Category Archives: The Columns

Bar Chocolat Launch

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Exclusive Supper Club from NOMA trained Blanch and Shock

The one-off bar is running during London fashion week – it is an immersive, multi-sensory experience inspired by the pleasure of chocolate, all brought to you by the brand new Baileys Chocolat Luxe: www.barchocolatlondon.com

Food design trio Blanch and Shock have created an amazing supper club menu offering that was served directly onto tables on Wednesday afternoon (11th of September)

 

With 24 carat gold on our lips as part of the dessert experience.

With 24 carat gold on our lips as part of the dessert experience.

 

Capturing exciting flavour varieties and taste notes that combined are rarely seen, Wednesday’s supper club will comprise a wild pescatarian starter, garnished with flowers, samphire and pea shoots, and a meaty main. To finish the plate-less feast, a selection of cakes that perfectly accompany Baileys Chocolat Luxe will tantalize tastebuds.

Bar Chocolat Startermainmealpreparation

The main meal is served directly on the plate. It was amazing.

The main meal is served directly on the plate. It was amazing.

barchocolatefinishedFinished meal.

Dessert. Yummy. We put 24 carat gold on our lips to start. Then we had a Baileys Chocolat Luxe and helped ourselves.

Dessert. Yummy. We put 24 carat gold on our lips to start. Then we had a Baileys Chocolat Luxe and helped ourselves.

 

The Bar Chocolat experience celebrates the beauty of food and culinary delights. It sees creatives including Bompas & Parr, Tabitha Denholm, Amelia Rope, Petra Storrs and Lou Hayter coming together to create a part immersive, part exhibition journey into the multi-sensory experience of chocolate.

We had an amazing three course meal and the exhibition was amazing too. Opening the door to smell chocolate. Tabitha’s film, the chocolate dessert, the food and experience. The starter was served on a platter of ice and the main was served directly onto the table. Dessert involved putting real 24 carat gold onto our lips. . Amazing, just amazing. We had a brilliant time.

 

The temporary immersive exhibition and supper club space in Covent Garden saw Pixie Geldof, Henry Holland, Lou Hayter, Gizzi Erskine, Arlissa, Charli XCX, Camilla Rutherford, Tabitha Denholm and Bompas & Parr party into the night to celebrate the nationwide release of Baileys Chocolat Luxe.
Erskine, Denholm, Hayter and Pixie and Ashley Williams took to the decks as guests took in the immersive multi-sensory experience space dedicated to the pleasure of chocolate.
Pixie Geldof used last night’s launch of Baileys Chocolat Luxe to announce that she will following the in the footsteps of friend Alexa Chung in launching her new venture with fashion designer Ashley William called Funky Offish launching soon.
Pixie said:
“Funky Offish is short for funky official – it is our take on smart casual – half funky and half official. We are so excited to announce at tonight’s Baileys Chocolat Luxe night that it will be coming very soon, I think all the chocolate might have made me too euphoric.
“At the moment we are only planning to do womenswear, but who knows what the future holds. the main thing with Funky Offish is that it is not just a label, it is a way of life and I can’t keep it in anymore.”
Other names attending the event last night included: songstress Gabriella Cilmi, PPQ’s Amy Moyneaux and Percy Parker, Game of Thrones’ Gethin Anthony, models Morwenna Lytton-Cobbald, Olivia Inge and Lilah Parsons and comedian Tom Davis.
Baileys Chocolat Luxe Launches Bar ChocolatBaileys Chocolat Luxe Launches Bar Chocolat28_Bailey's Chocolat Luxe
The highlight of the night was the Baileys Chocolat Luxe drink that saw the crowd get into a chocolate-fuelled frenzy. The Bompas & Parr Cabinet Luxe installation proved a big high with the young female singers especially, the beautiful trio of Arlissa, Gabriella Cilmi and Charli XCX spent most of their time inhaling the enhanced chocolate vapour form the experimental jellymongers.
Bar Chocolate is a an experience that you must go to. One of the best things you could do during London Fashion Week. Bar Chocolate is open from 11-16 September, entry if free. Over 18’s only. Meals; Lunch £17.50 and Dinner £25. Three courses. Book via http://www.baileysbarchocolat.com
Bar Chocolate, Mercer Street Studios, 16 Mercer Street, London, WC2H 9QE
Nearest tube: Covent Garden.

Quintessentially Weddings launches luxury Atelier: The world’s finest wedding artisans, all in one house

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This October will see the launch of the Quintessentially Weddings Atelier, bringing the world’s finest wedding artisans all in one house for the discerning, style conscious bride and groom.

Reimagining the wedding show, the Quintessentially Wedding Atelier presents a unique, ‘behind the scenes’, experiential showcase of couture designers, artisanal crafts and luxury products, from statement designer gowns to fine jewels, innovative wedding gastronomy to the ancient art of calligraphy.

Hosted over two days on 26th and 27th October, the By-Appointment-Only event – held at the beautiful Robert Adam Georgian Townhouse, 29 Portland Place – will allow guests to immerse themselves in authentic luxury as designers and luminaires reveal the secrets of their highly skilled crafts.

wedding, wedding dress, wedding planning, atlier, wedding, weddings,

flower, wedding flowers, wedding, weddings

weddings, wedding, wedding dress

Headlining with a Spring and Fall 2014 Bridal Collection – the latter being seen for the first time in the UK – iconic fashion house Oscar de la Renta will be making their debut onto the London show scene at the Atelier with a selection of beautiful gowns from their bridal collections. The house (first established in 1965) opened a store on Mount Street earlier this year with a dedicated bridal salon that will be brought to life as part of the Atelier.

Diamond master craftsmen, engravers and gemologists from iconic jeweller, Tiffany & Co will be demonstrating their skills in a pop-up version of their New York emporium alongside archival pieces, including a diamond brooch given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton.

Guests will discover interactive master classes and workshops with some of the world’s most coveted luxury brands and designers. There will be a stunning parade of gowns throughout the event from world class designers including Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier, Johanna Johnson, Valentino, Peter Langner and Marchesa in association with Browns Bride, as well as access to the experts from Alice Temperley and Roland Mouret, who will showcase their collection designed for the thoroughly modern, fashion conscious bride. Quintessentially Vodka will be mixed by The Connaught Hotel’s world champion mixologist, and canapés and tasters will be provided by legendary luxury department store Harrods, debuting their gourmet catering. Royal photographer Hugo Bernard and Royal Wedding cake maker Fiona Cairns will be on hand to add a regal touch to proceedings.

Winston Churchill’s beautiful stately home, Blenheim Palace, will collaborate with artisan stationers Cutture to create a 3D theatrical set and upstairs, hidden in an intimate boudoir, Agent Provocateur will introduce their latest never-seen-before collections and lead talks on the Trousseau – the ‘hope chest’ received by a bride upon her marriage overflowing with gems, lacy sweet nothings and ballgowns to entertain in.

There will be a Groom’s Tailoring Salon for bespoke attire, sartorial elegance classes from insider experts, as well as top tips from leading make-up artists, stylists and nutritionists.

Adding substance to style, the Quintessentially Weddings Atelier will showcase the knowledge, passion and talent behind each expert. The Atelier will provide an unrivalled opportunity to forge connections with brands and talent that can transform a wedding into a luxuriously adventurous and truly memorable affair. With further names to be announced, stay tuned…

26th – 27th October 2013

10am – 6pm

29 Portland Place, London

Tickets are complimentary. Places are limited.

For further information and to register visit

www.quintessentiallyweddings.com/atelier

Poppy Delevigne, Jade Jagger, Dita Von Teese Attend Launch of Karstadt “Feel London” Campaign

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A host of celebrities including Poppy Delevigne, Jade Jagger and Dita Von Teese gathered last night (4th September) to launch the Karstadt “Feel London” campaign at the recently renewed Karstadt Dusseldorf store.

Feel London, Karstadt’s fall marketing campaign, will launch nationwide in all 83 Karstadt stores.

 

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At the  launch event there were numerous in-store activities including tee-shirt printing, lessons on how to walk in high heels, styling advice, activities by Sebastian Conran Food Design, and performances by “busking bands” such as the Watling Band imported from London – all designed to turn Karstadt Dusseldorf into the vibrant metropolis of London for the evening. Approximately 1,900 celebrities and guests attended.

Who do you think looked best?

How to Make the Perfect Roast Chicken Recipe

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I love to make a good roast. Here’s my tips for lemon,  thyme roast chicken with vegetables and mozzarella

1.  Stuff the chicken with lemon and thyme. Peel a couple of garlic cloves and rub the chicken all over then chop them up very finroastely and sprinkle all over the chicken.

 

 

2. Now here’s the most important tip to a great roast chicken. Place the chicken upside down (breast facing down) in the the roasting tray. This will cause the juices from the bird to flow into the breast meat and will stop the meat drying out.

3. Prepare your vegetables. I like parsnips. Peel them and cut them lengthways creating two equal parts and repeat twice again until the parsnip is in eights. Then chop the pieces in half. This should give you nice thick parsnip strips. I also like to cook peppers and I prefer red to green as they are sweeter. Cut the top off the pepper and scoop out the inside. Then cut into thin strips.

4. For the potatoes. Peel them and cut them into reasonable sizes. The smaller you make them the easier they will be to cook. Put the potatoes in a pan and boil for ten minutes and add salt. Meanwhile add some fat to the roasting tin and let it heat up. Drain the potatoes with a colander and sprinkle with flour. Add the potatoes to the roasting tin along with the parsnips and leave to roast. (I add the peppers later so they don’t get over done and the peppers with about 35 minutes left)

5. 15 minutes before it is ready bring the roasting tray out. Turn the chicken over. At this point I recommend covering your chicken, parsnips and potatoes in honey. Add chopped cherry tomatoes and slices of mozzarella on top. Make sure to add enough mozzarella (two basic packs from sainsbury’s is about right, there’s no point using better quality buffalo mozzarella in this instance). Place back in the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes.

6. Finally remove chicken and vegetables from the oven and leave to rest. Pour flour and stock into the juices remaining in the roasting tray to create the gravy. Put on a very low heat for two minutes. Serve delicious chicken with vegetables and gravy!

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Top Beauty Tips for Brides

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Bride, bridal make up, tips for wedding day, wedding, marriage, wedding day, tips, beauty, make up, tips

Photo credit: TrueMalyugin

We have some Top Beauty Tips for Brides from highly experienced facial therapist Amanda Elias; the brains behind effective yet affordable skincare brand, Bravura London. Amanda really knows her stuff so enjoy.

How to Prep Your Skin for a Wedding

Don’t try any new products, skincare, hair care, make-up, even washing powder 3 weeks before your wedding, any kind of a reaction could take a couple of weeks to calm down and that’s the last thing you need before your big day!

Don’t leave it until the last minute to think about your skin, the longer you have to correct any skin issues, the better! Using products that contain AHA’s will help to remove dead skin which tends to leave our skin looking dull and lifeless, removing this dead layer will leave your skin looking fresher and more vibrant.

If you’re getting married abroad, make sure you wear SPF 50 as soon as you arrive and re-apply regularly. Don’t risk sunbathing, you don’t want to get married looking like a lobster! Don’t forget your ears, lips and the back of your neck.

To avoid any fake tan disasters before your wedding, book yourself in for a spray tan the day before, you’re a lot less likely to end up with any streaky patches. Make sure you have a trial tan before the big day to make sure the colour suits you and to avoid any chance of a reaction.

Make-up sits better on exfoliated skin, using a cleanser that contains AHA’s daily can help to remove the dead skin so that your foundation lasts longer.

If you suffer with blackheads or hormonal spots on your chin, try using a salicylic acid product daily. This will help to exfoliating the skin and clear out the pores, salicylic acid also has an anti-inflammatory effect so it’s great for spots that can also become inflamed.

If you have a lot of redness left over from acne, speak to your doctor or pharmacist about a short course of hydrocortisone which can dramatically help to reduce the discolouration.

There’s going to be a lot of focus on your hands on your big day, to keep your hands and nails in peak condition, massage sweet almond oil in to your hands and nails daily, a month before the wedding. By your big day your nails will be stronger and your hands will be supper soft. If your hands tend to be flaky, mix a little olive oil and sugar, gently massage in to your hands, wash away and then apply your sweet almond oil.

Don’t forget your lips, wear a good quality lip balm and re-apply regularly throughout the day, especially before bed. Do this for at least a week before your wedding and your lips will be super soft and kiss ready.

Do you have any beauty tips?

The Wedding Diary Part One: Engagement

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wedding diary, engagement, engagement ring, getting married, planning a wedding, marriage, engagement, Well I finally did it. I managed to find someone who will put up with me for the rest of my life. Most little girls dream came true when my boyfriend of three years whisked my off to Paris on the Eurostar for our anniversary and proposed. I ecstatically said yes and upon our return bought far too many wedding magazines, and realised just how hard planning a wedding was going to be. Don’t get me wrong. I am not exactly fazed by planning big things. I planned the launch party for Frost Magazine and had over 300 guests. It went off without a hitch even though the venue canceled on us a few days before. I have also made a full length feature film. I have the skills and the staying power but what I don’t have is £21,000 to spend on a party. Only one person has mentioned the outdated thing of the women’s parents paying, all of my friends paid for their own wedding and I am not asking my parents for money. I am the editor of this magazine, a freelance writer and actor.

Somehow this is not even the issue. Neither my fiancee or I think it is reasonable to spend that amount of money on one day of your life. Other difficulties are that my family live in Scotland and my fiance’s family live in England. Getting all of these people together in a convenient, reasonably priced venue doesn’t feel like the easiest thing.

Also as a half catholic, half protestant agnostic I have found out that I cannot even get married in a church because I was not christened as my parents, quite rightly, wanted me to choose my own religion. If I want to get married I will have to attend church or do a course. Neither of these seem appealing and I don’t have a lot of free time.

So join my on my journey from engaged woman to bride. I will be writing lots of wedding articles and advice to go along with my personal experience. Please comment and tell me your thoughts and give any advice. We are planning to get married in June of next year so we don’t actually have much time to get everything done. It is all quite exciting and scary.

We have a brillaint article on buying the perfect engagement ring if you want to send it to your boyfriend to drop some hints.

Until next time, enjoy the sun.

 

Clearspring Japanese food

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With a brand name inviting thoughts of fresh and healthy ingredients, it was no surprise to learn the Japanese Clearspring food range is 100% organic and all vegan.

 

Now, I’m just going to come out with it – I have a love hate relationship with Japanese food.

 

I love sushi, noodles and tempura batter, but I’m afraid my palette isn’t quite accustomed to squidgy, spongy tofu or the sharp taste of Sake.

 

However, I was happy to take on another culinary experience at the Clearspring 20th anniversary event at Ice Tank, Soho, on Friday evening for the launch of Miso soup on the go and Matcha green tea powder.

 Clearspring Japanese food Geisha green tea miso soup

Miso soup on the go comes in a handbag-friendly 8g sachet and you just need to pop it in a cup and add hot water.

 

It was surprisingly refreshing and filling (it had tofu pieces and I promise, I did try a few before fishing them out), but the best part is that it counts for a measly 29 calories of your daily allowance, perfect for a quick and light snack.

 

Now, the Matcha tea was the star from the evening. It’s unlike any tea I have ever seen or tasted. It’s green tea but in powder form – the tea leaves are grown in the Uji region of Kyoto, Japan, before they are finely milled to create a loose powder.

 

Just a quarter of a teaspoon whisked with hot water creates a revitalising and intense green tea flavour. Just don’t be put off by the pond-weed colour in your cup; it’s meant to boost energy levels and your metabolism rate and has been drunk by Buddhist monks for over 900 years during tea ceremonies and days of meditation.

 

Clearspring has a vast range of products which were showcased on the evening: fruit purees, Amazake sweet grain dessert, seasonings such as soya sauce, Teriyaki sauce and sesame oil; as well as sea vegetables including Kombu (good for soup stock), Wakame (good for Miso soup and salads) and Hijiki (black flavoursome strings).

 

Plus there’s also a good selection of rice and noodle dishes: Udon (thick and flat wheat noodles), wide Udon, brown rice Udon and Soba noodles (made with buckwheat and wheat flour giving a nutty taste).

 

It was a pleasant evening with cooking demonstrations and sushi tasting, and the traditional tea ceremony and Kimono dress-up area were also real hits complementing the authentic Japanese food products. 

 

Already stocked in major supermarkets, Clearspring has just launched their products for the online market. See www.clearspring.co.uk for more information.

Julien Macdonald, Tamara Ecclestone and Melissa Odabash celebrating original movie poster launch

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At the movies LOGO officialBritish fashion designer, Julien Macdonald and billionaire model Tamara Ecclestone were among the famous faces who turned up to celebrate the official launch of an original movie poster gallery in the city.

Thanks to there incredible success online At The Movies have officially opened their new gallery/shop in London’s Marylebone district. Specialising in original and vintage movie posters (not the kind of posters you can just pick up at your local shop) these posters are the cinemas-used original posters that have been sourced direct from the cinemas and movie distributors.

The launch party, which was held at their new location – 18 Thayer Street – was an enormous success with Tamara, Julien and swim wear designer Melissa Odabash amongst those who were treated to an evening of mini bottles of Moet, Persian canapés and a goodybag to take home.

Liza Tesei, At The Movies owner says all enjoyed the evening:
“It was a superb event and I’d like to personally extend my thanks to all those who turned up to help celebrate with me. I’ve been successfully trading online for a number of years and had previous gallery locations, but I’ve never more ecstatic by what we’re achieving now.”