House prices in biggest monthly fall for two years March 29, 2012 House prices suffered their sharpest monthly fall in more than two years in March, as first-time homebuyers braced for the removal of stamp duty exemption, mortgage lender Nationwide said. Nationwide reported one per cent seasonally adjusted fall in house prices on the month, the biggest since February 2010, and a sharp contrast to the 0.3 [...]
Time to invest in new pants March 28, 2012 GAMES SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR Cert: 15 **** The new Silent Hill has a lot to live up to. For many gamers it was the first title that not only made them jump but got under their skin; that made them look over their shoulder while playing and sleep with the lights on. In this installment [...]
THE GAMES THAT GAVE US GOOSEBUMPS March 28, 2012 Alone in the Dark (1992) The original horror puzzler. The memory of being chased down a long, candle-lit corridor by a ghostly creature still makes me shudder. Alone in the Dark perfectly struck the balance between suspense and action. A classic for a reason. Doom (1993) Wolfenstein may have come before it but Doom perfected [...]
Nissan Micra: not so cute now March 27, 2012 THE Nissan Micra is not a car that usually sets hearts racing. But with the latest DIG-S model, Nissan is hoping to persuade commuters that you don’t need to buy a a diesel-powered car to achieve great mileage. Its supercharger is bolted to its 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine to squeeze as much fuel economy and power [...]
A verdant land of high gastronomy March 26, 2012 The Greenhouse 27a Hay’s Mews, W1 W1J 5NY, tel: 020 7499 3331 www.greenhouserestaurant.co.uk FOOD **** SERVICE ***** ATMOSPHERE **** Cost per person without wine: £90 LONDON is abuzz with noisy, no-reservations joints, opening in droves in Soho. The best barbeque in town, the best burger in town, the best ceviche in town…but you’ll have to [...]
And now…auf wiedersehen March 26, 2012 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT ANDREW CONNOR THIS will be my last column for City A.M. I’d like to thank you all for reading over the last eight months. My wife and I have recently had our first child and we’d like him to spend some time with his German relatives, so I [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS March 26, 2012 ● One of the most iconic teas in the world, The Ritz’s afternoon cake fest in the Palm Court has just been relaunched with a twist: the smoked salmon sandwich is enhanced with lemon-infused butter between freshly baked rye bread; cheddar is served with chutney on sticky onion bread. Raspberry and rosewater macaroons; chocolate and [...]
Homes near top schools cost an extra £90,000 March 25, 2012 HOUSES located near top performing primary schools cost an average of 42 per cent more than homes in other areas, according to research published this morning. Parents concerned with securing their children a place at a well-regarded school can pay an average of £91,618 more for a property than they would have to cough up [...]
Cebu & Boracay paradise with flair March 25, 2012 HAVING recently visited nearby Malaysia, I thought I had a fair idea of what to expect from the Philippines. A bustling Asian melting pot where a hotchpotch of cultures, religions and cuisines collide in the middle of the Indian ocean, right? But stepping off the plane at our first stop – Mactan Island in Cebu [...]
FOCUS ON: CHALFONTS, BUCKS March 22, 2012 THE COTTAGE Price: £700,000 Situated in on the edge of the village, this three bedroom property forms part of an 18th Century home, divided in 1977 to form three residences. Contact www.knightfrank.com or 01494 675368 STOCKINGS HOUSE Price: £1.7m This five bedroom house is situated on the edge of Coleshill, on Bottrells Lane, a quiet [...]