Go all the way with Beaujolais November 5, 2014 My least favourite date in the entire wine calendar is 19 November. It is, of course, Beaujolais Nouveau Day, the time when marketing men and desperate wine bar owners flood the Square Mile with cheap, nasty, pink plonk and try to kid us that it is something special. If I haven’t made myself clear, Beaujolais [...]
Studio Harcourt Paris’s photographs are coming to London: From Jean Paul Gaultier and John Galliano to Ingrid Bergman and Marlene Dietrich November 4, 2014 Despite the countless imitators, nothing comes close to the real thing. The dark, smoky glamour, the halo of light, the coquettish half smile that looks both effortlessly natural and made for the stage. The European equivalent of a star on Hollywood boulevard, in the 30s and 40s, a portrait at Studio Harcourt Paris meant [...]
What to do this winter? From The Hobbit to Guy Bourdin to the Merchant of Venice – culture for the colder months November 3, 2014 Yes, the weather’s taken a turn and yes, the clocks have gone back. But don’t let the cold temperatures and short days dampen your spirits; as ever, London has plenty to warm the cockles over the winter, with plenty of great plays, exhibitions and films scheduled for the end of the year. From [...]
Christmas top 5 November 3, 2014 Book ahead to avoid yule tide disappointment HYPER JAPAN CHRISTMAS MARKET Get the perfect Christmas present for the Japanophile in your life at the Hyper Japan Christmas Market. Following a successful exhibition earlier this year, the market will bring all things Japan to Kensington’s Olympia once again from 14 to 16 November. Adult tickets are [...]
Car review: The Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster is a new breed November 3, 2014 The British classic may have Mercedes money behind it now, but it’s sharper and more powerful than ever. Aston Martin, which is rightly known for making beautiful British cars, nevertheless has one small problem. For far too long, its cars have looked, well, the same. The company’s employees and a small number [...]
Not convinced? November 3, 2014 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… FERRARI 458 SPIDER PRICE: £198,997 0-62MPH: 3.0 secs TOP SPEED: 199mph CO2 G/KM: 307g/km MPG COMBINED: 21.2mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Five Stars PERFORMANCE Five Stars PRACTICALITY One Star VALUE FOR MONEY Three Stars PORSCHE 911 TURBO S CABRIOLET PRICE: £142,140 0-62MPH: 3.1 secs TOP SPEED: 198mph CO2 G/KM: 227g/km MPG COMBINED: 29.1mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN [...]
Crillon-le-Brave: Cycle one of the Tour de France’s most feared routes November 2, 2014 The wonderfully named Crillon-le-Brave is a picture postcard Provencal village that lies at the foot of the Mt Ventoux. The village suffix – le Brave – was added by Henry IV in the 14th century in honour of his swashbuckling general Louis des Balbes de Berton de Crillon. He was apparently “the brave of [...]
48 hours in… Nice November 2, 2014 WHERE TO STAY For a unique experience on the Cote d’Azur, try Le Hi-Hotel, with its eye-wateringly bright interiors, private stretch of beach and roof terrace. Its 38 rooms are split into nine innovative designs, from sofas with in-built speakers to beds that turn into bathtubs. Visit Hi-hotel.net WHERE TO GO A resplendent marble landmark [...]
Film review: Mr Turner October 31, 2014 ★★★★★ François Truffaut once suggested that there’s something about England’s countryside – “The subdued way of life, the stolid routine” – that’s “anti-cinematic”. If only he’d lived to see Mike Leigh’s latest movie, which is about all of these things and yet is a film of the utmost eloquence. Mr Turner is not concerned with [...]
Leigh and Spall turn on the style October 30, 2014 FILM MR TURNER Cert 12a | By Alex Dudok de Wit ★★★★★ François Truffaut once suggested that there’s something about England’s countryside – “The subdued way of life, the stolid routine” – that’s “anti-cinematic”. If only he’d lived to see Mike Leigh’s latest movie, which is about all of these things and yet is a [...]