Ramusake

Taking inspiration from the izakayas of Japan. Piers Adam and Scott Hallsworth’s latest venture is Ramusake, a vibrant Pan-Asian style member’s restuarant SLASH late night bar on South Kensington’s Old Brompton Road.  Having been made an honorary member, I headed down to have dinner and check out what is rumoured to be a little bit of Shoreditch in South Kensington. 

Seductively decorated, with low lighting and dark interiors, my friends and I begun our evening with a delicious cocktail (the first of many as it turned out…) created by the brilliantly friendly and talented mixologists. In fact, it must be said, everyone working at Ramusake was extremely friendly, relaxed, and unpretentiously cool (no more so than hostess with the mostess Elbe, a real gem.)  

Our dinner consisted of several small sharing plates (I highly suggest you order the sweet potato and soba-ko fries, beef fillet tataki, tuna sushi pizza and tea-smoked lamb chops!) and copious more cocktails amongst tables filled with some of West London’s finest.  I chose to go mid-week when the club was naturally quieter, but I am looking forward to returning on one of Ramusake’s weekend member's events, where awesome DJ’s are frequently hosted alongside rambunctious, sake-fuelled crowds.

Ramusake:  92B Old Brompton Rd, London, SW7 5LR (020 7842 8518)

Membership is £250 per year and includes complimentary entry after 11pm and first pick of table bookings (contact: info@ramusake.com)

 

 

Golden Globes 2015

Yessssssss… Award season has begun, which to me means the red carpet’s Battle of the Dresses is ON good people of Hollywood!  The Golden Globes, a ceremony I have always viewed as the drunken, more entertaining version of the Oscars, gives us not only an early indication of the season’s winners, but also a welcome glimpse at the latest show stopping frocks (or sparkly jumpsuits, as the case was this year).   

It is worth mentioning, before we get to the fashion nitty gritty, that the glorious Tina Fey and Amy Poehler presented the awards for the very last time on Sunday (a total travesty, someone throw even more money at them, QUICK!) Their opening monologue (below) was, once again, my serious highlight of the night… These two ladies and their on-point humour shall be greatly missed. 

Right, back to the fashuuuuun and my Best Dressed of the night… With so many of the stars dressed immaculately, but oh so predictably, at these events, I will always be drawn to the women who choose not to play it so safely (or clevagey).  No one, in my opinion, looked better at this year's Golden Globes than TLC's serial red carpet winner, Emma Stone.  Wearing a bejeweled Lanvin jumpsuit, the actress oooozed confidence and cool, with just the right amount of quirk.  Diane Kruger looked every inch the blonde and icy screen siren wearing one of my favourite designers, Emilia Wickstead.  I also adored beautiful Brit Felicity Jones’ unusual, teal Christian Dior gown, which although divided opinion, had me at hello. 

Special mentions must go to Leslie Mann for her yellow Kaufman Franco sequinned dress/green clutch combo (and for just always being the sweetest, most cute-as-a-button thing I ever did see), Sienna Miller’s stand out Miu Miu dress worn with rocky, choppy hair, and Anna Kendrick in her Cinderella by name/role, Cinderella by nature/dress, in fairytale Monique Lhuillier.

It has to be said, shiny Golden Globes may have been highly sought after by many a Hollywood hand, but the real winners were these three dapperly dressed dudes, all holding super smokin' and strikingly dressed ladies in their arms;  Benedict Cumberbatch with his fiancé Sophie Hunter (in Erdem), Joshua Jackson with long-term love Diane Kruger (in Emilia Wickstead) and Jamie Dornan with wife Amelia Warner (in another of my favourite designers, Husihan Zhang).  High five gentlemen, we salute you.

Below:  When Bad Dresses Happen to Good People.  Ohhhh… There’s always one who lets the side down… ok, perhaps five.  I met Lana Del Rey in LA once, she was LOVELY, unlike her dress on Sunday.  Rosamund Pike was scarily good in 'Gone Girl,' ironically as her cutom-made Vera Wang dress was scarily bad.  Lupita Nyong’o, who topped EVERY best dressed list last season, clearly has decided to let everyone else have a go this year, wearing this Giambattista Valli 'thing.'  Michelle Monaghan wearing a 'Throwback Thursday' to the awesome nineties… except it was a Sunday, and this Jason Wu dress was not awesome.  Kate Mara in Miu Miu. Has the 'House of Cards' actress stepped in a puddle?  Do puddles even exist in LA?!  And don’t get me started on that belt... No Kate. No. 

For the full list and details of the evening's winners see HERE

Tried and Tested: Duck & Dry

I used to consider having a blow dry in London justifiable before a friend’s wedding, a little ritual to make up for my lack of feathery hair apparel (I’m a renown facihater).  However, more and more so, I am enjoying a blow dry, well, just ‘cos!  Like a quick pick-me-up mani/pedi, that now you can enjoy on most street corners, a blow dry in London can now be deemed a mere pre-night out, pre-meeting, pre-nothing-really treat, with several, affordable blow dry bars popping up around London – so very New York of us!

My favourite of aforementioned, more affordable blow dry bars is, without doubt, the newly opened Duck & Dry.  Duck & Dry, a light and bright, distinctly cool yet accessible, salon on the King’s Road in Chelsea, allows you to choose from a menu (above) of 8 signature styles of blow dry and 8 signature updo’s, the subsequent creations twisted and tousled to your desired preference, all whilst flicking through the latest and mags enjoying a glass or two of bubbly or a coffee.  This could become worryingly habitual... 

I was invited by the founders, former management consultant Yulia Rorstrom and celebrated hair stylish Snowden Hill, to Duck & Dry and sweetly treated to a (purposefully) disheveled braided style (below) before a night out with friends, which I LOVED.  I can, from this experience, definitely recommend you all visit the amazing Duck & Dry stylists; in 30 minutes they (in their Emilia Wickstead designed uniforms no less!) will send you glossily on your way for an unusually reasonable fixed price of £25.00 for a blow dry, and £35.00 for an updo, regardless of your length or hair type.  Blown away. 

Duck & Dry:  333-337 King's Road, Chelsea, London SW3 5ES (0203 4899370)
(Open: Mon to Fri 7.30am-7.30pm, Sat 8.30am-7.30pm, Sun 10am-5pm)

Topshop's Personal Shopping Experience

I was recently asked to visit Topshop's Personal Shopping area at their Oxford Street branch for an utterly spoiling A/W'14 wee spree.  I know... My job does not suck.  I have always seen their amazing flagship store as the ultimate grown up girl's sweetie shop, and I can eeeeasily spend hours wandering aimlessly admits all the season's newest styles, frequently finding things I never EVEN knew I needed, but OBVIOUSLY cannot live without!  On this particular occasion however,  knowing I only had a one hour appointment in my more than luxurious fitting room, I had done some research and online prep, enabling me to whizz around the shop like a Topshop ninja, pinpointing the items I wanted to try on.  One of the brilliant personal shoppers was on hand back to help change any sizes for me and help search for alternative styles if the ones I chose didn't suit me.  As a result, I managed to put together three very different looks (much of which is now in the sale, so be quick!) in record time - especially for me!  

Topshop's Personal Shopping is a complimentary service offered in eight of their stores.  Various different appointments can be made, catering to your specific styling needs, and if short on time, or in dire need of a quick wardrobe update, I really recommend booking yourself one HERE. 

Which is your favourite look?  I'd be lying if I didn't say the light up trainers...!  Thank you Topshop xx

Happy New Year

The sun is setting on 2014 in Watamu, Kenya. Thank you all for your amazing support this year, I'm so excited for what 2015 will bring. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year from the beach! xx

The A/W'14 Sale Edit

If the weather is looking far too miserable outside, and you've eaten too many Quality Streets and mince pies over Christmas to even contemplate heaving your way to the shops to hit the sales, fear not!  I recommend enjoying the below, edited selection of beautious bargains whilst remaining firmly curled up on the sofa, ipad and hot tea (and by hot tea I mean mulled wine, hey, 'tis STILL the season after all!)  And remember, it's not what you're spending, it's what you're saving, right?!  Those Sophia Webster heels ar literally calling to me!!  Hover over the items you like for direct links... Enjoy! 

Hello, World!

All WE Want For Christmas 2014

Sometimes (not where chocolate is involved) sharing is caring... Why not splash out this Christmas on something for your home which both you and your loved ones (or occasional unwanted family members) can all enjoy?...

Hover over the items for direct links - Enjoy! 

All HE Wants For Christmas 2014

With all the chaos and mad panic arising on every twinkly-lit highstreet, finding a present for those lucky menfolk in your life can prove both tricky and super stressful.  Rather than resorting to making IOU voucher booklets (Ha! That ol'chestnut!) here is some TLC giftspiration which may make life a liiiittle easier over the next week or so...

Hover over the items for direct links - Enjoy!

All She Wants For Christmas (in her stocking...) 2014

Regardless of your age, NOTHING beats waking up to a stocking at the end of you bed (... or in mine and my sister's case; stockings strewn across the floor, having already been opened around 4am, having stumbled back from some annual, terribly civilised Christmas drinks on the beach with friends...) If I have been a good girl this year (which, to be fair, is still under some debate), I hope to discover some of these little treats waiting for me (early!) Christmas morning... 

Hover over the items for their direct links - Enjoy!