The Seduction of Suspense

Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, always believed in the theory that the bomb must never go off. “There is no terror in the bang,” he said, “only in the anticipation of it.” Hitchcock would draw in his audience, setting the scene with stark lighting, deep shadows, an enclosed space, an air of intensity, perhaps […]
Take your time (II)

After Zürich, Lucerne and the Bürgenstock resort (read the story HERE), our next stop was the city of Bern, the capital and political centre of Switzerland. We travelled there by train, which, as you’d probably imagine, run as efficiently as Swiss watches on an easy-to-navigate network. Bear in mind they don’t offer wi-fi, though, depending […]
Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman has played Nelson Mandela, the US president (three times) and, of course, God. He is, as you would expect, thoughtful and humble. He even sports a grey beard. On Instagram his biog says: “That actor whose voice you recognise” – and, aged 86, he still talks like low, rumbling thunder. Only one thing […]
Unveiled, by Elgan Llŷr Thomas

Hidden love, shame, pride, youth and death are the stuff of great art, great opera and great literature. They are also the grand, emotionally charged themes that run through Welsh tenor Elgan Llŷr Thomas’ recent release, Unveiled, a musical tale of queer British culture from the 20th century to the modern day. Thomas has already […]
WATCHES ON CELLULOID

Although product placement can be traced back to the time of silent movies (Buster Keaton’s The Garage showed posters of Firestone tyres and Red Crown Gasoline signs in almost every frame), it was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and the $1m paid by Reese’s to appear in the film that changed the rules of the game for […]
The Pantry

When one does a lot of restaurant reviews, disappointment is, sometimes, unavoidable. Other times, one is surprised and finds the most magical places, food and people where least expected. This is the case of The Pantry, the newest restaurant in the Hotel Arts Barcelona. What looks like the back door of a delicatessen selling a […]
Beyond Picasso

Considered the most international of the Spanish cities, Barcelona developed a significant arts community in the late 1800s, with artists like Santiago Rusiñol – one of the leaders of the Catalan modernism movement – Ramón Casas and, of course, Antonio Gaudí. Pablo Picasso himself spent nine formative years here, from 1895 to 1904, training as […]
Adrenaline Junkie Dads

A term used to describe a person who feels a compulsion to take part in exciting, dangerous, or intense activities, the truth is that adrenaline junkies are more than just chasers of yet another adrenaline rush. They are often the organisers of super fun events for groups of friends, work weekends away and of course, […]
Genetic Automata

Welcome Collection brings us Genetic Automata, a major exhibition of collaborative video works by artists Larry Achiampong and David Blandy, exploring race and identity in an age of avatars, video games and ancestry DNA. British Ghanaian artist Larry Achiampong uses film, still imagery, aural and visual archives, live performances, objects and sound to explore ideas […]
75 Years of Motorsport

Home to a plethora of businesses and public events, the Goodwood Estate attracts nearly a million visitors every year. It is its association with motorsport that has made it famous worldwide since it first opened the Motor Circuit in 1948. In 2023, motorsport at Goodwood is celebrating its 75th anniversary as well as significant milestones […]