Forget chemicals – these organic Luke Irwin rugs are dyed with turmeric, peppers and rhubarb November 22, 2019 I love rugs – a room simply isn’t dressed without one. I didn’t think I could champion rugs any more than I already do until I spoke with Luke Irwin, who has been selling his eponymous brand since 2003 and recently moved to larger premises on Pimlico Road. Here, his richly textured creations are hung [...]
Property focus on Sloane Square: This 1980s hotspot is experiencing a revival November 22, 2019 It may be famed for being the social epicentre for the young and blue-blooded in the 1980s, having lent its name to the Sloane Ranger set which included Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson. But the area around Sloane Square is now getting a modern makeover – and vying with other parts of Chelsea and Mayfair [...]
Judy & Punch review: A traditional seaside puppet show turned #metoo revenge caper November 21, 2019 Punch & Judy, the Victorian puppet show about a child murderer turned serial domestic abuser who loves sausages, is an unlikely candidate for a gritty, live action remake. But this is 2019, all bets are off, and here we are. Set in the town of Seaside, which is nowhere near the sea, we find travelling [...]
Pokémon Sword and Shield review: A spectacular upgrade for Nintendo’s chart-topping series November 21, 2019 Pokémon’s creator GameFreak was uncharacteristically secretive during the development of Sword and Shield, the latest pair of monster collecting games in the world-dominating, 23-year-old franchise. Now it’s clear to see why the studio played its cards so close to its chest: the new games shake up the rulebook in a way that might have given [...]
Death Stranding review: Hideo Kojima’s game about delivering parcels hits dizzying highs and terrible lows November 20, 2019 There’s an entire genre of games disparagingly referred to as “walking simulators”. In most of them, walking is simulated in only the most rudimentary of ways – you tend to glide about the place, looking at sunsets and picking up fruit. Japanese auteur Hideo Kojima has created a true walking simulator, a game in which [...]
The Bentley Bentayga Speed is officially the fastest SUV on sale. But should you buy one? November 18, 2019 Zero-point-six-two miles per hour. That slender margin – half the speed of a spider scuttling across your bathroom floor – is enough to make the Bentayga Speed the fastest SUV in the world. Yes, Lamborghini rounds up to an identical 190mph maximum for its second-placed Urus. But whether you’re blitzing a German autobahn or bragging [...]
AirPods Pro review: An incredible step up to the top table of mobile audio for Apple November 15, 2019 Apple’s regular AirPods leave me cold. They look daft, with their elongated stalks – often compared to toothbrush heads – and have such poor sound insulation that unless you’re listening to music in an hermetically sealed room, everything sounds distant and muddy. When Sony came along with its excellent WF-1000XM3 noise cancelling buds it was [...]
Fitness advice: How to improve your sleep routine November 15, 2019 The temperature is dropping, the sunshine is vanishing and it’s dark by the time you’ve left the office. Now more than ever it’s important to make sure you’re getting a good night’s sleep, as gloomy weather, limited daylight and seasonal illnesses all conspire to take advantage of your weakened defences. And poor sleep can cause [...]
Anselm Kiefer: Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot at the White Cube – destructive, glorious chaos November 15, 2019 ★★★★★ Anselm Kiefer’s latest solo exhibition Superstrings, Runes, The Norns, Gordian Knot at the White Cube in Bermondsey is both apocalyptic and redemptive. Its title plays on various myths and allegories that have preoccupied Kiefer for the bulk of his 50-year career, and that he now ties together with his latest obsession – string theory. [...]
Focus on Wood Green: First-time buyers flock to this up-and-coming North London locale November 15, 2019 Known to many Londoners as the gateway to a night out at the Alexandra Palace, Wood Green is situated on the border between North East and North West London, just within the North Circular. It is also home to Wood Green Animal Shelter, one of the largest in London which was recently the subject of [...]