(Things we're doing and stuff we like)
Recently I visited the Loire Valley in France and stayed at Manoirs des Rosiers. Run by Rosemary & Richard Conquest, who until last year ran a beautiful French antiques shop in Angel, this is an exceptional Gite and B&B. The property is a 15th-18th Century Manor House, with a stunning interior, full of antique furniture with 3 bedrooms and a fabulous rustic kitchen. A self-contained Gite comprises a beautiful living area and 2 bedrooms; there are stunning outbuildings and grounds with a heated pool, ducks and chickens and fruit trees galore. Close to Tours Airport/ Prices from €80 a night – You cannot afford to miss this gem.
We joined Wallpaper* magazine this week who hosted a champagne reception to welcome the new Editor, Tony Chambers at the eagerly awaited new hotel, the Haymarket Hotel. Designed by Kit Kemp, the hotel is a series of stunning spacious rooms, each with an individual look and style. Our favourite space was the azure swimming pool with adjacent bar.
If you’re crossing Waterloo Bridge over the next two months I urge you to examine London’s new and somewhat ominous skyline. Staring down from 15 iconic buildings thirty 8ft steel statues stare at the Hayward Gallery. Anthony Gormley’s new exhibition opened today and it’s as ethereal inside as out. Whether you’re blindly stumbling in a box of thick mist, marvelling at silhouettes fashioned by steel spikes, or cautiously gazing out at the uninterrupted view of steel bodies, this exhibition demands you ask questions about yourself and art.
I have loved Maarten Bass since I saw his collection of furniture which he had customised with a flame thrower. These are now produced by Moooi and a special series has even been done for the Moss gallery in New York. This year, Bass builds on the sense of play evident in his clay furniture series with a collection of ‘wonky’ tables, chairs and a wardrobe. These pieces look like they have been meticulously carved out of wood but in fact they are actually shaped from metal sheets then delicately veneered in Walnut. These will undoubtedly go the same way as Bass’s other collections and become much sought after pieces. Maarten keep up the good work!
It’s not every day that one tries a £125-per-bottle wine but a new concept is making this possible. Buy a smart card for £10 or up, grab a tasting glass, put the card in the machine and press a button to choose what you want to sample, try the wine, spit or swallow. I went with friends last night and tried a couple; we paid £5 to taste a £125 Chateau Montrose 2003 and enjoyed trying other reds. We ended up buying a bottle – and having had sampled our vino, we knew we liked it. There are 80 wines to try and the varieties are rotated. Unless I win the lottery, The Sampler in Islington may be the only way I’ll ever experience a £699 bottle of wine.
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