The basic rules of wine etiquette: How to look suave this party season December 28, 2022 It is a social season and wine is being popped, poured, sipped and slurped across London. I am a big advocate of enjoying your beverage however you see fit, but for those attending more than one fancy do this winter there are some basic rules of wine-etiquette the casual imbiber might want to know. Though [...]
Twixmas dining: The best restaurants to eat between Christmas and New Year’s Eve December 28, 2022 We all know what we’ll be eating over the next couple of days – turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets, consumed in quantities such that the effects will still be visible around your midriff come February. But what happens once the leftovers have been hoovered up on Boxing Day? While many restaurants remain closed, some central [...]
How to get rid of a hangover: Top chefs give us their foolproof tips, from revitalising smoothies to a hair of the dog December 22, 2022 Most of us plan on celebrating the time off over Christmas with a few drinks – but, inveitably, one must pay the piper for one’s excesses. That means hangovers – lots of them, each one incrementally worse than the last, until the festive break becomes one long cycle of drunk-hungover-drunk-hungover, repeating ad infinitum until, somehow, [...]
Restaurants with DJs and live music to book for New Year’s Eve in London December 21, 2022 It may still be days until Christmas, but that doesn’t mean you haven’t already left it extremely late to make your New Year’s Eve plans. If you feel a little old for clubbing, we have the perfect solution: go to a restaurant. This selection of dining venues all have special menus and live entertainment to [...]
Shop ’till you drop: Christmas spending up despite rampant inflation December 20, 2022 Shopping habits die hard as Brits continue to spend across the board in the run-up to Christmas and the holiday season despite historic levels of inflation raising prices. Spending on essentials is up by an average of 43.5 per cent compared to the same time last year, with non-essential expenditure also rising by an average [...]
Piazza at the Royal Opera House is perfect for festive fun December 15, 2022 London is beautiful at Christmas and one of the most festive corners of our city is Covent Garden. Opening to the general public for the first time, Piazza is the fifth floor restaurant in the iconic Royal Opera House, boasting a huge terrace with panoramic views over Covent Garden’s holiday wonderland. The dining room is [...]
Pinot Noir: Why this classy grape should be your christmas wine December 15, 2022 There is something special about Pinot Noir. Beloved the world over, it has been referred to as “the heart break grape” due to its exacting demands on those growing it. It was immortalised in the film Sideways by the lead character’s impassioned speech: “Pinot needs constant care and attention, you know? And in fact, it [...]
Feeding the nation, with robots: New funding round for farmers encourages automation December 14, 2022 A new round of farming funding to the tune of £12.5m will help those who feed the nation launch new automation and robotics projects. The latest chunk of a £270m programme launched last year was announced this morning by Defra (the department for environment food and rural affairs), in partnership with UK Research and Innovation [...]
Leonardslee House is the UK hotel producing South African wine December 12, 2022 THE WEEKEND: Wanting to rusticate in luxurious splendour, we paid a visit to the newly launched accommodation at Leonardslee House. Owner Penny Streeter OBE has brought back a hefty slice of South Africa to rural England and filled the Grade I listed grounds with things to do and art to gawp at for all ages [...]
Tesco on the hunt to replace outgoing chairman John Allan December 10, 2022 Tesco is reportedly looking replace outgoing chairman John Allan, who is set to step down in 2024. Sources told Sky News’ Mark Kleinman that external headhunters had been appointed to help with the recruitment process. Byron Grote – former BP finance boss and non-executive director of the supermarket chain – will lead the search internally. [...]