The BFG: Steven Spielberg’s mega-bucks adaptation captures the surface but misses the soul of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic July 20, 2016 There's a lot of common ground between Steven Spielberg and Roald Dahl. Both incarnate aspects of childhood; the unrefined wonderment, the valorisation of innocence. And for long stretches, this mega-budget live-action adaptation seems like a great fit. Mark Rylance, as the titular Big Friendly Giant, provides much of the charm, playing his part with dignity [...]
Bronte restaurant on The Strand review: the Pacific Rim-inspired menu takes few risks and makes few mistakes July 19, 2016 "How do you find enough new restaurants to review a different one every week?” asked my father during our monthly chat. Bless the old fool: he lives in Derbyshire and can’t be expected to know any better. He’s oblivious to the fact you could bankrupt yourself visiting a new restaurant every night of the week [...]
Albion Clerkenwell review: The café chain’s latest opening is a maelstrom of dining, bars, oysters and pies July 19, 2016 The newest and largest site of café chain Albion which includes a maelstrom of offerings from dining areas serving seasonal British food to an oyster bar and what they call a pie room. Which is a special room where all the pies are kept. WHERE? 63 Clerkenwell Road. On the corner of the old Turnmills building [...]
Our resident chef Mark Hix on that most overlooked of ingredients, olive oil July 19, 2016 How much do you care about oil? I see lots of people with various types in their kitchens but I’m a little dubious about whether they use them for their unique qualities and flavour, or just because they happen to be the first out of the cupboard. Olive oil is a good case in point [...]
Ford Edge review: This beef-monster SUV might lack the status of an Audi, but its sharp styling will win you over July 18, 2016 You probably have friends who drive an Audi Q7, so you’ll know the rationale for choosing one. It has seven seats, so you can drive the kids and their friends to football or ballet. It has lots of space for the annual holiday. You can drive other cars off the road because it’s the size [...]
Heading to the Olympics? This pop-up member’s club is a British haven amid Rio’s frantic last-minute preparations July 15, 2016 The London 2012 Olympics saw an influx of well-heeled socialites arriving in the capital looking for a place to party. It’s not just Usain Bolt and Jessica Ennis-Hill who soak up the Olympic limelight: the greatest show on earth is an excuse to see and be seen, to flash the cash and ogle the beautiful [...]
Glasgow’s Dakota Deluxe hotel review: a Hollister-hip new venture from the kingpin of Scottish hotels July 15, 2016 Steve Dinneen takes a break in his former hometown of Glasgow, where he finds a much improved hotel scene and restaurants that are as good as ever. The weekend: For many southerners, a weekend break to Scotland involves a trip to Edinburgh Castle or a few rounds at Gleneagles. And while these are both perfectly [...]
Keanu film review: a clever pastiche of action films and urban culture starring TV duo Key and Peele July 14, 2016 How far would you go to save a cat? That's the question asked by this new action-comedy from TV duo Key and Peele, the cousins forced to become gangsters by a nefarious drug dealer (Method Man) in order to get their beloved kitten Keanu back. The stars have a terrific natural rapport, morphing seamlessly from [...]
This ex-army man’s new company is driving cowboy builders out of London with its focus on military precision July 14, 2016 We all love to moan about tradesmen – often with good reason. The famously flaky building industry means the cliches about people not turning up, or leaving a job half finished, are sadly too often still true. And consumers compound the problem by taking the lowest quote for a job. It was this apparent absence [...]
How British designers like Burberry, Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen influenced the design of stunning flats at One Tower Bridge July 14, 2016 July sunshine and the smell of newly mown grass hit me as I stepped out of the latest show apartment at One Tower Bridge on Monday morning. How evocative of a British summer at its best. Built by Squire and Partners for Berkeley Homes, it is this, the development’s iconic location on the south bank [...]