For a city as old in London, it's all about what's young and new leading into next week's 2015 Frieze London and Frieze Masters. The world's preeminent perennial art fair, Frieze arrives with a double dose of contemporary art and old masters within its perch in Regent's Park. This year's fair includes delicious culinary partners like Caravan and Locanda Locatelli as well as new pop-ups from The Arts Club, Iberica and Petersham Nurseries. For those not attending, we especially like the new one-page art preview being shown by this year's exhibiting galleries.
Hotels around London use Frieze to highlight their in-house art programs, from Bulgari's Mind Map by Stuart Sample along its facade to South Place Hotel's annual art prize that's one of the city's best artist in residence programs. But in terms of sleeping art collectors, only a bed at the city's hottest new hotel will suffice at member's only The Arts Club. Founded by Charles Dickens and privy to members like HRH Prince Philip and The Duke of Edinburgh, the hotel occupies a 3rd and 4th floor presence above Dover Street with "elegant and glamorous" interiors by Sagrada that penned Tel Aviv's Norman Hotel. In Marylebone, you'll find budget-chic Zetter Townhouse a short walk away from Chiltern Firehouse. Andre Balazs' restaurant sensation that's still the hottest dinner reservation in London. It's also home to a 26-room hotel with period Victorian details and impeccable design close to Regents Park but sadly a bit far from everywhere else.
In terms of dining, look for Celeste inside newly revamped The Lanesborough that proves the owners of Hotel du Cap can teach London a thing or two about fine French cuisine. Bas-relief friezes and fluted columns frame a dining room Matisse would smile upon as the former Le Bristol Paris chef serves-up seasonal Brit ingredients with a Francophilic twist. Another continental chef arriving to London is Cristina Saulini, St. Tropez's top Italian arriving to Dover Street with a Cote d' Azur flair. Otherwise, there are always Australian-Italian brothers Gabriel and Marcello of Bernardi's that prove there's few better cities than London for posh, clubby Italian. Afterward, hit 2&8 Club that roars well past 1am with paparazzi and partying collectors.
