the magazine - The Kensington Magazine

Kensington
MAGAZINE
THE
July/August 2015
ISSN 2058-2226
SPORT IN KENSINGTON
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THE
Kensington
&rontCover:
Member of the Kensington Cricket Club
IllustraƟonbyCharlesYorke
MAGAZINE
With summer upon us and outdoor activities at a peak, sport in
Kensington can be surprisingly varied. Jenny proves this in her
article ‘Hustling in Holland Park’ and Maria describes the history
of our own Kensington Cricket Club.
With music, exhibitions and shows at Leighton House, Kensington
Palace, Thackeray Gallery, Cadogan Hall and the Duke of York
Square in Chelsea, there is plenty to do and see over the summer.
Please see the What’s On pages and support all these local events.
Royal Historic Palaces are publishing an updated history of
Kensington Palace and are seeking memories from any residents
who may be able to share them. Please see page 18 for more
information.
LucyllioƩ,ditor
(Hair by Toby @ Anthony Fletcher Hair)
We will return in September and wish you and your families a
wonderful summer break,
Lucy
CONTENTS
History of Kensington: Hustling in Holland Park
Maria Perry: The Kensington Cricket Club
Out of Kensington: Hotel La Tremoille, Paris
Kensington News:
Restaurant Review: Camo Lario
ookReview:TheMortdecaiYuartet,byKyrilonĮglioli
Get Well Spoon: Watermelon Soup
What’s On:
SmallodždverƟsements: 6
8
10/11
12/14/18
22
24
26
28/29
ϯ0
GET IN TOUCH
EDITOR & PHOTOGRAPHY:LucyMEllioƩeditor@thekensingtonmagazine.com
0203 667 8762 07921 558520
PUBLISHER: The Kensington Magazine Ltd
WEBSITE:www.thekensingtonmagazine.comͮwww.lucyellioƩphotography.com
CONTRIBUTORS
:ennyDavisͲPeccoud,AleƩaRichie,sictoriaONeil,ElizabethReid,&Įona,Maria
Perry and Charles Yorke
t: KensingtonMag
Read by 34,500 residents and businesses each month. The magazine is also available
atWhole&oods,Sainsbury’sLocal,RBKCLibrary,Waitrose,Waterstones,sirgin,Marks
& Spencers, St Mary Abbots, St George’s Church, The Royal Garden Hotel, The
Milestone Hotel, Peter Jones in Sloane Square and many other smaller outlets in W8.
WhilsteverycarehasbeentakentoensurethatthedatainthispublicaƟonisaccurate,neitherthepublishernortheeditor,notitseditorialcontributorscan
accept,andherebydisclaim,anyliabilitytoanypartyforomissionsresulƟngfromnegligence,accidentoranyothercause.Allartworkisacceptedonthestrict
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withinthispublicaƟon.Allrightsreserved.NopartofthispublicaƟonmaybereproduced,withoutpriorpermissionofTheKensingtonMagazineLtd.
4
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5
Hidden Kensington:
Hustling in Holland Park
Some call Holland Park the most romantic park in London, well suited to leisurely strolls arm-in-arm with a lover.
Local resident Jenny Davis-Peccoud discovers the park’s other side – a haven for sports fans of all varieties.
Football
Everyone knows you can play football in Holland Park.
The park’s great south lawn is often filled with players
chasing after a white ball in accordance with rules first
set down in 1863. The 11-a-side grass pitch can be
booked out for £90 per game (a 2-hour booking). That
makes it cheaper per person than 2 hours in the pub.
The park also offers junior grass football pitches.
Cricket
Despite being the world’s second most popular sport,
cricket in Holland Park is more expensive than
football, at £71.40 per hour. Maybe that’s because it’s
offered mainly in the summer, with the law of supply
and demand kicking in. At least there’s no
facilities for netball, a ball sport played by two teams of
seven players developed in England in the 1890s. As
with cricket, netball is most popular in Commonwealth
nations. In Holland Park you can book the facilities
(four courts in total) for just £24/hour, or £27 with
floodlights. Adult and junior coaching is less than £10
per hour.
Golf?!
Seriously, Holland Park has 5 bays for driving practice.
Unlit, unheated and “no frills” according to one
website, it’s still amazing to be able to practice this
sport in such a space-constrained setting. Especially at
£5.20 per hour. You can sign up for the Holland Park
Golf School for professional instruction and they
Informal football at Holland Park (Image: Lucy Elliott)
time constraint (other than your pocketbook). Three
practice nets are also available for hire, and junior
sessions are a relative bargain at just half the price.
Tennis
The park has six tennis courts available for hire. Offpeak rates (12-3pm) are £5 per hour, with charges of
£7.80 per hour for regular times and £11 per hour with
floodlights (for those busy professionals stuck in an
office during daylight hours). If you need a pick-meup from your leisurely stroll, you can hire a racket
on the spot. Junior times and equipment available.
You can also arrange for a coach for yourself or your
children.
Netball
You might need a coach to avail yourself of the park’s
6
have even installed a putting green.
Petanque
Petanque (also known as boules) can be played with
a minimum of two players. The aim is to roll your
balls closest to the jack (a small wooden ball), and of
course dislodge your competitors’ balls in the process.
Hundreds of thousands of Frenchmen can’t be wrong,
so it’s worth trying this out. There is no charge for the
court, nor for the equipment which you can borrow for
a small deposit.
Strolling or hustling… with facilities like these, you can
take your pick!
Contact the Sports Booking Office 020 7602 2226 or
email sportsbooking@rbkc.gov.uk to reserve your spot
today!
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7
The Kensington Cricket Club
By Maria Perry and Charles Yorke
'Cricket may be called the national pastime of the
English summer', stated the Encyclopaeda Britannica
confidently in 1910. The Oval was founded in 1882
and Old Trafford followed in 1884, but cricket has been
played in England since the reign of Edward I.
Illustrations in the British Library and the Bodleian
show teams of monks enjoying the game; usually
they hold curved bats. By Edward III's reign, it was
denounced as 'a dishonourable sport',
which lured men away from archery,
needed for fighting the French. Fines of
£10 and two years' imprisonment were
imposed on anyone allowing cricket on
their land, but the game persisted.
By 1849 after some riotous parties, the Club was
dissolved. Cricket was played informally, but the Club
was never re-formed until 1973. Its headquarters soon
became the Britannia pub in Allen Street. In 1982
it was officially christened 'The Kensington Cricket
Club'. Under the captaincy of Sunil Amar it prospered,
eventually acquiring a magnificent coat of arms,
boasting a fleur de lys and a celestial crown 'gules on
gold', with the intrepid motto, Quid nobis ardui?
By Queen Anne's reign it was legalised
and declared 'a very manly game'.
George III's father, Frederick Prince of
Wales became Captain of the Surrey
Cricket Team. Suddenly it was a sport
for gentlemen. The Marylebone Cricket
Club (MCC) was founded. They used
the Old Artillery Ground. The first rules
were devised in 1744. Regulations about
stumps and bails came later. Soon the
esoteric jargon of cricketing - 'silly mid
off ' and 'a maiden over' became part
of our language. Happily it still is, but
here in Kensington cricket has had a
chequered history.
In 1848 four gentlemen met at 17 Earls Terrace, the
home of Mr Pickering-Clark, to discuss forming a
Cricket Club. Mrs Johnson of Holland Farm let her
field to them for £15 a year. The subscription was one
guinea a year and the rules declared that a fine of 2s
6d should be imposed on any player, who left before
the end of the game without supplying a stand-in. The
season started in June; it was decreed members should
not smoke while playing.
8
What is hard for us? The Kensington team played
against many elevens - the Datchet II, the Battersea
Ironsides III and the Old Merchant Taylors. Teams
had wonderful names. One match is listed as the
Brompton Boilers vs The International Dish Covers!
If you are interested in joining or learning more about
the Kensington Cricket Club, please see
www.kensingtoncricketclub.com
9
Out of Kensington
Hotel La Tremoille, PARIS
By Lucy Elliott
I am never quite sure why people fly to Paris, when
Eurostar is so convenient, not least to mention quick,
especially from Kensington. Premium Standard offers
wide seats, snack meal accompanied by wine, tea and
coffee. The fields of England and France pass by in a
jiffy and within 2.15 hours you are in Paris.
Once you have arrived, and taken a short metro
trip, there is the 5* Hotel La Tremoille situated in
the ‘Golden Triangle’ between Avenue George V,
the Champs Elysees and Avenue Montaigne, where,
in addition to the top end retailers, are also many
restaurants – modern, traditional (Belle Epoque style),
expensive and otherwise.
The hotel was built in the Haussmann style in 1883 and
was originally a private home. It is an architecturally
grand building. In the 1960s both Louis Armstrong
and Duke Ellington stayed there, placing the hotel in
the centre of Jazz life in Paris, where every June/July
the Paris Jazz Festival is held.
It well known that hotel rooms in Paris are
characteristically small (indeed some are tiny). We
were lucky enough to have a room at the top of the
hotel, overlooking the Golden Triangle complete with
two ceiling height French windows leading onto an
original wrought iron balcony and from which, armed
with Gin and Tonics at night, we could see the sun
going down. One unusual feature of the room was
that it had its own service hatch, so breakfast could be
sent to the room without staff intruding. Although the
hotel is so centrally placed it sits in a quiet street and
also offers a spa and wellness centre.
The restaurant, ‘Louis’, on a Monday evening, was (as
befalls most hotel restaurants) rather quiet, which was
a shame as the tuna tartar with avocado mousse was
excellent, as was the risotto and guinea fowl breast.
So what’s to do in Paris? Well being so central – only a
few minutes walk from the Champs Elysees and hence
the Metro it is easy to be anywhere within a short
space of time. Shopping is an obvious pastime, a boat
trip down the Seine affords an excellent way to see the
highlights of Paris from the river frontage and learn
The 1883 Haussmann facade of the Hotel La Tremoille in the Golden Triangle of Paris (Image: Lucy Elliott)
10
Bedroom featuring the double height French windows onto the balcony (Image: Lucy Elliott)
about its history. A particular recommendation and
despite having visited Paris many times previously, we
had never visited, was the Ile St Louis – a delightful,
authentic village built in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Comprising narrow one way streets, two bus stops
and no metro, it is a residential village with beautiful
traditional architecture and small shops (mostly selling
ice cream or home made chocolates).
With the speed of Eurostar and the centrality of the
hotel, even a short break in Paris can seem like a true
holiday.
Lucy and Stephen were guests of Eurostar and Hotel La
Tremoille
Travel Information:
La Trémoille, 14, rue de la Trémoille, 75008 Paris,
Rates start from €360 (£256) per room per night
including a continental breakfast and wi-fi. For further
information or to book visit www.hotel-tremoille.com
or call +33 156521400.
Eurostar operates up to 18 daily services from London
St Pancras International to Paris Gare Du Nord with
return fares from £69.
www.eurostar.com/ or 03432 186186
View from the balcony overlooking the
Golden Triangle (Image: Lucy Elliott)
Fast and convenient check-in – passengers are
requested to arrive only 30 minutes before departure
The extra baggage allowance you get on Eurostar vs
planes (Eurostar offers each person 2 bags/suitcases
and 1 piece hand luggage)
11
Kensington News I
NEW BUSINESSES IN KENSINGTON
Guru Makeup Emporium is an independent,
professional makeup shop located just two minutes
walk from Kensington High Street Station. Along
with TV, Film, Fashion & Editorial makeup supplies,
they sell a selection of hard-to-find makeup brands,
cult skin care, makeup bags & brushes that appeal
to the general public as well as the professional
Makeup Artist. Friendly, knowledgeable staff make
for a pleasurable shopping experience whether you’re
looking to treat yourself or shopping for a gift for the
makeup enthusiast in your life. They look forward to
welcoming you in their shop. 12 Kensington Church
Street. www.gurumakeupemporium.com
Aladino’s
Discover your neighbourhood’s new restaurant
and chic cocktail bar which has just opened at 38
Kensington Church Street, W8. Acclaimed chef and
restaurateur Aladin Barakat has brought the exotic
tastes of Alexandrian cuisine, and stylish design of one
of Egypt’s most exclusive restaurants, to Kensington.
With its elegant dining area on the ground-floor
illuminated by glittering Swarovski crystal chandeliers,
and a contemporary cocktail bar and spacious second
dining area on the lower-ground floor, Aladino’s is
the perfect spot for lunch or dinner with friends,
glamorous summer parties, or simply enjoying a
romantic meal for two. For more information please
see www.aladinos.co.uk
Minerva London
London’s wealth of art and culture can be
overwhelming, especially for children at risk of
‘museum fatigue’. Minerva London offers the
solution. Carefully tailored, one-to-one or small
group introductions for young people to galleries
and museums illuminate the stories behind selected
exhibits to provide in-depth understanding, foster
independent critical thinking ... and be fun!
Supporting the curriculum, preparing for school
interviews, or simply broadening horizons, the
value of cultural education is widely recognized as
nurturing the development of children’s abilities and
imaginations and cultivating the thinking essential for
success. To find out more please visit minervalondon.
com or email sarah@minervalondon.com
12
Prime Central London estate agent, Harrods
Estates launched its new office in Kensington
with a glittering event attended by guests and
well wishers from the area together with Raine
Countess Spencer, Ambassador for Harrods
Estates, Michael Ward, Managing Director of
the Harrods Department store and Julian Cook,
Managing Director of Harrods Estates. Guests
were greeted by the famous Harrods Green
man and attendees also had the opportunity to
have a ride in the Harrods horse and carriage.
Shirley Humphrey, Director at Harrods Estates
commented: “We are delighted to officially
open the new Kensington office which has been
well received already by the local community.
Many well wishers popped in to welcome us to
Kensington Church Street, a real demonstration
of community spirit.” The 1,272 sq. ft. office
will incorporate sales, letting and acquisition of
Kensington’s finest properties, along with asset
management, property management and new
development services. For more information
please call 0203 650 4600 or visit
www.harrodsestates.com
Regal Tutors is a bespoke tutoring agency, which aims
to empower children of all ages and levels, helping
them to achieve their potential. With over 10 years
experience in the education and tutoring sector, they
can help you with all your tuition needs, however big
or small. Regal tutors go through a vigorous process
to become part of their team, thus ensuring each
and every student receives an exceptional tutoring
experience. They offer packages which represent
outstanding value, including consultations by
educational experts. Enquire today to get ahead, and
invest in a private tutor. www.regaltutors.co.uk email:
team@regaltutors.co.uk or call 07496 292089
CHARITY NEWS
Family Friends, an award-winning charity, has helped
disadvantaged local families for the last 20 years
through befriending and mentoring programmes.
Trained volunteers give dependable practical and
emotional support to help families to help themselves.
Each volunteer is matched to one family whom they
visit for two hours a week in the family’s home for a
SKILLMAN AND SONS
A Traditional Hardware Store Est. 1900
Established in 1900, Skillmans
is an old fashioned hardware
store, selling top quality tools, a
huge range of ironmongery and
hardware, as well as specialising
in some of the most amazing
cleaning products in London.
Located just next to Holland
Park.
212 High Street Kensington, W8 7RG
WWW.SKILLMANANDSONS.CO.UK
INFO@SKILLMANANDSONS.CO.UK
TEL: 020 7937 8444
MON - FRI
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
9:00 - 17:30
9:30 - 17:00
CLOSED
13
Kensington News II
minimum of 6 months. Families improve mental and
physical health, gain parenting skills, are able to better
manage the home and use local resources. Children
develop academically and improve behaviour. The
charity was visited by The Duchess of Cambridge in
January 2015. Visit www.familyfriends.uk.com or call
020 8960 9099 for information about volunteering
opportunities. See page 28 for training dates.
The streets of Kensington & Chelsea are set for
invasion by pirates as the Barnardo’s Big Toddle
returns. Young fundraisers in the Borough raised
£1,070 last year through sponsored walks for underfives to help the charity support the UK’s most
disadvantaged children. Toddlers raised £655 in
Holland Park, £285 in Chelsea and £130 in Kensington.
Now the charity is calling on local nurseries, parents
and child minders to repeat that success by joining
this summer’s Big Toddle, dressing up as pirates and
walking the suggested half-mile with friends and
family. To find out please visit www.barnardos.org.uk/
bigtoddle and register for free.
Are you the vital link Chain of Hope are looking for?
Chain of Hope is an international children’s charity,
which provides treatment to children from countries
where there is little access to cardiac care. Through
their Child Referral Programme, they bring children
requiring urgent heart treatment to the UK. They need
Host Families to support vulnerable children whilst
they are in London receiving life-saving operations.
The attributes they need from a Host Family are goodwill, a spare room and some time to offer a child and
their parent/carer. For more information contact:
shaun@chainofhope.org
GLL AND KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA BACKS
LOCAL SPORTING TALENT 13 talented young
athletes from Kensington and Chelsea have benefitted
from a £8,000 award, thanks to charitable social
enterprise GLL through its athlete support programme;
GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) the largest independent
programme in the UK, in partnership with SportsAid,
Kensington and Chelsea Council. GSF and Kensington
and Chelsea supported England wrestler Chloe
Spiteri who explains that “The GLL Sport Foundation
has been supporting me for three years now on my
sporting journey. What I can say is without this
14
support, I would be nowhere near where I am today.”
GENERAL NEWS
Due to the dramatic growth of the Museum of Brands
it is moving to new, larger premises at the London
Lighthouse building in Notting Hill. The Museum is
an educational charity which chronicles the history
of consumer culture through design, packaging and
advertising, working with local, national and global
communities. The Museum exhibits branded objects,
design classics and nostalgia inducing items alongside
artefacts of daily life such as household appliances, toys
and fashion. On Sunday 5th July the Museum will close
the doors at its current home and reopen in Autumn
at the Lancaster Road building, formerly owned by the
Terrence Higgins Trust.
Schools ‘Art on Show’ at Leighton House
The creative talents of pupils from 33 schools in
Kensington and Chelsea were celebrated at the
Council’s 16th annual Schools Art Competition and
Exhibition ‘Art on Show’ at Leighton House Museum
this month. Among the prize winners, Muxue Li,
age 18 from Ashbourne College was awarded the
Leighton Art Prize for her beautifully surreal painting
‘A bedroom Dreamworld’. The exhibition is on display
until 28 June 2015. Local businesses are able to hire
original artworks directly from the exhibition, to
enhance their office spaces under the new Art on Loan
scheme. To find out more contact Jennifer.Wood@
rbkc.gov.uk www.rbkc.gov.uk/artonshow
www.KIDSin.club, the popular guide helping busy
parents find after-school activities and events for their
children around London and by area was recently
awarded with the Gold Award for Best Website 2014.
Following on from their success in London, the site ​
recently launched their sister site in Madrid ​last
month, ​which will be followed by New York ​in the
coming months. Patricia Martin, the Founder, donates
20% of all their advertising revenue to Kids Company,
a wonderful charity helping children across the capital.
For more information or to get involved please contact
Patricia directly at london@kidsin.club www.KIDSin.
club.
LONDON SHOWROOM
The Plaza, 535 Kings Road, London SW10 0SZ
0207 3511955
www.obc-uk.net
Empowering children to achieve their potential.
Regal Tutors can help you with all of your
tutoring needs however big or small
www.regaltutors.co.uk
team@Regaltutors.co.uk | 07496 292089
15
JOIN US FOR A QUINTESSENTIAL
AFTERNOON TEA AT THE STYLISH
AND ELEGANT PARK TERRACE LOUNGE,
OVERLOOKING KENSINGTON GARDENS.
FROM £26 PER PERSON
14:00 – 17:30 MONDAY – THURSDAY
13:00 – 17:30 FRIDAY – SUNDAY
2-24 KENSINGTON HIGH STREET LONDON W8 4PT
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WWW.ROYALGARDENHOTEL.CO.UK
16
Discover Kensington Palace, London’s royal secret tucked away
next to Hyde Park. Explore stunning gardens, unearth childhood
memories of Queen Victoria and listen to all manner of scandal and
gossip about the captivating people that once lived here.
114000667_HRP_Kensington_Times_Mag_v2.0_150608.indd 1
22/06/2015 15:30
17
Kensington News III
Fairer charges for pavement tables and chairs
The cost of a licence to place tables and chairs on
a pavement in Kensington & Chelsea has changed
after the Council opted to move away from a
flat fee. The new (fairer) arrangement means
the cost of a licence will now depend upon how
many tables and chairs the business owner wants
to place on the pavement and whether the tables
and chairs will be placed out in the evening.
Good news for smaller businesses who only want
a couple of tables and chairs outside. The ability
for the Council to move from a flat rate fee was
obtained after it persuaded Parliament to amend
the regulations governing highways licences.
Previously costing £875 for a licence it is now
£485 with an additional charge of £18 per chair.
part in the mourning for Diana, Princess of Wales at
Kensington Palace? If you do and wish to share, please
contact kpmemories@hrp.org.uk or by post to Olivia
Fryman, Curatorial Department, Kensington Palace
State Apartments, Kensington Gardens W8 4PX.
Shubbak Festival (London’s largest biennial festival of
contemporary Arab culture) is being celebrated across
London this year with two events in the Borough.
‘Hafla on the Square’ launches the first day of Festival
with a free family-friendly afternoon of live music, art
and drop-in workshops. See London-based Egyptian
artist Nazir Tanbouli create a giant floor painting
throughout the afternoon or join the artists’ collective
Variant Space to construct an installation based on
identity. At Leighton House, Lebanese artist Raed
Yassin places his works in the unique surroundings of
London’s most famous orientalist artist’s house. The
exhibition includes Yassin Dynasty, a series of beautiful
porcelain vases made in the Chinese porcelain capital
Jingdezhen, depicting battles from the Lebanese
civil war. The colourful, intimate and ornamental
embroideries of the series; Dancing, Smoking, Kissing
stitch together memories and recollections from the
artist’s childhood in the absence of photographic
records. For more information please see pages 28.
Tweedy the clown, at Giffords Circus
Do you have memories of Kensington Palace?
As close neighbours, Historic Royal Palaces would
love to hear from local residents and communities
who have memories, photos or memorabilia relating
to any aspect of Kensington Palace’s history over the
20th century. E.g. Do you remember the palace and
Kensington Gardens during the Second World War?
Did you work for a member of the royal family at
Kensington Palace? Did you work for the Ministry
of Works at the palace? Did you visit the London
Museum at Kensington Palace? Or did you take
18
(Image: Lucy Elliott)
The summer season comprises Garden Parties,
rowing, cricket and tennis. Added to this should
be a compulsory visit to a vintage family-run
circus. Giffords Circus performing ‘Moon Songs’
at nearby Chiswick House is a wonderful evenings
entertainment for all (and not necessarily just
families). Tremendous, heart-in-the-mouth acrobatic
and gymnastic feats, a bear riding a horse being led
by a small dog, magic you really can’t believe, canon
blowing clowns and tiny boys juggling. Candyfloss,
ice-cream and pizzas are sold and after the show you
could have your own picnic. Or you can have supper
in the UKs only travelling restaurant: ‘Circus Sauce’ - a
marquee decorated in bunting and country flowers,
where four courses of delicious home made (comfort)
food is provided, served on communal oak tables.
An evening of sophisticated slapstick and gymnastic
artistry - pure innocent fun reminding you of your
childhood. To book call 0845 459 7469. Tickets for
performances at Chiswick House/Gardens are £25 per
adult and £15 per child. Under 3s are free to all shows
if they are sitting on a lap. For more images see www.
blog.thekensingtonmagazine.com.
As part of their ongoing ‘Kensington Creatives’
exhibition series, Whole Foods Kensington are looking
for artists or photographers to showcase their work
in The Room with a View in the Autumn. If you are
interested in learning more about this opportunity
please contact Ginny.Kopacz@wholefoods.com
Wren London
Search & Acquisition
96 Kensington High Street
London
W8 4SG
Tel:
020 3640 8690
Mobile: 07788 902443
Email: info@wrenlondon.co.uk
19
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21
Restaurant Review
Camo Lario, SW1
By Ffiona (www.ffionas.com)
This month I am not wring a review but recording
a celebration of an example of a truly wonderful
institution, the local restaurant.
Como Lario has been in existence since 1969 and
continues to flourish. Why? Because it marries creative
Italian flair both in the kitchen and in its service with a
warm and genuine welcome.
The restaurant is managed by Toni Mega who is
very much at the helm of this local mainstay. The
atmosphere is relaxed and the surroundings both
elegant and comfortable. It is the ideal destination for
either a formal/business lunch or dinner or a more
intimate get together.
The menu carries a good selection of meat, fish and
vegetarian options. I am a huge fan of mozzarella
and this was the evening’s special. It was deliciously
creamy and literally melted in the mouth, served with
raddichiccio and sun dried tomatoes. The strong
flavour of the tomatoes a perfect foil for the delicate
cheese. Carl, my dining companion and great friend is
not known for his affinity to anything green, so when
he ordered a green salad I nearly fell off my chair!
It had better be good I mused. In the event it was
spectacular, a visual delight and a feast for the palate.
Our mains were equally satisfying. I chose the
spaghetti with a light, fragrant tomato sauce, fresh
crabmeat and a touch of red chilli. This is yet another
favourite of mine and again it was pitch perfect. Carl
ordered the special. This was Gnocchetti, very small
but plump gnocchi with Italian sausage in a rich
tomato sauce. Rich ingredients but not a heavy dish
and so tasty that I ate quite a lot of this one too!
Dessert was simply out of the question we were happy
and satisfied with our lot.
Carl had ordered a good bottle of red wine from the
extensive but very reasonable list and I had managed
four glasses of an equally good Prosecco.
22
Front and interior of Camo Lario
(Image: www.camolario.com)
We bumped into friends on the next table and needless
to say the grappa and the conversation flowed.
We finally made our way home after a thoroughly
enjoyable and memorable evening.
Dinner for two worked out at £146.81 which included
service and the cover charge. A very reasonable
amount especially given the quality of the food and the
service. Will return very soon!
Como Lario
18-22, Holbein Place
SW1W 8NL
0207 730 2954
www.comolario.com
SUMMER BBQS ON CLUB NIGHTS AT...
WHAT’S THE DEAL? A cocktail on arrival, a delicious three course BBQ
dinner and entry to The Club after 10pm
HOW MUCH?
From £55 per person,
based on a minimum of 10 people
WHEN?
Friday and Saturday nights, May - September 2015
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Phone 0207 368 3960, email victoria.l@roofgardens.virgin.com
Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability.
The Roof Gardens, 99 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
www.roofgardensclub.com |
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23
Elizabeth Owen - Book Review
The “Mortdecai Quartet”
by Kyril Bonfiglioli
The title refers to the four novels starring the Hon.
Charlie Mortdecai written by the inimitable Kyril
Bonfiglioli. They include: Don’t Point That Thing at
Me, After You with the Pistol, Something Nasty in
the Woodshed and The Great Mortdecai Moustache
Mystery. In view of the fact that the final work was
completed after the author’s death by Craig Brown,
I must qualify my opening remark with “almost
inimitable” because the ghost writer has acquitted his
task so well that it is impossible to determine where
Bonfiglioli stops and Brown takes up the tale.
It is difficult to classify these books: murder-mystery,
romance, international intrigue, self-obsession,
humour... all these tags apply. For me, the element of
humour has been the most appealing. I have laughed
out loud on trains, in dentist’s waiting rooms (a feat
in itself) at bus stops and in cafes, spluttering on a
morning cappuccino... I have never enjoyed books
quite so much. All four involve mysterious dealings
of various descriptions (art theft, drug running, royal
assassination, outright murder, etc.); there is the
additional frisson of frantic page turning and very late
nights trying to determine the culprit’s identity. They
are mini works of comic genius that reveal Bonfiglioli
to be one of English literature’s best kept secrets.
In fact, Bonfiglioli is even more intriguing that his
creation. Born Cyril Emmanuel Banfiglioli (19281985) to an Italo-Slovene father and English mother he
served in the British Army where he became an interregimental sabre champion. Following this he read
English at Oxford and then remained there working
as an assistant to the art historian, Edgar Ward, at the
Ashmolean Museum. It was during this period that
he began to deal in art and eventually opened his own
business which provided the backdrop to his novels.
He married three times, had five children and managed
to edit a science fiction magazine whilst jugging his
own business and beginning to write his novels. A
heavy drinker he succumbed to liver disease in his
mid-fifties, leaving behind plans for further books.
A fifth novel exists, All the Tea in China, which is s
prequel to those mentioned above. It features Karli
Van Cleef Mortdecai the 19th Century Jewish-Dutch
ancestor of the present hero. Karli comes to England
to deal in delftware and Chinese porcelain, but soon is
24
obliged to flee these shores having committed an act of
lechery “that anyone but a close relative might forgive”..
it’s a tale of like great-grandfather, like great-grandson.
The Mortdecai saga has begun...
A word of advice, don’t be tempted by the Hollywood
adaptation of these novels. The resulting film is
nothing compared to the original. This is a case where
the book is definitely superior to the film.
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Whats On in and around W8
WIMBLEDON THEMED AFTERNOON TEA
AT THE PARK TERRACE RESTAURANT
1 - 12 July 2pm to 5.30pm from £26 pp
The Royal Garden Hotel’s pastry chefs have gone tennis
mad creating a selection of scrumptious Wimbledon
themed pastries including ‘Murray’s mint macaroons’
and ‘Pimm’s jelly and lemon posset’, accompanied by
finger sandwiches, scones and freshly brewed organic
leaf tea. To book, call 020 7361 1999 or email dining@
royalgardenhotel.co.uk 2-24 Kensington High Street,
London W8 4PT www.royalgardenhotel.co.uk.
SUMMER SHOW 2015
1st – 24th July
Annual Summer show featuring work by Gallery
Artists, Gordon Bryce RSA RSW, Vivienne Williams,
Judy Buxton and Brian Fojcik amongst others.
THACKERAY GALLERY Est 1968 Tel: 020 7937 5883
www.thackeraygallery.com
TURN LONDON PINK AFTER DARK WITH
BREAST CANCER CARE
Saturday 4 July
Join a sea of pink walkers for the first ever London at
Night Pink Ribbonwalk for Breast Cancer Care. The
walk will take in the iconic landmarks of the capital
from the Royal Festival Hall to Harrods and beyond.
With your help the charity can continue to offer vital
support to those affected by breast cancer. Sign up
to one of their London at Night walks and you’ll
experience a magical evening with inspiring people,
and lots of fun and laughter. Choose your distance (5,
10 or 20 miles) at www.breastcancercare.org.uk/walk.
CARMINA BURANA AT CADOGAN HALL
Saturday 4th July, 7.30pm £10 - £27.
Lewisham Choral Society presents a choral
extravaganza: Carl Orff ’s exuberant Carmina Burana,
tender love songs by Eric Whitacre and a classic
anthem by John Joubert, plus a lively violin sonata by
Mozart. Venue: Cadogan Hall, SW1X 9DQ
www.cadoganhall.com 020 7730 4500
‘ASK NICK’ AT HOLY TRINITY, BROMPTON
Thursday 9th July 6.00 pm refreshments
6.30 pm start FREE
The seventh in a series of public meetings for residents,
community groups, local businesses and voluntary
28
organisations. What is the Council doing and what
can it improve? Your chance to suggest ideas for
making the Royal Borough better. Venue: Holy Trinity
Brompton, Brompton Road, SW7 (nearest tube station
South Kensington).
HAFLA ON THE SQUARE
11 July, 12-5pm Free
This event launches the first day of Shubbak Festival,
London’s largest biennial festival of contemporary Arab
culture, with a family-friendly afternoon of live music,
art and drop-in workshops. Venue: Chelsea Theatre,
King’s Road www.shubbak.co.uk/hafla-on-the-square
KISSING AMNESIA
13 July – 2 August, daily (except Tues),10am- 5.30pm
Tickets: £7/£5conc/50% discount National Trust
members/Free to Art Fund members
Lebanese artist Raed Yassin places his works in
London’s most famous orientalist artist’s house.
The exhibition includes Yassin Dynasty, a series of
porcelain vases made in Jingdezhen. Venue: Leighton
House Museum
www.shubbak.co.uk/kissing-amnesia-raed-yassin
HISTORIC PUBS WALKABOUT WITH DALE
INGRAM
Wednesday 15th July 6.15 for 6.30
An interesting and fun way to learn about the pubs
in the Portobello area and beyond, with two stops for
refreshments. Organised by The Kensington Society,
tickets are £20 KS members and non-KS members £25.
All very welcome. Meet ourside the Earl of Londsdale
Pub, 277-281 Westbourne Grove, W11 2QA. To book
your place please see www.kensingtonsociety.org/
events
VOLUNTEER MENTORS AND BEFRIENDERS
NEEDED
Next training Saturdays 18 & 25 July, 10am-5pm
Local charity FAMILY FRIENDS provides practical
and emotional support to disadvantaged families with
children under the age of 16.
Interviews commencing now at Family Friends, 73 St
Charles Square W10 6EJ. Call 020 8960 9099 or visit
www.familyfriends.uk.com for details.
Whats On in and around W8
WATER LILIES AND WINE IN HYDE PARK
24 June and 22 July
Join the organisers for an evening of relaxation at
their hidden oasis in the heart of Hyde Park. Try your
hand at pond dipping, discovering all the wonderful
creatures that live under the water lilies, followed
by a guided stroll around Hyde Park before relaxing
with a complimentary glass of wine as the sun sets. A
beautiful location and a unique, relaxing way to spend
a summer evening. To book www.theroyalparks.org/
shop/experience/filter/waterlilies+and+wine
WHOLE FOODS MARKET KENSINGTON:
KENSINGTON CREATIVES: AN EXHIBITION
SERIES: ‘Kensington Faces and Places’ Photographic
Exhibition Extended to end July FREE
Whole Foods are delighted to open their Exhibition
Series with a photographic exhibition by Lucy Elliott
of Lucy Elliott Photography. Entitled ‘Kensington
Faces and Places’ the exhibition showcases works
taken for and on behalf of The Kensington Magazine,
private commissions and her personal library of local
architecture and residents of Kensington. Venue: The
Room with a View, First Floor, Whole Foods Market,
Kensington High St. W8
OPEN AGE - CAMPDEN WARD SOCIAL
Wednesdays, 2.30-4.30pm, £2
An interesting programme of speakers and trips
ranging from classical concerts and art documentaries
to health talks and creative taster classes. For ward
residents only. St. George’s Church, Aubrey Walk,
Campden Hill, W8 7JG. Contact Hester on 020 8962
5584 for more information /full programme details
LIFE DRAWING IN THE PUB
Alternate Thursdays 6.30-8.30pm
Enjoy a drink whilst learning inspiring tips from a
professional artist at our relaxed and friendly life
drawing sessions at The Chelsea Ram. All drawing
materials are provided, with varied models and themes.
Book online £20 or drop-in £21 (includes free drink).
All levels welcome! www.ArtWithBenedict.co.uk
artwithbenedict2@gmail.com
CHELSEA QUAVERS SATURDAY MUSIC CLUBS
Saturdays (Age 4 - 12) Kensington / Chelsea
Children sing, perform, read, write and compose
music and develop aural skills. Glockenspiel, recorder,
hand bells, percussion. Small Tutor groups. Complete
beginners to experienced young musicians! Fun and
educational! Book your free trial today. Telephone
07899 678655 or email claire@chelseaquavers.com
www.chelseaquavers.com
LONDON’S SECRET GARDEN, PLANT PORTRAITS
FROM CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN FLORILEGIUM
SOCIETY 4 – 26 August, 11am-4pm, free with
Garden entry An exhibition of paintings and drawings
featuring works from some of today’s finest botanical
artists to mark the 20th anniversary of the Garden’s
Florilegium Society. Chelsea Physic Garden
chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/the-garden/florilegiumsociety/londons-secret-garden 020 7352 5646
KINGDOM QUEST: VBS FOR KIDS!
19-22 August/ 10 am-3pm FREE Calling all kids ages
4-12. Enjoy a royal adventure, play games and make
cool crafts in this 4-day medieval-themed Vacation
Bible School (VBS) while you learn values in God’s
Kingdom. St Luke’s Hall of Remembrance, Flood St.
SW3 5SY. Contact Sonia Rulona rulonasonia@yahoo.
com www.wordinternational.org.uk
SUNSET SAFARI IN HYDE PARK!
Thursday 20 and 27th August (suitable for children
aged 7 years +) If you’re looking for an alternative
evening activity then get the family wrapped up and
join them around the campfire in our private gardens
in the heart of Hyde Park. Once the sun has set head
out into the Park on an evening safari led by their
resident bat expert. You’ll use bat detectors to listen
in to their secret calls and learn how to identify which
species are flying above you. Places are limited so
book quickly. www.supporttheroyalparks.org/shop/
experiences/1387_sunset_safari
EVENING COURSE FOR OPERA LOVERS
Certificate of Opera Studies Sept. 2015 – June 2016
Seminars, live performances and dinners with opera
stars! Danielle de Niese, Edward Gardner OBE,
Rosalind Plowright OBE etc. Divas & Scholars in
association with the National Opera Studio, London
lucy@divasandscholars.com 020 7584 3235
Website for calendar, fees, information about star
speakers. www.divasandscholars.com
29
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Kensington Magazine
17/04/2015 14:54:30
31
ards 2015
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