Richmond and Hampton are perfect for a London ‘micro-break’ June 2, 2021 Horror story images of eight hour queues at Heathrow – a perfect storm of Corona restrictions, Brexit chaos and pent-up demand – are enough to put anyone off going abroad for their summer holidays. When you’re likely to spend longer standing in line at immigration than waiting to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, [...]
Jawbox Gin unveils record breaking 915-measure bottle June 2, 2021 Size matters when it comes to gin. With the market saturated with small batch artisans all trying to out-botanicalise each other, one distillery has decided to go in the opposite direction, producing the world’s largest gin bottle. Northern Ireland’s Jawbox Gin has unveiled a 73cm tall, 32 litre, 915 measure Jawbox Giant’s Edition containing the [...]
A Quiet Place Part II review: Horror sequel well worth the wait June 2, 2021 Along with Peter Rabbit 2 and No Time To Die, A Quiet Place II was one of the movies that signalled cinemas would be uniquely impacted by the events of the last year. We’re still waiting on Bond, but Peter Rabbit 2 arrived recently to a rapturous reception from audiences (slightly less so from critics). [...]
Scots look away – the best whisky in the world is made in Taiwan June 1, 2021 The best whisky in the world is made in Taiwan by a company that started off making mosquito repellent and root beer. The King Car Group’s Kavalan 10th Anniversary Sky Gold Wine Cask Matured Single Cask Single Malt Whisky has just been named “Best of the Best” single malt at the recent Tokyo Whisky & [...]
Quaglino’s: Golden-age glam the perfect antidote to lockdown June 1, 2021 It is fair to say that good old fashioned glamour has not been in vogue during months of endless lockdowns. Cocktail dresses abandoned for athleisure. Black tie (which you can read all about in this excellent piece by our resident sartorial expert) for three days without a shower. But London is back, and open-ish, and [...]
How Welsh whisky is taking a sip of Scotland’s favourite dram June 1, 2021 North Wales is celebrating the opening of its latest distillery and the release of the first Welsh whisky in over a hundred years. Gwynedd’s Aber Falls Distillery, which used to be a slate works, a margarine factory and a drinks wholesaler depot, has launched its Inaugural Release, a non-age statement single malt made from 100 [...]
Black tie, white noise: let’s make summer the new party season June 1, 2021 With the last restrictions of the pandemic due to be lifted in mere weeks, we all deserve to celebrate. We think of the run-up to Christmas as the typical ‘party season’, but Yuletide seems a long way off. Let’s claim this summer for celebrations, and burst out of lockdown with a grateful song in our [...]
Where to watch Euro 2020 in London: Top beer gardens May 29, 2021 After a mad, harrowing year, it seems difficult to believe that Euro 2021 is mere weeks away – and that the biggest games will be taking place in London. For fans without tickets to the tournament, which runs from 11 June to 11 July, watching at the pub looks set to be a game of [...]
Fiat 500 Electric review: iconic city car goes green May 29, 2021 The Fiat 500 Electric boasts cute styling, a range of up to 199 miles and an optional roll-back roof. We drive it on UK roads.
Another defence of Chardonnay, which is better than you think May 28, 2021 Last week our wonderful wine columnist Libby Zietsman-Brodie weighed in in defense of Chardonnay, a grape variety often wrongly maligned by people who know enough about wine to have an opinion but not enough to have a correct opinion. And quite right she was, so I though I’d throw my two cents’ worth in too, [...]