The Portman Magazine Winter 2014

THE PORTMAN

Glamour, glitz and glorious food - we’ve got Christmas wrapped up

Winter 2014

Living on and around The Portman Estate

5 contents

7 As told to Theo Dubroy talks about his time as head concierge at The Arch Hotel

10

Happenings Remembering heroes of war, plus Peruvian cuisine, supper club and chocolate cocktails for food lovers

COVER: NECKLACE, £145, SAHARA PHOTO: SAHARA

SEE PAGE 22

18 Arts

Strictly Ballroom We meet the founder of dance school Simply Dancing Partners

22 Gifts

Christmas wrapped up Our selection of gorgeous gifts from Marylebone’s finest The Portman is a regular journal about life on and around The Portman Estate Editor Lorna Davies

Publisher The Portman Estate

Writers Tim Arbabzadah Catherine Payne-Smith Cally Squires Debbie Ward Felicity Kent Lorna Davies

Advertising Sam Bradshaw 020 7259 1051 sam@pubbiz.com

Sub-editors Tim Arbabzadah Vanya Marks Designer Andy Lowe

Send information to The Portman Publishing Business 3 Princes Street London W1B 2LD 020 7259 1050 www.pubbiz.com Printed in the UK © Publishing Business Limited 2014

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Community All together now Tushna Ghadially tells us why she set up a local parents network

36

Food & drink Festive feasts Give turkeys time out and have Christmas lunch with a difference

40

Service Putting you first Portman Estate staff put residents’ and occupiers’ needs foremost

Publishing Business is a member of the Professional Publishers Association and observes the PPA Code of Publishing Practice Printed on ECF (Chlorine free) paper using fibre sourced from well-managed forests.

All inks vegetable based. Our printers are certified to ISO 14001 Environmental Management.

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Baker Street Christmas market It’s time to grab a mulled wine and fill your festive boots

7 as told to

Theo Dubroy, head concierge at The Arch Hotel, 50 Great Cumberland Place, tells us about his award-winning role

Over Arching

“

I’M ORIGINALLY FROM CANADA and studied at Ottawa University receiving my degree in Media Communications and Public Relations. During my summers I worked in hotels, mainly in the guest services department. I took three years off to travel after university. I went to Fiji and New Zealand for eight months, then to Australia for two years. It was only supposed to be one year off, but ended up as three. I loved it. I lived in Sydney first and then travelled up to Port Douglas, Queensland, for those years and worked in hotels there. You only get a two-year holiday visa. One of the hotel managers in Australia said I should come to London, so I did and took a PR course here as a sort of upgrade from my degree, but I ended up working in a hotel on weekends. So I just sort of fell into it.

I never actually got a job in PR, so I don’t even know exactly what I would have been doing!

The most memorable moment in Australia was working as an extra on a movie, The Thin Red Line, for almost seven months. I was with my friend and we had spent all our money and that just popped up.

We were up on war ships in the middle of the ocean for about two weeks during filming – that ended up as about two minutes of footage.

I arrived in London in 1999 and worked at opening a few 5-star boutique hotels. I had the opportunity to start working for The Arch and opened this hotel five years ago. This is a great little hotel. We have 82 rooms, so not too big, not too small. It’s also a great location: right in the centre of everything.

8 as told to

There’s Hyde Park for all the joggers and so many nice places for people to go out in Marylebone and Mayfair. It’s the perfect location and the perfect size.

We have demanding guests; they know what they want. For example, one group wanted lastminute Wimbledon tickets, which were quite hard to get. There are a lot of regulars, too. During the summers we get many families, so there is a lot of organising family activities and, during the winter period, we get many business travellers so there are different tasks for this kind of traveller.

I remember one of the funniest incidents was these guys who were going to a party in drag, so we needed to find high-heeled shoes in size 14 at the last minute for three men. We had to find a specialist shop in the end.

My manager here encouraged me to apply for the Golden Keys. It’s quite a long process. You need sponsors and at least five years of concierge experience to actually apply. Then you need to go before the board if they accept you. There’s a test and I was asked about my knowledge of London and my own hotel. I was also given scenarios and asked what I would do. Plus I had to know about The Society of the Golden Keys.

It was more intense than I thought it would be, lots of studying, but it’s all good to know that stuff anyway. Also, you get to go to the International conferences (Les Clefs d’Or International Congress 2014), which is in Argentina this year. Now this award is for life.

“We needed to find high-heeled shoes in size 14 at the last minute for three men”

”

Theo was talking to Tim Arbabzadah IMAGES OF THE ARCH LONDON COURTESY OF THE HOTEL

10 happenings

Historic landmark set in stone FIFTY YEARS on from the original dedication of the Tyburn Stone plaque on September 29, 1964, stone masons have meticulously repaired and restored the historic landmark. The stone, located at the intersection of Edgware Road and Marble Arch, marks the site where criminals, traitors and priests were

executed for almost 600 years.

Edgware Road Partnership, the Tyburn Convent, Westminster City Council and Transport for London invited the local community to celebrate the restoration last month, when TfL also planted three oak trees around the stone. Father Christopher Pedley SJ, from The Jesuit Church of Immaculate Conception, led a private blessing of the stone, with Friends of the Tyburn Committee present to witness the dedication. Pupils from nearby Hampden Gurney CE Primary School also wrote special Tyburn-format poems, and read them to guests as part of National Poetry Day. The earliest record of a public execution at Tyburn – originally a village in Middlesex – was in 1196, but it became most notorious in the 16th century. Henry VIII used Tyburn to execute the ringleaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace, and in 1571, the Tyburn Tree was erected near the modern-day Marble Arch.

FATHER CHRISTOPHER PEDLEY SJ AND GUESTS AT THE BLESSING OF THE TYBURN STONE

A TROOPER IN THE BLUES & ROYALS HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY REGIMENT PAYING HIS RESPECTS TO THE WORLD WAR ONE ‘WESTMINSTER REMEMBERS’ FLOWERBED

Council honours war heroes WESTMINSTER CITY Council has unveiled a commemorative flowerbed in Marble Arch to remember all those who lived, fought and died during World War One. Built 100 years after the start of World War One, the flowerbed is part of the council’s campaign of commemorative events, ‘Westminster Remembers’, and was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Audrey Lewis, and Westminster’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Rachael Robathan, in October.

Christmas cracker

New look for Locatelli

CHILTERN STREET will be illuminated with festive lights on November 12, followed by Marylebone High Street on November 19.

Chiltern Street will also play host to a late-night shopping evening on November 27. From 5pm until late, stores will be serving celebratory drinks, with Glühwein (mulled wine) and Swedish cinnamon buns at Monocle; whiskey tasting at Cadenhead’s; and mulled wine and a Christmas Grotto sneak preview Hardy’s Brasserie and Wine Bar. Salons including Bharti Vyas and West One Beauty will also be offering discounts and special treatments. Plus there will be music from Tyler Rix to get you well and truly in the festive spirit!

Info: www.chilternstreetsw1.co.uk

LOCANDA LOCATELLI has reopened after a three month refurbishment. Almost £1 million has been invested into Plaxy and Giorgio Locatelli’s Michelin-starred Italian, with the lion’s share of the cost spent on a new kitchen. In the restaurant, aside from a refreshed interior, two new Damien Hirst paintings adorn the walls and a semi-private dining room has been created. Launched in 2002, the restaurant in the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill hotel, has served famous faces including Kate Winslet, Madonna and Kate Moss.

Locanda Locatelli is at 8 Seymour Street. Info: 020 7935 9088, www.locandalocatelli.com

12 happenings

DoubleTree wins hospitality award ANuP SARIN, general manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Marble Arch, has been awarded the Sanch Eurasion Golden Award for Hospitality. Sarin was presented the award – which recognises his 20 years of hard work in the hotel industry – by Baroness Sandip Verma at the House of Lords.

“I am originally from India and started my career in 1988, and have been working in hotels ever since. I began with the Holiday Inn in New Delhi. Then I worked for Crowne Plaza before moving to the Hilton for a couple of years and then Intercontinental,” Sarin told The Portman.

Sarin also opened a hotel in Shrinaga in Kashmir, in a former Maharaja’s palace, and an Intercontinental in Bangalore in India. He has been at the 4 Bryanston Street hotel (formerly Best Western) for 12 years.

Sarin has also achieved the Pride of India Leadership Award in 2010 and is a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.

Peruvian fusion arrives in Thayer Street PACHAMAMA has opened on Thayer Street.

The menu features Peruvian dishes using British ingredients such as salmon tacos, sea bass and tiger’s milk and chicken anticuchos. Head chef Tom Catley has an impressive CV including Ottolenghi, Nathan Outlaw, Peyton and Byrne, as well as working at Amaz in Peru.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opening,” Catley told The Portman. “Our concept of British-Peruvian cuisine is a London

Earlier this month, he and other volunteers from the hotel worked to improve the gardens and children’s play area at the Portman Early Childhood Centre, as part of the Baker Street Quarter’s CSR Smarter Giving Programme to help businesses support local charities.

first and seems to have excited many. We’ve had particularly great feedback on our Smoked Gloucester Old Spot ribs with English malt and peanut glaze. So far so good!”

The restaurant is also home to a cocktail bar, with home-infused Pisco, British/Peruvian mash-ups and South American wines.

Pachamama is at 18 Thayer Street. Info: 020 7935 9393, www.pachamamalondon.com

ANUP SARIN, CENTRE, WITH OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF DOUBLETREE BY HILTON. CREDIT: DOUBLETREE BY HILTON

Give thanks at the Firehouse Supper club for stylish singles

CELEBRATE Thanksgiving at the Chiltern Firehouse, which is offering a special menu and longer opening hours. The restaurant will be serving food all day from 12noon on November 27.

Executive chef Nuno Mendes has created two special dishes. For mains, there is Rhug Farm turkey, slow roasted over hay truffled stuffing and liver parfait with sides of French beans, and almondine and maple bourbon sweet potatoes (£32). Dessert is spiced pumpkin and brown butter pie raisin caramel and bourbon cream (£9).

Chiltern Firehouse is at 1 Chiltern Street.

Info: 020 7073 7676, www.chilternfirehouse.com PHOTO: JAMIE ORLANDO SMITH

SALIMA MANJI

LONDON DINNER CLuB is hosting a series of social networking and matchmaking evenings over the festive period.

On November 20, the supper club is hosting its stylish monthly drinks evening to connect single Londoners at private member’s club Home House. On December 4, Chinese restaurant Royal China is providing a delicious banquet of their speciality dishes, with afterdinner drinks for more socialising at Home House.

After working for six years in investment banking, Salima Manji was looking for a new direction and heard colleagues complaining

about the perils of online dating.

“My ‘lightbulb moment’ happened, as I love planning dinner parties and drinks for friends. using my networking skills gained in banking, a supper club for singles seemed like a perfect business idea,” she told The Portman. “We’ve been successfully matching up couples since 2010.”

London Dinner Club will be at Home House, 20 Portman Square, November 20, 7.30pm and Royal China, 40-42 Baker Street, December 4, 7.30pm. Booking is advised. Info: www.londondinnerclub.org

14 happenings

Local pharmacy celebrates bicentenary GHADA SALEH FROM MEACHER HIGGINS & THOMAS AND STEPHEN FISHWICK FROM THE NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION

MEACHER HIGGINS & Thomas is 200 years old this year. The Crawford Street pharmacy celebrated the milestone with a party attended by the Lord Mayor of Westminster last month.

Opened in 1814 by Thomas Meacher

New fishmonger makes a splash LA PETITE Poissonnerie has opened on New Quebec Street.

The boutique fishmonger specialises in locally and sustainably sourced fresh fish, shellfish and smoked fish, plus a selection of French and Japanese groceries, wines, dressings, sauces, sandwiches and salads. Former chef and founder Nic Rascale plans to become the best fishmonger in London, with a focus on very high quality grade of produce, bespoke service and recipe suggestions.

“The road is just right for us, very village-like,” he says of the new store location. As well as New Quebec Street and an existing branch in Primrose Hill, Rascale plans to expand to Belgravia, Mayfair, Soho and King’s Cross.

La Petite Poissonnerie is at 19 New Quebec Street. Info: www.lapetitepoissonnerie.co.uk

and later succeeded by James Higgins, records from residents show the pharmacy had a good reputation, with carriages regularly queuing up outside.

Meacher Higgins & Thomas has been owned by Gist Health Ltd for the past ten years, and provides a range of services including flu vaccinations, medicine use reviews, help to stop smoking, as well as advice on healthy lifestyle and nutritional advice.

Pharmacist Ghada Saleh said she was “delighted” to be celebrating the bicentenary. “The community pharmacy has changed enormously in the last few decades and we’ve come across some interesting records to show this, including a manuscript list of prices of drugs and instruments charged to a nursing home, which includes: ‘Leeches – best speckled at 4s per dose’.

Meacher Higgins & Thomas is at 105a Crawford Street.

Info: 020 7723 2788, www.meacherhigginsandthomas.co.uk

16 happenings

Refreshed décor and menu at the Wallace THE WALLACE RESTAuRANT, at The Wallace Collection, has reopened. The Peyton and Byrne restaurant has undergone a recent refurbishment alongside the works at the gallery. Ivan Simeoli has been appointed as head chef and has introduced a new menu with a French influence.

Hertford House, Manchester Square. Info: 020 7300 5913, www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk

Chocolate at the Churchill THE CHuRCHILL Bar’s alfresco terrace has been transformed into an alpine winter scene, complete with a chocolate cocktail menu curated by Green & Blacks, twinkling lanterns, lavish fur-lined seats and vintage wooden sleighs and skis. Cocktails include Off Piste, made with Green & Black’s Lemon Chocolate, Limonchello, grapefruit, thyme and lemongrass syrup, Cazadores Blanco Tequila and baked meringue.

The Churchill Bar & Terrace is at 30 Portman Square. Info: 020 7299 2035, www.london.churchill.hyatt.com

Little Waitrose has landed WAITROSE has opened a new store on Baker Street. Little Waitrose Portman Square – unveiled by City of Westminster Councillor, Karen Scarborough, on October 21 – is the ninth store in Westminster and has recruited 56 staff after receiving more than 400 applications.

The store will include a bakery, fresh fruit and vegetables, a range of takeaway sandwiches and snacks, and hundreds of everyday items.

Waitrose Portman Square will donate £6,000 and 100 staff working hours a year to local causes nominated by customers through its Community

Matters ‘green token’ scheme and Partner Volunteering initiative. Local charities The West London Day Centre, Faith Forum and Fitzrovia Group will be the first causes to benefit from Community Matters.

Waitrose Portman Square is at 12 Baker Street. Info: www.waitrose.com

18 arts

Dust off your dancing shoes

When Jenni Kravitz took up ballroom and Latin dancing eight years ago, she could only find classes full of women with hardly any men. That’s why she launched Simply Dancing Partners. With the final of Strictly on December 13, we sent our girl Cally Squires for a spin

“CLienTS geT aDDiCTeD. They just keep coming back for more, term after term. normally, they only stop if they leave the country or move out of London,” says Simply Dancing Partners founder Jenni Kravitz.

We are sitting in the atrium of the West London Synagogue in Marylebone, waiting for my beginners’ Waltz and Jive class to begin. as someone whose entire Strictly Come Dancing knowledge is based on a frantic googling of the show’s YouTube repertoire mere hours previously, i don’t know quite what to expect. i do know that never before has Denise van Outen seemed so intimidating. Jenni assures me i am not the only one to be lured without the Strictly hook: “i didn’t even watch the first series, but became a fan of the second.” Strangely, none of my fellow non-professionals are religious viewers of the BBC primetime show either. But rather, keen amateurs who think it would be a lovely way to spend a Tuesday evening, not to mention a good skill to have.

Jenni herself didn’t set out to start a dance school – in fact she was a potential client. “i did some research and found four different schools which promised that there would be plenty of men to dance with. What that actually turned out to mean was that you’d be lucky if there was one man in the class; it was unlikely that he’d be able to dance; and you’d have to share him with up to ten other women.” Certainly not what you dream about when you’re at home watching Strictly, then.

She didn’t, however, have two left feet. “i learned ballet as a child and actually did performances in the same room we now use

LEFT: SIMPLY DANCING PARTNERS GET TO GRIPS WITH THE JIVE RIGHT: PROFESSIONALS AT WORK

for the Simply classes. i also did some jazz in my teens, but then i married a man who had no interest in dancing, which made it impossible for me to carry on. For the next 30 years, i didn’t do any dancing at all, because i couldn’t find a willing partner to go with me.”

Thus, the idea for Simply Dancing Partners was born. “When i did start

20 arts

watching Strictly, i realised that if i didn’t take the initiative and start dancing again now, the opportunity would pass me by,” recalls Jenni. “The classes i had tried were only £10 per lesson; you’re lucky if you can buy a coffee and a cake for that much. Why would i expect a quality lesson for that sort of money? i really wanted to go to a class and dance with a partner who knew what he was doing. if you were learning tennis, you’d hire an experienced player to teach you, not someone who’d never held a racket before.”

On Valentine’s Day 2006, Jenni set out to find a venue, a teacher and some willing dancers, “who were prepared to be paid to dance with amateurs like me.” She originally thought the latter would be thesps who were in between stage jobs, but eventually she discovered that the best partners were not professionals, but were current or exstudents who were – or had been – on dancesport teams at university. “They train so hard alongside their degrees that they reach an incredible level of technical skill,” Jenni tells me.

“My vision for Simply Dancing Partners was for it to be like my bridge club – a really welcoming atmosphere, where everybody would say hello to you when you walked in.”

She certainly seems to have achieved her dream. not only do i find the other dancers to be warm and friendly, but they have

clearly built up a rapport with each other, having attended the same class together each week of the term. Jenni says this is why she shunned taking private lessons when she was learning: “The classes were too short and not very satisfying from a social point of view.”

Currently, Simply Dancing Partners offers instruction in Latin, Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba, Salsa, Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep and, most recently, argentine Tango. “We hold the classes in a hall in the Synagogue building, which has recently been refurbished beautifully. My parents were both active members – as was i – when i was a child.” now that she has been dancing solidly for nine years, i wonder what her favourite routine is? “Definitely the argentine Tango, it’s really captured my heart. i also love dancing the Rumba, so i’m taking private lessons in that at the moment.” Jenni says the private option is great for engaged couples picking a first dance: “We can work out exactly what choreography suits them best.” The Foxtrot and Waltz are the most popular wedding dances, but Jenni says: “We did have a bride-to-be who wanted to learn the dance of the theme tune to Dirty Dancing. She and her now-husband practised for about eight weeks with us, and i heard afterwards that the routine was

“My vision for Simply Dancing Partners was for it to be like my bridge club – a really welcoming atmosphere, where everybody would say hello to you when you walked in.”

Jenni Kravitz

very well received on the day!”

Being based so centrally, the school attracts clients from near and far. “Some clients are Marylebone locals. There is one lady who lives opposite us and saw the classes through her window. She rushed down and asked to join!” One client who has come from very far indeed is Jean – in my class – who found Simply Dancing Partners online and has flown from California to spend six months in London, taking weekly dancing lessons at 33 Seymour Place. in the course of the inevitable Strictly chat, Jenni says she would like Casualty actress Sunetra Sarker or EastEnders actor Jake Wood to win. “i realise how good some of the younger girls are, but i do feel they have an unfair advantage.

When i watch Sunetra and Jake, who have come from nowhere, i really empathise. it is terribly exciting to see them improve over the weeks. “i’m a very determined person and when i want to do something i get my head down and do it. i was absolutely determined to make Simply Dancing Partners work,” says Jenni. Happily, so far, it has.

Simply Dancing Partners holds classes at 33 Seymour Place on weekday evenings. info: 020 3648 0377, www.simplydancingpartners.co.uk

22 gifts

It’s that time of year again: the number of shopping days left until Christmas are ever-dwindling and the to-do list is ever-increasing. The good news is that you don’t need to go far to fill the stockings.

Catherine Payne-Smith reveals treasure trove of inspiration available on your doorstep

SUPER FLUFFY LEOPARD PRINT ROBE, £50, LONG TALL SALLY, 21-25 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7487 3370, WWW.LONGTALLSALLY.COM

CASHMERE RIBBED SOCKS, £40, SUNSPEL, 13-15 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7009 0650, WWW.SUNSPEL.COM

Christmas gifts Comfort and joy Tis the season to grab a box-set, light the fire and retreat from the world until the chimes of the new year. Here’s what to give if you’re planning an indoor-fest

ROCOCO ROUND BOX NO.1 WITH MIXED CHOCOLATES, £28, ROCOCO CHOCOLATES, 3 MOXON STREET. INFO: 020 7935 7780, WWW.ROCOCOCHOCOLATES.COM MILTONDUFF-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY 1994 WHISKY, £75.50, THE CADENHEAD’S WHISKY SHOP AND TASTING ROOM, 26 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935 6999, WWW.WHISKYTASTINGROOM.COM

MHL ROLL NECK, £155, MARGARET HOWELL, 34 WIGMORE STREET. INFO: 020 7009 9009, WWW.MARGARETHOWELL. CO.UK

BETHLÉEM CANDLE, £65, CIRE TRUDON BOUTIQUE, 36 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7486 7590, WWW.CIRETRUDON.COM

MY 1ST YEARS STAR TWO-PIECE GIFT SET 0-12 MONTHS, £30, SELFRIDGES, 400 OXFORD STREET. INFO: 0113 369 8040, WWW.SELFRIDGES.COM

CLIFTON ROSE THREE-TIER CAKE STAND, £35, CATH KIDSTON, 51 MARYLEBONE HIGH STREET. INFO: 020 7935 6555, WWW.CATHKIDSTON.COM

24 gifts

Making memories

GIFT VOUCHERS FOR BEAUTY TREATMENTS AVAILABLE AT: LEMONGRASS BOUTIQUE SPA, 8 SEYMOUR PLACE. INFO: 020 7258 7997, WWW.LEMONGRASSBOUTIQUESPA.CO.UK BEAUTY ROSE, 21 NEW QUEBEC STREET. INFO: 020 7724 2114, WWW.BEAUTYROSE.CO.UK IBROWS, 16 SEYMOUR PLACE. INFO: 020 7725 5791, WWW.IBROWSETC.CO.UK

Sometimes the best present is one that doesn’t fit under the Christmas tree.

STENTOR STUDENT VIOLIN, £94, JAS MUSICALS, 14 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935 0793, WWW.JAS-MUSICALS.COM

GIFT VOUCHERS FOR WORKSHOPS IN KNITTING, PERFUME MAKING AND MORE, FROM £10, HOMEMADE LONDON, 21 SEYMOUR PLACE. INFO: 020 8616 0771, WWW.HOMEMADELONDON.COM

MAKE A DONATION TO THE WEST LONDON DAY CENTRE, WHICH PROVIDES FOR THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS OF 100 HOMELESS PEOPLE EVERY DAY, AT WWW.JUSTGIVING.COM/WLM. WEST LONDON DAY CENTRE, 19 THAYER STREET. INFO: 020 7569 5900, WWW.WLM.ORG.UK/WLDC

WINE TASTING SESSION, £25, EUROCAVE UK, 57 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935 4679, WWW.AROUNDWINE.CO.UK

26 gifts

Objects of desire It feels fabulous to unwrap something you never knew you wanted until you see it – and feet your heart flutter.

Treat your loved one to a thing of beauty.

NAKAMOL BEADED FRINGE NECKLACE, £55, SAHARA, 42 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935 8990, WWW.SAHARALONDON.COM TOWNHALL DRESS, £795, SUZANNAH, 3 NEW QUEBEC STREET. INFO: 020 7258 0782, WWW.SUZANNAH.COM

GOLD BOX UMBRELLA, £29.99, THE WALLACE COLLECTION, HERTFORD HOUSE, MANCHESTER SQUARE. INFO: 020 7563 9500, WWW.WALLACECOLLECTION.ORG

HARDY & PARSONS BREDON WEBBING BELT, £75, TRUNK CLOTHIERS, 8 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7486 2357, WWW.TRUNKCLOTHIERS.COM WHITE LACE DRESS, £85, PAOLITA, 18 NEW QUEBEC STREET. INFO: 0203 620 5806, WWW.PAOLITA.CO.UK

EDITH BAG, £185, WILBUR & GUSSIE, 20 NEW QUEBEC STREET. INFO: 020 3696 4920, WWW.WILBURANDGUSSIE.COM

JOHN SIMONS APPAREL COMPANY SHIRT, £89, JOHN SIMONS, 46 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 3490 2729, WWW.JOHNSIMONS.CO.UK

RIVIERA POLO SHIRT, £80, SUNSPEL, 13-15 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7009 0650, WWW.SUNSPEL.COM

30 community

Gail’s in PorTMan VillaGE is buzzing. The artisan bakery, which opened on seymour Place in september, is filled with mums chatting animatedly, while their babies snooze in prams and toddlers play underfoot. Portman Estate resident and local mum Tushna Ghadially is holding her second coffee morning for the website and network of parents she set up earlier this year.

Tushna and her husband moved to Bryanston Mews West in april 2013 after living in the lancaster Gate area for about ten years.

The relocation brought huge benefits. “Marylebone definitely has more of a community feel than even lancaster Gate and, living in a mews, we have quite a few families living on our street and the children play out in the evenings,” says Tushna.

Gloria rexer agrees. she moved to Marylebone last august and had her baby, Camila, in February. “You can do almost everything just walking and, as we don’t have a car, that’s perfect! i love taking Camila to the park (either the small one in Paddington street Gardens or regent’s Park), a lot of restaurants are easy to visit with a baby [see box], and it’s easy for us to meet my husband during lunchtime as he works so close.” after having her daughter, Katayoun, in March 2013, Tushna gave up work as a fund manager. However, she soon discovered that there was no established community for local parents, so Tushna set up MaryleboneMums.com at the beginning of the year.

“The website provides a blog, where news and information about local events, classes and coffee mornings are posted. These

Mum’s the word

Marylebone Mums was set up earlier this year to help parents find child-friendly activities on and around The Portman Estate.

Felicity Kent finds out more about the concept from founder Tushna Ghadially

ABOVE: SIRIO OPPOSITE: TUSHNA GHADIALLY AND KATAYOUN

32 community

are also on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. There is also a calendar of events so you can see what is on every day.”

Gloria, who is originally from Brazil, says: “The Marylebone Mums Facebook group really helped me to meet other mums.”

While her network of parents grows, Tushna now wants to build a relationship with local businesses. “i want to make sure that local businesses value the loyal custom that local families bring. i plan to encourage classes to start running in the area and try to help find them space where activities can happen. There is also a gap in the market for a family club around here, especially given the large number of kids.” aurore Martial has been living on Montagu square for three and a half years and had her son, sirio, last november. she has an idea for a family club but is struggling to find suitable space. “i started going to playgroups, and was just shocked to see that there wasn’t that much going on: surely there should be better settings than church basements or libraries? so i decided to launch a pop-up cafe and created Take a Deep Breath, just to see if it was just me dreaming of something a bit more sophisticated or if there was really a gap in the market.

“The idea was pretty simple: an afternoon tea for the mums, a play area for the kids (with finger food) and a music class – all wrapped up in two hours. We held it at Hardy’s Brasserie and i absolutely enjoyed it. since then, i have been looking desperately for a space.” another local mum saw a gap in the market for personal training. Manya Klempner is the cofounder of Moose X-Training, a personal training boutique that comes to the client. The concept is perfect for new mums.

“Many of our clients have children and either use our services to get rid of stubborn excess baby weight or to get in a workout at home while baby naps or hubby supervises in the evening.

We’re all about being convenient, and we’re quite affordable too. as a small company celebrating our second birthday soon, we always value support from the community.” suzy Kruger lives on rossmore road with her handyman husband and self-confessed

BELOW: MANYA KLEMPNER AND CHARLIE OPPOSITE TOP: GLORIA REXER AND CAMILA OPPOSITE BELOW: LES PORT DES INDES

The concept is perfect for new mums …

“We’re all about being convenient, and we’re quite affordable too.”

Manya Klempner

Marylebone Dad, Jethro, and 17-month-old Florence. she wanted to give something back to the local community so started up rossmore rascals, a playgroup for babies and toddlers at st Paul’s Church on rossmore road. “i thought that even if it just ended up being Florence’s mates and their mums that would be great, but it’s been really popular and we have 15 kids at each session. it’s been rather altruistic and really helps to precipitate the local ‘village’ feeling that we have been trying to create.” after achieving so much in so little time, Tushna and her Marylebone Mums will surely enrich the vibrant fabric of The Portman Estate’s family-friendly offerings for the future. info: www.marylebonemums.com or www.facebook.com/groups/marylebonemums/ Twitter: @MaryleboneMums

Tushna’s guide: where to eat with kids Gail’s Bakery, 4-6 seymour Place: “a family favourite for a sweet treat or yummy lunch.”

Bright Courtyard Club, 43-45 Baker street: “Especially for dim sum – super kid-friendly.”

Natural Kitchen, 55 Baker street: “The atrium area is great.”

Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern street: “supposedly very child-friendly, although not tried it with the kids yet!”

La Porte des Indes (pictured), 32 Bryanston street: “For sunday brunch.”

36 food & drink

Tired of turkey? Crave a more original festive season get-together? These eateries in the Portman area embrace different nationalities and styles. All are great for sociable sharing and there’s not a sprout in sight.

Debbie Ward reports

Roti Chai The Indian street food served at Roti Chai has proved such a popular antidote to turkey and mince pies that, in previous years, it has seen people queuing for Boxing Day and New Year’s Day lunch.

There are two separate rooms and menus; the more casual Street Kitchen (open from midday, last orders 10.30pm) and the Dining Room (open from 5pm).

The former is more popular with families and group lunches and the latter for Christmas dinners with colleagues or friends. The street food-inspired sharing style helps to keep things sociable.

Try the £32.50 ‘Atma’ sample Dining Room sharing party menu, which includes ‘small plates’ such as lamb Gilafi seekh kebab and ‘comfort food’ dishes like creamy butter chicken, a Koliwada fish kari cooked with coconut, and a slow-cooked pork belly goan vinha d’alhos. A spiced Bombay banoffee is among the desserts.

The Street Kitchen party menus start from £24.50 per person.

3 Portman Mews South. Info: 020 7408 0101, www.rotichai.com

Alternative Christmas dinners CHILI PANEER AT ROTI CHAI

Carousel CAROUSEL

The Lockhart Thanksgiving is the big turkey-focused event Stateside, and you can get a taste of it from now until November 27 at American restaurant The Lockhart, with fried turkey legs, country ham, smoked brisket and traditional side dishes.

The restaurant’s varied Southern menu, meanwhile, can be adapted for ‘familystyle’ Christmas parties from £35 per person. Mississippi-born chef Brad McDonald turns out the likes of catfish gumbo; dirty rice with brown crab and

FRIED CHICKEN, COLLARD GREENS AND BLACK-EYED PEAS AT THE LOCKHART

West Mersea oysters; short ribs; or the festive-sounding grouse, sour cherries and bacon with Madeira glaze. Side dishes naturally include grits and cornbread, while desserts feature the lemon icebox pie that recently proved a winner at the Portman Bake Off. Wash it all down with a California wine, a mint julep, an ice tea or some homemade lemonade.

A New Year’s Day ‘Lucky Brunch’ will recreate the traditional Southern inclusions of collard greens for wealth, and Hoppin’ John (rice with black-eyed peas) for luck.

22-24 Seymour Place. Info: 020 3011 5400, www.lockhartlondon.com

With a promise of “no stuffing, no sprouts, and definitely no mince pies”, Carousel is waging “a one-kitchen war against soporific Christmas lunch menus” this Christmas. The restaurant, which takes the form of a string of pop-ups, has produced an original Christmas menu with “seasonal ingredients and punchy flavours.”

Starters include cured and charred mackerel with fennel, mint, grilled orange and shallot vinaigrette, or slow cooked rabbit, with pickled carrots, chervil and sourdough toast.

Mains are a choice of pan-fried hake with mussels, a vegetarian rotola pasta dish with sage and walnut butter or, the closest thing to a traditional roast, a dry hung chicken with spiced yoghurt and pearl barley. Dessert hits the off-beat festive spot, with the likes of caramelised lemon and Seville orange cake with cardamom yoghurt or mascarpone, red wine prunes and baby doughnuts.

Bookings for parties of four or more are being taken for lunch or dinner from November 24 to December 18.

71 Blandford Street. Info:020 7487 5564, www.carousel-london.com

Nordic Bakery That famous Danish feel-good word ‘hygge’, meaning something like ‘cosiness’, will be much in evidence at the

38 food & drink

Nordic Bakery this season. The menu’s still evolving, but expect the likes of glogg – a traditional mulled wine, usually served with almonds and raisins, plus cranberry buns, Christmas ginger stars and other seasonal biscuits. Meet up with friends, take some baked treats home for entertaining, or do a spot of Christmas shopping: a “hamper” is being created, with contents likely to be a bottle of Glogg, Nordic Bakery jam and blueberry juice, and a branded tray and tea towel, all in a Nordic Bakery shoulder bag.

TAPAS AT DONOSTIA

selection, or octopus in Basque marinade are among the cold plates.

There are classic or gourmet set menus (£36 or £47) for groups, featuring some of the above dishes, plus the likes of slowcooked pigs cheeks and a choice of desserts. Or you can pre-order a leg of suckling lamb or goat for £32/34. If you’re in full party mode, hire a room for up to 16 people, or book Donostia’s catering.

LANES OF LONDON’S AFTERNOON TEA

10 Seymour Place. Info: 020 3620 1845, www.donostia.co.uk

37b New Cavendish Street. Info:020 7935 3590, www.nordicbakery.com

Lanes of London Donostia Tapas have always been a great sharing meal, so Donostia is a perfect port of call with friends. Along with favourites like tortilla and Donostia’s take on patatas bravas, a sophisticated range of dishes features scallops, cod cheeks, pigeon with ceps and chestnut purée, and an orange and hazelnut salad. Hand-carved threeyear-old Iberian jaman, a charcuterie

For a fun twist on the pre-Christmas gettogether, gather at Lanes of London where the afternoon tea has been given a festive makeover. This November and December, the tea will feature Christmas pudding spiced macaroon, chocolate and orange opera cake, a gingerbread house, coffee and mascarpone yule log and warm eggnog with spiced foam. The indulgence costs £35 per person, which includes a glass of champagne, and is available for group bookings.

Lanes’ regular street food menu is also

Hunter 486

Christmas grub around the world

If a taste of the traditional is what you’re craving, The Arch London’s stylish Hunter 486 restaurant is offering a lavish five-course lunch or dinner for £55 per person. Dishes include wild mushroom cappuccino with parmesan crisp; traditional roast Norfolk turkey with chestnut stuffing, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, chipolatas in bacon, cranberry sauce and roasting jus; and chocolate and clementine tart with clotted cream ice cream.

The meal is also available as three courses for £35 and four courses for £45 (until December 31).

On Christmas day, a four-course lunch including a glass of Taittinger is available for £65 per person.

Christmas is a celebration common to many countries, but the traditional meal is very much a moveable feast.

Molly, part of the Lockhart team, is originally from Kansas City but met her husband Brad, Lockhart’s chef, while at university in Mississippi. She says: “A lot of Southern cuisine is based around pork. Christmas dinner would be no different, with ham as the main. Cornbread would be a side, and then dessert would probably be some pies like a pecan pie or a sweet potato pie that’s often also served for Thanksgiving. Each family has their own variations. Mine has Danish heritage so we had a red cabbage dish.

New Year’s Day is one of my favourite Southern traditions with collard greens and black-eyed peas. Brad and I would do a brunch. People would come a little worse for wear but still laughing about the night before, and we’d toast the New Year.”

Hunter 486 at The Arch London, 50 Great Cumberland Place. Info: 020 7724 0486, www.thearchlondon.com/hunter-486-brasserie

a hit for sociable dining, with tapas-style plates designed to represent the best of multi-cultural London.

London Marriot Hotel, 140 Park Lane. Info: 020 7647 5664, www.lanesoflondon.co.uk

Naturally, fish is much in evidence at Nordic Christmas dinner tables. Nordic Bakery operations director Richard Keen says the first course is typically a fish buffet, including gravlax served with boiled potatoes and mustard and dill dressing, sill – a kind of herring served with mustard and pickled vegetables – and ‘lutefisk’ – a dried cod soaked in a lye solution.

Ham is the main event again, with a slow-roasted whole gammon the star, served with root vegetable casseroles and beetroot and red cabbage salads, homemade mustard and peas.

Donostia co-owner Nemanja Borjanovic says the restaurant will be playing out a humorous Spanish tradition this New Year’s Eve: “We will be counting down to New Year with grapes. For every count, every guest will put a grape in their mouth entering 2015 with a mouth full of grapes.”

40 service

Teresa Kearney, associate director of customer services, and Kirsty Arnold, team leader, facilities management, have looked after the residents, occupiers and visitors of The Portman Estate for the past ten years. They tell us how they stay on top of the game in customer service

“We value all feedback and welcome any ideas and suggestions”

Above and beyond

Teresa: Our job is to ensure that The Portman Estate is a desirable place to be: to live, to work, to shop and to visit.

A key part of our role is looking after our customers – whether they are commercial, retail or residential.

Kirsty: It’s going above and beyond perhaps what other landlords might provide but also above and beyond the expectations of our customers. We have many different initiatives and ways we can enhance the customer service we provide, and that is something we’re continually looking at, it doesn’t stop.

Teresa: Sometimes, with the best will in the world, things may go wrong, but if it does we will do our utmost to put things right as quickly as possible.

We are in a unique position on The Portman Estate, in that all of our properties are within a five minute walk of our office here on Portman Square. That does make a big difference.

We are a founding member of the

Real Service Best Practice Group (www.rsbpg.com), whose aim is to improve customer service in the property sector.

Respect for others is very important to us and we strive to be fair and professional in everything that we do.

Clear communication is key.

We meet all customers when they move into one of our properties. Myself, Kirsty or one of the facilities management team will attend and make that personal contact. We like to get to know people well and build relationships with them.

You can see who we all are on our website: www.portmanestate.co.uk/contact.

Kirsty: At the end of a check-in meeting, our new occupiers always feel reassured to have met one of the team and have a personal contact here at the office. I think people really value that. We’ve got a 24hour service desk as well, which means we can be on-hand all day, every day, to

KIRSTY ARNOLD (LEFT) AND TERESA KEARNEY

take your call and to respond to maintenance issues as required.

We also have a handyman service. Andy has worked with us for the past five years and is a familiar face. It’s very important to us to have someone around the Estate that people know.

Teresa: Most of the contractors we use are people we have worked with for many years.

They tend to be smaller companies where we have developed strong working relationships.

Kirsty: We have a detailed procedure for vetting

our contractors, and place great importance on health and safety. We’re in constant communication with them and hold regular review meetings.

Teresa: We continually look to improve the level of customer service we offer and know that we can never be complacent. We benchmark ourselves against others in the property industry as well as organisations outside the property world, such as those in the hotel and service sector.

We encourage people to give us feedback, whether they live or work on the Estate or not, and even if they’re not our direct occupiers, we value all feedback and welcome any ideas and suggestions.

The Portman Estate office is at 40 Portman Square.

Info: 020 7563 1400, www.portmanestate.co.uk, info@portmanestate.co.uk.

Maintenance enquiries: 020 7563 1750, service.desk@portmanestate.co.uk

43 baker street quarter

Stocking and stomach fillers

Cally Squires gets the low-down from the Baker Street Quarter’s Kirsty Jones on what’s in store for this year’s Christmas market, from December 10-11 at 55 Baker Street

LOCAL FOODIES and hungry workers are no doubt already familiar with the monthly food markets held on the second Wednesday of every month by the Baker Street Quarter. Throughout the summer months, they take place in the lush surroundings of Portman Square gardens, retreating to the outdoor atrium of 55 Baker Street when the weather gets cooler. However, when it comes to the (now second annual) Christmas market: “We up our game and try to do something even more special,” the Quarter’s communications manager Kirsty Jones tells me.

For starters, the Christmas market lasts for two days, and gift traders are invited along, as well as the usual food stalls. “Some are local traders and others are from further afield in London. We mix it up a bit so that different stalls will be there on the Wednesday and the Thursday,” Kirsty says. Gifts on offer this year will include books, scarves and jewellery, in addition to Christmas-themed wares like tree decorations and wreaths. “The perfect stocking fillers,” says Kirsty.

44 baker street quarter

Gourmands will be pleased to hear that regulars including Roti Chai from Portman Mews – whose Indian street food is a firm favourite among locals – and Fire & Spice from the Double Tree by Hilton Marble Arch (another fantastic Indian offering) – will be at this year’s market. Made in Marylebone, a local enterprise project working with women from a nearby refuge centre, will also be selling the “most amazing” cakes. “We try and offer something a bit different from the standard mince pie-filled Christmas market,” says Kirsty.

“Although, of course, there will be plenty of roast chestnuts and mulled wine!”

The Portman talks to Sophie Mitchell, a local resident who will be selling Stella & Dot jewellery at this year’s Christmas market…

GOLD AND SILVER NECKLACE, £170 GREEN AND GOLD NECKLACE, £40 DROP EARRINGS, £35 BRACELETS, £19 EACH STUDS, £19 EACH

Sophie lives on York Street, and first heard about the market through friends who work at 55 Baker Street. “The mulled wine is delicious so I will definitely be queuing up for more of that again this year! I love all the seasonal food products, especially the cheeses, and I can’t resist a free sample! As a vendor, I’m very excited to showcase some JOANNA WOODof the jewels in Stella & Dot’s brand new winter collection, and see which pieces will be the most popular.

I was a vendor for Stella & Dot at the Baker Street Quarter’s Christmas market last year, too.

I had a wonderful time chatting to people and helping them pick out the perfect gift or some sparkly accessories for the office Christmas party. It was a beautifully crisp day and the atmosphere was so festive.”