THE REVIEW

THE CILLIAN MURPHY EDITION

LATEST FEATURES

Culture, Interviews

Zoë Wanamaker Interview

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The Royal National Theatre of England recently celebrated its fiftieth birthday with a special evening dedicated to showing just a glimpse of the talents that have graced the venue over the past 50 years.  Emily Hennings explains more. The National Theatre began NTLive in 2009, broadcasting live plays around the world for those who were unable to make it to London. Now, five years later, it shows no sign of slowing down with an ever-growing demand for plays to be broadcast live from the venue. The National now broadcasts to over 500 venues in over 24 countries. One success was ‘The Cherry Orchard’ by Chekov, directed by Howard Davies and…

Travel

Alentejo

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Alentejo is a region that remains unspoiled by other tourists: sparsely populated and baking hot, it is a place that invites you to savour relaxing in spa hotels and on boats, eating Alentejo’s distinct bread dipped in locally produced olive oil from traditional pottery dishes, and drinking the plentiful variety of developing wines. Relax, eat, drink; the building blocks of a perfect break. Any landscape that achieves nearly three thousand hours of sunlight every year is an impressive alternative to the steel grey sky of the United Kingdom. And the rolling hills of Alentejo are spread liberally with vines, olive trees and cork oak woodland. The rivers, lakes and beaches…

Beauty, Health, Travel

Spa Illuminata, London, W1K

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It’s usually around the end of February, after several months of cold, rain and wind that my skin just gives up. No matter how many creams and potions I apply, nothing can alleviate the dry dullness that’s become synonymous with these winter months. I needed an intervention. Spa Illuminata, located just off Park Lane, is a tall Victorian building that looks like a high-end corner shop. If it wasn’t for the large gold lettering, I would have walked straight past. Once inside, it was obviously nothing of the sort. The decor gives the illusion of high ceilings being held up by Roman-esque pillars; the floor and fixtures are all marble…

Property, Style

Christopher Guy

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Christopher Guy announces its new landmark London showroom, set to open this June. Located in the South Dome of The Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour DCCH London, the new showroom will provide an unparalleled opportunity to experience Christopher Guy’s acclaimed and award-winning collections within a spectacular interior. For an idea of what to expect, watch his  New York opening last year. The internationally renowned designer, Christopher Guy Harrison, CEO and founder of the Christopher Guy brand is the creative force behind the new space. The opening of this approximately 4600ft2 showroom, the largest within DCCH, brings the Christopher Guy offering to a wider international audience of interior designers, located in the heart…

Beauty

Skin Deep

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Braun SkinSpa Finally, an excuse to get rid of your shaving gel, blunt razors and that half empty tube of hair removal cream you’ve had in the bathroom draw for the past year. The Braun SkinSpa has. it. all. Close-Grip-Technology makes the epilator tool one of the most effective I’ve used, removing hairs as short as 0.5mm. You can feel the power of the machine as it picks up speed in your hand. Nought to sixty in under 3 seconds. Plus, switching between attachments couldn’t be simpler and more fiddle-free. The shaver tool is equally as efficient at removing hair, almost as close a shave as a razor. All functions…

Culture, Travel

Art of Flight

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On my first ski trip, what seems like millennia ago, my friends insisted that we watch Art of Flight. It was a right of passage they said. Sure there were plenty of other cult boarding films out there. But art of flight was really pushing the boundaries. You try carrying five 4K cameras weighing in at 60 pounds a piece into back country. The staff at The Review are always interested in alternative investment opportunities and film is one that is sure to be with us for a long time to come. Cinematography is an art form, one of the last few vestiges that has a trade craft. Taking that…

Travel

Ninh Van Bay

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Having already visited a Six Senses resort, Zighy Bay in Oman, I thought I had an idea of what to expect from Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam. Boy, was I wrong. Located on the exquisite Vietnamese coast, Ninh Van Bay is a stunning beach property overlooking the South China Sea, tucked above the ashen-sanded beach. Not many resorts can boast this kind of paradisiacal luxury. Ninh Bay is made up of numerous private pool villas and, in keeping with the Six Senses aesthetic, is built to complement the natural environment around it, designed either on the beach, over the water, or into the impressive rock formations. We stayed in one…

Food & Drink

Hartmann’s

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I am not a restaurant critic. But my fiancé, Paul, is. I am a scientific researcher (hence my rather straight-to-the-point prose) in the fish biology discipline (specifically trout — important later). In return for agreeing to marry Paul, I often come to be his chosen review date, a treat that just about makes the forthcoming contract worth it. And the reason you are reading my review is because, during our meal at Hartmann’s, Berlin, I felt so compelled by the food (or the too-much wine?) I grabbed the voice memo, snapped plates with my iPhone and duty-bound myself to the task of fluffy food talk. I think I’ll start by getting the…

Culture

Thank you for Smoking

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Everyone has their prejudices. In my experience, they tend to be on a scale – but I find the scary thing is that the prejudice is only voiced, not on how logical it is, but on its popularity. Some folks are racist, but they would be deterred from voicing their prejudice, not because it’s groundless, but because it not popular. As we move up the scale and the idea grows in popularity, prejudice becomes more vocal. Let’s take speeding, for example. People feel free to tear a strip off of people who speed in cars. The reason for this is that the idea has been made popular, because the government…

Automotive

Loyal Defender

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‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. An adage that you could apply to many things in this world, but none more than an item as steeped in heritage and tradition as Land Rover’s Defender – or so you would think. As old as the hills themselves, this iconic vehicle is woven into the very fabric of our country. For decades we have farmed in them, taken the family out in them, and when the mood takes us, we’ve occasionally invaded in them. From its birth as the Series 1 in 1948, through to what we know as the Defender, Land Rover’s trusty workhorse has changed very little. Well, you…

Time

40,000 Leagues

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Given that orange is one of the most visible colours in the spectrum, it makes sense that Alpina’s new Extreme Diver 300 timepiece features the colour heavily. I’m not a diver. I scuba a little and snorkel when I can, but 300 metres? No need. I can, however, appreciate a fine timepiece, and as the weather in our usually-cold-and-wet little country seems to be doing us proud, why not consider one just for the sheer hell of looking good. The new Extreme Diver collection features a three-hand auto and mid-size quartz. The range is indeed designed for professional divers. It has a serious bezel, an adjustable strap to go over…

Food & Drink, Travel

Jumeirah

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When you park your marque in the Jumeirah Carlton Tower’s underground bunker, you pass Phantom nestled next to Ferrari, tucked in beside Aston. It might as well be a private car club. In hindsight, we probably should have let the concierge park our pool car though. However, at the time, a white Ferrari FF was arriving with the usual pomp and ceremony from a well-honed door staff. This is Kensington at its most seductive. The gold gilt and mahogany lobby is refined and unassuming, the staff polite and courteous, with personality too. This makes a change from the usual robotic gofers you find at many London hotels. Having checked in,…

Property

The Hideaways

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Earlier this year, we spent a week at the fabulous Chalet Etoile in the Valais region of Switzerland, looking over the towns below and enjoying some of the finest views in Nendaz. This property is making its investors a handsomer return than most. Enter The Hideaways Club, our gracious and hospitable hosts for the week here in the village of Nendaz. The Hideaways Club was founded in 2006 by Stephen Wise, Helmut Schoen and Michael Balfour. Being holiday home owners themselves, the founders were looking for a simpler and more enjoyable way to own a second home overseas. “If you have a property abroad the first few days of your holiday…

Travel

‘Nam Flashback

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Watching the sunset over the summit of the Victory Monument in Dien Bien Phu, where hoards of Vietnamese people perform their daily exercises, I can reflect upon a country about which I understood so little before I began my journey through it. A country steeped in culture and tradition, but mired by conflict and tragedy. Vietnam is a country where one can go from fine, sandy beaches to mountainous ranges and grass-tipped archipelagos. From the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, where motorbikes adorn even the pavements, to the serenity of Hoi An, where one can take an evening stroll across a lantern-lit riverside and eat fresh seafood…

Tech RoundUp

A toy to end all toys.

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EmoSpark Console Guarantees User’s Increased Happiness The first A.I. home device will forever change the course of entertainment. Technology that improves our lives is always a priority. Technology that can improve moods and overall happiness is beyond our expectations, yet we are always ready for a break from today’s chaotic world. Enter EmoSpark, the world’s first home artificial intelligence console that uses emotion text and content analysis to measure the emotional responses of its users. In fact, it actually detects the moods of several people in the room at a time, the same way people do, through facial recognition and learning to interact through conversation. Technically, EmoSpark accesses NASA’s MODIS…

THE REVIEW

THE ALICIA AGNESON EDITION

TRAVEL

Into the Wild: Alladale Wilderness Retreat

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“This isn’t an estate. I despise the word ‘estate’. This is a wilderness reserve”.  Paul Lister, the rather eccentric and very present custodian of Alladale Wilderness Reserve – a vast stretch of flawless heathery glen in the Scottish Highlands – defines much of Alladale and his place in it through what it and he is not. It isn’t a traditional Highlands retreat, as there is no deer stalking, grouse shooting, salmon fishing or hunting of any kind. He most certainly is not an entrepreneur, as he often tells me, but rather a passionate conservationist and ‘something of a tree hugger’. The reserve doesn’t feel the need to set strict –…

Langdale Chase Hotel

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Steeped in amazing untold stories, the house was designed by J.L Ball, JT Lee and Pattinson of Manchester and built as a private house in the late 19th century for Edna Howarth

Marbella’s Gastronomic Sweetspots, Old and New

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Nestled on the sun-drenched shores of the Costa del Sol, Marbella is an irresistible blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and unparalleled luxury. Renowned for its breath-taking beaches and glamorous lifestyle, it is also a culinary haven that tantalises even the most discerning visitor.

Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

The Greatest Outdoors

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In honesty, “freshly back from the French Alps for a YogiSki festival”, is a phrase quite enjoyable to leave hanging in the air.  Set between Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, my recent foray to the mountains offered plentiful serene moments of reflection and emotional expansion, with ample time to enjoy the last of the white stuff as the ‘23-’24 ski season came to a close. The opportunity to enjoy a plethora of outdoor pursuits means rather scopious packing, and with that, I share my edited picks for a trip of multiple purposes. For the workout Offering elevated workout wear that is just as in place at a leisurely brunch as it…

The Penthouse by 3SA Estate. Limitless Luxury in Super Chic Marbella

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I am revisiting Marbella after decades to take a fresh look, as I’ve heard more than a few murmurings that this locale is experiencing a new era of redefined luxury. Indeed, Marbella is said to be undergoing a renaissance created by attracting an entirely new highly sophisticated and professional global jet-set, one that is thriving on a new limitless lifestyle whilst honouring its pedigree and provenance.

Sensational Saint Lucia

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The mango-shaped island, only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide, was born from volcanic origin and is fringed with soft sandy beaches, golden in the north and dark silver in the southwest.

THE ALPINE EDITION

22-23 Season

BEAUTY

Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

The Greatest Outdoors

By

In honesty, “freshly back from the French Alps for a YogiSki festival”, is a phrase quite enjoyable to leave hanging in the air.  Set between Les Menuires and Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, my recent foray to the mountains offered plentiful serene moments of reflection and emotional expansion, with ample time to enjoy the last of the white stuff as the ‘23-’24 ski season came to a close. The opportunity to enjoy a plethora of outdoor pursuits means rather scopious packing, and with that, I share my edited picks for a trip of multiple purposes. For the workout Offering elevated workout wear that is just as in place at a leisurely brunch as it…

Bentley Beyond, The Collection. For the journey.

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An invitation to Bentley’s newest fragrance launch was a joy that ran deeper than expected. Driving a car you love is so much more than the ‘a’ to ‘b’. It’s the feel of the steering wheel moving from under your palm, the resistance of the accelerator beneath your sole or the slick movement of the gearbox. Sometimes it’s the thrill you get when the mechanic tells you that against all odds, your pernickety classic car flew through its MOT. It’s the bond you feel and the memories you create together over the miles. It’s the smell of crisp winter air streaming through the window as you drive through the open…

Where the Hot Springs Flow: Diving into The Well, Oslo

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It is perhaps one of the great tragedies of my life that I don’t spend every weekend in a beautifully crafted replica of a Kyoto bathhouse, surrounded on all sides by thirty or more totally naked Norwegians, each glistening with perspiration and a curated array of essential oils. However, my trip to the spectacular Oslo wellness resort The Well ensured – within an hour of arrival, in fact – that my existence would no longer be completely lacking this experience.  If the beginning of this wellness resort review sounds like the stuff of teenage fantasy crossed with a Nordic fever dream, I could only apologise. Except, as you probably expect,…

THE REVIEW

THE BEN WILLIAMS EDITION

FILM

Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae - Roger Chan - The Review Magazine

Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae LP780-4

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I slip my slightly clammy hand gingerly into the slot, ease some pressure and pull gently skyward. That scissor-door entry is nothing less than muted pornography. So effortless in its execution, it’s part of the recipe that makes the Aventador just that little bit more special.

Casio PX-S7000 Stephen Sims

Aesthetic Harmonics – The Casio PX-S7000

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Quality, innovation and – by god, in this case – style. Casio’s reputation precedes it when it comes to its product development and, crucially, its product refinement. Their first electronic keyboard, The Casiotone CT-201, was birthed by Toshio Kashio and his team in January 1980.

Ferrari F8 Spider

Ferrari F8 Spider

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Fresh from four days in Scotland driving the simply astonishing Ferrari F8 Spider, there are times in one’s life where you have to sit back, take some time, and genuinely let an experience wash over you. You need to take it in. Revel in it. The smells, the sights, the sheer visceral nature of it.

Alpina - Startimer Pilot Chronograph

Alpina – Startimer Pilot Chronograph

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Like many Swiss watchmaking dynasties, Alpina can trace its founding back to the turn of the nineteenth century – 1883 to be precise – by Gottlieb Hauser, a watchmaker in Winterthur, who also established the Swiss Watchmakers Corporation (Union Horlogère Suisse).

Stacia Suttles

Stacia Suttles

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It wasn’t until Stacia Suttles turned 19 and stepped into a boxing ring for the first time, that the amateur fighter realised she was exceptionally gifted in the combat sport.

Twisted 21

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I scanned the horizon of the Finnish race circuit but Charlie was possibly doing a few laps in the 500hp V8 110. “Let me see if I can find him Tony”. “Cool man”. This was the first of a handful of semi awkward exchanges I would have with Tony Hawk that week as we crossed from Finland into Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Austria and Monaco.