new + hot
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Say three wheels are better than two
The last time most of us rode on three wheels we were tikes on trikes, but the new MP3 scooter from Piaggio has cheekily reinvented the concept. Like a back-to-front tricycle, the MP3 has two front wheels and one back. It looks devilishly cute but there’s more to it than that: having two front wheels means it can take corners and brake far more quickly on a slippery road, thus combining car-like safety with all the freedom of movement and parking of a scooter. Will its odd appearance put people off? We doubt it. The MP3 is available throughout Europe and prices start from €5,000 before tax.
Stay cool in Copenhagen
The temperature outside may be climbing but at Absolut Icebar it’s always a chilly -5°C. Fans of the original Stockholm Icebar can now check out its counterpart in Denmark, at Copenhagen’s Hotel 27. The uninitiated need not worry: warm clothes are provided, so you feel toasty as you sip cocktails and admire the unique interior. Well, not quite unique, as the Copenhagen bar is created from the same stuff as its Stockholm twin. “It may sound crazy to bring ice from Sweden,” admits Agnetha Lund, director of Icebar International, ”but the Torne River’s crystal-clear water makes for the best sensory experience.” The bar showcases new ice sculptures throughout the year.
Copenhagen Hotel 27
Løngangstræde 27, +45 7027 5627
www.hotel27.dk
Powder your nose in style
London’s Oxford Street is home to some of the world’s best affordable fashion stores including Topshop, where you’ll find the new spring collection designed by supermodel Kate Moss. But even hardened shoppers need bathroom breaks. If sneaking into a McDonald’s toilet with seven carrier bags doesn’t appeal, try the rose-scented WC1. (The name’s a play on words, WC1 being a posh London zip code and ‘WC’ – water closet – a British euphemism for a toilet.) Located opposite Selfridges department store, the pay-per-pee facilities cost £5 (about €7) to use, and hand massages, makeovers and the use of an iron are also available.
Get in hot water in Valencia
Did you know that Valencia has natural thermal
spa waters? Bathing in them hasn’t been big
business since the 1800s, but all that changed
late last year with the opening of La Alameda,
a modern urban spa (the first of its kind in Spain)
that capitalises on the city’s forgotten natural
phenomenon. Make like a 19th-century Spaniard
and experience the restorative powers of the
43ºC water, which contains sulphates, calcium
and magnesium. It’s fun for anyone, but thought
to be helpful for a host of health complaints
including joint problems. The ¤6m project also
stretches to 20 luxurious beauty treatment
cabins, a cafeteria and nursery.
Calle Amadeo de Saboya
+34 901 222 002
www.balneariolaalameda.com
Believe the hype
The column where Sterling puts new gimmicks to the test. This issue: diet shoes (yes, really)
Power Diet shoes are sneakers that weigh a whopping
1.4kg. The idea is to work your leg muscles in ways a usual sports shoe can’t. As in the legendary lead boots of Mafia threats, I’d better not go near a river in these: if I fall in, I’m a goner.
‘Power Diet’ is stamped across the tongues like a confession, as is the mantra “the weight of my shoes makes my body light”. I slip them on and can feel my street cred draining away: my friend says they look like trainers her mum wore in the ’80s. Doubtless the manufacturers hope other gym-goers will read the slogan and ask: “Diet shoes? Where can I buy ‘em?” I doubt it, and not just because I rarely hit the gym.
But there’s a lot to be said for exercise by stealth. Just sitting still, I feel my calf muscles working; I walk, and my thighs feel toned; I run upstairs and am en route to buns of steel. The shoes might not be worth showing off, but the results could be. It’s fashion versus figure, pride versus physique. Is it time to invest in a home gym? SOPHY GRIMSHAW
Power Diet shoes, €170
+44 161 975 5380, www.lovethoseshoes.com
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