BAR HOPPER
WORDS BY SOPHY GRIMSHAW
PORTAL
London
Recapture that Faro-feeling or prep for your next trip at this stylish Portuguese bar and restaurant in London. Watch the sunset through the windows of the conservatory over a glass of Portuguese wine, brandy or sherry (the house wines are sourced from the restaurant’s Douro vineyard in Quinta do Portal, and start from £19.00 a bottle), then move into the candlelit main room for more drinks and indulge in a spot of dinner. A classic cocktail menu has been infused with Portuguese spirits – think Portuguese Constantino brandy in your Brandy Alexander – and there’s plenty of Portuguese spirit in the atmosphere too. 88 St John Street +44 (0)20 7253 6950 www.portalrestaurant.co.uk
MACDONALD BAR
Manchester
They say you should only eat oysters when there’s an ‘r’ in the month. We say any excuse will do! So brighten up the winter months by indulging in some champagne and seasonal oysters in of one of the city’s new hang outs, the Scottish themed bar and restaurant at the recently opened Macdonald Manchester Hotel (locals will remember that it used to be the BT building). Or if your credit cards are still smarting from Christmas, just try a cocktail. Our pick from the unusual ‘Scottish cocktails’ menu is the appropriately named Highland Fling; made with sweet vermouth, scotch and angostura bitter. Bar at Macdonald Manchester Hotel 91 London Road, Manchester +44 (0)161 272 3200 www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/manchester
LE LOFT
Cannes
As long as there are so-hip-it-hurts young artists living and working in converted warehouses, the ‘urban lounge’ look will always be with us. Far from being tired though, Le Loft in Cannes definitely does it right. As its name suggests, it’s got Manhattan street cred: exposed bricks and a cavernous feel draw in a hot crowd that makes it one of the Côte d’Azure’s coolest boîtes. Snack on a couple of the great Asian side dishes like shrimp and noodles or deep fried banana slices to stop the martinis from getting the better of you. 13 Rue du Docteur Monod, Cannes. +33 (0)493 394 039
ALCO-SHOES
While most of us struggle to recycle empty cans, British designer Georgina Goodman has made a fabulous pair of high heels out of them. “I love recycling and metal is one of the most environmentally friendly materials. Every drinks can is 100% recyclable,” says Georgina. Her shoes consist of re-shaped drinks can metal stitched onto a regular leather sole, with sturdy metal heals. They were displayed in Goodman’s Mayfair store to highlight environmental issues, before being auctioned off for charity last year. www.georginagoodman.com
PHOTOS: GEORGINAGOODMAN.COM
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