We Would Wood. Would You?

Celebrity hair-colourist Josh Wood lends his name to the new Claridge’s Spa Josh Woods is, apparently, THE name in celebrity hair. I’ll take their word for it – all my head needs these days is a spray of polish and a buff with a soft cloth. But moving on… For those of you with hair…
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A Grand Night Out

York’s finest hotel, The Grand, opens a new fine dining restaurant. Over the years, York has been synonymous with a number of things. The famous Minster. The number of ghosts believed to reside there. THAT smell at the Jorvik Viking Centre. Outside of a Betty’s Tea Room though, or its place in chocolate history as…
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Elusive Spirit

The new Elusive Expressions have been released… There are certain things that suggest we’re coming to the end of the year. The nights draw in. Someone will start telling you how many days it is ‘til Christmas. Conversations start with comments about how nippy it’s getting… And Diageo release their latest Elusive Expressions Special Releases…
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Messing About On The River

There are bridges and locks and moorings and docks… so maybe let English Holiday Cruises take the helm charge? There are many things that signify being British. Queues. Tutting. A strange dependency on tea. Poor political decisions. You know the things. And somewhere in that list is the desire to mess about on the river.…
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Brunching Above Their Weight

Park Chinois launch their new brunch offering. It’s rather decadent. But then you probably guessed that. If you’ve ever been to Park Chinois, you’ll know that moderation is not their middle name. Their new brunch offering is then business as usual. Or, if you prefer, business as unusual… Launched at the beginning of October 2022,…
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Keep Kalmar & Carry On

Seeing one client at a time, Belgravia’s House of Kalmar is probably London’s most exclusive treatment space. And, as Neil Davey finds out, it’s a truly unique experience. In this line of work – or, as my air quotation-wielding friends refer to it, “work” – I’m no stranger to a spa. Destination trips frequently take…
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The Importance of Self Care(y)

The New Forest’s Carey’s Manor & Senspa launches a Thai Tea Spa Break Forget the passport queues, the long wait for luggage. And you can even forget the endless debate of whether its jam then cream or cream then jam on a scone. Although, obviously, it’s jam then cream and everything else is wrong. But…
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Lexus RX450h Takumi

Takumi is the ancient Japanese concept and tradition of artisan craftsmanship. It is, finds Neil Davey, an apt epithet for this fourth generation of the RX luxury SUV Word of warning. This is probably going to be a very different type of car review than anything you’re used to. It’s not that I’m a motoring…
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Pole Position

Juva Lodge is the closest you can get to the North Pole without going on an expedition There’s seclusion and there’s seclusion. And then there’s Juva Lodge. While there are never guarantees you’ll see the Northern Lights, there are ways of improving those odds and, frankly, the latest experience from Off The Map Travel, slashes…
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Knife of Riley

*Clears throat, adopts Australian accent* “That’s not a knife. That’s a knife” Look, it was either Crocodile Dundee or a “Salient Point” joke. Neither of which, to be fair, do knifemakers Salient any justice. Founded in 2020 by Marc Engall and Cameron Mcintosh (no, not that one), Salient offer what are probably the finest hunting…
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