Arts & Culture
Originally published on Tuesday, 18th December 2012
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!: Our Festive Picks
Ah, 2012. The year of the Rain Room, the burger, polka dots, the burger, pop ups and the high-brow-low-brow fashion collaboration. We've seen the birth of Peruvian cuisine, the re-birth of Mexican, a Korean surge, not to mention brunch parties, lobster rolls and junk food taking over le capital. Oh – and it was also the year that London went late night (finally). So, what's next? We're predicting haute popcorn bars and a Brussels sprouts phenomenon (à la NYC). We're serious.
ESCAPE: ASPEN
The Sky Hotel, 709 E. Durant Avenue, Aspen, Colarado, USA, rooms from $179 St. Regis, 315 East Dean Street, Aspen, Colorado, 81611, rooms from $1899
That’s right. We’re advocating leaving the extended fam, the Xmas presents and the Boxing Day visits and upping sticks to Aspen this Crimbo for a little all-American, Ralph Lauren-style, ski-in/ski-out fun in the snow. There are still hotels left for the festive period. Our fave is The Sky Hotel, a fun, bling boutique at the bottom of Ajax mountain. Alternatively, go for a big-pimpin’ Aspen classic at the St. Regis.
STOCKING FILLERS : TEE
Comme des Garçons Play T-shirt, available at Dover Street Market, £75
There’s nothing like a little CDG in your stocking on Christmas morning.
XMAS FILM : HOME ALONE AND IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
It’s a Wonderful Life at the BFI, Dec 14 – Jan 3, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XT, £10
Home Alone at Pop Up Screens Brick Lane, Dec 20, Dray Walk Gallery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QL, £14
It’s not Xmas without an annual film outing. Our picks this December are Frank Capra’s feel-good classic It’s A Wonderful Life at the BFI and Home Alone at Pop Up Screens on Brick Lane. Keep the change, you filthy animal.
STOCKING FILLER : NOSTALGIA MONOPOLY
Nostalgia Monopoly, available from Selfridges, £29.99
It may cause a family rift… but it’s a must. This year play on the original, wooden board!
NYE AWAY: RIO DE JANEIRO
La Maison, 58 Rua Sérgio Porto, Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, 22451-430, rooms from £137
La Suite, 501 Rua Jackson de Figueiredo, Joa, Rio De Janeiro, 22611-000, rooms form £251
The eternal question: what to do on New Year’s Eve? We’ve got the answer: Rio de Janeiro. Most party people avoid the clubs and head to Copacabana beach (everyone wears white) for samba, fireworks and champers. A lot of the go-to hotels are fully booked (shame about Copacabana Palace), but thankfully Mr and Mrs Smith have some rooms left at La Maison in Ipanema (boutique, residential-like) and the cliff-side La Suite in Joatinga.
STOCKING FILLER : DVDs
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, £13.99
Ai WeiWei – Never Sorry, £10.99
Two films about two very different – but equally inspiring – characters in the worlds of art and fashion: Ai WeiWei and Diana Vreeland. If you didn’t see them in the cinema, add them to your wishlist pronto.
XMAS LUNCH: TUDOR ROAST
Tudor Roast at 1 Lombard Street, EC3V 9AA From £995, serves from 20 – 30 people To enquire email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at least a week before
Turkey ain’t cutting it no more. Now, it’s all about the bird in a bird in a bird in a bird… 1 Lombard Street’s Christmas Tudor Roast features a 14 bird-in-a-bird roast including quail, squab pigeon, teal, wood pigeon, French partridge, mallard, woodcock, guinea fowl, pheasant, Barbary duck, Aylesbury duck, peacock and a wild American turkey. All stuffed into a goose. Served with root veg, game crisps and watercress, if you were wondering.
DOM OFF: Xmas Drinks
Dom Pérignon by David Lynch, available from Selfridges, £140
Limited Edition Sylvie Fleury giftset, available from Amathus Soho (in-store only), £379
And for Crimbo drinks it has to be Dom Pérignon limited edition sets by David Lynch and Sylvie Fleury.
XMAS SHOW: Christmas with The Supreme Fabulettes
Christmas with The Supreme Fabulettes, December 19, £19.50
Go big diva for your Christmas show. Expect big hair, big costumes and even bigger voices from The Supreme Fabulettes, who will be performing the world premiere of ‘You Ruined My Xmas’, written by Boy George.
XMAS STOCKING FILLER: SOCKS
Available from Lazy Oaf, £8
A standard stocking stuffer. We like these trash food inspired-tootsies.
PARTY: Urban Nerds: Aboard the Ms Stubnitz
Urban Nerds Xmas Boat Party, Dec 22 11pm-6am, Ms Stubnitz, moored next to Connaught Bridge, E16 2BU, from £6
Celebrate Crimbo in style aboard the Ms Stubnitz with Urban Nerds’ Christmas Boat Party (we do love us some maritime fun with UN). Their secret line-up of UK bass, garage, house and four-to-the-floor beats will take place across two rooms in the hollow hull of this German deep sea fishing vessel. All aboard…
MIX: HTC Oslo Xmas mix
Listen to this upbeat, Oslo-inspired offering (Xmas party friendly) done exclusively by Q Ross for UJ. Inspired by the mobile “club” created by HTC’s new Windows 8X phone.
STOCKING FILLER: Book
Tree Houses. Fairy Tale Castles in the Air by Philip Jodidio, £44.99
Our coffee tables have been stacked with books this year: Grace Coddington, Kate Moss, Almodóvar, Testino, Chanel... Now we want Taschen’s latest fantastical design hardback on tree houses.
VIDEO: Harvey Nichols’ Same Dress Viral Sponsored Listings
Remember last year’s Harvey Nicks’ viral, Walk of Shame? This year their viral vid focuses on the classic Xmas party no-no: The Same Dress. Don’t make the same mistake.
ALTERNATIVE XMAS TREE: Reindeer
Available from Cass Art, 24 Berwick Street, W1F 8RD, £100
We’re so post-Christmas tree. This reindeer is pine/bauble-free and yours for just £100.
