The best of both worlds: new builds take a historic turn August 20, 2009 EVERYONE from Kate Moss to Kylie Minogue to Roman Abramovich has one. Leonardo DiCaprio wants one. That’s because nothing says “I’ve made it” quite like a British country pile, preferably one with stables, guest cottages, tennis courts, carriage houses and swimming pools. Nowadays, if you don’t want the hassle of maintaining an old house, there [...]
Use the right shaped glass to make wine sing August 19, 2009 IF you’re anything like the vast majority of people, you probably don’t give a huge amount of thought to your wine glasses. As long as they look the part – big for red, smaller for white and flutes for fizz – who’s complaining? Well, after a tasting last week with Austrian crystal company Riedel, I’m [...]
WINE GLASSES: THE SHAPES YOU NEED TO KNOW August 19, 2009 The BordeauxThis large, tapered glass is intended for big strong wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It provides plenty of surface area for the wine to aerate, and the big aromas to swirl, while its large rim slows the wine down in your mouth, tempering the tannins. For Cabernet and Merlot. The BurgundyThis glass [...]
Beneath the bonnet of the geek’s geek August 19, 2009 CAR FEVERBY JAMES MAYHodder & Stoughton, £18.99 HE might not have quite such a high profile as his co-presenters on the BBC’s Top Gear programme, but James May is the most likeable of the three, less cocksure and sneering. He appears to live in a world of bad shirts, where chummy “mates” play darts in [...]
A car for all seasons August 18, 2009 EPIC is the word. For a person who doesn’t much care for heights, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve just scaled the terra-pod, a 200ft metal version of a hill-climb. Despite the nerves, I made it to the top, having been told that it’s the best view ever when you get up there. But then it [...]
Reasons to be cheerful August 17, 2009 IF YOU believe the old Rodgers & Hammerstein song, all you need to do to lift your mood on a bad day is to whistle a happy tune – if only life really were so simple. But it seems that a positive outlook has worthwhile outcomes beyond merely getting you more easily through the day. [...]
Gourmet meets grit in this King’s Cross gem August 17, 2009 The Fellow24 York Way N1 9ATel: 0207 837 3001Cost per person without wine: £25 KING’S CROSS is still a funny old area. Try as the developers might, it’s never quite become the next Hoxton or Angel. And for anyone who prefers a good Burgundy to a hip-hop night, it’s not much of an evening destination. [...]
THREE MORE KING’S CROSS EATERIES August 17, 2009 ST PANCRAS GRANDThis high-profile effort from Searcy’s – designed by interiors guru du jour Martin Brudnizky – is just the place to eat the likes of potted salmon, stew and duck under the eye of a large clock and bulbous, elegant lamps. The soft purr of the Eurostar arriving and leaving is a wonderful aid [...]
Bag a bargain and get some late summer holiday action August 16, 2009 THAILANDAnantara, on the north of the island of Mai Khao Beach, is wonderfully tucked away from the main tourist areas of Phuket and Kuoni is now offering seven nights for the price of five, a saving of £366 per person. Each of the 82 villas comes with its own 33 square metre pool, set either [...]
Find your way to Mayfair’s secret gardens August 13, 2009 THINK of Mayfair and you probably don’t think of greenery. Sure, there’s tidy old Grosvenor Square for you to spread out in at lunchtime on a sunny day, or the island of grass at the centre of bustling Berkeley Square. There’s even Hyde Park once you take your life in your hands and fight your [...]