As investors continue to struggle for returns, is purchasing fine art a sensible alternative? June 21, 2012 YES Philip Mould There is a difference between investment and speculation in art. Speculation is about the hunt for the next Damien Hirst. It involves looking into the shop window – meeting dealers and attending sales to find an artist that will, with luck, excel in the next generation, and for which you are now [...]
Family melodrama is a sheer joy June 21, 2012 THEATRE LAST OF THE HAUSSMANS National Theatre ***** The scene is a grotty but desirable house on the Devon coast, decked in Indian blankets, hippy memorabilia and booze bottles. Onto this set appears the rake-thin, sexy Helen McCrory, playing edgy single mother Libby; her newly arrived ex-junkie brother Nick, endearingly played by Rory Kinnear, and [...]
Where to lunch June 21, 2012 For those in the know, it’s now de rigueur to opt for afternoon tea over lunch for business meetings – it’s both less formal and less expensive. Everybody knows establishments like The Wolseley, The Ritz and The Langham but if you want to impress your clients or colleagues with something more off the beaten path, [...]
One Abe struggles to overcome silliness as another battles against grinding cynicism June 21, 2012 FILM DARK HORSE Cert 15 *** Dark Horse takes the indie template dragged into the mainstream by films like Juno and Superbad, removes the Hollywood niceties and replaces them with a bleakly funny desperation. Abe is an overweight man-child who collects ThunderCats dolls and still lives with his parents. He’s the kind of guy nobody [...]
Think Like A Man is a refreshingly original take on a tired formula June 21, 2012 FILM THINK LIKE A MAN Cert 12A **** Another rom-com adaptation of a self-help dating book? Once your eyes return from their deep roll, the chances are you will snort, spit or sneer. But – despite adding to a genre that’s defined by mediocrity (see: He’s Just Not That Into You) – Think Like a [...]
Diving below Microsoft’s Surface June 20, 2012 Microsoft this week unveiled the Surface tablet PC, its biggest hardware project since that launch of the Xbox in 2001. The device will be released to coincide with the release of its completely revamped Windows 8 operating system. These are interesting times indeed for the tech giant. At present, specific details – including, vitally, pricing [...]
THE TABLET RIVALS WHAT IS THE COMPETITION LIKE? June 20, 2012 Samsung Galaxy Tab The number one rival to the all conquering iPad is the Galaxy Tab. The 8.9 inch version offers something Apple doesn’t – it will fit into your pocket. It’s a well built machine but the £400 price tag is steep. BlackBerry Playbook Blackberry promised much with the PlayBook, including true multi-tasking between [...]
The who’s who of the fashion world flooded to London Collections. June 20, 2012 It might have been Benedict Cumberbatch sipping brandy as he sauntered down the catwalk. Or a triumphant Richard James celebrating his debut catwalk show. Maybe it was the sight of Jon Hamm posing with a cocktail at the Mr Porter party as Alexa Chung rocked the decks behind him. There are plenty of contenders for [...]
CELEBRITY SKIN WHO MADE WAVES AT THE SHOWS? June 20, 2012 BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH The Sherlock star may have claimed to be “terrified” by the catwalk but he stole the show at the Spencer Hart event, wearing a black dressing gown and smoking a fat Cuban cigar. ALEXA CHUNG The model-come-presenter was seemingly everywhere at London Collections: Men, turning up at shows, posing for snappers and spinning [...]
London’s housing boom keeps driving national price growth June 19, 2012 House prices in London and the south east rose quickly in the year to April 2012, contrasting starkly with stagnation or even deflation elsewhere, according to official data published yesterday. An increase of 4.9 per cent in the average London house price, to £388,000, and a 2.1 per cent rise in the south east, drove [...]