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Here at House Of Coco you know we love an innovative cocktail and a great girl boss story and this week’s interview nails both of them! We sat down with AdrinAdrina from artist duo GEM&BOLT (www.gemandbolt.com) to talk about their new, mystical mezcal. Expect mythology, heart opening ceremonies and feminine intuition, what more could you ask for?

HOC: How long have you, AdrinAdrina and Elliott, been working together as an artist duo and what brought you to creating GEM&BOLT, the spirit?

AdrinAdrina: Elliott and I have known each other our whole lives! We grew up in community of wild bohemians and our families were deeply intertwined – our fathers were actually outlaws & thespians together…

We’ve been working together as artists and business partners for around 10 years. GEM&BOLT was the culmination of our desire to bring art, plants & positive celebration to the masses.

HOC: GEM&BOLT is a delicious mezcal, can you tell us why this spirit speaks to you both? It’s not particularly celebrated at present in the UK?

AdrinAdrina: Mezcal is the cleanest spirit available: it’s additive-free and made from agave, a plant that has bathed in the sun for over 8 years brining pure solar energy.

Mezcal is thought to be medicinal by many Oaxaca people! It’s a mystical feminine spirit; the deity of ‘Agave’ is a goddess. In the UK mezcal is mainly known by the underground deep house music scene, mixologists and those into mindful drinking – all of whom are very influential. Mezcal will become the drink of choice for many, we’re sure of it!

HOC: What does Mexico mean to you? I’ve always wanted to visit from my love of Latin American novels and the lure of magical realism…

AdrinAdrina: It’s both ancient and modern at same time and magical realism is truly alive in Mexico. It’s a place that is saturated in colour and steeped in mysticism, mythology, history and STORY.

Mexico spoke to us because of our very unusual childhoods – there’s an old world grit that just really resonated.

HOC: The spirit is infused with Turnera Diffusa (damiana) which has a number of almost magical properties, can you tell us more about them?

AdrinAdrina: It was historically used by Maya, Aztec, Zapotec and other cultures around the world. It’s a flowering bush (haha!) It’s a heart opener, mind-expander, and unifier of people. It truly is a feel-good herb. What’s more, the taste profile of Agave and Damiana are a perfect marriage.

HOC: We find the flavour of GEM&BOLT really interesting and smokey, how would you recommend that we enjoy it? Are there any particular rituals to enjoying it?

AdrinAdrina: I’d recommend everyone to learn to sip and savour it, either straight up or on the rocks. You can also experiment with it and experience the spectrum of flavours: botanical, earthy, acidic, astringent, floral…

It’s also very good in cocktails. We made a drink called Bolt and Bitters, which is GEM&BOLT mezcal, 3-4 dashes of bitters, ice and a large orange peel zest! Delicious!

HOC: We were introduced to GEM&BOLT at a trend forecasting event on ‘modern mysticism’. What’s your take on why more people are awake and open to ‘alternative sources’ of inspiration at the moment?

AdrinAdrina: We are evolving into a new era era and a different species. We’re an experimental species, for sure!

People are now tired of pre-packaged and fabricated storylines behind most brands – they want intimacy and to feel connected.

HOC: I’ve been reading about installations you’ve been working on and exciting bars that you stock at in the US, what plans do you have for the UK?

AdrinAdrina: We have a very similar plan to what you’ve already seen! Aligning with artists and people or businesses that are mindful of what they consume and serve comes natural to our brand.

HOC: Finally, we find as primarily a team of women at House of Coco, that magic can really happen when women work closely and support each other, do you have any stories of your work together?

AdrinAdrina: We completely believe in sharing intuitive space and the ability to take leaps of faith in tandem has been true for us. We always know we’ll land in the right place! There’s a deep trust that goes with this type of collaboration and we are very thankful.

Feel like trying some of this heart-opening spirit? Head to www.gemandbolt.com to find out more and keep your eyes peeled for GEM&BOLT popping up at an event near you soon.

Level with me, did you give up chocolate for Lent? If so, I officially allow you to buy yourself the most beautiful easter egg you can find. While you aren’t allowed to eat it, you can marvel at its high-end design, bask in its shimmery glow and visualise the moment when the thing that was just-too-good-to-eat becomes the best thing you’ve eaten all year.

As usual, Pierre Herme Paris have pulled the (easter) rabbit out of the bag with their latest collection. You should head over to www.pierreherme.com or, if you in London, head to one of the boutiques (Covent Garden or Belgravia) or the concession in Selfridges. In the meantime, here’s our top Easter artistic / chocolate feast picks:

This year, move over fluffy baby chicks, the hen is getting in on the Easter action. This piece isn’t just ridiculously tasty, with a strawberry couverture over the chocolate hen, but is inspired by the visionary 19th C sculptor François Pompon, making it a perfect objet d’art to have on the coffee table before you snaffle it on Easter Sunday. The collection of hens and rabbits range from £31 – £45 depending on the size and finish you want to admire at home.

If you are feeling super extra, and happen to have struck it lucky at the work bingo night, the Ouef Infiniment Grand, a limited edition for this year, weighing 25kg may be more your sort of thing. It’s created from Pure Origin dark chocolate from Brazil and homes 3kg of mini eggs alone. Weighing in price-wise at £1,700 you may decide to go for one of the smaller repo’s at £48 – £68 depending on the chocolate you plump for.

Finally, looking very mystical and volcanic, enters the Ouef Fragments Egg, which is also new for 2018. A glitzy egg peeks out from underneath the cracked chocolate exterior – teasing the added treasures (mini eggs, yas!) within. This one come in Pure Origin 64% cocoa dark chocolate from Belize, their signature milk chocolate and blond chocolate which promises notes of biscuit.

After a short hiatus we’re back exploring some of the most interesting and innovative creative female minds behind business in Great Britain and beyond – but we do like this hashtag!

This #TeamCoco writer is always on the quest for a great scent and struggles with the highstreet’s obsessions with florals, ‘feminine’ fragrances to help you woo the man of your dreams or do a sexy bank heist with (apparently there’s not much call for scents that do much else?). But if, like me, you just want to smell like the man of your dreams in unisex fragrances that make you go ‘ugh’ appreciatively (that could of course, just be my reaction) you can find yourself taking punts on pricey brands, not knowing the story behind them.

Enter, the evocatively named REEK (www.reekperfume.com) a new perfume brand hailing from Edinburgh here to unite the bitch or witch within you with the rest of your tribe, through perfumes that celebrate unapologetic women. We spoke to founder Sara Sheridan to find out more…

HOC: The choice of the name REEK, is curious but I like it. Can you talk us through why you chose this as a brand name?

Sara: It was always REEK because it’s contentious – a challenge from the start. And also slightly funny. We like to make our customers laugh – laughter gives you confidence. I had a couple of American customers turn up at the office (in my flat) a couple of days ago. We don’t sell in the US yet – we have a waitlist. Anyway, they were here and they decided to seek us out to buy some perfume. And they sat on the sofa opposite my desk and just rocked with laughter. Laughter is also a kind of rebellion.

HOC: Tell us a little about the team behind Reek and (award-winning perfumer) Sarah McCartney’s role in the creation?

Sara: The core team is just me and my co-founder and daughter, Molly. That’s us. Often people look at the site and think we are some big corporation but no. It’s Molly and I around the kitchen table. We work with some brilliant people – Sarah McCartney who is an award-winning independent perfumer mixes for us. We send her a brief and tell her what we’re thinking and then drive her nuts with our demands! She is the most amazing nose. Many perfume companies don’t spotlight their perfumers and it’s a hugely sexist industry with very few women mixing. So we celebrate Sarah’s talent. I think that’s important.

We also have some amazing photographers on board – Stew Bryden just shot a new campaign for us and Bethany Grace shot a lot of our earlier photos. We rely on their talent and their eye – they work very closely with Molly, who is REEK’s art director as well as other things. Then there’s Baz at Too Galluswho helps us with our website – he also has an amazing eye and gives us sterling advice on all the Web Mysteries. We open cast our shoots and some of our models go on to be brand ambassadors (or spritz bitches) at events.

We also welcome activists and other creatives into the fold via our blog, Bitches Unite, which we set up to be a forum for feminist/equality voices from across the movement. We’re collaborative. And lastly we have testings, occasionally, for new products where we invite a bunch of people in and ask them what they think. We’re big into listening – we’ve had amazing feedback that’s helped us with our branding. Those non-involved eyes are very important and really generous of people to pitch in (though we do give them cocktails).

HOC: We hear a lot of brands speak about being cruelty free, could you break that down for us – what does that mean, how is the term qualified?

Sara: There’s a lot of confusion about cruelty free. In the EU it is illegal to test beauty products on animals. Nobody does it. But many large companies just constitute themselves so they have an EU corporation and a non-EU one and basically they hive off the animal testing to where it’s legal. If you want to sell in China, for example, animal testing is mandatory – and that’s a huge market. Just to be clear- you can’t sell your product in China if it hasn’t been tested on animals. Big companies who do this need to be called out more. They are just playing both systems and not standing up for anything! At REEKwe’re cruelty free (just like everyone selling in Europe) but we also don’t use animal products in our perfume so vegans can spritz just like all the other bitches.

HOC: The refusal to photoshop your models is commendable, what does that mean for you?

Sara: REEK was set up specifically to challenge beauty industry norms. Molly is a professional make-up artist and through her I kept meeting models who were being so photoshopped that they sometimes didn’t even recognise themselves when the pictures came out. Our media is tough on women’s bodies and we need to fight back against that – it’s relentless, all those images of what is supposed to be perfection. There’s no love like self-love – it’s the most creative thing and we need to boost women’s confidence, not erode it with impossible-to-achieve imagery.

At the beginning we were told we’d never be able to create a decent campaign without photoshopping. We said ‘our bitches are perfect just as they are. We photoshop the bottles. That’s it!’ When our first campaign came out it had a mixed response. We had people coming back on social media and they hated it. But then other people got it and loved it. REEK is a marmite brand – it’s stayed that way. And I think, slowly, we’re showing you can have great pictures using 80 year old grannies and 17 year old skinny bitches and everything in between.

HOC: Why the choice of witches and bitches? Reclaiming negative slurs against women, political commentary? Exploring the whole madonna – whore idea?

Sara: Well, yes. Kinda. Vonny Moyes wrote a great piece which is up on our blog about reclaiming the word ‘bitch’. We need more words for ourselves. I’m a writer, so words are important to me and I really believe that. If someone tries to insult you, claim those words. But also there is a historical context to the bitches – the Damn Rebel Bitches were the Jacobite women – so slurred by the Duke of Cumberland who hated them because they wouldn’t give up. They lost their cause and are largely unmemorialised but they were hugely influential. In 1746 the year after the Jacobites lost the Battle of Culloden there was a call for the first women MPs at Westminster. That battle took over 170 years to win but we got there. And it was the Jacobite women who started it because when they came up in court for their part in the rebellion they paid their own fines.

They were Scottish and were subject to a different legal system – these women could own property. In England that wasn’t possible. English women were outraged – and immediately they for representation – female MPs. So go the Jacobite ladies showed something was possible and inspired their sisters to demand it. Also they were total firecrackers. Lady Nithsdale, my favourite, broke her husband out of the Tower of London by dressing him in drag. What. A. Legend.

HOC: Are your fragrances for women only? (contentious point maybe!) should perfumes be gendered?

Sara: Imagine gendering a smell. I mean – just imagine. How is that even possible? Perfume is such a personal choice – a smell that means nothing much to me will remind somebody else of their childhood and be the most comforting thing in the world. We find different smells sexy – definitely – and different smells delicious. REEK’s perfumes are literally gender fluids. Imagine if we discriminated. No. No. No. All the smelly bitches are welcome! All of them.

HOC: What are your plans for REEK? Other products? Points of sale? More than just perfume…?

Sara: We are just chatting to our first stockists and setting up those deals, slowly, slowly. We’re new to everything so we are steady as we go. But our first stockist (which will be announced soon) isn’t in the UK, so that’s exciting! We are also developing a concept for perfume number 3 which we’re hoping to bring out in 2019, so keep your eyes peeled. And yes, we’d like to make some other products – we’ve been investigating that. What we’ve found so far is that if we add just one product to the range (even something that’s merchandise like our Bitches Unite badges or Tshirts) it changes the way the whole collection works. So we need to bring things on bit by bit and see how customers like it. We make very small runs which is slightly more expensive but it allows us flexibility. We’re learning as we go.

HOC: Finally, what is your vision of the ideal Reek customer?

Sara: Well you seem very nice. I think you’re probably one. And you. And you. Seriously, we don’t have a demographic in terms of age or background – it’s more about a state of mind. Our stuff appeals to people who are independent minded and into equality and they’re easy to spot. They smile when they hear our story and they just know they want some straight away.

To find out if you are more Bitch or Witch why not treat yourself to the sample size perfumes from www.reekperfume.com – they’re only £15 incl postage in the UK. Then let us know what side you’re on. Me? I can’t decide so let’s call me a witchy bitch.

Hello witches, is how I could potentially start this piece… Have you noticed the prevalence of astrological and mysticism abounding in the millennial space at the moment? Whatever your belief system, we can all delight in this gorgeous new afternoon tea by one of our favourite London spots, Skylon in the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank.

Just launched this Monday, we’ve looked to the stars and predict this afternoon delight is going to be taking over your insta feeds for the foreseeable future.

If the cosmos mini choux don’t get you taking that cutesy shot where you hold it up and show off your mani, a boomerang of you and your girls chinking your Skylon signature StarDust cocktail of Tanqueray with lemon sherbet, pineapple & tarragon syrup, green chartreuse and prosecco is surely the one.

See you there, star gazers!

Gravi-Tea at Skylon, Royal Festival Hall, SE1 8XX : Mon-Fri, 2-4pm, £25pp + drinks

You may have caught our #TeamCoco writer, Anna’s adventures in Switzerland recently on our instagram where she explored the unexpected in Zurich; a location typically discarded as an expensive, and not-super-exciting travel destination for the millennial traveler. Of course, here at House of Coco we like to challenge our preconceptions and she got stuck into finding the unusual elements of Zurich – not least of all, the FREITAG factory.

FREITAG is a brand that isn’t particularly well-known in the UK but with the increased discussions on the eco and ethical impacts of the clothing we wear and generally what we consume, we feel this brand is tipped to explode on our shores.

Fourteen years ago, two graphic designers were searching for suitable bags to house their creative work as they travelled their home city of Zurich by bicycle. Taking unlikely inspiration from the heavy traffic route outside their window, they created their first messenger style bag made from up cycled truck tarpaulins, bicycle tubes and car seat belts. Their designs were loved by cyclists as a great option for a waterproof item with great eco credentials and since then their range has expanded to over 80 bag models and just 3 years ago they launched F-ABRIC – 100% compostable textiles from which they produce a range of clothing. This, dear friends, is the future of fashion.

On our writer, Anna’s travels, she was luckily enough to tour the factory in which these bags are made which was not the other side of the world but within Zurich itself, in the Nœrd industrial complex in Zurich-Oerlikon. Surrounded by other creative businesses, within a co-working space this is possibly one of the most forward thinking assembly lines you’ll come across.

The business itself follows a holocratic model which means that it does away with many of the hierarchical traps of your average business and empowers team members to make decisions. Touring the factory means hearing stories of how those cutting the tarps have the responsibility of how the final item will look, through their choice of tarps they use and the fulfilment team receive sweet treats from their delighted customers on the other side of the world as a mark of their appreciation.

What sets FREITAG apart from many other ‘up cycled’ products is their true attention to the eco and ethical impact of their work. Throughout the production process, decisions have been made to reduce their impact – not just are they reviving truck tarpaulins that fall out of use but they are cleaning them thoroughly with rain water, collected from the roof of the factory and they employ people locally in Zurich and elsewhere in mainland Europe to assemble the final products. We’re particularly excited to see where they take the F-ABRIC line…. imagine knowing that all our clothing products, including the buttons will compost completely, without a trace. Forget the cutting edge tech in the banks of Zurich, this is where the future is being built.

Today, 22nd March 2018, FREITAG are launching their latest bag, the F155 CLAPTON, a unique, waterproof commuter backpack with space for your laptop, comfortable straps and also five reflector panels to keep you safe on dark evenings. Plus thanks to the design creds of the team at FREITAG, we’ll think you agree with us that it’s a mighty fine addition to your wardrobe which is going to last you for a long time, no matter how much you cram into it for your pre-work yoga, work outfit and evening date requirements!

To learn more about FREITAG visit www.freitag.ch

If you want to visit the Zurich factory yourself hurry to purchase your own R223 BUSINESS BAG today (22nd March 2018) as you’ll receive a tarp ticket for a f-actory tour.

When you get the dream assignment; you’ll just know. Vauxhall Motors approached Team Coco to work with them on spreading the joy behind ‘Vivaro On Tour’ – an incredible campaign which supports the UK heritage of music through granting up-and-coming bands with one of their ultimate wishes – no not a sold-out headline at Wembley – but their very own tour bus in the form of the brand’s supremely versatile and spacious Vivaro van.

Our mission with Vauxhall was to explore 2018’s Independent Venue Week (IVW) – a celebration of 190 of the UK’s historic and indie venues – in a brit-built Vauxhall. If you are a regular reader, you’ll know that we can resist a good colour co-ord so I wish we’d had a photo taken of our faces when our very own hire Vauxhall Adam was hand-delivered in ‘Mint Up Your Life’ and ‘Re-White My Fire’ (any 80s and 90s kids in the audience will appreciate the home grown music talent these names refer to). Vauxhall has sponsored IVW for the last four years, so it was great to have the opportunity to experience the life on the road, just as a band does.

We started our adventure up in Liverpool, a city that we’ll be exploring in more detail in our next print issue around the theme of Staycation’. The city is compact enough with an ace one-way system which will made city centre driving in our Adam an absolute dream as we zoomed over cobbles in search of legendary night out.

Our journey back in time began at The Jacaranda, opened as a coffee shop in the 50s; this venue brought the rock and roll of America to the northern city and almost certainly helped shaped the music of a little-known band, ‘The Silver Beetles’ who dropped the colour reference and changed a spelling and earnt them a Guinness World Record for the highest selling group of all time.

From musical heritage we scooted round the corner to The Zanzibar; a space that opened up in the late 90s whose walls have bounced around the sounds of everyone from DJ Grandmaster Flash to The Libertines and ended the night pogoing around at 250 year old cellar venue, EBGBs at a rare, intimate gig with Frank Turner. A real reverence exists with the bands playing at IVW for the history and legend of the venues they play in – if you asked Frank if he felt more proud of playing at Wembley or in a passion-soaked basement bar I think he might struggle to answer!

From the northern home of British music, to the capital, London we took our trusty Adam on a city road trip. The dancehall vibes of Bush Hall echoed both the delicate vocals and explosive choruses of The Oh Hellos, the cabaret-turned-punk venue The 100 Clubreverberated with the shouting of DEAD!and the rumble of the moshpit while Rolling Stones’ favourite boozer HalfMoon Putney hosted the OTT ‘Monkipunk’ stylings of South African band Boo!

Independent Venue Week is an absolute delight year, after year showcasing the quirky, the unusual and celebrating the awe-inspiring history of independent venues right under our noses. With the Music Venue Trust reporting that a 1/3 of live music venues in the UK have closed over the last decade it’s so important that we get out there and support the key cultural venues that have built the music industry and continue to inspire and give a platform to the up-and-coming bands of today. With Vauxhall’s support, of these exciting new acts, we at Team Coco hope that the music, the myth and legend of the UK’s music scene is here to stay.

Keep your eyes peeled on what’s set to ‘Mint Up Your Life’ over at www.vauxhall.co.uk/VivaroOnTour and when you pick up your trusty Vivaroand hit the stage, send us at Team Coco an invite? We’ve perfected our mosh pit etiquette.

As we’ve almost reached the big day, what better way to get in the festive spirit than with Christmas Cocktails! Our new favourite Leeds venue, Dirty Martini, has created some very Instagram-worthy drinks for the festive season so we sent our lifestyle writer Jenna to go try them out to see how they measure up…

“I absolutely adore Christmas. Not only does Leeds look extremely pretty with it’s Christmas lights, the city really comes into it’s own during December. Awash with corporate Christmas parties and venues in full swing, it’s definitley become one of the best cities to celebrate in. After visiting Dirty Martini for it’s launch back in November, I was more than ready to try out their Festive offering. With a night of Tapas and exclusive Christmas parties already planned, I reserved my table for 8pm to try their new Christmas concoctions and although some of the cocktails were not my cup of tea, I was seriously impressed by their creativity. Sitting down at a gorgeous table right in the middle of it all, we kicked ourselves for eating before we came as their festive platter sounded amazing. However, with cocktails on their way, we quickly settled into the atmosphere.

Christmas Cheer

Spec: Bols Genever, Tanqueray Gin, Cherry Heering, Homemade Raspberry Syrup, Luxardo Maraschino, Pomegranate juice & Orange Bitters.

Tastes like: A mince pie

Favourite element: The gold sprayed Maraschino cherries

I’m not overly into Cherry, but the promise of Gin and Homemade Raspberry syrup made it top of my Christmas list. I absolutely loved the gold sprayed Maraschino cherries as they looked very festive, but it was very easy confuse them with Olives after having a few beverages as they had a striking resemblance!

This cocktail was super-sweet but the warmness of the orange bitters and depth of the pomegranate gave me serious Christmas vibes. This cocktail could easily be bottled as a Mince Pie liquer, so if you’re into that, it’ll be the perfect cocktail for Boxing Day.

The Bellringer

Spec: Amaretto Disaronno, Cranberry Juice, Blood Orange Syrup, Prosecco.

Tastes like: Cranberry infused Sparkling Rosé

Favourite element: The inventive desiccated coconut on the outside of the glass to look like snow

100% our favourite of the night – The Bellringer is a total show stopper. As I’m an advocate for anything that includes Sparkling Wine this was an obvious second choice and I can honestly say it’s one of the cutest cocktails I’ve ever drank. We agreed that the only downside was that we didn’t have time to have another!

I would happily sit and drink these until Santa arrives and probably offer him one too, a definite one to recreate on Christmas Day.

Dirty Grinch

Spec: Havana 3yr Rum, Briotette Creme dé Cacao, Creme dé Menthe, Butterscotch Schnapps, double Cream, Dark Chocolate & Fresh Mint Leaves.

Tastes like: Someone poured mouthwash in my Baileys

Favourite element: It looked quite pretty and if you can ignore the punchy mint, it’s a dreamy dessert cocktail

Now this cocktail not only has a slightly unsavoury name, somebody must have dropped a whole bottle of Creme dé Menthe in the Boston Tin! The promise of a creamy dessert cocktail to end the night on got us very excited, but what arrived was a mixology version of the nightmare before Christmas. I understand the premise behind it, but the Butterscotch, Creme dé Cacao and Chocolate was completely lost. However if you absolutley love mint, this ones for you.

Dirty Martini are also offering two more Christmas tipples that are sure to get you in the Festive Spirit. Mince Chai, a tasty, more sophisticated alternative to the humble mince pie, combines Bold London Spirit shaken with Bitter Truth Pimento, gingerbread syrup and pressed apple juice. While for those who prefer a more traditional tipple, The Quince & Walnut Old Fashioned is a twist on the classic. This unique cocktail combines Jim Beam Bourbon stirred with Manzanilla Sherry, Mandarin Napoleon liqueur, quince jelly, muddled walnuts and Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel-Aged Bitters & Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters.

Again, if we’d not already stuffed our faces at Ambienté Tapas before we arrived, we would have definitely indulged in their Christmas Platter at just £30 for four to share. The platter includes Beef & cheese sliders with bloody Mary ketchup, Mini Yorkshire puddings stuffed with turkey & cranberry sauce, Grilled garlic & prawn skewers, Cranberry & brie wontons. A table next to us ordered this and we were seriously jealous as it looked amazing. Unfortunately for us, Dirty Martini is closed tonight and tomorrow, but we’ll definitely be popping in on Boxing Day to get another Bellringer before they’re gone!”

Address

31 King St,
Leeds,
LS1 2HL

Reservations

01134 689 488

leeds@dirtymartini.uk.com

NYE – Martini’s at Midnight

Dress Code: Glitter is the new Black

As glitter is the new black dip yourselves in sequins, sparkles and shimmer to say see ya to 2017 with a martini in hand.

  • £5 martinis from 11pm -1am
  • A complimentary glass of Prosecco before 9pm
  • DJs on the decks until 3am

Price includes entry to the venue from 8pm and a complimentary glass of Prosecco before 9pm.

Cardiff, Manchester & Leeds: £10* all venues

Step away from those bathbombs, dear reader and kick that eye palette of 49 shades your bestie will never use and one that they might to the curb – we’ve found the perfect Christmas gift for 2017.

Born from a desire to unearth and invigorate Camden Lock’s gin history, Half Hitch’s micro-distillery was created in the North of London. Their signature gin is zesty with a hint of festive cinnamon and makes a mean G&T but that’s not all…

Until the end of February Half Hitch are running their Gin School & Bespoke Gin-Making class mid-week for only £60 a head, making it an excellent choice for that pesky friend who always seems to have everything (yes, we hate them a bit too) or as an investment of your Christmas money from extended family.

During the 1 hour gin exploration you’ll taste and learn all about gin before being let loose to make your own gin in pairs with ingredients you handpicked. You’ll leave with good spirits (hah!), 100 ml of your own gin and 100ml of Half Hitch.

Half Hitch Distillery, Unit 53 West Yard, Camden Lock Place, London NW1 8AF

Price (£60 per person) includes tastings, 100ml of your gin, 100ml of Half Hitch Gin.

www.designmynight.com/london/whats-on/food-drink/gin-school-bespoke-gin-making

Okay, we admit that the British coast may not be your first thought once the temperatures drop for winter but, stay with us, you may feel differently after this article!

Dreamland, Margate’s super instagrammable amusement park, has reopened its doors with the ‘Frosted Fairground’ ; a festive treat spanning their retro designed rides, an undercover icerink, Santa’s Grotto and plenty of edible goodness including vegan candyfloss from Naughty Floss for you to wear as St Nick’s beard. Oh, give over – you’d totally do that for the ‘gram.

Sprinkled like fairydust over the next few weeks are incredible one-off events from Fierce Angel on Saturday 23rd December and a disco-tastic New Year’s Eve extravaganza at the park’s pubs Cinque Ports and The Quarterdeck.

Grab your eskimo coat, mittens for hot chocolate holding and festive party dress for a day out at the seaside this winter.

For more information head to www.dreamland.co.uk // @dreamlandmargate

Dreamland, Marine Terrace, Margate, CT9 1XJ

You know us, we always try to seek out the unknown, the unusual, the instagrammable. So we’re excited to let you in on a secret – Ketel One Oranje‘s secret pop up at Callooh Callay!

What: A secret upstairs drinking den at the cult cocktail bar, exclusive festive cocktails using the new Ketel One Oranje Vodka.

Where: Callooh Callay, 65 Rivington Street

When: Until the end of December

Instagrammable Pick: is the fact that it’s secret not enough for you, Agent Orange?!

All the info: calloohcallaybar.com