Could the secret to longevity be hidden in remote Costa Rica? January 28, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. This week we revisit Ashwin Bhandari‘s trip to Costa Rica in search of the secret to long life. ••• The town hall in Nicoya, western Costa Rica, is one of the few colonial buildings left in the [...]
The Dig – Mulligan and Fiennes shine in gentle period drama January 28, 2021 The true story of the Sutton Hoo excavation gets the Netflix treatment in a handsome period drama The Dig, an awards hopeful that quietly works its way into your affections. The story takes place in idyllic Suffolk in 1939. Wealthy widow Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) hires softly spoken excavator Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to investigate [...]
Twist review – Sky’s Dickens update is not so Artful January 28, 2021 Like Dracula and Sherlock Holmes, Oliver Twist is a character that seems to have been reimagined a number of ways over the years on the big screen. As well as the standard dramatisations of Dickens’ classic, there’s the beloved 60s musical Oliver!; animated hit Oliver & Company; and, er, a version set in the New [...]
Tired of the same four walls? Consider this Portuguese property January 27, 2021 We’re all dreaming of sunny getaways right now – holidays in Provence, weekends in Vienna, day trips to Margate. If the thought of being trapped in the grim darkness of another British winter is just too much to bear, then perhaps now would be a good time to consider buying a property abroad. The newly completed [...]
Pay phone: Would you spend £1m on a mobile number? January 27, 2021 You may be willing to splash out £1,500 on a new iPhone, but would you add another seven figures to that to secure the ‘phone number of your dreams’? London-based entrepreneur Usain Kubah has just released what he says is the world’s most expensive phone number, which will set you back a million pounds. The [...]
Best of travel: Why the best Chinese food is found in Taiwan January 27, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. This week we revisit Simon Thomson’s trip to Taiwan, home to some of the world’s finest Chinese food. ••• In 1949, after years of civil war, the nationalist forces of the Kuomintang withdrew to an island in [...]
Best of travel: We visit Peru in search of an anaconda January 26, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. This week we revisit Steve Dinneen’s trip to Peru in search of a monstrous snake. ••• On my first morning on the Amazon the sun was my alarm clock, lighting up my room through gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows [...]
Restaurants warn of closures amid talk of lockdown extention January 26, 2021 Restaurant and bar owners say they are “devastated” by the news lockdown restrictions could be in place until July, with many saying they will struggle to remain open if they are not able to serve customers soon. Pied a Terre’s David Moore said restaurants were already “running on empty” and warned of another wave of [...]
City restaurants among those honoured in 2021 Michelin guide January 26, 2021 Restaurants around the City were celebrated in this year’s Michelin honours list, despite many being closed for most of the year. Da Terra in Bethnal Green and Restaurant Story in Bermondsey, headed up by Rafael Cagali and Tom Sellers respectively, were both awarded two Michelin stars, giving workers even more reason to return to the [...]
Activities to suit all, from rugby scrums to hot stone massage January 26, 2021 | Sponsored Whether you’re seeking lavender-scented indulgence, active fitness or the refreshing splash of the crystal-clear ocean, the Cayman Islands has you covered. Wild swimming is, as you’d imagine, a popular activity and both residents and visitors, from children to pensioners and novices to medal-winning Olympians, are invited to take part in the Flowers Sea Swim on [...]