Covent Garden launches a month-long cultural calendar to bring the estate’s magic to everyone this February. Whether celebrating Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, Pancake Day or simply looking to be entertained at home, Covent Garden will help everyone to mark special moments with exciting and unique digital content. Highlights include a partnership with thortful cards, a one-of-a-kind programme of musical performances showcasing the talents of the estate’s favourite performers and incredible digital masterclasses from The Oystermen, Darjeeling Express, Da Henrietta and The Gentlemen Baristas.
Spreading love for Valentine’s and beyond, Covent Garden has partnered with greeting card platform thortful to create a collection of limited edition cards with proceeds going to Covent Garden Food Bank to continue the estate’s mission of helping vulnerable people in the community during the Pandemic. Available to purchase from Friday 29th January, each card will feature beautiful Covent Garden prints by illustrator @london_city_illustrations and offer those missing family, friends, or loved ones the chance to post a message of ‘When this is all over, meet me in Covent Garden’, ‘IOU a date in Covent Garden’ or ‘Can't wait for our next date in Covent Garden’. Cards can be personalised with a message, flowers or chocolates while contributing to a worthy cause.
During February, Covent Garden will celebrate its rich heritage of arts and performance and transform into London’s digital stage inviting some of the area’s most loved street performers to broadcast performances to homes globally. This new cultural programme will provide a virtual platform for artists to showcase their musical talents and entertain audiences from February onwards. The launch week will host exclusive live performances from top Covent Garden performers including singer songwriter Rob Falsini, with new guests revealed each week. Viewers can watch via Covent Garden’s website, YouTube or social channels where audiences will have the chance to vote for their song of choice to be performed by Falsini, a fan favourite since the 2000s.
Covent Garden’s newly launched digital hub will also offer masterclasses and tips on how to make February’s lockdown extra special. Darjeeling Express’ Asma Khan will show everyone how to cook Keema Pulao from her cook book ‘Asma’s Indian Kitchen, while Valentine’s brunch enthusiasts can learn to make the perfect scrambled eggs with The Gentlemen Baristas’ Mark Greenaway’s step by step video. Seafood experts at The Oystermen will show everyone the art of shucking oysters, while cocktail connoisseurs can pick up mixology tips with live classes from Da Henrietta, or tune in over the Valentine’s Weekend for a masterclass with Dirty Martini’s to learn how to make classic French, and Mango and Passionfruit, Martinis. For an extra special gift, a digital floral workshop hosted by luxury florist Fiona Fleur will teach the art of drying flowers, perfect for making hand-made gifts this Valentine’s Day.
Bringing the dining out experience to eating in this month, The Frog’s HAME by Adam Handling will offer delivery of a three-course fine dining menu of lobster tagliatelle, chocolate truffles and a bottle of bubbles, whilst those who live locally can enjoy SUSHISAMBA’s takeaway Valentine’s Day menu that includes crispy taquitos, sushi, anticuchos and a bottle of Tattinger. Floral by LIMA will offer a four course fine Peruvian experience at home, with easy to follow instructions from their Head Chef. Those who prefer to wait to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a date in Covent Garden can also purchase gift vouchers for restaurants including The Ivy Market Grill, Cora Pearl, The Frog, Frenchie, Cinnamon Bazaar, Sticks ‘N Sushi, Balthazar and Petersham Nurseries.
Sharing further love this February, Covent Garden will also continue to host weekly competitions via its Instagram channel, offering followers the chance to win pick me ups from shopping destinations including Fiona Fleur (1st February) and Happy Socks (8th February).
Shoppers in search of Valentine’s gifts can also continue to book virtual appointments at Covent Garden’s Ganni, BA&SH, Burberry and more, or click and collect gifts at stores including Kick Game and Dior. The personal shopping team at Ganni are hosting virtual appointments, while The Alkemistry has a WhatsApp service with next day click and collect on offer. BA&SH is hosting virtual appointments twice a week, Burberry is open for virtual appointments throughout each week and Galeria Melissa is also hosting WhatsApp shopping sessions. For skincare and beauty gifts, Penhaligon’s is offering one to one fragrance consultations, Tom Ford is offering beauty consultations and Deciem is hosting virtual skincare consultation sessions. Plus, florist Fiona Fleur continues to deliver bespoke dried floral arrangements across London.
Covent Garden will bring flippin’ magic to everyone at home this Pancake Day - showing how to master the perfect pancake flip with recipes on the website including classic crepes by Chez Antoinette, breakfast crepes by The Gentlemen Baristas and Da Henrietta’s Italian inspired pancakes. Also available are recipes for Avobar's for fluffy matcha pancakes and Pancs delicious Red Velvet Milliepanc.
Ensuring every moment can be celebrated, Covent Garden’s retailers and restaurants will continue to be the home of exquisite gifts to celebrate Chinese New Year. From 11th to 18th February, Din Tai Fung will launch an exclusive New Year menu, available for delivery or takeaway, and will give away lucky red envelopes with orders over £60 from 8th to 12th February. On the website, Din Tai Fung will also share tips on how to best celebrate Chinese New Year at home. Tea enthusiasts can visit Whittard of Chelsea Online for glistening gold and red packs of fine loose leaf tea or Mariage Freres for a blend created especially for the year of the Ox. Beauty fans can head to Charlotte Tilbury’s online store for a New Lunar lipstick and magic cream in red and gold packaging or NARS for the new In Bloom collection packaged in a vibrant red, or if looking for a special scent, Penhaligons will mark the year of the Ox with a complimentary set of miniatures of the Quercus and Orange Blossom on orders over £90.
Those looking to purchase something special for Chinese New Year can browse the new Burberry capsule collection created in honour of the Chinese zodiac, or The Alkemistry for their delicate silk bracelet including an 18 carat gold teapot charm. Tiffany & Co.’s Atlas X jewellery designs are the perfect way to wish loved ones a New Year full of happiness and prosperity, while Radley’s new Strong As An Ox collection will also help shoppers mark the new Lunar Year. For something sweet, Ladurée will also offer a limited-edition box of gold macaroons.
