“Southampton’s most exciting destination bar” is the lofty claim for HarBAR on the 6th, the bar on the sixth floor of the new Harbour hotel in Southampton. With indoor and outdoor seating, funky décor including an antique dentist’s chair, fire pits, wood-fired pizza oven and panoramic views over the Ocean Village Marina and down Southampton water […]

 The barometer had steadily dropped throughout the day, the wind speed was nudging 50 knots and the waves over 20 feet high. But that wasn’t going to stop us as we barely broke stride on our way to the Commodore Club. To be fair, the Queen Mary 2 was dealing with the weather with assured […]

“Oh I do like to be beside the seaside” we trilled as we headed toward Brighton for an overnight gin tasting tour. We stayed at the excellent new boutique address, the Brighton Harbour Hotel. Mrs. Gin was attracted by the seaside location, shops, spa, funky chic rooms and, of course, gin; I was drawn to […]

We were nodding silent approval as we approached The Colonnade Bar in Brighton. It is within the same building as the Theatre Royal and has a suitably theatrical air. As we entered we were smiling broadly; we loved it. But how to describe the Georgian interior with its vintage photos of old actors adorning the […]

As Mrs. Gin and I set forth in search of evening sustenance we pondered our minimum requirement for a ‘gin joint’. We agreed that at least 10 ‘speciality’ gins must be on offer but that the most important ingredient was knowledgeable bar staff. We have both been to bars where many gins were available but […]

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”. Well it is at the G’Vine pop-up on Dalloway Terrace, a gorgeous outside space at The Bloomsbury Hotel. The pop-up runs until the 9th October and will showcase G’Vine  gin from a bar on the terrace. G’Vine gin is from France and uses French wine traditions to create a unique product […]

When the nights are long and warm those of us of a certain age can often be heard warbling those unforgettable lyrics from The Lovin’ Spoonful as we stroll through a metropolis;“Hot town, summer in the city,Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty”I was singing this and getting admiring looks as we strolled through […]

It was a bank holiday so, naturally, the forecast was rain. But not till midday so we set off to central London to go on one of the excellent London walks; chosen carefully to terminate very near to the Rosewood Hotel where a table had been booked for lunch at the Holborn Dining Room. The attraction, […]

Dukes Hotel, LondonTucked away in the back streets of St James, Dukes Bar, part of the smart Dukes Hotel, is a London institution. Much of the cocktail menu is inspired by the works of Bond author Ian Fleming, who used to frequent the joint. Indeed, legend has it that this is the bar from which […]