OUT OF OFFICE November 8, 2009 JAPANESE WHISKY TASTING AT TSURUWhisky is almost as popular as sake in Japan and it goes surprisingly well with sushi. Japanese whisky is similar to Scottish in style and as good. To prove it, Tsuru restaurant will hold a tasting with five whiskies, and Japanese whisky expert Jen Dickson will demonstrate subtle difference between the [...]
Berlin is still emerging from the shadows of the past November 8, 2009 WHEN you walk across the joint expanse of Potsdamer Platz and Leipziger Platz in central Berlin, you’re surrounded by futuristic architecture, vast advertising hoardings, neon-lit brand names and thundering traffic. It makes it easy to forget you’re crossing what was once known here as the “Death Strip”. A cobbled line marking the old route of [...]
The best Christmas markets in Germany November 8, 2009 BerlinThe German capital is also very much the country’s Christmas market capital, with over 50 taking place – and there’ll be extra festivity this year as the city marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. The most popular market is the one in central west Berlin’s shopping district, next to the [...]
TRAVEL NOTES November 8, 2009 Le Grey brings designer luxury to BeirutThe Paris of the Middle East with an edgy local twist, Beirut now has a luxury boutique hotel from the group behind One Aldwych and Duke’s Hotel in London. The sleek and sexy hotel has a rooftop restaurant, with spectacular views out to the Mediterranean and Mount Lebanon and [...]
Who you gonna call? Goat busters November 5, 2009 FilmTHE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATSCert: 15 YOU couldn’t make it up – and indeed, the makers of this film didn’t. Based on British writer Jon Ronson’s book, this film takes us inside the US military’s most nutty experiment – an attempt to create a unit of soldiers with psychic powers. The film begins in [...]
OUT OF OFFICE November 5, 2009 FILM BRIGHT STAR Ben Wishaw stars as Thomas Keats in Jane Campion’s powerful biopic. A CHRISTMAS Carol Animated version of the Dickens classic, with Jim Carrey as Scrooge. CD ROBBIE WILLIAMS Robbie’s first album in three years is called Video Killed the Radio Star. SNOW PATROL The Irish band’s Best Of should show they weren’t [...]
Fulham’s back in the property game, so jump in quick November 5, 2009 LONDON’S Holy Grail of property, SW6, all but died after Lehman Brothers fell. “A year ago I was sitting at my desk wondering if I’d ever sell another house,” says Lindsay Cuthill, of Savills’ Fulham office. According to Savills’ research director Lucian Cook, prices in Fulham fell by 25 per cent after the crash, compared [...]
FOCUS ON: HEMEL HEMPSTEAD, HERTFORDSHIRE November 5, 2009 GEMINI HOUSE, HOGPITS BOTTOM, FLAUNDEN, HP3 0PU Price: £1.1mThis modern house has been extended over the years and now has five bedrooms and four reception rooms. The master bedroom has an en suite shower room, which comes with a sauna and two of the other bedrooms are interconnected. The pine conservatory overlooks the extensive gardens, [...]
Anglophile Malta a top proposition November 5, 2009 WITH winter descending, one can hardly be blamed for thinking about sunnier, warmer climes. While the downturn has badly affected much of the holiday homes market, it can still be both a fabulous luxury and a sound investment to own a place for summer escapes if you can find the right spot. The island of [...]
Q&A: BUYING November 5, 2009 Camilla DellMANAGING PARTNER AT BLACK BRICKQ. Dear Camilla, I am in the process of buying a house and my surveyor has found some structural problems. Should I be worried? Can I negotiate the price down in order to pay for these faults? At what point should I pull out? A. You should talk to your [...]