Lussorian knows all about the delights of charming manor hotel in Sussex, Gravetye Manor and in particular its wonderfully impressive gardens.
The gardens were created by Gravetye Manor’s most notable resident, the pioneering gardener and writer William Robinson. To honour Robinson’s 175th birthday, on Saturday 6th July, Gravetye Manor will transform itself into a glorious country fete setting with local Sussex Morris dancers, flower-arranging demonstrations and innovative gardening talks by Head Gardener Tom Coward.
Freshly cut flowers and potted plants, Gravetye Manor jams and delicious country produce will also be available to purchase throughout the day.
Tickets for Gravetye Manor’s William Robinson Festival cost £15 per person and includes:
Access to the Gravetye gardens
Tea and cake
Gardening talks and flower-arranging demonstrations
Automatic entry into the prize draw with the opportunity to win a complimentary dinner for two at Gravetye Manor
All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Gravetye Manor’s chosen charity, The Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice. The William Robinson Festival will be open for guests between 10am and 4pm on on Saturday 6th July.
Various lunch options will be available throughout the day. Pre-booking is highly recommended
For further information or to book a table for lunch please visit gravetyemanor.co.uk
or Tel: 01342 810 567.
On Wednesday 22nd May 2013, fifty privileged guests gathered at the historic Dartmouth House in Mayfair to witness a new page in LOUIS XIII history being written as attendees watched the breath-taking moment when the first LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42,6 decanter to be released in the UK was presented. Guests had the once in lifetime opportunity to participate in an auction to win and take home this exclusive first decanter.
This unique auction was a special treat for all guests not only because of the very limited availability of the Rare Cask 42,6 – there will never be more than 738 decanters worldwide; LOUIS XIII also generously decided that all auction proceeds will be donated to the charity “Chain of Hope”, which provides children suffering from life-threating heart diseases with the corrective surgery and treatment. Other lots at the auction included a LOUIS XIII Magnum, as well as a miniature LOUIS XIII decanter, a highly prized collector’s item due to it being no longer in production.
It was no surprise that the auction, held by charismatic Lord Jeffrey Archer, was a thrilling and unique experience and the Rare Cask 42,6 was finally auctioned off for an astonishing £50,000 – more than twice the price it will retail at! Much to the delight of Anne-Laure Pressat, LOUIS XIII Brand Ambassador, who said after the auction “We are very pleased that so many important guests joined us to share this special moment with us. Auctioning off the first Rare Cask 42,6 in the UK and being able to support Chain of Hope provides a wonderful start to an exciting journey for us.”
The total auction proceeds exceeded £62,500, which will all be donated to Chain of Hope. Emma Scanlan, Executive Director at Chain of Hope, commented “We’re over the moon that LOUIS XIII managed to raise such a high amount of money during one evening, which will allow us to save the lives of 12 children.”
Not only did this wonderful evening raise money for a good cause, it also allowed all honoured guests to be transported into the luxurious world of LOUIS XIII, commencing with a tutored LOUIS XIII tasting by Mr Vincent J. Géré, Director of Rémy Martin Estates & Oenology. Mr Géré raised a glass to the successive four cellar master in history, whose talents brought the spectacular Rare Cask 42,6 to light. He reminded the guests that “there would be no Rare Cask without the extraordinary sensibilities of a LOUIS XIII cellar master. The Rare Cask 42,6 is truly the jewel in the crown of the LOUIS XIII legend that each cellar master has worked to create”.
The spectacular and unique LOUIS XIIII Rare Cask 42,6 is named after the 42,6% alcohol content; this connoisseur’s choice expresses notes of date, gingerbread, ginger and tobacco leaf.
There will never be more than 738 decanters worldwide and each is hand engraved with an individual number. Every exquisite LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42,6 is made out of precious blackBaccarat crystal - Rare Cask’s signature, created by 20 expert craftsmen, who have to execute the most challenging colour to which the art of crystal can aspire. A rose gold decor dresses the neck of the decanter, crowned by a black crystal stopper.
The unique LOUIS XIII Rare Cask 42,6 will be exclusively available at Harrods and Hedonism Wines from June onwards for RRP £20,000. It will be available by the glass in great establishments such as The Arts Club, Claridges and at the Dorchester Bar.
For those of you sat in a traffic jam recently, you might appreciate this. It looks like we are getting close to a credible flying car.
Terrafugia are already on the case with the Transition, which looks pretty much like a mini plane that is street legal. It does have some restrictions though, which is why we were excited when we learnt about Terrafugia’s TF-X.
This is a four seater vehicle that is capable of flying 500 miles at 200 MPH. With automated vertical take-off and landing, TerraFugia state that most people will be ready to use the TF-X within 5 hours training.
For me, the biggest plus is it is reminiscent of the space cruisers in Battlestar Galactica….Brilliant! Watch this video and prepare to be impressed.
The TF-X will allow full control during flight if you wish, or you could just state destination and it will fly you there and land safely. Tuck the propellers into the body and drive off.
The TF-X is being designed to fit into a single garage, no hangar required.
TerraFugia are indicating that the price of this should match that of high end luxury cars. If this turns out to be true, the TF-X could really take off…..!
There is a downside to the TF-X. Development is expected to last 8-12 years. Looking at the video and weighing everything up, it could well be worth the wait.
Imagine flying above the M25 on a Friday evening. Bliss.
To find out more and even reserve your very own flying car, click HERE.
Guest post by Toby Rose
Cannes culinary partner Electrolux continues to promote gastonomic excellence alongside the best in world cinema. Literally.
The kitchen from which the Michelin starred dishes emerge is in the shadow of the famous red carpet of the Palais des Festivals.
This year has been especially starry – despite an unhelpful dousing of rain. The Great Gatsby was the first night with names including Leonardo di Caprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire feasting on the finest dishes.
The jury, headed by Steven Spielberg are regulars at the Electrolux table around which they deliberate with the not inconsequential distraction of the finest food on offer.
Later in the festival, Electrolux are creating a special menu for the man widely regarded as the greatest living director. A menu befitting such a legend will be a challenge but it is sure to offer the chance to test to the limit of the creative skills of 2 star Michelin chef Bruno Oger.
Given the prestige of the Electrolux offering at this year’s Cannes, it was a great honour to be invited to the Chef’s table to sample at first hand Chef Bruno’s cusine.
Before sitting at the handsomely set table we were invited into the kitchen to enjoy the most delicious amuse bouche. The lightest of crackers were the perfect compliment to the ginger flavoured dips which crumbled like stardust in the mouth. Set off further by the sparkling champagne bubbles of a coupe of Piper Brut.
After this first hand experience - up close and personal - we moved to the table, where a glass of Château d’Armailhac 2003 stood proudly next to a horizontal stick of asparagus topped with caviar.
The main dish was a wonderful turbot with shellfish. A delicate seafood mixture which was perfectly complimented, not by the usual white wine, but a cleverly chosen red which was a Napa Valley cru via the Rothschild’s vineyards of Bordeaux. Teaming these two tastes was something really rather special.
Though the grown up savoury dishes were truly world class, it has to be said that the desserts were so scrumptious that the last dish was the taste that was left in the mouth and memory.
A crispy basket filled with a creamy whiote rum and pineapple was a sweet confection which left us gasping. As Paris Hilton might might well exclaim Oh My God ! This was a truly triumphant end to the meal. And left a smile on the face of all the lunch guests.
Judging by our lunch it is safe to say that Cannes Jury President Spielberg can expect a culinary encounter of the most sensational kind.
There is a quiet revolution in the hostel industry. Safestay, a new brand of contemporary hostels, or ‘poshtels’ as they have been coined, launched last year in London with a plan to open three or four more across the capital. With boldly designed interiors, Tom Dixon light fixtures and cool Brit Pop art on the walls, you would be forgiven for thinking you had walked into a boutique hotel rather than a hostel.
Housed in a beautiful 18th Century Georgian building, Safestay is shaking up preconceptions about hostels being last resort accommodation choices for the shoestring traveller. And they are not the only ones at it. A hostel in Wales has recently been awarded 5 stars – the first hostel in the UK to receive this accolade and if that is not enough, there is a new e-guide launching this Summer on Luxury Hostels Across Europe which spotlights 30 incredible hostels – all charging a fraction what a hotel costs, and they are often nicer, and certainly more connected to the community in which they are located. And that is not just a revolution but a revelation too.
Private twin rooms are available from £66 per room per night. For further information visit www.safestay.co.uk
