There’s a new stylish celebration about town… and just in time for Christmas!
Jasper Conran and Waterford Crystal have created two rather tasty collections called Eternal and Brilliance.
Each collection contains a variety of glassware pieces that have the designer’s iconic signature. Brilliance features an abundance of double cuts that create sparkle whilst Eternal offers a more contemporary feel and features a tailored approach with a combination of circular double-edge bands and intricate pin stripe cuts.
Prices are as follows:
Eternal White Wine PR - £70.00
Eternal Red Wine PR - £75.00
Eternal Flute PR - £75.00
Eternal Tumbler PR - £70.00
Eternal 8” Footed Bowl - £110.00
Eternal 8” Vase - £110.00
Generic Votive - £40.00
Brilliance White Wine Pair - £70.00
Brilliance Red Wine PR - £75.00
Brilliance Flute PR - £75.00
Brilliance Tumbler PR - £70.00
Brilliance 11” Vase - £150.00
Brilliance 12” Bowl - £150.00
Set in the heart of London’s exclusive Mayfair district is the rather delightful Dorchester Hotel. This hotel is 5 stars all the way and is adorned with beautiful furnishings and incredibly polite staff. After a delightful cocktail at the bar we were taken to our table in the highly renowned Alain Ducasse restaurant which had been designed by Patrick Jouin.
Let’s spend a second on the design… it’s beautiful! Taking inspiration from Hyde Park opposite, Jouin has created an atmosphere that can only be described as tranquil. Using a mixture of greens, browns and creams combined with some extraordinary shapes, the entire restaurant oozes sophistication and class from the moment you enter its domain. The restaurant itself offers three areas of private dining, one of which is a truly ingenious centre stage within a fibre optic curtain that changes colour… it has to be seen to be truly appreciated.
Now to the service… as you’d expect with French dining the staff are incredibly professional and courteous. Not for one moment will your glass be left empty or your taste buds craving, the entire experience is just one of those things that has to be experienced to be enjoyed.
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Diva Beach is the latest ‘Boutique Club’ to open in the heart of London. Opening its doors to the public on the 26th September 2008, the club is inspired by Miami’s South Beach and is situated in the heart of Chelsea.
The interior design draws on influences from Miami’s 1930’s art deco style combined with a more sophisticated beach culture. As you can see from the piccies, it’s quite a venue!
Attention to detail is key here, even the mirrors have been hand selected to make divas look sun kissed and gorgeous! The materials chosen include a bespoke blend of iridescent mosaics, layers of shimmer fabrics, hand-finished polished plasters and glistening marbles.
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Riedel Crystal, the luxury Austrian tableware and stemware innovator has created three ultra-stylish new glass decanters, all inspired by some of the planet’s most graceful and elegant birds.
These new decanters are innovative and exceptional in both form and function. The new forms are mouth- and hand-blown lead crystal, which will help your wine to aerate and open up allowing the aromas and flavours to be fully appreciated. Young as well as old wines benefit from the process, and it’s not necessary to be a wine buff to appreciate the difference decanting a wine can make.
The Swan Decanter: (£240) Mouth-blown from lead crystal, wine is poured into the wider opening – the swan’s tail – which forms a natural handle, then pours into the glass from the long narrow neck. The Swan Decanter has been awarded Highly Commended Luxury Gift of the Year 2008.
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With the opportunity to trial the delights of the Mandeville Hotel (deVille restaurant) in London and its AA Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence (2008 ) we knew we were in for a right royal treat. We’d heard about the Mandeville’s unique decor designed by Stephen Ryan with its theatrical atmosphere, and as a creative person this is the sort of thing that really excites me I have to say!
Arriving promptly at 8pm we were immediately hit by the delicious decor of the hotel, coupled with its chic ambience. It was quieter than we thought it would be for a Thursday night, with just a handful of people enjoying the culinary delights on offer.
We started off the evening tasting a couple of their ‘melon cocktails’ which we have to say were divine. The service was outstanding from all the staff all night. We were seated in the restaurant and ordered our meals starting with the scallops and then on to the lamb rump which was cooked to perfection. We finished on the chocolate fondant which was probably one of the finest we have ever tasted (and we‘ve had a few!).
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