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- NEWS - 'SAMMIES' ON THE HUNT FOR SANDWICH TASTER
Dream jobs don't exist... or do they? The 'Sandwich Grammys' has announced a new way for you to earn a crust. It's awards season, in case you hadn't noticed. Will Smith has been busy, Chris Rock has been unusually quiet and Tayla Park has been inexplicably dressed as a dinosaur. But we Brits know how to throw a glitzy bash, too, and you could find yourself right at the centre of one of the most prestigious awards ceremonies in the land. The Sammies - The Grammys of the sandwich world - returns to London for its 27th year and they're looking for a sandwich aficionado to join their esteemed judging panel. It's good, honest work. You'll have to soldier through no less than 24 sandwiches - not in one sitting, we hasten to add - all created by the UK's finest and most innovative 'Sandwich Designers' (yes, that's a thing, apparently). Alongside a judging panel of food industry experts including celebrity chef Theo Randall, you'll wield the power to crown the maker of 'Britain's Best Butty.' But with great power comes great responsibility, and you'll need to possess certain skills in order to take your seat at the top table. Jim Winship, director of The British Sandwich & Food to Go Association who organise the event, advises: "Superior tastebuds, along with a demonstrable obsession with sandwiches, are key attributes of our ideal candidate. “We do advise the successful applicant to wear comfy clothes on the day, as we have a lot of sandwiches to get through!" So, fellow sandwich obsessives, now is your time to shine! Fetch your elasticated trousers, unbuckle your belts and brace yourselves for the role you were born to do. Applications are open until Friday 15th April and the winner will be announced on Friday 22nd April. Not only will you get the chance to munch all 24 of the finest sandwiches in Britain, but you'll also be invited to the awards ceremony at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on Thursday 5th May, where Theo Randall and comedian Jo Caulfield will announce your chosen winner. So keep the date free - and maybe buy a party outfit a size bigger than normal, just in case. Find out about British Sandwich Week Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter
- APRIL - THINGS TO DO WITH THE KIDS
We do the egg-work to find 12 of the best experiences this Easter April is choc-full of Easter activities for the kids, with a fluffle of Easter bunnies vying for attention across the UK. We’ve saved you the egg-work and picked out the 12 best and most unusual experiences, from immersive hotels run by penguins and bears to ship-climbing, wizard workshops, Mad Hatter tea parties and Zog. Obviously, there are also plenty of chocolate workshops, egg hunts and opportunities to meet that wascally wabbit himself. Discover Children’s Story Centre - The 100 Story Hotel Stratford's immersive, sprog-storytelling Mecca is addled with amazing April events. Highlights include The 100 Story Hotel. Clive the polar bear concierge can take your bags. And fellow guests include lions, tigers, dinosaurs and bears. Some sausage dogs are having a party on the hotel beach. The porters are penguins. And the housekeeping team is headed up by a handy octopus. There’s just one problem – although the hotel is usually full of 100 amazing stories, one story has just gone missing. They need your help to follow the clues and find the culprit. Created with bestselling, multi award-winning author and illustrator Rob Biddulph, this world of play and storytelling has something for everyone aged 0-8. Cutty Sark Rig Climb Experience For the first time since arriving in Greenwich in 1954, visitors will be able to climb the famous masts of the Cutty Sark this April. The Rig Climb Experience invites kids and brave parents to step up from the main deck onto the ship’s ratlines and climb up its top mast, as hundreds of sailors did during the Cutty Sark’s heyday. Once at the top, climbers will experience a controlled descent from the rigging. Participants will be rewarded with some of the best views in London, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Tower Bridge. Audley End Easter Special Hop onto the miniature train - outside Saffron Walden, Essex - and ride deep into the enchanted Audley End woods to visit the Easter bunny in his woodland home. Along the route through the magical forest, kids can use I Spy sheets to spot bunnies burrowing in the undergrowth, colourful eggs and spring chicks. The train stops at the Easter bunny’s burrow, where children will meet the full-sized rabbit and his furry friends, who will give each child a special gift. The next stop is the Easter Trail, where families can wander through pathways to spot springtime animals, nests and eggs. The Easter entertainment continues in the picnic field, where children can explore the adventure play area and visit the Easter story telling session on the stage. Eggsellent food and drink will be available at the Woodland Cafe all day with seasonal treats. Easter Chocolate workshops at Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace teams with luxury chocolatiers, Hotel Chocolat to offer children the chance to make and decorate their own eggs in a fun and interactive Easter workshop. Alongside the workshops, youngsters can meet the Easter Bunny, enjoy fairground rides, watch puppet shows and learn magical circus tricks in the Big Top. Conk the Clown will also be on parade as well as Punch and Judy shows, mini golf, trampolining and bubble blowing performances. And kids will also get the chance to search the Palace’s Formal Gardens in a traditional egg hunt. Small is beautiful, Miniature Art Exhibition This small but mighty exhibition opens in the heart of London this April, showcasing the work of 32 local and international miniature artists. On display will be 130 tiny artworks, creating a small-scale universes full of artistry and poetry – figures playing tennis on a watermelon or skateboarding down a ramp made from coloured pencils. This is a family-friendly event with kids' DIY workshops. Easter in Wonderland Jump down the rabbit hole to meet another legendary bunny at Elephant and Castle on 16 April for a free Easter event inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Castle Square will be transformed into Lewis Carroll’s dream world, with activities, workshops, performances, music and food for all ages. Visit the Rabbit Hole to join the White Rabbit Easter Bunny and Mad Hatter for a tea party. The Mad Hatter will be giving out ‘Eat me’, ‘Drink me’ and ‘Treat me’ vouchers to exchange with the traders. Activities include fairytale face painting, bunting making and biscuit decorating workshops. Pop-Up Bunny and Chick Petting Zoo at Hilton London Bankside For kids in search of the real Easter bunny, Hilton London Bankside will be hosting a Pop-Up Bunny and Chick Petting Zoo on 17 April, Easter Sunday. Between 9am and 1pm, families can visit the fluffle of rabbits and chicks under the careful eye of two trained handlers from Living Things, a five-star animal welfare company. The Petting Zoo is free to attend for those staying at the hotel, brunching at Hilton London Bankside’s neighbourhood eatery, OXBO Bankside or dining at its Distillery Bar The Distillery Bankside. Family workshops at Shakespeare's Globe Globe Theatre has a host of exciting family workshops this April. They include family sword fighting demonstrations and a Romeo and Juliet workshop. And there is something for all ages. Zog Quest and Playground at Warwick Castle & Knights Village Warwick Castle launches Zog and the Quest for the Golden Star: an interactive trail for budding dragons to meet the beloved dragon and learn essential skills, like princess-capturing, based on Julia Donaldson’s bestselling children’s book, Zog. Children can also take over the brand new Zog Playground, flying on a Dragon Wing Zip Wire, climbing up Princess Pearl’s Tower and sliding down Zog’s tail. Wizard Exploratorium Soho's magic-themed Wizard Exploratorium is a five-storey, geek wonderland, offering a 4D wand-making workshop, immersive trick shop and suitably magical afternoon tea encompassing tea brewing, molecular gastronomy, and technology. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Trail at Kew Gardens Eric Carle’s iconic book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is brought to life at Kew Gardens’ stunning trail, as children are taken on a transformational journey from greedy caterpillar to beautiful butterfly, through sculptures of juicy fruits and a cosy chrysalis. They can also explore the seasonal plants in the gardens, with tulips, bluebells, magnolias, and cherry blossom all bursting to life. Biscuiteers, Belgravia Easter Sessions Throughout April, Biscuiteers run Easter DIY icing sessions, giving kids the chance to make their own Easter creations, following a handy tutorial. The Kids Easter Icing Classes run for an hour and come with an Easter egg hunt. There’s also the School of Icing; a workshop, Icing Lates and a Spring Afternoon Tea filled with a host of sweet treats. Easter at Battersea Power Station, Battersea For brilliantly diverse and free entertainment this half term, head to the Grade II listed power station, which will be home to a petting zoo with rabbits, chickens, Pygmy goats, lambs and sheep, from The Mini Farm. Children can also take part in its Easter egg hunt around Circus West Village with unusual prizes up for offer. And there will be outdoor gamea and a maze on The Coaling Jetty. Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter
- MEANTIME JOINS RECORD STORE DAY, LAUNCHES NEW BEER
Celebrated brewery drops 'B-Side' brew to celebrate day of music at its Greenwich HQ At a loose end tomorrow? Well, look no further than Meantime Brewing Company, who've combined excellent live music with a brand new beer drop in a move specially designed to make you hotfoot it to their Greenwich beer house. It's part of Record Store Day, which celebrates 15 years of vinyl worship this year and proceeds from the event will go to tip-top charity partners, War Child, who are currently doing stellar work helping children from war-torn Ukraine, so know that your money will make an immediate impact where it's needed most. Meantime Presents Record Store Day Live is a day-long event headlined by soulful singer-songwriter, Samm Henshaw, and Hak Baker, who's fresh off the back of a sell-out UK tour which culminated in a gig at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire and recently played The Roundhouse in Camden. Also performing are punk-funkers, Do Nothing and funk-soul act Sister Cookie - favourites of 6Music's Craig Charles. That's a lot of funk to go round. But it's not all about the live music. There'll also be DJ sets and the chance to bag yourself some Record Store Day merch and actual records (it is Record Store Day, after all!) at the vinyl fair, which will play host to local shops Peckham Soul and Dream House London. As is the norm, expect to find new releases, rare pressings and special, one-offs that might be worth a pretty penny in the future. But it's at a brewery, so there must be beer, right? Well, you're in luck! There'll be loads of the stuff. And just to make the day extra special, there'll be a fresh-brew dropping just for the occasion. Joshua Smith of Meantime gives us the lowdown: How about that? Wake up the next morning without the hangover-guilt, as every beer you sink means another donation to a worthy cause. You're a giver, champ, and don't you forget it! Tickets cost £12.50 (including that all-important War Child donation) and you can also buy B-side beer online. Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter
- NEWS - SAVE THE LEADMILL
Sheffield's iconic music venue threatened with closure, launches social media campaign. The Leadmill, Sheffield’s finest music venue and a stalwart of the national touring scene since 1980, has been threatened with closure. The venue announced this week that their landlords had served them with an eviction notice, with the doors currently set to shut sometime next year. The Leadmill opened in a disused warehouse in what was a downbeat part of the city over 40 years ago, but has since watched as the area became redeveloped into upmarket apartments, restaurants and modern student halls for the nearby Sheffield Hallam University. Local heroes Arctic Monkeys and Pulp as well as The Stone Roses, Biffy Clyro, Lily Allen, Kaiser Chiefs and The Cribs are just some of the thousands of acts who have taken to the hallowed Leadmill stage over the years, and decades of students enjoy fond memories of the club nights held there during the week. Arctic Monkeys frontman, Alex Turner recently auctioned a Fender Stratocaster guitar he played during the band’s early performances - including at The Leadmill - and raised nearly £130,000 to help venues survive the Coronavirus pandemic. But this latest development is another devastating blow to the live music scene, with venues up and down the country facing similar threats from landlords wanting to cash in on valuable real estate in city centres. The venue has launched a social media campaign - #WeCantLoseLeadmill to garner support for their cause. Read their full statement below. www.leadmill.co.uk
- REVIEW - THE HAWKSMOOR, WOOD WHARF
A Floating Ship of Heavenly Meat The end of Netflix serial killer marathons, homemade banana bread and frenzied, doorstep saucepan-banging was heralded by the opening of The Hawksmoor’s latest incarnation, in Wood Wharf. Canary Wharf - once a soulless, weekend ghost town where even tumbleweed dared not blow - has had a foodie transformation, with new restaurants including Caravan, Six by Nico and Hawksmoor opening its biggest and most flashy steak restaurant yet. And its success is a beacon of hope to the flagging, post-pandemic hospitality world. This three-floored, eco-friendly, floating ship of heavenly meat and happy bankers is moored in Wood Wharf, with lights which twinkle on the water through beautiful, Art Deco curves, lots of glass and two riverside terraces - it's the first of its stable to offer outdoor dining. Inside, we are met by Hawksmoor's comfortingly familiar interior - Mad Men-esque moody lighting, deep, cow-blood banquettes, emerald leather, parquet floors, marble tops and vintage gold furnishings. And despite the vast scale of this version, they have kept the intimacy and cosy ambience with inviting, velvet booths in The Low Deck and glass booth dividers and wood panelling in the main dining rooms. When we ordered, they'd run out of the chateaubriand and (bizarrely) the bread. But this didn’t matter. We started with the rich and delicate Jersey rock oysters, roasted in umami-packed bone marrow, topped with crunchy breadcrumbs and served in the shells. This is the type of dish you eat in silence, broken by barely-contained moans of pleasure. We shared the Porterhouse - combining the juicy and flavoursome rib-eye with the sweet tenderness of the fillet, served on the bone - where the meat is the most delicious. It was medium-rare, Turkish Delight pink and melted in the mouth in the sweet, salty and meaty haze of glory that Hawksmoor have perfected. We ordered it with the frothy and warm bearnaise and their deep and rich bone marrow gravy. Mac and Cheese is a devastating, bland and milky disappointment almost everywhere but here, where you enjoy the satisfying pop through its crunchy, cheese roof to the pasta, which is silky, gooey and packed with flavour. The beef dripping fries were a delight of soft, creamy innards and meaty crunch. Obviously we ordered the turbo-charged, creamed spinach, which has something of a cult following, thanks to the delicious combo of cayenne, anchovies, garlic and naturally, udders-worth of double cream. There are some reasonably priced and good wines on the list. We had the Botijo Rojo, a pure Garnacha red wine, with a strong, cherry kick, which married beautifully with the meat. Happily bulging with aged swine and wine, we swerved the desserts. But there is always room for their famous ‘Rolos’ - thick, glossy chocolate which cracks into its salted caramel filling. They are also available to take away. The bill here always makes you wince, but with a giant smile - like a bad Robert De Niro impression. It’s expensive - perhaps not for the bankers in this particular Hawksmoor - but worth saving up for occasions which will feel very special, no matter what they are. The Hawksmoor Wood Wharf, 1 Water Street, London E14 5GX
- REVIEW - KURAMATHI MALDIVES ISLAND RESORT
Killer sunsets and Technicolor, barefoot luxury When our boat arrived to drag us away from paradise, it took great restraint not to sob onto a crab and cling to a palm tree, while a resort worker politely tugged at my ankles. We had stepped off that same boat, seven days prior - along with an army of newlyweds - and kicked off our shoes to pad onto the fluffy, white sand at Kuramathi Maldives Resort, one of five, stunning islands in the tiny Rasdhoo Atoll archipelago. We were not reacquainted with footwear until our departure, when we truly understood the definition of barefoot luxury. Between winding paths of tropical flowers, coconut, palm and banyan trees and parked a smug, bikini-mince away from the beach was our very own, Deluxe Beachside Villa with front and rear decks complete with cushioned-loungers; outside day beds worthy of Joan Collins, a private Jacuzzi and outdoor rainfall shower. There was a semi-open bathroom and dreamy, king-sized four poster bed onto which the terminally-happy staff deposited resourceful towel origami, from swans strewn with hibiscus petals to flannel hearts. The laguna and sunsets views from the villa pulled out every stop they could find - it’s beside the equator, after all. And if you’re not greased with after-sun, watching the culprit dip beneath the horizon, are you really on holiday? The best spot to watch the sunset - probably anywhere on earth - was a short totter along the 1.8km island, which tapers into an endless sandbank to enjoy unfettered views of the sherbet-coloured sun plunging into the turquoise, Indian Ocean. Hooked on watching the sun bugger off, we also booked two sunset cruises - included in the Select All Inclusive - to toast its showy departure with champagne, lying on the top of a Dhoni boat as dolphins leapt from the water around us in a scene straight from a Windows screensaver. The wildlife on the island is the stuff of slackened jaws. At 6:30pm each day, a black cloud of enormous Stingrays jet to the shore outside the Laguna Bar with eerie punctuality, to be fed from a giant bucket by a guy in wellies. They excitedly pump with air, thrashing the water into an angry froth with their wings and loudly hissing, slobbering and rasping for morsels. I also enjoyed the jarring sight of huge fruit bat colonies and black Kaalhu ravens, removed from their gothic, Halloween setting and placed incongruously amid the blistering sunshine and coconut trees. Cheeky hermit crabs totter around your feet in ridiculous, ill-fitting shells; Geckos silently judge as you order another Disney-coloured cocktail and enormous, Grey Herons gingerly tiptoe around smooching newlyweds in the infinity pool. Kuramathi is the largest resort in the Maldives and offers a wide choice of dining options, with 12 restaurants to choose from – nine of which are à la carte. They include Indian, Thai, Seafood, Grill, Asian Fusion, Japanese Teppanyaki, Fine Dining and Mediterranean. It is (unsurprisingly) not cheap and since you probably won’t be leaving the island, it’s definitely worth going for the all-inclusive - there are Basic or Select All options. One memorable meal came at an ungodly hour before a snorkelling excursion, when we were invited to sample a traditional Maldivian breakfast at the Island Coffee Shop. My cutlery wilted in dismay when we were presented with a fish curry - or Mas Riha - rice, naan and grated smoked fish. But it turns out this trumps a fry-up. This warm and tangy curry is cooled with coconut milk and celebrates tuna and coconut, two staples of Maldivian cuisine. Another highlight was the Steak Diane at the beachside Island Barbeque, which is lit by flickering torches. The soft meat was dramatically flambéed beside our table in a heavenly Cognac, garlic, mustard and cream sauce. We also recommend the fresh, Mediterranean fodder at the Palm restaurant, which included a heroic amount of excellent beef carpaccio followed by Scallop Tagliatelle in lemon juice and white wine with island-grown herbs and vegetables. It was rude not to round this off with their homemade ice cream, made from the floral-flavoured, prickly Screw Pine fruit, grown on their palm-like trees. There are also seven bars dotted around the island. The Fung, Dhoni, Laguna, Pool, Sand and Havana Club Wine and Cigar bars all have an opulent, old-colonial feel with dark wood, chocolate seating, moody lighting and large ceiling fans. When we weren’t meticulously working our way though the bars and restaurants, we could be found waddling to the freshwater pool - studded with waterfalls and Jacuzzis - or our favourite spot; the cool, long Infinity Pool on the beach, handily close to the Fung Bar, which is strewn with juicy bean bags in the evening, to enjoy nighttime movies on the beach or local bands having a bash at Bon Jovi and occasionally mistranslating lyrics with brilliant, "Living on a Pear" results. The crystal waters and abundance of fish species - 2,000 to be precise, including eels, sharks, rays, whales, dolphins, jellyfish, lobsters and probably the odd mermaid - made snorkelling pleasingly effortless and much more relaxing than our experience, awkwardly cracking each other’s cheekbones with oars in a glass-bottomed kayak from the chipperly-named, Aqua Sports and FUN Centre. Kuramathi is built for relaxation, but if that isn’t your bag, they have a host of facilities from tennis and football courts, an Eco Centre, nature walks and stunning, 13-room spa. And although it is mostly wall-to-wall couples with shiny, new rings, they welcome children with the Bageecha Kids Club and the large outdoor area with splash park, tree house, children’s swimming pool, sand pit and play areas. But be warned: Life, post-Maldives feels like the colour dial has been permanently turned down to the drab hues of a 1980s educational BBC Two programme about socks.