CONTRIBUTORS 1 I FARZANA BADUEL Farzana Baduel is our Editor-at-Large and Founder and Managing Director of Curzon PR, an internationally focused agency with a diverse portfolio of clients from the worlds of Art, Beauty, Public Affairs, and Design. They have recently represented a 2012 Oscar winner.

2 I ELAINE DEED Our Fashion Editor is a top fashion and celebrity stylist with a wealth of experience creating iconic photoshoots for numerous glossy magazines. She has styled many runway shows that have made a real splash and, in this issue, she continues that theme with a fabulous 1920s shoot.

3 I MARGARET KEMP . Margaret Kemp is a freelance photojournalist based on the foodie frontline of France where she's known as 'the GPA' Grande Plume Anglaise. She has kept Epicurean Life readers amused with stories of amuse bouche and more for many years!

4 I ANNABEL WILSON Epicurean Life's Contributing Editor grew up in Asia, Europe and the US and feels at home anywhere- as long as she is surrounded by life's essentials; excellent service, beautiful surroundings and family & friends. She is an avid consumer and supplier, in fields across travel, luxury goods, fine jewellery, and high fashion.

5 I NORAH LAWLOR Norah is based in New York City and contributes to several publications including Social Life and GlobalVision magazines. As former Society columnist for Avenue Magazine, Norah brings her expert knowledge of New York and Hamptons society, luxury lifestyle, travel and the jet-set scene.

61 AKCELINA CVIJETIC Akcelina is a Harley Street Ultimate Wellbeing Specialist who uses a multi-disciplinary approach to treat mind, body and spirit. She is sought after by leading business lights, celebrities and is also a health columnist for the luxury lifestyle magazine Hi Living.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELIZA BURNETT

DEPUTY EDITOR JU LI ET VICTORIA POVEY

EDITOR AT LARGE FARZANA BADUEL

FASHION EDITOR ELAINE DEED

TRAVEL EDITOR ALEXANDER JACOBS

ARTS EDITOR MARYANA GREENBERG

INTERIORS EDITOR SAMYRA RASHID

FRENCH EDITOR MARGARET KEMP

U.S. EDITOR NORAH LAWLOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR ANNABEL WILSON

HEALTH & BEAUTY EDITOR JACQUELINE SHAFFER

SOCIAL EDITORS ALEX GALBRAITH I TARA HEWITI

GRAPHIC DESIGNER RADOSTINA DOBREVA

PUBLISHER AZZY ASGHAR

EPICUREAN LIFE MAGAZINE 12 1a Munster Road, Fulham, London SW6 6DH info@epicurean life.co.uk www.epicureanlife.co. uk

A very grateful thanks to all who contributed to t he production of this issue that are too numerous to name and especially Alexander, Jacob, Farzana and lnayat.

Copyright © 2012 Munster Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magaz1ne may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written ,,,.. , _.,, •.•,i .. :·• of the publishers. Matenal submitted for publication is sent at the owner's own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Epicurean Life nor Munster Media Ltd accept any liability fo r loss o r damage. Although Epicurean Life has endeavoured to ensure that all information w ithin th is issue is correct, pnces " " ' details are subject to change.

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NYC RESTAURANTS

• POWER BREAKFAST LOEWS REGENCY HOTEL The dining room at the Loews Regency on Park Avenue is the birthplace of the "Power Breakfast," where New Yorkers of affluence and influence have long convened weekday mornings between 7:00 and 10:00 to see and be seen. Expect to see the black limos lined up in front of the hotel, and to spot the likes of Matt Lauer, Ivanka Trump, and former governors David Patterson and Haley Barbour. Hotel owners Steve and Jonathan Tisch are also part owners of the New York Giants, and are still celebrating their Superbowl win. A: 540 P ark Avenue, NY, NY T: 212 339 4050 www.loewshotels.com/Regency-Hotel

• 6 OF THE BEST FOR DINNER ACME You no longer have to fly to Copenhagen to experl~nce the world's hottest restaurant, Noma. Instead, Executive Chef Mads Refslund has landed in New York and collaborated with Bob Pollack and Jean-Marc Houmard from the populat Indochine and K.ittichai team to create this hip new downtown brasserie, Actne. The tnenu is :unique and the best of New Nordic cuisine, featUring dishes like the chicken and eggs served in a clay pot With- roasted tpashed potatoes. Among recent c::elebritr sightings i& Zachary Quinto aka Mt. Spock from the Stir Trek remakes. A: 9 Great Jones Street, NY, NY T:212 203 2121 www.acm enyc.com

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• BEST SUPPER CLUB THE DARBY Nightclub kings Richie Akiva, Scott Sartiano, and Ronnie Madra knew what they were looking for when making New York's most popular ·supper club. To set the tone for the ultimate dining experience, Executive Chef Alexandra Guaranaschelli brings a twist to the original American cuisine at The Darby. Honoring the tradition of musical perform¥lces characteristic of the location's

CATCH Catcll is not your typical seafood restaurant. The ever-!>l.~hip EMM team of Mark l:lirnbalim and Eugene Remm tapped 't!JP Chef Wuuier Hung Huygh to create perfect seatood dishes that leave the palette craving more. This three srorv seafood house is a haven to celebrities artdlndustty folk including Russell SinunoJ:liS, Nas, Sofia Vergara, and Melly: Sims.. Catch h:rixlgs to life a delicious blend of old and ne~ With historical architecture and newly renovated ~~tt.ing­

~~ interior design. The menu offers both small~~ fot sharing and ttaditioqal eJ::ittees, including elaborate eats worthy of Top Chef like dun.~onc:ss crab spaghetti served in an actual crab shell. A: 21 9th Avenue, NY, NY T: 212 392 5978 www.catchnewyorkcity.com

former identity, Nell's, The Darby combines culinary ingenuity with live music and interactive performances. The restaurant's striking decor and design aim to restore a glamorous and energetic ambience of bygone days. Celebrity followers include John Mayer, Gerard Butler, Britney Spears, and Kanye West. A: 244 West 14th Street, NY, NY T : 212 242 4411 www. thedarbynyc.com

CROWN Owner and Executive Chef Jolm DeLucie has done it again! Following his success with Graydon Carter at The Waverly Inn and on his own at the Lion, DeLude's current venue, C~;own, is now an Upper East Side fixture. The room is larger than DeLucie's hyst;erically loud; tightly packed: operations dowmown, but like them it looks like a Broadway set designer$ idea of what a gplnd New York restaurant ought t() bt:. From the elegant gliiss-covefed Atelier room in the back of the surprisingly large townhouse space to the walls of the main dicing room clad in wood molding and stained soft shades of gray, the setting is. a splendid complement to the contemporary French and American fare. Before its opening, Ci:owrt hosted the Met Gala after..:party l:l.st summer, which included everyone ftom Blake BtVeiy and Madonna to Beyanee and Paul McCartney. A: 24 East 81st Street, NY, NY T : 646 559 4880 www.crown81.com

COLICCHIO AND SONS Building on hi$ succes1> with his Craft restaurants, Craftbar, and other venues nationwide, Executive Chef and Owtter Tom Colicchio has once again created something refreshing about settling into your table. Colicchio and Sons Thp· Room is a restaurant

• BEST BLIND DATE DANS LENOIR Probably the most atypical meal you'll ever have will be at Paris import Dans le Noir, which serves every meal in sightlessness. Executive Chef Jean Carlos Briganti presents this unique dining experience in totally dark rooms with communal tables served by blind wait staff. It is suggested guests not wear expensive clothes or accessories, as the restaurant accepts no liability for injuries or lost or damaged items (guests must sign a release waiver). Also, diners are not permitted

for grownups complete with a head sommelier (Ryan Mills-Knapp). With a floor-to--ceiling wine rack as a partition, the restaurant is divided into two spaces: the more formal dining room, and the Tap Room. The decor is casual and classy, the serVice friendly but totally professional, the music fun but not screaming loud, and the menu filled with interesting, fully-realized meals. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for Colicchio's new Hamptons' eatery and inn, the Topping Rose House, set to open this summer in Bridgehampton. A: 85 Tenth Avenue, NY, NY T: 212 400 6699 www.craftrestaurantsinc.com/ colicchio­and-sons

BRASSERIE PUSHKIN Occupying several floors of carved wood and plasterwork in voluptuous 18th-century style, and sporting gilded sconces and a hq.ge chandelier, this New York version of Russian decadence suggests Versailles rather than the Kremlin. Nevertheless, the caviar, :vodka, and other trappings of a Russian dining experience are all available. Owner And.rey Dellos teamed up with Executive Chef Andrey Makhov to create the perfect traditional Russian meal with a hint of French accent. Brasserie Pushkin is a recreation of a 19th-Century Russian aristocratic home, and is said to be the "power lunch spot of choke" for Russian oligarchs, politicians, and clientele dressed

to move from their seats without assistance. The menu is a surprise, and the experience a singularly unusual one, but diners do have recourse to panic buttons. In the first ten minutes you might be tempted to press it, but give yourself a little time and your other senses fill in. What may sound frightening up front proves to be uniquely exciting. A: 24 East 21st Street, NY, NY T: 212 5751671 www.newyork.danslenoir.com

head to toe in Chane! with Berkin Bags in tow. Don't be surprised if you spot Vladimir Putin across the room. A: 41 West 57th Street, NY, NY T: 212 465 2400 www.brasseriepushkin.com

NORTH END GRILL North End Grill is billed as "an update of the American bar and grill" located in the Goldman Sachs building. The bustling restaurant features a scotch and wine bat, an open-dining counter at the grill, and a vibrant dining room. Owner Danny Meyer and Executive Chef I?loyd Cardoz present a perfect pairing menu featuring an alluring mii of fresh takes on classic grill items and mouth-watering seafood dishes. The grill is

NYC RESTAURANTS

• BEST BRUNCH PARTY LAVO "Do you mind moving the eggs benedict? I'd like to dance on the table now" is nothing unusual to hear while brunching at LAVO o~ any given Saturday afternoon. With a simple nod, the waiter will whisk away your finished meal, drop off another bottle of bubbly, and even help you up onto the table at this upscale Italian restaurant with a Saint-Tropez vibe, which is exactly what owners Jason Strauss and Noah Teppenberg and promoter Jayma Cardosa were going for. From your new vantage point, you'll be at eye level with half the packed room, and likely to see other well­heeled patrons also perched on their chairs, tables, and banquettes, including the Kardashians and Katie Holmes. A: 39 ~ast 58th Street, NY, NY T: 212 750 5286 www.lavony.com

complemented by an impressi~e drink list and a special additional bat food menu for the complete bar d.iniDg experience with a gourmet twist. A: 104 North End Avenue, Goldman Sachs Building, NY, NY T: 646 747 1600 www.northendgrillnyc.com

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NYC RESTAURANTS

• TWO COMING SOON THE BUTTERFLY Famed for his Italian cuisine, Executive Chef Michael White plans to return to his Midwestern roots with The Butterfly, "a mid-century Style cocktail bar with a supper club feel." The Trlbeca venue will open this summer and serve traditional American classics - great steaks, burgers, fri~d chicken, etc. - with an array of cocktails appropriate to the '50s .atmosph~re and fresh mixological innovanons provtded by top-tier bartender Eben .Free~. ?te seating and the menu are srud to be limited, but White's Wisconsin-inspired comfort food and nostalgic aunosphere are sure to be worth a tty, If his acclaimed Italian cooking is any indication; The Butterfly will be a culinary win. A; 225 West Broadway, NY, NY

HAKKASAN London-based Hakkasan has opened in New York's Hell's Kitchen. The London flagship regularly welcomes the likes _of Lady Gaga, Princess Eugenie, and the King of Jordan. They opened th~ ~st US location at the Fontainebleau :Mianu Beach, and have plans to open in LA. an? other cities later this year. Hakkasan 1s likely to quickly become one of New York's new hot spots for a decadent dim sum dinner thanks to Chef Ho Chee Boon's delectable Cantonese cuisine. A: 311 West 43rd Street NY, NY T : 212 776 1818 www.hakkasan.com / newyork

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• BEST-KEPT SECRET LEBARON New York's best-kept secret hot spot! Swedish Graffiti Artist Andre Saraiva built a townhouse­style club with three floors, but since each is rather small the place has more of a cozy lounge feel with cool bordello-style decor inspired by 1970s Vietnam with a suitable dose of French style. The bartenders are very ni~e and the DJs outstanding. Le Baron has a ught do_or, but while difficulty getting in is the dow~s1de, ~e upside is a good mix of partyg?ers mcluding cool celebrities, designers, and arttsts. A: 32 Mulberry Street, NY, NY

• HOT LOUNGE TH E DOUBLE SEVEN New York's Meatpacking District enjoys a ne:v level of sophistication thanks to owners Davtd Rabin, Jeffrey Jah, and Mark Baker. The black­lacquered bar, maximum of 120 ~ests per night, and European socialites and A-list actors make The Double Seven the place to be any night of the week, that is. if you can get in; There is a master guest list of the owners friends and desirables. Otherwise, to increase your chances of swanning ~ast . the velvet serpent, strike a sartorial and attltudinal balance between entitlement and humility. Prur your Louboutins with a meekly bowed head. Stay sharp, though- Pierre Casiraghi (the Prince of Monaco and grandson of Grace Kell_y) and Paris Hilton's ex-boyfriend Stavros N1archos both received a few blows in a brawl here in February. A: 63 Gansevoort Street, NY, NY T: 646 490 8925 www.thedoubleseven.com

• 3 FOR EXCLUSIVE PARTIES THE STANDARD HOTEL i BOOM BOOM ROO M Owners Andre Balaz and Kamil Parchomienko know how to throw a party. The Boom Boom Room at The Standard Hotel is split into two modern-retro roo~s, but you're going to want to start by setung up camp in the main area, filled Wlth wavy cream-colored leather banquettes, golden fireplaces, and starburst chandeliers. T~e other more intimate room is decked m black' tiles and includes a mischievous, triangular hot tub right smack in the middle of the room. Don't be surprised if you see fellow guests like Jason Sudekis, Olivia Wilde, Alan Cumming, and Sting. A: 848 Washington St, NY, NY T: 877 550 4646

THE ELECTRIC ROOM Owner Nur Khan created this Britannia­bedecked lounge beneath the Dream Downtown hotel. Its entrance, separate from the hotel, is actually an unassuming loading dock, but it's one of the harder doors in town (on top of its excluslvtty, the capacity is limited to 100). Insid~ that do?r and past blue velvet curtains lies a Bnt~ rock play pad with mirrored tables, graffiu walls and a small central dance floor you'll occa~ionally have to share with a few famous faces including Rose McGowen, Lindsay Lohan, and Jessica Hart. The scene doesn't really heat up until the wee hours of the night, but when it does expect the crowd to regularly be one of the hottest. A: 355 West 16th Street, NY, NY T : 212 229 2559

SOHO HOUSE Given the attention lavished upon it, you'd think Ron Burkle's members-only British import was shrouded with the secrecy of a fight club or skull-and-bones_ s?cieq'· While membership acceptance polic1es still carry some intrigue, plebeians can plunk down_ a chunk of change for a temporary entree into high society. Visitors can reserve one of the Meatpacking District club's 24 guest rooms, each featuring exposed beams and brick and equipped with plasma screens. Reservations can be tricky, as members are given preferential treatment when booking. Those who do manage to score a room receive access to all areas of the club including the bar, restaurant, game room, and famed rooftop pool. On the list of celebrity members are the Olsen Twins and Tom Hanks. Other locations in the US include Miami and Los Angeles. A: 29-35 N inth Avenue, NY, NY T: 212 627 9800 www.sohohouseny.com