Cheval Life

Fortnum & Mason With Christmas and New Year comes along a lot of shopping. And department stores usually makes this end-of-the-year task a lot easier and they even have the power to make it a pleasant moment. Department stores are a London specialty. You can find them all over the city, each one with what makes them unique. Not only they sell everything you need, from clothing, shoes and accessories, but they go all the way to caviar, furniture and toys, not forgetting jewelery and cosmetics . They also have their own bars, restaurants or cafés for that pause that a good day of shopping requires. And, of course, if you feel overwhelmed with all the options you can count on the services of a personal shopper to help you. +Fortnum & Mason   - For three centuries this jewel of London has been commited to bringing the world's best food to Piccadilly. With five award-winner restaurants, Fortnum & Mason is an expert in fine food, wines and teas. However a b

Inn the Park: a Christmas special in St James's Park After Christmas when London completely shut down, comes Boxing Day. To enjoy this unique day with your loved ones, friends and family, we have some suggestions of restaurants open in Boxing Day. Because tradition says you have to cook for your family on Christmas but nobody ever said anything about Boxing Day... 1-York & Albany Sadly fantastic Angela Hartnett will not be at her fabulous Murano this Christmas, but you can enjoy her cooking at the Anglo-Italian chef's wonderful new Regent's Park boutique hotel fashioned from a John Nash coaching inn. Enjoy red-leg partridge with curly kale and truffle chips or fried duck's egg with field mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke and parmesan; top nosh for the dosh. York & Albany, 127-129 Parkway, London NW1 (020 7388 3344; www.gordonramsay.com) 2-Marco Pierre White at the Yew Tree The Master has long had a talent for pulling, but on Boxing Day you

The most expensive iPhone case in the world is british. Actress Misha Barton was chosen to present the most expensive iPhone 5 case in the world, designed bu Uunique , a renowned brand from the UK. Reportedly named the London Lotus iPhone 5 case, it is made of 18 carat rose gold, and is encrusted with a multitude of rare pink and white diamonds. Accented with intricate mother of pearl inlay, the new case is inspired by the Exotic Water Lotus symbolising  strength, progress, purity and prosperity, and is adorned with black, white and pink diamonds which have been certified by the Gemological Institute of America. The series, named "Uunique by Misha", encompasses cases which cost between £19,90 and £590, the most expensive ones being embellished with Swarovski crystals. As for the London Lotus iPhone 5 case, it costs £187,000. The previous record holder, a case from The Natural Sapphire Company, is priced at £62,000. Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury S

Most magazines are going from the printed version to the online version to keep up with the technology. But Net-a-Porter might is thinking different.  The world's first online luxury fashion boutique will launch a print magazine within the next twelve months, according to the company’s CEO Mark Sebba. One of the premier online fashion destinations, Net-a-Porter has announced that it will be jumping over from digital to produce a print fashion magazine. Speaking at the Business Leaders Network’s ‘Making it Mobile’ event, Net-a-Porter’s CEO Mark Sebba announced that the online luxury retail portal would be launching a new standalone print magazine in 2013. “Traditional publishers always say that we are lucky for being born in a digital age and don’t have a legacy of print. But we still see it as important. It isn’t a secret that Net-a-Porter will be publishing a major fashion magazine within the next 12 months or so.” said Sebba, reported Wired magazine. Like youn

Colbert Restaurant Around the world, London is not exactly famous for their food. However, 2012 was a year that contributed for a change for those who have this thought about England's capital. With some great new restaurants, London has an option for every kind of foodie. Here a list of some of the greatest restaurants in London this year: 10 Greek Street - There's no flashy name, no flashy decor. Yet this small Soho newcomer blows all your expectations delivering exceptional cooking in relaxed, buzzy surroundings. Booking are taken for lunch but dinner is for walk-ins only. 10 Greek Street, London W1D 4DH Duck & Waffle, The City - Located on the 40th floor of the Heron Tower, the restaurant serves European and British influenced cuisine 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, what gives you the chance to admire the amazing view at any time of the day. The Heron Tower, 110 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AY Brasserie Zedel  - a parisian brasserie in the heart of Lo

Will.i.am has officially unveiled four "i.am" iPhone cases, designed to improve the apple smartphone's camera capabilities. The Black Eyed Peas frontman took to London's Selfridges department store to show off the "foto.sosho" range, with the press release claiming the device , which comes in several variants, to be "the world's first digital camera accessory and app combination designed to turn an iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S into a sophisticated point and shoot digital camera". The entry-level foto.sosho C.4 costs £199 and includes a grip, flash module, three interchangeable lenses offering wide macro, fish-eye and clear glass effects and has a white and gold finish. Moving up a step, the foto.sosho V.4 costs £299 with more vintage look, and bolsters the C.4's feature line-up with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This connects to the phone via Bluetooth. There are two more models designed for the iPhone 5 and due to lauch next year. T

Hanging Travel Cabinet; Folding leather chair; Folding leather stool and Hammock crafted with ribbons of leather and rivets gilded with fine gold. Louis Vuitton's travel trunks continue to rule the roost ever since the French luxury brand began manufacturing expensive and well-made steamer trunks in 1854. But with the changing face of travel, Louis Vuitton celebrates Savoir-Faire with its "Objects Nomades" series, a collection of foldable furniture and travel accessories by 11 notable designers and studios. The collection features 16 desirable leather objects for the travel connoisseur, including hanging chairs, lamps, foldable furniture and travel accessories dedicated to the art of travel. Although inspired by travel and the notion of portability, the new Objects Nmades from Louis Vuitton is far removed from the typical pastoral image one gets when imagining a nomadic lifestyle.  The most expensive travel item in the collection is designed by the Brazilian d

The Merchant Fox sells a collections of some of the finest luxury goods being produced in Great Britain today. The collection is split into three categories: Home & Interiors, Work & Travel, Style & Accessories. Each item is made entirely in the British Isles, selected for its exquisite design, beautiful craftsmanship and interesting provenance, which is detailed online for people to read as they browse the website , where they guarantee going great lenghts to ensure that the finest material are being used.  Established in 1772, Fox Brothers continues to produce what it said by style connoisseurs to be the finest flannel in the world. Fox has adorned famously stylish gentlemen like Sir Winston Churchill, Hollywood legend Cary Grant and the Duke of Windsor. For this Christmas, The Merchant Fox is going to open its first ever retail space, a Winter Pop-Up situated in London's prestigius Mayfair until the 23rd December 2012. All of the finest products will be th

According to its website, Volupt é is a world of decadence and delight, the most decadent little super club in town. The burlesque club nestled in the heart of the City's legal district is the perfect place to kick back and indulge in a night of debauched entertainment. The small bar at ground level and the cocktail menu features a fruity and fabulously playful menu of drinks inspired by traditional sweets. One wall of the bar is dedicated to this, and looks like a traditional Victorian sweet shop. Pick the sweet you love the most, and the drink will be made in its honour. After drinks we are led through velvet curtains into the show room; a low-ceiling, secluded, basement room steeped in old school glamour. The set up at Volupté is a three course dinner, with waiter service for drinks, all to the backdrop of entertainment throughout the evening. The starters (Teasers) were a sharing plate of mini dishes including salads, soup and seafood. The entertainment began shortly aft

London is about to witness another restaurant opening with a sure path to success.  The Hakkasan Group brings a new concept to London in the form of HKK restaurant. HKK is inspired by the Chinese banqueting traditions, offering a single, evolving tasting menu of the finest Chinese and Cantonese delicacies at lunch and dinner, created by Chef Tong Chee Hwee. Dishes will include the four treasures vegetables wrapped with Iberco ham, lychee wood-roasted Peking duck served with sesame oancakes, dim sum trilogy of truffle har gau, wok-fried lobster in yellow bean sauce with braised pan mee, deep-fried filler of monkfish with goji berries with champagne and rice wine sauce, and Jasmine tea-smoked Wagyu beef. Avegetarian menu will also be available. The 15-course tasting menu will be priced at £ 95 and a reduced 8-course menu at lunch will cost 48. HKK will have  £ 48 seats and a 10 person private dining room. HKK opens on December 5th. For reservations visit HKK website o

Marshall is a brand born for the Music. Created in the early 1960s by Jim Marshall who, by request from young guitarists Pete Townshend and Richie Blackmore, started selling guitar equipment in his drum store. Amplifiers and headphones also made part of the success of the brand, who understood the needs and expectations of the real music lovers. To show off their products, Marshall is opening a pop-up store in the Mod_ular Blanc space in the Ben Sherman store in Commercial Street.  With more than just the products to show, the visitors will be received with live acoustic sessions, exhibitions of rock'n'roll ephemera and exclusive pre-Christmas offers. The Marshall pop-up store will be in the Mod_ular Blanc space until January 3rd 2013, from 11h to 19h (monday to saturday) and from 10h30 to 18h (sunday). Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury Serviced Apartments Great Locations for your London Vacation Rental

We Make London is a group of like-minded designer-makers. Their first fair was held in 2008, and since then they've gone bigger and better. This December they are returning to the BAC with 60 hand-picked exhibitors selling everything from jewellery to bath & body to art, plus activities where you can get involved and try some crafting for yourself. This year the event will take place on the 1st December at Battersea Arts Center. Shoppers will be able to relax in the cosy cafe with a selection of delicious homemade delights. Visitors will also be able to take part in the fabulous, fun activities taking place, from face paiting, carol singing, Christmas craft workshops for both adults and kids including Screen Print a Tote Bag with Mr Wingate, Make a Festive Fascinator with Miss Millinery and many more. Visitors with small children can also take their children to the special Bees Knees crèche, special decorated and designed to keep the little ones entertained whil

In London for the Holiday Season? Don't miss on the best of Christmas and New Years tips in our Festive Season page ! You can find a lot of options to spend the last month of the year with style and enjoy the best of London with your love one, your family and friends. Among our suggestions you can find Christmas markets and fairs, good options for Christmas Dining, Carolling, where to shop for Christmas and much more! Cheval Residences Luxury Serviced Apartments Great Locations for your Vacation Rental

Your smartphone might have more use than just for playing Angry Birds or checking your emails.  Montblanc has opened a new pop-up store in Harrods, featuring a "virtual" art exhibition and a selection of exclusive pieces.  Until 24 November, shoppers will be able to view an extensive selection of artworks from the Montblanc Cutting Edge Art Collection, permanently exhibited in Hamburg, by simply pointing their smartphone or tablet at the specific image that will be displayed in one of  the Montblanc Harrods windows on Brompton. Within Montblanc's virtual art pop-up store, and as a first in the UK, Harrods is selling foir exclusive products from the Montblanc writing instruments, watches and haute joaillerie. The Aurasma Lite App can be downloaded for free here . Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury Serviced Apartments Great Locations for your Vacation Rental Cheval Knightsbridge is proud to be the winner of  "Most Excellent Vi

Karl Lagerfeld has teamed up with Japanese beauty brand Shu Uemura to create a new collection of make-up, skincare and accessories. The Chanel creative director is well accustomed to the brand, having used Shu Uemura cosmetics to had-color his fashion sketches for over two decades and explaines that "other manufacturers do not offer such beautiful colors". Dubbed Mon Shu Uemura or My Darling Shu Uemura, this limited edition collection include lipsticks, nail polishes, eyeshadow palettes, make-up tools and cleasing oils. The star of the collection is the luxurious Ruby Eyelashes. A stunning false eyelashes with real ruby will cost around $1,500 and is the combination of the Japanese pop of Shu Uemura with Karl's Parisian chic. Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury Serviced Apartments Great Locations for your Vacation Rental Cheval Knightsbridge is proud to be the winner of "Most Excellent Villa or Apartment" at the Conde Nast Johansen

In Harvey Nichols' fifth floor bar, a touch of the Alpes was brought to Knightsbridge. With all the style of a fancy ski resort with a log cabin feel and vodka cocktails, the Elit Freeze brings you the après ski without having to climb a mountain. Instead, it's luxury all the way with snug blanckets, faux sheepskin rugs and fane deer head trophies. Elit, the sponsor of the event, is part of the Stolichnaya vodka brand, who are launching two new flavours at the pop-up. Stoli Hot and Stoli Sticki will be available to try, as well as vodka ice pops, and a whole range of exciting cocktails, such as the Stoli Jalabarbinger - a mix of Stoli hot, rhubarb and ginger. Tapas dishes are also available specifically designed to match the cocktails and include the likes of hot tiger prawns, lamb kafta and jalapeno poppers. The bar will be open until New Year's Eve. Booking is advised. For more info go here .  Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury Serviced Apartment

Chef Raymond Blanc has unveiled the new menu he has revised for Eurostar , with dishes inspired by the rail network's french, British and Belgian destinations.  Poached pollock in an English white wine sauce and an apple, celeriac and Belgian pas de bleu cheese salad are among the courses available from this month to the passengers travelling in business premier class. "Food on train has got a bad reputation, so my role here is to bring the quality up", said the 62-year-old Blanc, whose television shows have made him one of Britain's best-known cooks. The self-taught chef, whose restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat' Saison in southern England holds two Michelin stars, has developed a menu based on seasonal ingredients from the three countries connected by Eurostar. For example, passangers departing from Paris will mainly find French food on their trays, such as salmon pate with horseradish and cauliflower - while those leaving London will be served mainly Brit

If you are a fan of Apple products, you probably heard of their latest lauch, the iPad Mini.  But if you are also a fan of unusual gadgets, this case can for sure make you iPad unique. Following on from a US$100,00 gemstone-set iPhone case, the Natural Sapphire Company has unveiled an 18K high-polished white gold iPad Mini case set with 3,328 natural Sri Lanka blue sapphires with a total weight of 599 carats. An Apple logo on the case is set with 50 round brilliant diamonds weighing five carats. The Natural Sapphire Company stated that this iPad Mini case in the bigger and "better" version of the iPhone 5 case and is prices at $700,00. Recommended by Cheval Residences Great locations for your vacation rental H/T Luxuo .

                         PS11 from Proenza Shouler. Modern, minimalist and resistent. £1.415, Prada with lether flowers, 70's style. £1.500, Boy Bag from Chanel. £1.830, Frida Giannini from Gucci, with lether and velvet. £1.760, Miu Miu, inspired in the a doctor's bag. £1.195, Azzedine Alaia, elegant and classic. US$2.605, Louis Vuitton £2.510, Dolce & Gabbana, with tapestry design. £1.810, Phoebe Philo, a clutch from Céline. £1.195, Recommended by Cheval Residences - Luxury Serviced Apartments Great Locations for your vacation rental