Is the V&A’s Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear wunderbra or a load of pants? April 14, 2016 V&A | ★★☆☆☆ After the blockbuster success of David Bowie Is and Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, the V&A returns with another exhibition that’s sure to draw in the punters. Because it’s about underwear and includes the word “undressed”. But while the title hints towards something a little salacious, the delivery is an exhaustive, often dry, slightly repetitive [...]
Tate Britain’s Conceptual Art in Britain 1964-1979 is worthwhile if you’re prepared to work for it April 14, 2016 Tate Britain | ★★★☆☆ When you enter this exhibition, you’ll see a pyramid of oranges stacked up in front of you, giving the gallery a pleasant citrusy aroma. Go over and pick one up – this is allowed – and hold it in your hand for the rest of the time you’re there. You’ll want to [...]
Tate Modern unveils its plans for a brave new art world but admits it still has £30m financial black hole April 14, 2016 A group of more than 500 singers will greet the first visitors to the new Tate Modern gallery when it opens in June, underlining its new focus on live and performance art. Following that visitors can look forward to being corralled by horseback police in the Turbine Hall courtesy of Tania Bruguera's Tatlin's Whisper, as well as experiencing experimental sculpture from Tokyo, social [...]
How Argentina’s finest Malbec eventually won over our wine columnist April 13, 2016 If I were to choose an acronym to promote my luxury product, WMD wouldn't be my first choice. It’s hardly redolent of balmy days spent quaffing a glass of full bodied vino. But World Malbec Day – now sheepishly retooled as Malbec World Day – celebrates its third anniversary on 17 April. Malbec is officially [...]
Chronographs are no longer just for men: The watch industry is finally putting this complication into its ladies ranges April 13, 2016 Chronographs have the dubious honour of being the complication that you’re least likely to use while being one of the most complex to make. Whereas something like a tourbillon, also useless in a wristwatch, has, by sheer virtue of its appearance, a “wow” factor, a chronograph is the Plain Jane of complications. Which is why [...]
Panerai’s new 3D printed, high-end and ultra-lightweight titanium wristwatch is a stunning piece of design April 13, 2016 Panerai isn’t well known for ultra-complicated wristwatches, but this one stopped us in our tracks when it was announced in January – not least for the fact that, for possibly the first time in blue chip high-end watchmaking, its ultra-lightweight titanium case was created through “direct metal laser sintering” – a form of 3D printing. [...]
The new Porsche Macan road test: it’s all things to all men April 13, 2016 Subtlety is not my Porsche Macan Turbo’s strong suit. In fact, it feels rather out of place. I’ve driven it to the Goodwood Members Meeting, a rather exclusive affair reserved for owners of historic cars, experienced racers, and the tiny handful of civilians who managed to get their hands on tickets. The throngs that come [...]
Quiches are back and they’re sexier than ever: Here are six of the best places to get them in London April 12, 2016 Here are six quiches that'll make you re-assess your apathy towards egg-filled tarts. The Mount Street Deli 100 Mount Street, W1K If you’re an ardent quiche fan, you’ll never get bored with the Mount Street Deli, which serves up freshly-baked quiches from its Mayfair premises daily. The quiche menu changes daily, depending on what hearty [...]
Dickie Fitz review: The new restaurant opening brings platefuls of Australasian flair to Fitzrovia April 12, 2016 Dickie Fitz 48 Newman St, W1T 1QQ WHAT? A modern Australasian diner serving lunch and dinner to passing Fitzrovians. It’s a beautiful spot, light and airy with bright yellow seating and fresh white walls bringing to mind the cozy feeling of climbing into a big egg. WHERE? “On the corner of Newman and Goodge,” as [...]
The Harcourt restaurant review: Reindeer and meatballs are reimagined as pub grub in Marylebone April 12, 2016 There are enough fancy ways to dine in London to fill your fancy pants several times over. You have 12-course tasting menus and sprawling art deco palaces and molecular gastronomy and precise fine dining and sharing concepts and foraged ingredients and organic gluten-free superfoods and authentic indigenous cuisines from previously undiscovered nations. But sometimes you [...]