NORTH BY NORTHWEST JANUARY 2016

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

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GREY AREA

THE MUTED SHADE'S ENDURING APPEAL

AN EDIBLE ODYSSEY

BOMPAS AND PARR'S MUSEUM OF FOOD

KAFFEE KULTUR

THE IMPRESSIVE NEW GERMAN GYMNASIUM

CHILL FACTOR A FRESH START FOR 2016

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contents Januar y 2016

60 16

c u lt u r e

WHAT’S ON

32 32 NEW YEAR, NEW GEAR Revamp your wardrobe this January

Diary dates for Januaryr

20 FOOD FOR THOUGHT

We talk to food revolutionaries Bompas and Parr about their new museum

fa s h i o n

24 FASHION CONFIDENTIAL Stylish news for the new year

26 GREY EXPECTATIONS

We embrace the dismal month of January with a grey palette

H E A LT H & B E AU T Y

38 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL The best beauty buys and latest products

41

LA VIE EN ROSE

We swipe pink to brighten things up

42 FITNESS CONFIDENTIAL The latest gear, apps and online classes

Food & Drink

46 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

Tasty happenings from the local area, hot product discoveries, and wine pairings by Jane Parkinson

49 RESTAURANT REVIEWS We head to two new openings; German Gymnasium and La Cabina

kids

53 SMALL TALK COVERS

AV E N U E 3 2 a v e n u e 3 2 .c o m P h o t o g r a p h y Pa u F a s h i o n S t y l i s t R o m i l ly M a s o n

Traditional style, modern apps and products for children and mama

53 TUTOR TRAIL

Amanda Constance finds out what you need to know when looking for a good tutor

11 C&A_Jan16_Contents.indd 11

45 t r av e l

60 VILLAGE PEOPLE

Pendle Harte discovers family destination, Forte Village in Sardinia

interiors

66 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

Minimalistic furniture and design pieces for a clean slate in 2016

69 ALL CHANGE

Jessica Klingelfuss’ latest list of interior products

property

78 PROPERTY NEWS

News and views on the local area

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 14:32

LONDON

SALE

UP TO 40% OFF +44 (0) 333 011 3333

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PENDLE HARTE MANAGING EDITOR CATHERINE HALES SENIOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ELIZABETH HUTTON CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR CHARLOTTE ADSETT CONTRIBUTING INTERIORS EDITOR JESSICA KLINGELFUSS MEN’S EDITOR TEO VAN DEN BROEKE WINE COLUMNIST JANE PARKINSON KID’S EDITOR HELEN BARON EDITORIAL INTERNS CHARLOTTE GOLZARI GROUP COMMERCIAL MANAGER JAMES FUSCHILLO MAJOR ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR TAMSIN LUCK PROPERTY DIRECTOR ANDY ELMER PROPERTY EDITOR ELYSIA AGNEW ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE SENIOR DESIGNER PHIL COUZENS MID-WEIGHT DESIGNERS GEMMA ISTEED, EKREM YILMAZ JUNIOR DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE FINANCIAL CONTROLLER AYSHA HABIBI CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID PA TO THE DIRECTORS MARIANNE MCFADDEN DIRECTORS ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT For editorial enquiries please email: catherine@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing marianne@zest-media.com You can receive an online subscription for FREE or a postal subscriptions for 12 months, £30 respectively (to cover postage and packaging). Please email us with your preferred option and details.

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First Floor, 197 City Road, Old Street, London EC1 1JN T: 020 7704 0588 F: 020 7900 3020 WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors.

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Fo l l ow Us O n T wi t t e r @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS Fa c e b o o k ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’

EDITOR’S letter

J

anuary is traditionally seen as a fresh start.

A time to transform, suddenly start running two miles every morning before work and to finally give up chocolate. In my personal experience, this never happens. So, my resolutions for 2016 are a little more realistic; not to entirely change who I am but instead to make small improvements here and there and mostly, to remember to enjoy myself.

In that vein, we have an issue packed with ideas for excursions in the new year to pique interests and widen cultural horizons. In addition to our diary pages, we have taken a tour of the British Museum of Food on page 18, the latest grand experiment of notorious culinary innovators Bompas and Parr. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to be chewed, swallowed and

13 C&A_JAN15_EDS_LETTER.indd 13

digested, then this is the exhibition for you.

For those who feel the need to kickstart their metabolism after the gluttony of Christmas, both our fashion and our fitness pages offer some inspiration, with workout gear that’ll look good even if you decide to wear it on the sofa.

All this, along with our usual brilliant education content from Amanda Constance on page 54, fashion from Charlotte Adsett on page 32, news, reviews and interviews as well as our outstanding property section starting on page 71.

Enjoy the issue! u

Catherine Hales Editor

JANUARY 2015

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

p. 18

'AMALUNA' CIRQUE DU SOLEIL; CIRQUEDUSOLEIL.COM

> WHAT’S ON: EVENTS FOR JANUARY

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:01

© OLIVER SEARS GALLERY

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LONDON ART FAIR

© DAVID HURN/ MAGNUM PHOTOS

2 0 - 24 Ja n u a r y B u s i ness D es i g n C e ntre he 28th edition of the London Art fair T will bring together some of the best museum quality art. All available for sale, established companies will be showcasing the work of well-known artists while two new sections (curated by Photo 50 and Art Projects) will focus on younger, more contemporary work. u 52 Upper Street, N1; londonartfair.co.uk

LONDON WINTER RUN

3 1 Ja n u a r y C e ntra l L o ndo n un off those pigs in blankets and R conquer the cold with Cancer Research UK’s 10k run. Starting at Trafalgar Square, you’ll make your way through fake snow as you pass St Pauls before finishing up with a polar bear hug at Whitehall. u winterrunseries.co.uk

The 1960s Photograhed by David Hurn Un til 3 1 Jan uar y Ma gnum Print Room

During the 1960s, David Hurn photographed everyone from Jane Fonda to Sean Connery. This exhibition is the first to focus on his work during this particular decade and showcases everything from his iconic celebrity portraits to scenes of pivotal historical moments such as Winston Churchill’s funeral. This is an unmissable photography show for those who long to return to the swining sixties.

63 Gee Street, EC1V magnumphotos.com

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ZEALOUS X

7-17 Ja n u a r y Ri c h M i x elebrating true creativity, this festival C will showcase the most foward-thinking pieces of art, photography, music, performance, film and interactive gaming. With a rich programme of industry talks and workshops this is the place for all emerging artists. u 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1; x.zealous.co

16 11/12/2015 12:13

ARTS & CULTURE / WHAT’S ON

MIME LONDON

© THE WRONG CROWD

Fro m 9 Ja n u a r y Ac ro ss L o ndo n ringing together some of the world’s best visual B performers, this annual festival consistently delights audiences with cutting edge circus-theatre, animation and puppetry. With 18 companies coming from nine different countries, this year’s line-up is set to be the most eclectic and exciting we’ve seen. Be sure to attend at least one show. u mimelondon.com

© CHRIS MANN

must see

New Year’s Day Parade

MR WONDERFUL

18 Jan uar y S adle r’ s Well s ohn Ollivier was a young J dancer with a stupendous ability. Killed as he rode his motorbike in Clerkewell – just hours before the final performace of The Car Man at Sadler’s Wells – the theatre are celebrating his life and rare talent with an evening of dance. The programme will include extracts from Swan Lake, Mr Wonderful and previously unseen footage in celebration of his legacy. u Rosebery Avenue, EC1R; sadlerswells.com

1 Ja n uar y Ac ro ss L o n d o n

One of the world’s greatest parades, don’t miss out and remember to get involved New Year’s Day. With over 10,000 performers taking to the streets, this is one of the most colourful and entertaining ways to usher in 2016.

Piccadilly to Parliment Square; lnydp.com

SHOW OF THE MONTH

UNTIL THE LIONS 9-24 January The Roundhouse

his is the highly anticipated production from multi award-winning choreographer and dancer Akram Khan MBE. Praised for his work on the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, Khan in not only talented but incredibly influential. For this - his first full length production at The Roundhouse – he has

© JEAN LOUIS

T

17 C&A_Jan16_Whats_On.indd 17

been inspired by the epic tale of Mahabharata and explores gender, sexuality and time’s effect on the body through classical Indian kathak and contemporary dance. An incredibly powerful creation. u u Chalk Farm Road, NW1; roundhouse.org.uk

JANUARY 2015

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FOOD for Thought

Bompas & Parr have opened the British Museum of Food in Borough Market and there’s quite a bit to digest W o r d s c at h e r i n e h a l e s

T

he British Museum of Food sounds like something that already exists. On first hearing about it, I had to double check that it wasn’t in fact one of the innumerable London institutions I had been dragged around on school trips as a child. And that is sort of the point. Why isn’t there a British Museum of Food?

Sam Bompas and Harry Parr are the people asking this question, having set up a pop-up version of what they hope to turn into a permanent fixture, next to Borough Market. The pair first achieved a degree of notoriety in the food world by creating ingenious and gravity defying jellies including luminous, neon confections and an entire jelly-scape capturing the London skyline in wobbly technicolour. They have since expanded their empire (not in jelly, you’ll be relieved to hear) with projects that range from sending coffee into space to filling a room full of a breathable cocktail cloud. Having seen their latest venture listed on every culture site as a must-visit this winter, I decided to see for myself just what the British Museum of Food was all about.

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The British Museum of Food in Borough Market

SUFFICE IT to say, I HAD A NEWFOUND appreciation FOR WHAT MY food goes

through

Located next door to their other ongoing project (Alcoholic Architecture, the aforementioned cocktail cloud), the museum looks more like a smart Southwark townhouse than your average museum. I am greeted at the entrance

and ushered into the first room which is dominated by a large screen and two slightly sinister-looking chairs. This section of the exhibition is called Be the Bolus: The Peristaltic Experience and its blurb begins, ‘Ever wondered what happens to the food you chew?’ As I slip off my shoes, slide my feet and arms into the plush leather recesses of the chair, I feel like I’m about to find out. What follows is a video and a sensation that needs to be experienced to be believed; suffice it to say that by the end I had a newfound appreciation for what my food goes through.

Next up is Choco-Phonica, which is all about how sounds affect the way we taste.

Visitors become part of the experiment as they record the relative bitterness and sweetness of the chocolate in each booth before submitting their answers.

Munching away and feeling like a bona fide scientist, I walk up the stairs through the Atelier of Flavour, a gallery of art and photography centred around the theme of food and the tradition of the Full English Breakfast. The pièce de résistance, however, is at the top.

For The Butterfly Effect, Bompas & Parr have actually set up a fully functioning

18 11/12/2015 10:49

ARTS & CULTURE / SPOTLIGHT Sam Bompas and Harry Parr

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:50

XXXXXX ARTS & CULTURE / XXXXXXX/ SPOTLIGHT WE’RE JUST ABOUT to start YOGA WITH THE butterflies which will BE A unique EXPERIENCE hot-house filled with butterflies. But what has this to do with food? Heralded as the ‘unsung heroes of pollination’, the UK Government has recently placed a particular emphasis on the importance of these beautiful winged creatures in global food security; The Butterfly Effect serves to draw attention to this.

As I walk through the humid, rose-hued room, butterflies flit through the air and perch on leaves. Particularly fascinating is the box filled with hanging chrysalises, some yielding butterflies as I watch. The tour ends with The British Menu Archive, an exhibit that gives a glimpse into the food served not only throughout the ages but in a myriad of different places.

Entertaining and informative, I can only hope that this brilliant enterprise becomes a permanent addition to London’s cultural landscape. ◆

The Butterfly Effect

Five minutes with

SAM BOMPAS o f B o m p a s & Pa r r

CATHERINE HALES: What initially inspired to you to open the British Museum of Food?

SAM BOMPAS: It’s something that has been percolating in the studio’s consciousness for quite a long time now. I think food has become such a central part of the way people present themselves and the way they define their identity – it almost seems absurd that the British Museum of Food hasn’t existed before. After all, how many people spend their waking hours at work thinking about what they’re going to cook when they get home? What restaurants and bars they’re going to go to? It was just a matter of time and honestly it’s been a race against time; if we didn’t do it, someone else would.

CH: If it were a permanent feature, where would your ideal location be?

SB: I would say Southwark – I was born there and it’s where I’ve always lived. Having it in Borough Market is absolutely ideal, as the market itself is over a thousand years old. It has a real resonance there.

The British Menu Archive

l 1 Cathedral Street, SE1; bmof.org

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CH: The butterfly house is amazing, what was involved in setting that up?

SB: I guess the first thing is the intention: how do you make rather abstract but very important subjects interesting to people? I think the best way is something intriguing and entertaining that makes them curious. We wanted to make the important, not very sexy, subject of global food security a bit more accessible and relevant to people. Our way into doing that was butterflies.

CH: What has the response been like since you’ve been there?

SB: Well, people absolutely love it.

We’re just about to start yoga with the butterflies which will be a unique experience – thinking about global food security as you’re stretching. Yes, it’s been utterly delightful. I have friends with kids who asre still talking about it after visiting.

CH: Did they love the chairs that chew and digest you as you sit?

SB: Yes; it’s fun, it’s playful but it’s also educational. The way that we approach eveything at Bompas and Parr is: serious research goes into a project but then, ultimately, it’s very easy to enjoy it for what it is. Then, hopefully, you’re intrigued and inspired to learn more.

CH: You’re known for pushing the boundaries of food and drink; what has been your most ambitious project?

SB: Oh, gosh – whatever’s most recent!

Anything from flooding Selfridges with 60 tonnes of liquid (which was definitely enough to make the building collapse if we hadn’t done the right engineering calculations), to cooking with lava, to making a chocolate climbing wall that Peter Andre used to conquer his fear of heights.

CH: What have you got planned next?

SB: All the programming for the British Museum of Food and for Alcoholic Architecture. Unlike most of our projects, it is a long term thing so we can have lots of events that happen there, as well.

For instance, we’re just about to launch our New Year’s Eve plans for Alcoholic Architecture which will involve a medieval foam party. We’ve got a wet room in there so we can use mandrake-infused foam. It will be outrageous, hallucinogenic and we can party like it’s 1399. ◆

20 11/12/2015 10:50

Kitchen dreams are coming true...

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

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JIMMY CHOO, NEW BOND STREET TOWNHOUSE, 27 NEW BOND STREET, W1S

> FASHION CONFIDENTIAL

p. 24

GREY EXPECTATIONS

p. 26

TRENDS: WORK IT OUT

p. 32

SNOW BUSINESS Jimmy Choo's 'Moonlight' Cruise collection has just launched for the winter holiday season and features mirrored paillettes and luxe embellishments such as crystals and feathers. jimmychoo.com

23 JAN16_Fashion_Opener.indd 23

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 11:03

st y l e C e n t r a l

Tuxedos, statement sleeves and berets are top of our shopping list this month Wo r d s c h a r l o t t e a d s e t t

THOMAS TAIT Wo r d s S T E P H A N I E K I N G

C

anadian by birth, British by choice, designer Thomas Tait recently scooped up 2015's British Fashion Awards Emerging Womenswear Designer for his conceptual ready-to-wear garments. Now 28 years old, the Montreal transplant remains the youngest ever designer to graduate from Central Saint Martins’ prestigious MA Fashion course aged 22. For his final university collection (SS11), he was awarded the 2010 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize and has since established himself as one of the Noughties’ most innovative creative talents. Tait’s avantgarde pieces earned him 2014's LVMH Young Designer Prize, where he put these winnings to good use in his latest London Fashion Week efforts: The evocative, suspiria inspired AW15 collection was right out of a Dario Argento “disco-horror” film, and his debut SS16 line for Swarovski Collective presented neomod, Courrèges-like looks. Its solar system theme, unusually placed circular cut-outs and grommet ‘cages’ were further examples of Tait’s elegant integration of unexpected materials. With his signature curvilinear aesthetic, London’s irreverent style could not be a better place for Tait to foster his experimental tailoring. Thankfully we only have to wait a few more weeks to see what he does next. ◆

● T H O M A S TA I T thomastait.com

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Tuxedo Chic Racil

Le Smoking, the iconic tuxedo suit created by Yves Saint Laurent in 1966 remains a groundbreaking classic due to its masculine silhouette. Emerging designer Racil’s debut collection has reinterpreted the trouser suit with luxurious silks from Saville Row and Swarovski stones. Already a hit with the fashion pack, Racil is fast becoming the go-to tailoring label.

Available from avenue32.com & farfetch.com

24 11/12/2015 11:00

FASHION / NOTES

8 OH, LA LA

of the best

Gucci

The French beret hat is the ‘It’ accessory that was all over the catwalks. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele styled her ‘Geek Chic’ beret wearing girls with pussybow blouses and clashing prints.

Knitted cotton beret £205; mytheresa.com

WINTER WARMERS Wrap up with faux fur and cashmere knits

02

01

editor’s

PICK

OVER THE RAINBOW Anya Hindmarch

If London’s grey skies are getting you down, then the ‘Bathhurst Rainbow’ bag by Anya Hindmarch is sure to cheer you up. Part of the 70’s inspired Resort 2016 collection, the rainbow is a key motif that runs throughout the line to represent ‘carefree happiness’.

‘Bathhurst Rainbow’ calf leather bag £1,295; anyahindmarch.com

04 03

STATEMENT SLEEVES Ellery

Australian label of the moment Ellery is best known for its statement sleeves – be it wide bell shape or ruffles. The current collection was based on David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust era, apparent in the avantgarde silhouette of the ‘Dolores’ top. £442; matchesfashion.com

06

05

08

MODERN MILITARY

07

Burberry

The coat trend that never quite goes away, the Military look is back at the top of the hot list this season. This mid length cashmere Officer’s style ticks all the trend boxes and is sure to be a classic staple for years to come.

Cashmere blend ‘Officer’ coat £2,695 burberry.com

25 CH_NOV15_Fashion_Confidential.indd 25

01. INVERNI Cashmere bobble hat, £195; avenue32.com 02. CHARLOTTE SIMONE Lambswool 'Candy floss' wrap £350; charlottesimone.com 03. STELLA MCCARTNEY Faux fur mini 'Falabella' bag £660; mytheresa.com 04. CHINTI AND PARKER Cashmere 'Star' sweater £375; chintiandparker.com 05. JIMMY CHOO Metallic leather 'Haze' boots £695; mytheresa.com 06. GRACE & OLIVER Boucle wool 'Florence' coat £600; graceandoliver.london 07. JOHNSTONS OF ELGIN Cashmere reversible cape £895; johnstonscashmere.com 08. ME + EM Merino cashmere jumper £148; meandem.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 11:01

GREY

EXPECTATIONS From soft dove to graphic granite, grey is the new neutral P h o t o g r a p h y Pa u F a s h i o n S t y l i s t R o m i l ly M a s o n

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11/12/2015 11:18

ISABEL MARANT ÉTOILE Anthracite Linen Trench Coat £475 PHILLIP LIM Fringed Wool Sleeveless Top £355 PHILLIP LIM Fringed Wool Wrap Trousers £455 All available at avenue32.com

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:OSMAN Jacquard Midi Skirt £725 CARVEN Wool Double Breasted Coat £690 PHILLIP LIM Alpaca Sleeveless Turtleneck £305 All available at avenue32.com

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11/12/2015 11:18

REJINA PYO Wool Tie-Back Rora Top £540 REJINA PYO Wool Sasha Pencil Skirt £550 VANESSA BRUNO Cotton Pintuck Blouse £275 All available at avenue32.com

JAN16_FashionShoot_6pp.indd 29

11/12/2015 11:18

ISA ARFEN Harris Tweed Flares £675 JAMES PERSE Heather Grey Cotton T-Shirt £125 ISABEL MARANTÉTOILE Linen Blend Hali Jacket £290 ISA ARFEN Harris Tweed Top £325 All available at avenue32.com

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11/12/2015 11:18

MAKE-UP Emma Broom using Bobbi Brown HAIR Maki Tanaka using Bumble & Bumble FASHION ASSISTANT Ella Cutter EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Felicia Pennant

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11/12/2015 11:19

FASHION / TRENDS ADIDAS BY STELLA MCCARTNEY 'Barricade' trainers £100; adidas.com

WEAREHANDSOME.COM

HOLISTIC SILK Yoga rug mat £160; holisticsilk.com

ASQUITH Organic cotton 'Blissful' wrap £62; asquithlondon.com

MONREAL LONDON Stretch jersey vest £90; matchesfashion.com

HPE 'Elite' running shorts £48; stylepb.com

VARLEY Marble print sports bra £45 & leggings; stylepb.com

N E W Y E A R , N E W YO U MICHI Stretch body suit £230; stylepb.com

WORK IT OUT Gym, yoga or running aficionado, welcome to your new workout wardrobe B y Charlot te Adset t

FRENDS Rose gold 'Layla' headphones £140; avenue32.com

EVERY SECOND COUNTS Crop 'Time' top £54; everysecondcounts.co.uk

STELLA MCCARTNEY Faux leather 'Falabella' backpack £645; stellamccartney.com

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32 11/12/2015 11:05

BATH SORTS

BATHROOM DESIGN SPECIALISTS

38 Offord Road, Islington N1 1DL 020 7700 1333 www.bathsorts.co.uk

BS.indd 2

09/10/2014 17:02

Meet the regions best wedding suppliers and experts

Try on hundreds of beautiful dresses from top designer brands Inspirational Catwalk shows

ExCeL LONDON

Find all you need to make your

wedding

30-31 January 2016

Book 2 tickets for £12

truly special

SAVE ££’s* ON TICKETS Quote ABMAG16

Free tips and advice on all your wedding from the experts

Benefit from fantastic show discounts and offers!

theukweddingshows.co.uk *Offer ends the Thursday prior to the show (midnight). Ticket fee applies.

TRY IT

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BUY IT

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ENJOY!

14:19 17/11/2015 09:40

FASHION / WEDDINGS

TELL THE BRIDE London Excel Wedding Show 30 & 31 January Wo r d s e v e h e r b e r t

T

he region’s biggest wedding show comes to London to assist every wedding party’s needs in the form of over 80 leading wedding experts and suppliers.

From trying on designer dresses to sampling cakes and scoping out pretty stationary for wedding organisation, this event boasts more than enough inspiration to suit any wedding vision.

Get familiar with the latest bridal trends as the Catwalk Show presents a selection of exquisite dresses from top designers of the region, not just for the bride, but for the entire bridal party. Next, head over to the Flower Market to browse an array of flower arrangements from a selection of the finest florists with a variety of banquets, reception centrepieces and boutonnieres. The advice from top florists will give you a clearer idea on what colours, sizes and types of flowers you see would suit best for your wedding.

Having already glimpsed a preview of the wedding dresses on offer at the Catwalk Show, the Bridal Boutique allows you to browse and try on a diverse selection of dresses from leading boutique and retailers all housed under one roof. Whether you see yourself in a short, long, classic, ethereal or big and bold dress, the Bridal Boutique sends you one step closer to the dress of your dreams.

The bridal look isn’t complete without beauty essentials, and hair is high on the list of priorities. Luckily, The London Excel Wedding Show has enlisted the help of celebrity hairdresser Alix Wright to offer her tips on bridal hair trends and showcase

To escape the hustle and bustle of the show, the Champagne Bar offers a wide range of refreshments and is the place to relax and reflect on the exhibitions or flick through the showguide. If you’d like to go the extra mile in ensuring your Wedding Show experience is the best it can possibly be, invest in the Gold ticket, which offers VIP perks that ordinary admission lacks.

These include reserved seating to the Catwalk Show, access to the Gold Lounge where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of fizz, and fast track entry to the show ideal for beating the queues.

If pre-wedding stress is proving to be all too overwhelming, The London Excel Wedding Show is your go-to, ensuring all the requirements of your perfect day are met. u

COMPETITION

her own hair range. Rest assured your hair will be in good hands - Wright’s styling has been seen on Celebrity Juice, This Morning and even high-scale events like the BAFTAs. If that’s not impressive enough, her work has features in publications such as Hello and Reveal magazine. Although based in Essex, Wright has a large following on social media, with clients visiting her from all over the country to get styled for their big events.

35 C&A_Jan16_Weddings.indd 35

e have teamed up with The London ExCeL Wedding Show to offer 10 lucky readers a pair of tickets to the January show, which takes place at ExCeL London on 30-31 January 2016. To enter, simply email victoria.hughes@zest-media.com with TICKET OFFER in the subject field. The first ten entries to be chosen at random on 15 January will win.

Don’t worry, if you’re not a lucky winner, The London ExCeL Wedding Show is also offering Absolutely readers 2 tickets for £15 to the London show (30-31 January 2016). To redeem the offer, visit www.theukweddingshows.co.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 874 0787 and enter the code ABSEXL at checkout

W

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 16:28

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> BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL

p. 38

LA VIE EN ROSE

p. 42

FITNESS CONFIDENTIAL

p. 42

CLEAN & B RIGHT Fresh, dewy skin doesn’t come naturally to all, especially after the excesses of Christmas, which is why bareMinerals’ Complexion Rescue is such a lifesaver.

Oil-free and with SPF, it’s a 2016 essential. £26; bareminerals.co.uk

37 Chis_Jan16_Beauty_Opener.indd 37

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:33

B E AU T Y R e v i e w

A fresh take on beauty for the new year and luscious lacquers to keep your nails in check W o r d s R o m y va n d e n B r o e k e

HULA NAILS Old Street

Wo r d s E l i z a b e t h H u t t o n

T

his is one of the most fun places to get your nails done.

Everything – from the tikiinspired decor to the therapists’ 1950s uniforms – is super kitsch and cute. So much so that entering the beauty parlour feels like stepping into a retro daydream. Filled with Hawaiian florals, flamingos and pineapples, it’s pretty much the perfect place to hide away from Dry January; sipping on a fruity cocktail inside the salon is almost as good as being on holiday.

Created and run by the fabulous George, (who just so happens to look like a glamorous old school pin-up) Hula specialises in Gelish and Biosculpture gel manicures and pedicures, nail art and acrylic gel nail extensions. Don’t

From the SIMPLE to the COMPLEX, Hula do it all with INCREDIBLE PRECISION

be fooled by the bubbly technicians, while they’re super friendly, they take nail art very seriously indeed. You only have to take a look at their Instagram account (@hulanails) to see what I mean; from the simple to the complex, Hula do it all with incredible precision.

Opting for the gel manicure, I went for a dark red polish with a glittery accent nail, all of which stayed in tact for an impressive three weeks. Put simply, I love it here. ◆

Clean Slate Bobbi Brown

Look at things differently with Bobbi Brown’s new eye-opening mascara. Promising to lift each individual lash, it coats them with intense colour and leaves them looking both longer and thicker. bobbibrown.com

●HULA NAILS 203-205 Whitecross Street, EC1Y; hulanails.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

YES CHIS_Jan16_Beauty_Notes.indd 38

38 11/12/2015 10:29

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES

7 of the best

SHINE BRIGHT Burberry

Not available to buy until February, and part of Burberry’s SS16 collection, the white runway palette Ω pictured to the right Ω illuminates and defines the most pallid of complexions for an effortless, pearly glow. £45; burberry.com

NATURAL NAILS

A BED OF ROSES Frédéric Malle

Dans Mon Lit from Frederic Malle does what it says on the tin and leaves your duvet smelling like a bed of roses. The fragrance, filled with floral notes, is guaranteed to leave your room feeling fresh. £80; fredericmalle.com

01

best

BUY

editor’s

PICK REVERSE EFFECT

02

Sisley

Sisley are tackling anti-ageing with its new Sisleÿa global L’Intégral Anti-Age face cream, which works to stimulate, regenerate and restructure the skin, all while protecting it from physical signs of behavioural ageing. £330; sisley-paris.com

03

05

04

DEEP SLEEP this works

New from this works, the sleep plus pillow spray promises to soothe restless sleepers into a deep slumber. Containing lavender, the spray has aromatherapeutic powers to help you wake properly refreshed. £25; thisworks.com

39 YES CHIS_Jan16_Beauty_Notes.indd 39

06

07

1. BOBBI BROWN, GLITTER NAIL VARNISH IN BALLET PINK, £12.50; bobbibrown.com 2. CHANEL, LE TOP COAT VELVET, £18; selfridges.com 3. LEIGHTON DENNY, BRIEF ENCOUNTER,£11; ld-boutique.com 4. TANYA BURR, PEACHES & CREAM, £5.99; lookfantastic.com 5. EVE SNOW, NUDIST, £14; evesnow.com 6. TOM FORD, MINK BRULE, £27; selfridges.com 7. ESSIE, TYING THE KNOT, £8.95; hqhair.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:29

SIMON BETTS PERSONAL TRAINING GET FIT... FEEL HEALTHIER

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE

BE MORE PRODUCTIVE!

• • • • • •

FAT LOSS CONDITIONING TONING NUTRITIONAL ADVICE OLDER ADULTS TAILOR MADE TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Web: www.simonbettspt.co.uk Tel: 07783078400 Email: simonbettspt@gmail.com

452.pf_AngelAd6.1_col_1:452.pf_AngelAd2_col_1

hair&beauty 171 Upper Street, Islington N1 1RG

020 7354 2266 / 020 7354 3733 Opening Hours Mon - Fri 10.00am - 8.00pm / Sat 9.00am - 7.00pm Sun 11.00am - 6.00pm

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS_JAN.indd 1

15/2/08

11:12

YOU’RE AS YOUNG AS YOUR SPINE IS FLEXIBLE “If, at the age of 30, you are stiff and out of shape, you are old. If, at 60, you are supple and strong, then you are young.”

Joseph Pilates Get a stronger back, a flatter stomach and a suppler, younger body at our stunning studio

020 7288 8080

islington@pilatescentral.co.uk www.pilatescentral.co.uk 10-12 Gaskin St (off Upper St) London N1 2RY

Superb teachers. Superb facilities. Superb location.

11/12/2015 10:13

Page

HEALTH & BEAUTY / PRODUCTS BOBBI BROWN

Rich Colour Gloss, £19; bobbibrown.co.uk

PERRICONE MD

No Lipstick Lipstick, £25; perriconemd.co.uk

MAC

Matte Lip in Steady Going, £15.50; maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC

Pigment Pot in Fuchsia, £16; maccosmetics.co.uk

MAC

Pro Lip Palette in 6 Preferred Pinks, £35; maccosmetics.co.uk

STILA

Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Rosa, £16; feelunique.com

STILA

REVLON

Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Rosa, £16; feelunique.com

NARS FOR MICHAEL COSTELLO SS16

ColorBurst Matte Balm in Showy, £7.99; boots.com

CLINIQUE

Pop Lip Colour in Papaya Pop, £16; clinique.co.uk

CLARINS

ILLAMASQUA

Lipstick in Immodest Vivid Pink, £19.50; illamasqua.com

LA VIE EN ROSE For a fresh look, add a slick of peach, pastel pink or magenta B y R O M Y VA N D E N B R O E K E

Rouge Eclat in Sweet Rose, £19.50; clarins.co.uk

LIPSTICK QUEEN

Cupid’s Bow in Nymph, £20; spacenk.com

TOM FORD

Lip Colour Shine in Chastity, £38; selfridges.com

NARS

Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage £20; narscosmetics.co.uk

41 USE Chis_Oct15_Beauty_Products_v2.indd 41

CHANEL

Rouge Coco Shine in Liberte, £36; chanel.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:31

review

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES

BE GOOD

We A r e H a n d s o m e January is the month of good intentions. If you find it hard to stick to your healthy resolutions we recommend investing in some cool activewear by We Are Handsome. This way you’ll actually want to go to the gym. hipandhealthy.com

GET FIT ONLINE

Thanks to .com classes there’s no reason why you shouldn’t move a little bit more in 2016 barrecore

veryone - from supermodels and actors to new mothers and personal trainers Ω loves Barrecore. Renowned for giving clients that enviably long and lean ballerina body, you will work your muscles so hard that you’ll shake uncontrollably. Having now launched their online workout library, members will receive unlimited access to videos as well as monthly challenges.

Perfect for those who want to work hard but in private. ◆ £25 per month; barrecore.co.uk E

body.net work

Fitness

CONFIDENTIAL Get in shape with the top fitness trends, tips and gear Wo r d s e l i z a b e t h h u t t o n

ant to have the same trainer as Tom Ford? With this new online fitness platform, you can.

Created by celebrity PT and best-selling fitness author Matt Roberts, you can download classes and tutorials wherever and whenever you want or need to. With exclusive ‘live’ training sessions and nutritional advice from the England rugby team’s nutritional coach you can be sure of a well-rounded health and wellbeing programme. ◆ £15 per month; body.network W

VIRTUOUS

Sweet Virtues

orget overly processed chocolate spread, this one by Sweet Virtues is a super tasty and nutritious treat with chia, cacao and coconut oil so is high in omega, magnesium and ginseng. harveynichols.com F

the tracy anders on method

ive stream the legendary Tracy Anderson straight from LA into your living room and enjoy her classes alongside her American clients.

Taking place every Wednesday, you’ll benefit from the real in-class experience and a tutorial from one of Tracy’s favourite trainers. Unedited and real, this is just like taking a class with Tracy in one of her state-of-the-art studios. So now you really can workout like Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna without having to leave the house. ◆ £60 per month; tracyanderson.com L

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

C&A_JAN16_Health.indd 42

Press Pause UsT wo

Using the ancient principles of Tai Chi, this mindfulness app uses touch screen technology to make you focus upon the moment. With calming audio and visuals, stress is proven to decrease dramatically. itunes.apple.com

42 11/12/2015 11:18

Enjoy the convenience and privacy of a gym in your own home Technogym, the Wellness Company, invites you to view its range of home fitness equipment at the beautifully equipped, brand new showroom in Bracknell, Berkshire.

Health and Wellness are important, but time pressures and busy lives often mean our good intentions to move more and be active are overlooked.

Technogym works with you to design and create the perfect Wellness area, tailored to your home, space, budget and – most importantly – you and your family’s health goals.

To book your visit, please call a Technogym Wellness consultant on 0800 316 2496 or email uk_info@technogym.com Or visit us online at www.technogym.com

TECHNOGYM.indd 1

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> KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

p. 46

REVIEWS: GERMAN GYMNASIUM & LA CABINA

p. 49

BRAINY BREAKFAST Honestly Healthy's Natasha Corrett (daughter of Kelly Hoppen) has introduced an 'intelligent breakfast' menu at Pullman St Pancras hotel, with dishes such as these probiotic-rich green Teff pancakes. Boost your brain power while keeping your new year's resolutions intact. pullmanhotels.com

45 C&A_JAN16_Food_Opener.indd 45

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 11:16

What to drink

kitchen

CONFIDENTIAL London’s food news and delicious things to see you through January W o r d s R O M Y VA N D E N B R O E K E

A GREAT MATCH Wine & Food Pairings for the Month of January B y J a n e Pa r k i n s o n

SPICED PARSNIP SOUP

talian white grapes work well with vegetable soup and even more so here because this grape, Vermentino – which usually makes Tuscany’s best white wines – is grown and made in California, the warm climate giving it extra flavour. The almond nuttiness pairs the earthy parsnip while the herbal freshness cools the spice. Delicious!

Uvaggio Vermentino 2013 £11.95, bbr.com

I

BEEF WELLINGTON WITH HORSERADISH MASH

e’re spoilt for choice with the range of big and meaty reds that work well with beef wellington, the difference here being the seasonal addition of peppery horseradish, which always loves a red from Portugal’s most famous wine valley, the Douro. The intense fruitcake flavours of spice and fruit marry up the meat and mash a treat.

Quinta dos Frades Vinha dos Deuses 2011 £19.35, bottleapostle.com

W

BLOOD ORANGE TART

his cheeky take on tarte au citron is more wine-friendly than its lemon version, and it’s also a blindingly good match with Cream Sherry (which is something many people might have left over from Christmas). The key flavour in this sweet Sherry is tangy orange rind which, together with its smooth texture melts in the mouth with the tart.

Barbadillo Cream Sherry £11.99, selfridges.com

T

Home Comforts Fa r m D r o p

The future of sustainable food shopping, Farm Drop is an efficient way of eating green. Choose produce from over 70 farmers and local producers and have it delivered to your door in no time, and for no extra charge. farmdrop.co.uk

janeparkinson.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

Chis_Jan15_foodNotes.indd 46

46 11/12/2015 10:55

FOOD & DRINK / NOTES JA N UA RY cocktail

Created by Hotel ChanTelle

STUCK IN A JAM Arabica

Until recently raspberry jam was my choice of conserves, but that was before tasting Arabica’s brilliant strawberry and rosewater jam, which is the perfect combination of sweet, sticky and delicately flavoured. £5; arabicafoodandspice.com

Pe ni ci llin C

NEW YOU

◆

Presscription

Rid your body of all the excess fat and toxins of the Christmas period with one of Presscription’s juice cleanse programmes.

Intense, but so worth it. presscription.co.uk

INGREDIENTS

50ml Bowmore Scotch 2 bar spoons muscavado 20ml lemon juice 6 slices young ginger ◆

METHOD

Pour the Scotch and add the muscavado. Add in the lemon juice and garnish with the slices of young ginger editor’s

PICK

WINE

EASTERN DELIGHTS

of the month

Simply Chocolate

Forget flowers, Danish chocolate advocates, Chokodays, are celebrating every type with its new Simply Chocolate Instead of Flowers boxes, which contain treats such as almond spiked and moca chocolate concoctions. harrods.com

W o r d s R O M Y VA N D E N B R O E K E

SHAKE IT UP The Trading House

Fancy one of the best cocktails in town? You can’t go wrong with The Trading House. The vaulted ceilings, taxidermy wildlife and beautifully bound books stacked on every surface provide the perfect setting for their fabulous concoctions.

89-91 Gresham Street, EC2V; thetradinghouse.uk.com

47 Chis_Jan15_foodNotes.indd 47

f you’re doing dry January, look away now, because this wine may steer you off track. From the Sonoma Coast in California, this 2011 multi-layered wine is bursting with red berry, plum and cranberry notes, complemented by subtle hints of orange zest, anise, cedar and green tea. Wild Rige have created the perfect Pinot Noir. ◆ I

Wild Ridge Pinot Noir 2011, £34; wildridgevineyards.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:56

Sale starts January

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

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

www.funktionalkitchens.co.uk

FUNKTIONAL KITCHENS.indd 1

11/11/2015 11:07

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEWS

La Cabina Late night Sevillan tapas in Shoreditch Wo r d s e l i z a b e t h h u t t o n

rom the outside, La Cabina, is ostentatious. With a telephone box marking the spot, you have to punch in the correct code in order to unlock the door. Once inside, however, this late-night tapas bar is seriously laid-back.

With exposed brick walls, reclaimed furniture and dated accessories, it feels as it might had your friends transformed their own basement into a little bar.

Open from 6PM until 5AM TuesdaySaturday, they serve a full menu from dusk until dawn and combine Spanish flavour with traditionally British dishes.

As a result, rich slices of jambon iberico can be followed by scotch eggs, and roasted octopus with pork belly. We started with the haggis scotch eggs which were a brilliant creation; rolled in breadcrumbs, deep fried until dark golden, and served on top of a creamy grain mustard mayonnaise.

Moving onto some bigger plates, we ordered the roasted octopus with new potatoes. Covered in green (coriander, parsley and garlic) and red (pepper, cumin and hot pimentón) mojo, the chunks of meat were noticeably fishy but so very good we mopped up the remaining sauce with soda bread.

Meanwhile, the pork belly came with the elusive but imperatively crispy crackling and sweet apple sauce.

Having been roasted for a total of 15 hours, the meat wasn’t as tender as we’d expected but was still flavoursome so didn’t disappoint.

The true star of the show, however, were the churros. Delightfully crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside the deep fried choux pastry came with the thickest, most indulgent chocolate dipping sauce and left us truly happy. ◆

F

German Gymnasium D&D London’s lavish new Grand Café in King’s Cross Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

O

f all European cuisines, German is the least glamorous. There’s no sophistication in sauerkraut and wurst, at least not in the standard vision. The mittel-Europa vibe, however, oozes glamour. Kaffehäusers, with their deco lighting, mirrors and marble, are so stylish that they can even infuse dumplings with a touch of magic. The new German Gymnasium in King’s Cross channels the latter, while keeping the actual German food to a token minimum (and playing Weimar cabaret tunes in the loos).

Built in the 19th century by London’s German gymnastics organization, this vast building has been expensively redesigned in the style of a Grand Café by D&D London.

The double-height room has a terrace that encircles the entire space; the ground floor offers a café menu while upstairs is dedicated to more formal dining and a bar.

The theme is continued with paintings of

Victorian gymnasts on the wall and a feeling of decadence in the sheer shine of it all.

‘A glass of red wine is equivalent to an hour at the gym,’ says the menu authoritatively so we order champagne and oysters to start, and a steak tartar, which nod to the venue’s Teutonic tastes only in their accompanying breads – toasted rye and pumpernickel. For mains, we go traditional with duck and red cabbage, which materializes as a huge half bird, deliciously crispy and juicy, plus authentically clove-infused red cabbage and a single miniature dumpling. Veal schnitzel is beaten to a sliver so that the meat-tobreadcrumb ratio is slightly dubious, but enjoyable. The accompanying potato salad is good, while puddings are small but intense.

Really though, we’re here for the glamour, which this place has lashings of. ◆

● Germ an Gymnasium

1 King’s Boulevard, N1; 020 7287 8000 germangymnasium.com

49 C&A_Jan16_Food_Review.indd 49

● L A CABINA

232 Kingsland Road, E2 ; la-cabina.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 14:09

www.hurtwoodhouse.com

HURTWOOD HOUSE.indd 2

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> SMALL TALK

p. 53

AMANDA CONSTANCE: TUTOR TRAIL

p. 55

MINI MADNESS

p. 57

ON POINT Add some magic to the last months of winter with help from French kids fashion house Bonpoint. The latest collection marries vibrant colour, rich texture and elegant cuts to enchanting effect. bonpoint.com

51 CHIS_JAN16_Kids_Opener.indd 51

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:44

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

• Independent girls school - day, boarding and flexi-boarding

• 25m indoor swimming pool • Golf course

• Individual teaching and learning • Gymnasium • 220 acres of parkland • Tennis courts Westonbirt Schools Tetbury Gloucestershire GL8 8QG E: enquiries@westonbirt.org T: 01666 880333 www.westonbirt.org

WBS Absolutely Mag 2- A4 - 10.8.15.indd 1 WESTONBIRT.indd

10/08/2015 18:44 13:31 01/09/2015

KIDS & EDUCATION / NOTES WINTER WARMERS

3 o f the b e s t

Amaia Kids clothing doesn’t come much cuter than the timeless AW15 collection by independent, awardwinning Chelsea-based brand Amaia. The old fashioned knits are definitely on our wishlist; perfect winter attire. amaiakids.co.uk

APPS

N i gh t y Night HD Fo x a n d S h e e p G m b H

An interactive bedtime story featuring spoken narration and soothing ‘sleepytime’ music, Nighty Night is lovely way to foster a bedtime ritual. £2.49; available for iPad.

SMALL TALK

Old-fashioned knits, slumber bags for sleeping babes and our pick of apps for kids

N oi sy Neighbours Tate G aller y

Based on Ruth Green’s children’s book, Noisy Neighbours lets kids explore a richly animated garden world. £3.99; available for iOS devices

BAGS OF STYLE JEM + BEA

JEM + BEA is a new British luxury baby changing bag brand, launched by childhood friends with design backgrounds. The collection is stylish, yet practical with internal compartments and even a thermoinsulated bottle pocket, but we love the luxe finishes and embossed leather keyrings.

Prices start at £79; jemandbea.com

Di s co F ingers Propell AS

Not specifically for children but tots will love it all the same: Disco Fingers is a fun, interactive way to make music. Free; available for iPad.

COOL CASUAL

SLEEPY HEAD

¢ This limited edition range from cult French brand émoi émoi include sweatshirts for the kids but also mum and dad. Fashion functionality is key as a parent; luckily with this collection, your style credentials won’t take a hit. ◆ Navy sweatshirt, €45; en.emoi-emoi.com

¢ Increasingly popular in colder months (when blankets won’t cut it), these slumber bags are ethically-sourced using the softest premium cotton, come in four bright colours (as well as a more minimal grey) and a name tag for baby. ◆ £39.95; mybabysnameis.com

émoi émoi

M y B a b y’s N a m e I s

53 CHIS_Jan16_Kids_Notes.indd 53

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:46

Tailored not uniform

www.mpw.ac.uk

When it comes to a good education, one size does not necessarily fit all.

We are one of the country’s best known providers of bespoke fifth- and sixth-form education, offering GCSEs and A levels in over 45 subjects.

MPW is distinctive in bringing the Oxbridge tutorial model to secondary education. Our ambitious students benefit from small classes no larger than eight, a personal tutor, exam preparation and UCAS support. MPW’s tailored

London 020 7835 1355 90-92 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington London SW7 5AB Contact us to arrange an academic consultation.

approach is an ideal fit for those looking for a more mature environment,

Phone us today or visit our website:

switching subjects or needing a change in focus to achieve their goals.

www.mpw.ac.uk

MANDER PORTMAN WOODWARD.indd 2

23/02/2015 11:52

KIDS & EDUCATION / SCHOOL TALK

Tutor trail

Finding a tutor for your child can seem as overwhelming as finding the right school.

Here are some tips on where to start Wo r d s A M a n d a C o n s ta n c e

D o e s m y c h i ld n e e d a tuto r ?

Extra support can be invaluable for a child who needs help academically or has missed school through illness. For international families with children in the British education system, a tutor can be invaluable for getting a pupil’s English up to speed, exam preparation, or making up for differences in the curriculum.

Lucy Cawkwell of tutor agency Osborne Cawkwell says: “A tutor who can tell a child what school is like, particularly boarding, will provide emotional support as well as preparing them academically.”

At w h at ag e s h o u ld tuto r i n g sta rt ?

Tutors often prepare children for specific exams: the 7+, the 11+ and the 13+ or Common Entrance. Tutors will also be called on for GCSE, A-Levels (or IB) and Oxbridge examinations. As Charles Bonas, of blue-chip tutor agency Bonas MacFarlane says: “Everybody needs tuition because the schools system is so competitive and tutoring gives you a clear advantage. To get into the top senior and independent schools – particularly in London – gets more difficult every year.”

H ow lo n g b e fo r e e x a m s s h o u ld tuto r i n g b e g i n ?

Two years before the 11+ is the ideal.

“This makes it a more relaxed process,” says Stephen Spriggs, managing director of William Clarence Education. “It means we have time to cement good learning habits.” As a minimum, tutoring should start no less than six months before the 11+ exams.

H ow d o I f i n d a to p - n otc h tuto r ?

Talk to people who have been through the process. Interview owners of several

know you and understand how the whole family is placed. “It is important to get an idea of the personality of the child,” says Stephen Spriggs, “because all too often, even parents will ignore it.” Agencies will devise a bespoke tutoring plan and a shortlist of possible schools. Spriggs says: “ It’s about having a partner in the process. It is not about someone ringing us up and we give them a place at Eton.”

To get into the top senior and independent schools gets more difficult every year top agencies. Question the agencies’ safeguarding protocols. Can you trust them with your child’s education? Ask for parent references and follow them up.

Talk money. And meet the tutor without your child.

H ow d o I k n ow th e tuto r w i ll b e u p to s c r atc h ?

An agency is as only as good as its tutors.

Some will have a relatively small number of professional tutors, some a vast database of contacts, from jobbing Oxford graduates to career tutors.

H ow w i ll th e y a s s e s s m y c h i ld?

All good agencies will want to meet you and your child. They will want to get to

55 CHIS_Jan16_Education.indd 55

H ow d o w e avo i d p ut ti n g to o m u c h p r e s s u r e o n o u r c h i ld?

“The key is finding the balance between hothousing and giving support,” says Charles Bonas. “We might start at 5 or 6 to prepare a child for 7+ but often that’s too young, it all depends on the child.”

W h at a b o ut o n li n e tu iti o n ?

Online tuition is a booming business and companies vary hugely. There is a big difference between reputable agencies relying on Skype for overseas students and tuition agencies that only exist online.

Many are good, some not so; it is a largely unregulated market. The obvious bonus is that it’s much cheaper. Lucy Cawkwell says: “You can’t beat one-to-one teaching but our specialist tutors who teach via Skype are able to engage with the pupil and create that relationship virtually.”

B e r e a li sti c Don’t push your child towards a school where they won’t make the academic standard. Take advice from your agency.

Don’t be attracted by only the starriest schools. “There are so many fantastic ones that are less well-known,” says Charles Bonas. Stephen Spriggs cautions: “Getting your child into a particular school is one thing, them staying there and being happy is another.” u

JANUARY 2015

11/12/2015 10:42

ABBEY ROAD FRAMING 020 7328 6915

Bespoke & Ready-Made Frames Mirrors, Limited Edition Prints Ceramics, Greeting Cards & Gifts

67 Abbey Road St John’s Wood London NW8 0AE info@abbeyroadframing.co.uk www.abbeyroadframing.co.uk Absolutely1502-AbbeyRoadFramingFINAL.indd 1

27/01/2015 16:32

ABSOLUTELY LONDON

CITY & ANGEL JANUARY 2016 / £3.95

MUSEUM OF FOOD

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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VILLAGE PEOPLE SARDINIA'S MOST LUXURIOUS RESORT

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GABRIELLA AND OCTAVIA'S ENTERTAINMENT IDEAS

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KIDS & EDUCATION / ENTERTAINMENT

MINI

MADNESS Absolutely attends a party organized by Gabriella & Octavia Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

W

ho knows what a Martian walking into the room would conclude about this human ritual. It’s very dark, save for a throbbing green light, and there’s a lot of screaming over a fast bassline. Once their eyes adjusted, the Martian would be able to make out a lot of small shadowy forms hanging onto a rope and pulling with an intensity that borders on the violent, but would notice also that the screams are actually laughter. This is a disco party for a ten year-old child. It’s not a situation that many adults would find appealing but it is a necessary rite of passage in many London circles.

At the centre of what is in fact a game of tug-of-war is Gabriella Rankin, managing the situation with the skill of a major league referee and the assurance of a headmistress as well as the boundless charm of a CBeebies presenter. This is a woman who has come a long way since donning a Snow White costume and walking around Portobello handing out business cards. When not on stage (her one-woman show Dumped was a smash hit at this year’s Edinburgh Festival), the

actor-turned-standup comedian runs a successful business in children’s parties. And you can see why she’s good at it. Gabby speaks in a fast, breathless way, energy and enthusiasm radiating from her smile.

‘People love parties,’ she says,

The actor-turnedstandup COMIC RUNS a sideline in children’s PARTIES

and clearly so does she. Though her standup act is definitely not suitable for children, her general manner is very much in tune with the way their minds work.

So, she and her team offer a variety of parties designed for London’s well-heeled tots.

‘A lot of our business started out among the Wetherby mums,’ she explains, but these days their services are on

57 NH DEC 15 GABRIELLA & OCTAVIA.indd 57

demand all over London, from Hampstead to Wimbledon and the home counties. Options include the disco party, which – in addition to a high-energy tugof-war and an equally shouty game involving wrapping children, mummy-style, in loo paper – encourages guests to develop their own routines and show them off to each other (yes, even the boys) and compete for an award. Gabriella and her assistant Freddy provide lights, music, sweets, make-up and glow-sticks, and two hours of non-stop fun leave even the least excitable guests pink-faced and starving. But it’s not all about the disco – the company’s party options include the theatrical party (staging an actual production), the treasure hunt (roaming around finding clues), the adventure party and for preschoolers the storybook party and the soft play one.

Plus of course they can provide decorations, entertainment, catering, party bags, cake and everything a party needs. With clients ranging from Trotters to Facebook via Candy Crush and Tiffany, these are the only people you need to call next time your offspring are approaching a milestone. u gabriellaandoctavia.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:41

Riad Fès, Relais & Châteux 5 Derb Ben Slimane Zerbtana, 30110 - Fès - MAROC Tel: + 212 535 74 12 06 Fax: +212 535 74 11 43 reservations@riadfes.com

www.riadfes.com

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26/10/2015 18:38

> VILLAGE PEOPLE: PENDLE HARTE DISCOVERS FAMILY-FRIENDLY SARDINIA p. 60

PURE SHORES Pendle Harte discovers luxury and family fun in Forto Village, south Sardinia.

Think sun, sand and clear blue seas, all on page 60...

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:40

VILLAGE PEOPLE Crowned the world’s leading resort, Sardinia’s Forte Village is a luxurious utopia where everything is flawless Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

I

f your idea of being on holiday is not having to do anything resembling a chore or make any decisions more demanding than what to eat next, Forte Village is for you. And if you’re keen to do these things in an environment that’s beautiful and stylish – and especially if you have active, sporty children – then this spot in the south of Sardinia is hard to beat.

The statistics on Forte Village are impressive. 15,000 trees; two million plants; 55 acres of lushness; 21 restaurants; over 700 bedrooms; more than 1,500 guests at a time. Named the World’s Leading Resort in the 2014 World Travel Awards, this is a sprawling world of its own, a destination that’s designed for an immersive luxury experience. And absolutely everything at Forte Village is world class. Its restaurants are run by celebrity chefs – Gordon Ramsay has an outpost here, as does Alfons Schuhbeck, and there’s a Hells Kitchen staffed by winners of the Italian reality TV show.

Boutiques on site include Bulgari, Galliano and Missoni and the spa counts as one of the world leaders. Even the children’s football club is a soccer school run by Chelsea Football Club and staffed by world standard coaches. The beaches

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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are among the world’s finest, the pools are impressive; the weather is faultless.

Arriving at the main gates, we are swept off in a golf buggy down terracottatiled pathways through lush gardens. Our destination is Hotel Castello – a five-star beachfront site and the resort’s only ‘vertical hotel’. Most accommodation here is in villas, small ones for couples and huge ones for extended families – but in Castello our family of four is housed in stylish connecting rooms, which as everybody knows is the best way to travel with children. A wall of glass doors leads to a sunny terrace with views of the sea and the rooms are full of luxurious touches and high-tech specs (multiple ipod docks are standard, but here there’s even a charger for my kindle). Bathrooms come with jacuzzis and what can only be described as disco lights in the shower, while nightly turndown brings a pot of chamomile tea and pillow sweets.

We are here with our two daughters, aged nine and six, and they are booked into the Superskills Academy, an organisation that is all about paring children with actual sporting Legends (thereby freeing up their parents to lie on the beach in peace, or hit the spa, of which more later). Options span cricket, netball and rugby, with coaches including

Will Greenwood, Austin Healey and Philip DeFreitas. The girls are down for netball, which is led by Karen Atkinson from the senior England team, no less. The games are taken seriously and children are required to report at 9am prompt every morning, wearing their kit and ready to work hard. Which, of course, they are all delighted to do, especially since there’s a lot of emphasis on making friends and socializing. This includes the parents; we’re invited for an introductory drink with the Superskills team and throughout the course of the week various planned

60 11/12/2015 10:36

TRAVEL / WANDERLUST

Its restaurants are

RUN BY CELEBRITY CHEFS and there’s A SOCCER school run by CHELSEA FOOTBALL CLUB

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:36

ESCAPE AND DINE IN STYLE WITH RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IRELAND

Book a Charming British or Irish Escape in one of our country house or city hotels and experience great British or Irish food at it’s best prepared by some of the most renowned chefs. from just £350* per couple…

Participating hotels: Airds Hotel & Restaurant, Amberley Castle, Ballyfin Demesne, Buckland Manor, Chewton Glen, Cliff House Hotel, Cliveden House, Farlam Hall, Gidleigh Park, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Glenapp Castle, The Goring, Gravetye Manor, Greywalls Hotel and Chez Roux Restaurant, Hambleton Hall, Hartwell House & Spa, Inverlochy Castle, Isle of Eriska Hotel Spa & Island, Kinloch House, Longueville Manor, Lucknam Park, Mallory Court, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Marlfield House, Northcote, Park Hotel Kenmare, The Royal Crescent Hotel, Sheen Falls Lodge, Summer Lodge Country House Hotel & Spa, The Vineyard, The Waterside Inn, Whatley Manor, Ynyshir Hall. *VAT may not already be included in some hotels. Dinner without drinks. This offer is valid all year for any holidays taken before December 30th, 2015 included.

Reservations must be made at least 72 hours prior to arrival date and are subject to availability. Changes may be done without prior notice. Rate based on two people sharing a double room. Accommodation in a double classic or superior room, a dinner for 2 people and a sumptuous breakfast for 2 the following morning.

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST The thalassotherapy wellness circuit

THIS IS where the Italian SCHOOL OF THALASSOTHERAPY was FOUNDED

activities are devised to get the families together. The highlight for our children is the final prizegiving ceremony, at which each child is presented with an impressive medal and certificate along with a photo op with the Legends.

Forte is a sprawling site, best understood with the help of the fabulous 3D model map found near the main square, and navigated by bicycle.

There are several pools, including our favourite, the small diving pool (which at five metres deep keeps us endlessly entertained with touching the bottom) and an entire children’s village with its own pool and special Barbie/Thomas world for pre-schoolers (here there’s a crèche too) while at the outer reaches of the resort there’s rumoured to be a go-karting track (this we never visit).

Options for dining are many, even before the season is properly underway: there’s a big buffet option that serves a huge variety of different dishes every day and which can’t be faulted, but there are also the celebrity chef restaurants and a high class traditional Sardinian option, all of which need to be booked (and paid for) separately to the standard halfboard arrangement. For lunch, there’s a pizzeria on the beach, while breakfast is a generous affair with lots of fruit, cold

cuts, cereals and yoghurt in addition to classic cooked fare.

If children come here for the sports academies, adults come here for the spa. This is where the Italian school of thalassotherapy was founded and leading international specialists are based here.

Thalassotherapy uses seawater as a cure for virtually all ills and the spa’s stylish wellness circuit takes in six seawater pools at different temperatures and with different salt concentrations, with specific timings for each. It takes over an hour to complete, and starts with a bizarre pool that’s so salty that you’re defying

Sea views from Hotel Castello

gravity as you float on its surface – and it feels more like bathing in olive oil than anything else – but despite looking like Thames water and tasting unspeakable, it is deeply relaxing and otherworldly.

The following pools vary in size and temperature, some of them with strong massage jets and currents, and the final stop is a large relaxation pool. We emerge feeling lighter, faster and happy, my skin soft and glowing.

At 40 years old, Forte Village is still leading the way for luxe holidays, though due to local laws it can’t actually expand.

Instead, there’s a move towards creating more bigger villas for larger groups, at the expense of some of the smaller accommodations. So organise your extended family and make a booking. ◆ ¢ Forte Village Resort, Sardinia offers a 7 night stay at Hotel Bouganville from £7,699 for a family of four booked through Classic Collection (classic-collection.co.uk) based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing a family bungalow on a half-board basis. Price includes return flights from London Gatwick to Cagliari (other UK departure airports & airlines available) and private transfers.

Departs 23rd July 2016. For further information on Forte Village please visit fortevillageresort.com

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:36

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> INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

p. 66

ALL CHANGE

p. 69

HAMMAM AT HOME There are steam showers, and then there are steam showers designed by Philippe Starck. If January is for rest and recuperation, there’s certainly no place more luxurious to wash away the sins than in the ‘St. Trop’, his latest creation for Duravit. The elegant glass design boasts an overhead hand shower and a steam setting, coupled together with a sculptural white stool. This home hammam is hot stuff. £7,294; duravit.co.uk

65 Chis_Jan16_interior_Opener.indd 65

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:25

10 of the best for a

clean slate

Minimalistic pieces for a clean look the New Year

OLIVER BONAS

Luxe Marble Drink Trolley; £350, oliverbonas.com

Wo r d s J e s s i c a k l i n g e l f u s s

GRAHAM & GREEN

Bamboo Lampshade in Black; £125, grahamandgreen.co.uk

MINT

Pixel Table; £POA, mintshop.co.uk

BODIE AND FOU

must

Kaeko Table; £790, bodieandfou.com

HAVE

Tress Code JONATHAN ADLER

Rutledge Sofa; £3,250, jonathanadler.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Pinch London-based design brand Pinch is bringing a renewed sense of pleasure to routine grooming with its ‘Iona Chevil Mirror’. The fulllength, pivoting elliptical mirror – available in oak with a white oiled finish – features a shaker-style joint and brass rivet detail on one side, supported in an A-frame with a lacquered drawer box below. £2,055; pinchdesign.com

66 11/12/2015 10:22

HOMES & INTERIORS / NOTES ROSE & GREY

Marble White Wallpaper; £199, roseandgrey.co.uk

SHINE YOUR LIGHT

Tom D ixon Extraordinary objects for everyday use; this is the Tom Dixon way. Even something as simple as a tea light holder can be turned into a wood grain shadow maker. Consider us impressed, again. ‘Etch’ Tealight Holder, £50; tomdixon.net

A STITCH IN TIME

editor’s

PICK

STEPEVI Originating in Istanbul, 1919, this luxury carpet company has been creating some of the most inspired rugs, runners and home accessories. Now, STEPEVI combines modern technology with traditional construction techniques and the resulting products are sheer works of art. stepevi.com

NICK FRASER

Geometric Pendant Half Glazed; £36, culturelabel.com

POUR IT UP

Alessi This iconic 9093 stainless steel kettle by Michael Graves is synonymous with Alessi. To mark its 30th anniversary, Graves has redesigned it, replacing the tweeting bird with a Tyrannosaurus rexshaped whistle. £99.95; alessi.com

ARCHITECTMADE

Finn Juhl Clock; £649, skandium.com

HABITAT

Tatsuma White Dressing Table; £150, habitat.co.uk

STREAM STYLIN’

Zip Form meets function with Zip’s popular HydroTap G4 range.

Now available in three striking designs – Arc, Cube, and Elite – get filtered boiling, chilled and sparkling water, instantly, from a tap that complements your kitchen thanks to the four finishes to choose from. zipwater.com

67 CHIS_JAN15_Interior_Insp_.indd 67

OKA

Kumozu Bedside Table; £585, okadirect.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:23

SALE NOW ON

Silence is golden Replacing beautiful timber windows, beautifully tiles etc.

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HOMES & INTERIORS / INSPIRATION DRUMMONDS

Thames Vanity Unit, from £6,300; drummonds-uk.com

SWOON EDITIONS

NATUZZI

Scott Sideboard in Mango Wood, £449; swooneditions.com

Mapa Bowl, from £720; natuzzi.co.uk

THE SOFA & CHAIR COMPANY

RIEDEL

Bowen Side Table, £1,395; thesofa andchair.co.uk

Black Tie Decanter, £495; amara.com

ARTHUR ARBESSER

Wool Throws, from £90; hem.com

ORCHID FURNITURE

19th Century Tall Cabinet, £2,395; orchidfurniture.com

REIKO KANEKO

Large Cylinder Vase, £140; reikokaneko.co.uk

JONATHAN ADLER

Antibes Four Drawer Dresser, £2,450; jonathanadler.com

HENRIK PEDERSEN

Adelaide Chair, £683; boconcept.com

ALL CHANGE

ROSE & GREY

Round Brass & Marble Drinks Trolley, £325; roseandgrey.co.uk

Refresh your home in the New Year with these recent design finds By jessica klingelfuss

SONYA WINNER

Tree Trunk Silk Rug, £7,525; sonyawinner.com

BOCA DO LOBO

VITRA

Occasional Table, £212; skandium.com

Eden Series Centre Table, £POA; bocadolobo.com

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JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 10:02

NO DIY SKILLS OR SIMPLY NO TIME? From the little jobs to the took-longer-than-you-realised jobs, our skilled handymen will quote and carry out whatever you require to keep your home or rental portfolio in great shape.

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15/06/2015 11:26

IN THEIR OWN WORDS p.86 NIGEL LEWIS: PRIME RENTING p.92 PROPERTY NEWS

ROSSENDALE WAY NW1

£825,000

stunning two bedroom terraced home situated moments from Kings Cross St. Pancras station. The property is enviably located, overlooking the Regent’s canal with the private decked garden providing an oasis difficult to find in such a conveniently positioned area of central London. u A

CAMDEN 020 7743 8620

71 NXNW_Jan16_Property_PFC_v2.indd 71

p.76

portico.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 14:22

50 years of fulfilling dreams

...for all generations

SHAKESPEARE GARDENS, EAST FINCHLEY, N2

£2,499,950 FREEHOLD

Located at the end of a small cul-de-sac south of Fortis Green, is this newly refurbished, five bedroom detached family home.

THE OWNERS LOVE…

WE’VE NOTICED…

“The five minute walk to the tube and Highgate Woods with Cherry Tree Woods seconds away”

The property has the ability for further extensions including potential for a basement extension STPP.

“The open plan modern kitchen and living space with stunning floor to ceiling windows and the large sun trap south facing garden as well as a beautiful custom built, walk in wardrobe and shoe closet in the master suite”

• 5 Bedrooms

“Shakespeare Gardens is Fortis Green’s best kept secret – a quiet and safe cul de sac in a great catchment area for schools”

• 3 Bathrooms, 2 en suite • 2 Reception rooms • Off street parking • Large south facing fully enclosed garden • Sonos surround sound system • Under floor heating • Exceptional walk in wardrobe with an extensive shoe closet • EPC Rating: D

Contact Chris Fairclough at our East Finchley office on 020 8883 0077 • MG_NXNW.indd 1

www.martyngerrard.co.uk 11/12/2015 15:04

50 years of fulfilling dreams

...for all generations

WARNER ROAD, CROUCH END, N8

£1,400,000 FREEHOLD

A four bedroom Edwardian family home with a west facing garden and off street parking.

THE OWNERS LOVE… “With the open plan and the sunny garden there is light everywhere in the house” “The elegance of the Edwardian features which complement the necessities of modern life” “We have been here 20 years. There are few flats on the road and we have loved the sense of community, the street parties, the family atmosphere, the residents’ online forum. We could not have had better neighbours”

WE’VE NOTICED… The house benefits from a high pressure Megaflow boiler.

• 4 Bedrooms • 3 Reception rooms • Kitchen diner • Bathroom, shower room & downstairs WC • Off street parking • West facing garden • Side entrance with utility cloaks area • EPC Rating: E

Contact Mark Fordham at our Crouch End office on 020 8348 5135 • MG_NXNW.indd 2

www.martyngerrard.co.uk 11/12/2015 15:04

50 years of fulfilling dreams

...for all generations

MUSWELL AVENUE, MUSWELL HILL, N10

£1,295,000 FREEHOLD

A newly developed home arranged over two floors, offering a full home automation system.

THE OWNERS LOVE…

WE’VE NOTICED…

“This home provides cutting edge architecture with a carefully designed layout, incorporating premium fixtures, fittings and intelligent home control system all combining to offer the finest of luxurious modern living.”

All the amenities of Muswell Hill Broadway and Alexandra Palace are available nearby.

“The abundance of natural daylight throughout and the quality bespoke craftsmanship on display in every area of this home.”

“It’s peaceful location, yet just a few minutes stroll away from all that central Muswell Hill has to offer. “

• 3 Bedrooms • 1 Reception room • Two bathrooms and separate WC • Underfloor heating • CCTV & surround sound • Miele kitchen appliances • Courtyard garden • Solid walnut staircase • EPC Rating: C

Contact Rowland Slinn at our Muswell Hill office on 020 8448 3388 • MG_NXNW.indd 3

www.martyngerrard.co.uk 11/12/2015 15:04

50 years of fulfilling dreams

...for all generations

KELLY STREET, CAMDEN, LONDON, NW1

£1,100,000 FREEHOLD

A unique two double bedroom home situated on Kelly Street.

THE OWNERS LOVE… “Kelly Street is unique, with kind, friendly neighbours and gorgeous colours to brighten your day”

WE’VE NOTICED… Equidistant to both Camden Road and Kentish Town West Stations.

• 2 Double bedrooms

“My daughter and I have enjoyed every moment of living here and always felt safe and part of the great Kentish Town community”

• 2 Reception rooms

“It’s so handy for shops, great schools, the Heath, Regents Park and Primrose Hill. All on your doorstep alongside the fact I could cycle to work in W1 in just 15 minutes”

• Patio garden

• Eat in kitchen • Period features

• Close to transport • EPC Rating: E

Contact Anthony W-Denny at our Kentish Town office on 020 7267 3737 • MG_NXNW.indd 4

www.martyngerrard.co.uk 11/12/2015 15:04

PROPERTY ROUND UP The inside scoop in your area

HOUSE HUNTING

MOST SATISFYING TRANSACTION

This summer we were pleased to help a local vicar and his family find the perfect family home. They had a tough time searching until they came to us.

MOST INTERESTING PROPERTY

ANTHONY SPITTLE

Letting Manager

B e l s i z e Pa rk

KNIGHT FRANK

MEET THE TEAM

Martyn Gerrard

We recently let a property in the former Lord Kitchener Memorial Home for Boys.

I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY WHERE I WOULD TAKE A £10,000 “DOG DEPOSIT"

wasn’t keen on dogs in her property but the Tenant agreed to the increased deposit to satisfy our client.

FINEST PROPERTY SHOWCASE:

Briston Grove, N8, £890 Per Week. This family home is in excellent condition and benefits from five bedrooms, two bathrooms, a cellar and a large kitchen/diner that leads onto a private terraced rear garden. u

I NEVER THOUGHT I’D SEE:

I never thought I’d see the day where I would take a £10,000 “dog deposit.” The Landlady

MARK PROCTOR PARTNER/OFFICE HEAD

d I have worked in Belsize Park, Primrose

Hill and Camden for over 15 years. With its Bohemian and cosmopolitan community it is a fantastic environment to work in and with our new office on Englands Lane we have enjoyed huge amounts of success over the last 6 months. I enjoy surfing, iron man, art and culture. I just had my second child on Christmas day which is going to make it a busy year! ◆

Crouch End / 020 8348 5135 / martyngerrard.co.uk

JONATHAN BRANDLING HARRIS SENIOR SALES NEGOTIATOR

d As a former professional sportsman

I needed a career that was challenging and competitive. Working in property is a tremendous passion for me and to be part of one of the leading agencies in the business gives me huge satisfaction. As a local resident to Primrose Hill I have a huge amount of knowledge and appreciation for the area. The opportunity to help open a new office in Belsize Park was not to be missed. ◆

MICHELLE SHARMA SALES NEGOTIATOR

d I have worked in property both in

lettings and sales for 10 years. I am a keen dancer, DJ and I love setting myself challenges for charity. Next year I am jumping out of a plane, doing a Tough Mudder run and a half marathon.

However, property is my passion and I look forward to continue making Knight Frank the number one agent in the Belsize Park. ◆

Knight Frank / 020 3815 3350 / knightfrank.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NXNW_Jan16_Property_PRU.indd 76

76 11/12/2015 14:32

PROPERTY / NEWS ASK THE EXPERT

NEWS

SAYRHA ELAHI

ESTAS Absolutely sponsor unique agency awards, the ESTAS

Moving house can be one of the most stressful things many of us will ever experience. So finding the right estate or letting agent is incredibly important.

That’s why Absolutely is sponsoring the London region of the ESTAS, a unique awards body with shortlisted and winning agents determined purely on ratings from customers.

The ESTAS not only give

WINNING AGENTS ARE DETERMINED PURELY ON CUSTOMER RATINGS agents the chance to be recognised for their excellent service but also provide valuable feedback that enables firms to review their performance and improve in the future.

This year’s best agents will be announced by the country’s favourite property expert Phil Spencer at the 13th annual ESTAS ceremony next April held in Grosvenor House. u

To find out more about The ESTAS and how your firm can get involved go to theestas.com

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

AG E N T O N D E S I G N

BELSIZE PARK GARDENS  NW3

£1,699,950 elsize Park Gardens, located in the heart of Belsize Park, is one of the most desirable roads in the area. Only 0.3 miles away from the nearest underground station, this stunning apartment is also conveniently located close to England’s Lane with its delightful selection of boutique cafés and independent shops. The property also includes a separate modern kitchen, another bedroom and two luxury bathrooms.

B

ceilings with cornicing, an imposing original fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bay windows that face out onto the sought-after tree-lined street.

B E D RO O M d The focal feature of the bedroom is the charming period fireplace. The parquet flooring has been kept in very good condition and the large window looks out onto the pretty garden. ◆

LOCATED CLOSE TO ENGLAND’S LANE WITH ITS DELIGHTFUL SELECTION OF BOUTIQUE CAFÉS

E XTE R I O R d The apartment is situated on the raised ground floor of this very smart white stucco period home.

R EC E PTI O N RO O M d This 25’ reception room boasts a myriad of period features, including high

Jamie Gawthrop Sales Manager KFH, Belsize Park 020 3792 1097; kfh.co.uk

I am thinking of buying a flat but the lease term is 75 years and will need to be extended. I understand that I have to own the flat for two years before I can apply for a lease term extension. Is there anything I should be aware of before I commit myself to the purchase?

Under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, you will qualify to extend your lease once you have owned your flat for two years.

It is possible however, for you to acquire a lease term extension sooner. If the seller has owned the flat for two years then they could serve a section 42 notice under the 1993 Act which will activate the claim.

The seller will then assign the benefit of the notice to you with the effect that on completion you will step into the seller’s shoes. The assignment of the notice and lease have to occur simultaneously.

The advantage of this is that you will not have to wait a further two years to extend the lease, in which time the premium payable to the landlord to extend the lease is likely to rise. Note, in addition to the premium, you will also be liable for the landlord’s reasonable legal and valuation costs going forward.

Of course you can also agree to extend the lease and negotiate with the landlord on an informal basis. Neither party is obliged or bound if you do this, however the landlord could decide not to engage in informal negotiations at all and instead insist that a formal notice is served. ◆ Contact Property Solicitor Sayrha Elahi with no obligation on 020 7354 3000 or email Sayrha.elahi@colmancoyle.com 80 Upper Street, Islington, N1; colmancoyle.com

CHANGE IN ACHIEVED PRICES

SPOTLIGHT ON NORTH LONDON AVERAGE £ PER SQUARE FOOT & CHANGE IN ACHIEVED PRICES

ONE YEAR

TWO YEARS

THREE YEARS

£1,029 -2.7% 17.5% 34.5% Data provided by LonRes

77 NXNW_Jan16_Property_PRU.indd 77

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 14:33

020 8348 5515 crouchend@castles.london

www.castles.london

Hurst Avenue, N6

ÂŁ2,350,000 Freehold

Private detached 3-bedroom Coach House with an abundance of unique features. Positioned on a prime & extremely sought after road overlooking the tranquil open playing fields, equidistant to Crouch End & Highgate Villages. Built approximately 12 years ago yet perfectly designed to give the impression of an older home with subtle tropical settings more in keeping with the South of France. Benefits from Millboard decking to secluded courtyard garden.

Mount View Road, N4

ÂŁ1,850,000 Freehold

Five-bedroom, double fronted period residence filled with a host of desirable character features.Well-maintained by the current owners after initial restoration when first purchased approximately 30 years ago.

Comprising 3 receptions, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, family bathroom, separate shower room and wc, cellar with own front entrance, & private north west facing rear garden. Additionally benefiting from substantial "living" area off bedroom-5 with under-eaves storage.

12 Topsfield Parade, London N8 8PR CASTLES NXNW.indd 1

11/11/2015 17:36

LANDMARK POSITION…

LONG STANDING NAME YOU CAN RELY ON.

12 Topsfield Parade Crouch End London N8 8PR 020 8348 5515 www.castles.london

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Vallance Road, Muswell Hill Borders, N22

£1,575,000 Freehold. Sole Agents

Kendalmere Close, Muswell Hill, N10

£1,250,000 Freehold. Sole Agents

An absolutely superb detached turn of the century bay fronted property, which is being offered in excellent condition. Having been recently refurbished and decorated to an exceptional standard whilst retaining many of the original period features. This three storey family house features a modern fitted kitchen/breakfast room, stylish designer bathroom suites, as well as spectacular far reaching views to the rear. Situated just off Alexandra Park, Palace and its main line station providing easy access to the City, also close at hand is Muswell Hill Broadway with its large selection of boutique shops, restaurants and excellent bus services to Highgate tube (Northern Line). Within catchment of Alexandra Park secondary school and within favourable distance of Rhodes Avenue primary school.

Contact our Muswell Hill Office on 020 8444 1771

Tucked away in a quiet enclave just off Grosvenor Road is an absolutely stunning four bedroom, two bathroom detached family home which is set over two floors. This fine house has been tastefully modernized internally including stunning contemporary bathroom suites and a stylish fitted kitchen/diner that leads to a beautifully landscaped rear garden. The property also boasts a 18’5 x 16’1 reception room and a spectacular 20’4 x 13’ conservatory; benefits also include off street parking for a minimum of 2/3 cars.

Located within a short distance of Muswell Hill Broadway; also close at is Bounds Green tube (Piccadilly Line), Alexandra Park, Palace and its main line station providing easy access to the City. Within catchment of Rhodes Avenue primary and Alexandra Park secondary schools.

Contact our Muswell Hill Office on 020 8444 1771

BRANCHES AT MUSWELL HILL, CROUCH END AND EAST FINCHLEY TATLERS_NXNW.indd 1

09/12/2015 11:29

www.tatlers.co.uk

Brighton Road, East Finchley, N2

O.I.E.O £800,000 Freehold. Sole Agents

Tatlers are pleased to offer this charming mid terraced period residence. The property has been extended and improved and benefits from a stunning master bedroom with en-suite bathroom having been converted from the loft. The house also benefits some fine period features and a south-east facing garden. Brighton Road is a small cul-de-sac directly off Long Lane in the heart of East Finchley Village being within a five minute walk of local shops and within half a mile to East Finchley tube station (Northern Line).

Contact our East Finchley Office on 020 8883 1001

North View Road, Crouch End, N8

£565,000 Share of Freehold. Sole Agents

A beautifully presented ground floor Edwardian maisonette situated on this popular residential turning backing onto the grounds of Alexandra Palace. This delightful home has been well maintained by the current owners and provides 659 square feet of living space. The accommodation comprises of two bedrooms, reception room, a spacious kitchen/diner, stylish bathroom and a private rear garden. There is also a summer house located at the end of the garden and excellent storage throughout the flat. Situated close by is the ever popular Campsbourne Primary School and Crouch Ends fantastic Broadway with all its independent shops and restaurant’s. Transport links are provided by Hornsey Railway station and Bus routes W7, W3 to Finsbury Park Underground station.

Contact our Crouch End Office on 020 8341 4050.

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PROPERTY / PRICE COMPARISON £

NIGEL LEWIS

PRICE BANDS London’s astonishing new average house price

just after crossing the Thames, you have seen the Westmoreland Triangle. It’s a local term for the handful of streets at the south side of the bewildering grid of roads that make up Pimlico. This flat is on Westmoreland Terrace, where The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein is said to have had his first LSD trip.

APARTMENT OVERLOOKING THE RIVER

PRICE: £500,000 LOCATION: Kingston-upon-Thames WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: Two bedroom

I

n London's property market, an extraordinary milestone has been reached. It’s one that speaks volumes about how unusual and it is.

The capital now has an official average house price of just over £500,000 following the latest House Price Index published by the Land Registry. Such figures generally prompt aghast bewilderment outside the capital.

For example, in the UK’s second city, Birmingham, the average house price is just £121,700 and the national average is £186,350. But despite London pulling away so fast from the rest of the country, what does £500,000 buy you in London?

Here we explore the different, and sometimes astonishing, properties it can secure.

CENTRAL LONDON PAD

Chis_Jan15_Prop_Price_Bands.indd 82

PRICE: £500,000 LOCATION: St Johns, SE8 WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: Three bedroom

PRICE: £500,000 LOCATION: Pimlico borders WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: One bedroom

ABOVE

basement flat with a patio garden. f you’ve ever sat on the right hand side of the train I chugging into Victoria, then

ELVERSON ROAD, SE8

OLD DOVER ROAD, CT4

LEFT BELOW WESTMORELAND TERRACE, SW1V

Victorian terrace. o can you buy a family home with a garden within S striking distance of central London? This Victorian semi could do with an upgrade and the garden is minute, but St Johns has been undergoing gradual gentrification since the arrival of the DLR in 1999.

PENTHOUSE FLAT

PRICE: £500,000 LOCATION: Upper Tulse Hill, SW2 WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: Two bedroom

apartment covering entire top floor of a Georgian mansion. his property was once the London home of Lord T Mountbatten. It is half way between Brixton and Tulse Hill but not near any train or tube stations, which probably explains the price.

Because the property is on the heights of Tulse Hill the apartment offers amazing views.

DETACHED HOUSE

PRICE: £500,000 LOCATION: Blackheath, SE3 WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: One bedroom

THE CAPITAL NOW HAS AN OFFICIAL AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE OF JUST OVER £500,000

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

HOUSE IN ZONE THREE

apartment overlooking the Thames at Kingston Bridge. his apartment may be modest but it’s good value T for money if you want Thames views. A similar flat down the river at Battersea, for example, can cost £200,000 more.

detached house t is probably a bit of a cheat to call this property a house I – a detached studio house would be better.

82 11/12/2015 14:23

FINAL COLLECTION OF 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS

JUST MINUTES FROM THE BUSTLING HUBS OF THE CITY AND CANARY WHARF, THE JUNCTION OFFERS UNRIVALLED VALUE IN WAPPING.

PHASE 2 NOW AVAILABLE

Final release of the remaining spacious 2 & 3 bedroom apartments with an outstanding specification. Most apartments feature fantastic vistas all with private outside space. Just a short distance from St. Katharine Docks and The River Thames.

Prices from ÂŁ540,000*

A development by:

Call us to book your priority appointment Selling Agent:

020 3538 4859 www.thejunctionapartments.co.uk

*Prices correct at time of going to press. Computer generated images of The Junction external and living room.

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Belsize Lane, Belsize Park NW3 Wonderful detached family home

KnightFrank.co.uk/belsizepark belsizepark@knightfrank.com 020 8022 5463

Situated on this much sought after road, with easy access to Belsize Park Village and Hampstead lies this beautiful family house with a mature 91ft garden. The property has been in the family since 1984 and boasts many original period features and excellent reception space. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, shower room, kitchen/dining room, utility room, 2 reception rooms, wine cellar, 91ft garden. EPC: E. Approximately 288 sq m (3,100 sq ft).

Freehold

Guide price: £5,250,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/BSZ150039

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

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Absolutely January 2015

08/12/2015 16:06

08/12/2015 14:27:43

LIVE IN AMAZING KING’S CROSS The Regent’s Canal with Granary Square and the University of the Arts beyond.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PLACE You have restaurants, cafés, parks and fountains; you have shops, squares and the joys of a canal; you have the best national and international rail connections in London and an extraordinary choice of some of the Capital’s most extraordinary homes.

Move in now and experience living at King’s Cross.

You have 6 tube lines, 3 mainline stations and a Eurostar. Live just 5 minutes from Oxford Circus and Covent Garden and a mere 8 minutes from Victoria and Piccadilly Circus.

KX RESIDENTIAL.indd 2 KXResidential_AbsolutelyNXNW_210mmx297mm_AW.indd 1

Please contact us at: enquiries@livingatkingscross.co.uk or call +44 (0)20 7205 4268 kingscross.co.uk/homes Marketing suite: The Plimsoll Building, 1 Handyside Street, King’s Cross, London, N1C 4BP

www.kingscross.co.uk

09/12/2015 16:37 12:50

IN THEIR OWN

WORDS

CHAZ CLAASE Associate Director, Lettings Chestertons, Camden Photography

R E B ECCA N O O N A N

H

aving bought a one way ticket to London in 2003, my plan was to visit my siblings before making a decision on whether or not to continue my studies in South Africa, or pursue a new adventure by entering the working world.

Here I am 12 years on, still at Chestertons and now managing the Camden Lettings branch.

Being South African, I love my sports! The dream was to become a professional sportsman, either as a baseball player or golfer, but that soon passed when I realised at the age of 16 that if it hadn’t happened by now it probably never would, so I turned my focus back to my studies and followed in my mother’s and brother’s footsteps by studying accountancy.

We obviously know what route I took and that wasn’t accounts or sports, but my interest in property.

My career began at Chestertons’ Hyde Park office. I started as a data processor and from there I gradually moved my way up the ladder, mainly within customer service roles. This gave me the opportunity to really get

BEING POSITIONED AT THE TOP OF PARKWAY, WE'RE RIGHT IN THE HUB OF THINGS

to know the day to day dealings of estate agency before realising that with good customer service and selling skills, I needed to be out there on the front line.

Little Venice is where I spent six years as a negotiator. I was fortunate to work with some fantastic property experts during this time, but I won’t forget my two years within property management and my internal interview for the role. About half way through the interview my manager asked “where do you see yourself in the coming years?” so I laid it out. Two years as a property manager, five years as a negotiator, and a manager by the age of 30.

I eventually got called in for my end of year appraisal (second year within property management), having done my my prep work and ready to be appraised, but to my

surprise I was landed with one question, “have you got a new job as your two years are up?”. I was surprised, but at the same time I knew that she believed in my career plans.

The opportunity to manage the Camden office came up in April 2014. I knew this was my chance to explore the unknown world, one that I had only experienced as a tourist. To this day, Camden continues to excite me. I can only imagine the next few years are going to be an adventure for me and my team. Being positioned at the top of Parkway, we're right in the hub of things. We have Camden Town, the High Street and of course the famous Stables Market. Mornington Crescent is convenient for all the commuters who work at Greater London House with the out of London commuters coming into Euston, King’s Cross and St Pancras International stations. We then have the leafy and family areas such as Camden Square and Primrose Hill.

I feel as though I've landed on my feet and I'm really happy to be here. There is never a dull day in Camden! ◆

CHESTERTONS / 020 7267 3574 / chestertons.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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PROPERTY / PROFILE

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JANUARY 2016

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0 2 0 7 33 9 3 0 7 3

ELGIN AVENUE, MAIDA VALE ÂŁ675 PER WEEK

Located on tree lined residential street in Maida Vale, only a stroll to the local stations and charming locations of Warwick Avenue & Little Venice. The property has been completely refurbished and boasts a spacious main reception. Separate dining room. A modern fully fitted kitchen. Large master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and fully fitted wardrobes.

Second double bedroom. Family bathroom. A beautiful, private rear garden. Viewings being conducted now.

W W W. O N E P R O P E R T Y C O N S U LTA N T S . C O M OPC DEC.indd 1

10/12/2015 17:39

ALL FIRST TIME CLIENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE FOLLOWING PROMOTIONAL FEES

0.5% SALES 5% LETTINGS NO R E N E WAL S

Merry Christmas 020 7339 3073 LONDON OPC DEC.indd 2

•

NEW YORK

•

TOKYO 10/12/2015 17:39

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

HELP WITH THE LEGAL ISSUES WHEN YOU BUY OR SELL YOUR HOUSE

Andrew

Partner Residential Property

“ highly recommend Andrew lint. e is e tremely courteous efficient and thorough.”

“A very efficient service. Colman Coyle did particularly well dealing with difficulties arising at the last minute.”

PROPERTY LAW SERVICE

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

pper treet slington ondon 020 7354 3000 property@colmancoyle.com

www.colmancoyle.com

orward thin ing straight tal ing COLEMAN COYLE_C&A_JAN.indd 2

1984 - 2014

anniversary

Celebrating 30 YEARS in business | 1984 - 2014

10/02/2014 10:24

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04/12/2015 15:43

PROPERTY / LUXE LETS

AT THE TOP

Nigel Lewis pays a visit to London’s extraordinary and unashamedly expensive central lettings market ABOVE THE REGENT, HALLAM STREET, W1W; £6,500 PER WEEK

Wo r d s N I G E L L E W I S

LEFT

I

t’s not unusual to hear estate agents say that after New York, London is one of the costliest places on the planet to rent a home. This will not surprise most Londoners, many of whom already pay an average weekly rental of £340.

But what many won’t realise is that rents in central London have soared in recent years, so much so that some properties in Mayfair and Knightsbridge are now rented for up to 100 times the London average.

“To rent a large house in Knightsbridge, Belgravia or Mayfair can cost up to £30,000 a week, and for short lets this figure can

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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CUMBERLAND TERRACE, NW1; £2,250 PER WEEK

hit £40,000 for the largest six or seven bedroom houses with a gym, pool and off-street parking,” says Nicole Ratzker of lettings agent Aston Chase. “There was a house on Brick Street in Mayfair recently that rented for £25,000 a week, but there aren’t that many properties in the area which can command that sort of money; our average is around £2,000 a week.

“Homes to rent for up to £5,000 are usually corporate lets; over £5,000 and the renters become more independently wealthy, for example, Russian and Middle Eastern families.” What does the market expect for £30,000 a week? In the

BELOW CADOGAN SQUARE, SW1X; £4,500 PER WEEK

most expensive areas, Mayfair and Marylebone, you’ll get a house with a swimming pool, a gym, at least six or seven bedrooms, underground or off-street parking and a size of approximately 10,000 sq ft.

But despite being a preferred place to live for millionaires and billionaires, “The prime central London rental market is intrinsically linked to the recruitment policies and relocation plans of these large corporate entities in the city,” says Peter Hermon-Taylor of lettings agent Maskells.

“Overall, both demand for properties and prices has dipped in the second half of this year.

There’s a lot of nervousness within banks about the economy and we’ve seen banks scaling back spending plans, recruitment and therefore relocation. Because it’s such a wealthy group of people who will only live in a handful of London’s postcodes, according to Nicole it’s “never going to the same as the normal market.”

It is not difficult to see, therefore, why London has won its reputation for high rental prices among the world’s wealthy business people.

But, apparently this is the price they have to pay to live in a global hub for the banking and IT industries. ◆

92 11/12/2015 14:21

INSTANT VALUATION INTERACTIVE Get a Free Instant Valuation at www.portico.com/valuation Call to arrange a Free Valuation on

0207 099 4000 or email Abigail@portico.com

SALES

MAINTENANCE

LE T TINGS

portico.com

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12:02 15/06/2015 11:46

PLIMSOLL BUILDINGS, KING'S CROSS, W1T ÂŁ760,000

KE Y FE AT URES Brand New Studio Flat Apartment 4th Floor Interior Designed by Johnson Naylor Studio Apartment Moments from King's Cross St. Pancras Residents Roof Garden

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10/12/2015 16:32

Acton 020 8993 6767 Battersea 020 7738 1538 Bloomsbury 020 7291 0650 Camden 020 7482 1060 Clapham 020 7501 0454 Dulwich 020 8299 6066 Fulham 020 7731 7788 Hammersmith 020 8748 3630 Highbury 020 7288 9440 Islington 020 7354 3283 West Hampstead 020 7794 1000

portico.com

EASTNOR CASTLE, CAMDEN, NW1 ÂŁ1,295,000

KE Y FE AT URES Three Double Bedrooms Newly Refurbished Apartment Master Bedroom With Walk-in Wardrobe & En-suite Video Entry & Security Systems Private Terrace Spacious Reception Room

PORTICO NXNW.indd 2

10/12/2015 16:32

PROPERTY / COUNTRYSIDE

FAMOUS PLACES

London hides a plethora of celebrity homes. These are the most recent to come on the market

WHERE LENNON PENNED SOME OF THE BEATLES’ BEST KNOWN WORK moved her family to LA. It’s now on the market for £11.5m. u Ian Green Residential 020 7586 1000; iangreenresidential.com

LENNON’S SONG WRITING RETREAT

uring the late 1960s this respectable family home was home to John Lennon, wife Cynthia and son Julian, where Lennon penned some of the Beatles’ best known work, including much of the Sgt. Pepper album.

Lennon had a room at the top of the house where he kept most of his musical equipment, writing and recording on tape recorders. The cover photograph for Rubber Soul was taken here, and Lennon parked his garishly decorated Rolls-Royce in the drive.

The house, which is in Weybridge, Surrey, cost the singer £20,000 in July 1964, but he’d sold it by 1968 after starting a relationship with Yoko Ono. Set over 1.5 acres with large gardens and new indoor swimming pool complex, it’s on the market for £10.5m. u Knight Frank 020 7861 1378; knightfrank.co.uk

D

Words NI G EL L EWI S

DRAMATIC ADDRESS FOR RICHARD E GRANT

ichard E Grant is currently making headlines in the gory version of Jekyll and Hyde on ITV. Some viewers recoiled when a half-man, half-dog monster was shot by members of a shadowy organisation led by his characters, Bulstrode, with characteristic comic relief and a hint of menace.

Grant’s most famous turn was as a failed actor in Withnail & I, but he also won good reviews for his role as a grieving widow in in the 1995 film, Jack & Sarah.

This was Jack’s house in the romcom: a grade II-listed four bedroom house in Holland Park with views over a communal garden and St James’s Church.

The terraced property, which has been in the same family for 58 years, comprises three bathrooms, two studies, and two cloakrooms, which are in need of updating, according to agent Savills.

It also has a lift shaft and front basement access that would need to be removed within three months of moving in. It’s on the market for £5.25m. u Savills 020 7727 5750; savills.com

R

alongside Des O’Connor and reportedly had an affair with Marlon Brando when she was 15 and he was 29. She and sister Joan started appearing in British B movies, but Collins largely gave up acting in the 1960s.

The novelist, who died of breast cancer in September aged 77, sold more than 500 million copies in 40 countries with her tales of the rich and famous, in a career spanning four decades.

This tasteful five-bedroom property in St John’s Wood was her home in the 1980s with second husband, gallery and nightclub owner Oscar Lerman, before she

HOME TO THE ‘QUEEN OF STEAM’

uthor Jackie Collins had a private life almost as colourful as some of the characters in her raunchy novels. As a young stage singer she appeared

A

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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£5.25 Million

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PROPERTY / STAR HOMES

£10.5 Million

£11.5 Million

WHERE MANY OF THE 007 BOOKS WERE WRITTEN BY IAN FLEMING

WHERE VICTORIA BECKHAM DESIGNED

ictoria Beckham was recently named the UK’s top entrepreneur by a magazine that praised her “finelytuned business acumen” for running her eponymous fashion brand, which now turns over millions each year.

While she opened her flagship store in London last year, her former design studio has been converted into two luxury apartments. The three-bedroom flats are on the first floor of a former industrial warehouse in Ransome’s Dock in London’s Battersea, and one’s now up for grabs at £3.5m.

V

Right next to fellow Brit designer Vivienne Westwood’s fashion house, the 2,000 sq ft flat has been renovated with no expense spared.

It comes with upmarket furniture, a customised Italian kitchen, a large living space with polished concrete floors and wooden panelling. u Douglas and Gordon 020 7720 8077; douglasandgordon.com

THE BLOCK WHERE FLEMING CREATED BOND s the nation, and world, crams into cinemas to watch Spectre, so a flat is for sale in the block where many of the 007 books were written by Ian Fleming. He wrote the first book, Casino Royale, while living in this imposing building on Cheyne Walk in the early 1950s.

A

£3.5 Million

97 Chis_Jan16_NL_DPS.indd 97

£6.459 Million

The writer is said to have begun writing to distract himself from his forthcoming wedding, and the property is nicknamed Writer’s Block because of the many famous authors who’ve lived in Carlyle Mansions.

As well as Fleming, other literary luminaries include Henry James, T. S. Eliot and W. Somerset Maugham, who spied for Britain during the First World War. This top floor flat in a Victorian portered block has been designed and kitted out by Fiona BarrattCampbell who currently owns it, along with husband, former England and Arsenal player Sol Campbell.

It has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, great views over the Thames, and is on the market for £6.495m. u Strutt & Parker 020 3553 7978; struttandparker.com

JANUARY 2016

11/12/2015 15:03

Hampstead

ÂŁ1,950 pw Unfurnished

4 Bedrooms | Reception | 3 Bathrooms | House Terrace | Prime Village Location | EPC – D | Sole Agents Hampstead 020 3503 0908 hamp@brlets.co.uk

Fourteen offices open six days a week Monday - Saturday Canary Wharf | City | Colindale | Ealing | Fulham | Greenwich | Hammersmith | Hampstead | Highgate | Hyde Park | Kensington | Knightsbridge | Surrey Quays | Wapping Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report. For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

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London’s Letting Agency

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

info@brlets.co.uk www.brlets.co.uk

020 7319 9783

Beaufort Park

£375pw Furnished

Highgate

£425 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Parking | EPC – C | Sole Agents Beaufort Park 020 3503 0017 bp@brlets.co.uk

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment Decked Terrace | Close To Amenities | EPC – D | Sole Agents Highgate 020 3302 1424 high@brlets.co.uk

Beaufort Park

Hampstead

£520 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Parking | EPC – C | Sole Agents Beaufort Park 020 3503 0017 bp@brlets.co.uk

£1,595 pw Unfurnished

3 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | House Terrace | Near Tube & Amenities | EPC – D | Sole Agents Hampstead 020 3503 0908 hamp@brlets.co.uk

Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

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