Red Carnation Hotels

CONCIERGE NEWS

August's Concierge Corner

We are delighted to welcome you to The Egerton House Hotel. Discover your home in Knightsbridge: the discreet and luxurious comforts of a private residence, with uncompromising levels of service that quietly anticipate, even exceed your expectations. Whether you are here on business or pleasure we hope that you will have time to experience the wealth of the Capital’s attractions and award winning restaurants that awaits you.

Or if you have already done all the touristy bits in London and feel like some off-the-beaten-track fun and interesting places to visit in London, this is the section for them! I work very hard to discover those secret places that no-one else would think or know to recommend!

Jacques Conradie – Guest Relations and Services Manager

Hot, Hot, Hot!

London is not blessed with months and months of blue skies and sunny days, so when they arrive we make the most of them. Pavements and terraces buzz with alfresco diners, and London’s iconic Royal Parks throb with happy picnickers. So why not take this opportunity to indulge in some outdoor entertainment, be it some free cinema or a vibrant music festival.

August also sees some notable comings and goings. As the Queen heads north to her country home in Scotland, Buckingham Palace flings open its doors to the public. Don’t miss this opportunity to see the stunning State Rooms and as used by the Royal Family to receive dignitaries –they are out of this world. Meanwhile the West End welcomes Jeff Goldblum in a new production of the "Prisoner of Second Avenue".

Retail Therapy at Few and Far

Few and Far is a seasonal and personal collection, selected by Priscilla Carluccio, of clothes from India, Italy, Morocco, vintage and contemporary furniture, jewellery, toys and craft. Her shop is on the Brompton Road in London. We do not sell from our website; we like customers to visit us in person and to experience the products at first hand, try on the clothes, have a cup of coffee and enjoy the service. They like to gift wrap all items in their hand made paper and this is part of the wonderful service.

Artistic Licence...

The Tate Britain presents Rude Britannia: British Comic Art

Delve into the world of British humor at Tate Britain's Rude Britannia: British Comic Art exhibition in London. Some of the country's best-known cartoonists, comedy writers and artists offer their take on British humor at Tate Britain this summer. The groundbreaking Rude Britannia: British Comic Art exhibition looks at comic traditions from the 1600s to the present day, and explores the role of humor in British life. British Comic Art spans a wide range of media, from paintings and drawings to sculpture, film, photography and performance. You'll see the work of top British artists past and present at Rude Britannia, including Sarah Lucas, Aubrey Beardsley, Donald McGill, Edward Lear, David Shrigley, Hogarth and Gerald Scarfe. (experience this until the 5th September 2010)

The Royal Academy presents Art Summer Exhibition 2010

The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is a highlight of London's cultural calendar and one of London's longest-running art shows, now in its 242nd year. It's also the world's largest open-submission contemporary art exhibition with around 11,000 works submitted annually. The show covers painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture. Most of the pieces are for sale, so it's a great chance to purchase some original artwork. Each year, the Summer Exhibition features work by Royal Academy artists (Academicians). This year, you'll be able to see new work by artists such as Ed Ruscha, Gillian Ayres and Tracey Emin. Guest curators in 2010 include Fiona Rae, who will take over a room within the exhibition, and David Chipperfield, who will curate the Architecture Gallery. (experience this until the 22nd August 2010)

Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth: Yinka Shonibare’s Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle

Head to Trafalgar Square and see the latest art commission for the Fourth Plinth, Yinka Shonibare's Nelson's Ship in a Bottle. Nelson's Ship in a Bottle by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare is the first commission by a black artist for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. The sculpture is a fitting addition to the square, which is famous for Nelson's Column and its commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship's 37 large sails are made from African-style, richly patterned fabrics which – inspired by Indonesian batik design – were mass produced by the Dutch and sold to colonies in West Africa.(experience this until the 14th January 2012)

The Tate Britain presents Henry Moore

See more than 150 significant Henry Moore works at this major exhibition at Tate Britain

Henry Moore (1898-1986) was one of Britain's greatest artists. This new exhibition at Tate Britain will demonstrate Moore's position at the forefront of progressive 20th century sculpture, with the most comprehensive selection of his works shown together for a generation. Among the fantastic range and quality of Moore's art, the new Tate show examines three themes: war, women and world culture. (End 8th August 2010)

The Queen’s Gallery presents Victoria and Albert: Art and Love

Fall in love with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's art collection at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Victoria & Albert: Art & Love is the first exhibition to focus on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's shared love of art. Featuring more than 400 items from the Royal Collection, the display spans the Royal couple's life together, from their engagement in 1839, to the Prince's death in 1861.Many of the items on show were exchanged as gifts between the Queen and her husband to mark special occasions. (experience this until the 31st October 2010)

The Hayward Gallery presents Ernesto Neto: The Edges of the world

Wander through Ernesto Neto's amazing installations at the Hayward Gallery on London's South Bank. The exhibition is part of the Southbank Centre's Festival Brazil. This summer, renowned Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto is transforming the Hayward Gallery with a series of spectacular installations. Neto is known for his immersive artworks, often made from stretched lycra, which give the impression of being inside a body. Spices, plastic balls and cushions are used to provide different textures and scents. Recently, Neto has been exploring a new direction in his work, using steel to produce large-scale structures, one of which will be shown for the first time at the Hayward Gallery. Neto was born in 1964 and lives and works in Rio de Janeiro. He has had major solo exhibitions in New York and Paris and appeared in the Carnegie International (1999) and Venice Biennale (2001). Last year, he created his largest work to date, called “Anthropodino”, at the Park Avenue Armory in New York. (experience this until 5th September 2010)

Enforced Entertainment...

“Shirley Valentine” at the Trafalgar Studios - See Meera Syal star as a fed-up housewife in the hilarious Shirley Valentine at London's Trafalgar Studios. Shirley Valentine follows the life of a middle-aged Liverpudlian housewife, bored with her life. When her best friend Jane offers to take her to Greece for a much-needed break, she rediscovers romance and her zest for life. Willy Russell's Shirley Valentine premiered in 1986. It opened in London's West End under the direction of Simon Callow two years later. Starring Pauline Collins, the production won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy. Collins later continued the role of Shirley on Broadway and in the 1988 film. Meera Syal is best known for her television work in the popular series Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at Number 42. On stage, Syal has performed in Rafta Rafta, The Vagina Monologues and Serious Money.

My Lunchbox this month is …

The Boundary - If you’re a sucker for the Terence Conran lifestyle as depicted in colour supplements – kicking back at the summer home in France, feasting on lavish spreads of zucchini flowers & garlicky roast lamb – you’ll probably like the Boundary. While the street-level Albion ‘caff’ with its Brown Betty teapots, fry-ups & crumbles is the designer-restaurateur’s homage to England, the understated basement brassiere attests to an affaire du Coeur with all things Gallic. Menus change monthly & sing of the season: it doesn’t get better than cucumber soup, ‘le grand aioli’ & baked peaches on a summer’s day, while year-round favourites include roasts & charcuterie from the trolley, shellfish & escargots. The romantic, sharp, art deco-inspired ambience is cool enough for Shoreditch but ‘correct’ enough for City diners, & the rooftop bar & grill is a summer oasis. Inconsistent service needs attention, some readers suggesting that staff ‘need to polish their act’.

Dinner and Cocktails at...

Bbar- Look out for the safari chic decor at this stylish South African bar and restaurant. Signature dishes on the seasonal menu include the popular ostrich steak on sweet-potato mash with baby carrots, redcurrant relish & port jus. Sharing plates, tapas bites & burgers are handy if you need to soak up the alcohol – especially in the evening,when the colourfully backlit bar takes on a lounge feel. The substantial wine list spans the globe, with more than 100 varieties offered, including 60by the glass. The cocktail list also has a South African slant; check out the watermelon mojito & protea’s nectar (a heady mix of apricot-infused gin,rooibos syrup, lemon, Cape gooseberry & Champagne).


Why I love London...

2nd – 29th August 2010 – The Camden Fringe 2010 - Bringing together comedy, theatre, poetry, dance and much more, the Camden Fringe boasts  400 performances of 100-odd shows across five venues in north London throughout August. Whether you want to catch some of the edgiest stand-up around or witness a new twist on Shakespeare or watch a group of OAPs rap, the Camden Fringe has become the metaphorical David, ready "to challenge the Edinburgh Goliath" (The Guardian). Now in its fifth year, this rapidly growing four-week festival is offering fresh opportunity for both new and established acts to get themselves noticed in a creative environment outside Edinburgh. It also gives Londoners the chance to see a huge variety of shows - at £7.50 a pop - without having to trek all the way up to Scotland on a crowded train. Having started out in the Etcetera Theatre, the festival has shed its humble beginnings and now venues also include the Roundhouse and The Camden Head. Stand-out comedy shows last year included the loveable Simon Amstell and the topical Shazia Mirza.

3rd – 7th August 2010 – The Great British Beer Festival - Over 66,000 people flock to this massive celebration of our national drink, which features over 450 real ales from the United Kingdom, as well as 200 more from around the world. Although The Great British Beer Festival sounds like a fun event - and it can be - don't be surprised to see a lot of very serious faces and concentration; some real ale experts are genuinely obsessive. Tutored tastings are on offer for anyone who wants to learn the subtleties of what makes a great beer. For the rest of us, though, this is a jolly day out with some delicious brewed drinks. There's even a huge range of ciders and perries on offer for those with lighter tastes. Beer swilling may not be the most glamorous activity but this annual Earls Court event brings it as close to an art form as possible.
 
Throughout August – The BBC Proms 2010 - All eyes return to the Royal Albert Hall for the 2010 Proms as the most popular season of classical music in England continues to go from strength to strength. A varied but accessible programme regularly draws huge audiences, concluding on the last night with seas of Union Jack-waving Brits belting out their national anthem. You should turn up early for the biggest stars.

6th – 30th August 2010 – London Festival Fringe – Inspired by the Edinburgh Festival, the first London Festival Fringe comes to the capital this August promising to celebrate performing arts from all over the world in a range of venues across the whole city. The festival is the new guise of last year's London Bridge Festival and shouldn't be confused with the more established Camden Fringe which also takes place in August. The programme is being developed daily - it's open-access so anyone can put on a show, exhibition or event provided they find a willing venue - and includes comedy, music, film, literature, visual-art, theatre, spoken word and dance. Buskers and street performers are also being encouraged with a range of street events and one-off gigs throughout the festival.

7th – 8th August 2010 – Mazda London Triathlon 2010 - The triathlon is fast replacing the marathon as the event of choice for testing your body to the limit, and the London Triathlon is the world's largest event of its kind. Over 13,000 confirmed entrants are set to participate in a punishing programme of running, swimming and cycling, while 55,000 are expected to line the streets and visit the Triathlon Expo. There is a strong focus on raising money for charity, with £1 million usually donated each year and media  celebrities, major sporting figures and some of the world's best  tri-athletes all expected to take part. Starting at the Ex Cel Centre in Docklands and making its way past major London landmarks such as Big Ben, the London Eye and Tower Bridge, the setting is idyllic for all those involved, and the Thames hopefully not too cold for the brave athletes.

13th – 27th August 2010 – Kid’s Week - It's now over a decade since the excellent idea of Kids' Week was first conjured up. A truly inspired summer treat for families, Theatre land is available for free to excitable tots and teens for two action-packed weeks in August. Children aged 5 to 16 years can see an awesome selection of dazzling West End hits gratis - as long as an adult pays the full price - and another two children can go half price. Tickets for the most popular shows go fast, so it's best not to make any promises until you've booked. Aside from the shows themselves, there's a whole raft of free children's activities. Kids can peek backstage, participate in workshops, dabble with make-up, learn to dance, scribble a few lines in writing classes and even sing with the cast. And the freebies don't stop there; children can also eat at a number of kid-friendly restaurants for free.

29th – 30th August 2010 – The Notting Hill Carnival - Held since 1966, the Notting Hill Carnival was originally a local affair for west London's homesick Caribbean community, this has evolved into Europe's biggest street party. Carnival sets London on fire in a blaze of Caribbean spirit as extravagantly costumed dancers, calypso and soca musicians, giant sound systems and steel bands are joined by over a million revellers of all ages. Sunday is officially Children's Day, but there are loads of kids on both days enjoying the bright colours of the floats and the dancers' feathered costumes. Adults can shake their battys at dozens of stages: our favourites are Channel 1's booming dub, and the jazz-reggae at Gaz's Rockin' Blues, but there are tunes for all tastes, from house to hip-hop.

13th – 14th August 2010 – Aviva London Grand Prix - Cheer on some of the world's top athletes at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London. Get into gear for London 2012 and watch world-class athletics at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre as the IAFF Diamond League comes to town. Taking place over two days, Aviva London Grand Prix includes more sports than any other event on the IAAF Diamond League world circuit. At last year's sell-out show, Usain Bolt stormed to success in the 100m race – the only competitor to finish in less than 10 seconds – while Kate Dennison set a new national record in the women's pole vault. What historic moments and thrilling events will you see at this year's Grand Prix? There's only one way to find out!

18th – 22nd August 2010 – 3rd N-power Test-Match  England vs. Pakistan- Head to The Brit Oval as England take on Pakistan in the third match of the summer test series. It could be the decider! This summer, The Oval plays host to England and Pakistan in a repeat of the infamous 2006 match, when Pakistan refused to play after tea due to the umpire's accusation of ball tampering. The result of that match has only just been decided, with England given the victory. Pakistan will be playing their second London test match of thesummer having already played Australia at Lord's in July. Pakistan's new captain, Salman Butt, will seek to inspire his team to victory.His England counterpart, Andrew Strauss, will want to transfer England's recent success at the Twenty-20 World Cup into the five-day game