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What: OPENING NIGHT AT THE HOUSE OF PERONI
When: 02.07.13 7PM Where: 41 PORTLAND PLACE, LONDON. W1B 1QH We had a ball at the opening of The House of Peroni. The music was great, the people were stylish, and the cocktails were different and stunning. They had Peroni beer in them and looked great too. The food was cooked by the Michelin-Starred Costardi Brothers, Christian and Manuel. There risotto was superb (and served in a can, a great touch) and I also loved their pea soup with mozzarella and croutons. The brothers are head chefs at the family-run Michelin-starred Hotel Cinzia in Vercelli. Their grandparents opened the hotel in 1967. Their food went down a treat and everyone was tucking in without any self consciousness as the food was so great. We even bumped into Antonio Carluccio. If he liked the food, it must be pretty good!
There was also great art, a favourite of mine was by Milan based visual artist Carlo Bernardini. The light artist works with optic fibre. His art is below. His use of light and space was amazing and you could not tell where the walls in the room were. Bernardini is an artist of exceptional talent.
We had an amazing night. Visit the The House of Peroni.soon for a great dose of Italian style.
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Tag Archives: launch
Fashion Fabulous Party | Social Diary
I went along to the launch of the third edition of the Fashion Fabulous book. I was joined by actor/director Jack Bowman and his wonderful girlfriend Mary Burt. I also met the team behind new blog The London Index, Joseph and Leah-Jade. Check them out. Some of their photos are below.
I had a flick through the book and it is brilliant researched. I talked to Tracy and she said that she goes to every single shop and restaurant. Everything is checked to make sure it is of the highest quality. Tracey is also a hat designer and the hat she was wearing was spectacular.
Sarah Eckersley + Leah-Jade Verasammy + Mary Burt + Jack Bowman + Guest + Catherine Balavage
Frost editor Catherine Balavage with actor and director Jack Bowman.
Fashion Fabulous London returns with new guide for 2013
- The results of an extensive mystery shop uncover the capital’s Top 200 retailers.
- London’s best shopping districts revealed. Shoreditch and Shepherd’s Bush among up-and-coming areas pushing North Kensington out of the top 10.
- Customer service in Prada rated equally to Primark.
London’s number 1 independent shopping guide, Fashion Fabulous London launched its new guidebook for 2013 on the 24th of April, and it is out now.
The third edition of the consumer guide picks out and reviews the top shops in London. The shopping equivalent to the Michelin Guide, the new edition of the book is a must-have for the style-conscious London shopper.
Fashion insiders Tracy Rose and Russell Rose have once again compiled the book by making mystery shopper visits to one thousand retailers across the capital. This year’s updated guide highlights the best shops visited by the couple with in-depth reviews of the hottest outlets.
This year’s Top 200 retailers named in Fashion Fabulous London include new entries from designer-run boutique Antoni & Alison in Farringdon and rising vintage outlet Emporium in Greenwich.
Once again, the West End tops the list of London districts with the most retailers in the Top 200, but new neighbourhoods have arrived in the Top 10 shopping districts. Shepherd’s Bush, boosted by the presence of fashion destination Westfield London, now sits in the Top 10 ahead of Camden and Islington. Shoreditch has cemented its position as a fashion hotspot by ousting North Kensington from this year’s Top 10.
The changes in the guide’s Top 10 shopping districts reflect the increasing spread of quality retailers across London. Tracy Rose comments, “The West End remains London and the UK’s retail heart. However, we found from our visits across the city that lavish outlets and high-end service is far from limited to the boutiques of Bond Street and Savile Row. We are finding that retailers further afield in the capital are increasingly improving the quality of the customer experience, even in the current economic climate.”
Shops that offered a personal touch to customers were highly commended by the pair. Tracy states, “We particularly enjoy the experience offered by designer-run boutiques, where the customer can meet the creators of the items on sale. Being myself both a fashion designer and an avid shopper, I appreciate how much consumers value knowing about how their clothes were made.”
Each of the top retailers reviewed in Fashion Fabulous London receive a rating out of 5 shopping bags on choice, service and wow factor. Every store was re-evaluated this year with many receiving new ratings: In service, Bond Street’s Prada store lost its five shopping bag rating while Primark on Oxford Street improved on its one shopping bag rating – both now having two shopping bags in the 2013 edition.
Readers of Fashion Fabulous London will discover personal accounts from Tracy and Russell from their visits to each outlet. Tracy recounts the story of a showdown with shoppers in the Alexander McQueen store, with one envious customer snatching a shoe from her grasp. In another review, Russell gets to know Camden’s leftfield Cyberdog shop by trying on a yellow laser print ‘Talk to the Hand’ T-shirt.
Russell Rose comments, “We hope that this year’s guide will be the perfect companion for fashion-lovers looking for either high-end or high street shops. Whether you’re looking for shoes or handbags, we’ve taken the leg work out of finding the best stockists.”
Fashion Fabulous London will be on sale from 30 April 2013 at leading retailers nationwide including Harrods, Selfridges and Waterstones, and online from Amazon.
Top 10 London shopping postcodes
The top 10 districts in London ranked by the number of Fashion Fabulous London’s Top 200 shops in each district.
| 2013Rank | Postcode | District | 2012Rank |
| 1 | W1 | West End | 1 |
| 2 | SW1 | Belgravia | 2 |
| 3 | W11 | Notting Hill Gate | 4 |
| 4 | E1 | Brick Lane /Spitalfields | 3 |
| 5 | SW3 | Chelsea | 6 |
| 6 | E2 | Bethnal Green | 7 |
| 7 | WC2 | Covent Garden | 5 |
| 8 | W12 | Shepherd’s Bush | =11 |
| 9 | N1 | Islington | 8 |
| =10 | EC2 | Shoreditch | =11 |
| =10 | NW1 | Camden | 10 |
Superdry + Timothy Everest Womens Sebiro Collection AW13
Superdry founder James Holder and contemporary British tailor Timothy Everest have designed an exclusive new women’s collection. It is a tailored collection with a very classic British feel. This follows on from their men’s collection. I went along to the launch and grabbed a cocktail. The show was part fashion show and part theatre. Lots of fun and I liked the clothes.
The women’s collection has a shooting and fishing crowd feel with a mix of rock’n’roll rebel. The material and cut is superb and the clothes can take you everywhere from work to an evening out. Take a look and let us know what you think.
From £75 to £250, available at Superdry International.
Kobo Aura HD Launched
I went along to the launch of Kobo’s new eReader at Millbank Tower in London tonight. Kobo launched their new eReader: The Kobo Aura HD. It is the most advanced HD eReader, has a 30% larger reading surface and it’s design was inspired by, wait for it, paper books. It has the most paper-like E Ink display. Kobo did a lot of research into just what their customers wanted and the Aura is it. It is an eReader for people who love books and reading. It is a beautiful device. Very elegant and easy to use.
The Aura is lightweight and easy to hold. Kobo are calling it the ‘eReader, re-imagined’. It is elegant and has high resolution, 265 DPI. It has 4GB of storage and one charge equals two months of battery life. It also has 20% faster page turning.
In stores April 25. RRP £139.99. You can pre-order from later today.
Ashleigh & Burwood Launch Historic Royal Palaces Collection
Frost Magazine attended the launch of Ashleigh & Burwood‘s Historic Royal Palaces collection, at The Banqueting House.Their Home Fragrance Collection smells absolutely divine and the packaging is beautiful.
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“A truly majestic home fragrance collection encapsulating the essence of our magnificent British heritage” |
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www.hrp.org.uk
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The Palaces
The gardens of Historic Royal Palaces were for hundreds of years the playgrounds of kings and queens. At Hampton Court Palace the 60 acres of formal gardens and 750 acres of royal parkland, represent four centuries of the finest landscape design. Opened to the public by Queen Victoria in 1838, the gardens are famous throughout the world and have been the inspiration of expert perfumers in developing this unique home fragrance range.
The Range
Diligently crafted perfumes remain true to the horticultural heritage of the royal palaces and their gardens, in creating a range of authentic traditional fragrances. These are complemented perfectly by the intricate graphical depictions featured on the product packaging, which have been inspired by architectural elements of the palaces.
Ashleigh & Burwood’s range is available from Amazon UK.
Frankie and Benny’s Launch New Cocktail Range | Review
Frost popped along to Frankie and Benny’s to check out their new cocktail range and have some food. I had a delicious crab cake followed by a calamari caesar salad. For desert I had a chocolate milkshake. The calamari was fried and delicious and the crab cake came with a good sauce. The milkshake was also very good. The food is very filling and the portions are generous. We tried the cocktails below. Find out what your cocktail says about you. 
My colleague also had crab cake for a started and had spaghetti carbonara, Which they said was very good. finishing off with a Vanilla milkshakes. The atmosphere was also good.
What does your cocktail say about you?
We all know how stressful being a mum can be, taking care of the whole family often leaves very little ‘me time’. Between cooking family meals, getting kids ready for school and running the house, plus often working a full time job, it’s easy to see how many mums end up frazzled! With that in mind, Frankie & Benny’s has launched its new cocktail menu to encourage mums to take time out and sip on a delicious cocktail. So what does your cocktail of choice say about you?
Mojito
Ladies who can’t resist a bit of spice will love this cool Cuban cocktail. Made with fresh lime, mint and sugar, plus a generous splash of Bacardi rum, a mojito drinker is sure to be the first on the dance floor, ready to spice up any night.
Appletini
This fun and flirty drink is perfect for ladies who just want to have fun. Packed with Eristoff vodka, pressed apple juice and gingerbread syrup, this delightful drink is sure to get the party started.
Cosmopolitan
A sexy and sassy Cosmopolitan is a great choice for those who like to keep it classic. This zingy and zesty drink comprises vodka, triple sec and cranberry juice creating a cool and crisp taste. Cosmo ladies love a bit of city glamour and always paint the town pink.
Classic Sour
For ladies who like to be adventurous, this quirky cocktail is available with Jack Daniels, Amaretto or Midori and finished with fresh lemon juice, egg whites for added smooth and is topped off with sugar. It’s the ideal choice for someone who likes to stand out from the crowd.
Espresso Martini
This rich and sumptuous drink is ideal for ladies looking for a classic cocktail with a twist. Fresh espresso teamed with vodka and a coffee liqueur offers an instant caffeine hit, a brilliant blend for any modern mum who is in need of a pick-me-up!
Gentle Breeze
A delicious non-alcoholic cocktail for those who like to behave rather than rave! This drink combines a delicious blend of apple juice, cranberry and citrus juices and is served over ice, offering the designated driver something delightful to sip on.
Bramble
For ladies with a mysterious edge, this deliciously dark cocktail is a tasty mix of Bombay Sapphire gin and black raspberry liqueur. An added kick of fresh lemon means this drink really packs a punch.
Spotlight Fashion Models Launch
Spotlight Fashion Models Launches their Brand with a Charity Event and a Catwalk Show in Aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust.
On the 22nd of September 2012, just after London Fashion Week SS13, Spotlight Fashion Models, a recently formed fashion agency, launched their brand holding a private, glamorous, charity event at the Kensington Roof Gardens.
The profits made on the night were given in aid of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a British charity aiming to reduce the spread of HIV and promoting good sexual health.
Shakeel Rabbaney, Laura Moore, Sola Cash and April Banbury were the designers showcased on the occasion. Nomy Khan, director of Spotlight Fashion Models, wore a trendy-chic black suit with silver accessories and a tiny white fashion silk scarf. 
Ms Pily Mirazi, founder of the company, went for a very classy and stylish, long red dress with sparkling, crystal stones nicely shaping her chest area. Manpreet Singh Flyinglion, at Di Gran Moda, designed Pili Mirazi’s dress.
The event was, hosted by Heaven Afrika (former model and Big Brother 2011 participant), which, despite her 8 months pregnancy, energetically kept the guests entertained through the night during the catwalk show first and later in between live performances.
Diet and delicious Skinnie Minnie Cupcakes by Serendipity Cottage were served on the night.
Spotted in attendance – above numerous fashionable guests like Melo, the finest UK Johnny Depp lookalike – Sara McLean (winner of Miss Edinburgh 2010 and former Miss Scotland 2011 runner-up) together with Shievonne Robinson (ex playboy bunny), both former Big Brother 2012 contestants and, super sexy footballer Rimmel Daniel, working the catwalk in underwear. Well, who could ask for anything more?
Spotlight Fashion Models, said Mr Khan and Ms Mirazi, are now planning even more successful future fashion events to promote new fashion designers.
More info of the company available at: www.spotlightfashionmodels.com
Written by Paola Berta
Photography by Guido Vera
Amy Childs Launches New Perfume | Beauty Review
I didn’t expect to like Amy Childs Perfume
but I do. It smells absolutely divine. It is one of those perfumes that also smell better the longer you wear it. It is quite fruity and a little bit sweet. Bizarrely, the smell reminded me of a holiday in Switzerland. It has a happy smell that makes me smile.
Encased in an adorable deep purple, multi-faceted bottle embellished with a heart shaped charm, Amy’s perfume is fabulous and feminine.
A fan of all things glamorous and girly, Amy is qualified beauty therapist with her own salon, beauty products and clothing range. She has always loved perfume and smelling lovely. In fact, when she was setting up her salon, Amy chose all the lotions and oils herself as she wanted to ensure that all the fragrances were just perfect.
- Top Notes
- Pomegranate seed, Fresh green leaves, Kumquat
- Middle Notes
- Lotus, Champaca, Purple orchid
- Base Notes
- Purple violet, Amber, Skin musks, Soft woods, Vanilla