GO STATEMENT WITH A BIG BESPOKE BELT March 24, 2011 HOW much thought do you give to your waist-wear? Probably, if you’re like most people, not much. But, Elliot Rhodes, London’s only bespoke belt-makers, trying to change that with two shops that are more like fantasy dressing up wardrobes than leather goods shops. “The more I looked at belts, the less I could find of [...]
Going private in the Maldives, at long last March 24, 2011 For years, the Indian Ocean’s most exquisite islands, the Maldives, have been solely the preserve of hotels. Now, they’ve begun to open up to foreign buyers, thanks to new laws introduced by the pro-enterprise President Mohamed Nasheed. Before Nasheed, elected two years ago, leaseholds were too short to attract European buyers – but they have [...]
Golfing resorts offer more for life’s non-golfers March 24, 2011 GOLF might have a reputation for being an older man’s pursuit, but with so many resorts launching new spas and property developments, it seems like the old country club vibe of golfing properties is experiencing a renaissance. Take PGA Catalunya, close to Barcelona, that launched the development La Selva apartments last November and the Palheiro [...]
No prams allowed: where singles rule March 24, 2011 ACCORDING to 2009 statistics from the Office of National Statistics General Household Survey, the number of single women has more than doubled over the past three decades. Singleness is on the rise and London is increasingly being divided into two camps: buzzy, occasionally gritty singleton hotspots stuffed to the rafters with bars – and family [...]
CHELMSFORD, ESSEX March 24, 2011 THE BARNSTON Price: £299,000 This newly built three-bedroom house with carport and parking space is only a mile and half from Chelmsford town centre and railway station. Its kitchen has been kitted out with stainless steel hobs, oven and appliances. There is a front and back garden. Contact: Crest Nicholson on 01932 580555 or go [...]
INTERIORS March 24, 2011 DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL LONDON LETTINGS FIRM DRAKER LETTINGS Q. I have recently bought my first rental investment and have heard some terrible stories from landlords who have had nightmare tenants. How do I stop this from happening to me? A. Firstly, be very careful not to rush into the first tenancy that comes along. If [...]
Tea total: a new brew sensation March 23, 2011 WHAT do the credit crunch, European leveraged capital markets and looseleaf tea have in common? The answer is Ajit Madan, who left his job at Societe Generale when the credit crunch rendered his slice of the pie a mere shadow of its former self, to follow his entrepreneurial dreams. “It was a part of the [...]
The City club where it pays to be a member March 23, 2011 LONDON is the world’s leader when it comes to private members’ clubs. Maybe it’s because we’ve all been scarred by sticky floors and suffocating crowds at some point in our lives, or maybe it’s because we hate being kicked out at 11pm. Whatever it is, private is how we roll, and nowhere does this stand [...]
The beefed up new Merc SLK March 22, 2011 Despite selling well, the Mercedes-Benz SLK has been seen as a bit fluffy, a lesser animal when compared to some of its roadster rivals. This hasn’t been helped by the fact that most buyers of the car have been female, something that has switched some less- evolved men off. Now Mercedes-Benz is making a considered [...]
Hairdresser to the stars, and to you March 21, 2011 WHEN your working week as a hairdresser consists of styling Natalie Portman’s do for an awards ceremony one day, jetting off to primp models for a catwalk show the next and rounding things off with a Vogue shoot, you’ve realistically reached the stage when you don’t need the hassle and pressure of running a salon. [...]