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London Confidential
In the country of tea drinkers, seven Nespresso club members share their thoughts about London at our boutique in Harrods. Nespresso dever is taking britain by storm. Emmanuel Buetler, national boutique manager in the UK and Ireland, explains why.
We follow in the footsteps of Pete Woodroffe on our first stop in this London city guide: King’s Road.
PETE WOODROFFE
Musician Songwriter-composer-producer, A Member since August 2008.
You can listen to some of the songs Pete has written at his piano in Barnes, near Hammersmith, on YouTube. Simply Red, the Parlotones and Joe Brookes have all sung acoustic love songs that tell us something about his chilled-out, romantic attitude. Pete is into art and nature, and loves to stroll with his wife and two sons from the Tate Gallery to King Henry’s Mound, and then on to the National Portrait Gallery, his favourite museum. He goes for a run along the Thames every morning, while evenings he can be found relaxing to great tunes at the Dove Pub with a pint of Fuller’s Bitter in hand, or exploring the new music scene at the legendary Bedford in Balham, in the south London suburbs. Pete always offers a round of VIVALTO to the artists and musicians that come into his recording studio, cheekily suggesting that he is the same age as George Clooney.
Stroll through Richmond Park, the biggest of the capital’s royal parks.
“BELLOCQ” tea atelier opened last march on King’s Road, at the american shop “Anthropologie” sunfl ower-yellow enamel tins to sample some of their White Nixon tea. Michael, one of three New York founders, will keep you enchanted with tales of his organic preparations. With nearly 2,000 acres, RICHMOND PARK is the largest of London’s eight royal parks. Children will love the pony-rides on offer there. Wander through BOROUGH MARKET, the oldest covered market in London, on Friday mornings or all day Saturday. Its metal structure houses little stalls where you can tuck into a tasty falafel snack for breakfast. Then head down to Brick Lane, where BERNSTOCK SPEIRS has been based since 2004. This fashion-friendly couple (Paul and Thelma) have worked for Peter Jensen and Jean Paul Gaultier, and you will want to take everything away with you, whether it’s the hand-knitted caps and hats, the trilbies, or the jacquard-knit Russian chapka caps! Then take a break at ROWLEY’S, like the Londoners who head there after the theatre, where you can admire luxuriant mosaics and feast on a chargrilled rib steak with its herb and butter sauce.
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Colchester oysters under the glass canopy at the “Fish” restaurant, nestled at the heart of Borough Market.
LISA THOMAS
Consultant for a communications agency, A Member since 2007.
Lisa studied agriculture with the intention of taking over the family farm in Staffordshire alongside her brother. However, after her studies, she went travelling for sixteen months and got a taste for working with people. She joined the Press Office of the Conservative Party in Newcastle, before finally moving to London where she now works as a consultant for a communications agency. Lisa loves the fact that her fiance? Ian proposed to her near Carcassonne in France and is now celebrating her 30th birthday while preparing for her wedding. She also loves strolling through parks that remind her of her country childhood, going window shopping and enjoying a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast – a scrambled egg and ham bagel, with freshly squeezed orange juice and a milky VOLLUTO...
Feel the City’s pulse during lunch at the covered Leadenhall Market.
Stroll around Notting Hill, where the eponymous film was made, and choose your wedding dress or a ball gown at ALICE BY TEMPERLEY, whose fashion shows enthral romantic young ladies in New York and London alike. Celebrate your purchase at the BISTROTHEQUE in Bethnal Green. Their food and cocktails are a big hit, as is the happy vibe of their Cabaret Room. For make- up, the manicure of your dreams, the perfect hairdo and delicious cupcakes, don’t forget to make an appointment with THE POWDER- PUFF GIRLS. It is like walking into a “chick flick” or a Cinderella-themed fancy-dress party with a fifties vibe! If you fancy oysters with anything from mayonnaise to a Bloody Mary, the BLUE BIRD is your best bet. Its restaurant, bar and food store are near the clothes shop Jigsaw, so you can also get in a bit of shopping. Feel the city’s pulse during lunch or an after-work snack in the covered LEADENHALL MARKET. Falafels, chilli con carne or exotic pastries sellers mix with shoe-shiners to make this the epitome of the British experience. And the traders love it! For something a bit quieter, try THE ALBION on Boundary Street. It is a prime example of the latest English style with its cafe?, bakery, shop, gallery and hotel. Plus, they serve a great all-day breakfast.
With famous graffiti by Banksy, d*face or Ben eine, vintage shops, galleries, artists and designers, the East End is now the cultural heart of London. Jack the Ripper’s ghost may still haunt the minds of those of us with more vivid imagina- tions, but BRICK LANE is a paradise for art hunters who will find some real treasures in this diverse and cosmopolitan area. Have your lunch in an old bus garage, or lose yourself in a vintage clothes, bag and shoe shop. There is always something going on at THE OLD TRUMAN BREWERY. If you’re a fan of established fashion labels, don’t miss 127 BRICK LANE. Its rails sport a marvellous selection of names like Martin Margiela, Nicolas Ghesquie?re, Balenciaga, Rick Owens or Ann Demeulemeester. If the price tag puts you off, you can always try the accessories. The Old Spitalfields Market is home to an eclectic Thursday morning antiques market that should not be missed. Nearby is the new LABOUR AND WAIT shop, a brand that has specialised in the best handmade European items and accessories for the last ten years. Their new boutique is now bigger and bursting with even more wonderful inventions! You’ll adore their brightly coloured pure woollen blankets hand-knit- ted in Wales, or their kitchen utensils that remind us of days gone by. Indulge your whims on COLUMBIA ROAD, which is bursting with small and trendy fashion, design, antique and children’s toy shops. If you’re heading towards Shoreditch High Street tube station, stop off at LEILA’S SHOP, a delightful cafe? and food shop on Calvert Avenue, and buy some homemade jam or tuck into a plate of wonderfully fresh vegetables.
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The Comfort Station label created by Amy Anderson on Cheshire Street: beautifully elegant pendants, rings or bracelets crafted from fi ne gold.
NICK, JUDE AND CHARLIE DUTNALL
Account Manager and Doctor,Members since July 2010.
Nick was studying philosophy and Jude medicine when they met at university. Nick loves the writing of Jean-Paul Sartre and Alain de Botton, and works as an Account Manager for an advertising agency. Jude is a hospital doctor. Their son Charlie was born last April and they are enjoying parenthood without having to change too many of their favourite pastimes. “We take him everywhere with us and have a lot of fun,” says Jude. They love to wander through their neighbourhood in East London. Nick is a keen chef and makes a mean cider-braised pork belly as well as fruit compotes for babies using his mum Rosie’s home- grown ingredients. His rhubarb and ginger is a big hit. The couple have just bought a CitiZ machine and like to settle down with their favourite Grand Cru, an ARPEGGIO, after their morning cup of tea.
SHERRI SNELSON
Partner in a law firm A member since May 2004.
With her high heels stowed in her backpack, Sherri Snelson cannot deny her American roots. She was born in Asheville, North Carolina, but decided to move to London in 2004, having fallen in love with the city during a week’s holiday in 1997. Since then, she has made a few short visits to Los Angeles, where her company has a subsidiary. Sherri loves London’s parks, theatres, the village feel of its various districts, the barbecues that she hosts for her friends in her small Chelsea garden and the fact that she can ride around town on her bike. A keen kickboxer for the last five years, she goes to the gym for an hour every morning before work. She is a big fan of iced tea and drank her first coffee at the Nespresso Boutique in Harrods when she first arrived in the British capital. Now she unwinds in the evening with an ARPEGGIO cappuccino made using her Latissima machine.
The SAATCHI GALLERY near Lloane Square was founded in 1985 by the advertising tycoon Charles Saatchi and has since become a benchmark for contemporary art.theSaatchi gallery is home to permanent collections from the world of avant-garde art and helped bring the work of Jeff Koons to international fame. The small organic market that surrounds the gallery on Friday mornings is not to be missed. You can then head off down KING’S ROAD to marvel at its houses, bright as an English sweetshop, and boutiques, which are just as tantalising. Hop over to UNIVERSAL PROVIDERS for a culture clash in which two eccentric designers from the Kokon To Zai brand display their clothes beneath precious old glass bells amidst bridal bouquets. Take a black taxi to Club Row one evening and you won’t be disappointed! Here, the founding trio of TROIS GARC?ONS have managed to pull off the challenge of providing great food in a sumptuous setting for a feast of visual and gourmet delights. Enjoy their “foie gras au torchon” with pear and raisin chutney, for instance. HARRODS’S terracotta frontage is home to an unmissable ground-floor gourmet food section. And, why stop there, when you can head down to COX COOKIES AND CAKE, a cupcake shop launched last September by fun-loving Canadian shoe designer Patrick Cox and pastry chef Eric Lanlard, at an event attended by Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley. What a glamorous start!
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Enjoy a Ristretto in the Nespresso Boutique located on the second floor of Harrods.
Fenwick has one of the best cosmetics departments in London.
“Year Zero London” boasts Beyonce and Mika as customers and takes you back to the punk era in soho. Louise Michielsens designs the clothes and Rocky Mazzilli adds the colour. Get some subversive artwork on your Kelly bag or your jacket personalised, surrounded by a rare collection from the Memphis school. The won- ders of DAVID MELLOR (who passed away in 2009) have found their home in Sloane Square since 1969, and are perfect for lovers of exceptional ta- bleware and professional utensils. Mellor is a key figure in British design, a sort of English “Alessi”, and is particularly well known for his cutlery collec- tions. VALENTINA has three establishments in Lon- don, which is a mark of how popular this cafe? and food shop is with the Brits. It offers small traditional family dishes featuring pasta bursting with the flav- ours of southern Italy. Get up early on Sunday morning to check out the COLUMBIA ROAD Flower Market where you can buy flowers, plants and shrubs. It buzzes from 7 a.m. to 2.30 p.m., when the bouquets are sold at cut prices. Anyone who’s anyone has been to TEMPTATION ALLEY, from Vivienne Westwood to Matthew Williamson. From among its rare fabrics and vintage trimmings, you are bound to unearth a treasure! FENWICK is more sober and conventional, but offers one of the best cosmetics departments in the cap- ital. Make the most of a chance to put your feet up at Pure Massage... Sheer relaxation.
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The “Frizzante” cafe? and food shop located at the heart of Hackney City Farm, inspired by Italian agritourism.
LIZ CARRIGAN
Floral Designer, A member since 2009.
Liz Carrigan took off for an around-the-world trip from her native Sydney, Australia, in 1987. On her way through London, she met her husband at a dance. She now has two boys, Luke, 11, and Billy, 6, and orchestrated big life changes following the arrival of each child. She worked in public relations and designed accessories for children, before trying her hand at floral design. She buys flowers and plants at the New Covent Garden Market in Nine Elms to decorate apartments and gardens, experiencing a rush of activity in the run-up to Christmas. She takes her children to school every morning and then has her friends round for a COSI and a biscuit. “Before I bought my CitiZ machine a year ago, we used to meet in a coffee shop on the corner. It’s much more fun now”.
If you end up in Mayfair, don’t be intimidated by the bellboys in uniforms dashing around the recently refurbished Connaught Hotel. Head straight on in to the CONNAUGHT BAR one evening and enjoy the 1920s interior refreshed by designer David Collins. Follow the cocktail tips of Erik Lorincz, a top mixologist who won the Dia- geo Reserve World Class Bartender of the Year 2010 competition (remembering to “drink respon- sibly”). But don’t forget, it’s closed on Sundays! In fashion paradise, gourmet food is queen and the ROSE BAKERY on the fourth floor of Dover Street Market – the concept store created by Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garc?ons – is an ode to French-English treats. Try their succulent polenta cake with raspberries. If you enjoy cham- pagne and panoramic views, head to the VERTIGO 42 bar. Just don’t forget to book before heading up to the 42nd floor of one of the highest towers in London. Its rotonda of glass bay win- dows looks out over London and makes the Verti- go champagne bar like something out of James Bond film. Find the perfect shoe in the small concept boutique MILK, run by Italians and situated near Commercial Street. You will find their selection of Hud- son shoes, an English brand renowned for the quality of their Italian craftsmanship, amidst a collection of Fornasetti vases and furnishings. At ELLIOTT RHODES in the heart of Covent Garden, over a thousand buckle models and four hundred leather straps, made from a range of materials including imitation lizard, crocodile and ostrich skin, are available for you to design your own unique belt. Stop off for a gourmet lunch at FERNANDEZ & WELLS, and tuck into giant pyramids of sandwiches made from French bread and “Noir de Bigorre” ham from the French Pyre?ne?es.
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Rose Bakery also serves vegetable dishes, small pizzas and salads from the counter.
MATHEW WESTCOTT
Head-hunter, A Member since 2008.
Like Agatha Christie, Mathew Westcott grew up in Devon, where his parents still live. He bought them their first Nespresso machine. Matthew has been living in Chelsea, London, for twelve years, but spends half his time in New York. This modern-day dandy in his thirties works as a Head-hunter for the biggest names in corporate banking, devours thrillers on his “Kindle”, plays the saxophone to unwind and loves cooking. He has had lessons at the De Gustibus cooking school on the eighth floor of Macy’s Herald Square store in New York. When he’s not travelling, he loves having friends round to enjoy a plate of homemade pasta. Mathew drinks up to five coffees a day, but ROMA is his favourite of all the Grands Crus.
Emmanuel Buetler, national boutique manager in the UK and Ireland, keeps a close eye on the chic London home of the Nespresso capsule, nestled in the heart of Knightsbridge.
YOU DON’T SEEM VERY ENGLISH...
EMMANUEL BUETLER: You’re right. I come from Lucerne in German-speaking Switzerland, not far from Lake Lucerne, close to the Reuss River. Back home, everyone grows up with Nestle?’s famous “Parfait”, a kind of pa?te? in a tube that you spread on your bread. But it’s now been four years since I moved and started working in the UK. I love Lon- don and the way it’s made up of what seems like a group of little villages.
SELLING COFFEE IN THE KINGDOM OF TEA MUST BE A REAL CHALLENGE...
E.B.: People’s habits have changed a lot here. A real coffee culture has developed in recent years and there are coffee shops everywhere. Tea is still the traditional drink, but cof- fee is winning more and more devotees, with Nespresso as a leading ambassador.
DOES THAT GO FOR THE QUEEN TOO?
E.B.: She only drinks tea in public, but I think she probably sneaks the odd cup of coffee when no one’s looking! However, a lot of famous footballers and models come through our doors at Beauchamp Place, which opened in 2001. We respect their privacy of course.
HOW DO ENGLISH TASTES DIFFER?
E. B. : Customers here go for strong coffees like Arpeggio or Ristretto, but they rarely drink them as Espressos. They prefer to add a little fresh semi-skimmed milk, whatever the time of day. The milk market is extremely important here.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT BEAUCHAMP PLACE?
E.B.: The Boutique is small, but it packs a lot of charm. It is the epitome of Nespresso, presented over two floors of a Victorian building. The first floor is reserved for private tasting sessions, while the ground floor is used for larger events. When we launch a new machine, for example, we invite around thirty of our most loyal Club Members for a small champagne and canape?s party. We are open all year round, apart from Christmas Day.
IS THIS LONDON’S MOST POPULAR NESPRESSO BOUTIQUE?
E. B.: We have a number of international customers who love stopping for a coffee in this beautiful setting and we are delighted to note growing numbers of loyal Members every year. It has to be said, though, that the Boutique in Selfridges is the most popular. The Brits themselves are drawn to this shop’s younger, funkier atmosphere.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?
E. B.: We will continue to expand our Boutique network and reinforce it in London. But first of all, I’m about to sit down and enjoy a Capriccio with you, which is my favourite Grand Cru. I love its blend of acidity and sweetness.
A jewel in Nespresso’s crown 58 Beauchamp Place
A NESPRESSO IN LONDON
Numerous establishments in and around London serve Nespresso Grands Crus; here is our selection of restaurants, bars and hotels.
THE SLOANE SQUARE HOTEL
Ideally located between Chelsea and Knightsbridge, this cosy and charming address still manages to feel like home. Sloane Square, London, SW1 W8EG. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7896 9988
THE FAT DUCK
Unique cuisine from the culinary alchemist Heston Blumenthal, just a few miles out of London in the heart of the English countryside. Do not miss the Snail Porridge... (Closed from 18th December to 10th January) High Street, Bray, Berkshire, SL6 2AQ. Tel.: +44 (0)1628 580 333
SKETCH RESTAURANTS
Mourad Mamouz and Head Chef Pierre Gagnaire have mixed and matched culinary styles in an architectural folly stretched over five floors. 9 Conduit Street, London, W1S 2XG. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7659 4500
HIBISCUS
The French chef Claude Bosi serves up some classic dishes with a touch of modernity, letting the ingredients speak for themselves. 29 Maddox Street, London, W15 2PA. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7626 2999
THE CONNAUGHT
The distinguished palace in Carlos Place has been shining forth in all its glory since it enjoyed a luxury makeover that fused ancient and modern design. Carlos Place, Mayfair, London, W1K 2AL. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7499 7070
THE TRAFALGAR
For its lively bar with a tree-lined terrace and proximity to all the theatres. 2 Spring Gardens, Trafalgar Square, SW1A 2TS. Te?l: +44 (0)20 7870 2900
THE BERKELEY
This hotel is the pinnacle of luxury and refinement, with a rooftop swimming pool and views over Hyde Park. Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RL. Te?l : +44 (0)20 7235 6000
CLARIDGES
The New York architect Thierry Despont has accentuated the beautiful Art Deco style of this legendary hotel. Brook Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 4HR. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7629 8860
ANDAZ
This hotel has been redesigned by Terence Conran and is a gem in the anthology of design. 40, Liverpool Street, London, EC2M 7QN. Tel.: +44 (0)20 7961 1234
THE GORE HOTEL
The heights of Victorian style, for lovers of Jane Austen novels. 190 Queen’s Gate, London, SW7 5EX. Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7584 6601
THE DORCHESTER
Draped in satin and velvet, this hotel has been a favourite haunt of Hollywood stars since 1931. Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1QA. Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7629 8888
Production : Sandrine Giacobetti - Text : Catherine Be?zard - Photography : Jean-Claude Amiel
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