Pizza slices, popcorn, Jammie Dodgers and hot chocolate were our go-to accoutrements for sleepover when we were 12. But more than a decade later, my childhood friend Stephanie and I had decided to do a PJ party all grown up. Now both based in London and no longer in the Nottinghamshire wilds where we attended ballet school, we decided to check out the newly-revamped Blakes hotel in the Kensington area of town. Tucked away on a quiet residential street where houses go for a handsome sum, this place is a treasure box to explore. Over the years this secluded spot has welcomed a host of A-liste...
Read more →Knightsbridge 9
Going for dinner at a department store might not sounds enticing. But Harrods isn't any old department store. Nestled on the 5th floor of the maze-like Knightsbridge shopping spot is Chai Wu, a Chinese restaurant serving up a range of fusion-style treats to fuel a hard day of spending. It was 7pm on a Friday night and I'd set a date there with an old school friend who I hadn't seen for a number of years. We'd had a hard day at work, not spending unfortunately, but we were in need of pepping up nonetheless. Walking into Chai Wu you're instantly transported away from the madness o...
Read more →Jacinta Phelan (Harvey Nichols as Director of Restaurants and COO at Chiltern Firehouse) spoke about her personal career journey at a recent event at Searcys venue 30 Pavillion Road to celebrate International Women's Day. During the talk she touched on why women need to make their own game plan and not play only by men’s rules in order to succeed and get ahead in business. Here's some snippets from the talk. What's your secret to career success? JP: I learned that you should always have a game plan. Why is this so important? JP: Life can be amazing but if you don't have a game plan...
Read more →As fans of Rainer Becker we went back to where it all began - the original concept, Zuma which like his other ventures was influenced by his time in Japan. In 2002 Rainer Becker introduced this modern elegant and sophisticated cuisine philosophy, inspired by the more informal Japanese dining style – Izakaya. Zuma, is essentially made up of three different components: the main kitchen (which offers a selection of contemporary dishes), the Sushi Bar (dedicated sushi chefs), and of course the Robata Grill (a concept which originates from the cooking style of northern Japanese fishermen) which is...
Read more →Tucked away in amongst the serine neighborhood of Belgravia, Pont Street is a restaurant for locals in the know...
Read more →The number 9 is a tricky little fella. 9 lives, 9 moths, 9-to-5. One day you’re on cloud number 9, the next thing you know you’re dialing it three times in a row. Swivel these three nines round and you summon the devil, or drape yourself in diamonds and dress yourself to the nines. Neuf, neun, nueve, nuervo, nine.
Read more →Let's face facts, Indian summer is over. Time to pull that thermal out and to hone your talents, as frankly your seamlessly San Tropez-ed legs will carry you no longer. Teaching all things that upstanding members of the gentle sex should know, The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant in Knightsbridge, have begun a series of exclusive evenings with some of the major players in the worlds of make-up and floristry. Understanding you need to look your best over the barrage of cocktail soirées, parties and dinners that the festive season brings, make up guru Daniel Sandler will be giving you his ski...
Read more →After an arduous week of furious taping at my keyboard, calling so-and-so and aligning all systems go for the client’s whatsy-ma-call it. Booking on, liaising with, pencilling in, chopping and changing for EOP, on the WC with the TBC – the weekend had come a just the right time. Upon entering The Rib Rooms, myself a whirlwind of E1 chaos, I was greeted by an overwhelming ora of SW1, sanctuary and serene. Set within the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, in Knightsbridge, this venue smacks of tradition and authenticity, from the all-English, top hatted door men, to the plush velvelty hallway and...
Read more →As we drift through this city, mere barnacles on the container ship of consciousness, it's sometimes advisable to shout at that captain up top (oi oi) and get him to moor up. Taking your time, relaxing: docking up at The Rib Room. A HQ for good time Gertrude’s and red trouser wearing Derricks, the venue boasts London’s widest variety of gins and bitters and devious cocktail menu designed only for sophisticated sipping. With a matrix of 19 different kinds of gins (Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength, Fifty Pounds and Jensen Bermondsey Gin) and 10 bespoke artesian bitters, the maths say...
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