What’s New, On & Happening in Fulham

What’s New

Naturo Tea Spa

This new spa owned by Fulham local Sofia Zivanou opened in early January at 186 Wandsworth Bridge Road and although we haven’t been in ourselves (yet), we’ve read some great reviews. Naturo Tea Spa offer a range of treatments using Neal’s Yard remedies (the original and the best) and there are options for those who are time poor or don’t have the budget for a full hour’s treatment.

The spa’s massage treatments include Swedish, pregnancy, sports, aromatherapy and lymphatic drainage. Face treatments include a mini facial (30 minutes for £45) and we’re loving the sound of their natural facelift massage. Other treatments include foot scrubs and cupping; a traditional Chinese and Middle Eastern medicinal technique which has been used for thousands of years.

The pink and green of the spa’s exterior and interiors look gorgeous and the treatment rooms, from what we’ve seen on line, look warm, calming and feature lovely subdued lighting. The tea bit comes in with their selection of organic loose teas that you can enjoy post treatment, as a take away or alternatively you can buy the loose tea from Naturo to enjoy in your own home. Sofia told Urban Village LDN “I wanted to open a business close to home, I love the Fulham area and it’s great to live and work here”.

Naturo are open from Monday - Sunday (10 - 8)) and you can make a booking on the link below. First appointments have a 30% discount. Follow Naturo on Instagram @naturoteaspa or click on the link below to find out more.

Maria G’s

On a crisp winter’s day we headed off for a river walk via Lots Road, to check out progress on the Lots Road Power station development, walking down the Thames path towards Sainsbury’s Fulham Wharf. As we came to Riverstone, the new development for over 65s living, we stumbled upon a fabulous riverside terrace. Upon investigation it led us to Maria G’s restaurant which is located at 20 Central Avenue. Fully opening in early December this is the second Maria G’s branch serving “Italian inspired food” the other can be found in Kensington and there’s an equally fabulous terrace there too!

At the helm of Maria G’s is Dublin born chef Robin Gill who has worked with revered chefs Marco Pierre White, Raymond Blanc and owns a string of his own restaurants in London. His latest venture is no doubt inspired by his time spent training in Italy on the Amalfi coast. Having had a nosey at the menu we are definitely planning a visit soon and if you haven’t got anything sorted for Valentine’s Day, I know we’re not huge fans either but it’s a thing, they have a lovely menu for £60 per head. Starters include Burrata Bruschetta with pistachio pesto, a plate of Italian cured meats & pickles and Sage and Anchovy Fritti. Main courses include squid ink Linguini with Cornish crab, Stream Trout with Caper, Chilli & Lemon Butter and Beef Short Rib Ragu, Soft Polenta, Smoked Bone Marrow Salsa Verde which at £30 is the the highest priced main course. We’re not especially into puddings but the pear sorbet sounds tempting!

There’s a fabulous looking separate bar with gorgeous seating and an extensive cocktail list. Jungle Bird (Pineapple Rum, Coconut washed Campari, Pineappple Juice, Cane Sugar, Lime) or a Pisco Royal (Waqar Pisco, Roasted Pineapple Puree, Champagne, Agave, Lime, Lemon) anyone? Aperitivo hour is from 6-8pm when you can sample a Negroni, or a Venetian Spritz for just £6 and enjoy complimentary snacks. They’ll be screening all the Six Nations matches (4 Feb - 18 March) in Fulham otherwise watch their opening hours as they don’t open on Monday, only the bar is open on Tuesday’s and they close early on a Sunday. We hope that by spreading the word we’ll still be able to find a spot on their terrace this summer for a sundowner or two!

Mabelle’s

We’re sad to see Ella’s Place go but we’re glad that the site at 305 New Kings Road (junction of New Kings / Munster Road) didn’t sit empty for long. After the Ella’s team sold up and headed out of London, so we hear, Mabelle’s stepped in at the end of December to bring us a cafe that serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and drinks.

Hot and cold food includes a selection of patisseries, cookies, cakes, egg dishes from benedict to royal, three options for avo lovers, salads including goat cheese, quinoa and Farro and other breakfast options include pancakes, granola and french toast. We always loved a fresh juice at Ella’s so we’re pleased to see they are still on menu, Mabelle’s also have a selection of smoothies with protein. You can also enjoy a glass of wine or prosecco with your lunch/brunch.

The Secret Garden out the back remains, always a favourite spot when the weather allows, can now be hired for private events. There are no more flowers for sale but that means the space out front has been opened up allowing more room for tables. The other good news is that dogs are still welcome and the opening hours are 8am - 6pm every day / Monday - Sunday.

We spoke to Anne Mabelle’s Manager who told us “we’ve been slowing gaining customers. The week-ends are busy but it’s a lot quieter during the week. We will be adding new things to the menu and getting Deliveroo up and running” so if you’re passing by pop in and say hello, especially on weekdays!

What’s On

WagWorks Open Day: Sat 4 (10 am - 2 pm)

WagWorks Open Day is a perfect opportunity for you and your dog/s to explore their beautiful club, designed with the health and happiness of dogs at the forefront; as previously featured in Urban Village LDN https://www.urbanvillageldn.com/whats-new-july-22?rq=WagWorks

Check out their forest walk, indoor playpark, scent den, dog pantry and healthcare suite, meet their team of dog-care experts, from in-house behaviourist and vet, to heads of daycare and founders, who will all be there. You’ll be able to ask any questions learn more about their approach, how membership works and what the benefits are for both you and your dog. You can also see what their treasured members get up to, check out what dog-care brands they stock including Butternut Box who will be there on the day and the WagWorks team told us there will be plenty of activities and pupcakes on offer for potential new members!

If your dog is already a member of their Fulham Club, you can refer a four-legged friend to join the Open Day and if they become members, you’ll both get two free full days of daycare! As a member, all you have to do is ask your friend to let WagWorks know on arrival - they’ll need to give your full name and the name of your dog - then once they become a member you’ll each have two free daycare days to use. Elena from WagWorks told us “our membership club for dogs, provides a holistic multi-service offering, including flexible daycare, training, healthcare and grooming, all under one roof, for ultimate convenience. Our members have exclusive access to our full range of services without lengthy waiting times, alongside an array of other fantastic benefits”.

Sharky & George Half Term Camp (13 - 17)

The team at Sharky & George got in touch to tell Urban Village LDN about their half term camp. “It might be cold outside, but we've got hundreds of activities to keep everyone fully entertained. When we say no two days are the same, we really mean it! We'll be based at the Parsons Green Club. We have a fantastic indoor space if the weather is against us, but will aim to be spending most of our time outside and in the park. All personalities are welcome and accommodated, with some epic days planned”.

These include Art Attack: a themed day full of activities where mess is not a problem. Children are free to get creative when giving the party team a makeover that includes T-shirt Grafitti and ends in a fashion show. Winter Olympics: In honour of the Beijing Winter Olympics, this day will be filled with crazy races and laugh-out-loud games in an obstacle course designed by the children themselves. Gameshow: an all-singing and all-dancing day of nail-biting challenges. plenty of chocolate coins to be won and silly string for the losers! Dry Ice Experiments: get transported to a winter wonderland featuring the magical science of dry ice. Each day begins at 9 am and ends at 4pm. Click the link below to find out more / book.

First ever wine Wine tasting at One World: Thurs 16 (7pm)

Join One World in Parsons Green for an evening of wine tasting and nibbles. Their first ever wine tasting event will be hosted by Elliot Awin who is the “A” in ABS Wine Agencies, the six time winner of the IWSC wine importer trophy of the year. Elliot is also the tasting technician for e-commerce platform Pull the Cork; a website specialist in in sales of natural and low-intervention wines.

The evening will include a tasting of a host of wines including Saboteur white and red from Luddite wines based in the South Africa’s Western Cape and stocked at One World.

We love the story behind Luddite, husband and wife team Penny and Neils became close friends at agricultural college. Romance blossomed late one night cramming for exams, Neil’s passed, Penny failed, but they’re still together. Finishing their studies their desire to make wines but with no access to vineyards “these were the dark days in South Africa”. Penny and Niels left the country eventually returning from Europe in 1995. Thirty years later, with three kids and six dogs, "Luddite wines has evolved into an established and respected brand”.

Tickets cost £10, either pop in store to purchase, give One World Parsons Green a call on 020 8974 3299 or hit the link below to book.

Paddington Trio free concert at SEACC: Sat 25

The award winning Paddington Trio are a chamber music ensemble who started their first venture together, having all studied separately at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, during the pandemic at Paddington Station in 2020. The group is comprised of violinist Tuulia Hero, from Finland, cellist Patrick Moriarty, from Ireland and pianist Stephanie Tang from USA.

Their recent performances include concerts at Wigmore Hall, Barnes Music Society, Oxford Coffee Concerts and the Creative Oundle International Festival, next stop Fulham where they will be performing at the Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC).

Tickets are free with no booking required. Doors open at 6pm and guests will be welcomed with a free glass of Prosecco (or soft drink, for non-drinkers). The concert begins at 7:00pm with pieces being performed including Judith Weir Piano Trio Two “Your light may go out“, Joseph Haydn Piano Trio in C Major and Dmitri Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor.

There will be a 20 minute interval with the concert restarting at 8pm and concluding at 8.40pm where there will be post-performance drinks in the Walnut Tree Café, for those that wish to stay a bit longer and chat about the performance – and perhaps meet the trio?

What’s Happening

Urban Village LDN Fulham Social & Networking Event: Wednesday 15 (6 - 8 pm)

Fulham residents, local businesses, organisations, charities and brands you’re all invited to our Social & Networking Event on 15 March 2023 (6 - 8pm). Thanks to the support of the Sands End Arts & Community Centre (SEACC) we’re excited to be back.

Our first social took place in January 2019 and was a great success. After collaborating with The Fulham Residence Club who have sadly shut up shop, thankfully due to pursuing an exciting new chapter, we are excited to be back and really hoping we can pull off the buzz achieved last time. It was a fantastic turnout and so wonderful connecting Fulham residents, local business owners, organisations, charities and brands; a key part of what Urban Village LDN is all about. 

We'd love you to be at the event, to help us build the Fulham community.  No agenda, scary presentations or labels, simply a great opportunity to meet Fulham locals, connect, see how we can support one another from volunteering within the community to collaborating on future events and ideas. The event is free and the pay bar on the night will purely cover drinks costs; both Urban Village LDN and SEACC are non profit making. Everyone working, based or living in the Fulham area is invited, it’s a free event but you’ll need to register; simply so we can track RSVPs/numbers.

The registration link is now live https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/fulham-social-networking-event-tickets-525881715367 and we do hope you can make it. Truth be told it’s slightly nail biting for us so we’d be over the moon to see you there, meet those subscribers we haven't met before and to reconnect with familiar faces. Please feel free to spread the word - the more the merrier!