Nell Ryder, The Bowery

It was a special treat to see my cousin, Nell Ryder perform. Having worked on her sound and style for the last five years she has now developed into an impressive singer-songwriter.

Walking into the Bowery, I was overwhelmed by how many faces I recognised. Family and fans gathered to support Nell and listen to her newest material. The venue is used regularly for gigs and has a nice warm acoustic.

Nell’s voice has matured considerably since I last heard her, it has a lovely husky quality in the lower register while remaining clear and in tune. She has a gutsy soulful delivery that suits the repertoire well. Nell's own songs are lilting and lyrical, most often quite melancholic, even mournful. She has a very personal quality to her voice that I can only describe as a bleat (like a lamb), a very beautiful natural wobble (it is not accenuated enough to be called vibrato) adding great emotion to her singing. Nell also presented a few old school covers, mostly retro love songs she particularly likes, sung softly into the microphone with her gentle guitar accompaniment they were very touching. In between songs she spoke frankly and naturally to the audience.

As Nell mentioned onstage before her final number, "the best love songs are always the simplest"... her own songs follow this rule: very simple, often repetitive, floating melodies that really stick in your head; they are thoughtful and memorable. It was a short but intimate and lovely gig.

Visit Nell Ryder's website here.

QuickBliss Spa, Debenhams, Oxford Street

I was delighted with the results of my facial at the big Bliss Spa in South Kensington and so was excited to be visiting the younger QuickBliss area in Debenhams. This new addition to the Bliss family is pampering shoppers in need of a quick pick me up. The treatments are done in two reclining chairs on the shop floor, just behind the counter.

After you get accustomed to the blaring Christmas soundtrack and chatter of frantic shoppers around you these Quickbliss mini services are really relaxing and nourishing. Sometimes the faff of getting changed and ready for a beauty treatment can be frustrating and as a busy girl I like to get straight to it – Quickbliss is the perfect solution for impatient clients like me. My therapist for the treatment was Shen, a lovely and experienced beautician who is passionate and informative about the service they provide.

Taking inspiration from the extensive full spa menu, Quickbliss in Debenhams has compiled a shorter more precise list of facials, eye treatments, foot treatments, and special services all lasting less than an hour and costing £18 upwards. Here they are about efficiency – getting the best results in as little time as possible. I tried the Oxygen Blast, a shorter version of the spa’s most famous and popular complexion reviver facial. It lasts fifty minutes, and includes an intensive cleansing, exfoliating fruit acid wash, hydrating enzyme pack and vitaminized oxygen spray. It really is a breath of fresh air for your face.

I am wary of loading my face with product after product, but at Bliss you can feel the different lotions working on your skin… the exfoliator tingles, the oxygen spray tickles, they feel like active working products. I loved the machines Shen used during my facial, the porefecter gadget that finely vibrates to deep cleanse the skin and elimate blackheads, and a strangely surreal oxygen machine that blows cold fresh oxygen into your skin and leaves you feeling bright and beautiful. The best thing is – all the pampering products are available to buy.

As a parting gift Shen gave me a little pouch of goodies: Clog dissolving cleansing milk, lid & lash wash makeup remover and triple oxygen+c energizing cream, all to help me on my way with a more effective beauty routine.

Next time you’re having a stressful time shopping on Oxford Street pop into Debenhams for a blast of beautification - it is heavenly.

Paramount Restaurant, Centre Point

A year or so ago I was taken to Centre Point's bar for a cocktail and a glimpse of the awesome elevated views, 33 floors up in the sky. It is a bar every Londoner should visit once. This time I returned the favour by taking the same person as my guest to try out the luxurious restaurant in this grand tower, Paramount, located on Floor 32. We were kindly escorted to the lift and told that we would arrive at level 32 automatically, we didn’t and instead hovered between floors 27 and 30 - the begrudging lift seemed unable to take us the whole way, and we had to walk.

The restaurant area was deadly silent, the type of place where a sneeze sounds like an earthquake, only a few formal lunches were taking place. We were seated on a lovely table next to a staggering view, much of the meal I was distracted by the dizzying height, amazed to be looking down at such insignificant dots of people and the tiny red blurs of buses. The chaos of Oxford Street feels like a distant memory, in Paramount you are blissfully unaware and removed from the mayhem. The waiters were polite and responsive, leaving us for just the right amount of time to settle down and survey the menu before bringing us the wine and bread. Paramount offer a set lunch menu (£18.50 for 2 courses, or £23.50 for 3 courses) and though we didn’t opt for this selection, it is definitely something I would recommend as a cheaper, good value alternative.

The food was immaculately presented, smart and appetising, almost too pretty to delve into. We were both drawn to the Sweet Potato, Sage & Parmesan Tortellini with Chorizo Cream Emulsion for a starter, but not wanting to duplicate, my companion decided on the Slow Cooked Mutton with Autumn Vegetables & Split Pea Broth. I was delighted when the hot plates arrived, the portion was petite and delicate, everything always tastes better when there is less of it and my tortellini was divine: soft pasta parcels with a sweet soft filling and contrasting crunchy salty fried pieces of chorizo and deliciously thin and crispy sage leaves. The broth looked hearty and wholesome, vegetables and meat in a soothing soup.

The list of mains was extensive and tempting with many meat and fish choices. My Roast Venison Loin was rich and delicious, with a flavoursome Braised Red Cabbage & Liquorice sauce trickled over, an unconventional combination which balanced out perfectly - the sauce complementing the red meat. My friend chose the Sirloin of Scottish Beef with Goose Fat Chips & Peppercorn, a more classic meal that was displayed beautifully with rocket, tomato and mushrooms. It was a generous portion, a very tender piece of meat lightly grilled with a pretty in pink interior. In my opinion the chips were a little too big and consequently tasted a little undercooked.

The afternoon began passing us by and it was time for pudding. Lemon Mille Feuille with Lemon Polenta Cake & Lemon Verbena Sorbet for me and Vanilla Crème Brulee with Red Wine Jam for him. Mine was an exquisite composition on the plate, like an exemplary offering in a Masterchef final challenge, every element delicately arranged to create a work of art. Dismantling it was all rather sad, particularly crushing the light layering of the Mille Feuille. The flavours were intense - tangy sharp lemon, cubes of crumbly polenta cake and sweet raspberry yoghurt cream filling. The Crème Brulee was creamy and silky with a deep purple red wine jam peeking through at the bottom of the dish, and crunchy biscuits, it was just as this typical French dessert should be but with a unique twist. Cappuccinos completed the meal.

A mist began to descend on the London skyline and darkness fell, a candle was placed on our table, perhaps a sign to leave from our lunch booking, three hours had drifted by without noticing.

Paramount presents stylish and very appealing food, fine dining which is smart but unpretentious. Along with the amazing bar this is the ideal venue for a special treat meal. We had a lovely lunch and afternoon eating and reminiscing at the top of the Centre Point Tower.

Visit Paramount, Centre Point website here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 28

Yet another fantastic collaboration hit the London highstreet this month, Valentino for Gap. The collection that is sold in only two stores (the flagship shop on Oxford Street near Selfridges and Dover Street) came out a week ago.

These clothes are all about ruffles and khaki. There are only seven designs in the capsule collection, and as ELLE magazine neatly put it, they are ‘ultilitarian basics with a romantic twist’. The items are all quite sturdy looking, no cutesy dresses a la Lanvin for H&M, in fact these pieces are completely the opposite. Expect to find parkas, boleros, cargo trousers, little jackets, frilly jumpers and big skirts, all with lots of structured ruffles.

Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Picciolo explained: ‘we love mixing cultures and have been excited to mix Gap’s timeless essentials with our Roman culture of couture. The collection brings together the iconic world of Valentino and Gap’s fashion staples, synthesizing the current trend of combining luxury with basics.’

When I went along a few days ago I managed to get one of the remaining khaki green skirts, it sits high on the waist with thick layers of flowing material, a dainty Valentino bow at the top. I will be wearing it with a black leotard, or a cropped white t-shirt, and can definitely see it being a staple in winter and summer. Prices are reasonable, my skirt cost £69.50, and the other pieces are a similar price...high fashion outfits at a fraction of the cost.

Judging by the depleted rails I saw, everything might be gone now, but if you really want a piece from this special collection apparently there are some being resold on Ebay.

100 Club and Jetson

The venues on and around Oxford street are difficult to find at the best of times. However there's no problem with the 100 Club, whose address is conveniently 100 Oxford Street.

The exterior of the club isn’t particularly appealing, a small dingy red shop front. What goes on inside is a lot more exciting. The open interior provides an ideal space for bands to showcase their talent. And with artists such as The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols having graced this stage, it's no wonder it has become one of the most celebrated live music venues in Europe.

I went to hear Funk-Folk band Jetson for the second time, having previously seen them on Brick Lane. It was another great set from the boys, playing a larger venue that suited their big sound and personality. See my full review on the Visit London Blog.

Looking ahead, the 100 Club has some great bands lined up for the summer. Next week Jivin Miss Daisy takes the stage with her dynamic young swing band and later in the month the Latin collective Grupo Fantasma will be playing.

Check out other events on at the 100 Club here, it’s a fun venue with a rich history.