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Wood & Vale - Text only page News Sledgehammers used in jewellery shop robbery bidTWO sledgehammer wielding robbers smashed the window of Muswell Hill jewellers, in broad daylight. One of the suspects, who was wearing goggles, tried to break the glass front of Robert Bale Jewellers in Muswell Broadway, while his accomplice watched. But... Man charged with Parkland Walk attacks on womenBy Charlotte Newton A MAN has been charged after a string of robberies against women in the borough s Parkland Walk. There have been five reported incidents in as many weeks at the nature trail which runs from Highgate to Finsbury Park. Most have been in... 7/7 BOMBINGS REMEMBERED: Victims will never be forgottenBy Robyn Rosen SURVIVORS of the July 7 bombings joined families, friends and the community for a memorial service at King s Cross. On Monday, three years to the day when 56 people died and 700 were injured, hundreds gathered at the station where four bomb... 7/7 BOMBINGS REMEMBERED: John FaldingMarylebone resident John Falding (pictured) was on the phone to his girlfriend Anat Rosenberg, 39, when the bomb on Tavistock Square bus exploded, killing her and 13 others. He said: On Monday, I remembered at the time she left home, the last time I saw... 7/7 BOMBINGS REMEMBERED: John McDonaldMaida Vale teacher John McDonald (pictured), 55, survived the Edgware Road bombing, helping other victims, including David Gardner, of Well Walk, Hampstead, to escape. Everything had been blown out, the windows, doors, lights, he remembers. It was com... JULY 7 BOMBINGS REMEMBERED: John FaldingMarylebone resident John Falding was on the phone to his girlfriend Anat Rosenberg, 39, when the bomb on Tavistock Square bus exploded, killing her and 13 others. He said: On Monday, I remembered at the time she left home, the last time I saw her. At 9.4... HOWZAT: Your chance to soak an estate agentA CROUCH END estate agent is hosting a fun day and charity cricket match on Sunday to raise money for the refurbishment of the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead. Greene & Co is hosting the event at the Hornsey Cricket Club off Tivoli Road, from 12pm. Act... Singer Stephen Gateley robbed of precious mementoesBy Bob Antrim Boyzone star Stephen Gateley has been left devastated after burglars raided his plush Highgate home and got away with £80,000 worth of his jewellery. The singer, 32, was distraught after discovering that among the haul was a £20,000 custom-m... Coach plunges into apartment block in Muswell HillA mother has spoken of her horror after a coach smashed through the front wall of her home while her baby daughter slept in the next room. Samantha Brain was in the first floor flat in Muswell Hill when the vehicle ploughed backwards through her bay windo... Man sentenced for abusing gay Crouch End councillorA MAN who hurled homophobic abuse at a Crouch End councillor has been sentenced to 80 hours of unpaid community work. Robert Grier, who lives in Warltersville Road, Hornsey pleaded guilty earlier this month to a homophobically aggravated public order offe... Letters Queues are getting longer after closure of sub post officesONE of the lead stories on the front page of the April 3 edition of the Ham&High carried the declaration that the then Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, would save the 171 post offices under threat of closure in the capital if re-elected to the job of Lon... What's the point of Muswell Hill's hole-in-wall zones?I was sorry to read of the theft last week from a woman using an ATM in Muswell Hill (£500 cashpoint theft triggers police warning, H&H Broadway July 17) and hope that she will soon recover from the experience. Some weeks earlier, without consultation or... Town Hall holds the solution to Crouch End parking problemsNow we know that Haringey is not selling Hornsey Town Hall, and the immediate future for this listed Grade II building at the heart of Crouch End is the prospect of at least another five years of decline, the council should make the best of a bad situatio... While you read this, another new mother will dieWE often take for granted the much maligned but ultimately indispensable service the NHS has provided for the United Kingdom. To mark the 60th anniversary of the NHS, Oxfam and parenting website mumsnet.com have launched a new initiative to document memor... Hatebusters are out to fight against irrational hatredI would like to take this opportunity to invite Ham&High readers to support Hatebusters: the innovative new campaign to unite all decent people across the world against irrational hatred, and by doing so release resources to help rid the world of extreme... Enhancing safety of cyclists must be a top priorityThe recent incident of a woman cyclist suffering serious injuries after a collision with a truck in Royal College Street, Camden Town, is another in a series of terrible and often fatal accidents in London over the last year. All our sympathies are with... Abandoned civic centre would be ideal place for a casinoISEE that Haringey Council intends shifting the Civic Centre up the road to Woodside House, which leaves the big question of what to do with the old Civic Centre in Wood Green High Road? This unlovely, uncared-for building needs re-development. Council le... Protests as top NHS reformer speaks at Whittington HospitalPROTESTERS were out in force as the former chief executive of the private company now running three GP surgeries in Camden appeared as a guest speaker at the Whittington Hospital in Highgate. On Tuesday night, Dr Richard Smith spoke about combining public... Patient is full of praise for Royal Free standardsI am writing to tell you about my recent experience at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. I was booked in to have a cataract operation in my left eye. Astonishingly I was in and out in three-and-a-half hours. The consultant surgeon Mr Little and his w... My opposition to health privatisation is in the bloodI WAS pleased that Health Secretary Alan Johnson and others have stated that no imposition of polyclinics, or the compulsory transfer of NHS assets, will be involved under Lord Darzi s plans. May I expect a refund of the value of the privatised elements (... Sport MAMMA MIA: Arsenal's Silva set to land lucrative Greek dealPanathinaikos are set to make Arsenal s Gilberto Silva the highest paid player in Greek football, writes Jem Maidment. The Brazilian midfielder is expected to arrive in Athens later today for a medical before signing a three-year contract – despite Arsena... Chance for young stars to win Arsenal soccer school placesArsenal has teamed up with Ham&High Sport to offer one lucky reader the chance to win two places on the Premiership club s Soccer School at St Aloysius College Playing Fields from July 28 to August 1. Budding footballers have the opportunity to get activ... Arsenal chief determined to keep Adebayor at EmiratesARSENAL chairman Peter Hill-Wood has claimed that the Gunners intend to keep Emmanuel Adebayor, despite Barcelona s offer of £30million for the striker. Hill-Wood made the claims as the Gunners returned to training this week, with manager Arsene Wenger un... Hero Cesc told to keep off the grass at Hampstead HeathArsenal s Eurochamp Cesc Fabregas has been warned to keep off the grass when he moves into his plush new Hampstead pad. Cesc, who had the Spanish fans and media in raptures with his performances for all-conquering Spain in the knockout stages of the Eur... 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... 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... They do like Mondays: 25,000 see Arsenal Ladies clinch doubleArsenal Ladies swept aside Leeds 4-1 to seal the Double for the third successive season at a packed City Ground on Bank Holiday Monday. A competition record crowd of nearly 25,000 watched the Gunners dominate for huge periods of the match against a side t... Cesc glows with pride after winning Young Player accoladeCesc Fabregas was bursting with pride this week after becoming the first Arsenal player in a decade to win the PFA Young Player award. The Spain international took the gong – previously won by Nicolas Anelka back in the 1998-99 season – at a glittering aw... 4-1 win over Chelsea seals 10th title for Arsenal LadiesArsenal Ladies manager Vic Akers paid tribute to his side after they clinched their 10th league title. The Gunners beat Chelsea 4-1 last Thursday at The Emirates in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 to seal the championship. Akers, in his 22nd year as b... 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... CHRIS SILVERWOOD: We're much more than just a Twenty20 sideWE MAY only be one match away from the finals of the highly lucrative Twenty20 Champions League in India – but there is a lot of cricket for us to focus on before then. After taking a stranglehold on the County Championship game against Gloucestershire we... CHRIS SILVERWOOD: Slow but steady progress on the fitness frontI played for the Middlesex seconds against Notts on Monday and then also last Wednesday against Northants, where I ended up with 3-35. Having also taken 2-10 against Notts things seem to be coming on all right. It s just the case that I m at the stage no... History-maker Malan steers Middlesex to quarter finalsBy James Callow DAWID Malan out-Fredded Flintoff to help Middlesex qualify for their first ever Twenty20 finals day on Tuesday night. The 20-year-old batsman struck a phenomenal 103 from 54 balls to become the Crusaders first ever 20-over century-maker... 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... 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... 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... Aussie is knocked for six by warmth of Lord's welcomeNOT only is Keith Bradshaw the first foreigner to be chief executive of the quintessentially English Marylebone Cricket Club, he is also an Australian – the bitter arch enemies of England s national cricket team. So you would be forgiven for thinking he h... Udal joins, but Keegan and Dazza departFormer England off-spinner Shaun Udal has joined Middlesex for two seasons as new coach Toby Radford begins to shape his squad well ahead of the 2008 season. The former Hampshire player had verbally agreed to play for Berkshire next season in the Minor... Ambitious Morgan eager to stake his four-day claimEoin Morgan scored a sparkling 96 in the Pro40 League against Surrey at Lord's on Sunday to banish the memory of his self-proclaimed 'worst game of the season' the previous week. The Irish international was one boundary short of his century... Highgate close gap at the topHighgate moved within four points of the top of the County League when they beat division threee leaders Twickenham by six wickets on Saturday. Justin Lampard finished with a beautifully constructed 72 not out as Highgate... Chance for young stars to win Arsenal soccer school placesArsenal has teamed up with Ham&High Sport to offer one lucky reader the chance to win two places on the Premiership club s Soccer School at St Aloysius College Playing Fields from July 28 to August 1. Budding footballers have the opportunity to get activ... White Hart Lane launch for Spurs community projectThe Tottenham Hotspur Foundation (THF), in conjunction with the London Borough of Haringey and the Premier League/Professional Football Association Community Fund, has launched an innovative three-year local education programme named To Care Is To Do.... WIN a glamorous night out at Windsor RacesEpitomising all the glamour and tradition of British horseracing, Royal Windsor Racecourse (www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk) is the UK s only flat figure-of-eight course and the track is slightly more than a mile and a half in length, with a final straight o... 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... Keane targets White Hart Lane in £20million Spurs swoopFOUR Spurs stars have been targeted by Sunderland manager Roy Keane in a combined £20million deal. Steed Malbranaque, Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tainio and Younes Kabul – all now surplus to requirements under Juande Ramos at the Lane – are wanted by Keane to... Bentley in, Berbatov out in transfer merry-go-roundSPURS, who could start the new season without top strikers Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, are reported to have agreed a £17million deal for Blackburn s David Bentley, writes Patrick Mooney. Bentley s arrival at the Lane will probably also see unsettl... Benitez puts pressure on Spurs over Robbie Keane's futureLiverpool manager Rafael Benitez is reported to be stepping up his efforts to sign Tottenham s Robbie Keane. But Tottenham insist the star striker, scorer of more than 20 goals last season, isn t for sale. Liverpool are believed to be preparing a £20milli... Spurs eye move to home of Milton Keynes DonsTOTTENHAM have held provisional talks with MK Dons about using their stadium as a temporary home while they redevelop White Hart Lane, writes John Bell. Spurs want to increase their current capacity of 36,000 to nearer 50,000, and have been weighing up w... 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... 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... 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... Croatian master can only strengthen Spurs, says JenasBY PAT MOONEY JERMAINE Jenas does not fear for his place following the signing of Luka Modric at the weekend. The England midfielder believes the arrival of the Croatian master can only enhance the strength of the current Spurs midfield as Juande Ramos m... MIKE McKINLEY: Modric should be first of several big signingsAs predictable as things may be on the pitch (I take it we were all heavily backing 1-1 for the correct score?), dear old Spurs showed they have the capacity to spring a big surprise. I confess that I know Luka Modric more by reputation than from observ... MIKE McKINLEY: Wembley apart, it was all a bit disappointingCarling Cup final aside, I think it s safe to say we ve had a disappointing season. When you stop and think about it though, it s not even the results that have created the disappointment so much as how they have come about. We re now up to 30 odd poin... 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... 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... What's On Olympian effort to record the nation's oil paintingsBy Charlotte Newton A GROUP of north London art historians is executing one of the most ambitious projects ever launched in the art world – to record every publicly owned oil painting in England. The Public Catalogue Foundation is a registered charity wh... 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... Star-studded Abba musical is well worth taking a chance onMAMMA MIA! (PG) Director Phyllida Lloyd. Starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Stellan Skarsgard, Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Amanda Seyfried. 97 mins Three star rating If the gangs of ladies that smuggled in bottles of wine in, cried three times and... Be prepared for fun and much Panda-moniumKung fu panda (PG) Directors Mark Osborne and John Stevenson Featuring the voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan 92 mins Four star rating BY MICHAEL JOYCE Sometimes a film comes along that no matter how many go... 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... 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... Everyone is going nuts for this Crouch End steakhouseBY VICTORIA PREVER North-west London has nurtured several restaurant-owning dynasties. The Kaye family brought us Golden Egg and Garfunkels and the next generation, the first ASK restaurant – in Belsize Park in 1993. That site was was previously a Cafe Fl... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Italians have more than one word for itAnyone for vitovska? Or sangrantino? Or marcobona? In the 93 wines lined up on long tables in the Nursery Pavilion at Lord s late last month 61 different grapes were represented – and those are only the tip of the bulging bunch of indigenous varieties whi... Chef who is out to show the world just wok's cookingShe s prettier than Antony Worrall Thompson and less foul-mouthed than Gordon Ramsay. Celebrity chef Ching-He Huang escapes the heat of the kitchen to talk to Sanchez Manning about food, life in north London and the Olympic games Ching-He Huang – the... Local and organic are the buzzwords, but they don't always mixBY VICTORIA PREVER Local and organic are the latest foodie buzzwords – but don t always mix well. Good intentions can be lost in an ethical minefield. Organic ingredients may clock up many air miles and the eco-aware restaurateur is left weighing up the evils of air freight... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Little ole' winemaker meMarks & Spencer is a bit different from most of the high street chains which sell wine. It doesn t do brands, even on a limited scale. It wants exclusive wines – and that doesn t simply mean an own label on the bottle. So it employs wine-makers, rather... 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... 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... Thom Yorke is a fan - so things look good for Cajun kidsCajun Dance Party – who formed while they were still at school – modestly tell Tan Parsons what it s like to be rated by top singers like Radiohead s Thom Yorke THEY might have been signed by Radiohead s label on the advice of Thom Yorke but this youn... REVIEW: CANDIDE, English National Opera, St Martin s LaneFour star rating Leonard Bernstein s wickedly subversive operetta Candide is one of those musical near-misses that graze the purlieus of genius but don t quite get there. Choked with wisdom, wit... Natalie's life after Musician of the Year accoladeBY MICHAEL WHITE Natalie Clein took the title in the BBC contest at the age of just 16. So what has happened to the Muswell Hill cellist since? Looking back over the history of the BBC Young Musician Of The Year competition, you find that not every winner makes it th... 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... 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... TWELFTH NIGHT: Open Air Theatre Regent s ParkfOUR STAR RATING By Simon Jackson Director Edward Dick s new production of Shakespeare s comedy, Twelfth Night, proves to be an easily accessible escapist romp. Dick, directing his first production at the venue, rewards viewers with a de... REVIEW: ON THE ROCKS, Hampstead TheatreTwo star rating Artistic retreats away from the workaday world often end in tears. Gauguin and Van Gogh in Arles is a notoriously unhappy example of such a project. And while DH and Frieda Lawrence s stay in Cornw... REVIEW: THE DIVER, Soho TheatreThree star rating FROM the outset this complex and multi-layered tale challenges viewers understanding and a degree of confusion remains throughout the saga of love, murder, betrayal and revenge. The tale begins as an unna... Auschwitz survivor play to be performed at Edinburgh FestivalThe Camden based social campaign network Blue Sky is to show the famous anti-hate play it produces about Eva Schloss, Auschwitz Survivor and step-sister of wartime diarist Anne Frank at this year s Edinburgh Festival 17-24 August with the support of... Rosenthal's On the Rocks extended at Hampstead TheatreAmy Rosenthal s critically acclaimed comedy, On the Rocks has been extended to Saturday 2 August at Hampstead Theatre. The original cast; Nick Caldecott, Charlotte Emmerson, Tracy-Ann Oberman and Ed Stoppard will perform the 7 extra dates. Tickets are on... Almeida festival plays out a strong musical themeThe Almeida s Jenny Worton unveils an eclectic programme for this year s Summer Festival – exploring the relationship between music and theatre, writes Katie Masters The Almeida should be eclectic. It s what we do really well. Jenny Worton, the Islin... Latest play is laugh a minute for Sophie ThompsonIf there were such a thing as acting aristocracy, the chances are Sophie Thompson would be part of it. Acting runs thick in her family s blood. The Crouch End actress s famous sister is Emma Thompson, the two-time Oscar winner. Her father was the late ac... Hornsey teenager lands lead role in Billy Elliott musicalA Hornsey teenager has become the first Londoner to play Billy Elliot in the West End musical version of the film. Fox Jackson-Keen, named Fox because his mother was a big fan of TV s the X-Files, has landed the lead role in the show at the Victoria Palac... REVIEW: Martha, Josie and The Chinese Elvis, Upstairs at the Gatehouse Theatre, HighgateThree star rating What do a sub-standard karaoke Elvis, family reunions and sexual inhibitions have in common? Leaving Charlotte Jones s play, you ll probably be sti... 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... Buena Vista's musical club brought Cuba to the worldUntil the album Buena Vista Social Club, Omara Portuondo was languishing like her fellow stars in relative obscurity. Here she tells Miguel Cullen how it changed her life OMARA Portuondo s voice sounds sweeter than through any vocal booth harmoniser as i... Fan who met Fab Four on last night of BeatlemaniaTHIS WEEK sees the 40th anniversary of the Beatles Yellow Submarine film premiere, and one man from Belsize Park has a special reason to celebrate. David Stark, from Belsize Crescent, was just 15 when he went to see the stars arriving at the premiere. He... Chef who is out to show the world just wok's cookingShe s prettier than Antony Worrall Thompson and less foul-mouthed than Gordon Ramsay. Celebrity chef Ching-He Huang escapes the heat of the kitchen to talk to Sanchez Manning about food, life in north London and the Olympic games Ching-He Huang – the... Flamboyant Rufus has musical plans on an operatic scaleRufus Wainwright tells Katie Masters why he s planning to hang up his microphone, stop touring and write his own opera Rufus Wainwright has always had a keen eye for the theatrical. To perform his Judy Garland songs – released last year on the album Ru... Natalie's life after Musician of the Year accoladeBY MICHAEL WHITE Natalie Clein took the title in the BBC contest at the age of just 16. So what has happened to the Muswell Hill cellist since? Looking back over the history of the BBC Young Musician Of The Year competition, you find that not every winner makes it th... 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 at St John s Wood Station. The English Chamber Choir (one of Londo... 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,... 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... REVIEW: HIGHGATE CHORAL SOCIETY: All Hallows Church, Gospel OakFour star rating To find one outstanding piano soloist slipped into the line-up for a north London choral concert would be remarkable enough. Two verges on extravagance. But two there were in Highgate Choral... REVIEW: CROUCH END FESTIVAL CHORUS, BarbicanOK. So it was the men s singles final (which was rain affected and spilled over well into the evening) and it was a classic. But so was the Crouch End Festival Chorus s concert at the Barbican. And it was ju... Happy to spend a groundhog day in beautiful BathI went to Bath for its stunning new thermal spas, but the pigs stole the show. One hundred of them, to be precise, brightly painted life-size sculptures strategically placed around this splendid city s landmarks and wide open spaces. The first pig I notic... TWELFTH NIGHT: Open Air Theatre Regent s ParkfOUR STAR RATING By Simon Jackson Director Edward Dick s new production of Shakespeare s comedy, Twelfth Night, proves to be an easily accessible escapist romp. Dick, directing his first production at the venue, rewards viewers with a de... REVIEW: ON THE ROCKS, Hampstead TheatreTwo star rating Artistic retreats away from the workaday world often end in tears. Gauguin and Van Gogh in Arles is a notoriously unhappy example of such a project. And while DH and Frieda Lawrence s stay in Cornw... REVIEW: THE DIVER, Soho TheatreThree star rating FROM the outset this complex and multi-layered tale challenges viewers understanding and a degree of confusion remains throughout the saga of love, murder, betrayal and revenge. The tale begins as an unna... Lord of the realm who is out to fix the environmentLord Chris Smith, the former Islington MP, is the new chairman of the Environment Agency. But when it comes to tackling climate change, what are the hurdles he intends to overcome? Katie Masters finds out. Lord Chris Smith of Finsbury – sometime MP for... Studio that put Bob Marley's world in the frameBob Marley, Lee Scratch Perry, Toots and the Maytals – the Jamaican recording studio and record label Studio One was awash with reggae greats – and for seven years Belsize Park resident, Ron Vester, was its official photographer. Now 15 of Vester s phot... High time for cakes and tea in HighgateHigh Tea of Highgate only opened in April, but it s already a popular local venue, with weekend queues and customers keen to book in. Owner and baker Georgina Worthington (pictured) told me that she s delighted.... GRAPEVINE with LIZ SAGUES: Italians have more than one word for itAnyone for vitovska? Or sangrantino? Or marcobona? In the 93 wines lined up on long tables in the Nursery Pavilion at Lord s late last month 61 different grapes were represented – and those are only the tip of the bulging bunch of indigenous varieties whi... Return to London24 home page |