Vegging with M. Ducasse November 24, 2010 THE legendary chef settles into his plush chair in the Dorchester’s tea salon with his iPad tucked under his arm and some tissanes before him. He looks the picture of scary Gallic grandeur in his chef whites, his little round glasses perched on his nose, his mouth pursed. A pleasant feeling, then, knowing that we [...]
Brewing up a storm in SW11 November 24, 2010 AMID the gloom afflicting the pub industry right now, one chink of light has been the relative success of real ale. Perhaps due to the way its homely, hearty image seems more attractive in recessionary times, ale has increased its share of the beer market and grown its drinker base in the past year, according [...]
Christmas hampers for gourmets November 24, 2010 Fortnum & Mason The Classic Christmas Hamper (£150) is a veritable box of delights, containing a Christmas pudding, cognac butter, cognac marmalade, mulling spices, assorted English creams and, er, a musical biscuit tin (it plays Jingle Bells, natch). www.fortnumandmason.com British Fine Foods Online shop BFF takes the effort out of shopping for the big day [...]
A car that could be a fighter jet November 23, 2010 What exactly is the definition of a supercar remains a contentious issue. If a sports car is a powerful car designed for high speed with great handling and flashy looks then what is a supercar? And if a supercar is an exotic sports car with superior performance and a price tag to match, what is [...]
CAR TALK November 23, 2010 NISSAN MURANO CROSSCABRIOLET It’s fair to say that automotive history is not exactly littered with convertible SUVs so it’s a niche that remains broadly unexplored by most manufacturers. Still, Nissan has just shown its convertible crossover SUV at the LA Motor Show and here it is. It remains to be seen whether the only place [...]
Gifts with a sense of history November 22, 2010 IT’S no coincidence that the recession has overlapped with a surge in the popularity of all things old fashioned. If our confidence in a bold, sparkling future has faltered, our interest in the aesthetics of the past – and the values of quality, provenance and craftsmanship that go with it – has rocketed upwards. 1940s-themed [...]
OUT OF OFFICE November 22, 2010 BLACK WATCH RETURNS TO THE BARBICAN Quite simply one of the greatest theatrical achievements of the past decade, Gregory Burke’s astonishing play about Scottish soldiers fighting in the Middle East is returning to the Barbican this month. Taking in military traditions, the desolation of working class Scottish life, the boredom and terrors of desert warfare, [...]
REVIEW: SEASONAL PEDICURE November 22, 2010 THERE’S something very lovely about a wintry, Christmassy pedicure. It’s cold outside, you’ve got a flush in your cheeks and your hands are full of goody bags. What could be nicer than ducking out of the shopping mayhem and settling onto a warm bed in a delicious cavern of a spa in one of Mayfair’s [...]
There is no folly in eating here November 22, 2010 The Folly 41 Gracechurch Street, EC3V 0BT Tel: 0845 468 0102 FOOD SERVICE ATMOSPHERE Cost per person without wine: £20 THE City, it appears, has been truly starved of a good, affordable restaurant/bar with funky design (yes, funky, rather than drab, formal, sticky or cafe-style). Because from the moment the Folly, the enormous, windowy multi-story [...]
THREE OTHER HEAVING CITY RESTAURANTS November 22, 2010 THE ANTHOLOGIST Nearly the same as the Folly, but “darker” as the Folly manager puts it, with a pink butterfly as its logo. It’s also smaller. But passing down Gresham Street it’s more of a mellow, tempting den than a dingy dive. A proper nightspot, with “Soul Saturdays”, a good wine list and a huge [...]