Hugo Macdonald, Global Design Director
'I travelled north to the whisky heartland of Speyside in Scotland for the opening night of the Roca brothers’ new restaurant TimeSpirit at The Macallan Distillery. The restaurant is the jewel in the crown of The Macallan’s 200-year anniversary celebrations. Designed by Danish architect David Thulstrup, it is the Spanish brothers’ first restaurant outside of Spain. The nine-course tasting menu takes guests on a tastebud-tingling journey around Scotland’s larder. Arguably the most delicious aspect is that the meal-of-a-lifetime is priced at £95 per person, with the aim of being accessible for the local community, not just denizens of fine dining.'
Ellie Stathaki, Architecture and Environment Director
'Living in a big city sometimes makes me crave nature and leafy, open views. A long walk across Wanstead Flats hit the spot for me over the weekend. Green and autumnal foliage, water and wildlife – the birds! – are soothing and nurturing. In the particular park, there's also the bonus of an 18th-century folly ruin, for a bit of local architectural history. '
Bill Prince, Editor In Chief
'It’s taken a few months but I finally got to dine at Samyukta Nair and Rose Chalalai Singh’s collaboration at Nair’s Japanese restaurant Koyn, where the lower ground floor was repurposed earlier this year to create Mayfair’s first top flight Thai dining room - opulent and indulgent, with a generous bolt of spice - in a perfectly balanced Tom Yum soup and a notably moreish Midori Margherita. Succulent sea bass and grilled pork neck round out the specials, and there’s its plethora of curries, salads and starters - small plates of satay, crispy squid and prawn cakes pitch - and picture - perfect for this once under-served corner of the capital.'
Charlotte Gunn, Director of Digital Content
'This week I visited Holy Carrot, a new plant-based restaurant on the Portobello Road from ex-Vogue staffer, Irina Linovich and chef Daniel Watkins of ACME Firecult fame. I'd long been a fan of ACME and the masterful way they pack flavour into humble veg. At Holy Carrot, it's more of the same, with a firm focus on 'fire and ferments'. Leeks were coal roasted with almonds and aji chilli. Carrots smoked and delicately bathed in harissa butter. The earthy, minimalist interiors are the work of architectural firm, Al Jawad Pike and with cocktails from the highly renowned Bar With Shapes for a Name, it's set out its stall as a new major player in the meat-free restaurant market. As someone who remembers being vegetarian in the age of the mushroom risotto, it's welcome to see such inventive and elevated plant-focused food find its place in the capital.'
Tianna Williams, Editorial Executive
'On Friday I am going to see “Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers” at the National Gallery. A huge collection of the artist's works, which are usually displayed across the world, have been united for this exhibition. I will be on the hunt to find Starry Night over the Rhône (1888, Musée d’Orsay) and be immersed in the mesmerising romance of his paintings.'
See our round-up for more London art exhibitions to explore this month.
Ian Cibic, Editorial Assistant
'Over the past week I spent some time browsing around Eternal Family, the 'offbeat streaming platform presenting hidden gems from the past and surreal entertainment'. I enjoyed a rare, beautiful Estonian animation, Firebird (1974, 7min) Directed by Rein Raamat and presented with the Estonian Film Institute.'
Lauren Ho, Travel Director
'It's Alba white truffle season and I got my fix at BluHouse, the Italian restaurant located in Rosewood Hong Kong, where a very satisfying plate of happiness was served against iconic cityscape views.
I also finally made it to The Blindspot, a new hidden gem that serves excellent cocktails. Located down a small alleyway, it has no signage, and is tricky to find, which I love, because - especially in a city as small as Hong Kong - it's sometimes nice to hang out incognito.'
Hannah Tindle, Beauty Editor
'I’ve been listening to the Industry soundtrack, which includes Nathan Micay’s score and songs by the likes of Spacemen 3, Gang of Four, Simple Minds, Ramsey Lewis, Grace, Dvořák and S Club 7.'
