The high point of 2011, for the romantics among us, was surely William and Catherine’s wonderful wedding in Westminster Cathedral. And the story of how he proposed, after flying her in a helicopter to a remote and inaccessible lake, overlooked by the dramatic snow-capped peak of Mount Kenya, takes some beating.

So, we have a challenge for you – and a wonderful prize.

To enter the Competiton:

Write us an account of how you, or your partner, proposed in the comments section below. Or, if neither of you has popped the question yet, give us a description of the most romantic occasion you have shared together. The entry judged to be the best by our Red Carnation panel will win a romantic night at The Milestone Hotel that is sure to be truly, madly, deeply and unforgettably magical.

To Win:

The hotel itself overlooks Kensington Gardens, and William and Catherine’s London residence, Kensington Palace – so you’ll feel like a prince and princess from the moment you arrive. In reception you’ll be given the full red carpet treatment – we’ll welcome you with a single red rose and two glasses of chilled Veuve Clicquot premium champagne, then show you to your splendidly luxurious suite. Here you’ll find a bottle of house champagne waiting for you, along with a dish of delicious chocolate dipped strawberries. Then, in the evening, you’ll be served a sumptuously romantic dinner in Chenestons, our famous fine dining restaurant – a quick glance at a sample menu and you’ll realise just how special an experience this will be! After dinner you’ll enjoy a Romantic Turndown then, when you awaken next morning, you’ll be served a hearty full English Breakfast.

If you can tear yourself away from the hotel (not easy!) you can wander over to Kensington Palace and see for yourself where William and Catherine spend their time when in the capital. On the other hand you might prefer a little shopping. Again, The Milestone is ideally placed – it’s just a few yards from the fabulous stores along Kensington High Street, while Harrods, Harvey Nichols and the boutiques of Knightsbridge are only a short walk in the other direction. Nearby Kensington Church Street offers the widest selection of art and antiques in London, with over 60 dealers, and there’s The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum and The Victoria & Albert Museum are all just 15 minutes away on foot.

Your entry can be as short or long as you’d like and should be submitted in the comment section below – so what more encouragement do you need to “look in thy heart and write”?

Closing date for entry is 13th February 2012. Winner will be announced on 14th February 2012. Entrants must be 18 years or older. Prize valid until 31st January 2013, subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Black out dates may apply. Dinner includes one bottle of our house wine. Additional drinks are subject to charge.

With a festive chill in the air and the hotels sparkling Christmas lights twinkling in the night, there was a feeling of mystery and excitement in the air as we (The Marketing Team) approached The Leopard Bar.  We’d been sent summons from the team at The Rubens, 41 & bbar to join them for a night of ‘Euphoria’ – fun, food & drink and indeed it really was!

We were greeted at the Leopard Champagne Bar with a glass of champagne, a promising start, and an explanation of the events and challenges to come…

Champagne at The Leopard Bar

Fish & Chips and Champagne!

The first challenge was to sample two glasses of Champagne one a house Champagne and the other from a £5,000 bottle with a glass of water requested to cleanse the palate the competition was on! One by one we went, nibbling on mini fish & chips as we sniffed, tasted, examined and tried to bribe the barman. With the winner announced, ‘time to move along’ our hosts cried…

Kids treats at The Rubens

Fun & Adventure – not just for kids

Task two took us to one of the Junior Suites at The Rubens at the Palace where to our amazement the Director of Fun and Adventure, John Goncalves, had been let loose to create a kid’s haven, showing us how family friendly the hotel can actually be. There were sweeties, been-bags, bath toys, mini robes & slippers, teddy bears and games, not to mention Disney tunes creating a magical ambiance.  As we sampled the beer (strictly for adults) and mini burgers the General Manager, Malcolm Hendry, rolled up his sleeves and stepped into goal. Now this was a mini goal and he is not such a mini man so the challenge to score a goal was tough, but three succeeded and we were whisked from the kid’s toys, with pockets full of sweets onto location three…

Our bbar leopard

The wildness descended to bbar

Mojitios!

The next stop – 43 Below – the private party space underneath bbar (perfect for a Christmas party!), next door to the hotel.  Lined up along the bar were icy Mojitos with a suspicious looking character at the end of the bar purring in a leopard jumpsuit, complete with ears! Miaow! With appetites akin to a lion we devoured Boboite Spring Rolls as we completed the next challenge – naming the Big Five. With three beautiful South African hotels this should have been easy… 

Romantic treats at 41

The Perfect Proposal

From bbar to five star, we entered the magical doorway into Hotel 41, where we were whisked up to one of their fabulous Hospitality Suites. The lights had dimmed , we followed the trail of rose petals into the room and were swooned by the romantic tones from the ipod, candles and scents surrounded us as we were led into the adjoining room and there before us were more drinks and treats but first we had to perform a task. Famous for its proposals that take place in the hotel – we had to (one by one) get down on bended knee and propose to the Director of Sales, Steven.  The competition was stiff and the lines a little cheesy to say the least but true love cannot be mistaken and the lucky winner was congratulated with a specially designed Engagement Cake (double chocolate fudge too!)  Sadly, after such a heartfelt experience we were dismayed to discover Steven to be already married!! Shock horror!

Frozen Delights

Frozen in excitement

Getting even louder still,  it was with a heavy heart that we were then moved to our final destination the Cavalry Bar. Our mission here was to name this Tequila based icy cocktail by this time we were buzzing with ideas and the final possibility of claiming valuable points. In third was ‘Frostbite’ deemed too controversial given Scott died from this, second came ‘ The Final Glacier’ but the winner went to ‘Frozen Planet’  – very topical given the current BBC series showing at the moment (although some suspected it was the fact this idea came from the social media manager that won the top spot!)

After spending the previous 3 hours eating and mixing all sorts of alcoholic drinks, the obvious choice for concluding the night was to head back to bbar for a few more drinks and delicious platters of South Africa inspired cuisine. All in all, a perfect night full of fun, food and a lot of drinks!

Often when entering a hotel one can feel a little overwhelmed by the impressive lobby, frantic reception team with a queue of guests waiting to check out or the grumpy concierge who you don’t want to bother as they seem preoccupied trying to secure a dinner reservation for an important guest and not really getting anywhere… not so at The Chesterfield Mayfair!

Chris Campbell

A sense of calm and unhurried attention is immediately evident from the moment you walk through the door, it’s smiles all round and warm greetings from the well turned out team behind the front desk that make you feel very much at ease and amongst friends. Probably the brightest smile of all, and certainly the most captivating comes from Assistant Concierge Chris Campbell who is eager to assist new guests as well as bid a fond farewell to those departing. It’s Chris I have come to meet and he has already bowled me over with his demeanour and very likeable character, I am really looking forward to getting to know him and delving into the unknown world of the concierge.

The word concierge originates from French, meaning “keeper of the keys”, originally referring to the literal  holding of keys to a stately home or large building, as the role of the concierge has grown the meaning now refers to the holding of the secrets of the local area. The foremost requirement for the concierge is an indepth knowledge of the area with a passion for discovering the best spots suited to their guests needs and making sure they have the ability to obtain any request. 

Throughout an average day Chris tells me he finds himself assisting guests with directions around London to make them feel like locals rather than tourists, working his contacts to get an extra table squeezed in to seat guests at a top restaurant and charming the theatres for last minute tickets to London’s West End Shows.

Chris takes great pride in personally sampling the finest restaurants in the area or the latest West End theatre smash in order to provide the best possible advice to guests and visitors to the hotel and the city, some may see this simply as a “perk” of the job but Chris is professional to the nth degree, taking extensive notes on his experience and getting to know the right people at the venue to ensure a seamless booking for his guests.  He fondly recalls his favourite restaurant in Mayfair (besides  Butler’s of course); the Michelin starred  Greenhouse Restaurant on Hays Mews just around the corner from the hotel, serving contemporary French cuisine, and smacks his lips as he describes the  spicy Black pudding which accompanies the white Herefordshire pork – perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea for sure but his animated description is beginning to win  me over – I now will have to try it for myself.

One of the highlights of Chris’s career, he tells me, was his first trip to see The Lion King on stage.  A great lover of this Disney classic, and having watched the DVD a hundred times, he was full to bursting with excitement when he was invited to the show with his wife and children.  He was overjoyed by the performance, as were his kids, it even brought tears to his eyes!  Of course now, whenever families are staying at the hotel, he practically insists they see this show together claiming it to be one of life’s most memorable moments for young children (and their parents). 

The Society of the Golden Keys

So far I am thinking the life of a concierge is a charmed one but it’s not all fun and laughter, Chris is currently hoping to secure the pinnacle of concierge status when he will be interviewed by the Society of the Golden Keys in November and hopefully earn his “stripes” as an official concierge gaining the much coveted gold cross-keys pins, worn on either side of the lapel. Formed in Great Britain in 1952, The Society of the Golden Keys is part of the international and somewhat mysterious ‘Les Clefs D’Or’, whose members are acknowledged as having a wealth of  “professional gravitas, integrity, local knowledge and impeccable recommendations“.

We wish Chris all the best and have every faith that next time we see him, he will be sporting his new pins… and we can’t think of anyone more deserving”

by Sasha Kerman

“Suzie, I have a question for you”; is where it all started – “have you heard of the 3 peaks challenge?” JR continued – “No, I haven’t but sounds fun” was where it went downhill – or rather uphill. 3 of them in fact, all equally as steep and exhausting as the next!

The team feeling fresh

On Friday the 16th September I made my way to Luton Airport to meet 3 of my Red Carnation Hotels colleagues – JR (the boss), Sandra and Sarah. We were on our way to complete the 3 Peaks Challenge to raise money for Hospitality Action*.

Laden with walking boots, my trusty red ski jacket, a head torch, 2 walking poles, a rucksack full of homemade flapjack and blister plasters – “You won’t be able to walk for a week because of the blisters” friends and family advised, I happily accepted their words of wisdom except for those along the lines of “don’t do it, you must be mad”

Arriving at Glasgow airport, we immediately spotted another group of fellow hikers; it quickly became evident that I was no longer alone in the “lack of preparation” and “ignorance of the task at hand” department, so I started to feel a little more relaxed.

Around 5pm we were met by a guide called John, “just back from Killer” he confidently boasted, excellent experience I noted and started to look forward to the task ahead. I watched as John disappeared into the distance with another group and turned around to be greeted by Andy, a young man from Hereford who led us off to our minibus without a whisper of Kilimanjaro or similar boastful experience – I wasn’t convinced.

On arrival by mini bus at Fort William, we were joined by 3 other teams at the “Bunkhouse” which is exactly that – a house full of bunk beds. After a large glass of red, we left our guide Andy at the bar and after briefing him to be “at his best” for the morning I settled down for the night with the words “breakfast at 5am” tormenting me as I tried desperately to get some sleep.

Andy 3 Peaks

5am is a little early for Muesli but I was determined to stock up -  “Andy 3 Peaks” as we had now nicknamed him was the last to join us for breakfast and had a look of too many red wines from the night before; I was still not convinced and as the rain streamed down the window of the Bunkhouse, I reluctantly pulled on my waterproof trousers, layered myself up with thermals, 2 t-shirts, a fleece and ski jacket – determined I would not be beaten by the miserable weather.

At 6am we arrived at Achaintee House, at the foot of the mighty Ben Nevis. “This seems OK” I thought to myself as we picked up pace and started to head into the hills, I started to get in the swing of using my new walking poles, enjoyed the convenience of my new “bladder system” (water bottle with straw attached) and started to feel like a real adventurer.

"Get a move on Suzie!"

30 minutes in and hanging at the back of the group – it started to go slightly wrong. “Is it too early to drop out now?” I thought to myself, looking across at my team mate Sandra, I uttered the formidable words “I can’t do this” to which she dutifully responded “neither can I” so we decided to take a breather.  “SUZIE GET A MOVE ON”  were the booming words of encouragement from JR – “no time for sitting down” he continued and so despite the rain, leaking bladder system (see above), exhaustion and inevitable stitch, I de-layered and with some kind words of encouragement from Andy 3 Peaks ¬– I got a move on…

Reaching the top of Ben Nevis was amazing, the Red Carnation Flag was swiftly removed from JR’s back pack and we posed proudly for a team photo, unfortunately due to the poor weather conditions the views were non existent and so Andy 3 Peaks promptly led us back down Ben Nevis and back to the mini bus for the next leg of the journey – Scarfell Pike in the Lake District.

Spending 7 hours in a mini bus, drenched and exhausted was almost as uncomfortable as the climb itself. We eventually arrived at Seathwaite, at the foot of Scarfell around 7pm and were reminded to pull out our head torches for the night climb. Climbing a mountain in the dark is not something that would have ever occurred to me a sensible idea and as I stood clinging to the rock face at midnight, being told to “lean into the mountain” I understood why. “This is ridiculous” I shouted in amongst some other choice words “someone is going to get hurt” – my concerns were once again met with JR’s words of encouragement …“Get a move on Suzie”.

Several hours of climbing later and as we headed back down the Pike, I started to appreciate the wonder of climbing a mountain in the middle of the night, as we walked through flowing rivers and skilfully traversed the harsh rock face, It dawned on me that I might actually be starting to enjoy myself..

The night climb at Scarfell Pike

After making it back down to the bus at approx 2am; we had 3 hours to rest while we made our way to Snowdon – the final peak! Waking up on a warm bus after a couple of hours sleep, with 2 mountain climbs behind me and the sound of rain lashing down outside – to say I was less than eager was an understatement! As many of our team mates chose to quietly sit the last one out and swap the looming 7 hour hike for a few extra hours sleep; I also started to question whether two peaks was perhaps enough….”Get a move on Suzie”

Starting out from Pen-Y-Pass, we made our way up Snowdon in the dark, absolutely exhausted I felt a slight tickle of excitement “I am  almost there” I thought to myself and I couldn’t quite believe it. As the sun rose over the beautiful lakes of Snowdon I once again reflected on the past 24 hours and upon reaching the top of Snowdon, I was delighted!

I was certainly delighted to have completed the challenge and for such a worthy cause – but more so that it was almost over. Andy 3 peaks and I made it to the bottom of Snowdon at 12pm to be greeted by the lovely people from Hospitality Action; I proudly showed off my medal and posed for a final photo. I was delighted to have successfully finished the challenge, but at the same time felt quite sad that it was all over…as I said my goodbyes to Andy 3 Peaks – my new found friend – and briefly pondered my future as a mountain guide – I was ushered back to the waiting mini bus and for the final time heard the now familiar instruction to “get a move on Suzie”.

Written by Suzie Wotton, Vice President of Marketing at Red carnation Hotels

* For over 170 years Hospitality Action, the Hospitality Industry Benevolent Organisation, has offered vital assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK and who find themselves in crisis. Red Carnation Hotels raised £5000 for Hospitality Action during the 3 Peaks Challenge and will proudly continue to support the organisation’s great work.

Sandra Anido

London Mayor Boris Johnson launched the Transport for London bike rental scheme in July 2010 and in the first year 120,000 people have become subscribers, more than five million journeys have been made and about 25,000 trips are completed every day.

If you’d like to know how the system works just watch this quick video. You can also get help with route planning here. However, if you are less interested in getting straight from A to B, and more inclined to take a pleasant ride though some of the most fascinating and scenic parts of the city, here’s my personal favourite, plus links to a couple of others for good measure.

Limehouse to Little Venice

Regents canal

The very best ride in London, I believe, is the route from Limehouse, just up river from Canary Wharf, to Little Venice in lovely Maida Vale. The best thing about it is the lack of traffic – you’re cycling westwards along the old tow path of the picturesque Regents Canal. The ride is flat, 8 miles long, and will take you about one and a half hours to complete. Having said that, there’s so much to enjoy along the way that you could make this trip last all day!

You start at Limehouse Basin, where the canal meets the Thames. An area rich in history, there’s now plenty of splendid modern architecture to admire, as well as a Hawksmoor church (St Anne’s) and plenty of impressive yachts in the marina. Soon you’ll arrive at Mile End Park where you can have a freshener at the eccentric 1950s throwback pub the Palm Tree (Haverfield Road, E3 5BH).

If you fancy a little detour the boot-shaped Victoria Park lies just beyond the entrance to the Hertford Union Canal (aka Duckett’s Cut). The Old Ford Lock is where canal boaters traditionally changed horses but your bike doesn’t need the same care and attention so carry on straight to the Hackney Gasworks.

Soon you get to the City Road Basin, once the largest trading centre along Regent’s Canal. You could stop for a pint at the impressive Island Queen pub around the corner (87 Noel Road, N1 8HD). There’s also the Canal Museum, or you could explore Camley Street Natural Park for some peace and quiet.

Once past Camden Town, where you can spend a few hours browsing the stalls at the famous Camden Lock Market. Next you come to the huge green expanse of Regent’s Park, and London Zoo. You could also take a short detour up to Primrose Hill for a spectacular view of the city. The cycle path skirts around the north of the Regent’s Park and then it’s on to Little Venice, where the Regent’s Canal ends and the Grand Union Canal begins. To celebrate completing your leisurely ride head for the kitsch theatre pub the Bridge House (13 Westbourne Terrace Road, W2 6NG), the fabulously ornate Prince Alfred and Formosa Dining Rooms (54 Formosa Street, W9 1EE) or the Warrington Hotel (93 Warrington Crescent, W9 1EH), a popular haunt of ageing pop stars that’s part of the Gordon Ramsay empire.

Tower Bridge to Albert Bridge

This ride takes you up the river, through the very centre of the capital, with stunning vistas unfolding on either bank as you take in the ten bridges of London Town. You can find details of this ride here.

Westminster to Kew Gardens

This route also follows the river, but takes you further upstream. You go from Big Ben and the London Eye, past the Tate Britain and the Iconic Battersea Power Station to world famous Kew Gardens. You can find details of this ride here.

Jim Cameron

The National Gallery. Open 361 days a year and free of charge, it houses a spectacular collection of Western European painting from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Contains over 2,300 works, including many famous works, such as van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, Turner’s Fighting Temeraire and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers.

Tate Britain. Free entry to the world’s largest collection of British art from 1500 to the present day. Highlights include masterpieces by William Hogarth, the eighteenth-century portraitists Gainsborough and Reynolds, the animal painter George Stubbs, the artists of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood who revolutionised British art in the nineteenth century; and in the twentieth century of the work of Stanley Spencer, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Francis Bacon and the Young British Artists (YBAs) of the 1990s.

Blake and Constable have dedicated spaces within the gallery, while the unique Turner Collection of about 300 paintings and many thousands of watercolours is housed in the specially built Clore Gallery

The V & A Museum

Victoria & Albert Museum. The world’s largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects. This spans 5,000 years of art, from ancient times to the present day, in virtually every medium, from the cultures of Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa.

The holdings of ceramics, glass, textiles, costumes, silver, ironwork, jewellery, furniture, medieval objects, sculpture, prints and printmaking, drawings and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world. The museum also possesses the world’s largest collection of post-classical sculpture – the holdings of Italian Renaissance items are the largest outside Italy. Admission to permanent collections is free.

The Royal Academy of Arts. Holds the unique position of being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate. The Academy now enjoys an unrivalled reputation as a venue for exhibitions of international importance. Their summer exhibition, held every year without interruption since 1769, attracts around 10,000 works.

Tate Modern. Created in 2000 from a disused power station Tate Modern displays the national collection of international modern art. It includes important masterpieces by both Picasso and Matisse and one of the world’s finest museum collections of Surrealism, including works by Dalí, Ernst, Magritte and Mirò. Its substantial holdings of American Abstract Expressionism include major works by Pollock as well as the nine Seagram Murals by Rothko. Tate has significant collections of Pop art, including major works by Lichtenstein and Warhol, Minimal art and Conceptual art.

The Tate Britain

Shakespeare’s Globe. The Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the open-air playhouse, first built in 1599, where Shakespeare worked and for which he wrote many of his greatest plays.

Each year the theatre season runs from April to October with productions of work by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, as well as modern writers. Each year over 350,000 members of the audience experience the ‘wooden O’ sitting in a gallery or standing as a groundling in the yard, just as they would have done 400 years ago.

The Courtauld Gallery. The Courtauld Gallery is one of the finest small museums in the world. Its collection stretches from the early Renaissance into the 20th century and is particularly renowned for the unrivalled collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The Gallery also holds an outstanding collection of drawings and prints and fine example of sculpture and decorative arts.

The British Museum. Founded in 1753, the world’s first national public museum now has nearly 6 million visitors a year. Admission is free and it houses seven million objects representing a rich history of human culture. For a brief introduction to highlights of the collection see the museum’s A history of the world in 100 objects programme.

St Paul’s Cathedral. The present building dates from the 17th century and was designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. It is generally reckoned to be London’s fifth St Paul’s Cathedral, all having been built on the same site since AD 604. The cathedral is one of London’s most famous and most recognisable landmarks. At 365 feet (111m) high, it was the tallest building in London from 1710 to 1962, and its dome is also among the highest in the world. Houses over 200 memorials and tombs of famous British figures including Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Samuel Johnson, The Duke of Wellington and Lord Nelson.

The Wallace Collection. Situated in an historic London town house its 25 galleries boast unsurpassed displays that include famous paintings by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt, Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and Velázquez and for its superb collections of eighteenth-century French paintings, porcelain, furniture and gold boxes, probably the best to be found anywhere outside France. Entry is free.

If you get around even half of these attractions and you’ll need one of the Milestone’s legendary traditional afternoon teas to help you recover from an overload of the arts!

Bea Tollman originally made this dish years ago for Raymond Oliver when he visited them, and it was a big hit. (one of the great chefs of the postwar France, for 35 years he ran the famous Le Grand Vefour restaurant on the Rue de Beaujolais in the Palais-Royal district of Paris.) She was always intrigued by this combination, especially as individual servings. Since then, it has been very popular at the hotels.

1.5kg lean lamb from the leg cut into 3cm
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, minced or finely chopped
3 celery sticks, minced or finely chopped
1 sprig each fresh rosemary and thyme
1 cup seasoned flour
(salt, pepper, ground ginger. paprika)
1 litre lamb (or vegetable or chicken) stock
vegetable oil
1 egg yolk

In a large roasting pan (with cover) heat 100ml of oil, then brown the celery, carrots and onion over medium heat. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside. Dust the lamb cubes lightly in the seasoned flour then brown on all sides turning frequently, in the same oil.

Add a little of the stock to start creating the sauce, then add the reserved vegetables and the thyme and rosemary. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned particles of meat into the liquid. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Cook for an hour or so until the lamb in very tender and the sauce has reduced to a thickened consistency. Adjust the seasoning, then cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

Form the lamb into a loaf, wrap in puff pastry, and brush the pastry with egg yolk. Put the loaf on a baking sheet with the seam underneath. Cook at 200°C for about 20-30 minutes depending on your oven until nicely browned. Allow to cool for a minute, then slice at the table about 3-4cm thick.

On Sunday 13th March 2011 Bea Tollman – A life in Food will be featured on www.cookstr.com. To purchase “A Life in Food”, with all proceeds going to Bea Tollman’s favourite charities click here.

Shopping

Sandra Anido, the Egerton House Hotel. Knightsbridge is fashion central. We’re just five minutes from Harrods and Harvey Nichols; you can take a stroll down Beauchamp Place for some of the most exclusive fashions, including Bruce Oldfield – tipped to be designing Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. Continue on to Sloane Street, where you can indulge in the best known British and International designers including Yves Saint Laurent, Prada and Tiffany & Co.

Another favourite with our guests is nearby á la mode at 10 Symons Street. The store supports British designers and this season you’ll find offerings by Kinder Aggugini, Peter Pilotto, Erdem, Bella Freud, Queene and Belle Cashmere and Alex Gore Browne Knitwear.

The Library, just around the corner from us, is one of the best edits of denim, knits and accessories by the likes of Alexander McQueen, Comme des Garçons and Martin Margiela, juxtaposed with a great selection of style books.

The V&A shop is just over the road from us, and always has one or two really delightful surprises – everything from handbags to hats and jewellery to jackets.

Portobello Market

Andrew Pike, the Milestone Hotel. We’re very well placed for fashion conscious shopaholics. Didier Antiques is only five minutes’ walk from the Milestone, and absolute heaven for collectors of 20th century jewellery. They specialise in pieces by Post-War artists, so you’ll find rare pieces by Cocteau, Moser, Braque, Vautrin and Kapoor. It’s not cheap, but perfect for very special presents.

Phoebe Carlyle is almost next door to Didier Antiques and sells some of the leading names in lingerie, including their own very popular own label.

Notting Hill is not far away and is crammed with interesting little boutiques, including Feathers, Bodas, Matches, Alice & Astrid and The Convenience Store, to name but a few. On the weekends you can wander down Portobello Market for antique treasures and vintage clothing.

Malcolm Hendry, 41 and the Rubens at the Palace. Augustina in nearby Belgravia has a great collection of bags, jewellery, fragrances and accessories – labels include Devi Kroell, Gryson, Temple St Clair and Botkier. And of course we’re pretty close to the King’s Road – so take your pick! Check out Austique for Rachel Gilbert Sydney, Thurley, Olivia Morris, Karen Walker, Wilbur & Gussie, Boyd, Anna & Boy, Alice McCall. Other great stores include Franchetti Bond (elegant shoes and handbags), Rigby and Peller (lingerie), Mimi (Cathryn Avison, Colette Dinnigan, Patrick Cox, Paul Smith Women, Jimmy Choo)….the list goes on and on.

Burlington Arcade

Oliver Raggett, the Chesterfield Mayfair. We’re surrounded by exclusive stores and designer boutiques, so it’s impossible to list them all. Nearby Burlington Arcade is one of the world’s most unique retail hotspots, and was featured in one of our earlier blog posts.

Balenciaga is a must – the world-renowned Parisian label’s first UK store, just around the corner from us, launches this season in the heart of Mayfair. Next to Marc Jacobs, it will cement Mount Street’s status as a key location on the London fashion map.

Dover Street Market is übercool, daring and always inspiring. If you ever feel bored with fashion this place is sure to re-ignite your passion! Names include Comme des Garçons, Azzedine Alaïa, Celine, Proenza Schouler, and Casely-Hayford. Less hard core, but very rewarding for fashionistas, is Fenwicks, featuring Allegra Hicks, Ally Capellino, Bill Amberg, ISSA, Orla Kiely, Betty Jackson, Nicole Farhi, Sara Berman, Paul Smith Woman, Philip Treacy, John Smedley, Graham & Spencer, Joseph and more. It’s in Bond Street, an area that’s world renowned for its profusion of fine jewellers and luxury designer labels.

We’re also very handy for Savile Row, the home of bespoke tailoring, including Gieves & Hawkes who will create the military uniform Prince William will wear at the Royal wedding this April, and Jeremyn Street, world famous for its shirtmakers.

Fashion

Dirk Crokaert, the Montague on the Gardens. We’re only a short walk from Covent Garden, so there’s a bunch of great boutiques right on the doorstep.

One of the most popular is Koh Samui, which cleverly combines high fashion with underground streetwear and vintage. If not for its eclectic mix, go to discover new names as well as find your established favourites – Balenciaga, Chloe, Dries van Noten, Issa, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Matthew Williamson, Superfine and more.

The Loft, also in Covent Garden, sells new and second-hand designer goods for men and women all at hugely discounted prices. Many items have been used solely for fashion shows and film shoots. Suppliers include a host of celebrities who buy and sell their clothes, shoes, bags and accessories through the store…well worth a visit!

For the complete shopping experience go to  Selfridges & Co, from their infamous window displays and delicious food hall to the newly created Shoe Gallery and fabulous clothes you will find everything you could desire and more.

Terry Holmes

The Milestone, The Montague on the Gardens, the Chesterfield Mayfair all include rooms either named after royalty, or which take their design cues from a royal theme. Many of the rooms at “41” are regal in the sense that they overlook the mews and gardens of Buckingham Palace. The Egerton House Hotel has no obvious palace connection but I know at least one member of the royal family has discretely taken afternoon tea in the Drawing Room.*

The Rubens at the Palace has eight rooms which specifically commemorate particular monarchs, including Henry VIII, the most famous and notorious in English history. And when it comes to the theme of royal weddings his story surely tops them all – six brides, two of whom he had executed, and a tale full of fascinating twists and turns.

Henry’s first bride was Catherine of Aragon. Catherine married Henry’s elder brother, Arthur, when Henry was ten. Arthur died twenty weeks later, aged fifteen. Henry’s Dad, Henry VII, wanted to maintain his alliance with Catherine’s family, the royal family of Spain, and suggested Henry marry his brother’s widow. This could only occur if the Pope gave special dispensation because in the book of Leviticus it says “If a brother is to marry the wife of a brother they will remain childless.” Catherine swore that her marriage to Arthur had not been consummated, making it technically invalid. However, just to be sure the correct papal dispensation was given.

Catherine bore Henry six children. A son and a daughter were stillborn. Two sons and a daughter died shortly after childbirth. The only surviving child was a girl, leaving no male heir (but this girl went on to become Mary I). Henry eventually decided that his marriage was “blighted in the eyes of God” and had fallen for one of Catherine’s ladies-in-waiting, Anne Boleyn. Anne’s refusal to become his mistress only inflamed his passion and he determined to wed her (her sister Mary took on the role of mistress, as dramatised in “The other Boleyn girl”. Also read the Booker prize winner, and best seller, “Wolf Hall”)

Henry VIII

Henry eventually ignored the Pope’s refusal to issue an annulment and married Anne anyway. This resulted in England’s bloody and cataclysmic break with Rome and the dissolution of the monasteries. Anne swiftly became pregnant, but much to everyone’s disappointment it was a girl (who went on to become Elizabeth I). Anne conceived again, but news that Henry was in an almost fatal jousting accident caused her to miscarry – and it was a boy (ironically this happened on the day Henry’s first wife was buried). Henry now took Jane Seymour as his new mistress and swiftly had five men, including Anne’s own brother, arrested on charges of having sexual relationships with the queen. All were executed, followed by Anne herself. She knelt upright, in the French style of executions, and her head was severed with a single stroke.

The day after Anne’s execution Henry was engaged to Jane, and they married ten days later. Jane gave birth to a son, Prince Edward, the future Edward VI. The birth was difficult and the queen died shortly afterwards.

Next he married Anne of Cleves, after seeing her portrait. On Anne’s arrival in England, Henry is said to have found her utterly unattractive, privately calling her a “Flanders Mare”. Soon after the wedding Henry requested an annulment and Anne was smart enough to agree, saying the union had never been consummated.

Henry was now grossly obese (54 inch waist, and requiring mechanical devices to move him around) and sickly (he was covered with painful, pus-filled boils and possibly suffered from gout. His obesity and other medical problems can be traced from a jousting accident in 1536. The accident actually re-opened a previous leg wound he had sustained years earlier. This festered for the remainder of his life. Despite his infirmity he married the young Catherine Howard (age uncertain, but between seventeen and twenty two), Anne Boleyn’s first cousin. Queen Catherine soon had an affair with the courtier Thomas Culpeper. Catherine and he were both executed.

Henry married his last wife, the wealthy widow Catherine Parr, in 1543. Despite clashing with him over religion she outlived him. On his death his only legitimate son (he had several illegitimate ones) succeeded. Aged just nine years old a regent ruled on his behalf and the young Edward VI never took the reins of power. He nominated his cousin Lady Jane Grey as his heir and excluded his half sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. However, this was disputed following Edward’s death – Jane was only queen for nine days before Mary was proclaimed Queen.

So despite his six marriages, Henry VIII was succeeded by the country’s first queen, and a catholic one at that!

Two momentous royal engagements are imminent allowing you to see history in the making. The eagerly anticipated Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, taking place on 29th April, has set London buzzing with excitement and is due to be the event of the year. 2012 will see the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee celebrating 60 years of the Queen’s reign, the only other British Monarch to achieve this milestone was Queen Victoria in 1897.

Ryan o'Flynn

The scariest thing about Halloween?  How much it costs!

Halloween is big where I come from – North America.  South of the border (I was born and raised in Canada) it’s frighteningly big.  The US National Retail Federation expects 68.5 million citizens will spend about $1.63 billion on Halloween decorations alone!  That’s roughly a billion pounds sterling (the amount the UK government spent on drugs to combat a swine flu epidemic that never happened!).

Total US spending on Halloween?  $5.8 billion, or 3.6 billion in sterling.   About 40% of citizens will buy a costume, and over 11% will even dress up their pets!

Scary, eh?  But the whole thing started on this side of the pond.  Probably with the Irish.  And I should know…with a name like O’Flynn.

It can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, whose original spelling was Samuin (pronounced sow-an or sow-in)”. The name is derived from Old Irish and roughly means “summer’s end”.   Samhain celebrates the end of the “lighter half” of the year and beginning of the “darker half”, and is sometimes regarded as the “Celtic New Year”.

So where did all this stuff about ghosts and evil spirits come from?
 
The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family’s ancestors were honoured and invited home while harmful spirits were warded off by the wearing of costumes and masks.

Bonfires

Samhain was also a time to take stock of food supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities. All other fires were doused and each home lit their hearth from the bonfire. The bones of slaughtered livestock were cast into its flames.  Sometimes two bonfires would be built side-by-side, and people and their livestock would walk between them as a cleansing ritual.

When did it become known as Halloween?

The word Halloween first appears in the 16th century and represents a Scottish variant of the fuller All-Hallows-Even (”evening”), that is, the night before All Hallows Day. Up through the early 20th century, the spelling “Hallowe’en” was frequently used, eliding the “v” and shortening the word.

Halloween Costumes

“Trick or treat”.  Where did that come from? 

The practice of dressing up in costumes and begging door to door for treats on holidays dates back to the Middle Ages and includes Christmas wassailing. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2). It originated in Ireland and Britain, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy.

Can you read the future on Halloween?

Some games traditionally played at Halloween are forms of divination.  A traditional Scottish form of divining one’s future spouse is to carve an apple in one long strip, then toss the peel over one’s shoulder. The peel is believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the future spouse’s name.  Unmarried women were told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before marriage, a skull would appear.

What am I going to be doing on Halloween?

I’ll be preparing my special Halloween Menu at Chenestons, featuring such delights as Dracula’s pan-fried fillet of brill with Cornish crab crust and lobster sauce, and traditional Pumpkin pie with ginger ice cream.  For the special Halloween menus being served at our sister hotels, The Montague on the Gardens, The Chesterfield Mayfair and The Rubens at the Palace, just click on their names.  Finally, if you want to experience Halloween West Palm Beach style why not pop over to Red Carnation’s other Chesterfield Hotel?