If you go down to one pub in London today, you’ll be in for a big surprise. The charming Gunmakers in Clerkenwell, which is tucked down a cobbled road, has a hairdressers hidden in its attic so you can get a rum, coke and cut at the same time. I popped to the Gun Club salon on a rainy Wednesday afternoon, where I met the lovely Tim on the top floor. The attic salon has a nice chilled-out feel, and there is even a small bar with delicious banana-infused negroni mix waiting to be poured. I explained to Tim that I hadn’t had a haircut for more than three years, as self-beautification is botto...
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A night at The Rookery was definitely my top London staycation experience to date. A four-poster bed, an honesty bar, a secret patio, a copper free standing bathtub... need I say more. This elegant, discreet homestay is tucked away in the historical neighbourhood of Clerkenwell. Adding to its allure is its convenient location next Farringdon tube station, the Barbican and St. Paul's Cathedral. Perched on a quiet street corner, The Rookery is terribly unassuming from the outside. But once inside, the place quickly casts its magic and transports you back in time. The building dates back to ...
Read more →Sharing is caring in Farringdon Often I go to restaurants knowing exactly what I want before I even enter the door - Zilouf’s prawn toast and lychee, or The Palomar’s sweet breads with aubergine, for instance. In fact, I think most of us have token dishes, dotted around London, that are worthy of a cross-city mission when cravings hit. This week, I added a new delight to my mental map. St Bart’s Brewery is happily situated next to Smithfield Market in Farringdon. It’s owned by the award-winning Hush Heath Estate, from Staplehurst in Kent. I can vouch that their pinot noir ...
Read more →Just thought I’d clear something up… Girls. Like. Eating. Steak. God knows who came up with the ludicrous idea that we don’t. We have canine teeth too don’t you know? One of the most memorable meals I ever had was a perfectly cooked tournedos at The Ritz when I was about 12 or 13. We were celebrating my parents’ wedding anniversary. I don’t remember which one, but I do remember the succulent juicy meat. I remember that it came with a creamy cauliflower puree on the side. I remember thinking it was just one of the most delicious things I’d ever eaten. I probably still think that (first impressi...
Read more →“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it... I can resist everything but temptation” -Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde didn’t manage to enjoy the delights of the ABSOLUT Elyx Single Estate Feast at Hix restaurant, but if he did the quote above would have been very apt. With over five, yes five, sumptuous courses, all served up with Absolut’s smooth new Single Estate expertly mixed and screwed into tasty cocktails to suit each dish, our taste buds at It’s Rude To Stare were spoiled rotten with pleasure… So if that hasn’t convinced the naysayers (not that there are any?!), here...
Read more →This month sees the launch of Lazybones, a buzzing new hang-out just off Cowcross Street, in the heart of Farringdon. With a menu inspired by the slow cooking culture, that includes gourmet dogs, slow meats and spicy wings, and a bar offering hard drinks, cold beers, ciders and cocktails, Lazybones is set to be a fun new addition to the creative local scene. The walls run riot with crazy graphics, witty scrawls, collected and up-cycled design elements, fly-posted images, stencils and hand-painted pop-culture references, matched with reincarnated furnishings and old silent movie screenings. ...
Read more →Holy Moly! Crikey! and other cheesy expressions of shock! If anyone would've said that this meat-infested beast could be found at such an unlikely venue, I would have called their 'Bullsh*t' right there and then. However this cholesterol tower (appropriately named 'The Stack),' can be found at the Brasserie within the Malmaison Hotel in Farringdon (and all other Malmaison hotels outside London). 'The Stack' (£19.95) to put it in simple terms, is a baby burger mounted on top of a daddy burger. The masterpiece contains 250 grams of beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, then a pile of onion rings toppe...
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