Newly opened and hotly awaited, The Mandrake is an independent hotel tucked away in Fitzrovia. Owned by Beirut-born businessman Rami Fustok, the RIBA-award winning converted hotel is a five star sensory experience whose hedonistic properties seep from every nook and cranny; from the eclectic art curation and bamboo-clad garden terrace to the polished hotel suites and Michelin-star restaurant that lie within its walls. Waeska Bar at The Mandrake is located on the ground floor at the heart of the hotel, surrounded by an opulent collection of taxidermy, a luxury red velvet booth and miscellaneou...
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It's that time of year again. As the August Bank Holiday weekend opens its brightly coloured, feathered arms once more, West London prepares for Europe's biggest street party. The two-day celebrations (27th – 28th August) get brighter and better this year, so enjoy a taste of the Caribbean with Notting Hill Carnival's official drinks partner, The Duppy Share. Brimming with artistry, dedication and expertise, Rum Distillers helped George Frost set up The Westbourne Drinks Company to bring The Duppy Share to life. Perfectly balanced, The Duppy Share’s unique blend of premium rums hail from the ...
Read more →Shepherd's Bush is a little manic for my liking, busy roads intermixed with a bizarre spread of shops where you can buy sim cards and hair extensions. But on walking into the area's new four star hotel, the Dorsett, I was transported to a much calmer world. High ceilings, polished floors and dark wood decor were easy on the eye. As was the sweet cart lurking in the corner, with bons bons, jelly beans and rhubarb balls on offer for free. We checked into a suite on the 4th floor of the giant hotel, which used to house a cinema. After weaving our way through the moodly-lit grey corridors we l...
Read more →Sat with butterscotch schnapps, turkey schnitzel and foamy snow it suddenly started to look a lot like Christmas. I might as well have been in Lapland but in fact I was perched on the back terrace of a swanky central London Hotel. The Montague on the Gardens has transformed its outdoor space this winter into a festive ski lodge, complete with fairy light-clad trees and a rather random bear statue wearing a Santa Claus hat. For £30, guests at the alpine retreat get a little platter of savoury treats and three warming beverages. Me and my friend headed to the Montague on a rather nip...
Read more →We catch up with bipolar bar maestro Ian Peck, 38, aboard One Ocean's expedition ship, the Akademik Ioffe, in the Arctic to find out what it's like sailing the high seas to some of the most remote places on earth while rustling up beverages for thirsty passengers... How did you get the job as a bipolar bartender with One Ocean Expeditions? It was a chance meeting with the company CEO at a restaurant I was working at in Vancouver. He offered me a job tending the bar in Antarctica for a season and I asked if he could give me 24 hours to think about it. I called him back shortly after and s...
Read more →Night creatures rejoice – the day, what’s full of work and pleasantries is now short and the night of wayward and carefree frolics is at an all-time long.
Read more →Whiskey, barbecue, seafood and a crabshack- mixed with great drinks and live music… Covent Garden’s latest addition looks set to be a roaring amount of fun as the Chelsea institution, Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack, opens its newest venture on Maiden Lane Located in a former electrical power station built in 1883 the interior honours the building’s original heritage. Many authentic features have been retained like the exposed brick walls, copper conduits and steel and concrete girders with a little industrial lighting added in for a bit of flair. The exposed wooden beams, neon lobster sig...
Read more →The recent refurbishment of the Great Northern Hotel and its bar has seen a return to the glamour of yesteryear and the era of rail road hotels. The revamp, headed by Dexter Moren and Archer Humphryes, has taken the space and turned it into a chic and stylish destination, somewhere to cosy up and while away before dashing off to the next destination - wherever that may be. Located directly opposite St. Pancras International and on the doorstep of King's Cross Station the GNH bar offers something that is completely lacking in the surrounding area. There is nowhere else quite like it to grab a ...
Read more →The Pimm's Summer Garden is a new pop up in central London, a place that's promised to keep the summer sun shining - regardless of the weather outside. Enjoy the smell of cut grass and the sounds of birds chirping alongside an array of summer themed activities including Pimmbledon and cucumber whittling...I'm curious. An interesting idea is the picnic blanket reservation for a group of four, you get a drink, some nibbles and walk away with a picnic blanket at the end of it. It's worth a look. When 19-29 June 2013 Noon - 10.30pm - Daily Location 5 Great New Port Street, London WC2H 7HY ...
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