Beneath the bonnet of the geek’s geek August 19, 2009 CAR FEVERBY JAMES MAYHodder & Stoughton, £18.99 HE might not have quite such a high profile as his co-presenters on the BBC’s Top Gear programme, but James May is the most likeable of the three, less cocksure and sneering. He appears to live in a world of bad shirts, where chummy “mates” play darts in [...]
A car for all seasons August 18, 2009 EPIC is the word. For a person who doesn’t much care for heights, I’m doing pretty well. I’ve just scaled the terra-pod, a 200ft metal version of a hill-climb. Despite the nerves, I made it to the top, having been told that it’s the best view ever when you get up there. But then it [...]
Reasons to be cheerful August 17, 2009 IF YOU believe the old Rodgers & Hammerstein song, all you need to do to lift your mood on a bad day is to whistle a happy tune – if only life really were so simple. But it seems that a positive outlook has worthwhile outcomes beyond merely getting you more easily through the day. [...]
Gourmet meets grit in this King’s Cross gem August 17, 2009 The Fellow24 York Way N1 9ATel: 0207 837 3001Cost per person without wine: £25 KING’S CROSS is still a funny old area. Try as the developers might, it’s never quite become the next Hoxton or Angel. And for anyone who prefers a good Burgundy to a hip-hop night, it’s not much of an evening destination. [...]
THREE MORE KING’S CROSS EATERIES August 17, 2009 ST PANCRAS GRANDThis high-profile effort from Searcy’s – designed by interiors guru du jour Martin Brudnizky – is just the place to eat the likes of potted salmon, stew and duck under the eye of a large clock and bulbous, elegant lamps. The soft purr of the Eurostar arriving and leaving is a wonderful aid [...]
Bag a bargain and get some late summer holiday action August 16, 2009 THAILANDAnantara, on the north of the island of Mai Khao Beach, is wonderfully tucked away from the main tourist areas of Phuket and Kuoni is now offering seven nights for the price of five, a saving of £366 per person. Each of the 82 villas comes with its own 33 square metre pool, set either [...]
Find your way to Mayfair’s secret gardens August 13, 2009 THINK of Mayfair and you probably don’t think of greenery. Sure, there’s tidy old Grosvenor Square for you to spread out in at lunchtime on a sunny day, or the island of grass at the centre of bustling Berkeley Square. There’s even Hyde Park once you take your life in your hands and fight your [...]
FOCUS ON: ALONG THE CROSSRAIL ROUTE August 13, 2009 DUNDEE WHARF, 100 THREE COLT STREET, E14Price: £1.2mThis eighth-floor apartment is within walking distance of Canary Wharf and has panoramic views over the Thames and the city skyline. The arrival of Crossrail will make it ideal for those who commute in to the City and Mayfair. But unlike some Docklands’ bachelor pads, it comes with [...]
Work out in the comfort of home August 13, 2009 FOR all but those who like the sweaty equipment and tortured grunts that characterise the communal fitness centre, the home gym is the ultimate luxury. Rolling out of bed for a cup of coffee, straight into your gym kit and onto the machines has got to be heaven on a stick from the point of [...]
Weepie that fails the test of time August 13, 2009 FilmThe Time Traveler’s wifeCert: 12A BASED on the best-selling and much-loved novel by Audrey Niffenegger, this film has its work cut out from the start. How do you depict a serious love story in which the man has a genetic condition that makes him visibly slide around in time? How do you show the same [...]