Bach, Goethe…and you: a weekend in Leipzig December 18, 2011 YES, Germany is well-known for its conference facilities and, yes, for weekenders, we British love the down and dirty vibe of the new Berlin and the madness of Munich’s Oktoberfest, but much of the country has lain forgotten by visitors in recent years, yet it’s only a 90-minute flight away. In the east, the fall [...]
KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA December 15, 2011 OAKLEY STREET, CHELSEA Price: £4.2m A five bedroom, three bathroom townhouse in Chelsea. This period property features a double reception room, open plan kitchen/dining area with wine cellar, sitting room, master bedroom with en-suite, four additional bedrooms, a study, family shower room and patio garden to the rear. Contact Wilfords London on 0207 361 0400 [...]
PROPERTY NEWS December 15, 2011 DEMAND FOR PROPERTIES DURING OLYMPICS UPS THE RENTAL BAR Harrods Estates is marketing a number of luxury properties around the Olympic stadium for £40,000 to £80,000 a week – an increase of 220 per cent on their normal rental value. The dearth of properties in close proximity to the Olympic stadium has driven short-term rental [...]
RENT December 15, 2011 HEAD OF RENTALS AYLESFORD INTERNATIONAL Q. I’m a homeowner with a property in central London – despite the fact that this area isn’t directly affected by the Olympics, I am keen to capitalise from the influx of tourists coming to London in the summer, but where do I start? A. Many homeowners across London are [...]
Ritchie’s Sherlock is vapid fun, but Cumberbatch fails to save Wreckers December 15, 2011 FILM SHERLOCK: GAME OF SHADOWS CERT: 12A The second Guy Ritchie reworking of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic series is bigger, louder and infectiously entertaining, if a little elementary. Exhilaratingly sharp, sweeping visuals pack a punch and Robert Downey Jnr throws everything he’s got into carrying the Holmes-does-1890s-Bond juggernaut. But is isn’t quite enough to conceal [...]
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND? December 15, 2011 FILM SECRET CINEMA London’s worst-kept secret is back as of this week. As ever, the location and movie to be screened are hush-hush but there seems to be a military theme. Limited tickets available. BOOZE THE SKY LODGE This weekend is your last chance to check out the Alpine themed pop-up bar nestled under the [...]
Have yourself a scrumptious pud December 14, 2011 FOREMAN & FIELD Often rated the best pudding around, expect toffee and brandy. £11.95 www.formanandfield.com FIGGY’S Hand-made in Devon, these aromatic puds ooze with stout and Somerset Cider. £10-£19. www.figgys.co.uk CHRIMBO PUDS Great Taste award winners: this one is gluten as well as nut free. £12.99 www.chrimbopud.co.uk COUNTRY PUDDINGS Nut-free, absolutely packed with fresh fruit [...]
All you never knew about crime in the British Empire December 14, 2011 EMPIRE OF CRIME: ORGANISED CRIME IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE BY TIM NEWARK Mainstream Publishing, £10.99 by Alex Deane UNTIL the 20th century, the British were active participants in the opium trade throughout the Empire. But in 1908, well-intentioned reformers banned that trade (a seismic shift in our role in the East, opposed by Gladstone in [...]
BEST CHRISTMAS READS ZOE STRIMPEL December 14, 2011 Snuff: Discworld Novel 39 by Terry Pratchett Doubleday, £18.99 When Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch is reluctantly sent off for a holiday in the countryside, it isn’t going to be long until he encounters a crime – make that more of a ghastly layer cake of crimes and even “an ancient crime [...]
OUT OF OFFICE December 14, 2011 SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW AT ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL This surreal, laugh-out-loud, poignant festive-themed physical theatre troupe has been quietly gaining plaudits for years. As of tomorrow, Londoners will get their first chance in 15 years to see the larger-than-life performance. This distinctive brand of Russian clowning sees a group of rather terrifying characters put on a spectacular [...]
