Film review: Hot Pursuit is predictable but charming July 31, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★☆☆ Dirty cops, drug cartels and killer stilettos – Hot Pursuit doesn’t deal in subtlety and that’s fine. It’s not edgy, smart or even particularly original but it is redeemed by the comic chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara. Set in Texas, Witherspoon plays uptight and rules-obsessed police officer Cooper. After [...]
Theatre review: Three Days in the Country July 31, 2015 Lyttelton Theatre | ★★★☆☆ If Three Days in the Country was written by Chekhov, the whole cast would have killed themselves by the second day and there’d just be a creaking door on the third day, swinging open and shut to the distant cry of seagulls. Happily, it’s written by one of his contemporaries, Tergenev, [...]
Sinatra: The Man & His Music – theatre review July 31, 2015 London Palladium | ★★☆☆☆ Sinatra: The Man & His Music is the hideous offspring of a multimedia museum “experience” and Strictly Come Dancing. Attempts to cash in on the great crooner were almost inevitable in his centenary year, but this lazily-executed act of technological necromancy could appeal only to the least critical of fans. Sinatra’s [...]
Film review: Is Rogue Nation the best Mission Impossible film yet? July 31, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★★☆ Four years after the success of Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise returns for a fifth outing as agent Ethan Hunt. With the IMF closed down and his own government on his tail, he must race across the globe to try and uncover The Syndicate, a network of former international operatives led [...]
Perfect Saturday July 30, 2015 BRUNCH TIME THE ELK IN THE WOODS The best brunch in Camden is quite an accolade given the number of pubs in the area selling quality nosh, but that’s what people say about the Elk in the Woods, a foodie boozer with extra character. Go for the Elk sausage skillet for an unusual take on [...]
Lessons in wine: Why you should know your terroir July 29, 2015 If the clothes make the man, does the soil make the wine? This posit is often made by winemakers, wine lovers and wine snobs alike, all utilising the term “terroir”. But what does terroir mean and does it truly make a difference to wine? In the broadest terms, terroir describes the unique characteristics of a [...]
Restaurant review: Is £38 the dearest burger in London? Sackville’s serves up x-rated food porn July 29, 2015 This week I ate a burger that cost £38. It was at new truffle-themed restaurant Sackville’s in Mayfair, and while it wasn’t the most expensive burger I’ve ever eaten – that dubious honour goes to Miami’s Bâoli which charged me $95 (£60) – it’s the most expensive I’ve had in this great city of ours. [...]
Car review: Will the Mercedes-Benz GLC overtake its rivals? July 27, 2015 Mercedes-Benz finally has a new, smaller 4×4 to take on the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. But is it worth the wait? Readers of a certain age may read the acronym GLC and be forcibly reminded of the Ken Livingstone-headed Greater London Council. Thankfully, initials are all the Mercedes GLC has in common with [...]
Not convinced? July 27, 2015 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… AUDI Q5 2.0 TDI 190 S TRONIC SE PRICE: £34,280 0-62MPH: 8.4 secs TOP SPEED: 130mph CO2 G/KM: 152g/km MPG COMBINED: 48.7mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Four Stars PERFORMANCE Three Stars PRACTICALITY Four Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars BMW X3 20D SE AUTO PRICE: £35,305 0-62MPH: 8.1 secs TOP SPEED: 130mph CO2 G/KM: 136g/km [...]
Too early to plan your winter ski holiday? Snow way! Guarantee the white stuff with a cross-country expedition to Norway July 26, 2015 I was here because of snow. Or rather, lack of it. Good snow was hard to score in the Alps last year, and when you’re looking for a reliable source of the white stuff, Norway can hook you up. In season, you can even ski on the outskirts of the capital. Where I was headed, [...]