notting Hill for the Idler Academy. They will be serving a festive collection of dishes, sherry and Iberian wine from their tapas restaurant Morito and explaining their provenance. This is a great chance to meet these two creative geniuses. £45 includes sherry, Spanish wine and £5 off any one of Sam and Sam Clark’s three Moro books which will be on sale during the evening.

Tables will be communal unless you ask specifically for a certain number of tickets and a table to yourselves.

4 tablespoons olive oil 1 large Spanish onion, diced 1 medium carrot, diced 1 celery stick, thinly sliced 120g mild cooking chorizo, cut into 1cm cubes 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 small dried red chillies, crushed 2 tomatoes, fresh or tinned, roughly chopped 500g cooked peeled chestnuts (fresh or vacuum packed), roughly chopped 20 saffron threads, infused in 3-4 tablespoons boiling water 1 litre water sea salt and black pepper In a large saucepan heat the oil over a medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, chorizo and a pinch of salt and fry for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything caramelises and turns quite brown. This gives the soup a wonderfully rich colour and taste. Now add the garlic, cumin, thyme and chilli and cook for 1 more minute, followed by the tomato and, after about 2 minutes, the chestnuts. Give everything a good stir, then add the saffron – infused liquid, and the water, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash by hand (with a potato masher) until almost sooth but sill with a little bit of texture. Season with salt and pepper.

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Steeped in Victorian history the Prince Alfred has fed and watered Maida Vale since 1863.

With spectacular structural elements maintained with pride over the decades, this extraordinary pub is the perfect backdrop for private parties and events.

For a party with extra sparkle we offer The Cellars; our exclusive underground vault as well as the London-renown Formosa Dining Room.

The Cellars; This stunning secret room hidden beneath the dining room’s floorboards was originally used for storing coal.

We’ve transformed the four arches in the basement into a fantastic area with a luxurious food offer and exemplary wines.

Visit our website

www.theprincealfred.com Or for more details of our menus, or to make a booking with us, simply email

princealfredevents@youngs.co.uk

Quote CELLARS2012 to receive a glass of Prosecco for you and your guests upon arrival* *On any bookings made before 14th December 2012.

The Prince Alfred, 5A Formosa Street, London W9 1EE T: 020 7286 3287 E: princealfredevents@youngs.co.uk www.theprincealfred.com Young & Co.’s Brewery P.L.C

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Launceston Place

1a Launceston Place W8 020 7937 6912 launcestonplace-restaurant.co.uk

S

cooping its first Michelin Star for 2013, Launceston Place has the hushed, serious feel of the classic formal eaterie.

There’s lots of space, tablecloths are starched and it’s carpeted. But staff are so friendly and welcoming that it doesn’t feel as stuffy as it might.

First, we are faced with the wine list, which is a vast volume with a highbrow feel. Spanish sommelier Agustin Trapero is on hand to make sure we don’t feel daunted and, pouring glasses of pink Laurent Perrier (‘100% Pinot Noir,

you know’) he offers to choose for us, matching wine to each course.

First there’s a tiny amouse bouche of frothy curried lentils which is rich and creamy, while starters are slow-cooked duck egg with white beans, fresh cepes, duck confit, foie gras, sherry vinegar and caramel – an unusual dish which arrives with a jug of mushroomy ‘cappuccino’ to be poured over, creating an intriguing fusion of flavours – and barbecued quail breast with huge raisins and sauternes sauce which was delicious. Main courses were an unbelievably soft roe deer with

Supperclub 12 Acklam Road W10 020 8964 6600 supperclub.com

trompettes de la mort and caramelised swede, and Iberico pork with baked black figs and fig water honey, the infused fig cooking water, intense and sweet and matched excellently with an Australian Chardonnay that had nothing gloopy or oaky about it.

Puddings, predictably, were heavenly (dark chocolate mousse with poached pear, particularly) and a selection of French cheeses was very high class. The food is impressive and entertaining, and the wine is an education. Pay attention to Launceston Place.

A

llow all your senses to be teased at the most unusual venue in town. We settled in for an evening of pure fun and decadence, lounging on the white, leather beds that were to become our dining table. Thanks to resident DJ, Femi Fem, the atmosphere was electric. We started with a delicious wagu beef burger with sautéed foie gras and an apple and peppercorn relish, followed by pumpkin, coconut and floating popcorn soup and pan-fried monkfish with saffron clam chowder on a bed of seaweed. To finish, a trio of desserts comprised panacotta served with a five spice and nuts crumble, chestnut cream macaroon and a frangelico cappuccino. Aiding digestion was a cabaret of half-naked chiselled Adonises dressed in loincloths, wowing us with their acrobatic floorshow before it was time to raise ourselves from our beds and dance the night away.

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RESTAURANT REVIEWS

Hugo’s

Parlour

25 Lonsdale Road NW6 020 7372 1232 hugosrestaurant.co.uk

5 Regent Street NW10 020 8969 2184 parlourkensal.com

P

arlour – formerly The Regent – has undergone a transformation.

It’s become a lot more grown up quite suddenly. In place of late nights, cocktails, burgers and DJs there are breakfasts, homely roasts, children’s menus and lots of puddings – oh, and late nights, because they’re keeping those.

But this time they’re for midnight feasting rather than plain boozing. Where else in London can you get a cow pie at 1am?

If you’ve been to The Mall Tavern off Notting Hill Gate, Parlour’s new menu will seem familiar. It’s the same team, with award-winning chef Jesse Dunford Wood at the helm (he’s known for making chicken kiev and arctic roll acceptable and even delicious). Inside, it’s all shiny tiles, battered industrial chairs and distressed tables, with a long leather banquette and wood panelling painted blue, plus an open fire and stylish lighting. All cleaner, brighter and fresher than before.

We are here for Sunday lunch, and the place is filling up fast, with Dunford Wood walking around welcoming people.

The wine list is small, unpretentious and surprisingly cheap. Warm soda bread and butter arrives and it’s a cakey, dense, sweet and malty treat. We order a Goosenargh chicken, which promises ‘all the trimmings and lots of gravy’ and it’s a triumph, a high class bird with impressive roast potatoes and excellent Yorkshire puddings, and vegetables served in simple but stylish enamel dishes. For the children, popcorn chicken nuggets come with actual popcorn. And then there’s pudding. You have to order the ‘posh-platter-of-Parlour’s-puddins’ – if only for the name – which is a little bit of everything. There’s a marshmallow wagon wheel, toasted by blowtorch in front of you to make a melty, chocolatey sandwich that’s irresistible for children of all ages, plus a ‘DIY vanilla mousse’ (add your own nuts, crumbles, etc), a flawless rhubarb crumble and a flourless chocolate cake, plus a slice of Dunford Wood’s seminal arctic roll. This place is both stylish and fun, a rare combination, and it’s set to be a winner. PH

H

ugo’s is a Queen’s Park favourite. It’s been here since 1994 (first called the Organic Cafe) and seen the area change almost beyond recognition, becoming filled with buggies and boutiques. Hugo’s has lasted the course and remained a versatile favourite, famed for its weekend brunches, packed with families. Inside it’s rustic – painted brick walls and wooden chapel chairs; owner Nick is chirpy and keen. We were here for dinner on a Thursday and it was crowded, with the added attraction of a pianist.

To start, a warm quinoa salad with pomegranate, wilted Asian greens and coconut was unusual and tasty, while chilli prawns were juicy and satisfying.

Main courses were professional and high class: smoked haddock with poached egg, spinach and potatoes was a hearty, comforting meal while sea bass from the specials menu was flawlessly served.

With its friendly, neighbourly vibe, Hugo’s is one of those places that everyone wants to have within walking distance.

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THE ORCHARD CANTEEN AT 116 KENSINGTON PARK ROAD, LONDON W11.

LUNCH WEEKDAYS 12-3 PM. CANTEEN 020 72298671 EX-RIVER CAFE CHEF NATASHA ABRAHAM COOKS A TWO-COURSE DAILY CHANGING SEASONAL LUNCH MENU. ‘THE CANTEEN’ PART OF THE ORCHARD, IS ABOUT LUNCH. LUNCH ON A WORKING DAY. MEAT, EGGS AND DAIRY PRODUCTS ARE ORGANIC AND FREE RANGE. LUNCHBOX £6.20 DESSERT £2.50-£4 CONTACT US ABOUT THE ORCHARD AT HOME FOR PRIVATE DINING AND EVENTS. KITCHEN 020 73134674 SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS WWW.THEORCHARDCANTEEN.COM FOLLOW US ON TWITTER FOR DAILY MENU UPDATES @NATATTHEORCHARD

NAILS & GRACES NAIL OFFERS - Shape & polish & mini pedi £15.00 - Acrylic tips £18.00 Infill £13.00 - UV Gel Tips £22.00 Infill £18.00 - UV GEL Overlay £20.00 Infill £15.00 - Buy 3 x Shellec treatments for £75.00 (saving £15.00) - Shellec on Hand & Feet Manicure £50.00 (saving £20.00) - Lunchtime offer Classic Mani & pedi £20.00 (allow 10 mins drying time)

BEAUTY OFFERS - Eyebrow Shape, tint and Lash Tint £18.00 - St Tropez cream tan £20.00 with exfoilator £30.00 - Full set of eyelashes, shape and polish on hands & feet, plus 1 eyebrow treatment (choose either eyebrow shape or threading) £35.00 - Choose 2 areas of waxing, i.e 1/2 legs and Underarms for £15.00 - Tired body & feet, deluxe pedi with back massage (total treatment time 90mins) £50.00 - ULTIMATE STUNNER PACKAGE: Classic mani & pedi, full set of eyelashes, cream tan, £50.00 All offers are valid until 30.1.13 Gift vouchers available. Taking Christmas & New Year Pamper Parties bookings, with catering provided in salon or office or at home. So please feel free to call us on 0208 960 1462 or pop in for a free consulation. Vist us on FB or www.nailsandgrace.com

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ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 1

28/11/2012 11:56

29/11/2012 11:56

DISTINCTIVE ROAST JOIN US AT PARK TERRACE RESTAURANT AND ENJOY A HAND-CARVED ROAST OR CLASSIC WINTER WARMER DISH WHILST OVERLOOKING THE TRANQUIL BEAUTY OF KENSINGTON GARDENS. WITH 2 COURSES SERVED FOR £21, PARK TERRACE RESTAURANT IS THE PERFECT DESTINATION FOR SUNDAY LUNCH FROM WHICH TO ENJOY ALL THE SHOPS AND A STROLL IN THE PARK WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

TO BOOK PLEASE CALL +44 ( 0 ) 20 7361 1999 SERVED FROM 12.30PM TO 3.00PM EVERY SUNDAY. £21 FOR 2-COURSES OR £26 FOR 3-COURSES.

2-24 KENSINGTON HIGH STREET LONDON W8 4PT TEL +44 (0)20 7937 8000 FAX +44 (0)20 7361 1991 WWW.ROYALGARDENHOTEL.CO.UK

FULL PAGE.indd 2

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

FOODIE NOTES BUBBLE BUBBLE Flavoured coffee was a big thing a decade ago and now there’s bubble tea, the colourful Filipino treat. Just opened in Blenheim Crescent is Lakwatsa, a new tea lounge serving a fizz of teas which come with additions such as popping boba (fruit juice balls) and healthy supplements including aloe vera jelly, aiyu jelly and grass jelly. And there are tasty Filipino snacks too. 7 Blenheim Crescent W11, www.lakwatsa.co.uk

TASTY TARTS Everyone loves the Dock Kitchen but for a simpler everyday lunch, venture downstairs at the Portobello Dock, where Tom Dixon’s daughter Florence serves up a delicious and healthy selection of quiches, salads and sandwiches at lunchtime, plus cakes and scones for tea.

It’s a little-known spot but it’s filling up fast. Yum. Tart bakery, Portobello Dock W10

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE Master Chocolatier Damian Allsop will be holding an informal festive tasting of his renowned Water Ganache Chocolates range at midday on 5 December at London’s newest chocolate boutique Alexeeva & Jones. With more than 20 years experience working as a pastry chef in Michelin-starred kitchens, Allsop is an expert in all things chocolate and his water ganaches are sold exclusively at the Westbourne Grove store.

Alexeeva & Jones, 297 Westbourne Grove, W11

A BSOLUTELY COCK TA IL ELECTRIC NEWS

The Electric, closed since the terrible fire in June, reopens this month in a whole new guise. Taking inspiration from Chicago’s Au Cheval restaurant, Soho House has collaborated with renowned Chicago chef Brendan Sodikoff to create an all-day French-American menu for the new Electric Diner, fitted out in traditional diner style. And best of all, there’s Electric Donuts in the cinema foyer, serving fresh donuts and coffee from 8am every day.

Who could resist?

We can’t wait. 191 Portobello Road W11

FOUR OF THE BEST...

CHAMPAGNES FOR CHRISTMAS A perennial favourite, Harvey Nichols Own Label Champagne is a mix of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, £27.50, harveynichols.com

Fortnum’s Brut Reserve Champagne is specially produced for Fortnum & Mason by Louis Roederer, and it’s an elegant and fresh blend. £29.50, fortnumandmason.com

Thank you to Beach Blanket Babylon and Miller’s gin for concocting the wonderful Absolutely Cocktail. Make your own with this recipe: 40ml Millers Gin 10ml Xante Pear Cognac 10ml St. Germain Elderflower Liquor 10ml Gomme 15ml Lime Juice 4x Slices Cucumber 3x Pinches Black Pepper 4x Drops Peychard Bitters 2x Flambéd Mint

Perrier-Jouët’s new Grand Brut gift box is designed by Notting Hillbased artist Claire Coles. £38.49, harveynichols.com Veuve Cliquot’s famed Yellow Label Champagne comes in a Christmas gift box with a clever folding ice bucket £39.75, harrods.com

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28/11/2012 14:19

ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

A Passage to India From pigeons to people, Christena Appleyard explores the exotic state of Rajasthan

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A

solitary fat pigeon pecks around for snacks in the brilliant sun and deep shadows of the ancient inner courtyard of Ganesh, a cavernous warehouse shop in the ‘Land of the Kings’, or in other words, the north-western Indian region of Rajasthan.

Pigeons are sacred to Hindus which means they are protected and fed. To me they’ve always seemed pretty pointless birds.

Looking down from a window seat on the second floor, I watch the fat one flitting hopefully about the restored beauty of the 17th-century cantilevered white stone balconies.

Opportunities for sightseeing in India fall into two distinct categories: the obviously spectacular, like the Red Fort in Delhi and the incidentally spectacular, such as the wedding processions of shy brides and proud grooms riding their decorated horses through the remote rural villages. And then, of course, there is the pigeon in the courtyard.

One floor up, my companions are finding great treasures among the best selection of kaftans in Rajasthan. They are encouraged by the prices and the fact that Sarah Burton, head honcho at Alexander McQueen, sacrosanct after her star turn at the royal wedding last year, was a customer here a few days earlier.

Later that day, shopping at Udaipur’s exclusive Andraab boutique, I succumb to a finely woven scarlet cashmere pashmina, though seemingly it’s not so much of a ‘discovery’ as I’d first thought; it’s not long until I am told that the shop is a favourite of Judi Dench. It is here, in the lake city of Udaipur – a short flight from Delhi – that our experience of new India begins.

The sun is going down and we are thankful for the damp westerly wind that cools us as we make our way down the long avenue of one of the city’s many grand parks to the cremation site of Mahatma Ghandi. This vast, flat memorial stone is the size of a small football pitch and is decorated by a single eternal flame, though

the absence of ornament only adds to its power. It is singularly moving to watch the – mostly Indian – visitors stop to compose themselves before placing their floral tributes on the marble edifice.

The chimneys of a grim-looking coal power station meanwhile rise into the sky above the park’s tree line, and in the near distance, a man kneels on the grass facing Mecca, lost in prayer, a sacred stillness disturbed by the roar of insane traffic on the nearby road. The endless competition of car horns, spluttering rickshaws and speeding motor scooters is the mash-up that forms the soundtrack of the new India.

It’s time to adjourn for a sundowner in the shameless glamour of the Library Bar in the Leela Palace Hotel, where the signature cocktail involves vodka and, believe it or not, a special machine that infuses the drink with cigar smoke.

This hotel and its sister in Udaipur are a clever mix of the familiar and the exotic; the nervous traveller feels

LEELA PALACE HOTEL, UDAIPUR

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ABSOLUTELY | FOOD & TR AV EL

ABOVE: LEELA PALACE HOTEL, UDAIPUR. BELOW: ADINATHA JAIN TEMPLE, UDAIPUR

confident and the more adventurous doesn’t pine for authenticity.

The rooms have extravagant lighting menus and are decorated with luxury textiles and original contemporary Indian art. Personal butlers are available to all, but there is a free Rolls Royce Phantom with the top suite.

The food is a high point in both hotels but the jewel in the crown in Delhi is the classical Indian cuisine of the Jamavar and a cookery lesson with the head chef, which provides a good alternative to shopping, particularly as, in the Old Delhi market, that means perching precariously on bicycle rickshaws and becoming part of the crazy traffic system.

Before setting off for Udaipur we visit the ancient Qutub Minar, a tomb built in 1199 and a Unesco World Heritage site – it’s the one to see in Delhi if you only have time for one site.

‘You gotta love my Banynan tree,’ says Reggie Sing, our handsome host, a cousin of the Maharajah of Jodhpur and a largerthan-life throw back to the last days of the Raj. We are sitting at a massive table in the garden, laden with a feast and being waited on by men wearing army uniforms and saffron festival turbans.

It is a scene straight from a Bollywood movie and we are grateful for the shade of Reggie’s Banynan tree as we have already had two large Pimm’s, mixed by the man himself. A Van Morrisson CD blasts out from the colonial-style bungalow lounge into the surrounding valley and mountains. We’ve popped in to The Mountbatten Lodge on our way to

visit the Jain temple at Ranakpur. If you go, ask him to tell the story of how he just missed out on becoming a king.

Glorious though it is, I wouldn’t advise drinking two large Pimm’s before visiting the extraordinary Adinatha Jain Temple; it makes negotiating the 24 pillared halls and focusing on the extravagant detail of the 1444 marble pillars that bit trickier.

But this is an experience of old India which is simply unbeatable.

We are lucky to be travelling over the wedding season when young brides dressed in red saris walk in giggling gangs to the local village to make their matrimonial purchases. We come across dashing grooms riding proudly on decorated horses behind processions of local musicians and karaoke

vans blasting out Bollywood hits. Seen from the car, you get a clue as to village activity from the colour of the turbans worn by the bare-chested locals: red for shepherd, green for carpenter, gold for priest.

Back at Leela Palace on the shores of the romantic Lake Pichola in time to watch the sun set over Udaipur City Palace, I pondered how it doesn’t get much better than this – until, that is, my iPad suddenly packs up.

Reception sends a sort of cyber butler up immediately – a charming young chap with a degree in IT who arrives to fix it while I stand on the balcony and watch another youth dressed in the traditional long kuta shirt waving a flag and chasing pigeons in the grounds of a neighbouring hotel. I am told these professional pigeon chasers are employed to save buildings from the birds’ droppings because it is against the Hindu religion to put spikes on the buildings for fear of injury. Though of similar ages, the pigeon chaser confidently preserves the best of ancient India, while the cyber butler shapes a part of her future. Suddenly, a pair of these fat pointless birds land on my balcony. I find myself thinking that they are actually really quite pretty.

A 7 night trip to Delhi and Udaipur costs from £2,350 per person with 2 nights at The Leela Palace New Delhi and 5 nights at The Leela Palace Udaipur, based on 2 adults sharing, including return economy class flights and transfers. To book contact abercrombiekent.co.uk/ 0845 618 2214. theleela.com

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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

Urban retreat There’s still time for a last minute weekend getaway. Take inspiration from our pick of Europe’s most glamorous city breaks

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TALEON IMPERIAL HOTEL, ST PETERSBURG A weekend in St Petersburg may sound a little indulgent, but with a three-anda-half-hour flight from London it’s just as easy as Marrakech or Istanbul. The indulgent part, however, begins on arrival.

Built in the 1700s, the Taleon was the Empress Elizabeth’s summer palace (the city’s only hotel housed in a former palace).

Today a regal air remains with bedrooms so big they have pillars in them, glistening chandeliers, original 19th century walnut paneling and hand-painted murals. It all feels spectacularly Russian. Best get into the swing of things with champagne and caviar, before heading to the Banya (traditional Russian sauna) where men in felt caps will brush you down with birch leaves. This, followed by plunging into icecold water, will leave you feeling as good as

new (and may bring on a fit of the giggles).

The riverside hotel could not be better situated being just a stones throw from the iconic coloured domes of the Church of Our Savior of the Spilt Blood, and the Hermitage Museum. The latter was the Tsars Winter Palace, and now houses one of the world’s largest art collections with works by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt and Picasso. For food, the hotel has two restaurants, the rooftop Victoria Restaurant and fine-dining Taleon. But for modern fare head to the modern Mansarda Restaurant, with its unrivalled views of the gold dome of St Isaac’s, as well as delicious dumplings and sorbet. For a glimpse of rural Russia, visit Catherine Palace, a blue and white cake-like construction named after the wife of Peter the Great, just 25km away in the town of Pushkin. Take a horse-drawn Troika

carriage through the gardens and finish with a typical lunch at the chalet-style Podvorye Restaurant where bearskins decorate the walls and bear meat and ‘drunken deserts’ are on the menu.

One-of-a-Kind stays at the Taleon Imperial Hotel start from £2,000 – with a two night stay for two in a superior suite, and including a tour of Pavlovsk, Troika horse riding, a Russian banya experience, tickets to the Hermitage Museum and dinner at the Taleon, as well as a history tour of the hotel.

Gabriel O’Rorke travelled as a guest of The Taleon Imperial Hotel (www.lhw. com/taleon) and British Airways (www. ba.com). For more information or details on One-Of-A-Kind experiences with The Leading Hotels of the World, please visit www.lhw.com/oneofakind

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VILLA MAGNA, MADRID

REGINA BAGLIONI, ROME

There’s endless negativity about Spain’s future these days and no message bar economic gloom seems to emanate from its fine capital. But what about the reality that Madrid continues to beat the effervescent drum that for decades has meant this fountain-laden, gastronomic hot bed of festivals, fiestas, bullfights and fervent national identity, is considered one of the most popular cities of the world? Villa Magna is by far the city’s most luxurious hotel and is testament to the committed interest the Spanish still have with luxury. A recent renovation has seen Villa Magna stay true to its classic style, with abundant black onyx and white marble, but it contrasts successfully with a striking collection of contemporary art. Spoilt as you are on the streets for food, the hotel offers four places for a heady dose of exquisite cuisine, though the Restaurant Villa Magna, where Chef Manual Gutierrez boasts outstanding culinary skill, being this hotel’s gastronomic piece de resistance. The hotel is situated a moment’s walk from the city’s celebrated Art Triangle, but for those more sporty, the Real Madrid Bernabeu stadium isn’t far in the other direction. But perhaps you’ll never want to leave Villa Magna’s walls, especially when you learn that the Real and Royal suites, or should we say, small apartments, come equipped with sumptuous Turkish baths and private terraces which look out over what continues to be one of Europe’s most thrilling cities.

With its evocative combination of ancient ruins, Renaissance art, historic churches and statue-laden piazzas, it’s easy to see why the Eternal City remains so enduringly beguiling. Plump for a stay at the Regina Hotel Baglioni, ideally located for exploring the nearby Spanish Steps, the gardens of the Villa Borghese and the glamorous stores on Via Condotti. Once a royal palace, the Baglioni is now a well-established grande dame with a hint of art deco-infused elegance - a perfect antidote to the city’s bustling streets. Under the expert direction of the hotel’s friendly concierge, you’ll discover a plethora of local hidden gems, from affordable trattorie to wellloved gelaterie. Marvel at the Sistine Chapel courtesy of a ‘skip-the-line’ early morning tour of the Vatican, where you’ll avoid lengthy queues and benefit from the expertise of wellinformed guides, who’ll bring the works of Raphael and Michelangelo to life before your eyes. Stroll across the River Tiber to explore the cobbled streets of Trastevere, wander through the food market at Campo de’ Fiori and pause for a pick-me-up at Caffè Greco, one of the city’s oldest pit stops. And with the Pantheon and the Coliseum providing a spectacular backdrop to this constantly evolving city, you’ll find yourself plotting a return tour within moments of your arrival.

Rates for Hotel Villa Magna start from £233 (EUR 290) per room per night, based on two sharing. For bookings and further information please visit www.hotelvillamagna.com or call +34 915 871 234.

REGINA BAGLIONI, ROME

Skip the Line Vatican Museums SmallGroup Tour, including Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica, from £69.61p pp, Viator (www.viator.com). Regina Hotel Baglioni, Rome (00 39 06 421111, www. baglionihotels.com) offers rooms from £236 per room, per night, based on two adults sharing. Monarch (www.monarch.co.uk) operates flights from London Luton to Rome with fares, including taxes, starting from £126.99 return.

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THE HOTEL: The Scarlet is ultra-modern, smart, luxurious and eco-friendly. There are surprises in every corner, epitomised by the modern Ayurvedic spa which sits on a ridge just above the splendid Mawgan Porth. Details are key here; instead of a reception desk, friendly staff welcome guests with pots of tea and biscuits, and the hotel’s dog is available to take for walks on the beautiful beach below (guests’ dogs are welcome too). Split over four floors, the soothing aromas emanating from the spa waft through the hotel, including the restaurant, library and the ultra-relaxing retreat upstairs. Mawgan Porth awaits below with its host of walkers, kite-flying children and daredevils who do battle with the waves.

THE BEDROOM: With a door-less, curtain-less shower carved out from the sandstone bedroom wall and its equally-pleasing and spacious freestanding bath lying just at the end of an oversized bed, a room at The Scarlet Hotel immediately impresses with its original flair. The rooms are all different, but they share inviting on-trend individuality. Our bath looked out onto a decked and roomy courtyard, while a modern staircase beside the open shower, led up to a lighthouse-like turret, from which splendid views of the vast beach below could be enjoyed from the padded cushions in the lounge area. The sustainability theme continues into the bedrooms at The Scarlet, where hot water is warmed by a biomass boiler fuelled on wood chips, while all the products are natural and smell as fresh as the environment that plentifully surrounds the hotel.

BATHROOM: Be sure to request a bedroom with a private bathroom if that’s what you prefer, as many at The Scarlet are designed for those who don’t embarrass easily. But whatever you opt for, the mosaic-lined showers and capacious baths, fit for the most indulgent of bubble baths (with in-built televisions, of course), are rewardingly soothing.

PRICE TAG: From £190 per room. To book, call 01637 861800 or visit scarlethotel.co.uk

UK GETAWAY

The Scarlet Hotel, Cornwall RESTAURANT: Before one’s even tasted the freshly-caught, elegantly-presented Cornish grub served up at The Scarlet’s restaurant, it’s hard not to fall for the views outside the tall glass windows overlooking Mawgan Porth. Chef Tom Hunter goes by the seasons, meaning that while fish is constantly on the menu (as well as a range of delicious cuts of meat and vegetarian options), all side-dishes, salads and components of the restaurant’s main meals are characterised by the freshest and most recentlypicked natural wonders growing all around. Expect puddings laced with fresh berries in the summer and hearty grouse and red cabbage in the autumn.

SPA: A floor down from The Scarlet’s restaurant is the Scarlet Spa. A whole host of treatments (all carried out with the Scarlet’s own range of Ayurvedic products, of course) await the newcomer: from facials administered with wild-crafted herbs and hot steamed poultices to a two-person rhassoul (a steam and mud-like hammam) so there’s no shortage of indulgences on the list. To spoil you further, there are yoga, meditation and mother and baby classes, including the chance to use both the spa’s un-chlorinated indoor swimming pool and reed-filtered natural clifftop outdoor pool, whose nearby hot tubs provide the perfect spot from which to storm-and-cloud-gaze.

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13/09/2012 11:38

ABSOLUTELY | STY LE

INTERIOR LOOKS

GRAHAM AND GREEN

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GINGHAM ROBINS, £10, PAPERCHASE.COM; CHRISMAS PINECONE IN SILVER, £5.50, FLAMANTSHOP.COM; PENGUIN PAIR, £3.50, SKANDIUM.COM

GLASS SOMBRERO SANTA, £6.50, PAPERCHASE.CO.UK; FATHER CHRISTMAS JULES FIGURE, £24, FLAMANTSHOP,COM; ARCTIC PENGUIN, £16, ANTHROPOLOGIE.EU; GLASS PANDA, £6, PAPERCHASE.CO.UK

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28/11/2012 17:46

the history man

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In a new book, London Hidden Interiors, Philip Davies reveals some of London’s least-known spaces, including Peter Hone’s house in Ladbroke Square W11

L

ike some latter-day incarnation of Sir John Soane, Peter Hone, connoisseur, collector, antiquarian and antique dealer, has dedicated every inch of his first floor flat to his insatiable appetite for history – the Hone Museum rather than the Soane, he jokes. The interior is an ever changing tableau of neoclassical statuary, archaeological fragments, garden ornaments and architectural details crammed into every conceivable space.

The front parlour overlooking the gardens of Ladbroke Square is also the ‘winter bedroom’ with a huge canopied bed swathed in drapes from Tyttenhanger Manor.

To one side is a colossal alabaster Nelson vase, commissioned to mark the death of Nelson in 1805, and later rediscovered and rescued by Hone from the grounds of the school near Nelson’s former home in Merton; its plinth is exquisitely carved with a relief of HMS Victory and crocodiles symbolising the Battle of the Nile.

Squeezed in behind is a plaster replica of Bernini’s throne of St Peter; nearby a Hellenistic bust from 250 BC and a first century head of Midas. Dominating the room is a huge portrait of Thomas Oldknow by Joseph Wright of Derby, with eyes cast downward and clutching his heart, as if overwhelmed by the architectural excess surrounding him. In fact, he died of a heart attack before the painting could be completed – hence the pose.

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The portrait is flanked by two pairs of beautiful, slender male and female herms, salvaged from a house in the Euston Road, supporting marble shelves piled high with urns, vases, sphinxes and figurines, the walls above lined with architectural fragments of marble, plaster and Coade stone, including a capital from Chiswick House used as a corbel for a bust. Tucked in the corner by the window is a finely modeled terracotta bust of Frederick the Great. Suspended from the ceiling, which is covered with 4,500 hexagonal plaster casts, hangs a pendant light from the old Academy Cinema in Oxford Street designed by Angus McBean, for whom Hone once worked.

A corridor jostling with artefacts and surveyed in one direction by a giant statue of Pallas Athena, goddess of truth, and in the other by a statue of Flora by Canova, leads past Samuel Johnson’s death mask to the ‘summer bedroom’ which has a canted bay overlooking the garden. An entire wall is hung with a collection of portrait medallions in Bois Durci, a French composite material made with oxblood and sawdust patented in Paris in 1855.

Lining the doorcase are more death masks – Voltaire, Wordsworth, Keats, Dante and Cromwell – alongside the hands of Pitt the Younger. In the adjacent bathroom a gold-embossed dinner service once belonging to the previous Duke of Cambridge sits in a Gothic cabinet made by Hone from the remnants of an old gazebo.

Back in the front parlour, lying on the table, the death mask of a woman who drowned in the Seine bears an enigmatic, knowing smile, as if perpetually amused by the company in which she has found herself.

London Hidden Interiors by Philip Davies, with photography by Derek Kendall, is published by English Heritage, £40

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28/11/2012 14:42

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Interior designer Sera Hersham-Loftus pays tribute to Julie’s Restaurant in her new book Seductive Interiors

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Notting Hill: 12 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JE 020 7243 6932 Knightsbridge: 19 – 21 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0HD 020 7245 6677 Mayfair: 136 Wigmore St, London W1U 3SF 020 7935 7075

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84 The Hill | October 2012 walton.indd 1

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

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24/10/2012 17:24

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STONE CERAMICS.indd 1 27/09/2012 10:24

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29/11/2012 11:57

ABSOLUTELY | INTERIORS

I

have always had a mad crush on Julie’s Restaurant. I was first taken there when I was 18 on a romantic date with my first love.

We parked in a sleepy avenue in Notting Hill Gate and were shown down a dark, rickety stairwell to the basement of what seemed to be a bewitchingly private Victorian home.

What we had stumbled into was a treasure trove of intimate dining rooms all mysteriously cloaked in an abundance of lace and antique damask

curtains. Some tables were draped with linen and some with fringed vintage shawls. The walls were covered with antiquated peeling wallpapers and Rococo mirrors and the soft, gentle lighting was provided by a collection of 1930s beaded wall lights dotted around the rooms, by glowing candelabras, and by the roaring open fire. There were deep, baggy, faded velvet sofas to loll in before and after dinner, and richly carved Indian doorways.

I remember sitting with the singer

• Refurbishments and alterations • Extensions and conversions • Kitchen and bathroom fit outs

Marvin Gaye on one side of me and the dress designer Ossie Clarke on the other. We were all listening to Fleetwood Mac and Santana’s Moonflower being played on the stereo and were watching the beautiful women of the 1970s float by wearing chiffon maxi dresses, baggy boots, and scarves tied around their wide-brimmed hats.

Julie’s hasn’t changed much at all. It’s still a deeply romantic, secluded place to dine at and be courted in on a night of dreams.

4D

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SERA INTERIORS.indd 99

info@4dcontractors.co.uk

29/11/2012 10:54

ABSOLUTELY | INTERIORS

It’s a kind of luscious minimalism

SEDUCTIVE INTERIORS All images are copyright Seductive Interiors by Sera HershamLoftus published by CICO Books at £30.00, hardback, and available from all good bookshops – or call 01256-302699 quoting GLR7WK to purchase a copy at the special price of £25.00 including free p&p. cicobooks.co.uk

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DESIGN AND HOME BY

We are delighted to invite you to our newly opened Flamant shop at 176 Westbourne Grove on Thursday 6th December,and to enjoy the late night shopping event with a special discount.

Come and taste the specially spiced Mariage Frères Christmas tea and buy beautiful gifts for your family and friends.

designandhome.co.uk020 7221 5567RSVP info@designandhome.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY | PROMOTION

Design for living The In:Style Direct showroom at Imperial Wharf is now two years old. Absolutely talks to design director Mansi Mehra about the brand’s success at homestaging and interior design

Tell us more about In:Style Direct’s background in interior design.

For almost 10 years, we’ve specialised in designing and furnishing interiors for homeowners and rental investors in prime central London. This ranges from complete refurbishment programmes to our trademark range of design-led furnishing packages. We also work with leading property developers furnishing showhomes in new developments across the capital.

Increasingly we were being asked by private individuals to stage their homes, this could mean dressing a property to sell, to let, or simply to live in.

Why do you think In:Style Direct has developed such a loyal following?

We offer designer quality – without the designer price tag. Our furnishings and soft furnishings are not only stylish but well made, but more than that, they offer real value for money. We have our own soft

furnishing collections, all designed and manufactured in-house, so with no middleman, we can give a fast turnaround and keep prices down. The emphasis is on creating a distinctive, high end look but at an affordable price.

Why do you think homestaging is becoming so popular?

Homestaging helps to sell a property faster – and for the best price. Equally, a property will let more quickly if it is presented as a home where a tenant can picture themselves living. Over 85% of the rental properties we furnish are let within a week.

We recently dressed a two bedroom apartment in Lennox Gardens, Chelsea that had remained unlet for 11 weeks, despite being newly refurbished. We furnished it and it got rented the next day at £1,400 per week. In St John’s Wood we staged a three bedroom apartment in a mansion block and it sold for the full asking price within five weeks.

How is In:Style Direct different to other interior design companies?

Our turnaround times and the affordability factor. A client may want help creating an interior that reflects their personality, or they may want to make better use of the space they have without the expense of using an architect.

Often clients simply don’t have time to put together a new look themselves. We have a large warehouse where we hold a lot of stock and as we make all our own soft furnishings and window treatments, we’re able to achieve a unique look within a week if need be.

Putting your own stamp on a property needn’t cost the earth or take months to bring together.

People are rediscovering living on a budget and we want to inspire them.

Contact Mansi Mehra at enquiries@instyledirect.com or call 020 8964 1966

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28/11/2012 28/06/2012 14:49 09:59

ABSOLUTELY | PROMOTION

Fit for a princess A An offer for Absolutely readers from The Royal Park Hotel

huge roaring fire, elegant quintessentially English décor, large comfortable sofas and luxuriously appointed bedrooms all with handmade beds and hand-stitched Irish bed linen and Penhaligon toiletries.

This is the description one may associate with a sprawling country manor house or quaint hotel in the English countryside, however, it isn’t. This is an account of the utterly charming and delightful Royal Park Hotel located in the heart of London.

Close to Lancaster Gate tube station and a short stroll from Hyde Park, this property is a true gem.

Each guest receives the VIP experience from the moment they step through the doors and is presented with a complimentary welcome drink of their choice: from pink champagne to fresh, chilled juice or a frothy cappuccino, the genuinely friendly staff will do their utmost

to accommodate requests.

The 48 bedrooms range from the Classic Double with Queen size bed to the decadent Deluxe Four Poster Suite complete with handmade four poster bed, silk ceiling and valences as well as oversized gold-gilded mirror. These are not cookie cutter rooms. Thought and care has been taken to ensure each one offers a home-from-home experience: expertly chosen antique furniture, wisely chosen soft furnishings that compliment the size and shape of each unique room and modern facilities such as flat screen televisions confirm that each guest will enjoy their stay at this hotel. From 7 to 8pm each evening, guests are served champagne and canapés courtesy of the hotel.

There is a comprehensive menu and the breakfast is not to be missed. Breakfast like a king on crunchy granola, fair-trade coffee, organic English tea, flaky pastries, smooth yoghurts and fresh juices. The winter promotion makes a stay at The

Royal Park a very attractive prospect. From just £189, Absolutely Notting Hill and Kensington readers can enjoy a stay this hidden gem of a classic room including breakfast and VAT by quoting ‘NHK12’. This offer is valid from 15 December through to the end of February 2013, subject to availability.

For further information, visittheroyalpark.com, contact reservations on 020 7476 6600 or email info@theroyalpark.com

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Exceptional Bespoke Designs

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L O N D O N

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•

S Y D N E Y

•

N E W

Y O R K

24/10/2012 12:12

TREEHOUSE HARDWOOD FLOORING

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28/08/2012 09:35

29/11/2012 11:57

ABSOLUTELY

PROPERTY DECEMBER 2012

CLEVELAND SQUARE W2 An immaculately presented and rarely available three bedroom lateral property on Cleveland Square. This property has been finished to an exceptional standard and offers wonderful views over the garden square.

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Offices throughout the UK including 5 in London

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27/11/2012 16:03

HOLLAND PARK

Abbotsbury Road W14 A substantial and unusually wide, detached house which backs on to Holland Park.

Entrance hall • Drawing room • Dining room • Large kitchen • Study • Family/ playroom • Master bedroom with dressing room and en suite bathroom • 4 further bedrooms, 2 en suite • Garden with outdoor swimming pool • Garage • Off-street parking

Guide price £13,750,000 Holland Park & Notting Hill 020 7371 1111 gareth.jones@carterjonas.co.uk

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27/11/2012 16:12

Offices throughout the UK including 5 in London

carterjonas.co.uk

BAYSWATER

Hyde Park Gardens Mews W2 A stunning house situated on the finest cobbled mews in W2 which is finished to the highest possible standard, being particularly bright with south facing windows and a secluded roof terrace to the rear of the property. This property benefits from being moments away from Hyde Park and Connaught Village.

Reception room/kitchen • Cinema room • Master bedroom with en suite shower room • 2 further bedrooms • Bathroom Gym • Garage • Roof terrace

Guide price £3,550,000 Freehold

Hyde Park & Bayswater 020 7402 1552 hydepark@carterjonas.co.uk

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27/11/2012 16:14

HOLLAND PARK

HOLLAND PARK

Queensdale Place W11

Lansdowne Road W11

A recently refurbished, architecturally designed contemporary house.

A fantastic apartment situated in this sought-after tree lined street within striking distance of Holland Park Avenue.

Spacious open-plan first floor reception/kitchen/dining room 3 double bedrooms • Additional bedroom/study • 2 en suite bathrooms • Shower room • Private terrace

£1,850 per week

Unfurnished

Reception room • Kitchen • 3 bedrooms • Bathroom • Access to communal gardens by separate negotiation

£925 per week

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

Serlby Court W14

Melbury Road W14

A smart newly refurbished apartment in this well maintained portered block in the heart of Holland Park.

A unique studio house arranged over three floors and extending to over 3,300 sq ft/306 sq m.

Reception/dining room • Open-plan kitchen • 3 double bedrooms • 2 bathrooms, 1 en suite • Lift • Porter

Double-height reception room • Kitchen • Library/media room 5 bedrooms • 4 bath/shower rooms • Paved patio garden

£875 per week

£3,500 per week

Unfurnished

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

27/11/2012 16:15

STANLEY CRESCENT, W11 ÂŁ2,400,000 Share of Freehold

A luxurious three bedroom maisonette refurbished by Stephen Fletcher Architects.

Dual aspect sash windows, American black walnut floors and sophisticated interior design adorn the sizeable reception room alongside a stylish and fully integrated kitchen/dining room. The lower level consists of a generous master suite with walnut lined, fitted wardrobes and an indulgent en suite Jacuzzi bathroom. There are two further double bedrooms, a superb guest shower room and plenty of storage space.

The property also enjoys access to Stanley Gardens.

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: Simon Moore’s Balustrade exhibition at Vessel Gallery

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27/11/2012 17:04

ESSENDINE MANSIONS, W9 ÂŁ1,200,000 Share of Freehold

A fantastic three bedroom maisonette offering unique style with a flawless, modern finish.

Perfectly proportioned, bright and welcoming, the lower level consists of a generous open plan reception and dining room with custom-made, bi-folding doors cleverly disguising a fully integrated and contemporary kitchen. Also on this level are two sizeable double bedrooms, both with floor to ceiling fitted wardrobes and a luxurious tiled shower room. Back-lit Italian stone stairs continue up to the well-designed and sky-lit master bedroom which has an abundance of natural light, ample fitted storage and a sleek en suite bathroom.

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27/11/2012 17:06

PENZANCE PLACE, W11

ÂŁ2,000 per week Short let

One of the most impressive contemporary homes currently on the market in fashionable Clarendon Cross.

A sensational triplex, occupying the first, ground and lower ground floors, presenting phenomenal double height entertaining space that offers bright and versatile living.

The kitchen and dining areas encompass the entire lower ground floor, whilst the reception space is set on the mezzanine level. There are two double bedrooms on the first floor, alongside a study and two bathrooms. The free-flowing layout and design makes this a very sociable home, ideal for entertaining and family living.

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: festive martinis at The Clarendon Cocktail Lounge on Clarendon Road

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27/11/2012 17:06

ALL SAINTS ROAD, W11 ÂŁ995 per week Long let

A newly refurbished and immaculately presented three bedroom maisonette.

Finished to the highest standard to offer cool and contemporary city living, the reception area is impressive with immense ceiling heights and double aspect windows.

The kitchen is sleek in design and has fully integrated modern appliances. All bedrooms feature unique en suite bathrooms, with the master suite including what can only be described as a lavish interpretation of roman baths, with a walk-in sit-down shower and an exceptional exposed freestanding copper bath as its centrepiece.

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27/11/2012 17:07

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

‘‘

Richard King, Sales Manager, Beaney Pearce

A

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD CLARK

fter growing up on the edge of a cliff in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, London pulled me, moth-like, to its bright lights, and has been my adoptive home for 22 years – the last 18 spent in and around the tree-lined and stuccoed streets of Notting Hill and Holland Park. I now live in W14, and having raised two children both born at Chelsea & Westminster, one 19 and one 10 years old, I feel I’ve paid my dues and can lay claim to being a local.

I’d be scared to try and work out just how many times I’ve been to Holland Park, but it remains a firm family favourite. It’s the place where you can feel most in touch with the changing seasons in the area, and is an all-year round treat, from long summer afternoon picnics to crisp winter walks.

We’re unlikely to go hungry in W11, and are well catered-for on every level; from Julie’s to The Cow, from The Ledbury and E&O to Lucky Seven, there’s something for everyone and every budget. Throw in some drinks at the Electric (reopening this month) or one of the many great pubs in the area such as The Walmer Castle or The Ladbroke Arms and you’re in for a good evening.

Music has always been my first love, and after studying sound engineering, I worked in Dave Stewart’s Church Studios in Crouch End, which is now owned by David Gray. Years later, and after touring, working for record companies, publishers and PR firms, I felt a little disillusioned with the music business, having seen behind the wizard’s curtain.

Coming from a different background has, I hope, helped me become a better agent. I think as agents we’re all aware of the reputation that goes before us, and it’s sometimes easy to see why the clichés and bad jokes that abound about estate agents take root. Fortunately Notting Hill agents, while still being highly competitive, (for the most part) maintain a good sense of fair play, and there tend not to be too many horses tied up outside offices.

Beaney Pearce has been established in Kensington and Chelsea for 21 years now, with offices in Chelsea and South Kensington. Our Notting Hill office has been open for just 18 months, and this year has been a matter of building on the good start that was made last year. Instructions and sales are both up from last year, but there is no doubt that while stock levels are still relatively low – normally indicating a seller’s market – buyers are expressing a level of caution that means accurate pricing is key to ensure a sale being secured within a reasonable timeframe.

We can be found at 8 Ladbroke Grove, and if you fancy a break from Christmas shopping, then pop in and say hello. There’s always a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine close to hand in December.

‘‘

020 7221 9044, rking@beaneypearce.co.uk

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Chelsea Fulham Kensington Knightsbridge Notting Hill West Chelsea

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9966 7100 3866 9959 1111 1010

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Lower Mall Place Hammersmith W6 W8 SW6 Winchendon Road Kensington Fulham Road Pembroke 6,431 sqftsqft (597.5 2,002sq sq sqsq m)sq 1261 ftft/ (186 117.15 m m)

Fulham

fulham@struttandparker.com

020 7225 3866

former Vicarage, Grade II listed, Georgian house with house excellent Anbeautifully opportunity to this purchase an immaculately presented A presented four bedroom house with the advantage of a large front garden. Pembroke Place benefits views, from a prime position on iconic stretch of theand Thames. which has undergone comprehensive renovation programme. from itsbenefits close proximity toathe amenities of this Kensington High Street the green spaces of Holland Park.

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Cloakroom Garden Seven bedrooms Five bath/shower rooms Conservatory/study Kitchenette Utility Cloakroom Self-contained one bedroom flat £1,300 per week Unfurnished Free QR code readers

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Asking price Freehold Kensington Lettings 020 7938 3866 Asking price £1,795,000 £5,500,000 Freehold Fulham Sales 020 7731 7100

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are available for download from our website at struttandparker.com/qrcode

23/11/2012 15:50 14:32 29/08/2012 14:59 21/06/2012

HON KONG

Where will we find your perfect buyer?

At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further than ever. As members of the Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers in 42 countries via 1,049 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month.

There’s no better way to open your door to the world.

103 Kensington Church Street London, W8 7LN Tel: +44 (0)20 7938 3666 kensington@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

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25/10/2012 26/09/2012 11:40 14:47

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Chelsea Fulham Kensington Knightsbridge Notting Hill West Chelsea

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

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struttandparker.com

Hippodrome Mews 1,135 sq ft (105.4 sq m)

| Holland Park | W11

A stunning three bedroom house situated on this quiet residential mews in Holland Park. This property also benefits from off street parking.

Two reception rooms

| Off street parking

| Kitchen | Master bedroom with en suite bathroom | Two further bedrooms | Bathroom | Roof terrace

£950 per week Furnished

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7221 1111

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Cleveland Lower MallSquare Hammersmith W6W2 SW6 Winchendon Road Bayswater Fulham Road 1,827 sq sq ftft (186 (169.7 m) m) 6,431 sqftsqft (597.5 2,002 sqsq m)sq

Fulham

fulham@struttandparker.com

020 7225 3866

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Reception room Kitchen Master with en suite bathroom Two further Terrace Hall Drawing room Kitchen/dining room room Four suiteroom bedrooms Utility roombedrooms your camera phone Two entrance halls Drawing room bedroom Music Dining Library Office/study Family Bathroom room Kitchen/dining roomto read £1,950 price per week Unfurnished Asking £1,795,000 Freehold Asking price £5,500,000 Freehold

Notting Sales Hill Lettings 0207100 7221 1111 Fulham 020 7731

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more about this property.

Free QR code readers are available for download from our website at struttandparker.com/qrcode

23/11/2012 15:50 14:33 29/08/2012 14:59 21/06/2012

Where will we find your perfect buyer?

At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further than ever. As members of the Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers in 42 countries via 1,049 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month.

There’s no better way to open your door to the world.

303 Westbourne Grove London, W11 2QA Tel: +44 (0)20 7221 1111 nottinghill@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

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25/10/2012 26/09/2012 11:40 14:47

HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES ITS CHRISTMAS DRAWING COMPETITION FOR LOCAL CHILDREN Hamptons International’s Kensington branch is launching a Christmas Drawing Competition aimed at children under the age of 11. The Decorate a Christmas Tree Drawing competition and Colour in the Christmas Tree competition is open to all children at Holland Park Pre-Prep and Nursery School. Nursery children are encouraged to participate in this festive competition by colouring in the Christmas tree whilst the older children can decorate the Christmas tree with beautifully crafted decorations. All competition entries will be prominently displayed in the local Hamptons International branch window for visitors to admire from 26 November to 5 December 2012.

The lucky winners of the competition will be announced on 6th December 2012, and will be awarded with a deluxe art kit, whilst £200 will be donated to the winning school and nursery. The winning entries will also be displayed in the Hamptons International branch window throughout the Christmas period.

For more information, please visit your local branch.

PROPERTY

Absolutely’s monthly overview of the market

NOTES

ARE OWNERS FINALLY GETTING REAL? There has been precious little good news for the property market in the last few years but, among the slew of year-end reports recording flat-lining sales and no recovery in sight, there is one piece of promising information.

Central London agent W A Ellis has reported that the number of sales in prime central London rose by almost 33 per cent between September and October of this year. And it cannot be a coincidence that homes with reduced asking prices increased by 31 per cent in the same period.

A case in point is Stella McCartney who is in the process of selling her Notting Hill townhouse for around £2.5m, having knocked £400,000 off the asking price.

In the run up to the recession, Londoners seemed to fall into a collective mind-set that their homes were, simply, a license to print money. Now – after five years of recession and austerity – we seem to be finally realising that is not the case and pricing (or repricing) accordingly.

This can only be positive news because, banking crisis notwithstanding, one of the key reasons the market has been so tough for so long has been an on-going Mexican standoff between buyers (desperate for a bargain) and sellers (living in the past). If these two groups are moving closer together then, fingers crossed, the only way is up.

Ruth Bloomfield

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Absolutely

THE

D&G diary

W

hat a year, it’s completely flown by and now we’re swiftly heading into December. It may seem as though D&G is just one big party… but we’re now entering into a month of festivities. Hopefully a lot of you will have heard about our charity day for Kid’s Co where we all have to dress up like smurfs in hoodies (I do not suit cobalt blue even if it is ‘in’ this season) and basically terrorise the neighbourhood foraging for food. It’s all for a fantastic cause and our immediate neighbours in Notting Hill will not be safe – please expect a visit.

We’re really excited to be launching a new property in Lansdowne Rise which I have been following (along with a lot of other people in Notting Hill/ Holland Park) for over a year. It’s an exciting derelict property in need of total renovation, currently having been boarded up to keep the numerous squatters out who more recently even hung their own curtains. Needless to say they were out before they got to the first floor windows.

So have a very Merry Christmas, a wonderful holiday and here’s to 2013.

Maddie Lewington, 020 7727 7777; dng.co.uk

JOHN D WOOD & CO. OPENS NEW OFFICE IN LADBROKE GROVE

John D Wood & Co. is pleased to announce the opening of its 16th London office in Ladbroke Grove, W11.

Located at 136a Lancaster Road, this is John D Wood & Co.’s sixth office in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, linking the company’s successful Kensington and Holland Park offices.

The office will sell and let properties in Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill and Kensal Rise and will be run by Rollo Miles, who moves from the Holland Park office. He says: ‘I am proud and privileged to be returning to my roots.

I grew up in Leamington Road Villas, W11 and more recently lived on St Marks Road, W10.’

To talk to Rollo Miles about selling or letting your property please contact the Ladbroke Grove office on 020 7229 2356 or email ladbrokegrove@ johndwood.co.uk

MARKET COMMENT: James Thornett, Lettings Regional Director at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward ‘Over the next few years we will see rents in the private sector rise, however the rate at which they rise and whether it will be at a faster rate than house prices is hard to predict. The restricted supply and increased demand already appears to be pushing prices higher and this seems unlikely to change any time soon. The rental sector is an extremely dynamic market which is largely unrestricted in terms of controls. Landlords do not need to register with any industry bodies and there are few systems in place which might otherwise rein in landlords from maximising rents, and in a marked contrast to many of our European neighbours and the US, we do not have any price regulation system. This seems unlikely to change, and as a result it seems likely that rents will increase year on year.’

W11

Henrietta Soames, Associate Director, Mountgrange Heritage MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IS...

The Shed. Without a doubt. It’s a fantastic family-run refreshing addition to the Notting Hill restaurants.

122 Palace Gardens Terrace W8

THE BEST KEPT SECRET IS...

The peace and quiet in gorgeous Clarendon and Lansdowne Gardens, wonderful spots to while away the hours.

THE FINEST PLACE FOR A COCKTAIL IS...

Crazy Homies – for the best pomegranate Margarita in town . Delicious Mexican street food, amazing décor inside, all at surprisingly reasonable prices.

125 Westbourne Park Rd W2

THE MOST STYLISH BOUTIQUE IS...

Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture stores .One of a kind, vintage gems, so beautifully selected and decorated.

202 Kensington Park Road W11

A LOST HOUR WOULD BE SPENT...

Flicking through old vinyl at Rough Trade (Talbot Road), and nipping next door to hunt out the gems at Pedlars while enjoying a delicious coffee and biscuit.

AN EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTY IS...

7 a Clarendon Road, £2250 per week

mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

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advertisement feature

Rollo Miles John D Wood & Co.

I

am thrilled that John D Wood & Co.’s Ladbroke Grove office at 136a Lancaster Road is now open. We have brought to the market an excellent variety of properties from a studio flat in Colville Gardens, a 2/3 bedroom maisonette on Portobello Road, two flats in the Trellick Tower and a 5 bedroom house on Chepstow Road. It is exciting opening a new branch for John D Wood & Co., an established name in the central London residential property market thanks to its 140 year history and large network of offices. Today the company has seventeen London offices, six country offices and numerous associated offices throughout the South of England.

We offer a wide range of property services including residential sales and lettings, property valuations, lease extensions, enfranchisement, agricultural sales and management.

John D Wood & Co. now has seven offices in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea which all work closely together.

The company’s first office in the Royal Borough opened in 1966 on Chelsea Green, this office quickly grew to become one of the areas most respected estate agencies, Central London Offices May - Nov 2012

20%

Cash Buyers

80%

Mortgage Buyers

something we are proud to be able to still say. Our new branch has opened to better serve the Ladbroke Grove/North Kensington/Portobello and St. Quintin areas.

The company’s ethos is to bring a fresh yet traditional approach to selling and letting property, a personal yet professional service, we do this by sticking to our core values to give you the right advice whether or not you decide to sell or let and to keep you informed

FULL PAGE.indd 2 Nov12.indd 1 Absolutely Notting Hill

with what is going on with the local property market.

The team are local, proactive, reliable, discreet, effective, experienced and have both a UK wide and international marketing reach. This means John D Wood & Co. have unique buyers on our books that other smaller local agents will not. In fact over the last six months approximately 60% of our buyers were international and 80% of them were cash buyers. We do not just want to sell your property but to also help you with your onward move. Whether it is to a different part of London or to Surrey, Oxford or Lymington, through our Association we can also introduce you to properties in other parts of South England and East Anglia.

As Christmas approaches many vendors want to take their homes off the market or wait to launch them in the New Year. Our advice, if you are thinking of selling in the New Year, is to start the sales process now. The Christmas break may be the only time of year that families get to spend time together without the distractions of work, and often discuss their futures plans. We are often surprised by how many people visit www.johndwood.co.uk on Christmas Day and when we return to work on 27th December our inbox’s will be full of new enquiries from potential buyers looking to purchase your property.

As part of our launch in Ladbroke Grove we are giving away some John D Wood & Co. branded umbrellas and Bags for Life, so if you fancy an early Christmas present, please call into the office at 136a Lancaster Road, London, W11 and request one.

PORTOBELLO ROAD, W11 FOR SALE A very well presented maisonette located on the iconic Portobello Road. Approx. 930 sq ft.

2/3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, study, 2 roof terraces.

Leasehold Guide Price £1,350,000

GOLBORNE ROAD, W10 FOR SALE A very impressive and quirky 1st floor 2 bedroom flat with a flexible layout and a great deal of chemistry. Not only is the location super cool but the whole feel of the apartment matches it surrounds. Approx 569 sq ft.

1/2 bedrooms, bathroom, 1/2 receptions, 2 terraces.

Leasehold Guide Price £525,000

www.johndwood.co.uk

27/11/2012 20/11/2012 16:20 16:34

NOW OPEN IN LADBROKE GROVE Sales & Lettings 020 7229 2356 ladbrokegrove@johndwood.co.uk johndwood.co.uk

BATTERSEA

PRIMROSE HILL

LADBROKE GROVE

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KENSINGTON

SOUTH KENSINGTON CHELSEA

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27/11/2012 20/11/2012 16:21 16:34

We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Wilfords London is an independent estate agency based in the heart of Kensington. We sell and rent London’s finest properties offering you a bespoke service and outstanding results

6 Holland Street W8 4LT I +44(0)20 7361 0400 I www.wilfords.com I info@wilfords.com

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Rede Place, W2

ÂŁ3.95m

2,445 Sq. Ft./ 227 Sq. M. | 3 Bedrooms | Freehold | City of Westminster An incredible contemporary house located close to Westbourne Grove. The property has been built to the most exacting standard throughout with every detail wonderfully designed.

Wilfords London, 6 Holland Street W8 4LT wilfords.com

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+44(0)20 7361 0400

28/11/2012 16:08

Kensington Place, W8

£999,950

705 Sq. Ft./ 65 Sq. M. | 2 Bedrooms | Freehold | Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea This charming artisans cottage has two bedrooms and a wonderful roof terrace and is located in the much sought after “Hillgate Village”.

Wilfords London, 6 Holland Street W8 4LT wilfords.com

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+44(0)20 7361 0400

28/11/2012 16:11

Linden Gardens, W2

ÂŁ690 per week

112 Sq. Ft./ 103.5 Sq. M. | 2 Bedrooms | Long Let | Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea A large, split level two bedroom apartment on a popular street in the heart of Notting Hill Gate.

Wilfords London, 6 Holland Street W8 4LT wilfords.com

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+44(0)20 7361 0400

28/11/2012 16:11

LANCASTER ROAD, W11

Superbly finished by De Rosee Sa Architects with over 1200sqft of utmost luxury, this stunning top floor maisonette offers generous proportions along with an immaculate finish throughout, from marble sinks to quality oak flooring. The property has two large double bedrooms and a gorgeous open-plan kitchen/ reception area and is situated in the heart of Notting Hill, only a short distance from the trendy bars and shops of the Portobello Road. £1,600,000, Share Of Freehold Through Winkworth, 020 7792 5000; winkworth.co.uk

LIVING THE

DREAM

Absolutely’s monthly overview of the market

WESTBOURNE TERRACE, W2

A stunning raised ground floor apartment in a mid-terrace, white stucco-fronted building. This contemporary apartment has been finished to an extremely high standard throughout. Accommodation comprises spacious entrance hallway with large double doors leading through to a reception room with fully integrated open plan kitchen/dining area, two double bedrooms, two bathrooms (both en-suite) and use of a communal roof terrace at the rear. There is also off-street parking to the front of the property (unallocated). It is superbly located for Paddington mainline and underground as well as the beautiful green spaces of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. £1,495,000 Leasehold Through Sinclairs; 020 7221 4935, bayswater@sinclairslondon.com

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ABSOLUTELY | PROPERT Y STANLEY GARDENS, W11

This exceptional raised-ground floor apartment is a rare find and has been meticulously thought-out and designed to offer great entertainment space as well as a comfortable home in an enviable location. The apartment benefits from huge ceiling height with a wealth of period features including bay windows, French doors and restored detailed cornicing. The building sits on the end of a white stucco terrace facing south-west and backing onto a mature communal garden.

The communal gardens of W11 are a sought-after commodity and this apartment not only has beautiful views into the garden but use of them as well.

Guide Price £2,250,000. Leasehold (Share of Freehold) Planning permission exists to create two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Through Hamptons Notting Hill, 020 7034 0404; hamptons.co.uk

DENBIGH CLOSE, W11

This stylishly refurbished mews house was recently sold and there are still a number of very active purchasers looking for similar properties. Demand for property in Holland Park, Notting Hill and Kensington remains very strong and Jackson-Stops and Staff are experiencing a real shortage of both quality houses and apartments in this part of London.

For a free no obligation market appraisal on your property for either sales or lettings please contact Jackson-Stops and Staff on 020 7727 5111 or 020 7727 5222.

CLEVELAND SQUARE, W2

Located on Cleveland Square, one of Bayswater’s most sought-after streets; this beautiful four bedroom apartment offers truly exceptional living. Arranged over three floors on the lower ground, ground and first floors and located in a Grade II listed stucco fronted building, it also offers access to beautifully manicured communal gardens. Finished to a very high standard, the property perfectly incorporates its original period features with a contemporary finish, offset with solid oak wood flooring, Lutron lighting, a home automation system and underfloor heating. An indoor swimming pool, media room and water feature complete the property. It is currently on the market for £4.5million.

Through Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward’s Bayswater branch, 020 7724 1222, www.kfh.co.uk

UP YOUR STREET

with Rollo Miles from John D Wood & Co. Portobello Road, W11

A very well presented 2/3 bedroom maisonette located on the iconic Portobello Road. The property benefits from its own off-street front door and is situated at the southern end of the road. The beautifully proportioned maisonette offers a well balanced living space with a large first floor reception room connecting to a rear kitchen/dining room leading out to a charming roof terrace. On the half-landing there is guest or second bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. There is also a second south-westerly roof terrace. The property is moments away from the fantastic array of bars and restaurants and antique shops that pepper this part of Notting Hill.

Guide Price: 1.35m (Leasehold 114 year approx) Through John D Wood & Co. 020 7229 2356, johndwood.co.uk

PALACE GARDENS MEWS, W8

This large and stylish one bedroom apartment is located in one of London’s most exclusive, private mews with 24-hour gated security. Having undergone a recent refurbishment, the property has an incredibly bright reception area with high loft-style ceilings and benefits from having its own front door. Fashionable Notting Hill Gate is close by while Hyde Park is just a short stroll away. £750 per week Through Wilfords, 020 7361 0400, wilfords.com

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Chelsea 020 7589 6677

Kensington 020 7795 4288

Notting Hill 020 7221 4805

Ladbroke Grove 020 7221 0330

Brook Green 020 7603 5181

Refreshingly different estate agents | bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

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We believe in the survival of the fittest And that’s why we’re still here successfully selling and renting property in Notting Hill and have been since 1881.

A company does not reach 131 years old without keeping in shape, constantly innovating and seeing off the competition.

Bob Crowley is typical of our evolved species. He has mutated many times into the perfect estate agent.

No fun at a dinner party but great to sell your home; that’s what he’s made to do.

“Clients like my understated confidence and ability to deliver outstanding results. It may be why so many of our clients – 97% in fact are happy to recommend us.”

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27/11/2012 19/11/2012 15:55 12:39

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

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.

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

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Period Grandeur

Sutherland Place Notting Hill W2 A beautifully presented period house in the ever popular Artesian Village area of Notting Hill. As one of the largest family houses in the Artesian area this stunning property boasts spacious accommodation throughout with highlights including a 34ft+ kitchen/dining room, a magnificent first floor drawing room and an indulgent second floor master suite.

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en suite), cloakroom, drawing room, family room, kitchen, dining room, study/bedroom, utility room, wine cellar, balcony, front and rear gardens.

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Freehold ÂŁ4,500,000 Notting Hill office bc@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 4805

27/11/2012 19/11/2012 15:56 13:00

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

Chepstow Place Notting Hill W2 An impressive three bedroom duplex apartment (162 sq m/1,750 sq ft approx.) occupying a prime Notting Hill position. This beautiful property boasts a south/westerly aspect on the corner of Chepstow Place and Dawson Place. The large interconnecting kitchen/ dining room flows into a magnificent drawing room with many period features including high ceilings, traditional shutters and a glorious fireplace. 3 bedrooms, en suite shower room, bathroom, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, study, utility room, patio.

Leasehold ÂŁ2,450,000 Notting Hill office bc@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 4805 JSA Knight Frank 020 7229 0229

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Victorian Elegance

St Charles Square North Kensington W10 A beautifully presented period house (317 sq m/3,412 sq ft approx.) in the ever popular Artesian Village area of Notting Hill. This stunning property boasts spacious accommodation throughout with highlights including a raised ground floor kitchen/dining room, a magnificent first floor drawing room, and an indulgent second floor master suite. 4/5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en suite), cloakroom, drawing room, family room, kitchen/breakfast room, dining room, study/double bedroom, utility room, wine cellar, balcony, front and rear gardens.

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Freehold ÂŁ3,650,000 Ladbroke Grove office mm@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 0330

27/11/2012 19/11/2012 15:57 13:05

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

Park Views

Harvist Road Queens Park NW6 A striking three storey Victorian town house (281 sq m/3,025 sq ft approx.) beautifully presented in a contemporary style, directly overlooking Queen’s Park. The house has recently undergone a complete refurbishment and extended into attic to create this spectacular family home over looking Queen’s Park in all its splendor. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite), cloakroom, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, office, utility room, store, terrace, patio, garden.

Freehold £2,750,000 Ladbroke Grove office mm@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 0330

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Manor House

Brondesbury Park Queens Park NW6 A stunning family house (429 sq m/4,618) on arguably one of the finest streets in both Queens Park and Brondesbury. The property has been comprehensively refurbished and provides flexible accommodation with outstanding bedrooms but also lavish entertaining spaces. 6 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms (5 en suite), cloakroom, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, utility room, hall, garage, patio, garden, off street parking.

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Freehold ÂŁ3,695,000 Ladbroke Grove office mm@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 0330

27/11/2012 19/11/2012 15:58 13:09

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

Corner Perfection

Artesian Road Notting Hill W2 A beautifully remodelled house which has a period feel with many contemporary touches. The property benefits from fantastic reception space, ideal for family life and entertaining and boasts good natural light. 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen/dining room, garden, off street gated parking.

Family Living

Wallingford Avenue Notting Hill W2 A unique opportunity to let this beautifully presented family house. The property boasts fantastic entertaining space which leads onto a pretty west facing garden and well proportioned bedrooms throughout. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), double reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, cloakroom, utility room, garden.

Unfurnished ÂŁ2,250 per week Notting Hill office kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388

Unfurnished ÂŁ1,925 per week Notting Hill office kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388

Refreshingly different estate agents

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Penthouse Perfection

Cornwall Crescent Notting Hill W11 A stunning penthouse apartment on the upper floors of this well-maintained building.

The property benefits from wood flooring throughout, a stylish decor, dual aspect windows letting in lots of natural light and a feature fireplace in the reception room. 3 bedrooms, shower room, 2 en suite bathrooms, reception room, kitchen.

Contemporary Living

Pembridge Crescent Notting Hill W11 A beautifully presented raised ground floor flat with double height ceilings and period features. The property has been extensively refurbished throughout with special attention to detail and boasts wood flooring throughout and an integrated SONOS system.

2 bedrooms, shower room, en suite bathroom, reception room, kitchen.

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Unfurnished ÂŁ1,800 per week Notting Hill office kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388

Furnished/Unfurnished ÂŁ1,150 per week Notting Hill office kf@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk 020 7221 5388

27/11/2012 19/11/2012 15:59 13:17

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LUXURIOUS LETTINGS Northumberland Place, W2

T

his beautifully presented family house has excellent entertaining space. It has been refurbished while maintaining its period character and offers wellproportioned rooms throughout.

Northumberland Place is a picturesque road in the popular Artesian Village, within close proximity to the boutique cafes

and shops on Ledbury Road and Westbourne Grove. Notting Hill Gate Underground Station is within walking distance on the Central, District and Circle lines.

Accommodation comprises three bedrooms,two bathrooms (one en-suite), shower room, reception room, kitchen/dining room, playroom, study, cloakroom, utility room, garden. ÂŁ1850 pw, unfurnished Bective Leslie Marsh, 020 7221 5388 205 Westbourne Grove, W11 bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY | PROPERT Y

MOVING IN Local agents recommend their favourite local haunts and the best places to...

...take time out

119 Portland Road W11 020 7078 1944 Cowshed is a favourite with the ladies here at Strutt and Parker and is the ultimate indulgent urban retreat. You can unwind from the day’s stresses with their range of treatments.

They also ensure pure indulgence with a touch of naughtiness. Before, during or after your treatment you can enjoy a cold crisp glass of wine or detoxing green tea with a delicious bite to eat.

Or so I’m told…

Miles Meacock, Strutt & Parker, 020 7221 1111 miles.meacock@struttandparker.com

...fact

Things could look somewhat different now in W11 if John Whyte’s Hippodrome Racecourse (1838-1842) had not, to its eventual demise, been built on clay, with the steeplechase running along Portland Road.

Instead of grand houses along Lansdowne Crescent we would perhaps be selling penthouse apartments overlooking ‘the finest race-course’ (Sporting Magazine, 1838).

Richard King, Beaney Pearce 020 7221 9044 rking@beaneypearce.co.uk

...interior inspiration

...for the kids

57 Ledbury Road W11 I love the eclectic mix of furniture at Hodsoll on Ledbury Road – it is a treasure-trove of wonderful finds and they are currently occupying a whole house on Penbroke Gardens for their showroom. It’s certainly the best place to visit if you are looking for inspiration for your own home.

Keith Rigby, Bective Leslie Marsh 020 7221 4805, keith.rigby@bectivelesliemarsh.co.uk

1 Crowthorne Road W10 020 8969 0992 When I’m minding my godsons, the Westway Sports Centre is a great place for two very active boys to burn off excess energy.

With a list of activities that rage from indoor climbing to swimming and horse riding, it really is a must-visit destination to ensure a quiet evening.

Nigel Hargreaves, Homesite 020 7243 3535 nhargreaves@homesite.co.uk

...local street

...hang out

Portobello Road on a Saturday is great – the fresh produce, antiques market and quirky independent shops ensure the area has its own vibe which is completely different from anywhere else in London. I fi nd an entire Saturday can pass in a flash down here as you meander from stall to shop, having breakfast at Charlie’s Cafe, visiting the Hummingbird Bakery for a cupcake and looking for amazing fi nds.

Paul Hyman, Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, 020 3280 3504, phyman@kfh.co.uk

202 Westbourne Grove W11 020 7727 2722 My favourite café has to be 202, whether it’s brunch, lunch or supper with friends, it’s the perfect place to grab a bite and with heaters and blankets outside, you can still enjoy a spot of people-watching at this time of year. You can’t book, so my tip for lunch is to get there at 12.30pm before the queues start and my recommendation would be their delicious goats cheese and prosciutto salad.

Liza-Jane Kelly, Marsh & Parsons 020 8846 3497, ljkelly@marshandparsons.co.uk

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"He who has know ledge without imagination has feet but no wings".

Stanley Goldstein

LANDSDOWNE ROAD ÂŁ4.25M (1674sq.ft)

S

D L O

curtis sloane Holland Park’s finest properties

...Turning local knowledge into magic for letting or selling your property T: 020 7221 7755 E: info@curtis-sloane.co.uk

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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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Leinster Mews,W2 £725 per week Lovely mews house with bags of character just moments from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and garage. Furnished/Unfurnished.

020 7221 2277 nick @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Porchester Terrace,W2 £8,000 per week Stunning contemporary house offering generous living accommodation and excellent entertaining space.Three reception rooms, kitchen, seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, indoor swimming pool, garden and off-street parking. Unfurnished.

020 7221 2277 rosie @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Pembroke Walk, W8 £695 per week A light and spacious house in a quiet and discreet setting, close to Holland Park and High Street Kensington. Reception room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and private patio. Furnished. Sole Agents

020 7937 9976 mollie @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Celbridge Mews, W2 £675 per week

Clarendon Road,W11 £2,250 per week

Fabulous house with loft-style reception room in a cobbled mews 30 seconds from Royal Oak tube station and close to Paddington Station. Reception room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Furnished.

A state of the art house with amazing contemporary accommodation in an ideal location for Holland Park and Notting Hill. Drawing room, kitchen-dining room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, garden and garage. Furnished/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 landlords and here are just some of the properties we have available to rent in the area. 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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St Mark’s Place, W11 £1,325,000 Leasehold A beautiful upper maisonette with entrance at first floor level located on a quiet street in Notting Hill close to Westbourne Grove and Portobello Road. Reception room, kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom, guest cloakroom and private roof terrace. Sole Agents

020 7221 2277 holly@ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

St Helen’s Gardens, W10 £845,000 Leasehold

Campden Street, W8 £2,150,000 Freehold

Spacious first floor flat with a private entrance and a large loft room which could be converted to create a further bedroom (subject to the necessary consents). Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a semi-converted loft room. Sole Agents

Charming south-facing period townhouse located on the outskirts of the immensely popular Hillgate Village within easy reach of Kensington High Street, Holland Park and Notting Hill. Reception room, kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and courtyard garden. Sole Agents

020 8960 0181 will @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7221 2277 michael @ 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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Wynnstay Gardens, W8 £3,395,000 Share of Freehold Charming third floor apartment (with lift) benefiting from high ceilings and pretty views. Wynnstay Gardens is a beautiful, portered mansion block perfectly positioned for all the amenities on Kensington High Street. Reception room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, four bedrooms, two bathrooms and guest cloakroom. Sole Agents

020 7937 9976 julia@ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

Lower Sloane Street, S W1 £1,349,950 Leasehold

Stratford Road,W8 £1,349,950 Share of Freehold

A truly sophisticated flat which benefits from its own private entrance and a pretty south-west facing patio garden with a spiral staircase providing direct access to communal gardens. Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and patio garden. Joint Sole Agents

A charming and bright second and third floor maisonette situated on one of the most popular streets in W8. Rooms of generous proportion, beautiful original wooden flooring and glorious views over Kensington.

Reception room, kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and terrace.

020 7937 9976 tom @ mountgrangeheritage.co.uk

020 7937 9976 chloe @ 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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Holland Park Office: 020 7727 5111 holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

Lettings: 020 7727 5222

Sterndale Road W14

jackson-stops.co.uk/London

ÂŁ2,950,000 Freehold

A beautifully presented end of terrace family house which has been completely rebuilt behind the original facade and finished to an exceptional specification. The light filled property offers a mix of period appeal with the finest 21st century interior design and technology. Situated moments from Brook Green and within easy reach of Holland Park, Kensington High Street and Westfield London.

2700 sq ft, open plan living/dining room, media/family room, study, kitchen, utility room, master bedroom suite, four further bedrooms & bath/shower rooms, garden.

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

Fast find AB49900

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

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Princedale Road W11

ÂŁ750 per week Unfurnished

A well presented maisonette situated on this popular W11 road conveniently located for the tube and all the Holland Park amenities. The accommodation consists of a wonderful open plan living and kitchen space with period features on the raised ground floor, the lower ground floor provides a large master bedroom with built in storage, bathroom and second double bedroom with access to a pretty westerly facing patio garden. A truly delightful property.

Holland Park Office: 020 7727 5222 holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

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Fast find AB49775

28/11/2012 12:08

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

ÂŁ6,950,000 Freehold Campden Hill Gardens, W8 A substantial double fronted period house with excellent accommodation arranged over five floors. The property enjoys magnificent high ceilings giving a spacious and light feel with superb reception space throughout.

5 bedrooms, En-suite shower room, En-suite bathroom, 2 dressing rooms, 2 reception rooms, Kitchen, Dining room, Play room, Wet room, Sauna, Gymnasium, Cloakroom, Terrace, Patio, Storage area.

Kensington Sales 020 7792 1881 kensales@dng.co.uk

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douglasandgordon.com

ÂŁ2,550,000 Freehold Dukes Lane, W8 A fabulous individual townhouse situated in this quiet lane off Kensington Church Street. This interior designed home has been cleverly planned with an excellent use of space having been used.

2 double bedrooms, En-suite shower room, En-suite bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen/dining room, Dressing room, Cloakroom, Garage/study, Garden.

Kensington Sales 020 7792 1881 kensales@dng.co.uk

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Drawing room The extraordinary D&G website makes searching for property simplicity itself with our interactive map. Simply plot around your favoured streets for tailored, refined results. As easy as doodling, but much more productive.

ÂŁ1,850,000 Share of Freehold Phillimore Place,W8

A second floor apartment in this prestigious road in Kensington.

ÂŁ875,000 Share of Freehold Colville Gardens, W11

A superb first floor period apartment with high ceilings and original sash windows.

DOUGLAS SALES.NH-DEC.indd 4

Kensington Sales 020 7792 1881 kensales@dng.co.uk

Two double bedroom, En-suite shower room, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen.

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

Double bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen.

15/11/2012 16:04

douglasandgordon.com

ÂŁ825,000 Share of Freehold Gloucester Terrace W2

A beautiful apartment with magnificent reception room and high ceilings throughout.

ÂŁ649,950 Leasehold Linden Gardens W2

A charming top floor apartment in this quiet enclave in Linden Gardens.

DOUGLAS SALES.NH-DEC.indd 5

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

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Cloakroom, Balcony.

Kensington Sales 020 7792 1881 kensales@dng.co.uk

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen/breakfast room.

15/11/2012 16:06

Relax with the chill issue The Autumn issue of bridge magazine, featuring our cover star Lana del Rey is dropping through your letterbox, or available at your local D&G office now.

ÂŁ1,250 per week Unfurnished Peel Street W8

Kensington Lettings 020 7792 1331 A fabulous terraced house located on this prime residential street just off Kensington Church Street. kenlets@dng.co.uk

ÂŁ1,250 per week Furnished Stanhope Terrace W2

A truly impressive first floor flat in this period conversion with wonderful high ceilings.

DOUGLAS LETTINGS.NH-DEC.indd 2

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Double reception room, Kitchen, Patio, Roof terrace.

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7727 8000 nhlets@dng.co.uk

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Shower room, Large reception room, Open-plan kitchen, Balcony.

15/11/2012 17:00

douglasandgordon.com

£825 per week Furnished/ Unfurnished Leamington Road Villas W11

An amazing, beautifully presented top floor maisonette with a loft style interior.

£525 per week Unfurnished Westbourne Park Road W11

A charming first floor flat presented in excellent condition with wooden floors throughout.

DOUGLAS LETTINGS.NH-DEC.indd 3

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7727 8000 nhlets@dng.co.uk

2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Double reception room, Kitchen, Roof terrace.

Notting Hill Lettings 020 7727 8000 nhlets@dng.co.uk

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen.

15/11/2012 17:00

William Hodge DJ and Property Manager Always in the mix but never in a muddle, Will is always on song. Our people are what make us great and William takes some beating.

douglasandgordon.com Extraordinary people

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NU - LINE

BATHROOMS .COM

Nu-Line Bathroom Showroom at: Unit 12-14 Malton Road London W10 5UP

T: 020 8206 5177 F: 020 8206 5188 E: sales@nulinebathrooms.com www.nulinebathrooms.com

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