The Portman Magazine Winter 2014

THE PORTMAN
Glamour, glitz and
glorious food - we’ve got
Christmas wrapped up
Winter
2014
Living on and around
The Portman Estate
5
contents
7
As told to
Theo Dubroy talks about his
time as head concierge at
The Arch Hotel
10
Happenings
Remembering heroes of
war, plus Peruvian cuisine,
supper club and chocolate
cocktails for food lovers
COVER: NECKLACE, £145, SAHARA
PHOTO: SAHARA
SEE PAGE 22
18
Arts
Strictly Ballroom We meet
the founder of dance school
Simply Dancing Partners
22
Gifts
Christmas wrapped up Our
selection of gorgeous gifts
from Marylebone’s finest
The Portman is a regular journal about
life on and around The Portman Estate
Editor
Lorna Davies
Publisher
The Portman Estate
Writers
Tim Arbabzadah
Catherine Payne-Smith
Cally Squires
Debbie Ward
Felicity Kent
Lorna Davies
Advertising
Sam Bradshaw
020 7259 1051
[email protected]
Sub-editors
Tim Arbabzadah
Vanya Marks
Designer
Andy Lowe
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The Portman
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London W1B 2LD
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Printed in the UK
© Publishing Business
Limited 2014
30
Community
All together now Tushna
Ghadially tells us why she set
up a local parents network
36
Food & drink
Festive feasts Give turkeys
time out and have Christmas
lunch with a difference
40
Service
Putting you first Portman
Estate staff put residents’ and
occupiers’ needs foremost
Publishing Business is a member of the
Professional Publishers Association and
observes the PPA Code of Publishing Practice
Printed on ECF (Chlorine free) paper using fibre sourced
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All inks vegetable based. Our printers are certified to
ISO 14001 Environmental Management.
43
Baker Street
Christmas market It’s time
to grab a mulled wine and fill
your festive boots
7
as told to
Theo Dubroy, head
concierge at The Arch
Hotel, 50 Great
Cumberland Place,
tells us about his
award-winning role
Over Arching
“
I’M ORIGINALLY FROM CANADA and
studied at Ottawa University receiving my
degree in Media Communications and
Public Relations. During my summers I worked in
hotels, mainly in the guest services department. I
took three years off to travel after university. I went
to Fiji and New Zealand for eight months, then to
Australia for two years. It was only supposed to be
one year off, but ended up as three. I loved it. I lived
in Sydney first and then travelled up to Port Douglas,
Queensland, for those years and worked in hotels
there. You only get a two-year holiday visa. One of
the hotel managers in Australia said I should come to
London, so I did and took a PR course here as a sort
of upgrade from my degree, but I ended up working
in a hotel on weekends. So I just sort of fell into it.
I never actually got a job in PR, so I don’t even know
exactly what I would have been doing!
The most memorable moment in Australia was
working as an extra on a movie, The Thin Red Line,
for almost seven months. I was with my friend and
we had spent all our money and that just popped up.
We were up on war ships in the middle of the ocean
for about two weeks during filming – that ended up
as about two minutes of footage.
I arrived in London in 1999 and worked at
opening a few 5-star boutique hotels. I had the
opportunity to start working for The Arch and opened
this hotel five years ago. This is a great little hotel. We
have 82 rooms, so not too big, not too small. It’s also
a great location: right in the centre of everything.
8
as told to
There’s Hyde Park for all the joggers and so
many nice places for people to go out in
Marylebone and Mayfair. It’s the perfect location
and the perfect size.
We have demanding guests; they know what
they want. For example, one group wanted lastminute Wimbledon tickets, which were quite hard
to get. There are a lot of regulars, too. During the
summers we get many families, so there is a lot of
organising family activities and, during the winter
period, we get many business travellers so there
are different tasks for this kind of traveller.
I remember one of the funniest incidents was
these guys who were going to a party in drag, so
we needed to find high-heeled shoes in size 14 at
the last minute for three men. We had to find a
specialist shop in the end.
My manager here encouraged me to apply for
the Golden Keys. It’s quite a long process. You
need sponsors and at least five years of concierge
experience to actually apply. Then you need to go
before the board if they accept you. There’s a test
and I was
asked about
my knowledge
of London and
my own hotel. I
was also given
scenarios and
asked what I
would do. Plus
I had to know
about The
Society of the
Golden Keys.
It was more
intense than I
thought it
would be, lots
of studying, but
it’s all good to
know that stuff
anyway. Also,
you get to go
to the
International
conferences
(Les Clefs d’Or
International
Congress
2014), which is
in Argentina
this year. Now this
award is for life.
“We needed to
find high-heeled
shoes in size 14
at the last
minute for
three men”
”
Theo was talking to Tim Arbabzadah
IMAGES OF THE ARCH LONDON COURTESY OF THE HOTEL
10
happenings
Historic landmark set in stone
FIFTY YEARS on from the original
dedication of the Tyburn Stone plaque
on September 29, 1964, stone masons
have meticulously repaired and restored
the historic landmark. The stone, located
at the intersection of Edgware Road and
Marble Arch, marks the site where
criminals, traitors and priests were
executed for almost 600 years.
Edgware Road Partnership, the
Tyburn Convent, Westminster City
Council and Transport for London invited
the local community to celebrate the
restoration last month, when TfL also
planted three oak trees around the
stone. Father Christopher Pedley SJ,
from The Jesuit Church of Immaculate
Conception, led a private blessing of
the stone, with Friends of the Tyburn
Committee present to witness the
dedication. Pupils from nearby
Hampden Gurney CE Primary School
also wrote special Tyburn-format poems,
and read them to guests as part of
National Poetry Day.
The earliest record of a public
execution at Tyburn – originally a village
in Middlesex – was in 1196, but it
became most notorious in the 16th
century. Henry VIII used Tyburn to
execute the ringleaders of the Pilgrimage
of Grace, and in 1571, the Tyburn Tree
was erected near the modern-day
Marble Arch.
FATHER CHRISTOPHER
PEDLEY SJ AND GUESTS AT
THE BLESSING OF THE
TYBURN STONE
A TROOPER IN THE BLUES
& ROYALS HOUSEHOLD
CAVALRY REGIMENT PAYING
HIS RESPECTS TO THE
WORLD WAR ONE
‘WESTMINSTER
REMEMBERS’ FLOWERBED
Council honours war heroes
WESTMINSTER CITY Council has unveiled a commemorative
flowerbed in Marble Arch to remember all those who lived, fought
and died during World War One.
Built 100 years after the start of World War One, the flowerbed
is part of the council’s campaign of commemorative events,
‘Westminster Remembers’, and was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of
Westminster, Cllr Audrey Lewis, and Westminster’s Armed Forces
Champion, Cllr Rachael Robathan, in October.
Christmas cracker
New look for Locatelli
CHILTERN STREET will be illuminated with
festive lights on November 12, followed by
Marylebone High Street on November 19.
Chiltern Street will also play host to a late-night
shopping evening on November 27. From 5pm
until late, stores will be serving celebratory
drinks, with Glühwein (mulled wine) and
Swedish cinnamon buns at Monocle; whiskey
tasting at Cadenhead’s; and mulled wine and
a Christmas Grotto sneak preview Hardy’s
Brasserie and Wine Bar. Salons including
Bharti Vyas and West One Beauty will also be
offering discounts and special treatments. Plus
there will be music from Tyler Rix to get you
well and truly in the festive spirit!
Info: www.chilternstreetsw1.co.uk
LOCANDA LOCATELLI has reopened after a
three month refurbishment. Almost £1 million
has been invested into Plaxy and Giorgio
Locatelli’s Michelin-starred Italian, with the
lion’s share of the cost spent on a new
kitchen. In the restaurant, aside from a
refreshed interior, two new Damien Hirst
paintings adorn the walls and a semi-private
dining room has been created. Launched in
2002, the restaurant in the Hyatt Regency
London – The Churchill hotel, has served
famous faces including Kate Winslet,
Madonna and Kate Moss.
Locanda Locatelli is at 8 Seymour Street. Info:
020 7935 9088, www.locandalocatelli.com
12
happenings
DoubleTree wins
hospitality award
ANuP SARIN, general manager at the
DoubleTree by Hilton in Marble Arch, has
been awarded the Sanch Eurasion
Golden Award for Hospitality. Sarin was
presented the award – which recognises
his 20 years of hard work in the hotel
industry – by Baroness Sandip Verma at
the House of Lords.
“I am originally from India and started
my career in 1988, and have been
working in hotels ever since. I began
with the Holiday Inn in New Delhi. Then
I worked for Crowne Plaza before
moving to the Hilton for a couple of
years and then Intercontinental,” Sarin
told The Portman.
Sarin also opened a hotel in Shrinaga
in Kashmir, in a former Maharaja’s
palace, and an Intercontinental in
Bangalore in India. He has been at the
4 Bryanston Street hotel (formerly Best
Western) for 12 years.
Sarin has also achieved the Pride of
India Leadership Award in 2010 and is
a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.
Peruvian fusion arrives in Thayer Street
PACHAMAMA has opened on Thayer Street.
The menu features Peruvian dishes using British
ingredients such as salmon tacos, sea bass
and tiger’s milk and chicken anticuchos. Head
chef Tom Catley has an impressive CV including
Ottolenghi, Nathan Outlaw, Peyton and Byrne,
as well as working at Amaz in Peru.
“We couldn’t be more excited about the
opening,” Catley told The Portman. “Our
concept of British-Peruvian cuisine is a London
Earlier this month, he and other
volunteers from the hotel worked to
improve the gardens and children’s play
area at the Portman Early Childhood
Centre, as part of the Baker Street
Quarter’s CSR Smarter Giving
Programme to help businesses support
local charities.
first and seems to have excited many. We’ve
had particularly great feedback on our Smoked
Gloucester Old Spot ribs with English malt and
peanut glaze. So far so good!”
The restaurant is also home to a cocktail
bar, with home-infused Pisco, British/Peruvian
mash-ups and South American wines.
Pachamama is at 18 Thayer Street. Info: 020
7935 9393, www.pachamamalondon.com
ANUP SARIN, CENTRE, WITH
OTHER REPRESENTATIVES OF
DOUBLETREE BY HILTON.
CREDIT: DOUBLETREE BY HILTON
Give thanks at
the Firehouse
Supper club for stylish singles
CELEBRATE Thanksgiving at the Chiltern
Firehouse, which is offering a special
menu and longer opening hours. The
restaurant will be serving food all day
from 12noon on November 27.
Executive chef Nuno Mendes has
created two special dishes. For mains,
there is Rhug Farm turkey, slow roasted
over hay truffled stuffing and liver
parfait with sides of French beans, and
almondine and maple bourbon sweet
potatoes (£32). Dessert is spiced
pumpkin and brown butter pie raisin
caramel and bourbon cream (£9). Chiltern Firehouse is at 1 Chiltern Street.
Info: 020 7073 7676,
www.chilternfirehouse.com
PHOTO: JAMIE ORLANDO SMITH
SALIMA MANJI
LONDON DINNER CLuB is
hosting a series of social
networking and matchmaking
evenings over the festive period.
On November 20, the supper club
is hosting its stylish monthly drinks
evening to connect single
Londoners at private member’s
club Home House. On December
4, Chinese restaurant Royal China
is providing a delicious banquet of
their speciality dishes, with afterdinner drinks for more socialising
at Home House.
After working for six years in
investment banking, Salima Manji
was looking for a new direction
and heard colleagues complaining
about the perils of online dating.
“My ‘lightbulb moment’
happened, as I love planning
dinner parties and drinks for
friends. using my networking skills
gained in banking, a supper club
for singles seemed like a perfect
business idea,” she told The
Portman. “We’ve been successfully
matching up couples since 2010.”
London Dinner Club will be at
Home House, 20 Portman Square,
November 20, 7.30pm and Royal
China, 40-42 Baker Street,
December 4, 7.30pm. Booking
is advised. Info:
www.londondinnerclub.org
14
happenings
Local pharmacy celebrates bicentenary
GHADA SALEH FROM
MEACHER HIGGINS &
THOMAS AND STEPHEN
FISHWICK FROM THE
NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL
ASSOCIATION
MEACHER HIGGINS & Thomas is 200
years old this year. The Crawford Street
pharmacy celebrated the milestone with
a party attended by the Lord Mayor of
Westminster last month.
Opened in 1814 by Thomas Meacher
New fishmonger
makes a splash
LA PETITE Poissonnerie has
opened on New Quebec Street.
The boutique fishmonger
specialises in locally and sustainably
sourced fresh fish, shellfish and
smoked fish, plus a selection of
French and Japanese groceries,
wines, dressings, sauces,
sandwiches and salads. Former
chef and founder Nic Rascale plans
to become the best fishmonger in
London, with a focus on very high
quality grade of produce, bespoke
service and recipe suggestions.
“The road is just right for us, very
village-like,” he says of the new
store location. As well as New
Quebec Street and an existing
branch in Primrose Hill, Rascale
plans to expand to Belgravia,
Mayfair, Soho and King’s Cross.
La Petite Poissonnerie is at 19 New
Quebec Street. Info: www.lapetitepoissonnerie.co.uk
and later succeeded by James Higgins,
records from residents show the
pharmacy had a good reputation, with
carriages regularly queuing up outside.
Meacher Higgins & Thomas has been
owned by Gist Health Ltd for the past
ten years, and provides a range of
services including flu vaccinations,
medicine use reviews, help to stop
smoking, as well as advice on healthy
lifestyle and nutritional advice.
Pharmacist Ghada Saleh said she
was “delighted” to be celebrating the bicentenary. “The community pharmacy
has changed enormously in the last few
decades and we’ve come across some
interesting records to show this,
including a manuscript list of prices of
drugs and instruments charged to a
nursing home, which includes: ‘Leeches
– best speckled at 4s per dose’.
Meacher Higgins & Thomas is at
105a Crawford Street.
Info: 020 7723 2788,
www.meacherhigginsandthomas.co.uk
16
happenings
Refreshed décor and menu at the Wallace
THE WALLACE RESTAuRANT,
at The Wallace Collection, has
reopened. The Peyton and
Byrne restaurant has undergone
a recent refurbishment
alongside the works at the
gallery. Ivan Simeoli has been
appointed as head chef and has
introduced a new menu with a
French influence.
Hertford House, Manchester
Square. Info: 020 7300 5913,
www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk
Chocolate at the Churchill
THE CHuRCHILL Bar’s alfresco terrace has been
transformed into an alpine winter scene, complete
with a chocolate cocktail menu curated by Green
& Blacks, twinkling lanterns, lavish fur-lined seats
and vintage wooden sleighs and skis. Cocktails
include Off Piste, made with Green & Black’s
Lemon Chocolate, Limonchello, grapefruit, thyme
and lemongrass syrup, Cazadores Blanco Tequila
and baked meringue.
The Churchill Bar & Terrace is at 30 Portman
Square. Info: 020 7299 2035,
www.london.churchill.hyatt.com
Little Waitrose
has landed
WAITROSE has opened a new store on
Baker Street. Little Waitrose Portman
Square – unveiled by City of
Westminster Councillor, Karen
Scarborough, on October 21 – is the
ninth store in Westminster and has
recruited 56 staff after receiving more
than 400 applications.
The store will include a bakery, fresh
fruit and vegetables, a range of takeaway sandwiches and snacks, and
hundreds of everyday items.
Waitrose Portman Square will donate
£6,000 and 100 staff working hours a
year to local causes nominated by
customers through its Community
Matters ‘green token’ scheme and
Partner Volunteering initiative. Local
charities The West London Day Centre,
Faith Forum and Fitzrovia Group will be
the first causes to benefit from
Community Matters.
Waitrose Portman Square is at 12 Baker
Street. Info: www.waitrose.com
18
arts
Dust off your dancing shoes
When Jenni Kravitz took up
ballroom and Latin dancing
eight years ago, she could
only find classes full of
women with hardly any
men. That’s why she
launched Simply Dancing
Partners. With the final
of Strictly on December 13,
we sent our girl Cally
Squires for a spin
“CLienTS geT aDDiCTeD. They just
keep coming back for more, term after
term. normally, they only stop if they leave
the country or move out of London,”
says Simply Dancing Partners founder
Jenni Kravitz.
We are sitting in the atrium of the West
London Synagogue in Marylebone, waiting
for my beginners’ Waltz and Jive class to
begin. as someone whose entire Strictly
Come Dancing knowledge is based on a
frantic googling of the show’s YouTube
repertoire mere hours previously, i don’t
know quite what to expect. i do know that
never before has Denise van Outen seemed
so intimidating. Jenni assures me i am not
the only one to be lured without the Strictly
hook: “i didn’t even watch the first series,
but became a fan of the second.” Strangely,
none of my fellow non-professionals are
religious viewers of the BBC primetime show
either. But rather, keen amateurs who think it
would be a lovely way to spend a Tuesday
evening, not to mention a good skill to have.
Jenni herself didn’t set out to start a
dance school – in fact she was a potential
client. “i did some research and found four
different schools which promised that there
would be plenty of men to dance with. What
that actually turned out to mean was that
you’d be lucky if there was one man in the
class; it was unlikely that he’d be able to
dance; and you’d have to share him with up
to ten other women.” Certainly not what you
dream about when you’re at home watching
Strictly, then.
She didn’t, however, have two left feet.
“i learned ballet as a child and actually did
performances in the same room we now use
LEFT: SIMPLY DANCING PARTNERS GET TO GRIPS
WITH THE JIVE
RIGHT: PROFESSIONALS AT WORK
for the Simply classes. i also did some jazz
in my teens, but then i married a man who
had no interest in dancing, which made it
impossible for me to carry on. For the next
30 years, i didn’t do any dancing at all,
because i couldn’t find a willing partner to
go with me.”
Thus, the idea for Simply Dancing
Partners was born. “When i did start
20
arts
watching Strictly, i realised that if i didn’t
take the initiative and start dancing again
now, the opportunity would pass me by,”
recalls Jenni. “The classes i had tried were
only £10 per lesson; you’re lucky if you can
buy a coffee and a cake for that much. Why
would i expect a quality lesson for that sort
of money? i really wanted to go to a class
and dance with a partner who knew what he
was doing. if you were learning tennis, you’d
hire an experienced player to teach you, not
someone who’d never held a racket before.”
On Valentine’s Day 2006, Jenni set out
to find a venue, a teacher and some willing
dancers, “who were prepared to be paid to
dance with amateurs like me.” She originally
thought the latter would be thesps who
were in between stage jobs, but eventually
she discovered that the best partners were
not professionals, but were current or exstudents who were – or had been – on
dancesport teams at university. “They train
so hard alongside their degrees that they
reach an incredible level of technical skill,”
Jenni tells me.
“My vision for Simply Dancing Partners
was for it to be like my bridge club – a really
welcoming atmosphere, where everybody
would say hello to you when you walked in.”
She certainly seems to have achieved her
dream. not only do i find the other dancers
to be warm and friendly, but they have
clearly built up a rapport with each other,
having attended the same class together
each week of the term. Jenni says this is
why she shunned taking private lessons
when she was learning: “The classes were
too short and not very satisfying from a
social point of view.”
Currently, Simply Dancing Partners
offers instruction in Latin, Cha Cha, Rumba,
Jive, Samba, Salsa, Waltz, Foxtrot,
Quickstep and, most recently, argentine
Tango. “We hold the classes in a hall in the
Synagogue building, which has recently
been refurbished beautifully. My parents
were both active members – as was i –
when i was a child.”
now that she has been dancing solidly
for nine years, i wonder what her favourite
routine is? “Definitely the argentine Tango,
it’s really captured my heart. i also love
dancing the Rumba, so i’m taking private
lessons in that at the moment.” Jenni says
the private option is great for engaged
couples picking a first dance: “We can work
out exactly what choreography suits them
best.” The Foxtrot and Waltz are the most
popular wedding dances, but Jenni says:
“We did have a bride-to-be who wanted to
learn the dance of the theme tune to Dirty
Dancing. She and her now-husband
practised for about eight weeks with us,
and i heard afterwards that the routine was
“My vision for Simply
Dancing Partners was
for it to be like my
bridge club – a really
welcoming atmosphere,
where everybody would
say hello to you when
you walked in.”
Jenni Kravitz
very well received on the day!”
Being based so centrally, the school
attracts clients from near and far. “Some
clients are Marylebone locals. There is
one lady who lives opposite us and saw
the classes through her window. She
rushed down and asked to join!” One
client who has come from very far indeed
is Jean – in my class – who found Simply
Dancing Partners online and has flown
from California to spend six months in
London, taking weekly dancing lessons
at 33 Seymour Place.
in the course of the inevitable Strictly
chat, Jenni says she would like Casualty
actress Sunetra Sarker or EastEnders
actor Jake Wood to win. “i realise how
good some of the younger girls are, but
i do feel they have an unfair advantage.
When i watch Sunetra and Jake, who have
come from nowhere, i really empathise.
it is terribly exciting to see them improve
over the weeks.
“i’m a very determined person and
when i want to do something i get my
head down and do it. i was absolutely
determined to make Simply Dancing
Partners work,” says Jenni. Happily, so
far, it has.
Simply Dancing Partners holds classes at
33 Seymour Place on weekday evenings.
info: 020 3648 0377,
www.simplydancingpartners.co.uk
22
gifts
It’s that time of year again: the number of shopping
days left until Christmas are ever-dwindling and the
to-do list is ever-increasing. The good news is that
you don’t need to go far to fill the stockings.
Catherine Payne-Smith reveals treasure trove of
inspiration available on your doorstep
SUPER FLUFFY LEOPARD
PRINT ROBE, £50, LONG
TALL SALLY, 21-25 CHILTERN
STREET. INFO: 020 7487 3370,
WWW.LONGTALLSALLY.COM
CASHMERE RIBBED
SOCKS, £40, SUNSPEL,
13-15 CHILTERN
STREET.
INFO: 020 7009 0650,
WWW.SUNSPEL.COM
Christmas gifts
Comfort and joy
Tis the season to grab a box-set,
light the fire and retreat from the
world until the chimes of the new
year. Here’s what to give if you’re
planning an indoor-fest
ROCOCO ROUND BOX NO.1 WITH
MIXED CHOCOLATES, £28, ROCOCO
CHOCOLATES, 3 MOXON STREET.
INFO: 020 7935 7780,
WWW.ROCOCOCHOCOLATES.COM
MILTONDUFF-GLENLIVET DISTILLERY
1994 WHISKY, £75.50, THE CADENHEAD’S
WHISKY SHOP AND TASTING ROOM, 26
CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935 6999,
WWW.WHISKYTASTINGROOM.COM
MHL ROLL NECK, £155,
MARGARET HOWELL,
34 WIGMORE STREET.
INFO: 020 7009 9009,
WWW.MARGARETHOWELL.
CO.UK
BETHLÉEM CANDLE, £65, CIRE
TRUDON BOUTIQUE, 36 CHILTERN
STREET. INFO: 020 7486 7590,
WWW.CIRETRUDON.COM
MY 1ST YEARS STAR TWO-PIECE
GIFT SET 0-12 MONTHS, £30,
SELFRIDGES, 400 OXFORD STREET.
INFO: 0113 369 8040,
WWW.SELFRIDGES.COM
CLIFTON ROSE THREE-TIER
CAKE STAND, £35, CATH
KIDSTON, 51 MARYLEBONE HIGH
STREET. INFO: 020 7935 6555,
WWW.CATHKIDSTON.COM
24
gifts
Making
memories
GIFT VOUCHERS
FOR BEAUTY
TREATMENTS
AVAILABLE AT:
LEMONGRASS
BOUTIQUE SPA, 8 SEYMOUR
PLACE. INFO: 020 7258 7997,
WWW.LEMONGRASSBOUTIQUESPA.CO.UK
BEAUTY ROSE, 21 NEW QUEBEC STREET.
INFO: 020 7724 2114, WWW.BEAUTYROSE.CO.UK
IBROWS, 16 SEYMOUR PLACE.
INFO: 020 7725 5791, WWW.IBROWSETC.CO.UK
Sometimes the best present
is one that doesn’t fit under
the Christmas tree.
STENTOR STUDENT VIOLIN,
£94, JAS MUSICALS, 14
CHILTERN STREET.
INFO: 020 7935 0793,
WWW.JAS-MUSICALS.COM
GIFT VOUCHERS FOR WORKSHOPS IN KNITTING,
PERFUME MAKING AND MORE, FROM £10,
HOMEMADE LONDON, 21 SEYMOUR PLACE.
INFO: 020 8616 0771,
WWW.HOMEMADELONDON.COM
MAKE A DONATION TO THE WEST
LONDON DAY CENTRE, WHICH
PROVIDES FOR THE IMMEDIATE
NEEDS OF 100 HOMELESS
PEOPLE EVERY DAY, AT
WWW.JUSTGIVING.COM/WLM.
WEST LONDON DAY CENTRE,
19 THAYER STREET.
INFO: 020 7569 5900,
WWW.WLM.ORG.UK/WLDC
WINE TASTING SESSION, £25, EUROCAVE
UK, 57 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7935
4679, WWW.AROUNDWINE.CO.UK
26
gifts
Objects of
desire
It feels fabulous to unwrap
something you never knew
you wanted until you see it –
and feet your heart flutter.
Treat your loved one to a
thing of beauty.
NAKAMOL BEADED FRINGE
NECKLACE, £55, SAHARA,
42 CHILTERN STREET.
INFO: 020 7935 8990,
WWW.SAHARALONDON.COM
TOWNHALL DRESS,
£795, SUZANNAH,
3 NEW QUEBEC STREET.
INFO: 020 7258 0782,
WWW.SUZANNAH.COM
GOLD BOX UMBRELLA, £29.99, THE
WALLACE COLLECTION, HERTFORD
HOUSE, MANCHESTER SQUARE.
INFO: 020 7563 9500,
WWW.WALLACECOLLECTION.ORG
HARDY & PARSONS BREDON WEBBING
BELT, £75, TRUNK CLOTHIERS,
8 CHILTERN STREET. INFO: 020 7486 2357,
WWW.TRUNKCLOTHIERS.COM
WHITE LACE DRESS, £85, PAOLITA,
18 NEW QUEBEC STREET.
INFO: 0203 620 5806, WWW.PAOLITA.CO.UK
EDITH BAG, £185, WILBUR &
GUSSIE, 20 NEW QUEBEC
STREET. INFO: 020 3696 4920,
WWW.WILBURANDGUSSIE.COM
JOHN SIMONS APPAREL
COMPANY SHIRT, £89, JOHN
SIMONS, 46 CHILTERN STREET.
INFO: 020 3490 2729,
WWW.JOHNSIMONS.CO.UK
RIVIERA POLO SHIRT,
£80, SUNSPEL,
13-15 CHILTERN STREET.
INFO: 020 7009 0650,
WWW.SUNSPEL.COM
30
community
Gail’s in PorTMan VillaGE is buzzing. The artisan bakery,
which opened on seymour Place in september, is filled with mums
chatting animatedly, while their babies snooze in prams and
toddlers play underfoot. Portman Estate resident and local mum
Tushna Ghadially is holding her second coffee morning for the
website and network of parents she set up earlier this year.
Tushna and her husband moved to Bryanston Mews West in
april 2013 after living in the lancaster Gate area for about ten years.
The relocation brought huge benefits. “Marylebone definitely has
more of a community feel than even lancaster Gate and, living in a
mews, we have quite a few families living on our street and the
children play out in the evenings,” says Tushna.
Gloria rexer agrees. she moved to Marylebone last august and
had her baby, Camila, in February. “You can do almost everything
just walking and, as we don’t have a car, that’s perfect! i love taking
Camila to the park (either the small one in Paddington street
Gardens or regent’s Park), a lot of restaurants are easy to visit with
a baby [see box], and it’s easy for us to meet my husband during
lunchtime as he works so close.”
after having her daughter, Katayoun, in March 2013, Tushna
gave up work as a fund manager. However, she soon discovered
that there was no established community for local parents, so
Tushna set up MaryleboneMums.com at the beginning of the year.
“The website provides a blog, where news and information
about local events, classes and coffee mornings are posted. These
Mum’s the word
Marylebone Mums was set up earlier this
year to help parents find child-friendly
activities on and around The Portman Estate.
Felicity Kent finds out more about the
concept from founder Tushna Ghadially
ABOVE: SIRIO
OPPOSITE: TUSHNA GHADIALLY AND KATAYOUN
32
community
are also on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. There is also a
calendar of events so you can see what is on every day.”
Gloria, who is originally from Brazil, says: “The Marylebone
Mums Facebook group really helped me to meet other mums.” While her network of parents grows, Tushna now wants to build
a relationship with local businesses. “i want to make sure that local
businesses value the loyal custom that local families bring. i plan to
encourage classes to start running in the area and try to help find
them space where activities can happen. There is also a gap in the
market for a family club around here, especially
given the large number of kids.”
aurore Martial has been living on Montagu
square for three and a half years and had her
son, sirio, last november. she has an idea for a
family club but is struggling to find suitable
space. “i started going to playgroups, and was just
shocked to see that there wasn’t that much going
on: surely there should be better settings than
church basements or libraries? so i decided to
launch a pop-up cafe and created Take a Deep
Breath, just to see if it was just me dreaming of
something a bit more sophisticated or if there was
really a gap in the market.
“The idea was pretty simple: an afternoon tea
for the mums, a play area for the kids (with finger
food) and a music class – all wrapped up in two
hours. We held it at Hardy’s Brasserie and i
absolutely enjoyed it. since then, i have been
looking desperately for a space.”
another local mum saw a gap in the market
for personal training. Manya Klempner is the cofounder of Moose X-Training, a personal training
boutique that comes to the client. The concept is
perfect for new mums. “Many of our clients have children and either
use our services to get rid of stubborn excess
baby weight or to get in a workout at home while
baby naps or hubby supervises in the evening.
We’re all about being convenient, and we’re quite
affordable too. as a small company celebrating
our second birthday soon, we always value
support from the community.”
suzy Kruger lives on rossmore road with her
handyman husband and self-confessed
BELOW: MANYA KLEMPNER AND CHARLIE
OPPOSITE TOP: GLORIA REXER AND CAMILA
OPPOSITE BELOW: LES PORT DES INDES
The concept is perfect for new mums …
“We’re all about being convenient, and
we’re quite affordable too.”
Manya Klempner
Marylebone Dad, Jethro, and 17-month-old
Florence. she wanted to give something back to
the local community so started up rossmore
rascals, a playgroup for babies and toddlers at st
Paul’s Church on rossmore road. “i thought that
even if it just ended up being Florence’s mates
and their mums that would be great, but it’s been
really popular and we have 15 kids at each
session. it’s been rather altruistic and really helps
to precipitate the local ‘village’ feeling that we
have been trying to create.”
after achieving so much in so little time,
Tushna and her Marylebone Mums will surely
enrich the vibrant fabric of The Portman Estate’s
family-friendly offerings for the future.
info: www.marylebonemums.com or
www.facebook.com/groups/marylebonemums/
Twitter: @MaryleboneMums
Tushna’s guide:
where to eat with kids
Gail’s Bakery, 4-6 seymour Place: “a family
favourite for a sweet treat or yummy lunch.”
Bright Courtyard Club, 43-45 Baker street:
“Especially for dim sum – super kid-friendly.”
Natural Kitchen, 55 Baker street: “The atrium
area is great.”
Chiltern Firehouse, 1 Chiltern street:
“supposedly very child-friendly, although not tried
it with the kids yet!”
La Porte des Indes (pictured), 32 Bryanston
street: “For sunday brunch.”
36
food & drink
Tired of turkey? Crave a more original festive season
get-together? These eateries in the Portman area
embrace different nationalities and styles. All are great
for sociable sharing and there’s not a sprout in sight.
Debbie Ward reports
Roti Chai
The Indian street food served at Roti Chai
has proved such a popular antidote to
turkey and mince pies that, in previous
years, it has seen people queuing for
Boxing Day and New Year’s Day lunch.
There are two separate rooms and
menus; the more casual Street Kitchen
(open from midday, last orders 10.30pm)
and the Dining Room (open from 5pm).
The former is more popular with families
and group lunches and the latter for
Christmas dinners with colleagues or
friends. The street food-inspired sharing
style helps to keep things sociable.
Try the £32.50 ‘Atma’ sample Dining
Room sharing party menu, which includes
‘small plates’ such as lamb Gilafi seekh
kebab and ‘comfort food’ dishes like
creamy butter chicken, a Koliwada fish kari
cooked with coconut, and a slow-cooked
pork belly goan vinha d’alhos. A spiced
Bombay banoffee is among the desserts.
The Street Kitchen party menus start
from £24.50 per person.
3 Portman Mews South. Info: 020 7408
0101, www.rotichai.com
Alternative Christmas dinners
CHILI PANEER AT ROTI CHAI
Carousel
CAROUSEL
The Lockhart
Thanksgiving is the big turkey-focused
event Stateside, and you can get a taste of
it from now until November 27 at American
restaurant The Lockhart, with fried turkey
legs, country ham, smoked brisket and
traditional side dishes.
The restaurant’s varied Southern menu,
meanwhile, can be adapted for ‘familystyle’ Christmas parties from £35 per
person. Mississippi-born chef Brad
McDonald turns out the likes of catfish
gumbo; dirty rice with brown crab and
FRIED CHICKEN, COLLARD
GREENS AND BLACK-EYED PEAS
AT THE LOCKHART
West Mersea oysters; short ribs; or the
festive-sounding grouse, sour cherries and
bacon with Madeira glaze. Side dishes
naturally include grits and cornbread, while
desserts feature the lemon icebox pie that
recently proved a winner at the Portman
Bake Off. Wash it all down with a California
wine, a mint julep, an ice tea or some
homemade lemonade.
A New Year’s Day ‘Lucky Brunch’ will
recreate the traditional Southern inclusions
of collard greens for wealth, and Hoppin’
John (rice with black-eyed peas) for luck.
22-24 Seymour Place. Info: 020 3011
5400, www.lockhartlondon.com
With a promise of “no stuffing, no sprouts,
and definitely no mince pies”, Carousel
is waging “a one-kitchen war against
soporific Christmas lunch menus” this
Christmas. The restaurant, which takes the
form of a string of pop-ups, has produced
an original Christmas menu with “seasonal
ingredients and punchy flavours.”
Starters include cured and charred
mackerel with fennel, mint, grilled orange
and shallot vinaigrette, or slow cooked
rabbit, with pickled carrots, chervil and
sourdough toast.
Mains are a choice of pan-fried hake
with mussels, a vegetarian rotola pasta
dish with sage and walnut butter or, the
closest thing to a traditional roast, a dry
hung chicken with spiced yoghurt and
pearl barley. Dessert hits the off-beat
festive spot, with the likes of caramelised
lemon and Seville orange cake with
cardamom yoghurt or mascarpone, red
wine prunes and baby doughnuts.
Bookings for parties of four or more
are being taken for lunch or dinner from
November 24 to December 18.
71 Blandford Street. Info:020 7487 5564,
www.carousel-london.com
Nordic Bakery
That famous Danish feel-good word
‘hygge’, meaning something like
‘cosiness’, will be much in evidence at the
38
food & drink
Nordic Bakery this season. The menu’s still
evolving, but expect the likes of glogg – a
traditional mulled wine, usually served with
almonds and raisins, plus cranberry buns,
Christmas ginger stars and other seasonal
biscuits. Meet up with friends, take some
baked treats home for entertaining, or do
a spot of Christmas shopping: a “hamper”
is being created, with contents likely to be
a bottle of Glogg, Nordic Bakery jam and
blueberry juice, and a branded tray and tea
towel, all in a Nordic Bakery shoulder bag.
TAPAS AT DONOSTIA
selection, or octopus in Basque marinade
are among the cold plates.
There are classic or gourmet set menus
(£36 or £47) for groups, featuring some of
the above dishes, plus the likes of slowcooked pigs cheeks and a choice of
desserts. Or you can pre-order a leg of
suckling lamb or goat for £32/34. If you’re
in full party mode, hire a room for up to 16
people, or book Donostia’s catering.
LANES OF LONDON’S
AFTERNOON TEA
10 Seymour Place. Info: 020 3620 1845,
www.donostia.co.uk
37b New Cavendish Street. Info:020 7935
3590, www.nordicbakery.com
Lanes of London
Donostia
Tapas have always been a great sharing
meal, so Donostia is a perfect port of call
with friends. Along with favourites like
tortilla and Donostia’s take on patatas
bravas, a sophisticated range of dishes
features scallops, cod cheeks, pigeon with
ceps and chestnut purée, and an orange
and hazelnut salad. Hand-carved threeyear-old Iberian jaman, a charcuterie
For a fun twist on the pre-Christmas gettogether, gather at Lanes of London
where the afternoon tea has been given
a festive makeover. This November and
December, the tea will feature Christmas
pudding spiced macaroon, chocolate and
orange opera cake, a gingerbread house,
coffee and mascarpone yule log and warm
eggnog with spiced foam. The indulgence
costs £35 per person, which includes a
glass of champagne, and is available for
group bookings.
Lanes’ regular street food menu is also
Hunter 486
Christmas grub around the world
If a taste of the traditional is what you’re craving,
The Arch London’s stylish Hunter 486 restaurant
is offering a lavish five-course lunch or dinner for
£55 per person. Dishes include wild mushroom
cappuccino with parmesan crisp; traditional roast
Norfolk turkey with chestnut stuffing, roast
potatoes, Brussels sprouts, chipolatas in bacon,
cranberry sauce and roasting jus; and chocolate
and clementine tart with clotted cream ice cream.
The meal is also available as three courses for
£35 and four courses for £45 (until December 31).
On Christmas day, a four-course lunch including
a glass of Taittinger is available for £65 per person.
Christmas is a celebration common to many countries,
but the traditional meal is very much a moveable feast.
Molly, part of the Lockhart team, is originally from
Kansas City but met her husband Brad, Lockhart’s chef,
while at university in Mississippi. She says: “A lot of
Southern cuisine is based around pork. Christmas dinner
would be no different, with ham as the main. Cornbread
would be a side, and then dessert would probably be
some pies like a pecan pie or a sweet potato pie that’s
often also served for Thanksgiving. Each family has their
own variations. Mine has Danish heritage so we had a
red cabbage dish.
New Year’s Day is one of my favourite Southern
traditions with collard greens and black-eyed peas. Brad
and I would do a brunch. People would come a little
worse for wear but still laughing about the night before,
and we’d toast the New Year.”
Hunter 486 at The Arch London, 50 Great
Cumberland Place. Info: 020 7724 0486,
www.thearchlondon.com/hunter-486-brasserie
a hit for sociable dining, with tapas-style
plates designed to represent the best of
multi-cultural London.
London Marriot Hotel, 140 Park Lane. Info:
020 7647 5664, www.lanesoflondon.co.uk
Naturally, fish is much in evidence at Nordic
Christmas dinner tables. Nordic Bakery operations
director Richard Keen says the first course is typically a
fish buffet, including gravlax served with boiled potatoes
and mustard and dill dressing, sill – a kind of herring
served with mustard and pickled vegetables – and
‘lutefisk’ – a dried cod soaked in a lye solution.
Ham is the main event again, with a slow-roasted
whole gammon the star, served with root vegetable
casseroles and beetroot and red cabbage salads,
homemade mustard and peas.
Donostia co-owner Nemanja Borjanovic says the
restaurant will be playing out a humorous Spanish
tradition this New Year’s Eve: “We will be counting down
to New Year with grapes. For every count, every guest
will put a grape in their mouth entering 2015 with a
mouth full of grapes.”
40
service
Teresa Kearney, associate
director of customer services,
and Kirsty Arnold, team leader,
facilities management, have
looked after the residents,
occupiers and visitors of The
Portman Estate for the past
ten years. They tell us how
they stay on top of the game
in customer service
“We value all
feedback and
welcome any
ideas and
suggestions”
Above and beyond
Teresa: Our job is to ensure that The
Portman Estate is a desirable place to
be: to live, to work, to shop and to visit.
A key part of our role is looking after our
customers – whether they are
commercial, retail or residential.
Kirsty: It’s going above and beyond
perhaps what other landlords might
provide but also above and beyond the
expectations of our customers. We have
many different initiatives and ways we
can enhance the customer service we
provide, and that is something we’re
continually looking at, it doesn’t stop.
Teresa: Sometimes, with the best will in
the world, things may go wrong, but if it
does we will do our utmost to put things
right as quickly as possible.
We are in a unique position on The
Portman Estate, in that all of our
properties are within a five minute walk of
our office here on Portman Square. That
does make a big difference.
We are a founding member of the
Real Service Best Practice Group
(www.rsbpg.com), whose aim
is to improve customer service in the
property sector.
Respect for others is very important
to us and we strive to be fair and
professional in everything that we do.
Clear communication is key.
We meet all customers when they
move into one of our properties. Myself,
Kirsty or one of the facilities management
team will attend and make that personal
contact. We like to get to know people
well and build relationships with them.
You can see who we all are on our
website:
www.portmanestate.co.uk/contact.
Kirsty: At the end of a check-in meeting,
our new occupiers always feel reassured
to have met one of the team and have a
personal contact here at the office. I think
people really value that. We’ve got a 24hour service desk as well, which means
we can be on-hand all day, every day, to
KIRSTY ARNOLD (LEFT)
AND TERESA KEARNEY
take your call and to respond to maintenance
issues as required.
We also have a handyman service. Andy has
worked with us for the past five years and is a
familiar face. It’s very important to us to have
someone around the Estate that people know.
Teresa: Most of the contractors we use are
people we have worked with for many years.
They tend to be smaller companies where we
have developed strong working relationships.
Kirsty: We have a detailed procedure for vetting
our contractors, and place great importance on
health and safety. We’re in constant
communication with them and hold regular review
meetings.
Teresa: We continually look to improve the level
of customer service we offer and know that we
can never be complacent. We benchmark
ourselves against others in the property industry
as well as organisations outside the property
world, such as those in the hotel and service
sector.
We encourage people to give us feedback,
whether they live or work on the Estate or not,
and even if they’re not our direct occupiers, we
value all feedback and welcome any ideas and
suggestions.
The Portman Estate office is at 40 Portman
Square.
Info: 020 7563 1400, www.portmanestate.co.uk,
[email protected].
Maintenance enquiries: 020 7563 1750,
[email protected]
43
baker street quarter
Stocking and stomach fillers
Cally Squires gets the
low-down from the
Baker Street Quarter’s
Kirsty Jones on what’s
in store for this year’s
Christmas market, from
December 10-11 at 55
Baker Street
LOCAL FOODIES and hungry workers are no
doubt already familiar with the monthly food
markets held on the second Wednesday of every
month by the Baker Street Quarter. Throughout
the summer months, they take place in the lush
surroundings of Portman Square gardens,
retreating to the outdoor atrium of 55 Baker Street
when the weather gets cooler. However, when it
comes to the (now second annual) Christmas
market: “We up our game and try to do
something even more special,” the Quarter’s
communications manager Kirsty Jones tells me.
For starters, the Christmas market lasts for two
days, and gift traders are invited along, as well as
the usual food stalls. “Some are local traders and
others are from further afield in London. We mix it
up a bit so that different stalls will be there on the
Wednesday and the Thursday,” Kirsty says. Gifts
on offer this year will include books, scarves and
jewellery, in addition to Christmas-themed wares
like tree decorations and wreaths. “The perfect
stocking fillers,” says Kirsty.
44
baker street quarter
Gourmands will be pleased to hear that
regulars including Roti Chai from Portman Mews –
whose Indian street food is a firm favourite among
locals – and Fire & Spice from the Double Tree by
Hilton Marble Arch (another fantastic Indian
offering) – will be at this year’s market. Made in
Marylebone, a local enterprise project working
with women from a nearby refuge centre, will also
be selling the “most amazing” cakes. “We try and
offer something a bit different from the standard
mince pie-filled Christmas market,” says Kirsty.
“Although, of course, there will be plenty of roast
chestnuts and mulled wine!”
The Portman talks to
Sophie Mitchell, a local
resident who will be selling
Stella & Dot jewellery at this
year’s Christmas market…
GOLD AND SILVER NECKLACE, £170
GREEN AND GOLD NECKLACE, £40
DROP EARRINGS, £35
BRACELETS, £19 EACH
STUDS, £19 EACH
Sophie lives on York Street, and
first heard about the market
through friends who work at 55
Baker Street. “The mulled wine
is delicious so I will definitely be
queuing up for more of that again
this year! I love all the seasonal
food products, especially the
cheeses, and I can’t resist a free
sample! As a vendor, I’m very
excited to showcase some
JOANNA WOODof the jewels in
Stella & Dot’s brand new winter
collection, and see which pieces
will be the most popular.
I was a vendor for Stella & Dot at
the Baker Street Quarter’s
Christmas market last year, too.
I had a wonderful time chatting
to people and helping them pick
out the perfect gift or some sparkly
accessories for the office
Christmas party. It was a
beautifully crisp day and the
atmosphere was so festive.”