london villages
London gives you no excuse whatsoever not to complete your Christmas list. From stunning winter wear to a dazzling array of natural beauty products there’s always something to catch the eye and flex the plastic. Added to that, there’s plenty of cool gastronomic delights and chic boutique hotels ready to fling open their doors to give you a luxury festive experience to treasure. Clare Richardson makes her list.
London Villages
Notting Hill | Belgravia | Mayfair | Canary Wharf | Knightsbridge | South Kensington | Westminster & Pimlico
Notting Hill Boutique - alpaca fur For glamorous winter warmth try Wall London’s ethically sourced alpaca fur accessories. Working closely with Peruvian farmers, Wall use fur from animals that have died of natural causes - otherwise the farmers would lose the opportunity to earn an income from the wool. With this in mind these super soft, silky garments are ethically responsible, sustainable and provide guilt-free fashion. Choose from the fur trimmed hat, scarf and mittens for timeless elegance, fur gillet for casual opulence and booties for luxurious lounging. Wall London Boutique 1 Denbigh Road W11 www.wall-london.com Sasy n Savy in Mary Portas shops The Australian natural beauty, bath and body brand is being launched in all of the Mary Portas Living and Giving stores including Westbourne Grove. The Wellbeing Collection includes shower and hair products, floral sprays and massage oils. Prices range from £10 for hand cream to £48 for Intensive Serum. Fifty per cent of sales will go to Save the Children a charity supported by both Mary Portas and Sasy n Savy. So pop in and help a worthwhile cause whilst bagging a designer brand at the same time! www.sasynsavy.co.uk
above from l to r Barry Moss at Nobis Outerwear middle and right Cartel at Nobis Outerwear
above left Coffret Mystère des Anges ouvert La Maison du Chocolat
Sasy n Savy at Mary Portas Living and Giving stores
Valentina Valentina Fine Foods, an Italian owned and run group of delicatessens and restaurants, are opening their fourth site this autumn in Notting Hill. The family run business will not only offer their signature range of own label groceries but also store cupboard essentials and an assortment of fresh food. A range of ready prepared dishes from the restaurant kitchens can be taken home or delivered the ideal fix on cold, winter nights. The 50 seat restaurant located on the ground floor and stepped mezzanine offers a changing seasonal menu using ingredients from the delicatessen, freshly made pasta, tomato sauce and olive oil from the family’s own farm in Saint Elia Fiumirapido, and hearty old family recipes. Valentina Fine Foods 145 Notting Hill Gate, London W11
Belgravia Eccleston Square Hotel Check into the newly launched Eccleston Square Hotel for the ultimate high tech experience. With techno highlights including 46-inch 3D LED TVs, 3D Blu Ray DVD players and free super-fast WiFi, you could be deceived by the late Georgian façade of this renovated 39-bedroom hotel. Advanced features comprise of fingertip control pads for functions such as lighting, curtains, TV and soundtrack with every bedroom boasting an iPad2. High-spec marble bathrooms have ‘smart glass’ walls that turn opaque at the touch of a button, plus a TV incorporated into the heated, steam-proof mirror. The beds, costing a cool £12,000 each, are electronically adjustable and feature relaxing massage settings that synchronise with the >> www.internationallife.tv/london
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