Definitely worth adding to The Collection...

                                   

Most South West Londoners have either heard of or been to ‘The Collection’ in their lives, from Chelsea footballers to high rolling city slickers the flaming torch lit entrance has been a beacon of prosperity for over ten years. Sadly for a while times of austerity saw this glamorous hotspot’s popularity dwindle, but thankfully, as Jess and I discovered last week it’s back with a vengeance- revamped, refurbed and looking sleeker than ever. 

                                                  

Imposing as ever the entrance to The Collection makes you feel very elitist; burly bouncers give you the once over before you shimmy down the illuminated catwalk to a tiny door leading to an Alice in Wonderland style playground for grownups. True to Chelsea form a bevy of glamorous hostesses in skin tight bandage dresses are primed to greet you, take your coat and generally make you feel like a VIP. The room is as dramatic as before but gone is the nineties chintzy ‘Asian decor’. The high ceiling is adorned with a contemporary crumpled metallic chandelier designed by Tom Dixon, one of many examples of his innovative design throughout the restaurant. 

                                           

Having poured over the refreshingly different cocktail menu I opted for the ‘Prince Charming’, a glittering raspberry concoction that was delightfully fruity. Jess enjoyed her usual favourite, an aperol spritz and we began the somewhat mammoth task of choosing some ‘Southern Mediterranean’ small plates (tapas) to start. Head Chef Alex Fanzola has carefully handpicked his favourite suppliers, favouring quality over convenience to create an exciting yet sophisticated menu. We both agreed this would be the perfect venue for a date or special occasion; low lighting, intimate booths and exceptional service make for an informal but very elegant atmosphere. 

                                                  

Guided by the gorgeous Alex himself we ordered an array of ‘small plates’ and two exceptional main courses. The Southern Mediterranean theme encompasses something for even the pickiest of eaters, luckily as you may have gathered this is something that Jess and I don’t suffer from! As an avid fan of Daphne’s, the local SW3 Italian neighbour I was delighted to discover how equally excellent the food at The Collection is. 

                                            

Over the course of the evening we devoured chorizo with sweet potato and rocket, seared squid with haricot beans, burrata with extra virgin olive oil and chilli and cured scallop carpaccio with cucumber and caviar for our ‘small plates’. Most notable are the delicious Italian imported infused olive oils that they bring to accompany the bread, the truffle oil in particular was really superb. Sticking with the typically girlie seafood theme I ordered the barbecued grouper with samphire and spiced sweet corn for my main course and Jess had the slow-cooked sturgeon with chanterelles, courgettes and basil emulsion. Boys fear not, there is also an array of steaks and grills for those seeking something a little heartier.

                                            

We were really blown away by the quality of the food and so felt it only polite to order dessert, in the name of research of course! My refreshing spiced pineapple with chilli, coriander, lemon sorbet and chilli jelly was the perfect pallet cleanser and Jess loved her warm pistachio tartlet with white chocolate mousse and macerated cherries. 

                                            

The Collection is not a cheap dining option but you certainly get what you pay for, and a little more. The cocktails, food, presentation, service and atmosphere were all 10 out of 10, rich boyfriend or not it is really worth a visit. 

264 Brompton Road,
Chelsea
London
SW3 2AS

The C Word

With the super mild November weather we've been having recently, a certain "festive holiday" probably couldn't be further from all our minds. So please, don't blame us for introducing the concept in mid-November - it's everywhere all of a sudden! Indeed, a spate of local business and associations are already planning their yuletide activity, and in the spirit of 'prompt and timely' journalism, and to give you all plenty of forewarning, we thought it was only right to let you know about all the Christmas fun there is upcoming in the borough!

To get you into the festive spirit, the Christmas lights at Fulham Broadway are being switched on by none-other by Sami Brookes from this year's X Factor (come on, I know you've been watching...), on Friday 25th November from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. The event will feature a live performance from Sami as well as the Nostalgia Steel Band, and vocalist Shelle Luscombe; carols from Fulham Cross Girl's School & the London Oratory School; plus children’s entertainment, balloon modelling, and a Santa’s Grotto.



For fans of vintage style bling (that's most of the ladies then) Butler and Wilson are kicking the season off early with a special Christmas shopping evening, with a 10% discount on all purchases and a bit of bubbly to help prise away the credit card.



Meanwhile, our friends at the Fulham Palace Garden Centre (also an excellent place for gift shopping, by the way, as they have a range of quirky home accessories as well as a plethora of plants and flowers) are holding two Christmas events over the coming month. The weekend of the 3rd/4th December is their yearly Christmas Activity Weekend. The centre will put on a number of refreshments (we've had their mince pies before - divine!) to help keep you going whilst you select your Christmas Tree, decorations or gifts, as well as providing activities for the children to keep them occupied whilst the grown ups do some Christmas shopping. Activities include face painting, Christmas balloons and a lucky dip whilst adults can show down on mince pies, mulled wines and roasted chesnuts.

For the arty and crafty amongst you on Tuesday 6th December from 11am - 12.30pm Fulham Palace Garden Centre are hosting a Christmas Wreath Making Demonstration with Belinda Shepperd, who will make wreaths using a variety of materials, ranging from traditional greenery with fruits & nuts to the more exotic. Tickets are £25, and this includes tea, coffee and biscuits as well as £10 voucher to spend at the Garden Centre on the day. As we've said, there is a really lovely range of candles, vases and bits and pieces for the home and all profits of the Centre go to the Fairbridge Programme, which is part of the Princes Trust. Spaces are limited so book in advance to avoid disappointment either by calling into the garden centre, emailing fpgc@princes-trust.org.uk or by phoning 020 7736 2640.



We're big fans of all the local markets Fulham has to offer, and now it seems we're also to get a festive dose of Scandinavia this December. From 15-23 December, Eel Brook Common will play host to a traditional Scandinavian Market (11am - 8pm each day) with food, drink, confectionary, crafts, gifts & entertainment. Stalls will serve up a range of delicious Scandinavian style treats including roast duck, skewered wild boar and venison, plus hot dogs served from a polsevogn (" a sausage wagon"), a Swedish bakery, Danish beer, mulled wine, Swedish forest berries, Marabou milk chocolate and more. I know where I'll be getting two week's worth of dinners then...

Both the Fulham Road and the Wandsworth Bridge Road will each be holding an "Odd Man Out" window shopping competition between the 1st and 21st of December. The big prize is a seasonal hamper full of goodies from participating shops, (one for each road), and all you have to do is locate small household objects found in participating competition shop windows that you wouldn't find there normally.  e.g. a teabag in a DIY shop, a cotton reel in a butchers. Pick up a competition form from participating Fulham Road businesses or the Durell Arms at 704 Fulham Road or download at http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/. For the Wandsworth Bridge Road competition pick up a competition form from participating WBR businesses or Circus Circus at 176 Wandsworth Bridge Road or Harringtons 154 Wandsworth Bridge Road or download at http://www.lbhf.gov.uk/.
The Wandsworth Bridge Road businesses are also going head to head in a "Best Dressed Window" competition so be sure to note down your favourites on your "Odd Man Out" entry form.

If you struggle to get your Christmas shopping done due to work commitments, the Wandsworth Bridge Road is also offering festive late night shopping with shops staying open until 7:30pm during the week of 1st to 8th of December, with extra late nights added on the 15th and 22nd too for those of you who leave it all a bit more last minute! There will be mince pies and mulled wine, special offers (for example, Circus Circus is offering 10% off all costumes until Dec 21st) and free gift wrapping, as well as a healthy dose of Christmas Carols. Just the thing you need to get into the festive spirit.



We love enterprising local businesses, but we love enterprising local people even more. South Fulham resident Alice Bamford, who runs her own catering company and supper club, LoveaLocavore, has come up with a genius idea for a pop-up Christmas market that she will be hosting in her own home on December 5th. Customers will be greeted with a glass of bubbly on arrival as well as a selection of canapes, and will be able to shop and be primped and preened all at once. The stalls for you to browse will include photographic prints,  boutique jewellery, homewares and house plants, hand-made cards and gift tags, chutneys, cheeses and luxury aloe vera products. Meanwhile there will be spray tanning and manicures and pedicures for those who fancy sprucing themselves up a little for the festive season. Entry is free and the venue is 79 Stephendale Road.
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If your business or organisation is putting on a special event this Christmas time, be sure to drop us a line with the details, and we can update this post as we go along. You'll find a link to our email near the top right hand corner of the blog, or in the 'About us' section.

Lashtastic

                                           

Eyelash extensions are never something that I would have considered and knew very little about until last weekend, you could say that I went into the whole experience blind... However. having spent two hours being prodded and poked by the lovely Asma I have seen the light-what a transformation! Asma set up ‘Boudoir Lashes’ as a luxury eyelash extension service for women who are looking for excellent results at reasonable prices without compromising quality. As a trained beauty therapist, she really knows her stuff when it comes to responsible beauty and grooming and spent half an hour carefully explaining the ‘procedure’ and the results that I could expect (the lashes last between 4-6 weeks).

Before

After

After

Boudoir Lashes is based in the luxurious ‘Becca’ make-up shop, a haven of all things beauty in the très swanky Brompton Cross area of Chelsea. I have to be honest, it is not a totally relaxing experience and the tight taping of the bottom lashes feels really uncomfortable, however Asma was as gentle as possible and tried her hardest to make me feel comfortable with a blanket and soothing music. She painstakingly hand picks each eyelash, dependent on your eye shape and natural lash curvature and spends about two hours delicately applying them one by one. I drifted in and out of sleep whilst she did it which meant I ended up waking up feeling somewhat groggy and confused but she promised me it would be worth the wait and it definitely was.

Before

After

My fears of looking like an extra for TOWIE were soon dispelled, after the initial shock of seeing these new fluffy friends attached to my eyes I could tell the subtle yet considerable difference that they had made. A really great touch is that one of the expert Becca make-up artists gives you a quick freshen up and mini make-over afterwards so that you can see the whole look put together and walk out feeling super glamorous. The lashes take a bit of getting used to, showering and sleeping especially feel a bit strange at first, but you soon start to appreciate NEVER having to wear mascara and waking up every day with ‘the natural’ look already perfected. Asma is offering 50% off all eyelash extensions until the end of the year, perfect for the festive party season ahead!
                                         

Full Marks (almost): The Markham Inn

It's not often that I find the time to explore the chic warren of streets between the King's Road and South Kensington. But one afternoon, drawn down a typically quirky, quiant and beautiful Cheslea side road (you know the kind, traditional terraces, at once smart and unmistakably Chelsea, yet painted in array of canydbox colours) that I discovered the Markham Inn, sleek in appearance yet also traditional, positioned opposite Geales restaurant and next to a little green framed in Boris bikes, I noticed the Markham Inn, Elystan Place.

On that occasion I just dropped in for a cocktail, impressed by the sleek black-painted exterior, sophisticated black and red brasserie style interior amd the large central bar. My passionfruit, vanilla and champagne cocktail hit enough buttons to entice me back for dinner a week or so later.

If the design is sophisticated take on the traditional gastro-brasserie, the food veers more squarely towards the traditional. Visiting in the evening, the restaurant area is lit almost exclusively by candlelight, adding an element of glamour that perhaps raises expectations that the food might be more sophisticated than it was. Nonetheless, the classic dishes such as lamb chops with green beans, sirloin steak with bearnaise sauce and traditional fries, croque monsieur and salad or crab on toast make up in quality what they may lack in imagination. The prices too are reasonable enough to make this a valuable neighbourhood restaurant - just one that you might feel like dressing up for, and quaffing a little champagne at!

The croque monsieur was exceedingly large for a starter (it came with chips and salad) but managed to avoid being oily yet tasted rich and satisfying (this would be a great lunch option). On the other hand, my crab on toast was just the right size, rich, creamy yet also fluffy - just how I like it.

Equally, my sirloin steak was cooked to perfection, and the accompanying fries had a crispy outer with just the right amount of salt (warning - I like things fairly salty!). The boy indulged in the lamb chops with green beans and a light gravy. I don't think it knocked his socks off but the meat was well cooked, the gravy the right consistency and the green beans were just on the right side of the crunchy/soggy divide.

Rounded off with a decent bottle of Crozes Hermitages, we felt this was a very pleasant way to spend a Friday evening. There's a lovely ambience, a little bit of casual glamour and elegance, the food is well prepared, hearty and familiar (if not revolutionary) and the prices are pretty decent. Well worth an outing with the girls or a weekend date night with a loved one.

The Markham Inn
2 Elystan Street, London SW3 3NS

PS excuse the pictures - it WAS quite dark!

Made in Italy, Eating in Fulham

Fulham is not short of Italian restaurants, sadly though the market for our price range is dominated by chains and in these recessionary times half prize vouchers seem to win over authenticity. However, there are a few diamonds in the rough when it comes to quality Italian dining and last week I discovered another, Made in Italy  in Fulham Broadway. I had visited the sister restaurants on the Kings Road and Hollywood Road a while ago and was always impressed by the creaminess of the mozzarella and freshness of the tomatoes, however for some (snobbish) reason I had never tried the Fulham Broadway branch. Squished on the slightly grotty strip that is home to Elk bar and a spattering of hair dressers and take away shops, this hidden gem is unassuming in its location. However, as I soon discovered, what it lacks in presence it makes up for in quality, service and atmosphere.
                                                       
The restaurant has a homely Italian kitchen feel with the pizza oven taking centre stage at the entrance; do not be put off by the small door way, once inside the space opens out into a buzzing, higgildy piggidly assembly of tables on various levels. We opted for a raised table for two by the pizza oven and were greeted with Italian warmth and cheer by one of the charming waiters. Made in Italy is a small, family owned company that prides itself on their Italian ‘philosophy’ and way of living. Sadly, thanks to the grey London drizzle and 12 tube stop commute back from work it was a difficult to relax into the ‘Amalfi Coast’ atmosphere immediately but after a glass of prosecco we began to unwind.
                                                        
Inspired by Jess’s summer trip to Italy I decided to go all out and ordered the sharing platter to start, it arrived groaning with cured meats, mozzarella, prosciutto and garlic roasted vegetables. The quality of the ingredients was evident and the friendliness of the service faultless, their enthusiasm knew no bounds and it became infectious, stress? What stress!

                         

The diet dissolved as quickly as the sharing platter and we soon were tucking into our main courses, Rigatoni with homemade meatballs and cherry tomatoes for me and Paccheri with button mushrooms and truffle oil for my friend. Both dishes were flavoursome, extremely satisfying and not astronomically priced, all the pasta dishes are around the £10 mark which is brilliant value considering the generous portion size and ingredients used. The bill totalled £60 which included two courses, a glass of prosecco, olives and a bottle of white wine making the whole evening fantastic value for money, even more so compared to competitor chains in Fulham which have a shaving of the atmosphere and authenticity.

King of the Beach

Most fulhamites of mine and Jess’s generation will remember ‘Finch’s’ on the famous ‘Beach’ strip of the Fulham Road. The scene of many a post A level drinking session this pub was the place to be. On a weekly basis it acted as the warm up venue before the frenzy of teenage hormones took place at Purple. Sadly times have changed, Purple no longer exists and full time employment has stolen the appeal of drinking cheap white wine on a Monday night during the Easter holidays (obviously after we turned 18, ahem).

Luckily for our older, wiser and more sophisticated selves, The Kings Arms, part of the Geronimo Inns group, has now moved in to target the posher pub crowd. I attended the launch party last week keen to see another reincarnation of this local listed landmark and was pleased to witness the place buzzing again like the glory student days. Whilst the crowd has changed, the room itself is recognisable as its old self; the beautiful tiled wall remains but the bar has been funked up with bright turquoise lamp shades, a mural covering one wall a lick of paint.  

The food menu serves a range of retro British classics including Toad in the Hole and Fish and Chips, this is apparently in keeping with Geronimo Inns’ traditional approach, ‘to create affordable food that is simply constructed and effectively delivered’ which I’ve interpreted as posh pub grub! The room was heaving and we could barely breathe for pretty young chelsea girls and groups of friends soaking up the sociable atmosphere, a sure sign of good things to come for Geronimo. This would be the perfect Sunday lunch pub and great for a group of friends, I’m yet to make judgement on the food as due to the popularity of the launch we were less successful than hoped at devouring the canapés!

http://www.kingsarmschelsea.com/
190 Fulham Rd
London SW10 9PN

Powering through the poses

Yoga is an ancient practice, and all those centuries have allowed plenty of time for a plethora of varieties to develop and gain traction all over the world. Most people have heard of Hatha and Ashtanga, and the celeb gang seem to be doing dotty for Bikram, but Power Yoga was one we hadn't heard of before. Luckily, Parsons Green plays host to London's first Power Yoga studio: The Power Yoga Company. Set up by a group of friends from France, the company has a very open and friendly ethos, and being local, we couldn't wait to check it out.

The building and particularly the studio itself is really gorgeous. Set in the old Glasshouse, it's all Victorian architecture, high ceilings, large windows, painted brick and old wooden floorboards. The dressing room was colourful and replete with towels, mats and books whilst the studio was decked with dozens of tea lights for our evening class, conducted completely by candlelight.

The practice is certainly tough: it's not called Power yoga for nothing. We "flowed" (or at least tried to!) quite quickly between the different postures, some of which require quite a lot of muscle and concentration. The emphasis is just as much on the movement as the stretches: although you certainly feel supple when you leave there's no doubt you've had a workout. For those of you who've struggled to justify yoga as "proper exercise" (you know, the kind that makes you break a sweat and gets the pulse racing), you may have met your match. However, the emphasis on stretching, correct alignment, breathing and balance central to traditional yoga practice remain, it's just that elements of strength and endurance are added. Oh yes, we forgot to mention: the studio is also heated. It's not exactly Bikram heat, but enough to get the sweat flowing from the outset and really warm the muscles to allow you to push yourself deeper into the poses.

All that said, exercise is supposed to be challenging after all, we thoroughly enjoyed the class. All the mats, towels, blocks and seating pads are provided, and the setting in the candlelight, with the exposed floors, gentle music playing and the beautiful scent pushed out into the room contrived to make the experience feel almost luxurious. Almost! Special mention to our teacher, Zoe, who had a beautifully relaxing way about her, and encouraged us all to push ourselves whilst giving us various levels of difficulty to choose between and taking the time to correct our (many) incorrect postures. I confess I sometimes fall into the "yoga is great, but don't forget to hit the gym too" camp, so I did relish the slightly more strenuous elements as well.

It's also worth mentioning that we did go straight in with the standard Power Yoga class. There are also 5 foundation level classes each week for those of you who'd prefer to ease yourself in. Classes are operated on a drop in basis, although the Monday evening class seems to get very congested: there are obviously a lot of Fulhamites trying to repent heavy weekends!

The Power Yoga Company
The Glasshouse
11-12 Lettice Street
London SW6 4EH

Photos 1 and 3 are kindly "borrowed" from http://www.thepoweryogaco.com/index.html