Riyadh, France, England

Cool Britannia PROVE YOU KNOW all the words to Land of Hope and Glory, as eight weeks of the Proms’ classical concerts come to a rousing, sing-along fi nale. All the action from the Last Night of the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall is beamed live onto giant screens in London’s Hyde Park, Belfast City Hall, Glasgow Green and Manchester’s Heaton Park, allowing all those enjoying Proms in the Park – the alfresco alternative to the Royal Albert Hall – to wave their fl ags in unison. Pack a picnic and pray for good weather. 9 September; www.bbc.co.uk/proms ANTIQUE CHIC THE SUMPTUOUS SURROUNDS of the Grand Palais in Paris will be turned into a temporary museum housing over 7,000 objects for the 23rd Biennale des Antiquaires, the largest antiques fair in Paris. It’s been more than 40 years since the exhibition has been held at the Grand Palais, so expect something special. Chefs from some of France’s fi nest restaurants will be providing sustenance while you browse with a changing daily menu. And coinciding with the Biennale is the reopening of the Musée des Arts Decoratifs on Rue de Rivoli, so all in all it’s a good month for art lovers in Paris. 15-24 September; entrance €15; www.biennaledes antiquaires.com Also in the diary… The Mayor’s Thames River Festival will see Londoners celebrating with a weekend of free festivities. Highlights include a spectacular River Race with 300 traditional craft – so don’t be surprised to see Viking longboats, Hawaiian war canoes and Chinese dragon boats fl oating past the Houses of Parliament. 16-17 September; www.thamesfestival.org NUMBER CRUNCHER 2,500… Bottles of Moët quaffed during last year’s London Fashion Week. This year sees Giorgio Armani’s first catwalk show for the event. 18-22 September EASY RIDERS OF ALL THE things you’d expect to find in Riyadh, a group of Harley Davidson motorbike enthusiasts probably isn’t one of them. Yet there has been a Harley owners group (HOG) in the Saudi city for two years and its members recently proved their devotion in no uncertain terms. Wishing to attend a Harley rally in Killarney, Ireland, some 8,000km (5,000 miles) away, they eschewed conventional transport methods and hopped on their bikes instead. The 14 riders endured temperatures of over 50 degrees Celsius during the three-week journey, which took them through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and the UK. “Arriving at the Saudi embassy in London and being applauded by all the staff was amazing,” says Marwan Al Mutlaq, chairman of the Riyadh HOG. When the group fi nally made it to Ireland, they received an award for having travelled the furthest to attend the rally. HOT STUFF As many parts of Europe sweltered in soaring temperatures this summer, predictably we reached for the ice cream. In France, never a country to turn down a gastronomic opportunity, chefs got to work creating some increasingly fanciful fl avours. The company Pole Sud, a dessert supplier to the restaurant trade, came up with red Thai tea and wasabi flavoured glaces for their spring/summer collection, but they also count Parmesan, cheese, mustard and cucumber and olive oil among their range of sorbets and ice creams. Yum yum. HOME COMFORTS Robin Hood, fi sh and chips and the bowler hat are the latest additions to a list of English icons and endearing national obsessions, compiled from thousands of public votes. Nominate your own favourites at www.icons.org.uk

London

COCKTAIL HOUR RUB SHOULDERS WITH THE STARS AT THE STUNNING NEW BAR AT THE DORCHESTER words: richard bence; photography: rex features THE GORGEOUS GROUP, founded by Robbie Bargh in 1999, is responsible for creating some of London’s most popular bars, including Zeta, Hakkasan and Apartment 195. Now Mr Bargh has turned his Midas touch to one of London’s most luxurious hotels, with the re-opening of The Bar at The Dorchester. The new bar, designed by the world-famous Thierry Despont, offers a list of classic and contemporary cocktails in an opulent interior, and is set to become one of the places in London to see and be seen. Kate Moss and Shirley Bassey, who rocked up to the opening amid a fl urry of paparazzi fl ash bulbs, loved the new creations, which included the Hibiscus Royale, a refreshing blend of rose vodka, cranberry juice, hibiscus syrup and champagne. There are even recipes from Harry Craddock, who is widely regarded as the original cocktail authority in the UK, and the fi rst head bartender at The Dorchester when the bar opened in the 1930s. To be truly decadent, try a selection of fine caviars while being served by staff dressed in designs by Stewart Parvin, who regularly dresses the Queen, no less. The Bar is open from midday to 1am Monday to Saturday and from noon to midnight on Sundays for both hotel guests and non-residents. The Park Lane princesses have never had it so good. The Dorchester, Park Lane, London W1A 2HJ; +44 (0)20 7629 8888; www.thedorchester.com

Brussels, Glasgow

PIE IN THE SKY THE BRUSSELS EATING EXPERIENCE THAT SERVES UP DINNER WITH A DIFFERENCE words: evelyn mckechnie NOW YOU DON’T just need a head for heights – you need a stomach for them too. Imagine being shown to your table in a restaurant, only to fi nd it dangling from a crane some 50 metres in the air. Well, that’s exactly what you will fi nd should you be invited to a Dinner in the Sky in Brussels. Already a huge hit with businesses wanting to put on a special event, Dinner in the Sky is also available for private hire by those looking to party in style. You can seat 22 people around the table, with room for another three – a chef, a waiter, and an entertainer perhaps – in the middle, and you can also order extra cranes to hoist a band up to play alongside you while you dine. At €790,000 (£540,000) for the basic package, it’s not exactly cheap, but when it comes to creating a truly memorable event, it seems the sky really is no limit. www.dinnerinthesky.com

LITTLE BLACK BOOK: MERCHANT CITY, GLASGOW THE TRONGATE/GLASGOW CROSS AREA IN THE HIP DISTRICT OF MERCHANT CITY IS GLASGOW’S CULTURAL HEART

CAFÉ GRAMAFON	THE TRON THEATRE	TOLBOOTH, SALTMARKET
Gramafon opened in October 2005 and is establishing itself as a fabulous Eastern European café and film/music venue. The interior is an amalgam of Art Nouveau and Glasgow style, while the food is simply delicious, all complemented with wines from Romania and Hungary. A sure-fire great night out. +44 (0)141 552 7177	Founded in the 16th century and now a popular cultur al venue, the Tron is a fantastic Victorian bar, restaurant and theatre. This year they have started to bake all their bread, cookies and pastries in their own bakery, ‘Tronbake’. Eat, drink and be cultured. +44 (0)141 552 8587	Across from the Tron Theatre and in the shadow of the Tolbooth at Glasgow Cross, this is reputedly the city’s oldest Irish pub with live music every weekend. Guaranteed craic and genuine Glaswegian characters. +44 (0)141 552 4955

Three-wheeled wonder TucTuc Ltd have become the first company outside Asia to be granted a licence to run motorised rickshaws. Shipped from just outside Mumbai to the exotic environs of, erm, Brighton, they’re proving a real hit on these shores. “They’re as fast as a train, as cheap as a bus and as convenient as a taxi,” explains Dominic Ponniah, executive director of TucTuc Ltd. The eco-friendly fl eet is due to launch in London next year and in other UK cities throughout 2008. www.tuctuc.co.uk

trend watch

FLASH PACKING FOUR-STAR HOTELS WITHOUT A LUXURY PRICE TAG? HOSTELS SERVING ORGANIC CHICKEN AND FAIRTRADE COFFEE? BUDGET TRAVEL HAS COME A LONG WAY THERE’S A NEW breed of backpacker in town. They’ve got money and they’re not afraid to spend it. Dubbed ‘fl ashpackers’, they’re independent-spirited 30- and 40-somethings who enjoy adventurous travel but can afford to indulge when necessary. So they’ll catch a plane rather than endure a three-day bus ride and reject overcrowded dorms in favour of en-suites, fresh coffee and hot showers. Consequently, hostels are upping their game to attract fl ashpackers with private rooms and WiFi, while hotels offering home comforts without the hefty price tag are springing up to cater for the growing trend for budget luxury. In Denmark, Danhostel Copenhagen City is a fi ve-star rated hostel. With over 1,000 beds, it’s the biggest city hostel in Europe, but all the rooms are en-suite and sleep a maximum of six people. Décor-wise, it’s about as far from your average hostel as you can get, with funky furniture courtesy of GUBI, the Danish design company who kitted out the MoMA restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Rates from 600DKK (£55) for one-three people per room, per night or 150DKK (£13) for a shared room; www.danhostel.dk Duvets as standard? Grilled chicken breast marinated in garlic and sage for dinner? Fairtrade tea and coffee freely available in the kitchen? No, we’re not talking about the latest country house hotel, but the new-look YHA (Youth Hostel Association), which is spending £18m over the next 10 years to upgrade its hostels throughout the UK. With a number of fi ve-star properties already open – as rated by VisitBritain, the UK’s tourist authority – it’s a long way from the days of scratchy blankets and curfews. Rates vary per property; www.yha.org.uk Opening this month, The Hoxton Hotel promises ‘budget luxury’ in the heart of London’s Square Mile. Sinclair Beecham, who earned his bread and butter with the hugely successful sandwich chain, Pret A Manger, is behind the hotel, and believes budget doesn’t have to be boring. So guests can still enjoy duck down duvets, fl at screen TVs, free WiFi and complimentary breakfast (from Pret, naturally), but won’t fi nd any of the unnecessary add-ons that usually infl ate hotel prices. So there’s no mini-bar or silly chocolates on pillows, but there is a fully-stocked shop in reception, plus a great independent restaurant on site. For the fi rst three months, fi ve rooms will be available online every night for just £1. Now that really is fl ash. From £85 per night; +44 (0)20 7550 1000; www.hoxtonhotel.com MORE TEA, VICAR? YOU CAN KEEP YOUR FANCY LATTES AND CAPPUCCINOS – THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME FOR TEA IT CAN HELP boost the immune system, has been credited with protecting against all manner of ills, from heart disease to tooth decay, and goes down well with a biscuit – you just can’t beat a nice cuppa. We’re renowned for being a nation of tea lovers and there are now more ways than ever to enjoy its benefi ts. DRINK IT: DIVIA BALANCING ENERGY TEAS If you’re in need of a mental boost or a body cleanse, look no further than your teapot. Whether you have a digestive complaint, anxiety or even a hangover, Divia Lalvani has a tea for you. The co-founder of trendy Japanese eatery, Zuma, Lalvani is now producing her own eponymous range of healing teas, made from a blend of hand-picked herbs and plants renowned for their therapeutic properties. From £10. For stockists, product details and to order online, see www.balancing-energy.com WEAR IT: ORIGINS A PERFECT WORLD WHITE TEA SKIN GUARDIAN Green tea? That’s so last season’s colour. Silver tip white tea is where it’s at now. Produced exclusively in China (Chinese emperors believed white tea to be an ingredient in the elixir of immortality), white tea contains the most potent form of antioxidants – polyphenols – and it is these that Origins have harnessed for their best-selling A Perfect World skincare range. Smooth the skin guardian over your face morning and night to fi ght off free radicals and you’ll be looking younger in no time. Wise men, those emperors… RRP £26.50 for 30ml. www.origins.co.uk SIP IT: TEA PALACE Fed up with endless muddy brews, Tara Calcraft decided to open an emporium to fi ne teas. The result is the chic Tea Palace, designed by award-winning architects Stiff + Trevillion, which sells over 150 different blends from Lapsang Souchong to Rose Pouchong and First Flush Puttabong. There’s even a teamaster on hand to guide you through the selection. Best of all is a stunning tearoom, where you can enjoy the more unusual blends, or just have an old-fashioned pot of Earl Grey with freshly-baked scones and jam. 175 Westbourne Grove, London; Www.teapalace.com �