SELL May 12, 2011 MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL LONDON ESTATE AGENCY, KAY & CO, SPECIALISING IN MARYLEBONE, REGENT’S PARK, HYDE PARK AND FITZROVIA. Q. I hear that international buyers are purchasing the most expensive homes in London. Should I instruct an international agent? A. While international buyers have increased significantly over the last few years they are by no [...]
NEED TO KNOW | AREA INSIGHT May 12, 2011 Commuting: Greenwich is a fantastic spot for manageable commuting times. The overland railway station, Greenwich Rail Station, reaches Cannon Street in just 13 minutes. The DLR arrives at Bank station in 20 minutes, while North Greenwich underground station on the Jubilee Line can take you to London Bridge in 10. The area’s Thames side location [...]
Victorian railway murder inspires gripping first novel May 11, 2011 MR. BRIGGS’ HAT BY KATE COLQUHOUN Little Brown, £16.99 by Lucie Greene Mr Briggs’ Hat, the debut novel by award-winning historian Kate Colquhoun, is a current hot pick of the literary press. And it’s easy to see why. This is a rip-roaring tale of murder and intrigue set in 1864. The story – based on [...]
Jazz, cigars and pop stars come to Docklands May 11, 2011 WITH finishing touches being made to Battery Club in Canary Wharf, the owners are not resting on their laurels. They’re in the midst of launching Alphabet City, a hip new members only dining room, bar and lounge at the O2. With all manner of pop star after-parties in the mix, locking down a founder membership [...]
The glamorous way to drink May 11, 2011 IF you want the finest cocktails served by the most talented bar staff in the most spectacular setting – and let’s face it, who doesn’t – London’s swish hotels are right now the place to find them. Thanks to a slew of upgrades and openings, the ever-burgeoning popularity of sophisticated cocktails and the continuing cultural [...]
Two cylinders: one hot car May 10, 2011 FIAT’S decision to sell its 500 city car with a super-economical two-cylinder engine may not stem from sentimentality. But my desire to drive it does. How would it compare to the original iconic Fiat 500, a car that also had a two-cylinder engine and which I have driven and have a fondness for? The original [...]
CAR TALK May 10, 2011 VAUXHALL’S INSIGNIA VXR IS UNLEASHED Vauxhall has introduced a package to de-restrict the Insignia VXR so that it’s capable of 170mph. Called the ‘Unlimited’ option the package removes the ‘regular’ Insignia VXR’s 155mph restrictor and costs just £250. Available for the hatch, saloon and sports tourer versions it means the Insignia VXR Unlimited’s turbocharged, 321bhp, [...]
Chelsea gets some traditional Brit grub in a sleek modernist setting May 9, 2011 The Penny Black 212 Fulham Road, SW10 9PJ www.thepennyblack.com FOOD **** SERVICE *** ATMOSPHERE **** Cost per person without wine: £40 IT sounds like the name of a pub, doesn’t it? For some reason, the image I had in my head of a restaurant called The Penny Black was some dark, old-fashioned tavern, a place [...]
Learning to make the most of asparagus May 9, 2011 ASPARAGUS is one of the glories of the British spring. Its yearly sprout excites chefs the country over. The problem with asparagus, though, is that it’s not exactly sexy for the rest of us. You don’t race to the supermarket with a craving for it – nor do you discuss its sensual merits with foodie [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS May 9, 2011 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLUEPRINT CAFE The Design Museum’s well-respected restaurant, the Blueprint Cafe, opened 21 years ago today. To celebrate, head chef Jeremy Lee has created a three-course set menu, including a glass of fizz (and, of course, Blueprint’s fantastic views along the Thames from its Bermondsey riverside setting) for a very reasonable £21. Dishes include [...]