Daniel Craig shows up with beard for premier of Tintin

A few days ago, one U.K. newspaper, The Sun, said Daniel Craig was growing a beard for Bond 23. He did show up at the U.K. premier of The Adventures of Tintin sporting a beard, according to a report in another U.K. newspaper, the Daily Mail.

You can CLICK HERE to see pictures and read the Mail’s coverage of the premier. Filming on Bond 23 isn’t supposed to start until Nov. 7 (a date unconfirmed by Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or Sony Corp.’s Columbia Pictures). So this can’t be considered conclusive evidence The Sun was correct.

UPDATE: You can view additional pictures at THE HUFFINGTON POST.

Ian Fleming gets a named martini at Dukes London Bar

Dukes London Bar

The cocktail bar at Dukes London in the city’s St. James’s neighborhood recently joined in partnership with London-based fragrance maker Floris to introduce the Fleming ’89, a new martini crafted in honor of the author Ian Fleming – who, like his character, James Bond, knew a thing or two about martinis. A famously frequent patron, Fleming wrote chunks of his first novel, Casino Royaleat Dukes, and is said to have dreamed up the famous “shaken not stirred” line — as well as Bond’s classic Vesper Martini — in the renowned saloon.

He was also a frequent visitor at Floris, where his fragrance of choice was No. 89, named after the number of the shop on Jermyn Street.

Alessandro Palazzi

The new Fleming ’89 was created by Dukes Bar Manager Alessandro Palazzi, who was inspired by the ingredients written in the original 1951 Floris formula book for the No. 89 fragrance. After plenty of experimentation, Palazzi arrived at the final creation, which combines vodka infused with Tonka beans*, chocolate bitters, Dukes’ specially-made English Amber Vermouth, Stolichnaya ELIT vodka and rose liqueur.

The Fleming ’89 will run you £18.95 (about $21.75), and is only available at Dukes London Bar.  For more information, call + 800-381-4702 or visit their website.

* Sounds weird, we know. However, see this article in the Atlantic for an education as to this magical ingredient.