Winter - Issue No. 2
STORIES FROM THE BALMORAL, EDINBURGH’S ICONIC HOTEL Winter - Issue No.2
WELCOME FROM RICHARD COOKE - THE MOTHER OF ALL SUITES - BRASSERIE PRINCE - GARY ROBINSON INTERVIEW CHRISTMAS IN EDINBURGH - VICTORIA HOUGHTON INTERVIEW - #BALMORALMOMENTS - HAPPILY EVER AFTER AT THE BALMORAL
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Winter - Issue No. 2
Presenting the world’s first Collection of 22ct Scottish Gold, hand-crafted by Scotland’s première master jewellers.
H AM I LT ON AN D I N CH E S . COM
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Winter - Issue No. 2
A warm welcome from Lucy
The fall months to me are the most romantic ones in Edinburgh. The perfect time to explore the city, it’s wonderful hidden away pubs and our more artisanal shops and stores. This issue of The Icon shares the highlights of Edinburgh throughout Autumn and Winter. Our new seasonal menus launched at the start of October and each one showcases Scottish ingredients and the talents of our outstanding team of chefs. Executive Head Chef, Gary Robinson, gives his top tips for creating the best Christmas gravy – you will need to get preparing now. Hamilton & Inches CEO, Victoria Houghton tells us all about the festive season at Scotland’s luxury jeweller and how she will be spending Christmas. Finally, we’ve created the top ten list of Christmas movies, guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit. We look forward to welcoming you to The Balmoral. Richard Cooke, General Manager
CONTRIBUTORS Richard Cooke
Gary Robinson
Victoria Simpson
General Manager
Executive Head Chef
Executive Housekeeper
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Winter - Issue No. 2
THE OF ALL SUITES The Bowes-Lyon Suite was named for and inspired by former patron of The Balmoral, The Queen Mother who was born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. The suite is unique and full of character, much like its namesake. Blending heritage and modernity, style and character, this beautiful suite is designed to give our guests an extraordinary experience of the city. Its large port-hole style windows offer superb views over Princes Street and beyond, letting guests enjoy the view, whatever the season. 4 - The Icon - The Balmoral
Soothing tones of heather create a relaxing ambiance in the bedroom, where a king-sized bed complemented by designer throws promises a restful environment, fit for a Queen.
Winter - Issue No. 2
The Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon Original features, combined with the latest technology, create a distinctive style that is both classic and contemporary. Book a Rocco Forte Suite Experience and enjoy enhanced benefits with our compliments, from in-suite check-in to complimentary breakfast. Enjoy a spa treatment, a Rocco Forte Fitness session, a bespoke cultural or gastronomic experience – whatever your passions, we’ll arrange something special; or, we’ll personalise your suite with your favourite things – flowers, in-room amenities and much more. Our concierge team are on hand to help you unlock every city secret, with bespoke experiences tailored to your interests and passions. For more information and booking details visit www.roccofortehotels.com/the-balmoral
71 Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 2HJ Tel: 0131 225 8634 www.hawico.com
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71 Grassmarket Edinburgh EH1 2HJ Tel: 0131 225 8634 www.hawico.com
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Winter - Issue No. 2
Our Executive Housekeeper, Victoria Simpson shares her thoughts and experience on creating the perfect festive decorative piece. Festive displays are subtle, and less vivacious in colour compared to spring and summer, but just as stunning in their simplicity. They are full of texture, tone and scent; making them evocative of the season. There are styles you can create to suit every home – whether it’s traditional with holly and berries, glamorous creations with sparkle and glitter, or ascetic winter wonderland.
Festive foliage can include eucalyptus, pine, ivy, sage, rosemary, vines, cranberries, poppy heads and seed heads. The most wonderful displays will include interesting shapes and colours that will evoke thoughts of winter.
My personal preference is a natural arrangement using a mix of seasonal foliage including herbs and foraged ingredients. To create a festive foliage table setting or wreath, you will need to start by gathering all your ingredients together.
Once you have gathered together your selection of foliage, decide on the type of arrangement you want to create. If you are creating a table arrangement use as wide variety of vessels as possible. Include a mix of different sizes, shapes and textures to give interest to your table setting.
Fill each vessel generously with a mix of your ingredients, creating texture and scent as you go. To finish, place each foliage arrangement down your table, dotting them around candles and clustering them in small groups. Don’t forget to change the water on a regular basis and trim stems so it lasts throughout the festive period.
BY ALAIN ROUX Our new tempting winter menu has launched in Brasserie Prince. Dine on fabulous food for the soul. Enjoy a warming Normandy onion soup followed by the lightest of grilled lemon sole then indulge in a beautifully crafted dessert. The chefs at Brasserie Prince have created a menu of tantalising tastes just waiting to be appreciated. To book a table call the team on 0131 557 5000
LIVE MUSIC & COCKTAILS TUNE IN AT BAR PRINCE
MIXOLOGY MASTER
Wednesdays and Thursdays 6.00pm – 10.00pm
Giovanni Cassino, one of Europe’s top bartenders, along with his team, has been busy creating a variety of mouth watering cocktails at Bar Prince which are ideal for warming you up this winter.
Wind down at the end of the day with a classic gin and tonic or one of our signature cocktails while you enjoy live piano music this season at Bar Prince. Our in-house music maestro, Kenny Duncan will keep you entertained while you relax and enjoy the atmosphere. 6 - The Icon - The Balmoral
To book your table or cocktail tasting, call 0131 557 5000 or pop into Bar Prince.
Winter - Issue No. 2
INTRODUCING… GARY ROBINSON, OUR NEW EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF The culinary chief talks city tips, Christmas and goat… How have your first few months been back in Edinburgh? They’ve been special, a real rollercoaster of excitement and adventure. Coming home to discover how great this city still is has been pretty close to perfect. Best and worst things about living in Edinburgh? Best - the people, the architecture, the history and the size of the city. Worst - trying to make sure visitors see all the best bits in a short space of time! What is on your must-do list for Christmas in Edinburgh? Take a bracing walk up Arthur’s Seat and take it all in from up high. Take it pretty easy really, there’s a lot of energy that’ll be needed for Hogmanay.
Top tips for the best Christmas gravy? Start making the gravy now. Any roast chicken bones and trimmings that can be turned into stock can be bagged up and popped in the freezer to be pulled out on the day. Reduce these to sticky glazes and they’ll turn the cooking juices on the day into the best gravy ever. How will you spend Christmas Day? I still haven’t worked that one out! I’m hoping to spend a bit of time with the family as well as make sure all is in place in the kitchens at the hotel - but we’ll see how that plays out on the day.
We seem to see a lot of new food trends these days. What unusual ingredients do you think will become mainstream in 2020? Not all that unusual until you start getting into some great blends, but cold infused tea, not tea gone cold, but infused in cold water on purpose. Goat has to be up there for the meat of the year award, and I’d like to see more of the stigmas around the fear of the wild and the foraged being demystified and hitting more plates.
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Edinburgh’s Christmas is a winter celebration offering a plethora of things to see and do. The city sparkles, festooned with festive lights and decorations. Light Night kicks off the festive celebrations encapsulating the true spirit of the season: family and the community. Choirs from all over Scotland will perform in front of an expected audience of around 20,000 people, as George Street is lit up with fireworks. Visitors flock to the capital, enjoying panoramic views of the city from the top of the Big Wheel or braving a twirl on the 60-metre-high Star Flyer. Princes Street Gardens, just beside the hotel, is a wonderful festive fairground for children to enjoy. Winter Wonderland holds the Elves’ Workshop, hidden in the Christmas Tree Maze, and Santa’s Grotto gives little ones a chance to meet the man himself. Wander up to St Andrews Square, hire a pair of skates and spin across the ice rink, behind a gorgeous backdrop of the glittering city. After a day of taking in all the sights and sounds of the markets, pop into Bar Prince to enjoy one of our festive cocktails or warming glass of wine.
TOP 10 CHRISTMAS MOVIES
HOGMANAY GALA BALL
It’s that time of year, when it’s cold and dark that curling up on the sofa with a good movie is the only thing to do.
No winter in Edinburgh is complete without ringing in the bells on Hogmanay. Our renowned Hogmanay Gala Ball is the hottest ticket in town. This glamorous celebration commences with a superb pipes and drums performance. A Champagne and canapé reception launches the evening in style. You will then enjoy a magnificent dinner, coupled with the finest of wines – all served in the Sir Walter Scott Suite. After dinner, the rousing ceilidh band will get you on your feet guiding even the most inexperienced guests through each step. The Bells of 2020 will be ushered in as our ceilidh musicians lead you in a traditional Auld Lang Syne. Watch the world-renowned fireworks display against the magnificent backdrop of Edinburgh Castle before dancing into the wee small hours. For more information or to book please contact reservations@roccofortehotels.com
We asked the team at The Balmoral for their favourite Christmas movies and this is the definitive list;
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Elf Home Alone Miracle on 34th Street It’s a Wonderful Life Muppet Christmas Carol Polar Express National Lampoons Christmas Vacation The Nightmare before Christmas The Santa Clause Love Actually
CONCIERGE RECOMMENDS Edinburgh Revisited 15th October – 3rd November 2019, 11am – 6pm A selection of picture-poems that celebrate the wonder that is the City of Edinburgh. This wonderful collection features pictures and poems dedicated to The Balmoral and its legendary status within the capital. Stills Centre for Photography, 23 Cockburn Street, Edinburgh
Samhuinn Fire Festival 31 October 2019, 9pm This stunning festival celebrates the Celtic New Year, marking the end of summer and welcoming the onset of winter. The event is a stunning torchlit performance along the Royal Mile to a stage on West Parliament Square, with wild drumming, acrobatics, fire-dancing and intricate costumes as dozens of volunteers act out battles between the forces of summer and winter. Scottish International Storytelling Festival 18th – 31st October 2019 The 31st SISF celebrates old traditions and new connections, showcasing how music, dance and story communicate shared experiences that are ‘Beyond Words’. 8 - The Icon - The Balmoral
Glamis Castle Christmas Market 13th – 15th December 2019 Childhood home to our Queen Mother – Glamis Castle hosts a magical Christmas market. Enjoy a day at this beautiful historic castle with winter walks, festive stalls, Castle tours and more. Loony Dookers, South Queensferry 1 January 2020 On 1 January brave souls can take a ‘refreshing’ dip in the Firth of Forth during the annual Loony Dook held in various venues throughout Edinburgh. Spectators are more than welcome to cheer the dookers on from the side lines – and provide towels, hot water bottles and even a hot toddy for after!
Winter - Issue No. 2
A chat with C.E.O.
VICTORIA HOUGHTON When do you start planning for Christmas? AMILTON & INCHES Christmas planning starts in the summer. It’s a very special time of year for the store and we start sourcing, designing and crafting the perfect pieces well in advance. This year is particularly exciting for the brand, as our Scottish Gold collection launched at the beginning of October and we are anticipating a significant degree of interest around these unique pieces.
H
What embodies the H&I Christmas spirit? THER THAN sparkle? The Hamilton & Inches team! The camaraderie and dedication our incredible team demonstrate during the festive period makes H&I the brand that it is today. The festive period in retail is an exceptionally busy period and our team work right up until Christmas Eve to ensure that we are here for even the most last minute of customers! The exceptional level of customer service that’s delivered all the way through the year is only amplified at Christmas, and it really serves to make the shopping at Hamilton & Inches even more of a special and festive experience.
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Are there any H&I traditions over the festive season? MBRACING CHRISTMAS is key to the festive experience at Hamilton & Inches. Being located in the heart of the city on George Street puts us central to Edinburgh’s magical festive feel: clients enter the showroom from a streetscape of twinkling lights, foggy breath and carollers to be greeted with the warmth of our blazing fire, glasses of champagne, mulled wine and mince pies. We have a pianist playing throughout December and a train, filled with sweets, in the window display and through the store. All of this, plus our celebrated client customer parties, make for a truly special experience.
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Do you see different trends in purchases each year? HRISTMAS GIFTING in the jewellery industry takes on various forms each year but we find that the simplicity and elegance of a pair of sparkling diamond stud earrings or a pendant, presented in our iconic purple box, are timelessly perfect Christmas gifts. In recent years, the popularity of watch purchases has continued to grow at Christmas - plus, of course, there is always the magic of a Christmas engagement, and we at Hamilton & Inches have certainly seen the romance of the festive period inspire many of these!
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What would you like to see in your stocking? ORKING SURROUNDED by such exquisite things, it would be easy to have a wishlist as long as my arm! However, I have my eye especially on one of our beautiful emerald rings…..if that made its way into my stocking I would be a very happy lady indeed.
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What’s the best present you’ve ever received? T WOULD HAVE TO BE one from my childhood days. I still vividly remember how magical Christmas was as a child: the excitement of spying my stocking at the end of the bed and eagerly opening it with my brothers, and then opening the lounge door to see what special gifts Father Christmas had left under the tree. The enchantment of it all made even the simplest present seem incredible!
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How will you spend Christmas? ITH MY FAMILY. My sons are still at the perfect ages to really embrace all the wonder of Christmas and their excitement is one of the things that makes Christmas absolutely magical for me now as an adult.
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Victoria Houghton, CEO What do you think the jewellery trends will be in 2020? SIMPLE DIAMOND stud never goes out of style, but drop and waterfall earrings are set to make a statement, as well as eye-catching hoops. Tribal-inspired pieces, such as our hammered cuff, are also set to be a huge trend. We’ll be seeing jewels in more vibrant and even juxtaposed hues, such as the Stirling Castle necklace from our Scottish Gold collection, which features 34 pear-shaped tourmalines in a rainbow of colours, interspersed with 58-facet brilliant-cut diamonds. Romantic, Victorian-era inspired jewellery is also set to be a strong trend, as well as pearls and statement links and chains blending metals and colours.
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What are your hopes for H&I in 2020? AVING LAUNCHED Scottish Gold in October, we are excited to expand the collection with new pieces in 2020. We will continue to showcase what makes Hamilton & Inches special - our master silversmiths and craftsmen, whose workshops are located above the showroom. The talent and skill sets that have been passed down through generations of our workshop team, and that we continue to foster through apprenticeship schemes, is something that we are incredibly proud of and are looking to share more of in years to come.
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What would your wish be on our Wishing Tree? CO-CONCERNS HAVE never been more pressing, with scientists estimating that we have as few as 12 years left to halt climate change. At Hamilton & Inches, sustainability is woven into much of what we do the minimal footprint created by our workshops being on the same site as our showroom, for example, and our commitment to ethically sourced metals and jewels - but we will continue to strive harder to lessen our impact on the planet. My wish would be that everyone - companies and individuals alike - would make just one small adjustment each day to set these larger changes in motion.
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Winter - Issue No. 2
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Winter - Issue No. 2
SPA Escape the festive madness and make your way to The Balmoral Spa - a serene sanctuary in the heart of the city. Treat yourself to one of our Spa Day Packages from Ishga or Irene Forte Skincare. All Spa Day Packages include full use of all spa facilities, including sauna, steam room, swimming pool, gym and fitness studio. To book a spa treatment or package please call 0131 622 8880
WISH UPON A STAR
HAPPILY EVER AFTER‌
From November in the lobby of The Balmoral, our tree of magical wishes lets you make a wish and give the gift of giving to our nominated charity. Simply select one of our gold wishing tags and make your wish.
Begin your happily ever after at The Balmoral. Our legendary hotel is perfectly placed to ensure your big day is everything you want it to be; and more. Celebrate in style in one of our opulent suites, with stunning views over Edinburgh. Our team of chefs will create a wedding breakfast to remember for you and your guests while our dedicated wedding planners with unsurpassed attention to detail will make certain your day will be perfect. For further information, please call our reception or browse online at roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel/weddings
GIFT CERTIFICATES The Balmoral offers a range of Gifts and Gift Experiences. From luxurious spa days to masterclasses and Michelin starred dinners, our renowned gift experiences are sure to surprise and delight. For further information, please call our reception or browse online at roccofortehotels.com
GIFTS Treasure your memories of The Balmoral and take home a memento from your visit. The Balmoral has a small, exclusive range of gifts which make the perfect present or keepsake. Our gift selection includes: Hamilton & Inches charms Balmoral Owl (soft toy) Owl Book
Christmas baubles The Balmoral Mugs
For further information, please call our reception or browse online at roccofortehotels.com
A publication brought to you by The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte hotel in Edinburgh. The Icon - The Balmoral - 11
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0131 556 2414 The Balmoral, 1 Princes St, Edinburgh EH2 2EQ www.roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/the-balmoral-hotel BalmoralEdinburgh @The_Balmoral @thebalmoral The Icon - The Balmoral - 12