Living film review: Bill Nighy is majestic in poetically crafted ode to life November 4, 2022 If culturally we’re still clinging onto Bill Nighy as zany pirate radio presenter Billy Mack in Love Actually, then this film will help further establish him as a worthwhile actor in his own right. It follows 2018’s Sometimes Always Never, an underrated drama in which Nighy also shone. Living is a stylish rumination on old [...]
How neuroscience can make your wine taste better November 3, 2022 Neuroscience and wine may not seem like immediate bedfellows, but some producers are putting the time in to find out how drinkers are affected by things like our surroundings and assumptions. This in turn offers some insights into how to make the wine you serve taste better. At risk of putting us wine communicators out [...]
Best firework displays in London this weekend November 3, 2022 Remember, remember: bring a jacket, an umbrella and crucially, some gins in tins. It’s the fifth of November this weekend, and that means it’s time to get acquainted with the best firework displays in London. Otherwise known as Bonfire Night, and fireworks will be bruising the sky with their multicoured flashes and bangs. It’s an [...]
Bonfire Night snacks to make at home and take out with you November 2, 2022 There’s more to Bonfire Night than saying “ooh” and “aah” and looking at the sky. It’s also an excuse to turn old pumpkins from Halloween into food and experiment in the kitchen to create treats to keep you entertained – and warm – while you wait for the explosions in the sky. Here are four [...]
Firebird Soho has some of the best service in the capital – and great wine too November 2, 2022 Unassumingly nestled on a bustling Soho street, Firebird greets you as a cool oasis of relaxed good taste. Almost all of its dishes, as the name implies, have been licked by flame. The true charm of this place lies in the warmth and attentiveness of the staff, who carry their impeccable knowledge with a casual [...]
Healey by Caton review: Blast from the past November 2, 2022 The Healey by Caton reimagines the classic Austin-Healey 100, adding bespoke styling, more power and uprated suspension. Tim Pitt drives it.
Vampire hunting in Transylvania October 31, 2022 It’s been 125 years since Bram Stoker published Dracula, the novel partially set in the vast, untouched landscapes of Transylvania. Much has changed since then, but the destination remains—as one character puts it—”one of the wildest and least known portions of Europe.” With hillsides darkened by dense forests, pastoral farms toiled by horse and cart [...]
Ghost-chasing in Gothic Bath is a thrilling way to see the city October 31, 2022 THE WEEKEND: You might not think of Bath as the perfect place for a Halloween getaway, but there’s more to this city’s history than extravagant balls and witty debutantes. Mary Shelley was a resident and fans of gothic horror should check out the excellent House of Frankenstein, a highly interactive museum dedicated to the author [...]
Barbarian film review: Overstretched but inventive October 28, 2022 A surprise hit internationally, Barbarian has come out of nowhere to become a modern cult favourite. Set in Detroit, Georgina Campbell (Broadchurch) plays Tess, a woman in town for a job interview who has booked herself a rundown Airbnbstyle property. Upon arrival, she finds Keith (Bill Skarsgård) is already there, a double booking from another [...]
House of Hazelwood: Autumn Collection 2022 October 28, 2022 The family behind William Grant & Sons has one of the largest and most diverse collections of Scotch whiskies in the world. The House of Hazelwood, is dipping into their private inventory, selecting and bottling some of their most precious casks, and making them available to the drinking public. In the rolling Scottish countryside, just [...]