Absolutely Chelsea & Fulham, Notting Hill and Kensington December 2018

CHELSEA & FULHAM

ABSOLUTELY

Notting Hill & Kensington Chelsea & Fulham DECEMBER 2018 / £3.95

CHRISTMAS TABLES How to feast in style

Deck the

HALLS All the most fabulous baubles

DECEM B ER 2018

GIFTS GALORE ‘Tis the season to be giving

Sparkle &

SHINE

F E S T I V E F A S H I O N F AV O U R I T E S ZEST.LONDON Cover_PCL_December18.indd 6-7

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020 7736 2810 | www.lockettestates.co.uk 963 Fulham Road London SW6 5JJ | sales@lockettestates.co.uk

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THE PENTHOUSE OBSERVATORY, FULHAM SW6

£2,890,000

A unique and superbly presented fourth and fifth floor penthouse apartment situated within this secure gated development in the heart of the ever-popular Munster Village in Fulham. Occupying approximately 3000 sq/ft of living space, the property briefly comprises of secure lift, entrance hallway, three double bedrooms, large kitchen/diner, spacious reception room with floor to ceiling windows, two bathrooms, steam room, utility room, balcony, two separate WCs and a fantastic glass conservatory leading to two large roof terraces with amazing 360-degree panoramic views of the London skyline. The property further boasts high ceilings, private lift, double gated garage, ample storage space, stripped wood flooring, feature spiral staircase, gas central heating and a share of freehold.

• Transport Parsons Green Station - 0.54 miles

• Two Large Landscaped Roof Terraces

• Transport Putney Bridge Station - 0.75 miles

• Three Double Bedrooms

• Transport Fulham Broadway Station - 0.77 miles

• Feature Spiral Staircase

• Penthouse Apartment

• Gated Double Garage

• 360-degree Panoramic Views London Skyline

• Approx. 3000 sq/ft of Living Space

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ABSOLUTELY

Contents DECEMBER 2018

34 58

118 14

C U LT U R E ABSOLUTELY LOVES

FOOD & DRINK 58 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

AGENDA

60 GIFTS FOR FOODIES

10 things we’re coveting this month

18

Diary dates for December

WINTER POPUPS

21

All the Christmas specials

FA S H I O N 28 JINGLE BELL ROCK

Meeting the founder of Harry Rocks

34 THE SHOOT

Party pieces from Deborah Lyons

H E A LT H & B E AU T Y 45 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL This month’s best beauty buys

51

SCENT SPECIAL

Perfume tales

News from the industry

All the best treats

76

INTERIORS INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS News and views from the world of design

80 FESTIVE TABLES

Anna Barnett's designs for Habitat

T R AV E L 118 MOUNTAIN PASS

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N The online guide to inspirational London living that helps you stay one step ahead of the crowd and gives you the chance to win exclusive prizes.

Skiing in the Dolomites

PROPERTY 142 LIVING THE DREAM

The most luxurious London properties

ON THE COVER Deborah Lyons deborahlyons.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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EDITOR IN CHIEF PENDLE HARTE DIGITAL EDITOR HELEN BROWN EDUCATION EDITOR AMANDA CONSTANCE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT FLORA THOMAS GROUP SALES DIRECTOR CRAIG DAVIES GROUP SALES MANAGER ANABELA KOLECI

E XP ERIENCE T HE U LT IMATE 1 2 - WEEK FI TNESS BU RST

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Discover the most efficient way to lose weight, get stronger and improve your fitness.

FREE CONSULTATIO N Come and chat about your goals with no commitment. Just contact us, and we’ll be in touch to book an appointment that suits you.

VISIT: w10.fit/1to1 or CALL: 020 3489 5428

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PA TO DIRECTORS EVA LEHOCZKY For editorial enquiries please email: pendle@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 3397 8706 or email: craig@zest-media.com

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

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Fo l l ow Us O n Fa c e b o o k @ABSOLUTELYMAGAZINES 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

23/11/2018 15:33

Editor’s

LETTER ABSOLUTELY’S December issue highlights

1

E

FESTIVE TABLES Anna Barnett's beautiful Christmas schemes for Habitat are inspiring us all. page 80

verybody loves Christmas, yet still we all complain when it seems to start earlier each year, and go on for longer, and involve more intense preparation. But there's no denying that decorations do get better every year: more stylish, more varied and more humorous. Some of my favourites this year include the hot dog stand bauble at the Conran Shop, the do-ityourself wooden elves at Skandium and the intensely colourful boiled wool creations at Anthropologie. Also this year, crackers have got serious with new offerings from Claridges and a huge range at Harrods – while a strong focus on sustainability is leading to a rejection of anything single-use (yes, including crackers). Almost everything in this issue is Christmassy, from lots of food talk – turkeys, of course, plus hampers and lots of booze – to Christmas trees and lots and lots of gifts.

We've got gifts for men, women and children – and our new category, teens, for whom we're buying trainers, cushions, lights and sweatshirts that we're actually secretely coveting for ourselves too. And for anyone booking holidays for next year, we're looking at skiing in the Dolomites and city breaking in Amsterdam.

Happy Christmas.

5

4

STAR TREATMENT Anthropologie's tree toppers are the finest by far page 79

POILANE'S BISCUITS What's not to like about an edible garland? page 67

2

PRETTY CRACKERS

The prize for the prettiest cracker may have to go to Katie Leamon. page 97

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PENDLE HARTE EDITOR

3

HARRY ROCKS Our new favourite jewellery brand. page 28

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Wish LIST 10 things we Absolutely love COMPILED BY

H E L E N B R OW N

14

Part y starte r This gorgeous sequin number is exclusive to Net-a-Porter and part of Laura Jackson’s new collaboration with RIXO. With all-over sequins and elegant puffed sleeves it’s a guaranteed showstopper at any soiree; from £395. net-a-porter.com

SCARLET FEVER This winter, Net-a-Porter’s ski and snow shop offers everything you need for a stylish stint on the slopes.

Simone Rocha's Moncler Genius glossy shell jacket is the cherry on top of a gorgeous edit; £1,405. net-a-porter.com

EDITOR’S PICK

FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Luscious and tempting, Lost Cherry is the latest in Tom Ford’s line of sought-after scents. Black cherry, bitter almond and turkish rose provide seductive top notes while roasted tonka and sandalwood add depth.; £895. net-a-porter.com

STAR STRUCK

Spun from the softest merino wool, this sweater from Perfect Moment is guaranteed to keep you warm. Layer it beneath a ski suit or wear it with jeans for a walk into town; £235. perfectmoment.com

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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ABSOLUTELY • LOVES

SIP IN STYLE Not even the drinks cabinet is exempt from the obligatory Christmas jumper. Maker’s Mark prove themselves to be purveyors of exceptional whisky and festive cheer by adorning bottles of their small batch bourbon with an enviable Christmas knit; £30. morrisons.com

Feeling festive Net-a-Porter kicks off the party season with the launch of its holiday campaign. Shot by photographer Greg Harris and starring models Dilone and Hana Jirickova, the campaign features stand-out pieces from Halpern, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Jenny Packham. net-a-porter.com

HAT TRICK City chic meets snow bunny in this rich cashmere beanie from Danielapi; the ultimate winter style staple to dress your tresses with this season; £247. farfetch.com

LIP SMACKER

You can’t get more classic than a red lip for the festive season. Treat yourself this Christmas to Chanel’s limited-edition Rouge Allure Velvet No5; £32. chanel.com

FESTIVE NOTES

Missed out on the Liberty Advent Calendar? Not to worry. The Liberty Beauty Cracker with Escentric Molecules commissions a Christmas tailored to the beauty-obsessed, with a travel-size Molecule 01 eau de toilette from the contemporary fragrance house; £36. libertylondon.com

WILD CHILD

Autumn saw designers incorporate leopard print into everything from blouses to track pants to maxi dresses. Team this Whistles number with lace-up boots for the evening and boxfresh trainers for day; £169. whistles.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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C U LT U R E THE BOWER OF BLISS, LINDER; ART ON THE UNDERGROUND; ART.TFL.GOV.UK

What’s On 18 • Winter Pop-ups 21 • Top Theatre Picks 25 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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The Agenda

LO N D O N ’S H OT T E ST H A P P E N I N G S

FILM

The Luna Winter Cinema Various dates

KEN SIN GTON PALAC E

Luna Cinema has popped up once again to showcase a fantastically festive array of classic films in the grounds of Kensington Palace. Cosy up with Christmas fare and mulled drinks as you watch familyfavourites like Miracle on 34th Street, Elf and Love Actually.

Kensington Gardens, W8; thelunacinema.com

T H E AT R E

SNOW QUEEN 3 - 8 D EC E MB E R • BUS H THEATRE

Kai and Gerda had been friends for as long as they could remember. Until, in a whirl of magic, deception and a splintered mirror, Kai is pulled under the spell of the Snow Queen. Go on a wintery journey full of friendship, loyalty and the dangers of the unknown as Gerda sets off to rescue her friend.

7 Uxbridge Road, W12; bushtheare.co.uk

18

T H E AT R E

A Christmas Carol 12-14 December

THE PRIN T ROOM AT T H E CORON ET

Charles Dickens’ enduringly popular Christmas classic returns with stage veteran Clive Francis playing the miserly Scrooge. His most recent performance accolade saw him playing Lord Salisbury in The Crown, but Francis was first introduced to A Christmas Carol in the late 90’s when he starred in the same roll in a lavish production for the RSC. 103 Notting Hill Gate, W11; the-print-room.org

A B S O L U T E LY m a g a z i n e s

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CULTURE • TALKING TOPICS

FESTIVE

SK ATE AT SO M ERSET H O USE Until 13 January SOMERSET HOUSE

The stately surrounds of Somerset House have once again been transformed into the ultimate winter destination for stylish skating and festive frivolity. Skate at Somerset House with Fortnum & Mason welcomes visitors with the signature 40ft Christmas tree and offers skating for all ages and occasions, gourmet food and drink in the Fortnum & Mason Lodge and rinkside shopping at the Fortnum’s Christmas Arcade. Strand, WC2R; somersethouse.org.uk

Around Town S E A S ON AL

TREE TIMES Ongoing PIN E S A ND NEED LE S

Pines and Needles is your one-stopshop when it comes to Christmas trees and decorations. Both online and instore at one of their stunning locations across London, you'll find the finest array of trees, wreaths, decorations and festive accessories. Harry and Meghan have bought from them so why don't you? pinesandneedles.com

EX HIBITION

RICHARD YOUNG Ongoing RI C H A RD YO U NG GA L L E RY

This Month’s Must See

Having embarked on the mammoth task of digitalising its archive, the Richard Young Gallery has unearthed some gems from Richard’s prolific career as a celebrity photographer. This recently re-discovered shot of Faye Dunaway is on display for the winter season along with a brilliant shot of Freddie Mercury and many more from Richard’s classic collection.

4 Holland Street, W8; richardyounggallery.co.uk

D AY

HOGWARTS IN THE SNOW Until 27 January WARN ER BROS . ST UD IO TOUR

THE NUTCRACKER

F

OUT

28- 3 1 D ECEMBER ROYAL • ALBERT HALL

ollowing a criticallyacclaimed season in 2017, Birmingham Royal Ballet brings its specially-created version of the Christmas ballet back to the Royal Albert Hall. With its spectacular setting, grand ensemble pieces and ravishing Tchaikovsky score, this enchanting production of The Nutcracker wowed audiences and is without a doubt the quintessential Christmas treat.

Kensington Gore, SW7; royalalberthall.com

Experience the festive season in the wizarding world as the snow falls over Hogwarts and the Warner Bros Studio tour. Along with the Yule Ball decoration, expect to see the Great Hall lined with Christmas trees, the tables groaning with roast turkeys and the Gryffindor common room decked out as per the films. Warner Bros. Studio Tour London, Leavesden, WD25 7LR wbstudiotour.co.uk

S E A S ON AL

HYDE PARK WINTER WONDERLAND Until 6 January HY D E PARK

Christmas isn’t complete without Hyde Park’s gigantic tribute to festive frivolity. Winter Wonderland is back with its winter stalls, food stands and fun, plus Raymond Briggs’ beloved The Snowman will be celebrated with a an immersive screening from Backyard Cinema. Hyde Park, W2; hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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CULTURE • SEASONAL

ROUND UP

Winter

THE WINTER FOREST

WONDERLAND

Make the most of the festive season with our pick of the capital’s best winter pop-ups

By H E L E N B R O W N

ICELANDIC IGLOOS

Icelandic Igloos UNTIL 16 MARCH • AVIARY ROOFTOP

Swap the Northern Lights for the starlit city skyline this winter as Aviary transforms its rooftop into a glistening Arctic escape. 10 storeys up on the restaurant’s expansive terrace you’ll find Aviary’s stylish, Nordic-inspired igloos, an exclusive Reyka cocktail menu and an enticing selection of sharing platters. 22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A; aviarylondon.com

Madison Chalet UNTIL 28 FEBRUARY • MADISON

Madison is bringing the après-ski scene to the city with festive winter warmer cocktails, live music and gorgeous views of St Paul’s Cathedral. Timberclad chalets decked out with twinkling lights, faux fur and tartan blankets bring alpine action to the famous rooftop, while a slope-inspired menu will keep visitors warm. 1 New Change, St Paul’s, EC4M; madisonlondon.net

Noel Chandon UNTIL 5 JANUARY • THE BLIND PIG

Jason Atherton has teamed up with Moët & Chandon to create a cosy winter snug out of his flagship bar, The Blind Pig. Guests to the speakeasy will see it adorned with mistletoe, plush blankets and wreaths - perfect for the party season. Two innovative cocktails have been created for the collaboration: the Cranberry Kir Royal and a ‘Christmas Pudding’ cocktail. 58 Poland Street, Soho, W1F; socialeatinghouse.com

NOEL CHANDON

The Frozen Island UNTIL 27 JANUARY • TROPICANA BEACH CLUB

Neighbourhood Cinema is inviting Londoners on a voyage to the shores of an enchanted Frozen Island where they’ll find a shipwrecked world of frosted palms, icicles and giant snow globes. Here you can snuggle up to watch classic Christmas movies, enjoy a frozen cocktail from the ice bar and nibble on popcorn and festive gourmet sliders. Parker Street, WC2B; neighbourhoodcinema.co.uk

The Winter Forest at Broadgate Circle UNTIL 24 DECEMBER • BROADGATE CIRCLE

Throughout the month of December, 300 snow-covered pine trees, twinkling MADISON CHALET lights and wood cabins will transform Broadgate’s buzzing restaurants and bars into a magical Winter Forest.

Visitors will be transported to a world of winter celebrations with special menus and cocktails from the all-new Mrs Fogg’s pop-up bar on the mezzanine level. Broadgate Circle, EC2M; broadgate.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

MUSIC, DANCE, LIGHTS AND A SNOW-FILLED FINALE WITH SPECIAL GUEST

KIMBERLEY WALSH AND THE NATION’S FAVOURITE BALLROOM COUPLE

ANTON DU BEKE & ERIN BOAG Toe-tapping tunes and seasonal songs including Sleigh Ride Last Christmas Merry Christmas Everybody The Christmas Song Santa Claus is Coming To Town and many more…

KERRY ELLIS & TIM HOWAR GUEST SINGERS THE JINGLE BELLES® JOHN RIGBY CONDUCTOR LONDON CONCERT ORCHESTRA

Book tickets at LWTHEATRES.CO.UK or 020 7087 7755

THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE Sun 16 & 23 Dec at 3pm & 7.30pm

THE LONDON PALLADIUM Mon 17 Dec at 7.30pm

A festive after-dark experience

CHRISTMAS AT

LONDON ZOO antastical agical, f illum m A in

ated trail

Magic Mountain • The Tunnel of Light Vortex of Light • The Sledge Tree Penguin Pool Panorama Father Christmas and his elves Seasonal food and gifts

UNTIL 1 JAN christmasatlondonzoo.co.uk 0844 995 1372 Calls cost 7p per minute plus your network access charge. Running selected evenings only.

Please note this is an after-dark experience exploring the magic of ZSL London Zoo’s historic site and therefore our animals will be in bed and will not be available to view.

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CULTURE • THEATRE

The Wider Earth

David Morton tells Charles Darwin's story in puppetry and projections

T

B y M A R K M AC K E N Z I E

he Wider Earth tells the story of the voyage made by Charles Darwin, in 1831, aboard HMS Beagle, part of a naval expedition to survey the coast of South America. Written and directed

by David Morton, the production artfully blends human players with ingenious puppet incarnations of the species Darwin encountered.

The venue, a purpose-built theatre at the Natural History Museum’s Jerwood Gallery, is poignant. The

great man is synonymous with the institution; his statue looks down on the main hall, while many of the real specimens he gathered still reside in its collections.

Originally planned as a two-year jaunt, Darwin spent half a decade at sea. The staging is impressive, the backdrop a vast, wraparound sail, on to which are projected elegant watercolours of the countless locations in which the Beagle made port. A revolving wooden carbuncle central to the action serves, variously, as the Darwins’ Shropshire home, the Beagle’s deck, and the

A wet earnestness morphs into a winning enthusiasm

ABSOLUTELY reviews…

rocky outcrops of the Galapagos Islands. That each rotation causes the structure to creak, like the timbers of a ship, is a classy touch.

If there is a wet earnestness in the early stages of Bradley Foster’s portrayal of the young Darwin, it morphs into a winning enthusiasm.

Almost everything Darwin saw piqued his interest: the discoloration of the ocean; the breathing mechanisms of fish; lightning; slavery; animal husbandry; dinosaur fossils; forms of government; and Inca culture. Morton does well to include so many but therein lies a conundrum. The puppetry will doubtless appeal to children but the dialogue, delivered as long-form exposition, will not. Credit is due for the attempt to cover so much of Darwin’s story but the inclusion of so many elements germane to his later work weighs heavily.

The choice of the Jerwood is intended as a homecoming of sorts, although at times it lacks the intimacy to work as a theatre.

VERDICT

Ambitiously staged Darwin saga ★★★★★ THE WIDER EARTH

Jerwood Gallery Natural History Museum, SW7 5BD, until 30 December, thewiderearth.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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CULTURE • THEATRE

ROUND UP

Best in

MUST SEE

SHOW

Get the most out of London’s theatre scene with our top stage picks for the month

By H E L E N B R O W N

Sleeping Beauty

Austentatious

★★★★★

★★★★★

1 December - 12 January

Until 16 December

PARK THEATRE

Theatre Royal Stratford East is going all out for panto season with its hugelyanticipated production of Sleeping Beauty. In an entrancing twist on the classic, Sleeping Beauty wakes to find herself in a new city with a cruel fairy hot on her heels. Expect a buoyant blend of original songs, cracking jokes and a dusting of festive magic.

Gerry Raffles Square, E15; stratfordeast.com

SAVOY THEATRE

Following a resoundingly successful season, Austentatious: The Improvised Jane Austen Novel will extend its run at the Savoy Theatre. Entirely improvised, no two performances are the same as a cast of the country’s sharpest comic performers conjure up a lost Jane Austen novel based on a title suggested by the audience. Savoy Court, WC2R; atgtickets.com

SLEEPING BEAUTY IMAGES BY ROBERT VIGLASKY

Seussical the Musical

Circus 1903

★★★★★

19 December - 5 January

Until 29 December

ROYAL FE STIVAL HALL

SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE

Experience the thrills and daredevil entertainment of a turn-of-the-century circus this Christmas as Circus 1903 makes its European premiere at Southbank. Expect sensational puppetry from the award-winning team behind War Horse, as contortionists, jugglers and more transports audiences of all ages to the mesmerising Golden Age of circus. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1; southbankcentre.co.uk

The fantastical world of Dr. Seuss bursts onto the stage in this largerthan-life musical extravaganza. Join the mischievous Cat in the Hat and a host of other much-loved characters on a magical, madcap adventure set to an electric score and co-conceived by Monty Python’s Eric Idle.

77-85 Newington Causeway, SE1; southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

★★★★★

The Nutcracker ★★★★★

3 December - 15 January ROYAL OPERA HOUSE

The Royal Ballet’s much-loved performance of The Nutcracker returns with a larger-than-life Christmas tree, a plethora of enchanting stage effects and Tchaikovsky’s illustrious score. It follows Clara and Hans-Peter on a glittering journey through the Kingdom of the Sweets, where they encounter the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer and the shimmering Sugar Plum Fairy.

Bow Street, WC2E; roh.org.uk

HADESTOWN

THE NUTCRACKER

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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IF YOU DON’T LOOK GOOD | WE DON’T LOOK GOOD

FOR YOUR NEAREST SALON VISIT WWW.SASSOON-SALON.COM

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FASHION

WHITE CHRISTMAS BOA BOUTIQUE Olvis’ focus is on fresh, innovative design using the finest stretch French lace and a forgiving lining which is made to fit and flatter the feminine form. boa-boutique.com

Gifts for her & Gifts for him 32 ¡ The shoot: Deborah Lyons' partywear 34 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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I Rocks OFF

t's an increasingly well-trodden path.

Woman has baby, tries to return to her existing job and manage motherhood alongside the nine-tofive, but finds it overwhelming and instead sets up on her own. And often these are stories of success, both personally and professionally.

When Laura Rowan went back to work as a designer after having her son Harry, things had changed and the high street fashion brand she was working for wanted her to spend at least a week out of every month in China working with factories. Pre-kids she had travelled probably once a quarter, and the new regularity was too much for her as a mother.

Her background was in graphic design and she had worked in jewellery design for companies including Accessorize, Next and Marks and Spencer – so launching her own jewellery brand was a natural move.

'I'm kind of doing it backwards,' she tells me over coffee. Laura is a friendly and approachable woman with a natural sense of what women like. Her jewellery is simple and stylish yet it has longevity. She set out to create a small brand and to make everything in the UK – and at the start, her experience was exclusively in designing and not in making. That's what she means by backwards – when she went to evening classes in jewellery making at Central Saint Martins, she had already been putting her own designs into production for a long time, even though she knew nothing about the actutal craft. 'I wasn't very patient and it takes me a long time!' she says. Making jewellery is very painstaking work, involving precision and magnifying glasses. Laura works at a bench in Hatton Garden once a week, where she loves being able to learn from the experts. 'I've been hammering bangles and for the new collection I am

Absolutely meets Laura Rowan, founder of jewellery brand Harry Rocks b y PENDLE HARTE

LAURA ROWAN

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FASHION • INTERVIEW

“The brand took off very quickly, partly due to a chance meeting”

casting coins. It's really exciting.'

Harry Rocks was named party after her son Harry and partly after the Old Harry Rocks in Dorset, where Laura spent her summers as a child. 'It's a magical place and when I started I didn't want to use my own name so I chose that,' she says. The brand took off very quickly, partly due to a chance meeting with someone who bought some earrings and wore them that evening to an event where someone noticed them and liked them – who happened to be a buyer for Harvey Nichols. The next day she put in an order and for the next three years Harry Rocks had a lovely relationship. 'That was a great start,' says Laura.

Her collection is both on-trend and timeless, with its stars, moons, lightning bolts and coins as well as lots of personalised pieces.

The best-seller is the Entwined collection, a lovely idea whereby clients commission between two and five letters to be drawn in a linked design by Laura and then engraved in nine carat gold. These are completely

MINI HOOP WITH BOLT EARRINGS, £45

bespoke and come in a range of sizes and finishes. 'Every single one is different and I'm really proud of them,' says Laura.

She's also proud of her ingenius butterfly backs that come with charms hanging from chains, designed to fit on the back of any stud. 'They take a bit of explaining but they're proving popular,' she explains.

They're sold singly without a stud, because the idea is to mix and match. As part of a focus on longevity and waste avoidance, Harry Rocks sells hoop earrings that are designed to be worn with a variety of

compatible charms – so you buy one pair of earrings, then add charms separately.

'They're not throwaway like high street pieces. That's important to me.' she says.

She wants to know where everything comes from and to keep things as local and friendly as possible.

Laura went on to have a daughter, Maisie, who inevitably became outraged that her mother's business seemed to be all about her brother and not about her. 'So I had to start a children's range for her really. She's six and not very girlie but Maisie Bee is named after her'. This collection comprises cute mini hugs and kisses bracelets, dinky personalised charms and birthstone necklaces as well as christening necklaces.

This Christmas, a pound from each Maisie Bee sale will go to the Team Margot, a child cancer charity, set up for a girl local to Laura in south west London. Laura loves selling at local fairs and meeting her customers – she's keen to keep her prices accessible even though her margins are small. 'I suppose I should really put my prices up,' she smiles – and since she's been going for nine years now, it must be about time. harryrocks.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Y

STORY Capture the unique facets of your story with a one-off bespoke engagement ring

www.hkjewellery.co.uk Hertfordshire Jewellery Centre +44 (0)1462 790 565 hertfordshire@hkjewellery.co.uk North Barn, Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, Herts, SG4 7DP

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Cambridge Studio & Shop +44 (0)1223 461 333 cambridge@hkjewellery.co.uk 6/7 Green Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3JU

London Studio & Shop +44 (0)203 886 0757 primrosehill@hkjewellery.co.uk 69 Regent’s Park Road, Primrose Hill, London, NW1 8UY

14/08/2018 14:10

FASHION • JEWELLERY

Trinkets & Treasures Top picks from Harriet Kelsall to put under the tree All Harriet Kelsall; hkjewellery.co.uk

BRILLIANT CUT EMERALD EARRINGS

RUBY AND DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING

DIAMOND STACKING RING SET IN PALLADIUM

9 Carat Yellow Gold and 0.65 ct Emerald

Fairtrade 18 Carat, 0.58ct Ruby & 0.1ct Diamond

9 Carat Yellow and Rose Gold

£1,475

£2,985

£2,775

ETERNITY RING WITH DIAMONDS TOTALLING 0.10CT

PENDANT WITH A STAR SET G-H SI2-3 DIAMOND

DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RING

9 Carat Rose Gold

9 Carat Yellow Goldx

£1,345

£595

Fairtrade 18 Carat Yellow Gold, 0.67ct G-H VS Briolette Cut Diamond £3,249

9 CARAT ROSE GOLD BOMBE RING

ASYMMETRIC MIX OR MATCH EARRINGS

EARRINGS WITH STAR SET I PK1 DIAMONDS

1.9 ct Sapphire, Ruby, Tsavorite and 9 Carat Rose Gold

9 Carat Yellow Gold and Stirling Silver

9 Carat Yellow Gold, 1PKI Diamonds

£5,985

£345

£375

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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MISSOMA Body Language C Initial Necklace by Fee Greening, £149; missoma.com

GUCCI GG Marmont Leather Cardholder, £175; gucci.com/uk

PANACHE Marcie Balconnet Bra, £29; panache-lingerie.com

GIFTS FOR HER

EDITOR’S PICK

MESSIKA Move Romane Ring, £2,740; messika.com

JOSEPH PERRIER Cuvée Joséphine with two flutes, £160; harrods.com

Stylish Christmas present ideas she’ll love

ARKET Cashmere Turtle Neck, £175; arket.com

CHARLOTTE TILBURY Charlotte's Magic Cream, from £27; charlottetilbury.com

OLIVIA VON HALLE Raelyn Leopard Print Silk Eyemask, £70; harveynichols.com

ROTATE Ruched Jacquard Mini Dress, £300; net-a-porter.oom

QUINTON CHADWICK Ribbed Pom Pom Beanie Hat, £50; libertylondon.com

BOBBI BROWN Lip Crush Mini Crushed Lip Colour Kit, £39.50; bobbibrown.co.uk

NARS Narssisist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette, £55; harveynichols.com

JO MALONE LONDON

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Luxury Christmas Cracker, £32; jomalone.co.uk

23/11/2018 11:20

FASHION • GIFTS

JO MALONE LONDON Jo Malone London X Huntsman £120 for 100ml fragrance; jomalone.co.uk

COME TOGETHER The Rock Bands Game, £14.99; rockettstgeorge.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

BELSTAFF Howden Black Jumper in Black Mouline, £375; belstaff.co.uk

TAG HEUER TAG Heuer Autavia Special Addition Watch, £4,500; harrods.com

LOVE BRAND & CO. Limited Addition Swim Shorts, £135; lovebrand.com

ACQUA DI PARMA Colonia Vaniglia, £179; harrods.com

L'OBJET L'Objet Lito Stationery Box, £90; l-objet.com

MASTER & DYNAMIC MW60S1 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, £449; masterdynamic.co.uk

GIFTS FOR HIM Boys toys and present inspiration for the man in your life

MARTINI Martini Negroni Cocktail Gift Set, £35; harveynichols.com

B y H E L E N B R OW N

AESOP Moroccan Neroli Shaving Duet, £53; aesop.com

PETERSHAM NURSERIES Gardening Hamper, £200; petershamnurseries.com

THOUSAND Navy PopLock Bicycle Helmet, £85; bearandbear.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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PA RT Y PIECES Timeless styles meet statement chic in seasonal occasionwear from Londonbased designer Deborah Lyons S H O P T H E C O L L E C T I O N A T D E B O R A H LY O N S . C O . U K

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JESSICA SCHULE-LEWIS

Q&A

Wool WO R KS Orwell + Austen’s contemporary cashmere is top of our Christmas lists this year. Absolutely quizzes founder Jessica Schuhle-Lewis Wo r d s PENDLE HARTE

Q How did Orwell & Austen come about?

A The brand started five years ago, just

before I turned 30. I was working as a lawyer in the city, in a job I hated. Long hours, zero creativity, and a general feeling of dissatisfaction. I always loved designing (in what little spare time I had), and had wanted a career in fashion, but knew I didn’t have the qualifications needed to move from law. So I decided to set up my own thing. At the time cashmere tended to come in plain neutral shades only, and fun, vibrant knitwear was often made from cheap man made materials. I decided I wanted to produce playful, vibrant pieces using luxurious fabrics. I ran it alongside law work, so I could self-fund the brand. If it worked, then I would I have my dream job, and if it didn’t, I would have gained a lot of skills (in design, manufacturing, marketing, logistics, social media, marketing), that I could hopefully use to get a design job with someone else, and leave law behind. Luckily, it worked.

Q Where do you source your cashmere?

A Our yarns come from Outer Mongolia,

40

but our pieces are made in Nepal, which is the home of artisanal cashmere. We found a great little factory there, who have allowed me to grow the brand slowly, who pay a fair wage and support the Nepalese artisans who make our pieces, and who source our yarns ethically, and as sustainably as possible.

Q What makes an Orwell & Austen sweater?

Q Playful design, bold use of colour, statement knitwear, with quirky slogans, and natural materials.

Q You have a collaboration launching with Kat Farmer. Tell us about that.

A Kat was a really early supporter of the brand. She reached out a couple of years ago when she was writing a press piece on slogan sweaters, and wanted to use our ‘Je Ne Regrette’ sweater (which was one of the first sweaters we did). Since then we have worked with her a number of times, and always love how she styles our pieces, and how she champions small brands. Our sales agent from The Brand Ambassadors

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FASHION • Q&A

SLOGAN SWEATERS

that they would resonate with people. They launched a couple of years ago, are based on David Bowie’s Aladdin Sane album cover, and are a consistent best seller. As part of our core collection, they never go into sale, and each year we bring out some new colours. We’ve also had an amazing response to our ‘Love’ sweaters, and have a feeling our new DISCO design will be a big hit. That one is getting a lot of instagram love, and has a long waitlist.

Q Who are your favourite designers?

A When it comes to clothes, being a mum of

Our pieces are made in Nepal, which is the home of artisanal cashmere

met Kat at a number of events, and the idea for a collaboration grew from there. The sweater is a slogan sweater, with stripe cuff detailing and the slogan ‘True Colours’. The sweater is inspired by one of Kat’s favourite songs, which reminds her of her son who has Asperger’s. We worked closely with Kat to design something that she would love to wear, and be her go to sweater. We have six bold colour-ways available to buy through our website. We will be donating a percentage of our profits to The National Autistic Society, a charity chosen by Kat. Kat will also be donating her share of the profits to the charity. We hope it becomes a new classic.

Q What are your best-selling styles?

A Our lightning bolt sweaters have been

a huge hit. I knew when I designed them

two small children, I like practicality. I live in jeans and sweaters. Handbags are my great weakness. I love Anya Hindmarch, Hill & Friends (both of whom made fun, playful, practical pieces), Chloe, and Gucci (who are making amazing handbags and ready to wear at the moment). Rixo for dresses, Air & Grace (who we share a sales agent with) for the comfiest trainers, and places like Arket, APC or Sunspel for basics.

Q What’s next for Orwell & Austen?

A We are working ahead on new designs

for next year, and will be dropping more styles that are exclusive to our online store.

We are expanding our t-shirt range, and introducing printed 100% organic cotton sweaters, to complement our cashmere and fine wool pieces. We would also love to start doing children’s and men’s versions of some of our most popular designs, and are looking into a range of homeware pieces. So lots going on! orwellausten.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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CHANEL.COM

Beauty Notes 45 • Perfume 51 • Ask the experts 55 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Destination Hair and Beauty salon. We are committed to your hair and skin, and most importantly, the level of customer care you receive in everything we do. Our team is passionate about science and technology, that above all, makes a real impactful difference.

Book an appointment today

02073529415 salon@elenavon.com 107 Lots Road | London | SW10 0RN elenavon.com

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A BESPOKE HAIR SALON

Specialising in

Dry Cutting • Colour • Facials • Sugaring • For full list of services please see website

23/11/2018 15:41

BEAUTY

S A LO N REVIEW

NOTES

Sparkling winter scents and the means to create a classic red lip B y H E L E N B R OW N

EDITOR’S PICK

PARTY PERFECT COCO NAIL BAR

It’s that time of year when parties are aplenty and everyone wants to look their best. The Body Clinic at Coco Nail Bar tailors each treatment to meet every client’s individual needs. Their nonsurgical, non-invasive Lipofirm Pro and CACI Synergy treatments are proven to get real results so that you can head into party season feeling your best. coconailbar.com

LADY IN RED CHANEL

N°5, the very essence of femininity. A floral bouquet showcased within an iconic bottle. This legendary, timeless fragrance is now available in a limited edition bottle, dressed in Gabrielle Chanel's favourite colour: red. £130 for 100ml; chanel.com

MODERN MUSE E ST E E L AU D E R

Spoil yourself or your loved one with the fragrance that captures her style, her confidence, her creative spirit. An alluring contrast of sparkling florals and sleek, sensual woods, Estée Lauder’s Modern Muse is a contemporary classic and now available in a gorgeous gift duo. £52;

KX Spa

N

B y E VA L E H O C Z K Y

estled in the heart of Chelsea, KX is a luxury high-end space providing only the best treatments and services in health, fitness, nutrition and beauty. I am at the KX Spa to experience the Lipomassage created by LPG, the world-renowned Endermologie specialist. Endermologie Lipomassage is a non-invasive way to eliminate fat and water retention, cellulite and loose skin. I am greeted by Dimple and before commencing with the treatment we have a lengthy discussion about the procedure, the benefits and the areas of my body I would like to treat. I opt for the back of my legs, inner thighs and stomach. The treatment lasts for 35 minutes and to my complete surprise is just as relaxing as any other massage. Motorised rollers massage the treated areas to manipulate the skin tissues and in turn, stimulate the release of stubborn fat cells. The result is smoother and firmer skin. Although Dimple advises me that a few more sessions are needed to see a lasting result, I immediately see and feel a difference in how tight and soft my skin feels. For anyone looking to firm up and tone the skin, smooth cellulite and reduce fat cells, the Lipomassage is a treatment I would highly recommend.

K X GY M , S PA & R E S T U A R A N T 151 Draycott Avenue, Chelsea, SW3 3AL

kxlife.co.uk

esteelauder.co.uk

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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33 ELYSTAN ST CHELSEA, LONDON SW3 3NT +44 (0)203 689 5927 +44 (0)7807 751 166 WWW.ONITAA.CO.UK

/onitaatheessenceofasiancouture

/onitaalondon

MENS | WOMENS | MODEST | FASHION | CLOTHES JEWELLERY | FOOTWEAR | CLUTCHES

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND

URBAN DECAY Vice Lipstick Cherry, £16.50; urbandecay.co.uk

URBAN DECAY NAKED Naked Cherry Eyeshadow Palette, £42; urbandecay.co.uk

JO MALONE LONDON Christmas Ornament Duo, £22; jomalone.co.uk

Melted Matte Gingerbread Man Liquified Longwear Lipstick, £19; toofaced.com

Pomegranate & Cassis Elasticizer, 150ml, £34; net-a-porter.com

R+CO Skyline Dry Shampoo, 57g, £32; net-a-porter.com

TOO FACED Under the Christmas tree Christmas tree breakaway makeup palettes & mascara, £46; toofaced.com

ORIBE

TOO FACED

PHILIP KINGSLEY

Dry Styling Collection, £65; net-a-porter.com

WISH LIST

The new beauty products we're coveting this Christmas

MAULI RITUALS Beautiful Day Blissful Night Kit, £119; net-a-porter.com

PAT MCGRATH Blitztrance Divine Duo Guinevere & Fuschia Perfect, £52; patmcgrath.com

EDITOR’S PICK

URBAN DECAY Naked Cherry Vault, £102; selfridges.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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L

ifestyle boutique salon, Valentino has become something of an institution in west London, having been servicing Kensington’s well-heeled residents since opening in 1981. Cultivators of what they call The Art of Presence, the salon’s ethos lies in ensuring that its clientele’s outer image reflects the inner being. Valentino’s loyal customers not only include the local west London residents but the city’s socially elite and loyal followers from outside of the UK. The salon was established by Valentino, an inquisitive and creative thinker by nature, who at the age of just 23 opened the business on 1 Thackeray Street. His unique approach and knowledge of geometry and colour have led to the development of techniques quite unlike any others used in the capital. Today, the open-razor cut is an experience – one that his clients will travel across Europe and further afield to enjoy.

The salon got its grounding during a time of innovation and fashion-forward cuts; the 80s marked a different era in hair and Valentino became frustrated with trends.

He understood that no single cut or style worked for everyone and believed that each person should be treated as an individual, taking into account not only the shape of the face and hair type, but also personality and lifestyle. 1 Thackeray Street has since become the home of The Art of Presence, a concept that has evolved over the course of the last 37 years to encompass a whole range of products and services designed to promote the very best in hair, beauty and well-being.

Valentino has recently undergone a complete refurbishment and with it, has established the Medispa, a brand new division of the business offering an array

S A L O N S P O T L I G H T Kensington’s Valentino is a west London institution with an unmatched ethos and innovative techniques.

Here’s what you need to know

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • PROMOTION

The Mind Brush

Valentino identified scalp brushing as critical to the maintenance of healthy hair and in 1990 developed the Mind Brush. Ideal for all hair types, this unique product promotes a healthy scalp and hair by creating an optimal environment for hair growth. Users of the brush will benefit from improved blood circulation, a release of tension of the scalp and the removal of naturally occurring environmental toxins from the hair. The range now comprises The Oval Mind Brush, The Palm Mind Brush and The Styling Mind Brush. Each guarantees perfect hair maintenance no matter what your hair type or texture.

Cleanse, Balance, Nourish

Each person should be treated as an individual; taking into account hair type, personality and lifestyle

Valentino’s range of wet products includes a cleansing shampoo, a balancing conditioner and nourishing treatment. The haircare range is a further product of the holistic thinking behind the brand. When used in conjunction with the Mind Brush, the range supports a simple yet effective system of care for the hair and scalp. To get the very best results, Valentino recommends brushing the hair first with the Mind Brush before washing.

Valentino Cleanse Shampoo of medical and aesthetic treatments. A highly qualified and experienced team comprising an aesthetic doctor, senior aestheticians, acupuncturist, nutritional therapist, life coach and masseur work closely together to deliver effective and individually-tailored treatments for the face, body and general well-being.

The business strives to be ahead of the game when it comes to all aspects of colour rendering and product development. Even the salon’s fittings are to be admired following the installation of a state-of-the-art lighting system which can be individually controlled in each zone to create the optimum conditions. The Light + Colour Lab will be the latest innovation of the business which will see Valentino use his experience as a photographer, coupled with his knowledge of light and colour, to introduce a unique and scientific approach to colour analysis.

This new style and image consultancy service will be available to clients in the coming months.

2018 also marked the establishment of Valentino’s own wet product range to accompany his best-selling Mind Brush. First brought to the market in 1990, the Mind Brush itself has been reworked to celebrate the relaunch of the business and is already making waves in the industry for its exceptional quality and professional results.

For cleaner, healthier and shinier hair, the gentle formula of the cleanse shampoo uses botanical extracts to restore the natural brilliance of the hair. It removes unwanted deposits while cleansing and protecting the hair and scalp. The dual effects of aloe and lemon peel oil act together to strengthen and repair, promote healthy growth and combat an oily scalp.

Valentino Balance Conditioner The balance conditioner uses bergamot, sweet almond and grapeseed oil to deliver stronger, fuller and softer hair. It works to maintain the health of the scalp, calm frizzy and unruly hair, moisturise and condition, enhance blood circulation and create natural shine.

Valentino Nourish Treatment

Perfect for all hair types, the nourish treatment works to revitalise hair and to perfect the finish. It strengthens the hair by enhancing natural elasticity and maintaining appropriate pH and moisture levels in the scalp and hair. Users can expect salon perfect hair that is full of life and lustre.

For more information visit valentinolondon.co.uk 1 Thackeray Street, Kensington Square, W8 5ET

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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23/11/2018 11:56

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • SCENT

PERFUME

Festive

FRAGRANCES The Gift Of Olfactory Memories B y M I C H A E L D O N OVA N

G

ifting perfume at Christmas is perhaps the most personal present.

Our sense of smell is tied to memory and therefore the scent, if chosen wisely, will become an enduring part of the recipient’s personal history, able to transport them back in time to moments of particular joy. Quite a responsibility!

So how does one go about selecting something so personal and subjective for one’s nearest and dearest? My first words of wisdom are - don’t be predictable and simply purchase a flacon of a fragrance that they wear already. The real pleasure is in selecting a scent that speaks of their personality and experiencing their pleasure at discovering something new and exciting.

The message is also very touching - that you believe that this scent conjures them perfectly.

And so go with your instinct; don’t be swayed by the bottle, the advertising campaign, the actress promoting the brand or the brand name itself, just let your nose be your guide. Concentrate on the individual’s temperament and you will soon find the ideal match.

For the Extrovert choose an exuberant scent like ‘Verbena and Orange Blossom’ from Alverez Gomez, a refreshing and invigorating citrus of oranges and lemons with additional tangerine, ginger and musk.

Made in Madrid, this is a great scent for everyday, is youthful and uplifting and can be worn anywhere. Likewise ‘Givrine from E. Coudray , a fresh white floral of lily of the valley, peony and gardenia with zesty notes of watermelon and kumquat that bring a smile to the face and a spring to the step.

For the Glamour Puss select something a little more sensual - ‘L’Orchidee Terrible’ from Imaginary Authors is a beautifully balanced homage to the golden age of Parisian Haute Couture with an opening

of beautiful, elegiac orchid, lightened with sweet golden honey. Alternatively ‘Ombre Rose’ from Charles Brousseau has a powdery rose allure with a warm peach heart that is totally bewitching.

For those of a more reflective nature, ‘The Writer’ from St Giles contains a hit of rosemary which has been clinically proven to improve memory recall by 19%, so this is the perfect fragrance for the office or to help the creative’s muse to perch. ‘The Decay Of The Angel’ by Timothy Han is an achingly beautiful, slightly melancholy and contemplative scent that symbolises a fall from grace and is a divine blend of frankincense with rose, sambac jasmine and a dash of oud.

For the Adventurous Traveller, something to transport will connect to their psyche and ‘Tokyo’ , the new fragrance from British perfume house Gallivant, will conjure that special feeling of early morning Tokyo. The air is humid and misty and the perfume captures the tastes of izakaya eateries, fruits, spices, wasabi, sour and sweet and puts some zing on the tongue.

‘Egypt’ from Eight & Bob offers an olfactory journey up the Nile with calming lavender and peppery green basil opening a scent, given green complexity from a note of moss and shot through with fresh lemon. A richly spiced and aromatic heart of cardamom and nutmeg lends Egypt its distinctive character, warmly enveloping the senses as the notes coalesce. In the base, rich amber and leather accords are met with delicate sandalwood and sweet, earthy patchouli to produce a truly stunning final effect in the dry down. Warming, complex, and utterly addictive, Egypt is an eau de toilette of distinctive character and inimitable style.

Perfume makes the perfect present as it holds the key to memories that will last a lifetime which is, after all, what the festive season is all about!

Have a very Merry and Fragrant Christmas and see you all in 2019!

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

BYREDO

Bois Doré £126 for 75ml This one is all about the tonka bean, grown-up and warm. A Christmas must. vancleefarpels.com

Super Cedar £160 for 100ml With top notes of rose petals and a heart of cedar, a warm but modern daytime staple byredo.co.uk

ROOS & ROOS In The Wood For Love £170 for 100ml The editor in chief loved this one - it’s all about the orange blossom apparently.

Roosandroos.fr

GOUTAL Tenue de Soiree (actue on first e) parfum and body cream gift set £147 Grown up and sensual, apply generously and pretend you are in Paris. goutalparis.com

JO LOVES Jo by Jo Loves £115 for 100ml New from Jo Loves, fresh and bursting with grapefruit zest. joloves.com

MILLER HARRIS La Feuille £170 for 100ml Nostalgic and feminine, a favourite with many of us. millerharris.com

EDITOR’S PICK

H E AV E N SCENT Perfumes to put on your Christmas list B y JASMINE ROBERTSON

LALIQUE Les Compositions Parfumees (acute on first e) £190 for 100ml Three bold new scents from Lalique, the Sweet Amber might be our new addiction. lalique.com

JO MALONE Dark Amber & Ginger Lily Cologne Intense £120 for 100ml Rich and intense, an alltime favourite, perfect for winter. jomalone.co.uk

L’OCCITANE Terre de Lumiere (agrave first e) eau de parfum £79 for 90 ml Warm and enveloping, it’s like being wrapped in cashmere. uk.loccitane.com

ORMONDE JAYNE Ormonde Woman £160 for 120ml Woody, seductive and heady.

This one is for grown ups. ormondejayne.com

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A course of treatments is recommended

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • ADVICE

Q&A

Ask The E X P E RTS Absolutely seeks out wisdom from the area’s most trusted sources

“Collagen is too big to slip through skin, so slathering on moisturiser won’t work.”

DR KHAN

Co-founder of the leading Harley Street Skin clinic harleystreetskinclinic.com

Q What’s the top anti-ageing cream?

A When it comes to anti-ageing, there’s one ingredient that deserves the title elixir of youth: collagen.

The protein forms netting, a bit like a mesh fence, within the dermis to give our skin the strength and resilience to hold everything in place.

Young skin is made up of around 80 per cent collagen, but as we age our

supplies drastically dwindle, leading to wrinkles, folds and saggy skin.

Collagen molecules are too large to slip through the outer layer of the skin, so slathering on collagen moisturisers won’t help. What will help is coaxing the body to produce more collagen. This is where the new ingenious injectable Ellansé comes into its own. Traditional dermal fillers address wrinkles and folds, but Ellansé works beneath the surface to stimulate collagen production.

It is s a particularly good option if you don’t want a surgery, as it gives an even-toned complexion that is plumped-up, dewy and glowing.

The procedure is quick - around 20 minutes – and the results are immediate and will carry on improving over the following weeks as new collagen is formed, lasting up to four years, when the filler breaks down and leaves the body naturally.

JEAN-CLAUDE VACASSIN Founder of W10 Performance Gym w10.fit

Q Fitness versus Christmas. Can you win?

A For anyone with fitness goals, the Christmas period is a minefield with opportunities for indulgence tempting you at every step. We reveal some simple ways to minimise the damage while not becoming a party pooper.

It’s totally unrealistic to expect anyone not to slacken the rules over the festive period. All we’re suggesting is that you be a little mindful and savvy with your choices.

When it comes to alcohol, think about sticking to low-calorie options such as prosecco or gin and tonic rather than wine or beer. The other trick is to drink slower. It sounds obvious, but it’s so easy to rush drinks when you’re having fun.

If you’re going out for dinner, eat a little less than your normal during the day and save most of your calorie allowance for the special occasion.

That way, you can enjoy the full menu without feeling you’re the dreary one thinking about diet when everyone else is letting their hair down.

Your next big hurdle is frequency.

If you’re overdoing it several times a week then your results, along with your performance in the gym, will inevitably take a hit. You’ll train badly and, most of all, recover poorly.

So, the answer is to pick your battles, choose wisely and be sure to put any extra calories to use by exercising often.

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FOOD & DRINK

FESTIVE TEA Throughout the Christmas season the Langham's Palm Court is offering an afternoon tea in collaboration with Liberty London. Savoury and sweet treats await you, as well as a great Liberty bonus. £79 per person including a glass of champagne. langhamhotels.com

Food notes 58 • Gifts for foodies 60 • Food review: tea at the Langham 73 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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W H AT TO D R I N K

GET MERRY

TASTING NOTES

London’s food news and most exciting openings this December

By FLORA THOMAS

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MONTH By b e r ry b r os . & r u d d

2009 Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru  £39 The glorious summer of 2009 was particularly good for Mailly’s Grand Cru Pinot Noir grapes, a high percentage of which are used in this vintage blend. The resulting wine is ripe, rounded and rich, guaranteed to develop beautifully with time.

Berry Bros. & Rudd Sloe Gin  £26.50 Sloes are a staple of the English autumn. Many a rambler has vowed to one day harvest a few berries to infuse at home. The finest wild sloe berries are infused with our award- winning London Dry Gin to produce a benchmark-setting example of this most comfortingly British drink.

Berry Bros. & Rudd Coffee Liqueur  £26.50 A rich shade of polished mahogany, with aromas of dark chocolate. The palate starts sweet, bursting with a hit of bitter-sweet coffee. Shake 50ml with a shot of fresh espresso over ice for the simplest, best-tasting Espresso Martini.

BERRY BROS. & RUDD 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.

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Pearly Delights CORA PEARL

This restaurant, from the team behind Kitty Fishers, specialises in complex comfort food. A festive feasting menu, designed for sharing, is on offer this month. Predinner bites include devilled eggs, pumpkin, goats curd and lovage. Extravagance will follow with a dessert menu of mince pie doughnuts and brandy custard.

30 Henrietta St, WC2E 8NA corapearl.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK• NOTES

CHRISTMAS HAMPERS The best food and drink hampers for festive feasting and decadent gifts

AFTER-PARTY HAMPER Harvey Nichols, £250 harveynichols.com

PUB GRUB THE CLEVELAND ARMS

Their dining room, with roaring open fires, makes the perfect retreat during the colder months. Throughout December a three course sharing 30 YEARS BASKET style festive, seasonal menu is Brindisa, £150 available. There's also an exciting brindisa.com program of events (don’t miss gingerbread making on the 11th, or the annual Christmas carol on the 21st).

28 Chilworth St, London W2 6DT theclevelandarms.com

GLITZ & GLAMOUR BERNERS TAVERN

Christmas at Berners Tavern is a glamorous affair.

A special four-course menu available for lunch and dinner on the 25th won’t be holding back, it will include luxurious Native lobster soup with lobster and salmon ravioli and braised fennel as well as a milk chocolate, hazelnut and orange Yule log with blood orange sorbet.

10 Berners Street, W1T 3NP bernerstavern.com

GIFT BOX River Cafe, £600 rivercafe.co.uk

THE DINING EDIT Covent Garden, £3000 coventgarden.london

NEED FOR

SWEDE LISA’S KITCHEN AND BAR

Lisa and her team of Vikings bring the Swedish julbord to London, it's a holiday variation of the quintessential Smörgåsbord buffet. We can't wait to try 'Mumma', a drink consisting of gin, lager, porter and julmust.

GO NORDIC TEXTURE

For a breath of fresh Icelandic air, head to Texture in Marylebone. Chef Patron Aggi Sverrisson offers a six course Christmas tasting menu, marrying big Scandinavian flavours with a decadent wine list. With vegan options and a private dining room seating up to 16, not to mention a Michelin star, it’s the perfect location for your festive celebration.

34 Portman St, W1H 7BY texture-restaurant.co.uk

SIMPLE HAMPER Ottolenghi, from £40 ottolenghi.co.uk

305 Portobello Rd, W10 5TD lisasportobello.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Fe s tiv e F E A ST Culinary treats and Christmas sweets for foodies

By HELEN BROWN

Something SWEET SMITH & SINCLAIR

● The brand coined the Willy Wonka for adults, Smith & Sinclair, has reimagined its original alcoholic gummy sweets with five new selection boxes. The expertly mixed cocktail compilations have been curated with every social occasion in mind. Treat your foodie friend to the After Dinner box which features a mouth-watering Mocha Espresso Martini, or surprise gin-lovers with the Gin Obsessed box. £14.99; smithandsinclair.com

Flavour FANATICS

Gin THINGS

● Flavour sensationalists, Joe & Steph’s are here to make the festive season a whole lot merrier with a tantalising new range of Christmas popcorn products. Flavours range from Mince Pie and Brandy Butter to Mint Chocolate and Peanut Butter, all of which can be found in the Popcorn Gift Box. Other gifting favourites include a giant cracker, baubles and a Christmas stocking.

Prices from £5; joeandstephs.co.uk

● Add an element of fun to your Christmas lunch with these gin crackers from Pinkster. These elegant crackers hold both a dinkster 5cl bottle and a mini jar of gin jam and are guaranteed to liven up the dinner table. The brilliant pink colour and the delicate flavour come from fresh raspberries. Deliciously dry and exceptionally smooth, be sure to finish your G&T with a sprig of mint. £10; pinkstergin.com

JOE & STEPH’S

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FOOD & DRINK • FESTIVE

Sweet like CHOCOLATE H O T E L C H O C O L AT

● The tinsel is unpacked and the tree lights untangled; it’s the season for merriment and feasting. Jolly Santa, snowman and their penguin friend are just a few from Hotel Chocolat’s tantalising range of festive sweets, treats and gift boxes. With chocs available to mix and match, you can treat yourself while you treat others. £8 each; hotelchocolat.com

Spice of LIFE

BAKE OFF HARRODS

Harrods’ personalised signature sourdough is the ideal gift for the foodie who has everything. Straight from the world-famous bakery and the highly-skilled team of bakers, each sourdough loaf can be personalised with initials and will be freshly baked on request. harrods.com

DECK THE HALLS

RO OT E D S P I C E S

● A Rooted Spice gift box makes the perfect present for keen cooks. Specialising in single-origin spices, sourced for their superior taste, Rooted Spice have curated a gifting range to suit all palettes and preferences. We love the Middle Eastern Spice Set which has everything you need to whip up a deliciously fragrant dinner. From £32.50; rootedspices.com

SIPSMITH

The Sipsmith Gin Shop is officially open with a huge amount of gin goodies, decorations and stocking fillers. Give your tree a quirky twist with this set of miniature gin bottles, or dish them out to your gin-loving friends. £25; johnlewis.com

Count DOWN CHOCOCO

● An annual best-seller, Chococo’s decadent advent box brings a fresh take to the annual Christmas countdown. It features a selection of the brand’s finest award-winning festive chocolates to enjoy from December 1 through to the big day. The creative flavours include Tawny Port & Fig, Dorset Salted Caramel, Fizzy Puddings and Mince Pie. £23.50; chococo.co.uk

BAKE OFF PA U L

PAUL has captured the essence of Christmas by taking their fivegeneration-strong recipes and giving them a festive flare. Hybrid creation, the Mince Pie Croissant, is back for 2018 with two new flavours, alongside beautiful bûches de Noël, sweet stocking fillers and gourmet gifts. From £1.75; paul-uk.com

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Festive Strudel Serves 10

INGEDIENTS • 1 pkt Filo (In the restaurant we make strudel pastry) • 1.5 kg Bramley apples cored & thinly sliced • 200g Caster sugar • 2 tsp Ground cinnamon • ¼ tsp Ground nutmeg • 50g Sultanas • 1 Orange zested • 1 Lemon zested • 250g Melted warm butter • 125g Soft breadcrumbs • dusting Icing sugar

METHOD

Christmas

M EN U Some treats from Michael Nadra’s restaurant festive selection Recipes MICHAEL NADRA R E S TA U R A N T- M I C H A E L N A D R A . C O . U K

1 Fry the breadcrumbs in 100g of the butter till golden brown and place to the side.

2 Mix the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest orange zest and sultans.

Place in a colander and let the excess liquid drain.

3 Lay out a large tea towel, lightly flour the towel, lay out the filo over the whole cloth with about five layers and brush butter between the layers.

4 Scatter the breadcrumbs on 2/3 of the filo leaving 1/3 at the top clear. Repeat for the apple mix.

5 Using the tea towel roll the pastry tightly around the filling and butter the pastry as you roll.

6 Move the strudel to a greased baking tray butter the top and bake at 190 c for about 30 mins. Cook till the pastry is crisp and the apples are soft.

7 Dust with icing sugar and slice, I serve it in the restaurant with Armagnac ice cream.

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

Michael Nadra produces the most exquisite food using both classic and modern techniques

Salad of raw brussel sprouts, pine nuts, granny smith apple, avocado, pomegranate with lemon & herb dressing Serves 4

INGEDIENTS: • 20 Finely chopped brussel sprouts • 1 Granny smith apple cored and cubed.

• 1 tbsp Red onion chopped fine • 2 tbsp Parsley chopped fine • To taste Lemon dressing (olive oil, lemon juice, salt pepper) • 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts • 1 avocado puréed with lime and salt • 1/2 pomegranate seeded

Turkey, Guinea Fowl & Partridge Terrine

METHOD:

INGEDIENTS

Mix the brussel sprouts, apples, onions, parsley and lemon dressing.

• 800gTurkey breast (500g diced & 300g cut into strips) • 250g (2 breasts) Guinea fowl breasts cut into strips) • 200g (4 breasts) Partridge breasts cut into strips • ½ clove Finely chopped garlic • 16g Salt • 2g Ground black pepper • 6 Egg yolks • 450 ml Double cream • 2 tbsp Chopped chives • 2 tbsp Chopped parsley 1 • tbsp Chopped tarragon

1

2 Garnish with the pine nuts, avocado & pomegranate.

METHOD: Marinate the Turkey , guinea fowl and partridge strips in 4g of salt and the chopped garlic. Leave for minimum 1 hour best overnight.

2 Using a food processor puree the diced turkey with 12g of salt and the black pepper when smooth.

With the processor still working add the egg yolks one by one, then drizzle the cream in slowly. You should have a smooth shiny mousse, fold in the chives, parsley and tarragon and put into a piping bag.

3 Line a terrine mould with 4 layers of clingfilm, pipe a layer of turkey mousse then add a layer of the turkey , guinea fowl & partridge strips and repeat having 3 to 4 layers of strips but ensuring to finish with a layer of mousse. Wrap the overhanging clingfilm over the top of the terrine to encase the mousse and cover with a terrine lid.

4 Steam or oven bake in a baine marie (100 c) till the core temperature reaches 72 c approximately 1.5 hrs.

5

Once cooked chill in an ice bath.

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6 To serve cut slices and I garnish with pickled girolles, mixed leaves, brioche crostini, toasted hazelnuts & clementine.

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FOOD & DRINK • CHRISTMAS

TA K E N F R O M

SCAN DI K I TCHEN CHRI ST M AS Published by Ryland Peters & Small, £16.99

Every December, families across Scandinavia make loads of cookies

S C A N D I C H R I S T M A S

INGREDIENTS

550g plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate/ baking soda • 1.5 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 0.5 teaspoon ground allspice • a pinch of salt 100 g granulated sugar • 100g soft dark brown sugar • 150g butter, at room temperature • 200g golden/corn syrup • 150ml double/heavy cream

Edible decorations don’t come better than these Swedish biscuits from the Scandikitchen R E C I P E B Y B R O N T E AU R E L L P H OTO G R A P H B Y P E T E R CA S S I DY

P E P PA R K A KO R SWED ISH G IN G ER B ISCU ITS MAKES 5 0/ 70

T

hese are probably the most famous treats to come out of Sweden (besides the Plopp chocolate bar). This recipe is a quick dough which is easy to roll out so the kids can make lots of festive shapes. Every December, families across Scandinavia will sit around a table with a batch of dough, festive music on, making loads of cookies and baked goods for all the coming Sundays of Advent.

METHOD

1 In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, bicarbonate/baking soda, spices, salt and sugars together. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until you have an even dough.

Shape it into a log and wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap. Rest it in the fridge at least overnight before using – try to resist eating the dough while it’s chilling.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment.

3 On a floured surface, roll out the dough very thinly (around 2 mm/1/8 in. thick), and use cookie cutters to cut your desired shapes. Make sure they are thin biscuits. Place them on the lined baking sheets.

4 Bake in the preheated oven – each batch will take 5–6 minutes, depending on the thickness. The biscuits should be a darker shade of brown without being burnt. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before storing in an airtight container.

5 If you wish, you can let the kids loose with colourful icing/frosting. Icing/confectioners’ sugar mixed with beaten egg white and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice makes the best decorative icing as it goes hard when it dries.

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LISA’S KITCHEN & BAR

Christmas & Group bookings are now available Traditional Swedish Julbord, Set menus and Feast/Sharing menus are all on offer

LIVE MUSIC THURSDAY: Jazz | FRIDAY & SATURDAY: Lisa’s Jukebox

MON CLOSED | TUE & WED 18.00 PM - 00.00 AM | THUR & FRI 11.00AM - 00.00AM | SAT & SUN 10.00AM - 00.00AM +44 (0) 20 8964 8293 | BOOKINGS@LISASPORTOBELLO.COM | LISASPORTOBELLO.COM

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FOOD & DRINK • CHRISTMAS

F E S T I V E F A R E

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EDIBLE D E C O R AT I O N S POILANE

Poilane's beautiful biscuits can be draped around the tree or hung around the house as pretty decorations, with the added bonus of being a delicious treat. Five festive motifs include Christmas trees, moons and stars.

ABSOLUTELY’S FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS TREATS

poilane.com

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THE HAMPER H A RV E Y N I C H O L S

The Harvey Nichols hamper is a Christmas essential – of the countless options we love the Snowed In one. Christmas pudding, nuts, olives, wine, biscuits, cake... what more could you need? Let it snow... £150 harveynichols.com

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THE TRIMMINGS FA R M I S O N

Farmison's pigs in blankets come in a variety of guises – the traditional versions, the truffled ones and the chestnut, sage and apricot ones.

Theis excellent online butcher also offers a clever Christmas essentials box and a variety of meat boxes too. farmison.com

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THE TURKEY C O PA S

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Our favourite turkeys come from Copas, where they lead happy free-range lives roaming at leisure accross the way from the Wild Wood of Wind in the Willows fame. Delivered to your door on 21 December they come with full cooking instructions and a clever pop-up timer. copasturkeys.co.uk

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T H E PA N E T TO N E GIN MARE

Christmas 2018 will be remembered as the gin one, and even the panettone is in on it. Gin Mare has teamed up with Theo Randall to create the Ginettone, laced with rosemeary and olive in a limited edition, of course. £22 ginmare.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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NOW TAKING

BOOKINGS

Located at One Tower Bridge. Prosecco House is London’s first prosecco-specialist bar. It stocks Prosecco DOCG, from Veneto, the home of the drink, a creation of owner Kristina Issa, bringing the excellence of Italian prosecco to London. Kristina works with small family-owned vineyards, while the bar has over 20 varieties on the menu, hand picked by Kristina herself, from wineries such as Marchiori, Rivalta, Cirotto, Tasi Bio and Andreola.

PROSECCO HOUSE 1 Crown Square One Tower Bridge London, SE1 2SE @proseccohouse ProseccoHouseLondon

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FOOD & DRINK • CHRISTMAS HUSH HEATH Balfour Brut Rose 2014 from Kent, £38 hushheath.com

BRUNO PAILLARD Dosage Zeromulti-vintage champagne, £49.80 bibendum-wine.co.uk

JAWBOX Small batch London gin, £30 31dover.com

HARRIS GIN Gin from the Isle of Harris, infused with sugar kelp. £37 harrisdistillery.com

MACALLAN 12 year-old Sherry Oak cask whisky, £68.95 thewhiskyexchange.com

BERRY BROS & RUDD Cold drip coffee liqueur, £26.50 bbr.com

OLD BAKERY GIN London dry gin, inspired by a 100 year old recipe, £40 oldbakerygin.com

TRENDING TIPPLES

BERRY BROS & RUDD London dry gin, £25 bbr.com

JAISALMER

JAMAICA COVE A blend of Jamaican Pot and Column Stills, infused with ginger, £26.99 jamaicacoverum.com

Champagne is inevitable, but gin and coffee liqueur are everywhere too this Christmas

Indian craft gin, £35.45 thewhiskyexchange.com

By P E N D L E H A R T E

MR BLACK Cold brew coffee liqueur, £39.95 harveynichols.com

EDITOR’S PICK

SCHRAMSBERG Schramsberg sparkling wines are produced from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in California.

Blanc de Blanc 2015, £34 vineyardcellars.com

HOTEL CHOCOLAT Chocolat cream liqueur, £25 hotelchocolat.com

CHAPEL DOWN Limited edition Bacchus gin, £35 chapeldown.com

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Have a Happy

CHRISTMAS

HAPPY COCKTAIL HOUR Every evening from 6pm to 7pm throughout December enjoy £6 cocktails at A Cena.

Choose from over sixteen specials including classic Caiprinha, Cosmopolitan and Margarita – it’s the season to be merry!

A CENA · 418 RICHMOND ROAD TW1 2EB · 020 8288 0108

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FOOD & DRINK • CHRISTMAS

Turkey TRUTHS Choosing a turkey can be tricky. Here’s what to look for

By P E A R L B OY D

C

hristmas dinner can become a stressful and time consuming affair, especially when preparing a meal for a large family. With so many options available, we’ve outlined the top things to look out for to help you find a Christmas turkey the whole family will enjoy.

Turkey age and welfare

The age of your turkey and the conditions it was raised in make a big difference to the quality and the quantity of meat you’ll receive.

• Make sure the bird is at least 22 weeks old. Birds matured to this age will have a lot more meat than a younger, same weight turkey because of the improved meat to bone ratio.

• Sourcing a mature bird, which has been naturally reared to adulthood also means it will have a natural fat layer – which makes cooking even easier with no additional butter or oils required – just season and pop into the oven, no need to baste.

• To be truly free range, your turkey should have been outside for at least ¾ of its life.

• Find out as much as you can about the farm your turkey came from to ensure they adhered to the highest welfare standards all the way through production.

A simple supply chain with minimal movement is best.

Game-hung turkeys

It’s a good idea to look for a game hung turkey, as this will mean improved flavour and texture.

• Look for a turkey that is game hung for as long as possible - at least seven days to make a difference. At Copas, turkeys

“Your turkey should have been outside for at least 3/4 of its life” are hung for up to 14 days. Being gamehung for two weeks is integral to their unrivalled eating quality, providing both a truly tender eating experience and an altogether superior depth of flavour.

Accreditations/logos to look for

Look out for the following accreditations to make sure that your turkey will be of the highest standard possible: • Look for an EC plant number on the label to confirm the turkey has been produced in the UK and is FCA quality assured for food safety and consistency.

• TFTA – Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association gives a quality assurance of a traditionally reared turkey.

• Organic Farmers & Growers or the Soil Association gives assurance for Organic products.

What type of turkey to buy

As a rule, you’ll need ½ kg per person for generous servings on Christmas day as well as plenty of leftovers of course. For example, this would mean purchasing a 5kg turkey for a family of ten people.

Turkeys often come in a range of different ways so it’s important to know how many mouths you’re feeding to ensure there is enough to go around, and to avoid wastage.

Still unsure on what turkey to buy for the big day? Copas offers an online turkey calculator – just input your requirements and they will find you the perfect turkey… copasturkeys.co.uk/turkey-calculator

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FOOD & DRINK • REVIEW

ABSOLUTELY eats out…

“They stick to classic ingredients and execute them perfectly”

Tea Time

A Langham X Liberty collaboration

FOOD Classic afternoon tea with a festive twist

B y F LO R A T H O M A S

A

s November draws to a close, all eyes are on Christmas.

What better way embrace the festive spirit than with the Langham x Liberty festive afternoon tea. The hotel has been serving tea to the cream of London since 1865. In fact, Palm Court, their glitzy ground floor restaurant, is credited with serving the very first commercial afternoon tea over 140 years ago. Extravagant chandeliers dangle from the high

DECOR ceiling and live jazz music is subtle, not at all overbearing. The service is world-class (this is no surprise, they won the 2018 Best Tea Service award at the 2018 Afternoon Tea Awards).

We’re welcomed with a glass of champagne, (Gusbourne Brut Reserve 2014), poured straight from a magnum so every sip is rich and delicious. Next, a glass teapot full of colourful little flowers and leaves (very Liberty) is placed on the table to whet our appetite for tea.

To start we have a selection of exquisite finger sandwiches. I’m

Plush art deco, grand yet unstuffy

PRICE £79 per person

VERDICT Exemplary, highly recommended

pleased they don’t try to be clever, they stick to classic ingredients and execute them perfectly. My favourite is roast turkey with apricot and marjoram stuffing on soft cranberry bread, whereas my companion particularly enjoys the Clarence court duck egg brioche with decadent truffle placed on top.

Warm scones follow from the inhouse bakery with Cornish clotted cream and seasonal preserves.

They’re utterly scrumptious: light, fluffy and very tasty.

Now for a bit of theatre: a silver plate with a white chocolate dome is placed before me. It feels a bit Willy Wonka and I love it. I lift the dome to reveal three resplendent little cakes; Christmas spices run through all of them alongside notes of caramel and chocolate. They’re the kind of cakes you might worry look better than they taste, but that’s not the case.

As the lights are dimmed and tea service comes to a close, we realise we’ve been here for two whole hours - it’s flown by. Begrudgingly we step out into the cold, wishing for an excuse to return.

THE LANGHAM 1C Portland Place, London W1B 1J langhamhotels.com/london A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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MELODY 3 Seater in Woodland Moss ENVELOPING, ELEGANT & ENTICING

Ve g g i n g

Visit us on Chiswick High Rd M O R LE YS O F TO OTI N G | PE A RS O N S O F EN FI ELD | N ATI O N W I D E

theloungeco.com

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INTERIORS

FLOWER POWER BLOOM & WILD

Bloom & Wild has put together a gorgeous array of seasonal bouquets that symbolise Christmas. From beautiful holly and amaryllis to themed aspen bouquets, there are gift boxes to match – and they'll deliver a set of mini Christmas trees too. bloomandwild.com

Interior inspirations 76 • Anna Barnett's Christmas tables 80 • Crackers! 97 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS NOTES

Ideas, designs and styles for your home

By PENDLE HARTE

PAPER P L AY BANBAYU

Designed and produced in Transylvania, the range of eco friendly and sustainable wallpapers at Banbayu takes inspiration from travel, nature and history. Update any room with quirky wallpaper designs made with premium non-woven quality substrate surface printed with ecofriendly inks. banbayu.com

WARM GLOW KINDLE STOVES

Family run Kindle Stoves supplies and installs latest in cleanburn, high efficiency wood burners and gas stoves. The wood burners are approved to burn in Smoke Controlled Areas and most stoves are already SIA 2022 ready. A wide range of designs to suits anything from a Victorian family home to a modern city apartment. kindlestoves.co.uk

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INTERIORS • NOTES

BRIGHT S PA R K S Our favourite candle holders for Christmas FERM LIVING Bow candle holder, £109 connox.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

PENCIL IT IN

LOLA & MAWU

TREE TALK

Tealight candleholder set of three, £80 lolaandmawu.com

PINES AND NEEDLES

Pines and Needles is your one-stopshop when it comes to Christmas trees and decorations. Whether online at pinesandneedles.com or in-store at our stunning locations across London, we have the finest array of trees, wreaths, decorations and festive accessories.

Harry and Meghan have bought from them so why don't you?! pinesandneedles.com

ANYA HINDMARCH

This is probably the cutest diffuser ever. Anya Hindmarch's new collection of home fragrances recreate smells that evoke nostalgia for her. Using innovative ceramic reeds disguised as pencils, the Chewing Gum Diffuser is disguised as a pencil pot: it's a cheerful mix of mint, raspberry, school uniforms and music lessons, £99. anyahindmarch.com

MUUTO Open candelabra, £75 madeindesign.co.uk

TOM DIXON Rock candleholders, from £75 tomdixon.net

COX & COX Three tealight houses, £45 coxandcox.co.uk

LOOM BAND BEATRICE LARKIN

MARQUIS AND DAWE Grey mouse tea light holder, £16 marquisanddawe.co.uk

Beatrice Larkin specialises in modern woven textiles, all made in Lancashire on jacquard looms. Bea turns them into throws and cushions in London; her distinct, geometric, monochrome patterns take inspiration from traditional weave structures and West African textiles, as well as Bauhaus and Brutalist architecture. £260 madeandgood.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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new houses | extensions | refurbishments | basement excavations | swimming pools

LO N DO N | LOS A N G E LES

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gregoryphillips.com | +44 20 7724 3040

24/08/2018 12:22

INTERIORS • PRODUCTS LIMELACE Gold panther bauble, £11.95 limelace.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

GISELA GRAHAM

THE OAK MEN

Nordic santa and angel, £6 tch.com

Hand-carved oak trees, £25 skandium.com

FLENSTEAD Christmas mobile, £21.50 hurnandhurn.com

BROSTE COPENHAGEN Advent calendar, £15 skandinaviandesigncentre.com

HABITAT Various baubles habitat.co.uk

TINSEL TOWN

MARIMEKKO Heart-shaped decoration, £9.50 skandium.com

All the best Christmas decorations

AARIKKA

Aarikka's DIY Sauna kit, £26.50

By P E N D L E H A R T E

skandium.com

JAN CONSTANTINE Christmas wall hanging, £950 janconstantine.com

ANTHROPOLOGIE Gulf Coast tree topper £53 anthropologie.com

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TABLE 80

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Food writer Anna Barnett teamed up with Habitat to create three different Christmas looks Words A N N A B A R N E T T H A B I TAT.C O. U K

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HOMES & INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

Sequin garlands reflect candlelight for a kitch but elegant look F I E S TA If you love colour then this one’s for you. I’ve used a traditional seasonal palette of red and gold as a base but then thrown in a ‘fiesta’ vibe with OTT patterned baubles, sequins and glitter. Lots of glitter.

TIP 1

T H E P L AC E S E T T I N G

LOOK ONE

I’m always looking for unusual ways to make a place setting. For these name places, I’ve attached gift tags to small cocktail crackers but you can always use bigger versions too. I’ve also used these wool tassel tree decorations here as a cutlery tie or you could always use as a napkin ring.

Again these also act as nice takeaway favours for guests to decorate their own home.

TIP 2

GARLANDS

So long paper-chains – lightweight sequin garlands are the way forward. Attach several together and string across the dining table for a festoon effect. They are not as chunky as those old- school garlands and the sequin garlands reflect candlelight for a kitsch but elegant look.

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B L ACK & GOLD Black isn’t a colour that most people think to decorate with at Christmas but you can create really dramatic table schemes with a cool, contemporary vibe.

TIP 1

Attach gift tags to baubles as name cards – and guests can take the baubles away with them

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LOOK TWO

H OW TO M A K E B L AC K WO R K Black is a great base to accentuate colour and texture. I’ve used black dinnerware as the base to this look and then layered gold and pine on top. Adding texture – like the pine fronds and pompoms – helps add warmth. Layering fir tree branches down the centre of the table and entwining battery-operated fairy lights will create a stunning centrepiece, giving a cool Scandi feel as well as filling the room with a pine scent.

TIP 2

N A M E P L AC E S

A great tip is to always take a look in the decorations section to get some inspiration for your dining table. A favourite of mine is to use baubles as name places for the dinner table.

Attach gift tags to each bauble as a name card and then guests can then also take the bauble away with them to decorate their own tree.

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HOMES & INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

T H E N AT U R E INSPIRED CHRISTMAS TA B L E A refreshing, Antipodean inspired scheme that brings together eucalyptus, fruits and warming metallics.

TIP 1

T H E C E N T R E P I EC E

This is so easy to create. Lay a line of eucalyptus stems along the length of the table and intersperse with warm gold, copper or bronze baubles which reflect candlelight. The colours look incredible together and the eucalyptus gives off a great relaxing aroma. You can also add in fruits such as pomegranates, walnuts, oranges – here I’ve spray-painted some of them gold too. Then add a selection of candlesticks (marble or metallic) of different heights to create some atmospheric lighting.

LOOK THREE

TIP 2

THE HANGING D I S P L AY

I’ve used a small bunch of willow branches attached to two leather straps (or you can use ribbon) to hang above the table or kitchen counter. Select a colour palette of 2-3 colours (we’ve used gold and orange) and attach a selection of lightweight baubles to the branches at different heights using invisible thread. Here, we’ve also added in some miniature Christingles. Alternatively if you have a pendant light or chandelier, you can always hang baubles from them using the invisible thread.

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NATURAL SHADES BROSTE COPENHAGEN

Broste Copenhagen's Christmas aesthetic strikes a fine balance between sober and extrovert. Beautiful linens in muted shades make a great bacdrop for gold cutlery, shiny candlesticks and a stylish range of coloured glasses, plus lots of pretty ceramics. brostecopnhagen.com

TH E C H RI STMAS TAB LE A B E A U T I F U L TA B L E S E T S THE SCENE FOR THE ANNUAL BIG FEAST

CHEESE COURSE LSA INTERNATIONAL

LSA's Tatra cheese dome is big enough to accommodate all the Christmas cheese you can eat. Its hand-carved ash base with folklore-inspired engravings is a stylish piece and the large glass dome makes an impressive centrepiece. ÂŁ115 lsa-international.com

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INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

POLAR EXPRESS TALKING TABLES

If you need single-use paper plates, Talking Tables' Nordic ones have an authentic Scandinavian feel, perfect for a stylised Christmas celebration.

The range includes polar bear shaped napkins, bottle brush Christmas trees, and a polar bear figurine. talkingtables.co.uk

ACCESSORIES MATTER JONATHAN ADLER

A touch of whimsy doesn't go amiss at a festive table and we love Jonathan Adler's cute Muse Brass Place Card Holders. Each set includes four solid brass place card holders—two mustaches and two lips. £98 jonathanadler.com

MONOCHROME MANIA KATIE LEAMON

Choose a monochrome theme for your table and Katie Leamon's beautiful crackers will fit right in.

Fairy lights stretched along the table are a winning look too – as long as there's enough space. katieleamon.com

GOLDEN YEARS THOMAS GOODE

Thomas Goode is synonymous with classic luxury tableware and anyone wanting the ultimate in Christmas glamour should visit the Mayfair showroom for golden talbleware and glitzy plates. thomasgoode.com

LUXE LINEN OTTOLENGHI

Ottolenghi's sumptuous new line of Christmas table linen is crafted from the highest quality Italian organic linen and is hand painted using a rich indigo, decadent gold and white colour scheme. The luxury linen hamper includes the full set as well as some edible treats. £450, ottolenghi.co.uk

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Photography by Paul Craig

Engineered Walnut Pre-lacquered

Beautiful flooring, designed to last Over 100 designs | Expert advice | 20,000m 2 of stock | Express delivery SHOWROOM 20 Smugglers Way, Wandsworth, London, SW18 1EG 020 8871 9771

w w w.naturalwoodfloor.co.uk

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INTERIORS • ICONS

T H E L E G AC Y The Stoff Nagel Candleholder Wo r d s PENDLE HARTE

Stoff had developed a signature collection of rounded objects, which he called “items without corners”

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fter the devastation of the city of Cologne during the war, a father who had a stroke of ingenuity sent out four brothers into the darkness of the night to collect empty bullet cartridges. The city was leveled, and struggled to light up the night with a lack of electricity, but the blacksmith father saw the brass cartridges that carpeted the floors everywhere as being merely a material from which he could mold all sorts of required amenities.

He started to work with all the brass war remnants to create initially simple amenities like ashtrays and vases, but quickly saw that at night, the darkness was fended off with difficulty in a skeletal city that had just suffered the repeated bombings of the whole war. So he saw that he could transform all the brass material he could get his hands on, which was to say, a near seemingly infinite source, into simple and effective candleholders.

Thus the very first true Nagel Candleholder was born. However, this is just the beginning of the story.

Some few years later, after all the rebuilding of Germany made a substantial difference, the sons, inspired by their fathers artistic metalwork, all applied to the Cologne Art School. All filled with passion for art and design in their own ways. One of the Nagel sons went on to become a painter and a sculptor, another a silversmith, but third one, Hans, was determined to pursue his father’s work, and served as CEO of the small family company.

Not even 20 years had passed since the end of the war, when the son who directly filled his father’s role at his company met the architect and artist Werner Stoff in the design community of Cologne. Stoff at the time was a performing artist, but also had developed his own signature aesthetic of rounded objects, or as he described them; “items without corners”. The two artists found that they shared a love for design and their passion for art sparked a creative match.

During a ski trip, Hans accidentally tumbled backwards and broke his fall with one hand, which left three finger impressions in the snow that Hans says to be the exact moment the idea struck him.

He saw in it the perfect candleholder. Nagel told this to Stoff, and asked him to make a design for a candleholder with this concept, of three legs and three slots. It was then that the Stoff-Nagel candleholder was born.

It launched with tremendous success in the late 60s, but has recently been unavailable in stores. However, the Danish design company Just Right resuscitated the piece, and is launching the timeless icon again for the generations to come.

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DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019 ž HOME

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INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

G H O S T S O F C H R I S T M A S PA S T When Dennis Severs bought a Georgian townhouse in Spitalfields in 1978, he set to work creating an 18thcentury ‘still life drama’ with a motto, ‘you either see, or you don’t’. Absolutely meets custodian David Milne to talk Christmases past and keeping the drama high W o r d s N A N CY A L S O P

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T

’was the night before Christmas, almost three decades ago, and Dennis Severs had lit every last candle on his tree. His house in Spitalfields was festooned with Victorian cherubs, his table laid with winter fruits. The scene was illuminated by candlelight only. When Severs’ friend, David Milne, arrived, he brought with him the only modern interloper to the scene: a small, portable television, an exception made for this one time of the year. ‘We turned it on,’ recalls Milne, reclining in a winged chair in the drawing room. ‘And just at that moment, a curious passer-by knocked on the window, keen to see inside. I never saw Dennis move so fast. He literally flung himself over the television to hide our guilty secret!’

This is just one in a catalogue of anecdotes that Milne, now the custodian of 18 Folgate Street, has accumulated over the 30 years he has spent in the house, first as a guest and now as its curator. The late Dennis Severs, a Californian ex-lawyer, bought the property in 1978, having already by then turned his back on the law – and convention – in favour of a more eccentric life, making the money he needed by driving a 19th-century carriage around London and telling his passengers stories of the families who had once lived in the grand houses of Mayfair and Belgravia.

Spitalfields was home to a young and creative community, and 30-year-old Severs was drawn in. So when this now Grade II-listed Georgian house came up for sale, he bought it to live in – as opposed to as a museum piece. ‘At that time, what he saw was a 19thcentury layer on top of an 18th-century layer’, says Milne.

‘But he travelled through the rooms and got a sense of

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what it would have been and could be again, so he bought it from property investment company, British Land, and reconstructed it from the inside.’

An aesthete and collector, 18 Folgate Street’s newest incumbent began to amass period pieces while eschewing electricity and gas, preferring to live instead by candlelight as its 18th-century inhabitants would have done. A great believer in stories, he channelled the spirit of the age via a family of French immigrant Huguenot weavers – the Jervises – whose characters Milne continues to keep alive. ‘The Jervises were a real family who lived in the area, though not actually in this house,’ he explains. ‘Dennis created their story – he visualised Isaac Jervis as having been spirited away from France by his wet nurse, while his family was persecuted and slaughtered by the Catholic Louis XV. Then, under the care of British relatives, Isaac became a wealthy master silk weaver. Via these characters, Dennis created these secret tableaux. Everything he did felt real because the point at which Dennis stopped at the Jervises began was completely blurred.’

Severs’ house soon became something of whispered legend among the cognoscenti. People knew him from his carriage-riding days and duly followed him to what was then a slummy district of town. Before long, he began hosting theatrical tours of his home which now, as then, is crowded with artefacts: dressers festooned with crockery; four-poster beds shrouded in cascading red and orange velvet, rumpled as if its owner had just got up; fruit and etched decanters of wine; and at Christmas, a tree whose boughs heave with glass baubles and treasured decorations, lovingly dusted off year after year.

The whole thing is bathed in soft, flickering candlelight. It is like stepping into a living Baroque painting.

The experience is all the more animated for its special effects, which originated with Severs himself. On his tours, guests were under strict instruction to remain with their host at all times – and silent. ‘This was Dennis’ house,’ says Milne. ‘He didn’t have to follow any rules.

He would eject people; if you looked shady you didn’t

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• CHRISTMAS • NOTES INTERIORS TRAVEL

come in. But it was always magical. These tableaux came completely alive with sound effects and his narration.

Guests would hear horses clattering outside, or catch voices or the sounds of smashing plate in the next room.

Then as you entered the next room, you’d see the broken plate responsible, or smell a just-extinguished pipe. You never quite knew what was going to happen.’ Severs even issued a warning on his website: sensitive souls were welcome, but his house did not exist as entertainment for the bored wives of bankers from Kensington.

‘We would not do that now, but I understand why he did. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were a lot of snobs who derided the house because it wasn’t historically accurate.

They missed the point, which was the love and joy that had been lavished upon the place.’ Happily others were more receptive, including David Hockney, who ranked it as ‘great opera’. Even so, Severs was perceptive enough to know that full appreciation for what he’d done would likely be posthumous. He always said, ‘When I’m dead, they’ll like me.’ Indeed, since his death 19 years ago, the house has been hailed as a living work of art. ‘Before he died, Dennis gave an interview saying he thought the house might be ephemeral and would not survive after him. My taking over was unspoken,’ says Milne,

a set designer by training. ‘I understood it had to be more professional to survive, but now I know, barring environmental disaster, this house will be here in 100 years.’

Visitor numbers have swelled in the intervening years.

Every Monday and Wednesday see the inquisitive piling in, many of whom, says Milne are visibly moved. ‘It is a place that stirs up emotion, for all of us. I felt very moved by a delightful American family who came with their twenty-something son, who was completely blind.

I suggested they arrive early and I told him the whole story. I got him to touch everything – something you could never do in other historic properties. It’s a very sensual place; the smell of the fire, of the fruit, the sound of the clock ticking, the horse and carriage. Later I got a letter saying it had been his best Christmas ever.’ There could be few more fitting tributes to the extraordinary house that Dennis Severs – a man who truly kept Christmas in his heart – made than that.

DENNIS SEVERS HOUSE The annual Christmas installation runs from 25 November until 4 January at 18 Folgate Street, E1. Booking is essential dennissevershouse.co.uk/christmas A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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DESIGNED FOR LIFE

TO DISCOVER INSPIRATIONAL WOOD FLOORING VISIT OUR CHELSEA SHOWROOM OR VIEW ONLINE 600 KING’S ROAD, CHELSEA, LONDON, SW6 2DX T. 0207 940 0000 HAVWOODS.CO.UK

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23/11/2018 15:37 14/06/2018 13/03/2018

ABSOLUTELY • PROMOTION

NEW HORIZONS

Leading interior solutions brand Schmidt has opened its latest showroom in Fulham and it’s a treasure trove of exceptional design work.

Here’s what you need to know.

E

xcellent customer service is central to the success of Schmidt, the leading European kitchen and interior solutions brand that has been creating customisable, madeto-measure furniture for over 80 years. The brand has multiple branches around the UK and has recently opened its newest site in Fulham. Here, customers will have one point of contact from first visit through to the design stages, site survey, fitting and completion.

Schmidt produce design solutions to maximise space and optimise aesthetics for a beautiful but functional kitchen, bedroom, home office, living room or loft - all the while maintaining your budget expectations.

They offer a 10-year guarantee on every piece of bespoke, made-to-order furniture and a special 25-year guarantee on the hinges, drawer runners and wall brackets.

Each customer has complete peace of mind that their project will last.

The newest showroom is primely located on the well-known Wandsworth Bridge Road in Fulham and boasts a variety of colours, ranges and styles. With four display

kitchens to view, it’s an Aladdin’s cave of design and craftsmanship, more like a home than a showroom. The team of designers will be more than happy to talk you through each product to ensure you understand exactly how brilliant your project can be.

The friendly and experienced team are happy to sit down and discuss your needs as part of Schmidt’s free design service. They will provide you with plenty of inspiration for your upcoming project and look forward to welcoming you into the showroom.

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL: Dealing with the team at Schmidt Fulham was a pleasure. The whole process went smoothly and exactly to plan, from initial design ideas, right through to fitting, with a few design changes accommodated along the way. We are very pleased with the final result. We looked around and then decided on Schmidt for the quality and look of the product and also the fact that, unlike other brands, many nice features come as standard. This is in fact our second Schmidt kitchen, the old one served us well for over 15 years.

S C H M I DT F U L H A M 82 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, SW6 2TF, 020 7731 2090

home-design.schmidt

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L I G H T F A N T A S T I C When 2LG Studio needed lights for their new kitchen, they went to Cameron Design House.

Absolutely admires the results Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E P h o t o g r a p h y M E G A N TAY L O R

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INTERIORS • LIGHTING

The lights would be at home on a spaceship from the future or on the set of a Kubrick movie

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his kitchen takes up most of the ground floor of a Victorian house in south London belonging to Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio. It showcases a range designed by the studio for John Lewis of Hungerford, and its beautiful scheme is complemented by specially designed lighting by Cameron Design House. The challenge was to take the classic strip light and re-imagine it in a contemporary context.

“We love to disrupt the norm and wanted to do just that with our Victorian property. The lights are a key part of that for us, bringing an ultra modern edge to the period architecture.” say 2LG. “We wanted to create lighting that was functional and beautiful. We started with a fluorescent strip light as a base and went from

there,” say 2LG. The idea was to create something that felt at once familiar and alien; and it had to feature colour. “We are often drawn to what other may see as ugly.

This intrigues us. So we loved the idea of taking a strip light and making it sexy.”

The elegant lights come in green, pink, brushed brass and blue, which have become 2LG’s core colours over the past five years.

The lights have a pill shape and look almost as though you could break the glass in case of emergency to release a life-giving substance. They are beautifully crafted, yet playful.

This collaboration between Cameron Design House and 2LG Studio has captured the attention of the design world with its promotion of the importance of individuality through interiors. 2LG say: “We like to disrupt spaces and for us this light works in both modern and period settings. There is an exciting tension when you place a bold modern statement in a classical or persion setting. They would be equally at home on a spaceship from the future or on the set of a Kubrick movie.”

The kitchen range features curved tops and fluted glass and is available in 2LG’s signature colour palette of pale pinks, garden green and electric blue. The star piece is the freestanding larder unit with fluted glass doors and a painted interior.

2LG The couple, former actors, launched their business in 2014. Taking their name from the suffix of their first postcode, 2LG, they became known to their friends as the 2 Lovely Gays.

2lgstudio.com Capsule lights by Cameron Design House in collaboration with 2LG Studio, from £2,600.00; The Rise Kitchen designed by 2LG Studio for John Lewis of Hungerford with Flooring by Havwoods; Paint by Mylands; Colour-matched radiators by Bisque; dining chairs by Menu; counters and backsplash by Caesarstone camerondesignhouse.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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MUSIC ALL A RO U N D Captivating from every angle.

No matter where and how you play.

Portable wireless speaker system. 360-degree sound performance. Easy streaming via Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth.

BEOSOUND 1

|

BEOSOUND 2

BANG & OLUFSEN OF EALING | 17 BOND STREET | EALING | W5 5AP 020 8840 1010 | ealing@bang-olufsen.co.uk

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INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

ON THE

P U L L The best crackers of the season MATILDA GOAD/TART

Compiled by P E N D L E H A R T E

Each cracker contains an exclusive Tart recipe card designed by Scribble & Daub with accompanying spice mix by Rooted Spice that are cleverly designed to incorporate Christmas leftovers. £56 matildagoad.com

KATIE LEAMON

These Confetti crackers are Katie Leamon's most luxurious ones yet, with dinky gifts including indoor sparklers, a wooden puzzle, wooden dice, wooden spinning tops, colouring pencils and bumble bee soap. £42, katieleamon.com

FEVER TREE

Fever Tree's crackers contain a miniature bottle of craft gin and the perfectly paired Fever-Tree tonic to go with it. £7 each johnlewis.com

CLARIDGES

Claridge’s first ever crackers are filled with a host of stylish surprises inspired by the hotels’ culinary heritage. From a mother of pearl caviar spoon to a crested Claridge’s egg cup, these gifts are a cut above. £75 claridges.co.uk

JO MALONE

HARRODS

Harrods' colourful Circus crackers come with fun gifts such as a silver yoyo, a wooden ruler and some stylish hatpins. £11o harrods.com

Jo Malone's annual cracker is filled with tiny treats: Basil & Neroli Cologne, Blackberry & Bay Body & Hand Wash, and compelling, addictive Mimosa & Cardamom Body Crème. £33 jomalone.co.uk

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DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS FIVE STEPS TO A MORE S U S TA I N A B L E H O L I DAY WORDS HELEN BARON

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INTERIORS • CHRISTMAS

2 . S U S TA I N A B L E S T Y L E

D

W

e love Christmas.

Like, really love it.

It’s the diamond nestled among the grubby coals of an English winter, the thing that gives colour to those colourless months of grey skies and sodden ground. But there’s no denying Christmas is complicated.

Years ago, we could enjoy the festive period in relatively straightforward style, complete with plastic trees, plastic decorations, plastic toys and every other throwaway (probably plastic) novelty the high street could muster. But those guilty times were also, ironically, more innocent.

Many of us didn’t realise the impact of our actions – and our consumption. Now we do. And with rising awareness about the environmental effects of unfettered consumption comes a tricky relationship with this most wasteful of holidays. So how to create a Christmas brimming with magic and fun (not to mention toys) without wrecking the planet? Here are five simple (and easily achievable) starting steps...

1 . K E E P YO U R T R E E

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otted trees are better for the planet, as they can go on absorbing carbon dioxide when they’re replanted in your garden after the holiday. But even if you don’t have the space to keep your tree forever (think how cool it is for kids to welcome a tree back into the home like an old friend, year after year), there are ways to ensure a cut tree doesn’t go to waste completely. Namely, your local council’s recycling programme or a homegrown alternative: chop your tree into logs and use them to fuel a fire or wood-burning stove. You’ll be releasing carbon dioxide into the air when you burn it, but if you buy your tree from a local, responsible provider – one who can assure you they plant a new tree for every one they sell – you’ll at least know that your tree’s replacement will absorb an equal amount.

ecorations provide ample opportunity to ditch synthetic materials and embrace natural, eco-friendly alternatives. Use beeswax or soy candles instead of paraffin ones, layer your tree with Scandi-style paper chains instead of tinsel and invest in keepsake decorations of brass, wood, paper and shatterproof glass. Kids will love getting crafty with wool, felt, cardboard and foil paper, making decorations you can treasure rather than trend-led, cheaply made tat that’s probably travelled from China to reach your tree.

C H EC K O UT • FERM LIVING

for decorations fermliving.com MERI MERI for plastic-free crackers and partyware merimeri.com

3 . D I G I TA L G R E E T I N G S

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reetings cards appear to be on the decline, which is a shame in one sense – it’s always good to stay in touch. But we still send hundreds of millions every year, so if you fancy getting back in the game (or if you never got out of it), the key is to ensure your cards are printed with non-toxic inks on sustainably sourced paper. Cards you receive should of course be reused or recycled after the season – one tip is to save them for your kids to make new collagestyle cards or gift tags the following year.

Or you could move beyond the material realm entirely, and opt for digital greetings cards – which are usually much more costeffective too.

C H EC K O UT • PAPIER POST for digital

greetings cards paperlesspost.com NATURAL COLLECTION for sustainable stationery naturalcollection.com

C H EC K O UT CHRISTMAS FOREST christmasforest.co.uk PINES AND NEEDLES pinesandneedles.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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RESTORING AND REPLACING TIMBER WINDOWS AND DOORS

Conservation Area and Period Property Specialists

01344 868 668

www.sashwindow.com 020 8644 8523 www.annsdesignercakes.com

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• CHRISTMAS • XXXXX INTERIORS CULTURE

4. GIFT LIST

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nwanted gifts are depressing on every level, and each Christmas in the UK alone more than 80,000 tonnes of unwanted clothes – most of which will have come from the other side of the world – are sent straight to landfill.

Surprises may carry a certain romance, but it’s worth getting your kids (and other loved ones) to provide some sort of list so as to avoid buying stuff they simply don’t want. When shopping, try to focus on locally produced gear that hasn’t got many miles under its belt. Organic materials are obviously better all-round, and for kids there are a host of independent businesses focused on producing top-notch toys from sustainably sourced materials. Failing all that, subscriptions to digital services (Netflix, Spotify etc.) are a safe bet.

C H EC K O UT • HAPPY LITTLE FOLKS for beautiful, London-made wooden toys happylittlefolks.com • WHIRLI for a pioneering (and waste-reducing) online toy-library whirli.com • MINI STITCHES for sustainable, UK-made clothing ministitches. org PIPPINS for beautiful recycled kids denim pippinschildrenswear.com

5 . E AT W E L L

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he same rules apply here: opt for local, organic produce wherever possible. One study estimated that the average British Christmas dinner featured ingredients that had travelled a combined total of around 45,000 miles to make it to the table, so choosing (often better quality) seasonal groceries has definite upsides for the planet. But what of all the food that gets thrown away? Compost it. Compost bins are widely available or you could try donating your food waste to a local allotment. Failing that, invest in a food waste disposal unit – they’ll grind your organic matter so finely, it can eventually be recovered from the waste water and used as soil conditioner.

C H EC K O UT • FARM DROP for seasonal, organic produce from local farms, direct to your door farmdrop.com

Chop your tree into logs and use them to fuel a fire or woodburning stove A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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LOTS ROAD AUCTIONS

71 Lots Road, SW10 0RN 020 7376 6800 www.lotsroad.com valuations@lotsroad.com

Charles II Chest, circa 1680 Estimated: £350-500

Daum Decanter, 20th Century Estimated: £350-500

Apothecary Jar, 17th Century Sold: £450

Ole Wenscher Chest, 1950’s Estimated: £800-1200

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INTERIORS • PRODUCTS DAVEY LIGHTING Rise and Fall light in polished copper, £479 dusklights.co.uk

THE CONRAN SHOP Metallic balloon animal tree decoration, £15 conranshop.co.uk

DECADANT DECS Giant metallic paper fans, £15 talkingtables.co.uk

GINGER RAY Wrapping tape in gold, £4 amazon.co.uk

SHINE ON

ANGLEPOISE Type 75 desk lamp in gold lustre, £160 anglepoise.com

FERM LIVING Circle candle holder in gold, £103 trouva.com

We're going for gold this season. Here are Absolutely’s top picks

By PENDLE HARTE

THOMAS GOODE Eugenie tableware, £POA thomasgoode.com

TOM DIXON Tank whiskey set in platinum stripe, £200 tomdixon.net

EDITOR’S PICK

JONATHAN ADLER Puzzle mirror, £1950 jonathanadler.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Grate Expectations - A Family run business established for over 30 years The UK’s leading suppliers of luxury gas fireplaces, wood burning stoves and bioethanol fires manufactured by DRU, Spartherm, Ebios, Dik Guerts, Gazco, Stovax and many more.

1-3 Station Buildings, Kingston Road, Wimbledon Chase, SW20 8JT 020 8540 8387 | sales@grateexpectations.com | grateexpectations.com

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INTERIORS • WREATHS

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IN SEASON T H E O D D F L OW E R

F E S T I V E

Seasonal flowers from newcomer The Odd Flower come beautifully packaged and complete with arranging tips. Available by subscription or as one-off gifts, the selection is stylish and luxurious, complemented by a home styling service, if you choose. theoddflower.com

F L O W E R S

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ALL THE LOVELIEST SEASONAL BLOOMS

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B E AU T I F U L B LO O M S BLOOM AND WILD

Bloom & Wild has put together a gorgeous array of seasonal bouquets that symbolise Christmas.

From beautiful holly and amaryllis to themed aspen bouquets, there are gift boxes to match – and they'll deliver a set of mini Christmas trees too. bloomandwild.com

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IN STYLE N I K K I T I B B L E S/ W I L D AT H E A R T

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Bloom and Wild has teamed up with Nikki Tibbles of Wild at Heart for their first ever wreath. Filled with scented pine, dried lavender and lime, this aromatic wreath will start your Christmas countdown in style. £60 bloomandwild.com

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N AT U R A L LO O K S T H E R E A L F L OW E R C O

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Beautiful door wreaths at The Real Flower Co include the lavender and lime one, the thistle and berry one, the woodland antique rose one and –best of all – the beautiful white Nordic rose one. You can even add chocolates and champagne to your order. realflowers.co.uk

5

MAKE IT UP S T RU P S

Strups' fine brass plated ring with leather strap is a great base for making your own original door wreath.

Wrap Christmas tree clippings and eucalyptus leaves around it and just keep adding. From £18, skandium.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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YES, IT’S A CRYING SHAME…

…that she left it too late to apply for Hurtwood House, because it’s simply the best for acting, dancing, singing, film-making – “A utopia for creative minds” – as the Good Schools Guide says.

And crucially, this exciting school is equally successful academically. In fact, it’s statistically one of the top co-ed boarding schools in the UK. So, if you’re looking for a really exciting and rewarding change of school at 16 – don’t leave it too late.

Contact Cosmo Jackson or visit our website for more information.

T: 01483 279000

E: info@hurtwood.net

hurtwoodhouse.com

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KIDS & EDUCATION

FAIR FASHION VELVETEEN

Velveteen works with fair-trade organisations whenever possible; their clothing is finely crafted and handembroidered, using a combination of Indian artisan techniques. velveteenclothing.com

Small Talk 109 · Gifts for kids 111 · Gifts for teens 113 · Education 115 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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DISCOVERMORE

Embracing an innovative, modern approach whilst keeping traditional values at its core, Kew House School takes an exciting stance on 21st century education. With state-of-the-art facilities, a broad curriculum and excellent pastoral care, Kew House is a place where you would want to be – a place of learning and discovery, laughter and friendship.

Open Days

Our state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre

November 1st/7th (9.30am/ 9.30am) November 15th/21st (7.00pm/ 9.30am) November 29th (9.30am)

T: 0208 742 2038 E: info@kewhouseschool.com W: www.kewhouseschool.com An independent co-educational senior school for students aged 11-18 in West London

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KIDS & EDUCATION • NOTES B RA N D F O CU S

ALL THAT GLITTERS

MIMI & LULA Mimi & Lula is the brainchild of two accessory designers, who between them have created ranges for many famous high-street brands. The duo are known for their playful style and little ones will love their glittery dinosaur bags, superhero masks and pom pom hair clips, perfect for party season. mimiandlula.com

SMALL TALK Glitter accessories, cosy PJs, Christmas books and haircare for tots

DANDYDILL WAY

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reated by high profile celebrity make-up artist Tania Rodney, Dandydill Way is an award-winning range of skin and hair care inspired by childhood freedom and potential. These products look good in their super stylish (and recyclable) packaging and smell improbably beautiful, a culmination of Tania’s experience both as a make-up artist and as a mum. Inspired by her own childhood in rural Yorkshire playing endlessly outside with her sisters picking berries and building dens, Tania drew inspiration from the nature that was all around her when developing Dandydill Way. A key ingredient in the range is the hawthorn berry which grows wild in the hedgerows and countryside of Britain.

The range includes shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath and hair detangler plus a clever liquid powder, a natural spray-on deodorant that's chemical-free and designed for children who aren't ready for harsh deodorants yet. From £18, dandydillway.com

COSY UP N I G H T S BY W I L D E R

Featuring classic chambray, stripes, folky florals and a magical star print, the sleepwear collection from British brand Nights by Wilder is made for snuggling up in on Christmas Eve. Each piece is made in London using hand-woven, organic and sustainable cotton from India. nightsbywilder.com

MOUSE STYLE

H OW W I N S TO N

DELIVERED CHRISTMAS

By Alex T Smith

Winston is a plucky, homeless young mouse, on a mission to deliver a lost letter to Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. Gorgeously illustrated, this is a poignant and heart-warming story. £14.99

panmacmillan.com

EDITOR’S PICK

SKETCH BOOK THE NIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS Illustrated by Tony Ross

This lavishly produced hardback book is the perfect keepsake gift to treasure. Illustrated in colour by Tony Ross, The Nights Before Christmas has 24 classic tales, songs and stories to enjoy. £12.99; andersenpress.co.uk

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KIDS & EDUCATION • GIFTS IMMI DRESS Velveteen, £88 velveteenclothing.com GROCER'S STALL Flexa, from £136 flexaworld.com

LUGGY BASKET Oli Ella luggy, £45 olliella.com

WINNIE SWEATER Mango Kids, £22.99 mango.com

MIRROR BACKPACK Tiba + Marl, £40 tibaandmarl.com

TIGER HEAD Make Your Own, £9.99 clockworksoldiershop.co.uk

GIFTS FOR KIDS

LES PARISIENNES: MADAME CONSTANCE Moulin Roty, £49 folkinteriors.co.uk

DOLL'S HOUSE Le Toy Van, £130 letoyvan.com

Spark their imagination this Christmas with these inspiring gifts

By HELEN BARON

MONTGOMERY BEAR Charlie Bears, £225 charliebears.com

DRESSING UP KITS Meri Meri, from £12 merimeri.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

SMARTRIKE 6 in 1 SmarTfold 300 Plus Folding Trike Trike, £99 argos.co.uk YOUNG SOLES Sidney Brogue Boot, from £81 youngsoles.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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KIDS & EDUCATION • GIFTS BAN.DO Desk accessories, prices vary bando.com

PENELOPE HOPE Laptop case, £45 penelopehope.com

17 PATTERNS

VETEMENTS X REEBOK

Cushion, £135 harrods.com

Socks, £90 harrods.com

VANRYKE Alphabet necklace, £410 harrods.com

HERSCHEL Heritage backpach, £49.95 harrods.com

BAN.DO

ICON Soul Slouch armchair beanbag, £94.99 beanbagbazaar.co.uk

HARRY POTTER

Good Mood sweatshirt bando.com

GIFTS FOR TEENS No longer kids, not quite adults...

CULT LIVING

Hufflepuff make-up bag, £10 boots.com

Good Vibes star lightbox, £35 cultfurniture.com

By PENDLE HARTE

BABYLISS PRO Hot pink conical wand, £24.99 hairtrade.com

LEXON Mino bluetooth speaker, £29.95 stonegift .com

LEICA ADIDAS I-5923 shoes, £99.95 adidas.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

Sofort instant film camera, £250 harrods.com

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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KIDS & EDUCATION • AGENDA

School NEWS

W H AT ' S H A P P E N I N G I N T H E W O R L D O F E D U C AT I O N

REMEMBER

This iconic photograph taken on 4 March 1914, shows 21 Abingdon School students posed prior to their annual boat race. Five years later nine of the young men in the photograph were dead.

Abingdon School

N E W N U R S E RY

Teacher’s Pet

St James Preparatory School is extending its early years provision by opening a nursery in September 2019.

It will share the prep school’s specialist performing arts, music and language teaching provisions. Minisha Bist is to be Head of Nursery, bringing a wealth of experience.

After extending her paw and acting as a therapist for students at Bickley Park School, Selkie, a fouryear-old Labrador, has become an honorary member of staff. She has proved particularly helpful for children suffering from familial loss, as students report Selkie makes them feel special.

F L I G H T C LU B

A R T S AWA R D

Lawrence ‘Benny’ Goodman, now 98 years old and the last surviving 617 ‘Dambuster’ Squadron pilot, opened Abingdon School’s new flight simulator suite donated by former pupil, Tony Edwards.

Tony also donated a portrait of Benny Goodman, painted by renowned artist Jeremy Houghton, to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force.

Congratulations to Bredon School for winning a prestigious Independent Schools Association Award for Excellence and Innovation in the Fine Arts in recognition of the school’s innovative teaching techniques and opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning.

OLD BOYS The Bibliomaniacs of Papplewick School’s latest sortie to Eton College saw the boys study many and varied treasures in the College Library, including the Eton Choir Book and some ingenious modern bindings. Afterwards, the Bibliomaniacs met four former members of their club who are now King’s Scholars at Eton College.

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TRAVEL

OFF PISTE

THE DOLOMITES

The Italian Dolomites is the destination heating up with more Michelin stars than you can count on one hand and a clutch of high-end hotels. Here’s what we made of a snowy escape to the world’s largest ski area.

Skiing in the Dolomites 118 • Amsterdam – by Eurostar 124 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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Piste PERFECT

We get a taste of la dolce vita on the slopes of the Dolomites

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TRAVEL • WINTER

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f top-grade skiing, exceptional food and a sophisticated but welcoming ambience are your thing, I can recommend no place better than the Italian Dolomites. Consisting of 450 lifts and 750 scenic miles of piste, this is the world’s largest ski area and arguably one of the most impressive mountain ranges around. Rapid access to the slopes is guaranteed by way of a modern lift infrastructure and with one ski pass you’ve access to 12 ski resorts, each as beautiful as the next and suitable for all ski levels.

More laid back than its rival snow-capped regions in France, Austria and Switzerland, the Dolomites offer a quieter and less-crowded alpine experience. Having returned to the French Alps season and after season and on occasion to the the Swiss, I’m well-versed with the flashy resorts in the western region - France’s Courchevel, Switzerland’s Verbier - and their Moët-swigging, Prada-wearing clientele. And while you’ll find that a lot of these ostentatious snow bunnies choose to sit beside the run, their top-of-the-range skis propped up somewhere on a sun-drenched restaurant terrace, the pistes cutting through the Alps are renowned for their congestion and long queues, especially during school holidays. Quieter Dolomite villages like San Cassiano attract Italian families season after season to ski its powdery slopes and make the most of its exceptional food scene.

Of course, technically speaking, the Dolomites are still very much a part of the Alps, flourishing from the chain’s southeast foothills. But like the estranged branch of a family tree, the region feels very separate.

Geographically they sit in northern Italy but remain Austrian in character after Mussolini annexed the region from the latter in 1918. His intent for Italianization never quite stuck and even today most of the locals speak in the mountain dialect, Ladin, rather than in Italian.

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Escape to Rayavadee A boutique 5 hotel hidden among tropical foliage in Krabi, Southern Thailand Rayavadee’s exclusive location is so special, it’s reason enough alone to visit.

Only accessible by boat, it’s tucked away on a beautiful beach between Railay Beach and Phra Nang Cave Beach, crowned by jagged limestone cliffs, overlooking Ko Rang Nok island.

Sixty acres of carefully landscaped jungle shrouds the villas, creating the ultimate escape for even the most world-weary travellers.

EXCLUSIVE! 2 FREE NIGHTS 5 Rayavadee 7 Nights Bed & Breakfast from

£1325pp

Call 0208 329 2679 or book online letsgo2.com Prices are per person based on two people sharing. Available on various departures between 1 May - 30 June 2019.

Subject to availability. For full T&Cs visit letsgo2.com. Prices correct as of 19/11/2018.

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TRAVEL • WINTER

A total new-comer to the area, I’m beholden to my snowboard instructor for showing me what this vast, snowy playground has to offer, and boy does it deliver. Since the Dolomites are protected from unbridled northerly storms, we are blessed with clear, blue skies and soft, well-blanketed pistes for the entirety of the trip. I’m told that 100 days of sunshine during winter is the norm. The vistas are staggeringly beautiful, the lines dramatic and sharp. I imagine the place loses none of its charm come summer. Peppered across the pistes are traditional mountain restaurants serving cuisine from Ladin, Tyrole and the Mediterranean, along with exceptional wines. Like most, we take the opportunity to rest tired limbs and remedy nervous ski legs with a Glühwein (or three), a plate of hearty ragù and the requisite espresso between runs. Thankfully the area accommodates non-skiers too, as one in our group wishes to forgo the risk of broken limbs. She is perfectly at ease to hop on a lift and let it whisk her to the top of the mountain where she can bask in the alpine gorgeousness of it all and sip hot chocolate while the rest of us hit the slopes. From our excellent instructors to the incredible mountain food and spectacular weather, it’s safe to say that I am completely sold on the Dolomites as a ski destination.

Although this also has a little something to do with our home-from-home for the week which is the sumptuous Rosa Alpina.

Almost 170 years old, this family-run hotel epitomises quiet glamour. It sits in San Cassiano, one of the six villages that make

up South Tyrol’s Alta Bada municipality and is conveniently placed for flights into Venice and Innsbruck airports.

On entering, the place is utterly charming.

A welcoming log fire crackles in the lobby which leads through to the wine bar and grill, a cosy and comfortable restaurant famous for its wood-oven pizzas. After an early start and a delayed flight from London, we devour said pizza, mounds of prosciutto and a Pinot noir Riserva (the wine list, by the way, is extensive) among fellow guests and locals. Warm and convivial, the wine bar and grill epitomises the delightful, smalltown charm that oozes from every brick and fibre of Rosa Alpina, thanks no doubt to the Pizzinini family who live upstairs. The hotel has been in the family’s keeping for three generations and while they’ve added luxe touches and all of the mod-cons you’d expect from a 5* stay, it’s heritage and original features take pride of place.

The two Michelin-starred St. Hubertus Restaurant is undoubtedly the culinary highlight of not just the hotel, but of the region. Celebrated local chef Norbert Niederkofler is at the helm and has been since it opened in 1996. With just nine tables and a chef’s table, you’ll want to book well in advance. Expect food at its most innovative and indulgent thanks to Niederkofler’s resolution to serve only that which has been sourced from the Dolomites. It really is exemplary dining.

Rooms are elegant, spacious havens for relaxation with large seating areas, wood panelling and open fireplaces. Luxury apartments come with their own Turkish bath and sauna but to really ease away the aches of the day, guests can head down to the spa. Located in the basement of the building and kitted out with an indoor swimming pool, Finnish sauna, steam bath and luxurious treatment areas, there really is nowhere better to rest and rejuvenate.

Kick your skis off for an afternoon, enjoy mountainous views from the pool and book yourself in for one of the hotel’s signature Alpine Herbs Muscle Relief massages; it’s so worth it.

From now until April, regulars will be getting their winter fix at this astounding region of excellent skiing, phenomenal eating and exuberant Italian hospitality. For an even greater taste of la dolce vita, Rosa Alpina offers all of this and more. There is no place better for your next snow-filled holiday. I will wholeheartedly be back and I can guarantee, you will too.

ROSA ALPINA Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers 7 nights B&B at Rosa Alpina in a Deluxe Double Room from £3,322 per person, based on two sharing and including return flights from London Gatwick to Innsbruck and transfers. For further information on the hotel please visit rosalpina.it.

A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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ORIGINAL, LIMITED-EDITION ART DECO POSTERS

Limited to editions of 280, our newly-commissioned Art Deco posters feature glamorous holiday destinations around the world, ski resorts in the Austrian, French and Swiss Alps, and the world’s greatest historic automobiles. Over 100 designs to choose from, all printed on 100% cotton fine art paper, measuring 97 x 65 cms.

Priced at £395 each.

Private commissions are also welcome.

Pullman Editions Ltd 94 Pimlico Road Chelsea London SW1W 8PL www.pullmaneditions.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0547 Email: georgina@pullmaneditions.com

Our central London gallery

All images and text copyright © Pullman Editions Ltd. 2018

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he country house and series of Cotswold stone buildings that form the hotel and spa are understated, calming and luxurious, the decor is both pleasing and characterful and the staff impeccable in being helpful and always to hand. Perhaps the most delightful aspect of The Calcot is its setting, which is deep in the Cotswolds and can be viewed and explored in many different ways. The gardens are quintessentially English, articulated by yew, beech and pleached lime hedges, with plants attracting butterflies at every turn. Swallows fly overhead and there are many birds everywhere you look. You can choose to explore by bike or on foot, and there is a 3km trail to be followed through the countryside – just long enough to convince yourself you have worked off your breakfast.

There is a gym for the keen, an outdoor swimming pool and clay shooting arranged within the hotels extensive grounds.

THE ROOM

O

ur suite was a delightful cottage and on two floors. The bathroom was very luxurious with a vast bath in the centre and Aromatherapy products.

Upstairs the room had ancient beams, and attractive soft furnishings with a colour-

scheme of muted yellow and grey, a luxuriously sized bed with all comforts considered.

Each cottage has a little private garden has its own table and chairs.

THE FOOD

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here is the Conservatory for breakfast and other meals, and the less formal The Gunstool Inn as an alternative, and food served in the spa. Our dinner and breakfast were delicious and there was plenty of choice. The fish soup, bread made on the premises were particularly good and service swift. If you sit outside then you have a view from the terrace across the hills which is a delight. If you have children you will find that they are well catered for with a high tea in the late afternoon, and if you have none then you can sit comfortably in a number of places to eat and chat.

THE SPA

T

weekend

THE HOTEL

DESTINATIONS

TRAVEL • UK GETAWAY

he extensive spa is quiet and luxurious with a large steaming hot tub, indoor pool, treatment rooms, dining, an outdoor fireside and gym. My pedicure was excellent with Leyton Deny products and there’s an outdoor pool on site that is always heated.

CALCOT HOTEL & SPA

THE AREA

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

ust 90 minutes from London and with numerous delightful Cotswold villages to explore nearby, Calcot is ideally located for day trips.

All the charm of the Cotsowlds

J

By A L E X A N D R A HUNTER

Rooms start at £209 per night, based on two guests sharing and including VAT CALCOT HOTEL & SPA Near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8YJ calcot.co

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TRAVEL • EUROPE

Amsterdam is an excellent place to visit with the family, especially now that the Eurostar takes you straight there

A

Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

msterdam might be less than an hour’s flying time away, but you’re still hard pressed to get there in time for lunch without getting up madly early. Or at least without feeling stressed and grumpy.

You’re likely to spend longer at passport control than you are in the air, and fiddling with miniature bottles of contact lens solution and emptying your water bottle while holding your coat and abandoning your too-big tube of hand cream can wipe out much of the joy of travelling.

And that’s travelling without children. Managing your kids on the way to a family weekend in Amsterdam is frankly barely worth the airport hassle.

So hurrah for the Eurostar’s new direct St Pancras to Amsterdam Centraal route, launched last April. In just three hours and 40 minutes the train drops you right in the centre of town, making the Dutch city a weekend equivalent of, say, Devon for Londoners. The only slight hitch is the return leg, which involves changing at Brussels because currently there’s no passport control at Central Station, a situation that’s not likely to be helped by Brexit.

It’s a simple change though it adds more than half an hour to the journey. But the advantages of the train are countless, especially when travelling with children. Walk up to the restaurant car for coffee and snacks, play cards at your table, bring as much luggage as you can carry – no fussing about liquids – and enjoy views of the French, Belgian and then Dutch countryside from the windows.

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TRAVEL • EUROPE

AMSTERDAM’S BE ST AT TRACTIONS FOR FAMILIE S 1 THE ANNE FRANK HOUSE This is one of the best-crafted museums in the world. The new section makes it spacious and accessible; its approach is sober and respectful – there are no excess exhibits, no fillers, just the stark reality of 20th century history as seen through the eyes of one of its young victims. Children too young to know about the holocaust will need a bit of forewarning, but the museum is an excellent introduction.

2 VONDELPARK Amsterdam is small and manageable, an easy city to navigate and a pleasure to get around by bicycle. A report by UNICEF shows Dutch children to be the world’s happiest, and its likely that the freedom found in cycling everywhere is a contributing factor. But of course it’s hugely popular with tourists and cycle paths are inevitably crowded. A premium hire charge for bikes with handlebar brakes as opposed to back-pedal ones is a clever tax for British tourists who traditionally fear the Dutch brakes – most bike shops stock varying sizes of child’s bikes as well as toddler seats, baby trailers and everything that the cycling family might need.

RESTAURANT JANSZ, PULITZER HOTEL Once you’re saddled up, where to go?

It’s easy to spend a day cycling around as a family. A few laps of the Vondelpark will help with confidence and after that it’s geography that’s the main problem: with so many similar canal vistas to deal with, getting lost is inevitable.

The Pulitzer Hotel in Prinzengracht is arguably the best place to stay in Amsterdam. Brilliantly located for just about everything, the hotel can provide bicycles and makes a brilliant starting point. Not least because it even has its own boat, an iconic wooden luxury saloon dating back to 1909 that takes a daily 75-minute tour of the canals. This is all the introduction anyone could need, with its friendly and knowledgeable captain offering enlightenment on everything from the history of the sugar trade to contemporary cannabis culture.

Eurostar makes the Dutch city a weekend equivalent of, say, Devon

Eurostar travels to Amsterdam from St Pancras twice daily; fares start at £35 one way; eurostar.com

Summer or winter, Amsterdam’s famed park is a magnet for people of all ages. Not only are there several playgrounds and cafes, but it’s a great place to cycle and also just to people-watch.

3 THE FLOWER MARKET It might be a cliché, but it’s important to bring home some tulips. Whether bulbs or cut flowers, this is where you go to buy and browse.

4 APPLE PIE AT THE WESTERMARKT Westermarkt is one of the city’s best markets – cheese, vegetables and organic food as well as antiques, vintage clothes and jewellery. On Saturdays a huge queue forms outside small café Winkel – it might be long but it’s worth joining for the excellent warm apple pie with cream that’s famed all over town.

5 INDONESIAN FOOD Don’t leave without treating yourself to a reistafel, an Indonesian feast that you won’t find in London. The Dutch colonial past means that this traditional meal with its countless dishes – lots of peanuts, egg and chilli – has become an Amsterdam staple.

6 MUSEUMSPLEIN The Rijksmuseum reopened in 2013 after a ten-year makeover and its scope covers 800 years of Dutch history, all brilliantly ordered to make a super user-friendly experience.

Don’t miss the 17th century dolls houses.

7 CANAL TOUR BY BOAT This has to be done. Peer into the houseboats from the water and plan your new life as a barge dweller. We all do it. pulitzeramsterdam.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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THE E ASY LIFE Make a relaxing but exciting adventure of each journey with a ConďŹ dential Trip from ATO Tours Wo r d s H E L E N B R O W N

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TRAVEL • SPOTLIGHT LAKE LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND

W H O A R E ATO TO U R S?

Picture this: you’re desperate for a holiday and craving some respite from the city.

You’ve a surplus of holiday days to use up and the financial means for something special. But even deciding where to go can be a daunting process, and that’s before you’ve even dealt with airlines, hotels, transfers, packing and your mates who have a very different idea of what they want out of the trip.

Enter ATO Tours, an innovative group making waves in the world of travel agency.

The team is a knowledgeable and friendly bunch made up of freelancers, scouts and local experts who have travelled extensively and lived in a handful of diverse countries and cities. With them, you can lose all inhibitions and hand over all of the often boring and irritating aspects of holidaying, while you wait to discover where you’ll be headed. That’s right, you, the traveller, won’t know where you’ll be going until a week before your departure. Giving up all control of your trip can feel terrifying, but ATO Tours really are the experts. However should the idea of jetting of out into the unknown still seem slightly intimidating, the team also specialises in creating bespoke tours for all events and occasions. Are you looking A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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TRAVEL • SPOTLIGHT

LINDAU, GERMANY

Add a new layer of excitement to your holidays; the excitement of the unknown BOJNICE CASTLE, SLOVAKIA

for a solo holiday without the cheesy trappings that typically come with this type of trip? Or a hen party without the stress and with surprises for everyone?

There really are no limitations to what the team can come up with.

CONFIDENTIAL TRIPS

A Confidential Trip adds a new layer of excitement to your holidays; the excitement of the unknown. But the process is very simple. All you need to do is fill out a brief questionnaire that will denote what you want from the trip. It literally takes five minutes and will give ATO Tours the chance to get to know you and your preferences. In order to ensure that you will love every minute of your holiday, the questionnaire allows you to pick and choose everything from the activities you enjoy down to the atmosphere you envisage. If you’re a particularly adventurous traveller, you can chose to forgo these preferences altogether. Here you’ll be completely in the dark as to how their holiday will be moulded. With the help of ATO Tours you can explore new places that you might never have even considered as a holiday destination.

Explore with your own terms, or none at all. Soak up all the culture, cuisine and sights you possibly can in a week with a jam-packed, pre-prepared itinerary that is guaranteed to give you everything you could ever want from a pro-active holiday. Or simply discover the destination at your own pace. Leave it to them to come up trumps.

B U T W H AT A B O U T B U D G E T I N G?

You’re handing over your holiday but by no means does budgeting go out of the window.

The questionnaire will ask you what your

budget per person is, and will of course guarantee that the booking stays well within your preferences.

W H Y B O O K?

On top of everything, when booking a Confidential Trip, you will get the option to highlight destinations that are big no-gos; be it because you’ve already been or you simply know that you have no interest in going.

ATO Tours are all for surprises, just not the bad kind.

It doesn’t matter how many people you’re planning a trip for, ATO Tours can arrange an unending variation in travel. Of course the big selling point is the Confidential Travel program, but they offer numerous other types of travel assistance.

Last-minute booking is no problem for them and neither are budgets and numbers.

As the holiday-goer you can set exactly what dates you want to travel and even your time of departure, meaning that quick trips and flying visits become all the more manageable. Whether flying solo or planning your next group excursion, nothing could be easier than this. So what's stopping you?

Wanderlust awaits.

ATO TO U R S For more information and the find the questionnaire, visit: ato-tours.com

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PROPERTY Knight Frank: Kensington

PARK HILL W5

ÂŁ3,750,000

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Living the Dream

eautifully presented in the highest order throughout, a breath-taking seven to eight bedroom detached house, arranged over three floors with elegant classic and contemporary styling. The house also comprises a wonderful west-facing garden, outdoor heated swimming pool, three reception rooms and a carriage drive. Enviably located within a short walking distance of Ealing Broadway station.

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YOUhome Notting Hill Gate 020 7908 9280 www.youhome.co.uk

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Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Eresby House SW7

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Immaculately presented apartment in this Art Deco building with a 24 hour porter.

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• Newly refurbished • Storage room

2

• Share of freehold • Approximately 857 sq ft

Guide price £1,875,000 roly.im@knightfrank.com

Pont Street SW1X

020 8128 0935

Thurloe Court SW3

2

Located in a highly regarded mansion block with porter service.

1

• Spacious and bright • Close to transport links

2

• Leasehold • Approximately 834 sq ft

Guide price £899,950 roly.im@knightfrank.com

020 8128 0935

Albert Hall Mansions SW7

3

A modern studio apartment in an impressive redbrick period building.

A lateral flat on the third floor, with lift and porter, in a Grade II listed mansion block.

2

• Located on the third floor • Leasehold • Quietly situated • Approximately 338 sq ft

• Double reception room • Leasehold • South facing the balcony • Approximately 1,589 sq ft

Guide price £695,000 roly.im@knightfrank.com

Guide price £3,500,000 roly.im@knightfrank.com

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The lateral flat with park views.

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2

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Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill W11 • Charming mansion block with bay windows • Light and generously proportioned rooms • Approximately 1,290 sq ft Kensington Park Road is ideally positioned for all the amenities of Notting Hill and Westbourne Grove. Close to the shops and restaurants of W11 and excellent transport links, Notting Hill Gate station (Central, District and Circle lines).

Our Notting Hill expert, Emily Ramsay, looks forward to helping you. emily.ramsay@knightfrank.com 020 8115 3620 07785 242741

knightfrank.co.uk

Guide price £1,900,000

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Leasehold: approximately 966 years remaining

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The flat with far-reaching views.

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Winchester Court, Kensington W8 • A newly refurbished penthouse apartment situated in a desirable block • 24-hour porter • Approximately 923 sq ft Vicarage Gate is conveniently located for the many shops, restaurants and transport links of Kensington High Street and Notting Hill Gate (District & Circle Lines). Kensington Gardens are also close by.

Our Kensington expert, Michael Sands, looks forward to helping you. michael.sands@knightfrank.com 020 8115 3277 07824 569 326

knightfrank.co.uk

Guide price £1,695,000

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Share of freehold

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The house full of natural light.

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4

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Pembroke Gardens, W8 • A semi-detached family house with a west-facing garden • Large proportioned rooms set over four floors • Approximately 3,658 sq ft Pembroke Gardens is situated close to Kensington High Street and the green spaces of Holland Park. The closest tube stations are Kensington High Street and Earls Court.

Our Kensington expert, Tabitha Jones, looks forward to hearing from you tabitha.jones@knightfrank.com 020 7368 0981 07791 195102

knightfrank.co.uk

Guide price £4,500 per week

Connecting people & property, perfectly.

Available unfurnished All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £288 and referencing fees of £48 per person will apply when renting a property. There will also be a £48 charge to register your deposit with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme if applicable. (All fees shown are inclusive of VAT.) Please ask us for more information about other fees that will apply or visit www.knightfrank.co.uk/tenantfees.

Knight Frank is a member of the ARLA Client Money Protection Scheme and our redress scheme for consumers is Property Redress Scheme.

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Glad Tidings Knight Frank Kensington have enjoyed a brilliant year despite an unsettled market. Here they look forward to continued success, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

H

ere we are at the end of 2018 and it has certainly been a challenging year. High levels of SDLT and the uncertainty of Brexit made buyers understandably cautious and the market unsettled.

As the year moved on, the summer lull came in to play, yet property priced up to £3,500,000 in Kensington/Holland Park remained fairly resilient with deals being done on a regular basis. Over the summer months, Knight Frank Kensington experienced a shift in sentiment across most price brackets with enquiries from overseas targeting the more expensive trophy houses.

Of particular note was a sale of one of the Italianate Villas in Holland Park which achieved something very close to its asking price of £45,000,000. At this point, the office began to receive more enquires about the top end flats and houses they had on their books.

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Heading into the autumn market, this momentum appeared to be sustained with a flurry of activity across all levels. From mid-October to mid-November terms were agreed on six sales, ranging from £600,000 to £7,000,000, and a further 10 properties priced from £500,000 to circa £15,500,000 exchanged sale contracts. This clearly demonstrates Knight Frank can and does cover all aspects of the sale market.

Going forward, while uncertainty surrounds the final stages of Brexit talks and the media speculates on the various possible outcomes,

“This clearly demonstrates Knight Frank can and does cover all aspects of the sale market."

Office Head and Partner Sami Robertson is positive for 2019. "The energy we are experiencing in the latter stages of 2018 is compelling and there is a feeling that customers are actively making decisions before the year’s end. Why this is now the case is unclear, however my thought is that as prices have adjusted, property is looking attractive and there is value to be found at all levels.

Heading into 2019, there are a number of speculations being made about the market but, as ever, realistic predictions will start to emerge as the political uncertainty begins to clear. However, I will say that we are motivated by maintaining excellent client communication and the results speak for themselves. This is one of the factors within our control and will continue to be a primary focus for the office moving forwards.

I am fortunate to head up a team that is armed with both boundless energy and a strong sense of professionalism. We are equipped with vast knowledge; I have worked

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PROPERTY • SPOTLIGHT

in the Kensington office for 14 years, Peter Bevan has sold property across London for over 20 years and Tom Tangney has been selling property for over 30 years. Of note, the sales team has two new additions; Jessica Bishop started out working in Kensington Lettings, then excelled in sales in St John’s Wood and has now returned to work as a vital member of the Prime team. Claudia Lee is the new Negotiator in our team, having returned to the UK after working in high-end fashion in Hong Kong;

she has already made a huge impact.

Claudia is learning a great deal from both Michael Sands and Rosie Campbell. Mike started at Knight Frank as a graduate and is now a Partner, and Rosie started as my PA and has worked her way up to an Associate. This mixture of experience and fresh faces has created a really dynamic, energised and inspired team.

The Kensington office is further blessed with a superb Lettings team, headed up by Tacita Rolls. Where we have seen quiet periods, Lettings have

shined and we have worked effectively and cohesively to give our customers an alternative, valuable option, even when they are not quite ready to sell.

I am very much looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together next year. Happy Christmas everyone!" Sami Robertson, Head of Knight Frank Kensington.

KNIGHT FRANK K E N S I N GTO N

020 7938 4311 kensington@knightfrank.com

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Move Did you know? We sell and let homes just like yours, every day.

Knight Frank Battersea Unit C1 Vista 346 Queenstown Road London SW11 8BY 020 8033 9673 battersea@knightfrank.com

We’d love to help you. knightfrank.com

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25/10/2018 26/09/2018 17:13 13:36

Did you know?

70% of all prime London developments are for sale with Knight Frank.

Kingwood at 55 Hans Place, Knightsbridge: a development by Finchatton

Register with us for the widest choice of exceptional new homes. We’d love to help you.

Contact Rupert des Forges, Head of Prime Central London Developments, on +44 20 3463 0234

knightfrank.co.uk Statistic based on developments that Knight Frank are directly mandated on in London zone 1 at an average list price in excess of ÂŁ2,000/sq ft.

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LIVING THE

DREAM The most luxuriously appointed properties on the market

1

CLARENDON ROAD W11, £ 8 , 2 5 0,0 0 0

T

his breathtaking five bedroom, semidetached home has been beautifully refurbished with modern interiors throughout.

Spread over five stories, it features an elegant reception room, a spacious drawing room, an impressive master suite and four generous bedrooms, along with a landscaped garden.

Located just moments from Holland Park underground station.

KFH Holland Park, 020 3542 2111 kfh.co.uk

COMPTON AVENUE N 1 , £ 2 , 4 0 0,0 0 0

A

n unusually private property. This is a light, spacious and beautiful lateral house of 1594 sq. ft.. It has three ensuite double bedrooms, and has been architecturally designed to provide generous living space.

A double height reception room with large glazed doors provides great light in and views out over a pretty courtyard. The property boasts Lutron lighting and underfloor heating throughout.

YOUhome

Notting Hill Gate, 020 7908 9280 youhome.co.uk 1

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PROPERTY • NEW TO THE MARKET

THE TALISMAN BUILDING SW 6 , £ 6 , 5 0 0.0 0 PW

A

unique four bedroom lateral 5,000 sq. ft. penthouse apartment which has been meticulously finished throughout. With stunning views over Eel Brook Common, the apartment has been beautifully interior designed to a high specification. It also benefits from convenient direct lift access, a superb private terrace and off street parking.

KNIGHT FRANK Fulham, 020 3463 2621 chiara.thomas@knightfrank.com

NEVERN PLACE

MIRABEL ROAD

SW 6 , £ 2 , 2 75 p e r m o n t h

T

his contemporary flat consists of two double bedrooms, an open plan kitchen leading on to conservatory style reception and dining area, en-suite shower room, family bathroom and garden space. It benefits from an abundance of natural light and built in storage. Conveniently situated for both Fulham Broadway and Parsons Green Underground stations.

LOCKETT ESTATES

Fulham, 020 7736 2810 lockettestates.co.uk

SW 5, £ 1 , 2 5 0,0 0 0

A

beautifully refurbished two bedroom apartment (plus study) with high ceilings set on the first floor of an impeccably maintained Victorian house. The property, tastefully interior designed, comprises of a large entertaining area with access to a balcony, two double bedrooms quietly situated at the rear, an en-suite bathroom, a guest shower room, a study and it benefits from very good storage.

A DOUBLE HEIGHT RECEPTION ROOM PROVIDES VIEWS OVER THE PRETTY COURTYARD

YOUhome

Notting Hill Gate, 020 7908 9280 youhome.co.uk

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PROPERTY • FEATURE

CAMERONS STIFF & CO The Leading North West London Independent Estate Agency – Camerons Stiff & Co WINS multiple awards at the UK Property Awards www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

C

amerons Stiff & Co have won the 5 star award in the category of Best Estate Agency Website UK 2018 along with being an Award Winner in Estate Agency Marketing at the UK Property Awards 2018, one of the most prestigious industry events in the region.

Presented at Royal Lancaster Hotel London on 26th October.

Companies received awards for categories ranging across property

development, real estate, interior design and architecture categories.

Chosen from entries spread across the UK regions Camerons Stiff & Co have proved themselves to be the very Best in Estate Agency websites in the UK. Our website is a testament to the development of our marketing designs over the past few years and the two awards are a reflection of one another. The website combines excellent graphics with an exceptional user experience.

We are an independent agency

“Our website is a testament to the development of our marketing designs over the past few years" with a strong team of staff who have all been part of making the company what it is today – the Leading Independent Estate Agent in the NW2, NW10 and NW6 and now an outright UK 5 star winner in Best Estate Agency Website and an Award Winner in Marketing.

The UK Awards are part of the International Property Awards that include the regions of Asia Pacific, Africa & Arabia, The Americas and Europe. The awards celebrate the very best projects and professionals in the industry.

By winning the UK category for our website, we have been automatically nominated to be put forward to win the International award, which will be announced at the Savoy Hotel on the 3rd of December.

For more information, please contact: caroline@cameronsstiff.co.uk or call 020 8459 1133 and view us online at www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

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Sales – Willesden Green : 020 8459 1133 Lettings – Willesden : 020 8450 9377 Sales & Lettings – Queens Park : 020 7328 2828 www.cameronsstiff.co.uk

SOLD

SOLD

Okehampton Road NW10

Spanning just under 2500 sq ft beautifully • 5 beds designed & lovingly refurbished Victorian • 3 reception rooms home. Great position.

• 3 bathrooms • Chain Free

SOLD

A stunning refurbished & extended Victorian house covering 1671 sq ft Zone 2 IN Queens Park.

• 4 bedrooms • Open plan kitchen • Reception room • 2 bathrooms

SOLD

Christchurch Avenue, NW6

An outstanding example of a refurbished contemporary style six bedroom house of 4772 sq ft set in a quiet road near Queens Park and many local amenities..

Tennyson Road NW6

• 6 bedrooms • 3 reception rooms • 4 bathrooms • Garage & OSP

Exeter Road NW2

Spacious Edwardian property on Mapesbury Conservation Area retaining many original features.

• 5 bedrooms • 2 reception rooms • 4 bathrooms • Zone 2

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year

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CRANLEY PLACE, SW7

£5,900 per week

An elegant six bedroom home on a desirable street in South Kensington. This recently renovated property with excellent entertaining space, a landscaped garden, abundant natural light and plenty of space for family, guests and staff along with private gardens and tennis court. This prime location offers excellent access to schools, shops, restaurants and travel facilities.

5 BEDROOMS WITH EN SUITE BATH/SHOWER ROOMS • FAMILY ROOM/SIXTH BEDROOM • 2 WC • FOUR RECEPTIONS • KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM • GARDEN • STAFF FLAT • COMMUNAL GARDENS AND TENNIS COURT • UNFURNISHED

DRAYCOTT PLACE, SW3

£1,850 per week

This former dance studio has been refurbished to create a beautiful and spacious first floor apartment situated within close proximity of Sloane Square and South Kensington. The property has a 40’ elegant reception room with high ceilings. There are two double bedrooms, a dressing area with lots of storage, two bathrooms en-suite, an en-suite shower room and eat in kitchen with substantial floor to ceiling windows.

TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS • DOUBLE RECEPTION • TWO BATHROOMS • SHOWER ROOM • KITCHEN/DINING ROOM • AIR CONDITIONED • FURNISHED

117 Sydney Street London SW3 6NR Lettings: +44 (0)20 7351 7822 or information@hlrlets.com hlrlets.com USE.indd 1

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www.finlaybrewer.co.uk BROOK GREEN SHEPHERDS BUSH BROOK ACTON GREEN SHEPHERDS BUSH ACTON

138 SHEPHERDS BUSH ROAD W6 7PB 113 ASKEW ROAD W12 9AS 138 SHEPHERDS BUSH ROAD W6 7PB 27 CHURCHFIELD ROAD W3 6BD 113 ASKEW ROAD W12 9AS 27 CHURCHFIELD ROAD W3 6BD

www.finlaybrewer.co.uk www.finlaybrewer.co.uk

BROOK GREEN W6 GUIDE £3M FREEHOLD UPPER MALL W6 • 5/6 BEDROOMS £1,500PW / £6,500PCM • 20’ x 14’4 RECEPTION UPPER MALL W6 • KITCHEN •£1,500PW HOME ROOM •WONDERFUL 21’5 x 13’11FAMILY DINING/FAMILY / £6,500PCM • •• •• ••

BEDROOMS •4 DOUBLE 2 SPACIOUS SHOWER ROOMS (1 EN SUITE) MASTER SUITEFAMILY WITH MEZZANINE STUDY AREA WONDERFUL HOME 2 LIVING SPACE 4 FLOORS DOUBLE OF BEDROOMS 2 BATHROOMS & 2 SHOWER ROOMS MASTER SUITE WITH MEZZANINE STUDY AREA

• 2 FLOORS OF LIVING SPACE • 2 BATHROOMS & 2 SHOWER ROOMS

APPLEGARTH ROAD W14 GUIDE £2.595M FREEHOLD HAARLEM ROAD W14 • 5/6 BEDROOMS £625PW / £2,708PCM • DOUBLE RECEPTION HAARLEM ROAD W14 • KITCHEN/BREAKFAST/FAMILY ROOM •£625PW FLAT •2 DOUBLE STUDY BEDROOM / £2,708PCM • •• •• ••

•RECEPTION 3 BATHROOMS (2 EN SUITE) CONTEMPORARY KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM 2 DOUBLE BEDROOM FLAT MASTER WITH EN SUITE BATHROOM & DRESSING AREA RECEPTION SHOWER ROOM KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM CONTEMPORARY • MASTER WITH EN SUITE BATHROOM & DRESSING AREA • SHOWER ROOM

BROOK GREEN 020 7371 4171 LETTINGS 020 7371 4071

• • •• •• ••

• 2 CLOAKROOMS • CELLAR STORAGE & WORKSHOP LETTINGS 020 • SOUTHERLY WALLED GARDEN •2 COURTYARD EPC RATING DGARDENS 63 EASY ACCESS TO HAMMERSMITH & CHISWICK UNFURNISHED 2 COURTYARD GARDENS EPC 57 HAMMERSMITH & CHISWICK EASYRATING ACCESSDTO AVAILABLE NOW UNFURNISHED

7371 4071

• EPC RATING D 57 • AVAILABLE NOW

BROOK GREEN 020 7371 4171 LETTINGS 020 7371 4071

• • •• •• ••

• GUEST CLOAKROOM • BEDROOM 6/STUDIO LETTINGS 020 7371 • ATTRACTIVE LANDSCAPED GARDEN •BALCONY EPC RATING D 55 UNFURNISHED WALKING DISTANCE TO HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY BALCONY EPC RATING C 79 UNFURNISHED AVAILABLE NOW WALKING DISTANCE TO HAMMERSMITH BROADWAY

4071

LOCAL . INDEPENDENT . INVOLVED • EPC RATING C 79

L O C A L . I N D E P E N D• EAVAILABLE N T NOW . INVOLVED

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HAMMERSMITH GROVE W6 £3,500PW / £15,167PCM • • • • •

6 BEDROOMS OPEN PLAN RECEPTION & KITCHEN SEPARATE DOUBLE RECEPTION 3 BATHROOMS WESTERLY GARDEN & OFF STREET PARKING

LETTINGS 020 7371 4071

• • • • •

PENNARD ROAD W12 £650PW / £2,817PCM • • • • •

3 DOUBLE BEDROOMS RECEPTION WITH WOOD FLOORING KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM 2 SHOWER ROOMS (1 EN SUITE) PRETTY DECKED GARDEN

NANNY FLAT WITH SEPARATE ENTRANCE WINE CELLAR EXCELLENT TRANSPORT LINKS AVAILABLE NOW EPC RATING D 57

LETTINGS 020 7371 4071

• • • • •

CLOSE TO THE AMENITIES OF WESTFIELD LONDON EXCELLENT TRANSPORT LINKS FURNISHED AVAILABLE END JANUARY EPC RATING E 50

LOCAL . INDEPENDENT . INVOLVED

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020 3284 1888 mayfair@humberts.com

48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair London W1J 5AX

Wilton Knightsbridge William Harley Row, Street Mews £5,200,000 Knightsbridge Marylebone W1G SW7 Asking Guide Price: Price:£1,900,000 £1,075,000leasehold freehold

David Adams Director 48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 5AX T: 020 3284 1888 E: david.adams@humberts.com

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A spectacular apartment a 2ground storey high drawing roomblock. withapartments triple aspect, open plan dining This smart unusually one bedroom large lateral flat with on apartment the wasfloor created in a by portered joining two Benefits from together, underground and includes parking and 2 kitchens, offkitchen, street 3 bedrooms parking and 2office, the sitting mews. rooms.

1 Bedroom, Located1suite on Reception theand 2nd2nd floor Room & 1abedroom.

Bathroom lift and a porter. over In room, sitting within room, master bedroom en with suite B andapprox.

W need 550 of modernisation. sqft.

Unbeatable 33 years location. remaining.

Share EPC: of Freehold.

D EPC: C sound system and Leasehold, airKnightsbridge conditioning.

Car parking space.

Leasehold.

Stay in touch with us

humberts.com

23/11/2018 12:15

020 3284 1888 mayfair@humberts.com

48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair London W1J 5AX

Wyfold William Harley Court, Street Mewsnear Henley £1,850,000 Knightsbridge Marylebone W1G SW7 Asking Guide Price: Price:£1,900,000 £1,075,000leasehold freehold

David Adams Director 48 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London W1J 5AX T: 020 3284 1888 E: david.adams@humberts.com

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Impressive bedroom, 4 bathroom apartment this magnificent Grade IIfrom listed Gothic A This smart unusually one4bedroom large lateral flat on apartment the ground wasfloor created inina by portered joining block. two apartments Benefits together, underground and mansion includes parking and 2 kitchens, off street 3 bedrooms parking within and 2the sitting mews. rooms.

1 Bedroom, Located 1on Reception the 2nd Room with &of1aformal Bathroom lift andgardens. a porter. over approx.

In need with outstanding far reaching views.

170 acres of parkland and 8floor acres Secure 550 of modernisation. sqft. Unbeatable Leasehold, Knightsbridge 33 years location. remaining.

ShareEPC: of Freehold.

D EPC: C parking and underground storage space. 5401 sq.ft. Share of Freehold.

Stay in touch with us

humberts.com

23/11/2018 12:15

BARTON ROAD, WEST KENSINGTON An exceptional 3 double bedroom flat with a private decked garden.

Accommodation comprises a modern kitchen, dining area and a beautiful reception.The master bedroom has plenty of storage, a modern ensuite and access to a lovely decked garden. There are two further double bedrooms & bathroom. EPC – D

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£950,000 FULHAM 020 7610 9755

FULHAM ROAD, FULHAM Featherstone Leigh have five brand new two bedroom properties ranging in price from £595,000 to £825,000 with Help to buy available. All of the flats comprise open plan kitchen living spaces in various configurations, underfloor heating, high quality appliances and fitted storage. EPC - C

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£595,000 FULHAM 020 7610 9755

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Chiswick Hammersmith West Kensington Fulham Chelsea

Battersea Clapham Putney Barnes Richmond

Kew Sheen Twickenham Teddington Kingston

featherstoneleigh.co.uk

PALMERSTON MANSIONS, QUEENS CLUB GARDENS A wonderful two bedroom flat in the much sought after Queens Club Gardens. The property comprises two very generous double bedrooms with ample storage space, a large kitchen with plenty of space for dining and a sizeable reception room with a balcony. The beautiful setting can be peacefully enjoyed without compromising on proximity to shops, bars and restaurants. The property is also close to both Barons Court and West Brompton stations. EPC - E

GUIDE PRICE

£950,000

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FULHAM 020 7610 9755

23/11/2018 10:21

THORNWOOD GARDENS KENSINGTON W8 A STUNNING FIVE BEDROOM HOUSE WITHIN A SECURE GATED DEVELOPEMENT This luxury home is one of only eight houses within this gated development. Arranged over seven floors, including a roof terrace, Thornwood Gardens offers open plan living areas ideal for entertaining, five ensuite bedrooms, a large swimming pool with a sauna, a gym and a jacuzzi. Thornwood Gardens is located off Campden Hill, just minutes from Holland Park, Kensington High Street, Notting Hill and the open spaces of Kensington Gardens.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, reception room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, family room, library, study, master bedroom with dressing room and ensuite bathroom, 4 further bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, 2 guest cloakrooms.

Amenities: Gym, swimming pool, sauna, jacuzzi, garden, 2 terraces, balcony, roof terrace, parking.

LONDON

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£15,795,000

Marcus O’Brien

Freehold Joint Sole Agents Oculus Property

marcus@beauchamp.com +44 (0)20 7499 7722

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COTTESMORE GARDENS KENSINGTON W8 A GENEROUS EIGHT BEDROOM HOME MINUTES FROM KENSINGTON HIGH STREET Cottesmore Gardens presents a generous home, cleverly arranged over five floors, providing ample entertaining space, including a 44 ft long drawing room on the raised ground floor. There is an impressive kitchen/family room on the lower ground floor, which leads onto a 51 ft long south-facing garden. Cottesmore Gardens is located south of Kensington Gardens, close to the transport and shopping facilities of Kensington High Street.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, double reception room, kitchen/breakfast room, sitting room, master bedroom with 2 dressing rooms and an ensuite bathroom, 7 further bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, shower room, utility room, guest WC, wine cellar. Amenities: Large garden, storage.

LONDON

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Marcus O’Brien

£15,500,000

marcus@beauchamp.com

Freehold

+44 (0)20 7499 7722

Joint Sole Agents

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23/11/2018 13:53

WYNDHAM HOUSE CHELSEA SW1 AN ELEGANT AND SPACIOUS THIRD FLOOR LATERAL APARTMENT An elegant and spacious third floor lateral apartment offering well balanced accommodation. the property is presented in very good decorative condition with four/five bedrooms and generous entertaining space. In total the apartment extends to some 284 sq m (3,062 sq ft). Wyndham house is a small handsome stone dressed purpose built block which occupies a position on the south eastern corner of Sloane Square. The many amenities of Chelsea and Knightsbridge are within walking distance.

Accommodation: Entrance hall, reception room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, four further bedrooms (three ensuite), laundry room, guest WC. Amenities: 24-hour porter, lift, 3,062 sqft.

£6,900,000

Paul Finch

Leasehold

paul@beauchamp.com

Sole Agents

+44 (0)20 7499 7722

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1, 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments & 3 Bedroom Penthouse From ÂŁ899,950 | Great Peter Street, Westminster SW1

Carefully blending the heritage of its prime location, just minutes from the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, with London’s vibrant modernity, Hope House is a collection of 12 stunningly interior designed apartments and a superb penthouse.

020 7828 4050 | HOPEHOUSE-SW1.COM

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T he p inn a cl e of l u x ur y T he he a r t of W e s t mins t e r

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22 BUCKINGHAM GATE, WESTMINSTER 22 Buckingham Gate is a striking period property of just seven apartments situated just 200m from The Queen’s London residence, Buckingham Palace. Just two luxurious two bedroom apartments remain at this exclusive address in the heart of London’s highly coveted SW1 postcode.

Award winning Seastar Developments has completed a fastidious programme of refurbishment. Each apartment has been meticulously specified and finished offering luxurious and elegant living spaces behind the original Grade II listed façade. The last remaining apartments comprise two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and access to a private terrace; open-plan kitchen, dining and reception room; utility room; guest cloakroom; direct lift access.

ASKING PRICE £2,400,000 SHARE OF FREEHOLD

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O W T ING ST AIN A L M RE

KEY FEATURES

JACKSON-STOPS

• DIRECT LIFT ACCESS

020 7664 6649

• WELL-APPOINTED KITCHEN

newhomes@jackson-stops.com

• INTEGRATED SIEMENS APPLIANCES • TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS WITH EN-SUITE • HAND-MADE FITTED WARDROBES

NEW HOMES

www.22buckinghamgate.com Local and National reach through a network of London and Regional offices.

• PRIVATE TERRACE • DAIKIN VRF AIR HEATING AND COOLING THROUGHOUT

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23/11/2018 13:46

We’re the new estate agents who reach all buyers and pair seasoned gurus with detailed data, perfectly, to sell your home.

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