Portuguese wine was exported to England as long ago as the 12th century. Port, as we know it, began life in the late 17th to early 18th century. Until well into the 18th century the wine was probably dry, not sweet. Then, someone had the idea of adding brandy to fortify the wine for the…
Gleaming in the heart of Knightsbridge stands the emerald green haven of Harrods. As the immaculately clad doorman opens the glossy gold and glass doors, I find myself in a labyrinth of winding corridors, pushing through a sea of satisfied shoppers, not really having a clue where I am going, until suddenly I find myself…
New York, New York, so good they named it twice. We take a look at two of Manhattan’s finest establishments and discover great views and art deco to boot. When your business empire is about to crumble like a cookie, what should you do? Commission an extravagant building, of course. Preferably one that is architecturally…
“Quicker?,” he grins. Our first stop is the 19th-century Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. “Must wear,” insists the guide, handing me a sarong to cover my bare legs. And it’s worth the sartorial indignity to see the ochre palace with turquoise roof, silver floor tiles and Emerald Buddha. Welcome to Phnom Penh, the capital of…
For the ultimate in relaxation breaks, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island has introduced a quiet zone, completely free from disruption to ensure the best break possible. The area is children free and offers the first over-water swimming pool in the Maldives, a lounge bar and new look Koko Grill restaurant which is at sea level…
Mercedes Benz’s luxury car, the Maybach, is about to be released in yet another guise, this time in tribute to the roots of the company, when it was a subsidiary of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin. The modern Zeppelin has a host of new features, including a perfume atomiser. 100 of these special editions will be released and…
The one-time junkie’s catalogue of plaintive pop folk, including such Adult Orientated Rock gems as Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby James and You Got A Friend, historically fitted into my general taste for the more nuanced, knowing music that comprised the West Coast sound of the 70’s and 80’s Los Angeles studio era. Beautifully constructed,…
If you were to play word association and someone said New York, what’s the first thing that springs to mind? The Statue of Liberty? The Chrysler Building? The Empire State? I’m guessing the majority of you said one of those three iconic landmarks or one of the other places, buildings or shops that New York…
Everyone likes adding on a few extras when they order their new car, that’s half the fun. The question is, where do you stop? If you’re buying a new 7-series direct from BMW, pay another £600 and you get a phone in the back – a good idea because in a car like this, you’re…
Once upon a time, long before the wristwatch was invented, the best clocks in the world came from England. The trouble was that they were rather big. This did not matter if their function was to act as a ships chronometer but it did get slightly awkward if, like all fashionable men, you tried to…