Tag Archives: Somerset house

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar Review

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Few building in London are as iconic as Somerset House. Staggering in its beauty, it really is the perfect setting to eat, drink and be merry. We headed to the Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar. It has only been open since November in the New Wing.

The Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar is as beautiful and classy as the rest of the building. It is the perfect setting for dining and catching up with friends.

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar cola Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar wine

We take our seats and decide on the pre-theatre dining menu. This consists of a sharing board of Mushroom on toast, Beefeater salmon with pink radish, Egg and ham on toast and Fudge. It costs £25.50 per couple and comes with a glass of Prosecco per person. It is available Mon-Fri 5pm-7pm and Saturday all day.

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar review pre-theatre menu

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar salmon Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar mushroom toast Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar review] Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar fudge

The beefeater salmon with pink radish is glorious, just very superior salmon. It goes well with the radishes, the egg and ham on toast is delicious and the parma ham is perfectly seasoned. The mushroom on toast is also good and has cheese on top. The bread itself is good and everything works well together. The fudge is also yummy. It is in a bag for the pre-theatre crowd, making it handy to take away with you.

I had some curiosity cola and my colleague had a glass of prosecco. We loved the food, the ingredients were very high quality and everything was perfectly seasoned. Everything worked well together and this was definitely a first-class meal. Our only complaint is that there was not enough of it and we were still hungry after the meal.

The Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar also have an a la carte menu. The service is good, the food is superb and the setting is wonderful. I can highly recommend it.

 

Pennethorne’s Cafe Bar
New Wing
Somerset House
Strand
London
WC2R 1LA

Tel: Pennethorne’s +44 (0)20 3751 0570

Email:

Michela.Mastella@pennethornes.co.uk

 

 

Picks from the Somerset House Exhibitions

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The exhibitions at Somerset House showcase the newest designers in jewellery, millinery, footwear and  the latest in contemporary women’s wear for press and buyers.

The exhibitions are one of the best  parts of fashion week. There is the chance to meet designers, see the collections up close and discover new talent. There is the eccentric, the sophisticated and the truly weird and wonderful, all in one place.
Frost  has picked a few favourites and ones to watch from this year so far…
JENA.THEO
Contemporary Womenswear designer
Founders Jenny Holmes and Dimitris Theocharidis offer luxury garments in  jerseys, silks and leather,and a great selection of denim pieces.The clothes cater and flatten women of all sizes and the collection features a number of great prints. A personal favourite is a fun shirt and trouser look printed with a skeleton.
Jena. Theo

Jena. Theo

image (1)

LUKE BROOKS
Luke Brooks is a CSM MA graduate collection features in this years Ones To Watch Section. His works are a selection of garments which are printed with rubbing he has taken from Graves Stones in  New England, USA, which had been carved by the early settlers (late 17th and 18th century stones).  The pieces are thought provoking and beautiful and the print work brilliantly with the shapes of the clothes and the lines of the body. This collection is truly unique and Frost looks forward to Luke Brooks next collection!
  Luke Brooks
HALO &CO
Jewellery
Halo & Co are exhibiting for the first time this fashion week.
They are a fun colourful brand with some innovative and exiting designs. The neck and shoulder piece decorate with gold elephants is completely unique and unlike any pieces of jewellery Frost has seen before.
Halo&Co
JACOB KIMMIE (Bathos)
Contemporary Womenswear
Jacob Kimmie collection Bathos is second in a trilogy of libertine works. There is emphasis on ‘eroticism, classicism and the ostentatious’. On walking into the room Frost was drawing to the rich colouring of the garments as well as the exiting and innovative pattern cutting techniques used. This is a truly beautiful brand and defiantly worth checking out.
SUMARIE
Couture Swimwear
Sumarie is a couture swimwear brand. The pieces are simple, sexy and elegant and if your looking for swimwear that is a little bit special this is the place to look.
submarie

London Fashion Week: Where To Go

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London Fashion Week is nearly here and we are super excited. Here is a round up of great places to go to eat, drink and have a break from the fast pace.

Josh Wood To Launch Breakfast Pop-up Salon At sketch During London Fashion Week
Sketch on Conduit Street in Mayfair has collaborated with world-renowned salon Josh Wood Atelier to open an exclusive pop-up breakfast blow-dry and nail bar in the Glade at sketch. The salon will offer guests a dry-style blow dry and a file and polish together with an express breakfast for £25.00, ensuring they will look impeccably groomed before a busy day of shows, whether gracing the FROW or simply soaking up the atmosphere at Somerset House. Open from 8.00am until 10.30am, the beauty bar will run throughout London Fashion Week, from 13th-17th September. www.sketch.uk.com

London fashion week, where to go
Babbo
To celebrate this autumn’s London Fashion Week, discreet Mayfair restaurant Babbo has devised a special menu packed with superfoods. Known for being favoured by royalty and celebrities alike, it is frequented by A-listers including Stella McCartney, Kate Beckinsale, Princess Beatrice, Colin Firth and Claudia Schiffer. Head chef Carlo Scotto has created dishes such as Salad of handpicked crab meat with avocado and hazelnuts , Tuna carpaccio with wild asparagus and aubergine puree and John Dory with fresh peas, broad beans, dry tomato and beetroot puree. The menu will be available for the duration of London Fashion Week and is priced at £45 for three courses
39 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JQ – www.babborestaurant.co.uk

Fornata
Between 13-17th September, relaxed Italian restaurant Fornata – located on Soho’s bustling Kingly Street – will offer an express three course meal with a glass of wine for just £25. The vibrant and informal restaurant will offer low-carb dishes such as Grilled courgettes with ricotta, mint and pine nuts or Beef Carpaccio with fresh Porcini mushroom salad to start. These will be followed by a choice of either Sicilian style char-grilled swordfish, Char-grilled ginger baby chicken with rocket and parmesan or Grilled lamb cutlet with aubergine puree and pecorino cheese for main. To finish, guests can choose between Panna cotta with mixed berries or Lemon crostata pie. The menu, which is available throughout London Fashion Week, can be best enjoyed al fresco on Fornata’s lively terrace.
15 Kingly Street, W1B 5PS – www.fornata.com

Ping
PING, West London’s renowned ping-pong rooms will be giving pizza’s a fresh twist for London Fashion Week with the introduction of its ‘Skinny Bitches’ pizza menu. Challenging the perception of what it is that makes a great and nutritious pizza, head chef Bruno Elias has created three low calorie pizzas, that are sure to keep you feeling chic throughout fashion week. The ‘Skinny Bitches’ menu at Ping features pizza made from wholewheat crusts, light cheeses, fresh and healthy toppings, which are all under 600 calories. Pizza’s include the ‘Kate’ made up of ricotta, fresh spinach, roasted apple, walnuts, the ‘Naomi’ with fresh mozzarella, sun blushed tomatoes, raisins, anchovies and pine nuts on a rich tomato base, and the ‘Giselle’ with roasted aubergines, peppers, onions, fresh basil on a rich tomato base.
180-184 Kingly Road, SW59GG – www.weloveping.com

STK
To celebrate this September’s London Fashion Weekend, contemporary steakhouse STK will be opening its doors at the earlier time of noon, on both the Saturday and Sunday, to offer the cities fash pack an exclusive STK’OVER lunch menu. Located minutes from Somerset House STK is the perfect pit stop for post or pre show entertaining, and diners with a pass for London Fashion Weekend will also be offered a complimentary signature STK cocktail. Dishes on the STK’OVER menu include scallop ceviche, feather steak and STK salad.
STK, 336-337 Strand, London, WC2R 1HA – www.togrp.com/togrp-stk-london/about

Villandry 
To mark London Fashion, Villandry, located on Great Portland Street has created a perfect, exclusive menu for die-hard fashionishtas to enjoy throughout September, with each dish no more than 150 calories. Each dish has been carefully devised to follow Villandry’s philosophy of offering lighter Mediterranean dishes, where by bad fats are kept to a minimum. Dishes on the menu include tomato and green bean tartare with avocado salsa, grilled salmon on a bed of pea puree, roasted diced beetroot and horseradish, and for those with a sweet tooth there is the frozen yogurt summer berry trio.
170 Great Portland St, London, W1W 5QB – www.villandry.com
Where do you like to go during London Fashion Week?

Runway Rundown: Autumn/ Winter 2013

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An unexpected feature that was prominent on many runways this February was colour. It seems that this Autumn/ Winter will be brighter than it has been in a long time and who’s complaining? But don’t worry, designers haven’t ditched the typical dark and moody for the later months as black also made a strong statement. To give you a taster of what’s to come, here is a rundown of some of the shows that Frost attended this season.

KTZ

KTZ
With black and white making a strong statement, some of the looks on the KTZ runway looked like something between high school preppy and a character from The Crucible. White collared shirts were worn under black pinafore dresses and some of the models legs were wrapped in skin-tight patent black tights giving the basic look a little edge. The show notes told us that the collection was inspired by witch craft and tarot cards which was made evident by the massive snap-backs with moon sized visors and tarot printed garments. Even though some of the collection was a little wacky, there was something very wearable about all of the pieces which made the show an even bigger success. All in all, a dark palette with a surprising splash of colour in either red or burnt orange.

Jena Theo

Jena.Theo
Held in the small space of the Portico Rooms at Somerset House, the Jena.Theo show was a very intimate showcase of a completely brilliant collection. A surprising feature was the use of colour and print with black only being featured in a couple of the looks. A strong feature throughout the collection were high necks on dresses and kitted jumpers giving a real sixties vibe to some of the looks. Given that the show invitation was emblazoned with an acid spray painted smiley face, it was unsurprising to see the print on some of the dresses and t-shirts. The cerise pink colour of the invitation was also a prominent feature on long sleeved shift dresses and jumpers. With each piece being just as beautiful as the next, this collection is definitely one that would look good in all wardrobes.

Kukhareva

Ekaterina Khukareva
Inspired by retro housewives, Khukareva’s collection for this winter was nothing short of fabulous. The rich textures and decorative patterns were real eye-catchers on the mid-length skirts and cigarette trousers which, to be completely honest, are not given justice in the photographs online. These designs have got to be seen in person to appreciate the deep colours in her signature knit lana wool and viscose. And if the clothes didn’t say enough, the hair definitely did. Pinned up in massive curlers, thanks to the design talents of Lara Jensen, the height and size of the hair worked perfectly with the body con dresses and flowing skirts. This collection was a definite favourite.

Eudon Choi

Eudon Choi
The autumn/ winter Eudon Choi show was a complete spectacle of all things folk. Complete with a Russian string quartet, velvet room dividers and orchids, the Portico Rooms was transformed to play host to his beautifully dressed Babushka doll inspired models. A-line skirts, thick woollen statement coats and bell-bottom trousers came in an array of electric blue, baby pinks, red and black and were paired with head pieces decorated with bright flowers and pom-poms. In terms of beauty, the models were fresh and dewy faced with blushed cheeks and nude lips; a look that paired perfectly with the exaggerated colours and textures of the clothes. The polished and feminine look of the collection was a first for Choi but one that went down very well with the audience.

Yifang Wan

Yifang Wan
Merit Award winner Yifang Wan show cased her collection in the Freemason’s Hall during Fashion Scout’s runway this February to a great reception. The concept of the physical and mental restraints of the human body behind the collection was great to read about in the show notes and one that created the perfect match of garments and accessories. Her choice of metal structured accessories worn as bracelets, belts and even held in the hand or over the shoulder that paid homage to her inspirations of discipline and control were not only striking but completely thought provoking. They stood out against the backdrop of the dark palettes of indigo, black, emerald and dark violet on perfectly structured silhouettes. Thick wool coats worn over dresses and tailored trousers were the perfect minimalistic pieces needed to let such strong influences shine through.

[Images courtesy of Google Images]

Zoe Jordan Womenswear A/W 2013

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With her fifth collection being given the honor to open London Fashion Week, Zoe Jordan produced an incredible show. With clean cut lines and sharp silhouettes, it’s easy to see where her inspirations, and title of the collection, came from.

‘Foundations’ paid homage to Jordan’s architectural background where she showcased cigarette trousers against tailored boyfriend jackets and pale shift dresses. With textures from croc effect to leather, Jordan presented to us her take on the minimalist trend but adding a little bit extra.

With a mainly monochrome palette, the aim was to let the shapes and textures speak for themselves. However we were treated with a flash of colour in either amber or shocking hot pink in the form of jumpers, skirts and trousers hidden under sweeping houndstooth jackets. The collection was a great example of how keeping things minimal can still be interesting.

Along with her ‘boyish elegance’ Jordan also showed her feminine side through her corseted dresses in metallic jacquard snake print. Shift dresses came in both sleeveless and turtle neck forms and were paired with ankle boots to keep in with the structural vibe. Black and white plaid skirts also made an appearance along with a jumper and trouser combination in houndstooth.

Along with the textures, Jordan also worked with tailoring and sharp shoulders due to the inspiration of bold structural shapes and images. A muted palette and only occasional print meant the shape and fit were showcased to maximum potential.

One of the most particular points about the collection was the colour block panels and individual stand out pieces. According to the show notes “separates are the cornerstones of the Autumn/Winter 2013 aesthetic” and if the bright orange ankle boots are anything to go by, they certainly are.

 

London Fashion Week – Exhibition S/S’ 2013

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This was my first time at London Fashion Week, so I was excited when I got the chance between shows to walk around Somerset House, and have a look at the exhibition rooms.

After hearing that Minnie Mouse was this year’s fashion muse, I headed straight to the ‘Inspired by Minnie Mouse’ collection. Growing up most girls love Minnie (I definitely did!) and this collection embraces both the fashionable side and the young girlish persona of the character.

The collection is comprised of bespoke dresses and lots of accessories, made by the few handpicked international designers. I must admit that I absolutely adored Lulu Guinness’s take on creating a ‘must have’ Minnie piece. Lulu designed a purse and handbag and the lipstick detailing on the zipper made it that extra bit special, I think Minnie would approve! Below are my photographs of the collection, my standout dress has to be by Giles Deacon, the prom style silhouette and red polka dot aspects make it a perfect Minnie Mouse dress.

 

 

I also walked into my idea of heaven the Atelier Swarovski Collection exhibiton. The S/S 2013 collection is collaboration with different designers from jewellery and product designer Stefano Poletti to shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood. Each designer took Swarovski’s crystals and used them in very different ways. My favourite collaborations were Vanessa Seward who is an Argentine Fashion designer, she says of her designs that they were inspired by ‘the kind of ethnic necklaces chic Parisian boho women use’. Take a look at her pieces below…

 

Also Nicholas Kirkwood’s collection combines Swarovski with pearls and enamel. His designs are something unique and modern, definitely take a look at the whole collection.

www.atelierswarovski.com

Whilst roaming around Somerset House I came across Topshop’s poster range and some new designers who I found particularly interesting take a look at the photos below. The chance to walk around and look at the exhibitions was a highlight of my LFW experience it unveiled to me some designers I had never heard of before and lots of stunning jewellery!

 

Macaroons à la Mode – Good Godfrey’s | London Fashion Week 2012

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Celebrate London Fashion Week at Good Godfrey’s, The Waldorf Hilton, Fashion week can be hectic and stressful to take some time out and dine in style.

London with the launch of Macaroons à la Mode. Available from Friday
September 14th – Tuesday September 18th 2012, this selection of
limited edition macaroons have been created and inspired by the
Spring/Summer 2013 catwalk. They are complimentary to any guest
purchasing a drink up until the end of cocktail hour, from 6pm. to 8pm. daily.

The Waldorf Hilton, London will host two fashion shows during London

Fashion Week, including Golan Fydor on September 14th.

Situated just moments away from Somerset House on Aldwych, Good
Godfrey’s at The Waldorf Hilton, London is the perfect place to grab a
stylish snack both pre and post show.

Anna Calvi talks art at the Tate in new video | Music News

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Über cool London-born singer Anna Calvi has unveiled a new video of her playing some songs and talking about her favourite pieces in the Tate Britain gallery. Have a watch of the rather great video here:

 

 

As announced in Frost Anna plays the Summer Series at London’s Somerset House on 12th July and is also playing select festivals across Europe this summer including Luzern’s Blue Balls Festival in Switzerland.