Family Archives - The Guide to Kensington & Chelsea

Kensington Mums Back to School events for September

Local mums’ and parents’ website Kensington Mums is hosting a couple of exciting events for this month, helping you get back into the swing of things for the start of the new school year!

First up is a pampering event for all the mums out there – perfect for having a little ‘me’ time whilst the busy academic year starts up again. (Or maybe a relaxing moment after a busy summer!) Kensington Mums is proudly inviting you all to a special back to school pamper party at Salon Valentino in the heart of Kensington on Wednesday 23rd September for a blow-dry and express manicure.

Each mum will receive two treatments (which must be booked in advance with assigned time slots) – there will also be an option to have a quick make-up look (eyes/lips) which is great for both school run mums and working mums! Kids are allowed to accompany you; drinks and nibbles will also be available for all to enjoy. All mums attending will also receive ‘Love Ruuby’ vouchers, which gives you £10 off any treatment booked over £30. Tickets for this event cost £10 and must be booked in advance – book your place today!

On Friday 25th September, there’s a first aid for babies and toddlers course provided by First Aid for Life, the the leading independent supplier of award-winning first aid training in Greater London. Mums and dads will see this as a great opportunity to pick up some first aid skills that may be life-saving in the case of an emergency.

This two-hour course will be relaxed, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions throughout. Taking place at My Kid Atelier in SW6, the course costs £50 per person or £100 for couples – you can again book your spot for the course online.

More on Kensington Mums and their other upcoming events can of course be found at www.kensingtonmums.co.uk.

Kensington Mums September Events
Back to School Pamper time with Ruuby App
9.30am – 12.30pm, Wednesday 23rd September 2015
and
First Aid for Life Course
7pm – 9pm, Friday 25th September 2015

Crown & Glory Pop-Up at Anges de Sucre

Anges de Sucre on Holland Street – the local sweetshop that was voted the best café or coffee shop in Kensington in the 2014 Timeout Loves awards – will be hosting a flower crown pop-up next weekend (Friday 14th – Sunday 16th August 2015) and is inviting people of all ages to come down!

Their Crown & Glory #CGCandyshop pop-up will be a fun and creative summer event. You’ll be able to pick out your own flowers to make fantastic, long-lasting flower crown headbands, whilst also munching on Anges de Sucre’s famous and delicious macaroons and cupcakes!

Pick your own custom faux fleurs from the sweet jars and watch the Crown & Glory gang whip up a unique floral crown, fascinator, headband or clip especially for you.

Girls and ladies of all ages can pick up a beautiful accessory for summer that will perfectly compliment their own style. But men won’t be left out – gentlemen, why not pick up a floral beard? For those with furry friends, floral dog collars can also be made!

Whatever your age or style, simply select the blooms you like best and get the C&G folks to create your own unique floral masterpiece at a special rate. Whilst they’re working their magic, why not tuck into delicious macaroons and cakes, all freshly baked in store?

The Crown & Glory pop-up is open to all ages and it’s free to explore – just turn up on any of the days! Floral accessories will cost between £10 to £35 to buy, whilst coffees, macaroons and cakes are available for under £5.

Crown & Glory Pop-Up at Anges de Sucre
9am – 7pm, Friday 14th August 2015
9.30am – 7pm, Saturday 15th August 2015
10am – 6pm, Sunday 16th August 2015
1 Holland Street
W8 4NA
www.angesdesucre.com

It’s All About Piano returns to the Institut français, 27 – 29 March

The third edition of the music festival It’s All About Piano returns to the Institut français at the end of March, with a wide variety of piano-themed events featuring musicians and artists from all around the world.

Curated by the Institut’s Head of Classical and Contemporary Music, Françoise Clerc, It’s All About Piano is the only festival in London that’s dedicated to this, the “king of instruments”. The festival aims to give its audience a chance to become more familiar with the instrument through events that combine piano playing with art, film and theatre. The festival also allows artists from a wide variety of different disciplines to work together.

The festival will open on Friday 27th March with two multimedia recitals that will fuse animated images by the Brothers Quay and Kandinsky with music by Janáček and Mussorgsky, commissioned by the Cité de la Musique in Paris and performed by Uzbekistan-born French pianist Mikhail Rudy. That same evening, French-Cypriot pianist Cyprien Katsaris will improvise to a champagne tasting given by French Bubbles co-founder Maud Fierobe; this will be followed by a recital given by British jazz pianist John Taylor. All of these events will be held at Kings Place.

On the Saturday and Sunday of the festival, events will move to the Institut français itself with recitals and readings, film screenings, a sing-along concert, a story-telling event, and free tuition for beginner piano players, plus workshops on How to Build Your Own Piano and The Art of Piano Tuning. The Institut français’ house bistro will also be turned into a ‘piano bar’ on these two days, with improvised jazz sessions being performed on both days.

It's All About Piano 2015 — Pictured left to right: Angela Hewitt (credit Bernd Eberle) Cyperien Katsaris (credit Jean-Batptise Millot) François-Frédéric Guy (credit Benjamin de Diesbach) Mikhail Rudy (credit mr) Peter Donohoe (credit Sussie Ahlburg)

These weekend events will include recitals from international pianists François-Frédéric Guy and Peter Donohoe; a concert from Julien Gonzales, who is the 8-time winner of the Accordion World Championship; the London première of Messiaen’s La Fauvette Passerinette given by pianist and scholar Peter Hill who discovered the work in 2012; a collaboration between students from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris and students of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama recorded by BBC Radio 3; a masterclass with Angela Hewitt; and ciné-concerts with improvised accompaniment to French classics created by Louis Feuillade and Max Linder.

Locals will of course know of the Institut français as a famed language centre, which today also comprises a multimedia library, cinema and French bistro. The centre also strives to contribute to London’s cultural life with many of its events that are held throughout the year – these include live broadcast screenings of the Opéra national de Paris and the Aix-en-Provence Festival; family chamber concerts organised in collaboration with the Cavatina Chamber Music Trust; and a network of contemporary classical music projects organised in partnership with the Franco-British fund for contemporary music, Diaphonique.

The full line-up of It’s All About Piano can be found at institut-francais.org.uk/itsallaboutpiano, where you can also book tickets for all events.

It’s All About Piano
27th – 29th March 2015
Institut français
17 Queensberry Place
SW7 2DT

and

Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG

institut-francais.org.uk/itsallaboutpiano/

Half term events at Gambado Chelsea

It’s half term week – of course! – and many of you will be looking for fun activities to keep the little ones entertained. Indoor play and party centre Gambado is running a full timetable of events this week that will feature plenty of face-painting, balloon modelling, character visits and more!

Better still, if your child is dressed up as his or her favourite character, they will receive a voucher to come back at a fraction of the cost! (Offer valid Monday Monday 16th February to Sunday 21st February 2015. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.)

There will also be a daily treasure hunt where someone can win a family membership pass!

So, calling on all Elsas, superheroes, pirates and princesses to come down to Gambado this half term!

The full timetable of events:

Monday 16th February
11am Meet Gambado the Tiger
1pm Treasure Hunt
3pm Meet Spiderman

Tuesday 17th February
10.30am Chinese New Year Mask Making with Queen Quack (Requires prebooking via Gambado’s Facebook page – £20 per child)
11am Meet Gambado the Tiger
1pm Treasure Hunt
3pm Meet a Storm trooper

Wednesday 18th February
10.30am & 11am A free taster Alphabet Dance class (18months – 4 years)
1pm Treasure Hunt
3pm Meet Gambado the Tiger

Thursday 19th February
11am & 12noon A free taster Street Dance class (4-11yrs)
1pm Meet Gambado the Tiger
5-7pm Pirate & Princess Disco, come dressed as a Pirate or Princess and join us for an evening of dancing games & competitions. Hot Dog and 1 free adult included. (Requires prebooking via Gambado’s Facebook page – £12 non-member per child & £10 member per child)

Friday 20th February
11am Meet Gambado the Tiger
1pm Treasure Hunt
3pm Meet a Princess

Half term events at Gambado Chelsea
16th – 20th February 2015
7 Station Court
Townmead Road
Chelsea
SW6 2PY
www.gambado.com/clubs/chelsea

Kensington Mums’ Social Events this August and September

If you’re a little down because summer’s almost over (and the weather seems to suggest that summer’s definitely over) then don’t fear – local parenting website Kensington Mums once again have a number of exciting events lined up to ease you into Autumn!

On Thursday 18th September, from 1pm to 3pm, Kensington Mums will be hosting a Beauty Masterclass at Whole Foods Kensington – join Whole Foods’ in-house healthy eating specialist Maura and learn how to make some amazing natural products…that you’ll also be able to take home! The products you’ll be taught how to make are an apple cider vinegar toner, a ‘Green Goddess’ face mask, and a coffee & coconut body scrub. The class costs £10 and little ones are welcome – learn how to make something new (and healthy!) as well as connecting with local, like-minded mums. Booking is essential, and can be done online – places are limited, so early booking is recommended! More details here.

If you’re after something equal parts relaxing and social, there’s also the Kensington Mums and Bumps Coffee Morning taking place on Monday 22nd September from 10am to 12pm at the lovely Hotel Chocolat on Kensington High Street. For £5, you’ll receive a complimentary hot drink, be able to view a chocolate presentation by the resident chocolatier and also have an opportunity to try a small selection of chocolates. You’ll also be able to take advantage of a 10% discount on any purchases made at the cafe or shop. Tickets can be booked online – once again, book early to avoid disappointment! Children welcome; more details here.

And if you’re looking for something a little more energetic to get started with straight away, the Kensington Mums Fit Club is being held in Kensington Gardens every Saturday, 10.30am to 11.30am. This free club is hosted by actual Kensington mums Sabrina and Iram, and is open to all levels – and you can jog, run, bike or just walk during the session. More details here.

More on local mums, parents and kids’ news at the excellent Kensington Mums website: www.kensingtonmums.co.uk.

Summer Street-food Festival in Kensington this June!

Many of you may well have noticed the exciting launch of City Pantry’s Summer Street-Food Festival outside of Tesco on Cromwell Road last week – and have already sampled some of the fantastic food on offer!

Exciting news reaches us that due to its first week success, the festival will be open one additional day each week. Now taking place every Wednesday to Sunday until the end of June, there will be plenty of delectable street food, family fun plus a Brazilian flavour of things, in special tribute to the World Cup.

The pop-up festival brings together some of the best stalls on the London street-food scene, including The roast of Sherwood, Crabbie Shack, Colonel Toms, Mei Mei’s street cart, Burger Pit, Roasticini, Fratelli Fumati, Loaves n Leaves – that’s really something for everyone, whatever your particular tastes and foodie faves may be!

Also on site is a Brazilian caipirinha bar and to really get into the party spirit, there’s a special 2 for 1 cocktail offer every night between 6pm and 7pm! To redeem the offer, simply follow @CityPantry on Twitter & tweet “Can’t wait to get to @citypantry #westival for cocktails at 6”.

If you’d like to delve a little deeper into the know how of cocktails, there’s also a Friday evening cocktail masterclass taking place this week (Friday 20th June), taught by head bartender and mixologist Alex Harris. To book a ticket for this week’s event, see here.

The Festival will also be hosting a number of other exciting events each week – keep up-to-date with the latest news on City Panty’s website or find them on Twitter.

Why not pop down one lunchtime or evening this week for some festival fun?

City Pantry presents A Summer Street-Food Festival
from 12pm until late every Wednesday to Sunday, until 29th June 2014
Tesco Kensington Superstore
West Cromwell Road
W14 8PB

It’s All About Piano! returns to the Institut français, 4th to 6th April

From 4th to 6th April 2014, the Institut français in London will celebrate the king of all musical instruments with its second piano festival, It’s All About Piano! Come down to discover the infinite possibilities offered by the black & white keys, from recitals to film screenings, kids activities, workshops and much more. Rising stars and the greatest pianists – including Alexeï Lubimov, Lucy Parham, Pascal Rogé, Jacky Terrasson, Pascal Amoyel – will enchant with all styles of piano music, from the classical repertoire to harpsichord recitals and jazz performances.

There’s a full range of events on each of the three days of the festival, from a recital by Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov on the Friday; a screening of the children’s film The Magic Piano (followed by a storytelling of The Out-of-Tune Piano), and a documentary on The Making of a Steinway Piano, both on the Saturday; Musical Storytelling with award-winning storyteller Jan Blake, and recitals from Geoffroy Couteau, Kenneth Weiss and David Bismuth on the Sunday – with much more on each day as well, of course! There will also be several activities and events also taking place throughout the festival, including free piano tuition and a Build Your Own Piano workshop. And if you’d like to take things easy, why not relax in the Piano Bar where you can enjoy some music whilst sampling cocktails and piano-themed delicacies?

Each event is individually priced – please see the full It’s All About Piano guide for details and to book tickets: www.institut-francais.org.uk/itsallaboutpiano.

You can also purchase a Piano Pass for £10, which will give you 50% off the price of all recitals during the festival!

Make sure to come down to the Institut français this April to sample the delights of the piano!

It’s All About Piano
4th – 6th April 2014
Institut français
17 Queensberry Place
SW7 2DT

Exciting Kensington Mums events taking place in March!

Favourite local kids and family website Kensington Mums have a number of exciting events lined up for March that we’re sure you’d love to know more about and join in with!

First up, on Friday 7th March (10am – 2pm), Kensington Mums’ Motherhood Project will be featured in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s celebration of International Women’s Day. This will take place at the Harrow Club, 187 Freston Road, W10 6TH. This is a FREE event and crèche and lunch will be provided – however, registration is required so please email silvia.zeroual@rbkc.gov.uk or info@kensingtonmums.co.uk if you would like to attend.

Next up, on Saturday 15th March (3pm – 6pm), why not celebrate Mother’s Day with a very special event hosted by Kensington Mums and featuring some top guest speakers? Taking place at The Mosaic Rooms, 226 Cromwell Road, SW5 0SW, speakers will include baby sleep expert Jo Tantum; TV presenter and founder of Miamoo, Saira Khan; and Amanda Frolich, the UK’s leading celebrity children’s entertainer. Please see www.kensingtonmums.co.uk for more information about the event and to book a place; tickets cost £30. The first 30 people through the door on the day will receive a VIP goody bag!

The following day, 16th March, will see the Where is Wally Fun Run with Kensington Mums take place in Victoria Park. All are welcome to take part, including children aged 8 and over (who must be accompanied by an adult) – registration is £20 which includes a FREE Where’s Wally? costume. No specific fitness level required – you can walk, jog or run 5 or 10km! There’s also fun races for the under 8s too – it’s £10 entry for these, including a free costume again. The event is being held in aid of the National Literacy Trust which helps struggling children to read and write. Email info@kensingtonmums.co.uk to take part.

For more details about these events and Kensington Mums in general, please see their fantastic website at www.kensingtonmums.co.uk.

Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park returns for 2013!

One of the most popular Christmas events that’s right on our doorstep – Hyde Park Winter Wonderland – is back this year! Taking place from Friday 22nd November 2013 through to Sunday 5th January 2014, the event’s usual attractions and activities from previous years will be back again, ready to get you into the Christmas spirit.

One of Winter Wonderland’s most popular attractions – ice skating on what is the UK’s largest outdoor ice rink – makes its usual appearance at this year’s event. With a rink that’s over 1,600 square metres in size, you’ll be able to skate away to your heart’s content, entertained by live music playing throughout the day and night at the Victorian Bandstand that sits by the rink.

Following its success last year, the Magical Ice Kingdom returns this Christmas – but will now be twice the size, with even more snow and ice sculptures! Created especially for Winter Wonderland, this will be a fantastical world of ice and snow with visitors being able to explore a medieval village and a giants’ forest (with ice trolls and a ogre to fight), as well as an ice castle with a scary dungeon. Have a go on the extremely-popular ice slide, but this year enjoy some refreshment at the Ice Bar too. Then sit in the Ice Swan, watch the frozen jumping fish and have a go at kissing the frog!

The youngsters will be very pleased to hear that Santa Land returns as well – with its LEGO DUPLO Santa Express, Santa’s Workshop and…Father Christmas himself, of course! He’ll be in Santa Land daily, complete with a sack of free gifts.

Additionally, after sell-out shows at last year’s event, Zippos Circus will be appearing this year as well with two special shows – Zippos Christmas Circus during the daytime, a show suitable for the whole family, and Zippos Cirque Berserk, an evening show for older thrill seekers. The daytime show is jam-packed full of jugglers, clowns and aerialists and the perfect length – at 50 minutes – for the little ones to sit through. Meanwhile, Cirque Berserk is a contemporary circus thrill show with death-defying knife-throwing, fire, the ultimate High Wire and the Wheel of Death – where two extraordinary acrobats spin together in an unbelievably small steel wheel. Additionally, VIP boxes are available for Cirque Berserk, which give you fast-track entry to your own private box, which is stocked with a bottle of champagne and chocolates.

Winter Wonderland 2013 will also feature some of my personal favourites, such as the Angels Christmas & Yuletide Markets which has over 200 stalls offering unusual and handmade cards and gifts such as ceramics, jewellery, wooden toys and Christmas decorations. And no Christmas event is complete without a Bavarian village…bratwurst and mulled wine at the ready! There will also be many other restaurants and bars on site to warm yourself up at, and plenty of theme-park style rides to have fun on.

Tickets for Ice Skating, The Magical Ice Kingdom, the Giant Observation Wheel and Zippos Circus are already on sale – book early online to avoid disappointment! But don’t forget that general entrance to Winter Wonderland is entirely free!

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2013
10am to 10pm daily, Friday 22nd November – 5th January 2014
(opens at 5pm only on 22nd November and closed on Christmas Day)
www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com
Follow Winter Wonderland on Facebook and Twitter

Kensington Mums’ upcoming events, including the Motherhood Exhibition and 2nd Birthday celebration!

Kensington Mums – the fantastic mums’ support network website for the local area – has a busy few months ahead with the unveiling of a number of fab events that will be of interest to all mums (and parents) in the neighbourhood. And they’ve also got some very exciting news of their own to share!

Today saw the first instalment of their Motherhood Exhibition, which is a monthly event celebrating and supporting mums from all backgrounds and cultures in Kensington. The exhibition will see mums sharing their own stories about and depictions of motherhood using their personal pictures, and will also prove to be a great opportunity to meet and network with other mums. Held in a different children’s centre location in the Borough each time, some sessions will also have creche facilities available, as well as playtime opportunities. For more details, see www.kensingtonmums.co.uk/kmblog/index.php/archives/5998 and contact Kensington Mums if you’d like to take part in one of the upcoming events.

On the 14th November, the website will be celebrating its second birthday – which means it’s great chance to glam up for an evening and join in with the fun! Dinner and drinks will be held at at surprise location in the area, and partners are welcome. Email info@kensingtonmums.co.uk with the subject “Happy Birthday” for more details.

For more Kensington Mums’ events – including plenty for you to enjoy with your little one(s) such as the Baby and Toddler Meetups – see their Events page, and do also subscribe to the the KM newsletter to be informed of other goings on in the area that are surely of interest to all parents.

As we’ve mentioned, Kensington Mums also have some exciting news of their own to share. After having been nominated in the Best Parent Blogger category at the 2013 Mumpreneur Awards, Dina Maktabi, the lady behind the site, is now a finalist! This particular category celebrates businesses that physically work and interact closely with clients, and the Mumpreneur Awards as a whole reward parents who juggle the demands of running businesses with family life. About being one of the finalists, Dina says:

“I am delighted to have been recognised for all the hard work I put into running Kensington Mums. It would be such a privilege and honour to win the best parent blogger. What a great way to celebrate Kensington Mums second birthday!”

Kensington Mums has also been nominated in the The Inspirational Business Mum Award, an award for the mum that’s judged to be an inspiration to all women in business. We wish Dina and Kensington Mums the best of luck at the awards and will be keeping our fingers crossed.

Check out more about Kensington Mums at their wonderful website at www.kensingtonmums.co.uk.