Perfil de CousinMonks

Together with some fellow Qypers, I attended last night's event at the new Dermalogica store.
To be honest, it was a bit like preaching to the converted for me as I'm a bit of a fan anyway. I'm a sucker for promises of 'luminous' skin!

Sat in a classroom environment with the rest of the group freaked me out a little initially but once we got started and everyone relaxed. It was actually quite good fun.

We were shown the ideal Dermalogica cleansing routine – it was all hands-on, everyone cleansing, exfoliating, applying face masks. The face mask was hilarious because after application it gradually got more orange the longer it was on your face, very WAG-esque after 10 mins. This demonstration went on for about an hour and we were all glowing at the end of it. The member of staff who was taking us through all of this was great, she didn't mind all of our questions, and every answer didn't end with recommendation of a product, which was refreshing.

Afterwards we went for some 'face mapping'. I've heard good things about this but, to be honest, the person that spoke to me for all of 30 seconds obviously didn't want to be at work at 8pm and it showed. Bit of a shame as it lost them a star. As I said, I'm a sucker for all this and I'd have bought porridge in a tube if they told me I'd wake up looking amazing. Some people did get really good advice, so don't let my comments deter you.

I enjoyed it more than I thought and would recommend going along to have a chat to them about any skin issues you may have. The products are very good (they do a men's range too) and it's a really friendly place. The staff really are approachable, unlike some beauty counters or salons.

I was really looking forward to going here. It was hot date night with Mr H, and after hearing so much about it (he's been three times already) I was desperate to go.

I shall not be going again.

Oh my god could the service get any worse?

Thankfully the food was good, but, I've had better for the price. I really enjoyed the starter. I had duck egg and rarebit soldiers. The egg was perfect, though they initially forgot to bring me anything to eat it with, but I let that one go. Mr H had the salt beef - he loved it. I didn't. It just wasn't my thing, rather than there being anything wrong with it.

A good variety of food on the menu left me spoilt for choice. I really wanted to eat a number of the dishes on there, and in the end I went for a huge steak and mushroom pie. I liked it but it was a little dry, there was not much gravy in the pie, and being a northern lass I like my gravy. We ordered carrots and parsnips, which were also well cooked, not too soft. We also ordered mashed potatoes. These were cold, so I sent them back. After telling the waiter they were cold he stuck his hand on it. I wonder, if he'd thought the temperature acceptable, would he have expected us to eat them? We got a new piping hot mash. Eventually.

Dessert was Eton mess for me. This was okay, but Mr H had a better third course. His choice of cheese and biscuits was lovely; it was a really nice selection of both.

At the end of the meal I ordered a port, to go with the cheese I was stealing from Mr H. He asked the waiter for a list of whiskeys. We got the menu but he never came back to take the order. This was the kind of thing that was typical throughout the night, nothing major happened, no-one spilled food on me or anything, but the service was just poor and inattentive to the point where it became really annoying and kind of ruined the night. Whilst I hate nothing more than waiting staff looming over you, interrupting your conversation, this was at the other end of the spectrum - we were more-or-less ignored. We were sat with empty glasses; no-one asked if we needed another drink. I managed to get the attention of the waiting staff and before I'd finished asking for another glass of wine, he's started to walk off without waiting or even bothering to ask what my partner wanted.

Being tucked away in the back dining room may have been the problem, but it shouldn't be an excuse for this type of service.

Also, when paying, the waiter proceeded to talk to other people at the same time, handing back the card and receipt with little acknowledgement. It was just rude in my opinion.

So, after being so keen to go, I was truly disappointed. It was a shame because the food wasn't bad but the service means I won’t be recommending it to anyone

Surprised by the reviews about this place treating customers poorly, our waiter last night was great, really friendly and helpful. We spoke to two other waiters as well and each was very courteous. The service was speedy without feeling you were rushed.
Food wise, the fish-finger-shaped halloumi cheese was interesting, my lamb main was really tasty and much better than anything I've ever had in a kebab shop in Camden. No dessert for us but free Turkish coffees at the end was a nice touch.
Overall it was a great, cheap and friendly place, I wouldn't make a trek across London for it, but if you're in the area and fancy Turkish then I'd give it a go.

Attended a Qype event here last night, and whilst it was a bit of a pain to get to it was well worth the getting lost on the way.
We spent the fist part of the night in the Billiards Room where they have a number of American 8-ball pool tables, before moving downstairs to the bar.
The place itself has a really nice feel to it. It feels quite cosy, but it isn’t particularly small, and the staff is incredibly friendly. Half the pub is for eating (and the food was lovely) and the rest of it is for…well, boozing, I guess. The spilt in the layout of the bar is quite a good feature – you can drink and watch the football or lounge on sofas in one half, and sit for some great food in a more gastro pub environment in the other. It all melds together quite nicely instead of feeling like two separate venues. My only complaint – the olives weren't great and too expensive. Petty, maybe, but I do like my olives!

I was disappointed with the restaurant: food was a little cold and my cous cous tasted of washing-up liquid. My other half wants to go back but I’d rather just head to the cellar to drink mojitos.

I’d give the bar 5 stars as it’s fab. I love it cosy dark, late night feel. Oh and I can have a sneaky ciggie out the back which helps, what with me being a filthy smoker and all.

Live Jazz is on a Sunday night. Never been (don’t like jazz!) but it is the type of music that fits well with the atmosphere of this bar.

Part of me wants to say the bar is rubbish so that no-one goes and I can still get a seat, but that would be naughty of me. Give it a try.

Opposite All Bar One, above a dry cleaners, doesn’t sound like the most salubrious or relaxing of places, but try this place out and you’ll exit feeling thoroughly chilled and pampered.

I had a facial/massage and was very impressed - must have been relaxing as I fell asleep.

They do all you would expect - waxing, nails, facilas, massage, pedicure, and treatments for men too.

Everyone was very friendly and the prices are pretty reasonable.

DermaQuest products available.

If you're walking through Richmond Park in need of a coffee and a cake, then this is your place. In its own gardens with great views over London, it's a really gorgeous little place.

The grounds of Pembroke Lodge are a fabulous addition to the park, and for anyone old enough to remember Ian Dury, there is a memorial bench in the gardens at Poet's Corner. The bench is solar powered and you can plug in your headphones to listen to a selection of his music and his Desert Island Discs interview.

It is also a super place to hold your wedding, as I did.
Not only are the staff amazing, doing all you could ever ask of a wedding venue, but the place is in unbelievably cheap to hire, particularly considering it is in such a beautiful setting in one of the most expensive boroughs of London.

You can hire the upstairs, or the larger downstairs venue where you get use of the terrace too - but be warned you may be sharing it with people having a coffee!

http://www.iandury.co.uk/memorial_bench.htm

If you like your food organic and overpriced then this is the shop for you, which is probably why it's so full of Kew's yummy mummies feeling better about themselves by putting overpriced soil-caked ya-ya berries in their children's tummies.

It has won numerous soil association/organic awards so it must be doing something right. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for the wholefood organic market and fully welcome the opening of such stores but this place is very expensive in comparison to many I shop in.

Positives: great breads, sells fab chilli chocolates, and has an extensive collection of organic/natural beauty products, plus vits and supplements. It stocks Dr Hausckha's full range. The lady that looks after this section is extremely helpful and friendly too.

It recently opened a 'Therapy Rooms' next door where you can get you life sorted or your legs waxed too.

Great litttle place at the back of St Martin's Lane. As well as great food (including mexican pig-snacks - yum) the staff are so friendly, it really makes a change in this part of town.

Super cheap, super tasty, and a great concept. I recommend you try it out.

Oh and take the little matchbook they give you at the end, it has jalepeno pepper seeds inside so you can grow your own.

Owned by Richard Corrigan, who owns the fantastic Lindsay House, this place is a bit of a let down. I was expecting far more from the food and definitely from the service.

The chorizo stuffed squid starter was a winner. The fish pie main dish, dull. Now I guess the fish pie might seem a boring choice, but it takes a god chef to make a good fish pie, it ain't as simple as it appears. Anyway, it was a bit weak. I've had much better.

The selction of fresh fish, cooked in any manner you choose would probably be a better choice in a venue like this, and did get the thumbs up from my dining companions. Now for dessert. Yes, I chose the traditional option again, decided to play it safe and went for my favourite: the chocolate pudding. Now I know my chocolate puddings and this wasn't at all good. It was dry, not a hint of that steamed moistness you expect from a pudding, and didn't taste particularly chocolately. The accompanying custard was on the cold side of warm. Either give it me cold or make sure it's piping, not 'left on the side for 10 minutes' temperature', not when I'm payingf £100 plus a-head. I did taste a friend's apple tart, which was delightful, maybe I just chose the wrong thing.

Two particularly sour points about the evening: one of my dining companions was given the wrong dessert. The waitress merely shrugged and said if she wanted her original choice she would have to wait another 20 minutes. There was no apology.

Another friend was a vegetarian. And I know it was a fish restaurant but he didn't pick the venue, seriously, how hard can it be to have somethign other than goats' cheese (which he is allergic to) on your menu. We even phoned ahead to let them know and they said not to worry at all. Upon telling this to the waiter when placing our order, he was far from impressed and merely moved on to the next person ordering without uttering a word. Anyway, a vegetarian dish did arrive. Guess what it was? A bowl of pasta with cheese, brilliant. And it was overcooked.

Has a privaye room that sits about 14 too.

The lady at the cloakroom is a little gem. The best thing about this place.