‘The restaurant world has changed forever’: how Simon Rogan conquered Covid February 20, 2021 The first time I ate Simon Rogan’s food was during a culinary pilgrimage to L’Enclume, one of the world’s top restaurants. Over the course of five hours I ate 20 dishes, each one a spectacular fusion of science and gastronomy. Dehydrated fennel leaf topped with apple gel. Charred stripes of blackened leek with egg cream. [...]
Spirits showcase Whisky Show: Old & Rare goes digital February 20, 2021 Since 2017 the Whisky Show: Old & Rare has afforded aficionados an annual opportunity to sample some of the most elusive and legendary spirits in the world of whisky. Next week it returns, as a virtual event. This time round, the Whisky Show: Old & Rare will consist of four masterclasses, which will be streamed [...]
Best of travel: Conquest, casinos and copious wine in Georgia February 19, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. Today we revisit Noo Saro-Wiwa’s journey to Georgia, Europe’s most surprising destination. ••• It has been said that Georgians ‘think with European minds and feel with Asian hearts’. Their nation, clamped between Russia and Turkey, is neither [...]
How China is lighting up the spirits world at home and abroad February 19, 2021 The spirits market in China is flourishing. With income among Chinese consumers rising, more Western spirits are now getting into China than are coming out. But the decades-long popularity of dark spirits among the Chinese middle classes are starting to bear fruit in the form of premium spirits now being imported into the UK. Changyu [...]
WandaVision episode 7 review – huge twist revealed! February 19, 2021 *** WARNING: This review contains spoilers for all current episodes of Disney+’s WandaVision. *** Welcome back to WandaVision, or this week, just Wanda. The episode takes the form of the 2010s sitcom Modern Family, with Wanda delivering monologues to camera in the confessional style of the hit show. The plot of the episode follows three [...]
Bamboo briefs and kelp knickers: are your pants eco-friendly? February 19, 2021 The latest front in the war against environmental decline is happening inside your pants, with the arrival of bamboo briefs and kelp knickers. London’s Alexander Clementine has launched a collection of ecologically-conscious bras undies made from seaweed. The garments are handmade in London and virtually all waste created during manufacturing is reused or recycled. “We [...]
I Care A Lot review – Rosamund Pike’s cold-blooded masterclass February 19, 2021 In these tough times, many of us have turned to movies that lift us up, and remind us that there is some good in the world. Despite its title, I Care A Lot is not one of those films. Rosamund Pike plays Marla Grayson, who makes a living from becoming the legal guardian of elderly [...]
“Zoom Weddings” – an opportunity for UK businesses during lockdown? February 19, 2021 | City Talk Weddings are big business. It is estimated that 41.6 million weddings take place globally every year and approximately 250,000 within the UK. The £242 billion global industry was particularly hit following the outbreak of Covid-19 last year. It is estimated that the UK alone lost £5.6 billion last year due to cancellations or postponing of [...]
City Spirits: The margarita is a perfect February pick-me-up February 19, 2021 For all too many people, February 22 is just another date. A wintry day, touch of drizzle, and this year in particular, nothing overly exciting to celebrate. Those in the know, however, will be getting their fiesta on for National Margarita Day. And honestly, on day 4,374 of lockdown, do you need an excuse to [...]
Best of travel: A feast for the senses in Zanzibar February 18, 2021 To tide us over until we’re able to travel again, we’re republishing classic travel stories from our archives. Today we revisit Noo Saro-Wiwa’s extravagent journey to the island of Zanzibar. ••• Visiting tropical islands usually involves sacrificing the richness and depth of continental culture for the simplicity of ravishing sun, sea and sand. Zanzibar, however, [...]