Month: June 2021

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Art Hotels Luxury People

The Lanesborough Hotel Knightsbridge London + Cruella Afternoon Tea

She’s Got Attitude

We caught up with Annabel P, Lavender’s Blue Art Director, Disney fan and afternoon tea afficionado, in her temporary address: the five bedroom penthouse suite of Sheraton Hotel. But it’s another hotel we are here to talk about and more specifically the afternoon tea that is on everyone’s lips. To coincide with the new Cruella film, a bit of a prequel to Dodie Smith’s The 101 Dalmatians, The Lanesborough Hotel is serving a themed limited edition afternoon tea carefully crafted by Head Pastry Chef Kevin Miller.

“There are little nods and big gestures to Cruella throughout the afternoon tea,” explains Annabel. “Cruella is very Vivienne Westwood – 1970s punk rock and anarchy. She’s a super chic sassy gal with anarchic attitude. It’s all rock and roll and a little bit mad.” The egg and cress mayonnaise sandwiches and mint yoghurt and cucumber filled may be classics but they are placed alternatively on the plate with white and dark bread. The striped effect is of course inspired by Cruella’s two tone hair. All very Daphne Guinness.

The pastries are full blooded odes to the film. Anarchy Reigns (raspberry and chocolate shortbread presented on a mini artist’s easel) is an artistic licence to thrill. I’ve Got Attitude (chocolate brownie topped with caramelised banana and pecan cream) is a confidently cocksure sugar hit. Rebel Heart (coco nibs base with coconut raspberry mousse and liquid hibiscus centre) is not for shrinking violets. Modern Masterpiece (gold inside out cheesecake of blueberry compote, lemon tofu cheesecake, blackcurrant and violet sauce injection) is dangerously addictive.

Every plate is full of devilishly delightful signature pieces. “The Lanesborough is very dog friendly,” praises Annabel P. “When I arrived a bed with a couple of treats was set out for Winne my mini wire haired dachshund. “I’m sure Cruella would approve!” This season is all about reinvention of the A line and afternoon tea. And killer heels of course. It’s all brilliant, bad and more than a little bit mad.

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Architecture Art Country Houses Hotels Luxury People Restaurants

Culloden Estate + Spa Cultra County Down + Art + Soul Art + Sculpture Fair

Across the Water

In the land of champ and Portavogie scampi and pasties (Ulster not Cornish) and soda farls and wheaten bread and dulse and Tayto crisps and fifteens and rocky roads and yellowman there’s something new and exciting to go and explore for a wee dander. The original house at the heart of the Culloden Estate – the Bishop’s Palace – may be 145 years old but Art and Soul, the Holywood International Art and Sculpture Fair filling its grounds and interiors, is very much a meantime use.

Dr Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels, explains “At Hastings Hotels, I believe that we can distinguish from our competitors by highlighting the local culture and heritage surrounding our hotels. One way we do this is by focussing on our own locally grown produce in our menus. At Culloden Estate and Spa, another way we achieve this is through the artwork on display throughout the hotel. Some of these paintings were acquired by my father, Sir William Hastings. He selected paintings he liked and which he thought were in keeping with the Bishop’s Palace setting. More recently we’ve concentrated on supporting our local artists, many of whom have international reputations, yet still live and work in Northern Ireland.”

For just three weeks this summer, the five star hotel is brimming over with the work of sculptors Paddy Campbell and Orla de Bri, textile artist Karen Fleming, oil painters Gladys Maccabe and Tracey Quinn, watercolourists Neil Shawcross and Catherine Thompson, and lots more. There are also fine art prints by a certain Andy Warhol. These new arrivals will complement the Culloden Estate’s impressive permanent collection. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by 125 sculptures gracing the law with six figure prices for the bigger pieces. Organised by Gormley’s Fine Art, the exhibition is the largest of its kind in Ireland. There’s always refreshment time too for sipping a wee Bushmills whiskey or West Coast Cooler or C+C brown lemonade in the Culloden Estate’s Cultra Inn.

Categories
Hotels Luxury Restaurants

The Berkeley Hotel Knightsbridge London + Beach Huts

Cabin Crew 

Over the last while, swimming against the tide, we have been consumed by a tsunami of beach huts from Bexhill-on-Sea, Cooden Beach and Eastbourne to Hastings, Littlehampton and Westbrook Bay. And Deal of course. But we never quite expected to be breezily coasting along to face seaside exposure in… Knightsbridge. Shedding any retro rusticity never mind dodging budgie smuggling by the bucketful, primary colours afloat, The Berkeley offers sophistication in spades while flying the flag for its coastal theme. When the chips are down, it’s time to head for the beach huts at your local five star. Talk about drowning in a new strand of luxury. Life’s beachy. Over to Gertrude Stein in her 1914 classic Tender Buttons: “A winning of all the blessings, a sample not a sample because there is no worry.”

Our hut is full of the haves and the have knots. HMS Bon Voyage is plain sailing thanks to the crew on board this afternoon. We’re feeling somewhat nautical and rather nice, ready to learn the ropes. Fortunately all hands are on deck to deliver service with platefuls of smile. Ship ahoy! We’re all awash with admiration for this full throttle­ experience. Our table might be a cacophony of firm but feisty first world orders but we’re not feeling fishy so dive straight into the off menu on zeitgeist in vogue vegetarian range (we don’t want crabs or the £128 tomahawk steak). Nothing tastes as good as skinny fries. Or baked artichoke, grilled tenderstem, courgette and tomato. Or even charred asparagus, carrots, radish and truffle goat’s curd. Not forgetting lemon drizzle bites washed down with British sparkling Gusbourne Blanc des Blancs. Somebody give that vintner a knighthood! Gertie again, “Nearer in fairer sea, nearer and farther, show white has lime in sight, show a stitch of 10.”

There are five huts: Whitstable (lobster red and white stripes); Southwold (ocean blue); Walberswick (sandy orange); Deal (seagrass green); Padstow (surf blue). As for the experience – it’s a micro break good enough to write home about or at least to send a postcard. Everything is shipshape although it’s not like we’re here to rock the boat, more like rock the casbah!  Late afternoon is all about topping up our monokini ready spring tan on The Berkeley’s terrace. Bronze is the new gold. Who’d have thought? We’ve never had such pun. Seamen’s paradise. We just don’t wanna leave but hang on, mixing our drinks with our metaphors, someone’s commanding doors to manual. Best not catching cabin fever. Waving goodbye, we’re all washed up but in a good way, heading across Wilton Place to the local Nag’s Head just in time to catch sunset. Life’s peachy.  And finally Ms Stein: “A cool red rose and a pink cut pink, a collapse and a sold hole, a little less hot.”