diamond geezer
Still hanging around
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in...
a year ago
Yesterday was one of this blog's 20 busiest days, not because everyone's really interested in National Trust properties but because an old post hit an international news aggregator. My post about Crossrail timewasting ended up on hckr news under the headline "25% of the 13 minute...
diamond geezer
Postcards from Norwich
Postcards from Norwich
✉ Goldsmith Street
five years ago it went to council housing in Norwich....
2 months ago
Postcards from Norwich
✉ Goldsmith Street
five years ago it went to council housing in Norwich. They could have built flats but instead they packed 105 energy-efficient houses into a handful of dense terraced streets, aligned east-west to maximise solar gain. Extra-thick walls...
Londonist
9 Challenge Events In London In 2024 To Sign Up For Right Now
New year, new challenge!
11 months ago
Londonist
Things You Might Not Know About The Borough Of Harrow
Even Boudicca decided it was worth a visit.
a year ago
Even Boudicca decided it was worth a visit.
Londonist
Metro Memory: The Addictive Tube Game You're Going To Be Playing All Week
"Just five more minutes..."
a year ago
"Just five more minutes..."
diamond geezer
The 47th President
Two months ago I asked you the following question.
Who do you think will be the next American...
a month ago
Two months ago I asked you the following question.
Who do you think will be the next American President? (poll closed)
Kamala
HARRIS
comments (71)
Donald
TRUMP
comments (29)
And now here we are the morning after the election. A red dawn is rising.
10 comments from readers...
diamond geezer
Ten apologies
I'd like to apologise for the ten posts I could have brought you today but haven't written.
1)...
a month ago
I'd like to apologise for the ten posts I could have brought you today but haven't written.
1) Visit London have opened a temporary Ticket Shop in Covent Garden
flogging stuff, mainly tickets to attractions and shows, and it looks hugely superfluous but it's not aimed at...
Spoon & Tamago
Minimal and Tranquil Charcoal Drawings by Masahiko Minami
“TRYST” (2021) by Masahiko Minami. Charcoal and mixed-media on wood panel Masahiko Minami works with...
4 months ago
“TRYST” (2021) by Masahiko Minami. Charcoal and mixed-media on wood panel Masahiko Minami works with charcoal and graphite to create minimalist landscapes in dramatic contrast. At once both familiar and foreign, the landscapes present a tension between absence and depth,...
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 11-17 September 2023
Doctor Who, a child called Hyde Park, and some ace Ian Nairn quotes.
a year ago
Doctor Who, a child called Hyde Park, and some ace Ian Nairn quotes.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 2-8 October 2023
The best articles from the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from the past week.
diamond geezer
BL1
London's Free Buses
BL1: Bedfont Lakes - Feltham
BL2: Bedfont Lakes - Hatton Cross
Length of...
2 months ago
London's Free Buses
BL1: Bedfont Lakes - Feltham
BL2: Bedfont Lakes - Hatton Cross
Length of journey: 2 miles, 12 minutes
It's a strange place, a 1990s commercial development built across former gravel pits, originally with IBM as the lead tenant. It's a bit like Stockley Park...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 16-22 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Cheese and Biscuits
Lima, Shoreditch
I don't usually like to do invited reviews back-to-back, so this was supposed to be a post about a...
a month ago
I don't usually like to do invited reviews back-to-back, so this was supposed to be a post about a lovely Catalonian restaurant called El Molí de L'Escala. El Molí serve a daily-changing menu of exciting and unusual local seafood (they had sea cucumber on the menu last week, and...
Londonist
In Pictures: London's Tube Station Gardens
Which is your fave?
a year ago
diamond geezer
Green Chain 12
It's not often London's Strategic Walk Network is extended. The London Loop has been in existence...
10 months ago
It's not often London's Strategic Walk Network is extended. The London Loop has been in existence since 2001, the Capital Ring completed in 2005, the Green Chain grew an extra leg in 2010 and the Jubilee Greenway emerged in 2012. So I was thrilled to discover that the Green Chain...
Londonist
Peckham Festival: Free 3-Day Party Comes To SE15 London This September
Music, workshops, crafts, food - you name it.
a year ago
Music, workshops, crafts, food - you name it.
diamond geezer
Route 24
A New Year means new digits, and new digits mean a series of posts about the number 24. I've chosen...
11 months ago
A New Year means new digits, and new digits mean a series of posts about the number 24. I've chosen to start with London's oldest unchanged bus route, the 24's north/south run from Hampstead down to Pimlico. Rest assured I won't be writing a full travelogue because I did that...
Londonist
Epping Ongar Lights Express - The Fairy Light-Covered Christmas Steam Train Ride Is Back!
Most festive train EVER.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Energy shock
It's 2 years today since...
a) all Covid-related legal restrictions were withdrawn
b) Russian...
10 months ago
It's 2 years today since...
a) all Covid-related legal restrictions were withdrawn
b) Russian invaded Ukraine
It's also two years since the start of the energy shock that hoicked our gas and electricity bills to unheard-of levels. On the day of the invasion the annual energy...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 18-24 September 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Wembley Brook
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor...
a year ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
Wembley Brook
Sudbury → Wembley → Tokyngton (2½ miles)
This one's minor enough that I'd never heard of it before squinting more closely at a map of Wembley. This may be because the brook only spends a mile on the surface and spends the rest of its...
Londonist
20 Pithy Ian Nairn Quotes About Modern London Buildings
"A joke title for a joke of a building."
a year ago
"A joke title for a joke of a building."
Londonist
Happisburgh: Where People Lived On The Thames A Million Years Ago
The Thames had history 40,000 generations before the Romans.
a year ago
The Thames had history 40,000 generations before the Romans.
Londonist
London New Year's Eve Fireworks 2023: Ticket Details Announced
See in 2024 by the Thames in central London.
a year ago
See in 2024 by the Thames in central London.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Royal Oak, Whatcote
There are so many different types of restaurant, so much variety in the ways and manner and styles...
3 months ago
There are so many different types of restaurant, so much variety in the ways and manner and styles that we eat out, that sometimes it's amazing we find anything in common about the experience at all. And yet somehow we do, and restaurant critics and food blogs exist because, by...
diamond geezer
Poverest
This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Poverest Tourist Board
Visit Poverest - London's Secret...
3 months ago
This is a sponsored post on behalf of the Poverest Tourist Board
Visit Poverest - London's Secret Leisure Destination
Poverest, the charming outer London suburb handily located on the Chislehurst Road, where a good time is always on offer. [map]
Ask anyone in Poverest where...
Londonist
Celebrate The Bicentenary Of This Great Gothic Revival Architect
G E Street tours, talks and more.
9 months ago
G E Street tours, talks and more.
Londonist
Rumble In The Jungle Rematch Arrives In London
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
a year ago
Take your place ringside in this limited-run immersive show.
diamond geezer
Emails from 2004
Today I thought I'd dig into my inbox archive and bring you ten emails I was sent in October 2004....
a month ago
Today I thought I'd dig into my inbox archive and bring you ten emails I was sent in October 2004. Twenty years ago was a different time.
From londonmobs (1/10/04)
(and that was it, no further London flashmobs were organised)
cc-ed from my work address (5/10/04)
The...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Explore the Arctic's Beauty and Wildlife on a Luxury Cruise
3 months ago
Herbert Lui
A place and its magic
When my partner and I were on our honeymoon in Hawaii earlier this year, a driver told us about how...
2 weeks ago
When my partner and I were on our honeymoon in Hawaii earlier this year, a driver told us about how the island had lost its magic to him. After he spent a couple of years there, he naturally stopped noticing the beauty of the island. He felt wistful about this, and while his...
diamond geezer
Canteenlessness
I was out in the City at lunchtime, not far from St Paul's, and found myself amid a horde of...
2 months ago
I was out in the City at lunchtime, not far from St Paul's, and found myself amid a horde of businessfolk buying lunch. They were flocking to nearby shops, mainly specialist food outlets, for a calorific haul to tide them over into the afternoon. You could tell it was peak...
Spoon & Tamago
Craft Your Own Salt From Over 600 Varieties at this New Salt Specialist in Tokyo
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo....
3 months ago
unless otherwise noted, all photos by Takeshi Shinto This summer, a unique store opened in Tokyo. Located just a few steps away from Tokyo Sky Tree is “Guruguru Shakashaka,” a salt specialty store that lets you explore 600 varieties of salt and then blend your own. Equally unique...
Londonist
The Natural History Museum Is Throwing Another Epic New Year's Eve Bash
It's going to be WILD.
a year ago
Londonist
LNER Launches Its Summer Sale
Hundreds of thousands of cheaper tickets available.
8 months ago
Hundreds of thousands of cheaper tickets available.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Best Architectural Wonders: 5 Cities You Must See
6 months ago
Londonist
Festive Film Screenings: Where To Watch Christmas Movies In London This Year
Pop-up cinemas in palaces, rooftops and big tops.
a year ago
Pop-up cinemas in palaces, rooftops and big tops.
Londonist
Play On The Guitar Of Your Dreams At This Gibson Showroom
Live out your Nigel Tufnel fantasy.
10 months ago
Live out your Nigel Tufnel fantasy.
diamond geezer
Clandon and Hatchlands
Yesterday I took the train to Surrey to tick off two more National Trust properties.
Cost of...
a year ago
Yesterday I took the train to Surrey to tick off two more National Trust properties.
Cost of off-peak return from Waterloo to Clandon: £14.50
Cost of off-peak return from Wimbledon to Clandon: £8.00 (so maybe do that)
You alight the train a couple of stops before Guildford and...
Spoon & Tamago
A Temporary Rooftop Forest Replaces Fukuoka’s Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine During Renovations
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will...
a year ago
Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, one of Japan’s most-historically and culturally significant shrines, will undergo a massive renovation beginning in May of 2023. And for three years the honden main hall will be completely closed off to the roughly 10 million visitors who come to the...
diamond geezer
Thursday transport news
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Thursday.
Four stations...
a year ago
Subscribe now to get a dose of London transport news in your inbox every Thursday.
Four stations miss out on 4G
can't ring a friend and have a very loud conversation and they are Paddington, Whitechapel, Canary Wharf and Woolwich. These will be added to the roster next year,...
diamond geezer
It's this blog's 21st birthday
It's diamond geezer's 21st birthday.
I hope we get through the day without entering a period of...
a year ago
It's diamond geezer's 21st birthday.
I hope we get through the day without entering a period of national mourning because that really put a damper on last year's celebrations.
comments if(postComments['2129182084125'] != null){document.write(' (' + postComments['2129182084125']...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Top Local Spots to Eat, Shop, & Après Ski in Park City, Utah
3 days ago
Spoon & Tamago
Forest Crayons Derived Solely From a Different Species of Tree Native to Japan
Forest Crayons are a set of 10 crayons, each with a color derived solely from a different species of...
5 months ago
Forest Crayons are a set of 10 crayons, each with a color derived solely from a different species of tree native to Japan such as cedar, hazenoki and katsura. Designed by Saki Maruyama and Daniel Coppen of Studio Playfool, the crayons manage to repurpose Japan’s otherwise wasted...
diamond geezer
25 years of hurt
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a...
4 months ago
25 years ago today a total solar eclipse could be seen from the UK. How is that ever quarter of a century ago?
small part of the UK mainland in south Devon and Cornwall, arriving over Land's End at 11:10am and departing near Salcombe five minutes later. All you had to do to...
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Waterloo & City Line
A very peculiar line.
a year ago
Londonist
Miracle At Henrietta: The Christmassiest Bar In London
It's Kiiiiiiiitschmas!
a year ago
diamond geezer
Carpenders Park
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater...
a month ago
One Stop Beyond: Carpenders Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Carpenders Park, one stop beyond Hatch End on what will next week be the Lioness line. For positioning purposes...
Londonist
London New Year's Day Parade 2024: A Guide
Route, timings and where to watch the 1 January shindig.
a year ago
Route, timings and where to watch the 1 January shindig.
diamond geezer
Bakerloo 40
Happy 40th Birthday to the Bakerloo line.
that's 118, but the current extent of the line with...
6 months ago
Happy 40th Birthday to the Bakerloo line.
that's 118, but the current extent of the line with trains operating between Harrow & Wealdstone and Elephant & Castle. Elephant's been the southern terminus since 1906, despite umpteen attempts at an extension. But the northern terminus...
Londonist
A Rare Chance To Have Afternoon Tea Inside Greenwich's Painted Hall This March
For one day only.
10 months ago
diamond geezer
Walking on Canada Water
It's now quicker to walk from Canada Water station to the big Tesco. This is because British Land...
a month ago
It's now quicker to walk from Canada Water station to the big Tesco. This is because British Land are trying to sell flats.
swooshy timber boardwalk has just opened and it's red. Very red.
It starts from the dock edge by the library and ends at the far end of what used to be...
Londonist
The Woods At The End Of The Elizabeth Line Where You Can Take A Sound Bath
De-stress among the trees in east London.
10 months ago
De-stress among the trees in east London.
Londonist
Things To Keep You Busy For LGBT+ History Month 2024 In London
Museums, guided walks, cabaret and kids events.
11 months ago
Museums, guided walks, cabaret and kids events.
Londonist
Week Of January Tube Strikes Set To Cause Severe Disruption
Happy New Year!
11 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Japan’s Stationery Award Offers a Return to the Primitive
Early civilizations had it all figured out. At least according to the Kokuyo Design Awards, arguably...
8 months ago
Early civilizations had it all figured out. At least according to the Kokuyo Design Awards, arguably Japan’s most-influential stationery design award, which this year asked designers to look to the past. “If we return to the idea of ‘primitive’ in order to create the future,”...
diamond geezer
London Countries - Afghanistan
London Countries (an A-Z)
1. Afghanistan 🇦🇫
In this new series I'll be visiting all the...
7 months ago
London Countries (an A-Z)
1. Afghanistan 🇦🇫
In this new series I'll be visiting all the countries in the world but without leaving London. Their people, their geography, their history, their culture, their cuisine, that kind of thing. I'm kicking off with Afghanistan because...
diamond geezer
Unblogged July
31 unblogged things I did in July
Mon 1: "Oooh," I thought, "I bet that's the last London park in...
4 months ago
31 unblogged things I did in July
Mon 1: "Oooh," I thought, "I bet that's the last London park in alphabetical order, I wonder what the first is." So if you see a post one day called The A-Z of London Parks, that's where the idea came from.
Tue 2: Unblogged follow-up to my Free...
diamond geezer
Ten ways to solve London's housing crisis
Ten ways to solve London's housing crisis
1) Pave over golf courses
golf courses in London covering...
a week ago
Ten ways to solve London's housing crisis
1) Pave over golf courses
golf courses in London covering approximately 3% of the capital by area, a ridiculously wasteful proportion. A lot of fairways are also very close to existing railway stations so could swiftly become a key part...
Spoon & Tamago
Mountain Villa in Yamanashi Integrates Landscape and Living Room
photos by Daici Ano courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects We have a serious case of real estate envy...
a year ago
photos by Daici Ano courtesy Keiji Ashizawa Architects We have a serious case of real estate envy here. House in Saiko is a holiday home that overlooks Mount Fuji on the shore of Lake Saiko, one of the five Fuji Lakes. Designed by architect Keiji Ashizawa, and completed in 2017,...
Londonist
10 Under-Appreciated Buildings On London's South Bank
From Italianate hospitals to bucolic almshouses.
a year ago
From Italianate hospitals to bucolic almshouses.
Londonist
Tower Bridge: Rare Behind-The-Scenes Tours Now On Sale
Including a chance to explore the bascule chambers.
a year ago
Including a chance to explore the bascule chambers.
diamond geezer
Our new coins
The News For Those Who Are No Longer Looking
An increasing number of my acquaintances no longer...
a year ago
The News For Those Who Are No Longer Looking
An increasing number of my acquaintances no longer follow the news in mainstream media, for whatever reason, avoiding all the bad news but simultaneously missing the good. So I thought I'd perform a public service by blogging about...
Londonist
The West End's Atmospheric Alleys: A Self-Guided Tour
10 of London's most characterful alleys.
a year ago
10 of London's most characterful alleys.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Shop the Best Artisan Goods in China, Colombia, and Spain
2 months ago
diamond geezer
Anorak Corner - bus edition
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual...
a year ago
Anorak Corner [bus edition] (annual update)
Once again TfL have silently published their annual spreadsheet listing the number of passengers using every London bus route and how many kilometres those buses travelled. Data is for April 2022 - March 2023. Comparisons are with the...
diamond geezer
The Wrythe
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a...
7 months ago
Today we're off to the only south London suburb that starts with The, namely The Wrythe which is a significant part of Sutton. Essentially it's North Carshalton but has had a separate identity since medieval times, actual residents since Victorian times and today forms a...
Londonist
A Map Of Southwark Place Name Origins
The etymology of the London Borough Southwark.
11 months ago
The etymology of the London Borough Southwark.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Hanukkah 2023 In London
Where to celebrate Chanukah this December.
a year ago
Where to celebrate Chanukah this December.
Londonist
The Iconic Harry Beck Map But Make It Aeroplanes
But is everything as it seems?
a year ago
But is everything as it seems?
Londonist
Holy Immersive Pop-Up! You Can Visit The Batcave At This Free Batman Experience
Feat. costumes, props and vehicles from the movies.
a year ago
Feat. costumes, props and vehicles from the movies.
Cheese and Biscuits
Cord, Fleet Street
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil...
a year ago
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil Fawlty:
Mr. Johnson:
Basil Fawlty:
gralefrit, we idolised the food of France, where they did things properly. Whipped into shape back in the 19th century by towering figures like Escoffier, French cuisine...
Cheese and Biscuits
Caravel, Regent's Canal
It makes perfect sense that with London commercial property rents sky-high, wiley restaurateurs...
over a year ago
It makes perfect sense that with London commercial property rents sky-high, wiley restaurateurs should look further afield and towards quirkier, more unusual spaces to set up shop. I have had mixed experiences dining on a boat (the London Shell Company: great fun; our office Xmas...
diamond geezer
847
London's Free Buses
847: Stratford to Here East
Length of journey: 1 mile, 7 minutes
shuttle bus...
2 months ago
London's Free Buses
847: Stratford to Here East
Length of journey: 1 mile, 7 minutes
shuttle bus that runs up and down the Olympic Park and has done since May 2017. It may therefore come as a surprise to hear that I've never previously ridden it, especially as it's very close to...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Soon, TSA Security Screenings Will Be Self-Service
a year ago
The Forney Flyer
MAF Liberia
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their...
over a year ago
A few weeks ago I was asked to pop over to Liberia (on the west coast of Africa) to help with their flying for six weeks. Our Liberia program has been short on pilots and very busy with flying, so of course I was happy to help!
Above is a shot of a bunch of Covid vaccines...
Spoon & Tamago
This Halloween, a Zombie Shinkansen Will Travel Between Tokyo and Osaka
Want a taste of the frights but too busy to go to a haunted house? How about a haunted train? This...
2 months ago
Want a taste of the frights but too busy to go to a haunted house? How about a haunted train? This year, a Tokaido shinkansen, in what is being called the world’s first zombie bullet train, will travel between Tokyo and Osaka. The stage will be set in car 16 of the “Nozomi 435”...
diamond geezer
London's wind turbines
I was in Dagenham and I saw this wind turbine and I wondered
How many wind turbines are there in...
6 months ago
I was in Dagenham and I saw this wind turbine and I wondered
How many wind turbines are there in London?
So I made a map using OpenStreetMap and OverpassTurbo.
It produced a map showing 44 wind turbines in the Greater London area.
Except I looked a bit closer and some of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why Madeira, Portugal Is the Ideal Stopover Destination
a month ago
Cheese and Biscuits
Kolae, Borough Market
Everywhere you look the cost of living crisis bites, and few areas is that more evident than the...
11 months ago
Everywhere you look the cost of living crisis bites, and few areas is that more evident than the restaurant industry. If you're a regular anywhere you will have noticed your favourite dishes and tipples creeping up 10%-20% every few months, seemingly in an existential race with...
diamond geezer
Inconsequential transport news
Inconsequential transport news
The graphic shows a child standing beside an adult, well away...
a year ago
Inconsequential transport news
The graphic shows a child standing beside an adult, well away from the teeth at the edge. But it also breaks the cardinal rule of "standing on the right", indeed if every parent chose to behave this way it'd block walker-uppers and...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Reasons to Visit Amelia Island, Florida
11 months ago
Londonist
Take A Tour Of The Magnificent Palace Of Westminster This Autumn
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
a year ago
Ahead of the State Opening in November.
AFAR Media - Travel...
An Alberta Winter Getaway for Nature, Wellness, and Culture
a month ago
diamond geezer
Fenchurch Street
FENCHURCH
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
FENCHURCH STREET STATION
Group:...
4 months ago
FENCHURCH
STREET
STATION
🚂
£200
London's Monopoly Streets
FENCHURCH STREET STATION
Group: British Railways
Purchase price: £200
Rent: £25
Annual passengers: 10 million
Borough: City of London
Postcode: EC3
Fenchurch Street was between 1923 and 1948. It's a small and mostly...
Londonist
BBC's Desert Island Discs Announces Live Palladium Shows
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
11 months ago
Celebrating 80 years of the hit radio programme.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do In London This Week: 18-24 March 2024
Things to do for under a fiver.
9 months ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Cheese and Biscuits
Bouchon Racine, Farringdon
Such is the cyclical nature of these things, trends in food or clothing or plenty of other areas...
a year ago
Such is the cyclical nature of these things, trends in food or clothing or plenty of other areas besides will, given long enough, find themselves fading in and out of favour. There was a time, within living memory, when French cuisine was considered the gold standard of...
Londonist
Sh!t Show: Exhibition Of Toilet Graffiti Comes To London In January
Not your bog standard art outing.
a year ago
Not your bog standard art outing.
diamond geezer
Where's WHS?
I needed to buy something from WHSmith but they didn't have it in the Stratford Westfield branch so...
a year ago
I needed to buy something from WHSmith but they didn't have it in the Stratford Westfield branch so I went to Canary Wharf instead. Except it turned out there isn't a Canary Wharf branch, there hasn't been for years, despite Google telling me it existed and was open. I did some...
Spoon & Tamago
60-Year-Old Machiya Adapted into Hender Scheme’s New Osaka Flagship
All images © toha courtesy DDAA Hender Scheme’s flagship store in Kansai is an adaptive reuse of a...
a year ago
All images © toha courtesy DDAA Hender Scheme’s flagship store in Kansai is an adaptive reuse of a sixty-plus-year-old one-story wooden house near Umeda Station in Osaka. With a spacious area of around 175m² and impressive high ceilings, the store has been designed to reflect...
diamond geezer
The Vyne
NATIONAL TRUST: The Vyne
Location: Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL [map]
Open: 10am-5pm...
5 months ago
NATIONAL TRUST: The Vyne
Location: Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL [map]
Open: 10am-5pm (House open 11am-3pm)
Admission: £15.00
Website: nationaltrust.org.uk/hampshire/the-vyne
Four word summary: slimmed-down Tudor pile
Time to allow: a couple of hours
The Vyne to show...
diamond geezer
Another Islington post
Thanks for your suggestions for another Islington-based post.
Allow me to sort-of tackle what some...
a year ago
Thanks for your suggestions for another Islington-based post.
Allow me to sort-of tackle what some of you asked.
How about a walk around the gardens and squares of Islington?
Please can you explore Thornhill Square? I've walked around it a few times, and wondered what it would...
diamond geezer
Snowflakes
A lot has been added to the tube map in recent years. Accessibility blobs, walking connections,...
a year ago
A lot has been added to the tube map in recent years. Accessibility blobs, walking connections, cablecars, trams, river piers and most recently Thameslink, all have been shoehorned into an increasingly cluttered diagram. But whatever ridiculous woke nonsense have they added...
diamond geezer
Old Oak Common to Euston
A Nice Walk: Old Oak Common to Euston (6 miles)
High Speed 2 is seemingly forever under threat, the...
a year ago
A Nice Walk: Old Oak Common to Euston (6 miles)
High Speed 2 is seemingly forever under threat, the latest proposal being that it should run only between not-quite-central Birmingham and not-quite-central London. But would it really be so terrible to terminate the line at Old...
AFAR Media - Travel...
7 New Luxury Hotels in California You Should Know About
10 months ago
Londonist
Christmas Dinner In London: Where To Eat In The Capital On Christmas Day
Book soon if you want a seat at these tables on 25 December.
a year ago
Book soon if you want a seat at these tables on 25 December.
diamond geezer
Whitehall
WHITEHALL
£140
London's Monopoly Streets
WHITEHALL
Colour group: pink
Purchase price:...
8 months ago
WHITEHALL
£140
London's Monopoly Streets
WHITEHALL
Colour group: pink
Purchase price: £140
Rent: £10
Length: 500m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: SW1
Whitehall is one of the most famous and historic streets in London but has been tucked away on the cheap-to-middling side of...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Turkish Airlines Launches New Flights to Istanbul From Detroit
a year ago
diamond geezer
Almost Oxford Street
A Nice Walk: Almost Oxford Street (1½ miles)
Crowds throng the length of Oxford Street, especially...
a year ago
A Nice Walk: Almost Oxford Street (1½ miles)
Crowds throng the length of Oxford Street, especially at this time of year, in search of gifts and for a gander at the sparkly lights. But sometimes you just want to go for a nicer walk, nothing too busy, a bit of a stroll, lots to...
Londonist
Thanksgiving In London 2023: Celebrate At American Restaurants, Special Meals And Thanksgiving...
Get booking for 23 November.
a year ago
Get booking for 23 November.
Londonist
Doctor Who TARDIS And Sculpture Appear On South Bank
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
a year ago
See David Tennant regenerate into Ncuti Gutwa... and back again.
Londonist
"My Obsession With London's Modernist Council Estates"
The beauty of the capital's social housing.
9 months ago
The beauty of the capital's social housing.
Spoon & Tamago
Spoon & Tamago’s Most-Popular Posts of 2023
It’s an annual tradition at casa Spoon & Tamago to reflect on the year that was by taking a look...
12 months ago
It’s an annual tradition at casa Spoon & Tamago to reflect on the year that was by taking a look back at the posts that resonated the most with our readers. In doing so, we try to make sense of the year which, for Japan, was very much a year of homecoming. Japan felt like...
Londonist
Last Chance To See The Horniman Museum Walrus Until 2026
You won't be able to visit it while a refurb project takes place.
11 months ago
You won't be able to visit it while a refurb project takes place.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Inside Marie Antoinette’s Reopened Apartment At Versailles
a year ago
Londonist
A Brief History Of The Central Line
A chronology of the red line.
a year ago
A chronology of the red line.
Londonist
Earth Hour 2024: London To Be Plunged Into Darkness Again
Switch the lights off for an hour, for the good of the planet.
9 months ago
Switch the lights off for an hour, for the good of the planet.
diamond geezer
The temperature post
The temperature post
19.6°C at Kinlochewe.
Kinlochewe is a village in NW Scotland, about halfway...
10 months ago
The temperature post
19.6°C at Kinlochewe.
Kinlochewe is a village in NW Scotland, about halfway between Skye and Inverness. It sits at the head of a loch and is also surrounded on three sides by mountains, so is precisely the sort of place where the Föhn effect might boost...
diamond geezer
#generalelection w/e 23/05/24
10 things that happened this week #generalelection
Data 2019 → 2024
Interest rates: 0.75% →...
7 months ago
10 things that happened this week #generalelection
Data 2019 → 2024
Interest rates: 0.75% → 5.25%
Inflation: 1.3% → 2.3% (via 11.1%)
Energy cap: £1179 → £1690 (via £4059)
Unemployment: 3.8% → 4.3%
Covid deaths: 0 → 230,000
FTSE: 7353 → 8367 (up 14%)
Opinion polls: 11% CON lead →...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 30 September-1 October 2023
A drag brunch, a mudlarking festival, art markets, Oktoberfest and more.
a year ago
A drag brunch, a mudlarking festival, art markets, Oktoberfest and more.
diamond geezer
Strand
STRAND
£220
London's Monopoly Streets
STRAND
Colour group: red
Purchase price: £220
Rent:...
5 months ago
STRAND
£220
London's Monopoly Streets
STRAND
Colour group: red
Purchase price: £220
Rent: £18
Length: 1200m
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: WC2
Vine Street was ridiculously short and dull whereas this is long, historic and so packed with points of interest I could easily...
diamond geezer
Southwark 25
Silver Jubilee: Southwark
Southwark station opened 25 years old today on 20th November 1999.
The...
a month ago
Silver Jubilee: Southwark
Southwark station opened 25 years old today on 20th November 1999.
The platforms are much like many of the others on the Jubilee line extension, but the concourse between them is unique. Step through and you enter a long cylindrical space on two...
Londonist
Things To Do In London Between Christmas And New Year
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
a year ago
For when you can't take any more festive TV.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Croydon
Chew your way through CR0.
a year ago
Chew your way through CR0.
diamond geezer
Bus of the day 197
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles,...
5 months ago
Bus Route Of The Day
197: Croydon to Peckham
Quadrant: London southeast
Length of journey: 10 miles, 65 minutes
Because it's 19th July I've been out riding the 197, because that's the Bus Route Of The Day. My apologies for the repetition.
Threepenny Bit building, stopping not...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in May 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices...
6 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in May 2024
1) The three Elizabeth line ticket offices which sold the fewest tickets in 2023 were Acton Main Line (2736), Hanwell (3375) and Maryland (4037). That's about 10 tickets per day.
2) The installation of new brighter lighting...
diamond geezer
Summing up 2023
The last day of the year is an excellent time to tot up what you've been doing all year... assuming...
11 months ago
The last day of the year is an excellent time to tot up what you've been doing all year... assuming you've been counting, which obviously I have. Cue my Counts of 2023.
(If you don't count these kinds of thing, look at all the fun you're missing out on)
the number of London...
diamond geezer
On multiple OS maps
This is the town of Purley.
three OS Landranger maps.
Landranger maps, each drawn to a scale of...
4 months ago
This is the town of Purley.
three OS Landranger maps.
Landranger maps, each drawn to a scale of 1:50000, and between them they cover the whole of Great Britain and its islands.
maps tend to align precisely with their neighbours so places appear on one or the other. But...
Londonist
Lord Mayor Demonstrates Einstein's Time Dilation Effects In The City's Tallest Skyscraper
With a little help from the National Physical Laboratory.
9 months ago
With a little help from the National Physical Laboratory.
Londonist
These Are The London Boroughs With The Most Public CCTV Cameras
And they're not the ones you might think.
a year ago
And they're not the ones you might think.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Ropemaker, Emsworth
As I have surely said on this blog plenty of times over the years, I will never go to any holiday or...
2 months ago
As I have surely said on this blog plenty of times over the years, I will never go to any holiday or short trip without at least one meal booked that stands a better than average chance of being decent. This is partly just for the sheer joy of eating out (how sad must your life...
Londonist
Diwali Celebrations Fill Trafalgar Square At The End Of October
Dancing, yoga, comedy puppets - and much more!
a year ago
Dancing, yoga, comedy puppets - and much more!
Londonist
St Paul's Lorrimore Square: London's Magnificent Modernist Church
Now THAT's a roof.
a year ago
Londonist
Pick Your Own Christmas Tree At These Festive Farms In And Around London
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
a year ago
Christmas jumpers optional. Wellies recommended.
diamond geezer
London's weekly local papers
In Motspur Park I saw a newsagent that still has an advert for the Surrey Comet above the awning. Is...
3 months ago
In Motspur Park I saw a newsagent that still has an advert for the Surrey Comet above the awning. Is that still going, I wondered. And yes, it turns out it still publishes, though now as the Epsom & Surrey Comet.
weekly local newspapers London still has.
Barnet Borough...
Cheese and Biscuits
Archway, Battersea Park
Firstly, I have a confession to make. Many years ago I was very kindly treated to lunch at the River...
a year ago
Firstly, I have a confession to make. Many years ago I was very kindly treated to lunch at the River Café in Hammersmith, and I didn't like it. I think I was mainly intimidated - by the well-heeled crowd, the scale and the power of that vast dining room and open kitchen, and yes,...
diamond geezer
Bus timetables are rubbish
TfL run all their services to timetable, but increasingly hide these from the public on the...
4 months ago
TfL run all their services to timetable, but increasingly hide these from the public on the assumption we don't need to know.
"The timetable redesign follows research that shows people want even more simplistic bus information than already exists. People want larger type and...
diamond geezer
England's 100 largest towns
One reason I went to Redditch is that it's one of England's largest towns and I'm trying to turn...
3 months ago
One reason I went to Redditch is that it's one of England's largest towns and I'm trying to turn this list blue. Admittedly it's only number 98, but every blogpost counts.
England's 100 largest towns and cities by population
1-10: London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol,...
Londonist
Which Tube Station Is Furthest From Its Namesake?
How far is it from Kew Gardens to Kew Gardens?
a year ago
How far is it from Kew Gardens to Kew Gardens?
diamond geezer
Mansfield Park
Some buses terminate at the most evocative literary destinations.
K4 to Mansfield Park
Location:...
6 days ago
Some buses terminate at the most evocative literary destinations.
K4 to Mansfield Park
Location: London southwest, outer
Length of bus journey: 7 miles, 45 minutes
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of an Oyster card must be in want of a...
diamond geezer
An A-Z of London post offices
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post...
a year ago
I wanted to buy a dozen stamps.
For this alphabetical challenge I needed a list of London's post offices, which is awkward because the Post Office's branch finder doesn't do lists, only "closest to"s. Thankfully this is a problem other people also have, and volunteers at...
AFAR Media - Travel...
These Are the Most Endangered Historic Sites in America
a year ago
diamond geezer
50 posts I won't be writing
50 posts I won't be writing
• January's fried chicken launches
(except that's actually 51, so I...
11 months ago
50 posts I won't be writing
• January's fried chicken launches
(except that's actually 51, so I will be writing one of them... here later)
Retracing Terry and June
Happy Ever After evolved into Terry and June in 1979, for copyright reasons. Both featured Terry Scott and June...
Londonist
Where To Dine And Drink In An Igloo Or Snow Globe In London This Winter
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
a year ago
Book riverside igloos and rooftop domes.
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 21-27 August 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Spoon & Tamago
Tentacle-Inspired Leather Accessories Handcrafted by Cokeco
Cokeco are a Fukuoka-based design duo who create leather accessories inspired by the natural...
3 months ago
Cokeco are a Fukuoka-based design duo who create leather accessories inspired by the natural curiosities of the world around them. Lately, their attention has been focused on sealife: specifically, our multi-limbed mollusc friends whose tentacles provide endless inspiration for...
Londonist
Modern London Is Beautiful In This New Photographic Book
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
a year ago
London: A Modern City in Photographs by Mathew Browne.
Londonist
Where To Watch Dickens' A Christmas Carol On Stage In London, 2023
From traditional retellings to drunk adaptations.
a year ago
From traditional retellings to drunk adaptations.
Londonist
Where To Celebrate Diwali 2023 In London
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
a year ago
Including the huge, free Diwali Festival.
Spoon & Tamago
Tomohiro Inaba Invites Viewers to Complete the Story of His Sculptures
“To the promised land” (2024) | installation view at YukikoMizutani Tomohiro Inaba is an artist who...
4 months ago
“To the promised land” (2024) | installation view at YukikoMizutani Tomohiro Inaba is an artist who creates sculptures that engage the viewer through their own imagination. Depending on your point of view, Inaba’s works look like they’re either disintegrating into mid-air or or...
diamond geezer
Crossing the river news
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls,...
5 months ago
Crossing the river news
Silvertown Tunnel toll news
have been announced. They're not called tolls, they're called user charges, but we all know what they are. The tolls will also apply to the Blackwall Tunnel from the day the Silvertown Tunnel opens which is expected to be...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Discover the Best Fall Getaways: 3 American Cities You Must Visit
6 months ago
diamond geezer
Green Link Walk 4
I've now completed London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st...
9 months ago
I've now completed London's newest official walkway, the Green Link Walk, which was launched on 1st March. If you need a map try here, if you need an app try here, if you want 45 pages of walking instructions try here, and if you're reading this several months in the future try...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Garden Museum Café, Lambeth
Beautiful 15th century Lambeth Palace is a strange London landmark - widely recognisable, with a...
10 months ago
Beautiful 15th century Lambeth Palace is a strange London landmark - widely recognisable, with a stately position Thames-side and passed by a number of busy bus routes, it is nevertheless very rarely visited, most of the main structures off-limits as the Archbishop of...
The Forney Flyer
Latest from Uganda
Here's a picture taken while I was doing an early morning pre-flight inspection 2 days ago, on...
over a year ago
Here's a picture taken while I was doing an early morning pre-flight inspection 2 days ago, on Sunday, on a remote strip in South Sudan.
It's not normal for us to do flights on Sundays, but we've had an aircraft stuck in that location for a long time now, requiring some TLC...
diamond geezer
Random borough 1
It's exactly 20 years today since I dropped the names of 33 boroughs into an empty honey jar, picked...
9 months ago
It's exactly 20 years today since I dropped the names of 33 boroughs into an empty honey jar, picked one at random and kicked off my Random Borough project. It took eight years to complete.
I've decided to pick one of these 33 boroughs completely at random and then go there for...
diamond geezer
Not very interesting transport news
Friday's not very interesting transport news
The Overground lines still haven't been...
a month ago
Friday's not very interesting transport news
The Overground lines still haven't been renamed
double-sided Mildmay line panel was revealed at one end of platforms 1 and 2 (click to embiggen), while a separate sign directed passengers up to the Mildmay line from the subway. These...
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan's Convenience Stores
Editor’s note: Due to the sheer amount of interesting material here we decided to break this into a...
a year ago
Editor’s note: Due to the sheer amount of interesting material here we decided to break this into a two-part article.
All across Japan, one sight remains ubiquitous – the convenience store.
A far, far cry from their American cousins, convenience stores in Japan are without...
diamond geezer
River Wogebourne
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead...
7 months ago
THE UNLOST RIVERS OF LONDON
River Wogebourne
Shooters Hill → East Wickham → Abbey Wood → Thamesmead (5 miles)
The Wogebourne is a five mile tributary of the River Thames in the southeast London boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley, that flows generally in a northeasterly direction,...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 28-29 October 2023
London's newest exhibitions, plus Halloween events, rugby screenings and more.
a year ago
London's newest exhibitions, plus Halloween events, rugby screenings and more.
diamond geezer
Ted Lasso in Richmond
A Nice Walk: Ted Lasso (1 kilometre)
Richmond as seen on Ted Lasso, nowhere near enough to make a...
2 months ago
A Nice Walk: Ted Lasso (1 kilometre)
Richmond as seen on Ted Lasso, nowhere near enough to make a day of it but a nice walk all the same.
n.b. I'm walking the route suggested on page 26 of the Visit Richmond Guide 2024/2025
Turn left out of the station and cross the road at...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 30 October-5 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
When A Tube Train Full Of Passengers Was Abandoned In The Tunnel
The stuff of nightmares.
a year ago
diamond geezer
Wordle #13724
WORDLE #13724
ENACT
FIGHT
TOUGH
WIDTH
MIRTH
ABOUT
5 months ago
WORDLE #13724
ENACT
FIGHT
TOUGH
WIDTH
MIRTH
ABOUT
Londonist
13 Excellent Events Near London: February 2024
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
10 months ago
Snowdrops, cocktails and a special afternoon tea.
diamond geezer
The Smudge of Remembrance
n.b. All the photos in this post were taken this week.
The Smudge of Remembrance
This key project...
2 months ago
n.b. All the photos in this post were taken this week.
The Smudge of Remembrance
This key project is called The Smudge of Remembrance and has been comprehensively curated to create spectral moments of commemoration firmly rooted in the everyday.
Some iterations are almost...
Cheese and Biscuits
Camille, Borough Market
Some restaurants just make it look so easy, don't they? The menu at Camille is so enticing, with...
2 months ago
Some restaurants just make it look so easy, don't they? The menu at Camille is so enticing, with unusual eye-catching ingredients prepared in exciting and distinctive ways, that it's almost enough to spoil any other dining experience by default, and it makes you wonder if they...
diamond geezer
Preparing rail fares for contactless
The cost of travelling by train between London and Southend is changing.
In today's post I'm going...
a year ago
The cost of travelling by train between London and Southend is changing.
In today's post I'm going to focus on fares between Southend Central and Fenchurch Street to keep things simple but similar changes apply to other journeys. Also this kind of model is rolling out on other...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Places to Visit in Asheville that Cater to Dogs
11 months ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Amsterdam Plans to Ban Large Cruise Ships: What to Expect
a year ago
diamond geezer
Merton rebrands
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually...
a year ago
The London borough of Merton is updating its logo.
But it has to die, slowly and gradually from the end of November, and I'll let the council's branding team explain why.
We have been using the same logo as the foundation stone of our corporate identity for the past 30...
Londonist
Shoreditch Has A New Secret Garden... On A Viaduct
Get eye-level with Village Underground's tube trains.
a year ago
Get eye-level with Village Underground's tube trains.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 4-5 November 2023
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
a year ago
Fireworks displays, a reopened museum, a roller disco -- and more!
Londonist
Things To Do This Week In London: 6-12 November 2023
Diwali celebrations, new karting and curling venues, and the Lord Mayor's Show.
a year ago
Diwali celebrations, new karting and curling venues, and the Lord Mayor's Show.
Cheese and Biscuits
The Bear, Camberwell
Despite Camberwell's increasing reputation for all kinds (and all budgets) of great food, it still...
8 months ago
Despite Camberwell's increasing reputation for all kinds (and all budgets) of great food, it still seemed unlikely that this bare-bones pub, just opposite the Walworth bus depot and furnished, as far as I could tell, with tables and chairs nicked from the local secondary school,...
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 2-3 March 2024
Foodie events, live music, and last chance to see a flower festival before it closes.
10 months ago
Foodie events, live music, and last chance to see a flower festival before it closes.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 20-21 January 2024
Two words: cheese market.
11 months ago
Two words: cheese market.
diamond geezer
Random Remembrance
Every London borough hosts a Remembrance event, maybe several.
The parade lines up outside the...
a month ago
Every London borough hosts a Remembrance event, maybe several.
The parade lines up outside the museum and awaits the signal. Everyone important's here, all the civic dignitaries apart from those who've been delegated to officiate at the borough's three other memorials. The...
diamond geezer
The disappearing Status updates map
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
Status...
a week ago
The introduction of six Overground line names continues to have unfortunate repercussions.
Status updates page on the TfL website where for the last ten years you've been able to see a map of disruptions to the network.
The map was removed three weeks ago when the big...
diamond geezer
Count 2024
During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts,...
9 months ago
During February 2003 on diamond geezer I kept myself busy by counting things. Ten different counts, to be precise, in a none-too thrilling daily feature called The Count. My 28-day tally chart may have been deathly dull to the rest of you, but I've continued to count those...
Londonist
How To Spend A Weekend In Dublin
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
12 months ago
48 hours of pubs, literature and galleries.
Londonist
The Best Places For Free Hot Desking In Central London
All free. No membership required.
11 months ago
All free. No membership required.
Londonist
Best Of Londonist: 30 October-5 November 2023
The best articles from Londonist over the past week.
a year ago
The best articles from Londonist over the past week.
Londonist
Free Things To Do In London At Christmas
Budget-friendly Christmas events in the capital.
a year ago
Budget-friendly Christmas events in the capital.
Londonist
Where To Watch The Six Nations 2024 In London
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
11 months ago
Watch rugby greats battle it out at these pubs and bars.
Londonist
Where To Eat And Drink In Upton Park And East Ham: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Bars And Pubs
Hope you're hungry...
a year ago
diamond geezer
Rugby
Gadabout: RUGBY
Rugby is the easternmost town in Warwickshire, not far from Coventry, and the site...
10 months ago
Gadabout: RUGBY
Rugby is the easternmost town in Warwickshire, not far from Coventry, and the site of an important railway junction. It's big in cement, was big in electronics and has been a market town since medieval times. But it's best known worldwide for its school and the...
diamond geezer
10 things to see on the Liberty line
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what...
3 weeks ago
The introduction of line names on the Overground is sure to bring sightseers to Havering to see what the Liberty line is all about. So here's my tip-top tourist guide to help you find the finest places in the locality, some of which are actually rather fine.
10 things to see on...
Londonist
Fourth Plinth Winning Artworks For 2026 And 2028 Announced
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
9 months ago
Say hello to Trafalgar Square's latest additions.
Londonist
Why Is There A Huge Mural Of Rembrandt On Mare Street, Hackney?
It's the return of the London Mural Festival.
a year ago
It's the return of the London Mural Festival.
Spoon & Tamago
Evolving Themes of Absence and Presence in the Paintings of Minoru Nomata
Still-28 1986 Painting is an escapist world, but I would like it to be a place to become energized...
10 months ago
Still-28 1986 Painting is an escapist world, but I would like it to be a place to become energized Minoru Nomata Over the past four decades, Minoru Nomata has developed a distinctive painting style characterized by imaginary architectonic and topographical forms. His works...
Londonist
Named: The First Person To Witness The Great Fire Of London
New Museum of London research reveals who first discovered the blaze.
a year ago
New Museum of London research reveals who first discovered the blaze.
diamond geezer
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
That's largest by diameter.
'List of largest clock faces' (so...
a year ago
Britain's Largest Clocks Going Back
That's largest by diameter.
'List of largest clock faces' (so if that's wrong, this is wrong)
5) Manchester Town Hall
Diameter of clockface: 4.8m
Area of clockface: 18.1m²
Length of hands: 2.4m/1.8m
Number of clockfaces: 4
First operated: New...
diamond geezer
I've been to see some art
I've been to see some art.
Art West: Serpentine Gallery
Many's the time I've traipsed to the...
6 months ago
I've been to see some art.
Art West: Serpentine Gallery
Many's the time I've traipsed to the middle of Kensington Gardens only to be underwhelmed. Thankfully this time it was well worth the effort.
Yinka Shonibare CBE: Suspended States (until 1 September)
Yinka did the...
Londonist
Direct Trains From London To Paris Were A Thing In 1936
These trains went over, rather than under, the water.
11 months ago
These trains went over, rather than under, the water.
diamond geezer
New year, new niggles
My 2020 niggle arrived during lockdown. It started small. It wasn't much of a niggle to start with,...
11 months ago
My 2020 niggle arrived during lockdown. It started small. It wasn't much of a niggle to start with, it just came on. They say it happens to most people so I shouldn't have been surprised. It was still a bit of a shock though. The first inkling was several years ago. It's got more...
Londonist
A Major Festival Of Czech Culture Is Returning To London
Made in Prague runs 3 Nov-10 Dec.
a year ago
Made in Prague runs 3 Nov-10 Dec.
diamond geezer
Banksy's zoo
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at...
4 months ago
Over the course of the last nine days, the artist Banksy has been out daily painting animals at various locations across London. As publicity goes it's been a summer season masterstroke.
Some have since been removed, some have been screened off, some have been further...
diamond geezer
LNER 70min Flex Tickets
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these...
11 months ago
Long distance rail travel can be both complicated and expensive.
fare pilot to tackle one of these issues.
LNER's innovation is 70min Flex, a flexible ticket which allows you to travel within a specific window either side of your booked train. Up to 70 minutes before, up to 70...
diamond geezer
Moor Park
One Stop Beyond: Moor Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London...
2 months ago
One Stop Beyond: Moor Park
In this series I'm taking the train one stop beyond the Greater London boundary, getting off and seeing what's there. Today that means Moor Park, one stop beyond Northwood on the Metropolitan line, a Hertfordshire halt which exists thanks to a golf...
diamond geezer
The Star Beast
#10005 ✅ Observations
The Star Beast, the return of David Tennant as Doctor Who in the 60th...
a year ago
#10005 ✅ Observations
The Star Beast, the return of David Tennant as Doctor Who in the 60th anniversary special. It did the traditional thing and plonked an alien spaceship in the middle of London, and it also did all sorts of untraditional things because the series always has,...
diamond geezer
dg Q&A
dg Q&A
Thank you for your questions.
How many spoons do you have?
Have you ever milked a...
6 months ago
dg Q&A
Thank you for your questions.
How many spoons do you have?
Have you ever milked a cow?
What did you have for lunch on 30th July 1989?
What's the most northerly object in your flat?
Which is the most-read Diamond Geezer post?
Does the UK have the worst pedestrian...
Cheese and Biscuits
Solo, Aughton
When I was first out of university, trying to decide what to do with my life, and with no long term...
9 months ago
When I was first out of university, trying to decide what to do with my life, and with no long term plan other than the fact I knew - eventually - I wanted to move to London and stay there, I got a job as a cashier at Ormskirk Abbey National. Ormskirk is ostensibly a market town,...
Spoon & Tamago
Step Into a World of Contemporary Japanese Art at New Exhibition in New York
a series of washi paper prints by artist takayuki. o “Stepping Into A World” is a the 5th in a...
10 months ago
a series of washi paper prints by artist takayuki. o “Stepping Into A World” is a the 5th in a series of juried open call exhibitions aimed at showcasing undiscovered Japanese artists and integrating them into the forefront of the global art scene. The exhibition, which includes...
Londonist
London's Working Class History Celebrated With 8 Exciting New Projects
Historic England announces new funding.
10 months ago
Historic England announces new funding.
Herbert Lui
Just do the real thing (again)
If you want to get good at something, just start by doing it. Today. Sam Altman writes an important...
a week ago
If you want to get good at something, just start by doing it. Today. Sam Altman writes an important reminder on this: don’t outsmart yourself and spend precious time and energy working on fake prerequisites. Here’s an example, from my life, that I write about in Creative Doing:...
diamond geezer
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of...
a year ago
A skinflint's guide to visiting London's zoos
London Zoo is an acclaimed repository of globally-sourced animals, as well as a conservation hub and a prestige tourist attraction. But it's a bit pricey with tickets costing £27 on weekdays and £31 at weekends, or even more on the...
diamond geezer
Birmingham stations quiz
Birmingham stations quiz
Birmingham.
1) Cider Pub
2) Fresh Road
3) Valets Path
4) Jump...
3 months ago
Birmingham stations quiz
Birmingham.
1) Cider Pub
2) Fresh Road
3) Valets Path
4) Jump Street
5) Upland Road
6) Student Hub
7) Tree Quartet
8) Stony Mound
9) Wintry Mount
10) Little Common
11) Half Half Ring
12) Perfume Forest
13) Dark Chocolate
14) Pork Substitute
15)...
The Forney Flyer
Heading North, Way Back When...
As promised, I'm continuing from my previous post about way back when...
After I graduated from...
over a year ago
As promised, I'm continuing from my previous post about way back when...
After I graduated from University and flight school, we briefly moved to Oregon as we prepared for future, cross-cultural work/ministry. That fall I had the opportunity to go on a short vision trip to a...
diamond geezer
PR bumf roundup
I haven't whinged about unsolicited PR emails for a while because I don't get as many as I used to....
a year ago
I haven't whinged about unsolicited PR emails for a while because I don't get as many as I used to. But they still come, generally from hopeful marketeers with a press release to regurgitate or a plea to amplify some sponsored content. We don't do that here, thanks.
Emily got...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Where Was Game of Thrones Filmed? 11 Locations You Can Visit
a year ago
Londonist
The Open House London 2023 Programme Has Been Announced - Including BT Tower Tours
Plus tube station tours, and other landmark buildings.
a year ago
Plus tube station tours, and other landmark buildings.
Londonist
Events For Book Lovers In London This Winter
Christmas book fairs, winter book swaps and an exhibition on fantasy.
a year ago
Christmas book fairs, winter book swaps and an exhibition on fantasy.
AFAR Media - Travel...
The Ultimate Guide to Budapest’s Historic Thermal Baths and Spas
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Undercover’s Jun Takahashi Lights up Paris Fashion Week with Glowing Terrarium Dresses
images courtesy Undercover Flora and fauna were abound as designer Jun Takahashi’s fertile...
a year ago
images courtesy Undercover Flora and fauna were abound as designer Jun Takahashi’s fertile creativity was unleashed during Paris Fashion Week 2023. The designer’s iconic brand Undercover, equally revered as a cult name in streetwear and as a fixture on Paris’ haute couture...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why you should visit Story Parlor in Asheville, NC
11 months ago
Londonist
Non-Christmassy Things To Do In London In December
Where to avoid Christmas completely in London this year.
a year ago
Where to avoid Christmas completely in London this year.
Londonist
A Glimpse Of London's Future, From 1924
Trains over Tower Bridge, airships from Westminster...
11 months ago
Trains over Tower Bridge, airships from Westminster...
diamond geezer
London's longest countdowns
Works to remodel the Old Street roundabout are nearing completion, above ground at least. It was...
8 months ago
Works to remodel the Old Street roundabout are nearing completion, above ground at least. It was still possible to drive round it five years ago, then massive sequential roadworks intervened and the northwest arm was slowly pedestrianised. Cars now have to negotiate a very...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #9
The roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, and have a lot more continuing to go.
Bow side of...
a month ago
The roadworks at the Bow Roundabout continue, and have a lot more continuing to go.
Bow side of the flyover, although new kerbstones are now lined up along the new slightly-wider edge of the roundabout.
major roadworks.
For the last month one of these two lanes has been...
diamond geezer
Unblogged December
28 unblogged things I did in December
Fri 1: My monthly electricity bill arrived and it was an...
12 months ago
28 unblogged things I did in December
Fri 1: My monthly electricity bill arrived and it was an estimate, except that after several months of them assuming I'd used 40 kWh they'd suddenly decided I'd used 192 kWh. The bloke on the helpline couldn't explain the massive hike ("no, I...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Square Peg, Tunbridge Wells
There was an opinion that did the rounds a few years ago, that any restaurant critic needs to have...
a year ago
There was an opinion that did the rounds a few years ago, that any restaurant critic needs to have spent at least some time in a professional kitchen or front of house to be able to pass judgement on anywhere charging the public for dinner. Personally, I think that's rubbish, but...
Spoon & Tamago
Elongated Engawa Defines this Community Welfare Center in Chiba
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the...
a year ago
As Japan’s population continues to grow older—one in 10 residents are aged 80 or above—care for the elderly becomes an increasingly important issue. And while elderly populations are typically seen as a burden, there are places around rural Japan that offer glimpses of a more...
Londonist
V&A East - Brand New Museum Opening In 2025 Announces Its First Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
a year ago
The Music Is Black: A British Story will get the ball rolling.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Why The Sagamore Pendry Baltimore is The City's Best Hotel
a year ago
AFAR Media - Travel...
Hotel Review: Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama City
a year ago
Londonist
London Almost Had Another Public Aquarium - In Silvertown Docks
Ever heard of 'Biota!'?
a year ago
Spoon & Tamago
Creatures of the Echigo Sea Emerge from Straw in the 2023 Wara Art Festival
Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days, brighter moons and bountiful...
a year ago
Autumn is officially upon us. It’s the season of shorter days, brighter moons and bountiful harvests. Niigata prefecture, in Northern Japan, is known for its rice paddies and rice production. Around this time of year the rice harvest becomes a big deal, as well as the tons of...
diamond geezer
Trafalgar Square
TRAFALGAR
SQUARE
£240
London's Monopoly Streets
TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Colour group: red
Purchase...
4 months ago
TRAFALGAR
SQUARE
£240
London's Monopoly Streets
TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Colour group: red
Purchase price: £240
Rent: £20
Area: 3 acres
Borough: Westminster
Postcode: WC2
four streets on the Monopoly board (all the pinks plus Strand) and is also a property in its own right. I've...
Londonist
New Barbie Exhibition To Open In London Next Year
Hi Barbie!
a year ago
diamond geezer
Horizon 22
These are great times for going up very tall buildings. Last month 8 Bishopsgate opened its rooftop...
a year ago
These are great times for going up very tall buildings. Last month 8 Bishopsgate opened its rooftop viewing platform to the public, free of charge, and on Wednesday 22 Bishopsgate followed suit. Its viewing platform is called Horizon 22, and at 254m above ground level it's two...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Reasons to Plan a Vacation at The Blake Hotel in Taos
a year ago
diamond geezer
London Heritage Quarter Summer Trail
What is this bolx?
London Heritage Quarter 'Journey Through Time' Summer Trail and it's bolx. It's...
6 months ago
What is this bolx?
London Heritage Quarter 'Journey Through Time' Summer Trail and it's bolx. It's been organised not to inspire and delight but to drive footfall to four commercial districts. It kicked off last week and runs all summer. It's lowest common denominator art. It's...
diamond geezer
Bletchley to Bedford for £1
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale...
6 months ago
This is England's best value rail ticket.
£1.
Why? What is going on here? Explain!
Marston Vale line, a minor branch line which has been suffering from an embarrassing lack of rolling stock recently. It was supposed to be operated by three converted District line trains -...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Dew Drop Inn, Hurley
I think the Dew Drop Inn must exist, because I have photographic proof I was there on Saturday...
a year ago
I think the Dew Drop Inn must exist, because I have photographic proof I was there on Saturday afternoon, sheltering from the wind and rain in their front bar, cozying up next to a log fire and sipping on a pint of ale. I can see the payment on my credit card statement, I can see...
diamond geezer
SL3
Route SL3: Thamesmead - Bromley North
Length of journey: 14 miles, 75 minutes
SPOD CLUB...
10 months ago
Route SL3: Thamesmead - Bromley North
Length of journey: 14 miles, 75 minutes
SPOD CLUB MEET-UP
Location: Thamesmead Town Centre
Date: Saturday 24th February 2024
Time: 10:30am
Purpose: To ride the SL3!!!!!
In attendance: BusTokker09, Ian, Jings, Markie, Rizzo, Tim
Apologies:...
AFAR Media - Travel...
Spring Vacation at This Historic Arizona Hotel
9 months ago
Londonist
Fundraising Events In London For Medical And Humanitarian Aid In Gaza
Some ways to support emergency response efforts.
a year ago
Some ways to support emergency response efforts.
diamond geezer
Unwritten
Seven posts that I considered writing today but they were going nowhere so I didn't finish...
a year ago
Seven posts that I considered writing today but they were going nowhere so I didn't finish them
What's the lowest numbered A road you've never driven on?
Wow didn't it just get cold?
the temperature in my living room for three years. I note the indoor temperature first thing...
Spoon & Tamago
Laxative Literally ‘Empties Out’ All Other Ads in Creative Campaign Targeting Tokyo Metro
If you’ve boarded the Tokyo Metro this month, there’s a good chance you walked into a train car that...
a year ago
If you’ve boarded the Tokyo Metro this month, there’s a good chance you walked into a train car that was…well, different. Perhaps you felt unobstructed, light and fluid as you passed with ease through the typical blockage. If you experienced any of those symptoms, it’s the work...
The Forney Flyer
Run For Radios
This week our whole family ran for radios in support of Every Village. If you're not familiar with...
over a year ago
This week our whole family ran for radios in support of Every Village. If you're not familiar with them, take a moment to check them out now.
Joy and the kids walked a brisk (and dizzying) 32 laps around our yard...
...which not coincidentally equals a solid 5K!
As I've...
Londonist
The London Of Doctor Who, Mapped
All the key locations from Hartnell onwards.
a year ago
All the key locations from Hartnell onwards.
Londonist
Things To Do In London Over The Bank Holiday Weekend
Ways to fill a long weekend in the capital.
9 months ago
Ways to fill a long weekend in the capital.
AFAR Media - Travel...
Myrtle Beach’s Sensory-Friendly Hotels, Spots, Restaurants
3 months ago
Londonist
Cycle All Day For £3, As Santander Cycles Introduces New Day Pass
We feel a challenge coming on...
11 months ago
We feel a challenge coming on...
Londonist
London's 2023 Christmas Lights Bitchily Reviewed
Throwing shade on the city's illuminations.
a year ago
Throwing shade on the city's illuminations.
Londonist
Things To Do This Weekend In London: 19-20 August 2023
Black Pride, All Points East, a foodie weekend, a cocktail festival and more.
a year ago
Black Pride, All Points East, a foodie weekend, a cocktail festival and more.
diamond geezer
Open House (4)
Yesterday's Open House tally was eight.
• The pricey building where I carried on climbing past the...
a year ago
Yesterday's Open House tally was eight.
• The pricey building where I carried on climbing past the last public room and accidentally ended up in an attic space where a private group were celebrating something, so retreated rapidly.
Let's do five of those in more detail (not...
Spoon & Tamago
‘Puddle’ Are a Series of Flower Vessels Inspired by Puddles of Water
Simple and common acts of nature often inspire brilliant design. Such is the case with “Puddle,” a...
7 months ago
Simple and common acts of nature often inspire brilliant design. Such is the case with “Puddle,” a series of flower vessels that mimic a puddle of water. Using properties of transparency and surface tension, these whimsical vessels create the illusion of a single plant growing...
diamond geezer
TfL FoI requests in August 2024
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day...
3 months ago
20 things we learnt from TfL FoI requests in August 2024
1) In 2023/24 TfL sold 3,143,828 One Day Travelcards (down 38% on 2018/19). They also sold 3,849,293 Weekly Travelcards (down 65%), 801,367 Monthly Travelcards (down 67%) and only 15,192 Annual Travelcards (down 80%).
2)...
diamond geezer
Bow Roundabout update #1
Roadworks have yet to start at the Bow Roundabout but buses on route 8 have already been curtailed...
3 months ago
Roadworks have yet to start at the Bow Roundabout but buses on route 8 have already been curtailed so they no longer start at Bus Stop M. Unfortunately nobody's told the passengers yet. They're still standing around waiting for buses that aren't coming, some for ages until the...
AFAR Media - Travel...
In-Depth Review of Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape, a hotel in Bali, Indonesia
a year ago
diamond geezer
The Angel, Islington
THE ANGEL
ISLINGTON
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
The ANGEL, ISLINGTON
Colour group: light...
10 months ago
THE ANGEL
ISLINGTON
£100
London's Monopoly Streets
The ANGEL, ISLINGTON
Colour group: light blue
Purchase price: £100
Rent: £6
Length: n/a
Borough: Islington
Postcode: N1
The Angel has quite a backstory, indeed if you want a full a proper history you should read the lengthy...
diamond geezer
Dull Saturday
Dull Saturday
07:30 Crumpet
08:00 Paper shop
5 months ago
Dull Saturday
07:30 Crumpet
08:00 Paper shop
diamond geezer
The great Banksy cover-up
I visited the new Banksy on Hornsey Road on Day 3, which proved the optimal time.
Days 1 and 2 it...
8 months ago
I visited the new Banksy on Hornsey Road on Day 3, which proved the optimal time.
Days 1 and 2 it had been rammed with people crowding round the railings, so getting a decent photo was difficult.
Day 4 someone chucked white paint over part of the artwork closest to the road and...
diamond geezer
Lessons learned
40 things I've learnt about sex over the last 40 years
1) Nothing ever prepares you for the first...
6 months ago
40 things I've learnt about sex over the last 40 years
1) Nothing ever prepares you for the first time...
2) ... not even the fact that the biology textbook always falls open at the same page
3) The first time is always a ghastly mistake (I'm extrapolating this from a single...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 6-12 November 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
Londonist
Halloween 2023: Parties, Events And Things To Do In London
Get your spook on.
a year ago
Londonist
Part Of The Northern Line Is Closing From Spring 2024
Edgware to Golders Green not running on various dates.
11 months ago
Edgware to Golders Green not running on various dates.
Spoon & Tamago
Shimmering Glass Plates Make You Feel Like You’re Eating Off Water Droplets
It’s said that shutter speeds of around 1/1000th of a second are necessary to really capture the...
a year ago
It’s said that shutter speeds of around 1/1000th of a second are necessary to really capture the detail of moving water in photography. So you can imagine the technical challenge of accurately capturing water as a three-dimensional object. Product designer Masahiko Tanoue has...
diamond geezer
The refillable water bottle tube map
If you were wondering what symbol would be added to the tube map next, how about a refillable water...
4 months ago
If you were wondering what symbol would be added to the tube map next, how about a refillable water bottle?
It's always obvious retrospectively.
Overground network, hence the map is titled "London Overground stations with free drinking water fountains". The new symbol thus...
diamond geezer
The 24th pub on the A24
Yesterday I attempted to buy a pint in the 24th pub on the A24. Let's see how I did.
A24 is a major...
11 months ago
Yesterday I attempted to buy a pint in the 24th pub on the A24. Let's see how I did.
A24 is a major trunk road linking London to Worthing in Sussex. It starts outside Clapham Common tube station and follows the Northern line down to Morden, then continues through Cheam, Epsom,...
AFAR Media - Travel...
10 Art Destinations in Italy: Itinerary for Art Lovers
6 months ago
Spoon & Tamago
Keisuke Oka’s Arimaston Building in Tokyo, Made Entirely by Hand
all photos by @husky_003 | used with permission Almost 15 years ago, on a tiny plot of land in...
a month ago
all photos by @husky_003 | used with permission Almost 15 years ago, on a tiny plot of land in eastern Tokyo, a young architect named Keisuke Oka began to construct a tower of concrete entirely by hand. Located just a short walk from Mita Station, the Arimaston Building (蟻鱒鳶ル) is...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 5-11 February 2024
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
10 months ago
Do cool stuff for under a fiver.
diamond geezer
Trafalgar 219
To celebrate/commemorate the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, here are 40...
2 months ago
To celebrate/commemorate the 219th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, here are 40 Trafalgar-based lists.
Places called Trafalgar: cape in Spain, hamlet in Cornwall, town in Indiana, community in Nova Scotia, town in Victoria, waterfall in Dominica, village in South Africa,...
Londonist
Stooky Bill: The Sinister Puppet From Doctor Who Was Real
And where to see him in London.
a year ago
And where to see him in London.
Londonist
Sadiq Stops The Ball Rolling On Controversial Stratford Sphere
Massive Vegas-style venue would be " bulky, unduly dominant and incongruous".
a year ago
Massive Vegas-style venue would be " bulky, unduly dominant and incongruous".
Londonist
10 Rather Shocking Images From A Victorian Tabloid
Bread riots, carriage crashes, and tussling with bears.
11 months ago
Bread riots, carriage crashes, and tussling with bears.
Cheese and Biscuits
Ploussard, Battersea
As much as I complained on these pages that all the exciting new restaurants were opening up not...
a year ago
As much as I complained on these pages that all the exciting new restaurants were opening up not handily close to where I live in SW11, but in far-flung places like Dalston or Shoreditch or Highgate, part of me still hoped that something would eventually come along to prove me...
diamond geezer
Beddington Farmlands
A Nice Walk: Beddington Farmlands (1 mile)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing...
a month ago
A Nice Walk: Beddington Farmlands (1 mile)
Sometimes you just want to go for a nice walk, nothing too taxing, a bit of a stroll, wildlife guaranteed, railway-adjacent, mostly dry underfoot, broad pylon vistas, binocular opportunities, possibility of lapwings, won't take long. So...
diamond geezer
Dangleway Week (1)
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly...
a year ago
Danglewatch (2) Art on the Dangleway
The Line, a meridian-based public art walk (which doesn't truly follow the meridian but it makes for a good name). Squatting on a small pontoon beside the northern terminal is the quirky sculpture Bird Boy by Laura Ford, a figure of a lost...
AFAR Media - Travel...
4 Outdoor Adventures Near Marriott Hotels in Florida
5 months ago
Herbert Lui
Fast & Furious
The Fast & Furious franchise was inspired by an article on street racing culture by Kenneth Li. The...
2 weeks ago
The Fast & Furious franchise was inspired by an article on street racing culture by Kenneth Li. The first three movies in this Fast & Furious franchise—Fast & Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift—maintained its signature by staying true to this...
diamond geezer
Tup'penny
#10003 ✅ Analysis
2018 I bagged them up and took them to the bank, earning £13 for my trouble. What...
a year ago
#10003 ✅ Analysis
2018 I bagged them up and took them to the bank, earning £13 for my trouble. What I wondered was what years my remaining 2p coins were minted in and how many years are missing.
1971 1980 1990 1991 1993 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2006 2007 2008...
diamond geezer
Friday transport news
Friday transport news
n.b. London Reconnections does a longer list every Friday
Ian Visits does a...
10 months ago
Friday transport news
n.b. London Reconnections does a longer list every Friday
Ian Visits does a longer list every Friday
Raildate does a longer list every Friday
Overground news
recently restored, and it's one of the latter.
It's the original waiting room from 1872 which...
Spoon & Tamago
In an Appeal to Young Workers, a Manufacturing Company Steps Away from Obscurity
all photos by Takumi Ota courtesy Schemata Architects For decades, Japanese manufacturers have...
2 months ago
all photos by Takumi Ota courtesy Schemata Architects For decades, Japanese manufacturers have worked in obscurity, churning out parts for the world’s biggest automakers and smartphone brands. And for the most part—largely owing to the confidential nature of their work—they have...
diamond geezer
Gaps between Easters
You've probably noticed that Easter Day moves around a lot. Yes, it can fall on any date between...
8 months ago
You've probably noticed that Easter Day moves around a lot. Yes, it can fall on any date between 22nd March and 25th April, but it never seems to end up on the same weekend it did last year. And indeed it never can.
Let's take a look at how the date jumps around during the...
One from Nippon
A peek into Japan's Convenience Stores (Part 2)
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part article. It will mostly make sense even without...
a year ago
Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part article. It will mostly make sense even without reading Part 1, but you would be missing out on a lot of context!
Before we start, let's take a quick detour to talk about that word in the
Cheese and Biscuits
The Blind Bull, Little Hucklow
A large menu is rarely a good sign, and I have to admit a part of my heart sank when I sat down at...
3 months ago
A large menu is rarely a good sign, and I have to admit a part of my heart sank when I sat down at the Blind Bull and counted 12 items in the starters section, 6 mains, 3 sides and 5 desserts (even if I'm being kind and counting all the ice creams as one) - fully 26 dishes...
Londonist
Tower Bridge Will Be Stuck In The Raised Position, As It Closes Over Bank Holiday
It's supposed to be like that.
a year ago
It's supposed to be like that.
diamond geezer
Freshwater fish quiz
Freshwater fish quiz
(quiz complete... all answers now in the comments box)
1) roost
2) plump
3)...
8 months ago
Freshwater fish quiz
(quiz complete... all answers now in the comments box)
1) roost
2) plump
3) long spear
4) below tenor
5) director Ken
6) former Sussex MP
7) Surrey MP
8) vehicle (quiet)
9) phone company (large)
10) 10 swiss
11) 60 secs at present
12) 500 + 1
13) 1000...
Spoon & Tamago
Objects of Nostalgia Recreated in Pixelated Ceramics by Toshiya Masuda
all images courtesy the artist On the spectrum of artistic materials, pixel art and ceramics...
a year ago
all images courtesy the artist On the spectrum of artistic materials, pixel art and ceramics seemingly couldn’t be further apart. On one end you have one of mankind’s oldest forms of expression dating back to the late Paleolithic period. On the other, a digital form of art that...
Londonist
"As Long As 13 London Buses": The Curious, Spurious Comparisons We Find In The Media
What as tall as six Nelson's Columns?
9 months ago
What as tall as six Nelson's Columns?
diamond geezer
Open House (3)
Yesterday's Open House tally was seven.
• The repurposed building indelibly associated with a star...
a year ago
Yesterday's Open House tally was seven.
• The repurposed building indelibly associated with a star architect where everyone had to wear a name badge in case the over-excitable staff wanted to make conversation, but there was in fact hardly anything to see and I was out of there...
Cheese and Biscuits
The Terrace, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
The Terrace restaurant in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight is situated not just handily near the ferry...
over a year ago
The Terrace restaurant in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight is situated not just handily near the ferry terminal, but literally on top of it, the outside dining area (or Terrace, if you will) regularly enveloped in shade as the giant Lymington ferry pulls alongside. This means that...
Londonist
Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 23-29 October 2023
Things to do for under a fiver.
a year ago
Things to do for under a fiver.
AFAR Media - Travel...
A Weekend Guide to Skiing and Dining in Park City, Utah
a week ago
diamond geezer
Rejigging the Bow Roundabout
(this is the first post written on my new laptop)
(Windows 11 remains very unfamiliar - a lot's...
3 months ago
(this is the first post written on my new laptop)
(Windows 11 remains very unfamiliar - a lot's changed since 7!)
I'm still trying to work out what's going on with the imminent roadworks at the Bow Roundabout. I keep checking the Causeway one.network map where everything's...