Puglia takes on the family challenge September 9, 2012 IT’S ONE of those dilemmas that make you bone-deep thankful to be born in the twenty-first century, austerity notwithstanding. Two hundred years ago my ancestors faced problems like: “Will I be transported to a hellish penal colony if I steal that pie to feed my children?”. One hundred years ago: “Those Germans are looking feisty, [...]
Knightley fails to lift an unconvincing Karenina September 6, 2012 FILM DREDD Cert 18 | By Alex Dymoke **** We are just two minutes into this bleak, ultra-violent comic book adaptation when our helmeted anti-hero has blasted a flare into his criminal adversary’s mouth, burning and exploding his head from the inside. The 18-rated Dredd declines the family friendly middle-market targeted by most comic-book franchises. [...]
Where to drink September 6, 2012 AS THE temperature in London cools, the nightlife appears to be heating up, with almost twenty high-profile openings planned across the capital for September. Restless restaurant group D&D (Coq d’Argent, Floridita, Le Pont de la Tour) are making their first foray into hotels with South Place Hotel, launching this week near Moorgate. It looks poised [...]
Without You struggles with London life September 6, 2012 THEATRE WITHOUT YOU Menier Chocolate Factory | By Cathy Adams *** SOME PLAYS belong in London, some don’t. The Globe, for example, plonked in any other city would probably be dismissed as some backdoor village-hall-production-cum-barn-dance. American megaplay Rent, basically La Bohème with an extra injection of HIV, couldn’t exist in any other city apart from New [...]
Tablet market hots up September 5, 2012 A resurgent Microsoft hopes a new range of devices running Windows 8 will succeed where Google has failed and shake up a tablet industry dominated by Apple. Here are some of the players hoping to steal the iPad’s limelight. Sony Vaio Duo 11 The Vaio Duo 11 is a flippy, foldy, deckchair-like device with a [...]
Need to know the Nokia Lumia 920 September 5, 2012 The basics Nokia has, once again, produced what looks like a seriously good handset. It has a gigantic 4.5 inch HD display, which squeezes lots of the “Live Tiles” that Windows Phone 8 is based around onto the homescreen. It is also bright, with colours including banana yellow, electric blue and fire engine red. The [...]
The new Beetle is vastly improved September 4, 2012 MORE power. Less flower” is the marketing message for Volkswagen’s latest Beetle, a car that has been created to be more dynamic and exciting. And it is – more than the original Beetle ever was, and certainly a good deal better than the last one. The dashboard vase – a homage to the original Beetle [...]
Karpo is a curate’s egg but its kitchen still impresses September 3, 2012 RESTAURANT KARPO 23-27 Euston Road, NW1 2SD Tel: 020 7843 2221 FOOD *** SERVICE **** ATMOSPHERE *** Cost per person without wine: £30 Train stations don’t tend to attract the nicest crowds. Wherever you go in the world, the very worst people from that area will naturally gravitate towards the train station; the pimps and [...]
A punch drunk for Russo-love September 3, 2012 City A.M.’s resident cocktail expert THANKFULLY, long gone are the days when people in the capital sucked on sickening Piña Coladas. No half-decent bar would dare put one on the menu. And we have one man to thank for this: Dick Bradsell. Bradsell is the inventor of some modern classics. The Bramble – a delicious [...]
Food & Booze News September 3, 2012 London Restaurant Festival tickets on sale Bookings opened this week for the 4th annual London Restaurant Festival. More than 800 restaurants have put together special festival menus available for as little as £10, to celebrate the thriving London culinary scene. Log onto londonrestaurantfestival.com for more information. Keep hold of your Union Jacks A new restaurant [...]