Country Life 5-Jan-2022

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre has announced its 2022 season-and there's something for everyone. The stage lights start shining in May with a production of Legally Blonde: The Musical, followed by the stage premiere of 101 Dalmations and a new version of Antigone. Legally Blonde—based on the film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon-first played in London in 2009, winning multiple Olivier Awards. The Regent's Park production (May 13 to July 2) will be directed by Lucy Moss, co-writer and co-director of the West End's Six (a musical about Henry VIII's six wives). It will be followed by a new musical adaptation of 101 Dalmatians, postponed by the pandemic and rescheduled to run throughout the summer holidays (July 12–August 28). Finally, Sophocles's Antigone, reimagined by Barber Shop Chronicles playwright Inua Ellams, will…

THIS autumn, the wait for Paris’s Hotel Costes to open in London will be over. This launch in Chelsea, billed as putting Sloane Square on a par with Chiltern Street (famed for its firehouse), will complete a hotel quarter that includes 11 Cadogan Gardens (a sister hotel to Cliveden), the recently opened Beaverbrook Town House and, further up Sloane Street, the Cadogan, a Belmond hotel. The Cadogan is celebrating its own opening: LaLee, an all-day restaurant inspired by British-American actress and socialite Lillie Langtry (www.thelalee.co.uk). She entertained the then Prince of Wales at 21, Pont Street, now part of the hotel. Indeed, the site of Langtry’s old dining room forms part of the new restaurant. Hotel manager Nick Bromhead, who previously worked at The Ritz, says: ‘We imagined the menu she…

POPULAR South Kensington bistro Muriel’s Kitchen is opening an espresso bar, café and standalone restaurant inside The National Gallery, this spring. The three venues will cover all necessary dining needs: the espresso bar will provide an on-the-go service, the café will echo the South Kensington matriarch and the more formal restaurant will be open to gallery and non-gallery visitors alike, from breakfast through to dinner, including weekend-brunch and afternoon-tea sittings. A private dining room will be available for hire (www.murielskitchen.co.uk)…

HORNCHURCH is the best first-time buyer location in the capital, according to the online mortgage lender Proportunity. The east London suburb—12 miles from Charing Cross, London’s official geographical centre, and third stop from the eastern end of the District Line—came out in top place when judged on its affordability, growth potential, crime rates and local schools. Property prices in Hornchurch are well below the London average with two-bedroom flats available from £250,000 and a three-bedroom house from £375,000. Up until now, Hornchurch’s claim to fame has been its connection to Jilly Cooper: the writer was born there in 1937, although it only became an official part of London in 1965, 28 years later. South London dominated the rest of the list, with East Sheen, Herne Hill and Elmers End all making it…

IT’S time to ease yourself into another new year, which, thankfully, doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your house. Chef and chief champion of British seafood Mitch Tonks has launched a home-delivery service using fresh fish from Brixham Market (www.therockfish.co.uk/pages/seafood-at-home). Select what you want from the Seafood at Home website–updated in real time as the fish comes off the boats between 6am and 12 noon–and it’ll be prepared and delivered to your door in 24 hours. If you don’t fancy doing any more cooking, head to Walter’s in West Dulwich– a new restaurant from the team behind Covent Garden’s The Oystermen, which had to double in size the second it opened. Go on a Sunday for the monthly changing sharing dishes (www.waltersdulwich.co.uk). Snag a last-minute ticket to David Suchet: Poirot and more,…

Panzer’s Famous for its smoked salmon, bagels and challah, this deli is a local institution (13–19, Circus Road) Cecilia Colman Gallery Stock up on glass and ceramics artwork, decorative metal and wood pieces and exquisite jewellery at this art gallery (67, St John's Wood High Street) The Duke of York A favourite with Edward Burchett of Dexters, this pub ‘serves a fantastic Sunday lunch' (2, St Ann's Terrace) FaceGym Work-outs and skincare products to create a toned, glowing face (41, St John's Wood High Street) Soutine Lee Koffman of Sotheby's International Realty recommends this Parisian-style eatery serving classic French cafe dishes (60, St John's Wood High Street)…