Category Archives: Art

Spa and Sustenance at La Sultana, Marrakech

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La Sultana is part of the ‘Small Luxury Hotel of the World’ group and successfully offers guests authentically Moroccan five-star accommodation. This lovely property is steeped in tradition and beautifully designed. With various riads to choose from, the different rooms and suites evoke alternate characters, moods and styles, there truly is something for everyone. It is a petite hotel, intimate and cosy but it is easy to find your own space to relax. The central courtyards offer oases of serenity and peace, with trickling fountains, lush greenery and pretty pools for cooling down during the hours of sweltering heat.

With our accommodation already arranged, we sadly couldn’t test the rooms but found just enough time for a short spa treatment and evening meal. Here we found a moment of quiet despite being located in the midst of the medina.

The small scale indulgences were modest but wonderful and the attention to detail is obvious throughout the building.

The fragranced hallway leads you to the small spa which offers a large variety of specialised treatments. After changing we descended a precarious spiral staircase to a warm room for a 30 minute massage. Asked beforehand about our preferences, we were each able to customise the massage to best suit our needs. I chose to concentrate on back and legs and chose the sweet vanilla oil. Relaxed and destressed, I was almost asleep by the end.

Before supper we had a few minutes to enjoy a hot cup of herbal tea and the thermal pool, revitalising our bodies before the feast ahead. With seating around an illuminated outdoor pool and a local musician playing in the cloisters, the setting for dinner could not have been more romantic and special. Moroccan classics and contemporary dishes can be found on the menu, so for those staying at the hotel there is plenty of choice each evening. We selected a mixture of both cuisines though it was the more traditional dishes that stood out. Pigeon pastilla with rich and meaty, while the lobster ravioli was an innovative and extravagant option. My chicken tagine was tender and vibrantly flavoured with lemon, a popular recipe in Marrakech, made here to the highest standards. Following several glasses of well-matched Moroccan wine, we completed the meal with expertly poured fresh mint tea.

La Sultana is quite simply a lovely place to be, awakening every sense to the Moroccan way of life and leaving you with a lasting memory of this miraculous city.

More information on La Sultana here.

www.lasultanahotels.com

Many thanks to Visit Morocco and Travellink Morocco.

An Edinburgh Itinerary

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The best thing about my brother’s Edinburgh University education is the excuse it gives me for four years of visiting rights to Scotland’s picturesque capital city. Rivalling London with its impressive selection of fine dining, cool bars and attractive historical sights, it is the ideal place for a weekend break in Britain.

9 am: after a heavenly buffet breakfast at the Caledonian Hotel pack your map and umbrella and set out for Princes Street, Edinburgh’s busiest shopping road.

10 am: Wander through the boutiques until you reach Artisan Roast for the perfect cup of coffee. But a note to Potter geeks; the cafe keenly states that ‘JK Rowling did not write here!’

10.30 am: If you dare, the dungeons are worth a visit. Catch one of the live shows for spooky stories and amusing anecdotes about Scotland’s murky past.

12.30 pm: Head to the Leith area for lunch by the waterside. Edinburgh boasts five Michelin starred eateries, The Kitchin is perhaps the healthiest, offering beautifully presented, seasonally inspired recipes. The lunch menu is very reasonable with three courses priced at £26 per person.

2 pm: Jump on the 22 bus back into town for an afternoon of sightseeing. The National Museum of Scotland is currently displaying an awesome Viking exhibition, but their permanent collection is enough to lure you in all year round.

3 pm: Potter around Grassmarket and exchange a tea and cake break with a trip to Oink! the thrifty but thoroughly Scottish snack of hog roast and haggis. Pop into the most popular vintage shop, Armstrong’s for a look through their racks of hand-me-downs.

4 pm: Trek up through the Royal Mile, past the bagpipers, to the renowned Edinburgh Castle… step back in time in this amazing medieval building which overlooks the entire city. Students avoid the place at all costs, adhering to the superstitious rumour that they will fail their finals if they step over the Castle threshold. Then just moments away is the Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, a mesmerising interactive exhibition; we especially loved the dizzying vortex tunnel.

7 pm: For cocktails the Last Word Saloon is the only place to go. Choose the deliciously well balanced John Candy concoction or pick their masterful rendition of the famous gin drink the bar is named after.

8.30 pm: There is no need to look further than the Caledonian Hotel for supper. With the talented Galvin brothers at the helm, you have the choice to dine at the smart Pompadour Restaurant or the more casual Brasserie de Luxe. We couldn’t fault the Parisian style dishes and the immaculate service. When tiredness sets in drift upstairs to bed.

For massive savings and minimal stress buy the Edinburgh Pass… undoubtedly the most efficient way to see all the city’s delights!

For more information see the Edinburgh tourist board website here.

Thoroughly Modern Milly travelled with East Coast Trains. East Coast operates regular services each weekday between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh. Customers travelling First Class can enjoy East Coast’s complimentary food and drinks offer plus unlimited Wi-Fi. Book advanced return fares online at www.eastcoast.co.uk. Times and fares can also be found via 08457 225225 or from any staffed stations.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: David Bowie is,V&A

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David Bowie is… is a disturbing exhibition.

For a start there is the large number of greying glam rockers feeling the agonies of unrequited love all over again as they stand mesmerised by Bowie costumes, videos and portraits. Then there is the problem of everybody wearing audio guides and shuffling around in the near-darkness like a troupe of zombies from some Diamond Dogs style dystopia. And there is the fact that the concentration of the Bowie phenomenon was the 1970s, forty years ago and there have been some less edifying creative moments since – this is addressed by ornamenting the full length of the show with 70s highlights thereby confusing any chronology and sense of evolution.

This is a new kind of exhibition: an examination of a single living individual as cultural catalyst and all round icon. There are not many artists who warrant such attention. David Bowie does. The blanket media coverage of his creative rebirth and the simultaneous hype surrounding this show have produced a dazzling glare illuminating, rather than over-exposing, his significance as musician, fashion pioneer and popular conceptualist.

The outfits are still extraordinary, the music is still inspiring and the man still appears exotically beautiful. Everybody is seduced by his art once again. However it is the way he redefined gender that is probably his most important legacy. Is there any more widely cited televisual epiphany than the draping of Bowie’s arm over Mick Ronson’s shoulder on Top of the Pops? That is the closest we have come to an extraterrestrial invasion – the starman blew our minds.

Continues until 11 August 2013, more information and become and V&A member here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Chris Kenny.

Things to do in Exeter, Devon

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1. Royal Albert Memorial Museum: Reopened a year ago, interesting for its architecture and its exhibits. Praised by The Art Fund judges for its “ambition and imagination” the Royal Albert Memorial won Museum of the Year 2012. There is lots of amazing taxidermy including Gerald the giraffe, which is best viewed from the mezzanine so you can see all of his extra long neck! Free entry.

2. Dustbin lid sized pizzas at On the Waterfront, a nineteeth century industrial warehouse. Try their speciality Duck and Hoi Sin sauce pizza. If you ask nicely they will take you through to the private dining area at the back with leather booth seating.

3. Walk from On the Waterfront to the Double Locks pub, along Exeter Ship Canal. Exeter’s first folk festival takes place this year on April 20th with live music and local ale. Play board games in the winter and volleyball in the Summer. PS. Two burgers for £10 every Monday.

4. Visit the redeveloped University of Exeter campus, Sunday Times University of the Year 2012-13. The stunning Forum is a lovely place to see and explore.

5. Stay at the Magdalen Chapter Hotel. A beautiful building, incredible food and a Ren Spa with an indoor-outdoor pool. Spa days start at just £40 (including massage, lunch, tea and cake on arrival and full use of the facilities.) Fizz Friday in the bar and lounge is also a great venue to have a cocktail. Guests get an iPad with their room.

6. And for a fun night out try out Exeter’s famous independent club, The Cavern. Go on a Saturday night for Indie Disco, its most mainstream offering.

Advance single fares from London Paddington to Tiverton Parkway are available from £12.50 each way. For the best value tickets and fares buy before you board at www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk or 08457 000125

Things to do in York

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With East Coast Trains‘ direct service it is so easy to get to York. Just two hours from King’s Cross and you find yourself on cobbled streets, wandering around this historic city discovering the secrets inside its ancient walls. York is ideal for weekend trips, a close contained city with every tourist site and attraction within walking distance. In just 36 hours I sought out ten adventurous, relaxing, enjoyable, educating and delicious things to do, and by the end of Sunday night I had decided that York is definitely one of Britain’s most beautiful and interesting places to visit.

1. Visit the epic Minster, one of Europe’s most impressive Gothic cathedrals… and if you are feeling really energetic climb to the top of the Tower where, on a clear day, you can see 25 miles into the distance.

2. York is known for its haunted history… nightly ghost walks take eager tourists round the dark streets telling stories of woe and hysterical haunted anecdotes. I can recommend the Ghost Hunt which leaves from the Shambles every night at 7.30pm, and is hosted by an exceptionally eerie gentleman.

3. Drink tea and scoff cake at Betty’s Tea Room, the famous cafe in the city centre. For special occasions the champagne afternoon tea in the Belmont Room is particularly lovely.

4. They say you can drink in a different pub every night of the year in York. Visit one of the ’365′ charming drinking holes for a pint before supper. Each pub has its own character and tale to tell. Look out for the two Canadians hoping to try all of them… and see their progress on their blog here: www.365pubs.wordpress.com

5. Visit the award winning York Castle Museum to take a trip through time. Step inside Kirkgate, the recreated street and experience the sights, sounds and smells of Victorian Britain. Every adult and child will love this magical museum.

6. Dine at one of York’s best eateries on Fossgate: J Baker’s Bistro Moderne for fine food and wine, Masons for unbeatable burgers and The Blue Bicycle for an atmospheric and relaxing dinner.

7. Get your caffeine kick at Coffee Culture or Attic Cafe. Apparently York’s beans make some of the best espresso in the country.

8. Take a walk through the Snickelways, tiny alleys that have survived through the centuries and offer some of the best shopping in York.

9. The Treasurer’s House is a wonderful property currently being restored to its former glory. Admire this illustrious man’s home and hear more about his extravagant life.

10. Learn about York’s scrumptious sweets at The Chocolate Story. Understand about cocoa refining, read about the history of confectionery and have fun making (and eating) your own chocolate lollipops.

Thanks to East Coast Trains and www.visityork.org

East Coast operates 72 services each weekday between London King’s Cross and York. Customers travelling First Class can enjoy East Coast’s complimentary food and drinks offer, plus unlimited Wi-Fi. Advanced return fares, booked online at www.eastcoast.co.uk: start from £26 Standard Class or £79 First Class. Times and fares can also be found via 08457 225225 or from any staffed stations.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Roy Lichtenstein, Tate Modern

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There’s no denying the cultural presence of Roy Lichtenstein – his expansion of comic book graphics is now more identifiable than the original genre. Along with Warhol, he narrowed the gap between art and life and made possible all the pop oriented art from the 60s to the present. The show at Tate Modern attempts to celebrate Lichtenstein’s inventiveness and creative personality beyond the mere appropriation of comic book imagery. By showing his redesigning of the source material (most obvious in the Tate’s 1963 painting ‘Whaam!’) they claim an autonomy and originality for him previously ignored.

On display is early and late work that has not been seen in the UK before that suggests an undiscovered variety within his narrow idiom. Lichtenstein was keen to assert the handmade-ness of his work so as to maintain his fine art credentials, but the early work is surprisingly slapdash and the mature work is so mechanical and perfect that the artist’s touch is invisible. The large room of his classic War and Romance pictures is undoubtedly the highlight of the exhibition, full of punchy, eye-grabbing icons – he is a consummate designer – however the curators’ ambition to present him as a subtle master with covert psychological depth is ultimately unconvincing.

Exhibition continues until 27 May 2013, more information and book here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Chris Kenny.

Light Show, Hayward Gallery

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I’m delighted that Londoners are keen to see art exhibitions but it does mean getting tickets is a pain. The Hayward’s current exhibition, Light Show, is sold out almost every day, so tickets have to be booked in advance. It also means that when you do finally get inside you have to contend with hundreds of other visitors to see each work clearly.

Light Show explores the experiential and phenomenal aspects of light by bringing together sculptures and installations that use light to sculpt and shape space in different ways. The exhibition showcases artworks created from the 1960s to the present day, including immersive environments, free-standing light sculptures and projections. You see atmospheric installations and intangible sculptures, some that you can move around or even through. Visitors can experience light in all of its spatial and sensory forms. Individual artworks explore different aspects of light such as colour, duration, intensity and projection, as well as perceptual phenomena. They also use light to address architecture, science and film employing a variety of technologies.

Some pieces are rare not seen for decades and others have been created specially for the Hayward Gallery. It is amazing to experience and understand how light can stimulate our minds and alter our mood. I found some very beautiful and others quite disturbing, but all of them use light in innovative and creative ways that make you think.

Light Show features work by 22 artists including David Batchelor, Jim Campbell, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Bill Culbert, Olafur Eliasson, Fischli and Weiss, Dan Flavin, Ceal Floyer, Nancy Holt, Jenny Holzer, Ann Veronica Janssens, Brigitte Kowanz, Anthony McCall, François Morellet, Iván Navarro, Philippe Parreno, Katie Paterson, Conrad Shawcross, James Turrell, Leo Villareal, Doug Wheeler and Cerith Wyn Evans. Be warned that some installations in the exhibition contain artificial mist, flashing or strobe lighting, and others are sure to give you a headache if you watch for too long. I felt like I was entering another universe at times, the ethereal and glittering works certainly disorientate and surprise.

I was most stunned by Conrad Shawcross’ Slow Arc Inside a Cube IV made in 2009. This beautiful structural cage is very simple but with the gently moving light creates a complex game of ever-changing shadow and illumination, it is quite mesmerising. I also really enjoyed the special light filled rooms which feel completely immersive and are great fun to explore.

On the way out, the shop stocks examples of fabulous light objects and furniture. I fell in love with the romantic neon letters by Seletti. Buy your own individual letters for £35 each and make up any word (or work of art) you desire.

Continues until 28th April, book here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 146: LUXE BOX

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March is a month of present buying for me… everyone’s birthdays seem to land simultaneously, at least within a few weeks of each other and aside from the obvious bank balance pinch, it is stressful thinking up new and exciting ideas for successful gifts.

And that’s where Luxe Box come in, the beautifully sophisticated, immaculately wrapped, delightful delivered boxes offering a quick but thoughtful way to spoil your loved ones. Innovative thinker and Central St Martins graduate, Lucy Heale thought up the idea to provide busy buyers with a luxurious gift box that offers “something more”. Forget the usual food hampers or bunch of flowers, Luxe Box are wonderfully original with carefully chosen, seldom seen products, intended to wow. Indulgent and special gifts such as Rococo chocolates, Wild Planet scented candles, deliciously soft Tweedmill Textiles throws and vintage collectable editions of the classic love story Sense and Sensibility will satisfy and stun any lucky birthday girl.

I received one of the gorgeous Goddess Boxes in the post last week. Initially I found the whole thing too pretty to touch, ravishingly wrapped in bright paper and ribbon, it is a pleasure just to open. Inside three hand-picked exclusive products aim to “deliver a dose of me time, to relax and re-discover the urban goddess in you”. A Thornback and Peel Pigeon and Jelly Notebook is a hand-screen printed book perfect for jotting down notes and keeping in your handbag, the Bianco Fragole is one of the most delectable choices from Rococo and an elegant Reiko Kaneko lipstick mug is a lovely contemporary cup to keep and cherish.

Luxe Box sources boutique items from burgeoning British designers and compiles them into stylish themed collections. Irresistable items, packed to impress… definitely the most desirable gift boxes around.

Prices range from £32 to £95.

Order at www.luxeboxlondon.com
or email: orders@luxeboxlondon.com

Radio Salon, Shoreditch

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I think I’ve found a new favourite salon. In the last few years Shoreditch has grown in popularity enormously, with quirky coffee shops, independent boutiques and hip salons opening up every week. Radio Salon has something special to offer… real personality, in both the venue and the staff.

This spacious salon is located on Redchurch Street in the midst of East London activity. With a quaint cafe opposite and numerous nearby vintage stores, it is easy to spend the whole day wandering around this area. Radio has a slick modern look with clean, elegant design and fresh minimalist decor. The salon is also an art gallery, with regular exhibitions and events and ever-changing walls of work. Radio are also the flagship Bumble and Bumble store in London. Already a massive fan of this American brand of hair products, I spent a while perusing the organised shelves and admiring all the delicious shampoos, conditioners and styling creams.

The attention to detail here is impressive, I particularly loved the helpful handbag hanger clips that are secured onto the table in front of you. Soon I was secured in my protective gown and ready for my colour appointment with Sofie. We talked briefly about my desired effect, brighter and lighter dip dye, and how best to achieve it. Sofie was frank with me and explained that the tips of my hair were quite damaged and dry colour change would be tricky, but she would do the best she could.

Sofie worked her way systematically through my hair adding creamy blonde, and honey coloured highlights alternately, paying special attention to lighten the hairline. There was no time pressure which made the whole experience very relaxed, allowing me to enjoy reading Vogue while sipping my Prosecco! After a toner, the dye was washed out and I was treated to a heavenly head massage.

Upstairs Juri was waiting to cut my hair. He liked the style I had come in with, and as I was adamant about keeping the length we decided on a tiny trim, eliminating the worst split ends and making the whole hairstyle more straight and smart. I didn’t need to worry, he knew exactly what he was doing and worked swiftly. Promising me wavy locks, he twisted my hair with Bumble and Bumble surf spray and blow dried it ‘messy’. My hair seemed to miraculously double in volume.

The best salons are in Shoreditch, and after trying Radio, I think it is definitely a contender for the top spot. They offer every hair treatment, colour, cut or style you could ever want, plus an expertise and genuine passion for hair and art.

More information and book here.

www.radiohairsalon.com