To honour the famed RHS Chelsea Flower Show; Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester has created an inventive lunch hour menu inspired by the vibrant horticultural displays and showcasing the very best of seasonal ingredients. For one week only, Head chef Jocelyn Herland will serve a three course menu for £55 featuring Hereford SNAILS, a VEGETABLE tart in bloom with a fresh herb condiment and seared ARCTIC CHAR with a garden of fresh seasonal vegetables.

Green-fingered Head Pastry Chef Angelo Ecrolano has created a playful ‘Sweet Daisy’ dessert resembling a blossoming potted flower. The layered dessert includes white chocolate and jasmine tea cream petals paired with a mango and jasmine compote centre, all set atop a mountain of decadent chocolate crumble.

Two fragrant wines have been selected by Head Sommelier Vincent Pastorello to accompany the menu including 2010 Alsace Pinot Blanc - Mise du Printemps and the 2006 Lalande de Pomerol – Chateau Moulin La Graviere. The Lunch Hour Menu is available from the 22nd to 25th May, priced at £55 for 3 courses and includes 2 glasses of wine, half a bottle of mineral water and coffee or tea.

http://www.thedorchester.com/alain-ducasse

FORTNUM & MASON DEBUT AT RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW (22-26TH MAY)

2012 sees the debut of Fortnum & Mason at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show as the host of the Hospitality Village introducing the exquisite taste and highest level of hospitality of Fortnum’s Piccadilly to Chelsea for the first time.

Taking place on 22nd – 26th May, at the Royal Hospital in Chelsea, London, Fortnum & Mason promises that guests can expect the usual high standard of superior dining, service, surroundings and the meticulous attention to detail for which the Piccadilly store is renowned, with Michelin-starred chef Shaun Hill leading the team.

Kate Hobhouse, Chairman of Fortnum & Mason comments: "We are proud to bring 181 Piccadilly to the RHS Flower Shows at Chelsea for the very first time. It is a fitting partnership of two great British names. Our Chefs are relishing the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and provide guests with a day to remember."

There will be a variety of packages on offer aptly named The Sovereign, The Jubilee, The Monarch and The Royale with each tailored to a specific meal time whether it be breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, canapés or dinner and all offering dishes using ingredients grown and sourced from around the UK and catering to all requirements. A selection of drinks including Fortnum’s red and white wines will be included in each package.

In addition to gourmet 3 and 4 course lunch and dinner on offer, the premium menus will also include a variety of the most exquisite hot and cold canapés, a selection of homemade cakes and strudels, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Afternoon Tea, including Fortnum's special blend of celebratory Jubilee tea served in silver teapots, and a wide range of Fortnum’s finest British cheeses and digestifs.

Guests will experience a beauty and elegance throughout the day, offering a warm, welcoming haven with a glass of chilled Champagne to greet the sunshine outdoors, or under luxurious cover, should the heavens open.
Prices start at £199 per person excluding VAT

Full package details can be found at: www.fortnumandmason.com

ULTRA-RARE £1MILLION LAMBORGHINI REVENTÓN ?ON SALE AT LONDON MOTOREXPO

• One of the UK’s leading auction houses, H&H Classics, to hold exclusive private sale at 2012 London Motorexpo
• Range of other supercars and classic vehicles for sale

Well-heeled petrolheads will have a unique opportunity to take possession of one of the world’s rarest supercars on the planet this summer, when an ultra-exclusive Lamborghini Reventón supercar features in an exclusive H&H Classics sale being held at London’s Motorexpo (Canary Wharf 11-17 June; www.motorexpo.com).

Expected to achieve more than £1 million, the Reventón being offered for private sale at Motorexpo was one of only 20 produced and is thought to be the only example in the UK, making this a truly unique opportunity for automotive collectors.

The Reventón was revealed to the public for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2007 and, despite commanding an asking price of €1 million (plus local taxes), all 20 examples were pre-sold before the car had even been unveiled. Powered by a 6.5-litre V12 engine producing 650bhp, the carbon-fibre Reventón can crack the 0-62 mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds and go on to a top speed of 211mph, ensuring the car has more than enough pace to live up to its stunning F-22 Raptor jet fighter-inspired body.

As part of its ‘Supercars and Superclassics’ sale, H&H will be presenting an Auburn Speedster replica as well as a number of vehicles from brands such as Ferrari, Pagani, Maserati, and Koenigsegg.

“The appearance, let alone sale, of a car as rare as the Lamborghini Reventón is sure to attract a large number of supercar enthusiasts and collectors to Motorexpo this summer,” commented Graeme Carver, Motorexpo CEO.

“But even those who can’t quite justify the £1 million asking price for the Reventón can get up close to their potential next purchase – be it classic or modern. Alongside H&H’s impressive catalogue of vehicles a host of car manufacturers will display more than 250 new models. With on-the-road prices starting from less than £8,000 there will be a car for every buyer,” he concluded.

Motorexpo is open daily in Canary Wharf from 10am to 6pm (Monday 11 to Saturday 16) and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 17 June. Entry is free and the show’s organisers are expecting more than 425,000 visitors to enjoy this year’s event and visit Canary Wharf’s 200-plus shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.

In addition to the cars being displayed by H&H, a number of leading automotive brands have already confirmed their attendance, including Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Vauxhall and Volvo.

Motorexpo offers visitors unrivalled interactivity, with all vehicles being open and available for people to sit in and enjoy. Motorexpo is also offering full test-drive capabilities with Motorexpo DriveME, giving visitors the chance to get behind the wheel of the very latest models on the roads around the famous Canary Wharf business and shopping district.

For more information about the show visit www.motorexpo.com. Further information about the vehicles being offered by H&H is available at the company’s website: www.classic-auctions.com.

SPENCER HART LAUNCHES NEW SECRET VIP DRESSING ROOM

‘The Vault’ is unveiled at flagship Brook Street Store

Spencer Hart has opened an exclusive new dressing area for VIPs, within the basement of their new flagship store on Brook St.

Aptly nicknamed ‘The Vault’, the room is located within the former vault of the bank that had previously occupied the property. Entered through a James Bond style private entrance on the ground floor using a key card, the whole experience provides privacy and comfort for VIPs.
The VIP service offers the best in bespoke tailored suits, similar to those offered at Spencer Hart, Savile Row and epitomises the brands reputation for luxury and style.

Visitors to ‘The Vault’ can also expect an exciting selection of vintage and bespoke pieces and services including:

· Vintage Cartier and Rolex watches

· Bespoke sunglasses where you can choose your own frame, lens, style and more

· Bespoke velvet slippers

The Brook St store itself is an oasis of luxury, from vintage to modernity. It encapsulates Nick Hart’s vision and iconic references of a modern utopia influenced by the likes of Neutra, Sinatra, Warhol and Kerouac, into a fresh and modern retail world for men.

Spencer Hart founder, Nick Hart said, “The store’s ‘Savile Row meets Palm Springs’ design is carried through into the look and feel of ‘The Vault’. It is a place where our VIP customers can experience a personal world-class service that is synonymous with the Spencer Hart brand. We are excited about making ‘The Vault’ a destination in its own right”.

http://www.spencerhart.com/index.html

CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE
Fine Shopping Salon
Wednesday 4th, Thursday 5th and Friday 6th of July 2012
The Hurlingham Club

Concours d’Elegance has quickly established itself as one of the highlights of the social calendar.

Inspired by the salons of the 18th century, the event celebrates everything that epitomises prestige design and style. Concours d'Elegance sets out to create the ultimate fine shopping experience. It's a firm society favourite and embraces an exclusive line-up of luxury brands.

Guests at the salon can sip champagne whilst viewing the zenith of design in timepieces, cars, yachts, interior design, jewellery, property and aviation. They can enjoy an exquisite lunch and attend lectures from some of the world's leading style authorities.

Concours d’Elegance is hosted in the spectacular grounds of The Hurlingham Club, close to the River Thames. An exclusive garden party, it provides the ultimate hospitality opportunity for business clients and friends.

A Shopping Experience For The Senses

Our intimate gatherings enable our guests socialise with other style connoisseurs, learn about the heritage behind the art and purchase exquisite goods within a relaxed, exclusive environment.

Test the glamour, sample the lifestyle and enjoy the exclusivity of this unique experience, whilst being treated to the very finest in hospitality.

Concours d’Elegance in London is held within the magnificent grounds of The Hurlingham Club. Founded in 1869, the Georgian clubhouse is set within a 42-acre estate of lavish gardens, lawns and sporting facilities.
*****

Fully Inclusive VIP Package: This entitles you to entry to the lavish ground and Concours, luxury summer barbecue, afternoon tea, fine champagne and select wines.

Individual tickets: Wednesday - £165 + VAT

Thursday - £175 + VAT

Friday - £185 + VAT

Reserved tables of 10 are available for every 9 paying guests.

Entry Only: £65 + VAT per person

Dress Code: Summer Smart
View the 2011 Showreel here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96KgQxH2Zjk

Book your tickets now at www.concourslondon.com

FREE CHOCOLATE IN ALL THORNTONS STORES FOR COELIAC AWARENESS WEEK

Nobody can resist their favourite Thorntons’ chocolate and coeliacs shouldn’t be any different, so to celebrate Coeliac Awareness Week from 14th – 20th May, Britain’s best loved chocolate brand Thorntons is giving away free chocolates with no gluten containing ingredients in all stores.

Simply pop into your local Thorntons store, tell them you are celebrating Coeliac Awareness Week and you can enjoy a delicious Thorntons chocolate for free. Find your nearest Thorntons store here: http://www.thorntons.co.uk/ourstores/Thorntons/

Thorntons is partnering with leading charity Coeliac UK to generate awareness of coeliac’s disease, as all Thorntons chocolates have no gluten containing ingredients, so can be enjoyed by those who need to stick to a gluten free diet.

Coeliac UK works with people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) to help improve their lives through support, campaigning and research. For a chance to win a gorgeous box of Thorntons Continental chocolates visit the Coeliac UK website at http://www.coeliac.org.uk/node/217678

EXPERIENCE A WORLD’S TRAVEL FIRST – A TOUR INSIDE THE MAGMA CHAMBER OF A VOLCANO IN ICELAND
- New Volcano Adventure from Discover the World –

Discover the World (www.discover-the-world.co.uk; 01737 214 297) the UK’s largest Iceland operator, has launched a new ‘Up Close and Personal’ volcano adventure to Iceland, a short break featuring a new thrilling experience which is also a world first, the chance to journey ‘inside the volcano’ into the inner cavity of Thrihnukagigur, a volcano which has been dormant for 4,000 years. The trip called Superjeep Volcano Advenuture is priced from £999 per person including flights, three nights accommodation and activities.

The new short break can only be booked between 15th June to 27th July 2012, as there is a limited timeframe during which the volcano experience runs due to local conditions. After a short hike across lava fields and a safety briefing, participants will descend 400ft via a cable car into the heart of the volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula to the ground floor of the magma chamber. An open elevator system is used in the operation, transporting participants up and down the chamber in a cable lift.

As well as literally delving into the heart of volcanic Iceland you will also experience the thrill of exploring Iceland by Superjeep. From an overnight base in Reykjavik you will head out on daily guided safaris in these huge 4WD vehicles, which have been individually customised to traverse the rugged landscapes. Visit the famous trio of natural wonders on the Golden Circle route, encompassing Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park before travelling to the wild lavascapes of the Reykjanes Peninsula for the Volcano tour.

Details of the SuperjeepVolcano Adventure
Departing: Mon, Wed, Fri (15 June - 27 July 2012)
Price: from £999 per person (including Icelandair flights from London or Manchester, 3 nights bed and breakfast accommodation, two guided Superjeep excursions and the ‘Inside the Volcano’ excursion)

This new trip is one of many other specialist volcano holidays which can be booked to Iceland www.discover-the-world.co.uk/volcano

Over 200 people registered on Discover the World Volcano Hotline
A favourite with all tectonic trackers… the operator also runs a Volcano Hotline (register at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) for those who want to find out the latest on volcanic activity in the area and any potential last minute trips.

This was extremely popular during the Fimmvorduhals eruption (which is part of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, but was the ‘tourist’ eruption before the major one that closed airspaces). Discover the World took about 300 clients to witness it (within 3 days of the eruption - and some within 24 hours). There are several hundred people signed up to the Hotline at the moment. If an eruption occurs, and soon as it is safe and logistically possible, Discover the World will put together an itinerary and call everyone on the Hotline to arrange trips. These may involve helicopter flights and transport by Superjeep www.discover-the-world.co.uk/volcano

Call the Iceland experts Discover the World on 01737 214 291 or visit www.discover-the-world.co.uk

More info on the new Up Close and Personal Volcano Adventure: http://www.discover-the-world.co.uk/en/holidays/iceland/superjeep-volcano-adventure/index.html

THE LION NYC AT THE BROMPTON CLUB
Stylish private members restaurant and nightclub, The Brompton Club will throw open its doors to the public for the first time when celebrated New York restaurant, The Lion takes up residence there for two months. Guests will be able to enjoy celebrity chef John DeLucie’s signature dishes in the opulent space.

The Lion is the toast of New York’s dining scene and that is largely down to acclaimed Chef John DeLucie, partner Sean Largotta, and the A-list crowd the restaurant consistently attracts. De Lucie was the founding Chef of the Waverly Inn, generally considered to be one of the city’s finest restaurants, and since then went on to open The Lion in the West Village and Crown on Manhattan's Upper East Side just steps away from The Met.

DeLucie has won widespread praise over the last decade for his Italian-American take on classic cuisine. He has been featured in Vanity Fair, Vogue, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The pop up will feature several of his signature dishes and will include: Yellowfin Tuna Tartare with Dijon Emulsion and Avocado, Chicken Pot Pie served with Baby Vegetables, Mac and Cheese with Truffles and The Lion Burger Special Blend, a mouth-watering burger featuring Pork Belly, Provolone, Smoked Cheddar, Caramelized Onion and Tomato.

Piers Adam and Nick House have created an elite and sophisticated members club in the downstairs area of the new Kensington Hotel. The Brompton Club consists of an oak panelled dining room which doubles as club room and dance floor as midnight beckons. The club boasts two beautiful bar areas which share the rest of the venue’s polished colonial style. As a strictly members venue, this is the ideal opportunity for non-members to enjoy an unforgettable evening at The Lion at The Brompton Club.

The Lion at The Brompton Club
92b Old Brompton Road
London
SW7 5LR
Opening Hours: Tues-Sat 8pm-late
Until July 2012

FENG SUSHI CELEBRATE RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW
Japanese restaurant group Feng Sushi is adding a special floral-inspired ‘Green foliage maki’ to the menu to celebrate this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show (22nd – 26th May). The maki will be packed with microherbs, avocado, coriander pesto, chives and rocket costing just £5.50 to eat in and £6.75 to take away. The dish will be on sale in all seven London restaurants (Fulham, Notting Hill, Kensington, South Bank, Billingsgate, Chalk Farm and Borough Market).
http://www.fengsushi.co.uk/

URBAN FORAGING AT THE CROOKED WELL

Critically acclaimed Camberwell restaurant and bar The Crooked Well (www.thecrookedwell.com) is inviting foodies to join them for a morning of urban foraging followed by a three-course lunch created with the ingredients by Head Chef, Matt Green-Armytage.

The favourite neighbourhood venue known for its honest, rustic cooking has teamed up with Nick Weston, forager and founder of Hunter:Gather:Cook School in Sussex, to offer guests a unique culinary experience on Thursday 24th May from 10am.
Nick Weston, real-life hunter gatherer, is the perfect partner for this urban foraging event after spending six months literally living off of the land, which is documented in his debut book The Treehouse Diaries: How to Live Wild in the Woods.

Nick will guide the guests in recognising and collecting edible items such as chickweed, wild garlic, yarrow, beech, sorrel, elderflower, nettles and pine needles in the wilds of the local area. Foragers will then head back to the restaurant to enjoy a meal showcasing the fantastic seasonal ingredients sourced throughout the day, prepared by the fantastic team at The Crooked Well kitchen.

The food will be paired with a selection of specially designed cocktails, fruit infusions and syrups using foraged ingredients, such as elderflower, pine needles and primrose.

The Crooked Well is already a champion of seasonal British produce with popular dishes including Rabbit & Bacon Pie, Stonebass with Mussel Linguine, Warm Pig’s Head Terrine with Caramelised Apple & Scratchings and Roast Venison with Braised Red Cabbage, Celeriac Puree, White Pudding & Jus. These favourites will be updated to incorporate the ingredients collected on the 24th as well as a selection of brand new dishes which will be masterminded by Matt Green-Armytage.

The team at The Crooked Well have brought a piece of that bygone age into this local with its relaxed atmosphere and hearty menu all harking back to a time when Camberwell was renowned for its fields of flowers, market gardens and fruit trees. All of these will be cultivated on the 24th May, bringing the heritage of the restaurant to the forefront and celebrating the simplicity needed to create delicious dishes using only local produce.

The Crooked Well has a comfortable charm, combining oak floorboards, traditional wooden wainscoting, strong patterned botanical influenced wallpapers and a Victorian tiled bar area with intimate, low hanging pendant lights and will provide a wonderful backdrop to a day spent urban foraging.

Tickets will be available to join The Crooked Well and Nick Weston on
Thursday 24th May priced at £55.
To book, call 020 7252 7798.

SUFFOLK WALKING FESTIVAL 19TH MAY – 10TH JUNE
Stay in the heart of the countryside at the 15th century Swan at Lavenham

Stay at the 15th century Swan Hotel in Lavenham between 19th May and 10th June and take part in some of the fascinating guided walks around the region as part of the Suffolk Walking Festival.

Whether you choose a more gentle amble or a challenging long distance hike, arrive back at The Swan after your day’s walk and enjoy a refreshing drink in the Airmen’s Bar before relaxing over dinner in the hotel’s elegant, beamed AA two rosette Gallery Restaurant.

On 23rd May there’s a circular, 3.5 mile countryside walk following part of the old railway line around Lavenham finishing with a cream tea at £8 per person, while on 29th May you can take a stroll around the medieval village and discover more about its 350 listed buildings (£4 per person). Younger walkers can also join a short, family friendly amble around the village on 5th June at £2 for all ages.

B&B starts from £200 for two sharing at The Swan at Lavenham, to book call 01787 247477, www.theswanatlavenham.co.uk ; for details about the Suffolk Walking Festival visit www.discoversuffolk.org.uk.

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