Tis the season to be jolly and what better way to enhance the jollity than with a flagon of festive fizz, so sayeth our wine scribe Jim Walker. Here he recounts his experiences with bubbles of many types and origins as he sets the stage for the holidays.
Continue reading “FIZZ FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON”
Britain’s National Railway Museum in York is huge and better than that, it is free and indoors, so exploring the monsters of the steam age is pleasant whatever the weather.
Continue reading “A MUSEUM THAT MOVES YOU”
After being stuck in pandemic dry dock for 18 months, wannabe travellers are scanning the high seas again in search of the perfect winter cruise. Here are seven top picks for “revenge cruising” in the sun this winter, assuming that new COVID-19 variants don’t put us back in travel lockdowns.
Continue reading “SEVEN HOT WINTER CRUISES”
Fans of Jeremy Clarkson and his new iteration as a gentleman farmer on the hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm will be thrilled to hear a second season is filming. Since I’m staying nearby in Chipping Norton, it’s time to have a look at his Diddly Squat Farm Shop.
Continue reading “MUCH ADO ABOUT DIDDLY SQUAT”
Trees play a major role in combating climate change by removing carbon emissions from the air around us. It’s time for me to plant a tree.
Continue reading “IN PRAISE OF TREES”
Since introducing vaccine mandates this past summer, outbreaks of Covid-19 on cruise ships have been well below levels reported on land in many countries, and most of the cases at sea have been mild. This should not be surprising given that more than 96 per cent of people aboard cruise ships in the past six months have been fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Continue reading “CRUISING MAY BE SAFER THAN GOING TO THE MALL”
Taking a lighthearted look at some words and phrases which can trip you up as you travel across the Atlantic one way or the other.
Continue reading “WORDS TO AVOID IN POLITE CONVERSATION”
Architect Sir John Soane’s former houses in the centre of London are packed with his extraordinary collection of paintings, archaeological objects, models and architectural drawings. It is beyond weird and the most fun you can have in a small museum. And as a bonus it has the sarcophagus of an Egyptian pharaoh.
Continue reading “LONDON’S MOST ECCENTRIC MUSEUM”
It had been two long years since the old wine-tasting gang had convened. They were all double vaccinated and getting mighty thirsty. Our wine scribbler Jim Walker decided it was high time to trot on down to his cellar, select a few interesting bottles and host a little wine tasting soirée. The delicious details follow.
Continue reading “A TASTING TO REMEMBER (OR NOT?)”
German supermarket chain Aldi, which operates in 20 countries world-wide including the UK, has done some in-depth research to find out what Brits think about food. The short answer is that most don’t!
Continue reading “MISUNDERSTOOD BRITISH FOODS”
Gentlemans Portion 