Reverend Richard Coles
“I find February bearable only if I have managed to get away for a few days in January. The nearest place which does not feel like the gloomy last act of a nineteenth century Scandinavian play is Madeira. There we went for New Year, and returned to an England in which drenching and relentless rain gave way to bone-chilling cold. What to do? Stay inside, light the fire, and get on with the next-but-one of my Canon Clement Mysteries, a novella-length Christmas special following the publication of the next full length novel in June.”
Reverend Richard Coles, Cleric, Broadcaster and Author
"Our second Hotlister for 2024 is the well loved and multi-talented Reverend Richard Coles. Check out below what February means to him, and how Richard is getting through this month!”
Jenny Halpern Prince MBE
Restaurant: Morchella
Morchella is a Highly prized and easily recognised type of edible mushroom. It has a strong, nutty flavour and a pleasant, earthy smell and grows in a variety of habitats, including well-drained woodland. But beware, it is poisonous when raw. Morchella is also the name of a brand new restaurant from the team behind Perilla on Newington Green that is NOT poisonous when eaten. Thankfully. Morchella opens this month in Exmouth Market and is centred around Mediterranean cuisine, with a focus on sharing dishes like octopus luciana, salt-baked poussin and hake with sobrasada sauce. In the kitchen will be Head Chef Daniel Fletcher, previously at The Square and Sky Garden. Attached to and part of the restaurant will be its own wine bar serving up an extensive old world wine list so if you just fancy a post work drink instead, then you’re all set. Decor wise, they have lovingly restored the curved wood doors and are aiming for a "tranquil yet informal space" in the 68-seat banking hall, with a minimalist design featuring greenery, raw plaster, and stripped original wooden panelling, creating "a warm, inviting atmosphere". One of the founders said of the venture ““We wanted to keep some of what is so special about Perilla, and for us that meant maintaining a friendly neighbourhood approach. Therefore it was integral we opened Morchella in a busy area with a real sense of community.”
Drinks: Bar Lina
Lina Stores is an iconic Soho based delicatessen, recognisable from its pistachio green and white stripes and indulgent produce. The Brewer Street store turns 80 this year and hidden underneath is a new speakeasy Italian aperitivo bar that offers an intimate ambiance reminiscent of 1960s Italy, with drinks including twists on classic Italian cocktails such as negronis, along with spritzes and fine Italian wines. Aperitivo bars are on every corner in Italy, venues that serve up small bites and delicious drinks to get you ready for dinner; The perfect hangout with friends and Bar Lina is exactly that. You enter via the deli’s original entrance and head past shelves of pasta, biscotti, and Italian foodstuffs, before entering the bar itself with moody lighting, velvet seating, and dark-hued decor. As well as the expected classic Italian beverages there are also some creative twists on Italian classics. These include the likes of the Bloody Martini – which incorporates Sicilian Tomato Water into the drink – and the Basilico Cocktail (gin, vermouth, citric, salt, basil, and milk). For edible treats, the menu includes a variety of small dishes for a quick aperitivo or you could order a bunch of plates and settle in for the night. Choose from delights such as Parmesan Biscotti, Stracciatella, Basil Pesto or Sea Bream Crudo, Lime & Basil, Carta di Musica.
Experience: Whisky Blending for Valentine’s Day
Nestled beneath The Whisky Exchange store on Borough High Street in London is the London Bridge Distillery School which opened back in September of last year. The space is filled with 16 micro stills, reminiscent of a science lab, allowing you to create your own gin, rum or whisky recipe to take home. With Valentine’s Day around the corner they are hosting a special Whisky Blending with Chocolate Pairing event, perfect for those looking to do something slightly different and try their hand at creating their own whisky blend. The class is an introduction to the art of blending whisky, where guests are guided through the tasting of blending samples and how to select different components to use in their own unique blend of whisky, combining different styles of whiskies aged in various cask types. The additional chocolate pairing element will see the six different whiskies expertly paired with a complimentary chocolate! The night includes a welcome drink, as well as a seasonal cocktail. Guests will then be able to take their own personalised blend home with them after the session, as well as bar of chocolate. This is the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day with your loved one, or friend, and dive into the wonderful world of whisky.
Valentine’s Day: Pop Up CinemA
The Rivoli Ballroom is the only intact 1950’s ballroom remaining in the capital, found in Crofton Park, South East London. It is famed for its original decor and interior fittings, including red velvet, flock wallpaper, chandeliers, glitter balls and oversized Chinese lanterns. The dream interiors basically. The venue is often used as a film location and plays host to many dance and musical events and this V day you can head to a pop up cinema extravaganza. They will be screening the 90's version of Romeo & Juliet directed by Baz Luhrmann as well as 80s classic Pretty in Pink as part of the Valentines Cinema event. Tickets cost from £10 and there are further screenings throughout the year too. Such a historically romantic setting for pulling some moves of your own if you catch our drift.
Experience: The Moonwalkers
The Moonwalkers is an epic new experience that's opened in the Lightroom in King’s Cross. Narrated by Tom Hanks, The Moonwalkers offers a unique perspective on humankind’s past and future voyages to the moon. Lightroom’s powerful projection and audio technology will transform the immense space into a vehicle for a spectacular immersive voyage to our closest celestial neighbour. The exhibition opened on the 6th December and runs until 21st April. Co-written by Hanks and Christopher Riley, the double BAFTA-nominated writer-director. Original NASA footage and breath-taking images from Andy Saunders’ Apollo Remastered will transform Lightroom’s vast space into an immersive journey to the lunar surface, brought to life by co-directors Nick Corrigan and Lysander Ashton of 59 Productions. The show tells the stories of the Apollo missions, reflecting their gripping journeys at spectacular scale. Newly filmed interviews between Hanks and astronauts of the current Artemis programme will grant an insight into the return of crewed surface missions to the moon. Hanks does the voiceover, accompanied by a spectacular original orchestral score by Anne Nikitin. It’s an absolutely beautiful, enthralling, and genuinely quite moving experience.
Art: Weird Shit In Nature
If the title of this exhibition isn’t an enticing enough explanation then here’s some more info- Opening on the 31st of the month at Matt’s Gallery in Nine Elms is Richard Grayson’s exhibition, Weird Shit in Nature which uses sculpture, 3D modeling, digital animation and Augmented Reality to model a world where the materials of culture/technology have seeped into nature and taken root. A world where smart materials and distributed intelligences leach into mineral and organic matrixes to become new entities, where hybrid beings grow from forever chemicals and micro-plastics in rocky outcrops. A paper recently published in the journal Nature reported that in 2020, for the first time, the weight of human-made material on the planet exceeded that of the calculated bio-mass which is crazy: there is now more human-made material than ‘natural’ material. This matter has penetrated all areas of the globe: artificial substances are detected throughout the food chain, and microplastics are inside our bodies and in the air and in the high mountains. A thought-provoking exhibition that runs until March.
Theatre: Plaza Suite
Real-life power couple Matthew Broderick (two-time Tony Award® winner) and Sarah Jessica Parker (two-time Emmy Award® winner) share the stage of London’s Savoy Theatre for the very first time starting this month, starring in Neil Simon’s sensational romantic comedy Plaza Suite. This uproarious comedy took Broadway by storm and promises a night of razor-sharp comedy. A witty exploration of love and marriage, London’s West End gets the chance to witness two world-class performers and Hollywood icons transform into three unique couples, each finding themselves entangled in hilariously outlandish situations within the walls of the legendary Plaza Suite hotel room. Step into the lives of Karen and Sam, a long-married couple trying to save their relationship-on-the-rocks from an early checkout. Reunite with Muriel and Jesse, former high school sweethearts, destined for an extended, amorous stay. Empathise with long-suffering Norma and Roy, parents of the bride, as they attempt to coax their to-be-wed daughter out of the bathroom. The outstanding creative team promises an unforgettable production, under the masterful direction of Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey.
Charity of the Month: Under One Sky
Under One Sky is a volunteer-led charity that aims to use education, compassion, and collaboration to end homelessness in the UK and beyond. They empower individuals, companies and public organisations to be a part of the change, transforming lives and growing a utopian community, together. The idea for Under One Sky (UOS) came from founder Mikkel Juel Iversen’s personal experience of supporting two homeless friends for one year each on his own initiative. This gave him direct exposure to the myriad of internal and external challenges a person faces when forced to live on the outside, and insight into the traumatic experiences that were the root causes of each individual’s situation. At Christmas 2012, Mikkel together with his colleague Yaqub Hussain invited some friends to join them to walk the streets of Central London to let those affected by street homelessness know that they hadn’t been forgotten, and to distribute Christmas presents. This walk became the unintentional birth of Under One Sky. In the first year of Covid-19 their teams served homeless friends 75,000 times, supported several individuals off the street, and their volunteer base grew to more than 1,000 compassionate human beings. Now a year round initiative, their impactful work covers a wide spectrum: assisting with medical emergencies; organising and sponsoring transport to facilitate reconnection with family and friends; supporting friends into work and accommodation; providing glasses, wheelchairs, mobile phones and bicycles; and much more. UOS is expanding out of London to cover additional parts of the UK. To support or donate please visit their website to find out more.