Enter Finca Cortesin, the Spanish boutique hotel where you can buy everything from the chandelier to the bedspread June 13, 2016 When I heard that one of the most elegant and imaginatively styled resorts in Europe was willing to sell its design I sat up to take notice. “Everything is for sale, everything!” they said. Intrigued, I made the short flight from the City to the very tip of Spain in Andalucia. I’d wanted to see [...]
European investors have little to fear from a Brexit – but we can only guess, says legal specialist June 13, 2016 Every week, Morning Wire invites an industry professional to write an opinion piece for Hot Property based on their expertise and experience. Traditionally, British people buying properties abroad have tended to favour Europe, purchasing in the key markets of Spain, France, Portugal and Italy, as well as Greece, Cyprus or Malta. There are very practical reasons [...]
From Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand is a country of contrasts that’s full of surprises June 10, 2016 What are you missing?” the chef asked. I looked down at a soggy pile of noodles, looked back up and replied, “More soy?” “Sugar!” he barked, then he dumped an entire saucer’s worth into the pan. “Now that’s pad thai.” As someone with severely savoury tastebuds, I was appalled. I was in Issaya Cooking Studios, [...]
The best way to get to Berlin? Take the Venice Simplon Orient Express, an enchanting route to the German capital that crosses the Rhine Gorge June 10, 2016 THE WEEKEND: Berlin, which has always demonstrated its ability for re-invention, is experiencing one of its most exciting eras. The old East, left by the Kremlin to rot, has been cleaned up with futuristic steel-and-glass architecture; making for a dazzling capital city. THE JOURNEY: Take Belmond’s new London to Berlin overnight service, the Venice Simplon [...]
New homes on sale in London this weekend: from an old police station in Maida Vale to the old Pathe Building in Soho June 10, 2016 Westbourne place, Maida Vale From £550,000 A former local police station in Maida Vale, built in 1911 and designed by John Dixon Butler, is currently being converted into 25 apartments. Developer Redrow is retaining authentic architectural features, notably two original staircases, the Victorian brick facade, and the original “Police” sign at the entrance. The apartments, ranging [...]
This new machine can tell how much muscle, fat and water you’re carrying June 10, 2016 Smartwatches and fitness trackers claim to provide you with a plethora of information that can help you stick to your fitness goals. But in reality the information they provide is often superficial or, worse, useless. Knowing how many steps you’ve taken, or what your heartrate is, rarely plays into the average exercise regime. But that’s [...]
The Deep Blue Sea review: Terrence Rattigan’s evocative portrayal of post-war Britain’s uncertain future June 9, 2016 National Theatre | ★★★★☆ This new production of Terrence Rattigan’s 1952 play evokes brilliantly both the uncertainty of the decade in which it was written and its universal insights about relationships. It opens with a bungled suicide: Hester Collyer (played by Helen McCrory), the estranged wife of a judge, has tried to gas herself but forgot [...]
Where to Invade Next review: Michael Moore back on form with film that questions US’s place in the world June 9, 2016 WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (15) | Dir. Michael Moore Michael Moore is back behind and in front of the camera for his first film in six years. The baseball capped antagonist visits several countries across Europe to see their approaches to issues including commerce, education, crime and healthcare, hoping to bring home ways to improve the [...]
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2016: blockbuster works by Marina Abramović, Gilbert and George and Eva & Adele overshadow the brilliant up-and-coming talent June 9, 2016 British sculptor Richard Wilson coordinates the 248th annual Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the world’s largest open submission art show. It’s naturally a mammoth, exhaustive exhibition, taking up most of the RA’s main galleries, its walls crammed with images competing for attention. With more than a thousand pieces on display, how does one begin to digest [...]
Kelsey Grammer interview: the Breaking the Bank star talks about Donald Trump’s hair, running for President and Jared Leto being a clown June 9, 2016 Frasier has always struck me as a sitcom about American masculinity. The title character is a rich, cultured psychiatrist, the archetypal alpha-male for the final years of the 20th century. His brother Niles Crane is the feminine Yin to Frasier’s Yang, and their father, retired cop Martin Crane, is the ageing ideal of manhood past. [...]