Held annually in Park City, Utah, Sundance showcases new works by American and international film makers, from feature-length ‘must sees’ to shorts by emerging directors and independent documentaries.

The inaugural Sundance London Film and Music Festival presents the best of American new cinema with a programme packed full of specially selected films from Sundance Film Festival 2012, talks and events.

Highlights include Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York, Liberal Arts featuring rising star Elizabeth Olsen and a rare theatrical screening of Charlie Targett-Adams’ Coming Up For Air, documenting Placebo’s eighth world tour (followed by a Q&A with the band).

I’m particularly looking forward to The Queen of Versailles, an unbelievable documentary of vile excess by Lauren Greenfield and Nobody Walks, a sexually-charged drama about a young New York artist turning the lives of an LA family upside down.

Supporting the exhilarating film programme will be live music performances by Placebo, Tricky and Rufus and Martha Wainwright.  The debut Sundance London Film and Music Festival is not to be missed!

Sundance Film Festival will be held at O2 Arena from 26-29 April.

For more info, film schedules and booking, visit: www.sundance-london.com

For two weeks only, Chef Manjit Gill will cook for guests in exquisite surroundings styled by the ever-so-stylish jewellery designer and actor, Waris Ahluwalia (The Darjeeling Limited and The Life Aquatic among others).

The Luxury Collection’s newest Global Explorer, Waris Ahluwalia takes inspiration for his beautifully-crafted collections at HOUSE of WARIS from the romance and history of ancient kingdoms.  Matched with BUKHARA’s ‘rustic cooking from the North West Frontier’, a region steeped in history, it should make an exciting culinary collaboration.

The pop up will be an indoor and outdoor epicurean feast for the senses and a rare opportunity to sample the dishes served at the original BUKHARA at ITC Maurya, New Delhi, thought to be one of the world’s best Indian restaurants.

It will showcase Chef Manjit Gill’s signature dishes with a Vegetarian Tasting Menu (£59) and a Meat and Seafood Tasting Menu (£79).

Dishes will include Sikandari Raan (Marinated Whole Leg of Spring Lamb), Murgh Malai Kebab (Creamy Chicken Kebab), Tandoori Jhinga (marinated jumbo prawns skewered and roasted), Dal BUKHARA (the restaurant’s famous daal slow-cooked over coals for 18 hours) and Gulab Jamun (syrup-dipped fried cardamon dumplings).

BUKHARA will be open for dinner from 17 May-1 June from 6.30pm-10.30pm each night.  Reservations can be made at www.luxurycollection.com/bukhara or by calling +44 (0) 208 045 0715.

Photo of Waris Ahluwalia by Jean Roy

Stompin’ At The Savoy has played host to musical legends such as Josephine Baker, Frank Sinatra, George Gershwin, Noel Coward and Amy Winehouse and was name-checked in Chic’s ‘Le Freak’.

For the relaunch of Stompin’ At The Savoy, the stunning Lancaster Ballroom will be transformed into an intimate late-night supper club from the 1940s and who better to bring the jazz spirit back to The Savoy than Paloma Faith!

Paloma will perform with the 30-piece Guy Barker orchestra and will be joined by special guests to be announced on the night.

Guest will start the evening with a glass of champagne and once seated, cocktails and a late night supper menu will be served throughout the evening.

Stompin’ At The Savoy is set to bring back a bit of swinging, old-world cachet to the legendary hotel, making it once again the most decadent jazz haunt in town.

Stompin’ at The Savoy, produced by Three’s A Crowd, will take place at The Savoy on Saturday 29th October from 10pm until late. Tickets are priced from £125 and can be booked by telephoning 0845 177 0181. Full details are available at www.stompinatthesavoy.co.uk

Take an inside look at The Savoy on Chérie City.

Now on to its 36th year, TIFF is recognised as the most important film festival after Cannes and has become a launch pad for the best of international, Hollywood and Canadian cinema.

Major actors, directors and emerging film-makers decend annually on downtown Toronto to promote their new films, seek distribution deals and present their films to the public and press, often for the first time.

TIFF is fast-paced and manic with a full schedule of red carpet galas at Roy Thomson Hall, public and press screenings, film industry talks and star-studded parties (Soho House hosted a pop up bar this year).

This year, TIFF celebrates the first anniversary of its new year-round home, TIFF Bell Lightbox – an impressive cultural centre and cinematheque, showcasing Canadian and world films.

One of the most anticipated films at TIFF 2011 has arguably been Take This Waltz by Sarah Polley, a quirky indie romantic comedy by Canadian director Sarah Polley, featuring Sarah Silverman, Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams.  Also hotly tipped have been The Ides of March, starring and directed by George Clooney and David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, narrating the troubled friendship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, featuring Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley.

My TIFF highlight was the gala screening of Christophe Honoré’s Beloved, starring Catherine Deneuve and her real-life daughter Chiara Mastroianni, Ludivine Sagnier and my favourite French actor, and long-term Honoré collaborator, Louis Garrel.  But more about that later…

For more information on TIFF and TIFF Bell Lightbox, visit: http://tiff.net

All TIFF Bell Lightbox images: Sam Santos/WireImage for TIFF
Take This Waltz: Michael Gibson

In celebration of International Women’s Day, it feels right to share the conversation between two singers who carved a path for women with their uncompromising, ‘no bullshit’ attitude and sheer talent in what was a very male-dominated music scene.

I won’t spoil the whole interview for you, but here are some of the best bits…

Gwen on her recent tour with No Doubt: “…every night I’d get teary-eyed because of those old songs. I’m up on stage and singing songs about relationships I’ve had and I’m looking over and my kids are watching me.”

Gwen on stripping off: “There are certain artists I think I like, but then all of a sudden the clothes come off and I’m like, ‘What are you talking about? You’ve gotta save that!’ I have this real masculine-feminine thing; I’m not really that sexy – I get all made up and then I like to be a tough girl.”

Gwen on her beauty secret: “There’s nothing that really works – come on, let’s face it. We’re all looking for the secret, and if you find it, let me know.”

No product endorsements or patronising ‘just drink lots of water’ answers, despite becoming the new face of L’Oreal!  Gwen has got to where she is through hard work, determination and integrity – surely that’s something to celebrate.

ELLE UK April issue with the Gwen Stefani cover interview is out on 9 March.  For more info, visit: www.elleuk.com

]]> http://cheriecity.co.uk/2011/03/08/gwen-stefani-shirley-manson-in-conversation-for-elle-uk/feed/ 0 http://cheriecity.co.uk/2010/06/25/banyan-tree-samui-to-open-next-week/ http://cheriecity.co.uk/2010/06/25/banyan-tree-samui-to-open-next-week/#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:53:09 +0000 cheriecity http://cheriecity.co.uk/?p=3157 Continue reading →]]> Just a week left until my holiday in the Valencian region of Spain and I’m already planning the next one!  But, I think you’ll agree that the launch of the new Banyan Tree Samui in July is definitely worth daydreaming over.

Overlooking the stunning Lamai Bay in Koh Samui, Banyan Tree Samui offers a ‘sanctuary for the senses’, with 78 stunning pool villas on a private hillside, three exclusive contemporary Asian and internation restaurants and the island’s first hydrotherapy spa, The Rainforest.

Comprising alternating hot and cold thermal cabins, The Rainforest Trail offers ten different hydrothermal therapy experiences, such as Rain Walk, Aroma Steam, Nature’s Glow and Scrub, Rassul, Finish Sauna, Ice Fountain, Vitality Pool and more.  Holistic Asian spa treatments are also available in one of the ten indoor spa pavillions overlooking the beach.

Cliffside restaurants The Edge and Saffron serve contemporary Asian and international dishes and the beach front restaurant, Sands, offers a menu of char-grilled fresh seafood and steaks and wood-fired pizzas.

The focus of the resort is the infinity pool and separate children’s pool where you can enjoy complimentary poolside treats such as ice cream cones, sherbets and coconut jellies.

There are over 20 Banyan Tree resorts and hotels located in areas of natural beauty worldwide and while their focus is on pure luxury, Banyan Tree has strong green and ethical credentials.  It gives back to its communities and invests in the protection of local marine life, planting trees on neglected land, restoring existing farmhouses and commissioning village craftswomen to produce artisan furniture for the hotels.

Banyan Tree Samui are offering a special package for guests staying two nights or more – a credit of 8,700 THB (approx £175) to spend on food and drinks, spa treatments or gifts and spa products at Banyan Tree Gallery, plus a complimentary session at The Rainforest.  An additional complimentary 90-minute Banyan Tree Spa massage session is included for stays of three consecutive days.

This introductory offer starts from THB 21,421 (approx £430) for a Deluxe Pool Villa per night including breakfast.  All taxes and service charges and is valid for reservations made from now until 30 September 2010, and stays from 1 July to 21 December 2010.

Booking is available through Freephone 00800 300 20000 or Email: reservations-samui@banyantree.com

* Chérie City has not yet had the good fortune to visit Banyan Tree Samui, so cannot personally recommend the resort and spa.  If you’re planning on staying there this summer, please come back and comment on how it was for you.

Designing the bottle featuring his silhouette and a hot pink bottle top, Karl also indulged his other life passion and shot the campaign featuring Coco Rocha as his female counterpart, and one of his favourite boys, Baptiste Giacobini.

Coco revealed on her blog, Oh So Coco, that during the shoot, Karl decided the accessories weren’t quite right, so he went home and brought back some of his own trademark leather gloves, then took off his tie pin and rings for her to wear, giving Coco the real Lagerfeld look.

Karl Lagerfeld and Coca Cola go way back and according to biographer Alicia Drake in The Beautiful Fall, Karl used to down up to 25 bottles a day and once rode along the Côte d’Azur on the back of a moped with a hot dog in one hand and a bottle of Coca Cola in the other.

Since honing his svelte figure, Karl has switched over to Coca Cola Light and savours the taste in a large Lalique crystal goblet (à la Coco in the advert), although you can just imagine him swigging from the bottle adorned with his own silhouette!

A limited edition box set including the Karl Lagerfeld Diet Coke bottle and matching bottle opener is on sale at Colette in Paris for €60 and is a major collector’s item.

At the end of the month, the campaign will be splashed all over Paris and Karl will be on sale for the bargain price of €3.50.  No word yet on when they’ll be available in the UK, but Selfridges always stock the Diet Coke designer collaborations and now they’ve started selling online.

So what will King Karl turn his hand to next?  I’m guessing a limited edition monochrome iPod, ready loaded with Karl’s favourite tunes and interludes of Karl reciting his most notorious quotes – who wouldn’t want one of those!

It seems like a no brainer that fashion designers should try their hand at designing hotels. They have commercially proved their innate sense of style and obsessive eye for detail and are already tuned in to their customers’ dreams and aspirations.  Plus having a fashion designer on board makes hotels just that little bit more desirable for style conscious travellers.

Diane Von Fürstenberg is the latest designer to get the interiors bug, as she has redesigned twenty rooms and suites for London hotel Claridges, due to be unveiled in June 2010.

While Diane is the embodiment of all things New York and glam, she has revealed that some of her past collections have been inspired by the hotel’s Art Deco grandeur.  There’s no word yet on how the rooms will appear, but my bet is on bold prints and vibrant colours, a copy of her new Proud to be Woman compilation CD and perhaps a remodelled ‘wrap dress’ bathrobe.

Over in Milan, after two years of development, Maison Moschino has finally opened on the Viale Monte Grappa.  The surreal, romantic hotel is an ode to Moschino’s design philosophy and is just as flirty, vibrant and striking as their collections.

Designed by Rosella Jardini and the Moschino creative team, the four-storey hotel is located in an old neoclassical railway station dating back to 1840, and offers 54 individually designed rooms and 15 suites.  Most of the rooms have whimsical names like Clouds, Rose, Little Red Riding Hood, Sweet and Dress.

The hotel has a theatrical, Alice in Wonderland vibe, with oversized teacup tables, suspended flying bees, handbag lamps, a red dress bed and a surreal four-poster bed overgrown with trees.  The room on my wishlist would be the one with a bed of roses and petal-covered chandelier.

The super cool Clandestino restaurant is typically on-trend and innovative with chef Moreno Cedroni’s unusual creation of ‘colourful sushi’.  Breakfast is presented as a ‘Mos kit’ – a combination of 4,6 or 8 seasonal combinations inside a ceremonial lacquered box.  The restaurant goes through to a garden terrace and the hotel also provides a bar, spa and gym.

Maison Moschino is like the ultimate fashion fantasy world and would be best suited to travellers who like their hotels with modern, ironic touches and an artistic concept rather than traditional luxury.

Rooms start from £260 and can be booked at www.designhotels.com, where you can view a stylish insider’s video and access hotel images and information.

Many fashion hotels are as reassuringly as expensive and exclusive as their catwalk looks.  As much as I long to, I think I’ll have to befriend a mysterious benefactor before booking into the Armani Hotels in Milan and Dubai, Donatella’s Palazzo Versace, Ralph Lauren’s Round Hill House in Jamaica, Oscar de la Renta’s Tortuga Bay in the Dominican Republic or the chic Bulgari Resort in Bali.

However, don’t be disappointed, as there are equally cool fashion hotels almost on city break route.  Hotel Missoni in Ediburgh’s Old Town has been on my hotel wish list since it opened last summer and I’m determined to pay a visit this year.

The seven-storey hotel on George IV Bridge is a vibrant combination of Italian style and Scottish heritage, with Charles Rennie Macintosh chairs and staff wearing custom-made Missoni kilts.

The 136 colour bursting rooms and suites were designed by Rosita Missoni and feature the label’s signature bold patterns and textiles.  The rooms include everything you could want for a comfortable stay and they seem to considered how annoying and inhospitable it is to experience a  minefield of hidden extras.

All rooms include two items of laundry, local calls, movies, high speed internet, the entire contents of the mini bar and the use of an iPod dock, Nespresso machine and Missoni bathrobe and slippers.

The top floor suite, Rosa, has the best views of the city, overlooking the castle and Rosita Missoni stays there whenever she’s in town.

Hotel Missoni’s first floor restaurant Cucina, a collaboration with Giorgio Locatelli, has become popular with locals and serves up seasonal, contemporary Italian dishes, created by head chef Mattia Camerani.

The bar serves Vestri hot chocolate (exclusively from the renowned Florence chocolate shop) and claims to have the most authentic Italian coffee menu in Edinburgh.

Doubles start from £135 per night and the 3-course dinner, bed and breakfast offer starts from £220 per night.

Over in Paris, Christian Lacroix rules with two bijou residences – Hôtel du Petit Moulin, a former bakery in the Marais and Hôtel Bellechasse on the Left Bank.

Christian Lacroix’s elaborate, theatrical style is stamped all over the two hotels and the individually designed rooms feature painterly scenes, astrological motifs and vibrant illustration.  The hotels are odes to diverse academic and cultural influences that have inspired his many collections over the years.

The hotel has a homely, intimate atmosphere and guests can mingle in the exclusive, private bar. At the Hôtel du Petit Moulin, Lacroix’s personal favorite is room 301 – the gold-and-black suite painted with a trompe l’oeil night sky.

At the Hôtel Bellechasse, jewel shades reign alongside sumptuous velvet drapes and beautifully illustrated ancient monuments, insects and playing cards.  The dining room is one of the most ornate in Paris and the hotel is just a short walk from the museums and galleries along the Seine.

Lacroix’s decadent hotels would be perfect locations for romantic trips to Paris and a totally unique fantasy experience.  With the departure of Christian Lacroix from the fashion world, it really would be like living in a time gone by.

Rooms start from 190 EUR At Hôtel du Petit Moulin and 152 EUR at Hôtel Bellechasse

* Dear readers, please note that I haven’t visited these hotels yet so I can’t personally recommend them.  This is more of a ‘dream hotels’ post, but if you’ve been to any of the hotels featured, please comment away and share your experience!

Read this feature and more arts fabulousness on Jotta.com

Perhaps this sounds overly dramatic, but today I found out that Optimo, Glasgow’s best-known and most loved club night is finally coming to an end.  While the weekly night will be no more, DJs JD Twitch and JG Wilkes will continue to tour and release music under the Optimo name (so it ain’t all doom and gloom).

Twitch and Wilkes formed the weekly Sunday night party at the Sub Club on Jamaica Street 12 years ago and the wee basement club has since become world renowned.

Optimo revolutionised clubbing with its diverse music and democratic door policy.  Basically, you joined the queue and unless you were were too drunk, pilled up or up yourself, you’d get in ok.  It was one of the only clubs that would even dream of mixing up post-punk, Detroit house, acid and afrobeat with 60s soul and Rolling Stones.

Twitch & Wilkes have booked some of the best DJs to play guest slots over the years and every other week or so, they put on a live band.  They’ve promoted and even remixed the likes of Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture, Sons & Daughters, The Presents, Chicks on Speed, TV on the Radio, The Kills and the mighty LCD Soundsystem.

Optimo started releasing singles by Scottish bands under the Optimo Singles Club And Related Recordings (OSCARR) label and just last year they formed Optimo Music, releasing limited edition records by local bands like Louise McVey & Cracks in the Concrete, Older Lover, Divorce, Dollskabeat, Big Ned and Den Haan.

So, no more Optimo Espookio, Hogmanay parties or Barn Dances? No more 3am Happy Meals at the Jamaica Street McDonalds, pre-Sub Club drinks at MacSorleys or getting the dodgy night bus home?  At least Twitch & Wilkes will now have more time to come and play Dalston Superstore again.

The very last Optimo at Sub Club will be on Sunday 25th of April 2010, but no closing party details yet.  Thanks to the Garçons de Glasgow for informing me of this gutting but vital news.

Daphne will be exhibition 80-100 pieces from her extensive collection at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Comme des Garçons, Dolce & Gabbana and Azzedine Alaïa.

F.I.T’s chief museum curator Valerie Steele will work with Daphne to highlight her signature styles through the garments, so expect plenty of neck ruffs, hats, jewel encrusted ribbons, pristine white shirts and House of Harlot patent leather Mary Jane platforms.

For those of us who can’t just hop on a plane to NYC, an accompanying coffee table book will be published by Yale University Press.

Daphne oftens describes herself as “a work in progress”, from her ‘Cruella De Vil’ striped hair to her various fashion and art projects.  She certainly has a compulsive attitude towards fashion, making it her life’s work to create the perfect white shirt or find just the right height and shape for her trademark platform heels.

I adore Daphne Guiness mostly for her fearless embracing of the future.  She’s had the kind of charmed, bohemian past that most people could only dream of – growing up in artist colony Cadaqués with the likes of Dali, Duchamp and Man Ray, hanging out with Andy Warhol in New York and sailing around the Med with millionaire ex-husband, Spyros Niarchos.

However, she started to make a name for herself assisting friend Isabella Blow on fashion shoots, becoming a muse to her designer friends and creating her first scent, Daphne, with Comme des Garçons.

The exhibition promises to include the most impressive selection from Daphne’s wardrobe, especially as she weeded out the ‘chaff’ two years ago, auctioning off over 260 lots in aid of  Womankind, a charity to help women in developing countries.

The exhibition runs from September 2011 to January 2012 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York.