At the time of writing, there is a light, but steady drizzle rolling down the windows which is a great excuse to retreat with a glass of something Sacred and a good book...

Following the publication of Bright Lights, Big City in 1984, Jay McInerney was hailed as the voice of a generation...

At the time of writing, eating out may be strictly out of bounds but it can still be enjoyed vicariously, albeit in this case, from the other side of the service door...

A Farewell to Arms is a love story set against the backdrop of Italy during World War I. The protagonist, Frederic Henry, is a young American ambulance driver for the Italian army and Catherine Barkley is the English nurse he falls in love with. Having decided on a "separate peace", Henry eventually deserts the army and heads off to Stresa on the shore of Lake Maggiore to find Catherine. He checks in to the Grand Hotel des Iles Borromées where he celebrates his return to civvy street with several Martinis. “I had never tasted anything so cool and clean. They made me feel civilised."