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Ham&High - Text only page Return to Ham&High homepageNews | Letters | Sport | What's On Friends in facebook feud face High CourtA SHOWBIZ executive has launched a high court bid against a former friend who allegedly created an unflattering profile of him on Facebook at his Hampstead home in the first ever case of its kind. Mathew Firsht, manager of Applause Store Productions which... Police reassure communities after teenager's stabbingPolice in Camden have vowed to protect communities from knife crime after the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy at the weekend. Ben Kinsella, from Islington, died from stab wounds in York Way, near King s Cross, in the early hours of Sunday. His death follo... Coach crashes into building in horror smashA coach has crashed into a block of six flats on Muswell Hill. The vehicle reversed into the three-storey building called Hollybank at 2.30pm yesterday (Thursday). The coach was empty at the time apart from the driver who was taken to hospital. His injuries are not thought to be serious. ... Residents' outrage as squirrels threaten woodlandIF anyone said squirrels are a major danger to our natural habitat, you might think they were barking mad. But that is exactly the case as trees across Hampstead and Highgate are at risk from an explosion in the number of grey squirrels. By stripping bark... Masked gang terrorise tradersTERRIFIED shopkeepers are on high alert after five more stores were targeted by a gang of vicious masked thieves. The burglars in scooter helmets armed with hammers struck in Hampstead and Belsize Park. Jessops in Hampstead high street was targeted for t... Fake gold dust used in scam deals, says Scotland YardBy Ed Thomas GOLD dust stashed at a Hampstead safety deposit centre has been revealed as painted metal. Armed police officers stormed the Hampstead Safe Depository on the Finchley Road on June 2 as part of an investigation into money laundering and other... Baby Ava hears again after internet search for cureBy Miguel Cullen A BELSIZE Park baby can hear the world for the first time after being born totally deaf. Little Ava Pearson, who is 15 months old, could hear nothing at all for almost the first year of her life. Parents Chris and Lauren Pearson were dist... Plumbers tap eco benefits by getting on their bikesBy Katie Davies WHITE van men are becoming green in Camden, cycling to house jobs in a bid to avoid parking fines. Run-ins with parking wardens have hit plumbers and electricians so badly they have taken to two wheels. Firms including Primrose Plumbers an... Man stabbed father after years of smoking skunkA university dropout who stabbed his father in the back minutes after he was sent home by psychiatrists is set to be detained in a secure hospital. Henry Jack Archer, 24, developed paranoid schizophrenia after years of smoking powerful cannabis – known... Haringey uses anti-terror laws to target litter loutsBy Charlotte Newton HI-TECH surveillance laws designed to track terrorists are being used to catch petty criminals, it was revealed this week. Haringey Council has admitted using pioneering RIPA legislation up to 85 times since 2001 to entrap vandals, ben... MEP Mary is determined to represent your interestsI was surprised that following contacting your newspaper, with a story of major importance to both your local area and the plight of women across the world, that you found it more relevant to your readers to ridicule me. You quote the Chairman of the High... Architects speak out against Edith Neville share planWE are a firm of Camden architects who have been working with Edith Neville School for 18 months to help them design a new building. We re also local residents. As a result of what we know about the school, we strongly object to Camden Council s scheme to... Society baffled by crazy economics of post office closuresDuring the campaigns against local post office closures, there must have been many of us, whilst standing for up to 20 minutes in a queue at our local post office, (as is the norm in Muswell Hill, Archway or East Finchley, to cite just three examples), wh... UNISON is firmly against privatisation in Camden's care homesThe latest proposals for the future of Camden s care homes leave a particularly bitter taste. It is clear that the Tory/Lib Dem Councillors are intent on selling as much of the family silver – property as well as staff - as possible and I believe their... Long-term future of Dalby Street is in council's handsOn Thursday evening, June 19, the Camden Executive Environment Sub-Group meeting will determine whether Camden will stamp and approve the stopping up of Dalby Street and major alterations to the Prince of Wales Road. If they do, a much used public highwa... Executive must wake up to dangers of Dalby Street developmentLike many local people who have written over the last few weeks, we would like to record our continued opposition to the development of 55 flats to be built, literally, on top of Dalby Street. If built, the popular Talacre Sports Centre, including Treet... Facts prove that bikers and accidents do go togetherTory Councillor Chris Knight, self-styled uber-biker suggests I have biker-phobia, after my comments on the use of bus lanes by motorcyclists (H&H Letters, 12 June). I don t, I was simply referring to the basic facts: motorcyclists suffer and cause th... Post office closures: isn't it time we were told the truth?The threat to our postal services, including rising costs of postage, derives from European Union directives on the subject - over which we have no control. EU Directive 97/96 EC established a universal postal service within the European Union. This... Important distinction as market forces combine at Swiss CottageWhile I am glad to see the publicity given to the farmers market – and equally glad that it looks like having a new lease on life – please understand that there are two markets: the farmers market and the ordinary food market (Farmers market in welcome... Does anyone out there support the Dalby Street development?In the months that we have been campaigning against the Dalby Street development at Talacre, we have found not a single person, apart from the developers, who supports it. Some councillors hide behind the claim that approval which was conditional on ac... Adebayor pledges future to ArsenalEmmanuel Adebayor has handed Arsenal a huge boost by declaring he is staying at The Emirates. The Togo striker, who netted 30 goals last season, has been the subject of intense speculation linking him with a move to AC Milan. His agent, Vincenzo Morabito,... Arsenal pocket £1.65million from Muamba dealArsenal are in line for an unexpected payday this week after former Gunner Fabrice Muamba s move from Birmingham to Bolton. The England U-21 midfielder, who began his career at Highbury before moving to St Andrew s in 2006, was sold by relegated Birmingha... After Real Madrid and Juventus, it's bring on West BromARSENAL start their new Premier League campaign with a home clash against newly-promoted West Brom at The Emirates on August 16. The Gunners, who finished without a trophy last season, make the short trip to Craven Cottage seven days later for their firs... Arsenal star's great pair of lungs wins a national awardEngland and Arsenal striker Kelly Smith has won the British Lung Foundation s female Lungs of the Year 2008 award in recognition of the fantastic use she has made of her lungs over the past year . The award, a framed photograph of a beautiful gla... Arsenal's loss is England's gain as Lewin packs his physio bagChecking out the fitness of new signing Aaron Ramsey will be one of the final acts of his long and distinguished Arsenal career for physio Gary Lewin. The 44-year-old, as revealed in by the Ham&High last month, leaves the club this summer after 22 years... Wenger clinches signing of Welsh teenage sensation Aaron RamseyWelsh teenage sensation Aaron Ramsey is expected to become Arsene Wenger s first summer signing, writes Jem Maidment. Manchester United and Everton have both made bids for the Cardiff City winger, who has scored twice in 22 appearances for the Bluebirds.... Wretched six weeks put paid to Arsenal's trophy hopesOnly a wretched six week period in the final third of the season denied the Gunners a fourth Premier League title under the Frenchman – and a possible second Champions League final in three seasons. That s the verdict of the Ham&High s Arsenal expert Jem... An emotional exit for Lehmann and a speedy one for FlaminiIt s been a week of tears, thank yous and goodbyes at Arsenal, writes Jem Maidment . While an emotional Jens Lehmann was soaking up The Emirates atmosphere for one last time, Mathieu Flamini was quickly disrobing from his Arsenal tracksuit, saying hurrie... Smart money is on a Hleb move to Inter MilanBelarussian Alex Hleb is tipped for a move, like his close friend Flamini, to San Siro. However, it is the blue and black of Inter to which Hleb is likely to sign. Wenger has already voiced his displeasure at Inter s public wooing of the 27-year-old and... Akers and Lewin tipped to depart Arsenal this summerArsenal s managing director Keith Edelman has announced he is stepping down from his role after eight years to pursue more work outside of the game, including a multi-million pound environmental project in Bedfordshire, and there could be two other shock... Power cut by Napa defeatMARTIN Power failed in his ambition to secure a Lonsdale belt as he crashed to defeat against reigning British bantamweight champ Ian Napa at Newham Leisure Centre last weekend. In a rematch of their 2005 clash, the two fighters went toe-to-toe for... Roughing it up at the ABAsTwo fights in one day would leave some amateur boxers flat on the canvas with a face resembling the rear end of a London bus – but not these women from All Stars Boxing Club. Lesley Sackey and Zaneta Sierpinska both clinched ABA titles in... Dubliner Joyce happy to lead Middlesex from the frontBY SIMON JACKSON MIDDLESEX vice-captain Ed Joyce is relishing his enhanced responsibilities as the Lord s outfit, currently third in the County Championship, continue to sparkle in the Twenty20 Cup. Joyce has led Middlesex in the past two matches of their unbeaten Twenty2... Middlesex fired up for Twenty20 showdownMIDDLESEX are quietly confident of victory ahead of Tuesday's crunch clash with Lancashire in the Twenty20 Cup quarter-final at the Brit Oval. The Lord s outfit have been a revelation in the competition with eight wins from 10 south division matches. The... Middlesex fight back to lead Twenty20MIDDLESEX surged back to the top of the Twenty20 Cup South division table when they beat Kent at Uxbridge on Tuesday night to move within reach of the next round. The vital win, Middlesex s sixth victory from eight cup games, saw them leapfrog two points... Players tee it up at Finchley golf tournamentSEVERAL Middlesex players, including skipper Ed Smith, teed up in the fourth annual Middlesex CCC golf day at Finchley GC, writes Patrick Mooney. The winners were the Caitlin 1 team of Tim Peters, Steve Rylands, Leon Douch and Kevin Osborn, who finished w... Big money in Twenty20, but Middlesex want trophiesWE VE had a tremendous start to the Twenty20 Cup with four straight wins, including Monday s gritty success over Surrey at Lord s. The run started last Wednesday at The Rose Bowl where Shaun Udal returned to remind Hampshire what a good player he still is... Texan billionaire swoops into Lord's and sets up world's richest challengeA TEXAN billionaire landed his helicopter on the sacred pitch at Lord s on Wednesday and brought some of football s buzz and bling to cricket. Sir Allen Stanford (pictured) stepped off his chopper at the home of cricket to launch Stanford Twenty20 for 20... Texan billionaire swoops into Lord's and cricket may never be the sameA TEXAN billionaire landed his helicopter on the sacred pitch at Lord s on Wednesday and brought some of football s buzz and bling to cricket. Sir Allen Stanford (pictured) stepped off his chopper at the home of cricket to launch Stanford Twenty20 for 20... Udal's match-winning performance puts Middlesex in the pinkMiddlesex Crusaders opened their Twenty20 Cup campaign with a shock 33-run win under the Rose Bowl floodlights against much-fancied Hampshire Hawks on Wednesday evening. Shaun Udal returned to his former home ground and produced a man of the match perform... Middlesex move into third after thrashing EssexMIDDLESEX handed Essex an innings defeat in the County Championship at Lord s on Monday and head into the three-week break for the Twenty20 Cup competition in a much more positive frame of mind. Ed Smith s under-fire team are now third in the table after... Strauss is named man of the series for EnglandMIDDLESEX batsman Andrew Strauss was named man of the series following England s decisive series win over New Zealand at Trent Bridge on Sunday. England beat the Kiwis 2-0 after drawing the first Test at Lord s last month. Strauss was awarded the accolade... Wiggins pipped to prologueBradley Wiggins dreams of winning the yellow jersey on home soil were crushed on Saturday as Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara thundered to victory in the Tour de France prologue, writes Jonny Weeks. Wiggins, who grew up in Maida Vale... I'll don yellow jersey - WigginsBy Jonny Weeks Bradley Wiggins believes he has a great chance to wear the famous yellow leader's jersey when the Tour de France begins in London. The 27-year-old Maida Vale rider is one of the favourites to win tomorrow's 7.9km prologue event which passes... Spurs chase goalkeeper GomesJUANDE Ramos is close to sorting out Tottenham s goalkeeping dilemma by landing PSV Eindhoven s Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs boss has been looking at replacements for Paul Robinson and the Brazilian is top of his list. Gomes was instrumental in helping PSV k... Spurs start campaign at Middlesbrough as Arsenal take on West BromSPURS open the new Premier League season with a tough away trip to the Riverside to tackle Middlesbrough on Saturday, August 16. Tottenham, who finished 11th last season, entertain Roy Keane s Sunderland in their first home game at the Lane the following... Triumphant Keothavong will play Venus at WimbledonCUMBERLAND S Anne Keothavong is set to meet reigning champion Venus Williams in the second round of 2008 Wimbledon after beating the United States Vania King on Tuesday. Keothavong, the British No.1, overcame the loss of the first set to storm to a decis... Wimbledon dream over for Anne after Venus showdownWIMBLEDON hopeful Anne Keothavong has crashed out of the championship after being beaten by Venus Williams. The Cumberland player fought hard but was eventually overpowered by the reigning champion who won the second-round match 7-5 6-2. Venus, who has w... Anne set for Wimbledon after reaching Surbiton finalCUMBERLAND S Anne Keothavong warmed up for Wimbledon by reaching the final of the The Surbiton Trophy on Saturday. Despite losing to New Zealander Marina Erakovicin in straight sets, 4-6, 2-6, the British No.1 was happy with her efforts in the grass seas... MCC prepared to mount underground mission at Lord'sMiguel Cullen The MCC is considering using underground rail tunnels beneath the hallowed Lord s turf to house cricket nets. Two disused Underground tunnels, once used by the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, could now be put to a different use, if a deal b... Spurs to get official reception but victory parade looks unlikelySpurs fans will be given several chances to get even closer to the Carling Cup following Sunday s epic 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley. The trophy will be displayed at the Spurs Megastore on Tottenham High Road this weekend and will also be shown off... Celebration time for Spurs fans as Chelsea are beaten at WembleySpurs fans arriving at Wembley for yesterday s Carling Cup Final against Chelsea. Some three hours later they were jubilant after Spurs had scored a 2-1 extra time victory over their London rivals. Although Chelsea took the lead through a defelcted free k... John Emburey leaves Middlesex to pursue coaching roleFormer England spinner John Emburey has left Middlesex to pursue a more hands-on coaching role. Chief executive Vinny Codrington said Emburey had left by mutual consent after the club wanted to move him into a more administrative role. After being made d... Keothavong vows to crash into the world’s top 100CUMBERLAND S British No. 1 Anne Keothavong believes she is on course to break into the world s top 100 during 2007. The 23-year-old Keothavong enjoyed a perfect end to 2006 when she claimed her second $25,000 title of the year in Prerov, Czech Republic,... Spurs can push on and have a great 2007 says Gary MabbuttSPURS go into the New Year in good shape. We are in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, the last 32 of the Uefa Cup and face a tough but winnable FA Cup tie against Cardiff. In the Premiership we are closing in on a top six place. However, I want to see u... Huddlestone signs new deal at SpursSPURS midfielder Tom Huddlestone this week signed a new five-year deal at the Lane. The 21-year-old, who joined Tottenham from Derby in 2005, has pledged his future to the North London club until 2013. The England Under 21 international made 43 appearan... Spurs chase goalkeeper GomesJUANDE Ramos is close to sorting out Tottenham s goalkeeping dilemma by landing PSV Eindhoven s Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs boss has been looking at replacements for Paul Robinson and the Brazilian is top of his list. Gomes was instrumental in helping PSV k... Ramos would prefer to start season at White Hart LaneJUANDE Ramos this week said he was disappointed that Spurs were not starting the new Premier League season with a home game at the Lane, writes Patrick Mooney. Tottenham visit Middlesbrough at the Riverside on the opening day – August 16 – before entertai... Spurs striker could be heading north to join SunderlandSunderland are reported to be interested in signing Spurs striker Darren Bent. Black Cats boss Roy Keane sees the 24-year-old Bent as the ideal replacement for Kenwyne Jones, who is sidelined until Christmas with a knee injury. Although Bent... Spurs start season against Boro and finish with Anfield tripSPURS open the new Premier League season with a tough away trip to the Riverside to tackle Middlesbrough on Saturday, August 16. And if the Lilywhites need three points to clinch the title on the last day of the season - Sunday May 24 – they will have to... Passion of fans convinces Dos Santos to join SpursTOTTENHAM this week completed the signing of Mexico international Giovani Dos Santos from Barcelona for an initial £4.7m. That fee could rise to £8.6m depending on appearances. Giovani, 19, who has signed a five-year deal, said: It s a dream to come to... New goalkeeping coach appointed at White Hart LaneBy Patrick Mooney THE goalkeeping revolution has started at the Lane. Radek Cerny s loan deal from Slavia Prague has come to an end and the Czech shot-stopper has joined Championship side Queens Park Rangers. Cerny, who ended the season as Tottenham s N... New deal to keep award-winner O'Hara at White Hart LaneTottenham midfielder Jamie O Hara has signed a three-year contract extension with the Lilywhites, writes Patrick Mooney. The 21-year-old started the season on loan to Millwall but was then given his chance by Spurs manager Juande Ramos. He has come a l... Liverpool don't have a trophy - but they do have TorresFEW at New Year would have been surprised that a cup winner would be present when Spurs tackle Liverpool at White Hart Lane in Sunday s Premiership finale. But few would have predicted that the sole cup winner would be the Lilywhites, who beat Chelsea to... Gilberto's promise: Spurs will see best of me next seasonGILBERTO Da Silva feels Spurs fans will see the best of him next season after a slow start to his White Hart Lane career. The Brazilian defender had to wait until the Bolton game – the third last – for his first 90 minutes, following his £2million move fr... No stopping 80-year-old SusanSUSAN Halter loves swimming so much she carries a costume with her wherever she goes. But that isn t the Hungarian s greatest eccentricity, writes Jonny Weeks. Remarkably, Halter – a former Olympian born in 1927 – defies her 80 years by swimming every day... Wimbledon dream over for Anne after Venus showdownCUMBERLAND'S Anne Keothavong underlined her big improvement this year by pushing defending Wimbledon champion Venus Williams hard in yesterday s second round clash on Centre Court, writes Patrick Mooney. The British No.1, who became the first British woma... Triumphant Keothavong will play Venus at WimbledonCUMBERLAND S Anne Keothavong is set to meet reigning champion Venus Williams in the second round of 2008 Wimbledon after beating the United States Vania King on Tuesday. Keothavong, the British No.1, overcame the loss of the first set to storm to a decis... Bogdanovic crashes out of Wimbledon after nail-biting gameGlobe's Alex Bogdanovic crashed out of Wimbledon in four close sets to Italian Simone Bolelli on Court 11 on Monday afternoon. The British No.2, watched by his American coach Brad Gilbert, lost the first set 7-6 (7-4) on the tie-break after leading 2-0.... Bogdanovich bounces back against Columbian Falla guyfAlex Bogdanovic produced one of his best performances on grass to reach the main draw of the Slazenger Open in Nottingham over the weekend, writes Patrick Mooney. The Globe player, who disappointingly lost in the opening round of the Artois tournament at... Anne set for Wimbledon after reaching Surbiton finalCUMBERLAND S Anne Keothavong warmed up for Wimbledon by reaching the final of the The Surbiton Trophy on Saturday. Despite losing to New Zealander Marina Erakovicin in straight sets, 4-6, 2-6, the British No.1 was happy with her efforts in the grass seas... Bogdanovich handed Wimbledon wild card despite Queens defeatGLOBE S Alex Bogdanovic failed to make the most of his wild card in the Artois Championships and crashed out in straight sets to Australian qualifier Joseph Sirianni at Queen s on Monday, writes Patrick Mooney. However, the British No.3 received a boost l... Globe men quick to net Middlesex CupGLOBE thrashed Paddington 5-1 to collect the Middlesex Cup (premier division) on home courts on Saturday. The Belsize Park outfit were always in control. They won all three rubbers in the first round and then sealed success by winning the... Keothavong pledges she'll crack top 100CUMBERLAND'S Anne Keothavong this week said she has the hunger and desire to crack the world s top 100. In the wake of LTA boss Roger Draper's stinging attack on British players for their lack of effort and fitness – only Tim Henman and... Alex: I can step upALEX Bogdanovic was this week looking at the bigger picture after bowing out of Wimbledon in straight sets to the big-serving Australian Chris Guccione on Tuesday night. The Globe left-hander, who went into the first round match on... Kenwood's slave trade exhibits given online revivalMarch marked the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and Kenwood House staged a major exhibition telling a story rarely told. It has now been given a second life on the internet – reporter Josie Hinton finds out more. A UNIQUE story o... Diego Rivera's bicycle pursuit of Frida Kahlo in HampsteadUnashamedly plundering characters from literature and art history, Mychael Barratt creates affectionate narrative paintings and prints with London settings. As his exhibition Urban Myths at Gallery K in Hampstead celebrates the Hampstead and Highgate Fest... Ruth's prizewinning exhibition of images to treasureBy ALISON OLDHAM Wedding photographers bear a heavy responsibility – to capture images to treasure at an event which can t be restaged. Dartmouth Park photographer Ruth Corney wears this hat as lightly, indeed gaily, as her many others. Her picture of a... Kate Greenaway's Hampstead studio gets a new lease on lifeFrench artist installs himself in Victorian illustrator Kate Greenaway s former home by Alison Oldham A Victorian artist s studio in Hampstead has been returned to the art world. In 1885 the illustrator Kate Greenaway commissioned architect Norman Sh... Exhibition celebrates a designer whose passion was paintingby Alison Oldham The late Philip Pank was one of a not so rare breed – the architect artist. He exhibited with the London-based Society of Architect Artists from 1984 until his early death in 1991, and looki... Bohm’s poetic lens captures the moment beautifullyBy Alison Oldham POETIC, mysterious, transitional moments when the light is right are the trigger for Dorothy Bohm s personal photographs. Her daughter, art historian Monica Bohm-Duchen, says her mother never manipulates images but aims to capture a mome... Learning to paint the card wayWas your New Year s resolution to learn to paint? Do you consider yourself artistically undiscovered because you ve never had a chance to go to art school or even classes – and don t now? If the answer to either question is yes, an innovative venture by... Peat and rocks do wonders for Knox in Highgate exhibitionby Alison Oldham Mummy was a brownish paint valued for its translucent qualities and used for spooky shadows until early in the 19th century. Then one of its components became problematic – mummified corpses – and it went out of circulation. The modern connotations of M... David Smith never came to Hampstead but his ideas didBy Alison Oldham THE American sculptor David Smith never came to Hampstead – but his ideas did. In 1959, Anthony Caro made his first visit to New York where he got to know Smith and saw his constructed metal sculptures. Back in his studio, then a modest g... Plastic bags are all the rage at Kilburn exhibitionTHE plastic carrier bags that are the inevitable aftermath of Christmas present buying and visits to the January sales are manna from heaven for Roger Woodiwiss. His ever-expanding collection of bags – amassed on trips to Tokyo and New York as well as his... Taxi To The Dark Side explores Guantanamo horrorsTaxi to The Dark Side (15) Director Alex Gibney Documentary 106 mins Four star rating Taxi to the Dark Side is a splendid movie title though you may consider it a rather florid effort for a documentary about the use of torture by the US military. The f... Hulk has plenty of muscle, but not much inspirationThe Incredible Hulk (PG) Director Louis Letterier Starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson 114mins Three star rating BY MICHAEL JOYCE As a comic strip The Hulk is one of Marvel comics most cherished creations, an effort... Indiana's crusade fails to recapture past gloriesby Michael Joyce Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (12A) Director Steven Spielberg Starring Harrison Ford, Shia Labeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt 124 mins Two star rating For the last few weeks every day has begun with a ro... Audiences are finding this draft just a little chillyStop-Loss (15) Director Kimberly Pierce Starring Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Timothy Olyphant 113 mins Three star rating BY MICHAEL JOYCE Stop-loss is the small print that allows the US government to keep resen... One tube driver who isn't hooked on customer serviceThree and Out (15) Director Jonathon Gerschfield Starring Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Imelda Staunton, Gemma Arterton, Sir Antony Sher 109 mins Two star rating Usually British black comedies slink into our theatres with a minimal out-of-politeness publ... Plot is all washed up in hunt for sunken treasureFool s Gold (12) Director Andy Tennant Starring Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena, Ewen Bremner, Ray Winstone 113 mins One star rating Sun, sea, romance, a little sprinkling of action – how bad could it be? There s a simp... If this isn't a masterpiece, tell me what isMichael Joyce gives a rare five-star rating to Coen brothers No Country for Old Men (15) Directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly MacDonald, Woody Harrelson, 122 mins Five star rating IN recent years there has been some concern that the Coen Brothers might be los... Woody Allen lookalike is surprisingly funnyTWO days in paris (15) Director Julie Delpy Starring Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg, Daniel Bruhl, Marie Pillet, Albert Delpy, Aleksia Landeau. 96 mins. Three star rating After a decade and a half of symbolising that enigmatic yet feisty vision of French fe... Unimpressed by this French take on Lady ChatterleyLady chatterley (18) Director Pascale Ferran Starring Marina Hands, Jean-Louis Coullouc h, Hippolyte Girardot, Helene Alexandridis. 168 mins One star rating You ll go one of two ways with this French adaptation of DH Lawrence s second version of Lady Chat... Evans almighty, this dismal sequel is far from God-likeHollywood s latest attempt to do God is disappointing and proves that Jim Carrey s refusal to do any sequels was a very wise move, writes Michael Joyce... Manna is truly heaven-sent for choosy vegetariansVegetarian restaurants haven t really caught on in the UK. It s true that vegetarians are generally better catered for than they once were, and have more choice here than in many European countries, but meat-free dining could still do with a makeover. Th... FRANCES BISSELL: Cooking with lavender brings sensational resultsAs regular readers will know, I need very little excuse to cook Italian food. These last few days I have not even needed a trip to Bologna to inspire me, but simply a walk down to South End Green to eat a first meal at Osteria Emilia. Any restaurant that... GBK shows just how far the humble burger has comeBY VICTORIA PREVER Since the first Gourmet Burger Kitchen was opened by three carnivorous New Zealanders – advised by my kitchen hero Peter Gordon – the London burger scene has never looked back. A number of similar outlets have followed suit, elevating t... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Bathing in BordeauxFor a while now, I ve been bathing in bordeaux. No, not literally in the sense of jumping into a tub of the red liquid (though Les Sources de Caudalie at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in the heart of the Medoc does a great line in vinotherapie , including a... I'm not yearning for Yam, but Sahara is a different storyThe last time I was at 7 St John s Wood High Street was in January when I visited the dreadful Yan. No surprise, it closed its doors for good not long afterwards. That site seems cursed by the Wicked Witch of the Wood, as no-one – not even Pizza Express... Service was hot, but food at Sushi 101 left me coldBY VICTORIA PREVER Who exactly goes on holiday to Muswell Hill? I find it hard to believe that there are enough visitors to N10 to fill the hotels that line Queens Avenue, but clearly there s a demand for rooms to rent. I dragged Grumpy to the Raglan Hotel this week. Not in... PUB SPY: the Flask at Highgate and its Hampstead namesakeBY BARRY REYNOLDS I have never seen people queue for a drink the way they do in the Flask in Highgate. It is all very civilised as if they were waiting to use an ATM machine. It may be because there is only one small bar with three people serving and there is little elbow... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Simon is so Farr-sightedOdd, isn t it, that someone whose business is to sell wine should recommend consumers to buy less of it. But there s a great deal of sense in that suggestion from Simon Farr, who over the past 25 years has seen millions of bottles move through a rather sp... Excellent fare, but who's flying the plane at Osteria Stecca?by VICTORIA PREVER How do you feel when you re 30,000ft above the ground and the captain appears on your side of the cockpit door? Initially pleased, perhaps, that he looks the part and has taken the time to mingle with his passengers. Subsequently, a little anxious, probab... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Impressed by Portugese showcaseAll of a sudden, good things are happening for Portugal. First, publication of a splendid wine-led guide to the country, second a showcase tasting of some of its very best bottles and finally – and here s the bit which should bring out the credit card – t... Why this Lord's test is bound to become a classicSpectators leaving Lord s at the end of the first day s play in the Test Match against South Africa next Thursday will have an additional option available to avoid the inevitable queuing up at St John s Wood Station. The English Chamber Choir (one of L... REVIEW: NEW PROFESSIONALS ORCHESTRA Hampstead Parish ChurchBy Michael White: As one of the quieter personalities in an orchestra (and because of it, the butt of many a musician s joke), the viola doesn t often step into the limelight. But when it does, the comfortably glowing tone can be magical; and in the hands of a star player... REVIEW: DON CARLO, Covent GardenThe new Royal Opera production of Verdi s Don Carlo is the hot ticket of the season and in some ways deserves to be. Magisterially conducted by Antonio Pappano, the orchestral sound is handsome and the singing wonderful,... Sky-high guitar legend teams up for St Jude's performanceJohn Williams who was once part of the band Sky has tried his hand at every kind of music and has now joined forces with another guitarist for a duo recital BY MICHAEL WHITE Back in the 60s it was flowery shirts and long hair. Now the shirts are gone,... St Jude's Proms hits the highest notes for charityWith the Proms in its 16th year, one of the organisers Thomas Radice explains the origins and aims of this well-loved summer series The Proms at St Jude s –one of London s top music festivals – is now in its 16th year. One thing that makes the festival p... New strings attached to lessons at Highgate SchoolTHERE will be a few more strings attached to music lessons at Highgate School in future. Pupils are set to benefit after the independent school appointed its own highly regarded string quartet in residence. The idea to have the resident Barbirolli Quartet... Hey St Jude's: a host of talent lined up for promsMUSICAL maestros are taking to the stage in Hampstead Garden Suburb for the annual St Jude s Proms. Jazz legend Humphrey Lyttelton and internationally acclaimed pianist John Lill are two of the big names due to perform in June. Others include guitar duo J... Kate Nash: Where will I shop if Camden's Stables Market disappears?By Tan Parsons and James Rosenthal POP princess Kate Nash played a secret gig in Highgate last week in protest at plans to regenerate Camden Stables Market. The singer played songs from her debut album Made Of Bricks to a packed crowd of avid fans at the... Mozart to replace eagles and birdies at Highgate golf clubFor an evening in October the usually lively clubhouse at Highgate Golf Club will close its doors to post-game banter and celebrate the 251st birthday of W A Mozart with a recital to raise funds for the Camphill Village in St Albans, a now regular event o... Sassy Baron Cohen is set to sound off at the British LibraryERRAN Baron Cohen is DJing with his Zohar Sound System at the British Library event on July 26. The music has the same influences as his band Zohar – World Fusion Beat Scientists – a fusion of Jewish and Arabic beats, which he says fits well with an eve... Amy is sitting pretty again with a new play in the pipelineAhead of her new play being staged at Hampstead, playwright Amy Rosenthal chats to Katie Davies about overcoming writer s block and life as a celebrity offspring THERE S no mistaking Amy Rosenthal s origins. The big brown eyes, huge smile and delicate... New director brings breath of fresh air to Regent's ParkBY BRIDGET GALTON TIMOTHY Sheader s first season at the Open Air Theatre in Regent s Park is not going to frighten the regulars. With a trio of Shakespeare plays and a musical by the creators of My Fair Lady, he has stuck close to the tried and tested win... REVIEW: Small Change Donmar, Covent GardenFour star rating If the spirit of DH Lawrence hovers above this work, it s hardly surprising. Writer and director Peter Gill directed a celebrated series of Lawrence s plays at the Royal Court in the 60s and his underrated work covers similar emotional t... Actors marathon of eight Shakespeare plays over four daysTHE rare chance to see all eight of Shakespeare s history plays performed in sequence by the RSC has been drawing crowds to the Roundhouse this month. The company s artistic director Michael Boyd has already staged the cycle at Stratford s Courtyard Theat... Survival of the fittest: Kwame probes the immigrant's eternal plightBY BRIDGET GALTON With two of his plays running in London theatres, playwright and ex-Casualty star Kwame Kwei-Armah examines a community in transition and questions what it means to be black and British KWAME Kwei-Armah was best known as a soap actor and Celebrity Fame... Amy Rosenthal dares to work with someone she hardly knowsPLAYWRIGHTS Amy Rosenthal and Cosh Omar had never met – despite growing up near each other. Amy, the daughter of Maureen Lipman and screenwriter Jack Rosenthal, comes from Muswell Hill, and Omar hails from north London s Turkish Cypriot community. But th... REVIEW: The Enchantment National TheatreFour star rating Victoria Benedictsson is hardly spoken of outside her native Sweden. And when she is mentioned there, her exploits as a novelist and playwright are of secondary importance. Instead, it is her death that people reca... Former patient brings dramas of the psychiatric ward to the stageA former patient is challenging the myths surrounding mental illness, writes Bridget Galton BEING locked up in a mental institution was both traumatic and inspiring for Deborah Espect. The university administration officer, who lives in Felix Avenue,... REVIEW: American Nights The King s Head, IslingtonFour star rating Disobedience is the foundation of individuality. So claims the programme for American Nights, an inspired pairing of two US plays. Though the first is by a more established writer, they have e... REVIEW: Last Gasp: The Ashtray Project Upstairs at the GatehouseTwo star rating On paper, this collaborative show inspired by the smoking ban interested me – a collection of stories examining smoking in our society, written from an ashtray s perspective. And wi... Beach Boy Brian looking forward to Kenwood - and the English rainBrian Wilson tells Marc Mullen he can t wait to swap the California sunshine for English weather when he performs at Kenwood House this summer Kick-starting the return of the Kenwood summer concerts after the series year-long sabbatical, forme... Stanley Johnson a force of nature in his own rightHam&High reporter Katie Davies is adopted into mayor Boris Johnson s clan, as she chats to London s First Father Stanley Johnson on his home turf of Primrose Hill WITHIN five minutes of meeting the head of the Johnson dynasty, I must be doing well a... Stephen Poliakoff's splendid isolation is key to his craftKatie Masters talks to award-winning writer and director Stephen Poliakoff about the inspiration behind his screenplays There are two words that crop up repeatedly in conversation with Stephen Poliakoff, the BAFTA Award-winning, Emmy Award-winning,... Can Chemical Wedding be an occult blockbuster?BY Ben McPartland A KENTISH Town film maker is confident his latest movie will be the blockbuster of the summer. Chemical Wedding is the new occult thriller from former Haverstock schoolboy Julian Doyle. Now based in Oakford Road, Mr Doyle, who made his n... Avril's wanderlust comes to happy end in 'edgy' HighgateWhen she s not getting her hands dirty in the garden or walking her beloved dog Mokka, Avril Castellazzo is busy being a central figure in edgy and vibrant Highgate village, as Tan Parsons discovers AS well as running a bespoke furniture company in... Starvation, torture and pain - Holocaust survivor's remarkable storyHolocaust survivor Jack Kagan opens up to Ham&High reporter Katie Davies about his experiences in a Nazi work camp, life in north London after the war and coming face to face with his family s killer. IT S easy to see that Jack Kagan makes the perfect... Esther Rantzen adds backing to plight of young ME sufferersYoung sufferer calls for greater awareness of debilitating illness A 21-year-old woman who languished in bed for two and a half years before doctors diagnosed her with ME has called for greater awareness about the illness. Lydia Marmorstein hopes to read... BRIAN COLEMAN: Maggie T, Nicky G, BoJo and meAfter holding his seat at City Hall Brian Coleman, the self-styled King of Bling, talks to Ham&High reporter Katie Davies and, despite being openly gay, admits he always had a soft spot for Margaret Thatcher. AS the clock approached midnight on May 2,... Naked ambition provides inspiration at Hampstead pondsArtist captures the beauty of the beloved spot rather than the official dress code For habitués of the Heath ladies swimming pond, the first impression created by Milein Cosman s painting Hampstead Pond (pictured) may well be of a serious breach of dres... Tilleys' Highgate connection spans the centuriesBY Tan Parsons ONE family that has lived in Highgate since the mid 1800s is following a proud tradition of working in the area. Bob Tilley runs a wrought-iron business with his wife Gloria in Archway Road, and hanging on the wall in their office is a phot... WHO'S WHO: Proms at St Jude's chairman John WheelerJohn Wheeler, from Hampstead Garden Suburb, is the chairman of the board of trustees for the Proms at St Jude s, which continue this week. He has been involved since their creation 16 years ago. Living in the Suburb is a privilege, he says. HOW LONG HA... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: When ignorance isn't blissSome time ago, the export boss of a leading French co-operative told me that while the British happily associated the Loire Valley with splendid chateaux, very few indeed recognised it as a wine region. Really? Surely the pollsters involved made a big m... REVIEW: The Revenger’s Tragedy, National Theatre, South BankFour star rating The energy in this production of The Revenger s Tragedy is incredible. The play starts in a blast of wild music and dance. Masked figures leap across the stage, pirouetting and posing in debauched semi-nudity as the revolving stage spins... REVIEW: Topless Mum, Tricycle Theatre, KilburnThree star rating An injured soldier, back from service in Afghanistan, sells a disturbing picture to a tabloid. But all is not what it seems… Ron Hutchinson s fast-paced satire on manipulation in the modern world explicitly acknowledges its parallels wit... REVIEW: Fast Labour, Hampstead Theatre, Swiss CottageTwo star rating Steve Waters 2004 play, World Music, which focused on Europe s relationship with Africa, showed the playwright s willingness to engage with the ethical complexity and Fast Labour shows a similar concern. The play charts the irresistible r... REVIEW: The Pilgrimage of the Heart, Etcetera Theatre, CamdenOne star rating The only reason to see this play is to witness utterly woeful acting. From years worth of theatre going it would be hard to find a distant rival to this evening of totally under... Berlin is Bearing up well after its troubled historyBoth sides of the unified German capital house museums, many of them so small you might miss them, writes Jenny Woolf In less than 20 years, the re-unified Berlin has become one of the most exciting modern cities in the world. Its major sights and museum... A whole Hoste of reasons to return to windy NorfolkBridget Galton finds East Anglia is just the same as it ever was – except for luxurious food and the hotels, the service... and, oh yes, the grasping car park attendants SHELTERING blue-lipped behind windbreaks before plunging into the icy North Sea wa... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Bathing in BordeauxFor a while now, I ve been bathing in bordeaux. No, not literally in the sense of jumping into a tub of the red liquid (though Les Sources de Caudalie at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in the heart of the Medoc does a great line in vinotherapie , including a... A great environment to have fun while going greenOne of the country s biggest free green events gives everyone the chance to make a difference to the environment, writes Ed Thomas ECO warriors were out in force at the 17th Camden Green Fair and Bikefest. Held in Regent s Park on the first Sunday in J... |