St. Stephen's Cathedral roof tiles, depicting the Imperial double-headed eagle and coat of arms of the city of Vienna, were nicely framed by the original wood beams and window-scape of my suite in ‘The Leo Grand’ boutique hotel, itself a baroque masterpiece that has been looking out towards the cathedral’s spires since the 12th Century.
A tenth solo show celebrates one of the world’s most admired and collected equestrian artists. Joie de vivre, draughtsmanship, and brilliant colour in the paintings of Hubert de Watrigant shine out of thirty new works at Osborne Studio Gallery, in London’s Belgravia.
Madeleine Bunbury, (born 1997) is a travelling equestrian portrait painter, classically trained in Florence; available for private commissions anywhere in the world she paints life size horses, directly from life, under a natural north light. She does not use photographs, but devised her own creative process to keep her subjects comfortable during the hours of posing ‘Sometimes 1 have to whisper to them a little’ A portrait can take as many as ten sessions.
Some of the best places to rent and sail a yacht in winter are in the Caribbean, Antigua, the British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, US Virgin Islands and Martinique. St Barths is probably the most popular over Christmas and New Year for its vibrant nightlife and party atmosphere.
Thailand is another destination worth considering, the landscapes are magnificent with stunning beaches and warm weather from December to March.
As I rolled into the car park at Caffeine and Machine, I was positively glowing. The drive there in the racing yellow Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS was superb, the sun was shining and all was well in the world. This is a fantastic driver's car with incredible performance but unlike RS Audis and the like, there’s a connection that has been honed and nurtured over generations. The visceral nature of the 911 driving experience is something truly special in these days of overly electronically muted cars.
When: 26 October – 1 November 2022
Where: The Lexus Takumi Townhouse, Stables X, Seven Dials, 40 Earlham St, London WC2H 9LH
