The ObserverRail travelGhosts of famous Wagons-Lits trains haunt Andrew Martin as he takes one of the last sleepers to the Riviera The Gare de Lyon is the most beautiful Parisian station: the faded green paint of its ironwork and the palm trees on the concourse suggest an aristocratic conservatory. Its Train Bleu restaurant is accessed from the concourse by an imperial (that is, double-sided) staircase. The main dining room is called the Gold Room, to deter anyone thinking of ordering a cheap snack.

ObituaryJohn Stephen'King of Carnaby Street' who changed attitudes to male fashionJohn Stephen, "King of Carnaby Street", who has died aged 69, was a crucial link between trad England, where male flamboyance was sexually suspect, and mod Britain, where peacock display became a right - even a rite - for all men. He was the first to mass-market what had been transgressive gay style to straight lads. At 18 he arrived in London from Glasgow to work in the military department at Moss Bros; for the rest of his life he kept to the gentlemanly uniform of that era, well-tailored suit, white shirt.

Top 10sBest booksFrom Homer to Norman Mailer and Joyce Carol Oates, the novelist picks out 10 TKOsMarkus Zusak is an Australian author born in 1975, the son of Austrian and German parents. His novels for younger readers have won numerous awards and one, The Book Thief, has become a worldwide bestseller. Originally published in 2001, Fighting Ruben Wolfe has just been reissued by Definitions. Buy Markus Zusak books at the Guardian bookshop

OperaMaria Theresia von Paradis’s piano bewitched the Viennese court – but she was tormented by quacks proffering remedies she didn’t need. Now a disabled theatre team are turning her life into opera Millions across the world watched cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason play at Megan and Harry’s wedding. But only a tiny fraction of those viewers would have known the haunting Sicilienne with which his performance begun, or the composer believed to have written it.

Self and wellbeingLife and styleWhen police injured his beloved sister, triggering race riots, Tony Moo-Young’s ‘rebirth’ as Mooji began It was 6.30am on a Saturday when Anthony Moo-Young’s phone rang and a voice told him his sister Cherry had been shot. It made no sense – “I said, ‘What are you speaking about?’” – but the caller just told him to get himself down to Cherry’s house in Brixton as quickly as possible.

Top 10 city guidesBrussels holidaysTop 10 traditional bars in BrusselsBrussels has no shortage of cosy bars where you can sample the finest Belgian beers while soaking up the atmosphere. John Brunton picks the city's best 'estaminets'While Londoners lament the disappearance of their old-fashioned pubs and Parisians complain that bistrots are being replaced by "le fast food", visitors to Brussels will quickly realise that this is an oasis for anyone looking for an old-fashioned pub crawl.

Ghislaine Maxwell This article is more than 2 years oldAnalysisVictims’ testimony: how Ghislaine Maxwell lured girls into Epstein’s orbitThis article is more than 2 years oldVictoria BekiempisIn a Manhattan courtroom, four of Maxwell’s accusers painted a powerful story of sexual abuse This article contains descriptions of sexual abuseFour of Ghislaine Maxwell’s accusers testified against her in Manhattan federal court, painting a compelling and powerful story of sexual abuse. These women – Jane, Kate, Carolyn and Annie Farmer – testified they met Maxwell as teens, and that she lured them into Jeffrey Epstein’s orbit.

Cycling This article is more than 7 years oldBelgian cyclist Antoine Demoitié dies after being hit by motorbike at Gent-Wevelgem eventThis article is more than 7 years oldAntoine Demoitié dies after being hit by race motorcycle Police inquiry under way as worrying support vehicle trend continues Belgian cyclist Antoine Demoitié has died in hospital after being hit by a motorbike after a fall during the Gent-Wevelgem cycling classic on Sunday. Several riders had fallen in the crash as the race moved through Sainte-Marie-Cappel in northern France.

DanceReviewTheatre Royal, NewcastleFounded in 1959, the year Castro's revolutionaries overthrew Batista, and evolving into an exotic hybrid of contemporary, classical and ­Caribbean styles, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba are an ­exquisite physical ­instrument. They move with an old-fashioned ­juiciness, reminiscent of the ­Martha Graham Company, burning up the ­choreography. But they are also smart, responsive and funny. And for their first UK tour they showcase their ­versatility in the work of three very different choreographers.

Emma Beddington is a freelance writer NOTE, August 2023: We are aware that a Proton Mail email address purporting to belong to Emma Beddington has been used to commission articles from freelance writers with false promises of publication and payment by the Guardian. Please note that Emma Beddington is not a Guardian commissioning editor and has not entered into any such arrangements. Any such approaches are not genuine offers of work and do not come from the Guardian or Emma Beddington herself.