Bordeaux: Why the 2014 vintage is the best since 2010 and which wines you should invest in now April 10, 2015 Bordeaux 2014 We consider the 2014 vintage to be the best vintage since 2010; quality ranges from good to truly exceptional. The Left Bank overshadowed the Right Bank, with wines from St. Julien, Pauillac and St. Estephe particularly superb and Margaux variable. The Right Bank was more uneven in quality, except amongst the leading estates. [...]
Film review: Woman in Gold April 10, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ Ryan Reynolds, playing lawyer Randy Schoenberg, sums up the plot succinctly when he tells an Austrian court “this is a simple matter of one woman getting back what’s rightfully hers.” Of course, when it comes to the Woman in Gold by Gustav Klimt, the reality is more complicated than that. Not [...]
Film review: Ryan Gosling’s directorial debut, Lost River April 10, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★☆☆ Ryan Gosling's directorial debut, Lost River, could charitably be called a paean to his cinematic heroes: David Lynch, Terence Malick, Harmony Korine, Guillermo del Toro and, most of all, his sometime collaborator Nicolas Winding Refn. He borrows themes, tropes, sometimes even complete shots from all of them, weaving a lurid, dark, [...]
Film review: John Wick April 10, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ Reports that Keanu Reeves is staging a comeback are too true to be good. Over the past decade, as the actor languished in b-movie limbo, the more optimistic among us began to hope that we’d soon be rid of him altogether. But lo and behold, his latest action thriller has done [...]
Theatre review: Oppenheimer play is an explosive hit April 9, 2015 Vaudeville Theatre | ★★★★★ Tom Morton-Smith’s brilliant new play for the RSC begins at a smoke-filled fundraiser for the anti-fascist forces fighting Franco in far away Spain. Jazz is playing, and everyone dances – everyone except for Robert Oppenheimer (John Heffernan pictured above), who stands at the centre of things, martini in hand, smiling. In [...]
Something for the weekend April 9, 2015 EAT! THE DUCK AND RICE As you might have guessed from the name, Wagamama founder Alan Yau’s latest venture combines two British favourites: Chinese food and a traditional pub. Head down to Soho for a pint and some prawn crackers. 90 Berwick Street, visit theduckandrice.com SIP! WHISKY WEEKENDER Do you like whisky? Of course you [...]
It’s a TI: Collectors are clamouring for The Watch Gallery and Hublot’s ultra-exclusive titanium timepiece April 8, 2015 The Swiss have certainly been making their presence felt in London of late. Within the last 36 months, Bond Street and Mount Street have experienced a veritable Helvetian takeover, with (deep breath) Bell & Ross, Blancpain, Breitling, IWC, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Parmigiani, Richard Mille and Vacheron Constantin opening mono-brand boutiques in the capital. All in tasteful shades [...]
Patek Philippe rolls into London town April 8, 2015 Should you be embarrassingly ignorant about Geneva’s pre-eminent watchmaker, despite the ubiquitous ads reminding you of their precious wares being worthy of several generations, not just yours, then a visit to its forthcoming mega-exhibition this May should change that for good. From 27 May, Patek Philippe will be taking over Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery as part [...]
What’s ticking? Watch News April 8, 2015 New brand at Harrods gets hearts ticking IT’S been a long road, but independent watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin is finally selling his own brand of exquisitely crafted, classically styled dress watches back in his homeland. Made on the outskirts of Geneva in his Swiss atelier, which he founded in 2002, Speake-Marin watches are, as of this [...]
Dashing chaps: Jaguar’s design guru, Ian Callum has teamed up with the boys from Bremont April 8, 2015 As a watch enthusiast who’s also lucky enough to be a watch-industry insider, one tends to get blasé about meeting the legends of the trade – something that’s par for the course when it comes to doing the rounds at that annual extravaganza of all things horological, the Baselworld watch and jewellery trade fair. So, [...]
