AQUA KYOTO CELEBRATES SPRING WITH JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM

The Cherry Blossom season is now in full bloom at aqua kyoto restaurant throughout May. With the sun shining and aqua’s roof terraces- it’s the ultimate place to be this month to celebrate spring’s arrival and Japan’s cherry blossom season. To reflect the beauty of this season set atop ones of London’s most iconic buildings, the former Dickins & Jones department store, aqua Kyoto restaurant will transform their rooftop terrace with stunning Sakura cherry blossom trees to capture the taste of floral Japan and is the ideal destination to experience the first cocktail of Spring.

aqua kyoto have created a delicious cocktail and a selection of Japanese dishes to compliment this enchanting festival. On offer for a limited time, the menu will include blossom pink tempura, a cherry blossom sushi platter, pink and white scallops cooked in lobster coral as well as some other beautiful dishes that embrace this symbolic season.

www.aqua-london.com

ALAIN DUCASSE AT THE DORCHESTER LAUNCHES FRESH FLORAL TEAS FOR SUMMER

Launching on the 24th May, the restaurant’s iconic after-dinner herb trolley will be transformed with a bloom of fresh flowers including British Rose, English Elderflower, Sweet Jasmine and Calming Calendula.
The highly skilled maitre d' presents the sweet smelling infusions trolley after dessert and the delicate flowers are freshly cut at the table. The teas are served in beautiful glass teapots to optimize the aromas and allow guests to watch their chosen flower infuse. The tea trolley will be available throughout the summer months.

http://www.alainducasse-dorchester.com/

ROCCO FORTE’S BROWN’S HOTEL- FLORAL AFTERNOON TEA AND COCKTAILS

To celebrate The Chelsea Flower Show, the English Tea Room will be serving a specially created Traditional Afternoon Tea, complete with scones with rose and strawberry jam, a selection of home-made cakes including lemon and lavender macaroons, honey and chamomile cakes, and strawberry and elderflower cream tartlets. This will be served with a choice of 17 different teas including Rosebud and Jasmine Tea.
The Donovan Bar will also be offering floral inspired cocktails including The Bloom Show, a deeply floral cocktail made with Bloom gin (which has its own strong floral notes), elderflower cordial, lychee juice, egg white and a dash of the secret Donovan Bar tincture.

http://www.brownshotel.com/dining/the-english-tea-room/

10% OFF FOOD AND DRINK AT THE PENNY BLACK RESTAURANT FOR CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW TICKET HOLDERS

New Chelsea favourite, The Penny Black Restaurant, is delighted to offer visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show a 10% discount on all food and drink bills for either lunch or dinner. The newly opened restaurant presents a traditional British menu of classic, nostalgic dishes including Beef Wellington and Raspberry Baked Alaska. Located a stone’s throw from the show on the Fulham Road, The Penny Black Restaurant is the perfect spot to enjoy a meal with friends and family after the show. This offer is valid for the duration of the Chelsea Flower Show (24 - 28 May 2011). To claim your discount, simply present your show ticket on arrival at the restaurant. http://www.thepennyblack.com

BARTS GOES FLOWER POWER FOR CHELSEA SHOW

Secret speakeasy bar Barts is going flower power in honour of The Chelsea Flower Show which will take place from 24th-28th May.

Located a stone’s throw from the world’s most famous flower show, Barts is the ideal place for drinks after any visit to the exhibition. Talented bar manager Grzegorz Mantey has created an exquisite cocktail in homage to the show, aptly named ‘The Chelsea Flower’. A heady blend of Grey Goose Vodka, Creme de Peche de vigne, and Mette spiritueux de Lavande it is served in a martini glass and garnished with an edible pansy.

Barts is renowned for its fancy dress box and for the duration of the show the box will be themed along the lines of ‘Flower Power’. Guests will be able to delve into the box of delights and find anything from ultimate hippy flares, John Lennon specs to wings and flowers worn by flower fairies.

Just in the time for the Chelsea show, Barts has just opened its very own Cuban garden where guests can sip their drinks surrounded by lush foliage and exotic plants.

Barts will be the pick of the bunch for this year’s Chelsea Flower Show.

Barts
T: 020 7581 3355
E: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
W: www.barts-london.com
Opening Hours: Monday-Thursday: 6pm-12.30am, Friday-Saturday: 6pm-1.30am, Sunday: 6pm-11pm

MINT POLO IN THE PARK 2011; SPEND A QUINTESSENTIALLY BRITISH SUMMER'S DAY OUT IN CENTRAL LONDON

Polo players from all over the world will battle each other at MINT Polo in the Park. Spend a quintessentially British summer's day at MINT Polo in the Park, complete with The Harrods Food Court, luxury shopping village, Veuve Clicquot Champagne garden, world class hospitality and the finest display of polo in the world.

Winner of the 2010 'London Sport Attraction of the Year' at The London Lifestyle Awards, MINT Polo in The Park is the leading outdoor polo and lifestyle event in Central London, offering a mix of sport, entertainment and VIP experiences.
Event: MINT Polo in the Park

Date: 3 / 4 / 5th June 2011
Location: Hurlingham Park, Fulham, London, SW6 3PR
Time: 12:00pm - 21:00pm

Details: For the third year, the hallowed turf of Hurlingham Park in Fulham will thunder with the hooves of high-class polo ponies. Polo players from all over the world will battle each other in a furious display of horsemanship at MINT Polo in the Park.

Spend a quintessentially British summers day at MINT Polo in the Park complete with the first ever Harrods Food Court, which will re-create the iconic Knightsbridge store’s food service area. Browse and wander through the luxury shopping village, enjoy the Veuve Clicquot Champagne garden along with world class hospitality and the finest display of polo in the world.
Winner of the 2010 ‘London Sport Attraction of the Year’ at The London Lifestyle Awards, MINT Polo in The Park is the leading outdoor polo and lifestyle event in Central London, offering a mix of sport, entertainment and VIP experiences.

Website: www.mintpolointhepark.com

KEITH HURDMAN, THORNTONS MASTER CHOCOLATIER, WINS JOINT CHOCOLATIER OF THE YEAR AT THE ACADEMY OF CHOCOLATE AWARDS

At a champagne reception at Fortnum & Mason last night Thorntons Master Chocolatier Keith Hurdman was awarded ‘Joint Chocolatier of the Year’ by the Academy of Chocolate.

The chocolatier of the year is awarded to the person who wins the most golds in the Academy of Chocolate Awards and this year was shared amongst three outstanding chocolatiers, Keith Hurdman, William Curley and Laurent Couchaux of Rococo. Thorntons won four gold awards in total, with Keith collecting awards for his Raspberry & Rose, Crunchy Praline and Vanilla Caramel with crunchy sea salt in the awards, all created for Thorntons Centenary this year and included in the exclusive limited edition Wonder Box. Thorntons also won a gold for the Chocolate Block Tonka Bean bar.

Keith accepted his award at a champagne reception attended by most of the UK fine chocolate market, along with chocolatiers and chocolate makers from around the world. Keith said: “I’m delighted and honoured that my work at Thorntons has been recognised by the Academy of Chocolate. There are some fantastic Chocolatiers in the UK and some very worthy winners, so I’m thrilled that these new chocolates we have created for Thorntons Centenary have been recognised amongst some of the best in the country.”

Sara Jayne Stanes, chair of the Academy of Chocolate says ‘We were delighted to award Keith Hurdman, joint chocolatier of the year. He’s a fantastic chocolatier and his chocolates for Thorntons jubilee collection impressed the judges hugely.’

The chocolatier of the year award is sponsored by Quinta Do Noval Port and, along with his award, Keith also wins a trip to Portugal to visit the port producer.

The award winning filled chocolates are available in the Thorntons Wonder Box, a limited edition £100 box of chocolates available from Thorntons website www.thorntons.co.uk and presented in a keepsake case celebrating Thorntons Centenary. The Chocolate Blocks range is available in all Thorntons chocolate shops priced at £1.79.

BEN SOUTHALL SAYS “ISLE SEE YOU LATER” AND DEPARTS FOR THE BEST EXPEDITION IN THE WORLD

Ben Southall, former Best Job in the World Island Caretaker, this week launches the Best Expedition in the World a four-month, 1600km sea safari along Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, which re-traces the route taken by Captain James Cook 240 years ago on his Voyage of Discovery.

Ben will paddle, pedal and sail a ‘Hobie’ kayak out of the Town of 1770 during the Captain Cook 1770 Festival at 03:00am on Saturday 21 May (AEST), destined for his first pit stop on Lady Elliot Island.

The jaunty Englishman said he was awestruck by the Great Barrier Reef while acting as Caretaker at Hamilton Island in 2009 as part of the ‘Best Job in the World’, and wanted to encourage more people to share the same experiences.

“This is about showing the world that the Great Barrier Reef is open for business,” said Ben, who will keep fans abreast of his voyage on the website http://www.bestexpeditionintheworld.com

“My job is to raise the profile of the Great Barrier Reef, spreading the message of research, education and conservation of the reef, its islands and tourism experiences,” he said.

“I want to inspire people to realise they too can explore this great natural asset either by jumping in a kayak, going for a dive or sailing between Queensland’s islands,” he said.

The Best Expedition in the World will stop at Lady Elliot Island, Musgrave Island, Mackay, the Whitsundays, Townsville, Magnetic Island, Orpheus Island, Hichinbrook Island, Cairns, Port Douglas, Lowe Isles, Cape Tribulation, Endeavour Reef and Cooktown, where Captain Cook came ashore in 1770.

While the route is essentially the same as the original British explorer, this Brit’s journey will differ significantly from that of Cook.

“Captain Cook was a visionary, an experienced sailor, skilled with a sextant who proudly kept 94 men alive by feeding them pork, beef, cheese, citrus fruit, sauerkraut and beer during his command of the 32mt long Endeavour,” said Ben.

“I’ll be doing the expedition alone in my 5mt long Hobie Kayak with just a GPS and IPad, following a nutritionist’s eating plan to take in 3000 calories per day,” he said. A support vessel will accompany Ben during the Expedition.

During the next four months Ben will blog, tweet and record Queensland’s colourful characters and reef experiences for people around the world.

“This expedition will also allow me to visit some of Queensland’s regions which had a tough start to the year due to floods and cyclones and show how well they’re recovering,” said Ben.

While Ben is on the water, his parents Margaret and Duncan Southall will follow his course on land during a ‘Queensland Road Trip’, blogging on the same website.

The Best Expedition in the World and Queensland Road Trip has been made possible thanks to a range of supportive partners including: Sunsail, AirAsia, Sunstate Hobie, YHA, Apollo Motorhome Holidays and BIG4 Holiday Parks.
For further information on Ben’s expedition, please visit www.bestexpeditionintheworld.com.

SUMMER MAKE-UP ACADEMY AT JOHN LEWIS OXFORD STREET

John Lewis Oxford Street is launching a Summer Make-up Academy - a mini school set up in the Beauty Hall that will teach customers professional make-up tricks and techniques to help stay on trend during warmer weather.

Led by an expert on the Benefit beauty counter in the John Lewis Oxford Street Beauty Hall, the 20 minute bespoke one-on-one consultation will cover summer beauty essentials from prepping and protecting the skin, to applying the season’s hottest make-up colours and adding chic finishing touches.

Customers will learn how to adapt heavier winter make-up into a fresh summertime glow, along with trends suitable for day and night. The Classes will demonstrate how to turn classic holiday make-up disasters such as orange over-kill, tropical melt-downs, thick and flaky foundation and runny mascara into triumphs; for example, a perfect poolside make-up look.

Ali Cook, Deputy Beauty Manger at John Lewis Oxford Street, says: “The Summer Make-up Academy is a completely free service aiming to make sure customers go away knowing how to make on-trend summer make-up work for their skin-type and look.”

Ali continues, “We are thrilled to be able to offer this service in the John Lewis Oxford Street department store. We often come across women who want to wear make-up and look fabulous in the summer or by the pool, but struggle to keep it looking light and fresh. We’re hoping these classes will give women more confidence to experiment with summer colours and trends such as bold lips, natural looking skin, and bright eyes.”

Classes will be running from May 21st – July 2nd 2011. To book in for a place at the John Lewis Oxford Street Summer Make-up Academy please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

BOOK DAD IN TO THE MAY FAIR HOTEL THIS FATHER’S DAY
As The May Fair launches the most exclusive Father’s Day packages…..

Splurge on Dad this Father’s Day with a stay at The May Fair Hotel. Brimming with class and glamour, The May Fair has an exclusive Father’s Day ‘Night and Flights’ package, which is sure to knock Dad’s socks off!

This package includes a sumptuous overnight stay, with traditional full English breakfast, from £390* per room, per night from June 17 to June 19. Also included is a Whiskey Flight in the hotel’s uber cool May Fair Bar; the Flights offer guests a unique fusion of three complimentary dishes and drinks.

For those looking to impress Dad further, why not book him into the hotel’s renowned Azure Suite? Priced at £2.5k per night*, let Dad relax in style as he enjoys a line up of classic films, including Casino, Clockwork Orange, The Italian Job and Kick Ass. All can be watched in the comfort of Dad’s suite, on the 42-inch Bang & Olufsen plasma screen, which is fitted with surround sound and a retractable cinema screen. Furthermore the in-suite fridge will be stocked full with beer and snacks - what more could Dad ask for?

For more information please visit http://www.themayfairhotel.co.uk

• Terms and conditions apply. Rooms subject to availability. Rates may vary,

SOAK UP THE VISTA AT CENTRAL LONDON’S MOST EXCLUSIVE ROOFTOP BAR

The Trafalgar Hotel Doubles the Size of its Rooftop Bar, Vista

The Trafalgar Hotel, situated in the heart of London on Trafalgar Square, has more than doubled the capacity of its popular Vista roof bar, making it Central London’s biggest roof top destination bar and securing its position as the place to be seen this summer.

Located on the sixth floor of the contemporary Trafalgar Hotel, Vista is a sleek and exclusive space, popular with celebrities and royalty. The venue offers Londoners an oasis of tranquillity among the chaos of the capital, with unparalleled views over Trafalgar Square and other iconic London landmarks such as Big Ben and the London Eye.

Due to its popularity, Vista has doubled in size, increasing its capacity to 180 people. The new space is sleek and stylish with monochrome furniture and splashes of pink running throughout, together with a musical mix of ambient house and chill out tunes to create a chic Mediterranean atmosphere. There will be a new food and cocktail menu and also a live grill, making it ideal for lunches, informal meetings and drinks.

Anthony Worrall, general manager at The Trafalgar Hotel, said, “London is a beautiful destination with some of the world’s best bars - at Vista we combine the two with a fabulous roof top venue where visitors can enjoy unrivalled views of the city, day or night, with a sense of style and elegance.”

Vista’s extension is part of a number of refurbishments taking place at the hotel. Its famous Rockwell bar and restaurant is also currently being refurbished and will be unveiled in July 2011.

Vista is open Monday to Saturday from 12pm to 1am and Sunday 12pm to 12am, with a £5 entry fee, £1 of which will be donated to Cancer Research UK. Also available for private hire, bookings can be made by calling 020 7870 2900.

Vista at The Trafalgar, 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, London SW1A 2TS
www.thetrafalgar.com

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ACROSS FIVE FANTASTIC SHOWS – BOOK NOW FOR THE ULTIMATE FOODIE DAY OUT!
BBC Good Food Show Scotland, 21-13 October 2011, SECC Glasgow
Back for its 5th year, the BBC Good Food Show Scotland is a celebration of the best of Scottish food and drink. Taste fresh regional produce, discover Scotland’s rich food heritage and see live demonstrations from local culinary talent. Plus there’ll be celebrity entertainment in the Supertheatre sponsored by Sainsbury’s, and following its success at last year’s Show, we’ll be welcoming back top TV series MasterChef for 2011.

MasterChef Live, Olympia London, 11-13 November 2011
If you love MasterChef, then don’t miss MasterChef Live, the place to be to see all your favourites from the hit TV series. Watch out for John Torode, Gregg Wallace and the 2011 MasterChef Champion. Plus the Show will be jam-packed with over 100 of the best local producers , selling top quality food and drink perfect for a Christmas treat! Or, visit the Restaurant Experience to sample tapas-sized dishes from London’s best restaurants. Tickets also include entry to The Wine Show.

The Wine Show, Olympia London, 11-13 November 2011
The Wine Show is London's finest wine experience and will be jam-packed with the country's leading wine experts, the world's finest wine producers, unusual regions and varieties to discover ... all in all, a great day out.

BBC Good Food Show Winter, 23-27 November 2011, NEC Birmingham
The BBC Good Food Show Winter is the biggest foodie event of the year! With speciality producers, live demos from top chefs , great shopping and entertainment, every ticket buys you a Winter Wonderland of things to do, taste and see. Following its success at last year’s Show, Saturday Kitchen Live hosted by James Martin is back for 2011, plus see familiar faces from top TV series MasterChef in the MasterChef Experience.

For a taster of the BBC Good Food Shows why not Visit BBC Good Food @ Westfield LONDON, 8 - 10 July 2011 to see a selection of hand picked small producers and speciality foods along with demonstrations from Good Food magazine and the winner of MasterChef 2011.

Don’t miss this year's ultimate days out – put these dates in your diary now!

21-23 Oct 2011,
SECC, Glasgow
bbcgoodfoodshow.com
0844 581 1362

11-13 Nov 2011,
Olympia, London
MasterChefLive.com
0844 581 1361

11-13 Nov 2010,
Olympia, London
WineShow.co.uk
0844 581 1365

23–27 Nov 2010,
NEC, Birmingham
bbcgoodfoodshow.com
0844 581 1360

YO! TO GO DELIVERS A TOKYO TWIST ON TAKE-AWAY
Looking for a healthy meal? No time to dash out? You can now dine ‘al desko’ in the office or from the comfort of your own home, as YO! Sushi take their unique Tokyo style take-away to the next level with the launch of a completely new YO! to GO menu.

Save the wait and order online at www.yosushi.com/togo for delivery or pick-up at a time that suits you, making it easier than ever before for sushi junkies to get their fresh fish fix. Fill in the online order form with your postcode, desired date and time of delivery and your choice of sushi and one of our fleet of super-cool scooters and eco-friendly smart cars will deliver directly to your door.

Diners can enjoy a wide variety of over 50 dishes freshly prepared by YO!’s expertly trained kitchen ninjas. Enjoy delicious sushi and sashimi, soups, ‘Big Asian Salads’ and hot classics including Chicken Katsu Curry, Vegetable Yakisoba Noodles and Firecracker Rice.

If you can’t breakaway from the office, grab a speedy eat and enjoy one of the wide array of sushi box sets designed to be the ideal meal for dining at your desk. With prices starting from as little as £5, you will never be short of options with boxes catering for everyone from meat eaters to hardcore-veggies and sashimi addicts.

Alternatively, treat yourself to a set meal deal and enjoy themed menus including a selection of ‘Best Sellers’, a ‘Veggie Energiser’ and a ‘Light and Lo Cal’ option, ranging from £10 - £16.50. Now also featuring an extensive drinks menu of Japanese beer, wine, spirits, sake and soft drinks to provide the perfect accompaniment.

Ideal for office meetings and entertaining, take the headache out of corporate catering with YO! Sushi’s sharing platters for 6-8 people, featuring a delicious selection of maki, iso and nigiri, available from between £30 and £40.

So don’t delay and get your chopsticks ready for a revolution in takeaway.
Order now from www.yosushi.com/togo for delivery or pick up from your local YO! Sushi, or call 0844 499 5222. Minimum order of £15, £3 delivery charge per order and free delivery on orders over £40
www.yosushi.com

Please Note: ?All information is supplied to us by the individual organizations, or agencies acting on their behalf. The views and opinions expressed by the individual companies, agencies and other contributors are theirs alone and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Hot Brands Cool Places. Inclusion in a news item does not imply endorsement by Hot Brands Cool Places. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all information is accurate, it may be subject to change. Please check with individual organizations for the latest information about all events, products, promotions, or news items. Recipes have not been tested by Hot Brands Cool Places. Hot Brands Cool Places does not accept responsibility for the content of any external site.