To coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight 2012, which runs from 27th February until 11th March and the launch of FAIR. Spirits, Lussorian attended the launch night at Searcy’s Club on top of The Gherkin in London.
Here we learnt about the world’s first premium fair trade spirits company and tasted some truly special cocktails from FAIR. Spirits.
During Fairtrade Fortnight 2012 cocktail mixologists throughout the city will be joining forces to raise money for fair trade. A whole host of clubs and bars will be serving up FAIR. Spirits cocktails, with £2 of each sold going towards Fairtrade Fortnight.
At the Gherkin, We were received by Paul Bungener UK Brand Ambassadeur from the Fair Trade Spirits Company. Paul is passionate about fair trade spirits and his passion was infectious throughout the evening, from meeting and greeting to enthusing about how he sees FAIR. Spirits growing in the future.
Mixologist, Boris Ivan (bar and club lounge manager at Le Meridien Piccadilly) worked tirelessly all evening keeping the many guest’s thirst quenched with a delightful choice of cocktails made from the FAIR. Spirit range of Quinoa Vodka, Goji Berry Liqueur and Café Liqueur.
My guest and I started with the Goji Berry cocktail – a delicious mix of Goji Berry Liqueur, Quinoa Vodka and fresh cranberry juice – topped with a tiny little dried rose! You can tell the quality of the FAIR. Spirits used – the taste was fresh and vibrant.
My guest, being a coffee lover, was keen to try the Café Liqueur cocktail – it went down a treat. The appearance in the cocktail glass looked just like a good coffee with a good creamy head! Served ice cold, with three coffee beans on top, it was very moreish!
I opted for another Goji Berry Liqueur as the taste was just so crisp! Canapés were served – a selection of Goji Berry jelly/mousse ‘spoons’ with FAIR. Spirits Quinoa Vodka shots – very contemporary.
Such a worthwhile event had to take place in a memorable venue – The Gherkin. From the moment we arrived in the plush foyer to the bar where the FAIR. Spirits event was hosted on the top (39th) floor it was pure indulgence.
Having gone through security on the ground floor we were whisked up to the 34th floor in a super-fast lift to the cloakrooms. We deposited our coats and took the ‘shuttle’ lift to the 39th floor – to the restaurant and bar. Searcy’s private member’s club is one of the very best in London and so too is its base here in The Gherkin.
Read more...
The “Location location location” of the Z Hotel could not get much better. This new concept boutique on a budget offering is in the heart of the West End in the very shadow of the Palace Theatre home to the new production of Singing in the Rain.
My guess is that the Z will have people singing its praises for plugging a gap in the Market for a cute, practical yet affordable place to stay in the city centre. This concept is set to touch down in hot spots around the UK with Victoria and downtown Liverpool next on the list.
The Z concept is capsule. The rooms call to mind ships’ cabins. The well thought out use of space is apparent in the design. Beds are on a ledge, which you won’t get to walk round and at the end is the TV. In my Queen size suite the shower and toilet were behind a stylish glass sliding door. All in grey, black and steel with the exception of the bright white of the basin and loo.
If you have the need to swing a cat this isn’t for you but if you’re passing though town for a couple of nights it is ideal.
Despite the dimensions you don’t get a sense of being rudely downsized. This place has style. The Z Hotel in Soho is fashioned out of two rows of town houses back to back. The space between the two buildings has been used to great advantage.
On the first floors there is an outdoor bar and smoking with seating and a parasol. Off at one end is a functional but funky feature, the spiral staircase, which climbs the full height of the building. This secret space lap-bang in bustling Soho is at once cute and yet uses the space to avoid the sense of being hemmed in.
Read more...
Whether you find cooking a challenge, want to be better at it or love it and want to know more then you may just want to read on…
Steven Kitchen is possibly the best cookery school around. This one man cheffing machine not only helps you organise your own cookery lesson at your house, but he encourages you to create a menu, sources the very best ingredients then turns up on your door to help you cook it!
Perfect for dinner parties or just spending time with friends or family, Steven is the perfect guide for cookery heaven as we recently found out for ourselves. Steven recently, kindly agreed to run a cookery lesson for my family. Now, we’re not a family that spends days and weeks together, we’re all busy people and rarely get to meet 4 times a year as a unit, so I jumped at the chance of having Steven come and teach us something useful and at the same time get to spend some QT time with the family.
Read more...
My colleague and I walked from Chancery Lane tube to the Volupté Lounge with a sense of anticipation and some trepidation. Neither of us knew what to expect from a ‘burlesque themed tea’, something we had not had the pleasure of before.
Following a warm greeting from the door staff, we were shown into the cocktail lounge, where a smooth talking barman was holding court. Refreshingly, gender stereotypes were turned on their head as we were the only two male clientele. We happily chatted to the other customers, keen to discover what attracted people to such an unusual afternoon tea experience. One answer is the fantastic cocktails - My colleague opted for a fruity and refreshing Chilean cocktail called ‘Passion Fruit Pisco Sour’. I opted for a hearty ‘Blood and Sand’, whipped up from a mixture of Black Grouse, Cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and orange juice. Both cost a fairly typical London cocktail price of £9 each.
Read more...
Just off Dean Street, in Soho, is one of London’s most exciting and vibrant cocktail bars – the Zenna Bar.
The Zenna bar is London’s first and most ground breaking Indian inspired cocktail bars. The bar offers drinks which blend classic techniques with eastern flavours, spices and tastes. Ingredients ranging from Chai Tea, to the humble chilli, to the ominous “Secret Spicy Sauce”, all add up to a drinks list with a real difference. The Indian theme is carried through with a gorgeous selection of bar snacks, which complement the spiced cocktails perfectly. Furthermore, there is no entrance fee and no cloakroom – just great drinks, great atmosphere and a great night.
Read more...
