The new, prettier Jeep April 12, 2011 JEEP is America’s original, iconic extreme off-road brand and the oldest SUV brand there is. Originally used by the US military, its since become an upmarket choice for the school run. With its latest Compass SUV, which goes on sale this month (the first modern Jeep to be offered with a two-wheel “soft roader” option), [...]
CAR TALK April 12, 2011 GOOD TIMES WITH THE 3 TOWERS RALLY If Staples to Naples is too much like roughing it and the Mille Miglia is a little out of your reach, then the 3 Towers Rally – which takes place between 9-17 July 2011 – may be right up your alley. Organised by automotive charity BEN, the rally [...]
Boisdale rings the changes for life in Canary Wharf April 11, 2011 THERE are few restaurateurs who better understand the disposition and dining requirements of the business high-flyer than Ranald MacDonald. Since 1988, when he opened his much-loved restaurant Boisdale of Belgravia, he’s been dispensing hearty Scottish food, superior malt whiskies, Cuban cigars and stonking jazz music to his fellow bon viveurs, all wrapped in a tidy [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS April 11, 2011 BISTRO DU VIN OPENS… It’s all happening in Clerkenwell. Hot on the heels of last week’s Zetter Townhouse launch – a hotel which happens to include an apothecary-style cocktail bar from the 69 Colebroke Row crew – comes a slick new eatery on St John Street (surely London’s foodiest thoroughfare) in the space vacated by [...]
Episode Six: Midnight awakenings April 11, 2011 “EMMA… Are you awake?” Emma twists and stretches. She draws the duvet tightly around her. “No.” “Emma.” She rubs her eyes and looks at the digital clock. 12.24am. “I’m not having sex with you David. Not now.” “No. It’s not that. I saw that dinosaur Carmichael for lunch a few days ago.” “Oh. You didn’t [...]
A spa for all seasons, particularly summer April 11, 2011 WHEN a Four Seasons opens, you can count on a bit of fanfare – some state-of-the-art design, some standard-setting opulence. When it reopens in London after a refurb costing £100m, your expectations can be even higher. Rooms, foyer, bar, restaurant and spa all have their own horns to toot. In the case of the Four [...]
The Palace 5* April 11, 2011 Showcasing European elegance in the heart of urban Sliema, The Palace is certainly befitting of its majestic name. This luxurious hotel is a real oasis of calm, boasting sumptuous, modern décor alongside pampering spa and leisure facilities. The style continues outside too, with a gorgeous infinity pool on the hotel roof – the kind of [...]
The George Hotel 4* April 11, 2011 In the heart of lively St. Julians, The George is in a fabulous location for enjoying the playful side of Malta. The hotel itself has a stylish ‘urban boutique’ feel to it, and by that we mean it’s fresh, sleek and cool. For a real taste of the high life you can kick-back on the [...]
In deep water: learning to dive off the coast of Malta April 10, 2011 AS I floated through the open hatchway into the ship’s galley, the scene appeared frozen in time. Seaweed waved gracefully about the cupboards and a spotted fish darted in and out of the abandoned cooker. A stream of bubbles poured from my dive buddy’s regulator as he laughingly grabbed the ship’s wheel and gave a [...]
TRAVEL NOTES April 10, 2011 HOLIDAY IN THE SKIES It’s the only place on earth left – aside from subway trains (and not for long there) – that people are cut off from phones and internet. No wonder, then, that a recent survey from Delta finds that European business travelers see the aeroplane as a blissful escape rather than getting [...]