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N W3 E D I T I O N www.theorenhampstead.com
NW3 EDITION
For centuries, poets, painters, and Nobel prize winners
have found their home and their inspiration here on the
edge of the Heath.
We hope you’ll find your own inspiration in the
following pages as we delve into some fascinating lives,
explore the local area, and introduce you to
the magnificent residences at The Oren.
Communities like The Oren
thrive by providing a lifestyle
with exceptional personal
service, and the finest
hospitality and support.
| GAVIN STEIN
A foreword
from Gavin Stein
The Oren is a new concept in luxury later living, independent, and inspiring lives, which we present
close to the green vistas of Golders Hill Park and to you in the first half of this book. In the second half
all the delights of Hampstead. The Oren is more of the book we show you The Oren in detail, exploring
than a collection of stunning residences, outstanding the residences and amenities to give you a taste of
leisure amenities and beautifully landscaped gardens. the exceptional design, specification and service
It is an opportunity to continue to live an unlimited that await you.
lifestyle in the finest of surroundings.
Standing behind The Oren are Elysian and its sister
Far from being a time to slow down and give up the company One Eighty, a global operator with over forty
things you enjoy, we believe later life should be the years of experience in delivering an exceptional lifestyle.
start of a new chapter. A time for fulfilling your dreams, We are proud to bring to you what is set to be one of
discovering new passions and relish in Hampstead’s the best residences of its type anywhere in the world.
wonderful culture, restaurants and cafés.
A place as unique and full of life as our future residents.
The best way to convey the spirit of The Oren and
the lifestyle on offer is to introduce you to some Gavin Stein
people who embody that spirit through their fabulous, Founder and CEO, Elysian
03
The Oren The Oren
Seeds of contemplation 07 Connecting the elements 56
A spirit of adventure 13 The heart of Hampstead 60
Achieving the perfect balance 16 The welcome you deserve 63
A second act 21 The personal touch 67
Lifestyle Residences
Space to create 26 Time to enjoy 68
Hidden gems 32 Your family 72
A fabulous vintage 35 Perfection inside and out 74
Dining with distinction 41 Permanent peace of mind 76
Model behaviour 46 A place of your own 79
Our design ethos 54 Specification 94
A zest for life The Oren
Seventy is the new fifty, and perennials
are the new millennials. Age is really a
state of mind. From the natural wonders
06 | HAMPSTEAD
The Oren is Hampstead’s new
53
on your doorstep to exercising in groups
and the pleasures gained from a life residence for effortless and
spent travelling, there are numerous elegant later living. Behind the
paths to physical health, mental vitality, serene scenes and world-class
and emotional wellness. architecture are a host of leading
designers and an energetic
creative team working hard to
create the warmest of welcomes.
A passion
for culture
Julia Foster returns to the stage for the
first time in decades in Alan Bennett’s
20
latest play, and we speak to Isabel
Langtry, Principal of Hampstead School
of Art, about the benefits of being a
mature student.
A taste for
finer things
Exploring what it is that makes food truly
34
unforgettable, and how one English wine
producer has come to win the Royal
Warrant against the odds.
05
Above all, you’re trying to
create somewhere special,
A zest
a place which changes with
the light and the seasons.
for life
| CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY-HOLE
Seeds of
contemplation
Christopher Bradley-Hole, award-
winning Chelsea Flower Show
landscape designer, reveals his
inspiration for the gardens at
The Oren and why it was such
a rewarding project to work on.
Christopher has worked closely
with the architectural team
to create a landscape for the
residences that will be enjoyed
by the people living here for
many years to come.
07
The peacefulness of the trees the courtyard, a space imbued
form part of your first impression with a sense of serenity and
as you arrive. balance. Fine spaces, beauty,
texture, fragrance, and subtlety
‘Then, as you first enter the are all essential to a good garden’,
building there’s an enticing he explains. ‘But above all, you’re
diagonal view towards a dramatic trying to create somewhere
newly planted courtyard next special, a place which changes
to the dining area. Curtains of with the light and the seasons.’
bamboo form living screens in
It was the leafy location that first
captured his imagination. ‘The
Oren has a unique setting’, he
says. ‘The woodlands surrounding
the building reminded me of
Japanese Stroll Gardens of the
seventeenth century. Framed by
venerable trees, it’s a place that
has beautiful plant combinations
and a sense of boundlessness.’
The Oren’s woods create a restful
setting for the gardens, lending
themselves to what the Japanese
call forest bathing, the practice
of being among trees, which
Japanese Stroll Garden
has been shown to lower blood-
pressure and decrease depression.
Framed by venerable trees,
it’s a place that has beautiful
plant combinations and a
sense of boundlessness.
| CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY-HOLE
09
Where people
can walk, sit, and
socialise, enjoying
the calm, green
environment.
| CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY-HOLE
‘We’re planting mainly native species’, he explains
‘and the woodland also includes hazel, shrub-roses,
winter honeysuckle, and camellias, as well as bulbs
like lily of the valley and the lovely wood anemone.’
In sight, sound, smell, and feel, these gardens will
be a joy throughout the seasons.
It’s been a special piece of work for him. ‘My greatest
pleasure is to create gardens that are understated,
likeable, and that have a calm and lasting quality.
This has been such an important project and a great
responsibility. It’s taken a lot of painstaking thought,
but I think the rewards will be gardens that are
delightful; places you want to be, to explore, and
to be surprised.’
He imagines residents growing their own
vegetables, herbs, and even small fruit trees,
I imagine residents growing
in large pots in the gardens, so that they can their own vegetables, herbs,
help to shape the appearance of the environment
around the building. and even small fruit trees.
By far the largest area is the woodland garden. | CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY-HOLE
Christopher’s design includes lots of new mature
trees to complement the magnificent beech
and oaks already growing there, creating shaded
paths and sunny glades, where residents can walk,
sit, and socialise, enjoying the calm, green
environment.
11
A spirit of
adventure
| TONI UNDERWOOD
Toni Underwood, who lives Living at the One Eighty
at Fairwinds Redmond, a residences in Redmond makes
Leisure Care community in it easy for her to do just that.
Washington, tells us how her One Eighty, the sister-operating
lifelong passion for travel company to Elysian, has its own
continues to this day. travel company specialising in
trips for One Eighty’s clientele.
‘I was born with it’ says Toni, The company has made dreams
laughing, when asked about come true for many residents,
her insatiable appetite for travel. from learning to fly a plane, to
She’s had the bug since she was swimming in the ocean with
young, and even after a long life dolphins. Just this year, 98-year-
spent exploring, she’s as keen as old Toni travelled to South Africa,
ever to see as much of the world and she’s already itching to get
as she possibly can. back on the road.
13
I was born had been before and had lived with one of those
families for six months, sharing their shack and
with it. getting water from a pump outside. The young
lady whose family he lived with came and had
dinner with us. It was so interesting.’
| TONI UNDERWOOD
Although her vision and hearing are not what
they once were, Toni doesn’t feel that her travel
experiences are in any way diminished. ‘No one
would ever guess I had limited vision,’ she chuckles.
‘And I have never been afraid. I’m careful but
I’ve never been frightened in another country.
In my opinion travel keeps you young. All you need
is the right attitude.’
I like to see how The daughter of Italian immigrants, Toni was born
a first-generation American in a small town in
When the US joined the Second World War in 1941,
Toni, a trained nurse, signed up. ‘I was sent to the
other people in the New York State. ‘As a child I didn’t travel far,’
she explains. ‘But I like to see how other people
UK to open hospitals before the D-Day invasions.
We first landed in Wales – I love Wales, the people,
world are living.
in the world are living. I like to hear them talk and the culture, the music – but it was cold, and we
understand what they’re thinking.’ In her twenties lived in barracks. We were up for 24-hours a day
she set out on her first adventure, to Guatemala. during the invasion, but there was always a
It was a life-changing experience. can-full of hot coffee on our ward, so we could
| TONI UNDERWOOD
keep warm while we cared for the soldiers.’
‘I found Guatemala so interesting and I was fascinated
by their culture. When I saw how people lived, how Since then, Toni has explored much of Europe,
they had to work so hard to survive, it really brought returning often to favourite places in Greece and
to mind how fortunate I was to live in the country Italy. She has visited China, and just a few months
I did.’ ago, made her first sally onto the African continent
on a trip with her grandson. ‘We went on two
safaris and I saw all kinds of animals. Cape Town
opened my eyes because it was so different from
other places I’d visited. I also met people who had
lived out of the city,’ she explains. ‘My grandson
15
An American High School He also takes the idea of balance
Football coach for three years into every project his team is
in New Jersey and 12 years involved in, applying core tenets
at Gallaudet University, in to each location. ‘The Oren
Washington DC, Bob took his is an ideal place to implement
experience of motivating a a certain lifestyle,’ he explains.
team and transferred it to his ‘It’s about fun, it’s about learning,
new venture. To keep his and it’s about wellness.’
employees motivated and
positive, he believes, they Bob has another strong belief:
should be encouraged to keep that exercise is the key not just
an equilibrium between family/ to physical health, but also to
friends, work and philanthropy – emotional wellness. He saw it on
something he calls ‘the three- the football field and he has seen
thirds lifestyle.’ This not only it in his 30-year career at One
makes for a highly effective Eighty. At The Oren, where clients
team, but by extension, well- have the option to have all their
cared-for clients. exercise needs cared for, trainers
Achieving the
perfect balance
| BOB WESTERMANN
Bob Westermann, President and Head of International
Operations for One Eighty, the sister company jointly
operating The Oren residences with Elysian, shares his
tips for a balanced lifestyle.
Bob has made a career promoting richer, healthier,
and longer lives, from the football fields of Washington
DC to the American workplace. His pioneering luxury
later-living residencies are found across the US, and
now he’s partnered One Eighty as a sister company
It’s about fun, it’s to Elysian Residences to advance the concept over
the pond with The Oren in London’s Hampstead.
about learning, and This project, he says, is special when it comes to
health and wellbeing. High-end facilities include a
it’s about wellness. swimming pool, yoga studios, travel opportunities,
and learning programmes for clients to exercise
their brains and maintain their health.
| BOB WESTERMANN
17are on hand to motivate in cardio-classes, swim I said, “Walter, you’re so fit, you’re so popular.
If you keep your mind sessions, and strength training, and there are plenty Tell me, what’s your secret?” He said, “Bobby, it’s in
busy and your body of options to work out in a group too. three things. Number one, I always smoke the best
cigars, number two, I only drink the best whiskey,
busy, you’re going to ‘I think the most important thing is the sense of and number three, I’ve never been married”.’
be around a long time. wellbeing you get after a vigorous workout of any
kind. Your body makes endorphins, and you feel Twelve years later, in his 112th-birthday speech,
better.’ But by being active together, he says, we get Walter finally gave the crowd his real secret to long
| WALTER BREUNING
a one-two punch of endorphins from a good workout life: ‘If you keep your mind busy and your body busy,
and from a period of emotional connectedness. you’re going to be around a long time.’
Health and wellness in one fell swoop.
Bob recounts the story of a client he met in Montana The image on the right shows Bob Westermann
in the 90s, Walter Breuning. ‘Walter was the oldest celebrating with the Washington DC-based Gallaudet
man in the world. He died at 114 years old. He taught University team after coaching them to their first
me a lot. He wore a suit every day and he was in the winning season after more than fifty straight-losing
lobby at 5:36 every morning reading the Wall Street seasons. Bob promised his players that if they finally
Journal. Then, he’d go out for a four-mile walk. He got to a winning record, he would allow them to
lived on the fifth floor and never used the elevator. shave his head, and they did! Gallaudet is an all-deaf
He took the stairs every day. I admired his attitude. university and Bob had to learn sign-language in
order to coach. The all-deaf football team competed
‘We were sitting together after his hundredth birthday against other non-deaf American universities and won
party. We each had a glass of whiskey and ice, and the division within three years.
19A passion
for culture
A second act
| JULIA FOSTER
As she comes to the end of the run of Allelujah!, the
latest play by Alan Bennett, at the Bridge Theatre in
London, the exuberant actress Julia Foster reflects on
what it’s like to have a ‘second surge’ in her career.
For a long time Julia has been best known for her roles
in the 1960s and 70s; on stage in Lulu, as Gilda in Alfie
opposite Michael Caine, and as Ann in Half a Sixpence,
with Tommy Steele. ‘And today, I’m as famous for
being Ben Fogle’s mother,’ she laughs. ‘But the stage
door still gets crowded with autograph hunters.’
21Julia took a pause from acting to focus on her
children. ‘Family is what life is about, not theatre,’
she says. ‘Theatre is wonderful but I don’t regret
stepping out of it.’ This play marks her first time
back on stage in many years, and only her second
outing, after filming Dad’s Army in 2016, in her
return to the acting world.
And it’s been nothing but positive. ‘I’ve never known a
play to consistently have the kind of reaction Allelujah!
has,’ she beams. ‘We’ve had standing ovations every
single performance. It has been phenomenal.’
Arlene Phillips did the
choreography and she
had quite a task to get
us all doing everything
at the same time.
| JULIA FOSTER
The play, set in an NHS hospital at risk of closure, has
all of Bennett’s hallmarks – pithy one-liners, political
outrage tempered with humour, and gentleness –
and also, surprisingly, what Julia calls a ‘geriatric
chorus line’. ‘There’s singing and dancing all the way
through. Arlene Phillips did the choreography and she
had quite a task to get us all doing everything at the
same time, with the same arm and leg, at exactly
the same height.’
23Julia recalls how she was showing her grandson how
to jive in her living room. ‘He flew to the kitchen and
called “Alexa! Play Good Golly Miss Molly”. On comes
the unmistakable sound of Little Richard and I think,
I have no idea how to make it do that.’ Yet, as she
tells me the story, Alexa fires up and starts to play,
reprising the moment with comic timing. Tutting,
she tells the music to stop. ‘Youngsters are so savvy
these days, but my grandchildren have still not got
over the fact that grandma’s on stage dancing!’
The fact that she is, is more incredible given that
just six months earlier she was being discharged
from hospital herself. A routine epidural treatment to
relieve pain where two discs in her spine had collapsed
on each other, led to a punctured artery and then
massive organ failure, followed by weeks in intensive
care. ‘It is a miracle. Nobody can believe it, least of
all my children who can remember me lying half dead,
making calls because they didn’t think I was going to
make it through the night. Yet here I am!’
My grandchildren
have still not got
over the fact that
grandma’s on stage
dancing!
| JULIA FOSTER
They say actors never truly retire, and Julia is a case
in point. ‘You need to keep doing things,’ she says.
‘It keeps you younger when you’re forcing your mind
to work. Being in Dad’s Army with Michael Gambon
and Bill Nighy was such fun. I’ve not enjoyed myself
so much for a long time.’
It keeps you younger As for the future, she has other possible projects
when you’re forcing coming her way, but she’s content with her legacy
as it stands. ‘I’ve got a second career which is very
your mind to work. exciting. I said to my husband the other day that
if I don’t do anything else I’ll be happy.’ She pauses,
and then adds, a twinkle in her eye: ‘But I’m sure
| JULIA FOSTER I will.’
Julia Foster in rehearsals for Allelujah! ©Manuel Harlan
25Space All people
Isabel Langtry, Principal of Hampstead School of Art
and accomplished sculptor, explains what she believes
older students bring to their art that makes them
to create stand out from their younger counterparts. have creativity
in them.
| ISABEL LANGTRY
Retirement often means busy lives are suddenly
freed up, and people are in a position to finally express
themselves creatively. ‘It’s a very exciting moment for
them,’ says Isabel. ‘We have older students coming to
us sometimes three or four classes a week. They have
the time to do it.’
Isabel has instilled a philosophy at the school that
says everyone can create art, no matter their age.
In fact, she says, older people bring a sense of
freedom to their works.
‘The art made by people who have come to it in old
age has a more personal language. Younger artists
tend to be very aware of what the art world expects
them to make. The older people are liberated from
that art gobbledegook and politics. And that makes
the work absolutely beautiful.’ In the bright sunlit
studios, classes are underway: life drawing in one,
jewellery making in another, ceramics in the kiln
rooms. Half of the students are over 60.
27I’ve made very good
friends with my
classmates and tutors.
| ESTELLE ANGEL
Hampstead School of Art has been serving artists
since 1946, having grown out of the Hampstead
Artists’ Council – a group founded by local artists
Jeanette Jackson, Henry Moore, and Bernard Gay.
Isabel reels off examples of older students who have
thrived at the school. Simon, in his late 60s, came
for a few classes and has now been accepted for a
Masters in Fine Art at Central St Martins. Professor
Zuckerman, a former dean of the medical school at
the Royal Free Hospital, now comes regularly to the
school and has even set up a small studio in his home.
Other students have forged a second career out of
their art. Diana, who told Isabel she never knew she
could paint, is in her mid-60s and exhibits her work
at every opportunity. Anne, a retiree, now enjoys
earning extra money selling her jewellery.
To better understand the impact that studying and
practising art has in later life, Isabel introduces one
of the school’s oldest and most involved students,
Estelle Angel.
29Keep on Being
Can you paint your thoughts
Or carve your dreams?
Can you cut your clay
To make it live
And will your hands obey
To mix the colours
That you see behind your eyes?
Can you stitch your heart
To stop it bleeding,
And lose a friend
But not your friendship?
At 91, Estelle has been going to sculpture and painting Can you stay yourself.
classes since she retired. The walls and surfaces of her Through all your years?
home are adorned with her own works, carved from
pieces of wood she has found on her walks. Can you keep your mind
So it won’t wander from the day
Estelle, how did you come to be an artist in And from the night?
later life?
I was a magistrate for thirty years. After I came to Can you smile still
London, I found myself going deaf. You can’t sit in
that chair and not be able to hear what’s being said,
so I resigned.
It’s quite a thrill. And mean it,
Not deceive yourself
That you are you?
| ESTELLE ANGEL
A long time ago, when I was in Cornwall on holiday, Can you sing inside yourself
there was a notice next to a hall that said, Art
But still not hear it?
Exhibition Inside. It was terrible, and I thought: What is special about Hampstead School
I can do better than that! of Art? Can you grow old
The tutors at the school are very good. They come and And still not alter
pick me up and take me to my classes because I can’t
walk that far anymore. I even had my 90th-birthday But keep on as you used to be
party at the school, where they put on an exhibition And do not act a part
of my favourite work. I’ve made very good friends with But make it you?
my classmates and tutors.
If you can still achieve
What would you say to people who have What you are hoping
yet to try creating their own art?
Then being old and still achieving
If you like art, you get a lot of satisfaction out of being
able to produce something. It’s quite a thrill. It makes Is the thing to do!
you interested in going to exhibitions of other people’s
work as well.
©Estelle Angel 2018
31Villa Bianca
This old-fashioned restaurant has been quietly serving up some of the
finest Italian food in the neighbourhood from its discreet side-street
location for 30 years. Without fanfare, Villa Bianca allows the menu
of authentic Italian ingredients and dishes – homemade bruschetta,
prosciutto, an extensive range of pasta dishes, risottos, and more – to
speak for itself. Add to that a well-curated wine list, live music for special
occasions, and a terrace for dining al fresco in the summer, and it’s no
wonder this restaurant is a Hampstead institution.
Hidden gems The Old Bull & Bush
Every good village needs a decent pub, and The Old Bull & Bush
is exactly that. Dog-friendly, it has real open fires in the winter and
an outdoor terrace for sipping Pimms in the summer. The pub has
even been immortalised in song; Florrie Forde, a wartime music hall
star sang Down at The Old Bull & Bush about the pub after it gained
a music licence in 1867. It became a popular day-trip destination then,
and maintains its reputation as a delectable drinking hole to this day.
Hill Garden and Hampstead Pergola
Hampstead isn’t short of beauty spots, but Hampstead Pergola is one
that’s lesser known. An extravagant terrace built by Lord Leverhulme
in 1906 for summer garden parties, but over the decades it has faded
somewhat, into a fine romantic ruin. Here is a glorious confection of
pillars and arches, overgrown with ivy and wisteria, worth exploring
for its fantastic views out over the Heath and Hill Garden.
Here are five off-the-beaten-track Everyman Cinema
Since 2000, Hampstead’s old theatre has been the Everyman Cinema,
spots well worth discovering. the first of a wave of independent and art-house cinemas that has since
spread across the country. Built in the 1880s as a dance hall, the building
Try not to tell everyone. became a cinema at the height of movie-going in 1933, but towards the
end of the 20th century fell into disrepair. Now it is proudly resplendent
once again, with big chairs, director Q and As, and a boutique cinema
experience that’s worth making a night of.
Hampstead Village and its or a nosey inside architectural
famous sprawling Heath is one gems like Ernő Goldfinger’s
of London’s most iconic areas. mid-century modern home Dawn Chorus walks
Known for its spectacular skyline on Willow Road, there is always Of course one of the joys of living in Hampstead is the access to nature
views, swimming ponds, and something new to discover. and the wildlife of the Heath. In springtime, in the early hours, before
village-feel, for many Londoners For those who choose to linger its paths fill with visitors, dog-walkers, and joggers, the ornithologically-
it’s the perfect destination for here longer and make this part dedicated and curious can join one of the local RSPB group’s Dawn
a Sunday stroll. The rest of the of the city their home, here are Chorus walks. Set out under cover of darkness to hear the sweet song
week, meanwhile, this spectacular five off-the-beaten-track spots of the Blackbird as it breaks the night-time hush to welcome the rising
spot is reserved for locals. And well worth discovering. Try not sun. A truly magical way to start the day.
whether it’s Kenwood calling to tell everyone.
33A taste for
finer things A fabulous
vintage
Sam Lindo is a winemaker at Camel
Valley wine estate, supplier of fine
wines to The Oren. Sam’s forward-
thinking approach has helped shape
this Cornwall family business into one
of the UK’s most exciting producers
of white and sparkling wines.
The English wine business is booming.
With the gradual change in climate and
similar soil to that in the Champagne
region, many slopes in southern England
and South Wales are gradually being
transformed into rows and rows of grape
vines. Regularly beating champagnes in
international competitions, England’s
wine makers have taken a time-
honoured tradition and made it their
own in the space of a few decades.
35At a time when English wine was known in some
circles as an oxymoron, and with no experience in
winemaking, they bought their first eight-thousand
vines and planted them on newly-sheepless land.
Today, their winery is winning international awards
and is the first UK vineyard to win a Royal Warrant.
They are producing up to 250,000 bottles of white
and sparkling a year. And it all started with a roguish
decision to try something new.
Sam thinks that his father’s lack of experience may
have been the key. ‘It turned out my dad was good
at making wine. He didn’t know anything about
winemaking, so he didn’t try and make wine like
anyone else. The wine we made, although at the time
the antithesis to what was considered great white
wine, was still really nice. Now, the whole world has
gone 180-degrees. Crisp, fresh white wines are the
most sought after.’
The Oren, which came about due to a similar A mathematician, Sam has helped the business
It turned out my dad pioneering attitude to this country’s winemakers, embrace new innovations in technology, kitting
was good at making wine. echoes their stories. Elysian Residences – builders out the estate with the latest equipment. His team
and operators of The Oren – took inspiration have tried out the methods of more established
He didn’t know anything from the success of later-living residencies in wineries in France, such as whole bunch pressing or
about winemaking so he the US and turned a foreign tradition into a
British luxury affair.
barrel fermentation. But, in the end, as far as he is
concerned the experiments have simply proven one
didn’t try and make wine thing – that remaining an individual, not a follower,
Camel Valley are the first
One such story is that of Camel Valley, a wine works best for them.
like anyone else. estate in rural Cornwall. In 1987 Bob and Annie UK vineyard to win a Royal
Lindo moved there to farm sheep. For nearly
| SAM LINDO two years they toiled with their livestock, trying Warrant. They are producing
to make it work, until one summer the heat of
the sun turned the slopes of their land brown.
up to 250,000 bottles of white
Instead of frustration came a moment of and sparkling a year.
inspiration – bad weather for grazing; but
good weather for vines perhaps?
| SAM LINDO
37Try something new
... I think with the sparkling, There are now a handful of prominent wine estates
Nyetimber, Sussex
Winbirri, Norfolk
the white wine, and even the in the south of England, and several vineyards popping Rathfinny, Sussex
up in South Wales. These are the names to watch: Chapel Down, Kent
rosé, you’re experiencing Hambledon, Hampshire
something in the wine Gusbourne, Sussex & Kent
Llanerch Vineyard, Vale of Glamorgan
that you can’t experience Glyndwr Vineyard, Vale of Glamorgan
in another place. Elysian Residences are committed to supporting
this new tradition and helping its clients keep up with
| SAM LINDO the British wine story. Elysian serve English sparkling
at events and even keep a chilled selection, including
Camel Valley, in The Oren show suite. Do book an
appointment and join the team for a glass.
A much-needed fillip to the UK agricultural economy,
the past decade has seen British wine come into its
own, especially sparkling and white. Making red is less
appealing to the British estates. ‘It’s possible to make
a red, one time in four years, and you’re possibly going
to make a red wine like something that already exists.
Whereas, I think with the sparkling, the white wine,
and even the rosé, you’re experiencing something in
the wine that you can’t experience in another place,’
says Sam.
Several English winemakers have now beaten
champagnes to win international awards.
Hampshire’s Hambledon won Best sparkling in the
world at Italy’s Bollicine del Mondo in 2015; Sussex’s
Nyetimber won a blind tasting with their 2009
white sparkling in Paris in 2016; and this year, for
the first time, there were more English sparklings
than champagnes on the gold list of the Sommelier
Wine Awards, one of the most coveted lists in wine. Even after winning awards, winemakers don’t have
time to bask. There is always another wine to make,
necessitating a balancing act: make the best wine
possible, but make decisions fast and consign the
past to the past, whether good or bad. ‘You can
ruminate for a long time or you can just make a
decision. Once something’s been made, we move
on. We have a short memory.’
Maybe the most telling of this way of thinking is the
story of Camel Valley’s 2008 sparkling rosé. ‘When we
first tasted it we really felt unhappy with the quality
of the wine’ But in 2010 that same wine won Best
sparkling rosé in the world at the Bollicine del Mondo,
proving that some things really do improve with age.
39From the micro to the
macro, every event is
a piece of theatre.
| JOANNA MOODY
Dining with Joanna Moody, Creative Director at specialist event
caterers Zafferano, designed a very special event for
distinction
The Oren Supper Club at Kenwood House. She tells
us how Britain’s attitude to dining has changed over
recent years.
England’s reputation for bad food is long outdated.
Since the 1990s, London has regularly been held up
as one of the best cities for food and drink in the
world. More recently, since the financial crash of 2008,
the boredom of austerity has reformed attitudes. We
want ‘less but better’ – when we do go out to eat, we
make sure it is an experience to remember. Two-pints-
of-lager-and-a-packet-of-crisps will no longer cut the
proverbial mustard in a scene of supper-clubs and
‘Supper Club’ Elysian event secret pop-ups.
‘Supper Club’ Elysian event
As Creative Director of Zafferano, Joanna Moody is
queen of the memorable meal. Not to be confused
with the Belgravia restaurant of the same name,
Zafferano’s show-stopping blend of cuisine and
culture has wowed foodies and gastronomes alike
at glittering, often highly-surprising events all over
London, from the Natural History Museum, to the
V&A and The National Gallery.
41‘Supper Club’ Elysian event
Not everybody’s a
foodie, but if they are,
then to eat and drink
well is one of life’s
greatest pleasures.
| JOANNA MOODY
In May, she designed an ‘I think, hand on heart, a lot down and lots of people
eighteenth-century dining of people wouldn’t even notice gasped and started a little
experience for The Oren ‘Supper the details. But we know.’ flurry of applause.
Club’ at Kenwood House. Thirty- And, says Joanna, ‘it adds a
‘Supper Club’ Elysian event
five guests were treated to an subconscious texture to the Besides experiences, our daily
evening of food, history, and event’. Craftsmanship is in the eating habits have also changed.
music, with a menu based on joy of doing what you love. Most importantly, we have
a Georgian aristocrat’s diet set ‘It makes such a difference.’ re-learned the importance of
‘Supper Club’ Elysian event
to live harp, piano, and opera seasonal eating. In the past
singing. Joanna is proud of the From the micro to the macro, decades, the advance of
amount of detail that goes into every event is a piece of theatre. globalism and logistics has been
an evening like this. From the ‘We had antique screens hiding a double-edged sword. While we
blue-and-white Josiah Wedgwood the dessert station in The Orangery, benefitted from contact with
colour theme, to the tiny so they couldn’t quite see what numerous cultures and cuisines,
oranges reflecting the setting was going on. When the time our appetites demanded
in The Orangery. came, we took those screens everything-now, and the
43supermarkets were happy to around the world from Peru getting chatting to the people
comply, flying produce from any and tastes like cotton wool
I think most people on the table next to you, to
corner of the world to our local buds? If you’re eating it when now realise how actually sit down and break
shops. We have been conditioned it’s supposed to be ready, it bread with people rather than
to expect any fruit and veg tastes better and it’s going important it is to grab a sarnie on the run, there’s
whenever we want, but are now
realising it’s not supposed to be
to have more nutrients.’
eat seasonally. something very convivial about
it and, I think, leads to an
this way. Joanna believes that Today, it’s in the cities where we enormous sense of wellbeing.’
| JOANNA MOODY
keeping produce seasonal has have the greatest access to the
opened up flavours and a freshest produce, she says. Eating at The Oren is set to
healthier sense of connection. be an affair to remember, with
‘To be honest, I think we probably a private dining room, private
‘I think most people now realise have better access to amazing chef, and fully-catered events.
how important it is to eat fresh fruit and veg, specialist To join the next ‘Supper Club’
seasonally. What is the point of butchers, and fishmongers than at The Oren please contact
buying asparagus in November people do living out of town. events@elysianresidences.com
when it’s being flown halfway to register your interest.
I’d certainly say that was true in Hampstead. My God,
you’re spoilt for choice. While rural towns and villages
have farm shops, they’re also pretty much at the
mercy of the big local supermarket.’
Supper clubs such as this are now part of the tapestry
of London life. If we so choose, experiences can be
unique, memories can be exclusive. We have the option
of eating our favourite meal in familiar surroundings,
or the option of trying something totally new in a
unique environment. We have the option to retain
an individual life.
‘Not everybody’s a foodie, but if they are, then to
eat and drink well is one of life’s greatest pleasures,’
says Joanna. And if not, it’s a reason to get together.
Whether it’s a family celebration, Sunday lunch with
friends, going to one of the Hampstead pubs and
It’s a reason to get together.
Whether it’s a family
celebration, Sunday lunch
with friends...
45I started at 70. That’s the
interesting thing. I’d done
little things before then –
acting, dancing, modelling –
but it only took off when
I got to 70...
| DAPHNE SELFE
Model
behaviour
| DAPHNE SELFE
Daphne Selfe, ‘greynaissance’ supermodel, looks
back on a career that has made her one of the most
recognisable faces in the world of fashion and beauty,
and shares her secrets to looking and feeling good.
At a point when most people have already retired,
Daphne Selfe gave her career a kick start. The world’s
oldest model, according to the Guinness World
Records, began modelling aged 21, back in 1949, but
it’s in the last twenty years that her career has been
turbocharged. In 1998, she became the face of what
the media call the ‘greynaissance’, and occasionally
features in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Red magazine
to name a few.
47I’ve been to Sydney, Beijing, Tokyo,
South Africa, Los Angeles, Paris...
Modelling takes you everywhere.
| DAPHNE SELFE
Are there advantages to
being older?
I do get better treatment
I suppose. Sometimes, people
think I’m fragile. The great thing
is when you’re travelling. I tend
not to wear a hat so people can
see I’ve got grey hair, otherwise,
you won’t get a seat. I always
accept if someone offers me
their seat, even when it’s only
one station, in case they’re
offended and never do it again.
Do you believe that fashion
can be timeless?
Definitely. Fashion is a big circle
and it all comes around again.
I’m a great hoarder and I find
most years, they will suggest
something that’s ‘new’ and I’ll
You were just getting started ‘Would you like to do London Has the world of modelling
think, Golly, I’ve got that in the
when most people are looking Fashion Week for Red or Dead?’ changed much?
wardrobe. Out it comes. Look
to slow down… my agent asked me. Now, this In the 50s you used to have to
at Meghan Markle’s wedding
I do advise people not to retire was unusual, because in 1998 take everything with you, do your
dress – we had all that years ago.
really. I started at 70. I’d done there were no older models. own hair, take your own jewellery,
little things before then – acting, several pairs of shoes, different
How do you stay on trend?
dancing, modelling – but it only I said, ‘Yes. What fun!’ The stylist underwear. Now. you just get up
I don’t like going out in the
took off when I got to 70, after for that remembered me, and and go. Everything is done for you,
morning without putting on
my husband died. later contacted me about an which is very spoiling. It’s really
make-up. A lot of people don’t
article Vogue was doing on good fun.
wear any, but I think they should
How did it all come about? ageing. The scout for Models 1
because just a little can give
I had an agent who I did acting was at the shoot. She said,
you some joie de vivre. And I love
with – films and television extra ‘We want you on our books,’
dressing up. I’ve shrunk, as you
work. One day she said, ‘I know And that was that, 20 years
do, and it’s very annoying
you were a model when you ago when I was 70. It’s ridiculous.
because I can’t wear waisted
were 20.’ Which I was.
things that well. So, though I
do wear skirts and tops, I think
it’s better to wear a dress that
creates a sort of line, a column,
as my friend says. I’m so small,
but I think it makes me look taller.
49What do you do to keep yourself feeling good?
I start every morning with green tea, and I usually
have a smoothie – avocado, blueberries, a little lemon
juice, a little bit of apple because I’ve a bit of a sweet
tooth, and a whole handful of spinach or lettuce.
Stuff it in the Nutribullet and there you are. I make
sure I eat properly too. I do buy the odd takeaway,
but very rarely. I cook everything from scratch.
I’ve always kept very fit, I’ve always done dancing,
yoga, riding, cycling. Most mornings I still do a few
exercises. I keep my posture – I was very lucky because
I was born upright, it’s in my genes, but I was very
good at gym at school and I have ballet training too.
All you can do is pull your shoulders back and do what
you can. And I stayed slim. That’s inherited too.
I was very lucky because I
was born upright, it’s in my
genes, but I was very good
at gym at school and I have
ballet training too.
| DAPHNE SELFE
How has modelling changed your life?
And the Queen, for God’s sake! Up until I was 70 I’d never been abroad. My husband
She’s two years older than me didn’t have a big job, and we didn’t have enough
money to go and take all the kids abroad like
but, my girl, she’s still got it everybody does now. We went to see my mummy in
going on. Worthing and my mother-in-law in Looe in Cornwall.
Going abroad has been the most interesting – I’ve
been to Sydney, Beijing, Tokyo, South Africa, Los
| DAPHNE SELFE
Angeles, Paris… Modelling takes you everywhere.
Lots of people look up to you as an inspiring
older person, but who do you admire?
I think a lot of other older people who are still going
too and who’ve got better feet than I have – they
can walk more. People like Iris Apfel – she’s amazing –
and Joan Burstein, who runs Browns, she’s another.
She’s fantastic. And the Queen, for God’s sake! She’s
two years older than me but, my girl, she’s still got
it going on.
51Hampstead Heath
The Oren
ResidencesThe result is a residence
as individual in character
Our
and style as the people
who will live here.
design John Keats, Poet
ethos
Our ambition at Elysian is quite Hampstead. We’ve also drawn
simply to build the best later-living on the rich artistic heritage that
residencies in the world. You’ll see continues today in cultural venues,
this reflected in every aspect of like Keats House and Kenwood
The Oren’s design, from the House. The result is a residence as
location to the thought and individual in character and style
expertise that’s gone into the as the people who will live here.
layout, down to the last detail
of the interiors. We chose Referencing the modernist
Hampstead because it’s one of architectural tradition found in
the finest places to live in London. many parts of north London, the
Cosmopolitan and cultured, it’s building is split into four linked
a neighbourhood that’s brimming villas nestled into a gently sloping
with life, yet retains all the charm landscape of mature trees on the
of a village. For inspiration we’ve edge of Golders Hill Park. Inspired
looked to the area’s long history by the proximity of the Heath
of colourful residents from and Hampstead’s leafy green
Sigmund Freud and John Keats to character, a key design feature of
Judi Dench and Alan Bennett, and The Oren is its communal gardens
what made them fall in love with and wonderful treetop views.
55When you’re designing
something, you’re building
it in your head. I’m thinking
about what it would be like
to walk down this corridor,
Connecting or to go in to that kitchen...
the elements | ALAN STANTON
Stanton Williams’ Stirling Prize-winning building with the same landscaping team as The Oren. ©Hufton+Crow
|A
LAN STANTON
For a building of any scale to be a success in the
minds of those who will ultimately use it, the devil
is in the architectural detail. Alan Stanton, one half
of Stirling Prize-winning architectural partnership
Stanton Williams, and architect of The Oren, is more
aware of this than most. Renowned for their ‘inside-
out’ approach and painstakingly-thoughtful process,
Stanton Williams counts Compton Verney Art Gallery
in Warwickshire, the Sainsbury Laboratory, and the
London 2012 Paralympic Games Eton Manor venue,
in its impressive portfolio. The practice is heralded
for significant urban projects in London such as the
recent 7,000 sq m revamp of King’s Cross Square,
and visionary international projects like the Musée
d’Arts de Nantes in France.
57What was your starting point for The Oren?
There is a tradition, Well of course we start with the nature of the site The design of the landscaping
or legacy if you like, in as a setting for the new building. Then we think about
north London, of really
the people, the community, that will live there. When
you’re designing something, you’re building it in your
as well as the design of the
good architecture, and head. I’m always thinking about what it would be like
to walk down this corridor, to go in to that kitchen to
architecture had to work architecture. Very famously,
there’s Highpoint up at Highgate,
particularly within that,
modernist architecture.
make breakfast, or into this bedroom to change my
shirt. Of course, we have built up a pretty good together beautifully. flats by Stirling and Gowan,
and other famous houses here.
knowledge of what works and what doesn’t.
We were conscious of that and
| ALAN STANTON
hoped we could make a building
| ALAN STANTON How can a building balance people’s
that would contribute to that
different needs?
broader context.
The question of choice is terribly important, because
we’re all different and everybody has a different
And then there’s the Heath…
lifestyle. The building has to be able to support that.
Yes. This project is also special
It has to be welcoming, a place our residents can
because it’s in a wonderful
identify with and call home.
landscape with some pretty
spectacular trees, literally on
Each cluster of apartments takes on a different
the edge of Golders Hill Park.
aspect of the views of the landscape, whether over
Also, the site is on a hill and the
the treetops or across the garden. That also avoids
landscaping and architecture
the problem of being overlooked so that residents
had to work together beautifully.
have a much clearer sense of privacy and
It’s been a very three-dimensional
independence.
process to fit the building into the
hillside. The result is something
Golders Hill Park which is very special.
Did you have a specific type of
person in mind when designing
the apartments?
The residents moving into these
flats are frequently those who
have lived in and around
Hampstead, or north London,
for most of their lives. They’re
often from a variety of cultured
backgrounds. This has, to the
same extent, informed the
quality and ‘feel’ of the spaces.
How did you take the local
architectural heritage into
consideration in the design
of The Oren?
Fitzroy Park House designed by Stanton Williams There is a tradition, or legacy
if you like, in north London, of
really good architecture, and
particularly within that, modernist
The inspiring Fallingwater Pennsylvania USA
59HAMPSTEAD
HEATH
GOLDERS GREEN EXTENSION
The heart of
Hampstead N O RT
H EN
DR
OA
D
W E S T H E ATH AV EN U E
R OA D
GOLDERS
OA D
D
OA
HILL PARK
AT H
EY R
SR
RD
HE
CHL
NIA
NO
ST
RT
FIN
H
WE
S PA
EN
D
THE OREN HAMPSTEAD
WA
Y
HEATH
WEST HEATH
WEST HEATH ROAD
WE ST H
HE E ATH ROAD
RM
ITA
GE
L A NE
H E AT
EA
HAMPSTEAD ST
H
H ST
EA
TH
REET
RO
AD
RE
DI
HAMPSTEAD
NG
VILLAGE
TO
N
AL
RO
GN
AD
FRO
HAMPSTEAD
FI N
CH
H
LE
AM
Y
AD PS
RO
TE A
D H I GH
S TR E
ET
The glorious Hampstead Heath
Living at The Oren puts you within easy reach of a plum tree in the garden. Now a museum, the house
itself is a big attraction, as are Hampstead’s hidden gems. Kenwood House is a puts on a fascinating programme of literary events.
the chic designer-boutiques former stately home and architectural masterpiece
designed by Robert Adam. Picnic on its green lawns
Of course, the glorious Hampstead Heath itself is a
big attraction, as are the chic designer-boutiques
and pretty pavement cafés or admire the dazzling art collection that includes and pretty pavement cafés of Hampstead Village.
paintings by Turner, Rembrandt, and Vermeer. If you’ve worked up an appetite discovering the area’s
of Hampstead Village. To the south of the Heath, Keats House was once delights, treat yourself to a traditional Sunday roast
the home of romantic poet John Keats, who at The Spaniards Inn, a lovingly-preserved pub that is
apparently composed Ode to a Nightingale under believed to date back to the late 1500s.
61The welcome
you deserve
From the moment you arrive at
The Oren, you’ll feel like you’ve
come home. Passing through
tall trees and woodland planting
designed to enhance the striking
modernist architecture, the
driveway sweeps round in an
elegant circle in front of the
entrance. Imagine arriving at
your favourite members’ club or
hotel, where everything is familiar
and you can look forward to
impeccable service from staff who
know you by name. That’s the kind
of welcome you can expect every
time you step through the doors
of The Oren.
CGI of The Oren, Hampstead, London. Four buildings nestled in a woodland setting
63Enjoy stimulating Luxurious hospitality
Once you’re inside, there’s always
spaces where you the excitement of deciding how
to spend the rest of the day.
can read the
Whether you choose a swim in
the pool and a movie in the
cinema room, or dinner with
papers and relax friends followed by a quiet
evening in your own apartment,
with friends. you can always be assured of the
best hospitality in a place that
feels your own.
TREATMENT ROOMS
DELIVERY BAY
DRAWING
OFF-STREET
RECEPTION POOL
ROOM
GOODS
LIBRARY EVENT
SPACE
LIFT
LOBBY GYM
CINEMA
COURTYARD
LOUNGE
WC
PRIVATE
WC DINING
WC RESTAURANT
THEATRE KITCHEN
PROFESSIONAL
KITCHEN
65Our dedicated
and expert staff
are here to make
sure that your
every need is
taken care of.
The
personal
touch
Our dedicated and expert staff
are here to make sure that your
every need is taken care of.
A concierge is on-hand to help
with things like receiving deliveries
or arranging theatre tickets,
and there’s valet parking if you
require it. If you don’t fancy
cooking for yourself or dining
at the restaurant, room-service
can bring freshly-prepared meals
to your apartment. A personal
trainer is available to help you
achieve your fitness goals, and
a wellness co-ordinator can
arrange social activities tailored
to your tastes.
67Time to enjoy
At The Oren there’s a firm focus on having fun and
maximising the pleasure to be had from life now
that your time is your own. If you enjoy fine dining,
entertaining family and friends, and discovering new
interests, then we encourage you to carry on doing
all these things as before. Countless research studies
tell us that for a long and healthy life we should stay
mentally, physically, and socially active, and this is
our philosophy for wellbeing at The Oren. A full
schedule of activities and events is planned around
the personal preferences of residents and might
include yoga, pilates, hydrotherapy-exercise classes,
gardening, art, and cookery classes, talks from
visiting lecturers, and language lessons.
All activities will be led by professional staff and
tailored to the abilities and needs of the residents
taking part, so we invite you to be actively involved
in creating the programme. And, if you have your
own specialist subject, we’d love you to share your
passion with others by hosting your own talk or event.
Of course it’s entirely up to you how much or how
little you want to participate; you can pick and
choose exactly what you’d like to do and you’re
always free to spend your time in the privacy of
your own apartment.
Tennis courts are available in Golders Hill Park CGI of the spa, gym, and wellness centre
69You can pick and choose
exactly what you’d like
to do and you’re always
free to spend your time
in the privacy of your
own apartment.
With all that’s on offer at The Oren, it might be
tempting to stay at home, but when you do feel
like heading out, Hampstead has plenty to offer
in the way of culture, like performances at Hampstead
Theatre, the Kenwood Lates series at Kenwood House
and the programme at arts venue JW3. There’s also
an abundance of local restaurants to choose from,
though they face stiff competition from The Oren’s
own full-service in-house restaurant.
Designed around an interactive ‘theatre’ kitchen
that encourages you to be on first-name terms with
the chef, it’s a great place to dine with friends and
you can even learn how to make your favourite
recipes if you want to with interactive cookery classes.
The emphasis is on nutritious fresh food that uses the
finest seasonal ingredients with ever-changing menus
that allow you to discover new dishes all the time.
For special occasions you can ask the concierge
to book the restaurant or the private dining room
exclusively for your party, or we can even arrange
a fully-catered and staffed event in your apartment.
CGI of the courtyard restaurant and private dining
71Your family
We know how important family and grandchildren
are to you, and they’re welcome to visit you at any
We know how time, just as they always have done. You can either
host them in your own apartment, or for special
important family gatherings and celebrations, you might want to
book a table in the restaurant or even your own
and grandchildren
private dining room, so that you can entertain
in style, treating them to world-class cuisine
with waiting staff and the services of your own
are to you. private chef.
After lunch, the grandchildren are free to have
fun in the swimming pool, relax with a film in the
cinema room or burn off some energy in Golders
Hill Park.
We welcome four-legged family members too and
there are dog-washing facilities available for any
mucky-pups!
73The Oren’s beautiful
woodland location is a
natural haven for birds
and plants and provides
meaning they are filled with natural light. On the
a wonderful opportunity ground floor, communal areas like the restaurant,
to spend time appreciating library, and lounge, flow seamlessly through to a
sheltered south-facing courtyard. This ‘outdoor room’
the delights of nature. is an ideal place to dine al fresco or simply sit and
enjoy some fresh air. The woodland setting is made
accessible by tree-lined walks leading to shaded
The ideal place seating areas, surrounding a large open central lawn.
If you’re a keen gardener there are raised beds where
you can grow your own vegetables, and the generous
to dine al fresco balconies and terraces to the apartments are perfect
for container gardens.
or simply sit Perfection
and enjoy
some fresh air. inside and out
The Oren’s beautiful woodland location is a natural
haven for birds and plants and provides a wonderful
opportunity to spend time appreciating the delights
of nature. Our architects and landscape-design
partners have worked together to ensure that
residents can take full advantage of the lush green
setting. All apartments have either a balcony or
terrace with direct views over the garden and
surrounding woodland, and many are dual-aspect,
75Permanent
peace of mind
We believe this is the time when you should be
enjoying life to the full, free from the stresses and
strains of looking after other people, doing chores,
or worrying about your health. Life at The Oren is
designed to enable you to do just this. Our staff are
on-hand to help you as much or as little as you need
with day-to-day life and with keeping fit and well
through our holistic and bespoke approach to your
personal health.
You can carry on living as independently as you like,
and at the same time you and your family can feel
safe in the knowledge that even though you may
never need it, the very best medical and personal
care is available to you 24-hours a day from our
highly-trained and dedicated staff.
Here are just some of the services on offer at
The Oren:
– Onsite care staff
– 24/7 onsite security
– Apartments that can adapt to your
needs over time
– Personal trainer and wellness co-ordinator
– Concierge
– Personal driver service
– Underground parking and valet service
– Restaurant and room service
77You can also read
