Like a virgin? The expanding world of alcohol-free cocktails May 17, 2021 I gave up drinking three years ago, after twenty-odd enthusiastic years, and so I’ve spent the time since then searching out replacements. Some people say that’s a bad idea, that you maintain the habit and tread a dangerous line: all I can say is that the habit, the ritual, the variety was one of the [...]
What top London chefs really think about Instagram May 14, 2021 Heston Blumenthal is famously exacting about the dining experience. He tries to create “sensory memories”, controlling not only the way his dishes look and taste, but what his diners are listening to while they eat. His The Sound of the Sea, a signature dish at The Fat Duck, came with an iPod Nano playing, well, [...]
The Woman In The Window is a dreadful Hitchcock imitation May 14, 2021 When a film is delayed or undergoes reshoots, the first thing those behind the production will say is that this doesn’t necessarily mean the film is doomed. This can be true – Rogue One, for example, is a film that benefitted from a second pass. However, for every success story there are many more projects [...]
Jaguar E-Type Unleashed review: a big cat with claws May 14, 2021 The Jaguar E-Type Unleashed is the equivalent of a remastered classic LP, with a 380hp 6.1-litre V12, uprated chassis and modern luxuries.
The High Street wants you – let’s take this next step safely May 14, 2021 | Sponsored After months of shuttered doors, it’s been heartening to see Britain’s high streets, town centres and retail parks buzzing again. But as much as we all want to get life back to normal, we also all want to stay safe. None of us want to squander the progress we’ve made in suppressing the virus – [...]
Chris Rock brings weight to worn out Saw franchise with Spiral May 13, 2021 Eyebrows were raised a few years ago when comedian Chris Rock was linked to a revamp of the Saw franchise. The stand-up/actor has made a few films in the past, including the excellent 2015 comedy Top Five, but the torture porn franchise seemed a world away from his performance style. Nevertheless, studio bosses were impressed [...]
This is what top holiday spots would look like if all the bees died May 13, 2021 Everybody likes bees. Fuzzy, buzzy little fellas, zipping around the place making honey. And everybody knows that bees are dying at a frankly terrifying rate, threatening to bring the earth’s entire ecosystem crashing down in their wake. A new project by Parkdean Resorts helps to bring home just how vital these stripy insects are to [...]
Somebody wrote a symphony about this Arctic Circle distillery May 13, 2021 Booze experts have long sung the praises of Scandinavian spirits but Norwegian composer Alexander Aaroen Pederson has gone one step further, writing a 45-minute symphony inspired by the world’s most northerly distillery, located 350km north of the Arctic Circle. Aurora Spirit opened in 2016 under the name “Bivrost”, which means Shaking Path, a reference to [...]
Now we know what tonic the Queen puts in her royal gin May 13, 2021 Royal warrants have been issued since the 15th century to supply the royal court and royal personages with swag. The Queen has granted 686 Royal Warrants, the Prince of Wales 159, and The Duke of Edinburgh 38. This week Devon’s Luscombe’s Drinks became the official supplier of mixers. Buckingham Palace already has its own gin [...]
Yet more places to eat and drink: 70 bars and restaurants open now May 13, 2021 It’s just days until we can once more sit in a restaurant and dine like civilized human beings, albeit socially distanced ones. But where to book? To help you make this most difficult of decisions, we’ve collected a bumper list of 70 places to meet up with friends and support the hospitality industry. With spots [...]