Reading rooms: Immerse yourself in the world of the modern library April 30, 2015 In this digital age, one could be forgiven for thinking libraries were a thing of the past. Think again: at the top end of the market, they’re making a comeback of sorts as a modern luxury with the added bonus of showing visitors how culturally refined you are. “Since things like e-readers have come along, [...]
My house: Alexandra Jefford, jewellery designer April 30, 2015 I fell in love with our house a year before we moved in. I forced my poor husband to leave his beloved Chelsea, mainly because I wanted my daughter to be able to walk to school, and this place in Parson’s Green was the first we visited. I walked in the door, thought “this is [...]
London Coffee Festival returns to Truman Brewery: Founder Ludovic Rossignol explains what it’s all about April 28, 2015 WHAT IS YOUR MISSION WITH THE LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL? It’s all about elevating standards in the coffee industry and educating people about speciality coffee, as well as celebrating the vibrant London coffee scene and the shops that form its backbone. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT? The festival is now in its fifth year and has [...]
Mix it up: How to make the best Bloody Mary in the world April 28, 2015 The best Bloody Mary you’ll ever taste should be the one you make yourself. After all, every bar, pub and airplane makes it differently, and probably not to your liking. In fact, far too many places make them spectacularly badly. You may even be under the impression you don’t like Bloody Marys. I certainly [...]
Why buying en primeur is the smart choice for wine investors April 28, 2015 “En primeur” is Bordeaux’s unique trade structure of purchasing wines as futures, offering the opportunity to invest in a particular wine prior to the physical release of a vintage. After two years of ageing, the wines are bottled and buyers can either keep the wines “in bond” or take delivery. Last month, the Morning Wire [...]
Light as a feather April 28, 2015 Give your living room a talking point with these kitsch-but-cool, ornithological-themed table lamps House of Hackney is a one-stop-shop for kitsch but cool homeware, selling everything from curtains to cutlery. The Shoreditch-based brand was founded in London in 2010 by husband and wife team Javvy M Royle and Frieda Gormley with a mission statement to [...]
Car review: The Phantom’s little bro grows up – meet the Rolls-Royce Ghost II April 27, 2015 Drive the Rolls-Royce Phantom for any length of time, as Morning Wire did last August, and there’s a strong chance you’ll come away deeply impressed. Your CEO may well own one and, you’ll undoubtedly agree, he/she is a person of great taste. Alan Sugar has a Phantom. So does Simon Cowell, Kim Kardashian and [...]
Not convinced? April 27, 2015 CHECK OUT THESE ALTERNATIVES… BENTLEY MULSANNE PRICE: £229,360 0-62MPH: 5.3 secs TOP SPEED: 184mph CO2 G/KM: 342g/km MPG COMBINED: 19.3mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Four Stars PERFORMANCE Four Stars PRACTICALITY Four Stars VALUE FOR MONEY Two Stars MERCEDES-BENZ S600 L PRICE: £140,615 0-62MPH: 4.6 secs TOP SPEED: 155mph CO2 G/KM: 268g/km MPG COMBINED: 25.4mpg THE VERDICT: DESIGN Four Stars PERFORMANCE [...]
The ultimate foodie safari in Sabi Sabi: Michelin-starred chef Eric Chavot brings Mayfair flair to South Africa’s Earth Lodge April 26, 2015 The streets of Mayfair may seem a world away from the remote South African bush, but for discerning gourmet travellers the metaphorical – if not physical – distance between the two has just become smaller. A new initiative at Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve invites some of the world’s top chefs into the kitchen at [...]
48 hours in… Granada, Spain April 26, 2015 WHERE TO STAY Set within the citadel of the Alhambra palace, Hotel America oozes rustic charm with antiques in the rooms, wooden beamed ceilings and fountains in the courtyard gardens. Rooms from £68 a night, hotelamericagranada.com WHAT TO DO You can’t go to Granada and not see The Alhambra, a palace and fortress that was [...]