The film takes place both over decades of Ella’s life and during three of the most important days within it. At 34, she is the third youngest woman to hold her office – an incredible feat. We walk with her as she takes on this new role, facing hurdle after hurdle. Her resolve is admirable, her cord twisting tighter and tighter with each added layer that audiences will want to scream for her. It is a testament to the lives of many women who find themselves constantly having to sort out other people’s messes, and how love grows and cracks within them. Ella is an older sister not just to her brother, Casey, but to the world around her – trying her best and never giving up. You are rooting for her the whole way.

The inimitable James L Brooks both writes and directs. Over and over, there are lines, phrases and writing choices that take your breath away. They are simple but striking, as though Brooks has explained something you’ve spent your whole life trying to put your finger on. Even though we jump back and forth in time, the script stays smooth, funny when it needs to be and sharp throughout.

Mackey is wonderful as Ella. Right from the start, you can tell that this is a special portrayal from her. It is compounded by the stellar performances around her; Woody Harrelson is a suitably awful Eddie McCay, Jaime Lee Curtis is a fierce Aunt Helen, and Jack Lowden is a fantastically deplorable Ryan. Spike Fearn adds to his growing list of credits as Casey McCay, and he is one of the most memorable parts of the film. Mackey and Fearn together will melt your heart.

Ella McCay is yet another brilliant piece of work from Brooks. Topped off by a soundtrack from Hans Zimmer, this is one to watch. At the end, Ella says, “Little Miss Nooner has some fans,” and it’s your turn to be one of them.

Talitha Stowell

Ella McCay is released nationwide on 12^th December 2025.

Watch the trailer for Ella McCay here:

Boxhall City, which opened earlier this year, features 14 kitchens and two bars, and aims to showcase independent and craft-driven businesses. Located within a restored Edwardian shopping arcade, it combines street food with chef-led offerings in a communal setting. The new Melt kitchen joins a growing roster of independent vendors in the 17,000 sq foot venue, and will operate as a takeaway-only outlet. They will be offering a selection of popular toasted sandwiches, including The Eastender and The Melt, as well as a site-exclusive sandwich called The Boxer, with smoked pulled pork, maple mustard, a cheddar-mozzarella blend, Kansas BBQ sauce and candied jalapeños, served with house-made coleslaw.

The toastie brand, known for its indulgent approach, has developed a loyal customer base since it opened in Spitalfields. Founder Tom Pepper said: “We’ve always believed great comfort food should be bold, simple and full of personality – which is exactly why Boxhall feels like the perfect home for Melt. We’ve built an incredible community at Old Spitalfields Market, and we’re bringing our toasties, dips and big flavours to a whole new crowd in the heart of the City. We can’t wait to fire up the grill and serve Liverpool Street its new favourite melt.”

Luther Dyer, general manager at Boxhall, enthused: “We’re thrilled to welcome Melt to Boxhall. Their dedication to quality ingredients and unapologetically indulgent comfort food makes them a perfect fit for our community. Melt brings a real sense of fun and flavour to the space, and we know their toasties will be an instant hit with our guests.”

Food Desk

Melt is now open at Boxhall City, 1-27 The Arcade, Liverpool Street, London EC2M 7PN. For further information, visit their website here.

The pop-up marks the return to the coffee industry of entrepreneur Scott Martin, the founder of Coffee Nation, a brand developing pioneering self-service coffee stations in the UK. Unity Coffee represents Martin’s latest venture, which he says is a response to what he sees as stagnation in the high street coffee sector. “High street coffee has lost its way,” Martin opined, adding that his company offers “a revolutionary new product”. Visitors to the Soho location will be able to sample drinks free of charge by downloading the Unity Coffee app. The machine, which features automated technology and uses what the company describes as “premium ingredients”, is intended to be rolled out in workplaces, universities and transport hubs across the UK.

The company’s self-service model reflects a growing and controversial trend in the food and beverage industry towards automation and contactless service. While Unity Coffee is still in its early stages, the pop-up offers an initial view of the technology and user experience behind the brand.

Unity Coffee has not yet announced a full launch date for its broader rollout but has indicated plans to expand into high-footfall areas in 2026.

Food Desk

Unity Coffee’s pop-up takes place from 16^th until 18^th December 2025 at 19 D’Arblay Street, London W1F 8ED. For further information about Unity Coffee, visit their website here.

The book spans a period from 2007 to 2023 – a time during which Brooklyn underwent significant demographic, cultural and architectural changes. Rizzo’s work captures this transition through candid street scenes and portraits, offering a visual narrative of the borough’s shifting identity. The images, taken with a toy camera, are marked by a lo-fi aesthetic that evokes a sense of nostalgia while highlighting the grit and vibrancy of urban life.

The Brooklyn-based photographer, is known for her intimate portrayals of urban life, often focusing on community, place and identity. In Wonderland, she focuses on her own surroundings, capturing the everyday moments and people that define the borough. The use of a toy camera – typically a plastic-bodied camera with limited controls – lends the images a dreamlike quality, underscoring the passage of time and the ephemeral nature of street life.

Wonderland includes texts by photographer Claudio Edinger and Kings County Distillery co-founder Colin Spoelman, providing additional context and commentary on Rizzo’s body of work and the neighbourhoods she portrays. The book is published in English and presented as a cloth hardcover with a tipped-in image on the cover. 

Wonderland: Brooklyn 2007–2023 is available now and adds to the growing body of documentary photography exploring the social and visual fabric of urban America.

Food Desk

Wonderland: Brooklyn 2007-2023 is published by Kehrer Verlag at the hardback price of €48. For further information or to purchase, visit here.

Eleven Revelstoke Lodge is located in interior British Columbia, an area that receives over 700 inches of snowfall annually and is considered one of the world’s premier heli-skiing locations. The lodge provides access to 300,000 acres of skiable terrain across the Monashee and Valhalla mountain ranges. Skiers are guided through the area’s varied landscape – which includes glaciated terrain, open bowls, and tree-lined slopes – by experienced guides with deep local knowledge. There are also direct heli-skiing transfers from Kelowna Airport available, allowing guests to begin skiing shortly after their arrival.

The lodge, which sits in the centre of the town of Revelstoke, has undergone a series of upgrades, including the addition of three new guest rooms (bringing the total to 12), as well as renovated bathrooms and a redesigned interior overseen by Blake Pike and Twelve Interiors. The new look incorporates a mix of vintage and custom furnishings, Moroccan tiles, rustic plaster and local pine, blending traditional ski lodge elements with mid-century modern design. New amenities include a third-floor lounge and bar area, four treatment rooms, a sauna, steam room, cold plunge and a fully equipped fitness centre. A new gear and locker room has also been added, providing guests with secure storage for outdoor equipment. The former boiler room has been transformed into a public bar that’s open Wednesday to Sunday evenings, and the in-house restaurant, Quartermaster Eatery, is open to both guests and the public daily for dinner.

Heli-ski packages at Eleven Revelstoke Lodge are available from 19^th December to 31^st March 2026, with rates starting at $12,985 USD (approximately £9,739) per night for groups of one to three guests, and $24,431 USD (approximately £18,400) per night for groups of four to eight. The price includes guided heli-skiing, equipment, meals, and planning services.

Food Desk

Eleven Revelstoke Lodge reopens on 19^th December 2025. For further information or to book, visit their website here.

It’s 2003, and war has broken out in Iraq. Baghdad is in flames. Iraqis are forced to manage conflicting loyalties to the invading force claiming to liberate them, and the thousands of countrymen who died because of the invasion.

Meanwhile, it’s 2025, and war is dominating global headlines: Israel and Palestine, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and mounting rhetoric against Venezuela from the United States, rhetoric that in many ways mirrors that of the Iraq War. This play could not have better timing, drawing clear parallels with current events.

The premise is embellished from the true story of an unlikely casualty of the Iraq War, a Bengal tiger that was shot dead by an American soldier at the Baghdad zoo. But in the play, the tiger does not simply die. Instead, she ends up haunting the streets of Baghdad, questioning her existence, her beliefs and her morals as the war rages on.

Olivier Award-winning Kathryn Hunter is spectacular as the tiger. She is sharp and cutting, making every word one to hang on. What makes her performance even more impressive is the fact that she has been subbed in at the last minute for David Threlfall, who is out due to illness. She makes the role hers in spectacular fashion, stealing the show with buckets of charm.

It would be criminal not to mention the rest of the cast are great, whose only fault is performing alongside Hunter. But each one of the tight group of actors is flawless in their role.

Joseph’s writing is a wonderful existential web that drips with dark humour. This results in a performance that’s funnier than some comedies while still delivering gut punches where it matters.

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is the right show at the right time, performed and directed with genuine excellence. It does not disappoint.

Jim Compton-Hall
Photos: Ellie Kurttz

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is at the Young Vic from 4^th December 2025 until 31^st January 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.

Opening with the crescendo of Cherry, the energy of the room immediately shifts. Pausing for a lingering cheer before she sings, it’s clear that KP brings an air of playful defiance to her performance. The songs that follow are more highlights from the new record, which she jokingly refers to as the night’s “assigned reading”. There’s an edge to this new sound, with raw vocals and whining guitar riffs. The difference is apparent when she plays an older track, The Bend, which is a softer, more delicate fan favourite.

Even as she plays these slower numbers, there are moments between that keep the atmosphere light and lively. At one point, King Princess declares this London show the loudest of the tour, coaxing out a ringing cheer from the audience. Another crowd pleaser follows like a reward: Pussy Is God plays, and everyone sings and moves along.

Continuing with a mix of old and new, including the new title track and Pain, which she chooses to play from a list of four fan favourites, KP is captivating, effortlessly moving about the small stage. Even though the venue is tightly packed, there’s constant moving, like a collective pulse throughout the set. In high-energy songs like Cry Cry Cry it’s clear, but it reaches a peak with Hit the Back. After an impressive piano intro, the singer tells everyone to get low and jump, and they do enthusiastically.

As the gig begins to wind down, the artist shares a heartfelt moment before going back to the very start with Talia, her first single. “I’ve been touring in London since I was 20, I’ll be turning 27 next month, it’s like coming home to a city that supported me…so thank you.”

Playing three songs for the encore, King Princess finishes with Ohio, a great guitar-driven ballad that rounds up the night and the artist’s whole sound. It’s as if she’s come full circle, playing such a powerful number that sums up her raw edge and vocal prowess, and ending the performance on a buzzing high.

Daisy Grace Greetham
Photos: LA Benoit

For further information and future events, visit King Princess’s website here.

Watch the video for Jaime here:

Situated on the 14^th floor of The Hoxton, Seabird is proud of its panoramic views of the London skyline, and their collaboration with Champagne Pommery aims to provide guests with an atmospheric dining experience during the festive period. There will be a curated selection of champagne available alongside the restaurant’s usual menu, with a focus on seafood – particularly oysters. Live jazz performances will also take place each Saturday evening throughout the month, adding a sophisticated musical element to the vibe.

The rooftop venue has previously hosted seasonal events, but this marks its first formal collaboration with Champagne Pommery. The champagne brand, based in Reims, France, produces a celebrated range of brut and vintage cuvées and has been involved in various hospitality partnerships across Europe. The partnership comes as London’s hospitality venues prepare for the busy festive period, with many establishments offering themed dining experiences to attract both local residents and visitors. With its central location and rooftop setting, Seabird is presenting itself as a destination for seasonal outings in the city.

Reservations for the December events are now open, with high demand expected in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Food Desk

The Champagne Pommery collaborative dinners are on until 31^st December 2025, with live jazz on Saturdays, at Seabird at The Hoxton, 40 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8NY. For further information or to book a table, visit here.

The family-friendly event will take place from 1 to 3pm in the basement club room, featuring a special edition of Big Fish Little Fish, the kids’ rave collective that has previously appeared at Glastonbury Festival. The afternoon is designed for parents and kids to celebrate together with music, dancing and interactive activities. According to organisers, the space will include a multi-sensory dancefloor with DJ sets, glitter cannons, bubbles and craft stations – plus there’s a licensed bar for adults. Billed as a 2pm Midnight Celebration, the event aims to provide an early countdown for families with little ones. Tickets are priced at £10 for children and £15 for adults.

Food and drink options will be available on-site throughout the day. Fulham Pier’s Riverside Market will offer casual food options such as burgers, pizza and butter chicken. But for adults seeking a more formal experience, Brasserie Constance, the venue’s riverside restaurant overseen by Michelin-starred chef Adam Byatt, will host a five-course New Year’s Eve dinner. Running from 5.30 to 9pm, the special dinner is priced at £95 per person and includes a welcome drink and live music, with a seasonal menu served overlooking the Thames. One of the featured dishes is a Baked Alaska Mont Blanc, and there’s plenty of champagne and high-class revelry all round.

The programme marks Fulham Pier’s first New Year’s Eve celebration since it opened, reflecting the venue’s dual focus on family-focused events and upscale dining. While the rave is expected to draw local residents with children, the dinner will target those looking for a quieter, more refined way to welcome 2026. Tickets for both are available now.

Food Desk

To book tickets for the Big Fish Little Fish New Year’s Eve family rave at Fulham Pier, visit their booking page here.

To book a table for the New Year’s Eve dinner at Brasserie Constance at Fulham Pier, call 020 3002 5221 visit the restaurant’s website here.

The thatched-roof pub is located on High Street in the village of Harrold, which sits alongside the River Great Ouse. With Slater and her husband, Andy, at the helm since 2021, it’s earned two AA Rosettes for culinary excellence, and has become a local hotspot for seasonal menus and locally sourced ingredients. 

The “show-stopping” cheesecake, which was first served in early December, offers a modern reinterpretation of traditional festive flavours, and is visually innovative too: it is presented in a custom mould (developed in collaboration with design company Tasteshed) that’s shaped like a sixpence coin in reference to the age-old British tradition of hiding a silver coin in a Christmas pudding for luck. The new dessert features a base of Valrhona 35% white chocolate, infused with currants and set on a spiced sablé biscuit. At its centre is a whisky caramel made with Scapa single malt, offering what the team describes as a “molten richness”. While the presentation is contemporary, the flavours aim to evoke the comfort and nostalgia associated with traditional British Christmas puddings. “It reimagines nostalgic Christmas-pudding flavours with a lighter, modern touch,” said Slater.

The Christmas Pudding Cheesecake is available for the duration of December at the Oakley Arms, with reservations encouraged.

Food Desk

To book a table at The Oakley Arms, 98-104 High Street, Harrold, Bedfordshire MK43 7BH, call 01234 720166 or visit their website here.