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Coco Kitchen

Chocolate & Strawberry Cake

Moist chocolate sponge layered with whipped cocoa cream and fresh strawberries. There’s nothing not to like about this luscious bank holiday bake.

Ingredients:

170g self raising flour

170g caster sugar

170g baking margarine

3 eggs

2tsp cocoa powder

For the filling:

400ml double cream

300g icing sugar

35g cocoa powder

200g strawberries

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C (fan)/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 12-15cm round cake tin in preparation.
  2. Beat together the baking margarine and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Stir in the flour, eggs, and cocoa to form a smooth batter.
  3. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in its tin.
  4. Whisk together the double cream, icing sugar and cocoa until the mixture looks spreadable.
  5. Slice the cake into three even layers. Wash the strawberries and slice each one in half. Starting with the bottom layer, line the edges of the cake with halved strawberries, exposed side facing outwards. Fill the inner circle with cream. Top with the second cake layer and repeat.
  6. Spread any leftover cream on top of the stacked cake and finish with a pile of strawberries. Serve immediately, keeping any leftovers in the fridge and consuming within 2 days.
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A Guiltless Afternoon at London’s Intercontinental Park Lane

The saying goes that the British can never get enough of their tea. This statement is steeped in truth. The quintessential afternoon tea is a long held tradition that holds a high regard on the international culinary scene. London’s Intercontinental Park Lane upholds this tradition with a unique take. Their answer to incorporating modern values into a time old tradition can be found in their new Guiltless Afternoon Tea. Our food and travel writing duo, Eulanda and Omo, discuss their ‘guiltless’ experience at Intercontinental’s Wellington Lounge.

Walking into the lobby of the Intercontinental Park Lane is akin to recognising the everlasting elegance of British design with the perfect touch of modernity. Located in the iconic Mayfair neighbourhood, directly across the street from the famed Hyde Park, the site was once 145 Piccadilly, Queen Elizabeth’s former childhood residence.

Although 145 was destroyed by the blitz of WWII, the grand hotel constructed in its place pays homage to its royal heritage through its many amenities and cuisine offerings.

We previewed Intercontinental’s Guiltless Afternoon Tea, hosted in the Wellington Lounge. This particular tea is a specially curated experience that is advertised as a healthy alternative to the typical British afternoon tea.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQiGB73grXY/?taken-by=icparklane

While most tea experiences indulge on sweets and carbs. Intercontinental’s Guiltless Tea doesn’t have any additional sugars, besides the naturally occurring ones already found in the fruits used to make certain treats.

The featured welcome drink was a ‘non-alcoholic’ distilled spirit with double dutch tonic water, lemon peel, and star anise. It was the perfect palette cleanser, with a refreshing finish.

We were quite impressed with the knowledge of our server, who passionately recounted the history of one of Queen Victoria’s favourite teas– first flush Darjeeling.

The highlight of the first course was flavourful green tea cured salmon, kale crisps with crème fraiche on a pumpkin seed cracker. Another notable inclusion was the quinoa, soy poached chicken, and spinach salad in roasted black garlic dressing.

Even the wholemeal scones and homemade winter berry compote kept along the guiltless theme. As one of us was gluten and dairy free, we could not partake in scones. However, Intercontinental can confidently accommodate any dietary preferences with advance notice. They replaced the scones with a platter of in-season fruit.

The crème de la crème was the final course. Presented on a clear, narrow serving platter, a beetroot and apple cake with dried unsweetened apricots, stood proudly next to a flourless chocolate and peppermint cake. The decadent tea mousse layered with compote of pears, pomegranate pistachio, berries and Greek yoghurt trifle proved to be the crown on the queen’s head.

The gluten and dairy free option was no less decadent. Upon the plate layed a large strawberry dipped in shimmering gold-chocolate next to a compote with sugar dusted berries. A miniature dark chocolate bowl was filled with exotic fruit salad, next to a delightful mint-green macaron, topped with gold leaf. The flavours were bright, fruity, and interesting all together.

We finished our guiltless tea experience with a warm and tangy red berry tea. We felt almost tempted to add a cube of sugar but stopped ourselves… we didn’t want to bring any unnecessary guilt to the table.

Intercontinental Park Lane. One Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London, W1J 7QY +44(0)20 7409 313. Guiltless Tea is available until 31st May, 2017. £42 per person.

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5 stylish restaurants to know if you’re spending NYE in London

With the arrival of the proverbial chill that comes along with winter, and the increasing frequency of classic Christmas tunes on the radio; Londoners prepare for the most joyful, and stressful, time of year — the holiday season.

We all know the very specific anxiety that comes with the weighty responsibility of booking a restaurant for your NYE dinner. Regardless if you are booking a restaurant for your friends, family members, or even your old high school mates you haven’t seen in over a decade; one cannot escape the pressure to get it right. After all, it’s not every year you get to ring in a new decade. So, if you are the one tasked with the weighty responsibility of booking the venue for dinner, then we’ve got you covered. We’ve rounded up some of London’s most best NYE parties, so you don’t have to.

Cora Pearl

There’s champagne a plenty at Cora Pearl’s five course Parisian cum British New Year’s Eve Party. This lovely gem in Covent Garden was inspired by a Parisian courtesan and offers a fantastic whisky-cured salmon, and Cow curd agnolotti to ring in the new year.

www.corapearl.co.uk/nye-party

Norma

Norma is a little Slice of Sicily right in Charlotte Street. Here you can enjoy its incredible seafood menu. We recommend the truffle-stuffed whole pumpkin and the pork chops in marsala sauce.

www.normalondon.com

Roast

A truffle feast, fireworks, and a magic show – what more do you need for the perfect NYE dinner? Not to mention – some pretty epic views of the Thames.

www.roast-restaurant.com/new-years-eve

The Goring

This classic Belgravia spot – is perfect for a more private NYE affair. The specially crafted 6 course NYE menu is perfect if you and your significant other are pushing the boat out to welcome the new decade.

www.thegoring.com

Margot

Margot’s one-night-only NYE menu includes Scallop Carpaccio, Lobster-stuffed ravioli, and some roast beef. Need we say more?

www.margotrestaurant.com

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Food & Drink

5 Best Zero Waste Shops in London

The rise of sustainable living and the over consumption of single use plastic is hard to ignore, and with plastic washing upon our beaches, even the most beautiful of places can’t escape the damage of consumer culture. While almost all of us want to eat a little better and make informed choices on what we buy, the biggest problem is making achievable changes within the parameters of our busy lives that won’t break the bank. The answer, perhaps, lies in the flurry of zero waste shops popping up across the UK – a plastic-free oasis brimming with fresh and organic, often locally sourced produce, with strict Bring Your Own container policies. Changing the way we shop on a local level is the first step towards changing consumer habits on a mass scale, and while we wait for mainstream supermarkets to catch up with the trend, the opportunities in London to do our bit for the environment are abundant. Scrap your Sainsbury’s carrier bags and plastic clad fridges for an eco-friendly alternative. Here are 5 of our favourites around the big smoke.

Bulk Market – Hackney

Following a stint in Kingsland Road and an inspired crowd-funding campaign, Bulk Market has set up permanent shop in the heart of Hackney. Stocking over 300 items ranging from grains and oil, bamboo toothbrushes to dog food, all products are brandless and where possible – sourced locally from social enterprises, community farms and local projects.

Beauty mavens seeking eco alternatives to their favourite products will rejoice at the stores zero waste DIY Beauty Bar, where customers can whip up their very own cosmetics from a variety of essential oils, dried flower petals, bath salts and natural wax and vitamins – all package and chemical free. With curated recipes tested in store, customers can learn about the ingredients and its properties before creating their own face scrubs, serums, tones and face masks.

@bulkmarketuk

https://www.bulkmarket.uk/

Zero – Wimbledon

Drawing inspiration from European style shopping from way back when, Zero’s continental model, Zero is bringing the continental culture of visiting specialist shops for your items to the UK. Rejecting the monopolization of supermarkets, Zero champions small scale bakeries, cheesemongers and growers trading in a more sustainable way. There’s not much you won’t find here; from soap loaves, shampoo bars and toothtabs to organic fresh bread and pastries, raw cacao nibs and reusable make up pads – the list is practically endless. Zero is not only working to help customers make small, eco-friendly changes to the way they shop, but also aims to build a sense of community and shared responsibility through the occasional DIY workshop, where locals can learn how to make their own household items from recyclable materials. Homemade Japanese sponges, anyone?

@zero.london

https://www.thezeroshop.com

Gather – Peckham

Open Wednesday to Sunday, five minutes from Peckham Rye Station, Gather’s business model is designed to give half of its profits to growing its offering or donating to environmental charities. Affordability is key, and Gather aims to shed the perception that zero-waste shopping is a privilege for those who can afford it. Small changes are the key to wider change, and Gather encourages its customers to make their own journey towards sustainability. Whether you’re looking to keep things fresh without clingfilm or banish bin liners for good, Gather probably have the answer, or they’ll know someone who will!

@wearegather_uk

https://www.wearegather.uk/

Hetu – Clapham Common

It’s chic design alone is enough to warrant a peek inside Hetu – Clapham Common’s Beautifully designed zero waste haven. Wall to wall dispensers are brimming with all the herbs, spices and organic grains an eco-lover could wish for – along essential reusable items including coffee cups and razors. Deco is minimalistic and effortlessly cool, made more so with Kombucha on tap and a nut butter machine allows customers to create their own peanut and almond deliciousness. Veggies are supplied by Odd Box – the sustainable delivery company who rescue wonky and surplus vegetables saved from the scrap heap!

@hetu_UK

https://www.hetu.co.uk/

Liberté Chérie, Notting Hill

Bustling Portobello is well known for its chic second-hand fashion hangouts, intsa-grammable coffee shops and boutique, second hand stalls and Liberté Chérie blends right into the mix. Its stylish interior represents a French bakery with its fat, old fashioned jars stuffed with grains, egg-free marshmallows and raw shea butter. Customers can delight in organic puffed quinoa, loose feta and – unusally for a zero waste shop – an abundance of flowers. Sustainable bouquets, bowls of loose garlic give way to a shabby chic brick wall piled with logs and kindling perfect for summer barbeques and winter log burners. You’ll even find eco charcoal here too!

@libertecherie291

https://liberte-cherie.business.site/

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Food & Drink

From Chillitinis To Time Travel At London’s Flora Indica

Flora Indica is not your usual curry house or cocktail joint. Indian dishes with a modern twist, luxurious interiors and daring herb-inspired drinks, we sent Rachael Lindsay to give it a go…

Laden down with my rucksack after a weekend of travel, I gingerly ask the serving staff if there is anywhere I can store my bag.

‘Perhaps in the TARDIS?’, the smiling restaurant manager gestures to a full-size blue phone box in the centre of the room.

Flora Indica’s design is inspired by an 1855 catalogue of Indian plants and spices, after which the restaurant is named. A group of Scottish botanists produced the book whilst travelling through India, recording every newly discovered chilli, lime and clove.

Designer, Henry Chebaane has blended steampunk and British Raj elegance for the interiors of this restaurant based in Chelsea, London. Brass piping and Victorian gadgets sit alongside flower motif tin tiles and Tweed upholstering. The TARDIS is an allusion to time travel, back to an era of innovation, discovery and serious excitement about botanicals.

The cocktail menu is devoted to this excitement, and the cocktails here are exquisite. The Bombay Blossom bursts with Earl Grey, rose water, lychee and Rangpur gin and the Chillitini has just the right amount of fire, beautifully matched by notes of citrus and pomegranate.

The waiting staff are as enthusiastic about the dishes as the cocktails and our waitress relishes the opportunity to recommend her personal favourites. She guides us through the menu, pointing out the £44 taste tour of India with its selection of chef-suggested dishes, or the option of choosing our own tapas-style small plates followed by larger curries and sides.

We try to order one small plate each to start and she stops us in our tracks, ensuring that we try dish upon dish of these spiced morsels, from crispy okra fries to soft Yellow Fin Tuna with chilli caviar and cucumber. The winners, in our eyes, are the Jerusalem artichoke Papdi Chaat which is crunchy and layered with creamy yoghurt and the soft mounds of Amritsari Crab with a Tamarind mash and fragrant mayo made Tadka-style, blended with spices roasted in ghee.

The mains on the menu sound a little more familiar with the likes of Chicken Tikka, Paneer Kofta and King Prawn Malaicurry jazzed up with bergamot, baby spinach and monkfish. They arrive with Red Leicester Naan, pink pomegranate raita, pistachio rice and curly kale with turmeric and ginger. We dig in with delight, testing each taste combination together in turn.

We cannot leave without trying dessert. Our waitress recommends the Shahi Brioche and the Kulfi Semi Freddo, India’s answer to ice cream. The Brioche is sweet and chewy, matched perfect with pistachio crumb, saffron cream and grilled pineapple. The Kulfi is a medley; noodles bring the flavour of traditional Indian falooda, a rose water and sweet basil seed pudding, and the chocolate sauce is aromatic with warming cloves.

Each dish is a little experiment in form and flavour and the interiors reflect this sense of exploration. With the impression that we are leaving a South Asian / Victorian universe behind, we head out to the Old Brompton Road, sadly using the door rather than the TARDIS.

Go to Flora Indica at lunch time, to take advantage of the three-course set menu for £18, and if you feel it’s too early for a cocktail (although #TeamCoco know that this is never the case…), try a fragrant tea with a pretty name like Indigo Sky or Chelsea Rose.

Find Indica Rose at 242 Old Brompton Road in London and browse the mouthwatering menu at www.flora-indica.com.

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Food & Drink

Matt Healy x The Foundry Awarded Michelin Plate

You might remember last year when we hosted our #CocoKitchen event at the prestigious Leeds restaurant Matt Healy x The Foundry. Well, now it’s time for another celebration as they’re one of just a handful of city centre venues to be awarded with a Michelin Plate – just weeks after being included in the Good Food Guide 2020.

This year the Michelin Guide, which is considered the most important culinary ranking in the world, has listed just 10 restaurants in Leeds and two in Ilkley.

Matt Healy x The Foundry received a ‘Michelin Plate’ recommendation following visits from inspectors, who, over the past 12 months, have sampled food in the world’s best restaurants.

Speaking about The Foundry, Michelin Guide inspectors said: “Exposed brickwork and period features set the scene at this former foundry, which has a smart, rustic feel and a large courtyard terrace for warmer days. The frequently changing menu offers both modern and classical dishes in a mix of sizes. Don’t miss the wonderful crème brûlée.”

The news comes as The Foundry launches its new menu, which features butter poached lobster with sauce Bisque, salt-aged duck breast with confit leg roll and plum sauce, and beef fillet with glazed short rib and cauliflower cheese.

Since launching last year, Matt Healy x The Foundry has been awarded several accolades, including Best City Centre Restaurant at the Oliver Awards, Newcomer of the Year at the Yorkshire Life Food and Drink Awards, and Britain’s Best Roast Dinner.

Owner and head chef Matt and the Seventh Course Ltd team are also behind Grön Kafe in Roundhay and The Beehive in Thorner.

Matt said: “Just two years ago I was in a completely different job and couldn’t have even dreamed of this. Now we have three venues across Leeds and a Michelin Plate for The Foundry.

“We’re really chuffed, it feels very surreal but it’s so great to see all of our hard work paying off.”

To make a reservation, call 0113 245 0390 or visit mhfoundry.co.uk.

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City breaks

Here’s a sneak preview of the brand new cocktail menu at the iconic Waldorf

Nestled in the iconic Waldorf Hilton Hotel in the heart of London is The Parrot, a stylish tropical hideaway with a brand-new cocktail menu bursting with a selection of tasty tipples. The bar, just a stone throw from some of the major West-End theatres is a great location for a pre-show drink.

The bar’s exotic namesake is alluded to in the interiors, from walls lined with bespoke, hand-painted palm wallpaper to lush foliage and an abundance of greenery planted throughout the space. The plush velvet seating in rich turquoise and midnight blue alongside metallic and rattan detailing draw on the opulence of the historic hotel. The bar front itself is decorated in luxurious teal fish scale tiles beneath exposed Edison filament bulbs, conjuring the moody, atmospheric feel of the speakeasy.

The Parrot’s Bar Manager, Massimiliano Terrile, has designed a menu jam packed with tropical-inspired coolers with fresh and zesty flavours to suit every taste. Team Coco was invited down to the launch party and got to sip and shimmy the night away while nibbling on some delish dishes such as Wagyu beef with pickled enoki, wasabi & pineapple and poached lobster with mango, served with edamame beans, macadamia nuts & yuzu and Quinoa with avocado, sesame, pomegranate & mango, bringing light, exotic flavours to this stylish, tropical venue. Here’s some of our favourite cocktails.

Parrot Puffer
Made with Absolut Elyx Vodka, seasonal fruits and vanilla ice cream, the Parrot Puffer is drizzled with syrup and served in one of the bar’s Instagram-worthy parrot shaped glasses.

Blossom Parakeet
Made with Auchentoshan double oak infused with plum, camomile cordial and ginger ale.

Cockatoos
Made with Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka, bitter XO, cider evaporation and cardamom syrup.

Book your table at The Parrot via www.theparrotldn.co.uk

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Wild Hearts – Road Tripping in Wyoming

“My parents are ranchers, they work. I play music” quips Chancey Williams with a quick grin and shrug of his shoulders. We’ve collared the former saddle bronc rider, frontman of Chancey Williams and The Younger Brothers Band, the country music toast of Wyoming, for a chat after a chance encounter in the dark but welcoming dining room of the historic Hotel Wolf in downtown Saratoga.

Saddle bronc, in case you aren’t fluent in cowboy, is a rodeo event where a rider rides a horse who is trying to buck him off. I’m sure you know the one and might have even tried your hand on a mechanical one in a terrace bar in Ibiza, it can’t just be me. What you and I might see as a novel thing to do with a metallic green wig on, (surely not just me, still?) is a real badge of honour around these parts. In fact, Chancey in his beige cowboy hat and non-ironic shining belt buckle is one of only two people to have competed in ‘The Daddy of ‘em all’, Cheyenne Frontier Days as a competitor and a performer. He’s shoulder to shoulder with much loved, and missed, Chris Le Doux. Turn on the radio while you are in the state and you’ll be treated to their music and a sweet, sweet throwback to when T-Swizzle did Country.

We’d come to Wyoming to explore the spirit of the Old West and in my British naivety, I’d been expecting a few mocked up spaghetti western Ghost Towns and the opportunity for some Westworld quips for the ‘gram. What I hadn’t reckoned on is how much that spirit is still felt, most keenly in the love and respect that Wyomingians have for horses and rodeo, immortalised in their state emblem of the horse Steamboat. Heck, one of the vibrant artists we met, Jill Pope in Cheyenne, has a 10-year-old grandson who rides bulls in rodeo and the beautiful Morgan and Emily on the Historic Trails West in Casper gossiped about classmates’ horses and high school rodeo in the way that British 16-year-olds could only about crappy part-time boyfriends. Since we’d driven the 1.5 hours from Denver International Airport in Colorado from the watchful gaze of gigantic stallion ‘Blucifer’ over the border to Cheyenne, the land and sky had opened up, traffic had died down and we’d arrived in the Cowboy State. Perhaps this was one of Ford’s tricks after all.

Our road trip started in state capital Cheyenne, outside the striking red ‘Wrangler’ building. This western clothing store has been a beacon in the petite downtown since the late 1800s, but these days you’d be more likely to be agonising over whether you can really rock a diamond-encrusted Stetson rather than afford a nice chunk of bison that used to hang from the meat rails out front. My answer to both, in Cheyenne, you sure can. While Europeans might well scoff at the American idea of ‘history’, Cheyenne has packed it in since being established in 1867.

Wafting my ‘old-fashion AC unit’ fan as we tour the city in our trolley, Esther, the tales from the wild west start to come to life. Driving around we hear about western favourites Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok, enterprising brothel madams who invited local ladies to tea in the afternoons while providing a backdoor escape route for their husbands and the secretive tunnels that run underneath the town purportedly to heat buildings using steam from the railroad.

What took me aback was the wealth of strong women in the history of Cheyenne. Our trolley’s namesake was Esther Hobart Morris, widely celebrated as a hero in the suffragette movement and America’s very first female Justice of the Peace. Just before her appointment, Wyoming had become the first state to give women the vote, ultimately earning it the nickname ‘The Equality State’. Let’s bear in mind that they were given the right to vote so there were enough voting citizens to meet the population requirement for statehood…but nevertheless, they beat us Brits to it by nearly 50 years. #GirlBoss.

In addition to the historic marvels in town, you can feel the pioneering spirit in modern-day Cheyenne. On a quick evening exploration of downtown I stumble across co-working space/bar/coffee shop Paramount, housed in a vintage cinema, we sup craft ales between sucking at the game corn-hole on the patio at Danielmark’s Brewing and nibble finger food at afternoon tea at the lovingly restored Nagle Warren Mansion B&B with owner Jim. This marriage of the hipster and the Old West makes me want to move right in but saddle up, reader, the trail continues…

Leaving Cheyenne we make a quick pit stop at the highly instagrammable foodie spot, Chugwater. This teeny town of 212 people hosts The Chugwater Chili Cook-Off every June and is home to Wyoming’s oldest operating soda fountain. The faded beige and yellow store sits alone on a dusty main road and pushing the door, the bell tinkles and you step back in time. Sit at the bar, order a maltshake under the watchful gaze of Wendell the elk and his collection of vintage bottles and cans, and fall in love with a tradition that time almost forgot.

Fuelled by a Hawaiian sea salt maltshake, we explore historic Oregon Trail sites the Ruts at Guernsey, a lasting memory from the wagons travelling west for a better life, and Register Cliff and Fort Laramie, an impressive National Parks site that captures the spirit of the principal military post on the Northern Plains. The town of Fort Laramie is home to the treasure trove Frontier Trading Post, with locally made Native American Indian bags and accessories which certainly found homes in my suitcase before we decamped to the homey delights of Fort Laramie B&B.

The B&B is on owners Kathy and Arnold’s working ranch, where they’ve lovingly created a western paradise where guests stay in the plush Officer’s Quarters, a teepee complete with a ‘Go Your Own Way’ cushion and dreamcatcher, cosy repurposed sheep wagon or wood clad Cowboy Bunkhouse clustered around an open campfire and ranch building with communal library, collection of Stetsons and vintage bar

After claiming the teepee, I took to a rocking chair on the ranch building’s wrap-around porch as Kathy rustled up some delicious American fare. Later on, swapping travel tales around the crackling campfire, I’m schooled in the art of s’mores, then, guided by stars and a lantern, I snuggle in my teepee to the lullaby of crickets and maybe a distant coyote or two. Just saying ‘coyote’ would have terrified me a few days previous but being in the Cowboy state must make you embrace nature and toughen up.

Over Cowboy Coffee, brewed over the fire, and crunchy doughnut-like bear signs we reluctantly plan our next move, knowing we’ve experienced some of the best the state has to offer in Kathy and Arnold’s company. Waving goodbye, we hit the trails again, this time for Casper, for a tour of the National Historic Trails Interpretive Centre with Rob – not Ron – Swanson, a peek at the city’s very own T-Rex and an incredible 3-hour trip on the original Oregon Trail in a repro covered wagon complete with a lunchtime steak cookout. Yes, this state is as varied and wild as it sounds. We end our day in Casper with moonshine cocktails at circus-themed Backwards Distillery, live country Lorde covers in the recently launched David Street Station plaza and bar snacks and arcade games at The Gaslight Social. Another city to put on my ‘I could live here’ list.

From Casper we drive through dusty, storied towns like Medicine Bow, just missing the turning for local curio the Fossil Cabin Museum, a cabin constructed entirely of dinosaur bones and stopping for cokes by the historic Virginian Hotel, with its plush dark wood and flocked wallpaper. Every spot in this sparsely populated state is rich in culture and intrigue and by the time we pull into hot springs town Saratoga, we’ve forgotten what year we’re road tripping in and are thrown by lunch at forward-thinking restaurant Firewater, which wouldn’t feel out of place in Brooklyn. Saratoga’s natural springs have made it a tourist hotspot which can sustain diverse local businesses, from the conscious cuisine of Firewater to the vintage western clothing store Strong Tower Design and local dive Rustic Bar, packed to the rafters with locals clocking-off, sharing jokes with the resident stuffed mountain lions.

This brings us back to our opening encounter with Chancey and his band over dinner with local, but NY Times Bestselling, author C.J Box in that dark Hotel Wolf dining room. Chuck (CJ) has recently released the 18th book in his Joe Pickett crime series which centres around the town. He talks with passion and pride about Wyoming and the light he has shone on it through his work. That book, The Disappeared, focuses on the disappearance of a British woman enticed to the area by the promise of freedom for her wild heart to roam free. As I ride out at the riverside Vee Bar Ranch the next morning with my horse Aspen, the wranglers trusting his training to eclipse my non-existent experience, I understand wholeheartedly what brought her to Wyoming and vow to come back to feel the wind buffeting against my non-ironic Stetson.

We flew into Denver International Airport to explore the south of Wyoming on a direct flight from London Heathrow with United Airlines, united.com. To plan your very own wild Wyoming adventure we’d recommend you check out the downloadable itinerary planning tools at visitwyoming.com.

North America Travel Service offers a six-night holiday based on our itinerary from £1,132 per person including return flights with British Airways into Denver from London Heathrow, 7 days’ intermediate 4-door car hire, including insurance and satellite navigation, and six nights’ accommodation (2 nights’ room only at Little America in Cheyenne, 1 night at Fort Laramie Bed & Breakfast, 1 night inc breakfast at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper, 1 night room only at Saratoga Hot Springs, 1 night inc breakfast and accommodation only at Vee Bar Guest Ranch in Laramie). Price based on two people sharing and based on travel in September 2018. To book please visit www.northamericatravelservice.co.uk, or call 0161 839 8844.

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Fashion

Interview | Victoria Ekanoye

This week I caught up with actress and girl boss Victoria Ekanoye to discuss her busy schedule as an actress her charity work and how she maintains that perfect balance and most importantly how she likes to switch off from the world – take an insight into her world!

1) Tell us about your favourite holiday destination?

Ah you’ve started with a tough one! I’ve been so lucky to see so much of the world in my line of work, but Koh Samui, Thailand is probably up there with one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. The people are so warm and accommodating, and the food is incredible. Fresh coconuts chopped from the tree every morning is definitely an indulgence I could get used to!

2) You live a fast pace life – with your work between the US, France and the U.K. – what are your beauty regime essentials that you can’t deal without?

With stage/screen make up being an almost daily part of my job, I’d say that regardless of the products, cleansing your skin at night (especially taking off your make up) so that your skin can breathe and heal, is a must! I have an amazing beautician, Claire Hayhurst, at Blush in Rawtenstall and she has recently introduced me to Environ, Skin EssentiA, so I’m currently trialling that. As a basic rule, I drink a minimum of 2 litres of water a day, try to get 8 hours sleep every night and have recently cut out dairy, which I’d say has made the biggest different to my whole body.

3) Tell us about your charity work? And why you’re so passionate about it?

I suppose this is how many people feel, but our family seems to have been dealt more than its fair share of illnesses, it’s been really tough. I’m extremely grateful for the aid we’ve received and just feel that with whatever influence I’m fortunate to have, I want to use it to help those who’ve helped us. I’m currently working on projects with Sickle Cell Care Manchester, The Rossendale Hospice and The Christie to help raise funds for the incredible, selfless work they do.

4) We live in a social media age – how do you switch off?

I like to take long baths with essential oils, candles and music. It’s nice to be able to switch off from the constant pinging of a mobile phone and to try and unclog your mind of the days stresses. I fall asleep to guided mediation most nights which really helps to reset my mind for the next day.

5) How did you get into acting?

Well, I didn’t exactly train the conventional way; we couldn’t afford as a family for me to attend the expensive drama schools, but I loved to perform, so I had a rather fanciful childhood of make believe and was constantly asking my family to watch whatever ‘entertainment’ I’d cooked up that week!

I think training in musical theatre is pretty vital as it equips you with technique to fall back on, especially when doing 8 shows a week. Tv and Film work, I feel, leaves a little more scope for raw talent. I struggled initially, feeling I would always be at disadvantage, but then I realised with age that the benefit of not training forced me to really trust my instincts and that in turn stopped me from overthinking the scene and allowed me to develop the character naturally.

I’m a singer first and foremost and so my career began in The Lion King. I went to an open audition and luckily they took a chance on me. It truly was a life changing experience and I couldn’t be more grateful for the lessons I learnt there. That was a pivotal point in my career and life and I’ll always have a place in my heart for the people and the show.

6) Any tips for young actresses trying to make it?

Get as much experience as you can (paid or unpaid), trust your instincts and never stop learning. My very first Lion King director, Alex Sumner Hughes, suggested I try a few classes at The Actors Centre in Covent Garden, London and it ignited a little flame in belly for the tiny but vital subtleties in screen acting; the micro expressions, active listening, reacting…it made me want to film as much as possible so that I could watch my scenes back and really be honest with myself, work out what my strengths and my weaknesses were.

I found it so important to be able to self critique, it enabled me to find my niche, but it was also really important to be able to take others’ constructive criticism, both actors and non actors.

We aren’t always aware of how we come across and I really feel that your perspective must always be challenged in order for you to learn and grow. Plus you may be really funny and missing out on a career as the new Robin Williams, but not know it!
Last, but probably most important – don’t be disheartened by a ‘No’. A ‘No’ is just an opinion, opinions are subjective and that one person’s taste may completely differ from the next. This is your dream, not theirs, so don’t give them the power to put out that fire in your belly…persevere.

7) We also heard that you like to sing! Tell us more about that!

Haha, I’m sure I drove my family and friends insane as a a little girl singing Whitney around the house. My mum loved her and I was just blown away by the command she had over her instrument. She was the reason I started singing and all I knew how to do was mimic her. My mum once entered me into local Stars in Their Eyes competition without telling me and I won singing ‘I Will Always Love You’. I think that was the point where I thought..hmmm maybe I’m not too bad at this!! I used to write a lot, which I always promised myself I would pick up again, but I never imagined I would end up in Musical Theatre as I had a crippling fear of acting.

The Lion King knocked that right out of me! You’re on stage, 6 nights a week, in front of over 2000 people, in one of the biggest shows in the world and you’re surrounded by such incredible talent…it is terrifying. But, you learn fast and you grow and ultimately you know that you don’t get to say ‘sorry guys, I messed up, can we just do that bit again. It’s live! So you just have to throw yourself in the deep end and trust yourself. It was my training and one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. At the moment, whilst working on tv, I don’t get to sing as much as I’d like, but when I’m lucky enough it’ll be jazz, the blues and every now and then a little rock!

8) What does sickle cell mean to you – and as an ambassador of the charity – what more can we do for awareness

Unfortunately, Sickle Cell is an illness that a lot of people suffer from, but not a lot of people know about. Simply put, it’s a severe form of anaemia. Best case scenario, you’re extremely lucky and don’t suffer too badly from the symptoms, are able to live a relatively normal life and are lucky enough to have children; maybe even see them have children. Worst case scenario, you can be on life time medication, become bed ridden, require regular blood transfusions, life saving operations, sometimes amputations and sadly, it can be fatal.

More than anything, because the doctors are already working brilliantly, I want to really help raise awareness of the condition and subsequently more funds, in order to enrich the lives of those suffering.

9) You seem like the perfect Girl Boss, everything we love at House of Coco – but girl bosses have a lot to balance – how do you manage your time – and how do you stay focused?

My calendar is my saviour! The minute I’m asked to do something, arrange anything, it goes straight in and gets checked regularly. There are a million positives to being a part of the entertainment industry, we’re extremely fortunate, but one of the few negatives is that you can’t really plan ahead with your loved ones.

My schedule can get really hectic and there isn’t a lot of routine as filming schedules can change last minute, so you just have to get good at dealing with change. Meditation and training come hand in hand and really help me to focus on the task at hand rather than allowing my mind to wander. My trainer, Lisa Latona, at Nuffield Health really pushes me and helps me step outside my comfort zone, which in turn equips me to be mentally stronger and take on whatever fun new challenge life throws into the mix!

10) It is so important to have ‘Me Dates’ what do you do in your spare time just to treat yourself and take care of your soul?

They say ‘home is where the heart is’, so flying to my home in Villefranche Sur Mer is all the soul healing I need. There’s nothing like getting off the plane, feeling that warm air on your skin, that distinctive scent of the Mediterranean and being greeted by the big grin on my partner’s face. Cheesy, I know, but life is for living and I intend to love unashamedly.

Family really is everything and when we get the chance we like to take trip to The Woodland spa in Burnley, I challenge anyone to leave not feeling like they’ve had a reboot! Lastly, my closest friends keep me sane and there’s no better feeling than laughing until your stomach hurts, which we do regularly, so spending time with them is always therapeutic.

11) The best place you’ve eaten?

Ah this is so hard, I’m such a foodie! I’m not sure I can choose as I ate at some incredible places before progressing to a plant based diet and although there are more and more options in restaurants now, I still prefer to cook at home for friends and family. My favourite cuisine is Thai, but I have to be a little reserved with the chillies when cooking for others, as I like it very very spicy.

12) What’s in your bag?

Haha, erm…depends on where I’m going! I guess on a normal day I’ll always have water, hand cream/san’, car/housekeys, my bank card, chewing gum, my fave perfume Absolutey Blooming by Dior and a red lipstick in case it turns into an evening affair.

13) What are you listening to?

My taste in music has become quite eclectic over the years, purely because of the different genres I’ve needed to research for work. Besides Sade, whom I can listen to whatever the weather, it often depends on my mood. I love the Blues and trip hop artists like Portishead, but then I love the high energy of a Basement Jaxx track. My fave ‘newer’ artists are London Grammar, JP Cooper, Ry X and Jack Garrat, but my song obsession at the moment is ‘Eclipse’ by Joseph Lawrence and The Garden. Love love love that kind of vocal. Having said all that, you can never go wrong with Tina and MJ!

Photo Credits

Photographer | Narita Savoor

Beauty | Natasha Ekanoye @ Liberte Rawtenstall

Styled by | Taheed Khan using pieces from Hosh Rosie Billington Monokain and Lisa Jayne Dann exclusive

Assitant | Kirsty Kaye

Location | Gotham Hotel Manchester

Shot exclusively for House of Coco

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Dog-friendly

TeamCocopup: Fugitive Motel is Bethnal Green’s favourite new all day hangout

On a perfect late summer afternoon, TeamCocopup Charlie made his way to The Fugitive Motel. An achingly cool all day bar and restaurant that oozes mid-century modern personality without any fuss.

Located right by the arches on Bethnal Green, The Fugitive Motel is a great place to enjoy everything from artisanal coffee to vegan pizzas and craft tipples with your favourite furry friends.

Fugitive Motel takes inspiration from the classic American motels of the late 1950s and 60s and features plenty of quirky industrial elements mixed in with colourful retro design details. The bar is a mad men style wood and granite bar offering an impressive variety of craft beers from local and international producers. The booths — with some welcome kitsch details — are exceptionally charming. You almost feel like you are transported to an easy diner in palm springs.

The menu is as easy as the interiors and has plenty of sharing options, but the star of the show has to be the pizza. We had the Ole Faithful which is a delicious blend of prosciutto, rocket, olives, and mozzarella. The Smokey One is a great option for meat lovers, and offers spicy nduja sausages, sweet pepper, chorizo, red onion, smoked mozzarella and pesto. The ice cream is worth shouting about too. Don’t leave Fugitive Motel without a scoop (or three) of the Ricotta ice cream, it’s the perfect dessert to indulge in this season.

This versatile all day spot is great for prolonged brunches, co-working, early dinners, late night drinks, shuffleboard competitions, and of course — doggy dates. Fugitive Motelis extremely dog-friendly, with pups even allowed on the booths. During our visit, we had at least two other doggy neighbours who were definitely enjoying their stay. Because no matter what you’re in the mood for,there’s a vacancy for everyone at The Fugitive Motel – especially for four legged guests.

www.fugitivemotel.bar

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