Buy-to-let is back as rents stabilise and low prices attract landlords December 3, 2009 BUY-TO-LET is starting to look like an attractive proposition once again, as lower house prices and a stabilising rental market result in more enticing yields. Data from LSL Property Services – the company that owns Your Move and Reeds Rains estate agencies – shows that annual returns on landlords’ investments have turned positive for the [...]
Because you’re worth it: the best bachelor pads in town December 3, 2009 ATROPHY apartment is the ultimate reward for spending your 20s chained to a desk. And in case you hadn’t noticed, tastes for this type of flat, and the facilities found within it, are changing. Overt ostentation, 1980s-style, is out – so swimming pools with your monogrammed initials at the bottom are a no-no – to [...]
Keep your eyes on the pies December 2, 2009 CHRISTMAS without mince pies would be like a British summer without rain – simply not possible. We love our mince pies – at least before a month of over-eating them makes us a stone heavier and permanently nausceous. But they can vary in quality. At their best, they are a combination of sweet, sour, gooey [...]
…AND WINES TO MATCH December 2, 2009 CROFT’S PARTICULAR A rich Amontillado-style cream sherry like this one works well for your more traditional pie – and traditional pie eater. It’s an unusually pale sherry, which uses fino instead of oloroso as the base wine, lightening up the style overall, and adding the interesting nuances. £10.06 at Waitrose. H&H VERDELHO MADEIRASometimes, nothing beats [...]
A gripping drive December 1, 2009 THE LAST time I drove a Civic Type R, I found the ride quite brutal. So I have to admit to being slightly wary of having this one to test on UK roads, but it had to be done, because just 20 of them are destined for the whole of Europe. First things first, this [...]
Warning: anger is bad for your heart November 30, 2009 NEXT time you feel you’re going to burst a blood vessel from rage because a colleague undermined you or stitched you up or just generally made you feel crap, think carefully about how you deal with your feelings. Repression could be deadly – a study from Stockholm University’s Stress Research Institute found that men who [...]
OUT OF OFFICE November 30, 2009 CALEDONIART SCOTS ART SHOWThere are some beautiful pieces of art on show at Caledoniart in honour of St Andrew’s Day which should delight Scots and non-Scots alike. It’s a colourful, sensual collection of 25 of Scotland’s finest contemporary artists, including work from Gregory Rankin, Robert Kelsey, Roseanne Barr and Tim Cokburn, whose enchanting Bride and [...]
Italian food like mama used to do November 30, 2009 Babbo39 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JQCost per person without wine: £50 THERE’S something pleasingly old-fashioned about the latest addition to Mayfair’s culinary family. With its sparkling chandeliers, framed black and white photos of rustic Italian scenes, smartly-attired waiters and cosy ambience, Babbo is clearly not a restaurant where rulebooks are being rewritten. In fact, it feels [...]
THREE OTHER ITALIAN FAVOURITES November 30, 2009 RISTORANTE SEMPLICEJust round the corner from Bond Street, Semplice has quickly established itself as a real Italian stunner, gaining a Michelin star this year. It’s a sleek and luxurious place to dine, with a menu that mixes traditional Italian with modern sophistication, and offers excellent value with its set lunches too. 9-10 Blenheim St, S1S [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS November 30, 2009 FOOD AND MUSIC IN CAMDENA taste of Sicily is coming to Camden Town, in the shape of new restaurant Caponata, which opens tomorrow night. And Camden being the centre of London’s live music scene, it’s got its own music and arts space, called The Forge. Signature dishes in the main restaurant will include the, um, [...]