DULWICH FEBRUARY 2014

ABSOLUTELY

FEBRUARY 2014 £3.95

HOT HOUSE Be inspired

by Laila Ram's Dulwich home

GARY OLDMAN

Talks RoboCop reboot

PICTURE BOOK ROMANCE

South East London's most memorable vistas

on the

ROAD Th e Tra vel Is s ue

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CONTENTS F E BRUA RY

ARTS & CULTURE 11.

WHAT’S ON This month’s diary 22. HOCKNEY, PRINTMAKER Richard Lloyd on Hockney’s greatest printworks 24. GARY OLDMAN Talks RoboCop and directing

STYLE & FASHION 32. THE INBETWEENERS Our favourite mid-season looks

HEALTH & BEAUTY 39. HEAVEN SCENT Lawrence Roullier White’s pick of the latest fragrance releases 40. 5-A-DAY 5 exercises to kickstart your fitness

FOOD 44. FIRST DATE FOOD Helen Graves on how to wine & dine your date into bed 47. BELAIR HOUSE Alexandra Jones reviews Dulwich’s most romantic new eatery

HOME & GARDEN 51.

HOMELAND Laila Ram shows us round her Dulwich home 55. INTERIOR PRODUCTS

TRAVEL 56. BRAZIL Edwina Langley explores beautiful Brazil 61. UK GETAWAY Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa

KIDS & EDUCATION 65. PAY YOUR WAY Amanda Constance investigates the School Placement Service 69. EDUCATION NEWS

PROPERTY 79. SPOTLIGHT ON Honor Oak 88. PROPERTY NEWS

COVER: Lickerish

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february 2014

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

EDITOR Alexandra Jones EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Catherine Hales EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Ilana Fox, Lawrence Roullier White SENIOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Lynsey Saker ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Chris Hester GROUP PROPERTY DIRECTOR Alexandra Hunter PROPERTY DIRECTOR Andy Elmer PROPERTY EDITOR Lucie Pearce ART DIRECTOR Ray Searle PRODUCTION MANAGER Stewart Hyde PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Gemma Isteed, Tahir Kapucu SENIOR DESIGNER Pawel Kuba DESIGNERS Andrew Mavin, Ekrem Yilmaz JUNIOR DESIGNER Rebecca Noonan COPY CONTROLLER Christine Mann FINANCE DIRECTOR Alexandra Hvid FINANCE MANAGER Marianne McFadden DIRECTOR Greg Hughes MANAGING DIRECTOR Sherif Shaltout For editorial enquiries please email: alex.jones@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing clarissa@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.

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

Editor's Letter

I

n the Absolutely office it is with amusement and a little envy that we have been following the story of teenage runaways, Indira Gainiyeva and Edward Bunyan. The pair who went AWOL from Jesuit private school, Stonyhurst College in Lancashire, supposedly to get a break from the dreadful British weather, were discovered safe and well and enjoying a five star beach holiday in the Caribbean. As winter storms ravage the UK, turning perfectly pleasant days into wind-lashing, sidewaysrain-in-your-face-as-you-wait-for-the-bus washouts we can’t help but think ‘yeah, don’t blame you kids.’

Indulge in fantasies of midnight flits and sunnier climes with our bumper travel section. This time around, we’ve picked Brazil, Baku and Bermuda. A bit because of the killer alliteration, but mainly because each is idyllic in its own way, and if you’re

going to fantasise about anywhere, it may as well be a paradise.

We’ve also spoken to New Cross-born, Hollywood star Gary Oldman ahead of his new film RoboCop and had a peek at Peckham local and food writer, Helen Graves’ new book Cook Your Date into Bed. Lawrence Roullier White talks romantic fragrances, while Ilana Fox takes her love affair with London outside the bounds of SE22. Admittedly, she doesn’t go quite as far as Indira Gainiyeva and Edward Bunyan but she’s working on it…

Alexandra Jones, Editor

www.zest-media.com

Email: alex.jones@zest-media.com Twitter: @Absolutely_mags Facebook: AbsolutelyMagazines

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CAROLINE UNDERWOOD Exhibition of Fine Art 16th February to 23rd March

Inspired by the seasonal changes of leafy South London; a series of monochrome artworks by Caroline Underwood on show and for sale in the cafĂŠ at Romeo Jones

0208 299 1900 80 Dulwich Village SE21 7AJ

www.romeojones.co.uk

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OPENING TIMES Mon - Sat: 8am - 5.30pm Sun: 9am - 5.30pm

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what’s on

arts & culture

FEBRUARY

MIDCENTURY MODERN

16 March Dulwich College

A must for anyone looking to give their home a dash of design flair, the Midcentury Modern show offers everything from Scandanavian Modernism to European Bauhaus to German Industrial. Whether you’re window shopping or shopping for windows the range of furniture, wallpaper, ceramics, cushions and gifts as well as vintage furniture and home ephemera is sure to provide you with a wealth of choice.

Dulwich College, SE21; modernshows.com

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RICHARD FLEISCHNER

Until 23 February South London Gallery The last chance to catch American artist Richard Fleischner’s debut UK solo exhibtion. Fleischner who has worked predominantly in the US since the 1960s usually focuses on largescale works which centre around man’s interaction with nature. This exhibition is comprised of a group of photographs, drawings and smallscale sculptures.

67 Peckham Road, SE5; southlondongallery.org

INSIGHT:

’t Don ! ss i M

MODERN DESIGN 26 February Dulwich Picture Gallery rom Kitchen Cupboard to Pride of Place is the first of three lectures in a series that seeks to explore the way in which the design process has evolved from drawing board to modern technology. It also will look at the way in which aesthetics have acquired a greater importance in the design of familiar objects. The implications of this are at once exciting and potentially sinister as technology begins to be revolutionised.

From Kitchen Cupboard... will focus

F

THE BELLES OF LONDON CITY

21 February Nimble Arts Holiday Club specifically on the change in design of domestic objects in the second half of the twentieth century. As the kitchen rose in status, so household appliances, too took on a more decorative design. Where once functionality was the only requirement, aesthetic began to take precedence. The lecture will be delivered by Pete Collard, Research Curator at the Design Museum, London.

Who doesn’t love a bit of Morris dancing of an afternoon? As part of the Nimble Arts Half Term Holiday Club the all female dance troupe, The Belles of London City, will be jingling away on Folky Friday. The troupe has found itself very much in demand during the past year, playing high profile events and venues all over London. Make sure your kids catch them while they can as tickets are selling fast!

College Road, SE21; dulwichpicturegallery.co.uk

Heber Primary School, SE22; nimblearts.co.uk

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arts & culture

TWELFTH NIGHT

3 - 22 February CLF Art Café

Whistlestop Theatre Company bring Shakespeare’s comedy to life with their abridged retelling. Viola and Sebastian are twins who find themselves shipwrecked off the coast of Illyria. Thinking her brother dead Viola impersonates him, becoming servant to Duke Orcino, whom she promptly (and secretly) falls for. Orcino sends the disguised Viola to woo noblewoman Olivia on his behalf, who in turn falls in love with Viola. Quirky and chaotic.

CHRISSIE GITTINS

133 Rye Lane, SE15; clfartcafe.org

15 February Dulwich Books Acclaimed children’s poet Chrissie Gittins is paying a visit to Dulwich to sign copies of her new collection, ‘Stars in Jars’.

The poet will read from the collection which spans over two decades.

Accompanied by charming drawings from illustrator Calef Brown, ‘Stars in Jars’ will have children reading and rhyming in no time.

746 Croxted Road, SE21; dulwichbooks.co.uk

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

4 - 8 February Jack Studio Theatre

It’s one of Shakespeare’s best known plays but what happens if the dream becomes a nightmare? Immersion Theatre offer the audience the chance to choose their own experience of the iconic play, set for this production just before the Great War. Some will discover a forest full of mischief and hapless actors, others a war-torn wasteland filled with mistrust and terror. The choice is yours...

410 Brockley Road, SE4; brockleyjack.co.uk

FAIR TRADE FASHION SHOW

22 February The Bread of Life Fair Trade Centre An event for all those ethical fashionistas out there, this local fashion show will showcase clothes whose manufacture stimulates local economies, provides good working conditions and are bought for a fair price by traders.

Guests at the the show can expect a fabulous catwalk as well as puddings, smoothies and a nice wam cup of tea or coffee.

A talk on “Stick with Foncho to abolish unfair bananas” will also be held along with various fair trade stalls.

263 Barry Road, East Dulwich, SE22; fairtrade.co.uk

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Shot By The Sheriff

Photography

Discounts available for Dulwich Weddings (20-25% discount available, depending on package booked - please ask for details)

All packages include a DVD of printable images (approx. 800 images from an 8 hour booking)

Please contact us to arrange a no-pressure appointment to discuss your wedding prior to considering a booking

Please contact us for more information or to make a booking 07973 504 522 or 0800 03 777 03 | absolutely@shotbythesheriff.co.uk | www.shotbythesheriff.co.uk No.4 The Old Stable House, 53-55 North Cross Rd, East Dulwich, SE22 9ET

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arts & culture THE OLD STONE BRIDGE, DULWICH PARK

LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE Who needs fancy dinners and expensive chocolates? As far as we’re concerned, romance is a jaunt around South East London. Here, Dulwich based blogger Cat Greenwood has photographed her favourite romantic spots for a Valentine’s walk to remember

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1. Dulwich Picture Gallery 2. Dulwich Wood 3. Grange Lane Allotments 4. Dulwich Park Boating Lake 5. Lovers’ Lane, Dulwich Village (the path runs between College Road and Gallery Road)

Cat is a lifestyle and fashion blogger and lives in West Dulwich with her Texan boyfriend and her cat, Lily.

See more of her photographs at takecourageblog.com

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Music and Drama Classes Open NOW! Offering fun, dynamic and enthusiastic teaching on Saturday mornings at Goose Green Primary School Tintagel Crescent, East Dulwich, London SE22 8HG Saturday Music timetable

Saturday Drama timetable

30 minutes graded first instrument lesson

9.30 – 10.15am LAMDA examination coaching

30 minutes group keyboard skills 30 minutes group theory and musicianship skills 45 minutes wind orchestra

£25 per week

age 8–10

10.20am – 11.05am theatre company age 8-13 11.10am – 11.55pm LAMDA examination coaching age 11–13

£10 per week

Telephone 020 8693 3568 / 07824 805 135 email info@eastdulwichacademy.org website www.eastdulwichacademy.org EDA_PRINT.indd 1

27/01/2014 15:34

arts & culture H

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OUT FOXED

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Hello, my name is Ilana and I’m addicted to East Dulwich.

It’s chronic – to the extent that I feel uneasy outside of SE22. Yep, I get the shakes when I leave the confines of our neighbourhood.

V

alentine’s Day comes but once a year, and while many of us are planning romantic surprises for our loved ones, I’ve been stuck in a funk that’s had me questioning my love affair with South East London. Maybe it’s the weather, or maybe it’s that my flat was broken into on New Year’s Eve, but I’ve been dreaming of lands afar – ones with crystal clear waters, brilliantly sunny skies, and people who smile and say hullo rather than looking straight through you. It’s not too much to ask for, is it?

The problem with daydreaming about travelling the world is that it’s just that – a fantasy. Faced with the unavoidable responsibilities of attention-seeking cats, a flat, a career and a life, I’m stuck in London … and while I can’t travel the world I can certainly broaden my horizons and leave SE22. I can do it. I can be brave.

Thus began my exploration of south London. This year, so far, I’ve eaten my own weight in food at Brixton Village, have gorged myself at Angels & Gypsies in Camberwell and have had a lovely time at Donde Tapas in Honor Oak. I’m also planning to go dancing at the Rivoli very soon – not least because I need to exercise off all these additional calories – and I’m very excited that the Streatham Ice Rink has reopened.

But as we all know, south London is more than just food. We have brilliant pubs (I recently discovered the Mayflower in Bermondsey) excellent museums (I always see something new at the Horniman – and the walrus is back!) and of course, we have plenty of outside space (my new favourite spot is the secret view of St Paul’s in Nunhead Cemetary).

‘I’m really proud of you,’ a friend said to me the other day, when I told her what I’d been up to. Which made me feel vaguely ashamed of myself. Have I really been such a hermit? Refusing to leave my little village? But I was also happy that I’d discovered more cool places to hang out.

‘Are you going to cross the river and go to north London next?’ she continued. I stared at her in shock. Me? Leave my beloved south London? Sometimes I feel as though my friends don’t know me at all.

Intersport Herne Hill

Your Local Independent Sports Specialist

134 Herne Hill, London, SE24 9QL Tel: 0207 326 5050 www.intersporthernehill.co.uk @intersporthh

Ilana Fox is a writer. Her third novel ALL THAT GLITTERS (Orion Books) was published last year. She’s currently writing her fourth. She lives in East Dulwich with her two annoying cats. Follow her on Twitter @Ilana

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RECYCLING CRAFT PROJECT: WE NEED YOU! Every Thursday: 10am – 4pm

ALD Life are proud to introduce their innovative Recycling Craft Project.

This is open to all, whether you are creative yourself, or wish to learn some new skills. Come along and see what you can do!”

The aim of the project is to recycle donated textiles, furniture and other goods that are in need of some love and attention, into original and creative items, to help support even more families affected with ALD. For more information about ALD Life please visit www.aldlife.org Please pop into our Peckham shop and speak to one of the ALD Life team.

45 Peckham High Street, Peckham, London SE15 5EB 020 7358 6871 • info@aldlife.org ALD Life is proud to be an equal opportunities employer

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TAX EFFICIENT INVESTMENT As the current tax year draws to a close many people’s thoughts turn to using their annual Individual Saving Account (ISA) allowance which offers an opportunity to invest, free of personal taxation.

The current maximum that can be invested in this way is £11,520, which can either be all invested into a Stocks & Shares ISA or alternatively split 50/50 by also using a Cash ISA account.

Thornton Springer Financial Services LLP can provide you with the advice and a robust investment process to ensure that you invest into a Stocks & Shares ISA that meets your medium to long term objectives and attitude to investment risk. We offer a range of risk rated portfolios which are subject periodic reviews which checks investment performance and progress towards your financial objectives.

To discuss using your ISA allowance and other tax efficient savings arrangements, please contact us to make an appointment with one of our advisers. This initial consultation is offered free of charge and without obligation

67 Westow Street, Upper Norwood, London SE19 3RW Tel: 020 8771 8661 / E-mail: mail@thorntonspringer.co.uk

www.thorntonspringerfs.co.uk Registered in England and Wales No OC314913 Thornton Springer Financial Services LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

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arts & culture

Well read Sheila O’Reilly and the team at Dulwich Books recommend their selection of sensational reads – enjoy!

THE PEOPLE IN THE PHOTO

by Hélène Gestern

A

truly delightful novel written as series letters between Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent and Hélène, a librarian archivist in Paris. Knowing very little about her mother, Hélène posts an ad in a newspaper asking for information on two unknown men pictured with her in 1971. Astoundingly, Stéphane spots his father in the picture and responds to Hélène’s ad and thus begins the story. Through the letters Gestern slowly develops the relationship between the two protagonists, building tension by every so often including a chapter which describes a scene from one of Hélène’s photos. As the reader you are fairly certain that Stéphane and Hélène will come together at the

PRAYERS FOR THE STOLEN

by Jennifer Clement

D

eep within the secluded mountains of Guerrero, Mexico, a lawless place run by ruthless drug cartels, a place where finding a body on your doorstep isn’t an unusual occurrence, the reader is introduced to a close-knit community of women. With their husbands moved away in the hope of finding work, families are raised in fear and girls disguised as boys to save them from the clutches of the cartels. Prayers for the Stolen follows the story of teenager Ladydi Garcia Martínez and her friends growing up and dreaming of leaving their world of fear behind. A vivid and captivating look at human trafficking and the resilience of the human spirit.

Hogarth, £12.99

end of the story but are not sure how or indeed whether that’ll be a happy meeting.

By writing in the form of letters the tale moves along at a stable pace though Gestern does introduce email and text message chapters which add some immediacy.

I loved this novel: a clever, complex tale with a beautiful writing style.

I read it straight through on a weekend in Dublin.

An excellent debut and if you’ve never read a translated novel, this would be a good one to begin with.

Gallic Books, £8.99

THE SHOCK OF THE FALL

by Nathan Filer

W

e didn’t have room for this in January, but it undoubtedly deserves a mention.

Matthew Homes, the story’s protagonist, is a vivid and insightful narrator who pulls the reader in with wit and charm. He builds a nigh-on unbearable sense of suspense as he explores his descent into schizophrenia and confronts his role in the boyhood death of his older brother.

Nathan Filer’s debut is a stunning arrival onto the fiction scene.

Currently a mental health nurse in Bristol, Filer has penned a novel which will, for obvious reasons, be compared to One Flew Over the

Cuckoo’s Nest, though I would argue that it stands up in it’s own right as work of brilliant originality. As you read the book you feel as if you are descending, along with Matthew, deeper into a black hole in search of answers. I read the last 10 pages holding my breath and once finished had to sit for an hour whilst I recovered from it. An intense portrait of a family haunted by death and illness.

Harper Collins, £7.99 (out now)

Dulwich Books, 6 Croxted Road SE21; dulwichbooks.co.uk

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A life in

PRINT AHEAD OF THE DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY’S RETROSPECTIVE OF DAVID HOCKNEY PRINTS, ABSOLUTELY TALKS TO THE EXHIBITION’S CURATOR RICHARD LLOYD ABOUT PAINT VS. PRINT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HOCKNEY 1

Why do you think Hockney’s printmaking has been overlooked? Do you think it is because he is a better painter than printmaker?

No, I think it’s because the printmaking aspect of any artist’s career is often overlooked – this isn’t confined to Hockney. There are two reasons for this –the first is money. Paintings generally sell for more than prints and that tends to attract attention. Secondly, simply understanding what a print is, and what’s involved, isn’t something that the general public finds easy to grasp.

If I say that Hockney was brilliant at using tusche-based lithography, that won’t mean much to the man or woman on the Clapham omnibus.

Unfortunately that means much great art gets overlooked, but I understand why it happens. At a fundamental level my objective with this exhibition is to show that Hockney’s creativity and playfulness is not confined to painting – he has created wonderful works in a whole other sphere.

Hockney is said to have disliked repetition, surely this goes against printmaking?

What he hates is to repeat something once he has mastered it – repetition for its own sake he finds boring and pointless. What we see in his printmaking is him engaging with a new medium or technique, doing it over and over again, grappling with the challenges, until he ‘masters’ it (he isn’t egotistical enough to believe that he will ever know everything about printmaking, as he has great respect for, and knowledge of, previous printmakers) and then he

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moves on – changing the technique to make it more challenging, or dropping it all together and switching to something completely different. Over his 60-year career as a printmaker he has shuttled back and forth between etching and lithography for that reason, amongst others, of course.

What in your opinion are the highlights of the exhibition?

A difficult question to answer!

Hockney has produced a large body of work, possibly over 500 images, which I have pared down to under 100. So, everything in the show is there for a reason and a highlight in that sense. However, I suppose it has to be the Rake’s Progress set, which stands up incredibly well even after 50 years. It was the first Hockney work that really grabbed the public’s imagination and announced his ‘arrival’ on the art scene – just as the series depicted him arriving in NY; a young, naïve artist, yet bursting with confidence and talent. Everything you want from Hockney is there.

Why do you think this exhibition is important?

It might sound strange, but I don’t think people should come to this show because it is ‘important’. I’d want them to come to see an amazingly talented, curious, witty mind at work.

A quintessentially English artist, yet one open to the world. He works on the surface and below it – at the same time. That’s rare.

HOCKNEY PRINTMAKER, 5 February – 11 May 2014; Dulwich Picture Gallery, College Rd, SE21; dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

1. David Hockney, Self Portrait, 1954, Lithograph in Five Colors, 11 1/2 x 10 1/4” Edition: 5 (approximately) © David Hockney

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3. David Hockney, Celia, 1973, Lithograph, 42 3/4” x 28 1/2” Ed: 52, © David Hockney / Gemini G.E.L. 4. David Hockney, Henry At Table, 1976, Lithograph, 29 3/4 x 41 3/4”, Ed: 96, © David Hockney / Gemini G.E.L. 5. David Hockney, Lillies, 1971, Lithograph, 29 1/2” x 21” Ed: 65 & Ed: 35, © David Hockney 6. David Hockney, Rain From The Weather Series, 1973, Lithograph And Screenprint, 39” x 30 1/2” Ed: 98, © David Hockney / Gemini G.E.L. 9) David Hockney, Views of Hotel Well III, 1984-85, Lithograph, 48 1/2” x 38 1/2” Ed: 80, © David Hockney / Tyler Graphics Ltd.,

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PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD SCHMIDT

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27/01/2014 17:46

(G)Oldman Absolutely speaks to New Cross-born actor Gary Oldman about RoboCop, real life and what it takes to be the highest grossing actor of all time.

G

ary Oldman is wry when questioned about his techy credentials. ‘I can just about manage an iPhone,’ he explains. ‘It’s fine though, I’ve got a sixteen-year-old and a fourteen-year-old at home, and if I have any problems, they can work it out for me.’ It is probably safe to say, then, that the actor did not draw inspiration for his new role in RoboCop from on any particular real life expertise.

As with the original 1987 version, the story is set in a dystopian future world. Oldman plays Dr. Dennett Norton, a scientist working for nefarious organisation OmniCorp.

When cop Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman, of The Killing fame) is critically wounded in a car bomb explosion, Dr. Norton seizes the opportunity to realise OmniCorp’s plans for the creation of a robothuman hybrid, a man-machine who will bring order to the lawless

streets of Detroit. Thus, Murphy awakens from his coma and is confronted with the knowledge that his life will never be the same and that his body now belongs to OmniCorp. ‘There are elements of the Frankenstein story in it,’ explains Oldman. ‘What he doesn’t have is choice. We don’t allow any.

I mean, he gets injured and then when he wakes up, he’s a robot.’

For Oldman playing Dr. Norton, a conflicted genius, represents a return to the anti-hero roles that made him famous. In the 90s he built his career on mercurial performances, bringing to life characters that were brutal to the point of cartoonish (Fifth Element’s Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg, for example), but always compelling to watch. Despite his chameleonlike skill as a character actor, an ability that often leaves audiences unaware that it is in fact Gary Oldman they’ve just been watching, for acting he has yet to win either a BAFTA or an Oscar. His first and only Best Actor Oscar nomination came in 2012 for his portrayal of George Smiley in Cold War thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. It is, rather, for his work behind the camera that Oldman has been most recognised, critically. He wrote and directed Nil by Mouth (filmed largely in New Cross) which, in 1997, won the BAFTAs for Best British Film and Best Original Screenplay

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and was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, as well as a string of other awards. Starring Ray Winston and Kathy Burke, the film is a bleak vision of life on a South East London council estate, and gave Oldman the chance to publicly and honestly explore the ravages of alcoholism, from which he was himself recovering at the time.

‘The thing is, studios now have a model,’ he explains when questioned whether he’d considered going back to directing. ‘Their model is to set a certain amount of money, and then you can’t shoot anything here [in the UK] because it’s too expensive. So you have to travel and they are either shooting it in South Africa or they are shooting it in Canada or they

are shooting it in New Orleans, and they want a little tax subsidy from here, and they get a kickback from there, and they want this and that all within a certain budget so that they go into profit before the movie is even shot! That’s how they are making movies.’

It is a subject about which he feels strongly because despite having a script ready for a film about 19th century photographer Eadweard Muybridge, he is yet to find a studio willing to support his ambitions.

‘The script doesn’t fit their model,’ he admits. ‘It’s called Flying Horse and it’s a real story. I have Ralph Fiennes in at the moment, Amanda Seyfried, Benedict Cumberbatch and me. And it’s not enough because they have to make their movie for $15million and they have got to have

I have a little race with Sam Jackson. He overtook me for a while...

their model. You need someone who will actually be a risk taker. It’s set in San Francisco but you could save yourself $100k, if you do three weeks in Romania and then you get a tax subsidy if you do a week in Ireland.

It’s f*cking eye-crossing!’

This unwillingness to compromise is perhaps why Nil by Mouth was such a searing critical success but also perhaps why almost 20 years after being released, the film has yet to break even. And if there was anyone who could prove that award nominations are not the only indicator of cinematic success it would be Oldman, who in 2012 was named as the top-grossing actor of all time by the Hollywood Reporter.

He’s humble when questioned about this accolade, saying wistfully that he wishes he had a cut of the money (‘not the case, alas!’) and admits that it happened by accident.

‘It’s fun. I have this little race with Sam[uel] Jackson. He overtook me for a while, but you would have to have a career where you were in a franchise, you would have to be in Harry Potter, you would have to do the Batman series, you would have to do all of that stuff to catch up with me.’

RoboCop has the makings of another super-franchise and Oldman is quick to point out that

the new film is neither a remake nor a reboot but rather ‘what Nolan did with Batman: wiped the slate clean, went way back to the original source material, and then gave you the world. Sort of reinvented it.’

He paints a favourable picture of his relationship with director, José Padilha, praising his ability to strip away parts of the story that didn’t ring true. ‘What José didn’t want is what he called a “refrigerator moment”, where you go home after the movie, and you open the refrigerator and you reach for a beer or whatever and then you go, “hang on a moment, how did she know he would be there?” We spent four weeks in a rehearsal room, cutting and rewriting stupid people doing stupid things. It’s a genre movie, but why does it have to be f*cking stupid?’

He does admit though, that his children are tickled by the ridiculousness of him playing a technological genius. ‘They tease me when, for example, I am trying to operate the television. I mean, I have got it down to one control, because it used to be about four, but even that I can’t quite manage...then again, with them I am not playing a brain surgeon,’ he laughs, ‘I’m just Gary from South London.’

27

GARY OLDMAN_Dulwich_FEB.indd 27

27/01/2014 18:03

Myla and Davis have opened their second branch on North Cross Road, East Dulwich.

Team of exclusively senior stylists – Bumble and bumble – Wella Professionals – Brazilian Blow Dry – Great Lengths Hair Extensions – Digital Perm – Wedding Hair – Baby Tuesdays “I am so happy that this awesome and much needed salon has opened in East Dulwich so I don’t have to trek into town anymore – beautiful interior and lovely staff. Amazing!’

ALOE HEALTH

By Amy

Tel 07809 879 591 www.aloehealthbyamy.flppro.biz

AloeHealth_Dul_Feb.indd 1

65 North Cross Road, East Dulwich SE22 9ET | 020 8299 4742 www.mylaanddavis.co.uk Mon - Fri 10am – 7pm | Saturday 9am – 5pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm

27/01/2014 12:20

MARK ANDERSON Dulwich based hair stylist 25 years of experience in fashion and music industry Available for private appointments “Mark is an amazingly gifted hairdresser. He creates the haircut of your dreams and inspires the confidence to be who you truly are.

It’s a life changing experience - he’s magic!”

Cut, colour and treatments at my home or yours

www.markandersonhair.co.uk

MA_Feb.indd 1

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 3

07956 178 106

|

info@markandersonhair.co.uk

17/01/2014 09:30

28/01/2014 12:39

fashion & style

2

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Romancing

THE STONE Want to be adored and adorned this Valentine’s Day? Here’s our pick of the most romantic jewels around

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1. Kirsten Goss Minnie Hand Crafted Deco Drops, £175; kirstengoss.com 2. Asprey Lotus Earrings in Ruby, £30,000; asprey.com 3. Graff Ruby and Diamond Butterfly Watch set on a Red Croc Strap, Price of request, graffdiamonds.com 4. 18ct Yellow Gold All Diamond Medium Heart Pendant, £2,200; luciecampbell.com 5. Chopard Ring from the Engagement Collection Featuring a 1.52 CT Heart Shaped Diamond, set in White Gold and Surrounded by Brilliant Cut Diamonds, POA; chopard.com 6. Diane Kordas Diamond & Oxidised Rose-Gold Ear Cuff, £3,350; matchesfashion.com 7. Tatty Devine & Rob Ryan Every Beat of my Heart Necklace in Rose Gold, £675; available exclusively at Selfridges 8. Fine Love Ring, £120; alexmonroe.com

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Jewellery Feb Dulwich.indd 29

27/01/2014 17:39

2 fir 5% st of m fy as ou sa r ge

Become a

MODERATE DRINKER...

Do you drink everyday?

Do you fear it controlling you? Instead of you controlling it?

Does your drinking become excessive when you socialise?

If any of these apply to you and you want to take back control and instead become a MODERATE DRINKER Contact me, Diana Powley on 0800 093 2024

Plagued by back pain?

Locally based in Dulwich I use a combination of NLP and Hypnotherapy.

And record hypnosis to CD for you to take home.

Suffering with stress? Treat yourself to a massage Thai and Ayurvedic massage therapies in East Dulwich Thai yoga massage | Ayurvedic back massage | Full body Ayurvedic massage | Anti-ageing face massage | Head/neck/arm massage Foot massage | Detox body scrub | Herbal compress massage New for 2014! Massage training: for children & families | for couples

Thai-vedic massage is located on Crebor Street, off Dunstan’s and Upland Roads (between Lordship Lane and Peckham Rye Park).

We Break Habits 0800 093 2024 07886 863 923 www.dunehypnotherapy.co.uk

Stephen Nock 07950 933150 | @thaivedic stephen@thai-vedicmassage.co.uk www.thai-vedicmassage.co.uk

Thai-Vedic.indd 1

Diana Powley SQHP/MPNLP

19/12/2013 14:29 DUNE_HYPNO.indd 1

26/09/2013 12:24

WHAT ARE YOU WEIGHTING FOR? Training available as home visits, locals parks and at Energie in Forest Hill Please contact Darron to arrange your friendly free 45 minute consultation & taster session 20% off a block booking of 10 sessions

Tel 07885 752 415 | Email kryptonitefitness@gmail.com Kryptonite Fitness KRYPTONITE FITNESS.indd 1

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 2

@kryptonitefit 27/01/2014 12:22

28/01/2014 12:39

style & fashion

Gentlemen’sClub Romantic weekend in the country?

We’ve rounded up some stylish essentials.

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J Panther Luggage

AVIATOR MESSENGER BAG £394; opumo.com

Limelight Watch

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£215; houseoffraser.co.uk 4

or’s Edit ck Pi

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1. Anonymous Ism Socks, £10; opumo.com 2. Baxter of California Shave Kit 1-2-3, £77; endclothing.co.uk 6

3. Calvin Klein Underwear, £17.25; debenhams.com 4. Pringle of Scotland Jumper, £245; pringlescotland.com 5. William and Son Leather Travel Case, £1,250; williamandson.com

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6. Marks & Spencer Cord Trousers, £42; marksandspencer.com 7. Aigle Parcours Boot, £128; thebootbar.co.uk

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8. Gloverall Mid-length Monty Coat, £399; gloverall.com

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Men's_Page_Dulwich_v2.indd 31

27/01/2014 18:06

THE

Inbetweener Versatile looks for when the weather chops and changes

Photography OLGAC BOZALP Styling CLEMENTINE KING

FEB DULWICH SHOOT.indd 32

27/01/2014 17:40

Long satin blue dress, with silk chiffon panel, ÂŁ1,820, Missoni, www.missoni.com

FEB DULWICH SHOOT.indd 33

27/01/2014 17:40

Green enamel and diamond earrings, £1,300, Jessie Western, 82b Portobello Road W2 6QA, 02072292544 Pink glasses, £279, Transitions for Face-a-Face, www.transitions.com Silk embroidered red drees, £797, Shanghai Tang, www.shanghaitang.com

FEB DULWICH SHOOT.indd 34

27/01/2014 17:41

Silk embroidered red drees, £797, Shanghai Tang, www.shanghaitang.com White tights, £10.95, Oroblu, www.oroblu.com White shoes, with chunky black heal, £132, Hobbs, 08453133130

FEB DULWICH SHOOT.indd 35

27/01/2014 17:42

Faux fur deep red coat, £499, Antipodium, www.antipodium.com Black dress with leather front panel, £598, Shanghai Tang, www.shanghaitang.com Pink faux bag with green leather panels and shoulder strap, £605, LAAEL, www.laael.com Sheer black tights, £8.95, Oroblu, www.oroblu.com

Stylist - Clementine King Hair and Make-up - Alice Howlett Photographer's assistant - Bugra Ergil Stylist's assistants - Daisy Aziz Location - Goode and Wright, 271 Portobello Road W11 1LR

FEB DULWICH SHOOT.indd 36

27/01/2014 17:43

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04/11/2013 14:56

advertising promotion

YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT

Absolutely’s local love-in...

ROULLIER WHITE

NEROLI

Nothing is more romantic than the gift of perfume on Valentine’s Day and Roullier White has one of the best selections of luxury fragrances in the UK. Experienced staff will help guide you through your choice and, to ease any concerns, if you request a free sample phial of your purchased perfume your loved one can exchange it un-opened for a bottle of their choosing.

Stress free Valentine’s shopping in the bag.

125 Lordship Lane, SE22; 0208 693 5150; roullierwhite.com

Treat the one you love to a luxurious pampering experience with a neroli Gift Voucher. Their extensive treatment list includes ‘Hot Stone Back Massage’ combining warm basalt stones with deep tissue massage techniques to relax and de-stress plus, a ‘Pure Indulgence’ package including Full Body Exfoliation, Full Body Massage and an Organic Anti Stress Facial for the ultimate top to toe treat.

43 Honor Oak Park, SE23; 020 8699 9496; neroli-skincare.co.uk

BELLEVOUS SPA

GINGER & JUNIPER at The Little Escape

Happy Valentines Day. This year, love is a G&J Crème de la Mer Facial (£55 for 60 minutes). The luxurious properties of Crème de la Mer speak for themselves. This facial leaves your skin looking radiant as it is infused with Crème de la Mer’s legendary benefits.

4 Paxton Mews, SE19; 020 3384 0509; gingerandjuniper.co.uk

HOLISTIC & BEAUTY THREAPY Treat a loved one to pure relaxation and pampering for Valentines Day! Therapy vouchers make the perfect gift and are available for all of our fabulous treatments.

8 Melbourne Grove, SE22; 0208 693 3773 hb-therapy.co.uk

Imagine a place where the only priority is you and your loved one, Belle Vous Spa is that place. Why not treat yourself and a loved one to some luxurious quality time together with our indulgent Valentine’s Day couples package. You’ll both get a glass of bubbles to make it extra special. And for all the single ladies, the package is perfect for a girls pamper session. Please call to enquire about this offer.

64 Church Rd, SE19; 020 3674 8694; bellevousspa.com

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Valentines_Feature_Feb_v3.indd 38

27/01/2014 18:22

health & beauty

Heaven

Scent

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ABSOLUTELY COLUMNIST, LAWRENCE ROULLIER WHITE, ROUNDS-UP THE FRAGRANCES THAT’LL HAVE YOU FALLING IN LOVE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

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espite being the most evocative of the senses, scent is possibly one of the most overlooked.

Sure we are startled by a sudden sound, or jump at an unexpected moving object, but one whiff of a few fragrant molecules can whisk you away to another time and place entirely, stirring up all manner of long-forgotten emotions. Overcooked cabbage and floor wax fills me with the same sense of dread I had on the first day of a new school term; whilst roses and lavender, bread and honey, tea and milk, remind me of sunny days spent in my grandmother’s garden with all my family close.

Like all animals, we are hot wired to use scent in an informed manner, the smell of fire stopping us in our tracks, the aroma of approaching rain making us seek shelter, the promise of food

drawing us closer, the prospect of love making us reckless; foolish risk takers with little thought to consequences.

It is hard to say if reactions to these scents are programmed into our psyche or acquired by association, probably both are true. No one, however, will dispute that certain scents make us go weak at the knees, liable to fall headover-heels, dangerously, in love.

One of the world’s most famous sensual scents,Tabu by Dana, was originally formulated in 1932 by genius perfumer Jean Carles (who also created Miss Dior, Shocking for Schiaparelli and Ma Griffe for Carven).

The brief was to create a fragrance that would be suggestive of a woman of the night and was marketed as ‘the forbidden fragrance’. It was only worn by women brave enough to do so, such as screen legend Ava Gardner. Tabu was the original power fragrance, designed to turn heads

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and raise eyebrows. Today Tabu sadly languishes as a ‘pharmacy’ scent and, no doubt, its composition has changed since its inception, but should you see it in your local chemist it is worth having a spray of this piece of perfume history.You never know what might happen, after all Ava Gardner ended up marrying Frank Sinatra.

The super-fun fragrances from oneto-watch LA perfumer, Brent Leonesio, are really on-trend. Witty art-pop/ pop-art imagery adorns Brent’s brand Smell Bent, where elaborate packaging is eschewed in favour of high quality natural ingredients. Miss Panda Gets Lei’d (1) is a passionate, sweet blend of heady jasmine, guava, Japanese honeysuckle and lots of sensual tuberose. It is what the serious perfume aficionado wears to feel young and fun.

If you are in the market for a fragrance full of zest and zeal, then they do not come with a much greater pedigree or provenance than those of former Brazilian model turned perfumer Maira Jung. As understatedly elegant as the charming woman herself, each of Maira’s three scents speak of Latin love with a vein of hot-blooded passion coursing through them. Vermelho (2) – meaning red in Portuguese – is full of fruit accords which are blended with pitanga: a very rare, tiny red fruit that is unique to Brazil, where it grows in the wild and is believed to have aphrodisiac properties.

Testosterone (3) by Sentifique is a dry, rugged scent, but is brighter and cleaner than one might expect, due in part to the unique inclusion of patchouli crystals and stringent spices. It is manly but sophisticated, strong but sensitive.

Sexual Healing (4) by Mark Buxton is designed as a fusion between male and female. The well-considered scent achieves what it sets out to do, blending blackcurrant buds and elderberry absolute with green, herby davana. A masterly yin and yang effect.

No round up of sensual scents would be complete without mention of 4160 Tuesday’s Sexiest Scent on the Planet.

Ever (5). This concoction by true artisan perfumer, Sarah McCartney, contains the wonder molecule Iso E Super, which is said to change from skin to skin and creates a pheromonal effect.

This elusive note pops with lots of tipsy, sparkling bergamot on a base of warm woody accords.

As they say; ‘love is in the air’.

Rouiller White, 125 Lordship Lane, SE22; rouillerwhite.com

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-a-day

Dulwich-based personal trainer, Jay Middleton gives Absolutely her top exercise tips for making 2014 the year in which you actually get into shape. No faddy diets, no gimmicky regimes, just a five exercises that will make you feel stronger and fitter.

o, the Christmas decorations are back in the loft, the oranges in the fruit bowl are no longer made of chocolate, the credit card bills have arrived and summer seems a very long way away.

There’s no better time to boost your endorphins and make yourself feel a bit better. That might mean getting a bit slimmer, feeling more toned, feeling less guilty about the festive over-indulgences or it could mean getting yourself in shape for your summer holiday. Whatever it means for you, dusting your trainers off is daunting if you’ve not done anything for a while (or ever) and you don’t know where to start. Over the next two pages I’ll talk you through all you need to get yourself off to a flying start.

Here are my 5 simple, no-frills, anyone-can-do-them exercises that are designed to blast you into shap and rid you of body fat (the wobbly bits that you can grab and wish you couldn’t).

All you need is a pair of trainers, something comfortable to wear, a bottle of water and the determination to give it a go.

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1 THE SQUAT This is the ultimate exercise to reduce body fat all over (NOT just on your lower-body).

• Have your feet just over hipwidth apart • Squat as if you’re sitting down on a chair • Look forward and keep your chest up • Don’t let your knees come forward over your toes (your bum should be stuck out behind you!)

• Use your arms to counterbalance • Squat down as far as you feel comfortable • Come back up to standing • Try to do 2 or 3 sets of 10 squats

2 THE LUNGE This is another all-over-fat-blasting gem. It’s a tough one, but it’ll change the shape of your bum like nothing else!

• Take a big step forward and bend both knees • Don’t let your front knee go forward over your toes (your knee should be roughly at a right-angle) • Go as low as feels comfortable, your back knee doesn’t have to touch the floor • Keep your chest and shoulders back • Push yourself back up to standing.

Repeat 8 times on each leg • Try to do 2 or 3sets of 16 lunges

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health & beauty

5 THE STEP-UP

(YOU’LL NEED A LOW STEP OR BOTTOM STAIR)

Short, sharp, intense bursts of activity or ‘interval training’ is a BRILLIANT way to burn fat. It will get your heart-rate up, up and away! You’ll probably be out of your comfort zone, but the hard bits don’t last very long so try and stick with it.

• Step up and down on your step or bench continually for 30 seconds • 30 seconds is a long time when you’re doing this flat-out so adjust your speed to suit you but remember, the aim is to get really out of breath so keep going!

• Rest for 1 or 1.5 minutes • Repeat 4 or 5 times (alternate your starting leg so you stay balanced)

3 THE PRESS-UP Don’t be scared of press-ups; if you start on your knees, you absolutely CAN do them. They’re a great exercise for your arms, shoulders, chest and tummy so it’s well worth giving them a go.

4 THE DIP

(YOU’LL NEED A PARK BENCH OR A COFFEE TABLE)

This is the perfect exercise to strengthen the muscles on the backs of your arms.

• The press-up position is really important. Your hands should be just over shoulder-width apart with your wrists slightly in front of your shoulders • Your shoulders, hips and knees should all be in a straight line.

• Only your arms should move, the rest of your body stays flat like a plank of wood (don’t leave your bum behind!)

• Once you’re in the right position, bend your arms and take your chest towards the floor (go as low as feels comfortable), then push yourself up again • Try to do 2 or 3 sets of 8 press-ups

REMEMBER: if you have wobbly bits on your arms, this is just body fat, not loose muscle and the way to reduce body fat, wherever it is, is to do the fat-blasting squats and lunges – as illogical as that might sound!

• Sit with your hands tucked into your sides (you should be almost sitting on your thumbs) • Lift yourself just clear of your bench or table and bend your arms and lower your bum towards the floor • Keep your elbows tucked in so they go directly behind you, and don’t stick out sideways • Keep your back close (almost sliding it down the bench or table) • Go as low as feels comfortable • Push yourself back up • Try to do 2 or 3 sets of 10 dips

o there you have it, 5 of the simplest but most effective exercises to target the wobbly bits and get you on the road to a stronger, healthier 2014.

Start doing this set twice a week (it should only take you about half an hour) and build it up when you can. Making time is half the battle so try to get a friend or colleague to do them with you (or do them separately and compare notes) so you can encourage each other.

Don’t get too discouraged if you find these exercises really hard the first time around, well done for even giving them a go. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’re able to do more and more.

Good luck!

S

My personal training really works because it’s personal. I’m smiley, I don’t shout and I’ll be with you every step of the way.

07960 407049 getintouch@thefeelbetterpersonaltrainer.com thefeelbetterpersonaltrainer.com 41

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roullier

WHITE

THE HOME OF FINE

FRAGRANCE

125 LORDSHIP LANE E A S T D U LW I C H L O N D O N S E 2 2 8 H U O P E N 7 D AY S

020 8693 5150 roullier white.com

roulierwhite.indd 2

23/08/2013 11:21

beauty

health & beauty

N E W S

This month we’re thinking about…

Cardio

CONDITIONING...

HERE COMES THE SUN THINKPINK

t’s adapted from High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) & Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT). The idea of this method is to simply retain lean muscle-mass whilst burning fat at the same time. It can consist of a 3-5 exercise circuit, all of which involve fast, short, high-intensity bursts of exercise. The workouts can last between 30-45mins.

This type of training ‘confuses’ the body, playing with the heart rate and firing-up the nervous system so no matter what level of fitness you are, you will continuously improve due to the varied exercises. With the rest period being only 30-45seconds maximum, this causes a lactic acid build up, meaning you will get fit very quickly. This type of training is great for city people with a busy lifestyle or for the time-short working mum.

South East Londoner, Dean Johnson is director of FitnessPlus in South Kensington. He also trains clients in South East London. fitnessplus-uk.com

I

Bobbi Brown’s award-winning blusher in Peony is making us all look like bashful teenagers this month. The silky formula means that the powder goes on smoothly and evenly, adding a pop of colour which is much more subtle, but just as pretty, as the product. It has admirable staying power, so no need for a reapplication, and leaves behind a fresh, youthful flush. Lovely.

Bobbi Brown Blush, £19; bobbibrown.co.uk

We’ve loved the Balance Me products for a while. They use natural ingredients, are made in the UK and smell glorious. And as this is our travel special, we had to mention their new Natural Protection Moisturiser, which has a built-in SPF25. It won’t be available in stores until March (Dulwich Trader, 9-11 Croxted Rd, are stockists) but if you can’t wait, you can buy it from the Balance Me website now.

Balace Me Natural Protection Moisturiser, £26; balanceme.co.uk

BOX FRESH The idea of getting a box of beauty samples sent to your door each month for a small subscription fee was a nice one. We all signed up, at one point or another, we all got excited when our first package arrived.

The only problem was, everything was so darned tiny. Velvet Living are offering a new take on the beauty box business: one off purchase, full size bottles, delivered to your door.

They’ve got a lovely love-themed box for Valentine’s Day (hint, hint).

Velvet Living Love Box, £60; velvetlivinglondon.co.uk

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27/01/2014 17:31

Eat, Drink, Love In an extract from her new book, Cook Your Date Into Bed, Peckham based blogger and food writer Helen Graves tells Absolutely why dinner dates should be reinstated and why a steak supper is the secret to success.

Illustrations by KATE SUTTON

WHEN DID “DATE FOOD” BECOME SO TARNISHED WITH CORNY ASSOCIATIONS?

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blame the eighties. No, really. I was an eighties child, and formative years were spent watching soap operas and movies; fictional dates played out in front of susceptible eyes. Think about it. Everything that’s cheesy about the image of a candlelit dinner has something very eighties about it. The very mention of the words 'dinner date' brings to mind boxes of Black Magic chocolates, black satin… I don’t know why black satin but still, it’s there. Barry White is playing in the background, Babycham pops open, the black forest gateaux is chilling in the fridge, and you’re hoping for some action on the water bed later.

Everything about it just seems, well, a bit tense, actually, which brings me nicely to my first bit of advice about cooking dinner for your date. It is incredible important to STAY RELAXED. Cooking a meal for another person is a truly lovely gesture, and an experience which should be enjoyed, not feared. The way to do this is to keep things simple. Now it might be the case that you’re a highly talented chef who can’t wait to show off your shit-hot mad skillz, in which case, what the hell are you doing reading this book, doofus?! Just get in the kitchen already. You need to get the sous vide up to temperature!

If, however, you’re 'normal,' then let me show the way… THE WAY OF STEAK. A perfectly cooked steak is hard to beat, really (provided your date eats meat, of course… don’t fall at the final hurdle.) There is, however, a right way to do it versus lots of wrong ways. If you follow exactly the method outlined on the following pages, then you will have possibly the best steak of your—and, crucially your date’s—life. Promise.

THE ULTIMATE STEAK DINNER

This success of this lies not only in the cooking method but also in the quality of the meat. You can buy cheap meat, sure, and you can cook it as I have specified below but you will still end up with a cheap piece of meat; there isn’t going to be any major transformation. This is a recipe, not a magic spell. Buy the best meat you can afford— this is the time to splash out—and always buy meat from a proper butcher. I would recommend rib-eye, because it has a decent amount of fat and therefore flavor. Fillet is fine, but it’s prized for its soft texture, not beefy flavor. Rib-eye every time. Repeat: rib-eye every time.

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food & drink

OOH, SAUCY

There are a number of options when it comes to a sauce for your steak. Some people don’t like any sauce, which is fine. Some like to have mustard (I have been known to have three types of mustard with my steak—now that’s living), while others like a flavored butter, kicked up with herbs, chili, or (my favorite) anchovy. Problem is, that little disc of often-too cold butter just looks a bit crap. A bit 1992. There are of course the more interesting contenders such as Italian salsa verde (a mixture of capers, anchovies, mustard, and herbs), old school sauces, such as peppercorn (a bit too “steakhouse” for me), chimichurri, or the sinful king of steak sauces: béarnaise.

A Perfect Steak his recipe uses one large steak, because it is much easier toc ook a large steak well than it is two smaller ones. Slice thickly before serving on separate plates, or on one plate to share, depending on how relaxed you are about these things. Personally, I hate sharing food, it winds me up, I like to know what’s mine but hey, do what you like ( just not with the cooking).

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INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) • 1 rib-eye steak, approximately 16–20 oz (450–550 g) • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • Heavy-based cast-iron griddle pan to cook the steak (or use a barbecue)

1

Take your steak out of the fridge at least an hour before you want to cook it, to bring it up to room temperature. Next, open the windows: this cooking method is going to cause some smoke, and it’s going to set the smoke alarm off if you don’t let it out.

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Place the griddle pan over a high heat and heat until it is so hot that you can’t hold your hand over it. Do not add any oil to the pan—the high heat will stop the steak from sticking.

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Season the steak on both sides and very generously indeed.

Add more salt and pepper than you think is sensible. Trust me. Add the steak to the pan.

4

You will need to turn the steak regularly, say every minute. This is the best way to ensure to ensure a well-cooked steak with a great crust outside and juicy meat within. Two to three minutes each side should do it, and remember: turn frequently. It is not advisable to cook a rib-eye rare, because it doesn’t allow or any of the glorious fat inside to melt. Mediumrare should be fine. If you like your steak very rare, choose a different cut.

5

When the steak is done, put it on a warm plate to rest for 5–10 minutes. This is ESSENTIAL. Slice and serve.

Chimichurri his punchy Argentinian sauce is a potent mix of herbs and chili that’s fabulous with barbecued steaks (and, FYI, fish). It does contain raw garlic, however, so I leave it up to you to choose between impressing your date with a stonking sauce, or keeping your breath garlic-free. If you choose the latter, just make this sauce for your mates instead. Or just yourself. Just make the sauce at some point, basically.

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INGREDIENTS • • • • • • • • •

4 cloves of garlic Large handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves Sprig of fresh oregano, leaves picked 1 shallot 2 tsp hot chili flakes (or to taste) 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp lime juice Olive oil Salt

1

Either chop the garlic, parsley, oregano, and shallot very finely or whizz in a food processor.

Mix in the chili flakes, vinegar, and lime juice.

2

Add enough olive oil to loosen to a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt.

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Herb salad with cherry tomato vinaigrette t is frankly rather baffling to me that steaks often come with very heavy side dishes.

Mac and cheese, fries, mashed potato— all lovely things but a really decent hunk of steak is incredibly filling and you are trying to impress another person with your culinary prowess here, not send them to sleep nursing a food baby. This salad is the answer to that potential problem.

I

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes (different colors if possible), halved • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 bag prepared herb salad or a mixture of salad leaves and herbs such as chives, tarragon, parsley, chervil

1

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the tomatoes until they begin to soften, around 5 minutes. Roughly squish a few of the tomatoes in the pan.

2

Add the vinegar, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mix together and then use to dress the herb salad.

The Perfect Martini ou’re going to need a drink that makes you look impressive and classily. This means that you need a martini. There is never a bad time to drink a martini; at least, I haven’t discovered it yet.

It’s the perfect drink—strong, pure, delicious, and it hits the spot with alarming precision. Just be careful.

To quote James Thurber, “One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.” Like cooking steak, there is a right way to make a martini, and I will have no arguments on this matter. Firstly, a martini is made with gin. It is not made with vodka. Not in my house.

If you want vodka, make a different drink. My preferred gin brand is Beefeater. It’s a good, solid gin that has crisp aromatics with none of that overly floral crap. Secondly you need to chill your martini glass so pop it in the freezer at least an hour before.

If you don’t chill the glass then don’t

Y

make a martini. Back off. This recipe will make a stonking martini. Do not deviate from it.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 1) • 1 very well-chilled martini glass • 3 fl oz (90 ml) gin • 1 capful Noilly Pratt dry vermouth, cold • Crushed ice • 1 twist (cut a strip of lemon peel, making sure you remove any white pith)

1

Combine the gin and vermouth in a cocktail shaker. Add a good handful of ice and stir for 2 minutes.

Don’t shake it because you’ll end up with loads of little shards of ice, which will water down your martini.

2

When condensation appears on the outside of the cocktail shaker, strain and pour into a very well chilled martini glass. Hold the lemon peel over the top of the glass and fold it in half until you see a little spray. That’s as much lemon as you need. Serve at once.

Cook Your Date Into Bed by Helen Graves is published by Dog ‘n’ Bone Books and is available from all good bookshops and online outlets. For further information, please visit cicobooks.co.uk

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food & drink

Belair HOUSE

Alexandra Jones impresses her friends with Belair House

I

’ve always thought that bathrooms in public places are a great social leveller: we’ve all had those haphazard conversations at wash basins, a common purpose eliding barriers so that there we are, chatting to someone with whom we usually wouldn’t have even made eye contact and who usually wouldn’t have made eye contact with us. Yes, this is an odd way to begin a restaurant review, talking about bathrooms, and it’s not even as if I have a huge deal to say about the bathrooms at Belair House, beyond the fact that they are perfectly nice and that the suit of armour that stands guard outside is quite novel.

The thing is, I got chatting to a lady in the loos and in the few minutes that we spent washing our hands we managed to very neatly sum up the appeal of Belair House.

Recently renamed and refurbed by the team behind Electric Social in Brixton, the beautiful house now includes a cocktail bar and restaurant, with plans to turn the upstairs space into a late night venue. We began our evening with cocktails, intricate works of boozy art made off-menu after a quick consult with the barman.

The Valentine’s cocktail was blush pink and spiked with vodka (don’t ask me any more, I didn’t keep track of the myriad of good things that went into it) and looked particularly spectacular with a basket of ice perched atop.

On to dinner, to start, we sampled between us, the scallops, the chicken liver parfait and the salmon gravadlax.

The two former were by the book (i.e. good, cleared my plate) but not quite as good as the salmon, which came with a side of creamed horseradish and was hot but delicate. I could eat

this dish every day, over and over.

Yum. For my main, I tried the fillet steak, which came with a red wine jus and fondant potato. Can you go wrong with a fillet steak? Probably.

But this one was certainly very, very right. Not too rare - I can’t handle too much blood - and accompanied by the rich, punchy jus. A truly great steak.

The others in my party went for rib eye (came with a glorious peppercorn sauce) and the pan fried Dover sole with chervil butter, which impressed the pescetarian of the group enough for her to ask for the recipe.

Returning to my toilet tête-à-tête: the lady had told me that she was scoping the place out before booking her thirtieth birthday party there.

‘I wasn’t looking forward to my birthday, to be honest,’ she explained in the mirror, ‘but after tonight I’m really excited, I can’t wait for my friends to see this place!’ In fact, she was voicing a sentiment that had also occurred to me, because despite having only made a reservation for two people, I actually went along with four. I had visited just after the opening and was pretty certain then that my friends would find the surroundings sufficiently spectacular to make up for a fifty-minute trip from North London. And I was right, they were impressed. As was I, first by the place then by the food and service.

Put simply, Belair House is a great place to make an impact. Whether that be on a date or with a group of friends, it is geared up to make you feel like you’re doing something quite special, something you’ll want to tell people about, even random people you meet in the toilets.

1 Gallery Rd, Dulwich SE21; belairhouse.co.uk

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SOUTH EAST LONDON’S BEST LOVED BRASSERIE - EST 1978

020 8670 4052

|

56 Westow Hill, Crystal Palace, London SE19 1RX

|

www.joannas.uk.com

@JoannasRest

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food & drink

foodNEWS Chocolate or cheese? You decide…

Brick

WILL TORRENT’S TABASCO® RED PEPPER CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

BREWERY Though we’ve been enjoying Brick brewed beers around SE London for a little while now, we’re excited to see that they’re finally opening the doors to their very own tap room.

They’ll be open every Saturday from the 8th February onwards (12pm to 6pm) with a selection of ales that will change each week. Bottled beers will also be available for the committed boozehounds who want to enjoy a pint during the week (that’ll be us, then). The one we’re most looking forward to trying? The Peckham Pils, obviously.

Brick Brewery, Arch 209 Blenheim Grove, SE15; brickbrewery.co.uk

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Photography: Russell Lee; russleephoto.co.uk.

Add a surprise element to your chocolates by making a truffle with red pepper puree and Tabasco® Pepper Sauce.

RUMOUR HAS IT… SAY CHEESE Chocolates are nice, wine too, flowers are fine, but then again you can’t eat them. And if there’s one thing we’re all agreed on (in the Absolutely office, anyway) it’s that if you’re going to do anything at all for Valentine’s Day, you may as well make it food related. Now, cheese might not be the first thing that springs to mind in the search for a suitable aphrodisiac, but it’s certainly the way to our hearts. Heart shaped cheeses by Godminster are organic, British made and available now.

From £8.65, Romeo Jones, 80 Dulwich Village, SE21; romeojones.co.uk

…that Burger Bear, purveyor of the bacon jam that’s driving all the carnivores around town wild, is looking for a South East London location to stage a popup. The prospect of the Grizzly Bear burger being available right on our doorstep has us salivating already.

Burger Bear can currently be found in South East every Saturday, serving the locals at The Old Nun’s Head.

The Old Nun’s Head, 15 Nunhead Green, SE15; burgerbear.co.uk

Ingredients (makes about 16 truffles) • 125g whipping cream • 125g red pepper puree • 1 tsp Tabasco® Sauce • 25g butter • 25g honey • 350g good quality dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, chopped • Cocoa powder to finish Method 1 Place the cream, puree and sauce along with the butter and honey into a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil 2 Once boiled, carefully whisk in the chocolate 3 This will create a ganache – a rich, shiny emulsified mixture which you can then pour back in to the bowl 4 Clingfilm and place into the fridge 5

Leave overnight to set

When set, using a teaspoon or a melon baller, spoon little truffles out and roll into cocoa powder. Alternatively you can pipe these into little chocolate logs and then roll in cocoa powder.

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Id 20 th Century Designs FURNITURE & DECORATIVE ARTS

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27/01/2014 12:22

home

HOMELAND Laila Ram, co-founder of i-escape.com shows Alexandra Jones around her eclectic Dulwich home

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he dwellings of seasoned travellers are always interesting.

Wanderers accrue stories, tall tales that often end up etched into the very fabric of their homes. Round each corner, behind every door, myriad adventures play out across walls covered in Indian art or floors covered in Persian rugs.

Laila Ram, who turned her passion for travel into a business with annual sales of over £6million, has just that kind of family home.

Cultures clash and boundaries blur, with art or artefacts taking pride of place along sleek white walls, it is quite obviously the home a traveller with a thousands stories to tell.

‘Growing up I lived in Denmark, Switzerland, India, the States and I picked up pieces along the way,’ she explains as we wander through the space on a bright January morning.

‘Even now, when I go travelling, I like to buy something that reminds me of the trip. Pre-kids I was probably more adventurous, buying, you know, big pieces, weirder stuff.

Nowadays it tends to be smaller, more compact things.’

With a crop of red hair and a warm, easy smile Laila is the kind of business tycoon you hear about, but rarely meet. People who have built their own businesses are often a little guarded, a little steely (especially if you’re invading their homes and inviting in photographers). Laila on the other hand sits back, quite comfortable, as we appraise the various angles and quiz her on her tastes.

The house strikes a careful balance between minimal and rustic and Laila cites Bali as the country which most inspired the decor. ‘I just love the design aesthetic: really sharp lines, beautiful but simple flower displays, really gorgeous throws or rugs. I like that combination sharp, almost minimal architecture with rich fabrics and textures. I think that was important to us - to create texture.’

She has lived in the house with her husband and two children for almost seven years - moving from

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home a Victorian terrace in Clapham in search of a more horizontal way of life. ‘Because of i-escape, I worked from home and I was getting very tired of the vertical living,’ she explains. Though the space instantly appealed to them, the previous owner had very different tastes. ‘The problem was that it had been completely re-done very recently. Everything was new and it was done up in Victoriana; cornicing everywhere, big marble fireplaces, all that kind of stuff, beautiful in an original Victorian house but not in a 1950s post war, with low ceilings. But we just didn’t know if we could rip it all out and start again - we didn’t know if we could undo all that work!’

After meeting with a design consultant though, who assured them that elements could be reused and recycled, that it wouldn’t all end up in a skip, they went ahead and gutted the house. Now it is a space flooded with light and open except for two doors – one to Laila’s office and one to the children’s play room. ‘It was important to me that

the light was good, because I’m here for so much of the day.’

Laila set up i-escape along with business partner and university friends Nikki Tinto after they found themselves continually giving friends travel advice.

Focusing on quirky, boutique destinations the website has grown to include 1,500 hotels and in 2013 won the prize for Best Travel Website at the Telegraph Travel Awards. ‘We were so proud! The website has grown-up with us, it’s evolved, based on how our own lives have changed, which has been nice, it has been very natural.’

It is just the laidback attitude that you’d expect from someone who despite having a wealth of luxury boltholes at her fingertips, picks The Mudhouse in Sri Lanka as her all time favourite holiday destination. ‘It’s in the middle of the jungle, a couple of mud huts that are pretty much open to the elements.

You eat outside, you have a fire outside and then you go into the hut to sleep. I love that kind of thing because it’s so far removed from our day-to-day lives, it’s such an experience and you end up with so many stories to tell.’ And, evidently, one or two interesting souvenirs. i-escape.com

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Four warehouse floors of furniture and items of interest from Victorian to Modern Design BESPOKE KITCHENS & FURNITURE Designed and built in East Dulwich

Ian Dunn Woodwork & Design 4 Goose Green Trading Estate, 47 East Dulwich Road, London SE22 9BN 0208 613 1781 | info@iandunn.com | www.iandunn.com

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Open 7 days a week 10am–6pm Sundays 10am–5pm Jasper Road, Crystal Palace London SE19 1SJ T: 0208 480 7042

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09/01/2014 12:50 16:10 05/12/2013

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home & garden

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THE LIGHT

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HAND-PAINTED PICTURE LIGHTS

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1. Memory Balloon Glass Ceiling Light, £145.95; shoponyourdoorstep.com 2. Grandmas Lounge Multi Shade Pendant, £325; alexanderandpearl.co.uk 3. Graphic Lamp, £POA; delightfull.eu 4. This Way Arrow Light Bulb Sign, £145; alexanderandpearl.co.uk 5. Jeeves Pendant Light by Jake Phipps, £175; frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk 6. Rabbit Light, £75, whiterabbitengland.com 7. Edison The Dog Lamp, £75; rockettstgeorge.com 8. Abigail Ahern Edition, £85; debenhams.com

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THE BEAUTY SPOT Bums & beaches, buns & Bond, Edwina Langley finds it all in Brazil

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travel

I

f you Google the word ‘Brazilian’, this is what the search engine suggests you might be looking for: ‘wax,’ ‘blow dry’, ‘butt lift’.

Apparently, when the world searches for Brazil, it’s beauty they’re after. That might seem a little contrived, but in the days leading up to my trip it was generally beautiful things I thought about – Astrud Gilberto’s ‘tall and tan and young and lovely’ girl from Ipanema, the colour explosion of Carnival, Gisele Bündchen…

The day before I touched down in Rio de Janeiro, British beauty Cara Delevigne had flown in for a Vogue Brazil shoot and as I pulled up outside my hotel, the notorious Copacabana Palace, I was told past guests included Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and Diana, Princess of Wales. Yes, Brazil plays host to the beautiful people, both past and present.

Copacabana Palace is indeed palatial and sits overlooking the bay of Copacabana Beach, a glistening white tooth in the curved smile of a beautiful Amazonian. Built in 1923, the hotel is a landmark in its own right and in 2011 underwent a $20million refurbishment, which saw the lobby extend by 90%, its 145 rooms redesigned and the introduction of two new boutiques.

In spite of its facelift, however, there is something very traditional about the place. The rooms are elegant and understated – ornate bathrooms in muted colours and a small sitting room overlooking the Atlantic. To swim in the outside pool at night as Fly Me To The Moon floats along on the breeze and waiters plump sun bed cushions nearby, is to feel you’ve been transported back to the 1950s. Cocktail hour will commence after you’ve beehived your hair, the feijoada (stewed beef with beans) will be served up piping hot, the pão de queijo (cheese flavoured buns) will be fresh from the oven, and everything will, of course, look beautiful.

What’s also beautiful is the view from the top of Corcovado Mountain by the foot of Christ the Redeemer. The 98ft reinforced concrete and soapstone statue stands with arms outstretched, guarding the swell of Rio below. Mighty in size, you can’t help but feel humbled by it, not least since the winds there are so strong you get treated to a rather different type of Brazilian blow dry – whether you’re after one or not. The view backwards, from Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf ) mountain overlooking the city, with Christ as the backdrop, is no less beautiful, nor dramatic, plus you have the added thrill of imagining yourself in a real drama. The 1979 Bond flick Moonraker was filmed there, most famously the hair-raising 007 v. Jaws battle for the cable car.

For those visiting Rio for the World Cup (this June) or the 2016 Olympics, there are many more beautiful things to gawp at. The Santa Teresa District comprises cobbled winding streets with higgledy-piggledy houses dressed in murals, whilst the tiled steps of Escadaria Selaron, designed by Chilean artist, Jorge Selarón, mirrors the bohemian feel the area exudes. But for boho meets music, there’s only one place to go: Rio Scenarium Restaurant and Nightclub in Lapa. If it’s décor were to have a theme it would be ‘film set vintage’. Old televisions, telephones and artwork hang from the walls, its windows are guarded by 1950s-style shutters, fans whirr from the ceiling and people chatter quietly eating dinner downstairs, until…the music starts. At around midnight the building erupts, live bands play, bums wiggle and hips sway as the rhythm takes over and you lose yourself entirely in the fiesta.

And if Rio is the place to lose yourself, then Ponta dos Ganchos is most definitely the place to find yourself again. Just a two-hour flight from Rio to Florianopolis and a 50-minute drive from there, you’ll find you’ve arrived at heaven. Literal heaven.

Somewhere so beautiful that only the

most beautiful people would visit. Like, Beyoncé and Jay Z, for example. This privately owned peninsula lies peacefully near the waters of the Emerald Coast. Discrete but luxurious bungalows ( just 25 in total) sit hidden in sunspots on the hillside. Designed strictly for adults, this resort is a no children zone, which means everything really is as peaceful as you’d hoped it would be. With a modest but perfectly usable fitness centre and a heated swimming pool, you can work off any Rio-induced stress with vigour. But you don’t really want to stay indoors because Ponta dos Ganchos is all about the outside. Whilst each bungalow boasts an open fire, double showers, double lavatories, double wardrobes (no arguments allowed), a sauna, a Jacuzzi and a massive telly, they also feature an outdoor hammock overlooking the coast, an infinity-edged plunge pool and an open-air shower.

I mean, what more could a human want?

Away from bungalow haven, there are nature trails to be had (as an avid walker I would say they are more ‘strolls’ than ‘treks’), which lead you to castaway white sanded beaches. If I were you though, I’d spend most of my time swimming in the bay or canoeing (rather, capsizing) around the mini-island.

And after all that exercise, there is a sweet little restaurant on site to stock up on those lost calories, serving up my favourite type of food: octopus. I must have had it about three times in a row. But don’t worry, they do make other things too – notably, the most delicious and freshly baked bread. Whilst that’s not ideal if you’re hoping to acquire a perfect beach bod, it is simply too good not to scoff.

So no, it’s no surprise I didn’t come back from Brazil with a more beautiful body. What I did come back with, at least, was a tan, a plastic gold necklace of Christ the Redeemer, and a newfound love for shaking my posterior. Perhaps that’s what Google meant by ‘Brazilian butt lift’.

COPACABANA PALACE

From £485 per room, per night, including taxes based on two sharing a Superior City View Room with breakfast. Call Orient-Express Hotels Ltd UK reservations on 0845 077 2222; copacabanapalace.com

PONTA DOS GANCHOS

From BRL 1410 (approx. £364) per bungalow per night based on two sharing, +55 48 39537000; pontadosganchos.com

TAM

Return flights to Florianópolis via São Paulo from London Heathrow with TAM Airlines start from £864 per person and depart daily. TAM Airlines is part of LATAM Airlines Group and flies to over 50 destinations across South America. For three or more flights within Brazil and across South America, get up to 60% off with LATAM Airlines Group’s South American Airpass;tam.com.br

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HOME FROM HOME Alexandra Jones really dislikes travelling, so what was it about Bermuda that made her never want to leave?

V

ery rarely do I get the sense that I’d rather not leave a place. I will forever be that ghastly thing that no person with even vague pretentions towards adventure would want to be called – a homebody. For me, home is heavenly. My one, rather doomed, foray into backpacking, for example, ended with me on an early plane back, sick to the stomach (literally and metaphorically) of South America and strange beds and my own stilted Spanish.

What, then, to make of Bermuda?

On the last day, having spent an afternoon in the sun, hopping from one heart-breakingly beautiful beach to another, I experienced something like an epiphany: a brilliant,

completely mad idea that maybe I should just stay. A month, or six, would be about enough.

I turned to our taxi-driver-cumtour-guide (many taxi drivers in Bermuda are also experienced tour guides and can offer tips and potted histories of the island as they ferry you around): ‘You know Larry, maybe I should stay for a while.’

He nodded a little. ‘I guess you enjoyed the Rum Swizzles, then.’

At Sharky’s Bar, a shanty sort of set-up, built around a split in the cliff, facing out onto a crystalline bay, you could get any drink you wanted as long as it was rum. On that last afternoon, Sharky had played Smooth Operator by Sade and expounded on the glories of the island and I think the spirit of Mark

Twain, who first visited Bermuda in 1867, was hovering around whispering in my ear about how I could go to heaven, but that he was staying in Bermuda. And I thought to myself, you’ve got it right there Mark, clouds and divinity paled in comparison to pink sand beaches and deadly cocktails.

The question is this: was it, as Larry had wryly surmised, the rum talking?

After all, I did get on the plane. But in London, far from feeling that familiar relief (a gentle sigh like a cork unstopping, ‘ah, home’), I was still wrangling with the crazy thought that maybe I should have stayed. So, what to chalk this up to?

Settled in the 17th century by a shipwrecked Admiral George Somers and his 150 or so crew,

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travel the uninhabited island had been overlooked for over a century by Spanish sailors, who had used it as a stop-gap on journeys to the new world, but never claimed it. Thought to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Bermuda has had a reputation for being a paradise for over 400 years.

And its natural charms are unquestionable; the beaches around the island are some of the best in the world with achingly lovely blue-green waters and excellent marine life for snorkelling or diving. A subtropical climate means that temperatures are mild to hot and that more often than not, it is gloriously sunny. The island proper (all 21 miles by 1 mile of it) abounds in lush green vegetation and fresh, wild-growing fruits. It is, quite simply, a beautiful place.

Divided into ‘parishes’, houses are often painted in candy-sweet pastels and the church is still considered the heart of the community. The town of St. George’s, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is largely unchanged since it was founded and built in the late 17th century and offers a picturesque glimpse into life on the island way back when. For me, it was enough to walk around and absorb the history, but for those who are looking for more of a story, St. Peter’s Chapel, the oldest Anglican Church outside of the British Isles, is largely unaltered since its completion in 1612. Meanwhile the Royal Naval Dockyard, though geared towards mass-tourism, is a fascinating hub of shops (be sure to get some cake from the Bermuda Rum Cake Company), museums (the National Museum of Bermuda is housed in the sprawling fortress) and even a Dolphin Quest, where you can swim with the winsome creatures.

For their part, the islanders take the paradisiacal reputation seriously.

This means two things: firstly, service in hotels, bars and restaurants is in the American mode – quick, quiet, effusive – while locals are almost unfailingly helpful and friendly.

Secondly it means that Bermuda is extremely safe. As Larry put it, ‘in the Caribbean you’re told to stay inside your resorts, in Bermuda the whole island is your resort.’

Be that as it may, as befitting a paradise, the hotels cater to a luxury market and can be hard to leave. I stayed in the Fairmont Southampton, a sweeping coral-pink building, set atop a hill on the south side of the island. Classically furnished

throughout, with grand staircases and dark wooden beams it has a solid, American Deep South charm.

I would recommend that you go for a Fairmont Gold stay. Each ‘Gold’ floor has a lounge where breakfast is served in the mornings and where an almost constant flow of canapés, cream teas and cocktails will have you wondering whether to even bother with dinner.

Not bothering, though, would be a mistake. The food in Bermuda is often a delight. From the very top end – the Blu Bar & Grill in Warwick Parish is a cool and plush with heavy white tablecloths and comprehensive sushi selection - to the unpretentious local-favourite with a killer Bermuda Fish Chowder – the Swizzle Inn at Baileys Bay, you’d be hard pressed not to find some really wonderful seafood.

My particular favourite was Mad Hatters in Hamilton, where the list of specials was longer than the menu and took our waiter ten minutes to reel off. If I ate nothing other than the reef and beef – steak topped with Guinea chick, a type of Bermudian lobster – for the rest of my life I would be perfectly content. And I’m not even a big fan of red meat.

Just like I’m not a big fan of travelling. Perhaps Bermuda, then, is a haven for us homebodies. It is suffused with a particular charm: no nasty surprises, no dodgy characters.

There is history: beautiful, engaging, protected pockets of history that spark the imagination. There is food: traditional or nouveau, whatever your tastes, it’s all well cooked and well presented. There are trails to explore: the disused railway forms an 18mile circuit of Bermuda that will have you rounding corner after corner of dazzling island vistas. It can be walked, cycled or taken on horseback.

And there is the knowledge that you won’t feel at all guilty if all you want to do is lay on the beach and drink some rum and listen to Sade.

Prestige Holidays (01425 480400; prestigeholidays.co.uk) is offering 7 nights departing in April staying at the Fairmont Southampton in a Moderate room, flying from Gatwick with British Airways including private transfers. Prices start at £1589 per person and includes 2 free nights saving £416 per couple for travel until end of April 2014.

Based on 2 adults sharing. For more information about Bermuda, please visit gotobermuda.co.uk

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Lordship Lane Carpets Ltd.

East Dulwich 129-131 Lordship Lane London SE22 8HU info@lordshiplanecarpets.co.uk

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UK GETAWAY ALEXANDRA JONES TRAVELS TO THE FEVERSHAM ARMS HOTEL & VERBENA SPA IN HELMSLEY, NORTH YORKSHIRE THE RESTAURANT

With a menu built around those three buzzwords that get all foodies going – local, seasonal, organic – the restaurant does fine dining with a focus on English classics. Game and seafood are particularly strong and if you’d like to try a bit of both, the five-course tasting menu is a delight, coming, as it does, with slightly-bigger-than-bitesize portions of five of dishes. When we were there this included a rich, gamey pâté with a side of black pudding that the chef had made himself: heavenly. The service, as in the rest of the hotel, was quiet and friendly and when the waitress came by with the cheese trolley she talked so knowledgeably and with such great enthusiasm that we found ourselves uttering a phrase we’d later live to regret: a piece of each please.

THE AREA

THE HOTEL

The Feversham Arms Hotel nestles unobtrusively* off a market square in Helmsley, North Yorkshire. The main hotel building houses the restaurant, a lounge in which you can sit by picture-book roaring fires and a bar that serves pretty and perfectly-balanced cocktails. It is furnished throughout in the style of a luxurious farmhouse, where country blues and pale khaki greens are accented with rich burgundies and where you feel as if you might sink into the sofas forever. Behind the main building are the outdoor pool and hot tub, around which are dotted the various suites. This is where we stayed and while the suites probably are a little too big for just two people, being only a few steps from the jewel-blue - mercifully, heated outdoor pool, really does make them a desirable option.

THE SPA

The Verbena Spa forms part of the main hotel and features a hamamstyle ‘Heat Experience’ at its heart.

This is comprised of three rooms at varying temperatures and humidity, with each room boasting different restorative properties but all focused on relaxation. With foot spas, a monsoon shower and direct access to the outdoor hot tub, it’s easy to lose an afternoon (or day) in there.

The spa offers a comprehensive list of treatments, from everyday grooming to exotic wraps and massages. I tried the Elemis Lime & Ginger Salt Glow, which after exfoliating, massaging and moisturizing left me – predictably – glowing. The therapists deserve a particular mention: they were unfailing calm, smiley and helpful.

*Don’t get me wrong, the Feversham Arms’ unobtrusiveness is no bad thing. Situated on the edge of the North York Moors, Helmsley is as picturesque as it is charming and surrounded by some of the most spectacular countryside in England. The moors are a short drive away and are best explored on foot – just be sure to plan well and stick to known routes. The hotel is well prepared for walkers’ muddy boots and overcoats, as well as canine companions. The area is also steeped in history. A day spent exploring (900-year-old) Helmsley castle (five minutes walk from the hotel) and the atmospheric Rievaulx Abbey (45-minutes, also on foot) was physically taxing enough to make us feel as if we deserved our evening cheese board (alright, it was pretty easy) and fantastically interesting.

Feversham Arms Hotel & Verbena Spa prices start at £230 per night for a Standard Double room; fevershamarmshotel.com

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‘Where is Baku?’

‘AZERBAIJAN.’ ‘Where’s that?’

T

BAKU to the future

Edwina Langley heads east to explore the delights of a very modern Muslim city

his is the conversation I had with pretty much everyone prior to my visit to the Eastern capital. I’d vary my response depending on who I was talking to. To my friends it was: ‘bang next to Georgia, overlooking the Caspian.’ To my mother: ‘on the cusp of Europe, Mumsie. Just bordering Iran!’ Either way it sounded exciting and exotic, exactly the sort of place for an intrepid traveller.

When I arrived in Baku it was 4am, so as I drove through nigh on deserted streets to the Fairmont ‘Flame Towers’ hotel, my first impressions of the city were limited. One thing, however, did stand out. The place was immaculate.

Pavements were spotless and almost gleamed under the glow of lights from passing cars. It was eerily clean. When I woke up to daylight, however, it all made sense. For the view over the city from Baku Turkish Martys’ Memorial said it all: it’s just too beautiful to be dirty.

Aesthetics are foremost in Baku and its architecture is some of the most interesting I’ve ever seen.

A lot of it is fairly new-build, but it doesn’t look it. Much was built in the early 20th century, instigated by its ruling power, Russia, taking inspiration heavily from Europe.

The Azerbaijani State Philharmonic Hall (1912) for instance, was built in the style of the Italian Renaissance, while the Baku Puppet Theatre (1910) owes its design to that of the French.

Fountains are abundant and wide streets remind of Parisian boulevards.

Not for nothing is Baku known as the ‘Paris of the East’. But then you see plainly its Soviet influence. Part of the Soviet Union from 1920 until its collapse in 1991, Baku’s cityscape nods to that era of structural domination.

But there is more than just ‘SovietEuropean design’, for much can be made of Baku’s Islamic architecture; Shia Islam is, after all, Azerbaijan’s majority religion. Walking through the cobbled streets of the ancient Old City, past the 12th century Maiden Tower, you could be in Marrakech.

Stray cats creep cautiously across slim alleyways, while washing hangs on lines from balconies above. Mosques stand discreetly near dusty carpets for sale, and Aladdin surely lurks in the shadows. This is the magical

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walled city that was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003 – fitting protection for this ‘undiscovered’ architectural jewellery box.

But then you turn your attention to the inexplicably new and modern structures of the city, like Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid’s new project, the Heydar Aliyev Centre (2012). A difficult building to describe, it looks rather alien in its current location – by the busy main road that lead out of the city. It’s a conceptual, spaceship-esque structure, which to me, looked like something from the future: ‘in the year 2100, buildings will look like this…’. The curves and fluidness of design make it a shapely madam – extraordinary, huge, and awe-inspiring.

Named after Heydar Aliyev (leader of the Soviet Azerbaijan from 1969-82), the centre was built for culture and contains a conference hall, a gallery hall and a museum. It was fitting therefore that I got to see some Azerbaijani culture in play while I was there, a gala concert. This musical spectacle took place in the auditorium and incorporated energetic folk dance (men ‘en pointe’ – shockingly without pointe shoes), a desperately fiddly instrument

Heydar Aliyev Center, designed

by Zaha Hadid, first opened in May 2012 and celebrated its gala opening in November 2013.

The center will host various events to promote Azerbaijani art and culture.

Heydar Aliyev Centre is a conceptual, spaceshipesque structure, which looked like something from the future

plucked dextrously and a duo of haunting solos. Turkish dancers meet leaping Cossacks, if you need a visual.

In addition to its musical heritage, from carpets to history, Baku houses many museums and galleries. I’m not usually a fan of modern art, but I highly rated 3ABO, presented by contemporary arts space organisation, YARAT. 3ABO (or ‘Zavod’) is a new project designed to exploit unconventional art spaces.

The Baku Air Conditioning Plant was where I visited – a factory that, one day, was shut down and left untouched for over a decade. This was until YARAT ‘re-discovered’ it and invited 29 young artists to find inspiration there for a new exhibition they had planned. The idea is to be able to walk around the plant and come across installations that seem part of the factory’s DNA. I am not an art buff, but 3ABO blew me away. One installation, for example, was simply a line of clocks, which had been collected from around the factory and had long-since ceased to tick. What was happening when they stopped, the installation asked, and why? Another exhibit was a video of a beach, with an ebbing and flowing tide, projected onto a factory wall. It depicted the sort of conditions the air-cooling plant was designed to create. It was mesmerising.

I was increasingly coming to believe that Baku was indeed, as its been celebrated, an ‘Islamic Culture Capital’, but its nightlife had yet to be tested. Rated eighth in the top 10 party cities in the world by Lonely Planet, I can tell you now that Baku deserves this accolade. Pacifico, for example, is one of the most popular nightclubs and lies on Seaside Boulevard, overlooking the Caspian. With a ‘Boujis-esque’ feel it has a terrace

outside which is ideal for late night tête-à-têtes if the club itself gets a bit steamy – or smoky; Baku appears to be the last place on earth where smoking is allowed indoors. Dancing is pretty wild and drinks flow freely, which, for an Islamic country, is most unusual.

So when you wake to the inevitable (and deserved) hangover, what do you eat? If I am to be truly honest, I wasn’t all that enamoured with Azerbaijani cuisine, though thankfully it varies a fair bit. The cow tongue I tried one night, for instance, was disgusting.

The Beluga caviar, however, was not. A typical ‘starter’ is a spread consisting of all sorts of cheeses, salamis, olives, nuts and breads – with an aubergine dip that made its way everywhere.

One lunch I was presented with ‘Bolva’, a traditional type of soup. It was tepid, and came in a tall glass, which allowed me to dubiously eye its white-ish colour and the green bits floating around inside. A massive gulp of it came straight back up again – apparently along with dill, hard-boiled eggs and cucumber, one of its main components is sour milk.

I am still reeling from my visit to Baku. It’s almost indescribable and I still can’t quite get my head around it.

What I can say is that I have never felt safer. It wasn’t that I expected to feel ‘unsafe’, but with unfamiliar lands it is something I think about. The genuine warmth of the Azerbaijani people, without exception, made the trip. For while many do not speak English, with a right amount of hand gesturing and enthusiasm, you get there in end. And so I’m glad I made it to Baku in the end too. Wherever it is.

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What makes us different is the difference we make...

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20/01/2014 11:09 28/01/2014 12:40

kids & education

PAY YOUR WAY WHY FUSS WITH STRUGGLING TO GET YOUR CHILD INTO AN OVERSUBSCRIBED SCHOOL WHEN YOU CAN PAY SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR YOU? AMANDA CONSTANCE INVESTIGATES THE DARK ARTS OF THE SCHOOL PLACEMENT SERVICE

ILLUSTRATION BY PHIL COUZENS

S

o you’ve got deep pockets and sharp elbows but are they enough to get your child into the school you want? In the now hyper-competitive world of our most elite independent schools, the answer, probably, is no.

In the race for a place, highoctane parents are using a Schools Placement Service. For a sizeable fee, super-tutor agencies such as Holland Park Education and Bonas MacFarlane will not only identify the appropriate school for your child, they will assess and tutor the child for the examination and interview process, fill in any applications, provide personal references to the chosen schools and even arrange private visits to them. It is hand-holding of the highest order, with both agencies boasting they will look after your loved one’s every educational need ‘from cradle to career’.

And it doesn’t come cheap. Holland Park Education charges £5,000 for the service. But as William Stadlen, the Savile Row-suited founder and managing director of HPE attests, this is ‘investment insurance’. Many of HPE’s clients will be spending ‘500K per child over 10 years’, and ‘we get that investment right for a fraction of the cost’.

Holland Park Education’s clients are mostly bankers and the global super-rich.

And they start early. Stadlen admits to meeting ‘a bizarre amount of pregnant women’. He recounts having to reassure the mildly hysterical parents of an 18 month-old girl that it was not ‘too late to get her into Cambridge’. Holland Park Education doesn’t carry out assessments on children under the age of five, but it does have an early years consultant who can place your baby in the nursery of your dreams, part one of

a ‘road map’, an educational strategy designed for your child that should see the apple of your eye waltzing into Oxbridge 15 years later.

The process starts with an initial consultation with Stadlen where he ascertains the family’s situation and what ambitions they have for their children. There follows an assessment; a quantitative analysis using a sophisticated computer program, and a qualitative assessment with one of HPE’s specialist consultants who have more than 1,000 hours of preparing children for exams under their belt.

HPE create a longlist and then whittles this down to a shortlist of the most suitable schools based upon the family’s specific wishes, the child’s academic potential and extracurricular concerns such as music or sport etc. The assessments will also highlight any areas where your child might need extra help to achieve the sky-high academic standard these schools require. If so, the agency has a battery of young Oxbridgey tutors who can make sure your child is ready for their entrance exams at 7+ or 11 or 13+.

Once a shortlist of schools has been decided, HPE will send on the assessor’s reports plus the agency’s own reference to the chosen schools.

And this is really what you are paying for. Stadlen has spent the last decade or more building relationships with the registrars and heads in all of the best schools. His recommendation opens doors. As he explains: ‘There is currency to our word because we have successfully placed children before.’ The schools want the best pupils and know that HPE can deliver them. As Stadlen wryly adds, when it comes to the quid pro quo relationships between schools and agencies, ‘we’re not ahead of the curve, I think we created the curve.’

HPE refute the notion that ‘there is one perfect school – this often only serves to increase the pressure on a child,’ says Stadlen. But how do you tell a Russian oligarch that his Evgeny isn’t a suitable candidate for Harrow? ‘It’s all about expectation management,’ says Stadlen smoothly.

‘In the cases where a family have their heart set on a couple of schools, then our close relationships with these schools means we may be able to open certain doors. If we want to get a child into Eton or St Paul’s, then we get that child into Eton or St Paul’s.’ Sounds like good value for money. hollandparkeducation.com bonasmacfarlane.co.uk

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SYDENHAM HIGH STAGES DISNEY’S ALADDIN ast out the winter blues and transport your family to a world of Arabian genies, magic lam ps and flying carpets this February, courtesy of Sydenham High School’s talented senior pupils in their production of Disney’s Aladdin. Choose from three evening performances of this popular family musical: Monday 10 February & Tuesday 11 February at 7pm and a Gala Night on Wednesday 12 February, starting at 6.45pm, in aid of the school’s 2014 charity Chain of Hope. Tickets for the first two nights are priced at £12 for adults, £7 for students and under-18s or £30 for a family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children. Gala Evening tickets are priced are £15 for adults and £8 for students and under-18s, to include a pre-performance reception. For enquiries and bookings email: heads.secretary@syd.gdst.net.

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ROSEMEAD SAVOURS PERIOD OF GROWTH

osemead Preparatory School in West Dulwich finished 2013 on a high with two grand openings as the school celebrated growth in two spheres. Not only has the school seen a steady increase in numbers, prompting the development of three magnificent new classrooms at its Thurlow Park Road building, but it also marked the tremendous growth in its RSA Garden at Elmcourt Road.

The Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Mark Bennett, visited Rosemead’s Christmas Fair to formally open the three classrooms at the top of the Preparatory Department.

The guests, former and present governors and staff, enjoyed champagne and canapés as Mr Bennett was being shown round by the Head Boy and Head Girl and their two deputies. He was also shown the Williams

Library, with its state of the art computer facilities, which opened in September.

For the opening of the Elmcourt garden Clive Broadbent, Chair of Governors – and a stalwart of the campaign to resurrect the derelict land behind the Elmcourt building – did the honours. The project began in summer 2012, with parents, pupils and staff clearing the site, removing a washing machine and the remains of a shed.

With money from the Rosemead School Association the school Eco Club continued to clear and plant the ground.

The garden features raised beds, a lawned area, shed, compost bins, birdhouses, shrubs, fruit bushes and vegetables. There is also a wildlife camera to help pupils to track developments in the garden.

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. Sydenham High School GDST, 19 Westwood Hill, SE26 6BL sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

rosemeadprepschool.org.uk

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Excellent and outstanding: 58 times!

Verdict from the latest Independent Schools’ Inspection report: The words excellent (highest rating for Whole School and Key Stage 1) and outstanding (highest rating for Early Years) feature an incredible 46 and 12 times, respectively.

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Wednesday 19th March 9.30-11.00 Tours of the school are held on Tuesday mornings Bursaries available

Main entry at 2+, 3+ and 4+.

We look forward to meeting you!

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Prep Department, 70 Thurlow Park Road, SE21 8HZ Pre Prep Department, Elmcourt Road, SE27 9BZ email: admissions@rosemeadprepschool.org.uk www.rosemeadprepschool.org.uk

16/01/2014 15:42 28/01/2014 12:40

kids & education

educationNEWS This month we’re congratulating a host of talented ladies...

RHEA’S PAINTING OF HER GRANDMOTHER WOWED AT LAST YEAR’S GDST SUMMER ART EXHIBITION

Art for Arts Sake roydon High School student, Rhea Dillon recently took part in The ARTiculation Prize, an event held once a year comprising of sixth form students engaging with art and encouraging them to develop confidence in their opinions and ability to analyse and form conclusions.

During the regional heats of this prize held at the Saatchi Gallery, Rhea wowed the audience and judges with her ten minute presentation on ‘Ski Jacket’ by Peter Doig. Judge Dr. Robin Price was particularly impressed, commenting: ‘Rhea unpicked the image well; she analysed close up images and discussed precisely the application of the paint on canvas, and she made me begin to look at the painting with fresh eyes and see the luminosity.’ This isn’t the end of the excitement for Rhea however, as having gained second place on the regional heat she will be featured by the BBC in footage filmed for The Culture Show, which will be aired on 12 March 2014.

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YOUNG LONDON ARTISTS’ AWARDS

Aspiring filmmakers, photographers and artists from Sydenham and Forest Hill were honored recently at the Young London Artists’ Awards. Held at Sydenham High School, the exhibition and awards ceremony aimed to celebrate the wealth of artistic talent among local A-Level students.

150 works from 82 young artists were on display at the school at the beginning of January. First prize went to Forest Hill’s Lottie Kilraine, whose short film following two local dancers (Joe Martin and Joey Barton) was commended for capturing the contrast between their everyday appearance and their extraordinary talent – hurrah for Lottie!

GIRLS ENGINEERING THE FUTURE Who’ll run the world? Girls.

On 9 January, Sydenham School hosted presentations by groups of young prospective scientists, designers and engineers of their prototype wavepowered generators. Part of a national project, the event marked the culmination of ten weeks work designed to help engage female GCSE students more deeply with science and engineering. “This is the most complicated thing I have ever had to design,” said Sayché Durant (aged 15) from Brockley. “It has also been a mix of flair and persistence.” Echoing her enthusiasm for the project is Kara Abraham (15) from Honor Oak: “There have been lots of stages and lots of factors to juggle… It has all been about team-work and sharing ideas.” The popularity and response garnered by the program will hopefully forge the way for more women to enter the field of engineering, which can only be a good thing – right, girls?

Sydenham School, Dartmouth Road, SE26; sydenham.lewisham.sch.uk

NIMBLE ARTS HALF TERM HOLIDAY CLUB Running from the 17 – 21 February, the Nimble Arts Holiday Club is the perfect thing to keep the kids busy during the break. Designed for 5-11 year-olds it features events and workshops that vary from day to day. The first is Magical Monday, an opportunity for the kids to experience magic and wonder with a live magician and trained circus performers to teach them some tricks of the trade. Check out their website for a full list of events.

Heber Primary School, Heber Road, SE22; nimblearts.co.uk

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Smart explores the local area.

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FEBRUARY 2014

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PROPERTY

Lanercost Road, SW2 A stunning six bedroom double fronted semi-detached south facing period house with off-street parking. With over 2,500 sq ft, this house has retained many of its original features and is full of character.

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A stunning semi detached, six bedroom house offering a wealth of features throughout, modern and original architect designed extension and panoramic views of London.

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Auckland Road, Crystal Palace, SE19 OIEO £399,950 Leasehold Crystal Palace 020 8766 5920 Email scp@kfh.co.uk

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This tastefully designed and modern three bedroom flat offers an 18ft open plan kitchen/reception room and a master bedroom with en suite bathroom on the mezzanine level.

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Mundania Road, East Dulwich, SE22 £595,000 Shared freehold

Stunning two bedroom, two bathroom first floor flat in this beautiful period property. This property offers fantastic dimensions, high ceilings throughout, double reception room and a separate modern kitchen.

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Chatsworth Way, West Norwood, SE27 ÂŁ1,650,000 An inspiring six double bedroom period property situated on a charming residential road. This spacious family home is beautifully appointed and superbly proportioned throughout with a magnificent bespoke kitchen extension, three reception rooms and a 90ft garden. Freehold.

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Pearfield Road, Forest Hill, SE23 ÂŁ875,000 An immaculately presented four double bedroom detached house offering over 2,200 sq ft of space and a 39ft rear garden.

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Camberwell Grove, Camberwell, SE5 £6,150 pcm Unfurnished East Dulwich 020 8299 8980 Email led@kfh.co.uk

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Marsden Road, Peckham, SE15 £3,000 pcm Beautifully presented four bedroom house with eat in kitchen, double reception room, two bathrooms and private garden. Located close to East Dulwich train station. Available now. Unfurnished. EPC rating D. Peckham 020 7635 0034 Email lpe@kfh.co.uk

Auckland Road, Crystal Palace, SE19 £2,400 pcm Immaculately presented four double bedroom, Victorian conversion flat with three bathrooms, extended high specification kitchen and private rear garden. Located near Norwood Junction train station. Part furnished. EPC rating D. Crystal Palace 020 8766 5930 Email lcp@kfh.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Spotlight on Honor Oak THROUGH THE KEYHOLE...

7

7 Garden An amazing 135 ft, completely private garden with railway sleeper flower beds surrounding a well looked after lawn.

Benson Road, SE23 £1,200,000

Daniella Aspland Senior Manager for Pickwick Estates

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n amazing 2000 sq ft double fronted, four bedroom period detached home in a lovely, quiet and desirable residential road in Honor Oak.

7

7 Kitchen A very light and spacious kitchen/breakfast room with double doors leading to the fabulous garden.

7 Lounge

7

One of three receptions, this room has all the original features, such as cornicing, stripped wooden flooring, bay sash windows and a working fireplace.

Public Knowledge RAINY DAY

Javaid Ahmed

Sales Manager at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Forest Hill � 020 8699 1596;

kfh.co.uk

BEST SCHOOL Stillness School is one of Honor Oak’s most sought after primary schools and its popularity is such that house prices within the catchment have soared by as much as 7% as a result.

Babur Indian restaurant, with its prowling tiger perched high over the entrance, has been named as one of the top curry restaurants by the Independent. On a cold, rainy day, there is nothing better than a hot curry from here.

SPORTS & REC Honor Oak Sports ground was preserved as open space in the late 1890s and today the site includes two football pitches, two tennis courts, a playground and picnic area, so is very popular among families.

FUN FOR FREE I love the tranquillity and panoramic views across the City and Canary Wharf that Blythe Hill Fields offers. It’s a great place to just reflect and appreciate living in an amazing City.

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Visit our brand new website:

acorn.ltd.uk For Sale

Jasper Road, Crystal Palace SE19

ÂŁ499,999 L/H

Located on Jasper Road in the heart of Crystal Palace is this stunning and innovative two bedroom conversion apartment with private patio, inspired by anhattan Loft-Style living. he distinctive industrial style runs throughout the living space with exposed brick walls, ducting and feature steels which are offset with pastel fixtures inspired from American 1 50 s nostalgia.

Please contact our Crystal Palace office for more information on 020 8768 0000 or email crystalpalace@acorn.ltd.uk

Hindmans Road, East Dulwich SE22

ÂŁ600,000 F/H

A three bedroom terraced house located on a sought after road in East Dulwich. Property comprises large kitchen/diner, separate light and airy lounge with doors on to a west facing garden, downstairs cloakroom, three bedrooms, family bathroom and off street parking. There are some areas that need updating, but it is priced to reflect this. Energy Efficiency Rating D.

Please contact our Dulwich office for more information on 020 8516 3666 or email dulwich@acorn.ltd.uk

The Acorn Group ACORN.indd 2

23/01/2014 17:09

Part Of The Acorn Group, London’s No.1 multi-brand boutique estate agency operation.

acorn.ltd.uk @AcornGroup /AcornEstateAgency

To Let

Canning Cross, Camberwell SE5

£2,095 PCM

Situated in one of the most sought after parts of SE5 lies this spacious three-storey house. Property comprises open plan kitchen/lounge with access to a private terrace, three double bedrooms with en-suite to master, as well as a second private terrace. Just a five minute walk from Denmark Hill station with links to Victoria, Peckham Rye, Kings Cross and the City. Energy Efficiency Rating C.

Please contact our Peckham office for more information on 020 7771 6777 or email peckham@acorn.ltd.uk

Gloucester Court, East Dulwich SE22

TPO BRANDING TPO BRANDING

Guidance Guidance on Logoon Usage Logo Usage £1,400 PCM

Fantastic luxury two double bedroom flat located on Lordship Lane with easy access to shops and transport links, benefitting from off street parking, lift, Juliet balcony and video entry phone. Accommodation comprises two double bedrooms, two bathrooms, one en-suite, spacious lounge and integrated kitchen. Energy Efficiency Rating B.

To prevent any confusionTo regarding prevent our any logos confusion both regarding for the estate our logos agent both and the for the public, estate please agent follow and the guidelines public, please follow the guidelines below on the correct usage. below Where on the possible correctThe usage.

Property Where Ombudsman possible The (TPO) Property logo should Ombudsman be reproduced (TPO) logo in the should be reproduced in the colours shown, the colour colours specifications shown, the are colour given below. specifications Where itare is not given possible below. to Where reproduce it is not thepossible logos into these reproduce the logos in these colours, you may reproduce colours, them you in monochrome may reproduce or black them in and monochrome white. or black and white.

Please note that the OFT Please approval note only that applies the OFT to our approval Code only for Residential applies to our Sales Code andfor cannot Residential be usedSales with and any cannot other be used with any other logo, and that their guidelines logo, on andthe that correct their guidelines usage of the on joint the correct logo must usage be of followed. the joint logo must be followed.

If you have registered with If you TPOhave under registered the Consumers, with TPO Estate underAgents the Consumers, and Redress Estate Act 2007 Agents (CEARA), and Redress and are Act not 2007 a (CEARA), and are not a

Please contact our Dulwich office for more information on 020 8516 3666 or email dulwich@acorn.ltd.uk

full TPO member, you arefull notTPO entitled member, to use you theare TPO notlogo entitled or the toTPO/OFT use the TPO jointlogo logo. orPlease the TPO/OFT see thejoint section logo. below Please see the section below regarding CEARA registered regarding agents.

CEARA registered agents.

1. If you are a member 1. ofIfTPO you for are a member of TPO for 2. If you are a member 2. ofIfTPO you for areLettings a member andof TPO for Lettings and Residential Sales Residential Sales Property Management Property Management

Standard Tenant Charges: £120 Agreement Fee - £75pp Reference Fee Other fees may apply, visit www.acorn.ltd.uk/tenantfees for more information.

Display this logo in your window Display and use this itlogo on your in your stationery window and use itDisplay on yourthis stationery logo in your window Display and use this itlogo on your in your stationery windowand and use it on your stationery and and publicity material. and publicity material. publicity material. publicity material.

The following are guidance documents The following supplied are guidance by the OFT documents supplied The Code by the of Practice OFT for Lettings The became Code of effective Practice from for Lettings became effective from on the correct usage of TPO/OFT on the joint correct logo, which usage can of TPO/OFT be joint logo, June which 2006. canThis be Code does not June have 2006.

OFTThis approval, Code therefore, does not have OFT approval, therefore, accessed from our website at accessed www.tpos.co.uk from our website at www.tpos.co.uk you must not display TPO/OFTyou joint must logonot ondisplay any stationery TPO/OFT joint logo on any stationery regarding lettings. regarding lettings.

ACORN.indd 3

Licence Guidance Licence Guidance This document provides guidance This on document the conditions provides under guidance on the conditions under which the logo can be used. The which logo the can logo only can bebe used used. in The logo can only be used in accordance with the terms of a accordance copyright licence with theissued terms by of a copyright licence issued by the OFT. Please refer to the licence the OFT. for Please the full refer termstoand the licence for the full terms and conditions on the use of the logo. conditions on the use of the logo.

23/01/2014 17:09

Christopher Cady, Associate Director

Stunning Victorian Family house Matham Grove, SE22 A fantastic four bedroom Victorian terraced family house in a residential street off Lordship Lane. The house has many fine original features and comprises of a double-reception room with a downstairs cloakroom and a magnificent open-plan kitchen/breakfast room which has been extended to the side return and has contemporary kitchen units. ÂŁ1,300,000 Freehold

Dulwich 020 8875 7999

JACKSONS.indd 1

24/01/2014 17:14

Balham 020 8675 6565

Earlsfield 020 8971 7070

Wandsworth 020 8875 8899

Battersea 020 7924 2255

Putney Open 2014

Clapham 020 8875 7995

Streatham 020 8677 9900

Wandsworth Common 020 8672 9077

East Dulwich 020 8875 7999

Tooting 020 8767 0522

Wimbledon 020 3195 9111

www.jacksonsestateagents.com

Semi detached Victorian villa

Melbourne Grove, SE22 This superb Victorian Villa has a number of fine original features, with accommodation comprising two reception rooms, a kitchen and dining room, three double bedrooms, a family bathroom and a forty foot Eastfacing rear garden. Situated near East Dulwich BR station and main bus routes and shops, bars and restaurants on both Lordship Lane and East Dulwich Grove. ÂŁ940,000 Freehold

Dulwich 020 8875 7999

JACKSONS.indd 2

24/01/2014 17:14

Sophia O’Carroll & Tilly, Sales Manager

Lovely Victorian

terraced house St. Francis Road, SE22 A lovely three bedroom period family house located in a secluded cul de sac near both East Dulwich BR station and some excellent shopping facilities. The property is unusual in having a lateral conservatory to the rear of the kitchen and has an excellent living space throughout. The charming landscaped garden is north-east facing and backs onto the green spaces of St. Francis Park. ÂŁ775,000 Leasehold

Dulwich 020 8875 7999

JACKSONS.indd 3

24/01/2014 17:14

Balham 020 8675 6565

Earlsfield 020 8971 7070

Wandsworth 020 8875 8899

Battersea 020 7924 2255

Putney Open 2014

Clapham 020 8875 7995

Streatham 020 8677 9900

Wandsworth Common 020 8672 9077

East Dulwich 020 8875 7999

Tooting 020 8767 0522

Wimbledon 020 3195 9111

www.jacksonsestateagents.com

Charming semi-detached Victorian cottage

Hindmans Road, SE22 A delightful three bedroom end of terrace Victorian cottage in a prime residential road in East Dulwich. The property has great character with a real country-feel about it. Situated within easy reach of East Dulwich BR station, main bus routes and the excellent local shops, bars and restaurants on Lordship Lane. ÂŁ625,000 Leasehold

Dulwich 020 8875 7999

JACKSONS.indd 4

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Offices throughout London R DE R E UN FF O

Crebor Street SE22 £459,950 Share of Freehold

Rodwell Road SE22 £475,000 Share of Freehold

A charming two bedroom split level maisonette with a private garden offered with no onward chain. The property has been recently refurbished throughout to a high standard of interior decor.

Stylish kitchen diner leading out onto a private garden from a spiral staircase. EPC= C

A conveniently located two double bedroom split level Victorian conversion flat situated just a few minutes from Lordship Lane.

Recently refurbished throughout to a high standard with a modern decor. EPC= D

Dulwich & SE I 020 8299 1722 I dulwich@bushells.com

Dulwich & SE I 020 8299 1722 I dulwich@bushells.com

R DE R E UN FF O

Whateley Road SE22

£300,000 Leasehold

East Dulwich Road SE22 £350,000 Leasehold

A very well proportioned and well presented one double bedroom top floor Victorian Conversion in East Dulwich very close to all transport links, local shops, restaurants, bars and amenities in and around the popular Lordship Lane. EPC= D

A top floor two bedroom Victorian Conversion in the heart of East Dulwich. Overlooking the popular Goose Green, this property is bright, airy and offers fantastic living space with great views over London. This property would benefit from some modernization.

EPC= F

Dulwich & SE I 020 8299 1722 I dulwich@bushells.com

Dulwich & SE I 020 8299 1722 I dulwich@bushells.com

Acton  Balham  Bloomsbury  Battersea  Camden  Clapham  Dulwich  Fulham  Hammersmith  Islington  West Hampstead

BUSHELLS.indd 2

23/01/2014 17:43

bushells.com

Jennings Road SE22

£749,950 Freehold

A very well presented three bedroom house with a bright kitchen/diner and south facing garden offered to the market. This house is situated on a popular residential road in East Dulwich and is in a perfect location for Heber primary school. EPC = D

Dulwich & SE I 020 8299 1722 I dulwich@bushells.com

PART OF THE EDMUND CUDE GROUP

Acton  Balham  Bloomsbury  Battersea  Camden  Clapham  Dulwich  Fulham  Hammersmith  Islington  West Hampstead

BUSHELLS.indd 3

23/01/2014 17:43

Property News LOCAL ARTIST LUCIE CONOLEY IN FRONT OF THE KEATING ESTATES MURAL

KEATING ESTATES UNVEIL THEIR NEW BRIXTON OFFICE � keatingestates.com

I

ndependent estate agents Keating Estates are pleased to announce their new office opening in Brixton, opposite the famous Brixton Market. Th is new branch is their third, adding to the existing offices in Dulwich and Clapham. Although the shop front is new, Keating Estates have long been residents of the area. Nick Baer, Sales Director, has lived in Brixton for just under 10 years and has been involved in the sale of almost 1000 properties in the area. Dwayne Joynt, Lettings Manager,

HOUSE HUNTING Edward Ogden

Sales Manager, Jacksons’ Dulwich

has lived in Brixton for nearly 8 years, and has excelled in the rental market here, both are thrilled to have officially expanded their presence in the area. As residents, they are keenly involved in the Brixton scene, supporting the local community and businesses. These include sponsoring local schools, including the popular Sudbourne Primary, the Lambeth Open 2013, as well as the Upstairs Restaurant, where Keating Estates are offering dinner with wine for two, or a bottle of champagne and a top wine at Opus for every property valuation booked.

Not only this, they are also keenly involved in the arts. They have commissioned local artist Lucie Conoley, who they met at the local art

fair Urban Art 2013, to draw the map on their office wall. Lucie describes her work as ‘bespoke maps that detail the life of a person in their area, showing all the places that are special and represent significant moments.’

She goes on to talk about Keating Estates’ commitment to the area: ‘Nick and Shane have been absolutely amazing to work with. They put complete faith in what I do, I love how much attention they pay to the details, and how important it is to them to utilise and promote local talent. Keating Estates has really tapped into the overwhelming sense of community here.

Th is has, without doubt, been the most satisfying and personally rewarding job I’ve done to date.

And I loved every minute of it!’

Methodist hall to a very famous rock musician and producer.

The property I’d most like on our books...

Bell Cottage in Dulwich Village, which is a very pretty Grade 11 listed 18th century cottage.

Most unusual interior...

A glam rock idol’s former house on Portobello Road, which had a glass enclosed spiral staircase from the top to the bottom of the house.

� 020 8875 7999; jacksonsestateagents.com

Most satisfying transaction...

In recent times, the most satisying was selling an elderly gentleman’s house on Lordship Lane, which had been on and off the market for some 14 months.

Most interesting property...

I’ve been involved with was selling a former

I never thought I’d see...

Buyers from North London queuing up to buy in South London!!

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ABSOLUTELY Property

5

MINUTES WITH...

Kim Jones Sales Manager of Bushells, Dulwich

� 020 8299 1722; bushells.com

RECEPTION OF DULWICH COMMON

Why this area? East Dulwich is such a diverse area, it offers something for everyone.

Unique organic food shops, vibrant bars and restaurants make it very appealing for young couple. Great schools and lovely parks are very attractive to families, and regular transport links into the city are fantastic for commuting professionals.

What is your company ethos? How do you translate that into giving the best customer service possible? We carry out intense and ongoing training with all negotiators, which allows us to provide the best customer service to both sellers and buyers. All our negotiators are NAEA qualified or currently working

towards the qualification and are therefore very experienced within the industry. We place an emphasis on fi nding out exactly what our clients and buyers need and their motivations to enable us to limit the time taken to fi nd a buyer or a property. We manage the entire process from start to fi nish, thus helping reduce the stress of the conveyancing period.

What properties are you most excited about having on your books? Each and every property we have on our books excites me as every property has a great benefit to a new buyer regardless of size or price. However, ‘Dulwich Common’ is very interesting. It’s a four double bedroom 1930’s house with off street parking, double garage, loft space and a large south facing garden, providing great potential for extension opportunities.

What do you predict for the property market in 2014? 2014 is going to be a great year for sellers as the strong demand will continue, allowing us to achieve fantastic prices for our clients. The help-to-buy scheme will attract more fi rst time buyers to the market, but we also hope to see stock levels rise. The help-to-buy scheme is also available to second time buyers, encouraging more people to take a step up the ladder.

EXTERIOR OF DULWICH COMMON

PREDICTIONS FOR ENQUIRING MINDS GROWTH IN MORTGAGE LENDING Steven Pearce

Julian Hill

Solicitor at Cuff & Gough

Elysian Finance

� cuffandgough.com; 01737 851827

� 020 8676 5090; elysianfinance.co.uk

n an ideal world, everyone involved in the conveyancing process – clients, agents, lawyers, lenders - would deal with one matter at a time and everyone would focus on the job in hand. As anyone that has been through the conveyancing process will know, the reality is far different to that scenario. A recent court decision serves as a useful reminder that, despite the pressures associated with the conveyancing process, clients must ensure that their lawyers are given ALL information relating to the sale or purchase, and reliance should not be placed on verbal conversations, as parties are unlikely to be able to rely on them.

Far better to advise your lawyer at an early stage (and certainly BEFORE exchange of contracts

T

he current growth in the economic forecasts, rise in house prices and the continuation of historically low interest rates has lead to 2014 forecast growth in mortgage lending of around 15%. The debate over when interest rates will start to rise continues, with the indicators of higher interest rates on wholesale funding and the withdrawal of the Funding for Lending scheme for homeowners balanced by the increased appetite of lenders in the market place offering very competitive terms. However, there is little scope for much of a decrease in interest rates and it would be sensible to lock in the current low interest rates into a fixed term lending.

R

oy Brooks became a legend in his own time for the puckish delight he took in telling the truth, the whole truth – and even the unwholesome truth- about properties, that, as an estate agent, he advertised for sale. Each month we will showcase one of these revolutionary, outrageous, funny and, on occasions, painful advertisements.

I

� 020 8299 3021; roybrooks.co.uk

takes place) so that the lawyer can arrange for an appropriate clause to be included in the contract thereby ensuring that the client’s expectations can be met.

89

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CAMBERWELL GROVE, SE5

OIRO ÂŁ1,500,000

Nikolaus Pevsner (author of The Buildings of England) identified this lovely and much loved home as one of the first four houses built in Camberwell Grove, on the market for the first time in 42 years. Carved by a Georgian craftsman on a window reveal is the date of the house - 1775. With its original stone stairway to the basement, fire surrounds, elegant sashes, shutters, wood panelling, cornices, architraves and wide floorboards, it has been completely unspoiled by any owner in the 235 years of its being. With 6 bedrooms, 2 receptions, 2 bathrooms, a separate entrance to the lower ground floor, and views of St Giies church, view soon.

For sales call Felicity, Stacy, Colin and Elaine ROY BROOKS.indd 2

24/01/2014 16:55

Matching people to homes 020 8299 3021 | roybrooks.co.uk

WALLER ROAD, SE14

£2,850 PCM

Demure looking 5 bed house needs fun-loving family/Professionals to light up the rooms. Double bedrooms, kitchen/diner, 3 receptions, conservatory, 3 bathrooms (one being en suite) and best of all, a semi-basement with separate entrance. Find it in the ever-so-posh Telegraph Hill Conservation Area close to outstanding schools and parkland as well as Transport links. This is a beautiful home with a stunning finish throughout. Words are not enough to describe this property so book to come see for yourself the beauty it is. Available from Mid April.

FRIERN ROAD, SE22

£1,250,000

Spellbinding double-fronted 5-bed family home in gorgeous setting. Nearly 2,800sq ft, 22ft kitchen/breakfast, 2 receptions, conservatory, utility, large cellar, 2 shower rooms and a bathroom. open fire, period features, charismatic interior and 65ft garden. Find it in one of SE22’s most family-friendly streets.

For lettings call Kelly, Daniel and Mel ROY BROOKS.indd 3

24/01/2014 16:55

ooms, n 143’

of this Rear

31 sq r and

£2,900,000 COLLEGE ROAD SE21 Joint Sole Agents A perfectly proportioned double fronted semi detached neo Georgian family house with a Gross Internal Area of about 2,967 sq ft (275.63 sq m). This property has 6 Bedrooms, £2,900,000 £2,900,000 £2,900,000 COLLEGE COLLEGE COLLEGE ROAD ROAD SE21 ROAD SE21 SE21 Joint Sole Joint Sole Agents Sole Agents Agents Family Bathroom, 3 Shower Rooms (2 ens), Reception Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility Room,Joint Cloakroom/W.C, Garage, Off Street Parking and a Rear Garden 143’ A perfectly A perfectly perfectly proportioned proportioned proportioned double double double semi fronted semi detached semi detached detached neo neo Georgian neo Georgian Georgian family family house family house with house with a Gross with a Gross Internal a Gross Internal Area Internal Area of about Area of about of 2,967 about 2,967 sq2,967 ftsq (275.63 ftsq (275.63 ft (275.63 sq m). sq This m). sq This m). property This property property has has 6 Bedrooms, has 6 Bedrooms, 6 Bedrooms, xA 41’ (43.59 x 12.50 m).fronted EPCfronted Rating (E) Family Family Bathroom, Family Bathroom, Bathroom, 3 Shower 3 Shower 3 Rooms Shower Rooms (2 Rooms ens), (2 ens), Reception (2 ens), Reception Reception Room, Room, Study, Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Room, Utility Room, Utility Room, Utility Room, Cloakroom/W.C, Room, Cloakroom/W.C, Cloakroom/W.C, Garage, Garage, Garage, Off Street Off Street OffParking Street Parking and Parking and a Rear and a Rear Garden a Rear Garden 143’ Garden 143’143’ x 41’x (43.59 41’x (43.59 41’x(43.59 12.50 x 12.50 m). x 12.50 EPC m). EPC m).

Rating EPC Rating (E) Rating (E) (E)

£2,350,000 FRANK DIXON WAY SE21 Sole Agents A lovely detached double fronted family house, individually commissioned by the original owners, was built as a replica of a Georgian house. The Gross Internal Area of this £2,350,000 FRANK FRANK FRANK DIXON DIXON DIXON WAY WAY SE21 WAY SE21 SE21 SoleStudy, Sole Agents Sole Agents Agents property is about 2,504 sq ft (232.62 sq£2,350,000 m)£2,350,000 and it has 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Drawing Room, Music Room, Kitchen/Orangery, Cloakroom/WC, Garage and a Rear A lovely A lovely A detached lovely detached detached double double fronted double fronted family fronted family house, family house, individually house, individually individually commissioned commissioned by the by original the by original the owners, original owners, owners, was was builtwas built as built aas replica aas replica aofreplica a of Georgian a of Georgian a Georgian house. house.

The house.

The Gross The Gross Internal Gross Internal Internal AreaArea of this Area of this of this Garden 118’3” x 53’9” (36.04 x 16.38m).

EPC Rating (E)commissioned property property property is about is about is2,504 about 2,504 sq2,504 ftsq (232.62 ftsq (232.62 ft (232.62 sq m) sqand m) sqand itm)has and it has 5 itBedrooms, has 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Drawing Drawing Drawing Room, Room, Music Room, Music Room, Music Room, Study, Room, Study, Kitchen/Orangery, Study, Kitchen/Orangery, Kitchen/Orangery, Cloakroom/WC, Cloakroom/WC, Cloakroom/WC, Garage Garage and Garage and a Rear and a Rear a Rear Garden Garden 118’3” Garden 118’3” x118’3” 53’9” x 53’9” (36.04 x 53’9” (36.04 x(36.04 16.38m). x 16.38m). x 16.38m).

EPC EPC Rating EPC Rating (E) Rating (E) (E)

£1,695,000 BECKWITH ROAD SE24 Sole Agents A substantial Edwardian family house located on this popular residential road in a sought after North Dulwich Triangle with a Gross Internal Area of about 2,942 sq ft (273.31 sq £1,695,000 £1,695,000 BECKWITH BECKWITH BECKWITH ROAD ROAD SE24 ROAD SE24 SE24Kitchen/Dining SoleSole Agents Sole Agents Agents m). There are 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, En£1,695,000 Suite Shower Room, Sitting Room, Reception Room, Room, Laundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Eaves Storage, Cellar and A substantial A substantial A substantial Edwardian Edwardian Edwardian family house family house located house located located this on this popular on this popular residential popular residential roadroad in aroad in sought a in sought aafter sought after North after North Dulwich North Dulwich Dulwich Triangle Triangle Triangle with with a Gross with a Gross Internal a Gross Internal Area Internal Area of about Area of about of 2,942 about 2,942 sq2,942 ftsq (273.31 ftsq (273.31 ft (273.31 sq sq sq Rear Garden 48’9” xfamily 22’9” (14.86m xon 6.93m).

EPC Rating (E) residential m). There m). There m).are There 5 areBedrooms, 5 areBedrooms, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, En Suite En Suite En Shower Suite Shower Room, Shower Room, Sitting Room, Sitting Room, Sitting Room, Reception Room, Reception Reception Room, Room, Kitchen/Dining Room, Kitchen/Dining Kitchen/Dining Room, Room, Laundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Room, Laundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Laundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Eaves Eaves Storage, Eaves Storage, Storage, Cellar Cellar and Cellar and and RearRear Garden Rear Garden 48’9” Garden 48’9” x 22’9” 48’9” x 22’9” (14.86m x 22’9” (14.86m (14.86m x 6.93m). x 6.93m). x 6.93m).

EPC EPC Rating EPC Rating (E) Rating (E) (E)

HARVEY & WHEELER.indd 2

28/01/2014 10:56

A perfectly Family Bath x 41’ (43.59

U OF NDE FE R R

£2,900,000 £2,900,000 COLLEGE COLLEGE ROAD ROAD SE21 SE21 Joint Joint Sole Sole Agents Agents A perfectly A perfectly proportioned proportioned double double fronted fronted semi semi detached detached neoneo Georgian Georgian family family house house with with a Gross a Gross Internal Internal Area Area of about of about 2,967 2,967 sq sq ft (275.63 ft (275.63 sq sq m).m).

This This property property hashas 6 Bedrooms, 6 Bedrooms, £1,450,000 SYDENHAM HILL SE26 Sole Agents Family Family Bathroom, Bathroom, 3 Shower 3 Shower Rooms Rooms (2 ens), (2 ens), Reception Reception Room, Room, Study, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Room, Utility Utility Room, Room, Cloakroom/W.C, Cloakroom/W.C, Garage, Garage, OffOff Street Street Parking Parking andand a Rear a Rear Garden Garden 143’ 143’ A modern detached family house, situated x 41’ x 41’ (43.59 (43.59 x 12.50 x 12.50 m).m).

EPC EPC Rating Rating (E) (E) in an elevated position with far reaching views, located on the Dulwich Estate. The property has a Gross Internal Area of about 3,046 sq ft (282.97 sq m). There are 6 Bedrooms, Dressing Room, 2 Bathrooms (1 ens), Shower Room, Sitting Room, T.V Room, Kitchen/Dining Room, Gym, 2 Rooms & Home Office (Mezzanine Level), Off Street Parking and Rear Garden 76’ x 68’9” (23.16m x 20.95 m). EPC Rating (D)

£2,350,000 £2,350,000 FRANK FRANK DIXON DIXON WAY WAY SE21 SE21 Sole Sole Agents Agents A lovely A lovely detached detached double double fronted fronted family family house, house, individually individually commissioned commissioned by by thethe original original owners, owners, waswas built built as as a replica a replica of aofGeorgian a Georgian house. house.

TheThe Gross Gross Internal Internal Area Area of this of this TURNEY ROADRoom, SE21 Sole Agents property property is about is about 2,504 2,504 sq sq ft (232.62 ft (232.62 sq sq m)£1,250,000 m) andand it has it has 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Drawing Drawing Room, Music Music Room, Room, Study, Study, Kitchen/Orangery, Kitchen/Orangery, Cloakroom/WC, Cloakroom/WC, Garage Garage andand a Rear a Rear Semi-detached, fronted in EPC thisEPC superb Village Garden Garden 118’3” 118’3” xdouble 53’9” x 53’9” (36.04 (36.04 xcottage 16.38m). x 16.38m).

Rating Rating (E) (E) location close to the schools and all the amenities of Dulwich Village. The Gross Internal Area of this property is about 1,290 sq ft (119.84 sq m). There are 4 Bedrooms, Bathroom, Separate WC, Double Reception Room, Dining Room, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Off Street Parking and Rear Garden 36’x33’9” (10.97 x 10.29 sq m). EPC Rating (E)

£1,695,000 £1,695,000 BECKWITH BECKWITH ROAD ROAD SE24 SE24 Sole Sole Agents Agents A substantial A substantial Edwardian Edwardian family family house house located located on on thisthis popular popular residential residential road road in ainsought a sought after after North North Dulwich Dulwich Triangle Triangle with with a Gross a Gross Internal Internal Area Area of about of about 2,942 2,942 sq sq ft (273.31 ft (273.31 sq sq AYSGARTH ROADRoom, SE21 Joint SoleLaundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Agents m).m).

There There areare 5 Bedrooms, 5 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Bathrooms, En£850,000 En Suite Suite Shower Shower Room, Room, Sitting Sitting Room, Room, Reception Reception Room, Kitchen/Dining Kitchen/Dining Room, Room, Laundry/Cloakroom/W.C, Eaves Eaves Storage, Storage, Cellar Cellar andand A lovely Edwardian house with a Gross Internal Area ofRating about 972 sq ft (90.30 sq m) located on a popular residential road situated in the heart of Dulwich Village. There are 2 Rear Rear Garden Garden 48’9” 48’9” x 22’9” x 22’9” (14.86m (14.86m x 6.93m). x 6.93m).

EPC EPC Rating (E) (E) Bedrooms, Family Bathroom, Reception Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Cloakroom/W.C and Rear Garden 25’x15’6”(7.62m x 4.72m). EPC Rating (D)

HARVEY & WHEELER.indd 3

A lovely det property is Garden 118

A substanti m). There a Rear Garde

28/01/2014 10:56

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Photograph shows the Show Home interior. This bedroom includes upgrades from £1,000 to £10,000 depending on the size of property.

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PROPERTY OF THE MONTH / WEST DULWICH

ACACIA GROVE, SE21

£1,400,000 F/H

A stunning and beautifully decorated double-fronted detached house tucked away in Acacia Grove. The property briefly comprises four double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, one of which is en-suite, two separate reception rooms, one with a study area and a lovely large kitchen/breakfast room with a handy utility room. The garden wraps around the house and has a separate dining and storage area.

More Properties Urgently Needed West Dulwich Office94 Park Hall RoadWest DulwichLondon SE21 8BWT: 020 3397 1155 E: info@pickwickestates.com PICKWICKS.indd 2

27/01/2014 13:23

WWW .pickwickestates. CO . UK

pickwick estates

SOUTH CROXTED ROAD, SE21  £2,700PCM TRITTON ROAD, SE21  £485,000 S/O/F A superb 4 bedroom Victorian semi-detached family home with

A superb 2 bedroom garden flat in this handsome Victorian conversion

landscaped garden, well located for transportation. Crystal Palace is

located equidistant to 5 rail stations. The house sits proudly at the end

close by with an array of restaurants, bars, cafes and shops.

of the terrace giving the property a good layout and plenty of light.

West Dulwich Office

West Dulwich Office

LANDELLS ROAD, SE22  £475,000 F/H

LORDSHIP LANE, SE5  £475,000 S/O/F

Three bedroom house in a sought after road in central East Dulwich.

Large three bedroom Victorian conversion garden flat situated on

The property has seen neutral redecoration and has a new kitchen and

Lordship Lane close to the shops, bars and restaurants and a short walk

bathroom. An ideal blank canvas. Chain free.

from East Dulwich station. The flat is chain free.

Dulwich Office

Dulwich Office

More Properties Urgently Needed Dulwich Office I 8 Woodwarde Road I Dulwich I London SE22 8UJT: 020 3397 1144E: info@pickwickestates.com PICKWICKS.indd 3

27/01/2014 13:23

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH / WEST DULWICH

GUBYON AVENUE, SE24

£1,350,000 F/H

Handsome 6 bedroom, double-fronted Victorian family home on this popular street in Herne Hill. The house is very well presented throughout and retains a wealth of period features including working period fireplaces, high ceilings, stunning cornicing and original sash windows. The ground floor is extended at the rear to fit a wonderful open planned kitchen/dining room that leads out to a neatly decked and lawned rear garden.

More Properties Urgently Needed West Dulwich Office94 Park Hall RoadWest DulwichLondon SE21 8BWT: 020 3397 1155 E: info@pickwickestates.com PICKWICKS.indd 4

27/01/2014 13:24

WWW .pickwickestates. CO . UK

pickwick estates

EAST DULWICH ROAD, SE22  £1,550 PCM

MANOR MOUNT, SE23  450,000 L/H

A fantastic two double bedroom private garden flat with OSP

Amazing two bedroom split level conversion flat with a massive lounge,

within close proximity to East Dulwich station. The property is very

modern kitchen, two bedrooms and bathroom. Private area of garden

spacious and beautifully decorated throughout. Ideal for a couple.

and OSP to front. Within close proximity to Forest Hill station.

Dulwich Office

Honor Oak Park Office

STONDON PARK, SE23  £350,000 L/H

BLYTHE VALE, SE26  £280,000 L/H

Well presented first floor three bedroom maisonette with private entrance,

A light and spacious 2 double bedroom top floor conversion in an

spacious front living room with dining area, three bedrooms (one double),

imposing double-fronted Victorian house with 3 balconies! Requires a

kitchen, bathroom with communal garden. Close to Honor Oak Park station.

buyer looking to give this flat some love and make it their own home.

Honor Oak Park Office

Honor Oak Park Office

More Properties Urgently Needed Honor Oak Park OfficeHonor OakLondon SE23 1EAT: 020 3397 11566 E: info@pickwickestates.com PICKWICKS.indd 5

27/01/2014 13:24

ABSOLUTELY Property

Pedder Community news CRYSTAL PALACE MAST

Market Comment

2014 Forecast

Bill Russell

Introducing

in West Norwood has good curb appeal situated on many tree lined streets that offer a plethora of Edwardian and Victorian desirable properties.

Crystal Palace Branch Manager & Associate Director � 020 8670 7160; pedderproperty.com

C

Jonny Kuzak

� 020 8670 9008; pedderproperty.com

What is your company ethos? Since we opened our doors in 1978, Pedder (as a family owned business), held some key principles dear namely, integrity, professionalism and high performance.

We are dedicated to always improving but above all else, providing the very best quality, professional services to our clients.

What do you predict for the property market in 2014? Pedder’s forecast for 2014 is that demand will continue to outstrip supply, creating an imbalance of properties available in the short term underpinning the rise in property prices. It is expected that interest rates will remain low for the remainder of 2014 and there will be a greater injection of growth into the market from first time buyers capitalising on government incentives.

How do you translate that into giving the best customer service?

We at Pedder pride ourselves for having one of the highest customer service records in the industry.

This is achieved by only employing the highest calibre of staff who share in our core values. In addition we ensure through the highest level of training, our staff are excellent at what they do while being professionally qualified.

What properties are you most excited about having on your books? As a company that have a track record of dealing with quality properties, we are as always excited about any instruction ranging from a 1 bedroom flat for £200,000 to a 6 bedroom house for £4,000,000. The property stock

Why this area? As an area that Pedder has covered for a number of years via our office network, we believe that with its good quality residential housing stock and close proximity to central London, we tip the area as a prime emerging market for investors and those looking for a home.

Branch Manager of Pedder’s West Norwood office

O

ver the past 3 years we have raised over £100,000 for local schools, charities and organisations and look forward to maintaining this momentum in the year ahead.

We are thrilled to have already confirmed our involvement with events such as Sydenham Arts Festival in July and Dulwich Festival in May, as well as our fourth annual Cancer Research UK Golf Day in June and a 10k run for the Charity in May. We are always open to new sponsorship suggestions, and if you have a cause you think may be suitable then please let us know at community@pedderproperty.com BROCKWEL PARK

rystal Palace has been on the map for quite some time now but never more than we have experienced over the past couple of years. In 2014, buyers are seeking an area with an individual identity and the right blend of transport links, recreational hotspots and green open spaces.

Whilst SE19 offers this in abundance, we are experiencing an appetite for local property beyond what you would expect in a strong market. Multiple offers, increased transaction speeds and sales agreed before a property even hits the market are becoming commonplace and this is enabling local residents to heavily out-perform historically achieved values and capitalise on their asset. We do not predict this changing anytime soon and buyers are confident that we live in an area which will continue to grow in trend, identity and value. This is still an affordable location by London standards, even compared to our local neighbouring areas. It will be interesting to see what the next year brings for Crystal Palace.

Herne Hill Society

O

ne organisation we continue to support is the Herne Hill Society. The Herne Hill Society is a registered charity working to improve the area of London SE24 for the benefit of residents, visitors and local businesses. The society have a magazine run by elected volunteers. Advertising revenue helps the Society put on a free monthly programme of talks on topics of local interest. It is also published through its book programme, on its website and in the quarterly Herne Hill Magazine. hernehillsociety.org.uk

For more information on upcoming events, please visit pedderproperty.com

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WORLINGHAM ROAD, SE22 £950,000 F/H

RYEDALE, SE22 £750,000 F/H

SILVESTER ROAD, SE22 £630,000 F/H

located on Worlingham Road in the heart of East Dulwich.

spaces. Beautiful kitchen dining area with lots of space

contemporary way but retaining the original features

The property benefits from a double reception room,

for entertaining and reception room to the front. With

such as original fireplaces and stripped wood flooring.

large eat in kitchen/diner, bathroom and four double

three bedrooms upstairs and a family bathroom there is

The property comprises two double bedrooms,

bedrooms - the master having an en-suite bathroom.

plenty of space.

reception, kitchen, bathroom and private garden.

LANDELLS ROAD, SE22 £615,000 F/H

NUTFIELD ROAD, SE22 £830,000 F/H

CAMBERWELL GROVE, SE5 £600,000 S/O/F/H

residential road in East Dulwich. The property offers a

open plan living room leading through to a fantastic

splendour. Two double bedrooms with brilliant views

double reception with larger than normal kitchen to the

kitchen with a side return, three bedrooms, family

across London, large reception with large windows

rear with doors out onto a private garden. Upstairs there

bathroom and an ingenious en-suite. The garden is

which maximise the afternoon sunlight, a modern

are two double bedrooms and modern bathroom.

perfect for entertaining with a built in BBQ.

kitchen and bathroom complete the accommodation.

VICTORIA CLOSE, SE22, £720,000 F/H

THERAPIA ROAD, SE22 £599,950 S/O/F/H

ST FRANCIS ROAD, SE22 £775,000 F/H

community. Four bedrooms, massive reception,

living space. Whether it’s used as a three bedroom with

through road in East Dulwich. The property comprises

integrated garage, utility room, kitchen/diner, three

two reception rooms or a four bedroom flat it has space

double reception with fireplaces and wood floors, modern

bathrooms and garden. Very well located for Lordship

to accommodate all of your wishes. Benefitting from a

kitchen diner and bathroom, two double bedrooms, one

Lane, East Dulwich and Peckham Rye stations.

large sole use garden this flat has it all.

single bedroom and large private garden.

This substantial 4 bedroom family house is perfectly

Two bedroom Victorian half house situated on a quiet

4 bedroom family town house set within this gated

3 bedroom 1930’s family house backing onto open

3 bedroom house in the heart of East Dulwich. Brilliant

Large Victorian garden flat offering a huge amount of

This wonderful Victorian half house is styled in a very

2 double bedroom flat offering wonderful Georgian

3 bedroom Victorian terrace house situated on a quiet no

Scan this code to download the Winkworth iPhone app

winkworth.co.uk/dulwich

See things differently.

020 8299 2722 dulwich@winkworth.co.uk WINKWORTH DULWICH.indd 1

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KEATINGS FIRST DPS.indd 2

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Clapham BrixtonDulwich

www.keatingestates.com

SALES

New Park Road, SW2

Guide Price £975,050 Freehold

• Grade ll listed 5 bedroom Semi-Detached House.

• Newly refurbished • 2 receptions and 4 bathrooms.

• Separate dwelling with own entrance.

Clapham Office: 020 7720 2113  clapham@keatingestates.com

SALES

Park Lofts, Lyham Road , SW2

Asking Price £865,000

• 1744 sq ft, loft-style apartment in a sought after school conversion.

• Boasting floor to ceiling windows, solid wood and slate floors as well as under floor heating.

• Off-street parking.

• Short walk from the vibrant shops, nightlife and culinary marvels of Brixton and Clapham.

Brixton Office: 020 7095 5777  brixton@keatingestates.com

SECOND DPS.indd 3

27/01/2014 12:42

Digital illustration is indicative only. Prices correct at time of going to press.

FIRST& FOREMOST

OFFICIAL LAUNCH EVENT 15 FEBRUARY SOUTH WEST LONDON’S MOST EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE HEART OF BATTERSEA VILLAGE Cobalt Place, a new contemporary and sustainable development of 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, ideally situated for the fashionable Battersea Village lifestyle. Battersea Park and Clapham Junction station are both within walking distance.

Register now for details: Lauristons 172 Lavender Hill, Battersea, London SW11 5TG

CALL 020 8879 9099 WWW.COBALTPLACE.CO.UK

1 bedroom apartments from £415,000 2 bedroom apartments from £530,000

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LEND LEASE COBALT PLACE.indd 2

WHERE

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27/01/2014 13:03

ABSOLUTELY Property

Prime Purchase

� This truly magnificent five bedroom semi-detached house offers luxurious living space, high spec design and the most wonderful garden - perfect for a large family.

A

pproaching the property through the electric gates and off street parking, the grand entrance takes you through to a large bespoke designed family kitchen dining/reception area. In addition, there is a conservatory room or playroom leading out onto a stunning landscaped garden. Upstairs there are four double bedrooms, the master with en-suite, the fifth single bedroom is perfect for a study or children’s room. The house is situated in a superb, quiet location close to Lordship Lane, and offers easy access to Dulwich Park and the Horniman Museum, transport links and local shops. To top it all off, there is a lovely sunny roof terrace, which is perfect for watching the fireworks or secluded sunbathing.

Details

Underhill Road, SE22 £1,700,000 Freehold

Contact

Winkworth, Dulwich 0208 299 2722; winkworth.co.uk

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Award winning independent residential lettings & property management specialists

SCAN MODE : POTENTIAL TENANT

TARGET : Charlotte Webster STATUS : Married with 2 young daughters PROFESSION : Part time architect INCOME : Combined £120,000 Pa INTERESTS : Sewing, Tennis, & Painting faces at kids parties

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We’ll look after your property as if it were our own Landlord & Buy-to-Let Magazine

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Website

* Free Daisylets App available to download now for iphone & Android

DAISYLETS_DUL_SEPT.indd 2

info@daisylets.com www daisylets.com

020 8299 9035 27/08/2013 14:38

ABSOLUTELY Property

Showcase Claire Empson

Director of Daisy Lets � 020 8299 9035; daisylets.com

Lowdown for Landlords What happens at the end of a tenancy?

I

t’s really important to have a professional inventory and check in/check out report done by a third party. All deposits have to be registered with an official scheme, as it’s very difficult to prove you have the right to retain money from a deposit without hard evidence.

My house has been painted bright colours, what can I charge for?

If your property has been painted different colours without permission/or has been repainted badly, then you are entitled to charge the cost of repainting, unless they have been there for 5+ years, as this is the expected life of decoration in a rental property. If you haven’t been to your property for a while, it’s a good idea to do a pre-checkout inspection.

Talk to your tenants about issues before they check out and give them the opportunity to put things back to how they were before discussing deductions from their deposit.

They left some belongings behind!

If personal property is left behind, under the Interference with Goods Act 1977, you have the right to charge for removal and storage.

You must not dispose of property that is not obviously rubbish without contacting the tenants and giving them a pick-up deadline.

You can eventually sell or dispose of their goods, but the money raised has to go to them after you deduct reasonable costs incurred.

Cleaning issues are the most common cause of disputes.

Communication is the key to getting your property back in the way you would like, along with a good inventory, and a clear contract from the start. To eradicate miscommunication, state that the tenants must hire professional cleaners and not do it themselves. This is fair, as it would’ve been professionally cleaned before they moved in too.

An astounding four bedroom house to rent, located on one of South East London’s prime roads.

�

A

sumptous property arranged over four floors, which offers wonderful features throughout, namely high ceilings and floor to ceiling sash windows in the main reception. Furthermore, the master bedroom comes complete with walk-in wardrobe and stunning bathroom and there are also three reception rooms. Camberwell Grove is a highly sought-after road in South East London with Denmark Hill and East Dulwich overground.

Details

Camberwell Grove, SE5 £6,150 Per Month

Contact

KFH, East Dulwich Lettings 020 8399 8980; kfh.co.uk

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Dulwich Mews SE22

£325,000 SOF

43.57 sq metres (469 sq. ft.) Ground floor purpose built flat / Double bedroom / Modern bathroom / Fitted kitchen / Wooden flooring and private off-street parking.

PROPERTY IN.indd 2

Dunstans Road SE22

£1,800 pcm

Available Now. 91.23 sq. metres (982 sq. ft.) Stunning mid terraced Victorian three bedroom house / Well fitted modern kitchen & dining room / Private rear garden.

27/01/2014 17:41

133 Lordship Lane Dulwich SE22 8HX

info@propertyin.com  www.propertyin.com

020 8693 8000

Upland Road SE22

£1,100,000 Freehold

129 sq metres (1388 sq ft) Stunning Victorian four double bedroom semi-detached freehold house. This property benefits from interconnecting lounge and dining room, high quality and extensively ‘Alno’ fitted kitchen/breakfast room (name of maker) which leads directly to the private rear garden. Both the recently upgraded modern shower room and bathroom are beautifully designed. There is off street parking to the front and the property is set in a popular residential East Dulwich location.

Goodrich Road SE22

£735,000

43.53 sq metres (964 sq. ft) Victorian freehold midterraced house / Fitted kitchen / Dining room and conservatory / Private 9.14m (30ft) garden.

PROPERTY IN.indd 3

Elsie Road SE22

£3,500 pcm

Available Now. 176.32 sq. metres (1898 sq. ft.)

Detached Victoria house / Five bedrooms / Three reception rooms / Private rear garden.

27/01/2014 17:41

est. 1882

Herne Hill, SE24

OIEO £300,000

A charming garden flat.

Private entrance, modern bathroom, attractive décor and very convenient location. EPC = C

Norbury, SW16

£475,000

A four double bedroom semi-detached house.

Large garden, wonderful views over green, recently refurbished, two reception rooms. EPC= C

020 7733 1293 BURNETT WARE.indd 2

13 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London SE24 9JU 27/01/2014 17:38

burnetware.com

Herne Hill, SE24

£700,000

Herne Hill, SE24

£1,750pcm

An exceptional Victorian house.

Impressive size accommodation, many fine features and décor. EPC = D

Two double bedroom garden flat.

Large lounge, cellar, private garden, newly fitted kitchen and bathroom. EPC = D

BURNETT WARE.indd 3

27/01/2014 17:39

GET REAL CHOICE with our new price menu

Wooster & Stock now offer more flexibility on fees than any other agent. We have designed a number of marketing packages to reflect the different needs of vendors (in our experience, one size does not fit all).

Choose the one that suits you - if you decide you need more (or less) support, you can change at anytime.

A fresh approach to fee pricing.

NUNHEAD 17 Nunhead Green, SE15 3QQ nun@woosterstock.co.uk 020 7708 6700

WOOSTER & STOCK.indd 1

BRIXTON 105 Acre Lane, SW2 5TU brx@woosterstock.co.uk 020 7952 0590

SYDENHAM 110 Kirkdale, SE26 4BG syd@woosterstock.co.uk 020 8613 0060

24/01/2014 16:10

A FRESH APPROACH TO ESTATE AGENCY

EARLSTHORPE ROAD, SE26 £1,250,000

Magnificent Edwardian four bedroom home within the renowned ‘Thorpes’ estate. Find splendid room sizes, front and rear gardens, an astonishing detached coach house and an entrance hall fit for Downton

Abbey! Both receptions are stunning, the first has a working fireplace and gorgeous timber floors. The second has a wood burning stove, Edwardian mantel and French doors onto the south facing garden.

woosterstock.co.uk WOOSTER & STOCK.indd 2

24/01/2014 16:10

A FRESH APPROACH TO ESTATE AGENCY

NEW PARK ROAD, SW2 £974,950

This newly refurbished period stunner really has it all! It spreads over three floors and features a huge one bedroom annex with separate entrance. The main house has four double bedrooms (two en suite),

NUNHEAD 17 Nunhead Green, SE15 3QQ nun@woosterstock.co.uk 020 7708 6700

WOOSTER & STOCK.indd 3

BRIXTON 105 Acre Lane, SW2 5TU brx@woosterstock.co.uk 020 7952 0590

a beautifully finished, bespoke eat-in kitchen, study, comfortable reception and two beautiful bathrooms. There’s a decked patio garden running on the side and rear of the building ready for summertime.

SYDENHAM 110 Kirkdale, SE26 4BG syd@woosterstock.co.uk 020 8613 0060

24/01/2014 16:10

KAY ROAD, SW2 £599,950

We’d live here in a flash! Reassuringly spacious, split level, bright and beautifully presented - there’s every reason to fall in love with this splendid two bedder. Two generous double bedrooms, a large

separate eat-in kitchen and lush living area combine to create a home of distinction. The location is as impressive. Kay Road is a peaceful spot (as it’s not a through road you get very little traffic).

woosterstock.co.uk WOOSTER & STOCK.indd 4

24/01/2014 16:11

The spoils of the hardy workplace warrior.

PRIME LOCATION.indd 2 ZOO1205 PL DPS_Zest_420x297.indd 5-6

21/01/2014 10:06

PRIME LOCATION.indd 3

21/01/2014 05/08/2013 10:06 14:20

ABSOLUTELY Property

Living the Dream � The most luxuriously appointed properties on the market.

Freehold

Elfindale Road, SE24

A

superb five double bedroom Edwardian house beautifully presented and retaining many original features and charm in the sought after North Dulwich area.

With wooden floors, a custom built kitchen, a cellar and west facing garden.

£1,250,000 Burnet Ware

� 020 7733 1293; burnetware.com

Freehold

Northstead Road, SW2

New Park Road, SW2

A

S

£1,075,000

£974,950

Harvey & Wheeler

Wooster & Stock, Brixton

� 020 8693 4321; harveywheeler.com

� 020 7952 0590; woosterstock.co.uk

pread over three floors and featuring a huge one bedroom annex with separate entrance, this newly refurbished period property will graciously accommodate all your requirements. The main house has four elegant double bedrooms (two en suite), a beautifully finished, bespoke eat-in kitchen, study, comfortable reception and two beautiful bathrooms.

There’s also a decked patio garden running on the side and rear of the building.

lovely detached double-fronted Victorian family house with off street parking, located on a quiet residential street in Tulse Hill. The house benefits from generous reception space with three separate reception rooms; separate utility room and super kitchen/breakfast room, which opens directly onto the approximately 73’ garden. Upstairs there are four good sized bedrooms, a fifth bedroom/study and two bathrooms.

Spotlight on SE15: Average asking price - £428,128Average asking rents - £1,552 pcmAverage property value - £358,052

Data provided by 120

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INNOVATIVE MORTGAGE ADVICE

elysianfinance.co.uk

ELYSIAN_DULWICH_SEPT.indd 2

24/09/2013 11:27

A passion for property

www.pedderproperty.com

Alleyn Park, Dulwich £2,200,000 A detached house occupying a substantial plot with a 200’ rear garden offering huge potential for further extension (subject to planning) and requiring some modernisation. The property comprises 5 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, breakfast room and spacious reception hall. There is a large double length garage to the side of the house. EPC: (E)

Please contact our Dulwich Village Office on 020 8299 0922

PEDDER.indd 1

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SE London’s hottest properties

Worlingham Road, East Dulwich ÂŁ950,000 A Victorian house upgraded by the current owners set over three levels. The property comprises of 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, downstairs W.C, double reception room, fitted kitchen/diner and a private garden. East Dulwich station is a short walk away and offers regular services to central London and London Bridge. Viewings are strongly recommended. EPC: (D)

Please contact our East Dulwich Office on 020 8299 3721

PEDDER.indd 2

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A passion for property

www.pedderproperty.com

Highclere Street, Sydenham ÂŁ449,950 A two double bedroom terraced house comprising of a through reception with stripped flooring, fireplace and shutters, kitchen with door leading onto a south west facing garden. Upstairs there are 2 bedrooms and bathroom. Well located for both Sydenham (ELL) and Lower Sydenham Rail. EPC: (E).

Please contact our Sydenham Office on 020 8659 0220

PEDDER.indd 3

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SE London’s hottest properties

Burbage Road, Herne Hill £3,250,000 A Victorian family house arranged over 3 floors. A gross internal area of 3423 sq ft, comprising 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, fitted kitchen, utility room, conservatory/garden room and cellar. Externally there is an 82’ mature garden and to the front a large driveway providing off street parking for several cars and access to a single garage. EPC: (E)

Please contact our Herne Hill Office on 020 7738 5926

PEDDER.indd 4

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A passion for property

www.pedderproperty.com

Stanstead Road, Forest Hill ÂŁ499,950 A Victorian House recently refurbished to a high standard. The property comprises of a large though lounge, extended fitted kitchen, 2 double bedrooms, utility room, under stair storage, separate WC and family bathroom with roll top bath and exposed brick fire place. Further benefits include original wooden flooring, sash windows, rear garden and loft space. EPC: (D)

Please contact our Forest Hill Office on 020 8314 4070

PEDDER.indd 5

28/01/2014 12:53

SE London’s hottest properties

Patterson Road, Upper Norwood £609,950 This 4 bedroom 1930’s house comprises a reception room, kitchen and lounge/diner which opens to a rear conservatory on the ground floor. On the first floor there are 3 bedrooms and a family bathroom, with the top floor housing the master bedroom and en-suite. Externally there is a landscaped rear garden and a garage with road access. EPC: (D)

Please contact our Crystal Palace Office on 020 8670 7160

PEDDER.indd 6

28/01/2014 12:53

A passion for property www.pedderproperty.com

SE London’s hottest properties

Idmiston Road, West Norwood £1,075,000 A 6 bedroom Victorian family house extended and recently refurbished providing spacious accommodation over 3 floors. The property comprises 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, study, cellar and a fitted kitchen/breakfast room which opens out onto a 75’ rear garden. Early viewing is advised. EPC: (E)

Please contact our West Norwood Office on 020 8670 9008

PEDDER.indd 7

28/01/2014 12:53

Take the first bite...

Be the first to buy some of the finest new builds in SE London

A passion for property

www.peddernewhomes.com

Noel Court, Croydon Prices from ÂŁ320,000 A gated development of twelve apartments situated within walking distance of East Croydon Station. The development benefits from the extensive travel networks provided by road, tram and rail and the London Underground system can also be easily accessed making this an ideal location for travel connections. (Images for marketing purposes only)

Please contact our New Homes Office on 020 7783 6839

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A passion for property

SE London’s hottest properties Have you ever wondered why so many of SE London’s hottest properties are with Pedder? Maybe it’s down to our dominance on the high street. Perhaps it’s our office network and extensive web coverage which means more details get in front of more people. Or maybe its because our eight offices work as a team. It all means that hot homes get the best possible exposure – great news for sellers and landlords.

Pedder. SE London’s premier agent Crystal Palace

Dulwich Village

East Dulwich

Forest Hill

Herne Hill

Park Hill

Sydenham

West Norwood

Pissarro House 77A Westow Hill SE19 1TZ 020 8670 7160

119 Dulwich Village Dulwich Village SE21 7BJ 020 8299 0922

23 Lordship Lane East Dulwich SE22 8EW 020 8299 3721

45 London Road Forest Hill SE23 3TY 020 8314 4070

24 Half Moon Lane Herne Hill SE24 9HU 020 7738 5926

52 Chichester Road Park Hill CR0 5NB 020 8680 2422

Darley House 14 Sydenham Road SE26 5QW 020 8659 0220

270 Norwood Road West Norwood SE27 9AJ 020 8670 9008

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Click with us at jacksonsestateagents.com

Edward Ogden, Sales Manager

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