Sketch and the art of the restaurant October 10, 2011 Q. What is Sketch’s relationship with art? A. Sketch wants to live with its time and this means engaging with art as a part of society today. Even if you don’t appreciate contemporary art – you need to have an eye on it and have a certain interest. Compared to some other restaurants we have [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING October 9, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES WATCHDOG HITS FRENCH AUDITORS French auditors have been lambasted by the UK’s leading accountancy regulator for their performance during the Greek debt crisis. Stephen Haddrill, chief executive of the Financial Reporting Council, criticised the way French banks and insurers had been allowed by their auditors to post smaller losses on Greek government bonds [...]
NO END IN SIGHT: SMALL BUSINESS BANKING WOES October 9, 2011 I RUN a small but fast-growing group of pubs called The Draft House. We’re known for selling a wide range of craft beer, simple food and – I hope – a warm welcome. In 2009, we were days away from opening our second site in Northcote Road, Clapham. We were managing our cash carefully but [...]
The Malaysian chateau where bodysculpting gets serious October 9, 2011 ON ARRIVAL in my spa suite at Malaysia’s new all-organic destination spa, I was pleasantly surprised to find a note on the pillow reading: “Chocolate is an elixir of life. Scientists from Harvard University say that eating a couple of chocolate bars a week could extend your life by almost a year.” By day two, [...]
TRAVEL NOTES October 9, 2011 One Fine Stay: trade a hotel room for a luxury home A new concept for those who want luxury with the personal touch, this clever company allows you to spend nights in some of London’s best homes while the owners are out of town. Prices range from £150 a night for a one bedroom apartment [...]
A day on M15’s digital forensic specialist team October 5, 2011 AFTER graduating from university with a degree in IT, I spent eighteen months working in the finance sector. I enjoyed the work, which had good prospects, but I realised that I wanted to do something that offered me the chance to put my IT skills to use while making a real, tangible difference. When I [...]
THE IPHONE 4S October 5, 2011 Context is everything. Ad-man Martin Lindstrom published research this week claiming the sound of children laughing is the most “powerful”, “affecting” and “reassuring” sound in the world. But if you’re alone in an abandoned Victorian mental asylum, at night, with no torch, dizzy from an unexplained head wound… Different story, believe me. Such is the [...]
Stellar Keller: French Laundry gives a taste of US’s very best October 4, 2011 AS someone whose job description includes reviewing restaurants, I admit it: I’m spoiled. Sure, it’s not all perfect foie gras and caviar washed down with Dom Perignon. But over time, you clock up a lot of great food because inevitably, the job includes eating at the very best as well as the not-so-good. I tell [...]
QUAFFER’S CORNER October 3, 2011 HEAD SOMMELIER AND MANAGER OF LUTYENS RESTAURANT ICOOKED a curry on the weekend, which made me think about choosing wine to accompany spicy food. It’s easy to fall back on the old standby of beer, and I often do (Franziskaner Weissbier from Bavaria, usually) but there are some easy guidelines that will help make your [...]
PRINCESS LAUNCHES OUR APPEAL FOR AFRICA September 29, 2011 CITY LEADERS met royalty at The Savoy on Tuesday night, at a dinner to mark a new partnership between City A.M. and an African microfinance charity that aims to improve the lives of thousands. Guest of honour was HRH The Princess Royal, a patron of the Opportunity International (OI) charity, who told guests including Vallares [...]