George the Poet interview: George Mpanga on how to change the world April 7, 2022 It seems almost unbelievable that Harry and Megan’s wedding – global audience: 1.9 billion – was opened by… a podcaster. But George Mpanga, better known as George the Poet, is no ordinary podcaster; he’s a musician and a thinker, pushing the boundaries of the medium so far he’s created a genre all of his own. [...]
Corbin & King has fallen: What does it mean for The Wolseley, Zedel et al? April 7, 2022 You can be forgiven for not following the corporate intricacies of the hospitality sector, but last week was significant. On Friday, it was announced that Corbin & King, the restaurant group founded in 1981 by the eponymous Chris and Jeremy, had been bought out of administration by Minor International, the vehicle of American-born Thai billionaire [...]
The Bad Guys review: Better than average animated fun April 7, 2022 Once the home of giants including Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and How To Train Your Dragon, Dreamworks has played it safe over the last few years, with competitor Pixar disappearing into the distance. Films like Boss Baby, Trolls, and The Croods are enjoyable, but they are glossy distractions for children rather than something worth remembering. [...]
The drinks diaries: An experimental new whisky and ready mixed cocktails April 7, 2022 Whiskymakers Compass Box are well known for their mischievous approach to the rules governing the production of Scotch whisky. While some might regard these as necessary impediments to creativity, Compass Box takes apparent delight in tweaking the nose of the establishment, sometimes making whiskies that seem to be a calculated riposte to figures in authority [...]
Why your next meal out should be in Sheffield thanks to Jöro April 6, 2022 Taking a two hour train ride to Sheffield to dine inside a shipping container next to a bypass may sound like a hard sell, but having done exactly that last week, allow me to try… Jöro is a labour of love from husband and wife duo Luke French (chef director) and Stacey Sherwood-French (managing director). [...]
Wine tips from a real Michelin star at Trivet April 6, 2022 When I first meet Isa Bal, impressive winner of the Michelin Sommelier Award, he is smiling as he tells me a brick was thrown through his restaurant’s window last night. The would-be thief was knocked over by a car shortly afterwards and arrested. “I would not normally be happy about someone being hit by a [...]
Live music and flamenco dancers to transform the City into Waste Land April 6, 2022 Flamenco dancers and DJs playing hip-hop aren’t the first things you think of when picturing the centuries-old churches in Canada. Nor is Killing Eve actor Fiona Shaw, but this weekend all three contribute to a kaleidoscopic arts and culture festival. The three-day Fragments event is a celebration of the centenary year of [...]
The Russia–Ukraine war and other geopolitical risks April 5, 2022 | City Talk The war in Ukraine is dominating the headlines. For now. But the conflict’s indirect reverberations will ripple far beyond the borders of its combatants and their allies. Indeed, they could give rise to new and varied geopolitical risks throughout the world. The war’s potential effect on the global grain supply and food inflation is especially [...]
Getting lost on the border of Dorset and Wiltshire at La Fosse April 5, 2022 THE WEEKEND: Getaway from the city by escaping to La Fosse in the idyllic village of Cranborne, which is postcard-perfect: simply strolling about will make you feel like you’re on the set of a period drama. Around a two hour drive from London, Cranborne is a much-loved corner of Dorset that remains unspoiled by tourist [...]
Don’t snarl at the beach resort – Sandals is a great way to experience Jamaica April 5, 2022 On his show Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain spoke of the “Two Jamaicas”. There’s the Jamaica where citizens “live, cook and struggle” — what he calls the “Real Jamaica”. And then, he says, there’s the Jamaica “you’re probably more familiar with”. As he says it, we see a sunburned tourist, cocktail in hand, splashing in the [...]