The love story of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can be described as a modern day fairy-tale; the smitten couple have not only captivated the hearts of the nation, they have captivated the hearts of the world. They are set to tie the knot on Saturday the 19th of May 2018, so with only a few months to go, you could say that the official countdown is well under way.
Mayfair based restaurant ‘Quaglinos’ have tapped into the royal obsession that has swept over the nation and have announced an exclusive cocktail menu inspired by the engagement. Noteworthy cocktails include: ‘The Look of Love’, dedicated to the ‘look of love’ that transpired between Meghan and Harry when they announced their engagement to the public. If you have not already seen the video, then I suggest you check it out and prepare for your heart to melt! Another aptly named cocktail is ‘The Royal Treasure’ – a mix of blueberry infused Stolichnaya, St Germain and Parfait d’amour. It is ideal for sharing and served in a terrarium filled with white and red rose petals and gold glitter (how romantic)! Also worth a mention is ‘Love Struck’, which is based around the royal family’s love of Scotch whisky and consists of Glenfiddich 12 and Pedro X Sherry.
The restaurant has also created a three course menu for Valentine’s only and will also be providing guests with live music in the form of Lauren Duo and Florence Quintet from 6:30pm-10:30pm.
Address: 16 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AJ
For more information, visit: http://www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
Another London venue going all out for Valentines but straying from the theme of the royal engagement is ‘Avenue’ located in St James. The bar and restaurant will be serving cocktails influenced by the exotic such as the South-American inspired ‘Venezuelan Lover’ and the Asian-influenced ‘Fell in love with a Geisha’. They will also be serving up a special set menu for the night as well as providing romantic and soulful music in the form of Lifford Shillingford- one of London’s most in-demand vocalists from 7:30pm-9:45pm.
Address: 7-9 St James Street, London, SW1A 1EE
For more information, visit: http://www.avenue-restaurant.co.uk
To finish this article, I will leave you with a fact concerning the origins of Valentine’s: the day takes its name from a famous saint St Valentine, around whom there are several stories about who he was. The most popular belief however, is that he was a Roman priest in the third century AD who was jailed and sentenced to death for marrying couples in secret against the will of Emperor Claudius II who harboured the belief that married men were inadequate soldiers! Whilst in jail, Valentine fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and sent her a letter signed ‘from your Valentine’ on the date of his execution. The date being the 14th of February- a date which has been celebrated as a day of love ever since…