The rise of bespoke perfumery February 13, 2012 For centuries fragrances have beguiled us. Ancient civilisations experimented with perfumes and by the 11th century, European scent-masters were plying their olfactory trade. It became a mainstream craft in Victorian times, when leaps in scientific knowledge – and equipment – made it possible to create previously unattainable compounds. Throughout most of its existence, perfume was [...]
FIT IN THE CITY February 13, 2012 Valentine SOS: Foxy fitness for the 14th Too late to pump it up to impress your Valentine date? No way – this lunchtime you can get buff, glowing and well in the mood for your dinner date. Plump for the fitness facelift. Anything that gets you sweaty and out of breath is good news for [...]
Azerbaijani cuisine appears in SW1 February 13, 2012 Baku 164-165 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QB FOOD ** SERVICE **** ATMOSPHERE ** Cost per person without wine: £50 HAUTE-AZERI food – that’s cuisine from Azerbaijan – sounds terribly interesting, doesn’t it? Certainly, I hastened to take myself to Baku on Sloane Street (of all places), lured by the promise of Asiatic exoticism, Knightsbridge-style. A quick [...]
Still not ready for Valentine’s tonight? February 13, 2012 Staying In & Going Out ENJOY THE PERFECT RESTAURANT MEAL – AT HOME | FROM £35 Get amazing takeaway. The key for this one is to make sure it’s ready when she gets home – you want the table set, the candles lit, the wine out. Chinese isn’t allowed: instead, opt for the very best [...]
First time buyers rise ahead of stamp duty increase February 13, 2012 The number of first-time buyers purchasing property increased by seven per cent at the end of 2011, fuelled by the impending increase in stamp duty. There were 18,700 mortgages – worth a total of £2.3bn – issued to new purchasers in December, an increase of seven per cent by volume and ten per cent by value [...]
Recruitment slump is hitting cost of London home rentals February 12, 2012 THE slump in the City job market is dragging down the cost of renting prime residential property in London. Rents in the best areas fell 0.2 per cent, equivalent to £80 a month, according to research published today. It comes after a halving in the number of vacancies in financial services over the last year. [...]
A Roman holiday… with snow and kids February 12, 2012 A LONG, long time ago, in a life far, far away, there was a young couple. Blissful, carefree, and most importantly childfree, they went on a romantic city break to Rome. They spent most of it in a bar, giggling at a sign: “Never mind the Trevi, come for a bevy”, and the rest of [...]
Art, history and pampering in New England’s capital February 12, 2012 Boston: the genteel city of academia, tea parties, clam chowder, Matt Damon, and for me at least, electric eels. I had come to Boston on a long weekend – a bit of sales shopping, sight-seeing and relaxing in this history-steeped city. Yet also to confirm something that had been a bit of a mystery for [...]
Put some soul into your soles February 12, 2012 Shoes matter. You can have the best suit in the world but if it is paired with scuffed, mismatched leather on your feet it will undo all of the good work. The debate is still ongoing over whether brown is acceptable in the City. The answer is probably: as suit etiquette gets less formal, with [...]
FASHION NEWS February 12, 2012 NEW YORK TRAILS AUTUMN 2012 STYLES New York Fashion week gripped the fashion world over the weekend, with top designers showing off their vision for the couture season ahead. The proceedings were dominated by rich fabrics, waist-defining jackets and some 1920s-inspired styles sparked by movies like The Artist. Dresses featured strongly among the 90 or [...]