Absolutely South West : Wimbledon May 2017

SOUTH WEST WIMBLEDON MAY 2017 / £3.95

Get the

VOW FACTOR

BUZZ

MEETING THE HIVE'S WOLFGANG BUTTRESS

10 OF THE BEST WEDDING VENUES

HOME COOKING

AT THE HOB WITH THOMASINA MIERS

In Bloom THE NEW SEASON'S PALETTE STYLISH / INTELLIGENT / ELEGANT SW_May17_COVERS.indd 1

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London +44 (0) 208 675 4808 www.indian-ocean.co.uk

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Furniture makers - Redefining bespoke Visit your nearest London showroom Chelsea 84 Fulham Road SW3 6HR T: 020 7584 5736 NEW Notting Hill 102 Westbourne Grove W2 5RU T: 020 7243 2315 Clackersbrook Farm Bromham Wiltshire SN15 2JJ T: 01380 859299 E-mail: enq@mccarronandco.com www.mccarronandco.com

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May 2017

76 c u lt u r e

22 fa s h i o n

10 ABSOLUTELY LOVES

22 FASHION CONFIDENTIAL

14 WHAT’S ON

25 MOODBOARD Designer Julie Townend shares her inspirations

26 ARMY DREAMERS

Khaki is having a moment

10 things we really want this month Diary dates for April

16 HIVE OF ACTIVITY

Absolutely meets Wolfgang Buttress,

the brains behind The Hive

This month’s hottest trends and products

H E A LT H & B E AU T Y

61

Food & Drink

62 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

Tasty happenings from the local area and three of the best places for afternoon tea

38 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL The month's best beauty buys

40 SLEEP CURES

All our favourite skin saviours

interiors

48 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

Cover FENN WRIGHT MANSON SS17 Petite Collection available at fe n n w r i gh t m a n s o n .c o m

News and views from the designers

50 PLAIN ENGLISH

Behind the scenes with the UK's most stylish

kitchen company

7 SW_May17_Contents.indd 7

64 THOMASINA MIERS

Home cooking with the founder of Wahaca T r av e l

76 THE BIG FIVE

On safari in Tanzania

PROPERTY

100 PROPERTY NEWS News and views on the area

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 09:27

The only rattle you’ll hear is your baby’s Replacing beautiful timber windows and doors, beautifully

EDITOR PENDLE HARTE DIGITAL EDITOR HANNAH HOPKINS EDUCATION EDITOR AMANDA CONSTANCE FASHION & BEAUTY WRITER JOY MONTGOMERY ARTS & CULTURE WRITER HELEN BROWN SOUTH WEST GROUP MANAGER CRAIG DAVIES COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR LEAH DAY-ABALOS PROPERTY DIRECTOR ANDY ELMER PROPERTY EDITOR TAMAR VANDERHOEK ART DIRECTOR PHIL COUZENS SENIOR DESIGNER PAWEL KUBA PRODUCTION MANAGER CHRIS COUCHMAN MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER EKREM YILMAZ DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN MARKETING MANAGER NEFELI KRITIKOU FINANCIAL CONTROLLER JERRIE KOLECI CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO DIRECTORS KERRY HOLLINGSWORTH For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com

First Floor, 197 City Road, London EC1V 1JN T: 020 7704 0588 F: 020 7900 3020 zest.london

www.ayrtonbespoke.com

020 8877 8920 enquiries@ayrtonbespoke.com

Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors.

We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters.

All rights reserved.

Fo l l ow Us O n Fa c e b o o k ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’ T wi t t e r & In s t a g ra m @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS We b si t e

a b s o l u t e l y. l o n d o n

406 Merton Road, Wandsworth, London SW18 5AD 61- 63 Tottenham Lane, Crouch End, London N8 9BE

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Editor’s LETTER

K

ew Gardens has countless fans all over south west London and the world, but one exhibit that has attracted more visitors and gained more attention for the gardens than any other is The Hive.

This unusual and compelling largescale replica beehive made of metal is responsible for increasing 2016's visitor figures by more than 40% as people continue to flock to experience life inside a beehive. Because this is probably as close as a human can get to being inside an actual buzzing colony without getting close to any real bees. I was lucky to meet the brains behind the project, Wolfgang Buttress, who shares his infectious enthusiasm for bees and art that's alive and meaningful – and there seem to be no fixed plans to move The Hive to a new home any time soon.

In this issue we also meet Thomasina Miers to discuss fuss-free cooking at home, about which she's just written a new book, one which she sees as the modern Mrs Beeton. All this and the usual mix of local events, shopping advice and property news.

Enjoy the magazine. â—†

pendle harte Editor

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absolutely.london

07/04/2017 09:14

10

ELLIE LINES

This London-based brand focuses on 100% silk and gorgeous prints. Pieces are luxurious, stylish, fun and encapsulate the jet-set era of the 60’s and 70’s. This dress is from a selection at ellielines.co.uk

Things We

ABSOLUTELY GOLD STANDARD

With its subtle notes of Siberian 'golden root' and beautifully embossed bottle, Russian Standard Gold embodies the vibrant spirit of Russian generosity and gift giving. £22; thewhiskyexchange.com

EXOTIC INTERIORS

Add cheer to your favourite chair with this toucan print yellow cushion. Its bright colours and exotic design will bring an element of fun into vintage home furnishing. £19.54; maisonsdumonde.com

Compiled By

H E L E N B R OW N

ABSTRACT ACCESSORIES

Isabel Marant's earrings have a creative artsy feel. Tap one of this season’s favorite trends and wear yours one at a time. £180; net-a-porter.com

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ABSOLUTELY / LOVES UTERQÜE

Fall in love with Zara’s posh and grown up sister brand, Uterqüe.

It has the same knack for nailing designs women want to wear with luxe fabric and high-end designs. uterque.com

HANG TIME

This pendant lamp has been designed

by Cristina Celestino with the structure of women’s jewellery in mind. It’s perfect for adding a touch of Italian elegance to any home. £390; theconranshop.com

GOLDEN VIEWS

These Aviator-style sunglasses from Tomas Maier are crafted in Italy from gold-tone metal. The sleek brow bar flatters many face shapes and the yellow lense is perfectly on-trend for spring. £200; net-a-porter.com

SPRING SLIDES

Gucci's horsebit-detailed loafers are so iconic they're included in the costume collection at New York's MoMA. This Princetown pair is reworked into a backless slide style that is ideal for warmer days. £480; net-a-porter.com

CULT CARRIES

TICK TOCK

Philosophy Di Lorenzo Serafini’s SS17 collection drew inspiration from cult ‘80s film The Blue Lagoon. Perfectly sized for the essentials, this cross body bag will be your spring style staple. £285; farfetch.com

The classic design and radiant green dial of this timepiece from Thomas Sabo radiates positive joie de vivre throughout the year. £210; thomassabo.com

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:46

#TaylorMorrisExplorer

www.taylormorriseyewear.com

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> WHAT'S ON

p.14

WOLFGANG BUTTRESS AND HIS HIVE

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Illustration by Eliza Southwood

SOUNDS OF THE CITY The London Transport Museum's annual prize for illustration attracted over a thousand entries; the 100 shortlisted works go on display on 19 May and the winning piece will adorn a poster on the tube. ltmuseum.co.uk

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:42

XXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXX

UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL O n go i n g S o u thb a nk nderbelly merges the hugely successful Udderbelly Festival and U London Wonderground into one event running throughout the entire summer.

Headline shows include a thrilling new production from acclaimed circus troupe Casus, Edinburgh Fringe hit Catch Me and comedy highlights from James Acaster, Al Murray and Sara Pascoe. u Belvedere Road, SE1; underbellyfestival.com

SUMMER OF LOVE Fro m 1 May Ro y a l Al b e r t Ha ll et ready to explore this iconic venue’s role in the hippie movement. To mark G the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, the Royal Albert Hall is hosting a fantastic season with gigs, screenings and talks from the likes of Joe Boyd, Billy Bragg, Laura Mvula and The Zombies. u Kensington Gore, SW7; royalalberthall.com

Jimi Hendrix's Shavasana Disco 12 May O lympic Studios

50 years ago Jimi Hendrix released the groundbreaking ‘Are You Experienced’. It became an instant classic, widely considered one of the greatest recordings of all time. Mark the anniversary with a group meditation and album playback in the very studios it was originally recorded in 1967.

117-123 Church Road, SW13;

willwilliamsmeditation.co.uk

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SURFACE TENSIONS O n go i n g P u m p Ho u s e G a ll e r y iscover the first major UK exhibition from sisters Pavla and Lucia D Sceranková. Pavla’s installations and videos express minimalism, subtle humour and sensitivity to surroundings, while Lucia’s works play with illusion, reality and fiction. u Battersea Park, SW11; pumphousegallery.org.uk

14 06/04/2017 18:43

ARTS & CULTURE / TALKING TOPICS

Pink Floyd, Photographer Storm Thorgerson®Pink Floyd Music Ltd.

AND THAT’S ANOTHER STORY 3 - 2 5 May O m ni b u s mnibus delves into the world of O stories and the ways in which we tell them with a month-long festival of storytelling. Taking inspiration from Omnibus’ very own literary heritage, the programme of events includes a mix of theatre, comedy, storytelling, panels and talks; a celebration of words on pages, actors on stages and everything else in between. ◆ 1 Clapham Common North Side, SW4; omnibus-clapham.org

must see

PINK FLOYD From 13 May Vi c to r i a & Al be rt Mu se u m

WONDERLAND

Take a spectacular and unparalleled audio-visual journey through Pink Floyd’s unique and extraordinary worlds. Featuring over 350 artefacts from the band's five decades, this specially curated collection chronicles the music, design and staging of the group, from their debut in the 60’s through to the present day.

2- 6 May New Wimb led on T h e a t re ailed by the New York Times H as “inspirational”, Wonderland is an enchanting musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. With Coronation Street’s Wendi Peters as Queen of Hearts, this is a great family show with a huge heart, a medley of magic and a whole lot of wonder. ◆ 93 The Broadway, SW19; atgtickets.com

Cromwell Road, SW7; vam.ac.uk

EXHIBITION OF THE MONTH

KATE SIMKO 6 May B atte rs e a Arts Ce n t re

ith her exciting new project, London Electronic Orchestra, Kate Simko fuses her background as a classical pianist with her passion for electronic music. Expect an intimate blend of strings weaving in and out of synths and loose beats. Having released their highly acclaimed

W

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debut album in May 2016 and creating a huge buzz with appearances at the iTunes Festival, Latitude and Bestival, the group now bring their unique classical sound to the Council Chamber stage. ◆ Lavender Hill, SW11; bac.org.uk

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:43

Buzz

WORDS The Hive is attracting record numbers of visitors to Kew Gardens. Absolutely meets Wolfgang Buttress, the man behind it words pendle harte photography jeff eden, rgb kew

‘Y

ou can’t miss him. He’s very tall with a huge beard,’ says Youki Crump, my contact at Kew Gardens. In fact, she tells me, someone recently compared Wolfgang Buttress’s voluptuous beard to the Hive itself, for its sprawling complexity. It’s not a bad comparison. In person, Buttress is kind and smiling, enthusiastic and clearly clever, a man at one with his intriguing fusion of art and science (and definitely not someone with bees in his beard).

Buttress’s Hive installation was an enormous success at Milan’s World Expo in 2015 and was intended to be a temporary exhibit at Kew Gardens in 2016. But when visitor numbers increased by 40% during its residency, its stay was extended indefinitely; so far no finish date has been set. It’s a fitting home for a

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piece that functions as a living sculpture representing the inner workings of a beehive, encompassing sound and vibration in thousands of hexagons and probably everyone would like to see it make Kew a permanent home.

It’s an impressive structure. Made from 170,000 metal parts, all of them numbered, it’s a feat in construction.

Stand inside it on the glass floor and you’re part of one of 2016’s most instagrammed vistas – but it’s not just a visual thing. The constant hum has a changing volume that relates to the actual beehives at Kew, so the bees’ flucutating levels of activity are literally reflected.

I was expecting Buttress to be a bee enthusiast, and he is – but only as a result of working on the Hive. The project didn’t start with an obsession with bees, but with the idea of doing something inspired by the British countryside, and it wasn’t even his idea to apply for the World Expo

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ARTS & CULTURE / INTERVIEW

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 16:29

ARTS & CULTURE / INTERVIEW

Bees are a BAROMETER for the HEALTH of the EARTH - if they're HEALTHY then the WORLD is too in the first place, but one of the architects in his studio. ‘At first I was skeptical,’ he says. ‘But then I thought of taking a little piece of the British countryside over to Milan. I wanted to make it an immersive experience but I needed something to hang it on, something universal – something a five-year-old could understand as well as an academic – so I thought of the bee.’ And from there a series of ‘steps of serendipidy’ happened, through which Buttress met Dr Martin Bencsik of Nottingham Trent university, whose research into bee communication had led to amazing discoveries about

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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the sounds and vibrations involved. It was a visit to one of Bencsik’s hives that really crystallised the idea for the Hive.

‘It was life-changing in a lot of ways,’ says Buttress. The sound – a deep drone – and the smell was incredible – and ‘I thought it would be great if you could express what it would be like to actually be inside a hive and to have maybe some kind of empathy.’ Bencsik’s research involves installing accelerometers in hives to measure vibrations. The next step for Buttress was to use these digital signals and turn them into light and sound. ‘We thought that if the activity in the hives in Nottingham could be sent live to Milan, we’d have a sense of being connected to nature and it would be a fluid thing, not just a lone sculpture that vaguely represented a honeycomb. We wanted to create an emotional connection.’

And this emotional connection was felt not least by Buttress himself, who

became more and more fascinated by the life of the bee, life-changingly so in fact, he says. ‘It’s incredible how it sometimes just takes one thing in your life; this has changed my practice as an artist.’ Having just bought a new house, he’s planning bee hotels in the garden, as well as a traditional hive. ‘Bees are fascinating,’ he says. ‘They’re perfectly formed; they haven’t evolved in more than 120 million years – they’re perfectly in tune with the environment and they act as sentinels of the planet. Bees are a barometer for the health of the earth – if they’re healthy then the world is too. Which is what makes them so topical too, because as everybody knows, the honeybee is dying in unprecedented numbers now due to climate change, pesticides and diseases.

And despite bees having fascinated humans for millennia, there are still lots of things we don’t know about them and the highly ordered hierarchies of their colonies. ‘Bees are superorganisms,’ says Buttress. They are one of the few insects that live all the time, collecting honey for the winter. They’re amazing at keeping a constant temperature and the bees on the outside sacrifice themselves to keep the hive warm.’

The Hive has taken on a life of its own.

‘It’s not something you admire from afar, you’re inside it and you get incredible vistas depending on the seasons and how the light hits it so it’s changing all the time, it feels alive and fluid; it’s not shouting at you, but you’re connected to it and there’s a sense of magic. Even though there’s 50 tonnes of metal in there it doesn’t feel heavy or claustrophobic, it’s open and the hexagons frame nature,’ says Buttress. If you haven't seen it yet, then go now. ◆ The Hive remains at Kew Gardens throughout summer 2017; kew.org.uk

18 06/04/2017 16:30

Beautiful Bespoke Jewellery

Hand Made with love

For You

Specialist Bespoke Goldsmith and Jeweller Complex Restoration Work & Valuations undertaken on-site by Master Jewellers

www.michaelplatt.co.uk

Goldsmith & Jeweller in Wimbledon Village 1 Church Road | Wimbledon Village | London | SW19 5DW Tel. 020 8947 4772 | info@michaelplatt.co.uk

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1 Bellevue Parade, Wandsworth Common SW17 7EQ • 020 8767 7294 • olivierslounge.co.uk Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm • Sun: 12pm - 5pm

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> FASHION CONFIDENTIAL

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TREND: MILITARY DRESS

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HERE COMES THE SUN Everyone’s biggest girl crush, Miranda Kerr, has collaborated with Mother Denim to create a 12-piece capsule collection. Inspired by the 1960s, the line features everything from slogan tees and embroidered shirts to high-rise jeans and cut-out jumpsuits. Bring on summer. motherdenim.com

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 16:32

st y l e C e n t r a l

Dare to flare, choose sculptural accessories and fall in love with the Boyy bag this May Wo r d s j oy m o n t g o m e r y

BRAND PROFILE:

HILLIER BARTLEY The design duo bringing ageless eclecticism to the style stage WHO

Theirs is a very fashionable love story.

Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley’s friendship stretches back to 1999, when they worked together on Luella’s eponymous start-up label.

Fast forward 14 years and the design duo took New York, securing prestigious roles at Marc by Marc Jacobs: creative director and womenswear design director, respectively.

Their accessible yet adventurous designs sent the FROW into paroxysms of delight.

When the brand closed in 2015 Hillier and Bartley announced the launch of their own luxury brand: Hillier Bartley, and later that year they debuted their first collection. Two years later - in January 2017 - the label was awarded the acolade of ‘Brand of Tomorrow 2017’ by Walpole. u

WHAT

With Hillier on accessories and Bartley on read-to-wear, the brand fuses the eccentricity of English aristocracy with the eclectic edginess of London style. Bartley describes the Hillier Bartley woman as “an indie by heart, rakish and irreverent by nature, who is maturing into refinement and naturalness.”

The result is an individual, and unusually, non age-specific aesthetic. For SS17 the brand has embraced silk dressing gowns, feather trims and a juxtaposition of high shine fabrics with crisp tailoring. 1970s bohemia meets 1980s power-dressing. It’s statement-making style for the Kate Moss generation. The it-girl has grown-up (ish). hillierbartley.com

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And The Bride Wore…

W h i s t l e s We d d i n g

Ready the aisle and grab your bouquet, because Whistles has released their first bridal collection. Designed with the modern bride in mind, the line will comprise of seven pieces in a range of contemporary silhouettes: from stepped hems and one-shoulders, to high necklines and jumpsuits.

The looks, which will retail at £499-£699, will focus on fashion forward details and party-ready practicality – whether it’s for a countryside celebration or city wedding. whistles.com

22 06/04/2017 16:41

FASHION / NOTES

5

RETRO REVIVAL Current/Elliott

If you haven’t already got the memo skinny jeans are out, non-stretch ’90s fit is in. This Current/Elliot high-rise pair are a flattering shade of mid blue and offer just the right balance of wide leg silhouette and ankle-flashing crop. These babies will work just as well with a white tee and leather sandals as they would with a sheer cocktail blouse and killer heels; £245. net-a-porter.com

of the best

TRUMPET SLEEVE KNITS ADAM LIPPES

Ruffled two-tone merino wool sweater, £650; net-a-porter.com

SCULPTURAL AFFAIR Uterqüe

Since it’s inception in 2008, Uterqüe has won our hearts with their effortlessly grown-up take on seasonal trends. The brand’s new season offering of sculptural and eclectic jewellery is not to be missed. These Cubist-inspired resin and zinc earrings will be a sunny day essential. Simply pair with an offthe-shoulder sun dress, raffia tote and sun-kissed skin; £45. uterque.com

WAREHOUSE

Flare cuff crew neck jumper, £39; warehouse.co.uk

H&M

Rib-knit frilled jumper, £34.99; hm.com

RANCH STYLING & Other Stories

Characterised by a stylised yolk and whimsical embellishment, western shirts achieved iconic status when worn by silver screen cowboys in the 1950s.

They’ve come a long way from their ranch roots, yet their decorative appeal has been well and truly embraced by the fashion industry. & Other Stories’ iteration offers a Dali-inspired twist with quirky lip and lobster motifs; £40. stories.com

editor’s

PICK

THE ROW

Darcy bell-sleeve cashmere silk-blend knit-top, £1,260; net-a-porter.com

BOY TOY Boyy bags

We’re always on the lookout for the next it-bag, and for 2017 the Boyy bag is giving a good run for the title. The accessory brand caught our eye this season with their contemporary spin on the traditional structured handbag.

Aside from their signature oversized buckle, Boyy bags come in a plethora of styles: from multicoloured fur to soft suede and sequins. One for every outfit. boyybag.com

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ELLERY

Immortal bell-sleeved cottonjersey sweatshirt, £590; matchesfashion.com

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 16:41

ABSOLUTELY london

www.absolutely.london is now live

Your guide to inspirational London living From the team behind Absolutely Magazines

FOLLOW US AT @AbsolutelyMagazines @absolutely_mags

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FASHION / MOODBOARD

MY INSPIRATIONS Julie Townend, fashion designer, shares her moodboard

JULIE TOWNEND

j u l i e t o w n e n d .c o m MARK ROTHKO (1903-1970)

YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE FROM YOUR CURRENT COLLECTION?

My favourite piece is the Charliz satin shirt in daffodil with poet sleeves. The shirt has a glamorous uplifting look and feel and great for the spring season.

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

YOUR FAVOURITE DESIGNER?

Diane von Furstenberg is an extraordinary woman who built a fashion empire while raising two children, she designed the iconic wrap dress and she is my inspiration.

FORMENTERA

DVF SS17

YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION?

I love Ibiza and Formentera because it’s full of energy and life.

CHARLIZ SATIN SHIRT IN DAFFODIL

YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT?

Channel no 5, a classic perfume which I have worn since my 20s.

YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE OF ART? Rothko's Purple and Red. It's so stunning.

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YOUR FAVOURITE BUILDING?

St Paul’s Cathedral one of the most iconic buildings in London and a famous image around the world. It survived the Blitz and makes me proud to be British.

julietownend.com Stockists include Baar & Bass, 336 Kings Road, Chelsea and The Place, 27 Connaught Street, W2

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 16:42

FASHION / TREND MAISON MICHEL Henrietta showerproof fur-felt hat, £420; michel-paris.com

HAIDER ACKERMANN Raw-edge wool cropped jacket, £654; matchesfashion.com

J.W. ANDERSON Pierce medium leather shoulder bag, £1,450; j-w-anderson.com

KAREN WALKER EYEWEAR Super lunar oversized sunglasses, £195; matchesfashion.com

HELMUT LANG Patch pocket cotton jumpsuit, £580; net-a-porter.com

J.CREW Cotton-twill midi skirt, £120; net-a-porter.com

ALEXA WAGNER Domino leather overthe knee boots, £562; matchesfashion.com

EQUIPMENT Major sleeveless silk maxi dress, £517; matchesfashion.com

VICTORIA BECKHAM SS17

ISABEL MARANT ÉTOILE Khaki canvas ilona oversized jacket, £375; avenue32.com

MILITARY DRESS

TOGA Patch-pocket crewneck sweater, £171; matchesfashion.com

COURRÈGES Cut-off detailing knit blouse, £929; farfetch.com

Stand to attention with spring’s khaki-coloured trend B y J OY M O N T G O M E R Y

JOSHUA SANDERS Zipped slip-on sneakers, £287; farfetch.com

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BALENCIAGA Spy leather sandals, £565; balenciaga.com

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LINGERIE • NIGHTWEAR SWIMWEAR • BEACHWEAR Lingerie and swimwear measuring and fitting service available all year round without appointment from A to J cup (size 8 to 20) GIFT VOUCHER AND GIFT WRAPPING AVAILABLE 34 Webb’s Road, London SW11 6SF Tel: 020 7924 3826 www.ameliesfollies.co.uk

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Ref le ction s Be bold this spring and take inspiration from Uterqüe’s expressive detailing and striking silhouettes Uterque’s SS17 collection is available at uterque.com

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Swiss-made limited editions

Daphne Signature Gold

View the full collection at www.dumaurierwatches.com from ÂŁ440 Tel: 01460 220720

Classic time for creative minds du Maurier & the du Maurier logo are registered trademarks of du Maurier Watches Ltd. Š 2016 du Maurier Watches. All rights reserved.

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FASHION / JEWELLERY

STAR SIGN STYLE 1

2

3

8

6

4

7

5

1 NO 13, ZODIAC OXYDISED SILVER CONSTELLATION DIAMOND SIGNET RING, £159; no13.london • 2 KATE SPADE NEW YORK, IN THE STARS LEO BANGLE, £50; katespade.co.uk 3 ANNOUSHKA, MYTHOLOGY SAGITTARIUS PENDANT, £550; annoushka.com • 4 LYDIA COURTEILLE, ONE-OF-A-KIND ZODIAC EARRINGS, £14,550; modaoperandi.com • 5 THOMAS SABO, CHARM CLUB NECKLACE, £137.90; thomassabo.com • 6 CAROLINA BUCCI, ARIES LUCKY ZODIAC BRACELET, £2,260; carolinabucci.com • 7 VENYX, BESPOKE VIRGO COIN PENDANT & CHAIN, £5,184; modaoperandi.com 8 JESSICA DE LOTZ JEWELLERY, ZODIAC EARRINGS WITH SINGLE ARROW STUD, £195; jdljewellery.co.uk

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 16:58

3 Bennet Court, 1 Bellevue Road, London SW17 7EG

020 3475 6644 • anthonylabanhome.com

For latest news & offers join us @LabanHome

ANTHONY LABAN.02.indd 1

06/02/2017 11:56

> BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL

p.38

TREND: BEAUTY SLEEP ESSENTIALS

p.40

BEACH BABE Beauty buffs take note: cult hair styling brand ghd has released a new limited edition collection inspired by summer escapism and exploration. The wanderlust line is made up of five styling tools (AKA hair-smoothing saviours) in a range of lust-worthy shades.

This year's beach holiday must-haves. ghdhair.com

37 CHIS_May17_BEAUTY OPENER.indd 37

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:00

t r e atm e n t R e v i e w

Sleep saviours, stylish spinning and achieving a bridal glow for May W o r d s J OY M O N T G O M E R Y

AENEA Abbeville Road, SW4

Wo r d s C h a r l ot t e J o h n sto n e

M

icroblading sounds like something Avril Lavigne might have done in a skate park during the 90s. Actually, it’s a form of semi-permanent tattooing and people are going crazy for it. So when I heard that Aenea in Clapham were offering the treatment, I had to try it out.

It’s not as scary as it sounds. A small scalpel-like instrument is used to make crisp hairline strokes in which the pigment is then painted into. The strokes are designed to emulate the hairs of the eyebrow. A vast amount of numbing cream is used and there’s a very technical mapping procedure. I already have quite thick eyebrows but I wanted to make them look fuller. After an initial patch test I went in for my full three-hour appointment. Once I’d been measured up, permanent make-up artist Natalie set about embroidering my brows.

During the first round I remember thinking, “Okay, it doesn’t hurt that much”. And then it started to sting; a scratching sensation. After each round of blading (three in total) the pigment is layered into the grooves to set.

In a month I’ll return for my top up; the final results typically last up to 18 months.

I was really pleased – it’s a seriously great idea for people who want a new shape, have over-plucked (I’m looking at you Christina Aguilera) or suffer from hair loss. But more-so you get your mornings back. That 10-minute daily brow-pruning regime? Gone. ◆ AENEA 79 Abbeville Road, SW4 020 8675 5277; aenea.co.uk

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Walk the Line Marc Jacobs Beauty

Kaia Gerber is the latest in a long line of genetically blessed celebrity offspring chosen to front a multinational beauty campaign. In an apparent homage to her mother’s 80s fame, Kaia's latest campaign for Marc Jacobs embraces crimped hair and leopard print to promote the brand’s new matte highlighter gel crayons. marcjacobsbeauty.com

38 06/04/2017 17:01

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES editor's

BEAUTY SLEEP

6

PICK

M&S Absolute U ltimate Sleep Cream

It's this year's unexpected sellout beauty buy. M&S's Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream is packed full of fatigue-fighting ingredients that help mimic the look of eight hours' beauty sleep – even when you’ve been burning the wick at both ends.

You've got to see it to believe it.

Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream 50ml, £22; marksandspencer.com

of the best

CIATÉ LONDON Lip scrub stix, £15; lookfantastic.com

BRIDAL GLOW Skinade

Every bride wants their skin to look its best on the big day. Although make-up can offer a polished finish, sometimes you need to work from the inside to get real results. Say hello to Skinade: the anti-ageing drink that boosts the body’s natural production of collagen and hyaluronic acid. Results include increased hydration and radiance, reduction of fine lines and healthier looking hair and nails.

30 day supply, £105; skinade.com

BOOKISH CHARM

BY R E D O B i b l i o t h e q u e

Inspired by the scent of leather-bound books, Bibliothèque is the latest fragrance release from Byredo. This 100ml collector’s edition eau de parfum is born from the brand's bestselling candle. With base notes of vanilla and patchouli and top notes of peach and plum, the result is a complex and leathery scent that lingers long after it’s sprayed. £150; byredo.com

2 BLISS Fablips sugar lip scrub, £14; lookfantastic.com

3 4 5 DIOR ADDICT Lip sugar scrub, £24; dior.com

FRESH Sugar lip polish, £20; fresh.com

M·A·C Lip scrubtious, £12.50; maccosmetics.com

SPIN DOCTOR Psycle

Everyone’s favourite spinning class is branching out for 2017 with a brand new venue in Shoreditch. Packing all the high energy, music-pumping action of its sister venues, the brand’s new digs will include a 4,500 sq ft studio space, 44 bikes, and Psycle’s signature energy kitchen juice and smoothie bar. psyclelondon.com

39 B&C_May17_Beauty notes.indd 39

1

LIP SCRUBS

CLINIQUE Sweet pots, £15; clinique.com

6

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:02

HEALTH & BEAUTY / PRODUCTS CLINIQUE

Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, £30; clinique.co.uk

OMOROVICZA

Rejuvenating Night Cream, £110; spacenk.com

NUXE

Creme Prodigieuse Night, £23; uk.nuxe.com

MURAD

KIEHL’S

Midnight Recovery Concentrate, £38; kiehls.co.uk

MICHAEL KORS SS17

Essential-C Night Moisturiser, £59.50; feel unique.com

DR. DENNIS GROSS SKINCARE

Ferulic + Retinol Wrinkle Recovery Overnight Serum, £77; net-a-porter.com

ELEMIS BIOTEC

Skin Energising Night Cream, £75; elemis.com

SARAH CHAPMAN

Skinesis Overnight Body Treatment, £49; sarahchapman.net

ORIGINS

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask, £24; origins.co.uk

CAUDALIE

Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil, £26; feelunique.com

GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP Make the most of your natural restorative powers B y J OY M O N T G O M E R Y

ESTÉE LAUDER

Advanced Night Repair Eye, £40; esteelauder.com

FIRST AID BEAUTY

Eye Duty Triple Remedy, £26; lookfantastic.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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CIATÉ

London Knight in Shining Armour, £9; thehut.com

40 06/04/2017 17:05

DISCOVER THE UK’S FIRST COLOUR ONLY SALON

LAUNCHING IN WANDSWORTH THIS SUMMER Imagine a hair salon that only does colour, where the best qualified experts are available to turn your dream colour into reality. Where the whole experience is designed and tailored for you from complimentary self dry & blast zones to luxury backwash beds that are the ultimate in first class comfort. Where everything is accessible, easy to choose and simple to book using a dedicated online booking system with a bespoke colour menu and clear pricing.

SKYLER LONDON.indd 1 Skyler_Ad_Artwork.indd

NOW TURN YOUR DREAM COLOUR INTO REALITY. Sign up for an exclusive invitation to preview the UK’s first colour only salon, before the summer’s official public opening.

Discover more at SKYLERLONDON.COM

03/03/2017 28/02/2017 15:51 16:06

Michael Michaud Jewellery captures the beauty and exquisite detail of nature using soft patinas on bronze cast from plants, leaves and flowers.

Michael Michaud Jewellery is renowned for its beauty and workmanship and is featured in the finest museums, galleries and speciality retailers internationally. Many collections are commissioned by leading museums such as The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The National Gallery of Art and the Château de Versailles.

www.michael-michaud.com MICHEAL MICHAUD.indd 1

22/02/2017 09:52

ABSOLUTELY / PROMOTION

DR SAM AFSHAR

DENTAL IMPLANTS last for MANY YEARS and

are not designed to BE REPLACED

WHITE NOW Dr Sam Afshar of Principal Putney Dentists promises new teeth within a week

W

hy suffer from an aged, toothless appearance when modern medicine provides for dental implants, which bring back teeth into the mouth and smiles to the face?

In the past, dental implantation procedures took over a year to complete and included a number of treatments and surgical procedures prior to the final outcome. Today, thanks to advanced technologies, it is possible to gain new and beautiful teeth within a week.

H ow d o e s i t wo r k ?

The patient arrives at the clinic to undergo a series of imaging sessions

and measurement procedures. The dentist then proceeds to design the exact structure of the patient’s dental implants. This design takes into account factors such as the state of the patient’s gums, jawbones, facial structure, age, medical condition.

The objective is high-end aesthetic value, coupled with a natural, harmonious smile and proper, healthy dental function. The implants are fitted in the mouth, data is processed in the lab by the next day when the patient arrives to be measured. A week later, the patient receives their new teeth and leaves the clinic with a beautiful smile on their lips. Following the implantation, the teeth restore their healthy, proper function. The mouth feels comfortable and natural and within a week, the patient will feel

43 SW_May17_Putney_Dentist.indd 43

DENTAL IMPLANTS

as though his implants were there from the beginning. Chewing ability improves tremendously, as well as the capacity for speech, which may have been previously disrupted due to broken or crooked teeth, or due to gaps separating the teeth.

Teeth play a role in chewing and speech, but they are also important aesthetically. When teeth are missing, the lips sink in, the face loses volume and grooves are formed. The result – a gloomy, aged appearance.

Correct oral rehabilitation will restore the face's lost youth. Dental implants can be fitted with white, straight, healthy and beautifullooking teeth, far surpassing the quality of the earlier teeth. These teeth lack fillings, gaps, height differences and dark complexion.

Dentists who employ this method report very high success rates. It is important to mention that the more experienced, qualified and skilled the dentist you choose for the procedure, the better, more precise and more impressive the outcome will be.

Dental implants last for many years and are not designed to be replaced. Experience shows that patients who have had dental implants for 20 years, still have beautiful, firm and stable implants.

Implants help women and men look better and more attractive, and their new smile illuminates their features, adding grace and beauty to their face. u Dr Sam Afshar Principal Putney Dentists; 020 8785 6772 reception@putneydentists.co.uk putneydentists.co.uk

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:24

THE APP FOR TODAY’S STYLISH MAMAS Download the Absolutely Mama App to receive every issue before it hits stores

The Absolutely Mama app, updated bi-monthly with each issue of the magazine, offers the freedom to seamlessly glide between articles and features from parenting experts, top influencers and some truly inspirational mamas.

Download the app to discover, learn and share the latest MAMA trends and news

OR Through our preferred partner

Follow Us On

@ABSOLUTELYMAMA

MAMA.indd 1

03/03/2017 09:54

ABSOLUTELY / PROMOTION

With his DEDICATED TEAM and loyal client FOLLOWING, ANDY’S SALON was an instant SUCCESS

eliminates frizz, adds shine and maintains body. This gives you the ability to have ‘wash and wear’ hair for up to four months.

ALICE YANEVA

HAIR HERO

If you’re looking for subtle soft highlights tailored to your skin tone, Alice Yaneva is the go-to colourist. Her super fine weaving techniques using L’Oréal Professional colour result in a softer regrowth, while maintaining the condition and shine of your hair.

SONAL MEPANI Extension specialist Sonal Mepani trained with Great Lengths hair extensions for five years. Using individual keratin bonds they are extremely versatile in creating various styles. Extensions allow you to add fullness, extend length or experiment with your colour without permanently dyeing your natural hair. u

Beauty comes from the inside… inside the hair salon. Welcome to Andy’s Salon

A

ndy Sharma has just celebrated the opening of his first salon in Wimbledon Village; a place he refers to as “his home from home.”

His lifelong passion for hair began 16 years ago on the Brompton Road.

His unbelievable flair and charming personality meant he became a leading stylist on Kings Road and a renowned celebrity hairstylist to the likes of Hugh Jackman, Filipe Luis, Robin Williams and the cast of Made In Chelsea.

In 2013, Andy became director of a leading salon in Parsons Green, and three years later, the opportunity to open his own salon and begin his very own legacy came about. With the help of his

dedicated team, loyal client following and support of the residents around SW19, Andy’s Salon was an instant success.

Andy’s incredible drive for perfection in meeting every client’s specific needs and requirements has now made him a firm favourite in the Village. Leading by example, Andy creates a fierce workforce.

He personally trains each member of staff to ensure his skills, standards and professionalism are reflected.

Meet the team

SULTAN SHARMA With 15 years’ experience, senior stylist Sultan Sharma is the salon expert for the Keratin treatment. Produced with the most up-to-date technology and highest quality ingredients, the treatment

45 B&C_May17_WhiteHouse.indd 45

Quote “Absolute Andy” to receive 20% off your first cut or colour service 89 High Street, Wimbledon Village SW19 5EG, 020 8605 2453 andyswimbledonvillage.com

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 09:20

C r e at o r s

of the world’s most desirable fireplaces

We created our unique FIRE RIBBON BURNER technology in 2003 with a large, glamorous and distinctive flame quality

CVO Fire | Unit 4 Beaumont Square | Newton Aycliffe | County Durham | DL5 6XN 01325 301020 | sales@cvo.co.uk | www.cvo.co.uk

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03/04/2017 14:54

> INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

p.48

PLAIN ENGLISH - THE ULTIMATE KITCHENS

p.50

ROCKS OFF The JJ chair, designed by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia,comes in a variety of forms but our favourite is the rocker covered in Mongolian lamb fur. £POA chaplins.co.uk

47 Chis_May17_INTERIORS OPENER.indd 47

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:23

10 of the best

time pieces

Modern ideas, designs and styles for your home

NEWGATE

Pluto Starburst Wall Clock, £125 heals.com

Wo r d s p e n d l e h a r t e

GEORG JENSEN Koppel clock, £185 scp.co.uk

HABITAT

Perdy metal desk clock, £15 habitat.co.uk

TIKTAK TIME Concrete clock, £49.95 cuckooland.com

Go green PROGETTI

Little Red Riding Hood Wall Clock, £150.00 amara.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

Chis_May17_Interiors_Notes.indd 48

Graham and Green Graham and Green's new spring catalogue is full of beautiful things, laced with references to the natural world. There are plants, vases and planters, as well as artificial plants and lots of prints and pictures featuring animals, plants and wildlife. grahamandgreen.co.uk

48 06/04/2017 17:24

HOMES & INTERIORS / NOTES

PRINT RUN

Lucienne Day at John Lewis To mark 100 years since Lucienne Day’s birth, John Lewis have released an exclusive collection of elegant cushions and fabrics using six of the designer’s most renowned designs - including Calyx. johnlewis.co.uk

DOTCOM GIFT SHOP 1950s Wall Clock In Pink £19.95 dotcomgiftshop.com

editor’s

PICK HIDE AND SEEK

MENU

McCarron and Co Clever storage is what makes a kitchen work. The team at McCarron and Co are experts in making use of space in unexpected ways. We love this ingenius knife drawer that utilizes otherwise wasted inches. mccarronandco.com

Marble wall clock in green, £240 finnishdesignshop.com

UMBRA

Ribbon Wall Clock, £40 johnlewis.com

SOFT TOUCH

must

Piglet in Bed Stonewashed linen is the ultimate in comfortable, stylish and practical bedlinen, and the new range from London-based Piglet in Bed is soft, durable and beautiful, and designed to improve with age. pigletinbed.com

HAVE

HAY

Wall clock in mint, £85 futureandfound.com

GET FIZZY

Sodastream If buying sparkling water in bottles is creating a recycling surplus in your house, the simple solution is here: a Sodastream. Slimline and simple to use, it turns tap water into fizzy in seconds. sodastream.co.uk

49 Chis_May17_Interiors_Notes.indd 49

BLUE BRIDGE DESIGNS

Citrus Clock, EUR 45.00 designist.ie

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:24

Plain

TRUTHS

Katie Fontana is the creative force behind Plain English, creators of the last word in traditionally crafted understated kitchens.

Absolutely gets a dose of scullery envy Wo r d s N a n c y A l s o p

O

n the day we meet, Katie Fontana has just returned from an intrepid solo expedition to Scotland, where she found herself within spitting distance of the legendary Loch Ness. “I had to drive 22 miles up a dead-end track.

The countryside was so amazing, I kept wishing someone else had been there to see it too. When I got the end of the path, I was met by a seaman who took me to this fantastically remote house by boat.

It’s one I won’t forget.”

For one of the most distinguished kitchen designers anywhere, it’s all in a day’s work. “If they do decide to commission us,” she notes in an aside, “the kitchen will have to get there by boat” – just another of a litany of specific requirements she, her Marylebonebased design team and Suffolk-dwelling craftsmen cater for daily. As she says, “I like working with the spectrum of houses – from the grand to the humble.

In the early days I remember calling a

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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HOMES & INTERIORS / DESIGN

51 B&C_May17_PlainEnglish.indd 51

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:28

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

I work HARD with our CREATIVE TEAM on proportion.

We’re losing our INSTINCTIVE feel for it and it’s NOT TAUGHT in art school

client to ask how we’d find their house; their response was “you can’t miss it, it’s just across the lake.” As we arrived, there stood a stately home so splendid as to be straight out of Jane Austen. We just looked at each other and laughed. But equally I love working in modest homes like crofters’ cottages. I just don’t like to trot out the same-looking kitchens.”

Plain English was conceived by accident 25 years ago when Fontana, and her husband and Plain English managing director, Tony Niblock, swapped life in the capital for a rural idyll in Suffolk. In the years preceding, Fontana had graduated from art school and found herself a job as a junior interior designer; overjoyed at the prospect of work – and in the vicinity of design mecca the Michelin building, no less – the sheen quickly wore off when she found herself labouring on shop outfits that were, let’s say, less than inspiring.

After a happier stint at the Design Council, she was enticed back to the corporate world on the basis that it would just be for a few years. But when they lost the contract with a major high street client, it was time to take stock. “We decided to move to Suffolk and take the time out to build our own house, so it was an interesting year of living in a caravan.

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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HOMES & INTERIORS / DESIGN

When it came to the kitchen, I assumed that I’d be able to find something and just buy it. But there was nothing I liked.

Everything had twiddly bits or was too look-at-me flashy. In the end I found a local joiner and we did it ourselves.”

That might have been the end of the story had it not been for the nudge from a friend to enter the house into a Telegraph competition for the best self-build house in the country. “We came runner up and were later featured in a magazine. People kept calling to ask where we’d got our kitchen. So without thinking things began to take shape. I was quite resistant at first; to me, as an interior designer, just doing kitchens seemed quite limited, but Tony insisted.”

It’s a good job he did. Twenty-five years on, Plain English is still the cognoscenti’s favourite, its incomparable honest craftsmanship and its spare simplicity outstripping other, slicker, contenders. At the start, says Fontana, it was all pretty makeshift, with their home doubling as showroom. “The house was more or less finished but the garden was about three-foot high in nettles. So we’d have these important clients walking down our path trying not to get stung.” Soon the workshop decamped to a nearby tannery, and as the business grew, so did the demand for space; these days Plain English’s joiners operate from a Georgian farmhouse in bucolic Suffolk, which makes a certain aesthetic sense. After all, Plain English’s style is inspired by that most elegant of periods in architecture.

“Tony and I often marvel at the Georgian

houses in London. They are so simply beautiful. When I was younger and used to go shopping for antiques, I didn’t know much about what I was looking at other than my immediate response to it. But invariably everything I ever liked turned out to be Georgian. They just had the proportions right. I work hard with our creative team on proportion – we’re losing our instinctive feel for it and it’s not taught in art school. We’re fed on wretched computers – I have to fight so hard against the computer,” she laughs.

As for her Georgian forebears, Plain English’s making process takes a satisfying length of time; here there are no cookie cutters. During the three months you’ll have to wait, there are consultations, fittings, redesigns and, of course, meticulous craftsmanship. Why, I ask, is it that Plain English Kitchens are so versatile, as at home in country homes as they are in more urban settings? “I think it’s because we’re selling good, honest, non-branded cupboards, so you can dress them up or down. I am very anti-ostentation and I hate this obsession with logos emblazoned everywhere.

Historically, kitchens were just functional,

We're selling GOOD, HONEST, non-branded cupboards that you can DRESS UP or DOWN

plainenglishdesign.co.uk britishstandardcupboards.co.uk

53 B&C_May17_PlainEnglish.indd 53

which is why I’ve always liked the below-stairs kitchen quarters of stately homes. Ultimately, I like the elemental things in life: marble, slate, wood. I think sub-consciously it’s all about stuff that will stand the test of time.” On Fontana’s watch, the likes of pantries and sculleries are afforded their place once more, rescued from the wasteland of upstairsdownstairs period dramas. “In the 1960s, everyone wanted to be so modern and get rid of the larder. You can understand it – they’d all been to the Ideal Home Show!

But like pendulum swinging, now we’re seeing the value in those rooms again.”

Happily, for those on a budget (and PE kitchens start at £45k), Fontana and Niblock established British Standard in 2011, a sort of diffusion line where customers can buy off-the-peg cupboards in the Plain English style. “It got slightly sidelined for various reasons,” she says.

“Now I’m giving it my full attention again, because we’d begun pricing ourselves out of the market as we expanded.” The range of options is the same as some of those with PE, but the materials are simpler, and there is no design service. Fontana is patently excited by its renaissance. “It’s like having a second bite of the cherry.

I want to set it up in a different way, perhaps a little like Jamie Oliver did with his Fifteen apprentices. I see us having a rolling stock of 12 new apprentice craftsmen each year who then graduate and go on.” With a parent company as consummate as Plain English and a creative director as capable as Fontana, success is plainly assured. ◆

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:28

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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54 06/04/2017 17:32

HOMES & INTERIORS / FOCUS

WILD THINGS African wildlife and ceramics aren’t obvious inspirations for a wallpaper collection, but Cole & Son’s new papers are beautiful, exotic and colouful. Absolutely loves them Wo r d s P e a r l B oy d

C Savuti

olourful, vibrant and quirky, Ardmore ceramics celebrate Africa’s birds, big cats, elephants, rhinos, crocodiles, mischievous monkeys and exotic flowers; as well as the beautiful patterns of Zulu beadwork and woven basketware. Acclaimed as modern day collectibles by Christie’s, the work of Ardmore’s artists has won them numerous awards. And now they have inspired a new range of wallpapers Cole & Son’s new Ardmore Collection comprises a range of new and exciting wallpapers in collaboration with Ardmore Ceramic Art. Ardmore’s charming and exuberant ceramic creations have both a narrative

55 B&C_May17_Cole&Son.indd 55

and a strong heritage rooted in African tradition and culture, and it is this storytelling through the language of craft and craftsmanship that resonates in the range of conversational, vibrant, pictorial wallpapers and borders.

Ardmore founder Fée Halsted explains: ‘For 31 years the Ardmore artists and I have toiled away in KwaZulu-Natal creating fanciful ceramics that have provided an income to feed many a family.

The fact that Cole & Son discovered and chose our South African designs and artistry to place on their new collection is an honour and we pride ourselves on being the first African designers to have achieved such a prestigious accolade.’

Their work features in leading galleries and collections in South Africa and

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:32

Absolute March 17_Layout 1 28/03/2017 16:50 Page 1

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HOMES & INTERIORS / FOCUS abroad, including the Museum of Art & Design in New York, the Museum of Cultures in Basel, Switzerland, the Ford Foundation, New York and the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts, Florida.

TH E A R D M O R E STO RY Ardmore Ceramic Art was established 30 years ago on Ardmore farm, South Africa, when Fée Halstead met Bonnie Ntshalintshali, the daughter of her housekeeper. Those early days saw Fée, who has a degree in Fine Art, sharing her knowledge with Bonnie whose polio meant that she was unable to work in the fields. Fee and Bonnie quickly developed an artistic synergy and under Fee’s mentorship, Bonnie’s natural skills as an artist blossomed. Five years later, in 1990, the two women were jointly awarded the

The ARDMORE papers are COLOURFUL, VIBRANT and QUIRKY

Zambezi

Khulu Vases

prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award, the first such artistic partnership to be recognised. Following this success Fée offered other local women the opportunity to train at Ardmore. Many of them, including Punch Shabalala, and sisters Jabu and Zinhle Nene have continued to work alongside her for more than 30 years. Zinhle Nene continues to work alongside her today. Known for their stunning pieces that broke from the ceramic conventions of the time, fired terracotta clay was adorned with plaka paints, boot polish, glues and putty. Later American Amaco paints and transparent glazes brought vibrant colour and a fine painting style to the ceramics. Today, in the Caversham Valley, alongside the gallery and the Bonnie Ntshalintshali Museum, the artists from the Ardmore studio are given training, direction, materials and a market for their work.

Lately Ardmore Ceramic Art has widened its scope of creativity in new non ceramic products and collaborations under Halsted Design. The lives of the artists and those of their families have been uplifted through the development of their artistic talents and their success has given them independence, status and financial security. ◆

57 B&C_May17_Cole&Son.indd 57

Acacia

Co le & S o n Founded in 1875 by Jon Perry in Islington, Cole & Son’s vast archive contains some of the most important historic wallpaper designs in the world and they continue to produce innovative and beautiful designs; their collections reflect their long and distinguished history as well as their continuing passion for new and exciting wallpapers. cole-and-son.com

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:32

The London Alcove Company 0800 389 5724  www.londonalcove.com

For a free home visit consultation please quote ‘ABSOLUTELY ALCOVE’

Alcove Units • Bookcases • Wardrobes • Radiator Covers • Entertainment Units • Home office Furniture • and much more...

LONDON ALCOVE.indd 1

21/03/2017 10:47

HOMES & INTERIORS / KITCHENS THE BLENDER

A glass jug is the hallmark of a high class blender and Dualit’s version tackles smoothies and soups easily, along with pureeing baby food and crushing ice. So once you’ve blended your five a day you can have a frozen Margarita.

VortecS Blender, £149, dualit.com

Counter

CULTURE Our selection of winning kitchen gadgets

THE BREAD MACHINE

Thought a bread machine wouldn’t work in a gluten-free household?

Think again. Since we started using our Zero Gluten Baker, we’ve been getting more and more adventurous with its wide range of options. This clever machine certainly earns its keep, despite taking up quite a lot of counter space. £199, zeroglutenbaker.co.uk

TH E S O DA STR E A M A New Year’s resolution was to stop going through vast bottles of supermarket fizzy water.

The wastefulness was çon our conscience so instead we invested in a Sodastream. Unlimited fizz on tap, plus add your own flavours, and an end to the mountains of plastic in your recycling bin. Win. From £59, sodastream.com

The Toaster

It’s a rare household that doesn’t own a toaster and our favourite ones are Smeg’s curvy, 1950s inspired ones in their candy colours.

They’re pretty enough to make you buy a fridge to match. £109, johnlewis.com

THE MIXER

Kenwood’s redesigned KMix collection includes a stand mixer and a hand mixer – dedicated bakers will happily allocate valuable counter space to this high-powered machine with its 1000w motor, six speed settings and variety of attachments, while more occasional users can achieve equally good results with the niftier hand mixer. Stand mixer, £429; hand mixer, £79, kenwoodworld.co.uk

59 B&C_May17_CounterCulture.indd 59

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:34

...

Cocktail Hour Mon - Fri 5 - 7pm

Little Bird, 1 Battersea Rise, London, SW11 1HG Tel (020) 7324 7741 Email battersea@littlebirdrestaurants.com LITTLE BIRD.indd 1

29/03/2017 10:11

> KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL: BEST AFTERNOON TEAS IN YOUR AREA

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NATION’S FAVOURITE Curry is the nation’s favourite dish, but it can be daunting to cook. 30 Minute Curries, from Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar, is filled with quick and easy curry recipes to transform boring weeknight dinners. £22.99, Absolute Press

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:35

What to drink

GRAPE NEWS

kitchen

CONFIDENTIAL Food news and delicious things to see you through May

Wine recommendations for the month

Wo r d s H A N N A H H O P K I N S

By B E R RY B R OS . & R U D D

2016 BERRY BROS. & RUDD AUSTRALIAN CHARDONNAY BY FRANKLAND ESTATE £12.50 Aromas of white peach with a fresh sea-salt hint. Ripe pears and yellow apples flavours follow with a lemon citrus note which gives the wine a refreshing zip. A delicious accompaniment to seafood linguine and creamy chicken dishes alike. ◆

2012 BERRY BROS. & RUDD RIOJA BY BODEGAS AMÉZOLA DE LA MORA £11.95 Rich and rewarding and full of blackberry fruit flavours, this is not a shy wine but one that boldly states its origins: coconut and vanilla spice come to the fore and a broad base of warm, dark fruit coats the palate. Perfect with spring lamb. ◆

2015 CHURTON SAUVIGNON BLANC, MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND £16.95 A vivacious Sauvignon Blanc with fragrances of fresh gooseberry. Its fresh flavours with grassy, lemon and tropical fruit notes make it a perfect match for grilled seafood. ◆

Taste of Portugal

B E R RY B R OS . & R U D D

Bar Douro

Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain's oldest wine and spirit merchant, having traded from the same shop since 1698. Today the company also has offices in Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong, a Wine School and an exclusive fine wine and dining venue in St James's. bbr.com

Traditional Portuguese sharing plates and interesting native wines are the order of the day at this bright bar space in Southwark. We recommend the pork ‘Alentejana’ with clams and the heavenly egg custard tart with cinnamon ice cream.

Union Street, SE1 bardouro.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK / NOTES editor’s

PICK

SIGNATURE SERVE Half Hitch Gin

Produced in the former warehouse vaults of Camden Lock, new spirit Half Hitch Gin is made using a gin base that is blended with tinctures of black tea, pepper, hay, English wood and bergamot. Try their Twisted Martini - Half Hitch Gin on the rocks with a twist of orange. halfhitch.london

TO P 5 F O R . . .

STREET FOOD SUPERSTARS B e n’s C a n t e e n & G r i l l M y C h e e s e

Grill My Cheese have swapped Leather Lane for Ben’s sites south of the river.

Together they are taking the humble cheese toastie, one of the all-time classic comfort foods, to another level. Don’t miss the Lamb Patty Melt, packed with mature cheddar and mozzarella.

140 St John's Hill, SW11 benscanteen.com

AFTERNOON TEA Afternoon tea is a delightful tradition thank goodness the Duchess of Bedford created it in 1840. Here are some of the best places to try.

Wo r d s C H A R L O T T E J O H N S T O N E

01 CAKE BOY

This award-winning patisserie puts on a glamorous show for a truly indulgent cake-led affair. Dive into sumptuous delights such as filled petit pains to delicate French macaroons and more. cake-boy.com

UNDER ONE ROOF

Tooting Pop This multi-dimensional venue houses street food, local craft beer & liquors, live music sessions, DJ sets, cinema afternoons and sports screenings.

Just in time for summer.

85 - 87 Tooting High Street, SW17 tooting-pop.com

02 THE IVY CAFE WIMBLEDON

Forget strawberries and cream - it’s all about cream teas at the stylish Ivy Cafe in Wimbledon Village. Champagne Afternoon Tea on the terrace in summer is a real winner. theivycafewimbledon.com

03 CANNIZARO HOUSE BISTRO AT HOTEL DU VIN

Brasserie-style afternoon tea at Cannizaro House includes a vast array of delectable sweet and savoury goodies including knickerbocker glories and homemade apple candy floss. hotelduvin.com

SPANISH SNACKS Brindisa Cheese & Charcuterie

Spanish food fans will be in heaven at this new Brindisa opening in Balham. Along with the largest collection of Spanish artisan and shepherd’s cheeses you can expect ibérico bellota ham and other great charcuterie ranges.

6 Hildreth Street, SW12 brindisa.com

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04 BISCUITEERS

Alongside London-themed biscuits, delve into mini versions of cakes and patisseries with your cup of Rosy Lee. For a really fun experience you can even ice your own. biscuiteers.com

05 ORANGE PEKOE

Throwing open the doors to anyone and everyone who loves tea for being tea, Orange Pekoe offers treats including pancakes and banana bread alongside their sizeable tea list. orangepekoeteas.com

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:38

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FOOD & DRINK / INTERVIEW

Home

COOK Absolutely meets Thomasina Miers to talk about kitchen management, Mrs Beeton and Bake Off words pendle harte

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homasina Miers – Masterchef winner, founder of Wahaca, food columnist and mother of three – is not too busy to have written a new book. Well, actually she is – in fact she turned the project down four times – but being pregnant with her third and unable to sleep created a new window of nocturnal opportunity, which she saw as a chance to write. The resulting book, Home Cook, is focused on family life and the domestic kitchen, so it’s fitting that I have come to her actual home to discuss it.

There’s an appealingly chaotic feel to Tommi Miers’ Kensal Rise house – toys strewn, children chattering, walls crowded with pictures and a lively, busy kitchen. Not for her the ubiquitous minimalist white surfaces; hers is a kitchen where things happen. The new

book is about sharing the wisdom that she’s gathered: how to make a kitchen work even when you’re pressed for time, how to make healthy dishes for whoever’s around without feeling stressed, and how to shop properly to enable all this.

‘It’s old-fashioned really. It definitely goes back to Mrs Beeton but I felt there was a gap in the market for a common sense approach,’ she tells me. ‘I feel that people really get their knickers in a twist about food a lot. I used to too – about eating and what to eat. But all the faddism is crazy; it’s a lot easier to feed people than you’d think. It’s just not that difficult to cook affordable, fun, healthy food, and it doesn’t take forever.’

She doesn’t look quite as relaxed as she says she is, however – and no wonder, because who can run a large business, write a column, cope with three tiny children and publicise a new book, all while being primed to throw dinner on the table

It's just not that difficult TO COOK

FUN, HEALTHY FOOD

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:40

Ann’s Designer Cakes Artisan Cakes for all Occasions

020 8644 8523 | www.annsdesignercakes.com

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Welcome to Sai Restaurant in Raynes Park Sai serves authentic Punjabi cuisine using a traditional tandoor cooking method Try our brand new Gourmet Curry wraps & Punjabi Thali Now open for lunch from 12 noon to 3pm We are also one of the only restaurants in London to have the magnificent champagne beer, Curious Brew, on tap, to wash down our delicious food

193 Worple Road, Wimbledon SW20 8RE 020 8947 2212 • info@sairestaurant.co.uk

www.sairestaurant.co.uk

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Authentic Punjabi Restaurant

07/04/2017 09:54

FOOD & DRINK / INTERVIEW

For me FOOD is the GEL that BINDS US ALL TOGETHER , it’s a common LOVE that people bond over for 12 unexpected guests without so much as a tiny trip to Tesco? Not to mention the huge and ongoing project she has launched with her local primary school, devising and fundraising for a vegetable garden and an outdoor classroom.

She concedes that her husband thinks she does too much. But she is clearly on a mission, or a variety of missions. ‘We worry about obesity – yet we feed our children chicken nuggets and chips! And just look at the children’s yogurts in the supermarket!

We have none of that. But then if we’re baking we do use sugar and butter because

it should be about pleasure. If you’re mainly eating fibre and wholegrains and vegetables, then it’s fine.’ Miers complains that there’s too much neurosis around, and yet she will only buy farmers’ market milk, which she agrees sounds a bit inconsistent.

‘As a mother you do think about nutrition and our soil nutrition has plummeted. But I’m very suspicious of fads.’

As well as representing her cooking present, the book harks back to Miers’ cooking past, which is home-taught and family-oriented. ‘I grew up cooking by my mother’s side and I’ve returned to the kind of cooking we did at home.’ Her mother would buy cheap ingredients – ‘like marrow’ – because money was tight, and Tommi, who wasn’t interested in toys, or in playing with her siblings, would hang around the kitchen, developing an interest in cooking. ‘I started asking, can I

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cook? Because I wanted to do something more interesting with what we had, and I found it so boring eating the same things over and over again.’ At 26 she went to Ballymaloe (the Irish cookery school whose alumni includes Stevie Parle) and at 29 she won Masterchef, and after that she was slightly surprised to find herself actually in a career as a chef. ‘For a few years I felt like I should have spent years in the kitchen as an apprentice, so my food got more cheffy as I tried to prove myself.’ It’s not cheffy now, she insists – it’s simple, practical and healthy. ‘I spend money on ingredients – the kitchen is about management. I’ve always got livers for chicken liver pate and cods roe for taramasalata, and those things are cheap as chips. If I come home shattered there’s always something I can make. I’ve always got the basics.’

What would she suggest for an easy dinner party? ‘Roast chicken definitely,’ she says. 'With lots of tarragon, butter, garlic and lemon. It’s just delicious. With boiled new potatoes – and if you have time, smash them, cover them in thyme, garlic and olive oil and roast them. There’s so much anxiety about whether it’s pretty enough, exotic enough and whether there’s too much fat, but for me food is the gel that binds us all together, it’s a common love that people bond over. The way I see my friends is around this kitchen table. I am very social and I love people.’

Running Wacaha is a three days a week job, something Miers built into her contract from the start to give her space to write. She manages it all with the help of two PAs (one at home, one at work). The day before we meet, the Standard has suggested that she might be the next Bake Off presenter – is it true? I ask? ‘Not true! They came to my book launch and I’d had a few mezcals, so when they asked me about it I said yes, great idea, and of course it all got printed word for word.’ She would, however love to do Strictly, she says, if she had time. And with that, it’s time for the school pick up, and she's got to go. ◆

Home Cook by Thomasina Miers is published by Faber, £25 h/b

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:40

GOODE & WRIGHT BISTRO s e r vi n g c r ea t i v e c a s u a l f oo d Brunch • Lunch • Dinner Bottomless Sunday Roasts 271 Portobello Road | Notting Hill | London | W11 1LR 02077275552

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hello@goodeandwrightbistro.com www.goodeandwright.co.uk

24/02/2017 12:21

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEW

The DESIRE to create a UNIVERSAL space for sharing TAPASSTYLE DISHES over drinks has been CAPTURED

JULES

All-day brasserie Jules offers locals a stylish dining destination with an eclectic menu Wo r d s C h a r l o t t e J o h n s t o n e

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utney has been crying out for an independent brasserie-style restaurant and one has arrived; an ‘anyone-anytime’ buzzy enclave of personality on Lacy Road. It’s the brainchild of George Porter, Jules’ owner and heir to Highclere Castle, which we know best as Downton Abbey. Breaking away from his background in finance, he was inspired by the passion of an American restaurateur and family friend so decided to hone in on a piece of the pie. The desire to create a universal space for sharing tapas-style dishes over drinks has been captured.

The menu surprises me, I’m expecting simple sharers but - for a small menu - it’s packed with Asian-influenced European tapas, small plates, charcuterie and cheese boards to boot. Plate after plate of interesting dishes start to arrive; from the delightfully colourful fillet of smoked sardine with a mango vinaigrette (which really smashed the limp, tinned stereotype out of the box) to the compressed tomato cubes with Shiitake mushroom crumbs and foam. A real winner with my foodie friend is the Spanish Morcilla (black pudding) with spiced apple compote.

Fish lovers will enjoy head chef Alvaro San Millan’s simple yet varied approach

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to seafood dishes, with items like the hunk of roast octopus that appeared before us, and red tuna carpaccio with seaweed to garnish. If his citrus-infused cabbage is on the menu you must try it, it’s his mother’s recipe. Although I’m assured the menu will be ever evolving to keep locals interested.

Each dish is a smorgasbord of flavours but some were quite overpowering and it became quite a rich affair. Notably it was the presentation that stole the show - and the desserts. I have never deliberated over a dessert menu for quite so long as I did here and eventually our loquacious waitress, Valentina Risdonne, brought us all three; rice pudding, white chocolate sponge with floral infusion and creamy chocolate milk and passion fruit on light cacao sauce.

Oh what fun it is when a dish comes with purple foam and edible flowers, but the highlight of the whole evening has to be the creamy chocolate milk and passion fruit on light cacao sauce - “like a boat of deliciousness floating on a sea of chocolate.” ◆ JULES

5 Lacy Road, Putney, London SW15 1NH; 020 8780 3033; julesputney.co.uk

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:41

Knightsbridge smart

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park A Victorian landmark, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park offers a fabulous ballroom with 24-carat gilding. Its Loggia and Carlyle rooms with adjoining Mandarin Terrace overlook Hyde Park, making them perfect for summer weddings.

Capacity: Up to 400; mandarinoriental.com/ London

VOW FACTOR Absolutely rounds up ten of London’s most impressive wedding venues Wo r d s L i b b y H u g h e s

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FOOD & DRINK / WEDDINGS HAYMARKET HOTEL

R o ya l f l av o u r

KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Palace till an official royal S residence, Kensington Palace has a limited number of wedding slots per year and the surroundings are picture perfect. Celebrations take place in The Orangery, a Queen Anne glasshouse requiring very little dressing and with an adjoining south-facing terrace and lawns. For larger events, a marquee can be erected on the lawn.

Capacity: Up to 300; hrp.org.uk THE SAVOY

Modern boutique Haymarket Hotel

he Nash-designed Haymarket Hotel is grand from the outside, but its Kit Kemp interiors have a boutique flavour. Quirky event spaces include the Shooting Gallery – once used to practice for the grouse season and now a private dining room. The swimming pool area offers great lighting, space for dinner or dancing and your own private bar – you can even host a wedding pool party.

Capacity: 220; firmdalehotels.com

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River views

The Savoy ith views of the Thames (it W also has its own pier) and wedding planner Bruce Russell in residence, The Savoy offers classic London style and impeccable event management. Its event spaces include The Lancaster Ballroom – location of innumerable famous parties over the years – just perfect for live bands and dancing and with decadent Parisian-salon decor Capacity: Up to 400; fairmont.com/savoy-london

West End grand

The Langham ne of Europe’s original O Grand Hotels and steeped in history, The Langham has a great location on Regent Street, eleven private dining rooms plus glamorous ballroom with doors opening onto a private 18th-century courtyard garden. The seasonal wedding menu is created in collaboration with Chez Roux.

Capacity: Up to 375; langhamhotels.com

THE LANGHAM

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:37

Exquisite Bridal Accessories and Jewellery

Absolutely20 for 20% discount

info@olivierlaudus.com | www.olivierlaudus.com | 020 8004 9988

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A picturesque nature reserve in the heart of London... a unique venue for the perfect wedding Hold your ceremony at WWT London Wetland Centre, a lush oasis with lakes, ponds and meadows.

Witing the spectacular setting of this work famous conversation site we have two rooms licensed for wedding ceremonies and civil partnerships - Wetland Living - a fisherman’s hut replica in the middle of the reserve and the Water’s edge room.

020 8409 4400 functions.london@wwt.org.uk wwt.org.uk

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22/03/2017 16:49

07/04/2017 09:54

FOOD & DRINK / WEDDINGS Tudor splendour

THE LANSDOWNE

FULHAM PALACE

Clubland romance

The Lansdowne nce one of Lord Byron’s O watering holes, The Lansdowne Club’s history is undeniably romantic. Its Mayfair location – just of Berkeley Square – is as good as it gets, and you don’t have to join to marry here.

Celebrations happen in the Adam-designed ballroom, while the enclosed courtyard is great for a summer drinks and photography.

Capacity: 150; lansdowneclub.com

Fulham Palace ormer riverside home of F the Bishops of London Fulham Palace was once a rustic retreat from London. The surviving Tudor manor and courtyards, with Georgian additions, has seven interior venue spaces and 13-acres of grounds, including ancient walled garden with parterre. You can design your wedding using Palace, garden spaces or a combination of the two.

Capacity: Up to 200; fulhampalace.org

KEW

C a p i ta l g a r d e n Kew

he Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this lush oasis is the perfect spot for a romantic wedding in the green. Alfrescostyle wedding spaces include the Orangery and Nash Conservatory. More intimate options include Cambridge Cottage, a lovely setting for a dinner or reception.

Capacity: Up to 200; kew.org

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HOTEL DU VIN

London exotic

Sporting choice

ROEHAMPTON CLUB

Roehampton Club xclusive Roehampton Club E is set in 100 acres of parkland, with superb sporting facilities and immaculate lawns. Its light and modern clubhouse has event spaces that can host any number from 20 to 200, with bespoke menus and an experienced in-house events team.

Capacity: Up to 200; roehamptonclub.co.uk

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Hotel du Vin otel du Vin Wimbledon offers a H slice of exotica in the heart of one of London’s most famous villages. The hotel is located in Cannizaro House, a grand 19th-century property with glorious views over one of south London’s favourite green spaces.

While the setting is spectacular, the interiors are something else again, with extraordinary painted ceilings and glorious period features. As with other Hotel du Vin locations, the focus here is on bistro-inspired menus with relaxed but attentive service. There are a variety of set menus to choose from, or you can create a bespoke affair – be it canapés, an informal buffet or five-course wedding breakfast. With a dedicated wedding planner, and easy access to central London, this is great place to host a relaxed celebration. The hotel has 48 rooms and suites, so guests can stay on for the after party. hotelduvin.com

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:37

A World of Sophisticated Beauty Armani Hotel Dubai brings to life the “Stay with Armani� philosophy delivering a genuine home approach and a unique lifestyle experience where every need and desire is fulfilled for each guest individually. www.armanihoteldubai.com

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13/10/2016 11:10

> OUT OF AFRICA - ON SAFARI IN TANZANIA

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BEACH AND CITY IN VIETNAM

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GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM Of the nine million inhabitants of Hoh Chi Minh City, at least six million own a moped.

We enjoy the beach and the city in one of Southeast Asia's most beautiful destinations.

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:48

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST

Out of

AFRICA Safari holidays will always be popular but Asilia makes discovering Tanzania feel like a whole new adventure W o r d s C at h e r i n e H a l e s

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n a trip to the Highlands, you might expect to see a fat grouse flying out of the heather, some shaggy horned cattle grazing gently and perhaps the odd stag standing atop a hill. You’re less likely to see a zebra. Not so at The Highlands in Tanzania. Named for its Scottish counterpart, Asilia’s camp is perched on the slopes of the Olmoti volcano, high above the famous Ngorongoro Crater and offers a completely unique way to experience safari.

The camp itself takes some getting to. After an eight-hour flight to Nairobi, an hour to Kilimanjaro and then a short trip in a small aircraft, we arrive at a tiny airport in Lake Manyara, met by our guides who introduce themselves as Baraka and Lenga, both of them dressed in full Maasai regalia of vivid reds and blues. We pile into an enormous 4X4, somewhat beleaguered by our journey and start along the road to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area not knowing that this is the last time we will

experience anything resembling our idea of a road. Soon the terrain begins to become rougher and the ride significantly less smooth. As I attempt to drink from a glass bottle, I almost take out a tooth going over a pothole. Lenga looks in the rearview mirror with a grin and asks, ‘Do you know what we call this?’ I shake my head. ‘An African massage.’

Our guides take us for a hike before we head to the camp and we are joined by a ranger, who leads us up the steep incline of the Olmoti volcano. For a long time, there is not much to see other than the ground rising before us and for an inexperienced hiker, the going is a little tough due to the heavy dust kicked up by our boots and the afternoon sun beating down. I do learn my first bit of Swahili though, as the ranger catches me almost tripping. ‘Polepole!’ she cries, which I learn to my great amusement means ‘Slowly, slowly!’

As soon as we reach the top, the walk is worth it. The landscape sprawls below us, undulating hills and vast plains carved up by a river glistening in the sunshine.

Spying two Maasai children driving a

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:54

dsb_A4_advertisement_AW:Layout 1 22/05/2015 11:47 Page 1

where heritage meets contemporary elegance. dorsett shepherds bush, london

discover more telephone +44 (0) 203 262 1026 info.shepherdsbush@dorsetthotels.com dorsetthotels.com/london/shepherdsbush

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST

There, in the distance, IS A

MOTHER RHINO

with her calf

herd of rail-thin cattle through the water creates one of those moments when the untalented wish they could paint – instead I snap pictures on my iPhone.

We arrive at camp dusty and exhausted – though ‘camp’ does the set-up a disservice. Futuristic-looking domes constructed from taut canvas and rigid exoskeletons dot the area connected by paths and wooden gangways. They are exquisitely decorated with stylish wooden furniture, furry throws and accents of tartan as a nod to The Highlands’ namesake. Our dome features two double beds facing a clear window looking out on the stunning scenery, meaning that we wake up to an unrivalled sunrise every day. Staff are all African and the camp is designed to leave a minimal ecological footprint; it balances a feeling of being in the wild with exceptional comfort, offering peace rather than quiet with the sounds of the hectic bush all around.

The obvious draw of Ngorongoro is safari. We set out stocked with snacks and drinks; the drive to the crater itself takes an hour or so. On our way we spot zebras and birds including the amusingly coiffed kori bustard before descending into the crater. The ambition of most safari goers is to spot the Big Five – the African lion, African elephant, Cape buffalo, African leopard and rhinoceros –.all of which can be found here. Those

hoping for giraffes will be disappointed, but we happily cross off three of the five almost immediately, spotting the enormous buffalo, an elephant and, most unusually, a pride of lions feasting on the carcass of a hippo. Baraka and Lenga explain that the hippo must have been old and dying, otherwise lions would never risk attacking it. As we sit and watch, jackals circle the male lion guarding his prey, coming too close every so often and getting a roar of disapproval and a swipe of his claw. The most magical part of the day comes when Baraka and Lenga drive us to a secluded spot and lead us to a beautiful picnic set up under the trees complete with wine and and buffet.

We eat looking out at the buffalo in front of us. As our day in the crater draws to a close, we lament having not seen a rhino until Lenga suddenly slams on the brakes and points. We scrabble for our binoculars and there, in the distance is a mother rhino with her calf, plain as can be. Four out of five ain’t bad.

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At the end of our stay, we pack our bags with regret. Asilia has achieved something remarkable up there on the slopes of that volcano, combining genuinely wonderful people with untouched surroundings and high quality facilities that, when added together, really do equal a once in a lifetime experience. ◆

Catherine Hales was a guest of Kenya Airways (kenya-airways.com) and The Highlands (asiliaafrica. com). Kenya Airways fly from London Heathrow to Kilimanjaro via Nairobi, from £777 return; Coastal Aviation (coastal.co.tz) has connections to Lake Manyara from £130. The Highlands costs £700 per person per night including full-board with drinks and activities; low-season rates drop to £330. Ngorongoro Conservation Area fees are £54 per person for 24 hours and the crater descent fee is £227 per vehicle.

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:55

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

ON THE WILD SIDE

An intoxicating mix of city and beach, Vietnam is a dream come true for holidaymakers seeking the best of both worlds Wo r d s F i o n a B r a n d h o r s t

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ong haul thrill seekers are spoilt for choice when it comes to holidaying in Southeast Asia, but Vietnam is ramping up its offering of combined city and beach breaks designed to showcase its unique cultural and historical heritage.

Ho Chi Minh City (renamed 40 years ago after its revolutionary leader but still affectionately called Saigon by locals) is now a 12 hour non-stop flight with Vietnam Airlines, flying three times a week to the cosmopolitan metropolis.

My first stop is Saigon, a city of nine million people, six million of whom own a moped.

Riders and their pillion passengers make their journeys with astonishing ease, in spite of being piled high with goods and chattels thus providing endless photo opportunities. I’m glad to have the services of an experienced driver who works his way through the traffic as we head away from the city to the Mekong Delta, home to a further 18 million people, for my first night in this incredible country.

Arriving at the luxury Victoria Can Tho Resort, set in lush tropical gardens on the bank of the Hau River, a tributary of the mighty Mekong, there’s time for a relaxing swim before retreating to my French colonial-style bedroom. Don’t be fooled, many of Vietnam’s hotels are excellent copies of original colonial architecture.

By seven the next morning, I’m aboard the Mekong Princess, an elegant wooden cruiser, for breakfast and to catch the bustle of the Cai Rang wholesale fruit and vegetable floating market. Vendors live on their wooden barges, moored in the centre of the river, and vie for business, each with a sample of their produce displayed on a long pole.

The Victoria Resort offers overnight cruises on its romantic Song Xanh houseboats which moor up at the secluded riverside Le Longanier restaurant in the village of Cai Be. Reached only by river or on foot we stop for lunch to sample the local fried “elephant ear” fish.

Back in Saigon, which has set its sights on becoming a destination for upmarket visitors and business travellers

Explore FLOATING markets from an ELEGANT cruiser

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST The emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam

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absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:56

Thinking Cornwall for May & June holidays?

Enjoy the quiet beaches and great value holidays…

Make the most of the dramatic north Cornish Coast and the buzzing surfing beach of Polzeath

With a stunning 18-hole golf course, North Cornwall's top Health Club, featuring an indoor pool, Spinning® room, fully equipped state-ofthe-art gym, dedicated new studio, tennis courts, restaurant with top reviews, accommodation ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom houses together with 7 NEW contemporary apartments, The Point at Polzeath is a favourite destination for both short breaks and family holidays.

thepointatpolzeath.co.uk • holidays@thepointatpolzeath.co.uk 01208 863 000 • The Point at Polzeath Cornwall PL27 6QT

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TRAVEL / WANDERLUST

Victoria Can Tho 's spacious Colonial Suite

La Veranda Spa Resort is the newest island retreat on Phu Quoc

The perfect spot for sunset cocktails at La Veranda's in-house bar

The BEST WAY to DISCOVER saigon is on FOOT or the BACK of a scooter alike, I check in to the sanctuary of the Park Hyatt Hotel. The luxuriously appointed suites are equipped with the latest technology such as in-room iPads, bedside USB sockets and Nespresso machines. My suite overlooks the lush gardens and pool. Before dinner in the hotel’s Square One restaurant offering authentic Vietnamese cuisine and a western menu of grilled Wagyu steaks and fresh seafood, I take relaxation to another level with a 90-minute full body massage in the hotel’s mystical Xuan Spa. The best way to discover Saigon is on foot or on the back of a Vespa scooter.

Ruled by the French from 1887 to the mid1950s, many of Saigon’s original colonial buildings remain from the Notre Dame Cathedral to the imposing former Central Post Office building. History buffs and mid-century architecture aficionados will appreciate a tour of The Independence Palace, the former headquarters of the South Vietnam Government.

Le Loi street leads to the tourist shopping magnet of the famous Ben Thanh Market piled high with cheap souvenirs and clothing but the Vincom Shopping centre is the place to head for luxury designer stores from Ralph Lauren to Jimmy Choo. The scale of Saigon’s urban sprawl can really be

appreciated from the 49th floor Skydeck at the Bitexco Financial Tower with stunning 360 degree, far reaching views.

At night the EON Heli Bar up another three levels is one of Saigon’s most impressive cocktail venues.

For the final leg of my trip, I catch a 40-minute flight to Vietnam’s newest island retreat of Phu Quoc to stay at the boutique beach-side La Veranda Spa Resort. Set amid tropical gardens, my spacious apartment-style suite with a private veranda features a huge four poster bed draped in mosquito nets; luckily I don’t spy any unwelcome midges during my stay. A world away from the clatter of Saigon, the day starts with yoga on the terrace followed by a choice of holistic treatments at the Le Spa. The most taxing decisions are whether to swim in the pool or the warm sea or be served dinner by the award-winning Pepper Tree restaurant on the terrace overlooking the ocean. The nearby town of Duong Dong boasts a bustling night market and a host of bars and seafood

83 Chis_May17_ VIETNAM.indd 83

restaurants. By day there are trips to the cooling Suoi Tranh waterfalls and traditional fishing village of Ham Ninh.

As I leave Vietnam I’m reminded of the beautiful Lotus flower, the country’s national emblem, symbolising commitment and optimism. Good qualities for a country set on welcoming more tourists to its shores. ◆

SOUTH VIETNAM TOURS

 Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines.com) offer nonstop flights to Vietnam from Heathrow to Hanoi or Saigon.

Bespoke travel experts Experience Travel Group (0203 468 6268; experiencetravelgroup.com) offer seven-night holidays from £2,101 per adult, including 2 nights at the Park Hyatt Saigon (saigon.park.hyatt. com); two nights at the Victoria Can Tho (victoriahotels.asia/en) and three nights at La Veranda, Phu Quoc

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:57

absolute abode absolute abode offers a complete range of architectural interior design services, and we tailor our approach to best suit your requirements and realise your vision.

We can advise you on projects ranging from redecorating one room through to full architectural design and renovation of your entire home.

Our services include: • Conceptual and spatial planning • Architectural interior design • Lighting design • Bespoke furniture and joinery design • Colours, textures, fabrics and furniture

architectural interior design

Please get in touch for a complimentary consultation.

www.absoluteabodedesign.com 76-78 Coombe Lane, London, SW20 0AX | 020 8090 3210 | design@absoluteabode.com

ABSOLUTE ABODE.MAR.02.indd 1

07/02/2017 14:16

TRAVEL / UK GETAWAY THE HOTEL

O

wned by celebrated chef Raymond Blanc, Le Manoir is the ultimate gastronomic staycation in the UK. It has won countless awards - from being named best UK and European Hotel 2016 by The Times to Favourite UK Hotel 2016 from TripAdvisor - and with faultless service and Michelin-starred food it’s not hard to see why. Set in a grand, old house in a small, secluded Oxfordshire village, it nails old-fashioned luxury and is an ideal respite from hectic London life.

BELMOND LE MANOIR AUX QUAT’SAISONS

THE ROOMS

OX FO R D

A

ll 32 of the rooms are individually designed with decor inspired by Blanc’s French heritage. Some are based in the house itself, but our favourites were the Garden Suites, just down the path from the main building. Not only are they the largest but they have their own small but serene gardens, too. Before your dinner, take time to stroll the expansive kitchen gardens, providing veg and herbs to be served in the restaurant.

Wo r d s H a n n a h H o p k i n s

THE FOOD

E

xpect full-on gourmet grandeur.

Raymond Blanc’s two-Michelinstarred restaurant is headed up by executive chef Gary Jones, who has created a celebrated menu of modern French dishes.

Go all-out by opting for the five or sevencourse tasting menus, which can be paired with wine chosen by the sommelier. Just make sure you’re quick - there are only 32 tables and they can get booked up three months in advance. Dinner kicks off in the hotel lounge, where over a glass of Brut and moreish canapes you can survey the menu.

Standout dishes include risotto of wild mushrooms with truffle cream, roasted fillet of Aberdeen Angus beef and melt-in-themouth pear tarte tatin.

WHAT TO DO

B

ased in the beautifully green Chiltern hills, there are plenty of options for outdoorsy types.

Hikers and bikers are well catered for and the hotel team can also arrange golf, fishing, riding and shooting if you fancy it. Visit beautiful Blenheim Palace, only eight miles away, where you can tour state rooms and private apartments of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough.

THE DAMAGE Double rooms start from £572 a night. Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton, Oxford OX44 7PD, belmond.com

85 CHIS_May17_UK Getaway.indd 85

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 17:59

Discover Discover Glenalmond College, a school with an excellent tradition of helping each pupil make the most of their personal journey. A school which encourages each child to reach their academic potential and develop their individual abilities to the full in a range of artistic, sporting, social and adventure activities.

• Full 7-days-a-week boarding environment • Girls and boys aged 12-18 • Outstanding pastoral care • 300-acre countryside campus

T: 01738 842144 Scottish Charity SC006123

E: registrar@glenalmondcollege.co.uk

www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk

inspiring learning

GLENALMOND COLLEGE.indd 1

24/08/2016 17:13

> SMALL TALK: COLLABS AND GIFT IDEAS

p.89

EDUCATION

p.91

ON THE WATERFRONT Inspired by the sea, Missoni's SS17 girls collection is as versatile as it is elegant.

Separates combine effortlessly, while dresses make graceful occasionwear. missoni.com

87 Chis_May16_Kids Opener.indd 87

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:00

Horris Hill School has a unique ethos where boys flourish • Success to Eton, Winchester, Radley, Marlborough and other top schools • Inspirational and supportive environment HORRIS HILL SCHOOL BOYS BOARDING AND DAY AGED 7-13

• See for yourself how a Horris Hill education could really make a difference for your son

OPEN MORNING 2017 Saturday 20th May 2017 from 10am – 12pm To book a visit please phone or email registrar@horrishill.com

www.horrishill.com Horris Hill, Newtown, Newbury RG20 9DJ | T 01635 40594 | E registrar@horrishill.com

HORRIS HILL.indd 1

28/02/2017 14:59

KIDS & EDUCATION / NOTES

BRAND FOCUS

GLOBAL NOMAD O utside th e L in es

SS17 takes its inspiration from global travel combining bohemian 70s style with contemporary looks for free-spirited girls. outsidethelines.com

KIN G D O M O F ORI G I N Their debut collection looks to the 60s and 70s

SMALL TALK The new season's looks, fun fashion, bird facts and mazes POP ART

G.Kero The latest arrrivals from Marguerite Bartherotte at G.Kero just fizz with colour. Featuring hip-hop sweatshirts, shirts and tee-shirts, she harmonizes colours and shapes to produce clothes guaranteed to brighten up any drab day. en.smallable.com/gkero

kingdomoforigin.co.uk

BIRD TRUMPS

LOST AND FOUND

Little Lulubel ¢ Forget football, My Little Pony and Minions. The only Top Trumps worth having are these brilliantly educational birdlife ones, full of intriguing facts and figures. Tweet tweet. £8.99; laurenceking.com

MAZE PIC

89 Chis_MAY17_Kids.indd 89

K

ingdom of Origin's creative director Vanessa Wright is constantly inspired by her love of British fashion and textiles, and the launch collection, for ages four to 11, features contemporary shapes and exquisitely soft fabrics, over 90% of which are sourced and milled in the UK. Inspiration stems from the rock ‘n’ roll era: think Jane Birkin, Pattie Boyd and Mary Quant. Being adventurous and creative is fundamental for a Kingdom of Origin girl.

Vanessa also designs timeless pieces which can work across seasons. Using adjustable straps on dungarees, rolled up hems and cuffs and soft elasticated waistbands, she hopes that each piece can be worn and cherished as children grow, and then passed on. We want it all. ◆

Amazed ¢ Readers must navigate towering treetops, prickly cactus fields, mysterious caverns and crumbling statues in Aleksandra Artymowska's beautifully illustrated book that features ten compelling mazes to solve. ◆

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:01

THE APP ALL PARENTS NEED Download the Absolutely Education app to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the UK’s best schools

The Absolutely Education app covers every aspect of an independent education with insightful articles by leading journalists, tops tips from stellar heads and features covering the critical topics of the day.

Download the app now to receive every issue before it hits stores

OR Through our preferred partner

ABS ED PRINT.indd 1

08/03/2017 12:02

KIDS & EDUCATION / SCHOOL TALK

ONE for ALL

When 700 guests celebrate Ravenscourt Park Prep’s 25th birthday it will be a family affair Wo r d s A m a n d a C o n s ta n c e

W

hen Julia Shipman steps through the darkened doors of St Paul’s Hammersmith this month, it will be quite a moment in her personal history, as well as that of Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School.

Shipman attended the school as a child along with three other siblings. She then returned as an adult to teach in the successful family-run Gardner Schools Group (GSG). This month she will join other alumni, the odd celebrity and all the current pupils when 700 guests celebrate RPPS’s 25th anniversary at a special evening concert at the church.

Ravenscourt Prep, right next to the park itself in Hammersmith, is now a well-established, much sought-after school educating boys and girls aged four to 11. 300 pupils register for 60 places every year (be sure to do it by your child’s first birthday). But when Maria and Edward Gardner identified the need for a co-educational, nonselective independent preparatory school in west London in 1991, they didn’t know how their dream of a caring, family-centred prep would be received.

“We had no idea of the impact the new

It was HARD WORK but it also had its FUN TIMES

school would have,” says Maria Gardner.

The school opened in an abandoned drama and dance school in a building dating from 1848 that had no windows, electricity or floors, yet “parents came in hordes to ask for a place”, she says.

She recounts how she met a prospective father in the building site playground in the summer of 1991.

Surrounded by dust and chaos, he told Gardner he wanted all his three children to start in September. He then handed her £10,000 in a Tesco carrier bag.

When a rather perturbed Gardner said, “But you don’t even know me!” He said: “I’ve met you, I like you and I want my children to come to you.” This is just one of her many tales of “the hunger” for such a prep school at the time.

Gardner’s stories of getting the school off the ground already sound like the stuff of legend. There were surprisingly few regulations at the time and it was all hands on deck. “We all mucked in,” says Gardner. “It was really hard work but it also had its fun times,” she says. Teachers cleaned loos, cooked school lunches and even swept the playground.

91 Chis_May17_Education.indd 91

With a background in state education, Gardner wanted to “combine best practice for both sectors” at RPPS. This included a mixed ability intake, not interviewing children at three years old and employing teachers who had already done at least two years in the state sector. There has always been a very strong emphasis on openness and honesty with pupils and parents and a timetable rich in the creative arts and “every sport you can think of”, she says.

There’s no doubt that the Gardners hit on a successful formula for a happy school.

Continuing demand for their brand of family-centred education led the Gardners to open another prep for 4-11 year-olds, Kew Green, in 2004 and then in response to the demand created by both schools, GSG opened Kew House School, a co-ed senior school for 11-18 year olds in September 2013.

Things have changed greatly at RPPS since 1991. 43 students started in 1991 in the old dance school; 414 pupils are currently on role in what is now a state-of-the-art building which opened five years ago. Aspects of the school are distinctly starry – speakers at Book Week have included Harold Pinter, Flora Fraser, Ben Okri, Michael Gambon and Dominic West, and children move on to the usual slew of top London senior schools, although the majority now go to Kew House. But GSG is still a family company,

run by Maria Gardner, her son Theo and the board of directors. And its feet remain firmly on the ground. Most families are local and the school still has a “lovely community feel”, says one parent.

'It's very down-to- earth,' says a mother.

'Very normal – for London.' ◆ rpps.co.uk

absolutely.london

06/04/2017 18:16

“It’s fine.

The heart wants what the heart wants.

Discover rural homes with sea views using keyword search.

PL.indd 1

11/07/2016 15:20

We’ll shop

online.”

PL.indd 2

11/07/2016 15:19

MADE IN GERMANY TO MEET YOUR DESIGN NEEDS Built in Kitchen Specialist

KITCHENS REVOLUTION.APR.indd 1

Kitchen Revolutions Ltd 580 Kingston Road, Wimbledon SW20 8DR T 020 3302 6266 E info@kitchenrevolutions.co.uk W www.kitchenrevolutions.co.uk WE ARE OPEN Mon - Sat 10am - 6pm | Sun 11am - 4pm

06/03/2017 15:15

PROPERTY NEWS

p.100

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

RIGGINDALE ROAD SW16

NIGEL LEWIS: FAMOUS PLACES

p.112

his family house offers six bedrooms, a large private garden and off-street parking. Finished to a truly exceptional standard and with immense proportions, the property opens into a space bathed in natural light, and with beautiful period features. To the front of the ground floor is the reception room and to the rear is a open plan kitchen/dining space with double french doors leading to the garden. u

T

ÂŁ1,850,000

TOOTING 020 8767 3655

95 SW_May17_PFC.indd 95

p.108

marshandparsons.co.uk

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 09:57

Crockerton Road, Wandsworth SW17 Close to Bellevue Road and Wandsworth Common A handsome double fronted period home of substantial proportions with a contemporary design benefitting from excellent lateral space. 6/7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1en suite), 3 reception rooms, large kitchen/dining room, utility room, study/bedroom 7, downstairs cloakroom, large cellar, garden. EPC: D. Approximately 339.36 sq m (3,653 sq ft).

Freehold

Guide price: £2,695,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wandsworth wandsworth@knightfrank.com 020 3589 2850

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/WND170001

KF.indd 1

Absolutely magazine - May 2017

06/04/2017 15:54

04/04/2017 12:41:47

ALBERT PALACE MANSIONS, LURLINE GARDENS SW11 2 bedroom flat next to Battersea Park A beautifully renovated 2 bedroom apartment on the second floor of this prestigious mansions block moments from Battersea Park. The apartment enjoys double ceiling height with 2 bathrooms, 1 ensuite. Separate kitchen and reception room with a balcony that enjoys triple aspect. EPC:E. Approximately 1,076 sq ft (100 sq m)

Leasehold: approximately 93 years

Guide price: £995,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/Battersea Battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3866 2930

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/BAT170034

KF.indd 2

Absolutely May Issue 2017

06/04/2017 15:54

04/04/2017 17:52:46

WHATS YOUR NEXT MOVE?

We pride ourselves on exceptional service and unrivalled market knowledge, with a global network of 417 offices across 58 countries that can showcase your property to the widest possible audience.

Contact us today on 020 8115 9703 to arrange a free market appraisal or visit KnightFrank.com/wimbledon.

Guide price: £2,450,000

Victoria Drive, Wimbledon SW19 A detached period family house with a beautiful garden and views. 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 WCs, 3 reception rooms, study, kitchen/breakfast room, annexe with bathroom, studio, storage room, roof terrace, garage, garden, off street parking.

EPC: E. Approximatley 384 sq m (4,134 sq ft). wimbledon@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8115 9703

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £2,550,000

Somerset Road, Wimbledon SW19 A wonderful detached house with great lateral space within walking distance of the village and Common. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, double reception room, kitchen/dining room, WC, garden, garage, off street parking. EPC: E. Approximately 295.8 sq m (3,184 sq ft). wimbledon@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8115 9703

KF.indd 3

Absolutely May 2017 hi res

06/04/2017 15:54

06/04/2017 11:56:07

WHATS YOUR NEXT MOVE?

We pride ourselves on exceptional service and unrivalled market knowledge, with a global network of 417 offices across 58 countries that can showcase your property to the widest possible audience.

Contact us today on 020 8115 9703 to arrange a free market appraisal or visit KnightFrank.com/wimbledon.

Guide price: £3,475,000

Lancaster Road, Wimbledon SW19 An beautifully presented Edwardian house of great quality in Wimbledon Village. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, study, kitchen, utility room, wine store, garden, garage, off street parking. EPC: D. Approximately 316.9 sq m (3,412 sq ft). wimbledon@knightfrank.com Office: 020 8115 9703

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £4,500,000

Highbury Road, Wimbledon SW19 A well presented family house on this sought after village road. 6 bedrooms (4 en suite) 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, study, kitchen/breakfast room, indoor swimming pool, utility room, WC, garden, garage, off street parking . EPC: C. Approximately 444.4 sq m (4,784 sq ft). wimbledon@knightfrank.com Office: 0208115 9703

KF.indd 4

Absolutely May 2017 hi res

06/04/2017 15:54

06/04/2017 11:56:07

PROPERTY R O U N D U P

THE INSIDE SCOOP IN YOUR AREA

Most satisfying transaction

I never thought I’d see

A developer who had been using another agent gave me the opportunity to show him what our team could do.

Within a few weeks, we had let 90% of the building!

HOUSE HUNTING

Most interesting property

by ADRIENNE WADSWORTH WIMBLEDON LETTINGS MANAGER Foxtons

A magnificent family house in SW19 – the sheer grandeur of this house was phenomenal. The aesthetics of the house and finishing touches were like nothing I had seen before.

THE AESTHETICS OF THE HOUSE AND FINISHING TOUCHES WERE LIKE NOTHING I HAD SEEN BEFORE

On the way to a viewing, we witnessed a road in Wimbledon Village closed off for several minutes to allow the horses and riders of Wimbledon stables emerge. That truly amplified the uniqueness of Wimbledon Village and luxurious open spaces that SW19 has to offer.

Finest property showcase Haygarth Place, Wimbledon Village, SW19, £865.38 PW

WIMBLEDON / 020 7579 2929 / foxtons.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT ON

SOUTH WEST LONDON

£722

House

£486

3+ bedroom flat

£372

2 bedroom flat

1 bedroom flat

Achieved rental values £ per week (last 12 months)

£800 Credit: LonRes

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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PROPERTY / NEWS AG E N T ON DESIGN

MEWS HOUSE M O M E N TS F R O M T H E THAMES Immaculately presented throughout, this mews house is tucked away in one of Putney’s premier roads. The property, which is only moments from the river, tastefully combines delightful period details and modern luxury.

Its contemporary and stylish interior features a 30ft living room, a modern kitchen and two luxurious double bedrooms both with walk-in wardrobes and ensuite bathrooms.

New Build

New Build

News

WESTMEAD, PUTNEY

THE NATURE RANGE

PRIME PROPERTY MARKETS MOVING SOUTH

SW 1 5 , £4 , 4 5 0,0 0 0 An attractive six bedroom, detached family house by renowned local developer GM London Limited, with a gated driveway and landscaped south facing rear garden. Inside, the wide entrance hallway, with views through to the garden, is flooded with natural light and sets the stylish tone for the rest of the house.

SW 8 , Sta rt i n g f r o m : £70 5,0 0 0 The Nature Range Apartments is the latest phase to be released from the development Embassy Gardens by EcoWorld Ballymore.

The 35 new one, two and three bedroom flats will have views across the beautifully landscaped garden squares, ravine and linear park - a new green walkway from Vauxhall to Battersea Park.

KNIGHT FRANK

EMBASSY GARDENS

Wimbledon, 020 8115 9703;

Marketing Suite, 020 7062 8940; embassygardens.com

knightfrank.com

The clever use of windows and skylights creates a feeling of space and provides an abundance of natural light. The high ceilings and neutral colours in the bedrooms add to the feeling of luxury.

“Battersea to see a price growth of up to 15% by 2020”

40% when comparing apartments).

Despite the price difference, Battersea Power Station is only a short walk from Sloane Square (12-minute walk), which a real plus point according to the long-standing agents. Although Battersea is less expensive than Chelsea currently, but has exceptionally strong potential for investment growth. Russell Simpson predicts that Battersea will see price growth of up to 15% by 2020, when the development is complete. The luxury new build is also seen as a huge draw, with good location, excellent transport links, super high-quality homes and a strong ROI.

Feature Property

ROYAL VICTORIA PATRIOTIC BUILDING SW 1 8 , £ 1 ,75 0,0 0 0

“This mews house is tucked away in one of Putney's premier roads”

Agent Russell Simpson has 40 years’ experience in the Chelsea market and have seen an interesting change in attitudes from typically staunch Chelsea purchasers, who are now making the short move over Chelsea Bridge to the latest development Battersea Powerstation.

The report has found that Chelsea property has risen 169% in 10 years, which could be driving young first-time buyers and elder downsizers across the river in search of better value.

The average property in Chelsea is 32% more expensive than in Battersea (the difference rises to

Set in a former orphanage, this apartment is set over the top floors and boasts many original features. The flat comprises the main large reception area with an open plan kitchen and an impressive fireplace, a separate study and a further mezzanine entertaining area which overlooks the main reception.

KFH

MARSH & PARSONS

RUSSELL SIMPSON

Putney, 020 8780 0033;

Battersea, 020 7228 9292;

kfh.co.uk

marshandparsons.com

South Kensington, 020 7225 0277; russellsimpson.co.uk

101 SW_May17_PRU.indd 101

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:07

Think Clapham property.

Think KFH. kfh.co.uk/clapham

Lettings now open on Abbeville Road.

With a network of 12 lettings branches covering south west London and more than 40 interconnected lettings branches across the Capital, we have access to an extensive range of local, international and corporate tenants.

If you are looking to rent, let, sell or buy, contact us today.

Luke Williams Lettings Manager 020 8031 0686 clapham.lettings@kfh.co.uk

Jimmy Carr Sales Manager 020 3792 4491 clapham.sales@kfh.co.uk

COMPLETELY LONDON

KFH.indd SouthWest_Clapham.indd 1 Absolutely 1

06/04/2017 16:05 15:32 03/04/2017

Southdean Gardens, Southfields, SW19 £1,500,000 Southfields 020 8871 9655 southfields.sales@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 05.17 KFH 2 SouthWest.indd 2

A substantial Edwardian family house offering over 2,000 sq ft of accommodation arranged over three floors and boasting many period features.

This house is ideally situated in the popular Gardens area of Southfields offering easy access to Wimbledon Park and Southfields underground station.

There are also good local bus routes to Wimbledon, Putney and Clapham.

• • • • • • • • •

Five bedrooms Open plan kitchen diner Period features Two bathrooms 2,025 sq ft Downstairs utility room Private garden Freehold EPC rating D

06/04/2017 16:04 15:32 03/04/2017

Felsham Road, Putney, SW15 £895,000 West Putney 020 8785 2122 westputney.sales@kfh.co.uk

A beautifully presented, three double bedroom, two bathroom top floor conversion located on a popular residential road, a short walk from Putney High Street and the River Thames.

The property, which benefits from no onward chain, offers 1,169 sq ft of accommodation, potential to add a roof terrace (subject to the usual permissions) and a south facing balcony to the front.

• • • • • • • • • •

Three double bedrooms Bathroom and en suite Eaves storage Eat in kitchen Period features Open plan living Split level South facing balcony Share of freehold EPC rating D

Felsham Road is close to the excellent local primary schools and transport links.

KFH.indd 05.17 KFH 3 SouthWest.indd 3

06/04/2017 16:04 15:32 03/04/2017

Inworth Street, Battersea, SW11 £3,683 pcm A stunning four bedroom family home with four double bedrooms and two bathrooms, located on a popular residential street within easy reach of both Clapham Junction and Battersea Park.

This terraced house has been recently renovated and is arranged over three floors to offer a spacious reception with wooden flooring, leading through to an impressive eat in kitchen with bi folding doors to the private garden. Sleeping accommodation comprises two spacious double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, two smaller double bedrooms and two luxury bathrooms.

Unfurnished. EPC rating D. Battersea Park 020 8104 9777 batterseapark.letting@kfh.co.uk

Norroy Road, Putney, SW15 £4,950 pcm Located in the heart of Putney, on a wonderful tree lined residential road, is this exceptional recently refurbished house offering an abundance of living and entertaining space throughout.

The property comprises five double bedrooms, double reception room, beautiful extended kitchen dining room with integrated appliances and bi fold doors leading onto a private rear garden. The house is tastefully decorated throughout and has three bathrooms, two of which are en suite and also includes access to a large cellar. Furnished or unfurnished. EPC rating D. Putney 020 8785 3433 putneyhill.lettings@kfh.co.uk

£210 tenancy agreement fee per property.

Other fees apply, visit kfh.co.uk/lettingsfees

KFH.indd 05.17 KFH 4 SouthWest.indd 4

06/04/2017 16:04 15:32 03/04/2017

Wavendon Avenue, Chiswick, W4 £2,500,000

An exceptional Edwardian five bedroom, semi detached family home on one of Chiswick’s premier roads. Offering a spacious living area, modern open plan kitchen and 46ft south facing garden.

Chiswick 020 8987 0090 chiswick.sales@kfh.co.uk

Located on a popular road moments away from Turnham Green underground station which provides easy access into Central London. Chiswick High Road, with all its fantastic local shops and restaurants, is a short walk away.

KFH.indd 05.17 KFH 3 Chiswick and West.indd 3

• • • • • • • • •

Five double bedrooms Three washrooms plus WC Fully fitted kitchen 46ft south facing garden Large family living area 2,438 sq ft (approximate) Desirable location Freehold EPC rating D

04/04/2017 11:34 11:37 27/03/2017

e

sid r ive

R

Chancellors Road, Hammersmith, W6 £3,791 pcm Hammersmith 020 8563 9889 hammersmith.lettings@kfh.co.uk

A stunning two double bedroom apartment in this exclusive brand new development.

This property boasts balconies with river views, bathrooms with under floor heating, open plan reception, communal swimming pool/spa and gym. Located moments to Hammersmith tube.

• • • • • • • •

Two double bedrooms Wooden flooring Balconies with river views Luxury fitted open plan kitchen Communal swimming pool/gym/spa Moments to Hammersmith tube Furnished EPC rating B

£210 tenancy agreement fee per property. Other fees apply, visit kfh.co.uk/lettingsfees

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04/04/2017 11:37 27/03/2017

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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PROPERTY / PROFILE L AU R I S T O N S

I N T H E I R OW N WO R D S

Cameron Cumming Negotiation runs in the family for The Wimbledon Lettings Manager Photography by R E B E C C A N O O NA N

A

f t er joi n i ng Lauristons in 2016 and having a great year heading up the lettings department in the newly established Kennington office, I was promoted to run the flagship Wimbledon branch at Christmas. The branch has been operating in the area for over twenty three years and in that time our Wimbledon based agents have developed thousands of long standing relationships with landlords and tenants alike.

The year so far has been a challenge, but one I’m enjoying and we’ve had enjoyed a fantastic start to 2017. We recently relocated to larger premises opposite our old office on Wimbledon Hill Road, which have been refurbished along with the rest of the Lauristons branches. I feel extremely lucky to be coming into a nice, shiny office each day and am excited to see what heights we can reach, and how far the business can go in the coming years with the backing of LSL. When growing up I actually wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, apart from make money of course. From an early age I had an entrepreneurial spirit. When I was thirteen,

I had a booming car wash business with my neighbour, which lasted all six weeks of the summer holiday. Other jobs included helping out my dad, who is a plasterer by trade, on the weekends and days off. However, I was more of a hindrance than a help as I quickly realized I didn’t like getting my hands dirty.

After seeing a family member who worked in estate agency drive by in a brand new sports car and nice suit and tie, I was instantly hooked.

From a large family with five siblings, I learnt how to negotiate at an early age while fighting for the TV remote or best seat on the sofa. My mum has said that they always knew negotiating would suit me as I was so triumphant when I won!

As soon as I left school at sixteen, I was on the hunt for a career in estate agency. After walking round the city all day visiting every branch I could, the last agency I walked in was actually looking for someone. I was delighted with a starting salary of £100 per week, which in the summer of 2003 was spent on a new suit and a smart car. I was ready to go!

After establishing myself at that business, my ambitions grew and I was ready to try out a more corporate company. I was offered the opportunity to help start up a new office for a multi branch sales agency looking to break in to the lettings market. It was a huge learning curve and gave me invaluable experience of

“IN THAT TIME OUR WIMBLEDON BASED AGENTS HAVE DEVELOPED THOUSANDS OF RELATIONSHIPS” a cold start, helping to build a business from day one.

Within a year I was made the manager, during this time I led the office and grew the department, while integrating a property management team to work alongside us. Since then I have been in several managerial positions before finding my feet at Lauristons.

Away from estate agency, I'm an avid Arsenal fan (sigh) and a proud father to my beautiful daughter. She’s already a better negotiator than me and, just like her mum, has the canny knack of getting her way. Despite this I'm currently in the process of persuading my partner for a few more! u

WIMBLEDON • 020 8405 5340 • lauristons.com

109 SW_May17_ITOW.indd 109

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:22

An exclusive private-gated development of only four 3 bedroom family homes, located in a quiet mews just off Etherstone Road in SW16. Each house has large open-plan kitchen/dining/living areas with bi-folding doors leading out into landscaped private gardens; generous master suites with en-suite bathrooms, two additional large double bedrooms and an integrated private garage.

New Homes

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Prices starting from ÂŁ740,000.

Location: Hearn Place, Etherstone Road, West Norwood, SW16 To download the brochure or to register your interest visit hearnplace.com.

Call 02077386839 or visit: www.hearnplace.com www.peddernewhomes.com Pedder New Homes 167 Herne Hill London, SE24 9LR

DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANCY

09/11/2016 25/10/2016 14:58 20:23

Looking to trade up?

Properties in SE London benefit from many things (easy access to central London, great schools and parks to name a few). But the biggest benefit is how much further your money goes which is, on balance, the most important thing.

At Pedder we have a greater choice of property at any one time than any other agent in our area. So if you’re looking, come and talk to the local experts.

Pedder. Nobody knows South East London like we know South East London.

Residential Sales | Residential Lettings | Property Management | New Homes Specialists | Mortgages Commercial Property | Land / Development | Chartered Surveyors | Property Maintenance

www.pedderproperty.com

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06/04/2017 10:41 14:33 06/04/2017

PROPERTY / COUNTRYSIDE

FIELDING COURT £3.8M

FA M O U S P L AC E S

by N I G E L L E W I S

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

SWAN COURT £1,235,000

COULD SWEET DREAMS BE MADE OF THIS?

A

Seven Dials apartment once owned by Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart is for sale. The three-storey, three-bedroom penthouse which features two rooftop terraces belonged to the ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made of This’ songwriter during the late 1990s and early noughties, and was visited by dozens of famous names.

These included George Harrison, David Bowie, Joe Strummer, Lou Reed, Damon Albarn, Sinead O’Connor, Gwen Stefani, Tracy Emin and Robin Williams.

The reason so many stars visited the flat is due to Stewart becoming a prolific hit maker for other artists after the band split, recording songs in his home studio, which is now the second reception room.

The flat, which is within Fielding Court near Covent Garden, is for sale at £3.85 million through agent Tavistock Bow (020 7477 2177).

IRON LADY’S DIYDECORATED HOME

T

hatcher was known as the Iron Lady for her uncompromising political stances and steeliness, but she had a softer side. In her early political years when she was a freshfaced MP, this sixth-floor, two bedroom apartment in London’s Chelsea was her home where, at one point, she was pictured papering its walls. The flat is within an Art Deco apartment block off the King’s Road called Swan Court, where she lived at

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the time with her husband Denis and twins Carol and Mark.

Swan Court was built during the 1930s and was originally meant for bachelors, although the flats eventually appealed to a much wider audience including young families such as the Thatchers. The wallpaper has long gone, and agent Edward Thomson of Strutt & Parker (07917 067469) says the property now needs a complete refurbishment.

It’s on the market for £1.235 million but has a very short lease, which could cost approximately £600,000 to extend.

“Swan Court was built during the 1930s and was originally meant for bachelors, although the flats eventually appealed to a much wider audience including young families"

112 07/04/2017 10:19

PROPERTY / STAR HOMES

DENHAM FILM STUDIOS £350,000

FLAT WHERE CHURCHILL’S CAREER TOOK OFF

A

huge apartment that was home to Winston Churchill during his early years in government is available to rent in central London for just short of £20,000 a month.

The property at 33 Eccleston Square in Pimlico was lived in for four years - starting in 1909 - by then business minister Winston Churchill.

While Churchill and his family lived here his career took off after several failed attempts at political success.

In four short years he had held the post of President of the Board of Trade from; Secretary of State for the Home Department and then First Lord of the Admiralty.

The property has four bedrooms, 4,000 sq ft of space, three reception rooms, a roof terrace, several bathrooms and a steam spa.

It’s available through Savills (0203 430 6872).

THE PLOT THICKENS AT EX-FILM STUDIOS

I ECCLESTONE SQUARE £20,000 P.M.

f you fancy moving to more bucolic surroundings and you’re a movie buff, then a new development being built in Denham should be idea.

Denham Film Studios was at the centre of the UK’s film industry for nearly two decades until its stages closed in 1952.

It’s where many famous films were shot including A Matter of Life and Death, Great Expectations and Brief Encounter.

But Denham’s film connections are now being revived. The site has been bought by developer Weston Homes and is having £120m spent on it to create hundreds of new homes.

As well as new-build apartments and townhouses it includes homes built within the old film studios’ Grade II listed Art Deco headquarters and laboratories. Other retained features of the site include its cinema, where

113 SW_May17_Famous Places.indd 113

“The property has 4,000 sq ft of space, four bedrooms, three reception rooms, a roof terrace, and a steam spa” movies were first screened to directors, and a famous cocktail bar.

The development provides 224 converted and newly built homes including 154 one, two and three bedroom apartments and 70 four and five bedroom family townhouses.

Prices start at £350,000 for a one bedroom apartment and £800,000 for a townhouse.

For more visit www.weston-homes. com or call 01279 873 300.

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:19

THE LAVENDER BUILDING, BATTERSEA Stunning penthouse apartment in a central location within walking distance to Clapham Junction mainline station and the shops, bars and restaurants that the area has to offer. The property benefits from oak flooring, air conditioning and comprises; good size reception room with dining area, roof terrace with spectacular views over the city, two large double bedrooms one with en-suite and a further master bathroom.

The property has allocated gated underground carparking. EPC = C.

ASKING PRICE

ÂŁ825,000

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BATTERSEA 020 7228 2278

07/04/2017 10:10

Kew Sheen Twickenham Teddington Kingston

Battersea Clapham Putney Barnes Richmond

Chiswick Hammersmith West Kensington Fulham Chelsea

featherstoneleigh.co.uk

LAVENDER GARDENS, BATTERSEA A four bedroom / three bathroom family home situated on one of Battersea’s premier roads. To the ground floor there is a large open-plan reception / kitchen, second reception / dining room / playroom and WC. To the first floor is the master bedroom with dressing area and ensuite bathroom and a further double bedroom with ensuite bathroom. To the second floor are a further two double bedrooms and further bathroom.

Available immediately. EPC = B 4

TO LET PCM

£3,791 TENANT FEES

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£60.00 (incl VAT) per person for referencing

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BATTERSEA 020 7228 2378 •

£250.00 (incl VAT) per property for the tenancy agreement

07/04/2017 10:11

HACKBRIDGE • LONDON

CGI is indicative only > Not representative of the final product.

LONDON’S BEST KEPT SECRET

NOW LAUNCHED LUXURY 2 & 3 BEDROOM HOMES AT MILLFIELDS, HACKBRIDGE Millfields – an exclusive collection of luxury new houses nestled in a tranquil neighbourhood in the beautiful Wandle Valley, South West London.

Houses from £470,000 To find out more please call: 0208 712 9765 or email: millfields@redrow.co.uk

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04/04/2017 11:40

Easy modern living by the River

Apartments to rent at Kew Bridge from £365 per week

1 Beds from £365 per week

2 Beds from £510 per week

Premier waterfront development 1, 2 & 3 Bedroom apartments Residents Gym, 24 Concierge, Parking 2 mins walk from Kew Bridge station Chiswick Park Tube and Kew Botanical Gardens nearby

Call us now on 020 3417 4316 or email kew@brlets.co.uk or visit www.brlets.co.uk Unit 15, 8 Kew Bridge Road, Kew, TW8 0FJ

London branches: Canary Wharf | City | Colindale Ealing | Fulham | Greenwich | Hammersmith Hampstead | Highgate | Hyde Park | Kensington | Kew Knightsbridge | Nine Elms | Surrey Quays | Wapping International: Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report. For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

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30/03/2017 09:40

Ealing Broadway

£925 pw Furnished

3 Bedrooms | Reception | 3 Bathrooms | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Parking | EPC – B Ealing 020 3302 5763

dy@brlets.co.uk

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

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30/03/2017 09:40

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

020 7319 9783

Brentford

£375 pw Furnished

London’s Letting Agency

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

Brentford

£520 pw Furnished

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment Concierge | Parking | Close to Station | EPC – B

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Balcony | Parking | Amenities Nearby | EPC – B

Kew 020 3417 4316

Kew 020 3417 4316

Fulham Reach

kew@brlets.co.uk

£580 pw Furnished

Kew Bridge

kew@brlets.co.uk

£600 pw Furn/Unfurn

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Cinema | Pool | Gym | EPC – B

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Parking | EPC – C

Hammersmith 020 3302 9637

Kew 020 3417 4316

fr@brlets.co.uk

kew@brlets.co.uk

Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

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30/03/2017 09:40

Dashwood House Dickens Yard, Ealing W5 Apartments to rent from £350 per week

1 Beds from £350 per week

2 Beds from £485 per week

High spec apartments Residents Pool, Gym, 24hr Concierge 3 minute walk to Ealing Broadway station

Call us now on 020 3302 5763 or email ealing@brlets.co.uk or visit www.brlets.co.uk 2 Dickens Yard, Longfield Avenue, Ealing W5 2TD

London branches: Canary Wharf | City | Colindale | Ealing Fulham | Greenwich | Hammersmith | Hampstead | Highgate Hyde Park | Kensington | Kew | Knightsbridge | Nine Elms Surrey Quays | Wapping International: Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report.

For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

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30/03/2017 09:40

For you, the family (and the downward facing dog).

A collection of beautifully finished 4 and 5 bedroom family homes with an additional mews studio space (to finally create that personal yoga sanctuary).

Prices from £2,150,000

Developer

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

Sales Agents

A S H C H U R C H V I L L A S .C O M 020 3432 9323

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@ASHCHURCHVILLAS

04/04/2017 10:35

f r o m b a k e - o f f to m ov i n g O U T

by N I G E L L E W I S

Why the Great British Bake-off Finalist Jane Beadle kneads to move

J

ane Beedle enjoyed ten weeks of national fame when she made it to the final of last year’s The Great British Bake Off, the last one before the programme transfers to Channel 4.

The 61-year old mother of three says her life hasn’t changed since baking famed beckoned and that she’s been busy back at her garden design business that she runs with her best friend, although she’s also been doing some TV work from her home kitchen for

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both the Good Morning Britain and Lorraine TV shows.

“The big different I noticed in my life is that suddenly everyone wants to talk to you,” she says, which most recently included launching the new Beckenham Market.

Her bake off journey started when her business partner Harriet kept on hounding her to apply to be on the show, and on the third attempt, she was accepted.

Jane says she remembers two of the episodes the best, but for different reasons. She says her

mini mouse cakes made for the showstopper section of week seven were her proudest moment.

“I pity the poor people who had to clean my bench area after that; I have never seen so much mess in all my life,” she says.

But the next week disaster struck when her three-tiered floral cake went wrong and, at the time, left her “fed up and miserable; it was my worst week on the show,” she says.

What a lot of the programme’s fans won’t know is that contestants have a week to practice each of their bakes at home before filming, and Jane used her kitchen in her home in Beckenham as her practice area.

“Lord knows how much icing sugar is hiding behind the units left over from that time,” she says.

The next owners of the house will soon find out. Jane says that now their children have left home, she and her husband want to sell their home and move to a more rural and slower-paced area.

They bought the property pretty much as a wreck. It had belonged to the local Conservative Party and served as their clubhouse and constituency office for over fifty

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PROPERTY / INTERVIEW

“At one point I saw my six-footfive-inch tall son trying to wash his feet in one of the tiny loo washbasins, which was entertaining.

“We put in a new kitchen, but it wasn't a really posh catering one because we always knew we’d be selling up this year and anyway there was such a lot to do here.

“I put in a kitchen that works rather than a really expensive one my kids have always loved sitting at the breakfast bar and chatting while I cook.”

Jane says they always intended the property to be their final push to create a pension pot and that being on TV didn’t deflect them from their plans, which is why they are selling up now.

“My husband wants to work much less, and I want to concentrate on my baking more and do less gardening, so now we can move to somewhere more rural,” she says. u

“My kids have always loved sitting at the breakfast bar and chatting while I cook”

years before Jane bought it, so the first thing she had to do was convert back into a home.

“They had divided the building into two sets of offices and knocked two bedrooms to make a meeting room. When we moved in it still had pictures of all the former Tory leaders hanging on the wall,” she says.

“There was no kitchen to speak of, no bathrooms – just loads of men’s and women’s urinals – and we lived in a small back room and cooked using an electric frying pan and a kettle during the six months that the work took to complete.

123 Chis_May17_BakeOff.indd 123

For more information contact Foxtons on 020 7579 2929 foxtons.co.uk

absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:16

I WANT TO EXPAND MY INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO

C

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CM

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THE HOME OF REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT Cityscape Abu Dhabi, the capital’s largest and most influential property exhibition is back. Bringing together investors, developers, government officials and real estate professionals, there is no better place to find investment opportunities and new business partners. With hundreds of developments from Abu Dhabi and overseas being showcased, Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2017 is the home of real estate investment.

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Official Russian Publication

Organised by

23/03/2017 11:54

Introducing Beechcroft’s beautifully converted homes THE CHAPEL AT FITZROY GATE Located in a private, gated, parkland setting on the banks of the River Thames, Fitzroy Gate is a collection of just 23 exclusive two and three-bedroom houses and apartments resulting from the sensitive conversion of The Chapel, The Mews and the Grade II listed White House, as well as the newly-built Isabella House.

Each of the four exquisitely appointed threebedroom period apartments in The Chapel feature a wealth of original features and detailing, complemented by contemporary fixtures and fittings and bespoke kitchens and bathrooms.

SHOW HOME OPEN EVERY DAY 10AM TO 5PM The Chapel from ÂŁ1,350,000 Please call for an appointment to view:

020 3813 3504 2782 7590

www.fitzroygate.co.uk

Fitzroy Gate Sales and Marketing Suite Richmond Road, Old Isleworth TW7 7BP

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LIVING THE

DREAM The most luxuriously appointed properties on the market

1

PUTNEY COMMON

SW 1 5, £ 1 ,0 0 0,0 0 0

A

wonderful two double bedroom/ two bathroom second floor apartment with en-suite wet room, bathroom, open plan living room/kitchen and two private balconies.

The apartment benefits from underfloor heating, smart home technology and a 10 year NHBC warranty. 100 Putney Common is an exceptional development located on the edge of Putney Lower Common. u

FEATHERSTONE LEIGH Sheen, 020 8876 4567; featherstoneleigh.co.uk

HONEYBROOK ROAD SW1 2, £1, 36 5,000

T

his beautiful house boasts a double reception with feature fireplace, a large modern kitchen with bi folding doors leading onto a good size and a well-presented south facing garden. On the first floor there is a master bedroom with built in wardrobes, two additional double bedrooms and family bathroom.

On the top floor there is a large bedroom with en suite. u MARSH & PARSONS Balham & Clapham South, 020 8673 4377; marshandparsons.co.uk 1

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PROPERTY / NEW TO THE MARKET

KLEA AVENUE, CLAPHAM SW 4 , £ 1 ,75 0,0 0 0

SW 1 1 , £ 2 , 6 0 0,0 0 0

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KFH

MARSH & PARSONS Battersea, 020 7228 9292; marshandparsons.co.uk

truly exquisite and fully extended Victorian house situated in the heart of Abbeville Village, only moments from the superb transport links of Clapham South. This stunning property has been lovingly modernised to a high spec and tasteful finish throughout. The house boasts superb dimensions (2101 sq ft) and an exceptional master bedroom with en-suite. u

Clapham, 020 3199 3137; kfh.co.uk

CENTURION BUILDING

WARRINER GARDENS truly unique four bedroom house set in a quiet, secure gated development with one parking space. This modern-build house has been meticulously refurbished to a high specification throughout.

Set in a leafy, green mews, the house comprises three floors, all with plenty of natural light and benefitting from underfloor heating. u

SW 8 , £ 3 , 5 0 0,0 0 0

H

ighly distinctive & interior designed penthouse apartment with three bedrooms situated on the eight floor of the prestigious Centurion Building at Chelsea Bridge Wharf. The apartment has fabulous views overlooking Chelsea Bridge and the River Thames as well as views of the London Eye & Parliament from the front terrace and water gardens from the rear balcony. u

THE APARTMENT HAS FABULOUS VIEWS OVERLOOKING CHELSEA BRIDGE AND THE RIVER THAMES

KNIGHT FRANK

Battersea & Nine Elms, 020 3866 2930; knightfrank.com

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absolutely.london

07/04/2017 10:33

ARE YOU GETTING THE CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU DESERVE? The ESTAS is the largest independent customer service awards scheme for estate agents, mortgage brokers and conveyancers in the UK property industry.

Companies who sign up to The ESTAS are committed to giving YOU the best possible service they can.

So if you’re searching for an estate or letting agent, conveyancer or mortgage broker look out for the official ESTAS logo to give you peace of mind and the service you deserve. Whatever your experience, you’ll have the chance to give your feedback, helping us recognise firms that provide excellent customer service throughout the home moving process.

To find out more visit our website

theestas.com

Because Service Matters ESTA.indd 0048 ESTAS1Absolutely Magazine Ad Oct 2016 AW.indd 1

02/11/2016 12:42 10:35 19/10/2016

THE BEST OF WATERSIDE LIVING APARTMENTS READY FOR OCCUPATION

Battersea Reach SW18 1TX Prices from £679,950* batterseareach.co.uk

Chelsea Creek SW6 2FS Prices from £2,850,000* chelseacreek.co.uk

Fulham Reach W6 9GD Prices from £1,999,950* fulhamreach.co.uk

Please contact the Battersea Reach Marketing Suite for further information or to arrange a viewing Tel: 020 3627 7963 Email: batterseareachsales@stgeorgeplc.com Address: Unit 3 Kingfisher House, Juniper Drive, London SW18 1TX

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Photography and CGIs are indicative only. *Prices correct at time of sending to press.

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07/03/2017 11:59 28/02/2017 11:31

PROPERTY / FEATURE Chamonix’s off-piste property appeal

by N I G E L L E W I S

Nigel Lewis visits the famously gnarly Alpine resort to see what you can buy.

T

he day I visited Chamonix the skiing conditions did not look good. The snow was mostly cannon-created, thin and there were rumours in the nearby Three Valleys of resorts being partially closed as water reserves ran low. Then the next day the clouds gathered, darkened and dumped. Chamonix’s pistes were transformed into a powdery heaven and for a time the volume of snow – ironically – closed one of its ski stations.

Such conditions, in which my skis disappeared into huge drifts even on the main pistes, are manna from heaven for Chamonix. It’s where serious skiers go to test their skills and, rather than being a ski resort, it’s more a winter sports wonderland and the town describes itself as the best ‘freeride resort’ in the world.

Walk down Chamonix’s high street on a late January afternoon and you’ll see who the resort tends to attract; weathered Nordic types clutching long, fat skis and plenty of technical bits hanging off carabiner clips clump merrily down to their après dens.

Chamonix has an unusual layout with two ski areas directly above the town but the other ski areas are outside the town.

The skiing in the two nearest areas – Le Brevent and Le Flegere – can, in places, be hairy although there are some blues. But both require a black run or a bubble to get you back to town. There’s also a cable car

on the outskirts of town that takes you to the famous Aiguilles du Midi viewpoint, from where you can ski the 20km-long and world-famous off-piste Vallee Blanche routes. Up from Chamonix is Argentiere which, once you’re up on its pistes, you can only return to via a red or the bubble and it offers mostly blacks and reds with a handful of short blues. For less proficient skiers or those who just want an easier day’s skiing

then down the valley and 10 minutes along the motorway is Les Houches. It is a nice mix of blues and easy reds and offers stunning views over the Chamonix valley on a clear day, and has a pretty village below it where you can have lunch, as well as several piste-side eateries too.

The property market in Chamonix is comparable to other high-profile Alpine resorts, but on average it’s less expensive, partly because demand is lower. It’s not somewhere you own a property for the caché so much, but rather because you’re a serious skier.

It’s a market heavily dominated by apartments; studios kick off at €250,000 while two-bedroom flats start at €450,000 and three-bedroom apartments at €600,00.

The region’s largest house builder, MGM, is also busy in and around Chamonix. It has a large ‘hotel-apartment’ style development called Le Crystal de Jade recently completed next to the Aiguilles du Midi cable car.

It’s a five-star development of 56 luxury one to four-bedroom apartments in chaletstyle, four-storey properties. Attached to them is hotel-style reception with a resident’s lounge, a small bar as well as a sauna, spa, indoor pool, ski lockers and underground parking. The remaining available properties within the development are being sold via the French leaseback system.

“Leaseback means that you own the freehold but lease the property back to MGM; in return the French government gives you back the 20% VAT it charges on new apartments, if you agree to rent it out,” says Richard Deans of MGM. MGM also has two other developmets under way near Chamonix. ◆ More information from www.mgmfrenchproperties.com/property

“It's more a winter sports wonderland and the town describes itself as the best 'freeride resort' in the world” ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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Show Apartment Now Open Saturdays and Sundays, 10am - 4pm or by appointment only The Show Apartment at 100 Putney Common showcases the beautiful design and specification of just 24 unique one, two & three bedroom apartments.

Finished to the highest of contemporary specifications, the development is situated in an enviable location on the borders of Putney & Barnes immediately adjacent to Putney Lower Common.

Each interior designed apartment features a private balcony and/or terrace and comes fully equipped with underfloor heating, integrated kitchen, contemporary flooring and Kartell by Laufen bathrooms. Secure underground parking is available to selected apartments.

1 bedroom apartments from

2 bedroom apartments from

3 bedroom apartments from

£595,000

£795,000

£1,295,000

Call now to book your appointment: 020 8876 4567 • Visit: 100putneycommon.co.uk

Photography of Show Apartment at 100 Putney Common.

Prices correct at time of print.

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03/03/2017 10:55

A world famous view only a few will call home Discover London’s new riverfront address The Dumont is the centre-piece of Albert Embankment Plaza, London’s most prestigious new riverfront quarter.

Soaring 30 storeys it affords unparalleled views over the most famous stretch of the River Thames and a lifestyle without equal. Facilities include ten-pin bowling, games room, cinema, 12th floor lounge, dining room and roof gardens.

Along with a state-of-the-art gym, infinity pool, spa and 24-hour concierge service. A collection of suites, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments with a selection of elegant interiors are available.

Prices from £595,000 Coming soon – to register your interest please call 020 3813 5092 or email dumont.london@stjames.co.uk To discover more visit www.thedumont.co.uk or the Marketing Suite at 21 Albert Embankment.

Sales & Marketing Suite open daily 10am to 6pm.

Prices and details correct at time of going to press. Computer generated image is indicative only.

www.thedumont.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

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03/03/2017 15:45