By Chrissy Iley Sunset Plaza -mainly for nostalgic reasons is still one of my favourite places in LA. It is rather like the Kings Road had its grooviness in the sixties, Sunset Plaza had its grooviness in the nineties but it’s still a beautiful … [Read more...]
REVIEW: LORD WARGRAVE
By Hannah Fox This past Monday night, my friends and I wanted to end our first day of school with a glass or two of wine and a bite to eat. As we're still getting used to the Marylebone neighbourhood, we settled on the pub across the way from our … [Read more...]
THE BOTANIST, SLOANE SQUARE
by Chrissy Iley The Botanist at Sloane Square is a busy, pretty restaurant. It could be one of those ladies who lunch places but it is not, it is better than that. They clearly paid great attention to detail, to who their customer should be … [Read more...]
TRAVEL: FRED’S AT BARNEY’S, NEW YORK + LA
by Chrissy Iley For me Barney's New York IS New York. It is so quintessentially Manhattan. And Barney's seems such a perfect metaphor for the city; it is edgy, it is chic, beautiful and busy and always with a high fashion content. When I … [Read more...]
TRAVEL: SPICE AFFAIR, BEVERLEY HILLS
by Chrissy Iley Brits in LA are always saying it. The one thing they miss about Blighty is that you can’t get a good curry. I crave curry. I crave Indian food. It’s my go-to comfort. If you go randomly to a curry house in Britain the … [Read more...]
NOT STAYING IN: ROKA
by Brooke Varney Roka in Aldwych. We must admit, as much as we love traditional English pub faire and pizza, sometimes it's nice to branch out and try something a little exotic. Situated on Charlotte Street, in Canary Wharf, Mayfair, and a brand … [Read more...]
NOT STAYING IN: HAKKASAN
by Chrissy Iley I remember years ago stumbling across a basement restaurant tucked away in a tiny street in London. Hanway Place had nothing elegant about it until Hakkasan arrived. It was Chinese food that was distinctive, clean, modern and … [Read more...]
DINING OUT: THE FULHAM WINE ROOMS
by Annie Vischer I'd like to begin this by saying that this review is inspired by one darned beautiful visit to a little location I knew very well but hadn't ventured into before. The visit did not come about via a press invitation, or the … [Read more...]
GLAM GETAWAY: ODYSSEY AT METROPOLE
With a sparkling blue pool, tranquil terrace seating and food by Michelin starred chef Joël Robuchon all enclosed in a custom space designed by Karl Lagerfeld, Odyssey at Monaco's Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo is a spectacular place to drink and dine … [Read more...]
THE SLEEP OF DREAMS AT THE CORINTHIA
by Chrissy Iley I have spent a lot of my life undervaluing the importance of sleep and now I’m plagued by constant jet lag. I never have enough of it. When I head about The Sumptuous Sleep Retreat at the Corinthia Hotel I was bordering on … [Read more...]
SEASIDE NOSTALGIA: THE GRAND BRIGHTON HOTEL & SPA
by Annie Vischer I have always loved the seaside. Always. As a little girl, Filey was my family's beach of choice. We'd stay in an apartment in the big, cream, Regency buildings that overlooked pretty and beautifully tended gardens, and spend … [Read more...]
HARTSHEAD: THE GREY OX INN
by Debbie Djordjevic Being sent to Yorkshire to review a restaurant or two is nothing but a pleasure. Forget the stereotypes of whippets, flat-caps and wellies, this county has brilliant bars and clubs in it's towns and cities, and fabulous … [Read more...]
Shila, Tel Aviv
by Chrissy Iley I woke up thinking about tahini panna cotta with sesame crumbles and black cherry sorbet. It may well have been the best tahini panna cotta I’ve tasted – actually it’s the only tahini panna cotta. In Israel the tahini is not just … [Read more...]
Machneyuda
by Chrissy Iley No one can have missed the fact that Israeli/Levant cuisine is the business right now. Ottolenghi, Nopi and Honey & Co are the restaurants in London where you have to beg to get tables. They are all about quality ingredients … [Read more...]
Prado, Los Angeles
by Chrissy Iley When I first started coming to Los Angeles I used to go to the Ivy on Robertson and the Ivy At The Shore in Santa Monica. They very much embraced a time. They were the hippest and coolest restaurants of their day – delicious food and … [Read more...]
Star-studded Dining: Craig’s LA
by Chrissy Iley Last night I was invited to Craig’s LA. I’d been there once before in Oscar week and it was a mass of table-hopping celebrities. Weirdly I’d assumed that was a one off, but last night it was Craig’s birthday. I’m not sure if it was … [Read more...]
Casa Negra To Open
You may not have to enter through a Soho sex shop, but don't let that put you off the newly launched younger sibling of 2012's London hotspot, La Bodega Negra, because Casa Negra is set to be equally as delicious, fun-loving and … [Read more...]
Sunday Jazz at Le Caprice
by John Gregory Smith Le Caprice, my favourite restaurant in London, has announced dates for its fabulous Sunday Night Jazz sessions, lead by the renowned Gregory Davis on sax, Sandy Burnett on double bass and the melody of Sally Rowley on … [Read more...]
Balthazar London
by John Gregory Smith One of my favourite New York restaurants, Balthazar, has opened up in Covent Garden, on the corner of Russell Street and Wellington Street, just across from The Royal Opera House. Founder, Keith McNally has endeavoured to … [Read more...]
Cook It Like Beckham
We all know David Beckham can do pretty much anything he pleases. I mean that face alone could move mountains. And don't even get us started on his abs. . . And now that the Beckhams are relocating to London, an easy commute to his new placement … [Read more...]
HKK
by John Gregory Smith If you do just one thing this month you should check out the slick new restaurant from the mighty mighty Hakkasan Group. HKK launched at the end of last year in the City, with head chef, Michelin-starred, Tong Chee Hwee at the … [Read more...]
The Electric Diner
by John Gregory Smith The Electric Brassiere suffered a minor set back earlier this year. Having been burnt down, I am happy to say that the company has come back fighting and opened the Electric Diner - a vaulted, American style diner with an … [Read more...]
Joshua Tree, California
by Chrissy Iley For a long time I thought there was only one Joshua Tree: the one that appeared on the cover of the U2 album. It never occurred to me that there was a desert and a park where there were Joshua trees. They are rather nice, … [Read more...]
Chapters of Blackheath
by Chrissy Iley I once had thrice cooked chips in Chapters of Blackheath and I had declared them the best chips in the world – perfectly brown and crisp on the outside and gorgeously creamy fluffy tasty cosy on the inside. I’d had this chip … [Read more...]