Coralie Aude Grassin has a breakfast of cupcakes and gin cocktails in teacups at Hendrick’s Carriage of Curiosities during London Cocktail Week…
Hendrick’s horseless carriage of curiosities really intrigued me. Pop-ups are quite a modern trend but this is something else. To be fair, I danced in joy on the way!
Imagine stepping back in time, switching to the delicate Victorian era. The staff are playing along in refined vintage clothes, taking you along on a wonderful trip in wonderland.
Outside, you will find a car all set up with hiding places for the cocktail set and a glamorous bath with two dream taps: one for gin, the other for tonic, cucumber slices included. Oh, the look of envy on some visitors’ face…
The wagon is a real treasure chest. Many families have been through their attics and donated the strangest objects to the project – quite a hypnotising collection.
Imaginative labels have been attached and you will find yourself chuckling regularly as for this miniature sofa indicating ‘please do not sit’. You might even find a few cucumbers on the way.
I was lucky enough to join the bloggers’ tea party yesterday morning. A table loaded with Hummingbird’s bakery cupcakes and croissants made us crumble with delight.
Of course, it was only polite to taste them all…the most elegant touch was sipping our Red Snapper (a gin version of the Bloody Mary) in tea cups, thus ensuring laughs and gossip galore – a moment suspended in time.
On a normal day, you can exchange a drawing, a quote a story for a drink – the best ones are on show and might be collated in a book in the future.
Hendrick’s definitely is as sparkly and cool as the Gin and Tonic they are serving.
Photos by Coralie Aude Grassin