Luxury briefing

published 16 October 2018

1. Hidden culture: a trip through Jerusalem

Everyone shops at the Machane Yehuda food market. By day, chefs from Jerusalem’s best restaurants scout the 250 stalls looking for the perfect ingredients, jockeying with tourists who come here to smell, touch and buy, amid this tempting kaleidoscope of abundant, fresh produce. Almost everything here is made or grown locally. By night, a wild, after-dark scene arises from the market alleys, as stalls turn into small bars and musicians play live rock and jazz for party-goers.Click here to read the full article

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I was asked, at short notice, to put together an elite-level France v Italy tasting the other day, writes Matthew Jukes. While hastily lining up ten wines, all in pairs, to go head to head, I came across some 2004 Vieux Château Certan and felt it would be the perfect wine in the “Bordeaux-style” category to represent France: one of my favourite estates in the world, a superb vintage and drinking perfectly.Click here to read the full article

Tucking into dainty finger sandwiches, delectable cakes and oven-fresh scones, all washed down with the national beverage - or, if you’re really treating yourself, something bubblier - is an unmissable culinary experience for natives and visitors alike. For variety and style, it’s hard to beat London’s afternoon tea scene. The capital’s hotels and restaurants offer everything from the most traditional experience to brilliantly creative twists on the familiar staples.Click here to read the full article

What makes a family heirloom? Passed down through generations, keepsakes take many forms. At Fendi, the playfully named Peekaboo handbag - first released a decade ago - has become a design icon to cherish. “It is a timeless bag,” says creative director of accessories and menswear Silvia Venturini-Fendi who designed the bag with posterity in mind. “You buy a Peekaboo not only to wear now, but to wear in the future. One of your daughters will probably steal it from your closet!”Click here to read the full article

“Autumn is dark on the mountains; grey mist rests on the hills. The whirlwind is heard on the heath. Dark rolls the river through the narrow plain.” So said Ossian, the old Highland bard of 18th-century poet James Macpherson’s imagination, describing the rugged Scottish terrain. But while the wind does ruffle your hair as you stare out towards the sombre peaks of the Cairngorms National Park, today encompassing Macpherson’s birthplace, the Spey is no dark river.Click here to read the full article

Marie Antoinette was more than just a little fond of pearls. The problem was everybody else knew it. In fact, the Queen of France’s love of jewellery had already landed her in hot water with the people, when, in 1785, she became caught up in the so-called “Affair of the Diamond Necklace”, involving stolen jewels. Never mind that Marie Antoinette was most probably innocent of the scandal – she had been tried and condemned in the court of public opinion, and that was that. Her reputation never recovered and now the French Revolution was coming for her and her family.Click here to read the full article

After an early evening stroll through Fitzrovia, a bohemian-turned-corporate patch of central London, we arrived at Noizé to find it anything but. In fact, the dining room was almost silent. Two tables were occupied by hush-hush business meetings and the rest waited quietly under white linen. A couple of hours later, it was a scene transformed. The meetings, evidently a success, had evolved into something more convivial, and the rest of the room was taken up by couples of all ages and a group with something to celebrate. At one small table for two, more than a dozen wine glasses were laid out for some sort of vertical tasting - which looked as if it might turn rather more horizontal.Click here to read the full article

Whimsical luxury is the best way to describe the jewellery of Tessa Packard. Since launching her eponymous label in 2013, the London-based designer has turned storytelling into a fine art – quite literally. Past collections include The Emperor's New Clothes, a range dedicated the trompe l'oeil effect of brightly coloured enamel on 18ct gold pieces, giving the illusion of precious stones. Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining, a more esoteric collection, was inspired by the very British obsession with the weather, brought to life with lightning bolt charms, cloud shaped diamond earrings and rainbow coloured gems-set rings.Click here to read the full article

It’s not often that an executive saloon grabs your attention within an instant of setting eyes upon it. True, many of them boast sharp designs and neat interiors, but they rarely offer a level of premium that can really wow drivers. But the Volkswagen Arteon bucks the trend. It’s an all-new model that merges the practicality and space of a five-door saloon with all the stealthy elegance of a luxury fastback.Click here to read the full article

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