UltraLuxe Meets: Alex Eagle

I’ve just opened a wellness destination, 180 Health Club. It’s a fun mixture of holistic treatments, science and tech – we have ozone therapy, cryotherapy, infrared saunas, but also yoga, acupuncture and lots of ancient remedies to make you feel well. It’s an edit of wellness practitioners I’ve met over the years who have really changed my life. There are so many fitness studios like Barry’s or Soul Cycle that do cardio really well, we wanted to create the antithesis of that – somewhere to go to do sports for the fun of it, not to burn calories or lose weight. So we offer fencing, ju-jitsu, ballet – things you can’t do on a screen. 

Reflexology is an indulgence I’d never forgo. Your feet are a map of your whole body – after good reflexology, your face glows and you just feel lighter. There’s a girl called Jess who does it at 180 The Strand who’s just amazing. Fatma at Skin Design London is the best facialist. Her products are amazing and she’s just so wise – you can really trust her with your face. Annee, the owner of De Mamiel, has a skin clinic at the NoMad hotel, which is one of the most extraordinary treatments I’ve ever tried – it’s a mix of healing and acupuncture. Josh Wood is the best hair colourist in London. There’s also a lady there, Heather, who does the best manis in the city. My brows I entrust to Suzanne Martin at the Lanesborough – her signature look, The Couture Brow, is amazing.

At the moment I’m using Food Hack, a delivery service for homecooked Ayurvedic food. It’s exceptionally good – it’s not a fad. It’s so warm and nurturing. I also take loads of supplements. I’m a big believer in doing blood tests and checking your DNA to actually understand what you need – apart from vitamin D, which we’re all deficient in, everyone has different requirements. I’m trying Lyma at the moment and it’s going well so far. For a total reset, I like Buchinger – it’s a magical place on Lake Constance in Germany where you can do fasting programmes or just relax and take long walks. They have generations of knowledge of fasting and longevity, and the benefits of taking time for yourself and unplugging.

For a night out, I really love Sessions Art Club. My friend Florence Knight is the chef and she’s designed the most delicious cocktail menu, all served in gorgeous little coupes – and the food is scrumptious. I like nothing more than tapas style dining. I’m not a huge drinker, but when I do I love a good cocktail over wine. My favourite local bar is Bar Termini: it’s inspired by an Italian train station bar and does a small, edited menu of the most delicious cocktails – the whisky sour is particularly good.

A typical Friday night normally means bed with my kids by 9pm – but that is my fun these days. Or you can find us dancing around the apartment – I love reggae and soul legends, but I also grew up in the 90s with Blur, Oasis and Britpop. I’m lucky enough to mix with a lot of creatives, so I get exposed to loads of cool new music – I’m constantly on Shazam. Sundays involve trips to Marylebone farmers market and the playground there, or maybe a visit to the RA or the Serpentine, or Alfies Antiques Market on Church Street.

I’m better at making things look good on a plate rather than following a recipe. So I’m more of an assembler than a chef, but I love entertaining and having people in my home and hanging out and feeding them. I’ll sometimes get a Lidgates pie, or Jonny Collins at The Store kitchen will help me – I’m always up for collaborating in the kitchen. A good dinner party comes down to a good mix of people who don’t necessarily all know each other. It’s also keeping it relaxed – I would never serve plated food. Instead of flowers these days, I dress my table with plants. I have a cottage in Oxfordshire so I decorate the table with plants I can take back and plant with my kids – it’s less wasteful. My son loves laying the table – he’s only five, but we do it together. 

There’s a shop in Woodstock that sells gorgeous little baskets. If I’m being hosted, I fill one with a book I’ve just loved, a candle from my shop, a potted plant or a bottle of wine. There’s a delicious chocolate shop called William Curley in a very sweet, hidden little square in Soho – I’ll put some of his creations in there too, and some cookies from Crème. But if I’m going to someone for a whole weekend, I’ll give handblown Venetian glasses from my shop. I’ll give one or two then they can build a collection – we do tend to get invited back! My friend Alice Naylor-Leyland is the best host. We’ve been friends since we were teenagers and we’re all walking on air for weeks after a stay at hers. She has such attention to detail – she puts so much thought into everyone’s stay and you really feel it.