Latest news with #Belvedere
Time Out
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The hotel bar that makes the best martini in London, according to expert bartenders
Martinis are having a massive main character moment right now. Gone are the stuffy James Bond connotations; in London the martini is the tipple du jour, with icy coups stuffed with olives appearing in the Instagram photo dumps of all the city's coolest people. Charli xcx just hosted her wedding afterparty in a Dalston bar known for serving £8 ones. Many of London's drinkers will claim to know the best place for sipping the timeless bevvy, but if it's done wrong it can leave you trying to chug down a glass of tepid gin (or vodka) while wondering what all the fuss is about. So to find out where exactly is the best, Time Out asked seven bar experts, including Tayer + Elementary's Monica Berg, Lyaness ' Mr Lyan, and Coral Anderson of Swift, to nominate the best martini in the city. Here's what they said. According to the bar experts, London's very best martini can be found at the Connaught Hotel. This uber swish Mayfair hotel has several bars, two of which were nominated by our cocktail professionals for having the best martinis in town. First up was the hotel's famous Connaught Bar, recommended by co-founder of Hackney bar Equal Parts, Carina Soto Velásquez. This bougie art deco haunt often tops world's best bars lists, and has been known for slinging martinis served from a very posh trolley since it opened in 2008. 'The Connaught Bar makes an incredible classic martini,' said Soto Velásquez. 'All the work they do around the martinis there is brilliant. The classic gin martini with a lemon twist is gorgeous.' Also nominated was the Connaught Hotel's Coburg Bar, the quieter and smaller sibling to the Connaught Bar, which Three Sheets ' Max Venning said served up London's number one martini. More low-key than the grand main bar, punters are more likely to nab a table at the Coburg than the often full Connaught Bar. 'I like to sit outside in the atrium. It's really bright and airy and you can look over Mount Street,' Venning said. Venning's go-to order is a dry vodka martini with a twist, made with Belvedere. 'It's really crisp, and nice and stirred down with good dilution.' As for the runners up, perhaps London's most famous martini spot, Dukes Bar at Dukes Hotel in Mayfair was nominated by Monica Berg, while Rita's co-owners Missy Flynn and Gabriel Pryce recommended the Martini Bar at Egerton House Hotel – another Mayfair establishment. Mr Lyan's favourite was Waltz Bar, an intimate and new Japanese cocktail joint in Shoreditch serving a 'nice version of a Gibson'. Exale Brewing's Stephanie Randle-Solley chose the plush new Shoreditch resto and bar One Club Row, while Coral Anderson's pick for London's best martini was at Satan's Whiskers, a Bethnal Green cocktail bar known for serving top-notch classics. The best bars in London for 2025.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Two taken to hospital after middle-of-night Belvedere crash
Two people have been taken to hospital after a crash in Belvedere early this morning. Emergency services were called to Beckett Close at 4.14am (Thursday, July 18) following reports of a crash. London Ambulance Service sent multiple crews to the scene, including a fast response car, an incident response officer, and specialist paramedics from the hazardous area response team (HART). The condition of those injured has not yet been confirmed. We've contacted the Metropolitan Police for more details. As of this morning, Abbey Road (B213) remains closed in both directions from Tunstock Way to Blakemore Way. Bus route 229 is being diverted. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area while emergency services deal with the incident. A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 4.14am today (18 July) to reports of a road traffic collision on Beckett Close, Belvedere. 'We sent resources to the scene, including ambulance crews, a paramedic in a fast response car, an incident response officer and paramedics from our hazardous area response team (HART). 'Our first paramedics arrived on scene in two minutes.'We treated two patients and took them to hospital.'
Eater
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
The Best Gifts for Martini Lovers
is the senior commerce editor at Eater. She has more than 15 years of experience in culture journalism and food media, grew up in an Italian restaurant, and is always down to order for the table. Ah, a perfectly made martini. When in the right mood, is there anything better than its bracing crispness? Then there's the saline hit of the brine, should you take yours dirty, and the yield of an olive's flesh between one's teeth while your dining or drinking companion commiserates, flirts, or reveals gossip as juicy as your vodka- or gin-soaked Castelvetrano. (If you're a twist person, respect, but we're different.) Sipping on an icy martini really conveys a feeling of glamour and mystery— there's really no other cocktail that quite embodies elegance and timelessness that same way, nor that hits quite the same (did I mention they're very strong?). No wonder a martini is the drink of choice for everyone from James Bond and Jay Gatsby to Brian Griffin from Family Guy (yeah, the dog). In fact, the martini is the second most popular drink in America after the margarita, with some bars in New York making more than 1,000 martinis each night. Once considered an old man drink by Gen Xers and millennials, the martini's popularity has been majorly revived in recent years, and being a martini-lover has become something of a personality trait. In my early 20s, when I discovered the appeal of the dirty martini, it quickly became my go-to drink at the San Francisco dive bars that occupied that time of my life in the late aughts — I was fine with well vodka as long as the martini was extra, extra dirty (some drinkers, as you've likely noticed, revel in saying 'filthy' to their bartender). Nowadays, my taste is a bit more dignified and I'll call my spirit (Tito's, Belvedere, or Ketel One, depending on my mood) and ask for my drink with only a whisper of brine and, instead, a couple of extra olives. This is the thing about becoming a martini person: This simple drink suddenly becomes a blank slate for your micro-preferences, in the same way espresso does for coffee snobs. Martinis are having a reawakening, no doubt, and there's an unprecedented array of martini-centric bar gear, accoutrements, and even merch out there, from jewelry to martini-specific insulated tumblers to high-end olive brine. If you're hunting for the best gifts for martini lovers, look no further — I've skipped the corny stuff and reached straight for the top shelf. A proper setup for making martinis at home — shaken or stirred The gear you need to make a perfect homemade martini depends on that (frankly worn out) adage: shaken or stirred? The truth is that most bartenders will recommend stirred, but most people in casual bar settings are fine with shaken, and may even prefer it if they like each sip icy. If you're making martinis at home (or know someone who likes to), a great cocktail kit sets the stage for a better drink. This classic Williams Sonoma set is top of the line; yes, it includes everything you need for a Ritz-caliber martini, but will also come in handy for any other cocktail your recipient wishes to whip up. For something a bit more affordable but still luxe-feeling, this stirred martini cocktail kit from Barfly comes with an etched 24-ounce mixing glass as well as copper tools that make handsome additions to a bar cart. On the more whimsical side, this best-selling set from Mark & Graham nests into a cute boat, so it's ornamental even when not in use. If you know anyone with a yacht, well, perfect gift for them.. and we're not jealous at all, but maybe they should extend an invitation for us to all drink martinis on the deck. The perfect dirty martini brine and olives There is an argument to be (convincingly) made that 'soggy, splintered, deflated' 'bottom-shelf bulk olives' actually make the best brine — the cheapo Manzanilla and Queen olives that culturally preceded the now ubiquitously trendy Castelvetrano. To be real with you, I adore all olives — the fancy newcomers and artisanal beauties but also the Mezzettas that have been living in the door of my parents' fridge for my entire life. That being said, this is a story about gifts, and the thing about gifts is that a good one should feel a little bit special, curated, lesser-seen, harder-to-acquire, thoughtful, more premium than what you'd typically buy for yourself. I recently became a big fan of Quincy olives; the olive-to-brine ratio is specifically formulated to make 14 dirty martinis with no waste (of fruit or liquid). The brine itself is just the right level of salty and umami; I've made a few friends dirty martinis with it recently and they all commented on how excellent their drinks came out. The recipe is right on the label, so it's foolproof. Another great brand for both brine and olives is Filthy; a friend of mine who works at a high-end Hollywood cocktail bar said that Filthy brine is the fave of both staff and customers. Filthy also makes standalone brine as well as a variety of stuffed olives; some dirty-martini-drinkers really love a blue-cheese-stuffed olive for a more creamy, complex experience, and they are a smart offering for a host gift or housewarming present. Forever-solid gift idea: nice glassware Cocktail glasses have never been more personality-forward than in the present, with elegance, eccentricity, and whimsy all equally playing into the current renaissance of Very Interesting Glassware. Half the fun of drinking a martini is doing so from a smart, snazzy glass, whether minimalist or over-the-top decorative. I am addicted to collecting cocktail glasses and so have a half-dozen different options at home, should a guest arrive or the need for a martini strike. In recent years, restaurants and bars have begun thinking outside the box in terms of how to serve a martini; the only hard rule in my book (and that of many others) is that the glass should have a stem or at least a foot to help it stay cool as long as possible. Here are a few special-looking martini glasses that have caught my eye recently… Martini-centric jazz and pizzazz Cocktail napkins and picks are truly underrated gifts — they're small, easy to transport and store, and in that category of home goods that feels a little frivolous to buy for yourself but that is well-appreciated in ownership. I like these jeweled Joanna Buchanan cocktail picks for the martini-sipping diva in your life or the Archer stainless steel picks for a more Don Draper type. Ossa, which offers a whole collection of martini-themed cell phone accessories, makes these beaded cocktail picks that look like tiny olives. Founded by New York-based caterer Stephanie Nass, the brand Chefanie is behind these entertaining-ready olive napkins. Another cocktail napkin I'm a bit obsessed with right now: this set of Polo Bear napkins from Ralph Lauren Home — they're preppy (which I am decidedly not) but I appreciate that they seem self-aware. No, they aren't emblazoned with any martini-specific imagery, but something about them does feel perfect for being the resting surface for an ice-cold Belvedere martini. Martini-drinker pride merch Being a martini drinker is now akin to being a huge fan of the Philadelphia Eagles or something; it no longer seems to be enough to just really like martinis. One must make it known that martinis are one's thing. The market is abundant with ways to do so, from jewelry to hats to phone cases to sweaters. Above and beyond Attention: true martini lunatics only! This section is for you. A tumbler designed to keep a martini cold for 12 hours Brümate is known for its functional, colorful water bottles, coolers, and other vessels — and for a martini-lover who needs to take one on the go (perhaps to the beach, a picnic, or the new Jurassic World movie) and keep it chilled, there's the MargTini, a tumbler made specifically for transporting cocktails. It has a splash-proof lid and slip-proof base, is made of double-walled steel so it doesn't get condensation on the outside, and it keeps your drink cold for 12 hours. As one gin-drinking reviewer notes, 'It even fits in the cupholder on the golf cart.' An insanely realistic martini candle I did a double take at the sight of this wildly lifelike handcrafted candle that uses gel wax for its doppelgänger of a frosty 'tini, complete with extra olives. A fun accent piece that you'll probably want to keep around instead of burn — but should you want to light it, its made with premium unscented wax. Martini-themed designer bag charms I'm not advocating spending $590 on what's essentially jewelry for your handbag, but I will note that if you're, as noted above, a true martini freak, you should probably be made aware of the popular Loewe olive bag charm. A slightly more reasonably priced option would be Chloe's martini bag charm, although purists like myself may raise an eyebrow at the lime wheel on the side of the glass. Not a classic martini garnish; just saying! A candle that is actually scented in homage to the dirty martini If the trompe l'oeil candle above didn't do it for ya because it's unscented, I present this alternative: a candle from Rewined that 'captures [a dirty martini's] essence with the crisp, briny hint of olive and the fresh, piney aroma of juniper pays homage to the gin at the heart of this storied drink — rounded out with a touch of amber, evoking the luxurious ambiance of a high-end cocktail lounge.' Alluring! It has an 80-hour burn time for many evenings spent in the aura of a dirty martini right in your very living room. A martini to call your own For the martini-drinker who has it all — the cocktail picks, the carefully selected olive — we must ask: Do they have their very own signature cocktail? If not, another great gift option remains. Wonderbly will customize and print a cocktail book for your recipient of choice that includes 29 recipes for both classic and newfangled cocktails, but most importantly, its main attraction is a drink named for your friend and formulated specifically with their tastes in mind. Might we suggested a drink that includes gin or vodka, a touch of vermouth, and perhaps some olive juice? Just an idea.
IOL News
04-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Construction begins on the 1860 Indentured Workers Monument in Durban
Construction work on the 1860 Indentured Workers Monument has begun along the Durban Beachfront. Image: Selvan Naidoo / 1860 Heritage Centre Construction work on the 1860 Indentured Workers Monument, situated along Durban's uShaka Beach promenade, has begun. Culturalists and stakeholders regard the monument as a step towards honouring the legacy of Indian indentured labourers, who arrived in Durban from 1860. The monument is expected to encapsulate their sacrifices and contributions. On Friday, Selvan Naidoo, director of 1860 Heritage Centre in Durban, said: 'We are proud to see that construction is under way, with the monument expected to be completed ahead of the 165th commemoration of the arrival of the first indentured workers on November 16, 2025.' According to IOL reports, the contractor and artist Brendon Edwards explained that the monument is 8m high and will have the names of 684 Indian indentured labourers and 29 individuals who perished on the ship Belvedere. Edwards explained that the sugarcane archer will consist of 684 strands representing the DNA of those who made the trip. This will then flow into the additional bronze that has now been added, representing the family of the indentured. The monument will also include a pond to symbolise the ocean, water, and the journey the labourers made. Embracing the design is the Zulu nation's kraal, welcoming the indentured. At a recent sod turning ceremony, KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli said the R5 million project is set to be completed in November 2025, and that he had requested regular updates on the construction because he wanted to see it finalised. Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu, the president of Sivananda World Peace Foundation and Africa coordinator for Gopio International, a global organisation for people of Indian origin, applauded Premier Ntuli for his keen interest in the monument. Ramlutchman said that the Girmitiya/SA Indian Community will finally have a monument. 'This monument was unanimously approved at a mass gathering of Indian leaders. A life-size Indian/Girmitiya family with an Arch will be installed. The committee that unanimously agreed on this design will gather soon at the site to look at the progress of the historic monument. No individual or organisation will have the right to claim ownership of this monument, as this will be registered under the National Heritage department,' Ramlutchman said. Omie Singh, president of the KZN International Business Association, said this was exciting news. He described the monument as a tribute to the contribution Indian indentured labourers made to the economy of Durban, KZN, and South Africa over the past 160 years. 'This is a success story in itself that will pay homage to the work done in various facets to bring this project to completion,' he said. [email protected] An artist's impression of the 1860 Indentured Workers Monument that is expected to be built along the Durban Beachfront near uShaka Beach. Image: File
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Popular Belvedere pub to get new bar and family area in huge revamp
A pub in Belvedere is currently undergoing an extensive transformation to 'cater to all guests' with a new bar and a family area. The Morgan in Belvedere closed its doors on June 23 with a transformation project underway, with plans to reopen to locals on Saturday, July 19. The Marston's-owned pub will be transformed to offer a space to 'cater to all guests' including families, with separate areas to suit guests needs. The Marston's-owned pub will be transformed to offer a space to 'cater to all guests'. (Image: The Relationship) The revamped Morgan will feature two distinct zones including a sociable locals' bar area and a relaxed family lounge. The different zones will be separated with a partition to create 'separate vibes' for the different areas. Along with these new zones, new big-screen TVs will also be added to facilitate the watching of sports tournaments and other events. Morgan's menu will also feature pub favourites like fish & chips, pies, curries and burgers, with the pub continuing to offer its popular 'Curry Wednesdays' deal for £13.65. New big-screen TVs will also be added to facilitate the watching of sports tournaments and other events. (Image: The Relationship) The pub is within a short distance of Belvedere station and offers a beer garden and children's play area, along with accessible areas and dog-friendly spaces. Grant Sander, pub general manager, said: 'This renovation will provide an even better setting for our community to enjoy great food, drinks, and time together. 'Whether you're joining us for a family dinner, or to cheer on the big game, The Morgan will be welcoming and ready.'
