Absolutely South West & Wimbledon April 2019

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ABSOLUTELY South West & Wimbledon APRIL 2019 / £3.95

COUNTRY

LIFE

GLASS

HOUSE

Heading out of town for lunch

Chihuly returns to Kew Gardens

Living

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We’ll just put the television in the bedroom

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The heart wants what the heart wants. Discover rural homes with sea views using keyword search.

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ABSOLUTELY

Contents

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APRIL 2019

102 C U LT U R E 14 ABSOLUTELY LOVES

FOOD & DRINK 60 KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL

18 AGENDA

63 EASTER TREATS

10 things we’re coveting this month

Diary dates for April

20 KUBRICK'S VISION The Design Museum's new exhibition 30 CHIHULY AT KEW

The glass artist returns to the gardens

News from the industry

Eggs, bunnies and more chocolate

INTERIORS 76 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

News and views from the world of design

78 MARGO SELBY Beautiful woven fabrics

40 STRANGE FRUIT Jewellery inspired by the fruit bowl

K I D S & E D U C AT I O N 95 SMALL TALK

H E A LT H & B E AU T Y 47 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL

T R AV E L 102 VIVA LAS VEGAS Helen Brown visits the desert city

All your tots could ever want

South West APRIL 2019 / £3.95

COUNTRY

LIFE Heading out of town for lunch

HOUSE Chihuly returns to Kew Gardens

Living

PRINT ZEST.LONDON

This month’s best beauty buys

ABSOLUTELY GLASS

APRI L 2019

83 LIVING CORAL Pantone's colour of the year

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. SOUTH WEST

FA S H I O N 36 THE SHOOT Summer looks from Borgo de Nor

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ON THE COVER

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Replacing beautiful timber windows and doors, beautifully EDITOR IN CHIEF PENDLE HARTE DIGITAL EDITOR HELEN BROWN EDUCATION EDITOR AMANDA CONSTANCE GROUP SALES DIRECTOR CRAIG DAVIES GROUP SALES MANAGER ANABELA KOLECI ART DIRECTOR PHIL COUZENS SENIOR DESIGNER PAWEL KUBA MID-WEIGHT DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN MARKETING MANAGER LUCIE PEARCE FINANCIAL DIRECTOR JERRIE KOLECI CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTOR JAMES FUSCHILLO

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

Wandsworth | Crouch End | East Dulwich

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CHIHULY AT KEW

Editor’s

Beautiful glass creations in the gardens page 18

LETTER ABSOLUTELY’S April issue highlights

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PIERRE MARCOLINI’S EASTER EGGS

This year: a rabbit in a hat. page 55

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aster is very late this year, which is universally agreed to be a good thing. There's unlikely to be snow, and we'll probably hunt Easter eggs outside (we'll hope to find some truly fabulous ones, such as maybe the Claridges one featured in this issue, or anything by Pierre Marcolini). And over the Bank Holidays we'll certainly visit Kew Gardens to see the Chihuly installations, which are bound to look beautiful in the spring sunshine. There's a lot of colour and optimism in this issue, ranging from Magic Circus's bold new balls of light to our edit of jewellery inspired by fruits and a bright focus on Pantone's colour of the year, Living Coral. Culturewise, we're looking forward to the exhibition about Stanley Kubrick's life and work at the Design Museum, while still raving about the new production of Betrayal starring Tom Hiddleston (a word of caution: it's intense). We have left town to seek out some of the best country pubs and travelled all the way to Las Vegas to find out exactly what happens on a girls' weekend. All this and our usual mix of fashion, beauty, interiors and food makes our April issue a pretty special one, if we do say so ourselves.

PENDLE HARTE EDITOR

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LAS VEGAS

The ultimate girls' weekend page 92

4 MAGIC CIRCUS

Great balls of light page 78

3 BETRAYAL

Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox in a literary love triangle. page 25

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Wish LIST 10 things we Absolutely love

THAT 70' S S H OW This season, Sanne London has drawn inspiration from the 60s and 70s and the iconic designers of these decades. Expect bold colours, bright prints and playful features such as leather patch pockets, strong shoulders, feathers and wide flares. sannelondon.com

THE LONG LINE With its over-sized fit, full-length sleeves and notched collar, you’ll get a just-borrowed-from-my-boyfriend-look with this wool Zeynap Arcay blazer. £1,560; modaoperandi.com

VELVET TOUCH Andrew Martin’s burnt orange Halston chair is a cool throwback to the 60s, with winged sides intended to look like flared trousers. It’s also seriously comfortable, upholstered in soft velvet and with panels that will shape to the curve of your back. £895; andrewmartin.co.uk

WILD CHILD Not even our lingerie drawers can evade the leopard print craze. Stay on top of the trend with the gorgeous Curacao set by Andres Sarda. Bra £108, tanga £49; ameliesfollies.co.uk

COMPILED BY

H E L E N B R OW N

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ABSOLUTELY • LOVES TIMELE S S D E S IGN The first Montunas bags were made on a cattle ranch in Costa Rica, created with both practicality and timeless style in mind. 25 years later, the brand is as strong as ever, foregoing fast fashion in favour of classic shapes and high quality materials. montunas.com

E A R N YO U R STRIPES We’ve got summer in our sights with the Oasis one-piece from Yamamay. Even pool-side, you’ll stay on trend with its mix-and-match print and slick silhouette. £49.95; yamamay.com

B E LT U P Acne Studios' Olicia trench coat comes in a pretty dusty-pink hue that will work perfectly with the season's pastel shades. Wear yours with off-white jeans and trainers. £775; net-a-porter.com

EDITOR’S PICK

B R OW N I S T H E N E W B L AC K Dries Van Noten’s gold-tone sunglasses have a cat-eye frame to accentuate cheekbones. Play up the retro feel of the light-brown lenses with a printed shirt. £255; net-a-porter.com

MONKEYING AROUND WO R K H A R D, P L AY H A R D The Colorado Tencel shirt by SUNAD is great for teaming with smart trousers at work or jeans for a relaxed vibe. Not only is the fabric sustainable, it’s also breathable and comfortable. £108; neutrestore.com

Produced by Black Forest Distillers and with notes of juicy raisins and worn leather, Monkey 47 was created for Commander Montgomery Collins, who lived in Berlin at the end of the Second World War. He even sponsored an egret monkey called Max at the local zoo. £69; ›harveynichols.com

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The magniďŹ cent Hampton Court Palace, spectacular and truly unique events hrp.org.uk/hireavenue 020 3166 6507

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C U LT U R E MODEL HOLDING A BAZAAR BAG C.1959 (C) MARY QUANT ARCHIVE

What’s On 16 • Chihuly at Kew 18 • Theatre Review: Betrayal 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

T H E AT R E

All My Sons

From 13 April THE OLD VIC Joe and Kate Keller are a success story. They have built a home, raised two sons and established a thriving business. Nothing lasts forever though, their contented lives, already shadowed by the loss of their eldest boy to war, are about to shatter. Long buried truths are forced to the surface and the price of their American dream is laid bare. Jeremy Herrin directs double Oscar-winner Sally Field (Lincoln) and Bill Pullman (The Sinner) in Arthur Miller’s blistering drama. The Cut, SE1; oldvictheatre.com

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H O M EG R OWN F E S T I VA L 12 A P R I L • BAT TE R S E A A RTS CEN TRE

Homegrown Festival sees young and under-represented voices occupy all corners of Battersea Arts Centre. More than 20 shows aim to share new ideas and perspectives. Theatre, music, live games, virtual experiences, rap, poetry and installations collide as old certainties are overturned and new possibilities imagined. Lavender Hill, SW11; bac.org.uk

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FILM

Banff Mountain Film Festival 2 April N E W W I M B L E D O N T H E AT R E Get ready for an evening of inspirational adventure films from the one of the wildest corners of the globe. The Banff Mountain Film Festival presents a selection of extraordinary short films, following the world’s top explorers and action filmmakers as they brave intrepid journeys into the most spectacular regions of planet Earth. 92 The Broadway, SW19; atgtickets.com

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CULTURE • TALKING TOPICS

EX H IB ITIO N

SMOKE & MIRRORS From 11 April W E L LC O M E C O L L EC T I O N Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic is the first exhibition of its kind to focus on the relationship between magic and psychology with artefacts from the world of magic from the likes of Derren Brown, Tommy Cooper and Paul Daniels. Through spirit photography and magic props, the exhibition will seek the truth about deception, ask how bias and suggestion affects our senses and consider what it is that makes us believe in magic. 183 Euston Road, NW1; wellcomecollection.org

AROUND

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CHRISTIAN DIOR: DESIGNER OF DREAMS Until 1 September V& A The V&A announces it will extend its sell-out Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition. Originally scheduled to run until July, the exhibition has been extended by seven weeks to Sunday 1 September. So far, 121,566 visitors have experienced the exhibition since it opened in February. Cromwell Road, SW7; vam.ac.uk

EX H I B I T ION EX H I B I TION

PAINTERS

This month’s must-see

From 30 March W I L L S A R T WA R E H O U S E Painters brings together some of the most popular artists at Wills Art Warehouse in a rich and varied showcase of work. It’s also the perfect opportunity to catch two new artists at the gallery space, Imogen Bone and Lana Okiro, as well as the work of the incredibly talented Jonathan Smith. Sadler’s House, 180 Lower Richmond, SW15; wills-art.com

MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE 16- 20 A P R I L • NEW W IMBLEDON THEATRE

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atthew Bourne’s Swan Lake returns with a fresh look for the 21st century. Retaining the iconic elements of the original production, Matthew Bourne creates an exciting re-imagining of the classic production. Thrilling and audacious, this Swan Lake is perhaps best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, turning tradition upside down. 92 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19; atgtickets.com

D AY

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OXFORD & CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE 7 April S TA R T L I N E : P U T N E Y 
 This month sees two of the UK’s most prestigious universities battle it out in the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Races. Watch crews from both universities go head-to-head in eightoared rowing boats across the Thames in the traditional race which began in 1829 and now attracts around 250,000 spectators every year. theboatrace.org

D AY

OUT

LONDON MARATHON 28 April S TA R T L I N E : B L AC K H E AT H Whether you’re running or spectating, the London Marathon is one of the capital’s biggest sporting events. Soak up the party atmosphere and cheer on the runners as they pass by some of London’s top landmarks. virginmoneylondonmarathon.com

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CERULEAN BLUE MACCHIA WITH SPECTRA YELLOW LIP WRAP © CHIHULY STUDIO

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Dale Chihuly’s beautiful glass pieces go on show around Kew Gardens this month. Absolutely has a preview Wo r d s E V E H E R B E R T

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major exhibition of work by one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary glass artists comes to Kew Gardens this month. Seattle-based glass artist Dale Chihuly’s impressive luminous artworks go on display in a perfect marriage of art, science, and nature. Famous worldwide for his dazzling coloured glass sculptures, Chihuly’s work has been exhibited in an incredible 240 museums around the world over the course of his 50-year career. As well as glass, Chihuly uses paint, charcoal, graphite, neon, ice and Polyvitro to explore possibilities and realise his vision. At Kew, Chihuly’s artworks will truly sing – unrestrained bursts of colour commanding a space of luscious greenery, showing visitors one of London’s few UNESCO world heritage sites in an entirely different way; its rolling vistas and ornate glasshouses transformed into a contemporary outdoor gallery space like no other.

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CULTURE • SPOTLIGHT

SUMMER SUN. MAKER'S MARK DISTILLERY, LORETTO, KY. © CHIHULY STUDIO

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CULTURE • SPOTLIGHT

GREEN HORNETS AND GOLD WATERDROPS, 2010. CHEEKWOOD BOTANICAL GARDEN AND MUSEUM OF ART, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. © CHIHULY STUDIO

A reverie of form, colour, and light, Chihuly’s exquisite artworks are often described as exaggerated celebrations of what is found in nature. As the most biodiverse postcode on the planet, Kew’s breathtaking landscape is the ideal home for such work. Visitors will make discoveries in their own time as they explore the gardens, experiencing surprise and wonder at what they find – graceful, luminous colour juxtaposed with the solid earthiness of nature. A total of 32 art installations will be situated across the gardens in a wide variety of locations. Kew’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art (the world’s only gallery dedicated to botanical art), will host 12 bodies of work developed over 40 years, as well as a film detailing Chihuly’s creative process. Visitors to the gallery will experience the expressive lines and abstract forms of Chihuly’s Drawings, as well as the Rotolo series - the most technically challenging work Chihuly and his team have ever created, and Seaforms, delicate undulating forms that conjure underwater life, among others. Other stunning locations for the artworks include the ornate Waterlily House, and the resplendent Palm House lake. The iconic

ROSE QUARTZ SOFT CYLINDER WITH OLIVE LIP WRAP, © CHIHULY STUDIO

Temperate House will be home to a brand new, specially designed sculpture, inspired by the cathedral-like space, as well as nine other installations. Artist Dale Chihuly says: “I am honoured to bring my work once again to Kew, with its magnificent landscape and extraordinary glasshouses--structures which have always captivated me. How do you describe a beautiful building like the Palm House or the Temperate House? We are planning something special for the centre of the newly-restored Temperate House and I’m excited to see it come to fruition.”

CHRYSANTHEMUM BASKET SET WITH CARBON LIP WRAPS, 1993. © CHIHULY STUDIO

‘Exaggerated celebrations of nature’ C H I H U LY AT K E W REFLECTIONS ON NATURE 13 April – 27 October 2019 kew.org A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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MUST SEE

ROUND UP

Best in 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

CULTURE • THEATRE

The Half God of Rainfall From 25 April KILN THEATRE

When Demi, the half Nigerianmortal, half Greek-God, is angry, rain clouds gather. When he cries, rivers burst their banks. The first time Demi takes a shot on the local basketball court, he unknowingly sparks Zeus’ wrath. His mother, Modupe takes matters into her mortal hands and the consequences change their lives forever. From award-winning poet and playwright, Inua Ellams comes a contemporary epic. Weaving poetry and storytelling, this majestic journey transports us from a tiny village in South West Nigeria to Mount Olympus and beyond. 269 Kilburn High Road, NW6; kilntheatre.com

A German Life From 6 April

BRIDGE THEATRE

In A German Life, Maggie Smith plays Brunhilde Pomsel, a secretary in 1930s Berlin who struggles to make ends meat. Her many employers include a Jewish insurance broker, the German Broadcasting Corporation and, eventually, Joseph Goebbels. Christopher Hampton’s powerful play is drawn from the testimony Pomsel gave when she finally broke her silence, shortly before she died. 3 Potters Fields Park, SE1; bridge theatre.co.uk

A GERMAN LIFE ARTWORK

The Phlebotomist Until 20 April

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE

The Phlebotomist is a newly announced Olivier Award Nominee written by Ella Road and directed by Sam Yates. It follows Bea, Aaron and Char as they navigate a ratist world where health, wealth and happiness depend on a single blood test - dictating everything from bank loans to dating prospects. Road’s debut play is a powerfully provocative exploration into how far people will go to beat the system. Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, NW3; hampsteadtheatre.com

Cry Havoc Until 20 April

PARK THEATRE

In present day Cairo, two men are forced to confront their cultural identities, traditions and a repressive government in a gripping search for love and faith. Cry Havoc is a passionate love story between a spirited young Egyptian and an idealistic British writer. Tom Coash’s poignant, intimate play explores the relationship between the Western world and the Islamic Middle East through the eyes of two people, asking if love can bridge even the widest cultural divide. Clifton Terrace, N4; parktheatre.co.uk

Sweet Charity From 6 April

DONMAR WAREHOUSE

New York, 1967. Charity Hope Valentine is a dance hall hostess who “runs her heart like a hotel” with men checking in and out all the time. At the raw end of a long line of users and losers, she meets Oscar, a mildmannered tax accountant, and Charity Hope Valentine once again puts her faith into love. With choreography from the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, Josie Rourke reunites with Anne-Marie Duff as Charity for her farewell production as Donmar Artistic Director. 41 Earlham Street, WC2H; donmarwarehouse.com

SWEET CHARITY

CRY HAVOC

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CULTURE • THEATRE

ABSOLUTELY reviews…

B E T R AYA L by Harold Pinter A tense 90 minutes at the Pinter Theatre By PENDLE HARTE

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his is possibly the hottest ticket in town right now, and it’s worth it. Tom Hiddleston, Zawe Ashton and Charlie Cox put each other through 90 minutes of understated emotional torment in one of theatre’s best-loved relationship dramas in a tense, interval-free crescendo. This is a bare stage production, making no use of the potential for a backdrop of middle-class interiors. There are no mantelpieces, no pictures, no books, no plants. The much-mentioned home-thatisn’t-a-home in Kilburn isn’t indicated on stage with anything more than a folding table and a souvenir tablecloth. It’s an almost monochrome set, stark and purist and even if it sometimes feels

like an exercise in drama theory, the atmosphere is stripped back and intense, even claustrophobic. Most scenes happen between two characters while the third actor lurks in the background instead of offstage, serving as a constant reminder of the complex circle of ongoing and reciprocal betrayals. During a brief ellipsis between scenes, the stage goes dark and Scandi Noir-style music plays; it sounds like the haunting theme to The Bridge. The reverse narrative order is signposted by moving projections – “a year earlier” – and the backwards narrative structure creates a mounting sense of intensity. Pinter’s economical, restrained dialogue and devastating disconnect between what the audience knows and what we think the characters know creates the play’s

Tom Hiddleston is in turns charming, broken and menacing unique tension. Tom Hiddleston is in turns charming, broken and menacing as Robert, while Zawe Ashton veers between smilingly unknowable and intensely emotional. Charlie Cox’s Jerry is the most transparent of the three and the unseen presence of his wife looms over the action. Themes of time, loyalty and memory are highlighted with the repeated story of Jerry lifting Emma’s small daughter into the air – in his kitchen? Or her kitchen? Memories fail, Jerry and Emma’s affair is doomed, people betray each other. It’s a cold, intriguing drama and a mesmerising production.

VERDICT

Mesmerising, gripping and clever ★★★★★ HAROLD PINTER’S B E T R AYA L UNTIL 8 JUNE

pinteratthepinter.com

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2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK (1965–68;GB/UNITED STATES). SCREEN PHOTO. © WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

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The Design Museum is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the life and work of Stanley Kubrick. Absolutely has a preview Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK (1963-64; GB/UNITED STATES). THE CONFERENCE TABLE IN THE WAR ROOM. © SONY/ COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES INC.

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2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK © WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

tanley Kubrick is an enduring subject of fascination for film enthusiasts. And not just his work: the man whose vision brought us some of the most exciting cinematic offerings of the 20th century was widely rumoured throughout his life to be a recluse, a hoarder, a Napoleon nut and possess various other eccentricities. It’s said that he refused to fly, so the entire interior of a vast Yosemite hotel was recreated at Pinewood Studios and became the Overlook Hotel so that Kubrick wouldn’t have to cross the Atlantic to make The Shining. It was Kubrick who took the unprecendented and unilateral decision to declare a self-imposed

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ban on his own film when A Clockwork Orange was said to have inspired copycat crimes. Kubrick who sparked endless cosmic questioning with his film 2001 yet refused to ever comment himself. And now, to mark the 20th anniversary of his death, the Design Museum is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Stanley Kubrick. For the first time, the internationally acclaimed touring exhibition about the life and work of Stanley Kubrick is coming to Britain, Kubrick’s home and workplace for over 40 years. It opened in Frankfurt in 2004 and since then it has taken in Mexico City, San Francisco, Seoul and Melbourne. Exploring his unique command of the whole creative design process of filmmaking, from storyteller to director to editor. The exhibition includes important works by designers Hardy Amies, Saul Bass, Milena Canonero and Ken Adam, art and photography from Diane Arbus, Allen Jones and Don McCullin, designs from Saul Bass, Elliot Noyes and Pascall Morgue alongside contributions from renowned directors. It focuses on iconic scenes and unseen THE SHINING, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK (1980; GB/UNITED STATES). GRADY (PHILIP STONE) AND JACK TORRANCE (JACK NICHOLSON). STILL IMAGE. © WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC

material from genre-defining films including The Shining, Barry Lyndon, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket and A Clockwork Orange. It was in the UK that Kubrick created the battlefields of Vietnam for Full Metal Jacket (1987), an orbiting space station for 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Dr Strangelove’s War Room (1964). The exhibition tells the story of Stanley Kubrick the obsessive genius. It shows step by step how he created genre-defining worlds for his films and how London was his endlessly inventive canvas. The exhibition features several themed rooms, each shaped around a separate film, including Barry Lyndon, 2001: Space Odyssey, Full Metal Jacket, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Eyes Wide Shut, and Dr Strangelove. Visitors will enter the exhibition while walking on a replica carpet from the iconic scene in The Shining, before entering a ‘one-point perspective’ corridor mirroring Kubrick’s famous camera technique.

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ARTS & CULTURE • FOCUS

Commenting on the exhibition, Steven Spielberg said: “Nobody could craft a movie better than Stanley Kubrick. He is an inspiration to us all. Stanley was a chameleon with the astonishing ability to reinvent himself with each new story he told. I defy anyone who just happens upon a Kubrick film while channel surfing to try with all your might to change the station.” Alan Yentob, Executive Curator said: “If you want to step inside the mind of one of the greatest film directors of all time, this exhibition will take you there. Stanley Kubrick’s imagination was boundless.” Featuring more than 500 objects, projections and interviews, the exhibition brings to the fore Kubrick’s innovative spirit and fascination with all aspects of design, depicting the in-depth level of detail that he put into each of his films. From predicting the modern tablet and defining the aesthetic of space exploration a year before the Moon Landing, in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), to the use of NASA-manufactured lenses to

MATTHEW MODINE AND STANLEY KUBRICK ON THE SET OF FULL METAL JACKET, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK © WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

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THE SHINING, DIRECTED BY STANLEY KUBRICK (1980; GB/UNITED STATES). STANLEY KUBRICK AND JACK NICHOLSON ON THE SET OF THE SHINING. © WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC.

film by candlelight in Barry Lyndon (1975), Kubrick was just as much an inventor as a filmmaker. Expect to see the Centrifuge-set that Kubrick had developed for 2001: A Space Odyssey; film props such as the platoon flags and the infamous Born-to-Kill helmet worn by Private Joker in Full Metal Jacket, costumes worn on set during Barry Lyndon as well as pre and post production materials loaned from the Stanley Kubrick Archive at University of the Arts London Archives and Special Collections Centre. Stanley Kubrick’s philosophy and his ability to create complete worlds with each of his films will be explored through a vast archive of research and production documents, props, set designs and storyboards. Visitors will be able to relive key scenes from The Shining (1980), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), A Clockwork Orange (1972), hear personal anecdotes from those close to him and find out who Stanley was as a person and how he used innovative techniques to create his films.

STA N L E Y KU B R I C K : THE EXHIBITION Runs from 26 April – 15 September 2019 At the Design Museum, 224-238 Kensington High Street W8 designmuseum.org

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

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FASHION

VAMP IT UP

T H E VA M P I R E ' S W I F E

The Vampire’s Wife is the vision of Susie Cave, named after an abandoned book project by her husband Nick Cave. The styles all speak to the brand’s subversive femininity in exclusive Liberty prints, emerald corduroy, printed velvets alongside silk metallic chiffon in frosted pink. net-a-porter.com

Fruity jewellery 30 · The shoot: Borgo de Nor 32 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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FASHION • JEWELLERY

Rich Pickings Forbidden fruits for the taking...

ALISON LOU

FENDI

ALEXANDRA HAKIM

14kt Gold and Enamel Cherry Earrings, £225

Embellished Fruit Earrings, £341.54

Silver Lemon Pendant, £148.14

farfetch.com

alexandrahakim.com

net-a-porter.com

GIRLS CREW

ALEXANDRA HAKIM

GUCCI

Cherry Pop Necklace, £44.07

Gold Lime Peel Earrings, £167.28

Crystal Fruit Charm Bracelet, £765

shopgirlscrew.com

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alexandrahakim.com

farfetch.com

ALEXANDRA HAKIM

FENDI

TESSA PACKARD

Silver Lemon Earrings, £262.19

Dangling Fruit Earrings, £430

High Ball Earrings, £150

alexandrahakim.com

farfetch.com

tessapackard.com

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LUXURIOUS MATERIALS, INTELLECTUAL INSPIRATIONS AND STATEMENT DESIGNS FROM BORGO DE NOR B O R G O D E N O R .CO M

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SUMMER IN THE CITY

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ALL AVAILABLE AT NET-A-PORTER.COM

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

HIGH BROW CHANEL

Chanel's Global Creative Makeup and Colour Designer Lucia Pica created a fresh look for the AW19 ready-to-wear collection, showing a strong masculine touch with groomed and defined brows. chanel.co.uk

Beauty notes 41 • Jo Malone on 25 years of fragrance 42 • Perfume 49 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • NOTES

BEAUTY NOTES

A magic serum, stylish hair tools and the shampoo revolution B y H E L E N B R OW N

T R E AT M E N T REVIEW

FACE UP

EF Medispa Richmond

BALANCE ME

Balance Me's 98% natural Tri-Molecular Hyaluronic Serum gets deep beneath the skin's surface to replenish and deliver a reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in one hit – perfect for sensitive, dehydrated and stressed-out skin. £30;

B y ROSIE REYNOLDS

balanceme.co.uk

POWER TOOL GHD

If you are the type to take a hairdryer to a festival, then make sure it's the one from GHD's new festival collection. The salon-quality professional air hairdryer now comes with special kaleidoscope -coloured details for added summer fun, £99;

EDITOR’S PICK

ghdhair.com

NO SHAMPOO H A I R STO RY

Are you brave enough to quit shampoo? There's no courage required with Hairstory's revolutionary New Wash, a 100% biodegradable, detergent-free cleanser that leaves your hair soft, sweetsmelling and healthy with no need for conditioner and no grease. The starter kit comes with a massage brush and a volumising powder – and though it may seem steep at £83, you will need less and less product as your hair adapts to its new shampoo-free state. We are converts.

A

t EF Medispa in Richmond, I started by filling out a medical questionnaire and then discussed my skincare routine and concerns with a consultant. Our discussion allowed the medically trained professionals to create a bespoke facial tailored to address some of my skin concerns. It is evident from the variety of treatment plans and advanced technology that EF Medispa’s approach to beauty is grounded in a complete scientific knowledge of the skin. The Richmond clinic hosts a range of well-established, expert brands and I instantly recognised Biologique Recherche, CosMedix and Skinceuticals. After a cup of green tea, my consultant Tiia took me downstairs to the treatment room. She began by cleansing away the city grime and makeup, and prepped my skin with a salicylic acid solution to clear my pores. One of my main concerns was pollution and clogged pores, so Tiia used CosMedix’s Clear Mask, followed by their Detox Mask. CosMedix’s antioxidant-rich Pure Enzymes mask was used to further neutralise any free-radicals, and larger blocked pores were cleared through extraction. Skinceutical’s HA intensifier and Phloretin CF antioxidant serum were both applied, and Tiia finished the facial with a spritz of CosMedix’s Sheer ZingSpf 30. I left the clinic feeling rejuvenated and the next day I was perfectly happy to skip foundation and instead show off my naturally glowing skin. E F M E D I S PA

9-11 The Quadrant, TW9 £600 for 6 treatments efmedispa.com

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

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E N G L I S H R O S E Jo Malone CBE is celebrating 25 years in the business of fragrance by launching a new perfume Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

Q Congratulations on 25 years in fragrance! How has the industry changed since you first began? A Thank you so much, this year is a special one. The industry has definitely changed since I launched the first brand. There was very little competition then and we created a marketplace along with other brave entrepreneurs. When I launched Jo Loves, I realised it was much harder. I assumed I could step back into the market in the same place I left but I had to work my way back up and earn the right to stand there. Passion, resilience and creativity are all qualities that helped me to build again. Q And how have you changed? Have your tastes changed? Or your sense of smell? A I still have the same spirit and same integrity, but the creativity is very different. If you look at an artist or a musician their work doesn’t stay the same and that’s the same for me. I’m braver now and more courageous. Jo Loves is about innovation and inspiration. I’m telling you the story of my life through it and I’m not the 22 year-old kid any more. I’m a woman in her 50s who travels around the world and my incredible adventures lead me to think, how do I tell this story through the sense of smell? Q Which of your own creations are you most proud of? A I am most proud of the Jo Loves Fragrance Paintbrush. When I first came up with the idea everyone looked at me and thought ‘what is that woman on?’ and

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they said, ‘no one’s going to do it!’ Well how wrong they were. That paintbrush has completely changed the way people wear fragrance. Q Tell us about the new fragrance. A Rose Petal 25 encapsulates so many cherished memories I have of roses, from me as a little girl hand-picking petals in the garden to mixing my first Bulgarian rose oil face mask. I have loved the scent of rose petals all my life, so I knew this would be the perfect fragrance to celebrate 25 years of being a shopkeeper.

I went on a sensorial journey to Grasse in the south of France last year to discover the magical Rose de Mai flower and drew inspiration from picking the perfect blooms at dawn to extract the first drops of precious oil. That’s when the creative process began and Rose Petal 25 was born. Q Which are your favourite smells/ fragrance ingredients? A I love citrus notes, grapefruit being one of my favourite ingredients, and floral notes such as rose. Q Do you believe that there is an ideal scent for each individual, or should we change our fragrances regularly? A People usually have a preference, such as citrus or woody scents. I tend to always wear Pomelo or Jo by Jo Loves in the daytime, as citrus makes me feel safe, but always add to my fragrance throughout the day depending on my mood – and I often wear a floral fragrance in the evening. Q What perfume are you wearing today? A Rose Petal 25 Q What’s next for you and for Jo Loves? A I set out to build a global brand and eight years on, that is exactly what we are doing. Jo Loves is a springboard of creativity and I’m always looking for new and innovative ways for people to wear fragrance. R O S E P E TA L 2 5 launches in May; £115 for 100ml; joloves.com

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

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • Q&A

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

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • TREND

TOM FORD Sheer Cheek Duo, £60; harrods.com

J.ONE Jelly Pack, £32; cultbeauty.co.uk

EGYPTIAN MAGIC All Purpose Cream, £30.47; feelunique.com

RODIAL SOFT FOCUS Glow Booster Drops, £45; rodial.co.uk

ALLIES OF SKIN

SARAH CHAPMAN SKINESIS Liquid Facial D-stress, £42; lookfantastic.com

MULTI TASKERS

Promise Keeper Blemish Sleeping Facial, £110; cultbeauty.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

The beauty products giving us more bang for our buck B y ROSIE REYNOLDS

GIORGIO ARMANI Fluid Sheer, £40; selfridges.com

RMS BEAUTY Living Luminizer, £36; naturisimo.com

Cream with SPF 50+, £31; itcosmetics.co.uk

SUMMER FRIDAYS Jet Lag Mask, £42; cultbeauty.co.uk

ALLIES OF SKIN

BRIOGEO B.WELL Organic + Cold-pressed 100% Castor Oil, £25; spacenk.com

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IT COSMETICS CC+

111 SKIN Meso Infusion Lip and Plumping Duo, £95; 111skin.com

Fresh Slate Clay and Manuka Honey Cleanser & Masque, £38; feelunique.com

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www.quaillondon.com

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skinade.com

Beautiful skin from the inside We all know the importance of looking after our skin on the outside. To achieve your perfect complexion, you must also support your skin from within. Discover skinade™ – the skincare drink that nourishes the skin from the inside for beautiful skin on the outside.

Available from skincare professionals only. To find a stockist go to skinade.com To become a stockist, please call us on 08451 300 205 or email info@skinade.co.uk

MADE IN THE UK

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NO 1 PROFESSIONAL SKINCARE DRINK IN THE UK

20/12/2017 09:53


ABSOLUTELY • PROMOTION

DR SAM AFSHAR

4. TEMPORARIES

After teeth are prepared temporaries are placed that replicate the 3D model exactly. You can trial the proposed model before anything is finalised. 5 . F I T T I N G YO U R F U L L MOUTH RECONSTRUCTION

A master ceramist duplicates the smile design and function (from the temporaries and 3D model) in the final restorations and adds the fine colour, surface anatomy and texture to bring your new full mouth reconstruction to life.

P E A R LY WHITES Discover the life-changing potential of full mouth reconstruction

What is a full mouth reconstruction? When you have broken, worn and/ or multiple missing teeth, then a full mouth reconstruction may be required. This will often require every tooth to be restored with a combination of veneers, crowns, inlays, onlays, dental implants and dental bridgework. What does full mouth reconstruction involve? The key to a successful full mouth reconstruction is planning. Here's how it’s done: 1 . E X A M I N AT I O N

A thorough examination of the teeth, gums, supporting bone, muscles and jaw joint is essential. The latest

technology helps us identify and explain what dentistry is required and why. Digital photography, joint and bite analysis are crucial to plan and communicate your treatment needs. 2. COMPUTER AIDED SMILE DESIGN

It’s vital that your full mouth reconstruction not only functions perfectly but looks great. The latest in computer-aided smile design technology allows us to discuss and show you the aesthetic outcome before work starts.

Full mouth rehabilitation is different from a full smile makeover in that it is a necessary procedure. It involves restoring every tooth in a person’s mouth with the primary goal of improving oral health. Ideal candidates may relate to one or more of the following: TMJ syndrome, consistent headaches or migraines, clicking in the jaw, missing teeth, worn, broken, cracked, or chipped teeth or crooked teeth. While a full mouth rehabilitation is not technically a cosmetic procedure, Art of Dentistry Institute focuses on both the beauty and function of every treatment. Tooth-coloured fillings and porcelain crowns are just a couple of cosmetic dental treatment options that ensure a more vibrant, natural-looking result. Persistent headaches or migraines can significantly impact a person’s quality of life. A full mouth rehabilitation will address these concerns and alleviate headaches. Gum disease is another issue addressed with full mouth rehabilitation to ensure that the reconstructed teeth have a healthy foundation. D R SA M A F S H A R D D S M S C

3. 3D PREVIEW

Detailed impressions and bite records allow us to transform the imaging picture into a 3D model that you can pick up and examine.

BENEFITS OF FULL MOUTH R E H A B I L I TAT I O N

THE TRANSFORMATION

Principal Putney Dentists; 2a Dealtry Road, SW15 6NL 020 8785 6772 putneydentists.co.uk

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

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www.thecouturegallery.com

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HEALTH & BEAUTY • SCENT

PERFUME

A Touch of Class Take a nostalgic journey through Tocca's enchanting scents; there's a fragrance for every woman B y M I C H A E L D O N OVA N

T

occa means touch in Italian and has been one of my favourite fragrance collections, ever since I worked with the brand back in the early noughties. From the delightful bottle, based on an antique cognac decanter, to the exquisite embossed metal caps which are, quite frankly, the best in the business, the Tocca collection is a masterclass in how to get it right. The scents themselves were my go-to gift for family and friends. Even today, some 15 years after unwrapping their scent, my nearest and dearest often ask me where they can find what became their favourite fragrance. This is the mark of a great perfume. ‘Stella’ was my first love, because this freshly ravishing fragrance is everything a summer scent should be. Witty, fun and flirtatious, this is a fantastic rendering of blood orange, with all of its juicy energy and a touch of its bitter zest. It lays across a field of white freesias and a pool of sheer and languid musk. She is a great holiday companion and will keep you smiling from sunrise to sunset: at the pool, on the beach, shopping in town and out for moonlit cocktails. She is sling-backs and a kicky skirt and I always imagine Gina Lollobrigida whenever I sense her presence. ‘Florence’ is a best seller and she deserves to be. She is a slice of Parisienne sophistication; extremely seductive and knowing. She is a siren’s call and I’m not sure if even being strapped to a mast could prevent complete captivation! What can I say about ‘Cleopatra’? Queen of the Nile and lover of both Caesar and Mark Antony, this is a tough name to live up to. However, rise to the occasion this fragrance does, as a remarkably modern femme fatale that uses a quality jasmine,

brushed with the sparkle of grapefruit and a purr of patchouli to still the senses. 'Cleopatra' bewitches all in her wake. Just add a slash of eyeliner and you are good to go. I was a big fan of Colette’s novels and recently rediscovered them after watching Keira Knightley’s magnificent portrayal. This feisty feminist defied convention. Her extraordinary talent and drive ensured that she became known as the greatest female writer of her generation. She was even nominated for the Nobel prize for literature. It was her strong and rebellious spirit that raised ‘Colette’ to iconic status and here the eponymous fragrance uses a spicy glamour to evoke our heroine. A piquant lily sits astride a warm and beguiling sandalwood. This is a mysterious, intriguing scent with a vital and intelligent allure. Giulietta Masina was a fantastic Italian actress and the great love of legendary Film Director Frederico Fellini. She starred in ‘La Strada’ in 1954 for which she won Best Actress at Cannes. The film won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in that year. ‘Giulietta’ was a woman of charm and charisma and her acting has a natural, nuanced quality that is reflected in Tocca’s perfume. The innocence of lily of the valley is teamed with the natural beauty of Bulgarian roses. These sweet florals are grounded by a base of cedarwood that suggests a measured and serious facet to a charming personality. Although inspired by passionate romance, this is the scent of a vital and sophisticated woman of complex character. The concept here is that each scent in the Tocca range represents a different facet of the same woman. The collection forms a capsule olfactory wardrobe to be donned, according to mood and occasion. Ravishing, romantic, adventurous and beguiling. By degree, I can think of no better way to overhaul one’s closet this spring.

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

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Monica Galetti, chef

C R E A T I N G

B E A U T I F U L

K I T C H E N S

S I N C E

1 9 8 1

Call 020 7486 1248 to make an appointment at your nearest showroom 120 Wigmore Street, London W1U 3RU 509 Uxbridge Road, Pinner HA5 4JS 77-79 Wycombe End, Beaconsfield HP9 1LX

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AULIS

Spring has spring and we're looking at all things homegrown. Simon Rogan's intimate eight-seater chef's table and development kitchen in Soho, Aulis, uses produce from his Lake District farm.

PHOTO BY LISA LINDER

FOOD & DRINK

HOME GROWN

Food notes 52 • Country pubs 56 • Food review 63 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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WHAT TO DRINK

GRAPE news Wine recommendations for the month

TASTING NOTES

London’s food news and most exciting openings this April By FLORA THOMAS

By BERRY BROS. & RUDD

2017 Berry Bros. & Rudd New Zealand Pinot Noir by Greystone Wines  £17.95 Aromas of fresh cherry and raspberry mingle seamlessly with cedar and sweet spice while the concentration of fruit on the palate speaks of the vineyard’s rich clay soils. This is drinking beautifully now, but has the structure to age gracefully.

2017 Anthonij Rupert, Protea, Merlot, Groenekloof, South Africa  £11.95 This juicy and approachable Merlot offers aromas of mulberry and plum. Well-balanced and structured throughout, there is a lovely freshness which runs all the way to a rich cocoa finish. This is one of our first wines to be sold under Helix closure.

2017 Reuilly Blanc, Les Pierres Plates, Denis Jamain  £15.50 A bright and expressive wine with lashings of citrus fruit aromas. The palate may be relatively round and generous, in keeping with the warm vintage, but there’s plenty of acidity, and a steely, mineral character to the long finish. 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.

bbr.com

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Ritorno CULINARIO M O R T I M E R H O U S E K I TC H E N

Lello Fafuzzi has been announced as head chef at Mortimer House Kitchen. The Italian chef spent a decade running L’Anima which closed last year. Now, Lello’s return to simple, irresistible plates aims to reflect an honest dialogue between Italian and Israeli cuisines. All this in the beautiful Avro-KO designed space in the heart of Fitzrovia. 37-41 Mortimer Street, W1T mortimerhouse.com

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FOOD & DRINK• NOTES Our pick of the best

HOME-GROWN PRODUCERS

CRAFT

East meets east

At Craft - a project by Steve Parle with Tom Dixon - they grow their own vegetables on The Jetty on Greenwich Peninsula. The kitchen team work with local foragers to source produce, and they cure meats on-site. Rooftop beehives mean they to make their own honey, and they even make their own butter. craft-london.co.uk

FATT PUNDIT

There’s a new kid on the block in Soho this month: Fatt Pundit. The Indochinese restaurant specialises in momos - little, spicy, meat-filled dumplings, served alongside lip-smacking chutneys. Expect the unexpected at Fatt Pundit: shredded chilli venison and smoked rabbit wantons are a must-try. 77 Berwick Street, W1 @fattpundit

MOTHER CLUCKER HONEST BURGERS

Honest Burgers are teaming up with fried chicken specialists Mother Clucker to launch a special, one-off burger collaboration for the month of April. The burger combines Mother Clucker’s signature free-range buttermilk fried chicken and homemade pepper sauce, with Honest Burgers’ double American cheese, bacon, lime mayo lettuce and pickles. Go on, treat yourself. 75 Venn Street, SW4 honestburgers.co.uk

ROGANIC Foraged ingredients create ethereal, modern British food at Simon Rogan’s Michelin-starred Marylebone restaurant. Using the freshest produce from Simon's Lake District farm, dishes are strictly seasonal. simonrogan.co.uk

FUSION FOOD BISTRO VADOUVAN

All hail KEBAB QUEEN

Manu Canales’ most adventurous project to date marries his love for the flavour of kebabs with his rigorous Michelin training. Kebab Queen sees dishes plated directly onto a bespoke heated countertop: “We want you to relax and get stuck in; it’s about combining high-end dining with the elbow-to-elbow, communal fun of the kebab shop,” says Manu. 4 Mercer Walk, WC2H kebabqueen.com

T H E DA I RY Full Circle Farm in Sussex provides The Dairy with almost all of the vegetables and fruit on the menu. Dishes change and adapt in line with the produce, rather than the other way around. Food waste goes back into the ground in the form of rich compost, adding to the natural, full-circle nature of food prep at this neighbourhood favourite. the-dairy.co.uk

Head chef Durga Misra has teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Eric Chavot to launch a menu of French dishes with a touch of spice at Bistro Vadouvan. Available for two months only. Get to it. 30 Brewhouse Lane, SW15 bistrovadouvan.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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FOOD & DRINK • EASTER

DAYLESFORD Milk chocolate hen lollipop, £3; daylesford.com

ROCOCO Bruce Bogtrotter's chocolate fudge cake Easter egg, £25; rococochocolates.com

LE CHOCOLAT ALAIN DUCASSE Four praline Easter eggs, £32; lechocolat-alainducasse.com

EDITOR’S PICK CLARIDGES Limited edition Easter eggs, £55; claridges.co.uk

HARVEY NICHOLS Sunny side up on brown chocolate egg, £8.95; harveynichols.com

MARIAGES FRERES Le Fabuleux, £9.5o; mariagefreres.com

DOMINIQUE ANSEL Marshmallow chicks, £20 for 5; dominiqueansellondon.com

SHELL SHOCK All the best Easter eggs and treats B y PENDLE HARTE

PRESTAT Pink popping Prosecco Easter egg; £17.50 prestat.co.uk

PIERRE MARCOLINI Milk chocolate magician's hat, £89; eu.marcolini.com

FORTNUM & MASON Butterscotch popcorn egg, £15; fortnumandmason.com

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L I F E

C O U N T R Y

Absolutely heads out of town for the country pub experience, weighing up the Hind’s Head in Bray, the Greyhound in Letcombe Regis and 15 Queen Street in Maidenhead

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H

THE HIND’S HEAD

THE HIND’S HEAD Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

eston Blumenthal’s pub dates back to the 15th century, when it opened as a hunting lodge and coaching inn. It’s less than 30 miles from Hammersmith, which makes it an easy destination for Sunday lunch, and Bray is a sweet little spot for a post-feast wander. Inside, the cavernous pub is dark and cosy, timberframed and low-ceilinged with small doorways, open fires, wood panelling and lots of cosy corners. On the walls are photographs, illustrations and clippings celebrating the site’s long history. The Sunday roast is Michelin-starred and comes as a set three-course meal. After some delicious crusty sourdough, there’s a high class pea and ham soup, a lovely bright green broth dotted with whole peas and small pieces of smoky ham, accompanied by an excellent Scotch egg – it’s a quail’s egg, perfectly soft boiled inside a well-

judged crust and served stylishly with sharp yellow mustard. The Hind’s Head has won awards for its Scotch eggs and these are a world away from the poor examples that are often offered up. The main act is roast Aberdeen Angus sirloin with Yorkshire pudding, horseradish cream, roast potatoes and lots of vegetables. It’s a large feast and everything is fine, if perhaps a little underwhelming in comparison to the memorable Scotch egg. Pudding, however, is seriously impressive: the quaking pudding is lusciously wobbly, eggy and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and compressed apple, served warm. It’s a comforting dish, much like the pub itself – just right for urbanites seeking a touch of rural escapism.

THE HIND’S HEAD High Street, Bray SL6 2AB 01628 626151 hindsheadbray.com

THE HIND’S HEAD

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FOOD & DRINK • PUBS

15 QUEEN STREET Wo r d s H E L E N B R OW N

THE GREYHOUND INN

THE GREYHOUND INN Wo r d s R O S I E R E Y N O L D S

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ased in the stunning Vale of the White Horse, The Greyhound Inn is an idyllic 18th century free house located in Letcombe Regis. Recently refurbished and awarded with the 2019 Michelin Plate award, the pub offers a sophisticated experience whilst still retaining a traditional warm and cosy atmosphere. The bar is well stocked with a wide variety of gins and local ales, or if you prefer, a carefully selected wine list. The lovely rooms offer you the chance to have the perfect weekend break away from London. If you want to make a day of it, go for a long walk along the Ridgeway and witness breathtaking views of Oxfordshire, before coming back for a drink and delicious meal. On the menu was a diverse range of interesting a la carte options, as well as the traditional pub grub for those wanting to keep it simple. We started with salt and pepper squid, garnished with squid ink

mayonnaise, pomegranate, coriander and a seaweed salad. A more interesting and refreshing update on calamari and a dish that I will certainly order again. For my main course, I had cider braised shoulder of lamb, which came with beetroot dauphinoise potatoes and curly kale. The lamb was delicate and rich in flavour and the cider was a successful accompaniment. For pudding, we both opted for the Seville orange marmalade steamed sponge drizzled with orange sauce and a scoop of toast flavoured ice cream. I was particularly intrigued to try the ice cream, which was delicious and complemented the zesty orange beautifully. Excellent food, attentive staff and a fun, welcoming atmosphere make for a well-rounded diningexperience.

W

ith its crackling fire, genuine welcome, dark oak panelling and jolly locals, 15 Queen Street has all the charm and trappings of a good country pub, all the while set in Maidenhead town centre. In what was formerly the Hand and Flowers, 15 Queen Street is new to the area, run by Hendrik and Julie who have done a brilliant job in maintaining the history and character of the building. They’ve given it a new look with heritage interiors, low lighting and dark leather. First and foremost a steakhouse, the place does an excellent roast beef. However even better is the vegetarian offering for Sunday lunch. It starts with warm sourdough and rosemary butter and a Waldorf salad. This stylised dish defies its name with more goats cheese than actual salad, expertly poached wedges of pear and a smattering of walnuts for crunch. The mushroom wellington that follows is a lesson in pastry perfection and stuffed with a rich and moreish mushroom duxelle. It’s certainly the star of the show but the plate-sized Yorkshire p udding and the oozing side of cauliflower cheese put up a good fight. Mains are served with a generous smear of bread sauce on the plate and sides of roast potatoes and parsnips. A pear tarte tatin is arguable one carb too many but its sticky and gleefully sweet, warm so that a quenelle of vanilla ice cream quickly trickles into every crag and chunk of caramelised pear; exactly the sort of dish that a Sunday deserves.

THE GREYHOUND INN

15 QUEEN STREET

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Butternut curry with spinach and cashews Colourful, fragrant, and full of texture, this dish shows you don’t need meat to make a good curry. Lentils, chickpeas, and nuts add protein to the melting pot of vegetables and spices for a healthy, balanced meal.

INGREDIENTS •medium butternut squash, about 21⁄4lb (1kg) • 1 onion • 4 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil • 1 tbsp butter • 2 cloves garlic • 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger • 1 small hot green chile • 1 tsp ground turmeric • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp ground coriander • 2 cinnamon sticks • 1 tbsp freeze-dried curry leaves (optional) • 1⁄2 cup (100 g) red lentils • 3 or 4 ripe tomatoes • 1 (14-oz/400-g) can chickpeas, drained • 3⁄4 cup (100 g) cashew nuts • 2 large handfuls baby leaf spinach • salt and pepper

METHOD 1 Peel the squash and cut into 4 pieces. Scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into large cubes about 3cm across. 2 Halve and slice the onion. Put a large frying pan, or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter, wait for 30 seconds, then add the squash and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are starting to soften.

Simple &

CLASSIC Well-explained and reliable recipes for cooking perfection Wo r d s J A N E H O R N B Y

3 Thinly slice the garlic and finely grate the ginger. Slit the chile, without cutting through the stem (stalk) end. 4 Boil a saucepan of water. Stir the garlic, ginger, chile, spices, and curry leaves into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. 5 Stir in the lentils, then pour in 400 ml boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring a few times. Preheat the oven to 180°C and coarsely chop the tomatoes. 6 Stir the tomatoes in with the chickpeas, then simmer for another 10 minutes Season the curry with salt and pepper. 7 Sprinkle the nuts over a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 5 minutes. 8 Stir in the spinach leaves and sprinkle the nuts over the top. Serve with chapatis, naan breads, or rice and your favorite relish or chutney.

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

Shrimp Pad Thai Give tofu a try in this quick Thai café classic. Leftover cold roast chicken could be added to the noodles, too.

INGREDIENTS • 14 oz (400 g) wide rice noodles • 1 (9-oz/250-g) pack firm tofu, drained • 3 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 bunch spring onions • 1 small bunch fresh coriander • 1 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil • 3 tbsp tamarind paste (optional) • 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce • 3 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce) • 11⁄2 tbsp sugar • 1 handful roasted peanuts (optional) • 4 large (UK medium) eggs • 200 g (7 oz) uncooked large shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined • 1⁄2 tsp dried chili flakes (or more if you like) • 2 limes

METHOD 1 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts Boil a saucepan or kettle of water. Put the noodles into a large heatproof bowl, then

pour over enough just-boiled water to cover. Stir gently and let soak until you get to step 8.

chili flakes, and half the scallions. Cook for a few seconds, stirring, until the garlic and scallions smell fragrant.

2 While you wait, cut the tofu into cubes about 3⁄4 inch (2 cm) across. Crush the garlic and thinly slice the scallions (spring onions). Pick the leaves from the cilantro (coriander).

6 Transfer the shrimp to a plate, then add the beaten eggs to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, moving the eggs around the pan a little with a wooden spoon until just set, like an omelet.

3 Put a large nonstick skillet, frying pan, or wok over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the tofu. Fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the tofu is golden all over. Lift the tofu onto paper (kitchen) towels using a slotted spoon. This will absorb any excess oil.

7 Lift the omelet out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Roll it up like a pancake, then cut across the roll to make long thin strips. Take the pan off the heat if you feel you need to concentrate on this part.

4

Meanwhile, put the tamarind paste, chili sauce, nam pla (Thai fish sauce), and sugar into a small pitcher (jug) and stir together. Coarsely chop the peanuts, if using. Crack the eggs into a bowl and loosely beat them with a fork. 5

Put the pan back over high heat. It shouldn’t need more oil. Add the shrimp (prawns) and fry for 2 minutes, until they turn completely pink. Now add the garlic,

8 Return the pan to the heat, drain the noodles, and add them to the pan. Add the sauce, most of the cilantro leaves, the shredded egg, tofu, shrimp, the remaining scallions, and a squeeze of lime juice, then toss well. 9 For an authentic look, serve the peanuts and bean sprouts in little piles alongside the noodles, then sprinkle with the rest of the cilantro. Cut the remaining lime into wedges and put a wedge on each plate.

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FOOD & DRINK • RECIPES

There’s no secret –all that’s needed is the patience to wait 5 Spoon the hoisin sauce into a serving dish. Serve the sauce, shredded duck, sliced cucumber, scallions, and pancakes separately and let everyone assemble their own. To assemble, spoon about 1 teaspoon of hoisin sauce onto a pancake, then spread it out with the back of the spoon. Arrange a couple of sticks of cucumber, a few shreds of scallion, and a little duck in a line across the middle of the pancake. To roll, tuck the bottom of the pancake up, then roll the sides over, leaving the top open.

TIP

CHINESE PANCAKES

Crispy duck pancakes There’s no secret to making this classic Chinese dish—all that’s needed is the patience to wait while the duck slowly cooks to crisp, melting perfection.

INGREDIENTS • 2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder • 2 tsp salt • 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper • 4 duck legs • 1 large cucumber • 2 bunches scallions (spring onions) • 24 Chinese pancakes • 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) hoisin sauce

METHOD 1 Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C/ Gas Mark 3. Mix the five-spice powder with the salt and pepper. Put the duck legs into a roasting pan. Rub the duck legs all over with the salty spice.

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2 Roast the duck for 11⁄2 hours, or until the skin is dark golden and crisp and the meat is tender. The fat will have run out of the skin. A convection or fan-assisted oven will give a really crisp result, so if you have the option, use a convection oven, not forgetting to reduce the temperature by 25°F/20°C.

If you can’t find thin Chinese pancakes in the store, try flour tortillas instead. Chinese pancakes are also made with flour, so the flavour is similar. If the tortillas are larger, cut them in half and wrap around the filling in a cone shape instead of a roll.

3 Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into thin sticks and trim, then finely shred the scallions (spring onions). Cutting the scallions into thin strips can be difficult, so slice into rounds if preferred. 4 When the duck is cooked, cover the pancakes with aluminum foil and put into the oven for 10 minutes to warm through (or follow the package instructions). Use 2 forks to pull the duck flesh and skin away from the bones. They should come away from the bones very easily. Keep the duck warm on a plate in the oven. Don’t cover it with foil, or the skin will lose its crispness.

SIMPLE & CLASSIC 123 Step-by-Step Recipes by Jane Hornby is published by Phaidon phaidom.com

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FOOD & DRINK • REVIEW

ABSOLUTELY eats out…

Like the first plate, it doesn’t take itself too seriously

Black Radish A perfectly unpretentious restaurant serving fine dining in Wimbledon Village

FOOD French-inspired, inventive cooking

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

T

he menu at Black Radish is inventive, modern and hyperseasonal. What’s more, it’s confidently sparse - three starters and three main courses to choose from. I’m told that new dishes stay on the menu for about three weeks being being replaced, which speaks to its focus on seasonality. For the most part, the food celebrates British ingredients, but with an international twist. We decide on the tasting menu which comprises two starters, two main courses and a chocolate pudding (each).

DECOR First up is a vegetarian starter. It’s a little parcel of creamy squash wrapped in elegant, strips of crispy pastry which offer a satisfying crunch. It’s resting on a splodge of morish parmesan cream and the whole plate is adorned with onion two-ways: dainty wisps of bitter burnt onion and slices of bright pink pickled shallots which are perfectly piquant. A fun dish, playfully plated but a little too sweet for me. Next, it’s sea bream crudo. Like the first plate, it doesn’t take itself too seriously which appeals to me. Slivers of delicate fish sit in tiger’s milk essentially seasoned lime juice - and

Casual

PRICE Five-course set menu is £49

VERDICT Neighbourhood restaurant punching well above its weight

little blobs of whipped cod’s roe have been artfully placed around the plate. As if you needed another reminder that it’s a fish dish, bottarga is scattered over it all. I prefer this to the first course and could happily eat more of it. The vegetarian main course is rich with an overarching taste of balsamic, which is not a bad thing in my book. Somewhere in the mix there’s a long thin slice of onion tart - which is bittersweet and more red onion than red onion tart. A hidden piece of blue cheese is a pleasant surprise, although I could have done with more of it to counteract the sharpness of the rest of the plate. At this stage we’re both pretty full and the idea of lamb is overwhelming. Thankfully it’s a dainty plate; the meat is tender and delicious and it’s really just a of couple of bites. With a scrumptious, indulgent chocolate pudding to finish, we leave feeling rather jealous of those Wimbledoneons who can call Black Radish their local. B L AC K R A D I S H 28 Ridgway, SW19

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FOOD & DRINK • NOTES

DRINKS CABINET

What to drink and how to drink it

fabulous

FIZZ

By PENDLE HARTE

THREE OF THE BEST CHAMPAGNES

THINK PINK

B y T H E C H A M PAG N E G U R U

Champagne Colette Bonnet Organic vintage 11/12, £40

B E E F E AT E R LO N D O N P I N K

This fresh and elegant organic champagne is bursting with floral aromatic notes of chamomile, midsummer blossoms and hints of wonderful fresh citrus zest, apple and pear. Colette Bonnet 11/12 pairs excellently with poultry, veal, seafood or accompanied by a cheese platter.

Pink-coloured gin is a regular on the shelves of bars around the captial, so it's no surprise to see Beefeater step into the fray with this strawberry-infused number. The aptly-named London Pink's aroma doesn't defy its look - it's vivid, boisterous and delivers exactly what you might expect. The sweetness of stawberry emerges a little late, and you won't need reminding that this is a solid gin. beefeatergin.com

Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois, £65 This unique cuvée, which is entirely aged in oak casks for seven years, is composed of the three Champenois grape varietals in equal proportions. With finely buttered, seductive aromas of dried fruits, it is an ideal accompaniment to seafood, poultry or Girolle mushrooms.

DIVE IN

SILENT POOL GIN

Nestled at the foot of the Surrey Hills is the Albury Estate, and within it, Silent Pool Distillers. The gin produced there is rich, clean and juniper-driven, complemented by floral layers of lavender and chamomile, fresh notes of citrus and local honey for a wonderful, smooth finish.

Champagne Frerejean Frères Blanc de Blancs, £55

silentpooldistillers.com

REUSE RECYCLE HYKE

HYKE is a brand new, premium, English gin. It ingeniously re-invents the equivalent of 1.4 million punnets of grapes, per year, that are surplus to the requirements of the supply chain. HYKE contains a unique blend of botanicals inspired by the grapes' African origins. foxholespirits.com

This elegant champagne is crafted exclusively from Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chardonnay. A blend of vintages and reserve wines contributes to generous and complex aromas of passion fruit, mango and papaya. THE CHAMPAGNE GURU The Champagne Guru is a champagne and food pairing expert, specialising in hosting special champagne events in luxurious surroundings.

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INTERIORS

RETRO LIVING ANNA BURLES X RETRO LIVING

Interior designer Anna Burles from Run For The Hills has launched a collaboration with vintage store Retro Living. The duo have come together to curate a range of beautifully restored and collectable furniture pieces, reupholstered, reinvented and restyled using a selection of fashionforward fabrics and finishes. retroliving.co.uk

Interior inspirations 68 • At the loom with Margo Selby 72 • Flowers at home 80 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS NOT E S Ideas, designs and styles for your home By PENDLE HARTE

GREY SCALE MYLANDS

Mylands, the world’s oldest family-owned paint manufacturer, has launched a new Greys & Neutrals paint palette, an exquisite collection of 24 subtle architectural shades, which expands the London-based paint maker’s collection to more than 170 colours. mylands.com

P OT H E A D FERM LIVING

Ferm Living's Hourglass Pots are elegantly crafted to give plants an elevate position. Position them on the floor or on a table, inside or outside, and dsiplay your plants in style. From £87.90 connox.co.uk

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INTERIORS • NOTES

E A R N YO U R STRIPES Embrace the two-tone trend

MARGO SELBY Hastings double duvet cover, £90 margoselby.com

LI G H T FA N TA S T I C MADE.COM

HIGH GLASS

Manhattan Kids Stripe Shade, £25 made.com

CURIOUSA AND CURIOUSA

Curiousa and Curiousa's new Tor Light is a slick design developed by Esther Patterson. The glass shades are hand-blown in Derbyshire without moulds, making every piece unique. The Tor Light has a refined look with modern sweeping lines combined with a bold yet natural colour palette. curiousa.co.uk

BEAUMONDE Rainbow striped cotton throw, £51 beaumonde.co.uk

HARRIS & HARRIS

The Wharf Lighting collection is the latest addition to the growing Harris & Harris product range, designed in house by the Harris & Harris studio. It fuses classic glass elements with minimal metal work to produce a sophisticated yet playful lighting range with a focus on craftsmanship and quality. harrisharrislondon.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

CARPETRIGHT Westmoreland Twist Carpet In Zebra Stripe, £7.99 per m2 carpetright.co.uk

M AG I C LAMPS ALEXANDER JOSEPH

MADE.COM Keana vase made.com

If you hate unsightly wires, these lamps are the solution. Working with a team of British designers and artisan craftsmen, inventor Mark Robinson has developed the ultimate cordless lamp, featuring specialist patented battery cells for longer life. The ceramic and glass bodies are all hand-made by master craftsmen in small workshops, and the finished product is 100% British. alexanderjoseph.co.uk

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INTERIORS • STYLE

ANNIE SLOAN Chalk paint, £19.95 per litre anniesloan.com

COPENHAGEN GLASS COLLECTION Rowan large glass pendant light, £469.60 bespokelights.co.uk

KNOLL Wassilly lounge chair, £2,052 conranshop.co.uk

EDITOR’S PICK

ANTHOLOGY FIVE Punched coffee table in orange, £525 anthologyfive.com

LIVING CORAL

NORMAN COPENHAGEN Cap table lamp, £315 skandium.com

URBANARA Sontra cashmere blanket, £199 urbanara.co.uk

Give your interiors an update with Pantone’s colour of the year LIGNE ROSET

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

Coral Ruche sofa, £794 chaplins.co.uk

JULIETTES INTERIORS Modern Italian Velvet Armchair, £3,976 juliettesinteriors.co.uk

ADICO Portuguese 5008 chair, £125 conranchop.co.uk

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INTERIORS • PROFILE

FRUIT OF O THE LOOM Margo Selby’s woven fabrics are characterised by their intricate patterns, strong colours and bold designs. Absolutely visits her in her Whitstable studio Wo r d s P E N D L E H A R T E

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

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W eaving is having a moment. Tate Modern’s recent show of Anni Albers’ work threw weaving, and particularly women weavers, into the spotlight and Margo Selby is one of the UK’s best and most successful weavers. Her work spans large-scale commissions and major licenses as well as an ongoing stream of one-off, hand-woven pieces. She is both a talented maker and a savvy entrepreneur. Having started her business 15 years ago, straight out of college with a large floor loom taking up a lot of space in her bedroom in Willesden, she now manages a serious business from a studio in Whitstable. She produces designs for companies ranging from Osborne and Little to the Royal Opera House, via the London Transport Museum and Bert Frank, while continuing to weave her own blankets, scarves and lengths of fabric for framing. Her colourful, graphic patterns have a strong signature that’s immediately identifiable, even in the vast variety of her output – and her dedication to the craft is enormous. She’s also hugely friendly and fun. Welcoming me to her studio, she is clearly loved by her employees, all of whom, she insists, must spend some time on the loom every week. It’s fundamental for her that the business won’t lost sight of its roots in hand weaving. Because it all started with

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technique. It was a fascination with making fabric, though not specifically woven fabric, that interested her at first. She tells me: “My family have always had a tradition of women making textiles at home. My granny taught me crochet, knitting and cross-stitch. I was interested from a young age, so when I found out I could do a degree in textiles I thought that was really exciting.” Weaving didn’t immediately appeal because of what she assumed would be a restrictive method. “You do have to be very disciplined and follow a lot of rules and I’m not really like that, but somehow that discipline gives me a big sense of security and my work a lot of structure. I’m very mathematical. I like it to make sense and be ordered and have a structure. I don’t like designs that are too organic.” The loom, she explains, was essentially the first computer. It works to a binary formula; designs are drawn on paper in the form of grids representing different squares of pattern, warp or weft. Working a loom all depends on the complex threading of it, with the warp thread on the loom and the weft thread going through it. But what is it actually like, sitting at a loom and weaving? “It’s very meditative, rhythmic, you can get lost in it.” Do you have to count? Is it forgiving or are mistakes

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INTERIORS • PROFILE

rectifiable? “There is some counting,” she admits. “But yes, you can unpick it.” She encourages me to have a go and it’s quite physical: first you pull the beater towards you and push it back, then you push the foot pedal and throw the shuttle carrying the weft thread through the warp structure, and then repeat: pull the beater again and so on. It’s a rhythm and I can imagine continuing happily for some time, once you’re in the swing of it. What I can’t imagine, however, is conceiving of a pattern and working out how to thread the loom to create it. “One of the most difficult things when you’re learning is to have an idea in your head and translate it to the loom. I have found that as long as the vision is really clear then the result is successful. Understanding pattern and graphic design has become an important part of the business.” Mills can do more complex patterning with jaquard looms, while Selby’s own main loom has 24 shafts that can be lifted differently, to create separate weaves side by side. When working with a mill, she will provide them with a sketch created in Illustrator, and then instruct them to apply certain weaves. “So I can combine my work on the handloom with the industrial. Some people think of manufacturing as a dirty word, but for me, the mills are run by amazing craftspeople with many years of experience in developing techniques.” Margo runs weaving workshops for complete beginners as well as more

experienced weavers, not because she needs to fill her weekends with weaving but because she wants to keep the craft alive, and because she just loves it. “It’s a bit of a dying craft, it’s a slow process and one that’s easy for people to forget so we feel like we’re keeping it alive.” She also mentors younger weavers through a Crafts Council scheme. While Margo Selby fabric has become a staple in the interiors industry, it was accessories that came first for her. In fact, she wasn’t particularly interested in what the fabric would be used for at first – all she cared about was making different fabrics and patterns, experimenting with threading the loom to get different results. “I thought I wasn’t going to worry about the end use, I’d just make pieces,” she says, and though her first pieces did become scarves, that was mostly because of the simplicity of the scarf size and shape. Today she makes fragments of cloth that are designed to be framed as art pieces; last year she held a solo exhibition of them. “I feel as though I’m painting with yarn, exploring how colours and threads react to one another when I place them together. I’m fascinated by the process of blending yarns on the loom rather than dyeing them.” It wasn’t until she started being approached by people asking her to apply her fabrics for interiors that she began to think about using them. She started with headboards and soon people began commissioning for hotels and bigger

I LOVE EXPLORING HOW COLOURS AND THREADS REACT TO ONE ANOTHER WHEN I PLACE THEM TOGETHER

projects, and she started to think about making fabrics that were more suited to that. Durability is hugely important for upholstery and interiors fabrics. “We have just made our first rug out of recycled bottles. It’s a wool imitation and it feels nicer than some of our wools,” she says with enthusiasm. That was woven in India, though she uses mills in the UK wherever possible. “I’d like to see more decorative cloth woven here,” she says. “The decorative mills I know of make gorgeous silks, but not durable ones, nothing you could use for upholstery. Even in India weaving is in decline. It’s rare to find weavers under 50 now.” How does she approach commissions? Her signature style is so strong, and yet it has been incorporated into pieces by so many different brands. “If you continue to make things yourself, no matter how many things you try your signature will stay strong. You can’t get away from it really. I like to have texture on texture, pattern on pattern, little stripes on little stripes. I guess I’m a maximalist. I try hard to do neutral, but my neutrals have about 12 colours in them.” Ultimately, she simply enjoys working with yarn, any construction of yarn. What next for Margo Selby? Predictably, it’s all about the looms. “This year, I want the looms to be working all the time,” she says. margoselby.com

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Editions INTERIORS • PROMOTION

DECO ELEGANCE Add a dash of vintage chic to your kitchen with decoSHEER…a new take on a classic style perfectly adapted for 21st century living Wo r d s P E A R L B OY D

W

hen planning the kitchen extension for her 1930s detached house, the client went straight to Tomas Kitchen Living. She had asked Tomas Hinton to design the kitchen in her previous house and was so pleased with the result that he was her obvious choice when she moved. Her old kitchen was the naturalSHEER model, Tomas’ classic modern look, and she had intended to install the same range again until she became intrigued by the brand new decoSHEER model, which better suited the style of her 1930s house. The ‘deco’ styling details feature a few vintage flourishes without being too ornate. These include brush brass trims beautifully set off

KITCHEN DETAILS

by Foreshore Mid Green cabinets. Other ‘deco’ features include a top trim in walnut, reeded glass doors and cascade end pieces. The client wanted to display her glasses and best china, so reeded glass doors were the perfect choice for this. Under-cabinet lighting provides excellent task lighting and internal lighting behind the reeded glass doors adds drama and glamour. A ‘butterfly’ curved door arrangement on the peninsula completes the period feel of the design. The client said: “The installation process was handled very well and I’m very pleased with my new kitchen – it’s timeless, in 20 years it will still look good. It doesn’t shout at you and blends in well with the other end of the room, so whichever way you approach, it all ties in together and works well as a surprisingly spacious living area.”

The design is a

TOMAS decoSHEER kitchen

Colours: Foreshore Mid Green units with Brushed Brass and Walnut trims Reeded Glass Doors Cascade End Pieces ‘Butterfly’ curved door arrangement on the peninsula complete the period feel of the design. Quartz Bianco Drift by Caesarstone countertops Kahrs engineered oak flooring

TO M A S K I TC H E N S 0800 023 6471 tomas-kitchen-living.co.uk A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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R

O H

U O

N U

D S

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Absolutely swoons over Marie-Lise Féry’s dreamy Magic Circus Editions

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INTERIORS • FOCUS

In the manner of Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, she blends together elegance, humour and unexpected details

W

ith Pop-Up, MarieLise Féry takes us on journey through a fantastic world full of references. For her third collection, the Lyon-based designer is diving into the hedonism of the 1970s. Her view of the period is both ironic and vivacious, offering a subtle, yet showy perspective: are these eye-shaped lamps looking at us? Is the reflective surface of the glass really a distorting mirror showing us the narcissism of the time? With the slender and elegant lines calling attention to every little detail, Marie-Lise Féry creates contemporary designs with the trademark “retro-for-tomorrow” approach, which has earned Magic Circus Éditions its name in the lighting industry since its foundation in 2015. The Pop-Up pieces consist of between one and three domes of lacquered brass (in pistachio, pink, light blue, dark blue and lemon), each attached to a brass stem (gold or slate-coloured), highlighting the delicate shape of the mouth-blown glass. Floor lamps and table lamps stand on a Carrara

collection: Pop-Up. Magic Circus Editions lamps question the changeable status of objects – between function and aesthetic, balance and lightness, drama and reverie. Magic Circus Éditions founder Marie-Lise Féry was born in Paris. After studying art business, she moved to New Yorko. Fascinated by the city’s architecture, she found an endless source of inspiration in the Big Apple’s monumental décors. Returning to France, based herself in Lyon, where she opened an antiques gallery named Un Château en Espagne, and started telling her own stories through objects she gleaned here and there. A way for her to perpetuate her mother’s motto: “Objects with a soul will always find their place”. Since 2015, the year she established Magic Circus Éditions, she has moved on to lighting as a means of telling her stories, bringing the magic of the show into home interiors. With her love for the theatre, the circus, turnof-the-century cabarets and music halls, Marie-Lise Féry imagines each new original creation as a way to stage her vision. In the manner of Wes Anderson in Grand Budapest Hotel, blending together elegance, humour and unexpected details, her designs never fail to surprise. Like magic lanterns – precursors to modern-day cinema –, MarieLise Féry creates a succession of illusions, with immense, lightweight compositions conjuring silent references. Attentive to the look of her pieces both in daylight and at night, Marie-Lise Féry takes us on a journey through space (from outside to inside) and time (from yesterday to today).

marble base. Finishes include a hallmark stamped on each piece to identify it. Like jewellery, each hand- crafted item tells the story of the very best European artisans who shaped it. The fine glass craftsmanship, paired with brass, resonates with earlier creations by Magic Circus Éditions. Drawing on the heritage of urban landscapes, shifting our perspectives by playing on scale and use, using lighting to tell stories, Magic Circus Éditions creates beautifully hand-crafted pieces from weightless and playful designs, offering an alternative perspective on everyday objects and inventing 21st-century vintage. Each collection draws from a singular inspiration: early street lights for Collection 01, the Far East for Collection 02 and the glossy polychrome allure of the 70s for her latest A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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INTERIORS • STYLE

A SELECTION OF GLASS JARS AND A GERANIUM PLANTED IN AN OLD PAINT KETTLE.

W

hen our little shop on Columbia Road first opened, little did we know that we’d expand after the first year and move across the street to an old upholstery workshop. With more floor space and a small backyard we were now able to stock the kind of items that felt right for visitors to the flower market as well as larger salvaged objects that our existing customers hankered after. They loved the large 8-, 10- and 15-litre vintage preserve jars for flowers. They wanted original washtubs for olive trees and Japanese maples. They asked for galvanized metal troughs and reclaimed water tanks and landscape gardeners sought out unconventional items for their clients’ gardens. We use a variety of ceramics and terracotta in the shop – anything from Victorian plant pots to cast-off cooking vessels – their worn surfaces and textures look fabulous with flowers and greenery. Look out for old flour bins, casserole dishes and baking trays at vintage fairs and thrift shops – all look beautiful when planted up. Yellow and green glazed

F LOW ER FA I RY The founder of Columbia Road’s Mason & Painter advises on styling plants and flowers with ceramics, glass, metal and reclaimed objects Wo r d s & i m a g e s M I C H E L L E M A S O N

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

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LET’s DRUM!

Patios & Brick Work | Fencing & Decking Summer Houses Victorian Pathways and much more

Established 2001

Forest Hill & Penge Drum School 6 Pro Drummers coaching adults & children 7 days a week/10am - 10 pm incl. summer, all bank holidays & half terms *100% success for Trinity College and Rock School Grades 1-8 - mostly with merit or distinction!

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fixed price. interactive design discussion. professional advice on builders, planning & budget. drawings of the proposal . . .

and all in just one visit

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architectyourhome call for a chat 0800 051 5304 or visit www.architect-yourhome.com

22/02/2019 16:27

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INTERIORS • STYLE

TERRACOTTA POTS, STILL CAKED IN EARTH, DISPLAYED WITH A STAGHORN FERN AND AN OLD PAIR OF LEATHER BOOTS ECHOING THE SAME WARM, EARTHY TONES.

ELEGANTLY ARCHED LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING AND POPPY HEADS IN A GREEN-GLAZED POT

THE COPPER POTSWERE WERE ONCE USED TO COOK OVER OPEN FIRES AND HAVE AN INTERESTING COMBINATION OF DARK, SMOKY COLOURS AND GREEN VERDIGRIS TARNISH. GALVANIZED BUCKETS WITH HANDLES MAKE FANTASTIC HANGING PLANTERS.

confit pots were commonly used in France to cook duck or goose. The pots were then buried up to the glazed line in cool cellars to preserve the confit in the days before refrigeration. Adding a little floral decoration at home needn’t take up lots of time or cost the earth, if anything at all. A little bit of imagination and resourcefulness and you can create small posies, single stem arrangements and interesting looks with cuttings in jars, recycled glass bottles, even a pretty drinking glass from your kitchen cupboard. Experiment with fallen leaves and twigs from the park, cuttings from a friend’s garden or allotment, shoots from potted plants, flowers from the market or window box herbs. Anything goes. If you enjoy collecting reclaimed ceramics, plant pots or metal containers chances are you’re already using them as planters. I personally can’t resist the graphics and typography on old tubs, tins and boxes and have a least a dozen planted up with succulents, ferns, hostas or spring bulbs at any one time. Metal tubs can easily be picked up from junk shops and antique fairs and make great outdoor and indoor planters. To guarantee good drainage it’s good practice to drill or hammer several holes in the base before planting. Galvanized buckets, troughs, water tanks, food tins and olive harvest baskets make ideal containers. These look great teamed with vintage metal garden furniture – ours have often come from old French cafés – complete with several layers of paint and faded sherbet colours they create a lovely setting for patio plants and serve as a reminder of sunny Riviera holidays.

Old flour bins, casserole dishes and baking trays all look beautiful when planted up

FLOWER MARKET Extract taken from Flower Market: Botanical Style at Home by Michelle Mason, published by Pimpernel Press at £20, pimpernelpress.com A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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KIDS & EDUCATION

SPANISH SERENADE LA COQUETA

As a mother of five, Celia Munoz, Founder and Creative Director od La Coqueta Kids, knows how important it is to find easy-care clothes that stand the test of time, can be passed on to the next baby and still look great. lacoquetakids.com

Small Talk: Easter workshops and new reading

87 · Education 89

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KIDS & EDUCATION • NOTES

FACTORY GIRLS L I T T L E C R E AT I V E FAC TO RY

Little Creative Factory built the soul of their company around the spirit and innocence of childhood, consistently inspired by the creative, curious minds of all the little people around the world. Their collections encourage children to express themselves and have fun. littlecreativefactory.com

PREVIEW

KAOS

SMALL TALK Creative clothing, Moomin mugs, Easter workshops and new reading matter

MOOMIN MANIA M O O M I N BY A R A B I A

New to the family of Moomin mugs are collections based on Ninny, the invisible child, and Moomintroll and the Martians. Both stories centre on the power of caring, and their messages are as positive as the illustrations are charming. shop.moomin.com

POND LIFE

EDITOR’S PICK

J

oin he Amazing Art Cart for a morning of flowery fun with an Easter bonnet making and spring bouquet making special with The Flower Appreciation Society. The Amazing Art Cart are very excited to collaborating with The Flower Appreciation Society in their De Beauvoir workshop for a child and parent joint workshop this Easter holiday. It’s an opportunity for parents and children to slow down, take time out to make and create together. The children will use paper craft to make their own wonderful easter bonnets while the adults will be busy learning how to make and package a Spring Bouquet using lovely seasonal blooms and foliage. Sunday 14 April, 10am. Suitable for ages 8-12; all materials provided. More than one child per adult welcome; booking is necessary. theflowerappreciationsociety.com

LISTEN IN

TA D

THE GREEN GIANT

by Benji Davies

by Katie Cottle

Tad is the smallest tadpole in the pond. As her tad-brothers and tad-sisters get bigger and bigger, and eventually disappear, she worries that she could be left all alone. With vibrant illustrations, it's a heart-warming story. £12.99

A timely tale about a little girl who discovers a giant made entirely of plants, in her grandfather’s greenhouse. The girl and the giant become fast friends as they attempt to bring a bit of colour back to the grey city. £6.99

 harpercollins.co.uk

 pavilionbooks.com 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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@kewhouseschool

19/11/2018 14:07


EDUCATION • OPINION

TEACHING AT LATYMER UPPER

H A BITS

The Deputy Head of Latymer Upper School on teaching a growth mindset A N D R E W M AT T H E W S

A

t Latymer Upper School, our approach to learning is based around the needs of the individual learner. In one sense our approach is traditional; we believe the bedrock of education lies in the acquisition and understanding of knowledge, concepts and skills related to specific academic disciplines or co-curricular activities. However, we believe that learning involves pupils’ development of more generic skills and dispositions, which we refer to as ‘habits’, involved in intellectual endeavour and study. These include; inventiveness, problem-solving, critical thinking, curiosity, collaboration and teamwork. In addition to these is the development of our ‘habits of heart’,

by which we mean character education. These qualities include; courage, resilience, reflection and meta-learning (a pupil’s reflection on how they learn), personal and social responsibility (including leadership), concern for others and a disposition to service. Habits of heart can only be realised when we help pupils develop positive attitudes to learning. So, developing a growth mindset is fundamental. We took the seminal work on growth mindsets from Carol Dweck, as our initial inspiration. Then, we invited Professor of Psychology in Education, Barry Hymer, to lead our staff training programme in 2016. We wanted teachers to incorporate a growth mindset approach in their lessons and for them to introduce it to pupils at the earliest opportunity by teaching them about its benefits from Year 7 onwards. To evaluate the effectiveness of

“We want our pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning”

GOOD

our mindset teaching our Head of Lower School designed a six-part growth mindset course for our Year 7s. Alongside a team from Harvard University, we designed a research project that enabled us to assess its impact on our pupils. Half the year group received the course in their first term and the other half acted as a control group (they received the course later in the year). The course was found to have a significant effect on each of the three growth mindset variables measured: mindset about intelligence, mindset about one’s own intelligence, and mindset about personality traits. In other words, pupils who took the course experienced significantly greater increases in growth mindset than pupils who did not receive the course. Those who were taught the course showed a shift in their attitudes about effort and mistakes; an increase in their knowledge about how the brain learns; and a more growth-minded understanding of personality traits. Less expected were various other positive effects: an increase in pupils’ prosocial attitudes, specifically shown in their willingness to help their peers; a decrease in stress levels; and, a decrease in academic self-handicapping (in order to provide an excuse in case of failure). The positive endorsement of our approach has enabled us to continue teaching pupils about growth mindsets and refine our methods of doing so. Our teachers have growth mindset in the forefront of their minds whilst planning and teaching lessons. The growth mindset Latymer Upper has adopted means that our entire community is always seeking to improve and to learn.

ANDREW MATTHEWS Deputy Head Latymer Upper School

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various departures May 2019. to availability. Forinclude full T&Cs visit flights. letsgo2.com. Prices Prices are per person based onSubject two people sharing and return Available on correct of 13/03/2019. various departures May 2019. Subject toas availability. For full T&Cs visit letsgo2.com. Prices Prices are per person based on two people sharing and include return flights. Available on correct as of 13/03/2019. various departures May 2019. Subject to availability. For full T&Cs visit letsgo2.com. Prices correct as of 13/03/2019.

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correct of 13/03/2019. various departures May 2019. Subject toas availability. For full T&Cs visit letsgo2.com. Prices Prices are per person based on two people sharing and include return flights. Available on correct as of 13/03/2019. various departures May 2019. Subject to availability. For full T&Cs visit letsgo2.com. Prices correct as of 13/03/2019.

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TRAVEL

CITY OF LIGHTS LAS VEGAS

Of the world's 10 biggest hotels, seven are in Las Vegas. Helen Brown visits Sin City on a girls' weekend and has a ball.

Viva Las Vegas 92 A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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W H AT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

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TRAVEL • USA

We take in the sights and splendour of the world’s most famous strip on a girls' weekend to Las Vegas Wo r d s H E L E N B R OW N

N

o place on earth has quite the magnetism of Vegas. It’s the real city that never sleeps and the HQ of hedonism, made for a ‘go hard or go home’ getaway. The Las Vegas of old built a reputation on bright lights and poker tables, but today, spectacular gastronomy, sumptuous high-end spas, swanky shopping outlets and fashionable music residencies are the mainstay of the place. Once associated with boys’ weekends and stag parties, Las Vegas is quickly becoming a mecca for a fabulous girls’ trip, as groups jet off for whirlwind weekends on the strip. Creating a comprehensive guide to Vegas is impossible; an abundance of restaurants, nightclubs, shopping malls and shows means that you could spend a year there and still never know all its secrets. However there are a number of things to tick off the bucket list first.

STAY Vegas is big on hotels. They’re the city’s cornerstones with most of the restaurants, clubs and casinos housed within them. Astonishingly, of the 10 largest hotels in the world, seven call Vegas their home. The Venetian and the MGM Grand have nearly 14,000 rooms between them – so you shouldn’t have a problem finding a bed for the weekend. True to its name, The Venetian has been kitted out to make tourists feel at home in Venice complete with Grand Canal, lifesize gondolas and singing gondoliers who will sweep you downriver beneath bridges, beside cafes, under balconies and through a vibrant Venetian streetscape. In the world of celebrity hotels, The Bellagio A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N

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is another A-Lister, known for the countless films (The Hangover, Ocean’s Eleven, Rat Race, to name a few) set within its glitzy premises. Others, like New York, New York and Caesars Palace, are theme parks in themselves and well worth a visit. But bringing a cool, new aesthetic to the strip is the Park MGM. It’s the latest hotel to settle into the area, housed in what was formerly the Monte Carlo. Park MGM is one of the venues working to rebrand Vegas for a new type of visitor, targeting those who seek well-designed but low-key experiences that offer a certain quality over quantity. The casino floor is more upscale than those of its counterparts yet the original chandeliers and ceilings from the days of the Monte Carlo, inspired by the famed Monaco casino, remain. Still, the vibe is distinctly modern, with found art, commissioned works, and contemporary art pieces, including iPad drawings by David Hockney and a multimedia dreamscape by Iranian artists Shoja Azari and Shahram Karimi.

PLAY A trip to Vegas isn’t complete without taking in a show or two, and if you’re looking for the largest congregation of women in one spot on the strip then it’s at Magic Mike Live. Based on the eponymous hit film

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franchise that catapulted Channing Tatum onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame, it’s prime fodder for a girls’ weekend itinerary. If you think sculpted men oiled up to the gills and thrusting around on stage in bow ties is tacky entertainment, how wrong you are. The 90-minute show is funny with a feminist slant, showcasing exceptional choreography from both guys and girls. And be sure to take a spin around the Hard Rock Hotel on your way out. It’s unlike any other hotel thanks to the millions of dollars worth of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia stashed around the casino and lobby. That should set you up nicely for a night on the tiles and thankfully there are more than enough bars to choose from. A cocktail crawl around the trio of slick bars that make up The Cocktail Collection will get you started. All set within The Venetian, the Dorsey opened first with New York barman Sam Ross of Attaboy and Diamond Reef at the helm. The success of this venue, a swanky outlet where you can order punch in a disco ball, led to the debut of Rosina one year later. Rosina embodies old-school allure with Art Deco flair while Electra serves up a cocktail menu that is ahead of the trend, centered around rums, agricoles and mezcals. Vegas groans under the weight of nightclubs, almost all located within the bowels of various giant casinos, so again there are rich pickings. Booking a VIP table at TAO Nightclub means you needn’t leave The Venetian.

PAMPER Atone for last night’s sins at The Juice Standard in The Cosmopolitan hotel; their cold-pressed juices will bring you right back to life. Or, if it’s not a stretch too far, you can sweat it all out at SoulCycle, the spinning craze that took America’s wellness scene by storm. Classes here are high-energy evocations of a club night, albeit on a spin bike. If that does all sound a bit ambitious, sweating it out in a sauna is another perfectly viable option that no

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

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TRAVEL • USA

DINE

Just as club nights are the order of the day, so too is swanning around in a robe and slippers

one will judge you for. Just as club nights and casinos are the order of the day, so too is swanning around in a towel robe and slippers. Afterall, Vegas does pampering the way it does everything else: with total excess. If you’re going to book into just one, it has to be The Spa at ARIA Resort & Casino. Having recently been awarded the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award, it’s the largest five-star rated spa in the U.S and offers a deliciously indulgent treatment menu and the chance to blow away the cobwebs in a Shio salt room, relax on a heated-stone Ganbanyoku bed, or savour a quiet moment sipping herbal tea on the spa’s balcony. Relaxed, revived and raring to go again, Violet Hour salon inside The Cosmopolitan will get you looking your best with its team of master hair stylists and make-up artists. You and your girlfriends can enlist your very own glam squad to prepare you for a night out. Champagne on the side is optional but highly recommended.

Spas, casinos and super clubs aside, the culinary scene alone is an overwhelming course to navigate. The strip is a smorgasbord of incredible restaurants run by some of the world’s most highly-regarded chefs. Nobu Matsuhisa and Guy Savoy jostle for airtime with Gordon Ramsay, José Andrés, Bobby Flay and Michael Mina. But feeding the tourists of Las Vegas – a staggering 42.12 million in 2018 – is no easy endeavor, no matter how many establishments you’ve got under your belt (Mr Ramsay alone has five). As such, the restaurant scene is a beast that continues to snowball with more spectacular dining rooms, themed restaurants and culinary concepts than you would deem possible. So where to start? A Lip Smacking Foodie Tour will do a lot of the leg work for you. Their tour, Savors of The Strip, hits the highlights of the Strip, starting at Bardot Brasserie where you can snaffle wild Burgundy escargots blanketed in flaky puff pastry and smothered in garlic butter. From here you’ll swing by Julian Serrano for innovative Spanish tapas and a convivial atmosphere, and on to Estiatorio Milos for a feast of Greek classics. Sweet teeth are satiated at Cucina by Wolfgang Puck with tiramisu, torta Caprese and mini doughnuts. Wolfgang Puck’s Spago is another hot ticket, while Beauty and Essex and the newlyopened Catch will score you major points in the social media stakes. Catch, with an entrance lined with cascading florals and its reputation for being one of LA’s trendiest eateries, is especially noteworthy. Las Vegas loves a brunch as much as London does and one of the best can be found at Giada De Laurentiis’ eponymous restaurant inside the Cromwell Hotel. It offers everything from lobster hash to Marmite cheese toasties. Accompany it with a glass of Giada’s own take on Frosé (frozen rosé wine, Grand Marnier, Limoncello and peach purée) and you’ll be more than ready to do it all over again.

LAS VEGAS For further information on Las Vegas, visit visitlasvegas.co.uk • GETTING THERE Norwegian operates four weekly flights during winter direct from London Gatwick to Las Vegas. Fares start from £165 one-way and £309 return. To book visit norwegian.com/uk or call 0330 828 0854

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

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

• KITCHENS REVOLUTION.APR.indd 1

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

17/04/2018 16:45


PROPERTY

MANVILLE ROAD SW17

ÂŁ2,950,000 guide price

wonderful seven bedroom period home of substantial proportions. The house offers great lateral space and benefits from being set back from the road behind ornate iron railings. It's accessed via a stain glass door into a deep, wide entrance hall with tessellated tile flooring and intricate ceiling plasterwork. The expanse of Tooting Common is only minutes away with its children’s playgrounds and tennis courts.

A

KNIGHT FRANK Wandsworth 020 3589 2850 sam.sproston@knightfrank.com

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Period family home in an enviable location.

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Lancaster Road, Wimbledon Village SW19 Lancaster Road is one of Wimbledon Village's most highly sought after roads, leading directly off the High Street, yet extremely quiet, offering excellent immediate access to the coffee shops, restaurants and quality local shops as well as Wimbledon Common. • • •

Diana Wormal looks forward to helping you. wimbledon@knightfrank.com 020 8022 1358

Period house, extended and re-modelled over the years Delightful private garden to the rear Approximately 3,518 sq ft

Guide price

£3,200,000

Freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

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Elegant entertaining and living space.

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Brodrick Road, Wandsworth SW17 An impressive family house of substantial proportions set back from the road, with a 108 ft garden, and close to Wandsworth Common. • • • •

Sam Sproston looks forward to helping you. sam.sproston@knightfrank.com 020 8682 7768

Wine cellar Utility room 108 ft landscaped garden Approximately 3,278 sq ft

Guide price

£2,350,000

Freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

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A handsome, family townhouse.

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Ferndale Road, Clapham SW4 Offering well-balanced living and family accommodation arranged over four floors, this property retains many original features and enjoys a sense of volume with high ceilings. • • • •

Rebecca Higgins looks forward to helping you. rebecca.higgins@knightfrank.com 020 8115 4912

Bay windows and twin fireplaces Ample storage space, including loft and vault Large, south-facing garden Approximately 2,454 sq ft

Guide price

£1,475,000

Freehold knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

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A bright and charming apartment in Battersea.

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Yvon House, Battersea SW11 A modern one bedroom flat with an open plan kitchen in popular Yvon House, moments from Battersea Park's 200 acres and the Thames. • • • •

South-facing balcony Parking space included 24-hour concierge service Approximately 516 sq ft

Matt Smith looks forward to helping you. matt.smith@knightfrank.com 020 8115 3881

Guide price

£525,000

Leasehold: approximately 114 years remaining knightfrank.co.uk Connecting people & property, perfectly.

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LIVING THE

DREAM The most luxuriously appointed properties on the market

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LAVENDER HILL SW 1 1 , ÂŁ 75 0,0 0 0

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WIMBLEDON HILL ROAD SW 1 9, ÂŁ 1 , 2 5 0,0 0 0

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tunning penthouse apartment in a central location with breathtaking views across London within walking distance to Clapham Junction and the bars and restaurants that Northcote Road and Battersea Rise have to offer. The property is modern throughout with American oak flooring and comprises a good size reception room with dining area and a large balcony with spectacular views over the city.

substantial and impressive three double bedroom, two bathroom, lateral apartment of 1,816 sq. ft., occupying the first floor of an imposing detached Edwardian property in the heart of Wimbledon Village. The flat has its own entrance, separate garage and direct access to an attractive communal garden and is only 0.5 miles from Wimbledon Station.

FEATHERSTONE LEIGH

JACKSON-STOPS

Battersea, 020 7228 2278 featherstoneleigh.co.uk

Wimbledon Village, 020 8879 0099 jackson-stops.co.uk 1

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PROPERTY • NEW TO THE MARKET

EVERSLEY PARK

SW 1 9, £ 3 , 4 5 0,0 0 0

SW 1 1 , £ 79 5 .0 0 0

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ROBERT HOLMES & CO

RAMPTON BASELEY

Wimbledon, 020 8947 9833 robertholmes.co.uk

Battersea, 020 7228 5111

well-presented 5 bedroom house with a secluded walled garden and roof terrace in a discreet semi-rural gated setting adjacent to Wimbledon Common. The main reception rooms and kitchen/breakfast room open out onto the secluded rear garden and there is a double garage and off-street parking.

COMYN ROAD

NORTHCOTE ROAD ccupying the first and second floors of this Victorian building, is this stunning two bedroom flat. The immaculate property is light and spacious, with good ceiling height. The entire building has been refurbished and is beautifully finished with excellent quality fittings throughout. The energy efficiency and soundproofing are of a high standard.

batterseasales@ramptonbaseley.com

SW 1 1 , £ 8 5 0,0 0 0

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ituated moments from south London’s popular Northcote Road, this beautifully presented two bedroom flat provides superb entertaining space. With a formal reception room to the front, and an extended kitchen/family room to the rear, with its capacious private, landscaped rear garden with olive trees. The open spaces of both Wandsworth and Clapham Commons are but a short walk away, as is Clapham Junction with its mainline rail links.

WITH CAPACIOUS, PRIVATE, MATURE LANDSCAPED GARDEN TO THE REAR INCLUDING OLIVE TREES, IT'S BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED

YOUHOME

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

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

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Marryat Road, Wimbledon Village

£6,200,000

A well-presented, light and airy Edwardian house with well-balanced accommodation in the heart of the Village moments from the Common with a gated drive. • Reception hall • 3 reception rooms • kitchen/breakfast room • utility room and cloakroom • 7 bedrooms • 5 bath/shower rooms • large dressing room • top floor kitchen • garden with heated swimming pool • OSP • ER/D

Wimbledon Village 020 8947 9833 • ROBERT HOLMES.indd 1

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www.robertholmes.co.uk

Ridgway Gardens, Wimbledon Village

£3,795,000

A handsome and substantial detached family house in this desirable Village location offering generous and versatile accommodation over four floors with a south westerly garden. • Drawing room • dining room • study • kitchen/breakfast room • fantastic family room • 2 utility rooms • cloakroom • 6 bedrooms • 3 bath/shower rooms • garden • garage & OSP • ER/E

Offices also in Coombe & Mayfair • ROBERT HOLMES.indd 2

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Church Road, Wimbledon Village

£4,950,000

A handsome early Victorian house in the heart of the Village with versatile accommodation and beautifully laid out gardens designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd. • 2 reception rooms • study • bespoke kitchen • family room • gym • au-pair bedsit • master bedroom with e/s bathroom and dressing room • 4 further bedrooms • 2 further bath/showers • large garage & gated drive • ER/E

Wimbledon Village 020 8947 9833 • ROBERT HOLMES.indd 3

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www.robertholmes.co.uk

Lordell Place, Wimbledon Common

£POA

A beautifully presented house tucked away in a small and exclusive courtyard setting adjacent to Wimbledon Common within a few minutes’ walk of Cannizaro Park and the Village. • 3 open plan reception rooms • custom built kitchen • open plan informal dining/sitting room • 4/5 bedrooms • 3 bath/ shower rooms • secluded garden with summer house/office • double garage • ER/D

Offices also in Coombe & Mayfair • ROBERT HOLMES.indd 4

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country house town house period house modern house dream house moving house?

Estate agency has moved on. house. is different We know people are starting to consider online only estate agents, but still want the reassurance of face-to-face help from local experts. You get both with us, because we provide that personal service without expensive high street locations that customers have to pay for.

We also go further to ensure your property and the lifestyle it enables is shown in the best possible light. Sumptuous photography and video, and a contemporary web experience not only shows buyers how your home looks, but how it feels to live there. It’s the new, innovative way to add value when selling your house. The premium online estate agency.

London, Surrey and Sussex 0800 917 0447 info@housepartnership.co.uk

housepartnership.co.uk

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GOWRIE ROAD, LONDON Imposing Period house situated on a quiet residential road in the heart of Battersea a short walk from Clapham Common. The property comprises four bedrooms, one bathroom a formal reception room, separate dining room and separate kitchen. To the rear of the garden is a south facing garden. The property is presented in good order although it would benefit from modernisation and has potential to extend STPP. Clapham junction station and the array of restaurants and shops on Northcote Road are a short distance away. Viewings are advised in the first instance. GUIDE PRICE

ÂŁ1,150,000

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Chiswick Hammersmith West Kensington Fulham Chelsea

Battersea Clapham Putney Barnes Richmond

Kew Sheen Twickenham Teddington Kingston

featherstoneleigh.co.uk

LINDORE ROAD, LONDON Featherstone Leigh is pleased to present this stunning three bedroom split level apartment set within a grand period house perfectly located between The Commons. The property comprises, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, separate WC and Utility room and large open plan reception room opening onto a private rear garden. The apartment has been expertly designed and refurbished to a particularly high standard throughout, space and light were critical in the design and is evident on viewing. EPC = D GUIDE PRICE

ÂŁ875,000

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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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