Grace Jones at Baroque London

Grace Jones in her element at Baroque

On Thursday 20th December, musical legend Grace Jones played a short and intimate set for friends and members at London's Baroque club. Grace Jones' intimate performance at Baroque attracted an international crowd including; Eve, Philip Treacy, The Noisettes and  Paloma Faith. Guests drank Belvedere Vodka and XB.

Taking the stage fashionably late Grace Jones lived up to her diva reputation giving an undeniable show stopping performance to the guests of Baroque. During her performance she also regaled everyone with her fond memories of the Playboy Mansion.

Grace wore a black velour corset and  sported a number of outrageous  Philip Treacy hats throughout her performance, wowing the crowd! Eve arrived with beau Max Copper wearing a black satin dress with a sequin jacket. The couple looked very happy as they sipped Belvedere Vodka cocktails and watched Grace wow the crowd.

Eve

Baroque is becoming one of London’s leading live performance spaces. Ending 2012 with a bang, Baroque hopes to continue to attract more high calibre acts through their doors in the New Year. 

Hartnett Holder & Co. at Limewood Hotel

“Fine dining and big plates are banned” declareth Robin Hutson when briefing Martin Brudnizki on the new dining space at Lime Wood.  Here in the New Forest, formality and stiffness are out, relaxed and informal are in, something for which Lime Wood is already widely recognised.  So who better than Martin to redesign the new dining space, Hartnett Holder & Co, which opens on Monday 11^th February, 2013. 

Luke Holder, Lime Wood’s head chef, with Angela Hartnett and their team, will be creating ‘chefs’ home-cooked food, not chefs’ food cooked for restaurants.’ Hartnett Holder & Co is where guests will come to relax and unwind.  Martin’s design compliments the chefs’ ethos by introducing a range of patterned textured fabrics, including rough linens, mohair velvets and aged leathers.  Chairs and sofas will sit at a lower height allowing guests to sink back and enjoytheir laid back surroundings.

The restaurant will have a central bar, which will bring some of the drama out of the kitchen, so that guests can absorb the preparation theatre going on before their eyes.  Meats will hang from a wine gantry, while a meat slicer and coffee machine sit in pride of place on the bar, a gentle reminder of Hartnett and Holder’s Italian influences.

DSTRKT's 1st Birthday with 50 Cent

US rapper 50 Cent celebrated DSTRKT nightclub's 1st birthday, sponsored by CIROC Ultra Premium Vodka, with an exclusive appearance on Saturday night. Mobbed by hundreds of fans, 50 had time to mention that he was fully focused on a movie career at the moment, whilst also spending a lot of time promoting boxing - which is a huge passion of his. Celebrating the night with a close group of friends, 50 looked relaxed, sipping Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka cocktails, whilst club goers struggled to get a picture of the US superstar.

Lime Wood Wins the Employer of the Year

At the House of Commons on Thursday 6th December Lime Wood Hotel was awarded Employer of the Year at the Hospitality Guild Apprenticeship Awards and Head Chef Luke Holder shortlisted as Mentor of the Year.  The Awards were opened by Minister for Skills, Matthew Hancock, who said, “since the Guild’s foundation they have been a passionate advocate for apprenticeships, bringing the industry together.” 

Luke Holder and his team have nurtured apprentices throughout 2012.  They arrive with a blank piece of paper after which the team then shows them what they want and how they want it, guiding and nurturing these fledgling chefs every step of the way.  Dan Humphries, an apprentice who hadn’t even touched a fish before arriving in Lime Wood’s kitchens, says, “Luke Holder is full of knowledge and really shows those on the scheme the very best way to do something.” 

Throughout the scheme apprentices get a real awareness of what it takes to be a good chef.  Lime Wood will be welcoming Angela Hartnett in February 2013 when the hotel’s new restaurant, Hartnett Holder & Co, will open.  

Johnnie Walker House Beijing

December 7^th 2012, Beijing, China JOHNNIE WALKER, the world’s number one Blended Scotch Whisky is proud to announce the grand opening of ‘Johnnie Walker House Beijing’, the world’s largest embassy for luxury Scotch Whisky outside of Scotland.

Following the success of the first Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai last year and continuing the brand’s mantra of ‘Keep Walking’, the Johnnie Walker House Beijing is located at the prestigious Ch’ien Men and creates a highly contemporary space, rich in authentic whisky story-telling for the discerning consumer along with the opportunity to participate in the art of blending.

As the global Scotch whisky industry leader with nearly two centuries of whisky craftsmanship, Johnnie Walker House Beijing provides an unprecedented exclusive luxury whisky experience for consumers.

Visitors are immediately immersed in the JOHNNIE WALKER culture and can select and buy rare whisky as well as participate in the personalised blending sessions. By invitation only VIP patrons are given the opportunity to meet personally with John Walker and Son’s master blender, the soul of JOHNNIE WALKER whisky, to create bespoke blends according to their individual flavour preferences. 

For true exclusivity, 200 by-invitation memberships will be available for members to access exclusive lifestyle experiences as well as private sections of the House such as the Odyssey Lounge and Striding Man Bar. 

Excellence in blending is considered an art form amongst whisky connoisseurs. At Johnnie Walker House Beijing blending goes beyond the glass. The Distillery Bar, open to the public, nearly 10,000 copper pipes have been used to simulate a working distillery.  In selective areas of the House, guests are encouraged to create their own whiskey-inspired art, with the chance of being displayed as part of temporary exhibition.

Alt-J and Nick Grimshaw at Baroque

Alt-J

On Thursday 6th December, super-exclusive Mayfair venue Baroque played host to yet another award winning music act; this time in the shape of British super group Alt-J. Supported by Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw, who span the decks on the night. A host of other big names descended on Old Park Lane, including Natt Weller, an appearance from John Malkovich, über-cool band The Hurts and British model Suki Waterhouse who sported a red bow in her hair and looked enamoured with a mystery fella throughout the evening.

Gerry Calabrese and Nick Grimshaw

Having only been open since early October, Baroque has already welcomed top musical talent from across the globe through its doors, including The Kills, James Blake, Mark Ronson, Delilah and Marina and The Diamonds. Last night Alt-J followed in their footsteps and did not disappoint, reeling off a number of their popular hits, from award winning album 'An Awesome Wave'. The crowd cheered with delight as Tesselate, Fitzpleasure and Matilda were played. As one of their first performances since recently winning the Mercury Prize, the band said how excited they were to play at the venue.

L'Atelier de Courvoisier and the £95,000 bottle

by Sophie Mutevelian

Courvoisier is delighted to announce the launch of L'Atelier de Courvoisier - an explorative insight into its renowned aging cellar in Cognac. L'Atelier will celebrate the alchemy of this prestigious cognac: the meticulous craftsmanship of their master blender Patrice Pinet in bringing together regional grapes, copper pot stills, new oak barrels and intricate techniques to create this most precious liquid. This one-of-a-kind experience will take place in the exclusive Tasting Room in the Wine Shop on the lower ground floor of Harrods, London from Wednesday 5 to Sunday 9 December.

our tasting experience began...

Each day between 12 and 4 p.m., brand ambassador Rebecca Asseline will be conducting tastings of Courvoisier's celebrated XO directly from the barrel and explaining the magic behind the brand. On Saturday 8 December, L'Atelier will play host to a one-off special evening, where guests will embark upon an immersive and educational journey through Courvoisier's rich heritage and alchemy, which we were lucky enough to try out. Starting with a bespoke cognac cocktail designed by Nathan Merriman (from The Ivy), followed by a tasting of Courvoisier XO and a rich food pairing. The tasting and educational experience ends with a chance to taste the limited edition Courvoisier Succession J.S., which was presented in a beautifully handcrafted wooden replica of Napoleon's War Chest and was only produced in 2,500 bottles. 

To finish our tasting experience with a bang, Rebecca Asseline unveiled the world's oldest bottle of Courvoisier cognac, bottled in 1789 (the year of French Revolution) and is exclusively on sale at Harrods for £95,000. Previously it was sold to Bay van der Bunt, who bought it from Sotheby's, and has kept it in his cellar up until now.

Chivas and 'Real Friends'

On the evening of the 29^th of November, Chivas Whisky held an evening of ‘Real Friends’ at the Bremont Boutique in South Audley Street. With Chivas cocktails flowing Neil Laughton and Jon Beswick gave an inspiring talk on their expedition to the South Pole and the bond forged on this trip.

Throughout the evening guests were treated to delicious canapés courtesy of Adam Byatt’s Trinity Restaurant team, who kept everyone fed and watered (whiskied) with a choice of cocktails; the Little Green Apple, Chivas Peach and Mint Green Tea, and Chivas Ginger and Pineapple.

The icy temperatures outside were nothing a Chivas couldn’t fix but also enhanced the ordeal that Neil and Jon had been through on their journey to the pole. Despite battling the Arctic temperatures and weather conditions that could have proved fatal, they succeeded in playing the first ever game of cricket at the South Pole, United Kingdom vs. ROW (the UK one by two wickets!)

After an evening filled with laughter, whisky and tales of friendship guests left feeling motivated and in awe of the ambitious feats that Neil and Jon accomplish through their drive, determination and friendship.

Jumeirah Living Christmas Tree

Mark Humphrey with his girlfriend, Astrid Gray (GM of Grosvenor House Apartments) and Camilla Kerslake

To celebrate its first Christmas, new luxury hotel concept Grosvenor House Apartments gave a unique take on turning on the lights; ‘Christmas at Home’.

Grosvenor House Apartments by Jumeirah Living also unveiled what is undoubtedly London’s most innovative Christmas tree – Ice-circles, a sculpture created by leading artist designer Mark Humphrey exclusively for the luxury accommodation on Park Lane, London. The 3m tall work of art gave guests a modern and contemporary twist on a quintessential British Christmas; Ice-circles is fashioned from a series of perfectly-formed perspex circles which run from base to apex. A beautiful green light source emanates from the centre of the ‘tree’ giving a sense of traditional green foliage.

Crossover singer Camilla Kerslake, the first signing to Gary Barlow’s new record label, showed she’s got the X-Mas Factor with a special seasonal performance for residents and esteemed guests. 

Festive entertainment was also provided by The New London Children’s Choir and the Grosvenor Chapel, to usher Christmas in to the grand seven-storey vaulted Atrium that lies at the heart of the ‘hotel residence’. 

Women's Day with the Dorchester Collection

Behind every great wine list is an even greater woman. At least that is the case for three of Dorchester Collection’s properties: 45 Park Lane, Le Meurice, and Hotel Principe di Savoia, whose head sommeliers are Vanessa Cinti, Estelle Touzet and Alessandra Veronesi respectively. Not only do these leading ladies provide expert wine advice but their charm and passion for all things oenological, bring an added dimension to every dining experience at their hotels.

To celebrate women behind the grape, Dorchester Collection is delighted to announce that, for International Women’s Day 2013, these three sommeliers will join together to embark on a wine road trip where they will host three successive wine events in London, Paris and Milan commencing the celebrations on a fitting  #WineWednesday:

-        Wednesday, 6 March, London

-        Thursday, 7 March, Paris

-        Friday, 8 March, Milan (International Womens Day)

These events will toast female achievements in wine, and no doubt inspire lively discussions on female wine makers, next generation wine families, the female palate and simply being a woman in the sommelier world. The sommeliers will compare Old World and New World wines with two wine selections from American, French and Italian wines.

Female guests staying at the hotels during this time in respective cities will also receive a 10% discount on selected spa treatments and complimentary glass of champagne at lunch. An event not to be missed and to be penciled in in every 2013 planner. 

Mahiki Coconut Christmas Party

Nick Grismshaw turned on the Mahiki Christmas Lights

On Tuesday 4th December, celeb favourite Mahiki hosted its annual Christmas Party, with the added celebration of Mahiki Coconut Rum (now available at Tesco and Sainsburys) There was guest attendance from some well known faces, and Mahiki regulars Mollie King, Alexandra Burke, Oliver Cheshire, Isaac Ferry and Diana Vickers also joined in the party.

Sheltering from the cold in Mayfair's very own tiki paradise, guests flocked to Mahiki to celebrate the annual Christmas Party. With the Mahiki Coconut Rum in full flow, celebrating its launch in stores nationwide, guests were welcomed by some friendly tiki warriors at the door, as they descended into the tropical warmth and out of the bitter London wind. With everyone suitably comfy, and sipping on drinks out of pineapples and coconuts, Nick Grimshaw had the honour of turning on the Mahiki Christmas lights, to much fanfare and the flash of camera bulbs. With food provided by Tom Parker Bowles, guests were presented with a delectable feast with a festive twist. 

*Oliver Cheshire, without his beau Pixie Lott, had just come from the Zara party which he absolutely loved, however had to forgo a big night as he had an important Christmas dinner to attend the next day!

*Nick Grimshaw, fresh from turning on the Mahiki Christmas lights, exclaimed how excited he was for Christmas, and how he has become "strangely used" to waking up at 4am each morning for his radio breakfast show, so a late night doesn’t phase him at all.

The Noisettes Album Launch at Baroque

Shingai & Dan Smith

On Thursday 29th November, The Noisettes aka Shingai Shoniwa and Dan Smith played a show stopping gig to celebrate the launch of their 3rd album 'Contact' for friends and members at London's Baroque club. 

Shingai, the lead singer of the group started off the night chatting to fans in an amazing dress especially designed by PPQ which she told us she happened to wear “earlier in the day when meeting the Prime Minister, David Cameron.” The platinum gold and sequined gown included a unique gold metal crinoline which she wore over her dress. 

Baroque was the ideal venue for the album launch party as it is becoming one of London’s leading live performance spaces with acts such as Mark Ronson, the Kills, Delilah and James Blake to have already taken to the stage. The duo played an intimate 45 min set which included their hits such as “Let The Music Play” and “Contact.” Surprises were in store and it became a family affair as Dan’s father came on stage to play the harmonica along to some of their smash hits, which enticed the audience to cheer even louder. 

As the night wore on, the party atmosphere intensified, with guests dancing to house music by PPQ’s Percy Parker and enjoying Hoxton Gin cocktails.

Valentino Master of Couture Exhibition

Source: Le Petite Anglaise

The trend of fashion exhibitions is growing bigger and bigger and we have finally awaited a true master to display his creations for the general public - Valentino, the Master of Couture.

The exhibition at the Somerset House (London) opened today, November 29, and will go on until 3 March, 2013. It celebrates the life and work of Valentino, showcasing over 120 haute couture designs worn by icons such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren and Gwyneth Paltrow. A fashion exhibition not to be missed. More info at Somerset House.

The winners of Great Scot Awards

David Florence, Luke Patience, Tim Baillie

On Tuesday 27th November, Scotland's finest convened upon Boisdale restaurant in Canary Wharf for a celebration of Scottish success over the previous year for The Aberdeen Asset Management Great Scot Awards 2012. Scottish talent from across a number of different disciplines, including Fashion, Art, Television and of course the successful sportsmen and women of the British Olympic team all mingled together for the prestigious awards.  Attendees included Pam Hogg, Lorraine Kelly, Trevor Sorbie, Olympic Gold Medallist Tim Baillie and world famous artist Jack Vettriano.

Please see below for the list of winners and categories:

1.    Music: Mylo presented by Ranald Macdonald of Boisdale

2.    Fashion: Pam Hogg presented by Gordon Brough of AAM

3.    Literature: Alexander McCall-Smith presented by Lawson Moncaster of City AM

4.    Sport: Tim Baillie presented by Martin Gilbert CEO of AAM

5.    Performing Arts: Jamie Sives presented by Dougie Duncanson of Johnny Walker

6.    Media: Andrew Marr presented by Loraine Kelly (Great Scot 2011)

7.    Art: Richard De Marco presented by Jack Vettriano Martin (Great Scot 2009)

8.    Great Scot: Sir Alex Ferguson presented by Sir Tom Hunter (Great Scot  2011)

9.    Life Time Achievement:  Lord Steel presented by Bill Martin (Great Scot 2011)

Jack Vetriano and guest

After the awards, there was the incredible Charity Auction, with all proceeds going to STV appeal supporting Scotland's children. The main talking point of the auction was the fantastic Jack Vettriano painting that had been specially commissioned for the night - named "Late Night Rituals II." Having generated much interest in the art world, the painting on the night was in a fierce bidding war, and Jack himself being present to congratulate the successful bidder.

The Myth of Baobab

Baobab Coladas by Shaka Zulu's Bar Manager Tony Safqi (photo by George Torode)

For years in Africa, The Baobab tree has been the source of natural wellbeing and general health. Aduna, an Africa-inspired premium health and beauty brand, is now bringing the vibrancy of Africa to the rest of the world. Its first ‘Feel Good Fruit’ range allows everyone to enjoy the benefits of baobab as part of their daily diet.  

At a fabulous event at Shaka Zulu, we discovered how Aduna has made this pure, nutritious fruit pulp available as a loose powder or as convenient single-serve stick packs; ideal for adding to foods such as smoothies, juices, yogurts or cereal. Capsules are also available for on-the-go.  

With one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any fruit in the world1, it’s easy to see why Africa’s iconic baobab is being hailed as the next big super fruit. It contains over twice the antioxidants per gram of goji berries and more than blueberries and pomegranates combined.

Aduna’s goal is to establish baobab as a world-famous superfruit and drive the creation of a new industry for rural Africa, which experts estimate at a potential $1 billion. Ten per cent of Aduna’s profits will be invested in social innovation projects via the Aduna Foundation.

If you are interested to know more about Baobab, see Aduna's co-founder Andrew Hunt's speech at IHT Luxury 2012:

Shopaholic Treat Package

This year is all about great British Institutions and The Stafford London by Kempinski is continuing the trend. Teaming up with Liberty London and the Burlington Arcade, guests booking the 'Shopaholic Treat Package' can take advantage of 10% discount when hitting the shops, which definitely will make Christmas even merrier. 

Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. reunite forces

Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co. relationship goes a long way back to as far as 1851. Tiffany & Co. stores have been one of the rare selected places to sell Patek Philippe watches and even have their name on some exclusive time pieces along the way. 

In order to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Patek Philippe boutique inside the Tiffany & Co. store on 5th Avenue in NYC, they joined forces and visions together to create the new 5396G. It will be produced for a limited time and in limited quantities. It is a truly elegant piece, which features a quote at the back: A Shared Vision, to point towards the essence of their relationship with Tiffany & Co. A luxurious cooperation of the world's finest.

Louis Vuitton Writing Collection

Louis Vuitton is bringing back the culture of writing letters. They have launched a stunning collection of exquisite writing utensils. This includes fountain pens encased in alligator leather, envelopes featuring trunk closures in their flaps, rollers and also a pot of ink.

The collection will be debuting on the 13th of December at a pop-up boutique at Saint-Germain-des-Pres in Paris, named Cabinet d'Ecriture Louis Vuitton (The Writing Room of Louis Vuitton). This truly is a collection read-made for Christmas shopping.

£1 Million Kitchen

A UK based Italian interior designer and master craftsman Claudio Celiberti has unveiled the world’s most expensive kitchen ever created, with a price tag of a million pounds - The ‘Fiore di Cristallo’.

Handcrafted in Italy the opulent kitchen features only the best quality materials including the world famous ‘Crystal of Murano’ (cristallo di Murano). The process for making this crystal is a complex and closely guarded secret. The result is crystal that is of the highest quality, free of air bubbles, smudges and impurities.

The bespoke kitchen includes a host of ultra-luxurious finishes including cabinets lined with solid copper, a mineral acknowledged for its hygienic qualities as it inactivates harmful microbes. Each of the 27 cabinets also have a 9mm crystal door handle, carefully made to an intricate and bespoke template.  In addition the kitchen features a crystal island, a stone worktop, a crystal basin and Philip Starck taps, chrome clad in crystal.

The centre piece of the kitchen is a modern yet elegant Swarovski Crystal and cristallo di Murano chandelier designed by Claudio Celiberti. The one million pound price tag also includes handcrafted appliances from Gaggenau.  The specialist German company has a history that goes back more than 300 years.

The ‘Fiore di Cristallo’ is the only model currently available in the whole of the world.  Anyone wishing to create their own ‘Crystal of Murano’ kitchen with Claudio, either to a similar specification, or completely tailored to their needs, will need to join a waiting list of up to eight months due to the highly skilled level of craftsmanship required from start to finish.