Belgium - House Of Coco Magazine

Belgium February 3, 2019

London Hotel Hacks You Should Know About

You must know by now that #TeamCoco love a bit of luxury. Let’s be real, though, not many of us can be lounging on velvet sofas in 5-star hotels every night of the week. While that elevated state of being is firmly on our Vision Boards, we can still live the lives we want to lead (and explore the capital’s instagrammable sights) thanks to a few of our favourite London hotel hacks. Check them out below and let us know of any other spots you just can’t keep to yourself…

.Kip Hotel, getsomekip.com

The .Kip hotel is a stone’s throw from Hackney Central Station. You could honestly stick your head out of the window to see how long you’ve got until your next ‘Gingerline’ train, grab your complimentary coffee from the front desk and be on the platform in 7 minutes.

With that in mind, some of the more luxe rooms can get a little noisy with their windows facing the street and train line. However, with minimal, monochrome interiors and rooms starting from around £40 a night (dependant on room type, day of the week, peak times of year etc), we dare you to complain.

I work regularly in London and staying here works out cheaper than a commuter train home – big fan.

Qbic, qbichotels.com/london

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Amsterdam-based hotel chain Qbic came to London in 2013 but if you haven’t discovered them – now’s the time. They’ll soon be opening in Brussels and Manchester with their innovative cube living approach. When you enter a Qbic bedroom you’ll be met with a super comfy bed with all the mod-cons you’d expect and a cleverly designed bathroom right behind it. Far from feeling cold and too much like #Ikea, the hotel is full of quirky, arty touches ranging from neon questioning ‘Alright, treacle?’ to a giant pupper in sunglasses as your head board.

We particularly love their Aldgate East hotel for its late opening bar (an Old Fashioned nightcap at the end of a long day is the ONE!), its sustainable credentials and the fact that rooms start from only £60 – be sure to sign up for their newsletter for an extra 12% off.

hub by Premier Inn, premierinn.com

We all know the classic brands like Premier Inn but, if you’re like me your idea of staying in one will be marred by that nasty one you booked for your friends’ wedding which was next to a petrol station as you were too cheap to splash out on the country manor. hub by Premier Inn is a tech focused sub-brand offering cosy, compact rooms in the centre of London and Edinburgh. They promise Hypnos beds and ‘monsoon showers’ and I’m booking myself in next time I can’t drag myself away from the cocktail bar to get my train home. Rooms start at £69/night in London, £49/night in Edinburgh.

Bloc Hotel Gatwick, blochotels.com

We all want to max out our holidays, especially when sneaking off for a weekend away. Our new discovery has been the comfy bedrooms at Bloc Hotel Gatwick, 5 minutes from the South Terminal security gates.

Rock up to the airport the night before your flight, drop your bags in your room and then pop out to the airport restaurants (pre-security) to enjoy Bloc Hotel’s deals. No stress crossing London in the wee hours and you’ll be out of bed, through security and leafing through House of Coco with a flat white before you know it. From £75/night.

Belgium March 26, 2018

Boracay’s Best Eats

Boracay has been consistently named the Best Beach in the world and for good reason. From its powder white sand, to pristine shorelines, this tropical paradise in the Philippines is a dream destination that also packs a culinary punch. Team Coco rounds up the best restaurants in Boracay, for lush island dining that marries tropical flavours with stunning sea views.

1. Lemoni Café

Located at the centre of Boracay’s bustling commercial center in D’Mall, Lemoni Café has been a favourite of both locals and tourists alike for over thirteen years. Their zesty open air interiors give way to an even zestier menu with a selection of fresh lunch ciabattas and baguettes, along with an all day breakfast that is second to none. From mint-pineapple to watermelon ginger, their refreshing smoothies and shakes also prove to be the best way to beat the scoring island heat.

For dinner, start off with some of the Thai Fishcakes, and follow it up with the absolutely scrumptious tiger Prawn Risotto. Lemon Cafe is known as the best dessert destination on the island with a selection of sweet confectionary sensations from Belgian chocolate flourless cakes, to coconut panacottas. My personal favourite is the Mango Madness – a glorious no bake cake with crumbly wafer crust, vanilla cream, and sweet Philippine mangoes. Not to mention, all of lemon cafe’s delectable cakes and breads are baked on site, so you are guaranteed to indulge in a dessert that’s fresh out of the oven.

2. The Lind Boracay

The Lind Boracay may be one of the island’s newer openings, but has instantly become one of the all around best luxury destinations on Boracay. The Lind’s stunning Infinity Deck overlooks the horizon and their gorgeous Manny Samson designed interiors make the Lind a cut above the rest. Their two restaurants, Tartine & Crust are just a few feet away from the pristine sands of White Beach Station 1, and serve some of the best fusion cuisine on the island.

Boodle Fights at The Lind Hotel Boracay

Sous Vide Beef at The Lind Boracay

If you haven’t heard of a Boodle Fight, it is a gargantuan feast of local Filipino delicacies served on massive banana leaves and eaten with your hands. The Lind’s boodle fight meals are taken a notch higher with a luxury touch and is highly recommended for families or big groups and is great for first time visitors to Boracay. The Chef’s at the Lind also make it a point to only use fresh locally sourced ingredients. In fact, the hotel’s weekly Saturday Buffet Concept is aptly called The Lind Market. The buffet concept brings farm to table and invites guests experience local Filipino ingredients. Finally, The Chef’s Table at the Lind offers breathtaking gastronomic works of art. The Sous vide beef with sweet potato fondant and Asian greens & aromatic jus is gorgeous to look at, but even better to eat and is definitely Team Coco approved.

3. Sands at Discovery Shores Boracay

Discovery Shores Boracay has been Boracay’s go to luxury destination for over a decade. Discovery Shores is heralded as one of the World’s Best Hotels in Asia, and is ranked as one of the top 500 Hotels of the World. Their minimal architecture, ultra luxurious rooms (which feature outdoor jacuzzi’s by the way) make Discovery Shores Boracay a marvel of impeccable service and amenities. With these credentials, it is no wonder that their Sands Restaurant is also one of the best on the island.

Seafood at Sands Restaurant

Featuring stunning views of the ocean, Sands Restaurant captures the spirit of Discovery Shores barefoot elegance. Offering a stunning selection of local cuisines, Sands offers a menu with countless seafood options that are absolutely mouthwatering. As the sunset approaches, Discovery Shores transforms its generous beachfront into a gorgeous happy hour destination. “Platitos” which translates to small plates, are filled with flavourful tapas; and are served up along with your happy hour cocktail of choice.

4. Los Indios Bravos

An unimposing facade hidden in the back streets of Boracay leading to the Kite-board filled Bulabog Beach, Los Indios Bravos serves excellent craft beers and gastropub cuisine that combines a whirlwind of international delicacies with distinct island flavours. The passion project of locals Tantan Rosal and Heather Williams, and with a kitchen led by master chef Norbert Gandler, Los Indios Bravos is definitely of the island’s hidden culinary gems.

During the Spanish occupation “Indio” was a derogatory term used to refer to the island’s natives. During this time, Filipino intellectuals and revolutionaries named themselves “Los Indios Bravos” reversing the narrative and wearing this derogatory name with pride. At the Los Indios Bravos gastropub, they pay homage to these early warrior poets by combining all Filipino handcrafted beers on tap with international gastropub cuisine.

Oysters Rockefeller at Los Indios Bravos

The appetiser menu is already reason enough to pay Los Indios Bravos a visit, the Oysters Rockefeller are a constant favourite, and so is the Kilawin — which is a picked version of raw snapper or mahimahi. Aside from the excellent traditional pub grub on offer, the Golden Paratha, a flaky indian bread stuffed with tomato, yogurt and curried chicken, is a definite must try. And of course, wash it all down with a bottle of local craft beer for a true Boracay dining experience.

Accessories January 3, 2018

Designer Spotlight : Emma Keating Jewellery

When Emma Keating was young she was that child that was surrounded by colouring pencils, filling books and books with pictures of every sort of animal. As a young adult, this passion led her to fall in love with the inspirational jewellery of Lexi Dick (dragons, elephants, etc.) – which she still collects today.

After a career which began in Engineering Design (helicopters!), she has now returned to her early passions and has developed her own range of silver jewellery themed in the natural world.

Here, she chats to us at House of Coco and tells us more…

When did you launch the brand and what was the reason behind it?
Since my early 20’s, I have dreamt of making animal themed silver jewellery, after falling in love with the wonderful creations by Lexi Dick. Were it not for an unknown robber who visited us in 2014, taking with them my collection of Lexi’s pieces, I would probably still be dreaming of making animal jewellery. The robbery led to me spending a few days in her workshop in Islington and the creation of my Red-Eyed Tree Frog pendant (a.k.a. Quasimodo). The rest, as they say, is history.

Whats your background?
I was born and brought up in an oasthouse in the Kent countryside and as a child had a huge passion for all things art and animal. However, I didn’t follow these passions into adulthood and instead began working life as a helicopter design engineer. This led to me moving to Brussels where I spent 12 very happy years, working hard and playing even harder (mainly rugby!) – but still dreaming of my jewellery. It was only on returning to the UK that things really began to happen: firstly following evening classes in silversmithing, where I learnt the basics of soldering and polishing; and then moving into lost wax casting.

How many people are involved in the company and what are their roles?
Officially it’s just me. However I am very fortunate to be surrounded by brilliant people who together support me in graphic design (my best friend Ann, www.vann.be), web design (www.webmonkeystudio.com) and photography (www.corrineweaver.com). And more recently Cathy Smith, a great friend to whom I have given the unenviable task of trying to whip me into shape for marketing & PR (it’s definitely not my forte!).

If you could start over with the business, would you do anything differently?
You learn something with every step that you take when running a business and I have deliberately built the business slowly and carefully – and as a result it has largely self-funded itself. The only thing that I might have changed would be to spend more time at the beginning learning my craft before announcing it to the world. I do however often wonder what would have happened had I followed my dream when I was back in my 20’s.

What is the hardest challenge you have faced since you started the company?
Keeping all of the balls up in the air at once. As soon as you decide to transform something from a hobby to a business, you suddenly have an immensely long To Do List – none of which has anything to do with actually making! And fitting this in with young children, my husband’s business and renovating a 300 year old house has been a real challenge.

Tell us one fact about you that people wouldn’t know?
I once played rugby for Belgium (loose head prop)

2017 is here, where do you plan on taking the brand?
Each year the business takes a natural step up: this year has been about bringing a new level of professionalism to the business and building the brand. So I’ve had my first set of professionally modelled photos done, the website has undergone a major rebuild, and I’m starting to participate in bigger and more prestigious arts & crafts events nationwide. Building my on-line presence is a real priority now – but this really is my Achilles heel – so I’m gathering support!

To date, what has been the highlight since launching?
I’ve always been a huge fan of David Attenborough so I sent him a silver stag beetle ornament to say thank you for the amazing contribution that he’s made to conserving the natural world. He wrote back the same day he received it, thanking me and telling me that it is now proudly displayed on his desk.

Which city do you feel most at home in, London, Paris or New York?
I’m a bit of a country girl – but, if you’d added Brussels to the list, that would be mine: small and very friendly. Plus my daughter was born there, so I’m naturally biased.

Three beauty products you can’t leave the house without?
I’m going to cheat a little bit with this answer as I’ve never been good on the make-up and beauty front. So (1) hand cream as silversmithing gives you old ladies hands and stubby nails; (2) hair dye – OK not the dye itself but I’m a dedicated fake redhead (- well orange actually); (3) jewellery of course – even if just popping to the supermarket!

Style means….?
Being brave enough to be yourself.

Best thing about London to you?
Looking down the river at night time – it gives me the kid in a sweet shop feeling as you wonder and imagine what’s going on beyond the lights.

Statement shoe or statement bag?
I’ve always loved boots – and usually the bigger the better. However, as well as being a brilliant graphic designer, my very clever friend Ann designs handbags. So now I have my own range of handmade bags featuring my frog logo and I am immensely proud of them (and my friend).

If you had to, what piece of clothing from your wardrobe would you wear everyday?
It’s not very exciting but I have an olive green tunic with trees silhouetted on it and I’ve worn it so much that even the repairs have worn out! I still wear it but only when I’m working at my bench and no one can see me.

Favourite love song?
Mayonnaise by Smashing Pumpkins. Not really a love song but…

Best place for a coffee?
Steep Street Café in the old Folkestone High Street… and mine’s a tea, please.

Most memorable piece of advice given to you?
Don’t believe everything you think.

Guilty pleasure?
Ooh too many to list – Eton Mess is definitely near the top.

If you could spent 24 hours in anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere like the Galapagos or a tropical rainforest – basically anywhere with stunning wildlife.

In future, how do you plan on expanding the company?
It sounds a bit daft but I’ve never really wanted to run my own business – at least not alone. I’m a bit of a team player and love the creative energy that comes from working with others. So it is exciting for me that I am now starting to bring people into the business, with the aim of transforming my role from a one-man-band to a spider in the web – allowing me more creative space to develop new collections and driving the business forward.

Find out more…

www.emmakeatingjewellery.co.uk

https://www.facebook.com/EmmaKeatingJewellery/

https://www.instagram.com/emmakeatingjewellery/

From the website or the Facebook page, you can sign up to a little newsletter which I send every couple of months, letting people know what I’m working on and any exciting things which are happening.