FOOD & BOOZE NEWS December 7, 2009 LE BOUCHON’S FESTIVE CHEESEBOARDIf you’re short of ideas of what to put alongside the stilton on the Christmas cheeseboard, help is at hand from Spitalifields’ Le Bouchon Breton. The French restaurant’s in-house cheese expert – or, um, “frommelier” – will be running a festive cheese masterclass on 23 December. Priced at £100 per head, it’ll [...]
THREE OTHER FRENCH BISTROS December 7, 2009 MON PLAISIRNo one does the classics better than London’s oldest French restaurant, which serves up seriously hearty dishes like French onion soup, entrecote with “pommes allumettes” and coq au vin in quirky, rustic surroundings in the heart of Covent Garden’s theatreland. 19-21 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9DD, tel: 020 7836 7243 LA TROUVAILLEA wine list from [...]
What to drink this Christmas December 6, 2009 Champagne As chosen by Esme Johnston, director of www.fromvineyardsdirect.comPerrier JouetBelle EpoqueCream and honey, brioche and lingering nutmeg notes make this special edition bubbly a delightful classic that’s wonderful with food or on its own. £86.95 at www.thedrinkshop.com Serge Mathieu Superb grower’s champagne, it’s nutty and golden with creamy richness and a light, punchy mousse. Great [...]
The best places in the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve 2010 December 6, 2009 HOGMANAY IN EDINBURGHEdinburgh’s Hogmanay may not be quite the vast free celebration that it was when the city established itself in the Nineties as the New Year’s Eve capital of the world, but it’s still the greatest place there is to celebrate on the night. There’s the rowdy bonhomie of revellers braving the Scottish winter [...]
Copenhagen isn’t just about climate change December 6, 2009 THIS week, the world and his carbon emissions reduction adviser descend on Copenhagen, where they will try to save the planet. In between meetings, though, they will also be able to enjoy the city. Copenhagen is a small, manageable sort of a place, ideal for a city-break. At this time of year, the key thing [...]
TRAVEL NOTES December 6, 2009 Spa retreat in TaiwanSituated in Taipei’s scenic hot springs district of Beitou, Villa 32 is one of Taiwan’s most stylish and modern spa retreats. Offering five deluxe Japanese and European-style suites and open-air public baths overlooking mist-covered hills, Villa 32 is a haven of tranquillity. The resort offers packages including one night’s stay in a [...]
EARN YOUR STRIPES December 3, 2009 1. Austin Reed, £35www.austinreed.com 2. Thomas Pink £55www.thomaspink.com 3. Brooks Brothers £59www.brooksbrothers.com 4. Simon Carter £49www.simoncarter.net 5. Gieves & Hawkes £69www.gievesandhawkes.com 6. Eton £54.95www.harrods.com 7. TM Lewin £28.50www.tmlewin.co.uk 8. Ben Sherman Savile Row £45www.benshermanpresents.co.uk 9. Giorgio Armani £84.95www.harrods.com
HOW TO ROCK A SHORT SKIRT IN THE CITY December 3, 2009 Sara HollambyStyle CounselI FIND it scary when the hemlines go up, short skirts filter into the City, and anyone over 45 questions whether they should go with it, or sink into Nora Battyness. While the latter must be avoided, in recent decades women have undoubtedly become more youthful – we’ve had to. When something “new” [...]
Brits are hungry again for a place in the sun December 3, 2009 MEET an overseas property agent these days and they’ll be chirpy, well slept and optimistic about the future – the exact opposite of how they would have been at the beginning of the year. The reason? After 18 months of its having no appeal whatsoever, the British love affair with buying a place in the [...]
Look beyond bricks and mortar and invest in the new generation of property funds December 3, 2009 IF YOU don’t want to blow your whole bonus in one go, or you don’t have the appetite for owning a buy-to-let, then there is an alternative: investing in a property fund. A number of new funds have recently launched, designed to capitalise on the steep losses seen across the board in residential and commercial [...]