Janine Marshall, GM of ONE ALDWYCH LONDON, hosted a very special party last night. She is standing, in the image above, dressed to pair with the artwork behind her. It’s a Philip Diggle oil hanging in the hotel’s lobby – and this is one of the property’s hundreds of artworks that inspired Gallery Cocktails. Yes, that’s right. The hotel’s talented mixologists have paired its art and sculpture with specially-created cocktails, and the collection was launched yesterday.
This Diggle is punk art. Philip Diggle, born in 1956 and by day a schoolteacher, would paint on stage at gigs where his brother Steve Diggle, older by one year, was vocals and guitar guy for Buzzcocks punk band. This painting inspired Gallery Cocktails’ Blueberry Enzoni, described as ‘irreverent and fun, floral and fruit driven with a hint of bitterness’. It’s composed of Beefeater 24 Gin, Campari, Capreolus Raspberry Eau de Vie, blueberry and lemon, and it’s now on the menu for all sensible souls cocktailing at One Aldwych.
Of course it reminds Girlahead of Massimo Bottura’s painted veal tribute to Damien Hirst, the highlight of the Robb Report Hong Kong RR1 Culinary Masters 2023 at MGM MACAU COTAI. And at ANDAZ PRAGUE, there are occasional dinners pairing dishes with contemporary paintings by female Czech artists, who are present. We need more of this, blending of art forms. See and sip, in this case.
