The surprising power of the slow June 26, 2012 Fuel-efficient, inexpensive, able to seat four and easy to park was British Motor Corporation’s original brief to designer Alec Issigonis for its Austin Design Office Project 15 back in 1957. Out of the Suez Crisis, ADO 15 became the original BMC Mini and carmakers have rarely managed to produce a car that’s as well-packaged since. [...]
CAR TALK June 26, 2012 Aston’s new Vanquish Aston Martin has revealed its new Vanquish model, which will replace the DBS. Available as a 2+2 or 2+0, the super GT has an upgraded 565bhp 6.0-litre V12 engine and is capable of 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and 183mph. Styling cues including its elegant waist, elongated side strakes and LED rear lights [...]
The decade of booming house prices revealed… June 25, 2012 House prices in the UK’s most economically active areas surged upwards by an average of £228 a week according to a recent decade of data released yesterday. Homeowners in parts of the country with a high gross value added (GVA) score – a measure of the local economy – saw their properties rise in value [...]
Get your body beach-ready June 25, 2012 DR DUVE BEACH BODY BOOST The Munich-based skin specialist of choice for Europe’s richest women, Dr Duve (as in duvet) has a selection of effective treatments at Four London salon. For those preparing to bare all on the beach, this intense treatment targets problem areas such as the buttocks, back and thighs with vigorous massage, [...]
Fat-busting leggings that actually seem to make you thinner June 25, 2012 FITNESS & DIET EXPERT When I was approached by Proskins (www.proskins.co.uk) to try its slimming range of compression leggings, I was sceptical: fat-busting leggings? As one who has spent the last decade trying to convince the world that the only real way to bust those fat cells is by eating less and moving more, I [...]
RUN FOR A REASON June 25, 2012 JAMES FATTAL, 25 MEDIA AND COMMS WORKER When the astronaut Neil Armstrong emerged from his spaceship following the historic moon landing, he was asked what he hoped would be the ultimate outcome of his epic journey. He flipped open the visor on his helmet, looked at the reporter and said: “It’s my dream that one [...]
Arctic Junkies June 24, 2012 HUMAN population: 2,600. Polar bear population: 3,500. Welcome to Svalbard, Arctic playground for thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies. As far as seaside tourism towns go, Norway’s Svalbard is pretty much the polar opposite of Bournemouth. Instead of zimmer-frames, find ski poles. In place of dawdling mobility scooters, find snowmobiles capable of flying over the ice [...]
Touch-down in Shanghai: getting ready for business June 24, 2012 MAKING my way across Shanghai following a 12 hour flight from London and a six hour flight from Boston left me urgently desirous of a tranquil bedroom, soft bed and a deep bath. As I was heading to the Four Seasons, I figured the only obstacle to achieving these would be traffic – an elegantly [...]
TRAVEL NOTES June 24, 2012 Grace Santorini’s deluxe new villa Say hello to the Grace Santorini Villa, with two suites opening onto a vast swimming pool terrace, plus an open-plan kitchen, private gym, wine and cigar bar. There is lots of state-of-the-art tech and a concierge happy to arrange almost anything, from helicopter island tours to private cruises. santorinigrace.com Luxe [...]
Mortgage loans rebound from collapse in April June 21, 2012 MORTGAGE lending jumped sharply in May, rebounding from a weak figure in April and showing solid growth on the year, according to industry data published yesterday. However, analysts warned the overall level of lending is still well below that seen in the pre-crisis years, and said banks are facing regulatory pressures holding back the market. [...]