Tag Archives: London

The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Awards of Excellence

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The Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Awards of Excellence

LONDON WINS 21 PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

The Tea Guild has bestowed 21 Awards of Excellence in this year’s Top London Afternoon Tea Awards 2012 to leading establishments in the capital. The venues achieving this coveted Tea Guild award for recognition of their consistently exceptional standards of quality and tea service are: Brown’s Hotel; Claridge’s; Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane; Grosvenor House Park Room & Library; Sofitel London St James; The Capital Hotel, The Chesterfield; The Connaught; The Dorchester; The Goring; The InterContinental Park Lane; The Lanesborough; The Langham; The Milestone; Hyatt Regency London The Churchill; The Montague on The Gardens; The Royal Garden Hotel; The Royal Horseguards Hotel; The Savoy; The Ritz and The Wolseley.

Now in their 27th year, the acclaimed Tea Guild Awards of Excellence are seen as the ‘Michelin star’ of all tea awards, with leading tea rooms and world class hotels throughout London competing for the fashionable and renowned honour. Taking afternoon tea is a cherished experience steeped in British tradition and will be particularly popular in the capital this year as the British public and many of this year’s overseas visitors celebrate British traditions with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games.

The Tea Guild’s secret inspectors have assiduously been searching the capital to seek out the finest tea experiences to see who is deserving of an “Award of Excellence” and who should win the Top London Afternoon Tea 2012 Award. As well as judging London’s top tea rooms and hotels, The Tea Guild’s judges have travelled across Britain to find the annual winners of the Top City and Country Hotel Tea Award 2012 and the Top Tea Place 2012 Award. All visits have been anonymous to ensure the results are completely fair and accurate. The anonymous judges awarded points for the variety, flavour and knowledge of the teas offered, together with the quality of food, service, décor, ambience, and presentation. With 125 points to be lost or gained on the judge’s scorecard, only those establishments achieving the very highest standards across a number of categories can make it to the top.

The judges were so impressed with the quality of the afternoon tea served at the following London Establishments that they awarded them high marks in every category: Brown’s Hotel; Claridge’s; Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane; Grosvenor House Park Room & Library; Sofitel London St James; The Capital Hotel, The Chesterfield; The Connaught; The Dorchester; The Goring; The InterContinental Park Lane; The Lanesborough; The Langham; The Milestone; Hyatt Regency London The Churchill; The Montague on The Gardens; The Royal Garden Hotel; The Royal Horseguards Hotel; The Savoy; The Ritz and The Wolseley.

The Tea Guild has now also presented the 2012 award for the Top London Afternoon Tea, which was received by The Athenaeum Hotel in Mayfair. The rest of the Awards are yet to be announced.

Commenting on the 21 ‘Awards of Excellence’ received in the capital, Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild, notes: “Each year the judges’ task of choosing those who receive an ‘Award Of Excellence’ gets more challenging, as standards within The Tea Guild continue to reach new levels and this year’s London competition was no exception.”

“The Awards of Excellence to these leading establishments were presented in recognition of their admirable and consistently high standards of tea making, evident in the care and attentiveness with which they prepare and serve afternoon tea.”

She added: “In the Capital afternoon tea is now the most fashionable way to catch up with friends. It has become increasing popular be it after a busy morning’s shopping, a business meeting, for that special family occasion, a romantic date or a truly memorable experience for the bride to be and her girlfriends. More and more people are taking time out to enjoy that ‘very special afternoon tea moment’.”

Innocent fruit sports day | Events

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Innocent fruit sports day, Regents Park, London 22nd July 2012

Dig out your shorts, dust off your running shoes and start warming up.

After three whole years, innocent’s summer festival makes a welcome return this July. As the official smoothie and juice of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, innocent will be hosting their very own fruit sports day themed festival in Regent’s Park on Sunday 22nd July 2012.

It will be a great day out for all the family, and it’s the perfect way to get you into the spirit of the Olympic Games a week before the world’s biggest sporting event kicks off.

Over the course of the day, you’ll be able to take part in a host of fruity sports day pursuits. Enter track and field events like the 100m kiwi and spoon, squash-put or marrow-thon, pop along for a spot of peach volleyball or have a go at our take on curling with a potato and broom. You’ll be able to make and break records, be in with the chance to win tickets to London 2012 events or even race against an Olympian.

And when all that running around gets a bit much, there will be plenty of tasty, natural, healthy food to eat, a big farmers’ market to explore, as well as live folk, jazz and swing music from our acoustic stage and an eclectic mix of pop up performances from roving bands, musicians and entertainers. There will also be loads of stuff for kids to do, a warm up and work out tent, open air dance floors, poetry corner, and a chill out area with yoga and massages to soothe those weary limbs. And, of course, there’ll be plenty of smoothies to taste.

It all starts at 11am and runs until 7pm. So, pencil it in your diary, scribble it on your hand and tell all your friends.

To find out more and book tickets visit www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/fruitsportsday. Tickets will be available from May priced at £10 for adults and £5.50 for kids/concessions.

Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe: ShopStyle 1st Event announced.

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Add a touch of vintage to your ready-to-wear wardrobe

with these top tips from Mrs Jones for SHOPSTYLE.CO.UK

Have you ever fancied adding a touch of vintage glamour to your high street party dress, but then frozen in fear when you face paying for something that smells like it has a history? How much is a fair price? What’s an investment? And what’s a mistake?

To mark the launch of ShopStyle.co.uk’s vintage styling evening with Mary’s Living & Giving (the charity shops set up by Mary Portas) and in aid of Save the Children, the UK’s leading online fashion shopping site has invited celebrity stylist Mrs Jones (clients include Rihanna, Goldfrapp and Paloma Faith) to give her top vintage shopping tips.

Mrs Jones for ShopStyle.co.uk says vintage clothes shopping can be fun but warns of the pitfalls. “Check fabrics carefully as the smallest hole will enlarge before you know it. I bought a silk dress for a video thinking I could repair it to last forever. The garment was in tatters by the time the shoot was over”.

Mrs Jones tips for vintage shopping:

Where to Shop

· The best places to get a vintage bargain are normally charity shops and boot sales. Not only are you finding some great items when shopping at a charity shop, but you’ll also be aiding those in need.

· Vintage clothing stores can be found in most major cities. They have some beautiful collections but can be pricey. This is good for people who want the vintage look but don’t want to do the searching.

· Auction web sites are great for vintage shopping. Be careful you don’t get carried away on bidding, stick to your maximum limit otherwise it’s not a bargain. Look out for bad pictures (some purposely upside down). Be sure to read the garment details. Some items look great in an image but if the fabric is synthetic polyester (unless you’re going for the 70s look), you may be disappointed when it arrives.

· Vintage fairs and festivals are becoming popular throughout the UK. You’ll find experts in vintage clothing selling their wares and whilst some pieces may be expensive, many vendors also have bargains.

How to Shop

· Don’t be put off by smells. Some bits can have a whiff of mothballs or smell a bit musty.
These can easily be removed with a trip to the dry cleaners. Although, and it is not very pleasing, body odor left on garments is one of the most difficult smells to get rid of, even with dry cleaning.

· Some old clothes and accessories such as handbags can look beautiful and very tempting but be careful as they can just disintegrate especially silk and lace. Give the garment a little test, pull the fabric in both hands and with your thumb nails give it a rub/scratch. If you see the threads of the fabric move about or crumble, leave it on the rack.

· Make sure you try things on or properly hold up to your body if you don’t like the idea of trying before cleaning. Older clothes are generally a lot smaller as people were smaller than they are now. (eg., a size 12 will usually be a size 10.)

ShopStyle.co.uk will host its first in-store event on 29th March at Mary’s Living & Giving in Notting Hill, London, in aid of Save the Children. With canapés and champagne in hand, guests will enjoy their very own vintage styling tips from Mrs Jones and take part in an amazing fashion raffle. ShopStyle.co.uk’s online style team will also be on hand to help digital fashionistas find out how to bag the best vintage and new fashion online.

WHO: ShopStyle.co.uk and Mary’s Living & Giving Shop

WHAT: Styling tips, champagne and canapés, raffles and fundraising for Save the Children

WHEN: 29th March 2012 from 6pm – 9pm

WHERE: Mary’s Living & Giving Shop (Notting Hill location)

177 Westbourne Grove

London

W11 2SB

Entry to the shopping evening is free, however there will be a small gift for all guests who show up with stylish donations of their pre-loved designer fashion or vintage pieces.

Frost will be there, we hope you will be too.

Ealing Rose & Crown | Places

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The Ealing Rose & Crown is a beautiful pub with very friendly staff. I previously said in an interview with the Ealing Gazette that it was my favourite pub in London, and it still is. It also has a great outdoor area. It is the perfect place to spend lazy summer days. The Rose & Crown is definitely a ‘village pub’. I had my last birthday party here (just after the riots in Ealing, let no-one tell you West Londoners are wimps) I had a brilliant time with my friends and the food was amazing. The décor inside is great too, and it is quite spacious.

The Rose and Crown is a traditional pub, just off the main road in South Ealing. The food is fresh produce with a Mediterranean twist. The kitchen serves home-cooked dishes – try the roasted seabass, grilled lamb steaks. Their Sunday roasts are amazing, but it is best to book ahead.

The Rose & Crown is also the venue for the Ealing Tweetup, which is arranged by Mark Hillary, Mark now lives in Rio, but still comes to London for the Tweetup. That’s dedication.

Rose & Crown.
Church Place  St. Mary’s Road, Ealing W5 4HN
020 8567 2811
Email: roseandcrown@fullers.co.uk
Licensee: Tom Tucker
South Ealing (0.2 miles), Northfields (0.5 miles), Ealing Broadway (0.9 miles)
Ealing Broadway (0.8 miles), West Ealing (1 mile), Brentford (1.2 miles)

Britons are prouder of their history, NHS and army than of the Royals.

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While 2012 celebrates the Diamond Jubilee and London hosting the Olympics, it is history that makes people most proud to be British.

A survey commissioned by Channel 4 from Ipsos MORI found that more people (45%) are proud to be British due to the country’s history than they are because of the Royal Family (28%). And more people cite the NHS (37%) and the armed forces (36%) as a source of pride than they do the Royals. British sports teams come in at a lowly 10%. Bringing up the bottom of the table is British business, with only 4%.

Overall, which two or three of the following, would you say makes you most proud to be British?

1. Our history (45%)

2. The NHS (37%)

3. British Army / armed forces (36%)

4. The Royal Family (28%)

5. Our culture and arts (24%)

6. Our system of democracy (22%)

7. Having a free press / media (15%)

8. British sports teams (10%)

9. Our position in the world (5%)

10. British business (4%)

Timed to coincide with, Make Bradford British, a documentary series exploring what it means to be British, the survey also found that a ‘good sense of humour’ (45%) topped the poll when people were asked what are the best characteristics of British people, followed by friendly (34%) and tolerant to all sections of society (30%).

But while being funny may be the best British characteristic, of those surveyed, half (50%) said the worst was drinking too much. Ignorance of other cultures (33%) and complaining too much (23%) were also cited. And a fifth of respondents thought the worst characteristic was being lazy (20%).

Tea topped the poll not only as people’s favourite drink (38%) but also what they thought was the country’s national drink (65%) proving that we are a nation of tea lovers.

While fish and chips is seen as the national dish by four in ten Britons (41%) just one in ten (9%) say it is their favourite food. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding tops the poll as the nation’s favourite dish (33%).

And while 15% enjoy a curry as their meal of choice, only 8% think it’s the national dish.

Make Bradford British continues on Thursday 8 March at 9pm on Channel 4

That’s Grouse: The British Show

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Australian pop artist Linton Meagher reimagines
shell casings, lipsticks and
scalpels in first UK solo show
That’s Grouse
COMODAA, London
Exhibition Dates: 22nd – 29th May, 2012

Adding an evocative twist to the ‘Pop Art’ Genre, Linton Meagher taps the visual potential of
mass-produced objects in his first UK solo exhibition.

“That’s Grouse”.The British Show surveys the cross-media work of Linton Meagher. Showcasing works with
international appeal, “That’s Grouse” The British Show playfully considers the construction of identity, touching upon
motifs in contemporary pop culture.
“That’s Grouse” is an Australian colloquialism referring to something excellent or fantastic: this tongue-in-cheek
exhibition is a mischievous exploration of cultural iconography that’s equally relevant in both Australia and the UK.
Through a painstakingly repetitive artistic practice, Meagher moves familiar, functional objects into the realm of fine
art, encouraging and challenging viewers to question their meaning for contemporary society.
Constructed from hundreds of shotgun cartridges, bullet casings, imitation lipsticks and surgical scalpels,

The marriage of disparate meanings and objects is a theme throughout Meagher’s work and is particularly evident as
repellent objects such as bullets or surgical scalpels are transformed to portray beauty.
Taking inspiration from Jeff Koons’ and Arman’s irreverent approach to art-making materials, Meagher’s practice
often examines a symbolically loaded object, such as a shotgun cartridge (referencing both gun control issues in
Australia and hunting heritage in the UK), and utilises its aesthetic appeal to encourage the viewer to reflect on the
world around them.
“On the surface, these works are just fun, sensual and instantly engaging: with the shotgun cartridge works,
the viewer is initially seduced by the beauty of the piece.
However, it is hard to look past the death implied by all the empty cartridges. They force the viewer to ponder
the economics of the endless pursuit of thrills and beauty. These works are also an extension of the artistic
tradition of exploring mass consumerism and the use of ready-made objects in art.”
Linton Meagher

Exhibition Details:

Dates: 22nd – 29thth May 2012 Private View 6.30pm Tuesday 22nd May 2012
Address: COMODAA
28 Chepstow Place
Notting Hill
London
W2 4XE
Transport:
Bayswater (Circle Line, District Line)
Queensway (Central Line)
Free
Opening Hours:
Mon – Sat, 12noon – 9pm
Closed Sun
http://www.comodaa.com

+44 7900 616303
info@comodaa.com Continue reading →