< PreviousPERDEZ-VOUS DANS LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE AVEC LE DOUX PARFUM DES FRAMBOISES FRAÎCHES VENANT DE LA CUISINEPERDEZ-VOUS DANS LA BIBLIOTHÈQUE AVEC LE DOUX PARFUM DES FRAMBOISES FRAÎCHES VENANT DE LA CUISINEPOIVRE ROSE FRAIS ÉCRASÉ SERVI AVEC CHAQUE COURSLA BIBLIOTHÈQUE EST UN CHAUD CRÉMEUXPATCHOULIKENSINGTONHaving opened in 2003, the Science Museum’s Dana House may not possess the historic elegance of some of our other hidden favourites, but as a true bastion of thought and reason it’s got the kind of time-honoured Enlightenment values that really matter. As well as having one of the best-stocked libraries in town, Dana House is a veritable hub of robust intellectual progress: because behind the building’s architecturally directional façade you’ll find its regular evening lectures and seminars are the ideal forum for stimulating and rigorous debate. Just the tonic in trying times like these, wouldn’t you say? After all, society shouldn’t live on gossip alone – however delicious it may be.Yes, many of London’s largest and best loved museums are in Kensington. And yes, we dearly love those grand old dames. But one does tire rather of the incessant queuing that inevitably accompanies any visit to the Natural History Museum: to say nothing of the clamouring of small children, darling though they may be. For something a little different we propose the former home of artist Frederic, Lord Leighton. A sumptuous palace built to Leighton’s own design, the museum’s interior alone, with its eclectic, Arabic-inflected design, would certainly warrant a visit – even if it weren’t stuffed to the rafters with the work of Leighton’s esteemed contemporaries and innumerable classical treasures from around the globe. A little like Penhaligon’s, Leighton House is an example of enduring Victorian vision at its very best.POLISH HEARTH CLUB18 STAFFORD TERRACELEIGHTON HOUSEDANA HOUSE21WWW.PENHALIGONS.COMWhat were we saying earlier about the best Martini in London? Well, we can assure you it won’t be found in the contrived darkness of a Shoreditch “speakeasy”, nor in the company of egregious selfie-takers on a chilly skyscraper’s rooftop bar. Instead try South Kensington’s Ognisko Polskie. This little-know restaurant and bar was founded in the late 1930s as a sophisticated hub for London’s burgeoning Polish community. True to its heritage, the Hearth continues to serve distinguished Poles, and their distinguished guests, with delectably meaty morsels invariably washed down with the city’s very best Martinis – ice-cold Polish vodka, plenty of olives and the merest snifter of vermouth, naturally. The surroundings are aristocratic, the staff impeccably turned-out and the atmosphere resolutely old-Eastern Europe: what could be better? Na zdrowie – or, chin, chin, to you and me.When William Penhaligon opened shop in 1870, his rarefied patrons would’ve turned to one magazine for their weekly shot of scathing society satire: Punch. With its withering depictions of the good and the great, Punch quite literally invented the political cartoon as we know it today, and Edward Linley Sambourne was one of its wittiest illustrators. Nonetheless, his posthumous reputation may have dimmed had his Kensington home, a sterling example of upper-middle class Victorian domesticity, not been lovingly and completely preserved by subsequent generations of Sambournes. Like, one imagines, the fashionably gelatinous meat dishes served at the Sambourne’s elegant dinner parties, each and every room here, each picture frame and drawing room table, is perfectly preserved as if floating in protective aspic: a fascinating time capsule and undoubtedly one of Kensington’s most uncanny treasures.As important as they are, London’s most valuable secrets aren’t to be found in its historic gardens, grand galleries or charming back-streets, but in the lives and minds of its citizens. We believe George VI may have been on to something when he proclaimed: “It is not the walls that make the city, but the people who live within them.” Londoners, in their brilliant variety and dissimilitude, are the lifeblood of this fair metropolis. And, in fast times like these, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate those Londoners still doing things the old-fashioned way. From the fine chocolatier to the walking-stick maker, these are the unsung custodians of heritage: they work tirelessly to ensure the city’s reputation for fine goods and fine service remains without equal across the world. So, the very least we can do is raise a glass to them. Salute!ERSKIT CLANCY IS A DISTILLER AT SIPSMITH LONDONKIT, WE’RE DYING TO KNOW HOW ONE CAN FIND THEMSELVES WORKING IN THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF GIN.I came into the spirits industry the long way around, starting off working with wine where I trained my palate and gained experience in production. After becoming inspired by Sam, Fairfax and Jared’s mission to bring the distilling of gin back to London, I joined as a trainee under the mentorship of our Head Distiller, Oliver Kitson.HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING AT SIPSMITH?It’s very nearly my two year anniversary at Sipsmith and I’ll be sure to celebrate it with a Martini or two!TAKE US THROUGH YOUR AVERAGE DAY.I’m responsible for the daily running of the distillery and ensuring that only gin of uncompromising quality makes it into our bottles. A typical day begins with getting our three copper stills (Prudence, Patience and Constance) up and running, with the distillation process taking around 9 hours per batch, plus maceration time. The way we make our gin is very hands-on and so we have built up a strong team of distillers to ensure someone is always on hand to tweak something during the process, if required. I also assist Oliver in creating new products and liaising with suppliers: for example discussing harvest reports for the next juniper crop.TELL US SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT SIPSMITH.You can come and visit us and sample our gin in the very building in which it’s made!AND WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE DISTILLERY?There are always new and exciting gins being created in our Distillery Lab which people can get their hands on through our Sipsmith Sipping Society. Each quarter, we bottle and release our favourite four recent experimental creations. A few of my favourites have included Bonfire Gin and Beekeeper Gin; the former is smoked with cherry wood, and the latter distilled with sage, orange blossom and infused with Bell Heather Honey from our friends at The London Honey Company. ADAM LEE IS THE HEAD CHOCOLATIER/BRAND AMBASSADOR AT CHARBONNEL ET WALKERADAM, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH CHARBONNEL ET WALKER?7 years as Head Chocolatier but I have been with the company for 20 years.WE IMAGINE ONE CAN’T EAT CHOCOLATE ALL THE TIME, SO WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THE REST OF THE DAY?This really depends on where I am. If I am at the store, I work on link-ups and collaborations with brands and other companies. We also have events to plan as well as reviewing sales across the stores. All in all, it's a busy time.On other days, I am arm-deep in chocolate or going out to visit stores or new companies. If I am overseas, I go into full ambassador role – overseeing Christmas in department stores in Europe and USA. I check store set-ups and ensure that everyone is happy with products, store collateral and that they are fully versed in all things Charbonnel et Walker!WHAT’S THE MOST JOYOUS THING ABOUT YOUR WORK?I love it when I am in a store and someone comes in and asks for advice. The best part is seeing them taste the chocolate for the first time and watching their reaction. It makes me smile. And you always get some form of noise – a squeal or a yum. It makes my day!WE KNOW THE CHOCOLATES ARE DIVINE: BUT WHAT MIGHT WE NOT KNOW ABOUT CHARBONNEL ET WALKER?We are the oldest company trading on Bond Street and we have done so since 1875. We are also a Royal Warrant holder and supply the Queen with chocolates. Before we had our factory, our chocolates were made in store. They used to put them on the roof of the building to dry! And of course, all our recipes are true to Madame Charbonnel’s originals. WORDS BYNAME HERE22LEON THOMSIDE IS AN UMBRELLA AND WALKING STICK MAKER AT JAMES SMITH & SONS UMBRELLAS MORNING, LEON. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE COMPANY AND HOW DID YOU END UP MAKING BROLLYS? I have been at James Smith & Sons for 16 years. I was already trained in wood veneering and cabinetry but I trained on the job to be able to make umbrellas and walking sticks. I learnt from the man who was retiring, just as he had done before me. These skills are handed down from generation to generation.DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY, IF THERE IS SUCH A THING? No two days are alike. Sometimes I’m working on making umbrellas, all of which are different – some are hard wood and some have silver or gold details – and other times I’m repairing them. I work a 38 hour week and it’s always different.WHAT IS THE FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR JOB?I enjoy the process of making things with my hands and also I love it when a customer has bought my umbrella. They are walking off with something I have made and I get a good feeling from that. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE AN UMBRELLA?Umbrellas take an hour or more to make. It takes longer if you are using hard wood or if the umbrella has extra detailing.I AM SURE MOST PEOPLE WILL KNOW ABOUT JAMES SMITH & SONS UMBRELLAS BUT IS THERE A FACT OR TWO THAT YOU THINK WILL BLOW OUR SOCKS OFF?A James Smith umbrella is for life. Once you have bought one it will last you 50 or 60 years. We repair and recover for free and if you look after it well, you can pass it on to your children.AS SUCH AN ESTEEMED BRAND, YOU MUST HAVE HAD SOME ESTEEMED CLIENTS IN YOUR TIME?All our clients are special to us but some past clients include Lord Curzon and William Gladstone. We have also made umbrellas for films and TV shows. We often don’t know the film when they enquire as film companies use working titles. They filmed within the store and bought umbrellas for Spook the movie. We also made umbrellas for Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence with David Walliams.IAN KIDD IS THE HOTEL MANAGER AT THE SAVOYIAN, HOW DID YOU END UP MANAGING OUR FAVOURITE HOTEL?I started off working in a variety of kitchens and trained as a chef for seven years. I knew then that I had a love and passion for the hospitality business as a whole and not just the food element. I moved on from working in restaurants to become the assistant manager of Claridge’s hotel. I was there for 10 years covering all areas of hotel management which was invaluable experience. I then moved over to The Mandarin Oriental in Paris where I was Director of Guest Services. I now speak competent French and have gained a great insight into a different approach to hospitality. I saw and experienced a new and different mind-set and methodology. It was a big risk but one that really paid off! When the opportunity to work with The Savoy came up, I grabbed it. It felt as if I was coming home. Dare we ask HOW BUSY THINGS GET…? All I can say is that there is a lot of fighting over my diary! But I always put time in my schedule to be on the floor and meeting with guests. It is vital that I pass on my passion to those working in all parts of the hotel and I also learn a lot about customers from being on the front desk and walking the floor. I would say I would average 12 hours per day. In theory, the festive season is our busiest time. It is a 50:50 split between rooms and venue. From the first week of November until 3rd January, it is on another level. Every part of the hotel is buzzing. It is definitely the most tiring but also the most rewarding time of year. THE SAVOY HAS PLAYED HOST TO ALL MANNER OF GREAT NAMES, HASN'T IT?I imagine most would not be surprised to hear that our present monarch, Her Majesty the Queen, has been a valued customer. However, it was when she was still in line to the throne and single that she and her sister Princess Margaret would come to the hotel to enjoy its nightly dinner, dancing and cabaret. Princess Elizabeth was photographed at a reception in the River Room, standing next to a tall, blond naval officer; this was the first public inkling that the princess had a beau. This was Prince Philip of Greece.Claude Monet is famed for many images of French society and his beautiful water lilies. Some might not know that he also painted many scenes from London. These were mostly the Thames and its bridges and the palace of Westminster. Monet resided at the Savoy from mid-September to early November 1899. He stayed in two rooms on the sixth floor – 641 and 642 (now Suite 618: The Monet Suite) – one for himself, and the other was used as a studio. All its furniture had to be removed so that he could paint freely. He came back on two more occasions (February 1900 and January 1901) to complete his paintings and continued to work on them in France after his return.RICHARD HAWARD IS THE OWNER OF RICHARD HAWARD OYSTERS YOU’RE A 7TH GENERATION OYSTERMAN: WERE YOU ALWAYS DESTINED TO JOIN THE FAMILY TRADE?I used to work with my dad while I was at school during the holidays and on Saturdays. I didn’t have to get a paper round as I had this ready-made job. My dad didn’t want me to be an oysterman; its hard work now but it used to be much harder. He wanted me to get a less arduous job where I would wear a shirt and tie and get a pension at the end of it!FORTUNATELY FOR US YOU, YOU IGNORED HIS ADVICE! YOUR FAMILY'S BUSINESS SOUNDS FASCINATING...We can trace our family records to the 1790 and have a leather-bound pocket account book which shows that my grandfather (many times over) came to London to sell oysters – we presume at Billingsgate but we don’t know that level of detail.We’ve also found more evidence that a representative from the family business came to London in the 1750’s. Our link with London goes back over 250 years.My grandfather bought a piece of seabed off the coast of Mersea Island in Essex and had worked this for many years until it was passed on to my father. We own it still. This doesn’t happen very often, but in our case, there was a long history of oyster cultivation in our family, so we were able to buy it. Normally the seabed is owned by the crown or other corporations etc.HOW MUCH DOES THE ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ON OYSTERS?The great freeze of 1963 had a massive impact on the East Coast and most of the oysters were killed. Many areas never recovered but Mersea kept going. To help boost numbers, we brought oysters in from Cornwall and the Solent. Disease has affected us as well, in particular through the 1980s, which nearly wiped out our oysters. The oysters would spawn and grow to a certain size but died before they reached market size.Since the 1980s it has taken a long time to rebuild the number of oysters. We have to work with nature.AN OYSTERMAN ARISES EARLY, I IMAGINE?This really depends on the tides and the time of year. It can be 4am or 5am in the summertime. We go out and pick the oysters by hand and always say you have to treat them like eggs. They are then sashed, graded and put in a depuration tank for two days to clean them thoroughly. We pack them tightly in wooden boxes to keep the oysters moist and so they can’t open. They keep well like this as long as there are no extremes of temperature. This sort of work takes until lunch time but there are always things to do.If we are doing deliveries to Billingsgate and our London wholesalers, we have to leave as early as we can in the early morning to get the deliveries done before London wakes up.HOW DO YOU THINK THE FAMILY FIRM WILL EVOLVE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION? We will continue to grow and sell oysters and we might have to make some form of oyster product. We might think about ways to make oysters more appealing to those who have never tried them. Watch this space!I am the seventh oysterman in my family and it won’t stop there. My son, Bram, is the eighth generation oysterman. He will carry on running the boat. My daughter, Caroline, currently runs the Company Shed on Mersea with my wife. She will probably take over the running of the business in general.WHAT’S THE BEST MEMORY YOU HAVE OF LONDON?Driving through London in the very early mornings in the 1980s. It was quiet!WWW.PENHALIGONS.COMPenhaligon’s Stres WorldwideAVENTURAAventura Mall 19501 Biscayne BlvdAventura, Fl 33180BANGKOK689 Emquartier Shopping Center Sukhumvit road, Klongton-nuaWattana, Bangkok, 10110CENTURY CITYWestfield Century City Mall10250 Santa Monica BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90027DUBAIDubai Mall, Dubai, 113444HONOLULU, HAWAIIInternational Marketplace 417 Nohonani Street Honolulu, HI 96815HONG KONGIfc Mall1 Harbour View StreetCentral, Hong KongHONG KONGHarbour CityGateway Arcade, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong KongMACAUShoppes at Four Seasons,Cotai Strip, MacauMILANVia Brera 5, 20121 MilanMANHATTAN, NEW YORKRockefeller Centre620 5th Avenue, New York, tara@represent.uk.com MANHATTAN, NEW YORKWorld Trade Center 185 Greenwich St New York, NY 10007PARAMUS, NEW JERSEYWestfield Garden State Plaza 1 Garden State Plaza Blvd Paramus, NJ 07652PARIS34 rue des Francs Bourgeois 75003, ParisBLUEWATERBluewater Pkwy, Greenhithe London, DA9 9ST BURLINGTON ARCADE16-17 Burlington Arcade Piccadilly, London, W1J 0PLCAMBRIDGE22 St Andrew’s Street, Grand Arcade, Cambridge,CB2 3BJCANARY WHARFCabot Place Canary wharf London, E14 4QSCHESTER22 Eastgate Row South Chester, CH1 1lFCOVENT GARDEN41 Wellington Street Covent Garden, LondonWC2E 7BNCOVENT GARDEN PIAZZA13 Market Building, The Piazza Covent Garden, LondonWC2E 8RBEDINBURGH33 George Street Edinburgh, EH2 2HNFORTNUM & MASON181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ERHARRODSBrompton Road London, W1A 1ABISLINGTON112 Islington High Street Islington, London, N1 8EGKINGS ROAD132 Kings Road Chelsea, London, SW3 4TRLEEDS 5 Queen Victoria Street, Leeds, LS1 6BEMAYFAIR20a Brook Street Mayfair, London, W1K 5DEREGENT STREET125 Regent Street, London W1B 4HTROYAL EXCHANGE4 Royal Exchange Cornhill, London EC3V 3LLWESTFIELDSUnit SU1212A, Level 40, Westfield, Ariel Way London, W12 7GFINTERNATIONALPARIS209 rue Saint Honoré 75001, ParisSAN FRANCISCOSan Francisco Center 865 Market StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103SHORT HILLS, NEW JERSEYThe Mall at Short Hills 1200 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills, New Jersey, NJ 07078SINGAPOREION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn,Singapore 238801 SINGAPOREMarina Bay Sands, The Shoppes, 10 Bayfront Avenue,Singapore 018956STANFORD151 Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto, CA 94304TAIWANBreeze Xin Yi 2/FNo. 68, Section 5Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City 11065WWW.PENHALIGONS.COMUNITED KINGDOMNext >