The Master and Margarita, Folio Society

Every time I move area in London (which seems to happen quite frequently) I join a new book group as a chance to share my interest in literature and read books that I wouldn't have necessarily have read otherwise. Last month, the book of choice was Bulgakov's 'The Master and Margarita', which is based on the premise of a visit from the devil to a devoutly atheist Soviet Russia. The novel hits back at the bureaucratic nature of Soviet Russia and was only published long afterwards in 1973. The novel is both surreal and psychedelic and well worth a read, the beautiful Folio Society edition is now firmly on my Christmas Wish List.

Penelope Chilvers Resort

I recently visited the Penelope Chilvers Resort Collection press day to take a look at the A/W resort line featuring the much-coveted velvet slippers and Chelsea boots. Before I attended the event, I was unaware of Penelope’s designs (shame on me), however now I am a complete convert.

Chilvers has managed to create functional, comfortable and stylish footwear with an injection of humour, which is a tough feat. Practical shoes often look just that, and so it’s a rarity to find an entire collection that you just want to take home and stockpile in your wardrobe.

For me, the beauty is in the detail with Chilvers’ designs, from the neon elasticated feature on the Chelsea boots, to the embroidered designs on the velvet slipper. No wonder the fabulous buyers in Matches have just snapped them up!

Penelope Chilvers Resort

I recently visited the Penelope Chilvers Resort Collection press day to take a look at the A/W resort line featuring the much-coveted velvet slippers and Chelsea boots. Before I attended the event, I was unaware of Penelope’s designs (shame on me), however now I am a complete convert.

Chilvers has managed to create functional, comfortable and stylish footwear with an injection of humour, which is a tough feat.  Practical shoes often look just that, and so it’s a rarity to find an entire collection that you just want to take home and stockpile in your wardrobe.

For me, the beauty is in the detail with Chilvers’ designs, from the neon elasticated feature on the Chelsea boots, to the embroidered designs on the velvet slipper. No wonder the fabulous buyers in Matches have just snapped them up! 

A Night at Meat Liquor

Earlier this week, I ventured to Meat Liquor with friends to see what all the fuss was about. For the past year, I’ve heard endless reviews about how fantastic this burger joint is from the likes of my boyfriend, friends, Grace Dent (who I’d quite like to be friends with), not to mention the entire blogosphere.

 Meat Liquor has an incredibly democratic, and mildly irritating, queuing system, which means that you can’t be seated until the final member of your party, arrives. I arrived at 6.30pm on Wednesday night and a queue was already forming (although a waitress did kindly bring round a tray of onion rings the size of my head to all of us shivering in the bitter cold). There’s a strict no queue-jumping policy in place, which I always resent when you have late friends.

There is a no reservation policy that all restaurants seem to have in London at the moment. It’s essentially there to make the place look heaving and super-popular to everyone that walks past. It would be great if they could either tell you how long it will be for a table, so you can sneak off to the pub for a drink or two at half the price, or do a combination of reserved and non-reserved seating.

 However, despite all of the above the food was as dirty, moreish and flavoursome as I had been told. I ordered the bacon burger, which was sumptuous and melt-in-your-mouth delicious; I also had a sneaky bite of my friends’ chilli dog and chilli burger, which were even better! Both had a real kick, which never fails to satisfy me.

We decided that if we were going to do it, we’d do it properly, and pretty much ordered everything off the menu from the slaw to onion rings, fries to chicken wings. Thank God for kitchen towel!

Another highlight was the booze, forget beer and go straight in for a cocktail as they’re delicious, strong and a great accompaniment to the all-American food. Opt for the Grogg, a white and dark rum concoction that is so potent you are only allowed to order two.

Meat Liquor broke my burger joint virginity and I would love to go again but for fear of having a heart attack, I will wait another year (or simply order less).

Meat Liquor 74 Welbeck Street, London W1G 0BA
Contact: 020 7224 4239 www.meatliquor.com

A Night at Meat Liquor

Earlier this week, I ventured to Meat Liquor with friends to see what all the fuss was about. For the past year, I’ve heard endless reviews about how fantastic this burger joint is from the likes of my boyfriend, friends, Grace Dent (who I’d quite like to be friends with), not to mention the entire blogosphere.

Meat Liquor has an incredibly democratic, and mildly irritating, queuing system, which means that you can’t be seated until the final member of your party, arrives. I arrived at 6.30pm on Wednesday night and a queue was already forming (although a waitress did kindly bring round a tray of onion rings the size of my head to all of us shivering in the bitter cold). There’s a strict no queue-jumping policy in place, which I always resent when you have late friends.

There is a no reservation policy that all restaurants seem to have in London at the moment. It’s essentially there to make the place look heaving and super-popular to everyone that walks past. It would be great if they could either tell you how long it will be for a table, so you can sneak off to the pub for a drink or two at half the price, or do a combination of reserved and non-reserved seating.

However, despite all of the above the food was as dirty, moreish and flavoursome as I had been told. I ordered the bacon burger, which was sumptuous and melt-in-your-mouth delicious; I also had a sneaky bite of my friends’ chilli dog and chilli burger, which were even better! Both had a real kick, which never fails to satisfy me.

We decided that if we were going to do it, we’d do it properly, and pretty much ordered everything off the menu from the slaw to onion rings, fries to chicken wings. Thank God for kitchen towel!

Another highlight was the booze, forget beer and go straight in for a cocktail as they’re delicious, strong and a great accompaniment to the all-American food. Opt for the Grogg, a white and dark rum concoction that is so potent you are only allowed to order two.

Meat Liquor broke my burger joint virginity and I would love to go again but for fear of having a heart attack, I will wait another year (or simply order less).

Meat Liquor 74 Welbeck Street, London W1G 0BA 
Contact: 020 7224 4239 www.meatliquor.com