From acrobatic yoga to extreme water sliding, Camp Wildfire certainly isn’t your average festival. Think the scouts meets Hogwarts meets Glastonbury, with adventurous activities, team houses and musical highlights with a dash of glitter. But for if you’re an adventurous spirit with a good attitude then this is definitely an event to get on the calendar for next year. It was my third year at the weekend festival and it proved to be better than ever, with more quirky activities added to the line-up and some sunny weather lifting spirits. Unfortunately I couldn’t get to the site on the Friday...
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What does a cut of tender grouse, a knickerbocker glory and a moreish martini all have in common? They’re all on the menu at 45 Jermyn St, a smart restaurant tucked away in Mayfair which is well worth checking out. The eatery, which is actually within fine food purveyor Fortnum & Mason, serves up an array of classic and seasonal dishes with grouse season now in full swing. I ventured to dinner on a Friday night and the place had a great buzz. Taking a corner table, I instantly felt at ease with low lighting and some soft jazz music setting the mood. The cosy interiors were designed by...
Read more →Finding a rooftop in London where you can drink well-mixed cocktails and eat good food is a pretty hard combination. But the new roof at The Trafalgar St James hotel hits both spots. I try to avoid central London when I can, but sat on the top deck of this new spot I felt a world away from the hustle and bustle downstairs. We picked a couch table, with views of the city skyline peeping out before us and chefs busily whipping up dishes from the open kitchen. There was a good atmosphere, with upbeat music and chatter from other guests setting the tone. It was a really hot evening, so we put...
Read more →Finding a good central hotel can prove tricky with pricing usually not offering what you expect. But the new Assembly London appears to fill a gap, with simple and funky rooms starting at £150. The hotel boasts a super convenient location, literally opposite Leicester Square tube station. It is like a neatly wrapped parcel, with the compact building it’s housed in utilised to its full potential. On walking into the Assembly it feels a little like a hip bar or nightclub with black and hot pink interiors. Check in at the small reception desk was swift and I was handed a key to my room on th...
Read more →If you love a bit of classical music and delicious food, then tune into The Ivy Kensington Brassiere for its latest offering. The perfectly appointed restaurant has crafted a special menu around this year’s BBC Proms. We checked into the eatery on a Sunday evening at 6pm before an 8pm concert at the Royal Albert Hall. With it being a warm evening, we decided to take a table in the tucked-away terrace area. To kick things off, we decided to try the two musical inspired cocktails. The Strawberry Symphony features a delicious mix of Chase vodka, strawberry syrup, lemon juice, watermelon cube...
Read more →If you're a fan of fragrance and food, then hop down to 34 Mayfair for the exclusive restaurant's latest collaboration with luxury perfume brand, CREED. From the outside, the eatery has been dressed to impress, with a beautiful Sicilian garden of citrus trees and luscious foliage waiting to greet guests. Continuing the sunny theme, are two new menu items inspired by CREED's Millésime Impérial scent. We took a table by a window in the smart spot, with jazz playing in the background and the theatre of the open kitchen set before us. To kick our Sunday lunch off, we opted for the Millésime co...
Read more →Martinis are my go to. So when I heard there was a new bar in town specialising in them, I had to go and check it out. The Library Bar, which is tucked away in a quiet corner of The Ned, boasts salubrious interiors, with inviting velvet chairs and low lighting. This spot simply does martinis, champagne and a concise selection of delicious nibbles. Settling into a nook in the corner, one of the smartly-dressed waiters whipped over with a menu and brought me a welcome drink. Not being a fan of champagne, I stuck firmly to my favourite and went with a house special vodka martini featuring a ...
Read more →World-famous orange liqueur brand Cointreau and South Place Hotel have collaborated to bring a slice of Acapulco and its vibrant atmosphere to the Secret Garden at South Place Hotel, from June 29th until the end of August, with a truly tropical Margarita Loves Cointreau pop-up. Nestled on the first floor of South Place Hotel in East London, the Secret Garden, a veritable oasis of waterfalls and palm trees sets the scene for our celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the original Margarita cocktail. Taking inspiration from Acapulco where 'Margarita' Sames, famously said of her instantly icon...
Read more →If you’re looking for somewhere relaxed to stay in London – more personal than a hotel but more organised than an Airbnb then I’d recommend the SACO apartments. I recently checked out their Holborn complex and it made for the perfect staycation. Their two-bedroom apartments are ideal for a family or group of friends, with two bathrooms, a kitchen and a generously-sized living room area. We checked into the apartment on a Monday night and it proved to be a top place for exploring the city. It’s just a five-minute walk to Holborn tube station and there are a range of attractions on the doors...
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