Evening Standard - Life & Style

David Cameron addicted to Fruit Ninja ... he should try these killer apps too

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:17:23 BST

Fruit Ninja? Slashing perfectly edible grapefruits and water melons to shreds in the age of austerity?

Asparagus al forno with cherry tomatoes & basil

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:44:03 BST

Asparagus al forno with cherry tomatoes & basil from Arthur Potts Dawson, author of the new book Eat Your Veg (Mitchell Beazley, £25, out now)

CafeDirect Sao Tome instant drinking chocolate

Katie Law — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:26:32 BST

What: CafeDirect SaoTome instant drinking chocolate

10 minutes with Joanna Lumley

Hannah Nathanson — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:14:57 BST

There are rumours that Maggie Smith might leave Downton Abbey, would you replace her?

I’d love it! I could be an old grouch of a woman. It would be gorgeous.

Rhod Gilbert's diary

Rhod Gilbert — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:11:59 BST

I moved back to London a few months ago. For the past five years I’ve been in Cardiff but I was missing the buzz of the big city. In London I am pretty anonymous, which I like. Cardiff is so small that on a night out I tend to get a lot of people asking to have their photo taken with me. It’s quite nice for me but it’s pretty miserable for my friends. I have a mate who takes a black cloth out with him now, like an old-fashioned photographer. When anyone approaches us, he immediately chucks the cloth over his head and holds his hand out for their camera. It’s pretty funny, but even that joke wears thin. It reached a point where I had to move to London.

Maria Elia's chef's table

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:19:22 BST

Maria Elia, author of 'Full of Flavour' and 'The Modern Vegetarian' (both published by Kyle).

David Attenborough: The BBC has lost confidence in programming - and women are key to the planet's future

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:41:36 BST

For his latest film, Sir David Attenborough has returned home. The Kingdom of Plants, for Sky 3D, finds the 86-year-old naturalist ranging around Kew Gardens, amid orchids and water lilies, as their fecundity explodes from the screen.

The Google guestlist: Who's heading to the Zeitgeist?

Fri, 18 May 2012 11:02:09 BST

Those who wonder where real power resides in today’s internet age should head to The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire’s rolling green hills next Monday and Tuesday.

Philip Treacy's My London

Hannah Nathanson — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:59:02 BST

Home is…

Elizabeth Street. You have Eaton Square at one end and Victoria Coach Station at the other so it’s a Magimix version of life.

Tapas style in Madrid

Hannah Nathanson — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:57:06 BST

Madrileños may face tough economic cuts but the one thing that they are not prepared to streamline is their waists. A buxom Madrileña told me as much at 5.30pm on a Saturday afternoon as she begrudgingly put down her ice cream spoon and knocked back a caramel vodka after a five-course lunch at Restaurante Asador Casa Juan, Madrid’s mecca for gourmands.

Northern star Jodie Whittaker

Lucy Hunter Johnston — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:54:46 BST

Jodie Whittaker is, she says, the luckiest girl ever to have come out of Huddersfield. The star of the Oscar-nominated 2006 film Venus can barely complete a sentence without proclaiming just how unbelievably fortunate she is to be taking on the title role in Antigone at the National Theatre. ‘Rehearsing at the National is a very privileged position to be in. You’re in a room where you know that rehearsing for something next door is Rory Kinnear or Julie Walters,’ she says in her soft Yorkshire accent.

Right to roam: How to hot desk at London's coolest clubs and cafes

Bella Blissett — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:42:31 BST

As I bashed out a story the other day at Balans in Kensington I was distracted by the two men sitting next to me. They were having enormous difficulty pinning ‘Scarlett’ down. An errant mistress perhaps? Or a work-shy nanny? An eavesdropping half hour later and the elusive Scarlett turned out to be Ms Johansson – the would-be star of their new film. The script was playing coaster to two flat whites on the table in front of them.

Grexit Strategists: how algorithms could make or break the euro

Simon English — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:32:46 BST

Pour yourself a gin and tonic. Easy on the tonic. Wrap an ice cold towel around your head. Try to relax.

Lady of the manners

Hettie Harvey — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:21:05 BST

Dear Hettie

En route from Paris to London last week, while doing publicity for my new film, I committed one of the cardinal A-lister sins and climbed aboard my co-star Charlize Theron’s private jet by mistake. I mean, the two were parked right next to each other on the Tarmac, but still. She must think I’m such a pushy little star hugger, I’m totally embarrassed. What a rookie error. How will anyone ever take me seriously as a star after this?

Yours, Kristen Stewart*

You beauty! Annabel Rivkin's cabinet of wonders

Annabel Rivkin — Fri, 18 May 2012 10:19:26 BST

I have a theory about smoky eyes. And the theory is that they are not necessarily for everyone. There are ‘how to’ diagrams that come with products, supposedly idiot-proof palettes, YouTube lessons, all kinds of ways in, and yet, one woman’s smoky eye is a smouldering orb, while another’s is a blackened peephole. No, love and embrace make-up though I clearly do, the smoky eye is not for me. But how else to capture its impact? With a sharp-tipped, matt black pen such as L’Oréal Paris’s Super Liner.

London's hip new villages, uncovered

Interviews by Dipal Acharya — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:32:12 BST

WARRINGTON VILLAGE W9

Not quite Maida Vale, not quite Warwick Avenue, this triangle between the two finally has an epicentre in the new Everyman cinema. Now you can happily spend an entire day sipping flat whites, watching foreign films and mooching from Clifton Nurseries to The Warrington pub along the stuccoed crescents

Grace and Flavour: Pitt Cue Co

Grace Dent — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:17:19 BST

In times of supposed austerity, restaurants such as Pitt Cue, or ‘Pitt Queue’ as lolsters are calling it, shouldn’t apologise for being busy. Pitt Cue is as hectic now as it was six months back when word spread of this teensy-tiny basement BBQ joint flinging tin trays of oozing pulled pork and beef brisket, slaws and pickles at keen diners.

Splashing the cash: Zaha Hadid on her £267m Olympic pleasure dome

Marcus Field — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:05:39 BST

A pair of Perspex-heeled Martin Margiela boots is not the usual attire for an Olympian climbing up a diving board, so it’s not surprising that Zaha Hadid needs a helping hand as she steps on to the middle board of the London Aquatics Centre she has designed for the 2012 Olympics. And what magnificent diving boards they are: a cluster of organically shaped concrete towers that sprout up beside the pool like giant fossilised bones. They are like nothing seen in Olympic diving before or, for that matter, in architecture, and Hadid is justifiably proud. ‘I think they came out very well,’ she says, as she strokes them lovingly, admitting that she spent longer working on them than on any building she has designed. ‘Normally with diving boards the steps are at the back but here they are at the front so the pro- cession of the divers will be part of the event.'

How the heck is Natasha Bedingfield worth more than our Jessie J?

Craig McLean — Fri, 18 May 2012 07:56:47 BST

It was no shocker that Adele topped the recent British musicians under 30 rich list. With a personal fortune estimated at £20 million, the 21 record-breaker was a mansion or two ahead of her nearest rivals Cheryl Cole and Leona Lewis, both of whom are apparently worth £12m. But aside from the lack of men in the top ten – only Craig David and Paolo Nutini made it – the most surprising entrant must be the woman lurking at number ten: Natasha Bedingfield. Isn’t she a bit, like, Noughties?

The Food Blog: Bento beats

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:27:40 BST

How about some soul music with your sashimi, or some percussion with your prawn tempura? If you haven’t been to Nobu Matsuhisa’s Berkeley street restaurant, he has found a new reason to pull you in.

Public enemies: why Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton's favourite nightclub has closed

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:59:07 BST

Tonight, a few hundred of London’s wealthiest twentysomethings will be feeling somewhat bereft. Their favourite nightclub on the King’s Road, Public, was closed down suddenly on Tuesday night, and for the first time in more than a year, they will have to think up an alternative haunt.

Maple pecan pie

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:49:06 BST

From Alison Walker, author of A Country Cook’s Kitchen (Jacqui Small, £25)

Discerning drinker: sherry

Thu, 17 May 2012 11:19:28 BST

It’s a measure of sherry’s strong revival over the past few years that the release of one small, specialised bottling can create such excitement. But such is the buzz around Gonzalez Byass’s release next week of its Tio Pepe En Rama — an unfiltered, unclarified version of the classic fino. It’s got a yeastier, breadier, slightly fuller flavour to it than straight Tio Pepe: I haven’t tried this year’s yet but 2011’s was utterly delicious.

Al desko: Glenilen Farm rhubarb probiotic yoghurt

Victoria Stewart — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:12:58 BST

What: Glenilen Farm rhubarb probiotic yoghurt.

The great sip-and-sit takeover

Susannah Butter — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:07:48 BST

They can increasingly be seen in coffee shops all over London, sitting on their own, nursing a cappuccino for hours as they stare at their laptops and monopolise tables. The “café conquerors” come for free wi-fi and an informal work atmosphere but a new report says that in the US, they are causing territorial disputes and even falling sales by taking up too much space. “Changing work habits have created a new class of teleworkers for whom the office is wherever they can access a wireless signal,” according to Dibs! Customer Territorial Behaviours, a report by two US marketing professors. “A single customer can turn a four-person table into a makeshift office.”

The London Best: waterproof mascaras

Emma McCarthy — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:48:29 BST

Come rain or shine, waterproof mascara is this summer’s best beauty buy. Here are our top five must-haves for your make-up bag that do more than stay put.

Does my baby bump look chic in this?

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:57:02 BST

As anyone who has ever wrestled with a Laura Ashley smock and a shapeless pair of maternity jeans will confirm, getting dressed during pregnancy is a task that has one obvious, albeit much-loved, obstacle. But it needn’t mean abandoning a love of fashion.

Share, but only real friends need apply

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:51:03 BST

While Twitter and Facebook may be great for sharing what you had for lunch with hundreds of people you don’t really know, the discerning phone user has been quietly building their own network using the dozens of “antisocial networks” where friends are tightly controlled and you know exactly who will see your posts.

Charlotte's London Look

Thu, 17 May 2012 09:48:05 BST

Charlotte Daniel, 29, is a graphic designer from Oxford.

Oh Delilah: Introducing London's hottest pop singer

Susannah Butter — Thu, 17 May 2012 09:43:16 BST

Even when she’s working with Grammy award-winning producers, Delilah says she has to be in charge. “I’m a control freak,” says the 21-year-old singer. “Just because someone has been working with Madonna doesn’t mean they can tell me what to do.”

Charles Saatchi: Is it only perverts who download sex filth onto their computers?

Charles Saatchi — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:54:00 BST

Some of my primmer friends are blithe about enjoying porn movies, but I have only ever viewed a few particularly sordid scenes; it put me completely off anything to do with sex for some time, possibly as long as an hour.

Why teaching is attracting the UK’s top graduates

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:03 BST

“I enjoy working with people from different backgrounds,” says Alistair Dixon, 27, who teaches Spanish, German and French at Coombe School in Surrey. “In the classroom, those differences don’t matter.

Rule Bra-tannia: Marks & Spencer launches Jubilee lingerie range

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:13:10 BST

Whatever will her Her Majesty think. Marks & Spencer have certainly thought outside the box with their idea to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by coming up with a collection of 1950s inspired lingerie.

BarChick: Bistro Union

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:35:54 BST

Take? South Londoners for killer cocktails made with British ingredients

Paneer wrap

Victoria Stewart — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:09:06 BST

What: Paneer wrap

Numi Puerh Chocolate Tea

Wed, 16 May 2012 14:44:53 BST

What: Numi Puerh Chocolate Tea

Birthday blowout: Beyond Retro turns ten

Emma McCarthy — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:25:28 BST

Beyond Retro has turned 10 years old and, deciding that blowing out the candles was not celebration enough, the vintage emporium is hosting a week-long schedule 0f parties and events. Following a weekend of in-store gigs in Brighton, the festivities have now arrived in London.

Men Trend: Armadillo backpack

Susannah Butter — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:25:58 BST

The exterior of this intriguingly shaped backpack is extremely tough, making it perfect for those carrying valuable technology. It’s made from industry strength polypropylene block-copolymer, known for its strength and lightness, and the shape is inspired by an armadillo’s back.

Why you should buy your potatoes dirty, says Fay Maschler

Fay Maschler — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:18:03 BST

1 At dinner with David Queensberry, deftest of cooks, he recaptured the absconding flavour of Jersey Royals. “Buy them dirty,” he said.

The London best: Neon t-shirts

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:29:50 BST

1. Wide-fit T-shirt

Comme des Garçons, £56 (farfetch.com)

Your hips are they key to avoiding back pain

Cheyne Voss — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:59:36 BST

Poor sitting posture is a major cause of back problems, though it’s by no means the only one. Poor posture generally — whether we’re sitting, standing, walking, running or anything else — is a major contributor to a range of back and musculoskeletal problems. (Chances are, like 80 per cent of adults in the UK, you suffer from at least one of them.)

Nice day at the hoffice? The pitfalls of working from home

Nick Curtis — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:54:01 BST

News that civil servants will be allowed to work from home for seven weeks — seven weeks! — around the Olympics prompted predictable reactions. Howls of outrage from the tabloids, whinnies of envy from the rest of us. The idea is seductive, but, as a former “hoffice” (home/office) worker myself, I know it can all too easily turn one into a shambling, overweight, sleepwear-clad hermit with poor personal hygiene and worse social skills. Those lucky enough to swap workplace for hearth during the Games need to approach the housebound working day with a degree of rigour and discipline, and a complex system of goals and rewards. Here’s how.

Lowcountry Bar and Eating House - review

Fay Maschler — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:18:49 BST

Everyone is atwitter and aflutter about pulled pork. Aren’t you? Haven’t you been to Pitt Cue Co? Don’t you hang out at Red Dog Saloon? Aren’t you signed up for God Save the Clam? Well, I’ve not got round to that last one yet, but I was quick off the mark (too quick as it turned out) to go to Lowcountry — the name refers to the coastal regions of Georgia and South Carolina, where pulled pork is a way of life and a badge of honour.

Parting ways: the new dividing lines for hair

Emma McCarthy — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:48:38 BST

From dip-dyes to decorative plaits, wispy chignons to pretty accessories, this season’s biggest hair trends are becoming increasingly ornamental. And it’s thanks to these fiddly creations that the standard parting suddenly seems a little on the unadventurous side. But thankfully, the catwalk has that covered, and the spring/summer 12 shows put the small divide back into focus with anything simple or straightforward rendered officially passé.

Naila's London look

Wed, 16 May 2012 09:22:13 BST

Naila Shaw, 25, is a biochemist from Finsbury Park. She is wearing vintage glasses from Spitalfields market, a Forever Unique coat, H&M hat, Calvin Klein bag, New Look belt, ASOS shirt and River Island shoes.

Cool Kate at Claridges

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:34:38 BST

Kate Moss turns photographer at Marie Curie Cancer fundraiser at Claridges

Mark Blunden — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:32:54 BST

Kate Moss and Ronnie Wood were among the guests at a fundraiser for Marie Curie Cancer Care at Claridges.

The Crush: A jolly good brolly

Lotte Jeffs — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:51:35 BST

Oh look, it’s raining again: A steady, dreary drizzle that’s pulled us out of drought but plunged us into a collective malaise. Bleugh.

Young British Foodies

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:37:10 BST

Who:

Andy Bates, 34

Lives:

north London

The smart approach: Connectivity is playing key role in the home

David Crookes — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:30:38 BST

Remember the days of terrestrial television? When there was a choice of three, four or five channels. Maybe fewer?

The best cameras and accessories on the market

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:26:38 BST

David Phelan takes a look at some of the best cameras and accessories on the market.

Butter & Mint Crisps

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:22:32 BST

What: Butter & Mint Crisps

Hot Shop: CoutureLab

Emma McCarthy — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:48:30 BST

The virtual world is not enough. At least, that’s the case for online boutique CoutureLab, which has just branched out from HTML to hangers with the opening of its first real-life store.

Liberty of Stratford

Emma McCarthy — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:43:50 BST

Regent Street has been the home of Liberty of London for over 130 years, but now the iconic heritage brand has decided it’s time to make its mark on new turf in the capital. At the end of this month, Liberty will open up a sister shop at Westfield Stratford City.

Stuck for an hour and a half on the District Whine... and it can only get worse

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:34:26 BST

This morning, between about 7am and 10, the Transport for London Twitter account (@TfLTravelAlerts, for future reference) looked like it was receiving the kind of vitriol usually reserved for the likes of Joey Barton, Piers Morgan and pro-life activists.

Beauty spot: Jubilee scent

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:17:47 BST

Get a royal whiff of the high life with this Jubilee scent by Bond No 9, in Harrods today.

The perils of padding your CV

Joshi Herrmann — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:25:24 BST

The tale of Yahoo! boss Steve Thompson’s resignation over an untruthful CV will have caught the attention of workers across the capital yesterday, and made many others a little nervous.

Hot Spot: Coach tote

Karen Dacre — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:03:06 BST

As a walking work of art, this heavy-duty canvas bag ticks all the boxes. The result of a collaboration between US leather label Coach and artist James Nares, the brush-stroked bags in black, blue, pink, green and orange are available exclusively at Liberty.

Le cheap, c’est chic

Karen Dacre — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:28:36 BST

Budget shopping is not for every fashion enthusiast: instead it is reserved for those who have been gifted (by the god of bargains) with a shrewd eye. Or so I’ve always been led to believe.

Landy's London look

Tue, 15 May 2012 11:05:07 BST

Landy Rakoto, 23 is a student from Aldgate East. Landy is wearing Uniqlo jeans and a vintage coat, denim jacket, top and boots.

The London best: Bike bells

Victoria Stewart — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:18:32 BST

1. I Love My Bike

Just in case you need to remind yourself, or your friends, how much cycling means to you, this may look plastic but it works a treat and is simple to attach.

Caggie Dunlop: Laid in Chelsea

Caggie Dunlop — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:01:23 BST

I’ve been thinking recently about soul mates, whether or not they exist, whether there’s one person out there in this big world just for you. And if there is, how on earth are you supposed to find them?

Gallic extravaganza, but Brit girls lead the way at Chanel show

Tue, 15 May 2012 09:57:47 BST

Yesterday’s Chanel show couldn’t have been more French.

London’s latest undone up-do: the Cockatoo Crop

Emma McCarthy — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:44:55 BST

The Sixties-inspired bouffant, popular with fashion-forward Londoners last season, is currently experiencing an Eighties makeover. Forget the perfect, neat curls of the Mad Men era, the capital’s focus is now on grungy, rebellious tufts, as seen sprouting from the heads of some of our most stylish women.

From Soho to the Barrio: cocaine's journey traced from users back to farmers

Nick Curtis — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:25:18 BST

Rachel Seifert’s journey to the heart of the South American cocaine trade started in London. “When I first moved here about seven years ago, cocaine use was very prevalent among my friends and my wider social group,” says Seifert, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent and took a masters degree at University College London after studying Classics at Birmingham.

Sticky fingers: ribs revolution hits London

Victoria Stewart — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:14:56 BST

Juice is dribbling down chins. Fingers are being licked furiously. Tongues are aching from tasting too many hot sauces. Throw away the stiff white napkins, people, because ribs are being cooked all ways in London and barbecue fans are getting their hands dirty in the process.

Snow White and the wicked gowns: Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron wear matching see-through dresses at Leicester Square premiere

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:20:42 BST

Snow White and the evil witch both turned up in wicked black diaphanous gowns for the Leicester Square world premiere of their new movie.

From haute couture to horticulture

Karen Dacre — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:48:02 BST

London Fashion Week designer Mary Katrantzou is no Grotbags, and James Long, no Alan Titchmarsh but both designers do it seems, have some pretty green fingers. In celebration of the Chelsea Flower show which kicks of next week, a series of installations, or gardens as they’re known on Planet Normal, were unveiled at Harvey Nichols this morning.

Fashion forecast

Karen Dacre — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:01:07 BST

TUESDAY:

Going Swimmingly

Easier to wear than it is to pronounce, French men’s swimming shorts brand Vilebrequin has long been favoured by London’s jet set. This week, the St Tropez-born brand is branching out into womenswear, with a selection of pretty bikinis in the label’s signature print. Available at Selfridges from today, prices start at a reassuring £50. (Selfridges.co.uk)

WEDNESDAY:

Next Season Now

Net-a-Porter is offering its customers the chance to shop like a fashion editor today thanks to a collaboration with Alexander McQueen’s ever so slightly more affordable McQ line. To celebrate the label’s new-found London Fashion Week status — Sarah Burton staged the first ever McQ show in the capital in February — the online shopping mecca is offering customers the chance to “pre-order” from the autumn/winter collection. Online for one week only, log in early on the 16th to avoid disappointment. (£3,555, net-a-porter.com)

THURSDAY:

Hot Wheels

Where stylish cycling is concerned, Tokyobike is miles ahead. Loved for its timeless design, the hipster brand of choice officially opens its first bricks and mortar store today. (87 Tabernacle Street, EC2)

FRIDAY:

Curating Cool

Kicking off a summer of highbrow fashion appreciation, the V&A’s Ballgowns exhibitions — charting British glamour since the Fifties — will at last open its doors this week. Keen to celebrate its arrival, Harrods, the home of many a ballgown, has enlisted Rankin to photograph some its most show-stopping frocks. This number by Marchesa is among our favourites. Now, where to wear it?

Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 is open for previews from Friday and to the public from Saturday morning.

The Twitteranti... how Joey Barton vented his spleen to his 1,481,886 followers

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:54:38 BST

In the 55th minute of Sunday’s crucial game at the Etihad stadium, Joey Barton did something extraordinary. The QPR captain had just received a red card for elbowing Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez in the neck. Only, instead of mouthing an apposite quote from Nietzsche and walking away, Barton kicked City’s Sergio Aguero to the ground, before head-butting Vincent Kompany.

What I'll miss about foodie London

Joanna Weinberg — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:55:05 BST

Of all the things I have loved in London, from dance floors to badly behaved men, there is nothing I have loved so faithfully as my foodie life. Growing up in Holland Park, my childhood memories are peppered with visits to Michanicou Brothers for watermelons and honey mangoes, hectic Christmas trips for festive provisions to Harrods and grown-up family Sunday lunches of mozzarella in carrozza and vitello limone at La Famiglia in Chelsea.

Destination: Spain

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:33:40 BST

Sitting on the edge of the picturesque “white” hill village of Casares, the 67-suite Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf and Spa was a welcome addition to the Costa del Sol when it opened a couple of years back.

Dr Christian Jessen: Atishoo! Yes, I’m not the only hay fever sufferer

Dr Christian Jessen — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:06:38 BST

I never used to get hay fever but at 25 it finally hit me. It’s birch tree pollen that I am allergic to — one of the first pollens to come out in spring — and I now have full sympathy for other sufferers. Especially because, despite my medical knowledge, I still haven’t managed to find a way to ease my own problems.

The London Best: Streateries

Victoria Stewart — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:15:24 BST

A new wave of London street food traders provide food good enough for restaurants but more affordable. Here are our top five street eats:

Dita Von Teese: the secrets of pin-up perfection

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:03:35 BST

Dita Von Teese, the world’s best-known burlesque star, is perched on an armchair. She is sitting elegantly upright, her feet tucked to one side, and the train of her green couture dress is swirled around the bottom of the chair — on to a real tigerskin throw. Her hair is posed in smooth curls around her shoulders and her lips are a kissable scarlet bow. She always looks like this. Never is there a paparazzi picture, or any other evidence, of the mortal Dita these days. However, she was born human, back in the days when she was plain old Heather Renée Sweet.

The cocktail blog: How to make an Old Fashioned, the Don Draper way.

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:01:38 BST

Richard Godwin on how to make, and not to make, Don Draper's favourite drink.

Glamorous guests take the plunge at Arpad Busson's ARK dinner

Karen Dacre — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:45:40 BST

Plunging necklines were the order of the day at The Ark 2012 Dinner, held in a luxurious marquee behind Kensington Palace.