This Roman Catholic novelist and Italian translator’s works have included A Darker Shade of Love, Web of Passion and Anita: A Memoir. A former debutante and model, Dunhill also writes about love, life and lunches on the site Angela Darling’s Blog and is a granddaughter of the luxury goods titan Alfred Dunhill.
Tag: blog
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Anne Dunhill
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Connecting justice
The worrying similarities in developments in the cases of Oscar Pistorious and Rebekah Brooks could be very bad for justice
Two cases. Two countries. Two worrying trends. The cases against Oscar Pistorious and Rebekah Brooks might at first glance appear to have little in common but in reality they’re developing a lot of similarities.
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Picture of the week: Downing Street’s “shocker” parodied
David Cameron and Nick Clegg as Titanic stars and an analysis of the “sensational love affair” shocking Westminster
The talk of Westminster and Twitter is the Mail on Sunday’s story about the identity of a mystery pair who have been involved in a “sensational love affair” that has “potentially significant political implications” for David Cameron and his government.
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Guido Fawkes drops a hint
A cartoon on the ‘Guido Fawkes’ blog hints at the identity of the Downing Street lovers
As rumours spread like wildfire on Twitter, Guido Fawkes has dropped another hint as to the identity of the Downing Street lovers.
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Ben Falk: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times asks entertainment journalist, author and teacher Ben Falk: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
Generally being pessimistic and then being extra pleased if something good happens.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
“There are two kinds of people in this world. Those that love Neil Diamond and those that don’t” – Bill Murray. I might be paraphrasing, but it’s very true.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
I met Kerry once and she forced me to take a picture with her and her then husband, despite my protestations. In fact, to be fair her ex did most of the suggesting. So, I would probably say being forced into having your picture taken (not necessarily with a minor celebrity).
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
Running around building forts and pretending to camp on the field opposite my house. That or living somewhere sunny.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
Batting number 4 for England and scoring a century at Lord’s whilst defeating Australia in the Ashes.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
All I know is according to the papers, everyone in the investment department of my bank seems to be getting massive bonuses and I earned £6 in interest last year on all my accounts. I think that says it all, no?
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
Whenever someone says that their God is better than someone else’s God.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Chuggers do annoy me – I’ll decide when I want to give, thank you very much. And it often depends on how drunk I am when Comic Relief is on. Saying that, I give money to the WWF and a cancer charity. Although I remember getting irritated when I offered a homeless person a sandwich and he asked me what the flavour was and rejected it when I told him. That probably makes me a terrible person.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
Having your phone on in the cinema particularly offends me, unless you are waiting for the birth of your child or something. Not sure it’s murder-worthy, but people Tweeting during a film is just pathetic. You’re not that f****ing important.
If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
John Irving, Roald Dahl, Graham Thorpe, William Goldman, Kermit and Han Solo. No, not Harrison Ford: Han Solo. I’m married, otherwise I might well say Jennifer Connelly or Winona Ryder.
Journalist, author and teacher Ben Falk If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
I would eat it on the cricket pitch in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire in the late afternoon mid-summer sun. What would I eat? Rare steak, French fries, a bar of Dairy Milk, chocolate sponge and a pizza from Amigos in Nottingham circa 1994.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Whenever I bloody feel like it.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
Don’t know what the first one is, the second one is just a posh way to drink a vodka shot, so a cup of tea – milky English breakfast with no sugar.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
I actually like my own if I’m cooking, because it’s fun and you feel like you’ve contributed. Although I’ve been lucky enough to go to some amazing parties. Watching John Legend play Rocket Man with Elton John after the Oscars, getting hammered and dancing with a cardboard cut-out of David Hasselhoff at a film premiere party in New York… Since I’m a hack, I suppose I enjoy any party with a free bar. You should always watch the journalists at a party: we know the exact place to stand to get first dibs on the canapés.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Everyone’s a bit depressed these days, so I don’t really know. David Cameron?
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
A good quality single malt whisky.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I hate tattoos, so none. Although looking at it, I now appeared to have answered that question in a rather existential way. That’s not the intention, I just despise tattoos.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
Marque? What the fuck does that mean?
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I went to the same school as Christopher Nolan, who directed the Batman films. I told him so after I interviewed him for Batman Begins. He didn’t give a shit.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Wedding pictures, Neil Diamond song lyrics my wife gave me as a present, an action figure of BA Baracus out of the A-Team and a photo of me playing quite a nice off-drive in 1995.
Ben Falk is an entertainment journalist, author and teacher. His published works include Robert Downey Jr.: The Fall And Rise Of The Comeback Kid, Television’s Strangest Moments and The Wonder of Brian Cox.
View Ben Falk’s website at: http://benfalk.net
Follow him on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/benfalkwriter
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Brian Coleman
“Nice to see ya. Are you alright?” was this Independent Conservative’s answer when he was asked about his inappropriate behaviour outside a court. “He grabbed my arse” was the response of his victim. A former Mayor of Barnet, Coleman, who was expelled from the Conservative Party in October 2012, was fined £270 after pleading guilty to the charge in May 2013. In both 2009 and 2011 he was to be in breach of Barnet Council’s code of conduct and in 2007 he wrote a blog post for the New Statesman accusing the late Edward Heath of being into cottaging. Would you want him as a dinner party guest? -
Gary Hazell: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times asks drinks industry guru and blogger Gary Hazell: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
“Go with your inner instinct”. I always think that most of us know instinctively what is right or wrong.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
I’d agree with that. I have a salmon priest in my backpack right now to prove that.
Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2013?
She still is.
Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?
I miss Tony Blair.
What might you swap all your wealth for?
I don’t have any.
Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the banking crisis?
The more you owe, the more likely you are to get away with it. If you go to the bank with a good idea, they’ll turn you down. Bankers only care about what they can make rather than how profitable a business may be.
What phrase or word do you most loathe?
“Like”.
In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?
Charity should begin at home and if you look at our country we give away so much abroad but don’t do enough for our own infrastructure and the elderly.
The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?
There are occasions when I hope that certain individuals on phones should be blown up. Not everyone wants to listen to your conversation. There is an appropriate time to use them.
Drinks industry guru and blogger Gary Hazell 
One of Gary Hazell’s brands, Sloane’s Gin, photographed on the terrace at The Rib Room with a salmon priest that he acquired at Spitalfield’s Market If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?
Molly Parkin, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Jeremy Paxman, Jeremy Clarkson, Sir Derek Bell, Clive Anderson and Howard Marks.
If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?
My own liver sautéed and a fine glass of Bordeaux. I assume I’d be in my cell but if not I’d be by a stream. I love fishing and have my own blog writing about my adventures on the water.
What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?
Anytime.
A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?
An aged Martinez cocktail made with the gin I promote, Sloane’s.
Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?
Those given by Matthew Steeples.
Who is the most positive person you know?
Definitely not my stepfather. My wife is an eternal optimist so she’s most definitely the most positive.
What’s your most guilty pleasure?
Scrumping.
If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?
I admire tattoos but probably wouldn’t want to endure the pain of having one done. If I had to, it’d be of my birth sign, scorpio. I suppose that means I have a sting in my tail.
If you were a car, what marque would you be?
A Jaguar D-Type.
Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.
I’ve been put in Bow Street Police Station’s jail for a night.
What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?
Photographs of my sons and my wife, an old French Art Deco calendar and a fishing reel.
Gary Hazell is a drinks industry expert. He currently represents a range of spirits brands that include Sloane’s Gin, Purity Vodka and Rebellion Rum. In addition, he shares his passion for fishing with the world via his blog, Tales by the Riverbank.
Read Tales by the Riverbank at: http://talesbytheriverbank.wordpress.com
Follow Gary Hazell on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/talesbytheriver
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Kipton Cronkite: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times asks art curator, advisor and advocate Kipton Cronkite: “What’s on your mantelpiece?”
The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?
I surround myself with those who remind me not to take life too seriously and to laugh, no matter what. For new relationships, focus on those who have positive energy and a similar outlook on life.
“Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?
Immediately forget timewasters who are negative and dramatic.
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Omar Borkan Al Gala
This Dubai born poet, actor and photographer was expelled from Saudi Arabia in April 2013 by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vices for being “too sexy”. He has over 175,000 fans on his Facebook page and of women he states: “The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides”. As Derek Zoolander once said: “There must be more to life than being really, really ridiculously good-looking”. -
Alessandra Brian
This delightful London based lifestyle blogger has British and American passports and loves both food and Ferraris. (more…)