Arts and Culture

Haute Couture SS19 highlights

6th February 2019

Featuring Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N - The perfect day out for Marvel fans

5th February 2019

Last weekend we took our very excited little boy to London Excel, where Marvel have unveiled their latest interactive exhibition. After a brief video introduction and a security scan from Maria Hill, we were invited to enter the S.T.A.T.I.O.N, an advanced training facility for S.H.I.E.L.D’s ace team of agents. Zachary was rather overwhelmed when we first entered and he found himself face to face with the Hulkbuster! So when he got to don Iron Man’s Hulkbuster armour in a very cool and active VR experience he was super excited. As we moved through the rooms he enjoyed the great activities on offer, including various touchscreen games. Highlights for the family also included the massive moving image of Hulk and Captain America’s motorbike from the opening scene of Avengers: Age of Ultron which you could hop on and pretend to ride.

Featuring Stick Man – a must for young theatre goers

26th January 2019

At the age of just 2 he sat through an entire performance of The Lion King and ever since then, whenever we tell him we have booked tickets to see a show, he gets very excited. Now 3 and a half years old, he has grown up reading and listening to Julia Donaldson stories and has seen many adaptations of the books at the theatre. So, when I found out Stick Man was back on stage, I couldn’t wait to take him. With his little sister of 6 months in tow (we are starting her young) we headed to Leicester Square Theatre. I love this theatre for children's shows as it is especially intimate, and this really helps the children engage with what they are watching. The story follows Stick Man, who after going for a jog one morning, encounters a bounding dog who wants to play fetch. This sparks a series of unfortunate adventures, which leads him far from home. As the seasons pass Stick Man meets a surprising friend who helps him to the family tree.

Featuring Venice and Liu Bolin: disappearing in Venice

25th January 2019

It wasn’t the beautiful symmetry of the Doge Palace’s herringbone walls or the shadowy twin domes of the Basilica of Saint Mary. It was something more humble: the maxi advertising scaffolding wrap of Santa Maria della Pietà church’s façade. Why, oh why? Well, for multiple reasons. Every art, architecture and history lover knows that sinking feeling of seeing a beautiful landmark hidden away under a tarpaulin for what seems like interminable restoration. Sometimes, the building becomes like ghost, enveloped in a bland white plastic flapping endlessly in the wind or, worse still, daubed in some dreary ad for some new washing powder or super fast car. Not so for our Santa Maria ’s wrap I saw. The church, built between 1745 and 1760, sits on the atmospheric promenade along the waterfront few minutes from Saint Mark's Square, and since 2014 it is been undergoing a complex restoration intervention.

Review of Beautiful Sqaurespace Design Kits that Wow

8th January 2019

Whether for personal or business purposes, a website becomes the representation of ones personal style and voice. Aside from functionality, the design aspect of any website takes center stage to the point that it has become the driving force behind the engagement with an audience. It is also responsible for the inclination that the audience will interact with your platform. Ultimately, it is the reputation you have in the virtual universe. For us, nothing pleases us more than discovering aesthetical pleasures. There is one such enterprise that revolves around the poetic beauty of what a website can deliver in terms of design and functionality. Presenting Squaremuse – the creative team behind Flothemes, known for their one of a kind WordPress themes. To serve its niche audience and to show their capabilities in web design and style, they have extended their reach to creating design kits for Squarespace compatibility.

Featuring Lapland UK – where magical Christmas memories are made

21st December 2018

Their personal invitations were delivered one morning by our elf, and my sons face lit up when he was told that Father Christmas had personally invited him and his sister to help the elves finish building toys for Christmas. With just three more sleeps to go, we prepared by reading the ‘Untold Story of Father Christmas’ written by the creators of Lapland UK, to make sure that he knew all the elves he would be meeting, making the experience even more magical. Lapland UK is deep in the Whitmoor Forest, Ascot, Berkshire, a beautiful part of the Windsor Estate which is managed by the Crown Estate.  It was set up by husband and wife team Alison and Mike Battle, after they felt there was no 'authentic and believable' Christmas offering for families with young children. After approaching the Forestry Commission, they set up the first incarnation of Lapland UK in Tunbridge Wells in 2007, selling 37,000 tickets despite being total 'rookies'. Spurred on by their initial success, the brand has evolved every year and sold sold 75,000 tickets in 2018.

Featuring Bergman interiors showcases beautiful commissioned chess...

19th December 2018

Lovers of elegant interiors and stunning furniture additions will surely appreciate this exquisite chess board, recently commissioned by luxury interior design and architect studio Bergman Interiors. Showcasing the very finest in bespoke craftsmanship, this set, priced at £6,250, is bound to catch the eye of any art lover or collector who treasures originality. Exclusively available at Harrods and Bergman Interiors, each hand-sculptured piece has been delicately sketched and is luxurious to touch, with the pieces traditional details transformed into the most minimal form. Intricately built by the hands of careful artisans in Lake Como, Italy, the sleek chess board is a structure of hand-laid marquetry of light and dark veneers, sitting on a 1cm bronze plinth. Player one is finished in brushed solid antique dark bronze, whilst player two is finished with brushed solid antique brass.

Featuring Onima – five levels of decadence in the heart of Mayfair

25th October 2018

Onima is a unique hybrid of bar, restaurant, private dining lounge and rooftop terrace, and is the brainchild of founder Alexandros Andrianopoulos, who set out to capture the atmosphere and reputation of Mykonos, a Greek island which has fast become one of the world's most sought-after destinations. Andrianopoulos has managed legends such as Nammos and Interni, building success internationally for NYC’s Bathtub Gin and Bagatelle in Dubai, and his newest venture, Onima, is set to be the ultimate luxury lifestyle experience to captivate Londoners. Onima's five-floor residence was once the headquarters of Cartier's watchmaking empire, and has been skilfully re-imagined by leading Greek interior designers Archset to become a sensory experience from start to finish. The first level of the Onima experience, the ground floor restaurant, is dominated by a huge bar covered in rich bronze details, and the whole room oozes style and sophistication, flooded with natural light.

Featuring The Scarecrows Wedding - A theatrical treat for kids this...

8th August 2018

It’s a love story we know well, having read it again and again before bed, so for Zachary, who is just 3, to see this book brought to life on stage was truly special. Adapted from the bestselling children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler (the writer and illustrator of The Gruffalo), this tale is full of amusing moments and country charm. It tells the heart-warming and playful love story of two scarecrows, Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay who are planning the best wedding ever. As the lights go down, the auditorium fills with cheery folk music and sing-song, performed by the cast on guitar, banjo and accordion, with everyone clapping along in their seats. Straight away my little boy was transfixed and wore a giant smile on his face.

Featuring 24 hours in Singapore

19th July 2018

From its breathtaking skyline to infinite green spaces, glitzy shopping malls and seemingly endless array of world-class restaurants, Singapore packs a mighty punch. In fact, a mere 24 hours is just not enough time but following our carefully curated itinerary will ensure you get the most out of your whirlwind stay.

Featuring The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show – 2018 best bits

6th July 2018

Regulars to the show will know that it boasts so much more than just floral displays; including installations, art pieces and interactive experiences.  The Sybarite have selected a roundup of the best bits just for you.

Featuring Leeds Castle - The Loveliest Castle in the World

4th July 2018

From the adventure playground to the maze and grotto, there is so much to keep the children entertained. Whether they are watching the falconry display, enjoying a trip across the lake or just running around and exploring the beautiful grounds, it’s the perfect place to get them enjoying the British summertime.