Miller’s Spring Newsletter

A HAPPY NEW YOU TO YOU FROM MARTIN MILLER

Despite the busy festive season being over, Miller’s is still as full of activity as ever.

Have a look at what the press have been saying about us. Our most recent fans include The Lady, The Sunday Times Style and Somerset Life ! We also had German company ARD filming a piece on Miller’s Residence for their feature London Calling. I showed them around the Residence and if you’re interested in hearing me being dubbed over by the female German presenter click here

I had dinner the other night with Mike Rutherford from Mike & the Mechanics and didn’t realize that the video for his brilliant song The Living Years was shot at Porlock Weir and some of the scenes were shot from the old Anchor Hotel! Why not have a look on You Tube.

As many of you may have noticed, Miller’s Academy is taking a hiatus while we try and relocate. What’s happened to the Academy, you might be wondering? Well, I’ve totally refurbished the upstairs drawing rooms into a luxurious and modern two bedroom flat. If you want to have a look go to Knight Franks or Savills .

Miller’s Hotels are now on Twitter and Facebook. To keep up with the latest offers and promotions direct to you, add us at Miller’s Hotels on Twitter and Miller’s Hotels on Facebook.

Stay Historic is getting a great number of hits to the site each week and is the ideal place for you to find a hotel, inn or hideaway which is steeped in history and a million miles away from the minimalism of some hotels and holiday cottages but with all the mod cons you need. We also list special offers so check back as often as you can to get the best value.

Stay Historic is also now on Twitter, so for all the up to the minute offers and alerts from Stay Historic make sure you follow us!

MILLER’S RESIDENCE

We’re now offering the Spring Fling package at Miller’s Residence to put a little bounce back in your step as the evenings start to get lighter and the big freeze starts to loosen its grip. The package offers a two night stay, champagne and a bouquet of spring flowers in your room on arrival, continental breakfast and complimentary drinks in the evening from £380+VAT in a four poster room.

This year Miller’s Residence is celebrating its 15th Anniversary. The past 15 years have seen the hotel establish itself as one of the top London boutique hotels that still attracts stars and intellects alike.

To get us in the anniversary mood we’re sending out our celebratory press release and having a great time putting it together Miller’s style! We’re even wax sealing all of our envelopes, some personally sealed by Martin himself and his daughter Cara, who runs the hotel.

MARTIN MILLER’S GIN

Run by Master Mixologist and gin connoisseur Craig Harper the Martin Miller’s Gin Masterclasses for the Gintelligentsia at Miller’s Residence will take guests through the history of cocktails and teach them to mix and shake their own cocktails at home, in what promises to be a ‘gintelligent’ and entertaining evening. The class has been covered by the British Airways Highlife Blog, and the blog will give you a good idea about what happens on the evening. Classes begin at 6.30pm and end at 8.00pm. For dates and to reserve a place email amanda@martinmillersgin.com. Please include the number of people attending. The price for the evening is £10.00 and participants also receive a complimentary bottle of Martin Miller’s Gin and a copy of Born of Love, Obsession and Some Degree of Madness: The Story of Martin Miller’s Gin.

MILLER’S AT GLENCOT HOUSE
Flaming Art Festival at Glencot House was such a huge success we’ve decided to make it an annual event. The question is will Banksy come again?

This year it will be taking place on 20th June and you can go to our events page to keep updated on all of the details. You can purchase tickets at £25.00 per person direct from Glencot House on 01749 677160 or email Sharon@glencothose.co.uk.

We also have a new chef at The Riverview Restaurant at Glencot House, Jonathan Elvin. Jonathan Elvin is a young and ambitious chef whom is fast building a reputation for his eclectic modern British dishes.

A lover of country life and pursuits, Jonathan was born in Yorkshire in 1983 before moving to North America with family.

Upon his return to the U.K Jonathan enrolled at Thomas Danby Catering College, Leeds where his love for food began.

Following graduation, Jonathan embarked on a culinary journey working and staging in some of Europe’s finest Michelin starred restaurants which include Bagatelle in Oslo, Norway, Gordon Ramsay at Claridges, Marc Fosh Reads hotel in Majorca, Burlington at The Devonshire Arms, Whatley Manor and Fischer’s at Baslow Hall.

Having progressed through the ranks and with a wealth of experience he moved to Somerset where he joined Glencot house as Head chef in October 09. Spoiled by the local produce and the hotel’s grounds, Jonathan and his team endeavour to deliver exciting, seasonal and locally sourced dishes. Call Glencot House on 01749 677160 to book a table and sample some of Jonathan’s tasty dishes.

MILLER’S AT THE ANCHOR

Miller’s at The Anchor is doing superbly since it opened in November. Local businesses and societies visited the hotel at the beginning of December for a meet and greet and we had a great time showing them around.

The Sunday Times hailed the culinary delights of The Harbourview Restaurant as “excellent” and they are also a hit with local critics at Somerset Life , who have written a wonderful six page piece on the refurbishment of The Anchor. We are even featured on the front cover!

As we are in such a stunning location it’s no surprise that we’re getting inundated with wedding enquiries. The Anchor holds a full wedding license, or, if you want a reception with a difference, the team are there to cater to your needs.

The Movie and a Meal deal on Sundays are getting more and more popular by the week at The Anchor. With showings of The Shawshank Redemption, Wuthering Heights and Breakfast at Tiffany’s in the offing, followed by a hearty meal at The Harbourview Restaurant, what better way is there to spend a lazy Sunday evening? Booking is essential to assure your place and tickets are £10.00 per person(including meal and movie). Call The Anchor on 01643 862753 for more information.

Photo © Peter Booton

All you need is love

 

LOVE

Ping.
Darkness
What’s that?
It’s gone.

 

I’m sure it didn’t escape your attention that yesterday was the day for lovers and romancers, and as always, Miller’s were full to the brim with amorous encounters and declarations.

The hotels that I own offer something for everyone. Chic and quirky mixed with romance and candlelight made Miller’s Residence a hub of love for people who wanted a city break,close to all the restaurants for romantic witterings. Our four poster rooms are always a real hit with people who love a bit of old school romance.

Then again, Miller’s at Glencot House is a real romantic indulgence, think Darcy and Elizabeth of Pride and Prejudice enjoying a dip in our pond, with the beautiful Jacobean style Victorian mansion settling in the heart of the Mendip Hills. I wonder if anyone was seen playing a game of kiss chase through our gardens there?

The Anchor, in that timeless coastal setting, also draped in candlelight, was full to the brim with lovers being wined and dines by their other half and we had our Movie and a Meal night in full Valentine’s swing showing Wuthering Heights, though maybe that love story isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s still one of the greats.

We love Valentine’s at Miller’s, it’s the time of year we really get to shine and pull out all the stops with our dramatic and seductive furnishings, candlelight and fabulous settings, all three of which make a perfect setting for a romantic interlude, but we’re always in the mood for romance here, think we’re one trick ponies, oh no, if you have a special occasion, what better way for your other half to remember being proposed to then in a candlelit drawing room, by the coast on Porlock Weir, or in one of our little nooks in the gardens of Glencot House?

 

Miller’s Wine Club

 
It’s just non-stop at Millers this month!  

Within the next few weeks our Miller’s Fine Wine Club will be up to the world!  We will have a small but great selection of rare wines by the bottle and drinking wines by the case.  As soon as it’s launched we would love feed back to see if our offerings are up to your scratch!

 

CRAVE

Frustrated love I so desire
To kindle my soulless fire
I crave to love and crave to feel
It’s no good
If it’s not real

If you’re going to stay, make sure you Stay Historic

If anybody knows of any historic Hotels, Inns and Hideaways that would be perfect to be included online for our new association do let our Content Editor, Rebecca, know. The site Stay Historic is up and running so do have a look. The great thing about this site is it links you direct to the website of the hotel, inn or hideaway you’re viewing, so you can speak to the establishment or book direct.

The Stay Historic Logo

 

THE VISITORS

I saw them coming.
Slowly they walked through the door
The closer shushed behind them
They talked in low tones
“What do you think?” She whispered.
“It smells strange.”
Up they came
Little did they know
Step by step
Breath by breath
He held the banister tight
He screamed-withdrew wildly
She looked up
She read
Wet paint.

Miller’s Academy

As many Millers Academy members will know the Academy is in transition.   Due to the lack of an alcohol licence at the club and a few problems with noise and the falling membership due to the ‘crunch’  I have decided to re-locate and convert the Academy rooms into a two bedroom appartment on the first floor, which goes on the market with Savills and Knight Frank next week, and a two bed live/work space downstairs.   In the meanwhile we will be looking at doing ‘pop-up’ events, of which I will keep you informed.

ROUGH JUSTCE

A shaft of light slipped In
Followed by a hooded Thing.
It slid across the bedroom floor
Wooly hands explored the drawer.
Stuffed and gathered in the gloomy light
Ill gotten treasures that were right
But did he care?
A shot ran out
Those wolly hands explored no more.

Poetry and Porlock

Here again!

Just in case you’re wondering about my poems, I’ve decided that to exercise my meagre creative juices. I will have a go at a poem of the day, some very short, and others just short. Not a poet, I don’t expect praise but if any of them bring a chuckle that will be praise enough.

Today, I’m visiting our new hotel, The Anchor at Porlock Weir , Somerset, which opened only a couple of weeks ago. Over the next two to three months we should have most of the bedrooms refurbished. 

Just a little point of interest for any of those folks with an interest in nautical occasions. On the 2^nd January 2010, Porlock Weir experiences the second greatest tidal variation in the world. We’re going to have our King Canute moment, standing on the sandbags and chanting to whatever gods may be listening, why not join us?…Free Miller’s Gin to all.

Drawing room at The Anchor

THAT DAY

It began that day
She sat, then lay
And then ran away.
What can I say?
I only wanted to play
The doctor’s malady

I still see her today.

Welcome…Is Anybody Out There?

Millers Residence, Notting Hill

Welcome to my very first blog message.

I joined Twitter a while ago and put out a message saying, “is anybody out there?” and to date I’ve had no responses. I’m assuming a blog is a different animal.

I will attempt to relay, on a daily basis, odd events, thoughts, activities and the occasional poem to any of you who may be interested. I’m still a little unsure of what blogging is all about, so, if what I write is of no interest I will expect to be dutifully ignored. On occasion I might even put forward ideas or concepts that come into my mind and feel worthy of inclusion and feedback.

I’ve probably gone on too long and tried your attention span to date, but I’d like to just say a little about an event we held last night at Millers Residence in Notting Hill, which, although I say it myself, was a roaring success.

Craig Harper, our UK brand manager for Martin Miller’s Gin , held court for an hour and a half imparting words of wisdom and expert practical demonstrations of how a perfect martini cocktail should be created. We’re doing several of these in the future and if you’d like to be kept in the picture, do let me know, and I’ll get you the dates.

Anyway, enough for now, I’ll leave you with a poem, and if I remember, more tomorrow…

MY OTHER LOVE

I left her last night
In the cold and grey
I said to Beryl
I would be back today
She stood so proudly by the kerb
She had it all her way

We’ve been together now only eighty days
And I still look upon her with a gloating gaze

How could I be so sad
As to fall in love with so fickle a thing

I sometimes mourn the passing of Katie
But now my new love is a Volvo S80