NYC sends a slice of Gallic heaven May 31, 2010 Bar Boulud Mandarin Oriental, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA, tel: 020 7201 3899 Cost per person without wine: £45 THE name Daniel Boulud is a huge deal in New York, where everything is either a huge deal or offensively passe. The Lyon-born chef’s cluster of Manhattan eateries has managed to remain on the “huge deal” side [...]
TASTING NOTES: THE EL BULLI OF COCKTAIL BARS TURNS ONE May 31, 2010 TODAY is the first anniversary of 69 Colebrooke Row, an Islington bar. Hardly a shocking statement. But when you consider the bar in question, it starts to become a good deal more interesting. The brainchild of super-mixologist Tony Conigliaro (right), 69 Colebrooke Row is the El Bulli of cocktails. It has the only drinks laboratory [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS May 31, 2010 PRÊT-À-PORTEA IS BACK AT THE BERKELEY The Berkeley’s world-famous Prêt-à-Portea is back with a new collection of goodies.?Inspired by the latest catwalk looks, the tea includes Yves Saint Laurent cakes and Christopher Kane macaroons – apt after a day of shopping at Harvey Nichols and Harrods. Other treats include a Jason Wu-inspired poppyseed cake, a [...]
Carrie and the girls lose it in Arabia May 27, 2010 Film SEX AND THE CITY 2 Cert: 15 by Leo Bear SORRY ladies, you’re going to be disappointed. It’s two years on from where the first film left off and Carrie and co are older (it shows) but not wiser. Charlotte is tearing her hair out with two under-fives, Samantha is wrestling the menopause, Miranda [...]
Preview: Mirrors May 27, 2010 AH, the mirror. By far the most magnetic item in any room – at least for the ordinary ego. In celebration of that most eye-catching of items, Mayfair’s finest antiques dealer Ronald Phillips is putting on an extraordinary exhibition of rare looking glasses, some of them used by what were once the world’s most famous [...]
How Apple became the king of technology May 27, 2010 APPLE’S journey back from the abyss is the stuff of legend, a truly American tale of ingenuity and success in the face of adversity. Now it has overtaken Microsoft as the US’s second largest company in terms of market capitalisation, its place in history is assured. The recovery can be credited to one man: Steve [...]
Why M Vuitton, you’ve grown… May 27, 2010 SPORTING blazingly obvious brand logos is outlawed in the discerning fashionista’s rulebook. And yet the power of the iconic LV monogram has always managed to prove an exception to this rule, and today reaches it a crescendo as the flagship Louis Vuitton “maison” opens on New Bond Street, following a week of glorious publicity and [...]
From exotic bling to English rose May 27, 2010 WITH tables made of moss, fireside hearths, old washing machines and even an outdoor pizza oven, this year’s Chelsea Flower Show excels in bringing the living room into the garden. Ultra-modern log piles and clean-cut stone seem to be all the rage, but upon first entry many visitors will head for the pavilion. Highlights of [...]
Act now to snap up remaining French bargains May 27, 2010 AFTER a weekend of Mediterranean weather evaporated this week, sun-hungry holidaymakers could be forgiven for looking to France. And with sellers dusting down wine cellars for the high season, there is no better time to fly south for villa-viewing. The Lehman collapse saw demand take flight even from prime locations, but top-end buyers returned during [...]
FOCUS ON: CHISLEHURST, KENT May 27, 2010 CHALVEDUNE, WILDERNESS ROAD Price: £5.5m This is an extremely spacious home built on a sought-after private road with views to the rear over Chislehurst golf course. There is a master suite with two dressing rooms, en suites, a private sitting room and balcony. There are six further bedrooms. There are plenty of facilities such as [...]