Boutique retail pop-up
Drake & Morgan has joined forces with Bloomsbury-based boutique Something… which will be launching a pop-up boutique at the restaurant and bar group’s Monument site, The Folly. The mini-shop will run until the end of April selling a hand picked selection of candles, glassware, crockery, beauty products, truffle oil and jams stocked at its Lambs Conduit Street store. Managing director Jillian MacLean believes the boutique reflects the quirky nature of The Folly, and hopes to run a series of other pop-up notions throughout the summer.
Brazilian-Japanese guest
Nuno Mendes is continuing his series of guest chef dinners at The Loft Project in London by welcoming Japanese-Brazilian chef Tsuyoshi Murakami of Sao Paulo’s Kinoshita restaurant on 8 and 9 April. Murakami, the pioneer of Kappo cuisine in Brazil, has created a menu showcasing his unique style, with dishes including Oyster Shot, Sea Scallop Ceviche, and Chocomoti Coffee Ice Mochi.
Limited edition wine art-labels
Peyton & Byrne’s Restaurant at the Royal Academy has collaborated with artists Tracy Emin and Gary Hume to design exclusive labels for the wines sold at the venue. Selected by Oliver Peyton, the wines vary in price and offer diners the chance to acquire a limited edition piece of art. Emin’s design appears on the label of Bordeaux, Graves, France 2009 priced at £36, whilst Hume’s appear on bottles of Sauvignon & Vermentino, Pays d’Oc, France 2010 and Merlot & Cabernet, Pays d’Oc, France 2009, both priced at £17.50 a bottle.
Marriott Love Poems
Marriott Hotels has launched a nationwide competition searching for poems that capture the emotions of weddings, for publication in a new book titled Marriott Love Poems. Ten winning poets will be invited to spend a romantic weekend for two at a Marriott Country Club, while a further ten runners-up will also feature in the book. Marriott Love Poems will be distributed across the group’s 54 properties. The closing date for entries is 31 March.