Reviews Archives - Page 2 of 12

May 18, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Milly Thompson Aroma Venus Review: A Posthumous Triumph at Amanda Wilkinson Gallery

Last updated: 10 May 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice. This post contains a small number of affiliate links in the related-content section at the bottom, none of which influence the review itself.

Cool Factor: 5/5 Ice cold

The Milly Thompson Aroma Venus show at Amanda Wilkinson Gallery is, hands down, the warmest, wittiest, most quietly furious thing I have walked into in London this year. It is also posthumous, so going in I was a bit nervous. I needn't have been. Aroma Venus is exactly the kind of glamorous, slippery, unapologetic exhibition Milly would have hung herself, and it left me beaming and slightly teary on Farringdon Road. If you have a free afternoon before 23 May 2026, just go.

Published by Stiv in Art Lovers, Arts & Culture, Exhibitions, Reviews

Tags: Amanda Wilkinson Gallery, Aroma Venus, art review, BANK collective, contemporary British painting, Exhibition review, female gaze, London exhibitions, Milly Thompson, opinion

May 18, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Huel Daily Greens Review UK 2026: Honest Three-Month Verdict

Last updated: 18 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This Huel Daily Greens review is the honest three-month verdict on whether Huel's greens powder genuinely does anything, or whether it's just a £1.50 daily indulgence in expensive green wee.

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

This review is based on personal experience. Huel Daily Greens is a food supplement, not a medicine. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition. If you have health concerns, consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Greens powders are the wellness industry's answer to a guilty conscience. Didn't eat enough vegetables this week? Stir some green dust into water and absolve yourself. We've been taking Huel Daily Greens daily for three months. Here's what we noticed, what we didn't notice, and whether the science backs any of it up.

This is different from Huel's meal replacement powders. Daily Greens is a supplement, not a meal. You drink it alongside food, not instead of it. We covered the main Huel Powder separately too.

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5 · Stone cold

Affiliate disclosure: this Huel Daily Greens review contains referral links. If you sign up via one of them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Our opinion remains independent of any commercial relationship.

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Published by Stiv in Fitness, Foodie, Reviews, Self-care Champion

Tags: AG1 alternative, greens powder, Huel, Huel Daily Greens, reviews, supplements UK, vegan supplements, wellness

May 16, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Sherlock Holmes Open Air Theatre Review: Save Your Money

Last updated: 16 May 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

Cool Factor: 2/5

This Sherlock Holmes Open Air Theatre production opened the 2026 Regent's Park season on 2 May, and runs until 6 June. We went in with high hopes, given the venue, the source material and the talent involved. Sadly, we left disappointed. The show is camp, overlong and far too dependent on the Cumberbatch BBC series and the Robert Downey Jr films for its character work. The setting still dazzles. The production, regrettably, does not.

Published by Stiv in Arts & Culture, London, Reviews, Theatre lover

Tags: Drew McOnie, Joel Horwood, Joshua James, London theatre, Open Air Theatre, opinion piece, Regent's Park, Sean Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, theatre review

May 15, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

David Zwirner London Review: Five Minimalist Masters 2026

Last updated: 15 May 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

Five names, one Mayfair townhouse, and a quietly precise group hang. This David Zwirner London review covers Flavin, Judd, McCracken, Ryman, Sandback, on view at 24 Grafton Street until 22 May 2026. Although the artists are familiar, the way David Zwirner has threaded them together is genuinely fresh. So if you've ever wondered what colour itself can do as a material, this is the show to see.

Cool Factor: 4/5

Published by Stiv in Art Lovers, Artists, Arts & Culture, Exhibitions, Reviews

Tags: art review, Dan Flavin, David Zwirner, David Zwirner London, Donald Judd, Exhibition review, Fred Sandback, John McCracken, London exhibitions, Mayfair galleries, Minimalism, minimalist art, Robert Ryman

May 9, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

XTB App Review UK 2026: One Star Opinion (1/5)

Last updated: 10 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I have used investing apps for over a decade, including Freetrade, Lightyear, Trading 212, Interactive Brokers and JPMorgan Personal Investing. This XTB app review is based on real, recent first-hand use on iPhone over the past few weeks.

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are my own personal experience and observations. Other XTB customers have reported very different experiences, both better and worse, and you can read those views directly on the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot. Nothing in this review constitutes professional, financial or legal advice, nor an allegation of wrongdoing by XTB. Capital is at risk when investing.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view. This post does not contain any XTB referral links; where alternative brokers are mentioned, those links may include CoolCuration referral codes. We have no referral relationship with XTB and do not benefit financially from XTB itself.

Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Cool Factor: 1/5

Welcome to our XTB app review. After spending the last few weeks battling with the broker's iOS app, surviving a verification process worthy of a Kafka novella, and being chased around the screen by stock notifications I never asked for, I have reached a personal verdict. It is not flattering. So if you have seen the ads and the free share offers, this XTB app review explains exactly what you would be signing up for, in my experience.

Published by Stiv in Apps, Personal finance, Reviews

Tags: broker app, broker review, Freetrade alternative, investment apps, Lightyear alternative, opinion, uk investing, XTB, XTB app, XTB review

May 6, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Are We Really Here? HBH Gallery Review – Sally Kindberg and the Sub-Real

Last updated: 5 May 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

Cool Factor: 4/5

Are We Really Here is a group show that arrives at exactly the right moment. Staged by itinerant London gallery HBH at 67 Great Titchfield Street in Fitzrovia, the show runs from 30 April to 8 May 2026. It gathers 14 artists around a single urgent question: in a world of para-social noise and algorithmically flattened experience, what does it mean to actually be present? For our money, Are We Really Here is one of the sharpest group exhibitions London has seen this spring.

The standout, above all, is Stockholm-born London-based painter Sally Kindberg. She contributes three works: Umbrella Man Special (2026, oil on linen, 91 x 81cm), Muted Corner (2026, oil on linen, 70 x 55cm), and 40 Denier (2025, oil on linen). Together, they are among the most compelling things on show in London right now.

Published by Stiv in Arts & Culture, Reviews

Tags: contemporary painting, Exhibition review, Fitzrovia, group show, HBH Gallery, London Art, Sally Kindberg

May 4, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Grubby vs Mindful Chef: Honest UK Comparison 2026

Last updated: 4 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

If you are choosing between Grubby vs Mindful Chef, you have already made the bigger decision: you want a recipe box. Good. Both services deliver fresh ingredients to your door. Both promise healthier midweek dinners. However, only one of them is fully plant-based, and that single difference shapes everything else, from recipe creativity to how committed the kitchen team feels about vegan food.

I have been getting Grubby boxes for over a year. I also tried Mindful Chef for around three months to compare them properly. Honestly, both are decent services. They are simply aimed at different people. So if you are specifically after plant-based meals, the answer is fairly straightforward.

Disclosure: CoolCuration uses a referral link with Grubby, which means we earn a small commission if you sign up through our link. We have no relationship with Mindful Chef. This comparison reflects genuine use of both services and my honest assessment.

Want up to 60% off your first Grubby box?

Grubby is the fully plant-based pick here, and our referral page keeps the current discount and free dessert up to date.

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Published by Stiv in Foodie, Reviews, Sustainable Living

Tags: grubby, grubby vs mindful chef, meal kit comparison, mindful chef, plant-based meals, recipe box uk, vegan meal kit, vegan recipe box

May 3, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Huel Powder Review UK 2026: Honest Verdict After Years

Last updated: 3 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice. This Huel powder review UK contains a referral link.

Huel wants to replace your lunch. That is, frankly, a big ask. So this Huel powder review UK is built on years of me drinking vanilla v3.1 shaken in cold water at the desk, between meetings, while quietly judging whether powdered food really deserves a place in a real kitchen. Spoiler: it is better than you would expect, worse than the marketing claims, and your insides will absolutely have their own opinions for the first fortnight.

Cool Factor

★★★★☆

4 out of 5: Stone cold

Want £20 off your first Huel order?

The current new-customer referral discount and how to claim it are kept up to date on our referral page.

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Published by Stiv in Foodie, Reviews, Self-care Champion, Sport fanatics

Tags: busy lifestyle, food review, healthy eating, Huel, Huel powder, meal replacement, nutrition, opinion, plant-based, reviews, vegan

May 3, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Katharina Grosse at White Cube Bermondsey Review

Last updated: 3 May 2026

By Tristan · Arts, exhibitions and creative culture

This is an opinion piece. Views expressed are the author's own and do not constitute professional advice.

Cool Factor

★★★★★

5 out of 5 – Ice cold

Katharina Grosse at White Cube Bermondsey is, hand on heart, the most spectacular free exhibition currently on in London. I Set Out, I Walked Fast opened on 22 April 2026 and runs until 31 May, and it delivers something genuinely rare: a show that is immersive, generous, and varied enough that you walk back out onto Bermondsey Street feeling slightly rearranged. We visited this week, and we have a lot to say about it.

Published by Stiv in Arts & Culture, Exhibitions, Reviews

Tags: abstract painting, art review, Contemporary art, free London exhibitions, immersive art, Katharina Grosse, London exhibitions 2026, White Cube, White Cube Bermondsey

May 2, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Best Wireless Earbuds UK 2026: Honest Buying Guide

Last updated: 2 May 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

The best wireless earbuds UK shoppers can buy in 2026 are better than ever, and the gap between cheap and flagship has narrowed dramatically. Truly wireless earbuds are the one gadget almost everyone owns and almost everyone settles for. You buy whichever pair is on offer, they're fine for six months, then one bud dies and you start the cycle again. This guide is about breaking that pattern: buy the right pair once and enjoy them for years.

We've split our picks by budget and use case, from the £49 bargains that punch absurdly above their weight to the £250 flagships that earn every penny. Plus a few honest words about durability, ecosystems and whether you actually need ANC.

This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Published by Stiv in Audiophiles, Buying Guides, Consumer Tech, Reviews

Tags: AirPods Pro 3, ANC earbuds, Beats, best wireless earbuds, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, consumer tech, earbuds UK, gym earbuds, noise cancelling earbuds, Nothing Ear, Pixel Buds Pro, Powerbeats Pro 2, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM6, Soundcore, wireless earbuds