All stories about "London"

London is no stranger to members-only clubs. But Victory, headed by Hedges and Butler alum and self-described as “a luxurious, opulent members club,” is no Soho House. The brainchild of Youcef Aden, formerly Dynasty’s costume designer and stylist to such icons as Jackson 5 and Elton John, Victory evaluates member’s applications on their merit as storytellers. That’s right, “membership is free, but granted on the premise that the applicant has a story to tell. Creativity and intellect will be encouraged – along with wit, humor and a passion for the anecdotal.”

Ever since baby-faced oil swindler Roman Abramovich traded Moscow for Mayfair in 2003, a red tide of Russian super-rich have been making London their home. Belgravia estate agents have gleefully rubbed their hands raw as Russian bidding wars pile tens of millions onto already obscenely-priced luxury mansions, and obsequious Knightsbridge jewelers are now employing Russian-speaking staff to help part these newcomers from their cash. So if a prospective billionaire settler, fresh off his Lear jet, asks you to show him around town for a day (money no object of course), what are you going to do? Here's a sample itinerary you might try, costing a paltry sum northwards of twenty thousand pounds for the day.

Vintage has been hot fashion property for some time now. This ubiquity has left some cold -- especially regarding items which claim to be "vintage" but are actually "vintage inspired." True vintage, however, can be a wonderful, many-splendored thing. In an increasingly samey, saturated womenswear market, a vintage item can make you stand out. No one will be wearing the same dress as you, or a dress which looks really similar but actually came from another (ahem) well known High Street retailer. Vintage accessories are a goldmine, especially when a particular era comes back into fashion. However, vintage clothing can range from thousands of pounds to just a few. The following guide provides a range of vintage shopping options, from the mind-blowingly expensive to the cheap and everywhere in between.

Everyday on Gridskipper we give you a new map. Some are new, some are fetched from our archive, newly updated. Happy Gridskipping. Once upon a time, sexy lingerie in Britain was a somewhat er, specialized business selling torturous polyester and scratchy lace garments to be worn perhaps once on Valentine's Day or more regularly if you were a stripper. Most women never strayed from plain, sensible pants, which had once been white and were now gray and fraying. It was a sad state of affairs. And then Agent Provocateur came along and saved the nation's knicker drawers. Where they led the way, many others followed and now we're spoiled for choice. Mapped here are just some of London's finest purveyors of lingerie.

· One last night of boozing aboard London’s metro [Dallas News]
· In Las Vegas, locals "are the new tourists in town" [LVS]
· Int'l Air Transport Assoc. head calls Heathrow “a national embarrassment” [BBC]
· Airlines' Saturday-night-stay rule is back,Peter Greenberg not happy about it [NY Times]
· Urinals may soon be making their mile high debut [Gadling]
· Bloomberg backs bid for high-speed, 2-hour train service from NYC to D.C. [NY Times]

Fred Segal Green, Los Angeles. (photo: L.A. Times)

Boston
• Orinoco: South End Venezuelan restaurant opens a new location in Brookline Village.

Chicago
• Angels & Mariachis: A two-story taqueria and "rock cantina" opened on Monday in the East Village.
• Veerasway: New restaurant in the Warehouse District offers Indian small plates by chef Angela Lee.
• Zed 451: New River North restaurant served global fare made with seasonal market products.

You don't have to cross the channel to dress like a Parisienne. If you're in London and pining for some Parisian style, no need to trouble yourself with an aller-retour on the Eurostar. Just hop on the Tube and head over to W11. Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road in the heart of Notting Hill is a quiet, walkable, boutique-lined little oasis where you can stroll around, window shop, and spend your cash at top Gallic boutiques that congregate in the area. Even if you're just in the mood for a window-shop and a coffee, Westbourne Grove is a nice place to meander on a sunny afternoon. Make that a beer, and you just may be able to almost convince yourself you're in the Marais. Except that the English-speaking French girls mining these fashion houses are smiling and friendly in a way they'd never think to be on native soil.

The British government has decided to sacrifice air quality standards for the sake of allowing an additional 60,000 flights per year into Heathrow Airport. "Ministers are planning to ask the European commission for a special deal to exempt the capital from official limits on exposure to pollutants." [The Times]

We've already sent you to some of London's best design shops for the home. Here's a list of top design destinations and events for the design junkie in search of modern inspiration and historical perspective. After the jump: 400 years of English interiors at the Geffrye Museum in Shoreditch, the newest work of international design stars at the Design Museum along the Thames, and London's only antiques, vintage, and retro department store.

"... .London's bloggers investigate and post with gruelling diligence. And the greatest prize, of course, is finding that hidden gem that few seem to know about." The Guardian convinces 10 bloggers "to give away one of their best secrets." Our own Claire Oldman spills the beans on the Rivoli Ballroom, one of just two ballrooms remaining in London. (Bitterjug/flickr)

Allwyn Rondeau was the Heathrow employee who sued Lucy Chilton, a security guard at the London airport, after she harassed him for being gay by "wobb[ling] her breasts" at him and asking him to "come on, give it to [her]." Ew, the term wobbling is so gross. Chilton has been found guilty and faces a fine of up to 30,000 pounds for personal injury. [via]

Rebar, Chicago.

Boston
• Leokadia: A new South End shop carries exclusive shoe collections, jewelry and accessories.
• Scampo: Local culinary star Lydia Shire opens a fine-dining Italian restaurant inside the Liberty Hotel.

I'm feeling a little out of sorts today, so I've decided to just post whatever I'm in the mood to blog about. Obviously, I've used this as an excuse to write up odes to some of the finest women in the world. No day of posting international hottie photos would be complete without acknowledging the Princess of Monaco, Charlotte Casiraghi. No less an authority on pretty women than Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld (who, regardless of his personal preferences, is constantly surrounded by gorgeous models) once likened Princess Charlotte to the famous French sex kitten Brigitte Bardot. Her movie star looks are to be expected, since Charlotte's grandmother is none other than Grace Kelly. In addition to her royal pedigree, killer tan, and piercing grey eyes, the 21-year-old Princess is also in possession of her own island off the Sardinian coast, which is a good thing because she looks damn good in a bikini.

Social, Cofresi.

Boston
• Atelier: A new Back Bay salon has just three coveted seats for haircuts with stylist Dean Mellen.

Self-styled boho hipsters, trustafarians, Portobello Road tourists of the world, and fannypack fans of the eponymous movie make Notting Hill a sought-after London destination. This trendster ghetto is a pretty fun place to hang out, with more than enough shopping, restaurants, cafes, and the like to keep you more than amused. If you need a place to sleep, check out this list of Notting Hill digs under £150 a night, including a casually chic b&b in a Victorian mansion, an eccentric 18th-century guest house whose rooms are named after the romantic poets, and a budget address smack on Portobello Road starting at £55 a night.

A London hotel is introducing a new service for guests that's one of the odder we've heard about. For two weeks starting this Monday, Hyatt's Andaz Liverpool Street Hotel will host "Reader in Residence," which means "writer Damian Barr, 31, will read to guests or talk literature with them. "The service is free, and no books are off-limits -- even racy ones." But don't think Barr is the type to let things get out of hand. "If somebody was perhaps responding to the reading in a way that was inappropriate, I would try to stay in the safe confines of my armchair...and hotel security is always on standby." [USA Today]

When you're on the road, worrying about reading maps, the horrible exchange rate, and not getting caught in an unforeseen tourist trap can cause you to leave your progressive habits at home. If you are one of those people who likes to eat, shop, and otherwise consume in an organic-when-possible manner, there's no reason to throw your conviction to the wind in London, where organic options abound. Here is a sampling of London's best, from a delicious dinner spot to a new eco lifestyle store from actor Colin Firth to a beauty treatment that involves the application of organic bull sperm to your very own scalp. For more information on how to stay organic in London, go here.