Holiday homes: Limassol seeks new lease of life as a luxury property hotspot December 6, 2019 Cyprus has long been a favourite family holiday destination – sunny nearly all year round, moderately priced and famed for its homely Mediterranean cuisine and relaxed atmosphere. Glitzy St Tropez it is not, but that is all set to change as Limassol – located on Cyprus’ south coast – sets its sights on becoming Europe’s [...]
How a Notting Hill garage was transformed into an LA-style luxury home November 29, 2019 When you think of Los Angeles, you probably imagine broad, sun-drenched streets, palm trees and the kind of airy, modern villas that we see on TV and in the movies. It doesn’t have much in common with rainy London – but that didn’t deter the designers of a new home in Notting Hill, who set [...]
First look: Zaha Hadid Architects’ flower-inspired lobby for Southbank Tower November 22, 2019 The critically-acclaimed firm of architects founded by the late Zaha Hadid is responsible for London cultural landmarks like the London Aquatics Centre built for the 2012 Olympic Games and the Serpentine Sackler Gallery in Hyde Park. Until now it had not worked on any residential projects in the UK, but it has just started a [...]
Forget chemicals – these organic Luke Irwin rugs are dyed with turmeric, peppers and rhubarb November 22, 2019 I love rugs – a room simply isn’t dressed without one. I didn’t think I could champion rugs any more than I already do until I spoke with Luke Irwin, who has been selling his eponymous brand since 2003 and recently moved to larger premises on Pimlico Road. Here, his richly textured creations are hung [...]
The emerging hipster capital of Germany, Leipzig’s history is rooted in revolution November 15, 2019 Look down on the quietly affluent pedestrianised streets of central Leipzig from the unparalleled heights of the Panorama Tower, and you would probably never guess that this is a city where the death knell was rung on the Cold War division of Germany. But this year Leipzig commemorates 30 years since a series of demonstrations [...]
Chef’s Table: Flor’s James Lowe invites My Dad Wrote a Porno creator Alice Levine for lunch November 4, 2019 The Lunch: Bread; Anchovy toast, lardo di colonnata, marjoram; Scarlet prawns, orange yuzu kosho; Palourde clam flatbread, spenwood, vin jaune, lautrec garlic; burrata, chestnut, pickled walnuts; Turbot, cultured butter, ‘les molates’ savagnin Alice Levine: Thanks for having me James. I remember when we first met – it was when I was doing supper clubs and [...]
In search of India’s Silk Road, the centuries-old trading route crossing the Himalayas October 31, 2019 Standing on top of Khardung La, I was higher than I’d ever been without flying. An enterprising clutch of soldiers had set up the world’s highest tea shop, and as a brisk wind blew across the Himalayan peaks, I was grateful for the steaming cup of chai in my hand. A group of bikers were [...]
Where to find the best massage in Marrakech – we put four hammams through their paces October 30, 2019 In Morocco a weekly hammam bath is a must, an integral part of life that is about so much more than simply having a wash. It’s a way to decompress and purify the body before going to the mosque for the Friday prayer, and a form of mindfulness in itself. In the countryside and remote [...]
The Last Supper: Actor, rapper, comedian and YouTube star Michael Dapaah tells us why his last meal on earth would be his mum’s jollof rice October 30, 2019 Food has always been a big thing in my house. My mum was a catering officer back in Ghana and she’s a great cook. She cooks everything from Ghanian dishes like jollof rice to a really good Sunday roast or lasagne. I do a bit of cooking myself, too. I started learning how in food [...]
Bruce Springsteen turned 70 this year. We visit the downbeat seaside town in New Jersey made famous by the Boss… October 4, 2019 On the boardwalk of the small seaside town of Asbury Park is a fortune-telling booth, which has been owned by the same family of psychics since 1932. When I visit at ten in the morning, it’s shut, with a phone number pinned to the window instead. Surely they should have known I was coming. This [...]