Virtuoso Life - May/June 2008 - (Page 56) DESIGN TOUR Art deco dining: Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s. Skylit shopping at the Burlington Arcade. Palladian palace: Royal Academy of Arts. browse the latest catalogs, or simply observe the big spenders. Upcoming sales include German and Scandinavian paintings on June 10 and twentieth-century British art on June 25. 34-35 New Bond Street Royal Academy of Arts This venerable institution boasts Michelangelo’s Madonna Burlington Arcade The grandest of London’s glass-roofed shopping arcades was completed in 1819, and little has changed since then. The graceful bow windows and old-fashioned merchandise evoke a set from Masterpiece Theatre. A top-hatted beadle is there to ensure that nobody runs, whistles, or carries large parcels – so be on your best behavior. 51 Piccadilly Berkeley Square On a late-summer afternoon, sunbeams glance through the towering trees and revive the magic of a square that has lost most of its eighteenth-century houses. A notable survivor was designed by William Kent and is now occupied by the Clermont Club, a discreet retreat for very high rollers, and the fashionable Annabel’s Club. All that’s missing is the nightingale. 56 V I RT U O S O L I F E (ROYAL ACADEMY) JTB PhOTO COMMuniCATiOns, inC./ALAMY Asprey Behind the lofty display windows of this 1781 luxury goods emporium, later additions have been removed to reveal a cluster of Georgian brick houses, with swelling bays and graceful fanlights. Foster + Partners architects wove together five different buildings and levels with an elegant spiral staircase and doubled the apparent size of the glasscovered courtyard by covering one wall with mirrored panels. 167 New Bond Street of Bruges and hosts both classic and controversial exhibitions. The Sackler Galleries are dramatically juxtaposed with the longhidden rear facade of the Palladian Burlington House – another example of Foster + Partners’ creative archaeology. A major exhibit of German Renaissance master Lucas Cranach the Elder runs through June 8. Piccadilly, between Sackville and Old Bond streets Tea at The Ritz The interiors of this Edwardian palazzo recall the opulence of belle epoque Paris, and it has always been a favorite of the British royals. A jacket and tie are mandatory for tea in the Palm Court, and you’ll need to book in advance. The ritual of silver kettles, delicate pastries, and fine china makes it worth the effort. 150 Piccadilly
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.