food culture: eating by design

'dressing the meat of tomorrow: MRI steak' by james king
in vitro meat
photo courtesy of james king


food culture: eating by design
designhuis, eindhoven, the netherlands
on now through 30 September

'food culture: eating by design' is an exhibition by premsela, the netherlands institute for design and fashion, presented at the 
designhuis in eindhoven. the exposition, curated by designer marije vogelzang, showcases work by designers who explore the links 
between design, food and the origins of what we eat. vogelzang says of the display:

 'I want to inspire designers who aren't yet involved with the food chain to start addressing the subject, it's a challenge working with something 
as transitory as food.' 

there were more than 20 contributors including designers james king (GB), marti guixé (ES) and tomm velthuis (NL); the photojournalist 
peter menzel (US); and the artists julie green (JP), uli westphal (DE) and koen van mechelen (BE) which investigate the idea of cuisine in playful, 
scientific and unusual ways from armies of ceramic chickens, 3d printed chocolates to growing meat in test tubes.



'dressing the meat of tomorrow: MRI steak' by james king
photo courtesy of james king

'dressing the meat of tomorrow: MRI steak' by british designer james king examines how we might choose to give shape, texture and flavor to 
a new sort of food in order to better remind us where it came from. the MRI [Magnetic Resonance Imaging] unit scours the countryside 
looking for the most beautiful examples of cows, pigs, chickens and other livestock. once located, the creature is scanned from head to toe, 
creating accurate cross-sectional images of its inner organs. the aesthetically pleasing examples of anatomy are used as templates to create 
moulds for the in-vitro meat. the result is a complicated and authentic form of food.



'food design XL' by honey and bunny
photo courtesy of sonja stummerer and martin hablesreiter


through 'food design XL' austrian design studio honey & bunny investigates why certain culinary delights are the way they are and 
how they influence our senses. they look at the industrialized production of the things we eat and how we are able to control 
the color, odor, shape. it explores the consistency and taste of what we consume that impacts the current state of food product design, 
and how we interact with and handle the things we digest, from cutting to serving to eating.



'food design XL' by honey and bunny
photo courtesy of sonja stummerer and martin hablesreiter



'mutatos' by uli westphal 
image courtesy of uli westphal


the 'mutato' project by uli westphal is a collection of non-standard, deformed fruits, roots and vegetables, displaying a variety of forms, 
colors and textures, that would otherwise not be selected for commercial use. the outcome is a plethora of food creating color-coded artworks,
each with their own personality.



'mutatos' by uli westphal 
image courtesy of uli westphal



'mutatos' by uli westphal 
image courtesy of uli westphal


other works on show include 'fat' by dejana kabiljo, 'stitched vegetables' by scholten & baijings and '3d printed chocolate' by GGLab.



the exhibition covered a wide range of projects concerning food and its role within society
photo © lizzy kalisvaart



the exhibition was curated by designer marije vogelzang
photo © lizzy kalisvaart



photo ©  lizzy kalisvaart



photo © lizzy kalisvaart



photo © lizzy kalisvaart

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Tattoos are permanent reminders of temporary feelings

'It's wisest to pick someone whom you cannot break up with or divorce.' Photograph: Gary Powell/Getty Images

Tattoos are permanent reminders of temporary feelings – at least if you believe the report in Thursday's Daily Mail, which looked at "embarrassing" matching couple tattoos – designs that complement or complete each other across two, romantically involved bodies.

Yet there are millions of people who feel no embarrassment about the tattoos they share with their friends, lovers and even exes. Moreover, as with most perceived "new trends" in tattooing, this practice is one with a history far older than the current generation; it's a phenomenon that provides both an insight into human beings' fundamental relationships with their own bodies and the bodies and lives of those close to them.

 

Tattoos have been used as markers of association for probably as long as human beings have walked the earth, to mark tribal affiliations, regimental membership in the military, membership of fraternal orders such as the masons or US college Greek letter groups, and to signify gang membership.

The most common of these types of affiliative tattoos, though, is marking an attachment to a loved one. There's an old adage in tattooed circles that suggests getting your lover's name tattooed on you is a sure kiss of death for that relationship, and it's an old gag too: Norman Rockwell's famous 1944 Saturday Evening Post cover painting, The Tattooist, shows a salty sailor in the tattooist's chair, having yet another name added to an arm already full of the crossed-out names of past paramours. Even earlier, a cartoon in Punch from 1916 shows a "fickle young thing" – a well-turned-out young woman, as it happens – revisiting her tattooist to seek an amendment to the ornamental crest tattoo on her arm as she has, euphemistically, "exchanged into another regiment".

 

None of this seems to have affected the long-standing popularity of having names or symbols tattooed to commemorate couples' love and bond. Magazines in the 1920s reported the latest fad for newlyweds was getting matching tattooed wedding rings; preserved tattooed skins in the Wellcome Collection from the late 19th century feature names and portraits of lovers; studies of tattoos in the American navy in the 18th century reveal a large percentage of seamen of the period bore tattoos of the names of women; even Christian pilgrims in the 16th century were recorded to have borne the names of their wives on their skins, as tokens or identificatory marks; and records attest to romantic tattooing even in ancient Rome – St Basil the Great (329-380) is said to have condemned the tattooing of a lover's name that he observed on someone's hand. While I'd certainly never advocate getting a permanent mark of your relationship too hastily, it does seem that the instinct to inscribe a permanent token transcends the ages. Caveat amator.

 

Single tattoos that span multiple bodies appear to be a more recent phenomenon, however. In 1977, New York-based tattoo artist Spider Webb undertook what was probably the first conceptual art project to use tattooing, in a piece called X-1000, in which he tattooed single, small Xs on to 999 individuals, and, as a culmination, one large X on the final, 1,000th skin, conceived as one contiguous work. This tattoo, potentially spanning thousands of miles at any one time, was, Webb said, "the largest tattoo ever done at any point in history". In 2000, as the culmination to a performance art project begun in 1998 designed to highlight the horrific lives and plights of the homeless and hungry in Mexico City, Santiago Sierra produced his piece 160cm Line Tattooed on Four People, a single black line tattooed across the backs of prostitutes in exchange for wraps of heroin, as a symbol of their desperation, interdependence, and utter powerlessness. Sierra would later remark: "You could make this tattooed line a kilometre long, using thousands and thousands of willing people." In 2003, author Shelley Jackson famously published her short story Skin on the bodies of 2095, one tattooed word per person. These tattoos bring together strangers in common cause.

 

My favourite set of matching tattoos, though, are probably the ongoing collection of work worn by twins Caleb and Jordan Kilby, tattooed with matching work by influential and extraordinarily talented New York-based artist Thomas Hooper. If you must get matching tattoos with someone, it's wisest to pick someone whom you cannot break up with or divorce, and to get the work carried out by a tattoo artist who will produce a piece of work that will stand the test of time on its own terms.

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Turkish Delight

• Gulets, traditional Turkish wooden boats, anchored off Gemiler Island. Andrew Eil
• The Lydian, an ancient Greek amphitheater in Knidos, on the Datca Peninsula. Andrew Eil
• A gulet on Gokova Bay, near the city of Bodrum. Andrew Eil
• The writer on the Zephyria II, with Butterfly Valley in the background. Andrew Eil
• An inlet on the Gulf of Fethiye, near Gocek. Confined spaces do not often make for harmonious family vacations — unless, apparently, they are the close quarters of a gulet, a traditional Turkish wooden yacht, and you are sailing along the Turquoise Coast. I recently spent a week doing just this, with my aunt, uncle, cousins and husband, on the Zephyria II. We sailed from Gocek to Bodrum, a trip commonly referred to as “the Blue Voyage.” Some people come to Turkey because it’s the land of Homer, others for the Greek, Roman and Byzantine ruins. I came for the water — the pellucid Mediterranean, alternating between shades of blue and green. I’m not sure why it isn’t declared a wonder of the world.

Being on the gulet, to quote the writer John Flinn, is like the life of a dog: “You swim, you eat, you get taken for walks.” With every need taken care of by the capable crew, I dare you to try being anxious or stressed. The only big decisions of the day are when to take a swim and how many salted almonds to snack on between meals.

Topographically, this part of the Mediterranean is a close cousin of the Amalfi Coast, but there is more of an undiscovered, rustic feel in Turkey, as very few of its coastal towns are anywhere near as built up as Positano. For vast stretches there are no signs of civilization at all, save the odd Turkish flag planted on a hillock, a family of goats skipping along the rock ledges, or clusters of stone ruins. 

On the gulet, meals are the big event. In between sumptuous feasts of Turkish meze, the days are filled with activities like swimming in a semi-submerged ancient Roman bath where Cleopatra is rumored to have taken a dip. One evening, Ismael, our sturdy captain, sailed us to a tranquil anchorage behind Gemiler Island. We hiked to the top, stopping along the way to see the ruins of Byzantine-era churches. The sun set in shades of lavender.

The next morning we arrived at Butterfly Valley. There weren’t any butterflies, which evidently avoid the tourist season, but there were towering cliffs on either side of a secluded slice of beach. We dove in from the ladder of the boat and frog-kicked to shore. By the third day, I had only started to get slightly inured to my physical surroundings. “Oh, another beautiful cove,” I thought, looking up from my Kindle. Another morning, we landed at Ekincik Bay, which is known as “hidden paradise” — words that could have described just about any place we’d been over the previous few days.

About mid-week, we arrived in Dalyan, a town known for its blue crabs and arresting stone tombs carved into the side of a cliff. All nine of us loaded onto a riverboat that took us through the Dalyan Delta. On our temporary floating home, we motored through the wetlands, later ordering a freshly baked crab from another boat. Some visitors come to Dalyan for 10 to 15 days of mud baths. Asked about the mud’s benefits, our tour guide replied, “Your skin will look like a baby’s bottom.” Though I was advised that a single bath would not accomplish this goal, I nonetheless slathered myself in the mud, withstanding the unpleasant smell of sulfur in pursuit of soft, perfect skin. (I’m not sure it did much.) Afterward, we swam in a vast, emerald-colored freshwater lake called Koycegiz, and I forgot about everything.

In Datca, a town situated on a serpentine peninsula south of Bodrum, the call to prayer was drowned out by booming techno music emanating from a nearby beach populated with scantily clad Turkish vacationers. We saw our final batch of ruins in Knidos — the remnants of an ancient Doric port — then set off for Mersincik Bay, another breathtaking cove with crystal clear water. On our last day, we went to Black Island, directly across from Bodrum, and swam in hot springs. Cleopatra is purported to have spent three years there, hiding from the Romans and taking mineral baths every day.

That night, we dropped anchor about four miles from Bodrum. As we fell asleep on the rear deck, under the moon and stars, the bass of discotheques thumped gently in the distance. Unlike the water of the Turquoise Coast, Bodrum, we learned the following day, is better viewed from afar. Though you can get all your Gucci knockoffs there, we were quickly reminded of what had become our maxim: life is at its best on the gulet.

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Latvian company creates leather bound Ferrari

We're familiar with seeing tight leather on smoking hot women, and weird old men, but it's a first for us seeing a leather bound Ferrari F430.

There seems to be a lot of fuss over this leather bound Ferrari F430 in the UK with both The Sun and The Daily Mail reporting about it recently.

However, this isn’t a new car by any means as US motoring blog Jalopnikreported on the F430 way back in August last year. It’s a pretty cool, albeit manky, car so we thought we’d show you anyway.

It’s the work of a Latvian custom car company called Dartz who hit the headlines in 2009 when they created a $1.5 million ruby red SUV with whale foreskin-covered seats. Yes, foreskin…

Anyway, some high roller with more cash then sense decided it would be a great idea to cover his €170,000 Ferrari in dark leather.

The owner of Dartz, Leonard Yankelovich, said: "One of our very rich customers from the Cote d'Azur wanted a leather exterior and knew we could deliver.

"It took three of my staff 16 working days to apply the leather and finish. He was more than happy when he picked it up."

He won’t be too happy when he scratches it though.

Is this the most expensive way to ruin a Ferrari?

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Two British climbers killed in an avalanche in the French Alps have been named by the Foreign Office.

John Taylor and Steve Barber were among nine people killed on Mont Maudit, near Chamonix, on Thursday.

They were from Upper Poppleton, a village west of York, and were climbing to raise money for a local hospice.

A third Briton killed in the avalanche was named on Thursday evening as experienced climber Roger Payne, who had been working as a mountain guide.

Mr Payne, originally from Hammersmith, west London, was a former general secretary of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC).

The trio had been part of a 28-strong group traversing Mont Maudit before dawn in an attempt to reach the summit of Mont Blanc.

According to the Prefecture de la Haute-Savoie, two people from Spain, three Germans and one Swiss were the others killed in the avalanche.

A church service is to be held in Chamonix on Saturday in memory of the dead climbers, French Interior Minister Manuel Valls said.

'Great sadness'

Estelle O'Hara, headteacher of Poppleton Ousebank School, wrote in a letter to parents: "It is with great sadness that I write to inform you that two of the climbers killed in yesterday's avalanche... were parents from Poppleton Ousebank.

"The children have been informed and school staff have been supporting them throughout the day, providing a caring shoulder and answering any questions.

"We understand that the climb was to raise money for St Leonard's Hospice and so we will be collecting on their behalf."

St Leonard's was founded in 1985 in York and provides care for people with life-threatening illnesses.

James Alexander, Labour leader of City of York Council, said he was deeply saddened by the deaths of Mr Taylor and Mr Barber.

"I would like to offer their families and friends my condolences and offer any support and assistance we can provide at this difficult time."

The party is believed to have reached 4,000m (13,120ft) when the avalanche struck.

The alarm was sounded at 05:25 local time (04:25 BST) by an injured climber on the route, which is a popular one for people trekking towards Mont Blanc.

The French authorities say the avalanche was caused by heavy snow and was triggered by strong winds. They described it as "the most deadly" in recent years.

Eric Fournier, mayor of Chamonix, told a press conference on Friday: "It is difficult to foresee such kinds of avalanche.

"The guide knows the dangers and risks of avalanche, especially during July and August."

Speaking alongside Mr Fournier, the British ambassador to France Sir Peter Ricketts, thanked the French authorities for their support.

'Climb to live'

"The consular team is here to support victims' families who have travelled to Chamonix," Sir Peter added.

Nine other climbers of French, German and Swiss nationality were airlifted to hospital in Sallanches with minor injuries.

Mont Maudit - meaning the cursed mountain - is the third-highest peak in the Mont Blanc massif range, rising to 4,465m.

Mountain guide Richard Mansfield describes how the avalanche may have happened

Mr Payne has been described as "larger than life" by his friend of 35 years, Alan Hinkes.

The climber told the BBC: "You do push [the risks] to the back of your mind... we do not climb to die, we climb to live. It does enhance our lives.

"Roger was doing what he wanted to do... he was helping two people to get to the top... he will be sorely missed."

Mr Payne is understood to have been living in Leysin, Switzerland, with New Zealand-born wife Julie-Ann Clyma.

Sir Chris Bonington told ITV on Friday: "There's no way that anyone could have predicted [the avalanche]. Roger was an expert on avalanche danger... but that doesn't make any difference, they are unpredictable."

The BMC said about 20,000 people a year climb Mont Blanc, and that the mountain had been deemed "safe to climb" on Thursday.

But according to British mountaineer Kenton Cool, the area was known as something of an avalanche "blackspot".

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London’s newest and most fashionable hotel bling is Whitehall’s Corinthia Hotel

Hotels have become the newest and most luxurious of flaunt-able accessories.

Fashion houses, celebrities and the anonymous super rich want to own them and the rest of us just want to say we’ve stayed there.

London’s newest and most fashionable hotel bling is Whitehall’s Corinthia Hotel: a shiny new bauble of a five star property ensconced in a hallowed vintage building that once housed the UFO wing of MI6 (it’s true, I heard it from the hotel’s concierge). The heart of the hotel is the dome-covered lobby lounge, dressed to the 9′s with a “Full Moon” chandelier by Parisian designer Chafik Gasmi. You want to talk bling; this baby has over 1,001 twinkling crystals winking seductively as government officials, embassy big wigs and arm candy girlfriends sip gin and tonics or take afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches below.

Upstairs the rooms are lush, Frette linen-wrapped and full of fab extras like Hi Definition TV in the marble bathroom, super sleek electronic hook ups and my favorite: ESPA soaps, scrubs and shampoos in the walk in shower. ESPA fans will want to make a pilgrimage to the hotel just for the new ESPA Life SPA that covers four floors and includes an indoor pool, a vitality pool and–wait for it–an ice fountain.

Downstairs, the hotel’s two restaurants: Northhall and Massimo and the Bassoon Bar are abuzz with London’s Yummy Mummies, MP’s who work nearby and “Dragon’s Den”-like entrepreneurs who clearly feel the Corinthia is the fashion accessory of the moment. Dinining in Northhall is like a trip back in time to the glory days of the Empire with dishes on hand like Goosnargh Duck with Dauphinoise and Buttered Beans and St. Ives Seamed Lemon Sole with Cockles and Clams.

Notwithstanding all the shiny toys to play with, the Corinthia is grounded in luxe hotel 101: spot on service, quality product and a graciousness that reminds one of the old saying attributed to old school Ritz-Carlton staff: “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.”

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Casares actually inherited its name from Julius Caesar, who is said to have ridden himself of a nasty skin complaint thanks to his visit to the Hedionda baths

For here, in this sleepy, undeveloped valley is the still-standing Roman bathhouse, where it is said Caesar himself once bathed around 60 BC.

Having survived for over 2000 years, it is a privileged place to spend an hour and the perfect reminder of the rich heritage that has been left on the Andalucian coastline by a succession of marauding cultures.

Casares actually inherited its name from Julius Caesar, who is said to have ridden himself of a nasty skin complaint thanks to his visit to the Hedionda baths, which literally translate as ‘foul-smelling woman’.

But these days there is nothing foul about the classic ‘white town’, which was first shaped by the Romans and later the Moors, who inhabited the region for over 700 years.

Perched on a rocky outcrop and pouring down two sides of a ridge, this most spectacular of Spanish towns looks impressive from every side.

A photographer’s dream, few towns can compare in terms of subject matter.

Backed by the soaring peaks of the Sierra Crestellina, and views towards the Med and Africa, Casares is also blessed with fabulous walks and wildlife, including a colony of vultures and other rare birds, including eagles.

An enterprising company has recently produced an excellent map of the nearby walks, one of which ascends straight out of the village on a steep path into the verdent hills.

Up here the views stretch all the way to Gibraltar and Africa and you will find yourself completely on your own. Well apart from the odd sheep or goat.

In fact, the town is fast becoming known for its excellent goats cheese and yoghurts. Award-winning Quesos Crestellina produces a fantastic range of organic cheeses from its herd of 400 goats that spend the day up on the peaks.

A family-run affair which dates back over a century, owners Ana and Juan run a tight ship aided by their son Juan, who does all the marketing.

“We sell the cheese all over Spain and yoghurts to the local school, as well as the five star Finca Cortesin hotel,” explains Ana, whose shop also stocks some of the region’s best quality local produce.

Head up into the village for a general wander, in particular admiring the labyrinthine Arabic quarter, with its narrow streets and low rise houses. The most impressive part is the Alcazar (or fortress) at the top of the town, first built by the Romans and later strengthened by the Moors.

From here you have spectacular views and an attractive 16th century church that has been recently renovated.

On your way down take a look out for the street Calle Carrera, where one of Andalucia’s heroes Blas Infante was born. Infante, who was shot during the Civil War, was the man who planned, forged and declared Andalucian independence (in nearby Ronda, for history buffs), before being killed at the age of 41.

Nearby Manilva also has its fair share of history. This is clear from the huge expanse of ruins – much of them Roman – that lie, largely ignored, next to the fortress at Manilva port, known as Duquesa.

It is an interesting area, including a bath house, villas and a necropolis, most of which was discovered in the late 1980s, and which one hopes will be properly excavated in the near future.

The fort itself is well worth a poke around. Built in the 1760s to protect the town against continual incursions by pirates, it is incredibly solid and earnt its builder Francisco Paulino a title and the honour of commanding a cavalry company.

It is here where the town hall of Manilva has its archaeological team, which has recently been busy investigating an exciting Roman discovery in the town.

The substantial remains of a kiln dating back to 2AD are in a good condition and were found alongside a series of fragments of pottery.

It is thought the unique design may be the only existing example in Spain and could serve as further evidence of the town’s key role in exporting ‘garum’, one of the most popular products during Roman times.

Then known as Saltum, Manilva became famous for the delicacy, a pungent paste made from fish guts.

Exported to the Eternal City of Rome via boat, it needed to be stored in well-made pots, called amphoras. And it now seems likely that the recently discovered kiln may be where these were made on an almost industrial scale.

While the centre of Manilva is not of great interest, one of the things you cannot fail to miss is the large amount of vineyards clinging to the steep slopes that drop away from the town.

Mostly Moscatel, the vines are largely for growing grapes for raisins, although in recent years there has been an attempt to return to winemaking, with some astonishingly good dessert wine.

“We have seen a lot more people interested in buying the sweet wines over the last few years,” explains local shopkeeper Maria Esteban, who sells the wine, plus a lot more local produce from her unmissable shop Frutas Pascal y Hijos on a bend on the way into town.

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Italy government hangs by thread as coalition crumbles

 

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's fate hung by a thread Friday and desertions from his crumbling centre-right coalition may have already robbed him of the parliamentary numbers he needs to survive. Berlusconi, caught in the crossfire from European powers and a party revolt at home, agreed at a G20 summit in France to IMF monitoring of economic reforms which he has long promised but failed to implement. But this may soon be irrelevant for the Italian leader, who will return to Rome later Friday to face what looks increasingly like a deadly rebellion by his own supporters. With financial markets in turmoil over the situation in Greece and Italy viewed as the next domino to fall in the euro zone crisis, calls are mounting for a new government to carry through reforms convincing enough to regain international confidence. Berlusconi has consistently rejected calls to resign and says the only alternative to him is an early election next spring, rather than the technocrat or national unity government urged by many politicians and commentators. Yields on 10-year Italian bonds reached 6.36 percent by early afternoon, creeping closer to 7 percent, a level which could trigger a so-called "buyers' strike" where investors take fright and refuse to buy the paper. Two deputies from Berlusconi's PDL party this week defected to the centrist UDC, taking his support in the 630-seat lower house of parliament to 314 compared with the 316 he needed to win a confidence vote last month. But at least seven other former loyalists have called for a new government and could vote against the 75-year-old media magnate. "The (ruling) majority seems to be dissolving like a snowman in spring," said respected commentator Stefano Folli in the financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore. Other commentators spoke of an "inexorable" revolt against Berlusconi. Even Defence Ministry undersecretary Guido Crosetto, a Berlusconi loyalist, said on television: "I don't know how many days or weeks the government has left. Certainly a majority relying on a few votes cannot continue for long." PATRONAGE Berlusconi, one of Italy's richest men, still has significant powers of patronage and he and his closest aides are expected to spend the weekend trying to win back support for a parliamentary showdown Tuesday. Some rebels have already threatened to vote against Berlusconi in the vote to sign off on the 2010 budget. Berlusconi faced concerted calls to resign when he lost a previous vote on this routine measure, which was almost unprecedented. Although it is not a confidence motion, he would come under huge pressure if he suffered a second defeat. "Unpopular prescriptions are necessary and this challenge cannot be faced with a 51 percent government," said UDC leader Pier Ferdinando Casini, in a reference to Berlusconi's weakness and a widespread feeling that the reforms can only be passed with a broad consensus. The premier has promised European leaders that he will call a formal confidence motion within 15 days to pass amendments to a budget bill incorporating new measures to stimulate growth and cut Italy's huge debt. That will be in the Senate where he has a more solid majority but it could still bring him down. Berlusconi, beset by a string of sex scandals and court cases, has consistently resisted pressure from groups ranging from a powerful business lobby to the Catholic Church to stand down.

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Chris and Mary Gorman were arrested by police in Orlando, Florida, after a member of staff at the city's Roxy venue found two men and a woman in the men's toilets.

Accused ... Mary Gorman.

A multimillionaire British couple have vowed to fight charges against them after they were arrested in a US nightclub following an alleged sex act.

Entrepreneurs Chris and Mary Gorman were arrested by police in Orlando, Florida, after a member of staff at the city's Roxy venue found two men and a woman in the men's toilets.

The couple, who live in Renfrewshire and are thought to be worth more than £40 million ($62 million), do not face indecency charges.

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TV celebrity Peter Andre visited the new Aventura Amazonia

 

TV celebrity Peter Andre visited the new Aventura Amazonia adventure park in Marbella with his children.

 

The visit was part of a recording for ITV2’s ‘My Life’.

 

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Hugh Grant is the delighted father of a baby girl. He and the mother had a fleeting affair and while this was not planned, Hugh could not be happier or more supportive

British actor Hugh Grant has become a father for the first time at the age of 51. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP

Film star turned anti-hacking activist Hugh Grant has become a parent for the first time at the age of 51.

The actor – best known for roles in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridget Jones's Diary – became father to a baby girl earlier this month.

The identity of the mother has not been revealed but a spokeswoman for the actor said they were on good terms.

She added: "I can confirm that Hugh Grant is the delighted father of a baby girl. He and the mother had a fleeting affair and while this was not planned, Hugh could not be happier or more supportive. He and the mother have discussed everything and are on very friendly terms."

Grant has had several high-profile previous relationships, including with Elizabeth Hurley and socialite Jemima Khan, from whom he split in 2007.

The actor has kept a low profile on the big screen in recent years. His last role was alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in 2009's Did You Hear About the Morgans? and his next project is to voice the role of a captain in animated film The Pirates!, due for release in spring.

Grant, who suspected that his own phone had been hacked, recently emerged as the unofficial spokesman for victims of phone hacking at the News of the World after railing against politicians for failing to curb the power of Rupert Murdoch. He wrote a New Statesman article after secretly recording a conversation with a former News of the World reporter, Paul McMullan, in which he alleged that ex-editor Rebekah Brooks knew about hacking at the paper.

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Taking a shot … Roger Moore, shown here in 1984 Bond film A View to a Kill, was less than impressed by Quantum of Solace

. Photograph: Allstar/Cinetext Collection

Former James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore has described the franchise's most recent outing, Quantum of Solace, as "a long, disjointed commercial".

 

The 84-year-old actor, who played 007 for 12 years between 1973 and 1985, was speaking to a reporter from Cambridge University's Varsity newspaper when he criticised the film, which was released in 2008 and starred Daniel Craig. Moore, who praised Craig's interpretation of Ian Fleming's secret agent despite disliking the film, also passed comment on another Bond - his own predecessor, Sean Connery. "Sean is a good actor," said Moore. "It's a pity I can't understand what he's saying."

 

Moore, known for his wry sense of humour, rounded off the interview by revealing that his favourite contemporary actor is Johnny Depp. "I wish he would change his name to something I can remember," he quipped.

 

The actor also identified his favourite Bond girl – his wife, Danish-Swedish multi-millionaire Kristina Tholstrup. He was visiting the university to give a speech at the student union, where he introduced himself as "Moore, Roger Moore".

 

Meanwhile, Daniel Craig will return as 007 in a new James Bond film, rumoured to be titled Skyfall, which will arrive in cinemas next year. Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes and Naomie Harris have all been linked with the film, which will be helmed by American Beauty director Sam Mendes. Official confirmation of the film's details will be announced at a press conference in London tomorrow

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Brussels is stifling City of London, Cameron claims

 

David Cameron signalled new European battles ahead as he pledged to resist alleged attempts by Brussels to shackle the City of London in red tape. The Prime Minister echoed claims that the emergence of a two-tier Europe following the financial crisis could result in a wave of EU directives that would harm the Square Mile. The Government has said it is determined to prevent the 17 members of the eurozone acting as a bloc to thwart the interests of the 10 EU states, including Britain, that have retained their own currencies.

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Qantas grounds all flights

 

Australia’s Qantas Airways grounded its entire fleet on Saturday over a bitter labour dispute in an unprecedented move that prompted the government to warn it feared for the airline’s future and would seek action to end the dispute. EDITOR’S CHOICE Strikes cost A$15m-a week in lost sales - Oct-28 US airlines earnings hit by fuel costs - Oct-27 Lufthansa scales back passenger forecasts - Oct-27 Virgin eyes tie-up with Etihad on BMI - Oct-14 Qantas overhauls lossmaking international operations - Aug-16 Qantas said it would lock out all employees from Monday night in a dispute affecting 70,000 passengers and 600 flights on one of the country’s biggest travel weekends. The grounding does not affect Qantas’ budget airline Jetstar or code-share flights on other airlines. Passengers will get a full refund for flights cancelled due to the industrial action, Qantas said on its website. Customers can also rebook their flights for a later date. The announcement took passengers and the government by surprise, embarrassing Prime Minister Julia Gillard who was hosting a Commonwealth leaders summit in Perth. Some of those leaders are booked to fly home on Sunday with Qantas. Unions, from pilots to caterers, have taken strike action since September over pay and opposing Qantas plans to cut its soaring costs, as it looks at setting up two new airlines in Asia and cutting back financially draining long-haul flights. “They are trashing our strategy and our brand. They are deliberately destabilising the company. Customers are now fleeing from us,” Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said.

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Pop legend Madonna today told a court of her 'alarm and distress' after a delusional fan, who believes the star loves him, broke into her £10million London home and rifled through her bedding.

Grzegorz Matlok, 30, burgled a mews house linked to the singer's luxury townhouse in Marylebone, central London, and stole a can of Red Bull after wandering through two bedrooms and a living room.

Southwark Crown Court heard Matlok was discovered holding the drink and playing with a kitchen light switch at around 4.40am on March 12 by Madonna's former gardener-turned film director Nathan Rissman, 39, who was staying in the mews at the time.

When he was quizzed over what he was doing and told Madonna was not staying there, he said: 'I'm sorry. Arrest me, arrest me'.

He later told police he had been given permission by the singer and had found a welcome note from her.

A map with a large 'M' scrawled over Madonna's home and a bag containing a safety knife, nail scissors, a coach ticket from Poland and Matlok's passport were found in a bag outside the property.

A year ago Matlok sneaked into the Wiltshire estate Madonna used to share with ex-husband Ritchie and was caught putting on his clothes.  

The 'Music' star was heard to be 'distressed and unsettled' by Matlok's two successful break-ins and said she feared for the safety of herself, her four children and her staff.

Prosecutor Philip Stott said: 'It appears that the defendant took a route, by examination of the lights he had turned on, through the lounge and kitchen and into a bedroom and dressing area and then gone through an inter connecting door where again he had gone into a bedroom and dressing room, where he disturbed some bed clothes.'

 

 

Matlok had broken into the house after smashing a window with a stone and using a rope and scaffolding to enter one of the three properties by a first floor window.

The court heard he had travelled to England from Poland by coach a few days before the burglary on March 12.

Mr Stott said that in interview Matlok told Madonna's security manager he was there 'To see Madonna' and afterwards told police she had okayed his visit.

Country house: A year ago Matlok sneaked into the Wiltshire estate (pictured) Madonna used to share with ex-husband Guy Ritchie

'He told the police he had permission to stay in the flat and that Madonna knew he was coming,' said the barrister.

'He said he had found a note saying welcome and he went inside.

'He said he had been at the address two or three days earlier, but no one had answered the doorbell.

'He said he was not there to steal anything - he said he had sent messages to Madonna over the internet to say he was going to turn up.' 

In a victim impact statement read to the court Madonna said: 'I do not know the defendant, I've not had any form of relationship with the defendant nor have I had any form of contact by phone or by email, or by any other way, with the defendant.

'In particular I've never given the defendant permission to enter the premises or any of my other premises.

'I feel very alarmed and distressed by the actions of the defendant.

When Matlok broke into Wiltshire home, he was restrained by Guy Ritchie (pictured)

'It is extremely unsettling to know that despite the extensive security I have he has been able to break into two of my residential properties.

'I'm worried about my children's safety as well as the safety of my staff. I'm also naturally worried about my own safety.' 

The court heard that Matlok suffered from 'delusions that Madonna loved him' but, according to consultant psychiatrist Dr Nadji Kahtan, his schizophrenia could be controlled by medication.

'In hospital he's fully compliant and has expressed no wish to stop taking it [his medication] and he says he wishes to still take it because he recognises that he has a mental illness,' he said.

'We feel that the best way to manage his illness is for him to continue to be treated at a hospital in England until he can be moved to a hospital in Poland.' 

The court heard however that Matlok had attacked someone in his cell and had been 'rather aggressive' to women, including nurses.

When Matlok broke into the Wiltshire home of Guy Ritchie he was found by a housekeeper cowering under the bed of an 'outhouse'.

Mr Stott said he had to be restrained by Mr Ritchie, a gamekeeper and 'The Football Factory' director Nick Love.

'He had taken cash from Mr Ritchie and Mr Love and had put on a pair of Mr Ritchie's jeans,' he said.

Batteries, a torch, a bottle of shampoo and three credit cards had also been moved, according to Mr Ritchie, but no further action was taken and Matlok was deported in August 2010.

In June Matlok reportedly attempted suicide by setting fire to his cell and was said to have been dragged to safety by prison guards.

Madonna, 53, was not in the property at the time, having taken her four children - Lourdes, 14, Rocco, 10, Mercy, 6, and David, 5 -  to Michigan in the U.S. to pay her respects to her late grandmother Elsie Mae Fortin.

Southwark Crown Court heard Matlok was discovered holding the drink and playing with a kitchen light switch at around 4.40am on March 12

The Pole, who is being held at a secure psychiatric unit, was flanked by hospital staff and assisted by an interpreter at Southwark Crown Court today.

Matlok has admitted burgling the office in Marylebone but denied two charges of burglary relating to a house connected to it, both of which are owned by 'Madonna Ciccone'.

The two charges he denied were ordered to lie on the court file after prosecutors accepted Matlok's plea.

The burglary took place six months after Madonna was targeted by a man who was arrested outside her New York apartment carrying two knives.

Judge Deborah Taylor was expected to order Matlok's detention under the Mental Health Act, 1983, this afternoon.

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Knight Frank partners share £73m bonus pool

 

PARTNERS in the upmarket estate agent Knight Frank have landed a £73m payout after profits rose by 10 per cent in the last financial year, buoyed by foreign investors flocking to London’s luxury property market. The firm, which advises on both residential and commercial property deals, saw pre-tax profits rise to £101.9m in the year to March – its highest level since the credit crisis – while turnover increased seven per cent to £308.4m. “Equity rich buyers” seeking property in London helped boost the firm’s residential arm, which has instructed on deals including the sale of St John’s Wood Barracks in northwest London. The bonus pool is more than double the amount awarded in 2009, although it is now shared by more people as Knight Frank has extended its partnership. Nick Thomlinson, senior partner and chairman of Knight Frank, conceded he remained cautious about the outlook for the year ahead but said the group had strengthened its balance sheet and was focusing on growth in key markets like Asia. The firm also opened new offices in Dubai, South Africa, Austria and Switzerland.

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