Picasso 1932: Love, Fame, Tragedy at the Tate Modern: Exhibition focusing on a single year in the life of the great artist shows the sheer audacity of genius March 9, 2018 By the age of 50, Picasso’s days as a starving artist were long behind him. His paintings sold for fortunes despite the gathering economic gloom; he and his former-ballerina wife were courted by politicians and socialites; he was preparing to be celebrated by a major Paris retrospective, a rarity then for a living artist. [...]
Where’s the beef? Meat substitutes are suddenly big business: we try the UK’s first plant-based ‘bleeding burger’ and ask if meat will one day be a thing of the past March 8, 2018 In the mockumentary Carnage, Simon Amstel imagines a future in which eating meat is as socially unacceptable as cannibalism. Groups of elderly people sit in therapy sessions trying to come to terms with the atrocities they committed against the animal kingdom, with the narrator quipping “‘Meat-free Monday’ now sounds about as appealing as ‘ethnic cleansing-free [...]
Roux at Parliament Square review: A recent makeover brings the decor back in alignment with a sophisticated lunch menu March 6, 2018 Named after its patron Michel Roux Jr, this formerly fusty French fine-dining stalwart in Westminster was given a makeover last year to reflect the shiny fame of its current head chef, Steve Groves. After jaunts at a string of Michelin-starred restaurants, Groves joined the staff after winning Masterchef: The Professionals in 2009 and then graduated [...]
Off-piste in Fieberbrunn, the little known freeride resort of the Austrian Alps March 5, 2018 Fieberbrunn is at one end of the elaborately named Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, an area of Salzburg dedicated to winter sports, and one in dire need of a rebranding agency. Fieberbrunn itself is named after the fever (“fieber”) quelling properties of its waters, which are said to have cured such dignitaries as Claudia de [...]
Holiday Homes: Get away from the chaos of Chamonix and find a quieter ski retreat in Le Grand-Bornand February 23, 2018 The Alpine towns of Courchevel and Val d’Isere, are as well known for their nightlife as their pistes, but if you’re more interested in skiing than apré-ski it’s worth checking out the quieter French resorts. Le Roc des Tours, France, from €195,833 One hidden gem is Le Grand-Bornand, a picture-postcard area in the Haute-Savoie region, [...]
Mercedes-Benz SL R107: The best classic Merc you can buy February 19, 2018 All cars eventually become classics, but not all classics are created equal. The ‘R107’ Mercedes-Benz SL is a case in point. This luxurious grand tourer – we’ll stop short of calling it a sports car – was a cut above the automotive norm when new, and remains so today. Indeed, it’s one of the best [...]
Property legal Q&A: My London property is owned by an offshore company; are my details in the public domain? February 16, 2018 Not yet but soon they will be. For a number of years the government has mooted the idea of creating a public register of beneficial ownership of UK residential property, but the exact timetable as to when this register is to come into force has never been clear until very recently. Last month the [...]
Fitness advice: What to look for in a personal trainer, from education to adaptability February 13, 2018 There’s a reason all the top sports stars have a coach. Having a professional with you throughout your fitness journey should give you the motivation, accountability and education to push further than you could by yourself. I say “should” because there are some truly terrible personal trainers out there. Every time I go to [...]
Explore Ontario with the First Nations – Manitoulin Island offers an insight into Canada’s rich cultural heritage February 9, 2018 Flags line the terminal as I land at Toronto Airport, celebrating ‘Canada 150’, the official birthday of the nation. My trip to a remote part of Ontario, however, would reveal that there is much more to the country’s history than the past century and a half. This was my first time in Canada, and as [...]
The Long Weekend review: The Grove in Hertfordshire is the countryside escape that’s only 20mins from London February 9, 2018 The weekend The Grove hotel and country retreat offers all the trimmings of a weekend getaway but without the Friday night journey from hell out of London. You can be on the terrace with a G&T in less time than your average daily commute. Where Just a 20 minute train ride from London in Hertfordshire, [...]