In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Unique Venues of London threw a truly magnificent party at London’s Guildhall.
With guests from all of the organisation’s illustrious members – which include such iconic venues as Kensington Palace, Spencer House and Tate Britain – a party was laid on that comprised the very best of British catering and entertainment, including stunning food from Moving Venue and equally glorious floristry from Lavender Green.
All of this was washed down with lashings of Coates & Seely Rosé and Brut Reserve sparkling wines, as guests marvelled at acrobats and music provided by Sternberg Clarke, and celebrated membership of one of the most illustrious collection of event venues in the world.
Author: Alice Kendall
Glorious Goodwood
Who would be anywhere but England in a heatwave ? And where, in England, could be better than Goodwood – one of the most beautiful racecourses in the world – during Glorious week ? Never could the adjective commonly attached to the week have been more appositely applied.
And whilst Churchill’s dictum on Champagne – that in Victory it’s deserved; in defeat, required – was as true as ever as we made our scorching way back from the betting stalls, never was its cool qualitiy to refresh, too, more in evidence.
Corks popped continuously throughout the week, in greater numbers than we have ever seen, with Coates & Seely and Veuve Clicquot at the heart of this great British tradition of racing and style.
Hampton Court Real Tennis Championships
Coates & Seely were delighted to sponsor the sparkling wine at this year’s Real Tennis Champions Trophy, hosted at the Royal Tennis Court at Hampton Court.
The Royal Court at Hampton Court was first built for cardinal Wolsey in 1526 and the current court contains one of the original walls and a further three walls built for Charles I in 1625. A succession of British monarchs have played real tennis on these courts – including Charles II, William II and Price Albert, and Her Majesty The Queen remains the club’s Patron to this day. Henry VIII – a keen (and reputedly highly competitive) player himself – would certainly have recognised the game today, which has changed very little since Tudor times.
Real tennis professionals from around the world – including Australia, the US, France and the UK – converged on Hampton Court in the week immediately after Wimbledon to compete for this prestigious trophy. Entertainment – both on the court and off – was never far at hand, and Coates & Seely wines were served throughout, beginning at the opening dinner in the magnificent Great Hall, built by Henry VIII at the heart of the Tudor Court, and ending in the Palace gardens on a blistering hot July afternoon, where they provided cool refreshment to all and a fitting celebration for the winner.
https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/explore/royal-tennis-at-hampton-court/
The Cut House Style: The young designer helping to celebrate the Royal Academy’s 250th anniversary
The Royal Academy has long had a reputation for throwing a good party: its annual Summer Exhibition preview is one of the most glamorous events in London’s social calendar. And as the institution marks its 250th anniversary, a new merchandise collection, available next month, will tap into its hosting heritage with a range of products aimed at entertaining.
To produce it, the Academy has collaborated with Luke Edward Hall, a young artist and designer with a classical aesthetic, who has taken the interiors world by storm over the past couple of years. Having started out working with the architect and designer Ben Pentreath, Hall struck out on his own in 2015, and has since worked with companies including Burberry and Christie’s, completed private interior-design projects and produced his own range of prints, ceramics and fabrics. And all by the age of 28.
Here, Hall was briefed to focus on the RA’s place in London society, and the personalities who have frequented its parties and dining rooms. His research involved delving into the Academy’s archives to examine original event invitations, dinner menus, wine labels and other ephemera – something of a dream for a self-confessed typography nut.
‘I loved looking through the old menus in particular,’ he says. ‘They were absolutely beautiful – all these delicate little pieces of card; most were embossed, engraved or edged in gold. They were just so wonderfully elegant. Plus, of course, the menus themselves were fascinating to read.’
The resulting illustrations, which reinterpret motifs in Hall’s playful style, have been applied to bottles, ceramic tableware produced in Staffordshire, napkins and glasses, candles and gold-embossed stationery, along with hostess gifts. His favourite products from the collection are, however, the Coates& Seelysparkling wine and East London Liquor Company gin, whose bottles are labelled with his designs. ‘It’s been really exciting for me to work with such an iconic London institution that I’ve loved for many years as a visitor,’ he says of the RA. ‘And I must say, a gin with my own label will be quite a fun thing to own.”
The Coates & Seely Fillies’ Handicap Stakes at Goodwood
The second running of the Coates & Seely Fillies’ Handicap Stakes was run in brilliant sunshine, against the usual rolling chalk downlands of Goodwood in the background, on the 8th June.
Ian Williams-trained Pretty Jewel came out victorious in a thrilling finish, cheered on by most of the Coates & Seely box-guests who had backed the winner.
The celebrations, fuelled with copious quantities of Coates & Seely sparkling wines, continued deep into the evening as Example took centre stage in the parade ring and entertained thousands of race-goers long into the night.
Modern and Post-War British Art at Sotheby’s
Coates & Seely were delighted to have their Brut Reserve and Rosé sparkling wines served at a glittering viewing of Modern & Post-War British Art at the Sothebys galleries in London.
This is one of the most exciting categories of the global art market and the night was a celebration of the best of modern British genius, with works from artists such as Howard Hodgkin, L S Lowry, Ben Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth and Stanley Spencer, amongst many, many others.
Coates & Seely are proud to be British, and to be served by such a peerless leader of the art world, and were rarely more so on an evening like this, in galleries be-decked with stunning art and fabulous floral arrangements.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/departments/20th-century-british-art.html
Photography by Lara Arnott