So, at last, the “holiday season” is upon us. Every year after the 1st of January the western consciousness begins its inexorable march towards the next Christmas period. One waits with bated breath and slowly building excitement as one holiday passes the other and indulgence and consumption come back into fashion. With the Christmas holidays…
Author: Marshall Allender
Marshall Allender is an American expat in London. Originally educated in political science, he works in the wool industry and enjoys writing about wine, fine dining, and his travels around the world.
London's Best Wine Bars
Depending on one’s definition, there are anywhere between 3500 to 4000 pubs and bars within the Greater London area. Over the last few years most of discussion has been focused on how many have shut or been bought out in the last decade and what a great tragedy it is that London’s pub-scene is disappearing.…
The American Bar at The Stafford
Ask a Londoner where the American Bar is, and depending on where you are, you will probably get a multitude of answers. Invariable though, they will almost always say “at The Savoy, on The Strand”. If you’re at all considering seeing this so called “Best Bar in the World”, go once for posterity, and never…
Mint Juleps on the 4th
For an American, July 4th is an auspicious day. Celebrations in the U.S. ranges vastly, from Mississippi Miller-Light fuelled hick-fests in aboveground pools, to Nantucket lobster grills with bottles of Chandon (from California, of course) tackily adorned with the stars and stripes accompanied by tastefully crafted Bourbon cocktails (more on this shortly). I have now…
Pink Fizz. Worth it?
Some how rosé wine has acquired the notional myth that it’s a drink for the summer. Pink Champagne on the other hand has become the cliché drink on Valentine’s Day or Essex garden parties; a revelation that I know will shock readers. This has given rise to the view that it’s not particularly special and…
Break out the Rosé - It's the First Day of Spring
Whenever the UK experiences its first fleeting days of genuine spring, I notice a shift in behaviour. Demeanours soften, words are less parsimonious, and the streets (at least if you use London as a measure) more open and engaging. Your author is not a sociologist but I suspect this is a simple side effect of…