CAR TALK February 8, 2011 ASTON V8 VANTAGE S Aston Martin has released details of its new V8 Vantage S. The S version has an extra 10bhp over the N420 V8 which means its 4.7 litre V8 now produces 430bhp. The car has quicker steering and a chassis with new springs and dampers and wider rear wheels. An improved seven-speed [...]
Romantic relaxation for two February 7, 2011 THE SPA AT CHANCERY COURT, HOLBORN This chi chi spa in Holborn is another with an oh-so-smart couples treatment room, called the Harmony Suite. For its Valentine’s package, you can unwind in the relaxation area before lying side-by-side for a 55 minute personalised massage by candlelight, followed by chocolate-dipped strawberries and a glass of bubbly [...]
FIT IN THE CITY February 7, 2011 Don’t waste your time at the gym THERE are certain traps to avoid when investing your precious time on the gym floor. Here they are. AVOID DOING ENDLESS REPS Research has shown that any more than 15-20 reps and you’re wasting your time (not including endurance-based classes such as BodyPump and circuits obviously). Make sure [...]
City’s hidden Japanese gem February 7, 2011 Soseki 20 Bury Street, EC3A 5AX www.soseki.co.uk Tel:020 7621 9211 FOOD SERVICE ATMOSPHERE Cost per person without wine: £40-£100 ZUMA, Roka, Aqua Kyoto, Sumosan, Umu. Expensive, famous, globally branded restaurants dominate London’s Japanese food scene. I say “scene” – think rich Russians, Sloanes in celebratory mood, wealthy Asian tourists. The interiors are minimalist and violet-lit, [...]
FOOD & BOOZE NEWS February 7, 2011 AN EVENING WITH NOBU HIMSELF Nobu Matsuhisa will be hosting three intimate dinners where guests will hear him describe the tradition, design, and creation of his famous cuisine. Guests will not only experience his famous umami dishes with a selection of sake to bring out the subtleties of each dish, but over dinner Nobu will [...]
To the ends of the earth February 6, 2011 CHILE is a land of contrasts – and not least for the euphoria of the miners’ rescue last year, preceded by the coastal earthquake. But it is this land – volcanic and alive, and rich in minerals – that entices me to travel half way around the world to explore its natural wonders, the northern [...]
Savoy Hotel is a unique London treat February 6, 2011 IT was with much trepidation that we turned off the Strand into the short lane towards the Savoy’s entrance, the only road in Britain where one drives on the right. It all looked familiar: the landmark Art Deco sign, the shiny Rolls-Royces, the uniformed staff. But as soon as we climbed out of our car, [...]
HISTORY IN reverse February 3, 2011 THE ESSENTIALS of what makes a mechanical watch tick have barely changed in 400 years. Back then, it was the British who were leading the way in the world of cogs, escapements and balance wheels, and the thread of that history can still be found in many watches produced today. We’ve covered that on page [...]
RULE BRITANNIA… with more than a little help from the Swiss February 3, 2011 ONE of the most striking timepieces produced by a watch company in the past year hasn’t been a watch at all, but a mechanical ship’s clock. Nor was it just the advanced technology behind the clock or the £40,000 price-tag that grabbed the attention. It was the fact that every inch of it, down to [...]
GLOSSARY February 3, 2011 Automatic A mechanical watch in which an interior system winds it automatically, removing the need for hand winding. Bezel The top part of the watch case, sealing the crystal over the face. Calibre The specific type of watch movement. Chronograph A watch complication with a stop-watch function. Complication Functions in addition to time keeping. Crown [...]