Resource Magazine

Country Life // Luxury Cotswold Rentals

lisakrichards — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:52:17 +0000

We first saw the picture-postcard-perfect Cotswold townhouse, The Old Surgery, on Escape To The Country. A stunning property, the buyer said that they planned to turn in into a B&B – we wanted to book ourselves in there and then. So we were delighted to hear that this beautiful Tetbury home is now available to rent. The beautifully designed property is owned by photographer and artist Maria Stengard-Green and her work is an integral part of the look and feel of the place. Contemporary design and furnishings sit seamlessly within the magnificent Elizabethan splendour. Four stylish bedrooms accommodate up to 10 guests. Open fireplaces, cozy sitting areas, a professionally kitted out kitchen and a gorgeous Provence style courtyard provide plenty of space. And best of all, The Old Surgery at Tetbury allows well behaved pets. Henry, our office pooch, is as excited as we are.
+DETAILS
Tel: +44 7989 404 535
www.luxurycotswoldrentals.co.uk

Stuff We Love // Public Hotel Chicago

lisakrichards — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:58:04 +0000

2012 Wish List #1: Ian Schrager’s Public Hotel, Chicago is a must-visit for us this year. And rather than visiting this spectacular soaring city during its icy winter months (both of our previous visits to the city have seen us brave sub-zero temperatures in order to patronise its excellent restaurants, boutiques and art galleries), this time we’ll be heading there during its balmy summer, to make the most of the beautiful Gold Coast on the shores of Lake Michigan.

And where better to base ourselves than a Schrager hotel? The legendary hotelier has won over the critics with his masterful reworking of one of Chicago’s classics, the Ambassador East, home of the celebrity hangout The Pump Room. Rather than a collaborative effort and bringing in an über-designer, Schrager’s worked his own magic on the place. But this isn’t decadent, frivolous luxe: this is Schrager’s attempt at no-frills. We think austerity chic would be a better descriptive as the design details are just beautiful. Despite its price point, with rooms from just $130 a night, which in a city of this size is remarkable (there’s even going to be a $1 sale for rooms), the in-room and lobby amenities are excellent, Jean-Georges Vongerichten is at the stove (where he serves his signature dessert of salted caramel ice cream sundae with candied peanuts, caramel popcorn, chocolate sauce and cream for just $7) and Schrager insists the service will be more Four Seasons than budget hotel. Better still, it’s pet-friendly.
+DETAILS
PUBLIC Chicago, 1301 North State Parkway, Chicago, IL 60610
Tel: +1 312 787 3700, www.publichotels.com

Time Poor, Travel Enrich

lisakrichards — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:59:44 +0000

Whether you’re travelling for business or leisure, if your time is money and you have more pressing engagements than spending hours on the net looking for the restaurants and hot hang-outs that London’s coolest locals favour, then Bon Vivant has the answer. Already an established and respected concierge and lifestyle management company offering high-end service to its elite members, the team behind the brand are now offering an ad hoc service to individuals visiting the capital, ensuring that your trip is a memorable one – for all the right reasons. Whether you’re after the perfect London hotel, a table at the city’s hottest restaurant or want to see its finest sights, Bon Vivant’s concierge services are on-hand to help. The new service offers unlimited access to your own personal concierge for the duration of your stay, offering you insider information and local knowledge just a phonecall away. With an enviable little black book of contacts, the team will be able to secure the hottest theatre tickets, tables at restaurants with month-long waiting lists, as well as entry to the coolest clubs. Other benefits include room upgrades at luxury and boutique hotels, priority reservations and even complimentary drinks.
Emyr Thomas is the man behind this emerging travel brand, and as we always do when we get our hands on an expert in their field, we decided to grill him.

Emyr, as a travel professional, what are you fail-safe packing tips?
Pre-planning is always important: if you know you’re going to have too much luggage (I usually do!), remember to pay for extra bags or weight in advance as it’s much better value and saves unnecessary hassle at the airport.
If you’re travelling for business and saving time is critical, make sure you only take the essentials with you in your carry-on luggage and that you have your travel documents stored together – keep them in the same place every time you travel, so you’ll know exactly where they are every time.

Do you have a favourite airline?
I usually fly Virgin or BA, particularly as I love premium economy (see below).

Economy or business?
I’m a big fan of premium economy – the extra legroom and the smaller cabin with fewer people are invaluable and you can fly in comfort without breaking the bank. I really wish they would offer more premium economy seats on planes though.
However, if you’re travelling very long distances, you can’t beat the feeling of reclining all the way to flat!

Which destinations are on your hot list for 2012?
South America will become an increasingly popular destination, combining food and wine experiences in Argentina with activity based holidays in the Patagonia region, for example. Brazil will also start to feature more heavily in the run-up to the major sporting events over the next few years.
Personally, I’m looking forward to exploring the South of France – I haven’t been for a few years and I’m long overdue a return visit. There are so many quaint villages and truly stunning hotels with great food and service.

Favourite city in the world?
Although New York and Paris are strong contenders, my heart will always belong to London. It’s dynamic, vibrant, exhilarating and truly beautiful. I love standing on Waterloo Bridge with such magical views either side. It also has the hottest restaurant scene in the world at the moment, which is fantastic for us Londoners.

Favourite hotel?
There are a few contenders. The best service I have ever experienced was at the Hotel Bel Air In Los Angeles – the staff were incredibly attentive and the service was discreet and seamless. The hotel is in a beautiful setting with a great pool and it’s a lovely antidote to the frenzy of LA – it has recently had a refurbishment and I can’t wait to see how it has been transformed.
The Connaught is my favourite hotel in London – it’s cosy, welcoming and utterly glamorous at the same time, and its Coburg Bar is one of my favourite bars in London – there’s nowhere better for a martini.
But my favourite hotel is Eden Rock in St Bart’s as the setting is just idyllic – the turquoise sea, the white sand and the glorious weather. The hotel, like the island, is the perfect blend of barefoot luxury with a splash of glamour!

Best travel gadget?
My iPhone and iPad are both prized travel possessions – there are so many apps to help improve the whole travel process: Kayak to help you find the right flights, TripIt to store all your travel confirmations in one place and the ability to check live departures and arrivals is invaluable.

Sell us a membership to Bon Vivant in one sentence…
We can help with any travel, lifestyle or leisure need that you don’t have the time, inclination or expertise to do yourself – your own personal concierge will be on hand to help at all times, you’ll be offered our insider knowledge and expertise and you’ll regain control of your time so that you can make the most of your life and free time.
+DETAILS
For further information visit their website at: www.bonvivant.co.uk. You can also subscribe to their luxury lifestyle blog, fortnightly here, follow them on Twitter, or like them on Facebook.

We’re In Miami…

lisakrichards — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:33:26 +0000

From intimate five-star luxury hotels with impeccable service, to brash, brassy behemoths resembling Vegas-on-Sea. From standard-bearing luxury chain hotels, to boutique boltholes with impressive price tags, we’ve scoured Miami looking for the best hotels, shops, restaurants and service. Our city guide is coming soon. In the meantime, read our review of the Townhouse Hotel, a hip hangout for fashion models and A-list wannabes who’d rather splash their cash in the city’s achingly hip bars and boutiques than on a bed for the night. Read Rachel Seed’s review here.

Hey Mickey!

lisakrichards — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:30:20 +0000

Ditch the mouse ears, turn your back on the wet and wild theme parks and instead, when in Orlando, seek out the city’s foodie pioneers. Our city guide to Orlando is coming soon. In the meantime, get your mouth around Rachel Seed’s review of the all-American gastropub The Ravenous Pig: “A more perfect example of a neighbourhood restaurant I challenge you to find anywhere in the world….” Read her review in full here.

We’ll Take Manhattan // Cinnamon Club pop-up in NYC

lisakrichards — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:17:52 +0000

We love a pop-up restaurant here at Resource. And we get particularly excited when it involves a damn good curry and our two favourite cities in the world. Vivek Singh, executive chef of the beautiful Westminster restaurant The Cinnamon Club is taking his stock pans and staff to New York in the new year for a Manhattan pop-up. They’ll be causing a stir for Manhattan foodies when they’ll be cooking alongside the celebrated British chef David Hart (formerly of Soho House and Claridges) at his restaurant, Desmond’s, on the Upper East Side.
Like The Cinnamon Club, Desmond’s is a firm favourite with well-heeled society types and serious foodies, and the restaurant (above) will act as the perfect backdrop to Vivek’s modern Indian cuisine. Dishes include seared breast of Long Island duck with Hyderabadi-style sesame and tamarind sauce and an eight-ounce steak of US beef with slow-cooked onion sauce and stir-fried morels, all served from Desmond’s open-plan kitchen beneath its stunning arched dome ceiling.
Catch the NY/LON pop-up between 7th and 11th February 2012. See you there – and make ours a Cinnamon Bellini.
+DETAILS
Booking enquiries: +1 212 207 4949 / info@desmondsny.com
Desmond’s Restaurant, 153 E60th Street, New York
www.desmondsny.com

The Long Table, Dalston, London

lisakrichards — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:25:16 +0000

Nuno Mundes and The Loft Project’s street food event in Dalston is our foodie event of the year. The Long Table is a gathering on cold December nights of some of the capital’s most exciting chefs from renowned eateries such as Hawksmoor, St John Bread and Wine, Moro and Roganic. Read our full review here, and be sure to attend The Long Table’s swan song this Friday 16th December.

The Bingham Hotel, Richmond // Top 12 London Hotels

lisakrichards — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:28:30 +0000

Rachel Seed’s review of the luxury boutique outpost The Bingham is now live, and part of our Top 12 London Hotels feature. Sitting beautifully on the banks of the Thames, it’s the perfect spot to escape the madness of the city without ever leaving the Tube network. Pack something divine so you can dress for dinner and indulge in the Modern British cooking of Shay Cooper. Read the review in full here, and while you’re at it, go and have a look at our Top 12 London Hotels. Agree? Disagree? Think we’re bonkers? Then drop us a line: lisa@resource-magazine.com.

Top of the Stops // Top 12 London hotels

lisakrichards — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:48:42 +0000

Have you read our feature announcing our Top 12 London hotels of 2011 yet? We’re adding new reviews every day.

Today, über London Art Director Christian Tate, the man behind the beautifully designed quarterly almanac Delayed Gratification, reviews the Fox & Anchor in Smithfield. Take a look, send us suggestions and share your thoughts on our selection. Read his review here. See our top 12 in full here.

Gift Aid // Resource’s Christmas Wish List

lisakrichards — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:38:47 +0000

Leaving it a bit late, aren’t you? Because we wouldn’t want to deny you that lovely, warm feeling you get from gift-giving, here’s our Christmas wish list of outstanding items. Stationery, jewellery, art, fashion accessories and outrageously expensive objéts for the home: you can’t go wrong with a gift coming from any of these categories. Choose carefully though, dear reader, as your choice says an awful lot about you.
For us? You shouldn’t have…

(from top to bottom)

1. Lanvin shopper
It’s totes amazing. It’s a tote. It’s amazing. And it’s by Lanvin. And we love it. Big enough for a cheeky overnight stay – clean pants, socks, iPad, glossy magazine, cashmere jumper, Gucci washbag – this crocodile shopper is divine. And yours (well, ours) for just $25,000. Snip! If you can’t quite stretch to that, there’s a cute Lanvin iPad on netaporter.com for £80 which would make us happy. But not totes happy.
www.lanvin.com

2. Smythson notepad
Thinking of beautifully-made stationery? Yes, Smythson is obvious, but look at it: it’s beautiful. The Panama notebook is our note-taker of choice.
£45, from Smythson
www.smythson.com

3. Chanel book
A hefty, beautifully produced coffee table tome is a sure-fire winner for us. Ensure the cover is beautifully designed and its contents about fashion, architecture or fine art.
Chanel Three Book Set, Special Edition, Assouline, $750
www.assouline.com

4. Sunglasses
We love the new season collection of Oliver Peoples sunglasses. These classic style aviators will be the perfect staple for any wardrobe.
£350, Mr Porter
www.mrporter.com

5. Frederic Malle perfume
Heaven scent: Frederic Malle’s beautiful collection of aromas is on the list of every stylish lady and gent in the Capital – ours included.
Musc Ravager, £90 from Liberty
www.liberty.co.uk

6. Toothpaste squeezer
We have a new favourite online store: Park and Bond is a beautifully curated collection of fashion and accessories for those with style and taste. We love a functional-yet-fabulous gift, hence our wish for this toothpaste squeezer (we kid you not).
www.parkandbond.com

7. Cufflink holder
And while you’re there, pick us up their exquisite cufflink case. Unnecessary luxe. Divine.
www.parkandbond.com

8. Horse’s head
Horse play: Anthropologie can do no wrong this Christmas. From adorable little stocking fillers, to showstoppers like this Andalucian horse head, we insist upon at least one gift from their collection.
£398, www.anthropologie.co.uk