Dear Reader,

This week I get to swank just a little bit. I had a wild 48 hour trip to Dubai to interview our cover star for the first new issue next year. I won’t tell you who she is as that would spoil the fun, but I’ve never had such an intense couple of days. Camels, desert banquets with Dubai’s highest society, diamonds, margaritas, belly-dancers, acrobats, ribbon-cutting, dinners on the water, a tour of the Museum of the Future (have you seen that thing?), Ubers everywhere. I hadn’t been to Dubai for 15 years and now that it’s attracted apparently around 240,000 Brits seduced by the sunshine, opportunity and optimism, I was intrigued to feel the vibe. It’s definitely a ‘can-do’ place, where everyone is terribly upbeat – a sentiment distinctly missing right now in Blighty. But, some admitted, they couldn’t wait to come home for Christmas and feel the squelch of mud on boot, the rain and wind on their faces and a quiet pint in a pub. Dubai, for most, is transitory. You feel they’ll eventually come home. 

My recommendation this week? On the plane there, I caught up on a corking British film. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a completely divine comedy with huge emotional punch. I loved it for its simplicity (no AI, CGI, special effects nonsense – and no bloodshed), staggering location (it was filmed on the Pembrokeshire coast) and heartfelt plot. You will laugh and cry and it will restore your faith in Britain.

Have a great week.

Lucy Cleland
Editorial Director

Staying In

Watch Wake Up Dead Man on Netflix

Daniel Craig is back, southern drawl in tow. Rian Johnson’s third Benoit Blanc film launches on Netflix today, following the dark academia Knives Out and the sun-soaked Glass Onion. Leaning totally into the director’s Gothic obsessions, Wake Up Dead Man takes us to upstate New York (actually filmed in Epping Forest, FYI) where a church congregation is rocked by a seemingly impossible murder. Eager young priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) finds himself at the centre, but we can rely on Benoit Blanc to untangle the knotty case he is presented with. Is Rian Johnson the modern answer to Agatha Christie? We think so. (But rest assured Netflix is still investing in the original Queen of Crime, too.)

Stay on top of your health this festive season

The inevitable indulgence of Christmas often means we start the new year feeling sluggish, but some mindful tweaks can make all the difference. ZOE’s head nutritionist Dr Federica Amati is a firm believer that eating well isn’t about restriction, but abundance. ‘Add extra fruit, vegetables, nuts or seeds to your plate – these fibre-rich products leave you feeling fuller for longer, and less likely to indulge in foods less great for your health.’ Bonus points if you can incorporate some fermented food, as the live bacteria supports the gut microbiome, benefitting brain and immune health. Aside from that, she suggests staying as active as you can over the festive season, even if that’s just a family walk – ‘a short stroll will increase your energy levels, make you less likely to be tired in the afternoon, and (importantly) reduce your stress levels.’ 

Her main piece of advice, though, is simply to be kind to yourself. ‘Enjoy your food, relish opportunities for eating socially with your loved ones, and focus on consistency over perfection.’ Find more tips here

Tap into Pantone’s colour of the year

Pantone’s colour of the year 2026 is officially here. While rumours predicted everything from olive green to jewel-toned teals, it seems the team at Pantone didn't have their ears to the ground – but their heads in the clouds. Introducing Cloud Dancer. Though online critics have dubbed it plain, we can't help feeling there’s something refreshingly calm about this ethereal off-white. It’s the perfect antidote to our overstimulating digital lives and 24/7 hustle culture – or as Pantone describes it: a ‘whisper of calm in a noisy world’. Naturally, The White Company team are big fans. To inject some life into the shade, founder Chrissie Rucker recommends layering it with a range of different whites and cloud-like textures: ‘Think embroidered cushion covers, long-pile sheepskin rugs and quilted throws,’ she advises. For more styling tips and expert insights into the controversial shade, here’s your ultimate guide to Cloud Dancer.

Going Out

Visit the Turner & Constable exhibition

Ever pitted head-to-head by contemporaneous art critics for their radically different painting techniques and personalities, in 1831 the iconoclastic JMW Turner leaned in. He placed his sun-soaked Caligula’s Palace and Bridge beside John Constable’s damply British Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows at the Royal Academy exhibition, prompting a flurry of comparisons and fabricating a rivalry that would almost outlive their own legacies. The Tate Britain is inviting art lovers to relive the contrast almost two centuries later at its new Turner & Constable: Rivals & Originals exhibition, which details how these very different (yet equally celebrated) landscape painters emerged from contrasting backgrounds to develop equally distinct artistic identities within the competitive world of art. Staged across their 250th birth years (Turner was born in 1775, Constable in 1776), it’s open now until 12 April 2026. Tickets are £24pp, tate.org.uk

Try Chapel Down’s winter dining experience

Trips to vineyards are often relegated to summer-only territory, but English sparkling wine producer Chapel Down is defying that assumption with its new winter dining offering. Hop on a train from London to the Kent winery, where you’ll be treated to a tour of the estate in all its wintry splendour ahead of a five-course meal in the Swan restaurant – complete with plenty of fizz, of course. To make a weekend of it, book a stay at the nearby Sissinghurst Castle Farmhouse, a charming B&B located on the National Trust estate (ask for the Sissinghurst bedroom to soak up views of the castle’s Elizabethan tower). £120pp, chapeldown.com

Check out The Berkeley’s light installation

The Berkeley is one of C&TH’s favourite hotels year-round, but we’d particularly recommend visiting this December to check out the new light installation created by British artist duo Rob and Nick Carter. Named Aurora and positioned at the building’s entrance, the display is made up of 150 multi-coloured neon beams that respond to the flow of human movement. ‘For us, light is a way of reinterpreting history without altering structure, and this installation brings that idea to life,’ the pair said of their exhibit. While you’re there, it would be rude not to stop by the rooftop, which has been decked out with ski-inspired gondolas complete with ‘ring for champagne’ bells. the-berkeley.co.uk

Three of the Best…

Cosy London Pubs

The C&TH editors’ top spots for meeting friends this season

The Hero, Maida Vale

‘I often find myself drifting into The Hero after a long WFH day, a four storey pub hidden on the corner of a residential street in Maida Vale – and not just because it’s nearby. Helmed by Public House Group (the same people behind celeb hotspots The Pelican in Notting Hill, The Bull in Charlbury and The Fat Badger on Golborne Road) you’ll find a stylish set of fellow punters at the zinc-stopped bar, but this is certainly the least imposingly exclusive joint in the portfolio. (It must be: I call it my local.) The downstairs boozer is a patchwork of tiles, aromatic wood, comfy banquettes and a crackling fire. Cosy up here and you’ll be more than happy with the chalkboard tap list, bar snacks and upmarket pub grub – but venture upstairs to be treated to the Michelin Bib restaurant The Grill or intimate cocktail lounge The Library.’ theherow9.com

Olivia Emily, Online Culture Editor

The Nightingale, Balham

‘Every year on Christmas Eve my family and I join the rest of Balham (including music producer Fred again, who grew up in the area) at this village-style pub, tucked away on a cobbled street just off Nightingale Lane. It’s small and gets absolutely jam-packed, but those in-the-know get there early to secure a spot in the (covered and heated) garden, which always has a suitably merry atmosphere. The rest of the year, though, it’s fairly quiet and is certainly up there with London’s cosiest pubs. Set up camp by the fireplace for a hearty Sunday lunch after a walk around Wandsworth Common.’ thenightingalebalham.co.uk

Ellie Smith, Deputy Online Editor

The Pig’s Ear, Chelsea

‘I first stumbled into this pub on St Patrick’s Day earlier this year, at the behest of a friend who insisted we catch a lively Irish band playing there. Located on the corner of Old Church Street, you’d struggle to miss The Pig’s Ear with its bright red frontage and, as it was that night, spill of patrons. But I suspect you already know it – it’s Chelsea’s oldest pub, previously owned by the Lampards and, later, Timothy Oulton, and the Prince and Princess of Wales have been known to frequent. The Gladwin Brothers, certainly, knew and loved this pub ‘in their early days’ cheffing, which is exactly why they took it over in 2024. That means the kitchen enjoys a Gladwin twist – local, wild and seasonal – and The Pig’s Ear therefore does a killer roast. And there’s an oyster station. Surely the perfect pub.’ pigsearpub.com

Tessa Dunthorne, Managing Editor

Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

The only thing better than one blue plaque? Two. The former home of two Nobel peace prize winners, its past residents include League of Nations founder Viscount Cecil and Olympian sportsman turned peace campaigner Philip Noel-Baker. With only 19 two-blue plaque homes in London, this Sloane Square property is certainly a rare find.

Available for rent at £25,783pcm. Find out more at johndwood.co.uk

Competition Time

Win a deluxe Christmas hamper worth over £1,200

Win a £4.5m Lake District home plus £250,000

Win a private dining experience at Fazenda Bishopsgate worth over £1,000

Psssst…

While filming for Amanda & Alan’s Greek Job, TV host Alan Carr almost bought himself a donkey. His four-legged companion might not have made the trip back home, but co-host Amanda Holden brought back two stray cats (and managed to sign Alan up to a dating app). Here’s all the chaos you can expect from the new season.

The Full Story

I Tried: The A-List Favourite Laser Facial Treatment

C&TH’s Online Content Director Rebecca Cox reviews Dean Rhobaye’s Laser Light Cocktail treatment

‘You look amazing!’ ‘Thanks, I lasered all my skin off!’ I’ve had this exchange multiple times this year, and since my response always prompts a lot of questions, this article will hopefully answer some of them. I usually avoid invasive beauty treatments with downtime – not because I’m not vain, I am – but because I’m a coward. But I’ve been visiting Dean Rhobaye for Botox for a little while now (he’s one of the best in London) and trust him implicitly. When he suggested his Laser Light Cocktail treatment to undo the complexion neglect of my 20s, I decided to brave it. 

The Science

Broadband Light (BBL) and the 1927nm Thulium laser treatment are all about ‘prejuvenation’, reversing photoaging while encouraging skin to behave more youthfully. BBL delivers broadband wavelengths to target pigmentation, redness, and sun damage. Studies show it can alter the expression of over 1,300 genes, shifting older skin toward a younger state. The 1927nm Thulium laser creates microscopic thermal zones to resurface and stimulate collagen renewal; a 2023 study found two sessions significantly reduced pigmentation and improved tone.

The Treatment

Dean signed me up for three “facials” (a misleading term, since there’s nothing spa-like about them). After an hour of numbing cream, the BBL stage feels like quick bursts of heat across every inch of your face – intense, but bearable with cool air directed over the skin. Then comes the 1927nm Thulium laser, which feels like being delicately coloured in with a scalpel (ouch) as it resurfaces the skin and kickstarts collagen renewal. Post-treatment, my face was crimson from hairline to neck, but the soreness was manageable with the prescribed steroid cream. By day seven, the redness had vanished, replaced by glowing, refreshed skin. 

The Results

The results have surprised and impressed me: my skin hasn’t looked this good in over a decade. In this case, the old adage ‘no pain, no gain’ is relevant; while mid-way through my first treatment I vowed I wouldn’t make it back for a second, once I had seen the results I couldn’t wait to get back into Dean’s office. Just a week after my first session people started commenting on how great my skin looked, asking if I’d had a facial. And because I don’t gatekeep, the ‘thanks, I lasered all my skin off’ reply was ready. Read more and see more before and after pictures here.

C&TH Key Notes

• Tweakment: Laser Light Cocktail

• Expert / Clinic: Dean Rhobaye, Sloane Clinic

• Downtime: 1-2 days

• Best for: improving tone, texture and reducing pigmentation and fine lines on any skin type at any age

• Cost: Prices start from £800 per session. Dean recommends an initial course of 2-3 sessions, spaced 4 weeks apart followed by 1 or 2 sessions a year for long-term maintenance

• Contact: Sloane Clinic, 10 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PF | sloaneclinic.com