Travel & Culture
- The Guardian
Bostridge/Drake review – he conveys meaning and emotion with disarming clarity, each song was a gem
The tenor’s gift for narrative transforms each of these songs by Britten and Schubert into a tiny drama, with elegant accompaniment from the pianist
- The Telegraph
Skiers in the US could see record-breaking snow this season – but forecasts in Europe remain uncertain
Skiers across the globe are getting itchy feet as the winter season draws closer – the question on everybody’s lips is, will it be a good winter for snow?
- Evening Standard
The Coronation of Poppea at Hackney Empire review: lust, selfishness, greed for power - how modern!
3/5 With this much wit and excellent performances, this new production will likely tighten up over the course of its tour
- The Telegraph
The fascinating capital of a vanishing country – with KGB history and superb beer
Standing on the windswept balcony of Riga’s Academy of Sciences, a colossal Soviet skyscraper known locally as “Stalin’s birthday cake”, the contested history of Latvia’s lively capital lies spread out below you like a map.
- The Telegraph
Britain’s best B&Bs – and why now is the time to stay in them
Forget the American Dream. In Britain, the national go-to career fantasy has long been the idea of selling up, migrating seawards and “opening up a little bed and breakfast”.
- The Telegraph
Can’t concentrate? These haunting photos are the cure for our age of distraction
The first time I saw a photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto, it was mounted on a cliff above the Seto Inland Sea on Naoshima, the peaceful Japanese island known for its museums and art installations. The abstract composition – a black-and-white portrait of the horizon, which looked like a pale Rothko breaking out of prison – was striking enough, high above a strip of sand and lapping water. But what gave it extra vitality was that the artist, in creating this tribute to the natural world, was clearly
The GuardianThe Coronation of Poppea review – ETO’s gender-fluid staging has fizz but also flaws
Monteverdi’s opera about unfettered desire is pulled into the present day in Robin Norton-Hale’s stylised production with fine singing and solid musical support from Yshani Perinpanayagam
- The Guardian
Why Croyde is riding the crest of a wave
The North Devon resort hit the headlines earlier this year when it was designated a world surfing reserve. But it’s so much more than that – an under-the-radar beauty spot as perfect in autumn as it is in summer
- The Telegraph
London’s luxury hotel boom is finally happening – starting here
First things first: if you have to ask how much, it’s not for you. You can mock all you like. Given the weird dystopian time we live in, when you need to scan your receipt to get past security in Sainsbury’s, news of a five-star hotel opening in London with the cheapest room starting at £1,300 a night might be something of a surprise. The Peninsula is closely followed by Raffles at the Old War Office, with second Mandarin Oriental and Rosewood London hotels due in the next two years, plus a St R
- The Guardian
Frans Hals review – a joyful Dutch master in the spotlight
Often overshadowed by his contemporary Rembrandt, the 17th-century Haarlem artist is revealed to be a genius of the telling portrait in this first showcase of his work in 30 years
- The Guardian
Don Quixote review – sunshine, warmth and dazzling technique from the Royal Ballet
With its stellar leads and lively background action, this sprightly revival of Carlos Acosta’s revised staging is a celebration of the pleasure of classical dance
- The Guardian
The best theatre to stream this month: That Face, Macbeth and Dance Umbrella
Our roundup of stage shows to watch at home includes a revival of Polly Stenham’s debut play, London’s international dance festival and Patrick Stewart suffering toil and trouble
- The Guardian
The week in theatre: Boys from the Blackstuff; Vanya; Mlima’s Tale – review
Alan Bleasdale’s 80s TV classic about jobless workers hits home in James Graham’s adaptation; Andrew Scott is not alone in his one-man Chekhov; and Lynn Nottage adds imagination to a tale of ivory smuggling
- The Guardian
Birmingham Royal Ballet: Black Sabbath – The Ballet; English National Ballet: Our Voices – review
The fathers of heavy metal have gained at least one new fan thanks to an inspired new Carlos Acosta commission. And the music’s the star in the English National Ballet ambitious new mixed bill
- Evening Standard
10 of the best digital detox retreats from around the world
From a monastery in the remote Italian countryside to tree lodges in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, Emma Loffhagen picks out the best phone-free retreats to help you completely disconnect
- The Guardian
‘Art is the way I feel free’: the artists working under siege in Gaza
Using recycled materials and even metal left behind by Israeli rockets, artists continue to endure in the tiny coastal enclave
- The Guardian
Travel website Booking.com leaves hoteliers thousands of dollars out of pocket
As the website boasts about increased revenue, some partners say they have not been paid for months
- The Guardian
The week in classical: Picture a day like this; Peter Grimes; Carol Williams: Mad Rush – review
Sparkling musical invention pierces the gloom of George Benjamin’s mysterious new chamber opera; Britten’s masterpiece holds its own at ENO; and one woman, 7,866 pipes and resounding fun
- The Guardian
10 of the UK’s best autumn foraging trips
Make a day or weekend of it as you learn to identify and cook edible fungi and plants on guided walks with accommodation options
- The Telegraph
Are Antarctic cruises in jeopardy?
Expedition cruise lines that sail in Antarctica are enforcing stricter precautions against the growing threat of avian flu this winter amid concerns that passengers could be stopped from going ashore to prevent cross-contamination.
- Evening Standard
Riaz Phillips names his favourite Caribbean restaurants in London
As he releases his new book, the author explores the very best of the capital’s Caribbean cooking
- The Guardian
I travel across Britain foraging wild food. Here’s what to look for, and where
With a little skill and knowledge, wild delicacies can be found and savoured all year round, but bountiful autumn is the highlight of the British forager’s year • Plus a guide to picking mushrooms
- The Guardian
Private jet service for rich dog owners condemned by climate campaigners
UK-based charter firm launches ‘ludicrous’ £8,166 Dubai-London route for clients who want to fly with pets
- The Telegraph
The epic European trek that is being transformed by climate change
The Col du Grand Ferret rises to just over 2,500 metres. It requires a couple of hot, sweaty hours to lug a rucksack up from the valley floor but the reward, as you stand on the shoulder between two countries, is to have your breath taken away. To our left, falling away into a deep long valley, is Italy. To our right, in a jostling recession of crags, is Switzerland. And straight ahead, sliding down from the summit of Mont Dolent, is a magnificent glacier.
- Evening Standard
Soho House opens first club in Mexico City
It’s the club’s first foray into Latin America
- The Guardian
Rachel Heller obituary
Artist whose vivid works were lauded by the likes of David Hockney and Maggi Hambling